What’s Inside?
Courtwarming Edition How Did He Ask You? p. 2
Anatomy of the Student Section p. 3
Courtwarming Candidates p. 4-5
Q&A with Coach Stallbaumer p. 6
Photos of the Month p. 8
How did he ask you...?
The number one questions girls ask around Courtwarming is, "How did he ask you?" I thought I would help the girls out this year and get nosy so they wouldn’t have to. I found some of the cutest ways girls were asked around the school. Ashton Findley asked Kylie Ogden by sending her on a scavenger hunt throughout the school. The last clue had a hint leading to him where he asked her to the dance. Clayton Kaminski asked Allison Kasick by writing "Courtwarming?" on a dry erase board and posted it on Instagram, waiting for her to see it. "I
by Ashley Novo-Gradac
would have never found it if my friends hadn't have texted me about it," Kasick said. Tyler Miller asked Madison Bowers by having her called into the principal’s office. He waited for her with a sign and a gift. She ended up in tears. Garrett Seuser asked Cassie Tucker by waiting at her locker until she got there. When she did, he got down on one knee and asked her. Tucker said, "There was so many people crowded around my locker and I didn't know what to do. Of course I said yes!"
Holder Posey Hits the Stage Tanner Tavis
Zach Fisher
The next great BLHS play, “Holder Posey,” is set to debut next week. The cast and crew have been hard at work over the last few months preparing for the performance. Holder Posey will be a play you won’t want to miss. As many stories do, it revolves around a villain and a hero. The villain, played by senior Tanner Tavis, is an evil bank robber whose mission is to steal the town’s money and win over the school teacher (Tess Grabill),
by Breann Drew
Tess Grabill
who happens to be taken by the sketch artist hero (Zach Fisher). Romance, adventure, scandal - what more could you want? Tavis plays the lead role of Holder Posey. He is familiar with the stage, as he has appeared in several BLHS plays and musicals. However, he isn’t quite familiar with being the lead role. “Let’s just say I have a lot of lines, and when I say a lot, I mean the Mother Mary of all lines,” Tavis said.
When it comes to actually acting, Tavis has discovered a lot of negatives about it, one of which is his intense sweating problem. He said, “I sweat like a horse on steroids in all the noticeable spots. It’s kind of embarrassing.” Tanner is most looking forward to his opportunity to wear a fake mustache on stage. It’s going to be the mustache of all mustaches. As Tanner said, “I’m excited to wear such an obnoxious mustache because my
real mustache (stinks). I feel more like a man, and I like it.” Make sure to come and watch the play. You won’t regret it! The play will run on February 20, 21, and 22 in the BLHS auditorium. The playing times will be at 7:00 pm every night. Adult tickets cost $5; student, children, and senior tickets are $3.
Anatomy of the Student Section
Designed by Susette Garcia
Seniors! It’s that time of the year - time to collect the pictures you want to put in the senior video. You can choose two photos of yourself and one of you and your friends to add to the video. Email photos to Allison Crist at allisonncristt@gmail.com or drop off a hard copy of the photo to Mrs. Loney’s room. Photos are due the week after we return from Spring Break - NO LATER than March 24. Contact Allison Crist with questions.
BLHS COURTWARMING 2014 Nick Genz Most embarrassing moment at BLHS? When I walked into the girls bathroom when I was a freshman. What is your hidden talent? That I’m ranked in the nation for singing. What’s your favorite memory from a school dance? Standing there awkwardly. Who do you think should win? Why? Sean, because he’s simple. Who’s your celebrity crush? George Clooney Favorite Valentine’s Day pickup line? “Do you live in a cornfield, cause I’m stalking you.”
Tanner Tavis Most embarrassing moment at BLHS? Wrecking my car in the front of the school... What is your hidden talent? I’m really good at math. What’s your favorite memory from a school dance? All the free food at prom. And when Malorie Crutchfield ripped her dress while twerking. Who do you think should win? Why? Anyone but Alli Kasick. Who has been the most influential person at our school, to you? Why? Ms. Knowles. She has gotten me involved in a lot more activities, and helped me become a more outgoing person. Who’s your celebrity crush? Jennifer Aniston
Reese McDowell What’s your favorite memory from a school dance? Last year at prom, my date and I fell down the stairs in front of everyone. It was the most embarrassing and hilarious thing ever. Who has been the most influential person at our school, to you? Why? Mrs. Reeves because she really cares about the school and does anything to help someone out. She’s a great role model for all of us. Why should you win? I think I should win because it will be my 18th birthday the day of the Courtwarming game. It’d be really cool to say that I won Courtwarming king on my birthday. Who’s your celebrity crush? Julianne Hough. Lord have mercy, she is gorgeous!
