TROJAN the
Park Hill High School Kansas City, MO January 2015 Issue 5
Rebellion
Whether it is dyeing your hair or getting expelled, teenage rebellion is an expected phase in everyone’s life
Courtwarming A brighter twist on your traditional Sadie Hawkins dance
Transformations An in-depth look at three seniors that are significantly different from their freshman year
TROJAN
4
A rave of change is coming to this winter’s dance, taking a turn for the casual and neon.
6 Transformations 8
10
Should lettering in sports be for athletes only?
14 2014 in Review
Matt Eblen
Take a look at last year’s highlights here at PHHS.
Copy Editor: Amanda Battmer
16 Humans of PHHS
Design Editor:
Ally Buchberg
CONTENTS
Delaney Noland Andrea Tenney Keeley Myszka Pierce Klempnauer
2
Bachelor and Bachelorettes
12 Sports Managers
14-15 STAFF
Reporters:
Rebellious Teens
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, the spotlight shines on a few of PH’s most eligible.
Editor-in-Chief:
Story Editor: Jerron Archer
As seniors enter their last semester at PHHS, we take a look at how much some of them have changed.
As expected, some teens fall under the “rebellious” label.
The
Photo Editor: Hattie Saltzman
Courtwarming
We spotlight those people making a difference here at PHHS.
ABOUT THE COVER
ABOUT THE BACK COVER Photo by Keeley Myszka Photo by Jerron Archer Senior Louis Reinmiller is a member on the PHHS In the 2014 winter sports assembly, some boy’s varsity basketball team. The team took a of the male participants in the dance frustrating loss on Friday, January 16th by one point team’s annual boy-girl dance sing along in the last 5 seconds to Blue Springs. to the alma mater. 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.
1- Photo by Keeley Myszka. 2- Photo by Delaney Noland. 3- Photo by Jerron Archer. 4- Photo by Jerron Archer 5- Photo by Matt Eblen. 6- Photo by Amanda Battmer
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR EAR READERS
D
Everyone loves a good New Year’s resolution. People plan and fidget about their personal resolutions for weeks before the big day. Then by the second week of February, most people have trouble recalling what they vowed to do only a few days before. But people love change. People love a story of someone changing, whether it is for the better or watching someone break bad. People are always entertained by the human drama of the ever changing personality. Change is an odd idea. However, that is what high school is for, change. To, hopefully, find out exactly who you are. When I was a freshman I was about six inches shorter and ten pounds heavier. My speaking voice would barely raise above a whisper. I had some traits that have been consistent in my life. I have always had a sardonic sense of humor and no filter whatsoever. Which, by the way, is much easier to get away with when no one can hear what you are saying. That started to change. I quickly started to come out of my shell. Now I have a tendency to over talk, on top of under thinking what I have just said. Yet, my change is just beginning. I’m leaving home soon. I’ve lived in the same house for the past 17 years. And while I’m away at college my parents plan to move into a different house. This to me is a frightening prospect. While I’m in college my parents plan to pawn off my childhood home. Despite the fact that I have over the years changed, I’m still not comfortable with the idea. This isn’t about me though. Despite how much I try. Because change is coming for everyone, not just me. For some the change will be small. Most underclassmen will be spending time trying to figure out what classes they want to spend the next few months in. Most seniors, however, will be spending time trying to figure out what school they want to spend the next few years at. There are around four months left before the class of 2015 graduates. PHHS is almost always influx. Dynamics in-between and inside of various grades have always dominated the general tone of PHHS. Every senior class leaves some type of impression on those who follow them. And I’ve been spending time wondering what the class of 2015 will leave behind. What kind of change this class will make on the school. And honestly I have no idea. I do, however, know that soon the seniors will take the infamous walk down into the gym, and we will leave. The rest of the classes will move up. Juniors will finally know that they are on their last year. They will know that the school is theirs. No matter how cheesy that sounds, it’s true. A good majority of PHHS’s clubs and sports will be led by the new seniors. They will have to find their legacy to leave. Yet, the class of 2015 seems to still be trying to find what to leave behind. Find what they are going to change.
