APRIL TABLE OF CONTENTS
SPORTS TORI BEELER|RUGBY|HUNTING AND FISHING
FEATURES BODY POSITIVITY|NETFLIX & YOUTUBE|ALLERGIES
ENT/OPIN TALL VS SHORT FLIPSIDE|PROM LOOKS|FAST FASHION
NEWS
MR. PECK CYCLING ACCIDENT|RAWLS TREATS|DEBATE
L
THE VIEW STAFF
LETTER
from the
EDITOR
It’s this time of year where the cramming begins. We’re cramming in study sessions, grad parties, and seniors are cramming in final high school memories. High schoolers love to complain about how busy they are, but two South seniors are actually busy starting a business. Read about their up and coming dog treat business on page 5. Prom is right around the corner. For some it will be a magical night and for others it’s just another lame high school dance that they choose not to attend. If you are attending, check out some dress/hair/ jewelry combinations on page 24. The months leading up to prom and summer can involve self-consciousness, and pressure to look good. Body positivity is accepting your body as it is and being happy with your appearance. Read about this on page 7. Winter sports have come to an end, and spring sports are in full swing. On page 18 and 19 you can get a recap of winter and update on spring. Be sure to also read about the rugby team that has recently united with our rival school on page 15.
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VIVIAN BROCKMAN BRADY SMITH MEGAN PALMER COLLINS BEATTY COLIN BROCKERT CARSON WELLS ADAM FRAZIER
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HANNAH GRAVES JACOB KLINE SYDNEY LOWE LEXI MADDOX ASHLEY PASLEY JULIA PONKO ANNA PREUSS ANNE PRICE CHASE PUTNAM TATE SUMMA BRET VANICE RYAN WELTY The View is published eight times during the regular school year as the student news publication of Park Hill South High School. Opinions expressed here are thaat of the student journalists and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Park Hill School District. For editorial policies or to submit a letter to the editor, visit our website at PHSVIEW. COM. The View is a member of NSPA and the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association and is printed by Osage Graphics in Olathe, Kan.
NEWS|4
The Great Debate in Salt Lake Most high schools remain empty during the weekends, but on March 12, Liberty High School was anything but deserted. The silent halls became filled with the clicking sound of sensible footwear on tile and the desolate classrooms were filled with teenagers competing to outwit one another. Only one event could make the school come alive: The National Speech and Debate district tournament, which dictates whether or not competitors will move on to Nationals. Only three percent of people who participate in the National Speech and Debate association qualify for Nationals. This year, there were five students from South who qualified: Kelsey Christianson, senior, Keegan Justis, senior, Eli Moss, senior, Grant Pace, senior, and Madeleine Mueller, sophomore. Grant Pace, senior, placed first in Lincoln Douglas debate and fourth in domestic extemporaneous speaking at this year’s National qualifying tournaments. These rankings qualified him to Nationals in Lincoln Douglas and 1st alternate in extemp., but Pace will only be competing in Lincoln Douglas. “I kind of got thrown into Lincoln Douglas when I first got started as a little fetus,” said Pace. “I didn’t know what was going on, but I just stuck with it because I really liked it.” Pace primarily competes in Lincoln Douglas (LD) debate, which is the only form of actual debate that competes one person against another This is a valued-based form of debate where the debater writes cases to either support or oppose the resolution. Keegan Justis, senior, and Eli Moss, senior, also qualified for Nationals, placing first in Policy debate. Policy, known as Cross-Examination or CX for short, is a type of debate that is two people against two other people. In CX, one resolution is given at the beginning of the school year and all season is spent debating the policy through writing affirmative and negative cases. “I debate CX because it’s challenging. The research burden is arguably much greater than the other formats; analytics without evidence are torn to shreds, so we have to back everything up with hard facts,” said Justis.
Kelsey Christianson, senior, and This year, five PHS students Madeleine Mueller, sophomore, both will be competing in the qualified in Congressional Debate. In Congressional Debate, students act as National Speech and Debate Senators and Representatives, giving speeches for and against the resolution. Association tournament. “I don’t normally do the event that I qualified in, but I’m so glad that I get to go to Nationals with some of my best friends,” said Mueller. One of the best feelings a debater will experience is hearing that they have qualified to Nationals. “It was so surreal. It finally felt by JULIA PONKO like all of my hard work and sleepless nights paid off,” said Christianson. This year, Nationals will be held June 12-17, in Salt Lake City, Utah. This is The Dictionary Of the first time most of these participants (with the exception of Pace) have Debate qualified to Nationals. Throughout the season, debaters There are many common spend copious amounts of time terms used in debate that preparing and competing. From being at multiple tournaments a month to many people have never spending hours at home combing herd of. Here are just a through articles, there are a lot of sacrifices that have to be made few of the basics. for debate. Pace said he has spent 15 weekends Ballot- The piece of this year at tournaments, and Moss paper the judge uses said in the month of February, he spent more than 20 hours a week preparing to analyze the round or competing. and gives reasoning “I’ve spent probably close to a for the outcome of the hundred hours at tournaments on the weekends,” said Brianna Huffman, round. senior, an alternate for nationals. Breaking- To advance Though many sacrifices are made, debaters say they are all worth it. to the next round “Debate is simultaneously the worst Case- The argument thing and best thing I’ve ever done and I couldn’t be happier that I got involved the debater(s) craft in it,” said Pace. with supporting facts, Debate is about more than winning variuos statistics, and tournaments and writing cases. Like any other activity, debate brings people other material used together and creates experiences that for explaining why they will remember for a lifetime. “It’s an experience I couldn’t get they should affirm or anywhere else; the people alone are negate the resolution amazing. It’s hard to not love being around all those people. They are all Dropping- To not win adorable and talented and inspiring a round. individuals,” said Huffman.“You get to be a bit silly and weird and smart and Resolution- The topic creative. It combines all of the things of the round that I aspire to be and want to be, and Round- The actual I get to express that through debate.”
