Issue 14 Harbinger 2012

Harbinger ISSUE 14 | SHAWNEE MISSION EAST | PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS | APRIL 16, 2012

SMEHARBINGER.NET

Five bands including fun. performed a the Beaumont Club during KC’s “Middle of the Map Festival” cont’d on p. 16

CONFECTIONARY

PERFECTION

Senior Sarah King’s baking business grows due to her dedication to creating the perfect cupcake p. 10 | story by Vanessa Daves | photo by Grant Kendall

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

p. 5

editorial

Why the district needs to be more flexible

p. 8

opinion

Staffer Jack Howland thinks East is the exception to high school cliches

pp. 12-13

spread

How East alum are faring in the workplace

p. 18

a&e

SEA LIFE aquarium opened on April 6

p. 24

photo essay

Photos from the boys’ tennis duel against SM Northwest

THE

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK SCHOOL

NEWS IN BRIEF

written by Matt Hanson

Band prepares for Cavalcade of Bands

The present and the future of East symphonic band will merge on April 25 for the Cavalcade of Bands. The concert will feature school bands from all the Shawnee Mission East feeder elementary schools and the middle school, as well as the two bands from East. Each band will showcase their talent by playing two to three songs.

Junior symphonic band member Cole Harrison sees an opportunity to impress the younger kids and their parents and convince them to stick with band.

“Hopefully symphonic band plays our butts off because that means that more kids will want to stick with band to high school because music really is something you can’t live without,” Harrison said. “Whether you’re a performer or a listener, it’s an art that should stay strong.”

COMMUNITY

SM North adds IB Diploma Programme

The orchestra will also reach out to its future members with a similar event at 7 p.m. on April 25 in the East gym. The East area String Fling has brought scholastic orchestra members from grades 5-12 together for this annual concert for over 30 years. Similar to the Cavalcade of Bands, the String Fling will feature two songs from each orchestra. After each of the orchestra’s individual sets, they will all join together to play “Ode to Joy” for the finale.

For the high school students like junior Ali Felman, the String Fling has been a traditional staple of their involvement in orchestra for years. Playing in it in high school allows them to step into roles as role models for younger students.

Shawnee Mission North was notified that it would become authorized as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School on April 11.

“It is a tremendous achievement for our school community. It will provide another opportunity for our students to seek academic rigor and compete globally,” North principal Richard Kramer told SMSD. North’s acceptance makes them the third school in the district after East and Northwest to offer the college preparatory program, and the sixth in the state to do so. The school will begin offering IB classes this fall, and the first diplomas will be given out to eligible candidates in the spring of 2014.

NATION

written by Christa McKittrick

New running specialty store opens in Prairie Village

Jake Crandall

JUNIOR ANNA COLBY attempts to head the ball at the girls soccer game against SM North on April 6.

Spencer Davis

SENIORS MADDIE SULLIVAN and KAITLIN STEWART embrace after the Lancer Dancer Spring Show on April 10—the last performance for seniors.

Gait-ology: a three step process to finding the perfect shoe. Gait-ology truly separates Ultramax Sports from just another Dick’s Sporting Goods because store employees actually observe the individual walking or running on a treadmill to determine what shoe fits their gait, alignment, etc. Owners Amy and Mark Livesay have used this process since they opened their first sporting store in Columbia, Mo. six years ago, and have now brought it to Prairie Village. Ultramax Sports, a running and triathlon speciality store, opened this past March in the Prairie Village Shopping Center.

The active community and multitude of runners and bikers drew the Livesays to open their third store on the corner of the Prairie Village Shopping Center where Stoney Broke Ltd. used to be.

“Prairie Village is a prime area for run-

ners and bikers to either do group rides or to run,” store manager Russ Traphagan said. “It’s a safe place to run around here in Kansas City.”

The Livesays hope to integrate Ultramax into the workout lives of local runners and walkers. In addition to providing sporting gear, Ultramax Sports will time races around Kansas City, such as the Waddell & Reed sponsored Kansas City Marathon on Oct. 20, 2012. Traphagan says they are also hoping to start training groups through the store for their customers to prepare for races.

Ultramax Sports is also hoping to get involved with Shawnee Mission East’s track and cross country programs. Although a little late for track season, Traphagan hopes to set a spike night up for the cross country season next year.

Spencer Davis

2 | NEWS

Supporters of Trayvon Martin found some relief last Wednesday when George Zimmerman was arrested and charged with the second-degree murder of Trayvon Martin. After weeks of protests and rallies calling for his arrest, the 28-year-old Floridian was apprehended and taken into custody of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

The murder of 17-year-old Martin on Feb. 26 had inspired a heated national debate rife with racial considerations during the weeks leading up to Zimmerman’s arrest. Supporters of Martin decried that the boy was murdered because of racial profiling, while defenders of Zimmerman have claimed, as has Zimmerman himself, that he acted out of self-defense.

Legislature works on Congressional districts

The Kansas House approved a proposed map for redistricting Kansas’ congressional districts on March 28. The change that is causing the most conflict is the division of Topeka, with the eastern part being combined with the western most district, and the western part remaining with an eastern district, creating an L-shaped district. Disagreement between conservative and moderate Reepublicans in the Kansas Senate has created gridlock on the maps.

Current Congressional Map

JUNIORS LILY KAUFFMAN and KAITLIN MORGAN perform the opening steps of the junior dance at the Lancer Dancer Spring Show.

Arrest made in Trayvon Martin shooting

1

2 4

3

House Map Proposal

1

4

3

2

courtesy of redistricting.ks.gov

Brendan Dulohery

JUNIOR COLE HARRISON gets pumped for his performance, before the Love 146 benefit concert on March 29.

Orchestra practices for upcoming concert

Q

G

K I N A U

with excitement

A preview of the upcoming Earth Fair held at East written by Emma Pennington This Saturday, April 21st the gymnasium will be transformed from Coach Hair’s stomping ground into a space overflowing with animals, vendors, performers and more. The 11th annual Earth Fair will be held at east from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Shannon Tuttle, East’s Recycling Club President and student sponsor for the Earth Fair, has worked with other members of the club in preparation for the event. The Recycling

Club compiled a list of activities they thought would be fun to have at this years Earth Fair. The Prairie Village Environmental Committee looked over the list and told the club which events would work best. The students are then responsible for getting the materials needed for the activities and are expected to set them up and run them on the day of the event.

The Recycling Club as well as others in the community who have been working hard to put this event together welcome students, parents and community members to the fair.

Tuttle thinks there will be something to appeal to everyone at this years event.

“We have a lot of activities that people can do,” Tuttle said.

“There are a lot of vendors that people can go to. There’s always animals, a whole room full of animals that people can go in and ask people about.”

Students who aren’t interested in going to the vendors or learning about animals there are many other options for you. A competition will be held to see who can build a bridge off the ground out of recycled material and which bridge can hold the most weight. There will also be a station to make and decorate paper hats. Some of the science teachers at East will even be giving out points to their students for filling out a scavenger hunt sheet. There will also be an eight foot tall box made entirely out of water bottles for people to come and see.

The Earth Fair is full of a wide variety of activities and events for people of all ages and all lifestyles. This way there is something for everyone to enjoy while celebrating the Earth. “[The Earth Fair is] really interesting. There are a lot of different things that apply to different people,” Tuttle said. “But the one thing they have in common is they care about the earth and they want to celebrate it and they want to make people aware of what’s going on around them and what’s happening with the earth. It’s a lot of fun.”

KANSAS STATE ASSESSMENTS: round two?

Seniors have been pulled out of class to finish a portion of the Social Studies Kansas Assesment written by Sarah Berger Senior Lilly Myers went into her second hour on Friday April 6 expecting a normal class period, but then an interruption came. Myers was called into the office to take the second part of the Kansas state social studies assessment.

Over the past few weeks seniors have gone with their English classes or were pulled out of other classes to take the second part of the Kansas state assessment for social studies -- a required test from the state department of education. Students took part of the test last year and, contrary to some student rumor, they were not retaking the

test, but rather just completing it before they graduate.

Since taking the tests, rumors have been surfacing from students and teachers that the school lost the students scores, causing the students to have to retake them. Myers has heard rumors through students that the school lost the scores and was surprised by the abrupt nature of the test .

“I thought I remembered taking it last year and then I heard that the school lost all of our scores so that’s why we had to take it again,” Myers said.

“Maybe that’s the cause but maybe they lost them for some reason out of their control and

it wasn’t their fault.”

Although the school did not lose the students scores, seniors should have finished the assessments last year, but didn’t. According to assistant principal Jeremy Higgins, the changes that took place in assessment policy last year are to blame.

“The students simply had to finish the test,” Higgins said. “Last year as juniors they should have taken both parts of the assessment.”

The social studies assessment consists of two parts,

things to look for at

THIS earth YEAR’S fair: 1. animals

There will be a variety of animals, from skinks to chinchillas, on display for kids to observe.

2. vendors

Several local businesses will make an appearance to showcase their green products.

3. earthy art There will be an 8-foot tall tower on display, made completely out of recycled water bottles.

world history and US history. A certain number of students are required to take both parts of the assessment before they graduate as part of the No Child Left Behind act. The tests are also geared to make sure the school is teaching students what they need to learn and making adequate yearly progress (AYP). Every two years the socials studies assessment scores will be examined by the state for AYP. “This year’s seniors’ scores will count and this year’s sophomores scores will count when they are seniors,” Higgins explained. “This year’s freshmen and juniors will never have to take the social studies test.”

Since sophomores will have to take the assessments, the administration is planning in advance that the students will not have to take the assessment their senior ye ar.

“This year sophomores will be taking the world history part of the test because many of them are in world history right now,” Higgins said. “Then next year when they are juniors, they’ll take the US history part of the test. Then when they are seniors they’ll be all done and won’t have to take anything.”

Since taking the assessment, some seniors, including Myers, have expressed frustration over taking these assessments. Although Myers was frustrated she believes it is nothing to be upset about.

“It was a little annoying at first but I didn’t really think it was a big deal,” Myers said. “The test took 15 minutes or less.You just go in and you take it and it’s really nothing to worry about. I don’t think people should be making a big deal about it.”

NEWS | 3

FORGET YOUR CAMERA?

WE DIDN’T. smephotos.com

STRUGGLING to

STAND out B

eing a Lancer is an entirely different experience than being an Indian, a Cougar, a Viking or a Raider. Everything about Shawnee Mission East - the pool where our champions train, the classrooms where 92 percent of the student body is college-bound - is in some way unique from its four sibling schools and vice versa.

The Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD) should allow East and its fellow high schools to tailor administrative policies to their unique needs.

With the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year, East’s students and staff faced a major administrative change: the schedule.

After three years of one seven period and four block period days per week, East was forced to conform its schedule with the four other SMSD high schools. The 2011-2012 school year launched a standardized three seven period and two block days per week schedule. At any time on any day of the week, the five high schools are in the same class period.

Unifying East, North, Northwest, West and South through this compromised schedule change creates consistency within the district, which theoretically allows teachers who split their time between schools to manage their schedules. At East, however, changing the schedule was unnecessary and inconvenient.

“I just didn’t see the need for us to do

that,” Krawitz said. “But that’s a very biased statement on my part because we don’t have the dilemma that the other schools have in terms of specialty teachers that have to be shared with one building and another.”

At East, only a handful of teachers travel between buildings within the district -namely specialized music teachers. Replacing beloved block period days with seven period days didn’t benefit East. Although unifying the schedule may benefit other schools, East should be given the liberty to choose a schedule that best benefits its staff and students.

The SMSD fails to adapt its administrative policies to the individual needs of each high school. Scheduling isn’t the only SMSD policy that East is forced to comply to: the grade point average and class rank system also harm students.

GPAs of high-achieving students at East, which makes the class rank system hypercompetitive. Students with 4.0 GPAs, who would rank well at other high schools, may not even be in the top third at East. Dr. Krawitz hopes to eliminate the class rank system, but changing this policy throughout the SMSD is unlikely.

