Issue 6

Harbinger the

ISSUE 6 / SHAWNEE MISSION EAST / PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS

NOV. 10, 2008

BORNTORIDE Despite the constant injuries and danger, junior Colt Fielden has grown up riding bulls // JOESERNETT

// ANDYALLEN

Junior Colt Fielden just finished his ride. He landed on his knees getting off, but it was a good ride on a tough bull. He should be getting a good score.

But then the bull turned its head back. It knocked him over, stepped on his knee and then landed another hoof on his head.

Fielden made his way back to the chutes because real cowboys always walk it off. But once he got back, he collapsed. He didn’t remember much after that, but some how he made the

hour and a half drive home from the Ottawa county fair. Alone.

All he remembered was his body going from hot to cold from all the pain.

Once he made it home and his mom got him to the hospital, doctors told him they were surprised to see him walking and instantly put him in a wheel chair. They later told him he had a concussion, a broken jaw, bruised ribbs and a torn ACL and MCL. If the bulls hoof landed a few inches higher on his head, he wouldn’t be

riding today. *** Fielden started out riding sheep when he was about a kindergartner.

Then he moved up to steers, and by the age of 12, he climbed on his first real bull.

“Right before I climbed on that bull I had some butterflies in my stomach, but cowboys don’t show fear so I climbed on,” Fielden said, “and people told me I couldn’t have had a better first ride.”

Continued on page 9

OPINION: How to fix seminar >PAGE 7 A&E: “Twilight” mania invades East >PAGE 15 SPORTS: John Stonner steps down >PAGE 20

PAGE 2 NEWS / NOV. 10, 2008

// MADDYBAILEY

East has turned its focus to donating books to the Christmas Bureau, who is worried about a...

At the used book sale last April, East made enough money towards library funds to last a couple years. This year East still collected books, just not to raise money.

Instead of having a fundraiser, East is giving to the community by collecting children’s books to donate to the book donation program, One Small Step. It is a part of the Johnson County Christmas Bureau, which is a non-profit organization that provides items for hundreds of low-income families in the area.

“It is a good thing that we raised over 6,000 dollars last year at the used book sale, so we won’t have to have one this year,” librarian Chris Larson said.” We use the money to buy the big screen TV and the smartboards.”

The librarians and student council sponsor Brenda Fishman decided that collecting books for the Johnson County Christmas Bureau would be a good alternative this year. Student Council was already planning on running the coin drop and the can drive for the Bureau.

Also, chairperson of One Small Step, Judy Barnes, contacted East and several other schools including East, Northwest, South and Tomahawk to help donate books.

One Small Step started in 2005.

Barnes had taught English at East for 23 years and also sponsored the can drive at the Bureau. Barnes and co-chairperson Donna Hackett had noticed that the Bureau needed more books, especially for children. They decided to create their own program for donating books.

“We called it One Small Step be// CCCREIDENBERG

FADING

book drive

cause it means that we can’t do everything, but we can do something,” Barnes said. “I thought that there was no better way for children to get books than from other children. The idea was that children could help children.”

The program had a small budget of 500 dollars, which was not enough to accumulate all the books they were hoping for. They soon started contacting schools, churches and libraries in the Olathe area to donate books.

“Because of the tough economic times this year, families might not be able to afford books for their children,” said librarian Mrs. Larson. “So I think it is a simple way for East to make a difference for children.”

For an easy way to collect books, each of the seminar classrooms received a paper bag to collect books in class on Oct. 29 and 31. The coin drop and can drive are taking place in the front hall.

More than 1000 books have been collected so far from students. East is also accepting books from anyone in the community. Books, cans and coins can still be donated through Nov. 14 in Fishman’s room, 307. The items will then be delivered to the Bureau in time for the holiday season.

The Bureau works all year collecting goods to prepare for the annual “Holiday Shop” which is the week of Dec. 5 through 13. Underprivileged people register beforehand, then come and shop for gifts and essentials for their families.

At the “Holiday Shop” from the past years, the kids walk around in amazement, as Barnes described. There are ABC and pop-up books for babies as well as cartoon books such as Dora the Explorer or Winnie the Pooh.

Gifted title losing prestige

“I didn’t understand why other people took longer than me to solve problems,” she said. “My teacher thought I needed somewhere to channel my energy, Not being labeled as “gifted” hasn’t stopped students from succeeding so she recommended me for the // ANNABERNARD gifted program… Once I entered Gifted, there Thomas Edison was called annoyed by “Gifted kids who are taught too slowly acwere people even faster than me, so it made one of his elementary teachers. John Lentually retain less information, and make less me want to work even harder to keep up, non failed all of his General Certificate of academic progress than their peers who are and made me realize that people work at difEducation O-level exams, the high school taught at a faster pace and grouped with othferent speeds.” academic qualification exams in the United er gifted students,” Reilly said in an e-mail The high school gifted program has a vaKingdom. Both of these men were very interview. “The differences are startling. As riety of activities. Students can compact the bright, but were never considered to be exmuch as 5.9 months of academic progress required classes of Health and Computer ceptionally talented at younger ages. With per year. So clearly, accurate and early idenApplications, explore colleges, or do course stories and situations like this, psychologists tification is a priority, along with appropriate work. Primarily, the gifted program is used are wondering whether kids can actually be programs.” as a support system - the gifted teachers are identified as ‘gifted.’

The Kansas State Definition of ‘gifted & available to help students with whatever talented’ is: “‘…performing or demonstratAccording to a recent article in Educathey need. tion Week, psychologists are now learning ing the potential for performing at signifiAt the high school level, Deubner thinks that academic skills will rise and fall over cantly higher levels of accomplishment in the support system of the gifted program is time. The goal of gifted programs, the article one or more academic fields due to intelkey.

“Compared to peers, gifted kids are in a lectual ability, when compared to others of states, should be to nurture and teach giftedsimilar age, experience, and environment.” whole other dimension,” she said. “[The giftness, because, at times, children that seem ed program] is a nebulous support system in According to Gifted and Talented teacher exceptionally talented at a young age may the background… It’s really just whatever Sara Deubner, there are many characterisonly be average once they enter high school. the kids need.” tics that may indicate that a child is gifted.

But by that time, most kids have already In past years, Shawnee Mission district Gifted children may be very sensitive to isbeen identified as being either gifted or not. students would have to undergo an intellisues they feel strongly about, and they may Currently at East, there are 44 students takgence test to be considered for the gifted prohave a strong sense of justice when they feel ing the actual Gifted and Talented class, and gram. Now, the process is a team approach. something is unfair. Having deeper insights there are 217 now who are identified as giftTeachers, parents, and gifted teachers all on issues and worrying about things on a ed. On average, one student every two years have a say in whether the student is conhigher level than their peers also can indiis identified at the high school level. sidered gifted. This conclusion comes from cate giftedness.

Shawnee Mission Association for the projects, papers, standardized test scores Sophomore Susie McClannahan was Gifted (SMAG) president and pediatrician Dr. like the Measures of Academic Progress identified in second grade for the gifted proKirsten Reilly warns of consequences that (MAP) test, and even interviews with the stugram. may stem from inadequate identification.

Gifted Program by...

the Numbers:

Number of Students in Program

217

Number of Students in Gifted Class

44

Number of Classes

10

Number of Teachers

2

Students per Class

“Our program is unique because the kids can choose what they like. We don’t hand them the books,” Barnes said. “We want to treat them with dignity. Anyone can get into financial difficulty.”

Barnes said that children are the best people to help other children. This is why she thought schools would donate the best children’s books.

“Those of us who are fortunate enough don’t realize how much we take things for granted,” Barnes said. “The kids would pick up a book, look at it, and then put it back because they didn’t understand that they could take it.”

After picking up a book one child said, “Is this book really mine to keep?”

The Johnson County Christmas Bureau has accumulated more than 3,000 volunteers over the years. Last year the Bureau served more than 8,700 individuals during the holiday season. One Small Step collected around 5,000 books last year and is hoping for more this year since more schools are donating.

“This is was East’s first year doing the book drive, and even though not many people knew about it, we still collected a good amount of books.” Larson said. “I am planning on doing it again next year, and maybe it will grow as a fundraiser in the future.”

Christmas Bureau Stats: Budget for Books- $500 Volunteers- 8,700 Books Collected- 5,000 // Christmas Bureau

dents. However, for Deubner, this is not an ideal process.

“There are some people who give input who don’t know what being gifted is,” Deubner said. “Teachers might think that [gifted kids] are bright, intelligent kids, but gifted students are sometimes underachievers…

Grades are evidence that someone might be gifted. They should help you get in. They shouldn’t keep you out. The intelligence test gives you a starting point.”

However, according to the Education Week article, there is a great deal of controversy on what the cut-off point for being gifted is, and at what score on a test does a child go from being just average to being academically gifted. Additional debate surrounds the actual tests used to identify students. Psychologists say that IQ tests aren’t reliable in young children, but Reilly disagrees.

“Young gifted kids are able to do well on IQ tests,” Reilly said, “…and if a child obtains a high score at a young age, experts typically recognize its validity… The current identification process is good for identifying highachieving kids (those who are performing at significantly higher levels of accomplishment when compared to their peers). The MAP test is, after all, a measure of academic performance, and it is given to all students.”

Finally, Reilly stresses the importance of fostering giftedness. “I have always understood giftedness to mean that a person has the potential to do something well,” she said.

“Our ultimate goal should be that people will develop their giftedness into a talent.”

4.4

Teachers per Student

22

// Gifted Teachers

Music to

their ears

PAGE 3 NEWS / ISSUE SIX

European Union study links prolonged mp3 listening to hearing loss later in life // BOBMARTIN

The faint pulsing beat from a nearby listener’s iPods has the sound.

This is why many experts suggest “noise canceling” become a routine sound no matter where people are, which comes as no surprise. Over the last seven years, the device headphones, which eliminate background noise and ultihas become the most profitable and best selling personal mately allow the listener to use a lower volume level. They music player to date. It may be time to turn the volume tend to be more expensive and larger in size though. Other down though, according to new information out of Brussels, companies are taking a different approach to the whole orBelgium. deal, like “iHearSafe” whose patent pending headphones In a study for the European Union, researchers discov- allegedly reduce all noise to 85 decibels. Their product isn’t ered that people who listen to mp3 players for five hours being sold on a large scale yet though. a week at volumes above 89 decibels (about 60 percent or “We are a startup, and our initial plan is to start with onmore of the iPod’s volume bar) were exposed to more noise line sales,” an iHearSafe representative said. than is usually allowed in even the most earsplitting of The study did not go into specifics about what headworkplace or factory. The study found links between listen- phones are most useful for safe listening, but does mention ing at loud volumes and hearing loss later on in life, with no new research into unspecified technology. While it warns of immediate side effects to warn the listener that damage is a possible hearing loss in five to ten percent of Europeans, taking place. no concrete research has been done on an American Sophomore Ian Exline frequently lispopulous yet, but based on Apple’s U.S. tens to his iPod at full volume Sales records, over 20 percent of Amer“I’m just going to do it until my icans (roughly 50 million) own one of ears quit on me, then I’ll be done” their products. said Ian Exline, who commonly lisThe companies releasing the players I'm just going to do it tens to his iPod at full volume. in question have also come under fire, until my ears quit on “The thing about studies is that with a Louisiana man even taking legal me, then I'll be done. they can say they did [research], action against Apple in 2006 for failing -Sophomore Ian Exline and document it, but then other to take the proper measure to prevent hearing loss in iPod listeners. The soft[sources] will say something else,” the only thing that would get him to ware giant fought back claiming that every iPod sold includes a warning in its change, is proof of an actual person who has suffered hearing loss from manual about listening at high volumes one these devices. for extended periods of time. Cases like this Some only turn it up when they need to. have already lead many parts of Europe including Sophomore Nik Djiko tries to keep his France to mandate that all mp3 players sold have a iPod at around half volume most of the time. maximum sound cap of 100 decibels. That volume “If I’m in a crowd of people, or a lawn mowstill exceeds the recommended amount though. er’s going on in the background, I’ll put it up to Ultimately the risk of hearing loss from a digital hear over the other people, but it never really music player depends on the listener. The longer concerned me that much,” Djiko said. someone listens at loud volumes, the more they Scientists and Audiologists like Dean are risking problems in the future. The mp3 genGarstecki blame the popular ear-bud style eration is still a young one though, and the conheadphones (which are conveniently packaged sequences the European Union have warned off will likely not be. with all iPods) for this “epidemic”, due to the larger exposure they give the listener to

” // CCCREIDENBERG

// CCCREIDENBERG

“

// PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY:ANDYALLEN

iPod Caused Hearing Damage Sound waves from the headphones enter the ear and vibrate the eardrum, this vibration causes the nerves called “hair cells” to bend sending neurological messages to the brain to be interpreted as sound.

Extended exposure to high decibels causes these “hair cells” to be less reactive when hit by vibrations leading to the diminished ability to hear.

Looking into:

SAFE LISTENING

Noise canceling headphones are a safer alternative to the iPod headphones because the tendency with them is to turn the volume up too high to compensate for outside noises.

These BOSE Around-Ear Headphones are available for $140 at Best Buy, but cheaper alternatives are available.

Take a Brake- extended listening at high volumes can cause serious hearing damage. It is suggested to only listen to mp3s with iPod head phones at 80 percent volume for 1.2 hours, that number decreases to 5 minutes when the iPod is at 100 percent. If your volume is set between 0 and 50 percent, there is virtually no limit to the amount time you can listen.

// www.generationdeaf.com

You can save your ears from accidental bursts of sound by using the iPod’s “Volume Limit” function. 70% is the suggested level.

PAGE 4 NEWS / NOV. 10, 2008

There will be an early dismissal Wednesday at 1:45 p.m. and a late start Nov. 19 at 9:20 a.m.

The Mathletics competition is Nov. 19 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the cafeteria.

Students need to arrive by 3:15 p.m. if they wish to participate.

The advanced repertory theater class will be presenting children’s theater plays today and tomorrow in the cafeteria after school.

The Financial Aid Evening is Nov. 19 from 7-8 p.m. at SM Northwest. Jeanne Mott from Baker University will give a presentation on the opportunities for financial aid to pay college tuition.

MORP is Friday from 7-9:30 p.m. in the gym. Students are to enter through the door nearest staff parking in the junior lot.

The Can Food Drive is this week and next week. Students should bring in nonperishable food items and paper goods to designated drop boxes to benefit the Johnson County Christmas Bureau.

A College Planning Night is Wednesday from 7-8 p.m. for freshmen, sophomores and their parents.

College Connection Night is Thursday from 7-8:30 p.m. in the library. Parents are invited to hear from previous East parents about college parenting experiences.

l. 33

A Lancer he will

// Hauberk Vo

briefs

always be

The death of graduate Bill Crow, a devoted East fan, leads to a possible scholarship in his honor // PAIGECORNWELL

Bill Crow was a fan of everything that was East.

He tried to attend every football game, win or lose. He was there.

Even after he graduated, and up until his death, he was there.

