TROJ ROJAN
THE
ISSUE FIVE
JANUARY 2012
THIS MONTH...
CONTENTS
1
The Trojan, published monthly during the regular school year, is the official publication of Park Hill High School, and is printed by Osage Graphics in Olathe, Kansas. All unsigned editorials represent the opinion of The Trojan staff. Editorials do not necessarily represent the opinion of the faculty or administration including the advisor. The student body receives this paper free of charge to encourage readership, promote awareness of school and community events, and issues, and to showcase student journalistic work. The Trojan welcomes letters to the editors. All letters must be signed to be published, but may be anonymous if the author chooses. Letters may be no more than 350 words and must be delivered to room 350 ten days prior to publication. The Trojan staff welcomes comments, questions and opinions. Send comments to berans@parkhill.k12.mo.us 7701 Barry Road, Kansas City, Mo 64153, or call 816-359-6238.
CAMILLE’S COLUMN BEAUTY AND HAPPINESS I stopped watching Glee midway through season two, right about the time I realized that no matter how desperately I hoped, Rachel was not going to get any less obnoxious. However, I did happen to catch this season’s episode where the cast puts on a production of Grease. For those of you who don’t watch Glee, don’t worry. The thing I noticed about it is something that, sadly, seems universal to teen TV. I’m sure everybody’s seen some version of this scene before: one of the female characters is driven to depression, insecurity, and (in this case) an eating disorder because she’s convinced she’s hideous/is being bullied/is single/etc. Hating yourself can feel like the worst feeling in the world, and I think everyone has felt it to some degree. That’s why so many TV shows feature the low-self-esteem-girl; when we delve into fantasy, we engage more quickly if we’re able to find ourselves in the characters and see them working through the same things we struggle with. This is why it bothers me so much, the way TV shows portray the struggle with insecurity: shows like Glee sell us the myth that all we need to be confident is to unlock the supermodel within. The only trouble is, most of us don’t actually look half as good as the TV actresses we’re supposed to empathize with; when these characters are crying about how awful they look, all I can usually do is wonder, well crap. If she thinks she’s hideous when she looks like that, why do I even bother? There was a period in my life where I hated the way I looked. I remember four inches taller and three sizes larger than all my friends, going shopping with them for my homecoming dress and just wanting to hide in the dressing room and cry. I spent the large majority of my freshman year waiting for my Cinderella moment. But as it turns out, getting over insecurity isn’t about embracing how perfect you already are. It’s about accepting the things you wish you could change about yourself and then realizing that, even though most of us are never going to be supermodels, we can be imperfect and still be happy.
TROJAN
THE FEA TURES
3
SAYING GOOD-BYE
Mary Wheeler graced the front office for over twenty years. The TROJAN remembers Park Hill’s mother.
ADVISER Sally Beran
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ALL THE SINGLE FELLAS
If you like it, you should put a ring on it. Or take it slow and ask them out on a date first.
DEPARTMENTS 5
MAY I USE THE RESTROOM?
Although teachers love the classrooms in PH’s new addition, the addition has attracted criticism for its lack of restrooms.
11
gET YOUR SLOPE ON
Students have a variety of choices when it comes to sports, but one athletic club is oftentimes overlooked. Check out page 11 for more information on Ski Club.
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NOT HORSINg AROUND
Several students have a passion for tending and showing off horses. Check out page ten for interesting stories about PH’s equestrians.
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J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece comes to life on the silver screen. What are PHHS students’ opinion of the film? Check out myparkhill.com to find out.
DESIGN EDITOR Nick Buchberg FEATURE EDITOR Zach Hahn DEPARTMENT EDITOR Mackenzie Thomas
INJU: STRESSED ABOUT COLLEgE
The class of 2013 aren’t the only ones obsessing about college. The junior class is also nervous about the future.
MYPARKHILL.COM THE HOBBIT COMES TO THEATERS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Camille Smith
FOLLOW MYPARKHILL.COM ON TWITTER Want up-to-the-minute Park Hill news updates? Follow myparkhill.com on Twitter at @my_parkhill.
