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In this issue 8 22

20 News Halftime hurdles 4 / so What's an Eagle extra? 6 / giving back 8 / Secret lives of teachers 10 / Features Finding your finals zen 11 / Why shopping is no longer popping 12 / merry wastemas 14 / Mr eagle 16 / from here to there 18 / A&E olathe's hidden gems 20 / holiday Gift How to 22 / christmas polls 24/ Sports new coach, new season 26 / Wrap it up 27 / Opinions christmas creep 28 / a week of kansas weather 29 / (UN)conventional christmas 30 / Winter Farewell 32

2 | The Chronicle | Issue 3

Staff Editors-In-Chief Ana Schulte Magda Werkmeister Lauren Yoksh

Copy Editor Isabella Bray

Business Manager Amara Lindsey

News Editor

Letter from the editors

Sweaters are everywhere you look, Starbucks is selling a Christmas Tree Frappuccino, and temperatures are...unseasonably warm. It's definitely December. A student's December is filled with ambivalence. On one hand, there's the stress and utter boredom of finals, and on the other hand, there's the reward of two weeks of no school.

There's the despair of realizing that you might not be able to save those grades and yet there's the promise of hours of binging Netflix and eating too many candy canes to count. There are the cousins you don't like and there are the cousins you do like. For seniors, this time of year is particularly stressful and like no other—the application season for most colleges will have ended by the time 2018 rolls around and for many, this will be the last winter break without traveling back to parents' houses. While seniors will have one semester left (and some will even have graduated), freshmen will have completed their first semester of high school. For sophomores and juniors, well...

You guys have been here for a while and you still have at least a year yet. Enjoy it.

-Ana, Magda, and Lauren Contact Information

Mailing address: 600 E Prarie St. Olathe, KS 66061 Phone: (913) 780-7140 Email: theonchronicle@gmail.com

Responding to the publication

Letters to the editors can be submitted to the email address listed above.

Letters may published in print. Letters may not be personal attacks against an individual and may be edited for brievity or legibility.

Advertising

The Chronicle accepts advertisments can be submitted to the email above. Pricing and other information can be obtained by contacting us at rcaveon@olatheschools.org or amaraslindsey@ gmail.com

Purpose

The Chronicle is the official high school news publication of Olathe North High School, an open forum distributed to all students 8 times a year. This is the first issue of volume five. The Chronicle is printed by the Sedalia Democrat, 700 South Massachusetts, Sedalia MO, 65301. This is a student publication and may contain controversial matter. The Olathe Unified School District No. 233 and its board members, officers, and employees disclaim any responsibility for the content of this student publication; it is not an expression of the School District Policy. Students and editors are soley responsible for this student publication.

Alex Thompson

Features editor Abigail Miles

A&E editor Emma Reuter

Sports Editor Kylee Weber

Opinions Editor Haley McGriff

Staff artist Josie Sloan

Staff writers Miles Arambula Jena Bright Rachel Delehanty David Genis Ashley Honey Kalley Jurgielski Andrea Martin Claire McConnell Juliana McWilliams Autumn Mesmer Paiton Stith

Advisor Robert M. Cave, Jr.

Issue 3 | The Chronicle | 3

halftime hurdles

story and design by Magda Werkmeister Editor-in-Chief

Students work on homework in the library during Eagle Halftime.

One of the most noticeable changes at Olathe North for the 2017-2018 school year has been Eagle Halftime, the fifty-minute lunch period that allows students to visit teachers, hang out with friends, and move freely about the school. However, there have been problems with the district-wide program, including poor time management by students and trash being left in the hallways.

“Students get up and they don’t know where to go so they just start walking the halls,” Jason Herman, Olathe North principal, says of the transition from Eagle Halftime A to Eagle Halftime B. “We don’t really want wandering around, backpacks on, standing in big groups and crowds,” Herman adds, pointing out that “we don’t need loud groups of kids moving up and down the hallways” where “there’s class going on and kids taking quizzes and getting help.”

Herman also hopes that students take better care of the school.

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“We keep talking about the ‘I am ONE; you are ONE; we are ONE’ type of feel,” he says. “It should always look better in your space when you left than how you found it.”

Herman notes that it is the underclassmen who seem to struggle the most during Eagle Halftime.

“I really don’t have a lot of problems with many of our upperclassmen… [Some underclassmen] don’t know the value of that time… Once they learn that it will make things a lot easier,” he says.

The problems with the 50-minute lunch period are not unique to Olathe North. Olathe West principal Jay Novacek echoes many of Herman’s thoughts. Novacek also believes that using their time appropriately is the largest issue students have during lunch.

“Upperclassmen tend to use Power 50 to help them with their challenging classes and are looking forward to their future after high school – mostly getting ready for college. Freshmen tend to struggle with time management,” Novacek says.

Both principals are working to resolve these issues through more club activities and incentives for good behavior.

“I want to add Eagle Extras… I want to put that into Eagle Halftime – maybe some open gym or going outside and using the track – different things like that to give kids other ways to get rid of some energy… The administration and the staff here gave a ton of trust to the students,” Herman says. “We are going to do a better job with the mandatory office hour piece for all students and all staff… Second

}

“The administration and the staff here gave a ton of trust to the students.”

- Principal Jason Herman

4 | The Chronicle | Issue 3

{

semester it’s going to go a lot easier.”

“We have created different opportunities for students, [and] added more club and activity meetings. We have directed struggling students to see teachers,” Novacek states.

The idea for a fifty-minute lunch period came to Herman when he visited the Blue Valley School Dis-

“I was surprised it actually happened so quickly.”

- Principal Jason Herman trict last year, where the program had already been implemented. He returned with Olathe North assistant principal Heather Smith to tour the school, and later with a group of teachers.

}

Herman realized that many of the other Olathe high school principals were also interested in the idea.

“We were all in agreement so it moved forward and I was surprised it actually happened so quickly,” he says.

The Olathe high school principals approached Erin Dugan, assistant superintendent, and when she sup-

INTERVIEW WITH junior VANYA SHIVASHANKAR Are there any problems with Eagle Halftime?

“I think that some people abuse it and don’t follow the rules but I really like Eagle Halftime so #SaveEagleHalftime.”

How do we solve these problems?

“By making sure that people follow the rules and don’t bring their Bluetooth speakers into the hallways because that’s really annoying.”

Do you like Eagle Halftime?

“I love Eagle Halftime. It’s great. I love that it gives me a chance to have 50 minutes to eat but also to spend time with teachers and have a blast.”

Top: Students eat in Ms. Reist’s room.

