Issue 10

harbinger SHAWNEE MISSION EAST

What’s Inside

the sky still dark and the remaining stars veiled by the chilly clouds, Liz Tschudy was awoken by her mother to get up for school. By 6 a.m., she was heading into her room to finish getting ready. A shout of congratulations came from two hidden STUCO members who had snuck into her room as she showered. Tschudy had been nominated for WPA Queen.

For Mary Sprouse, she still lay in bed when her friend Mimi Blick came and told her the news bright and early. “I thought it was a snow day and that’s why {Blick} was there. When she told me that I had been nominated, I was kind of sad that I still had to go to school. Sad, but complimented that I would be a candidate.”

Following all of the early proclamations, each of the 16 candidates and select STUCO members met for breakfast at a nearby McDonald’s to celebrate. Each candidate had the same aura of excitement, surprise, and gratitude.

“I think it’s very flattering and quite an honor,” said Lindsey Melvin, a candidate for WPA Queen.

For some, like Ben Bliss, the surprise was a bit toned down.

“Some STUCO members had called my dad the night before,” Bliss said.

“He was in the same room as me, so it was kind of funny. I thought I might have been nominated, but still, it was a surprise the next morning when they woke me up.”

Each of the candidates has their own unique style about them and very individual interests. Still, there’s something about them all that has captivated their classmates and helped them stick out.

“Being nominated is a contest between the different sectors at East,” Sprouse said. “It’s the people that stick out in those sectors that are nominated.”

Between all of the candidates, each sector, group, club, and hobby are represented, from drama to diving and from basketball to band.

All of the candidates had the same advice: be as nice and as friendly as you can to everyone. That way, you’ll have their respect.

“To me, the title of WPA Queen is a title of respect. When you’re nice, people generally like you,” Laura Stiles said.

Whether they win or lose, this nomination will be something they’ll remember. For Tina Harris, it will add something fun to her high school career; it will be something that Ben Bliss can tell his children about; Jack Morse will get to ride in a limo and know that people enjoy him as a person; and for Liz Tschudy, it would be an immense honor.

“It wouldn’t be life-changing,” Melvin said. “I’m happy just to be a candidate; that’s good enough for me.”

AMORE MIO [ spirit week ] [ the schedule ] Monday: Pajama Day Tuesday: Lancer Day Wednesday: Decade Day Thursday: Sports Day Friday: Red Hot Day

Friday, Feb. 13: Carnation delivery Sweetheart elections Basketball game 7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 14: WPA dance (8–11:30 p.m.)

Chocolate reviews Online journals

Quest for the

ISSUE 10, FEB. 9, 2004

With

• •

Where to eat lunch

crown

As the rest of East prepares for WPA, a sweet 16 are surprised by their nominations.

by Amanda Allison

NomineesQueen

King

B. J. Adams

Allie Chalfant

Ben Bliss

Tina Harris

“It is a popularity contest [but] it’s just because people vote for who they recognize.”

• Prince Dauntless in Once Upon a Mattress; has been in all main stage productions at East

Andy Mutert

• His twin Ted is also nominated: “It’s pretty cool... It would be sad if only one of us was nominated.”

“No, I don’t think the title would change me. It’s just something to remember and take with me.”

• Coach, freshman girls’ basketball • Thinks being nominated will add “something different”

Brooke Jandl

• SHARE chairperson • Varsity basketball player

Ted Mutert

Lindsey Melvin

Jack Morse

Mary Sprouse

• “It’s better this way” that he and his brother are nominated • SHARE chairperson, Adopt-a-Pet

• His WPA plans: “Try and find clothes that are clean and fit.. Basically sit around and eat food until I dance.”

Bryan Sayler

• Reaction to being nominated: “[I was] surprised and happy... then I was like, ‘What the heck?!’”

George Watson • All-STUCO secretary • Percussionist in band

Sam Weinstein

• GABL basketball player • Sees the voting as a popularity contest “based on the public’s knowledge of you”

“[Being nominated] depends on who takes the time to vote... I don’t think it’s a popularity contest, but it’s certainly an honor.”

• Marching band drum major • Several of her friends are nominated; she “wouldn’t want to do it alone”

Laura Stiles

• WPA plans: Going to Plaza III with friends for dinner • Sees the nomination as a “title of respect”

Liz Tschudy

“I think this year’s senior class did a good job both with homecoming and WPA [nominations]... they were fair.”

Claire Wyatt

• Did she campaign to be nominated?

“I didn’t know you could campaign.”

• Mrs. Zero in The Adding Machine

news 2

Caribbean Crusade Courtney Condron

Bev Timmons’ memories of the Dominican Republic are filled with images, some touching and some horrific. She vividly remembers the burned and infected leg of a young boy she treated two weeks after he stumbled into a fire. She remembers the hoards of children peeking through windows at their makeshift clinics, the beautiful and graceful women and the children who suffered from malnutrition.

Timmons first went to the Dominican 12 years ago with students who wanted to build a hospital. She then decided she wanted to help with health care as well. In the years to follow, she began taking doctors, dentists, and nurses to the Dominican to help the people who greatly suffer from poverty and malnutrition. Now, around 16 medical teams go to the Dominican each year. Timmons leads a group once a year and students go to help over Spring Break.

Senior Maggie Higgins went on one of the trips organized by Timmons with her father in sixth grade. She helped him with his medical clinics, played with the kids and gave them medicine.

“When we first arrived at the battayes [villages] I was surprised that the people

Dominican Drive contributes to efforts of improving health care, living conditions

lived in shacks and the kids were all barefoot, yet the people were so happy and content,” Higgins said.

As the groups arrive, the villagers line up to watch, and the kids swarm them, seeing what they have brought.

“Everyone was very intrigued by us and had a lot of curiosity, but they were also very grateful,” Higgins said.

The groups stay in a dormitory in the city, where they have running water (which is unsafe to drink), cots, an indoor bathroom, and one shower. These conditions are luxurious compared to La Romana, the village to which they travel to help.

“The people are very receptive and welcoming to us. At first they seemed in awe that these white people were coming to help them, but now they are used to us coming there,” Timmons said.

The villagers live in shanties with dirt floors, no running water, roofs made of cardboard or tin, and they have to cook over an open fire. The village is surrounded by sugar cane fields, which is the primary crop of the Dominican. Women are not allowed to work, and men bring in very little money from the fields. Most of the families suffer greatly from poverty and only eat one meal a day.

“Most of the people have orange hair, pot bellies, and small legs, which are all signs of malnutrition,” Timmons said.

Timmons and the students come into these villages and take each person’s blood pressure, weigh them, and pass out bags full of items donated by SM East students.

“The biggest mistake I made there was bringing a bag of candy,” Higgins said, “The kids all went berserk and charged at me and basically trampled me for it.”

Higgins helped treat each child for worms.

