Park Hill Trojan Issue 1 September 2014

TROJAN the

Park Hill High School Kansas City, MO September 2014 Issue 1

Depression After the tragic loss of comic legend Robin Williams, there has been a new look into the depression epidemic.

ALS:

The Ice Bucket Challenge An in depth look at the disease behind the popular trend.

Cheer Up Students prepare for the PH v. PHS game with a rising tide in spirit.

TROJAN

4 Counting Calories New food regulations come to Park Hill High School.

6 8

12 14

Copy Editor:

16

1

World Cup gains popularity for soccer.

PLACES IN KC Humans of PHHS Indepth look at a human making a difference.

Reporters:

CONTENTS

New Fans

Exploring the 816.

Amanda Battmer

2

Crisis in the Middle East hits home.

Robin Williams’ death.

Matt Eblen

Jerron Archer Delaney Noland Andrea Tenney Keeley Myska Hattie Saltzman Pierce Klempnhouser

ISIS Depression

Editor-in-Chief:

Ally Buchberg

A look at the disease behind the new fad.

10 A new look at the disorder after

the14-15 STAFF

Photo + Design Editor:

ALS

ABOUT THE COVER

Photo by Abi Tripp From the Park Hill vs, Belton football game at Preston Field. The Trojans pulled out a win 43-13.

The Trojans are currently undefeated. Teammates traditionally kneel when another player from either team has been injured.

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.

ABOUT THE BACK COVER

Picture by Amanda Battmer Senior Ali Stott is a varsity member of PHHS softball team. Taken during the varsity conference game September 12th, against Liberty. Park Hill High School softball came away with the victory.

1- Photo By Sierrah Gaines , 2- Photo By Patrica Fadri , 3- Photo by Gabrielle Welsh, 4- Photo by Derek Reynolds, 5- Photo By Carly Hostetter , 6- Photo By Bre Reno

LETTER FROM

THE EAR READERS EDITOR

D

We Are Park Hill, but some of us are more Park Hill than others. The likelihood of seeing bleachers full of people at swim meet are almost negligible. Any fringe interests can easily expect to be trampled in the rush for PHHS to become as main stream as possible. Students are becoming increasingly apathetic to any activity that doesn’t air in primetime, and the administration seems to willingly facilitate this attitude. It seems that the only way to get a large crowd to go to a volleyball game is to lockdown the school.

You know the chant. You can hear it ringing out at every assembly since its inception last year. A banner year in which two PHHS sponsored activities received state titles: Wrestling and Winter Guard. Wrestling received the closing spot in the newly revived spring sports assembly in which the lights were turned off, spotlights were shone on the team’s members and the student body was instructed to sway as the Queen song ‘We are the Champions’ roared in the background. The spring sports assembly was mandatory. Winter Guard received a poorly promoted homeroom assembly that you would now need a pass from the coach to attend.

These under-appreciated sports and clubs should be shown some of the respect that they deserve, and wrestling’s praise, despite its string of excellence in the past decade, shouldn’t come at others expense. Despite what some might believe: effort doesn’t diminish depending on what that effort goes toward. Some clubs have been struggling to meet new standards, and others have been stripped of rights that were previously given to them. If PHHS is truly a mosaic some pieces are by far larger than others.

The school has a whole decided on a policy of selective spirit. We’ve decided that football is important, yet softball isn’t. We can fill five sets of bleachers on a Friday night, but four rows at a softball game is much more of a challenge. There has been a recent revival of some general school spirit, but it is has yet to spread to any activity that doesn’t already receive a large amount of support. We need to find a connecting factor. And it should be more than just rolling into the football game on Friday to stand behind the bleachers. Show some school spirit. Watch something new, support something different: it’s the only way to keep this school as diverse as it used to be.

MATT EBLEN

4

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Myska by : Kelley

Counting Calories

Local and National drawbacks on unhealthy snacks by: Delaney Noland

Every new school year brings change. New teachers and locker combinations are minor adjustments that all students grow accustomed to. However, one major change that was made this year has left several Park Hill students with grumbling opinions.

