Issue 2

the

ISSUE 2 SHAWNEE MISSION EAST PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS SEPT. 21, 2009

New Missouri law prohibits texting while driving for those under 21

>>AlysabethAlbano

On August 27, Missouri’s director of Highway Safety of the Department of Transportation Leanna Depue held a conference to discuss the results of a study performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The study showed that texting drivers spend up to 400 percent more time with their eyes off the road, increasing their collision risk by 23%. The results sparked the passing of a new law, which went into effect on August 28, that bans drivers under 21 from texting while driving in Missouri.

State Representatives who support this law hope it will keep young drivers more focused on driving safely and less on texting.

According to Depue and a study performed by the Missouri Highway Patrol, teens admit that texting is their number one distraction behind the wheel. She also stated that distracted driving is a leading cause of traffic accidents in Missouri. A NHTSA study has shown that each year 21% of fatal crashes involving teens between the ages of 16 and 19 were the result of cell phone usage.

While Depue and many Missouri state representatives are optimistic that the new law will bring about change and a safer driving community, some of those who this law affects most--drivers 21 and under-aren’t quite as excited about the new change.

lie eWy

i kenz Mac

>>

>> continued on page four

FEATURES: StuCo’s big ideas for the year (pg. 22) A&E: Fall Calendar (pg. 24) SPORTS: Big predictions for this fall (pg. 31)

>>NEWS BRIEFS

page 2 news 09.21.09

Year

Play auditions

>> >>

Auditions for the fall play “The Grapes of Wrath”

of the

Swine

>> >> Today and Tomorrow at 3 p.m. in the audito-

rium

>>

>> Interested students need to prepare a oneminute dramatic monologue to perform. All students are encouraged to audition.

StuCo Elections

>> >> Freshmen:

President- Chloe Stradinger Vice President- Tiernan Shank Secretary- Alex Goldman Treasurer- Mark Ronning Representatives- Liz Gray, Lindsay Grimm, A.J. Orth, Nick Pirotte and Joe Simmons Sophomore RepresentativesPaige Kovarik, Christa McKittrick, Abby Moore, Maggie Thomas and Mark Towster Junior RepresentativesBetsy Blessen, Emily Collins, Aveek Dhar, Andrew Goble and Spencer Jarrold Senior RepresentativesHannah Copeland, Harper Coulson, Tess Duncan, Jackson Harter and Jessie Jacob

>> >>

>> photo illustration by Katie East

Worldwide pandemic localizes with cases at the University of Kansas >>AubreyLeiter

Just 40 miles west of East, one of the nation’s biggest health scares invaded a neighboring community for the first time.

In the span of one week, 313 supposed cases of swine flu (H1N1) spread throughout the University of Kansas’ campus causing the sick students to be sent home or isolated from other students.

With how contagious and fast it can spread, students and staff can only wonder when the virus will begin to spread through the halls of East.

“We’re doing whatever we can to be proactive about it, but the reality is the inevitable is going to happen,” said Principal Dr. Krawitz. “The odds are every school building in the district is going to have some cases of swine flu.”

Even though reality says it will happen, the district is still trying to do everything possible to keep H1N1out of East.

According to Krawitz, each classroom has a bottle of hand sanitizer, the custodial staff is more diligent when cleaning the school, especially in the bathroom and cafeteria, and there is information regarding H1N1 on the school district’s Web site.

School nurse Susan Varner said that her main focus is working on prevention.

“We are encouraging frequent hand washing, respiratory hygiene consisting of coughing into your sleeve or a tissue and then disposing of the tissue and immediately washing your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer,” Varner said.

ine w eS e h T Lin

April 15 first confirmed H1N1 case in the U.S.

Varner also encourages any staff or students who are ill to stay home. If they have a fever, they need to be fever free for 24 hours before coming back to school.

Todd Cohen, Director of University Relations at KU, says that none of the cases at KU have been confirmed to be H1N1.

“I would like to clarify that we just assume that the virus is swine because of how fast it’s spreading, it’s not confirmed,” Cohen said. “We are trying to either send home or keep isolated everyone who has flu-like symptoms.”

At KU, if a student lives close enough to home, they are sent home until they are completely better. Students that are from out of state stay in their own room until they are better and their roommates are moved to another location on campus.

East graduate and current freshman at KU Abba Goehausen, was assumed to have H1N1 and was sent home for three days.

Abba’s symptoms were body aches, headaches, fever, sore throat and drowsiness.

“My mom basically locked her up in the guest room so that she wouldn’t get [me or my family] sick,” sophomore Camille Goehausen, Abba’s sister, said. “At first I was so scared for her and I thought it was a huge deal, but then I found out [a lot of people] at KU had it and that there are antibiotics for swine.”

Thus far, Camille has been flu-free. To keep it that way, she washes her hands several times a day and carries around a Purell bottle everywhere she goes.

April 26 U.S. declares a public health emergency

April 22 CDC activates its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate a response

If an outbreak of swine flu were to happen to East, a school closing would be up to superintendent Dr. Gene Johnson. Krawitz said that there isn’t an exact percentage before they would decide to close the school.

With over one million confirmed cases of the swine flu since April and 477 deaths, the government is in the works of producing a vaccine for the virus. They are on track to have the vaccine by mid-October.

An article in the Kansas City Star explains that ideally each person will have three shots, one for the regular flu and two for H1N1. If doses begin to run low, they will only give two doses to people in the age range of five to 18 because adolescents are the age group most likely to conduct the disease.

“H1N1 tends to affect more younger people than older people,” Cohen said. “Once the vaccine is available, we will be having clinics on our campus.”

Kristen Nordlund, a spokesperson for the Center for Disease Control said that the vaccine will be strongly encouraged for pregnant women, people who live with children under six months, health care personnel and people under the age of 24, especially college students.

“We know that [H1N1] has been in our community and still is in the community,” Varner said. “And there is no evidence that it will be leaving anytime soon.”

June 19 all 50 states have reported cases of H1N1

June 11 70 countries reporting cases, the WHO raises pandemic level to Phase 6

Aug. 22 first confirmed H1N1 case at KU

Aug. 30 254,206 confirmed cases and 2,837 deaths worldwide

Sept. 6 over 277,607 confirmed cases and 3,205 deaths worldwide

>>Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kansas University

>>

Parent-Teacher Conferences

>>

>> There will be no school on Friday due to Parent-Teacher conferences.

Homecoming dance

>> The theme of the dance this year will be the “Yule Ball.” The “Yule Ball” comes from J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series. Tickets will be on sale during the week before the dance. It will be $10 for East students and $15 for guests from other schools. Guests will need to be registered in room 307.

>>

>> >> Saturday, Oct. 3 from 8 to 10:30 p.m. at East Faculty Art Show

>> >> Check out artwork done by East graduates

and current East art teachers.

>>

>> Going on now in the display areas located near the art rooms on the second floor College Prep 101

>> >> College admissions representatives, experts

and experienced parents will be on hand to discuss the college application and search process.

Sept. 28, 7 p.m., East library

>>

Career and Technical EXPO

>> >> Johnson County Community College will be

sponsoring a Career and Technical Expo. The expo is designed to make students aware of postsecondary options that do not require a four-year degree.

>> >>

Today from 6 to 8 p.m. in the indoor track of JCCC’s Gym

Visit www.smeharbinger.net for new and updated coverage of East news

issue 2 news page 3

Administration takes measures to be more environmentally friendly >>MorganChristian

Among the set of imperatives that superintendent Dr. Gene Johnson sent to administrators at the beginning of the school year was this new requirement: “Administrators will develop and implement a plan including two goals that promote an environmentally friendly school environment.”

Last year the district made a total of 77 million copies, and associate principal Steve Loe thinks that the new requirement was in response to this fact.

“Dr. Johnson is very practical,” Loe said. “He wants things to matter... [to see] how can we help the community. The district is moving that way.”

Each administrator- principal Karl Krawitz, Loe, and associate prinicipals Heather Royce and John McKinney- has taken specific initiatives in response to Johnson’s stipulation. Krawitz makes sure lights are turned off within certain sections of the building when they are not in use. McKinney has overseen the transition from hard copy faculty memos to memos sent via email, while Royce is in charge of publishing the monthly newsletter online instead of mailing it to families. This saves the school around $550 a month in postage and printing.

Finally, Loe directs the effort to “go electronic,” through web backpack and the school website.

In addition, this year teachers have received individual codes that they put into the copy machines before they make copies, allowing production aide Toni Schmitz and secretary Loretta Preno to keep track of their paper usage. Currently, there is not a specific limit on the number of copies teachers can make, or consequences if a teacher seems to be using a large amount of paper.

“We can frown upon it,” Loe said. “We can persuade.

We can ask for help. But that’s all.”

Many teachers have made individual efforts in their classrooms to help East become more environmentally friendly. World Geography teacher David Muhammad turns out the lights, unplugs electronics when he leaves for the day and incorporates environmental awareness into his curriculum.

“We do a few activities where I ask the kids to think about ways they can save the world,” Muhammad said.

“I show them the Captain Planet cartoon [from the 1990s].”

Biology teacher Larry Englebrick is taking advantage of his web backpack in order to use less paper.

Students can access and take tests and quizzes on his documents page at a prescribed time during the day.

Parents can sign up for progress reports and submit information sheets, too. This data is sent to Englebrick via email, and he enters it into his gradebook.

“So far, most people have said, ‘this is easier than what we were doing before,’” Englebrick said. “It’s giving us a reason to be more creative and use the tools that are given to us.”

For Spanish teacher Kathy Kessler, it’s the smaller things that count: assigning PowerPoints instead of reports, putting in-class presentations online, and simply limiting handouts. Her students complete their weekly diarios, or “diaries,” as emails to a Gmail account with a link to a related current event.

“What I want to do is lessen the number of papers I have piled up,” Kessler said.

Loe hopes this effort will do just that for teachers, as well as set a tone for younger people.

“Maybe it will carry over at home,” Loe said. “I’ll turn off lights. I’ll go home and recycle more. Maybe kids will see me [and follow by example].”

Fresh Connections

>>Mackenzie Wylie

SHARE creates three projects chaired by freshmen to increase participation >>MaddyBailey With six student executives, 140 student chairpersons idea,” Kirby said. “The freshman chairs seem very moand over 60 volunteer projects, SHARE is recognized as the largest student-led community service organization in the area. This year, SHARE is working towards encouraging underclassmen to become more a part of this renowned organization.

SHARE has found different ways each year in getting students involved with its many projects, such as signing up online or during the SHARE fair. However, since it is such a large organization, trying to get in touch with volunteers has been a reoccurring issue, according to SHARE director Pat Kaufman. SHARE is now focusing on finding better ways to get freshman involved, while still giving students the responsibility of committing themselves to projects.

This year, SHARE is focused on their new program, Freshmen Connection, which provides of volunteer opportunities for freshman only. This program arose last year with ideas from Mehgan Dickinson and her mom about getting freshmen involved. This year, SHARE has given freshman four projects to lead—Pet Connection, Environmental Club, Crown Center Pumpkin Patch and Independence Avenue Soup Kitchen.

“I remember it being really hard to get involved with SHARE when I was a freshman because so many people signed up and I never got emailed,” SHARE executive Mallory Kirby said. “I can see how it was unorganized. There is always room for improvement and this year Freshmen Connection will be a big step in making SHARE better.”

Sophomores Tori Holt and Meghan Dickinson are in charge of the Freshman Connection projects. They spoke about to the freshman at the Student Council assembly.

They also handed out Freshmen Connection information sheets at the SHARE fair and put up fliers around the school.

“We did several things to motivate the freshman to sign up for SHARE,” Dickinson said. “But the best thing ever was when we brought out a really cute dog at the StuCo assembly to get everybody interested in signing up for Pet Connection. I think it worked.”

Three freshmen chairpersons Lexi Belzer, Emily Kaplan and Cam Edwards--each in charge of a project, were nominated by the SHARE directors last spring. Their main job is just to help spread the word about SHARE to their classmates.

“I think having the freshman-only projects was a great

tivated. I am counting on those projects having tons of freshmen sign up and be excited to help out which will be so great.”

Freshman Lexi Belzer is one of the freshman chairpersons; her project is the Crown Center Pumpkin Patch.

Students will benefit TLC (Tender Loving Care) Children Center by playing and doing crafts with kids at the pumpkin patch.

“Our job as chairs is basically to talk to our friends about SHARE and make it sound fun because most freshmen don’t want to do it because they are intimidated by the upper classmen,” Belzer said. “With the Freshmen Connection we can make it more fun and it’s a good way to meet people since it’s only kids in your grade. I am really excited to be a part of it.”

The SHARE fair was held on Sept.10 to get students interested in projects, but the actual sign-up for all SHARE projects were last week after school. Students may still sign up in the SHARE office at any time. According to Kaufman, the new benefit SHARE wants to highlight is that the sign-ups for projects never end. Since a lot of projects don’t get started until the spring, it gives students time to decide that they may want to volunteer.

“I think this year we have a better way of getting our volunteers because it requires students to take that extra step by signing up on their own time,” Kaufman said. “This helps us know who is really motivated to help.”

The SHARE executives also want to focus on staying informed about all of the projects and what needs to get done. The new signs up will help with organization, according to Kirby. The other execs want to be stricter with the chairs by emailing them periodically. They plan to have breakfast meetings with the chairs once a month to keep updated on the projects.

As stated in the mission statement, SHARE teaches valuable lessons that are not easily learned in the classroom; SHARE builds self-esteem and develops leadership through service, not competition; SHARE promotes cooperation and unity. With the help of student leaders like Holt, SHARE is hoping to assure freshmen of these opportunities.

“It’s so rewarding just to see someone smile,” Holt said.

“Since we are so fortunate it’s very important to give back.

I want to help represent everything that SHARE stands for.”

Action against

SENIORJACOBJOHNSON

>>lancervoice

page 4 news 09.21.09

JUNIOR KIRSTENCLARK

Q: How do you feel about the new texting policy?

A: I fully agree with it cause I watched a video on youtube that made me realize how dangerous it is.

Q: Would teens still text and drive?

A: Yeah, they will, but I think they should watch the video.

Q: Would you vote for this law?

A: Oh yes.

SOPHOMORE CHRISTIANWILES

Distraction

Q: How do you feel about the new texting policy?

A: I think it’ll be hard to enforce because there’s so many doing it.

Q: Would teens still text and drive?

A: Yeah, I think so.

Q: Would you vote for this law?

A: Yes becuase it will probably stop some people from texting, just not all of them.

>>continued from page one

>> The bottom line

People under the age of 21 make up for 15.1 percent of all traffic accidents in Missouri Twenty-three states besides Missouri have texting while driving bans, none have an age restriction Kansas legislators hope to discuss a possible texting while driving ban when their new session begins in January

a-half that you can text any better [than at 21],” Sullivan said. “This really should include all ages, across the board.”

Though this particular law is only in effect in Missouri, a similar law may soon be on the way to Kansas. On August 28th, the state of Kansas passed a law prohibiting drivers with a learner’s permit or restricted license from texting while behind the wheel. The law is going into effect January 2010. With the beginning of a new session also beginning in January, Kansas Senator David Wysong said that a law banning residents in Kansas from texting and driving will be discussed. Both the State Senate and the State House will meet to further map out the logistics of the law.

