November 2013

IssueTwo/November 2013

HIBBELER STRONG The soccer team has stayed strong through the illness of a player, and inspired many people with his story.

WELCOME TO YOUR FUTURE Students, teachers and alumni talk about what they looked forward to doing after high school.

THIS IS OUR HOUSE

Park Hill and Park Hill South take the rivalry to a new level.

THE

TROJAN

MT

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Readers,

ABOUT THE COVER:

During the Talent Show on October 24, 2013, juniors Madeline Smith and Isaiah Carter [pictured] sang “The Stable Song” by Gregory Alan Isakov.

They participated in the instrumental category.

“I felt good about our performance. Madeline [Smith] is an awesome performer. Everyone did really well and put forth good effort. It was an all around good show,” said junior Isaiah Carter.

ABOUT THE BACK

CONTENTS

Waiting for the ball to come his way, junior soccer player Tom Klender plays in the first Kick Out Cancer game on October 21, 2013 against Park Hill South. The Trojans brought home their first victory against the Panthers this season.

“It felt great. Especially after playing a hundred minutes of soccer, it just felt great to win. When the fans rushed the field it made it even better,” Klender said.

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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.

The past month of October has been a pretty eventful one, both locally and nationally. But, there seemed to be a theme to October of 2013— choices. For me, personally, choices of where to apply for college. For our leaders, the choice to shut down the government for a period of time.

And for all highschoolers, the choice of abstaining or participating in drug use. These very choices seemed to haunt the already ghoul-surrounded month and especially entrance the Park Hill community. Even seemingly simple choices were shrouded in doubt. Who decides what is right and what is wrong? How will my decisions affect my future? Questions constantly in the air, took over PHHS this past month, coming up in classrooms, the hallways, in whispers, and in screams. I watched my friends contemplate these questions with me this past month, with everything from what college can provide you the best education for your money, to just whether your decisions on the weekend are really worth it. And after thinking night and day I still was left with no answer. And this is simply because, there isn’t one. Every choice, every decision we make is completely up to us and we reap the consequences, whether those be good or bad. In a month, in a lifetime, one must only do what they believe to be right for themselves. The rest is up to the world and made to encircle us back again and again to these same questions.

Mackenzie Thomas

THE

TROJAN

PARK HILL HIGH SCHOOL November 2013

FEATURE HIBBELER STRONG

See how boy’s soccer rallies as a team when a sickness happens to one of their own.

LEARNING FROM OUR PAST

Read about how PHHS has come together after the tragic death of a classmate.

WELCOME TO YOUR FUTURE

We finally learn the answer to the question: what do you want to do with the rest of your life?

DEPARTMENT WHAT’S GOING ON IN KC?

From a 2-14 record in 2012, the Chiefs have bounced back with an unforgettable 8-0 season thus far.

HEARD BUT NOT SEEN

Pit orchestra works hard preparing for the musical, but they stay below the stage.

THIS IS OUR HOUSE

The rivalry between PHHS and PHS goes back years. What is happening now between the schools?

STAFF EDITORIAL

2013-2014 STAFF

Why are some classes pushed and others not? Courses should match a student’s future plans.

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

Artwork by: Trevor Stark

Artwork by: Mariah Ruth

WARNING: CONTAINS GRAPHIC CONTENT

CAMPUS

By: Shannon Barry Facebook, Twitter, Instagram; their logos are forever engraved in the memories and lives of those living in today’s generation. What most people often look over is the design principles behind the logos that surround our lives. Students in PHHS’s graphic design class discover designs like these and delve into their own creativity to make their imaginations come to life.

The original graphic design class, spear-headed by current PHHS substitute teacher Andrea Rinkle, was once all done by hand. Over the past ten to fifteen years it has become a primarily computer based class.

“We start out with some illustration and typography, the rest of the class is on the computers,” said graphic design teacher Mike Sweney. “The programs we use are in Adobe CS6, most often we use Photoshop and Illustrator. At the beginning of the class we have a two week training period to get everyone comfortable with the software.”

Unlike some classes offered in the art department like design and draw, graphic design is more readily applicable to career paths that students may one day want to pursue outside of the fine arts.

“The software we use is what professionals use,” said Sweney. “It’s an unusual format for creating art that is really important to be familiar with in fields like journalism and marketing.”

One student who is involved in both journalism and graphic design and is also one of Sweney’s former kindergarten art students is senior Mariah Ruth. Being in both classes has had its obstacles but Ruth also reaps the benefits.

“We usually do the same type of projects at the same time which is good because I get extra practice and they really apply to each other. Being in the same

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room for two blocks in a row helps too because I don’t have to break my rhythm,” said Ruth.

This class is popular among seniors like Trevor Stark who are already seeing graphic design in their future.

“I’ve considered it as a minor in college that I’d like to look into,” said Stark. “It’s a really cool concept. I taught myself how to use some of the Adobe programs and I fell in love.

You’re designing the world around you and showing how inventive and creative you can be. You can influence so much with one single graphic.”

Along with Stark, Ruth has also looked into a career in the field.

“I’ve considered it but I’m looking forward to the field trip we’re taking to the Hallmark design department soon to really help me decide,” said Ruth.

For those that aren’t considering a career, graphic design is a class period students can use to relieve stress and express their creative side.

“This is definitely one of my favorite classes to teach. I’m always changing up the projects we do; what we’re doing this semester isn’t necessarily what we’ll be doing next semester.

This is really a fun class to be a part of,” said Sweney.

Working on a project in her graphic design class, junior Peregrine Sturm draws out her work. Students drew out work before heading to the computer.

HEARD BUT NOT

SEEN

By Molly Weis This fall, along with the actors and actresses, Hairspray is being performed by a very Senior Natalie Turner practices her violin on Oct. important group of 9. Turner. This is Turners second year on pit. musicians below the stage. The top players in both band and orchestra This year, the closing number is done by the pit crew alone, are chosen for musical pit without vocals by those on stage, but all other songs are performed to crew, a group of musiaccompany the singers. The pit gets a round of applause at the end cians that play in the pit of the musical, though the musicians understand that their job is to under the stage. Although boost the performance, not to be the performance. these musicians are not in “Part of our thing is we wear all black, we’re trying not to be the spotlight during the Working with other band and orchestra noticed because what they’re supposed to be watching is what is up production, they put in members, junior Mojan Filfeli plays the on stage,” said Turner. “We try to be quiet and not to move around a weeks of effort to perfect saxophone. There were more band members lot, because we aren’t supposed to be the main thing.” than usual in the pit this year because of the the music so the perforpoppy music in Hairspray.

