January 2014 by Sally Beran

IssueThree/January 2014 MEET YOUR BACHELORS Read all about PHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most eligible bachelors for the upcoming

BALANCING ACT Many student athletes are having to decide between continuing multiple sports or give one up.

DOUBLE TROUBLE The spotlight is put on three out of the twenty twins that attend PH.

THE

TROJAN

LETTER

FROM THE

EDITOR

Dear Readers,

ABOUT THE COVER:

On December 12, 2013 the girls basketball team participated in the annual Coaches vs. Cancer game against the North Kansas City Hornets. Although the game turned out in a loss for the Trojans, it was a successful fundraiser for cancer. The following Monday, the Lady Trojans redeemed themselves against the Platte County Pirates after a buzzer beater shot by Jaleiyah Gibbs. Senior Katie McWhirter shoots and sinks a freethrow to score the Lady Trojans another point. “When I’m at the freethrow line, I have my routine. I wipe off the bottom of my shoes with my right hand, dribble three times, spin the ball, and then shoot. It’s all about the focus,” McWhirter said.

ABOUT THE BACKCOVER:

CONTENTS

On December 5, 2013 a group of 11 senior boys competed for the title of Mr. Parkhill. Brian Kantanka won swimwear and audience vote. Club skit and second runner up was taken by Shane Storm. Trevor Stark won formal wear and first runner up. Finally, Jake Bjornlie won talent and the title of Mr. Park Hill. These boys showed their all to the school, drawing smiles and awe from their performances.

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.

With winter breaks come the holidays. For some this is a joyous time of celebrations, for others it falls short. And for some, it’s a blatant reminder that a loved one is no longer there to celebrate with you. Whether this be a brother, sister, grandparent, mom or dad. Many come to find that the holidays can be one of the hardest times to deal with the grief of death, no matter if it’s been one year or six. They see one less person to shop for, traditions that just aren’t the same, and a holiday glow that can’t quite surround their whole house. For those lucky enough to have not experienced this, one might look around and see a family smiling around a tree or fire, appearing to have the same jolly holiday as anyone else. But the true holiday spirit is not hot cocoa or presents, it is a feeling inside that makes cocoa an elixir of the time and can make one giddy to rip apart fancy paper. We all strive to get as excited for the holidays as Will Ferrel in the movie, “Elf ”, but every year there are those who struggle not to break down merely from having to feign excitement. The ones struggling are not always the ones with the frown. So whether your holiday was spent alone, surrounded with family, or even without someone special, I challenge all of you to let it push you to be the best versions of yourselves in this new year.

Mackenzie Thomas

editor in chief

THE

TROJAN

PARK HILL HIGH SCHOOL January 2014

FEATURE Read about how five different students break the stereotypes of the brain, athlete, basketcase, princess, and criminal.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BREAKFAST CLUB? DOUBLE TROUBLE

Gain a little insight into the lives of three of the sets of twins that attend Park Hill.

MEET YOUR BACHELORS

Flip to page 18 to read about 2014’s most eligible bachelors.

DEPARTMENT What does wearing your ID around your neck really do for you?

AN IDENTITY CRISIS IT’S ONLY WEIRD IF IT DOESN’T WORK ‘TIS THE SEASON STAFF EDITORIAL

Athletes talk about what they have to do before every game in order to perform at their best.

How did Park Hill participating in the season of giving? What is the true purpose of homeroom and what should Park Hill do to make that more clear?

2013-2014 STAFF

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

entity Crisis

I think they’re very oppressing because they don’t make us feel equal to one another. - junior Catherine Wong I like ID’s because they help teachers identify who students are, and they help new students know who other students are. - freshman Jonathon Cruickshank ID’s are good to identify who people are, but I think everyone works really hard and deserves some priveleges. - freshman Troy Wade

By: Kaylin Lake “Put your I.D. on” is a popular saying most students hear more times than they want throughout their high school career. Within the next students will be recieving your third quarter card, chances are, it will be red. “If you’re a red card you get no privileges so what is the point of wearing an I.D?” said sophomore Miranda Zeigler. The I.D.’s are not just a privilege cards, but also an identification card for teachers. This helps teachers know who students are and state their names when they see them. “It provides order to know who you are,” said principal Brad Kincheloe. The school has been up in arms lately when they hear discussion about the card system and how it works. The school card is supposed to be nothing but a privilege card and a name card. If it drops from a platinum or gold to a red card, it is not meant to be a punishment at all. “We want to provide a reward to encourage good grades, attendance and behavior,” said Kincheloe. There has been rumor amongst the school of a petition to sign that is trying to change the card system by an anonymously ran Twitter account.

“The main thing we want to change is the attendance requirement for it, we think it should be less attendance based and more academic based. We are not trying to say we are trying to change the grades, but the attendance requirements,” said senior James Schold. If a student has to go to a funeral, college visit or is sick and unable to attend school, it is not an excused absence. As of now there is not a set border line of what an excused absence could count towards. PHHS runs on the system that students should be in every class, every day. However, if a students misses two or more days first semester, they are already below the standards of receiving a gold or platinum card. “It is very difficult, especially for seniors who are taking college visits that first quarter, because a lot of the colleges are trying to draw you in and it makes it difficult for seniors to postpone their visit until there are more days, or weekends when colleges only offer special visits on certain days,” said senior Katherine Thompson. For now the administration has yet to change their policy on their I.D.’s and the I.D system is staying the same.

ID BREAKDOWN

Identification Picture

High School name, and school year Name

CAMPUS

Student number

Activity Pass

Grade Bus Number

To scan for lunch, library, games, etc.

NOT SO FOREIGN

Students take it into their own hands to learn a foreign language By: Molly Weis PHHS does not require students to enroll in foreign language classes; however, most colleges require two courses taken in the same language, and school counselors strongly advise these courses when enrolling students. Students only have thirty-two available credits through PHHS, so fitting upper level foreign language into a schedule is rare, but some students have such a great passion for their language, and use their own time to learn a language in order to skip to higher level courses at PHHS. Foreign language is not offered through summer school, but students have taken their own time during the summer to learn the language in order to move up the ranks at PHHS and join upperlevel foreign language classes. “I thought it made more sense to take Spanish, but I’ve always wanted to take German,” said senior Rhett Redel. “I didn’t get any credits for taking the German exam, but it did allow me to go on to German three.” No course credit is given for the work completed over summer, as no work is graded until the final in August. Materials are given to students and online programs such as Rosetta Stone and smart phone applications like DuoLingo are used to mentor students, but only the grade of the final in August determines if a student is ready to move on to the next course. “I’ve spoken German since I was little. My mom was from

Germany, so it was kind of like a second language in our house,” said senior Christina Hermanns. “I skipped [German one and two] when Frau Bender was a teacher – I just had to go over the books. It wasn’t anything formal because I knew her outside of school. I just had to have a conversation in German with her.” “I had the text book and Frau Shafer provided power points and worksheets,” said Redel, “I went through all of that and did the worksheets. I took a couple of hours to study most days, and I’d usually take four days of the week. The only thing that was graded was the final at the end of the summer.” Redel spent three semesters learning Spanish until he decided to take up German his junior year. Because he had only completed German one by the end of his junior year, Redel had to take German two over the summer if he wanted to complete German three and four. Freshman Sydney Caldwell is currently enrolled in French three, after skipping French one and two. “I was in French two originally this year, and the first day we got our textbooks Ms. McPherson had me look through it and it all looked really familiar so she said I could move up,” said Caldwell. Most classes build on other prerequisite classes, and some prerequisites are offered over the summer to eager students. Some students, however, have prior knowledge to a language, or take it into their own hands to learn the language and move forward to upper level classes.

