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In this issue 22 18 12 24
News How north saved dsva 4 / macs maybe...maybe not 6 / Us, too 8 / Features can you cna? 12 / catching up with the culinary kids 13 / piercing psa 14 / the flint water crisis 16 / A&E under the sea 18 / Poppin' tags 22/ Sports hoops I did it again 24 / what's your gain? 26/ Opinions How social media has stripped valentine's day of romance 28/ Trump tweets 30 / "good old global warming" 31 / Alternate activities for valentine's day 32
2 | The Chronicle | Issue 4
Staff Editors-In-Chief Ana Schulte Magda Werkmeister Lauren Yoksh
Copy Editor Isabella Bray
Business Manager Amara Lindsey
News Editor
Letter from the editors
Welcome back, Eagles! Despite winter break being a distant memory, the unpredictable, undesirable chilly-turned-springy Kansas weather is just getting started. One day we're wearing sunglasses and a t-shirt listening to our favorite summer jams and the next we're bundled up under six blankets desperately wishing we had a fire to curl up next to. Nevertheless, second semester is in full swing. Until March, we'll be tweeting the school district begging for snow days, and counting down the days until spring break. How exciting. On another note, you might be wondering what this issue's cover is all about. Have you seen Black Mirror season four? Well, this issue is like that but better. One again, we find ourselves delving into the impact of social media. From the online petition that saved DSVA, to the international "Me Too" movement that began on Twitter, to the Logan Paul Youtube controversy, and social media fueling Valentine's Day woes, you'll find that the internet's influence is greater than ever. -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 Molly Duke David Genis Ashley Honey Kalley Jurgielski Andrea Martin Audrey McWhorter Juliana McWilliams Autumn Mesmer Paiton Stith
Advisor
Robert M. Cave, Jr.
Issue 4 | The Chronicle | 3
How North Saved By Ashley Honey Staff Writer Design by Lauren Yoksh Editor-in-Chief
The Olathe School District sent out an email on December 12, 2017 to eighth graders considering Distinguished Scholars (DS), DS freshmen, and current DS Visual Arts students to inform them of the retirement of the Visual Arts, DSVA, content area. The Distinguished Scholars Academy at Olathe North has five content areas: Language Arts, Math, Visual Arts, Political Science, and Science. Freshman year consists of projects educating students on culture and the world around them, and the next three years are spent focusing on one area of study of that student’s choice. “Current DSVA Juniors will be the last class of students to complete this strand of the Distinguished Scholars Academy. This decision was made based on enrollment trend data,” the
“Current DSVA Juniors will be the last class of students to complete this strand of the Distinguished Scholars Academy.” letter signed by 21st Century Academy District Coordinator, Angela Epps, reads. The entire Distinguished Scholars Program met the next day to talk about the announce-
4 | The Chronicle | Issue 4
DSVA ment, inform those that didn’t know about it, and figure out what they were going to do to save the content area. Students immediately took to social media to combat the issue. Some students were not made aware of the decision until they checked social media or heard about it from friends because the email was only sent to certain groups of people.“I was worried that something I’ve come to love wouldn’t be shared with those who I’ve come to love,” says DSVA Junior Madeline Prickette. Students from every content area were upset by the announcement, but they weren’t the only ones concerned. “I was upset to hear that such a unique and valuable program was being taken from students who loved it,” Olathe North Freshman Grace Zhu expressed. She is not enrolled in an academy but still felt the effects of the District’s decision. Petitions, both on paper and on change. org, were spread through social media, group chats, classroom discussions, and more over the following day. “Initially I just tried to spread the news,” says DSVA Junior Mason Maiwat. “I told everyone I could think of.” Links were posted on social media, tweets were sent and tagged to the district, and a group chat was made to plan ways to advocate for the program. “With permission from a teacher, [SMART Club] taped up and handed out over fifty flyers to spread awareness,” Zhu explained. The students managed to grab the attention of the district with their petition, emails, and tweets, resulting in an invitation to meet with a district member over lunch on Monday,
December 18th, 2017. Dr. Jim McMullen, Executive Director of General Administration and Secondary Programs, met with the students that Monday to hear their arguments for why the strand of the program should remain standing. “It was such a relief to explain myself not as a cry for help, but a call for unity,” Prickette says. There were thirteen members in the group of representatives from different content areas, including Zhu, who was a supporter from outside the DS program. “He said he genuinely wanted to hear us out and proved it by taking four pages of notes detailing the stu-
dent’s perspectives,” says Zhu. After meeting with students, DS teachers met with McMullen to discuss why the Visual Arts program should stay. A decision was not made right away. McMullen still had to meet with Superintendent John Allison and share the arguments the students made. He informed that an announcement would be made at the beginning of second semester. “Waiting over winter break was agonizing,” explains Prickette. The students temporarily put their case on hold as they
“I knew that if we succeeded, then it would be a major victory, and if not then we had more plans to fight back,” headed off on their winter vacation from school, but they kept the petition and their cause in the back of their mind. “I knew that if we succeeded, then it would be a major victory, and if not then we had more plans to fight back,” says Maiwat. Symposium met the Thursday students returned from school. Principal Jason Herman made the official announcement that the voices of the students had been heard and the Distinguished Scholars Visual Arts strand would not be cut from the DS program. “[The] change.org petition to save VA [got over] three thousand signatures from people all around the world,” says Sam Schaper, a Distinguished Scholars freshman student. “That is truly moving and it shows that the arts are no laughing matter.” One aspect that DS staff urged students to take note of was how vital it is to have a balance of different content areas within the DS program. “[The arts] are just as important to development and well-roundedness as math, science, english, or history,” Schaper says. “It fosters something that the world would be nothing without: creativity.”
