Issue 1 by The Harbinger

T H e H A R B IN G E R Issue 1 September 2, 2014 Shawnee Mission East Praire Village, KS smeharbinger.net

SAT1 9

It takes around three to seven days for symptoms to begin to appear Children and infants are at the greatest risk from Chikungunya

No cure for Chikgunya is currently available, only the symptoms can be relieved

There are 89,738 cases of Chikungunya reported every year in the Domican Republic

Chikungunya is transmitted by infected mosquitos that bite humans and transfer the virus

As of August 26 there are have been 696 reported cases of Chikungunya

INFECTED Several East students contracted the viral disease Chikungunya when they took part in the Amigos de las Americas volunteer program in the Dominican Republic. These students have now become part of a Center for Disease Control study. written by Morgan Krakow

statistics courtesy of CDC.gov

A LOOK INSIDE ISSUE 1 OF THE HARBINGER SEPTEMBER 2, 2014

LETTER EDITOR

FEATURE: Moving on

From the

At East, sophomore Dina Hansen begins the next chapter of her life, after living in six different countries and speaking three different languages

BREAKDOWN

NEWS: Tech Transition

After thirty years of the previous grading system, parents, teachers and students will transition into the new digital grade book: Skyward

SPORTS: Backing up Sophomore Kendall Dunbar is in recovery after suffering a back injury that kept her from playing soccer during the summer

e have all, students and staff, come back this year to an unprecedented change at our school. As students, we are the post-millennial generation — the first generation of digital learners. At the Harbinger, we are committed to examining that learning experience and to listening to what you say about it, good or bad. We are taking each step of this new year along with you. We’ve all seen what it used to be like, in TV and in books. In our parents’ and grandparents’ generations, students offered apples to their teachers. Now, in the electronic era, there’s a new kind of “apple” in the hands of each teacher and student. The Harbinger invites you to be a part of this discussion along with us, and also a part of history. There are eyes on us, watching the district embark on this new advancement that is both a privilege and a responsibility, wondering if it will work. There will be questions to face: is this technology enhancing our learning? Or is it simply adding extra chaos to the lives of students and educators? We hope to bring about discussion on each side of the debate, and, if possible, bring answers. The laptops symbolize an effort to bring us forward into the world and connect us all within a greater student body. As we make a pivotal and historical step forward in education and learning, the Harbinger strives to continue being the voice of the student body. Hopefully, you can flip through the pages of a Harbinger and find an article, design or photo that resonates with you, causes you to think and, yes, maybe even prompts you to write a letter offering a different view. Sincerely,

COLUMNS: Computer Chaos Staffer Will Oakley shares his take on the pitfalls of the new Macbook Airs

A&E: Nail Salon Review Hoopla Studio in Fairway combines chic with down-to-earth, and gives top-quality, hygienic manicures

CO-EDITOR PRINT

THIS DAY IN EAST HISTORY

SEPTEMBER 2, 2012

Homecoming nominees are announced, and taken out to breakfast at McDonald’s. At the homecoming dance, Chloe Stradinger was named Queen, and Nick Kraske was crowned King

Ferguson Affects

editorial

First Ammendment rights disrespected during St. Louis suburb protests The most shocking footage from Ferguson, Missouri in the past two weeks hasn’t been from the loots, protests or riots that took place two weekends ago. Instead, the images depict what the police are doing. Image after image shows officers clad in camouflage helmets and vests, carrying automatic rifles and tear gas, using them against groups of demonstrators and journalists -- even if they were acting civilly. For many watching, the scenes of armored vehicles rolling through the small town street, and clouds of tear gas are not things anyone would picture happening in America -- much less the heart of the Midwest. This might be permissible if Ferguson was a war zone, or if protesters were excessively violent. But despite the brief spell of rioting and looting, Ferguson police aren’t dealing with any substantial danger. They are treating residents, protesters and journalists as a population to occupy, not citizens to protect. While police are trying to prevent violent behavior, the Harbinger believes that police officers should be a peacekeeping force, and should not be armed with or use military-grade weapons against civilians. There is a difference between a police response and a military response, and the two should be kept separate. Further, certain policies such as better training and more accountability for officers need to be revised or instilled in order to promote peaceful behavior by police and greater respect of their authority by citizens. In order for police to be deserving of respect, citizens need to feel like their best interests are being protected, not attacked. Protesting continued in the streets of Ferguson for CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Morgan Krakow Sophie Tulp ASSISTANT EDITORS Caroline Kohring Tommy Sherk HEAD COPY EDITOR Pauline Werner ASSISTANT HEAD COPY EDITOR Hannah Coleman ART & DESIGN EDITOR Phoebe Aguiar NEWS SECTION EDITOR Sophie Storbeck NEWS PAGE DESIGNERS Will Clough Will Brownlee SPREAD EDITOR Aidan Epstein FEATURES SECTION EDITOR Hannah Coleman FEATURES PAGE

DESIGNERS Anna Dierks Caroline Heitmann Claire Pottenger COPY EDITORS Pauline Werner Sophie Tulp Morgan Krakow Hannah Coleman Tommy Sherk Audrey Danciger Caroline Kohring Sophie Storbeck Maddie Hyatt Julia Poe Susannah Mitchell Phoebe Aguiar FREELANCE PAGE DESIGNERS John Foster Maxx Lamb STAFF WRITERS Davis Finke Katharine Swindells Lauren Cole Teagan Noblit Jessica Parker Elaine Chamberlain Stella Braly Kylie Schultz

two weeks, Since the shooting of Michael Brown, a black teenager, by a police officer. The protests were centered on suspected racism on the part of local law enforcement. The Huffington Post reports that police interrupted a peaceful protest with cans of tear gas without warning or provocation from crowds two Sundays ago. Among those injured in the assault was an 8-year-old boy and a woman in a wheelchair. In this case, the violence was coming from the police officers, not the protesters. In another confrontation, an MSNBC reporter was threatened by a police officer that he would be shot in the face when the officer mistakenly thought his iPhone camera light was on. CNN reports that 11 journalists have been arrested during the two-week period of unrest, even after President Barack Obama defended journalists’ rights to report the events in Ferguson last Monday. While police officers have a duty to protect the citizens of Ferguson, their tactics and motives have been questionable. Detaining journalists on scanty evidence, teargassing peaceful protesters and interfering with the public’s right to assemble and protest are not among those duties. Through these actions, the police force in Ferguson is not effectively targeting the looters and rioters that are causing the violent problems, but are directing a majority of their aggression to those that are exercising their rights lawfully and civilly. However, steps need to be taken by both officers and citizens, to create peace and cooperation. Open dialogues between police and local neighborhoods need to take place to create cooperative relationships, and

Celia Hack Daniel Rinner STAFF ARTIST Yashi Wang PHOTO EDITOR Annie Savage ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Hailey Hughes OPINION SECTION EDITOR Audrey Danciger OPINION PAGE WDESIGNERS Courtney Mclellan Chloe Stanford Ellie Booton A&E SECTION EDITOR Audrey Danciger A&E PAGE DESIGNERS Yashi Wang Maddie Hyatt SPORTS SECTION EDITOR Will Oakley

SPORTS PAGE DESIGNERS Ellis Nepstad Michael Kraske Alex Masson STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Annika Sink Abby Hans Abby Blake Kaitlyn Stratman Haley Bell Alison Stockwell Paloma Garcia Morgan Browning Kylie Rellihan James Wooldridge Joseph Cline SMEPHOTOS Paloma Garcia EDITORIAL BOARD Sophie Tulp Morgan Krakow Pauline Werner Tommy Sherk Audrey Danciger Caroline Kohring Hannah Coleman Julia Poe Mike Thibodeau

also help to solve issues before they become conflicts. Also, as proposed by Missouri senator Claire McCaskill, body cameras for officers would help to keep them honest, accountable and in check, adding more consequences for unnecessary actions. Unlike in the Michael Brown shooting, there could actually be concrete evidence to determine what happens when circumstances are questionable. Better training on conflict and resolution for officers could also help reduce the amount of situations that turn violent. However, citizens do need to recognize and respect that police officers have authority and are there to protect them. We need to be cooperative with law enforcement and let the system work, in order for tension to de-escalate. It is a give and take system. We need to respect it, but law enforcement needs to show that they deserve that respect as well. Everyone can learn a lesson from the situation in Ferguson. In a country that promotes democracy and peace, every extension of that government needs to make sure it is following the very principles it was founded on. Our government exists for the purpose of creating a place where citizens can trust and respect the system that is put in place to protect us. And that is the way it must stay.

votes: FOR- 9 AGAINST- 0 ABSENT- 4

Susannah Mitchell Phoebe Aguiar Katharine Swindells ADS MANAGER Celia Hack ONLINE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Susannah Mitchell Julia Poe ONLINE HEAD COPY EDITOR Maddie Hyatt ONLINE PHOTO EDITORS Katie Lamar Callie McPhail

ONLINE HOMEGROWN EDITOR Katharine Swindells Sean Overton

APPRENTICE WEBMASTERS Katie Lamar Katie Roe

ONLINE OPINION EDITOR Katharine Swindells Sean Overton

LIVE BROADCAST EDITOR John Foster

ONLINE A&E EDITOR Katharine Swindells Sean Overton Online Sports Section Editors Michael Kraske Daniel Rinner VIDEO EDITOR Matthew Bruyere

ONLINE CONVERGENCE EDITOR John Foster

PODCAST & RADIO EDITOR Leah O’Connor

ONLINE INDEPTH NEWS SECTION EDITOR Mike Thibodeau

EASTIPEDIA EDITOR Matthew Kaplan

ONLINE NEWS BRIEFS SECTION EDITOR Will Clough

INTERACTIVE EDITOR Mike Thibodeau HEAD WEBMASTER Jacob Milgrim

ASSISTANT LIVE BROADCAST EDITORS Ellis Nepstad Katie Roe MULTIMEDIA STAFF Tommy Sherk John Foster Gabe Snyder Katie Roe Sean Overton Leah O’Connor Matthew Kaplan SOCIAL MEDIA Katharine Swindells Tyler Keys

news

Women’s Wri es

written by Celia Hack

Former SM East Students Create Magazine to Bring Awareness to Feminism

s a response to a lack of awareness about feminism and what it means in the East community, on the internet and around the world, the feminist magazine, the HarbingHer, was born. Created by East alumni Ilana Duby, James Fink, and ten other current and past East students, the cutting-edge first issue was released for the first time over the summer on Friday, August third. “I think [feminism has] lost a lot of face and it’s become extremely stigmatized and become something that people think of as radical,” Duby, the magazine’s editor, said. Duby feels that feminism has changed from a topic meant to be empowering, to one that is made fun of and stereotyped. Instead of that negative connotation of feminism, the HarbingHer hopes that they can bring awareness to different parts of feminism that need to be addressed. Fellow writer Ayana Curran-Howes feels the same about the stereotype. “Right now… it has a negative connotation: someone being super, extremely radical and someone who is aggressive and doesn’t shave,” Curran-Howes said. Duby realized how much the world actually does need feminism when she saw a BuzzFeed article showing pictures of women proclaiming they don’t need it. Many said that they didn’t want a movement that portrayed them as the victim or as weaker than men. The HarbingHer staff feels that this is not what feminism means. The name of the magazine is very closely related to the Harbinger, which, according to Duby, was taken as an indirect confrontation.

