Issue 11

page 2 news 02.16.10

After a recent Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance, corporations are receiving

The right to pay >>Katy Westhoff

The Supreme Court ruled on Jan. 21 that it is unconstitutional for the government to set limits on the amount of money corporations can give to political campaigns. This retracts part of the 2002 McCain-Feingold Bill, which was one of the first pieces of legislation to regulate political election campaigns by putting a limit on the amount corporations can donate to politicians.

This Court decision increases the influences of corporations on the outcome of elections.

According to the Supreme Court’s official Web site, Citizens United brought the case to court.

Citizens United, a non-profit political action committee, funded a film entitled “Hillary: The Movie.”

The film features and analyzes former New York Senator and current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

When Citizens United wanted to charge for seeing the movie, the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) took issue, citing the McCain-Feingold Bill’s $2000 limit on political funding. Citizens United felt this was unfair and brought the case to the Supreme Court. The Court ruled that corporations cannot have limited spending on a political campaign.

The Court ruled that it is extending the rights and protection of the First Amendment to corporations, meaning the government cannot limit political speech in terms of monetary donations.

Marketing teacher Rebecca Murphy is passionately against the ruling. She fears that politicians will not pass legislation based on the good of the people,

but instead in the favor of those who fund them.

“In economics, we subscribe to the theory that everyone acts in their own self interest,” Murphy said. “I’m not sure having corporations act in their own self interest will result in decisions that are in the best interest of our citizens.”

Senior Nathan Goldman also feels that this self interest is not in citizens’ best interest.

“I’m willing to bet most of the richest corporations in America aren’t necessarily concerned with getting kids the best education possible,” Goldman said.

Goldman keeps himself informed with political happenings and is afraid of the repercussions of the bill.

“We could see some fascinating and horrifying things happening,” Goldman said. “Say, corporations being allowed to vote. It seems ridiculous, but it’s a step in that direction.”

The decision was made by just one vote: five Justices for Citizens United and four Justices against. President Barack Obama expressed disapproval for the Court in his State of the Union address on Jan. 26. Obama feels that this new decision will allow other countries to influence the elections that should solely depend on American citizens.

“The Supreme Court reversed a century of law that I believe will open the floodgates for special interests — including foreign corporations — to spend without limit in our elections,” Obama said in his State of the Union. “[Elections] should be decided by the American people.”

Goldman sees the Court’s ruling as a return to Gilded Age politics of the early 20th century, where corporations were granted the same rights as people and democracy was corrupted by big businesses who used lawmakers as “pawns.

“Rich businesses will own any politician who can be bought,” Goldman said.

“Those who can’t be bought will probably not get the financial support they need to get elected.”

>> Alishka Jolitz

Opposing Opinions >>Katie

East

A look at both side’s views on the Supreme Court ruling Citizens on the case United v. Federal Election Commission.

FOR: Supporters emphasize that disclosure is justified by a “governmental interest” to let electoral candidates know about election-related spending. They also reason that the disclosure requirements would not leave members of Citizens United in danger of threats, harassment, or reprisals that might make such disclosures unconstitutional.

--Supreme Court Consensus statement Jan 21 2009

Though the McCain-Feingold bill capped corporate donations to campaigns, individuals were allowed to spend freely. According to the Federal Elections Commission, Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts spent over $5.5 million dollars campaigning. Over $2 million came from businesses.

“Politicians are supposed to be accountable to the American citizenry as a whole,” Goldman said. “After this, we are going to see an increase in politicians who are accountable only to corporations.”

Junior Peter Bautz has also been following the case. He sides with Obama and predicts that the ruling will be overturned.

“The court decision is either going to be mitigated or overturned,” Bautz said.

“The Obama administration wants to mitigate it, and there is a big countermovement against corporations because of the financial crisis.”

Discontent with the government among citizens has been prevalent since Obama was elected. Throughout 2009, Tea Party protests and the Tea Party movement oppose “big government” have been orchestrated by conservatives who call themselves the “Tea Party Patriots.” The Tea Party movement’s mission statement posted on their web site is “to secure public policy consistent with... fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government and free markets.” They are organized based on the core values of the Constitution and demonstrate their dissent with the government through planned protests, marches and rallies.

If Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission is not overturned, Bautz and Goldman believe there is a danger of political candidates being “bought” by corporations, thus disallowing the people’s say in democracy.

“The real question is what is the freedom of speech, and if it applies to corporations,” Bautz said. “These rights have never been applied to corporations before, and the question is if they should be.”

AGAINST: Opponents, such as Justice Sonia Sotomayor criticize supporters opinions. They argue that corporations are not members of society and that there are compelling governmental interests to curb corporations’ ability to spend money during local and national elections. ­--Supreme Court Consensus statement Jan 21 2009

>>www.oyez.org

issue 11 news page 3

Proposed bill places additional tax on tanning at salons and would have customers...

BURNING their

Cash >>PhoebeUnterman

In the midst of pre-WPA tanning season, should not tax tanning just because of the senators in Washington are voting on a opinion that tanning is harmful.

Health Care reform bill that includes a pro“The tanning industry has come a long posed 10 percent tax on the use of tanning way since when our parents [were tanning],” beds. The tax will take effect in July if the bill Flowers said. “The products we offer and passes. kinds of beds we use are different.”

The Congressional Joint Committee on Though tanning has evolved over the Taxation projects that the tax would raise years, sunbeds emit predominantly UVA 2.7 billion dollars over the next 10 years to and some UVB rays, both of which, accorduse toward providing health insurance for ing to the World Health Organization (WHO), more Americans. The tax would also serve can damage the DNA in cells of the skin. as a “sin tax,” raising awareness of the harmful effects of tanning. In the past, taxes on substances like tobacco and alcohol have decreased usage, according to Dr. June Robinson, a clinical professor of dermatology at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Junior Andrew Goble Medicine.

While many dermatologists are major Sophomore Maddie Collins, a regular proponents of the proposed tax, it has local at Sunseeker’s, is aware of the effects of tanning salon owners outraged. The tanning tanning since both her parents have been industry is mostly made up of small busi- diagnosed with some form of skin cancer. nesses, and owners such as Vickie Flowers However, she thinks that people will always of Sunseeker’s Tannery in Leawood don’t overlook the warnings if they want to tan. In think the tax would be fair to her business her opinion, the proposed tax would be no and others. different.

According to Flowers, tanning is not “I think that everyone knows what tana black-and-white issue, and legislators ning does, but they just look

“

I definitely think people would still go. Everyone knows what tanning can do, but you hear what you want to hear. >> -Maddie Collins, 10

”

SUNSEEKERS Tannery is just one of the many tanning salons that will be enforcing the new added tax on tanning. Senior Ellie Kessinger works at Sunseekers, and she dos not anticipate a drop in customers. Katie East

>>

past it because you just kind of believe what you want to hear,” Collins said. “That’s not what a lot of girls want to hear, so they just let it slide.”

Senior Ellie Kessinger also tans frequently and is an employee at Sunseeker’s.

Kessinger believes that the slight difference in price that would be a result of the tax wouldn’t phase customers.

“People make it a priority to tan and it’s a part of a lot of people’s routines,” Kessinger said. “I don’t think that [the tax] would change that.”

Junior Madison Haverty has seen the effects of basal cell skin cancer from her mom.

She also lost a close family friend to melanoma. Last Spring, another family friend asked her to model for a local organization called Pasty By Choice, which promotes skin protection and discourages tanning.

She supports the tax because she is in favor of anything that could discourage tanning.

Also, she hopes other people will make the healthy decisions she has chosen to.

“I’ve seen the effects it’s had on people that are really close to me,” Haverty said.

“I have blonde hair and blue eyes and fair skin, and every single older person who is like that, who i know, has gotten skin cancer, so i think that its important to protect my skin. The fact that they are putting that tax

on it is labelling it as something negative.”

As a cancer nurse at the Kansas City Cancer Center for 20 years, Carol Are has seen the implications of melanoma--the most dangerous type of skin cancer--and its treatment. Though some, like Collins, don’t think of skin cancer as a big deal because most instances of basal or squamos cell cancer can be treated by excising the spot, Are asserts that skin cancer should not be a matter taken lightly.

“Melanoma is an ugly disease that is not curable if it spreads past the little spot that it first becomes,” Are said. “Once it spreads into deeper tissues and gets into other parts of your body, it is not curable.”

According to Are, even the more minor types of skin cancer can leave ugly scars or lesions.

The tax was proposed with the idea in mind that it would reduce health care costs by hopefully reducing skin cancer in the future.

According to the WHO, tanning actually costs the government money due to the substantial costs of screening, treating and monitoring skin cancer patients.

“I think the tax is biased against our industry,” Flowers said. “At this point, why don’t we tax drugs or alcohol?”

NING

N theTERRORS of TA

Risk of melanoma is 75 percent higher for those that have gone before they turned 35 tanning

Modera cancer, te tanning can damage le the imm ad to sun burn , une sys tem and increase one’s Some of c cause p t h e n rematu hance of skin ew rays tha re skin t are up er lamps used aging in to 15 tim es more tanning beds c an have powerfu ultravio l than th let e sun.

>>healthcentral.com

page 4 news 02.16.10

in brief { } THE NEWS

A look at upcoming events and opportunities at East for the next two weeks

>>DanStewart

the calendar

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SWEETHEART Elections

Tuesday Feb. 16 during Seminar A complete list of the candidates is on smeharbinger.net

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WPA is this Saturday and no one is more excited than nominee Senior Louisa Morton.

“It’s cool that the senior class nominated me considering it’s only my second year here,” Morton said. “It was so unexpected.”

Morton plans to sport her pink converse to the dance instead of the traditional heels to “look different.” .

Tuesday Feb. 16 7-8 p.m. in the Auditorium The Shawnee Mission School District will present information regarding the current budget situation. Members of the Board of Education, Superintindent Gene Johnson and District administrators will attend. Information will be provided regarding legislative issues, the district’s position related to potential budget reductions and input from sponsors regarding these issues. All members of the Shawnee Mission East are invited to listen in.

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SPRING PLAY Auditions

Wednesday Feb. 17 at 3 p.m. in the Auditorium

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SHARE Blood Drive

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Thursday Feb. 25 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Small Gym

SENIOR Tara Raghuveer holds graduate Jenee Vicker’s hand as she donates blood at last year’s SHARE Blood Drive.

Rachel English

>>

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“Arsenic and Old Lace,” written by American playwright Joesph Kesslinger, is the spring play coming to East.

Auditions for the play are being held tomorrow. “Arsenic and Old Lace” is a farcical comedy about Mortimer Brewster, a rather ordinary man who is wrapped up in his homicidal nightmare of a family. He mainly deals with his murderous aunts who often attempt to poison old men.

DISTRICT Budget Meeting

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Senior Kelly Sabates never thought about being a SHARE Chair for the Blood Drive until she donated blood herself last year. Sabates is not only in charge but motivated by her friend.

“It was Elizabeth McGrannahan who motivated me,” Sabates said. “She donated blood and was always active.”

Come Feb. 25, Sabates will be running the Blood Drive with her fellow chairs junior Mac Dolliver and senior Tyler Woltemath.

“Donating felt really empowering and I realized how vital it was,” Sabates said. “So I didn’t want any misconceptions about donating being scary.”

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KMEA State Music

Friday Feb. 26 and 27 at Wichita College Junior John Meyer started by going to District Choir with Chambers. Six students made it to District and they sang a total of six songs. Two weeks later they found out about the results.

Meyer was the only one to make it to the Kansas Musical Educators Association Concert.

“I was shocked because I wasn’t sure how my audition went, but I’m still excited,” Meyer said.

Meyers will be performing with the other contestants on Feb. 26. They will start practice on Feb. 23. The concert will be performed in at Wichita College. They will sing a program of strenous works such as Domini Sili by Handel.

Other musical students in all levels of Band and Orchestra will also participate in comparable concerts held on the same date.

>>

For additional coverage and updates about upcoming events at East visit sme harbinger.net

issue 11 web page 5

Rewind. >>TimShedor

There’s never been a devoted forum for student videos, music, and art. The Five-Minute film festival is literally five-minutes of fame. There’s never been a place to watch the home basketball games, live, from the comfort of a desktop computer. Just ask former guard and alum Winn Clark, who watched the boys’ season-opener against South from Canada. Or exchange student Anna Seilund’s dad, who watched the Lady Lancers’ game against FreeState two weeks ago from Denmark.

Fast-forward. Soccer, tennis, baseball, all streaming live (or archived) with fresh commentary. Weekly discussions on everything from European soccer to indie music to the best Village eats. Five-Minute films that can be seen in infinite fame on the fastest-growing Web site at East.

Play.

In the Kitchen. culinary how-to’s

A quick look at smeharbinger.net’s new featured content

On the Court. games and commentaries A first for the Harbinger this year, live broadcasts premiered as the fan favorite. The staff has put out seven, free live feeds for internet viewers, from former East varsity basketballer Winn Clark to exchange student Anna Seilund’s (girls’ varsity starter) father in Denmark.

In-between court and fan pans, the broadcasts are bookended by pre-game and post-game analysis, as well as the commentator’s half-time take on the game.

Coming in this spring, the online crew plans to broadcast girls’ softball and soccer, as well as boys’ baseball.

And as always, faithful commentators will be watching the game in real time, providing accurate and colorful commentary.

Check back every Thursday andFriday for new sports Round-ups from Sam Kovzan, Kevin Simpson and Sam Logan as they discuss the top five in the week’s Lancer sports.

Watch under the Video>Live and the Sports>Roundtable category.

innovative treats. Videos online described the step-by-step process it takes to cook Eggs Benedict, M&M Mini Treats, and more.

Watch under the Video>Cooking category.

Footloose Interviews

site

SECTIONS

what videos are found in each of the new sections

>

At the Table. roundtables

Cooking

•In the kitchen with Julie Baker •Eggs Benedict

Harbinger staffers, and appearances by guest opinionists, meet to discuss everything from European club soccer to the Indiest music around. The roundtable discussions will be posted on a weekly basis and are guaranteed to introduce you to a fresh trend with a reasonable review. Watch under the Video-Roundtable Category.

