Park Hill South View Issue 10

april 30, 2010

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issue 10, volume 12

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from Park Hill South

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seniors class of 2010! >>pg.

south football

8

get ready, get set GRADUATE!!!

here c omes the ne step... xt reflect ing ba on fou ck r years

Royal Probl I amem Tough Love Turn It Up A Sam [12] [15] [7]

what’s

In

>>Store

april 30, 2010

issue 10, volume 12

what’s Up

TACTFUL TENNIS [4] there Was no offseason at South WORKING THINGS OUT [6] summer Workouts change for athletes

what’s Hot

I think

that I set

dancing back

“

5,000 years.

--Dancing with the Teachers winner Kirk Henry, social studies

what’s The Big Idea SHIFTING PERSPECTIVES [9] from Freshman to senior year, high school changes

what’s What

WHAT REALLY MATTERS [3] the View staff says look at the big picture

From The Editor

letter

“

Photo By: Alex Edwards

SAM I AM [12] looking Back

Leaving high school is what we all look forward to, even though we all know we’ll miss it when we’re 40 years old and 30 pounds overweight. But for now, we’re ready to walk out that front door, throwing the remains of our school work on the South campus, and leave the glory days behind. But what are some of the things you know you’ll miss from high school? The teachers? Classes? The amount of work? Mine, as cliche as it sounds, will be my friends.

My friends and I are all going to different schools, which in some ways can be good, but when I need someone to make me laugh until my “abs” hurt, or eat Ben and Jerry’s while watching a Degrassi marathon, the two hour drive may be a bit of a pain. They are the people who know me for me. Not for what they hear, or what they percieve. They know how to get me to smile no matter what, or tell me the truth no matter how much it may hurt my feelings. They are all I need. But what am I supposed to do without

them this fall?

I’ll find new ones. Ones that may not be as good, but will do. Ones that may not laugh as hard at “Old Greg,” or ones that may not think it’s as funny when I “try” to dance. Friends that I can’t sit and talk with for four hours and it seems like one. Or ones that I won’t remember forever, or who made my high school years the most fun in the world. The ones I have now have all those qualities; they are the people who I want to grow old with, hitting each other with our walkers in the old folks home like we always planned.

So to my best friends, Rene’ and Jack, I will love you forever. Thank you for supporting me and being there for me no matter how rough the waters, and I hope we will stick through the future. Because there is nothing more important than friends and family in one’s life, especially the ones who are there for you the most. —LAUREN MOORE

“

“

THE WORD [14] a True inspiration ROID RAGE [14] laws Of sports

What Really Matters

>> Forget social tragedies and focus on the future

about it: in 20 years, your son or daughter will be coming home with the same attitude as you had, being sad about a game that didn’t have that big of an impact on your life other than going to districts or winning state. That may seem like the end of the world to you now, but sooner or later, it will be a distant memory.

You may think these are the best days of your life.

And that, of course, is what everyone and every movie and every TV show tries to tell you. But honestly, you will have many more best days to come.

Take a look back on every “end of the world” moment that has happened in your high school career, or every person that you wanted to please and think about how much they matter now or, more importantly, how much they will matter even a few months from now.

what’s What

F

or most of us as high schoolers, there are so many “horrible” situations that arise on a day-to-day basis and so many people’s opinions that seem to matter--who you know, how people percieve you or if you are overall liked by most. And most of the time for the people who do care about those things, the thought has popped into their head that none of this will matter after high school. So why does it matter now? Because at this point in our lives, social standing and those big high school moments are all that matters. The future doesn’t seem to apply.

Where you stand in the social rank usually doesn’t matter. But if the people “more popular” than others like you, that is what matters. But why? Who cares if this person likes you? Just remember that these four years are the only glory days they’ll ever have. We are not saying you should shove people’s opinions off just for the simple fact of not caring, but if they choose not to like you, oh well. Don’t dwell. You have your friends and that’s all that matters. And that’s all that will ever matter: your friends and family, and not what others think. But it’s not only the thoughts of others that won’t matter, it is so much more than that when it comes to high school.

Remember that big game you lost? That one that meant so much, and once it was over you went home obsessing about it for the rest of the week and, for that matter, the year? Think

So remember that there are so many things that seem like they are the center or the end of your universe, but soon something else will take its place.

—THE VIEW STAFF EDITORIAL

>>

Fun

Jersey Shore Fun

>>

Prom

Bus Strike Hype Snow Days

Mediocre

Courtwarming Sucked

Policy Changes

1

st QUARTER

>>

Swine Flu Scare

2

nd

3

rd QUARTER

4

th QUARTER

SOUTH CULTURE

THE YEARS 2009 & 2010

pg

3

Tactical

Tennis The varsity boys tennis team was off

to a good start going

undefeated

through April 13.

I

The South varsity team started off undefeated through the first five matches until they eventually lost to Liberty and Park Hill.

This year’s team is considered by coaches and players to be one of the deepest in depth and talent in recent years.

“It is good to be on a team with a lot of talent. They push you every day and it just makes me thankful that I get to play at this level” said Matt Gehrke, senior.

With a team this deep, the expectations are as high as they have ever been.

“We should have the doubles [Griifin Smith and Zack Royle] go to state,” said Gehrke.

