Est. 1879
Students make new connections In IPS class, students learn how to connect with classmates who struggle with communication skills
By Mallory Thompson IPS is a class like no other. IPS — or Interpersonal Skills — consists of a variety of students, including some who struggle with everyday communication skills and other students who serve as examples. “We try to bring people from different backgrounds together so they can learn from each other and learn to work together,” said Jake Thibodeau, who teaches in the school’s autism program. “Hopefully, [students] take that outside of the class, and through their actions and maybe through their words, try to make changes to the culture of the school.” The class aims to do so through focusing on communication and leadership skills. The typical weekly schedule consists of weekend updates and an introduction to a new unit on Mondays followed by more instruction and activities relating to the unit on Tuesdays. Wednesdays are community-based instruction days when the class goes on field trips. Fridays
are leisure activity days consisting of sports or board games. “Some of our kids don’t have a lot of peer involvement outside of their classes in school,” said Susie Micka, who co-teaches IPS with Thibodeau. “This is a place and an opportunity for them to go play basketball or games with friends or do an art project — things that a lot of teenagers would tend to do on their own anyway.” Thibodeau believes these activities provide different opportunities than students normally experience. “By building this teamwork and these personal relationships, we’re trying to give access to different parts of the school that some of our kids with special needs don’t necessarily get,” Thibodeau said. Because of its laid-back atmosphere, the feel of IPS class differs from the typical classroom environment. “I feel way more comfortable with everyone in this class because it isn’t a stressful or working
Lawrence High School, 1901 Louisiana St., Lawrence, KS 66046
environment like a usual classroom,” junior Mackenzie Owens said. “We all can joke around and treat each other like best friends.” For the first time, IPS became a year-long class this year, giving students more opportunities to connect with those they wouldn’t necessarily get to know. “My favorite part of this class is building relationships with the students in this class and seeing them warm up to us,” Owens said. “By second semester, I really feel like I can connect to everyone.” Senior Victoria VanAlstine agrees the class fosters new connections. “It helps me make new friends and not be so shy,” she said. Thibodeau and Micka hope students use the skills developed in these friendships to reach their goal for the class. “One of our biggest goals, and the thing that we hope that if nothing else they carry forward with them, is compassion for others,” Micka
said. “That ability to think about some one else’s needs before thinking about their own is the ultimate goal.” Students have taken large strides toward reaching this goal. Some who struggle with communication or have severe anxiety about meeting new people are now volunteering responses and conversation topics, inviting people to do things, jumping into games and even organizing games. “It’s been very surprising to watch that growth take place, especially at this age,” Micka said. “To see that kind of growth has been incredible.” Students have also shown growth in their ability to communicate. “One of the biggest things we want is for Continued on page 2
Junior Cole Cummins shows junior Chester Lindeman how to perform an elbow strike Feb. 8 during IPS class. Photo by Mallory Thompson Vol. 122, Issue 7, Feb. 15, 2012
NEWS
IPS: students make new connections
Continued from page 1 them to be able to advocate for themselves,” Thibodeau said. “We’ve seen some of our kids grow in that area a lot. [Some students] come in and they don’t have that ability to say what their wants and needs and dreams and desires are because so many times, [for] people with special needs, decisions are made for them. We teach them how to make choices for themselves, and it gives them a voice to be able to express those wants and desires.” There also have been evident changes in the students without special needs, even though “they didn’t really expect that they would be learning anything,” Micka said. Through an activity where the class had to interview college students for a survey, “some of the students were shocked to realize that they were more shy and more inhibited to fulfill the requirements -- to go up and ask someone a couple questions,” Micka said. “They learned about some of that courage and dropping those inhibitions from their classmates.” Owens agrees the class also generates some self discovery. “This class has been more about learning about myself,” she said. Students have also been challenging their immediate reactions to things and improving their use of academic terminology for communication, nonverbal skills and
IPS students joke around and practice their newly-learned self-defense skills. Photo by Mallory Thompson leadership skills. Most importantly, these students have learned how to create relationships with those they normally wouldn’t get the chance to. “I’ve learned that everyone has something awesome about them, but they may show it in a different way,” Owens said. “You really have to get to know a person and look from their perspective to connect with them.” IPS serves as more than just a first hour, especially for students with special needs. “They don’t really have a place to belong within the whole school, so this gives them that access — to have a place to belong,” Thibodeau said.
