Issue 16

TURN:TO

THE

HARBINGER

issue 16 may 14 2007

Shawnee Mission East 7500 Mission Rd. Prairie Village, KS 66208

SEEING past the

SENIOR DOORS As the year comes to a close, seniors make plans for their lives beyond the halls of East see pullout senior section

4 DAYS TO

photos by katie woods

BOX LIVING East students participate in city-wide homelessness awareness event 8

SENIOR GOODBYE Annual special senior section pullout, featuring profiles, grade stats, trends, columns and each senior’s post-graduation plans 15-26

WAITING FOR WIZARDS Junior Emily Patton prepares herself for release of final Harry Potter book 23

senior day

NEWS

page 2 [news]

Constructing Improvements

Modifications including new auxiliary gym and music rooms set to begin next year

by [stephen nichols]

After a bond issue was passed in 2004, East was allotted roughly $16 million to be used to make improvements around the school. Construction is set to begin by Spring Break of 2008 and continue throughout the school year.

The last bond issue in the Shawnee Mission school district was for air conditioning to be installed in every school. This was in 1994. Ten years later, in 2004, the voters approved the spending of $184 million to be used on over 150 projects throughout the district. The majority of the money will come form this bond, according to Donna Bysfield, a member of the Board of Education.

“We had a bond issue that the community voted for…A big part of what East will have happening is from that bond issue,” Bysfield said.

These plans are tentative because the Board of Education must first approve the plans before construction can begin.

Bysfield says that is important for them to review the plans, but by the time they see the full plan, few changes are made.

“It’s really important to the district and the board to oversee the money that the public has given us,” Bysfield said. “By the time we get to the vote, it’s pretty much a definite deal.”

The construction will be going on through the 2008-2009 school year, which will create some problems with mobility throughout the school. Foreseen problems include blocked

The Changes

routes for students.

“If that hallway is closed, we will create another pathway,” assistant principal Mike Wolgast said.

Preparation on the project began during this school year.

“We probably started meeting with the architect early in the school year,” Wolgast said.

These architects have also worked on projects at North and South already in an attempt to keep all five district high schools very similar so that no one high school will have something incredibly unique.

Swift has had previous experience planning the construction of other schools. Blue Valley schools have had her help and she cites that she has participated in several aspects of the work, from helping the architects with design of the building to the location of which rooms go next to each other.

“You’re taking an existing building and trying to make it better,” Swift said.

Their plans are not set in stone and may change pending Board of Education vote but regardless, change is coming to East and at least one thing is for sure according to Bysfield.

“This time next year, everyone will be very aware of it.”

Construction will tentatively begin next year during spring break, making some of the proposed changes:

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“Space is always an important issue for the kids,” debate teacher Paulette Manville said. With each student needing a space for themselves to practice, the current spaces can not always adequately facilitate these needs. The new debate room will be located above the new administration offices, adjacent to the library. There will be enough space for two classrooms.

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Final Exam Schedule May 24 7:40-9:10 First hour exam 9:20-2:40 Second through seventh hours May 25 9:20-10:50 Second hour exam 11:00-12:30 Third hour exam May 29 9:20-10:50 Fourth hour exam 11:00-12:30 Fifth hour exam May 30 9:20-10:50 Sixth hour exam 11:00-12:30 Seventh hour exam

Senior Breakfast The senior breakfast is Friday from 7:00 to 7:30 a.m. where there will be a slide presentation. Freshmen, sophomores and juniors will start school at 9:30.

Graduation Graduation is May 24 on the football field at South. The ceremony starts at 8:00 p.m. If it rains, the ceremony will be in the South gym and every senior will receive four tickets.

Music Concerts The last band and orchestra concert of the year is tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium.

Final Exam Exemption

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1

B R I E F S

The administration offices will be moved down between the library and the theater. This will make the offices closer to the majority of students who come in from the senior lot, the sophomore lot and Delmar.

The area surrounding the administration will also be developed into a courtyard space for students.

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Swift calls the addition of more science classrooms an “obvious need.” Since the graduation requirements changed for the class of 2009 and on, students will now have to take three science classes in order to graduate instead of previously only being required to take two classes.

Included in the plans is the addition of another auxiliary gym which will ease the stress of the multitude of sporting events that take place in the two current gyms.

Assistant principal Mike Wolgast says that there will be a good amount of floor space for the gym and the seating capacity will be roughly five hundred people.

This new space will be used for new choir and band rooms. The space that was previously those rooms will become the orchestra and drama classrooms.

The portable classrooms will be gone.

With them out of the way, the plan is to expand the choir and band room out into that space.

An important improvement will be more areas for students to gather before and after school. Before school, hallways tend to be packed with students creating congestion for people walking the halls. To create more space, the main entrance will be moved down to the doors located by the gym.

the [harbinger]

photo courtesy of Google Earth

Sophomores and juniors enrolled in AP classes may be exempt from finals in that class. The students may be exempt from the final if an “A” has been received in the class, there are no unexcused absences and no any out of school suspensions. Exemption forms are due tomorrow.

After-Graduation Party The After-Graduation party will be held immediately after graduation at PowerPlay until 1:00 a.m. The party is free of charge for all seniors. Buses will be provided to and from the event.

Heralders

An informational meeting for any juniors interested in being a heralder is today at 2:50 in room 502. Tryouts are Thursday.

What’s

new

with...

Kansas School Board Last week the Kansas Board of Education repealed sex education policies enacted last year, which recommended that sex education classes had to stress abstinence only. The new policy recommends that schools stress “abstince plus,” which will give students information about birth control.

Thefts Nearly $8,000 worth of raw silver sheets and silver casting grade was stolen from the jewelry room, according to Officer Brad Sullivan. The sheets come in large packages that weigh up to 25 pound. The silver was being stored in the jewelry room’s silver closet. photos by Samantha Ludington

The final countdown

page 3 [news]

Monday

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AP Exams Senior library materials due

Tuesday

15

Track banquet - 6 p.m.

Drill team banquet - 6 p.m.

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AP Exams

Thursday

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Hours 3, 4, 5 finals for seniors

Hours 3 & 4 check-out for seniors

Band/orchestra concert - 7 p.m.

STUCO banquet - 6 p.m.

11 a.m. - 4 p.m. - cap and gown pickup in small gym

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Softball banquet - 6 p.m.

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Baseball banquet - 6 p.m.

29 Memorial Day NO SCHOOL

Late start 9:20 a.m.

Semester exams hours 4 & 5 Early dismissal 1:10 p.m.

Summer library materials check-out

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LAST DAY OF SCHOOL Late start 9:20 a.m.

Semester exams hours 6 & 7 Early dismissal 1:10 p.m.

Semester exam hour 1

Friday

18

Senior Breakfast 7 - 7:45 a.m.

Graduation practice Yearbook distribution

Late start (9:30 a.m.) for freshman, sophomores and juniors

FINAL DAY FOR SENIORS

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Late start 9:20 a.m.

Underclassmen library materials due

Semester exams hours 2 & 3

Graduation - 8 p.m.

SM South

Early dismissal 1:10 p.m.

Orchestra banquet - 7 p.m.

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Hours 1 & 2 finals for seniors

Exemption forms for sophomores and juniors due

Boys’ tennis banquet - 6 p.m.

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Hours 6 & 7 finals for seniors

Wednesday

1

31 Summer break

‘Serving’Justice page 4 [community]

To help raise money for the Special Olympics, Prairie Village police officers will be serving food at Johnny’s May 18 by [lauren erickson]

Officers at the Prairie Village Police Department are willing to pay $35,000 to get their name printed on the back of a T-shirt.

The department, with the help of volunteers, will raise the money through a series of fundraising events. Every penny will be donated to the Kansas Special Olympics program, and in return, ‘Prairie Village Police Department’ will be printed on the back of a T-shirt, along with all of the other Kansas police departments who have contributed to the cause.

There will be events throughout the community to collect donations, such as Tip–A–Cop at Johnny’s Tavern on Friday, May 18. After being greeted at the door by a Special Olympics athlete, customers will be waited on by police officers from the Prairie Village Police Department. These cops will not only be serving food, but educating the customers about their fundraiser for the Kansas Special Olympics. All tips received from the meal will be directly donated to the fundraiser.

This is the first year that the PV Police Department will be involved in fundraising for the Kansas Special Olympics. The idea to get police men out into the community was started back in the 1980s with another Kansas police department. Getting involved in the Special Olympics was the way the department decided to help raise money for a good cause. Cities such as Olathe have used this idea, and have Policemen serving

at a Red Lobster.

“I wanted to get our department involved with this organization because it has many law enforcement agencies involved,” Taylor said.

The police department is hoping to make this an annual event. By doing this, the community can help the police department support the Kansas Special Olympics. Being the first year for this event, the outcome is unknown, but the goal is to make it known so that there can be more participation in the future.

But fundraising isn’t the only good thing to come from this. Taylor describes some other goals of this event.

“We want to get out and interact with the public in a positive way, instead of the normal situation with a police officer involved.”

By getting involved, Taylor wants to show that the Police officers are normal people who can have fun and get involved in the community. Just a few weeks ago, Taylor took part in another event to benefit the Special Olympics, by coaching a Special Olympics bowling team.

“It’s important to show that we care about kids and people with special needs,” Taylor said. “For that matter, we just want to help out.”

Although Applebee’s and TGI Friday’s are styles of restaurant used with other police departments, Johnny’s was chosen for special reasons.

Above Tip-A-Cop, a fundraising event, will be taking place Friday, May 18 at Johnny’s Tavern. Officer Brady will be one of about ten Prairie Village Police officers serving customers for the night. photo by sally drape

“Johnny’s is one of the restaurants in our city that’s really busy a lot of the time,” East’s SRO, Brady Sullivan said.

Supporting almost every local school carnival and hosting a local band, Recess that includes the parents of freshman Shelby Langtry, the spot has become a very common Friday night out hangout not only for adults, but also for families. When asked if she would host this event, manager Shelley Washburn willingly agreed.

“Our restaurant will benefit from this by getting our name out there so people know we support the community and the police,”

Washburn said.

But even if the date is inconvenient, there are other options for students at East to get involved. Throughout the year, various sporting events take place in which the Special Olympic athletes compete.

Volunteers are needed throughout all the seasons to help out with teams.

“It’s really a chance to help out with kids of all ages and you’re able to relate with them.” Taylor said.

S

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7501 Mission Road, Suite N-11 Prairie Village, KS 66208 (913) 383-9338

Lancer newsletter raises questions about intention of seniors in Playa Del Carmen ways she could have handled it. She could have mentioned that she had received the letter, quoted a few lines from it and asked students to stay safe over the summer.

She could have told a personal story of one of the students that she said she had seen with alcohol poisoning.

But instead, she used generic facts about drinking that students at East have heard more times than “Today’s Lancer of the Day is…”

It seems as though her motives are a legitimate concern about the schoo’ls public image, and notably so. It is appalling that the students who acted irresponsibly were identified as East students.

Yet printing the letter and sending it out to the community did nothing but damage the image of all East students, and it projects an impression of all East students acting irresponsibly when in actuality there were only a few.

It’s true that Swift should do everything in her power to make sure the school is looked at in a positive light.

It’s good of her to work for the safety of the student body.

But she chose the wrong medium in which to do so. This is a time to remember the seniors’ accomplishments, not their faults, and a time to give students a positive image to hold onto over summer break. We need to look towards repairing our image throughout the community and we acknowledge Swift for her intentions to help that cause. But she chose the wrong forum to do so.

AGREE DISAGREE ABSENT

D

Shawnee Mission East students allegedly participated in a debauchery over spring break, and a month and a half later their actions have been broadcasted to the entire school community by Dr. Susan Swift. In the school year’s final newsletter, she printed an e-mail written by a community member who had observed the students’ behavior while on spring break in Mexico and chose to write to Swift expressing his concerns. He asked to have his name omitted.

Although the community member was justified in e-mailing Swift, her decision to print the message was ill advised.

Swift could have handled the issue in a quieter manner, pulling selective students in and addressing the issues that way. Instead she chose a different course.

Not only did she print the text of the actual letter, which was vicious in its descriptions of East students, but she also seemed to serve it as a lecture to the entire school, and parents, on the problems with teen drinking and how to deal with it.

This is her first senior class at East. Instead of praising their accomplishments and wishing good luck to them in college, Swift attacked the entire student body with allegations made about a small minority of students that were witnessed by the e-mail author in Mexico.

The trip is not sponsored by the school. It would be one thing if the students had been under school supervision, but the bottom line is that the school had nothing to do with the trip where students were legally drinking. In Mexico, the legal drinking age is 18, and students on vacation should not have to worry about what the school administration is going to do when they are gone on a trip, let alone a trip in another country.

Swift responds by saying that we wanted to bring the issue of teenage drinking to light; but there were other

HARBINGER staff

the

Editor-in-Chief

AMANDA ALLISON

Assistant Editor

PETER GOEHAUSEN LAURA NELSON HALLIE MCCORMICK

Head Copy Editor Art/Design Editor Photo Editor

DEREK MARTIN ELLIE WEED SAMANTHA LUDINGTON

Assistant Photo Editor News Section Editor News Page Editor Op/Ed Section Editor Opinion Page Editor

KATIE WOODS PAIGE CORNWELL DEVIN O’BRYAN DANIEL HEADY NATALIE EISENACH MOLLY TIDRICK

Features Section Editor Features Page Editors Spread Editor Assistant Spread Editor Mixed Editor A&E Section Editor A&E Page Editor Sports Section Editor Sports Page Editors

9

D0

SARA STEINWART

3

Copy Editors

RACHEL BIRKENMEIER BERNADETTE MYERS RACHEL MAYFIELD

LIBBY NACHMAN

Staff Writers

STEPHEN NICHOLS MEG SHACKELFORD KATIE JONES JOHNNY MCGUIRE CLARK GOBLE SARAH LUBY NICK RATLIFF

May 14, 2007

Ads/Business Circulation

Letterto Editor the

What happens in Mexico doesn’t always stay in Mexico

page 5 [editorial]

To the Harbinger Staff, Another comment I would like to make. Publishing this entire letter shows poor judgment, as the completely random comment about Mission Hills is POLARIZING to the SME community.

Thank you for showing interest in this topic.

Bridget Brill Her letter: Dear Dr. Swift, I am writing in response to the letter you printed on the front page of the May newsletter. I was with my senior daughter and several of her friends and their families in Playa del Carmen, Mexico during Spring Break.

A couple of things about this letter I found rather interesting. The author certainly knows a lot of very specific details about the behavior (completely stupid and irresponsible to be sure) of SOME of these adults and kids. It made me wonder if he or she were part of the group. Also, the comment about Mission Hills made no sense at all. What in the world does my beautiful city have to do with anything being discussed!? It certainly raised a red flag to me -- that perhaps belies the true motive for the letter.

Underage drinking is a big concern to most parents, this one included. This issue and the e-mail could have been addressed without publishing the letter.

I was very hesitant about going on this trip, but I will tell you this: I came home knowing that my daughter and her friends, while drinking legally in Mexico, showed maturity and good judgment. They took responsibility not only for themselves, but also for each other. That goes for the parents in our group, as well. I was proud of all of us and you should be, too.

Bridget Brill

TOM GROTEWOHL THOMAS BRASLAVSKY ADRIENNE WOOD LIBBY NACHMAN RONAN MCGHIE

Freelance Page Editors

LAUREN ERICKSON RUTH STARK JOEY SOPTIC

Photographers

KAREN BOOMER ABBA GOEHAUSEN JENNY HOWARD FRANCES LAFFERTY PATRICK MAYFIELD TAYLER PHILLIPS MARISA STEVENS RACHEL ENGLISH MACKENZIE WYLIE ANNA LEEK SALLY DRAPE TYLER ROSTE

ERIN MORRISSEY ALLY HEISDORFFER MEGHAN BENSON LANDON MCDONALD MICHAEL HAKE FOSTER TIDWELL ELIZABETH MCGRANAHAN SAM LOGAN NATHAN YAFFE MELISSA MCKITTRICK DAVIN PHILLIPS

Adviser

DOW TATE

page 6 [opinion]

Taking Shots At Democracy

Americans shouldn’t sacrifice safety in order to own firearms

an opinion of

Lancer Voice Do you think the law should allow citizens to buy and use guns?

“No, because guns are unnecessary and violent; no matter how they are used they promote violence.”

Freshman Nick Telken “Yes, for protection in rural areas, but not in the city.”

Sophomore Hilary Surface

“Kinda, it depends on their background and if they have any previous offenses.”

Junior Matt Ross “No, I think it just causes more problems and if you buy one you should have a very rigorous background check.”

Senior Katie Wright

You’ve heard it before.

“Guns don’t kill people; people kill people.”

The rallying Thomas Braslavsky cry for the gun rights movement, this phrase has been used to dismiss the role of firearms in such atrocities as the Columbine High School massacre of 1999, the Red Lake high school shootings in 2005, and most recently, the deadly shootings at Virginia Tech and Ward Parkway.

True, guns would be nothing without people. A person makes the decision to murder. A person makes the decision to pull the trigger. But what do a majority of murderers use in committing homicides? Guns. Guns are used to kill. Guns are used to murder.

I respect the Constitution. Americans have some inalienable rights that keep us a democratic and free nation.

We have freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of association and religion. We have the right to choose our elected officials (when we’re 18) and are guaranteed other civil rights. However, we don’t have the right to murder.

Why should we have the right to own the instruments of murder?

First of all, what exactly are “gun rights”? Is it ethical to have an advocacy movement for the right of civilians to own deadly weapons? I’m not going to dive into a discussion of my own interpretation of the Second Amendment, that ambiguous piece of constitutional Scripture which has been and will be debated for ages to come. I’m just going to use common sense to discuss the need for gun regulation.

Guns have been used in an overwhelming number of murders. According to the Economist magazine, since the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, “more Americans have died by American gunfire than perished on foreign battlefields in the whole of the 20th century.” That’s more than World War I, World War 2, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf War combined – over 600,000 people. In 44 years.

According to a 2006 study by the Harvard School of Public Health, the prevalence of firearms in state households directly correlated to the homicide rate in that state; states with a higher percentage of households owning firearms reported a higher rate of homicides. In other words, more guns equal more slaughter.

Deaths Caused by Gun shootings • Eight children die each day due to gun murders.

•1968-1991, deaths due to motor vehicles declined by 21% and deaths due to guns increased by 60% • In 1991 guns were used in 60.1% of all suicides and 67.8% of homicides in the U.S. • 33 people were killed in the Virginia Tech shooting • 13 people were killed at Columbine shooting and 24 were wounded.

