TROJ ROJAN
THE
ISSUE SEVEN
MARCH 2013
THIS MONTH...
CONTENTS
1
The Trojan, published monthly during the regular school year, is the official publication of Park Hill High School, and is printed by Osage Graphics in Olathe, Kansas. All unsigned editorials represent the opinion of The Trojan staff. Editorials do not necessarily represent the opinion of the faculty or administration including the advisor. 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.
CAMILLE’S COLUMN FIFTY SHADES How many of us know people who appear straight but identify as gay, who follow their religions in word but not in deed, whose actions don’t match the expectations set forth by the color of their skin, and who otherwise fail to meet our surface expectations? Personally, I know plenty. Psychology class taught me that stereotyping is an unconscious instinct that no one can control. But this impulse creates a problem. When we group people together based only on a surface characteristic, we develop an assumption that all people possessing that certain characteristic are the same. I learned about stereotyping to pass the AP Psych test. But I didn’t really appreciate its implications until recently, when I heard about Tillet Wright. Wright is an activist who recognized that discrimination is a product of dehumanization; when we are prejudiced, we tend to think of the objects of our prejudice as faceless ideas, rather than people just like us. Being an activist, Wright didn’t sit on this realization. She began a photography campaign called the Self Evident Project, combating discrimination by giving its victims a face. Wright began this project to combat discrimination based on sexuality, and photographed thousands of people who identified as LGBTQ. However, Wright soon realized that by photographing only people who were LGBTQ, she was perpetuating the very idea she had been trying to fight—that people can be grouped neatly into categories. With this in mind, she began asking people an unexpected question at her photo shoots: what percentage gay are you? Wright later gave a speech on this subject. It can be found on YouTube, under the title “Fifty Shades of Gay.” Wright chose this title because a whole lot of people didn’t put themselves at zero or one hundred percent gay; instead, they ranked themselves somewhere in the middle. I found this interesting, because I think it’s an idea that can be applied to everyone. Within every major marker—race, ethnicity, religion, political identification, and sexuality—that we use to define our identities, there are a myriad of different possible ways to be. No single trait is every going to be a reliable signpost for who you are as a person. And I know that from now on, every time I meet someone new, this realization is always going to be in the back of my mind.
TROJAN
THE FEA TURES
3
GUN CONTROL: RELOADED
Many agree that the gun control debate in America is broken, but no one is sure how to fix it. To see the opposing viewpoints on this issue, turn to page three.
ADVISER Sally Beran
7
THE SECRET LIFE OF THE PARK HILL JANITOR
We see janitors in the halls every day, but what do they do when they’re not at work? To learn about the secret lives of these district employees, look on page seven.
DEPARTMENTS 5
10
EPIC FAIL
At Park Hill, failing grades aren’t as uncommon as one might think. Turn to page five to find out more about this issue and how to fix it.
11
Should athletes’ accomplishments be recognized in determining their class schedules? Check out page ten if you’ve ever wondered why there’s a varsity athlete in your Foundations of Fitness class.
14
VOTECH
Kids who attend the Northland Career Center get to miss traditional classes, but it’s no vacation. Look on page 11 to find out more about Votech.
MPH Park Hill High School’s Online News Resource
myparkhill.com
SPORTS AND PE CREDITS
MYPARkHILL.COM Want up-to-the-minute Park Hill news updates? Follow myparkhill.com on Twitter at @my_parkhill.
DESIGN EDITOR Nick Buchberg FEATURE EDITOR Zach Hahn DEPARTMENT EDITOR Mackenzie Thomas
FANDOMS: IT’S A WAY OF LIFE
When groups of devoted fans gather together, a fandom can be born. Turn to page 14 to see how these students take their interests to the next level.
FOLLOW MYPARkHILL.COM ON TWITTER
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Camille Smith
APPRECIATION FOR FILM Second semester is halfway over, but Film Club is just beginning. Look on myparkhill.com to find out what this new club is up to.