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MATT EBLEN
2
3
4 CAMPUS
A Rave of Change
irre wley u g iA Co u q b c o Ja Jac
King and Queen Candidates
By Matt Eblen Dances are known for their rigid traditions. However, this year PHHS’s annual Courtwarming dance will be taking a new spin on the formula. This year students will be switching out their expensive dresses for jeans, their on the Plaza dinner for something more financially reasonable, and their flashing of cameras for a black light. Senior Ali Stott, this year’s student council public relations officer, is in charge of planning the dance. “It’s a causal dance. We are making sure every student feels like they can attend the dance, and not have to spend a ton of money on: dinner, dresses, tickets. One thing that we changed is that we are no longer selling couple tickets. So, we are not promoting that you need to have a date to go to the dance or that you need to go to dinner,” said Stott. While some changes are being made to make the dance just a little bit cheaper, others are a little more cosmetic. “We are having 93.3 DJ it, and the theme is ‘Paint Up For What #PHGLOWOUT’. There is going to be a TV screen at the dance displaying pictures. If you take pictures the week before the dance and post them to Instagram with the hashtag they might be streamed at the dance,” said Stott. Yet, some don’t agree with all the changes. “I think most of the population who usually go to dances enjoy dressing up and making it a big deal. I think it is a good idea to make it more affordable though,” said senior Olivia Muller. Student Council believes that the turnout rate for this year will exceed what has happened in the past, and they have no qualms with people who want to keep with traditions. “A few people don’t like that it’s casual, but they can dress up if they want to, we’re not going to stop them,” said Stott.
ard - Dunn l l a a B iggins s s i Mar oah H N
rco a M De len e b l E o Nic Matt
2015 Courtwarming Court
12 3 4
Freshmen: 1 - Sophia Lane 2 - Liam Henry 3 - Weston DiBlasi 4 - Tiffany Imperiali
Juniors: 1- Caroline Lowery 2- Ryan Moise 3- Cooper Link 4- Olivia Woods
zen n a r et aF m m a Em Sh y r d Lan
Sophmores: 1 - Jake McFee 2 - Meg Feeley 3 - Chelsea Edwards 4 - Ryan Decker
au er r G or nd Sayl om Kle T
Work
Overload
By Andrea Tenney In more recent years, there have been more advanced classes being placed into a student’s schedule. On top of any clubs, sports, or the possible job the student may have, one might have an extreme amount of added stress. In advanced classes, the teachers want to make sure the student succeeds as much as they can. Teachers push students to be successful, and set high expectations. When it comes to a student’s schedule, the amount of stress and pressure a teacher puts on the student may stress them out more. Homework has been a part of a student’s life ever since kindergarten, when reading a small five page book or writing out their alphabet was their nightly assignment that took ten minutes. As one gets older, the homework load increases, as well as the difficulty level. High school is the gateway into the college work load life. Teachers attempt to prepare students as much as they can, so when college arrives it isn’t a smack to the face. Every class a student takes has some type of homework, especially those AP classes that have become a part of many Park Hill students’ schedules. Many classes such as AP United States History and AP World History have nightly reading assignments that the teacher recommends to keep up with.
Senior Angie Willemsen is in the regular government class, but has learned that taking a regular government class still has a reasonable expectation level. “I think that their expectations are higher. Even though it’s not an AP class, I just feel like he expects a lot from us because he is an AP teacher,” said Willemsen. High school is a time when many students tend to get involved in extracurricular activities. Whether it be sports, music, a student council, or just being in a club, students often stay here past the regular dismissal time. Many sports are at school for a few hours, as well as other clubs. Music and art also involve a lot of outside of school rehearsal and take up some extra time. This sometimes can take up that time that teachers expect students to spend on homework. “They understood that if I didn’t get it done by the next day, I could just get it done by the end of class,” said junior Nadia Jackson. Students are busy people. With all of the available opportunities in high school, students’s days are filled with more than just the eight hours they spend sitting at a desk. After school, and after a student returns from either an extracurricular or work, homework isn’t the first thing someone would want to do. Especially
with a large work load, spacing out all of the homework may become a challenge as the work load piles up. “I feel like certain teachers are very relaxed about their expectations and they realize you have a lot going on outside of school, but then there’s the ones that use the whole ‘this is an AP class’ or ‘you’re a junior, you should be stepping it up’. They use that against you,” said junior Mason Mohamed, who is involved in AP Studio Art, as well as AP Psychology.