1. Senior Rhett Redel holds up a German Club t-shirt. Rett became the president of German club during his senior year, after only taking one German class on campus. 2. In class, freshman Sydney Caldwell studies for French finals. Caldwell came into French three as a freshman. 3. Redel conjugates verbs in his German three class. He plans to take both German three and four during his senior year after learning German two material over the summer.

LEARN IT YOURSELF

DUOLINGO Duolingo is a smart phone application available on both iPhone and android. The app is free and offers mini courses in Spanish, German, French, Portuguese and Italian. Senior Rhett Redel used Duolingo over the summer to skip German 2.

ROSETTA STONE Rosetta Stone is available in over thirty languages, all of which are taught through thorough computer based software, and immersion with the language.

ANKI Anki is a flashcard program that uses spaced repetition in order to help the learner memorize a language and other terms. Senior Garrett Smith used Anki when studying German over the summer to skip German 2.

BARRY

WHAT HAPPENED TO

SHANNON

the breakfast club?

“You see us as you want to see us…. In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions.” This memorable quote from the 1985 John Hughes film “The Breakfast Club” has been used to sum up the high school experience for the past 28 years. Though it may have explained and broken down these stereotypes, they still hold true today. On the outside looking in, students are still seen as a brain, athlete, basket case, princess or a criminal.

THE BRAIN?

A familiar face to PHHS for the past four years is senior Shane Storm. Straight A and repeat AP scholar, Storm could be, and easily is, labeled as a “brain” in the class of 2014. “When I picture a nerd or brain,” said Storm, “I basically picture a person in dorky clothes, someone who’s not in shape, has bad social skills, and is nervous around others. In other words, a bookworm.” Though Storm does fit into the academic side of the “brain” persona, with his application to the UMKC six-year med program and an application to KU’s Honor College pending, his induction into the National Honor Society, and involvement in student government; there is much more to him than meets the eye. Storm’s involvement in PHHS’s fine art department sets him apart from the typical “brain.” “Outside of academics, I do sing. I’m involved in the theater department and I think that makes me a more well-rounded student,” said Storm, who played the role of Wilbur Turnblad in this year’s fall musical “Hairspray” and is also a member of Concert Chorale and Voices.

THE ATHLETE? When freshman Jenna Winebrenner’s older brother Cain graduated last year, it was expected of her to fill his role as athlete at PHHS. “People always ask if I’m better than or as good as Cain at soccer or running,” said Winebrenner. Planning on participating in a sport every season this year, with varsity cross country and JV basketball already under her belt, her Powerschool quick-look is flooded with athletic and club accesses. Holding a cross country record as a freshman, Winebrenner agrees that athletics are something that defines her. “I play on Forte Premiere,” said Winebrenner. Forte Premiere is part of Futura Futbol Club and is ranked thirty-third in the nation. “What most people think is that athleteic people aren’t smart or care as much about school but most of my classes are accelerated.” Unlike her older counterpart, Winebrenner puts a great amount of stock in her academic performance. “I had a 4.0 at Congress and a 3.9 here. I hate having B’s more than anything,” said Winebrenner, “I won’t allow myself to go to practice if I have a bad grade—I know what’s more important.” When asked what was more important, scoring a goal in a soccer game or getting an A on a test, Winebrenner responded accordingly: “If it’s an A in geometry, it’s definitely more important.”

THE BASKET CASE?

FEATURE

Remembered as the eccentric and stand out character in the film, senior Joey Cation fits the mold for PHHS. With his offbeat antics, it is never a dull moment in the classroom with Cation around. “I’ve spent over $200 in cakes over the past four years,” said Cation, “If you bring a whole cake to school, someone will have to let you eat it.” Over the past four years Cation has taken it upon himself to lighten the mood of an otherwise stressful and bleak school day. “I like to take boring things and make them fun; school is boring and it doesn’t have to be. I also like to make myself laugh too,” said Cation, “I once snuck the whole movie “Mission Impossible” into a presentation for German. We got through about forty-five minutes before anyone noticed and stopped it.” Though he loves to spice things up during the school day, Cation leaves that all behind when he steps on the track. “I’ve been on the track team for four years,” said Cation, “The track is not a place to laugh.” Competing in high jump, long jump, and triple jump, Cation takes his time on the track seriously compared to his attitude towards school, though he manages to maintain a 4.0.

THE PRINCESS?

As junior Nadia Lee has come to find, growing up in a family where you and your sisters are treated like royalty is a hard habit to break. “My parents have always held my sisters and me to a higher standard, like princesses. We get what we want a lot, but we also don’t get what we want a lot. My family just lives a different lifestyle—we’re all girls, except my dad, and we’ve always been treated this way. Sometimes we do take things for granted,” said Lee. The princess role seems easy to fill when you’re a varsity cheerleader, which comes with its own stereotypes. “I’m an Allstar cheerleader and they’re usually seen as bratty, mean girls, and divas,” said Lee. But for one week every summer, this die-hard princess cheerleader puts it all on the back burner for the sake of a higher power. “I do mission work for a week every summer aside from the Bible studies I teach every Wednesday and I teach Sunday school,” said Lee, “Church is my home.” By seeing those less privileged around her, Lee has grown and matured outside of the princess stereotype she has been dubbed with. “I’m a different person, I was so much more self-centered without it,” said Lee.

THE CRIMINAL?

Spotting senior Presley Garcia across the hall, it’s easy to label him just by the way he looks. “People see me as the weird, goth kid who you might not want to get to know. I seem kind of reclusive probably,” said Garcia. Fitting into the role of criminal is not skin deep for Garcia. “I don’t mind coming to school like I think the ‘criminal’ stereotype would have you believe. I just think that school expects too much from kids sometimes,” said Garcia, “I don’t smoke or drink or anything like that either. I don’t have a criminal record but that’s how I’m perceived. I wouldn’t have the time to do that even if I wanted to.” Though his determination in school may not be ideal, his criminal façade is fragmented by his dedication to providing for his family. With Garcia’s father’s unstable employment and income, Garcia took it upon himself to help make ends meet. “I worked about 45 hours a week at Sheridan’s and that along with school adds up to about 20 hour days,” said Garcia, “I needed to help my family out if my dad couldn’t come up with the child support.” Though he recently left his job at Sheridan’s to catch up on work from his three AP classes, Garcia still sets aside money he has as a safety net for him and his family while looking for another job.