Over the past few years, school cafeterias nationwide have been required to make adjustments to their menus. This fall’s new school food regulations could arguably be the biggest change yet.

All school vending machines and snack bars across the country have experienced a “nutritional makeover” due to new federal guidelines.

“We don’t have the same variety that we had. We try to make everybody a little healthier,” said Park Hill’s very own cafeteria manager, Shawna Powell.

Four years ago, Michelle Obama imposed the Healthy HungerFree Kids Act of 2010, which was aimed at curbing childhood obesity. This required more fruit, vegetables, and whole grains in school meals, along with less sodium, sugar and fat. Because of the federal school meal guidelines, the schools added more fruits and vegetables but were forced to shrink other portion sizes to limit grains, proteins, and calories. Several bumps along the way caused the adjustments to be difficult, but the regulations are now stable in most school districts across the country.

Now the government is moving on to what it calls “competitive foods.” Paying the same price for smaller meal portions has caused parents to complain and students to bring their lunches from home, or buy from the school vending machines. The School Nutrition Association fully supports the intentions of Obama’s healthy eating campaign, but is unhappy with how many districts are losing money. New federal rules that have taken place for the 2014-2015 school year now require school vending machines, snack shacks, and “a la carte” lunch menus to provide healthier foods. Also, students now only have access to the vending

machines during certain hours of the school day, in order to encourage students to buy a well-balanced school meal. At Park Hill, the vending machines are shut off during all lunch shifts.

“I feel like they shouldn’t (regulate what we eat) but I see where they are coming from. This is going to encourage more people to bring stuff from home and start eating probably worse than what is being provided here at school,” said senior Austin Rider.

Rider has also taken the liberty of stalking his locker with snacks.

“I’ve stalked up my entire locker with foods that I enjoy and other people enjoy because I took it upon myself to help other people out. I know that these foods would be taken from us in the cafeteria, because it already has,” said Rider.

Sophomore Dakota McDowell said that she has found these new guidelines necessary for kids’ healthy eating habits.

“Obesity rates are high in the US and the only way to really lower them for the future is to teach kids how to be healthier and what the smarter choice is at a young age,” said McDowell.

The Park Hill Cafeteria Staff has overall found the snack bar adjustments to be a positive change for the campus.

“We’ve gotten positive feedback because the price of the cookies are now only 30 cents instead of 80 cents but they are smaller. We’ve gotten positive on the price but negative on the size,” said Powell.

The message that the government and school districts are trying to convey is that eating healthier is important and essential for children, teens, and adults. These cafeteria regulations have been placed with the intentions of creating a healthier school environment that influences healthy habits on young adults, and eventually into the entire country.

6 Feature

by Jerron Archer

ICE BUCKET

CHALLENGE Dr. Brad Kincheloe and Dr. Keith Curingtion accept the Ice Bucket Challenge at the Fall Sports Assembly.

The new Park Hill teachers and the Park Hill orchestra were challenged afterwards.

While some people are dumping buckets of ice on their heads simply because of the challenge, Senior Lauren Handley completed the ice bucket challenge in honor of her uncle. Her uncle was diagnosed with ALS two and a half years ago, and she has had mixed emotions about the ice bucket challenge.

“At first it was kind of weird for me. A year ago, no one even knew what ALS was. I was almost offended at first, that everyone was doing this and not even caring about it. But the more it’s gone on, the more money it’s raised, the more grateful I am for it. I thought it would take years to get to this point of awareness. I think it’s really cool that a lot of people are learning more about it, and it’s incredible that all this money has been raised for research” said Handley.

Handley is impressed with all the awareness people are bringing, especially since she has first-hand experience with the disease.

“It’s been hard, because my uncle is really constant in my life, so he is really like my second dad. With him having ALS, it’s like losing a second dad. It’s really hard seeing someone that you love basically die right before you, watching them slowly lose everything.”

