Issue 12 of the 2012-2013 Harbinger by The Harbinger

THE HARBINGER

Shawnee Mission East l 7500 Mission Road, PV KS, 66208 l March 4, 2013 l Issue 12 l www.smeharbinger.net

PG 21 SPRING FASHION 2013

THE BLUE KNIGHT RISES

Associate principal John McKinney has taken long road to his appointment as East’s 2013-14 principal written by Matt Hanson Associate principal John McKinney sits at his desk talking to a student about her pursuit of a degree in music. He asks her questions about her test scores, her grades, which schools she’s applied to. He wants to know what she wants to do after college. He listens intently to her answers, trying to figure out how he can help her get what she wants in life. McKinney lives for meetings like this. They’re the reason he became a teacher. And then an associate principal. And, starting next year, East’s new principal. He considers it his purpose in life to help students realize their own. But McKinney hasn’t always known his purpose. He’s taken a circuitous road to fulfillment, to his home here in the third floor administrative office of Shawnee Mission East. Growing up, McKinney never thought he’d be a teacher. He never thought he’d be a principal. In fact, he only had one plan in mind: to work in a factory at the Iowa Beef Processors plant, the largest employer in his hometown of Emporia. It was what everyone he knew would do. “I never considered anything other than just working for the beef,” McKinney said. “I had very simple goals. I just wanted to live a very simple life in a small town with friends. No big goals. I was going to work for the beef and that was that.” But when McKinney finally applied to work for the beef, he wasn’t hired. His life plan deferred, he enlisted in the Army shortly after and was sent to Fort Wainwright, Ala. for infantry training. After four years in the army, McKinney decided to go to college. So at the age of 21, he enrolled in Northern Arizona University, where McKinney pursued a degree in psychology with a plan to become a marriage counselor. Having seen his mom divorce multiple times, he thought he could connect with people affected by divorce. But one day, while sitting in a practice couples session, McKinney had an epiphany. “I thought to myself, ‘There is no way in the world I can spend the rest of my life listening to people complain about sort of trivial, insignificant [matters],’” McKinney said.

continued on page 11

photo illustration by Jake Crandall & Caroline Creidenberg

2| NEWS

THE WEEK IN PHOTOS

DO YOU KNOW THE NEWS? Take this quiz and find out

1. What was the score of the basketball game against South?

THE NEWS BRIEFS

A.65-47 B. 70-1 C. 30-42

March 4, 2013

HEADLINES AND HIGH SCHOOLERS written by Julia Seiden

Above: Sweetheart Queen Anna Sheridan crowns senior Jack Sernett as Sweethart King at the WPA dance.

photo by Erin Reilly

art by Miranda Gibbs

For a gallery of the game, scan the QR code above

RECENT SNOW DAYS East has had five snow days so far this year, and there still could be more with Kansas weather. As of now the days seniors graduate and underclassmen are let out for summer break is the same, according to associate principal John McKinney. The top priority for the administration is students’ safety, so the superintendents from local school districts conduct a conference call and try to decide if a snow day is necessary while

considering safety of the 27,000 students. As long as students have enough seat hours—hours needed to graduate—they will be able to graduate on time, and Kansas schools can negotiate hours if need be. “I’m a little bit surprised about the number of snow day we had,” associate principal John McKinney said. “But I’ve lived in Kansas my whole life and nothing really surprises me anymore about Kansas weather.”

2. What movie won best picture at the Oscars? Above: Senior Chandler Harrison paints a tile at a National Art Honors Society meeting.

photo by Leah O’Connor

restaurant. At 6:04 p.m. the explosion was said to be set off from inside the restaurant. Fifteen people were injured and three were in critical condition. The body of 46-year-old server Megan Cramer was found the next day underneath the rubble from the explosion. The explosion is still under investigation for further detail and understanding of what happened, but has been set back because of the recent snowstorms.

A racecar crash at the Daytona 500 in Florida injured dozens of fans when several cars slammed into the wall of steel in front of the audience on Tuesday Feb. 26. The final number of injured NASCAR fans added up to 33 and two critically injured after debris flew into the stands after passing through and over the 22-foot tall hard steel fence. “I’m just hoping everyone is OK,” said Brad Keselowski, one of the driv-

Above: Sophomore Kate Mitchell decorates a valentine in her French class.

photo by Katie Sgroi

photo by Kathryn Jones

photo by Meghan Shirling ers, said during an interview with CNN. “As drivers, we assume the risk. But fans do not.” Many of the injured are suing race organizers saying that the barrier is not safe enough for the extreme speeds that cars are going when they crash into them. The barrier was recently raised in 2009 from 14 feet to its current standing of 22 ft. Race organizers are now investigating to see if they can replace the fence with a safer option so this incident does not occur again.

3. Approximately how many inches of snow did Kansas City recieve last week?

4. What was the theme for the game against South? A. Risky Business B. America C. SEC Gameday 5. Where was a surfer killed by a shark attack last week?

Above: Junior Maggie Andriani shovels up snow during a snow day after the area recieved around eight inches of snow.

METEORITE

A. Les Miserables B. Silver Linings Playbook C. Argo

A. 8 inches B. 9 inches C. 10 inches

EXPLOSION AT THE PLAZA An explosion took place on the Country Club Plaza, Tuesday Feb. 19, destroying JJ’s restaurant. The explosion occurred when a cable company punctured a 2-inch natural gas main while trying to put another cable in the ground, causing fumes to escape. Residents around the area and people inside the restaurant began to smell fumes around 5 p.m. and reported it to the fire department who told people to get out of the area and from inside the

Last week the Raiders beat the Lancers 65-47, winning the Sunflower League title.

A. Australia B. New Zealand C. Hawaii Answers 1. A 2.C 3. C 4. A 5. B

THIS WEEK’S TOP THREE

1 2 3

SNOW DAYS

After having two snow days last week, students have been enjoying their days off.

THE HARLEM SHAKE

Scan the QR code for a video of the East student BAKING section Harlem Just go check Instagram. Many students have been spending their snow days baking tasty treats. Shake. Both the JV cheerleaders and the whole student section have caught onto this new dance craze.

NEWS | 3

TTHALESERVICE

POS

S E V O M ES M I T E H T H T I W

written by Leah Pack

photos by Molly Gasal

he U.S. Postal Service is taking another step towards saving their government-run business after facing financial struggles for the past six years. The Postal Service has announced a plan to stop the delivery of mail on Saturdays by August 2013. Although this change will mark the ending of a 150-year tradition of Monday-Saturday mail delivery, it could take away $2 billion annually from their losses, which totaled $15.9 billion last year. First-class mail volume has declined by 37 percent since 2007 because the Internet has become a source of communication due to its convenience and speed. More Americans have also turned to online banking. As of 2011, the total volume of first-class mail being sent was at 73.5 billion pieces of mail, compared to 95.9 billion in 2007. This number is expected to continue shrinking based on Generation X’s dependence on electronic devices. “If I need to talk to my friends I just call or text them,” junior Joe Frazell said, “and I don’t send mail very often so I think it makes sense to stop delivering mail on Saturdays.” Along with the reduction of mail flow causing economic problems, the U.S. Postal Service is required to pre-fund health benefits for retirees. This extra expense added up to be $11.1 billion of the total losses in 2012. “Our business model was based off the assumption that mail volume would always grow, and it did for more than 200 years right up until 2006 when we delivered more than 212 billion pieces of mail,” Richard Watkins, U.S. Postal Service Corporate Communications representative said. “Then for the first time ever it began to shrink in 2007.” Over the past five years, the Postal Service has unsuccessfully appealed to Congress for the elimination of mail delivery on Saturdays. In the past year, they have been urging Congress to pass legislation. This would include allowance for a five-day-a-week delivery, reduction of annual payments towards the future retiree health fund and experimentation with different types of business. Their decision to make the switch was announced without congressional approval, and