JANUARY
2013
PHOTO EDITOR Kaylin Lake BUSINESS MANAGER Brett Stone REPORTERS Jake Bjornlie Beth Cooper Chloe Lane Jesus Reyes Rylee Stoulil Claire Yost WEBMASTER Molly Weis WEB EDITOR Shannon Barry MYPARKHILL.COM Zoë Butler Sadie Derry JT Fopeano
Gone, but not forgotten How the staff will remember Mary
FEATURE
3
“Besides janitors, I am usually the first person in the building every day. And every day, Mary was always one of the next few people to arrive. It didn’t matter what day it was, or how early it was, or how bad the weather was, Mary always gave me a great smile, a hearty “good morning” and talked about how that day was going to be a good one, and she always meant it, it was never hollow words with her.” Daniel Motta, Social Studies “I will always remember Mary for her positive spirit and smile! Mary was my daughter’s wedding coordinator and made sure everything ran smoothly that day; it was a perfect day thanks to Mary.” Stephanie Dorward, A+
By: Camille Smith January 26, 2012 was the day that Mary and Ron Wheeler hosted their grandson’s birthday party. It was also the day that she was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. A 27-year employee of the PH school district, Wheeler continued to come to work in the reception office long after it was apparent that the cancer was incurable.
“I transferred out of the Park Hill district my freshman year and transferred back my junior year. Mary was the first to see me and she commented “it’s great to have you back.” She said the same thing to me a few years later as I came back as a teacher. She made me feel at home. I will miss her and I know the students will as well.” Tyler Unsell, Debate “I would always see Mary in the faculty bathroom. It was the first place I realized she was “gone”. Seems like I always ran into her in the bathroom and that is where a majority of our conversations would take place. Weird,
I am sure but I think Mary would agree and get a chuckle out of it.” Tiffany Thomas, Communication Arts “I would always see Mary giving me a big good morning wave, as I pass the Attendance Office. I also have memories of Mary pulling up to my apartment in Parkville to give me a ride to work when I did not have a car.” Donna Weir, Administrative Assistant “Mary is everything I want to be when I grow up. She lived her life every day the way people strive to…full of smiles, kindness, faith and no regrets.” Sally Beran, Journalism “Mary Wheeler was the most kindhearted, soulful person I have ever known. She took a personal interest in the lives of her staff and her students. Mary Wheeler made working in Park Hill and going to school at Park Hill a wonderful experience for every DiBlasi in our family. I will never forget Mary laughing at how much the kids have grown. I will always see Mary with her glasses perched on her nose and that sweet grin on her face peeking out from behind the HUGE attendance desk. Ron DiBlasi, Business More staff memories in the 2013 yearbook and at myparkhill.com
“
The last day
she was here, she was very sick. We took her to the doctor and that’s when they told her time was short,” M. Wheeler’s husband Ron said. “She came back here and said she needed to take 30 days off. She wouldn’t give up.” Ron and Mary’s relationship goes back to 1972, when the two met through a mutual friend. Ron says it was love at first sight. Six months later, they were married by Mary’s father, a Baptist preacher who presided over their wedding. At that time, Mary worked for an insurance provider, but her involvement with the PH school district began on her daughter’s first day of kindergarten at Graden Elementary. She began volunteering for the PTA, and would remain with the district until her last day in reception. PH teacher Chad Fette was a student at Graden in the late 1970’s, the same years that Wheeler worked there. “Back at that time Mrs. Wheeler did a variety of jobs—a little bit in the nurse’s office, recess lady, sometimes in the office, so when I came to work here she remembered me and was always really nice to me, especially when I was starting off. We’d talk about the good old days at Graden,” said Fette. “That’s 30-some years ago now. I just always remember her being so nice.” Outside of her long career at PH, Mary Wheeler was also deeply involved in church. She taught Sunday school for over 20 years, and sophomore Nadia Lee is one of her former students. “I remember that she wasn’t like any other Sunday school teacher. If I missed a Sunday she would send a “missing you” card even if she knew you were going to be gone that week. She wanted you to know she missed you and wanted you to be back the following Sunday,” said Lee. “What I’ll miss most about Miss Mary is her sitting in that chair next to Marlene. My last two years at PHHS will be very hard for me to walk in that office.” Marlene