TOP GOLF |BOOK CORNER|CONFEDERATE CONTROVERSY
OPINION
TRANSGENDER PROFILE|ASPIRING ARTISTS|COLLEGE QUIZ
FEATURES
ROYALS COVERAGE|PANTHER PROFILES|CONCUSIONS
SPORTS
Z-PASS|ZAMWOW|NEWS TIMELINE
TABLE OF CONTENTS NEWS
4 6 12 19
LETTER
from the
EDITOR
It is now five weeks into the new school year and most students seem to be comfortably settling into their new classes, roles, and lives. With a little over a month under our belts we are now figuring out, or being reminded of, how things work around the school. Everyone is jumping into a new year, but some, like foreign exchange student, Steph Boulenger, are jumping into completely new lives (pg 15). At sporting events, you may notice some new faces in the front row. Read about how the new Rage Cage leaders plan to bring the entire school together (pg 11). A new year brings new struggles, but few can understand the process of changing gender. Take a deeper look into the life of transgender student, Patch Hawn (pg 12-13). Take advantage of the new year! Try something new, get to know new people, and find a way to make a name for yourself. And finally, seniors, enjoy the last beginning of your final year at South.
Alex Rothers Editor-In-Chief
THE VIEW STAFF
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PHS NEWS 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.
ADVISER
HAILEY DEEDS SPENCER DENNEY EMILY DITTO ADAM FRAZIER DANIEL GEARY MORGAN GREER OLIVIA KINSEY JACOB KLINE EMARY LANGHORN SYDNEY LOWE IZZY PIEPER RYAN POWERS ANNA PREUSS CHASE PUTNAM BRADY SMITH JAKE SPRINGER JESSE STAMPER HALLIE VANDEVEN BRET VANICE RYAN WELTY BROOKE YAGER MEGAN PALMER
4|NEWS
-Passes by BRET VANICE
Z
-Passes are a new card used at South, starting at the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year. They were handed out to each student in addition to the traditional ID cards given out every four and a half weeks. The passes have the students’ picture, name and a barcode that can be scanned to pay for lunch and to get on the bus. The Z-Passes are a Park Hill School District initiative, brought to South to test out before being used District-wide. Vanessa Zamzow, assistant principal, said, “They are being tested at two pilot schools, which are us (South) and English Landing Elementary.” Multiple students and staff members at South agree that the Z-Passes are necessary to have in the lunchroom as a solution to the hectic checkout lines. Melissa Wolf, lunchroom manager, said, “The check-out speed is so much faster so students have more time to enjoy their lunch.” According to South students and faculty, there is room for improvement. Ben Eason (soph.) said, “The Z-Passes were a good idea, but it would be better if they and our ID’s were combined into one card. It’s awkward to carry around two cards that are different shapes.” A lot of people have wondered if there is a plan to expand what is done around the school with the passes.
INTRODUCED AT SOUTH “They are installed on the buses, but they aren’t being used yet. I know that eventually they are going to be used for making printing and making copies easier,” Zamzow said. One of the biggest reasons the Z-passes were created was to make sure that everybody gets on the bus before and after the school day. Soon, in order to get on a bus you are going to have to scan your pass. Some students have had a difficult time remembering their Z-Passes at lunch and they were reminded that they need to bring it with them every time they go into the cafeteria. Wolf said, “It is a learning curve to get used to remembering to bring their badges into the cafeteria, so when students do not have them or their ID’s, it really slows the checkout process down.” There is one question that keeps getting asked over and over again: are the Z passes necessary? Eason said, “They aren’t necessary because last year there were no issues with the things that the Z-passes solve, but it was still a good idea.” Who knows what the capabilities of the Z-passes will be in the future, but right now they are helping South little by little.
USES FOR Z PASSES Currently: Streamlines lunch line payment Makes checking out library books quicker Eventually: Scanned for bus rider accuracy/safety Used for printing/making copies
“It is a learning curve...”
NEWS|5
ZAM WOW
Former South teacher Vanessa Zamzow made a big move over the summer: she is now an assistant principal at South. Zamzow came to Kansas City from Minnesota to teach. First she taught fifth grade at English Landing Elementary for four years. Then she came and taught Algebra one and coached volleyball at South for five years before she became an assistant principal. She also has her Masters in Instructional Technology and is working on getting her Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Now that she’s an administrator there are a lot of meetings she has to go to rather than being in the classroom with students. She helps out a lot with overseeing and supervising the RTI (Response to Intervention) helps students with learning, behavior needs and the AVID program, which is college prep class. “It is very different. I don’t get to work as much with students,” said Zamzow. Many students were amazed when they found out Zamzow was an assistant principal. “I was surprised because I didn’t know she was going to be
One of South’s favorite teachers Vanessa Zamzow is now an assistant principal by BAYLEE BROWN
an administrator but I was really excited because she is a great teacher!” Madison Lutgen, junior, said. Even though Zamzow isn’t in the classroom she can still help students to be successful. “I can still help them out and making sure they pass their classes and helping them decide what they want to do after high school, just making sure they’re going to be successful and that’s what my big goal is, to watch out for students,” Zamzow said. Zamzow wants to help students on a broader spectrum. “I wanted to be able to work with a lot of different programs that I think are important to South such as the AVID program and RTI to make sure students are getting the help they need in classes and also to pass,” Zamzow said. Most people would say that Zamzow is great at communicating with the South peers. “She works really good with students. Zamzow speaks
Then to Now
She’s just a great teacher overall,” Lutgen said Describing herself in three words Zamzow chose loyal, dedicated, and fun. “Ms. Zamzow and I have always had a great bond and I’m sure other students could say the same.” said Jaliyah Burton, junior. Zamzow will serve as an administrator for at least this year while Kerrie Herren works in a special position at Central Office.
in the hallway with freshman Kacey Lawellan.
Notable events over the past month by ADAM FRAZIER
Chinese stock market crash Supreme Court overrules 71 migrants escaping war Deflategate in Syria found dead in Austria First day of school
24
3
Apple announces IPhone 6s and Apple Pencil
9
August September 27
13
21
26
First home football game
5
Two journalists killed on live TV in Virginia
Volleyball wins the KSA Classic at Disney World
6|SPORTS .....