Smith has been number one seed on varsity since his freshman year and Royle, the number two seed, might have been in the same situation if Smith was not on the team. However, Royle has embraced his competition.

“He makes me focus on my faults and tells me what I should do so I can get better,'' said Royle.

A large part of the team’s success has to do with how hard

n only 28 days, students will be released from South, free to enjoy the benefits of summer: pool every day, hanging out with friends without curfew and spending days working...or not.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 15.2 percent of all employees between the ages of 16 and 29 are unemployed. And when summer and college are right around the corner, students find themselves in a bind, trying to find ways to pay for summer, college, clothes, sunscreen and other summer necessities.

“My parents, they’re good people, because during the winter I go completely broke and usually spend it all on shopping. I always say I’ll pay them back, but I never do,” said senior Paige Pendell, who takes senior photographs professionally.

Though in the spring Pendell is at her busiest, making 200 dollars per senior picture session, she is just one student who finds herself between a rock and a hard place when the non-money making season hits. The unemployment rate for workers ages 16-29 is at its highest since the BLS was created in 1948.

And even worse for pg adults, the BLS reports unemployment has dropped a staggering 200,000 employees since

the team worked in the offseason. South’s players have pursued different ways to get ready for the season.

“I work hard, go to clinics and play. I will usually play four to five days a week,” said Smith.

In the offseason, U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) sponsors tournaments, and tries to grow and promote the sport. The USTA offers has leagues for all ages. “[In USTA] you’re playing against the best and it makes you better.” said Royle.

There are still some differences with USTA and High School Tennis.

“It’s not as much pressure because if you lose to someone, you know that will get a chance to play them next month,” said Smith.

Despite less pressure, many still prefer South tennis to any other league.

“High school tennis is the best part of the year for me because, unlike USTA, I have teammates and coaches to rely on,” said Smith.

The Panther Varsity team ends their season with three home matches including Fort Osage on May 12.

—DREW BERRY AND EVAN WHITE

2008 in Missouri. So while students are thinking of next year, adults are thinking of now and how to pay their next bill plus some, like Jaimie Jones, FACS. “I have two jobs because I moved up here from Kansas and didn’t know a lot of people and the Y seemed like a great place to get involved in the community,” said Jones. “Plus, I

never got back to me.”

But as seniors leave for college and fall sports begin for underclassmen, students may not be looking for a commitment, just a chance to make extra money.

As a lifeguard or seasonal worker, students find themselves with more flexible hours, money for holidays, great discounts and some new

THEY WORK HARD FOR THEIR MONEY

4

>> Teen students fight for their spot in the job world during the summer

knew I would get a little more spending cash.”

Jones not only teaches personal wellness and health courses at South, but splits her time and teaches exploratory class at the sixth grade center, works at the YMCA and recently started working in the sports department at the Y. Where many students have failed to look for work are at new shops.

Already, around 10 South students have found jobs at the new Studio Movie Grill in Zona Rosa as runners, box office workers and servers. “[Studio Movie Grill] is my first job and it’s definitely pretty intense for a food service,” Anthony Carillo, senior, said. “Before I got hired, I looked for other jobs for months and applied at grocery stores and Walgreens but they

friends. Sophomore Spencer On was one lifeguard who plans to go back to working for Northland Pool Management at Walden.

“There’s a lot of tedious training: lifeguard training and Red Cross,” On said. “Cleaning the bathrooms wasn’t so nice; my favorite part was the free tan.”

But if all of this information seems like just a bunch of facts, there are actions students can take to find their money making summer. Companies that are currently hiring range from Sonic to Boston Market, or find a job fit at job fairs. For more ideas, surf the web at snagajob.com to find more summer job opportunities.

—ALI FISHER

ATTENTION SENIORS!!

May 5: Split Block Finals 3rd Block May 6: Split Block Finals 1st Block May 7: 1st and 2nd Block Finals (NO AFTERNOON CLASSES) Slide show following dismissal in auditorium May 10: Senior Breakfast @ 7:45 a.m.

Community Service Day 9:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m.

Senior Awards Night @ 7 p.m.

May 11: Senior Picnic (E.H. Young Park) @ 11:30 a.m.

Baccalaureate (PHS Auditorium) @ 7 p.m.

May 12: Graduation (Community of Christ Auditorium) @ 7 p.m.

Seniors report @ 6 p.m. to prepare

<<

Senior To-Do List SEND IN

GET

TAKE ACT TRANSCRIPTS ACCEPTED Brandon Wieser Charlie Main Jessica Nall –– DYLAN BERRY

it’s a

A

wo

mad, mad

rld

As the school year approaches its end, South prepares to submit its senior class to society. Hopefully, most will become contributing members to their community. But aside from a basic academic training, what exactly are we, as graduates, leaving with? And more importantly, what are we being thrust into

immediately after high school?

In the digital age, with nearly all known facts readily acquired, today’s youth is drilled with information. Unfortunately, such information can be accredited to a hopeless, self-centered, desensitization across the nation. And with desensitization, life after high school is starting to look a little dreary.