Though all five high schools are a part of the unified school district, each is located in different communities and has different skill sets. East offers a learning environment and extracurricular opportunities

Harbinger

Editors-In-Chief Kat Buchanan Toni Aguiar Assistant Editors Emma Pennington Evan Nichols Online Editors-In-Chief Jeff Cole Duncan MacLachlan Online Assistant Editor Becca Brownlee Art and Design Editor Chloe Stradinger Head Copy Editors Chris Heady Jack Howland News Editor Tom Lynch News Page Editors Katie Knight Editorial Editor Matt Hanson Opinion Editor Ian Wiseman Opinion Page Editors Morgan Twibell

High schools should be given freedom over their administrative policies

Mixed Editor Tiernan Shank Spread Editor Andrew Simpson Assistant Spread Editor Paige Hess Features Editor Christa McKittrick Features Page Editors Leah Pack Emily Kerr A&E Editor Kennedy Burgess A&E Page Editors Andrew McKittrick Will Webber Sports Editor Anne Willman Sports Page Editors Adam Lowe Corbin Barnds Mitch Kaskie Freelance Page Editors Alex Goldman Vanessa Daves

photo by Hiba Akhatar distinct from the four other high schools and therefore has different needs; students in Prairie Village have different needs than those in Overland Park or Shawnee. The SMSD should grant the freedom to different schools to adapt their own administrative policies.

Even if policies are the same across the district, the student bodies, staff and buildings are diverse. Each of the five high

a publication of shawnee mission east high school 7500 Mission Road, Prairie Village, KS 66208 October 31, 2011 Kim Hoedel Haley Martin Photo Editor Grant Kendall Assistant Photo Editor Spencer Davis Online Photo Editor Brendan Dulohery Jake Crandall Assistant Online Photo Editor Hiba Akhtar Copy Editors Evan Nichols Emma Pennington Kat Buchanan Matt Hanson Anne Willman Chloe Stradinger Toni Aguiar Chris Heady Jack Howland Tom Lynch Erin Reilly Will Webber

Head Online Copy Editor Matt Gannon Kim Hoedel Online Copy Editors Sami Walter Vanessa Daves Ads/Circulation Managers Erin Reilly Leah Pack Staff Artists Sam Stevens Matti Crabtree Connor Woodson Webmasters Chris Denniston Christian Wiles Multimedia Editor Thomas Allen Assistant Multimedia Editor Dalton Boehm Transmedia Editor Holly Hernandez Convergence Editor

schools are unique and should be treated as such - especially with policies like block scheduling that directly affect the students.

THE MAJORITY OPINION OF THE HARBINGER EDITORIAL BOARD FOR

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0

AGAINST

0

ABSENT

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.

Alex Lamb Assistant Convergance Editor Holly Hernandez Homegrown Editors Andrew Beasley Anna Dancinger Blog Editor Zoe Brian Video Editor Thomas Allen Eastipedia Editor Sami Walter Podcast Editor Sami Walter Live Broadcast Editors Connor Woodson Assistant Live Broadcast Editor Andrew McWard Online A&E Section Editor Zoe Brian Online Sports Section Editors Adam Lowe

Patrick Frazell Live Broadcast Producers Andrew McWard Thomas Allen Patrick Frazell Connor Woodson Chris Denniston Anchors Patrick Frazell Marisa Walton Morgan Twibell Emily Donovan PR Representative/ Business Managers Joe Simmons Staff Writers Alex Lamb Greta Nepstad Hannah Ratliff Stephen Cook Maxx Lamb Emily Donovan Holly Hernandez Julia Poe Jeri Freirich

Julia Davis Alex Stonebarger Grace Heitmann Nick May Photographers Spencer Davis Emma Robson Christian Wiles Anna Danciger AnnaMarie Oakley Molly Howland Stefano Byer McKenzie Swanson Miranda Gibbs Marisa Walton Maddie Schoemann Multimedia Staff Andrew McWard Haley Martin Chris Denniston Christian Wiles Spencer Davis AnneMarie Oakley Miranda Gibbs 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.

EDITORIAL| 5

BONDING BEAT THROUGH A

Staffer shares a connection with his father through taste in music, particularly the Beatles

written by Will Webber | photos by Marisa Walton The British Invasion struck my dad back in 1968 and I’ve got black hair and dark skin. In fact, you’d be hardhe surrendered immediately. While most four-year-old pressed to find a single physical feature that we do share. boys were begging their parents for Lincoln Logs or base- When my dad shows off wallet photos of me to his friends, ball cards, my dad had a different interest. He fell in love they probably assume the saintly white man adopted a with the Beatles’ music and asked his mom for “Hey Jude” needy child from Mexico. But there’s no denying that I’m on a 45 inch vinyl record. The Webbers had plenty of re- his son. I remember one particular trip to the record store cords in the house, but my dad wanted one to call his own. when I was six and my sister was 10. Dad told us that we And then he bought every other Beatles record. He could each pick out a CD. My sister selected *NSYNC’s “No bought all the merchandise, too -- figurines, lava lamps, Strings Attached” -- I thought he was going to cry. But then board games, t-shirts, pillows, phones, clocks, mugs, puz- I handed him “The Beatles 1,” and he looked at me as if I zles, cookie jars -- literally anything with a Beatles logo, had validated all his efforts as a father. He had raised a he collected. When he became a father, he finally found fan. someone to share it all with.

But it’s not easy to simultaneously raise a child and a My mom was still pregnant with me when Dad took company. Dad’s airport business frequently took him out us to our first Paul McCartney concert. Sure, I was just an of the country. He wasn’t always there to see me off for the embryo, but the music must have struck a chord with me. first day of school -- or the last. But, during those times, I Throughout my entire childhood, I believed that the Bea- found such great comfort in the music we shared. Even tles were the only band that made music. I wore concert when he was across the world, I could listen to “Across the tees to school. I watched “Yellow Submarine” and “A Hard Universe” and he suddenly didn’t seem so far away.

Day’s Night” instead of Saturday morning cartoons.

I grew up. My hormones and pre-teen angst brought My memories with my dad are different too. I don’t re- me to the years where my parents became the most unally remember playing catch in the backyard -- I remem- cool people in the world. The stage where I begged them ber roadtripping to St. Louis to see Ringo. I remember my not to linger when they dropped me off at school. Where second Paul McCartney concert and how I had to cover the Beatles were no longer the only band that I loved. I my little ears for every explosion in “Live and Let Die.” I re- wasn’t a baby anymore -- I was old, hardened and expemember painting a big Yellow Submarine on my bedroom rienced. I wanted to do things my way and listen to the wall. I remember playing “Hey Jude” at my fifth grade tal- music I wanted. So I found a new band to adore: The White ent show, knowing full well that it was one of my dad’s Stripes. But my dad supported me through it. He gave me favorite songs. Our relationship, our bond, has always re- their entire discography, bought me an imitation Stratovolved around the Beatles. caster guitar and drove me to all my lessons at the Toon From a genetic standpoint, we have nothing in com- Shop until I could play “Seven Nation Army” to my heart’s mon. He’s 6’2”, I’m 5’8”. He’s got brown hair and pale skin, content.

WILL’S CONCERT TIMELINE

YEAR 6 | OPINION

Will’s top three favorite concerts he’s been to with his dad

WHITE

PAUL

CONCERT BEST SONG

BRUCE

STRIPES

MCCARTNEY “LIVE AND

SPRINGSTEEN “BALL AND BISCUIT”

LET DIE”

2002

The truth is, he was a fan of the band years before I was, but he wanted me to have an experience of my own.

So he took me to their 2005 show at Starlight theater -- I was just eleven years old and had to stand on the seats to get a good view of frontman Jack White. Three years later, we saw Jack White with the Raconteurs at the Uptown. After the show, we stood outside the Uptown, “Icky Thump” CD in hand, hoping to get an autograph from Jack. I didn’t get my autograph. My dad waited for three hours with me in the bitter February cold so that I might meet my rock idol. And when I got sick, (you know, from waiting outside in the cold for three hours) my mom was there to take care of me. Rock stars aren’t the real heroes.

The music business has changed since my dad was a kid. The remaining members of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Who have lost their edge to old age. My dad’s beloved record stores like “Caper’s Corner” and “Penny Lane” have disappeared and made way for digital music. It’s a young man’s game. I’m forever indebted to my dad for introducing me to the golden age of music, so I try to return the favor by sharing each new band or blog I find. I am no longer just a student of my musical sensei.

I’m a man now. I’m going to college next year to lead my own life and make my own mistakes and discover my own passions. I’ll go to concerts on my own and illegally download music. But I’ll never get tired of the way my dad answers every musical question with a lengthy “VH1 Behind the Music” type explanation. We’ll still go concert hopping at the South By Southwest festival over spring break. And I can always make time to break out the XBOX and kick his butt at Beatles Rock Band. I’m growing up and going away, but I’ll always be my dad’s son -- a Beatles fan.

2005

“BORN TO RUN”

2008

CAR WASH CONFIDENTIAL A

s my sophomore year came to a close, I knew what was coming: I had to find a job. My parents had told me for years that once I could drive I needed to be working. I had heard many horror stories of stereotypical teen jobs with terrible bosses and unforgiving hours, but luckily, for me, I never had to deal with that. I applied and got hired at Waterway Gas and Car Wash. This truly turned out to be one of the best things that happened to me in my high school years. Waterway gave me great working experience as well as great stories. Along with the great stories have also been some weird ones. Who would have guessed that I would get slapped by a customer, or that working a less than appealing Sunday morning shift would result in the formation of some of the closest friendships I’ve ever had. Basically what I’m trying to say is that as I leave my job at “The Way” I have had so many great memories to look back on and I actually will miss it as I go off to college next year.

#W.O.E. “Waterway Over Everything.” This phrase used by our employees is simple but catchy, and a wonderful representation of how we feel about Waterway. “W.O.E.”– has gone from something fun that the employees at my location said and has grown into a phrase used by several hundred employees around the four Kansas City area stores. One morning, while the crew and I were doing our weekly Sunday stretches we came up with the idea for a hashtag on Twitter. #W.O.E. was born. W.O.E. is great because it has been a way for all the employees from different schools to connect on twitter. Anyone outside of the “Waterway cult” may see it as annoying, but we see it as a way of life. It truly is an explanation of our love for Waterway. Yes, I did say love.

WATERWAY APOCALYPSE

art by Matti Crabtree

Staffer shares his favorite stories from working at local car wash WaterWay written by Adam Lowe

WHEN CUSTOMERS ATTACK

Waterway closes promptly at 8 p.m. every Monday through Saturday. Except for one chilly Monday morning in February this year. It had been a pretty normal day and the rush of customers was starting to slow down around 6:30.

But all of sudden it got quiet, and one by one the lights began to flicker. This was before daylight savings so at this point it was pitch dark and every single light on the property had gone out. Of course, in perfect Stephen King fashion, three cop cars came screeching by, adding to the eeriness of our “Waterway Apocalypse.” We tried to close the door to the car wash but of course had no power. To this day we still have no idea what happened that night but the car wash opened as always the next morning.

Every week I spend 23 hours at Waterway, having the exact same conversation over and over again. “Would you like to get your wheels cleaned up with that? Interested in Bottom Blasters? How about a clear coat protectant?” I always received a casual yes or no answer. Until one day when a Prius-driving woman took that simple “no” answer to the next level. She slapped me across the cheek and exclaimed “Give me what I want and don’t ask questions!” I truly had no idea how to respond. Do I hit her back? No, absolutely not. So, I just handed the ticket to her and walked off. I looked over at my co-workers who were in complete disbelief. She did end up apologizing profusely, but now I’m much more hesitant to offer someone the bottom blasters.

MEETING THE EMPLOYEE TOILET

“PENCIL SHAVINGS”

THE SUNDAY MORNING CREW

I was officially a working man. Making a living. Heading into the office. Okay, it wasn’t really an office — it was a car wash. My “office” rotated throughout the day from a mud filled pick-up to a spotless Mercedes. It was my first day working at Waterway and because of my 10 hours of training I knew I could clean windows like a pro but I was still extremely nervous. As I walked out the door of my house, it was sticky outside. It was a hot, humid spring morning and was going to be a very warm day for washing cars. After three hours of manual labor washing cars I was beginning to feel a little sick. I asked to go to the restroom and ended up spending 30 minutes throwing up into the less-than-appealing employee toilet. I decided against telling the manager. I would not be labeled as the kid who threw up on his first day. I guess I am now.