Middle: Students eat in Ms. Gerdel’s room.

Bottom: Students eat at tables in the intersection between the 400 and 800 hallways.

Is there anything you dislike about Eagle Halftime?

“I dislike the annoying people who use their Bluetooth speakers in the hallway and won’t be quiet.”

Issue 3 | The Chronicle | 5

ported the concept, they were able to take it to Patricia All, the interim superintendent for the 2016-2017 school year. All expressed her support as well. Negotiations had to be made with the National Education Association (NEA), the teachers’ union, in order to ensure that teachers themselves would still have enough time for lunch.

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“You get to eat lunch with your friends no matter what.”

A third significant reason for Eagle Halftime is to give students more time to be involved in clubs.

“This gives the opportunity to be in multiple clubs because it’s spread out through the month and it’s not always before and after school,” Herman says.

to kind of relax. It’s also nice for the kids who eat in my room to have some time without it being teaching time.”

However, both admit that there are problems with Eagle Halftime.

“People walking around and not doing what they’re supposed to be doing” is the issue according to Lux. “Having more people in the hallway

“You can just take a breath in the middle of the day.”

- Principal Jason Herman

According to Herman, one of the most important reasons for Eagle Halftime is to give students more time to meet with teachers.

“What Eagle Halftime gives you is an opportunity to see any of your teachers five days a week. It doesn’t matter if you’re an athlete; it doesn’t matter if you’re a bus rider; it doesn’t matter if you’re in the musical,” he says.

Another important purpose is to improve mental health.

“You can just take a breath in the middle of the day,” Herman says.

6 | The Chronicle | Issue 3

Agreements between the schools, the school district, the school board, and the NEA were made early enough for the program to be implemented at the beginning of the 20172018 school year. So far, reactions of students and teachers have generally been positive.

“I love it,” senior Marissa Lux says. “I like that I get a whole hour to choose to do what I want to do.”

“I like having a little break in the middle of the day,” teacher Deirdre Zongker says. “I think it’s beneficial for teachers and students… It’s nice

}

telling them to find a spot” is the solution she offers.

“I think there’s a few students who don’t understand the benefits of it and therefore act poorly during it,” Zongker says. “Any time you roll something out the first time there will be people who don’t get it. I think next year maybe training freshmen better so that they are inculcated – [so that] they understand the culture because I think it’s a lot of the underclassmen.”

so what’s an

eagle extra?

by paiton sitith Staff Editor

Olathe North’s Eagle Extras is a fairly new system, having been a part of the North experience for only a year now, and it can still be confusing to some students. The general idea is that it is a reward for students on their best behavior. Actually, according to principal Jason Herman, Eagle Extras is simply a system of incentives.

It was created to motivate kids to come to school and give extra freedoms to students when they do what is expected of them. Herman took care to note that he wasn’t expecting absolute perfection, and pointed out that the grade requirements are only that a student has no D’s or F’s. There’s even an appeal process in place in case a student is sick and they’re out of school for an excused absence longer than the fourteen hours Eagle Extras allows kids to miss.

Students with these privileges enjoy them. Some examples of the current privileges are the option to leave class during Seminar, a day where freshmen receive ice cream, and last year the upperclassmen had more choice in where they ate, even though it is less applicable this year

design by lauren yoksh Editor-in-Chief

because of Eagle Halftime.

“It gives me something to look forward to as a result of my hard work,” says Freshman Kylie Ray. There have been communication problems surrounding Eagle Extras which can be seen in the confusion about what the program actually is.

Some people don’t read their email and it can be difficult to catch what is said on the announcements when you’re in a busy classroom. These complications in communication have created problems for students when they are sick for more than fourteen hours and lose their privileges. They can’t regain them because they are unaware that there is an appeals process in place, but Eagle Extras is still new and as time goes on students will get used to the system and know more about it.

New students and freshmen are a more specific problem. Eagle Extras functions by monitoring attendance, behavior, and grades from the previous quarter and allowing students who have met the requirements access to more freedom. Students who are new to the school aren’t given Eagle

Extras because they haven’t been monitored for a quarter. This means that they are being left out because they are new. Constance Martin, an English teacher, shares that a sophomore new to the school who had to sit out during Seminar while kids with Eagle Extras were free to leave the room.

Eagle Extras is still new which means that it is still being thought over and improvements are still being made. Herman meets with staff every other month to discuss possibilities for growth. In the future, there will be a tier system, setting up different levels within Eagle Extras. There might be a level that includes students with tardy detentions or unexcused absences. There could be a level allowing more days of excused absences.

Herman says, “Ultimately, it’s going to be the higher the goals the more opportunities of freedom and trust within the school day will be given to those students.”

Issue 3 | The Chronicle | 7

Giving b ack during the holidays

Olath e Nor

th stud

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d foo y toy an e t f rt in the annual J a s c li b u ohnson County p

By Juliana McWilliams Staff Writer

ve. d dri

Design By Abigail Miles Editor

Fellow firefighters and law enforcment officers stand outside Walmart collecting donations. Photo by Juliana McWilliams Johnson County Public Safety Toy and Food Drive is an organization that supports and helps Johnson County, Kansas, families during the holiday season. It is meant to provide assistance to those in need. They collect donations in November and deliver what they receive to families in December.

This organization provides food, toys, and other products to families who need assistance. In November, law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics and community members collect donations at local Walmarts in the Kansas City area.

When asking some volunteers why they dedicated their time to this organization, Selene Flores-Garcia shares her personal experience and reason for participating a second year with the Johnson County Public Safety Toy and Food Drive. “I love helping because it’s so

personal for me. Growing up there was a time where my family needed assistance and I was so grateful there are these resources that help families. This is my way of helping those families that might not have the resources!”

Another community volunteer, Jessica Garcia goes by the notion that one day “It could be you” that needs the help.

The Johnson County Public Safety Toy and Food Drive mainly receives toys, which they donate as gifts for the holidays. The age range for gifts vary from 12-months-old to 16-years-old. Some toys that are asked for often are dolls, activity sets, action figures, crafts, building sets, games, sports balls, books, cars, puzzles, small electronic games, and skate boards. Any type of donation is accepted and appreciated but all products have to be new.

For food donations, it is preferred that cash, checks, or gift cards be given that way the correct portions of food can be given to the families for their holiday dinner. The approximate cost is $60 for a complete dinner for a family of 4 to 6 members.

After time is spent collecting donations, the volunteers spend time creating bags for the families in Johnson County. Bags are created based on the family’s size and family’s ages. Each year the organization sets up in an area that is local and hopefully easy to access for families to come and collect their donations. If they are not collected, they are then delivered to the family’s home. The location is decorated for the holiday season with a Christmas tree and there is a Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus for the children to come and take pictures with.

