The View Issue 6 by Park Hill South View

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View

from Park Hill South

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courtwarming

Students plan to dance to better music on a budget. pg. 8

SNOW NO-NO

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issue 6, volume 12

the

january 29, 2010

WHIP IT INTO SHAPE

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â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;10 HIDDEN CLASSES

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what’s

>>Store

january 29, 2010

issue 6, volume 12

what’s Up

SOUTH FALLS TO TROJANS [5] park Hill defeats Panthers in overtime RISE OF THE MACHINES [7] vending Machines make a comeback

what’s Hot THE WORD [11] twilight’s Plight ROID RAGE [13] kansas City is a futbol town

The Pink Game was a fun and competitive

way for

everyone

to come

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NEW SHERRIFF IN TOWN [11] south Hires new football coach

together and find a cure. -Haley Shelton, sophomore

Photo by Alex Edwards

what’s The Big Idea COURTWARMING [8] save Money on dinner, dress and dance

what’s What

FIST PUMP AMERICA [3] Jersey Shore knocks us out in one shot

letter

If you are like me, you love to say whatever you think. Sometimes, no matter what the cost. You think of it one second, then the next it’s already flown from your lips. But most of the time, if you are not like me, you think before you speak, always wondering about what will happen if you say this, or tell someone that. Or for journalism reasons, publish something either offensive or an article that doesn’t quite sit well with some people. But my question is why? Why always be filtered in what you say? The reason may be simple: other people. Most people are considerate of others' feelings. And again, if you are like me, you are apologetic after their feelings are hurt. Probably not the best route. But my main point is, depending on what you say or feel on a matter, not everyone is going to be happy with your words. And yet, people still try to make everyone happy. There are literally people who care so much about offending someone that they keep most of their thoughts and feelings to themselves. One day, mark my words, they will explode from all the things they have always wanted to say but never have. All I am saying is you can’t make everyone okay with what you say, or in this case, write. I’m sure people are offended by this message right now. But I won’t be filtered, and I hope you won’t be either. — LAUREN MOORE

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From The Editor

Fist Pump America >>

ist pumps, duck phones, hot tubs, giant poofs and raw Italian culture: these are the components that make up the best show ever made, Jersey Shore. Either you love it or you think it is the biggest waste of time. But either way, the fact of the matter is you can't stop talking about it because America loves crazy reality T.V. Jersey Shore is everywhere lately. Clips and quotes can be found in the news, YouTube and in about 99 percent of everyday conversations. It blew up. And you know why? Americans love ridiculous people. And this show is chalk full of them. First we have the ''king of the house,'' The Situation. If you don't love The Situation, he's going to make you love The Situation. (The actual situation is his eight pack). Next in line comes Pauly D. His

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hair takes him 25 minutes. That is bare minimum for perfection like that. Next is the tough guy of the house, Jwoww, who in reality is not a guy but she could rip a guy’s head off if she wanted to. Then, we have those perfect eyebrows, Vinny. He is the ''normal'' one, yet

excellent drama for viewers because apparently she's really self conscious about her oversized big toe. Most Italians would argue that these stereotypical caricatures of people give them a bad name. But we don't even think of Guidos and Guidettes as people. They are mere figures of our ridicule. If you aren't one of those people who sit in front of your television Thursdays waiting for 9 p.m. to roll around, you know you want to be. You want to know what people are talking about when they discuss the hippo that charged at Snooki, or about how Ronnie traumatized Sammi. But, overall you are better than us average people who are so in awe of this stupidity. So, thank you for being better. But being better is never really that entertaining, is it? —THE VIEW STAFF EDITORIAL

Either you love it or you think it is the biggest waste of time on earth.

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he fist pumps the most. Next is Ronnie the ''fighter.'' There have been many fights in Jersey Shore history, but he has had those most epic. Well, other than when Snooki got punched in the face. Which brings us to her. Snooki rocks the poof and seems to be naked most of the time--a perfect reality T.V. star. Last but not least, Sammi, ''the sweetest bitch you'll ever meet,'' and Ronnie's ball and chain. Their relationship makes

what’s What

Italian American ''reality'' show Jersey Shore offends some but entertains all

>>Other Crazy Reality Shows

Flavor of Love

Public Enemy hype man, Flavor Flav looks for love (or something) on this reality show. It was like The Bachelor... minus the class.

2006-2008

Newlyweds

Yo Momma

Not really a reality show, but soooooo cool. Wilmer Valderrama must have been the reason it was canceled (probaby for saying “cash money”). Contestants just stood around and told jokes about each other. Best. Show. Ever.

2006- 2007

2003- Television show that was about how stupid Jessica Simpson is (or something like that). Entire country 2005 questioned buffalo wings and tuna for months.