Tillman has worked alongside Mary in the reception office for 15 years. The two of them shared an office, a friendship, and a cancer diagnosis. Tillman has been cancer-free for 11 years, and on her last visit to Mary in the hospital, she gave her a letter describing their years together. “I am writing this to you with a very heavy heart but with joy as I think of all the time we have spent with each other. Do you realize you and I have spent more time together than a lot of family members spend together? Sisters don’t experience as much as you and I have together!” wrote Tillman. “We have shared the most private of conversations as well as having so much fun with all the kids at Park Hill. To me, losing you is like losing a part of me.” Mary Wheeler died on Dec. 28, in her home. Her funeral was on Jan. 3. PH students were not allowed to travel on their first homeroom after break because the majority of homerooms were managed by substitutes, covering for teachers who attended the service. Ron Wheeler says that for her last several days, she was not in any pain. “She had a couple things she wanted to do. Lights on the Plaza, we did those, and a trip to our farm, which we didn’t make; but she had Christmas. An interesting thing that happened was, she couldn’t go to church. So part of the choir came to our house and sang the Christmas songs to her. The next day, which was Thursday, our boy scout troop called me and had Tyler [the Wheelers’ grandson] and I put our [Eagle Scout] uniforms on, and they did an honorary Eagle Court of honor for her at home, and they’ve never done that before. The next day, she passed. “The attendance at the visitation and the funeral was over 800. I had no idea—the funeral director said they were going to do a three hour visitation, but people just started coming an hour early and an hour late, they were still coming. It’s a good example of the people that she had touched throughout her years—many, many lives,” said Ron.
5
CAMPUS
MAY I USE THE
RESTROOM? New wing is state of the art...but missing one importa nt feature.
By: Nick Buchberg
Freshman Alissa Wood opens the door to the new wing. Many students enter the building through the new entrance.
The new wing is two stories tall. Students walk up and down these new stairs every day to get to class.
January 3, 2013 wasn’t only the first day of second semester; it was also the first day of classes in the new addition to the school. Construction on the new wing began late last school year, about a year after the community approved an additional tax to fund the addition. The addition was completed before classes began in second semester. Many teachers are excited about being able to use their new classrooms. “It’s really nice, they put more storage in here than they have in the other rooms. Everything’s brand new and everything they said they would do, they did do,” said AP Environmental Science teacher Jennifer Paschall. The new addition includes eight new classrooms (two of which include science labs) and according to Paschall, the storage closets have dishwashers, something science teachers have been asking be installed for quite some time. However, some students have aren’t as excited as the teachers. Senior Miriam Bouallegue has AP Environmental Science in the new wing. “I like [the new classrooms]. They’re pretty much just like every other classroom, just newer. But there aren’t any bathrooms,” said Bouallegue. Bouallegue is right— the new wing features no bathrooms. This isn’t necessarily a big issue for the four classes on the upper level. But for the four lower classrooms, this becomes a serious issue. It
takes 147 steps, or one minute and twelve seconds to walk from room 504 in the new wing to the closest bathroom. “It’s a major inconvenience,” said Bouallegue. Only one minute and twelve seconds may not seem like a significant chunk of time, but a typical trip to the bathroom takes two to three minutes, plus the time to walk back. Missing up to five minutes of class means that a student misses valuable class time. Activities director Bill Sobbe weighs in on the new addition’s lack of bathrooms. Sobbe’s personal view is that students in these classrooms should use the bathroom during passing time to avoid missing valuable time in the classroom. “We have six minutes between classes, and most students don’t use their lockers. They have plenty of time to find the bathroom,” said Sobbe. Despite the current lack of bathroom space in the new wing, Sobbe says not to give up hope on a new bathroom being put in eventually. But don’t count on it anytime soon. “If there’s another expansion put in on that side, I’m sure that’s something they’ll have to consider, because that means you’d be using up the rest of the space on the south lawn. By code, you’d have to offer more bathrooms,” said Sobbe.