Issue 4 | The Chronicle | 5
MACS Maybe...Maybe Not Written by isabella Bray, Staff Writer
Research by Jena bright, Staff Writer
Design by Alex Thompson, Staff Designer
As the date of receiving MacBooks keeps getting pushed back, ON Chronicle staff looks into if Olathe North students will even be getting MACS at all. Nearly a year ago, Olathe North was told that all students were going to get MacBooks for educational purposes. Then, months into the new school year, students were told that that was no longer true. However, students were still left with lingering questions that left room for rumors to spread about why Olathe North was not getting MacBooks any more and if it was true that Olathe West was the problem. “When we opened Olathe West with 1:1 MacBooks for students, we knew we wanted to get things ‘right’ before moving to our next two schools (OE and ON)” explains Dr. Josh Anderson, the Executive Director of Technology for the Olathe School District. However, an update pushed by Aerohive, the wireless network vendor that makes the hardware and software that runs the wireless network, was sent out in September for the software and it contained a bug, making it difficult for both BYOD (bring your own devices) and personal devices to connect to the network. “Previously, all students/staff had personalized codes provided by Aerohive—and the glitch is related to those codes are not working as they should” says Anderson. It has taken several months for Aerohive to fix this problem resulting in the delay of moving BYOD to other high schools. “We are working on some solutions on our end that might allow us to bypass the problem, but the real issue is with Aerohive. We are hoping they provide the fix very
soon,” explains Anderson. Once the bug is completely fixed by Aerohive at Olathe West, the problem can be assessed once again and devices can be distributed to both Olathe North and Olathe East later this spring or next school year. The main goal once the MacBooks are distributed is to make them feel like purchased laptops that are used at home. Both student and staff laptops will be monitored at home but there will be no “lockdown” that will restrict administrative access to the MacBooks. “We are strongly considering allowing students to keep the laptops over the summer, but this decision has not been finalized” explains Anderson. When asked about not getting the MacBooks in school, Olathe north junior Adam Peet explains, “I was not really looking forward to MacBooks.” In fact, when asked, most students prefer pencil and paper to using technology in school and are not disappointed by not getting MacBooks.
Does not having macs, negatively affect student’s education?
YES 30% 6 | The Chronicle | Issue 4
70% NO
Take a look at what students and teachers think about the lack of MacBooks at Olathe North Johanna Hines, Sophomore
Q: Were you looking forward to getting macs? essay and doing research. Looking stuff up is way easier to do on A: “Writing the computer rather than a phone.” Jessica Smith, Junior
Q: What were you planning to do with the Macs? was planning to use the macs to type essays, write notes and to do A: “Imost of my school work on them because they are easier and more accessible to me.”
Andrea De La O, Senior
Q: Does not having Macbooks negatively effect your education? I don’t think so. I really like having pencil and paper assignments but I A: “think that it effected the teachers plans. My AP Government teacher had planned to have some courses online.”
Jeremy Dennis, Avid & Pre-Ap Modern world history
Q: Are you disappointed that students haven’t got laptops yet? because there are things that I have been waiting to do until that A: “Yes shift has been made. I think students will be excited and there will be an adjustment there and I want that adjustment to take place so that we can move forward.”
jessica garrett, geometry & Algebra 1
Q: What were you planning to do with the Macs? students access to textsbook and use Microsoft teams to organize A: “Give answer keys, assignments, study guides, etc.” Would you rather have homework online or on paper?
Online 9%
91%
Paper
Issue 4 | The Chronicle | 7
Us, TOO
8 | The Chronicle | Issue 4
The hashtag that piloted the international conversation about sexual harrasment By Molly Duke and Andrea Martin Staff Writers design by ana schulte Editor-in-Chief
O
ver the course of recent months, sexual harassment and assault have and are being taken more seriously than ever. With celebrities taking a stand against harassment and assault with hashtags: #Metoo and #Timesup; more protests for assaulters not serving long terms, like Brock turner in January of 2015; and in general the end of victimshaming. Sexual harassment is defined by Merriam-Webster as “uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature especially by a person in authority toward a subordinate (such as an employee or student.)” Assault is defined as “illegal sexual contact that usually involves force upon a person without consent or is inflicted upon a person who is incapable of giving consent (as bwwwecause of age or physical or mental incapacity) or who places the assailant (such as a doctor) in a position of trust or authority.”
Issue 4 | The Chronicle | 9
Quick Facts
> Tarana Burke, a social activist, began the hashtag. >
Alyssa Milano popularized it, encouraging women to speak up against sexual harassment and misconduct after accusations against Harvey Weinstein surfaced in 2017.
FB the hashtag was used by over 4.7 million users > Onwithin the hour following Milanos Tweet.