>>Blizzard Breaks the Bank

Snowy weather depletes KC’s snow funds

n the annual budget, Kansas City, Mo. allocated $2.5 million to take care of snow removal, and by Jan. 3 the city had traipsed past this number. This year, the first week of second semester was canceled in part due to this inability to clear the roads. This budgeting problem comes from the perfect storm of a Kansas City budget problem acknowledged by Mayor Mark Funkhouser and a very snowy end to the month of December. This underfunding eventually led to an impossible situation for the Kansas City road crews. The cut budget disabled them from working to full potential and the continuous snow fall Photo by: Alex Edwards kept them off the dismal side streets for far too long. “We cut and cut and underfunded equipment and vehicle replacement,” said Funkhouser in an interview with KMBC 9 news. School was canceled the week of Jan. 4 because the side streets still had ice on them. Part of the problem lay in the extreme cold which made the conditions unsafe for young children, but this cold also made the roads tough to clear off after the crews were unable to put a dent in the

problem early in the storm. This all ended up postponing school until the week of Jan 11. Funkhouser called this major snowfall a “test” for Kansas City snow clearing and gave the effort a “B” overall, commending the crews for working long overtime hours over a holiday. Bennett Potter, junior, was driving to friend’s house on Jan. 9 with sophomore Ryan Rancudo in tow. When Rancudo tried to give Potter a short cut, he ended up getting stuck in a ditch off of Waukomis. “The road was too icy for me to even have a chance of staying on the road,” said Potter. “When I showed up at my friend’s house a couple hours late, he called me an idiot for even trying to use that road.” Potter was able to get around on most roads with no problem, but when he hit a big hill in an area that was hardly plowed, he was rendered helpless. “Most places were just back to normal,”said Potter. “Even after that, I was surprised we had that week off.” After some warm weather, the snowfall from Dec. 24 has finally melted, but the snow clearing budget will not be able to recover in the same fashion. —SAM PETERSON *For tips on driving in the snow, go online to phsview.com

SNOWNO NO

Snow days cause schedule conflicts for teachers

and Reading. Since the seniors leave their game against Park Hill. For some, hearing that school was earlier than other students at the end “I didn’t like it [being canceled]. canceled due to inclimate weather was of the year, their semesters are cut It was a big game. We’re a lot more a blessing, but for others it only caused even shorter, leaving their teachers prepared for the rest of the season dread. This year, Park Hill School even more pressed for time. though because of it,” said District’s second semester was Jaron Mickles, senior. pushed back an entire week The days make the Though winter break was due to winter weather, and extended an extra week, some certain classes and activities schedule really students did not appreciate paid the price. their time off. Tight schedules are “At first I was really excited, but common in math classes, and the “The snow days make the schedule then I had to shovel the driveway snow days put the students at a really cramped. It’s even harder with which makes it no fun at all,” said disadvantage. They have to learn teaching seniors in like Comp and Jordan Boucher, junior. the concepts more quickly and they Reading because you’re not sure Dr. Dale Longenecker, principal, will have to work harder, and Joe when they get out. So I have to cut said that as of press time, seniors Musiol, math, said his College Algebra out some activities that we do to would most likely not make up the students might even have to hire a make room,” said Deanna Koelliker, days due to good attendance and tutor outside of school to catch up to communication arts. “We should have attitude throughout the year, but that the class’ fast pace. a few built in snow days for the year. additional snow days this winter could “I have to cram a lot of material in a Or they could take back professional short amount of time. But I can’t rush, development days so we don’t have to change that decision. Underclassmen and staff could end up being in school I have to give the kids a chance to make up the days at the end of an additional three weeks after learn,” said Musiol. the year.” seniors finish. The changes in Winter sports were also affected “I was really ready for school to scheduling have by the days off. Girls’ basketball had start up with all my new classes,” also affected the roughly two solid weeks of practice Boucher said. “Now it’s just taking communication arts with no games due to cancellations away my summer.” department, especially and the boys’ team had to reschedule —JULIA SUMPTER senior classes like Comp

‘‘

cramped

‘‘

snow

Conditioning

Chaos >>No offseason for athletes at South

South Falls to the Trojans >>Varsity Panthers lose to Trojans in overtime The game between South and Park Hill that was originally scheduled for Jan. 8 was cancelled due to inclimate weather but was played instead on Jan. 13 at Park Hill. One could tell just from the energy of the players on the court for warmups, to the fans in the stands before the game dancing and shouting, that it would be a hard fought game until the very end . South fell to the Trojans 63-69 in overtime. South was plagued with turnovers in the first half and also found themselves in foul trouble early. It did not help that Park Hill came out making their first four shot attempts of the game, leading to a five point lead for Park Hill at the end of the first quarter, 8-13. It seemed as though South had all the momentum in the fourth quarter as they played their best ball of the night by turning the ball over less and drawing even with just over a minute left. A costly turnover with less than a minute left set up the game for overtime where the Panthers never got their offense going, getting outscored 5-11. South senior Tyler Keesee led all Panther scorers with 22 points including a layup as time expired in the first half to cut the Trojan lead to two. Keesee also grabbed nine rebounds and added eight assists for a near triple double. Junior Christian Hildebrandt and senior Matt Robaska each scored nine points with another eight scored by junior Rocky Benson. John Sedler, athletic director/assistant principal said,

