February
Volume 26
Issue 5
East Rocks the 60’s in their latest musical, Hairspray. Pg. 12-13
Photo By Ryan Smith
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Feature Marching to the Beat - 3 Trendy Teens of Olathe East - 4 The Secret Life of Baristas - 5
News Young Democrats - 6 Young Republicans - 7
Photos
2017: A Year In Pictures - 8-9
Sports
Profiles From
the
Pool - 10
Entertainment Twinning Is Winning - 11 Behind Hairspray - 12-13 Goodbye 2017; Hello 2018 - 14 The Lonely Hearts Club - 15 Our Top Five... - 16
Editorial How
the
Seniors Got Screwed Over - 19
https://issuu.com/oehawkseye www.oehawkseye.org @OEHawksEye @OEHawksEye @OEHawksEye Notification Statement of Non-discrimination: The Olathe Public Schools prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion or disability in its programs, activities or employment, and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups to its facilities as required by: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other relevant state and federal laws. Inquiries regarding compliance with applicable civil rights statutes related to ethnicity, gender, age discrimination or equal access may be directed to Staff Council, 14160 Black Bob Road, Olathe, KS 66063-2000, phone 913-780-7000. All inquiries regarding compliance with applicable statutes regrading Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act may be directed to the Assistant Superintendent General Administration, 14160 Black Bob Road, Olathe, KS 66063-2000, phone 913-780-7000. Interested persons including those with impaired vision or hearing, can also obtain information as to existence and location services, activities and facilities that are accessible to and usable by disabled persons by calling the Assistant Superintendent General Administration. (04/13)
o t t h g e n i B h e c a r t a M
Melanie Eszter//Managing Editor
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Kristin Gjovig, a member of the Olathe East Marching Band and Wind Ensemble, shares about her experiences from playing in the 2018 Rose Parade.
lto horn in hand, performance uniform on, Junior Kristin Gjovig stood ready to march for the Salvation Army band in the 2018 Tournament of Roses (Rose Parade) in Pasadena, California on Monday January 1, 2018. Each year, the Salvation Army sends two young adults, one male and one female, from each state. The Kansas music coordinator for the Salvation Army heard that Gjovig had been playing for most of her life, and he thought that it would be an excellent idea to ask her to play in the Rose Parade. “[The opportunity] was something that came up and it wasn’t really anything that I thought about before; you don’t really think about being in a parade. Once I got there I was like ‘this is going to be really cool,’” Gjovig said. She had never imagined an experience quite like the one that awaited her in California. Nervous she would have to leave her family Decem-
After people from all across the United States, Canada and Angola Africa arrived, the band would be ready to rehearse. Gjovig enjoyed meeting new people, some of whom were not fluent in English. “The Angola band speak Portuguese and actually if you speak Spanish to them they can understand it well. We also had a person who worked there that Kristin Gjovig plays her Alto Horn was a translator for giving at the Rose Parade | Photo Courtesy of them instructions,” Gjovig said. Krisitn Gjovig The night before the Parade
was New Year’s Eve which took her away from celebrations. However, she managed to have a ball getting to ring in the New Year with the other band members. “They took us bowling and that was really fun; we got to bowl with different people and play games and then they took us back to the camp. They had set up a little party place with food, and drinks, a photo booth, and poppers, and everything,” Gjovig said. Throughout the night everyone helped the others celebrate the New Year. “I thought it was really fun though because we clapped and cheered for every midnight for different people so the ones from New York and Florida we all cheered together and that was really fun,” Gjovig said. Gjovig started the day of the Parade by waking up at 4:30 am. After having breakfast at 5:15 am all the Kristin enjoys time with friends at the Rose Parade | Photo Courtesy of Krisitn Gjovig band members left to go to the parade at around six am. The member 27 and come back on the second of January to participate in this bers were dropped off at a specific location due to the parade route set occasion, Gjovig was up for the adventure. up; the bands march on one street and the floats proceed down another, The band had two morning rehearsals once everyone arrived at the alternating each other in a pattern. After warming up, they were ready camp. They also had a marching rehearsal which took place on a for their big moment. college football field, a few days before the parade. Gjovig also visited “It definitely went by faster than I thought because I was just Hollywood and the Walk of Fame along with other sites in California, pumped on energy from the people, because you have people all on the as a part of her experience. side cheering for you and they are like ‘Salvation Army, thank you’ and “It was like a little treat for coming out to play for them in the payou get to wave and everything,” Gjovig said. rade,” Gjovig said. Gjovig was thankful for this amazing opportunity and was thrilled for The Salvation Army paid for her trip and provided accommodation the experience. There is no doubt that she had a wonderful time getting at the Salvation Army Summer Camp in California. She also knew the to perform at the 2018 Rose Parade. other Kansas participant from the Salvation Army Summer Camp.
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Questions 1.In your own words, how would you define your own personal style? 2.Where do you get most of your clothes? 3.How much do you spend on a typical shopping trip? 4.Where is your favorite place to shop? 5.Do you have a style icon? 6.What is your favorite outfit or piece to wear? 7.What do you love most about your style?