“We do not have a law about texting while driving in Kansas, but there will be a law passed next year to outlaw texting [while driving] for all individuals, period,” Wysong said.

Another controversial issue raised by the new law is the $200 fine that comes with being caught texting while driving.

“I think that a $200 fine is ridiculous. Maybe $50, but $200 is more than most speeding tickets,” Reyna said.

She is correct according to Sullivan, who says the average speeding ticket costs about $95. He agrees that compared to most tickets, the fine seems steep. Perkins also feels like the fine is little bit excessive, but she hopes that the threat of such a large fine will encourage drivers to wait to text.

Loe hopes that his students really take the law to heart. However, he is not naive.

“I think they will probably keep texting until they get zapped, just like speeding. It’s human nature until they get that fine, but there should be no texting going on while you’re driving. It’s scary.”

Although East’s students don’t live in Missouri, many travel across the border every day into Missouri. According to Sullivan, the law takes effect as soon as you cross State Line Road.

Junior Claire Perkins believes that the law is necessary for the safety of all Missouri residents, drivers and pedestrians alike. Perkins also thinks that because she doesn’t text and drive, observing the law will be no problem.

Even though the law only applies in Missouri, she will carry this behavior into Kansas when she drives. Reyna says that she will obey the law while in Missouri, but will continue to text while driving in Kansas.

A spokesperson for the Kansas City Police Department admits that it will be difficult to spot those who are texting behind the wheel.

Instead of waiting, as officers monitoring speed would, they are looking into signs of diverted attention. Some signs being swerving, running yellow lights, and traffic incidents.

Being a Kansas police officer, Sullivan won’t have to worry about monitoring texting, but predicts that it will be very useful for those who patrol in Missouri.

“It’s probably going to be a tool when it comes down to writing tickets for the causes of an accident,” Sullivan said. “It’s going to be just as much or bigger part than the actual patrolling.”

The biggest problem officials feel they will face are drivers who don’t take the law seriously. They can all agree that texting behind the wheel isn’t an obvious thing to spot but they are hopeful that drivers realize they will be enforcing this law just like all the others.

“Don’t risk the $200 fine,” Sullivan said. “It isn’t worth it. Understand that this is a law, and should be taken seriously as one.”

Q: How do you feel about the new texting policy?

A: I think it’s an extrememly good law because stupid teenagers text and drive.

Q: Would teens still text and drive?

A: Yes, they probably think they won’t get caught.

Q: Would you vote for this law?

A: Yes I would because it is a really good law.

FRESHMAN CAROLINECREIDENBERG

New Missouri law bans texting while driving for those under 21 Junior Alicia Reyna admits that she texts while driving and is shocked by the new law.

“I was kind of surprised at first and then mad because everyone is doing it, but I don’t think it’s a big enough deal to make a law against,” she said.

One of the big questions about the ban is why it only applies to those under 21. Associate Principal Steve Loe doesn’t agree with Missouri’s use of the age restrictions in the new law. His biggest fear is drivers’ eyes not being on the road. He explains that texting, unlike talking on the phone, prevents drivers from keeping their hands on the wheel.

Last year, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol, about 40,000 of the almost 265,000 drivers involved in traffic accidents were under the age of 21. It also showed that not paying attention was the leading cause in most of those crashes. This could explain why Missouri is the only one of 23 states with similar laws to single out a particular age group.

Even with those facts, Student Resource Officer Brady Sullivan still thinks the law should apply to everyone.

“I don’t think just because you’re 21-and-

Q: How do you feel about the new texting policy?

A: They have the right intentions but they’re treating us like little boys and girls.

Q: Have you ever texted while driving?

A: Oh yeah, I did it today on my way back from school.

Q: Would you vote for this law?

A: I don’t think so, its pretty much unnecessary . There’s no substantial evidence.

Healing Health Care >>

issue 2 news page 5

Three health care reform bills bring an uprise in debate

AnnieSgroi

Theodore Roosevelt introduced it in 1912.

Harry Truman, John Kennedy, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton all worked towards it.

Now the goal of health care for all Americans is back on the national agenda because President Barack Obama has made it a priority. In his address to the Joint Session of Congress on Sept. 9, Obama outlined his plan to bring health insurance to the over 46 million Americans who are uninsured. In his address, Obama talked about the efforts of Presidents

STUDENT - FRESHMAN

before him and his determination that this time their goal will be reached.

“I am not the first President to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last,” Obama said in his address to Congress.

Three health care reform bills are currently being debated by Congress: HR 3200 from the House of Representatives, the Senate HELP Committee’s bill and the Senate Finance Committee’s bill.

POLITCAL - DEMOCRATIC U.S. Representative Dennis Moore, of the 3rd District of Kansas, believes the time for health care reform legislation is now.

According to Moore, there are two reasons we need to fix our health care system this year: the over 46 million uninsured Americans and the increase in funds needed as that number continues to rise.

Moore said that it’s important for people to understand that current health care reform legislation, like HR 3200 from the House of Representatives, is still subject to change.

Although Moore expects many changes to HR 3200, he hopes a public option will be discussed.

“The biggest benefit to the public option is to provide competition for some of the insurance companies and to make sure that we’re getting the best and most cost efficient health care we can for the American people,” Moore said.

Moore has high hopes for legislation, but he’s also concerned that the focus of lawmakers has shifted away from health care reform.

“Eighty-five percent of what we do up here, shouldn’t be about Republicans and Democrats,” Moore said. “ It ought to be about taking care of our people and our country.”

POLITCAL - REPUBLICAN The day after President Obama’s address, Senator Sam Brownback responded by laying out proposals of his own.

According to Senator Brownback’s Press Secretary Becky Ogilvie, Brownback feels that reform is moving too quickly and that current plans from the House, Senate and the President do not include enough details. Ogilvie said that Brownback hopes for “more incremental reforms as opposed to a government overhaul.”

In his press release on Sept. 10, Brownback outlines ways to meet his goal for health care reform: lowering costs. Ogilvie said that the Senator’s proposals of tort reform and the opportunity to buy insurance across state lines all work towards his goal of price reduction.

Brownback’s press release explains that because malpractice insurance costs have risen, health care costs have also risen for patients. According to Olgilvie, the goal of tort reform is to prevent doctors from spending money on tests, medicines and referrals simply to defend that they did what was right if a lawsuit is filed.

Currently, people buy insurance from companies in the state they live in. According to Ogilvie, the goal of state deregulation is, “ finding a plan that works better for you than what is currently allowable for you to buy.”

Ogilvie emphasized that when Brownback said that “ the outcomes are too doubtful” to continue with Obama’s plan, he was calling for more details to be explained as work on legislation continues.

>>LindseyHartnett

PROFESSIONAL - HEALTH Remake. Overhaul. Start from scratch.

According to Executive Director of the Kansas Health Consumer Coalition Corrie Edwards, those approaches won’t affectively reform the health care system. Edwards said following the public programs already in place is the best option.

“Why would we waste the time and money to reinvent an infrastructure when we’d just as easily could go off of what we know works,” Edwards said.

For the public option to work Edwards said a Health Insurance Exchange should be created and paying for reforms needs to be kept in mind.

According to Edwards an Exchange would give choice to consumers and add competition into the market, lowering prices.

In recent months Edwards has started to think more seriously about how reforms will be paid for. Although the concepts of reform are key, she hopes that people will consider the practical side of the debate.

The debate about health care has involved our whole nation. Edwards said that for reforms to be effective, everyone must buy into the health insurance system, including young people.

“We need young people in the pool,” Edwards said.

“Without young people there is no one healthy enough to spread the cost and the risk to.”

PROFESSIONAL - INSURANCE In crisis. That’s how President Obama and many legislators have described the health insurance system in America in recent months. But Executive Director of the Kansas Association of Insurance Agents (KAIA) Larry Magill disagrees with that description.

Although Magill feels the term “crisis” is an overstatement, he does agree that the cost of health insurance is too high. However, Magill said Congress and President Obama’s attempts to fix health care with one bill will not only be “budget busters” but they won’t be effective.

Magill and the KAIA are advocating two solutions to lower health insurance costs, Consumer Directed Health Care (CDHC) and an individual mandate.

In the CDHC system, people would have Health Saving Accounts (HSAs) to save pre-tax money towards paying for part of their health care coverage. For CDHC to work, Magill said people need to stop relying on health insurance to pay for every trip to the doctor.

According to Magill, an individual mandate is needed because too many people don’t buy health insurance until they get sick or injured.

Magill’s main concern is that the government will push insurance agents out of the market with a Health Insurance Exchange. Magill said that having the government oversee a market where people shop for their health insurance may sound like a compromise, but it’s not.

“People can do that today if they want to.” Magill said.”

You don’t have to have a government bureaucracy doing it.”

Freshman Emily Sneed had heard statistics about the uninsured before, but it was a movie that helped her understand the human element behind the numbers.

Michael Moore’s documentary “Sicko” got Emily thinking about the way people were affected by a lack of health insurance. When she saw people unable to access procedures, Emily started thinking about the need for change.

Emily’s mom, Dena Sneed, hopes for a public option, which she calls “an American plan.” Dena said that because insurance companies currently make a profit from denying care, an unfair market exists for consumers.

Dena said her views stem a lot from her personal experience with health insurance. Dena and her husband, Brad, are both self-employed, so every year they are forced either to buy a new insurance plan or scale back on benefits to keep costs reasonable.

Although the three of them are healthy now, Dena worries about what would happen if one of them got seriously sick.

“Even though we’re fortunate right now, we always think about tomorrow and what changes are going to happen in our future,” Dena said.

Dena and Emily both hope for health care legislation that will help cover all Americans. “[Reform should] provide adequate health care for everyone,” Emily said. “So everyone has access and so people in poverty can get it easier.

STUDENT - SENIOR Some believe the status quo is preferable to the chance of more government involvement in the system. Senior Adele Daniel and her mom Jill Daniel think adding a public option to the system would decrease efficiency and cause prices to rise.

“Doing nothing is better than the public option,” Jill said.

Adele said educating people about buying health insurance is the best type of reform.

“We need to educate people so we don’t get young couples not paying for health insurance because they think that they don’t need it,” Adele said. “ We need education out there so that they will get it and the system won’t have to absorb their costs.”

Although Adele thinks more people should buy health insurance, she is against an individual mandate. Adele said that anytime the government imposes requirements it “inherently reduces freedom.”

Encouraging personal responsibility for health insurance seems like the answer to Jill. Jill said this could be taught through Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), because they let people choose how to buy their insurance with pre-tax money.

Adele and Jill agree that increasing government involvement in health care can’t be effective.

“I can’t come up with one [government program] where they’ve shown efficiency,” Jill said. “. . .Medicare itself is even in trouble.”

KNOW THE LINGO Public option: A government-run health plan, similar to Medicare, that would compete with private insurance plans.

Individual mandate: Requiring people to purchase health insurance or pay a penalty. Subsidies would be given to those unable to afford insurance.

Health Insurance Exchange: A competitive insurance marketplace, established by the government, where individuals and small firms would shop among health plans for coverage.

>>PBS and WebMD

page 6 news 9.21.09

dor, juniors will be Slytherin, sophomores are Hufflepuff, and freshmen are Ravenclaw. The class names will be changed too. Chemistry can be referred to as Potions Class, Social Studies will be Muggle Studies, and instead of Team Games it’ll be Defense Against the Dark Arts. During these weeks students are encouraged to dress up as wizards and even call their teachers ‘professor’.

There will be plenty of opportunities to show school spirit. Those two weeks are packed with sporting events just waiting to be supported.

The StuCo reps are hoping that Dr. Krawitz will dress up as Professor Dumbledore on one of the days and will possibly give out special points to kids that he feels have exceptional outfits.

"I'll dress up," senior Hannah Copeland said. "I have a Gryffindor scarf and hat, and a wand. On my ID card I'm wearing my scarf and a pair of glasses."

Students aren’t required to dress up in order to get points at the events, and since the second week of the Hogwarts theme will be on Spirit week, the ideas for that week are meant to be the focus. The real point of the Hogwarts inspiration is to get more students involved in school events and bring support to certain events they might not attend otherwise.

StuCo execs have also arranged for the Homecoming dance to be a Yule Ball theme, the dance featured in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The Triwizard Tournament planned for the Sept. 23 Homecoming pep assembly also sticks to the Goblet of Fire theme.

There will be a representative from each class taking part in the battle. The Hogwarts theme is sure to catch on considering the large numbers of fans roaming East's halls.

"I'm ecstatic because I am a Harry Potter freak,"senior Tess Duncan said. "In first grade I memorized the first chapter of the first book, and I recited it in class."

StuCo hopes that the whole school will attempt to join in some way and just try to have fun, whether that be showing up to a JV game to cheer on a friend, or dressing up as Ron Weasley or Hermione Granger by coming to school decked out in a robe and rugby stripped scarf.

>> IllustrationbyGrantKendall

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en

Sop homor es Juniors

StuCo plan brings the magical world of Harry Potter to spirt week >> ColleenIreland Dust off your broomsticks and get ready for potions class, because Hogwarts is coming to East. StuCo is planning to have the two weeks before Homecoming be dedicated to everything wizard. The idea is for each grade level to represent a Hogwarts house and points will be handed out based on attendance of each grade at sports events.

There will be a StuCo representative at each sports event during the weeks of Sept. 21-25 and Sept. 28Oct. 2. They had planned on points being given for various school events, like choir, band, and drama, but there are only sports events in that time period.

One point will be given to the corresponding grade for each student that attends.

“The major goal is just to get more kids to come to the games and other events so this is just like an extra incentive for them,” StuCo exec Joe Craig said. “We want to get a large number of kids out there.”

The StuCo representatives have thought through every aspect of turning into Hogwarts. Each grade represents a different class: seniors will be Gryffin-

Harry Potter Vocab for the average Muggle

Muggle- non-magical human Avada Kedavra- killing curse Animagus- wizard that can morph into an animal Mud Blood- mean name for wizard born to muggles Howler- screaming letter students get from their parents when they get in trouble Squib- born into wizard family but cannot perform magic O.W.L.s- final exams (ordinary wizarding levels)

Hogwarts House Cup

Each student to attend these events will earn a point for their house:

1. Freshman Volleyball @ East, Tue, Sept. 22, 5:30 p.m.

2. JV Tennis @ East, Wed. Sept. 23, 3:30 p.m.

3. Freshman A Football @ East, Wed, Sept. 23, 4 p.m.

4. V Volleyball @ East Thurs, Sept. 24, 5 p.m.

5. V Football @ Lawrence, Fri, Sept. 25, 7 p.m.

6. V Tennis @ SMNW Mon, Sept. 28, 3:30 p.m.

7. JV Soccer 5 p.m. V Soccer 7 p.m. @ Soccer Complex Tue, Sept. 29 8. Sophomore Volleyball @ East, Wed. Sept. 30, 5:30 p.m.

9. JV Soccer 5:00, V Soccer 7 p.m., Thurs, Oct. 1 @ ODAC 10. V Football @ North, Fri, Oct. 2, 7 p.m.

E B A

C

H

D F

G

>>All photos by DanielleNorton

Dumbledore McGonagall Hagrid Snape Slughorn Flitwick Binns Umbridge

During a Pep Assembly four events will take place, two infront of freshmen and sophomores, two infront of juniors and seniors. There will be one candidate per grade chosen. Expect tough challenges. There will be fire breathing dragons and Firebolts or at least the muggle equivalent there of.