This

is what “feminism” means to us Students share their personal defiitions of feminism

“I think initially the name was inspired by the newspaper [the Harbinger], but after we were out of high school we kind of realized it’s totally unrelated,” Fink, the Chief of Design, said. According to Fink, the word ‘Harbinger,’ or ‘one that pioneers or initiates a major change,’ still has a lot of meaning with their publication. To begin the process of creating a publication, they set out for donations from a variety of people, mostly East families and parents. They used the website Indiegogo to raise money and awareness about the project that they were trying to start. This idea, called crowd funding, raised enough money to print their first issue “[We] hoped that it would inspire [a] better conscious idea of what feminism is in the general population,” Duby said. The goal is that the new definition of feminism will be very broad: it will be about equality in general. Issue one of the magazine didn’t focus on any specific topic. According to Duby, the only common thread between the stories was women in powerful positions. The HarbingHer wants each person to have a definition of feminism that they can implement in their own lives. To Curran-Howes, feminism has a specific definition that she feels applies to her. “It’s a way for women to feel OK with expressing themselves in the way the want to express themselves in their dress and in their demeanor,” Curran-Howes said. “And a way for women to feel beautiful and not have any reservations about it that society might place upon them.” The future of the magazine is currently

undecided, as Duby, Fink and other alumni have graduated. They have passed down the project to current seniors Ali Dastjerdi and Shrushti Mehta. “We’re probably going to shift more towards an online publication,” says Dastjerdi. “We already have a website up that has no articles on it, so our first task is to get the first edition on the website, then write more on the website.” Right now, the website is a placeholder for when articles are ready to be posted online. According to Dastjerdi, it has the HarbingHer mission statement and what it is all about, but nothing more. They are also hoping that another print edition will come out in about a year. No matter the format, the HarbingHer hopes to continue spreading awareness and making changes through feminism.

feminism (n) the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men “Kind of like women’s rights, cause men have so many more advantages in the work place over women.” -Fallon Herrick, Sophomore

“The idea of equality in all spheres.” -Ali Dastjerdi, Senior

“Being a girl.” -Jack Workman, Freshman

“To advocate for female equality, but sometimes can be thought of as to discount men’s advantages. I think it’s more to minimize men’s advantages by giving the same ones to women as well.” -Claire Schreiber, Junior

Danger Dominican from the

Students travel to Dominican Republic, return with mosquito borne illness A rash crawls up junior Molly Manske’s legs. It spans her stomach, her arms - almost her entire body. As the Dominican sun sets, she realizes this isn’t another false alarm. The limp in her left leg hasn’t gone away since the day before. At first she chalked it up to soreness from walking and hiking, but the feeling has only gotten more painful. Walking has become a challenge. This is what she has been afraid of since she arrived in La Lista, Dominican Republic, five weeks before. Chikungunya, a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes, is expanding itself within her bloodstream. For three days, Manske will be in bed with a fever and painful joint soreness, trademarks of the virus. Manske is one of three East students who contracted the Chikungunya virus over the summer while volunteering in the Dominican Republic. The virus is quickly spreading throughout the Caribbean and the Central America. Upon their return home they were asked to be involved in a Centers For Disease Control (CDC) study in order to gain more information about the virus. Juniors Will Bledsoe and Brittanie Whitney also contracted the virus.The three volunteers were working with the organization Amigos De Las Americas. Each volunteer lived with one host family for periods of 4 to 8 weeks. The organization sends students to work in communities and start initiatives that offer improvement to the area. For example, Whitney started music programs for the youth of her community as well as put on day camps throughout her time there. When Whitney arrived back on US soil at the Miami airport, a group of CDC officials met her and the other Amigos volunteers at customs and ushered them into a separate room. They were instructed to fill out a fifteenpage packet. Within the packet were questions regarding their use of insect repellent as well as the conditions they were living in. The CDC also took each volunteer’s blood so they could officially confirm each volunteer had contracted the virus. While Whitney was living in her assigned community there was no official way to tell she had actually been infected with Chikungunya, since the CDC is the only agency that has the ability to test for it. Although she will not know for two more weeks if the virus was actually Chikungunya, she exhibited fever, rash and soreness, which the locals classified as Chikungunya. Although Whitney believes that her Dominican community’s limited medical resources did not have an impact on her condition, she admitted that she was surprised at the reaction to Chikungunya in the states. “It wasn’t a huge deal

written by Morgan Krakow

news

art by Tommy Sherk

there,” Whitney said. “Here, it’s a lot bigger deal. But since everyone had it and everyone has it down there it just wasn’t a [big deal.]” Upon arriving in the US both Manske and Whitney were surprised at the reaction of CDC officials. The packet, the blood test, it all seemed quite intense. Manske’s mom, Amy Schuman, immediately took her to the doctor since she was still having joint pain in both her hands and ankles. “It got really bad almost a week after I got home,” Manske said. “Then it got noticeably bad, I couldn’t walk in the hallways.” Her doctor suggested that she take multiple anti-inflammatories and the pain has since gone away. However, the CDC cautioned that each person infected with Chikungunya could experience joint pain for up to two years. Sick or not, the volunteers were not permitted to communicate with their parents more than once during their stay in community with Amigos. Schuman said that when Manske called her, she had not yet gotten the virus, but she was aware of the threat. “I knew a little bit about it, but it wasn’t really on my radar at that time,” Schuman said. “But it received a lot of press while she was down there, and so I read more and more about it...I worried every single day about her and her health.” The Amigos organization isn’t the only group keeping close eye on the Chikungunya virus. University of Kansas infectious diseases doctor Lisa Clough said that although there are many more serious viruses across the world, Chikungunya has caught the medical community’s attention. The virus has, according to the CDC’s website, shown up on multiple continents, but was first detected in the Americas in late 2013. As of August 1, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported 508,122 suspected cases throughout the region, including 4,732 confirmed cases. “Right now we’re impressed by the fact that it was only introduced to the Caribbean and Central and South America in December and how rapidly it spread,” Clough said. According to her, climate change and less control of mosquito population compared to the United States were both contributing factors to the spread. In warmer, longer summers, mosquitos can grow and populate at a faster rate, increasing the chances of people contracting certain mosquitoborne illnesses. Whitney also noted that the medical knowledge within

the community was low. Many of the people she was around did not believe that it was spread from mosquitos. “They thought Africa started it to stop overpopulation,” Whitney said. In addition, Whitney said local community lore regarding how the virus began included a theory that Chikungunya was started by neighboring country Haiti, or by the Japanese government. None of these theories are supported by the CDC. Since it’s known that mosquitoes spread the illness both Clough and the CDC noted that there was a likelihood, especially in Southern states like Louisiana and Florida, the virus could spread further. As of August 26, 696 cases have been reported from the US. All but four of these cases have been from travellers like Bledsoe, Whitney and Manske returning home with the virus. However, the virus is only transmitted from human-to-mosquito rather than human-to-human contact. Clough said the reaction of the general public would be smaller than to something like Ebola or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Chikungunya is almost never fatal compared to some of the other infectious diseases spreading around the world today. “I think that anytime there’s an infectious disease that’s new and introduced,” Clough said. “And has the potential to make people ill, it certainly raises level awareness and there is heightened anxiety because it makes us aware of how vulnerable we are as a population.” Both Manske and Whitney knew about Chikungunya when they began their projects, and took precautions to avoid it. Amigos had addressed the virus in both emails and the briefing stages before they went on into their communities. The organization mainly focused on mosquito prevention in order to avoid contracting Chikungunya. “Wear long-sleeved shirts and long trousers,” an email from Amigos read. “Use mosquito repellent...Reapply frequently, always sleep under your bed nets (we recommend ones pre-treated with insecticides).” However, once both students arrived in their communities they realized that Chikungunya would be hard to avoid. While they slept under bug nets and applied insect repellent, both saw how it was affecting a majority of the communities. They began to see that it was only a matter of time before they contracted the virus. The blood the CDC took from them will soon confirm whether or not they were infected with the official strand of Chikungunya and will be used as research in the global health study of the virus.

moving

news

written by John Foster

F O R WA R D

photos by Haley Bell & Annika Sink

District adopts new online grading system that will allow parents and students to see grades as soon as they’re entered into the gradebook Students have learned that the new Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD) grading system, Skyward, will allow them to keep up with their grades in real time. Yet Skyward is a program that, according to associate principal Jeremy Higgins, will do much more. InteGrade pro, the previous grading system, has been used in the SMSD for almost 30 years. The system was outdated and needed to be upgraded, so Skyward took its place. “[Integrade Pro] was old, antiquated [and] not efficient,” Higgins said. “It took a tremendous number of people to do what Skyward will do all the time.” Skyward allows teachers and administrators to easily access information in the database ranging from test scores and transcripts to scheduling, attendance records and discipline such suspensions or detentions. Since the system is new, teachers district-wide are not as familiar with using Skyward. According to Higgins, it may be more complicated for teachers, but Skyward brings all of this student information into essentially one database, making it easier to access any information a teacher might need about a student. To help with the transition to the new program, Skyward sent training representatives to the SMSD technology center over the summer to train a small group of teachers from each Shawnee Mission school. The week before school started, those teachers went back to their school and explained the program to the other teachers. Among this group of teachers was Calculus III teacher Ali Erickson. “I know it’s more work for the teachers to get used to,” Erickson said. “But in the grand scheme of things, I think it will be a lot better [than Integrade Pro] just because we’re able to access it from home, the parents can access it, the students can access it, we can attach PDFs to actual

assignments and its just a lot easier to use too.” For Higgins, Skyward is helpful because it brings all of a student’s information together in one place. For Erickson, one of the better perks is online access to grades. With InteGrade Pro, grades could only be entered in the program at school. Skyward allows teachers to input grades at their leisure, wherever they have internet access. Skyward also allows teachers to add PDF files to grades in the gradebook. These files can be seen by parents and students, and if the student has a missing assignment, parents can print it off at home for the student to complete. Teachers can also make online quizzes and assignments through Skyward that will be automatically graded and entered into the gradebook. Additionally, Skyward provides a message board between teachers and classes, making communication easier. Another bonus to the new program is that it’s not only accessible to teachers and administrators. It also provides parents and students access to up-to-date grades for each class. InteGrade Pro allowed parents to view assignments in each class, but did not show current letter grade for classes. According to Erickson, Skyward will make communication easier between the students, parents and teachers. “I’m excited [about Skyward] because usually it’s a problem when I don’t [have access to] my grades and I just assume my grade is OK, but now I can actually access my grade and see exactly what I did wrong and what I need and what’s late,” senior Kate Mitchell said. “It will help me organize everything better.” However, the transition to Skyward also brings some concerns. Teachers such as U.S. History teacher Vicki Arndt-Helgesen still have yet to explore the system and figure out how to adapt the new technology into the classroom. For example, her students used to have to keep

track sheets for all of their grades. Now Skyward will take the place of that because parents and students will be able to access them. To Helgesen, all of the new technology still feels like an unknown at this point. “I’m reminded of when we first started to play instruments. The first several months, years -- there was nothing that resembled music. Then all of the sudden there’s kind of music, and some people are already playing symphonies,” Helgesen said. “The rest of us are kind of squeaking along, and we’re going to hopefully come to the place where we can play a melody by the end of the year. A symphony is a ways off, but a melody might be helpful.” Since the program is so new to the school, it will take time to work out some of the kinks and errors. Higgins doesn’t like being unable to understand all of the settings in the system, but in the long run, he says that the transition to Skyward will be worthwhile. “There’s going to be some things that we’re going to have to figure out and some little issues that we’re going to have to work through, but you know we’ll get there,” Higgins said. “It’s a new system, and with change it takes time to get used to it and figure those things out.”

Lancer Voice ‘‘There’s a lot to learn, so doing simple tasks takes me longer than it used to. I imagine with time I’ll get better and faster at doing things but it’s still something new so I’m figuring it out.’’

Samantha Feinberg English Teacher

“I actually like the idea because you can have your grades instantly and know what you’re missing if you need to make something up.”

George Colby Junior

‘‘It’s important that we have technology for teachers and parents and students to use to keep track of grades.’’

John McKinney Principal

NEWS IN BRIEF

Ebola Crisis Strikes West Africa An Ebola outbreak was reported in the West African country of Guinea in March 2014, and has since spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and recently the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is the largest outbreak ever recorded in terms of human deaths, since the disease was first discovered in 1976. Ebola is an infectious and typically fatal disease contracted by the contact between infected bodily fluids. Once infected, Ebola can take anywhere from two to 21 days to show symptoms. Initial symptoms can include muscle weakness or pain, sore throat and headache. The disease then progresses to internal or external bleeding, vomiting and difficulty breathing. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates there have been around 2,500 cases of Ebola with the death toll at about 1,400. The current mortality rate is around 50 percent.

written by

Africa

Maddie Hyatt

According to the WHO, the numbers do not show the full magnitude of those infected. In many cases, people hide their infected loved ones in their home or deny that they have contracted Ebola to avoid social rejection. So far, the virus has been contained to West African countries. However, countries such as Senegal and Liberia are closing their borders to flights and citizens of other nations. Although described as one of the deadliest diseases of our time by some scientists, it is treatable if caught at the right time and if the body reacts to the medication. While there is no curable vaccine, countries all over the world are working to find one and have already decreased the death toll with temporary medication.