It has been said that one is a product of his or her environment, so what kind of environment are today’s high school students living in? With an editorializing media broadcasting tragic stories of death and despair straight into every home across the nation, we live in a setting with little room for anything other than a negative outlook. Pessimism is fueled by strings of headlines depicting violence rarely encountered by the reader. News teams paint images of a brutal world outside of one’s home. And people, including students,

NONE, THANK GOODNESS. I HATE TESTS.

?

Cartoon by C.M. Barth

TOTALLY, HOW MANY ARE YOU TAKING?

GOOD GRAVY, THESE AP TESTS REALLY HAVE ME STRESSED.

have gradually come to terms with it and, in turn, accepted the idea that bad things will inevitably happen.

Along with providing fear, the media often makes contributions when determining what is virtuously right and wrong. The media directly affects high school students' interests, such as clothing. But other social trends, specifically behavioral trends, I feel, have recently altered.

For example, substance abuse is somewhat glorified by the famous, and the gluttonous lifestyle is yearned.

To say such glorification is the sole contributor to gluttony in today’s youth would be far from the truth; however, it is an exposure capable of laying a foundation for acceptance. It only takes a few encounters of something for it to become defined as ordinary. So, it only makes sense why kids begin dabbling in drugs or begin joining specific political parties.

The media became the supreme form of peer pressure.

At one point or another, it becomes a goal to be selfsufficient after high school. But the working world will be quite different than it has been in the past. In our current recession, but actual depression, the nation’s making strides in a socialist direction. The private sector is being run into the ground and will only get more cutthroat I know there’s a huge desire to graduate, but pg in the current age, we’re being thrown into a stern society. You can go ahead and forget about your childhood. ––CHRIS BARTH

5

Familiar Face

on theBoard

O

n April 6, Missouri’s general municipal Election Day, eight candidates put their names on the ballot for two opening spots on the Park Hill School Board. One of those names is familiar to Park Hill and South students.

Susan Newburger, who taught journalism in both schools, ran for one of the open spots on the Board of Education. That evening, Newburger was declared the winner and received her spot on the school board.

The Board of Education meets every second and fourth Thursday of the month. They oversee decisions throughout the district, including policy, budgets, and approving faculty members.

Currently, with the exception of departing board member Laurie Burgess, Newburger was the only candidate with teaching experience. She taught journalism at both Park Hill and South for a combined total of 24 years.

Senior Alex Edwards took Newburger’s photojournalism class his sophomore year and described it as life changing.

“She was a very influential person in my life. I learned most of the things I needed to learn about photography from her, and now I’m going to be a journalism major with an emphasis on magazine journalism,” said Edwards.

Just as she made an impact on Edwards’ life, Newburger said she wanted to continue working for the good of the Park Hill School District.

“I wanted to run for the board to continue that mission,” said Newburger.

Todd Fane, the other elected official, campaigned with Newburger. Together they put up yard signs, met with potential voters, and participated in candidate forums.

After the votes were counted, Newburger and Fane were unvailed as the new members to the Board of Education for the Park Hill School District.

They were sworn in April 15. Former colleague Nancy Fullerton, communication arts, said she was excited after hearing the news.

“I think she’ll be a real advocate for Park Hill South. She’s been in the trenches and knows things from a teacher’s point of view,” said Fullerton.

The time she spent in the''trenches,''Newburger admitted, will follow her into decisions she makes as a board member. At a time when school districts around the nation are facing budget cuts, every decision counts.

“My goal is to make sure that these issues do not adversely affect Park Hill students,” said Newburger.

The Board of Education is a mix of parents, business leaders and now a teacher who spent 24 years in the classroom interacting with those the board’s decision affects the pg most: the students.­ —STEPHANIE GRIFFITH

6

>>

working things

OUT

New coach shakes things up in summer workouts High School athletics are more like a religion than a sport in the Midwest. On Friday nights, the stands are packed with rowdy students and it even brings out the crazy side of parents. But the summer is a time for studentathletes to take a break from their sport. Students want to stay up late during the summer and sleep in.

That is, unless the good old alarm clock is set for 5:30 a.m.

South football’s new face on the sidelines, head coach Mark Simcox, plans to have his players up and at it bright and early this summer.

Simcox is bringing his own summer practice and workout schedule with him. In past years for South football, there have been Christopher Knoernschild, two-a-days and the boys and girls junior, lifts weights during the workouts were separate, but Simcox school year. plans to implement change this year.

Photo by Jordan Boucher “There are no two-a-days and there are more morning practices that people are attending,” said Miguel Macedo, junior.

In past summers, two-a-days were held in August. According to Simcox, he likes the way he does things.

“This is what I have developed over the years and I feel comfortable and confident it will be effective in preparing our teams for the upcoming season,” said Simcox.

For some varsity players, that means waking up a little earlier than in the past, as well.

“We are trying to get our older players to attend the 6:00 a.m. session,” said Simcox.

Football is not the only sport training for their season this summer. Coach Jennifer Orlowski and her girls’ basketball team will also be training.

“I know that the girls will not be separated from the boys which is good,” said Coach Orlowski.

The Varsity coaches are going to have another meeting to further discuss the workouts and how they are going to run, according to Orlowski.

But one thing is for certain: the workouts are early. 7:30 a.m. is when the athletes from the other sports will arrive and begin their day on the track and in the weight room.