Handley is not the only one at Park Hill enthusiastic about the ice bucket challenge. The challenge has spread across our school, not only with individual students doing it themselves, but with sports teams, clubs, and even administration.

New faces complete the challenge every day; from celebrities like LeBron James, Charlie Sheen, and even former president George W. Bush.

“I think it’s great because it brings a lot of awareness for the disease. At first I didn’t know what it was, and when I saw the ice bucket challenge, I started to research about ALS. I saw how much the ice bucket challenge means to people and families affected by ALS, and it really opened my eyes to how serious the disease is,” said senior Christian Bosmediano.

The ice bucket challenge is not only raising awareness, but tons of donations. At this time in 2013, the ALS foundation reported total donations of $2.5 million. As of September 2, 2014, the ALS foundation has reported an astonishing $106 million in donations.

What many people don’t know, is where and how the ice bucket challenge got started. Former Boston College baseball player and communications major, Pete Frates was playing baseball regularly, but he knew something was wrong with

his body. He was experiencing symptoms of ALS, but he didn’t know it until he was diagnosed in March of 2012.

Frates is now paralyzed, uses a computer to talk, and a feeding tube to eat. However, this didn’t stop him from his goal. Frates wanted to complete the challenge after a friend introduced him to the idea. He asked his friends to do it for him. After completing the challenge in honor of Frates, they nominated their friends to not only complete the challenge, but to also donate to the ALS foundation.

Since Pete Frates brought the idea of the ice bucket challenge to light, its popularity has grown rapidly.

With all the positivity that the ice bucket challenge is bringing, the challenge is getting its fair share of criticism, too. Some disapprove of the challenge due to the belief that the people only complete the challenge to draw attention to themselves, instead of bringing awareness to the disease.

“Some people do the challenge, but don’t donate, which only brings attention to themselves. If you’re going to do the challenge, the point is to donate,” said Senior Noah Barajas.

However, the biggest controversy to the ice bucket challenge surprisingly has nothing to do with the challenge itself, but with the ALS foundation. People are refusing to complete the ice bucket challenge, and even protesting because of the research methods the ALS foundation uses. The ALS foundation funds studies that involves embryonic stem cell research, which involves the use of stem cells from extracting them from human embryos. The ethical and moral motives of this research cause debate mainly within pro-life activists, arguing that destroying life in order to sustain it is not ethical in any sense.

While there are people that are upset with the idea of the challenge, Handley hopes that research can help continue to fight for people like her uncle. Handley said she has grown and learned a lot from her uncle since his diagnosis. According to Handley, a lot of people with ALS get extremely frustrated, because their mind is still fully functioning, but their body is not. Some people even take their lives because of the frustration. However, Handley’s uncle inspires her in the midst of his struggles.

“He’s never complained about it once. He never victimizes himself, and even though he is so close to being fully paralyzed, he is determined to get on the other side of this,” said Handley.

8 Community

OUTRAGE SPREADS WORLDWIDE FERGUSON By: Andrea Tenney Recently Ferguson, MO., has had a lot of people talking, especially about the police and how they reacted to certain situations.

There have been mixed sides of this story going around and a lot of questions have come into the minds of many individuals who have been following the stories. Was this an act of racism? Was Michael Brown armed when the confrontation with the officer happened? But the biggest question that has made it across multiple social media networks and into multiple news stories has been was Officer Darren Wilson doing his job and defending the law, or did he take it too far?

“The police, their mission is to protect and serve and if they are being brutal, that’s not what we pay them to do. They’re there to protect us, not to harm us,” said current events teacher Kevin Gorman.

Police brutality has been in the news a lot recently. Ever since the whole Ferguson situation, it has opened up the topic of police brutality in the media. It doesn’t just apply to Ferguson though. Recently there have been a lot of different cases that have people questioning whether or not the police are taking their jobs too far. There is an increase of attention on the police departments as the media is showing a more in depth look as to what is really going on.

“The thing the media can do is that they

can take what they want and spin that, however, and it seems like with people, that’s how they view it. However the media portrays it, that’s the side they’re going to take,” said Deputy Brian Hill about the media and the portrayal of police brutality.