Guinea

first outbreak in Gueckedou

Sierra Leone

affected areas

Liberia

suspected cases

Ferguson Shooting to go to Court Michael Brown, an unarmed African American teenager, was shot on August 9 by a Ferguson, MO police officer. National attention has been directed towards the suburb of St. Louis: not just because of the shooting but because of the racial issues that surround it. Many African Americans citizens in Ferguson and all over the country feel as though the shooting was based on Brown’s race. The shooting of Brown has brought up racial issues that many believed to have been dealt with in the 1970’s. Brown was shot at least six times by police officer Darren Wilson. Wilson had been on the Ferguson police force for six years with no previous questionable behavior reported. According to police reports, Wilson stopped Brown and his friend for jaywalking, allegedly learning afterwards that Brown may have been a suspect for a robbery of a local Quiktrip. A dispute then took place between Brown and Wilson through the police car window. A shot was fired, and both Brown and his friend ran away. Wilson then exited the police car and began to shoot, fatally wounding Brown. There is some dispute on what actually happened

news

after the shot was fired. Multiple witnesses claim they saw Brown raise his hands in surrender and Wilson continued to shoot. After the incident, black residents of Ferguson took to the streets to protest. They claimed that what they saw was prejudice towards the black community. In response to the protests, police brought in armed officers as means to prevent violence. Protests turned violent quickly which resulted in robbery, gunshots and thrown items. The protests and demonstrations quickly spiraled out of control resulting in heavily armed teams of police to prevent any further violence. Situations often got so out of control that military grade weapons and tear gas were used among citizens of Ferguson. As time went on, protests became less volatile and shifted to a more peaceful setting The case is being investigated in both local and federal courts. According to initial police reports, Wilson will plead he was acting in self-defense. A court date has not been set.

areas of suspected cases aren’t confirmed due to changes in the countries’ way of reporting source: CDC art by Sophie Storbeck

Photos of the Week

Homestead Faces Financial Trouble The future of the Homestead Country Club has temporarily been secured. In an attempt to save the financially struggling club, representatives filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy early last week. For the time being, under chapter 11 bankruptcy, Homestead will be allowed to reorganize their business financially and remain in operation. If their reorganization is considered a success by the city bankruptcy court they will be allowed to remain in business permanently. Homestead is one of the only large green spaces left in the city of Prairie Village, according to the PV Post. The club was established in 1952 by J.C. Nichols on 15 acres and backs up a Prairie Village neighborhood. Last November, developers Jeffrey Alpert and Melanie

photo by Annika Sink

photo by

Mann purchased Homestead’s $3.1 million loan from Valley View Bank. With initial plans of a development similar to the community of Park Place, their plans will have to be put on hold until the court decides the fate of Homestead. In another option in order to stay in business, Homestead representatives have also expressed interest in selling the front lawn of the club to developers. They would continue to operate on the back 9 acres where the clubhouse, pool and tennis courts are located. This plan would allow them to pay off the club’s loan and stay in business.

Morgan Browning

Senior Emma Matthews at the Pancake Breakfast.

photo by Callie McPhail

photo by Abby Blake

left Sophomore Kylie Ledford and Junior Nikki Konomos at the Choir Picnic. left Cross Country stretches before practice. Freshman John Roney at the Link Crew Dance.

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My feet dangle at least a foot from the ground. The backs of my thighs cling to the tall, black stool I’m perched on. The end of its back digs into my shoulder blades, and that bothers me. So instead, I sit at a 60 degree angle facing the towel rack. The guards, iPhones in hand, are sprawled about the shack, watching the clock’s hands to make sure they don’t miss their next rotation. But not I: no tiny red suit with “guard” across the breast, no plastic whistle to spin on my index finger, just me. Nike shorts and a worn down T-shirt, navy KU ball cap on. Hello, my name is: Cabana girl. Towel chick. Window Woman. Yeah, that’s me. I’m the girl sitting at the front window of the pool with a cheeky smile, filling out guest sheets and handing you perfectly-folded towels. For hours on end, I wait for a silhouette to appear in the narrow hallway leading into the pool. I stare blankly at the bulletin board across from me, and by now I’ve memorized the two flyers it is home to. “Do YOU like to swim?” “Want to improve your strokes?” As a matter of fact, I do. And thanks, but no. I would like to improve my buoyancy, though. Do they have lessons for that? A prepubescent redhead approaches the pool window. “Wait… your sister’s a lifeguard, why aren’t you?” People can’t quite wrap their heads around the concept of a non life-saving pool employee. Yes, she is a lifeguard. So was my other sister. And both of my parents, too. Heck, they MET through lifeguarding. And no, I am not. “How come?” His dirty blonde sidekick questions with wondering eyes. Allow me to explain. On the last day of my freshman year, a broad-shouldered, chisel-jawed, short-statured YMCA lifeguard trainer approached me, looked into my goggle-marked teary eyes and broke it to me that I could no longer continue with the training program because, well, I sunk like an anchor. I went down with a simulation brick on my chest, belly-up and unable to use my arms to keep myself afloat. You see, after the last day of freshman year, I had my neighbor Kennedy drive

me to the community center for the mandatory Red Cross Certification to become a lifeguard. She left me with a “Good luck Boots!” and an encouraging look. She even let me use her Hawaiian-themed towel. Its warm pink and orange flowers still haunt me, sitting neatly folded on a chair in my room...sorry Kennedy. Towel in hand, I went in and nailed the 300 meter swim, even befriended the jittery 20-something who was mulling over the water resistancy of the bandage binding her knee. We sat on the chlorine-covered concrete and waited for further instruction as we exchanged nerves. But then, I failed the brick test three consecutive times. In front of all my peers, the guard on stand and the two siblings on the other side of the lane line. I swam to the opposite end of the pool, dove down to retrieve a black, tape-covered brick and made it half-way back looking like an impaired otter who couldn’t get her nose to break the surface of the community center’s pool. I suppose I am the sole Booton to inherit the recessive trait of sinking. But, with sisterly connections, Meadowbrook Country Club still hired me. I wouldn’t be performing CPR or spinal rescues, but instead rolling a trash bin full of towels up to the kitchen to switch wet from dry every 1800 seconds. A quick look into my occupation (outside the towel duties): I hear footsteps and look up from Twitter. “Hi there!” I chirp with a fake smile. A mom swings her youngest child from her left hip to right. She gives me their last name. I misspell it. “And your number?” I scribble down the four digit identification. “How many members with you today?” She turns around and counts with her eyes. One...two...three“Four, and can we have six towels?” I tilt my head to the left and smile, “Of course.” I really try to be genuine when I say “Have a good one” to strangers 100+ times a day, I promise. After all, it’s what I’m certified to do.

neBrick

opinion

Away

Though being a lifeguard is a family legacy, sophomore Ellie Booton (unwillingly) breaks the tradition

written by Ellie Booton

Steps to passing

Written Test- A

the Lifeguard Test

variety of questions over topics ranging from spinal saves to choking victims.

L if e g

1. Wh u a r d T e a s te p in t is th e fi rs s t t A .) B re C P R ? B .) C a th s o m p re s s io n C .) C s he 2 . H o c k V it a ls w do you p a s p in e rf a o rm A .) J u l s a v e ? m B .) G ra p in b C .) P ro th e ir h e a d per p o s it io n

Brick Test- Dive

down and grab a brick from the bottom of the pool, drag it up and carry it on your chest. 20 meters

photo by Abby Hans

In- Water Saves-

Successfully complete spinal, active and passive saves in the deep and shallow end.

Swim Tests - Swim a 300 and tread water for five to 10 minutes.

feature

A Guide to

Self-Worth

It’s the straightness of your hair, or it’s the way your voice sounds when you speak. Maybe it’s your body shape or your height. You could do without this, or you don’t quite like that, and let’s face it, people are judgemental and intimidating. You’re anxious, overwhelmed and -Stop. You’re over-thinking. Self-confidence is a struggle that everyone faces, some people more than others. I remember my freshman year. It wasn’t so long ago that I walked into East and was immediately overwhelmed. I felt sick. There were people everywhere -- in all shapes and sizes (and hair colors, too). I didn’t know where I was going, and it was so crowded that I didn’t exactly have the time to take a moment to and figure that out. The teachers were all new to me. Setting foot into each classroom was like stepping into a whole new side of a map. I had no idea what to expect or which teachers were nice or strict. I was a little more than scared about grades and classes. And while the new classes were overwhelming enough, girls were shrieking in every hallway and making me feel like I was at some Bieber concert as they squealed and circled up to talk about their summers. Some guys were over six feet tall, standing way over my head with baritone voices that could be heard at the other end of the hallway I felt so small. And not just because of my height. After years of looking down on myself, hating my body and not feeling good enough for anyone and anything, I realized that high school wasn’t exactly the best place to have such negative opinions about myself. Classes were faster in pace. Some days I would feel too frustrated to get out of bed. But that was still not a good excuse for missing assignments and absences. I quickly learned that improving my self-image wasn’t as easy as I would have liked it, or thought it to be. It took much more work than I could have imagined. I wish now that I’d had someone at the time to tell me what it is that I was supposed to be doing with myself. I

Lancer Voice

“I dont think my friend group will change a lot this year because all of my friends and I are interested in the same activities, but there is always a chance of meeting someoen new.” — Libby Frye, freshman

Sophomore Stella Braly reflects on her struggles with self-confidence and gives words of encouragement to those experiencing the same written by Stella Braly photos illustration by Callie McPhail

wish there had been someone who could tell me that I don’t look that bad, that I’m good enough and that I’m pretty fantastic, too. I wish now that someone was there to wake me up and tell me that life is a lot better when I’m not worrying about looking in a mirror and disliking not only my appearance, but how incredibly insignificant I felt. So with that being said, this is your wake up call. Rise and shine. Find things that make you Wake up. Don’t be afraid, and never be ashamed. feel good. Find something that makes you feel like you’ve got a Costco container of your favorite candy. It could be clothes you want, a haircut or a group of friends. It’s different for everyone. To find these things, try stepping out of your comfort zone. Or as I like to call it, the box of plushies. That may be scary at first, but once you find something that you enjoy, it gets much easier and a lot less terrifying. I promise. Get to know interesting people, join a school club like photo or art, get involved and don’t be afraid of new things or changes. Different is good. Maybe you could find that style you’ve always wanted to try. Or maybe a hair color or hobby. Standing out isn’t a bad thing, and I’m sure you’ll find that in fact it can sometimes be pretty great. Embrace yourself. I know firsthand that it’s not as simple as the words are to say, but it takes effort. While it’s easy to sit back and watch things happen, you’ll be happier when you work to change things that you dislike. Don’t focus on the negative things, focus on what you find that makes you feel good or what you find that you’re good at. Love what you enjoy and don’t let that be taken from you. You have talents, you have features about you that are outstanding and gorgeous. It’s yours, try to embrace it. Reach out. If you’re good at something, use that to your advantage. Your contribution is so important to this world, despite any doubts you have. This life is your adventure, so make a change. Years from now you could be someone else, and that’s perfectly okay. You should be happy with yourself now. This is who you are. Right now. Don’t delay changing because you think you might regret it later in life, because change is a constant thing and you aren’t going to regret it now. And years from now, you’re going to look back and think about how you’ve made it. I know growing up can feel impossible, but you’re doing fine. Everyone takes different and sometimes agonizing paths. The truth is, we all get there eventually no matter which path we take. Wake up. Don’t be afraid, and never be ashamed.