Transformations
6 FEATURE
At the start of ninth grade, the choices students make about things like by Delaney what to wear and who to be friends with normally differ drastically as the years roll on. By senior year, the things that once were found important are dismissed entirely to focus on new things that support themselves as an individual. These choices can be as subtle as a different extracurricular activity or as a complete personality overhaul.
Noland
OLIVIA SMITH Believe it or not, the mellow, kind-hearted senior Olivia Smith used to be a completely different person. Her freshman year was filled with partying, gossip and sports. “I was a little brat. I used to be preppy and really involved in drama. I cared a lot about what people thought about me and I was obsessed with boys. I was really into basketball, volleyball and track,” said Smith. For most, high school is an opportunity to make mistakes and try to find out who you want to be. Smith took that opportunity and transformed into what she considers a better person. She swapped popularity and sports for self-acceptance and art. “I like to think that I don’t care about what people think of me. I’m much more laid back. I’ve always liked art but now it’s my thing. I’m still in track but I am more into art than I used to be,” said Smith. As a ninth grader, most do not take a lot into consideration about future plans. Smith had no idea that she would be interested in the things she is now. “I pictured myself still going to parties and hanging out with a bunch of friends. I never pictured myself straying away from big groups of people. I thought I would be playing sports my whole high school career and never expected to be majoring in art. What was most important to me then was just partying and hanging out with friends. What’s most important to me now is going to college and worrying about my future, not partying at all,” said Smith. Sometimes change can be a bad thing, but not for Smith. She is proud of the person that she is now and is much happier than she used to be. “I’m happy that I’m no longer the person that I was. I’m glad that I grew up and realized that there are real problems in the world like hunger and poverty; things that I didn’t think about when I was younger and now it’s been brought to life. I know that this is reality,” said Smith. One of the biggest changes Smith made was her circle of friends. She realized that there is so much more to life than fitting in and doing what your friends want you to do. “There’s nothing that I miss about my freshman self. Over the years of high school you grow up and realize that all of the little drama that you experienced during freshman year is not worth it at all. I always thought that I was going to be friends with the same group of people and that’s not what happened. If you really go towards what you want to do and not what your friends are going to do than you just won’t be able to be friends with them and that’s okay. You can reach out to other people,” said Smith.
JETT MULLENDORE Senior Jett Mullendore traded in his lengthy hair and skateboard for his Sperry’s and polo shirts. As a stocky freshman, Mullendore mostly kept to himself with the exception of a few close friends. “I used to be really into skateboarding and didn’t care about much of anything else. I wasn’t worried about school or grades. I had a few friends but not much of a social life,” said Mullendore. The tennis playing TARKUS member has definitely broken out of his shell over his high school career. “I’m a lot more social than I used to be. I have plenty of friends, I’m into sports and extracurricular activities,” said Mullendore. What seems to be the most shocking change of all was Mullendore’s appearance. He is now tall and thin, complete with short brown hair and the typical frat boy attire. His look took a complete 180 turn from his first year in high school. However, looks aren’t everything. Mullendore has high hopes for his life after PHHS, something he wasn’t anticipating as a 15 year old. “When I was younger I didn’t have any goals or a mindset about what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be. I now have plans to graduate high school, go to the University of Missouri to go into a nursing program and major in something medical; I haven’t fully decided yet,” said Mullendore.
KATELYN GILLAND Senior Katelyn Gilland’s transformation was not as drastic as others’. She cut her hair in 9th grade and has now decided to alter her style. “I’ve changed my appearance by cutting my hair freshman year just because I wanted to. I’m an impulsive person so I just cut it all off. This year I’m growing my hair back out,” said Gilland. While some can say that their freshman self is a different person from them now, Gilland believes that she has simply become a better version of herself. “I’m the same person I was; I have the same personality but I’m much more comfortable with who I am. I used to be really self-conscious and wasn’t comfortable with being outgoing because I thought people thought I was weird. I can make fun of myself, be loud and just be myself,” said Gilland. Her new confidence has brought opportunities that might have been missed. “I got a job as a hostess and I’m way more comfortable with talking to people and just being a people person. I’ve become more confident as an outgoing and loving person,” said Gilland.