“He was hard to miss,” athletic director Jim Ricker said. “He was the one next to the bleachers. He had his own spot on the track.”

Crow, who graduated from East in 1992, died on Aug. 22. He was 35. Though he was wheelchair bound for his whole life, he always remained supportive of East. A committee is now being put together by administrators and alumni to establish a scholarship or award in memory of Crow.

One of the possible categories for the scholarship will be loyalty to East. Brenda Fishman, who was Crow’s history teacher, remembers Crow as someone who was very “pro-East.” When they saw each other at Hen House he would ask how teachers at East were doing.

“In his eyes, the school could do nothing wrong,” Fishman said. “I think for him East was his world, particularly sports events.”

Crow was always on the sidelines during the games, and even had his own football jersey, according to Jenna Joplin, who was in

Crow’s class. And he GRADUATE always wore his class season. Cr Bill Crow cheers on the Lanc ow later received er an honorary lettserto victory at the first football ga ring. in football for his m loyal support. //e of the 1989 “Whenever I think of high Hauberk Vol. 32 school, I think of Billy,” said Joplin, who as Mets, who an East cheerleader would see Crow on the unfortunately were never very good,” Berst track following the team. “I think [a scholarsaid. ship in his name] is a perfect fit.”

Berst graduated and went to KU, and the According to alum Ryan Pfeiffer, Crow two traded e-mails. Even though they didn’t loved East because of the experiences he talk much after Berst graduated, Crow had here. stayed in Berst’s mind.

“I think East held a special place in his Berst and other alumni, as well as heart, everybody loved him,” Pfeiffer said.

Ricker and Principal Dr. Karl Krawitz are After he graduated he remained a supnow working on establishing the award or porter of East. Government teacher Nick scholarship, though they are at the ground Paris received an e-mail from him the day he breaking part of it, according to Ricker. died, asking why he hadn’t seen Paris lately “For some fans now it’s about them, not at Paris’ favorite buffet restaurant. Crow about the team,” Ricker said. “They try to would often ask Paris how he thought the bring attention to themselves. [The award] East teams were going to be. wouldn’t be given to the most crazy fan, but “He was our most stalwart fan of all the most loyal fan.” time,” Paris said. “I enjoyed our friendship A set of criteria is also being created throughout the years, he was quite a guy.” to ensure that the scholarship is given to Drew Berst described Crow as the “nicsomeone who best represents the characest, most warm-hearted person” he met teristics of Crow. while he was at East. Berst, who graduated “He taught me how to be a better person,” in 1996, saw Crow on the sidelines while he Pfeiffer said. “He represents everything a was playing basketball. person and a lancer should be.”

“We talked about East athletics, the sports teams he liked, the Jayhawks, the New York

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Recent events at East make it clear that Kansas lawmakers should change how we When junior Olivia Sullivan walked out to her car, the first thing she noticed was the horde of cross-country guys. They surrounded her red Isuzu Rodeo, calling her over. Confused, she started to walk. Then she saw it.

White paint covering her windshield.

Smears of it over her driver’s window.

“N---- lover” scrawled on the back window.

And her “Obama ‘08” bumper sticker – red and white writing on a blue background – still patriotically stuck to the back of her car.

Shocked, Olivia Sullivan went to speak with Associate Principal Steven Loe. They used a camera to get “picture proof” of the incident, then Loe says that he helped her scrub the paint off her car. Principal Karl Krawitz, assistant principal John McKinney and the SRO officers reviewed the parkinglot tapes.

She was upset at first, but she’s also trying to move past the tagging. The community, though, has been changed. Olivia Sullivan said that people she spoke with were “horrified” by the incident. Students heard rumors that CNN picked up the story, and they hate how it’s portraying our school and our state.

Officer Brady Sullivan said that they found three boys on the tapes: one painting the car, two friends with him. Olivia Sullivan wanted to press charges for a hate crime but was told she had nothing to charge.

By Kansas standards, tagging a car with racial slurs isn’t always a hate crime, which means that hate crimes’ often harsher punishments won’t apply. Kansas’s rigid definition and lack of statutes leaves loopholes in the law. This needs to change: the law should be rewritten so that any crime against a person’s race, religion, disability, origin, or sexual orientation can be charged as the hate crime it truly is.

So what were the problems with Olivia Sullivan’s case? First, a Kansas “hate crime” label can only be tacked on to a more serious crime. For example, a murder is a homicide.

If prejudice against the victim’s religion motivated the offender, it’s a hate-crime homicide. A hate crime charge cannot stand on its own in Kansas.

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

PULLING THE FILE

Hate crime statisti

Of all hate crimes re cs for 2007 ported: 52

17.1 15.9 14.1

nov.10, 2008 issue 6, vol. 50

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

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/ STEPHENNICHOLS

ASSISTANT EDITORS/

NEWS PAGE EDITORS/ SARAHMCKITTRICK MADDYBAILEY

BERNADETTEMYERS PAIGECORNWELL

OPINION SECTION EDITOR/

ART AND DESIGN EDITOR/

OPINION PAGE EDITOR/

MEGSHACKELFORD

HEAD COPY EDITOR/ TIMSHEDOR

NEWS SECTION EDITOR/ MICHAELSTOLLE

MACTAMBLYN JOESERNETT

EDITORIAL EDITOR/ ANNIESGROI

FEATURES SECTION EDITOR/ MELISSAMCKITTRICK

DEFINE A CRIME

Another problem was motivation. When Delaware, one of the states with the worst just be a goal of East Administrators; this the SRO Officers interviewed the boys, they population to hate-crime ratio, leaves out should be a goal and an eventual statute in Kansas. learned that there were factors in addition statutes similar to those that Kansas lacks.

We need people who commit these crimes to prejudice motivating them. Although the Pennsylvania, one of the best, covers evcomment was purely racial, the reasons for it erything except for law-enforcement train- to be identified as committing hate crimes.

We need to identify and track these peowere for not. According to Kansas Law, prej- ing. udice must be the sole reason for the crime.

According to the Federal Bureau of Inves- ple so that the crimes don’t happen again.

We need education so that the crimes Other factors, such as money or previous re- tigation (FBI), in the United States, more than lationships, cannot come into play. one third of hate crimes were motivated by a don’t repeat and spread.

We need to change our Kansas law, beFinally, Olivia Sullivan’s white skin hurt racial bias against blacks. her chances of pressing charges. Officer If you think that statistic is bad, you cause for now all the boys can be charged Sullivan explained that, had Olivia Sullivan should see Kansas’s. Our population-per- for is “Disorderly Conduct:...using offensive, been black, she might have been able to crime ratio in 2007 was the seventh worst in obscene, or abusive language…to arouse press charges for hate crime. The combina- the entire nation. For every 19,434 people in alarm, anger, or resentment in others.” It’s a Class C Misdemeanor: no jail time, just a tion of her race and other factors meant that Kansas, we have one hate crime.

That’s the seventh worst in the nation. fine. she couldn’t press hate crime charges for the The same as getting a speeding ticket. anti-black slur. Kansas Law ignores the fact Twice the national average.

The Student Press Law Center stated that the slur was scrawled across her car, targeted her beliefs, and blatantly had preju- that hate crime laws change the way we punish crimes like graffiti or vandalism; diced and intolerant messages.

The Kansas Incident Based Reporting however, Kansas does not have any speSystem (KIBRS) tells officers to report hate cific statutes governing this. One nationbias if they conclude that the actions were al example is the Supreme Court case of percent were motivated “in whole or in part” by bias. In Wisconsin v. Mitchell, where a black because of ra ce percent were this guidebook, racial slurs scrawled on a youth received a sentence three times because of re lig ious beliefs percent were more severely than an average assault car would be a hate crime. beca However, somewhere in the fine print offender since he was motivated by percent becaus use of sexual orientation e of ethnic that police officers know, there are loop- anti-white prejudice. // FBI Hate Crime Statistics 2007 ity/nation origin We’re not saying that Kanholes to be taken advantage of. The crime shouldn’t necessarily be jail time, but the sas needs jail time for vandalpunishments should be more severe than ism; what we need is to extend simple vandalism. What the students did our law to match that of other was wrong, and Kansas law needs to identify states, eliminating strict loopcrimes such as hate crimes so that they can holes and defining statutes that we’re currently lacking. Altarget, track, and hopefully fix the problem.

The first problem is our State law. Not though tagging a car because only does Kansas’s narrow definition of a of prejudice shouldn’t result in hate crime leave loopholes, but it doesn’t prison sentences, Kansas’s law cover enough. According to the Anti-Defa- should not ignore or downplay mation League, Missouri’s law covers bias- prejudice and bias. McKinney motivation and civil action against essential- said that East is working with ly all areas of bias, only leaving out statutes the Department of Justice to on data and training. Kansas’s, on the other create programs aimed at eduhand, leaves out statutes on civil action, po- cating people who “engage in litical orientation, gender identities, sexual such activity.” This should not orientation, data collection and training for law enforcement officers to better deal with hate The majority opinion of the Harbinger Editorial Board crimes.

Harbinger the

PAGE 5 EDITORIAL / ISSUE SIX

9 FOR ote

1

AGAINST

0

ABSENT

// DANSTEWART

FEATURES PAGE EDITORS/ CONORTWIBELL DAVIDHENDERSON

FREELANCE PAGE EDITOR/

SPREAD SECTION EDITOR/

MACKENZIEWYLIE SARAHLUBY

ASSISTANT SPREAD EDITOR/

TAYLORHAVILAND

PHOEBEUNTERMAN

DUNCANMCHENRY

A&E EDITOR/

JEFFRUTHERFORD

A&E PAGE EDITOR/ RACHELBIRKENMEIER

MIXED PAGE EDITOR/ AUBREYLEITER

SPORTS SECTION EDITOR/ SAMLOGAN

SPORTS PAGE EDITORS/ CAMSMITH ANDREWGOBLE

ONLINE EDITOR/ ASSISTANT ONLINE EDITOR/ ELIZABETHMCGRANAHAN

ONLINE SECTION EDITOR/ CAMILLEKARRO

PHOTO EDITOR/ TYLERROSTE

ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR/ MACKENZIEWYLIE

PHOTOGRAPHERS/ CHLOEFISCHGRUND MAXSTITT

KATIEEAST PATRICKMAYFIELD DANIELSTEWART CCCREIDENBERG ANDYALLEN

COPY EDITORS/ SAMKOVZAN KEVINSIMPSON ANNIESGROI

EDITORIAL BOARD/ STEPHENNICHOLS BERNADETTEMYERS PAIGECORNWELL MACTAMBLYN ANNIESGROI SAMLOGAN GRIFFINBUR MICHAELSTOLLE MELISSAMCKITTRICK TIMSHEDOR

STAFF WRITERS/ LOGANHELEY KATHLEENIRELAND LANDONMCDONALD GRIFFINBUR BOBMARTIN JORDANPFEIFFER

STAFF ARTISTS/ DANIELSTEWART TAYLORHAVILAND NICKLUCAS

ADS/BUSINESS MANAGER/ ANNABERNARD

ASSISTANT ADS/BUSINESS MANAGER/ KATHLEENIRELAND

CIRCULATION MANAGER/ SARAHMCKITTRICK

ADVISER/ DOWTATE

PAGE 6 OPINION / NOV. 10, 2008

A new favorite fan

an opinion of

/ SAMLOGAN

No one lets my favorite fan lead the chants. He never gets to sit in the front row, and Metro Sports will never give him the Sonic Fan of the Game award.

I don’t think he really minds, though.

After all, it’s his job to stay a part of the student body but far enough that he’s still our principal.

Never did I think someone outside of a chicken costume, blue face paint or hunting gear— typical cover-ups in the student section— would make me revel in Lancer pride more than I ever had. That was until the regional cross country meet at Lake Olathe when Dr. Krawitz crossed the finish line immediately after senior Allie Marquis did in 28th place- she was wearing the running shorts, of course.

She was expected to place higher, and heck, he wasn’t expected to even be there.

But still, in the meet that caused Marquis to miss the state meet she was a candidate to win, I witnessed fan hood from the same guy

who’s supposed to be our biggest enemy.

Her season had so much hope and promise, but was now sprawled across the crabgrass and overgrown weeds as she lay in disarray.

The least of his worries were stacks of paper to tend to, parents sending e-mails like he was the postmaster or confrontations with students on Monday; it was solely on the athletes that make East a haven for sports, the player and athlete alike.

Marquis had just experienced the most shocking moment of her athletic career as Krawitz was alone to help up her exhausted body, leading her to the team area for support until her parents could make it over.

He may be our principal, but he’s the first to greet the parents and last to shake the players’ hands; a true coach on the outside, our biggest fan in his heart. There’s not much more to respect in someone who loves sports as much as we do.

The senior who had just run her last high school race was laying on a blue tarp with enough tears streaming down her face to tell she was dedicated to her team, but nowhere near enough to call her the loser on that day— four years of hard work ended in a fashion no one expected or knew how to respond to- except for the man whose job it is to do just that.

It could be argued that not a single athlete at East works harder than Marquis, but it’s

IN A SAD STATE an opinion of

Dr. Krawitz embodies the kind of support the student section has proven we can show

the collective efforts as student athletes that Krawitz recognizes and has come to embrace, in my eyes, in just three months at this school.

In the age of sports fans focusing more on opposing teams with taunting and heckling, we have pushed to test that trend with constant support for our players and coaches.

The commitment Krawitz has made to recognize our achievements on the field, court and classroom are aspects of what being a true fan is all about. Due to his influence, the student section this year has mirrored his intensity, passion and sympathy for athletes that set us in a place to be recognized.

At that cross country meet, people swarmed Marquis like ants at a picnic to show their appreciation; she was down and out but the support from others kept her moving just like it would for any athlete.

In recent years the columbia blue, black and white of the student section has been overshadowed by policies that whether we liked them or not, were subject to. That support for our friends and peers on the field, court or course wasn’t as evident as they should have been. But, this is a new era of administration and some of those restrictions have been toned down to fan-friendly levels that may just have the Rockhurst boys once again wishing we weren’t so loud.

The Kansas City Star’s high school sports beat reporter once called East fans the best in Kansas City following a bout against SM South— there are even articles dating as far back as 1995 in which the students here have been touted as straight-A sports geeks.

We have a reputation as being the best around and with Krawitz leading us there is nothing that can ruin that claim. He focuses on everyone: the fans, the parents, the coaches, starters, managers and bench warmers.

At Lake Olathe, when Marquis walked away from the team area, hand-in-hand with her mom and dad through the parking lot, Krawitz had already moved on to the rest of his students, high-fiving more of our runners than most palms could handle. As a former coach, he knows who the stars are and who needs someone to tell them they shine just as bright, regardless of performance.

This year, it’s been our principal who has shown us what it’s like to be the best on the field and in the bleachers without the turning the student section to turmoil.

You have to admire the way Krawitz does things at games; his actions are what make him the spearhead of the best student section around. He holds himself like a coach, has school spirit like a senior and sees a hardworker in all of us. It’s what makes him my favorite fan.

Find yours.