People say don’t judge a book by it’s cover. I learned that was definitely true while at Waterway. I had dried the car off and moved inside to vacuum. As I moved toward the center console, I noticed a funny smell. I reached for my Windex to clean around the cup holders and noticed a bag full of what looked like pencil shavings and a pipe. I quickly put two and two together and realized that the bag was not filled with pencil shavings at all. Should I move it or just leave it and pretend I never saw it. I choose to not even touch the “pencil shavings”. As I finished cleaning I signaled to the waiting room that I had finished. I was expecting a Bob Marley-ish looking guy, but was completely thrown off guard when a clean-cut, middle-aged businessman came out to claim his car and “pencil shavings”. You really can’t judge a book by it’s cover.

The best part about Waterway is the Sunday Morning Crew. The crew is a group of part-time employees that have worked together almost every Sunday for the last two years. Most kids my age hate their jobs and could never possibly get excited to wake up at 6:30 both weekend mornings to go to work. But because of these friends I created at Waterway, I do get excited for it.

Over the last couple of years several traditions have come from the Sunday Crew. Our weekly breakfast run to Winstead’s has become a huge hit but the best tradition we share is definitely the stretching and active core session. With this group, it won’t matter how old we get or what colleges we go to — we’ll Always be the Sunday Morning Crew.

1st

DAY

OPINION | 7

Jack did newspaper, theater and a year of football. All while never getting stuffed into a locker like in the movies.

BEYOND CLICHES Staffer believes high school is nothing like they’re portayed in movies photo illustration by Spencer Davis

I have always been exposed to an exaggerated depiction of the high school experience.

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” told me that principals will an opinion of JACK HOWLAND stop at nothing to destroy students. “Mean Girls” said popular girls exhibit no human emotions and break men’s hearts for sport. “American Pie” pointed out that guys will sell their soul to the devil for the promise of female interaction.

Heading into my freshman year, with overworn stereotypes branded into my memory, I was conditioned to believe that every high school had impromptu food fights, a high concentration of letterman jackets and a dumb jock who only answers to “Buzz.”

Well, four food-fight-free years later, it’s hit me like a book of cliches to the face: tawdry teenage comedies got it wrong.

With teen “dramas” I watched throughout my adolescence, as well as something called ABC Family Original Programming, the image of brawny quarterbacks, blonde cheerleaders and calculator-wielding nerds have been beaten into my brain. But that’s not what it’s like. Any student at East knows that high school isn’t the popularity-based kingdom movies make it out to be; people don’t judge an individual’s merit off of sports cars or cool leather jackets. They also don’t scoff if you think the french horn is rad.

Yes, I understand that films are a dramatizations of the real world and most of the actors cast to play teens look old enough to have a mid-life crisis. However, movies can leave an impression. When I started high school, I remember feeling scared that I would inadvertently tick off a senior or flash

8 | OPINION

the principal a funny look. I felt like I needed to be “Buzz;” I wanted to do football and find a clique. But after realizing updowns aren’t as much fun as they look in “Remember The Titans” and there was no speech profound enough I could use to win the begrudging respect of my teammates, I dropped the sport.

To my surprise, I didn’t get shoved into a locker.

When I changed my path from letterman-jacket-wearing jock to theater/journalism nerd who occasionally sports spandex for a cross country meet, my football friends didn’t care all that much. I like to think they missed my honest efforts on the kickoff team or my ability to carry the water cooler from the bus to the field, but no one gave me crap.

In fact, this year when I was in “Bye Bye Birdie” and wore enough face powder to look like Casper The Friendly Ghost, some of my old football friends were in the audience. They didn’t even throw tomatoes at me.

I never ran into that mean bully asking for lunch money.

At East, I’ve felt generally welcome. When I was a junior, I stumbled into the Little Theater for the first time after years of limiting my abilities to the journalism room and the track.

I still had crippling social anxiety back then — the kind that makes guys freeze up when talking to a pretty girl or what made Colin Firth stutter in “The King’s Speech” — but I tried it out anyway. After auditioning for a couple shows and getting a couple parts, I instantly felt welcomed. I never bumped into that bully.

Dating back to the time my parents were sporting puffy mini-skirts and perms to school, TV and movies have perpetuated a negative idea that high school is split into sectors. There’s the jocks, nerds, cheerleaders, goth chicks, super nerds, stuck-up snobs, social outcasts, calculator-

watch-wearing-nerds, sensitive girls with a rough exterior and, of course, leather-jacket-wearing rebellious youth. At East, we’re more of a social melting pot. Football behemoths dabble in choir, Shakespeare-quoting-thespians are in the Homecoming Court and basketball players are on the honor roll.

I’m not saying that every person who walks through the halls of East is as accepting as Ghandi, or deserves a Nobel Prize for their efforts in abolishing old stereotypes, but I find Shawnee Mission Wonderful to be generally, well, wonderful.

There’s a million and a half ways East is different from the movies — like when cheerleaders walk through the halls on game day it’s not set to Guns N’ Roses and students don’t relish ding-dong-ditching the principal — but in my mind there is just one. Students have an easier time embracing the differences in others.

I know my years of anecdotal proof does not necessarily mean the same is true for everybody. I know that some people have not been head-over-heels for high school. But at East, there is an undeniable trend of acceptance. Four years ago, we had a gay Homecoming king and it was a big deal to everybody except East students. There can be a male cheerleader without panic ensuing. A girl can wear sweat-pants without a flock of self-proclaimed fashion police running to the scene.

If only incoming freshman could know. It’s sad that so many have to go off of ideals hastily thrown at them in the form of half hour melodramas and straight-to-DVD tritefests. If I got to redo my freshman year with the information I have now, I would do it differently. I would get more involved earlier, make an effort to go to school functions and not live my life by values from “Saved By The Bell” re-runs.

I wouldn’t blow 50 bucks on that letterman jacket, either.

EARTH-FRIENDLY

FASHION Junior creates dress out of Starburst wrappers for the Re-Fashion Show on Earth Day

written by Grace Heitmann | photo illustration by Miranda Gibbs The crinkling sound of people unwrapping ers and paper. Vaughn decided to make her dress Starburst fills the room. The U.S. History students completely out of Starburst and newspaper strips. quietly eat the candy while listening to presentaWatching “Project Runway” has given Vaughn tions; even their teacher has a couple. The occa- a sense of the difficult tasks involved in designsional whisper instructs to pass the candy bag ing something unconventional, but Vaughn or to pass these wrappers down. At the end of still wants to do it. This fashion show has given the hour, junior Chandler Vaughn has collected Vaughn the opportunity to try something she had stacks of Starburst wrappers. But she knows that never done before, while applying skills and techshe’s going to need a lot more. After all, it takes niques she has learned. thousands to make a dress primarily out of Star“I’m in high school and I have a job so obviousburst wrappers. ly I can kind of spend money willy-nilly,” Vaughn Growing up, Vaughn had always been fasci- explained. “As when I’m older, I won’t really have nated by costumes. From admiring the costumes the time or maybe the resources to do this. So, it’s of Disney princesses to actually making Hallow- kind of a good time — a very good time to do this.” een costumes for her siblings, Vaughn has loved Using a technique a friend taught her in 8th every aspect of making costumes. grade, Vaughn is going to weave a dress complete“I’ve always been crafty when I was younger,” ly made out of Starburst and newspaper. Vaughn Vaughn said. “But this is the biggest [project] I’ve got the idea when she made Starburst bracelets ever [taken on]. I’ve embroidered my backpack using the same technique when she was younger. and done other little things, but this one’s pretty “I was looking through my drawer of sewing intense.” stuff and there was a huge bag full of wrappers In 7th grade, Vaughn took FACS but it wasn’t [leftover] and was like ‘this could be pretty cool, if until taking sewing classes at Harper’s Fabric I could get it done,’” Vaughn said. “Which I think and Quilt Co. the summer of her junior year that I can.”

Vaughn started expanding her interest in designVaughn has worked hard to make the indiing, making and sewing costumes. Vaughn took vidual links. Although she doesn’t do much of the part in the NAHS Fashion Show this fall and dis- eating, Vaughn brings in huge 14 oz. bags of Origcovered the fun of fashion shows. inal and Tropical Starburst to her classes so they “That was a really good experience,” Vaughn can eat the candy and she can have the wrappers. said. “Definitely over the summer I’m going to try “I bring them to class and they’re gone in no and see if I can find some [more fashion shows]. I time,” Vaughn said. “It’s crazy but it’s good.” just want to keep doing it because it’s good pracVaughn has folded so many Starburst wraptice. And it’s really fun meeting the new people pers that it has become second nature to her. and seeing their designs.”

“It’s kind of like origami,” Vaughn said. “I’ve Vaughn’s previous experience in the NAHS taught some people in my classes and it’s really Fashion Show led her to take interest in the Re- not that hard. People are really amazed by it but Fashion Show. Hosted by the Environmental to me it’s like I can just do it by now.”

Club, the Re-Fashion Show will be at noon in the After folding multiple individual links, she gym during the Earth Fair on April 21. The cloth- quickly attaches them together to make a chain. ing must include some type of repurposed ma- Vaughn doesn’t consider the folding processes terial to coincide with Earth Day. Materials can hard work but just very time consuming. This aprange from conventional materials like clothing proach to finishing the dress is more efficient. and fabric to unconventional materials like flowVaughn took inspiration from the 1800s to

make her dress. She wanted to combine modern styles with the style of the 1800s. Vaughn’s plan for the dress is that the bodice will be made of newspaper and fade into a Starburst skirt. Although Vaughn doesn’t have a specific pattern for weaving the Starburst, she makes sure there aren’t similar colors.

“I mean I think it’s really cool cause far away people are going to be like ‘oh, that’s cool’, but when they get up close it’s like ‘oh my gosh, it’s trash but it looks really cool,’” Vaughn said.

Vaughn will have to use a combination of weaving and sewing to finish the dress. She’s already worried about sizing and because she is using Starbursts, she won’t be able to make quick changes. Any major changes that Vaughn wants to make will have to require taking apart links.

“I’m going to be working up until then. I’m probably going to have to sew my model into the outfit,” Vaughn said. “It doesn’t matter if I don’t get enough sleep, miss some school maybe, but I’ll get it done.”

Vaughn wants to design costumes in the future and do it as a career. She was recently contacted about styling for a 1800s themed calendar.

“I like the range that you get from costuming because you can basically do whatever,” Vaughn explained. “It’s your imagination — you can basically come up with whatever.”

Apparel teacher Marsha Boyer thinks that Vaughn has a future doing this.

“She is a very hard worker and is very creative,” Boyer said. “She has the ability to envision things in her head and then figure out how to make it and turn out to be an actual dress or project.”

While her classmates chew their Starburst, Vaughn quietly collects the wrappers and starts weaving. The noise of wrappers, chewing and folding quickly become background noise to the presentations. Vaughn continues weaving throughout class, only stopping when the bell rings. Nobody gives it second thought.

How to

FOLD A STARBURST

1.

First, you are going to do a fold almost to the crease, but not quite there yet.

2.

Then, you are going to do the same to the other side.

3.

Now fold the top layer back. Again almost to the edge but not completely.

4.

Fold the wrapper in half like a hot dog fold.

5.

Fold wrapper in half again like a hamberger fold.

6.

Unfold last step, and fold the two flaps in almost to the crease.

7.

Weave the Starburst wrappers together to

FEATURES | 9

TURNING

PASSION into a PROFIT

Senior Sarah King turns her love of baking into a cupcake and baked goods business written by Vanessa Daves | photos by Grant Kendall Nothing can compare to the way Senior Sarah King’s eyes light up when she talks about food. She loves the bright colors of the produce aisle, the science of the ingredients and the world of pastries that flour, eggs and sugar can create. Because, for her, food is an experience. Food is personal.

And most importantly, food makes people happy.