REBEL
8 COMMUNITY
with a
By: Amanda Battmer It’s the rite of passage of adolescence, the pride and joy of rioters and every mother’s nightmare: teen rebellion. Senior Keego Gross is no stranger to the rebel label. After being expelled from Park Hill South High School, he transferred to PHHS. His reputation followed him, even though “rebel” is not a word he would use to describe himself. Gross actually spends most of his time in band and Eagle Scout activities. “No, [I would not consider myself a rebel] because I don’t really feel like I have to break rules,” said Gross. “If the rule is stupid and pointless, I don’t really care if I break it, but if there’s a reason that it’s there then I’ll follow it.” Rebellion can carry a lot of different meanings for a lot of different people. Parents are usually concerned about their children’s safety or self-esteem, while many kids view their acts of rebellion (however miniscule or drastic they may be) as a way to express themselves or find a sense of individuality. “I think that people feel the need to rebel, especially in teen years, because they want to find out who they are and make a statement that they’re their own personality and don’t have to be controlled by an adult,” said sophomore Quentin Schneider. For some students, asserting their independence and individuality isn’t a matter of rebellion. Instead, teenagers like junior Madi Martin see these acts as misunderstood freedom of expression. “I wouldn’t consider myself a rebel, but I would consider myself a free spirit. I go with my instincts and what I feel is right,” said Martin. “I think people who judge rebellion aren’t opening up their mind to see why they’re doing the things they are, because there’s always a reason why. And people just don’t understand their reasoning.” Teenage rebellion has been around for as long as there have been teenagers. The “rebellious teen” stereotype doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone, however, and doesn’t always deserve its bad rap. “Rebellion to me just means kind of going against the norm of what everybody expects. It could be bad but it may be good,” said senior Margot Robison. “I think so many people think that it’s a bad thing. But like I said, it can be a good thing in certain cases. Say if somebody was like standing up for what they believe in—like Rosa Parks. She was a rebel, but it was for a good cause.” Rebellion is assumed to be given a good name by most teens and a bad one by most adults, but not everyone experiences it in the same way or to the same degree. According to psychologytoday.com, the younger sibling is more likely to rebel than the older. “[Rebellion is] when you go against parents’ or authorities’ rules,
CAUSE and you just feel like you have to do something bad just to get noticed,” said junior Cassidy Robison. “Normally I don’t want to be like other people, or be compared to my sister [M. Robison], who is the complete opposite of me. So I try to do things my own way.” M. Robison and C. Robison consider themselves to be complete opposites, and happen to fit the mold developed by many psychologists. Many teenage rebels share a common consensus: certain rules are made to be broken. However, not everyone believes that their “rebellious” actions necessarily deserve the unruly descriptor. “I do not consider myself a rebel. I know there are rules out there that are set for me to not look the way I do or dress the way I do or have different colored hair or wear makeup, but in all my life I have been accepted the way I am and nobody’s told me otherwise. No matter what I’ve done with my job or with school—my parents—no one’s ever told me that I couldn’t, so I guess this is just me,” said Schneider.
“I do not consider myself a rebel... this is just me.”
Teenagers that are considered rebellious explain their motives.