The Online Shopper: Anna McGregor (Junior)
Trendy Teens Of Olathe East Erin McCarthy// Social Media Chair
1.“I would say it’s a mix of streetwear and random crazy pieces with embroidery.” 2.“I don’t really go to the mall I usually get my stuff online or sometimes at Savers or a local store.” 3.“I usually order a whole bunch of clothes at the same time so I probably spend around a hundred dollars.” 4.“I love this website called Asos, it’s literally the greatest thing ever, you can get pretty basic stuff or you can go absolutely crazy that’s where i got my embellished jeans (pictured left), they have absolutely everything. 5.“I really like Yara Shahidi, from Black-ish, she’s literally the greatest. She wears whatever she wants and I like that. 6.“I really like these jeans, because they’re just so crazy, and I have this one embroidered flower skirt that I love wearing 7.“That it’s unique, the mix of how crazy some of my stuff can be with all the embroidery and the embellishments and I’ve never seen anyone else wearing those kinds of things.”
The Vintage: JordanFlemming(Junior) 1.“I would say that it isn’t anything modern; I’m really about the classic Nike style. I also love windbreakers a lot, my style is very retro and eighties/ nineties vintage.” 2.“If we’re talking vintage things, I usually get all of them from my parent’s, because that’s the clothing that they used to wear back when they were young, and I find it appealing. I always strive to present myself in the best way possible I never show up to school in sweats, I’m always wearing jeans and look put-together.” 3.“When I’m not using my parent’s vintage clothing I but typically buy about one to two items, and don’t spend a lot.” 4.“My parent’s basement I just find a lot of stuff down there and enjoy wearing it. I found my dad’s old postman jacket. I didn’t realize how cool the jacket was for a while, and so I’m wearing it now and a lot of people like it.” 7.“The obvious answer would be my windbreaker (pictured right); that windbreaker really started it all for me. It’s like a dark blue purple and a red and it’s very vibrant and very beautiful; it does makes me look like a clown, but it’s nice.”
The Thrifter: Kristi Haas (Senior) 1.“I don’t like to call it trashy but that’s literally the word I would use to describe it because it’s like class and trashy combined into one. My look is like ‘she doesn’t care but, she still put on clothes’”. 2.“Thrift stores ,obviously, and my parent’s closet a lot and they get mad at me usually because I don’t tell them that I’m taking their clothes and then I just wear it; they’re usually clothes from the eighties that they wore in college.” 4.“I got to say Savers, but recently I’ve started going to River Market and Teaks but that’s a higher end thrift store. It is a little more expensive but the good thing is I’m willing to spend some money on those nicer items because I never really spend that much on clothes”. 6.“It probably would be my mom jeans (pictured left) with my white tube socks and my adidas that’s a classic look, or my overalls just because they’re so comfortable but it still looks like I’m putting in an effort for the day.” 7.“I’ve gotten to the point where I can pull off a lot of different things and the fact that it costs so little so when I’m a broke college student I won’t be as broke because I can just go buy a three dollar turtleneck and everything is good.”
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All photos courtousey of Erin McCarthy Feature
Melanie Eszter//Managing Editor
The Secret Life of High School Baristas
Seniors Sydney Besa and Luis Torres share the joys and woes of working in a coffee shop.
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or many people, many people, coffee is a daily necessities and coffee shops are the number one place to get specialty brews. Everyone knows how to order a cup or go through the drive through, but not many people know what it is like to be on the other side of the coffee business: making the coffee. To ensure that baristas get the training they need they must go in before they begin working at the store and learn all of the material. “You first learn on the computer and then you actually practice it with the syrups, drinks, and beverages. You had to take a test that had pictures and you definitely got help if you didn’t know what the question was or if you didn’t know what the drink was,” Luis Torres, who has been a Starbucks Barista for two years, said. Once the trainees learn the beverages they may begin to work at a station. At each coffee shop employees work at different stations. For example, at Starbucks they have bar, where they make hot drinks and cold bar which makes cold drinks. They also have DTO (stands for drive through order) which is the person who takes the order and then they also have drive through ring which is the person who rings up the orders. “I’m commonly on bar pretty much like all the time,” Torres said. At Scooters the stations are register, shots, milk and window. “I’m on Shots which is how many espresso shots go into one so I have to figure out what kind of sauce or syrup goes into the drink and then how many shots are in it,” Besa said. Memorization is key to working in the coffee industry as the training focuses on having employees memorize information such as shot counts and how much of each ingredient to put in each drink. Stores even have a policy in which employees must get the drink to a customer within so many seconds after they order it. “They have everything down to the second, how you grab a cup a certain way and how you do certain things with both your hands. I think it is very stressful; it’s super-fast paced especially because Scooter’s has such a huge thing about the time between when they order The Baristas of Scooter’s bond during their and when they get the free time | Photo Courtesy of Sydney Besa drink they want to be 90
seconds,” Besa said. “Once people start adding stuff to it, that’s what makes it more complicated; you do have to memorize but honestly it is really easy because the concept is every latte and every drink is made practically the same way. The only difference is they have different syrups,” Torres said. The atmosphere tends to be fast-paced during rush hours which can Luis Torres is a Barista at Starbucks | Photo differ for each location but Courtesy of Luis Torres it usually dies down after certain points in the shift. “The Saturday morning shift, which was my first shift from 7am to noon; it was easily the hardest shift in my life because that was my first time working mornings and there was something going on at every point in the store,” Torres said. “I work more towards the evening, right after school we get a little busy but once it hits 6 it’ll die down so I have a lot of time to clean everything and it’s not bad,” Besa said. Although being a barista may sound like fun, some people may find that it is not for them. Hard work ensures that the customer gets their drink at a certain time especially when the order gets more complex. Another main part of the barista life is dealing with customers, who do not always want to interact. “Sometimes people don’t really want talk to you and they are just like ‘give me my coffee’ and they leave and they just won’t say anything ‘Oh here is your total’ and they just give you the card’ and you go’ have a great day’ and they just drive off,” Besa said. “I wish the customers would be more understanding of how it should be when we have a crap ton of customers in the drive-through line. We’re working as hard as we can so you know that’s one thing we definitely wish that people are a little more patient,” Torres said. Both Scooter’s and Starbucks have regulars who delight the baristas with their presence by always being friendly and striking up daily conversations. During the stressful hours that they endure the baristas are able to bond with their co-workers. “My favorite thing is probably the environment. I like the people I work with; they are so positive. I can always just laugh, have fun or smile. We like genuinely care for each other so if you’re feeling down we have someone to talk to you,” Torres said.