Change is looming for K-State after departure of head coach Ron Prince

ly could be true by three straight 11- win seasons after being the first NCAA D-1 team to lose 500 football games. Prince went against all the beliefs of Snyder by being a “dictator” and forcing the players to run when it was obviously not the players that should have been running. Rather it should have been a slightly overweight head football coach.

The university acted as quickly as possible, and therefore, could now salvage what Ron Prince inadvertently tried to destroy. The The “for sale” sign that was put in Coach search process now begins and I think one Princes yard a week after a loss to Oklahoma man could be right for the job. TCU coach has now become a reality.

Gary Patterson has been a name brought up Ron Prince was relieved of his duty as quite a bit around the program. He graduated head football coach of Kansas State. A defrom K-State in 1982 and became a grad ascision that has been looming ever since the sistant under Jim Dicky who was the head downfall during last season, on Nov. 5. coach before Snyder took over the program.

Ever since I was born, I have been acThere are a couple things that sets Pattercused, by my mother, of being “brainwashed” son up for the job, but the one that Wildcats by my dad for my love of Kansas State athletfans will like most will be that he has consisics. My mom’s side of the family are die-hard tently proven to have great defenses at TCU. Missourians dating back 100 years, but my Currently, TCU has the number one overall father has changed the trend by taking me to defense in the nation. True, they play in the KSU games and stuffing my wardrobe with Mountain West, a conference not particularly purple and “Willie the Wildcat” t-shirts. known for their football, but they have been I am beginning to think that the role reextremely successful. versal at K-State has made us a basketball Also, unlike Prince, Patterson has strong school, which would be something comties to a certain region to recruit. In this case pletely new for me. I just wish the K-State it is Texas which helps produce many tradition of having great defenses and great players such as Ladainian Tomassistant coaches would return, and 3. Chris Peterson - Head coach of Boise State linson, who attended TCU under Gary that now rests on the shoulders of the Pros - Won the Fiesta Bowl, wouldn’t cost too much.

Patterson. next head coach at K-State.

Cons - Has never coached in a competitive conference.

K-State needs to go back to its roots.

K-State has had five former assistant 1. Gary Patterson - Head Coach of TCU 4. Brett Bielma - Head coach of Wisconsin Bill Snyder can help mold the program coaches under Snyder become head Pros - K-State alum, good defenses.

Pros - A former defensive coordinator under Snyder. into what it once was. It’s going to be a coaches, including the likes of Mark Cons - TCU has a solid team, money.

Cons - Would cost a lot of money. process, and it’s most likely not going to Mangino, Mike Stoops and South Flor- 2. Brent Venables - Defensive coordinator of OU 5. Lane Kiffin - Former head coach of the Raiders be a quick fix, but the administration ida coach Jim Leavitt. However, Ron Pros - Ex K-State assistant coach, recruiting specialist. Pros - Recruiting, NFL experience.

Cons - Family problems at K-State, never been a Cons - Would cost a lot, has not proven to be an has already took a step in the right diPrince’s assistant coaching selections head coach. effective head coach. rection by letting go Ron Prince. have been questioned throughout the

/ DAVIDHENDERSON

Wildcat Nation.

Prince brought in Tim Tibesar as his defensive coordinator, who was formerly an inside linebacker coach at North Dakota. Then there was Dave Brock, who was formerly the offensive coordinator at Hofstra. Both were somewhat successful at their former universities, but expecting them to take over the important duties of two extremely important positions without having ever been at a major football school was a mistake.

The next head coach, whoever that may be, must revert back to the old tradition to gain the trust of the fan base. With Prince, he quickly received a reputation of being a dictator, firing Snyder’s long time secretary, who had been at K-State for more than thirty years, and running off players such as current Wisconsin quarterback, Allen Everidge.

The lack of experience of both the coaches and the players definitely showed during Ron Prince’s tenure at K-State, as the defense was ranked 108th in NCAA Division 1 football for most of his third year.

When the defense fails two straight years, who does the blame fall on? When you give up 72 points to Nebraska, 52 to Kansas and 62 to Texas Tech, whom does the blame fall on? Apparently, after each of those games

Kansas State’s Top Five Replacements

(After head coach Ron Prince’s resignation.)

Prince made the defensive players run 52 50-yard dashes. My reaction?

Why should the players have to run when it’s the coach’s job to make the team better?

So the anger gets taken out on the players, who are already berated by the media, fans and now their mentors. The moral is low and they lose confidence in their coaches, themselves and the university. Sounds like horror story doesn’t it? Well, it’s all true and the Wildcats were on track to become the punch line of the Big XII once again.

Ronald also made the mistake of recruiting inexperienced junior college transfers to fill the teams needs. This will be a huge problem for the next coach to try to clean up. In the 2009-2010 season, K-State will have 25 seniors, most who were junior college players that played only one year under Prince.

The coach will then have to go and heavily recruit high schools to get players that will be willing and able to be molded into good football players during their careers at Kansas State.

The K-State football tradition dates back about 19 years to 1989, when Coach Snyder was hired. While being inducted, Snyder promised to have “the greatest turnaround in college football history,” which quite evident-

PAGE 7 OPINION / ISSUE SIX

SOLVING THE SEMINAR SCENARIO

an opinion of

Students should not be required to attend seminar

/ ANDREWGOBLE

I was wrong about block. I boldly predicted the death of the classic East experience, the demise of our fine arts programs, and the beginning of school-wide nap sessions during boring classes.

In actuality, none of these happened.

East is still East, and I find our normal schedule day, Monday, the most snooze-inducing.

Things have gone relatively smoothly for having a new principal and a new schedule.

The less stressful classes have been a major plus, and the whole scheme isn't too overwhelmingly different from last year.

That is, until I get to seminar.

At East, teachers tirelessly inform us that we must prepare for college. We must handle a college-level workload of collegelevel difficulty. We need to be ready for our senior year of college in our junior year of high school.

In college, do they use 10 percent of their teacher's paid time to make them watch us

grudgingly complete our homework and listen to music?

Seminar isn't yet the optimal academic experience, and Dr. Krawitz acknowledges this. He said it hasn't been a consistentenough occurrence for students to rely on it, since pep assemblies, club presentations and state testing frequently take precedence.

Krawitz said the block committee will be meeting shortly to discuss new options, such end-of-day seminar or allowing students to skip returning to seminar between A and B sessions.

There's obviously no perfect plan, and kudos to the committee for meeting to discuss new options when the current seminar isn’t causing a huge problem.

But forcing students into an academic environment instead of showing them how to create one for themselves might be cause for a painful first semester at college.

Here's my idea: make seminar optional for everyone. It would be on even days from 7:40 - 9:30 a.m. Attendance wouldn't be mandatory for anyone except teachers, so students can come at any time to receive help. If you have 30 minutes of homework, you can come in 35 minutes before, not 90.

Students that missed days could bounce around from teacher to teacher in less then 15 minutes, and without seven teacher pass-

es.

If we're going to have the rigors of college slammed into us now, the independence should come too. Students could work on a project in the morning without lugging a giant poster board to school, or they could prepare with teachers for big tests.

Sure, at first, students might not use this time to its full effectiveness. But they’ll adjust quickly to a lack of supervised “work” time.

Most of us aren’t used to having it anyways.

Seminar can be good for reducing stress.

Freedom will be better.

The small problem lies within “contact hours.” Students have to be “in contact” with teachers for a certain number of hours every year. Not meeting this mark usually ends up with a loss of state accreditation, and the 108 hours we would lose could make our diplomas worthless.

Yet, for every rule, there is an equally crafty loophole. Late starts count as "half" contact hours, regardless of the absence of students. The state counts this as "half" because teachers are present.

If every optional seminar is classified as a "late start,” we won't "lose" 90 minutes from our total number, only 45. That would come to a more manageable 54 hours a year.

But where do we get those elusive hours?

%GOBLET’SH MA 1,040 - 1,016 = 24 54 - 24 = 30

-Barely + Staying A‘Live’ East’s scheduled hours

an opinion of

/ MICHAELSTOLLE

“Live, from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”

It’s a phrase heard for 28 years starting the weekly comedy show Saturday Night Live. Through those years, fans have seen performances from comic geniuses such as Mike Myers and the late Chris Farley, but since the era of those epic comedians, the overall quality of the show has suffered.

Having been a life long fan of the show and owning several of the seasons, the previous years have been more of a disappointment because the show’s material has become unoriginal and unexciting.

During the election, the show attracted large attention, largely because of candidate appearances, but also because the audience wanted to see how SNL would ridicule the candidates each week. I, more than any, was enthusiastic about the excitement surrounding SNL during the election, but my enthusiasm was eclipsed by the realization that the show would be returning to its bland monotony.

As a viewer I feel short-changed by the

State required hours

Hours left over

Hours we would lose with opt. seminar

show’s inability to achieve the expectations set in the past. During the golden era of SNL I had a certain zeal to watch the show every week, but the comedy show I was once eager to watch has begun to lose its luster.

Without election coverage, or a McCainPalin presidency that would lend itself to public ridicule, the show lacks the material to suffice the 90 minute time slot.

Instead for the show with Ashlee Simpson’s lip-syncing catastrophe being its funniest moment in the last five years, they will return to mediocre, forced skits that leaves me questioning if anyone really thinks this is funny.

The main cause of the comedic slump over the last few years: writing. Plain and simple. It appears the writers have run out of (or more likely are unable to think of) new and original skits, so they either fall back onto variations of recycled and overdone skit ideas or force unfunny and awkward skits to fill the time slot, such as the overdone McGruber skits.

I enjoyed the fact that before the slump in the last few years, the cast members would put personality and their dedication into their skits. Farley, whose drug problems may have contributed to his quirkiness, was willing to make fun of himself and sustain injuries to make the show funnier, while Myers would make his own adaptations to his characters for fun during rehearsal that would end up running in the show because

Hours left over

Hours East would be under

East's current schedule calls for around 1,400 hours of contact time for grades 9-11.

The senior class is here for less time, so we won’t worry about them.

In the current East schedule plan, we are 24 hours over the state’s 1,016 hour minimum. That’s not including the two budgeted snow days.

Subtract the 24 from the 54 hours we need for seminar to be optional, and that’s 30 left to find.

Easy, right?

Stay with me here, because we’re only 30 hours away from our state standard. Include the extra hours from the 13 East-issued late starts and early dismissals, because we won't need those anymore.

We end up short by about 20.25 hours.

2.89 school days. For more independence, a more energetic student body, and a greater high school experience, I think everyone is willing to sacrifice one day from their summer, winter, and spring breaks so that we can meet this lofty state standard.

With more sleep and less wasted time, students would be more inclined to raise their hands than to use them as a pillow. In a school that is more pre-college than postmiddle school, it would be nice to be prepared for another aspect of college we often overlook: freedom.

Subtract hours from late dismissals Hours we would and early starts we wouldn’t need be short

30 - 13 x 45 min. = 20.75

Viewers should not be deceived by recent success of SNL

the producer liked it better than the original.

This dedication to humor was what drew me to the show in the first place and the lacking of this dedication is what the biggest void in recent years has been.

A large part of the show’s problems may stem from bad writing, but the overall bad acting of certain cast members does nothing to better the show for me. Actress Kristen Wiig, the only current female cast-member, is continually typecast as the same nervous and annoying one-upper. The writers either have a skewed view on women (since she plays all females characters on the show and is in this persona) or they need to find a new persona for her to embody.

Another character who creates a drag on the show is Andy Samberg. Samberg who makes repeat appearances as moronic, dense characters, such as Mark Wahlberg talking to animals, only evokes forced laughs from the audience. Samberg, has trouble keeping a straight face during live skits and is reminiscent of the unhumorous Jimmy Fallon.

SNL has been reaching newer audiences in the last few years by creating an online following, posting clips and full episodes on the NBC website. But in their attempt to reach this new base, the writing has been targeted at creating the clips, such as the Digital Shorts, that reach “viral video” status with millions of views on Youtube end up being a bust the majority of the time.

The Digital Shorts, which were once a saving-grace to the ailing writing with D*** in a Box and Lazy Sunday, have given way to the horrible writing and lack of ideas leading to horrible skits such as the recent “Space Olympics” in which the audience watched silently throughout.

The return of Tina Fey to the show as Sarah Palin has brought in large numbers of viewers. When the governor herself showed up on the show, 17 million viewers tuned-in to watch the opening act (a nearly ten year record), but aside from the recent election focused episodes, overall viewership is down dramatically.

SNL, which used to serve as a selfsustaining comic show in which a comedian had hit the big time in getting on the show, now only serves a springboard for comedic careers.

Becoming attached to the show over the years, now I long for the days of John Beluchi and Steve Martin, while audiences find themselves turning away from the show altogether, unable to watch producer Lorne Michaels run it into the ground.

But you won’t see me turning me to MAD TV any time soon. Despite the show’s imperfections, I’ll continue to try and watch and stay strong to ride out this rough patch, as SNL is nowhere close to going off-air; things will start to shape up as long as there is a gradual weeding out of the weak links in writing and acting.

PAGE 8 ELECTION / NOV. 10, 2008

LOOKING BACK, FORWARD // TAYLORHAVILAND

NICKPARIS Government teacher

REASONS OBAMA WON

“Obama won because he represents the 21st century.

Americans are ready to move on. He has captured the imagination of the electors.”

PREDICTION

WHILE VOTING

IF PRESIDENT, I WOULD

REACTION

Within the first year of his presidency, [Obama] will concentrate on the financial crisis, recession and the withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

“Watch the movie ‘Dave.”

SENIOR

LIBBYJANDL John McCain supporter PREDICTION

While spending 65 minutes waiting to vote, Paris discussed issues with a SM South Alumnus. They shared different points of view, “I enjoy listening to other people’s ideas, but in this case it did not affect who I voted for.”

“I was excited for the country, but apprehensive. After hearing his initiation speech I truly believed in him.”

REASONS OBAMA WON

“Americans want to socialize health care to cover everyone. They would also like an immediate withdrawal from Iraq.”

WHILE VOTING

Jandl believed that both Obama and McCain were quali“In Obama’s first year he will be working to lower taxes and fied candidates, yet voted for McCain in the school electo pull troops out of Iraq.” tion. “Both candidates have issues I disagree with, but I do not have any doubts about McCain.”

IF PRESIDENT, I WOULD “Look for the President’s secret book.”

REACTION

“I expected it, so it wasn’t dramatic. I was a little sad though because I wanted McCain to win.”

SENIOR

CHELSEAHALL Barack Obama supporter

PREDICTION

REASONS OBAMA WON

“He went through what 90 perecent of Americans have been through and he knows what we want and need. He grew up struggling, so he can relate to us.”

WHILE VOTING

“Either candidate will be working on the financial crisis, In Hall’s mind their was no doubt about Obama, her only Obama will at least start a proposal to get the troops home thoughts were anticipating the win and being apart of this in the next year. He will also help the foreclosure issues by year’s election. freezing them for 90 days, helping struggling Americans.”

IF PRESIDENT, I WOULD “Slowly brings troops home from Iraq.”

REACTION

“I was shocked at first and I got this really happy feeling. I was with some people and we were all screaming.”