It is at this point that the two entities must become one cohesive mance can be its best. unit in order for the musical numbers to run smoothly with the rest The first few weeks of the production. Both groups receive instruction and cues to work of practice consist of sight as a whole rather than perform separately. reading the music so members can familiarize themselves with what “I mean, I definitely think that they’re there to see the musical,” they will be playing. The next five or six rehearsals are all about said Smith. “If they were there to see the orchestra, they would come fixing the problems and finding what works best between the crew. to an orchestra concert. We are there to support the singers, not to Once the musicians have the musical aspect down, solo singers from the cast will come in to the band/orchestra room and sing along with have the spotlight on ourselves.” the music to match up the tempo and key between the singers and the members of pit.

“From that point on we’re never by ourselves,” said senior cellist Brooke Hall. “After we’ve had about ten rehearsals is when we start rehearsing with the cast.”

During the first weeks, pit practices once a week in the band/ orchestra room. These practices last two hours, and focus primarily on the music rather than pauses and cues. As the musical nears, the crew practices three days a week for three hours.

“It basically becomes your life,” said senior violinist Natalie Turner, “and it’s a lot harder than regular music –there is so much – and we also have to conform to what the actors want to do.”

The orchestra primarily plays classical music, but is working on more poppy pieces for Hairspray. All of the pieces are tweaked to work better for the singers, but this means that the musicians in the pit must change their playing to fit the altered pieces. Hairspray has twenty-four musical numbers all of which are performed by the seventeen people in the pit.

“This year is probably the hardest working in pit would be, because the musical music is written in harder keys,” said senior violinist Garrett Smith. “Musical singers sing in whatever key they think it will sound the best in, so we have to play it no matter how hard it is, and we get hard keys like 7 sharps or 6 flats - something crazy like that. ” Practicing for the musical, senior Garrett Smith plays his violin. Pit crew practiced after school in the band/orchestra room.

H BBELER STRONG BOY’S SOCCER COPES WITH THE ILLNESS OF A TEAM MEMBER

FEATURE

By: Chloe Lane Soccer is the Hibbeler family’s life; all three of the children play, with the eldest daughter, Katie, playing for Baker University and their father, Greg coaching Quest teams. A result of Nick being diagnosed was the soccer event called ‘Kick Out Cancer’ that was put on by the Park Hill School District in honor of him and PHS’s head coach’s wife, Kim Toigo, who is currently fighting breast cancer. On Monday October 21, 2013, both high schools (PHHS and PHS), the surrounding community, and even some special guests showed up for the game.

“It was a night Park Hill men’s soccer thought of to help support Nick through what he’s going through. Money was donated to his family for treatment and was also put towards the Sporting KC Victory Project. There was a silent auction with many different items donated from local companies in our area. There were guest appearances from Sporting Kansas City players, FC Kansas City players, and Comets players. Both teams wore shirts that showed the kind of cancer they were supporting—PHHS wore purple for testicular cancer and PHS wore pink for breast cancer,” said senior soccer captain Chris Zdvorak.

On that special night, the turnout was ridiculous. Finding a place to park relatively close to the stadium was close to impossible. And after walking into the complex, seating was scarce. The atmosphere insane.

“It was crazy. Everyone was screaming and showing so much school spirit, and it was amazing to see immense support for Nick,” said senior Karra Kennedy.

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Having lost to PHS twice before, winning this game was very important to the soccer team. After going into over-time, not once but twice, it was up to PK’s (penalty kicks) to decide the game.

Senior goal keeper Alex Noll stopped PHS’s first attempt, putting us in a great place to come out on top. Shane Belew, Alec Fiest, Josiah Blansett, and Harrison Thomas were all victorious in scoring for the team with Zdvorak scoring the game winning goal. After all their hard work and dedication, PHHS finally beat PHS. Something unexpected the students at PHHS experienced was the comradery expressed by the opposing team. There were very few hateful comments on social media; instead, there were congratulatory comments.

“It was awesome to see all the support from the community and not just each school. The atmosphere was second to none and really got everyone involved in the fight against cancer,” said PHS senior CJ Whisnant.

All of their success wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for the strong bond that has grown over the past couple of month, due to Hibbeler’s illness.

“It has really brought the soccer team a lot closer together. We’re like family basically. When we all shaved our heads for me, it made me feel really good. It also made everyone else try a lot harder in the games because they know I would do anything to be out there playing, so we’ve started to become closer and work a lot harder. The communication has gotten a lot better, too,” said Hibbeler.

High school students have a tendency to believe they are invincible.

A frequent thought inside the mind of a teenager is, “That [car crash, robbery, fire, etc.] will never happen to me.” But, what happens when one of those terrible tragedies actually ends up happening to someone who never thought it would? Junior Nick Hibbeler knows first-hand how that feels.

“On August 1, 2013, I went to get a physical and the doctor said something was wrong. So he sent me to Children’s Mercy to get a sonogram. The next thing I know, three hours later the doctor called my mom and diagnosed me with cancer and said that I had to go in the next morning for surgery. So, after the surgery, they called us back to tell me for sure I had it and that it was going to take two weeks to find out exactly what kind of cancer and how bad it was,” said Hibbeler.

Getting that kind of information can rock someone’s world, especially when one was initially just trying to obtain a physical to be eligible for their fall sport.

“When my mom first told me, I just started crying. I just thought to myself, ‘Oh my God, I am going to die,’ because when I think of cancer, I think of a lot of people dying from it. I was just really upset. That day, we called all my family and my three closest friends to let them know what was going on before I let anyone else know,” said Hibbeler.

One of the first three friends to find out this devastating news was

junior Steven Ruiz. Hibbeler and him have been friends since they were a mere five years old, having met at their previous school of St. Therese.

“I honestly didn’t believe him one bit. It took me until he put his mom on the phone for me to realize he was being serious. I didn’t know what to do because I didn’t know if it was terminal or not. So, I called my sister to found out more information about the diagnostic because she is a doctor,” said Ruiz.

Another one of those first boys was junior Harrison Thomas.

The two boys have been friends for about three to four years.

Coincidentally, they met on the soccer field playing for the same team-- United.

“When Nick told me about the cancer, it almost put me in tears. It really shocked me to hear that from him. I thought, ‘I can’t believe this is happening right now.’ It hurt me, to be honest. I thought I’d actually lose my best friend,” said Thomas.

Even though Hibbeler was undergoing chemotherapy, he still managed to participate in a couple of games before he wasn’t physically strong enough to play. But, while going through these treatments, something unanticipated happened.

“Since I started chemo, it has made me a stronger person, personality wise. I’ve told myself that if I can beat cancer, then I can beat anything that is in front of me or in my way,” said Hibbeler.