>>
In Schools Nearly 2,000 students (grades 7-12) were surveyed in 2011 for Crossing the Line: Sexual Harassment at School by Catherine Hill, Ph. D., and Holly Kearl, M.A., showing the negative repercussions of sexual harassment in middle school and high school. Of those students, 48 percent had reported that in the school year 20102011 they received some form of sexual harassment and 87 percent of these students stated it affected them negatively and 56 percent stated they saw sexual harassment more than once in the school year. Only nine percent ever reported harassment to teachers or authority figures. This survey also found that girls were more negatively affected than boys; it caused them to have trouble sleeping, not want to go to school, and change they travelled home and school. But this does not imply that boys have never experienced harassment firsthand. They were called “gay” for wearing typically feminine colors/clothing. Thus, installing gender stereotypes upon the victim, abuser, and bystanders. They make it seem like that that is wrong for that specific gender. This could also go for girls with shorter hair who are called lesbians because their hair isn’t seen as feminine but more masculine. The conductors of the survey also reported that 44 percent had said that the harassment they inflicted on others was no big deal and 39 percent even said that they were trying to be funny. These statistics provide an
10 | The Chronicle | Issue 4
insight to what can be done and taught to prevent high sexual harassment statistics in school. At Olathe North and across the Olathe School District, harassment of any kind is a class II offense. First time offenders can receive an in-school conference, behavior support plan, detention, parent/guardian conference, removal of parking privileges, restriction on school-sponsored events, in school suspension, shortterm out-of- school suspension, and/or restorative justice. Sexual misconduct, described by the School District as “actual or simulated conduct, including but not limited to, fondling, inappropriate touching, indecent exposure, or the engagement in any sexual activity, or any photography/videotaping/ electronic recording and/or distribution of such on school property, during school functions, or at school-sponsored activities,” is a class III offense. First time offenders will be subjected to an in-school conference, a behavior support plan, detention, a review bus privilege, restitution, restorative justice, parent/guardian conference, restriction of schoolsponsored activities, loss of athletic/activity privilege, in-school suspension, suspension/forfeiture of computer access, short-term out of school suspension, and/or longterm out of school suspension.
#MeTOO Sexual harassment is a term which has always been thrown around. Many men and women have been accused of sexual assault, but are these accusations taken seriously? Tarana Burke, a social activist, didn’t believe so. To solve this issue, she began a hashtag harassment experiences involving film director Harvey Weinstein. Alyssa Milano decided to take matters into her own hands. On October 15, she sent out a tweet reading, “If you have been harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a response to this tweet.” She hoped to bring awareness to the magnitude of women who have been personally affected by sexual misconduct. Unbeknownst to her, millions of women would flood the social media website with their tweets, recounting all of the times they have experienced sexual harassment, whether it be in a workplace or on the street. After her voice was recognized, she used it to stand up for people of all genders and races, and their experience with harassment. Milano later posted quotes by John F. Kennedy and George W. Bush, resonating on her beliefs, which also earned her massive support from many liberals such as herself. Thanks to the rapid growing popularity of the hashtag, a movement has been made by lawmakers Jackie Speier and Kirsten Gillibrand to overhaul the current policies in Capitol Hill regarding sexual harassment. Speaker Paul Ryan later addressed the bill, confirming that the house will add new policies to make sexual harassment training mandatory. Members of Congress who are accused of harassment would have to pay the Treasury, the current provider of funds for these cases, back all of the money spent during the case. Endsexualviolentact.org reports that sexual assault
is a crime that is least often reported to authorities. A 2000 study from the Bureau of Justice Statistics found that only 28 percent of victims report their assault. They also stated that, victims of rape and attempted rape did not report their assault for many reasons. Forty-three percent of victims did not report because they thought that nothing could be done, 27 percent thought it was a private matter, 12 percent were afraid of the police response, and 12 percent felt it was not important enough to report. According to Rainn.org, every 98 seconds a person in the United States is sexually assaulted. Every eight minutes a child is a victim to sexual assault. Sixty thousand children are victims of assault every year and 66 percent of those victims were ages twelve to seventeen. Eighty-two percent of all victims are under the age of 18 and female. Ninety-three perpetrators are related or know the victim(s). There are multiple ways to ensure that sexual assault and harassment are treated and tried fairly. Anyone can teach themselves how to react to situations like those of assault and harassment. Rape culture relies on victimshaming. People who come forward are not in the wrong unless proven in a court of law. Supporting them can help raise awareness of the situation and help others speak out against their assaulters. Secondly, what they were wearing does not mean they deserved what happened; it is not their fault. Thirdly, if you are confided in, tell the police immediately. They will take the right precautions and ensure that everything taken care of. Lastly, understand that it takes time. Whether it takes one month or three years, let the victim take their time to come to terms with what has happened, as it is a very traumatizing and horrific experience.
Alyssa Milano’s original tweet was shared on October 15, 2017.
Issue 4 | The Chronicle | 11
Can you cna? If you are a hard-working student who’s interested in
healthcare and loves helping others, our CNA program may be perfect for you! In this program, you will earn your certified nursing assistant license, and become eligible to work at places like nursing homes and hospitals. As a CNA, your role is to assist in basic care for patients by helping them perform activities of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, eating, ambulation, toileting, bed making, taking vital signs, and much more. It’s a great way to get started in the healthcare field. This is a college level course for which you will earn you five credit hours. As of publication, you can also take this class for free. All you need to do is fill out the application before December of your junior year. The class is a semester long and can either be taken first and second hour or sixth and seventh hour. If you can’t fit it in during the school year you can take it on weeknights or during the summer.