Yearbook changes create new LHS tradition By Ashley Hocking
check us out online. www.lhsbudget.com 2 | The Budget
A long-standing tradition at LHS has been to pass out yearbooks in August. This year, the yearbook will reach the hands of students much sooner. “I noticed that by the time students are coming back in the fall to get their yearbooks, the seniors are already off to college and not really interested in getting their yearbooks anymore,” yearbook adviser Barbara Tholen said. “The opportunity to have that excitement around handing out yearbooks and having all of your friends sign them is lost for the most part.” Tholen began discussing moving the distribution date with yearbook editors last year. At that point, the editors weren’t interested. They didn’t want to end the longstanding tradition. Going into this year, editors were intrigued at the idea of publishing a spring yearbook. In May, Tholen and yearbook staff members and current seniors Amanda Fevurly, Maria Watson and Tommy Kitchen journeyed to a few Shawnee Mission high schools that hand out their yearbooks in the spring and watched how distribution worked. “I had my doubts before, but after seeing the distribution at those schools and [seeing] how successful they were really made me more confident in the change,” editor-inchief Amanda Fevurly said. They felt if the publication date was going to change, this was a good time to do it because half of the student body would be coming up from junior high schools, where students were used to getting their yearbooks in the spring. The staff wanted to reward students with yearbooks as the climax to the end of the year. “We are hoping to make the yearbook more of an Page Design By Mallory Thompson
exciting capstone to the year, instead of an afterthought,” Tholen said. In order to publish the yearbook and release it by the end of the school year, the staff must wrap up the main book by spring break. “It’s definitely a lot more work right now, and we have less time to do it,” Fevurly said. “In the long run, it will be worth it.” From spring break to June 1, the staff will cover all other events, sports, activities and extracurriculars taking place, which will run in a supplement. “The staff just didn’t want to sacrifice not having those stories, so the best way to get them in the yearbook is to run them in a supplement,” Tholen said. The 32-page supplement will easily fit in the back of yearbooks and only make books slightly larger than before. On their back covers, supplements will have sticky strips, much like double-sided tape, that will allow them to neatly stick on the back endsheets of the yearbooks. The supplement will be given to seniors when they come back during the summer to pick up their diplomas. Underclassmen will receive their supplements in the fall. Many students are eager about the yearbook being published in the spring, including yearbook staff member junior Mackenzie Owens. “I think it will influence people to buy the yearbook and more yearbooks will be picked up, instead of being left behind, like many in the past,” Owens said. With all the new changes, the yearbook staff will be creating a new LHS tradition. “I know change can be a tough thing for people to get used to,” Tholen said. “But for now, this is the direction we need to go.” Feb. 15, 2012
OPINION BUDGET Students need seminar replacement
staff
About The Budget
The Budget is published every three weeks and distributed free of charge to students and faculty at Lawrence High School, 1901 Louisiana, Lawrence, Kan. 66046-2999. The Budget is produced by students in the Journalism II course with occasional contributions from Beginning Journalism, Journalism III and guest columnists. The newspaper’s goals are to inform, entertain and present a forum of expression for students, faculty, administrators and community members. The newspaper is financed through advertising and staff fundraising. The editorial staff is solely responsible for the content of this newspaper, and views expressed in The Budget do not necessarily reflect those of the administration of Lawrence High School or USD 497.
Feedback
Letters to the editor and story ideas may be submitted in room 139 or by e-mail to lhsbudget@ gmail.com.
Issue Editor-in-Chief Mallory Thompson
Editorial Board
Taylor Kidder, Online Lily Abromeit, News Mallory Thompson, Sports Yu Kyung Lee, Features Jacob Mason, Design Abby Gillam, Photo
Advertising Manager Maxwell Butterfield
Staff
Anessea Anderson Madeline Baloga Isaiah Boldridge Mackenzie Breithaupt Azer Chaudhry Jamiera Flowers Chelsea Foster Sarah Helwani Ashley Hocking Joey Johnson Ella Magerl (assistant online editor) Mara McAllister Joe Mills Weston Norris (online photo editor) Michael Peterson Kendra Schwartz Shelby Steichen Morgan Wildeman
Business Manager: Susan Bell
Adviser:
Barbara Tholen Feb. 15, 2012
By Taylor Kidder Students were distraught to learn that this year they would no longer receive the free periods of seminar they had received in years previous to accomplish homework within school and make up tests and class sessions. Upon witnessing the devastating effects of the removal, administrators are considering the reinstatement of a free period for students as “lion time.” Failing to return this crucial period would be tragic. Students need a seminar period to accomplish homework and make up class time. Students have more classes than ever and less time with which to accomplish the work in those classes. Students cannot be expected to manage seven classes worth of homework, each of which can take up to an hour a day, in the six-hour timeframe between leaving school and sleeping. That six-hour frame is assuming students do not have any extracurricular activities, part-time jobs or a desire to consume supper. Taking ill is something no student
can be held accountable for. It is perfectly natural. However, students are still required to make up any class time missed while diseased. Overcoming lost class sessions is difficult, if not impossible, for students with obligations outside of school. Tragically, however, the truth is not just that students lack time. Teachers have already lost more time than they care to have — so much time that the school has had to remove late arrival from the end of the year. However, with lion time, teachers would not have to spend as much time after and before school making up class time for students, giving them more time to better plan out class time and work around their current time restrictions. Administrators need to instate lion time, perhaps with a more respectable name. Nevertheless, students and teachers need this time. With proper planning, class time lost on Wednesdays and Thursdays would be minimal and more than made up for by lion time.