SHE’S THE MAN By: Claire Yost
How to ask a guy to Courtwarming
This year, Courtwarming is the place to be. The dance is going to be held on February 9, 2013. The Theme is “Don’t Stop the Music,” and with this theme are spirit days that correlate with different types of music.
to ask: “Well, if he does a sport, I would go to a game and at halftime I would have the cheerleaders hold up signs that say “Courtwarming” on them with a question mark, and then have something he had been wanting from me, like a shirt or something cute.” Sophomore Raven Reed “I would make up a puzzle that had “Courtwarming” spelled out on it, and throughout the day I would have his friends give him random pieces and at the end of the day I would have the question mark piece for him.” Sophomore Marlo Craghead “Send a guy on a scavenger hunt for cute things that would remind him of me and for the last clue I would be standing in a parking lot or somewhere with a sign saying “Courtwarming?” Junior Courtney Soliz “I would write “CW” on a soccer ball and put it in his locker.” Senior Samantha Snodgrass “I would use chalk and lights and spell out or write “Courtwarming” on their driveway, then call them and tell them to come outside.” Senior Abby Muller
Spirit Day Breakdown: Monday: Punk Rock Tuesday: Country Wednesday: Alternative Thursday: Classical Friday: Hip-Hop
to be asked: “If I walked outside to huge letters in my yard with a bunch of flowers and stuff around it, it would be awesome.” Sophomore Aaron Gray “I would want a girl to spell out “Courtwarming” on a blizzard cake from DQ.” Sophomore Ethan Hayes “I would have a girl come up to me with my favorite candy and ask me after a big tennis match that I had just won.” Junior Blake Barnard “It would be cool to get asked in front of a lot of friends and people as a surprise with a new baseball glove.” Senior Sam Heustis “The most awesome way someone could ask me to Courtwarming would be to have them put giant letters and stick them in my front yard for everyone to see, and also tag my car.” Senior Cole Stiens
Marissa Ballard accepts her rose. Ballard was one of the chosen girls for the sophomore class.
Chloe Nelson has a huge smile on her face as she accepts her Courtwarming rose. Nelson was one of the candidates for the junior court.
Senior Olivia Meyer asked junior John Erneste to Courtwarming by putting a note inside this Hostess box. He happily accepted her invitation.
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Liam REDINGER
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Age: 14 Height: 5’ 6” Grade: Freshman Favorite Animal: Eagles Look for in a girl:
Matthew HARRIS
Age: 15 Height: 5’ 8” Grade: Freshman Favorite Color: Red Biggest Turn Off:
The
FEATURE
“A good sense of humor, some “Probably too things in common with me, many piercings.” compassionate, and a nice smile.”
BACHELORS Of Park Hill By: Beth Cooper Single on Valentine’s Day? Dateless for Courtwarming? Check out these eight bachelors. These boys are eligible, single, and ready to mingle. Get ready to get your flirt on.
Clayton COLE Age: 16 Height: 6’ Grade: Sophomore Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Strawberry Perfect Date:
“Dinner and a movie.”
Jacob COWLEY
Age: 16 Height: 5’ 10” Grade: Sophomore Favorite Movie: Other Guys Look for in a girl:
“Honesty and sincerity.”
Tate HAYES Age: 16 Height: 5’ 11” Grade: Junior Bring to a deserted island: A Wilson volleyball Biggest Turn Off:
“Scrubbing, it’s killer.”
Timmy Age: 18 Height: 5’ 7” HAY Grade: Senior
Jacob LEE
Age: 17 Height: 6’ 3” Grade: Junior Text or Talk?: Talk Celebrity Crush:
“My celebrity crush is Kate Upton.”
Do you have more shoes than the average girl?: Yes, because I shop for shoes constantly
Good Valentine’s Day Gift:
“Any Bieber album, because it’ll get the girls’ hearts.”