The children take the worm medicine every three months, because they become reinfected by the dirt. They are also treated by dentists. However, there is nothing they can do about their rotten teeth, so the volunteers simply sit them down, give them Novocain, and pull the teeth out.

Conditions at the battayes are beginning to improve as a result of the work that the groups do.

“I’m glad that I had the chance to get a view of a third world country,” Higgins said, “That’s something a lot of people aren’t able to experience, and I think it’s good to have experience in a different culture.”

The Dominicans aren’t the only people being changed by these trips. Timmons brought back many lessons with her.

THE HARBINGER

Dominican Republic La Romana: the village the groups visit

Project Dominicana What to bring: Toothbrushes and toothpaste Crayons (new or used) Vitamins Soap, shampoo, lotion (trial size) Used tennis balls When to bring them: Bring items to first hour classes during spirit week, Feb. 9-13.

What to win: The class that brings the most items will receive a breakfast party.

“It’s amazing how this simple visit can make your heart swell with joy and feel deep sadness at the same time,” Timmons said, “I’m just glad that we can go there and do some good, relieve some of their discomfort, make friends, and offer hope to them. In the long run all will be well.”

3 news

THE HARBINGER

WHY IS THE LION DANCING? See page 12!

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editorial 4

THE HARBINGER

Staff

No teacher should be ��������� editorial left behind, either

During President Bush’s State of the Union address, many issues were covered, one of which he has called “the cornerstone of his administration,” The No Child Left Behind Act. While Bush’s commitment to improving public education is admirable, the part that he’s missing is that it’s the teachers that shouldn’t be left behind.

Although a small portion of the plan is concerned with improving conditions for teachers, most everything else in the plan contradicts the improvement by putting more pressure on the teachers to teach more students in areas they may not be qualified to teach. In a recent study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics’ Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), it was found that a significant number of teachers in schools across America are either untrained in the subjects they are teaching, or just unqualified to be teaching altogether. In a better education improvement plan, funds would be made available for the education of teachers, so rare would be the time when a student is falling behind on account of the teacher being unfamiliar with the content.

Perhaps one of the reasons so many teachers are unqualified to teach, or are teaching in areas outside of their training, is that teaching is just plain not the desirable profession it once was.

In these hard economic times, money is

the bottom line, and the bottom line is that teachers just don’t make enough of it. In a recent study conducted by the American Federation of Teachers, it has been found that the increase in teacher salaries over the past two years is the lowest it has been in over 40 years. Along with that, the same study also found that the average starting salary for a beginning teacher has also gone down, creating more and more reasons for people who would want to be teachers to consider not doing so. Raising the minimum salary for teachers would do nothing but help the education of our students by providing them with teacher that are truly happy with what they do, which, more often than not, translates into good teaching.

Lastly, one of the most harmful aspects to teachers in the No Child Left Behind act is the section that allows parents to transfer their students to different schools with more resources if they are not satisfied with the conditions at their current facility.

While, in theory, this sounds like a good idea, what the No Child Left Behind Act once again ignores is the stance of the teachers, in this case, the ones teaching at the school with more resources. Now, these teachers who could formerly teach in a comfortable class size are being forced to teach to expanded classes, to new students that may not be familiar with the procedures at the

new school, and who also may be truly behind the curriculum being taught.

This, once again, puts more pressure on the teachers, and keeps them from performing to the best of their ability, which in the end, results in poorer student performance.

Time and time again, the No Child Left Behind Act has shown to be false, contradictory, and a scar upon the educational system of the United States.

It completely ignores the importance of teachers in the educational system, and ends up harming the students’ progress for that same reason. Until the US Government repeals this act, the teachers will remain unable to perform to the best of their ability, and millions of students will end up being harmed by the act that so many times has claimed to help them.

Editorial Board Vote

10 Votes Against: 0 Votes For:

There are eleven members on • the Editorial Board. For this issue, zero members abstained and one member was not present.

Editorial cartoon

Annie Harrigan

In this time of political soundbites and international turmoil, we turn to Punxsutawney Phil for a lighthearted perspective...

Alex Abnos Dianne Smith Libby Nelson Annie Harrigan Lindsey Melvin

Editor-in-Chief Assistant Editors

Art and Design Editor Head Copy Editor

Stephen McKim Copy Editors Corban Goble Carson Black Tierney Weed Stephen McKim Holly Garringer Courtney Condron Annie Furhman Barrett Emke Gordon Culver Amanda Allison

Photo Editor Editorial Section Editor Opinion Section Editor News Section Editor Features Section Editor A&E Section Editor Sports Section Editor Special Section Editor

Joanna Cross Ads/Business Manager Bryan Dykman Asst. Ads/Business Manager Pat Menihan Subscription Manager Stacey Golub Peter Goehausen Curtis Shank Evan Favreau Ian McFarland Cynthia Goldman Mallory Toombs Tierney Weed Ellie Weed

News Page Editor Sports Page Editors A&E Page Editors Features Page Editors Photo Essay Editor Op/Ed Page Editor

Sarah McElhaney Staff Artists Cynthia Goldman Jessie Fetterling Staff Photographers Nicole Oswald Joanna Cross Kevin Grunwald Pat Menihan Jessie Fetterling Staff Writers Ross Boomer Andy Logan Pat Ryan Patrick Haverty Michael Woodsmall Dow Tate Adviser

I’M GOIN’ FOR DEAN.

THE HARBINGER

Snow Play

Weathermen need to think before predicting Starting off preschool, I was brainwashed to believe that school is one of the coolest places on Earth.

The first months of school lived up to my ex p e c t at i o n s until… I told my best friend that I had killed a monster earlier that day with my six round cap-gun.

When the teacher disciplined me, I realized right then and there that this “school” thing would be one of the horrors of the Earth.

As the next grades came and went I began to grow very bored and irritated by school.

Then it came. The four-letter word that will cheer up any school kid: “SNOW.” My first snow day was one of the fondest days of my life. Kristen, my older sister, built us the sweetest snow fort I had ever seen.

That is when I realized that the best part of school is not having it.

Over the years as school has become harder and more boring nothing puts a smile on my face more than when the word snow pops up in the forecast. Snow days are absolutely the best present you can give a kid.

A couple weekends ago the forecasters in Kansas made me smile more than ever when they told us that we would have 12 to 16 inches of snow in the metro. Phrases such as “the biggest snowstorm in ten years” rolled off their lips. Wow, were we Lancers and kids in the city more excited than ever or what?!

Everyone assumed that school would not be back in session until the following Tuesday or Wednesday. Even the teachers were getting

Peter Goehausen

In my own words

into the spirit guaranteeing no school on Monday.

As Friday passed, the Lancers were watching the sky above. A supposed huge snowstorm was moving into the area-- how great would that be?! Saturday came and went: no snow, just cold weather. Sunday, the day of snow, was finally here. Time to get bombarded with the white powder. We saw some rain early morning and then nothing for the rest day. Then the unimaginable happened. We were sentenced to something unbearable: a week of school with no snow days.