RULING
the Royals, he threw a complete game in his second start, and he has brought a huge presence to the somewhat dwindling K.C. starting pitching staff.” said, Sage Norsworthy, sophomore. .....Now let’s get to postseason expectations. Dieleman, sophomore predicts, “The Royals will lose to the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS, and they are just too powerful offensively.” .....Many other fans of the Royals around South have different opinions though .....“With the recent additions and the will to win, my prediction is a world series victory in 6 games,” said Joe Badalucco. .....Others are convinced that the Royals cannot be beat. .....“There is no doubt that the Royals will win the World Series,” says Tucker Horn, sophomore. .....There is a possibility that the Royals will be playing the St.Louis Cardinals in the World Series, and that is something that excites students. .....“If the Royals make it to the World Series for the second time in two years, I am hoping for an I-70 series showdown,” said Ben Becker, sophomore. .....Even though the home-town boys have a huge cushion in the division, they are not lacking the energy and willpower to win every single game. They have been playing with a chip on their shoulder all season and it doesn’t look like they are planning on stopping that anytime soon. .....According to Guthrie, Royals pitcher, “We don’t treat playing with a large lead any different than when we were fighting for a playoff berth, the effort and preparation before each game is all the same.” .....Since the beginning of the season, this is the first time in years that the Royals are on a mission. It is exciting to watch the team use such good teamwork to battle back in close games. .....“The personalities on the team mesh very well, and everyone is pushing together and feels a part of the team,” said Guthrie, Royals pitcher. .....Overall, this Kansas City team is definitely in the running for a World Series title; the only thing stopping them is themselves.
THE LEAGUE by JACK BEUERLEIN
The Royals have been the talk of the town, striving to get back to the fall classic for the second year in a row. .....With the addition of key players in the off season and before the trade deadline, your home town boys are here for one reason and one reason only: the World Series Title. With a record of nearly 25 games over .500, and the Kansas City fans behind the Royals, there is nothing they cannot achieve. .....The addition of players has boosted the team atmosphere and overall team play. .....According to Matthew Dieleman, sophomore, “Ben Zobrist has impacted the team tremendously, he has the highest batting average since joining the Royals, and he has had many clutch hits to boost his team to victory.” .....A player who throws the ball to home plate for a living has also had a huge impact. ....Jeremy Guthrie, Royals Pitcher, said, “Johnny Cueto has been very helpful to the staff and to especially Royals starting pitcher Yordano Ventura.” .....Johnny Cueto takes a unique approach when it comes to facing batters. Cueto tends to turn his back to home plate in his wind up, this allows him to make the hitter impatient. Cueto sometimes quick pitches, which makes the hitter unbalanced and leaves them confused. In Johnny’s six games that he has started, he is 2-5 with a 6.02 ERA. .....Although this may not sound good, he is going deep into games and saving the bullpen for when it comes time to the postseason. .....“Johnny Cueto has made a huge impact since joining
“ I love LoLo Cain, because of his story and the way he got to the MLB,” said Chandler Hedrick, junior.
Royals have the
BEST record in the american leaugue
“I’m lookin’ for the World Series win man,” said Sam Beuerlein, freshman.
“I like the atmosphere of Kauffman more than anything else,” said Grace Cunngingham, junior.
Currently in
3RD
place for odds to win the World Series statistics from mlb.com
SPORTS|7
RESENT PLA P D N YER A T S S
contributed photos from south students
PA
Chip Ambres Mitch Maier Lorenzo Cain
Emil Brown Scott Podsednik Alex Gordon
David DeJesus David DeJesus Alex Rios
Angel Berroa Yuniesky Betancourt Alcides Escobar
Joe McEwing Alberto Callaspo Mike Mou stakas
Tony Graffanino Mike Aviles Omar Infante
MIke MacDougal Zack Greinke Johnny Cueto
John Buck Jason Kendeall Salvador Perez
Mike Sweeney Billy Butler Eric Hosmer
KEY 2005 2010 2015
8|SPORTS
Panther
PROFILES
by JACOB KLINE, OLIVIA KINSEY
ALFONCIO RAND, SENIOR Alfoncio Rand is a senior wide receiver for the South football team as well as a shooting guard for the basketball team. He received first team AllDistrict in football as a junior. Rand wants to go to college and major in personal training. He said he hopes he can take his football talents to the college level. Rand’s pro role model is Dez Bryant because of his passion and love for the game. When asked about this season’s predictions he said,” I think we’re a really young and talented team and once we really realize our potential we will be very tough to beat.”
CYDNEY WUEBBEN, JUNIOR Cydney Wuebben is a junior member of the Class 5 South tennis team. She was a part of the All District team the previous year and also is trying to bounce back from injuries. Two of her teammates, Brooke Yager, senior and Hallie Vandeven, sophomore said,” Cydney is a great tennis role model. She always works hard and keeps a positive attitude.” Wuebben plays tennis year round for Clayview but has no plans to play in college. However, she does know she wants to study to be a pediatrician. She believes that the hard work the team put in during the offseason should make them a tough opponent in conference and districts.
Evan Morrow is a senior who has been in the varsity soccer program for three years. In previous years Morrow played third base for South baseball, plus lacrosse and hockey. He is a goalie who has received multiple awards while playing at South; first team All-Conference/District, second team All-City/ State and Conference Goalkeeper of the Year. When asked what soccer has taught him he said,”It’s taught me to inspire others by the way I act and play.” Teammate and CoCaptain, Carson Wells said,”With Evan in goal, I feel a lot more comfortable with our back line.”
EVAN MORROW, SENIOR
JASMINE CRAWFORD, JUNIOR Jasmine Crawford is a three sport athlete who runs both track and cross-country and plays soccer. She has received multiple awards at South which include first team AllConference/All- District her freshman and sophomore year, plus All-State her freshman year. Madi Blinzler, Senior cross country runner said,” Cross Country is a great sport to test your limits and Jasmine continues to shock me every time!” She definitely plans on running in college but has only taken a few college visits and is still undecided. Crawford’s main role model is her mom because she has always been there for her.
SPORTS |9
I
“The hardest private schools to play in the state are definitely Chaminade, SLU, Barstow and Rockhurst.” -Coach Daniel Parra
s it fair for private schools to compete with public schools in athletics? With private schools having no district boundaries, there is much debate to the topic of private schools competing for championships against public schools. There are 86 private high schools in the state of Missouri with over half of the schools in the St. Louis area, according to Private Schools Review. In the year 2002, the Missouri State High School Activities Association implemented the multiplier effect to all private high schools in Missouri. Private schools who have boys and girls attend their school have to multiply their student population by the 1.35 multiplier. If the private school has only a same sex population then they would need to also multiply by a 2.0 multiplier. The multiplier was put into place after member schools of MSHSAA voted yes for it. The member schools thought that classifying the private schools with the 1.35 multiplier would be a solution to the disparity of championships according to stltoday.com. Part of the reason public school coaches complained was because of the recruiting edge private schools have. Under the guidelines of MSHSAA, private schools are in no way allowed to attract students based on athletic qualifications, which is very difficult to prove. If proven guilty the recruited player will be ineligible for 365 days. Staying on the subject of private schools recruiting players, Park Hill South basketball coach Dan Parra says, “I think they have a way to get around ‘recruiting’. No I don’t think they officially recruit. The big piece here is they can live anywhere. They have no set boundaries to be able to attend that school,” he said. Parra is right, as private schools can draw students that live within a 45 mile radius of the school, whereas public schools have set boundaries. For example, the 2014-2015 Chaminade basketball team
NO
featured five future Division One basketball players. And recruiting is not allowed right? Is it fair for public schools like South to have district boundaries and still play private schools? Ppublic schools have no ability to “recruit” student athletes while schools such as the Chaminade and Rockhurst have that ability and still get to play public schools. When asked if he thinks the multiplier is effective, assistant principal and athletic director John Carr said, “No, it doesn’t change anything for the larger private schools. It does affect small schools. I just don’t think private and public should play against each other, they just don’t play by the same rules. And I don’t think the multiplier is that effective.” Before the multiplier effect 36.4 percent of Missouri team championships went to private schools. After the multiplier was implemented in 2002-2003 35.8 percent won championships according to the Kansas City Star. Based on those statistics you can see that the multiplier rule is ineffective and does not work. Private schools are still winning championships a third of the time. This is why there is still a debate on the topic today.