debate
RAWLING IN THE DOUGH 25 Treats for $8.50
REGULAR TREATS
40 Treats for $10.00 LARGE TREATS
NEWS|5 Two South seniors created a business and have been extremely successful in just their first few months
by RYAN WELTY
60 Treats for $15.00
EXTRA LARGE TREATS
www.rawlstreats.com
Many of you have heard about the new big thing going on around South: Rawls Treats. Rawls was started up by senior Jacob Lane in October of 2015. The name “Rawls” was inspired from when Lane got his dog from Raleigh, North Carolina which is what inspired the name. He thought the word Rawls had a ring to it that would stick. Rawls stands for Rely, Always, Work, Love, Security. These five words were put into the name because they are very meaningful to the Rawls treats. As things went on, Lane decided to bring a friend and fellow senior, Zachary Horton, in to create a website for the company. Horton created rawlstreats.com and also opened up a company bank account for online sales and bought door-to-door credit card swipers. Both guys wanted to be entrepreneurs from a young age and their dream is becoming a reality. Lane and Horton created the company with the intent of giving great healthy treats to their pets. They both are truly passionate about the health of their animals. Many successful entrepreneurs start young and did what Lane and Horton are doing, which is going door to door to sell their product, as well as get their product out there on social media. For example, Mark Cuban went door-to-door selling stamps and coins. He had that go-getter attitude that Lane and Horton have. And now, Cuban is a billionaire. Becky Riekhof, who is a mother of Anna (senior) and Paige (sophomore), has bought from Rawls treats numerous times and heard about the treats on Twitter. She said,”I love that the treats are made from all natural ingredients and from a local company. Both of these are very important and a large factor on how and
where I spend my money.” Riekhof was very happy with the product and planned to order more. ”The treats were delivered to me, but I plan on placing more orders as gifts for my friends with dogs in different parts of the country (online orders),” said Riekhof. The website has been a popular place to order the dog treats. Since March, the website has received around 1000 views a week and around 30 percent of the product sold has been off of the website, according to Lane and Horton. There are many different features on the website such as tweets about Rawls treats, why you would choose Rawls, more information about the treats, and you can even take a survey on your experience with the treats. “With the release of our new product this past week we grossed north of $1100,” said Horton. Owners Lane and Horton are looking for new ways to help improve their company such as new packaging which was released the week of March 14 as well as more marketing options. The owners have had meetings with some retail chains and were offered to have their products sold in Hair Tyme very soon. Both Lane and Horton are going to college, Lane to study linguistics and Horton will study computer science, but they will continue running Rawls Treats. Horton said, “Starting Rawls Treats has been one of the most rewarding and knowledgeable experiences of our lives. It has quickly taught us many lessons; the most important lesson is the significance of networking and the importance of families, friends and community.”
NEWS|6
Brad Peck shared photos of his injuries (left and right) and X-Rays (top middle) with his classes following his recovery from a bike accident he suffered on March 7, along with a diagram he created of the accident (bottom middle). photos provided by BRAD PECK
Most of us wake up every morning and go through our routine, never anticipating that within the next hour we could wake up in an ambulance terrified and fighting for our lives. On March 7 at 5:05 a.m., Brad Peck, psychology, was cycling with a group of friends like he does every morning. While riding through an intersection, Peck said he was struck by a distracted driver who had just gotten off of a late night work shift. He woke up in the ambulance very confused with a shattered scapula (part of his shoulder) and cuts along his face, knees and other parts of his body. No matter how bad the injuries were, Peck is just very thankful to be alive. He has a helmet to thank for that. Peck said, “I think [wearing a helmet] is critical...it certainly saved me from a much worse head injury.” While driving, a lot of people are playing on their phones, listening to the music way too loud, and just way too distracted in general. Most people are always complaining about having to make room for the cyclists and not paying very much attention to them while they’re on the road. “There are a lot of things that need to change. We live in a distracted and sleep deprived society and that combination is a recipe for disaster,” said Peck.
CYC
He said one challenge is that there is not necessarily a safe placer for cyclists on the roads locally. Peck said, “Some communities are more fitness friendly, Kansas City and Liberty are not that fitness friendly. They have no bike lanes and very few biking paths.” Even though Peck is alive and well today he is still recovering. He said, “Whether a car accident or something traumatic there is just as much psychological injury as physical injury…it shatters your sense of invincibility and sense of trust…it will take time to heal, maybe months or even years.” Next time you are driving or in the car with someone remember that someone you know could be one of the cyclists that people roll their eyes at. You wouldn’t want to take someone’s life and even put it in danger. You could be that person waking up in the ambulance. Peck said, “I could’ve died and that’s a mind blowing experience…when you have a near death experience you look at life through a completely new lens.”
GIST
The story of Psychology teacher Brad Peck’s traumatizing cycling accident
by JESSE STAMPER
“I love myself because I’m unique. I’m not skinny but I am myself, which is something very special.”
“I love myself because there will never be another me in the world. It’s important for me to love who I am, instead of changing myself to meet other people’s expectations.”
In 1959, Barbie released their first pale-skinned, tall, skinny and blonde doll. Traditionally, Barbie has been criticized for her too-thin frame, heavy makeup, and impossibly large cup-size. And the doll itself has forced unrealistic expectations for image among young girls. Fifty-seven years later on Jan. 28, Barbie released a new solution--a line that will now include four body types, seven skins tones, 22 eyes colors and 24 hairstyles. In a study done in 2006 from the University of Sussex, 162 5-to-8-year-old girls were exposed to images of a Barbie, or no doll at all. The researchers found that "early exposure to dolls epitomizing an unrealistically thin body ideal may damage a young girls’ body image, which causes for an increased risk of disordered eating and weight cycling.” And the truth is, in today’s growing society, Barbie is becoming less and less relevant. Barbie sales dropped 13 percent in 2013 and 16 percent in 2014 and continued to plummet until in 2015-16 Barbie abandoned unrealistic beauty standards, according to TIME magazine. “It’s a great thing. It shows that our society is starting to recognize that there is not only one type of beauty. I've never been a thin girl and to now see that there is something portrayed as beautiful out there that isn’t a tall skinny girl, is great,” said Dalyn Legrand, junior.
Megan Beasly
Ha il e y D e eds
Lieana Sherry
Dalyn Legrand
FEATURES|7
“ I love myself because it’s who I am. I am Mexican and it is a part of my heritage and culture. No one can take that away from me.”
” I love myself because I have a unique personality. I like how I am small and can do things that some people can’t do.”
Elissa Gittes, MD, a pediatrician in the division of adolescent medicine at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh told WebMD that girls are becoming more and more dissatisfied of their bodie s at a young age. So what can society do? Teach girls that all body types and skin colors are beautiful, and Barbie has done just that. “I think Barbie is doing a great thing. They are showing that it doesn't matter what you look like or how curvy or skinny you are, it just matters how you think of yourself, which is the most important thing, I believe,” said sophomore Hailey Deeds. Along with Barbie, modeling agencies are featuring plus sized models and many different body types in their advertizing. Size 14 Model Iskra Lawrence Is the Newest Face of Aerie’s “Unretouched” Campaign. Aerie stated that they are trying to get rid of labels and boxes and just feature models of all shapes and sizes. Health has much more to do with how you treat your body than what it looks like,what it weighs or your body mass index, and this applies to all body types. A study published from UCLA found that around 54 million Americans who have been labeled obese or overweight according to their BMI are actually healthy. “Once you love yourself,” said Jeremy Hatten, senior, “you will be able to do everything else in life you love.”