“It was good to get our guys that were roles players last year into a big game environment.” Senior Matt Mitchell attended the game first hand and has ideas on what to expect in the rematch. “The fans will be more pumped up and we will take it,” said Mitchell. Mitchell said that their should be more fan support at home and also suggested that the students make t-shirts for the rematch. The Panthers will host the Trojans on Feb. 9.—DREW BERRY

what’s Up

pring sports conditioning always starts the first day back to school after Winter Break, and this year was no different. Conditioning changed in one way and the change lies in the weight room. Every conditioning athlete was put into the weight room to lift as one big group for the first time. The kids lifting are track and field athletes, volleyball players and football players. But Coach Dan Joiner, football, wants to have all sports lifting together in the weight room for conditioning. “We hope that all coaches will put their athletes in the weight room,” said Joiner. “We want all the teams to be united.” With over 100 students involved in spring conditioning, the coaches had to come up with a system to accommodate the larger number of athletes. There are seven different stations and four to five kids in each lifting group. According to Joiner, this helps the lifting run smoothly. He also gives credit to the other coaches volunteering to help run the stations. Coach Clay Lenhert, boys track, said he is grateful to be granted access to the weight room, so he is more than willing to volunteer to help run the conditioning. “Track has wanted to lift for many years, but unfortunately the coaches couldn’t figure out how to incorporate all the teams together,” said Lenhert. “We finally succeeded and track couldn’t be happier.” As for the athletes, according to Lenhert, they seem to be enjoying working out together. “It’s getting us into better shape,” said track runner Natalie Hinton, sophomore. “I’ve been sore so I know that it’s working.” The football players have had to make the biggest adjustment out of all athletes, since they were used to just having the football team lifting together. Junior football player Jason Thetford said he finds it crowded with the combined sports working out, but overall he said he thinks it is a good thing to have everyone there. “We still do the same lifts as before so the main thing that has changed is the number of kids in the weight room,” said Thetford. Thetford also said the football guys have to show the underclassmen how to do the weight lifting which, in turn, takes time away from their own lifts. “With so many kids in the weight room, less lifting gets done,” said Thetford. According to Lenhert, he has not heard many complaints, just that the weight room is crowded. But he suggests staying involved because the system can only get better from where it is now. “Lifting is great for athletes and everyone that participates gains something from it,” said Lenhert. “Remember, muscle moves bone.” Spring sports conditioning will continue on until track season starts on March 1. —AMY WILLSEY

Senior Tyler Keesee scores two of his 22. Photo by Alex Edwards

^^ On Jan. 13, the new vending machines were filled with sandwiches, yogurt and 100 calorie packs as food service workers supervise. A test run of the machine was held Jan. 19-22. Photos by Alex Edwards

RISE OF THE MACHINE

Vending machines are making a comeback better than before.

Vending machines were a noticeable

absence at the beginning of this school year, causing a stir in the student body at South.

According to Ronda McCullik, director of food services, the purpose was never to take them away but just to make them healthier. Now the vending machines are back and better for the body than ever. New vending machines in the cafeteria have a giant panther on the side of them, covered in a purple and black color scheme with lightning. Students low on cash can just use their lunch pin numbers and charge it to their accounts. “The district brought them back because there are so many kids staying after for sports or just in the library,” said John Sedler, assistant principal.

WHAT THEY DO FOR THE STORE

There is a certain convenience about the vending machines. They save time, gas and a trip to a location away from school for food. They also provide a healthier option than the candy and chips of old vending machines. However, the machines could also be a threat to other businesses during lunch, including the school store, run by DECA students. “It is accessible 24/7 and the school store is only there during the lunch periods,” said Michelle Goodner, business, and school store sponsor.

Since the vending machines were not here at the beginning of the school year, there was not much competition for the school store. Now the vending machines are back, but the school store will still be selling salty and sweet snacks. “I don’t think it will affect us very much since the products are so different. I think that the kids that are buying will keep buying because they know it supports our student organization,” said Goodner.

WHAT THEY DO FOR THE SCHOOL

The school store comes up short when it comes to technology against the vending machines. On the new vending machines, the lunch service account that is issued to students can be used to buy products. It can also be used to check balances and put money on the account. South is the only school in the district to have these machines. They are owned and operated by the cafeteria workers, who have high hopes for the machines’ use.

“We are hoping to give students that have to stay after school for athletics or to study more options than having to run somewhere and get some fast food,” said McCullick.

The food will help the athletes before a practice or a game to give that extra boost of energy. There are things such as salads, sandwiches and yogurt in the machines.