“Live music, Christian good food, and DERRA afterwards a lot of talking. Good conversation is essential.” Age: 17 Height: 6’ 2” Grade: Senior Pet: A cat named Flecken
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It’s A Family Thing Wrestling brings the Sobbings together
SPORTS
By: Chloe Lane
It’s coming down to the last five seconds of the third round. The score is tied, fans are screaming, referees count down remaining seconds. Three… Two… One... The crowd goes insane when they see the ref hold up his two fingers, signaling a Park Hill victory. For some of these wrestlers and fans, wrestling is more than just a sport; it’s a lifestyle. “Being a wrestler takes a lot of work and consumes a large part of your life. You have to watch your weight all the time and stay in shape. Once you’ve been around the sport long enough, you get to the point that every part of your life is somehow related to the sport,” junior and varsity wrestler John Erneste said. Wrestling is a sport that entire families can get involved in; dads become coaches, moms become die-hard fans that never miss a dual or meet, daughters keeps stats and take pictures, and sons are found on the mat attempting to pin their opponents. The Sobbing family is a perfect example. Junior Maggie Sobbing is one of the managers for PH’s wrestling team, and her brothers, freshman Jacob and senior August Sobbing, are members of the team. “Ever since August was a freshman, that was the first year my family started with the sport. After a while August got really into it, and then our whole family got into it and Jacob started wrestling. Ever since then, we have been really committed to it,” said M. Sobbing. Being committed to a sport takes a lot of time and can have a big effect on a wrestler’s whole life. “I feel a lot healthier since I changed my body. I went from 218 to 175 [pounds] my sophomore year to compete better. I have become a better person since I started wrestling. I also have a lot more motivation to go to college,” said A. Sobbing. With Maggie helping around the gym, the two boys wrestling, and their parents supporting them from the stands, it could be said that wrestling is very important to this family.
August Sobbing prepares to pin his opponent.
“I think it has brought us closer together. Before, we all had our own thing and now we all have wrestling. Now we have to spend a lot of time together, which has brought us closer together. It makes everyone more loyal to our family and our wrestling family. You have somewhere you belong and it just makes you more loyal to those families,” said M. Sobbing. Being loyal is important to the Sobbings and they have been especially loyal to a pair of brothers from the little league football team their dad coaches. Nine year old David and seven year old Daimont were not living in a stable environment for their age, giving them the opportunity to get into trouble. The Sobbings have taken them under their wing and have given them a place to call home. “We put them in wrestling and it’s been helping them out a lot. They stay with us from time to time and we’ve been keeping them into sports, mostly wrestling, because they really enjoy it. They have clung to it. Both of them have great grades now and we tell them that if they don’t have good grades or get in trouble, then they can’t wrestle, so they have become accustomed to being good,” said M. Sobbing. Providing this kind of help for the boys has not only positively affected them, but it has affected the Sobbing family in a good way as well. August and Jacob get to be role models for David and Daimont and help them excel in wrestling. “They come to our house like every weekend and we hang out with them. They like to tell everyone we are cousins. It’s fun, because I get to help them with their wrestling and help them get better,” said J. Sobbing.
The Sobbing family with David at a Januarywrestling meet.
Not Horsing Around Student equestrians train and compete with their animals
By: Brett Stone
Claire Burdiss
Derek Baker Junior Derek Baker has been around horses his whole life, and often competes at venues such as the Kemper Arena. Baker competes two to three times a month, and not with old stagecoach horses either. “I work with saddle-type. You have your large breed dogs and toy dogs. Saddle-type is known more as the high-strung breeds. They’re all a little more energetic,” said Baker. Baker has been around horses his whole life. “Ever since I was a little kid I’ve been around them. My uncle breeds them. I would always go out and hang out with them and finally by my middle school age I was competing and riding every day. I got a job at the barn and it just kind of snowballed,” said Baker. “Lessons are always the best way [to learn to ride], I think. If you’re going to learn it you have to learn it right or else it’ll be a safety hazard. Horses can be dangerous.”