MARCH
2013
PHOTO EDITOR Kaylin Lake BUSINESS MANAGER Brett Stone REPORTERS Jake Bjornlie Beth Cooper Chloe Lane Jesus Reyes Rylee Stoulil Claire Yost WEBMASTER Molly Weis WEB EDITOR Shannon Barry MYPARKHILL.COM Zoë Butler Sadie Derry JT Fopeano
FEATURE
3
THE DEBATE OVER
GUN CONTROL:
RELOADED
“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” By: Nick Buchberg
Following the horrific string of shootings America suffered in 2012, the United States has become engulfed in a renewed debate over gun rights. The Second Amendment to the Constitution states that American citizens have the right to “keep and bear arms.” However, the interpretation of the Second Amendment has been up for debate since its ratification by the 13 states in 1789. The Second Amendment was ratified in a different time period, where guns took up to three minutes to reload; much different from today’s high power rifles, capable of shooting sixty rounds in a very short period of time. According to AP Government teacher Damon Smith, the Second Amendment is still relevant today. But Smith agrees that comprehensive background checks before the purchase of a gun are completely constitutional. Both American political parties have taken strong stances on gun control. Democrats argue that guns cause violence because of their destructive nature, and intended use of killing. For Communication Arts teacher Christopher Jacquin, who is in favor of increased gun regulation, this issue hits close to home. Jacquin used to teach in the district where the Aurora movie theater shooting happened. “As a person who has grown up in Colorado, I’ve witnessed atrocious tragedies that included the use of guns. I’m just not a big fan,” said Jacquin. “Columbine hits close to home. The movie shootings in Aurora, the district I used to teach in before I moved here; that sort of violence just really hits close to home.” In contrast to Democrats’ view, the right-winged Republican Party endorses policies that don’t restrict what they view as gun owners’ Second Amendment rights. This includes the right to own high-capacity rifles, such as the ones used in the Sandy Hook Elementary School and Aurora movie theater shootings. Junior James Schold is an avid hunter and gun enthusiast. Schold has been hunting game since he was very young. He rejects the idea that guns cause violence.
Bullet Points In Lawrence, Massachusetts, a dog fired a sheriff’s gun into a snowbank following a search. West Plains Fairview School District in central Missouri got permission to conceal and carry for teachers. A 2005 nationwide Gallup poll of 1,012 adults found that the majority of gun owners were Republican, white males. In 1982, the city of Chicago tried to institute a ban on handguns within city limits, but failed to enforce the law well.
“Just because I like to collect guns doesn’t mean I’m going to go out and commit a mass shooting. I think that in a well-armed society, guns act as a force equalizer...when a society is strongly-armed, opposing forces don’t want to attack,” said Schold. Schold argues that guns do in fact have peaceful uses, one of which includes collecting antique and modern firearms, and displaying them in the home for decorative purposes. However, regardless of the use one choses to put them to, guns are still guns. Unlike other collectable objects, they are machines intended to kill. This is the reason many Democrats are worried about gun enthusiasts collecting so many guns. Gun owners are 4.5 times more likely to be shot in an assault compared to non- owners. Legally, there is no limit on how many guns a person can own. Senior Bailie O’Connell was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago is notorious for gun-related violence. In 2012, 509 people were murdered within the city limits, and this year has averaged two or more murders a day. Chicago tried to ban handguns from the city limits in 1982, and failed miserably at enforcing the policy. O’Connell doesn’t like guns because she feels that they have no peaceful uses. “I am in favor of gun control because there is just too much risk involved with guns. A person’s life, especially an innocent citizen’s, is more important than the right to own and carry firearms. Personally, it really scares me to know a person has access to a weapon that can take another person’s life so easily. Most people will be responsible about guns, but a few won’t be, it’s inevitable,” O’Connell said. “The problem with the gun control debate in America is the people. People feel entitled to these deadly weapons, and they shouldn’t. You don’t need a gun to live a full, happy life, or to be a human. It isn’t a basic right, like freedom or religion or speech is. When the Second Amendment was enacted, they didn’t have the capacity to kill multiple people in the span of a minute.”