Practicing and working out in the summer comes with it risks, though. Nearly every summer, a high school athlete collapses on the field and gets seriously injured or worse. Just last summer a high school football player collapsed on the field and passed away in New Madrid, Mo., as reported by The Southeast Missourian. This is a major part of why workouts are held in the morning before the heat of summer days is in full swing.

Summer workouts are part of a high school athletes’ roads to success. Coaches like to talk about discipline when it comes to working out at 6:00 a.m. and it takes a special kind of athlete to have that kind of determination to be successful.

—CODY MEADE

O

turn it UP

>> South music dominates at Districts

n April 8, 9 and 10, Orchestra, Concert band, Symphonic Band and Choir all competed against other high schools at Park Hill for ratings. Each of the four groups from South scored a Superior (I) rating, meaning that all six judges agreed that South put on a great show.

“It wasn’t expected because most of the other schools were really good,” said Mathias Kuhl, freshman, who has plays percussion in Concert Band.

South competed against Park Hill, Oak Park, Liberty, Staley and Winnetonka over the course of three days with Orchestra and Concert Band playing the first day, Symphonic Band playing the second day and Choir competing on the last day.

Kara Hayden, senior, has been singing ever since she can remember and said she plans to stay involved in choir throughout college. She feels that the choir performed at their highest level in competition and said that their rating was well deserved.

Though South's choir was not the only school to recieve a ''one,'' South as a whole managed to score a one in each of the four musical genres. South did so well that, as a result, some students like Barrett Leider, senior, will be attending State on April 30. ''Music gives me the ability to express the things that I can't put into words,'' said Leider.

Leider plays the trumpet in Symphonic Band and will be playing a solo in ensemble at State.

The judges for Districts and State grade each musical group or solo performance on dynamics, appearance and tempo, along with a few other minor details.

Julia Zhao, junior and violinist, said that she is proud of herself and all other students in the music department for

putting on a great show. ''Our hard work finally paid off, we put on a good show,'' said Zhao.

This was not the only music show for students in April.

The Kansas City Symphony, conducted by Steven Jarvi, played a benefit show for the musical department at South on Wednesday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m. From the beginning until the end of the concert, members of the the audience said they were in awe.

Diane Schick, a piccolo and flute player in the symphony, said that she really enjoys getting paid to do what she loves. Schick plays full time for the symphony and gets paid for every minute of it. She said her favorite part of being in the KCS (Kansas City Symphony) is playing for ballets and operas. She performs a show almost every weekend with the KCS and works a 42-week season.

To catch a glimpse of the KCS, see them Memorial Day for Celebration at the Station at Union Station which will be televised live. South's final concerts of the year include choir on May 4 and band on May 5.

—MOLLY REINMUTH photo by alex edwards

South Coach Recognized Perry awarded Coach of the Year by AP

A

nthony Perry, coach of the boys' basketball team, was recently announced by the Associated Press as the Missouri Men’s Class 5 Coach of the Year. Coach Perry received the award after leading the team to the MSHSAA Final Four and ending the season with a 21-11 recorwd.

He achieved the award through arduous practices and a total of nine years of coaching experience at South.

“This is a wonderful accomplishment and I am very pleased to have received this honor,” said Perry.

Tyler Keesee, senior and Varsity basketball player, played under Perry’s rule for four years. Keesee said he favors Coach Perry’s methods and strategies of getting the most he can from each player.

“He understands every kid is different and knows the way to get each one to give their best effort,” Keesee said.

Though Perry was individually recognized by the AP, he said his team had his back all year through the good times and the rough ones. It all started in the offseason.

“This year’s group was dedicated and determined that they could match and even surpass the success that last year’s group achieved,” said Perry.

With preparation for another season quickly pg approaching, Perry prepares to add more wins to his overall 137-108 record in year ten at South. —DREW BERRY AND TIERNAN EIBERGER

7

get ready... get set..

e t a u d a gr S

class of 2010!!

s

PG 8

the same way when it was their ninth grade year, even in the way they thought about school.

“It’s not all about what people think of me anymore,” said Kellie Jackson, junior. “I’ve learned a lot about myself in these three years.”

Jackson said school is more about her grades and actually going to school, rather than the social aspect. And some freshmen, like Jake Wickersham, feel there are many changes when it comes to being a part of the high school environment, as well.

big cat 2009 winner- brady lohne

outh’s new freshmen walk into the doors of South with a brand new backpack, outfit and notebooks, ready for their first day.

They feel three feet smaller than all the upperclassmen shoving their way past them.

Being a freshman at South may be intimidating to some, but once students start moving up in the ranks of high school, they usually begin to feel more comfortable in their surroundings and even with themselves when it comes to high school and their surroundings. alex edwards “Freshman year I felt really intimidated, but once I began my sophomore year I felt more confident, even though it wasn’t that much of a change,” said Blake Reser, sophomore.

Reser feels like she has grown up from when she was a freshman, even though it has only been a year. She finds most of the freshmen to be “annoying” in the things they do.

Most upperclassmen usually find the freshmen to be immature; they remember that they were

-Austin Wood

football games

julia sumpter

- Rachel Cooper “It is a lot more serious, and a lot more mature than middle school. Middle school was more drama,” said Wickersham.