U.S. Postal Service plans to stop Saturday mail delivery it is unknown whether they will be able to follow through shown that 80 percent of both residential and commercial with their plan without the support of Congress. customers prefer going to a five day delivery week for letter “We are hoping that members of congress will see the mail rather than more drastic measures such as closing post wisdom in the approach that the Postal Service is taking,” offices and/or raising the price of postage,” Watkins said. Watkins said. “We have seen some members of Congress Since 2006 the Postal Service has reduced their nationcome out and support but again we will know more at the wide workforce by more than 193,000 employees. They have end of March.” been able to achieve those workforce reductions completely In hopes of decreasing losses, the Postal Service has through attrition, but it is projected that the workforce will closed post offices, reduced hours at some locations, elimi- still need to be reduced by about 25,000 more employees nanated jobs and consolidated mail processing centers. Even tionwide. after implementing those changes, the U.S. Postal Service “With less employees, I would have weekends off with still lost $41 billion over the past six years. This loss further my family but lose days off during the week which comes in encouraged them to act on their plan to end mail deliveries handy for getting personal things done,” Pedeliski said. on Saturdays. The U.S. Postal Service is not tax supported and does not “I think there are better solutions out there [than stop- receive money from Congress, pushing them to make changping Saturday deliveries],” Craig Pedeliski, local Mail Carrier es on their own. said. “They keep throwing money in the wrong directions, “We have not received a single dime of taxpayer money for example, renting buildings for the last several years in- in more than 30 years for our daily operations, and we are stead of owning them, supporting Lance Armstrong with proud of that,” Watkins said. “We are self sufficient. We supthousands of dollars for advertising, renting the sorting port our own daily operations, but we want to keep it that machines instead of owning them and [putting] too many way.” people in upper management positions.” A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE The switch from a six-daya-week delivery to a five-day46 1775 1860 a-week delivery would mainly Second Continental Congress deThe Pony Express was created. It affect first-class mail. Under clared that a post master be named was the fastest mail delivery system the new schedule, packages, for the American Colonies. The first known to the U.S., and delivered mail mail-order medicines and priorpostmaster was Benjamin Franklin. from Missouri to California. ity and express mail will still be 1862 1918 delivered on Saturdays. Post ofService became even more availAirmail became popular. It once again fice hours will also remain unable and mobile when railway mail sped up mail service and revoltionized service began. the United States Postal Service. changed which will allow people to rent a PO box in order to 2006 2011 2012 get their letter mail on Saturdays The usage of the U.S. postal Mail use droppped to 168 billion The U.S. Postal Service was if necessary. service peaked at 213 billion pieces due to the use of alternate losing $36 million every day “Independent surveys have pieces of mail sent.

forms of electronic communica- and had defaulted on a $5.6 tion. billion payment.

NEWS| 5

State of the Union Breakdown A look at the different parts of President Obama’s recent State of the Union Address

Every president since George Washington has given a State of the Union address and President Obama continued the tradition. Designed to give a brief overview of the key topics in current politics, these speeches have been used to discuss subjects ranging from economics to war. Obama used his speech to highlight a variety of topics and outline his plan for legislature for the upcoming year. Topics that Obama covered vary from the education of preschoolers to modifying the second amendment rights of citizens.

written by Andrew McKittrick

Minimum Wage

Education Education is a topic at the base of American politics today. Obama talked about education for Americans from preschoolers to college students, calling for all 50 states to provide a high quality preschool education to all 4-year-olds in the country. According to a study by the National Institute for Early Education Research, during the 2010-2011 school year only 28 percent of 4-year-olds were enrolled in publicly funded preschools. Obama not only discussed the need for pre-elementary school education but also the need for higher quality education on the high school and college level. He pointed out the fact that

Troops

The United States is beginning to wind down a war that started in 2001 with the launching of Operation Enduring Freedom. Approximately 33,000 men and women who serve in the military have been brought home since the start of the war and Obama hopes to bring home nearly 34,000 more troops over the next year. This decrease in active military could cause problems for soldiers currently in Afghanistan, as fewer men and women would be available for patrols and security details. In order to counter this threat, Obama says that instead of occupying other nations, the U.S. will instead work to support other countries that are working to fight terrorists.

having a higher education increases the chance that the student will hold a higher paying job in the future. Along with a call to reform preschool education, Obama also asked for reform in college education. He hopes to gain more value for students in their education in order to allow for more college level students to attend school. One way he hopes to achieve this is through a universal “College Scorecard.” This will allow students to judge a variety of colleges based upon the value of education they will receive for their money.

This pledge to bring troops home to their families is in conjunction with the request from the Afghan president for Special Forces to leave an eastern providence in Afghanistan. Currently, there are 66,000 American soldiers stationed in Afghanistan with over half of these troops scheduled to be brought home by Feb. 2014. As the number of American soldiers in Afghanistan begins to decrease, troops will begin to work increasingly to place the Afghan military in a more important role. Currently, these Afghan soldiers play a support role to the Americans, but the U.S. government is looking to change the Afghans to the dominant security force.

Minimum wage affects many high school students due to their summer jobs such as lifeguarding or bussing tables. The federal minimum wage was last set on July 24, 2009 at $7.25 per hour. States can set their own minimum wage but employers still must abide by federal law. These state minimum wages range from the highest $9.19 in Washington to the federal amount in other states. Along with having the highest minimum wage rate in the country, Washington is also one of the few states that ties the minimum wage to inflation rates. This allows the minimum wage to automatically increase as the cost of

living also increases. Obama wants to not only raise the minimum wage but also to tie the minimum wage to the cost of living. This would force the minimum wage to rise and possibly fall as the cost of living changes. Obama’s plan would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $9 per hour by 2015. His plan would also follow the lead of Washington and continuously increase the federal minimum wage to match inflation. According to a report from the White House, this increase in minimum wage will increase the income of nearly 15 million low-income workers.

Gun Rights One of the subjects at the forefront of American politics after shootings such as Sandy Hook Elementary is the second amendment. Discussion of gun rights has appeared in State of the Union addresses from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Lyndon B. Johnson, and Obama continued this theme. The President is working to enact new laws not to take away the second amendment laws from citizens, but instead to make these gun purchases safer. One bill that Obama is working on to increase the safety of citizens is eliminating high capacity gun magazines

from use. This need originated from police chiefs across the country and is mimicked by gun activists. Both Democrats and Republicans alike are supporting some of these laws and acts. A law that is being worked on by senators from both parties is one that would make it more difficult for the resale of firearms to criminals. A similar bill to this is one that would require background checks for all gun sales. Not only would these background checks cover criminal history, but also the past mental health of possible buyers.

6 | EDITORIAL

Getting a

Head Start Kansas needs to invest more money in early childhood education to provide preschool for all children

With statistics showing that the United States’ education system is drastically falling behind other world powers, President Obama and the White House have turned their attention to early education. In order to remain internationally competitive, the state of Kansas must raise funding on early education as well. By creating public preschools for all students, the state of Kansas would greatly improve its entire education program. The period from birth to eight years old is a crucial time of a child’s development. In this time, children develop social skills and behavioral patterns. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has stated that this time has an impact on “a broader context of social development, gender equity and poverty reduction.” As President Obama acknowledged in his State of the Union speech, early education enhances a child’s ability to learn down the road. The President also presented the underwhelming fact that only 3 in 10 American 4-year-olds are enrolled in a preschool program. This is a problem that must be addressed and quickly resolved. The state of Kansas must make it a priority. In a typical Montessori school or private preschool, a student learns basic mathematics such as counting, adding and subtracting. They will be introduced to letters and are often taught to read on a primary level, along with getting a taste of science, history, geography and music. Students also develop habits that will be vital for success in school, such as respecting others, focusing during class and finishing assignments on time. The problem is that those schools are not available to all children. If their parents can’t afford

EDITORIAL BOARD VOTES

FOR AGAINST ABSENT

THE HARBINGER a publication of Shawnee Mission East high school 7500 Mission Road, Prairie Village, KS 66208

Editors-in-Chief Anne Willman Chloe Stradinger Assistant Editors Andrew McKittrick Katie Knight Art & Design Editor Paige Hess Managing Editor Jennifer Rorie Head Copy Editor Matt Hanson Assistant Head Copy Editor Sarah Berger Copy Editors Anne Willman Chloe Stradinger Andrew McKittrick Katie Knight Erin Reilly Morgan Twibell Sarah Berger Matt Hanson Julia Poe Jennifer Rorie Sophie Tulp Grace Heitmann Morgan Krakow Ads Manager Sophie Tulp Circulation Manager Greta Nepstad

11 2 0

STAFF 2012-2013

Editorial Section Editor Jennifer Rorie Editorial Board Chloe Stradinger Andrew McKittrick Anne Willman Jennifer Rorie Katie Knight Grace Heitmann Matt Hanson Julia Poe Kim Hoedel Duncan MacLachlan Sarah Berger Sami Walter Morgan Krakow Staff Writers Mike Thibodeau Emily Perkins Rock Caroline Kohring Michael Kraske Susannah Mitchell Taylor Bell Tommy Sherk New Section Editor Sarah Berger News Page Designer Julia Seiden Opinion Section Editor Kim Hoedel Opinion Page Designers Greta Nepstad Morgan Krakow

early education, those children are at a disadvantage. It’s not surprising, that a student without access to early education would struggle upon entering kindergarten. Those students must quickly learn the social and educational skills that the students with preschool education have already developed. This inequality in the classroom also makes teaching fairly and evenly extremely hard for the instructor. Along with creating inequality, this lack of knowledge in kindergarten slows down the entire American education system. If all children had preschool education, they would enter kindergarten with a basic knowledge of reading, writing and mathematics. Typically, kindergarten and first grade focus on these skills, along with developing social skills. That process could be circumvented through early education, allowing kindergarten and first grade curriculum to cover more advanced topics, such as multiplication and division, or writing in cursive. This would in turn make the entire American school system more challenging, and more competitive with other countries. An improvement in the Kansas system would provide a catalyst for further improvements around the country. Remaining competitive in education is a priority for the United States, and it should become more of a priority in Kansas. After a Pearson report in November 2012 ranked the U.S. education system as seventeenth in the world, it has become increasingly obvious that a change must be made to keep our country competitive with other educational and industrial giants such as China, Japan and South Korea. This need has been acknowledged by both political parties. Republicans and Democrats in states such as Indiana are already working together to improve their state’s funding of early education. If the state of Kansas wishes to give its children a quality education, it’s time to increase funding and make early education available to every student.