5
MA KING THE GRA DE
CAMPUS
despite park hill’s high ranking, students struggle
By: Jesus Reyes
PHHS is ranked seventh out of the top ten schools in the state of Missouri The AP participation rate at PHHS is 57 percent PHHS is ranked number 742 in the nation
Failing a class is always a risk for high school students. However, they may not know how common it is. “If you have class of around 30, probably around five students would not make it through it,” math teacher Alyson Jones said. Math classes are not the only classes that are failed at PHHS. The list of which classes are failed the most is unknown. “We haven’t really collected any data on which classes are failed the most, so I couldn’t really tell you for sure what classes are failed the most,” assistant principal Deborah Miller said. Counselor Amanda Olvera deals with struggling students every day, and she has her own perspective on this issue. “Core classes probably have the highest number of failures, because when a student enrolls in an elective class it’s usually of their choosing and they become more invested in that class,” said Olvera. “I think the most common misconception about kids who fail is that they’re lazy, they just don’t care. And I think that’s absolutely false. I think a skill deficit is probably the biggest problem. When I’m thinking of my ten most at risk kids for not graduating high school here, they have a skill deficit, a serious skill deficit. If they could do it, they would do it.” For students who are struggling, failure doesn’t have to be the outcome. When students start failing a class, the teacher assigns them to WSB (Wednesday Support
Block). The student can also ask for a tutor to help them in the subject they are failing and work with them during homeroom. “The first thing that happens if the students start failing a class is they should be signed in to the Wednesday morning support block. The other thing we have is the morning and afternoon SNAP (Students Need Additional Practice) if students need additional practice. We also have SNAP an Saturday in the library and there’s a teacher there in the library to help,” said Miller. Failing a class will hurt a students GPA. Students that want to get into a their college of choice need to maintain a high GPA. “Definitely an F will lower your GPA and a lot of colleges, especially more selective colleges, would look at students that are in the top ten percent or the top fifteen percent of their class for addition, so if you have an F it’ll knock you down in your class rank,” said Miller. PHHS is ranked seven in the top ten schools in Missouri in Algebra I proficiency. The school has a 3.0 out of a 4.0, and English II Proficiency is a 3.2. With this in mind, why is failure still such a risk? “Attendance has a lot to do with it, missing assignments has a lot to do with it, not making up quizzes or not studying for quizzes and not asking for additional help are the four main factors of students failing,” counselor Shari King said. Students in Alyson Jones’s Acc. Trigonometry class and Jessica Malone’s Language Arts class feel the pressures of making the grade. Teachers in all disciplines work to give the skill sets needed for their course.
THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY By: Claire Yost
Whether it be positive or negative experiences, teachers see something different every day. They see their students five out of seven days of the week, and over years of experience many have had some memorable interactions with the students they teach. From the embarrassing, to the sad, to the uplifting, check out some of these teachers’ favorite memories.
Tiffany Thomas- Speech
“There really are so many great memories, it’s just so fun and that’s why I’ve been teaching for so long. It’s a lot of fun on a daily basis. I have memories of every year with the pictures that I put up on my wall.”
Kristi DeRose- Calculus
“I had a student a couple years ago that just attacked me on a personal level. I had a personal issue and had to miss school for a week, and when I came back this kid asked me very inappropriate and personal questions that I feel shouldn’t have been said in front of a lot of people. He was just a rude kid.”
“My lowest moment was a few years ago when I had the worst class ever. It was towards the end of a period where I had a lot of tough classes, and this was the toughest one. I didn’t think I could manage them really well, because they would throw things at the ceiling or each other, fight and hurt others, I had felt that this was a really discouraging time for me.”
“It was my first year teaching in Washington D.C. I had some gang leaders in there and also some MS13 members in it which makes it sound awful but it wasn’t. I was cussed at and flipped off, but when facebook was invented those kids actually found me and sent me the nicest messages saying how I changed their lives. And I’m actually still in contact. with some.”
“The class I had my first year teaching was also part of my worst memories too, because I would cry over the situations and things that these kids went through. I had students coming to me and telling me really sad, personal stories. So hearing those are my worst memories.”
Chad Fette- English
“My best experiences as a teacher are always the letters or visits that former students make saying that all the things I have taught them have really helped them with their lives.”
Calla Racela- Spanish
“My worst moment was when two girls got in a fight during class, and then this boy yelled at me for “not doing anything about it.” It really upset me, and I cried after he left the class.”