The Johnson County Public Safety Toy and Food Drive was founded in 2003 by law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, and people in the community. They have provided food, toys, and assistance to thousands of Johnson County families. They have also helped numerous Johnson County domestic violence shelters and food pantries.

Because of this organization, families can be prepared for Christmas and winter. This allows police, fire and EMS professionals, and community members to make a difference. This organization relieves parents from worrying about getting presents for their children for the holidays. It also provides families with a good amount of long-lasting products while the family becomes more stable.

Firefighters greet and welcome those who are entering Walmart.

Photo By Juliana McWilliams

We volunteer to help the ones in need...

Secret lives of teachers

Written by Isabella Bray and Jena Bright Copy Editor, Staff Writer

Design by Alex Thompson Editor

Read below for a look into teacher’s lives and hobbies outside of school.

Chris Sparks’ wood carving

One of Lanie Gray’s Desserts

Most students don’t think about their teachers’ lives once they go home. Sometimes its hard to imagine a teacher doing anything other than, well teaching. But there is more to the teachers working at Olathe North than just handing out homework.

English teacher, Lanie Gray, explains how she was a professional pastry chef for eight years. “I got started baking when I decided to bake every cake on the Fanny Farmer cookbook one summer,” Gray explains.

Her first job was even working at a bakery decorating cakes. “About once a week I make something,” says Gray.

Gray tries to bakes sweets about once a week, whether its comfort food or a confection for a special occasion. “I like working with my hands. I also like making things that make people happy; everybody likes to eat food” explains Gray. Baking has been a passion that has never left Gray since she was nine years old.

Another hidden hobby of an Olathe North teacher is wood carving. Mathematics teacher, Chris Sparks, has been wood carving for around ten years since his interest sparked at a wood carving show.

“I was walking through Metcalf south

10 | The Chronicle | Issue 3

and they had a wood carving show. I just stopped and asked some questions and talked to myself and said ‘Self, I can do that’” explains Sparks.

Since then, Sparks carves everyday in the summer and around once a week during the school year. “Every project is different” says Sparks. But part of the experience, Sparks explains, is working with the organic wood to make it just right.

For over 25 years, Olathe North art teacher, Mike Albrechtson, was a professional artist.

“I got ‘D’s’ in my art classes in high school, so I kind of stopped drawing” says Albrechtson.

Then at the age of 20, a trip mission trip to Thailand changed that and Albrechtson began to draw again.

“When I returned, I started taking some art classes in college.”

Soon after, Albrechtson began to exhibit his art in different galleries around the country. Albrechtson still paints everyday, especially on weekends to keep up with the demand.

“Sometimes the hardest thing is to get in the studio and get started. Once I’ve started, the hardest thing is to stop.”

Just a few of Mike Albrechtson’s drawings

Finding Your Finals zen :

Finding a way to destress during the most hectic time of the year can be tricky, so here are a few words to keep you going.

Calculate the grade you an get on your final to keep your ideal grade in class. You shouldn’t aim to get a 43% on your math final just because you know you’ll keep your B. However, knowing that fact will definitely help keep you at ease.

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What gets you in the mood for hardcore studying? Wrapping yourself in a warm blanket, listening to a Jack Johnson album, and sipping chamomile tea?

Or maybe sitting at a hard desk in a sound vacuum is what you need to succeed? Find out what works best for you and study away!

Take a break. Take several breaks. Netflix’s December lineup, holiday chocolate assortment boxes, and the fumes of Bath and Body Works Christmas candles are all here to help you through these hard times.

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While cramming the night probably won’t help you much on the test, you should glance at the material right before you take it. The material won’t stick with you for long, but atleast you’ll know it for the final!

Aptitude cannot be determined by a test score, no matter what the bureaucracy of the American education system tries to tell you. Study hard and do the best you can; you can only do so much. Remember, after three days of hellacious testing, you’ll be rewarded with a two week break. Keep going, you got this!

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BY ANA SCHULTE Editor-in-Chief

Issue 3 | The Chronicle | 11

Why Shopping is no

longer Popping

By Rachel delehanty Staff Writer design by isabella Bray Copy Editor

The holidays bring many different traditions—decorated houses, Christmas music being played on repeat, and seemingly endless shopping for gifts to name a few. In the past, shopping has entailed going into a store to look for gifts but with sites like Amazon and eBay, a Christmas list can be fulfilled with the push of a button. Because of this, many brick and mortar stores are being forced to close their doors permanently. According to a report from the Credit Suisse, the rapid decrease of malls will result in a fourth of American malls closing.

The busiest shopping days worldwide all take place leading up to the holidays. Every year more and more people trade in the chaos of Black Friday shopping for online shopping on Cyber Monday, and although it seems harmless, malls all over the nation are suffering because of it. According to Business Insider, in 2016, approximately 99 million U.S. consumers took part in in-store Black Friday shopping compared to 109 million who shopped online.

New technology has changed the face of shopping. These days, people cannot only shop for clothing and appliances online, but also their gro-

12 | The Chronicle | issue 3

ceries. The task of leaving the house to get anything has been demolished.

“Online grocery shopping is really efficient”, said Junior, Courtney Kinzel, “Rather than spending an hour at the store, my Mom can get her shopping done in a few minutes and pick it up the next day.” Although online grocery shopping has not become the predominant form, its popularity has been increasing.

Due to the changes in the way

“...approximately 99 million shopped in in-store Black Friday shopping, compared to 109 million who shopped online.” people shop, stores like Wet Seal, Aéropostale and Pacsun have filed for bankruptcy. Large retailers like Sears, Kmart, JCPenney, Macy’s and Kohl’s have been forced to close down. Olathe’s very own Great Mall of the Great Plains has been left with one store standing: Burlington Coat Factory. Given the rate that things

are going, the future looks disastrous for retailers such as these.

Although the idea of a lack of malls may seem grim, suggestions on how to use the extra space left behind from malls are promising.

The large space has the potential to become warehouses for online shopping outlets. This would not only help grow online shopping and possibly expand the variety of items, but it could also decrease the cost of shipping and the amount of time that it takes to ship. An alternative option to closing malls is a renovating malls. Newer malls are aiming for a design similar to neighborhoods. They would include a larger variety of stores including, residential apartments, commercial offices, and health and wellness facilities.

With a twist on an old concept, the end goal is to attract more customers and keep malls alive.