E L B I S I V IN
By: Hattie Saltzman
It is generally understood when people are affected by visible disabilities like paralysis, blindness, or ALS. But what about the disabilities that aren’t so visible? Many of these “invisible illnesses” are often overlooked by others while to the person that has it, it is a major obstacle that they have to work hard at overcoming every day. Sophomore Courtney Bearce has first hand experience with this. In the United States, it is estimated that 208,000 people under the age of 20 have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and Bearce is just one of them. “I got [diabetes] in 2nd grade so I’ve had it about eight years,” said Bearce. Type 1 diabetes is an incurable autoimmune disease in which a person’s immune system attacks the pancreas, an organ that produces a hormone called insulin. Insulin allows the body to use the sugar found in carbohydrates as energy. When the immune system attacks, it destroys the cells that secrete insulin, which stops the production altogether. When this occurs, it is up to the person to inject their own insulin, in the form of a shot or an insulin pump. Bearce is a pump user. “The pump has a little plastic catheter that goes inside you. Most of them are connected to the actual pump which is a little smaller than a cell phone and runs on batteries. That sends the insulin through the catheter,” explains Bearce. Despite how straight-forward diabetes sounds, there are several behind-the-scenes difficulties when it comes to working with the illness. “People treat it like it’s a joke a lot of the time,” said Bearce. “The worst joke I ever received was when someone said they were going to take my pump
HURDLES
and throw it in the trash.” Other jokes, such as ‘I ate so much sugar I got diabetes,’ float around society, but diabetics like Bearce generally do not appreciate them. “[Diabetes] just isn’t a joke.” Some of these “invisible” disabilities may not be much of an obstacle at all, though. Psychology teacher Mark Harman has a disability that many people haven’t heard of, as a mere 1 percent of North Americans have the disorder. “I have what is referred to as an olfactory disorder, which means that my olfactory bulb isn’t functioning correctly. I don’t have a sense of smell, so I’m sort of like a blind man or a deaf man, but in the nose.” Total inability to smell is referred to as anosmia, and while those who can smell may feel like this would affect them greatly, Harman disagrees. “I don’t notice it. A lot of people say ‘Oh, that’d be weird,’ but I’ve never had a sense of smell and I can’t miss something I’ve never experienced.” Despite this, one would wonder how this would affect daily life. “A common question that people often ask is if I can taste,” said Harman. “Smell and taste are separate systems so I can taste sweet, sour, salty, and bitter, but I struggle tasting flavor. You put taste and smell together to create flavor. Because of that I cannot distinguish things like Starbursts. It tastes sweet, but I don’t know what flavor it is. I would assume it’s similar to when you have a cold. If you have a cold and you’re really stuffed up, things taste really bland to you, and that’s what I taste all the time.” There are also things Harman is glad he has never had the opportunity to smell. “I’ve never walked into a classroom full of sweaty freshmen and thought to myself, ‘Oh my gosh, I need to get out of here.’” But with the good can come the bad. “I’ve also never walked into my house when my wife has been baking and thought, ‘Oh, it smells awesome in here.’” Growing up with any disability, whether it’s diabetes or anosmia, can be a stressful experience. “I used to be really really self conscious about it and be nervous about my own smell because I had no idea,” said Harman. “I imagine that someone who is visually impaired might go through this feeling of being self conscious about your looks like wondering if you’re attractive or if you’re wearing cool clothes. If you’re visually impaired you don’t know how you compare to others, and it’s sort of the same with smell.” At least having an uncommon disorder can leave a person with some interesting stories. “When I was in middle school, I went to this dance in the school gym. I remember it was really hot because there were so many people, so naturally I started to sweat. I got really really nervous like ‘Oh, I really hope I don’t stink,’” said Harman. “My buddy had some cologne and so me, not knowing, unleashed the thing. It was like 30 squirts of this cologne. I can only imagine how much I reeked for the rest of the night after emptying out like half of it. I remember getting into the car with my mom after the dance and she had to roll down all the windows.”
“I’ve never had a sense of smell and I can’t miss something I’ve never experienced.”
A look at the lives behind disabilities that aren’t visible at first glance.
SENIORS
10 FEATURE Age: 18 Height: 5’2 Occupation: Caribou Coffee
MEET
Hobbies: Netflix, sleeping, reading, and photography.
YOUR
BACHELORS &
Age: 18 Height: 5’9
Sports: I play basketball.
Murphy Cowl
Celebrity Crush: Channing Tatum.
BACHELORETTES By: Ally Buchberg
Josephine Choi
Bad Quality: I take too many risks.
JUNIORS Age: 17 Height: 5’11 Traveling: I would go to Amsterdam, because everyone is tall.
Cecil Hermanns
Looking For: Someone above 3 feet.
SOPHOMORES
Karli Petrillo
Age: 16 Height: 5’6
Relationship Goal: Comfortable with each other. Unique Talent: I can turn my hand all the way around.