Private schools have the ability to recruit athletes while continuing to play against public school competition. by RYAN WELTY
BOUNDARIES
10|SPORTS
CONCUSSIONS
KILL
Concussions have become a big issue in today’s sports for professional athletes and are starting to be brought up in discussions about high school athlete’s safety.
the Game
by BRANDON CRABTREE
400,000
reported high school concussions per year. That is enough to fill up
ArrowHead Stadium Five Times
“I just honestly want to do what’s best for my Alfoncio Rand, senior, says the worst part is not health.” That’s what Chris Borland said when he gave being able to do anything. up over $3.5 million and his dream job. “You can’t read or watch TV, and you have to stay Earlier this year, the 24-year-old football player in your room and do nothing,” said Rand. retired after an All-Rookie NFL season. Beynon and Rand both received brain injuries from But with that money came lots of head injuries. playing football and taking hard hits. Borland told ESPN’s Outside the Lines that he had Beynon said, “I got a concussion from playing suffered around 30 concussions. football. I was blocking and got blind-sided. I stayed The Southwest Athletic Trainers Association said in the game for a while until I got hit again and that’s that there are about 400,000 reported concussions each when I came out and I was diagnosed. It was hard to year for high school aged students. watch my team play the rest of the game without me.” And according to the CDC, reported concussions Sometimes though, the concussions come from rare have doubled since 10 years ago. instances. Those rare instances did not seem all that Yet at the same time, the National Football League’s rare for Kobayashi though. Senior Vice President Jeff Miller said concussions in the She said she had been concussed from softballs NFL have been down 25 percent from last year. ricocheting off of trees and volleyballs being thrown at But all of these stats can be her head. “It’s important to misleading, as these are only the Either way, trainers, nurses, and concussions reported. doctors have ways to help limit the keep kids safe.” A lot of coaches and athletes at damage done to your brain before and -HEAD FOOTBALL South have had their own opinions after it is concussed. over the decision and concussions. Marcia Umscheid, South’s trainer, COACH MIKE SHARP Mike Sharp, the head football helps you take baseline tests before coach at South, said, “It’s the best choice for him. He’s playing your sport. And if you get a concussion, you financially stable and well educated.” have to pass multiple medical exams before being Landon Beynon, sophomore, suffered a concussion allowed to play again. playing football for the South last year. When he steps After you are medically cleared you usually have to out onto the field though, he isn’t worried about getting take three days before you can do full practices. another one. Sharp said that is good and necessary that the Other people at South have had to take a safer trainers have regulations before you are allowed to approach to concussions because of getting concussed play again. so many times. Kate Kobayashi, freshman, has had “It’s important to keep kids safe,” Sharp added. “We three concussions. take concussions very seriously.” “I quit volleyball and basketball because of the Concussions are a big concern for high school concussions and I was worried about getting another athletes. But many people just like Chris Borland one,” Kobayashi said. believe that it is up to the individual to decide whether The worst part of concussions is what happens or not to play sports. afterward. Or really, what does not happen afterward.
NEW
NEW
CAGE RAGE
There are few things in this school that can pull every group of students together. It doesn’t matter if you are a jock, drama geek, hipster, goth kid, preppy, fall under all of these or none, everyone is a part of the Rage Cage. The Rage Cage brings the entire student body to make one collective group that supports each other. Founded in 2014, the Rage Cage this year plans on continuing the energetic atmosphere from years past. There is honor and glory in who gets the flag and leadership of the Rage Cage from the previous leaders. This year the Rage Cage is in the hands of four senior boys: James Gomes, Brandon Rice, Jake Saylor, and Ryan Welty. With new Cage leaders, comes a new Rage to the student section this year at South. “My favorite part about leading the Rage Cage is being given the opportunity to shape this year how we have envisioned it,” said Saylor. The Boys want to keep the tradition of the old chants but also add some of their own. They have new ideas like incorporating music into the games. For example, they started playing the song “Jump Around” by Outkast before each fourth quarter at football games. The boys have plans for this year’s student section to be bigger and better than ever. “We want to come up with great themes so there is a better turnout to get people hype,”said Rice. It takes more than just cheering loud at games to have what it takes to lead. This quartet has to plan
NEWS|11
themes, run a Twitter account dedicated to the Rage Cage (@GoPanthers15), show up extra early to games, be at every game, and somehow get South’s attendance up at events. Once you look at the task at hand, it seems nearly impossible. “To be a Rage Cage leader, you have to have a free schedule so you can go to as many things as possible,” said Gomes. “You need to set a good example to the other kids in the section.” With nearly every kid being on Twitter these days, social media plays a big role in the Rage Cage leader’s job. Their Twitter account allows them to inform people of what the theme is/how to dress for games. “People just need to follow the account to be filled in. We are going to try to get as many students involved as possible in other sports the Rage Cage doesn’t go to. We will try to expand beyond the typical football, basketball, and soccer,” said Saylor. Whether it is school plays, tennis tournaments, or Friday night football games, the Rage Cage plans to support as much as possible. “We want freshmen through seniors to be involved and be loud to show their school spirit,” said Welty, “Not all schools get to have student sections like this, the whole fan experience of the Rage Cage is awesome.” The Rage Cage this year has the potential to be the best it has been. Their goal is to make school events more fun for everyone that goes and to bring South together.