We live in a society where we are able to get news quickly. The latest news is always at our fingertips. But with the news coming to us so quickly, details may be lost. A story of this magnitude may need greater details instead of only skimming the surface. Park Hill senior Benoit Gauthier is the perfect example of only knowing what is on the surface.

“I’ve heard that a cop apparently killed a man and that people came and protested it and went crazy. That is what the media has shown me,” said Gauthier.

Media has control of how the world sees a situation. They can twist it however they want and pick the facts that they wish to inform the world. But in certain cases, the media is what keeps society at a grounded level.

“I think that without records of their actions anyone with power will be tempted to take that power a little bit too far so I think that the media keeps them in check for several of their actions and without it, it would be more difficult to get them to admit that they were being a bit excessive.”

Said senior Jacqui Aquirre.

While the Ferguson case has made multiple headlines across the news, another recent topic that seems to be getting a lot of attention is the death of a New York resident due to a police officer.

Eric Garner died due to the compression on his neck and chest due to being put into a chokehold by New York City police officer Daniel Pantaleo.

This, along with Ferguson raises the question; are police taking it too far? Is using this much force on a person taking it past the point of doing their job and more onto the level of being brutal, or are they still doing their job within the limits of the law? In some circumstances, force is used to handle certain situations.

In those circumstances, it is up to the officer handling it to decide how far it should be taken to manage the situation as appropriately as possible.

“In order to keep order in big crowds, sometimes you have to deploy and tear gas and things like that, which don’t have any long lasting effects or anything like that but also it keeps the order and peace in towns,” Hill said. “I’m sure there are cases where it’s gone too far. Like in every profession, I’m sure there’s one or two bad seeds out there no matter what you do; that doesn’t mean every cop or highway patrol officer you come around to is, it’s just given them a bad name.”

ISIS By: Hattie Saltzman Over the past few years, an extremist group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has been terrorizing cities and villages in Iraq and Syria by kidnapping people, displacing families, and even going as far as to brutally murder citizens.

There is almost no telling how many hostages ISIS is currently holding. Reports of upwards of ten people have been circling around in the last six months, but news of new foreigners going missing have also been making headlines.

Images of villagers’ heads on poles have also been credited to the group. The United Nations has reported over a million people have been forced out of Iraq by ISIS militants.

“Since they are an extremist group, I am very worried for the people whose homelands are being taken over,” said senior Mrudula Gandham. “ISIS strips them of their freedoms and forces them to flee.”

ISIS, also known as ISIL, first separated from al Qaeda in February 2013 after al Qaeda said they were too extreme, but the news regarding ISIS had not focused on the group until recently, when the U.S. received direct threats from the group in mid-August. This threat was a video showing an American journalist, James Foley, being beheaded by a man dressed in black.

At the beginning of the clip, a message flashed to the United States saying, “We will drown all of you in blood.”

Near the end, a man can be heard saying that more Americans will be killed unless President Obama removes the troops from Iraq. There have also been reports of the group forcing people to “convert” to Islam at gunpoint and then beheading them.

The U.S.’s main response has been to bomb several cities located in the Middle East. “A group like this has no place in the 21st century,” said Obama before authorizing over a

dozen air strikes in Iraq in early August. While bombs have been dropped on cities in Iraq, the president has resisted from attacking Syria due to the violence there. Obama has also decided not to put troops on foot in Iraq to combat ISIS despite pressure from military figures.

“It seems like Obama has built a good global consensus to reject this type of religious extremism,” said language arts teacher and debate coach Tyler Unsell.

Some students are also worried about further discrimination against the Middle East, as the FBI reported that hate crimes against Muslims rose by nearly 1600% in the year after 9/11.

“I hope people keep in mind that ISIS is a radical group and doesn’t represent all people from the Middle East, and it’s not okay to discriminate because of this.” said senior Kenley Thatcher.