Wikersham also said the high school aura is a lot better than middle school, and that he does not fear upperclassmen like other freshman are expected to.

“When I was in middle school, I heard the upperclassmen beat you up a lot. Shoved you in lockers and trash cans and stuff like that,” said Kyle Gourley, senior.

Gourley said some more of his fears for transitioning from

middle school to high school were how much bigger South would be. But according to students like Reser, high school should not be as intimidating as people perceive it when they first start out.

“High school, to me, is supposed to be the most fun years of your life,” said Reser.

And though they are meant to be fun, these years are supposed to help students with their future, as well.

“The classes from your freshman year on up change.

When you are a freshman, you

have to take required classes, and when you are a senior, you take more classes that go with your chosen career path,” said Gourley.

So though high school seems scary to most at first, it gets easier. And the perspective of students will continue to shift until the say they graduate into the real world, when high school is behind them.—LAUREN MOORE

graduation: may 12th - Kelly Bowen

PG 9

-Gavin Kolasa

-Elle Henning

homecoming â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;09

alex edwards

assemblies

paige pendell

PG 10

king and queen dean frazier and logan reser

-Grace Zoller

11

TOUGH

ove L

Male friendships take on a “romantic” edge

A

bromance, as defined by urbandictionary, is a close relationship between two bros (man friends) to such a point where they start to seem like a couple. To many outsiders, it is a relationship shared by two guys that is far too close for comfort. When did guys become so comfortable with their sexuality to have a bromance?

According to Wikipedia, in the 1990s editor Dave Carnie coined the term “bromance” in the skateboard magazine “Big Brother.”

Apparently when teenage guys began seeing stars such as Brad Pitt and George Clooney hanging out, they thought, “we can do it, too, maybe even take it to a whole new level.” Newsflash, no teen guy is near Pitt or Clooney status, according to most females that have two working eyes. But since several bros at South seem to disagree, there has come a need to figure out what draws a guy to a bromance.

“Everyone needs a wing man,” said Jacob Fischer, senior.

Fischer is in a serious bromance with senior Brandon Bowman. When asked to define the relationship, Bowman said their bromance was “beyond words.” To every witness to what has been going on between the two guys, the relationship would seem to be fairly exclusive. ­ According to Fischer, when you spend a whole weekend at your bro’s house, it has reached bromance caliber.

“I took a nap at Brandon’s house the other day,” said Fischer. “We’re above BFF’s.”

Of course “BFF” stands for best friends forever. So through process of elimination, it could be grasped that a bromance knows no time restraint; it is quite a meaningful kind of romance, according to Bowman.

While Fischer and Bowman seem all too fond of their over zealous relationship, not every bromance is so lovey-dovey. Juniors Austin Green and Andrew Davis refuse to even claim their friendship as a bromance. Green nonchalantly compared their relationship to “Kobe and Shaq.” Clearly they seem to have the manly “let’s be lifting partners” friendship executed and pg not the date-like friendship.

“We’re a partnership,” said Green, “that get female romances on the daily.”

12

Although the friendship is “only a friendship, not a bromance,” they have a close bond that they are not afraid to admit to.

“We’re just super tight,” said Green. “We like to hang out.”

Basically, Green and Davis hang out together on the weekends and have ''bro outs'' but they have not crossed over into bromance territory yet.

“We’re not really cool with bromances,” said Davis. “We’re just friends.”

Although guys are either cool with bromances or not, high school girls seem to have a different opinion completely.

“I think bromances are pretty hilarious,” said junior Maddison Hill. “When you see two guys acting like girlfriends, you can’t help but laugh.”

Although this may not be the exact reaction to all on-lookers, Hill said nobody can deny the attitude change of males around their friends.

“Guys try to act all macho in front of girls but in front of their friends and bromance partner, they act completely different,” said Hill.

So whether you are embracing your bromance, witnessing one or denying the bromance you’re “subconsciously” partaking in, there’s no room for haters in a bromance, according to Fischer.

“Haters obviously haven’t experienced a bromance. Instead Bros, Jacob Fischer and Brandon of talking trash, they should spend Bowman, show off their bromance in their time trying to find someone,” front of the camera. said Fischer.

Photos by Alex Edwards Clearly, being in a bromance is something that needs to be experienced by all men, so people need to get off their high horses and stop disapproving of the man love. Just embrace the fact that men are lucky enough to have found their significant others in high school. But if there’s ever a moment in question, instead of jumping to judgment, remember Jonah Hill and Michael Cera in Superbad. After all, their bromance was epic. ­— AMY WILLSEY

Bromance Movies

>>White Men Can’t Jump

>>Wedding Crashers

>>I Love You, Man >>Top Gun >>Pineapple Express

I

I AM

Sam

When I look back...

have spent 13 years of my life in the public school system. When it is all said and done, it will have been about a fifth or sixth of my life and it has been spent learning how to live. And when you add in my preschool days and the inevitable time in college, it might be even more time. I’m really pretty unsure what to make of it right now.

These years might have been the very dregs of my existence.

They might have just been mostly time wasted. Or, I suppose, they might be the finest years of my life.