A. Flitwick B. Slughorn, C. Umbridge, D. Hagrid E. Dumbledore, F. Binns, G. Snape, H. McGonagall

Hogwarts Teachers at East

Triwizard Tournament

issue 2 editorial page 7

License to

Text

Texting and driving should not be illegal only to those under 21

It’s time for Kansas to jump on the legislative bandwagon that is banning texting while driving.

It’s a popular issue right now—recently, 23 states placed bans on the dangerous activity and a violently graphic British public service announcement released this summer sparked interest in the media about the issue. And several studies, including Letters to one by the Virginia Tech Transportathe editor should tion Institute, say texting is significantly more distracting than talking be sent to room 521 on the phone or even driving with a or smeharbinger@ blood alcohol level of .08, the legal gmail.com. Letters limit. may be edited for One such state that instated a clarity, length, libel ban was our next-door-neighbor, and mechanics and Missouri. Missouri’s ban, though, accepted or rejected unlike some of the other states with at the editor’s a ban, only makes texting while driving illegal for those under 21. discretion.

According to the Missouri High-

the

>>

a publication of shawnee mission east high school 7500 Mission Road, Prairie Village, KS 66208

Editors-In-Chief >>Tim Shedor >>Phoebe Unterman Assistant Editors >>Sam Logan >>Kevin Simpson Head Copy Editor >>Andrew Goble Art and Design Editor >>Michael Stolle News Editor >>Logan Heley News Page Editors >>Kennedy Burgess >>Kiki Sykes

sept. 21, 2009 issue 2, vol. 51

Editorial Editor >>Lilly Myers Opinion Editor >>Duncan McHenry Opinion Page Editors >>Kat Buchanan >>Raina Weinberg Features Editor >>Annie Sgroi Feature Page Editors >>>Kathleen Ireland >> Molly Troutman Spread Editor >>Aubrey Leiter Asst. Spread Editor >>Ian Wiseman

way Patrol, this is because 15 percent of the drivers involved in car crashes last year in the state were under 21. Also, the 16-21 age group is commonly recognized as the age group that sends the most texts.

Though this is all true, it d n u doesn’t really explain why gr ch >>Chloe Fis those over 21 should be exempt from the ban. True, teen drivers make up a large percentage of car crashes, but this is mainly due to inexperience behind the wheel. If texting while driving is as dangerous as the statistics say, then why limit the law to such a small percentage of the driving population. And what makes an older driver less likely to harm or kill others as the result of a texting while driving incident?

Texting may even be more distracting to older drivers if they haven’t yet mastered the art of one-handed texting without looking, a skill essential to high schoolers sneaking a text during class.

To save as many lives as possible, the law should apply to everyone. And if it takes a hefty fee to make people realize that it’s a dangerous habit, than this may be a necessary measure.

Kansas should definitely institute a ban for all ages, as there is really no doubt to the fact that texting while driving is dangerous no matter what state you’re in.

Because you can’t use a radar gun to detect when drivers are texting, police officers will regulate this by looking for signs of texting while driving, like drifting lanes and inattention to road rules.

Because it’s hard to detect, it’s debatable that the new law may not make much of a difference. The law, however,

A&E Editor >>Mac Tamblyn A&E Page Editors >>Colleen Ireland >>Christa McKittrick Mixed Editor >>Emma Pennington Sports Editor >>Sam Logan Sports Page Editors >>Corbin Barnds >>Conor Twibell Photo Editor >>Mackenzie Wylie Assistant Photo Editor >>Chloe Fischgrund Freelance Page Editors >>>Maddy Bailey >> Sarah McKittrick Copy Editors >>Andrew Goble

raises awareness of how serious the issue is and has been essential in spreading the word that texting while driving can be dangerous and deadly.

For those who absolutely refuse to quit, though, there are the jarring statistics: 61 percent of teens admit to risky driving habits. Forty-six percent of that 61 percent say that they text message while driving. And texting takes a driver’s focus off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, which is enough time to travel the length of a football field at 55 miles per hour.

We shouldn’t even need the overwhelming facts and figures to convince us not to do it—the effects of texting and driving have already hit close to home.

The majority opinion of the East already learned the Harbinger Editorial Board worst lesson of what can against absent for happen last year when we lost a beloved student, and it would be unwise to make the same mistake.

The

VOTE 9 2 0

By the Numbers...

6 states ban handheld cell phone use for all drivers states ban all cell phone use by novice drivers 21 17 states ban school bus drivers from all cell phone use states ban texting while driving for all drivers 18 states ban texting for novice drivers 9 state bans texting for school bus drivers 1

>>Logan Heley >>Jack Howland >>Sam Kovzan >>Annie Sgroi >>Tim Shedor >>Kevin Simpson >>Michael Stolle >>Phoebe Unterman

>>Sam Logan >>Lilly Myers >>Annie Sgroi >>Tim Shedor >>Kevin Simpson >>Michael Stolle >>Mac Tamblyn >>Phoebe Unterman

Staff Writers >>Griffin Bur >>Grant Kendall >>Alex Lamb >>Bob Martin >>Haley Martin >>Shannon McGinley >>Ian Wiseman >>Alysabeth Albano Editorial Board >>Griffin Bur >>Andrew Goble >>Logan Heley

Photographers >>Jeff Cole >>Katie East >>Lindsey Hartnett >>Taylor Odell >>Dan Stewart Staff Artists >>Kennedy Burgess >>Morgan Christian Circulation Manager >>Matt Gannon Ads Manager >>Morgan Christian

Online Editors >>Taylor Haviland >>Elizabeth McGranahan Webmaster >>Joe Craig >>Pat McGannon Online Section Editor >>Evan Nichols Online Staff Writer >>Christopher Heady >>Haley Martin >>Katy Westhoff Online Photographer >>Max Stitt Anchor/Vlogger >>Andrew Goble >>Tom Lynch Videographer >>Alex Lamb Adviser >>Dow Tate

The Harbinger is a student run publication. The contents and views are produced solely by the staff and do not represent the Shawnee Mission School District, East faculty, or school administration.

page 8 opinion 09.21.09 6 facts you didn’t know

Sophomore believes napping to be less of a pastime and more of a daily necessity

much sleep as babies – about ten hours a day

2.

If you fall asleep within five minutes, it means you don’t get enough sleep

3.

Some scientists believe that we see dreams to fix the events in our long-term memory

4. The world record for insomnia is 18 days, 21 hours, and 40 minutes 5. Five nights without sleep doubles the effect of alcohol 6. Within the first year of a child’s life, the parents don’t get 400-750 hours of sleep they would otherwise have

>>www.geniusbeauty.com

naphappy

[ about sleep ] 1. Teenagers need as

>>Erik Dayton

Coming home from a full day of school, I throw my backpack in the corner and curl up in my red floral recliner. Within a few short minutes my >>EmmaPennington eyes begin to shut and I fall asleep to the quiet mumbling of the TV. Another few hours of my life spent doing exactly what I want to do: napping.

Parents overbook their children’s lives from age three. It all starts off with mother-daughter gymnastics. Then comes rec-soccer and Fun Girls Basketball League in elementary school.

Finally, in high school, just when you think your parents will let you have some freedom, they want you to get a job and participate in extracurricular activities.

Looking back on my elementary years, I realize life wouldn’t be the same without that Saturday drive to the Leawood soccer fields as an eight-year-old. But when can we get a break from going to all these various activities? When are we supposed to have time to relax? For me, it’s not time to relax. It’s time to nap.

Some might say I have a problem. Othan opinion of

ers think I’m wasting my time. But I like to think that I have a passion. I have an obsession. Or simply, God gifted me with the talent to sleep.

I should have known when my favorite childhood book was “The Napping House” that I would always love to nap. I now finally realize that I don’t just enjoy reading about sleeping. I enjoy actually sleeping.

Yes, I still play sports and do my homework. But I also set aside time to take naps. Not a few times a month or once a week — but just about every day.

It’s easy to take a nap on a couch or a bed, the most preferred accommodations, but I’ve been known to choose some other spots to snooze. I’ve slept at the dinner table, on boats, in closets and even, on occasion, during class.

Sometimes I am ever grateful for this talent. For instance, what else is there to do on a nine-hour flight to Hawaii than sleep the entire time?

Some have a difficult time going back to sleep once they are awake. My body tends to disagree. Within my family, I am known for waking up, inhaling a bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats, then falling back asleep for a few hours.

I like to think of breakfast as a water break during a basketball game. You just need a quick break

then you have enough energy to get back to work.

Only in my case, work is sleep.

As I begin to plan my future I am realizing more and more that an eight-hour workday will not include nap-time. Maybe businesses can work in a daily siesta like they have in Mexico, or my résumé for Monster. com will have to include: daily naps required.

You say you enjoy being busy and having a full schedule?

Take my advice.

I can almost guarantee there is nothing better than taking a nap on a crisp fall afternoon, or going to bed at 9:30 on a Saturday night. You get that relaxed feeling that courses through your body just as your head hits the pillow when you think, “There is nothing in the world I want more right now than 12 hours of sleep.”

No, I don’t feel like I’m wasting my day. And I don’t wish I was outside enjoying the weather or hanging out with friends. They’re not going anywhere.

I suggest taking a step back and look at your jam packed life. Maybe drop out of a few things and then use that time to nap — you’ll thank me.

>>photo illus

tratio

n by K atie E

ast

dream

catching

STAFFERS DESCRIBE THEIR CRAZIEST DREAMS

shouting showdown

“

DUNCAN MCHENRY

I had a dream Mr. Tate had a house party and he and Sam Logan got into a shouting match, which eventually resulted in Slogan’s resignation from the Harbinger.

”

desert daze

“

EVAN NICHOLS

I was running through the desert, being chased by furry creatures throwing sticks and rocks at me.

Then I jumped off a cliff and when I landed I saw my parents and grandparents having lemonade.

”

city shenanigans PATRICK MCGANNON

“

I was with a museum terrorist group in NYC, and we climbed up on the high structures to shoot potato launchers at passerby. Afterwards, I grabbed onto a plane’s wing and hitched a ride home.

”

& the lines you love: Phoebe Couture Nanette Lepore Tracy Reese Plenty Tibi Michael Stars

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page 10 opinion 09.21.09 Junior feels that medical TV shows fail to show the reality of working in a hospital, and are nothing more than

sickly sitcoms Hearing General Surgeon Dr. Higgins’s voice, I turned around to see that, yes, I had definitely missed the first incision.

Higgins stood examining massive pile of small >>MollyTroutman aintestine in his hands, two feet above the patient’s open abdomen. I stood there watching as they soldered the blood vessels.

“It smells like...” I said.

“Fried chicken,” the med student next to me answered. Why did this not feel at all like I had expected my dream job to feel?

In every medical TV show, the greatness of helping people is overly emphasized and beaten into the viewers. Holding a child all day long because they’re terminal, shocking patients back to life when the line’s just gone flat. We’ve all “scene” it. The emphasized long beeeep. But then all of a sudden the patient’s eyes roll open and hooray! They’ve saved another life in 59 minutes.

Knowing real-life surgery would be a little different than on TV, I signed up to shadow a real surgeon for a 12-hour shift. A surgeon has the job to heal patients quickly and safely, usually meaning gentleness, but I was shocked at the pure brutality that is required for the job.

Surgeries on TV dramas are controlled and tolerable for the queasy. The few flashes of surgery on Grey’s Anatomy are clean cut and, occasionally, when paused, the viewer can see intestines that look more like wires from a circuit breaker box than the inside of a human. In reality the image of an open human body is an image is one I never hope to see again.

Now Higgins points with a scalpel to the clear green line circling the bridge of the foot. Three of the toes strongly resemble charred lil’ smokies and are rotted with gangrene. Taking an instrument similar to an oversized pair of pliers, Dr. Higgins grips the bone fragments and yanks. I curl my toes and feel my stomach lurch as the raw crack of bones fills the freezing operating room.

The woman’s leg jerks so much it must be held an opinion of

down by a nurse while the patient’s low moan echoes like a zombie from a George Romero horror film.

Caught off guard, I look to the anesthesiologist monitoring the surgery.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “She won’t remember a thing.”

As it turns out, the body still reacts to pain when patients are under anesthesia. A couple of standby nurses gossip and giggle in the corner. They have been so desensitized by the daily crudity that it no longer affects them.

Meredith and Dr. “McDreamy” of “Grey’s Anatomy”, spend 97 percent of their time studying each other’s anatomy and about three percent of the time doing something medically relevant. Dr. House of “House”, is constantly lounging on an empty hospital bed watching his favorite soaps. Whether operating, filing paperwork or informing families, a real-life surgeon never stops.

Before the next surgery we had to meet the patient who looked embarrassed that I would be watching Higgins examine him.

“Did they draw on ya,” Higgins asked cheerfully, stepping towards the man.

Lifting one leg the man shows the purple sharpie lines tracing the veins on the inside of his leg. Examining the branchy lines on the man’s thighs, Dr. Higgins unexpectedly flips up the man’s gown, clearly mortifying the man. He pulls up his blanket as soon as Higgins steps away, not noticing the man’s embarrassment.

Pulling on my hair net and mask I push open the large operating room door. A nurse giggles joking about her “nice view” as she holds the man’s legs above her shoulders for another nurse to paint them with iodine. I felt about as comfortable as McDreamy performing a real-life surgery. Thank goodness the patient will never know.

Looking back on my visit to the operating room, I realize that the characters I once idolized, depict a false image of what I formerly hoped to become.

>>Dan Stewart

Monitoring the Reality

an assessment of medical drama reality according to Molly ER ER is the most realistic because the show mostly sticks to the medical situations rather than the character drama.

House

House takes several of the rarest situations in medicine and combines them into one case.

So while its hypothetical, it’s doubtful that any of the cases would take place in real-life.

Royal Pains Royal Pains has moments of realism but is mostly the ultimate glorification of a the life of a surgeon.

Scrubs Scrubs was created mainly for comedy and while it’s a medical show, the medical part is pretty much a joke.

>>www.tvgallery.net >>www.images.yahoo.com

Because students can’t get any honors credit from them, junior feels that creative classes at East are getting...

issue 2 opinion page 11

a dishonorable mention

>>Alyssa Jolitz

an opinion of

There’s a zillion reasons Shawnee Mission East is a nationally renowned school.

The state selected 14 of East’s orchestra members for the State Band, our theater constantly >>AndrewGoble wins Blue Star awards for their musicals, and our jazz band has failed to win anything but first place in every competition since 1994.

These programs, all wildly successful, have another thing in common – they don’t get honors credits. In the eyes of the district, it seems, these classes have the same academic rigor and expectations as all standard classes, despite the fact that many of them practice for several hours a week outside of school and have high expectations just like honors classes; a Harbinger journalist aspires to be akin to the Chicago Tribune just like Honors Biology student wishes to embody Louis Pasteur.

District Director of Curriculum and Instruction Betsy Regan said that the district originally created a weighted grade point average system to acknowledge the rigor, high expectations and time commitment of an honors class and to encourage more students to take them.

For a class to gain the honors recognition, it must be passed by every principal and a curriculum counsel before moving to the superintendent’s cabinet and finally, the Board of Education. Most electives, Regan said, must have an equivalent AP or College Now program to even be considered.