Schedule changes have taken a toll. Here's a look at what the changes have meant for students.
1.5 hours
Lost time students experienced weekly this school year with the loss of Thursday seminar.
9 minutes
Time cut from each class period this year, meaning less time for work and teacher help.
1 class
Added course and homework load placed on each student this year. Graphic by Jacob Mason
Chesty costume collects dust, lowering school spirit by sarah helwani It’s the middle of the year, and students still don’t know who will wear the Chesty Lion costume. Sporting games and events lack true Lawrence High spirit without the school’s mascot to hype up the crowd, but it isn’t a new problem. “We’ve been having random students be Chesty for a few games,” cheer coach Gwenneth Wedd said. Senior Tommy Kitchen was one of the many students who wore the Chesty costume last school year. He was Chesty for three football games. Many may not know it, but be-
ing Chesty isn’t an easy load. “It was hot, disgusting, smelly,” Kitchen said. “It was really heavy. My neck hurt so bad after.” Despite the difficulties, Wedd thinks Chesty is necessary to “engage with the little people that follow [him] around,” Wedd said. Chesty also must promote school spirit. Kitchen said the mascot should “show up to all games” and “be able to pump the crowd up.” His choice for the job would be senior Wendy Hamm. Senior Simon Fangman attended all but one home football game this year and was disappointed to find Chesty absent. “Chesty brings Lawrence High pride and
a louder student section,” he said. According to Fangman, junior Brett VanBlaricum would make a great Chesty. But Fangman would gladly accept the responsibility of being Chesty — “without hesitation,” he said. As Chesty, Fangman said he would try and “harass the other mascot.” Senior Taylor Doonan suggested Chandler Thomann for this year’s Chesty. Although Doonan wouldn’t consider being Chesty herself, she said if she were to try out the costume, she would “be at every home game and Free State away game.” It seems the games are not complete without Chesty’s outrageous team spirit. “[Chesty] brings back tradition and fun memories,” Doonan said.
What’s on your mind? By Morgan Wildeman
Do you like the warmer winter? Why?
AustinGarner “No, not really. I always look forward to the snow and snow days so I can hang out with friends.” Page Design By Ella Magerl
HunterShawley “Yes. I like warm weather.”
LisaWerner “Yes. Because I can get outside more, and I just don’t like cold weather.”
MichelaOxford “Yes, but it’s kind of scary since it’s not supposed to be this warm in January.” The Budget | 3
NEWS
Raising the dropout age: 16 to 18 While hundreds of graduates throw their caps into the air each May, many of their classmates haven’t made it. In 2010, Lawrence High School’s graduation rate was 81 percent -- slightly better than the state average. Concern about the nation’s dropouts prompted President Barack Obama last month to suggest all states require students to stay in school until age 18. “I’m one of the few people of my circle who’s still left,” senior Dylan Schildt said. “A lot of my friends have dropped out, and now they have jobs and they’re living on their own.” In Kansas, students can leave school at age 16 with a parent’s consent. The minimum dropout age in the U.S. has historically been set at 16, though in recent decades some have raised this to 18 (21 states have done so) or to 17 years of age (11 states). Schildt knows opportunities for his friends would have been different if they had stayed in school. “They could’ve turned out better if they’d stayed in school . . . just made a better future for themselves, but it’s their life,” he said. Carolyn McKanna, who supervises credit recovery classes, said learning can’t be forced upon anyone. “If there isn’t that desire or interaction on the student’s part,” McKanna said, “there isn’t much point of having him
or her in class to distract from those who do want to be there.” Math teacher Ron Callaway said forcing uninterested 16- and 17-year-olds to remain in a traditional school setting wouldn’t be beneficial to anyone. “Other educational opportunities need to be made available when the traditional high school is not working,” he said. Dylan Schildt suggested “a whole other school system” could be set up for the benefit of students who cannot abide by the structure and curriculum of the traditional high school. Senior Loni LaCour said the dropout age should remain where it is. “It’s unrealistic to expect everyone to graduate and go to college,” she said. “Why should taxpayers pay money for the education of kids who obviously don’t want to be there?” Still, McKanna said some students need time to develop an understanding of the importance of education. “A student who is required to stay in school after 16 could potentially acquire the interest and maturity needed to graduate,” she said. “I have seen several students in credit recovery who really care and are motivated to do the work when last year, they would have been messing around. In these cases, it would have been a shame if those students had dropped out, as I’m sure they wanted to, and had gotten so far behind to make it impossible to graduate.”