Did the men who call themselves meteorologists really just predict 16 inches of snow? We didn’t get a single inch! Yes, apparently they did. The meteorologists came on their respective stations and made up multiple excuses for their awful predictions. Fellows, you cannot do this to us and think that saying sorry is enough. It is for you that I didn’t do any homework resulting in all my grades going down the drain. Thank you Gary Lezak--great prediction. This is a prediction that actually means something, unlike my Super Bowl predictions. Millions of people listen and rely on them.

No, this is not the first time they have let me and my fellow students down. It seems as if every time they predict snow we have a light dusting. When they predict a light dusting, like December 13, we receive as much as five inches of snow. Yes, they may have saved lives last spring when the tornadoes came, but you killed the soul of thousands of teens two weekends ago.

Letters to the editor I can understand why Curtis Shank is mad at KU basketball. There’s Aaron Miles’ last minute, fading-twistinghanging-turning three that sunk Shank’s Tigers last year in Columbia.

There’s the fact that KU has beaten MU four of the last five times the teams have played. Then there are those two consecutive Final Fours that KU has played in. So believe me, I understand.

But despite the chip on Shank’s shoulder, I feel I need to dispel some of the inaccuracies in his article.

Shank calls into question the toughness of KU’s schedule, forgetting that Missouri’s schedule is about as impressive as the one on my GABL team will play this winter. Oakland, UNC Greensboro, Coppin State and Belmont are among the contenders

that MU has played. And the statement made about KU not “playing anyone remotely associated with the word ‘good’ until they host Missouri” is ironic considering that the Jayhawks’ lone home loss cam against Richmond, a team with a higher RPI rating than the vaunted Tigers. And this might be going out on a limb, but I think Stanford, at 16-0 and just 18 votes shy of the country’s no. 1 ranking could be labeled “good.”

Shank also tries to validate Missouri’s shortcomings by pointing out that Nevada, “a team that has lost to such powerhouses as UTEP and the University of the Pacific,” beat KU. But in a loss more nauseating than Saved By the Bell: The New Class, Belmont, a team that has lost to such powerhouses as Mercer, Central Florida, and Troy

State, beat MU. And as for the Jayhawks blowing out MU “less often than [there is] a snowball in Los Angeles.” Well, the Tigers lost by 32 in Lawrence two years ago, one of four consecutive Kansas wins during a two year unbeaten streak against MU, strange considering “Missouri always beats Kansas at least once a year.”

Also questioned in the article were Michael Lee’s 3-point shooting and Jeff Graves’ toughness. Lee shot 50 percent from downtown in 02-03. And at 6’9, 275 pounds, Jeff Graves, with cornrows on head, tattoos on arms and smirk on face, looks more like a prison inmate than the “third grade girl in a bunny suit” that Shank claims he is.

So I see where you’re coming from, Shank. Sports can be frustrating. I can see myself getting a little upset if KU once again falls short in the NCAA tourney this year. And you, undoubtedly, will be frustrated if MU doesn’t take home the NIT crown.

Thank You, David Vranicar

5 opinion

SNOW!

art by Annie Harrigan

Agree?

Disagree?

The Harbinger welcomes reader letters Send them to Alex Abnos, Editor-in-Chief, in Room 521 or e-mail them to us at smeharbie@hotmail.com Letters must be signed and may be edited for length and clarity.

Please provide any contact information with your letter.

Publishing of letters is up for the editor’s discretion.

opinion

6

THE HARBINGER

Holly Garringer In my own words

C

ell phones are taking over the universe. At first it was such good idea.

Think about it: you have a pocket size invention that can communicate with anyone in the world at any time. (Well, sort of). If you get stranded in your car, you can call AAA. If you have an emergency, you can call family members or a

doctor. If you see a really funny drunk guy stumbling over the sidewalk, you can take his picture.

What a time to be alive.

I do see the benefits of cell phones, but their purpose is starting to get so abused. I don’t know if this is a thing that happens in the boys’ bathrooms, but the stalls of girls’ bathrooms are becoming quite chatty. Here is a frequent conversation heard in the ladies restrooms, spoken in a shouting whisper: “Hey! It’s me. No, I’m on a cell phone. I can’t talk any louder, I’m in the bathroom at school! I know it’s smart!

Listen, after school let’s go to my house and chill. I said chill! Ok, bye!”

I understand that this is a very pertinent conversation.

I understand that there is no way this could possibly wait until after school. Or lunch. Or during a passing period.

I also love the kids that forget to turn their phone off, and then in the middle of class, suddenly remember. Very slyly, they pull their phone out of their pocket. Slowly they look around to see if the teacher is paying attention, then they put the phone really close to their chest and wait.

Usually they wait until there is some kind of noise,( i.e. laughter, coughing, etc.) to muffle the sound of the off beep.

But it’s not just at school--people just don’t have any cell phone etiquette at all. Have you ever been with friends in the car when all of a sudden a beeping rendition of the Mexican Hat Dance starts blaring above the already deafening music? Your friend answers the phone, making sure to scream into the speaker.

“Hello! Not much, hanging out with Holly! Holly Garringer! Garringer! Holly Garringer! Yeah, she has short brown hair! You don’t? Hahaha! I know what you mean!

So what’s been going on since I talked to you 20 minutes

ago…”

Now, I’m not a selfish person. OK, I am just a teeny bit selfish, but it is so annoying to listen to someone talk to someone else for 10 minutes, not knowing about anything they are talking about. If you are with a group of people or even just one person, and another person calls, “just to chat,” tell them that you will have to call them back later.

Don’t make everyone listen to your banter about who’s the hottest guy in your 6th hour.

But perhaps the biggest problems among cell phone users, young and old, is the absolute inability to turn the darn thing off.

About a month ago, my sister and I were at the movies.

About half way through, her cell phone rings. Now, it doesn’t just vibrate, or softly beep, it plays, quite loudly, the entire song “Hey Ya!” by Outkast. I glared at her trying to send her the mind signal, “turn it off.” She grabbed her phone out of her pocket. I was relieved; she was going to turn it off. But

?

What the

CELL Everyone needs to learn cell phone etiquette

no, she was going to have a conversation.

She spoke loudly to the person on the other end of the line. Of course, she had to shout, because the sound of the movie made it hard for her to hear.

“Hey! I’m in a movie!

I said the movies!

The movies! I don’t know,

Kids in the Hall . well...

nk..

I thi

cool! OK, well my sister is giving me a mean look. Yeah, I know! Call me later!”

I was devastated. My sister was doing the one thing I absolutely could not stand about cell phone users. It wasn’t so much that she left it on going into the theater.