by BRADY SMITH
Meet the New Leaders... JAKE SAYLOR JAMES GOMES BRANDON RICE RYAN WELTY
SPIRIT AMBASSADOR
TWITTER PAGE
FLAG DUTY
HYPE MAN
12
the totality of physical and behavioral traits that are designated by a culture as masculine or feminine of, relating to, or being a person (as a transsexual or a transvestite) who identifies with or expresses a gender identity that differs from the one which corresponds to the person’s sex at birth a person who tries to look, dress, and act like a member of the opposite sex; especially : someone who medically changes himself or herself into a member of the opposite sex definition from merriam webster dictionary
compared to of transgender people have attempeted suicide
of the general population
of people have faced some form of transgender-based discrimination in the workplace
Percentage of people who have lost their jobs due to gender identity
statistics from transequality.com
BEING TRANSGENDER, LIKE BEING GAY, TALL, SHORT, WHITE, BLACK, MALE, OR FEMALE, IS ANOTHER PART OF THE HUMAN CONDITION THAT MAKES EACH INDIVIDUAL UNIQUE, AND SOMETHING OVER WHICH WE HAVE NO CONTROL. WE ARE WHO WE ARE IN THE DEEPEST RECESSES OF OUR MINDS, HEARTS AND IDENTITIES. - LINDA THOMPSON, EX-WIFE OF CAITYLN JENNER
13
I
n the words of Ellen Wittinger regarding transgender, “You can only lie about who you are for so long without going crazy.” Sex and gender make up one of the most basic functions in society. Gender identity is how society refers to humans and how they are separated. Those who do not follow the gender norms face the obscure problem of nonacceptance issues with others and themselves. “It’s all about coming to terms with who yo u are,” said Junior, Patch Hawn, who is in the process of transitioning from female to male. Hawn claimed that after starting puberty he realized he was different. “As I started growing and kids were being separated in restrooms by gender, I realized I did not belong with the girls, I had always got along with boys better and a lot of things I liked had male labels on them,” Said Hawn. Hawn explained that he was confused when he didn’t start to develop as a male during puberty. He did not feel right in the body he was in, but feared people would not like him if he were different. It is very common for someone who is transgender to feel secluded from others or to stick with their biological gender to escape discrimination. “I tried to use the body I hated so that I could seem as normal and likable as possible, I tried to dress in an acceptable way for females, I did things to fit in that I regret now. When I found out what transgender was, I understood who I was.” Said Hawn. Although being transgender is more accepted now than it was years ago, the trans community still faces discrimination. For example, according to the Transgender Law Center, only 16 out of the 50 states have laws to protect against transgender discrimination in the work place. Also, the Person Privacy Protection Act, enacted in California in 2015, requires all transgender people to use the restroom facilities in accordance with their assigned biological gender. “When it comes to school, I don’t want any student to feel like they cannot come to school for whatever reason, especially as simple as using the restrooms. A student needs to feel comfortable coming to school and that includes all the functions of doing so, including the bathroom.” Said Patch’s first block English teacher Mr. Andy Dale. Administrators recently gave Hawn the “ok” to use the male restroom facilities, the feedback has been mostly neutral and/or positive. “The school board decided that over the summer that I could use the male restrooms. So I use the stalls and I get out. I’m not there to look at anyone, I go in and do my business same as you.” Said Hawn. Along with social unacceptance, Trans teens especially, face unacceptance from their families. On December 28th of 2014, 17 year old Leelah Alcorn, a trans female, committed suicide claiming she had “had enough” of the rejection from her family. She posted her suicide note on her tumblr “lazerprincess”
explaining that being a transgender teen without her parent’s acceptance was too much. “The only way I will rest in peace is if one day transgender people aren’t treated the way I was. They’re treated like humans, with valid feelings and human rights” Said Alcorn in her suicide note. Analysis this year by the Williams Institute, an independent center dedicated to research on sexual orientation and gender identity, found 78 percent of transgender respondents who had endured physical or sexual violence at school had attempted suicide. According to the Youth Suicide Prevention Program More than 50% of Transgender youth will have had at least one suicide attempt by their 20th birthday because of discrimination from their families alone. “I’ve never been in this situation because I do not have kids, but id like to say that if I had a transgender child, I’d approach it with ‘what makes you happy.’ My attitude is what makes my child comfortable, any parent’s worst nightmare is their child committing suicide. It’s important to avoid that at all costs,” Said Dale. As for Hawn, he cannot begin a full transition until he turns 18 due to issues with acceptance at home; Hawn’s parents will not support his transition until he is an adult and they still struggle with calling him the correct pronouns. Many of those who are transgender know their gender identity from a very young age. Hawn described knowing his true gender in middle school. But for someone so young or a teenager, coming to terms with yourself and coming out is described as the hardest part of the Transgender journey. Hawn describes how this can be done and how he personally came to realize who he was and wanted to be. “It would be going to sit down and picking out your favorite song. Listen and think to yourself ‘what is my name’ ‘what is my REAL’ name. Once that if figured out, you need to picture a future for yourself, what an ideal future looks like for you. You have to tell someone, no matter what. It can be a friend, a parent, a little sibling, anyone who you are comfortable with--tell them.” Said Hawn. The future’s looking brighter for the Transgender community. Caitlyn Jenner recently came out as transgender and received an outstanding amount of support from her family and fans. Laverne Cox, the well renowned actress from “Orange is the new Black” recently was the first openly transgender woman to be nominated for an Emmy. “An ideal future that I see for the Trans community is that we can have jobs wherever we want without being as easily rejected. I know that sooner or later someone will come along and fix the prejudice against the transgender community. I hope that someday humanity will evolve as a group and accept anyone for who they are and not for who they want them to be. I am really looking forward to it,” said Hawn.
“IT’S ALL ABOUT COMING TO TERMS WITH WHO YOU ARE.”
by ANNA PRUESS
14|FEATURES
TURNING the
TABLES
Lights flashing, ground shaking, bass bumping. Some students at South experience this feeling in the crowd, but others know what it feels like coming from the stage. “Your perspective on things really change when you find out that something you’ve poured your heart and soul into has impacted someone so much, even if it's just taking five minutes out of their day to listen to your music and forget all their problems,” said aspiring artist, Noah Bergman, senior. Bergman has already made his debut as a dubstep and trap artist while playing a set at shows such as Dancefestopia and DVBBS at the Midland in Kansas City. These are festivals and venues that only people with a pretty big reputation can play at. Bergman, otherwise known as, “Viva!LaBerg” first got picked up by Electrokill records, which changed the game for him. It was his start in the big music industry. After he joined with the record company he started getting support from numbers of dubstep and trap artists and really started making a name for himself. “I used to make music for fun, but it wasn't until I got feedback from actual fans, and heard about how my music has changed someone's thoughts, or helped them get through the day,” says Bergman. “Then I really knew the next step to take with my music.” Bergman started performing dubstep but eventually transferred to the trap side. He plays a hybrid of both and occasionally throws in some old school hip-hop. “Music is my biggest passion because I feel it's one of the few things in life I have complete control over. It's something that lets me transform my thoughts and feelings into an essence of sounds that has the power to move hundreds of individual people, physically and emotionally,” said Bergman. Viva!LaBerg is always making new sounds and trying to better his music career. He wants to keep producing for as long as he can.