With the support of his community, his friends and his family, Hibbeler accomplished what everyone had been praying about for weeks. On September 23, 2013, he posted to his Twitter, ‘Today I met with the doctor and he told me that my blood work is at the normal for a person that is cancer free and that I basically killed all the cancer. I am still finishing four rounds [of chemotherapy] to be on the safe side.’ With over one-hundred ‘favorites’ on that tweet, it was evident the PHHS community couldn’t be happier for him.

Hibbeler has received a lot of attention since he was diagnosed, being interviewed countless times for stories about his journey.

He has also been approached by multiple people expressing their support for him—people he knows personally and people he’s never even met before. All that attention can get to people, but Hibbeler is dealing with it fairly well.

“I like it [all the attention] because there’s a lot of people supporting me. There will just be random people come up to me and are really friendly and positive that want to help me out. It makes me feel good that the whole community is supporting me and it lets me know that I’m not alone. It also lets me know that I go to a great school and am involved in a great soccer program,” said Hibbeler.

One thing he wants to convey to other people is, “At any moment, anything can happen to anyone. So, you always need to be humble and not take anything for granted. If anything does happen to you, you always need to be positive, confident and hard working.”

HIDDEN WORLDS

COMMUNITY

How Do Urban Legends Differ Across the World

By Jake Bjornlie Each country has its own history, culture, food and traditions. With these, comes the country’s fables, folklore, and fairytales. Kansas City has “The Well”, Germany has “Der Grossman [The Tall Man]”, and France has “The Catacombs”.

Close to Lakeview Middle School there is a well with a gruesome story around it.

“I heard that a girl got killed and buried in the well,” senior Maggie Lanham said. Many PHHS and PHS students venture to this eerie place and dare each other to touch it for a little fun and games. Lanham and a friend dared to go see the well one night.

“We drove to the gate. It was creepy and dark,” said Lanham.

When Lanham and her friend got out to walk to the well a squirrel ran past their feet.

“I got scared, so I sprinted back,” Lanham said with a laugh. Like many other urban legends the story changes a little every time it is told.

Senior Christina Silvy has also been.

“I was told, the guy that used to live in the old abandoned house killed people. The dead bodies are supposed to be in the well,” said Silvy. Silvy also felt that the area was “frightening”.

“It was really freaky,” said Silvy.

Some urban legends are not as close to home as nee would think.

Some PHHS students have been to France and experienced some there.

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“There is a place in Paris that is now a tourist attraction. It is the old catacombs,” said French teacher Hope McPheeters.

The Catacombs of Paris are an extensive network of tunnels that lie under the city. They are home to many who did not have a resting place in a cemetery. A long, winding staircase lies just beyond the entrance.

“You can see rudimentary tomb stones that people went down there and put dates and names on the people’s graves that were down there,” said McPheeters.

The ceilings are low and the walls enclosed.

“After a while you start seeing lines and lines of bones. It was really eerie,” said senior Eva Ohman, referring to the trip she took to France this previous summer.

Many stories have been told revolving the catacombs- most about the souls of the bodies buried there sticking around.

Germany has a long history with myths and legends that directly connect to American fairytales and lore. The most well-known of these connections is the Brothers Grimm tales which include “Sleeping Beauty” and “Snow White”.

A lesser known link to German myths is the American urban legend of Slender Man. The Slender Man myth blew up last year.

Teenagers across America passed around Youtube links for channels such as “Marble Hornets” and “EverymanHYBRID”. These are

American based youtube productions about Slender Man. “I found out recently that Slender Man actually came from an old German legend, Der Grossman,” said German teacher Meghann Shafer.

The myth of Der Grossman in Germany dates back to the medieval time period. The legend was told to children to scare them into behaving.

“Der Grossman is depicted as unusually tall and capable of blending in with trees. He is a completely bald figure sporting a business suit He has no nose, eyes or ears,” said Shafer.

He is said to “roam the Black Forest” looking to take children that have been misbehaving.

GTA V:

Exposing the nation’s flaws

By: Harrison Hostick When people think of satire, they might think of famous authors like Mark Twain, George Orwell, and Jane Austen. Video game studios usually don’t come to mind. Rockstar Games however, has created an example of true modern satire within a video game.

Their blockbuster title “Grand Theft Auto 5” has shattered sales records, ever since its September 17th release, bringing in over 1 billion dollars after only days on store shelves.

The game allows you to fill the shoes of three different characters. Michael, a retired bank robber bored of his sleek lifestyle; Franklin, a two bit gangster looking for his first big score; and Trevor, a psychotic Canadian who brings chaos wherever he goes.

Together, this rag tag group of criminals rob banks, steal cars and indulge in other criminal endeavors. While GTA’s story and setting is primarily based around the interactions of these 3 characters, the game is also satirical.

“They really hit the nail on the head,” Junior Marcus Dawn said, “The narrative was really funny and satirical, and it relayed a hilarious picture about America in general.”

Grand Theft Auto 5 takes place in San Andreas, a fictional portrayal of southern California. The game paints an accurate picture of modern American culture in a playful and sarcastic manner. Similar products are advertised, many of the same socio-cultural attitudes are exhibited, and many of the problems we face today are prevalent in the game’s universe. For example, GTA has its own version of Facebook and Twitter, dubbed “Life Invader”, and it satirizes internet trends such as memes and lack of social network privacy.

There are various advertisements for other spoof products such as Sprunk (Sprite), Ecola (Coke), and fruit products (Apple Inc.).

The attitudes of the citizens you run into are also very satirical of many Americans, most notably people from Hollywood.

“Rockstar put a lot of time and effort into their portrayal of American society and culture. They satirized many norms and regular occurrences.” said Senior Garrett Hill.

Many of the people one runs into come across as airheaded and selfish, and certain characters you meet have their own stories and missions that are easy to get involved in. In other words, it feels as if your character is actually walking around SoCal. “I thought the portrayal of American culture was pretty accurate”, said Senior Noah Madden, “There were certain parts where they went over the top with it, but for the most part, it was realistic.”

Even though video games are rarely acknowledged as an artistic medium, Rockstar has proven that they can be used to paint an interesting and dynamic story.

“If video games keep going the way they are, they’ll definitely earn some notoriety when it comes to the art of storytelling,” Dawn said. “People should begin to take them more seriously.”

POKÉMON X AND Y

GOTTA CATCH ‘EM ALL...

ALL OVER AGAIN

By: Justin Dorweiler The release of Nintendo’s newest games, Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, marks a huge leap forward in the franchise. Along with new 3-D graphics, updated character models and other aesthetic changes, the new games have set a new standard for hand-held gaming.

“The 3-D interface is really cool and we see lots of changes in the game-play on how you can use your Pokémon and items. The way that Pokémon react towards the moves they use or are hit by is much more realistic,” said sophomore Liam Redinger. “But there are some things that I don’t like in the new games. A lot of the times you are just given stuff that you don’t have to work for. It’s not my favorite Pokémon game in the series but it is really good.”