If we’re going to use a weighted GPA system (and we shouldn’t), then it’s only fair that “creative” classes, like orchestra, art, band, choir, journalism and theatre, should

receive a fair chance to apply for more honors credits. If they can justify the rigor, expectations, and time needed, then it shouldn’t matter if there is an AP or College Now program to go along with it – just like Honors Geometry, Honors World Geography, Honors Biology and Honors English 9 and 10 don’t have either programs attributed to them.

The imbalance of “core” honors relative to “creative” honors is staggering. According to district Director of Communications Leigh Ann Neal, there are 92 honors classes in the district. However, the only honors credits to be found in any of the aforementioned classes are Music Theory H/IB and three AP art courses jammed into one class period.

The district also only deems a class “honors” if it is capable of being taught at that level in every school. To assume that every school has the same specialties in teaching these “creative” classes is absurd; just because West has a rigorous Broadcast program and East has strong music programs doesn’t mean that neither should get honors credits. Each school has teachers that are capable of teaching different creative subjects at an honors level, and not using them to keep things “standard” is a waste of talent.

Placing a strong honors emphasis on only core classes creates a dull and one-sided academic environment. When students have to drop creative passions to scrub up AP electives they might not care for to keep their class rank high, it creates an environment based more on 4.0s and 5.0s then actual, tangible learning. Regardless of whether the “creative class” is a potential career, skills like collaboration, work ethic and creativity benefit everyone and shouldn’t be underestimated.

That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of careers in these creative fields. Sports Illustrated Senior Writer Grant Wahl

went to East, as did Kevin Cerovich, who was ranked as the best trombonist player in the world under 25. Those aspiring to be professional musicians, writers or artists should have just as much of a chance to make their transcript look good as a future English major.

Each school should assess the rigor of their own classes and decide which ones are worthy of that coveted honors GPA credit. The district should be able to fix and adjust these decisions on a case-by-case basis, but leave more power to the schools to oversee their classes. After all, it’s the school’s staff that can best assess whether a class is rigorous or not.

Since the Shawnee Mission schools rarely are compared in weighted GPA, it won’t matter if the same class is offered in honors at both schools.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying that every single creative class should be honors. But in the highest level for each subject, there should be an honors credit that reflects the work and demands of those classes. This would only create five or six new honors classes, and many of the classes already need tryouts; the teacher would be able to determine who can take their education to a higher level.

On your transcript, it doesn’t show that East’s theater produces several high-quality art and theater shows a year, or that East is the only school in the nation where both the newspaper and yearbook have won the Pacemaker and Gold Circle awards for the nation’s best journalism (humble, I know). Shawnee Mission East deems that class “standard,” so why should that college think it is anything special? Students still will always take these creative classes, regardless of any fancy-schmancy GPA system – they just need to pray their college notices how flawed the district’s system is.

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issue 2 photo essay page 13

when the varsity soccer team played one of the top teams in the state, they kept their

high ABOVE: At halftime the team meets with the three coaches. East soccer coach Jamie Kelly re-emphasized the importance of staying with their game plan to slow down Olathe East. The team lost 2-1 after Olathe East scored a second goal with just under five minutes left.

ABOVE: Senior Spencer Barnhill dribbles down field, bumping shoulders with Olathe East defender Andy Griffin.

ABOVE: Seniors Ellie Kessinger, Grace Martin, Maygan White, Ryan Olander, and Jake Fleming watch as junior Lucas Throckmorton runs down the field and scores. “I was going nuts, it was a really good ball, Throckmorton was hustlin’ down the field,” Fleming said. “I was really pumped.” all photos by Mackenzie Wylie

>>

|| Jordan Pfeiffer

page 14 features 09.21.09

COME

TOGETHER Senior makes plans to involve special education students in Student Council activities this year >>BobMartin

For many years, Student Council has served as the backbone of planning for most events at East. Whether they’re setting up the Homecoming dance hours before anyone arrives, promoting Spirit Week while wearing full ‘80s workout gear, or making an important vote, they get the job done. This year, they are hoping to keep up their track record, but are also hoping to expand on it to benefit even more people by incorporating special education students in StuCo. Senior and student council executive vice president Amanda Privitera developed the idea while attending the “Mason Leadership Camp” in Horn Peak, Colorado. Being a second-year camper, she was required to pick something that she was passionate about and develop a way to incorporate it into StuCo. After volunteering with “Pack of Pals,” an East organization that brings together special education students for organized events, Privitera felt that more needed to be done for them, and proposed her idea. The counselors and other East students at the camp were instantly supportive, something that Privitera said inspired her. According to Privitera, the plan to bring these students into the program hasn’t been done before.

“I decided that they should have the opportunity to broaden their horizons, get more involved in school and feel like they’re a part of something,” Privitera said. “A lot of them help any ways, and I think it would just be cool if they had the title.”

Her idea is to form a committee that would allow the students to get involved and help with tasks that elected StuCo members usually perform, but nothing too overwhelming. The students would do activities such as decorating the gym with streamers for a dance or helping out with the voting process for a student election, and the annual can drive.

However, because the students are not officially elected, they will not be able to vote at meetings, a compromise that Privitera and her fellow StuCo members decided was necessary while working out the early details.

“That’s what all the Execs agreed

on,” Privitera said. “Since [the special education students] didn’t have to run, they wouldn’t be a counting vote.”

Privitera was unable to put the plan into motion on her own, though.

First she had to get the approval of Principal Karl Krawitz and district social worker Emily McNaughton.

With 16 years of experience working for all kinds of special needs students in the district, McNaughton instantly latched onto the idea and plans to do everything she can to make it work. Helping out and being active in school activities is a right she believes everyone deserves.

“East has come a huge distance in the philosophy that ‘we’ go to school here, not certain groups here and there, but everyone,” McNaughton said.

Finally, Privitera sought the approval of StuCo sponsor Brenda Fishman, who is completely supportive of the students helping out.

“The desire is there, we just need to do a little more planning,” Fishman said. “Because we want to make it a positive experience.”

Privitera also informed her fellow student council members who were not at the camp of her plan and all of them seemed to be very accepting; though Privitera believes some may be a bit uncomfortable working with the students. She believes this will change once the new collaboration begins.

Privitera has also spoken to a few of the special education students, including senior Augie Borchers, about helping out with StuCo functions.

“It’s just fun being able to help the school,” said Borchers. “It’s kind of nice, being behind the scenes.”

With only a handful of options for special education students to get involved at East currently available, volunteering in StuCo would give the students something more to look forward to than the monthly “Pack of Pals” get-togethers. It can even be an experience that they can not only learn from, but they can also utilize later in life, something Fishman thinks will be very beneficial.

“I think they may develop more confidence, and more of a feeling of

inclusion in the building,” Fishman said.

While Privitera’s idea from camp has come a long way, it still isn’t in effect just yet. With more organization and meetings being planned, she hopes to have it fully-functional in a matter of weeks. Meanwhile, she wants to talk to more of the students who may get involved and get more feedback. That way, when the committee is formed, everything will work without a hitch. Privitera has faith that the change to StuCo’s normal system will be something that reaches far beyond the walls of East.

“It would benefit [StuCo and special education students],” Privitera said. “I know that working with them teaches everyone lessons that regular peers and regular education students can’t teach.”

PRIVITERA’S

NEW PLANS

1

SELLING TICKETS

2

SETTING UP DANCES

3

Privitera thinks that involving Special Education kids in selling tickets will help create a sense of community. She plans for them to help sell tickets for games.

StuCo representatives come up with themes for dances and then decorate the gym. Privitera hopes to hear Special Education kids’ ideas.

PLANNING EVENTS Privitera wants Special Education kids to help plan school events. She wants to hear their ideas about spirit week themes and fund raisers.

SENIOR Am anda Privit era ( second education st from right) udents in St shared her uCo at Mas plans to invo Photo Courte on Leadersh lve special sy of Aman ip Camp, in da Privitera Horn Peak, CO.

>>

Three ways she hopes to involve special education students

>>TomLynch he outside of the Dungeon Mas-

T

ter’s house looks like an ordinary Johnson County home. Two door garage, basketball goal and a small sign above the doorbell reading “No Solicitors.”

Once inside, the interior is no less ordinary.

Dining-room table to the left, couch and television straight ahead. But a careful listener can hear the faint echo of dice rolling across a ping-pong table a story below.

In the basement is the dungeon party: junior Dungeon Master Russell White, junior player-characters (PCs) Rob Kelly and Niko Colom, and sophomore PC Eli Mitchell.

The idea for a Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) group started when Mitchell’s elderly piano instructor gave him some third edition rule books that had been discarded by her son back in the ‘80s. The next day Mitchell showed White the book in biology class.

White was already familiar with D&D; he first became interested earlier in the semester when

issue 2 features page 15 the game came up in a conversation White was having with junior Tyler Cecil during Java class.

Cecil himself is a founder of another D&D group at East. Other members are juniors Kyle Engleken, Duncan Gibbs and Angela Clem. Engleken first introduced Cecil to D&D in seventh grade and it seemed to be a perfect fit.

“I don’t like doing anything that’s mindless as far as entertainment, [but] with D&D you get to write stories, you get to do acting (which I like a lot) and while you’re playing your brain is being challenged” Cecil said.

“It’s actually intellectually engaging, as opposed to something like just watching TV.” White had Cecil put PDFs of the D&D rule books on his flash drive. After learning more about it, White became interested in starting a group, but didn’t know of anyone who would want to join, until Mitchell brought it up.

At first Mitchell wasn’t sure if White was joking. Sure enough, two weeks went by without White bringing it up again. Finally, a week before summer started, White informed Mitchell that he found two members who wanted to join: Kelly and Colom.

The first thing that the group did together was

scour Table Tops, a local store specializing in role-playing equipment. Their objective: find cool and unique dice, which are at the core of the essentials needed for a D&D player’s arsenal. Each member picked a different set of dice from the glass display case to use on their campaigns against enemies in the dungeon. For Mitchell, black dice with white and grey swirls; for White, olive green with white speckles.

The second thing they did was have Russell put PDF copies of the rule book on all the members’ laptops. The group uses a fourth edition rule book, which was released in 2008; however, the original came out in 1974. And since its inception, the game’s carried the negative social-stigma of being the epitome of nerdiness.

Cecil ignores generalizations made about D&D players. “I think that most people that can accept anything that’s a little different will be able to accept [D&D] as a way to express yourself,” Cecil said. “And anyone who just thinks it’s horrendously dorky, I probably don’t think very highly of anyways.”

In addition to the stereotypes about the nerdiness of the game’s fanbase, it was originally thought by some that players were followers of the occult.

Though most say that, by now, people have accepted D&D as just a game, others see it as much more.

“It’s a chance to go to someone’s house, hang out with friends, talk about video games and computers and have some fun,” Kelly said.

Mitchell likes that their group is casual, and would probably leave if they turned “hardcore.”

“If all we did was go to the house and only play D&D and not talk, or interact in any other way,” Mitchell said, “it would be much less of a social experience, and it would be more like playing World of Warcraft with words.”

For the players at East, D&D isn’t sitting in a basement speaking elfish and fighting with foam swords; it’s a way to express themselves creatively while socializing with friends. That’s why this weekend, and every weekend in the near future, the players will descend into the dungeon.

Descending into the

DUNGEON

Juniors keep medieval spirit alive with regular games of “Dungeons and Dragons”

JUNIORS Rob Kelly (left) and Russell White (right) display their respective player figures. Kelly generally uses a Samuel L. Jackson figure, while White uses an assortment of characters. Katie East

>>

BEAUTYof theBEASTS Dungeon master Russell White and PC Rob Kelly discuss their favorite D&D monsters

>>Archon

>>Stirge

>>Kobold

<<Skeleton

“It’s a being of pure fire.

What could be more awesome?” -White

“They’re less like monsters, more like cannon fodder. Great for target practice.” -Kelly

“They’re the giant, mutant form of mosquitoes.

Bug spray doesn’t work here.” -White

“It’s practically obligatory to have skeletons in a fantasy setting.”

-Kelly

>>courtesy of D&D Manual

N OT

page 16 spread 09.21.09

>>AlyssaJolitz

>>LillyMyers

Before she got on stage, freshman Lily Kaufmann felt it. The proverbial butterflies fluttered in her stomach in what could only be a classic case of stage fright.

The feeling was nothing new to Kaufmann. She experienced it before she sang, “It Had to be You” at her father’s wedding. Again it was present at the Celebration of American Spirit, where her sole voice carried the National Anthem to nearly 5,000 onlookers. Stage fright was an old friend But one thing set this performance apart from all the others: her friends were there. Kaufmann had never performed in front of her peers before, yet she was about to sing, “Don’t Stop Believin” by Journey, at the Link Crew’s freshmen mixer.

“I was really, really, really nervous to sing at the freshman dance because it was all the people that knew me,” Kaufmann said. “And I knew if I messed up, all the people in my grade, it was their first impression of me.”

Many were new to Kaufmann’s musical talent, while others were familiar with her music, but hearing it for the first time live.

Kaufmann has been playing piano for 10 years.

Even before that, he dad recalls her passion for music.

“I remember when she was two years old, on the piano, and always wanted to be a musician,” father Scott Kaufmann said.

Kaufmann has been singing and writing her own music since sixth grade. When expressing all of her emotions in a diary became too difficult, someone suggested she write a song.

“At first I thought it was stupid, but then I got

>>MackenzieWylie

Fresh

into it and every time I wrote a song I felt better,” Kaufmann said.

Kaufmann’s lyrics remained private to her, sometimes paired to a simple piano melody. But when a friend from a musical she was in invited her to an informal recording studio, Kaufmann got a chance to put together her first real song, “Yesterday.”

“I had never recorded any of my own songs, so being able to make a finished product of a song I had jotted down on paper was awesome,” Kaufmann said. “It felt like the real deal.”

Kaufmann draws inspiration for lyrics from her feelings, whether it’s a middle school crush, as was the case for “Shout,” or home sickness at camp with “Alone.”

While she loves creating meaningful songs that express her, Kaufmann often finds herself writing silly lyrics about anything from bubble gum to goat cheese. When a friend jokingly said, “Girl, I’m gonna mess you up,” one day at Indian Hills Middle School, Kaufmann immediately heard it as the catchy chorus to a new song. After adding a few versus she recorded it on her phone.

“One of my friends asked me to send (the song) to her, so I did,” Kaufmann said. “Then she sent it to like, the world, and it got around.”

Sophomore Taylor Runion heard “Girl I’m Gonna Mess You Up” on the bus back from drill team camp. One girl had the song on her iPod, and soon, all the Lancer Dancers knew about Kaufmann’s musical talent.

“I like that she takes the initiative to do all that stuff on her own,” Runion said. “And that she comes up with original lyrics.”

Just like in, “Girl I’m Gonna Mess You Up,” Kaufmann’s music starts with a phrase for the chorus. Then come the versus, and a bridge. “(The lyrics) just kind of appear on the page,” Kaufmann said. “It’s just my feelings, but they manage to rhyme.”

Next, Kaufmann takes it to her piano. Her fingers convert the simple melody in her head to matching chords. Soon enough, what started as a single line she jotted down during seminar has become a full ballad. She will then transfer the song onto GarageBand and add guitar, orchestra or pre-programmed beats in the background.