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young Democrats Q&A With Young Democrats Club Members
Jacob Wilson//Editor-in-Chief
Will DeBolt//Senior Staff Writer
Interview Questions 1.) Do you have any tips for students that are starting to get involved in politics? 3.) Why did you join the Young Democrats?
2.) What do you think of the state of our country right now?
4.) Why do you think it’s important to be politically informed, even when you can’t vote?
5.) What political ideologies of your party do you most support? 6.) What, if any, political ideologies of your party would you tend to disagree with?
Zoey Schneeberg (Junior):
1.) Go to your city council meetings or your school board meetings. The first meetings I went to I was so confused and knew what nothing meant. I was just sitting there and was like ‘what the heck?’ It just takes persistence to keep going. And you’ll learn, because there’s always more to learn. It’s so complicated, but just start and don’t be afraid to ask people what things mean 3.) I think it’s really important for young people to be educated on politics, because it affects everything that we do and affects everything around us. I think a lot of people are on the right track, but don’t know enough. There’s always more to learn. It’s also nice to be surrounded by a community of like-minded people, and have a community where you can talk about things and discuss things without feeling judged. 4.) I think especially with local politics, like city council and school board, those decisions directly affect you and your parents and your friends. It’s important to know who is running your city or your country. So if you have a problem, you can go talk to them and sort it out.
Kevin Soto (Senior):
2.) It’s very unfortunate that we have Nazis roaming our streets and we have a president who won’t explicitly condemn them. But I don’t think we’re in a total state of despair right now. I think things are still looking up. I remember reading some graph that liberal tendencies are increasing among the populous as Trump’s presidency continues. 5.) I like welfare. I like healthcare. Healthcare, especially now, has shown that it’s not a market that can be sustained by private organizations. At this point it’s time for the government to step in and start regulating because people are suffering from a lack of nationalized healthcare. 6.) I’m not a huge fan of Bernie Sanders. Like not at all. I’m a big fan of free trade and a lot of politicians in the party are not. There’s a weird concept that people like Bernie Sanders have propagated that free trade steals job because there will be outsourcing, and that is not true.
Hali Liu (Junior):
1.) Just do it. [The young Democrats club members] at least have some similar opinions so you won’t be completely judged for that. Here it doesn’t matter. You can think whatever you want and won’t get punished for it. 2.) It’s very divided. Honestly, I think we were always this divided; it’s just that this past year has brought it out. We have a lot of problems to solve, and even though there are different opinions, we are one united country. 4.) We always go off of what our parents think, or we follow the older people. But you are your own person, and you have your own opinions. You have to look at the evidence and make a judgment for yourself. You can’t just follow your parents or what someone else says.
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News
During one Young Democrat’s Club meeting students called offices of local politicians | Photo By Will Debolt
young Republicans Q&A With Young Republicans Club Members
Jacob Wilson//Editor-in-Chief
Will DeBolt//Senior Staff Writer
Interview Questions 1.) Do you have any tips for students that are starting to get involved in politics? 3.) Why did you join the Young Republicans?
2.) What do you think of the state of our country right now?
4.) Why do you think it’s important to be politically informed, even when you can’t vote?
5.) What political ideologies of your party do you most support? 6.) What, if any, political ideologies of your party would you tend to disagree with?
Adam Sweat (Junior):
1.) Start at the base. I recommend a political test, ISideWith.com. I recommend just taking that and find out where you stand. Then start talking to people around you. Start talking to teachers. Start talking to just that guy that’s sitting at a Starbucks that wants to talk. Don’t be afraid to start learning more, because everybody has to start somewhere. 4.) Just because you can’t vote doesn’t mean you can’t influence. It also doesn’t mean you won’t be able to vote. In the future you will be able to vote and if you wait and try to learn everything the day you’re going to vote you’re going to be overwhelmed and likely vote against your own conscience. 6.) I tend to disagree with anything that finds itself rooted in anger, fear, or hate. It’s grown among both parties. It is very very important to understand that any ideology that is based in racism, that is based in sexism is not one that comes from a rational mindset, and is one that comes straight from emotion.