Lindsy Monroe Being an equestrian is nothing new to senior Lindsy Monroe. “I had been interested in horses since I was probably in kindergarten. My mom had horses when she was my age and showed them,” said Monroe. Although she had the benefit of being raised around them, Monroe says that getting started with horses wouldn’t be difficult for anyone without that advantage. “If you’re interested in horses you should start taking lessons. There are a lot of horse barns around here. At my barn you can lease horses and then take those horses to shows. You can do a full lease where you can pay for full board at the barn,” said Monroe.
When Music was brought to Sue BD Stables in 2011, he was seen as unnameable and aggressive. The 18 hand (about 6 foot) tall, 900 pound horse bucked anyone who tried to ride him—except for Claire Burdiss. Burdiss, a sophomore at PH, works at Sue BD Stables training horses, and she developed a special relationship with Music. “He was a handful when we got him. He just sat in his stall all day, because he’s a halter horse. That means that they would show him under halter, because he was a crazy, freak-out spaz. No one could ride him. He was a pain to everybody. You couldn’t get near him because he would bite you,” said Burdiss. Although Music was intimidating, Burdiss wasn’t worried. “People would try to ride him. You could get a saddle on him but as soon as you’d put your foot anywhere near him he’d throw a fit, and start bucking and freaking out. He’d get himself hurt, because he’d start flipping over on himself. When they brought him to me I was like ‘Okay, I’ll give him a try.’ Somehow, I got on him no problem. They were all amazed and it just took off from there,” said Burdiss. Music and Burdiss still have work to do, but it’s her dream to show him at the American Royal Horse Show. She believes he has the potential to do it.
COMMUNITY
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GET YOUR SLOPE ON By: Mackenzie Thomas
Wind whistling through one’s hair, trees zooming by, snow underneath one’s feet; these are some of the things that the members of the Trojan Ski Club enjoy. Starting on January 9, this club started taking their weekly trips to Snow Creek. For only 20 dollars a week students can go skiing, snowboarding or tubing. Never skied before? No problem. For just an extra seven dollars all newcomers can take a group lesson to learn how to ski or snowboard. For safety, students can also rent a helmet for 10 dollars. Students can ride the bus with the group for no cost if they have a season pass to Snow Creek and a parent permission form on file. “If you go on a regular weekend it’s so expensive. It can be anywhere from 40-60 dollars, so it’s such a good deal,” sophomore Sydney Moyer said. Sponsor Nora Whitney will take her students to Snow Creek a total of six times this year. It’s never too late to join. As long as students turn in their money and forms by the day of the ski trip, they can go and ride the slopes from 3:50-8:45 pm. “Ski club is just a group of students going to Snow Creek to ski and snowboard together. People of all different skill levels come and it’s a lot of fun,” junior Abby Peoples said. From the bunny hills to the big slopes, Snow Creek has fun for all different levels of riders. “I just go hang out with my guy friends and go to the terrain park,” said Moyer. Ski club is open to all Park Hill students. One can easily go and find out if this club is for them, even if they’ve never been on the slopes before. “I like the people that go there with the school, it’s just a lot of fun,” junior Alex Hampton said.
Sophomore Zac Gaw snowboards near the rails at Snow Creek. Photos donated by Abby Peoples.
Sophomore Sydney Moyer snowboards on the rails at Snow Creek.
Junior Brooke Bischof skis down the hills with the Trojan Ski Club.
Park Hill students meet at the bottom of the slopes to chat after snowboarding.