Kaufmann said that not all songs make it this far. It takes her about a month to complete a whole song.

“I’ve got, like, a hundred songs just floating around in notebooks everywhere that don’t turn into anything,” Kaufmann said.

When she started becoming more involved with music, Kaufmann asked her mom about voice lessons. Now, for an hour every Wednesday, she prepares for upcoming auditions or performances.

Singing at the freshmen mixer was a new experience for Kaufmann. The screaming crowd and support of a band changed Kaufmann’s perspective on her goals in life.

“I used to be positive that I wanted to go on Broadway,” Kaufmann said. “But I think what I want to do is get a music career and be able to tour.”

Kaufmann had attended practices with freshmen band, “Break” before singing with them and the Link Crew dance. When they asked her to become a permanent addition, she had to decline. Between writing songs, performing in musicals, drill team and school, Kaufmann said that she doesn’t have time for much else. For now, she’ll keep writing songs and auditioning for musicals.

“What happens will happen,” Kaufmann said.

“I just need to continue with what I’m doing and another good opportunity will present itself.

“

Behind

I wrote this so called ‘Shout’ about a guy. I was having guy trouble and I love to sing it because I put a lot of memories into it.

”

>>Freshman Lily Kaufma

By the LILY

31 Kaufmann 11 4

Lily

MUSICAL TALENTS:

Song writing, piano and singing

YEARS OF HER MUSICAL CAREER

RYAN

YEARS OF HIS MUSICAL CAREER

H PR PE

TEWORTHY

hman musicians excel beyond their peers, making them...

issue 2 spread page 17

Ryan

“

the Lyrics

Dugan

In fifth grade I wrote a song called ‘What It Takes’ which has sentimental value to me because it’s about protecting the earth.

” ”

MUSICAL TALENTS:

Song writing, guitar, bass and singing

ann >>Freshman Ryan Dugan

>>ChrisHeady When freshman musician Ryan Dugan was

Numb3rs

75 48

HOUR OF PRACTICE ER WEEK

HOURS OF PRACTICE PER WEEK

SONGS SHE HAS WRITTEN

SONGS HE HAS WRITTEN

just a fifth grader, he didn’t have anything too inspirational to write about. He didn’t have anything significant to tell the world and, quite frankly, he thought the world probably wasn’t willing to listen to what he has to say.

But recently, Dugan has more inspiration and more reason to write.

Taking inspiration from movies like “Bowling for Columbine,” a movie focused on the teen gun violence, and a family member that only lived for nine hours, Dugan tries to write songs that are more meaningful.

“I’ve written about four or five full songs,” Dugan said. “But I also have bits and pieces for about eight or nine.”

With the ability to play the guitar, piano, violin, bass guitar and sing, he believes he has every advantage a musician can want or need.

But Dugan isn’t all alone. He has a trio to back him up.

Dugan’s band, Organized Mess, includes three other freshmen: guitarist Mark Ronning, bassist Jacob Lanon and drummer Connor Borgmier.

With influences like Green Day, White Stripes and Franz Ferdinand, Dugan and his friends try to take alternative rock and make it slower.

“We don’t have any hard core rock songs,” Dugan said. “It’s slower, but its definitely rock.”

Guitarist Mark Ronning has a little different take on the style of Organized Mess’ music.

“I think it’s all about taste,” Ronning said. “I think that it’s a little slower, but I still think that we play [fast] songs.”

>>MackenzieWylie Two of the band’s cover songs are “21 Guns”

by Green Day and “Steady As She Goes” by the Raconteurs. Both have slow beats but are high energy songs.

Even though Green Day was Dugan’s initial influence, his mother influences him most when it comes to music.

Joy Zimmerman is part of a band called On the Record and sings and plays guitar. Her band has played at the Record Bar in Westport multiple times this year. “[On the Record] is more acoustic, but it’s still really cool to hear them,” Dugan said.

Together, Dugan and his mother write music for each other. Some of their material comes from them collaborating together.

“There is one song that I wrote the chords and the harmony and she wrote the lyrics,” Dugan said. “We kind of put it off for a while, but we’re thinking about setting it up again soon.”

Bouncing ideas off each other, Dugan and his mom bond by sharing thoughts about songs and lyrics, often by just talking about simple things.

“Usually I will show my mom something, and then she will talk about it,” Dugan said. “Then she will show me something and I will talk about it, and we just do that for every song.”

But not everything Dugan does is with a band or even his mom. He is also working on a solo career. Although he focuses more on Organized Mess, Dugan enjoys working on his own stuff in his spare time.

“It’s more of a side project,” Dugan said.

After completing three of his own songs, Du-

gan took them to a producer who also records for Joy’s band and recorded them.

“There were three parts in them - guitar, piano and bass - and I’m hoping to do more sometime.”

Even though Dugan enjoys his solo career, he can never leave his band behind. With high hopes in making it an occupation, Dugan thinks that Organized Mess has a decent chance in the real world.

“I think if we just focus and really get down to it, we probably could [be big],” he said. “I think we’re different because we teach our songs to each other. We just try to work together and look at ideas and try to help [one another] with the songs.”

Writing down his feelings, Dugan wants to make it so people will change for the better.

“That’s really my goal,” Dugan said. “I want to try to get a reaction out of people so that they can feel what I was feeling at the time I wrote the song.”

Dugan doesn’t expect many people to look to him as a source of guidance since he is only a freshman. But that’s not stopping him anytime soon. He is going to push through all the biases and continue doing what makes him happy, and makes his peers even happier.

page 18 features 09.21.09

Krafty Strategy >>ShannonMcGinley

When sophomore Hallie Beck came home from swim practice at 8 a.m., she was tired and annoyed. Passing by the computer, she remembered that she needed to enter codes for the Kraft macaroni and cheese contest she and her friends had entered online. She hadn’t signed on in weeks; her friends had been nagging her about it for awhile. She logged on and clicked a number one tile, a four tile and a seven tile. They began spinning and suddenly, “You’re a Grand Prize Winner!” flashed across the computer screen.

“Every time I signed on I thought it was going to say, ‘So Sorry’ like it always does,” Beck said. “That time it didn’t and my dad heard me from the front yard I was yelling so loud.”

Beck immediately called sophomore Carolyn Welter and, after being woken up, Welter started jumping on her bed, screaming through her house that they had won.

She drove over to Beck’s house, eager to see the evidence that this was actually real.

When she arrived, a frustrated Beck told her that the pop-up blocker on the computer had exited out of the site. Welter, who was starting to panic, was relieved when Beck produced the verification code she had written down. After getting the online page back up they called their friend, sophomore Lucy Edmonds from St. Teresa’s, who was in Colorado, to tell her the news that their hard work had paid off.

To the three of them, winning the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Museum Sleepover Instant Win Game seemed a distant fantasy five months ago as Welter and Beck saw the contest on the back of their Kraft box. To win, they had to go online to, thecheesiest. com and enter a three letter code on an animated gold tablet with nine squares. If they guessed the right code they would win the grand prize, but you could only enter once

Sophomores win a Kraft Macaroni and Cheese competition that sends them to The Smithsonian Institution in D.C.

a day. So they made 10 usernames to eliminate the “one code” restriction. Next they made an Excel sheet charting all the possible combinations on the tablet, totalling 83 in all. The group decided that Beck would be in charge of entering the codes every day for 17 days. For three days Beck followed through with the plan, then she was sidetracked and forgot for two weeks. One morning she remembered and signed on entering the three golden numbers and winning the grand prize.

In order for all of this to happen, they had to be eligible to win, which meant that the person had to be 14 years old on April 20, when the contest started. Beck made the cut by four days with her 15th birthday on April 24.

“The contest started in April and I had no idea what it was until I was making macaroni and cheese and I was like, ‘that would be so cool to win!” Beck said.

The prize: roundtrip coach class air transportation to Washington D.C. with four days and three nights of accommodations.

The winner and guests get to tour the Smithsonian, get VIP tickets to other D.C. attractions, $1,500 spending cash and a sleeping bag. The big prize though, is a one night sleepover for winners and guests at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, where they will watch, “Night at the Museum” in IMAX. “Night at the Museum Battle of the Smithsonian”, the theme of the contest, is a movie about a night guard at a museum that comes to life.

“It didn’t really hit me,” Welter said.

“Then finally we realized who’s going to sleep where in the actual Smithsonian, then we started freaking out.”

To confirm their accomplishment, they called Kraft customer service where a company representative answered. Irritated and confused, she told Beck that she wasn’t eli-

>>photo illustration by Dan Stewart gible for the contest and ended the conversation with a haughty, “You’re not eligible, bye.”

“First we thought we won but didn’t get it because you have to go through all these different rules, and then you maybe are a potential winner,” Welter said. “Then they said that we did win, and it was actually real.”

After some anxiety, a representative with more patience called telling them to email Kira Doyle, who was in charge of the contest.

“We emailed her, then she was like, ‘Congratulations, you’re a winner!’” Welter said.

“Then we all started having a happy dance party.”

The winner can have three guests and one has to be a legal guardian, so Karen Beck, Hallie’s mom, will go with the three girls to D.C.

“I think it’s just great, they had a ball and they were very diligent in trying to solve the puzzle,” Karen said. “I’m very excited.”

Also attending as Mrs. Beck’s friend and an extra chaperone will be Sara Welter, Carolyn’s mom.

Since their exciting grand prize win, Hallie and Carolyn have received two informational letters in the mail, and have been in contact with Kira Doyle. In November, they will be informed on the exact date of their departure in February. While waiting for the dates they have been proudly spreading the word of their accomplishments to friends and family, challenging anyone who doesn’t believe them.

“It was probably one of the best moments of my life,” Carolyn said. “We’re going to D.C.!”

InsidetheExhibitThree popular exhibits at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, where the girls will be visiting

>>www.pnl.gov

MILESTONES OF FLIGHT

AMERICA BY AIR

This exhibit highlights the important “firsts” of air and space exploration. It displays historic aircraft and spacecraft that reflect these major events. It has even been home to the 1903 Wright Flyer, the world’s first successful airplane.

In this exhibit you’ll go on a journey through the history of Air transportation, from the early years of flight to modern and past technology that has revolutionized the airline industry. The exhibit features interactive displays including Stewardess Requirements and the Well Dressed Pilot.

APOLLO TO THE MOON This exhibit explains the Apollo program and the efforts provided by over a half-million people. The exhibit also features historical artifacts from NASA like the Skylab 4 command module and a Lunar Roving Vehicle.

>>Smithsonian Institution

not an average

issue 2 features page 19

WALK IN THE PARK

Student Council Execs carefully plan ambitious ideas after receiving Principal Krawitz’s approval

>>TimShedor

legends of the hidden temple roller derby

Facing off in a high-stakes in-line competition, East’s biggest rival will face the Lady Lancers this spring in a roller derby. The ladies must keep South’s finest from completing a fullcircle around the rink in this irrevrant and potentially agressive challenge that makes Powerderpuff look like Marshmallow fluff. “It’s a pretty physical sport,” Exec President Joe Craig said. “It can get pretty tough.”

After a monotony of “Singled Out” get-to-know-you games, a seniors-only mixer borrowing heavily from the underground Nickelodeon TV hit will feature a near-replication in the gym of host Kirk Fogg’s cutaway jungle wonderland, trivia, daring team feats, and of course, a dramatic finale. “Singled out was too old fashioned, we weren’t getting much participation,” Exec Treasurer Chris Melvin said. “[This year] I think a lot of kids remember watching the show. It’s more competitive, more about being a team, and it’s not as awkward.”

romp A long time ago, ROMP (a acronym-play on Prom with a little flair to set it apart from MORP) was the year’s premier goofy dance, but it was cancelled after attendee’s“irresponsible behavior.” With a little trust in the senior class and a big push from StuCo, the upperclassmen-only dance is coming back late winter.

crush

Roses are red, violets are actually violet, and this Feburary, love is orange. Alongside the Valentine flower fundraiser, StuCo will sell a letter’s delivery, accompanied by a complimentary Crush soda, to your own crush at a dollar a pop. The twist?

Receivers are able to find out who sent them their letter...but only after paying the sender’s set amount.

stop the bop

MMbopdobiedobiebop! The Hanson boys continue their Phish-like resurrection by gaining buzz with a StuCo-hosted passing period anthem based on their ‘90s runaway hit “Mmmbop.” Although this decade around, the song’s stuck-in-your-head-foreternity catchiness will betray the blondies. Students are encouraged to pay cash until the $500 goal, donated to the Johnson County Christmas Bureau for the Can Drive, is reached to “stop the bop.”

drive-in movies

Coming soon: a 16-foot-tall Jack Nicholson. This Halloween StuCo may host several nights to take your Homecoming date on a real date by posting a ginormous screen in the junior lot and previewing the classic monster movies and a more modern horror flick. Here’s Johnny.

theMaybe

Meter

>>photoillustrationbyLindseyHartnett

“Rock, paper, scissors, shoot? or just Rock, paper, scissors?” It’s a question as old as the chicken and the egg, yet one that is a favorite excuse, most often irritatingly interjected before “best two out of three” is called. But come this official open-to-all tourney, there will be no excuses.

A tradition that heralds from last year, this year’s bonfire will host all current athletic teams and the illustrious and ever-candid Drum Line (rumor has it they’re covering ‘Lil Wayne’s “A Milli”). But instead of last year’s one, this year will be bookended by two fires, one in the fall and one in the spring.

bonfires

music fridays

For the kid who never wanted to grow up or wait for the E-flat bell that loves to take its sweet time: an end-of-the-week passing period schedule based on musical serieses.

One week it may be Disney, the next a movie theme like the William Tell Overture. Just another reason to whisper TGIF after every class, starting second quarter.

IN

OUT

rock, paper, scissors tournament StuCo’s brainstorm forcasts what may (or may not) be the next big idea

Wealth Management (913) 831-7999

Lunch Special for $5.99 includes 6” personal pizza, side salad, and drink Call ahead and pick it up without waiting in lines!

“We cater to East Students.”

8017 State Line Road / (816)886-9595

Homecoming is in 12 Days Interested in advertising with Contact us at (913) 993-6688 or

smeharbinger@gmail.com

Recycle your HARBINGER

mixed mixed mixed mixed

page 21 mixed 09.21.09

{the page about life}

4 * Harbinger’s Horrible Homecoming

Happenings

Freshman year, I was asked to homecoming by my boyfriend at the time, Taylor Haviland. A week before the dance we broke up, luckily I was asked 3 days before the dance. But it was a close call.

MackenzieWylie

>>

*

This one is no tall tale.

In all four dances I have been to, my date has had to withhold their urge to whip out her favorite pair of heels and hit the dance floor, because it would make pictures look like Frodo and Gandalf heading to a big bash in the Shire.

KevinSimpson

>>

* *

After a solid fifteen minutes spent at the dance, we headed back to a friends house to watch people play Rock Band.

Enough said.

KatBuchanan

>>

Once, I accidently thieved a fork from Brio. Soon after, they realized it was missing and chased after me. I got away, and still have the fork. I eat with it every night. I haven’t washed it since.

DanStewart

>>

>>all photos by Max Stitt

mixed mixed mixed

what to do if...

>>

dinner is a disaster

your date is a drag

If restaurant standards aren’t on par with your palette, take the chance to become a conversation king and provide the laughs at the table... Maybe remind your date how romantic it could’ve been had you taken her to Taco Bell instead.