FRESHMEN Age: 15 Height: 5’9 Nicknames: J-Mac and McNugget. Ideal Date: High School Musical 2 - golf course scene. Outdoor Activity: Enoing by the creek. W
Judiann Mcmahon
SENIORS
Kenny Harris
Age: 18 Height: 6’0
Before I die: I want to meet J. Cole, like shake his hand and have dinner. Looking For: A girl with a good background and plans for the future. Age: 17 Height: 5’9 Nicknames: The ID T-Shirt Guy.
Alejandro Cervantes
Unique Talent: I can read an audio book with my eyes closed. Bad Quality: I can’t swim in lava.
JUNIORS
Jacob Norman
Age: 16 Height: 6’3
Good Qualities: I’m tall, athletic, and a people person. Looking For: Someone I can chill with. Celebrity Crush: Kim Kardashian.
SOPHOMORES Age: 15 Height: 5’8
Before I Die I Want To: Move to Colorado and open a pawn shop.
Adam Sievert
Good Qualities: I’m nice, funny, and have sick moves.
FRESHMEN
Age: 15 Height: 5’3
Skill: I can balance a spoon on my nose.
Shea Handley
Relationship Goals: Stay truthful, make physical improvements, and clearly communicate.
t r o f m o C r
12 SPORTS
o f e s o l C o
To
By: Jerron Archer
The off-season is vital for every athlete. Most athletes make it known as the part of the year where the fate of their season is decided. This being said, staying in top physical condition during the off-season of someone’s sport is essential to the success, or failure, of their upcoming season. Athletes at PHHS take working out in the off-season extremely seriously. So seriously, in fact, that some sports begin their off-season team training just weeks after their season has ended. There is a huge complication that attaches itself to these sports’ determination, however. With almost every sport participating in conditioning during the off-season, particularly during the winter, when sports that are in season workout inside, there is seemingly no room to participate in full workouts, if they are able to condition at all. This problem becomes increasingly stressful for athletes and coaches when weather is not acceptable to workout in. This puts almost every sport attempting to exercise inside, creating a claustrophobic environment for athletes. Senior baseball player Carter Barajas experiences the troubles of having no room to workout on a day-today basis. “When it’s cold outside, there’s definitely not enough room. We would have to run around the school on the upper level for twenty-five to thirty minutes a day, just all the way around the school,” said Barajas. Baseball is just one of the few sports that have this problem. “We would be halfway through running, and we would run into either soccer girls, tennis, or track and they would all be running too so it would make us have to go at a slower pace in order to not run into each other,” said Barajas. The hallways aren’t the only place this problem is occurring. The weight room in the upper gym of PHHS is a hot spot for athletes to congregate as well. Athletes from all different seasons come together in the weight room to build their strength during the off-season. PHHS’ athletic director Bill Erneste wants to assure that student-athletes need not worry about having room to workout. “With the weather, and the way it is, you’re always going to have a problem, especially when every sport wants to have an off-season,” said Erneste. This problem isn’t exclusive to Park Hill, however. “We are fortunate enough that our principal and our custodians let us run the halls. There are some schools that they don’t allow their athletes to run the halls, because it is a danger and it is a hazard. However, we know our coaches do a good job of monitoring. We also put out cones that athletes have to run around, which allows workers to work, and teachers and do things they need to do,” said Erneste. This problem only occurs when the weather is unsuitable for sports. When the weather is acceptable, there seems to be more than plenty of room for athletes to participate in their daily routines. “If it’s under forty degrees, we’re going to be inside. If it’s over forty degrees, soccer will be outside, track will be outside, tennis is outside, even baseball is outside,” said Erneste. “This problem is being fixed by our coaches being collaborative. One of our keys is to be collectively stronger, which we are starting to notice. This is all because we are becoming stronger, together.”