10 Feature

DEPRESSION:

By: Amanda Battmer & Ally Buchberg

a closer look at this serious affliction

On August 11, actor and comedian Robin Williams passed away after committing suicide in his home. To his millions of fans, he was a fun-loving entertainer that brought smiles to people’s faces all over the world. But a deeper look into the devastating loss of one of the world’s favorite celebrities reveals the actor’s hidden struggle with depression.

Williams had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which gradually damages cognitive and behavioral functioning. Depression becomes the leading symptom of the illness.

It is normal to feel down sometimes, and wiping away a few tears while listening to the latest heart-wrenching chart topper doesn’t automatically equal a depression diagnosis. There are many myths surrounding depression, and it is important to understand the difference between having a bad day and suffering from a serious mental disorder.

Senior Olivia Smith has had depression for five years, and doesn’t mind sharing her thoughts about it with others.

“Depression is an overwhelming feeling. It’s not the same as being sad day-to-day. Being depressed is basically like drowning and watching other people being able to breathe perfectly fine,” said Smith.

Smith copes with her depression by taking an antidepressant that blocks certain chemicals in the brain from reaching her serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter responsible for maintaining mood balance.

“I have biochemical depression; it’s an imbalance of chemicals in my brain. Nothing has been traumatic in my life to cause it,” said Smith.

unhappiness by the

NUMBERS...

1 in 10

Americans are reportedly affected by depression.

The number of patients diagnosed with depression increases by

20%

each year.

States with higher rates of depression also have high rates of obesity, sleep disorders, and lack of education.

“In seventh grade, I started getting really sad for no reason, and I had good things going on in my life, but I was still down about stuff. We went to the doctor about it, and then he referred us to a psychiatrist. Then I found out that I really did have depression.”

One of the most important factors in managing mental disorders is seeking help when it is needed.

“I think, first and foremost, the most important advice I can give the person that is listening for a friend, would be to listen. To just be quiet and listen to what they have to say without judgment. Second, for the person with depression, is getting help. And by getting help, I mean from an adult,” said art teacher Kate Padberg.

Padberg was diagnosed with depression when she was in high school, and often helps students deal with their issues, whatever they may be. She said it’s important to recognize the symptoms of depression and know when to ask for help. Persistent feelings of sadness could be an indicator that something is wrong.

“I didn’t understand and I didn’t know that crying everyday and being sad and upset and frustrated every single day is not normal. I just thought that, oh everybody just says that your teenage years are the worst and it’s the hardest time of your life and that’s normal, but it’s not.

And now I know that, and I didn’t know that then,” said Padberg. “You’re not alone, that’s the biggest thing.”

According to psychologytoday.com, there are several major signs of depression. These include difficulty concentrating, fatigue, insomnia, restlessness, irritability, pessimism and many more. “[Signs of depression include] changes in activities like stopping things you like, feeling hopeless, lack of feeling—feeling numb, a lot of fake smiles. [Depression is diagnosed by] a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist. There are 13 major signs and you must show at least 5 for a minimum of 2 weeks,” said psychology teacher Daniel Motta. “Talk to somebody. Get support. Stay involved. Have friends that force you to stay involved.”

Getting help isn’t always easy when feeling depressed.

Students can help each other by keeping an eye out for the symptoms and by speaking up if they think a friend needs help.

“If you believe that you are depressed, you should go to your parents. If your parents ignore it, then you should definitely talk to someone at the school, like a counselor or the nurse or something, because there are people who care,” said Smith. “If your parents don’t help you, and if you’re over sixteen, you can go to the doctor and talk to the doctor by yourself. I recommend that if you can’t get help any other way. If you’re a friend [of someone with depression], then just keep checking up on them. Make sure that they’re getting help, and be supportive.”

“Being depressed is basically like drowning and watching other people being able to breathe perfectly fine.”

80%

Over of those with symptoms of

clinical depression are not receiving any specific treatment.

An estimated 121

million people around the world suffer from some form of depression.