SamLogan

Unless you know your date is exciting, you will want to prepare for the worst. Bring an iPod Touch with gaming-apps-galore. And if you don’t have an iPod, you can buy an electronic hangman for $5.

TomLynch

>> >> take a look inside Yoda’s desk “The dolls came from a family who gave me multiple Yodas, now we can have fighting Yodas.”

“I used to have a sixand-a-half-foot tall flamingo that seniors would steal each year.

One year they didn’t keep up with the prank so they gave me the nose.”

you can’t bust a move It’s okay — neither can we.

Be prepared to congregate in the back and make conversation about things you already know. “Who’s your date?” and “Where’d you eat?” are classics. Always stay on the move, and pray for some Soulja Boy. AndrewGoble

>>

AHAP teacher Vicki Arndt-Helgesen

“A past student knitted me the finger puppet and now I use it to teach with.”

“One of my classes did a mass attack with the sling shot and silly string and they left me with it.”

30

seconds with...

Scott Watson junior

What is your biggest fear?

Spiders; they are scary.

What song do you sing in the shower?

“Crazy in Love” by Beyoncé.

What if the Hokey Pokey really isn’t what it’s all about?

Then my mind will explode.

What would be your favorite part of the job if you were a mailman?

I’d get huge calves.

What is a strange smell that you find absolutely delightful? Why? Gasoline, ‘cause it’s forbidden.

page 22 a&e 09.21.09 >>Alex Lamb

I

n 2005, graduate student Shane Acker made a 10-minute animated short called “9,” which garnered him not only an Academy Award nomination, but also the attention of visionary director Tim Burton (“Edward Scissorhands,” “Sweeney Todd”) and “Wanted” director Timur Bekmambetov. With their help as producers, Acker has brought a feature-length version of his post-apocalyptic, CGI fantasy adventure to the big screen, but with mixed, somewhat disappointing results.

“9” shows an incredibly bleak future where humans have been wiped out during a man vs. machine war, and the only inhabitants remaining of the now ravaged wasteland are a group of living burlap dolls as well as a cat-like robot hunting them. The dolls, termed “stitchpunks” by Acker, were the final creation of a famous scientist, who infused each of them with a personality and different character traits as his last act. In case you’re wondering -- this movie is a little strange.

The stitchpunk 9 (named for the number on his back, and voiced by Elijah Wood) joins these survivors, but unintentionally sets off a series of events which put all of them in grave danger.

After accidentally reactivating an old machine, which starts building an army of evil robots to find and capture them, 9 must persuade the raggedy scavengers to finally come out of hiding to help him fight and destroy the threat.

The original’s narrative is quite similar to the feature’s, except more basic. The short captivated the viewer with its creative animation, mysterious universe and unique look, and the general weirdness of it all only made it more intriguing. Acker expands upon the first version here, both visually and story wise.

However, where the first incarnation felt fresh and inspired, this plot feels derivative of countless other apocalypse society movies; think the cute and cuddly “Wall-E” meets gritty “Terminator: Salvation.” Like those two films, the visuals are a sight to behold, the action is exciting and machines are in control. But where they each had a compelling, multi-layered narrative, “9” is missing much of an original, or even that interesting of a tale to tell.

While “9” lacks in storytelling, Acker uses some very stylistically satisfying creatures, designs and thrills to compensate. Each of the stitchpunks has a distinguished, hand-crafted look, the expansive landscapes are exquisitely detailed and the many fight and chase sequences are inyour-face intense. The best touches, however, lie in the creepy robots in pursuit of the dolls. Most chilling of these is the “seamstress” beast -- a spidery, snake-like monstrosity with the head of a dilapidated, almost mutant china doll. The spooky profile burns itself into the mind, a face not soon to be forgotten.

Scary images like this and some hearty help-

9

Leaders of the

STAR SCALE|

|

Christopher Plummer voices 1, the sage but cowardly leader of the stitchpunks. When 9 tries to convince everyone to fight the robots, 1 does everything in his power to keep them safely hidden away, with a plan of his own for their survival.

1 | Stay home|

number

ings of bloodless, stylized violence earned “9” a PG-13 rating, only the third theatrically released computer-animated film to receive that distinction. Though its dark subject matter also fits with the rating, some sporadic moments of childishness make “9” feel like a kid’s movie here and there, particularly due to the brutish, dopey warrior 8 and childlike twins 3 and 4. These characters, the often eye-roll inducing, overly simplistic dialogue and formulaic, predictable writing hamper the quality and appeal of “9.” This leaves the film unsure of who it’s aimed at -- not entirely mature enough for adults and teens nor light enough for young kids.

The voice actors seem misinformed about the movie’s seriousness, too. Wood and John C. Reilly (the one-eyed, goodhearted 5) both deliver their lines with too much innocence and youthful wonder, while Christopher Plummer (the intelligent, scheming leader 1) speaks too arrogantly and gruffly.

At only 79 minutes, “9” never loses your attention, always showcasing an imaginative feast for the eyes, albeit without ever incorporating any sort of emotional poignancy. If Acker had strengthened the thin plot line and added some much-needed depth to the shallow, stereotypical characters, the film could’ve been the animated hit of the season that people were expecting. Unfortunately, the astounding animated action and impressive creatures are all that make this movie really stand out.

Burton and Bekmambetov have found a new protégé to visually arrest audiences, but he still needs improvement to immerse them as well.

Acker will definitely become one to look out for in the future, although he needs to figure out how to balance style with substance first. Until then, just look up the original short film on Youtube and wait to catch this one on DVD, because “9” isn’t worth your 10 dollars.

Negative ‘9’

Despite extravagant visuals and entertaining action, ‘9’ fails to deliver a satisfying story

|

number

5

John C. Reilly voices 5, a curious yet reserved being with only one eye. He immediately befriends 9, who helps him to finally stand up for himself and make his own decisions, instead of being bossed around by 1.

| Rental at best |

>> www.movieweb.com

7

number

Jennifer Connelly voices 7, an acrobatic femme fatale with the most experience in dispatching the robots. A skilled fighter and the only female, she joins 9’s crusade against the machines in a heartbeat, and orchestrates some of the coolest fights in the movie.

|Worth seeing|

Elijah Wood voices 9, courageous hero of the film and the revolutionary in the stitchpunks’ world. As soon as he meets them, he disrupts their peaceful, though fear-ridden lives, and sets about what will be either their destruction or freedom.

9 |Instant Classic number

issue 2 a&e page 23

After a five year break, Phish’s new album proves to be a...

ae

STAR SCALE|

| Press ‘skip’| PANEL

&

Art & Design Editor

MICHAEL STOLLE

phase. Thankfully, I was instantly proven wrong with the second song, “Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan.”

Anastasio makes his presence felt from the start with feverish guitar licks that almost force the listener to tune up their air guitar and play along.

The contrast between the tracks keeps the album moving along beautifully. If a label were put on each song and read off as a list, the first four alone would look something like this: happy-go-lucky, hard rock, funky dance music, western blues.

Along with the artful track arrangement, the skill of each individual musician in the band is noticeable on each song. The often-overlooked positions of drummer and keyboardist are filled perfectly by Jon Fishman and Page McConnell. Fishman’s intricate rolls and taps on the hi-hat are a constant backbone, as McConnell pounds out chords and laces smooth arpeggios. McConnell really shines through on the song, “I Been Around,” where he sings and takes the lead on piano with bluesy chords and twirls.

Often, Anastasio and bassist Mike Gordon seem to read each other’s minds, blending perfectly into unison after minutes of playing something completely different. This shows on the complicated funk jam, “Sugar Shack.” As Gordon thumps out a bouncing bassline, Anastasio keeps the rhythm perfectly with undulating guitar playing, never once losing the flow of the beat.

Oh, and they sing in harmony pretty well too.

|Borrow it |

Copy Editor

Favorite TV Show Arthur

Arthur, Buster, D.W. and the Brain were my afterschool buds and where my allegience lies.

The web-head has always been my favorite. For a mid90s cartoon, it had great storylines and drama.

Dragon Tales

A&E Page Designer

CHRISTA MCKITTRICK

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|Auditory Brilliance

Entertainment related to your childhood

Spiderman

SAM KOVZAN

The album’s second to last track, “Time Turns Elastic,” is a 13-minute-long maze of different rhythms, sounds and emotions. Some of the lyrics, such as “Up above the darkened sky is bleeding, I feel the world turning upside down,” seem to hint at Anastasio’s past drug abuse. The foggy, minor melodies of the first eleven minutes dissipate into an upbeat celebration in the last two, hinting at Anastasio’s recovery.

While the initial track on the album comes across as sort of cheesy, the rest of the album never fails to impress. Phish has Who? A put together an impressive mix of ny rambunctious guitar solos, Grateful welcom one is e Dead-esque storytelling and unexWhat?

A pected melodies and rhythms. But music fe three day s then again, who could expect jam-ban tival where d Phish w anything less from a band that cover a ill n has released over 30 albums, album. other band’s It coinc id Hallowe including live ones, and en this es with P hish will never plays the same conyear, for their be donning cos so cert set twice? It’s clear tumes perform When? a that Phish is overjoyed Oct. 30, nce Oct. 31, Where? to be making music and Empire Polo Clu Nov. 1 CA again. b, Indio ,

Phis h

>>DuncanMcHenry

Few bands could ever muster the audacity to don Halloween costumes and cover the White Album by the Beatles, or jump on mini trampolines while playing a song. Fewer still would have the talent to do it live in front of thousands of fans, as Phish did at their first three day “Phish Festival” in 1994. Now, following a five-year absence from the music scene, Phish’s latest offering “Joy” is the perfect re-introduction: a classic showcase of the band’s melodic sound.

The element of “Joy” that stands out above all else is its emotion, and ability to paint an image in the listener’s mind. As a band, Phish is incredibly adept at translating a feeling into a song. Not just a feeling of happiness, as the title would suggest, but also everything from sadness, to zealous energy to anger.

Front man Trey Anastasio’s guitar drives each track, and croons melancholy licks just as easily as it rips solos. These emotions all blend together in Phish’s trademark jam-band style to create a delicious combination of sounds. The feel of the album never stays the same for two consecutive songs, and each individual song is prone to a sudden tempo or key change.

The first track, entitled, “Backwards Down the Number Line,” opens the album with a sunny disposition and birthday party lyrics such as, “Happy happy oh my friend, blow out the candles once again.” This had me a bit worried initially that Phish had returned as a hipster offshoot of Ziggy Marley’s family friendly

Fest ival 8

‘JOY’FUL CATCH

I loved all the magic and fantasy in this dream world.

Backstreet Boys or N*SYNC?

Favorite Book

N*SYNC

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

“Dirty Pop”; ‘nuff said.

Neither

My dad didn’t allow that music in the household. I’ll thank him for it later.

Backstreet Boys

Better lyrics, better beats, overall better music.

The illustrations blew my mind.

Captain Underpants

Dav Pilkey’s epic novel had plenty of action, laughs and flip-o-rama.

Berenstain Bears

I always wanted to live in a treehouse.

Spaghetti O’s or Lunchables?

Spaghetti O’s

Absolutely disgusting and most likely horrible for you, the O’s hit the spot.

With Franks Only!

Spaghetti O’s

Not sure how I ever thought those things tasted good...but I did.

Lunchables

Who can resist cold pizza and a juice box?

ae 25

page 24 a&e 09.21.09

n e m n i a the & t r r e t a d n & n e e cal arts Well, I know one song by this band—Buildings and Mountains—is a good song, basically indie.

The band actually formed in Kansas City in 2005; that could be why they are playing here. The concert is at the Beaumont club at 8 p.m. It should be pretty epic. Tickets are only $10 so that rocks, right?

Whip It

FRIDAY SEPT.

25

29 2 2

29SEPT.

TUESDAY

FRIDAY

6 15

6 15

TUESDAY

OCT.

Rock out to, “Misery Business,” “Crushcrushcrush” and “Decode” at the Uptown Theater at 7:30 p.m. This will probably be one of those concerts with a bunch of girls going crazy and guys just standing in the back wanting to leave. Tickets are $30.

OCT.

Paramore

OCT.

THURSDAY

Tired of being pushed into beauty pageants by her parents, a girl named Bliss (Ellen Page) joins a female roller derby team. I’m not sure what the purpose of roller derby is, but it definitely looks like a movie worth watching.

The best children’s book of all time is being made into a movie. When I was six I didn’t pay attention to what the moral of the story was, so here’s the recap: A rebel kid named Max feels misunderstood so he escapes to where the wild things are. He meets mysterious, rambunctious creatures on an island. The Wild Things long for a leader, so when Max is crowned king, he promises to create a place where everyone will be happy!

Amelia

We all know the story. Let’s just see how well Hilary Swank portrays the courageous, legendary Amelia Earhart.

16 23 2328 OCT.

16

FRIDAY

OCT.

28 OCT.

Where the Wild Things Are

FRIDAY

WEDNESDAY

Republic Tigers

>>MaddyBailey

‘Fall’ in love with the season’s latest entertainment

Fame

This is one of those movies where the majority is spent singing or dancing to make up for the lack of plot. All that is implied in the previews is that there are five friends each with a different talent who come together at a performing arts school to pursue their dreams. It’s actually a remake.

You might remember this preview as the one that reminded you of Hogwarts with the weird music and the commentator saying, “There is another school that can teach you how to fly.”

Snow Patrol

If you’re on your way to this concert and your car breaks down, don’t miss the show! ‘Run’ to the Uptown Theater at 7:30 p.m. by ‘Chasing Cars.’

Tickets are $30.

More Than a Game

This movie tells the true story of LeBron James and his high school basketball team in Akron, Ohio. It takes you through their journey to becoming a national team. It seems like it could really inspire young basketball players.

Relient k

This Christian rock band’s first album in 2001 was quite playful and upbeat (example: Sadie Hawkins Dance—best song ever), but their latest album is quite strange considering one the songs is called, “Curl Up and Die.” Maybe they are trying to change their image.

See for yourself at the Beaumont Club at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $18.

Michael Jackson: This Is It This movie includes 80 hours of rehearsal footage of the legendary entertainer preparing for his 50 sold out shows just before his death. The choreographer, Kenny Ortega, knows his stuff; he directed High School Musical.

>> allmoviephoto.com, idancerecords.com, rockmusic.today.com

A pleasant parlor >>GrantKendall

On my way to out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere, Leawood, I was giddy with anticipation. I'd heard so many great things about Pizza Fusion, like the food was tasty and the atmosphere was, "tight." I was hoping it would live up to my expectations.

When I walked into Pizza Fusion, I was delighted and overwhelmed with the modern and green (in a colorful and eco-friendly way) interior designs. The left side of the restaurant had a few grass plants and wood on the walls. The right side is sleek, modern and houses the bar. The wall behind the mostly metal bar is bright red and has shelves filled with wine.

We waited about 20 minutes before a waiter finally came over to our table. He spotted my pad of paper I was taking notes on and asked if he could borrow a sheet to write down our orders. To compensate for our server's memory mishap, the staff kept a close eye on our table and provided excellent service.

Instead of the typical Coca-Cola or Pepsi products, they served eight flavors from a soda company called Boylan’s Sodas. I’d never heard of the company before and we sampled Root Beer, Black Cherry and Cream Soda. The last two were delicious but the Root Beer had a nasty aftertaste, kind of like sucking on a pine cone.