“My best moment is when my classes organized fashion shows and we went and performed them in the auditorium just for ourselves. It was a great memory, because we did something fun and active with each other.”
FEATURE
7
WHAT DO THEY DO WHEN THEY’RE NOT IN UNIFORM? By: Brett Stone
Cleaning up puke, sweeping floors, and scrubbing bathrooms aren’t anything Park Hill students and staff have to worry about thanks to the Janitors who work here. But janitors stay in the background. What are the people actually like and what do they do? What many students don’t know about PH custodian Val Lawrence, who works the 3 pm to 11 pm shift, is that she’s a crime fighter for puppies. “Personally, I’m very involved in dog rescue. I’m a huge advocate against puppy mills. I’ve travelled to different states to rescue puppy mill dogs. I have four, which is my sitting limit. I rehabilitate them and foster them, but I’m known as what’s called a ‘foster failure’ because I get them in good shape I’m in love with them, and that’s why I have four,” said Lawrence. Lawrence, who is a woman with many skills, is a trained cook. She has cooked for other school districts. Lawrence decided to make the switch to custodial duty because it’s more money and custodians work year round. Lawrence is also a parent of a Park Hill alumnus. “My daughter was a student here in the special ed. department. I think the world of all the special education teachers. She had the best time of her life in school being here,” said Lawrence. Lawrence lives in Gladstone with her husband, four puppies, a Harley, and a 2010 Mustang. Lawrence is originally from San Francisco. From a place not quite as exotic (Cameron, MO) comes Steve Davidson. He works the day shift, which is the same time the students are here. Davidson has kids that go to Park Hill. “I get here at quarter ‘til 6 am and unlock doors and turn on lights. I’m usually done with that at 6:15 and then check the itinerary to see what needs to be done. Throughout the day I walk around the halls and clean bathrooms or sweep the floors,” said Davidson. Overall, Davidson has learned quite a lot about his profession at his time at Park Hill. “I’ve learned more about professionalism and how to handle things,” said Davidson. Janitor Greg Willis’ domain at Park Hill is relatively large. He has to clean all the classrooms in the freshmen hallway, back staircase, band room and hallway, and the choir room. However, for a third degree black belt, it’s not a problem. “I am a third degree black belt in taekwondo but I’m not necessarily practicing anymore. When I was younger I had a major temper, so I wanted something in martial arts to teach me self-control, discipline, and all that kind of stuff. Finally, I starting taking taekwondo and my teacher got my head on straight for six months before he taught me anything. Once I started learning I learned quick,” said Willis. Willis, from inner city Kansas City, was involved in taekwondo for 21 years. However, he wasn’t fond of the competition aspect of the sport, though. For the past seven years, Willis has been cleaning up after students. He initially came to Park Hill for the money, but he’s fallen in love with his job. “I love kids, and I always have. This keeps me young. This is the first job I’ve ever had that I actually, totally enjoy doing,” said Willis. Janitor Val Lawrence wipes down the computer lab.
“
I get here at quarter ‘til 6 am and unlock doors and turn on lights. I’m usually done with that at 6:15 and then check the itinerary to see what needs to be done. Throughout the day I walk around the halls and clean bathrooms or sweep the floors.
Janitor Greg Willis sweeps after school.
”
-Steve Davidson
9
Sophomore Madeline Mudd
AFTER SCHOOL ATHLETES By: Kaylin Lake
For everyone who is involved in school activities, typically tends to get recognition from other peers or teachers. However when you are involved in things outside of school the recognition tends to descend.
Sophomore Madeline Mudd
SPORTS
Ice skating is one sport that tends to get a lot more attention in Colorado, and colder places, than in good old Kansas City. Mudd started ice skating about four years ago when her friend took her to an open rink to skate, and since then she has been hooked on the ice. “I practice three to four times a week before school at six in the morning,” said Mudd. Mudd also has to give up a lot of time for ice skating. Between practicing before and after school, she gives up a lot of the freedom that most teenagers have. “I miss school a lot in the winter, because that’s when we travel [for competitions] the most,” said Mudd. Mudd also competes in solo skating, ice dancing and synchronized skating.