Featured

>

•Concerts •Playcuts •News videos •Documentaries

>

Live

•Varsity Sporting events •Commentaries •Fan Cams

Let the Beat build. the music section

Quick shots of senior Kept Mess’s throttling performance at Homer’s coffee house, or a panning view of the “Footloose” playcuts are enough to make any student or teacher swoon. The Homegrown section of the Harbinger Online not only

Soccer Roundtable

Buried in the sophomore hallway, finding Foods teacher Julie Baker’s kitchen is like finding a pig in a blanket. It’s a sight, and taste, to behold when she sautees and steams cheap grocery food and transfroms them into

features raw student work, but it highlights and accentuates it with additional content, like music from Kept Mess’s demo or interviews from the musical. Watch under the Homegrown>Student Musicians or Theater category.

>Roundtable •All sports •Soccer •Music

On the Screen.

5-minute films

The Five-Minute Film Festival is always five minutes too short. That blinding glimpse into the artsiest videographers that comes for two showings every April is enough to make any diehard Lancer squeal, but the magic won’t happen again for another year. Now nearly all

the Five Minute Film festivals can be viewed on the Harbinger site, including the notable award winners. There’s even the films that didn’t make the festival.

Click nearby to watch the best from video Broadmoor students.

Watch under the Homegrown-5Minute Film Festival category.

Music Roundtable

>>

Fan Cam

photos by Mackenzie >>all Wylie and smeharbinger.net

Check out all of these new videos and podcasts by visiting the video section of smeharbinger.net

2,200 members of the Prairie Village community

WILL READ THIS AD.

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Corrupt Campaigning

issue 11 editorial page 7

New law gives too much freedom to corporations on political campaigns Political beliefs are determined by several factors. But any political scientist will tell you that media is an increasingly important influence, especially on youth. One particularly potent form of media, advertising, is about to become even more pervasive, thanks to a recent Supreme Court decision. Unfortunately, the form of media -- corporate-funded political ads – is almost sure to have a negative impact.

In a recent 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court struck down laws governing spending on political advertising by corporations and unions. Prior to the ruling, the 2002 McCainFeingold Act prevented TV and radio ads funded by those groups from appearing within 30 days of a primary election or 60 days of a general election. Corporations and unions can now spend unlimited amounts of money on political ads.

This decision is a mistake for several reasons. First, the Court’s decision violates Constitutional principles. Though the Court claims that the First Amendment justifies their ruling, their decision actually reflects a basic flawing in their interpretation of it. Corporations have existed since the time of the Founding Fathers yet are not mentioned in the Constitution as having the same rights as people.

Thomas Jefferson, in particular, was fearful of the influence of corporations and hoped to “crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations.”

Furthermore, unlike human rights, the rights of a cor-

The

VOTE

Letters to the editor should be sent to room 521 or smeharbinger@gmail.com.

Letters may be edited for clarity, length, libel and mechanics and accepted or rejected at the editors’ discretion. Readers can read letters to the editor at smeharbinger.net.

against absent

10 2 0

>>GabriellaThompson

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

Editors-In-Chief >>Tim Shedor >>Phoebe Unterman Assistant Editors >>Sam Logan >>Kevin Simpson Head Copy Editor >>Andrew Goble Art and Design Editor >>Michael Stolle News Editor >>Annie Sgroi News Page Editors >>Alysabeth Albano >>Haley Martin Editorial Editor >>Jack Howland Opinion Editor >>Aubrey Leiter Opinion Page Editors

advertisers who pay the most.

In real terms, this means that the corporation will win out over the citizen or small group every time. The median household income in 2007 was roughly $50,000, according to the US Census Bureau. By contrast, Wal-Mart’s 2009 net income was $13.5 billion. Wal-Mart can drop $10,000 on a political ad without even noticing the missing money. The average American family cannot. This is not free speech but privileged speech Campaign finance rules don’t limit free speech -- if the heads of corporations want to speak freely, they’re allowed to do so, with their own money or through a political action committee (PAC.) But, it’s unfair to use enormous corporate profits to speak for a non-political organization whose members may disagree with the message.

Finally, the ruling establishes a dangerous precedent by allowing corporations to be considered “persons.” This ruling overturns campaign finance reforms that have existed in some form for decades. Future courts could use this ruling as a springboard to grant corporations even more rights. One remote yet disturbing possibility is that the court could allow corporations to donate directly to candidates.

>>

the

The majority opinion of the Harbinger Editorial Board

for

poration are not inalienable. A corporation must be granted a charter and rights by the state. Those rights are not and should not be tantamount to those of human citizens.

Another common defense is that the 14th Amendment gives corporations the same rights as people. In fact, the amendment was added to ensure that newly freed slaves gained full citizenship after the Civil War. Using it to defend corporate personhood is in a completely different spirit than amendment was written in. Simply put, corporations have no legal basis to claim the right of free speech.

Beyond Constitutional issues, the practical implications of the decision are also significant. Supporters of the decision claim that the decision restores free speech. In fact, it makes it harder for the average American to express their opinion.

Our nation is built on democracy and free speech protects that democracy by guaranteeing every person a voice. Creating an environment for free expression means allowing everyone to be heard, not just lifting spending limits. When corporations may spend freely, they drown out other voices. The days of the soapbox are gone, and free speech now almost requires some amount of money to be heard. TV and radio stations broadcast ads from the

February 1, 2010 Sports Editor issue 10, vol. 51 >>Sam Logan

>>Tom Lynch >>Kennedy Burgess Features Editor >>Duncan McHenry Feature Page Editors >>Sarah McKittrick >> Kat Buchanan >>Anna Bernard Spread Editor >>Emma Pennington Asst. Spread Editor >>Morgan Christian A&E Editor >>Mac Tamblyn A&E Page Editors >>Raina Weinberg >>Maddy Bailey >>Bob Martin Mixed Editor >>Toni Aguiar

Sports Page Editors

>>Corbin Barnds >>Christa McKittrick >>Evan Nichols

Photo Editor >>Mackenzie Wylie Assistant Photo Editor >>Dan Stewart >>Grant Heinlein Freelance Page Editors >>Kathleen Ireland >>Collen Ireland >>Lilly Myers Copy Editors >>Andrew Goble >>Logan Heley >>Jack Howland >>Sam Kovzan >>Annie Sgroi >>Tim Shedor >>Kevin Simpson

>>Michael Stolle >>Phoebe Unterman >>Kat Buchanan >>Evan Nichols >>Duncan McHenry Staff Writers >>Griffin Bur >>Grant Kendall >>Alex Lamb >>Anne Willman >>Katy Westhoff >>Ian Wiseman >>Matt Gannon Contributor >>Kiki Sykes Editorial Board >>Griffin Bur >>Andrew Goble >>Logan Heley >>Sam Logan >>Jack Howland >>Annie Sgroi >>Tim Shedor

>>Kevin Simpson >>Michael Stolle >>Mac Tamblyn >>Phoebe Unterman >>Corbin Barnds Photographers >>Eden Schoofs >>Lindsey Hartnett >>Nathan Simpson >>Samantha Bartow >>Anna Marken >>Katie East >>Grant Kendall >>Claire Wahrer >>Michael Stolle Staff Artists >>Kennedy Burgess >>Morgan Christian Circulation Manager >>Jeff Cole Ads Manager >>Anne Willman Online Editors

>>Michael Stolle Assistant Online Editors >>Logan Heley >>Pat McGannon PR Representative >>Jeff Cole Online Staff Writers >>Christopher Heady >>Elizabeth Mcgranahan Online Copy Editor >>Bob Martin Online Photographer >>Mackenzie Wylie >>Nathan Simpson Anchor/Vlogger >>Andrew Goble >>Jeff Cole Videographer >>Alex Lamb Adviser >>Dow Tate

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

Scott Schaefer Salon 8833 Roe Ave Prairie Village, KS 66207 913-383-2225 Hours: Tues-Fri 10a.m.-9p.m.

Saturday 9a.m.-6p.m.

Junior feels that professional athletes have lost touch with

issue 11 opinion page 9

The Love of the Game

>>Alyssa Jolitz I never knew that a kindergartner in Teva’s could be more knowledgeable than most professional athletes about the right way to play the game.

On an icy Saturday morning, I rode with a friend of mine to KevinSimpson >> his cousin’s basketball game. It was to be nothing more than a time-waster before my team took the court for our GABL game. Soon, though, I realized that there was a lot to learn from the scene in front of me, even if many needed help lacing up their Keds.

Absent of trash-talking and obnoxious celebration, this matchup of six-year-olds included a cheerleading squad that rooted for both teams. There were no selfish players looking to pad their stats or their rep; one player was even generous enough to score for the other team (albeit accidentally). And, unlike the 2004 Pistons-Pacers brawl, the only reason a player ran into the stands was to show her damaged ankle to her parents.

The scenes from this game were a refreshing contrast from the attitudes that are evident in today’s sports world.

Greed and a complete lack of common sense have become all too commonplace from the players I once looked up to.

We as sports fans have become so jaded by the recent swing of idiocy by professional athletes and coaches that we have forgotten why we love sports. The three-foot tall athletes in that crowded church gym reminded me what sports should be about.

It’s about meshing as a team towards a common goal.

Someone should tell that to Gilbert Arenas, who allegedly brandished a pistol to settle a gambling dispute with teammate Javaris Crittenton.

The most memorable sports games are the ones like the one I saw, where the players played because they legitimately wanted to succeed and have fun doing it. The kids loved every air ball, every traveling call and every foul, because they got a smile from their parent and a pat on the back from their coach. Some of the players on the bench even stumbled over the sidelines because they were so excited at the successes and failure of their teammate. Perhaps San Francisco 49ers superstar receiver Michael Crabtree should have been sitting next to me and taking notes. an opinion of

Crabtree sat out the first five games of his season over a contract dispute. I’m sure his teammates love him!

Most importantly, sports allow us to see the reward of hard work and dedication. The only hard work today’s baseball sluggers do is control their roid rage. The contest I was able to witness featured a quartet of coaches, all fathers of players, that attempted to get their teams to play well, but also the right way. They urged the kids not to yell at the refs and to play fair. This theme of playing fair hardly carries over to the professional baseball diamond, in which historical records and glory are side effects of cheating. Barry Bonds is mired in all sorts of allegations over steroid usage, and he is the one in command of the home run record, the most hallowed statistic in all of sports. Alex Rodriguez admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs, and just nine months later, he was the toast of New York City after he helped lead the Yankees to the World Series crown.

This lack of accountability in today’s athletes is appalling, and it is the fault of fans like us for continuing to reward this behavior with second, third and fourth chances.

The only way to get the attitude and actions of the players to mirror that of the munchkins in the church gym is if we make these athletes feel a sense of wrongdoing for their actions, and the only place these spoiled phenoms can be hurt is in their wallet.

That’s why everyone with the authority to make a change in the back pocket of these prima donnas should do just that. Harsh fines should be imposed by league commissioners when the athletes are intent upon making far above the league average. Lengthy suspensions can be used during issues of misconduct; this could include set-instone precedents that define the suspension length when a certain crime is committed or league policy is violated.

However, it’s not just the elite authority figures that can impact the income of undeserving professional athletes.

We, a nation of sports fans, can stop buying tickets. We can stop going to games. We can stop purchasing jerseys.

And, perhaps most importantly, we can stop heaping lavish praise onto those that don’t deserve it.

Today’s professional athletes do not deserve the rewards they get for playing a simple game until they realize they must return to playing the way they did on their rise to the top. Back when they were kids, they played with a passion

for the sport that was coupled with a dream for making it to the pros. They did not complain about the amount of time they got the ball. They did not sit out of games for a contract dispute. And they did not always score for the right team, just like the kindergartners from the crowded church gym.

Kevin’s Top Three Sporting Lows

1 Always Strapped

Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas settled a bet the only way he knew how — bringing an unloaded pistol to the locker room. Classy.

2 Sidebar: Sponsored by Papa John’s

The amount of sponsorships invested in sports is disturbing. I can’t imagine someone will ever exclaim that the St. Petersburg Bowl presented by Beef ‘O’ Brady’s was the game that showed them how to love sports.

3 Malice at the Palace

A pushing match between the Pistons and Pacers at the Palace of Auburn Hills turned ugly when it spilled into the stands. I can’t decide if the best part was Ron Artest getting pelted by a cup of Diet Coke or Steven Jackson wildly swinging at fans. nbabasketball.org, sportsillustrated.com

>>

12:00

Point of View

The Assisstant

Tie shopping with my mom at Macy’s. Due to my lack of interest in fashion magazines, a very flamboyant sales assistant named Sebastian assists me. I try on an extent of different ties, ranging from a “fine emerald silk” to a “Norwegian wool blend”, all of which make my neck itch. The king of the assistants Sebastian then declares that I’m “tying them all wrong”, and inquires if I learned to tie a tie from baboons.

I guess that’s why Sebastian, armed with a tie he pulled off the rack, a Ralph-Lauren I think it was, decided it was his duty to act. If you happened to be wandering through Macy’s on that Saturday afternoon, you’d see a grown man with overly gelled, spiky hair choking a teenager while his mom stood off to the side, telling him to hold still.

3:47

GABL = My Life After we annihilate our opponents in an intense community basketball game (their team name was The Losers, and rightfully so), we decide to hit up Chik-fil-A. I sit down with my filet and waffle fries, completely forgetting I’ll be eating an elaborate Italian meal only a few hours from now. I glance at my phone and see six “urgent” texts and four missed calls from my mom, wondering if I’ve gotten a corsage.

Crap. I call her back, and in a gruff tone she informs me that she is currently picking one up.

For the win, mom. FTW.

Ten minutes ‘til pictures. Time to get dressed.

I pick up the khakis laying on my bedroom floor.

After dusting lint, crumbs and other various items off the pants, I examine them for any ketchup stains from last night’s dinner with the folks. Nope, we’re good.

A few short moments later, my outfit is nearly complete, give or take a few accessories. After a quick scan of my closet’s contents, I find a blue sport coat. I then remove the dead boutonniere from the jacket’s lapel; remnants of yesteryear’s Cotillion. I slip on the fancy new shirt-and-tie combo that Sebastian picked out for me and head into the bathroom for final inspection.

The appearance of my hair strongly suggests that I just got into a fight with a vacuum cleaner, and the vacuum won. After soaking my hands in water and running them through my hair, I glance into the mirror again. Not much has improved, but it looks like I at least tried. And who’s going to care, anyway?

Apparently, everyone but me.