“I love cooking and I love baking and it makes me happy,” Sarah said. “And it makes other people happy, too, and that’s an exuberant bonus.”

To her, cooking was as easy as breathing, and something she did every day for pleasure. And if you had told her that she would one day turn her favorite hobby into a business, she wouldn’t have believed you.

It didn’t seem fair that she could make money doing something that she loved so much.

“Cooking is its own art,” Sarah said. “It’s something you get a lot out of, because it plays to all the senses.”

She first decided to start her business at the beginning of the school year. She talked it over with her parents, discussing the pros and cons of having her own business and what kind of risk she could be taking. After her parents, John and Kathy, had to sell their restaurant in 2005 due to the unpredictability of the economy, Sarah was hesitant to enter the same risk. But she needed a job, and since she commutes 45 minutes

CUPCAKE

WARS A comparison of the taste, presentation and cost of cupcakes from Cupcake A La Mode, Dolce and Sarah King’s Classy Cakes

10 | FEATURES

every day from Edgerton to East for the I.B. program, it isn’t possible for her to have a regular job like her friends.

“A lot of things have really been overwhelming me,” Sarah said. “So this is a way I thought I could make money and do something I enjoy and be able to handle it.”

So Sarah opened Classy Cakes, which according to the Facebook page, promises to provide “cupcakes and other joyous confections for birthdays, graduation and awkward family gatherings!” Offering brownies, snickerdoodle blondies, coconut macaroons and any kind of cupcake, everything is sold for $18 a dozen. Sarah researched costs of local bakeries and priced her products much cheaper in the hope that she would draw in more customers.

“Food is not an easy way to make money,” Kathy said. “It takes a lot of time, but it is very rewarding because when you give someone good food, you give them joy.”

Previously, Sarah was selling her hand-crafted jewelry at Lulu’s. But making jewelry was too time consuming, and only worked as a gift for her friends. So she switched to baking, which she could do on a more flexible schedule and use as a gift for both genders.

Food has been her life, her passion, since as long as she can remember. She grew up constantly surrounded by food whether she was strapped to her parents’

back at a Farmers’ Market, helping in their family vegetable garden, or copying down recipes from her favorite cookbook, Bailey Lee’s Dessert Book. Cooking was something she picked up along the way.

“I think the idea that I, or anyone, ‘taught her to cook’ is a bit of a misconception,” John said. “If teaching amounts to hanging around answering a few perceptive questions while the student explores one delicious creative avenue after another—with the rare dead end—then I guess I taught her to cook along with her Mom. I would, however, describe Sarah as self-taught. We just help keep the culinary environment vivid and necessary supplies on hand.”

Now, Sarah spends at least an hour every day in her kitchen cooking. She makes a homemade, organic meal for herself and her parents every night, as well as her lunch for the following day. For a majority of her dishes, Sarah creates her own recipes; she calls it being “adventurous.” Her inspiration for these new dishes come from the hours she spends watching “America’s Test Kitchen” and researching on allrecipes. com or epicurious.com. She’ll mix recipes like Banana’s Foster and Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes, and come up with something completely new. And when she wants to test it out, she brings it to school for feedback from her classmates.

“Everyone was super excited when she

CUPCAKE

A LA MODE

{Bella Nutella} Chocolate cupcake topped with creamy Nutella, chocolate hazelnut buttercream and a truffle and pirrouhette cookie on top Taste: Presentation: Cost: $3.25

DOLCE

BAKING CO

{Vanilla Cream} Pure and simple... vanilla cake and vanilla icing Taste: Presentation: Cost: $2.25

brought treats to our physics class,” Junior Max Duncan said. “She brought cupcakes with cookie dough icing covered in chocolate. I think her business will be successful, she definitely has the skill and yummies, she just needs the publicity.”

But before she tries anything new or mixes any recipes, she meticulously reads countless reviews, because nothing irks Sarah more than a recipe gone wrong.

“I get really upset because it just seems like such a waste,” Sarah said. “And especially if I’m going to bring it to someone, I’m like, now I can’t make their day happy.”

But, as her dad said, Sarah rarely meets dead ends in her experiments.

Although Sarah has not yet decided what college she is going to next year, she knows one is for sure—she won’t be studying the culinary arts. She’d rather keep that as something on the side. She plans to keep the business going and expanding what she sells throughout her college years, but she will be studying Art History and Art, with a focus in Archeology and Art Preservation and a minor in math.

“It has nothing to do with cooking, which is very upsetting,” Sarah said. “[But] it’s very much a part of my life.”

And despite her busy schedule, juggling between her schoolwork and her artwork, Sarah will always make time for cooking.

Because, after all, cooking is her art.

To order “classy cakes,” email sardancer@embarqmail.com

SARAH KING’S

CLASSY CAKES {Vanilla}

Vanilla cupcake with pink hued butter cream frosting with marshmallow daisies Taste Presentation: Cost: $18/dozen

T

SIZZLING SUMMER

he final bell rings and students sprint out of the classroom. Summer has started and it is time to let loose and forget about school for the next three months. They are about to go watch the newest movie with their friends until they reach into thier pocket and realize that they are out of money. They’re broke and in order to be able to go to all the sweet summer concerts and satisfy the sweet tooth with the occasional TCBY frozen yogurt they are going to need some money. There are two options: sell everything in the house or get a job. Instead of selling the X-Box and TV, here are some the best local jobs East students are working that students could get hired to do.

JOBS CARWASHING

written by Alex Goldman | photo by Spencer Davis

NANNYING

It doesn’t matter if someone is working at their carwash at 85th and Stateline or at 119th by Town Center one thing’s for certain, they’re going to make bank. The pay may be near minimum wage but the tips will make up for it. Junior Patrick Blackburn who has been working at the carwash for two years, said that the tips can make the hard labor worth it.

“On a typical week, I make about a $100 a week working 20 hours a week,” Blackburn said.

Waterway allows their workers to get to polish up Johnson County’s wide range of automobiles. “Sometimes there were some old dirty cars that were a pain to clean or P.O.S.’s like I like to call them, but then there were some sweet cars like Bentleys or Benz’s that we got to get inside of,” Blackburn said. “It’s pretty cool since I’ve never really been up close to one.”

According to Blackburn the only downside to working at “The Way” is going to have to be working on the blazing hot 100 degree summer days. But if someone can work through the heat and wants to fill their pockets up with some cash, Water-

WHICH

JOB BEST

SUITS YOU?

I’M A

GINGER

DO ARE YOU

GOOD WITH

KIDDOS?

I BABYSIT I’M

LIKE A BOSS

A PAGE11features.indd 1

Junior Jackson Stephens nannied for a couple kids last summer and believes it’s the most convenient and easiest job he’s ever had.

“The worst part was probably picking the kid up from his house,” Stephens said.

“Other than that I would usually just take them to the pool which is never a burden.”

The pay for this job can vary and mostly depends on the parents that are employing the sitter. Stephens received about $100 for 21 hours a week which is pretty low but other nannies can receive between $10 to $15 an hour.

No matter the pay, the most important job of a nanny is to ensure the safety of the child they babysit. Stephens says this job requires responsibility and the ability to connect with kids. Parents will be entrusting the nanny with their child and failure is not an option.

“As long as the kids are well behaved then the job won’t be that hard and it will be an easy few bucks.” Stephens said.

START

DO YOU MIND PHYSICAL LABOR?

I’M I’MNOT A

BIG FAN

YOU DODO SUNBURN EASILY?

I’M

I BECOME A

DIAPERS I’M

SCARE ME

LIFEGUARDING

BRONZED BEAUTY

LAWN MOWING

This job requires the capability to swim and a lifeguarding certification that costs about $95. According to sophomore Maddie Hise who lifeguards at the Carriage Club, the best part of the job is having the opportunity to meet new people everyday.

“You really get to know the members and see your friends,” Hise said. “It’s also nice to hang out by the pool on nice days.”

Unfortunately, lifeguarding isn’t as easy as getting certified and sitting by a pool.

Hise has had a couple memorable experiences on the job that she would have rather not dealt with. One was when a couple of members were overserved and her manager made her tell them to leave.

“It was awkward kicking them out but it had to be done,” Hise said. “It’s important to make sure the Carriage Club pool is a friendly zone.”

Hise said that other than the one instance, the only other problems she’s had to deal with are swimmers’ injuries and kids acting up.

“If a boy starts getting too loud or throws things then it’s my job to give him a warning and make sure that he doesn’t do it again.” Hise said.

Despite rowdy kids and having to deal with a few boo-boos, Hise loves her job and plans on continuing it this summer.

I’M I’M TOUGH

AS NAILS

DO YOU PREFER A SET

SCHEDULE OR

FLEXIBILITY?

Every summer the demand for for a well-kept lawn is high. That’s why this job has the one of the highest market than any other of these other jobs. According to sophomore Jackson Granstaff, the first thing somebody who wants to make a lot of money is going to want to do is to make flyers and hand them out to your neighbors. Once they get a few customers they are going to want to make sure they do a good job on their yards so they can build a good reputation. A good reputation means the customers will recommend the mower to their friends. This means more customers; more customers equals more money.

Granstaff, who has been mowing since seventh grade, started off with a few yards but has now escalated to over 10 yards.

“I started mowing with someone else but this summer I’ll be doing it by myself,” Granstaff said. “This summer I’m going to cut back on the yards so I have time to swim and my social life.

The best part about lawn mowing? The tax-free cash.

“It’s nice not having to deal with tax and getting one hundred percent of the profits,” Granstaff said.

Granstaff says he made $5,000 last summer and used that money to buy himself a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

“Now that I bought myself a car I am planning to just save the rest of my profits for college,” Granstaff said.

FLEXIBILITY I’M

FOR SURE

I’M HAVE

I LIKE TO

DO DO YOU MIND NIGHT SHIFTS? NOT I’M REALLY

A PLAN

THAT’S I’M

WHEN THE FUN HAPPENS

BB

C D

THE KEY A NANNYING B LIFEGUARDING C LAWN MOWING D CAR WASHING FEATURES | 11 4/11/12 7:28 PM

RISING ABOVE THE MASSES WITH MANY RECENT COLLEGE GRADUATES JOBLESS, FORMER EAST STUDENTS ARE BEGINNING INTERNSHIPS EARLY written by Emily Kerr | art by Matti Crabtree

If you were to look purely at the statistics behind the college graduate unemployment rate and debt, you would a) faint b) abandon all plans for college c) apply for a job at a nearby McDonald’s. With the current college graduate unemployment rate at 9.1 percent (an all-time high) and the average student loans owed at $25,250, it is easy to get caught up in the numbers. However, before you trade in your books for burgers, take a hint from three SME graduates who have landed internships while still in college. They are living, breathing proof that it is possible to get a job that you love despite this topsy-turvy economy.

MICAH MELIA HALO FOUNDATION For Micah Melia, a current freshman at the University of Kansas, this summer will be all about art projects. However, Melia won’t be spending her time recreating the crafts on the Pinterest home page or working on painting a self-portrait for school. In fact, Melia’s major in school isn’t even related to the field of art. What Melia will be doing is interning at a nonprofit organization called the HALO foundation. This foundation focuses on providing education for homeless youth through educational lessons and crafts.

“What I really liked about HALO is that it is focused on education as breaking the cycle of poverty instead of just volunteering and helping out in a broad sense,” Melia said.

“They actually have programs that say “we use art” and “we use education” to help our community and the world.”

Before Melia started her job search she wasn’t sure about what type of nonprofit she wanted to work for. She attended several career fairs at the start of the year and joined volunteer organizations on campus that further informed her about her passion. She then searched online for nonprofit organizations and came up with a lengthy list and set out her résumé to eight different places. Even though only two of the eight organizations returned her requests, she was sure that she would be happy with either of them.

“Make sure you like everything you are applying for,” Melia said. “That way you won’t be settling for one that comes back to you.”

According to Melia, working at the HALO foundation is far from ‘settling’. By interning at this nonprofit organization she is gaining valuable experience in a field that she feels she is likely to pursue.