But despite this, there are some students here at PHHS that enjoy the older games more than the newer ones. Since its introduction in 1998, many students have grown up playing Pokémon.

“I like the older versions because the starter Pokémon were better designed than some of the newer ones,” said sophomore Bryson Grau. “My favorite game was Emerald version because that’s where I first really started getting into the Pokémon. Legendary Pokémon were harder to catch because they were not as common as they are now.”

But Grau isn’t the only one at PHHS that feels like that the old games are better.

“I liked the older graphics more because they are just classic stuff and I like that in old games,” said senior Zack Allen. “I like the older starter Pokémon choices, the older designs of regions in the games better.”

SPORTS

TO PLAY OR NOT TO PLAY

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By: Rylee Stoulil High school is full of many decisions that greatly affects the futures of students here at PHHS. For student athletes, one of the biggest decisions is whether or not to continue playing the sport they’ve grown to love for another four years. Deciding to commit to playing in college or to give it up for good is something that weighs heavily on their minds.

“I’d be sad if I didn’t play [volleyball] because I’ve been playing my whole life. It’s something that’s always made me happy, and I don’t regret one minute of it, but at the same time, I would feel relieved knowing that I did all I could and gave it my all,” junior volleyball player Olivia Nowakowski said.

Although Nowakowski is undecided, she is leaning towards playing volleyball for another four years, hopefully as a Bearcat. While there are still many that aren’t sure what they will do in their futures, senior basketball player Jacob Lee knows that he will be giving up his sport at the end of his season.

“I’d rather do other things. I want to be a doctor, and I think that basketball could take away from that. Also, I know it’s not an option to play basketball professionally,” said Lee. The fact that there is a slim chance of making it to the next level is the reason that a lot of athletes decide to throw in the towel at the end of high school. However, another athlete here at PHHS knows for sure that he wants to continue his sport through college.

“Wrestling is just something I’ve grown up doing, and I’ve gotten pretty good at it.

When I started getting recruited, I felt motivated to continue to get better and go on to the next level,” senior wrestler John Erneste said. “It wasn’t really a hard decision for me. Wrestling has always been a major part of my life so it was natural to carry on into college.”

Erneste recently committed to wrestling at the University of Missouri in Columbia as a Tiger. Another athlete who has decided to continue on into college is senior gymnast Ashley Moss.

“I want to reach my maximum potential as a gymnast. I don’t know what that really means, but continuing for four or more years in college will help me,” said Moss. “I don’t think it’s a hard decision to make at all. I’ve never once doubted that this is what I wanted to do. I decided that gym has been the most important part of my life through high school, and that there is no reason to let that go if I don’t have to.”

Most people would think that athletes play in college for the scholarships, but that isn’t the reason for Erneste. In fact, it is something he wants to do simply because he still wants to continue to get better.

“In the wrestling aspect, the experience and toughness I’ll experience in a college wrestling room will push me to become as good as I can be,” said Erneste.

Although Moss and Erneste are certain they will be continuing, Nowakowski still hasn’t made her decision due to different reasons.

“If I didn’t play volleyball, it would be because I would’ve decided that I don’t have a passion for it and that it could overwhelm me to the point that I would want to quit.

I also may just want to focus on academics, so that could stop me from playing,” said Nowakowski. “I would love to have a college experience of meeting new people and learning new things.”

Nowakowski isn’t the only one who hopes to have a social life in college.

“I’ve heard from other people that if you play sports in college, you’re a student to the game, and I want a social life,” said Lee. Whether a student athlete decides to go on or decides not to, there are many factors that have to be taken into consideration before making an informed decision.

“College sports require a lot of dedication and hard work and that takes away from quite a bit of free time. With the stress of balancing school, sports, and a social life, it’s hard for many people to totally commit,” said Erneste.

THIS IS OUR

HOUSE RIVALRY GOES VIRAL By: Matt Eblen Almost everyone has a rival: MU has KU, Coke has Pepsi, Miley Cyrus has clothes, and PHHS has PHS. In 1998, the PHSD built a new high school due to overcrowding, and with that, a rivalry was born. From sports to ACT scores, both schools are extremely competitive.

“They were very outspoken with their cheers, that’s the nice way to put it,” said senior Lyndi Plattner.

After recent PHHS vs. PHS games, students have noticed the rivalry has become much more personal than before. Junior Katie Reichert, who plays both varsity volleyball and basketball, observed this change in attitude, citing an increase in hostility, which was primarily focused on the players themselves rather than the game at hand.

“Pretty much their fans were the most disrespectful I’ve ever seen in my three years at Park Hill. I don’t think they ever cheered [for their own team] they just cheered against us,” said Reichert. “They targeted individual players instead of the whole team, and it was not right.”

During the volleyball game, PHS’s fans repeated cheers such as “Ha ha ha, you let the whole team down.”

“They targeted individuals [at PHHS] for things they’ve done,” said Reichert.

At PHHS games there are student sections where TARKUS leads cheers. Junior Jacob Cowley, a TARKUS member, believes the organization has a great effect on the game.

“They get the crowd going. They make sure the people on the field know that someone in the crowd is rooting for them,” said Cowley.

At a rival’s recent soccer game, PHS pulled ahead after scoring two points in the last seven minutes of the game, forcing it into overtime. PHS won after receiving a penalty kick. PHS again came out with a victory when the teams replayed. Yet, PHHS pulled out a win during the game to support cancer research.

“They were saying the same ‘you let the whole team down’ type of cheers,” said Plattner.

Some, however, question where the blame falls for the increased hostility within the schools competition and why.

“Whichever team is ahead [their] cheers are directed not at the game, but at the other student section. It’s a big competition between the fans,” said Cowley.

Others take a more positive view of PHHS’s fans.

“We do have some bad tendencies, but I think we do a lot more positive cheering,” said Plattner.

The rivalry doesn’t just pertain to the school sports anymore.

After every game, students take to twitter and other social media platforms. Sophomore Martin Glebocki has noticed an increase of fights on twitter that intensifies the rivalry, and Cowley also cites repercussions after every game.

Before the recent PHHS vs. PHS volleyball game to support cancer research, PHS junior tweeted “Dress up day. Since we’re classier than Park Hill. #PHSRivarlyWeek2013,” and a few moments later “Lol lets see how many park hill kids attack me for that one.”

PHHS students responded after the game with a junior tweeting “Park Hill is classy, South is trashy when it comes to cheering on our teams. Like how about some respect,” while a sophomore tweeted “South has the least classy student section, hands down.”

These twitter fights are extremely frequent after games, including the first aforementioned PHHS vs. PHS volleyball game. PHS senior posted to twitter “Park Hill South has ‘bad attitudes’ because we had a great game, have great players, and have great school spirit.”