IN THIN

WATER

COMMUNITY

By: Molley Martin The girls Swim and Dive team wanted something fresh for their 2013-2014 season photos – a fresh coat of paint, that is. “I loved the pictures because they were really different. I don’t think anyone else has done anything like it before,” said sophomore Ariel Jones. The team’s pictures for this year were taken in the West Bottoms, in front of an old building. The building had been decorated with graffiti, ‘Park Hill Swim and Dive’, as a backdrop for the photos. “We went to the West Bottoms, where all the graffiti is, to take our pictures. We thought it’d be cool to have Park Hill Swim and Dive in the background of the picture,” said sophomore Becca Shaw. “But it turned out the building was owned by someone and they asked us to go clean it up and we can’t use the pictures.” The school was contacted by the building’s owner two weeks ago. The team isn’t able to use any of the photos that were taken, and were asked to remove the graffiti. “I was pretty upset, because I thought they looked cool and turned out really good, but I understand why. We spent a whole day trying to take pictures and it didn’t work out,” told Shaw.

FIRST FRIDAYS

TREADING

By: Ally Buchberg On the first Friday of every month, the Crossroads -- south of downtown and north of Crown Center and West Bottoms and west of downtown -- transform their abandoned buildings into art galleries, antique and furniture shops, restaurants, live music, and much more. Multiple cultures come together to showcase their talents, displaying a variety of local flavors. “I think for artists it is more exciting and I understand some people aren’t really into galleries like First Fridays, but I think the majority of people like going for the cultural experience, even just to stop and take a look,” said junior Jaycee Myszka. Although many PHHS students enjoy walking around and looking at the artwork, some students go for inspiration. “First Fridays is a very inspiring experience. It is a lot easier to relate to artists and bounce ideas around in that kind of environment, thus making it easier to improve on your own work. It is a much different feeling looking at art that is being made so close to you,” said Myszka. It is not uncommon for aspiring artists to

observe others’ work for motivation. “[I get inspiration from] things I observe in life, sometimes from literature, sometimes from other artists or art festivals,” said junior Alex Gilbert. First Fridays has a wide variety of artwork that benefits an assortment of artists. Numerous artists share a similar taste, making it easier to expand based on others’ work. “In art, you are inadvertently working with every other person involved. We all analyze, steal and improve upon each other’s ideas and execution without even realizing it,” said Myszka. First Fridays offers a glimpse into the art scene many Kansas Citians may not know even exists. Many Kansas City art students display their work in the Crossroads District, often for the first time. “The most important thing [PHHS students should know] about First Fridays is that they can be a part of it. Whether Park Hill students look to get feedback for portfolio work or it is just a serious hobby for them, it is a good way to get known, get feedback, and get better,” said Myszka.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE

VIRTUAL WORLD

WE ASKED

By: Mackenzie Thomas By the year of 2014 people expected flying cars and human robots. Although this isn’t quite the case, our generation is being raised in a flurry of technological advances. Every day there are new social media sites, new mobile applications, and new ways to communicate with others. The danger of these revelations is just how often they require personal information, and how easily people are willing to give it out. One incident that especially struck the minds of people all over the world was the recent hacking of Snapchat’s database. A mobile application that lets users send a picture for 1-10 seconds, and then can no longer be viewed, Snapchat was launched in September of 2011 and has since been downloaded by millions of people. To ring in the New Year, a hacker website reportedly posted the usernames and phone numbers of over 4.6 million users. This information is so vital because it can be used by others motivated to find out more personal information of users like names and passwords. This all began on Christmas Day when a security research group called Gibson Security released a report to display how many weaknesses they had. On January 1, 2014 a website called SnapchatDB.info used the information from said report to get the personal information of Snapchat users all over the world. The website was closed down quickly that evening. SnapchatDB.info released a statement to TechCrunch.com explaining how they hacked Snapchat to truly bring to their attention the vulnerability of their system and their resilience to fixing it. They said: “Our motivation behind the release was to raise the public awareness around the issue, and also put public pressure on Snapchat to get this exploit fixed. It is understandable that tech startups have limited resources but security and privacy should not be a secondary goal. Security matters as much as user experience does. We used a modified version of Gibsonsec’s exploit/method. Snapchat could have easily avoided that disclosure by replying to Gibsonsec’s private communications, yet they didn’t. Even long after that disclosure, Snapchat was reluctant to taking the necessary steps to secure user data. Once we started scraping on a large scale, they decided to implement very minor obstacles, which were still far from enough. Even now the exploit persists. It is still possible to scrape this data on a large scale. Their latest changes are still not too hard to circumvent. We wanted to minimize spam and abuse that may arise from this release. Our main goal is to raise public awareness on how reckless many internet companies are with user information. It is a secondary goal for them, and that should not be the case. You wouldn’t want to eat at a restaurant that spends millions on decoration, but barely anything on cleanliness.” No matter the educational intent, SnapchatDB not only showed Snapchat, but the entire user population of the app, how exposed their private information is. “Out of sight, out of mind” are not words of wisdom when it comes to the virtual world, and with the new year, people everywhere are questioning where their information will be at the end of 10 seconds.

YOU SAID

EVERYONE’S TWEETING

Balancing Act

SPORTS

By Matt Eblen Many PHHS athletes find participating in one sport exhausting – countless hours practicing and conditioning, while the games themselves can take a great toll on student athletes. With winter sports gearing up at PHHS, a select few will be beginning their second season of the year, switching from trails to pools, fields to courts, and pads to spandex. Freshman Meg Feeley, who has already competed at the varsity level in cross country and made it to sectionals, plans to not only participate in girls swim this winter season, but also PHHS soccer in the spring. Feeley, who has been swimming since the age of four, finds many benefits in participating in sports year-round. “I think I have a lot better endurance from cross country that will help me with swimming,” said Feeley. Over the summer, Feeley would spend her mornings conditioning for cross country and immediately after would dive in the pool for swim team conditioning. Athletes sometimes feel overwhelmed from the amount of extensive practicing on top of school work, a feeling Feeley identifies with. “I used to do competitive swimming and I got burnt out from that, so I quit,” said Feeley. The feeling of “burning out” is something junior Austin Reiter understands all too well. Reiter, who played football last season for the Trojans, was also a member of the basketball team for the 2012-2013 season. “I used to play basketball during this time, but I decided to take this year off. After last season, it started to really take its toll on me,” said Reiter. “Playing both

