Sophomore celebrates uncommon birthday

Turning Four and Already a Sophomore

Student Shares the Ups and Downs of Having a Leap Year Birthday

BY LAURA TRAVIS Reporter

When most people turn four, they may have a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese or Build-a-Bear, ask for the latest and coolest toy, and have a birthday cake with their favorite cartoon character on it. But for sophomore Katherine Baker, turning four means going to the DMV to get her license and enjoying the freedom that driving brings.

Baker was born on Feb. 29. This date only appears on the calendar every four years as the added day during leap years. Baker was born during a leap year in 1996, and even though she is really turning 16, this will be her fourth official birthday.

“I think it is kind of cool, just to mix it up a little every couple years,” Baker said in regard to leap years.

Baker said that people tend to have misconceptions about leap year birthdays and that it is different than some people may believe.

“People think it is a bigger deal than it is. I still have a birthday every year,” Baker said.

On non-leap years, Baker does not have any real problems because she just celebrates her birthday on the day before.

“We usually celebrate on Feb. 28 and do anything anyone else would do, just a day earlier,” Baker said. However, when Feb. 29 comes around every four years, it becomes a fun time for Baker. She said that she celebrates it like every other year. But her friends and family get really excited for her birthday during leap years, one of her favorite parts about her special birthday.

Besides the excitement, Baker pointed out other advantages to having a birthday that only comes around every four years.

“People never forget your birthday,” Baker said.

This was true when Baker turned 12 during the last leap year, 2008, her third official birthday. At school, Baker’s friends all decorated her locker with decorations made for someone turning three years old.

She remembered some people getting confused at first when they saw the decorations but was very happy and thankful to her friends. While there are many upsides, having a leap year birthday comes with a few downsides as well. However, Baker said that they do not come up too often or really affect her life.

“It doesn’t really matter. It gets

“It gets confusing at the DMV because there is no Feb. 29.” -Katherine Baker, Sophomore

confusing at the DMV because there is no Feb. 29,” Baker said.

Baker mentioned another downside for people born during a leap year is that they never will have a golden birthday. This is because their 29th birthday would never fall on a leap year since it is an odd number.

Baker said that its not that different to have a leap year birthday since you still celebrate and grow older every year. However, she does become excited on years she can celebrate on the actual day she was born. To Baker, having a leap year birthday is not really that hard at all.

“I think it is more fun,” Baker said, smiling.

By the NUMBERS 366 Days in a Leap Year and 46 Seconds The Actual Length of a Normal Year

4

Million People Born on Feb. 29

365 Days, 5 Hours, 48 Minutes,

Romans Invented Leap Years in the16th Century

1in 1, 461 Chance of Having a Leap Year Birthday

Baker and sophomores Emma Dopheide, and Sydney O’Dear hangout near the freshmen hallway. The three girls are all in the same Spanish class. (Photo by Maura Eveld)

Sophomore Christine Rieger and Baker take a break during the school day. The girls wore scarfs to take part in Boot and Scarf Day during Catholic Schools Week. (Photo by Maura Eveld)

From left to right, junior Alex Lozano, senior Emily DeCoursey, junior Gigi Conger, and senior Gina Bledsoe (Photos by Jillian Nelson)

A Snapshot of a Young Photographer’s Beginnings

BY DELANEY BATES Arts and Entertainment Editor

Since she was young, junior Jillian Nelson dreamed of becoming a photographer. She wanted to take pictures of anyone and anything she could, and she always found beauty in everything she saw. She got her inspiration from photographers and models on America’s Next Top Model, websites like Deviant Art, and anything considered ‘artsy’ by Nelson. Her dream has become a reality.

“I think it makes people feel beautiful,” Nelson said. “In our society girls have low self confidence and I want to change that.”

Nelson has created a small but growing photography business from something that started out as just an assortment of hobbies. Nelson spent much of her childhood enjoying drawings and anime, which fully blossomed into her love of photography and dreams to change the future.

Nelson found herself in a conversation on the way home from a swim meet freshman year that altered the way she thought about photography and evidently evolved into where she is now.

