February 2013 by Sally Beran

Issue Four/February 2014 HAZING When do harmless traditions turn into brutal hazing? Read more on page 12.

STEVEN CLARK: TROJANS IN THE SPORTS LIMELIGHT Alumni make their way into national media fame through sports. Read about it on page 10.

GENERATION MILLENNIAL Every generation has their own quirks. Our generation is surrounded by technology.

THE

TROJAN

LETTER FROM THE

ABOUT THE COVER:

On Jan. 23, wrestling took on the Kearney Bulldogs. Looking out for redemption from their last dual against the Bulldogs, they came out with a win. “It was an overall team effort to beat a quality team. We really put it on them after going in and thinking it would be a tight dual, so it felt good. Although a couple of matches could have ended in a better result, we wrestled well and gained redemption from our previous loss to them this year,” sophomore Canten Marriott said.

ABOUT THE BACKCOVER:

CONTENTS

The varisty girls swim and dive went to the KC Classic swim meet Jan. 24 and 25 in Independence. They placed 5th out of 20 teams, and qualified for state in 2 relays. “We worked really hard this year. Qualifying for state this weekend in the 100 m free and 50 m free was awesome. I can’t wait to go to state in a couple weeks with the rest of the team,” sophomore Becca Shaw said.

The Trojan, published monthly during the regular school year, is the official publication of Park Hill High School, and is printed by Antioch Printers in Kansas City, MO. All unsigned editorials represent the opinion of The Trojan staff. Editorials do not necessarily represent the opinion of the faculty or administration including the adviser. The student body receives this paper free of charge to encourage readership, promote awareness of school and community events, and issues, and to showcase student journalistic work. The Trojan welcomes letters to the editors. All letters must be signed to be published, but may be anonymous if the author chooses. Letters may be no more than 350 words and must be delivered to room 350 ten days prior to publication. The Trojan staff welcomes comments, questions and opinions. Send comments to berans@parkhill. k12.mo.us 7701 Barry Road, Kansas City, Mo 64153, or call 816-359-6238.

EDITOR

Dear Readers, Social media has taken over our generation. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are updated every minute of every day with millions of news updates, pictures, and random thoughts of people all over the world. Over the years, Twitter has become one of the most popular sites for high school students, especially here at Park Hill. Most recently a few new accounts for Park Hill students have popped up, the one that drew the most attention was @PH_Confessions. This account took confessions from Park Hill students through the anonymous question site Ask. fm and then tweeted what was said. It quickly gained attention, gaining over 400 followers and tweeting 175 confessions on their first day in the world of Twitter. While supposedly anonymous, the account did specifically mention six students and four staff members by name. There is no way to tell what is true and what is made up from the tweets, but confessions arose of sexual relations taking place in different parts of the building, vandalism, and other indiscrepancies. A majority of the tweets were humorous, but who draws the line of what is too far? One confession told of making a girl bulimic and grossly saying that she looked better after. Others made hateful comments about staff. And worst of all? Bob Boone’s picture was displayed as the head of the account, of which I’m sure he did not approve and definitely would not support. The first amendment protects the right of free speech for students to say these things, but many students have expressed severe discomfort from these confessions. The tweets may have mustered up some laughs, but they also made students uncomfortable in their own school. A day after being up, the account was deleted, but not long before accounts like @PH_Temptations, @PH_ShoutOut, and @PH_Compliments were made. A fixation on twitter accounts surrounding Park Hill has taken over students’ thoughts and conversations. The lesson I think most students learned from this is that you should not be doing things on school property that you wouldn’t want your grandparents seeing you do. And you most definitely shouldn’t share it on social media.

Mackenzie Thomas

editor in chief

THE

TROJAN

PARK HILL HIGH SCHOOL January 2014

FEATURE WELCOME BACK MADELINE MUDD HAZING

Read about Madeline Mudd’s road to recovery after having a brain aneurysm last July.

When do harmless traditions turn into brutal hazing? Read more on page 12.

GENERATION MILLENNIAL

Every generation has their own quirks. Our generation is surrounded by technology.

DEPARTMENT EARLY GRADUATION: NOT FOR ME

Want to know when we are most likely to have snow days? Flip to page 8 to find out.

WHATS GOING ON IN THE WEATHER? ITS ONLY NATURAL

Women are exercising thier right to choose whether or not to shave.

NO AUTOGRAPHS PLEASE 2013-2014 STAFF

Students that don’t want to graduate at semester still have other options.

Many students have signed to play sports in college. Turn to page 10 to read all about them.

EDITOR-IN-CHEIF: MACKENZIE THOMAS WEB MASTER: MOLLY WEIS ONLINE COPY EDITOR: SHANNON BARRY PHOTO EDITOR: KAYLIN LAKE DESIGN EDITOR: BETH COOPER FEATURE COPY EDITOR: CHLOE LANE DEPARTMENT COPY EDITOR: RYLEE STOULIL BUSINESS MANAGER: JAKE BJORNLIE REPORTERS: AMANDA BATTMER.ALLY BUCHBERG.JUSTIN DORWEILER.MATT EBLEN. HARRISON HOSTICK.MOLLEY MARTIN. ABBY PEOPLES.ANTHONY WUSSOW