“

”

Follow students share their opinon on self-expresion and confidence “I think highschool allowed some people to express themselves differently by making new friends in different classes, sports and in their other interests.” — Bennett Hense, sophomore

“My friend group already has changed this year. I still have my super tight froup of friends, but we are all so busy so I get closer with other people too.” — Claire Schriber, junior

“I know my friend-group has changed. It already has...I’ve made the descision to focus on [college] and prepare. I keep my closest friends because they respect that.” — Bryan Bailey, senior

Lit Up

opinion

about the

Laptops

Giving every student in the Shawnee Mission School District a laptop comes with new restrictions and questions about how the risk will pan out

column by Will Oakley

hank you, Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD), for my brand new MacBook Air. l am now encouraged to have my own computer out in every class in order to provide myself with “more resources in the classroom and to open up far more options for [myself] to learn,” according to the Digital Learning Initiative Page on smsd.org. In all honesty, I applaud your efforts in attempting to move forward as a school district. Enhancing an already technology-minded generation with, hopefully, an easier, more efficient way to learn is truly innovative. And, before I begin to bash your efforts, I’d like to admit that I will be the first one to congratulate you if this “Digital Learning Initiative” achieves everything it was intended to. I would love nothing more than to be proved wrong. And, I’d like to give a sincere thank you to the teachers of SM East for spending so many tireless hours to attempt to get this deployment (of all words, you picked deployment? This is school, not “Star Wars”) to work. But, I digress... I’m so happy, dear SMSD, to have a new laptop. I thank every kind citizen in Kansas that I see for generously paying for my opportunity to play 8 Ball Pool in each classroom — without punishment, may I add. Speaking of bending rules, this brings me to my first point — the extent of security. Google Images is blocked... yet Miniclip, a gaming site, is not? There are certain things that we need as students in order to function on a day-to-day basis. If Google, Bing and Yahoo images are all inaccessible, this keeps us from finding open pictures to use for projects and assignments. Yet, those are blocked and gaming websites are not. It almost seems like you want us to waste our time. This is merely one example of a paranoid district attempting to shelter their students from the apparent horrors of the internet. The only way for students to learn to use the internet

art by Tommy Sherk and Caroline Kohring

safely is through trust. My advice would be to keep the internet relatively uncensored, and teach students about how to use the internet safely, instead of blocking any website that may potentially hurt their ‘learning environment.’ And no, showing a video about the dangers of social networking in the library did not help this cause. Nobody learned anything new about the internet from said video other than how ‘Brian’ allegedly cheated on his girlfriend. Furthermore, it is beyond foolish to ask students to take tests on their computers. There is no way to lock a student into taking a test, so a student has nearly any tool they wish in order to complete their test. There is only one teacher in a classroom at a time. It’s a cake walk to cheat. Take a vocabulary test, for instance. When a word that is spelled incorrectly is typed in a word box, your computer automatically recognizes this and corrects it. You can then right click and pull up an option for your Mac to define the word. You’re now, essentially, completing a typing exercise rather than a vocabulary quiz. Making that foolish ambiguity even more foolish than this sentence, there is a cap on the school’s paper usage. The teachers don’t know when this cap will occur. Could be tomorrow. Could be four months from now. I don’t know. You don’t know. They sure don’t know. Sweet. The real point here, is that eventually you will be, essentially, forcing students to have the option to cheat, as the whole school will be nearly paperless on this mysterious date. You’re not only saving forests, but students’ grades as well. How nice of you. Next, it didn’t even take two hours for students to crack the security systems on our MacBooks. Quite honestly, that is embarrassing. It shows a lack of organization and thoroughness. If you’re going to attempt to block students from a perplexing amount of sites, I would urge you to look into ways students are able to cut corners.

Fun fact: Blue Coat, the security system on each school computer, which “protects” students from the horrors of the internet, implements “Security technology [that] can focus on prevention and prohibition—and instill a culture of fear,” according to their website. Wait… “instill a culture of fear?” Why is there a security system on my school computer that claims one of its purposes on its home website is to instill fear? Another fun fact: Blue Coat has recently admitted that their equipment is being used by the Sudanese and Iranian governments. What? The same equipment that SMSD uses to censor students is the same equipment that totalitarian governments, who have been known to sponsor terrorist organizations, use to censor their citizens? Yikes. At least now I understand Blue Coat’s initiative of ‘instilling fear.’ I’m scared alright. Now, I’d like to take the opportunity to comment on some of the more productive things I can do on my laptop, other than schoolwork. I could make myself a hologram, or ride a roller coaster in Photo Booth. I could, potentially, FaceTime every student in the Shawnee Mission School District by the end of the year. I could play a chess match in the “Chess” application while participating in a fantasy football draft with my classmates. I could download the widget “Chia Pet,” and feed and water my very own Chia Pet every day of the school year, until he has a healthy amount of virtual grass growing out of his back. Then, I could take five minutes out of my math class in order to virtually shave said Chia Pet. The possibilities to usefully waste my time are endless, dear SMSD. Yet, I cannot watch my school compete in sporting events at home, as all smeharbinger.net broadcasts are blocked. Splendid. Hit me up anytime at 3040052@s. smsd.org if you want to FaceTime me during class. (Don’t forget that extra “s”).

photoessay

photo by Ali Lee

{

right Senior Catherine Sabates’ favorite part about Link Crew is the dance. “The dance was awesome,” Sabates said. “All the freshman were really fun and that made it a lot easier on the Link Leaders because all we had to do was have fun with them.

The freshman experienced their first East dance on Friday, August 22nd, along with their Link Leaders. Students came together in their hawaiian shirts and lei’s to celebrate their first week of school being over with. The Link Crew dance annually put on by the juniors and seniors with the help of some teachers and administrators. “The link crew dance is

below Senior Peter Moriarty loves being able to give the new freshman a fun experience during their first weeks into school. “To me, the best part about Link Crew is being able to interact directly with the incoming freshman,” Moriarty said. “I knew a little bit about East coming in because I had brothers here before me so I was ready for high school when I got to it and I loved it and I had a really good freshman year. I wanted to be able to give that to the freshman so they could come in and really have a positive experience during the school year.

photo by Hailey Hughes right Freshman John Roney jumped in the middle of the circle to show off his dance moves. “I didn’t her ready with anyone but right after soccer I went to Johnny’s with [some friends] and stayed for the KU kick-off,” Roney said. “After a little bit, we walked to East with a big group. The best part was the Cupid Shuffle which was like the fifth song of the night”.

LANCER LUAU

}

a really awesome opportunity to interact with the freshman besides the first day because the first day everyone is kind of nervous and figuring things out,” senior Peter said. “I got to interact with people outside of my crew and the dance and its fun to see a few freshman’s face when you tell them to dance with a senior girl”.

right Junior Lola Hitchcock experienced her first Link Crew dance this year as a leader. “Link Crew is so much fun and we had a really good turn out [at the dance],” said Hitchcock. “Helping the frosh learn the ropes of SME and [having] the dance is a really good way to kick off the year and bond with each other.”

photo by Hailey Hughes

photo by Kaitlyn Stratman

A Tale of Four Summers

feature

Whether working around the world in Africa on or on the couch, these Lancers all had an unique summer they’ll never forget.

written by Teagan Noblit design by Caroline Heitmann photos by Paloma Dickey Maura Kate Mitchelson 5,920 miles away from East, senior Sophie Paulk wakes up, turns off her buzzing alarm clock and walks onto the back patio of her room on a cruise ship touring the Mediterranean. The salty ocean breeze fills her lungs and the bright sun shines in her eyes. She then puts on her tank top and jean shorts, grabs her sunglasses and purse and steps onto the deck. 8,573 miles away on the opposite side of the globe, in Tanzania, sophomore Maura Kate Mitchelson wakes up at 8 a.m. to Mama Anna knocking, calling her to breakfast. Mitchelson rolls out of bed, yanking on a shirt and pair of worn army pants. A steaming cup of porridge and toast sits on the wooden table just big enough for three people. Mitchelson quickly scarfs down her breakfast and heads outside, ready to work. 4,536 miles away in France, junior Ellie Stewart-Jones, gets out of bed, pushing away the covers. She opens up the blinds and frowns when she sees the rain showering the Eiffel Tower. She throws on her shorts and shirt. A serving of bread with butter and fruit spread awaits her on a blue plastic plate. On her way out the door she throws on her rain jacket and says goodbye to her host mother, Cecilia. Five miles away from Shawnee Mission East, sophomore Sam Friedmann is still sleeping -- he doesn’t wake up before 11 a.m. Three hours later, Friedmann groans and climbs out of bed. He quickly runs to the tv to try and beat his older brother. He opens the cabinet, pulls out a pillow and blanket, turns on the TV and starts watching a recorded show. 1,808 students attend Shawnee Mission East and together they have experienced 1,808 different summers. Some go halfway

LANCER LENSE A behind the scenes look at the different summers.

Sam Friedmann

Ellie Stewart-Jones

across the world like Mitchelson, Jones, and Paulk. Some go a few states away. And some only leave the state to go to Quik Trip in Missouri. Back in Greece, Paulk is touring Santorini with her grandmother. “Santorini is up really high and you can see all the water around you,” Paulk said. She spends her days shopping in little villages and meeting new people. She is taking pictures to share on her Instagram. 6,132 miles from Santorini in Tanzania, Mitchelson starts her day by mixing concrete filling in the foundation of the dining hall in the school sponsored by Rustic Pathways. The children try to help her lift the dirt and rocks but Mitchelson refuses. The children don’t realize that she wants to help them build their school. While Mitchelson labors under the hot Tanzanian sun, 4,400 miles away in Paris, Jones walks into a classroom, surrounded by foreign exchange students. “[There were] people from Italy, Spain, Brazil, Switzerland, England. There was even a girl from Kiev, [Ukraine],” Jones said. The students begin the day by talking in only French to Estella and Justine, the main teachers.Next comes the grammar and vocabulary section of the day. Sitting on his couch 4,536 miles from Paris, Friedmann is just starting a fourth episode of Criminal Minds, eating Cheez-its and drinking orange juice. After this episode, he says he is going to play basketball, but

Left: Junior Ellie Stewart-Jones with fellow classmate Sophie, from Bern, Switerzland.

Sophie Paulk

he knows that he will end up watching the next one instead. A sixteen-hour plane ride away across 5,920 miles, Paulk is enjoying the beauty of Greece. She’s currently on the deck of the cruise ship eating a gourmet lunch and preparing to get off the boat to go to Mykonos, Greece. Even out at sea, she can see the white buildings and the donkeys scaling the cliffs. She whips out her camera and snaps a few pictures. She then gets off the ship and begins walking around Mykonos. A cable car takes her up to the top of the city. She is in awe of the beauty of the clear blue water and stark white houses with blue shutters and railings. Mediterranean restaurants are all around just like in the vacation brochure. Just 6,025 miles to the south, Mitchelson wipes her brow with the back of hand, exhausted after mixing concrete made of rocks, dirt and water all day. Mama Anna and Baba Ruben had been making lunch all morning, waiting for her to have a break. The plate is full of rice, fresh fruit, and stewed meat. “The meat is pretty much all fat because in the village if you’re fat it means you’re rich so they give fatty food as a sign of wealth,” Mitchelson said. Two little girls, Nicegodlove and Joan, hold Mitchelson’s hands as she headed down to the river to collect buckets of water. The water is used to make the concrete. Rocks. Dirt. Water. Rocks. Dirt. Water.

Rocks. Dirt. Water. All day long to build the dining hall. By the end of the day, Mitchelson is covered in dirt, but she has never felt better. 6,263 miles away, back in France, Jones has been speaking French all day every day. Even though she just started learning French she can already speak it fluently. “It is hard to be somewhere you can’t express yourself,” said Jones. She cannot even speak to her family unless it’s in French. She is becoming very good at speaking because she has no other choice but to pick it up quickly. Meanwhile, 7,288 miles to the southwest, Friedmann has just hopped off the couch and went into his room to change out of his pajamas. He puts on a Nike T shirt and Nike shorts and jogs out of the house, warming up his legs after watching tv all day. He picks up the basketball and spins it on his pointer finger, dribbling it when it falls. He does a few spin moves, banks in some layups and drains a couple threes. Although each of them had a different summer, all four were memorable. Whether it was spent on the couch eating too many bags of Cheez-its to count, cruising around the Mediterranean taking pictures of clear blue water, speaking French all day every day with students from all over the globe or introducing children in Tanzania to their newly built -school, they all had a special meaning. It’s only 286 days until Jones goes back to France. 286 days until Friedmann starts a new tv series. 286 days until Mitchelson does another volunteer trip, and 286 days until Paulk takes another European adventure.

Right: Senior Sophie Paulk on the island Santorini in Greece. Left: Sophomore Maura Kate Mitchelson working on the school with friends she met on the trip.

GOAL

GO forthe feature

STUDENTS SHARE GOALS THEY HAVE SET FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR

written by Claire Pottenger

photos by Kaitlyn Stratman

Hailey Hughes

’m in charge of freshmen connection for SHARE so I really hope that goes well. I want to just get as many people involved as possible and keep SHARE going strong. The next step would be to plan events.

You can get involved in any freshman SHARE event by giving your email to Max.

SHARE is the largest student-led, school-based, not for profit, youth volunteer organization in the country.

Max Maday freshman

here is allstate [for orchestra], that Mr. Lane encourages us all to try out for and basically my goal is to get to district or get to state and make some accomplishments in that area. I really want to be proud of myself. I try to practice at least an hour every day and if I can’t no biggie, I just practice a little longer the next day. There are three different classes to take if a student wants to be involbed in orchestra: freshmen orchestra, philharmonic orchestra or symphonic orchestra.

Basses that play in orchestra also have the chance to play in jazz band.