I can understand forgetting. It happens to all of us. But she heard the phone, answered it, and talked, loudly, for at least a minute or two. People, if you are the unfortunate soul who forgets to turn your phone off, I think the glares you get from the patrons of the theater should be enough to get you to turn off your phone. But whatever you do, don’t answer and have a conversation. If you are waiting for some important news, at least walk out to the lobby to talk.

Finally, let’s talk about dependence. Have you ever been with someone who either doesn’t have their cell phone on them or has broken their phone? Apparently, without a cell phone, no one has any friends. Everyone knows that if people can’t call you at the drop of a hat you are obviously a loser.

And heaven forbid that you just don’t have a phone at all. Without a cell phone, people can never call you to tell you about everything that is going on in this

something stupid. What are you doing? Cool! I said

workaday world.

If this is your case, you are as deprived as starving children in Ethiopia. Hopefully, one day your parents will understand how unfortunately and unfairly you have been treated.

So while I know that cell phones serve a purpose, and I know that we can’t wipe them off the face of the earth completely, I hope that people can learn to have some manners. And the next time you see an alien crossing the street, make sure you take his snapshot with your picture phone. art by Annie Harrigan

How do you celebrate snow days?

I guess I’d say...

uh...

Freshman Sam Speer

“ My friends and I go bowling all day long.”

Sophomore

Junior

Senior

Chelsey Barrett

Alfie Breitenstein

Carrie Yeast

“ I sleep as late as possible, then hang out and relax.”

“ I sleep in and then go to the movies.”

“ I go sledding and drink lots of hot cocoa.”

KUN

Black belt Fran Horvath kicks her way to self-defense

!

OW

7 features

G P

Jessie Fetterling You would never know it because she would never tell you, but softspoken senior Fran Horvath is a black belt in Tae Kwan Do. In between musical rehearsals, choir, and church, Fran still finds time to work on her kickboxing and other skills that she learned from Tae Kwon Do. “I feel like I’m bragging if I talk to people about it,” Fran said, “If anyone ever finds out, they’re always like ‘Oh my gosh, I never would have thought.’”

When she was six, she started Tae Kwon Do with her brothers and dad at the Lawrence Tae Kwon Do Academy. Her dad, Paul Horvath, made the whole family take lessons. He thought it was helpful in teaching them discipline because in Tae Kwon Do you have to always answer the teacher with “Yes, sir” or “No, sir.”

“It was a family thing, something that we could all do together,” Fran said, “None of us liked it, but now I’m grateful for it

because it’s a good form of exercise, and I like the fact that I now know self- defense.”

Her dad wanted them all to learn how to defend themselves, especially Fran, since she was the only girl out of five children.

“My brothers and I would always fight for fun,” Fran said, “But I was bigger than my older brother for a long time, so I could hold my own.”

From ages 8-13, Fran competed in state championships with her family, and they often all won first place. Just because Fran was a girl didn’t stop her from beating the other boys in her age group.

“We would pick our partners that we had to fight and then get eliminated by who lost. The boys would always pick me because they thought I’d be an easy fight, but they were wrong,” Fran said.

After seven years, they moved to New Jersey. Since their dad had gotten a black belt in instructing, he became their instructor. Fran would work three or four

times a week, for two hours at a time, going through 11 different levels (colors) of belts, and when she was 13, she finally got to the highest color: a black belt.

However, Fran isn’t planning on using her techniques on anyone, although she can break boards of wood with her hands and feet and even knows different techniques that could actually kill someone instantly, one being a Palm Strike to the nose.

“It’s not like I’m a killing machine though, it’s just an art,” Fran admits.

After getting her black belt, Fran THE ONE TO BEAT: Black belt Fran decided to stop Tae Kwon Do and start Horvath still practices her skills up kick boxing because it’s “better for playful giggle shows that the strength and learning actual street fighting.” She found a kickboxing class when she moved wisdom that she has built up will never be back to Kansas City that she now takes used for anything but self-defense. Well, at the YMCA, and when she isn’t taking a maybe not.

Fran jokingly confesses, “I’m glad class, she works out at home.

For Fran though, her innocence and I’ve learned it because I can use it on my brothers.”

photo courtesy of Fran Horvath

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focus

8

THE HARBINGER

When to comes to lunch seniors have many choic We help them find the be Corinth Square

Address

Arby’s

Subway

4100 W. 83 St.

8276 Mission Rd.

Hen House

Panera

4050 w. 83 St.

8300 Mission Rd.

Good choice. On Tuesdays, It is pretty one sided. They do S The deli section offers top This yuppy however, tons flock to the notch sandwhiches, rivaling those eatery is at the top of the fast food Summary offer Market Freshsandwhiches, which are a healhy alternative Corinth location for 1/2 off subs. of Goodcents and Subway. hierarachy. If you are willing to lay bi The system is a little slow though.Overall, it’s pretty good The chines offered though doese down big bucks, you’ll be treated to but it ensures that your if you crave roast beef but leave a little to be desired. some of the best food in town. sto sandwhich is fresh. comes with a high cost.

Speed 3 3 2 2 3

4

5

3

2

4

4

1

Health

4

4

5

5

Overall

3

3.5

4.25

2.75

Selection

art by Sara McElhaney

Value

With the massive health rise in America, fast food resturants are trying to keep up.

We asked seniors what they thought about the trend.

“I think it’s funny that they have healthy food. Way to bring in business since the health boom concerning fat and cholesterol.”

Janice Fung

What Seni

• Nine out of ten senior day.

“I don’t think people go to f ast food places to eat healthy. Fast food institutions are put in place for the lunch class-students.”

David Reeder “Salad bars reall gross me out. The dressings are pretty bad as well.”

Annie Rotenverd

photos by Nicole Oswald

• Six out of ten seniors a week.

• Seven out of ten senio

9 focus

THE HARBINGER

What do they really think?

We feel that this is a little extra for the seniors. They deserve a perk.

Our favorite restaurants’ opinions about students eating in their facilities “Students aren’t that bad anymore. It’s like a rush serving all of you that come in.”

Panera

--Dr. Angelo Cocolis, Principal

h, ces. est.

“When you come in, show respect for people. We’ll show the same respect.”

Wyandotte BBQ “Just be considerate to the people helping you with your food. We’ll try and be as helpful as possible.”

Mr. Goodcents

75th and Metcalf

Prairie Village Mr. Goodcents

Einstein Bros.

Metcalf

PV Shopping Center

3939 w. 69 Terr.

It’s a hike for lunch due to its location. Service is fast and the food is good. Not much else besides BBQ though.

Overall, pretty greasy, but cheap. There are healthy alternatives but they don’t exactly specialize in that field. Quick service makes it a good choice.

This shop is renowned for its fluffy bread and fresh ingredients. Its modest pricing and great taste attcract quite a crowd at lunch though, so make sure you come early.

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KFC

Burger King

7006 w. 75 St.

1340 Metcalf

7215 w. 75 St.

Great American fast food.