Dropouts counted The graph compares the dropout rates
25% for Lawrence High, USD 497 and Kansas
Drop out rate for Senior Class
By Michael Peterson
from 2004 to 2009. The LHS dropout rate has more than doubled in less than 20% four years. Source: Kansas State Department of Education
Lawrence High USD 497 Kansas
15%
10%
5%
2004-2005
2005-2006
2006-2007
2007-2008
2008-2009
Graphic by Azer Chaudhry
Presidential candidates' views on controversial topics by mara mcallister
Many seniors and select juniors will have the opportunity to vote in the upcoming presidential election, but students must learn about the political issues that are important to them. The Budget spoke to some politically active students to discover their views on political issues and looked at where the leading candidates stand.
Student
Barack Obama
Rick Santorum
Mitt Romney
Sophomore Thomas Peterson: “I think the most important issue is the budget definitely, also healthcare and education. Those are the big issues.”
Education: Obama wants to grant reprieve from No Child Left Behind while rewarding states that improve standards. Health Care: Obama passed the Affordable Care Act, ensuring greater access to healthcare.
Newt Gingrich Education: Gingrich supports No Child Left Behind. Health Care: Gingrich wants to repeal Obama’s health care law and reward medical institutes and citizens for good health care.
Education: Santorum believes in less federal involvement in public education. Health Care: Santorum wants to repeal Obama’s health care laws and create patient-centered health care.
Education: Romney favors No Child Left Behind and standardized testing. Health Care: Romney wants to repeal and replace the current heath care laws, giving states — not the federal government -- control of this area.
Junior Kharon Brown: “I’m really interested in what we’re going to do with our national debt, I feel like that’s a really important issue we need to solve if we’re going to be a reliable nation.”
Economy: Obama passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, giving tax breaks to working families and small businesses.
Economy: Gingrich hopes to stop a 2013 tax increase, strengthen the value of the dollar and balance the federal budget.
Economy: Santorum wants to cut taxes and cap government spending.
Economy: Romney is against labor unions, believing they hurt the economy. He wants to increase free trade agreements and implement an immediate federal budget cut.
Senior Holly Robinson: “I know for me personally I go more on the moral issues rather than the fiscal monetary issues. For me, abortion and homosexual marriage are very important.”
Abortion: Obama believes abortions should be safe, legal and available to women. Gay Marriage: Obama signed the repeal ending the military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy, and the Obama administration declared the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional.
Abortion: Gingrich opposes abortion. He hopes to end funding for Planned Parenthood. Gay Marriage: Gingrich opposes gay marriage and adoption by gay couples.
Abortion: Santorum opposes abortion. Gay Marriage: Santorum believes marriage is exclusively between a man and a woman and opposes homosexual marriage.
Abortion: Romney opposes abortion, with the exceptions of rape, incest or to save the mother. He believes Roe vs. Wade should be overturned. Gay Marriage: Romney opposes homosexual marriage, but supports fighting discrimination in the LGBT community.