With a new era of shopping quickly approaching, there seems to be two options. Either succumb to the rapid expansion of online shopping or try to enjoy in-store shopping as much as possible until the inevitable happens and they go extinct.

Staff polls Do you have any of the following?

Amazon Prime

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Ebay 1 Craigslist 1 Other

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How much money do you spend shopping online per year? $0-50 1 $50-100

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$300+ 5

How much time do you spend shopping online per month?

None 1 1-5 hours 5-10 hours 4 10+ hours 1

Ecommerce generations trends: 67% Millennials 56% GenXers 41% Baby Bommers 28% Seniors Men reported spending 24% more online than women during the past year.

51% of Americans prefer to shop online.

96% of Americans with internet access have made online purchases in their; 80% in the past month alone.

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$100-300

National trends

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21% of Americans have accidently bought something they did not want.

Hours spent online shopping per week by generation: Millennials- 6 hours Baby Boomers- 4 hours Seniors- 2.5 hours Issue 3 | The Chronicle | 13

MERRY Waste-mas art by Abigail Miles Editor

story and design by ashley honey Staff Writer

“We reuse gift bags every year and do not create waste that could result in environmental degradation of the --Janhvi Parsai, Sophomore

“We used old newspapers to wrap our presents--it was fun!”

--Amy clement, chemistry teacher

14 | The Chronicle | Issue 3

Christmas: a time for jolly holiday cheer, warm cups of cocoa, quality time with your favorite (and not-so-favorite) relatives, and a sweet vacation from school. Oh, and how could you forget the presents?

Along with smiles (both genuine and feigned) beamed at the sight of a gift, there’s one dirty aspect that comes along with the holiday season that isn’t very green: waste.According to Recycle Works, the waste produced by a single household increases by 25% after Thanksgiving, and 80% of that waste is paper.

US Packaging and Wrapping claims that more than four millions tons of wrapping paper are thrown in the garbage every Christmas. Wrapping paper is only viewed for a few moments before fingers fumble to tear it away from the treasure inside, only to be tossed in the garbage bin and hauled off to a landfill.“I have thought about the waste we produce at the holidays quite a bit,” says Chemistry teacher Amy Clement.

“I think about every year when I see the seasonal foods like candy in the grocery store. It is branded for a particular season, and then the store either sells it at discount or throws it away.”But what about recycling?

Many kinds of gift wrap contain plastic and metallic accents that deem it non recyclable. Wrapping paper can only be reused so many times before it becomes wrinkled and unaesthetically pleasing.

Ribbons and bows, however, can be used many times instead of thrown away after a single use.“Though I am Hindu, I still enjoy celebrating the holidays,” says sophomore Janhvi Parsai. “In my family, we do not use gift wrap or any other items of embellishments. We reuse gift bags

every year and do not create waste that could result in environmental degradation of the world.” According to Harmony Enterprises, we use enough ribbon each Christmas to tie a bow around the whole globe.

“I like using gift bags for Christmas presents,” says Clement. “We have had same gift bags rotating around our family for years. We used to use old newspapers to wrap our presents-- it was fun!”Not sure what to get your cousin? Instead of a gift they’ll use a couple of times and throw away, give them a gift card so the money is spent on something worthwhile or make something handmade.

“It’s fun to get presents, but I also try to make sure I only ask for things I really need and give people presents they will really use. If there is a chance it will end up in the garage sale in a year or two, it isn’t worth buying,” Clement suggests.

At the end of her interview, Parsai made a point to address the cuteness factor many families aim for during the holiday season. “[My family aims] to be cost-efficient and environmentally conscious, not essentially aesthetically pleasing,” Parsai said.

Even if you’ve spent years producing waste, it’s not too late to change and turn things around the next time you celebrate a special occasion. “I’m willing to change my habits,” says sophomore Lincoln Schick. “I’ll try to use glass containers and recyclable wrapping paper.”

Don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone this year and introduce your friend and family to a reduced waste winter!

issue 3 | The Chronicle | 15

1

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1: Winner of best club costume for GSA, Caleb Bishop, and runner up Jackson Wilks embrace.

2: Emcees Drew Bellamy and Allyson Tinker during rehearsals.

3: Second runner up Grant Hrabik in his club costume, representing National Honor Society.

4: D’artagan Harris during the swimwear portion of the competition.

5: Zeb Yurchak interpretive dances for his talent.

Mr Eagle

By Ana Schulte and Magda Werkmeister Editors-in-Chief

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3 16 | The Chronicle | Issue 3

6: Kevin Mboma slays his performance of Beyonce’s “Formation.”

7: The Mr. Eagle contestants in their traditional group dance.

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8. Winner of the 11th annual Mr. Eagle competition, Cameron Bohl.

9. All of the Mr. Eagle contestants pose for a final picture.

9 Issue3 | The Chronicle | 17

: EDUCATION FROM HERE TO THERE How education around the world differ from culture to culture.

In America, we tend to do things a bit differently from

the rest of the world. This becomes especially apparent to foreigners wanting to gain some experience outside of their home country.

At Olathe North, we are proud to host three foreign exchange students: Cosma Coehlo from Germany, Abe Jansen op de Haar from the Netherlands, and Henning Heimdal from Norway. They have come here from their respective countries to learn about how we do things in the U.S. But what can we learn about where they come from?

The first thing Henning Heimdal noticed when starting school here was the difference in school work from his school in Norway. He says that we actually do more homework in the US despite the tests being easier.

“We don’t really need to do homework in Norway because we get most of it done at school.” explains Heimdal.

Another difference he observed was in the school itself: We have a much bigger, more diverse school. This also makes it difficult to know everyone.

18 | The Chronicle | Issue 2

BY: JENA BRIGHT, MILES ARAMBULA, and autumn mesmer Staff Writers DESIGN BY HALEY MCGRIFF Editor

“It’s a really big school with a lot of different people. My school is about 400 students or so, and I know almost everyone in my class,” he says.

In America, we have always referred to our teachers by their last names. It seems disrespectful to call them anything else. But this is not the case for Norwegians; they call their teachers by their first names. It seems that the interactions between teachers and students are more casual than in the U.S. “It’s a more close relationship between teacher and student,” says Heimdal.

Abe Jansen Op De Haar describes the same sort of relationship between student and teacher in the Netherlands.

He also mentioned that the classes he takes here are more entertaining than the ones he’s used to taking.

I think my classes are way better, ‘cause I don’t have math or economics like I had back home. I have painting and drawing and P.E., which I like way better.” he says.

One thing Jansen found strange was the fact that we have American flags everywhere. Most European countries aren’t

All around the world nearly as nationalist.