Sean Potter Who do you think should win? Why? Me of course, because I didn’t win everyone’s pal in the yearbook so I want redemption and I also won Courtwarming royalty as a freshmen, so royalty needs to be returned. Who has been the most influential person at our school, to you? Why? Mr. Oberndorfer because I think he is a very good role model as a person, especially for me. I feel like I can count on him for anything. Why should you win? Well I already answered that so... want some more reasons? I’m here all week. Who’s your celebrity crush? Hannah Montana Favorite Valentine’s Day pickup line? Is it hot in here or is it just you?
KING AND QUEEN CANDIDATES Allison Kasick Most embarrassing moment at BLHS? When someone bet me $5 that I wouldn’t walk around the school with an afro wig and elf ears...and I did it. What’s your favorite memory from a school dance? One year I decided to go with just a group of friends and had a blast! Who do you think should win? Why? Anyone but Tanner Tavis! Who has been the most influential person at our school, to you? Why? Coach Schwisow, he has always seemed to truly care about my success and knows how to motivate me and make me better. Why should you win? I’M CLASSY AND FANTABULOUS!
Sara Rehm Most embarrassing moment at BLHS? Puking in my freshmen biology class. What is your hidden talent? I’m the weirdest person you’ll ever meet. Who has been the most influential person at our school, to you? Why? Mr. Hopkins because he taught me that everything is “key”. Why should you win? Because I am THE Sara Rehm. And I’m flawless. Who’s your celebrity crush? Chris Hemsworth Favorite Valentine’s Day pickup line? If boys were boogers...I’d pick you first.
Courtney Payne Most embarrassing moment at BLHS? Falling straight on my knee at a basketball practice while attempting a half court shot. There were tons of wrestlers from another school in the gym at the time also. What is your hidden talent? I’m secretly a comedian. Who’s your celebrity crush? Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder Favorite Valentine’s Day pickup line? Hey you’re cute. Who do you think should win? Why? I would be very happy if I won but if I didn’t, I would say Victoria. She is one of my best friends and she is an amazing basketball player and great teammate.
Victoria Smith Most embarrassing moment at BLHS? Finals week in math class. We were taking a test, and it was very quiet. I farted and everyone looked at me. I blamed Breann Drew for it and they believed me. It was very embarrassing! Who do you think should win? Why? Me because it’s my birthday! Who has been the most influential person at our school, to you? Why? Mr. Courtney - he cares about his students. Who’s your celebrity crush? Styles from Teen Wolf Favorite Valentine’s Day pickup line? You’re purrrrrfect!
Q&A with Coach Stallbaumer Last month, Rod Stallbaumer was hired as the new football coach, but he won’t report to the school until this summer. We recently interviewed the coach about who he is, why he’s here, and what we can expect from him in the coming years. What brought you to BLHS? There were a lot of factors that drew me to BasehorLinwood. I had been very blessed to coach in several great communities in my career that supported their schools and athletics, and I felt like BL definitely fit that mold. I felt like BL was a great opportunity for myself and my family and a place that had a lot of potential for us. I know that Basehor-Linwood has an excellent school system which is important for my two kids. Our daughter Leah will start kindergarten this fall and
by Mitchell Mikinski
our son Landon will start in a couple years.
Offensively we will run a spread flexbone option offense. It is an offense that blends traditional option and wing-t misdirection with spread passing concepts. It is an offense that we feel forces teams to defend the whole field and allows us to outnumber the defense. Defensively we will run a multiple front 4-4 defense that should be very adaptable and give us some flexibility.
and accountability that will enable our players to have long term success. I know that it sounds cliche, but that is what I feel the purpose of high school athletics is. It is the philosophy that we have used everywhere that I have been and has proven successful. I will expect our players to work hard in the classroom, at practice and to play hard on game nights. I've found that if players are doing the right things and working hard they develop the confidence necessary to succeed and the results generally take care of themselves.
What kind of results are you expecting?
What were your results previously?
What kind of offense and defense will you be bringing in?