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.

Feature Section Editor Hannah Ratliff Feature Page Editors Maddie Hise Pauline Werner Will Oakley Caroline Kohring A&E Section Editor Tiernan Shank A&E Page Designer Megan McAlister Sports Section Editor Mitch Kaskie Sports Page Designers G.J. Melia Sam Pottenger Grace Heitmann Co-Spread Editors Morgan Twibell Leah Pack Freelance Page Editors Phoebe Aguiar Sophie Tulp Alex Goldman Maggie McGannon James Simmons Audrey Danciger Business and Circulation Manager Greta Nepstad Social Media Director Mattie German

Staff Artists Emily Perkins Rock Hailey Hughes Paloma Gustafson-ika Photo Editors Jake Crandall Caroline Creidenberg Assistant Photo Editor Maddie Schoemann Staff Photographers Erin Reilly Neely Atha Taylor Anderson Stefano Byer Tessa Polaschek Alexa Young Molly Gasal Annie Savage Leah O’connor Kathryn Jones Connor Woodson Hayden Roste Meghan Shirling Katie Sgroi Hailey Hughes Online Editors-in-Chief Sami Walter Duncan MacLachlan Assistant Online Editors Julia Poe Zoe Brian Head Online Copy Editors Jennifer Rorie

Vanessa Daves Multimedia Editor Dalton Boehm Convergence Editor Erin Reilly News Editor Pauline Werner Online Photo Editors Marisa Walton McKenzie Swanson Assistant Online Photo Editors AnnaMarie Oakley Paloma Garcia Video Editor Nathan Walker Live Broadcast Editors Andrew McKittrick Jack Stevens Homegrown Editor Maxx Lamb Opinion Editor Taylor Bell A&E Editor Morgan Krakow Sports Section Editors Alex Goldman Mitch Kaskie Blogs Editor Taylor Bell Podcast and Radio Editor Thomas Allen

Eastipedia Editor Susannah Mitchell Interactive Designers James Simmons Will Oakley Anchors Kyle Winston Joe Bahr Morgan Twibell G.J. Melia Tessa Polaschek Mitch Kaskie Annie Foster Webmasters Chris Denniston Jack Stevens Multimedia Staff Dalton Boehm Chris Denniston Maxx Lamb Kathryn Jones Nick Miriani Jack Stevens Mattie Germann Emily Perkins Rock AnnaMarie Oakley Tessa Polaschek Will Brownlee Sophie Mitchell Annie Foster Adviser Dow Tate

Letters to the editor may 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.

PROUDLY SUPPORTING SME LANCERS

Woodside Health and Tennis Club

ĂĀĀĀƫ !/0ƫąĈ0$ƫ ( !ƫđƫ !/03++ Čƫ */ /ƫƫ 66205 T 913.831.0034 (1 3++ /% !ċ +)ƫƫ

NAIL ENVOGUE 3601 W. 95 Street

NEW SET

$25.00

MANI AND PEDI $35.00

SHELEKC GEL COLOR ONLY $23.00

HARBINGER

H LIVE

PIZZA BY THE SLICE

Tune in to hear Lancer News, entertainment, opinions and P l e amore. se

11am-2pm Monday- Friday

GILMAN LAW OFFICE FRANK P. GILMAN, P.A. LAWYER

913-381-5280

Recycle Your

Please Recycle Your Harbinger

Exploring the Gap

Discussing the importance of exploring all post-graduation options an opinion of Kim Hoedel photo by Tessa Polaschek

THE

90% returned within one year

M AT T E R in2011 APPROXIMATELY

1 in every 100 first-time college freshmen took a gap-year

80%

of 280 gapyea rvey Su rs

nts de tu

FAC TS

through elementary school, middle school and high school without any hesitation. But now here we are. Senior year, on the last leg of our journey before we hit a junction and need to find a connection of our own. Unfortunately, I don’t think enough kids take advantage of this time in our lives. It is the first time we are really given control. What is our next step? Too many kids overlook their options and head straight from high school to college without giving it a second thought. One option worth exploring is taking a gap year—a solid year between the graduation of high school and the start of college. Gap years allow kids to travel and see the world, or hook-up with various programs such as AmeriCorp and USA Gap Year Fairs which focus on the education, service and personal growth of a student. Gap years tend to have an air of laziness about them. People seem to think that a gap year is basically the polite way of saying ‘bumming around and partying before I take responsibility in my life.’ But in reality, gap years can be well needed adjusters, spent primarily in work or intern-

ording to th *acc eH aig l

Our generation doesn’t know how to live in the present. We are always focused on the next step. Our next task, the next day, even what happens 20 years down the road. As students, we have been groomed to keep our eyes on the horizon. We don’t like doing homework, but we spend our nights roughing through it so that in a couple of years we will get into a good school, land a good career and live happily ever after. We are concentrating so much on the end product that we are missing the things that happen in between. It is like we are walking through the jungle with a pair of binoculars glued to our face always trying to get a somewhat hazy glimpse into what is up ahead and we are missing all the excitement and beauty of what is right around us. Up until graduation, our lives have been relatively plowed for us. We bummed around for a few years as we learned how to walk, talk and understand the world around us. Then, when we hit a certain age, we were enrolled in school, without any consent or discussion from us. We were placed on the train of education, set on auto-pilot, trucking

ship, giving students a chance to get out into the real world and figure out what they want to do or if their major is right for them before handing over a large tuition. For many high school students who are unsure what they want to do or major in, going straight from high school to college could be a massive waste of money as they take various courses that won’t count toward their job selection. For over a decade we have been working toward a future we may not fully understand or even want. When that day comes when we are lying on our deathbed, our diploma and salary and corner office won’t be the things that will matter. What will matter are the people we meet and the relationships and friendships that we had along the way. Gap years are time we can revert back within ourselves and enjoy a little bit of simple living. They don’t have to be expensive, while the average gap year costs between $10,000 and $12,000, students, (know as “Gappers”), can apply for financial aid through Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or through individual study-abroad programs. Many colleges, including Harvard, Princeton and New York University, encourage incoming students to defer admission for one year to take a gap year within their acceptance letters. In 2009, Princeton University created it’s Bridge-Year program, which allows select students to postpone admission to spend nine months of universitysponsored service time at one of Princeton’s four international locations. Many private colleges are now hosting “gap year fairs,” that let students explore all their options in how to fill and finance their gap years. Students are often hesitant to take a year off school and return to a class of much younger pupils than themselves, however Gappers and college counselors both agree that since college is much less age-oriented, it makes virtually no difference. A gap year can also be considered between undergraduate and graduate school. As soon as we leave college we will be

OPINION | 9

thrown into the “real world” of work and obligation and we may never get another chance to disappear from the world for a little while. We are tied down at school. We can’t just pick up and leave when we want to. We have given school nine months of our (nearly) undivided attention every year for the majority of our lives so far. School consumes our lives. We schedule around it and it has priority over nearly everything else, the same way our job will as soon as we graduate college. So we may as well take one blissful year while we still can to live for the moment. Education is extremely important. It is a keystone to success. I am a strong believer that all kids should have access to both a high school and college education. Yes, it would be nice to live on the coast of somewhere beautiful farming and working just to live within our means but for most of us that is not in the cards. I think it is important to get a great education and be both driven and devoted throughout our college years in pursuit of our designated dream job. However, I think it is extremely beneficial to break up what they call the “crib-to-college-to-cubical-to-coffin syndrome” at least once in our lives and live spontaneously in the moment. It is an experience that can not only motivate you through college but an experience that will live with you the rest of your life. I don’t want to look back 30 years from now and question why I am where I am and whether it was all worth it. A gap year is a time to think. To press pause on the pressure and stress of life. To give yourself some perspective. Get out of the bubble you’ve been cocooned inside all these years. Not just see but actually look at the world around you and give yourself perspective. A gap year is a great opportunity to jump off the train for just a moment, a chance to put the binoculars down and just live within our means for a short period of time. It’s our chance to explore the world in the present tense.