Now, I do think that I’ve led a pretty happy life. My high school years have been full of disgracefully innocent relationships and worthless, creative pursuits, but I have enjoyed every second of those things. Maybe I wasn’t having the time of my life every second of every day, but it seemed like every single day came out in the positive. How could I not be happy? I’m a selfish middle-class teenager, living in the heart of one of the most selfish generations. I’m a very lucky young man, in all honesty. I was born in a rich nation and have been able to strive for self-actualization, and will be, from the womb to the tomb.

But maybe these years have just been a huge waste of time. I’m graduating very soon and I think I’ll be pretty happy to leave the public school system. There have been classes that I learned a bit, or that I left enlightened or ready to seize the day, but for the most part, I have not changed very many lives in my time at South. I just existed in the hallway and skated by doing exactly what everyone else in every grade is doing. Nothing extraordinary. Maybe I can look back and say

of BattletheBands Every year, bands at South are excited for one thing: Battle of the Bands. Members practice all year long for their chance to compete against the best bands at South.

For musicians, it is their chance to prove themselves and their skills to the entire student body and judges.

This year eight bands performed at Battle of the Bands on April 29.

The bands were Chaos, Cimino, Seis Muchachos, 5th n’ Main, Cold Confession, Common Nonsense, Flite Line and Hellivate. Every band had something different to bring to the table.

Bands like Cimino were the crowd favorite due to the fact that they have already released a demo. They have also been together writing and playing their own music for three years now. The biggest goal for the band is to get everyone excited.

“When I’m performing I’m thinking about how to take control of the crowd,” said junior Sebastian Andersen.

Andersen is in the band Cimino and plays the drums. Cimino has been

I wasted that time, because they made me.

Maybe I can look back and think that I did what I had to do. I wasted my time just like everybody has to waste that time. I guess these 13 years of schooling have taken me to a different place than I would’ve been in without them.

However, I might look at these years as the worst of my entire life. I can take the small detractors and heighten them. I haven’t really done anything at this school. I’ve changed no lives.

And nobody around me has had a really major affect on lives around them. I could have wasted all of these years, but not even wasted them meeting any kind of happiness. It’s nobody’s fault but my own, I guess. I could have been that sensational young teen, but I was not. I could have been an inhibition less teen, but I was not. I could have been remotely popular, but I was not. Maybe these years were just the worst years of my life, and everything is downhill from here. I spent these last 13 getting a beating, so I can rise like phoenix for the rest.

George Orwell once said, “No one can look back on his school days and say with truth that they were altogether unhappy.” But it might be rather refreshing. I made no great strides in my times of happiness. At my happiest, I was doing things that mattered less than anything I’ll do ever. At least when you’re suffering or are sad, you’re growing, you’re building character. I can’t look back and say I was always unhappy. I can’t look back and say that there was a day when I wasn’t happy even once. But I wish I could say that.

­—SAMUEL PETERSON

Students try their hand at a different kind of competition

playing together for a while now and its members are self-assured that their skills will put them on top.

“I’m very confident,” said Andersen. “If we lose, I’ll never play the drums again.”

Every band approaches their music from different angles. Some want only to play in front of people, some may do it for free, while others produce and sell their own records, such as

“

“We like selling our songs because we want to get feedback to see what people like and what we need to work on,” said Cummins.

Every member in a band has their own opinions on what the best part of performing a show is, such as the adrenaline and exciting the crowd. Andersen, on the other hand, simply said that the best part of performing was “the women.”

This year there were some changes to Battle of the Bands rules. Unlike in the past years, this year STUCO allowed everyone to perform, not just South students.

STUCO wanted to give everyone a chance to perform this year. In previous years, the entire band had to attend South to perform, but this year they allowed bands with students from other schools to participate in the competition.

As of press time, the winner was not yet determined. Go online to phsview.com for a Battle of pg the Bands photo gallery and information about the winner.

—DYLAN BERRY

If we lose I’ll play drums again.

never

the band 5th n’ Main. Seniors Logan Weaver and Joe Cummins are both in the band 5th n’ Main and said they enjoy playing their music together.

Cummins plays the drums for 5th n’ Main while Weaver sings the lead vocals. Both Cummins and Weaver said that they love recording and selling their music to students in the halls of South.

13

a true

inspiration

H

The Word

igh school can be either really horrible or a great time. I thoroughly enjoyed my high school experience mainly because of the people that I surrounded myself with. I appreciate the teachers that pour their heart and soul into their craft, and dedicate themselves to enriching their students’ lives and minds. I feel like this commitment often goes unrecognized, and that teachers should be thanked every day of their lives for their tolerance and dedication. I was lucky enough to have South’s best for two of my four communication arts classes. She is devoted, selfless, animated and truly excellent at what she does and she deserves more than this for acknowledgment.

The best teachers are the ones that push you beyond your limit. I produced my best work for this teacher because she brought it out in me.

She demanded the best. She opened my eyes to a whole new way of thinking in regards to

>>ROID

RAGE

Over my year of writing these Roid Rages and I’ve come to learn a lot about the world of sports. Local, National, International, whatever. Wherever the sun shines, there’s a game to be played. So through my years on the staff, these are some of the laws of sports that I have come to terms with.