Aspiring artists make a name for themselves outside of South. by JESSE STAMPER
Most of the aspiring artists at South don’t play music for the fame. Nathan Jurries, junior, said, “you can't concentrate too much on the fame and fortune I just do it for the fun.” Jurries isn't looking for all the lights and glamour. His band, “American Slim” has been together for four years, and plays everything from classic rock covers to original alternative music. The band decided to record four cover songs and produce music videos which can be found on Youtube. American Slim also has a song out on Itunes, a cover of “Rehab,” by Amy Winehouse. They are working on making more original songs to come soon, explained Jurries. “It would be cool be to make more original stuff and maybe a record company would notice us and have us open up for bands around here,” said Jurries. That's as big as he wants to get. Playing locally and around Kansas City is the main goal. Jurries wouldn't mind the fame but looks at music as “a good way to spend your time instead of drugs and alcohol.” Now for something a little different. Connor Locke, a performer since elementary school, takes voice lessons with the Lyric Opera program and wants to pursue a career in Opera. Locke was the main character, Christine, in the musical, Phantom of the Opera, and a part of the children's chorus in the opera, Carmen. “I’ve always been a singer since my whole family sings, I’ve done musicals since elementary school. But I didn't realize it was really what I wanted to do with my life until sophomore year,” said Locke. Music is an important role in many people's lives, and has a big effect on attitude and emotions. From Alternative rock, Dubstep, and Opera, South houses many musically inclined students who are making a career for themselves early on in life. And one day they could be making the ground shake in a big venue around the world.
“You can't concentrate too much on the fame and fortune I just do it for the fun.”
FEATURES |15
‘‘I feel my perspective of my own life is changing because of her.’’
Getting in the
Swing South gains new tennis player from across the world
B
eing from Belgium and not having any high school tennis experience didn’t stop Stef Boulenger, senior, South’s new foreign exchange student, from being #1 on the tennis courts. “Everything is different,” Boulenger said. “We have clay courts in Belgium. I like playing on the hard courts though.” Boulenger started her tennis career at age four and has continued to form a love and passion for playing wherever she goes. Her parents and sister got her into tennis at a young age from playing as a family. “I’m used to seeing my family all the time. Sometimes it’s hard. When I’m sad or don’t feel really good, I don’t have my family,” Boulenger said. But missing her family doesn’t stop her from putting her whole heart into tennis. Boulenger’s goal this season is to win a lot of matches, which she plans to do with the help of Coach Ian Cunliff,
of Things by HAILEY DEEDS
South’s varsity tennis coach. “I play a different tennis because of him. I’m more aggressive,” Boulenger stated. Cunliff has much in store for Boulenger this season. He hopes for her to qualify for State. “She’s one of our best and strongest player. She’s talented, extremely fit, she doesn’t complain, which I appreciate, and she’s very positive.” Cunliff said. On and off the courts, Boulenger is still someone people look up to as a leader, tutor and friend. “She’s just became a part of the family and it’s awesome. I love having her! It’s like an extra sister. I feel my perspective of my own life is changing because of her,” Anna Hermelink, sophomore, said. Boulenger plans to learn new cultures, meet new people and enjoy her year in the United States.
Alexa Bowman, Gage Morrow, Morgan Kaminska & Samantha Taylor pose for selfies at their workplaces.
“I struggle with being tired from all of my activities during the day. So when it is time for work I have no energy. I highly recommend Vemma, it is an energy drink you can get online. With healthy benefits,” said Grant Hudson, junior. When it comes down to things it is all about time management and having your priorities straight. “Sometimes it is hard to manage school, a social life, and working. I try to work on the weekends that away I have time after school to do my homework and study for tests,” said YMCA employee Julie Hendrick, junior. Be open minded to the fact that some days are going to be better than others. There will always be rough patches in your life. Whether the job you choose is for the long term or short term always give it a chance. “Give people a chance. It is easier to work with people you like than don’t like,” said Bennett, junior, Jimmy John's worker. With having a job comes along experience and many have found themselves in some sticky situations. There are going to be times when you are pushed to your limits, but you have no choice but to take charge of the situation. “When I was mowing a little kid started shooting me with his paintball gun, right in front of his father and he was just laughing. Very traumatic,” said Ryan Hagen, a junior *Poll of 100 Students lawn25 mower. So think 18 to yourself, 11 is it time 10 for you to 15 get off your 13 12 bum and get a job?
NO JOB
OTHER
BABYSITTING
GROCERY
graphic by BAYLEE BROWN &
RETAIL
TOP JOBS RESTAURANT
T
here is always something going on in our day to day lives. Whether it is just attending school, school activities, hobbies, sports, the list goes on and on. But there comes a day when we finally decide there is time for one more activity: a job. Let’s just be honest with ourselves, there is no such thing as having too much extra pocket change. So when that time comes and you are ready for a job, you begin to take action. “The best way to find a job would be to see if you can find someone you know looking for employees. If you don’t have that, then apply a lot of different places. Don’t put your eggs in one basket,” said Brendan Briody, Junior, who has worked at Eddie Bauer for one year. Keep in mind this does not have to be what you see yourself doing in 10 years. When you are looking for a job, make sure it is one you can get experience out of. “Look for a job that is not too demanding, but one you can get something out of it. Any learning opportunity can prepare you for future jobs,” said Scott Bennett, junior. A job may be your first choice and it may be your last option. Motivation plays a huge part in it, but the outcome can be worthwhile. Junior Alex Sobotka is the perfect example. He knew it was time for a job when his brother left for college and he no longer had a ride to school. “I decided to get off of my hinny and make some stacks,” said Sobotka, “Now I drive a gorgeous cherry 2014 Dodge Dart and I’m paying for it all myself. Plus having a car that drifts like a dream reels the ladies in like fish. Hard work pays off as long as you keep a positive vibe.” There is going to be a day that comes where you just do not want to go into work. Maybe it is because you have had a crappy day, or not enough sleep. Whatever the reason is, you are still responsible for doing your job. Everyone has these days, just remember why you are there to begin with.
FAST FOOD
Ways to prepare yourself for jobs you get in the future
by MORGAN GREER
It I$ Time For Change
16|FEATURES
Keep Calm
FEATURES|17
and PUSH ALONG
Four students experienced the past as they took on the Mormon trek to Far West
A
ppreciative. Hot. Eyeopening. Amazing. All these words are ways four individuals would describe their last week of summer. Elif Barnhart, junior, Lauren Allison, sophomore, Elisabeth Andersen, sophomore, and Emma Barnhart, freshman, set out on a trek to Far West. Trek is a church event where the youth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints recreated the Mormon pioneer’s journey to Far West, Missouri from the 1800s in two and a half days. The experience was designed to give the youth a larger appreciation and understanding about their ancestors and what they went through for their religious freedom. “Trek to me was a greater appreciation for my ancestors and a greater love for them,” Elif said. The youth were put into “families” with other kids with “Ma’s” and “Pa’s” assisting when necessary. “Ma’s” and “Pa’s” where adult members of the church who volunteered to accompany the kids. Some families had up to 5-10 kids. On the 14 mile hike, the youth took with them homemade handcarts that were filled with necessities. Those participating dressed in 1800s pioneer clothes, which consisted of long skirts, long sleeves, bonnets and bloomers.