To wash it down, I ordered a type of tea they served called Honest Teas. The Mango Acai White Tea was quenching and seemed to blast me with fresh fruit after every sip.

Next came the appetizer. We actually made a small mistake that turned out well.

Looking at the menu we thought one of the options said Beef and Feta. It turns out we ordered a Beet and Feta salad. The only person I’ve ever heard of in my entire life that eats beets would be Dwight Schrute. And he’s a made-up character.

I don’t mean to brag, but we ate the entire salad, beets and all. And it was delicious, by far the best beet salad I have ever had and probably the best I ever will have. The beets added a new texture to the salad and made it better.

We then each ordered three separate, ob-

Eco-Friendliness

long-shaped pizzas: Sausage and Tri-Pepper, Big Kahuna and Philly Steak.

Make it or break it time.

The pizza was what I came for and I wanted something good. And the pizza was… okay. I mean, don’t get me wrong, the pizza tasted pretty good, but it definitely wasn’t what I had hoped for.

The bottom of the pizza had a lot of flour on it. A little flour is good on a pizza, but on some of the slices the flour would stick and make my mouth dry.

The Big Kahuna and Philly Steak were a

issue 2 a&e page 25 Pizza Fusion, a green pizza joint, is impressive in aesthetics, but somewhat lacking in taste

lot better than the Sausage Tri-Pepper. The Tri-Pepper pizza was plain and it tasted like a pizza I could've made. But the other two were great because they weren't a common variety of pizza.

I love the idea of Pizza Fusion. Its a nice pizza place but they do something totally different than other joints I've been to. They're focused on "going green" by recycling, using organic foods and even driving hybrid vehicles. I could tell the pizza tasted differently than a normal pizza joint from the organic and gluten-free ingredients. The menu

is littered with facts about what they do that is green, all the awards they have been nominated for and awards they have won, including Best Organic Pizza, Best Pizza and Best Green Restaurant.

I was truly surprised that I didn't like the pizza as much as I did. Due to all the awards Pizza Fusion has won, I thought the pizza would've been better. Pizza Fusion just screams eco-friendly to me and If Al Gore was a pizza maker, Pizza Fusion would be his niche.

|

|

|| All photos by Mackenzie Wylie

>>All photos by Mackenzie Wylie This environmentally-conscious restaurant makes an effort to offset the waste they produce and energy they consume

-Employee clothing is made from 100 percent organic cotton.

-Customers are encouraged to bring back pizza boxes for recycling by giving discounts.

STAR SCALE| |Check, please |

-The two company vehicles - the Honda Prius and Smart Car - each boast at least 35 miles per gallon.

| Lukewarm |

-Countertops at Pizza Fusion are made from recycled detergent bottles.

-Many of the walls are made from bamboo, a rapidly renewable resource.

-Pizza Fusion only serves organic drinks, like Honest Tea and Boylans All-Natural Soda.

|Dietary delight |

>>Information from pizzafusion.com

| Delectable

page 26 a&e 09.21.09

They’ve Got It

Veteran band “Yo La Tengo” releases a solid 27th album

>>pitchfork.com

| Press ‘skip’|

|Borrow it |

that effect gets lover five minute plus runtimes. The runtimes themselves aren’t the problem – the issue is that the songs are surprisingly repetitive and bland.

Towards the end, the album picks up a little. The highlight comes with the penultimate song, “The Pedlar,” which melds a clean pitch-bent riff to heavier guitar chords. There’s even some (possibly synthesized) brass and keys. Overall, it keeps what was good about Polvo but doesn’t sound hackneyed. More than anything, the song sounds far more enthusiastic than any song besides “Right the Relation.”

“A Link in the Chain”, the closer, is about as close to conventional as I’ve heard Polvo get. It still maintains some dissonant and experimental elements - it seems unlikely that Polvo will ever write a full-on anthem. But the choral eruptions from spacily melodic verses are surprisingly cathartic. While this and “The Pedlar” end the album well, they can’t cover for the rest of the album.

The temptation with any reunited band is to hail their new material as gold. Without psychoanalyzing, it seems to fulfill this idea we have of musicians as heroes. In reality, a lot of times they’re talented people who simply can’t put out good album after good album. And despite a great finish, this album doesn’t cut it next to their wild and enjoyable ’90s records . They certainly deserve kudos for putting out a listenable and enjoyable album - but with only a couple songs that are truly great, In Prism can’t hold up.

| |Download it |

|

|

Blast From The Past

|

Prisoners of Love

-2005 Nuclear War

-2002

And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out

-2000 I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One

>>

STAR SCALE|

even as the band focuses more on songcraft, the writing isn’t as strong. Too many songs endlessly repeat sections; many of the slower songs confuse “relaxed” with “meandering.”

At first, this slide isn’t apparent. “Right the Relation” busts out of the gate with much of the same sound and energy - twisted guitar riffs, crashing drums and hazy vocals - but it’s slightly more normalized.

No one’s going to mistake this for classic rock, but the song is vaguely more accessible. Overall it’s one of the better songs and leaves the listener wondering where they’ll go from there.

The problems start with the next song, “D.C. Trails”, a moody midtempo song and one of their most “normal” yet. Their ‘90s era albums threw a pop touch into the noisy melting pot, but this is the first time that the song and not the sound is the focus. Unfortunately, the carefully jangling guitar arpeggios get somewhat repetitive.

The twists and turns the song takes save it from mediocrity, but it’s still nothing great.

The band returns to old abrasiveness with “Beggar’s Bowl”, but the track sounds uncomfortably modern and almost heavy metal. Being familiar with their earlier stuff, I can hear the “Polvo sound” in the song.

But to fresh ears, this might sound more like any other faceless mosh-heavy band.

Polvo usually thrive off experimentation but here it just results in awkward mess.

From there, the band keeps things about the same, shifting between slower (though not quite “ballads”) and faster songs. Too many songs are initially engaging but lose

“The Fireside”, is even sparer, yet nowhere near as entertaining. YLT has done soundtrack work in the past; “Fireside” could be an outtake from those sessions. The song would be excellent background music for, say, a documentary about the Amazon Rainforest – but it does nothing here.

Finally, the band crescendos with the lengthiest of them all. “And the Glitter Is Gone” takes its own title literally; the song dispenses with all pop sensibility and lays down a super-fuzzy Spacemen 3-style groove. The appeal is pretty mood dependent; it could seem endless one day and sinister and cool the next. At 15 minutes long, it might put off some listeners, but much shorter and the drone effect would be lost.

Coming from another band, such a drawn-out finish would seem over-the-top.

The band’s sheer exuberance, however helps them avoid that trap. Even when their songs fall short, the approach never feels pretentious. Consider the title: something like “Popular Songs” could easily come off as bitter irony. But in Yo La Tengo’s hands it sounds like a winsomely hopeful title. And with strong, accessible songs like these, popularity might not be a pipe dream.

>>

>>GriffinBur

Polvo’s sound doesn’t lend itself easily to adjectives. The temptation with lesserknown bands is to use critical shorthand, skip the sound, and call them “influential” or “revolutionary.” But to tell the truth, they are neither of those things. I might go with “underrated”, but they rarely seem to be rated at all.

But one adjective that does work for Polvo is original. They might have used old tricks (unusual guitar tunings and herkyjerky tempos) but 90s albums like Today’s Active Lifestyles and Exploded Drawing still sound fresh and inventive ten years later. The interplay between Ash Bowie and Dave Brylawski was the highlight – downtuned guitars swinging in and out of tune, careening off each other, creating bizarre yet hooky riffs.

Their decade-old albums still sound new circa 2009 – but given the track records of reunion albums, this doesn’t promise much for theirs.

On the one hand, their new 2009 reunion album “In Prism” finds Polvo with a fairly invigorating sound. At this point, the band is in their collective 40s. And yet they still play music that’s more “out there” than their 20-years-younger peers.

On the other hand, there’s a noticeable dip inquality. Sure, staying true to an inventive ethos is commendable. But

Box

Polvo’s new album, “In Prism” is mediocre

>> threeimaginarygirls.com

>>

Outside

of the

establish a beat that’s both funky and tight. Organ plays a prominent role and takes a wildly entertaining solo midway through. As if to establish their common-man status, Kaplan claims that he’s “never read [French author Marcel] Proust” because he “seemed a little too long.” It’s a drolly clever line that epitomizes YLT and the song is one of the album’s best.

The last 30 minutes of the album contain just 3 songs. These longer songs are a good showcase of both the band’s talents and shortcomings – and a reason that, despite YLT’s pop sensibilities, they’ll likely remain “underground.”

“More Stars Than There Are In Heaven” is a Velvet Underground-ish two-chord drone. It manages to remain entertaining and hypnotically pretty despite its nearly ten minute run time. Kaplan and Hubley’s voices blend airily and beautifully as they chant “We’ll walk hand in hand” like a mantra.

Unfortunately, the longer follow-up,

>>

dard sound”, “Avalon or Someone Very Similar” is as close as it gets. Hubley sings barely above a whisper while the band jangles on behind her. An album of “Avalon” (like 1986’s Ride the Tiger) might grow old, but in such an eclectic mix, the pure pop approach works.

Yo La Tengo’s strength is their lack of pretense and the clear enjoyment they get making music. Their weakness, then, is that sometimes they put out music that was fun to make but not to hear. This tendency crops up on “By Two’s” (sic.) It’s a morose drone with only an organ and metronome backing Hubley’s vocals. Kudos for trying something different, but the appeal is pretty one-dimensional.

Countering the down-tempo start, the middle of the album takes a higher speed approach. Two of the best moments come when band then runs through the quick 1-2 punch of “Nothing to Hide” and “Periodically Triple or Double.”

“Periodically Double or Triple” especially stands out, sounding uncannily like Booker T. and the MGs. Hubley and McNew

>>

>>GriffinBur

On the surface, Yo La Tengo is your typical arty “underground rock” group. Obtuse name, check. Semi-mythical label (Matador), check. Songs with torrents of guitar noise, check.

But the more you listen, the more Yo La Tengo’s humble roots show through. The obscure name isn’t a reference to an Expressionist film or a book you read in AP English – it’s a line from an anecdote about baseball. And in between the hip noise rock, there are some songs that sparkle like . Even when they do kick out the atonal jams, it sounds like they’re doing it for good cause – because they actually like it.

Popular Songs kicks off with “Here to Fall”, a song that sounds like theme music for a Moore-era Bond film. Drummer Georgia Hubley plays loosely while bassist James McNew thumps on a distorted bass.

Guitarist Ira Kaplan elects only to sing, with sinister strings taking the guitar’s place.

The slow-mo groove thumbs its nose at uptight indie rock, while being an excellent soul workout.

Though YLT doesn’t really have a “stan-

-1997

Fakebook

-1994

>>all covers from www.albumart.org

|Auditory Brilliance

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page 28 sports 09.21.09

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Cross country team runs as the largest team in Kansas

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MattGannon

The East cross country team is now not just the biggest team in the district, but with over 230 runners, the team is the largest athletic team in the state, and according to the coaches one of the largest in the nation.

The average Kansas team has about 60 to 80 runners, putting East way ahead of any other team. The team closest to matching East’s numbers is Saint Thomas Aquinas, a team with about 120 runners.. And with only 20 Varsity and JV spots available on the East squad, 190 kids all run for the C-team. Head coach Tricia Beaham has coached large teams in her 11 years at East, but never has had a team this big.

She, along with assistant coaches T. Michael Chaffee and David Pennington, have felt the sharp increase in numbers.

“It is definitely challenging to coach a team of our size, but still rewarding,” Beaham said. “When you have good student-athletes on the team, they know how to be dedicated, disciplined and determined.”

Even with a massive team, the boy’s cross-country squad still hasn’t won a state championship in forty-two years and hasn’t qualified for state in the past five. The last girl’s championship was in 1999. East is still outdone in races by the smaller teams of Rockhurst and Northwest.

“Having so many of our athletes out on the course allows them to be ahead of runners from other teams that normally might finish in a higher position if we weren’t there,” Beaham said. “Having a group of runners working together allows the athletes to push one another throughout the race.

On the other hand, if we are going at a slower pace it could result in a slower finishing time and ultimately not be very competitive with the field.”

Chaffee spends most of his time at practice watching his stopwatch as the varsity and JV runners spend their afternoons running multiple workouts. When he’s not timing and pushing the upper-class runners, he runs with the Cteamers and enjoys the small talk along the way.

“It is difficult just trying to learn names and faces, and that means that often we don’t have as close a relationship

XC

and counting...

156

148

98

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229

Cross country runners gather near the track before practice to listen to coaches Tricia Beaham and David Pennington. The team Max Stitt swept the Topeka Invitational on Sept. 12.

>>

with all the runners as we might like to have,” Chaffee said.

“At the same time, it is extremely gratifying to work with such good people who are willing to be disciplined and work so hard every day.”

Many students and team members wonder how the team became so large and why there are so many people that want to put their bodies through miles of running. Junior Burke Smith is currently on the JV cross country team and has noticed a change in the team.

“Last year, there were a lot of kids that quit early in the year,” Burke said. “I don’t like running. I run cross country because I like the sense of accomplishment after a run. A lot of other kids run for that same feeling. But some kids just want to be with friends and just use practice as a way to hang out.”

The coaches think that the reason that the number of kids has gone up so much is because of the social aspects of running on a team and the running helps condition kids that play other sports such as basketball or track.

“I think people run cross country because there are no cuts, it’s a challenge and they want to work hard and have fun with friends after school,” Chaffee said.

The team struggled in their first meet, the Greg Wilson Classic, where they finished around fifth place out of ten schools.

“I think the team just burned out way too early,” Smith said. “A lot of kids fell back early and we couldn’t recover from our bad start.”

The team then swept the competition away in the next meet, at the Topeka West Invitational. They placed first in points in every group, which was a first in East history.

“We ran as a team that race and everybody just improved from the Greg Wilson Classic,” Smith said. “We got a great start and we followed through.”

The coaches believe that East had great success because the kids stuck in large groups, started strong, and they were facing pretty average competition. East’s numbers and the

weaker competition played a large part in their victory in their races; in the JV race, there were only nine non-East runners in the top 30.

“I believe that kids come out for cross country to be with friends and work towards a common goal,” Beaham said.

“Perhaps they’ve been told sometime in their life that they are a good runner. It’s not just about running, but combining hard work, friendship and going after a common goal that makes it satisfying.”

But, of course, there are disadvantages. With 230 kids and three coaches it is difficult to coach athletes individually.

Some kids have rarely been able to speak to the coaches.

“We can’t watch every runner individually all of the time,” Beaham said. “It’s impossible with just three coaches.

We are not a high risk sport, but it would be nice if we could work with runner individually.”

The coaches have had large East teams before and they have created team workouts where the coaches can try and focus on most individuals, such as the teams’ hill and track workouts.

“It’s frustrating at times, especially when Coach Beaham is trying to convey something important when two hundred people want to be talking to each other,” Chaffee said.

“I mostly just yell into the abyss, but Coach Beaham and Coach Pennington are very knowledgeable in most aspects of running and are able to teach them when we get the kids in small groups.”