In Need of a Band-Aid

>>

It’s hard to sit down and have a mature conversation with a grizzly bear. Especially when said bear, who just so happens to be a former college linebacker, is your date’s father.

For ten minutes I struggle to keep from passing out due to fright. Between growls, I can make out the words “respect” and “intentions.” My date’s father keeps his massive paw on my shoulder, gripping it with a force a couple notches above firm.

“You will do the right thing,” he says, and walks away.

I load into the car with my date. As we drive off to dinner, I swear I see her father slip me a wink. My insides are churning the entire ride to dinner.

Welcome to Italy

Sitting in front of me is a platter of leaves and cheese. And I’m supposed to eat it. Using a fork, I evenly distribute the “food” about my plate, giving the appearance that I had made an attempt at the salad. I take a few moments during this process to reflect on the events that led me to this predicament.

For starters, I’m a white kid of English descent from Kansas. So naturally, I would be fluent in Italian, and would furthermore be able to read an entire menu in Italian without English translations, right?

Wrong. That was the basis of my struggle. I found myself asking the waitress the meaning of every item on the menu, struggling to read her lips over the chatter at the table, and then sheepishly asking her to do it again. My date seemed more embarrassed than me.

Hey, I just wanted to make sure I didn’t order horse meat.

So, when the waitress had had enough and I was made to order, I told her the classic line, “I’ll have what she’s having,” pointing to my date.

And that, ladies and gentleman, is the reason why my heart sank when I saw the waitress bring out two identical salads. It’s the reason that salad has been sitting in front of me untouched for thirty minutes. And it’s the reason I’m still hungry.

Next dance, I’ll just go ahead and order the horse meat.

Or go to McDonald’s.

No Dancing Allowed Nothing is better than standing awkwardly in a throng of people for two hours. Well, almost two hours; I forgot earlier that we are strictly forbidden to dance at dances and broke apart from the group, jumping around during the song “Shout” by the Isley Brothers. After being stared at for an uncomfortable amount of time by some of my more cool-concious group members, I discovered the error of my ways and I returned to my position in our group’s chat circle.

Deciding to get some much needed air, I excuse myself and head for the drinking fountain. On my way out, I glance over in the corner of the cafeteria, where a group of kids are breaking the rule. Those who are dancing are really going at it, shaking their heads and stomping their feet.

They look ridiculous. I long to be them.

Hugs and Handshakes

As the after party winds down, it’s time to say goodbye.

I go through the usual mechanics. A slap on the back for a friend, a couple of handshakes for the host’s parents and a series of waves for all my other group members.

Then, there’s the date. She goes in for the hug, but just to make things more awkward, I make the last-minute decision to give her a slap on the back instead. A quick “thanks” (without boring her with any reasons why) and I am out the door before she can get in a word.

Even though this night should probably be deemed a failure, I have three years to get it right.

12:14

a Jo litz

Aly ss

After several failed attempts from my date at pinning on the boutonniere, her camera-happy mother decides to take it upon herself to repeatedly puncture my chest with the sharp needle. As I rub my new sore, I ask myself if a flower was worth the pain. I suddenly picture the future, where my mom is checking where I’ve been the entire night by following the trail of white flower pedals that have fallen to the ground. It seems to answer my question.

On to pictures. I stand behind my date at the end of the line of couples, the shortest of the boys. ...

The Chat

10:05

5:50

As Long as it Fits

-------------Why our parents would insist on placing me, at the end opposite the tallest guys is a mystery. During the bombardment of bright flashes and sighs from mothers, all I can think of is the phrase, “AT&T: raising the bar.”

6:13 6:13

1:55

My first thought as I roll out of bed--I forgot the corsage.

Only a few minutes into the new day and I’ve already screwed up. Who knew a flower, a sweet, delicate flower, would cause my complete and utter downfall?

I pull out the to-do list for WPA my mom made for me a week ago and circle “Order corsage.” I scan the rest of the list for the first time, overwhelmed by its volume of tasks.

After a series of mental “I’ll save that one for later”, I return to bed.

You call it lazy. I call it beauty sleep.

7:38

Handled incorrectly, a high school dance such as WPA can be the single most awkward experience of your teenage years.

The media often portrays with the same >>IanWiseman dances cringe-worthy stereotypes, but honestly, they don’t know the half of it. Because girls ask guys, there is increased pressure on males to not screw up.

The following is a series of these awkward events, compiled into one extended nightmare of a dance. Laugh, cry and scream as one boy, we’ll call him Ian, takes you through WPA from a guy’s perspective. an opinion of

Wake Up in the Afternoon Feelin’ Like P-Diddy

6:55

WPA: From a Dude’s

6:13

page 10 opinion 02.16.10

issue 11 features page 11

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attractions, visit smeharbinger.net.

page 12 opinion 02.16.10

dealingwith a disability Since I was two-years-old it was just part of my life. The feeding tubes, the wheelchairs, the wailing through the nights. I always had the dream that one day it would be over. he would rise up off the >>MattGannon That ground and talk.

But as I grew older, I knew it wouldn’t happen. He would never walk or talk. My brother would always be trapped by cerebral palsy.

At first, I never thought that there was anything different between us. I still treated him like any older brother would. I laughed with him and yelled at him. I played catch with him by rolling the ball his way, and retrieving it when it was never pushed back. I rode in his wheelchair thinking it would be great to ride in it all day.

I was always thinking about how lucky he was that he never had to do anything.

Why did he get to watch episodes of “Barney,” “Arthur,” and “Mr. Rodgers” while I sat in class trying to grasp the idea of the alphabet?

Why did I have to get my own juice box and crackers, while my parents held him and fed him whenever he wanted?

Why was I always second and he was always first?

When I got older and began to rise up through the first years of elementary school, I realized that something was really wrong with him. For years I had thought of him as a baby brother, but he wasn’t a baby anymore. He was going into kindergarten, but on the outside he still had only the abilities of a small infant.

I realized that it wasn’t normal to make weekly trips to doctor. I realized that the hospital wasn’t meant to be a second home. I realized that every child in our neighborhood ate with a spoon and a fork, while his milky food came through a tube inserted just above his belly button.

I realized that he was the one suffering, not me.

After kindergarten, my brother would never attend a public school again. He struggled to keep up with his friends, and his mind often wondered during class. My parents believed that he could receive a personal education somewhere else. He ended up going to a private school in Lenexa, called Hope Lutheran. It was a 20 mile drive from our house, while my school was only a few steps away from our front yard.

He enjoyed his time at Hope Lutheran. He made great friends there and the teachers were always willing to go the extra mile just to help him out. They understood that they couldn’t give him the same homework as everyone else and expect him to do it on his own. They tutored him in our home, sang songs with him in our kitchen, and helped him keep up with his recess buddies on the playground.

My brother was always a happy guy. If I had a tough day at school, he would be sitting at home with a bright smile, and immediately he would cheer me up. When he laughed, it would make everyone in the room grin. He had this overwhelming feeling of joy, especially for someone whose life had been almost ruined on the day he was born.

Living with my brother brought cheerful moments, but also many that were scary and heartbreaking. He was often a victim to seizures, and I was often the one that would have to help him when they struck. I was only 7-years-old, sitting in the living room with him watching cartoons, all alone, when I witnessed one first-hand. I remember watching in fear, as he shook uncontrollably. I remember running to the kitchen screaming for my mom. After being unable to find her, I ran back to him, phone in hand. I looked at him one more time before I dialed. He was just lying there, an opinion of

Sophomore reflects on the special relationship he shared with his brother.

still, with a grin on his face.

It was a false alarm. He was okay.

Along with scares like these, there were also the awkward moments when people would just stare. It’s one of the worst feelings in the world, just being watched. I don’t know why, but I hated it. I understand why people would stare at us. He stood out in the crowd.

But for someone to just stare at you, never blinking, never saying a word, it was one of those things that would stick with me for days.

He wasn’t a fossil, or a Picasso, or an elephant. He was a human being, just like you and me. He knew what was going on around him. He had eyes and ears and a brain. He just couldn’t walk away from you or say “what are you looking at” when he was stared down.

Traveling with my brother Sophomore Matt Gannon rides on his brother Trevor’s walker, a device that allowed brought a new adventure. In the him to move on his own after a push. >>Photo courtesy of Gannon family car, we would have to deal with the constant yelling and screeching, as he tried to communicate with us.

After minutes of complete silence, I begin to walk away But after an hour or so, a moment of peace would come. I from the tombstone. Back to the realities of school, friends, would look to my right and see him, slanted awkwardly in and sports. I am almost to the car when I glance back one his booster seat, sound asleep. last time and read his name “Trevor R. Gannon”, and whisMy family and I spent a lot of time traveling with my per to myself “the best brother in the world.” brother, always trying to find the newest wheelchair or computer that he could talk through. We would go from the snowy streets of Milwaukee to the warm sands of the Florida Keys. It was a trial and error system trying to find equipment that would fit him.

Eventually we would find a device that I called the Gannon “Walker”. It was like a purple bike with two extra wheels recalls fond and straps that would held in place. This odd looking device allowed him to move on his own, unlike any wheelmemories chair. It was as close as he would ever get to walking. with Trevor One of the greatest moments I ever had with my brother was our first trip to Disney World. My brother squealed in One of my favorite memories was going excitement as we walked through the park. He could ride to Key West and watching my brother almost anything he wanted to. He could see anything he swim with the dolphins. Although, all I wanted to see. He smiled on the coasters and laughed on got to do was watch, it was just fun seethe log flume ride. He rolled his way to every costumed ing him do something he loved. character he could. He tried to high-five every ride operator. He was just another kid living his dream.

When we went to Milwaukee when I was But all great things must come to an end. Two days beabout eight was a great memory too. fore the fireworks, hamburgers, and sparklers of the Fourth We played miniature golf. Even though of July, I was sitting in a hotel room in Omaha, Nebraska it was 30 degrees, it was still a lot of fun watching the movie Elf with my brother. As I began to doze off to sleep, my parents put my brother in his bed of pillows hanging out and playing a game with we had assembled on the floor. My parents wanted to keep him. an eye on him through the night, like every other night.

I was the voice for his speaking computWhen I woke up, I was living a nightmare. My brother er. I spent hours saying basic phrases was just where I had seen him the night before, but this like colors and different types of food. time his face was white and there were medics all around It got rather annoying but I knew it was him. I heard the word “pneumonia” over and over again. I saw my parents crying for the first time in my life. I knew it helping him. right then and there.

My best friend, my buddy, my 10-year old brother was dead.

Staring at his tombstone, I know I would not have traded him for anything in the world. No ordinary brother For additional coverage about could have given me the moments that he and I shared. students who have siblings with disabilities The laughing and the crying. The smiles and the tears.

Lasting Memories

1

2 3

>>

read the next page.

issue 11 features page 13

By having handicapped siblings, these East students have learned to

see past the

differences

Junior Hannah Earley Brother Mitchell

>>AubreyLeiter

Sophomore Grace Martin Brother Walter Even though she has had a brother for the past 14 years of her life, sophomore Grace Martin’s parents don’t see their daughter as a typical sibling. With the diagnosis of autism on her brother at an early age, they call her an “only child with a sibling.”

In a lot of ways, she is an only child. She is the only child to bring home a report card every quarter and the only child with a curfew. In other ways, she feels like part of a family with a lot of kids because of the lack of attention her parents give her. The attention naturally goes to her 13year-old severely autistic brother, Walter.

“My favorite thing about Walter is that he seems so happy,” Grace said. “My dad always says that the person least affected by Walter’s autism is Walter.”

Walter attends a special needs program at Shawnee Mission North. Due to autism, Walter is unable to speak, read, do math or take core classes.

“Unlike some severely autistic kids, he is pretty social and likes to be around people,” Grace said. “A lot of them are routine-driven and have something that they constantly like to be doing or carrying. Walter used to like plastic fish, but now he always carries a basketball.”

Having an autistic brother has caused Grace to go through many scary situations. One time, after being turned away for less than ten seconds, Walter managed to get into Grace’s dad’s bathroom cabinet and put a razor blade in his mouth. Another time when taking a nap with his dad, Walter got up and wondered out of the house and was lost for two hours.

When not having to save him from putting objects in his mouth, Grace enjoys curling up and watching Disney movies with Walter. The siblings have a bond over their love for Disney movies.

“Though it can get annoying and really frustrating to have a sibling with a mental disability, I wouldn’t want him any other way,” Grace said.

“Because then he wouldn’t be the same Walter I’ve grown up with and always loved.”

Junior Chris Melvin Brother Jack A nine-year-old brother has taught junior Chris Melvin more than any other person who is close to him. He has helped him realize what a true blessing is and has also allowed him to open his eyes to anyone with a disability. However, Jack Melvin isn’t your average nine-year old, he has a disorder called Down syndrome.

“I worry about him a lot because I know he has a ton of potential and is a great kid,” Chris said. “But it’s not

SOPHOMORE Grace Martin watches a movie with her brother Walter. The two love to watch Disney movies together. all photos by Sammi Kelly

>>

JUNIOR Hannah Earley helps feed her brother Mitchell. Due to his cerebral palsy, Mitchell can’t feed himself.

always easy for society to see that.”

Jack attends Briarwood Elementary school, where he has a paraprofessional help him throughout the day.

Twice a week, he sees a speech therapist, once a week he sees a music therapist and once a week he sees an occupational therapist to help him with his fine motor skills.

Chris says one of the biggest challenges of having Jack as a brother is spending time with him. It is hard for Jack to understand that Chris is busy with homework and extra curriculars and doesn’t always have extra time to play video games with him.

By the press of a button, junior Hannah Earley’s younger brother Mitchell’s love of baking is possible. This button isn’t on an electric mixer though. The mixer is plugged into an outlet on the button.

Due to a condition called cerebral palsy, Mitchell’s muscles don’t function properly, disabling him of executing the normal tasks of baking. He is unable to control an electric mixer, stir a spoon or ice a cake. Even though Mitchell doesn’t get the full effect of cooking from pressing the button, his face lights up as if there is no difference.

Mitchell is unable to control his own muscles causing him to need a wheelchair. He is also visually impaired and his brain operates slower than normal.

“Anyone who knows him sees him as a funny, smart and kind child,” Hannah said. “His disability is hard to cope with but we all love him and I would do anything for him. He is my best friend.”

Mitchell is an eigth grader at Indian Hills Middle School and will be attending East next year. He has a para to help him eat because he is not able to feed himself because of his muscles.