“The hardest part about the first day was that I didn’t really know what to expect. I knew it was going to be rough and long, but it still just seemed so much different from how I imagined it. It definitely made me thankful for everything I have at home,” Allison said. On the first day, they walked a total of seven miles with obstacles, such as being stopped by Native Americans and nursing babies, along the way. Families were given a 10 pound sack of rice that they were supposed to treat like a real baby. One family had a set of twins, one of the baby’s “died” unexpectedly on the trail, and during a rest stop they took time to give the baby a spiritual, 1800s burial. “They buried the child in front of all the youth, so we would understand how difficult it really was for our ancestors to travel, lose their children, and go through hard trials,” explained Emma. On the trail, they were stopped by a volunteer family of Indians that would not let the kids pass unless they traded a few of their goods. From peanut butter sandwiches to lunchables, the Indians were willing to take anything. The second day, the girls had a women’s pull, which was to reenact when the women pioneer husbands and sons left for war.
“It’s definitely a way to get a day in the life prospective,” Anderson said. “We didn’t do the 2000 miles and when we got home we could take showers. It puts yourself into perspective and all the things we are blessed for.” At 6 a.m., they woke up to the pouring rain. It was time to set out for home, sweet home. With a bonnet in one hand and the other holding onto the wagon, the group walked seven miles. They stopped a minimum of two times for food, water, and arrived to their destination feeling better than they started. Parents came to help push the handcarts and the children welcomed their presence with open arms. “The last day, my mom was one of the people who met up with us. When I saw her it was really emotional, because I just did this huge, crazy things that I didn’t think I could do,” Andersen said. As they continued pushing, in the distance, they could see white handkerchiefs congratulating them for enduring the hard 14 miles. Although the students all agreed they don’t plan to do anything this crazy again soon, but they did gain a larger appreciation and love for what their Mormon ancestors did for their family tree.
by HAILEY DEEDS
18|FEATURES
Poison
Pick Your by SYDNEY LOWE
Would Are you looking to... you Have the typical college experience?
OR
rather stay home or live the dorm life?
Do something a little different?
DORM HOME
Can you balance fun and academics?
YES
NO
Do you STAY want to... CLOSE
GO FAR
Is money YES an issue?
NO
Are sports and greek life a priority?
YES Big University:
Do you want to attend a selective school?
YES
NO
A large, out of state school can really give the ulitimate college experience and is great if you don’t have many limits. With D1 sports, greek life, and a wide variety of majors and clubs, you are bound to find something that interests you.
Private:
Struggling on deciding where to go to college? Take this quiz for a little guidance.
If you are focused on academics and hoping to get a head start on making connections, a private school is possibly a good fit for you. Students in the top of their class may even consider Ivy schools. Some Private institutions also offer religious affiliation.
NO
Can you handle 4 years?
YES NO
Would you rather sit in the back of class or get to know your professor?
BACK BIG or SMALL Missouri school:
Consider MU or MO State if you want a closer, less expensive experience. For those of you looking for something a little smaller, a school like Northwest or Central Missouri may suite you.
KNOW
Two Year School:
An option for those uninterested in four more years of school is a community college, a technical school, or a vocational school. These provide good oportunities in local companies and businesses.
ENTERTAINMENT|19
TOP GOLF
KICKIN’ it in KC 52% Breakout KC 48% Top Golf
Breakout KC is an exhilarating new entertainment game in downtown Kansas City where people pay to get locked up. There are four different rooms to choose from, the Truman Room, River Quay Casino, Szechuan Secret, and Room 13, all very unique and different. That means you can go up to 4 times and experience something new each time. The weekends are a very good time to go, but it is becoming more and more popular. Make sure to get online and book a game if it is something you are interested in. A total eight people can be in one room at once, so unless you want to get stuck with some strangers bring along some friends or family. Some students here at south have given it a shot, but only few have been successful. Lexi Maddox, junior, said “The time was the hardest part about it because you have to move fast.” She went with some other girls and boys on South’s cross country team. They went for fun, but she also said it was a good team building activity. After an hour full of solving the riddles and clues the team made it out seconds after time was up. The least favorite part about the experience is the price, at a steep $28 per person. Asa Banks, Junior, said “[Breakout KC] is worth the money, and I would go back again. It is something everyone should try at least once.” He went through room 13 and is one of the few from this school who has finished, and with more than two minutes left. It takes a different way of thinking to make it through the course, and not many people can finish in time. The average success rate is about 27 percent. You have 60 minutes to escape, do you have what it takes to crack the code?
BREAKOUT KC
The new summer hot spot this past year is definitely top of the line. This unique venue is the perfect place for families and friends with a great atmosphere. Located in Overland Park, Kansas, Top Golf is definitely worth the drive, open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. and on weekends until 2 a.m. From my personal experience of going to Top Golf is that it is very crowded and there could be up to a two-hour wait on weekend nights. It is well worth the wait though. The best plan to avoid the big crowd is to go around noon throughout the afternoon - it is cheaper and not as crowded. The big question people talk about is whether to go with a small group and pay more but play more, or to go with more people and pay less as well as play less. Bailey Santellan, junior, who went multiple times over the summer gave her opinion on this topic and said, “It’s really fun, but only if you go with a big group of people because it’s cheaper and I don’t think it’s worth the price if you only go with yourself and a friend, it’s a good time no matter what.” The layout of the entire complex is a threetier building with a massive three sided net in the back. The atmosphere is almost futuristic in a way there are LED lights everywhere, TVs in every bay, and giant projector screens on the bottom floor to play interactive Wii games while you are waiting. The interior on the main level is a restaurant-bar area, and the driving range is out back. Each level of the building has its own 30 individual bays, and each bay has a touch screen computer where you choose one of the six games you want to play. The cost per hour depending on the time of day varies, Monday through Thursday from opening to 6:00pm is $20 per hour and after that it is $40 per hour until closing time with up to six people in one group. On the weekends the cost changes at noon to $40 as well until it closes. The course stretches 215 yards to the back of the net where there are eight different targets ranging from 25 yards to 195 yards. You hit your ball in your own individual bay with the group you are with. When asked if he would rather play a full round of golf or go to Top Golf and what his favorite game was to play there Braeden Denney, freshmen, said, “I would personally rather go to Top Golf, me not being an avid golfer would not have fun playing a full round of golf, however Top Golf is much more enjoyable. My Favorite game to play there is driving for distance because it all has to do with power.”