Molly Mong junior

’m just trying to get through the school year. All my classes are extremely difficult. I think really anything above an F would be good. I am just trying to keep it steady. I would even be okay with D’s all the way through [the school year] as long as I don’t have a F. I’m also on the robotics team. Last year we got like 34th during competition which isn’t that good, so this year it is definitely a goal to try and do better than that. Robotics club meets on monday after school at 3:45.

Last year Dublin achieved his goals for the year and had one C- minus.

Dublin Stegleman sophomore

he basketball team is supposed to be pretty good this year. We have a lot of returning players that played a lot. So we should be good. Hopefully we will make it to state and win. For baseball, [varsity] lost like nine seniors but we should fine. We have some good incoming talent. Last Spring, baseball had a winning record of 17-6 and lost during the first round of the state tournament.

Basketball went 16-5 last season.

junior

y main academic goal is to be a leader in the classroom. Really going the extra mile in terms of assignments, being a good role model for my brother and the underclassmen. And trying to help some of the organizations in the school go to the next level.

Akshay co-founded Knee Hockey Club with his brother, Bhavish.

Akshay is involved with the DECA program and qualified for internationals last year.

Joey Wentz

Akshay Dinakar senior

Lockin’ In Her Future

feature

Senior Abby Cramer wins the Joseph Maddy Summer Artist Award for Musical Theater at the Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan over the summer. Te volorunt, cum ad est que comnis consenia sust, quo cusam utem ea audiatur, omnimol oressimus milicat quibus sundellen-

Abby’s Major Performances

written by Yashi Wang Strong and clear. Unwavering and emotional. From the quiet first notes, to the swelling crescendos, senior Abby Cramer’s voice has always been true to herself and to her characters, no matter what role she is playing. That powerful voice has taken her far. It carried her through years of musical productions to her award-winning performance in East’s production of “The Drowsy Chaperone.” After two years, she climbed up another tier: Cramer recently attended the highly selective Interlochen Summer Arts Camp in Michigan, with 2,500 up-and-coming artists from across the globe. There, she won a Joseph Maddy Summer Artist Award for music theater. Only 22 campers won the prestigious award this year. It’s a genuine reward for all the effort she has put in over the years. “[Singing is] just kind of all I do, like all-encompassing,” Cramer said. “It’s kind of just all I’ve got. I can’t imagine doing anything else. It’s just become a part of who I am.” Musical theater is now part of her daily life as well. Beginning in fifth grade, Cramer gradually spent more time rehearsing and training. After a day of school, Cramer typically has five to six hours of rehearsal and lessons. She often has performances over the weekends as well. Even in her free time, she enjoys listening to modern Broadway music by singers like Lindsay Mendez and Jeremy Jordan. For Cramer, music is a 24/7 occupation. “She has just really made it a point to take it on herself to improve,” East theater director Brian Cappello said. “She wants to improve, that’s half the battle.” Cramer’s infatuation, and thirst for improvement, began when she was four-years-old and went to watch her mother, Amy Cramer, rehearse as a pianist for the musical “Annie” at Theater in the Park. “I wouldn’t say a word or move a muscle, but just watched,” Cramer said. “My dad would come pick me up, but I refused to leave. I was so mesmerized, just by the rehearsal. That was kind of the first sign that I loved theater.” She still considers her mother her biggest musical influence. Some days she devotes hours to just sitting down with her mother and singing a duet from “Wicked” or “Little Women.” Since her childhood days, Cramer has stepped up from the audience into her own place on the stage. She performs at East and in various theater programs and camps, but her first major role was as the Chaperone in East’s production of “The Drowsy Chaperone” in 2013. Cramer’s performance earned her a Blue Star Award for Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role, one of the greatest musical theater honors given in the

Abby’s Top

KC area. “The Drowsy Chaperone” also gave Cramer her greatest moment on stage. “I just remember being on stage with the lights and being so happy, and feeling so loved and supported,” Cramer said. “I looked over backstage, and I saw everyone singing into the microphone and it was just so amazing.” Cramer’s sophomore year closed with her Blue Star triumph, but then her hectic junior year arrived. It became even more difficult to balance her commitments. Some nights she gets home at ten o’clock from rehearsals and just ignores her homework in surrender to exhaustion. With rehearsal and school always in mind, she often misses out on opportunities to hang out with her friends. Still, she’s thankful that her friends have been very supportive and understanding over the years. “Even though she’s really busy, she still tries hard to make time for us,” said Cramer’s friend Rachel Barnett. They make time for her too in return. Cramer can spot her friends cheering her on in the audience of every show, even if they’re not in musical theater, and even if they don’t go to East. “There are a lot of times that [I use] that common phrase ‘sorry I can’t, I have rehearsal,’” Cramer said. “School is always what makes it overwhelming. My busiest days are tough when I have to go to school.” So this year, she has devoted most of her schedule to theater or music-based classes, like Dramatic Literature and Choir. Cramer wants to put forth her best work in her last year as a Lancer thespian. Cramer doesn’t need to question her decisions as much as her fellow graduates this year. She already knows. She’s known for a long time that music will be her future, no matter what, whether it be further musical education or a professional contract. “I’d love to go see her on Broadway someday,” choir director Ken Foley said. Cramer too aspires to be a professional musical actress someday, starring in her favorite musical “Dogfight”, standing on a Broadway stage: spotlight shining, music rising, audience roaring. “She knows her talent is only going to take her so far, [but] she’s not afraid of hard work and I see nothing bothering her success in the future,” Cappello said. “She wants it and she knows she’s going to have to work for it.”

5 Favorite Musical Theatre Songs

“Pretty Funny” from Dogfight “Touch Me” from Spring Awakening

“It’s All Over” from Dreamgirls

photos by Leah O’Connor

Abby singing in last year’s Musical Revue.

Abby plays Loud Stone in the musical production of Eurydice.

photo by Annie Savage

“Gold” from Once “School Song” from Matilda

Abby playing Amelia Tilford in Children’s Hour.

In the empty hallway outside of the choir room, a group of junior girls are sitting against the brick wall. Their bags and lunches are scattered around them, and they manage to continuously text as they chat. The excessive noise and lack of space in the cafeteria made them make the decision to go out into the hallway where they can converse more easily. “We started eating here this year,” junior Claire Schreiber said. “We used to eat in the library, but it was far from our classes and ended up taking like 10 minutes off our lunch time.”

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Laughing A group of boys sit outside in the sunshine, heavily immersed in a game of cards, pausing only to make teasing jokes at each others’ expense. “We all went to Indian Hills together,” freshman Andrew Carter said, over the sound of his friends’ raucous game. “So it’s cool that we can all have lunch together here.” Three hands slam the deck at the center of the table in unison, and laughter breaks out as the loser reluctantly takes the pile of cards into his hand. “I buy my lunch,” Carter continued. “But most of them,” he gestured at the card-players, “don’t even eat.” One of his friends looks up from the game to interject. “What are you talking

Peaceful

Whats For Lunch? The clock seems to tick at half speed, Hands begin to fidget and stomachs begin to rumble as the minute hand creeps slowly towards that 25-minute stint of freedom.

Connecting

written by Katharine Swindells

A chance to catch up with friends, hurriedly complete a forgotten assignment and of course to grab some much-needed sustenance after a hard morning of classes. Lunch. photos by Abby Hans and Callie McPhail

students, this is their only hour together. “I met a lot of new people through Social Skills and eating with them means I get to know them better,” senior Martina Loyd said. A couple of times in the year the class will take field trips in 5th hour to restaurants, and eat their lunch outside of school, to practice ordering off of menus, interacting with waiters and other social skills. “I’m really excited for when we get to take field trips out to lunch with this class.” junior Callie McPhail said. “It’ll give us a chance to hang out in a different setting, and get some good food as well.”

Freedom

As masses pour into the cafeteria for second lunch, two long tables are already filled with the students that make up the Social Skills class. “We’ve always had our students eat together at lunch,” Social Skills teacher, Emily McNaughton, said. “We find it’s a real and perfect opportunity to practice a huge variety of social skills -- from small talk, to manners, navigating the cafeteria, social ladder kind of issues -- while having support all at the same time.” Despite the noise and frantic environment, the students enjoy eating together as a class. “I like the cafeteria food, and I like having lots of different people to talk to,” freshman Luke Beasley said. The class has students from every grade which means that, for many of the

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The bell has barely finished ringing and the parking lot is a frenzy as seniors rush to get lunches before their next class starts. “I go to Noodles & Company and Chipotle,” senior Sydney Shearer said. “They’re easy because they have an app so you can order your food ahead of time and then just drive to pick it up.” Chains such as Starbucks and Chik Fil A, the ones with drivethroughs, are popular choices. “I go to Panda Express because

they have a drive-through, so it’s way quicker,” senior Riley Roberts said. “And their orange chicken is the best.” For Emma Braasch, her break is about getting home, where her mom will have food prepared for her. “Going home to have a homecooked meal for lunch ready for you is always a day maker,” Braasch said. Barely 20 minutes pass before the parking lot refills, and students flock back into the school, hurriedly swallowing down bagels and milkshakes.

At this time of year, the library is fairly empty at lunchtime. With only a few groups scattered around the room, it is quiet and peaceful, a far cry from the hectic cafeteria. For many students, their short lunch period is their time to relax in between classes. They gather in the library to take advantage of the calm environment: to study, do homework and chat with friends. “I used to have a class in here right before lunch, and always thought it would be a nice place to hang out.” junior Patrick Spiess said. “So when we found out we could eat in here, that was amazing.” When winter comes around, this part of the school will lose its peaceful appeal to the crowds of students looking for somewhere warm to do next hour’s assignment.

Bookworm

Senior Jordan Kiehl, yearbook design editor, leans against the lockers in the hallway outside of the journalism room. She sits hunched over a laptop, designing press-passes to allow the rest of the yearbook staff to get into school events. “I almost always spend my lunch period helping out the 5th hour yearbook class.” Kiehl said. “I like to check up on what they’re doing.” She brings a packed lunch, and eats while she works. “I know I could leave for lunch, but I don’t really see the point,” she explains. “I don’t want to waste my gas money on food when I can pack one from home for free.” Most lunchtimes this hallway is lined

Chat-n-Chew A group of sophomore girls spend their lunch outside, laughing and chatting under the shade of a large umbrella, surrounded by Vera Bradley and homemade sandwiches. “We like it out here because it’s so warm, and it’s more scenic,” sophomore Annabelle Wilder said . “There’s not so many people,” her friend, sophomore Grace Doyle, adds, laughing. “I don’t know what we’ll do when summer ends and we have to sit in the really loud cafeteria.”

with Harbinger and Yearbook students. They balance laptops, homework and lunches across their laps as they chat loudly. Occasionally one of the students attempts to quiet the group, on behalf of the English teachers in the nearby classrooms, but the volume quickly rises again.

Multitasking

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Peaceful

Whats For Lunch? The clock seems to tick at half speed, Hands begin to fidget and stomachs begin to rumble as the minute hand creeps slowly towards that 25-minute stint of freedom.

Connecting

written by Katharine Swindells

Freedom

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Bookworm

Multitasking

written by Daniel Rinner

country for the first time, Dina made the adjustment to a student body born and raised in the same area. “I’m used to people coming from Africa, Denmark, France and Spain, everywhere,” she said. “This is kind of like a one-cultured school.” Although East is far from the “High School Musical” environment Dina expected, she found more difficulty making friends in an entirely American student body. “People are a little afraid of talking to foreigners,” she said. “Maybe because they’re not used to someone new coming into their school.” In schools abroad, kids were more frequently transferring in and out of classes so students and teachers were accustomed to meeting and integrating new students. Dina took longer to make friends in the United States than she had at any previous schools. When Dina talks with past friends like Tamara, they often discuss what they want to do when they turn 18. Even though she has spent her childhood in places foreign to her, Dina wants to do nothing but reconnect with distant friends and see the world during her first years as an adult. “[Tamara and I] were going to move in together and find some cheap apartment and do all the stuff we wanted to do when we were 16,” she said. For now, Dina plans to stay in the United States long enough to finish her high school education with an International Baccalaureate diploma before taking a gap year to travel. With past classmates on six continents, she can easily find a place to stay.