I’m a Barbie Girl What the new change in Barbie’s doll line means for women today
by ANNA PREUSS
8|
S T R E A M I NG
@
S O U T H by BRET VANICE Netflix is one of the most popular things at South. Students watch movies and TV just about anywhere - at home, in the car, in class, even in the bathroom. Recently Netflix has been growing rapidly, and they are trying to keep up with all the demand. According to Business Insider, Netflix will spend up to $5 billion in 2016 on new content. This means tons of new shows and movies, and probably a lot more originals. There are many extremely popular original shows on Netflix, like “Orange is the New Black” and “House of Cards,” both of which can stir up a lot of talk and tweets when their much anticipated new season is released. Taylor Tobin, sophomore said, “‘House of Cards’ is my favorite show on Netflix and I think it is better as a Netflix Original than if it had been on TV before Netflix.” These examples of original shows Netflix is putting on are just a sample of what things Netflix wants to do in film. Netflix plans to add many new shows and movies in 2016, one of which being a talk show with former E! Star Chelsea Handler. Netflix is also being added to a couple small, local cable companies as a test run, according to The Washington Post. Originals aren’t the only reason people watch Netflix though. Hallie Vandeven, sophomore, says that her
streaming tweets
favorite show on Netflix is “Friends” because it’s funny, never gets old, and is good to rewatch. Vandeven also likes the idea of Netflix expanding more. “I would be cool with them turning into a TV network because they have their own shows already, and I love ‘Orange is the New Black’,” said Vandeven. Tobin is also a fan of the originals and says that he is anticipating the second season of “Narcos” the most. However, he has a different view about Netflix evolving into a TV station. “I think they should stay the way that they are and stick to what they know,” said Tobin.
Streams its way to the top YouTube Red is something that you can get for $9.99 a month. It started out as just something that you pay for to not watch advertisements and provided access to advertisement-free music streaming. Since then, it has been modified and now, in addition to ad-free music streaming, members can also watch YouTube Red original movies and TV shows like “Scare Pewdiepie” featuring Pewdiepie, one of the wealthiest YouTubers in the world. Tobin says, “I don’t think YouTube Red will be able to compete with Netflix at all. I think they will fail miserably.” YouTube Red has a more costly subscription fee, but also offer the ability to stream music, so is it worth it? Vandeven said, “I think enough people have subscriptions to Netflix that it will be tough to get people to switch over just for the music thing.” The business of streaming is evolving, and companies like Netflix and YouTube Red are leading the charge.
FEATURES|9
ADVISORY~
I ADVISE ALL PERSONS READING THIS TO NOT CONTINUE IF: YOU GET SCARED EASILY BY DARK TRUTHS OF THE WORLD OR CAN’T HANDLE THE VIOLENT AND ILLEGAL TRUTHS OF THE ONLINE WEB. by TATE SUMMA 1.6 billion people go online every day to shop, update social media, and check their email. But popular search engines like Google and Yahoo barely scratch the surface of all the websites available on the World Wide Web. When indexing something on the “surface web” through a search engine like Google, users can only access 4 percent of all the information the World Wide Web has to offer. Dive deep below the surface web by using search engines you may never have heard of before. You will then have access to find the other 96 percent called the deep web where there are tens of trillions of pages -- an unfathomable number -- that most people have never seen. The deep web is 500 times larger than the surface web, but to put it in perspective: if every student at South (around 1,600) represents part of the World Wide Web, Google or Yahoo could only search for and find about 3.2 students of the 1,600. The legal things that make up approximately 55 percent of the deep web are: statistics, databases and academic journals. What is contained in the other 45 percent is called the dark web or darknet. Russ McDaniels, Speech, said, “I had no idea that the deep web made up such a large percentage of what the actual internet is.” The darknet forms a small part of the deep web which requires specific software or authorization to access. On the darknet, you can find and buy anything desirable. When I say anything, I do mean anything. Items on a typical darknet market are listed from a range of vendors, selling their product or service, like eBay. Virtually all markets have advanced reputation for how good the vendor is and also have shipping features similar to Amazon.com. Most function as black markets, selling or brokering transactions involving drugs, cyber-arms, weapons, counterfeit currency, stolen credit card details, forged documents (fake ID/fake Passport), unlicensed
pharmaceuticals, hacking services, and even hitmen. Although there are tons of goods and services to buy, how do you pay for them anonymously? Well that’s where BitCoin comes in. Bitcoin is a digital currency created by Satoshi Nakamoto and can be used to buy merchandise online. Bitcoin isn’t used for just the darknet but the darknet prefers bitcoin because it allows you to be anonymous when purchasing goods or services online. Since bitcoin isn’t a printed currency, you keep your bitcoins in an online wallet. This wallet gives you an ID made up of a set of random numbers. Your wallet ID has the same concept as the “S Number” you are given at school. However, there is absolutely no connection of the Wallet ID and any of your personal information. The only way you know this set of numbers, is knowing them personally for your wallet ID… Just like the only way you connect to your s(number) password, is because its your password. However, the thing that makes it different to conventional money, is that it is decentralized. No single institution or country controls the bitcoin network. While there are more than 12 million bitcoins in circulation, the creator capped the total amount of bitcoins that can ever be created at 21 million. This will stabilize the Bitcoin value after all the bitcoins are put into circulation. One Bitcoin is worth $421.96 currently, however these coins can be divided into smaller parts. (The smallest divisible amount is one hundred millionth of a bitcoin and is called a ‘Satoshi’, named after the founder of bitcoin) One Satoshi is worth $0.0000042196 to put it into perspective. But until the 21 million Bitcoin cap has been reached, the price of Bitcoin will fluctuate immensely. The dark web may seem like a fascinating and interesting place to visit, but there are major consequences for those who get involved, from school policies all the way to the FBI.