“They give us more options for refrigerating products,” said McCullick. The machines drew a lot of “oohs” and “ahhs” from passing students during the lunch periods, but the question remains: will they be successful? “This is the pilot program,” said McCullick. Sedler and McCullick said that student reaction or excitement is what is going to make or break these machines. Since the machines will not be officially functional until Feb. 1, right now students can only look.

WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE

“I really like the designs on the side,” said Raelynn Joordens, sophomore. The personalized vending machines are unique in design, but what is really important are the products inside. “I think that it’s good for healthy food but I still think that people like the junk food more,” said Joordens. As part of the widespread nutrition reform in schools across the country, purchases can be made from the new, improved and healthier vending machines. “I will probably buy and eat my lunch out of the machines,” said Joordens. Although the benefits of the machines seem evident to students like Joordens, time will tell if their value will remain. —CODY MEADE

Cost of a Homemade Dinner for Eight

$13.73 $2.17

Courtwarming on a Budget

With the economy up in smoke, South students find ways to fire up the dance floor without burning a hole in their pockets.

s the month of love quickly approaches, one thing comes to mind for high school students: the dance, otherwise known as Courtwarming. Since the men of South paid for Homecoming, its only fair the ladies treat this time around. With the economy the way it is, students, teachers and families all over the nation are trying to save money. As a result, some students are contemplating whether or not to attend the dance because of a money shortage issue. Mandy Archer, freshman, said, “I don’t really want to go to Courtwarming because it’s a lot of money.” Archer also said she was “surprised” at how quickly Homecoming added up for her, and is not prepared to spend that kind of money again on a school dance. With the ticket for two, the dress, shoes, jewelry, boutonniere, hair, nails, makeup and dinner, it can get expensive. Kelley Bowen, senior, and Lauren Boehm, junior, said that they spend roughly $300-350 on Courtwarming. Blake Reser, sophomore, said that she would not miss this dance because she knows she would regret not going as she gets older; however, she understands the cost and plans on attending on a budget. “I don’t like spending, so I will do anything to cut back on my money,” Reser said. Archer, Boehm and Bowen all agreed with Reser about wanting to save money on the dance.There are plenty of ways to do so. For example, Bowen and her friends trade and borrow dresses to save, rather than buying a new one. Trading saves girls $70-120. “There’s no point in going out to spend pg hundreds of dollars on a dress you will only wear once,” said Christina Mcosker, sophomore.

$6.98

$22.88

If trading is not an option, there is still a solution. Last year at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, a dress exchange was held called “Drop your Dress” where girls could buy, sell or exchange dresses with other girls around the city. If all fails, the local Forever 21 is sure to have something under $30. And as far getting hair, makeup and nails done, do it yourself or have friends help, which will also save about $95-110. Dinner, depending on location, is usually about $40 for a couple. Feeding a party of eight at home with spaghetti, rolls, and salad would only be $22.88--only three dollars per person. Boehm said her friend, Kelsey Lenhert, junior, hosted a free, candlelit dinner at her house before Courtwarming last year. “Having dinner at home made it unique because a lot of people go out, plus we had a small group so it was really fun,” said Boehm. Boutonnieres range from $6-17 at any local grocery store floral department, but to get a cheap yet nice looking one, BudgetBride.com has them for two dollars. Make sure to order them early enough so that they come on time for the dance. Whether saving for college like Bowen, or just being careful with your money like Reser, spending less can help make Courtwarming a much more affordable experience. Besides, dancing is a lot more fun with money in your pockets. —MOLLY REINMUTH

Please Don’t Stop the Music... School dances are made up of Tired of having formal wear, expensive dinners lame music and most obvious of all, dancing. But to some South students, played at dances like Chris Schishler, senior, the when you’re capability of dancing hangs on music choice of STUCO and trying to get the the D.J. your swag on? “Bad music makes people not want to go to the dances,” said Find out why. Schisler. What makes the music be considered bad is its lack of popularity. But the reason for the “bad music” may be because of all the restrictions on the music that can be chosen. STUCO’s Chloe Jones, sophomore, was on the music committee for Homecoming last fall. “In choosing the music, we pick a D.J. and STUCO makes the song list and the D.J. may or may not play it,” said Jones. When picking out songs, the STUCO music committee must go through all the lyrics to make sure there are not any curse words, racial slurs or sexual innuendos. This request has been a part of the “talks” that Dr. Dale Longenecker, principal, has has with STUCO.