In print. Online. www.lhsbudget.com Follow: @lhsbudget 4 | The Budget
Page design by Abby Gillam
Feb. 15, 2012
NEWS
Prohibited sites vary between districts Other Kansas schools share their filtering policies and websites to which they allow access By Yu Kyung Lee When LHS students try to pull up YouTube, a red and black exclamation shows up. The content, says the accompanying message, is “too mature.” But when students in Topeka pull up YouTube, they get unlimited access to the latest cat videos. The discrepancy is the result of the ambiguous nature of the Children’s Internet Protection Act, or CIPA, a federal regulation requiring school districts to protect minors online. CIPA is the reason that Lawrence USD 497 blocked YouTube from student access this year. CIPA requires districts to block access to “obscene” content (rated R or NC -17) and any harmful content. District officials say YouTube allows access to “obscene” videos on the site and have decided it falls under CIPA’s category of sites to be blocked. “The content in question that is hosted by YouTube contains, but is not limited to: nudity, sexual acts, extreme violence and drug use,” said Chantel Nicolay, division director of technology and library media services for USD 497. But different school districts make different decisions. What falls under the CIPA categories is up to each school district, and districts interpret the requirements differently. As a result, Internet access varies, even among neighboring districts. “It’s basically local policy, local control,” said Paul Getto, a policy specialist for the Kansas Association of School Boards, which offers advice to school districts throughout the state. “Doctrine of local control is they have the right to adopt any policy, rule or regulation that is within the law.” Lawrence blocked YouTube for the first time this year. It joined Manhattan-Ogden, Gardner Edgerton, Perry-Lecompton and Tonganoxie. In
Topeka and McLouth, however, school districts do not block YouTube. The interpretive nature of the regulation causes the local variance and difficulties for administrators. “The hardest part is ensuring we are blocking what we are suppose to block,” Nicolay said. “Claims to what fall under CIPA law vary considerably.” All schools must conform to CIPA in order to receive federal funds called E-Rate, which makes telecommunications affordable for school districts. “E-Rate pays 60 percent of our communications, which include Internet and phones,” Nicolay said. Still, it is still not easy for students to understand why YouTube has to be blocked. Besides the confusing regulations of CIPA, students don’t understand the purpose of CIPA in high schools in the first place. “YouTube does have some explicit videos, but at our age, we are already so used to it [mature content],” junior Ashton Jimboy said. Senior Dale Roussel agrees. “They are trying to protect us from things that is child-play compared to what we see in schools,” Roussel said. The decision to block can go beyond the desire to comply with federal dictates. For example, CIPA is not what has caused the district to block Facebook. Administrators were the force behind that block. At the request of administrators, district IT workers blocked social networking sites, such as Facebook, Myspace, Xanga and Friendster, as well as sites associated with gambling, dating, criminal activities, illegal drugs and more. Other social media, such as Twitter, remain
unblocked. “I am fine with it being blocked, but having one social media site blocked and not another is not fair,” Roussel said. “I use Facebook, and I don’t use Twitter. Both are there for the same reason, but Facebook is blocked and Twitter isn’t.” To make things more confusing, other school districts have taken different stands. For example, the school district in McLouth does not block any of the social networking sites. “It’s not fair. If they didn’t block it, why did we block it?” Jimboy asked. “It also works the
Topeka Tonganoxie McLouth
Manhattan Gardner Perry Shawnee
other way. If we have to block YouTube, why do they get YouTube?” Many questions remain unanswered about how each district interprets CIPA and the inappropriate natures of social networking sites. The challenge for schools can be that the same sites students use to waste time or find inappropriate content can also be tools for learning. “Internet can be a tool of abuse,” Getto said. “That’s the part where schools have trouble. That’s why people try to ban things.” Graphic by Joe Mills
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Math teacher honored with state-wide award By Abby Gillam Students receive recognition for outstanding achievements throughout the school system, but teachers don’t generally get awarded for their success. Math teacher Jason Karlin is an exception. When Karlin received the district's Horizons award in September, he qualified for the statewide award, and in January, he was announced the winner of the state Horizons award. The Horizons award is given to exemplary first-year teachers during their second year of teaching in their district. In order to receive this award, teachers must have several recommendations from people within the district, colleagues and possibly parents of students. Math teacher Pam Fangohr said Karlin brings a lot of expertise in the sense of technology. “He’s always re-enforcing to the kids ‘you need this to have success in the real world,’” Fangohr said. “Because he actually was an IT guy for about 13 years and then got in to teaching.” After nearly a decade of working as an IT Feb. 15, 2012
professional, Karlin made the decision to take on teaching. “I kind of always wanted to be around kids, and I like math and science and decided to go for it,” Karlin said. Junior Porter Burdett said Karlin is a good teacher. “He explains things really well,” Burdett said. “And as a person, he’s just really nice.” Fangohr also thinks Karlin is a great addition to the math department because of his different perspectives on teaching. “It’s great to work with him because he can bring different ideas, good or bad,” Fangohr said. “It really helps the dynamics to make us a better math department.”