[sports] did help me, but as I progressed in my athletic career with football, I realized that being the position that I play in football, I wouldn’t exactly benefit from playing basketball. So I’m taking a couple weeks off and then I’m going to be in the weight room.” After freshman year, it’s typical for athletes to pick one or two sports that they will focus intensively on throughout their high school career. This usually means dropping other activities that could possibly harm their performance, including other sports. It is very rare that a student will add another sport after freshman year, especially one that has very different requirements than the one they already succeed in. Junior Colston DiBlasi, who won state last year for wrestling, joined the Trojan football team for the first time this past year. “I started about fourteen years ago, wrestling. I was three when I went to my first practice. My dad was the head coach when I was born, so I was pretty much born into wrestling. I’ve wrestled ever since,” said DiBlasi. “My mom and dad had a deal with me, I couldn’t play football until I weighed 150 pounds because they didn’t want me to just get creamed out there, so this was the first year they let me play.” Wrestling is considered by many to be one of the most grueling sports: with drastic weight loss, intense conditioning, and the extremely physical nature of the duels, very few would claim the sport is easy. Yet, DiBalsi found that adding a new sport had many benefits. “It gives me a break from wrestling, because otherwise I wrestle year-round,

twenty-four-seven, seven days a week. So when I play other sports, it gives me a break and time to relax from wrestling. And to do different things and meet new people,” said DiBalsi. Despite the rewarding aspects DiBlasi found in playing football, he also found the conflicting interest the two sports had. Two separate goals; to gain weight for football, and to lose weight for wrestling. “I weighed 155 pounds playing middle linebacker. I was the smallest middle linebacker ever it seemed. I was going up against 300 pound linemen; it was just bad. I looked like a foosball trying to bounce around in there,” said DiBalsi. “My entire goal was to get big. It kind of fed into football, so this year I plan to wrestle about 160 pounds.” Not only does the differing conditioning styles influence the difficulties that DiBalsi has when dealing with two very different sports, but also the increased chance of injury. Something that he experienced firsthand during two separate games he hurt his wrist and split open his head “I messed up my wrist; it swelled up and bruised. They really don’t know what happened,” said DiBalsi,”They really stress wrestling, and how I play football for fun. I’m too small to go anywhere in college and play football. I just did it because I liked the coaches and liked the team. So this upcoming year, they’ve talked to me about not playing football because of the injuries -- about how it might hurt my scholarship opportunities for wrestling. As much as I love the team and the coaches it’s not what is going to take me places in the long run.”

IT’S ONLY WEIRD IF IT DOESN’T WORK

Athletes of Different Sports Stick to Their Game Day Rituals By: Anthony Wussow Game day. For some, it’s just another opportunity to sit down and enjoy watching athletes. For others, it’s a process. Whether it’s for superstitious or traditional purposes (or both), there are a wide variety of other components that factor into watching or playing. For those tied to material possessions, it’s a lucky t-shirt, a favorite jersey, a coin kept in the pocket of a pair of jeans during that winning streak. For some, it could be a physical action, turning a hat backwards in hopes of conjuring up good production on the field, knocking on wood, tapping a random item at certain points in the game, or looking away during kick returns. For others, it could be a matter of routines. Maybe taking a jog before the whistle, eat the same thing for breakfast or lunch during game day, or maybe even doing pushups. Whatever it is, most people seem to have that thing they do before a game or competition. For several Park Hill athletes, their superstitions are all game winning. Junior Anthony Enriquez has wrestled for many years but just recently started a new ritual that he does before every match. “I always have to have my shirt tucked in and my left pinky has to be taped, even if it doesn’t hurt,” said Enriquez. Enriquez has a certain satisfaction

from tucking in his shirt. “It just makes me feel like I can do better because I am more comfortable. Plus, I have to eat a sandwich with chips inside the sandwich,” said Enriquez. For senior Shane Belew, it’s not putting chips into a sandwich but the way he dresses. “I put on everything on my left first. I start with the left sock, then shin guard, and so on. Sophomore year before one of our games, that’s just how I put on my gear and I scored the game winning kick. So ever since then, that’s how I put on my uniform,” said Belew. Belew plays soccer for Park Hill and besides his left-on-first ritual, he has a sort of “intrinsic” motivation. “I isolate myself from everybody and I just give myself a bit of a pep talk, I just tell myself you never know who could be watching,” said Belew. Belew played every game like it could be his last. He played for his parents and for those coaches that could be watching. Some of the sports teams partake in certain superstitious traditions. For the girls cross country team, they have a chant. “I will never get my fill, I am a runner, I am Park Hill!” chants senior Kim Rau and junior Mercedes Robinson. Rau and Robinson are captains of

the cross country team, and before they compete, the runners walk the competition path, and listen to music. This music isn’t just to pump them up, it helps them remember certain spots along the course in which they need to pick up the pace. “When I’m walking the trails, I listen to music and when I get to about three fourths of the way through I find a certain spot where I know that I have to run faster. My music helps me because I play it in my head to keep me going,” said Rau. Robinson has her own little pre-run ritual while she walks the running trail. It simply involves inhaling. “While I’m walking the trail I have these beads. They’re inhalation beads. We use them because they really clear up your sinuses, and they smell really good,” said Robinson. Each team and each athlete is different, and each has different superstitions. Whether it be singing a chant or eating a sandwich with chips in the middle, participating in certain traditions individually or with the rest of the team keeps athletes motivated. These superstitions may even align the competition in their favor.

Before I vault, I have to walk back a certain way, like I have to take a certain amount of steps or else I will fail. Once I’m at the end of the vault I have to look at the vault and back at the tape measurer 4 times and then I will vault. -Senior Ashley Moss

I eat skittles. My favorite is the tropical. I always eat them before I run or jump in track or play football because they give me a sugar rush. -Senior James Love

Before I run, I have to drink an entire bottle of water and have to have water in my mouth before I take off. I also have to stretch my left leg twice before going down into my blocks before the race. -Senior Courtney Stuhlman