His disability makes a huge impact on how the Earley family lives their lives. When house-hunting they have to look for a house with no stairs, and a lot of open space for Mitchell to get by in his wheelchair. Also, they have a special van with a ramp so that its easier for Mitchell to get in and out of the car as opposed to being lifted into it.

Vacations are very difficult to go on because it’s hard for him to fly, and the hotel has to be handicap accessible. Mitchell loves to go to his Grandma’s house in Topeka, but getting into the house is very difficult because it has steep narrow stairs which is hard for Mitchell to get up because of his wheelchair.

Having a family member in a wheelchair has caused a few dramatic moments for the Earley household. By mistake once Hannah’s mother, Teresea Earley, forgot to put the break on Mitchell’s chair and he fell off the porch face-first. A similar event happened with a para at Highlands Elementary school when Mitchell was at recess.

“I was in sixth grade and I remember everyone was talking about it,” Hannah said. “It was so scary, but then I heard he was okay.”

Mitchell has really opened the Earley family eyes to really appreciate what means most in life.

Teresea can’t even imagine what life was like before handicap accessible buildings and without all of the technology Mitchell uses.

“I feel bad about it, but at the same time he gets way too obsessive,” Chris said. “His little obsessions are what is difficult.”

Chris doesn’t let the fact that his brother is disabled be a bad thing. He explains that sometimes if he mentions his brother has Down syndrome to someone and they say sorry, that it is very hard to react to.

“It’s hard to react to that because there’s really nothing to be sorry about,” Chris said. “Jack is an awesome brother. I never have once wished he could be normal because normal is boring.”

4

page 14 online 02.16.10

Top

The

Let’s face it: Most students working on homework eventually end up browsing the depths of the web. YouTube and Facebook are standard time-wasters, but check out these other sites when looking for something to avoid writing that dreaded senior paper.

Best websites to waste your time on

>> AndrewGoble & DuncanMcHenry

icanhazcheeseburger.com

digg.com

mylifeisaverage.com

homestarrunner.com

Browse because:This collection of websites would perhaps grow stale on their own, but contribute to an all-encompassing collection that covers unfortunate events (FailBlog), clever graphs (GraphJam), and cats with hilariously debilitating grammar issues (LOLcats), along with almost 40 other sites. The browsing power of these sites lies within it’s quantity, not quality: you might have to push that midnight study session for hours searching for that perfect LOLcat, with hundreds of terrible ones in between. Peruse at your own risk.

Browse because: Digg is essentially the Internet Hall of Fame, chosen by its loyal members daily, who “digg” articles and pictures that they think are revealing, informative, or just goofy. Whether you want a mix of Fox News flubs or a gallery of adorable animals that look like they’re using computers, Digg is the answer. Filled with some important news briefs of the day, you might convince yourself that it is not time wasted. That is, until you spend 30 minutes reading page-long Amazon reviews of a t-shirt with three howling wolves on it; totally worth it, though.

Browse because: A refreshing dose of realism separates MLIA from all other websites. While not as outrageous, the website provides hours of entertainment by simply pointing out how bland our lives are. These clever observations on the mundane are bound to make you think “That’s happened to me!” at least a couple of times. Some of my favorites are the ones that make you think it’s going one way and then throws you a curveball: “Today, I realized that I am unemployed, live with my mother, play video games all day in my basement, and I am still a virgin. It’s alright, I finish 9th grade next week. MLIA.” Classic.

Browse because: This is probably the only site on the internet where you’re immediately serenaded by a wonderfully annoying song upon visiting. Add the fact that the singer and site mascot, Homestar, is an armless, insane cartoon character in a propellor cap, and you have the most deliciously weird site ever. Filled with everything from cartoons and character profiles to games and downloads, the entire site revolves around the offbeat and ridiculous world of Homestar. Be sure to check out the “sb emails” section, where Strongbad, another chuckle-inducing character, takes honest fan mail and rips it apart shamelessly—it’s gold.

Browse Rating:

9

Browse Rating:

5

Browse Rating:

6

Browse Rating:

Classics

“Pants on the Ground”

The self-proclaimed “General” Larry Platt provides brilliant social commentary on the importance of keeping your pants off the ground. Unfortunately, he was 35 years too old to compete in the next stages of American Idol.

This video performs the rare trifecta of things that make YouTube videos an instant success: a painful-but-humorous accident, a baby, and a British accent.

“Charlie Bit Me”

“I’m on a Boat”

7

Lonely Island has figured out for YouTube what Hip Hop producers have used for years: If you want to have viewers, you must have T-Pain. Throw in Andy Samberg and a boat, and you’ve got a viral video.

issue 11 features page 15

cabaret collaboration The East Chinese Program joins CIS to celebrate the Chinese New Year

>>AnnieSgroi

In Room 514, 17 students wait. Their conversations are peppered with short Chinese phrases. “Ni Hao!” Hello. “Zao-an.” Good morning. Some are leaned in near an iPod listening to a new Chinese song.

All 17 faces of the 2nd hour Chinese class look to the front of the room as a small, spritely woman clears her throat to speak.

Chinese teacher Hau-In Lau pulls her long black hair back from her face and begins.

“The cabaret is coming up,” Lau says.

“Think of this as an opportunity . . . opportunity to connect with a Chinese character.”

Lau announces that they’re going to the stage gym to practice. She points to the boys who’ve offered to carry the fabric dragon.

“Follow the dragon boys.”

***

The Chinese Cabaret is part of the Chinese New Year Banquet hosted by the Center for International Studies (CIS). The Center for International Studies is a language program at Shawnee Mission South where students can intensively study Arabic, Chinese, Japanese or Russian.

The banquet is a fundraising event whose proceeds pay for travel and activities for the CIS and East Chinese students. East is the only other school in the district to offer Chinese and they’ve gone on two trips to China with CIS in years past.

Each year, the CIS seniors organize the Chinese New Year celebration so their classmates can showcase their skills. Lau teaches at both CIS and East, so she was excited about the two programs working together.

CIS senior Miles Simpson is one of the organizers of the event. He went on one of the trips two years ago when they went to tour southern China. Simpson hopes the fundraiser can be successful enough to help others have the chance to connect with the

cabaret

COSTUMES

culture and be fully immersed in the language.

Senior Nicole Prenevost is thrilled to work with the CIS students because of their enthusiasm.

“They’re so intense and passionate about what they’re doing,” Prenevost said. “It’s great to get together with more people who love Chinese.”

***

Down in the stage gym, the class eagerly sifts through their bags of costumes—beaded headdresses are tried on, yellow silk robes are admired and embroidered sashes are tied. The students are brought back to dress-up time as kids. Suddenly they’re swirling their sleeves, using lantern rods as samurai swords and spin-kicking each other.

Then, Lau calls out “Listen! Line up!” And they move towards one end of the basketball court. In a row along the white end line, they stand as a team. Except they’re not players but a cast of characters. They each represent a piece of Chinese history, from a Ming Dynasty scholar to a woman from the Republic of China. They read their lines, first in Chinese then in English. All the costume-induced giggles are gone and they’re focused.

As they recite, Lau interjects “Xiao!” Smile.

Prenevost explained that this is their first chance to share what they’ve learned this year. That’s why they take so much care with their lines. Prenevost said it’s been a long but fascinating process learning Chinese pronunciation. Chinese has more consonants than English so there are many combinations to learn to recognize.

After they carefully run through their lines, they break off into groups—the girls go to practice their lantern dance and the

boys go to practice their dragon dance.

Each of the girls picks up a red lantern hanging from a wooden rod and they take their positions— all holding their lanterns perfectly still.

The music starts scratching out from the old CD player and all at once the girls start to sway. Lau notices their solemn looks.

“Xiao!” They take a few synchronized turns and set down the lanterns on the edges of their circle. The girls form two lines and start weaving back and forth to the tune of what now sounds like an Irish reel.

***

The 1st hour Chinese class is learning to dance as well but they have an additional task: singing. The two songs they’re working on are “The Moon Represents My Heart,” a ‘80s classic Chinese love ballad by Teresa Tong, and “Manly Man,” the Chinese version of “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” from Disney’s “Mulan.”

They run half-heartedly run through “The Moon Represents My Heart,” but as the first familiar notes of “Manly Man” start to play they find their energy. For this song they’re all relaxed—they try to hit the high notes and aren’t embarrassed if they miss.

Junior Susie McClannahan said the class enjoys their second song because “it’s from ‘Mulan’, so what’s not to like?”

McClannahan said the practice has been more than a chance to reconnect with Disney favorites; it’s been a chance to connect with each other. “[The cabaret] has got everyone communicating more,” McClannahan said. “Now we have to actually chill and work with each other instead of just being in class.”

After they run through both songs it’s down to the stage gym to practice the Tai-

Here’s a look at a few of the costumes the East students wore at the Cabaret

xia pei xianbei In tapestries and silkscreens from the Ming Dynasty women are often pictured wearing this type of simple, long, pleated skirt.

chang This ornately embroidered pleated skirt would have been worn by a common person to a formal ceremony or holiday celebration.

“This special kind of a cape was called pink cloud cape or xia pei because of its beautiful shape,” Lau said.

A xia pei would have been worn over a blouse to a ceremonial occasion.

>>

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all photo

wanese Aboriginal Dance. Their costumes are simpler than those of the other class— red cotton skirts, pants and blouses and red-feathered headdresses. They line up and run to the other side of the gym in a winding train as the music starts. They take their first steps, tentatively yet in unison.

Lau watches them dance. She smiles when they hit a step right and looks over with concern when they’re frustrated. Lau knows firsthand what it’s like learning a Chinese dance.

Last March, Lau was asked to be a part of a dance for the Ethnic Enrichment Commission (EEC) of Kansas City’s Diplomatic Ball. The EEC is made up of organizations representing minority groups in the city and it works to support all cultural activities.

Lau had never performed Chinese dances before that March, so when she was first asked she was as hesitant as her students.

Representatives from the consulates of 66 nations and leaders of cultural groups from around the city attended the ball—over 600 people in all. Lau recalls her nerves when she was performing. She tries to both tell them how to improve and compliment them as they practice. “With more pow, be more deliberate!” “Good, good job!”

Lau feels the cabaret has helped to strengthen ties between CIS and East. The two schools have met at South for rehearsals in which they decide on blocking and work on blending their voices together into one chorus.

She hopes that learning the dances and songs will give them a personal tie to the culture of China and help them care about continuing their learning.

***

At 7:30 p.m. on the day of the cabaret, large red lanterns hang from the ceiling of the South cafeteria and candles glimmer on every table. The students wait just outside the cafeteria doors. They’re anxious to start--they’ve been here rehearsing since 1:30 p.m. The guests look towards the podium as CIS senior Celeste Banks takes the podium and clears her throat.

“The Chinese New Year is one of the most treasured celebrations in Chinese culture,” Banks said.

“It’s customary to reunite with family and friends and have a joyous celebration. We’ve reunited as a big family, so now it’s time to start our joyous celebration.”

And with that, the first song begins.

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irecting D

>>TomLynch Senior Hannah Copeland sorts out the audition sheets from the last

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Coming “Sweetheart” Soon! directed by Kylie Morrow

Showing Febuary 19th

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In the culmination of a theater student’s high school career, he or she plans, casts and directs his or her own one act play, even writing it from scratch sometimes. The shows range from comedies as funny as a classic “Seinfeld” episode to haunting dramas that send chills down viewers’ spines.

A lot of work goes into each show, and below we detail each aspect.

>>Natha

lot of auditioners. The ones that stood out, on the left. The ones not right for the part, on the right. The auditions for a Frequent Friday may seem like the beginning of it all. But, for the directors, like Copeland, it isn’t unlikely that the process started more than a year before the casting.

She knew that she would have to come up with a Frequent Friday for next year. Instead of using someone else’s work, Copeland always wanted to write her own.

“I really just didn’t want to have to read a bunch of plays, so I always knew that I wanted to write my own” Copeland said.

This year only four out of the seventeen shows are original works by students. But, writing their own script lets the director put more of themselves into the show.

The two characters in her story represent Copeland’s self proclaimed split personalities. Susie Moore represents Copeland’s optimistic side, always searching for more, and looking forward to what life has in store for her. While Jeremy Layte is Copeland’s pessimistic side. He is always late to class, because he just doesn’t care and doesn’t think that life’s going to get any better.

As Copeland’s auditions were happening, the preparation for Footloose was beginning.

“At first I was really angry about Footloose, because I thought that a lot of the people that might try out for my show wouldn’t be able to because they would be doing Footloose” Copeland said.

Copeland was relieved by the 51-person turn-out.

After Copeland had chosen her cast of 13, she started her rehearsals.

Copeland would start the rehearsals with focus exercises, such as pass the clap where the group of 14 would pass a clap around a large circle. After that, Copeland usually tried to get through the script one and a half times before calling it a a day.

The inexperienced cast turned out to be a blessing. Copeland plans to go into some form of education, and enjoyed teaching her cast about basic acting concepts.

“I have a feeling that if it had been your ‘normal’ theater kids they would’ve just blown off [what I had to say]” Copeland said.

The consequence of having a large group for her play was that some people didn’t want to be at the rehearsals.

“We had some trouble with one of the actors not wanting to got to the first few rehearsals, but after those first ones, he pretty much came to all the others” Copeland said.

After that the rehearsals went swimmingly all the way up to the show’s premiere on Jan. 22.

Copeland’s goal was for her audience to gain a better appreciation of poetry. Copeland said “I think that a lot of people think poetry is too ornate and flowery. I just wanted them to see that it isn’t like that. It can mean more.”

And for the future directors of Frequent Fridays, Copeland gives the advice to put as much effort into your show as you can.

“You have a huge opportunity to impact a bunch of people” Copeland said. “You don’t want to waste that.”

F

requent ridays >>TomLynch

After changing out the CDs, sophomore Duri thought she might just get through her first Frequent Friday as a member of the crew without any snags. She was mistaken. She thought she had turned down the master volume. But alas, “Stand,” by Dee started to play through the speakers in the middle of the show. Duri realized what had happened and was quick to turn the volume down.

“I underestimated what I was doing I thought it was going to be more simple (trying to switch cds for music before)” Long said about the interruption during Senior Cara Rivers’ show “The Zoo Story.””I felt pretty awful.” Rivers was in the tech room with Duri and told her not to worry about it.