We will have very high expectations both on the field and off. The primary focus of our program will be to develop the work ethic, responsibility
I have been very blessed to coach at some great schools with some great athletes that have bought into what we were asking of them. I left Lyndon
The Legend of St. Valentine All thanks to Saint Valentine, every year since [as it is believed] A.D. 270 people have celebrated what we know as Valentine’s Day, which occurs on Feb. 14 each year. Cards, candy, flowers, and gifts are all exchanged among not only people in a relationship, but also friends and family. But why? It isn’t even considered a holiday - school and work is still in session.
Valentine disagreed with the new law and defied his ruler. He continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, he was sentenced to death. Other legends say that Valentine could have been killed for attempting to help tortured Christians escape Roman prisons.
There are actually several different legends about Saint Valentine. One legend says that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome.
According to one story, Valentine actually sent the first “valentine” greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl (believed to be his jailor’s daughter) who visited him during his time in jail.
Eventually his emperor decided that single men made much better soldiers than those with wives and kids, so he outlawed marriage for young men.
It is said that before his death he wrote a letter to her signed at the bottom “From your Valentine,” which probably sounds familiar to you because
by Rachael Bell
it is still used today. Although nobody knows the truth behind the legends, all of the stories still have one thing in common: they emphasize his appeal as a heroic and most definitely a romantic figure. Because of his actions and reputation, Valentine became one of the most popular saints in England and France. It is believed that Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. An entire industry has developed from this holiday, and it’s hard to ignore when you walk in to any store in January and February. Saint Valentine’s legend seems to still be going strong almost 2000 years later. Information taken from http://www. history.com/topics/valentines-day
with a team that had won 4 straight league titles, back to back sub-state runner up finishes and a 20-game league winning streak. Our middle school had gone undefeated and our JV hadn't lost a league game in 3 seasons. So I wouldn't have left if I didn't have high expectations for Basehor-Linwood football and didn't believe that we could replicate that kind of success here. It will take time and a community-wide commitment, but I know it's possible. Coach McBride has proven with basketball and Coach Schwisow in powerlifting that Basehor-Linwood can win state championships. What will your off-season strategy be? I will be here at the start of summer to begin to get to (continued on p. 8)
Valentine’s Day: Single Life by Alli Kasick Yes, you are single on Valentine’s Day. No, you don’t need to advertise it on Twitter, Instagram, and every other social media site you can think of. The best way to forget that you are single is to not advertise it. Do not let being single ruin your time on Valentine’s Day. Here are some tips on how to make your day one to remember. Buy yourself an edible arrangement. Who cares if it’s not from a significant other! You will be able to enjoy a colorful bouquet of fruit and maybe even a nice card, telling you everything you like about yourself. A movie night with friends! Rent some movies, have some snacks, and enjoy your day! Surrounding your single self with other single individuals will make being lonely not seem so bad. So whether you are eating some fruit or hanging with friends, just remember that you do not need to worry about being “single for life” or “forever alone”. Because there is someone for everyone, and there are plenty of fish in the sea!
Present-Day Sexism Sexism… is this an outdated concept? Well, it depends on who you ask. According to a recent study done by “Girlguiding,” 70% of girls ages 13-21 have reported experiences of harassment at school. The study also provided these statistics: 87 percent of girls ages 11-21 think women are judged more for their looks than ability. 47 percent of girls ages 11-16 are unhappy with their looks. 54 percent of girls ages 11-21 experience online abuse. Furthermore, young girls are already concerned about how sexism will affect their future careers. “Girls believe that motherhood still disadvantages women in the workplace, and almost half of those aged 11 to 21 worry that having children will
negatively affect their career (46 percent). A similar number think that employers at least to some extent prefer to employ men over women (43 percent). Half worry about the pay gap between men and women (50 percent), rising to 60 percent among 16- to 21-year-olds,” another survey done by “Girlguiding” showed. Where are these ideas coming from, though? What could possibly lead women to believe that they are viewed as easy victims, judged by their appearances or at a disadvantage in the workplace? The real question is, where aren’t these ideas coming from? Billionaire Paul Tudor Jones told an audience of University of Virginia students in May that there would never be as many great women investors as men, because once they have children, they lose focus.