Double double

blake Barnard

FEATURE

From playing sports together to going to the same school, seniors Blake and Brooke Barnard have experienced it all. Blake enjoys having a built in best friend that is always around. “I always have someone at school I know I can go to if something is truly wrong. If I need something, she is the first person I go to, mainly for lunch money. It definitely has its advantages,” Blake said. Although sharing lunch money is definitely an advantage, it’s not the only one that being a twin has. “The best part is that she is always there. Either a ride to school or from school, she is there. If I need help with a subject, usually writing, she can help me,” Blake said. However, being together all the time isn’t all smooth sailing. “The worst part is when people think we are dating or are a couple. It happens a lot, actually. It’s awkward when the person finds out that we are twins,” Blake said. Being mistaken for a couple is one of the few disadvantages that Blake sees with being a twin. For the most part, he would agree that he and his sister are closer because they were born on the same day. This was seen on one fateful night when Blake thought he may never be able to play sports again. “When one of us is hurt mentally or physically, it brings us together. The night I broke my leg, I was rushed to the hospital around 11 at night. In the emergency room, I was lying in a bed, and I remember her coming up and just seeing her crying showed me that she cared and that it hurt her seeing me in pain,” Blake said. While playing in a soccer game, Blake went to shoot a goal and was tripped by another

player, snapping his leg in two different places. He saw his soccer and tennis careers flash before his eyes, but says that having his sister by his side definitely helped him get through it. “It was a long night, and she stayed up with me until I fell asleep, which was around five in the morning. And she missed school the next day and stayed close to me with the rest of my family. If I needed something, she would get it for me without complaining. She was always by my side, and it definitely made me feel better that she was willing to help,” Blake said. Being able to help each other through tough times isn’t the only thing that brings the two twins closer together. These siblings enjoy participating in a little friendly competition in a sport that they both love. “Tennis has always made things more competitive between us. There’s always an argument when we play. But at the same time, it’s something we have in common. It’s cool that we are both the number one on our teams for tennis,” Blake said. Tennis isn’t the only thing that the Barnard twins are competitive about. “I’m older by two minutes. The two minutes part makes her a little mad when people ask because she thinks it doesn’t matter, but I think it does. It just goes along with that competitiveness,” Blake said. Between the banter and the competition, Blake agrees that he has come to appreciate having a sister the same age as him. “If I didn’t have Brooke, I wouldn’t have some of the friends I have now. We have a lot of the same friends. Although Brooke and I don’t get along all the time, we are still friends while being brother and sister,” Blake said.

Trouble trouble RYLEE

STOULIL

brooke Barnard Throughout the Barnard’s lives, they’ve had several experiences that have brought them closer. Senior Brooke Barnard considers them best friends, and says that they are always there for each other. “It wouldn’t be the same [if we weren’t twins]. We’ve had kind of a built in best friend over the years, being the same age and all. We wouldn’t be as close because we wouldn’t hang out with the same people,” Brooke said. They’ve always been there for each other, starting at a young age. When the two were four years old, their parents divorced. “Because we have two separate parents, we’ve always been able to be there for each other and we’ve become best friends because of it. The night that my parents actually divorced was when we were younger, but I remember it. There are times when we would just talk to each other through the night whenever one of us got upset,” Brooke said. “The night that my parents actually divorced, they got in a big fight and you could hear it throughout the house. We shared a room at the time, and I just went and sat on his bed and we just talked and cried a little bit.” Although their parents’ divorce is an experience that Brooke sited as one that has built an unbreakable bond between the two, it isn’t the only hard time the twins have been through. Just last year, when the Barnard duo were juniors, their grandpa passed away. “[Blake] was actually at a tennis tournament, and I had to call him during it and explain it all to him, and comfort him. He played that match that he was about to play for my grandpa, and ended up winning it. He came to the hospital later. We just talked and comforted each other,” Brooke said. These two have been through many tough

times together, but that doesn’t mean that the only thing they bond over is hardships. Brooke and Blake like to have fun with the fact that they are twins. “We joke about it a lot. We will look at each other for a while and do the little telepathic thing. We try, anyway. We’ve just become best friends, because we have a lot of the same friends anyway, so we hang out a lot. It’s definitely made us closer, being the same age, having the same friends, experiencing the same school things, looking for colleges together. It’s brought us closer,” Brooke said. These two have been doing things together since day one, and going to school together is no different. “Personally I really like going to school with Blake. I’ve always had someone going into the first day, and we’re friends with a lot of each other’s friends so it’s nice. He likes to playfully avoid me, and in his words, ‘act like he doesn’t know me for fun’, but I know he will be there for me whenever I may need him,” Brooke said. Although her brother may act like he has never met her before, he is known to come around when he needs some more money for lunch. “The worst is when he texts me and says he’s taking my lunch money. He does that a lot more than he should,” Brooke said, laughing. Some siblings may get annoyed with each other, and it’s no different for these twins. However, Brooke knows that having a twin is something she wouldn’t trade for anything. “If I didn’t have Blake, life would be a lot different, and not in a good way. I love having a twin and someone to mess with and who I can always count on at the end of the day to be there for me. I love my brother,” Brooke said.

mitchell & amanda

alexander

FEATURE

Sophomores Mitchell and Amanda Alexander are one of 20 sets of twins that attend PHHS. They have grown up playing the same sports, doing the same activities, and even dressing alike. “It’s fun being a twin. There’s perks and then there’s downfalls to it. We fight. A lot. But it’s fun having a twin,” Amanda said. Twins are typically competitive about many things, and these twins are no exception. One thing that twins typically hold over each other is which one is older, and in this case it’s Amanda, as she is one minute older than Mitchell. Another thing these two like to argue about is basketball. “We get really competitive about basketball. We talk smack on each other a lot, and we’re competitive about it. We play one on one. I would say I’m better, but he’s a lot bigger than I am now, so he usually beats me,” Amanda said. However, basketball isn’t the only thing these siblings have in common. “We have a lot of the same interests. We usually watch TV together because we like the same shows. We both like keeping up with what’s cool, in music and in other things. We like basketball, so we keep up with that,” Mitchell said. Like many other twins, there are other things that these two like to be better than the other at, such as schoolwork. “We are really competitive about school. We have a lot of the same classes, so I will be like ‘I got a higher test score’ and she’ll be like ‘But I got a higher score in this class’,” Mitchell said. Being in the same grade has made these two competitive with each other since kindergarten. However, when the two were in kindergarten they were still doing a lot of activities together, including wearing the same outfits. “We used to dress alike. For Halloween, when we were little, we would dress the same. One year we were Thing 1 and Thing 2,” Amanda said. From having matching Halloween costumes to playing one-on-one, these twins have seen it all, but according to Mitchell, being a twin “…has its ups and its downs, but it’s generally cool most of the time.”