“I underestimated what I was doing I thoguth it was going to be more simple trying to switch CDs.” said Long.

Long has been on crew for two shows so far. She has done sound for “The Zoo Story,” and lights for “The Allegory of Suzie Moore & Jeremy Layte” directed by Senior Hannah Copeland. Long enjoys the opportunity that Frequent Fridays provide, in how she is able to experiment with lights and sound on a smaller scale, to see if she would want to work with them for a main stage. She is able to do this without making a large time commitment.

“I would like to get more involved in tech, but so far I haven’t really had the time.” Long said The crew usually starts their work the week before the show, and sometimes even the week of, depending on how much work needs to be done. Long attributes this to the fact that Frequent Fridays aren’t usually very “tech-heavy.” Regardless, Long said “you definitely [still] need to know what you are doing.”

According to Long, for most Frequent Fridays, the director will ask specific people to be on their crew, but that this is due more out of desperation than an attempt at exclusivity. “[If an someone with experience on crew] asks the director to help, they will usually be thankful, and give you a part in it” Long said.

When it comes to choosing between acting and crew, Long has a tough time deciding.

“I like both, but with crew you don’t really get that adrenaline rush, that you get from acting.” But then again, Long adds “The tech really makes the show.”

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>>TomLynch

Going to a Frequent Friday is something every student at East should experience. Doing research for this story, and realizing how much work goes into each and every one of these delightful shows, my appreciation for them has improved immensely. The fact that our school even has these, I think is often taken for granted by most of the student body.

I have been to three Frequent Fridays in my time at East. And yet, it seems like I’ve experienced the complete range these shows have to offer. There are bad ones, there are good ones, and there are great ones. Regardless of their quality I’ve enjoyed all three that I’ve been to, because even when the acting is wooden and the writing is cliched, I still have something to talk about after.

If you’ve never been to a Frequent Friday, go to one. And if you don’t enjoy it, go to the next one. Eventually you will be thoroughly impressed. I promise.

A cting

>>KatBuchanan

nlein t Hei

Senior Danny Thompson has finally claimed his moment in the spotlight.

After school on Jan. 19, Thompson entered room 213 to audition for senior and director Kylie Morrow’s Frequent Friday “Sweetheart.”

For his first-time lead role, Thompson portrays a soon-to-besoldier by the name of Tom. His best friend June, played by senior Kelsey Summers, promises to send him letters while he’s away at war and soon realizes that she has let the love of her life get away from her. Thompson plays the role of the far-away heart throb well, a fact that Morrow noted from his first reading.

“Danny had the look I wanted for Tom,” Morrow said. “And by that I mean he looked very genuine and honest.”

Thompson had known about the show for months, planning to try out for a role since he’d worked with Morrow on “The Grapes of Wrath” this past November. After auditioning for Jack Hawkins‘ Frequent Friday in December and not getting cast, Thompson was more than ready for a defining role.

“This is my last opportunity to do something before I leave and I just want to get one more play in before the end of high school,” Thompson said.

Thompson performed a role in the fall play, “The Grapes of Wrath,” and he continues to work on other productions. Whether he has a minor part or a lead role, Thompson thoroughly enjoys being involved in different shows.

“I just like the atmosphere,” Thompson said. “It’s almost like you’re a family; near the show date you spend so much time together and you all have the same goal and it’s just fun. I love it. I love being on stage and just acting.”

Though the play has hit a few speed bumps due to Footloose rehearsals, the cast is ready as ever to focus on the piece. The show premieres this Friday in the Little Theater.

>>Gran

For seniors Nathan Goldman and Kaevan Tavakolinia, writing a play was second nature.

During his junior year, Tavakolinia began crafting a story about a loveless, dysfunctional family living in a trailer park. He based his concepts and characters on verses from the songs on the Neutral Milk Hotel album “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea.” Tavakolinia felt a strong personal tie to the album, something that went deeper than mere attraction to the guitar riffs and drum beats. Writing the story helped him distinguish his feelings.

“It was a way for me to appreciate the album more and in a different way,” Tavakolinia said. “To jump past loving it for it’s musicality and form, and to love it for inspiring something in me.” he mother’s persona was from “Two Headed Boy, Pt. 2”, the father Oh Comely.” The main character, a teenage boy who, according to an, is “literally two headed” and named Jeff, was also based off of Headed Boy: Pt. 2.”

Mangum, the former lead singer of Neutral Milk Hotel, said in an iew that “Aeroplane” was based off of the Diary of Anne Frank, the s account of a teenage girl on the run from the Nazis. Tavakolinia his into great consideration and used a copy of the diary he purd from Half-Priced Books and the album as guidelines for the story e now wanted to bring to life. ate June, Tavakolinia pitched the idea of using the concept for his ent Friday play to Goldman. The two agreed that Goldman would he details, fill in the holes, and check the main plot points with Takolinia should he ever get lost. From there on out, the two worked ogether having heated discussions about the life and actions of each character on the page.

The brainstorming duo would meet whenever possible, in Tavakolinia’s room, in Goldman’s living room, in a corner at the Roasterie in Westport. They began piecing the lives of the characters together, and soon the characters began to tell stories of their own.

“It came to a point when the characters stopped being written by either of us, and started writing themselves,” Tavakolinia said.

The writing process was lengthly at the least. From its inception during Tavakolinia’s junior year to completion in mid-October, the play was a work in progress for over a year. Goldman worked on the story line over the summer starting in July, always confirming his ideas with Tavakolinia and finding inspiration in the Neutral Milk Hotel album.

Goldman spent his summer and the first half of his senior year working on the play. He had been accustomed to writing and had been weaving stories ever since he could hold a pencil. Though he had never written a play he Whenever he felt stuck he could double-check passages from the Diary or turn to “Aeroplane.”

“There was one point where I could not get the last scene to work, and I went for a walk up and down my street, listening to the album, trying to get the right pacing for the scene,” Goldman said. “Then I walked back inside, turned off my iPod, and finished the script.”

The pair’s work paid off when the final draft of the script was taken to the stage. “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” debuted to a completely full Little Theater on Dec. 4. The cast and crew worked together to put on a memorably eerie show complete with live music and relatable characters. Goldman and Tavakolinia were both pleased with the end product and give credit to the superior cast and deep concept. ll it bragging, but I felt like we accomplished something very Tavakolinia said. “We had a great time, and we all, every one of rned a lot.”

issue 11 spread page 17

>>

To view recordings of past Frequent Fridays visit smeharbinger.net

page 18 features 02.16.10

from

to

REALITY Junior makes original clothes for herself and friends

>>AnnaBernard

The basement is a menagerie of color. On one wall sits a huge white cabinet. There is a drawer for each item she’ll need—multicolored zippers, thread, pens. Another wall is covered in shelving, making it easy for her to grab the rainbow of fabrics, beads and patterns.

Around the room sit five sewing machines, the heart of the operation. A mannequin stands in one corner, bare, ready to be covered in whatever materials fall into junior Emily Collin’s agile fingers. These tools allow her to create her art: clothing.

“For me to design and create [fashion]... that nobody’s ever thought of, nobody has ever made before, that’s the best part,” Emily said.

Designing is part of Emily’s history. When Emily was eight-years-old, her mother, Karen Collins, began teaching Emily all she knew about the art of sewing. In Emily’s 4-H group, an organization focused on hands-on learning, she designed a skirt, a top, and a dress. She would also sew little things for her room such as pillows or stuffed animals.

Karen enjoyed seeing her daughter develop a passion for something that had always meant so much to her.

Karen started sewing when she was seven after her great-aunt gave her her first sewing machine. Growing up, she would sew some of her own clothes. Twenty-three years ago, Karen began work as a professional seamstress at a custom bridal shop called the Lady Who Makes Dresses. Her designs include not only the custom bridal gowns, but also revamped old dresses and costumes for theater troupes.

“Her older sister sews a little bit but nothing to the extent Emily does,” Karen said. “I was very happy that she wanted to learn how to do it, but I didn’t push her into it.”

Emily’s skill comes only from what her mother taught her, apart from a futile day workshop at Harper’s, a fabric store that later closed, when she was younger. She and her sister sat, bored, as they were taught techniques they had learned before. Now, Emily relies only on her mom for help. Because of school and work, they don’t get to see much of each other.

Hancock Fabric’s, where Karen works as assistant manager, has turned into a makeshift home for the two, where they can draft patterns or evaluate new fabrics together.

Emily’s design process starts with an idea, something she’s seen in a magazine or on one of her favorite shows, Project Runway. She’ll take one aspect of a design and tweak it to her personal style. Sometimes she thinks the designs get too complex, but Emily will work with it until it’s something she can manage. Color comes last. After that, it’s a whirl of trips to Hancock’s, using her electric sewing machine, and alterations with her serger.

The hardest part of creating a piece is starting, Emily says. She makes her own patterns, starting from a base, and

’

From East to Uganda, take a look at some of Emily’s recent designs

has to cut out each swatch of fabric individually. It’s the most boring part of the process for her, but once she’s done, the real magic begins. Emily will work five hours on the clothing, using her sewing machine, until it is almost completed. That leaves only hand alterations and the finishing embellishments.

Depending on the project, the total amount of time working varies, but usually clocking in around 30 hours. Skirts take an hour; pajama pants, 20 minutes.

“Fashion, for me, is an art,” Emily said. “A piece of art that people really identify themselves with so much that they decide to cover their bodies with it.”

At home, Emily will find something that doesn’t fit or she doesn’t like anymore and mess with it until she likes it again. “[Junior Meagan Dexter] makes fun of me, because she’s like ‘Oh, did you make something tonight to wear to school tomorrow?’ ” Emily said. “Sometimes I’ll do that.”

Now, Emily is designing and making two dresses for WPA—one for herself, and one for Dexter. Shopping for a dress that’s close to perfect isn’t appealing to Emily. She’d rather take matters into her own, capable hands and make something ideal.

Emily started her own dress over Winter Break, working on it for two days, until it was close to finished. Her dress is a brown, backless V-neck with woven straps. The girly and flowy gown is a complete contrast to the Homecoming dress she made, which was more structured. Emily doesn’t need to explain this disparity—she wears what she’s in the mood to wear.

“I really just like things that are a little different,” Emily said. “But I don’t try to make them different or ‘indie.’ I just do what I feel comfortable in.”

Later over break, Dexter texted Emily, asking for her own dress for WPA. Since Emily’s dress was close to being done, she was happy to start work on another dress. The two friends met at Hancock’s to look at some ideas Dexter brought for her dress.

Dexter was excited to have Emily design her dress, since they were friends and it would be one-of-a-kind. Dexter looked through fashion magazines to get ideas, and they worked on getting the right design, fabric, and fit.

“She has so much potential,” Dexter said. “I think they’re really intricate and beautiful, so I’m really excited.”

Dexter’s favorite —a purple, one shouldered dress with grey accents—was more complicated than anything Emily had made before, but she decided to step up to the challenge.

wpa dress The first brown dress Emily has worn since childhood, Emily’s goal was to make this dress in a more natural and elegant style. She spent two days of Winter Break making it.

>> all photos by Mackenzie Wylie

“I love to see some of my friends at school when they come and they’re wearing something that I made for them,” Emily said. “They chose that out of anything in their closet, anything in the stores, something that I made.”

Though Emily loves making clothes for her friends, last year she entered the National Art Honor Society fashion show to demonstrate her talent. Emily remembered when her sister had entered the fashion show and she was in awe of how the designs were lit as the models went down the runway. She entered six designs in the show, the most of any single participant. Most of her entries had a retro style, and some were dresses she’s already made.

But an idea was forming in her mind, something artistic, creative, and all together different. Emily designed a vinyl corset, each panel covered with magazine portraits. She crossed out all the mouths and eyes in the pictures, a representation of the fashion show’s theme, “Miscommunication.” Once finished, Emily was extremely proud of her design, but she didn’t expect it to win anything.

But, to her surprise, Emily’s corset won “Best Surface Design,” an award which goes to designs covered in another medium. According to Emily, other entries in this category were things like jeans and shirts from the store covered in paint. Being a sophomore, she was extremely gratified to be recognized for her talent.

“I had put in so many hours,” Emily said. “I’m really not a sports person, and I’m not exceptionally great in school. It was my one chance to be acknowledged as better at something than other people.”

Emily hopes to continue designing in the future. Her first choice for college, Pittsburgh State, would allow her to work on fashion design and her other passion, nursing. She doesn’t think the two will go together well in a career, but she wants to continue designing in the future, whether for her kids or for herself.

“I can make things that nobody else can understand because they’re not me,” Emily said. “I can create the thing that I love so much and that describes me in such a personal way.”

coalition skirt Emily is making these skirts through her organization, Falvas for Funds, through Coalition. The sales will help her raise money for a trip to Uganda next year.

The skirts are high-waisted and gathered.

>>

Want to learning how to sew? Visit smeharbinger.net for an instructional video and sound slide featuring Emily Collins.

nahs corset Emily covered her corset in magazine pictures, crossing out the eyes and mouths of the people in the pictures to fall under the theme of ‘miscommunication.’ She entered it in last year’s NAHS fashion show.

A New Path

5

Most

Missed Stauffer shares the five things he’ll miss most while in the Rocky Mountains

>>

issue 11 features page 19

Grant will gain leadership traits and learn to cooperate with others while striving for various goals. “[NOLS] determines what kind of leader you are,” Pearson Smith, a marketing representative for NOLS, said. “We go through a debriefing session each day so that students know their strengths and weaknesses.”

A day at NOLS will consist of waking up with the sun and everyone making their own breakfast. Then they will take down the campsite and begin their activity. A day of backpacking would normally be a 13-mile hike with just two stops for lunch and dinner. According to Grant, hiking will last throughout the day “until you can’t see where you’re going.” Then they will set up camp for the night and do it all over again.

“It’s going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life”, Grant said. “And I imagine it will be potentially the hardest thing I will ever do because it’s a semester straight of hard work.”

With hopes of becoming more patient and seeing the beauty in everything, Grant thinks he will improve his diligence in his work by going to NOLS. Grant wants to be able to finish all the tasks while at NOLS and thinks he will if he sets mind to completing them.