There are over
1.5 million CNA jobs in the United States
12 | The Chronicle | Issue 4
by audrey mcwhorter Staff Writer Design by emma reuter Editor
“It’s a great introduction into healthcare,” states CNA Instructor, Kris Kennedy. At Olathe North, this class is taught by Kennedy, and can be taken by students from any of the Olathe schools. Half of the class is spent learning skills and doing classwork, while the other half will be spent at the Good Samaritan Society nursing home. There, you will shadow other CNAs and put your skills to work as well as perform daily tasks such as distributing the residents’ laundry, taking out the trash, and passing out ice. Class sizes in the CNA program are limited to around ten students. Not only is this class beneficial for your future career, but it’s a great way to get to meet new people from other schools. One of the best things about the class is the friendships you make. You grow close really fast through experiences like clinicals, which are a little scary at first but ultimately exciting. Olathe East senior, Samantha Lillis stated, “I loved Mrs. Kennedy and the people in my class.”
$15 Is the average salary for a CNA
The demand for CNA`s is expected to increase
21%
in 5 years
Photo courtesy of Audrey McWhorter
Catching up with the culinary kids T
he Culinary Arts program housed at Olathe North is a program available to juniors and seniors of the Olathe School District. It is a two-year program that lasts three hours a day. Students get the chance to gain hands-on kitchen experience to prepare them for the restaurant industry, as well as college. In-class time consists of cooking, baking, testing, meeting, and having guest speakers. Olathe North junior Marco Bozinos is a first-year in the Culinary Arts program. “We usually cook about every day,” said Bozinos. “I really enjoy (making) pastries.” Outside of school hours, Olathe North has its very own student-run restaurant. Each student gets a chance to be a waiter, host, and cook, exposing them to every aspect of the industry. Restaurants are held multiple times during the school year and reservations can be made on the Culinary Arts website. Students also get the opportunity to compete in different competitions including edible centerpiece competitions, edible art competitions, as well as others at state and national levels. Since the program was established in 2003, its students have won many awards: First Place Culinary Team as well as First and Second Place Edible Centerpiece at State Competition in 2017, to name a few. After completing the two-year program, students are eligible for college credit hours at different institutions. Applying for the program starts on the Culinary Arts website. It is recommended for anyone wishing to join to have some prior knowledge in the kitchen, speaking skills for hosting and being a waiter, being excited to work as a team, and a desire to have fun.
Junior, Marco bozinos What is a normal class day like? “Each day is different. On a cooking day we go over the recipe, learn a few words. Then we go to the kitchen and start cooking. Finally, we clean up and do our dishes.” Are there culinary competitions? “We do have competitions. Competitions are usually in the 2nd semester. Then state and Nationals are in May and June.” What is the restaurant and how do you get tickets to it? “It is a student run restaurant her at Olathe North. Students waiter, host and cook/bake everything. To get tickets you reserve them from our website.” Do you need ehours?
by rachel delehanty Staff Writer Design by emma reuter Editor
Photo courtesy of Amara Lindsey
“Sort of. We need a certain amount of events done for the year. So if we sign up for a restaurant or cater event, that gets put down.”
Issue 4 | The Chronicle | 13
a piercing psa
by paiton stith Staff Writer Design by emma reuter Editor
Punching a hole in your skin is a big deal, so know your stuff before your next piercing
Tattoos and piercings can be fun and expressive, but it’s
important to be knowledgeable before getting one. If a tattoo is done improperly it can lead to skin infections, swelling, redness, blood borne diseases, granulomas (bumps) near the tattoo, warts, and keloids (overgrowth of scar tissue). When getting a piercing, make sure the jewelry chosen will not cause an allergic reaction.
B
efore you get a tattoo or piercing make sure to go somewhere that employs only those who have been properly trained. They should follow sanitary procedures like washing their hands and wearing gloves as well as using unused equipment (tubes and needles removed from sealed packages). An autoclave (heat sterilization) should be used on equipment that cannot be disposed of. Clean tools are important because tattoos bleed which can lead to blood borne illnesses, the severe side of tattoo risk.
Most Painful ear piercings ranked 1.
Industrial
2.
Tragus
3.
Conch
4.
Rook
5.
Daith
6.
Helix
7.
Ear Lobe
A
fter getting a tattoo, keep it covered until fluid stops running, and antibiotic ointments should be applied as the skin heals. Keep piercings and tattoos clean with gentle soap. Don’t swim, and avoid sunlight, which fades ink. Once the tattoo has completely healed, in about 3-4 weeks, it’s safe to apply sunscreen and venture back into the sun. Tattoos scab as they heal, so don’t pick at them, or it could lead to infection in both piercings and tattoos.
There are
$45
$150/hr
21,000
is the average cost of a small tattoo
is the average cost for a larger tattoo
tattoo parlors in the United States
14 | The Chronicle | Issue 4
Helix Industrial
Forward helix
Rook Daith
83% of the population has their earlobes pierced
Snug
Tragus Conch Lobe
14%
of all American adults have at least one body piercing
1 in 5 adults have at least one tattoo
Issue 4 | The Chronicle | 15
The Flint water crisis By Molly duke Staff Writer
In 2013, Emporia Kansas won an award for the best municipal water. In April 2018, Flint, Michigan will have spent four years without suitable drinking water. When lead pipes contaminated the drinking sources of Flint, Michigan in April of 2014, thousands of people swarmed from all over the country help. Millions of water bottles were delivered to help the families struck by the disaster as discussion of how to replace the pipes began to circulate. Fifteen peoples have been confirmed dead due to the expose of lead, causing West Virginia University to launch an investigation. The investigation proved that However, four years later the worlds concern has moved on even if the crisis in Flint hasn’t. The lead pipes are still posing a threat to the small city leaving many families without clean water. The surge of donations Flint once had to get over the crisis has now been reduced to a small trickle, causing hundreds of people to struggle getting access to clean water. The city put out a statement early 2017 saying that the water was technically safe to drink, however they still recommended boiling their water or sticking to bottled water, which raises the question: Is it really safe? Several officials have commented on the flint water crisis throughout the years, ranging from politicians to the President. Donald Trump commented on the crisis, saying “It’s a shame what’s happening in Flint, Michigan. A thing like that shouldn’t happen“ during the presidential race during 2016. Barack Obama added to the news “What is inexplicable and inexcusable is once people figured out that there was a problem there, and that there was lead in the water, the notion that immediately families weren’t notified, things weren’t shut down. That shouldn’t happen anywhere.”, showing his disgust in the lack of acknowledgement Flint was receiving. Even after all of this the crisis is still in effect, sending families into despair. Some can’t afford the expensive plastic bottles, and some are simply unable to buy them in the volume they need. All the same it is essential that
Design by Abigail Miles Editor
people come together and help flint through hopefully the last of their struggles with water. As of late 2017, the city planned to finish removing the last of the damaged pipes and provide the city with a supply of clean water.