PHHS junior responded to the controversial cheering by tweeting “I would beat myself into a coma rather than attend Park Hill South,” and a junior tweeted “I just want a tornado to come and takeout park hill south.”

With social media revealing the darker side of the rivalry, it is evident that what use to be a healthy competition has turned into something much worse from both sides.

WELCOME TO YOUR

1

FUTURE WHAT DOES PHHS WANT TO DO WITH THE REST OF THEIR LIVES?

2

FEATURE

3

12

1. Junior Lauren Handley leads an Amnesty meeting. 2. Senior Simon Huntley works on lighting design for a musical rehearsal. 3. Members of Amnesty International research global issues at a recent meeting. 4. Members of the upcoming musical, Hairspray, rehearse. 5. Senior Hannah Conner participates in the latest Amnesty meeting.

4 By: Amanda Battmer

From answering those generic questions on standardized tests to your grandparents nagging you at every family dinner, we’ve all been asked the question: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Some teenagers are set on reaching a certain goal they have in mind while others have no clue what they want to do at all. Sophomore Olivia House seems to have a pretty good idea.

“I plan to be in the medical field- probably an anesthesiologist or a nurse anesthetist,” said House.

Anesthesiology is a specialized medical field dealing with giving people epidurals and anesthesia and monitoring their safety through surgery. The main difference between an anesthesiologist and a nurse anesthetist is the level of training. House wants to attend KU, where she’ll begin the journey of following in her parents’ footsteps.

“My parents inspired me. My mom is an x-ray tech, and my dad is a nurse anesthetist,” said House.

Most kids decide what they want to be based on influences such as parents or the media. Senior Simon Huntley has known what he wants to do since he was little.

“I want to be a lighting designer for bands that tour,” said Huntley, “My dad used to take me to a lot of concerts when I was little, so that impacted me.”

Although Huntley hopes to organize lights for bands that do big concerts in large venues, he’s already started working on this dream right here at PHHS. “When I first came here, I asked Mrs. Sandau if there was anything I could do with lights. She kind of just threw me into the theatre department, so I’ve been doing that for two years. I also kind of work as a tech guy for the district, so if there’s an event, then I do lights and sound for it most times,” said Huntley.

Huntley has already been recognized for his work, especially for last year’s musical, Sweeney Todd, for which he won a Blue Star for lighting design, and a Cappie for special effects. The Cappies (Critics and Awards Program) trains high school students involved with theatre and journalism to act as critics. They attend shows at other schools, and at the end of the year, vote for awards presented at a formal Cappies Gala.

Many students get inspired and encouraged to do what they love through what they’re involved in at school. Junior Lauren

Handley thanks Debate and Amnesty International for preparing her to take on her career field of choice, international relations and humanitarian work.

“Amnesty has opened my eyes to people around the world who aren’t as lucky as people here in America. They don’t have their natural human rights and that inspired me to want to help them,” said Handley.

Whether your passion is anatomy, design, or reforming the government, it’s important to do what you love and love what you do.

“You’re successful in a career when you’re happy and would do it even if you didn’t get paid,” said Handley.

5

meet your teachers Teachers help students learn and understand things that can help them out in the future, but at one point in their lives, they didn’t have it all figured out either.

Philosophy teacher Troy Snelling once dreamed of becoming either a trial attorney or a Shakespearean actor.

“Between my junior and senior year, I hung out with an attorney friend of my parents’. I realized very early on that it was not what I thought it was. It wasn’t going to court and making these great speeches. It was mostly tedious, bureaucratic paperwork, and doing a lot of research in obtuse legal matters. Although there were parts of it I found incredibly interesting, it wasn’t really what I wanted to do,” said Snelling.

Snelling attended Washington and Lee University, where he majored in history. It wasn’t until after earning a degree that a family friend sparked the idea of pursuing education.

“I’ve never regretted it. It became something that’s been very fulfilling. I get to be around interesting, intelligent young people all day. I get to interact with minds all the time, and I don’t have a static job; it’s different everyday,” said Snelling.

Many students don’t actually realize what exactly their dream job entails. Snelling works with the endorsement program here at PHHS to help lead kids in the direction of experiencing these careers in the real world.

“Actually get in and take control of your own education. Take control of your own future. Stop letting people spoon-feed your future to you. Go see what it looks like—go see what people really do,” said Snelling.

Language Arts teacher Sarah McKenna has been teaching at PHHS for two years. She always knew she wanted to do something social, but hadn’t decided to go into education until her last two years of high school.

“I knew I wanted to be around people, and I also knew that education and helping people to gain skills to further themselves was important, so teaching seemed like a pretty natural fit. As I took classes in college, it became more and more apparent that’s exactly what I wanted to do,” said McKenna.

McKenna was greatly influenced to go into teaching by her high school social studies teacher, who broadened the classroom experience by not only enabling the kids to learn a lot, but by making it fun.

“I think that you have to look internally and decide what things are the most valuable to you,” said McKenna, “I think I would tell kids to find their niche, and once you’ve found that niche, really go for it, but don’t forget about all the other things that are important for getting to that point.”

FEATURE

THE FUTURE STARTS TODAY

14

“When I was little, I wanted to be a writer, and really that’s what I thought I was going to do even coming into high school, major in creative writing or something. I don’t really know what made me choose another direction, but it’s still something that really interests me. Writing a book someday is still definitely on my to-do list.”-- Madeleine Hemphill

“When I was little, I wanted to be a cowboy. I guess I realized being a cowboy was a lonely life… I’m not very suited for it.”-- Junior Lauren Handley

“When I first started high school, I literally had no idea what I wanted to do. When I was little, I wanted to be a writer, an astronaut, an ornithologist, or a falconer.” -- Daniel Chen

Memorial Church is located on the Harvard campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Photo donated by Daniel Chen.

where are they now?

Getting out of high school and jumping into the real world is a scary transition that serves a plate full of opportunities. Whether one decides to attend a major university or jump right into the workforce, it’s time to start putting those childhood dreams to action.

PHHS alumna Madeleine Hemphill is now a freshman at NYU, where she’s majoring in neuroscience.

“I had wanted to go to NYU since I was super young, like elementary school years. As I got interested in medical fields, and especially neuroscience, I looked into NYU’s medical programs. We have a really strong pre-med program here, our med school is really competitive, and I have opportunities to research in neuro labs this year as a freshman. It was a great package for me and when I got a scholarship here, I knew I had to come,” said Hemphill.

Hemphill wants to be a psychiatrist and own her own practice someday. Although she’s now a pre-med college student, she didn’t focus on taking a ton of math and science in high school.