THE EVOLUTION OF STUDENTS’ SCHEDULES

WHAT CLASSES STUDENTS WANT Political Science - sophomore, Tyler Lake Music Production - junior, Jerran Archer Russian Class - senior, Elizaveta Korshunova Life Style - freshman, Ali Byrd

CAMPUS

Agriculture Science - junior, John Lachowsky

By: Kaylin Lake Park Hill currently has 153 classes to choose from. When choosing classes for the school year, there are several factors to take into consideration. For example, when students are interested in a certain subject, they consider if it will help further a career path and if they need it to graduate. However, there can never be too many classes to choose from. That is why the school is adding new science classes next year. “We are moving in a direction of being college and career ready, and wanted to open up more science classes for all students,” said science teacher Jennifer Paschall. Park Hill is adding five new science classes altogether, along with a total reconstruction of physics and chemistry. Three classes will be available to take next semester, including Forensic Science, Materials Science and Engineering, and PLTW (Project Lead the Way) Principals of Biomedical Sciences. Once a student has taken one of these classes, they can move onto the next level of the class, which will come out second semester of 201415 school year. The other two classes will be Human Body System, and Medical Intervention. “I am excited for the Forensic Science class,” said junior Gavin Cruse. With all this talk of the new classes that are coming to school, students felt like they could express different classes that they would want to take some time throughout their high school experience. “It is also to encourage the stem movement, which is to improve our science and math readiness,” said Paschall. Not only is Park Hill changing classes next year, but they are keeping some as well. Rumors have been flying around that the FACS department will be changing next year, however those rumors are false. “The only other changes that will take place next year are the graduation requirements and the incoming freshman requirements,” said assistant principal Dr. Miller. Incoming freshman are no longer required to take personal wellness, due to the district curriculum revisions. The new graduation requirements can be located in the High School Career and Education Guide. Along with the new classes students are voicing their opinions about the classes that they would like to see come to Park Hill. Check out the side bar to see what students are saying in the school.

EARLY GRADUATION:

NOT FOR ME By: Rylee Stoulil Lately, there have been rumors flying around about Park Hill not allowing students to graduate at semester after the 2013-14 school year. Although this is just a rumor, and mid-year graduation is still an option, there are other options that may work better for some students. “We are starting a new program where students can now take five credits in one semester. They can come in early and take PE before school, or they can take an online course in addition to the classes they may have in the classroom,” said counselor Amanda Olvera. This option, called fifth block because it would be in addition to the four blocks already required, can be the right option for students for many different reasons. “This option would allow students to take classes that are more relevant to their college or intended major. It would also help students that are looking for more rigor or looking to increase their GPA. Another thing that I like is that students that are interested in the arts or music can fit more of those classes in, because I know that sometimes those schedules get tight,” said Olvera. To take advantage of this new program, all students have to do is sign up for an extra class on their enrollment sheets for next year. This could be a better option for students looking to get ahead in college. One reason that students choose to graduate at semester is to start college classes in the spring of what would be their senior year. With fifth hour, students could use that opportunity to take additional dual credit and AP classes to also acquire more college credits. Along with taking extra classes, there is also the option of

early work release. “It is a beneficial option because some kids have financial needs that they have to meet at home. With this program, they can be at work as early as 11:30. It also helps teach the kids job skills and job training,” said teacher Ron DiBlasi. The early work release program helps students stay involved with the school, while having more options for managing time between school and work. A reason that a student may choose to graduate a semester would be because they want the extra time to work, but with the early work release program, students can work to save up money, while still being able to take classes. Senior Jordan Hemaya finds early work release to be the best option for her. “I already had all my credits done, but I didn’t want to graduate at semester. Plus, I had to work. It’s hard to balance a full day of school and go to work after,” said Hemaya. Some students may think early work release can be used as an excuse to get out of school, but what they don’t know is that it can still be used to get class credits. “After second block, you go and check in at work release and fill out your schedule. We have assignments and a book, too. Sometimes we will do packets for homework,” said Hemaya. The homework and textbook, “Succeeding in the World of Work”, are used to teach students “real-world” skills. “They research different careers, do things with insurance, learn how to do their taxes, open bank accounts, and other basic life skills,” said DiBlasi.

AMANDA

BATTMER

WELCOME BACK

MADELINE MUDD

FEATURE

or the majority of the student body, waking up to an alarm on the morning of Tuesday, January 7th meant three things: more school, more homework, and more problems. For junior Madeline Mudd, however, it meant so much more. Mudd experienced a brain aneurysm last July and has made remarkable strides towards recovery ever since. On the day of her incident, Mudd was skating at Line Creek and collapsed. She was taken to the KU Medical Center where they discovered leaking blood in the right frontal lobe of her brain. There, she was admitted to the neuroscience intensive care ward where the doctors identified the problem as an aneurysm. A brain aneurysm is a bulge on a blood vessel in the brain. Most don’t burst or leak, but when they do, the aftermath is often fatal. Mudd has defeated the odds throughout medical treatment, including overcoming some alarming statistics. The Mudd family was told that one-third of the patients don’t make it to the hospital, one-third of the patients don’t make it through surgery, and one-third of the patients recover. Mudd has now completed three major surgeries, several other procedures, and is on the road to regaining her life as a teenager, including her return to school. Last semester, she worked with a tutor to keep up with her algebra skills and took ACT prep online. “Back then I had no memory at all, so schoolwork was impossible,” said Mudd. Mudd describes her feelings of returning to school as being overwhelmed, but extremely happy