According to Longenecker, appropriate sexual innuendos can vary. “Rock you all night” is okay, but “shake that a**” is not. But people, like Jones, argue if a song can be played on the radio, why not at a dance? “We’re not the radio. School is a different setting,” said Longenecker. Longenecker also said he feels that certain kinds of songs trigger certain kinds of dancing and cause students to do “certain things.” Longenecker also assured that the music is STUCO's responsibility, yet they know what is expected of them. “The only complaint about homecoming was the D.J,” said Jones. Jones feels that students should not blame STUCO for the bad music. She feels confident that they made a “good” list but the D.J. just chose not to play the songs. “There is a lot of awkward transitions between songs which funks with my funk,” said Schisler. Schisler said the music was so bad at Homecoming it was to the point where people wanted to leave. This year, Jones said that STUCO has gotten a new D.J. and the music and overall dance with be better. South’s 2010 Courtwarming dance with be held Feb. 20 in the gym. — LAUREN MOORE

THE GOOD KIND OF CHEAP

courtwarming dresses can be expensive. here are a few alternatives to breaking the bank.

macy*s

jc penny’s

Twilight Plight

The Word

’m proud to admit that I was not one of the 20 billion people to run to the movie theater for the new ''Twilight'' movie. I can honestly say I find nothing appealing in the concept of a lovestruck vampire and his prey. Apparently I am in the minority. There is no reason why “Twilight” and the whole vampire thing should be such a HUGE phenomenon in America today. The main character, Bella, is a horrible role model for the loyal preteen fan base of the “Twilight” series. She shows girls how to be completely codependent, dramatic and whiny. We spent so many years fighting for equal rights

but here comes this luminous vampire hunk, and we’re all for a domineering alpha male. Bella is unable to stand on her own two feet throughout the entirety of the series, and she relies far too heavily on valiant sir Edward’s swift rescue. I can think of no better person for the girls of America to look up to. Forget idolizing strong women who are recognized for their intelligence and success; go build a shrine for Bella. Put it next to your Miley Cyrus temple. These idiotic books instill total nonsense into their readers’ minds. Girls growing up reading this literary masterpiece will expect life and love to go exactly like this book. Good luck finding a gorgeous sparkly vampire with superhuman powers in real life to fall in love with. I see them all the time. But it’s not just the “Twilight” books. The entire country seems

to have jumped on this vampire bandwagon. There are multiple TV shows now, including “True Blood” and “The Vampire Diaries” with even more in development. What’s so appealing about a vampire? They are hundreds of years old and they’re undead. You might as well be dating Hugh Heffner. Really, I just want teenage girls to appreciate something of actual literary merit--and I don’t mean “Dear John” or any other Nicholas Sparks novel. Have a good role model. Stop making out with your Edward pillowcase all night, and quit staring at Jacob without his shirt on and hollering “team shirtless” at movie screens. Here’s a tip: your pillowcase will never kiss you back. Quit living vicariously through your television and go do something productive. —JULIA SUMPTER

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Treasures >> HiddenLesser known classes found in the depths of the student handbook

It is startling to comprehend how much the human eye can miss in a blink: 20 flaps of a humming bird’s wings, over half of the collision process when two cars meet, and even the searching of over 30,000 websites on Google.com. But now, in the heart of enrollment season, there is another sight of importance being lost to the negligence of blinking, and most likely, a lack of attention: the diversity of choices in the High School Course Description Handbook is an asset not exactly utilized. In searching through the student handbook, one would be surprised at some of the course titles you will find. Some of these names include Cardio Combo, a class dedicated to cardiovascular endurance, Digital Electronics, and even a class titled Hunting, Camping & Fishing. Just based off of this fraction of the numerous classes that are widely hidden, the unpopularity seems to be self-explanatory, but some students find this a false accusation. Shakespeare and British Literature was, once upon a time, a class that was available to the students of South. Today, this is one of the classes that have joined the ranks of K.I.A. The lack of students signing up for the class finally pushed the administration to remove the class to better place teachers in more popular or required classes. Despite the removal, some students, such as senior Amanda Allred, find this removal to be due to inadequate attention and attraction to the class. “The importance of the class is the passion of literature it shows and that it encourages those who enjoy reading for fun,” Allred said. “The reason the class failed was that in general, people don’t challenge themselves and they feel intimidated. I think if kids just knew the importance of trying, the class would not have failed as it did.” But Shakespeare and British Literature is not the only example of a hidden class. Printmaking, a class on the production of multiple images from a single design, is another one. Unlike Shakespeare, this class tells a less grim story. Just a few years ago, Printmaking was known as one of the many unpopular classes, but in recent semesters, this class has grown past the status quo. Senior Allden Johnson has witnessed its growth first-hand. “I loved it. Absolutely,” she said. “Printmaking is a class focused on the more hands-on art and is completely different than any other art class. It has no boundary.” At first Johnson knew one or two people, but when she took it last semester, the class was full of her friends. She, like Allred, encourages that kids go outside the normal range of classes, and actually take a deeper look into their handbook. “You’d be surprised at what you’ll find or take. Challenge yourself,” Johnson said. Printmaking’s growth is due to the underestimated power of the student body’s word-of-mouth. Megan Carson, art, teaches Printmaking and also encourages kids to stop overlooking classes. “The problem is that kids figure out that it’s not just drawing and they get intimidated. The class is fun and laid back, but the majority of students didn’t see that. I’m not suggesting that everyone should take it, simply because it is not a blow-off class,” she said. “It has a big fee and is more of a hands-on art. If the class is for you, then take it. I would love to see the class grow.” Many would argue that first impressions mean everything. But in that same sense, a misinformed first impression not only damages the judged, but in this case, can also hurt those who assume. So, before students decide what classes to enroll in next time, it may be in the their best interest to search every crack and crevice in the handbook and then carefully choose which classes For a complete list of classes, visit to take. — JESSE MCGINNESS

Other “Hidden” Classes

Fibers Accounting ACT/College Prep Latino Studies Digital Electronics Education Intern Journalism The American Civil War and Reconstruction Statistics Cooperative Industrial Educations (CIE) Interpersonal Relationships Cardio Combo Asian Studies pg

the student handbook online at the Park Hill South website.