88%

of which returned within six months

RESUME

10% didn’t

AND

return

SAID

gap year A HELPED with

employability

PERCENT SAID

gap HELPED year

determine

their career/major

americorps

VOLUNTEERS

INCREASED

OFTHOSE WHO RETURNED:

TAKING

FROM LISH

ENG

EERIN

Y OG L IO

ENGIN

1990

2000

Y OR IST

TH AR

courtesy of americangap.org, washingtonpost.com and usagapyearfairs.org

10 | OPINION

LOSING HER FAITH

SOPHOMORE LOSES HER FAITH DUE TO FATHERS INVOLVEMENT IN CHURCH written by Emily Perkins Rock

photos by Maddie Schoemann

Sometime during the eighth grade, I stopped believing in God. Becoming agnostic was a bit of a relief after years of struggling with Christianity. The decision in and of itself was intimidating, but what really terrified me was telling my parents — more specifically, my dad, Pastor Paul. Most people can simply turn away from religion after denouncing their beliefs. That was never an option for me. Religion is and always has been a fundamental part of my family. For most people, the majority of their religious experience takes place for an hour or two each Sunday, an in-andout sort of affair. In my house, religion is a daily experience. Because my dad is a pastor, dinnertime discussions often touch on plans for youth group meetings or renovations for the sanctuary. I listen to my dad read through his sermons over and over. I hear stories about God’s love and kindness, always different yet always with the same underlying themes: God is good, God loves you, God will watch over you. I suppose for most people, these messages hold true. God represents a golden standard of morality, someone who knows it all, someone who has all the answers. For the first half of my life, God was this omnipotent, loving figure and the church was the purest of institutions, but hat began to change for me. Living as close to the church as I did was both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, I grew up in up in the heart of a community unified in its beliefs. My childhood memories are bathed in the glow of stained glass windows and echoed whispers of the Lord’s Prayer. My playmates were Sunday School friends and my babysitters were part of the church’s congregation. Being the pastor’s daughter, I found that I was paid more attention than most kids. My dad’s position qualified me for the role of Mary in the Christmas Pageant and gave congregation members license to hold 30-minute conversations over that week’s sermon with me. As a spotlightloving seven-year-old, I didn’t mind the attention. After years of the same questions, however, my weekly conversations began to sound quite redundant. The roles I received began to feel more like what they were - handouts, given to me because of my dad’s job and not through any particular talent of my own.

The strains Christianity and my dad’s job put on our family weren’t limited to those grievances. I noticed how a myriad of personal issues and complaints etched new lines on my dad’s face and a sprinkling of grey in his hair that was unusual for a man of his age. Seeing members of my dad’s congregation give him grief made me realize that the church was not the pure, holy institution I had believed it to be. After all, the church is made up of people, people who are imperfect beings who carry their flaws around with them, even into the quiet sanctuary of the church. For my whole life, the church and god had been closely intertwined, and seeing these imperfections in the church began to riddle holes in my faith. For a while I was able to work past these holes and ignore the imperfections. But then, the year I turned eight, my parents moved us from California to New York, away from our friends, family and the only home I’d ever known. We were leaving because God “called us” to New York, a move which only served to reinforce the growing animosity I harbored towards the God I’d been raised to love. When scandal rocked our church in New York, throwing any semblance of normalcy we’d developed straight to hell, my parents said we would get through it because God loved us, God was watching out for us. I suppose even then I still believed that it was true. I wanted to believe in God like I wanted to believe in fairies. I wanted to believe my parents. I wanted to continue believing in God, but God kept causing problems for me. As soon as I’d settled in New York, my dad started looking for a job as a senior pastor, a position he couldn’t hold in our current church. So God called us to Kansas. I’ve never been good with change. I have my patterns, my set routines. Taking the M7 bus home from school. Brushing my teeth before washing my face. A cup of peppermint tea before bed. After living in New York for six years, making new friends and settling into new routines, moving to Kansas was inconceivable - almost a laughable prospect. I wasn’t laughing when we packed our furniture into moving vans, though. Arriving at our new house, all I could think about was how I’d left my friends, the city and my home for the second time and God was, once again, at the root of the problem.

BELIEF THAT THERE IS SOMETHING

CHRISTIANITY CHURCH SERVICES BELIEF IN AN AFTERLIFE BIBLE PRIESTS, POPES, CARDNIALS, DEACONS ETC

I’d had my doubts about religion before, yet the faults always seemed excusable. Maybe God just didn’t have time to look out for the Perkins Rock family. Maybe I was being selfish, considering only my feelings when there were so many people with troubles bigger than my own. Our move to Kansas took my belief to the breaking point. Didn’t I deserve to be happy just as much as anyone else? Christianity, this rigid idea of good and bad, this strict set of beliefs that had hovered behind me my whole life, was making me miserable. Shortly after moving to Kansas, I made the decision to become agnostic. I didn’t abandon spirituality completely, however. Though I don’t believe in the specific ideas of Christianity, I still believe there is a purpose to life that’s bigger than just me as an individual. Being agnostic has made me a healthier person, spiritually and mentally. Being able to form my own ideas about religion and higher powers brought a sense of independence that I’ve been missing for a while. No longer is there a God in my life to take the blame for what goes wrong or what goes right. I am fully responsible for my life, something that has made me more aware of the decisions I make. Of course, Christianity is still a major part of my life. My whole family practices Christianity and I have no desire to convert them or poke holes in their beliefs. I am happy where I am, and I know they are happy in their faith. Pastor or not, my dad loves me and has helped me work through my religious questioning. My parents have provided their unwavering support throughout the whole process even though they can’t fully understand my decision. I still pray with my family at dinner time. I still talk about faith and religion with my parents but now I don’t blame God for how things have turned out. I’m not frustrated with a deity that seems to be the root of my problems. Somewhere near the end of my childhood, I became disillusioned with the idea of fairies and had to leave them behind. As time went on, I left behind various beliefs and fancies as my outlook changed. God, like fairies, had to be let go for me to grow into the person I am today.

SYMBOLS IN CHRISTIANITY

AGNOSTICISM NO SET SERVICES NO DISCUSSION OF AFTERLIFE NO BOOK OF TEACHINGS NO HIERARCHY

CHALICE

FISH

CROSS

SUNDAY SCHEDULE

9:15-10:30 CHURCH SERVICE 10:30-12:00 DAD’S MEETINGS 12:00-1:00 LUNCH WITH

“

PARISHONERS

Every Sunday my family dedicates the first half of the day to church.

FEATURES | 11

continued from cover

o in the middle of his junior year at Northern Arizona, McKinney dropped out entirely and landed a job in nearby Phoenix with a new company called Sprint. He spent a few years in Phoenix before being transferred to Kansas City. There, McKinney found a comfortable salary, a stable job as a customer service supervisor and even got married. He had already accomplished so much more than he ever thought he would. But something was still missing. McKinney began to want more from his career. Days of listening to customers gripe about their service were taking a toll on him. Then he looked at his wife, Shazon, who would come home every day excited from her job as a first grade teacher. “I said, ‘I want that,’” McKinney said. “‘I want to work with kids. I want to help them get ready for the future. I want to feel good about what I’m doing.’” So McKinney went and finished his degree, this time in English, at Ottawa University. Then, with his degree and a teaching certificate in hand, McKinney made a decision that changed his life indefinitely: he left Sprint. He left his stable job. He left his good company. He left his benefits, and his 401k, and his nice salary, and began his career as an English teacher. “It was scary leaving Sprint,” McKinney said. “But I knew that I needed something more. At that point in my life I had developed goals and aspirations beyond just ‘work till you die.’ I knew that I wanted to do something meaningful and significant and important.” McKinney’s leap of faith paid off, and not just because he’s now slated to become the next principal of one of the top public high schools in Kansas. His decision to leave Sprint has been justified by more than just his profession-

al success as an educator. McKinney found his purpose in teaching. He knows he was meant to do this. And his success as an educator shows that. McKinney came to East for the 2000-2001 school year as an English teacher. In his first decade at East, McKinney gradually made his way towards an administrative position. He became the head of the English department, took on extra responsibility for the district and began taking classes for administration. His first class was taught by a man who has become McKinney’s mentor and friend during his past five years as an administrator: Principal Karl Krawitz. The two men formed a teacher-student bond during that class. But when both were hired to the East administration the next year, they were given an opportunity to further develop that relationship. “That’s one of the things you have to do with this job,” Dr. Krawitz said. “You’re never gonna do it forever. It’s been a constant mentoring.” But Dr. Krawitz thinks McKinney is ready now, and McKinney agrees. He says he’s been preparing for this job for the last five years as an associate principal. He’s wanted to be a building principal for a while now, and there’s no other place he’d rather do that than East. “I think that I found in the students here at East a commitment to learning, a desire to do something with their lives, a confidence that if they are given the tools and the knowledge they need they can go off and do these really incredible things,” McKinney said. “And that’s the culture here at East. I fell in love with that.” Just as McKinney fell in love with East, the East community has come to love him over time. “He’s a fun guy and he seems to have a humorous per-

sonality,” junior Quincy Hendricks said. “Everyone respects him.” McKinney has developed a good reputation with the faculty here, as well. “He was one of the first people I met when I was hired here, and I liked him from the moment I met him,” English teacher Lisa Leslie said. “We shared the same philosophy. We both believe very much that connection with the students is key to everything else happening.” McKinney contributes his success at East to his ability to work with people. While he may have a very different background than the students he works with here, he always finds ways to find commonality with them. “Whatever the differences might be, I’ve tried really hard to see the common ground between people and find something that we might have in common to talk about,” McKinney said. “For me to have conversations with freshmen who are 14 years old, I’ve got to really try to have something in common that [I] can talk about and use as a means to get to know that person better.” McKinney has come to help students fulfill their potential. He has a knack for spotting potential in students who don’t see it in themselves — in part because he never saw it in himself. “I think because I lived that, where I wasn’t particularly goal-oriented, but now that’s a big part of my life, I encourage others to see beyond right now and to look toward the future and all the potential that they have in them and to become the person that I feel like they could become,” McKinney said.