The home of the grilled whopper, great fries, and tacos. That’s right. They have great selection but it’s not quite as cheap though.

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Six dollars is enough for greasy chicken, a bad iscuit, and slimy coleslaw.

After 10 minutes, your omach will recoil in terror.

Eater beware!

Wyandotte BBQ

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McDonald’s

iors Have to Say

rs at East say they spend under $5 for lunch each

The Restuarant Reviewers Corban Goble

at East leave campus for lunch three days a

ors at East say that open lunch is very important

Carson Black Pat Ryan

Similar to Panera in selection and just as expensive. The lines tend to be longer due to a slow system, so make sure to give yourself time to eat. Go with at least $6 to eat.

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Address:

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http://www.xanga.com

Weblogged

Teens intrigued by online journals Cay Fogel

“Sometimes it is pointless, and people say mean and hurtful things,but sometimes it is just a good place to get aggression out, and feel like someone is listening.” -Haley Kaufman

“It’s just a waste of time. You could be doing so much more.” -William Zyck photos by Tierney Weed

A world of blinding colors, mind-warping shapes, strange creatures, second identities, secrets and codes and intimate interviews—it’s a place most teenagers visit daily. They sit down at their computers, type in the web address preceded with “www.xanga.com.” and they’re off. Xanga’s web logs, live journals and other personal web sites have become a huge fad so huge, it’s a culture.

A Xanga is something similar to a diary, except that it’s on the Internet. It’s not personal, and just about anybody can read it at their pleasure. It’s covered with designs and pictures of the owner’s choosing, including a huge statement at the top of the page, usually quoting a movie or a song, sometimes stating a random word or inside joke. People also have the opportunity to leave a comment for each journal-type entry along with the choice of leaving the Xanga’s owner something called “e-props” which are a kind of cyber thumbs up.

Some people take this free resource as a casual way to have fun, by putting up pictures of emus where the Xanga owner’s picture is meant to be in the profile section, or using their journal entries to write down song lyrics. They update their journals every once in a while, every other week, and get a few comments here or there.

On the other side of the spectrum, there are the extreme Xanga owners, people who use their sites to communicate, stay connected, keep others updated on their lives, and vent their disappointments. Sophomore Lydia Gibson is proud to be a part of this category.

“I bought the premium,” Gibson said proudly, referring to the upgraded version of Xanga that you have to pay for and allows you more technological options. “And god help me, I’m about to renew it.”

Gibson said that Xanga is an outlet for her. She uses graphic designs, changing her Xanga, www.xanga.com/ ravenous, whenever it strikes her fancy. It’s currently in a Valentine’s Day theme, with pink and red hearts adorning it.

Nanny Needed 3:10-6 p.m. Monday-Wednesday Jan. 26-May 31 To watch our fun 11 year old daughter.

Must be reliable, must have own transportation and references.

Please Call Connie 913-383-2211

There’s no knowing when she’ll chose to change it, which she admits can take up to a full day for a complete makeover.

“It’s a way to get out my html needs,” Gibson said. She spends 7-8 hours on it a week, and much more, of course, when she chooses to revamp. “What’s wrong with being connected?” she asks.

But there are people who disagree. Sophomore Haley Kaufman, another Xanga user, is in between on the issue.

“Sometimes it is pointless, and people say mean and hurtful things,” Kaufman said, “but sometimes it is just a good place to get aggression out, and feel like someone is listening.”

Sophomore Brain Speise thinks that Xangas are only a way to publicly complain, and have no redeeming qualitites.

“It’s just a fad right now,” Speise said, “And people don’t really seem to care about each others entries. They just leave a comment so that they’ll get comments back.”

Sophomore William Zyck agrees with Speise.

“It’s just a waste of time,” Zyck said, “You could be doing so much more.”

But Gibson disagrees. She says that some of the great things about Xangas and Blogs are that some people do use it to take a look at the big picture.

“When you look down someone’s website and see 60 or 70 comments on one entry about politics, it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy.

It makes you feel like people are really connecting.”

Gibson said.

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Album Review

Out of da Corner photo by Dean Chalkley

19-year-old rapper grabs world’s attention, UK’s Mercury Music Prize

JUST A RASCAL: MC Dizzee Rascal, AKA Dylan Mills Boy in Da Corner Track List 1. Sittinʼ Here 9. Round We Go 10. Jusʼ a Rascal 2. Stop Dat 3. I Luv U 11. Wot U On? 4. Brand New Day 12. Jezebel 13. Seems 2 Be 5. 2 Far 6. Fix Up, Look Sharp 14. Live O 15. Do It! 7. Cut ʻEm Off 8,. Hold Ya Moufʼ

Barrett Emke Now that Jay-Z has retired and Outkast seems to have reached an impossible-to-top apex with 2003’s Speakerboxxx /The Love Below, it’s hard to imagine what else might lie in store for American hip-hop.

Newcomers such as Obie Trice and 50 Cent are merely tired shticks in fresh form, while the most innovative records are being cut by those already familiar with the game like Missy Elliott and Timbaland.

But who cares what’s coming from the States when the latest rhymes are flying off the lips of East London native Dizzee Rascal, whose beats are as sharp as his English accent. This 19-year-old MC took the UK’s coveted Mercury Music Prize (over Radiohead and Coldplay) in September, and his full-length debut, Boy in Da Corner, was released just last summer on European label XL Recordings.

And since its U.S. street date of Jan. 20 via Matador Records, Dizzee’s album is invading America.

Boy in Da Corner moves on danceable drumbeats, fuzzed-out bass and prying, self-reflective lyrics, addressing the likes of teenage pregnancy, gang violence and East London street life.

“Sittin’ Here” starts off the record with a sinister melody and stuttering beat over police sirens and gunshots, with Dizzee constantly relating, “It was only yesterday…It’s the same old story,” disenchanted and dissatisfied with the changes he sees in the world as life progresses.

A biting rhyme-off between boy and girl, “I Luv You” plays as a relentless love-gone-wrong anthem,

with Dizzee lamenting, “She keep ringing me at home/ These days I don’t answer my phone,” to which the girl replies, “He keep following me here/ Keep following me there/ These days I can’t go nowhere.” The atypical, machine-like percussion and spitfire retorts of the two singers make for an instantly intriguing and pleasing track.

“Brand New Day” finds Dizzee looking towards the future, wondering, “When we ain’t kids no more/ Will it still be about what it is right now?” over addictively melodic bleeps and a simple snare and bass drum beat. His vulnerabilities are made apparent as he critically examines his own life, proclaiming, “It’s a brand new day/ New opportunities/ What can I say?”

The current single, “Fix Up, Look Sharp,” rides on simple, thumping drums with Dizzee’s thickly accented snarling backed up by simultaneous, joyous shouts of “Woo!” At once catchy and danceable, this song stands out as one of the album’s best tracks.