LET’S BE BLUNT Park Hill considers random drug tests
the school from external dangers such as bad weather or hostile individuals. However, school safety also incorporates internal threats to the well-being of students. “Students can bring drugs into the school. They can store them in their lockers or their cars. Students on drugs usually have off judgment. They aren’t thinking clearly,” said Hill. The private school of Rockhurst is performing random drug testing on all of their students that could take place at any time throughout the school year. The main idea behind the idea is to discover the students who are under the influence of harmful substances. Since Park Hill already conducts random school drug searches, should random drug screenings for students also be thrown into the defenses for student safety? “I think it’s a good idea. It’s been known that some kids come to school high so it’d be good to catch them. I’m sure some people will think it’s an invasion of privacy but I think it should be done because they’re using illegal substances. I think that the kid from Liberty’s death could have been prevented if schools tested On March 6, 2012, a k-9 unit swept through the hall of PH. These sweeps are done students,” senior Samantha Atkinson said. to ensure student safety. The idea for students to be caught before making bad decisions is idealized for numerous reasons: death prevention, By: Zach Hahn bodily harm, relationship mistakes, etc. The idea of PH randomly Until a person becomes twenty-one, the decision-making part of their drug testing its students has been considered but won’t be enforced brain, the frontal lobe, isn’t fully developed. Some say that teenage any time soon. adolescence is the time to try new things and make mistakes, because “I don’t find myself supporting random or required drug testing. it is all a part of the learning experience. This is the time to stay First, it’s a remarkable invasion of our lives. Suppose for instance up all night playing Halo, explore the social network, and blissfully we were to use lie detector tests. How excited would you be to procrastinate work. Unfortunately, teenagers make mistakes during be strapped into a lie detector, asked questions, and punished their learning process: drug abuse, bad relationships, and random acts accordingly? I think having a system where you testify against yourself of impulsion. Most teenagers pull through these mistakes but there are is a dangerous intrusion of one’s privacy,” said Kincheloe. always tragedies when a single mistake costs someone their life. Recently, a Liberty High School student has fallen to this tragedy. The young man was said to have been doing acid strips but started feeling odd and took some prescription pills to try and feel better. Unfortunately, he overdosed and slipped into a coma which he didn’t come out of. The decision to try illegal substances led to this teenager’s death and has impacted more than the halls of Liberty High. “Student safety is a number one priority. One thing that separates students from a safe environment is the drug community,” Dr. Brad Kincheloe said. From time to time, PHHS goes into lockdown for random drug searches. This is where a k-9 dog unit and trainer sweep the parking lot and hallways of the school in search of illegal substances. If a student is found in possession of illegal substances, they automatically receive a ten day suspension. “The school is usually split into sections and the officer with a dog is responsible for that section. The searches don’t need a warrant, because the k-9 is sniffing the air at Park Hill. It’s not sniffing the lockers, it’s just sniffing the air. If drugs are found, administration will find out which students use the locker and the student will be questioned. If there’s a dispute over who’s it is then we can test the package for prints,” campus resource officer Brian Hill said. As Dr. Kincheloe said, student safety is a number one priority of any school and schools must take necessary measures to protect its students. When most think of school safety, they think of defending
22.6 percent of high school seniors use marijuana 7.4 percent of youth ages 12-17 reported abuse of prescription drugs
16.5 percent of U.S. school districts have randomly drug tested their students
13
WELCOME BACK
(Bienvenue de Retour)
LIFE
By Jake Bjornlie
In addition to drum line, Simon Huntley also participates in light booth for school productions. Music and performance have been part of his life in both America and Frace.
Many students have traveled with their families but few have had to uproot and move to a different country. That is exactly what junior Simon Huntley’s family did. Simon was born in Kansas City but his parents thought France “would be a better place to grow up,” so they packed up and moved to France. Huntley had no knowledge of the French language when he moved. “We left our family, friends, and jobs behind to experience what the world had to offer,” said Huntley. When Huntley and his sister, Emily, were “thrown into” a French school, they had no idea what to expect. Similar to in America, French students go to school eight hours a day. S. Huntley said that French schools are “old-fashioned” and “strict.” “When I was six I developed a phobia of going to school that lasted about three to four years,” said S. Huntley. French schools are run similar to American colleges. The classes are one hour long and they have different classes on different days. French students get two 15 breaks in the morning and two in the afternoon. For lunch, students get an hour and a half; in that time the students can go into town or eat at a restaurant. “One thing about French school is that we learned a lot faster than here. In eighth grade math we did calculus,” said S. Huntley. Even though French students take higher level math sooner than American students, French test scores aren’t reflecting higher learning. In 2009 America scored higher than France on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), at 500 and 496 points respectively. “The thing I loved about where I lived was the sense of community,” said S. Huntley. “The culture that I was brought up in was heavily influenced by music. You had the freedom to go out in the middle of nowhere, under the stars, and play music till daybreak.” In France, Huntley played in a band called Electric Circus for three years. He continued his passion for music in America by joining drum line. “I joined drum line with no idea how to read music, but now it is the most important thing to me,” said Huntley. Moving back to America was a “culture shock.” According to the United Nation Office of Drugs and Crime, America had 15,241 murders per 100,000 people in 2008 and France had 839. This translates to different lifestyles between the two nations. “France is a great place to be a teen,” said Huntley. “Where I was, there were no murders or anything like that. The most you would ever hear was about a car crash. You could go out with your friends until the break of dawn and there was no danger. You could go kayaking, rock climbing, and mountain biking.” In France, schools go on a trip every year. These school trips aren’t the average field trip to a museum, though. “With my class, we [went to] England, the Alps to go skiing, sailing school, and Spain. It is the thing I miss the most. We moved back a year ago because I wanted to experience American schools. My motto in life is, meet new people, play music, try everything once and travel the world,” said Huntley.