• 3 people were killed at the Ward Parkway shooting and 2 were injured.

With such statistics, one wonders why it would be legal, for instance, for a deranged Virginia college student to walk into a gun shop, buy a Glock, and then buy another gun the next month – over the Internet – both of which he would use a few weeks later in a shooting rampage to kill 33 people, including himself.

Yes, I blame the shooter, Cho Seung-Hui. He brutally carried out the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

However, he legally obtained both weapons that he used.

Legally. The law could not prevent a disturbed young man from buying those weapons. In fact, the lack of strict gun laws in Virginia was one of the factors directly responsible for the massacre.

I’m not anti-all guns. If you’re in the military or a police officer, go ahead and protect America. If you’re into hunting, I respect your pastime (just be careful not to shoot anyone in the face). But why do you need to carry around a Glock handgun or keep a semi-automatic AR-15 (the civilian version of the military M-16) stashed in your basement?

Such firearms have no practical purpose.

If you like target shooting, why don’t you go to the shooting range and rent a gun there? Or if someone is so intent on owning their own device for target practice, they could use an air gun that shoots pellets, an effective but safer version of a traditional bullet-firing gun. Maybe the reason people want deadly weapons is the feeling of power they get from holding a weapon of such clout. But once someone has that feeling, they’re already one step closer to potentially deadly actions and accidents.

Many gun advocates cite “self-defense” as rationale for owning a firearm. If people carry guns around during their everyday lives, they will feel safer and be able to deal with any danger they may meet. Well, I don’t know about you, but personally, I would not feel safer at all if I knew that most of the people I see walking down the street had firearms on them. As a matter of fact, I would feel very uncomfortable.

It is a fact that a firearm at home is much more likely to kill or injure the owner or a family member than a criminal or intruder. It is also a fact that guns are the weapons of choice in about two thirds of homicides in the U.S., not to mention more than half of U.S. suicides. The approximately 240 million firearms in our country – the most of any country in the world – are not used for self-defense. We don’t live in a country experiencing a civil war, nor do we live under the constant threat of attack or terror. The selfdefense argument, therefore, is baseless.

People obsessed with the Constitution will never stop debating over whether the right to bear arms is a fundamental freedom essential to Americans’ rights. There will always be disputes over exactly what the Second Amendment means when it says, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

But think of it this way: would you rather have the right to own deadly weapons, or the right to live a safe and secure life?

Guns were created to kill people, and we should never forget that.

source: www.bmj.com, www.msnbc.com, www.thegreenman.net art by Ren Li

the [harbinger]

PLACE DIS

page 7 [features]

ME

students fight for peace in some country

On April 28, 68,000 people in 15 cities voluntarily gave up their homes and beds for one night, trekking to a city ordained park to protest the inhumane conditions of the displacement camps sited across Northern Uganda. Kansas City’s Kaw Creek Park saw 3010 participants come together to build their temporary cardboard shelters and stay for the night.

Right:The participants were required to wear arm bands and sign a release form in order to spend the night at the park. photo by karen boomer

Far Above: Participants collect their rations of water bottles during the night.

Above: The card board houses set up for the participants to sleep during the night.

photo by katie woods

Above: A participant observes the enforced 21 minutes of silence to consider the victims of the displacement camps.

photo by karen boomer

Right: Participants listened to a speaker from Uganda and watched videos to learn more about the situation in Uganda.

AYC

photo by katie woods

photo by karen boomer

Health and Fitness

7501 Mission Road, N-2 Prairie Village, KS 66208

aycfit@aol.com (e-mail) (913) 642-4437 (phone) May 14, 2007

Band Orchestra and

CONCERT! Tuesday 15, 7pm

page 8 [features]

As technology advances East makes strides to keep up, the newest effort includes

Uses of the projector: • Easier access to powerpoints • Watching basketball on the big screen • Enhances students’ in-class movie-watching experience. Recently, math teacher Chris Burrows showed a movie in his class for the first time.

• Easy internet access. Teachers can now incorporate information and visual aids from websites into their lesson plans.

• Yolanda Mountjoy’s uses new vocabulary program, by relating images to the vocab terms.

the

projectors photo by tayler philips

by [bernadette myers] New objects have now appeared in all the classrooms at East. The end of this school year has revealed digital projectors that now hang inconspicuously from the ceiling of nearly every class meant to enhance the learning of students at East.

Installation of the projectors began in January and they are funded by the district. Every high school has now received the projectors, which sport a combination DVD/VCR, sound system and a wireless presentation mouse all supplied to enhance the learning atmosphere of the students. Although, students have found that the projectors haven’t made a difference yet, the teachers have discovered a new teaching medium that they feel is more interactive.

This interactive learning style has carried over into all the departments including English and foreign languages where 10th grade English teacher Yolande Mountjoy uses her projector almost everyday.

“Just recently I put information on Mark Twain on the projector because we are reading ‘Huck Finn’,” Mountjoy said. “If I had given handouts they would have been all over the floor, wasting paper.”

Mountjoy also uses the projector to watch ‘Julius Caesar’ and take quizzes. She even invested in a new vocabulary program.

“The program takes old movie clips and dubs over them with vocab words so now the students have an image to relate back to,” Mountjoy said.

According to Mountjoy, after getting this program the students are missing less of the review words. Mountjoy shares her success with Spanish teacher Ann Hunt who claims she knows little about how to work the projectors, but is very eager to learn. Hunt took a PowerPoint class to learn how to make her written lessons digital and get rid of some of those transparencies. She uses the projectors for video, too.

“We were learning a new song in class and there was a

music video of it on the internet,” Hunt said. “I got to show it to the whole class.”

Hunt and Mountjoy may be getting the hang of the projectors, but other teachers like Spanish teacher Sheryl Chamberlain and 9 grade English teacherDebe Bramley haven’t even touched theirs yet just for lack of time.

“Right now we’re in the middle of ‘Odyssey’, so you don’t need it when doing literature,” Bramley said. “But I do plan to show ‘Romeo and Juliet’ on it.”

The teachers in the science department are more comfortable operating the projectors than other teachers because they have been using PowerPoint daily since the beginning of the year. Physical science and Chemistry teacher Jeremy Higgins says there hasn’t been much of a benefit from the projectors in the science classes.

“Right now, all that’s different is we can pull videos off the internet to enhance the lesson,” Higgins said. “For example, I showed an energy video in Physical Science that I wouldn’t have had without the Internet.”

Higgins feels there will be a bigger impact once the Airliner tablets are in use. These tablets use SMART technology to allow students to write from their desks on digital tablets that project the writing onto the big screen.

“Students will have to interact more and be directly involved in the problem,” Higgins said.

According to Steve Loe, there are about 22 Ailiners in classrooms right now, but they need to be set up on a rotation to get the software installed. This means someone has to come to each individual Airliner and synchronize it with the projector and the teacher’s station.

“Most teachers didn’t want to mess with them this late in the year,” Loe said. “But there are a few like Deb Pontier and Jim Lockard who have them set up and have started playing around with them.”

Loe feels that East will adapt very well to this new technology, even though East may be older than the other Shawnee Mission buildings.

“It is going to take some getting used too,” Loe said.

the [harbinger]

“Especially the Airliners because you have to look at the projector screen while you write and not the pad.”

In the math department, teachers are excited for the new Airliners too and have taken advantage of the new projector technology. The teachers have made a math folder where they can put together lesson plans or video clips to allow other teachers to share them.

“We share the slides with the answers on them for the homework,” math teacher Chris Burrows said. “But it’s password protected so students can’t access it.”

The projectors have enabled teachers to interact more, but some teachers don’t have access to them. The trailers don’t get the new projectors installed because they are being removed next year. Geometry teacher Michael Layman has been in the trailers for four years and he has been using dry erase boards and overheads for that long.

“There has been research that shows that writing down notes helps you remember them better rather than looking at a screen,” Layman said. “But I can see that the powerpoints could help students who weren’t in class that day.”

Junior Eric Hamilton also doesn’t see the point in the projectors and thinks they are a waste of money.

“They’re basically the same as the TVs and overheads, just bigger, prettier and more expensive,” Hamilton said.

Loe’s biggest concern was that he didn’t want the projectors to turn into glorified televisions and unlike Hamilton, he thinks they can do so much more. According to Loe, teachers have started using Video On-Demand and incorporated more PowerPoints into lessons.

“A teacher can show a slide instead of a textbook image of a Spanish village that really takes you there,” Loe said.

Loe envisions an even brighter future for East, in which East becomes a truly digital school.

“Someday there could be flat screen TVs that drop down in the hallways,” Loe said. “They could even scroll through the announcements.”

Creativity left behind

1) Math scores for African-American and Hispanic 13-year-olds are at an all time high. 2)Reading and math scores for African-American and Hispanic nine-year-olds are at an all time high 3) 43 states and D.C. either improved academically or held steady in all eight categories.4) More progress was made by nine-year-olds in reading in the past five years than in the previous 28 years combined.

one indicator at a time as many times as they wish in order to feel confident.

A current concern of Wenciker that led to changes in the assessment taking and course setup is that students who took the course first semester and took the assessment second semester had more trouble than those students who were currently practicing in the class. These results indicate a lack of long-term mastery and provide for a need to both offer assessment testing in the fall for the 2007-2008 school year along with offering Math Enhancement and Reading Expeditions as year-long courses. Also, in the next school year, Math Enhancement will count for a half math credit that can count towards credit recovery if students have failed previous math courses.

During the 2006-2007 school year there was a change in the requirements in the Kansas Assessment in the fact that students are now able to take Kansas Assessments for math either their freshman or sophomore year and reading any time before their senior year.

“With this method students are able to take the assessments when they are ready,” Assistant Principal Mike Wolgast said, “This program also gives students an opportunity to take the tests one more time before they are marked as not sufficient.”

Through the new guidelines, educators can more easily address the needs of students on a more individual level. The courses are concurrent to a regular math class, so regular courses supposedly are less restricted because there is not as severe need for in class assessment practice, Wenciker explained.

However, there still has been a need for lower level math and English courses to be altered and rewritten.

“This year we have pushed more content into the course

PROS

D

by [sara steinwart] Teaching to the test. It is a common belief that the No Child Left Behind act implemented in 2001 has altered teaching styles and curriculums to improve test scores instead of working for a greater knowledge and understanding of the material according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

It is the goal of the NCLB act that by the year 2014, 100 percent of students across the country will be at the mastery level, according to the state, in reading and math. Like East, schools all across the nation have to implement new programs in order to provide for students who are in need of extra help in order to obtain adequate test scores on state examinations such as the Kansas Assessment.

In the next school year three courses will be offered at East to provide for the students needing to improve their test scores. There is the semester reading and study skills class that is targeted at upperclassmen who have taken the Kansas Assessment and did not meet the appropriate mastery level. The current semester-long Math Prep course will become a year-long Math Enhancement class focusing on improving the math scores of incoming freshman. The year-long Reading Expeditions, which is similar to the Math Enhancement, is focused on freshman who are predicted to need help in order to pass their Kansas Assessment due to middle school test scores.

“These courses are useful in focusing on specific objectives such as basic skills and problem solving,” current Math Prep teacher Brock Wenciker said.

Wenciker has his students take more formative assessments in order to work towards mastery. On the Kansas Math Assessment there are 15 indicators of mastery.

Through an online program students are able to practice

No Child Left Behind limits students’ self expression in class

&

D

CONS

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page 9 [features]

through a new curriculum,” math teacher Hannah Pence said. “It has caused for less time for fun activities that supplement lesson plans.”

Preparation for the tests is not limited to high school.

There is a need for a focus on reading and math development skills in elementary schools, especially in at-risk areas.

The KCMO school district developed a program called Reading First in the 11 most-in-need elementary schools.

The plan was for each day for kindergarten through third graders to spend an hour and a half of uninterrupted reading without talking or bathroom breaks.

“The program was a good idea, but the whole thing holds the teacher so accountable,” Reading First observer Jan Easterday said, “There are so many other factors from their home life that play apart.”

As a Reading First observer, Easterday observes the success of the efforts put forth because of NCLB. Through her experiences observing, Easterday feels that the time spent reading is never a waste. If there isn’t parental support from home and reading done in the home, there is only so much that it can help.

“It is also hard to understand how special needs students can be evaluated on the same level as everyone else,” Easterday said. “Tests like this tend to be skewed toward white middle class just like the ACTs.” In general Easterday felt that the students were accepting towards the program, just as Counselor Laura Lamb feels East students are.

“If students are forced to take part in the program they generally just go along with it,” Lamb said, “They know that it is a strong skill emphasizing program that is just there to help them, not cause more stress.”

1) Teachers are encouraged to teach to the tests, not to focus on a deeper understanding. 2) Education budgets are in bad shape because of declining tax revenue; legislatures are making deep cuts in the budget. 3) Standardized tests have been accused of cultural bias and their quality has been questioned.

4) Incentives and penalties associated with testing can manipulate test results.

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page 10 [features] the course, but I’m tired of grading papers,” After completing grade school, high school, love Skates said. “I was planning on retiring, period, my husband said he was retiring and I college and then coming back to teach, but wanted to keep the family business plan.”

The company, which makes industrial these four teachers celebrate... rubber products such as conveyer belts and

their

rubber lining, has been in her family since the 1950s. Her job will be to hire workers, as well as keep track of the contracts and managing of the small company.

“I thought it might be kind of fun to try something new,” Skates said. *** She has always been in the English department, from sponsoring the yearbook to teaching Dramatic Literature. In college she was a math major at KU for one day, then switched to French, then to English.

She’s never regretted her decision, except for the papers.

She remembers her first year teaching seventh and eighth grade at Center Junior High. She was 23 and wore a pair of fake glasses to make her look older.

She remembers being very strict. So strict that she once told her study hall that they couldn’t go to the bathroom during class, but learned her lesson when girl didn’t get up from her chair at the end of the hour.

“She had wet her pants; I felt horrible,” Skates said. “I felt even worse when I found out her father was a judge who was my husband’s boss, but luckily her mother was a teacher, and was very understanding. Of course I would have let someone go if it was an emergency.” *** Twenty-five years later and wearing real glasses, Skates is the Writer’s Workshop and English 12AP teacher. She teaches novels by Austen and Dostoevsky, poetry, short stories, compositions and plays.

She’ll miss the students the most. Their sense of humor, their intelligence, their interest in the subject matter.

“There are not a lot of people who want to sit around and talk about T.S. Eliot,” Skates said.

But her students do. And she loves them most because they’re funny. When she asked three boys to dress up as witches and read Macbeth because she thought women had been witches long enough, they did it, complete with witches’ voices. Every Friday they have “story day” where the students must sit on the floor with blankets and read

by [paige cornwell]

Donna Skates was once told that she had more stuff in her room than any other teacher. A rack of costumes in one corner, a bookshelf with dozens of dictionaries against a wall, a file cabinet with blankets on top of it. But what others see as junk, Skates sees as “have-to-have” items. She sees a pair of red cheerleader pom-poms as a chorus for Milton’s Paradise Lost, two matching hats as what’s needed for Hamlet.

A lot of those items are now in boxes that her students helped her pack up. But a bird hanging from a string is still there.

“What would a room be without an albatross floating overhead?” Skates asks. “He’s had kind of a hard life; his nose and wing are broken.” *** After 25 years of teaching, Skates is retiring to be with her ill 92-year-old mother and her husband, two kids, three grandchildren and two dogs, who would all like more of her attention. She is also planning on running the family business, Kansas City Rubber and Belting, where she will be the CEO. “I just felt it was time for me to retire. I love the kids, I

DONNA SKATES

photos by tyler roste

Final Graduation

NFL

Friday 18 7 pm

NATIONAL FORENSICS LEAGUE

children’s books, wear a silly hat and brandish a magic wand.

“It’s just enjoyable watching them read their children’s stories that they read when they were kids,” Skates said.

Occasionally, she even likes it when classes burst out into song. She believes learning should be fun. Not easy, but fun. And sometimes, classes have to get a little silly.

“A tragedy such as “Macbeth” or “Hamlet” turns occasionally into a comedy, and we call it ‘Hatlet’ because everybody has to dress up and wear a hat, whenever they read a part from Hamlet,” Skates said. “It’s just something kind of fun, something I’ve collected over the years.”

Getting to know the students has also made an impact on her.

“It’s a joy to walk in the classroom everyday and see eyes sparkling,” Skates said. “I love learning. I love hard work. I love the literature.”

Past students stick out in her mind for their love of literatue and writing capabilities.

Students like Ross Boomer, now a sophomore at Claremont McKenna, who uses Skates as a benchmark for his professors.

“She made you enjoy what you were learning,” Boomer said. “I had her seventh hour senior year, but I always looked forward to her class. She’s just a really nice, wonderful person.”

Boomer has yet, he says, to find a professor as good as Skates. *** Next year, Jeanette Bonjour will be teaching the English 12 AP class. Skates has been meeting with Bonjour and showing her the material for the course.

“I am excited to be teaching AP. I wish she was here to teach with me,” Bonjour said. “I’ll miss her a lot. She was an important part of our department. I’ve got big shoes to fill.”

While Bonjour is preparing and reading up on the material for next year, Skates plans on giving herself a break from the literature she teaches now; she has already bought new books that she plans to read.

“I think I’ll give “Pride and Prejudice” a year off,” Skates said. *** Skates doesn’t think she will regret her decision, but knows she’ll miss teaching. She’ll miss the words. She leaves with advice from “Intimations of Immortality,” printed on a laminated white card that she takes out of her drawer:

“Though nothing can bring back the hour

of splendor in the grass,

glory in the flower,

We will grieve not, rather find

Strength in what remains behind.”

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by [daniel heady]

Most people who have an MBA from Harvard are not “It was the craziest year of my life,” Brewster said, “until teaching 18-year-olds about the checks and balances of the the next year.” government. However there is one Harvard grad that loves it.

That year he taught fifth grade.

Sam Brewster has been teaching at East for 28 years-before “There were too many little kids,” Brewster said. the challenger blew up, before the fall of the Berlin wall, and He began to second guess his new found profession. What before the fall of the twin towers. This year, Brewster will see he really wanted to do was teach high school. his final class graduate from East; but the road to where he is “I was thinking, what am I doing here?” now is a unique one, and it all begins with peanuts.