STEPPING UP

Associate Principal will take the position of principal next year

photo by Jake Crandall Above:: Associate principal John McKinney supervises student section at the East vs. SM South basketball game.

12| SPREAD

SPREAD | 13

written by Chloe Stradinger

photos by McKenzie Swanson and Marisa Walton

Between the McPherson basketball tournament, the New York Marketing trip and Drill Team Ball, Principal Karl Krawitz has had many Monday morning meetings with members of the senior class of 2013. With 28 drug and alcohol contract violations by the senior class this year alone, Krawitz is tired of these meetings. But so are the students. Members of the senior class feel targeted this year by the administration. The numerous violations have prompted Dr. Krawitz to get stricter with punishments this semester. He’s felt pressure from the community — Prairie Village Police Chief Wes Jordan recently called a meeting with East administrators and representatives from the District Attorney’s office to discuss the high number of alcohol and drug cases involving East students going through the courthouse. “The purpose of that meeting was for all of us, that are tasked with trying to make sure kids are successful, to have open lines of communication together,” Student Resource Officer Joel Porter said. “And for everybody to say ‘how can we help each other better and do our jobs more effectivley?” So Dr. Krawitz has become more stringent. After a handful of students were caught drinking in McPherson — a school sponsored event — on Jan. 18, they received a five day out of school suspension. But Dr. Krawitz decided to take the punishment a little further: he placed a ban prohibiting them from going to any more schoolsponsored events, from soccer games to Prom. “I have an old saying: if you’re not present, you’re never a problem,” Dr. Krawitz said. Senior Mitch Sauls, who was caught in McPherson, is upset with the punishment. He feels he and the other persons involved are being unfairly targeted as an example and warning to other students. “[The administration] should enforce the no drinking policy for everyone and have a set punishment,” Sauls said. Sauls isn’t the only one upset with the administration this year. Senior Patrick Simmons thinks that Dr. Krawitz needs to loosen up, from monitoring chants at basketball games to doling out punishment, specifically the one for the students involved in McPherson. “They should understand we’re high school students, and they can’t control everything we do, but keep it under control,” Simmons said. The tension between the students and administration is caused in part by a disagreement over the seriousness of the crime — teen drinking. While Dr. Krawitz supports that underage drinking is against the law and is not at all respectable, Sauls thinks “teenagers are idiots by nature and there’s nothing school officials can do to stop it.” Still, there are students who support the views of the administration, such as senior Helena Buchmann. “I’m not saying that I’m innocent, that I haven’t partaken in certain activities that the administration doesn’t approve of,” Buchmann said. “But one thing that our grade specifically struggles with is straddling the line between casual experimenting with things that, because we’re teenagers, [we] try out and break the rules with, and then risky and unsafe behavior.”

According to Dr. Krawitz, the tension is not alleviated by parent involvement. He says that many parents avoid talking about the crime altogether and focus only on the punishment. “Administratively we haven’t been treated very well by the parents of those who have been at fault, as if the problem is the school’s problem and not the kid’s,” Dr. Krawitz said. A byproduct of the tension is misconception on what punishments for misconduct really are and what changes will come from it. This has led to rumors circulating about what could be banned next year because of the senior class’s misbehavior. The New York Marketing trip, a staple trip in the fall for Marketing 2 students, may or may not be happening in the future due to this year’s seniors alleged abuse of their freedom and violation of the drug and alcohol contract. “At this point I would say no [it’s not happening] but I told my juniors that it was something we could talk about at the beginning of the year next year,” Marketing teacher Mercedes Rasmussen said. Drill Team/Cheer Ball will still go on next year (held at Blue Valley North), but cheer captain Emma Robson confirms that due to accusations of Lancer Dancers possessing alcohol, East will not be invited. Seniors will not be able to leave for second semester seminar next year, but that’s a new district policy, not a result of misconduct. Open lunch for seniors will still be an option, according to associate principal and next year’s Principal John McKinney. This year’s senior class will be leaving behind a legacy that entails the highest MIP count — 65 — and broken privileges. Simmons thinks that the senior class is no more troubled than any other, but that they’ve gotten in more trouble because the administration has “cracked down.” Dr. Krawitz believes the issue lies in the publicity of the incidents. “I am not sure this year’s senior class is any different than any other class, except their alcohol cases have been more out in the open and public which gives the perception that the senior class is out of control,” Dr. Krawitz said. Whatever the reason, the senior class as a whole has gained a bad reputation because of the actions of only a portion of the students. According to Dr. Krawitz, while there are things the seniors should be commended for, the class’s record MIP count continues to veil these successes. “When the student body can say to the rest of these kids that are really impacting or overshadowing all the great things happening in this building, until they can say that’s behavior we’re not going to accept, then I think the problem will go on,” Dr. Krawitz said. It could be hard for the seniors to reconcile their legacy at this point in the year, but with a new principal and new senior class, a fresh slate could provide an opportunity for better relationships and conduct next year. “I’m hoping that [the administration] will reevaluate next year and look at how our class is shaping up and give us a fresh start,” junior Mitchell Tyler said.

Lancers are asked what legacy they want to leave after they graduate

Shawnee Mission hail to thee, Lancers we will ever be. We stand behind our colors bright columbia blue, black and white

A TAINTED

LEGACY

freshmanAbby Hans

freshmanJulia Hager

sophomore Charlie Drape

sophomore Kate Mitchell

“Really inspirational like good and fun, and like we are able to get everyone going, peppy and happy, and what not.”

juniorDavid Spivak

“I want the class of 2014 to be remembered for having good school spirit and being good role models for the underclassmen.”

junior Grant Auer

junior Lindley Savage “I hope that other grades in the future say ‘oh we want to be like that grade because they were so friendly and welcoming to the under classmen’.”

junior Tommy Larson

junior Zoey Gibson

junior Ryan Carter

seniorJack Sernett “In my personal opinion I feel like our class will leave behind the legacy of being one of the most caring classes and one of the most successful academically.”

senior Audrey Hitchcock

“Being the class that brings a new sense of community to East.”

“A friendly class just overall happy.”

“I think we will be a successful teamwork class.”

“I guess I would want us to be remembered as friendly and spirited.”

A look into the impression this year’s senior class has had on the East community

High school days too soon are gone but fond memories linger on may our spirits be increased and God watch over SM East

“I want us to be remembered as respectful and studious and well rounded students.”

“I guess I’d like to be known for having a lot of school spirit and having a lot of participation.”

“I want us to be known for our extremely good looks.”

“I think we’re very close, we’re all involved with each other and like to not be exclusive I think.”

12| SPREAD

SPREAD | 13

written by Chloe Stradinger

photos by McKenzie Swanson and Marisa Walton

Lancers are asked what legacy they want to leave after they graduate

Shawnee Mission hail to thee, Lancers we will ever be. We stand behind our colors bright columbia blue, black and white

A TAINTED

LEGACY

freshmanAbby Hans

freshmanJulia Hager

sophomore Charlie Drape

sophomore Kate Mitchell

“Really inspirational like good and fun, and like we are able to get everyone going, peppy and happy, and what not.”

juniorDavid Spivak

“I want the class of 2014 to be remembered for having good school spirit and being good role models for the underclassmen.”

junior Grant Auer

junior Lindley Savage “I hope that other grades in the future say ‘oh we want to be like that grade because they were so friendly and welcoming to the under classmen’.”

junior Tommy Larson

junior Zoey Gibson

junior Ryan Carter

seniorJack Sernett “In my personal opinion I feel like our class will leave behind the legacy of being one of the most caring classes and one of the most successful academically.”

senior Audrey Hitchcock

“Being the class that brings a new sense of community to East.”

“A friendly class just overall happy.”

“I think we will be a successful teamwork class.”

“I guess I would want us to be remembered as friendly and spirited.”

A look into the impression this year’s senior class has had on the East community

High school days too soon are gone but fond memories linger on may our spirits be increased and God watch over SM East

“I want us to be remembered as respectful and studious and well rounded students.”

“I guess I’d like to be known for having a lot of school spirit and having a lot of participation.”

“I want us to be known for our extremely good looks.”

“I think we’re very close, we’re all involved with each other and like to not be exclusive I think.”

THE BODY BAR 8827 Roe Avenue Prairie Village, KS 66207

Brand New Blowout Bar!

(913) 649-4433

“The perfect mix for your body”

Blow Out Bar, Makeup, Custom Spray Tanning, Nail Salon, Lashes, Full Body Waxing, and Lots More! * SME Students Get 15% discount!

2,300 members of the community will read this ad.

Visit us online at: www.smeharbinger.net

mixed.