The surge of donations Flint once had to get over the crisis has now been reduced to a small trickle...
Flint Michigan Facts and Information What caused this?
333
The Flint, Michigan crisis occured because of cost cutting measures. the lead pipes were being replaced, and the water source was being switched to Lake Huron. the water was eroding iron water mains (many of the pipes are made of lead and iron) which caused the water to become contaminated, and entered into the water supply.
What does this mean for Flint? About 100,00 residents were exposed to the contaminated water. Lead poisioning can affect your heart, kidney and nerves. from June 2014-november 2015 12 residents were killed from lead poisoning. today it is up to 15.
What about their water source?
151.4
Flint residents now have to use water bottles for their main water source. around 50 bottles are used in each household. an average american uses around 100 gallons of water a day, this means 757 bottles are used each day.
sq mi
of water was contaminated by coliform bacteria, lead, THMS, and legionaires disease.
Issue 4 | The Chronicle | 17
Under the sea Talking fish, ships sailing, flying seagulls, and a singing crab were all included in Olathe North High School’s Theatre production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Which took place on February 1, 2, and 3, 2018 at 7:00 pm and also February 3, and 4, 2018 at 2:00 pm. The Little Mermaid is about a sixteen-year-old mermaid named Ariel who is fascinated with life on land and finds it more intriguing than her life in the ocean. Her father, King Triton, forbids any interaction or contact with the human world because he believes it is a dangerous place. Even with the stories she is told about this world, Ariel still wants to go. Knowing this, Ursula the sea witch, tells Ariel of an opportunity to go on land. Ariel gives into her temptation, trading her voice to have a pair of human legs instead of a tail for three days so that she may earn the love of Prince Eric. But Ursula has tricked Ariel and is determined to sabotage Ariel’s chances at any expense so that she can get revenge on King Triton and ultimately replace him as ruler over Atlantica. The theatre department at Olathe
North has been rehearsing for this upcoming production since November 6th, and has been working nightly ever since according to Director Dustin Pence. There is a total of 134 people including the cast, crew, pit, and adult leadership involved with the musical. Since The Little Mermaid is a Disney production, thousands of dollars are being spent to get the rights for the show; these expensive costs also include the sets and costumes. This year, more is being done with costumes. Included with the costumes they have trained people to fly with harnesses and strings across the stage. With it being a Disney production, Olathe North’s Theatre Department is trying to stay true to the Disney mentality. This show takes place in many different locations. Some settings in the story will be Triton’s Court, Ariel’s Grotto, Ursula’s Lair, and Prince Eric’s Palace. Six to ten different locations were being looked at for this musical. Pence explains how when creating this production, like many others, they try
Pictured above: Ashley Strella as Ariel and Dalton Devoe as King Trident.
By Juliana Mcwilliams Staff Writer Design by Abigail Miles Editor
to create a realistic setting. “We have in theatre what we like to call…illusion of reality,” says Pence. However, with the majority of the story taking place underwater an extra challenge is added to creating this illusion of reality. Because The Little Mermaid is such a well known musical, people develop their own expectations that the theatre department feels they have to live up to. Combined with the tech crew using blue lights and the actors moving swiftly as if underwater the audience is able to understand that the scene is taking place underwater. Olathe North junior, Ashley Strella plays the role of Ariel in The Little Mermaid. When asked what her reaction was to receiving the role she replied, “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the cast list and I screamed because I was so excited!” Olathe North junior, Brian Weber plays the role of Prince Eric. When asked what his reaction was to receiving the role he replied, “I was really surprised by it. Callbacks took awhile so I wasn’t sure whether I was going to get it or not but then I was super
Pictured above: Natalie Crane as Ursula with Sophia Hillman and Michelle Marin.