Brewster and his wife took frequent trips down to the “It all started when I got kicked out of the Peace Corps,” Kansas City area to visit his in-laws. They found the area Brewster said. “They found out I had a deadly allergy to pea- enjoyable, and they decided to move down to Kansas City to nuts, and they wouldn’t let me go to Africa.” be closer to Marilyn’s family. They both interviewed for jobs, So Brewster became a “ski bum” in Aspen, Colorado for a Marilyn was an architect, and Brewster interviewed for his season, then he got a job in the field of Interfirst high school job at Shawnee Mission national Business.

North.

Thank you so very much for He lived in Mexico for a little less than After being offered a job on the this opportunity however a year, then he moved to South America spot, he was scheduled to be teaching spare I may be in responding. for two. But the seeds of teaching had business at North in 1979, but as fate There is, after all, not a great deal already been planted by the time he would have it, the government teachI can offer now except to express moved back to the U.S. er at East left to take an administrative my gratitude to those of you I have “When I was in Mexico I taught night job at a middle school the day before had the pleasure to work with, to school to the Mexicans, and I think that classes started. laugh, to share, and to move foris where I discovered that I wanted to be So Brewster got the call to come ward with. Perhaps a touch of a teacher,” Brewster said. and teach government at East, and he sentimentality in my own year of But he had is sights set on the field of has been here ever since. “graduation” may be forgiven, but business and enjoyed his job.

“I got by that year by staying up for my money you have been the “I felt as if though I was a closet teachlate at night trying to stay a chapter class to remember, and I will miss er,” Brewster said. ahead of the students,” Brewster said. you.

But he was actually a natural “BrewIn his early years at his new home ster has that natural ability to make at East, Brewster got involved with Don’t ever stop in the search for people feel personally connected and helping the students. He was the stuthe best that is within you, turn important, he really helps the students dent council sponsor when they were what fires your interest into your feel engaged,” Assistant Principal Ron in charge of holding the National Stulife’s work, and find others along Mersch said. dent Council Convention, and they the way to care for. You can’t In his early thirties, he got married convinced President Reagan to come miss. to his wife, Marilyn, and as he put it, he as a key note speaker.

Always, Captain B “made a mistake in telling her” he want“We were sitting around thinking ed to teach. about who we could get to come as “She looked at me as if I had just disour keynote speaker and someone jokcovered something terribly important about ingly said the president,” Brewster said. myself,” Brewster said, “which I had.”

“But then we ended up writing a letter and a few months later She encouraged him to go back to school and get a teach- we got a letter back saying he was going to be there.” ing degree. He did, and in 1976 he taught eighth grade EngThis moment, among others, was captured and is now lish in the suburbs of Chicago. hung on his infamous back wall.

SAM BREWSTER

Brewster leaves legacy at East

page 11 [features] “Its more of a collection of government memorabilia,” Brewster said.

The wall is filled with everything whether it is a certificate of recognition from when he applied to be a teacher in space, or a picture of the social studies department on Halloween.

But the thing that people will remember most is how Mr.. Brewster touched the lives of so many.

“It’s like losing an older brother you look up to,” Fred Elliot, a government teacher said, “the school is losing a big asset and a great teacher.”

Social Studies teacher Michael Chaffee said that “from a fraternal aspect, he is a good friend and has a great sense of humor and I’m really going to miss that.”

“Brewster has an incredible intelligence and a sense of humility,” Mersch said.

But Brewster doesn’t think he will be missed.

“Other than our personable qualities we are all replaceable, and what we do here is more important than the people in it,” Brewster says, “The school is not supposed to miss me.”

“Can you replace a person like that? The answer is no, it’s hard to replace the whole package,” Mersch said, “his value is irreplaceable.”

LARRYCOLBURN

by [molly tidrick]

Larry and Gini Colburn are high school sweethearts and have been married for 40 years.

They love to travel in the summer and plan on doing more and also spend a lot of time with their children and grandchildren after they retire.

Though they are working in the same building, they hardly ever see each other due to different floors they teach on and the different subjects they teach. To the married couple, it is neither an advantage nor disadvantage to work in the same building.

“We say good-bye at the house in the morning just like any normal married couple would,” Larry said.

Though they decided to retire the same year, their decisions were their own and it just happened to work out that they retire after this year.

“We just came to the decision at the same time,” Larry said.

He teaches biology and has taught at East for a total of 26 years and starting his first years of teaching during 1969-1979. He coached men’s gymnastics, which won the state title, and he received the coach of the year award and the L.R. Dad Perry award during the years of 1978 and

1979.

“Everything they learned in gymnastics, I taught them,” he said.

Gini is an English teacher and has taught for 10 years at East. She has always taught in the English department though she has taught communications for a couple years and a reading and writing class. Gini has also mainly taught high school students, with freshman being her favorite.

“They are always up for anything and have lots of energy,” she said.

And it is the students that she will miss the most.

“I think that is what draws most teachers to teaching,” she said.

Many memories were created while teaching here for both Gini and Larry.

“You always remember the unusual things that if you aren’t a teacher you wouldn’t understand,” Gini said.

The Colburns plan to keep in touch with many faculty friends and will also spend a lot of time with their friends outside of school.

May 14, 2007

GINI COLBURN

Colburns bow out together

page 12 [features]

a Portrait of an Artist by [erin morrissey]

Be careful what you draw when you’re bored in Calculus-- it could become your job.

It happened to drawing teacher Jason Filbeck. To distract himself in his high school classes, he’d draw caricatures of his teachers.

Now, he uses the talent to make extra money and have fun.

“I wouldn’t really consider it a high form of art,” Filbeck said. “I just started doing it in high school instead of taking notes.”

After high school, Filbeck showcased his caricature-drawing talents in a summer job at Worlds of Fun. For commissions of $200$300 on a good day, he would draw comical portraits of eager park-

goers. He did it in the summers throughout his college education at Baker University, where he majored in Art Education.

However, once college was over, he decided to put his hobby on the shelf for financial purposes.

“It’s fun, but it’s not a good way to make a steady living,” Filbeck said.

Although it is no longer a full-time job, Filbeck still draws caricatures at parties for amusement and sometimes money. He’s drawn students at several events, including After Prom, during his three years at East. He also drew caricatures as gifts for several players on the varsity football team, of which

Yearbooks

Drawing teacher doodles caricatures for a small profit and a little extra fun

he was the secondary coach last season.

“It was really special because he surprised us with it at the end of the season,” senior Corbin Burright said. “We spent a lot of time with him. It was nice that he went out of his way to do that.”

The portraits were a coveted commodity, according to junior football player Alex Huddleston, who did not receive one.

“I was so heated that my boy JFil didn’t make me a picture,” Huddleston said. “I thought we were close, but then he stabbed me in the back.”

Although his drawings appear to excite students, Filbeck has yet to incorporate caricature

drawing into his art class curriculum.

“I’ve considered doing a project with it,” Filbeck said. “But it’s more of a gimmick. It’s not an important enough part of the art world to devote a whole project to it.”

Even so, drawing caricatures will always be an enjoyable hobby for Filbeck.

“It’s the only way you can make fun of people to their face and they enjoy it. You can even sell it to them.” photo by annie krieg

out this Friday!

S M E

9 Days Until Finals

piece of themselves a

page 13 [features]

stories by [libby nachman]

Dr. Tom Niermann Sra. Nikki Meyers

photo by karen boomer

photo by patrick mayfield

Teachers’ urban experiences remain a part of their classroom outlook

T

wo of his students were shot.

One of them died.

A student came in late and slept through a test. His house had been the target of a drive-by the night before.

He saw students punch teachers, students getting into vicious fights. He had to worry about getting shot on his way out of school.

But while teaching at Southeast High School in Wichita from 1992 to 1994, social studies teacher Dr. Tom Niermann was able to teach kids in a way that made education feel worth it to them.

“I’d like to think I was successful,” Niermann said. “It’s all consuming to be successful in that environment.”

Niermann worked to keep students’ attention every minute of every day. He meticulously wrote out his lesson plan each night to account for the entire class period.

He did his best to alter his teaching style often to keep interest, many times working 18-hour days to prepare for the next day.

“You have to make a bunch of dead white guys interesting to a bunch of students who don’t find anything to relate to,” Niermann said. “It takes so much energy to prepare.

You have to be prepared and every day you have to give them a different sales pitch to make an education worthwhile and meaningful.”

Niermann drew on his own high school experience when he decided to teach at Southeast. He, too, had gone to a somewhat urban school in northeastern Wichita. His school had 1,100 students and only offered

two AP classes, which began his senior year. Few people went to college. Few even had the ambition to finish high school.

“I had a lot of friends who were smart and capable but didn’t see any reason to work hard in school,” Niermann said, “those friends I had could have been so much more if they had a teacher or a role model. That’s the same principle that I applied when I taught at Southeast.”

The biggest difference between Southeast and East, Niermann said, is that at East, “the battle is already half-won.” Students here understand the value of an education and are willing to work for it. There’s also the difference with the teachers’ ability to handle the stress of teaching those who don’t always want to be taught.

“Due to the effort, there’s a huge burnout rate [at Southeast],” Niermann said. “One guy getting ready to retire had been there 30 years. Aside from him, the longest was seven years and he was looking to get out.”

Niermann does feel that he made a difference for the two years that he was there before he left to go to grad school. While teaching, he was nominated for numerous teaching awards. And a few years later, he ran into a former student at the Dillon’s grocery store in Lawrence.

“She was going to college to be a teacher,” he said. “She thanked me for being a great teacher in high school.”

S

panish teacher Nikki Myers’ stint at the urban Harmon High School in Kansas City, KS wasn’t anything like one would imagine an urban school to be: there were no guns, no exorbitant numbers of fights or drug deals, no deaths during the school day.

“Kids that were in trouble didn’t bring it to school,” she said. “We didn’t have metal detectors for guns. I never felt unsafe.”

Myers worked at the school for five years, from 1999 to 2004. During that time, she taught Spanish 1 through 5 and English as a Second Language. But the most valuable thing that she learned is that kids are kids, no matter where they are.

“They cared about the same things: clothes, movies, music,” Myers said. “For Prom, some boys bought silk tuxedos.”

Still, the kids she taught were from inner-city families. The class difference was surprising.

“There was almost zero parent involvement,” Myers said. “Some kids had kids. Some kids worked 40-hour weeks.”

Instead of sleeping in class because they stayed up too late, like kids at East, her students slept because they were tired after working so much. Instead of not doing their homework because they didn’t want to, her students sometimes hadn’t done their homework because their kid was in the hospital.

“I don’t want to paint it scary, like all my kids had babies and worked 40-hour weeks,” Myers stressed. “Kids are the same everywhere. I guess there’s a culture to a class and so I learned about working with a

May 14, 2007

lower income.”

In middle class, dad is the patriarch, she said. But with the lower class families that she worked with, it was the mother. If a student got into trouble, she’d threaten to call their grandmother.

In spite of its urban setting, however, “Harmon was probably one of the wealthiest schools in the state from grants teachers wrote,” Myers said. She traveled to China, Orlando and New Mexico to give presentations on teaching in an urban setting.

“There wasn’t money for textbooks, but there was money to go to conferences,” she said.

Students got to travel, too. The Black Student Union went to Chicago, while other kids went to Florida for leadership conferences.

Even with the traveling and going to a culturally-diverse school, the kids weren’t really any different from other teens.

“I would still get students who asked me, ‘Why do I have to take Spanish?’ and I was like, “One-third of the school speaks Spanish!’” Myers said. “Teens are selfcentered, so to say they had a more worldly perspective is naïve.”

Even more, the students opened her eyes to the fact that all sorts of people of different classes and beliefs have more similarities than differences.

“It broke my stereotypes,” she said.

“We all have our beliefs and it taught me to stay open-minded. People always surprise you. It’s not different from East. You’d be surprised that it’s not so different.”

page 14 [spread]

TERRIFIC

TRAVELING

OM

The annual and will put th against each ot hurry if you wa To get there To get in: A

When you’re bored this summer with nothing to do, hop in your car and go for one of our road trips

ASHLAND - The S

by [adrienne wood] and [joey spotic]

This museum is re aircraft museums in building encases two classic aircraft and we um proudly displays a To get there: 3 hou To get in: Admissio

NEDERLAND - Arapaho Ranch

Nestled in a valley in the Roosevelt National Forest 18 miles west of Boulder, Arapaho Ranch offers a relaxing way to escape from city life for some mountain air and adventures. Onsite and nearby activities include hiking, biking, canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, and wildlife viewing at the National Park. Places to visit by car include a ghost town, national park, hot mineral spring, golf course, white-water rafting facility, outlet mall and restaurants. Each cabin is located near the Middle Boulder Creek and is surrounded by lush Aspens to provide seclusion. Campfires are available for some latenight marshmallow roasting.

To get there: 9 hours 30 minutes (641 miles) on I-70 To stay there: Each cabin (two to four bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom) houses two to eight people, rates starting at $100 per night or $725 per week. Be sure to reserve your cabin in advance and ask for any discount packages.

DENVER - Mile High Stadium The Colorado sports museum, located in Bronco’s stadium, showcases some of the best athletes from Colorado such a John Elway, and Amy Van Dyken.

To get there: 8 hours 53 minutes (606 miles) on I-70 W.

TELLURIDE - Telluride Bluegrass Festival

The Telluride Bluegrass Festival is a four day long music festival in Colorado displaying some of the world’s best bluegrass bands. At an altitude of 9.000 feet, the weather can be pretty unpredictable, even in summer. Included in this years lineup are Counting Crows, Yonder Mountain String Band, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, and Jackie Greene.

To attend: June 21-24, a one day pass for 60 dollars To get there: 14 hours 34 minutes (888 miles) on I-70

Saving Gas whileDriving

To make the most out of your road trip budget, follow these gas-saving tips

1. Avoid flooring it for your cruise control.

2. Don’t speed. Wastes gas and one ticket can destroy a summer road trip.

3. Turn off the AC — Roll down a window instead. The AC hogs gas.

4. Ease off the pedal well before a stop sign and coast to a stop; take off in a mellow manner.

Burning rubber burns gas needlessly.

5. Inflate tires to close to max.

Carry a teeny tire gauge and read the tire’s air pressure pariodically. source: www.about.com

3

IF YOU WANT TO ST Royals baseball game: frequent giveaways of posters, hats, shirts and bats make this a great time. Buck night is also a great way to save a few dollars on food at the games.

Le and hig sho

810 Zone: a huge sports bar and grill in Leawood and on the Plaza. It features an arsenal of 76 HD TVs, interactive sports games, live radio broadcasts, and a large collection of sports memorabilia.

Zo Bu tow tain

American Jazz Museum: has interactive exhibits showing off this American style of music and also features a jazz club, The Blue Room, where many talented jazz musicians come through.

W up

Kansas City Ballet: is nationally known and respected and is one of the best mid-sized ballet organizations in the country.

road trip travel tips

Be the smart traveler by following these tips and staying safe on your trip •Don’t advertise your travels. Avoid leaving road maps in plain sight inside your parked car; instead, try to look like a local, even if your license plate isn’t.

•Look like you know where you’re going. When sightseeing, avoid standing on street corners wearing a befuddled expression while staring at a guidebook or map.

•Use the truck stops. They are some of the safest places to stop and rest. They have security and drivers who are used to staying aware and protective of their vehicles.

source: www.roadtripamerica.com

the [harbinger]

Sh for ho nie ac

page 15 [spread]

THE KEY

MAHA - College World Series

college world series is on June 15 this year, he best of the best college baseball players ther. Only general admission tickets remain, ant to attend the games. e: 3 hours 4 minutes (194 miles) on I-29 N. book of 10 tickets costs 60 dollars.

Strategic Air and Space Museum

egarded as one of the foremost military the country. The 300,000 square foot entire hangars dedicated to displaying eapons. The main 525 glass panel atria stunning Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. urs 30 minutes (221 miles) on I-29 N. on is 7 dollars.

the adventure seeker Craving an escape from the concrete sidewalks and light pollution of Kansas City? Grab your hiking boots and bug spray and run away to the great outdoors.

the shopper

If window displays of shoes and 50 percent-off signs make your mouth water, just follow our guide for the ultimate shopping road trip.

the sports fan

Often find themselves craving a nice ball-park frank and often paints themselves from head to toe in Chiefs crimson. The following are sure to satisfy any sports fans’ needs.

the art and music enthusiast

Loves nothing better than to hunt out a downtown live jazz show, sit for hours or days through a music festival or explore every nook and cranny of a museum. These are for you.

TAY LOCAL...

egends: this new shopping center has 60 stores d 40 restaurants, as well as a movie theater. The ghlight of the area is the 60-foot fountain that oots mesmerizing patterns of water.

ST. LOUIS -St. Louis Union Station, The Delmar Loop

St. Louis Union Station (20th St. and Market) combines a variety of specialty shops, entertainment, and restaurants with beautifully maintained 1890s Romanesque architecture.

Recommended shops: Aussie Outfitters, Beatles For Sale (a paraphernalia store dedicated to the Beatles), Rock On (brimming with posters, prints and other rock goodies).

The Delmar Loop is a six block area in the heart of the St. Louis metropolitan area, within walking distance of Washington University. With over 100 shops, boutiques, restaurants, galleries and live entertainment venues, this historical district is the perfect shopping area for everyone from hippies to fashionistas to athletes.

Recommended shops: Alice’s Vintage Clothing, Jewelry, & Necessories!, Fresh urban retail, TABU Boutique and Sunshine Daydream.

To get there: 4 hours 8 minutes (260 miles) on I-70 E

ona Rosa: 50 stores ranging from Pacsun to uild-A-Bear line this new yet classically smallwn shopping center and provide enough enternment for an entire summer day.

Worlds of Fun: because you never really grew p.

hawnee Misison Park: if you’re in the mood r hiking or boating but don’t feel like driving for ours and attempting to pitch a tent, the conveently-located park is the ideal wilderness within city.

BRANSON - Branson Landing

OKLAHOMA - Tenkiller State Park

Known as “Heaven in the Hills,” this state park is surrounded by limestone cliffs and located on the shores of Lake Tenkiller. The convenience of camping near the lake provides you with ample water sports, fishing opportunities, boat rentals and even scuba diving. You can choose between 39 cabins, 240 campsites and 10 courtyard cottages depending on how rustic you are feeling.

Land-lover features include hiking trails, bicycle rentals, a swimming pool, volleyball and basketball courts, two swimming beaches, hayrides and campfire programs.