Overall, women have higher rates of depression than

men.

all stats according to healthline.com

2 - Park Hill football fans cheer on as PHHS plays Smithville. Trojans went on to win 35:3. 4 - Park Hill soccer prepares for kickoff. Despite a tough battle, the Trojans went on to lose 2:1. 5 - Sophomore Nico Bosmediano, senior Tom Klender, junior Jackson Foutch, and senior Harrison Thomas celebrate after scoring a goal against St. Joe Central on September 10. The Trojans went on to lose 2:1.

12 Sports

ATOPITCH

NEW FANS

2 Soccer’s popularity has skyrocketed recently, especially in KC, leading many fans who have been following the sport since before its cultural boom to find fault with the sport’s new enthusiasts. In this past summer’s World Cup game, the USA team faced off with Portugal. Exceeding the 17.97 million people who watched as U.S. beat China in the 1999’s Women World Cup Final, 22.96 million people tuned into the game. The match became ESPN’s highest rated non-football related sporting event.

Senior Thomas Klender has been playing soccer since he was six years old for the city’s Parks and Recreation department and is currently a captain of PHHS’ own soccer team.

“Soccer has definitely gotten more popular recently, especially with the World Cup over the summer. ‘Bandwagon’ fans as I would call them. Once every four years they seem to show up and we have a big group of soccer fans, and it’s great, but then you realize that by this time next year it will be back to normal. It won’t be as popular in America,” said Klender.

Senior Rachel England, who has also been playing soccer since she was a small child, agrees with the general sentiment.

“There are a lot of people who get really excited when the World Cup is on and then couldn’t care less about soccer for the rest of the year. I mean they kind of irk me a little bit, because I don’t think they are true soccer fans, but I understand because the World Cup is really cool,” said England.

4

By: Matt Eblen

However, some find a more positive outlook about ever changing popularity of the European sport. Senior Domnic Parker, who also shares similar beginnings of playing soccer since he was a toddler, finds the fans to be a welcome addition to the sports fandom despite their tendency to disappear when the sport is not currently trending on twitter.

“It’s still cool to see everyone liking soccer even if it’s only once every four years. It’s still cool to see everyone like something that you like, even if it’s not 24/7. It’s still really cool to see everyone getting together about one thing,” said Parker.

Kansas City’s newfound love has been reflected in the recent popularity of Sporting KC. Previously known as the Wizards, Sporting KC recently won the 2013 MLS Cup. The team’s winning streak has predated the city’s other sports team’s recent revivals in success. In early 2014, along with additional infrastructure updates, Kansas City’s Parks and Rec department began a project to expand on the soccer village in Swope Park that houses the city’s winning team. With five new fields, expanded from the original four, the village will house any possible pitch Sporting will play on.

“The popularity really skyrocketed in the Kansas City area, but not as much as it should have. Kansas City became the height of the soccer area in America. As sporting fans we take pride in that, but it doesn’t

5

get the kind of popularity as Royals would if they went to the World Series or if the Chiefs went the Superbowl; it never will,” said Klender.

The city’s infatuation was at a peak during the summer months in which the reactions of many fans were hosted both on social media and during rallies down at Power and Light. MLS, the Major League Soccer which was formed in 1996, is currently taking steps to expand in order to compete with the U.S.’s big four: football, baseball, basketball, and hockey. Yet, the last American soccer league to attempt expansion was shortly disbanded after.

Still some fans believe this time will be different.

“They’re getting a lot of top players from around the world, they are getting a lot of international attention. I think it’s going to work,” said Parker.

Whether MLS will succeed in expanding or not, soccer’s popularity is sure to have increased. Yet, many die-hard soccer fans still question whether soccer’s stock will continue to keep steady, or it they will have to wait four years before they can freely tweet about their current soccer opinions without being met with blank stares.

“I mean I don’t hate them, I love that they will watch soccer, it just sucks when they leave and don’t appreciate the sport as much,” said Klender.