Murder for Hire Government websites Stolen credit cards Terrorist acts Illegal Pornography Drugs
Countifit Money/Fake ID’s Guns Hackers
10| FEATURES
A Deadly Defense
by ANNE PRICE Severe allergies are a major issue for students
Imagine your tongue is swelling, your throat is closing and you’re gasping for air. Then, the sound of sirens reach your ears, but that’s right before everything goes black. That’s what people with allergies live in fear of every day. According to everydayhealth.com, “allergies happen when your body overreacts to a foreign substance. They develop when the body finds a substance to be harmful.” Sometimes, when people find out that they have allergies, it ends badly. “Right when my mom tried to switch me to formula, I had a really bad reaction and they had to take me into the Emergency Room. And the doctor was like, ‘oh I forgot to tell you that your daughter might have a high chance of being severely allergic to dairy’,” said Stella Garibaldi, junior. Most of the time, however, finding out that you have allergies isn’t as severe. Some people find they have allergies because they break out in hives, or have trouble breathing. Angel Lee, junior, who is allergic to tree nuts said, “Generally, it’ll start with my breathing getting really shallow. At first you don’t really notice it... But then after a while my lips will start to puff up and it’ll get harder to breath. Then I’ll get hives across my arm.” It’s getting easier for people with allergies to avoid allergens. They can check the ingredients list before they buy something. At a restaurant they can ask the waiter at a restaurant if it contains an allergen.
To be cautious, some people with allergies have to carry around an EpiPen, which is a pre-filled injection tool that administers a drug that can help relax the muscles at the point of reaction. “You jab it in your thigh and call 911 after that,” said Nathan Stump, sophomore, who is allergic to dairy, eggs and nuts. To keep these people with severe allergies from having an allergic reaction, the best way to help them is to know that they have an allergy. Charles Matheson, sophomore, is allergic to peanut and wheat, and said, “Get the word out. In all my classes, everyone knows that I have an allergy. If they didn’t know then I would probably get sick in my classes.” Even though there is a severe threat of having a reaction, they are uncommon. Lee said, “I haven’t had one in five months, just because mine is easy to watch for.” Another thing to look out for is the ingredients in sauces or oils. There could be allergens in soy sauce, corn oil, fish oil and peanut oil. “I went to dinner one night, and it was a very nice, fancy place and there was only three options per course. One of the appetizer options was salad, so I got it. Halfway through eating it my symptoms started to rear their heads so I asked the waiter and they told me that it has pistachio oil on it,” Lee said. Having an allergic reaction is scary, but as long as the person having the reaction and the people around them are calm, everyone can make it out alive.
“It’ll start with my breathing getting really shallow. At first you don’t really notice it.”
EXAGGERATED EXAMPLE
Anna Letterra (Sophomore) eats peanut based food.
Aquagenic Urticaria
She passes out because she’s allergic to it.
Weird Allergies
An allergy to water that makes your skin break out in hives. Severe cases may only be able to bear a few moments in the shower, and can’t drink a glass of water.
Dermographism
With this allergy you can write on your skin with the pressure from your fingernail. Pressure on the skin causes an itchy hive reaction.
A friend calls 911, and keeps her awake.
Photosensitivity
The most typical symptoms are rashes, blisters, redness, or hives on the skin, which look like an extreme case of sunburn.
Excercise Allergy
It causes severe forms of hives. It can lead to anaphylaxis which is a dangerous condition in which your blood pressure drops suddenly and you have trouble breathing.
FEATURES|11
Connor Locke, senior, missed Prom last year due to attending a talent hunt competition. But, Locke is in luck because she is on Prom court this year and could be this year’s queen. Brady Smith, senior, cannot go to Prom due to college dance try outs but it was too late as her date Brett Konomos already had the sign printed, so celebrations were in order.
HOW LEIBEE IS MAKING IT WORK
8:30am- Arrive at MO State for dance tryouts
2pm- Tryouts end
3 hour drive home, get ready in car
5pm- Arrive in KC
8pm-PROM
limited to after prom 6am- leave KC 3hr car ride
9am-Check in at MO State Students choose to miss Prom to fulfill their dreams and passions in college
TRYOUT TIME CRUNCH
Students miss Prom for many reasons. Some decide old, both competitively and on the high school team. not to go just because they do not want to attend, some Even if she does not make it on the university team, she miss because they do not have a date, some do not go will not regret her decision. simply because they have other plans, but others choose “I won’t regret it because I don’t see Prom as a very to miss for purposes that involve their futures. big deal at all compared to what I’m trying to do and Connor Locke, senior, missed Prom last year for a I can at least say I tried. Plus, I’m going out of state talent hunt competition where she sang a classical piece. for college so there’s a good chance I wouldn’t even Many people in the Midwest competed in this including remember who I went to Prom with in 10 years,” Rolstad singers, pianists and baton twirlers. said. “It’s just another school dance.” “I was really sad about missing Prom, but I got While this decision seemed to come easy to Rolstad, a nice cash prize as a result of the others are still debating on what competition which was really needed to do. Hannah Leibee, senior, will “I WONT’ REGRET IT BECAUSE be trying out for Missouri State for college,” she said. “It also looks really good on my resume and college I DON’T SEE PROM AS A VERY dance team. applications to have a second place “I’m going to try and make it BIG DEAL AT ALL COMPARED work to go to tryouts and make it award.” She said the choice was not an easy TO WHAT I’M TRYING TO DO.” back for Prom. I want to be able one. to do both so I asked the coach “I chose this over Prom because of the cash prize and of Missouri State and she said that she knew girls had because my mom really wanted me to,” she said. Prom and would put us earlier in the order,” This year, several students at South battle the Leibee said. decision between college tryouts and their senior Prom. Although making it back for Prom is not promised, Annika Rolstad, senior, will be trying out for cheer at the Leibee understands what she is doing. University of Minnesota on Prom night. “I decided I didn’t want to give up dancing,” she Rolstad said, “I really wanted to go to Prom, but I said, “because it has been such a big part of my life and did not think it was logical to trade something I have I couldn’t lose that.” enjoyed for my whole life and wanted to pursue for the As high school nears an end for some seniors, many next four years for another school dance that is only try to fit in all those last highschool memories like senior one night.” prom. But some South students will pick their future and Rolstad has been cheering since she was eight years love for their sports over anything.
by ASHLEY PASLEY
by SYDNEY LOWE
14| SPORTS
in the
FAST LANE
Senior swimmer Tori Beeler has had unprecedented success throughout her high school career
50 Cha
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s ree d r 0 f 0 IM o c 10 20 e R free pion
When describing what sets her apart from other athletes, Tim Busenhart, the girls’ swim team coach said, “It is not so much her natural talent as her drive to get better.” It is not hard to imagine that Beeler’s talent paired with her determination and effort made her a highly recruited high school athlete. In the end, though, Beeler chose the University of Nebraska to continue her swimming career. Regarding her decision Beeler said, “I picked Nebraska because I liked how the team was so close, the coaches were really nice, and I liked their training style.” Another plus to attending Nebraska, Beeler mentioned, was the great benefits that they offer their athletes. Perks of being an athlete at Nebraska include free tutoring, meetings with counselors and a study space available only to athletes. Beeler already has some goals for herself in college. She hopes to hold some records, something she has already accomplished at the high school level, and be in the top eight at Big 10s and NCAAs. photo provided by Tori Beeler Beeler still has time to accomplish even more at the high school level before she begins her college swimming career with her All American consideration times in the 100 freestyle and 100 breast stroke that will not be announced until June, but she will definitely be a Husker to watch.