carter & noah

Barajas

Between school and sports, this set of twins knows what it’s like to be super competitive with each other. Juniors Carter and Noah Barajas run cross country together and play baseball. “Cross country is pretty fun. We’re kind of like the energy of the team, us and then Tate [Hayes]. We mess around with Coach a lot. I’m better, and he would say that too, but I was injured for most of the season,” Noah said. Although Noah may think he is the better runner out of the twins, Carter disagrees. “This year I was better because Noah was injured for most of it, so he didn’t really have time to practice. I was ahead of him in the last races that he ran in. Freshman year, I was better, and sophomore year, he was better, and then this year, we didn’t really get the chance to compete. But I’m better at baseball. He plays completely different positions though. Like he’s a catcher and outfield, and I’m pitcher and infield,” Carter said. The duo may disagree on who is the better athlete, but that doesn’t mean they can’t come together to help out their community. “We coach Special Olympics together. We’re doing a tournament. We practice basketball with the teams for this season at Plaza. We switch out because every other 45 minutes there’s a new team. So we were practicing with some older kids than us, and it was harder. We do it for A+, but I’m pretty sure we will keep doing it after the 50 hours just because it’s so much fun,” Carter said. The Barajas twins participate in many activities together, like many other twins do. When the two were in eighth grade they even tried to switch classes, without much success though. Both the teachers and students caught on quickly that neither one of the students were who they claimed to be. Another thing that people wonder about is whether or not twin telepathy is a real thing, and these brothers say that it may be. “We say things at the exact same time. Someone will ask me a question and we will both answer the same thing at the same time. That happens a lot. I feel like we have telepathy,” Noah said. “Whenever I’m thinking about something, and I’m about to say it, he will say it. And I’m always like, ‘I was just about to say that’. It’s really weird.” Along with saying the same things, Noah and Carter also attend Fellowship of Christian Athletes every Wednesday before school. “FCA is going good. It’s a good thing to get involved with in your high school years, just because you get to interact with people. It makes your day a lot better if you go to that before school. I would encourage people to get involved in that, because it’s a good group to be in,” Noah said. These twins participate in a lot of the same sports, clubs, and other activities, so they do get tired of each other every once in a while. When the two were younger, Noah accidentally hit Carter in the head with a baseball bat, and now he has a scar on his forehead. However, even through their fights and hard times, they will always be brothers. “I like having the perks of being a twin, not because I get called Carter all the time, but just because I always have someone next to me or someone to hang out with. If I’m bored, I can always just mess with him,” Noah said. “I’m always thankful for my family members, because it’s someone in your life that will always be there for you.”

TROJAN STAFF EDITORIAL

HOW IT THE EVOLUTION OF HOMEROOM

EDITORIAL

IPS H DSLast year the administration

started a new process to place students in homerooms, starting with the freshman. They took the students plan test results and analyzed each students’ interest group. The students with similar interests and career paths were put into the same homerooms. The idea is to put people who are alike in homeroom together so, the freshman can form long lasting friendships.

NO W

Some teachers interpret the confusing homeroom instructions as a pure study hall where no one is allowed to talk or do anything but homework or study. The students can go to this homeroom and have a quiet place to study and work on homework.

With the changes of homeroom throughout the years, we are all asking the same question - what the heck is homeroom for anyway? According to Dr. Kincheloe, “The direction shifted 2 years ago from the main on academic support with an accompanying focus on connecting a staff member with a set class of students to the main focus now being the connection and the accompanying focus on academics.” If homeroom is for relationship forming then the students need to be able to talk to each other. If it is also for study hall and students aren’t allowed to talk then how are they going to form relationships? And if it also for giving extra privileges then how are students going to be able to go and get the help they need?

ILDING FRIE U N B

Homeroom started out as enrichment. Each day enirichment would be a different block and students would stay an extra 30 minutes in class. Every week students would have mor time with every teacher they had. According to some teachers the reason we do not have enrichment any more is because teachers started using it as extra class time to lecture.

DY HAL L STU

RICHMENT N E

WE SEE

Currently at Park Hill, both teachers and students are unsure of what all homeroom entails. Some teachers let their students travel, some let their students mingle, and some require a complete silent study time. As for who is right in this is what we would like to know. Kincheloe went on to say in his dream world, homeroom is about forming a rapport with a teacher who is not directly responsible for a student’s grade. Not everyone has a coach or a club sponsor that they can trust. Kincheloe would like homeroom to be a time when the student who does not have that coach or sponsor to build a bond with another adult in the building.

We think that homeroom should have a set purpose, whether that is to study, to get help in classes, or to make friends. We beleive this would solve complaints and confusion about traveling and priveleges among both teachers and students. The introduction of the “homeroom challenge” sheds new light on what homeroom’s purpose is. WE believe the answer is both! It is for forming relationships as well as providing a place to study. Our plea is for homeroom teachers to make homeroom truly a “home” for thier students and that is what will make it successful.

SEE IT HOW USING YOUR RESOURCES YOU

Roll down your sleeves and drop the pen because we’re talking about cheating. Whether it’s scribbling equations on your forearm or typing that forgotten vocab term into Google translate, many students feel the intriguing urges of this dishonest act. In this year’s online courses, some participants resort to getting out their notes or simply using an online search engine for help on tests and quizzes—even though their teachers consider it cheating. Is this wrongdoing an act worth punishing or is taking advantage of your resources in a time of need really all that wrong? “I think cheating is justifiable in the context that the class is rigorous and you don’t have help,” said senior Caleb Cochrane. “I hate to say justifiable, because I still feel remorseful about it, but I think I cheated because of the pressure of the rigor of the course, and it’s online, so my success in the class is completely dependent on myself.” The standard definition of cheating is changing as courses evolve to use more technology. “I have a very complex opinion. I think that until we can preach some of the negatives and students find those negatives and they believe them, they’re going to continue to [cheat], and we need to realize that that may take away a little bit of the education they’re receiving or some of the benefit of having an online course,” said Language Arts teacher Sarah McKenna. “I do think it’s important to use your resources, and I don’t know that it’s cheating unless it’s specifically outlined by the teacher that using them is considered cheating or academic dishonesty.” Others have expressed the concerns of courses being too rigourous without the face-to-face opportunity and turn to other resources. “My opinion on cheating is that if a class is made too difficult for you and

you don’t have the supplies or things provided to succeed in the class, then I do think that’s a fault of the class, and that you should be allowed extra help to get through it,” said senior Katie Ebbrecht. “It goes a lot against integrity and morals, but whenever the odds are stacked against you, you don’t really have another choice. Whenever you’re stressed out of your mind to the point of tears, and your senior year is just horribly sucking, and you’re losing sleep, I think it really is a last resort.” No matter how you define it, cheating takes away academic integrity and part of the learning process. “To me, I feel if a student chooses to participate in cheating, that that’s very disheartening as a teacher. They have plenty of opportunities to get the help if they need it. It’s their integrity that they’re losing when they choose to behave like that,” said math teacher Kristi DeRose. Junior Cindy Yeh is taking three online classes this year, including Chinese 3, American History, and Personal Finance. “I feel like they’re a lot harder than actual classes that aren’t online, because you have to learn everything on your own and there’s a lot more work,” said Yeh. “I don’t think using your notes while taking tests at home

should be considered cheating. We’re just using our resources, and there’s no way to avoid that since it’s an online class.” Some students involved in these rigorous courses feel it’s difficult to carve out room in their schedules to get extra help from their teachers. “It’s hard because whenever you’re in a classroom setting and your teacher can tell you’re not getting it, they’ll explain it in a different way so that you understand it. I think that that’s the worst part, because whenever you just have a video of notes, it doesn’t work for everybody -- not everybody learns that way. You have to look to others to teach you,” said Ebbrecht. “This is an online course. When you’re stuck, it’s very easy to take the easy way out,” said Cochrane.