HOW STATES VOTED KEY: Republican (R) Democrat (D) Not called (N) Alabama (R) Kentucky (R) N. Dakota (R) Alaska (R) Louisiana (R) Ohio (D) Arizona (R) Maine (D)

Oklahoma (R) Arkansas (R) Maryland (D) Oregon

(D) California (D) Massachusetts

(D) Pennsylvania

(D) Colorado (D) Michigan (D) Rhode

Island (D) Connecticut (D) Minnesota (D) S. Carolina (R) Delaware (D) Mississippi (R) S. Dakota (R) Tennessee (R) Florida (D) Missouri (N) Georgia (R) Montana (R) Texas (R) Hawaii (D) Nebraska (R) Utah

(R) Idaho (R) Nevada (D)

Vermont (D) Illinois (D) New Hampshire (D) Virginia (D) Indiana (D) New Jersey (D) Washington (D) Iowa (D) New Mexico (D) W. Virginia (R) Kansas (R) New York (D) Wisconsin (D) N. Carolina (N) Wyoming (R)­

CANDIDATE REACTIONS

President-elect Obama

“The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there.”

Sen. McCain

“Senator Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain. These are difficult times for our country, and I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.”

Go Shawnee Mission East!

Kevin Euston

6955 Tomahawk Rd. Prairie Village, KS 66208 Tel (913) 262-6737 Fax (913) 262-1405

A teacher, a Republican and a Democrat reflect on their reactions on election night and make their predictions for the next eight years

On Nov. 12 from 2-8 p.m. to help the Lancer Dancers get to Nationals!

3832 W. 95th Street Leawood, KS 66206 (913) 383-3667

November is National Novel Writing Month

Village Hairstyling (Prairie Village Shopping Center) 3919 Prairie Lane Behind Shell Station 71st & Tomahawk Road (913) 831-9597 Hours: 8 a.m.-6 p.m.Tues.-Fri. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat.

Colt bull vs.

PAGE 9 FEATURES ELECTION / ISSUE SIX

Junior competes in bull-riding competitions

//CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE

Fielden grew up on a country ranch in Paola. His father’s ranch was about 350 acres, about 150 head of cattle and had a few horses.

Last summer, Fielden moved into the Shawnee Mission School District with his mom.

“At first it was a big move from a small country town like Paola, but I am starting to like it up here and will probably stay here to graduate,” Fielden said.

Fielden draws a big part of his inspiration from his uncle and father, who both used to ride bulls. Fielden’s uncle rode until he was about 40 years old and rode in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association down in New Mexico and California.

“My uncle was a good rider, and he really went somewhere with it and I just want to follow in his footsteps,” Fielden said.

Fielden rides with the Kansas High School Rodeo Association, the Christian Youth Rodeo Association and the Kansas Junior Bull Riders Association. He rides with all three because it’s a way for him to ride as much as he possibly can, and Fielden says it’s the love of the sport.

The three different associations aren’t too different from each other though. Many of them have the same riders and the same bulls, just the location and size of the rodeos is the main difference. Kansas High School rodeo association is however a pro rodeo circuit, which means that a lot of times bulls can be bigger and tougher. Generally, more people go to these rodeos.

“Right now I have about a couple weeks of down time before a really big rodeo series here in a while,” Fielden said. “First prize is $38,000 cash and a full scholarship.”

For Fielden to win the $38,000 he needs to finish first or second. The series is a cumulative score for the riders through all ten rodeos, and currently they have only had one of the rodeos.

On average Fielden is able to bring home anywhere from a couple hundred to a thousand dollars every rodeo, based upon how many different bulls he rides. This of course is also dependent on how well he finishes.

Last year Fielden was out with injury with a broken jaw and ACL and MCL tears, but after paying hospital bills and gas money was still able to make roughly $3000 profit.

Every time he saddles up Fielden wears his riding vest, thickly padded vest wrapped in thick black leather and Velcro in the front; and he tops it off with cowboy boots and hat.

He jumps on the bull when it’s in the chutes, which is the part of the arena that has metal fences all around, and where the bulls that are about to be ridden wait. He then ties down his

JUNIOR Colt Fielden rides Twister, a bull that he says is one of the best he’s ever ridden. He’s never lasted 8 seconds on Twister, and the bull broke his hand once. // COURTESY OF COLT FIELDEN right hand and keeps his left hand far away from the bull. If he touches the bull at all with his left hand he gets disqualified; they call it slapping the bull if the rider’s other hand hits the bull.

Once he is set, the bull is let loose and he tries to hold on for as long as he can. Ideally, he wants to get eight seconds, but Fielden said that most good riders shoot for ten. A score is calculated only after at least eight seconds.

But Fielden says that if a rider can stay on for about ten second it’s a way to show that he is really controlling the ride and the bull, and will receive a higher score.

Once Fielden has finished his ride, he tries to get off in the most controlled way possible.

He tries to get his wrap off and swing one of his legs over the bull and jump off. Landing, he says, is one of the hardest parts when dismounting the bull. He likes to try and land on his feet so that he can get away from the bull as soon as possible.

“You aren’t really supposed to look back at the bull after you get off, but some guys do, and some will stop to say a quick prayer or something, and then they get out of there,” Fielden said. *** When Fielden travels for a rodeo he picks up his traveling partner Chris Stempel, a senior at Gardner High School and they hit the road. The two of them always travel together to every rodeo.

“There is never a dull moment between the two of us,” Stempel said. “We are always laughing and having fun.”

When the two of them are traveling, they stick together. They sleep where they can- hotels if they can afford it- but often they will just camp out at the rodeo grounds. They eat together all weekend, which Stempel says ends up only being about a meal and a half a day because they are so busy.

Fielden and Stempel always help each other out when they ride together or practice together. Just like any good friends they always joke about taking each other’s money when

one or the other wins or they make a $5 bet here and there.

Even if one or the other is hurt they still go just to support the other.

“If I ever can’t ride and would be there for Colt in the chutes, I know he would do the same for me,” Stempel said.

However, the two of them almost never don’t ride because of injury, because cowboys tough it out.

“Most the time if I ever get hurt I just don’t go to the doctor’s so I don’t have to make him sign a waiver saying I can ride. And I kind of think that it’s a waste of time and money anyways,” Stempel said. *** Fielden’s goal is to one day make it the Professional Bull Riders Association (PBR). To make it to the PBR, you can apply at 18 years of age or be invited. As of right now Fielden has not been invited, and if he is not he will simply apply when he turns 18. When he applies he will be put on the challenger series along with all the new PBR riders. Then at the end of the season the top ten to 20 riders are moved up to the Built Ford Tough Series. This series is made up of the most elite, and the toughest meanest bulls any one can find.

Right now Fielden is on pace to be put on the Challenger series by the time he is 18; last season he finished fifth out of 25 riders and is currently sitting in second place with a few more months of the season left. And he will do whatever it takes to finish as best he can.

“A couple years I have even skipped Christmas just to get a few more rides in right at the end of the season,” Fielden said.

This past week, Fielden butted heads with a bucking horse, literally, and got a concussion. Then about two hours later in the same “not so rough” practice, a bull stepped on his back right above his tail bone. And this weekend he plans to climb on six bulls in competition.

“Cowboys just don’t show pain,” Fielden said.

notall bull

How many of Forbes’ “Most Dangerous Sports” could you handle?

Base Jumping: “Individuals...hurl themselves with nothing but a parachute from buildings, antenna, span (bridges) or earth (cliffs).”

Heli-Skiing: “If an avalanche doesn’t kill you, a

change of weather might leave you stranded. Even the helicopter ride can be perilous.”

Diving: “The ascent from a dive, if done too fast, can... potentially [cause] failure of the spinal cord, brain and lungs. Not to mention that sharks passing by might be peckish.”

Cave Diving: “The National Speleological Society defines a successful dive as ‘one you return from.’ Perhaps it all has to do with expectation management.”

Bull Riding: “If one of these beasts, weighing up to 1,800 pounds, tramples you, the next ride you take will be in an ambulance--or a hearse.”

Big-Wave Surfing: “As [surf-forecaster] Adam

Wright...points out: ‘Anyone can try this sport, but the chances are you won’t be coming back.”

Street Luging: “Today, legality of this sport on high-

ways is a gray area, and there’s no guarantee that cars or trucks will see you, let alone avoid you.”

Mountain Climbing: “You can twist ankles, sprain

muscles, tear ligaments, break bones, injure your back, suffer frostbite or even a concussion.”

BMX: “The combination of acrobatics while astride

a bicycle, BMX--bicycle motocross--in its basic form involves racing, but offshoots include bicycle stunts, vertical ramp and flatland.”

White-Water Rafting: “Surrounded by untamed rapids... possibilities include smashing into rocks, being tossed out and drowning.”

// http://www.forbes.com/2002/08/07/0807sport.html

PAGE 10 FEATURES / NOV. 10, 2008

Revealing the dark side of tanning ing beds keep studen

ts out of the harmful r ays

// MEGSHACKELFORD

With a touch of a button, the tanning bulbs illuminate around senior Johanna Cook. In only a few minutes she can feel the heat from the tanning bed penetrate her skin. After 12 minutes of “relaxation,” Cook’s skin is darker.

“I know tanning isn’t good for you and I know the biggest risk is skin cancer,” Cook said. “But since I don’t go on a daily basis, I try to think positive that nothing like that will happen to me. It just makes you feel better when you have more color.

I only go a few times a month anyway, usually before an event, like a dance.”

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the most common types of skin cancer are basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas that are both highly curable. However, the third most common type of skin cancer, melanoma, is also the most dangerous type, particularly for teens.

While tanning is still a phenomenon among teens, according to senior Emma Collins’ mother, Leslie Collins, a self-employed aesthetician at FaceIt, there are students who avoid tanning beds at all costs. Whether they have fair skin or burn easily, or they know the risks and fear they could develop skin cancer and some claim that being pale is fashionable.

“Melanoma has been highly linked to tanning beds and it is more common to show up in the 15 to 30 year-old age group,” Collins said. “It’s five times worse to be in a tanning bed than in sun.”

Senior Hannah Gasaway claims that being pale is in this year. She hasn’t gone tanning since the beginning of last summer when she said she used to strive for a “sun-kissed look.”

“I used to do it because everyone else did and I guess I wanted to be like everyone else,” Gasaway said. “Now I don’t care anymore. I think that if it’s in style to be pale then I may as well not go. It’s sometimes noticeable if you do go tanning.”

After working at Sunseekers Tanning Salon since August, senior Lyndsey Seck knows first-hand when tanning can get excessive.

“I used to tan twice a week before I began working and now I go maybe twice a month,” Seck said. “I’m really trying to cut it down because working there has really opened my eyes on what I could look like if I keep doing that to myself.”

Some customers come in everyday, including older women “whose skin already looks like leather.” To Seck, it’s interesting to hear peoples’ rationale of why they are tanning.

“The latest I’ve heard from girls that come in is that they feel better to tan because they feel skinnier,” she said. “It just makes people feel better about themselves. Others come in to build a base tan before heading to places like Puerto Rico where the sun is really intense, it helps their skin get accustomed.”

At Sunseekers, they offer high-pressure tanning beds, which Seck explained are more concentrated. Tanning for the 12-minute limit in a high-pressure bed is the same as tanning for 20 minutes in a low-pressure bed. All of their beds shed UVA rays and a very low amount of UVB rays. According to Seck, UVA rays are the long waves and UVB are the medium waves and also the burning waves. These rays are much more intense because they have more energy per proton. The burns they cause are breaking the capillaries on the surface of the skin, according to Collins.

Before she began working at Sunseekers, she had to take a 100-question test to become a Certified Indoor Tanning Professional. The questions ranged from how often to change the bulbs to the difference between tanning rays and sunlight.

“Natural sun causes the skin to thicken from exposure and in a sense the thickening sort of protects,” she said. “UVA rays don’t thicken or do any of that.”

According to Collins, UVA rays are the tanning rays that go much deeper and are responsible for wrinkles and speeding the look of age. They destroy the elastin in the skin, which is a protein in the skin and tissue that allows the body’s tissue to resume its shape after stretching and contracting.

“Think of the skin as an elastic band,” Seck said. “If you expose it to UVA rays then it’s like stretching it. If it stretches enough, than it breaks. So even though [UVA] is better than the UVB rays that burn the skin, they are still bad for you.”

What Collins sees as a big risk, yet obscure to some, is the effect of tanning beds on eyes.

“People sometimes don’t think it’s necessary to wear goggles, when it’s 100 times worse for the eyes to be in the beds,” Collins said.

Since sophomore Mary Joyce has fair skin, red hair and freckles, she knows she is at risk for skin cancer, as a few of the highest risk factors are people with blue or green eyes and people who have naturally blonde or red hair, according to the CDC. “I do burn easier than other people, but not as bad as you may think,” Joyce said.

E OST Especially since her father had to ERR L

//TY

// MEGSHACKELFORD

have a basal cell removed a few years ago, she is very careful when she is in the sun. When the sun is at its highest in the sky, her mother has her put According to the Environmental Working Groups’s Skin on a higher sunscreen Deep cosmetic database, many sunscreens are unhealthy SPF, which is usually and don’t really work. Below are some of the top rated 30. But as careful as she is, Joyce will be sunscreens from the website. visiting the dermatologist soon. >Keys Soap Solar Rx Therapeutic Sunblock, SPF 30 “I have a mole that my parents want to have >Trukid Sunny Days Facestick Mineral Sunscreen UVA/UVB checked out,” Joyce said. “It’s Broad Spectrum, SPF 30+ a big freckle, not raised or anything, >California Baby Sunblock Stick No Fragrance, SPF 30+ it’s just a spot.”

Whenever customers come in, Seck has

>Badger Sunscreen, SPF 30 to assess what amount of tanning would fit their skin best and prefers to recommend sunscreen to them. One of the biggest misconceptions she sees is that people assume sunscreen will block out color, when in effect it really blocks out the UVB ray that burn.

“It’s just sad because skin cancer is so preventable and it just blows my mind that some people come and tan everyday,” Seck said. “But we do it anyway. It’s tough because tanning is so popular and you never think that [skin cancer] could happen to you. You never know.”

According to the CDC, 65 to 90 percent of melanoma is caused by exposure to UV rays and sunlight and approximately 7,592 people die from skin cancer each year.

It is because of these sorts of statistics that Leslie Collins didn’t allow her daughter to tan when it first became popular when she was in middle school. To Emma, this is both a “blessing and a curse” since her mother taught her how to take care of her skin every since she was little.

“Whether you tan or not is by personal choice,” Emma said. “I don’t tan because I don’t see a point in it. For people with as fair of skin as me, it’s not possible to tan.”

She has tanned once in her life and won’t ever go again. After tanning in a highpressure bed for 30 minutes where she wasn’t supposed to get burnt, the effects later on proved otherwise. She developed heat retention, which meant her body retained the heat, causing her whole body to turn red for seven hours.

Emma constantly reapplies sunscreen when she is outside. She uses SPF 30 on her body and 45 on her face.