“I’m definitely looking forward to the experience I will get

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER COLLEGE (UNLESS YOU ARE VERY SUCCESSTHIS WAY

12 | SPREAD

ANDREW GOBLE GQ Walking through Times Square in a sleek suit and knit tie, Andrew Goble appeared to be merely another businessman headed to a lunchtime meeting. However, if you had stopped him on the street and asked him where he was going, he would have told you that he was only a freshman in college on his way to his first job interview for GQ. “My first interview was very nerve wracking because it was one of my first interviews ever,” Goble said. “The actual job is in Times Square so I was in the area where all of the flashing lights are. They had to check my ID to let me in and security guards escorted me upstairs. The GQ office was a humbling place to be.”

But perhaps what is even more humbling is the fact that Goble secured the internship solely based on his high school journalism experience. After two interviews he was given the offer to work on the magazine’s online social media campaign.

According to Goble, the ‘next big thing in journalism’ is merging the website and publication into one. This means that Goble will be in charge of writing the links to the articles that will be posted on Facebook and Twitter.

“During the interview they asked to see my personal Twitter account, which I was not ready for,” Goble said. “Thankfully though my mom follows me, so it is generally pretty tame. They [GQ] have around 160,000 followers, so it is pretty exciting to know that my 140 characters will get out to that many people.”

In addition to remaining calm throughout the interview Goble attributes his success in his interview to his wellthought-out answers. Instead of answering immediately after a question was given, Goble was articulate in his word choice.

“I’m always frustrated when people say ‘I’m hardworking and creative,’” Goble said. “I just don’t really care for adjectives.

It is always better to describe characteristics or tell a story that somehow speaks of yourself.”

Even as Goble spoke of his interview, he recounted a story

with the HALO internship because that will help me know what I want to do,” Melia said. “I think it [this internship] is a good thing to do before a job because I don’t have to sign an official contract and get stuck doing something I don’t want to be doing.

However, it doesn’t seem that this would be a likely problem for Melia. Despite only being a freshman in college, she has given careful forethought to her education and future.

She knew that if she was going to intern or work for a nonprofit organization, she would need to be relatively debt-free.

“With a lot of the organizations I am looking at they don’t pay very well, but since I go to KU I won’t have any debt when I graduate,” Melia said. “I think especially for students that come out of college with a lot of debt they have to take a job they don’t necessarily want because it pays more.”

Although her internship is unpaid, Melia feels that it is well worth her time. Through working 20 hours a week at the downtown KC office, she will gain hands-on experience in what it means to be a HALO ambassador. She will be in charge of maintaining the relationships between the workers and the orphans, along with their Big-Brother and Big-Sister mentors. She will also coordinate the art projects with the mentors and have a chance to interact with all of the school age children in the orphanages.

“Art is the form that these kids will use to get their feelings out about the situations they are in,” Melia said. “It is also a way to teach people what an orphan is and what HALO does.”

To Melia, the education aspect makes it all worthwhile.

“I am really passionate about it [education] and I think it is key to breaking all of the horrible social problems that we have in our country.”

1 IN 4 GRADUATES MOVES IN WITH THEIR PARENTS AND HAS NO JOB

15% HAVE A JOB RELATED TO THEIR DEGREE

1 IN 4 GRADUATES WORK MENIAL UNSKILLED LABOR JOBS (LIKE MCDONALD’S)

85%

DO NOT

DREW MCNAMARA STYLIST

that was very telling of his character.

“After my interview the editor told me that I would hear back from him by the end of the week, Goble said. As I was walking outside in New York to meet my brother for lunch, I got an email from GQ telling me I had landed the job. It was funny because they did it in really a suspenseful way. I couldn’t really even come to terms with it.”

It was through this story that Goble was able to illustrate perfectly how much more effective a story is rather than a simple sentence explaining what happened.

Besides Goble’s unique perspective on the interviewing process, he also possesses insight on why internships are important. For Goble, this internship will be a way to find out if he wants to remain in the field of journalism while also opening doors to a future job. From watching friends and family, he has learned that it is vital to be open-minded in the interviewing and internship process.

“I think a lot of people say ‘I want to work at this place’ and then they put all of their effort into one thing and it falls through,” Goble said. “I interviewed with some companies that I wasn’t that interested in, but the experience made me more confident.”

Another aspect of journalism that Goble seems to be fairly confident in are the obstacles that it presents. Because he is well aware that the first couple years of a journalistic career aren’t necessarily the wealthiest, he has a realistic mindset.

“A lot of journalism internships are unpaid, so I’m prepared for it,” Goble said. “I think an unpaid internship can have increased dividends than another job with no other chance of a career in the future.”

For Goble, the ultimate goal is satisfaction not salary.

“Being happy in a career cannot be understated,” Goble said. “But it also can’t be shown in how much money you are making as a freshman in college.”

A current sophomore at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, Drew McNamara is interning for a company that most could only dream about. As a PR intern for the French shoe designer, Christian Louboutin, McNamara is responsible for promoting Louboutin’s current line and choosing people to market the shoes. In addition to this prestigious position, this job also comes with some major perks. McNamara has all access to any of the high-end shoes and is actually encouraged to wear them to show them off to the public. But the best part of his job isn’t merely sporting a pair of $1,000 studded loafers. The best part of his job is that he is in constant contact with A-list celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Rihanna and Lil’ Wayne about their footwear choices.

“One day the Backstreet Boys’ stylist emailed me and said they would be performing at Perez Hilton’s birthday party,” McNamara said. “They all wanted to wear Louboutin’s and match and be edgy. So I pretty much pulled all of the spring and summer men’s line for them.”

After a brief fitting with the Backstreet Boys, McNamara gained the respect of these ‘90s pop heartthrobs while also gaining an invitation to Perez Hilton’s birthday party himself.

“It was a really big event and tons of celebrities were there,” McNamara said. “That’s really when the hard work pays off and you get to actually be socializing with your clients and see the shoes on their feet.”

While this job is very glamorous in itself, it did

not come without a lot of hard work and hours put in beforehand. McNamara spent the previous summer interning for another celebrity stylist doing more “desk” type duties. It was at this internship that he was introduced to the people at Louboutin.

“I went to some parties and events with them and became really friendly with them,” McNamara said.

“I one day asked if they were hiring and their representative flew into interview me that week.”

McNamara attributes his success in being hired to his ability to network. For him, the most important thing in business and acquiring a job is establishing solid connections with people.

“Put yourself in situations where you are going to be with people who have the same interests as you,” McNamara said. “Also, remember people’s names and be nice to everybody. You never know who could get you your first job down the road.”

As for McNamara’s future plans down the road, he has some pretty high aspirations. With a 14- year dance background, movie and song producing skills and a lot of knowledge about French shoes, he is a rare combination.

“A lot of fashion companies are creating short films to promote their look books and new seasons,” McNamara said. “I think I could produce music for the score in it, film it and style it. That would be a dream for sure.”

And in the meantime, he will continue hanging out with Hollywood starlets and rocking trendy French shoes.

$11,521 THE NET WORTH OF PEOPLE UNDER 35 HAS DECREASED BY 75%

1984

$2.5 MILLION $3,662

THE COST OF STUDENT LOAN DEBT $1,000 HAS INCREASED 511% SINCE 1999

2009

1999

$5,110 2011

A COLLEGE DEGREE WILL $1.2 MILLION EARN AN AVERAGE AMERICAN VS TWICE AS MUCH MONEY IN THEIR LIFETIME HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA

MASTERS DEGREE

SPREAD | 13

RISING ABOVE THE MASSES WITH MANY RECENT COLLEGE GRADUATES JOBLESS, FORMER EAST STUDENTS ARE BEGINNING INTERNSHIPS EARLY written by Emily Kerr | art by Matti Crabtree

If you were to look purely at the statistics behind the college graduate unemployment rate and debt, you would a) faint b) abandon all plans for college c) apply for a job at a nearby McDonald’s. With the current college graduate unemployment rate at 9.1 percent (an all-time high) and the average student loans owed at $25,250, it is easy to get caught up in the numbers. However, before you trade in your books for burgers, take a hint from three SME graduates who have landed internships while still in college. They are living, breathing proof that it is possible to get a job that you love despite this topsy-turvy economy.

MICAH MELIA HALO FOUNDATION For Micah Melia, a current freshman at the University of Kansas, this summer will be all about art projects. However, Melia won’t be spending her time recreating the crafts on the Pinterest home page or working on painting a self-portrait for school. In fact, Melia’s major in school isn’t even related to the field of art. What Melia will be doing is interning at a nonprofit organization called the HALO foundation. This foundation focuses on providing education for homeless youth through educational lessons and crafts.

“What I really liked about HALO is that it is focused on education as breaking the cycle of poverty instead of just volunteering and helping out in a broad sense,” Melia said.

“They actually have programs that say “we use art” and “we use education” to help our community and the world.”

Before Melia started her job search she wasn’t sure about what type of nonprofit she wanted to work for. She attended several career fairs at the start of the year and joined volunteer organizations on campus that further informed her about her passion. She then searched online for nonprofit organizations and came up with a lengthy list and set out her résumé to eight different places. Even though only two of the eight organizations returned her requests, she was sure that she would be happy with either of them.

“Make sure you like everything you are applying for,” Melia said. “That way you won’t be settling for one that comes back to you.”

According to Melia, working at the HALO foundation is far from ‘settling’. By interning at this nonprofit organization she is gaining valuable experience in a field that she feels she is likely to pursue.

“I’m definitely looking forward to the experience I will get

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER COLLEGE (UNLESS YOU ARE VERY SUCCESSTHIS WAY

12 | SPREAD

ANDREW GOBLE GQ Walking through Times Square in a sleek suit and knit tie, Andrew Goble appeared to be merely another businessman headed to a lunchtime meeting. However, if you had stopped him on the street and asked him where he was going, he would have told you that he was only a freshman in college on his way to his first job interview for GQ. “My first interview was very nerve wracking because it was one of my first interviews ever,” Goble said. “The actual job is in Times Square so I was in the area where all of the flashing lights are. They had to check my ID to let me in and security guards escorted me upstairs. The GQ office was a humbling place to be.”

But perhaps what is even more humbling is the fact that Goble secured the internship solely based on his high school journalism experience. After two interviews he was given the offer to work on the magazine’s online social media campaign.

According to Goble, the ‘next big thing in journalism’ is merging the website and publication into one. This means that Goble will be in charge of writing the links to the articles that will be posted on Facebook and Twitter.

“During the interview they asked to see my personal Twitter account, which I was not ready for,” Goble said. “Thankfully though my mom follows me, so it is generally pretty tame. They [GQ] have around 160,000 followers, so it is pretty exciting to know that my 140 characters will get out to that many people.”

In addition to remaining calm throughout the interview Goble attributes his success in his interview to his wellthought-out answers. Instead of answering immediately after a question was given, Goble was articulate in his word choice.

“I’m always frustrated when people say ‘I’m hardworking and creative,’” Goble said. “I just don’t really care for adjectives.

It is always better to describe characteristics or tell a story that somehow speaks of yourself.”

Even as Goble spoke of his interview, he recounted a story

with the HALO internship because that will help me know what I want to do,” Melia said. “I think it [this internship] is a good thing to do before a job because I don’t have to sign an official contract and get stuck doing something I don’t want to be doing.

However, it doesn’t seem that this would be a likely problem for Melia. Despite only being a freshman in college, she has given careful forethought to her education and future.

She knew that if she was going to intern or work for a nonprofit organization, she would need to be relatively debt-free.

“With a lot of the organizations I am looking at they don’t pay very well, but since I go to KU I won’t have any debt when I graduate,” Melia said. “I think especially for students that come out of college with a lot of debt they have to take a job they don’t necessarily want because it pays more.”

Although her internship is unpaid, Melia feels that it is well worth her time. Through working 20 hours a week at the downtown KC office, she will gain hands-on experience in what it means to be a HALO ambassador. She will be in charge of maintaining the relationships between the workers and the orphans, along with their Big-Brother and Big-Sister mentors. She will also coordinate the art projects with the mentors and have a chance to interact with all of the school age children in the orphanages.

“Art is the form that these kids will use to get their feelings out about the situations they are in,” Melia said. “It is also a way to teach people what an orphan is and what HALO does.”