Senior Caleb Cochrane works on homework. It is now required for every student to take a online course.

& BETH

COOPER

CHLOE

LANE

Hey ladies, it’s everyone’s favorite time of year again. It’s time to meet the bachelors of Park Hill. Each year two eligible guys from each grade are chosen. These boys are single and ready to mingle.

Cooper Stanturf

Age: 18 Height: 5’6’’ Giuseppe, or commonly known as “Giusexy”, loves to take long spontaneous walks on the beach or just midnight walks on Troost. Before he dies, he would like to get the chance to go skydiving with Morgan Freeman. He has hankering for

a good school lunch and aspires to work courtesy at HyVee. If you choose to go out with this bachelor, you can look forward to dinner at CiCi’s buffet, ending with a nice jump session in a bounce house. His favorite holiday is Christmas because Santa is still very real to him.

Age: 16 Height: 6’4’’ Landry is his name and basketball is his game. In fact, he has made it his mission to become a professional basketball player when he gets older. He would also like to skydive, see Rome, and go to Sweden. Landry likes macaroni and cheese with hot dogs, and a girl with a good sense of

humor and active lifestyle. A quality he isn’t very keen of are slow and extremely lazy texters. Along with playing NBA 2K with his friends and sleeping, he enjoys making crafts with his sweet grandma whom he loves so dearly. A picnic in the arctic tundra is a dream of his, and he would love to bring the perfect girl with him.

Giuseppe Cedillo

Landry Shamet

LouisReinmiller

FEATURE

Age: 17 Height: 6’4” Like his buddy Landry, Louis has thing for basketball. In his spare time—that is, if he has any—you can find him on the court playing basketball with all his friends. He aspires to be successful when he grows up. If you plan on going out with this stud, a nice dinner on The Plaza—probably Sampson Cedillo

JUNIORS

BACHELORS

to be more than comfortably wealthy; that, or a time machine. Get ready for this ladies— his dream date would be sipping a hot cappuccino, while sitting in a massive hot tub with snow falling all around. Only to the leave the tub and cuddle with a fluffy, velvety blanket while eating sushi and chocolate-dipped strawberries and watch a mix of Vampire Diaries and Pretty Little Liars. That’s right, he knows what women want!

SENIORS

YOUR

Age: 17 Height: 5’11’’ Aspiring to be the mirror image of Jay Gatsby (no big deal emoji), Cooper loves to snowboard, put together and listen to music, wakeboard, draw Sharpie art, and travel/take long car rides. He dreams of the day he gets the chance to travel through all of Europe, making a pit stop by the Tomorrowland Music Festival in Belgium. Having been granted a wish from a genie, this boy would request for his entire family

consisting of steak and potatoes—and a good movie are what’s in store. While on this date, don’t be afraid to crack some jokes because a great sense of humor is something Louis loves to see in a person. He loves Thanksgiving because he loves spending time with his family and eating really awesome food. Reinmiller

Hosford

FRESHMEN SOPHOMORES

HenryEckold

Age: 15 Height: 6’0’’ Henry enjoys himself a big ole’ stack of pancakes and challenging his mom or dad to a game tennis or jumping in the pool and swimming a couple laps. He likes a girl who can laugh at his jokes or is Manti Teo’s girlfriend. Henry’s favorite

holiday is July 31st, which is Harry Potter day, because, in the words of Albus Dumbledore, “One can never have enough socks.” He dreams of the day @YaBoyBillNye follows him on twitter and if given one wish, would wish for the genie to get short-term memory loss so he’d get unlimited wishes.

Age: 16 Height: 5’2’’ A girl who knows how to make a good sandwhich, or pizza considering that is his favorite food, would be a perfect match for Mr. Sean Hosford. In his spare time, he enjoys a good coin hunt at Zona Rosa. The love he has for his parents is apparent through his dream to go on a double date

with them and special girl of his choosing. Christmas is his favorite time of the year because everyone is in a joyful mood. Froggy Fresh, aka Krispy Kreme, is an artist that can frequently be found popping up on his iPod. Winning is a hobby of his, which isn’t too hard to accomplish since he just so happens to be a state champion wrestler.

Shamet

Sean Hosford

Stanturf

Zach Suppes

Age: 14 Height: 5’9’’ Soon to be the first Suppes on the moon, one of the freshman bachelors is Zachery Suppes. Okay, so maybe that first part isn’t true, but it is something he wishes to do before he dies. He can be found on the football field, baseball field, or wrestling

mat. When he’s not tied up with sports, he loves to hang out with his friends and his family. An athletic girl with a sweet and sour side, pretty smile and mesmerizing eyes is what he’s looking for to take on his dream date— nice dinner and leisurely stroll on the beach, gazing at the stars.

Parker Sampson

Age: 14 Height: 5’9’’ If you like ping pong, disco dancing, or archery, Parker is the man for you. But, only if you have bangs because he believes they frame the face, accentuating the eyes, making it a girl’s best quality. He enjoys a nice double cheeseburger without the lettuce and tomatoes, accompanied with Suppes

a small fry. Unfortunately, his biggest turn-off is girls under the age of 17 because they are unable to get him into R rated movies. You’re in luck if you look like Katie Couric seeing as she is his celebrity crush, and he thinks she is adorable. If given a wish from a genie, he would wish for undeniable swag.

Eckold

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

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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

Across 5. What has Joey Cation spent over $200 in?

Down 1. What sport, other than wrestling, did Colston DiBlasi participate in this year?

8. Who is the fourth reporter listed? 2. How many online classes does Cindy Yeh take? 9. What does Anthony Enriquez put in his sandwiches?

3. What is Louis Reinmillerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite holiday?

11. Where did Mrs.Thomasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s speech class take the Gillis House kids?

4. What sport do the Barajas brother coach in the Special Olympics? 6. Where does First Fridays take place? 7. What does Blake Barnard steal from his sister? 10. What language does Rhett Redel take?

‘TIS

SEASON

THE

Snow flurries are gently falling, firewood is crackling, and bells are ringing. The most wonderful time of the year is upon us. The holiday season is known for a lot of things—giving, traveling, and making changes. The world, along with students, take part in this every winter.

Give a little...