Bringing the album to a close, “Do It!” reveals Dizzee at his most cynical and disillusioned state as he spouts off lines like “Sometimes I wake up wishing I could sleep for good/ And if I had the guts to end it all believe I would.” Struggling in the throes of the modern world, he painfully addresses the hardships he and others go through but ultimately seems to end the song on a more positive note, saying, “You can do anything.”

With Boy in Da Corner, Dizzee Rascal avoids all the pompous, empty clichés of commercial hip-hop and succeeds in producing a truly artistic and meaningful album. There’s something greatly reassuring about a man in the music business declaring, “MCs best start chatting about what’s really happening.”

Grateful Dead in Winterland DVD does justice to band’s 1978 show at legendary San Francisco venue Michael Woodsmall The Grateful Dead was the beginning of the revolution of universal acceptance in the United States and the world. The Closing of Winterland: December 31, 1978 is the spectacular show that represents the summary of two decades of the realization of society and the opening of eyes all over the world.

There was no better way to end the psychadelic era. A venue that defined the 60’s and the 70’s, the fabled Winterland had aged beautifully from an ice-skating rink into a rock mecca in San Francisco.

It was a result of tremendous work by promoter Bill Graham. It was time to hang up the hat and make way for the larger, corporate venues that would headline comfort and convenience, not ambience and alternation that had captured the essence of music for two decades.

But not before one last show from the house band.

The Grateful Dead had the honor of the last show, their fifty-ninth performance.

Opening with “Sugar Magnolia,” the band was on

tune as they collaged the six instruments into a beautiful collaboration. Lead guitarist Jerry Garcia’s guitar solos steered the band off shore as he let loose in his mild mannered way. Feet relatively still and his mind wandering into darkness, his guitar strings sang.

Rhythm guitarist Bob Weir and drummer Bill Kreutzmann’s management could not repress the aspirations of the band to follow Garcia into musical chaos. Soon five musicians were heading in five different directions. The band would return back to shore through the guidance of bassist Phil Lesh’s rhythmic bass.

Improving through “Playing in the Band” and “Not Fade Away,” the band seemed lost in a flood of instruments, but found their way out as all six musicians rode together for “Fire on the Mountain.”

The show would not be what it is without the absurd alterations of classical rock. The band sailed through stellar versions of their original “Scarlet Begonia,” “Friend of a Devil,” “Terrapin Station” and “Dark Star.” Experimenting with the south, the rhythm and blues “It’s All Over Now” is outlined in twangy

style.

Their six man revolution was joined by musicians such as the Blues Brothers’ John Belushi and Dan Akroyd, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, War’s Lee Oskar, and Quicksilver Messenger Service’s John Cipollina.

The two-disc set is more than the original San Francisco public TV broadcast. The extras include a documentary of the legendary venue itself and of the show’s ins and outs. Clumsy interviews with the Dead, Graham and beat writer Ken Kesey shine a light on the influential Beat Generation.

Watching the legendary show, I never tuned out.

The music itself was unbelievable even among Dead standards. Garcia’s solos never grew tiring and synthesizer Mickey Hart’s collaborations were among his best. The show had me playing it over and over as I relaxed with my friends, and the extras were intriguing as my knowledge of the Beat Generation andits influence expanded.

Comparing highly to the Dead’s View from the Vault DVD series, this is a collector’s item for anyone with a respect for music and the era that defines the theory that holds it together.

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THE HARBINGER

Less than

‘Perfect’ ‘The Perfect Score’ is almost as fun as taking the SATs

CHEAT SHEET: Scarlett Johansson, Leonardo Nam and Chris Evans discover the answers to the SATs in ‘The Perfect Score’

Ian McFarland If your idea of fun is a story butchered by pointless teen angst totally unrelated to the actual story, then by all means run to the theatre and see The Perfect Score. Otherwise, this movie will just be a waste of 93 valuable minutes High school senior Kyle (Chris Evans) conspires with best buddy Matty (Bryan Greenberg) to break into the office containing the answers Movie to the SATs, with help from Francesca (Scarlett Johansson) who’s father works for ETS, the company that writes the SAT. Along the way, the ambitious trio gets suckered into letting a star athlete, a stoner and the second smartest person in the class be a part of the scheme. In complete honesty, the plot looked promising and I even looked forward to seeing it, but everything that this

movie could have been isn’t in this dull movie. The movie would have been greatly improved with better characters but the current ones are as bland as the videos you see on TRL. Think about it, both the videos and students are preppy except for the punk, who’s the only one with any thoughts on life.

None of the characters are interesting, with the possible exception of Francesca, who in the script must have been a boring “rebel without a cause” out to get the world until two-time Golden Globe nominee Johansson took the character and injected it with believability that the other characters lack. Other cast members, such as Darius Miles, a professional basketball player turned actor, have pathetic ranges in emotions. He can’t manage to get his voice out of a bored tone, even when they’re about to be caught by the cops.

And in this comedy the only one character who actually makes you laugh is a stoner. It’s not that stoners aren’t funny, but it’s getting a bit old– and too easy– to mock a stoner.

The real killer is the ending. This public service announcement of an ending feels like a slap in the face. The audience deserves to have an ending that would actually have something to do Review with earlier parts of the story. The ending feels out of place, it may have been more comfortable in a Land Before Time movie.

As the movie ends, a flying montage of pencils, desks and test packets fly in the background as the credits roll. One test packet opens up and “This sucks” is written by an invisible hand on the inside of the packet. How fitting.

‘Bounce’ falls flat ‘The Big Bounce’ is a waste of time Evan Favreau At least the preview for Starsky & Hutch looked good, because the following film was utterly worthless.

It takes a film like The Big Bounce to realize how important a script is. Even if you have a cast with Owen Wilson, Morgan Freeman and some Movie girl in a swimsuit who can’t act, you want a good script. You need a good script. And while this film does have some sort of story and dialogue, it’s a very very bad one.

Let me try to explain the plot to you. I’m pretty sure I know what it is, though they got off track so much it’s hard to tell. Some guy (Owen Wilson) is hired by some judge (Morgan Freeman) and this guy falls for this girl (Sarah Foster), who proceeds to fall in love with the guy when he breaks into her boyfriend’s house. Then other stuff happens, mainly involving stealing some money. The theft involves other characters that don’t belong in the movie.

All of this leads to an ending that is so obviously tacked on without thought. One character that was important in the ‘surprise’ ending was introduced right before it, just because the filmmakers

realized they needed her for the plot to make any sort of sense.

The acting isn’t necessarily bad. The cast just doesn’t have anything good to work with.

Still, actors should read a script before agreeing to do the film. It’s easy to see they didn’t read this awful screenplay before filming. Some people involved in the film should be more embarrassed than the others, namely Gary Sinese and Review Willie Nelson.