MIXED | 15 We all had that dream job when we were little, an answer to the question “what do you want to be when you grow up” that was so commonly asked by parents. Here’s a look at a few students who still have an answer.

written by Grace Heitmann

“Life is unpredictable!” reads senior Brooke Fasbender’s Facebook status. “Little did I know moving to Kansas would change my life forever. I found SME Lancer Wrestling... Thank you to the wrestlers, managers and coaches for being a family and showing me what I want to do in life.” It all started out with a friend asking Fasbender if she wanted to manage the wrestling team with her. Now two seasons of wrestling and one season of football later, Fasbender wants to be a sports manager when she grows up. As a sports manager at East, Fasbender did a variety of things. For football, Fasbender worked with trainer Ron Wollenhaupt to wrap up the guys if they need it and made sure the team always had cold water and Gatorade. During the wrestling season, Fasbender took scores at the matches, videotaped the matches and timed the matches during practice. “It’s something fun,” Fasbender said. “It’s just interesting, [with the] different things that they do.” Fasbender is hoping to go to either her top pick, Arizona State University, or Wichita State University. She wants to work with a professional team after college, preferably for a wrestling team. “No matter where I go, I will study sports management,” Fasbender said.

Junior Murphy Smith is looking for colleges and he’s found a few: one in Montana, one in Boston, another in Arizona. But Smith is particular — he wants his college to include a repair and restoration school. Because he wants to be a luthier when he grows up. A luthier is a person who makes, repairs and restores stringed instruments such as violins, guitars and cellos. Smith made his first instrument, a bass guitar, with the help of his dad at a workshop. He started in May of 2012 and finished it in December of the same year. “The bass took about five months on-and-off because it was really hard to work on because of school,” Smith said. He is currently working on a tenor banjo with another luthier who lives in Prairie Village. So far, it’s taken about two months and should be done in one or two weeks. Smith plays the instruments he makes, but plans on selling the ones he will create when he grows up. “It’s just really fun,” Smith said. “I like making something that is useful and you can actually play.”

TEACHER!

eam job ure out which dr see if you can fig which East teacher belonged to

ASTRONAUT HINT:

Ever since she was in third grade, senior Sarah Langtry has known what she wanted to be when she grew up, a reconstructive surgeon. “I used to watch a lot of Grey’s Anatomy when I was a lot younger and I saw them separate these Siamese twins and I thought it was really cool,” Langtry said. “For some weird reason, I get really interested by human guts, which is really gross but it interests me.” A reconstructive surgeon restores the form and function of the body by correcting impairments such as burns, facial bone breaks, disease, tumors and congenital abnormalities such as cleft lips. “It’s not really cosmetic, it’s more like if somebody gets into an accident and needs to be reconstructed or something like that,” Langtry said. Although Langtry might not know where she’s going to college, she knows that she’ll be studying in the field of medicine to achieve her childhood aspirations.

GUESS THAT

photos by Jake Crandall

associates cell phones with treats

VET favorite band: George Michael

ARCHAEOLOGIST has a huge beard

answers: 1: Ms. Horn ; 2: Ms. Schnakenberg ; 3: Mr. Southwick

16 | FEATURES

GOTTA CATCH ‘em ALL New Pokemon club is gaining attention from East students

poke dreams

SME Poketrainer members share what which pokemon they would most like to be

LEO NIEHORSTER-COOK sophomore

“Realistically, I’d [choose to be] Arceus... but that’s no fun... I’d like to be a Jigglypuff. They can float in the air, and they’re really cute!”

photo by Maddie Schoemann written by Tommy Sherk Sophomore Leo Niehorster Cook is ready to fight. His homework is finished, and he still has an hour until dinner. Just enough time to get a battle in. When meeting his adversary, few words are exchanged. His opponent’s hands are quick, but his are quicker. With a final devastating blow, he defeats his enemy. As his competitor lies dead on the ground, Niehorster-Cook logs off of pokemonshowdown.com and closes his laptop. Niehorster-Cook isn’t the only Pokémon enthusiast at East. He is one of several students who regularly play the game online. Earlier this year, Niehorster-Cook created the SME Pokétrainers Facebook group in order to make it easier for East players to organize Pokémon trades and online tournaments on pokemonshowdown.com. “I needed a specific item or Pokémon, and I thought about how it would be nice if we had a group of people I could contact to see who has an extra one, so I made one,” NiehorsterCook said. The much-needed communication was immediately available for members of the group. Members that Niehorster-Cook had invited quickly began to organize trades amongst themselves, swapping Pokémon in order to better their collection. Members enjoy the fact that they can post a question, and they get quick answers and helpful strategies for the advancement of their game.

“Being a part of the Facebook group can be an advantage because you can ask questions relating to Pokémon and people will give you a helpful answer,” freshman Ian McFarlin said. Niehorster-Cook thinks that some members, including himself, are attracted to Pokémon through nostalgic means. Being fans of Pokémon since they were little, they never had good a reason to stop. “I think everyone holds on to something from their childhood, and a lot of us hold on to this game,” Niehorster-Cook said. Most of the members play the game from their computers. They use an online simulator that allows them to challenge friends or random opponents. Tournaments can also be held through the simulator. Niehorster-Cook can create a tournament and invite members from the group to play. He explains that the group makes it easier to contact people and pass around needed information. Niehorster-Cook often encourages members to invite any Pokémon enthusiasts into the group. A main objective of the group is that it is supposed to be open to everyone. He spends an hour a night (three on the weekends) playing online, hunched over his laptop, so he has plenty of time to answer questions and teach people strategies. The members of the group that have been playing for multiple years have advanced to

a very high level. They have developed strategies that strengthen their Pokémon and enhance their ability to win. But instead of keeping these secret for personal advancement, they share them with the whole group, so everyone can progress. Many members have suggested that someone organize a tournament at East. They have decided that anyone, inside or outside of the group, can come. They would play in a series of duels, like a basic bracket. However, unlike their usual tournaments, they would play with cards instead of online. For some members, Pokémon is like an after-school sport. Leo believes Pokémon is a valid substitute for an after school activity. “There’s really no solid reason outside of social constructs to play football over play Pokémon,” Niehorster-Cook said. “Both represent a challenge and have a significant subculture around it.” Niehorster-Cook’s favorite part about the group is the solidarity. The page is riddled with funny posts and people offering help to other members. And the best part for Niehorster-Cook is that it all revolves around Pokémon. “My favorite part about the club is the sense of community,” Niehorster-Cook said. “We laugh, joke around and play our game. It’s not like some super secret club that doesn’t let other people in.”

IAN McFARLIN freshman

“I would be a Heracross. It’s cool looking and one of my favorites to use in the game.”

MICHELLE LU junior

“I think I would be a Piplup! Puplup is quirky and sometimes a bit stubborn, and I feel that I would be a good water type because I go with the flow, no pun intended.”

FORGET YOUR CAMERA? WE DIDN’T. WWW.SMEPHOTOS.COM

11 DAYS UNTIL SPRING BREAK

RJ’s SHACK

5835 Lamar Ave. Mission, KS 66202 phone: 913-262-7300

BOB-BE-QUE

RJ’s Bob-Be-Que is a must stop for serious BBQ fans. We’re located in the heart of Mission Kansas. RJ’s is where the meat falls off the bone.

LANCERS, ARE YOU READY FOR LACROSSE? THE 2013 LAKC CHAMPIONS ARE. DATE

3/7 3/8 3/28 4/2 4/4 4/6 4/7 4/9 4/11 4/13 4/16 4/17 4/18 4/20 4/20 4/23 4/25 4/27 4/30 5/1 5/4 5/8 5/10

TIME

6:30 PM/7:30 PM 5:30 PM 5 PM 5 PM/6:30 PM 5 PM/6:30 PM 3 PM/5 PM 11 AM/1 PM 6:30 PM/8 PM 6:30 PM/7:30 PM 4:30 PM/5:30 PM 5:45 PM/6:45 PM 6 PM 6 PM/7:30 PM 1 PM 1:30 PM 5 PM/6:30 PM 5 PM 1 PM 6 PM/7:30 PM 6:30 PM/7:30 PM TBA TBA TBA

TEAM

JV/Varsity Freshmen JV Varsity/Freshmen JV/Varsity JV/Varsity JV/Varsity Varsity/JV JV/Varsity JV/Varsity JV/Varsity Freshmen JV/Varsity Freshmen Varsity JV/Varsity Freshmen Freshmen JV/Varsity JV/Varsity Varsity Varsity Varsity

LOCATION

SM North Lee's Summit West Lee' s Summit Olathe South HS St. Thomas Aquinas Chaminade, St. Louis SLUH SM North SM North SM East SM North Rockhurst HS Rockhurst HS Blue Valley West SM East Pembroke Home Home SM South SM North TBA TBA TBA

OPPONENT

Lee's Summit West Lee's Summit West Lee' Summit Olathe South St. Thomas Aquinas Chaminade SLUH BV North BV West Northland Lee's Summit North Rockhurst Rockhurst BV West Lincoln Pembroke Rockhurst BV West SM South Olathe East LAKC Quarterfinals LAKC Semi Finals LAKC Finals