excited because it was my first lead in a musical.” Both were asked what their favorite things were about their character. Strella said, “My favorite thing about playing Ariel is the adventure she takes me on throughout this whole show.” “I really enjoy the songs. He’s got a good selection of songs and then he’s got a really good dance in the second act so it’s pretty interesting,” explains Weber Olathe North senior, Prinston Hoang plays the role of Chef Louis. His favorite thing about playing this character is Chief Louis’s exuberant personality that he is able to have fun with. When asked about what his favorite part of the production was, Hoang responded with, “The unity of the techs and actors and how we all work
cohesively to make a great show.” Hoang was asked what his favorite thing was about being in the Olathe North Theatre Department. He responded, “Being surrounded by so many creative and outgoing people that have the same interests as you do and working together to make great shows.” Olathe North sophomore, Alyssa McCue is a tech and cohead for the props crew in The Little Mermaid. “The best thing about being a tech is all of the fun that goes on behind the scenes. It’s also really cool to see all of us work together to create something amazing,” explains McCue. When asked if she knew if she wanted to be a part of The Little Mermaid, McCue stated, “Yes! The Little Mermaid is such a well known movie and the Broadway show also has lots of interesting twists that I was
really excited to see our department take on. Because of my background in props, I knew I wanted to experience having a head position.” McCue was also asked what her favorite thing about being in the Olathe North Theatre Department is. “Watching a show come together and knowing that I helped create it, you can see the result of all our hard work. The cast and crew both grow really close during a show and I love seeing everyone working together, it’s like we’re family.” The months of rehearsing with dedicated and hard working cast members, crew, pit, and adult leadership and creating sets, props, and costumes have allowed Olathe North’s Theatre Department to bring to life the story of The Little Mermaid.
Pictured above: Ashton Gohmanww as Sebastian in Ariel.
Pictured above: Ashley Strella as Ariel. Pictured below to the left: Princeton Hoang Pictured below to the right: Dalton Devoe.
Pictured above: Ashley Strella and Aly Tinker. Pictured to the right: Sarah Slightom.
Photos by: Molly duke and courtesy of AMy Hillman
Pictured above to the left: The boat scene with Aly Tinker as she soars above the stage. Picture above to the right: Brian Weber and Ashley Strella. Pictured below: The cast bows at the end of the curtain call.
Pictured above: Principal Jason Herman as the pilot.
Issue 4 | The Chronicle | 21
By Rachel Delehanty, Amara Lindsey, and Jena Bright Staff Writers Design by Abigail Miles Editor
Mom jeans, velvet, graphic tees. In the ever changing styles of fashion, older styles are starting to hit the racks. Because of these new trends thrift stores are becoming more like department stores. Due to the countless numbers of stores to choose from, the question is, which store has the best selection?
Savers:
Our first stop on our journey was Savers. Our first impression walking in was semi-overwhelming because of the large size but it helped that the sections were clearly marked and easily accessible. We noticed that there was a larger amount of women’s clothes compared to men’s and children’s clothes. There was a wide selection of fun graphic t-shirts and jeans of all shapes and sizes. Also, there seemed to be a plethora of bigger sizes. In the post-holiday season they had 50 percent off winter accessories.
Salvation Army: Next we went to Salvation Army, which was a bit smaller than Savers. Overall it had a smaller selection of clothes, but it had more men’s apparel than Savers. We did not like the organization as much because it was poorly labeled, not organized by size well, and mainly separated by color. We noticed that it had a large selection of dresses and an assortment of trendy mom jeans. When we were there, they had 50 percent off all the blue-tagged items, and have an ongoing sale every Wednesday for individuals over 55, where they can get an additional 25 percent off of all items.
Maj-R Thrift: Maj-R Thrift was the smallest store that we had been to so it had significantly less items than the others. It was more organized than Salvation Army, by color and size, but was not clearly marked. Maj-R thrift had a plethora of accessories such as, jewelry and hats. They had the most household items out of all of the stores. Also, every Sunday they have 20 percent off on everything in the store.
Goodwill: The fun came to an end at Goodwill. It was close in size to Maj-R Thrift, but was a bit larger. We noticed that some of the clothing was out of place with the labeling. There were also significantly less household items than the other stores. It was a little messier than other stores, but we found the trendiest clothes here. We found everything from sweaters to patterned summer shorts. While we were there, there was a deal for 50 percent off yellow-tagged clothing. They also had a 25 percent off discount for veterans on Tuesdays. Overall, we found the most success at Goodwill. Each of us found at least one thing that we liked there. The prices at each place were the same, with name-brand clothing costing a bit more than others, but it was significantly less than it would have been at a real store in the mall. Although we had the most success at Goodwill, at least one thing was bought at each place making any one of these destinations a great place to get your thrift on!
$3.99 Goodwill $3.99 Goodwill
$3.99 Goodwill
$3.99 Goodwill
Issue 4 | The Chronicle | 23
hoops, they did it again
Design and Story by Haley McGriff Staff Editor Take a look into North’s Boys and Girls Basketball teams for a recap of the season so far The Olathe North Boys Varsity Basketball team started the season off strong in the annual Hays City Shootout where they won close game until breaking away, defeating Saint Thomas Aquinas, for the title. Junior Elijah Williams states, “The biggest highlight of the season so far, has been winning the Hays Tournament.” Towards the middle of their season, they traveled to Chanute, Kansas, for the Ralph Miller tournament where they took second place behind only Central High School of Missouri. The Olathe North Girls Varsity Basketball team held their own as they won an intense game against Lawrence Free State in their first match of the season. Junior Maya Gallagher states “We were down the majority of the game but kept fighting and truly acted like a team.” While the boys’ team went to Chanute, the girls drove to Basehor, Kansas, playing Topeka, Park Hill, and Blue Valley. They had a 1-2 win-loss record for that past weekend, placing sixth.
Q: How is the season going so far?
Lucas Milner
Sireen kenana
A: Our season is going good so far. We’ve had some ups and downs. -------------------------Q:What are you looking forward to in the season to come?
A: The chemistry is great, we are like a family. ----------------------Q: How are you preparing yourself to be the new leader in a year?
A: Winning some more games and ultimately making it to state.
A: The junior class is pretty strong, we will have to keep it up.