Managing Letters By: Keeley Myszka
When sporting a letterman jacket covered in patches, people easily assume that it belongs to someone breaking records or exceeding in academic competitions. In addition to scholorly letters athletic managers can letter for the work they put into the sport as well. To letter, students must either meet certain academic expectations or be involved in clubs or sports. Managers letter just like the athletes do. When comparing managers’ and athletes’ schedules, they put in about the same amount of time after school and on weekends. Sophomore Carly Reburn started managing the PHHS football team her sophomore year. She went to all the practices and all the games to get the letter she worked hard for. “During the season we alter our schedule a lot, especially on Friday nights, we go to every game and practice,” said Reburn. “It [managing] doesn’t really get in the way of homework, it’s like every other sport or club.” Senior Delia Smith has been managing the wrestling team for four years. She does many things like keep stats and mop the mats after the boys are done. She takes record of everything (including take downs) during every match, even ones that take place on the weekends. “There’s a little bit that goes into it. I’ll have to call off work one day or I’ll have to arrange my own sports practices. I’ll go in the morning opposed to going in the afternoon,” said D. Smith. Considering the work and time they put into the sport, the athletes really appreciate everything the managers do and they count them as a part of the team. “Even though they don’t run track, they’re still a main priority of the team. They help set up meets and they help a lot of the athletes during practice and meets. If I need water, they’ll bring me water and if I’m injured they’ll try to help me the best they can,” said junior and track member Joshua Smith. “There is a lot more you have to put into it. There is time, effort, a lot of hard work, and extra practices. They’re just as important as us.”
Sta
te
October
ns Wi er
Cl ar
k PH
HS
Playoff baseball made an appearance in Kansas City for the first time since 1985. The postseason journey started off with a 9-8 come from behind victory. After the Wild Card game the Royals rattled off four straight wins against the Angels and four straight wins against the Orioles, to make back to the World Series for the first time in 29 years. Even though the Royals fell just a few innings short of winning the World Series, they gave the people of Kansas City something to revolve around, and showed the rest of the world what Kansas City is all about.
Ch e
ev en
PHHS had one of its own in the spotlight. Former Trojan Steven Clark played in the BCS National Championship game for Auburn University.
St
Stay Royal KC
January Alu m
A Step Back Into 2014
PHHS cheerleaders did something that has not been done since 2000. Led by captains Lexi Smith and Emily Conor the girls brought the state title back to PHHS.
Swim’s Successful State Standings Trojans Swim and Dive team had an incredible season, which came to an end with the Trojans earning a second place overall finish at the state swim meet.
May A Sit Down With Sly Mayor Sly James chose PHHS as the location to give his annual State of the City address. PHHS graduate Wisdom Nwike gave a passionate speech to represent PHHS and to welcome him. Mayor James gave positive reviews regarding his approval of the students and staff at PHHS.
Fall Sports Assembly
August Trends that gain popularity normally do not serve as a benefit to society. But during the summer former Boston College baseball player Pete Frates started a trend that benefits society. Frates started the Ice Bucket Challenge to promote awareness for ALS. The trend made poured across social media and even into the gym at PHHS where Dr. Keith Curington and Dr. Brad Kincheloe accepted the challenge.
November
PHHS Football Rebound
The 2014 installment of Park Hill football was one to remember. Led by a dominate offensive line and a solid defense, the Trojans finished the season with an impressive 12-1 record. The Trojans improved from three wins to twelve. In 2015 the Trojans will look to build on that success in 2015.
December MR. PARK HILL
The Mr. Park Hill competition had some new flair, headlined by a special guest judge, Royals pitcher Jeremy Guthrie. The competition was ultimately won by journalism representative, Matt Eblen.
HUMA of Park
16 Spotlight
Teacher of Park Hill Coach Taralyn Garner isn’t a face that goes unrecognized in the PHHS halls. As a coach of multiple sports and a teacher of many gym classes over the years, many students have had Coach Garner a part of their lives through their four year journey of high school. But as the year comes to an end, so does Coach Garner’s teaching days as a Trojan. She has decided it’s time for her to hang up her track suit and pass the coaching baton on as she moves on to the next chapter of her life. “I’m going to work for a company called Spark PE part time and I’m still gonna coach golf. I’m going to travel for this company and train teachers how to teach physical education,” said Garner. As her face is a familiar one to the students here now at PHHS, her face is also recognized to alumni. She remembers being able to coach and teach her own daughter when she was a Trojan herself. Garner has been in the Park Hill School District for over 23 years, and has called herself a Trojan for 17 years. Through her entire career, she has had her fair share of experiences of coaching several different sports. “In my career, I’ve coached tennis for 8 years. I’ve coached
By: Andrea Tenney
basketball, dance team, head track coach for 17 years, and head golf coach for 9. I’ve done just about everything at one point or another,” said Garner. As her time here at PHHS comes close to an end, she has a lot of fond memories while being a Trojan, involving her students, athletes, and fellow teachers. Her goal was always to have students live healthy lifestyles, even after they leave high school. She started the Foundations of Fitness program to help students learn that they don’t need someone watching over them to live healthy lifestyles and seeing that being put into effect is a favorite memory of hers. “One of the best memories is being with teachers to develop a curriculum that kids are really excited about. When we started the foundations of fitness program, the real focus was on healthy lifestyle behaviors and teaching kids how to do that for a lifetime rather than just while they are here at Park Hill,” said Garner.