Senior Elizabeth Peoples
Ballet is not only considered to be one of the most physically demanding sports--it also takes a lot of time. Peoples dances for Ballet North Company, and focuses on Classical Ballet. “A lot of people know I dance, but don’t know how much commitment and how hard it actually is,” said Peoples. Peoples practices twenty hours a week. She has had to give up other sports she once played, along with giving up her weekends for the past six years, so she could commit to dance. “The hardest thing about dance is making your body do things it’s not supposed to,” said Peoples. Dance has given Peoples the ability to express herself in a different way. After high school she plans to help teach it while attending college.
Senior Elizabeth Peoples
Sophomore Jamie Jones
Lacrosse is a sport that doesn’t get much recognition. It’s a mix between hockey and soccer in a way, and Jones has been playing for the past four years. “I heard about it through friends and since then it’s become popular,” said Jones. He practices four times a week, indoor and outdoor. His lacrosse team plays different competitive teams. With this comes traveling to Chicago, Maryland and even Massachusetts. “It allows you to meet people from other area and it’s something different to do,” said Jones. Jones currently plays on a team with kids from Park Hill, Park Hill South, Staley, and other area schools. He plans on continuing to play lacrosse in college. Sophomore Jamie Jones
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I know I work way harder in my sports than anything I do in Foundations of Fitness. I played three varsity sports my sophomore year. That’s a full year of working out, and they said it doesn’t really matter.
”
SPORTS: -Senior Maddie Hemphill
Should they count for PE credits? By: Camille Smith Over her four years at PHHS, senior Maddie Hemphill has participated in three varsity sports. Strenuous exercise has been a daily after school activity for her entire high school career; but this wasn’t enough to excuse the school district’s requirement that all students graduate with a PE class credit. Thus, anyone seeking to find Hemphill during third block red days should look no further than Coach Garner’s Foundations of Fitness class. “I think it’s pretty ridiculous. I know I work way harder in my sports than anything I do in Foundations of Fitness. I played three varsity sports my sophomore year. That’s a full year of working out, and they said it doesn’t really matter,” said Hemphill, whose attempt to get her PE credit waived was unsuccessful. “I had two open credits my senior year. In one of them I had to take PE, but I would have taken Calc AB and BC instead. It just made things difficult because I want to go into premed, so I wish I could have taken Calc in high school. But I just didn’t have room.” Jake Lohmeyer is a junior at St. Pius High School in Kansas City, and his school does things differently. At St. Pius, one PE credit is still required to graduate—but the credit doesn’t necessarily have to be earned in school. “You can play one sport for four years and not have to take a PE class. This also applies to the dance team and cheer leaders. Each sport you play counts as one fourth of a PE credit. So for example, if you do two sports then you can also have it done in two years,” said Lohmeyer. “I played football and golf for two years. I believe it is a good policy because it allows us to have the chance to take another class instead of having to take the PE class.” According to the Missouri Department for Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the state requires high school students to earn at least one PE credit in order to graduate. According to St. Pius administrators, their PE credit fulfillment is a fairly complicated process because they choose to offer their students other alternatives to fulfill the credit requirement. But despite the protests of Park Hill athletes such as Hemphill, PH Athletics Director Bill Sobbe is fully supportive of the district’s current policy on physical education. “The problem with our youth today is they’re not physically active enough. If I was the guru of education across the USA I would make sure they had PE every day, every year, from the time they went to preschool to the time they graduated,” said Sobbe. “There’s all kinds of opportunities to meet your PE requirement. Being in class during the school year is one way to do it, and being in summer school is one way to do it. Most of our athletes—our real athletes, who aren’t just hanging out—they’re usually in weight training anyway, because they’re trying to get better during the school year.”
Students in Coach Jack Taylor’s first block Foundations of Fitness class play a game of basketball. This class is primarily composed of freshmen and sophomores, but it is required even for four-year varsity athletes.