The scuba diving park includes such underwater attractions as a submerged school bus, sunken boats and an aircraft fuselage for your exploring enjoyment.

To get there: 5 hours (336 miles) on US-71 S. To stay there: E-mail tenkillercabins@oklahomaparks.com.

Last year Branson celebrated the opening of the Landing, a charming waterfront shopping center complete with a quaint town square, fine dining and a boardwalk. The Landing offers a plethora of stores for every shopper in the family. The Landing Trolley will get you anywhere in the shopping Promenade and is available until 9 p.m. Mon-Fri and 7 p.m. on Sundays.

To get there: 3 hours 45 minutes (205 miles) on MO-13 S To stay there: If you don’t want to make the four hour drive back home, the Hilton Promenade is located conveniently at the Landing. A room for two starts at $129 a night and everything you need to shop and dine is within walking distance.

Recommended shopping: Aeropostale, Cache, DressBarn, Hot Topic, Pacific Sunwear, White House|Black Market

May 14, 2007

the journalist.

page 12 [senior section]

the IB student.

the cheerleader.

the basketball player.

the super fan.

the exchange student.

the smiles. the tennis player.

the prep.

the singer.

the runner.

the fashionista. the pride.

the friendship.

the thespian.

the debater. the dancer. the soccer player.

the hippie.

the baseball player.

the jock. the swimmer.

the victories.

the artist.

the volleyball player.

the defeats.

the musician.

photo by samantha ludington

senior DEFINITIONS

page 2 [trends]

the

MEDIA:

WEDDING CRASHERS & LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE: “Instead of going to church, I would watch these.”

of trends you have both remembered and forgotten through your high school years

FASHION:

BIG VERA BRADLEY BAGS:

“It’s the perfect mix of fashion elegance and convenient storage. It’s better than wearing a fanny pack.”

“Grey’s is a guys’ Holy Grail. If you own a season on DVD, you have guaranteed hookups for life.”

compiled by [the senior staff]

LIVESTRONG BRACELETS “I don’t understand why these are such the craze. It’s so difficult to accessorize when wearing one.”

BIRKENSTOCK’S “They may be ugly, but once you break them in, they can be really comfortable. Plus, you can spot at least everyone at East wearing them at some point.”

DESIGNER JEANS

UGG BOOTS

Citizen Seven True Religion Joe’s Jeans Rock & Republic

“They’re so heinous, but they’re so comfortable. Good for snow, too.”

“It would be more attractive to wear tennis rackets on your feet.”

“They’re worth the purchase even if they cost more than a pair of men’s dress pants.”

all photos by katie woods

DAVE CHAPPELLE

photos courtesy of movieweb

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: “It made dead Italian artists cool again. That and hitting people with sticks.”

PEOPLE:

TEXTING: “It’s so much easier than calling someone, and they free up so much boredom in class.”

Chuck Norris’ tears could cure cancer... too bad he has never cried.

Chuck Norris can set ants on fire with a magnifying glass.

At night.

Chuck Norris does not read books. He stares at them until he gets the information he wants.

“It hurts so good. I’m a little upset it went off the air. It provided an outlet for the inner gangster in every suburban white boy.”

EAST:

MORE CELEBRITIES TO REMEMBER: Michael Jackson- “Deserves public humiliation.”

Lindsay Lohan- “The media should leave her A-Lohan.”

Britney Spears- “Her bald head makes me smile.”

THE RAFT SPEECH:

Avg. GPA- 3.33271 511 students in Fall 2006 511 students in Spring 2007 102 students received President’s Award for Educational Excellence 27 students received 1-year scholarship certificates

“Genius. He does such a good job of exposing our own prejudices through humor.”

32 students received 2-year scholarship certificates 54 students received 3-year scholarship certificates 23 students commended national merit scholars

10 finalized national merit scholars Most seniors can remember the ridiculous speech made by the author of Queen Bees and Wannabes, which eventually led to the movie Mean Girls, their freshman year.

“The lady came to talk to us about cliques. She was making the most outlandish statements about guys, saying that they always try and get girls drunk to take advantage of them. We all just sporadically clapped while she was talking as a backhanded way of saying, ‘Get off the stage… now.’ It eventually worked, and I guess she cried after she got off. She told us that our groups of friends were like rafts because you don’t want to get on the wrong raft and fall off. The whole time she made the most ridiculous analogies, telling us that girls would bring fruit cups that would soon turn into beer cups. It’s one thing to tell us what we already know, but it’s quite another to try and tell us things about our own high school that probably aren’t even true. I would never compare my group of friends to fruit cups or a raft!”

art by katie woods

“If I had Simon critique my clothes before I put them on, I would go to school with so much confidence.”

GRADE STATS:

BORAT

There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Chuck Norris lives in Oklahoma.

The best part of waking up, is not Folgers in your cup, but knowing that Chuck Norris did not kill you in your sleep.

“The true Power Rangers were the Mighty Morphins.

We’re still mourning the loss of the Kimberly, the one, true Pink Ranger. ”

O.A.R. cds: “They’re great in concert. Their songs are upbeat.”

FAVORITE CHUCK NORRIS JOKES:

MORE MEMORIES OF EAST: Emo/Scene- “Coming into high school I was scared of them, but then I realized they just express themselves differently.”

Fight at South- “It made me realize what kind of people make up South.”

4-0 Rockhurst- “One of the greatest sports accomplishments our class achieved.”

Rise of NAHS- “It was cooler our sophomore year.”

Trailers- “Even East has a little white trash in it... we should rent them out for parties!

the [harbinger]

tad sigman

photos by samantha ludington

year off for tennis

“ laine mackey

University of Alaska-Fairbanks

and decided that this was what he wanted to do,” she said.

Mrs. Sigman was also impressed by UAF when the family visited. She particularly liked the support for the major and the Large Animal Research Station (LARS).

“I think it’s a neat program if you can stand the cold,” she said. “[LARS] has over 1000 acres in use and over 1000 acres that they’re not even using. They have caribou and reindeer and arctic foxes and have large herds of these animals so the research opportunities are amazing. [Students] have the ability to study them up close and aren’t just reading from a book.

I can see why Tad liked it.”

The only downsides are the cold and the distance. Sigman isn’t too concerned about the distance, but his mom had a parents’ typical reaction.

“Well, obviously as a mother and his father we wish he would be closer to home but we are excited for him,” Mrs. Sigman said. “If this is what he wants to do it should be an interesting place in which to do it. He’s not worried about it – his parents are.”

The cold is a whole other issue. Both Sigman and his mom are confident that his new coat will be perfect for the bitter winter days, which can sink as low as minus 50.

“The day we were touring campus and it was minus 20 and he was wearing his coat and he was toasty warm,” Mrs. Sigman said. “My husband and I were freezing.”

Sigman’s opinion?

“I’ve got enough coats.”

“

by [libby nachman]

Going to a school where the average winter temperature is 20 below zero doesn’t faze senior Tad Sigman. He has his black Mountain Hardware Parka that he asked for for Christmas, after all. And with time, he expects that he’ll get used to the bitter chill and go outside with even less on.

“Most people there would put on a fleece and seemed used to it,” Sigman said, describing the students he saw when he visited the University of Alaska Fairbanks last February.

The pull wasn’t the frigid temperatures or the eight-hour plane ride with three layovers, surprisingly enough. UAF offers a unique wildlife biology major, which allows students to study out in the Alaskan tundra and at graduation, certifies them as wildlife biologists. “[With the major] I can work for natural park services or study animals and the environment,” Sigman said. Sigman became interested in the major after going on camping trips with his Boy Scouts Troop and enrolling in Environmental Education.

His decision to major in wildlife biology was somewhat of a surprise to his mother, Nan Sigman, because during high school he had been very involved in multimedia at Broadmoor.

“We honestly thought he’d go into animation and then he had this epiphany last summer

page 3 [profiles]

Both Sigman and his mom are confident that his new coat will be perfect for the bitter winter days...

by [erin morrissey]

Mackey plans to take classes at Johnson County Community College in the next year-- most likely a Comp 101 class and a lab. After that, she hopes to attend either UMass, Syracuse, Utah, or Rhode Island. She wants to major in Business with a concentration in accounting, most likely. She has yet to apply to any of them, but she’s talked to the coaches.

“They’ve all been encouraging,” Mackey said. “But that’s pretty much all they can do at this time.”

Mackey’s family has been very supportive of her decision. She is the youngest of five children, so her parents were happy to see her stay a little longer.

“They were thrilled,” Mackey said. “I’m their last child to leave, so they’re happy for me to stick around.”

“

It was about six months ago that senior Laine Mackey made one of the most important decisions of her life. Laine decided that, unlike most of her classmates, she wouldn’t be going straight to college next year. She decided to take the road less traveled. She decided to take a year off.

Since she was a child, Mackey has been interested in tennis. She played for different clubs throughout the years, landing at the Overland Park Racquet Club for the last four years. After spending years playing in tournaments, Mackey is ranked 200th in the nation. And while this is good, she wants to make it better. So, for the next year, Mackey will be taking a year off from school and intensifying her training in hopes to jump to the top 100 ranking.

“It’ll be moderately difficult, and take lots of time,” Mackey said. “If I improve my ranking, I’ll be able to get a better scholarship to the school of my choice.”

Mackey will be taking a year off from school and intesifying her training in hopes to jump to the top 100 ranking.

May 14, 2007

page 4 [profiles]

will suarez by [amanda allison]

His breaks from five hours of nightlyInternational Baccalaureate homework are never long. Maybe a few P. Diddy and Akon tracks, a nap or a game of volleyball.

Maybe an hour of clay sculpting or volunteering at Shawnee Mission Medical Center, but just for a little bit. Just long enough to rejuvenate and refocus.

Just long enough to reorganize and get ready to start again.

And that is just what senior Will Suarez will be doing this summer and during the fall of next year. After being either rejected or wait-listed from all but one of the six schools he applied to, Suarez has decided to take classes at Johnson County Community College and work fulltime at his current job with UMB Bank.

“Some people would give up because they’re not going to school,” Suarez said. “I felt depressed but I got up once again and started doing my thing.

I started to recover, do my homework and told myself that I would reapply.”

Suarez, born in Lima, Peru, hopes to be a

working at UMB Bank

doctor and to “really fix people”—something he sees not always happening during his volunteer time in a hospital. But it’s more than just getting an education and a career for him.

“It’s a matter of pride and it’s a promise I made to myself that I would show all others that a Hispanic could actually obtain an IB diploma,” Suarez said.

And even though his many activities did not equal college admission, Suarez will continue his current schedule, including practices with his nationally-ranked men’s volleyball team, regular volunteer position at Shawnee Mission Medical Center and involvement with IB, French and National Art Honor Society. Suarez has even been in contact with former associate principal and current Mission Valley Principal Susie Ostmeyer about starting an after school program.

“I want to help kids to get ready for high school so that the transition would be easier,” Suarez said. “I will help to encourage kids to take honors classes in high school, tutor and do fun activities. I want to teach them how to play volleyball, tennis, soccer—everything I know.”

But for now, Suarez is trying to concentrate on his IB exams and will be enrolling soon at JUCO. “It’s better for me to have gone through this stage now in life than rather later on,” he said. “I could have gone through Harvard and then applied to medical school and not been accepted. It could happen to me later, but it’s happening now and I think I am handling the situation pretty well.”

“ joe demarco

It’s a promise I made to myself that I would show all others that a Hispanic could actually obtain an IB diploma.

photo by samantha ludington

Johnson and Wales

by [tom grotewohl]

When senior Joe DeMarco began work as a fry cook at the Mis- going to do,” DeMarco said.

After receiving a bachelor’s degree sion Hills Country Club two years ago, he was just looking for a partin pastry, DeMarco plans to attend the time job. Instead, he found his future career.

“I never thought I’d want to be a chef,” DeCulinary Institute of Marco said. “But I came home that first day afAmerica in New York to earn a doctorate in ter making almost 200 fruit cups and I knew it was something I wanted to do.”

DeMarco won the grand prize in Johnson culinary arts. EventuDeMarco has since left his country club and Wales National High School Recipe ally he wants to introjob, but now he has bigger fish to fry. In duce his own concept Contest in the dessert category March DeMarco was chosen from over 700 to the food world.

“Something with choccontestants as the High School Chef of the grand-prize winners were awarded olate maybe,” DeMarco said.

Year in the dessert category for his fromage •full-tuition scholarships for 4 years (worth “Organic beer would be really blanc strawberry soufflé, landing him a foursweet too.” year scholarship totaling $80,000 to Johnson $80,000) and Wales University in Charlotte, North DeMarco’s parents could not •backstage tour of the TV Food Network and Carolina. a private meeting with celebrity chef, author, be more excited for their son.

DeMarco’s mother Jane looks “No more textbooks, no more worksheets, forward to the delicious meals he no more busy work,” DeMarco said. “From and J&W grad Tyler Florence. day one, it’s cooking in the kitchen.’ source: http://culinary.jwu.edu will prepare in years to come.

DeMarco’s curriculum will be based en“He does a pretty mean steak tirely around the culinary arts. Even the math classes focus only on on the grill,” Jane DeMarco said. “But I’m still not sure if he can unload the dishwasher.” conversion and measurement concepts relevant to cooking.

“Their philosophy is, you’re here to cook, so that’s what you’re

Rewarding Work

“

No more textbooks, no more worksheets, no more busy work. From day one, it’s cooking in the kitchen. the [harbinger]

photo by katie woods

robert swindler by [nathan yaffe]

Senior Robert Swindler’s relationship with the fine arts has been a strange one.

His first stab at art foundations came freshman year, which resulted, for the first time in art department history, in expulsion from the class.

The cause?

“Let’s just say, Mrs. Dinesen walked in and saw a bunch of students sitting on their stools on top of the desks, and somehow she found out I was responsible for it,” Swindler said.

That, it seemed, was the last straw: Swindler was kicked out of the class within a week.

Mrs. Dinesen declined

to comment on the affair.

Being kicked out of art, needless to say, was an impediment to Swindler’s art career. After his initial mishap, he decided he wanted to pursue a career in writing.

His literary pursuits led him to become a major contributor to the English department publication, The Voice, but his love affair with words was fleeting.

It all began sophomore more when he decided he might as well give art foundations another shot as a junior.

After a smoother art foundations experience the second time around, he signed up to take jewelry senior year.

“To be honest,” Swindler said, “I just thought it’d be an easy A, and maybe a good time along the way.”

When he got into the class, however, he fell in love. He decided to drop his Art AP class (which he was failing) at semester in order to join a second hour of jewelry. During block schedule, he spent six hours a day in

“ luke tanner

page 5 [profiles]

Pursuing the art of jewelry at KU the jewelry room, oftentimes skipping other classes to attend.

His favorite project is a silver tape dispenser fully-equipped with a lethal serrated edge.

“It is quite capable of cutting human flesh,” Swindler said with a grin.

His long-term goal, however, has nothing to do with office supplies. He plans on making the metal bands that seat wedding ring jewels and other custom pieces of the sort.

“I wouldn’t be at all opposed to just being that crazy, rich guy who makes weird jewelry for celebrities,” Swindler said.

Even if that plan falls short, he’s dead-set on pursuing this career. Next year, he’s going to KU, where he plans to enter the fine arts program.

“I just love working with the metal,” Swindler said. “My parents are just happy that I’m finally doing something.”

During block schedule,he spent six hours a day in the jewelry room...

by [ronan mcghie] When Luke Tanner’s name is called on graduation night it will mark the end of an era. The All-Sun Boys swimmer of the year, state 100 and 200 free and 200 and 400 freestyle relay record holder and three time state champion has been busy the last four years.

“It’s satisfying…all the hard work paid off,” he said.

A culmination of his hard work, Tanner is heading west to USC on a rare swimming scholarship where he hopes he can contribute as a freshman. In the competitive world of college athletics he know he will be “a small fish in a big pond,” but plans to work his way up.

And work he will. With twohour morning and afternoon swim practices with weight lifting

in between, not to mention schoolwork in business or predental, Tanner will have his work cut out for him.

His goals for post-graduation are to “win a NCAA title and be on the Olympic team.” Right now, his 500 and 100 free times are about half a second off of the Olympic team cut but through “lots of training and hard work,” Tanner hopes to be competing for the red, white, and blue in Beijing in 2008 or London in 2012.

With Tanner’s graduation, we will witness one of East’s most prolific high school student athletes close one chapter of his life and begin another.

5

facts about

luke tanner

• The greatest swimmer in East history pointwise • Won five individual state titles • Didn’t start swimming seriously until freshman year

“

swimming at sunny USC

• Achieved All-American times three years in a row • First in state in 200 freestyle relay

Tanner hopes to be competing for the red, white, and blue in Bejing in 2008...