M e xi c

sophomore Dina Hansen begins the 15 minute walk to her family’s apartment in Prairie Village and delays starting her homework to talk with her best friend, Tamara, on FaceTime. While Hansen’s school day ended only moments earlier, Tamara receives the call sitting in a bus on her way to school in South Korea, fourteen hours ahead of Prairie Village. Even though the two girls now live on opposite sides of the world and only met while together in Denmark for a summer, Hansen has never met someone who has so much in common. They both come from Danish families and have become accustomed to moving around the world, following their father’s jobs. Hansen moved for the first time when she was less than two years old. Born in the Philippines, she has since lived in Japan, Panama, Mexico, Denmark and less than a month so far in the United States as her father’s career in shipping demands. Hansen is familiar with cultures across the world, and she has become fluent in Danish, Spanish and English; however, she recognizes what she has missed out on by relocating across borders five times. “The disadvantage is that I don’t feel home anywhere,” she said. “I don’t have those friends that you’ve had since kindergarten. I don’t know those people.” Hansen was 14 when she moved to her family’s home country, Denmark. Even though she grew up singing traditional Danish songs around the Christmas tree every year and speaks with a Danish accent, Hansen felt like a foreigner.

Her school in Denmark, like those before, included students from all over the world along with many who had lived in Denmark their entire lives. Students were segmented into a Danish department and an international department during classes. Danish students often separated themselves socially as well, and the two groups rarely interacted. Her Danish peers called their international classmates, “de mærkelige”, a Danish word used to mean stranger or freak. “In Denmark, I wasn’t treated like an outsider until I told them all that places that I’ve lived in,” Dina said. “Everything in me is Danish, but I don’t feel like that’s where my home is.” The family knew their stay in Denmark was only temporary. Dina’s father spent his time looking for jobs and found that young, recently graduated workers were consistently hired over older candidates with experience in the field. After two years in Denmark, he found a job working for Kansas City Southern Railroads. Dina knew coming to the United States would be different than her other moves. East is the only public school she has ever attended, and for the first time, her school is not purposed to accommodate international students. When Dina stepped out of the plane and through the gate to enter the KCI airport terminal, the most noticeable noise was the crowd around her speaking entirely in English, only used for education in the past. “I’m not used to that,” she said. “I’m used to people speaking Danish or some language I don’t understand.” In addition to living in an English speaking

GLOBAL CITIZEN

Mexico City

m ark n e

When the bell rings to end seventh hour,

photo illustration by Annie Savage

Prairie Village latest stop in sophomore’s global lifestyle

Hoersholm

C Prairie Village

20 alt-copy

Kc pride written by Phoebe Aguiar

It could be the move toward being more hip or finally having winning sports team, but regardless Kansas City pride is on the rise. You can’t walk down the hall at East, let alone around one of the “hipster” neighborhoods, without noticing a piece of clothing that boasts Kansas City heritage or love for this city. Most have the added bonus of not identifying with the Kansas or Missouri side, so you can fully express your love for the city that’s too great for just one state.

Charlie Hustle Heart Tee Vintage t-shirts with the letters KC printed in a heart seem to be everywhere. The creator is a Kansas City native, Chase McAnulty, whose vintage tee obsession turned into his business, Charlie Hustle. Charlie Hustle sells the iconic heart tee along with a variety of Kansas-themed shirts and unfortunately, some other lesser cities. The appeal of the heart shirts is the color combinations, which match most Kansas City sports teams (sorry Chiefs, maybe after another winning season) and the vintage style of shirt that mimics a well-worn and loved shirt that you never want to take off.

LA KC NY

KC Baldwin Flat Bill

Perhaps the most commonly known and respected of Kansas City apparel are the KC embossed flat bill hats from Baldwin Denim. The Kansas City based company has received national attention for their clothes. Regardless of all this outside attention, here in Kansas City it’s the hats that they are most associated with. The variety of hats styles adds to the appeal, the choices include snapbacks, leather-straps and fitted that all come in multiple color combinations and fabrics. Starting at $40, they aren’t cheap for a ball cap, but if you want to express your KC affiliation whilst upping your street cred, it’s worth the price.

LA-KC-NY Tee

If you’re looking to learn a little geography, this t-shirt places Kansas City in between Los Angeles and New York City connected within a heart. Depending on your interpretation it’s either a stylized geographic representation of the United States or a reminder to everyone that KC is just as cool as those other cities. They are made by Oceans & Sea, a company created by Brendan and Amanda O’Shaugnessy, who both hail from Kansas City and design and manufacture the shirts here in KC. This is the shirt for you if you want to express your opinion that, indeed, Kansas City will be the next be the next big city, or maybe you just like the design. Regardless, the teal or grey shirt is both fashionable and functional.

ADE M in KC

Made In KC Tee

There is no better way to announce your home than wearing on your chest with the Sandlot Goods “Made in KC” T-shirt. This particular shirt makes it possible to state where you’re from and that you are proud of it, very explicitly. Choose either their classic t-shirt, a scoop neck or a v-neck, but you better like grey because thats the only color it’s currently available in. Whatever style you choose, in a simple font and design it spells out the city that made you.

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NEW

JUICE Energizing Mission provides a unique outlook on juicing and health beverages written by Chloe Stanford photos by Kylie Relihan

As I walked through the front door of Energizing Mission, a juice bar on Johnson Drive, I instantly realized where its name came from. Energetic vibes were bouncing off the walls, and pops of color were everywhere. Inspirational quotes surrounded the bar area, including things like “Have a Blessed Day!” They were written in neon colors on white boards and chalk boards, with splashes of green and orange. I was immediately greeted by the owner and the barista, who were as cheerful as their surroundings. It was exactly what I expected from a juice bar with such a good reputation. The employees were enthusiastically working behind the counter as several high school girl customers were laughing in between sips of their drinks. Some of these girls were playing with the barista’s kids. The owner said that there are about 150 high school students that come in daily from mostly East, St. Theresa’s Academy and Notre Dame de Sion. The server explained to my friend and I that there are three stages of the Energizing Mission experience. The first step is to drink a shot of mango aloe in a paper dixie cup. The aloe helps keep everything in the digestive system working properly. I was pretty skeptical when I heard this, because I was expecting some green, clumpy, nasty liquid. It turned out looking just like water. I smelled it, took a sip, then took another and another. It was one of the most interesting things I have ever tasted. It was like mango flavored medicine, but in a good, refreshing way. The next step is to try either lemon, raspberry or original iced green tea. I

was amazed when I found out that this tea burns 60-100 calories just from drinking it -- no exercise involved. I tried the raspberry flavor, the most popular. I was a bit disappointed in the obvious absence of any sweetener; it was really strong and tart, but I still appreciated how refreshing it was. Most customers like to have their tea on the side, but there’s also the option to mix it into the final step, which is the meal shake. My friend got the lemon tea, and she loved how fresh it was. I’ll definitely be trying that the next time. The meal shake is the main course at Energizing Mission. These meal shakes keep you full for two to four hours, and have the benefits of 24 grams of proteins and vitamins. There is an abundance of different flavors to choose from, ranging from coffee to pina colada and everything in between. I went with the most popular, White Wedding Cake. It tasted just like cake batter, and the best part was that you couldn’t even taste the vitamins or proteins -- it just tasted like a shake. The other popular flavors are chocolate mint, which tastes like a Girl Scouts Thin Mint cookie, and chocolate peanut butter. Overall, these drinks were amazing, and for just a small price of $6.50. When the cashier told me the price, I thought it was a mistake. How could all of these drinks be just $6.50? One of the greatest things about this place is the staff. They get to know all of their customers, and even plan exercise classes around customers’ schedules. They are great, “energizing” health coaches that help kids and adults with weight loss or just staying

healthy. There are multiple meal plan options that let customers make products at home. This includes snack bars, shakes and more. It is obvious that the people who work there love their jobs and care about each customer. The overall Energizing Mission experience was eye-opening. I wish I would have heard about it sooner. I encourage everyone to give it a try if they are looking for a tasty way to stay healthy and get energized. I will for sure be going back.

Today’s Flavors • Cherry Cobbler • French Toast • Peach Mango • Vanilla • Cappuccino • Latte • Blueberry Muffin • Chocolate • Strawberry • Banana Cream • Cheesecake

The Juicing Steps

The first step to the juicing process is a mango aloe shot which helps with digestion

2 consists of drinking a flavored tea #2 Step that burns 60-100 calories

3rd step is a “meal shake” which #3 The contains 24 grams of vitamins and proteins

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Letting Down Lowry written by Jessica Parker

“The Giver,” the movie adaptatin of Lois Lowry’s bestselling novel, while entertaining, lacks the ‘wow’ factor that made the book so popular

A perfect world, a utopia -- no violence, no prejudice, no lying and no differences. The people, as if under a spell, repeat the same routine day after day, and difference is not allowed. A world of sameness, where all memories and the freedom of choice simply do not exist. That is something we will (hopefully) never be able to understand, let alone experience. Food is never homemade, but distributed to the family through a machine. Freedom of speech is strict. Anything said that is considered not proper would result in a scolding, where a mandatory sincere apology would always follow. Feelings are discussed at the dinner table every night, accompanied by an explanation. Set in such an unimaginable world like this, the 1993 book, The Giver, finally hit the big screens this year. The book, a favorite of mine and many others, lacked the wow factor in theater. Was it because the book set the standards too high? Or was it because of the young cast, many of them unknown? Whatever the case, it was a bit of a step down from the novel. Don’t get me wrong, I was impressed by the movie. There were parts that were very effective, but there were also parts that did not work in the movie’s favor. In the film the main character Jonas, played by Brenton Thwaites, also in “Maleficent”, has been given the honor of being selected as the next Receiver of Memory. One man is to keep the world’s memories, and share with no one. Memories of sadness, happiness and pain h a v e been

taken away from the people, because it creates a tidal wave of different emotions, and they can’t have that. Once he/she she gets old, there must be someone carefully chosen to train for the job and take their place: Jonas was selected. As Jonas goes through the excruciating pain of seeing a horrible event called war for the first time, he also gets a glimpse of white stuff called snow, a thing called dancing and a foreign term: love. Although a very fresh face in the film world, Thwaites seemed to fit the character quite well. Jonas’s character in the book was portrayed as “special” since page one. Whether intended or not, Thwaites had a sort of special/different quality about him, too. His facial expressions were usually curious and a bit lost most of the time, as if he was always trying to figure things out. Although awkward at points, which may or may not have been intended, he played the role of Jonas nicely. Director Phillip Noyce kept the movie primarily in line with the plot of the book, updating a few minor things, but nothing too drastic or upsetting. A large portion of the cast was played by under-the-radar minors, which has its pros and cons. Casting more wellknown actors and actresses may have drawn more publicity to the film. I didn’t hear as much hype about the movie as I had predicted, and casting a few more fan-favorite actors may have boosted it. The two biggies in this film, Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges, definitely helped the movie’s overall reputation. It wasn’t all about the actors of course, but it makes it a bit more enjoyable when I see a recognizable face. Chief Elder (Meryl Streep), had a slim role in the movie, but did her job well and fit the role completely. Seeing the familiar face of the three-time Academy Award winner was a mood lightener, even if she was the antagonist. The Giver (Jeff Bridges), played a very prominent role, and fit every aspect and quality of the Giver portrayed in the novel. His deep husky voice alone worked well, making it quite understandable that keeping the world’s memories is a very stressful and aging job. There was only one big casting error: casting Taylor Swift as the role of Rosemary, the failed trainee Receiver of Memory before Jonas was selected. Swift was only on

screen for a span of five minutes, but it was five minutes too long. Her sudden and awkward appearance was surprising and gave the movie an unnecessary cheesy feel. The pop country artist has starred in only two movies and two TV series prior to the Giver. Although her role was minor, she seemed out of place. The futuristic set design was very well thought through, and fit the plot adequately: every blade of grass was perfectly cut, the machinery and technology used was out of this world and the holograms were most definitely a favorite of mine. The dwellings almost looked too nice, they looked too pretty and perfect to live in. The visuals of memories were beautifully put together, which was very pleasing and helped raise the overall quality of the movie. In the novel, the end comes very abruptly, leaving you wondering and finding your own solution to how it ends. The movie gives you a bit of the same quality, only clearing up a few of the straggling questions about the ending. However, the movie still lets the viewer use their own imagination about what happens after the credits begin to roll. The ending got a tad tedious, and could have been shortened and had a better effect. The fifteen minutes leading up to the end scene were intense, I was undeniably nervous. However, as that wore off it began to drag down to a lull. Overall, the movie was not at all a bust, but simply on a lower level than the book. The young off-thebeaten-path actors seemed to lessen the quality of the movie. A few seemed awkward, and it was evident that they had minimal film experience. The book still comes out on top, but seeing the movie is not a waste of time or money for fans of the book.

photos courtesy of alicemarvels.com

skip it

if you have a coupon

not too shabby

tell a friend

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go. now.