Allie Petracek (Senior):
2.) The Republicans aren’t doing jack in Congress right now and the Democrats are just mad at each other so nothing’s going on. So it’s not working out, it’s not very good. So the government, the state of the government is fine, but the people aren’t doing what they’re supposed to be doing. 3.) I love politics and I love arguing, so it was just a combination of my two favorite things. [Also] we’re the future of America, so we need to know what is going on and what is taking place. One way to know what’s going on is by joining young Republicans or by young Democrats. 5.) Definitely the second amendment. My grandparents are both members of the NRA, both of them have their license to carry, my dad’s in the military so he has his license. I guess the first amendment, from a Republican and a Christian standpoint, is kind of being attacked in a sense. It seems like, at least in the media it seems like, if you’re a conservative or if you’re a Christian, than it’s kinda like ‘hmm we can shove aside your First Amendment right.’
Will MacFarland (Senior):
3.) The primary reason I joined the Young Republican’s club was to bring a different point of view, especially [as] a different kind of Republican. I think that the Republican party itself has steered away from traditional constitutionalists and traditional values. I think that Trump has taken the Republican party to a different kind of view. 5.) I probably most support the idea of a free market. Probably having less taxes and less government control. I think America was founded on having a more free society. People like Patrick Henry and the Sons of Liberty revolting against Britain in the late 1700’s were what America was built on. 6.) Republicans are pinned with hate for gay marriage, honestly just being plain racist. Which I don’t think is true at all. I think a lot of Republicans, including myself, are open to the freedom to marry whoever you want and are open to things like diversity. That’s not something I am against at all. I do disagree on Republicans on things such as that.
Young Republicans Club invited local politician Mike Brown to talk with students | Photo By Jacob Wilson
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2017: A YEAR IN PICTURES
A timeline of the year in review, from East’s point of view.
1-20-17
Mychaela Burris // Senior Staff Writer Esther Rose // Staff Writer
2-1-17
Photo by Esther Rose
The Wizard of Oz | Photo by Izzie Petersen
2-4-17 The Wizard of Oz | Photo by Izzie Petersen
1-28-17 March for Life | Photo by Maddie Joerger
2-20-17 Protesting in KC | Photo by Anna McGregor
4-21-17 Swim team | Photo by Esther Rose
8-31-17 8-31-17
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Band | Photo by Kristin Gjovig
Photos
Talons | Photo by Annabelle Schmelzle
11-9-17
Big Fish | Photo by Izzie Petersen
10-20-17 Football game | Photo by Alyssa Hollister
10-20-17 Glow show | Photo by Kristin Gjovig
10-14-17 Marching band | Photo by Kristin Gjovig
9-30-17 Homecoming | Photo by Esther Rose
9-13-17 Cross country | Photo by Grant Huntsman
10-14-17 Walk for Freedom | Photo by Esther Rose
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Profiles From The Pool
Felicity Wenger//Staff Writer
Swim along with these stories and get the inside scoop on what these athletes do both in the pool and on the sidelines.
Sophia Smith
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ntense relays and fast-paced races keep this swimmer in the water. Sophomore Hayden Sheehan started swimming about five years ago, the summer after his sixth grade year. He originally swam for a club team in the summer and found that he really enjoyed it, and decided to try out for the Olathe East swim team. Sheehan plans to quit swimming during the summer because of his busy schedule, but will remain involved in swimming for the school team. In Sheehan’s opinion, swimming can be categorized as both an individual and a team-based sport. “The team is really fun; we’re close,” Sheehan said. Multiple team bonding activities, such as team dinners, make the environment more comfortable. “Me personally, I like the meets the most. Everybody is cheering for each other and really into the events. It gets really exciting,” Sheehan said. Most meets are a good time, but some in particular can spark some laughter. The swim team has a conch shell they received long before Sheehan was on the team that gets passed along from junior to junior. The conch shell, blown before the start of every meet, continues to be a very important tradition. “One time at Shawnee Mission South, they stole it from us. A couple weeks later, they returned it, but threw it to the bottom [of the pool] during our meet. A kid on our team, Vincent, dove down, got it, and came out looking magnificent,” Sheehan said. A typical meet might not always be this Sophia Smith takes a quick breath before her next stroke | Photo crazy, but just as fun. Usually held at middle schools, multiple teams courtesy of Sophia Smith participate during each meet. The divers compete first, followed by the swimmers. These events can last up to an hour or two, and are followed by his swift gliding swimmer has fallen in love with her unique the ending relay. sport over her past ten years of involvement. Senior Sophia “Everybody is up cheering for them, and it’s usually an intense relay. But Smith spent years swimming on a club team but decided to yeah that’s pretty much it, I mean, we swim,” Sheehan said. While meets are try out for the team at Olathe East her freshman year. This was a new tons of fun, swimming in college will be out of the picture for Sheehan. experience for her, considering club was co-ed and the school teams are “I don’t think I’ll be swimming in college, [I will] probably be running separated into girls and guys. in college,” Sheehan said. He has been participating in cross country and “I can see growth in club and in high school