COMMUNITY
11
PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE Students Learn Useful Trades at the Northland Career Center By: Jake Bjornlie
When they go to school, most students sit in classes, take notes, listen to teachers and do homework. For some, this formula works really well. But others are looking for a more hands on approach to learning. They want to work in an environment that is closer to their desired career choice. This is where the Northland Career Center steps in. The Northland Career Center (also known as votech) is like a school away from school. The students who go to the NCC come to school, and then leave for the NCC campus in Platte City at 7:30. They are there for the first two blocks and then return to PHHS for third and fourth block. Some students in the advanced culinary arts program students leave third block for the lunch shift. The NCC currently has nine programs its students can enroll in: Building Trades, IT Professionals, Culinary Arts, Diesel Technology, Early Childhood Careers, Health Sciences, Heating/Ventilation/ Air Conditioning, Industrial Welding, and CSI/Law Enforcement. In these programs, students work with and learn from people who know or have worked in the career path of their choice. Counselor Amanda Olvera really loves the program. “[The Northland Career Center] keeps the kid that may drop out, the kid that doesn’t fit the traditional school formula well, interested in school,” said Olvera. After graduating, the students in the NCC can choose to work right after high school, or they can go to college. “Even if a kid does go to a four year college, it gives them job experience,” said Olvera. There are many good things about going to the Northland Career Center such as the career readiness component and a more authentic experience of the workplace, but there are some drawbacks, including missing homeroom.
“It limits opportunities at Park Hill. You can’t take all the classes that you want to take,” said Olvera. Since NCC students have to cut out two blocks in their schedule they sometimes don’t have enough room to do all the classes they want, in addition to the required ones. Junior Vanessa Jenkins is a part of the CSI (crime scene investigation) and law enforcement program. In this program, for the first year on the CSI side, the students learn how to work crime scenes, package evidence, fingerprint people and classify their prints. On the law enforcement side students learn how to read body language and how to correctly do stop searches and pat downs, as well as the procedure to arrest people, and they also practice car stops. “I want to be an attorney when I’m older so I know this class prepares me. The law enforcement side benefits me, because we learn the government system and definitely more communication and speaking skills,” said Jenkins. All the programs have great opportunities. According to Jenkins, this year the students in the CSI/Law Enforcement program have “met members of the Kansas City S.W.A.T. team, Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Kansas City CSI team.” Not only does it offer great opportunities, but the “votechers” enjoy the teachers too. “My instructor, Officer Bruns, never lets our class get boring. He’s the ideal instructor,” said Jenkins. To get into the Northland Career Center one must sign up for a shadow day with their counselor. A shadow day is where the student actually goes to the NCC one morning and participates in the program of their choice. From there they apply to get in and if accepted, can attend their junior and senior years. Photos donated by junior Chishae’ Anderson.
NCC Programs Building trades IT professionals Culinary arts Diesel technology Early childhood careers Health sciences Heating Ventilation Air conditioning Industrial welding Law enforcement/CSI
61% of the students at NCC pursue postsecondary education
BEFORE I DIE... By: Rylee Stoulil
Many students have a bucket list: a list of things they want to do before they die. Some of the items are big, and some of the items are small, but they all have meaning. A few PHHS students already know what it feels like to cross something off of theirs.
Junior Kensey Slone
A mission trip is something that can be found on a lot of bucket lists. For junior Kensey Slone, crossing this item off of hers turned out to be a life changing experience. “It was on my bucket list to go on a mission trip and go to a foreign country so I guess I kind of knocked out both at the same time by going to El Salvador,” said Slone. El Salvador is a third world country, which makes it the destination for a lot of mission trips. For Slone, the experience was as beneficial for her as it was for the citizens that she helped. “It was definitely eye-opening, to be able to see how these people live off of not very much money, and how close their family relationships are
Sophomore Katie Reichert
Another common bucket list item is to meet a famous person. Sophomore Katie Reichert was able to cross that off hers the day after Christmas 2012 at Chick-fil-A in Liberty, MO. “I met Rick Malambri, the guy from “Step Up 3” that played Luke,” said Reichert. A common stereotype is that all celebrities are rude and entitled, but according to Reichert, Malambri didn’t fit that mold. “He was really nice. He told us Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and he was just really cool,” said Reichert. “We actually didn’t know if it was him at first. We thought it was just a guy who looked like him. So we just stared at him from a distance, and then we started
is very different from the United States. It definitely makes you appreciate what you have. For me, it made me see that when you have so much stuff in your life, you don’t always pay attention to the people that you come in contact with as much. I guess it helped me value relationships more too,” said Slone. Not only did Slone bring back a new view on relationships with her, but also memories that will last a life time. “My favorite memory was probably the street witnessing because that’s when we actually got to talk to the individual people, and we did use a translator, but it was the most personal part of the trip,” said Slone.