“I could do that, I mean, why not?” Nelson said.

And so here Fleur de Lens begins with an idea.

Starting small, Nelson’s first paid photo shoot featured juniors Ariel and Lauren O’Bannon. The O’Bannons wanted their pictures taken to start to get into the modeling industry. Nelson’s business has continued to expand; now in all having at least nine paid photo shoots.

Nelson is constantly creating a portfolio of her very best work. Early on Nelson asked junior Alex Lozano to model for her because she needed more pictures of females for her portfolio.

“I’ve always wanted to do pictures,” Lozano said.

It was a win-win situation for the girls. Lozano had her pictures taken while Nelson improved her portfolio.

Nelson’s portfolio is a master book of the style of her pictures. She believes that it shows her personality and style, along with showing the uniqueness of the pictures that she takes.

“Right now it’s just trying to get my name out there,” Nelson said. “My portfolio and pictures go to the public.”

Fleur de Lens has a style that Nelson created. She describes it as dreamy and edgy. The name is French, and it ties into the way she wants girls to see themselves- as beautiful. You can see Nelson’s work at www.facebook.com/fleurdelens.

Junior Gigi Conger modeled when she was younger and she was looking to get back into the business. She said that Nelson was the type of photographer she was looking for.

“Jillian took pictures of me for $100 for whatever outfit, wherever I wanted to go,” said Conger. “It was reasonable and helped me get started again in modeling.”

Nelson continues to take pictures, offering to take senior pictures for just $200, a very thrifty amount compared to other companies. She believes that she is better with the artsy side of it, which gives every picture its own special and unique look.

Nelson understands that money can be tight and takes photographs more for the beauty of it than the money. She wants girls to feel special because they are doing something unique and beautiful enough for someone to want to capture a picture of them forever. If you want to contact Nelson for a photo shoot, you can email her at jill_nelson@rocketmail. com.

“I want to give people the confidence of a model or someone famous,” Nelson said. “You can be that person you want to be. You are that person. You are beautiful. You are amazing. You are handsome.”

And Fleur de Lens thrives through these motives. The company continues to create more attention with every photo shoot. Her dream of photo shooting for America’s Next Top Model is closer than ever: her name is out there, people know her, and she is beginning a career of photography.

“I want to give the viewer an escape from the outside world,” Nelson said, “even if it’s just for a second.”

Focusing on the future, Nelson hopes to one day shoot for America’s Next Top Model. (Photo by Emily DeCoursey)

A Young Politician

Alexandra Follows In Father’s Footsteps

BY EMMA EVELD News/Editorial Editor

part because I get to be the copilot and even fly the plane to our destination,” she said.

Imagine being introduced as the Every year, Colyer gets to go to first female President of the United the capitol in Topeka and be a “page” States. Imagine walking up to the for her father. This entails runsteps of the White House knowing ning errands for her dad around the that you are going to live in it. Imagine capitol. being the most important person in “The interesting part about bethe United States of America. For ing a page is all the cool places and junior Alexandra Colyer, a moment things you get to see. One of my best like this has definitely been played out memories as a page was playing hide through her head. and seek with two of my friends, my

Colyer loves politics - and she dad, and a few senators throughout owes a lot of this love to her dad, the capitol,” Colyer said. Jeff Colyer, currently the Lieutenant Since Colyer has campaigned Governor of Kansas. She equates her for her dad for years, many would father’s job to the Vice President of wonder if she was expected to have the state. He was previously a white the same political views as her father. house fellow under the Bush and Her parents support her making her Reagan Administrations and dealt own decisions and try not to influwith international affairs. He also ence her views. But Colyer, in the was elected into the Kansas House end, is a conservative Republican, of Representatives and served as a just like her dad. Senator. Colyer explained that something