“Safe Haven” Sparks an Interest written by Taylor Bell

Nicholas Sparks’ books don’t lure me to the edge of my seat, they’re not thrillers. But they bring me straight into the book. I found myself laughing when Ronnie and Will argued in “The Last Song” and crying when Noah and Allie broke up in the “Notebook.” His writing puts me in the characters’ shoes, and I feel everything the way they feel it. “Safe Haven” is no different. We start out learning about a young blond named Katie, quickly serving tables at a waterfront seafood restaurant. I felt like I was walking with her as she made her way around her new home of Southport, North Carolina, a small town bursting with southern hospitality. Katie is likable from the beginning, but I got the sense that she was hiding something, from the way she avoided talking to anyone. We are soon introduced to a young man with gray hair named Alex, who runs one of the only general stores in town and lives in the house attached to it. Since she has no car to get anywhere further away, Katie becomes somewhat of a regular at the store. Alex attempts to be friendly towards Katie, but she tries not to reveal any information about her dark past, which still has not been explained. She wants to stay under the radar, which made her a blaring mystery to everyone in the gossiping town. If I lived in that town, I would want to know everything about the strange new girl who doesn’t talk to anyone. I found myself annoyed with the way she lived and her likability fell through the cracks. Being a regular to Alex’s store, though, she fig-

ures she has to make small talk, and the two learn a bit about each other. Alex learns that she loves to read, and Katie learns that he has two kids, Josh and Kristen. She also learns that his wife died. Their relationship blossoms in the usual Nicholas Sparks way; at first they are reluctant, but their conversations turn to witty flirtations, which was irritatingly predictable, to the point that I considered putting the book down. As Katie meets her new neighbor, Jo, who moves in just after Katie, they start talking as a ply to extract information from Katie’s past to present to the reader. She explains how her “friend” had to escape from an abusive husband. Jo, conveniently a therapist, probably weaved into the book to lend inspiring quotes to the main characters, figures out what she means, promising not to tell anyone. Being a Nicholas Sparks book, there has to be a profuse amount of sappy romance. Alex and Katie’s relationship begins slowly, but soon they spend everyday together. The cheesy conversations that these two have are hard to get through without laughing, let alone finding them romantic. Meanwhile, Sparks adds in a dramatic, heartpounding touch by unfolding a story of Katie’s husband and his hunt to find his runaway wife. Though written in third-person, his sections of the book are written with a childish, repetitive tone that reflects what seems to be the OCD tendencies he displays. He is later described by Katie as “insane”. Through the sentimental screen of romance in Southport, you watch as Katie falls in love with

CHECK OUT Harbie Radio for 24/7 streaming of

“Advice” podcasts by Annie Sullivan and Becca Zeiger Music podcasts by Nathan Walker Weekly sports updates from the Sports Desk Music by Local Talk and Mason Pashia

Junior Taylor Bell reviews romance novel by author Nicholas Sparks

Alex and his young kids. Alex realizes that his wife would love Katie, and accepts that she wanted him to find love. The story becomes a little too perfect, as the cheesy romance continues, and I braced myself for the imminent peril that always hits at the end of a Sparks book. The writing mimics a countdown as the book nears its dramatic end. Every chapter switches back and forth, from story to story, as Katie’s husband, Kevin, gets closer and closer to finding her. Sparks draws you into the story as you fear for Katie and want to warn her about her insane husband. Though the sentimental writing made me cringe with every sentence, especially the melodramatic whining as Katie explained how she not good enough for Alex, the cliché Sparks ending had me rushing to finish. As the book ended in a dramatic flurry of love and tragedy, I reflected on what I just read: A sweet yet histrionic love story that I’ll forget by the time the movie’s out on DVD.

A&E | 19

For a review of “Safe Haven” the movie go to smeharbinger.net

photo courtesy of mctcampus.com

James T. Hise

Senior Vice President, Weath Mangagement Private Wealth Advisor Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.

444 W. 47th Street, Suite 500 Kansas City, MO 64112 816-932-9908 Direct 816-359-3166 Fax

james_hise@ml.com http://pwa.mil.com/HOWEHISELOWRY

SPRIN THE H

ARBI

written

by Tie rn

an Sha

photos

A&E | 21

NGER

by Car o

’S GU

IDE T O

line Cr eidenb

erg

FASHION

MAXI SKIRT The Amish aren’t the only ones who can pull of these ankle length skirts. Almost everyone can rock these easy, comfortable and conservative skirts that really incorporate the boho look. Pair with almost any top and you have a perfectly trendy and indie outfit. If you aren’t looking to spend a fortune on one of these, they can be found anywhere from Target to the Gap and if you’re feeling especially crafty, make one yourself with some stretchy fabric of your choice.

LOAFERS Move over, Sperry’s — there’s a new, more fashion forward, slip on shoe that’s taking spring by storm. Functional yet fashionable loafers, oxfords and chukka boots are cushioned, flexible and lightweight, making them a perfect choice for walking through the hallways or the streets. Paired with a fluorescent sole these shoes are double as trendy for spring 2013. Made for both boys and girls, you can find them at Cole Haan and J Crew, but beware of a hefty price. For cheaper alternatives, Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters have a good selection but might not be as high quality as the more expensive brands.

PRINTED PANTS Go into about any store nowadays and you’ll find rows of printed jeans, khakis, cords and even leggings. But these pants are no small matter -- wearing printedcolorful pants is a commitment and nothing to take lightly. Since these pants draw more attention than the common blue jean or black legging, prepare yourself for stares and more compliments than usual.

2013

NEON

Adding a nice pop of color is a great way to avoid lingering winter darks. Splashes of neon and fluorescent colors brighten up any wardrobe and make the simplest of outfits stand out. Be careful when adding neon since too much can look like bad spring break t-shirt, but when done correctly, little bursts of pink, orange, green, yellow, purple or even blue make everything that much more fun. Finding these tasteful, yet fun pieces is a little harder than your average shirt. J Crew, Urban Outfitters, Standard Style and Nordstrom are good places to start, but they can run a little expensive.

RETRO Spring 2013 is traveling back to the future with sixties silhouettes. Perfect for a lunch with grandma or a night out with friends, this trendy, yet sophisticated look is a statement for any fashion forward conservative. Checkers, knee length skirts and loose fitting dresses are featured in popular brands in Kate Spade and Louis Vuitton’s spring 2013 collection. But you don’t have to be a high fashion mogul to get these pricey looks. Find them at J Crew, Forever 21, H&M and Urban Outfitters for a less expensive price but just as trendy a look.

SHEER Be careful not to be seen walking through the hallways by Ms. Fishman in this spring trend, or at least wear it tastefully since you might be sent home for breaking the dress code. Sheer panels on a top or pants can get a little risque, but if pulled off correctly, can add some spice to a boring old top. This peekaboo trend is great for any body type depending on how much skin you want to flaunt and especially with a bandeau underneath, this spring trend can go straight into summer. You won’t find one of these pieces at Chico’s or Ann Taylor, but shops like Urban Outfitters, J Crew and Free People have a wide selection.

SIXTIES STRIPE Big on the runway this season is the candy stripe sixties look. A perfectly simple, yet interesting piece. Featured on pants, sweaters, shirts, even shoes, these stripes are a flattering piece for guys and gals. Thankfully, you don’t have to go straight to New York Fashion Week to pick up the look. Less expensive, yet trendy shops like H&M, Forever 21 and BP carry a wide variety of candy strip items under $50. If you’re feeling especially retro or dangerously experimental, pair these sixties stripes with a graphic top or pants. Dare I even say...polka dots?

THANKS TO OUR STUDENT MODELS KENDALL AND CLINT DUNN

22| SPORTS

JI-

WINNING Sophomore Jiwen Wu finds success in table tennis

written by Julia Poe

photos by Leah

orehand. Forehand. Forehand. Then a sudden switch to backhand. The ball whistles over the net and sophomore Jiwen Wu lets out a string of Mandarin Chinese, teasing his dad. He’s using his dad to warm up for his typical three-hour Saturday afternoon training session at the Athletic Club of Overland Park. Wu’s training doesn’t involve pushups or wind sprints. His sport isn’t one of brute strength. Table tennis is one of skill. It takes skill to see where the 40 mm wide ball is going and stop it in less than a second. It takes skill to know how to angle a paddle to cause different types of spin, or to anticipate the type of shot the other player is taking. “Soccer or basketball, you need strength for them, but table tennis is all about the skill,” Wu says. “That’s kind of good for me. What I need is to be able to be fast and to have quick reactions so that I can stop the ball.” Wu spends around 10 hours in private lessons and practices at the Athletic Club every week. The time is spent working towards a single goal — a professional ranking. In the U.S., players are ranked on a number scale. The world champion is ranked around 2900 and most professionals are ranked at 2000 or above. Currently, Wu is aiming to raise his 1750 ranking to somewhere between 2000 and 2300. After getting warmed up with his dad, Jiwen greets a fellow player, Hao, who he plays against often. They chat in a mix of Mandarin and English and then the two begin a match. Hao is ranked at 1900 and has played for over 30 years. His powerful volleys cause Jiwen to overshoot the table three times in a row. “He’s nervous,” Hao says, retrieving the ball as it skitters across the court. “He never misses that much.” The sophomore’s interest in table tennis began in the second grade, when Wu was still living in Guangzhou, China. Wu’s father, Jianheng, introduced him to the sport through a local club. Jianheng had played since he was 10, when he took a door off its hinges and placed it on bricks to create makeshift table in order to practice. “He wanted me to learn table tennis because he really enjoyed it as a boy,” Jiwen says, translating for his dad from Mandarin to English. “He says it’s good for me, to keep in shape, and I seem to really like it. He hopes that I keep doing it for awhile, like the other guys here [at the club].” In seventh grade, his family moved to Kansas so that Wu’s mother could become a medical researcher for the pharma-