St
Countless hours in the pool, swimming lap after lap, have paid off for senior swimmer Tori Beeler. She has been 0.4 seconds from an Olympic Trials cut in the 100 breaststroke and was also the first girl for South to be named an All-American. “She is very motivated. I think that gets her through a lot of it, “said junior swim team member Kirsten Aken regarding Beeler’s hard work. It is obvious that Beeler is motivated by the competitive aspect of the sport, but what she enjoys the most is all the friends that she makes through swim and the chance to travel to meets with those close friends. In this way she is able to have fun and make memories both in and out of the pool. “My favorite memory would either be when my team went to Colorado for a training trip and we all got altitude sickness, or when me and my friend Jordan went to Spring Juniors together and at the end of the meet we had a competition to see who could get tanner. He’s half Puerto Rican, but I still won,” recalled Beeler. Many of Beeler’s teammates look up to her for her attitude as well as her talent. She is known as an incredibly hard worker who is humble even with her impressive accomplishments. Marti Heit, sophomore, said, “When morning practice gets canceled most of the girls are really excited, but Tori still gets up at whatever ungodly hour to work to get better. She is one of my biggest role models; she is all about the team.”
by LEXI MADDOX
State Record Holder
200 IM record All American 100 breast record
SPORTS|15
hop off the BANDWAGON Bandwagon fans run rampant in today’s sports world by ADAM FRAZIER
B
andwagon fans: we all know one. If you don’t know one then you probably are one. A Bandwagon fan is defined by urbandictionary.com as anyone who claims they are a “fan” of a particular sports team, even though they had no prior support for/interest in the team until that team started winning. It is usually pretty easy to tell if someone is a bandwagon fan. Lack of knowledge about their team and loyalty issues highlight most bandwagon fans. Brandon Crabtree, sophomore, has seen many bandwagon fans emerge since the Royals started winning more often. “Bandwagon fans are people who just start liking a team when that team is winning,” said Crabtree, “They leave when that team starts losing.” Most true fans choose their team based on where they are from and they never alter their allegiance to that team. True fans know everything about their team: starting lineup, bench players, highest scorer, the list goes on. Bandwagon fans could not name four players from their “favorite” team if you asked them. Many South students despise bandwagon fans. Noah Anderson, junior, is among them. After moving to Kansas City from Memphis, Anderson has managed to maintain his allegiance to University of Memphis even though the University of Kansas has one of the best basketball programs in the nation. “I hate bandwagon fans,” said Anderson. “It is unfair to people who have been true fans for years when people come along when that team starts winning.” Other students at South do not care about specific allegiances to teams. Self-proclaimed bandwagon fan, Josh Wood, junior, changes which team he supports all the time. “It is fun being a bandwagon fan because your team always wins,” said Wood. “Losing is not in my vocabulary.” Bandwagon fans are mainly just a nuisance, but they sure can be annoying. The true issue with bandwagon fans is their arrogance. Every time they switch teams it is almost as if they are saying that they are too proud to endure a losing season. “I have been a Royals fan since 2009. Sitting through the 110 loss seasons makes you appreciate the victories even more,” said Crabtree. “Only real fans will know what a World Series really means.” Bad seasons happen to every team. If you stick with one team it makes the winning seasons even more special and memorable.
“It is unfair to people who have been true fans for years when people come along when that team starts winning.”
most popular
BANDWAGON teams MLB
NEW YORK YANKEES
NBA
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
NCAA MENS BASKETBALL UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
SOCCER BARCELONA
NFL
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
NCAA FOOTBALL
UNIVERTSITY OF ALABAMA
16| SPORTS
SPRINGING INTO OUTDOOR FUN Slim Pickings- Morel Mushroom Hunting
Spring has got something for every outdoorsman, whether you are hunting turkey with your shotgun, fighting bass on your fishing pole, or even picking mushrooms on a hike. Spring season is the best season.
by NICK CLAASSEN
Strutting into Turkey Season
If you are the kind of person who likes a challenge and loves to shoot a gun, turkey hunting may be the thing for you. Spring turkey hunting in Missouri is some of the best hunting there is-- there is nothing like sitting in the woods on a cool spring morning watching a group of beautiful turkeys strut their stuff and gobble away. “My favorite part of turkey hunting is just enjoying nature because it’s so peaceful,” said Jake Sayre, senior. Although it sounds nice, turkey hunting requires a good amount of work. This includes dressing all out in camo and sitting on either a ground or camo tent in the woods, and waking up way before the sun comes up to get in place. Then, of course, countless hours of waiting for turkeys and using calls to get them to come closer. Most hunters have turkey decoys they put out in front of them to lure them in as well. “The biggest tip I would give to other turkey hunters is simply just to be quiet,” said Sayre. It is all worth it though when you feel that adrenaline run through your body, and the pride of providing for yourself and putting food on the table. The most successful hunting will come on private land with lots of acreage and deep woods, but public land like Platte Falls (Platte City) is also a good option for those without access to private land. For turkey hunting you will have to also buy a turkey tag and pass a hunter safety course, which can be taken at Parma Woods shooting range in Parkville.
Love the outdoors, but hate dealing with the whole live animal aspect of hunting? Try mushroom hunting. This is probably the least expensive and easiest form of “hunting” known to man. In Missouri we are blessed with the presence of the Morel mushroom, a delicious mushroom which can be found almost in any forest around creeks and the edge of forested areas. “My favorite part about mushroom hunting is just finding good spots with big patches of mushrooms and getting to eat them later on,” said Tucker McGuire, senior. This type of hunting requires no licenses and no gear, other than a bag for all your mushrooms. Now it may sound easy, but it is all about timing. Morel’s only grow about four to six weeks out of the year, and there is no accurate prediction to tell when they will start or stop. Most of the time April is your best chance, though. When hunting, make sure you look up what they look like and when in doubt, never take it. Once you find one, it is very likely there are others in that area so continue to look hard. Not only can you take these home and eat them yourself, but they go for about $20 a pound at your local market. Depending on the store they may or may not buy them, but vegetable markets like Sprouts would be your best bet, or you can sell them yourself at the Parkville Farmer’s Market. Not a bad deal for a couple hours of walking around the woods just picking up mushrooms. “I like to keep my mushrooms and eat them with some steak and potatoes after I saute them,” said McGuire. Do not be discouraged if you cannot find them at first, as it depends on the time and area. Sometimes you may find just a few, and other times you may hit the jackpot of hundreds. These can be found virtually anywhere in Missouri, but best bets are local land and trails like Tiffany Springs.