ANS f Hill
By: Jerron Archer
Student of Park Hill
Sophomores Micah and Mason Marrs aren’t shy about having the spotlight set on them. Their musical abilities and achievements have gained them success throughout their entire life. The past few months, however, have taken them to a completely different level of the music inudstry. “There was a guy that we got introduced to, and he talked to us about what getting into a project of recording an album would look like. He basically told us he had already booked the studio, so it was sort of an impromptu trip down to Nashville. We did all the instrumentation tracks in a studio in Nashville and then the producer flew to Kansas City to finish up the vocals,” said Micah, lead singer of “State Line Drive”, the brothers’ countryinfluenced band. “This is our first country project. We’ve done a few other smaller albums along the way, mostly worship stuff, but this is our first country album, and we’re excited about that,” said Mason, drummer and singer of “State Line Drive.” Although the Marrs brothers are a huge part of the group,
they are not the only ones that complete the band. “There are five guys in the band. We are all kind of scattered when it comes to what school we go to. Mason and I go here [PHHS]. There’s another set of brothers that go to Shawnee Mission West. Their names are Jordan and Joel Mills. Our bass player, Jacob Filer, goes to Harrisonville High School,” said Mason. Being in a band has changed their life, quite drastically in the past few months, according to the brothers. “The release of the album has opened a lot of doors for us,” said Micah. “We have had a lot of opportunities to book different concerts and festivals, stuff like that. It’s given us a lot to be proud of, and it’s really nice to be able to give out copies of an album that’s been done professionally.” State Line Drive’s new album was released on January 2nd, and is available on iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play.
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Today is your last day to buy a Troyian Yearbook!
$75 in room 350
Advertise with us! Just $50 per issue
Contact berans@parkhill.k12.mo.us for more information
Park University 2014-15
CAMPUS VISIT DAYS
Discover and explore all we can offer you at an exciting Park University event or a personal campus experience.
SPRING PIRATE PREVIEWS
Get hooked. Stay hooked. Join us for one of our Spring Pirate Preview events. Juniors starting college in Fall 2016 are invited to one of these special days to help you get a jump start on your college decision. The visit will begin with light refreshments along with an introduction and welcome to our campus. You will then have the opportunity to mingle with our devoted faculty and staff. We have representatives from every department eager to speak with you and help you decide where you fit in as a Park Pirate! Then, an admissions counselor will provide you with a fun and informative presentation about the admission process and the various scholarships Park offers. Following the presentation, you will receive a guided tour of our historical, charming campus from one of our Student Ambassadors. Please join us and take advantage of this opportunity to explore all things Park U! •
MARCH 21, 2015 • APRIL 25, 2015
1-ON-1 WEEKENDS
JUNIOR OVERNIGHT EXPERIENCE
These special weekend dates are for students looking to get details one-on-one with an admissions counselor. RSVP early for these dates as space is limited. • Jan. 17, 2015 • Dec. 13, 2014 • Feb. 21, 2015
PERSONAL CAMPUS EXPERIENCE
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Make any day your visit day. Tour the Parkville Campus, meet faculty, talk with current students and discover historic Parkville.
High school juniors are invited to experience the life of a Pirate during an overnight visit at Park U. During this visit you will spend the night on campus with Park student hosts and experience life on campus “after hours.” The overnight experience begins Friday afternoon and concludes Saturday after our Pirate Preview Day. • Apr. 24, 2015
To RSVP or for more information please contact Admissions: (816) 746-2533 or
parkvilleadmissions@park.edu. You can also visit us on the web at www.park.edu/visit
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