“My general experience at Park Hill prepared me well for college. I took AP classes, which I highly recommend for anyone looking to go into a vigorous college program. As for specific classes, I didn’t take a lot of math and science, and I would say I’m still as equally prepared as someone in my program who did,” said Hemphill, “When you’re actually in college, it doesn’t really matter who’s taken AP Bio or who just went through the general science requirements at their high school; what matters

“I think that I did what probably saved me from a bad decision, and I would say that if you have notions of what you want to do, first of all, go observe, go hangout. Most people are glad to have you come, as long as you’re not in the way, just to kind of see how something works.” --Troy Snelling

Washington Square Park in New York, New York, is what NYU is built around. Photo donated by Madeleine Hemphill.

is who learned how to work hard, study, and enjoy what they’re learning.”

Harvard freshman and 2013 PHHS graduate, Daniel Chen, is studying astrophysics with a secondary in government.

“I plan on doing theoretical research in cosmology. I want to write books on my findings that are accessible to people, no matter what their science background is. After some years of experience, I want to become a public advocate for science education and funding,” said Chen.

Astrophysics and cosmology are branches of science dealing with stars, the origin of the universe, and the science behind it all. Chen hopes to spread this wonder to children across the country, and eventually the world. One of his biggest career goals is to reform the k-12 education system so children can invent their own equations to solve the questions that interest them, instead of reading out of textbooks.

Some questions teenagers are having concern what to do with their future. Many colleges offer hundreds of majors to choose from—So how does someone even begin to narrow it down?

“What would you do if you didn’t have to worry about money? What excites you, so much so that you want to share it with everyone? What sparks your interest, appeals to your intellect? Major in that. Just do that. If you haven’t found your thing yet, that’s okay. You still have time to explore,” said Chen.

“In high school, take the classes that you want to take. Of course I would recommend challenging yourself, but if you want to take three music classes in one year, then do it. I did it, and I’m never going to have the opportunity to be in two choirs and an orchestra again in my life, so I’m thrilled I got to experience those things in high school.” -- Madeleine Hemphill

“I think if I could go back to my 16, 17, 18 year-old self I would’ve said, ‘Hey, a B+ is great, but if you can get the A, get the A, because it’s gonna lead to scholarships, and it’s gonna lead to more experiences and more positive things in the future, so don’t just settle. Do the best that you always can.’

I do think that’s important. Try a lot of new things.” -- Sarah McKenna

TATTED TEACHERS?

PHHS STUDENTS WEIGH IN ON WHAT THEY THINK OF THEIR TEACHERS’ PERMANENT FORMS OF EXPRESSION.

“I had originally wanted my siblings names inside the heart, but then I ended having to wait, or else my parents wouldn’t pay fo my college.”

-Special Education teacher Emily Tobin

EDITORIAL

“I have a lot of tattoos, but I really like this one. I’ve just always thought it was so cool.”

-Language Arts teacher and head football coach Josh Hood

16

Sometimes it’s the people you least expected to have them. They can be hidden, or in plain sight.

Some people like them, others don’t. They can be a reminder of an important memory. They usually mean a lot to the person that owns them. They are tattoos, and members of Park Hill’s student body weighed in on the issue.

“I think it’s actually pretty cool. I have two teachers that have tattoos, and I don’t think that they’re bad people or teachers or anything because of it. I understand some teachers that want to hide them from their students, but to me, unless you have ‘thug life’ tattooed on your neck, it’s not important,” said junior Renee Smith. Smith has a tattoo of Chinese characters that mean ‘family’. “I think it’s funny when people ask me if my tattoo is real. Or when they ask if it hurt. Well, yeah it’s going to hurt, they’re putting a needle into your skin,” tells Smith.

When asked about her tattoo, Smith responded, “I thought for a really long time about what I wanted and where I wanted it. I hate it when people get meaningless tattoos.”

“If you want one, why shouldn’t you be able to have one? I mean, teachers are adults. As long it’s not inappropriate, and isn’t on your face or neck, it’s not an issue in my mind,” told junior Ally Whaley.

Whaley has tattoos of her own.

Social studies teacher Marc Harmon has a tattoo, but does not show it to his students or make it public knowledge, until now.

“My tattoo, which describes my beliefs, is personal to me and I don’t believe it is appropriate to discuss personal beliefs with impressionable youth. I can tell “The Trojan” the same thing I tell my students - if you want to know about it, see me after graduation,” Harmon said.

Some students however, see it as a way to teach students about individualism.

“I don’t see anything wrong with having tattoos.

It’s your body. They shouldn’t be purposefully offensive to other people, but at the same time, they’re up to the interpretation of other people and some are going to be offended no matter what,” said Reagan Smith. “Most importantly though, I don’t think you should judge other people because of their tattoos.

They have nothing to do with a person’s personality. I mean, I’m a pretty nice person and I have two.” In an argumentative essay she wrote for her language arts class, Smith discussed tattoos in terms of a person’s ability to make their own decisions, as well as an art form.

“Its art, that expresses who you are,” wrote Smith.

Tattoos are not an uncommon thing, even among the staff here at Park Hill. However, not many teachers are willing to talk about them. When asked for a quote, teachers often refused. Tyler Unsell, the debate coach, said, “I don’t talk about them. They’re private, and not something I want my students to know about.”

“I don’t care that my students know about my tattoos.”

-Science teacher Tara Bell

“No one really sees mine. But it’s not for other people, it’s for me.”

-Administrative assistant Marlene Tillman

STAFF EDITORIAL RIGHT CLASS, WRONG TIME

PHHS students are given a list of required core classes and choices of elective classes, but do we really need to take all of these classes? Are we able to just take the classes that prepare us for what we want to do when we get older?

We feel that being required to take certain classes that have nothing to do with our career path takes away valuable time students put in educating themselves for the future of their life and career. Being forced to take classes to fill spaces in our schedules, taking classes that are more advanced than what we need, as well as taking classes that should be offered earlier in high school rather than only as a senior or junior adds unneeded stress to students.

ACT Prep and Personal Finance are classes that may make more sense if the year they are taken are switched. ACT prep is a class to get us ready for the ACT, therefore it should be offered before we have already taken the ACT. In most cases, freshmen and sophomore year is when we should be taking this class. Students normally take the ACT their junior and senior year, so having the preparation class when you have already taken the ACT just doesn’t seem to make much sense.

Upper classmen are taking the ACT to late and not having enough time to take multiple ACT’s before applying for colleges. If we were to switch the years that you take the ACT Prep class, it would give the students here at PHHS an advantage, plus we could take it as many times as we needed.