Fish On!
A wise man once said,, “A bad day of fishing is still better than a good day of work.” Fishing truly is the yoga of nature. It can be extremely relaxing, but it can also be an adrenaline rush at times. Fishing can be an activity done just for fun by catching and releasing, or a competitive activity in order to provide a tasty dinner. “My favorite part about fishing is probably the rush you get when you feel a fish nibbling at your hook. It’s also exciting because you never really know what you caught until you get it in the boat or on shore,” said Crewz Berry, senior. Fishing does not require a lot of gear other than a fishing pole and some bait. It depends on what type of fish you want to catch, but at places like Al’s Bait & Tackle (Kansas Ave.) or Dicks Sporting Goods (Zona Rosa) you can find plenty of rubber lures or live bait like minnows or worms that will work perfect. Some of the best fishing in our area would have to be bass fishing, and there is no better time than the spring to go out and rip some lips. Bass may not be the tastiest fish to eat, but for a Missouri fish, they give one of the best fights and are some of the biggest fish you can catch. “One tip I would give to someone would probably be to have patience. That seems to be one of the biggest problems for most people who are new to fishing,” said Berry. For bass fishing, the key is to fish around downed trees or brush on the points of the lake in moderately shallow water. There are many public and private lakes you are able to fish in around KC, including Weatherby, Riss Lake, the Missouri River, and Smithville. Smithville has some of the best crappie and bass fishing in Missouri, and is definitely worth a try with or without boat access if you are trying to catch that trophy fish.
APRIL
MUSHROOMS Growing season April-June (Peak in Mid-April)
MAY TURKEY HUNTING April 18-May 8
JUNE FISHING Year Round (Peak in April, May, June)
SPORTS|17
For the Glory of the District With big changes happening this year with the rugby program, can the district still field a winning team?
An up and coming sport arrived at South just six years ago, and so far the rugby team is already making a name for itself. With strong leadership, the team sets their standards high. “Every year our goal is to make it to state, and do well there,” said senior captain Jarrid Cole. Since the creation of the rugby team, South has enjoyed six straight winning seasons. However, something happened before this year’s season that could either make or break the team’s winning spirit. It was announced that South and rivals Park Hill would merge teams. Since both South and Park Hill could not officially support their rugby teams as an actual school sport, they had to be known as a club, which meant they did not get the usual benefits, such as funding like MSHSAA sports in the district do. Now that South and Park Hill have combined, they will get more funding, and also hopefully more support from the student body at both schools. As far as the team title goes, both respective schools came to a mutual agreement on “Park Hill United”. Senior Adam Blazych says, “I like the name a lot, I think it represents the two of us coming together for something bigger than just our own schools. We play for the district.” Park Hill United plays all over, including annual match ups against the best team in Kansas, St. Thomas Aquinas, and against local Missouri powerhouse Rockhurst. On March 12, Park Hill United beat Liberty 34-12, and are looking to make another run at State this spring in Jefferson City, Mo. In order to qualify for the State tournament PH United must finish in the top two in their district. Their
by CARSON WELLS
district includes themselves, Winnetonka, and Jefferson City. Rugby is much different than most sports out there, especially when it comes to the physical aspect of the game. To put it lightly, rugby is not for the weak. “Oh it’s rough out there, but that’s what keeps me coming back, that’s what I love about it,” said senior Travis Fisher. So far Park Hill United are 4-1 and on a four game winning streak after dropping the season opener to Shawnee Mission Northwest on March 4. The team will look to improve on that mark with one more home game on Friday, April 29 at Preston Field, and a crucial district matchup against Winnetonka on April 19. The full remaining schedule is below.
When & Where to Watch Rugby April 19 (Tuesday) - Winnetonka*
6:00 p.m. - TBD
April 23 (Saturday) - St. Thomas Aquinas 1:00 p.m. St. Thomas Aquinas High School April 29 (Friday) - Rockhurst Jr Blue’s Preston Stadium
6:00 p.m.
May 7 & 8 (Saturday & Sunday) MISSOURI STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS- Jefferson City - Lincoln University * District Game
18 |SPORTS
Tennis
Baseball
2014-2015 State Qualifiers: Josh Roboska, JD Nassab 2014-2015 team achievements: Graduated Seniors: Josh Roboska, Mark Fricke, Brian Day, Ty Crabtree Upcoming Seniors: Nick Claassen, JD Nassab Injuries: None 2015-2016 Team Goal: To beat Park Hill
2014-2015 season standings: Graduated Seniors: Richard Fullerton, Easton Fortuna, Jake Purl, Andrew Richards, John Chacon, Codey Land, Carter Hedrick, Eli Patterson, Upcoming Seniors: Jacob Thigpen, Colin Farrow, Kelby Krieger, James Gomes, Patrick Sparks, Frank Wood, Ryan Callahan Injuries: James Gomes (Shoulder injury) 2015-2016 Team Goal: To Win Districts
looking ahead SPRING PREVIEW
Lady Panthers Soccer 2014-2015 season standings: 19-5 2014-2015 team achievements: Conference/District Champs Graduated Seniors: Shay Jackson, Anna Courtney, Erica Timmerman, Carli Hanlon, Nichole Davis Upcoming Seniors: Madi Sanders, Mayleigh Oder, Margaret Mckeon, Haley Mills, Saidie Grigsby, Jessica Perkins, Alex Philpot, Meghan Jones Injuries: Sadie Grigsby (ACL Tear) 2015-2016 Team Goal: To win Conference and Districts again
Track and Field
2014-2015 State Qualifiers: Darrien Case, Mitch Henderson, Nylo Clarke, Alex Lee, Eli Guzman, Izzy Pieper, Jordan Hammond, Emily Day, Emma Roth
Golf 2014-2015 State Qualifiers: Tanner Owen
Graduated Seniors: Jackson Cunningham, Jake Carpenter, Noah Pennell Upcoming Seniors: Tanner Owen, Dillon Murray, Nathan Ellenberger, Tate Summa Injuries: None 2015-2016 Team Goal: To win Districts as a team and qualify players for State
Girls Swim/ Dive Girls Basketball Overall Record: 12-12 Conference Standings: Fifth Place (3-7) Player Awards: Alecia Westbrook (All Conference/ District) Raquel Reid (All Conference) Seniors Leaving: Mayleigh Oder, Leah Booth, Ashton Gray
SPORTS|19
Overall Record: 15-1 (Only Loss Coming In The State Finals) Conference Standings: First Place Swimmer Awards: All Conference/ State - Tori Beeler, Kirsten Aken, Allison Garrett, Maryn Burns, Georgia Clark, Maggie Hickey, Paige Reikhof, Anna Reikhof Seniors Leaving: Tori Beeler, Maggie Moyes, Anna Riekhof, Dani Proffitt, Maggie Hickey, Kyndal Reents, Kelsey Danielsen, Lauren Luton, Maryn Burns Team Accomplishments: New Year’s Splash Invite Champions, Conference Champions, Third Place at State Tournament
looking back
Boys Basketball
Overall Record: 17-11 Conference Standings: Second Place (6-4) Player Awards: Jacob Kline (All Conference/ District) Ryan Welty (All Conference/ District) Lamel Robinson (All Conference) Seniors Leaving: Ryan Welty, Darius Dedmon Team Accomplishments: District Champions