Math teacher Jason Karlin (right) receives the district Horizons award in September 2011 from Superintendent Rick Doll, which qualified him for the state award. Photo by Elsa Latare Page Design By Yu Kyung Lee
The Budget | 5
FEATURES
The Faded Age on the rise
A group of five local high school students create a special relationship through their music by maddie baloga
check us out online. www.lhsbudget.com
For most high schoolers becoming a musical star is just a dream. But, for senior Alex Glanzman, it’s a reality. Glanzman is a member of The Faded Age, a pop-punk/alternative rock band. Along with Glanzman on drums, The Faded Age is made up of local juniors Jack Lange, the lead vocal, rhythm guitar player Chandler Billie and bass player John McCain, as well as lead guitar player Jesse Hickock. Glanzman started playing drums in ninth grade. “I just got Rock Band [video game] because I was bored, and I got really good at it. So I decided to buy my own drums,” Glanzman said. “I’ve always enjoyed playing drums and the entire aspect of music. I’ve always wanted to be on stage and give people something that they enjoy.” And he did.
8 | The Budget
He joined the band in July, and since then, The Faded Age has kept busy with gigs. “We’ve played at the Bottleneck a couple times, we’ve played shows in Kansas City, and we are planning on taking a monthlong summer tour,” Glanzman said. The highlight of the band’s career was in November when The Faded Age competed at Refuge, a venue in Kansas City. There were 10 bands being judged “to see who would be the most successful,” Glanzman said. “If you won first place you got a live music video.” The Faded Age won and now has a live music video on YouTube. But success didn’t come without practice. The band practices every Tuesday and Thursday, preparing for a show every two to four weeks. Spending countless hours together, the band created music and brotherhood. “I’ve gotten very close to every single member
of the band. It’s really refreshing knowing these people that seem to listen to the music you do, like the ideas that you have and you are able to express yourself through it,” Glanzman said. “[We are] doing what we’ve always dreamed of since 8 years old. It’s really cool.” They found each other for the love of music, and now they are inseparable. “It’s just the connection and creating something that you know nobody else can create,” Glanzman said. “That’s probably one of the most fulfilling experiences that I have found. I’m able to start something and create it, and people will actually like it.” The band members do “occasionally get mad at each other,” Glanzman said. “But the thing with The Faded Age is that we are always able to get over it. We don’t really let it affect our music and our shows.” The Faded Age hopes to beat the odds of
stereotypical high school bands and continue to write, practice and play music after graduation. They want to get their names out to the Midwest audience. “We want to be able to expand and not just stick in Kansas” Glanzman said. To do so, The Faded Age distinguishes itself from other high school bands. “We don’t do drugs, and we’re not the high school cliche,” Glanzman said. “We do actually think and we talk about philosophy, current events, and we do care about other things.”
Bottom left: The Faded Age members pose for a group shot in Kansas City, Kan. Curious to hear the band? Check out lhsbudget.com for music links and like their Facebook page — The Faded Age. Bottom right: Drummer Alex Glanzman poses for his individual shot. Photos courtesy of Morgan Cooper
In print. Online. www.lhsbudget.com Follow: @lhsbudget Page Design By Abby Gillam
Feb. 15, 2012
FEATURES
Exchange students get a taste of Kansas Two students from Paraguay visiting LHS get to experience an American high school and the major cultural differences between the two countries By Shelby Steichen Traveling abroad can be both an exciting and scary experience for exchange students. They have to cope with speaking a different language, adjusting to customs, meeting new people and even living with people they’ve never met. But for Paraguayan exchange students Tatiana Noelscher, 16, and Amy Alvarenga, 17, the experience has been quite enjoyable. Noelscher and Alvarenga are both from Encarnación, Paraguay. They, along with 10 other students from Paraguay, decided to make the long trip to Lawrence. While visiting, both girls have noticed major differences between their home town and Lawrence, one of them being fashion. “The people in my city wear all the same thing,” Alvarenga said. “But here, the people just wear what they want, and I like that.” The weather is another major difference the girls noticed. “Kansas is very beautiful,” Noelscher said. “In Paraguay we don’t know when it’s winter or summer because it’s always the same.” The main similarity both girls noticed between Encarnación and Lawrence was the people. “The people are very nice here and in Paraguay too,” Noelscher said One difficulty Noelscher and Alvarenga faced as exchange students
was speaking in a foreign language. “You have to start speaking English, and maybe your English is not that good so you are a little shy,” Alvarenga said. Seniors Helen Hawkins and Evelyn Morales, the host students, have found ways to help Noelscher and Alvarenga adjust to the language. “We just speak slowly so we can understand each other,” Hawkins said. Hawkins and Morales have also found being in Spanish five class helpful for hosting. “Since I speak Spanish, she (Alvarenga) sometimes doesn’t know how to say a word so she’ll say it in Spanish,” Morales said. Both the hosts and exchange students agree they will take great relationships away from the experience. “I love them,” Morales said. “Amy is like my little sister now.” “[The hosts and exchange students] get to see how very similar they are in spite of language and cultural differences,” Spanish teacher Karen Hyde said. Hyde is one of the teachers who assist with the exchange program. “I love seeing them all eating lunch together at the same table,” Hyde said. Hawkins said her favorite moment with Noelscher so far has been taking her ice skating. “It was fun because it was some-
thing that she’s never done, and she liked it,” Hawkins said. Another new experience has been navigating the halls to each class. “I like it,” Alvarenga said. “And for me, it’s really big, and I always get lost inside.”