>>ROID RAGE As the United States continues its bid to host the 2018 or 2022 FIFA World Cup, the question of which cities will be host to games still remains. The US bid commission has cut down the list from 30 to 18, including places like Dallas, Denver, Phoenix and our very own Kansas City. With an expected $400 to $600 million in revenue for the city, Mayor Funkhouser was very pleased that Kansas City was selected as a finalist. According to Funkhouser, being a host city for the World Cup would bring to Kansas City a year’s worth of revenue within a month. Kansas City missed out on this opportunity back in 1994, when FIFA decided to cut down the number of host cities from 12 to nine, dropping Kansas City from the list. Fortunately for us, FIFA now

got mlk?

orn on Jan. 15, 1929, Martin Luther King, Jr. made himself known as the leader of the Civil Rights Movement. Using non-violent methods, King won a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end segregation and racial discrimination. America commemorates the life and memory of King on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Falling on every third Monday in January, the holiday has been observed since 1986. To some students, the day simply means time off from school. To others, it means something more. “The day is very important to me and my family. We take the time to think about where we would be without Martin Luther King,” said Andrew Benson, senior. In the week preceding Jan. 18, South halls remained mostly silent about the upcoming holiday. In years past, the African American

KC is a Futbol Town

requires at least 12 playing sites and 18 at most. Not to mention, Kansas City’s newly renovated downtown and stadium gives the area some pep when it comes to being a finalist site. But a question bigger than what cities will they play in still remains, and that’s whether or not the United States will even get to host the World Cup. The last time the U.S. hosted the World Cup was in 1994, when Brazil defeated Italy in the finals, which would prove to set two records. Brazil would win their record fourth straight World Cup (and go on to win a fifth in 1998), and the final match against Italy was the first ever championship match to be decided by penalty shootout in FIFA history. The average attendance for the tournament was 68,991, the highest attendance average in FIFA history. The 1994 World Cup also holds the record for the most overall attendance at 3.6 million. So why does the U.S, a football (not futbol) country, do so well? Believe it or not, this football country does so well because we ARE A FOOTBALL COUNTRY. For us, the World Cup is like that foreign exchange student that comes to South for a year. It’s foreign, you don’t know much about it, and you want to see what it’s like in its full effect. Imagine what would happen if the Super Bowl was held in Thailand or somewhere exotic. They would die with curiosity at what a meaningful football game is like. The NFL has hosted a game in London since 2007, every one of them being a sellout crowd at Wembley Stadium. And those English folk love their soccer just as much, if not more, than we do our football. But history is not on the United States' side. Surprisingly, only one country has ever been a host country twice in FIFA’s history, and that is Mexico of all places. Brazil will become the second team to host twice in 2014. Nonetheless, the U.S. has our backs against the wall when it comes to history. So will the U.S. host either the 2018 or the 2022 World Cup? I think yes. There is just too much money to be made in this recession, and even FIFA realizes that they would make bank if they helped out one of the biggest economic powers in the world. And I also think that Kansas City will be selected as a host city. The city is revived with life, and our very own Arrowhead Stadium can hold 77,000 wild and crazy soccer fans. Contrary to many of our teenage thoughts, there’s nothing that FIFA could hate about Kansas City. —MATT SWIHART

Holiday worth more than just a day off Studies class would create a display case in the front hallway. Due to low enrollment numbers this year, the class was not available and the display case was left empty. In October, South put on an assembly to celebrate Veteran’s Day, and some students, like Ariel Thompson, senior, wondered why Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was not given similar respect. “Like Veterans Day, it’s about someone who died for the better cause of our country, and everyone needs to recognize that,” said Thompson. Kirk Henry and Amanda Brewington, social studies, said they both briefly discussed Martin Luther King Day in class around the time of the holiday. Henry felt that he touches more strongly on the subject during February, Black History Month, and when it arises in the curriculum. Students like Benson said they felt that simply a few posters around school would help raise recognition. Without an African American Studies class this year, recognition remained low. Henry said he would not be surprised if some students were unaware of the reason behind their free Monday.