Junior Katie McWhirter, already concerned about college, works on her applications.
INJU:
I’m Stressed About College By: Rylee Stoulil
For most students, college is the next step after high school, but getting there can prove to be stressful. Between managing class requirements, maintaining GPA, and getting good ACT scores, students that aren’t even seniors yet can be found stressing about college. “There are a lot of requirements you have to meet to even get accepted, like ACT score and GPA,” junior Ashley Moss said. For example, the University of Missouri requires a 24 ACT score, and the University of Kansas requires a 24 and a 2.5 GPA. Junior year is just the beginning of college preparation. “I think that as this year goes on it will become a lot more intense and stressful than what it is right now,” junior Katie McWhirter said. As students are becoming more and more stressed out, they wish the school was there with some more answers. “I think that as juniors we should be even more informed on career choices and what specific colleges offer what,” said McWhirter. PHHS provides a program that is very helpful. Students are first introduced to college their freshmen year when it is still a distant thought. “We have a couple formal ways in which we help [students decide where to go]. The first starts at the freshmen year through Personal Wellness class, called Missouri Connections. It’s an online interest and skills inventory that the state actually provides. It really is a useful tool to help kids understand what it is they really like and what it is they’re really good at,” counselor Amanda Olvera said. Using this website can help students in the right direction to start their careers, and can also help them know where to start their research. “I think that in order to alleviate stress you need to start doing your research, you need to start making visits, making contacts with those people, whoever it may be, whether it’s a military recruiter or the college admissions officer or whoever can help you gather information. I think that’s what causes a lot of stress,” said Olvera. Research is the key to finding the perfect college and to help calm the stress. One main part of researching is to narrow down all the major
options. “They need to think about what it is they might want to study because obviously if a school doesn’t have that major, you wouldn’t want to go there. And they should take the appropriate measures by doing those interest inventories and getting out there and job shadowing. That’s another great way to know if that field is for you,” said Olvera. Kids may dream about what they want to be when they grow up for most of their childhoods, but high school is when it becomes real for students. “It seems as though it’s not until the junior year that kids really start to take to heart what it is that we have to say about future plans. That’s why my advice is to start early so that way when junior and senior year comes it won’t be so stress inducing,” said Olvera. To reduce stress during the junior year, some students would have done their college preparation differently. “I think college is being pushed at a good time. I actually wish I would have started sooner,” said Moss. Although students may think college is being pushed at a good time, the administration would like to start earlier in students’ school careers. ”An ideal time [to start preparing for college] would actually be middle school. The earlier the better, really, to start at least thinking about your future: whether or not you’re going to go to college, where you’re going to go to college, and how you’re going to pay for college. It’s really never too early. However, I would not recommend obsessing over it,” said Olvera. Although teachers would like to push college preparation sooner, students really don’t start to see it as a real thing until high school. When it comes to sitting down to pick a college, comparing all the research can be the ultimate stress reliever. “They should really sit down and do a comparison chart for their top three schools when it comes to academic programs, the cost, the location, all of those things would come into play,” said Olvera.
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