Once the semester abroad is over, Grant plans to attend college. Whether he takes classes through a community college or goes straight to Colorado State is undecided. Grant has always been interested in the field of medicine. After learning outdoor skills, he thinks being an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in the wilderness or being a guide for rafting and backpacking trips would be enjoyable. These jobs would involve using his acquired NOLS skills to help others in the wilderness.

“No matter what I’m doing I feel like I will be tested a lot when I’m at NOLS, being able to do things that I don’t think I can do.” Grant said. “So a lot of it will be maturity or diligence in my work and just having patience with my work with whatever I’m doing in life.

Grooming “I have really spotty facial hair. Hopefully just me being in the wilderness will inspire my facial hair to grow way better than it already is.”

Beauty Sleep “I’m going to spend, tops, a week or two actually sleeping in a bed. Other than that, the entire semester I’ll be sleeping outside.”

Connections

>>photo illustration by DanStewart

>>EmmaPennington

When senior Grant Stauffer had to retake Spanish 2 his junior year, taking a semester off before starting college began to seem more and more like a good idea.

East had become boring and he found little excitement throughout the school day. The thought of spending a semester in the outdoors sounded much better than the repetitive schedule of school and homework.

Grant will spend a semester traveling and learning in the wilderness with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), headquartered in Lander, Wyoming.

The program allows students of all ages to learn about the wilderness and experience the outdoors firsthand.

The Rocky Mountain course, which Grant is taking, is specifically for students in their ‘gap year’ before starting college.

Grant’s parents, Sara and Ward, had originally discussed the NOLS program with Grant’s older brother Quinn, currently a junior at Colorado State University.

Although Quinn decided not to go, it had always been in the family’s mind as an option for Grant.

During the first semester of his junior year, when many classmates were going around the country visiting schools and filling out college applications, Grant began to consider taking his first semester of college off.

“I have a whole lifetime to go to school, and you don’t get opportunities like this very much,” Grant said. “So when my parents threw out the idea, of course I jumped on it.”

Not being thrilled to pay out-of-state tuition for a child who didn’t enjoy going to class, Sara and Ward were supportive of Grant’s decision to take a semester off.

“I think for a lot of kids, the year before you start conventional college is a good year [for NOLS]”, Sara said. “I like that ‘gap year’ idea, it’s a time to grow up.”

The students’ dorms are located in Lander, although they will only be there for a maximum of two weeks during the semester. Excursions will take students to Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, South Dakota and Nevada.

Grant has always had an affinity for the outdoors.

He has visited his grandparents’ house in Colorado for years, skiing for his first time as a three-year-old. Since he was 12 years old Grant has dreamed of back-country skiing, which involves hiking up a mountain with skis strapped to one’s back and then skiing down. NOLS will finally give him that chance, along with many other opportunities to perfect his other outdoor skills.

All the students in the program have to depend on each other when they take their trips. This will force them to get to know each other and make friends quickly. Groups of 10 to 15 students will go with one instructor while hiking, canyoneering, skiing, climbing and swimming through beautiful landscapes in the mountains.

Because this is a leadership school, a student is assigned to lead the group through each day.

Through these exerci ses,

Senior will take semester off at outdoor school after graduation

Sanitation

“I’m not “NOLS practices going leave no trace, so to be able every time I go to to take my the bathroom in the phone with wilderness, I me because have to bag it won’t work. The it up and majority of the take it with communication is me.” going to be letters.”

Home Cooking “NOLS has pretty good food I hear, but I’m definitely going to miss my mom’s cooking.”

page 20 features 02.16.10

Man inmotion Sophomore embraces his love of dancing through jazz, lyrical and other genres

>>RainaWeinberg

Throwing his entire body six feet into the air, sophomore Grayson McGuire contorts his body into a center leap. Starting on solid ground, his legs fly to his sides as he leaps higher. By the peak of the center leap, his legs have surpassed his arms, creating something that looks like a toe touch, only his toes reach his head instead of his hands. In just three seconds, he has accomplished something that most people wouldn’t even try. While some would say being able to do a center leap on top of many other dance moves is amazing, it is merely a part of McGuire’s everyday life.

For the last four years, McGuire has focused solely on becoming the best dancer he can be. Whether it be Jazz on Wednesday night or Ballet on Sunday night, he works to improve his skills at Miller Marley dance studio. He practices there every night, sometimes for up to five hours. Miller Marley jazz and competition leader Beth Johnston has seen McGuire’s dedication firsthand during his time at Miller Marley.

“What he had was drive, he didn’t want anyone to be better than him.” Johnston said “He is probably the hardest worker I have ever had in all my years of teaching.”

Before falling in love with dancing, McGuire was focused on singing and acting. From school musicals to choir solos, everything but dance was on his mind. That was until he realized those two weren’t enough if he was going to pursue a performing arts career. In seventh grade, McGuire auditioned for Theatre in the Park and didn’t make it. Both he and his parents attended the shows and immediately realized one significant difference between the boys on stage and Grayson; they could dance. After going back and forth between whether or not he wanted to try dance, he eventually signed up for lessons.

In sixth grade, McGuire decided to start dance lessons at Miller Marley so he could develop his talents. Arriving at his first class, McGuire looked into the mirrored dance studio at a sea of pink leotards. With a racing heart, he immediately turned around and left. He didn’t want to learn to dance or even try for that matter. But after encouragment from his parents, he ventured into the leotard army’s stronghold.

“My first class had no other guys in it which was kind of awkward,” McGuire said “And it wasn’t the same level of dance that I do nowadays at all, which is why it’s more interesting now. It’s harder and more fun.”

Soon after beginning work with Miller Marley founder Brian McGinnes, another teacher, Beth Johnston, took notice of him while observing a jazz class.

“You can just tell every time he dances that he just loves to dance,” Johnston said. “He dances like it’s the last time he

What’s that

Move

>> is going to be able to dance, like there is no tomorrow.”

After Johnston begged McGinnes to let her teach McGuire, he eventually gave in. McGuire has been working with Johnston ever since. After a year of work with him, she was astonished at the progress he had made.

“He just came in all the time,” Johnston SOPHOMORE Grayson McGuire practices jumps, turns and moves at Miller Marley Studio >>Dan Stewart said. “He took every class that was offered need to be.” and worked in them until he got better.”

The team recently attended a convention called Jump in According to Johnston, during his first summer attending Kansas City where McGuire won Teen Male VIP, the equivaMiller Marley, McGuire moved up four jazz levels. His comlent of first place, out of all the boys in his age group. This plete determination to be the best drove him to constantly award grants him free admission to any and all Jump conimprove. He went from the fundamentals of dancing to beventions around the country. After winning that, McGuire ing able to do seven pirouette spins without faulting. When went to Chicago for another convention and placed in difhe first arrived in the unfamiliar dance studio, McGuire nevferent showcases. While McGuire excels in all of the dances er thought that it would soon become his home. he does in Kansas, he still feels that there is room for imBesides becoming a better dancer than he ever believed provement. possible in one year, McGuire had also realized that dancing According to McGuire, Kansas is lacking in dance opporwas not just an extra skill in his performing arsenal. It was tunites. He feels there aren’t any programs at East that ofhis passion. After the first year of dance, other people in fer more advanced dancing geared towards a future career. his life had noticed a change in McGuire. His mother, Cathy While dancing at Miller Marley has helped him learn many Bennett could tell that he was noticeably happier. needed skills, he wants to expand and gain more experi“His self-confidence increased,” Bennett said. “He has alence. He has auditioned for performing arts schools in Philways been a self-confident child but i think that when you adelphia and North Carolina, and one school has already find something you enjoy and excel at, you are happier with offered him a scholarship. yourself.”

“We weren’t prepared to be empty nesters,” Bennett said.

After aquiring numerous dancing skills like airborne toe “But after observing five years of incredible talent and intouches and pirouettes, McGuire joined a competition team credible determination and focus, I think he would be well through Miller Marley. The team competes in about four or served at a school that could really focus on development.” five competitions a year, unlike most competition teams Four years after completely writing off anything to do who constantly attend them. According to Johnston they with dance, McGuire has transformed into a performer. don’t go to win trophies, but to gain experience.

Dancing not for the benefit of others, but for himself and “I like the kids to see what else is out there,” Johnston the happiness it brings him. He plans on pursuing his passaid. “They see that ‘Oh that kid is more flexible and they sion far into his future. Dance has become a part of his life can leap higher’ so it’s an opportunity to perform that he will take everywhere. and see everyone and measure where they “I love that when I dance, I don’t have to think about anything else,” McGuire said. “I don’t have to think about real life.”

Defined by Grayson

3 Grayson dances

Center Leap Used in: Jazz

Tilt Extension

Switch Reverse Leap Used in: Jazz, Contemporary

Used in: Jazz, Lryical, Contemporary “You put your leg into the air and hold it there without your hand and you’re tilted over to one side. It’s like a center “You run into [the jump] and leap off of one foot and then off the other. leap only not leaping.”

When you’re in the air, you split your legs in the air to the sides.”

>>

“You brush up one leg and then switch it to the front while jumping.”

For a how-to dance video featuring Grayson Mcguire, visit smeharbinger.net

Lyrical

does

“Lyricals a mix between ballet and jazz.

It’s contemporary movements to slow songs telling stories.”

Contemporary

“[Contemporary is] really weird. There’s a lot of movement with your upper body twisting and turning that people don’t expect.”

Jazz

“Jazz is one of my favorites. It’s a little bit faster than ballet or lyrical and it’s less flowing and more hard-hitting stuff.”

issue 11 mixed page 21

{

{

a little of everything

>>Samantha Bartow

alldressedup

Rent

Been lusting after a highend designer dress? You can now rent it for a period of four days at renttherunway.com. Dresses start at $50, and you get an extra size free. This can keep your closet from filling with dresses you never use.

Buy

Stores from Nordstrom’s and Tulip to lulus.com and thrift stores always have great options. Be prepared to shell out some money. Just don’t leave the shopping to the last minute, because sizes sell out quickly.

Ditching the

Dance

Borrow

Stalking other people’s photos on Facebook isn’t just entertaining, it can give you an idea of what dresses they might have in their closet. Borrowing is cheap and easy, so dresses often get handed down through the family.

Sew

If you’re gifted enough with a sewing machine, the satisfaction of making your own dress is worth the time you spend on it.

Plus, it should be perfectly tailored for your body and won’t cost too much.

Picture the night of WPA, expensive dinners, strapless dresses, and for whatever reason, you’re not going? Don’t sit at home with “Glee” reruns and bags of Cheetos. Do one of these....

How to Save a conversation

>>

You’re halfway through dinner, and your date hasn’t said a word to you? Break the silence with one of our conversation starters.

one

The no-fail conversation starter: “Would you do (blank) for a million dollars? From ethical matters to questions of sanity, it’s sure to draw a reaction from your date.

two three four five

Everyone seems to see the same movies. Whether you’re discussing trailers for upcoming movies or commenting on how creepy “The Lovely Bones” was, you’ll be safe mentioning movies.

If you could be any superhero, which one would you be and why? Everyone secretly wants to have a certain superpower, and there are few kids that didn’t worship Spiderman or Superman as a kid.

Family vacations are experienced by just about everyone, and some embarassing, cool and horrible stories are sure to take place on vacations that people are just bursting to talk about.

>>

Bowling

>>

No one can deny the classic fun of bowling-- plus you can go with a big group.

Ice Skating Ice skating is a fun and cheap option. Warm up with some Starbucks or a stop at IHOP.

>>

When did you start running through the halls?

I just always have: I guess I really started in freshman year though.

Why do you run to your classes?

Sometimes it’s because I have to get from the fifth floor to the first floor. But mostly I just like to. It’s good exercise, and I guess I just like movement.

Movie Marathon

Movie marathons are always more fun when there’s a theme involved.

Try renting 80s movies such as “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and dress up in your favorite 80s wear.

Have you ever considered joining the cross country team?

I’d like to, but I’m just really busy with a lot of AP classes and robotics club.

Do you ever trim your hair or do you just let it grow?

30

Well, right now it has quintuple split ends. It’s been a few months since my last trim.

What’s your least favorite thing about East hallways?

When did you decide to grow out your hair?

I absolutely despise hallway blockers. It’s just infuriating. If I were an administrator, I’d put traffic rules in effect.

I starting growing it out in eighth grade.

There was an awkward stage where it was in my face, but now it’s very convenient to have long.

>>Samantha Bartow

Everyone has their favorite-- at least favorite-- teachers at East. Caution: Bringing up certain classes may trigger a homework rant from your date.

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‘Love’ for Travolta

issue 11 a&e page 23

John Travolta gives character to uneven but entertaining action flick

>>AlexLamb

Now this is more like the John Travolta I know and love.

If it weren’t for him, “From Paris with Love” would just be another formulaic, secret agent shoot-em-up with some decent action sequences but little to make it stand out. However, with the benefit of Travolta’s rowdy, gleefully over-thetop and undeniably charismatic performance, “From Paris” makes for a fun, amusing 90 minute escape from reality.

And for those needing a brainless, bullet-fueled break from all the solemnity of the Oscar season’s prestige pictures, it’s especially welcomed.

The typical “newbie/expert team-up” story begins with James Reece (Jonathan Rhys Myers), a wannabe James Bond working at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. While he’s given small tasks here and there, like switching car license plates and planting a bug in a government official’s office, he’s yet to reach the big leagues, and hopes to attain the rank of a real field agent.

Then the night he gets engaged, Reece receives the call that can at last earn him that promotion. Finally being given his shot, Reece is partnered with Charlie Wax (Travolta, completely bald), the agency’s top operative. Wax is an allguns-blazing, makes-his-own-rules loose canon, and he and Reece set out on a convoluted mission that starts with eliminating a Chinese cocaine cartel and transforms into stopping a terrorist bomb plot.

“From Paris” starts off slowly, but once Wax is introduced a little over 10 minutes in, the film quickly becomes entertaining, from Wax’s witty one-liners and lack of subtlety in dealing with the bad guys to his ever-growing body count. The crass, chrome-domed and wise-cracking badass single-handedly takes out (with ease) the entire uzi-wielding kitchen staff of a drug-running Chinese restaurant, then stylishly dispatches a gang of unfortunate thugs in the street, and continues as he shoots several waves of lackeys

PANEL

ae &

Art & Design Editor

MICHAEL STOLLE

in a warehouse ripe for destruction. And that’s all within the first half.