To Melia, the education aspect makes it all worthwhile.

“I am really passionate about it [education] and I think it is key to breaking all of the horrible social problems that we have in our country.”

1 IN 4 GRADUATES MOVES IN WITH THEIR PARENTS AND HAS NO JOB

15% HAVE A JOB RELATED TO THEIR DEGREE

1 IN 4 GRADUATES WORK MENIAL UNSKILLED LABOR JOBS (LIKE MCDONALD’S)

85%

DO NOT

DREW MCNAMARA STYLIST

that was very telling of his character.

“After my interview the editor told me that I would hear back from him by the end of the week, Goble said. As I was walking outside in New York to meet my brother for lunch, I got an email from GQ telling me I had landed the job. It was funny because they did it in really a suspenseful way. I couldn’t really even come to terms with it.”

It was through this story that Goble was able to illustrate perfectly how much more effective a story is rather than a simple sentence explaining what happened.

Besides Goble’s unique perspective on the interviewing process, he also possesses insight on why internships are important. For Goble, this internship will be a way to find out if he wants to remain in the field of journalism while also opening doors to a future job. From watching friends and family, he has learned that it is vital to be open-minded in the interviewing and internship process.

“I think a lot of people say ‘I want to work at this place’ and then they put all of their effort into one thing and it falls through,” Goble said. “I interviewed with some companies that I wasn’t that interested in, but the experience made me more confident.”

Another aspect of journalism that Goble seems to be fairly confident in are the obstacles that it presents. Because he is well aware that the first couple years of a journalistic career aren’t necessarily the wealthiest, he has a realistic mindset.

“A lot of journalism internships are unpaid, so I’m prepared for it,” Goble said. “I think an unpaid internship can have increased dividends than another job with no other chance of a career in the future.”

For Goble, the ultimate goal is satisfaction not salary.

“Being happy in a career cannot be understated,” Goble said. “But it also can’t be shown in how much money you are making as a freshman in college.”

A current sophomore at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, Drew McNamara is interning for a company that most could only dream about. As a PR intern for the French shoe designer, Christian Louboutin, McNamara is responsible for promoting Louboutin’s current line and choosing people to market the shoes. In addition to this prestigious position, this job also comes with some major perks. McNamara has all access to any of the high-end shoes and is actually encouraged to wear them to show them off to the public. But the best part of his job isn’t merely sporting a pair of $1,000 studded loafers. The best part of his job is that he is in constant contact with A-list celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Rihanna and Lil’ Wayne about their footwear choices.

“One day the Backstreet Boys’ stylist emailed me and said they would be performing at Perez Hilton’s birthday party,” McNamara said. “They all wanted to wear Louboutin’s and match and be edgy. So I pretty much pulled all of the spring and summer men’s line for them.”

After a brief fitting with the Backstreet Boys, McNamara gained the respect of these ‘90s pop heartthrobs while also gaining an invitation to Perez Hilton’s birthday party himself.

“It was a really big event and tons of celebrities were there,” McNamara said. “That’s really when the hard work pays off and you get to actually be socializing with your clients and see the shoes on their feet.”

While this job is very glamorous in itself, it did

not come without a lot of hard work and hours put in beforehand. McNamara spent the previous summer interning for another celebrity stylist doing more “desk” type duties. It was at this internship that he was introduced to the people at Louboutin.

“I went to some parties and events with them and became really friendly with them,” McNamara said.

“I one day asked if they were hiring and their representative flew into interview me that week.”

McNamara attributes his success in being hired to his ability to network. For him, the most important thing in business and acquiring a job is establishing solid connections with people.

“Put yourself in situations where you are going to be with people who have the same interests as you,” McNamara said. “Also, remember people’s names and be nice to everybody. You never know who could get you your first job down the road.”

As for McNamara’s future plans down the road, he has some pretty high aspirations. With a 14- year dance background, movie and song producing skills and a lot of knowledge about French shoes, he is a rare combination.

“A lot of fashion companies are creating short films to promote their look books and new seasons,” McNamara said. “I think I could produce music for the score in it, film it and style it. That would be a dream for sure.”

And in the meantime, he will continue hanging out with Hollywood starlets and rocking trendy French shoes.

$11,521 THE NET WORTH OF PEOPLE UNDER 35 HAS DECREASED BY 75%

1984

$2.5 MILLION $3,662

THE COST OF STUDENT LOAN DEBT $1,000 HAS INCREASED 511% SINCE 1999

2009

1999

$5,110 2011

A COLLEGE DEGREE WILL $1.2 MILLION EARN AN AVERAGE AMERICAN VS TWICE AS MUCH MONEY IN THEIR LIFETIME HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA

MASTERS DEGREE

SPREAD | 13

MOLLY YOUNG: will you go to PROM with BEN WILLIAMS?

WANT TO ADVERTISE WITH THE HARBINGER? I

nterested in putting your ad in the senior issue? Not sure what the senior issue is? Not aware that it’s the last and biggest issue of the year? Or that it’s, on average, one of the most read issues? Sick of rhetorical questions? Here’s what it’s all about.

40+

PAGES

Senior

PROFILES

College

LIST Class

BREAKDOWN

Senior

COLUMNS A look back

AT THE YEAR

THREE EASY WAYS TO GET YOUR AD IN THE HARBINGER

1.

2.

3.

Email us at smeharbinger@gmail.com Call us at (913) 993-6688 Stop by room 521 during a school day

MIXED

A PAGE ABOUT THE EARTH

written by Tiernan Shank | photos by Maddie Schoemann and courtesy of mctcampus

ENVIRO-MENTAL 5 EASY WAYS TO HELP OUR PLANET

1.

2.

With 63 million newspapers printed each day it’s no wonder our rainforests are being chopped down to meet consumption. Take the time to recycle old newspapers and you could save more than half a million trees a week. Glass is also an easy way to reduce air and water pollution.

3.

Plastic Bags are not biodegradable and our making their way through our country and into our oceans. Purchasing a more reliable, reusable bag from Whole Foods or any major grocery store or convenience store, is an inexpensive way to decrease pollution.

4.

The 11th annual Earth Fair is coming to East on Saturday, April 21. This year, the theme is Connecting the Dots. The Earth Fair works to inform people in the East community about Climate Change, Peak Oil and Economic Distress.

5.

Turning off your lights when you leave a room is an easy way to save energy.

Also, replacing a regular lightbulb with a compact fluorescent bulb helps reduce pollution.

FIX 14% OF THE EARTH IT BUT NOW COVERS6%

RAINFOREST ONCE COVERED

Go to rainforest-rescue.org to learn about animals that need help and make a donation.

In Kansas City, it’s easy to buy local. Whether it’s the farmers market or your local Hen House, many stores carry local and organic alternatives to the national brands.

IN 5 BILLION YEARS,

THE SUN WILL RUN OUT OF FUEL AND TURN INTO A

RED GIANT Don’t worry, we’ll be dead.

2 BILLION

PEOPLE WORLDWIDE DRINK CONTAMINATED WATER DAILY

Learn about the water crisis and donate money to give clean water at charitywater.org

MIXED | 15

right in the

‘MIDDLE’ of it Kansas City’s Middle of the Map Festival expanded and improved from last year with headliners Fun and Neon Indian written by Toni Aguiar | photos by Toni Aguiar I tend to get antsy at concerts. night of the 3-day festival, each band Even at some of the best shows I’ve gained more momentum than the been to, around the end of the first last. Though I was disappointed by set I’m itching to move. I find myself the abundance of 21-and-over shows, half-wishing the band won’t come out the Beaumont delivered a solid fivefor an encore because I’m so tired of band show of Making Movies, Sleeper standing there on the hard concrete, Agent, Friends, Neon Indian and fun. of bumping into sweaty strangers and I was a bit apprehensive as the of craning to see over everyone stand- night’s events began — at 5:30 p.m. ing in front of me. the venue was filled with what looked Surprisingly, as Middle of the Map like 13-year-olds going to their first headliner “fun.” brought their set to concerts, complete with braces and a close, I found myself chanting the homemade T-shirts. I was not (and over-exhausted pun “Let’s have fun!” still am not) the biggest fun. fan. But (clever, right?) with the rest of the I figured indie electronic band Neon 1,400-person-crowd. I thought, I don’t Indian would deliver, and I’d get my even like fun. that much. My shoes money’s worth of the ludicrously are sticking to the beer on the floor. cheap $20 ticket.

I’m probably going to go deaf when Yet fun. was the highlight of the I’m 30 because of these speakers. night. Even though frontman Nate But the crowd was frenzied, and fun. Ruess looked like he was going to was (yes, I’m going to make this joke pass out, his antics were entertaining again) fun. as he ran around the stage in circles The second annual Middle of the like a hyper Jack Russell Terrier and Map Festival took place during April jumped on and off the drum set’s po5-7 in a festival expanded to include dium. Their energy and sheer glee 100 bands at eight venues. For three at being there in the Beaumont with days, Westport’s streets were filled a sold-out crowd made their fans re— filled to the point that, instead of act even more. The sheer noise of idling my way through the stand-still the Beaumont Club gave just enough traffic and slow-moving drunken edge to their normally radio-ready 20-somethings to find a parking spot, music, especially anthems such as I took a page from freshman year “Some Nights” and “Carry On.” After had my mom drop me off outside the show was over, I was inspired to the Beaumont Club. On that final give their album another go-round.

IF YOU MISSED IT

Brooklyn-based band Friends almost matched fellow NYC band fun. in stage antics. Lead singer Samantha Urbani was a bouncer’s nightmare, jumping off the stage and over barriers to dance with members of the crowd, and daring fans to come up on stage and snag the plush Easter bunny sitting by her feet.

Neon Indian, my most-anticipated set of the night, didn’t seem to play as long as the other bands. I was disappointed for them due to the lack of crowd reaction — it was clear fans were there to see fun. Although they were tethered by the several keyboards and soundboards on stage, they produced a great sound and show. I felt as if the sweaty, crazed crowd of the Beaumont was less fitting for them than, say, a smaller crowd at the Record Bar. At Middle of the Map, I enjoyed the band I disliked more than the band that I liked. Though it didn’t provide the springtime quality entertainment of, say, Arcade Fire, it made up for it in the sheer quantity and enthusiasm of the bands. And while I may delete my “Some Nights” album from my iTunes library someday soon, I’ll never forget the heart-pounding, chest-buzzing elation of bellowing “We Are Young” with over 1,000 Kansas Citians.

CAKE

NAKED AND FAMOUS

STAND-OUT BAND: TYGA

AVICII

HARDCORE

16 | A&E

EAR PLUGS

CHILDISH GAMBINO

M83

RADIO ONLY

4050 PENNSYLVANIA

ATMOSPHERE:

WEENIE BIG TIME RUSH CREED

THE THE BEAUMONT RECORD CLUB BAR Dense, sweaty

a spectrum of other festivals and concerts around kc

DISNEY IN CONCERT WARPED TOUR

Far above: fun.’s lead singer Nate Ruess rallies the crowd during their hit “We Are Young.”

Above: Guitarist Jack Antonoff leans off the stage during fun.’s set at the Beaumont. Though fun. has three permament members including Ruess, Antonoff and Andrew Drost, they tour as a sixpiece group.

Left: Lead singer of Friends Samantha Urbani as she performs indiepunk “A Thing Like This.”

BUZZ BEACHBALL

BASSNECTAR

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH

BUY A T-SHIRT AFTERWARDS

1020 WESTPORT ROAD

ATMOSPHERE:

THE RIOT ROOM

4048 BROADWAY

ATMOSPHERE:

Chill, coffeeshop

Basement, grungy

fun.

Mission of Burma

STAND-OUT BAND:

STAND-OUT BAND:

CAPACITY:

CAPACITY:

CAPACITY:

WHAT’S NEXT:

WHAT’S NEXT:

1,500

WHAT’S NEXT: Tyga

250

This Providence

FRONT ROW

F***ed Up 500

Pinback

G

D

ADIMENSION NEW written by Morgan Twibell | art by Will Webber

Historical masterpiece feels even more real with modern technology

I

always have had a hard time focusing, sitting still and paying attention -- especially in the “pre-ADD pills” era of my life. I could barely sit through an hour-long family dinner; I lacked the focus to answer questions like, “how was your day?” or “do you have a lot of homework?”