Sinese is in the movie for two seconds, and Willie Nelson, whose part is totally pointless, is in it for about one second. They don’t even play it as a cameo, more as a role of someone who is supposed to influence the film.

The problem is that he doesn’t.

There are select few good things in the film. Owen Wilson is an enjoyable actor, but not in this movies. They played songs by Jet during it, trying to give us good music in order to forget the crappy original music. And the Hawaiian scenery looks beautiful, though someone should be fined for excessive use of surfing shots.

In normal circumstances now I would tell you the final pros and cons of this movie.

But this film makes that easy: Don’t see this movie. Ever.

Maybe you should see Return of the King for the fifth time instead.

THE HARBINGER

Forthe

As Valentine’s Day grows near, four chocolatiers show off their flavor, fashion and affordability

of LOVEchocolate

Ross Boomer & Cynthia Goldman

Chocolate Shop

Andre’s Confiserie Suisse

5018 Main Street Kansas City, MO 64112

Annedore’s Fine Chocolates, Ltd.

106 East 43rd Street Kansas City, MO 64111

Laura Little’s Candy Kitchen 2011 W. 75th Street Shawnee Mission, KS 66208

Russell Stover

Available in most area grocery stores

Appearance

Chocolates

These Swiss chocolates will melt in your mouth, but brace yourself: the pink chocolates will give your tongue a sweet and sour kick with tangy raspberry powder. Rum chocolates will strike you with their rich, complex flavor that will keep you on your toes.

Their creative shapes and Each piece was smooth with impressive glimmer were a soft, velvety texture. The tantalizing to the eyes. These signature Imperial Truffle had chocolates didn’t a dark chocolate shell with need a cutesy, a chocolate cream center: heart-shaped not too gooey but not too box to strut thick. The fruit-filled truffles their stuff. exploded with genuine flavor.

The boxes are not marvelous, but the assorted chocolates inside are dazzling. Some chocolates look exotic; others, completely ordinary.

Magenta wrapped chocolates with rose sprinkled truffles are dynamic in the true European sense.

The chocolates asked to be eaten with their large size and various shapes. In contrast, the outside box waxed banal: its dull red color and fancy gold writing were nothing but average.

The look is less than satisfying. The packaging is cute but cliché and the chocolates, dark, milk or even coconut, all look the same.

The shells were almost too soft, but had rich, sweet flavors. The insides had a dense, fudge-like texture (surprised?) and saccharine tastes. The first piece eaten was pleasant. The second was too much.

Prices

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Overall*

Although the chocolate is sur- Five piece gold heart truffle prisingly good, the price will shock you more. box $7.99 - Andre’s Valentine Chocolate Boxes with chocolate covered almonds $12.50

Superb, especially when first time custom-

- Happy Valentine’s Day Gift Box $18.00 - Half Pound Boxed Chocolates $14.00 - “Valentine, Are you remotely interested?” chocolate TV Remote $7.50 - Large “Happy Valentine’s Day” Chocolate Box $15.00 - Fudge $7.99 per pound - One Pound Boxed Chocolates $11.99 - Half Pound Boxed Chocolate $5.99

The classic flavor can often be too sweet but dull.

In fact, it’s difficult to tell the - 1 lb chocolate assortment difference between a Stover’s heart $8.99 almond milk chocolate from - 8 oz red fancy heart $5.99 an Almond Joy at a local vending machine.

ers get a free chocolate!

When you think Laura Little’s, you think fudge, and they should stick to it.

Affordable and available but incredibly average.

*rated on a scale of four chocolate hearts

St. Valentine’s Day Special at Baja Fresh

Bring in this ad on Friday, Feb. 13 or Saturday, Feb. 14 and get a FREE BURRITO with the puchase of a large drink Your closest Baja Fresh is at Ward Parkway Mall.

Offer excludes Burrito Dos Manos.

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THE HARBINGER

A league of their own Students step away from the pressures of the school team and compete in the GABL leagues Peter Goehausen lasts January through February and consists of 15 twenty-minute games played at one of the Shawnee Mission high schools. An NCAA-like tournament makes up postseason play. For the more serious player, the league also offers spring, summer and fall league.

GABL was created for basketball players who either cannot or do not want to play for their high schools. Some play other sports such as sophomore swimmer John Cook “It is great just getting to play organized basketball with my friends,” Cook said. “It’s nice to take a break from swimming and have another sport to do.”

Others play not just for recreation, but to win.

“The games get pretty competitve, especially if you know the people on the opposing team you’re playing,” Hart said.

Refereeing causes problems at times “but for a recreational league the men in stripes do what they need to do,” sophomore Peter Tidrick commented after a rough win, in which Tidrick felt several questionable calls had been made by the referees.

“Though this is not high school basketball, all the athletes seem to be really enjoying friendly competition,” freshman John MacGuire said.

photo by Tierney Weed

Ten seconds remained on the clock. The home team was down three with the ball. The big question loomed: could they pull off the win to keep their perfect record? The point guard ferociously dribbled the ball down the court, throwing a long Aaron Miles-like pass to the shooting guard who hit the long three-pointer and was fouled. The whole game amounted to this one shot.

After draining the free throw the sparse crowd of ten proud parents erupted. This isn’t your typical high school varsity basktball game. It’s GABL, the Great American Basketball League With 19 teams from SM East, this league is gaining popularity. GABL is a recreational basketball league for boys in 3rd-12th grades.

There are five high school divisions split into two age groups, freshman/sophomore and junior/ senior. Instead of the daily two-hour practices endured by the official high school teams, GABL players enjoy three to four one-hour practices.

To join the league players can create their own team or join another one. The cost for the league is $100. All coaches are volunteers and many have their own children on their teams.

“The coaches are no Bobby Knight,” freshman George Hart said,” but most have a good knowledge of the game.”

The regular season of the winter league

FAST BREAK: Senior Todd lynch dribbles by senior Carter Collins during a recent GABL game

17sports

THE HARBINGER

Move it back The three point line in college needs a change Corban Goble

In my own words

The

S

itting next to the pool stretching two weeks before state was not exactly how Brandon Barnds forsaw the end of the swimming season.

“I tweaked my rotator cuff,” Barnds said, “I can’t really take part in practice, all I can do is stretch it out and hope that it gets better.

I might be able to swim a little bit” Barnds hurt his shoulder on the first night of league, Feb 6. He was scheduled to take part in four events the following day, two individual and two relays. He was able to take part in all four of the races, but it was with pain.

“I swam, but it hurt. It hurt a lot,” Barnds said.

This was the time of year that Barnds was really looking forward to. He and the rest of

Gordon Culver

the team had spent the entire season training hard for the league and state titles. They were able to win the league title, and go into state predicted to get third, but without Barnds in good shape, that would be a stretch.

“We feel that we can compete for a state title. If everyone can get healthy by the time that state rolls around I think that we will definitely get at least third if not better,” Barnds said.