but it’s nice being with track since sixth grade. Sheehan also enjoys during the off season. He also the same gender,” Smith said. Along with this, Smith has also noticed plans to start swimming more in the off season, as he currently just trains that the school team practices very differently. In club, she trained through swim practices. using aerobics, but in school she has been introduced to USRPT, or “Sometimes practice can be tough to get through but the feeling you get Ultra Short Race Pace Training. However, she believes the training when you finish will make everything worth it,” Sheehan said. reflects in the swim meets regardless of club or the school team. “If you put in the percent effort, like showing up to practice every day, it really shows during meets,” Smith said. Although a meet usually holds around 100 swimmers, according to Smith, every swimmer is for herself, so good performance is highly important. This also means you’ve got plenty of people cheering you on. “Everyone is competing and [we do] cheers and chants for our teammates,” Smith said. She pointed out that a chant in particular that the team does before each meet brings the team closer and gets everyone hyped up before the races start. “I was swimming the 500 and was thinking ‘oh, no one’s gonna cheer for me but I don’t really care.’ Then throughout the race I noticed some of my teammates are cheering me on. Then when I did my flip turn I see almost the whole team right behind my lane cheering for me. I thought that was really cool,” Smith said. Smith intends to make many more memories because she plans to continue swimming in college. “I committed in November and I’m going to the University of Maryland,” Smith said. One of her biggest motives for this move, she loves the bond she has with her teammates. Smith also isn’t afraid of being pushed in practice because she knows she can keep going. Swimming has a special place in Smith’s heart because it’s a sport like no other. “It’s a really different experience and a really cool thing to be a part Hayden Sheehan prepares to dive into a relay race at his school meet | Photo of,” Smith said. By Felicity Wenger
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Hayden Sheehan
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Twinning is Winning Teachers Embrace Their Celebrity Look-a-Likes
Mrs. Karen Kirk teaches College Prep English IV and advises Convergent Media.
Comedian Will Forte created and starred in The Last Man on Earth.
Kurtwood Smith is known for his role in That 70’s Show as Red Forman.
Mr. Scott Feaster teaches College Prep English IV and AP English IV.
Action hero Mel Gibson starred in everything from Braveheart to Pocahontas.
Martha Stewart is a businesswoman and previous television chef.
Mrs. Gretl Swyers teaches Pre-AP English II and Speech.
Actress and Director Kathy Bates, known for her roles in American Horror Story.
Chef Giada De Laurentiis hosts Giada at Home on Food Network.
Ryan Smith // Online Editor
Mr. Patrick Lenz teaches Modern World History and Intro to Psychology.
Mr. Steve Franzen teaches English II and English III.
Mrs. Amy Kroeker teaches Spanish I and Spanish II.
Entertainment
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Michaela Bilyeu || Staff Writer
Behind Hairspray All Photos by Rich Fabac
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airspray, this winter’s mainstage musical. All actors, tech, and orchestra members are anything but “stiff ”. The cast steps into the characters’ 60’s-style shoes, the orchestra follows the lead, and the tech crew sheds light on the cast.
The Cast After roping in Big Fish, students from all groups participate in the audition process that determines each actors’ role. From this day forward, time is dedicated to choreography and music for the show. Even the long rehearsal hours do not make the cast any more salty than the Earth’s own Seaweed (J. Stubbs). SeniorJacob Thomas crossdresses as “Edna Turnblad”, Tracy’s mother in Hairspray. “There’s definitely a huge time commitment, and a lot of intense work, but along the way, you start to meet more people. You... put yourself into a character and get to put chemistry with others out on the stage,” Thomas said. Mia Valentine, senior, plays Tracy Turnblad, the female lead in this mainstage musical. “The guys and the girls have their own traditions, but we are not allowed to say what they are,” Valentine said. However, not all traditions are under wraps. Before the cast steps foot on stage, seniors lead a tradition in a dressing room. “Before every show, we all pile up in a dressing room and play the song “Jump on it”. Two seniors lead us, where they call out names or groups of people and they all impromptu dance in the middle of us all,” Thomas said.
The Tech Crew The tech crew dedicates October to constructing the multi-level stages, large backgrounds, and platforms to put the characters in their true, 60’s setting. The tech crew paint the days away, spend afternoons and weekends to prepare in February. Sarah Barrett is a junior tech crew member in charge of sound effects. “We started working on the sets in October… In the beginning of every show, we all work on building and painting the set. We don’t start doing sound until we get closer to opening night, usually three
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weeks beforehand,” Barrett says. They nailed the process of building and gluing all the pieces together, while still enjoying the time with one another. The tech crew partakes in changes before each show, and recite parts of the “techie bible” in order to complete the ritual. As the musical performances approach, the hours increase, taking up portions of free time. Amy Schraeder is a senior stage manager. “I definitely don’t have a lot of free time, but I get to spend time with my friends at rehearsal and at the end seeing an amazing show is worth it,” said Schraeder.