“
Boys’ season is off to a great start. We won our first tournament of the year in Hays by beating a good St. Thomas Aquinas team in championship game. We took 2nd in our mid-season tournament. I really like this team because on any given night, any of our players can step up. I really like that we don’t have to pin our hopes on just one or two guys making everything happen.
Jeff Walton 24 | The Chronicle | Issue 4
Q: How is the team chemistry w/ a new coach?
”
“
Our season has been up and down. I think the girls are getting better each week, and learning principles of how we want to play as a team. I am looking forward to gaining more experience and hopefully watching the girls grow more and compete more than they ever have before. I want to see them play harder and compete better the further along we get into the season.
Nick Bradford
”
1
2
4 3 5
1. Returning Olathe North’s Varsity Boys Basketball player, Tymer Jackson leads the team in points. 2. Olathe North Senior Kaleb Walton being announced before game time. 3. Olathe North’s Girls Varsity Baskteball starter Leyanna McGinnis, warming up for a game. 4. Olathe North Sophomore Jordan Farmer and Senior Diana Langat warm up with lay-ups. 5. Olathe North boys take the court with some pregame drills.
Issue 4 | The Chronicle | 25
WHAT’S YOUR GAIN?
Olathe North athletes share how they prepare for their seasons and the types of workouts and opportunites they are given Story AND DESIGN BY KYLEE WEBER Editor Many support and follow the Olathe North athletes during their season, but many don’t know what they do during their off season. The majority of athletes at our school work out and condition on a daily basis. Due to the school being
athletically and competitive, many coaches have off season conditioning for athletes to prepare for the following season. Each sport conditions athletes in different ways, but
Olathe North has multiple resources for students. During the day, offered student athletes are supplied with different classes to help them through the year. Classes students are given are a co-ed weights class, a girl’s weights class, Physical Education Activities, Lifetime Fitness, and freshman Physical Education/Health Education. Senior Maddie Stipsits says “they [the coaches] push us pretty hard between circuit workouts, cardio, and abs.” Stipsits
26 | The Chronicle | Issue 4
conditions with the high school softball program during the winter. She helps lead and push the younger athletes to compete and prepare for the season. As with many other sports, softball has in school workouts Monday through Thursday. During conditioning the coaches must follow specific guidelines that are given by Kansas State High School Activities Association. Each high school coach is allowed to monitor, but is not allowed to practice with the athletes. This allows the coaches to become familiar with the athletes who could be joining the program before the season begins. The student athletes get the chance to spend every day for two to three months a year with their fellow teammates. Before their season begins they create a bond with each other through sports conditioning. Giving these students this opportunity has allowed them to break out of their comfort zone and create new friendships that will last the duration of their high school careers. Sophomore Allison Dunn says “Winter conditioning has introduced me to many of my closest friends and has allowed me to get to know under and upper classmen that I might have in my future classes and create a bond with them.” The students have gotten to know each other personally through their conditioning. Not only does winter workouts reflect their physically ability, but also their comfort in class. The
How long does an average workout last for you? ONE HOUR
4 TWO HOUR
Students lift in seventh hour weights class. Photo by Kylee Weber athletes have become closer with older and younger classmates giving them more people they will know in their future classes. Each sport requires different strengths and physical focuses. Many of the Olathe North athletes play on a competitive athletic team outside of school, or practice on their own. The intensity of the workouts that do athletes range from for a few minutes at home, to hours of work in a gym. Every athlete is different and each workout is based on what they need. Senior Christian Llahman shares, “I work out on a daily basis. On my off season I focus on workouts that strengthen my fast twitch muscles.” Llhaman is an athlete on the Olathe North’s football and track team. He also participates in the weights program at the school. Every athlete’s off-season conditioning will be different, as each have a unique way of pushing themselves to prepare for their season. With all the sports that Olathe North has to offer, the combination of Olathe North’s athletic opportunities and students’ dedication allows Eagles the chance to stay active year-round.
19 TWO+ HOUR
7
Weights used by Olathe North students. Photo by Kylee Weber
Issue 4 | The Chronicle | 27
how
social media stripped valentine’s day romance has
of
{
by audrey mcwhorter Staff Writer
design by magda Werkmeister Editor-in-Chief
“WE’RE SO SURROUNDED WITH THESE IMAGES THAT LOVE AND CELEBRATION HAVE BECOME CENTERED AROUND MATERIALISM AND MONEY INSTEAD OF DEPTH AND GESTURE.”
With the consuming power of social media, the romance has been taken out of holidays, and has been replaced by the pressure to stand out. All we see on social media are guys that have spent ridiculous amounts of money to make their girlfriends happy. We’re so surrounded with these images that love and celebration has become centered around materialism and money instead of depth and gesture. This hits teens, who are often said to be a part of the “social media generation,” the most. Teens feel the pressure to spend a lot of money on gifts for their significant others, or go on extravagant dates for Valentine’s Day. The problem with this is that we all either A. work minimum wage jobs, or B. don’t have a job and borrow our parents’ money. All of these unrealistic expectations are set by people
}
with established careers and steady income, not teenagers. In a recent twitter poll, 56 percent of people said they felt Valentine’s Day puts pressure on teenagers. Teens feel the need to make an outrageously expensive gesture for their significant others not out of love, but because it has become a social norm. In 2015, the men spent an average of $196.39, while women spent $99.87 for the holiday. Senior Lauren Hull states, “The added pressure of a ‘holiday’ is unrealistic for teenagers.” Junior Detrik Ortiz says, “I think that it’s lost its real meaning. It used to be a day to show your love for someone but now it’s just a competition.” Whether you have a significant other or not, the purpose is to celebrate your love for others, and that’s what we should make sure to do this Valentine’s Day.