1 In the early to mid-2000’s the PHHS football team saw a boom time: numerous districts and conference titles, six state semi-final births, and a state championship in 2003. From 2003 to 2010 the Trojans averaged 8 wins a year and up until 2010 the team had only one loss to its inborn rival PHS. Since 2011, the current senior’s freshman year, the team has averaged 4 wins a year and the PHHS varsity team has yet to best it’s district foe. With the football team coming on lean times recently it’s bound to affect the spirit of its once very avid supporters.

“When I went to Park Hill from 2000 to 2004 school spirit was great,” said teacher Brandt Bell. However, as any economist will tell you, after a bust cycle a boom is bound to return.

810 sports radio, a forerunner in high school sports information, releases a top 40 of Northland based football teams every week. Before the beginning of the season PHHS was ranked as the number 18 team while PHS had earned 23, since then PHHS has risen 7 spots to 11 while PHS has fallen off entirely.

PHHS is lead by a senior quarterback Tyler Holmes and senior half back Kenyatte Harris, who has currently averaged four

1- Photo Donated By Ethan Hayes 2+3- Photo By Carly Hostetter

touchdowns per game. Harris is also in contention to break a PHHS record, most rushing touchdowns, currently held by alumni Jonathon Cooper with 19. With the offense firing on all cylinders and a stingy defense the team has jumped out to a 4-0 start.

Yet the team will face it’s next obstacle, PHS. As the home team at Preston Field this year, PHHS will attempt to overcome its recent losing streak against PHS, and senior football player Ceaser Beltron believes, that if nothing else, it will be a good game.

“Anything you own is not yours, not your clothes, shoes, technology or body for that matter, but our decisions are and will always be ours. We decide to be defeated or give up and last year we had our issues but we set that all aside and coach has always told us to play fast, play hard, play smart, and play together. This is the code we decide to stand by,” said Beltron.

This recent success along with the implementation of the very popular ‘We Are Park Hill’ campaign developed by the newly anointed athletic director Bill Erneste, in partnership with STUCO and TARKUS, the school has seen a rising tide in spirit. And a rising tide has been known to lift all boats.

CHEER

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5- Photo by Kaela Baack 6- Photo by Abi Tripp

“I think PHHS has extreme spirit this year. I think the senior class has always brought spirit, but I feel like we’re bringing it to the next level this year,” said senior TARKUS member Sean Moise.

But, the school spirit hasn’t spread to every student of PHHS. It is especially apparent in underclassmen, many whom have not experienced the winning record that the school football team is now providing.

“Not many of the lower classmen seem all that spirited but I’m sure that’ll come with age,” said Moise.

No matter what qualms those may have with PHHS, one sentiment is clear among the senior class. There is a great desire to best PHS in football one time before graduation.

“Is there any question? We’re going to destroy them. Simple as that. The rivalry has been building and we just wanted to give them a little confidence before we made them cry this year,” said Moise.

1 - Trojans sports fans throw paint in preparation for the football game. TARKUS created the theme Glow Big or Go Home.

3 - Seniors Tom Klender, Sean Moise, Jet Mullendore, and Taylor Jones cheer at the football game against Blue Springs South.

They continued to show spirit throughout the night. 6 - The Park Hill football team sets up before a play. Trojans went on to win 43:18.

UP

By: Matt Eblen and Pierce Klempnauer

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14 LIFE

Exploring the 816

A small theater in Westport, Tivoli Theaters is a different experience than AMC or Cinemark. With prices much lower at around $6.50, attractions available are independent films, art shows, and occasionally ballets.

½ of ½ can be described as a mix between Goodwill 1/2 of 1/2 in Liberty can be described as a mix between Goodwill and Plato’s Closet as it sells name brand clothing from department stores, but they cut the price in half twice, with a new sale every Wednesday.

by Hattie Saltzman While most have grown accustomed to Taco Bell and Chipotle, some still crave the flavors that one can only truly get in Mexico. La Fonda El Taquito gets about as close as you can get in downtown KC.

Using only local natural ingredients, GlacĂŠ Artisan Ice Cream creates unique flavors of ice cream like lemon curd, salted pretzel, and even cream cheese and an atmosphere much like Yogurtini with the busy background of downtown KC.