The Pit Meanwhile, the orchestra stretch their legs before moving to the cramped pit underneath the stage. Rehearsals Tuesdays and Thursdays are conducted to present a sharp performance. Through speakers, they will not fall flat. Conducted by Ms. Shiebler, the choir director, the orchestra rehearses with all portions of the show to combine each part successfully together. Anna McGregor participated as a past pit orchestra member as well as a tech crew member in Hairspray. “Something about the urgency of show week brings not only the pit, but also the actors and the crew
into complete focus and we all get this intense drive to succeed. I feel like that is how we end up pulling it together,” McGregor said. As the instruments move below the stage, the anonymity provides a comfortable mask to bring food into the pit, most iconically, toaster pastries. The tradition continues of bringing extravagant foods during shows. Plaid pants, floral dresses, and large wigs dominate the stage by the end of the production’s preparation. The notes of the orchestra announce themselves through sound systems managed by hardworking tech members; meanwhile, the audience enjoys the show without viewing the behind the scenes work. At the end of the day, more than Hairspray holds everything in place. Seaweed Stabbs (Noah Wayne) teaches Tracy Turnblad (Mia Valentine) How to Dance in Detention
After the parent preview night, all the cast and crew huddle together to take a photo to commemorate the show.
Dance shoes on, lights up, the cast is ready for their first run.
All gather around to pose for the broadcasting of The Corny Collins Show.
Entertainment
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tHE Lonely Hearts Club
A guide to enjoying life all by your lonesome
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e’ve all had this experience: you’re by yourself, just minding your own business, when you see it- a couple. They might be your friends; they might be strangers. Despite the circumstances, they exist.They’re being affectionate: holding hands, sitting on each other’s laps, hugging, or worse- kissing. Suddenly, you realize there’s no one for you to be cute with. You’re not the only one who feels the sharp pain of loneliness. Freshman Assata Wilkinson spends her Valentine’s Day watching Hulu and eating ramen noodles. Wilkinson said she is generally happy, but grows irritated hearing about all her friends’ couple plans. All the chocolate and teddy bears can make you feel left out. Wilkinson believes Valentine’s Day should not be solely about couples, but about family and friends as well. Freshman Tony Faulkner also believes Valentine’s Day should be about having fun with family and friends. Faulkner has had his share of bad Valentine’s day experiences. Although he does not like or dislike the holiday, he believes everyone deserves the feeling of being appreciated. “Because on Valentine’s day, when you get a Valentine’s note, it’s like being appreciated that you’re there,” Faulkner said. So, what causes feelings of loneliness? School counselor Whitney Schmale said social media plays a major part in this. Seeing everyone posting pictures with their significant other could make you feel alone or left out. “Social media makes [romantic relationships] more public because you can broadcast it to everyone,” Schmale said. Staying off social media can help avoid such broadcasts. School Psychologist Abigeal Gaghen seconded this. She said “yes, I feel like social media plays a big part in how teenagers feel. Comparing self with peers can cause individuals to feel bad about themselves. Because it is so easy to find out what is going on socially, or what peers are doing, it’s easy to feel excluded.” Causes of loneliness can range from low self-esteem or self-confidence to the quality of personal relationships and social connections. Gaghen said Valentine’s Day- a holiday focused on [romantic] relationships- can cause people to feel lonelier. She says the key to dealing with loneliness is to distract yourself; by spending time with family and friends or joining a club or activity. Public displays of affection (PDA) play a key factor, in terms
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Kaytlin Willis // Staff Writer Andrea Shehi // Staff Writer
The Lone Wolf || Photo by Kaytlin Willis of broadcasting how intimate your relationship is to everyone, according to Schmale. She mentioned administrators have stopped the practice of sending passes to students to allow them to pick up Valentine’s gifts from the office. However, the discontinuation of this act does not prevent people from making grand gestures such as signs, gifts, or engaging in physical PDA. It was the volume of these distractions that caused the administration to take action. Numerous studies on the relation of Valentine’s Day and loneliness have been conducted. According to Dr. William Glasser, creator of the Reality Therapy method, everyone has a set amount of love they need to feel content. “Love is a genetic need built into the human genome,” said Glasser. Research done by Bella DePaulo at the University of California shows couples who spend more time exclusively with their partner tend to be prone to mental health problems. DePaulo, a member of the Council on Contemporary Families, also noted single people become more self-confident and experience more personal growth. Emma Seppala, PH.D says writing yourself a note, as if a friend was complimenting you, can have benefits. These benefits include increased motivation, willpower, and emotional intelligence, as well as decreased stress, anxiety, and depression. Writing a note isn’t the only thing you can do when you’re alone. Websites such as Insider have listed different activities for all the single people on Valentine’s day to do. Everyone has a different idea of fun - especially for a day in- so a variety of activities have been listed below.
Fun Activities to do alone
-Have a movie marathon featuring your celebrity crush -Go out to dinner with single friends -Go on a shopping spree -Have a spa day -Throw an anti-Valentine’s day party -Take a class -Eat a bunch of junk food -Play with animals (volunteer at a pet shelter) -Change your look -Make a craft -Bake
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Our Top Five...
Leonie Frischmuth//Senior Staff Writer
Off the
soulder
2017 was an exciting year, filled with events, weird trends, incredible movies and songs. Our staff voted for their own top five lists in different categories. The following, in no particular order, are the results.