cology department at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Wu thought that he was leaving table tennis behind in China, since he didn’t know of any leagues or coaches in the area. The loss was just another difficulty of moving to an entirely new country. But after a year of not playing, Wu found a local coach named Xueying Li. Although Jiwen struggled at first due to taking time off, playing the sport helped him with the transition from China to the U.S. After several weeks, Wu and his coach were amazed at his rapid improvement. “He is a very good student, very smart,” Li said. “He works very hard, and he is good both at forehand and backhand, so that is very good. We’re aiming for him to get 1900 or 2000 this year, and he’ll do it. I know it.” When Wu began playing in America, table tennis became less of a hobby as Jiwen became more competitive and enjoyed spending more time at the Athletic Club. Although he had less free time because of his homework load, Wu still made time to train and grow as a player. Playing at the Athletic Club brought a new perk — Wu met Samuel Liu, a fellow sophomore, who quickly became his friend and partner for practicing and doubles competitions. The two are well-matched and ranked evenly around 1750. As Liu and Wu play a match against each other, their playing styles compliment each others’ strengths. Liu, an aggressive player, is able to overpower Wu with hard forehands, while Wu bests him with repetition and finesse.

UNDERSTANDING the RANKINGS Despite his age, Wu has already moved up in the USATT rankings. Here is how the rankings are conducted: Upsetting higher ranked players gives you more points Players gain ranking points by winning a match in a tournament Rankings are controlled by United States of America Table Tennis (USATT)

“It’s so good to have Jiwen, because before I was just playing with a lot of adults,” Liu says. “We push each other really well since we’re so evenly matched, but we’re able to have fun with it, too.” The boys laugh as Liu slams a shot into the net. They’ve traveled to several competitions together, competing both in singles and in doubles. Jiwen struggled at his first tournaments when he was ranked around 1400 and competing against players with 1800 rankings. Over the past year, he has become more competitive, winning medals and money at his last two tournaments. For Wu, every training session is focused on the future, where he hopes to have a professional ranking and play for whichever college he attends. To continue improving, Jiwen plays against opponents with much higher rankings than him. “The professional players at the club, some of them are lot better than me,” Wu says. “But I still play them. That’s the only way I’ll get better.” There’s no greater example than Parviz Mojaverian, a former member of the Iranian National Team, who Wu plays his final matches of the day with. Wu goes into the match just hoping to keep up. When he dives across the table to send a shot right next to Mojaverian, both Wu and Liu let out an excited whoop. “See?” Mojaverian says as he retrieves the ball. “He’s got potential.”

Champion

2900-2500 Points

Novice

2000-1500 Points

Professional

2500-2000 Points

Beginner

1500-1300 Points

^_^

@SME_Positweets Trying to come up with a Positweet for South’s win.

WINTER WRAPUP

SPORTS ROUND UP written by Sam Pottenger

NOW

BOYS’

SWIMMING

2nd Place @ State

1st 400-yard relay

> Jackson Granstaff, Chris

Watkins, Troy Demoss, Zach Hollbrook

1st 200-yard IM > Troy Demooss

BOYS’

WRESTLING

13th Place @ State Qualified all 14 wresters for state for the first time in school history

TOP PERFORMERS

3rd Jack Mitchell 5th Grant Hollingsworth 6th Chipper Jorns 6th Jon Reuter BOWLING

Boys and girls both paced 9th at regionals. This was the last meet of the season. GIRLS’

BASKETBALL

The Lancers are the seven seed coming into sub-state and will face the number two Shawnee Mission Northwest on Thursday, Feb. 27 at Northwest.

information as of Feb. 26

The Lancers scored 274 points behind Wichita East who scored 308

TOP PERFORMERS

23 | SPORTS

THE

TWEET OF THE WEEK

WHAT2WATCH4

STATE

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Following a loss to rival Shawnee Mission South the Lancer basketball team is looking to rebound in the state tournament, Feb. 27, against Wyandotte High School. If the Lancers win against Wyandotte they would then face off against SM Northwest or Blue Valley. “Although we are facing teams that aren’t as good as South or Rockhurst, these next two games are huge,” sophomore forward Lucas Jones said. “If we lose then our season is over.” Wyandotte is 3-17 over the season, Northwest is 12-9 and Blue Valley is 6-10. Jones feels fairly confident that East can beat any of the three teams and make it to state. “Wyandotte is struggling and we know we can win,” Jones said. “The biggest threat to a state championship would be Blue

Valley Northwest, they are looking good this year, but we can’t look too far ahead to the other games.” According to senior guard Chase Hanna, the team is preparing for these games like they would for any other, and once the weather allows them to practice, they will watch a lot of film and break down Wyandotte’s offensive and defensive sets. “Instead of looking at a team like BVNW and worrying about beating them, we need to focus on our next opponents,” Hanna said. “Every game is a big challenge. From here out it’s one and done.” Senior guard Vance Wentz agrees with Hanna. “Coming off the loss to South we are hungry,” Wentz said. “It’s win or go home so we aren’t taking anything for granted.”

Last year at Livestrong Sporting Park, the Lancer Lacrosse team defeated Pembroke Hill in overtime for the state championship with a last-second goal. “Beating Pembroke at the last second was the best way possible to end the season” junior defenseman Mackey Merrill said. The Lancers also beat Rockhurst for the first time ever. Merrill feels that beating the Hawklets was a huge step for the program. “I have played lacrosse with all those guys since I was young, and to finally beat them was awesome.” Last year the Lancers had 10 seniors graduate, four of them starters. Last year, senior attackman Droste Milledge led the Lancers in assists, and this year the team will need someone to fill his spot. “Droste was great for us last year,” senior midfielder Patrick Simmons said. “We really need a younger guy to step up this year.” According to Simmons, the two most impactful players this year will be senior

Feb. 27 @ East SUB-STATE vs. #7 WYANDOTTE

attackman Connor McGannon and Merrill. “Connor is a goal machine and Mackey is our best defender and can always shut down the best attackman on the other team,” Simmons said. The team started practice on Feb. 27, and have their first game on March 9, against Lee’s Summit West. Key games this year include Rockhurst, April 18, and Pembroke April 23. The Lancers beat Rockhurst last year 9-7, and Rockhurst joined LAKC this year, making them an obstacle on the way to another championship. Pembroke has eight returning starters, and gave East two close games last year, 9-8 and 6-5. This year the Lancers are coached by Chris Kliewer and Kevin Kelley. According to Kelley, this year’s team has a lot to live up to and bar has been set high. “The goal this year is obviously another a state championship,” Kelley said. “Winning it again this year would make us three-time champs and that would be something really special.”

@ East

March 1

SUB-STATE FINALvs.

#3 SM Northwest or #6 Blue Valley @ KOCH March 6 ARENA QUARTER-FINAL vs.

LATER

BOYS’ LACROSSE

WINTER SPORTS AWARDS

ROADTO

TBD @ KOCH ARENA SEMI-FINAL vs.

March 8

TBD @ KOCH March 9 ARENA STATE FINAL vs.

TBD photo by Mckenzie Swanson

MVP

BEST FRESHMAN MOST IMPROVED FAN FAVORITE Lucas ‘Tuna’ Jones Jon Reuter Zach Schneider Michael Aldrich BASKETBALL

WRESTLING

BASKETBALL

24| PHOTO ESSAY

Junior Ashton Monroe “chills” outside on the porch during the snow storm. photo by @AshtonTMonroe

Junior Jessica Young, Junior Tommy Larson and Larson’s younger brother, William Larson, play in their homemade igloo. photo by @jessica_young15

Above: Junior Maggie Andriani spent her snow days inside, but “me and my friends did make a fort and snow sculpture one day,” Andriani said. photo by Meghan Shirling Left: Junior Allie Mellor avoids getting hit by snow. “We spent our snow day helping elderly neighbors shovel their driveways,” Mellor said. photo by Neely Atha Below: After two majors snow storms, the Prairie Village area was left with approximately 19.4 inches of snow. “The daily snow fall for this past Tuesday was 8.2 inches, which set a new record that dated back to the 1900s,” Meterologist Brett Anthony said. photo by Jake Crandall

Senior Audrey Hitchcock and freshman sister Lola prepare to shovel snow off of their trampoline. photo by @audzhitch

Senior Patrick Simmons attempts to get his car out of the snow. photo by @patsimmons1

A LOOK AT WHAT LANCERS DID WITH THEIR SNOW DAYS