Check out these new hot spots in the Kansas City area
20|OPINION
DON’T JUDGE A
BOOK BY ITS MOVIE DIVERGENT
“I’ll just see the movie...” something we have all said at some point, even though everybody knows the book was probably better than the movie. If you can't already tell, nobody cares about four hundred pages of a fictional character’s life more than me.
by HALLIE VANDEVEN
The book “Divergent” is about a utopia where every citizen has to take a test called the aptitude test when they are 16, the test helps decide which of four factions they truly belong to. Within the society there are members called the Divergent who don’t belong in any of the one factions because they have each of the factions characteristics in them. Among them is Tris Prior, the main protagonist. Don’t get me wrong, “Divergent” is one of my favorite movies, but it’s also one of my favorite books and for that reason, the movie can’t compare. When you read a book before the movie, you cast the actors you have in your head and the way the characters should look/act. I don’t know if the casting directors even read the book based off who they chose. From Four’s permanently angry face to Tris’s best friend being a tiny girl who’s suppose to make it in the most dangerous faction, it is not what I had in mind. The characters don’t fit their descriptions, don’t act as the do in the book, get too dramatic over the smallest things while throughout the whole movie they are at risk of getting brainwashed and forced to kill their fellow citizens while Tris and her friends are freaking out about a mean guy they are competing against when they need to be getting their priorities in check, buuuuut I digress.
WORLD WAR Z
The book “World War Z” is an actual record of the greatest conflict in human history, an apocalyptic decade about a war between zombies and the human race. It is written from the future and from many different perspectives. A recording of the recollections from survivors to tell the story to generations in the future and about what they should remember about the war not just the facts. “World War Z” the book and “World War Z” the movie are very different. The movie shouldn’t even have the same name as the book, as far as I am concerned. The only similarities are the zombies and the war. The view that the war is a “world war” is the same and that the human race is victorious. The movie follows one main character and his family and their struggle to survive and try to find a way to fight the zombies. Basically, finding a way to stop the disease from spreading. The book goes all over the world not following any one character but telling the story of the war through many people’s eyes. We all like a beginning, middle and end to stories and the movie followed this typical pattern. In the book you don’t really get attached to anybody. I guess the idea of a hero sells tickets at the box office, along with casting Brad Pitt.
THE HUNGER GAMES
Read South Student and Teacher Book Reviews all year long at our Book Blog:
www.phsview.com/ bookcorner
“The Hunger Games” is about 12 unique districts that must select a male and female tribute from each district into an arena, where they fight to the death and the last one standing is the winner. When Katniss Everdeen’s little sister gets chosen as the tribute for district 12, Katniss volunteers for her and Peeta Mellark gets chosen as the male tribute. The book went into more detail and had more emotion to the whole story while the movie skips around and leaves out huge parts of the book. The movie missed on giving the characters any depth at all and the deaths seemed fake and completely unemotional, like dang, Katniss you just watched several people die in front of you from some tracker jacker (wasps) attacks and you are not gonna shed a tear? There’s always a problem of not getting the character’s inner dialogue when you watch a movie, which is what makes you fall in love/hate with the characters and gets you attached to them. Overall, compared to the book, it’s a no for me.
&
summer cinema BEST WORST
$208.8 million opening weekend
$25.7 million
opening weekend
OPINION |21
by COLIN BROCKERT
Whether or not you like heading out to the theater at midnight to see the latest Sci-Fi film and spending a fortune on a bag of popcorn, I think we all can agree that watching movies is a fun way to spend your free time. For over a century the world has experienced some of the best films, and some of the worst. I’m going to talk about two of the most anticipated movies that came out this summer and also talk about whether or not it deserved the box office cash it received. Let’s go ahead and kick this off with Universal’s “Jurassic World”. As the fourth film in the Jurassic Park series, this movie deserved the whopping $639.5 million it earned in the box office. The movie starred legendary Chris Pratt who can be recognized as the guy who played the character Andy on the show “Parks and Recreation”, and is also probably my favorite modern actor. Chris Pratt portrayed a staff member of the park named Owen, who trained velociraptors to act almost as dogs in the way the obeyed him and shared a friendship with him. Scientists have genetically created a hybrid dinosaur called the Indominus Rex, which has the IQ of the average human along with many other abilities such as camouflaging to the environment. The lab created dino manages to get out of the walled in area it was kept in and everyone in the park is left to fend for themselves against the raging monster, with only Owen (Chris Pratt), the director of the park Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), and a few other staff members of the park to figure out a way to take down the beast. “Jurassic World” leaves you on the edge of your seat, and at some scenes even jumping out of it. For a big Sci-Fi film it contains the perfect amount humor, action, emotion, and romance any good summer blockbuster should have. I personally loved the movie and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good movie every once in a while, and I would definitely recommend catching it in theaters while there’s still time. So I talked about the movie that was the highlight in film this summer, so I think it’s time to move on with a movie that possibly has made me lose all my faith in the movie studio 20th Century Fox, and that movie is “Fantastic Four”, which came out in August just after school started. Unfortunately this movie ended the short summer on a bad note. This is the second time Fox has attempted to kick off the Fantastic Four series, so there is no exception for this to have turned out the way it did. The first time around the special effects were not pleasing, the acting, was awful, and the plot was simple and boring. This time around they may have managed to make it even worse on themselves. The movie had practically no plot and seemed more like a long boring trailer. The two most interesting members of the Fantastic Four are probably in most people’s opinion, The Thing, and The Human Torch, which makes the fact that both characters having virtually no lines throughout the whole movie pretty disappointing. The movie lacked the fight scenes and action that you would expect from a superhero movie, and don’t get me started on the villain of the film, Doctor Doom, who could have been a very interesting character until they made him completely not interesting. Even the director movie came out on Twitter a couple days later stating the movie wasn’t near its full potential. If you are looking for a movie to go to the theaters and see on a Friday night I would recommend “Jurassic World”, or almost any other movie that came out this summer other than “Fantastic Four”. Let’s hope the next time they decide to reboot the franchise, the lovable super heroes can manage to fall in the right hands.