WINTER SPORTS RESULTS by JACOB KLINE Wrestling & CHASE PUTNAM Overall Record: 8-8 State Qualifiers: Jakob Lebar Seniors Leaving: Dalton Hodges, Travis Fisher, Daniel Gray, Ring Deng, Kaleb Lenhert, Zak Horton
20| ENTERTAINMENT
MATCH YOUR DRESS
Match your hair and acessories to your dress by BRADY SMITH for a special night at Prom
V NECK
LONG NECKLACE
HOW MUCH DOES PROM REALLY COST, LADIES? DRESS:
HALF UP/DOWN
$100-$400
off the shoulder
LONG EARRINGS
NAILS
(mani & pedi)
$45 HAIR
$30 MESSY UPDO
MAKEUP
HIGH NECK ARM CUFF
$50
TICKETS
$50 FANCY PONY
SweetHeart
SHORT NECKLACE/CHOCKER
BUS/LIMO
$25(per person) AFTER PROM
$20
TOTAL
ALL DOWN HAVY HAIR
$620
“What is the weather like up there?” “Is there a different view of the world from up there?” All things commonly heard throughout my life as a tall person. I live the experience of being 6’7” and towering 11 inches over the average man. Over time, I have learned what doorways I have to duck under and what ones I do not. It is like the same concept that a person knows what foods they like and do not like: it just becomes a part of your life. When I hit my head on a doorway, it is the most blindsided hit with the most annoying headache to follow. You would think being tall would come with some awesome benefits and it does, although it really benefits… other people. When you have a tall son/ friend/boyfriend, your life automatically gets easier. My body alone makes me a human ladder for everyone to use. As I grew up (pun intended), my mom started to ask me to stack things taller and put things in high locations to store them. When she needed them, she would simply ask me to get them down. It really helps things to be more spacious. Although I can put things in my kitchen up high to space things out, I do not get any space when it comes to fitting into seats on airplanes, at stadiums, or at the gym assemblies. Although having long legs restricts my seating, it also makes places like the school bathroom awkward. The school stalls are tall enough for the average person, but some guys know that for me it only comes up to my neck. So if I am in the bathroom stall and you look in my direction, you will see my head sticking out. Being tall can really make some things in life awkward, but with girls it is a perk if you are tall. There is a club girls know called the “6 feet and up club” and to be a part of it, you have to be taller than 6 feet. Some girls state that they will not date a guy shorter than 6 feet, thus the point of this club. Going on a date with someone tall can guarantee many things for a girl. She can choose whatever sized heals she likes because she will never have to worry about being taller. And after she can throw on one of my sweatshirts and wear it like a dress. Being so big it just seems to work well. I also tend to eat a lot more than the normal sized person. So you will never have to worry about eating more than me. When it comes down to cuddling, I already know my place as big spoon. Since I am so tall, I can fit every spoon size for cuddling. For dates, girls can shop and find their size in the common store. Unfortunately being tall exempts you from being able to shop in person. I have to shop online for a lot of my clothes--literally anything that is not a T-Shirt, Socks, underwear, or gym shorts. Pants do not come in 32-38 (exactly 4 feet in height) and normally longsleeve shirts/ sweatshirts do not come in LargeTall (sleeve length). This really limits my “style” and clothing I have access to. Being so tall can intimidate people sometimes, but if you know the person, you feel more protected. By their sheer Hip Shoulder size, tall people naturally make the people around them feel protected. Tall people are known to be “Gentle Giants” because the majority of us are nonviolent. That is true, until you threaten someone significant to us.
4’11”
size to scale
6’8”
OPINION|21
FLIPSIDE TALL vs. SHORT by TATE SUMMA & HANNAH GRAVES
No, my favorite food isn’t shrimp. Short people are often the most overpassed beings in the world (pun intended). As a girl who has stood at 4’11” since fifth grade, I can personally tell you that the struggle of being short is real. However, there are some things we get lucky on because of our...ahem...low stature. The average human stands at about 5’7”. So you are average...everything... is based on that statistic. An example being, I have never used the phrase, “Could you move your chair up? My legs are cramped,” Nope, not-a-once. Anywhere I go I could easily stretch out the ole stems and relax. Having said that, my legs are often TOO small to even rest on the ground. Driving a car isn’t fun when the seat was made for (what seems like) Andre the Giant. They don’t make booster seats for 16-year-olds, you know. Its not all negative, though. Think of how much money you can save by being short. Superficially, that sentence seems odd, what is the correlation between being short and spending less money? Well, I do not mean to brag, but I still get to buy kid’s tickets at the movie theaters. Also, short people can often buy a lot of things as kids: shoes, clothes, food, etc. Although if you are not buying kids clothes, you are digging to the back of the shelf trying to look for your size. What the heck is a size? Nothing ever fits me right. These sweatpants are too long, those jeans are too tight, my shoes are too big! “Finding my size” is truly a constant guessing game. The only thing that is ever guaranteed to make a short person look good? High heels. Short people can never fail to rock a pair whether it be two inch or six inch. On a date, there's no way you would even come close to matching their height, let alone surpass them. Unfortunately, this means your date might have to break their back trying to reach down and hug you. Cuddling, on the other hand, is pretty awesome. They call it the “little spoon” for a reason, people. Your perfect date destination? I would go to a football game or a concert, because you’ll probably only be able to see your date. Those events are always a problem for me, but if you have a taller person with you, you can use them as a human shield for the elements and enemies trying to slow you down. As for shielding our heads from other things like doorways, shower heads, and the other side of the bathroom stall, we’re pretty much okay. Last but certainly not least: short people are not taken seriously. I get it okay, and it doesn’t really upset me. Short people are easy to make fun of, I just did it for the last five paragraphs. However you should know, genuinely, being short doesn’t affect who I am. Short boys are bullied right along with short girls for the same reason. It is perceived as a weakness to be short. The Napoleon Complex is real. (The Napoleon Complex is a term describing overly-aggressive or domineering social behavior in short people. The theoretical condition implies that such behavior is compensatory for the subject’s stature). For those of you that do not know what compensatory is, it means they use this belligerent behavior to make up for all those times you cooed at them like a baby and said, “Aw! you are so cute!” I appreciate it, but I know you are not talking about my looks.