While the action is pretty cool by itself, Travolta makes it a lot more worthwhile with the wild pizazz he brings to his role. From the unfunny “Wild Hogs” and the mediocre “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3,” to the atrocious failure “Old Dogs,” he hasn’t had much luck lately so it’s nice to see him back in his element, obviously delighting in the outrageous, unhinged behavior of Wax. He played a similar character in “Pelham,” and his overacting and foul-mouth there were mostly annoying, whereas here he’s fine-tuned that style and injected a healthy dose of humor into his character (the funniest gag coming from a royally cheesy self-reference to “Pulp Fiction”). All of this combines to make Travolta the highlight of the movie, who’s at his best in awhile.

On the other hand, Rhys Meyers feels a bit out of place, at least initially. The chemistry between him and Travolta isn’t always there, and Rhys Meyers’s accent varies a bit from time to time, but since he creates a likable, good-hearted lead, he stays consistently enjoyable to watch. Reece’s contrast as a fledgling agent always wanting to play it safe and by the book to Wax’s uncontrollable killing machine provides some laughs, but after awhile Reece becomes handy with a gun too, and Rhys Meyers grows into his role more fittingly as the stakes are raised.

Director Pierre Morel’s last effort, the revenge actionthriller “Taken,” had a sense of urgency, realism and a desire for vengeance to be served, which all fueled the engrossing, fast-paced plot. In comparison, “From Paris” is much less purposeful, swift and intense. The story is predominantly mindless, mostly just an excuse for Travolta to kill a bunch of bad dudes with a lot of showy gunplay - which, depending on how you look at it, isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Anyone wanting a clever, well-written spy game should

Head Copy Editor

Co-Editor-In-Chief

PHOEBE UNTERMAN

Stay home |

look elsewhere, as “From Paris” is quite conventional. The cliches abound in the “veteran/ trainee” structure of the two leads and in the numerous ways Wax is always saving Reece’s butt. And save for an unexpected twist at the beginning of the third act, the rest of the movie is quite predictable.

But Morel realizes that he’s working with lighter fare this time around, so he makes sure the film doesn’t take itself very seriously. Instead he focuses on the style, action and humor, and in that regard he succeeds fairly well. The second half of the film is where the bodies really start piling up, and at one point in a heavy shoot-out, Wax descends to the floor below him by sliding down a pole, upside-down, while simultaneously firing his pistol and taking out everyone in the room. Realistic? No. Awesome? Hell yes.

For a late winter, little-hyped R-rated action pic, “From Paris with Love” fits the bill as expected. It’s not really any deeper than guns, explosions and a cool guy shooting lots of baddies, but if you’re ready to turn off your brain for an hour and a half and watch Travolta at his unrestrained prime, then this is a trip worth taking.

|

|

Highs and Lows of Academy Award Nominations What should have made the list?

“Watchmen”: Not since Lord of the Rings has a movie so long (topping 3.5 hours) captivated my attention so well. The gratuitous sex and violence are just the cherry on top.

“Nine”: Best Picture

ANDREW GOBLE

>>Movieweb.com

Worst Nomination

Best Picture Winner

“The Blind Side”

Initially weary of this sci-fi flick; the action-packed film still satisfies a more pensive side to my movie-viewing experience

Moving story? Possibly. Cinematic Brilliance? Far from it.

“Avatar”: Best Picture

Although a little artsy for my tastes, “Nine” was a captivating depiction of an Italian director’s quest to keep up with his legend.

A shoe-in for Visual Effects, but that’s where the awards end for me.

Terrible dialogue and iffy acting ruins the cool plot and graphics for me.

Paul Blart: “Mall Cop’s” absence from the expanded list of Best Picture nominees. This movie really delivered with unexpected touching moments that sent me searching for a box of Kleenex.

Obviously the Academy scrambled to find a tenth nominee at the last minute.

| Rental at best |

“Up”

| Worth seeing |

“Avatar”

“Up”

I came close to crying in the first 10 minutes of the movie. It’s real, and it’s brilliantly captured.

“Inglorious Basterds”

Watch out, academy members.

If they don’t win, they will send the Bear Jew after you.

Worst Red Carpet attire

Jake Sully

Rocking the Na’vi jungle loin cloth accessorized with bow-staff will surely not suit the formality of such a prestigious event.

Kanye West

Where there’s a party, it’s always a good bet that Kanye will attempt to one-up everyone else. Expect something 50-75 years ahead of its time.

Lady Gaga

After the atrocious, green sequined shell of an outfit she wore when she performed at the Grammys, the PapaPaparazzi will be expecting something even more outrageous.

| Instant Classic |

|

page 24 a&e 02.16.10

Dinner Destinations

Senior ranks the best spots to eat for any budget before WPA KathleenIreland >>

like

HIM 10 under

$

love

HIM 1020

$

Depending on what your group prefers, there are nearly endless possibilities for catering. It’s a great option if you have a favorite restaurant but want to minimize the cost and travel time. A restaurant like Cinzetti’s, that already specializes in an assortment of menu items, makes the job even easier. You can get a five-course meal for between $7.25 and $9.25 per person. That’s a Caesar salad, Greek orzo, roasted Rosemary potatoes, Penne Basillico, and Tiramisu for less than it would cost to go out to a movie.

over

$

>>

WALDO PIZZA

If you haven’t had the pleasure of trying Waldo’s pizza yet, there’s no better time than now . If you forgot to take the time to order ahead there’s always the ever-popular pizza buffet, you might as well call it a three-course -meal. No worries about keeping your com posure here, good table manners are optional. Though you might have to share the night’s excitement with an exub erant GABL team, the company adds to the playful atmosph ere. And if you did get an order in, you’ll have enough time to knock out a couple rounds of arcade car races while you wait to pump yourself up for the many rounds of dancing to come.

If you’re not in the mood for a napkin-inyour-lap kind of dinner but also don’t want to dance on an empty stomach, treat yourself and your date to one of Chipotle’s mammoth burritos. It’s quick and casual and wont wipe out your checking account. And if you’re really running late you can order ahead and pay online, it will seem like you had it all planned out and you might even gt the chance to impress your date by getting his order right. And don’t worry, no reservations needed.

Blue Koi

Reds, blues, and yellows color the walls with contemporary art pieces adding to the modern, trendy vibe. If the artsy menu items themselves aren’t entertainment enough for you, the view of rves the e s e the energetic chefs in the open kitchen should do d ly solute 8. enues ab on it got in 200 v the trick. Located on the same street as the dance, A , g in nati e’s t stunn ity ” desig fool you Avenu hopefully you wont have to embarrass yourself C Small bu s a s n a . block o in K ighbor tr e e n is th B s n asking for directions. And if you’re pressed for t in o s b e t “B Ro ran a notch time because a certain friend insisted on finishit’s Baskin trump any reatau p u it k ic Don’t let ily es” k at ould eas mme frit aioli. Gre ing their passion fruit bubble tea before leaving, quality c fries “po nd pesto a h h c g e n d u e o la fr n u e ir o t e s m th ju re don’t worry, it’s only a 10 minute drive back to the s n e e e k Ev ns li rovid ing optio enue s’ p bout the German school. with dipp inner groups, Av a ake jokes rder and er d for small with friends and m devouring your o ent t a e 18 perc before time to ch t about th s’ names e ie rg lt ia fo c ’t e n p do house s nce. But more. to the da f eight or o s ie heading rt a dded to p gratuity a

gotta have HIM 20

Chipotle

Cinzetti’s Catering

RO

BIST S ’ E U N E AV

J. Alexanders

With a description like “straightforward american food” one might come to expect something resembling the greasy patty of ground beef you had at a family picnic over the summer, this restaurant is far from anything picnic related.

Though there’s certainly plenty of beef, and sure there’s some grease too, J. Alexanders has an assortment of menu items sure to plaese even the pickiest pallete. The dimmed lighting provides for a more intimate ambiance and though they might get hundreds of diners in a single night, the bustle is hardly noticable once you’re seated and talking with friends.

For additional coverage including a map featuring the locations of all restaurants mentioned, visit smeharbinger.net

Bravo

Bring out your inner Snooki with Bravo’s delicious Italian menu. The environment is formal enough to make you feel like it’s an event to remember, while still casual enough to enjoy a few laughs amongst friends. It’s a great option if you’re

Fogo de Chao

If you’re a meat deprived carnivore, Fogo de Chao would have to be in your top five restaurant choices. Gaucho chefs are at your beackoned call to satisfy your desire for meats, side dishes, and even desserts. There’s also a fully stocked salad bar to help ensure those dresses still fit once you get to the dance even if you and Russell Stover got a little too aquainted over Valentine’s Day. Potentially setting you back $42 a person, Fogo de Chao definitely tops the list in expenses but if you opt out of getting meat, you can still get the salad bar, sides, and bread for less harsh $19.50 a person.

EBT Small but stunning, Avenues absolutely deserves the “Best Bistro in Kansas City” designation it got in 2008.

Don’t let it’s Baskin Robins neighbor fool you What? I don’t get the reference because I don’t have a map, Avenues’ Avenue’s quality could easily trump any reataurant on the block. Even their french fries “pomme frites” kick it up a notch with dipping options like remoulade and pesto aioli.

Great for smaller dinner groups, Avenue ‘s provides just enough time to chat with friends and make jokes about the German house specialties’ names before devouring your order and heading to the dance. But don’t forget about the 18 percent gratuity added to parties of eight or more.

>>all photos by Lindsey Hartnett

>>KennedyBurgess

F

ormerly known as The Muslims, The Soft Pack contradict their name with their new self-titled sophomore album.

These San Diego-based punk rockers changed their name in 2009, but that hasn’t caused them to desert their signature sound.

In their debut album, “Heavenly,” the Soft Pack used a raw 60s rock ‘n roll resonance to draw in listeners. In their new self-titled album, they’ve managed to keep their 60s leather studded underground punk charisma.

The Soft Pack’s album recipe is somewhat complicated: start with a little Beatnik strut, add a little of Johnny Ramone’s swift down beat barre chords, toss in some Ray Bans, leather jackets and finish it off with a few outdated knitted graphic sweaters. The result: a quartet of young Californian men attempting to bring punk back to the good old days.

The Soft Pack takes classic rock licks and revamps them to create hip, new sounds. To me, “Flammable” is where the album reaches its high point because of its classic sound, reminiscent of an unreleased Ramones album. The upbeat drum riffs mixed with the quickly paced guitar licks are an almost perfect introduction leading into Matt Lamkin’s regardless attitude, belting the lyrics, “There was no fire, so I was fine.” This is one of the more powerful tracks on the whole album because of its intense vibe. I’m not a hard-core punkster, but “Flammable” has a rowdy sound that would make anyone jump into a crowd full of skintight ripped denim and mosh until their worn canvas shoes can’t take it any longer.

The Southern California sounds used in the Soft Pack’s new album are throwbacks to surf bands such as the Rivingtons and the Beach Boys. The seventh track, “Tides of Time,” begins with an authentic surf rock guitar lick. They completely adapt the early ‘60s surfer youth sound into their own. This use of channeling the past through music can easily be compared to the B-52’s, a band whose infamous thrift store wear and beehives forever influenced the post-punk underground scene. Even though “Tides of Time” sticks out like a sore thumb amongst all of the other underground punk inspired tracks, it adds some California charm to the album.

The Soft Pack has produced a raw punk-revival album that transports listeners aboard a time-machine destined to arrive in the early ‘60s. Throughout the 10 tracks, the Soft Pack tries to capture what created a bridge between the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, while still staying original to who they are as artists. They use sharp tongues lyrics in the third track “Answer to Yourself.”

“You got a rabbit in your hat, you got a trick up your sleeve,” is sarcastically sung by Lamkin as Brian Hill’s drumming rumbles in the background. The lyrics in each track add a refreshing sense of the band’s rogue humor.

I wasn’t expecting these rule-breaking rockers to be capable of producing a break-up song because of their edgy persona, which somehow ended up as the second to last track on the album.

Even with that said, “Mexico” still keeps the listener hungry for more. The beginning riffs make me feel as though I’m standing in a California high school during my senior year in ’61, my boyfriend just dumped me at our senior prom and the Soft Pack is playing our song. “I’m letting you go,” Lamkin sings as the sulky guitar chords play in the background.

I was let down by the Soft Pack’s conclusion to such a highkicking alternative album. It was easy to press skip during a few songs, especially in between “Answer to Yourself” and “Down on Loving.” These songs had similar repetitive melodies. It didn’t help that they were right next to each other on the album. However, this doesn’t take much away from the album as a whole.

Overall, the album packaged frequent electrified guitar riffs, energetic witty lyrics and catchy foot-stomping verses.

You might not see the Soft Pack atop the alternative Billboard charts, but if you’ve been wondering where the punk-rock music scene has been these past few years, I think some shoes are bound to be filled by these California hoodlums. They identify everything punk music has been missing lately and run with it in this album. This album has defined the Soft Pack as a more than worthy punk-rock band.

|

|

issue 11 a&e page 25

>>

lyrics

k on Kennedy gives feedbac in ics lyr re za biz g, sin confu s. ng so ‘The Soft Pack’s’

“With my UC ADD, your pain I could not see” from the song “Brightside”

”I think these lyrics use some wit and sarcasm which is why I find them ‘lol’ worthy. It just adds some humor to the whole song.”

“You got a rabbit in your hat, you got a few tricks up your sleeve” from the song “Answer to Yourself”

“Rabbits don’t randomly pop out of someone’s hat which is basically why I love the lyrics to this song.”

and

t s a f d a ste

-titled album lf e s ’s k c a P ft o The S e towards d u it tt a w o ll e m sheds a k music c o -r k n u p ic lg their nosta

Press ‘skip’ |

| Borrow it |

| Download it |

| Auditory Brilliance |

>>guerolitomusic.com

|

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Blogs, video of sports games, late-breaking updates

issue 11 photo essay page 27

With a never-ending rivalry East loses to Rockhurst in the

border

WAR

FAR ABOVE: Coach Shawn Hair gets the team fired up in the locker room before going back on the court for the second half. >>Mackenzie Wylie ABOVE: Senior Jackson Harter dribbles the ball upcourt. This is Harter’s first season on the varsity team. >>Grant Heinlein

>>

For a full gallery of pictures from the Rockhurst basketball game visit smeharbinger.net

ABOVE: Seniors Kevin Hertel and Ryan Olander sit on the bench during the late quarters of the Rockhurst game. “I was just dissapointed that we didn’t perform as well as we could have,” Harter said. This is the second straight season East has lost to the Hawklets.