H O O R A Y for HOOPLA Hoopla Studio in the Fairway shops looks upscale, feels inviting and takes their hygiene seriously — providing a manicure experience that’s truly unique

tools of the trade Here’s what you’ll need to do an at-home version of the classic manicure: a nail file, to get the perfect shape nail polish remover removes any traces of previous polish

hand lotion makes your hands silky smooth — the perfect compliment to a manicure written by Caroline Kohring

photos by Paloma Dickey

fter just one manicure, Hoopla Studio has become my new favorite nail salon. Walking in the door, I was pleasantly surprised by the sleek layout of the studio. The clean, white design gave it a modern, upscale feel. But the friendly service and chatty employees kept the studio from feeling cold and stark, as many chic, fashionable salons tend to be. Hoopla’s vibe is completely different than any nail salon I’ve been to, and that’s what made me want to come back before I even left. Hoopla prides itself on their “good clean fun.” They take extra precautions to ensure that each customer has a clean, hygienic and healthy experience. Before my manicure at Hoopla, I had never been disgusted by the fact that the same tools used to clip dead skin off some random person’s nails were being used on my hands. Maybe it’s because I never really considered that idea, but now, thanks to Hoopla, I realize how gross that is. After each manicure and pedicure at Hoopla, reusable tools are not just disinfected, but also sterilized in a medicalgrade sterilizer called an autoclave — the same equipment used by many dentists and hospitals. The tools are then packaged in sealed pouches for each client. It may sound a little crazy, but Hoopla clearly does not mess around when it comes to hygiene. Non-reusable tools such as nail files,

cuticle pushers and nail buffers are sent home with the client after each manicure. These would certainly come in handy when you need a quick touch-up, or for DIY manicures. However, these mini manicure kits might pile up for a frequent customer. Have you ever considered how gross sharing a whirlpool foot bath with strangers is? I hadn’t, but Hoopla has, of course. They do not use whirlpool jets in their pedicure chairs to avoid the bacteria that gets built up in the filters and pipes of the jets. Although it may seem like a let down, Hoopla claims to make up for the lack of whirlpool jets with their foot massages. And the whole no-bacteria-on-your-feet thing is nice too. For the same sanitary reasons, Hoopla manufactures and uses their own polishes. These polishes lack five major chemicals found in other major nail polish brands, such as formaldehyde. Without these harmful chemicals, Hoopla’s polishes are unable to stay sanitary between customer uses. For this reason, each lucky customer gets to take home their polish. Never again will I have to experience that day-after frustration when my manicure has already chipped, but I don’t own the color I used at the nail salon. I speak on behalf of girls everywhere when I say thank you, Hoopla, for this wonderful idea. Hoopla’s polishes come in just about every shade of every color. And if you’re like me and obsessed with the creative

names of nail polish, don’t worry. Hoopla’s polishes are named by employees, so not only are they funny, but they also have meaning to whoever named the color. I chose “Cool Girls,” a pretty bubblegum pink with a coral tint, but next time I go back I’m definitely going for “Brown Eyed Girl” or “Princess Moon Beam,” solely because I love the names. Besides being incredibly sanitary, Hoopla also gives a darn good manicure. Not only did my nails look great when I left, but my hands felt refreshed and I enjoyed the time I spent talking with the manicurist. The polish dried quickly and five days later my nails have yet to chip. And, what’s more, Hoopla offers more than just your typical mani-pedi: they also provide full body massages, chair massages, eyelash and brow tinting, facials, peels, 16 different waxes and even mani-pedis designed just for kids. I was already mentally scheduling my next appointment (chair massage, of course) before I even walked out the door.

right “High School Sweetheart” is one of the many polish colors made by Hoopla, all of which are free for customers to take home.

cuticle clippers clean up nail beds, removing excess skin

base coat preps the nail and prevents splitting finally, the polish itself: pick a color, any color, and apply!

clear top coat adds a little shine and makes the manicure last longer art by Pauline Werner

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THE NEW BLAZE

written by Aidan Epstein

New shopping district Prairie Fire ignites excitement

Pulling up to the brand new shopping center on 137th and Antioch, Prairie Fire, I was immediately drawn to a jagged building with tall, multi-colored stained glass windows. This building stands out from the taupe neighboring buildings that make up the rest of the shopping center. If you have ever been that far south, you know the “look” -- cookie cutter brown houses that look like they were all copies of each other and Prairie Fire shopping center is no exception to the outsouth look. I later found out the stained glass building is the Prairie Fire Museum, which shows real exhibits from the American Museum of Natural History. This was one of the reasons this new center has drawn in so many people since it opened in May. It’s also one of the reasons I made the 30 minute journey out there. The outside of the museum was the most interesting part. When I walked into the museum I saw just a single room filled with fish imprints, portraits of ancient creatures and my favorite exhibit, a T-rex skeleton. Other than that, there was a “discovery room” upstairs-- which is a hands-on activity room for younger kids. I wouldn’t consider it a museum, because there were only a couple of exhibits. The fact that it was new made it not feel like a museum to me. My advice, don’t go expecting the Smithsonian, because you’ll end up at a much smaller high-tech version. Besides the museum, Prairie Fire has a new kind of movie theater called Cinetopia. Before going to Prairie Fire, I read about the theater and saw it was a major component of the shopping center, so I made sure there was enough time to see a movie. Walking into Cinetopia, I was impressed. It was like a movie theater from the future. The movie tickets were just printed receipts, which I thought was sensible and modern. I bought a ticket to “Tammy”. It starred Melissa Mccarthy, who is one of my favorite actresses, and I loved it. After getting my printed receipt-like ticket, I started the route to the “living room”-style movie theater, which was unlike any movie theater hallway I’d ever walked through. The wall was covered with big movie screens in place of a typical movie poster. This made the experience a lot more interactive. The “living room” style movie theater blew me away. Instead of the traditional fold-up movie theater seats, the room had the decor of an actual living room, decked out with couches and big comfy chairs neighbored by side tables that you could put the delicious food you can order from the endless menu. I’m a Cineobsessed now. Later on I had a chocolate craving, so I headed to Cocoa Dolce Artisan Chocolates. Cocoa Dolce is a chocolate and ice cream parlor. I’ve never gone out and bought fancy chocolates so I don’t know the typical

Aidan’s Visit:

Prairie Fire Mueseum

Cocoa Dolce Artisan Chocolates

Cinetopia Movie Theatre

prices for them, but they priced theirs at $3 a chocolate, a little pricey considering they were bite size. But being the chocoholic I am, I tried five of their best selling chocolates: creme brulee, salted caramel, strawberry balsamic, Tahitian chocolate and dark chocolate. Creme brulee was the winner -- it was identical to a cup of creme brulee, the way it was in a chocolate cup and had a crunchy, almost-toasted top. It had a delicious spot-on taste as well. I enjoyed salted caramel, even though it was heavy on the salt. The dark chocolate was the perfect amount of bitter and sweet. Strawberry balsamic and tahitian vanilla, on the other hand, were not my favorites. I still can’t get the weird cheesy taste of the strawberry balsamic and strong alcohol undertone in the Tahitian vanilla out of my mouth. The three components of Prairie Fire that I got to enjoy on my Saturday afternoon were all more than worth the 30 minute drive. I felt like I “wasn’t in Kansas anymore” when I was there. If you like dinosaur skeletons, high-class movie theaters and fancy chocolates, you’ve met your match. I would say the Prairie Fire shopping center was on fire.

THE COMEBACK KID photos by Annika Sink

written by Courtney Mcclelland

t a Friday afternoon soccer practice, sophomore Kendall Dunbar is struggling to keep up with the rest of her teammates. While scrimmaging with her team, she begins to notice the excruciating pain in her back every time she moves. She muscles through the practice until it is time for her to finally take off her cleats and go home. Dunbar is walking to her car on the other side of the Indian Hills Middle School soccer field, which is usually a three minute walk, but for Dunbar it takes 20. She begins to jump across the creek to get to her car, but she instantly buckles over in pain. Dunbar knows she is going to have to climb into the creek and walk through it rather than jumping. Dunbar finally wades through the creek, gets in her car and begins to cry. After Dunbar’s traumatic soccer practice, many doctor’s visits and X-rays, she was finally diagnosed with three herniated discs. “My herniated discs are kind of like lego pieces,” Dunbar said. “They slipped but they didn’t slip completely out of place.” A herniated disc occurs when the soft cushion in between each bone on the vertebrae of the spine begins to fall out of place. It is most commonly found in people age 33 to 55, usually because of weight gain or aging. For an active 15-year-old like Dunbar, three herniated discs is a rare occurrence. “When I first saw the X-rays of Kendall’s back, I asked how old the person was and how much they weighed,” Dr. Peggy Grantham, Dunbar’s chiropractor said. “So I was surprised to hear that the X-rays belonged to someone like Kendall.” To treat the injury, Dunbar is required to wear

sports

Closer

Look

Dunbar has three herniated discs, which are the little cushions in between the bones on her spine.

The discs are pads that serve as “cushions” between the vertebral bodies, which minimize the impact of movement on the spinal column.

a back brace seven days a week, for 23 hours a day. This means she is left with one brace-free hour a day. Dunbar tries not to take the brace off “just to take it off.” Whenever she is without her brace, it is usually because she is showering or spending time in the pool. Dunbar’s back brace makes it almost impossible for her to wear anything but Nike shorts and an oversized t-shirt. “After the fitting for my brace, my mom took me shopping and out to lunch to try to find clothes that would fit over the brace,” Dunbar said. “But I was just so mad the whole time and didn’t want to try on anything. I just thought it all looked so ugly and not at all feminine.” Not only does the brace interfere with things like clothes, but it also makes it hard for Dunbar spend time with her friends and family. “I have had to miss out on a lot of stuff because of the brace, like going to the pool and even parties because I just don’t have anything to wear to them,” Dunbar said. “The good thing is that the brace should make me stronger than I ever was before.” For Dunbar, the biggest devastation is being unable to play soccer. Dunbar is the captain of her soccer team, Football Club of Kansas City. According to Dunbar’s soccer coach, Carrie Robinson, she’s also one of the team’s natural leaders. When she found out she would be out of playing for at least three months, she knew she would have to find other ways to be a part of the team. Dunbar still comes to as many soccer practices as she can, and according to Robinson she does everything from cheering on her team and supporting them to setting up cones for drills.

“The difference with Kendall is that a lot of people find out they are injured and they just assume they are not part of the team and stop showing up to practice,” Robinson said. “It really shows a lot about her character that she still wants to be apart of it.” No matter how much Dunbar remains a part of the team, sitting on the sidelines and cheering on her friends it still doesn’t make up for Dunbar’s love of playing soccer. In a couple weeks Dunbar will be able to take her brace off and then begin physical therapy. If all goes as planned, she should be back to playing soccer around the end of September. If the brace and physical therapy does not succeed in repairing Dunbar’s back, she will have to endure another three months of her back brace. If she tries the back brace three times, for a grand total of nine months, and it does not succeed, Dunbar will have to face surgery to fuse her herniated discs back together again. However, a healthy and speedy recovery is anticipated. Dunbar fully expects to be back laughing and having fun on the soccer field with her friends in no time.

This diagram shows a herniated disk. A herniated disk is a problem with one of the disks in your vertebrae that stack up to your spine.