to be back. Mudd still experiences some difficulty with her short-term memory and although she’s looking forward to not being at rehab all day, this makes it much more difficult to keep up with all her classes. “I will have to put more time and effort into all my work now. I will have to study harder. I’ll need assistance from teachers and the district is working on some technology [a new tablet] that can record my classes because I will need to replay them over and over and over to try and remember,” said Mudd. Mudd’s memory started improving gradually over the time following her accident. She didn’t need any therapy to learn how to speak again, although she needed it to learn how to eat food and swallow liquids. Mudd not only had to come a long way to be able to return to school and homework, but to physically be able to get back to the sport that she loves. “I am getting there - I’m helping at Edgewise, the figure skating pro shop where I work, on Saturdays. I am also figure skating again. I’m skating with my team at practice to learn the program and I get to travel with them. We have already been to Minnesota and Michigan, and we go to Chicago at the end of January,” said Mudd. This battle would be much harder to fight without the support from all of Mudd’s family and friends. “First semester was very difficult starting off because she was still in Lincoln, Nebraska, at the Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital while all of her friends were starting junior year. Then, she had to return to KU for another surgery to have her bones put back into her head, but she

5 1. Junior Madeline Mudd skates at the Line Creek skate center last November. 2. Mudd and her mom, Marcy, go shopping during the first stages of Mudd’s recovery. 3. Mudd visits with her friend, junior Lexi Smith at the Madonna Rehabilitation hospital in Lincoln, NE. Mudd was there for 3 weeks. 4. Mudd makes a return to school. Her first day back was January 7th. 5. Mudd attends physical therapy at the rehab center.

recovered quickly from that and was even able to attend the homecoming football game. She started to go out with her friends a little and that was helpful,” said Mudd’s mom, Marcy. “My goals are for her to get her former life back 100 percent, to graduate with her class, and to go to the college of her choice.” Getting back to a normal routine and spending time with friends contributes to the return of Mudd’s short-term memory, and returning to school marks a major milestone in her recovery. Although doctors are uncertain about the complete return of Mudd’s memory, she has come much farther than originally expected. The most exciting part of this is being around friends again, because, in Mudd’s words, “my cats just aren’t cutting it.” “[Her return] means things are getting back to normal again. Things were not the same without her here,” said junior Lexi Smith, one of Mudd’s best friends. “It’s hard when your best friend loses her memory, but she is still Madeline and her memory is coming back.” Although Mudd has to be much more cautious with her day-to-day activities, the people she loves are seeing a return to her normal self. “The key to keeping my spirits up has been several

things: my belief that God spared her for a reason, the support of our family and friends… Social media has also played a very big role in supporting us. The synchronized figure skating community has followed us through her Facebook page, Pray for Mads, and she has received many good wishes and gifts from teams that we don’t even know. It has been very overwhelming. I am so thankful that she survived this that I can’t be sad, especially as I see her make progress,” said Marcy.

WHAT’S NEXT? STUDENTS WILL BE TAKING HOME THEIR OWN TECHNOLOGY BEFORE TOO LONG.

COMMUNITY

By: Amanda Battmer From Apple releasing another product to the kid you babysit having a better phone than you, the use of technology seems to increase every day. A few school libraries across the country have joined this trend, including Cushing Academy in Massachusetts. This elite boarding school replaced its 20,000 physical copies with a database of millions of digital books. This library is now home instead to 68 Amazon kindles, and the school provides each student with their own laptop. Although there are no immediate plans to change the school library, Park Hill plans on going a step further into the digital age as well. “There are plans for the Park Hill school district to pass a tax levy in April, and that levy will fund student safety and some building revisions, but mostly it’s designed to make sure we’re able to provide a digital device -- a tablet, a computer of some sort -- in the hands of every student from the 5th grade up,” said Dr. Kincheloe. This plan will be in full swing for high school students by the 20162017 school year, providing some sort of device to an additional grade level every year. This year, all fifth graders have their own laptop. “It may well be that whatever we’re going to get to high school students in the year 16-17 doesn’t even exist yet -- that’s how fast technology changes. So, it’s not

necessarily a computer, but it’s some sort of digital device that would do everything that you can do now on a computer,” said Kincheloe. The goals for advancing the district’s use of technology include making digital resources available to students once they leave the school. “I think the use of school technology could be improved greatly. The use of personal computers and tablets for each student would help those who can’t reach computers complete assignments and could consolidate the amount of books and paperwork a student carries,” said junior Taylor Jones. The school ultimately aims to create a better learning environment as society begins to rely less on printed material and more on technology. “Instruction in the classroom could require that you look up some information or that you interact with students in a way or interact with somebody else outside the building in a way that we couldn’t have before unless we gave you a computer, unless we rolled the cart into your room or something like that. Now, every classroom can do those things. It’s going to change the way students learn, and it’s going to change the way teachers teach. Everything has changed about the world outside of schools; we need to make sure the world changes inside schools too,” said Kincheloe.