And there was NO WAY I thought I could sit through a three and a half hour movie in silence -- I had no interest in seeing Titanic.

Whenever my friends found out that I hadn’t seen it, they looked at me as if I had pieces of food in my teeth. I decided I would finally catch up with the rest of the world after 15 years when James Cameron released his film in 3D in honor of the 100 year anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking.

I entered the theater predicting that I would be bored out of my wits; I even worried that I might accidentally fall asleep during the movie. But I was wrong.

I loved the movie. Not only did I stay awake, but I felt glued to the on-screen action. I realized that I ad been missing out on this great movie -- and I even got to keep those cool 3D glasses.

Usually, I’m not the biggest fan of 3D movies -- I end up with dry eyes and headaches -- but in this case, I ended up leaving with no headache and even some tears in my eyes. It wasn’t one of those obnoxious 3D movies where things are popping out at you the whole time and you don’t even know where to look. This movie had more of a “classy” 3D feel: it really made the pic-

SINK IT page17A&E.indd 1

THIRD CLASS

ture more clear. During the calmer scenes it felt like I was watching it on a very expensive HD TV. Of course I didn’t want to go alone. I didn’t want to be that awkward girl sitting by herself surrounded by people with their friends or family, so I forced my mom to see it with me. It helped me out in two ways, 1.

I didn’t have to pay for my ticket or candy, 2. I was able to have an opinion of someone who had seen it before it came out in 3D. As we were leaving the theater, we both agreed that the 3D made everything much more dramatic. When the freezing cold water was flooding the boat, sloshing everywhere, I instinctively shielded myself -- expecting water to get all over me. Not only did the 3D help dramatize the movie more, it made it so much more suspenseful and realistic. My stomach was turning and I even got goosebumps from watching the characters react to such cold water.

To add the realistic feeling to the film, director James Cameron tweaked one of the scenes just a bit because he had received complaints about it not being completely accurate.

An astrologist complained to Cameron that the stars the night the actual ship sank did not match the stars in the movie. So, Cameron went back and made the stars look almost identical to the ones of the actual night. Although not many people would’ve notice that this scene was changed, it was small things like that helped make the 3D movie feel more real.

STAY AFLOAT

Even though the 3D improved some aspects of the movie, I felt it got a bit hectic at during the more intense scenes. When there are thousands of people running around on a sinking ship screaming and panicking, it can get pretty crazy -- now imagine that in 3D, trying to follow all of the characters on screen while they are popping out at you. I felt myself getting a bit seasick throughout the nautical pandimonium, particularly when the ship started to flood and the desperate passengers darted around the in search of a life boat. Cameron and his crew clearly put more polished work on the more famous and iconic parts of the movie.

The 3D technology enhanced my favorite scene of the film: when the main characters Rose (Kate Winslett) and Jack (Leonardo Dicaprio) share a romantic moment at the bow. In one of the classic love scenes of our time, Jack spreads Rose’s arms over the railing as the wind blows through their hair; it really feels as if they are heading towards the audience.

It was certainly a leap of faith for Cameron to reproduce and alter his timeless movie, but I think the risk was well worth it -- 3D really helped to get a feel of the passengers’ experiences on “the unsinkable ship.” It was a great way to bring one of the biggest box office hits of all time back into the mainstream.And I learned how to patiently enjoy a three and a half hour long movie.

KING OF THE WORLD

BEST OF 1997 ELTON JOHN CANDLE IN THE WIND

BEST SELLING SONG

ER

NUMBER ONE TV SHOW

MITCH ALBOM TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE BEST SELLING BOOK

TOYOTA CAMRY BEST SELLING CAR

A&E | 17 4/11/12 7:40 PM

SEA OF LIFE

CROWN CENTER AQUARIUM BRINGS NE W LIFE TO KC, ATTRACTING TOURISTS AND LOCALS ALIKE

written by Erin Reilly| photos by Anna Dancinger

Sirens wail as a police motorcade escort a semi-truck into the pavilion at Crown Center, filled with the fantasies of the children watching vigilantly from the sidewalk. Decorated poster boards much too large for their owners read “Welcome to Kansas City” and “Here come the sharks!” while three sharks and three rays are unloaded from their long journey from Florida.

The excitement was contagious, and the scene, described by six-year-old Tommy Smith, was one of the coolest moments of his life.

On April 6, the Sea Life Aquarium opened its doors to over 1,200 people.

“Opening day it was crazy,” staff member Erick Adair said. “It was very busy, very crowded, but very efficient. We got everything moving along, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. I think it was pretty successful overall. We’ve had some older people here who were really excited about the sea turtles coming in. It was cool because people of all different ages and backgrounds found something they enjoyed here.”

After waiting in a 45 minute line to get in the door (good reason to bring a friend with you), I finally got to see what all the fuss was

about. I was welcomed by the incredibly accommodating staff of the aquarium. The sound of laughter and gurgling water floated down the hall as a bought my ticket in the main atrium, then entered into the first room.

The aquarium was designed to usher the crowds forward through a maze of rooms, taking visitors from the pond life of Kansas to the shores of the ocean, and then down to its depths. The flow of the theme from room to room was enhanced by the design. The tour starts out in a room reflecting a stream with Kansas’s indigenous fish. As I walked further through the aquarium, I came into a room resembling the seashore, complete with rock pools where visitors can touch starfish and sea urchins. Finally, the deep-ocean tanks come into view, where the main attraction begins. Sharks and stingrays swim amongst smaller fish above patrons as they walk through a three-part tunnel, which gives different views of the tank.

While the creatures are still young, it’s still an extraordinary sensation to be inches from a mini-Jaws. Aside from the aggressive soccer moms wielding their strollers as they blew through the crowded walkways, the atmosphere was very peaceful. The steady flow of

water coupled with the soothing underwater background sounds and the sight of rays gliding lazily through the water made for a relaxing visit, much more appealing than that of the bustling crowd.

The experience was heightened by the knowledgeable education specialists stationed throughout the tour. They weren’t pushy about sharing their information with the crowds, but were enthusiastic about answering any questions about the creatures in their domain. Several recommended that I come back periodically, because there are always new creatures moving in to accompany over 5,000 animals that currently call the Sea Life aquarium home.

“We’re constantly getting in new animals for new attractions or to replace ones that died,” staff member Tom Creech said. “We’re waiting on sea turtles and jellyfish to come in.”

This aquarium is unique in the way it is specifically designed as a marine-biology education center. Although smaller than others of its kind, it provides for an intimate experience between guests, education specialists and, most importantly, the animals.

BRINGING THE OCEAN

TO THE MIDWEST COMPARING SHEDD TO SEA LIFE

SHEDD AQUARIUM CHICAGO, IL

32.400 ANIMALS EST. IN 1930’S 2 MILLION GUESTS ANNUALLY 5,000 ANIMALS 30 DISPLAYS FEATURES OVERHEAD TANK

WHAT’S INSIDE OF THE AQUARIUM?

SEA LIFE AQUARIUM KC, KANSAS

50% 10% JELLYFISH

18 | A&E

SALTWATER FISH

20%

20%

SHARKS

SEAHORSE

FOR ADDITIONAL PHOTOS, VISIT

WWW.SMEHARBINGER.NET

‘LOCKOUT’ COP OUT Sci-fi action flick delivers an energetic but forgettable ride

STAY HOME

RENT IT

Guy Pearce

written by Alex Lamb | photos courtesy of allmoviephotos It’s a good thing “Lockout” doesn’t take where Snow runs through how the big deal went itself seriously, because this B-movie awry and his destructive, video game-like escape. space actioner gets far more mileage Instead of the action, the inherent silliness out of its recycled plot, stock charac- of the on-screen situations tend to dominate. At ters and tame shootouts by keeping times that’s just because of cheesy dialogue or a fairly tongue-in-cheek sensibility over-zealous delivery (which Gilgun is repeatabout itself. edly guilty of, making him more often cartoon-y Chiefly driving the entertainment than creepy), while sometimes it’s because the value is eclectic and underrated thes- jokes are actually quite funny, and Pearce is conpian Guy Pearce, straight-up slumming sistently amusing. here (and unabashedly loving it) as the Even when it’s not purposefully comical, the stubborn, cocky ex-government agent added humor still usually works in the film’s faSnow. The film opens with him hilarious- vor. Much of Snow’s interaction with Shaw (Lenly not cooperating as he’s being interro- nie James) and Langral (Peter Stormare) producgated about a high-profile deal gone es laughs too, either because of how obviously wrong, and subsequently being cliché the characters are as Snow’s good cop and framed for the murders com- bad cop superiors, or because of the actors’ full mitted there. embrace of their stereotypes. However, the cliHe’s sentenced to 30 max to the movie is so completely ridiculous that years in the maximum se- it veers too far into camp for its own good, ending curity space prison MS One, the film on a weak note. although the prisoners seize Looking at it from a broader context, maybe control of the station right be- “Lockout” is actually meant to be viewed as a fore he’s sent there. With the pseudo-joke/homage. Although the other writer, president’s daughter Emilie Luc Besson, labels it as an original idea of his, Warnock (Maggie Grace) visit- the story is basically just the plot of cult classic ing the facility on humanitar- “Escape from New York,” except transported into ian business during the over- space and with the switch of the hostage from throw, she’s taken hostage and being the president to his daughter. Sure, it’s all Snow becomes the only one completely derivative, but the film feels more who can possibly infiltrate the like a tribute, albeit only a moderately entertainprison and rescue her in time. ing one. Resetting beloved stories in outer space Since it’s the only way to earn guarantees an improvement though, right? his freedom, he accepts the Actually, the movie’s saving grace is Pearce, mission. expertly spouting out wry one-liners and provOnce onboard, Snow lo- ing himself an excellent action hero. He clearly cates Emilie and the rest of channels a combination of Kurt Russell’s iconic the movie shows their strug- Snake Plissken from “Escape from New York” gle to make it out alive as they and Bruce Willis from “Die Hard,” with his perelude hundreds of rabid prison- sonal charismatic charm rounding off his charers, particularly the cutthroat acter. He’s most enjoyable and at his funniest in Irish leader (Vincent Regan) and his scenes with Grace, and their chemistry is so his over-the-top, uncontrollable strong that his teasing and bickering with her brother (Joseph Gilgun). However, provides many laugh out loud moments. And while there are plenty of firefights, Grace makes herself more competent in this role explosions and effects-heavy se- than most of her others, sporting a tougher, less quences throughout the movie, most annoying personality than in the past. don’t leave much of an impression.

Despite how much fun Pearce brings to the In several instances it even proceedings, “Lockout” is supposed to be an acseems like the writers and first- tion movie first and foremost, and it doesn’t imtime directors, James Mather and press on that front. If you came across it on TV Stephen St. Leger, just get lazy it’d be worth watching, but with the new release with the action sequences, not “The Raid: Redemption” delivering one of the even attempting to make them most exhilarating flicks in a long time, “Lockout” relatively exciting. The closest certainly isn’t the place to go for your action fix. they come is the first sequence,

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BREAKING DOWN THE ACTORS

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FROM THE REVIEWER “The far and away highlight of ‘Lockout’ is the supremely entertaining performance from Pearce, creating an action hero that embodies the badassery of Han Solo or John McClane.”

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THE

SPORTS

ROUND-UP

THE GUIDE TO EAST SPORTS written by Haley Martin

2.

SOFTBALL

GIRLS’ SOCCER

GIRLS’ SWIMMING

This year the softball team has been adjusting to losing their head coach Deon Slemp. Former assistant coach Heather Vaughn has taken on the head coaching position and is preparing the girls to win state this year. As of last Wednesday, the girls had a 4-0 winning streak. As they look into the rest of the season, the softball team will see some of their toughest competition which includes Olathe South who won in SubState last year.

“We lost to them in regionals last year in extra innings,” senior Morgan Satterlee said. “So, it’s personal this year.”