May 14, 2007

photos by samantha ludington

page 6 [spread]

With just four days left in high school and nine left until graduation, this year’s seniors are now

MAPPING OUT

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY Vanessa McKenzie FASHION INSTITUTE OF DESIGN AND MERCHANDISING-LOS ANGELES Claire Hollenbeck Amelia Teague FIDM-SAN DIEGO Jessica Chao HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE Kate Burgers POMONA COLLEGE Danny Lawrence Sam Ellerbeck UCLA Tommy Gavin UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Luke Tanner

Indiana

Taylor Worthington HERRINGTON COLLEGE OF DESIGN Jackie Reed KNOX COLLEGE Jackie Mares WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY Zachary Dart WHEATON UNIVERSITY Patti Blair

CONNECTICUT COLLEGE Carina Schnieders

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI Manali Gadgil

Iowa

HENDRIX COLLEGE Katie Jones UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS Becca Cahill Natalie Clark Dillon Goins Ricky Stern

ART INSTITUTE OF COLORADO Greg Sherf BOULDER COLLEGE OF MASSAGE THERAPY Kammy Hodges COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY Erik Barrow Peter Helmuth Matthew Imig Sean Maida Quinn Stauffer JOHNSON AND WALES UNIVERSITY Erin Dickason Franki Triano Nicholas Young UNIVERSITY OF COLORADOBOULDER Lily Carpenter Clare Jordan

KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY Ericka Moore

DEPAUL UNIVERSITY Camilla Claiborn John Jandl ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Max Clinkingbeard

Kansas

Arizona

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Dylan Ballard Andrew Block Andrew DiCarlo UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA Lindy Cope Taylor Heinlein Caroline Wardlow

Colorado

Alaska

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKAFAIRBANKS Tad Sigman

Illinois Georgia Florida Connecticut

Alabama

FORERUNNER SCHOOL OF MINISTRY Benjamin Sweeney

California Arkansas

THEIR FUTURES DEPAUW UNIVERSITY John Brickson Taylor Cantril Jack Cluen Colin Hertel Christina Parish Ross Simpson Foster Tidwell Ellie Weed INDIANA UNIVERSITY Erik Deddens Peter Goehausen Kristin Simpson Emily Watkins PURDUE UNIVERSITY Sara Steinwart COE COLLEGE Emily Hipps CORNELL COLLEGE Abby Bavley Amelia Mallett Heather Pavlu DRAKE UNIVERSITY Kate Adams Stephanie Bruner Rachel Crown Holly Worthy GRINNEL COLLEGE Emily Francis LUTHER COLLEGE JScott Harrison UNIVERSITY OF IOWA Hailey Malone BAKER UNIVERSITY Reina Murphy BENEDICTINE COLLEGE Travis Wiedenkeller BROADMOOR John Ditch

Peter Rasmussen Ryan Scanlan Michelle Smith Lane Sturgeon Roman Tubbs EMPORIA STATE UNIVERSITY Hayden Fulton FORT HAYS STATE UNIVERSITY Alex Myers FORT SCOTT COMMUNITY COLLEGE Brandon Klugman Emily True JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE Jenny Abitz Sarah Allen Heather Allen Dane Anderson Michael Atkinson Nick Barahona Tim Bartow Maxwell Brody Daniel Camp Matthew Cavanaugh Austin Chamberlain Jake Chaney Kristina Chase Anna Claiborne Jennifer Cutrell Christopher Doyle Megan Ellis Sarah Franklin Signy Gephardt Jessica Gillis Sophie Gundelfinger Yasemin Hadjian Thomas Handley Nicole Harper Joseph Ingham Deron James Cole Johnson Jazmin Kile Samantha Kirkwood Jennifer Knipper Emily Koch Peter Krivena Josh Lambkins

Michael Ledford Ashley Lieb Chase London Mckenzie Mackey Michael Maxwell Shea McChristy Nicholas McKelvey TJ McManus Allison Meyer Evan Noll Rachel Nordin Keri O’Brien Christopher Olson John Owen Kyle Owens Bethanie Powell Sarah Prewitt Ethan Quinn Edwin Recinos Wesley Rockers Caitlin Samuel Courtney Saxton Heather Schimke Errick Schmidt Jordan Scott Jacob Sensintaffar Courtney Sheetse Jessica Szymanski Matthew Torres Eric Troyer Sam Tuttle Hawa Whalen Kelcie Wheeler Joseph Wheeler Katrina Wilson KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY Mark Allen Seth Auld Adam Barlow Andrew Barnert Justin Bellner Jillian Beyer Melissa Blessen Kathleen Bole Kelsey Brown Corbin Calvert Katie Christianer Sheridan Crowley Eric Cuellar Ha Dinh

Kelsy Dunn Alisha Ernst Andrew Faerber Carlee Fessler Ashlan Fischer Carolyn Freeman Shelley Fritz Kelcei Glasgow Abby Gloe Leah Graybill Abby Jennings Timothy Johnson Lora Joyce Alex Kelley Andrew Langdon Dani Larrabee Alex Lee Darcy Letourneau Alex Marquez AC Maurin Miles McGonigle Allison Melia Jessica Melvin Bobby Miller Andrew Miller Paul Mizik Andrew Moore Molly Morris Blake Osborn Brent Parker Eliott Pattison Scott Peterson Mary Pisciotta Rachel Pisciotta Kelby Polfer James Price Lauren Proffer Ali Reierson Adam Reimer David Sabin Rachel Sixta Cole Spickler Bo Steadman Clinton Steckly Lindsey Stiles Bailey Thomas Andrew Thompso Kevin Warnecke Monica Wells Laura Whitsitt Daniel Wiley

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON Alan Furney FURMAN UNIVERSITY Abigail Harlan Kristen Marquis

VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY Peter Reisz

Texas

North Carolina Ohio Oklahoma

UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND Peyton Warwick RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN Elizabeth Allen-Cannon

Undecided

EASTMAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC Molly Werts FASHION OF INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Nora Brown SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY Amanda Allison Brian Goldman

LEWIS AND CLARK UNIVERSITY Jess Holmes

BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Ben Belz Shelby Burford Betsy Morris Emily Riley SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY Robby Gillespie Whitney Van Way Jessica Wochner TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY Sarah Meeder Jason Honoré David Justice Kelsey Lehman Thomas Rzepka Peter Spitsnogle Evan Temchin

Exchange students Abroad Military Year off Workforce

AVILA COLLEGE Ashley West CENTRAL MISSOURI STATE Megan Ladesh KANSAS CITY ART INSTITUTE Will Anderson Thomas Cranor LONGVIEW COMMUNITY COLLEGE James Kurz MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY Davin Phillips John Dalton

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY Emmi Scott NEBRASKA WESLEYAN Natashia Howell UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKALINCOLN Bailey Armstrong Cole Easterday Amanda Levy Blair Slapper YORK COLLEGE John Carr

Oregon

CARLETON COLLEGE Carrie Paulette Nathan Yaffe MACALESTER COLLEGE Tom Grotewohl MINNESOTA WEST Blake Hartzell SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE Tiffani Burch ST. OLAF COLLEGE Mary Lynn Coulson Spencer Doyle Änee Sophia Jackson UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Victor Karpov UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI Molly Emert Caroline Jones

OKLAHOMA UNIVERSITY Abbey Blick Mallory Kornhaus Katie Wright SOUTHERN NAZARENE UNIVERSITY Abby McCrummen

Rhode Island

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Niell Campbell UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Patrick Montgomery KETTERING COLLEGE Michael Locascio

DAYTON UNIVERSITY Bryce Warnock MIAMI OF OHIO Christy Beeder Samantha Ludington Kelley McCormick Sam Reisz Katy Renfro

South Carolina

BOSTON UNIVERSITY Sarah Forster CLARK UNIVERSITY Sam Morse SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY Elle How TUFTS UNIVERSITY Duncan Renfrow-Simon WHEATON COLLEGE Casey Williams

DUKE UNIVERSITY Aishlinn O’Connor ELON UNIVERSITY Alice Cousineau Avery Fischgrund JOHNSON AND WALES UNIVERSITY Joe DeMarco WAKE FOREST Sam Bennett Ben McNamara

Tenneesse

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA James Badgerow Allison Heisdorffer Betsy Jensen Alex Jones Thomas Klein Annie Krieg Abby Law Madi Moedritzer Michael Owens Molly Rice Kathleen Sprouse Katie Woods UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ROLLA Paul Akers Rebecca MosleyNORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE Emma Bergin Missy Engelhardt ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY Ronan McGhie STEPHENS COLLEGE Weslyn Thoms TRUMAN STATE UNIVERSITY Rachel Cope Perry Gross Amanda Hemmingsen UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL MISSOURI Taylor Hinson UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY Brooks Vigliaturo WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY Charlotte Kerr Emily Ritter WILLIAM JEWELL COLLEGE Maggie Townsend Melanie Trost

Nebraska

Michigan Massachusetts Louisiana

Minnesota

TULANE UNIVERSITY Jeff Straub Beckie Warren Rachel Young

New York

on

Ellie Leek Michael Legrotte Evan Leifer Melissa Lem Casey Liffick Ethan Lindblad Taja Loren Nick Lundgren James Machauf Derek Martin Bennet McGuire Johnny McGuire Ian McKay John McNeely Melissa Melling Andrew Meyer Betsy Miller Nathan Miller Scott Montana Michael Moss Matthew Mullett Lacy Myers Bryan Nelson Courtney Newell Sarah Nielsen Cecilia Nuby Alex O’Neill Tyler Parman Tyler Perkins Michael Perry Melissa Powell Liz Raynolds Drew Robinson Reid Robson Riley Rogers Claire Ryan Philip Schumacher Grant Sharp Jayne Shelton Spencer Shoemaker Will Shteamer Andrew Sirridge Joey Soptic Sam Speer Kelsey Stabenow Jack Stelzer Matt Summers Ryan Surface Robert Swindler Bo Talley T ravis Thein Maegan Tremonti Eric Waldon Joseph Watson Tom Watson Natasha Welsh Karl Wiederaenders Aubrey Wilson Todd Witt Phillip Wolff Rachel Wooldridge Spencer Yohn NEWMAN UNIVERSITY Maggie DiSilvestro PITTSBURGH STATE UNIVERSITY Jay Barnard Clinton Brown Janice Johnson David Miller WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY Lauren Kimsey Amy Pollard

Missouri Mississippi

u

page 7 [spread] Paul Wiseman Alicia Worley Anna Zeiger UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Walker Adams Iqra Akhtar Michael Alexander James Allen Weston Anderson Briana Arensberg Ben Ashworth Megan Auld Will Becker Maxim Belousov Alex Block Nick Boehm Anne Bradley Annie Brill Paul Burman Corbin Burright Bryson Burroughs Ross Cannady Irving Cedillo Eric Chapman Ted Cluen Megan Collins Carlie Copeland Sara Corazzin Stephen Cramer Brad Crawford Emily Dix Lauren Dunn Tyler Enders Alex Etherington Kelsey Evinger Maximilian Fallone Samantha Fatall Peter Fetterling Robbie Fitzwater Erin Fletcher Meg Fracol Abigail Fritts Stacey Golub Carolyn Gray Greg Halper George Hart Alex Hartman Colin Hayes Daniel Heady Jace Hedrick Sam Hedrick Tess Hedrick Brad Hocevar Alex Hodges Alex Horwitz Alex Huebner Sarah Hummel Satoshi Inoue Quin Jackson Irving Jacobs Brad Jacobson JJ James Kyle Jesse Kortney Jones Rachel Kaegi Georgie Keller Sean Kennedy Akosua Kernizan Richard King Jay Kombrink Frances Lafferty Elise Langtry Sam Lawler

Jayme Barajas Jon Clay Brittnee Ira Will Suarez Logan Thorup

Teymur Akhmedov Hannah Jorgensen Bradley Myers David Span

Enrique Barajas Derrick Morris Michael Stalzer Zachary Thomas Richard Hansen PHILIPPINES Samantha McCloud St. Carlos University Cebu City

Nancy Abaza Michele Basilici Fabian Baur Raphael Chikli Marcelo Garcia Verena Gebel Robin Kresinszky Karoline Malde Alicia Piens Milena Radonjic Johannes Schmidt Juliane Schulz Alexander Sigel Ulrikke Sivertsen Ingvill Tolas

the last opinion of

Amanda Allison

I am a Burt’s Bees addict who drinks too much Redbull. I take quite a few more than the daily-recommended doses of Advil and I can only write with a certain type of pen (Pilot G-2s, if you’re looking for inky amazement).

Yes, I know. Seemingly erratic, OCD behavior. But I have my reasons.

I have a reason for maintaining a stash of Purell in my backpack, along with both my contacts and glasses, depending on what I was able to force in my eyes that early morning. I have a reason too for skipping out on locker clean-out day last week (sorry Sarah!)

I am Me today—with my many OCD qualities—because I stumbled across journalism.

I am Me because I discovered this huge family of equally quirky and dedicated people as myself in the journalism room. Because I scrawled in J1 for my first semester freshman elective and was sucked in, drawn in and grew up in Room 521—the room that requires caffeine to function, Advil to cure stress aches and Purell to clean off the stains of newsprint I will forever have on my hands.

To quote the opening to my National Journalist of the Year portfolio essay: The journalism room became my home, my family, my life. The newspaper has been that huge thorn of stress in my side; it has been that anchor keeping me steady. Without my participation in high school journalism I wouldn’t have grown into a meaningful person.

A meaningful person. In high school, especially here at East where there are so many activities to get involved with, it seems like it would be so easy to just find a niche and go. Be

successful, achieve and become a Forensicator, Techie or Choir junkie.

And I tried my first semester freshman year, but I failed. Just didn’t find my place. I even managed to survive all of the textbook-official events—braces, cafeteria seating crises, STUCO election speeches and the freshman mixer. I just hadn’t found Me yet.

But. Second semester freshman year, I managed to get on staff as the spread editor--even though I hadn’t spoken more than probably six words to the adviser or my classmates.

Tate had taken a chance on me, even though I didn’t know Me. Fast forward three and a half years. 58 deadlines and three months worth of journalism trips. I have traveled to Atlanta, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, Denver. I have been on the KU campus and sweat in Dallas during week-long workshop. I have interviewed Judy Woodruff and danced with Bob Schieffer during the Al Neuharth Free Spirit Conference in DC over spring break--a week with 101 young journalists, all gawking as nerdily as me during our tour of the USA Today building.

And in the course of those months and pages and panic attacks that have made up my high school journalism career, I have found that Me that most people in high school can’t define.

I am OK with the fact that, because of my obsession with the newspaper, I will always have newsprint on my hands. That I have not eaten in the cafeteria more than three times and that I will probably go blind at an early age because of spending so many hours staring at lovely LCD Mac screens.

I am OK with the person I have become in high school because I found the room and way of life and people that are just like me. I found a home, a career and Me. Journalism nerd and all.

I am OK with the fact that, because of my obsession with the newspaper, I will always have newsprint on my hands.

That I have not eaten in the cafeteria more than three times and that I will probably go blind at an early age.

Predictions for the years ahead

Peter Goehausen

As I sat in the chair at the dentist for the ‘final time’ before college, the oral hygienist passed time by questioning me about my plans for next year. Once I told her my plans, she made small talk about them, about my future and about the wonders of college. Before she left she discretely mentioned that the main reason I would love college was because it was the “last four years of fun.” She also added that after college there was no more spring break, winter break or summer break.”

No more summer break! No more spring break! NO MORE FUN!? What will the future of my life behold if there is no more fun? These past four years of high school have been nothing but fun and a time to slack. What will happen to me?

More importantly what will happen to the our class of 2007.

Desperate to find a few glimmers of hope in our collective future, I got out my tarot cards and made predictions about what the future would behold for four members of our class, based upon their talents.

1. Already owning the title of the greatest rapper to ever walk the halls of East, senior Jon Clay will take the title as the elite American rapper of the 2010s. Clay, who dons the rapper title J. Street, will break out behind his feature song “This is for You,” a song just for his mama.

His rap clan, the J. Street Lunatics, will battle Nelly’s St. Louis based St. Lunatics for Midwest supremacy, much like the East- West rap feud of the 1990’s. With newer and fresher beats, Clay’s clan will take the crown for the best in the Midwest on his way to winning multiple Grammy’s.

2. Although he may have to compete with others as the “super-fan” during the next four years at KU’s raucous

Allen Fieldhouse, senior Will Becker will emerge to become Kansas City’s “super-fan” after finishing college. Becker, who has been the face of East basketball fans over the past years, has been known to live and die for his team while looking as goofy as possible along the way.

With the arrival of a new sports arena downtown next year and a new team, Becker will start his reign as KC’s “super-fan” there. After rallying fans around the new bottom-dwelling expansion team downtown for ten years, Becker will be catapulted into NFL fame as he will overtake “Jelly-Belly” as the official fan of the KC Chiefs. Becker, whose arsenal will include a painted and mostly naked red body and a personalized hot-dog launcher, will be the face of Chiefs fans for the 21st century.

3. When senior Blair Slapper signed to play soccer with Nebraska in February, she did not know she was signing on to play soccer for the next 20 years. After graduating Nebraska a three-time All-American, Slapper will headline the U.S. women’s World Cup team of 2011.

With team U.S.A. tied in penalty kicks during the championship game, Slapper will bend in the game-winning penalty kick against the Brazilians. After hitting the shot, Slapper will take a note from 1999 World Cup winner Brandi Chastain and rip her shirt off, exposing her sports bra in front of the sold-out crowd. Slapper’s picture will be featured on Wheaties boxes worldwide.

4. Once finishing law school at KU, Magna Cum Laude, Sean Kennedy will move back to help govern a state in desperate need of rebuilding, Missouri. After practicing law in Missouri for fifteen years, Kennedy will move to politics. Kennedy’s

the last opinion of

political career will start once he is elected as the mayor of Independence, Missouri. His primary goal will be to shut down the notorious meth problem in Independence. After personally going under-cover to take down every meth dealer in Independence, Kennedy will be elected to the U.S. Senate.

Once elected, the witty Kennedy will deceive other members of Congress into getting his ideas passed into legislation. Kennedy’s two biggest issues: legalization and lowering the drinking age.

5. If I were to list all of Aishlinn O’Connor’s achievements over the past four years, it would probably fill the rest of this newspaper. Some of the more notable things she has done include starting a community service organization called “Kids Helping Kids, raising $75 thousand to fund an “intergenerational playground” at a home for the aged and testified to the Kansas Senate in support of an Anti-Bullying bill.

After graduating from Duke, O’Connor...will...SAVE THE WORLD. So maybe we do only have four years of fun left, but that’s not to say the past four haven’t been great as well.

Who knows, maybe the best part of our lives will be ahead of us; when our classmates are governing our country, selling multiple-platinum rap albums and cheering on the Chiefspartially naked.

I got out my tarot cards and made predictions about what the future would behold. the [harbinger]

“

“

A journalism room home

“

page 8 [senior columns]

ellie weed

Earlier this year, one of our editors got wind of this show MTV was doing about a newspaper staff. They were having high schools across the country try out. “The Paper,” as they would call it, would be the equivalency of the football show “Two-a-Days” — they’d follow a few kids around and monitor their social lives, portray our editors however they wanted to skew it and tape during our deadlines... that sort of thing. We debated whether or not we should try out, but figured it wouldn’t fly with the administration.

We all laughed, talking about the fake romances that we would make up for the show — having Stephen, the cute sophomore, pretend to be hooking up with some senior girl in the English office for the audition tape, making us look like our staff was dramatic and scandalous.

Honestly, I wish we would have done it. Then everyone would know what newspaper is really like. On top of the countless Pacemakers, Gold Crowns, Best in Shows, there’s amazing friendships, hidden romances, political debates and a paper that we’re all unbelievably proud of.

For those students in the school whose second home isn’t the journalism room, it just looks like a disgusting mess of a room that’s just technologically advanced. But for so many of us, it’s a comfort zone, a hide out from an English class we’re dreading, an alternative to the cafeteria for lunch. It’s been a safe haven for me since my freshman year. It’s defined who I

“

MTV show would have shown senior’s life-changing journalism experience

am — who I have been — in high school.