WHAT’S

GOING ON IN

THE WEATHER

{ {

By: Abby Peoples and Chloe Lane Living in Missouri, it’s pretty evident the weather is unpredictable. One week may start out with a freezing Monday accompanied by a snow storm, only to end on a hot 65 degree Sunday with the sun’s rays blazing down on what’s left of Monday’s flurries. Back in the day, starting in 1818 to be exact, North Americans relied on the “Farmers’ Almanac” to receive weather and astronomical predictions. It was mostly used by farmers to inform them of the best time to plant their crops. The publishers of “Farmers’ Almanac” stated their predictions were based on a “top secret mathematical and astronomical formula that relies on sunspot activity, tidal action, planetary position and many other factors.” Now

FARMER’S ALMANAC: Annual periodical since 1818 that predicts long term weather and astronomical data, along with trivia, humor, and advice on cooking, gardening, fishing, and more that the public has access to televisions and computers to notify them of the weather, the “Farmers’ Almanac” would seem pretty useless to the typical high schooler. But the reason they should care is simple really—it could give them insight into what days could potentially be snow days, what day would be the best to get a haircut to increase hair

growth, etc. “All I know about the almanac is that it’s there to predict weather… not much else,” said sophomore Ariel Jones. Monday, Jan. 6 was the district’s first snow day of the school year, and hopefully not the last according to senior Emyla Baker. “Of course I want a lot of snow days… what senior wouldn’t?” said Baker. “I’m pretty sure the Almanac is accurate and useful, but I’ve never used it. We’ve already had weather like an arctic freeze, so the future looks pretty promising for snow days. Last year, we had a snow day late in the school year; it almost seemed like summer. It’s crazy how in Missouri you could go from wearing a winter coat one day to short sleeves and shorts another.”

-- possibility of snow

FEBRUARY 2014

Cut hair to increase growth

Potty train

Make baked goods

Cut firewood

Get married

Buy clothes

Get crafty (i.e. paint)

11 Mow to

Wax floors

increase growth

Entertain friends

Pick apples and pears

Start diet to lose weight

Write in a journal

Quit smoking

Wash windows

Mow to decrease growth

Start diet to lose weight

Cut hair to decrease growth

Start diet to gain weight

Entertain friends

Prune trees

Potty train

According to Farmers’ Almanac tradition, when the moon is in the appropriate phase and place in the zodiac, it’s widely believed that activities will be more fruitful or lead to improved results. The period between the new and full moon (first and second quarters) is considered as the best time to perform tasks that require strength,

Jar jams or jellies

Quit smoking

Go hunting

8 Host a party

Buy a car

28 Host a party

fertility and growth. The period between the full and new moon (third and fourth quarters) is best for harvesting, retarding growth, etc. Consideration is also given to the relationship the moon has with the 12 ruling signs of the zodiac. Source: http://www.farmersalmanac.com/calendar/best-days/

STEVEN CLARK:

TROJANS IN THE SPORTS LIMELIGHT

SPORTS

By: Shannon Barry When alumni Steven Clark set foot on Preston Field eight years ago, he knew he had happened upon something special. Joining the team as a freshman, never competitively playing football before, Clark’s hard work in the new sport earned him the opportunity of a lifetime. “He had never played before. He was one of those kids that decides to go out after we go over and talk to them in middle school. He was mostly a basketball and baseball player,” said Greg Reynolds, head football coach during Clark’s high school football career. “I always loved playing sports. I played baseball when I was younger. I just wanted to find what I was best at and punting ended up being the plan,” said Clark, who also played tight and defensive end during his time at Park Hill. When the 2006 season started, the team was down a punter. Freshman coaches John Vanderpool and Brian Rockers decided to try out Clark in the position

and never looked back. Before his graduation in 2010, Clark was ranked the number four kicker by ESPN.com and 2009 Class 5 First Team All-State selection at punter by the Missouri Football Coaches Association. He averaged nearly forty yards per punt as a junior. Under the coaching staff including Vanderpool, Reynolds, and Mike Sharp, Clark went on to be recruited by Auburn University where he has found more success than he could have imagined. “I was given a great chance and I had a great time playing with my teammates at Park Hill. I wouldn’t change anything. I’m really blessed,” said Clark. The transition from high school to college athletics is never easy. “It was a rough transition. It’s a whole new mantra and much more refined and complex at that next level but the coaches at Park Hill made sure all of us young kids were on the right track,” said Clark who managed it along with getting a masters degree in biomechanics. “They told me it was going to be hard to get my masters in four years,” said Clark.

Steven Clark, along with fellow 2010 graduate, Adrianna Light, was voted Most Likely to Become Famous in their senior class.

“But I didn’t think it would be this hard. I made it though.” Clark will be graduating from Auburn with the class of 2014 in May. While playing at Park Hill, Clark recalled one of his most memorable moments: beating Liberty High School his senior year. “They’re wide receiver plays at Mizzou now and it was a big deal that we beat them. They’re class had nine hundred kids compared to our four hundred,” said Clark. “[Liberty] was undefeated going into the game,” said Reynolds. “They were ranked highly in the state, but we ended up with such a big lead in the end. Steven’s punting was big that day.” All thanks to Clark’s personal hard work and dedication, his success has translated into the NCAA. When asked what his biggest accomplishment was since attending Auburn, Clark didn’t answer with being a Sports Illustrated Honorable Mention AllAmerican or a Ray Guy Award finalist - it was improving his craft and becoming better for his team.

AUTOGRAPHS PLEASE

PH STUDENTS GET A CHANCE TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR PASSION IN COLLEGE

Above: Connor Bosworth, Stephanie Lane, Emily Villarreal, and John Erneste are recognized for their sports achievements. Right: Jordyn Galvin shows her pride for signing to play soccer at Missouri Western State University. Below: Ricky Trammel and Johnny Balsamo have both signed to play baseball at Dodge City Community College in Kansas.