Despite some confusion, both girls have had good experiences with their first adventure through American high schools. “It’s a beautiful school, I love it very much,” Noelscher said. “I love this school.”
Spanish teacher and Spanish Club sponsor Karen Hyde, middle, looks at Tatiana Noelscher's student ID with club member Evelyn Morales, left, and Tatiana Noelscher, right. Photo by Ashley Hocking
Do you have a great story idea for The Budget? Send it to lhsbudget@ gmail.com Feb. 15, 2012
Page Design By Yu Kyung Lee
The Budget | 9
FEATURES
It's the wake up call
Reporter nervously delivers the daily announcements By Mackenzie Breithaupt There are only been a few times in my life when I’ve been so nervous that I start to shake. This was one of those times. On the morning of Feb. 7, I had the opportunity to deliver the daily announcements with senior Reid Hildenbrand. Thinking about all of the worst possible scenarios, I walked into school with all sorts of feelings. My nerves were playing tricks on me. I was excited and ready, but anxious at the same time. I’ve never been a fan of giving presentations, speaking in front of people or reading aloud. Giving the morning announcements consisted of two things: speaking in front of people and reading aloud. The worst part was having to sit through first period knowing that in 51 minutes, I would have to speak in front of the whole school. I held on to a calm state of mind until I heard the first bell ring. It wasn’t any sort of surprise anyway, since my eyes were glued to the clock 90 percent of the class, but the sound of the bell still fed my hungry nerves. I thought my anxiety had reached its peak, but when I heard the second period bell ring, it just kept on growing. At that time, I was definitely shaking. I reluctantly made the trip to the main office, meeting up with my fellow announcers upon arrival. Once Hildenbrand pushed a few buttons, there was no going back. I grabbed the phone from Hildenbrand and started talking.
Source: Mashable.
Students curious about Lion's Den replacement By Isaiah Boldridge Since the Lions Den closure last year, students have been curious about what will become of it. For some students, the Den was an alternative to a cafeteria lunch. “It was convenient because I never ate cafeteria food,” senior Eriana Parrish said. “I always ate Starburst, Hot Cheetos, Coke and had a side of gum in pocket for afterwards.” Students’ curiosity has grown over the past year, as expectations of a smoothie bar have not been fulfilled. Marketing III students have tried to meet nutritional food guidelines so that
they can restart the Lions Den. They are thinking about changing it into a smoothie bar, like Juice Stop, which would meet the nutritional guidelines that originally forced closure of the Lions Den. “We are trying not put items in the Lions Den that the students won’t buy,” entrepreneurship teacher Jason Crawford said. If the smoothie idea does not go through, The marketing III have two options: close the Den or sell the nutritional items that the state would like them to sell. “I hope the Lions Den does go through even though I'm not going to be here”, Parrish said. “I hope they enjoy it as much as I did."
I read every paragraph of information with no sense of what the words actually meant. I just read and continued to pass the phone back and forth with Hildenbrand. About halfway through, I couldn’t help but smile because of the progress and perfection I was making. That ended quickly. The words kept spitting out of my mouth fluently until I came across a word I had never seen or heard before. I admit to having a lack of vocabulary, but “endeavors” is a tough word to come across when you’re shaking out of nervousness. I hesitantly went with the flow and pronounced the word incorrectly, but positive feedback told me the mispronunciation was a “cute mistake.” As long as I’m cute, right? When senior Maria Watson wrapped the announcements up with the usual “Happy Tuesday,” I took a deep breath, and then thought: “How do they do this every day?” Both Hildenbrand and Watson said the same thing. “You get used to it.”
Junior MacKenzie Breithaupt reads off the daily announcements along with senior Reid Hildenbrand at the beginning of second hour on Feb. 7. "I was impressed," Hildenbrand said. "She kept her composure. She made me more comfortable because she was so comfortable. She was a natural." Photo by Abby Gillam
Community Blood Center makes plans to bring second blood drive to LHS Compiled by Jamiera Flowers
When: March 2 How to sign-up: At the StuCo window.