Cosma Coehlo thinks that the classes available to her are more fun and interesting as well. In the Olathe School District we have specific programs and opportunities for students to gain experience in their fields of interest.

This is not the case where she is from.

“In Germany you work; for example, you don’t have a classroom to take pictures and you don’t have like culinary or baking, so here you have a lot of possibilities,” says Coehlo.

Something she finds strange is that we are allowed to use our phones and listen to music in class.

All of the students shared many of the same experiences and opinions. Jansen and Heimdal both recalled that the schedules back home are much less rigid than the class schedule we follow at Olathe North.

“The schedule is 23 hours [a week], so you can have like four hours a day, not like a seven day kind of thing.

And then we can leave school whenever you don’t have an hour,” Jansen said.

Henning Heimdal

Q: Did you have any struggles coming to the United States?

A: I applied later than most people so I got my visa just an hour before my plane took off while most people got theirs three months before.

Q: How is the classroom setting different?

A: Here I have seven different classrooms and in Norway I have one classroom with the same class and teacher at all times. So you get to have a closer relationship with everyone in the class.

Cosma Coehlo

“‘I thought your high school would be like High School Musical, like the movies.’”

The trio agreed that the school lunches here aren’t quite as healthy or tasty as what they’re used to. Cosma explained that in Germany they pay a little more for their food.

When asked about what they thought America would be like, they said they only really based their assumptions about the U.S. from what they saw on television.

“I thought your high school would be like High School Musical, like the movies. I was so disappointed on the first day of school when no one was singing or dancing around the hallways, but you know, I guess that’s just the movies,” says Coehlo.

Although school in America doesn’t involve much singing or dancing, we can conclude that we definitely have some differences from the rest of the world. We have as much to learn from the rest of the world as they do from us.

Q: What do you find weird about school here?

A: That you can use your phones. Or listen to music and watch movies in class.

Q: What else have you noticed thats different?

A: In America you drive cars at like fourteen or fifteen and in Germany we start driving cars when we`re eighteen.

Abe Jansen op de Haar

Q: What do you like about school here?

A: I like my classes a lot more here because I dont have math or economic like I had back home. I have painting, drawing, and P.E. which I like better.

Issue 2 | The Chronicle | 19

olathe`s hidden gems The Chronicle staff members review some lesser known food vendors that offer great eats

El Saguaro Mexican Grill 824 N Ridgeview Rd Tucked away in the corner of a busy street, Saguaro can be definitely unrecognizable as a Mexican restaurant. There they offer authentic Mexican food, such as “street-style” tacos, tortas, popusas, and so much more. The interior is a complete contrast to the outside: it’s vibrant. The walls are colored yellow and green, and a beautiful mural covers the largest wall. I ordered a torta de jamon con papas fritas, or a torta of ham with French fries. The torta was packed with food. There was ham cooked nicely, with fresh guacamole, crisp lettuce, and fresh, natural-tasting cheese. The fries themselves were average, but the actual meal that accompanied it was incredibly rich. And the best part about Saguaro is that it’s super affordable; my meal cost me $8.99. Saguaro is one of the best places to go get authentic Mexican food and I would definitely recommend it if you are looking for real and delicious Mexican food.

by david genis, andrea martin, and autumn mesmer Staff Writers design by emma reuter Editor

bonito michoacan

chang`s wok

1229 E Santa Fe St

812 N Ridgeview Rd

I used to like hard-shell tacos better than soft ones, but I’ve changed my mind after visiting Bonito Michoacan. The first thing I noticed was that the employees were incredibly kind and helpful there. I decided to get one chicken and one beef taco. The tortillas, although soft, had an almost sweet flavor, and if I could eat a whole stack plain, I probably would. The chicken taco had peppers in it and the chicken itself had such a delicious blend of spices I could have eaten it without the peppers too. The chicken had some breading which kept it nice and soft, but it was a little dry. The beef taco was really soft and juicy. This taco was also seasoned perfectly. The authenticity of the food was really what made it so good. My experience at Bonito Michoacan was wonderful, affordable, and I’ll be getting my tacos there from now on.

20 | The Chronicle | Issue 3

Chang’s Wok is one of those restaurants that can be easily looked over and mistaken as a boring building that houses a small bail bond agency. In reality, it is one of the best places to get authentic Chinese food.

They offer so much food, all packed ready to-go, and is incredibly affordable. You get to choose from a plethora of sides/entrees and between a rice or noddle base. I ordered chicken with broccoli and lo mien.

With my meal came an eggroll, two crab rangoons, and fortune cookie. The eggroll was a deep brown and super crunchy, but the inside was jam-packed and fluffy. The rangoon was nicely crisp, the filling wasn’t too sweet or too bitter. My meal itself was delicious.

The chicken with broccoli was seasoned well, the broccoli was super crisp, and the other two vegetables on the side tasted amazing. The lo mien alone can be somewhat bland which is why they add small soy sauce packets. The container was over packed with food. I would definitely recommend going to Chang’s Wok if you are looking for great authentic Chinese food.

sam`s tastee treat 435 S Parker St Sam’s is a small, classic cheeseburger and shake restaurant, outfitted with a broken Ms. Pacman machine and a wide variety of milkshake flavors. The only problem is that the age shows. While this may have been a popping hang-out for teens in the 90s, the age of the place shows in the walls and decor that is too rustic to even fit into any kind of vintage aesthetic. Nevertheless, the restaurant is still fun as you walk up and take a look at their classic stadium food - cheeseburgers, hot dogs, nachos, and onion rings.

Another way that the place shows its age in that it doesn’t take card in any form - only cash - so be prepared if you give it a shot. The cashier was an older gentleman who took our order and handed me a ticket with a number on it, the double bacon cheeseburger costing me only a little under six dollars. I received my burger in a little under 10 minutes, wrapped in white paper on a tray with a classic bottle of ketchup. I sat down and reveled in the stadium goodness that was the simple burger. The cost was low, and the quality showed it, but it was still satisfying in its own way as I scanned the walls that were covered with old faded newspaper clippings, comic strips, and posters from old renaissance festivals, all of which gave the place personality and made the atmosphere really fun. The food was simple and tasty, and while not the kind of restaurant you go to to feel high class, it was a fun experience overall. A real blast from the past and one worth stopping by.

sheridan`s 2055 E Santa Fe St Sheridan’s Frozen Custard is known for their, well, custard, but since no one really talks about their food, I decided to try it.