22|OPINION
I
t’s that time of year again, when girls care maybe a little too much about that one night in October: Homecoming. Ask any girl and they will tell you just how stressful, time consuming and costly preparing for the night can be. First things first, find a date. It’s hard enough trying to find someone from the limited choices we have here at South, and with not wanting to step on any other girl’s toes. But then add on trying to find someone who is entertaining and you are comfortable around makes it ten times harder. Even if you don’t go with a date don’t think that you won’t have to deal with the stress of making plans for the night, because you do. When it comes to finding a group it’s always hard deciding whether you go with his friends or yours. In my opinion it should be up to the girl, but some guys are more high maintenance than they would like to admit and can’t be without their friends for one night. But if you’re trying to be the relaxed and easygoing date then I suggest you let her pick the group. Next girls have to buy a dress, and it’s not like Parkville is full of dress stores. Plus every dress a girl does try on she has to worry about another girl possibly having the same one, while you guys just sit and wait for a text that tells you what color bow tie your mom needs to buy you. Now think about all the things you probably never noticed, like for example your girl is no longer casper the
ghost. She’s tan, and it didn’t happen overnight. She paid for it, just like she paid to have her hair and makeup done for this one night. So you better give her some well deserved compliments. Also what did you think your date was doing while you were on a five hour Grand Theft Auto streak? She was calling about every restaurant in the KC metro area to find somewhere classy without too pricey of a menu. “Really? Another one?” Yes, another picture. You guys know pictures are going to be taken yet you guys act surprised when the time comes. We know you hate pictures, but how else are all of our followers going to know we went to Homecoming if we don’t post at least one good picture from the night? So just smile through the pain. We didn’t spend all this time and money to go stand in a gym for ten minutes. “I’m Sexy and I Know it” probably isn’t your jam but let’s be honest nobody goes to Homecoming for the music. It’s called a dance for a reason, so dance. With homecoming comes unnecessary stress, but at the end of the night you have two decisions to make. You can allow the stress to ruin your time, or you can make the night something to remember.
by EMILY DITTO
FLIPSIDE
Do Things Right On Homecoming Night
B
eing the first dance of the year, Homecoming comes with a lot of stress and panic. Who’s going with who? Where are we eating? What are the plans for after? Each partner has their fair share of work cut out for them to ensure their night is perfect. The gentlemen may not show it as much, but underneath that button down shirt and bow-tie, their heart is beating just as fast as the ladies. After all, a lot has been going through his mind the weeks leading up to the fateful homecoming night. The first step is getting yourself a date. There is many ways to achieve this, but choose wisely, you are sure to be judged on any Twitter or Instagram pic your girl will post. Be clever. As long as she says yes you can put it down as a success. Moving on, finding the right group is crucial to any school dance, do not let your date drag you into a group with no one you know. Make sure you stand up for yourself and have a say, but always be polite and considerate. A group is an underrated key to a great night, do not let it completely kill your mood. One thing I highly suggest for a guy would be to never involve yourself on where pictures are being taken. We all know just how stubborn some of our South girls are. Just don’t do it. When it comes to eating, however, that’s a different story, make sure you are going to be able to have a quality meal, you are most likely not going to be turning in at 10 PM. Do not starve yourself for the entire evening.
As far as your dinner plans go as well, make sure it is an affordable place for everyone attending, even if your snob of a date is expecting you to be okay with a pricey dinner bill. No guy wants to pay more than $100 for a two person dinner, no matter how much he loves the girl. After pictures, dinner, and the pain of paying for the dinner, you are off to the dance. It does not necessarily matter how much time you spend at the dance itself, but make sure you at least stop by for 15-30 minutes. If you’re hittin’ the whip all night long at the dance, then more power to you. While at the dance, make sure you and your date share at least a couple of dances together. Don’t be that awkward couple everyone is low-key making fun of. The one exception would be if your date starts dancing with other guys. If that is the case, then go crazy, you just got the get out of jail free card, so go dance with a bunch of other honeys. There’s not much to say about after-party planning, other than be safe and be smart. Being the guy, make sure you keep you and your date comfortable at all times. If you are at someone’s house and she says she wants to leave, just do it. Do not let the after-party ruin everyone’s special night. Take responsibility, us guys know that we are expected to do more than our lady counterpart, but just not take as much credit for it as they do. Just keep cool, take my advice and you will be sure to have a ball at homecoming this year.
by CARSON WELLS
OPINION|23
Not so
Civil War
by NICK CLAASSEN
A major controversy about what Confederate Flags represent and the argument of free speech has hit the nation and even South when students appeared in a local news interview about flying their flags.
W
e live in a nation known for freedom, freedom set up by our founding fathers, freedom fought for everyday overseas, freedom that sometimes isn’t very free at all. The confederate flag has caused major controversy lately throughout the nation and recently even here in the parking lot of South. Many argue that the flag represents slavery and should not be allowed anywhere, others argue for freedom of speech. Racism is one thing, a hatred that is not acceptable and should not be tolerated anywhere, while the confederate flag is just a symbol. A symbol is always just a symbol, it just depends on how you interpret it. In a nation with lots of change and lots of acceptance of new things, it seems as if sometimes we embrace differences, but only certain differences. Sometimes we embrace freedom of speech, but only certain freedoms of speech. That is considered one sided tolerance, and something everyone needs to think about before they start pushing their opinions. Lots of people want the flag banned because it offends people, but what would this country be like if we got rid of everything that offended us? The whole flag controversy came back into the spotlight recently after the Charleston shooter was pictured in a photo with the confederate flag. This is a case where someone did something very terrible and racist and should never ever be condoned, but just because he had a picture with this certain symbol it caused outrage. In case you missed it, South was featured on KCTV5 news during the first weeks of school, in a story about Confederate flags flying on students trucks that were forced to be taken down because they were discriminatory. First of all let me start off by saying how the journalists of that story were terrible at their job, did not check facts, and were very unethical with the methods they used while interviewing a student.
Policies here at South prohibit discriminatory symbols on school property, yet there is no policy against flags or stickers. Why can other flags and symbols be visible on vehicles on school property and others like the confederate flag cannot? I have been informed that this is because the flag can be interpreted as discriminatory because of some of its history. There is no doubt the flag has been flown by bad people and groups, but then again so has every other flag and symbol including the American flag. With such a big controversy and a wide variety of opinions, who gets to choose whether or not a symbol is discriminatory or even racist? Dr. Longenecker is ultimately the one who makes these decisions based not on personal opinion, but what he thinks is common knowledge and facts. Longnecker explained that unless something disruptive happens with flags like that, students will only be forced to take them down, not suspended. He also mentioned that a main reason for taking down flags like that and other items down is because it causes controversy between students that could lead to disruption of the learning environment. According the court case Tinker vs. Des Moines, the building block for free speech cases in school, the court ruled in 1968 “Students don’t shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” This case gives us rights in school but also says if it is disruptive speech then the school does not have to allow it. The school is a public forum, but a limited one. Technically the school has the full right to not allow confederate flags whether people like it or not, the real issue is deciding whether it is discriminatory and how do you prove that or not prove it. What I get out of all this is that pretty much nowhere in the entire nation you can get complete freedom of speech or really all your freedoms at all. What really makes me mad is that we have to spend time arguing about an old battle flag, while no one ever makes it a big deal when our own citizens burn AMERICAN flags. That is what is wrong with our country. We are too concerned with telling people things they cannot do because it offends us, when we are really getting offended by all the wrong things. Maybe we should focus on helping the mentally ill that end up committing these terrible shootings or other more important things. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, that is the beauty of our country. But some places like the school ground our freedom is not all it is cracked up to be. Again, a symbol is a symbol, interpret it how you like, just think about the other side of it next time. “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” -Daniel Moynihan
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts”. Daniel Moynihan
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