What it benefits: One donation saves three lives.
Deadlines: Turn in forms by March 1. Requirements:
• You have to be at least 16 or older. If you are 16, you will need to get a parent permission
form signed. • You need a federal ID • You must weigh at least 115 pounds
Tips to prepare:
• Get a good night’s sleep. • Eat regular meals to make sure you are not donating on an empty stomach. • Drink plenty of fluids. When you donate blood, your body loses about two cups of fluid. After donation, your body replaces the fluid almost immediately by drawing water into your blood from surrounding tissues.
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yearbook Forget to order your book? A limited number of copies are still available. But they won't last long. Purchase in the finance office or at www.yearbookordercenter.com. 10 | The Budget
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Feb. 15, 2012
SPORTS
Relay team gets a taste of victory Lead off
Senior Dylan Orth
The 200 meter relay team tackles the 1991 school record
Second leg
Third leg Senior Zach Andregg
Senior Reid Hildenbrand
Junior Adam Edmonds stood on the block at the Jan. 19 Lawrence Invitational swim meet ready to start the relay for his team. Seniors Reid Hildenbrand, Dylan Orth and Zach Andregg awaited their leg of the relay. The 200-meter freestyle relay team prepared to swim another race. Little did they know they would soon be breaking the 1991 school record. They swam a time of 1:31.83. The old record was 1:32:81. Andregg, the fourth leg of the relay, climbed out of the pool after completing his 50 meters and found out that he, along with his teammates, had just broken the record. Swimming coach Kent McDonald was happily surprised by his team’s success. “I knew we had some fast swimmers [this year], but I didn’t think they would swim as fast as they are,” McDonald said. This relay team was the first to set a new relay record in 22 years, but McDonald doesn’t see them breaking any more for several years. Despite his coach’s apprehensions, Edmonds looks forward to breaking more records in his senior year. “I want to, but it’s going to take a lot of hard work and perseverance to beat some of Zach’s records,” Edmonds said. The boys’ next goal is to take down the 400 meter freestyle relay record. “We’d each have to drop maybe eight, nine seconds [off our time],” Hildenbrand said. “We might have to shave our legs for it.” Next up for the swim team is the state swim meet. “We have a good chance this year, and we’ll do a lot better than [we have] in past years,” Edmonds said. Andregg agreed. “We haven’t had this many people state-bound since I’ve been here,” he said. McDonald’s has high expectations for his team. “We want to finish on the podium at state, medal and plan on being in the top four,” McDonald said. “It’ll take a lot of work and effort, but they are up for it.”
Junior Adam Edmonds
By Chelsea Foster
Anchor
Photos by Mallory Thompson and Chelsea Foster
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Feb. 15, 2012
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'Every 50 Minutes' yearbook red&black
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Students participate in club simulation, hoping to stress the risks involved in drinking and driving
Lions Special
by weston norris and Maddie Baloga Officers from the Lawrence Police Department went into classes Feb. 10 — each time announcing that an “elected” student had “died” in a drunk driving or alcohol-related accident. The student proceeded to leave the class and walk to the black box theater. This was an effort backed by FYI Club to raise students’ attention to drunk driving. The student was not allowed to talk for the remainder of the school day. The event “Every 50 Minutes” earned its name because every 50 minutes, someone dies in an alcoholrelated crash in America. That’s why officer Rob Neff pulled a student out of a class each hour of the schedule. FYI established a “cemetery” in the cafeteria where the chosen students were to eat amongst themselves. “They stare at you because you are in the middle of the lunch room,” freshman Luke Zenger said. “It’s so awkward because you can’t talk, and you look up and they are all staring at you.” Although not talking for a day seems easy to some, FYI club sponsor Dianne Ash said others should try it to experience how hard it is. “It would be hard even if everyone completely respected the activity,” Ash said, “because what would be hard then, is you would feel completely lonely and left out, almost as if ever no one even notices you're gone.” 12 | The Budget
Warm up for winter games with Pizza Shuttle. 1601 W. 23rd St. 842-1212
Above: Police office Rob Neff announces "the death" of a student on Feb. 10. Middle: FYI club members decorate the school with multiple posters. Bottom: Tombstones of students are displayed in the black box theater. Photos by Weston Norris
6
00 A savings of 75¢ with this coupon! “Student Favorite” 10” wing shuttle expires 3/31/2012 (Drink not included)
Pick up only COUPON REQUIRED Call ahead & mention coupon when ordering
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Feb. 15, 2012