I ordered a simple meal of chicken strips and fries, and within 6 minutes I got my food. As I was waiting I noticed that the tables and chairs were industrial, modern, and clean. The chicken stripes were breaded with a somewhat plain but appetizing, buttery taste. Although a bit on the dry side, their breading was well seasoned. They were still very satisfying and paired nicely with fries. Further more, the fries were very flavorful, and were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. They weren’t too greasy or salty, and ketchup complimented them well. Sheridan’s is an underrated restaurant that should be more popular in Olathe, and deserves more people giving it a try. I’ll definitely will be going back soon.

Sakura sushi train 1109 E Santa Fe St As an avid lover of sushi, I was already optimistic walking into Sakura Japanese Sushi Train II. When I walked in and saw the genuine model train roving around in front of a large oval bar, complete with two sushi chefs in the middle of the oval creating the sushi before our very eyes, I was more than happy.

The train, named the Santa Fe, leisurely span around the chefs and in front of the customers, was topped with yellow and purple plates which, I found out, was the way that they charged each customer. The sushi rode by, and it was as simple as grabbing whatever looked appetizing. Each small plate had between two to three pieces of sushi, with other foods occasionally popping up, such as calamari or crab rangoons. I ate a total of seven yellow plates, as the purple plates had more raw meat, like tuna, or even squid, which made them more expensive. All the rolls were delicious and oddly dense, in a good way. I paid a total of $19.97 for the seven yellow plates (so $2.85 per yellow plate including tax). The experience was overall very satisfying as choosing your own food makes sure you get just enough with no waste. The atmosphere and food were both excellent and worth the price, but be careful not to spend too much, as it can become easy to get carried away.

Issue 3 | The Chronicle | 21

holiday Gift… How To Don’t know what to buy for family or friends? Don’t have much money to spend during the holiday season? Here are some examples of some easy and difficult crafts that you can make for family and friends for the holidays.

Gift tags Difficulty: Cost: Materials: Paint of your choice (we used water colors), paper, paint brushes, hole puncher, and scissors.

Steps: First, paint designs of your choice onto paper. Then, let them sit until dry. Finally, cut them out in the shape of gift tags and hole punch.

Overall: This DIY is very easy and practical. The amount of work put in is great for the amount of use that will come out of it..

Jewelry Hanger Difficulty:

Cost:

Materials: Paint of your choice, paint brushes, wooden plaque (or thick piece of wood), plastic animal of your choice, super glue, handsaw, and wall mount (or something to hang up your project).

Steps: First, use a saw that will cut through thick plastic to cut your plastic animal to desired size. Next, paint your wood a desired color (multiple coats may be needed). Then, paint plastic animal a desired color (multiple coats may be needed). After both have dried, superglue animal to wooden plaque and let it sit until dry. Finally, superglue wall mount to the back of plaque and let it sit until dry.

Overall: This project was fairly easy and not very messy. It does require already owning tools like the handsaw and may become difficult to keep the cut clean and even. Depending on the intended person to receive the gifts, it will be useful.

Terrarium Difficulty:

Cost:

Materials: A small tin or mason jar lid, a round plastic ornament or thick plastic material, super glue, sand and small rocks, small succulents or small fake plants or moss, and (Optional) twine and hot glue gun.

Steps: First, take your thick plastic ornament and cut to make sure that Overall: This DIY was simple and not very difficult to complete. If you do use the plastic ornament it is difficult to cut but does look unique and you are able to add more plants and other elements to the “terrarium”.

it will fit the rim of the tin with space left to put rocks and plants inside.

When the plastic fits on the rim, take super glue and place it on all sides of the plastic that touch the tin. Next, wait a couple of minutes for it to dry or cure to the metal. Once the plastic is secure on the tin you can begin placing sand and rocks in to the “terrarium”. Lastly, add in real or fake plants to finish the aesthetic. (Optional) If you would like the terrarium to hang, take a piece of twine or desired ribbon and hot glue it on the back. Once dried, place on the wall and admire your work.

Concrete necklace Difficulty:

Cost:

Materials: Concrete or stepping stone mix, metallic paint, metal or felt chain, small containers with wax paper or molds that the concrete won’t stick to, and that are the desired shape and size, paint brush, and (optional) drill.

Overall: The process of making the necklace was trial and error. In my opinion, the mold would be a much better option because is it less messy and might look better; I did attempt this method but the mold latex mixture didn’t dry as fast as I wanted it to and was more work that I thought it would be. I also wish that I had made holes in the concrete before it dried, it would have been easier to string the necklace through it. I should have had more time to do this project so I could have better results, but it also allowed me to create and share different ways to develop the craft.

story and design by Abigial Miles and Rachel Delehanty Editors

Steps: First, get all materials and find a space that you create a huge mess in. Find or create a mold with silicone or (not recommended) find a small container and line it with wax paper to prevent the concrete from sticking to the sides. (Make sure to have a place for a hole in the concrete. Next, take out your concrete or stone mix and begin reading the directions. Mix and stir the paste together to make the correct mixture. After you have your mixture, pour or scoop concrete into mold and wait until dry. If you are doing the non-recommended method, divide the concrete slabs in the containers into the desired size or shape before the concrete has dried as well as creating a hole in the piece to make life easier. Once the concrete is dry, take it out of the mold. If you took the easy way out, take your jewelry chain and begin stringing the chain into the hole to advance to the next step. If you got stuck with the hard way, take out the pieces and if they need sanding, sand it down—I personally used the concrete on my drive way because the sand paper didn’t really work. If you do the second method, make sure you have multiple pieces because THEY WILL BREAK! When you have your concrete piece (which is sanded), it’s time to drill the holes. Take a small drill bit and drill, decide where you want the holes on the concrete and begin. The pieces will crumble and the the divot will not be very deep. If you would like you can skip this and move on. If you did the hard method, take super glue and place it in the divots you made or place the super glue where you want the chain to be located. Next, cut the chain perfectly in half and place where you put the super glue. After this, wait until the glue dries. Next, clasp the necklace together and begin painting whatever design you want on the piece of concrete. Later, hang somewhere where the paint can dry without disturbance. Once dry, show off your jewelry or give it to someone as a nice crafted gift.

Christmas polls writing and Design By Kalley Jurgielski Staff Writer

Do you have a favorite Christmas song? See if the other teachers and students of Olathe North have the same opinions.

WHEN DOES THE CHRISMAS SEASON START FOR YOU?

70% SAID RIGHT AFTER THANKSGIVING

BEST OLDER CLASSIC CHRISTMAS MOVIE?

29% SAID THEIR FAVORITE IS WHITE CHRISTMAS

1 | | The 24 TheChronicle Chronicle | | Issue Issue23

BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIE?