Favor ite
s of g n o s rite 7 o v a F 201 i s Fons
mo vie s of 2017
Star Wa rs Wonder Woman The Gre atest Sh owman Baywat ch Spiderm an
ui cito”-L eber) a p s e “D Man tin Bi (ft. Jus ortugal. The ”-P p It Still il Pum ns L ” g “Feel rago i Gan “Gucc ”-Imagine D der ar “Thun lackbe B ” i eM “Do R
t tes a e r an eG Th owm Sh le morab e m t s 7 Mo of 201 s d n e tr
ome
W
s
rche a M n
s ulder top o h s e h t Off g videos” Afte r Hu “Satisfyin rrica s pic id o h r la o i P t Flo ne Irm a rida inner Fidget Sp h en’s Marc The Wom
Lil
Pu
mp
M os t Eve memo nts r of able The 201 total 7
Eclip Kard se ashia n pr e Trum gnan cies p’s In Las V naug egas u ratio Shoo n ting (Act s Natu of te ral D rrori sm) isast ers
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Goodbye 2017, Hello 2018 What are some regrets or some trends (fads, fashion) Olathe East students would like to leave behind in
What are some of the hopes Olathe East students have for
2017? Leaving a couple people that I should’ve kept but it was [clearly] meant to be. Not going out for [the]
basketball team. Not using the most of my time in 2017. Certain friends or people I thought were my friend.
Thinking that the
Spaghet Meme
To make it
wouldn’t get ruined. to school.
Worry too much
about things I [can’t] control or things that just don’t really matter. No regrets. Everything happens for a reason.
I’ve been through.
Cell phones
always out. Everyone always looking down.
Lack of communication with people.
Crocs.
discover a new hobby.
To be more
Kindness and honesty to replace
money on food.
Slime and dabbers [were]
and arguments
People stop doing stupid stuff while I’m driving.
positive.
Spending so much
All the fights
Don’t dwell on the past. Strong connections with [family] and friends. Read more fervently! More quality
horrible.
connections with
Logan Paul. Mom jeans.
friends.
Not praying enough. Not
Peace among different
exercising enough.
cultures or nations.
Getting in trouble with my friends. Jeans with rips in the back of the legs. Being friends with toxic
people. Joots.
Chokers.
Fidget spinners.
Necking people.
Man rompers.
All of the weird eyebrow trends.
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To “Make America
Great Again.” through senior year I’ll read more, not and do well focus so much on in college. social media, and
Wearing tight pants
High waters.
alls (anything denim).
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2018?
I regret not being as outgoing as I wished to be coming into high school. Spending so much time in front of a T.V./phone rather than being productive.
Denim over-
Basima Khan//Staff Writer
Tide pod
memes.
A’s [and] B’s, keep my relationship strong, make marching band, have a great time [and] safe time.
[For 2018 to bring] happiness and no stress.
hate and deceit.
My hope is to eat healthier, find a job, and make C - team
volleyball.
To have a great time in college. To make the most of this year before I’m an 18-year old. Better grades, better mental health, go to more concerts. I hope for my girls and [me] to be healthy
and happy.
Spending three weeks To make more in Uganda doing mission friends at KU. work.
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Why Resolutions Fail Margo Dulny//Staff Writer
Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail and How to Accomplish Them
Start Small and Add More Steps A immeasurable reason many resolutions do not work: people set unrealistic expectations. They do not evaluate a plan for these impracticable new standards for themselves. People think they can accomplish these habits by winging it. Many people focus on working out and losing weight as a common New Year’s resolution; instead of deciding to go to the gym everyday, start out small. For an example, go to the gym once a week. After feeling comfortable with this new habit, add on more days to work out until you reach yout final goal.
Focus On One at a Time When a new year starts, people obsess themselves with multiple new habits leading to stress themselves out. Many people fail with all these unresonble bits containing no plan. This causes people to overwhlem themselves. “People set their minds on a superficial goal, later deciding that it isn’t worth their time or easily doable”, a senior said.
Courtesy of Margo Dulny
Focusing on the end result of a goal essentializes to completing a resolution, but many tend to focus too much on the future forgetting about right now. People get excited and do well in the first two weeks or two, but then wear themselves out and become unmotivated. Focusing the mind on the current task to push through, and not on future tasks to be completed until the time comes. “[I] make [my resolutions] them my goal daily,” a sophomore explained.
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People who typically do not have an important reason to motivate them will not stick with their resolutions. Many people working to lose weight want a stronger or healthier build. So few want to change themself for an important reason on becoming chnaging themselves. After awhile, many realize they do not need to change the changes they want and or do not see the point so they lose all motivation. “I try to keep myself motivated to it and I remind myself why I am doing it,” explained an accomplished sophomore student who worked out everyday for the past year.
Have Accountability
Focus On the Present
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Understand Why
Anyone can fail unless they have a little help to push them along. Wanting to work out, going with someone to the gym or telling someone your goals in order to hold you accountable. This helps to motivate you to the gym or accomplishing a resolution. Similarly to how people need to finish an assignment or your grade will go down. Not showing up to the gym to meet a friend, may cause division between your friendship. “I write down [my goals] and place it somewhere I will see it everyday,” a sophomore student said.