Either through lack of awareness in the classroom or around the school, MLK Day was just an excuse to sleep in. “To me it’s just a day off, but to [African Americans] it’s a big historical moment,” said Troy Cummins, junior. Most students agreed that trying to force others to appreciate MLK Day goes against the the meaning. Thompson said that she understands people are going to spend the holiday how they want to spend it, but she believes it is important to at least be aware of the cause and what Martin Luther King, Jr. represented. Regardless of an individual’s feelings toward MLK Day, the impact Martin Luther King, Jr. left on America is undeniable. He led the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955, made huge strides in African Americans civil rights, delivered one of the most well-known speeches in American history, “I Have a Dream,” and gave to the students of South a day off pg of school. —STEPHANIE GRIFFITH

Dining

4 Two

` Cedar Get Yo Grub On at Cafe

ften overlooked, the Café Cedar such actions, but when trying the unfamiliar, it is always remains one of the few local eateries nice to have help along the way. in downtown Parkville. Hidden right next to In the end, I settled on the gyro paired with the lentil the post office in an eyesore of soup. The food was quick to arrive. historic architecture, Café Cedar Upon observation, the portions were provides the community with Middle decent. Once realizing I'd purchased Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine the two part meal for under ten dollars, at an affordable price. With the I was quite ecstatic. I was fond of the current economic state, local family lentil soup's seasoning and texture, and businesses have a tendency to tank. after working up the courage to give the It becomes our responsibility to cucumber sauce on the gyro a whirl, I stimulate communal commerce. For enjoyed it also. this reason, I looked to Café Cedar. Myself a non-smoker, I see little value With discouragement resulting in smoking sections in restaurants; from the outward appearance, nevertheless, if one feels compelled to Photo by Alex Edwards one may wrongfully assume that take part in such temptation, they may such establishment would be incapable of smoke at the bar. Luckily, the division of smoking providing cultural experience along with a decent meal; and non-smoking prevents most secondhand smoking. however, based on my experience, the staff will more than So if you're looking for a compensate for Café Cedar's bland physical atmosphere. cultural experience or just a Since I possessed little knowledge of foreign cuisines, welcoming place to smoke, Weekdays my waitress happily aided me in my struggle of ordering a look into the Café Cedar. 1 1a.m.-9 p.m meal up to my liking. Never breaking smile, she assisted —CHRIS BARTH Weekends me in the wearisome task of pronouncing dishes and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. explaining their tastes. One may fail to notice the value of

KEY INFO

Whip It Into Shape

New Diets,

New Decade

2010 brings a new decade, a new class ready to graduate, a new semester and new resolutions. Whether interested in dropping a few pounds, bulking up or testing their Zumba skills, students find themselves out of their everyday routine and into an overcrowded gym, packed parking lots and long lines to get on the treadmill. But while beating the bulge and building their 'guns', gyms have become overrun with new and old members alike. ''The gym becomes way more packed and there's less parking -- I once had to park at City Hall,'' junior Lindsay Ryan, lifeguard at the YMCA in Parkville, said. According to proactivechange. com, only 64 percent resolutions are kept for a month. But at the YMCA, it could take up to two months for new members to clear out, according to Ryan. With lap lanes being taken and no equipment open, some resolutions may not be able to kept. But not every diet

resolution requires a gym. Senior Lacy Radziej has taken on the Special K Challenge. The diet is a two week process, starting her day with any Special K Cereal, 2/3 cup skim milk with fruit, or a protein shake or protein meal bar. The second meal is replaced with more cereal, protein meal bar, protein shake or waffles and ending the day with a normal meal. And instead of giving into the snack bar's temptations of ice cream cups, brownies and fruit roll-ups, fruits and veggies, protein water mixes, crackers, Special K Fruit Crisps, cereal bars and protein snack bars have been listed as an alternative. By the end of it, the results can add up to losing six pounds. ''I wanted to do the Special K diet to lose weight and feel better about myself,'' Radziej said. ''I got the idea from Jenna Disselhoff who lost four pounds doing it.'' Radziej made it 18 days before she slipped up when a friend made ''hickory chicken barbeque, potato baco bit onion thing and a caesar salad. It was way better than cereal,'' Radziej said. Logan Reser is another senior taking on her own kind of challenge: cutting out fast food. Though there

$8-$15 meals

have been temptations, like having her mom bring home mozzarella sticks from Sonic, Reser has pulled throughwith home cooked meals and a lot of turkey sandwiches. ''I wanted to do it to be healthy,'' Reser said. ''Everytime I hang out with my friends we always eat Taco Bell. I was walking up the stairs one day and out of breath; I then realized I needed to get in shape.'' Of course these are not the only diets. Every night on every channel, different diets are being thrown left and right. Jenny Craig with her 20 meals for $20, Taco Bell's Drive Thru Diet where Christine lost 54 pounds, Weight Watchers, South Beach, Isogenics, the list goes on and on. Everywhere you turn, weight loss is being shoved into your mouth. But losing weight and crowding the gyme to get fit is not the only popular resolution. Getting a job, getting fit, manage debt, reducing stress, saving money volunteering have been donned as the most popular resolutions by usa.gov. Regardless of the resolutions, students are making the effort to create a change in their life.—ALI FISHER