Whether you love books and records and want to help out your wallet, or if you’re looking to sell off a few books for extra cash, Half Price Books in Westport is the place to go.

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HUMA of Park

16 Spotlight

Teacher of Park Hill Park Hill Teacher Tara Bell, who currently teaches both Biology and Principles of Biomedical Science, has recently decided to embark on a new venture. The assistant sponsor of Student Council will be starting a new club: HOSA. “HOSA, is a health occupation skills association, where students who are interested in pursuing careers in the health care field actually a lot like DECA. They go and learn skills sets they would potentially preform in a health care environment,” said Bell.

The organization, which is recognized by the U.S Department of Education and the Health Science Education Division of ACTE, goal is to help students interested in health related professions. HOSA currently is open to all students enrolled in a health based science class or has plans to pursue the medical field. ““I’m not starting it until January or February when I get back to maternity leave, but anyone interested is welcome.

By Matt Eblen

I’m starting with my Principles of Biomedical class and then getting the word out through that,” said Bell.

Bell also believes that through out this new experience students will be able to gain knowledge that will further their future careers. ““HOSA is an organization that not only happens in high school, but it also carries on to college and professional life, so I think believe students who get involved at a young age will not only learn the skills necessary to go on to a career in the health field, but also gain lifelong connections. They will be able to know people across the country that are also doing the same types of things,” said Bell.

Tara Bell, biology and biomedical teacher, teaching her fourth block biology class. After she comes back from maternity leave, she’ll be starting the new club HOSA.

ANS f Hill

By Ally Buchberg

Student of Park Hill

Ever since the first festival in 1991, Lollapalooza has been the concert for music-lovers to come see their favorite bands and artists come together to perform. While many Park Hill students attended Lollapalooza, taking place in Grant Park located in downtown Chicago, to watch beloved bands, senior Maddison Ogden was preforming.

Ogden is involved in Concert Chorale and Voices, attends the School of Rock in Parkville, and is a part of several bands. “[We] were chosen out of the many kids at [the] School of Rock who tried out to be in the program “All Stars”, which is where you go to Chicago and meet up with a bunch of kids [ages] 13-18. After we met up with all the kids at a studio in downtown Chicago, we started to play our set together every day, twelve straight, for a week,” said senior Maddison Ogden.

The “All Stars” played at small venues and recording studios until the final day of their program, where they played at Lollapalooza. They received three day artist passes which allowed them to stay in the artists’ village.

“We played on one of the six stages and a few of us were

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asked to meet up with a band called “Portugal the Man”. I later found out that I would be playing on the main stage with them in front of 50,000 people. We sat down and worked on a song with them. We played “We Are the Champions” by “Queen”,” said Ogden.

Because of this experience, Ogden has come to a lifechanging realization.

“When I sang on that stage in front of all those people I knew that music was what I would be doing for the rest of my life. I played with “Portugal the Man”, met Chance the Rapper, Iggy Azalea, “OutKast”, “Fitz and the Tantrums”, Lorde, and “Foster the People”,” said Ogden.

Maddison Ogden, singer at the School of Rock, performs on the main stage at Lollapalooza. She sang beside the lead singer of

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“Portugal the Man” through two songs.

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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.

FALL PIRATE PREVIEWS

Get hooked. Stay hooked. Join us for one of our fall Pirate Preview events. 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! •

SATURDAY, OCT. 4, 2014 • SATURDAY, NOV. 1, 2014

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.

• Sept. 20, 2014 • Jan. 17, 2015 • Dec. 13, 2014 • Feb. 21, 2015

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

SPRING PIRATE PREVIEWS

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.

• Mar. 21, 2015 • Apr. 25, 2015

PERSONAL CAMPUS EXPERIENCE

Make any day your visit day. Tour the Parkville Campus, meet faculty, talk with current students and discover historic Parkville.

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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We’re everywhere!

.COM

MYPARKHILL.

PARK HILL HIGH SCHOOL KANSAS CITY, MO