By: Anthony Wussow Start practicing your John Hancock because you could be the next student to sign with a college. National Signing Day is right around the corner and for several students at PH, they are dotting their I’s and crossing their T’s because the Letters of Intent are making their way through the hallways. Being recruited is an exciting process according to multiple students here at PH, but the thing you have to look at before signing is whether or not that school is right for you before signing your skills away. “My biggest concern when it comes to looking for a college is if they have the program that I want to major in because academics are the most important thing other than sports. But also I have to envision myself living there for four years, really if I like the campus and atmosphere,” said senior Emily Villarreal Villarreal is one of many Park Hill students who are getting ready to officially sign to play a college sport. She will be attending Avila University to play soccer. The first initial step onto a campus with a new team is to feel the love, especially if you’re going to spend four years there. Senior Alex Moyer got that exact feeling when visiting Missouri Valley University to see if he wanted to join the lacrosse team. “The team had a real family feel to it. I just went there for a visit and all the guys were very welcoming, and I enjoyed the coaching staff and the team,” said Moyer. On April 16th, senior Connor Bosworth will be officially signing to go to the University of Central Missouri to pitch for the Mules. “I was excited to sign with UCM because I enjoyed the coaches and I liked the dorms and the school,” said Bosworth. Athletics and academics aren’t the only reasons for going to a college. Appearance and student life are some of the most important things to when looking at a college. “The first time I went to the campus I just fell in love with it, I wasn’t too big but it wasn’t that small either,” said senior Jordyn Galvin. Galvin will be going to Missouri Western State University next fall to play soccer. She hopes to play all four years.

OTHER SIGNED ATHLETES

Johnny Balsamo Dodge City Community College Baseball

Ricky Trammel Dodge City Community College Baseball

Dawson Whitman Caleb Sneed Hannibal LaGrange University Southwest Baptist University Baseball Baseball Chris Zdvorak Missouri S&T Soccer

John Erneste University of Missouri Wrestling

Stephanie Lane Graceland University Volleyball

HAZING MATT

FEATURE

EBLEN

“I would never do that,” is a common phrase that is often associated with the hazing, the promise that if they were ever put in that situation, they would refuse. From freshmen picking up a team’s equipment to streaking, hazing is a common problem that plagues secondary schools. Despite the common misconception that hazing is regulated mostly to college fraternities and sororities, many high school students have experienced some type of hazing. Inside Hazing, a group dedicated to ending the practice, states that over 1.5 million high school students have claimed to been hazed each year. From spinning hats to dead deer, PHHS’s own history with hazing is more shocking than most would expect. Many things have changed due to incidents that have occurred between the seniors and lowerclassmen. Assemblies, when the weather permitted, used to take place in the bleachers by the football field. During the fall assembly, most seniors would commit some type of prank on that year’s juniors. “My junior year was the last year we had outdoor assemblies,” said Betty Grauberger, a PHHS alumna and current junior at Truman State University. “The seniors threw hot dogs and bologna and squirted ketchup.” After parents complained about the harassing behavior, the current administration decided to have all of the preceding assemblies indoors in order to prevent people from bringing things to throw. Those who participated would keep their supplies in their

cars and then collect them on the walk to the football field. “I went home with ketchup in my hair,” said Grauberger. Assemblies were not the only tradition to change. In previous years, during homecoming week, a powder-puff football game would be held. Powder-puff was a tradition in which a school’s junior and senior girls would play a game of touch or flag football. Despite the traditions, and the extreme popularity between both those who played it and the rest of the student body, it is no longer a tradition here at PHHS. The game was officially canceled in 2008 after a series of increasingly aggressive events took place. “Every year the seniors would do something to the juniors and then they would do something back,” said Emma Gosset an alumna of PHHS. The targets were usually houses close to the school, and the harassment would be spread out between both girls and guys. “I covered someone’s entire lawn with shredded newspaper. You couldn’t see the grass at all,” said Gosset. “One time someone put a dead dear on someone’s porch with a beer and a cigarette in its mouth.” The, at first, harmless pranks spread to more serious vandalism, including causing serious damage to a student’s car. After that incident, the pranks and the game were put to an end, never to be seen again.

HAZING NOW

FEATURE

After years of slightly troubling events, the school decided to focus on ending any type of hazing. Currently, if any type of hazing is preformed, those who are guilty are immediately kicked off of whatever team or club they are involved in. Some aspects of hazing are viewed as less harmful than a more detrimental experience. One common tradition is to have the freshman members of any sport pick up the team’s equipment after every practice. Junior Sean Moise, a member of the tennis team, believes that this supposed hazing in small cases can be a positive experience. “The freshmen are supposed to pick up the tennis balls after practice and also run outside the fences for any that may have landed outside the courts. Then they carry the baskets of balls to the coach’s car. It’s not really hazing, it’s just what you do as a freshman and then you get to spend the next three year’s not worrying about it. Some of the freshman last year seemed to struggle with that concept and that wasn’t well liked on the team,” said Moise. While some may argue about the validity of this view on hazing, others see a more positive aspect that could come out of the infamous ritual. “I think hazing is sometimes blown out of proportion. People argue that teasing or messing with someone is hazing and they get all defensive