of Change
Another Time
22| OPINION
Sporting KC’s stadium has by COLLINS BEATTY a new name Children’s Mercy Park is the third and newest name of the team’s stadium. The name change went into effect January 1, and will stay in effect for the next 10 years. For me, this 10 year deal hits me hard. I’m a former patient of Children’s Mercy and a Sporting KC fan. For those of you who do not know the history and meaning behind Sporting KC, let me explain. Before SKC was SKC, they were known as the Kansas City Wizards. According to Sporting Kansas City’s website, “Sporting Kansas City’s 2016 season marks the club’s 21st year in Major League Soccer. Kansas City was introduced as one of the 10 charter members of MLS on June 6, 1995.” “Four months later, the league unveiled the nicknames, logos and uniform designs for the franchises, including the Kansas City Wiz.” As many of us know, SKC’s stadium was first known as Livestrong Sporting Park. Livestrong was a non-profit
BEST OF KC FOOD EDITION
K
organization, started by Lance Armstrong, which honored cancer survivors. When Armstrong was caught using performance enhancing drugs during his bicycle races, Livestrong was removed from the stadium’s name. All that was left was Sporting Park. But Sporting KC continued to honor cancer survivors. Personally, I like the new name of Children’s Mercy Park. It has a lot of meaning to me. Not only as a Sporting KC fan, but also as a former patient of Children’s Mercy. Knowing that Children’s Mercy is reason why I’m alive today, is huge. It seems to me that Sporting KC’s original purpose was also to better recognize cancer survivors. It also seems like Sporting has backed away from this a little. I wish they would go back to doing this like they used to. I know that I especially do not get enough recognition.
STROUD’S
ansas City may be well known for its barbecue, but when it comes to Stroud’s, there isn’t a better place in the world to get a nice southern style homecooked fried chicken dinner. Make sure you’ve got the whole family with you and are ready to leave with a double-sized belly, because Stroud’s will not disappoint. If you’re in the mood for fried chicken, you don’t have to drive deep into southern United States to get it. Stroud’s is some of the best home cookin’ food you can find. Pretty much any southern style food you can think of, you will find at Stroud’s. Fried chicken is only the beginning. You can fill up with mashed potatoes, green beans, mac n’ cheese, roast, sweet potatoes, and so much more, enough for the whole family. Stroud’s also offers a catering service, convenient for big family dinners when no one feels like going out or cooking. Arguably the best thing at Stroud’s though are the amazingly delicious cinnamon rolls. Each bite feels like heaven in your mouth as you get a bite full of fluffy cinnamon bread covered in warm frosting. All in all there isn’t much to say that’s bad about Stroud’s it definitely falls at the top of my recommendation list.
by COLIN BROCKERT
OPINION|23
The Real Cost of
CHEAP
WHERE the
by ALEX ROTHERS
You walk into Forever 21 or H&M and see the signs advertising $5 T-shirt and $10 jeans. They’re not great quality, but you buy them anyway because they’re cheap and trendy. You also know that these items won’t be there next week because of how fast these stores get new styles and remove the old. You got yourself a pretty good deal right? But who is really paying the price for our cheap clothes? For most of us, a priority when it comes to shopping for clothes is cost. We are always looking for good deals, with no concern or thought put into how we are able to enjoy those deals. An important question you need to ask yourself is: how are stores profiting off of a $1.80 tank top? The answer is cheap labor. According to John Oliver, stores like Forever21, H&M, Gap, Zara, Joe Fresh and Wal-Mart, employ workers (sometimes children) in poor economic countries who are willing to work for very little money, under very poor working conditions, just so they can profit. Good business strategy? Sure, but is it morally right? Absolutely not. It’s called fast fashion. Like the clothing equivalent to fast food. Today’s trends are designed and manufactured quickly and inexpensively to allow the mainstream consumer to buy current clothing styles often and at lower prices. But just like fast food, it may seem desirable at first, but consumers are often blind to where the product comes from and how it’s made. An important word to note is often. Think about it. Fashion brands used to have two collections a year: spring/summer and fall/ winter. Now popular clothing stores have up to 52 collections a year- a new collection every week. This high speed demand creates fast approaching deadlines and little time to produce quality work. With over 40 million garment workers across the globe, the fashion industry is the most labor dependent industry in the world, according to a documentary called “The True Cost”. According to Clean Clothes Campaign, the majority of workers in the global fashion industry rarely earn more than two US dollars per day. Every day workers are exposed to many health risks like inhalation of dust from cloth pieces and exposure to poisonous chemicals from dyes. Safety issues are a huge factor as well. On April 24, 2013 in Bangladesh, India, the Rana Plaza factory collapse killed 1,137 garment workers and over 200 are still missing today, according to globallabourrights.org. This building
goes $0.07
collapse was a result of management’s refusal to acknowledge cracks in the walls, despite employee complaints. So how can you become a smarter consumer, while still looking trendy? Do some research online. There are many online brands that produce ethical and sustainable clothes, you just have to look for them. These brands are pretty costly, which is the whole point. The idea is to spend more money, for less clothes, and feel good about it, because you know your money is going to very deserving workers, not greedy companies. The best advice I can give for people who are trying to save money, is shop at thrift stores and resale clothing shops. It’s cheap, environmentally friendly, keeps your money from going to unethical businesses, and offers a wide range of styles. Trust me, I know how tempting the $5 T-shirt sales can be, and I know that it is a great feeling to walk out of a store knowing you bought an entire new outfit, only spending $20. But after doing some research about fast fashion and some of the terrible effects it brings, I will think twice about purchasing anything from Forever 21 and stores like it. That’s all I’m hoping that you will do, too. Before you buy any new clothes, see if you can find out how they were made. Even though it’s not the first thing that comes to our fortunate, capitalistic, American minds, the lives of garment workers in third world countries are important, too.
Factory Utilities
$0.12
Workers
$0.18
Agents factory $0.58 management transportation
$1.03
materials
$3.69
cost for consumer
$14.00
total
retailer pays
$5.67
According to a 2011 report by the consulting firm O’Rourke Group Partners
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