The Chiefs and the Royals have too high of expectations. Every year before the season starts, KC fans all over the world talk up their team in hopes of bringing back 1985 or the Dick Vermeil era. I’ve been victim to this curse too, but I now realize that it’s not going to happen. Nothing will ever be good enough until we lower the bar. In one of my previous columns, I gave the Chiefs a chance to go 7-9. Sorry for the false hope; I’m now changing that to 4-12; the same record as the 2009-2010 season. At best, they shouldn’t get any worse than they already were.

As for the Royals, they will lose 90some games as usual. Why should I expect any better, especially with a bullpen as thin as air with (with the exception pg talent Joakim Soria and Kyle Farnsworth on a good day)?

14

communication arts, reading and composition.

I’ve never seen someone so upbeat and excited about her job day after long day. Her energy was boundless. She never gave us less than her greatest, and she expected the same out of us.

Students who walk out of her class on the last day are truly changed for the better from when they walked in the first day, whether they know it or not. She has not only impacted my entire view on communication arts, but my life as well, and there isn't a day that goes by that I don’t utilize one of the skills I learned in her class.

Before summer begins, when the doors of South close for summer vacation, and my focus turns to playing sand volleyball and hanging out with my boys, the time needs to be taken to recognize a titan in the communication arts department. Thanks for being such a fantastic teacher, Mrs. Becker. Know that it will always be appreciated.—JULIA SUMPTER

Coming to Terms

Not only are people around here in love with their local sports, but the respect for international sports (mainly soccer) is quite surprising.

You can always find Joe Sbarro and Tyler Mehaffey going at it with Jacob Fischer about who’s better, Manchester United or Bayern Munich. On random days you will see Adam Schemenauer sportin’ the yellow Barcelona jersey and Brandon Bowman with his Chelsea shirts. And with the ever so popular X-Box 360 game Fifa, soccer love is never at a shortage here at South.

The last one that I’ll go into detail about is not so set in stone as the previous two. It’s a bit more controversial, but it’s something that I hope to leave all the younger athletes at this school to think about.

Yes, it’s about our district rival, Park Hill. No matter what sport, I feel like Park Hill is put on a pedestal to beat. This is fair enough, it’s a rivalry of course it’s going to be of great importance. But game after game, sport after sport of watching South lose and win against them, I feel like the losses were more of our own fault than us losing to them. When we lose, we don’t play our game.

You’ll probably never see the day a

Park Hill football team doesn’t run the ball five times more than they throw it, and they stick to it because it works.

What my point is, I guess, is that South needs to stick to our ways because those games we do win I see our boys and girls playing their game. The boys’ soccer team shut out a state-bound Trojan team 4-0 playing their style of play. When South won that infamous football game, they played their style. I was there to witness it all before I even knew what it meant to play Park Hill.

So in the end, what I’m saying is to play your game against Park Hill, and nothing more. You have to be able to make the simple plays before you can make the spectacular ones.

I guess that’s all there is to say. It’s been fun, and I appreciate everyone putting up with my negative attitude. So remember, keep your expecations low, don’t try to hide that you love soccer and don’t think you have to do anything more than the game plan to beat Park Hill. Oh and a few side notes: the Nelson Art Museum curse is real, Brett Favre is immortal and Mizzou will always be better than KU. Stay pretty, Kansas City.—MATT SWIHART

>>A Royal Pr The Royals have

started their quest to become a relevant team in the American League, but

the fans in Kansas City have little to no realistic hope of that happening this year or any time soon. The fans have had to put up with these expectations for too long. The draft is designed to even out the league by preventing any certain team from being in the cellar for an extended period of time (i.e. 25 years).

The Royals have had a top five pick since 2004; with those picks they have no excuse not to have a slew of talented player. Whether it is the scouting or development department, the Royals need to get personnel that will do a better job. One example of the Royals pick not panning out is in the 2005 MLB draft, when the Royals selected a promising third baseman out of Nebraska University as the second overall pick. Alex Gordon has turned out to be a bust on both sides of the ball with a career average of .250 and only 37 RBIs in three professional seasons.

Gordon wasn't the only time that the Royals have messed up a first round pick. The Royals, who consistently have top ten draft picks in the last decade, have only managed to draft to one allstar player: Zack Grienke. The Royals have had a chance to spend their recent first round draft pick on players like two time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum or four time Silver Slugger Chase Utley.

The front office is to blame for the Royals' struggles and it starts at the head. I don't think it is a coincidence

blem

How they Royals got

where they are today

that the Royals' worst years have been under the leadership of David Glass.

Since Glass has owned the Royals, they have averaged 96 losses a year and have only had one winning season.

Glass is not willing to spend money on the Royals, which makes it impossible for the Royals to be competitive.

The fact that Glass lives in Kentucky makes me think that he doesn't care about the Royals or Kansas City; he looks as the Royals as an investment.

There are only four organizations in the league that spend less money than the Royals do on there team. The Royals will never have the money to spend like the Yankees or Red Sox have, but they can re-evaluate how to spend the money they do have.