On the flip side, Personal Finance should be a class taken as a senior, because let’s be honest, most people don’t remember much from a class taken freshmen or sophomore year. What is learned in Personal Finance is much more relevant to a soon to be high school graduate than a soon to be sophomore or junior. Personal finance teaches you how to take out a loans, prepare your budget, and just explain how to manage your money. All of this is great for students leaving for college, and are to be in charge of their finances. So having students take this class later rather than sooner is better.

Now for AP classes - many students sign up for the classes and back out when they realizes the challenges that come with AP. Well in order to drop an AP class, you must take a class that is equal to or harder than that class. Not to complain but we just need classes that give ease to our schedules. Is it really necessary for a student who wants a job in the arts or humanities to take an AP Chemistry or calculus class?

Likewise, a future engineer may not pull a lot out of AP Language in the future. Although these classes are important, we realize most students would rather take classes that directly benefit them according to the career path they have chosen. Counselors will tell you that they look good on transcripts and they challenge you. To us, it is more important that our classes prepare us for what we want to do with our life rather than stack up credits or look good on a transcript.

Occasionally, we just need the classes that prepare you for what you want to be when you get older instead of preparing you to be a nuclear engineer. AP classes are meant to be challenging, that’s why they are AP, but when we have 2-4 AP classes on our schedules, things get a tad hectic. So all that is being said is that when we ask to get changed out of a class that’s it’s taken into consideration of our other classes, our work, life, and school schedules. Because everyone likes to pass classes and school, and that’s the goal here at PHHS!

1. Senior Hugh Skidmore utalizes his computer during Personal Finance.

2. Seniors Delaney Rose and Angela Morelli work on a practice test in ACT Prep.

3. Junior Mitchell Francis works on his science packet in ACT Prep.

FEATURE

LEARNING FROM OUR PAST 18

PHHS REMEMBERS

Ethan Rickman 1998-2013

WITH THE DEATH OF FRESHMAN ETHAN RICKMAN, PHHS STUDENTS TAKE TIME TO REFLECT ON THEIR OWN LIVES By: Kaylin Lake After the death of Ethan Rickman on Oct. 4, two area teenagers were arrested for the distributions controlled substance. There has been a $25,000 cash bond set for each of their release.

PHHS came together and had counselors available for student support. Many students showed their support of Rickman, and wore rock band shirts to show his love of the genre.

In Rickman’s case, according to KC Star, was at his friend’s house on Friday night. Rickman had a heart attack triggered by a -freshman drug, followed by a seizure. It was too much for his heart to take, and he was rushed to a hospital. Rickman was declared brain dead at 2:30 a.m.

There are multiple reasons that a teenager may choose to take drugs, from curiosity to peer pressure.

However, it can have a more serious effect than the teenager may know at the time. According to drugfree.org, nearly 200,000 people die every year from drug abuse. Although no one thinks it can happen to you, it can and it will if you don’t take the precautions of not using these substances.

“You

“You never know what you’re getting yourself into by taking drugs.

It can always be laced with something else,” said freshman Will Pittman.

Drugs can’t just affect your life, they can also affect your future. After the death of Rickman, PHHS has been taking more precautionary measures to ensure there are no drugs on campus.

Due to recent events, several students have also felt the negative effects of drugs, and their school activities. Several students have been suspended from school and/ or banned from Will Pittman school events due to violations.

The football sidelines have been thin the past few games and the players and fans are feeling the pressure of the absence.

“It is definitely not easy, but you have to go through the bad to be good.

We’re just going with who we have now and were just going forward not looking back,” said senior Zach Serrano.

If you suspect someone you know may be in need of help, do not hesitate to call or text 800-784-6776 for help, where there is staff members on call 24 hours a day to help assist you.

never know what you’re getting yourself into by taking drugs.”

“He was just an awesome guy overall, huge in music, and the best kind of friend anyone could ask for” -Freshman Riley Thomas “Ethan was never a person to get upset with you. In 6th grade, he helped me a lot with issues I had and was always the same person and never got mad” -Freshman Cayli Beer “He always had one mood, and it was happy” -Freshman Kelly Thompson “He never was upset, and had a really big heart” -Sophomore Morgen Agesen “Ethan was really funny, and he really liked music. We talked about it a lot” -Freshman Will Pitman

HEY STUDENTS! Check out Restore this Sunday and find out what all your peers have been talking about! Restore is focused on building a strong environment for students to build relationships and grow spiritually. Bring your parents, brothers and sisters with you, we’d love to see you all!

SUNDAY MORNINGS AT PARK HILL | 9:30 AND 11AM SERVICES | RESTORECC.ORG

Introducing the FAST K A E app available B RWITH BETHELMYPARKHILL on iPhone and Android COLL E

YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US FOR A MORNING OF CONVERSATION AND EXPLORATION ABOUT BETHEL COLLEGE!

GE

NOV. SATURDAY

9, 2013 10:00 AM—11:30 AM

Meet Bethel students, faculty, admissions counselors, young alumni and the Bethel president.

Find out more about our academic programs, campus life, extracurricular activities, financial aid and so much more!

PLEASE RSVP BY TUESDAY, NOV. 5,

TO MICHAEL UNRUH IN THE OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS

BEST BACCALAUREATE COLLEGE— Ranked #3 in the country according to Washington Monthly 2013–2014

go to myparkhill.com for details

Future students, parents and families are all invited to attend.

For more information, please contact: Michael Unruh, Admissions Counselor munruh@bethelks.edu office: 316-284-5236 cell: 620-382-6560 (call or text)

DOUBLETREE HOTEL 10100 COLLEGE BOULEVARD OVERLAND PARK, KS 66210

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20

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classifieds

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

Z L E S 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

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ACROSS 2.What does junior Renee Smith’s tattoo mean?

5.What is sophomore Bryson Grau’s favorite Pokemon game?

6.What college does junior Olivia Nowakowski hope to attend?

8.Who are the Chiefs playing in their last regular season game?

9.What is a top reason that students try drugs?

11.What country did the American legend of Slender Man come from?

12.What sport does junior Katie Reichert play?

13.What was the official name of the soccer game that raised money for cancer?

DOWN 1.Who started the graphic design program?

3.How long has Starbucks sold pumpkin spice lattes?

4.What did Mr. Snelling want to grow up to be when he was younger?

7.How long has senior Bradley Donaghy been working at Worlds of Fun? 10.How many people are in pit orchestra?

JOB OF THE

MONTH WORLDS OF FUN

HALLOWEEN HAUNT

PUMPKIN PERFECTION Treats

WHAT’S THE OBSESSION WITH PUMPKIN?

Pumpkin Pies: Pumpkin Pie is a holiday dessert known across the world. PHHS students and families participate in this tradition too.