Three and a half years and 52 issues later, I can still vividly remember my first deadline night. I reported the hell out of this story about a senior who was coaching the freshman girl’s B basketball team (which I’m sure no one read besides my parents and me) and designed an opinion page that I was so proud of — in addition to the tacky headline was a really badly cut out American flag. I found that issue in my “Save Box” at home and I have to say I was embarrassed.

Not that anyone would notice, or care, except for me, but it’s amazing to me how much I’ve grown through newspaper.

It’s not just my designs that have gotten better — it’s my writing, my time management, my patience and my attitude.

I’ve cried, thrown fits and lost my temper more times that I’d be willing to admit. Ask Mr. Tate — he’s usually the one cleaning up the mess.

I’ve written stories about hot topics. I’ve written crappy stories that could have been really good. I’ve procrastinated when I shouldn’t have. I spilled some of my deepest secrets in a column I wrote at a workshop in Dallas, and won an award for it.

If it wasn’t for journalism, I wouldn’t have been able to watch the Padres play in the PetCo stadium in Seattle. I wouldn’t have been able to ride underneath the Golden Gate Bridge on a ferry in San Francisco. I wouldn’t have been able to eat at a four-star seafood restaurant in San Diego. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to interview all the KU basketball players in Lawrence with a major Kansas City Star reporter. I wouldn’t have been able to stand in the middle of

the basketball court in Allen Fieldhouse in complete solitude and admire the 16,000 empty seats.

If it wasn’t for journalism, I wouldn’t know what it would be like to have a teacher that cares so much about his students that he stays up at school until 10:30 p.m., reading and rereading rough drafts, assisting with text wraps and drop caps and photo editing, even with a two-year-old daughter and wife waiting at home. He knows all my flaws — ranging from my annoyance of non-condensed fonts or the constant bickering between my sister and I (even three years after she’s graduated and moved out of the journalism room). No matter how many times I haven’t taken his advice or been a total brat to him, I still value his opinion over most other people in my life.

And no matter what he does, I still don’t know what a wrap graf is. Never have, probably never will. I don’t even know if this story has one.

Retrospectively, I would have been the perfect person for that show. I would have been the girl that everyone loved to hate every Monday night on MTV. I love the “j-crew,” as we’ve come to call ourselves. I have never been a part of something so great in my entire life, and I don’t know what I will do without it.

I’ll be a part of a new staff, but the room probably won’t be as messy and I probably won’t be able to belt out an Akon song at 8 p.m. on a deadline night like I can here.

But I have to say, I probably wouldn’t pass up a TeenVouge internship in Paris to live with my boyfriend for the summer like Lauren from “The Hills” did.

“

the last opinion of

page 9 [senior columns]

For those students in the school whose second home isn’t the journalism room, it just looks like a disgusting mess...but for so many of us, it’s a comfort zone.

In the words of Kurt Vonnegut, take a moment to “skylark”

For those of you who read my columns regularly, you can rest easy: I promise this won’t be another column about children in Africa or how to be a better person.

Before I begin this column, however, I have to make a confession.

All of you know Tyler Enders is our StuCo president.

Some of you may even remember that I ran against Tyler for the position last spring.

When I decided to throw my hat in the ring during that election, I didn’t actually want to be in charge of StuCo. All I really wanted was to give our graduation speech at the end of the year. In fact, I was planning on hiring Tyler—we had already negotiated a fee—to manage StuCo in my stead during the year, and simply resuming my duties during the last week of school so that I could give that speech.

Needless to say, my plan was foiled. But all the same, I owe you an apology, senior class of 2007. I guess I truly am no different than any other politician that lies on the campaign trail about their intentions.

Luckily, however, writing a senior column for the last issue of the paper, I’m getting my own shot at a graduation speech of sorts.

But since I got rejected in the general election, I feel selfconscious just spouting my own thoughts. After all, I hear tell the opinion section’s readership dropped nearly 50 percent once I started writing columns.

nathan yaffe

With this in mind, I decided to fashion my ideas after a great man and personal hero of mine: Kurt Vonnegut.

In 1970, he gave the commencement address at Bennington College, which contained some of the best advice I’ve ever heard.

“Do not take the entire world on your shoulders. Do a certain amount of skylarking, as befits people your age.

Skylarking, incidentally, used to be an offense under Naval Regulations. What a charming crime. It means intolerable lack of seriousness. I would love to have had a dishonorable discharge from the US Navy—for skylarking not just once, but again and again.”

Of course, you may think that a group of graduating seniors are the last people who need to be encouraged to have a good time. After all, most of us are going to college next year, and college means parties. …And parties, of course, mean lots of non-alcoholic beverages and school-approved fun.

But in all seriousness, I know that I, for one, could use that advice every once in a while. Almost all of us, myself included, have gotten stressed out this year. About college, about our futures, about leaving people, about meeting new people—nearly everything one could think to stress about, we have. It’s in our nature.

That stressing, I think, ought to be counteracted by a good bit of skylarking. But I don’t think Vonnegut would have

the last opinion of

looked at a big East party and called it skylarking.

If you’re going to a big party, worried about parents coming home or who’s supplying certain choice beverages and who’s paying who for those beverages and who’s kissing whose ex-boyfriend, even if you were the happiest person in the world, you’d be too busy to stop and notice it.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not trying to make this an antidrinking, or even an anti-partying, piece. I am, however, advocating for enjoying little moments. Again, Vonnegut put it better than I could: “And I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, ‘If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.’ “ I, for one, think it’s nice that I’ve gotten to share four years with some amazing people.

I think it’s nice that we’re graduating—one week!—and that we’ll be able to blaze our own trail, as much as we choose to, for the first time.

I think it’s nice to enjoy something simple, like a Frisbee or a ball, because, again in Vonnegut’s words, computers get in the way of us becoming. And becoming is what it’s all about, no matter what you want to become.

I, for one, think it’s nice that I’ve gotten to share four years with some amazing people.

May 14, 2007

page 10 [senior columns]

the last opinion of

foster tidwell

Here it is: my senior column. I had originally planned on finding some way to creatively compile all my fondest memories of being a Lancer—you know, those involving the weird teachers and the awkward freshman homecoming moments—the type that add true character to a high school experience. It would have been a great column, I promise.

But unfortunately, after reading Dr. Swift’s address to East in the May edition of the school newsletter, I feel I have no choice but to spend my final words defending a large portion of the senior class, including myself, that has been unfairly attacked and humiliated.

In her “Message from the Principal” section of the latest newsletter, Swift chose to include a vicious e-mail sent to her by an anonymous—she chose not to reprint his name—“community member.” The man claims to have been staying at the same hotel complex in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, as was a large contingent of East senior spring breakers and their families.

In his rant, the man complains of destructive and drunken behavior on the part of East students as well as of their parents, who allowed the teens—of legal drinking age—to consume alcohol. The letter labels the East seniors as “over the top in terms of irresponsibility, rudeness, vulgarity and stupidity.” Our parents are cast in an equally demeaning light.

Having myself stayed in the same hotel complex at the same time, I can attest to the fact that there was indeed a fair amount of annoying, drunken behavior. So can my parents. Although he over-exaggerates many of his claims, most of what the man describes did actually occur.

His mistake, however, lies in automatically assuming that it was East seniors responsible for ruining his vacation. Quite to the contrary, the vast majority of the lewd, destructive behavior that he mentions can be attributed not to our group, but rather to the thousands of less-supervised spring-breakers from around the country who were there at the same time.

I’m not saying that isolated incidents didn’t occur, much as they do back in Kansas, but simply that they were by no means characteristic of the group as a whole.

As well, many of the accusations the man levies are founded purely on speculation.

He would have had to have been awake at 5 a.m. in order to observe the acts of nighttime vandalism that he so vividly describes—not to mention alert enough to recognize the culprits as Lancers.

Being the civic leader that he obviously so fancies himself (a man who delivers a stern and reprimanding letter to an unfamiliar high school principal), I wonder why he didn’t just tell the hoodlums to knock it off himself, or simply inform their parents.

Well, I’d hazard a guess that our irate amigo wasn’t awake at 5 in the morning. It seems likely to me that he merely heard rumors of the last night’s vandalism over coffee and toast the next morning and jumped to the conclusion that it was those bastards from East who were responsible.

It isn’t a logical accusation, but after reading his letter in its entirety, I’m pretty sure I know what drove him to such defamation. His scornful tone makes it clear that he had a bone to

The years have been turbulent but worth it

Choosing to defend, and say goodbye to, the senior class

pick with Shawnee Mission East, as well as with our students and parents.

This is obvious, first off, in that he chose to provide the actual names of certain students in his message. Doing so served absolutely no rational purpose. Of course Dr. Swift was required to edit out the names in the newsletter, but their mere presence indicates that the man wasn’t offering his invective for the same noble purpose of keeping kids safe for which Dr. Swift published it. No, his words convey little more than poorly-focused anger.

Any remaining doubts that the accuser is merely bitter and disgruntled are shattered after examining his confused attempt at an emphatic final line for his tirade: “I hope ‘what happens in Mission Hills stays in Mission Hills.’ ” Hmm. Yeah, I get it. The phrase is supposed to be a play off the infamous slogan, “What happens in Mexico stays in Mexico,” but it’s not terribly effective in demonstrating anything save a genuine scorn for the residents of Mission Hills, Kansas.

The same bias and childish logic characterizes most all that he says.

This is why I was so disturbed with Dr. Swift’s decision to reprint his message in the newsletter. I realize that she was simply trying to bring to light what she felt was a important and troubling issue. It’s clear by now that she isn’t the type of leader to push a problem under the rug.

But nevertheless, the content of what she chose to reprint amounted to little more than a poorly-masqueraded insult to the East senior class—a shameless slap in the face delivered by an anonymous hand, powdered in animosity and malice.

I’ve spoken with Dr. Swift about the controversy, and it’s clear to me that she had absolutely no intention of offending so many students and parents. Nonetheless, her decision to publish such a scornful and thoughtless message shows a degree of poor judgment.

It isn’t enough that individuals’ names were removed in the final, reprinted copy of the email. Even though they were scratched out, people still speculated as to just who the referenced students were. The result of such gossip is unfair, hurtful and wholly unnecessary.

I am part of an amazing senior class. The group of East students vacationing in Playa del Carmen included some of the finest, most upstanding and talented student leaders that Shawnee Mission East has to offer. Unfortunately, I fear that our reputation, as well as that of our parents, has suffered a serious and undeserved blow as the result of one man’s false and hurtful words.

One point on which Dr. Swift and I did come to perfect agreement in our meeting was that alternative perspectives offered by parents who spent spring break in Playa would be helpful to the healing process. I strongly encourage parents to take her up on this offer so that we can hear what actually happened. Dr. Swift indicated that she would be willing to reprint such an account in the June newsletter.

It is my sincerest hope that the class of 2007, my class, will be remembered not for a spiteful account of our character given by a some angry man, but instead for the numerous and outstanding achievements that truly define us—for the high character and probity with which we have conducted ourselves and for the proud legacy that we are leaving behind.

It’s great to be a Lancer.

ally heisdorffer

Reflecting on the past four years, I tried to determine what has made the greatest impact on me while at Shawnee Mission East. It wasn’t the honors classes or rigorous homework assignments. It wasn’t the endless drama of preparing for school dances. It wasn’t the winning streak against Rockhurst that began my freshman year. True, all the clichéd high school experiences have left their mark on me, but what I’ll take away from my high school experience is something I’ve achieved on my own: change.

Shuffling through the hallways in my coral top and American Eagle khakis on the first day my freshman year, I was hopelessly lost. I transferred from the Blue Valley district after previously moving from Chicago only a few months before. I had met so many new people in such a short amount of time; I was so overwhelmed. On that monumental first day of high school I remember my greatest fears were whether or not to bring a purse (would I look stupid?) and who I was going to sit with at lunch (oh God please let me make the right decision). Those feelings of awkwardness and fear have now disintegrated. All that matters now is what I think, but I haven’t always felt this way.

The past four years have been turbulent ones for me. I’ve suffered great disappointments in myself as well as others.

I learned what it was like to have my heart broken and be truly lonely. I’ve experienced depression, eating disorders and ultimate failure. I spent a majority of my high school years wishing I was someone else, but now, looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing.

We’ve all undergone drastic changes from hair colors to entire friendship groups. These are the times you’re supposed to find out who you are and I’d like to think most of us have.

I have no hand-eye-foot-any-part-of-my-body coordination. I can’t sit through a whole musical, let alone be in one. I don’t even enjoy being academic, although my grades are good. To be honest, I don’t really fit in anywhere and although this fact caused me grief earlier, I’m okay with it now. I can’t say high school was the greatest time of my life, but I will treasure the experience.

I was worried I wouldn’t feel satisfactory by graduation.

There are things I blew off, grades that could have been better, challenges I should have been up for, but I had to step back and realize that there is only so much I can do. As a freshman

the last opinion of

I panicked a b o u t s c h o o l work. All grades must be A’s. All homework was finished directly after school. All available honors classes were taken. The reality that I’ve come down with the common disease of Senioritis must factor in to my lack of interest in school lately, but being perfect just no longer appeals to me. I’ve got a life to live outside of school. I’ve got three AP classes under my belt, a decent grade point average and a social life. I’m not walking across that stage with cords or an IB diploma, but I feel that my time spent here hasn’t been wasted.

Now that I’ve come this far, I can’t imagine turning back.

It’s 2007. I’m graduating. I’m moving out and on with my life. OK, so all these things are a little scary, but I truly feel prepared. I’ve made my mistakes, and plenty of them, but I’ve also learned from my experiences. I don’t know what my life will bring; all I know is that I’m ready to find out.

The past four years have been turbulent ones for me...but looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing. the [harbinger]

YOUR MOTHER DOESN’T

page 11 [senior how-tos]

a guide to seniors trying to learn the simple tasks of cleanliness and organization, and fitness compiled by [ellie weed]

taking on

LOADSof

LIVE HERE when post-its aren’t good enough to keep track of your agenda...

LAUNDRY

• Carry a notepad with you wherever you go to get phone numbers or write down notes to yourself. Also, put the notebpad by your bed at night when you wake up and remember random things.

• Use all of the functions of your cell phone. Even if you have a basic cell phone, use the calendar to make note of even the simplest things, like friend’s birthdays.

AVOIDING THE DREADED “FRESHMAN 15” and most of all...

STEP 1: SEPARATE YOUR CLOTHES

it’s best to put your clothes in 4 separate piles WHITES • LIGHTS (patterned clothes go here) • DARKS • DELICATES (special fabrics)

As said on Oprah, if you eat a sleeve of Oreos, don’t skip a meal to make up for it. Just go on like it never happened, or otherwise you’ll just snack.

pick a buddy- a roommate is always convenient- to work out with every day. That way when avoid the one of you isn’t in the mood, the “4th meal”: try not other one will force you to to have another meal when do it. you get home late at night on the weekend. Instead, have a big glass of water or snack on an apple.

USE THE FITNESS CENTER

• Have a calendar in your room that has both you and your roommate’s events. Then you know what time they have classes, when you’ll both be in the room, and when you’ll have some time to yourself.

WHERE TO BUY THE GOODS

for laundry...

for agenda/calendars... for clean closets...

1 CARTON OF TIDE WALL CALENDARS

4 100 ounce bottles *comes in various sizes

COSTCO- $48.43 take a multivitamin -- not only will you have more energy, i will also help prevent illness and colds during the wintertime

PACK OF HANGERS

*comes in various sizes

OFFICE MAX- $8.99 OFFICE MAX- $8.99

STEP 2:WASH YOUR CLOTHES

**pretreat any stains for a stain remover • while the water is filling the washer, put in the detergent and then your clothes • REMEMBER TEMPERATURES VARY WITH TYPES OF CLOTHES • whites: hot water • lights and darks: warm water • delicates: cold water

*some delicates may need to be hand-washed

STEP 3: DRY YOUR CLOTHES

• first thing to do: clean the lint filter • add fabric softener dryer sheets • delicate clothes should be hung to dry *read instructions for details

STEP 4: FOLD YOUR CLOTHES

• to reduce chances of wrinkles, fold right after your clothes come out of the dryer • sweaters and other form-fitting clothes should be folded so that the garmet fits to your body and doesn’t morph to fit the hanger.

LAST MINUTE LAUNDRY NECESSITIES • Remember lots of quarters!

• If you’re not sure how to wash something, read the tag. It will give you exact instructions.

• Do a full load of laundry- that way you don’t waste any water.

SOME EXTRA ADVICE FROM

THE EXPERTS:

on laundry...

on time management...

“Only keep one calendar- if you have one on your desk and one on your computer and one somewhere else, you lose track of BRIDGET BRILL, SENIOR MOM what you wrote down where.”

“Stay on top of your laundry so it doesn’t KITTY THOMAS, SENIOR MOM on life... pile up-don’t bring it home for your mom “Keep a pen and paper with you at “It’s easier to forgive the querks in your high school to do it for you.” all times because there’s always friends because you know them. Give your new friends DIANNE KELLER, SENIOR MOM things that you’ll want to write some time- try to forgive their flaws.” down.”

KITTY THOMAS, SENIOR MOM “Don’t take the laundry out of the dryer BRIDGET BRILL, SENIOR MOM before it’s dry.”

“Never forget about your high school friends. They’re KITTY THOMAS, SENIOR MOM on cleanliness... the ones that you can fall back on and they know you best.”

NANCY JONES, SENIOR MOM “Don’t put wet towels in laundry basket and “When there’s not time to clean, other dirty clothes on top- it will start put everything in your closet and “College gives you the chance to start over. You can be stack keep the door shut. If your closet to get mildewy and smell bad.” anyone you want to be.” be clean, keep the living DIANNE KELLER, SENIOR MOM can’t LAURA JONES, SENIOR MOM space clean.”

THE MOMS

“If you ever have a spill, and you can’t wash it out any time soon, put water on it immediately if nothing else.”

SOME EXTRA ADVICE FROM the graduates

BRIDGET BRILL, SENIOR MOM

BRANDON BARNDS CLASS OF ‘06

MEGAN SAYLER CLASS OF ‘06

When you have dirty clothes, or make a mess, clean it up, because you stop caring once your room gets too dirty and it gets gross.

it’s always important to finish your homework before you go out because you don’t want to be stuck doing it all day Sunday.

on cleanliness... on laundry...

on schoolwork...

Don’t leave your laundry at the laundromat- it gets all over the place on laundry...

Always have lots of quarters around. and in other people’s way.