Big Ten Looks to Upgrade

>>Mizzou considers joining conference

The University of Missouri, which currently competes in athletics in the Big XII conference, has been in negotiations with the Big Ten committee about possibly joining the conference. Indiana The Big Ten has been looking to expand the conference for sometime Ohio State now. It all started in 1990 when they Iowa added Penn State (giving them 11 Penn State teams) and are now looking to add one Wisconsin more. If they were to add one more Northwetsern school to the conference, they could Michigan St. create a Big Ten championship game. According to committee members, Purdue it takes from 12-18 months to add Minnesota schools to conferences. Illinois Students at South have mixed Michigan opinions about the possibility of Missouri switching conferences. “I think that it would be good for Mizzou because they would play in bigger games but it’d be like being in the company of famous people but not being famous,” said Danny Jones, junior. If Missouri were to join they would be playing tough opponents in the conference such as Ohio State, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and Michigan State and would be giving up rivalries such as Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma that fans like Jones wouldn't want to see leave. “I’d miss the rivalries that are in the Big XII that go back to when they were the Big 8,” said Jones. However, some people wouldn’t mind seeing the “rivalries” go. “I wouldn’t consider Missouri and Kansas big rivals because of the fact that when they play it’s never going to come down to them playing for a championship,” said Brad Peck, social studies. That is normally true, except for the 2007 football

season when Kansas went to the Orange Bowl and Missouri did not, despite MU beating KU in the head-to-head game. Many fans Kansas thought this was unfair to Mizzou. “Missouri is like the red-headed Missouri stepchild that gets peed on and is told Nebraska it’s rain,” said Peck. Kansas St. Harrison White, sophomore, said that Iowa St. he doesn’t want to see Mizzou leave the Colorado Big XII because they are now starting to develop into a team to compete with Texas some of the Big XII powerhouses such Oklahoma St. as Texas and Kansas. Texas Tech Some sports writers strongly Oklahoma criticize the Big Ten on their athletic Texas A&M accomplishments in big time games and though that might have been true Baylor a couple of years ago, this year Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa and Penn State all won their Bowl Games and Michigan State is ranked in the top ten in basketball. Jay Nixon, governor of Missouri, told The Detroit News that his former alma mater should strongly consider the move, saying that, “The Big Ten has some excellent academic programs.” If Missouri were to join the Big Ten, they would get plenty of benefits. Not only does it fit geographically, but the Big Ten would pay also pay the university an estimated $100 million in annual revenue for the athletic department. This is about twice as much as the Big XII is paying them, according to sportingnews.com, thanks to the opportunity to play in more nationally televised games. Whether it is for academic reasons or athletic reasons, Mizzou may be fine just where they are. If they want to join a bigger conference, they could start by being a force to be reckoned with in the Big XII.—DYLAN BERRY

There’s a New Sheriff in Town

n Thursday night, Jan. 14 South officially named Mark Simcox as the next head coach of the Varsity Panthers football team. The administration said they felt fortunate considering the way Litchfield handled his exit. “We were lucky that Litchfield had enough respect for our school and for this program that he told us that he was leaving so early,” said John Sedler, assistant principal. “By him doing this, it allowed us plenty of time for screening and interviews.'' South was able to look for what they wanted, which was not only a good coach, but a good teacher as well. Sedler said the school is fortunate

> Varsity coach hired for South Football

because South is such an attractive place to have a job. “Teachers don’t really leave because of how competitive the salary is,” said Sedler. When in the process of looking for the coach, the administration thought to keep the players’ interest at mind. “We asked a few of this next year’s senior players and asked them what they would want in a coach, and teamed that with what we were looking for to find the right guy,” said Sedler. When Sedler asked Austin Green, junior, if he had a specific vision, he said he wanted someone that could ''establish a winning tradition.'' Simcox has had plenty of

experience. His last job was the head football coach at William Chrisman. Before that, he was a defensive coordinator at Park Hill and a assistant coach a Blue Springs. This variety of coaching experience was one of he reasons that South was so attracted to Simcox. “He has multiple skills because he has been an offensive coordinator and a defensive coordinator,” Sedler said. Sedler said he hopes for more than just a year of good play and that takes a solid coach. ''We aren't looking for a good team, we are looking for a good program,'' said Sedler. —EVAN WHITE

Feb. 10 & 11 Parent/Teacher Conferences Feb. 12 No School Feb. 15 No School: Presidents’ Day

want more of the view? visit phsview.com for updates Tech N9ne at the Beaumont Club 8 p.m.

Westport Chess Club at Westport Flea Market

january

Happy Valentine’s Day!

29 30

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Boys’ Basketball vs. Park Hill at home 7 p.m.

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DREW BERRY

Girls’ Basketball vs. Liberty at home 7 p.m. “Young Frankenstein” opens at the Music Hall

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. Students’ 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.

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