Due to her fair skin, she can feel even the slightest burn immediately penetrating her skin, so she is always prepared to reapply.

“Not tanning ensures that when I’m 65, I will look like I’m 40,” Emma said.

SUNSCREENS THAT WORK

// www.cosmeticsdatabase.com

Risks posed from tann

Three ways to protect yourself > Leslie Collins, aesthetician

-Avoid sun in peak hours from 10 - 4 p.m.

-Wear protective clothing (long sleeves, wide-brim hats) -Apply 30 minutes before going outside so it absorbs -Reapply every four hours

//TIMSHEDOR

It’s summer time, but senior David Riott can’t walk barefoot on the beach just outside his Hong Kong home.

The worms and red algae threaten the health of anyone in close contact and make it unenjoyable for any American without a developed immunity to the disease-ridden sand.

After moving to Asia in June of 2000, the Riott family became all-too familiar with such pollution. They left the country in 2002, just before masks were commonplace to defend from the SARS virus.

They returned to the States with a new found sense of environmentalism and since then, they’ve become environmentally active in and around the Prairie Village community.

“We think that [environmental danger] is far away,” East mother Kristin Riott said. “But it’s really here too.”

The danger is immediate. Wheat won’t grow in Kansas in 50 years. The polar ice caps may have lost up to half their thickness in the past six years. Greenland is now actually green; the country saw flies for the first time in a century this year. In Africa, malaria is at an all-time high as the mosquitoes and the disease thrives in a warmer climate.

“Economic consequences is what we’ll feel most in Kansas City…particularly because we mainly agricultural [economy],” Kristin Riott said.

She joined the Prairie Village Earth Committee and volunteered at booths and awareness fairs.

From the Earth Fair held annually in East’s main gym to Village Fest to Community Forum, she’s been the “jack-of-all-trades,” organizing, speaking and everything activist in-between.

She continued to help clean the environment and has become an integral part of organizations such as True Blue Women, Think Twice, Bridging the Gap and the Johnson County Climate Protection.

“I’ve gotten to know a lot of great people who are interested in doing this,” Kristin Riott said. “And I think that by recognizing that we’re all in this together, that what we do affects each other, helps.”

Two weeks ago Kristin Riott spoke during a pep assembly at the welcome of East’s environmental club and Principal

PAGE11 FEATURES / ISSUE SIX Dr. Krawitz. She encouraged students to be aware of their consumption and what they buy. But she stressed not using bottled water or heavily packaged items and to carpool to East or ride a bike.

And to Prairie Village families, Kristin Riott encourages every home to undergo an energy audit and to a properly insulate using cellulose instead of fiberglass so as to conserve heat that escapes through the attic.

“One of the biggest problems that we face in Prairie Village is idling,” Savannah Duby of the environmental club said. “That’s when cars park and wait without shutting off. We’re converting a lot of the old election signs into ‘no idling’ signs and take them out to the grade schools. Everybody needs to have a sense of how they can affect the world and how one person’s actions can have a very positive or very negative effect, accumulatively.”

But the most illustrious membership was a part of Al Gore’s small army of green soldiers that are trained to answer questions and give presentations about climate change, pollution and other environmental issues.

After signing up for the program through chain e-mails among her committees, Kristin Riott was sent to Nashville with 800 other trainees, including two other residents of Prairie Village. They attended a seminar for three days with Gore acting as a professor.

“I didn’t go over and shake his hand because I don’t like that kind of celebrity worship thing,” Kristin Riott said. “But I sat with him. I looked at him, he looked at me, I got a picture with him and that kind of stuff, but I didn’t shake his hand.”

David gives small presentations to

crowds in his spare time, typically speaking to an accumulative 200 people toward fair.

He stresses the need to get rid of plastic water bottles in the cafeteria, a product he hasn’t used in three years “It’s really gratifying to reach out to people and it’s nice to know getting people who didn’t know the information or weren’t fully aware,” David Riott said. “A lot of the time people will be shocked by the numbers and how much they can help save. It’s really an awareness thing to tell people how they can get involved and be environmentally friendly.”

After returning to Kansas, Kristin Riott became more proactive in her home’s life.

The house is warmed by a geothermal energy plan. A drill is burrowed 200 feet into the ground, and it circulates the molten liquid under the surface. The 55 degrees of infinite, newly tapped heat is converted through a water furnace and distributed through the rest of the house. The family is always layering and un-layering according to the thermostat set at 68 degrees or lower in the winter, and 78 or higher in the summer.

Tap water brews in a tank-less heater that stores water, but doesn’t keep it constantly warm. It only warms the water when the faucet is turned on, as opposed to a conventional water heater that keeps the water always warm.

“We just started bettering our house toward environmental safety,” David Riott said. “And so I made the connection that it was really important and seeing all the facts I felt that it was something I could do to get involved to help save the environment. I acknowledged that it was an individual thing and one person can make a diffrence. That’s why I started

working for the environment.”

The house light is generated by compact fluorescent light bulbs, a new lighting alternative that uses 75 percent less energy and lasts ten times longer than a conventional bulb. Reused wood recycled

by Habitat Restore, an organization that carefully strips a house’s materials such as hardwood flooring and carpeting and resells it, decorates the bathroom.

Even the toilet is green efficient; it has a dual-flush system with buttons on the tank that read “1” and “2.”

“There’s a lot of stuff that we haven’t done,” Kristin Riott said. “I don’t want to make it seem like we’re really holy here and nobody else could ever possibly catch-up with us. We still have a Subaru Outback that gets in the low 20s in mpg, but we still drive it sometimes.

We still have some exterior lights that haven’t been replaced with CFLs. And we still have some insulating to do on our house, which is really important. Like everybody else, we’re still on a sort of journey with this.”

When Kristin walks to Hen House for the night’s groceries, she brings a rolling cart and refuses to use plastic bag. And when dinner is prepared, the table is typically meat-less.

The Riotts eat “low on the food chain,” like veggies and greens, because meat takes an excessive amount of energy to produce. In order to raise one pound of pork, roughly nine pounds of grain are required, and even more water is required to grow the grain. By eating simply the grain, the raising process is bypassed and land is conserved.

The family is also apart of the Community Supportive Agriculture, an association in which members purchase a share of local farms in exchange for home-grown veggies through the season.

And when they’re not home, the family is still green. Husband Frank Riott rides his bike to work twice a week, a 16 mile round trip, and Kristin rides slightly less. On the colder days, they carpool.

“The bicycling has made a positive impact on everybody because you’re out in the sun, the breeze is blowing in your hair, your smelling the great smells of honey suckle when you ride by,” Kristin Riott said. “You know I’m 51 years old, but I feel like I’m 15 when I’m on my bike.”

What is it?

Geothermal heating systems work in a very unique way. It provides a heat source to a building or other environment. The Earth stores heat within it. In fact, it maintains at a heat of about fifty to seventy degrees Fahrenheit. The heat is then used to head the building.

Heating and Cooling

Not only can geothermal heating systems provide heat to a building, but it can actually cool it as well. The system is quite the same in that the same loop is used. This time, though, it is in reverse. The valves within the system allow you to switch it to cool instead of to heat. Which then makes the building become cold.

a new kind of

Geothermal Heat Pump

How it works

In order to use the geothermal heat that is underground, scientists have found that they can literally pump it out with the use of a geothermal heating system. A heat pump is used. In this case it is as simple as pulling up the heat from the Earth’s soil and then transferring it right into homes and other buildings. // NICKLUCAS

Ground loops

Water Heater

green house

East family’s views change after living overseas // climateprogress.org

MAYBE SHE’S BORN WITH IT.MAY PAGE 12 SPREAD / NOV. 10, 2008

// BERNADETTEMYERS

Every morning before school, freshman Toni Aguiar wakes up at 6:30 a.m. She showers using Herbal Essences shampoo and Clinique body wash then blow dries her hair and gets dressed. After eating a bagel for breakfast, she returns to the bathroom to apply a tinted moisturizer, eyeliner and mascara.

Aguiar has had this routine since middle school, but what she doesn’t know is that this routine could be giving her cancer.

According to a recent study done by the Environmental Working Group, teens are contaminated with chemicals commonly found in everyday cosmetics and body care products. These chemicals are linked to health issues such as cancer and hormone disruption. EWG detected 16 chemicals from 4 chemical families in blood and urine samples from 20 teen girls from different ethnic and geographical backgrounds.

According to Jovana Ruzicic, a coordinator spokesperson for EWG, the purpose of the study was to gain more intelligence about this topic regarding teens and to emphasize the need for laws regulating safety standards of cosmetics.

“We wanted to bring attention to this issue because teens use more body care products and so are more greatly affected,” said Ruzicic. “The ultimate goal would be to get the government, or else the actual companies, to create stricter standards, but laws don’t happen overnight.”

Parents like Kristy McGinley, mother of frehman Shannon McGinley, have been more conservative when it comes to teenage make-up use. After reaching middle school, her daughter started wearing make-up, but only in small amounts.

“If my daughter had asked in grade school, I definitely would not have let her wear make-up,” McGinley said. “And still she doesn’t wear heavy make-up.”

Heavy make-up for McGinley constitutes anything with liquid foundation, but since McGinley doesn’t wear this either, she feels her daughter follows in her footsteps.

“I just don’t have time to get all dolled up everyday,” McGinley said. “And I feel I’ve set a good example by showing my daughter you can be beautiful without makeup.”

McGinley buys mostly Mary Kay products for her daughter, but claims that she never really stopped to think about what was in them. McGinley would want to read the specifics of the study to be able to avoid certain products.

Though avoiding certain chemicals is a good idea, the EWG does not say that the chemicals found are direct causes of later diseases. However, there have been various studies done by the CDC linking many of the chemicals to cancer, thyroid problems, disruption of hormone systems and other health effects. The chemicals found include parabens, musks, phthalates and tricosan.

While many of these chemicals can be found in common household products, such as phthalates and triclosan, musks are commonly used in cigarettes and cleaning products while in make-up they are used to add fragrance. Exposure to these chemicals occurs on a daily basis for people, but for teens exposure through direct application is proven to be

Coastal Classic Creations ‘Refreshing Mist’ Concealer Coastal Classic Creations ‘Refreshing Mist’ Tinted Loose Powder

0

Maybelline Expert Eyes Moisturizing Mascara Remover Dermablend Cover Cream

1

New study shows some personal care products contain disease-causing ch more dangerous.

This study represents the first focused look at teen exposures to chemicals of concern in cosmetics, exposures that occur during a period of accelerated development.

Since adolescence encompasses maturation of many body systems, teens are in more danger by exposing themselves to these chemicals.

The chemicals also have a greater effect on teens because of the quantity of body care products teens use. According to the study teens use on average 17 personal care products a day while adult women use only 12.

“Teens are unknowingly exposing themselves to very dangerous chemicals when their body is supposed to be developing,” Ruzicic said. “The chemicals themselves aren’t necessarily alarming, but the fact that exposure occurs during adolescence and at such high amounts is more dangerous.”

Aguiar’s mom Susan Glatt doesn’t see the harm in makeup for teenagers on a daily basis even when her daughter falls under this adolescent category where the most damage could be done.

“Aguiar has had this routine since middle school, but what she doesn’t know is that this routine could be giving her cancer.”

“I hadn’t really considered what was in [personal care products],” Glatt said. “I figure as long as she wears make-up sparingly then she’s fine.”

Aguiar doesn’t see wearing make-up as a necessity and finds it to be a hassle on some days and so completely ignores it. However, she admits that even after finding out about a study like this one, she wouldn’t change her habits.

“It would definitely be a good idea to switch the make-up that I use, but I just don’t know if I would take the effort to,” Aguiar said. “It’s not that I don’t care about cancer, but I really can’t see that happening to me. I don’t really wear that much make-up.”

Glatt finds the study more concerning and with a better understanding feels that she would make some changes.

She would never limit her daughter’s product use, though, but rather just be more careful about the products she purchases.

EWG suggests limiting make-up use altogether to decrease exposure to the chemicals, but they also over the Skin Deep database. This website allows consumers to search for products, ingredients and companies to learn about toxicity and chemicals in each.

Now that the study has been publicized, EWG hopes for three things to occur. First, the EWG feels that the federal government should set comprehensive safety standards for cosmetics. Second, teens should make healthy decisions by reducing the number of products used. Third, companies should reformulate products to decrease exposure to

L’Oréal Quick Stick Instant Foundation

NARS concealer

SheerMineral Pure Burt’s Bees Natural Cos- Foundation metics Eye Shadow

2

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potentially toxic chemicals.

While the EWG feels that federal health statutes do not require companies to test products or ingredients for safety before they are sold, Kathleen Dezio spokeswoman of Personal Care Products Council disagrees.

She claims that companies are required by law to prove safety of all products and that the EWG does not provide a full picture of the research on these Phthalates are a issues. commonly used most used as an “Our companies take their safety mixtures. Poten responsibility very seriously and often include risk of b sperm motility i surpass the requirements of the law with irregularities in b additional consumer safety measures,” They are unregu and medical pro Dezio said. “We stand beside the can be detected Exposure can be safety of our products.” fragrance-free c According to the FDA, legal choosing cosm “fragrance” as a authority differs from other // www.ewg.org regulated products. Cosmetic products and ingredients are not subject to FDA premarket approval authority and cosmetic establishments are not required is u riclosan to register with the FDA. cteria; cTts. It can be a b l il k Cosmetic firms are required l used to ay produulation due too h p microbia d everyd An anticosmetics ane American peoatments anedalth to substantiate the safety of many percent of th rant, acne tr etergent. H an products and are in charge in 75 paste, deododishwasher d yroid system ad tooth cts such as tion of the the to widespreoid of recalls. However, FDA can produ clude disrupsystems. Du However, av e e inspect cosmetic manufacturing can in er hormone navoidable. l” can reduc of oth ure may be u antibacteria facilities and take regulatory expos cts labeled “ vent produ action against adulterated or ed to pre b tives utiscs. They canam a rv e misbranded products. s cosmecleansers, shdy c s are pre Paraberina and mold in Since FDA does not of bo d skin bacte rizers, face atinons. Daily useparabens inspect and regulate moistuome medica d exposure tons, reprodu and s ause repeateergic reactio he FDA lim cosmetics like they can c ts include all st cancer. T aren’t reg do with other drugs, effec ms and brea es, but they to switc proble and beverag exposure is ucts.

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For more information, go to http: php

THE PRO

YBE IT’S GIVING HER CANCER. PAGE 13 SPREAD / ISSUE SIX

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d in cosmetics, but are n ingredient in “fragrance” ntial health effects birth defects, reduced in adult men and thyroid both men and women. ulated in food, cosmetics oducts in the U.S, and d in nearly all Americans. e limited by choosing cleaning products, and metics that don’t list an ingredient.