May 14, 2007

KEEPING YOUR CLOSET CLEAN

• Have all your hangers be the same. If one is plastic, they should all be plastic.

All of the pants hangers should also be the same.

• Shoe racks that hang on the side of the door are great space savers and help you find a pair of shoes, not just one.

if you want to be obsessively organized...

• Organize your clothes by seasons. That way, you can move all of your summer clothes to the back end of your closet when fall comes.

• Give each type of shirt or pant a different colored hanger. Plastic hangers from WalMart come in a variety of colors, and each tank top could be blue, while polos could be red.

• Use hanger bags for nicer clothes so that they don’t get wrinkled and are easy to recognize against the other clothes.

page 1 [senior section]

no matter who you are, where you’ve been or where you’re going...

seniors,

this is your class.

page 16 [features]

The Harbinger takes an inside look at Shawnee Mission’s alternative school by [meghan benson] Walking into Horizons the atmosphere of a traditional high school begins to shift into a more alternative one. A student passes a teacher in the halls addressing them by their first name, while another student heads down to the game room for a quick game of pool during break period.

To outsiders, the school has been labeled as “the school for the problem kids.” The misconceptions have been made: Everyone’s pregnant. Fights break out on a daily basis.

Everyone’s a druggie or a screw-up.

Yes, some of the rumors are true. There’s one pregnant student in the whole school. A total of three fights have happened this year.

The school is a place for students without a place, for some a last option. Most of the students are self-placed, attending the school by their own choice. Students who attend the school are her for issues such as truancy, pregnancy, poor grades, fighting, and for those students who haven’t quite adapted or fit in at their traditional high school.

The alternative learning style is convenient for students who just didn’t excel in their high school, and offers more ‘realworld’ preparation classes such as Parenting, Foods, Psychology, and Life Skills 101.

For senior Sam Cohen, the school was his last option to graduate high school. Cohen decided to make the switch to Horizons after his high school English credits didn’t carry over after moving schools. Formally an East student, he would’ve had to stay at East for another three years in order to receive his credits. At the age of 19, the last thing Cohen wants to do is stay in school until he’s 22.

“It’s not like what people say,” Cohen said.

“We have more then just the certain types of kids everyone thinks we have. It’s just kids who got lost along the way, they’re just trying to get their lives back on track.”

He plans to graduate next December after completing his last credits needed. He won’t be walking with his class, but that’s the least of his worries.

For Cohen, the transition from East to Horizons hasn’t been easy to deal with. To him, there are a lot of downsides to not about

the school but some of the students themselves. He feels like the students at Horizons are flat out disrespectful to the teachers in his classes. The profanity and vulgar comments are a side of Horizons that he just isn’t used to coming from East.

“I miss the intelligence of the students,” Cohen said. “People know how to act and how to show respect towards their teachers.

I think it’s disgusting how [disrespectful] some of the students are towards teachers here.”

Social studies teacher Tony Budetti sees the way his students act in class and thinks that his students can be too opinionated at times. But he also knows that the students at Horizons are carrying a lot more around than just what meets the eye.

“I’ve learned a lot of the stuff that kids are dealing with,” Budetti said. “There are such different issues being dealt with here than in a traditional high school.”

Issues like drug abuse, playing parent roles, and problems at home play a role with the students at Horizons.

With nearly 180 students throughout the whole school, the teachers are able to get to know their students better and try and understand them and find ways to help them succeed as a student.

“We try to understand our students,” Principal Rick Lander said.

Rather than being made by computer, each students’ schedule is set by hand, which Lander feels as a way of getting to know the students on a better level.

“Computers don’t know anything about you,” said Lander.

One way the teachers try connecting with their students by referring to each other on a first-name basis.

Homework isn’t given to students. Grades are based on in-class assignments. Tests and

projects are given by the teachers.

“Some of our students are self-supporting or are teen parents, which is why we don’t give out homework,” Lander said. “They face problems and have responsibilities outside of school that traditional high school students just don’t have to face.”

The hardest thing that Lander and the Horizons have to deal with is student apathy. “[Student apathy] is one of the things we fight most with students,” Lander said.

He sees students in the halls everyday who seem like they flat out just don’t care.

“There are a lot of students who say how much they don’t want to be here or that the just don’t care,” Lander said, “yet they keep coming back everyday.”

“At the age of 55, our students have to face these decisions that even I’ve never had to face,” Lander said. “Their outside priorities and responsibilities can’t help but be an influence on their school performance.”

If he sees a student struggling with a certain class or just aren’t able to keep up with a class, he’ll try to shorten their schedules or figure out a way to make it work. He wants to let his students know that the staff is there to work with them, and they’re willing to help do what it takes to ensure that their students get through high school.

Thirty percent of the students who enroll every year at Horizons don’t remain at the school, whether transferring to another school or just dropping out all together.

Horizons sophomore Erica Ferguson wakes up at 6:30 am, just like every other high school student to begin the getting ready for school process. But unlike other students, she has to get someone else ready

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for school as well; her two-month-old baby boy. Before heading straight to first hour, she drops her son of at the nursery.

Ferguson knew that going to Horizons would be the best fit for her after finding out she was pregnant at the beginning of the school year. Talking the decision over with her counselor, she decided that the school would be more understanding of her situation.

“Walking down the halls [at East] I would always hear people talking and whispering about me being pregnant,” Ferguson said.

“It just got old. It was just like, I know I’m pregnant.”

Taking eight classes a day, she’s enrolled in classes such as Parenting and Foods, classes she feels that have helped her prepare more for life, and the things she’s going to be facing every day, like how to take care of her baby boy.

“The classes here really help you more for the real world, instead of just the academic classes,” Ferguson said. “It was a hard transition learning to adapt, but I’ve leaned the things I never would’ve been able to learn at East.”

The school isn’t a college prep school.

Most of the students at Horizons won’t attend college. The school is a place where kids can go to get what they need to get done in order to be successful in their job or their family life.

Ultimately Horizons is about the people.

People with real issues. People overcoming obstacles. People doing what they need to do to make it through high school and out into the real world.

Champs

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And for breaking three records!

page 17 [features]

Grilling up the goods by [stephen nichols]

“

nick BOEHM My dad [got me started grilling]. It’s just something I’ve been doing since I was 9 or 10. I try to grill at least once a week.I make really good hamburgers. It’s pretty social--usually for 20 or more people.

”

HAMBURGER RECIPE:

• 93 percent lean hamburger meat •3 to 4 tablespoons of K.C. Masterpiece Caribbean Jerk •Worcestershire Sauce (as needed) •Onion and garlic powder •Five to six drops of liquid smoke •Grill the burgers, but “leave them pretty juicy.”

Q&A:

“ george hart

On what he likes to grill: “I like Fritz’s brats, either beer or cheddar.”

On why he enjoys grilling: “It’s nice to do. You can hang out with friends and listen to music” On his first try at grilling: “The meat turned out raw or undercooked” On what kind of seasonings he uses: “I use Jack Stack BBQ rub. It’s kind of spicy and you can use it on ribs.”

On how he got started grilling: “Will Weinstein got me started. It’s a fun thing to do without sitting inside and watching TV.

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Senior boys share summer grilling secrets

quinn STAUFFER I just got started when [my friends and I] wanted to go hang out outside. [We grill] during the summer, a couple times a month....And we always get Italian sausage.

”

FLANK STEAK SANDWHICH RECIPE: •Toast two pieces of Sourdough bread •Use a favorite marinade •Grill the flank steak.

Works best if grill is covered •Once meat is fairly stiff, but not overcooked, flip the steak and repeat the process.

•While grilling the steak, add green onions and jalepenos onto the grill and cook them until they are slightly charred •Put everything onto the toasted sourdough and add salsa

page 18 [features]

photo by anna leek

by [meg shakelford] This August, the Jensen house will be noticeably quieter than usual: senior Betsy Jensen’s radio won’t be constantly playing.

Instead, it will be moving away with her to college two hours away in Columbia, Missouri.

But Betsy will be leaving behind more than just a quiet house.

She’ll be leaving all the chaos that comes with her brother, freshman Stewart Jensen, and her two other younger brothers.

Stewart and his family aren’t the only ones who have to say goodbye in the fall. There are countless other East underclassmen that are sending their siblings off to all different parts of the country.

One such person is sophomore Allie Marquis whose sister, senior Kristen Marquis, is going away to Furman in North Carolina next year. Kristen will be a three-hour plane ride away from home, and as Allie describes it, she’ll only be a phone call away rather than a car ride. “[She and I] always have sit-down dinners with our parents every night,” Allie said. “I think it’ll be so different without that fourth person.”

Sophomore Libby Jandl knows this feeling far too well. She had to see her two oldest sisters move out to college starting when she

Saying Good-bye Students prepare for siblings to leave for college

was in sixth grade, and now her closest sibling and only brother, senior John Jandl will be following suit.

“It’ll be the weirdest feeling because I’ve always had a sibling,” Libby said. “I’ll be like an only child now.”

When her sisters moved out, she remembers not being able to fall asleep very easily the first couple nights. But this time when her brother moves out, things will be different because she presumes she’ll be far too busy with starting school to have time to worry about it.

Like Libby, Stewart Jensen knows that things will be very different once his sister leaves. Being very close, the two won’t be able to stay up and watch TV together at night like they always do.

And when he’s procrastinating on something, he won’t be able to go talk to her in her room.

“I can’t just talk to my little brothers about everything because they’re not in high school yet,” Stewart said.

He and his brothers will have to get used to people leaving, especially his littlest brother who will only be entering the fourth grade next year.

“I think change is good for our family in that aspect,” Jensen said. “I think it’s just a part of growing up.”

What has been the biggest change since your sibling left for college?

Freshman Becca Clay “I get lonely and sometimes its hard to reach her. We still talk every day though.”

Sister-Frances Clay

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AP EXAMS

Luck on Art History • Biology • Calculus ABGood • Calculus BC • Chemistry • Computer Science A • Computer Science AB • Macroeconomics • Microeconomics • English Language • English Literature • Environmental Science • European History • French Language • French Literature • German Language • Comp Government & Politics • U.S. Government & Politics • Human Geography • Italian Language and Culture • Latin Literature • Latin: Vergil • Music Theory • Physics B • Physics C • Psychology • Spanish Language • Spanish Literature • Statistics Studio Art • U.S. History • World History This•Week

Sophomore David DeGoler

“The house is quieter now and its weird having 4 of us in the house instead of 5.

We talk a lot and text from time to time.”

Sister-Caroline DeGoler

Junior Alicia Anderson

“The attention is on me now and I don’t get to talk to her every night like we used to. We still talk once or twice a week.”

Sister-Stephanie Anderson

beyond cookies THE GIRL SCOUT

greenery

and

BOY SCOUT

page 19 [features]

how to get involved Anyone interested in being a part of Venture Scouts can send freshman Cara Rivers an email at no_dur@yahoo.com

students learn leadership, camping skills through Venture Scouts by [elizabeth mcgranahan]

Venture Scouts is a fairly new concept in the United States, having started in countries such as Singapore, Australia, Canada and Ireland. The crew was started in the U.S. as a division of the Boy Scouts of America.

As defined by the official Boy Scouts of America website, “The purpose of Venture Scouts is to provide experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults. Venture members are ready to explore the meaning of interdependence in their personal relationships and in their communities.”

Venturing is aimed more for teens. The crew is designed to let members plan and decide everything they do. Venturing is similar to boy scouts and girl scouts, but is co-ed.

“I think co-ed is more appealing to teens because it is just more fun to hang out with both sexes at this age,” freshman Cara Rivers said.

Locally, crew 2199 spends every other Tuesday night at the Village Presbyterian Church attending a mandatory crew meeting. They meet in the brightly painted yellow and green youth room spread out on the flower printed wicker couches. High school girls and guys sit side-by-side facing the front of the room. At the front stands Rivers, who was elected president of the crew last November.

Rivers discusses upcoming events and plans activities with the crew. Events include fundraisers

for the crew, charity events and community service projects. Aside from working hard and helping the community, the crew plans several fun activities.

April 20-22, crew 2199 went on a campout to a local campsite.

“We drove out to the campsite on a Saturday night,” Rivers said. “When we got there we set up camp, threw our stuff in our tents, and built a fire.”

After building the fire, another crew showed up to hang out. The crews made s’mores and chatted.

The next day, the crew made omelets in Ziploc bags.

“We also repelled and rock climbed,” Rivers said, “and that night we got to shoot pistols.”

Sunday morning, the crew packed up, cleaned up and headed home.

“We were able to plan all of it by ourselves and it was a great experience,” Rivers said.

Seeing as Venture Scout Crews is new to the community, most high scholars are unaware of the benefits.

“The benefits of venturing are countless,” Venturing Officer’s Association President, Steve Miller said “Mainly, venturing helps develop leadership by placing youth in roles where they (not adults), are responsible for planning and carrying out various meetings and activities.”

Being a member of a club or troop such as Venture Scouts has benefits that help later on in life also.

“As a current college student, I’ve used the leadership skills I learned when working on group projects and I’ve learned how to plan and manage an effective meeting,” Miller said.

The venture scouts are also able to receive awards for tasks that they have accomplished such as community service or showing leadership in your community.

The awards include the Bronze, Ranger, Quest and Sea Scout. The Boy Scouts Association gives all awards to members of the troops.

Colleges are beginning to set up scholarships to honor the accomplishments made while venturing.

“Any kind of leadership activities like Venturing looks excellent on resumes and college applications,” Miller said.

“We don’t have that many people in the crew right now because not a lot of people realize how beneficial it is,” Rivers said. “I think more people should join because it is a great way to meet new people, learn new things and all of the awards make venturing extremely rewarding.” photo by Tyler Roste

people to talk to EAST STUDENTS

Freshmen Cara Rivers . Dana Myers and Megan Mack

WEST STUDENTS

Sophomore Chris Winship “As a current college student, I’ve used the leadership skills I learned when working on group projects and I’ve learned how to plan and manage an effective meeting,”

VENTURING OFFICER’S ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT, STEVE MILLER

page 20 [a&e]

Back in Black by [landon mcdonald]

American pop culture has always drawn a fine line between the fan and the fanatic.

Movies are no exception. Most view the cinema as a convenient distraction for a lazy Saturday afternoon, but there are some among us who hold it much more dear. These are the movie buffs, the cinephiles, the film freaks. I proudly count myself among their nerdy number.

If any blockbuster with a fervent following is spotted on the horizon, we flock by the thousands to the opening night shows. We wait in line for the latest “Star Wars”, “Harry Potter”, “Lord of the Rings”, or “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie, decked out in outlandish attire, wielding our plastic wands or batteryoperated lightsabers.

On May 3, our target was the premiere screening of “Spider-Man 3” at the Dickenson Palazzo 16 movie theater.

This highly anticipated capper to a superhero trilogy that has already grossed over a billion dollars worldwide was scheduled to be released the next day. We would be

among the first to lay eyes on it.

The huge horde of the faithful, which numbered in the hundreds, poured out of the theater down to the sidewalk outside. Some people had been waiting in line for over eight hours. One diehard, dressed in the garb of the Green Goblin, claimed to have camped out overnight.

“It’s fine. I’ve been doing this all my life. I waited in line six days and six nights to see “The Matrix Reloaded” back in 2003,” the masked stranger, who refused to reveal his secret identity, assured me. “As a kid in 1980, I literally camped out for weeks with my brothers and my uncle to see “The Empire Strikes Back”. And I always try to come in style!”

Nearly half the audience in my theater was suited up as either Spider-Man or a related character. They ranged from the

store-bought red/ blue or all black Spidey outfits to an incredibly elaborate Dr. Octopus costume with four working metal arms.

For Palazzo 16 manager Jim “Coach” Lipinski though, it was all just business as usual.

“We’ve been doing these midnight premieres ever since that new Star Wars movie came out in 1999. Since then, they’ve all been pretty much the same. The fans line up, have fun, watch the movie, and leave tired but happy,” Lipinski said. “I must say though, these guys sure are a lot calmer than some of our regulars.”

With the arrivals of “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”, “Shrek the Third”, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”, and “The Simpsons Movie” fast approaching, Peterson says he expects to have at least four more midnight showings before summer’s end. What’s more, he

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You've always been told that you can do whatever you want in life. But it isn't always that easy, is it? Sometimes, you need a little help. And you can find it at UPS. Through our Earn and Learn® Program, you can work 3-1/2 to 5 hours a day and make as much as $23,000* in college education assistance. Putting you one step closer to living your dreams.

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Apply online at: www.upsjobs.com For more information, call: 913-541-2727 Applications accepted for graduating Seniors starting May 1st. *Program guidelines apply.

UPS is an equal opportunity employer.

AP EXAMS

Spiderman fanatics came out in record numbers to the final Spiderman movie

Luck on • Computer Science A • Computer SciArt History • Biology • Calculus AB • CalculusGood BC • Chemistry ence AB • Macroeconomics • Microeconomics • English Language • English Literature • Environmental Science • European History • French Language • French Literature • German Language • Comp Government & Politics • U.S. Government & Politics • Human Geography • Italian Language and Culture • Latin Literature • Latin: Vergil • Music Theory • Physics B • Physics C • Psychology • Spanish Language • Spanish Literature • Statistics • Studio Art • U.S. History • World History

expects them to be even more well-attended than this one was.

But why all the commotion over a movie?

Sophomore Morgan Myers, a devotee of both the Spider-Man movies and Tim Burton’s cult classic “Edward Scissorhands”, explains.

“Sometimes people connect or identify with a certain character or a certain movie so much that it almost becomes a part of who they are. It can help define them as individuals and find friends who they can actually identify with right away because of a common interest.”

So disregard the costumes and the encyclopedic knowledge of comic books.

Ignore the occasional congested comments about continuity errors, plot holes, and angry blogging. Take away the geeky stereotypes and what you will find is a group of dedicated, passionate people doing what they love. Hey, if you don’t believe me, come to a premiere yourself this summer. “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” comes out July 13.

mi

when you’re bored of going to the pool every day and you’ve watched every re-run possible, here are...

e

x d

page 21 [mixed]

about life the page

TOP 10 FUN THINGS TO DO THIS SUMMER by [meg shackelford]

1. Visit the Farmer’s Market in downtown Overland Park, they’re known for having

6. For a guaranteed day of fun, grab all your friends and head down to Worlds of Fun.

the best produce — particularly strawberries.

2. Loose Park: whether you want to have a picnic or take a stroll through the Rose Garden, you can always hang out or lay out at Loose.