The Royals are also infamous for signing or trading for sub-par infielders or utility players. Every team needs one or two of these players, just ask the defending champions who made a deadline trade for Jerry Hairston, Jr., a utility guy who was able to give the stars a rest so they were fresh down the stretch. But the key was that the Yankees have talent. These utility players aren't designed to be everyday players, and shouldn't be used as such. The Wilson Betancourts, Willie Bloomquists and the Chris Getz's of the world should be coming off the bench, not starting.

The Royals need to take a chance on a couple of big names, which they looked like the Royals were willing to do this when they signed Mike Jacobs before the 2009 season, Jacobs

struggled last year and the Royals gave up on him. The Royals did the same thing with Covelli ''Coco'' Crisp, letting him get away to the Athletics and decided not to sign any newsworthy players in the off-season.

Other players the Royals have given up include Johnny Damon, Carlos Beltran, Jermaine Dye, Mike Sweeney.

The Royals could also be competitive if they would make an attempt at keeping some of that talent in Kansas City. If the Royals would keep players like these, they would benefit in multiple ways.

First off, and most obviously, they would benefit from the talent of some descent players, but the second factor is the popularity of these players. The Royals' ticket sales and merchandise would see a huge boost from having players that the fans really like.

During spring training, there was speculation that the Royals wouldn't be able to start Alberto Callaspo because he is too much of a defensive liability.

For a team that struggles to score runs-twenty-third in the league--they shouldn't even consider taking away the second best bat in their lineup. Callaspo was one of only two Royals players who managed to hit .300 last year. It is this mentality that is keeping fans out of the truly nice Kauffman stadium.

The Royals are far from making a few minor changes to put this franchise in a situation to win. The Royals need to start at the top and change their philosophies on running an organization or there needs to be a change in upper management. —EVAN WHITE

Bombing Gone Wrong

>> Must-Read Book tells real story of Columbine

April 20, 1999: “At 11:19 they opened the duffel bags at the top of the stairs, pulled out the shotguns, and strapped them to their bodies. They locked and loaded the semiautomatics.

One of them yelled, ‘Go! Go!’ Somebody, almost certainly Eric, opened fired.”

“Columbine” by Dave Cullen is a first hand look at the actual events of the school shooting in Littleton, Co. Frank Rich, a reporter for the New York Times wrote, ''Dave Cullen...has been on top of the Columbine story from the start.'' Cullen has done interviews and research on the shooting for almost eleven years. Interviews with witnesses. Reading Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold's journals. Watching their «home videos.'' Dissecting each plan they made. And there was a lot to find out. Myths by the media were contradicted with this book, such as the rumors of Harris and Klebold being picked on and outcasts, they actually had very high social standings. Or that it was a planned shooting. It was actually supposed to be a bombing, one that would top Oklahoma City.

The descriptions in this book are ones that will send chills up your spine. Ones from people fighting for their lives, or that heard the ''howls'' and laughs of the shooters while the massacre was occurring. Dave Cullen tells the true story of Columbine.

I recommend this book to everyone. It is one that will take you only days or even hours to read. I give it five out of five stars. It sheds light on an event that was misunderstood for so long.—LAUREN MOORE

SUMMER READS The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Stephen Chbosky The Hunger Games

Suzanne Collins Invisible Monsters

Chuck Palahniuk The Good Soldier

Daniel Finkel The Glass Castle

Jeanette Walls State of Fear

Michael Crichton The Last Lecture pg Randy Pausch 13 Reasons Why Jay Ascher

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May 15 & 16 Indian Pow Wow @ Line Creek rty

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K.C. Events

rts

want more of the view? visit phsview.com for updates

>>

LAUREN MOORE

>>

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SAM PETERSON copy editor

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JULIA SUMPTER

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NICK WORTH

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EVAN WHITE

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CODY MEADE

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Fo S July May otball- umm 2 6 2 , Roy Boy er Ca July 5-27 als 27, 28s mp 19-2 Vs. Jun Bask Boy 1 MIN etba s: e 1s So 4 llJun cce e rGirl Jun 14 s e 17 July Softb 26-2 all9 Girl s So B oys Jun / e 14 ccerG and irls -17 T Jun Field- rack Wre e 7-10 s Jun tlinge 14 B a -17 se Jun balle 79

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the View

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The Park Hill south High School newspaper, the View, is part of the educational curriculum of the Park Hill School District. Although the paper is a classroom activity of newspaper class, material may be submitted for consideration from students who are not enrolled in the course. Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; submission should meet guidlines set forth in the board policy and regulation IGDB, copies of which are available in all buildings and Central Office. Students may also submit letters to the editor which are 250 words or less on timely issues. Editorials must be published with the name of the responsible individual. Bring any submissions to room C200 or e-mail them to the adviser at hughesm@parkhill.k12.mo.us. All submitted material may be edited for content, length and grammar. The View is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association and the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association. The View is printed by Osage Graphics in Olathe, Kan.

reporter

MOLLY REINMUTH

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ALI FISHER

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JESSE McGINNISS

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CHRIS BARTH

>> Jun e Roy 25, 26 als , Vs. 27STL

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{SUMMER CALENDAR}

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TIERNAN EIBERGER reporter

>> MATT SWIHART

columnist

>> ALEX EDWARDS

photographer

>> MEGAN HUGHES adviser