about it. With a team that’s what you do, you mess with someone and they get you back. It’s the fun part about being with a team. But I definitely get the ban of violent or degrading hazing, that’s something you have to save for college. I think there are some pros to minor hazing like picking up tennis balls or slight messing with people. It builds relationships where you can joke with kids your age and have fun. I think a lot of people are too sensitive now to joking around or messing with someone. I mean, you could wind up in the office for calling someone a name and ‘offending’ them. It’s not preparing us for the real world,” said Moise. Sports aren’t the only activity that has been accused of hazing. The National Honor Society is the recently accused. To be accepted to NHS you must be involved in other clubs and activities in the school, have done community service, and have at least a 3.5 GPA. NHS has every new member to the prestigious organization wear a hat with a spinning top around the school. “I thought the hats were fun and something to show everyone that I was in NHS,” aid senior Lynn Huynh. “I didn’t feel like it was hazing, I don’t think PHHS has hazing, I think it’s just up to the individual to decide what they have to do to be accepted by their peers and usually it’s nothing terrible.”

PH IS NOT ALONE Many would claim that hazing is a thing of the past, and it only happens in movies now. Yet many students from around the Kansas City area have stories that would conflict with this prevailing wisdom. Despite PHHS low tolerance for any type of hazing, the sentiment hasn’t transferred to other schools. Junior Jordan Guerra, who currently attends Winnnatonka High School, attended Liberty his sophomore year and was a member of the school’s football team. Football is a sport commonly associated with hazing, and in this case that stereotype holds true. “A lot of football players, they would pick on the lowerclassmen, because of their size or the type of personality they have. When I did attend Liberty, there was this thing they would do, depending on how good you

were they would give you a brand, they would actually brand you. They usually picked an item that resembled something, they would heat it up and put it to your skin and then it’s there forever,” said Guerra. After being branded, Guerra was given the key chain that branded him. On the last day of school, the Liberty football players also had a tradition that they called the “Sophomore Beatdown”. Since Liberty did not have a freshman class at the time, the upperclassmen on the football team would jump the sophomores from that year’s team. “Well, on my last day of school, there were about 50 seniors and about half of the sophomore class. They were scared to come on the last day - they were scared of what was going to happen,” said Guerra.

Headphones

Covering up

Fingertip length shorts

Beanies

TROJAN STAFF EDITORIAL

HOW IT WE SEE

DRESS CODE

When most people hear the phrase “dress code”, they usually think of collared shirts, plaid skirts, and khakis. Here at our school, this is not the case. Quite frankly, it seems like there is no dress code at all. What happened to three-finger width straps and shorts passed your fingertips? What about hats in school or revealing tops? Many students feel strongly about dress codes and either voice their opinion, keep it to

themselves, or express it in what they wear. Students wear beanies, crop-tops or see-through shirts, booty shorts and sagging pants in every hall and every classroom. “Take off your hat” is a common phrase around school, but we rarely hear administrators telling a girl to “find a jacket” or telling a boy to “pull up his pants” anymore. One reason why some teachers don’t address these problems is because they

Shoes must be worn in the building. No shoes, no shirt, I guess that’s a problem… why would someone not wear shoes to school? Even though this is in the handbook, students wearing uncomfortable shoes (i.e. high heels) should be encouraged to bring an extra set of shoes if they feel the need to take the uncomfortable ones off. Hats, wave caps, fabric headbands, bandanas, non-prescription sunglasses and other headgear are not to be worn in the building at any time nor carried during school hours. These items should be kept in a locker or vehicle for the duration of the school day. Um, are wave caps still even a thing? And how are fabric headbands and beanies distracting? They’re accessories that don’t interfere with other students’ learning. Beanies and fabric headbands are trends within the age group at school and the dress code should accept that choice of style. Plus, some hair is teased so high that it’s way more distracting than a headband or beanie.

EDITORIAL

Clothing and accessories that refer to sexual connotations or products dealing with alcohol, tobacco and drugs will not be permitted. Oh, so those “Legalize It” lanyards really aren’t allowed? We understand that promoting such substance use should not be allowed, but what about the clothing “dealing” with it (i.e. “Pugs, not drugs” and the “Stay off the grass” accessories). There is a blurred line in this rule dealing with the promotion of illegal drugs and abstaining from the usage of drugs— it needs to be made clear what is allowed and what is not.

feel uncomfortable talking to students who wear revealing clothing. On page 11 of the Student Handbook, it clearly states: “Student dress should be in good taste. Dress that is detrimental or distractive to the learning process or working environment is not permissible”. Following that is a list of no-no’s in our school. But in today’s society, some of these rules are outdated.

Clothing which exposes a bare midriff or back is not permitted. Bandeaus don’t cover up everything underneath those skimpy, seethrough shirts. Nowadays, those kinds of tops are in style, but are not appropriate inside the school. This rule is in the hands of the wearer. With that being said, try a camisole underneath said tops. Double check your choice of dress in the mirror before you head off to school. Halter-tops, tube tops, spaghetti strap tops or any clothing which exposes a bare midriff or back, or is otherwise revealing, are prohibited. Instead of reiterating what was previously stated, what about mentioning something about the following: sagging pants, three finger-width straps, fingertip-length shorts, and revealing tops. These may seem old-school, but they still should be enforced. We’re sorry fellas, but no one wants to see your tighty whities. Wear a belt and pull up your pants. And, no offense ladies, but this is school… what are you trying to prove? It’d be good to have a little self-respect and cover up. Students may not wear or display headphones, earphones, ear buds or any other listening devices unless the device is being used as a prescribed assistive listening device. As of this year, this rule has been modified. During lunch and in the hallways, headphones are allowed. If this is actually not allowed in the classroom, teachers need to enforce it evenly. With verbally changing this rule, the written rule needs to be modified as well.