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// PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MACKENZIEWYLIE

Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara CoverGirl Clean Fragrance Free Liquid Foundation

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L’Oréal Mattique Makeup

Lumene Delight Duo Eyeshadow

L’Oréal Visible Lift Line Minimizing Makeup

Maybelline Roller Color Eye Shadow

Macpro Eye Shadow

CoverGirl TruConceal

Avon Perfect Wear Eyewriter Liquid Eyeliner

Sephora All Over Skin Bronzing Powder

6

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Almay Clear Complexion Makeup & Powder Compact Mario De Luigi Make Up Your Makeup Collection

10

PAGE 15 FEATURES / ISSUESIX

: d a e h a g n i z a g

t h g i Twil

with the release of the movie adapted from the best-selling book approaching, fans gear up for the anticipated phenomenon

// SARAHMcKITTRICK

Seventeen million copies in print. Three-hundred fifty fan websites. Countless teenagers devoted to the series.

One romance novel turned into a multi-million dollar movie.

With the books peeking out of girls’ backpacks and movie posters up everywhere, it’s almost impossible for people to not hear about “Twilight,” a best-selling book written by Stephanie Meyer. What started off as a quirky vampire novel has turned into a series often compared to Harry Potter. As the movie comes out Nov. 21, the craze has reached even new heights.

The movie has generated much excitement among East girls, who have been counting down the days until the premiere for months, like sophomores Emily Fuson and Maggie Simmons. Fuson started reading the books at the beginning of school in preparation for the movie that comes out this November because she was worried that they would take her awhile to read. She finished the book within two days. Within a month she had finished the entire series. Fuson already has her tickets for the midnight premiere.

Simmons heard that there was going to be a movie made from the book before she started reading it, but got the most excited when she saw the movie’s trailer.

“It’s almost like living the book,” Simmons said.

“Instead of imagining it, I can see it.”

Since the trailer came out, Simmons has watched it hundreds of times, over and over. With the movie release date growing closer and closer, she hopes to be able to go to the premiere in Los Angeles, where her cousin has press passes. They could also possibly meet Rob Pattinson, who plays Edward Cullen, a vampire, in the movie. Although she might not actually get to see the movies because its only for actors, just being there would be enough of an experience for a Twilight fan like Simmons.

Even though they can’t wait for the movie, Fuson and Simmons still believe that nothing can compare with the books. Simmons expects small changes to be made, but hopes that the overall story isn’t too different. Both agree that the book can’t be topped.

“The whole story line will make a good movie, but the book is the real thing, the original,” Simmons said.

The $37 million film directed by Catherine Hardwicke stars Pattinson (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) and Kristin Stewart (The Messenger) as Bella Swan.

Some actors chosen for parts surprised readers, but the controversy has died down as the overall anticipation for the movie grows.

Although Simmons doesn’t like the actress playing Bella, she thinks all of the other actors are good picks and fit the characters from the book, overall.

With the movie’s release date growing closer and closer, Rainy Day Books has seen “Twilight” books sold more than ever. Even before the movie’s hype, “Twilight” had printed four million copies of “Breaking Dawn,” the fourth

//CELEBRITYWONDER.COM and final book, and over 17 million books printed in the entire series. Peterson attributes “Twilight’s” success to its unique story line and compared it to the classic Romeo and Juliet, describing it as having innocence, but also a hint of darkness surrounding the characters. Simmons agrees with Patterson that it’s a classic story, but with a twist.

“It’s a love story but told in a completely different and unique way,” Simmons said. “It seems like the love won’t work, but it still does in the end.”

The popularity of “Twilight” has spread mostly by word of mouth, with girls telling their friends about it or wanting to read it to see what it’s about. Simmons can’t think of any of her friends who haven’t at least started the series and Fuson has gotten a number of her friends into them as well. Although many readers like Fuson and Simmons first think a book about vampires sounds strange, it they get hooked after reading.

“It’s really the only book I’ve ever truly read on my own that’s not for school,” Fuson said.

However, not everyone who reads the books gets swept away and even the series’ most devoted fans see flaws.

Although Simmons enjoyed the books, some parts still bothered her. She thought the story of Renesmee, Bella and Edward’s daughter in “Breaking Dawn” seemed pretty far-fetched, even for a vampire story. She also didn’t like Jacob, Bella’s vampire friend, because he sometimes got in the way of Edward and Bella being together.

Others just didn’t like the book at all. Sophomore Zach Colby read the books this summer before all of the excitement and didn’t think much of it until they started getting all of the attention. Although he liked it for a quick read, Colby didn’t like how Meyer focused so much on Edward.

“I hated hearing about how beautiful Edward Cullen was non-stop for 800 pages,” Colby said.

Despite whether readers like the book or not, “Twilight” fever won’t go away anytime soon. The first movie comes out in less than two weeks and talk of a sequel has already started. A 21st century vampire story that reminisces of a darker Romeo and Juliet has stolen readers’ hearts for good.

feed your twilight appetite Twilight Tuesdays [ mtv.com ] Every Tuesday until the release of the movie on Nov. 21, MTV movie blogs updates their site with news, photos, cast interviews, etc. relating to the Twilight movie.

Movie Soundtrack The original motion picture soundtrack is scheduled to be released on Nov. 4, and features an original song

by Paramore called “Decode.” Other bands on the CD include Muse, Iron & Wine and, Robert Pattinson even makes the cut with his song “Never Think.”

Edward’s Book [stephaniemeyer.com] On Stephanie Meyer’s official website, she has posted the first chapter to her new book, “Midnight Sun.” The book is written from Edward’s point of view taking place in the first “Twilight” book. There is yet to be a release date for the book.

Sneak Peeks

On YouTube.com and the ‘Penelope’ DVD, you can view various sneak peeks that have been released, along with the three theatrical movie trailers.

pre-order premiere tickets 1 .)

Visit www.movietickets. com, and type in the indicated information in the ‘Get Movie Showtimes & Tickets’.

2.)

Make sure the date for the tickets is set to Nov. 20, 2008.

3 .)

Choose the theatre of your choice, pay online and pick-up your tickets the night of the movie.

PAGE 16 MIXED / NOV. 10, 2008

ALL

UP

the page about morp

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW -WHEN: FRIDAY FROM 7:30-10p.m.

-COST: $10 IN ADVANCE, $20 AT THE DOOR -THE MONEY BENEFITS THE JOHNSON COUNTRY CHRISTMAS BUREAU WHICH IS A NON-PROFIT, NONDENOMINATIONAL AGENCY THAT ASSISTS LOW-INCOME PEOPLE IN JOHNSON COUNTY. THE CAN DRIVE AND THE CHILDREN’S BOOK COLLECTION ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CAUSE.

-LAST YEAR, OVER $5,000 WAS RAISED! -IF EVERY STUDENT IN THE SCHOOL GOES THEN WE CAN RAISE MORE THAN $18,000, SO DRESS CRAZY TO HELP OUT JCCB!

5 COSTUME STORES

LOCATIONS

Boomerang

1415 W. 39th Street Kansas City, MO 64111

Dottie Mae’s 8308 Wornall Road Kansas City, MO 64114

U.S. Toy

2008 W. 103rd Terrace Leawood, KS 66206

The Harbinger is giving you tips on how to dress for MORP.

// PHOEBEUNTERMAN

MORP is right around the corner and if you haven't begun creating your look, it's definitely time to start. For those of you who complain of "nothing to wear," here are some ideas of places to look for an outfit. Before you begin, here are a few things to consider: 1. On MORP, it gets hot in the gym, so although it's encouraged to have many components to your outfit, choose wisely so that you won't be too hot to keep dancing. Also, comfort matters. The circulation to your feet WILL be cut off if you dance violently for three hours in your eight year-old neighbor’s pink cowboy boots you were so proud of being able to squeeze your feet into.

2. Girls, MORP is not an opportunity to dress slutty and get away with it. You’re not Regina George and this isn’t Chris Isen’s Halloween party. MORP is a chance to try and come up with the most ridiculous and hilarious costume you can.

3. Guys, it's not okay to show up to MORP wearing just a jersey. Unless, of course, that jersey is tight, neon or of the mesh variety, it's not creative and it's probably something you would wear on any other day.

FINISH START

U.S. TOY

U.S. Toy is the holy grail of cheap accessories.

Beads, hats, wigs, tiaras, fake mustaches and piercings, face paint, masks, hair glitter, temporary tattoos, grass skirts, head bobbers—the list goes on. Go with a group of friends and save money by buying in dozens. A multicolor foil wig for only $2.95 could make or break your MORP look. Also look at Party City or other party supply stores for similar items.

Stores like Boomerang and Dottie Mae's, while on the pricier side, are perfect if you're looking for that one great piece of your MORP outfit.

Boomerang has tons of great dresses, jumpsuits, jackets and tacky suits that will definitely make a statement on MORP. Some items, like go-go boots, are rental only. Boomerang also has a number of great accessories to go along with your outfit.

CLASHING FOR A CAUSE

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TOP 5 PLACES TO GET STUFF TO WEAR TO MORP

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FRIENDS THAT DANCE

Don't walk—shimmy—over to your dancer friends' houses. The accumulation of dance costumes from recitals over the years will shock you.

These ostentatious outfits hold nothing back— sequins, fringe, spandex, and velvet are prevalent. Nothing makes a statement like a sparkly pink-polka-dotted-stretchy-spandex-halter-top jumpsuit with a fringe skirt. Also, being so formfitted, they work well in layers.

1 2

THRIFT STORES MAJ-R THRIFT, Salvation Army Family Store and D A V Thrift Store are three great thrift stores that are packed with MORP-worthy items for next to nothing. The key to these places is taking the time to really look around. First, look for random t-shirts. Also, check for costumes, overalls, or anything else unusual. You never know what you will find.

Plus, if you bring your student ID to the Salvation Army Family Store, you can receive a student discount!

YOUNGER SIBLINGS CLOSET

Unlike dresses or suits for homecoming, MORP outfits don't have to fit perfectly. They really just have to be able to stretch over your head. So you may only have to go as far as a younger sister or brother's closet to find that perfect MORP look.

Old Halloween costumes and anything stretchy will work. Remember that on MORP, it's perfectly reasonable for clothes to be worn a different way than they were originally meant to be worn. Dresses and skirts can be tops, and tights can be worn as sleeves.

MAJ-R THRIFT

437 E. US Highway 69 Kansas City, MO 64119

Salvation Army Family Store 6219 Johnson Drive Mission, Kansas 66201

D A V Thrift Store 3030 Southwest Blvd Kansas City, MO, 64111 // ALLPHOTOSBY KATIEEAST

WORD OF THE ISSUE from The Daily Candy Lexicon: Words That Don’t Exist but Should {TIVOTE} n. The ballot you cast with your friends as to which show deserves to be recorded. (They TiVoted against my Gossip Girl proposition.)

PAGE 17 A&E / ISSUE SIX

Director Eric Darnell explains what it’s really like behind-the-scenes as hePOSING with some of their animated animals, the filmmakers from “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" are (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) directors Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath; and producers Mark Swift and Mireille Soria. // gears up for his upcoming movie, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

A LANCER GOES HOLLYWOOD MOVIEWEB.COM

// LANDONMCDONALD

Over the course of nearly two decades, Shawnee Mission East alum and former Harbinger staff writer Eric Darnell has made the long and difficult journey from struggling film student to lowly animator to full-blown Hollywood director.

His latest animated blockbuster, the highly anticipated “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa,” hits theaters November 7.

“It’s been an absolute dream, being able to do what I love and share my work with my friends and family. My kids still can’t believe that this is what I do everyday,” said Darnell with a grin.

Darnell started off small, coloring individual cells for lower-budgeted films like the animated Moses biopic “Prince of Egypt” and working on the music video for R.E.M.’s “Get Up.” After toiling for over five years in low-level animation, he was finally noticed and picked up by Steven Spielberg’s Dreamworks Animation, the same studio responsible for the outrageously successful “Shrek” franchise and the recent summer blockbuster “Kung-Fu Panda.” His career taking off at last, Darnell quickly climbed the ranks at Dreamworks and began helming movies of his own.

Darnell’s first film was the 1998 “Antz,” a well-received digital cartoon starring Woody Allen, Sylvester Stallone and Christopher Walken.

“The timing on that movie was amazing,” Darnell remembers. “The whole idea of digital media was coming alive for the first time and we were pushing the limits of what could be done with early CGI animation. I remember how exhilarating that felt, to be in uncharted territory. It was one of the happiest times of my life.”

Darnell devoted much of that happy time to collaborating with three other writers on a new screenplay about zoo animals on the run from the law in the concrete jungle of New York City, a zany concept that would eventually evolve into 2005’s wildly popular “Madagascar.”

When the finished script started generating positive buzz around town, star after star lined up for the parts of Alex the egotistical lion, his smart-aleck friend Marty the zebra, Gloria the big-hearted hippo and Melman the neurotic giraffe.

Eventually the parts went to comedic mainstays Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith and David Schwimmer. Smaller parts were soon filled by other wellknown performers, like stand-up extraordinaire Cedric the Entertainer, Andy Richter and controversial British comic Sacha Baron Cohen (“Da Ali G. Show” and “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby”).

“For the first time in my life, I was star-struck,” said Darnell. “By the time Sacha signed on as Julien the Lemur King, I nearly had a heart attack. I was like, this guy’s Borat!

Borat is going to be in my movie! But he worked out really well, they all did. See, everyone always thinks we animate the animals to look like the stars, but that’s not true. It’s really all about luck and timing with the cast.”

Eventually, Darnell overcame his awe and got down to business. He corralled his stars, finalized the script and got ready for a lot of recording and animating. Over four year’s worth, to be exact.

“Most animated movies take approximately four to five years to come together in full,” Darnell said. “Sometimes we get lucky and crank them out in three and a half. But that doesn’t happen very often”.

When “Madagascar” opened in 2005, it was an instant hit with audiences and critics, who praised its originality, the talent of its central cast and its unique style of animation.

“For the animation on that film, I remember we went back and looked at the old Looney Tunes animation by people like Chuck Jones, Tex Avery and some of the early works of Hannah Barbara,” Darnell said. “Our goal was to

take advantage of what digital animation could do while still making the characters feel somewhat familiar and relatable to audiences that had grown up with two-dimensional animation.”

After the massive success of “Madagascar,” Dreamworks soon commissioned Darnell and his writing team to start working on the inevitable Part Two. Darnell was skeptical at first but soon signed on once he came up with the basic premise.

“Well, the whole gang is trying to get home, but they crash land somewhere in Africa instead. Alex the lion reunites with his family, Marty tries to blend in with a herd of zebra and Gloria and Melman try to work out their relationship issues,” said Darnell. “Then we added Julien and the penguins to the mix and suddenly we had ourselves a movie, one with a story I like just as much if not better than the first.”

Ah yes, the penguins, the smooth-talking, chaos-loving adrenaline junkies every kid under twelve was quoting back when the first movie came out. They’re featured quite prominently in the new film and, according to Darnell, will soon have their own show on Nickelodeon. Their fearless leader, Skipper, even falls in love with a dashboard hula dancer.

“I think we really underestimated the popularity of the penguins,” said Darnell. “They were left-over characters from an old idea of mine and I was so glad to be able to work them into these movies and now their own show. I remember catching myself thinking this the other day, if the penguins get their own show; the dream will be complete.

I’ll be a happy man.”