59% SAID THEIR FAVORITE IS ELF

BEST POP CHRISTMAS SONG?

41% SAID THEIR FAVORITE IS “ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU”

BEST CLASSIC CHRISTMAS SONG?

DO YOU HAVE CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS?

39% SAID THEIR FAVORITE IS “SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN”

76% SAID YES, THEY DO

BEST DRINK FOR THE COLD?

76% SAID THEIR FAVORITE IS HOT CHOCOLATE

REAL OR FAKE CHRISTMAS TREE?

70% SAID THEY USE A FAKE TREE

WHAT’S ON TOP OF YOUR TREE?

59% SAID THEY HAVE A STAR ON TOP OF THEIR TREE Issue Issue3 2| | The TheChronicle Chronicle | | 252

NEW COACH, NEW SEASON story and design by Kylee weber Editor

“I have an intense, energetic, and passionate view on the game.”

Coach Nick Bratford Olathe North is welcoming an addition to the girls’ basketball team in the form of a new head coach. Nick Bratford is a former Kansas University basketball player and has come to Olathe North to better the girls’ varsity basketball team.

Bratford is an assigned substitute for the school and jumps from classroom to classroom each day. He begins his day by teaching a different subject than the day before, then ends his day with the young athletes practicing.

“I always wanted to be a coach since college, and help younger athletes,” Bratford shares. Thanks to his experience as an athlete he is able to devote his time and knowledge of the game to teach younger athletes. Before coming to Olathe North, he coached at several high schools and at Missouri Southern State University. He has supported and pushed many athletes that have received opportunities to play at the collegiate level. With becoming a college athlete iy all begins with conditioning and practicing.

The team has been conditioning

26 | The Chronicle | Issue 3

since the end of September every day after school. Meanwhile, the coaches have also devoted their time for the team. Now they devote many hours after school for practices, and soon many week nights for games and tournaments.

The ladies competed in the Fort Hayes tournament, and came out with a record of 1 win and 3 losses. Although, the girls came out with 208 points against the teams they competed with.

The Varsity Basketball Team played Life Prep Academy, Hays High School, and Thomas More Prep-Marian.

With the season beginning coach Bratford says that he’s excited to see the competition that they will play. With every practice coach Bratford pushes the girls to the max and gives his athletes multiple opportunities on the court to grow.

The experience of being an athlete and now getting the opportunity to coach, Bratford shares “I have an intense, energetic, and passionate view on the game.” Through practices he has received the opportunity to create

a bond with the team and get to know the players as athletes and as students.

Multiple times through out the day he gets the opportunity to see his athletes in the halls and even the classroom.

Junior Maya Gallagher comments that “his coaching style has pushed us at practice and he’s unlike any coach we’ve had.”

The girls practice on a daily basis and get to have fun doing it. Each practice the girls laugh but know when its time to be serious.

“He shares his passion with us and it inspires us to do better the next day,” Gallagher says.

As the basketball team puts in the dedication and practice, the fans eagerly await to watch the team play on the court. The girls’ first league home game is December 15 at Olathe North against Shawnee Mission North High School at 5:30. The spirit leaders anxiously look forward to the young athletes taking the court and cheering the girls on with a full student section.

wrap IT UP design by Kylee weber Editor

Olathe North Football ended the season with an overall record of 7-4 and also by defeating Blue Valley West and Lawrence High School, Olathe North became Regional Champs.

According to MaxPreps, Olathe North placed in the top five of the seven out of eight stat categories.

In the Sunflower League Player Stat Leaders, Olathe North ended the season with at least one player in seven of the eight categories. In passing yards, quarterback Zac Krause is placed at number four with 670 yards thrown; the national average for passing yards is 375. Quarterback Mason Meyers is placed in eighth with 117 yards thrown, bringing Olathe North to the fourth most of seven in the Sunflower League.

Wide receiver Daymon Sanchez is in first place for running 1094 rushing yards, with the runner up having only 887 yards. Also, freshman running back Arland Bruce is in third place with 843 rushing yards. The national average for rushing yards is only 168. Together, the two earned 74 percent of the total rushing yards for Olathe North. Sanchez

by Claire mcconnell Staff Writer

and Bruce placing high in the rankings places Olathe North in first place for total rushing yards with an amount of 2,694 yards.

The total number of touchdowns Olathe North scored during the season was 37, tying for first place with Olathe East. Sanchez scored 35 percent of Olathe North’s touchdowns and leads in the categories of total number of points and the total number of touchdowns.

Sanchez scored a total of 13 touchdowns which equates to 78 points and earned an additional 6 extra points. The national average for points scored is 19 per player, and the national average for touchdowns is only 4. Sanchez dominated the offensive stats for the Sunflower League.

Not only did Olathe North football dominate the offensive stats, but also the defensive stats. Middle linebacker Eric Dooley, free safety and running back Jevon Parrish, and tight end and middle linebacker Ryan Huck placed in the top three for the total number of tackles. Dooley completed 182 tackles, Parrish completed 137 tackles, and

Huck completed 87 tackles. The national average for total number of tackles is 21. These three athletes helped put Olathe North at number 1 with 851 total number of tackles and they accounted for almost half of Olathe North’s number of tackles.

The total number of sacks is the seventh category in which Olathe North football placed in the top 5. Drew Rediger claimed first place, beating the other players in the Sunflower League by getting 8 sacks. Dooley made it into fourth with 3 sacks. Olathe North got in first place with a total of 14 sacks with Rediger obtaining over half of the sum.

At the end of the 2017 season, Olathe North Football State Rank is 35 out of 229 Kansas schools. Olathe North’s 7 wins were against Wichita Heights, Lawrence High School (twice), Shawnee Mission West, Olathe Northwest, Shawnee Mission Northwest, and Blue Valley West. The four losses were against Olathe East, Blue Springs South, Shawnee Mission East, and Blue Valley High School.

Issue 3 | The Chronicle | 27

the christmas creep Every year the Christmas season creeps earlier and earlier towards Fall; when will it stop?

BY ASHLEY honey Staff Writer Design by Haley McGriff and Emma Reuter Editors

Look, I love Christmas just as much the next guy, but stocking shelves full of wreaths and Santa figurines in early August is ridiculous.The “holiday” or “Christmas creep” has been around since the mid-80s, giving a name to that “why are there Christmas decorations next to jack-o-lanterns” feeling.

The Macmillan Dictionary defines it as “the tendency for Christmas products, decorations and advertising to be displayed earlier each year.”