Storm Warning Without a doubt, this winter season is bound to break several records, with wind chills reaching around -20 degrees Fahrenheit here in Kansas. The coldest temperature ever was recorded back on Dec. 8, 2013, when the actual temperature exceeded -137 degrees Fahrenheit in East Antarctica. Even though we haven’t experienced any temperatures anywhere close to those numbers in the U.S., it’s important to stay bundled up and out of the arctic air. The Farmer’s Almanac has already been very accurate with its predictions. Remember
Statistics Show Sexism is an Issue That Can’t Be Ignored
by Allison Crist
“Every single investment idea … every desire to understand what is going to make this go up or go down is going to be overwhelmed by the most beautiful experience … which a man will never share, about a mode of connection between that mother and that baby,” Jones said. During a debate on Fox, radio host Bill Cunningham told his fellow Fox contributor Tamara Holder, “Wait a minute. You shut up. Know your role and shut your mouth.” Holder responded, “My role as a woman?” and Cunningham responded, “Yeah, yeah,” and asked Holder if she was going to cry. Then there’s the infamous Robin Thicke, famous for his song “Blurred Lines,” that’s been condemned for its suggestive lyrics, not to mention the controversial
Farmer’s Almanac Proves Accuracy and Predicts Big Storms Yet to Come
when we got an extra day at the end of Christmas break? The Almanac stated, “Expect snow and very cold conditions, with a heavy snowstorm in the second week of the month.” That’s exactly what we got. The Almanac also predicted the snowstorm we last week, stating, “February will open with heavy mountain snows and extremely cold temperatures that persist for weeks.” The Farmer’s Almanac also predicted that Kansas is in for a March blizzard. With the accuracy they’ve had, don’t be surprised when you see snow falling from the sky in the middle of spring!
If you aren’t brave enough to face the cold, there are still
Social media blew up after the performance, with many critics pointing the finger at Cyrus for her actions onstage while leaving Thicke untouched. The inferences made by Thicke’s song relate to a whole new issue in and of themselves. Ever heard of the term “rape culture?” According to the Women’s Center at Marshall University, rape culture is “an environment in which...violence against women is normalized and excused in the media and popular culture.” No matter the term pegged on this injustice, there’s no denying there is an injustice at hand. Is it time to change this mentality? Read the full version of this story at blhsnews.com.
by Alyssa Foster
As the frigid temperatures and snow have come, snowdays have followed. Last week most of the area was out of school from Tuesday through the end of the week. Once a kid hears that there will be a snowday, they tend to get all excited and think about how nice it will be to sleep in. They dream about getting dressed to the point of not being able to see due to the amount of scarves they have on and heading out into the yard to jump around, build snowmen, and have the ultimate snowball fight!
performance of the song with Miley Cyrus at the Video Music Awards six months ago.
some things you can do to spend your day off and still enjoy yourself. These options will be for those brave, cold-bearing people: • • • • • •
Make snow ice cream Build a fort Snowball fight Snow graffiti Tic-Tac-Snow Go tubing/sledding
These activities are those people who would rather stay warm inside: • • • • • • • • •
Bake/cook Make birthday cards Arts and crafts Clean house Catch up on homework Puzzles/board games Read a book Movie day Fashion shoot
Photos of the Month
Elissa Freemire
Ashley Novo-Gradac
Cassie Batesel
Allison Crist
Taylor Sherley (continued from p. 7)
know the players as well as evaluate. I will be helping with summer weights as well as running the 7-on-7 league. We will have our football camp in early June as well as attend a contact camp to begin the installation of our offensive and defensive schemes. The summer is vital to any football team’s success but even more so during a transition year. We will also hold some position mini-camps, youth camps and various other activities to put
Liz Morris
us in the best position to have success in the fall.
competitive league, and we intend to compete right away.
How do you expect to compete in the KVL?
Are you going to be teaching here?
I think that in order to have success in anything you have to outwork your competition. As coaches, we are going to be putting in the best systems that we can and scouting our opponents to develop the best plans that we can and then work to improve every day. I know the KVL is a very
I will be teaching history classes at the high school. I love history and very much enjoy teaching, I'm looking forward to that aspect as well. What's your football background? I played quarterback in high school and began coaching in
EXPRESS staff Front Row: Susette Garcia, Allison Crist, Liz Morris, Rachael Bell, Breann Drew Back Row: Cassie Batesel, Alyssa Foster, Mitchell Mikinski, Ashley Novo-Gradac, Allison Kasick Editor-in-Chief: Allison Crist Managing Editor: Mitchell Mikinski Adviser: Kristen Loney
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2001. I was an assistant for three years and head coach for two at Quivira Heights High School. I got married and took an assistant job at Rossville High School for one year before becoming the head coach at Lyndon High school for the last seven years. I was an assistant in 2008 and was the head coach of the Kansas Shrine Bowl in 2009. I will also be an assistant in the Shrine Bowl again this summer.
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