looking up pictures of him. There were a bunch of pictures of him and his wife, and she looked like the lady sitting across from him. So we just thought it was too weird not to be them.” Approaching a celebrity is something most people hope to do sometime in their life. For Reichert and her friends, it was extra special because they never expected to meet someone famous in Liberty. It was an experience that most people put on their bucket lists because it can be an exhilarating encounter. “I wanted to meet a famous person because it’s really exciting to see someone that you saw in a movie, and then you get to see them in real life,” said Reichert.
Junior Anthony Wussow It’s no secret that PHHS’s wrestling team won State in February, but for junior Anthony Wussow, it was also a chance to cross something off his bucket list. “It just felt really exciting. I was really happy. I was surprised that I got to make it to State, but I’m not surprised that our team won. I was just happy that I was able to be there and enjoy winning State,” said Wussow. For all the wrestlers, winning State is a big accomplishment, and something that should not be taken lightly. This bucket list experience has helped the team grow closer together. For Wussow, this win helped
him prove to himself and his team that he could do something that no one expected him to do. “It was important because I’ve been a part of the junior varsity squad all year, and I have only wrestled one varsity match, which was districts, and it proved that I could do something and beat people who were expected to beat me and be better than me. It was just important to me because it meant a lot to do something that other people didn’t think I could,” said Wussow.
Junior Anthony Wussow poses with the rest of the PHHS wrestling team after winning state.
Sophomore Katie Reichert, Freshman Kennedi Dorrell, and junior Regina Bolin were able to meet actor Rick Malambri.
Junior Kensey Slone poses with a local on her mission trip to El Salvador.
LIFE
13
Where In The World Was... By: Chloe Lane For senior Brett Stone, his spring break was a dream come true when he was jetted off to London, England after his mom won a Starz and AT&T Uverse sweepstakes. “The sweepstakes was a James Bond promotional, so we did a lot James Bond stuff. On the last day of the trip, we were taken to this really nice restaurant and we were escorted by an Aston Martin, which is James Bond’s car. We got a private tour of London where we saw Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and St. Paul Cathedral. We also took a boat ride down the Thames. We also took a ride on the well-known London Eye. Along with that, the company that gave us this trip gave us an additional one thousand pounds of spending money,” said Stone. To add on top of that, Stone and his mother got the opportunity to see a live production of the famous Broadway musical “Les Miserables” on March 13 in London’s West End.
California: Senior Erik Stratman ventured to LA, San Diego, and Santa Monitca in California with his parents.. “The weather was stupendous!” said Stratman.
A well-known fact about Stone is his love for Harry Potter. He has been known to spend ample amount of money on memorabilia from the books and movie. “I really, really, really like Harry Potter a lot and luckily my hotel was very close to King’s Cross station, which is the train station where Harry leaves for Hogwarts, home of the famous Platform nine and three quarters,” said Stone. A memento which was close to Stone’s heart is called a Time Turner, which was used by characters in the Harry Potter books to go back in time. During a mad dash to the Queen’s Theater on Shaftesbury Avenue to watch “Les Miserables,” Stone’s beloved necklace flew off in the rush. In a turn of events, a stagehand felt bad about the missing token and gave Stone and his mother a tour of the stage after the production.
Cancun: Junior Lexi Gaston and her family traveled here over their spring break. “My family is really close, so it was awesome getting to spend all that time together in such a beautiful place,” said Gaston.
London: Senior Brett Stonet traveled to London. “Even though London isn’t exactly tropical, I never went in the first place for the weather. I went for the history. London has amazing history and to be around it for five days was splendid,” said Stone.