The girls’ soccer team is working hard this year to win the Sunflower League for a third time in a row and then to win state. For the past two years, East has made it all of the way to the quarter finals and they have lost to Blue Valley Northwest both years. The team has eleven returning players, which has made the will to win more evident in practices. Also, the team suffered a setback when junior Addison Steiner tore her ACL keeping her out for the season.

This year the swim team is looking forward to continuing their state winning streak for the third year in a row.

“Everyone has the same goal, to win state, and this year we have some stiff competition but I think that we will be able to pull it off,” senior Marston Fries said.

On Friday, April 6 the Lancers competed in the Olathe Invitational which included the majority of their state competition. East won. The swim team has been preparing by swimming with fins and participating in different drills in order to begin tapering their workouts just before state.

GOAL LEADERS * CAROLINE DODD KATIE CRAWFORD ANNA COLBY as of April 11

* A WORD WITH

JACKSON O’GORMAN-BEAN BOYS’ TENNIS

How has the season been going so far?

Pretty good. Jake [Glazer], Brooks [Kendall] and I have only played one duel together, but we swept there. Also, We have the Kansas City area tournament on Tuesday which will be the biggest tournament besides regionals and state.

How do you think that the team will do at state?

I don’t know if the team will win state, but I think that Jake [Glazer] and I have a chance at winning doubles. All of the teams in that category from last year lost at least one senior. I think that if we can peak at the beginning of May then we will be the favorites.

THE TOP SIXON THE TEAM 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

JACKSON O’GORMAN-BEAN BROOKS KENDALL JAKE GLAZER JAMIE McDONALD DREW SURFACE REECE GOLDING

4 GOALS 3 GOALS 3 GOALS

A WORD WITH

CONNER SCHROCK BOYS’ GOLF

What is the team doing to bounce back after getting fourth place in the Lake Quivira tournament?

We can’t do much other than stay focused on each of our games and we will naturally bounce back.

We know we are capable of playing very well.

How has the golf season been going for the team this year?

We’ve been up and down so far but it’s early in the season and the more important tournaments are later in the season - league, regionals and state. We just have to stay focused and patient and good scores will come.

WHAT HAPPENED

AT LAKE QUIVIRA

4TH PLACE HENRY SIMPSON 73 CHASE HANNA 76 CONNOR KNABE 76 CONNER SCHROCK 77 ZACK KASMISKIE 80

A WORD WITH

BILLY KIRKPATRICK BASEBALL

UPCOMING EVENTS

TODAY BOYS’ GOLF AT MEADOWBROOK 1 PM BOYS’ TENNIS VS. PEMBROKE HILL 3:30 PM AT EAST BASEBALL VS. OLATHE SOUTH 5:30 PM AT ODAC TOMORROW BOYS’ GOLF AT FALCON RIDGE 3 PM TRACK AT SM SOUTH 3 PM BOYS’ TENNIS VS . BLUE VALLEY NORTHWEST 3:30PM AT THE PLAZA TENNIS COURTS GIRLS’ SWIMMING VS . LAWRENCE FREE STATE 4 PM AT EAST SOFTBALL VS . LAWRENCE 4:15 PM AT SMSD SOFTBALL COMPLEX SOFTBALL VS . LAWRENCE FREE STATE 6:15 PM AT SMSD SOFTBALL COMPLEX GIRLS’ SOCCER VS . LEAVENWORTH 7 PM SMSD SOCCER COMPLEX

A WORD WITH

COACH BRIE MESCHKE TRACK & FIELD

How has the season been going so far?

How is this season different from past seasons?

How is the team preparing for state?

How is the team preparing for state?

Right now we are 6-1. We’ve beaten some of our tough competition this year. [The season] has started out good but we still have some challenges to come.

We’ve got 11 or 12 seniors this year and we expect to win every game. Winning state is definitely one of our goals. It’s the same coach and a lot of the same team.

We are trying to take it up a level and improve individually and as a team.

BOYS’ LACROSSE THE BOYS’ LACROSSE TEAM BEAT ROCKHURST HIGH SCHOOL 9-7. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT A KANSAS CITY TEAM HAS BEATEN THE HAWKLETS.

THE BREAKDOWN

TEAM MEMBERS THAT HAD GOALS

COONOR McGANNON FRANK ESBERG

TOMMY LARSON DROSTE MILLEDGE

photos by Jake Crandall, Maddie Schoemann, Alissa Pollack, Anna Dancinger, Eden Schoofs

Times are faster compared to previous years because we have had such awesome weather. Other than that, practices are pretty much the same.

Right now we are trying to establish who the best team is. We are trying different kids with different things. The KU relays are next weekend and we will be able to see who our competition is.

How has the season been going so far?

We’ve had a couple of injuries with some of our better athletes.

So it has been keeping our team under the radar.

GIRLS’ LACROSSE The girls’ lacrosse team is undefeated (3-0) so far this season. They have played Lee’s Summit West twice and Lee’s Summit once. The team will look to keep their streak going as they play their next game against Sion on April 17.

SPORTS | 21

5 Minutes With Head Coach Brie Meschke

What girls have the best chance to place well? well? place

LEAPING into HISTORY Junior high jumper breaks school record

written by Jeri Freirich | photos by Jake Crandall Junior Grace Pickell wipes her sweaty palms on the Adidas spandex track uniform. She takes her mark, jumps and lands.

While she lays flat on her back she gets up nervously to check the height. Her eyes are fixated on the bar-at 5 feet 8 inches.

This was the highest she had ever jumped.

Grace broke her 5 feet 5 inches record from last year by jumping 5 feet 8 inches at the SME Quad at the beginning of the season. Not only did she break her own school record from last year, but after that meet she was also named third in the nation. Grace’s goal doesn’t stop there, she is hoping to stay undefeated for the rest of the season by keeping her height up.

“Once I heard that I was third in the nation I couldn’t believe it,” Grace said. “It was very exciting because I wasn’t expecting this to happen at the beginning of this year or this year at all.”

As a freshman, Pickell wasn’t sure if she wanted to swim or be a part of the track team. She realized swimming was not her calling because she only did it over the summer to stay in shape and not to compete so she decided to try something new.

Pickell made this decision because of one of her major influences, her dad Tim Pickell. Tim was a jumper and hurdler; he convinced her to try one of these events.

“I think as a parent you want your kids to try new things,” Tim said. “I knew she was a really good swimmer, but I wanted her to try track to see if she would like it.”

When Grace was in elementary school, she did the standing long jump at field day. This was her first sign that she could jump high because she beat all of her peers. From then on, she went to her brother, Sam Pickell’s, track meets at East and watched him run. Grace thought it was great being out in the sun and there were boys and girls on the same team.

Grace not only shares her sport with her father, she shares her coach. High jump coach Chuck Sulzen has coached Grace for three years and also coached Tim when he was in high school. According to Grace, there is a special bond between her and her dad because they can compare their track experiences.

“My dad is my motivation to do well above anything else,” Grace said. “Since we were both coached by the same person we can easily share similar stories.”

Grace started jumping 4 feet 4 inches in her first meet as a freshman and by the end of the year went to state with a height of 5 feet 2 inches. As a sophomore, she started reaching 5 feet 4 inches and 5 feet 4 inches and a half but this year she was getting over 5 feet 4 inches consistently.

“I’ve been amazed with how much she has succeeded,” Tim said. “Not only did she surprise me, but I think she has surprised herself.”

Her goal for the season is to stay consistent; so she practices six out of seven days a week to maintain this. At practice she does plyos on boxes, over and under hurdle exercises and

22 | SPORTS

squats with a medicine ball to gain muscle in her legs so she can lift herself over the bar. Sulzen has the jumpers stretch, run laps around the football field and either do strength training or work on their form for jumping.

“Grace and I have to work through her band syndrome and tendonitis and bring it along slowly,” Sulzen said. “We work on how she approaches the jump which is a big percentage of her jump and also form which is a smaller percentage but she’s doing pretty well with it already.”

Grace puts a lot of mental preparation into warming up right before a meet. She drives to every meet with senior Maggie Fenton and listens to “Rack City” by Tyga on the way.

“We have become good friends by doing track together for the past three years,” Fenton said. “It is nice to have someone close to my age on the team that I can go to the meets with and get dinner with after practice.”

This season, Grace has started a tradition of her own for every meet. On her wrist she writes a bible verse, Isaiah 41:10, that says “Don’t be afraid of anything because God is behind you.” This reminds her to stay motivated and confident. One of Grace’s basketball teammates, Caroline Dodd, inspired her to write it on her wrist for every game, so she carried that over to track.

“Having something to remind me that God is behind me keeps me going when I am having a bad day,” Grace said.

“Keeping a positive attitude and doing my best is all that matters to me.”

Grace’s competition hasn’t changed immensely throughout her three years on the track team: one from St. Thomas Aquinas and one from Lawrence Free State. Her goal for the past few years has been to beat both of them.

“I was always afraid of the girl from Aquinas because she was so good my freshman year,” Grace said. “I finally beat her this season, which was really exciting.”

Grace hopes to further her talent in high jumping by continuing in college. According to Grace, it’s not just a competitive sport to her, it’s relaxing even though it’s still a constant challenge. Since she has only had three meets this year, her goals are to jump at a higher height above 5 feet 6 inches or even 5 feet 10 inches.

“I would need to consistently be jumping as high as I can,” Grace said. “I really want to go to Arkansas because they have one of the best track programs in the nation.”

Grace’s dad thinks she will be getting college offers soon, but as a parent he says he only wants her to continue with it if she has a passion for it. He is excited for Grace because how talented she is, but he doesn’t want to push her.

“If I want to continue in the future, I need to stay focused,” Grace said. “I can’t let myself get psyched out because I know I can do anything I put my mind to.”

“On the girls side — Toni Aguiar, Abby Dunn — ­ they both did well at state the last two years.

Grace Pickell, right now, is ranked number one in the state so she should be state champion in the high jump. We have some pretty strong sophomore girl 800 meter runners — Annie Kuklenski and Grace Quinlan. They should both be pretty good. So that’s pretty much what I see on the girls side.”

What boys have the best chance to place well? well? place “If, and this is a big ‘if,’ he is healthy, Troy should do well. We have a lot of depth for seniors — Joe Lewis, Juan — he’s new to us this year, he should be awesome. And then a very strong core of 800 runners — Blake Hill Mitch Daniel, Carter Olander and, of course, Evan Nichols.”

What have been some suprises?

“The boys distance came into the season already in great shape, and I think partly that has to do with the nice winter we had so a lot of them were running in the offseason but they all came in already in great shape.

Juan, just because he’s new to us, was a great surprise. And for Grace to break the school record at her first meet was huge. I expected her to do well but not break the school record.”

When’s the next big meet?

“We have the KU Relays which is next Friday and Saturday, which is many surrounding states. Nebraska, Colorado, Arkansas — it’s tougher than state. It’s the toughest competition we’ll have all year.”

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Sophomore Brooks Kendall, right, follows-through after a forehand.

Kendall is the No. 1 singles player and won his match against SM Northwest’s No. 1 player 8-0. “Playing No. 1 means there is a little bit of pressure,” Kendall said. “But it also means that [my team] knows that I can qualify and win at State.”

Sophomore Jamie McDonald and Sophomore Brooks Kendall, far below, congratulate each other after their respective wins. The Varsity team swept all their matches against SM Northwest during the duel last Monday. “We take practice seriously and try to mess around as little as possible,” Kendall said. “And when we play our top 6 players, there’s not a lot of teams that can beat us.”

SETTING THEIR

SIGHTS

Boys’ tennis team sweeps SM Northwest on their way to a hopeful win at State photos by Grant Kendall

Sophomore Jamie McDonald, left, eyes the competition before his singles match. McDonald played No. 2 singles against SM Northwest.

Junior Jake Glazer, below, celebrates after winning a point during a match with his doubles partner, Senior Jackson O’Gorman-Bean. “We want to take every match seriously,” Glazer said. “We have the tools, we just need to put them to work.”

ROAD TO STATE: 4/14 DISTRICTS, 4/26 LEAGUE, 5/4 REGIONALS, 5/10 & 5/11 STATE 24 | PHOTO ESSAY