HOWSEEIT YOU

DEFINE THIS

{ { { { { { BEAUTY

\byoo-tee\: (NOUN)

Qualities in a person or a thing that give pleasure to the senses or the mind.

“The sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out,” junior Brandon Elifrits said.

“Success is when your intentions are met,” senior Austin Pierce said.

“Working hard and diligently; being dedicated,” sophomore Miranda Raines-Zeigler said.

HAPPINESS \hap-ee-nis\:(NOUN)

The state of being happy.

“Something that takes you to another level spiritually,” senior Ivis Buckingham said. “Beauty is what makes the heart ache,” junior Joesph Gorombey said.

“When you spend your blood, sweat and tears to be the best person you could ever possibly be,” sophomore Amber Ramsey said.

SUCCESS

\suhk-ses\: (NOUN)

The fact of getting or achieving wealth, respect, or fame.

“A state of absolute contentment that everyone strives for,” freshman Sarah O’Brien said. “Being content and grateful with what God has given me,” senior Katie Higgins said.

“Happiness means having that true internal love for yourself. Being totally comfortable with who you are and what you are,” senior Lucie Elledge said.

1980-2000

generation

mil ennial

DEFINING A GENERATION ALLY

FEATURE

BUCHBERG

2014: WHAT DEFINES US?

Historians and social scientists refer to those born between 1980 and the early 2000’s as Generation Millennial. There are approximately 76 million Millennials in the United States alone, about one fourth of the American population. Previous generations, such as Generation X, grew up in a world that no longer exists. The increase of technology is not the only reason this generation is vastly different than the previous generation. Many Millennials don’t remember a time without the connective power of the Internet. Technology has given society the ability to communicate instantly with anyone in the world. Society is constantly connected. “Everyone is tracked. It’s like something out of a Bradbury story [referring to ‘Fahrenheit 451’]. I saw a picture once that said then, and had a picture of boys around a game board, and a now, with boys all on their phones. It reminded me of a book called ‘Being Alone Together’,” said language arts teacher Chad Fette. Millennials may be together physically, but mentally they are in a completely different world. Their minds are disconnected from their surroundings and focused on technology. “I feel like the main difference [between Generation X and Generation Millennial] is technology,” said sophomore Emilio Lepe. “Almost all of our communication is made with our cell phone. Some of us can’t even go ten minutes without looking.” However, instant communication has given rise to instant bullying and insensitivity over what we as a society say, both online and in person. Anything we say online is out there for all to see. “[Technology] has caused us to not really care about what we say. They keep us from looking around and smelling the roses, so to speak,” said sophomore Clifton Fitzpatrick. “I think things are harder now because we have so many more distractions that cause people to be dehumanized, like computers and cell phones. For some reason, people think just because you’re behind a screen it gives them the right to be as hateful and rude as they want to be.”

The Associated Press published an article saying the average American’s attention span has shrunk by 50 percent since 2000. Two of the main factors behind shrinking attention spans are stress and decision overload. Leading psychologists have attributed social media and technology in general to this shrinkage in attention span. “Students don’t do anything just for fun anymore. They don’t do it if it doesn’t have a goal. Everything is ramped up to the highest degree. There is so much more stress,” said Fette. Millennials have grown up in a world where having to write a paper has not meant going to the library and spending hours searching for books, reading page after page, and finally using a typewriter to type out an essay. It’s meant going to Google, typing in the topic, reading the Wikipedia article over the subject, and finding scholarly articles online. “Students today don’t memorize things anymore. Everything is available all the time. They think it’s wrong if I don’t let them use their phones,” said Fette. This generation’s obsession with sharing their lives on social media and having the latest technology has prevented Millennials from living their lives. Focusing on the perfect shot and filter on Instagram has made them forget the moment they’re trying to capture. “When everyone gets older, they could feel really unaccomplished in life because they were too worried about tweeting and not worried about going to climb a mountain, or skydiving, or scuba diving,” said Fitzpatrick. TIME Magazine renamed Generation Millennial as the “Me Me Me Generation”. They called Millennials “lazy, entitled narcissists who still live with their parents”. They believe Millennials want everything handed to them. “Kids will be bummed out earlier in life if they don’t find what they’re looking for over the rainbow. If they have a negative mindset, they will never be satisfied,” said Fette.

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classifieds

P ARK H I L L the stories in this edition of The Trojan to help you answer U Read the crossword questions. Bring the completed crossword with Z correct answers to room 350 for a special prize! First 3 only. Z L E S

Average Sleep Cycle

How to Sleep Easier

Awake REM

(Rapid Eye Movement)

Set a Schedule

Set your bedtime and wake-time at the same time everyday... Even on weekends!