The coaches are just excited that this many kids what to better themselves through this sport. Winning is not as important as the lessons learned through the sport.

“I try to remind the kids to keep it simple, and don’t forget the reason why they are out here,” Beaham said. “They need to remember the purity of running and to embrace challenge. That’s what life is about. Hopefully, most of the kids will leave high school and still have running be a part of their everyday life. You can’t say that about too many sports.”

getting the down low on the c-team Junior Scott Watson

Why did you choose to run cross country?

Benefits of being a C-Teamer?

“Cross Country keeps me out of trouble. It’s a good way to learn the area and the local neighborhoods.”

“There’s no pressure on your performance overall at practices and at meets.

And also C-Team is a better group of people than the overall team.”

Junior Austin Lage

What are your favorite C-Team traditions?

“As a freshman, you learn how to cut courses so that later on you can teach future freshmen the easy way out.”

What are your feelings finishing towards the end of the pack?

“I feel like I’ve done my job, and I’ve had fun doing it.”

issue 2 sports page 29

Managing a Broken

Heart Freshman Scott Slapper manages soccer team after a heart condition keeps him from playing the sport

ie

ie

at

>>K

>> Ka t

Ea

st

Ea

st

>>KikiSykes

>>Stockvault.net

As the soccer team takes its traditional walk across the field at the end of the game, freshman Scott Slapper stays back with the coaches. He scribbles down a few more numbers to complete the game’s stats.

Slapper isn’t that different from the other players on the soccer team. Just like the others, he began playing soccer as a kid, he attends every game and practice and he has as much passion for the sport as anybody else.

The only difference is that Slapper is unable to break out into a dead sprint without feeling a sharp pain in his heart, forcing him to stop running. He puts his hand to his heart and he can feel the extra beat that is the difference between being a varsity team member, and the varsity team manager.

Slapper has a heart irregularity. His heart has a double beat in the right ventricle. The normal heart beats the monotonous da, da, da, while Slapper’s heart works twice as hard beating da-da, da-da, da-da.

Heart

He first found out about this condition three years ago while playing soccer for his Strikers club team.

It was the last game of the season. Slapper was sprinting down the field, wide open and ready to go for the ball when he became short of breath.

“One minute my chest felt fine and the next it didn’t stop hurting,” Slapper said.

Slapper’s dad took him to the doctor and multiple tests were taken, including an electrocardiogram, which records the pattern and rhythm of his heartbeat. His results wouldn’t be ready for two weeks so he went on with his daily life as normal, thinking nothing of the pain he experienced at the soccer game. At the end of the two weeks, he and his parents were told to come into the doctor’s office, where they were informed

What is arrhythmia?

A more in-depth look at the heart condition that keeps Slapper off of the soccer field

How does a normal heart compare to

An arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm. an irregular heart’s beat?

The heart beats might be irregular, too slow, A regular heart beats at a rate of 50-100 too fast, or too early. beats per minute. Arrhythmia can occur at a regular, rapid or slow rate.

Irregularities What causes arrhythmia?

(Arrhythmias)

of his heart irregularity.

“The first question I asked was, ‘can I still play soccer?’”

Slapper said. “The doctor said no.”

The shock of the diagnosis didn’t really hit Slapper until the next fall when he realized there would be no more weekly soccer games and practices to attend. This year is the first time he has finally gotten the chance to get back into the swing of things and once again be part of a soccer team. Except this time, instead of playing, he is the team manager.

Slapper first got the idea to be manager when his older sister Blair, who now plays soccer for the University of Nebraska, played on the East varsity team. He enjoyed helping head soccer coach Jamie Kelly whenever he could.

“I can’t remember if I mentioned it to him or him to me, but I know the other said ‘of course’,” Kelly said. “Scott makes the practices and games more relaxing to be around.”

Kelly had been Slapper’s club soccer coach up until he was diagnosed with his heart condition. Kelly knew Slapper would be a perfect fit for the job.

As manager, he devotes hours everyday to attend each practice and game. At practice, he helps out by shagging balls or organizing practice jerseys. At games, he takes stats and sometimes videotapes. He helps

Irregular heartbeats can be caused by factors like electrolyte imbalances, injury from heart attack, recovery after heart surgery and more.

What are the symptoms?

with anything the coaches need in order to make things run more smoothly.

“A lot of the stuff he does goes unnoticed, but when you think about it, it really helps a lot,” junior and varsity player CC Creidenberg said.

Slapper gets the chance to have a glimpse at what being involved in a school sport feels like. He chooses to focus only on how lucky he is to be involved in the sport he loves.

“At first I was kind of disappointed because I wanted to follow in my sister’s footsteps,” Slapper said. “I really enjoy being team manager and appreciate the opportunity.”

Even though it does get tough to watch athletes play his favorite sport everyday, he keeps a cool attitude about it.

“Scotty’s found a way to stay involved in what he loves to do,” Kelly said. “He’s doing a great job and hopefully he wants to do it for about three more years.”

Slapper’s doctor said that there is a possibility he could outgrow this heart condition in time. He remains optimistic and already knows exactly what he will do if he outgrows the heart irregularity around the age of 25.

“I’m challenging my sister to a run,” Slapper said. “And I’m guessing she will be about 31 by that time so I think I can beat her.”

Slapper does not let his heart problem control the way he lives his life. No one would ever see any difference between Slapper and his friends unless they put a hand to his heart and felt that one extra beat. It doesn’t mean anything to them, but it makes all the difference in the world to Slapper.

As Slapper stays back with the coaches after the game while the players walk to the other side of the field, he feels content staying where he is. He knows that even as team manager, he will always be one beat ahead of the game.

How can it be treated?

Treatment of arrhythmia depends on the seriousness and type of the heart irregularity.

In some cases, treatment is not necessary.

However if needed, treatment can include medication, lifestyle changes, and surgery.

Symptoms of an irregular heart rate may Who is affected by irregular heart include pounding of the heart, dizziness, beats? fainting, shortness of breath, fatigue, chest More than 850,000 people are hospitalized discomfort and more. An arrhythmia may in the United States for arrhythmia each also be silent and not cause any symptoms. year. >>MedicineNet.com

page 30 sports09.21.09

finding hisCALLING Sophomore Seth Hartman takes his skill of duck calling to a national stage >>CorbinBarnds

the

TOOLS of TRADE A few of Hartman’s favorite calls.

ECHO XLT TIMBER CALL Produces a loud ringing call to reach out across big water.

ECHO WAND XLT Made for close in calling. The sounds produced by this call are irresistible to ducks.

>>Mackenzie Wylie

RNT ORIGINAL This call can do it all. From loud ringing calls to soft and sexy upclose calls.

Struggling to squeeze into the crudely made wooden camouflage blind, sophomore Seth Hartman couldn’t see 20 yards ahead of himself through the thick morning fog. The whaling of noise from the uncountable dark silhouettes above can’t help but fuel his raging excitement. His hands, already trembling, start to shake as he tries to place his call between his lips.

After blowing a series of calls, he had done it again. The ducks had taken the call and started to land.

For most hunters this is what they dream about in a hunt; but Hartman is used to this feeling. Because for the past three years Hartman has been taught by the one of the best in the world and has taken his duck calling to a national stage.

Duck hunting since second grade, Hartman fell in love with the sport.In seventh grade, with a desire to improve his hunting, Hartman’s father pushed him to begin calling. Calling is where a person uses various calls to imitate the noises of a duck. In a hope that the duck will think other ducks are nearby and land, and the ducks flock to a good caller.

Seeing the passion Hartman had for calling, his father noticed his son’s talents; and through connections, he found the perfect mentor. Hartman was introduced to Dusty Banner, a local duck calling legend.

“I started working with Seth when he was 11 or 12, and on a scale of 1-10 he was probably a two or three,” Banner said. “But now, after working with him for a few years, I would say he’s an eight and improving every day.”

After weeks of taking rough criticism, and repeating lines of notes, Hartman entered his first ever competition at the 2006 Junior World Duck Calling Contest.

Hartman placed third in this competition, his first ever.

Each calling contest is held anywhere from a packed convention center to a tent-covered lawn out in the middle of nowhere, and is full of callers hopeful to impress a company looking for someone to

>>all photos by Mackenzie Wylie

sponsor. Every contestant is set in front of a panel of judges and given 90 seconds to perform their call; being scored on their realism.

“My knees are shaking, and my adrenaline is pumping,” Hartman said. “You don’t really know what you were doing up there, you just have to go. It is just muscle memory.”

Going into his second competition Hartman knew that he was better than the competition and believed he would win.

“I thought it was going to be a sweep but, when you are up there, it feels different,” Hartman said.

The judge called 3rd place to the stage, Hartman remained seated.

The judge called 2nd to the stage, Hartman again remained in his seat. He was certain that he had won.

When the judge called the winner to the stage, Hartman began his long stroll to the stage knowing that he deserved the title. And the hard work he had put into the competition only made him want to work that much harder to someday maybe be one of the best in the world.

“When they were calling the awards I started to get real nervous but I tried to not get myself too worked up so I didn’t get let down,” Hartman said.

To date, Hartman has won four competitions including one junior world championship. With the success came gold carrot rings, cash, hunting apparel, calls, decoys and, most importantly, recognition. And the thought of being sponsored came into Hartman’s mind.

Riding the building momentum of his calling, Hartman was tipped off on what was to come in the future. When one of Hartman’s friends from hunting mentioned something about being sponsored, he knew that it was his time. “(Being sponsored) was kind of a surprise but I knew that I was

ready for it,” Hartman said.

At a age 13, Hartman went professional and became sponsored

by Drake Waterfowl, a duck and geese hunting outfitter. By being sponsored, Hartman is given free calls, decoys and gear to endorse and talk up, while either out in a competition or hunting with some friends.

Hartman is currently being sponsored by Drake Waterfowl systems, Echo championship calls and is affiliated with Winchester. He is also a team member for Drake Waterfowl Young Guns System, where kids e-mail in their questions to be answered by Hartman.

Being blessed with a talent that is both rare and unheard of, Hartman tries to remain low-key and modest. But Hartman knows that calling and hunting is what he wants to do with his life and has the talent to make that possible.

“Seth has the kind of drive that makes him feel that he can always improve,” Banner said. “And he’s the only person I know who can train for only a week and rise to the occasion and win. If he keeps working hard he could someday be a world champion.”

THE

LATE START LANCERS?

After starting a season filled with potential and high expectations, the football team lost the first two games with less offensive production than hoped. Junior quarterbacks John Schrock and Robby Moriarty switched snaps in a rotation that coach Sherman has said he plans on sticking to in order to make for more versatile play calling. The team will face Lawrence High this Friday at the Lions’ new home stadium in what they hope to be the start of a hot streak towards the end of the season.

SWEEPING THE MEET

Last week’s meet at the Topeka West Invitational proved a huge stride for the state’s largest cross country team as the Lancers won every boys’ and girls’ race against regional competition. The girls’ team was also without three of their top six runners as they still managed to beat teams that in past seasons have fared better at the same meet.

Going into the second half of the season, the coaches plan to get the varsity squads running as a group in the races, hoping to launch more runners to the front of the pack.

THE HARBIE’S SPORTS GUYS CALL THE SHOTS ON WHAT JUST MAY BE THIS SEASON’S BIGGEST STORYLINES

...................

5.

A HOMECOMING CAN’T MISS ...............

4.

LADIES LEAD THE FIELD

The girls’ golf team comes back this season from a sixth place finish at the state competition and no loss of a single senior. Returning the same squad as last year, the Lancers have won a majority of their meets so far and have five of the top ten golfers in the Sunflower League. The team will face some cross-State Line competition at the Sion Invitational today where it is expected that the girls will continue to place well.

TUMBLING TO THE TOP

Despite losing star gymnast senior Hannah Quillec this year, the gymnastics team will look to other girls to step up. Junior Katye Bever has emerged as one of the top individuals on the team in the previous meets. The Lancers faced strong competition this past Saturday at the North Invitational where every school in Kansas was present. The team will head to Emporia today for a quad where they hope to get a better feel for how they stand among the rest of the state.

the

SportsPanel

fall sports ............... ............. predictions

........ ... ... ... ... .. ........ ... ... ... ... ..

5

SIDELINE

our who, what, when and where of East sports

issue 2 sports page 31

POST-SEASON UPSET The soccer team’s performance last Tuesday against Olathe East revealed the Lancers’ capability of knocking off a front-runner. Tied 1-1 late into the game against a state title favorite, East had multiple opportunities to find a game-winning goal. Although they lost 2-1, it instilled a sense of confidence in coach Kelly’s relatively young squad. Look for them to be a tough out come playoff time.

East’s football game against Leavenworth on Oct. 2 is sure to be one of the most entertaining games of the season. The Lancers take on Sunflower League bottom-feeders Leavenworth and will look to get their offense back on track. Halftime will feature the Homecoming Queen ceremony, which will provide the night’s drama if the game turns into a blowout.

3. FIVE YEARS, FIVE FRESHMEN ..............

The girls’ country team has made a trend out of qualifying first-year runners for the state meet and this year will be the fifth in a row with the help of freshman Anna Colby. She won the team time trials at the start of the year and has consistently battled for the top spot on varsity, giving her the endurance and durability she’ll need when she gets her chance to hang with the best of them on Halloween morning at Rim Rock Farm.

2.LIKE SISTER, UNLIKE BROTHER .............

Sister of ‘08 East graduate and golf team standout Scott WiIlman, freshman Anne Willman has led the Sunflower League standings through March and has the makings to do what her big brother was never able to do and win the league outright. If Willman can stay ahead of the chase, expect her at the front of the Sunflower come season’s end.

1.A SPANDEX STATE TITLE .................

Having fielded a strong team every year since Coach Dowis took over the team , this will finally be the season that the volleyball squad will top the rest of Kansas and bring home the state championship. Backed with a combination of veteran experience and young talent, the girls have started the season at a pace that shows their potential for the top spot.

Varsity Soccer vs. SM North

3 Fall Girls’ teams, 3 State titles?

Football: Over/ Under 5 wins?

2009 Fall Sports Stud

lancer sports from the view of our panelists

SM EAST

YES: TENNIS, GOLF, VOLLEYBALL

PUSH

LINDSEY SAULS -volleyball-

SM EAST

NO

OVER

MIMI FOTOPOLOUS -girls’ tennis-

SM EAST

NO

UNDER

GORDON GREEN -boys’ soccer-

sam logan

corbin barnds

conor twibell

page 32 photo essay 09.21.09

on the beat

the band and the drill team combine performing this year’s marching show with music from the musical “West Side Story”

ABOVE: In an early morning practice, the drill team waits in rain boots for the cue from the marching band.

FAR LEFT: Juniors Rachel Duvall, Emily Welter and Julie Chalfant discuss the dance moves used in the first formation “Maria/ Cool.”

LEFT: Band director Kim Harrison answers Senior Andy Yeast’s question about which way the formation turns. “Marching practice is tough, but if we do something good, he lets us know,” Yeast said.

FAR LEFT: Junior Julie Chalfant yawns in reaction to the early morning practice.

LEFT: Senior Margaret Peterson stands “at the ready” during halftime of the football game on Friday Sept. 10.

“Harrison is really nice to us, he bought us new flags this year and never gets mad at us unless we are talking too much,” Peterson said.

“We work with the band as a team.”

>>all photos by Mackenzie Wylie