>>Grant Heinlein

LEFT: Scattered across the floor after a scramble for the ball, seniors Jackson Harter, Anthony West and Kris Hertel watch the play develop.

>>LindseyHartnett

FLYING intovancouver

page 28 sports 02.16.10

>>

MacTamblyn reetings, winter sports fans. Do unforgiving winter wind chills have you down? Does topographically-challenged Kansas have you dreaming of Colorado’s snow-crested vistas? If so, then Bob Costas and his NBC crew have a solution. From the comfort of your own recliner, you can view the XXI Winter Olympic Games on live television from Vancouver, Feb. 12-28. The Games may have begun on Friday, but Team U.S.A. will be at it for another 12 days.

G

Snowboarding

The U.S. suffered a massive blow when shredder Kevin Pearce severely injured his head on a halfpipe in late December. He is still in recovery, but the blue ribbon tomato of the U.S. snowboarding garden, Shaun White, has ripened during the recent X-Games and is ready to win first prize at the halfpipe podium. If he can pull off his double cork, a move involving two diagonal flips, he should be well on his way. Women’s halfpipers Hannah Teter and Kelly Clark will look to bring home halfpipe gold for the U.S. women for the third consecutive Olympics. Finally, I beg of Snowboard Crosser Lindsey Jacobellis – winner of the 2006 “Fail of Turin” for her showboat-induced fall that lost the gold – no more unnecessary method grabs, please.

Hockey

Hockey is a sport where many players get better as they age, and only six men on the 23-man U.S. roster are over 30 years old. Two U.S. opponents, who are exceptions to the aging rule, are 22-year-old Canadian Sidney Crosby and 24-year-old Russian Alex Ovechkin. For a golden repeat of 1980’s “Miracle on Ice,” vets like winger Jamie Langenbrunner and center Chris Drury will need to shed their experience onto the young guns of the U.S. The even younger women’s team, which draws over half of its talent pool from the collegiate level, will look to medal for the fourth time in four tries at the Winter Games. I foresee a gold-medal match against omnipresent ice hockey aficionadas Canada in the cards.

WATCH: Women’s Final: Feb. 25 Men’s U.S.A. vs. Canada: Sunday

WATCH: Women’s Snowboard Cross: Today Men’s Halfpipe: Tomorrow

Alpine/Freestyle Skiing She may not have medaled at the past two Olympics, but Lindsey Vonn is the U.S.’s biggest force in the alpine division. Fresh off two golds at last year’s World Championships in France, Vail’s own Vonn will be hoping that her recently published Sports Illustrated cover doesn’t jinx her efforts at medaling. The men’s alpine team is headlined by the Ted Ligety, winner of the 2006 Combined event, and Bode Miller, America’s Hardest Partying Olympian (aside from Michael Phelps). The Freestyle side is a toss-up in the only new event to Vancouver’s Olympics, Ski Cross. Think Snowboard Cross on skis, but speedier and with four times as many moving parts.

WATCH: Women’s Super G: Saturday Men’s Ski Cross: Sunday

Speedskating/Speedskating

Five-time medalist and “Dancing with the Stars” winner Apolo Ohno said that this year’s short-track men’s team is “the strongest team we’ve ever had.” Ohno will be pushing for medals in three events, with teammates J.R. Celski and Jordan Malone providing strength and depth. Women’s short-track is usually dominated by nations such as South Korea and China, but look for Katherine Reutter to make a break in three events. Shani Davis and in-line skating legend Chad Hedrick are medal threats in normal speedskating, which is run on a longer track than short-track. Jennifer Rodriguez won two bronze medals at Salt Lake City in 2002, but hasn’t medaled in any major event since a gold at the 2005 World Championships.

WATCH: Men’s 1,000: Tomorrow Womens 3,000 Relay: Feb. 24

Bobsled

Sorry, “Cool Runnings” fans – the Jamaican team did not qualify. However, both U.S. men’s and women’s sides qualified with the maximum amount of sleds in all competitions, so the U.S. has both quality and quantity in this sport. John Napier, a 23-year-old member of Vermont’s National Guard, will be driving a two-man sled and a four-man sled. After a few medals at last year’s World Cup, he will compete with Steven Holcomb as America’s top men’s driver. Shauna Rohbock, a two-woman driver, is ready to step up from 2006’s silver finish to gold. The fiercest competition will include Germany, Switzerland and Canada.

WATCH: Two-woman Final: Feb. 24 Four-man Final: Feb. 27

>>all photos from www.vancouver2010.com

Junior has gained a reputation on the boys’ bowling team as a issue 11 sports page 29

Striking Competitor >>ToniAguiar

Glow in the dark stars decorate the carpet, a rug sticky from countless sodas spilled on it. Pink and orange neon signs accent overhead fluorescent lighting. For junior Johnny Sheahan, the tacky comfort of bowling alleys is where he feels most at home.

His comfort in the bowling alley comes from years of practice there. Sheahan has been bowling since he was in seventh grade. At first, it was just for fun, but last year he became serious after the team went to state. This year, he’s broken three school records and bowled a near-perfect 297 out of 300 possible.

“You may not have to be as athletic, but in bowling you have to be just as focused as in any other sport,” Sheahan said. “It’s hard to keep your head in the game after you miss a few pins. You just have to keep your composure.”

The focus on his face is noticeable as he carefully selects a black ball with a green starburst on it and spins it in his hands a few times before stepping onto the shiny wooden floor of the bowling lane. The laid back side of his personality shows through as he misses two pins and shrugs to his teammate. But he comes back the next time to knock them down for a spare.

When Sheahan bowls, his right leg extends back and across his body in what looks like a difficult yoga pose. The ball is thrown and curves in a long arc across the waxed bowling lane. The majority of the time, pins are knocked over and with the unmistakable sound of them falling, Johnny returns back to his team with a slight smile on his face.

When Sheahan bowled his 297, he was just messing around when he noticed that he had bowled all strikes in his past throws.

“I was shaking,” Sheahan said. “It was so quiet in the bowling alley. I did okay, but I ended up losing my concentration on the last one.”

The East bowling team has practiced their technique so much that when they throw a ball down the lane, they know how it will hit without watching. Often, they head back to the bench before the ball ever hits the pins. Technique is the thing that they work on most.

“Practice is where we try to improve our consistency,” bowling coach Patti Kennedy said. “Johnny

goofs around a lot like last year’s seniors did, but he works hard and contributes to the team most of the time.”

This team atmosphere is Sheahan’s favorite part about bowling. When either him or his teammate Brandon Chateau bowls well, high fives and fist shoulder punches are in order.

“Even though you bowl as an individual, your team makes a difference in how you feel,” Sheahan said. “We just kind of snuck in there. Everyone put in, and we ended up winning.”

For Sheahan, bowling is a passion that started out as just a hobby in seventh grade.

“It was just for fun back then,” Sheahan said.

“But last year when the team went to state, I realized, ‘Whoa, I’m actually kinda good at this.”

What was a casual hobby turned into practice for two hours every day of the week. These practices are still filled with goofing off, much to the dismay of the coaches.

“We get yelled at a lot during practice,” Sheahan said. “I think the coaches are trying to get us ready to go to state as a team.”

Shawnee Mission West will be their biggest roadblock on the way to going to state as a team. If the team as a whole doesn’t do well at regionals, Johnny could still make it as one of the top six in-

dividual bowlers.

There are Regionals, State, next year, and beyond left for Sheahan in terms of bowling. While bowling isn’t an NCAA sanctioned sport, colleges often have bowling clubs that can get fairly competitive. But Johnny isn’t planning that far ahead. He lives for the moment and the sound of ten bowling pins being knocked over. “ Johnny’s just a funny guy,” his friend Alex Carver said. “The way he acts, his jokes…But he’s pretty focused when it comes to his bowling meets.”

>>GrantH e

inle

in

Secrets to Success Warm-up rituals:

Favorite food from “Before matches I usually the bowling alley:

listen to my iPod. I think “Probably peanut butter about where to throw, take M&Ms out of the vending a deep breath, and think machine.” about hitting my mark.”

How to pass time while waiting:

Ways to celebrate:

Embarrassing “If I barely get a strike or Moment:

“I cheer on the rest of the spare then I usually make team. We’ll clap good job, a face, and it gets hard to tell them to brush off a bad concentrate after that.” shot, and give any support we can.”

“Last year, in the first practice we had after tryouts, I threw my spare ball, then it came back. The second time I threw it, it cracked in half.”

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issue 11 sports page 31

PUSHING FOR THE PLAYOFFS Winter 2010 HOW TO GET TO POSTSEASON PLAY:

In qualifying as a whole team for the state meet, both the boys and girls will have to bowl high scores in qualifying at Regionals.

WHO NEEDS TO LEAD THE CHARGE:

Having school record-setting seasons this year, the boys will look to juniors Pete Peterson and Johnny Sheahan to take the reins while state veteran junior Allie Dees will guide the girls through regionals.

HOW TO GET TO POSTSEASON PLAY:

WHY IT WOULD BE A BIG DEAL:

Since the team first started competing in 2006, they have yet to qualify for a state title.

Making it this year would create momentum for a junior-led team.

HOW TO GET TO POSTSEASON PLAY:

The Lancers are 4-11 as of Feb. 10, so they will face the top teams in the Sunflower League in their substate matchups. It will take a pair of upsets to reach Emporia.

If the girls can play as well as they have throughout League play, then Sub-State should be a breeze and a place in Emporia should be a given.

WHO NEEDS TO LEAD THE CHARGE:

WHO NEEDS TO LEAD THE CHARGE:

Senior guards Ryan Olander and Scott Kennedy were role players on the team that nearly won the whole thing last year, but now it’s their turn to lead.

WHO THEY’LL HAVE TO GET PAST:

Both the boys and girls are paired in the same regional as SM Northwest and SM West, two teams who placed in the top five at state last year in their respective genders.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

BOWLING

WHO THEY’LL HAVE TO GET PAST:

The top teams in the Lancers’ substate bracket are Leavenworth, SM South and SM Northwest.

WHY IT WOULD BE A BIG DEAL:

Head coach Shawn Hair has led past teams with more experience to major success in the state tournament. This year, he’s equipped with a team unfamiliar with this territory.

the

Sports Panel

Seniors Janna Graf and Alison Stephens form one of the most talented combinations of scoring forwards in the Sunflower League. They need to step up in the post for the Lady Lancers to have a shot at state.

WHO THEY’LL HAVE TO GET PAST:

Sunflower League foe Olathe South topped them the first time and will likely be there farther down the road.

In head coach Rick Rhoades’ final season, he has his best senior class ever.

They are ready to take the lady’s first ever state title.

Girls’ BBall, Champs or Just Short?

JUST SHORT

Assistant Editor

SAM LOGAN

East basketball rarely bids well in state play so I’m not betting on this one.

CHAMPS Sports Page Editor

CORBIN BARNDS

Sports Page Editor

EVAN NICHOLS

WHY IT WOULD BE A BIG DEAL:

With senior Janna Graf leading the squad, the team will hoist the trophy.

Boys’ Basketball vs. SM North SM EAST In the battle of the brothers, our coach Hair will come out on top... Again.

SM NORTH

Starting two over-achieving freshman, Hair’s squad will just fall short.

BOYS’ SWIMMING

HOW TO GET TO POSTSEASON PLAY:

WRESTLING

HOW TO GET TO POSTSEASON PLAY:

The stage for this weekend’s state meet has been set throughout the year, now all the team has to do is finish their races.

In wrestling, there are no team qualifiers. This means that to place well at state, the Lancers will need a healthy handful of individual wrestlers to qualify.

WHO NEEDS TO LEAD THE CHARGE:

WHO NEEDS TO LEAD THE CHARGE:

Senior Clay Finley has led the state in the 50 meter freestyle all season and could spark energy in the team if he wins that event at the start of the meet.

WHO THEY’LL HAVE TO GET PAST:

The team’s traditional rival, BV North, won the Eastern Kansas League and will head to the state meet almost as strong as the Lancers. Their depth, like East’s, makes them likely contenders.

WHY IT WOULD BE A BIG DEAL:

The team didn’t win the state title for the first time in three seasons last year, so this one would put them back to their old ways.

College BBall: K-State @ Kansas KANSAS It’s tough to say number one is gonna lose... So I simply won’t

KANSAS

With the development of Mc. Morris, the Hawks have too many options.

CHAMPS

SM NORTH

K-STATE

With strong senior leadership the girls will top the tourney this year.

Usually an East win, an off season will lead to an unusual loss.

The Cats are going to come on strong after last meeting’s disappointing loss.

Seniors Jeff Rutherford, Tanner Johnson and junior Chase Woofter all have gotten at least one win in the state tournament.

They’ve been there before, and they know what it takes.

WHO THEY’LL HAVE TO GET PAST:

To get a top ten finish, the team will have to match up against some of the better teams from west Kansas, such as Derby.

WHY IT WOULD BE A BIG DEAL:

This is one of head coach Chip Ufford’s strongest teams ever, and the group can cement that legacy with a strong performance that could set the standard for East wrestling.

Winter Olympics Medals Winner GERMANY They won the most in Torino in 2006 and will do it again this year.

SWEDEN My Swedish ancestors told me they were pretty stacked this Olympics.

RUSSIA Russia is huge and snowy.

AKA they’re pretty good at winter sports.

page 32 photo essay 02.16.10

this

up

For the first time in 25 years, the theater department sold out two out of the four Footloose productions

ABOVE: Senior Will Carey as “Willard” performs the song “Mama Says.” “It felt like I was a different person, but at the same time I felt like I had some of the same characteristics as the real Willard,” Carey said.

RIGHT: Senior Jake Parelman as “Ren” sings the finale at the end of the show. “[The musical was] a truly unique, rewarding and stressful experience,” Parelman said. “It was like floating on cloud nine when the whole cast received a standing ovation night after night.”

FAR ABOVE: Junior Emily Welter as “Urleen” sings a solo during the opening number of “Footloose.”

ABOVE: Senior Lois Wetzel as “Ariel” sings “Holding Out for a Hero” during the parents’ performance on Wednesday night. The cast performed the musical Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. with a matinée show on Saturday at 2 p.m. >>all photos by Mackenzie Wylie