}
“[VALENTINE’S DAY] USED TO BE A DAY TO SHOW YOUR LOVE FOR SOMEONE BUT NOW IT’S JUST A COMPETITION.” - DETRIK ORTIZ
{
28 | The Chronicle | Issue 4
a lt e r n at i v e dat e s for when
Things go w r
o n
g
WHEN THAT FANCY RESTAURANT GETS OVEBOOKED... COOK A MEAL TOGETHER! Pick out a recipe off of Pinterest that sounds good to both of you, make a list of all the ingredients you need, go to the store together, cook it, and enjoy! The fact that you made it yourselves will make it taste even better. Plus cooking together is fun and will give you something to do rather than waiting for your food to be brought to you. Don’t forget dessert!
WHEN THAT ROMANTIC MOVIE IS SOLD OUT EVERYWHERE... HAVE A STAY-IN MOVIE NIGHT! Go out to your local grocery store, buy your favorite movie theater snacks (popcorn, candy, soda, nachos, etc!), and rent a redbox movie, or just rewatch your favorites! This is so much more comfy then sitting in yucky movie theater seats; plus, movie theaters are always cold, and you can pause the movie whenever you need to. So sit back and relax! Bonus points if you both wear pajamas.
Issue 4 | The Chronicle | 29
Trump Tweets Is the
By andrea martin Staff Writer Design by Jena Bright Staff Writer
spreading fake news?
In school, if a student turns in an assignment and it is factually incorrect, they often get the opportunity to fix their mistake and make up the points. Social media can be a lot like school; people are editing tweets or posts to make sure they’re factual--except the President of the United States. On December 29, 2017, Trump tweeted an undeniably false statement about “good old Global Warming.” This is not the first time President Trump has posted something on social media that was incorrect; see below for more examples of his egregious tweets and the actual facts that refute them.
2.
1.
President Trump tweeted that Mexico was going to pay for “the wall” on January 18, 2018. Mexico is not paying for “the wall”. He also has not released any information regarding any talks with the President of Mexico. Constrastingly, NAFTA has actually boosted economic growth, jobs, and profits for all three countries in North America as of 19932015. NAFTA also helps project Canada, the United States of America, and Mexico into the future of commerce and trade.
3. On January 2, 2018 Trump tweeted that he was the reason why there was not any airline related deaths. While Trump and administration have passed new regulations to help improve airline safety--he has had almost nothing to do with airline safety. There have not been an deaths in commercial Aviation in the United States since 2009, dating back to the previous Obama administration nine years ago.
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On January 4, 2018 the President tweeted a picture of a woman crying over a veteran’s grave to shame NFL players who kneel during the national anthem. While he assumes that NFL players kneel to protest the military and U.S veterans, in actuality the players kneel to protest the national anthem of a country (and president) that has failed to acknowledge the systematic oppression of its black citizens and their communities.
“Good Old Global Warming” RETWEETS 6,978
Likes Written By Design BY Staff Writer Miles Arambula, Alex Thompson, Staff Designer 10,765
Donald Trump’s recent tweet about global warming has an abundance of misinformation, take a look below for accurate facts about global warming and what we can do to stop it.
What is Global Warming?
The word “global warming” is a misnomer. It causes some people to think “warming is in the name, so why is it cold where I live?”, when in reality, weather is not the same thing as climate. Experiencing a record low does not disprove global warming. In fact, it is normal for the Earth to experience a number of record highs and record lows, but in the past three decades we have been increasingly experiencing more high temperatures than lows.
That answer lies in the Earth’s atmosphere. We have an atmosphere that traps greenhouse gases such as C02 and methane. These greenhouse gases trap the sun’s rays on the Earth’s surface and keep it warm enough for humans to live on it, and it’s been like this since the planet’s creation. It’s good to have greenhouse gases- they’re part of why Earth is habitable. The problem lies with the amount of greenhouse gases we have been emitting since the industrial era. Since 1750, C02 in the atmosphere has increased by 40% and methane has increased by an alarming 150%. These gases are now keeping the sun’s rays on the Earth longer and increasing the global temperature.
What does that mean for us?
Why is the Earth heating up?
A hotter planet means hotter oceans, and hotter oceans means more powerful hurricanes and tropical storms. Yes, we’ve had some pretty powerful hurricanes from before the industrial age, but now we’re experiencing once-in-a-hundred-years hurricanes more and more often. This also means severe droughts that increase the risk of wildfires in North America. The people in developing countries are the first to suffer and are being hit the hardest. Children living in poor countries are some the most vulnerable to the health risks and will be exposed longer to the health consequences. Dengue Fever, a viral disease spread by mosquitoes, is expected to have an increased incidence due to rising global temperatures being hospitable to the Aedes mosquito. Health effects are also expected to be more severe for elderly people and people with pre-existing medical conditions due to heat sensitivity.
The United States is a leading producer of greenhouse gas emissions. While only making up 4% of the world’s population, we produce a whopping 16% of all global CO2 emissions. In 2015, 270 countries, including the U.S., met in Paris to discuss how to keep the average warming of the Earth below 2 degrees Celsius (35.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Each country discussed with scientists what they could do to meet this goal. Unfortunately, in 2017 President Trump announced his plan to withdraw the United States from this agreement.
What are we doing to stop it?
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