After November 7, if the box office predictions are any indication, Eric Darnell will be a very happy man. He might even celebrate by starting work on Part Three.

CHECK OUT DARNELL’S WORKS> MOVIES DIRECTED: MADAGASCAR // ANTZ 2 // ANIMATION: PRINCE OF EGYPT // R.E.M.’S “GET UP” MUSIC VIDEO

PAGE 18 A&E / NOV. 10, 2008

‘Musical’ memories With the third and final installment, “Highschool Musical 3: Senior Year”, holds nothing back

// AUBREYLEITER

I knew by picking to review “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” I would probably be made fun of. But it was totally worth it. I got to see over 20 prodigious dance numbers, hear people with incredible musical talent sing, and most importantly see Zac Efron, shirtless.

Jumping from cable TV to the big screen, the producers of “Senior Year” had big expectations to meet.

“High School Musical 3” met those expectations. It topped the box office, making $42 million in the premiere weekend.

Also it set records for biggest premiere of a G-rated movie and movie-musical.

Yes, it’s extremely cheesy and annoyingly peppy, but what do you expect? It’s a G-rated movie about high school seniors. Of the three movies, the third is definitely the best because they truly went all out to make the musical numbers one-of-a-kind.

“High School Musical 3” continues the ongoing tunefilled love story between basketball player Troy Bolton (Zac Efron) and smart beauty Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Anne Hudgens). As high school graduation continually gets closer, the duo realizes that they will soon be separated when they head to different colleges in the fall. They join their friends and produce a spring musical called “Senior Year” that deals with all of the challenges and decisions that go into their last year of high school.

The film deals with teenage problems such as the pressures of asking to Prom, graduation and what to do after high school. Teen heartthrob Troy is faced with an extremely difficult situation. Will he choose basketball or musical theatre? His dad is pressuring him to play at the University of Albuquerque, which has always been the plan, but Juilliard beckons with the performing arts scholarship.

Also, his girlfriend Gabriella will be at Stanford. And they make it seem like the only way to resolve everything is nonstop songs and dance.

The teenage problems the characters in this movie face aren’t even half of what high schools around the nation are dealing with though. The film is set on a perfect town in New Mexico where there is no drinking, no drugs and seniors still ride the bus to school. This aspect of the story does not work well at all. They might want to consider making it more realistic because it’s not everyday you see every senior walking off the

ct. a r p l a Music

PROM

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school bus in the morning.

Going into this movie, I knew that it was going to be notably corny because the endearing cheesiness was a key element in the first two movies. For example, Gabriella’s use of “hey wildcat” (referring to Troy) was cute the first time but after the 20th, it got old. Also, when Troy opens his locker there is a collage of Gabriella pictures inside.

Seriously… who does that?

Additionally, the amount of school spirit everyone at East High has is unheard-of. One of the players on the basketball team has a wildcat paw print tattooed onto the back of his head, and full-of-herself Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) has sequined a wild cat onto her Juicy Couture suit.

“Bigger isn’t always better” is the old saying, but in this movie it is certainly not the case. Being a major motion picture meant a bigger budget. Director Kenny Ortega and his choreographers certainly outdid themselves and came up with some spectacular dance scenes.

In Chad and Troy’s “The Boys are Back” the choreography is inspired by Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video. This number was just short of amazing. Being set in a used car lot, it reflected on their childhood games of playing race car drivers, super heroes and sword fighters. They would literally walk on rolling tires and at one point they ‘krumped,’ it was pretty incredible.

The entire cast is extremely talented, but this movie belongs to Zac Efron. His voice is so pure and admirable, and I’m pretty sure half the people (80 percent were girls ages 16 and younger) in the theatre were mainly there to see him.

This was pretty obvious when I heard tons of girls shriek when he took off his shirt right before his solo performance of “Scream.” I couldn’t help but feel bad for him because of the cheesy choreography

ss Senior cla

they made him do. The cheerleader-esque dance moves that were given to him didn’t exactly make the movie Oscar material. They should’ve learned their lesson with “Bet on It” from the second movie, where Troy had to literally hop around a golf course singing. Oh and my favorite part, where they had him serenading to his own reflection in a pond. It was um… cute?

To be honest, I went in there hoping I wouldn’t like it.

I guess I was disappointed in a way because it truly was a great way to end the trilogy. Sure, they needed to fill in a few holes, but I can honestly say it was good.

Being called “Senior Year,” I don’t think I am giving anything away by saying the movie ends with graduation.

“East high has given us friends that we will keep the rest of our lives. I guess that really means, ‘were all in this together’ because once a wildcat, always a wildcat,” says Troy at graduation, who then immediately jumps into a musical number called “High School Musical.” How original!

This number contained the whole graduating class, and was the last number of this successful franchise. Well, unless they plan on making a “College Musical.”

|

STAR SCALE | |Stay home |

lory’ AEvllen thegexupenriencsed, canstoisn’t‘G enough to salvage the too predictable plot

thing over the two-hour movie.

The film follows Ray Tierny (Edward Norton), a Missing Persons cop struggling to find himself after an unspecified traumatic event, forces him to quit his original job as a member of a special Drug Enforcement task force ran by his brother Francis Tierny Jr. (Noah Emmerich). The plot begins to develop as a failed “drug bust”, which kills four of Francis’ men. Ray’s father, Francis Tierny Sr. (Jon Vought) head of the detectives

| Rental at best |

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ONDER.COM

// all photos courtsey CELEBRITYW

//JORDANPFEIFFER

“Pride and Glory” is not your run of the mill cop thriller. With very few gunfights and no car chase scenes, itís comparable to some of today’s average TV cop dramas.

The genre has been worn out and used multiple times, director Gavin O’Conner should stick with sports movies such as his hit 2004 “Miracle”, rather than branch out into much harder genres like this. “Pride and Glory” is supposed to be a testimony to the “what if” scenario, where the police officers become corrupt with greed and take over city streets and alleyways smuggling drugs as well as laundering money. With police dramas typically set as gloom and doom, it is shown a lot darker in this movie; New York sees no sunlight throughout the entire film.

While a superb cast fills the roles of some very monotone characters, the “badass” tag is definitely thrown around too much. While it’s still fun to see two high profile actors such as Edward Norton and Colin Farrel chew and spit up some of the scum of New York’s city streets, but they over dramatize many situations rather then get down to the actual endeavor. This makes the movie more dramatic rather than thrilling, and gets very old when they do the same

09’

department, feels as if its Ray’s duty to come out of retirement, and delve into this failed drug bust, because the men that had died were partners as well as his friends.

As the story develops, the confusion becomes greater as interrogations between Spanish speaking parties begin to take place, and is very hard to understand without any subtitle’s, especially for the average monolingual American.

Ray’s sleuthing uncovers that Jimmy

|Worth seeing |

Egan (Colin Farrell), another member of the same unit, as well as his brother in law, is the leader of these corrupt police officers.

Ray and Francis soon find themselves wrestling between commitment, family and what is morally right and what is the easy way out. The story becomes more of a family struggle and doesn’t draw many comparisons to the usual police films. Holding someone’s attention is a huge struggle for this movie as it bounces from scene to scene, and fails miserably to let you know what’s going on.

While Colin Farrel deserve props for his inhumane portrayal of Jimmy Egan, and Norton for his angry, conflicting hero persona, the movie takes a lot of time to develop, and many scenes could have been cut, or moved to different parts of the movie to explain confusing parts. The movie and characters struggle at the beginning to set up the plot and storyline making it distracting and hard to follow.

Many of the police characters throughout the movie talk about what it means to have “pride and glory,” but most of it sounds corny, and the comments about “pride and glory” make it sound like a soap opera rather than a thriller.

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PAGE 19 A&E / ISSUE SIX

Put it behind him

Eastwood’s new film ‘Changeling’ is well done but is a small bump in the road of his long, successful career

// movie w

eb.com

W

// LANDONMcDONALD

ell, at least he got the title right. Clint Eastwood’s new kidnapping drama “Changeling” starts off promising, but soon mysteriously transforms into a dreary, overlong mess of a movie that seems content to mislead rather than emotionally captivate. Eastwood’s latest effort is the first real disappointment in a long line of uninterrupted triumphs that include Oscar darlings like “Million Dollar Baby” and “Mystic River” and it seems all the more embarrassing by comparison.

Set against the backdrop of a 1920s Los Angeles seized in the grip of rampant police corruption, the film follows the true story of devoted single mother Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) and her struggle to find the truth after her beloved young son Walter (the impish Gattlin Griffith) inexplicably vanishes.

Months after the disappearance, the LAPD finds a child matching Walter’s description and returns him to Christine, who immediately realizes the boy isn’t her son but rather an imposter sent by the police to improve their crumbling

STAR SCALE | |Stay home |

public image.

Christine joins forces with a rebel-rousing Presbyterian minister (a surprisingly mellow John Malkovitch) and tries to convince the LAPD to continue the search for the real Walter, who may or may not be in the perverted clutches of real-life child killer Gordon Northcott (Jason Harner, jittery and terrifying in the film’s best performance). She is thwarted at every turn by sleazy police captain J.J. Jones (Jeffrey Donovan) and his band of crooked cohorts. They try to convince Christine that she’s insane and even at one point throw her in a mental institute to prove it.

Once Christine enters the madhouse, the movie falls apart. Suddenly the audience finds itself in some feminist production of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” in which our heroine that must overcome a tyrannical staff (they’re somehow in league with the LAPD) and electro-shock therapy sessions to rally her fellow inmates in her desperate cause.

It’s easy to accept that the police department is out to get Christine, but by the end of the movie, it’s hard not to wonder if the entire city Los Angeles has it in for our girl. A sense of escalating paranoia, if applied correctly, can inject a film with crackling suspense and useful tension, but “Changeling” practically overdoses on the stuff. Supernatural paranoia might work for “Twilight Zone” episodes, but it’s absolute poison for a film that’s supposed to be grounded in reality.

I suddenly found myself checking my watch, all suspension of disbelief broken.

From there, the film devolves into a lackluster serial killer procedural as what appears to be the only honest cop in L.A. (Michael Kelly) decides to pursue the Collins case and

| Rental at best |

stumbles upon Northcott’s chicken ranch and the slaughterhouse beneath it. As much as I like Jason Harner’s panicked intensity in the role of the hideous Northcott, his entire storyline is a detriment to the movie and weighs it down with needless drama surrounding his eventual trial and sentencing. If there was ever a movie that could benefit from tighter editing and a shorter running time, “Changeling” is the one.

I’ve seen “Girl Interrupted,” so I already know Angelina Jolie can be a legitimate actress when she wants to be. In fact, I have a lot of respect for her ability to balance prestige projects like “A Mighty Heart” with fun but dispensable action junk like last summer’s “Wanted.” But even after watching all the hardship she’s made to endure, the audience never really connects with Jolie’s character on a real emotional level. That’s because Jolie’s performance is obstructed by her distracting ghostly make-up and the constant presence of an old-fashioned hat that hides much of her face from the audience’s view.

There are also a lot of problems with the basic storyline here and gaping plot holes that can’t be explained away by pointing at the “based on a true story” tag on the poster.

Why, for instance, did the boy who the police substituted for Christine’s son agree to go along with the scheme in the first place and never reveal his true identity to an obviously kind and heartbroken woman? The movie’s explanation for his behavior is almost laughable. Another problem comes from the film’s major twist, which I won’t reveal here due to its major impact on the film’s sudden ending, a hurried conclusion that at once seems too much and not enough.

From a technical standpoint however, “Changeling” is an impressive achievement. Shot in the same eerie, washedout color that infused Eastwood’s “Flags of Our Fathers” and “Letters from Iwo Jima” with such a stark sense of timelessness now serves to render one of the most faithful recreations of old Los Angeles I’ve ever seen put to film. It’s definitely the best reason to see this movie. From the vintage Packards and Fords to the red trolleys Christine and Walter take around town, Eastwood’s vibrant, bustling L.A. lives and breathes in a way the rest of the film does not.

Clint Eastwood, a brilliant director and actor that I have tremendous admiration for, has entered a golden age in his golden years, an evening renaissance that has seen him produce remarkable masterpieces on an almost yearly basis since his revisionist Western “Unforgiven” debuted in 1992. This is just a minor hiccup in his extraordinary career resurgence and I still expect great things from his upcoming racial drama “Gran Torino.” The sooner he puts “Changeling” behind him, the better.

|Worth seeing |

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PAGE 20 SPORTS / NOV. 10, 2008 After six years of coaching football, Coach Stonner steps down, giving the team

a sorrowful surprise // LOGANHELEY

Tears filled the locker room after East’s final game, an emotional 55-21 loss to SM West. But the tears weren’t just for a heartbreaking game; the players also felt the sorrow of losing a coach. After brief post-game comments, the players found out that the man who had led them their entire high school career was stepping down.

Head football coach John Stonner resigned after East’s final game, marking the end of his six-year career.

“The excitement and passion for coaching football and being around the players is still there, but the role and duties associated with being a head coach has worn me down,” Stonner said in an email to players, coaches and fans.

Stonner points to the many behind the scenes jobs of the head coach as the reason for his resignation. Watching film, handling physical forms and sanitizing the water equipment were just some of the time consuming jobs that Stonner felt took away from coaching. He compares it to the difference between a principal and a teacher.

“A principal may still be doing the students a lot of good,” Stonner said, “but he’s not interacting with the kids as much.”

Stonner says he doesn’t want to be an administrator, he wants to teach.

“There’s just so many things that head coaches do now,” Stonner said. “I feel like I’m spending a majority of my time doing administrative duties, rather than doing what I really love, and that’s going on the field and coaching the kids, being around the kids and going to the games.

Teaching is a passion of Stonner’s and he hopes to continue teaching at East. He is uncertain of his plan for next year, but is currently planning on staying at East.

At the halftime of East’s final game of the season, the team meets in the locker room to discuss how they could improve the game and try to take the lead. East lost to West 55-21. // KATIEEAST “I love Shawnee Mission East, it’s a great school and a great community,” Stonner said, “and I hope to continue to teach and stay here.”

The players that took the hardest hit because of the news were the juniors, according to senior Joe Moriarty. They will have to play their senior season without their coach of the last three seasons. The players knew West would be a tough team to beat, but the loss of the game and their coach left the players very emotional.

“Obviously, I think everyone was pretty devastated,” Moriarty said. “The juniors just started bawling everywhere. I think a lot of people are left looking for an answer, but they don’t really have one because it all happened so quickly.”

Stonner says resigning was a difficult decision for him.

He feels it was the right time, but does have some reservations.

“The regrets I know I will have are not being out there with the next year’s seniors and juniors,” Stonner said, “but at the same time, I realize the decision I’ve made and I know those kids will be in a great situation and I’m happy for them because of all the new things that will occur in their lives next year.”

Athletic director Jim Ricker wants a new coach to show the same good organizational skills that Stonner had, but at this point does not have exact criteria for selecting the next coach. Principal Karl Krawitz doesn’t feel that hiring a coach with head coaching experience is necessary.

“I’ve only had the opportunity to hire two head football coaches,” Krawitz said. “Neither one of them were head coaches at the time I hired them. Both of them, right now, are undefeated.”