Write Down Accomplishes and Failures Peopl fail at many things but the best thing will to come clean about our mistakes. Also recognizing accomplishments encourages those to stick with the work required to finishing their resolutions. “It’s hard for people to change their ways,” a senior student said. People cannot chnage if they do not admit they already deal with an issue on their own accord.
How the Seniors Got Screwed Over Seniors experience unexpected problems that may taint their last year at Olathe East.
Mychaela Burris // Senior Staff Writter Esther Rose // Staff Writter
T
he 2017-2018 school year seems, to the seniors, to be defined by disappointment, beginning with the new parking lot situation (due to the loss of a road students experienced a more crowded parking lot). New problems seem to continuously arise for everyone, but have an emphasis on the senior class. Even prom will look different than it has in years past. In prior years, seniors have experienced prom for free, however, this will not be the case in the 2018 school year. The exact prices haven’t been announced yet, but seniors should prepare to empty their wallets. The fault does not fall completely on administration, however, as Senior Class President Sameena Hameed explained. Usually, during a student’s junior year, volunteer work for concessions at different sports games is highly encouraged to accumulate funds necessary for events the following year. “Our class didn’t do enough of those to raise enough money as some classes have done in the past, so we do have a little less money than other classes,” Hameed said. “Students need to keep in mind Stucco wants to put on an unforgettable prom and they need funds to do that and you don’t realize the money that they can raise, for use in other ways all for things that go towards students,” said Assistant Principal Frank Bell. Is the memory of prom worth the extra cost? In anticipation of greater, unavoidable costs in the future- such as college- this choice is complicated. “[Seniors] are not asking their parents for money anymore; it’s their own, and it can be a harder choice,” Bell said. “I am sorry it is happening, I know that it sucks and it’s not what most people are expecting and wanting but there’s not really a way to get around it,” Hameed said. Although different than last year, prom is still expected to be a positive memory for the senior class. “We just want to make it a priceless memory. And there are ways to help students if necessary. I think we can guarantee a great experience,” Bell said. “You can’t put a price on it.” The other major disappointment for the senior class is the absence of MacBooks. All students at Olathe East were expecting to receive personal MacBooks in the second semester of this school year. This did not become a reality. “I don’t like how they keep promising things but never follow through with them,” senior Emily Verrill said. This decision was not made by East administrators, however. “We were excited about [receiving MacBooks]. This wasn’t a building decision, but it was a district decision. The IT department of the school district wasn’t quite ready to issue them,” Bell
said. “I feel sorry for the seniors as they didn’t get MacBooks, but it’s probably a good thing with just all the mistakes and kinks to be worked out. Hopefully, it will be ready to roll next school year.” Seniors may feel that they were cheated out of this experience. “In seriousness that’s immediately who the administration thought of: the seniors,” Bell said. “I am kind of sad that we’re not getting that exposure,” Hameed said. “Especially expecting that that is how college is going to be, it would have been good to get some experience in high school.” In many ways this year seniors seemed to have been dealt a bad hand in their last year at East. But these setbacks don’t have to ruin a student’s most memorable year. Routine can be helpful, especially in the last semester of high school. MacBooks, with all the problems that are still needed to be solved, could have been more of a burden than a blessing. “It may have been confusing for teachers to get around in the system as it usually takes a couple semesters to learn. So it may have deterred the last semester of our senior year, even if it did give us experience,” Hameed said. In reality, seniors have one semester left before high school will be just a memory. Despite the misfortunes, seniors will triumph in May when they walk to receive their diplomas.
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A broken commputer students are currently working with | Photo Courtesy of Ryan Smith
Editorial
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Drill Team Feature
(Left and Top) The Olathe East Talons came home with many awards from their K-Spec Competition | Photo Courtesy of Mrs. Alcorn
Adviser Karen Kirk Editor-In-Chief Jacob Wilson Online Edtor Ryan Smith Managing Editor Melanie Eszter Business Manager Addis Sharpe Senior Staff Writers Erin McCarthy Leonie Frischmuth Michaela Bilyeu Mychaela Burris Will Debolt Staff Writers Andrea Shehi Basima Kahn Felicity Wenger Kaytlin Willis Margo Dulny Esther Rose
(Right) Olathe East Talons Varsity Team. Back Row: (Left-Right) Katherine Wilcox, Lauren Batsch, Haley Miller, Sophia Ippolito, Abbey Crews, Jennifer Meier, Halle Melton, Amanda Leary Middle Row: (Left-Right)Megan Frieze, Braegen Adams, Lexi Berding, Kaitlyn Blasi, Front Row: (Left-Right) Morgan Eliason, Caila Cibrian,Taryn Graves, Luna Henk | Photo Courtesy of Mrs. Alcorn
(Left) Olathe East Talons Junior Varsity Team. Back Row: (Left-Right) Desiree Pitts, Jenna Jarboe, Ashlyn Carruth, Payton Petrosko, Jada Greeson, Libbie Carter, Mindy Welland, Dacaria Harris Middle Row: (Left-Right) Annabelle Schmelzle, Emma Milford, Jovienne Xiong, Molly Hofer, Avery Apple, Samantha Sieben Front Row: (Left-Right) Madison Bragg and Caroline Wang | Photo Courtesy of Mrs. Alcorn