By: Abby Peoples With the Red Cross accepting donations at the front of stores and food and clothing drives going in our community, PHHS decided to participate in the “Season of Giving” as well. Earlier in the winter, Speech class students were put into groups, chose a community service then presented their project. Each class voted for one group to carry out the planned community service projects. In Mrs. Thomas’s third block class, the winner was a project for Gillis House. “We chose our group after Ms. Capra told us about how the Gillis House is one of her favorite charities. After she said that, we all looked at each other and decided that we loved the idea of working with neglected and abused kids,” said senior Alex Noll. “I think we won because we did lots of planning and got Kincheloe and the Tiffany Athletic Zone to offer up money. We were excited we won and got the chance just to help the kids and give them a fun field trip.” On November 14th, the whole class took a bus to Gillis House to pick up the kids, and then rode back to Tiffany Athletic Zone in the Northland. They had food, games, and a donation of needed items as well. “All of the kids seemed to really enjoy the day. There were even a few who wouldn’t stop screaming because of excitement,” said Noll. Going along with the project, Thomas’s fourth block class chose to raise money for Make-A-Wish by taking donations for “Pie-in-theFace”. Teacher Victor Abundis had the most money in his jar, so he was the lucky teacher to be pied by former Make-A-Wish recipient and senior Cody VanHooser. Another big fundraiser in the school this season was Cut it for Cancer. Junior Executive Council gave the option to donate hair to students and families of PHHS who are dealing with cancer. Several students signed up to participate in this good cause at the winter assembly. PHHS girls cut off at least eight inches and PHHS boys had a fundraiser during lunch to raise fifty dollars to shave their head. “I’ve always wanted a fifty dollar haircut,” said junior Cade Kellam jokingly. “At first I didn’t want to shave my head, but I knew it was for a good cause so I signed up. It was awesome to have people donate money at lunch for a good cause, and it was crazy to have my head shaved in front of the whole school.” Junior Exec’s event raised money for PHHS students and families dealing with cancer. With several students and teachers helping this good cause, the money raised was put to good use. “It’s for a good cause and since I’ve wanted to cut my hair for a while, I decided now would be a great time to finally do it,” said senior Katie McWhirter. “I was nervous at first because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to get eight inches off, but I decided to do it. Participating in this along with the Coaches vs. Cancer game was such a great experience.” Whether it is planning events for children, donating necessities or even playing in this year’s Coaches vs. Cancer Basketball game, students are all about helping out their community this season.

LIFE

...Change a lot

Based on USA Today, the most popular New Year’s resolutions are getting fit/losing weight/eating healthier, volunteering/helping those in need, and learning something new. At PHHS, many students want to make changes in their lives as well. Seniors Josiah Blansett and Brianna Anderson may be thinking in different directions, they both want to make a change. Osei says her resolution may seem basic, but it will get her one step closer to meeting more people and being positive. “I just want to become a better person not only for myself but my peers as well,” said Osei. “I’ve always been a nice person but something different is that I want to be able to smile and greet every person I come across at Park Hill and make their day.” Blansett has a different viewpoint on the common resolutions. “Although they are still great resolutions, the cliché goals shouldn’t be something you have to change. It’s something I try to do every day—it’s just a way of life.” Since Blansett is graduating at semester, he is ready to take the extra step towards his future by working on a construction crew, playing club soccer and saving money for college.

JOB OF THE MONTH BOOKS

TO MOVIES

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE DOWN RIGHT AWFUL

By: Justin Dorweiler Book to film adaptations have made for some of the biggest blockbusters in movie history. Harry Potter, and Twilight are some of best examples, but as always, Hollywood leaves out things that people really wanted to see or change things to better fit their needs. Some students really liked movies based on their favorite books because they followed the book or were just plain awesome. “My favorite book series that became a movie was the “Lord of the Rings” and I found that the movies were very good and very accurate. However, some of the personal details between some of the minor characters were kind of left out. They would go to places that were left out just due to timeframe,” said sophomore Nate Sumimoto. “When the two hobbits went to the Ents, the hobbits spent a lot more time with them and a lot more personal details were shared between characters than was actually shown in the film. In the film they just picked up the hobbits and marched away. But in the book they actually live among them and learn their ways. I think the movies would better if they include these details. All in all the “Lord of the Rings” series is very good. There is a lot of details that make the Hobbit a fantastic book. J.R.R Tolkien is fantastic in the way that every detail is shown. Encountering the Elves and the hobbits getting lost, I think you need to add these details to make the movie as good as the book was.” There are those who really hated the movie counterparts to their favorite books because they took some good things out and changed what people thought should be in the movie. “My biggest issue with a movie recently based off a book was the Percy Jackson movie because they didn’t follow the book enough. The actors weren’t the right age and they didn’t have any of the right details and everything they did was just completely off,” said sophomore Taryn Huffer. “None of the storyline fit except for two things: that there were three people and that they got the pearls. But the way they got them was wrong. They didn’t go on the quest they’re supposed to. It made me not want to go see the next one. If I could change things I would redo casting, because the way the actors portrayed the characters was good but they were too old for the parts. The second thing is that I would follow the book a lot more.” Then there are those that would rather burn the movie out of their memory. The movie was completely different; plot, characters, and all. “I think the worst book turned into a movie was “Eragon”. They (Hollywood) took a great book that sold millions of copies, and the people who made the movies decided that they could make it better. So they tried and pretty much changed every major plot point and it sucked, it was a terrible movie,” said senior Andrew Herdman. “They killed a lot of certain characters that they should have kept alive and left some people alive that should have died. They took almost the entire story, twisted it, and if it wasn’t for the title of the movie, I would have had no idea what I was watching.”

By: Beth Cooper Going to movies has always been an event for people-- the smell of freshly cooked popcorn and the excitement in the air of seeing the new blockbuster. Just down Barry Road from Park Hill is the movie theater favorited by students, AMC Barry Woods 24. The movie theater not only offers an escape from reality for a short while, but job opportunities for students. “I’ve been there [AMC] for a little over six months now. I like how there’s always something to do, and not a lot of down time. It’s a very high intensity environment,” said senior Evan Kutz. Currently three PH students work at amc: Kutz, senior Brock Hanson, and junior Jaycee Myszka. The management is willing to help with the difficulties of balancing work and school. “For the most part they try to help you with your scheduling, because they understand you’re a high school student with stuff going on. The beginning of the school year I played tennis, had another job, and I’m involved in a lot of clubs. so I could only work one day a week really. Generally you’re supposed to have three shifts on the weekend available, but the scheduling manager made the exception because they knew it was just temporary, and I was going to come back. It’s really helpful,” said Kutz. Behind the scenes at a movie theater is not as glamorous as it seems, although employees do get perks such as free tickets for themselves, family, and friends at certain time. Employees have different tasks such as ticket taking, working the concession stands, and ushering . “You have to come into contact with so many people, you never know how they’ll react. Like asking someone nicely to take the lid off they’re drink for sanitary reasons all of the sudden becomes a demanding, disrespectful question. You just have to realize that you’re not able to fix everything, but you have to be willing to help,” Kutz said.

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