Exercise

Deep Sleep

Hours

Avoid Caffeine

Americans Suffering from Sleep Disorders

FFEE CO

SOD

Relax Before Bed

SOD

Sleep Until Sunlight Insomnia (60 Million) Sleep Apnea (18 Million)

Restless Leg Syndrome (5 Million) 10 Million U.S. Citizens Sources: ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/understanding_sleep.htm#dreaming "When You Can't Sleep: The ABCs of ZZZs," by the National Sleep Foundation. http://www.census.gov/popest/about/terms.html http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/restless_legs/detail_restless_legs.htm

NATURAL

IT’S ONLY

By: Molly Weis Women pluck, shave, wax, thread, chemically dissolve and are now taking strides for laser treatment in order to remove body hair and maintain the pristine hairfree skin that is seen as standard for any “suitable” female in today’s society. Not only can the constant race for unnatural smoothness be painful, but also breeds doubt of a natural trait to young girls searching for confidence in an image-dominated world. Hair removal has varied in area and amount based on the region and time period, but is more prominent today than at any point in history. Shaving some parts of the body has always been a custom in different cultures. However, now virtually all body hair is being eliminated and deemed taboo for women by the beauty industry. “Women are shamed so much even if they do shave, and then when they don’t shave it’s like this is such a foreign concept to our society that people think it’s gross,” said senior Eva Ohman. “People just equate it with being disgusting because we were taught that it’s gross not to shave, or taught that women have to shave or they are nasty or trying to be like men.” Body hair, in actuality, serves an important purpose in the biology of men and women alike: it is actually meant to protect the body from bacteria and other harmful substances. As a natural defense against germs and bacteria, hair on all parts of the body, including the hairs on the face, legs, arms and elsewhere is a natural part of the body that is only as “dirty” as the rest of the individual. Leg hair may be dirty if the individual is, according to Ohman, but regularly washed unshaved legs are no less hygienic than regularly washed shaved legs. Influences can stem from any outlet, but pressure from friends and family weigh heavily on all girls during early stages in the development of self-image. Does this pressure, however, make male preference wrong? “I feel like it’s more attractive without body hair, but I can see the laziness in not wanting to shave. That doesn’t mean that I prefer it, though,” said senior Jonathon Holland. “I don’t want to see hairy legs or back hair – pretty much anywhere it isn’t supposed to be. If you’re going down that road, it should be the same for both genders, and in most relationships I’ve been in, they have preferred I shave my body hair.” Although the media pushes certain body types and certain standards of grooming, body hair is eliminated out of mere preference, which varies depending on

culture and individuals. “I have to shave every week – at least twice a week,” said senior Katherine Wasicko. “It’s not like ‘oh you don’t shave, I hate you,’ it’s just a personal preference.” Just like the preference to shave, each person who Senior Shannon Barry chooses not to shave – or shave inconsistently with what is standard – has a differing explanation for their choice; whether it be to save time or to Senior Jade Miller make a point. “Well, what sparked it really was, last year, I had a teacher – who shall go unnamed – he kind of picked on me, for different things, but one day, he commented on my complexion, on my thick hair – like on my head – and he said ‘it must be a hassle for you to shave your legs’ he said that to me in front of the whole class. So I thought, ‘you know I’ll show him.’ At first it was a rebellious thing when I stopped shaving my legs, but eventually it became a habit and I stopped caring, and it was nice. It was something I didn’t have to do every other week,” said senior Jade Miller. “Body talk” refers to this overt display of discussion over an otherwise private aspect of an individual’s grooming habits. This dialogue covers what is seen as standard, or proper, regarding the grooming and appearance of all genders, regardless of inconsistencies with the natural biology of male and female bodies. “I think that it’s their body and they should be able to choose however they want to groom it, and I think that we do need to understand that when I put on makeup, or when I shave, it’s about understanding that it is a part of our society that is putting these pressures on us. Understanding that; recognizing that, but then also realizing that you have your own choice to make when it comes to how you want to groom your body, regardless of the social stigmas behind it,” said Ohman.

JOB OF THE MONTH By: Justin Dorweiler Many people don’t pay much attention to retirement communities. But it has a surprising impact for high school students: it provides job opportunities. Few students seeking employment think of a retirement community but there are a handful working at Riverstone Retirement Community. “I really enjoy working with elderly people because I have a great grandma who is 101 years old, so I have experience working with people of that age and I think I’m pretty good at the social aspect of the job,” said senior Jacob Garver. “I think the coolest thing about the people there is that their true selves really come out because they get to do whatever they want now that they’re retired. They really get to be who they are and I think that is very special but even though I don’t get to spend much time with each person, I get to know who they are.” Garver isn’t the only student here who works at Riverstone. Seniors Austin Pierce, Jace Galang, Brock Hanson and Maria Pham are also employed there. “I’ve been working at Riverstone for a year and a half,” said Galang. “Things I really like about the job are that some of my friends work there and I really enjoy working with them and also the residents who live there are the best part of my job. I just love hearing stories and they’re all really sweet and different, and it’s fun hearing experiences that we wouldn’t have. Plus learning to work with people that age is something completely different too.” Along with the fun of working with friends and the elderly, there are the noted drawbacks that come with the job. “I work a special shift on Sunday mornings and I have to wake up at 8 a.m. which sucks because I have to get up early on my weekend. We also have to set tableware in proper fine dining placement and we have to help the cooks restock the food because it’s like a buffet. We also have to help residents through the line because they’re too old and they need help carrying their food,” Galang said.

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