The search for a new coach will be ‘as big as it ever could be’ according to Krawitz. In fact, an assistant at the University of South Dakota has already contacted Krawitz about the job. The coaching search has not been made public yet.

Krawitz does have certain criteria he wants the new coach to meet. He wants a coach that plans to stay long term, and he wants a coach that can excite the student body.

“We need a coach that can engage the excitement of the school and not just because we’re winning,” Krawitz said.

“People want to be able to see the progression of progress over a long period of time.”

Stonner says it was completely his decision. He felt no pressure from Krawitz or any other administrator. In fact, according to Krawitz, no complaints have ever been made regarding Stonner.

“I didn’t receive a single phone call, email or message from anyone complaining about him,” Krawitz said. “If you look in these archives, you won’t find a single complaint.”

Stonner is proud of what he has accomplished the past six years: three straight years in the playoffs and dominance over North and South. The thing that saddens him most is that he won’t be coaching the juniors in their senior season.

“When I left the locker room, about every junior and sophomore in that room hugged me,” Stonner said. “They’re really going to miss me next year. It made me feel really good that we’ve done some good things with our program that we have those types of relationships.”

// ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY KEVINSIMPSON

For Sale Shawnee Mission East 50th Anniversary Cookbook 50 years of food & friendship

$20 Perfect For Holiday Giving

!! 950 Recipes !!

Contact: Sharon Goble 913-722-0192 or jeffgoble@aol.com

PAGE 21SPORTS / ISSUE SIX

Tune in as we give you the play-by-play of what happened the last four months

Replaying the Fall Season

// TYLERROSTE

// ANDREWGOBLE

POWER

Best “Play”: Gordon Green’s header. The soccer

team battled hard for over 90 minutes against rivals Shawnee Mission South but were unable to break a 1-1 deadlock...until the dying seconds of overtime. Mitchell Jennings flicked on a corner kick to the far post. Green was in the right place at the right time, and the rest is history, as any fan that stormed South’s field will tell you.

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Boys’ team to “fast-forward” to:

Football. The team loses obvious stars running back Marcus Webb and quarterback Curran Darling, but return plenty of underclassmen to fill the role. Next year, expect contributions from next year’s large sophomore, junior, and senior classes.

Following a position higher than expected at state, the girls’ team looks to improve after a year full of underclassmen gaining crucial experience. The team was led by sophomore and junior sisters Sarah and Kristina Genton, along with sophomore Lizzie Wardall of which will be returning to the team next year.

Season to “reverse” back to: Soccer. 15

“Stopped” in their tracks: Girls’ Cross Country.

After the team’s trip to Colorado, team members were confident about their upcoming year. Early on, their times were poised to be the best in East history. Unfortunately, the course at Lake Olathe was much different from anything they had run before. Only two girls, sophomore Hanna Jane Stradinger and freshman Katie Crawford, qualified.

6 Girls’ golf placing at state.

Fall Records Results Fall

Football Boys’ Soccer Volleyball Girls’ Golf Girls’ Tennis Gymnastics Cross Country

3-6

10-4 14-20-1 6th in state 1st in state State Nov. 8 Stradinger: 21st Crawford: 36th

seniors and a creative fan base made for one of the most fanatical sports seasons in recent memory. Notable wins included an overtime win against rival South and an equally enjoyable win against recent soccer foe Olathe East. The columbia-blue-and-black scarves only added to the European soccer feeling.

Girl’s team to “fast-forward” to:

Volleyball. The girls lost two important seniors this year, but the bulk of the team remains. With a relatively new coach and system, expect top-tier results within the next couple of years as the players become fully adjusted. A tough region makes for a rough road to state, but when a team returns several talented players, success should come.

PAGE 22 SPORTS / NOV. 10, 2008

LASTING

After expulsion from Bishop Miege, senior Michael Perez plans on developing a

// CCCREIDENBERG

IMPRESSION // JEFFRUTHERFORD

It was wrestling legend Dan Gable that said, “Once you’ve wrestled, everything else in life is easy.”

Those words are close to the heart of senior Michael Perez. They’re words he has practically lived by, words that truly apply to his story.

Father is in out of jail through early childhood, making him man of the house at just 13.

Expelled from the high school at which he dreamed of doing something great.

Piecing his future back together in a new environment.

And using his talent on the mat to drive and motivate him the whole way.

Perez first stepped onto a wrestling mat over ten years ago. He was at Bishop Miege watching wrestling when his older brother came up to him and told them that there was a kid’s practice going on downstairs.

“I went downstairs to watch and that’s all it took,” Perez said. “Ever since then, I’ve been wrestling. And growing up through the sport without a father has made me who I am.”

Growing up with four other siblings, Perez’s father was in and out of prison. The only father figure he had was his older brother Louis, but he left home when Perez was a young teen.

“When I was 13 he joined the Marines,” Perez said. “So at that point I became the man of the house. Wrestling made me strong enough to be able to do that.”

He was also trying to be a good model for his fouryear-old nephew. It was a tough thing for him to do, and he knows he should have done a better job.

“Having people look up to you at a young age was really hard,” Perez said. “My nephew still says ‘I wanna be just like my uncle Michael.’ Using drugs when I was young wasn’t being a good role model.”

Perez’s character wasn’t the only thing that grew during his youth wrestling career. His trophy collection did as well. He won the first tournament he ever wrestled in, and after only wrestling for a year, took sixth place at state in the 8-Under 70 lb. division. At 14, Perez was a kid’s state champion at 130 lbs.

“I went in ranked fourth and wasn’t expected to win it at all,” Perez said. “I beat the number one kid in the state, Ryan Holden, who’s now a high school state champ, so it was just a shock after I won, almost unreal.”

Perez proceeded to become a two-time letterman at Miege, qualified for high school state and, after his sophomore year, placed fourth in kid’s state in the 16-Under 145 pound division. Everything was going great as Perez entered his junior year.

He planned on placing in high school state, gaining him recognition from colleges all across the country, and doing it all as a Miege Stag. But on one fall day, part of that dream seemed to fall to pieces.

“I got called out of class with a friend,” Perez said. “I was talking to him on the way down to the office and I

said ‘it’s always scary getting called to the office you don’t know if you’re getting busted.’ This time I was.”

Perez was asked to sit down in the SRO’s office. He thought of the little bit of pot he had in his car. Homecoming was the weekend before, and he remembered he had left it in there. It wasn’t that much though, so he stayed cool and was prepared to hear what ever was coming.

But as Perez sat down in front of his principal he was told that they had searched his car and had found the marijuana. Perez knew exactly was going to happen. He waited by himself as he thought about wrestling practice after school until the Roeland Park police arrived, handcuffed him and escorted him out of the school.

“Ms. Kenniston, the attendance clerk, was crying when they took me away,” Perez said. “She was really close to our family and she knew all my older siblings that had gone to Miege.”

While all of this was going on, one thing was in the back of Perez’s mind: his wrestling career at Miege.

“It was the first day of open mats and all I wanted to do was go wrestle and act like nothing happened,” Perez said. “Miege was a big part of my life. All I wanted to do was wrestle for Miege since I was little.”

But that part of Perez’s dream was slowly disappearing.

He didn’t go to practice that night. And he was never going to put on a Miege singlet again.

He knew he had really let his teammates down, but he felt that he had especially disappointed his coaches.

Junior Patrick Cervantes, Bishop Miege wrestler and close friend of Perez, remembers the day Perez was kicked out. He was shocked.

“Mike was one of our best wrestlers,” Cervantes said. “When I heard, I felt like all the other wrestlers and coaches did. It was a mixture of being sad, mad and disappointed.”

It was over a month before the school board actually made their ruling on his case.

Perez was kicked out.

He was out of school the entire time, during which point he focused on his family and tried to come to terms with having to change schools. Walt Woofter, Perez’s youth coach and close family friend, spoke with his mother a lot during his hiatus from school.

“Walt talked my mom into having me go to East,” Perez said. “Plus, I couldn’t get into any other schools until second semester.”

But soon after, he had new classes and was walking the halls of East. He had to do his best to put his mistakes behind him.

“My first day at East was all right,” Perez said. “Going from an average sized Catholic school, knowing everyone to a big public school and knowing a few people was hard… the only people I knew were some of the wrestlers.”

Once again, Perez turned to wrestling. He was ready to use it was an outlet, as he had done many times before. It was still a very important year for him, a year to prove himself to college scouts and the rest of his new teammates. But Perez was set back once again when he

met with athletic director Gary Howard.

“He said I couldn’t wrestle varsity but I could wrestle JV,” Perez said. “I thought to myself ‘there goes any chance at scholarships.’ I was going to place at state. There was no one to stop me, but I stopped myself.”

Coach Ufford remembers checking into Perez’s eligibility as he made his switch to East. But because of the way in which he transferred, Ufford knew this season may not work out.

“I was excited to have him at the school because he did great as a sophomore,” Ufford said, “but when we learned he wasn’t eligible, we both agreed that his grades and getting his life back together was what he needed to focus on.”

Perez still showed up to practice the next day.

He didn’t want to lose his touch and was ready to help the JV wrestlers improve. But the difficulty with grades soon caught up with him. He chose to stop going to practice and focus on school, to make sure that he was eligible for this year. He just didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize his senior season.

In February, Perez returned to the sport, and he came back like a true champion. With nothing more than a few practices under him and his competitive spirit he placed sixth at Liberty Nationals, earning him All-American status and starting the next 12 months of his life.

“I felt like I was back,” Perez said. “It was right around the time as high school state, and so I kind of felt like it was state.”

Perez continued to keep himself on the mat through the spring, and in the summer, for the first time, he felt like a Lancer wrestler, attending camps as he furthered his relationship with the team.

“I went to the Mizzou team camp and did real well,” Perez said. “I was already good friends with a few guys, but the trip really made me feel like a big part of the team.

I was ready for the winter.”

But Perez isn’t ready to think about anything past this year’s state tournament. He wants to focus on this season, maintain his trademark confidence and do it all his way.

“I am going to place at state this year, you best believe that,” Perez said with a laugh. “And I’m gonna push my teammates to do the same. But after that I don’t know. I just wanna do my best this year…wrestling and my girl are all I think about.”

He shares his confidence with the rest of the team. He believes this year’s team can be just as good as last year’s, if not better.

“A lot of people say this is a rebuilding year after losing the seniors and state placers,” Perez said, “but I don’t see any reason why we can’t do it again. I know we’re going to shock some people this year.”

Perez said he had a story to tell. One that shows the events that have made him who he is. He wants to accomplish some big things.

“I look back at all the things I’ve been through,” Perez said, “and it just makes me know that whatever I gotta do, I can get it done. I’m the only one that can stop me.”

4 faces

PAGE 23 SPORTS / ISSUE SIX

sideline

the

of the

fall

the who, what, when and where of East Sports

the Stonner Age Following a loss in the last game of the season against SM West, John Stonner stepped down as head football coach after six seasons. During his career he made the playoffs three seasons in a row and made significant contibutions to team-led charity work.

MARCUS WEBB

Having followed in the footsteps of injury-ridden Lancer runningbacks, the senior made it through his final season unscathed and the namesake to the East football rushing touchdowns record. Webb started for two seasons and is arguably the best ball carrier the team has ever had. On the same night Coach The senior forward led the soccer Stonner stepped down, Webb stepped out team this season with 10 goals and of the high school football spotlight, but wrapped up all-Sunflower League honors should be expected to be a potential last week in what was his first season starting college back. on varsity. In an 8-1 blowout against Leavenworth, KENZ

IEWY

LIE

Lancer Proud

Sister Act

// MAC

Seniors John Kurtz and Josh Barlow took their fanhood to the next level and made Lancer sports scarves.

Their product is on sale for $15 and has sold well. Their advertising claims it “may cause confidence...” Winter sports season, anyone?

MICHAEL CRAY

he had his first ever varisty hat trick to compliment his four assists on the season. Cray’s college plans are uncertain as of now, but after a season as successful as this, he says he’s about “50 percent certain” he will be on the field next year.

Volleyball player, junior Lindsey Sauls, finished her first season on a different team as her sister, ‘08 East graduate Kasey Sauls. Lindsey was named to the all-Sunflower League first team last week, a feat her sister also accomplished last year.

What fall sports moment made you proud to be a Lancer?

RRO STE

the

panel the

// TYL E

Sam Logan Serving up Aces: I love country club sports at East, especially when it’s tennis girls winning the state championship. The team won their first title in four seasons and continued the Lancer “Country Club Sweep” of championships.

JONATHAN STEPP

ART STEW

N //DA

After being diagnosed with a malignant tumor in his knee, the senior runner turned his cross country captain status into motivation for fellow runners. Following 18 rounds of chemotherapy, Stepp continued to hang around practice and be an inspiration to everyone associated with the team: seniors, freshmen, coaches and parents. At the The junior took top honors in the cross country banquet. he spoke of how running doubles competition in Kansas with her helped him discover the tumor in his knee playing partner, senior Sarah Luby. She also and how the sport has changed his life helped lead her teammates to an overall team for the better. state title. For the past two seasons, her junior-senior tandem with Luby has been considered one of the most dominating forces on the court and it showed this season. Reber has been near the top of her ladder since her freshman year, though constantly fighting back problems that have proven no match for her game.

NIKKI REBER

Andrew Goble

Nut Cup Craze: I expected another year of high expectations and a school spirit letdown from the Nut Cup, but a Lancer Day pep talk from Dr. Krawitz made for a surprizingly well-attended game with a classic high school feeling.

// RAC H

ELEN

GLIS

H

Cam Smith Sophomoric Future: Two touchdowns and a comeback win against Shawnee Mission South in sophomore quarterback John Schrock’s varsity debut provided this underclassman the time of his fall season.

PAGE 24 PHOTO ESSAY / NOV. 10, 2008

LIGHTINGUP

NEWTRADITIONS Drawing an end to the fall sports season, Lancers begin a new tradition to rally their school pride Oct. 28

ABOVE: Junior David Crane passes in front of the seven foot pile of firewood which was lit around 7 p.m. when Lancers showed up to rally around it.

// PATRICKMAYFIELD

LEFT: Senior football players Arias Lockheart, Ryan Tuschhoff, Greg Guthrie, Joe Moriarty, Ben Gloe and Jim Frederick come to help get the Lancers getted pumped up for their Friday game. // TYLERROSTE

LEFT: Sophomore Logan Heley roasts a marshmallow over the searing flames. STUCO brought hotdogs, along with s’mores ingredients so students would have the opportunity to cook them over the fire. However, the intense heat made it difficult for students to approach the flames. // RACHELENGLISH

UPPER LEFT: Lancers gather in one of the practice fields to attend a school bonfire, a new STUCO event started by principal Dr. Karl Krawitz. //TYLERROSTE

BOTTOM LEFT: From the left, sophomore Burke Smith, seniors Andrew Lykens and Pat Sixta, junior Paul Wolff and sophomore Jeff Tate lead the drumline in a few cadences to pump up Lancer fans and athletes.

//TYLERROSTE