Doctor Who The Walking Dead My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic The X-Factor Harr Potter Pokemon Avatar: The Last Airbender Firefly Star Wars Sherlock Holmes Lord of the Ring Star Trek The Big Bang Theory Breaking Bad Family guy Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles CSI Twilight The Lion king Halo Spiderman Lizzy Bennet Diaries Mean girls Resident Evi Legend of Zelda Batman The Hunger games Adventure Time X-Men Stargate Superma The Simpsons Scooby-Doo The Little Mermai The Nightmare Before Christmas The Avenger Scandal Seinfeld The Fresh Prince of Bel-air Skyrim Call of Duty game of Thrones Mari
FANDOMS:
IT’S A WA Y OF LIFE
By: Zach Hahn “Every child in our world will know his name.” This is a fragment of a sentence spoken about infant Harry Potter by fictional character Minerva McGonagall in J.K. Rowling’s novel “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” In an interview, Rowling was questioned about this sentence and her answer, as simple as it was, expressed a degree of realization that had yet to be recognized. “I would have been crazy to think that literally would become true,” answered Rowling. Once in a few million stories, one rises above all the rest; a story that stays with us forever. These stories are more than an hour’s worth of entertainment or something to get lost in on a rainy Tuesday. They not only become cherished stories but a way of life, a vessel of morals and lessons to their fans. It’s these stories that create fans and brings them together in a unified community, where love for the story is shown through fan fiction writings, artwork, and dressing up as favorite characters (cosplay). These stories give birth to fandoms. “When you have a particular interest level and you get immersed in a particular show, movie, or character, there are fan themes that you read about, websites you can visit, and they allow people of a particular interest to connect with each other,” sociology teacher Paul Bellman said. A fandom is technically defined as “a term for a subculture composed of fans characterized by feelings of sympathy and company with others who share a common interest.” However, for some, a fandom is a way of life that changes with the story.
Pokémon
Started in 1996 by the Japanese gaming company Nintendo, Pokémon was created by Satoshi Tajiri as “Pocket Monsters Red and Green” but the name was changed in 1998 with the release of “Pokémon Red and Blue.” The story behind the franchise is about a young man named Ash Ketchum who travels around the world with his friends trying to find new Pokémon. “A 10 year old boy sets out on a quest to become a poke master. He
meets many friends along the way like Misty and Brock. Basically, it’s about his journey to be a master,” sophomore Erica Mast said. For Mast, Pokémon has always been a lighthearted form of fun and humor, something that she easily attached to. Incorporating her fandom into her everyday life through jokes and conversation, Mast also contributes to her fandom through her artwork. “Pokémon has been a childhood thing. I’ve grown up around it. My older siblings were into it so that helped me get into it. It’s just something relaxing, something enjoyable I take part in,” said Mast.
One Piece
Originating in Japan as a manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda, “One Piece” first came into the public eye on December 24, 1997. Since its debut, the series has landed its own anime TV series, films, and novels and has gained a wide following. The story follows a young man named Luffy who strives to be the Pirate King. “In two words, ‘One Piece’ is crazy pirates. Basically there are these things called devil fruits that give powers. The main character (Luffy) ate the gum-gum fruit which gave him the power of rubber. He wants to become king of the pirates so he goes around gathering crew members for his pirate crew,” sophomore Gavin Cruse said. For the past six years, Cruse has actively watched “One Piece” and read the book series. Recently, he even attended an anime convention in Overland Park called Naka-Kon dressed as the 17 year old protagonist, Luffy. “He’s my favorite character out of anything. He’s really hilarious, very strong, and always stands by his morals: protecting his friends at all costs. This show has taught me to care for others and stick up for myself and my friends, no matter what,” said Cruse. Check out myparkhill.com for some of the staff’s fandoms.
Fandom Fanatics
Bronies “It’s a large fandom with people making music, art, games, etc. There are lots of people in my fandom, even famous ones.” - Sophomore Sam Vallejo
Cruse poses with a fellow convention goer at Naka-Kon in Overland Park
on April 16. He was dressed as Luffy from “One Piece.”
One of Mast’s drawings of Pokémon. Featured is a suave Charmander.
Breaking Bad “I have a whole bunch of Breaking Bad T-shirts and I’ve got the four seasons.” - Junior Trevor Stark
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