The most common location for a herniated disc to occur is in the disc at the level between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae in the low back. She also has a cracked L5 lumbar vertebrae, which we know as the lower back

sports

SPORTSBAR

SHOWDOWN A look into the best Royals game day hangouts

written by Davis Finke

PROS 1 2 3 4 5

community vibe everyone involved in game multiple TVs friendly faces close to home

CONS 1 2 3 4 5

too crowded slow service hard to get a table expensive no parking

photo illustration by Katie Lamar

ith the royals playing better than they have in over a decade, there’s no better way to get in on the action than going to a sports bar. But what places are worth your time and money? The top two restaurants that have stood out to me are Johnny’s Tavern in Prairie Village, and Buffalo Wild Wings. At each restaurant, I’ve watched a game, analyzed the staff and taste-tested the food. I will show you which place will give you the Royal treatment. When I walked into Johnny’s, it was packed before the game even started. It was hard enough to find a parking spot, and it would’ve been impossible to get a table if I had arrived 15 minutes later. An interesting aspect of Johnny’s was all the familiar faces; I knew plenty of people. However, there weren’t any tables capable of seating more than six. I could sit with a few friends, but not everyone I knew. Due to the amount of people there, the service was pretty slow. Being a sports bar, they should’ve been prepared for game day, but they weren’t. It would take five to 10 minutes to try to get a refill, and about 30 minutes to get our food. The tacos I ordered were delicious, but a little too small. I had to get another order, which wasn’t worth the price. It cost a whopping 18 bucks to fill me up. The overall atmosphere, however, was authentic. The people were really into the game, cheering and clapping, which made just watching the TV more

art by Caroline Kohring

exciting. For a final recommendation, if you have time to get there early, aren’t in a rush for food, but want to chow down with the community, then it’s a solid place to go. Buffalo Wild Wings is one of the most famous sports bars in the country, but if you’re under 21, it may not be the best. The slogan is “Wings Beer Sports” so it’s not exactly made for highschoolers. Aside from that, the food prices are unmatched. For a low price, I can get a large amount of delicious wings. I had wings with mild sauce, but it was still pretty spicy. If you aren’t a fan of spicy foods, there are a range of different wing styles. Something else different from Johnny’s is the restaurant design. It’s more of a warehouse, which makes it easier to get a good view of the game. They also have bigger tables, so if you come with a large group you can all sit together. There were many open tables making it easy to get a great seat. The overall atmosphere wasn’t nearly as energetic as Johnny’s. There were empty tables everywhere, and the fans weren’t screaming at the TV’s. I would recommend Buffalo Wild Wings if you like low prices and perfected wings, and don’t mind a calmer Royals game atmosphere.

PROS 1 2 3 4 5

cheap good food easy to find a seat multiple locations lots of TVs

CONS 1 2 3 4 5

not many people watching bad atmosphere not good for highschoolers slow service small variety of food

Harbinger 2014-2015

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Harbinger 2014-2015

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A look into some of the players and teams to watch in this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s upcoming Fall Sports Season

FOOTBALL

The football team has their sights set to improve upon the state runner-up title they got at last year’s state championship game against Derby. “You obviously can’t replace the leadership of [Ryan] Carter,” senior quarterback Gunnar Englund said. “He was a huge help to the team and you just can’t replace that.” Leading the team will be Englund, who started on varsity for half of last year; an offensive line with senior lineman Will Kaiser; a defense punctuated by senior Kyle Ball; and a coaching staff lead by Dustin Delaney. “We’ve got a lot of returning guys this year, and hopefully we can make a good run at bringing home the state title this year,” Englund said, “I want to lead the team off

the field, on the field, and throw for touchdowns.” Englund has state championship experience, throwing for 127 yards in 15 attempts against Derby last November. He will be commanding the potent flexbone offense that confused defenses last year and was important to the Lancer’s success on the offensive side of the ball. “Nobody can beat us,” junior Mike Bamford said. “Coach Ufford has done a great job with the defense and were feeling pretty good about this season.” The Lancers will start the season on September 5 against Gardner-Edgerton.

TENNIS

GOLF The girl’s golf team will be looking for another state title this year – with only one upperclassman, senior Grace Adams. The team will be mostly comprised of sophomores and freshmen, only two of whom competed in the state tournament last year “Me and Teagan [Noblitt] were the only freshmen on varsity last year,” sophomore Riley Ricket said, “I think we’re good enough to finish at least third or second.” Last year in the state championship, the golf team finished first, winning for the eleventh time in East history.

“Even though the squad is very young, it is very talented,” head coach Ermanno Ritschl said, “We have two players with state experience coming back.” Since Ermanno Ritschl took over as coach in 2005, the Lady Lancers have won six state championships. “If we have four of six players scoring in the 80s, that maybe [will] be good enough to contend for the state title.” said Ritschl. The first varsity tournament will be September 8.

Continuing the trend of dominating the 6A womens tennis league, the lady Lancers are hoping to repeat the undefeated championship season of last year. The team, which will be coached by Sue Chipman, will be host to more than 70 East Lady Lancers, with more than a handful of seniors among the mix. “We hope to win state this year, as we’ve done for the past three years,” senior Elizabeth Barnickel said. “It will just take all of us joining together and playing as a team.” The squad will be led by seniors Barnickel, Aidan Epstein and Steph-

VOLLEYBALL The 2014 squad of volleyball seniors and juniors and the supporting cast of sophomores and freshmen will need to win this year to revitalize the program after not making the playoffs for the third time since 2011. “There is a ton of talent this year on varsity. I know we will have a successful season.” head coach Patty Phillips said, “As far as state. We’ll have to see.” Last year, the program finished 5-29, last in the Sunflower league division. “We have a lot of upperclassmen and freshmen taking leadership roles this year.” Rachel Haskell said “We have a lot of team chemistry this year and that will hopefully help us win.” The trio of seniors Rachel Haskell, Riley Robert and Konner Pendland hope to be leading the volleyball

squad to its first state championship in a decade, supported by a staff of two juniors, four sophomores and four freshman this year. “Over last year, the seniors really made me feel at home,” sophomore Emma Henderson said, “If there is ever a group of seniors to lead us to the state championship, it’s these guys.” The Lancers added the new head coach Patty Phillips who has 10 years of head coaching experience at the JV level and has even captured a state championship. “I think she has a lot of experience and will help us to have a much more successful season” said Haskell. The volleyball team will open the season on September 4 at Blue Valley Northwest.

anie Wilcox. “We’ve really got a great group of kids this year,” Chipman said. “We have as good of a chance at winning state as last year. Elizabeth is a great girl and I’m confident she can lead the team.” The Lancer tennis program as a whole have taken their fair share of room in the trophy shelf with state championship trophies, adding to the mass of awards last year as both the boys and girls team won it all. The first tournament will be September 5th against Kansas City Christian.

CROSS COUNTRY After last year’s attempt at state with only one qualifier for the boys, and the girls team placing eighth, the cross country team and their coach Michael Chaffee have a good feeling about this year’s team. “We have a really good bunch of guys this year, for both the girls and guys,” Chaffee said, “We have an excellent chance of winning state this year.” The boys team will be lead by senior Will Moore and the girls team by Senior Hannah Arnspiger. “We have an awesome opportunity to do very well this year,” Will Moore said.“Going into the season, we are ranked fifth in 6A which is awesome,

however, we are ranked third in our regional, and that puts us right on the border.” Last year, the boys team’s lone qualifier was John Arnspiger, who finished 26 overall. The girls team finished 8th behind Olathe Northwest. “Last year the boys team was helped out by the freshman group like Mick Wiggins and John Arnspiger, “ said Chaffee, “The girls team has a pretty good chance of returning to state, the have a pretty good core of people like Hannah Arnspiger, Teresa McCallister, Tess Iler and Bria Foley.” The teams will have their first event on September 6.

SOCCER After last year’s quarterfinal defeat, the boys’ soccer team is hoping to advance past the quarterfinal for the first time in three years. “My expectations are to continue the success we’ve had the past couple of years,” head coach Chip Kelly said. “We’ve been very blessed to have good athletic talent, and even more blessed to have players who have played together.” The team has an experienced squad of seniors, led by senior goalkeeper Michael Moedritzer, senior Will Fenimore, Ari Throckmorton and senior Josh Zillner. Last

year the Lancer soccer team went 14-5, beating two teams 10-0 in that span. “This year we were looking really good over the summer,” said Moedritzer, “Our goals for the season are obviously winning state, keeping a good record, winning and having a good a time.” “I think this is the year,” said Michael Moedritzer. The first Lancer soccer game was against Shawnee Mission West on August 29.

2,200 members of the community will see this ad. Contact us for information on advertising with the Harbinger smeharbinger@gmail.com 913-993-6688

Come to the first Spanish Club meeting of year! Monday, Sept 8 in 510 There will be a taco bar, games, and cultural activities! Open to all who are interested in Spanish language and culture. Hope to see you there!

UCM

sports

Following Footsteps

Senior Corey Knabe follows in his fathers footsteps and committs to play golf at the University of Central Missouri next fall.

written by Michael Kraske Ever since senior Corey Knabe learned to walk, he’s been playing golf. At age two he would go to the Teetering Rocks Golf Course driving range with his set of plastic golf clubs to play with his dad and older brother. As time went on, he started to take lessons, play in more tournaments and play for fun with his friends. Once he got to high school, Knabe joined East’s golf team. By junior year, he had made varsity. At that same time, Corey’s brother and former Lancer Conner Knabe had started playing golf for KState as a freshman. On August 8, Corey committed to play golf next year at University of Central Missouri (UCM). After sending letters to Pittsburg State University, Southeast Illinois University, Missouri State and Central Missouri, he chose UCM. “I’ve been talking to the coach since the spring, and I took a visit down there in the summer and their facilities are really nice,” Corey said. “All the programs down there are great, and they just have an overall great system down there.” Another factor that went into Knabe’s choice to commit to Central Missouri was his family. Not only is Conner currently playing for K-State, but their dad, Billy Knabe, played golf at Central Missouri from 1985-89. “College golf kind of runs in the family,” Knabe said. “I play with my dad and brother all the time. They’ve really influenced me to play in college.” Both his brother and his dad have watched Corey develop his game over time. Billy said he recognized that Corey had legitimate talent when he was in middle school.

left Corey Knabe Tees off at the Meadow Brook golf course. right Right: Knabe squats down to see how the green moves. far right Knabe holds his follow through and watches his shot.

photos by James Wooldridge “I haven’t had to motivate him much at all,” Billy said. “I’ve been playing with him his whole life, but he’s always been able to motivate himself so he can get to the next level.” East golf coach Ermanno Ritschl says he saw talent in Corey early on, but noticed Corey’s game improve throughout high school. “I could tell he was good, but it wasn’t until this past year when I realized he could realistically play at the college level,” Ritschl said. “He improved his swing lots, and has been working hard day in and day out to be successful.” From playing weekly with his friends at Meadowbrook Country Club to playing in elite tournaments like the PGA Junior Series and the Missouri Junior Ametuer Tournament, Corey has found that the amount of time he spends playing golf weekly contributes to his success the most. “I’ve been playing all my life, and I get better every time I play,” Corey said. “There’s a lot mentally and physically that goes into being good, but just the overall amount of time I put in has made me as good as I am today.” With a state victory last season, Knabe is looking forward to the spring golf season, the last of his high school career. Although he’s excited for the season, he can’t wait to play college golf. “Next year will be way more laid back, It won’t be as stressful dealing with all the colleges now that I have one picked out,” Knabe said. “Our East team is looking very good, then I’m looking forward to the college season, it’ll be fun being able to play at the next level.”

The University of Central Missouri is located in Warrensburg, Missouri. Warrensburg is about an hour and a half away.

The university of Central Missouri had 11,323 students enrolled in the spring of 2011. 11,323 was the highest recorded enrolled students is UCM’s history.

Ar. tech

UCM

Ne. Kearney

The University of Central Missouri is ranked first in the Central region of division 2 NCAA golf.

photoessay

photo by Annie Savage

left Teach David Muhammad fills up trashcans with ice from the trainer. After adding each one full with ice, he filled the bucket up with water for the full effect.

photo by Annie Savage

right Teacher David Muhammad was challenged to participate by multiple students. “I figured I would go ahead and do it but also make a donation,” Muhammad said. He completed the challenge after school in front of the huge crowd rather than on his own. “The kids were the ones who challenged me so why not do it here for them, why not spice it up?”

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BUCKETS — OF — CHARITY

Over the past few weeks, news feeds of students at East have been filled with videos of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Lancer Dancers nominated cheerleaders who nominated football, and the chain continued Some students even nominated teachers at East such as Vicki Arndt-Helgesen, David Muhammad and Chris Burrows.

photo by Katie Lamar

right Junior Spencer Carey attended the cross country challenge after the annual long run. “It didn’t really feel that cold. [Only as] cold as my shower,” Carey said. “We weren’t challenged. Our coach just wanted us to do it to say that we did the largest one. We donated over $1,000 to ALS which is amazing”.

ALS, often referred to as “Lou Gherig’s Disease”, is a neurodegenerative disease that affects the brain and spinal cords nerve cells. The whole point of the challenge is to pour a bucket of ice-water on yourself or donate money to the cause. According to the Huffington Post, ALS has raised $88.4 million so far.

}

photo by Katie Lamar

right The cross country coaches asked a local fire department to come to East after the annual long run to spray the runners as part of their challenge. All of the runners brought $10 to participate in the challenge. Junior Sam McDonald runs for the JV cross country team and witnessed Coach Chaffee after he was drenched by the firetruck. “I didn’t get to see Chaffee get wet but I saw him after and he was soaked,” McDonald said. “His hair was slicked back and there was water pouring off his beard.”