Colyer said being the daughter she hears a lot is that she is too young of a polito be involved tician has You’re never too young to in politics. only a few downsides. be involved in politics; just But has she a response for For example, being aware of topics and that. many of her summer days issues faced in America can “Even though I have been make a huge difference.” might be too spent campaigning, by ~Alexandra Colyer, junior young to vote, participatgoing door to door and putting up ing in politics allows me to voice my flyers all day. Also, Colyer really has opinions and help make decisions to watch her behavior, because if she about my generation’s future. You’re does anything remotely bad, it could never too young to be involved in affect her father and his position. politics,” Colyer said. “Just being

But the benefits of being the aware of topics and issues faced in daughter of a politician are much America can make a huge difference.” more numerous. Colyer has been to President Clinton, Bush and Obama speeches. Over Christmas break, Colyer and the Teenage Republican Club traveled to Iowa to help campaign for Texas Governor Rick Perry in the Iowa Caucus. This was “extremely exciting” to her because she got to meet and get a photo with Perry, and even witness a real Caucus.

Meeting and listening to famous politicians isn’t the only upside, though. Colyer occasionally gets to go on trips with her dad. The Lieutenant Governor travels all over the state frequently.

“On trips such as these, we drive to the little airport in Overland Park Colyer campaigns for Rick Perry with and get into a small four-seat plane. the Teenage Republican Club at the Iowa The plane ride is probably the best Caucus. (Photo from Alexandra Colyer)

Junior Brittany Koppers and her fellow Model UN members discuss plans for the trip. They are getting ready to go to Washington, D.C. (Photo by Shannon Laird)

Model U.N. Storms D.C.

Club’s National Conference in Capitol

BY SHANNON LAIRD Reporter

The world’s problems. Where to begin? There is recession, war, poverty, crime, pain, anger and prejudice to name a few.

So how do we go about fixing all these issues that arise with each new generation? Juniors Maggie Gorman, Bailey Crawford, Emma Eveld, Maura Eveld, Annie McKenzie, Kathryn Thompson, Brittany Koppers, Cigi Danda, Alexandra Colyer and Laura Travis are determined to find out for themselves. All ten of these girls belong to the Model United Nations club, or Model U.N., and are headed to Washington, D.C. over President’s Day weekend. Here, they will join with the North American Invitational Model United Nations. The mission of the NAIMUN is to enlighten high school students to an understanding of international systems from legal and political perspectives as well as to test their negotiation, judgement, and problem-solving skills. “Model UN really teaches us interaction in the global community,” Crawford said. “We learn how to make resolutions for countries across the world and see how different cultures view global policies.” Model UN is a simulation of the United Nations where students divide up to represent a different country. Every one could be any country across the world. Each individual becomes a delegate for that nation and studies a different committee for that country. At the conference, there will be students representing committees varying from the UN General Assembly, Economic and Social councils, the World Health Organization, and the Security Council for each country.

“The idea is that students will sit in these committees and discuss issues that effect the international community,” Murphy said. “Countries eventually reach a consensus on fixing problems. Sion is studying issues about nuclear weapons, media freedom, health and women’s rights.”

Murphy chose the most intense of the girls to go and represent the school. Junior Kathryn Thompson and club Vice President brought up the idea of going to a national conference. Every girl is really looking forward to the trip and what they will learn from the experience.

“Model UN has really taught me a new and interesting way to see the world,” Gorman said. “We discuss realistic ways to solve the numerous problems across the globe.”

Illegal immigration, faltering economies, social discrimination, hate, racial inequality, disease epidemics, global warming, species extinction. The anger and frustration the world has known will never end, only get worse unless someone does something about it. The world’s problems will soon become our own and these ten juniors are taking the first step to overcoming the issues that separate nationalities.

ASTER DISGUISE OFMSeniors Jessica Bauer and Caitlin Allen bellow out the school song in the last minute of the game. This was the seniors’ last home game.

Students fill the stands to take on rival St. Teresa’s in the biggest basketball game of the season. Trench coats and Groucho Marx glasses disguised the faces of the girls supporting their classmates on to another win against the Stars.

Left: senior Emma Hogg fires up the crowd. Hogg is the only senior on the cheer squad. Below: junior Sydney Harris fights for control of the ball to start the game. Harris won the tip off.