Go during the week when it’s not that crowded.

7. As Kansas City is known as the City of Fountains, tour some of them down at Crown Center, the Plaza or downtown K.C. by Union Station.

3. Some summer night try something new with your friends... go to the Boulevard

8. Visit the 18th and Vine Jazz District. There’s a cool Jazz museum down there and

Drive-In Theater in Merriam KS (1051 Merriam Ln.)

4. For something real fun, take out a Slip n’ Slide and set it up on a hill some afternoon. Water balloon fights and playing in sprinklers are always good too.

5. Have a barbecue cookout in your backyard with all your friends. photo by anna leek

*

the Blue Room always has some good music playing.

9. Get a group of friends together and go Go-Karting or Laser-tagging some afternoon. Try Powerplay or Advanced Laser Tag.

10. Go out and visit the Bass Pro Shop in Olathe. Although it’s similar to Cabela’s, they have live animals and three acres of everything outdoors.

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page 22 [a&e]

lazy summer days by [katie jones ]

When the dog days of summer come around, there will always be daytime t.v. to cheer you up

Saved by the Bell

Scrubs NBC, Thursdays, 8:30 a.m.

TBS, weekdays, 6 a.m.

On my honor, Scrubs is unlike any Grey’s Anatomy episode out there. It replaces their neverending relationship drama with solid, satirical, gut-clenching humor. You might even call it a medical show mockery. Not unlike the many other medical dramas, the show focuses on three residents at Sacred Heart Hospital and the intertwining relationships they form during the job. Hilarious, socially awkward situations flourish in every episode, but it does offer its share of tragedy not unlike Grey’s or House.

This classic late ‘80s sitcom might possibly never grow old, however watching more than three episodes in one sitting might kill off a few brain cells (or all of your fashion sense).

The show follows a close pack of friends, continually trying to balance academics with puppy love and afternoons at the diner. Sweethearts Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski lead the pack, but we all know their nerdy friend Screech is the real star. The show’s runtime is perfect for those stuffy summer mornings when there is nothing better to do besides getting sucked into TBS’s old school episodes.

The Cosby Show

Dawson’s Creek

TBS, Thursdays, 12:30 a.m.

TBS, weekdays, 8a.m.

Dawson’s might be poorly written. It might be frequently cheesy. The stereotypical, angsty, teenage scenarios may even make you gag from time to time. But somehow, its reruns had enough appeal to wrap me up in the plot for a few weeks last summer. If you are bored; if you are a girl; if you think James Van Der Beek is hot, it might be worth the hour.

The Cosby Show could quite possibly be the best show on daytime television. You can’t one-up Bill Cosby and family and, even more importantly, you’d be hard-pressed to beat their sweet dance moves during the opening credits. Throughout it’s eight seasons, the show has covered nearly every family problem that one could possibly encounter, and they tackle them with laugh-out-loud one-liners and Cosby charm.

photo taken by katie woods

the [harbinger]

page 23 [a&e]

One of many devoted Harry Potter fans prepares for two magical summer releases

by [natalie eisenach]

The Next

Movie The Next

Book

Junior Emily Patton is training for a marathon. To be specific, a reading marathon that will take place in the early morning of July 21st when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is released. Patton’s pre-race training will be re-reading all six Harry Potter books, watching the movies again and training herself to stay awake at night so she can read later and longer on the night it comes out. It won’t be hard for her to review all the characters and plot because she is such a Potter fan that she already committed most of these details to memory from her previous readings.

Last year, Patton wouldn’t have considered herself to be the Harry Potter enthusiast that she is today. She attended a midnight book opening at borders for the sixth book’s release for only fifteen minutes – just enough time to get in a buy the book.

She had always enjoyed reading the books, but it was the sixth book that really sparked her interest.

“It built What book: the fifth, Order of the Phoenix up the most When: July 13, 2007 anticipation for how the books are going to end.”

F r o m The Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows there Patton’s curiosity When: July 21, 2007 expanded.

Steven T. Joyce, M.D. Thomas P. Phillips, M.D. Charles E. Rhoades, M.D. Dan M. Gurba, M.D. Mark Bernhardt, M.D. Lowry Jones, Jr., M.D. Robert C. Gardiner, M.D. Timothy M. Badwey, M.D. Stanley A. Bowling, M.D. Brian J. Divelbiss, M.D. Thomas L. Shriwise, M.D. C. Lan Fotopolous, M.D.

She wanted to know more about where the Potter though. For Patton, the movies don’t books were headed so she looked online. provide the same excitement because they “I discovered fan sites after reading the can’t capture the creativity and emotion that sixth book and that led me to follow things JK Rowling has written. more closely. Now I check the fan sites for Patton doesn’t really think about her life updates and theories,” Patton said. after Potter, for now she is focused on getting Patton has developed her own theories the new book. for how Harry is going to defeat Voldemort in “I am excited to find out if my theories the final book. She printed off pictures of the are correct and learn the story about what American cover for the book and analyzed the happened to Harry’s parents on the night of images. The cover depicts Harry and a caped the accident,” Patton said.

Voldemort dueling without wands.

Hartman is just as eager to read the book, “I think they have passed through the veil but does not plan on locking herself in her to the land of the dead. Harry doesn’t have room to read it. She knows that Patton will be a wand because JK Rowling said he would fine when Harry Potter is over. defeat Voldemort with love,” Patton said. “The “Maybe there will be something else she shadows in the background are the spirits of will latch onto. I was really into Harry Potter the victims of Voldemort – there going to help freshman year, but now I have moved onto a Harry conquer Voldemort.” different series. Emily will do the same thing, Patton’s passions have spread to many she just has to find the right one.” others. She introduced her sister Natalie to the fifth and sixth books this summer, and has shown her friend Emmy Hartman her favorite website, muggle.net, and podcasts on the books.

For Natalie, Harry Potter is a common bonding ground for the two sisters.

“We go to the movies together and this summer were going to a live podcast session. Sometimes we even read the books all night together,” Natalie said.

They have made plans for July 21 to have their parents go at midnight and buy copies of the new books. Both girls do not want to attend the event because they are afraid someone will open the book, read the last page and spoil the ending.

“I am afraid someone will open it up to the last page and scream ‘Harry dies’ or reveal the ending after I have waited my whole life to find out what happens,” Patton said.

Instead she will lock herself in her room with snacks and water to stay up to read the book. She plans that it will take her less than one day to finish it.

After that, there will be no more Harry Highlighting hints that may tie in with her theories, Patton reads in her backyard. photo by mackenzie wylie

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page 24 [sports]

Girls swim team dominates in final meet

Left: Freshmen Christina Genton (left) and Allison Stevens (center), look at their warm-up routine before the junior varsity practice. During the Sunflower League swim meet on Saturday, May 5th, the Lady Lancers had 12 swimmers in the final heats and 23 placed in the top 12.

photos by kelsey brown

Top: Junior Mallory Gassaway talks to junior varsity coach Gale Gibson about the pre-practice warm up.

Left: Freshman Megan McGillicuddy swims warm-up laps before the junior varsity swim team practice.

The Lancers won the Sunflower League swim meet with 263 points beating the Lawrence Free State team by 53 points.

You’re almost done seniors!

the

arbies for athletic achievement

page 25 [sports]

The five main awards (athletes of the year, coach of the year, game of the year and freshman of the year) were voted upon by coaches and Harbinger staff members. E-mails were sent to all varsity coaches and ballots that were returned were counted.

freshman of the year Tanner Johnson by [nick ratliff]

It’s only every once in a while that a young talent comes along and outshines many of the older more experienced competitors, in any kind of competition. This could happen in the workplace, or on American Idol, but it happens most often in sports. There have been many freshman and rookies in sports that have risen above the rest of the competition in sports. Lebron James, Reggie Bush, Adrian Peterson and most recently Kevin Durant have come on and right away been invaluable to their teams.

Without Reggie Bush, the New Orleans Saints wouldn’t have gone as far in the NFL playoffs had he been taken first overall. And the Texas Longhorns wouldn’t have even come close to making the NCAA tournament had Kevin Durant not had his record-breaking season. The East wrestling team may not have had their Regional championship season without a key youngster coming along too. That’s why Tanner Johnson is the Harbinger’s freshman of the year.

During the season, Johnson racked up a 25-7 record, and placed fifth at the Sunflower League meet, wrestling through the pain of a torn shoulder ligament that he suffered at the SM North Duel. But before he got injured, Johnson had other things to overcome.

that I had to work hard to keep up with all of the bigger wrestlers. I knew that I also had to earn their respect.”

Freshman Tanner Johnson, who went 25-7 this Johnson did earn their respect, and year, is expecting to build off of his successful attributes much of his success to the mentoring and teaching of four key season, and get better next year seniors.

“John Carr, Drew Robinson, T.J McManus and Cole Johnson all kind of took me under their wing and really helped me develop a lot,” Johnson said. “I’m grateful that they did that.”

That development has earned him the freshman of the year honor, but Johnson isn’t satisfied with that.

“Being named freshman of the year is a great honor and all, but in reality it’s only gonna make me work harder,” Johnson said. “I was disappointed that I didn’t get to finish out this year because of injury, so I’m gonna work a lot harder next year.”

Despite being only a sophomore next year, Johnson has lofty goals heading into next year, “My goals for the off-season are to just work out a lot more intensely than last offphoto by kelsey brown season, and for the actual season. I hope to “On my first day of practice, I was actually really intimidated. It was really weird, because I’m always used to place top four at state,” Johnson said. “I want to overshadow being the biggest and strongest,” Johnson said. “I just knew this year.”

Theatre Banquet

Sat. 19 3 p.m.

Golf State Tournament Monday 21

the Year in Review

page 26 [sports]

rockhurst

Junior Mike McRoberts drives to the basket during East’s 50-38 win over Rockhurst on Jan. 26.

by [nick ratliff] A rivalry is one of the many things in sports that keep us watching. Everyone watches the Yankees-Red Sox games because the fans of both teams genuinely dislike each other. People are reminded how much Michigan and Ohio State hate each other in football when they see the famous clip of Charles Woodson and David Boston fighting on Sportscenter. The KU-Missouri basketball rivalry is so big that students at KU actually camp out to get tickets a week in advance.

Rivalry games captivate the communities around them. Even high school rivalries.

That’s why the East-Rockhurst basketball game was voted the best game of the year. In the minds of East students, this rivalry is as big as KUMissouri or Michigan-Ohio State. The rivalry has history, but it jumped up a notch this year when many students went to Rockhurst immediately after school to get a seat.

“The Rockhurst game is definitely my favorite game because both crowds get incredibly into the game,” senior forward Bryan Nelson said.

“I just love the adrenaline rush I get whenever I’m about to step out onto the court for that game. It’s unlike anything else.”

The game deserved the billing too as East was coming off of a McPherson tournament championship win in which junior Michael McRoberts hit two game-winning free throws to win it for East. Rockhurst was coming off three straight losses to Bishop Carroll, SM Northwest and SM South, but the team was still turning out a good season nonetheless.

“I felt like this was sort of a mustwin game for us,” senior guard Ross Simpson said. “We didn’t want to be the senior class that lost to Rockhurst.”

The game would be a showdown between the teams’ leading scorers

Nelson and Rockhurst forward Conner Teahan.

“My game plan going in offensively was to make [Teahan] work at stopping me,” Nelson said.

“Defensively, our whole team needed to help off their man and know where Conner was at all times.”

Rockhurst kept it close during the first half, but East was too much for the Hawklets in the second half. East put an exclamation point on the win with an alley-oop from McRoberts to Nelson.

“It was a great feeling to beat Rockhurst all four years,” Simpson said. “I have a couple of friends that play for Rockhurst, but it was still a pretty good feeling to beat them every time.”

the [harbinger]

arbies for athletic achievement

coach of the year

rick rhoades

by [clark goble]

photo by samantha ludington

game of the year

the

There are just two ways varsity girls’ basketball coach Rick Rhoades wants his players to play.

Fast.

Or faster.

Rhoades’ up-and-down offensive style and swarming defensive tactics helped the girls’ team go 15-7, tied for the best girls’ basketball record since 1990. Included in the season was a nine game winning streak that saw the team shoot up the state rankings.

His unique style and success the past year is why he received the Harbinger’s Coach of the Year award.

The intense defensive pressure is something Rhoades has preached from the first practice of his East career three years ago to the substate loss against SM West this past March.

“We joke around and say we start guarding (the opposing team) when they get off the bus,” Rhoades said. “The team just plays faster and harder than any other team in the league.” Rhoades also noted that this is one of the few teams in his tipsy-turvy coaching career that have bought into the system.

Starting as a JV boys’ basketball coach at Hogan, where he stayed two years, Rhoades began to develop his unique coaching style.

“In high school (as a player), my coaches wanted to slow down and control the game, but I always wanted to run,” Rhoades said. “I think that just spilled over into my style.”

Rhoades took on his first girls’ team, albeit a JV team, at Notre Dame de Sion and vaulted to the varsity coaching position just a year later. After five years at Sion, Rhoades took the Blue Valley varsity girls’ position, and three years later, he was replacing former East athletic director and coach Lane Green as girls’ head basketball coach.

In his first year, Rhoades utilized senior post players Jennifer Franklin and Sarah Parker and went 13-8. Franklin scored over 25 points five times. A successful year, an effective offense, but not truly Rhoades’ style.

He encountered a setback in his second year. The team slipped to 8-11, but more troubling was the fact no players remained taller than six feet. Rhoades realized he really needed to apply his style.

“We have to put pressure on the guards because we are so small,” Rhoades said. “The girls love it, and I don’t think it works unless everyone buys into it.”

And this past season, Rhoades’ style really started to come out in the team. During the nine game winning streak, the team topped 60 points twice and averaged over 50. The trapping defense held teams to under 35 points five times. Rhoades thinks a change in offensive strategy contributed to the streak.

“We added the [flex offense], and I think it gave us more scoring options and we started to score more,” Rhoades said.

Although the team fell in the substate final, Rhoades thinks next year’s team has state ambitions.

At least four seniors with varsity experience return, including Female Athlete of the Year Taylon Johnson.

If the team can come together like this year’s did, Rhoades feels the team will have more success.

“Our leadership will be great,” Rhoades said. “The girls have a mission to make it to state and they will do whatever it takes.”

the

arbies

page 27 [sports]

for athletic achievement

ATHLETES

taylon johnson female athlete of the year by [sam logan] Taylon Johnson parks her Jeep in the same spot before every game, keeps her Gatorade Propel bottle under the third chair of the bench every game, and those she’s finished, in her bag, where they stay for the remainder of the season. They were “lucky”.

She wears the same socks for every game, always washed, though. Throw in a power bar and a sub from Mr. Goodcents and you’ve got yourself a pre-game ritual.

The same pre-game ritual she went through before posting 24 points and going six for six from the three-point line in a loss against Olathe South, what she says is one of her most memorable events of this season.

“As a team, though, the most memorable moment was beating Free State. It was a turning point in our season when we realized we could make something happen.” And they did.

After that game the girls went 10-4, beating opponents by an average 13 points, the same amount Taylon averaged per game from that point on. Those points boosted the team to a top 5 state ranking, and a spot in the sub-state championship. Johnson led the team to one of their best seasons ever with senior Rachel Kaegi on her side.

“By nature, the point guard is the communicator on the team, so my role has always been to lead and direct the team,” she said when asked about her success in leading the team despite being just a junior.

The junior has played both varsity basketball and soccer since she was a freshman and says the experience has helped her. Taylon said that those seasons have helped her get to where she is now.

“Since I started at East I’ve contributed to the success of the teams, and have been lucky to have the help and support of my teammates in both sports.”

Whether she’s pacing the soccer field or penetrating the lane, Taylon Johnson has exemplified what it takes to be an athlete of the year.

“There are many girls who have excelled in their sports,” Taylon said, “And I’ve been lucky enough to be one of them.”

And we’re lucky enough to have her for another year. Taylon will be a senior next year, hoping to lead the girls’ basketball team to state, she says, and playing for the soccer team.

photo by tayler phillips

of the

YEAR by [sarah luby] Senior wide receiver and tight end Bobby Miller’s 58 receptions for 957 yards, seven touchdowns, 64 tackles, and 10 interceptions helped lead the Lancer football team to backto-back winning seasons. This hasn’t occurred since 1976.

“It’s a great accomplishment,” Miller said.

“I’m really proud to be a part of this team.”

Miller’s ability earned him a spot on the 2006 Kansas Football Coaches Association All State Team as a 6A wide receiver, as well as numerous other awards. More recently, he was named as the Metro Sports’ First Team defensive back.

Miller’s favorite honor, however, was being included in the KC Star’s All Metro Team as a defensive back. The game will be held at the Blue Valley District Activity Center in June.

Over his entire varsity career, Miller will go down as one of the best players East has ever seen. He has accumulated 74 receptions for 1163 yards, nine touchdowns, 103 tackles and 11 interceptions, leading the way in all categories except touchdowns.

A remarkable career and admirable stats for one sport, but Miller wasn’t done. During the winter season, he was the third scorer for a boys’ basketball team that went 20-2 and was ranked number one for most of the season.

After looking back at the Lawrence Free State football game, which was the last of the season, Miller recalls what would be the last catch of his career.

“Knowing it was over was tough,” Miller said. “I’ve been playing since I could remember.”

by the NUMBERS Bobby Miller has had an impressive football career.

His leadership was one reason the team showed improvement each of his four years. But his numbers are what stand out.

11 career interceptions 74 career receptions 1163 career yards basketball record 20-2 as senior

bobby miller male athlete of the year

May 14, 2007

page 28 [photo essay]

Blue Moon a decade of

The choir puts in hours of rehearsal in preparation for the tenth anniversary performance of Blue Moon

Below: Senior Holly Worthy sings during the chambers ABBA compilation performance. The Chamber Singers are the most elite of the choirs.

Right: Freshmen Harper Coulson and Jake Parelman sing during concert choir’s performance.

Below: Tracy Resseguie directs the pit orchestra while the crew moves things on stage.

Right: Senior Peter Spitsnogle and Junior Erin Aiken laugh during a rehearsal.

Left: Juniors Jonathan Harms, Thomas Henry and seniors Emily Dix and Betsy Jensen look for direction from Resseguie during a Chamber Singers rehearsal.

Far Below: During the finale with the entire choir, singers raise their hands while singing “Can’t Stop the Beat.” photos by samantha

ludington

photos by samantha ludington

the [harbinger]