Coach Wylie Wright has used a very different system to get the kids ready for the season. He uses shorter practices with more intense workouts to get the team in top condition. This has really been good for Barnds, allowing him to get the most out of his training time while not allowing it to take over his entire life.

“Swimming is great because you can get

photo by Tierney Weed

What is the most devastating shot in sports?

Is it the k n o c k o u t punch, or the bender between the posts? Is it the 60 yard, g ame -winnin g field goal? So five years ago. The most devestating: the three pointer.

The three-pointer has changed onedimensional gunners into NBA scoring champs, role players into heroes. The big boys are no longer as safe a bet as they used to be.

Belmont and Richmond know the secret of the twenty- footer (as they showed Missouri and Kansas, respectively). St. Joseph’s has made a season out of it.

At the college level, the stripe stands a surprisingly un-daunting 19 feet, 9 inches from the basket; far enough to get the three point ruling, short enough to call home from without long-distance charge.

The shot has leveled the playing field, where 6’10’’ cretins are out played by sub-six footers with range. Now, I’m not saying that Belmont and Richmond will be playing for the title in April, but the hottest shooting team sure will. In a sport gaining much more European influence (i.e. shooting touch), it’s no longer who may be the biggest or the strongest, but which team is the deftest from the deepest.

Now the NBA line is a more acceptable challenge; it resides FOUR feet past the college line. Still, some shooters make that distance seem pedestrian: Bird, Reggie Miller, and now Peja Stojakavic.

Watching wild threes go in for some lucky team is not basketball to me. A team’s good record on the season is not a byproduct of good shooting; good shooting is a byproduct of team play and finding good looks. One player’s hot shooting touch should not transform an entire season. Accurate shooting from open looks is basketball. The college line should retreat, perhaps to the sanctity of 21 or 22 feet. Seeing UMKC beat Duke may be exciting, but it’s hardly fair or justified.

Hard work pays off for Barnds in a trip to State

CHILLING IN THE WATER: Luke Tanner and Brandon Barnds take a break during state preparations

better. There are a lot of sports that you have to have natural talent to be good at and no matter how hard you try you just can’t get much better,” Barnds said, “but swimming if you work hard you get better.”

All the hard work that Barnds has put in this year may have been for naught. It is possible that he will not be able to swim at state at all. If his shoulder does not get any better between before state starts he is questionable.

“I really hope that I can swim at state. I think that I will be able to because I think that I can rehab my shoulder in time,” Barnds said.

If Barnds does not make it out for the state meet it would be a big loss for the Lancers.

Tearing up the lanes

Tanner makes a big splash with instant success Ellie Weed

A

t nearly every practice, the varsity swim team spends the first couple of minutes hassling the two freshmen on the team as they make their way to the locker room. But their reasons for hassling are becoming futile as one of the freshman, Luke Tanner, makes more of a name for himself.

Tanner has qualified for three individual state events, including the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, and the 200yard freestyle, and nearly qualified for his backstroke, as well. On a relay team that beat the SM East record, Tanner is bound to succeed at state, along with the rest of the boys’ team. “[My coach] told me I have a chance of placing in the top eight and if I really train hard, then maybe even the top six,” Tanner said. “He’s hoping the team will get third or second place.”

With a dad that swam at Illinois, swimming is in his blood. Tanner has been

Sports Ticker

swimming for Carriage Club since he was six years old and has been participating in Swim Academy for years.

He also likes being coached by Wiley Wright who has been the varsity coach at East for nineteen years.

“He’s a good guy; everyone has a lot of fun with him,” Tanner said.

Wright has really helped Tanner improve his swimming quite a bit. Tanner has cut nearly four seconds off of his individual 200freestyle event.

At the meets, the team is always there to support Tanner by standing by the pool cheering for him as he swims his event.

His parents are also standing for him and cheering, and sometimes Tanner’s 6th grade sister, Mary, joins his parents.

During the third meet of the season, Tanner swam his best individual event, the 50-yard freestyle, and qualified for state, beating the state time of 52.64 seconds. As the rest of the season went on, he qualified

Boys Basketball

Points J.D. Christie 21.1 points per game Rebounds J.D. Christie 5.6 rebounds per game Assists Scott McElvain 3 assists per game Steals Scott McElvain 1.5 steals per game Schedule vs Lawrence Free State (10-6), 2-23 @ SM South (12-5) 2-26 Substate- 1st round* 3-4 2nd round 3-6 *1st round location TBA

for four more events, two of which were relays, and the other two were individual freestyle.

“The first time I qualified for state, I didn’t really know until I looked up at the clock on the wall. Then my coach came over and told me that I had qualified.” Tanner said. “It was really exciting,” His free relay team made up of senior Bryan Sayler, sophomore John Cook, sophomore Brandon Barnds, and Tanner has been very successful all year. After beating the school record, John Cook and the other members of the relay team have started to call themselves “Angels in the Water,” based off the movie “Angels in the Outfield”.

Weights and conditioning can be done to help Tanner stay in shape during the offseason. After a nearly perfect season for the freshman, he intends to keep up with swimming for the rest of high school.

Girls Basketball Points Sarah Parker 11.3 points per game Rebounds Jen Franklin 7.8 rebounds per game Assists Meg Stewart 3.1 assists per game Steals Brooke Jandl 2.0 steals per game Schedule vs. Larence Free State (11-1), 2-23 @ SM South (1-16), 2-26 Substate- 1st round* 3-3 2nd round 3-5 *1st round location TBA

Wrestling

125 lb. Class Marshall Martins 20-17 160 lb. Class Ryan Sonderegger 34-2 # 1 in Kansas 215 lb. Class Mark Robinson 31-4 #1 in Kansas beat the former #1 to take over position Schedule @ State Meet 2/27-28

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THE HARBINGER

MAKE ME UP: Senior Kasey Keller finishesher makeup in the girls’ dressing room before their hip hop performance at Kansas Spectactacular held at Olathe East High School on Saturday, Jan. 24. All of the members of the drill team must wear their hair and makeup exactly like the others in order to be uniform for their competition.

DANCE like EVERYONE is watching photos by Patrick Menihan and Tierney Weed

COMPETITION WITH A SMILE (left): Sophomore Mackenzie Kelly and senior Katie Marland smile bright while concentrating on getting the moves right during their performance.

REVIEWING THIER TAPES (below): After they have finished their dance, seniors Annie Simmermon, Maillia Howell and sophomore Heidi Schmidt review a recording of their dance after their performance.

STRIKE A POSE: Junior Erica Hudson performs the group’s hip hop routine at Kansas Specatcular.

The group performed in three categories:hip hop, jazz, and novelty.

They scored a 1 rating and recieved over 90% from the judges in all three categories.

PERFECTING THE LOOK (left): Senior Margaret Rainka removes her makeup after the team’s jazz performance only to be replaced by the uniform makeup for the team’s hip hop performance.