The selling of Christmas merchandise starts much sooner than one would think. Last Christmas, I went to Target and they had a whole section of Valentine’s Day decor--in December!

Is that really necessary? Why can’t we just enjoy the holiday closest to us before emptying our pockets for holiday decor that shouldn’t be hung up for three more months?

I love holidays, and I love buying useless decor from Target, but I actually want to enjoy my fall decorations all the way until Thanksgiving. I don’t want to hear any jingle bells or see any reindeer until Black Friday.

Some people have tried to defend the Christmas creep.

According to Macmillan, “Business experts argue that Christmas creep is the inevitable consequence of the Christmas season being absolutely crucial to retailers, who can substantially boost their takings by convincing customers that they should prepare for the festivities as early as possible.”

That said, it is quite tempting to celebrate Christmas early now that I see all of this decor in the store. Maybe it is part of their plan...Walmart and Target start stocking Christmas stuff in August so I’ll be thrown into that festive spirit, unable to fight against their cocoa and capitalism, making me want to watch a Christmas movie and sucking me into their consumerism trap, unable to refrain from spending money on Santa bandages and Rudolph lip balm from the Target dollar section.

The Chicago Tribune published an article claiming that Target is trying to fight the Christmas creep by promoting their fall merchandise.

While Target is making an effort to contain the holiday creep, there is certainly work that can be done The Christmas creep is an issue that consumers have been discussing for decades, and will likely baffle people for decades to come.

Issue 3 | The Chronicle | 28

A Week of Kansas Weather.

monday.

By Josie Sloan tuesday.

wednesday.

thursday.

friday.

saturday.

sunday.

Issue 3 | The Chronicle | 29

staff editorial

By Ana Schulte and Lauren Yoksh Editors-in-Chief

(UN)Conventional christmas With all the holiday hullabaloo this time of the year, two of The Chronicle’s editors-in-chief decided to discuss their favorite conventional (and perhaps unconventional) Christmastime stories.

Love Actually is actually the best

By Ana Schulte It’s time to lay down a truth bomb. Love Actually is one of the greatest modern cinematic masterpieces of the 21st century. And it is, hands down, the best contemporary Christmas movie. I know what you’re thinking. Ana, that is absolutely not true. You are wrong. Nobody liked that movie.

There are so many better movies. Alright, maybe I’m being a little optimistic. Love Actually is notoriously sugary and overwhelming. But I need you to hear me out.

First of all, the movie has an all-star cast. Alan Rickman somehow makes you hate him, Liam Neeson reenacts Titanic, Kiera Knightley is almost unbearably obnoxious.

Bill Nighy is comedic goal. The guy from the Hobbit plays a promiscuous body double. Not to mention, the world’s favorite romantic comedy duo Hugh Grant and Colin toogorgeous-to-function Firth are featured. Sure, the script may have more than a few loopholes, or otherwise unbelievable elements. But the brilliance that the actors bring to the screen compensate for those few- as “Sam” in the movie would say- “hiccups.”

And, most importantly, the movie contains the per-

30 | The Chronicle | Issue 3

fect recipe for a heartwarming tale of Christmas. It begins six weeks prior to the holiday and documents the lives of nine couples throughout the holiday season. Some of these relationships are platonic, and others are romantic. Which is probably what leads so many people to claim that the movie is “silly” or “cheesy” or, you know, unrealistic. But if you don’t think Emma Thompson crying to Joni Mitchell after learning her husband cheated on her isn’t the most tragic and raw moment in any holiday movie ever, you are lying to yourself. The beauty of the movie is that it not only features the silly antics you’re accustomed to when it comes to Christmas movies, but also delivers an honest portrayal of the pain and loss that seems to hurt more around the holidays.

So, deal with it! Love Actually is a beautiful movie that has a storyline for everyone in the family. You get a little bit of everything, a whole lot of “actually’s,” and of course, memorable performances by Britain’s top talent. If you haven’t seen the movie, I urge you to grab a box of tissues, a tub of peppermint ice cream, turn up the volume, and enjoy.

Timeless Tales of Christmas By lauren yoksh

We all know the classic story of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Throughout the many years since its publication, A Christmas Carol has seen multiple transformations and adaptations in the cinematic universe. From Scrooged to the

CGI Jim Carrey version of the tale, everyone is familiar with some version of this beloved holiday narrative. But what is it about A Christmas Carol that makes it so timeless?

As someone who has read Dickens’ original novella from 1843, I am well aware of the aspects of the story that are completely those of its time. Gas lamps, men’s nightgowns, and the looming threat of debtor’s prison are all obsolete in 2017, however the out-of-this-world ghost drama remains relevant. My first theory as to why A Christmas Carol has stood the test of time is because of one iconic character that we all know and despise (until the end): Ebenezer Scrooge.

Scrooge’s despicable angry-old-man persona is not specific to the mid 19th century. In fact, we all have probably run across a Scrooge-like stranger or two during the holiday season.

Also, let’s talk about his name. Is there anything better to call a nasty, Christmas-hating bum than Scrooge? It just sounds terrible. But not only is Ebenezer’s detestable personality still #relatable almost 200 years later, his character arc is unparalleled. How Charles Dickens makes us sympathize with a

Quick Poll yes no

crotchety old lawyer is beyond me. What I do know, however, is that by the end of the novel, we all want to dance around in the street wearing our pajamas with Scrooge. Which brings me to my next theory: A Christmas Carol is timeless because of how it captures the true essence of the Christmas season like no other story to date. What would Christmas be if we didn’t acknowledge the ones we love, the ones we’ve lost, and the pure joy of being surrounded by people we care about? A Christmas Carol isn’t about consumerism, or capitalism, or presents or decorations or anything like that. It’s not about how much money you have or the fantastic tree in your living room. A Christmas Carol isn’t about the extravagances we get so caught up with these days when the holidays are near. It’s about family, and love, and gratitude. It’s about remembering others before yourself, which I think is the true meaning behind Christmas. That sounds really cheesy to say, but it’s true.

A Christmas Carol has seen nearly two centuries of relevance and remaking because it reminds us of who this season is really about: everyone but ourselves. It’s not about the things you have but the kindness you put out into the world. So be like Chapter 6 Scrooge this holiday season: be humble, be grateful, be joyful, and give back.

We surveryed 20 students during Eagle Halftime with the question...

5

Have you seen Love Actually?

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Issue 3 | The Chronicle | 31

r e t n i

W y p p Ha

k a e r b

The ChrONicle staff wants to wish the students and faculty a wonderful winter break! We hope you find time to relax and de-stress these next few weeks. See you in 2018!