“Thanksgiving meal is always the best, especially because my grandma always has homemade pumpkin pie,” said senior Quintavious Kelly Pumpkin Doughnuts: Sold at convenient stores like QuikTrip, and pumpkin patches such as Caroline’s Pumpkin Patch and Red Barn Farm, pumpkin doughnuts have been sold more this season than ever before.

Activities

By: Zoë Butler

LIFE

It is Halloween time in Kansas City, and one of the biggest things going on is the Halloween Haunt at Worlds of Fun. It is a hot spot during the summer and even during the fall. The Haunt provides spooky, family friendly activities.

Senior Bradley Donaghy has worked at Worlds of Fun for a three years, and is currently working there during The Haunt.

Donaghy and other employees are getting paid to scare people. Most people like to scare people without making any money, so getting paid for it is a win-win.

They also have a fun and free place to go when they are not working.

“I work with a lot of cool and cooperative people. I also get in for free when I’m not working,” said Donaghy.

Like any other job, there are a lot of fun parts and some not so fun parts. For Donaghy, the biggest responsibility is taking care of his screamsters. Screamsters are the workers in the haunted houses whose job is to scare people. They are the ones with all of the crazy make up. He makes sure they are doing their jobs right.

“I have to make sure my screamsters are okay. If they’re not, I have to take care of it. I have to make sure the house runs. I also have to deal with bad customers. If it’s something my employers did, I have to try to fix it,” said Donaghy.

Most jobs require some sort of customer service; working for the Haunt is no different. With so many people and so many fun things going on, there is a lot that could go wrong. It is the employee’s job to make sure that everything is up and running. In this case, that includes making sure people are scared and having fun.

22

Pumpkin Carving: Pumpkin carving is known all around the world, and is considered a popular pass time and family activity during the Halloween season. This year, FCCLA had a pumpkin carving contest for all of the clubs. Each club was able to enter one pumpkin carved by their members. The winner this year was TARKUS. Photographed are seniors Kendall Wilson and Alec Bruington, winners of the My Park Hill pumpkin carving contest on twitter and instagram.

Pumpkin Picking: Pumpkin Patches near PHHS are Pumpkins Etc. and Red Barn Farm in Platte City. For this year’s fall blood drive, donors were given two tickets to Caroline’s Pumpkin Patch in Liberty. Although it may be easier to buy a pumpkin at Hy-Vee or Wal Mart, part of the experience is to go out to the pumpkin patch yourself.

“Alec and I went to Red Barn Farm and picked out our pumpkin.

It was super busy but it was fun to actually go to a pumpkin patch and join in on the festivities instead of just grabbing a pumpkin and leaving,” said senior Kendall Wilson. “Alec carved the whole thing, but I did the messy part-- clean it out.”

Pumpkin Painting/Decorating: For a cleaner way to participate in the season’s festivity, pumpkin painting is a new trend.

Not only can you paint the whole pumpkin in your favorite color or design at home, but you can also buy hand-painted pumpkins as well.

Drinks

Caribou Coffee: “I love my job,” says senior Kim Rau, worker at Caribou Coffee. “I sometimes work at the window. Winter and fall are the busiest seasons for us. Our best sellers are pumpkin chai and pumpkin white mochas right now. Campfires all year, Fa La Lattes and hot apple blasts are also very popular during the holidays.”

‘Amy’s blend’ is also sold at Caribou in October for breast cancer awareness. Amy was a Caribou employee who passed away due to breast cancer.

“Because of that, they made a sweet, fruity blend of coffee after her. We also sell mugs and stuff for her too. Ten percent of our profit is given to cancer care in America,” says Rau. Smoothie King: “The Pumpkin Pie Smoothie is something where you have to really really like pumpkin flavor to like it. If you really love pumpkin pie, you will love the new smoothie. It’s pumpkin filling inside a smoothie! It’s pretty rich but it depends on your personal preference. If you really enjoy rich stuff, like chocolate, you’ll probably like it,” said junior Madeline Smith.

Starbucks: “It really is a white girl obsession here,” said Starbucks worker, Andrew, “I once went through five containers of pumpkin flavoring in one short shift. Imagine one pump per drink, and a countless number of pumps in each container. A pump of pumpkin flavoring is available to everyone, all drinks, and it’s for free. Mostly high school and college girls order it, but it’s still popular with everyone during this season. Pumpkin Frappuccino’s are the most popular.”

This year is the tenth year anniversary of Starbucks’ pumpkin spice drinks.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN...

KANSAS CITY? By: Ally Buchberg The Kansas City Chiefs had one of the worst seasons in professional football history in 2012. Now, they are the last undefeated team in the NFL for this season.

The offseason was largely publicized by local media after the board of directors spent millions of dollars reforming the team by replacing head coach Todd Haley with former Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid, and replacing general manager Scott Pioli with former Director of College Scouting for the Green Bay Packers, John Dorsey. Reid used the Chiefs’ number one draft pick to draft former Central Michigan University offensive lineman Eric Fisher.

Fisher was awarded third-team honors from the Associated Press, a second-team selection by Sports Illustrated, and was distinguished as a first-team All-American by Pro Football Weekly. Fisher, Reid, and Dorsey have all contributed to the new spirit of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Sophomore Montana Heaps believes that Kansas City is “closer together” and “getting more pumped” now that the Chiefs are on a winning streak.

“The Chiefs are doing something [that] no team has done for a while. It really puts Kansas City on the map,” said sophomore Matthew Harris.

Residents of Kansas City, and in surrounding areas, have taken pride in their city’s football team’s success for the first time in ten years.

“The success is definitely raising this city up,” said senior Aaron Hurtado.

By winning every game this season, the city has regained its faith in the team. Fans are attending many games, pushing sales to an alltime high. Fans recently broke the record for the loudest NFL stadium while cheering louder than 137 decibels for the players as they defeated Oakland. The Chiefs may also break another record this season by winning ten games and beating their 2003 record of being 9-0.

“Their winning streak is a big deal in Kansas City. Beating their record [of] 9-0 will be hard, but I have faith in them,” said Harris.

Week

Date

Score

1

Sep. 8

W 28-2

Opponent

Jaguars 2

Sep. 15

W 17-16 Cowboys

3

Sep. 19

W 26-16 Eagles

4

Sep. 29

W 31-7

5

Oct. 6

W 26-17

6

Oct. 13

W 24-7

Giants

Titans

Raiders 7

Oct. 20

W 17-16

8

Oct. 27

W 23-17

9

Nov. 3

-

10

Nov. 10

Bye

11

Nov. 17

-

12

Nov. 24

-

13

Dec. 1

-

14

Dec. 8

-

15

Dec. 15

-

Texans

Browns

Bills Bye

Broncos

Chargers

Broncos

Redskins

Raiders 16

Dec. 22

-

17

Dec. 29

-

Colts

Chargers

We’re everywhere!