Issue 6

ISSUE 6 | NOVEMBER 10, 2014

SHAWNEE MISSION EAST 7500 MISSION ROAD PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS 66208

LE UNG PEOP O Y G N O M ELF A RANDS ITS urban Instagram B E R Y IT C the KANSAS ers master new eats c n a 0 L 3 e g a p ’s fresh page 31 KC

photo by James Wooldridge

SCREENING VOLUNTEERS page 7

JUNIORS SAIL AT STATE page 28

BANK BREAK-IN page 8

2 editorial

EQUAL

World Economic Forum Gender Report 2014

LEADERSHIP Changing the gender gap, one national election at a time Amid the discussion of red and blue states, gubernatorial dead heats, Republican control and majority leaders, an important fact from the November midterm elections has been widely overlooked. For the first time in U.S. history, more than 100 women have been elected to congressional positions. The Harbinger believes that America should be not just a place of liberty and freedom but a place of progress and equality. We should teach boys and girls that politics are a space for both genders, something that has historically been left out of the curriculum.

Every year the World Economic Forum compiles a list of 142 countries and ranks them numerically based upon their gender disparities in four areas: health, education, economy and politics.

The list, putting Pakistan at the bottom and Iceland at the top, ranks America at number 20, behind Nicaragua, Rwanda (included in the report for the first time) and South Africa.

The numbers show that America has almost complete equality in areas like literacy, life expectancy and even in the economy, where the estimated earned income for both men and woman is listed as

$40,000. Where the nation falls short is in politics.

Our score in the Political Empowerment section, calculated by the number of women in parliament, ministerial positions and female heads of state, came out as 0.185 on a scale of 1.00, where 1.00 means total equality. However, this recent election cycle has shown that this is bound to change and so is the face of American politics.

When these perceived barriers between genders get broken down in places like Capitol Hill, law and government will function with a greater diversity of thought.

There are no excuses for the

lack of women in government.

And that’s why last week’s elections shouldn’t be overlooked.

They point to a crucial trend in American society: the dissatisfaction with inequality and the realization of the need for equal representation within this country’s leadership. The Harbinger hopes that the country will continue to make these strides while keeping these statistics in mind on the path toward a more equal society.

17. BURUNDI 18.SOUTH AFRICA 19. CANADA UNITED STATES 21.ECUADOR 22. SLOVENIA 23.BULGARIA

20.

Of the 142 countries listed, America ranks 20th in gender disparity

HARBINGER STAFF FALL 2014 CO-EDITORS-INCHIEF 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 Celia Hack Daniel Rinner

STAFF ARTIST Yashi Wang

Michael Kraske Alex Masson

PHOTO EDITOR Annie Savage

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

ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Hailey Hughes OPINION SECTION EDITOR Audrey Danciger OPINION PAGE WDESIGNERS Courtney McClelland 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

EDITORIAL BOARD Sophie Tulp Morgan Krakow Pauline Werner Tommy Sherk Audrey Danciger Caroline Kohring Hannah Coleman Julia Poe Mike Thibodeau 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 CONVERGENCE EDITOR John Foster

ONLINE OPINION EDITOR Katharine Swindells Sean Overton ONLINE A&E EDITOR Katharine Swindells Sean Overton ONLINE SPORTS SECTION EDITORS Michael Kraske Daniel Rinner VIDEO EDITOR Matthew Bruyere

ONLINE INDEPTH NEWS SECTION EDITOR Mike Thibodeau

PODCAST & RADIO EDITOR Leah O’Connor

ONLINE NEWS BRIEFS SECTION EDITOR Will Clough

EASTIPEDIA EDITOR Matthew Kaplan INTERACTIVE EDITOR Mike Thibodeau

ONLINE HOMEGROWN EDITOR Katharine Swindells Sean Overton

HEAD WEBMASTER Jacob Milgrim

APPRENTICE WEBMASTERS Katie Lamar Katie Roe LIVE BROADCAST EDITOR John Foster 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 ADVISER Dow Tate

School, Local and Worldwide News Broken Down

3

HEAD to HEAD a look at the midterm elections in 2012

Rocket Explodes from Unknown Cause An unmanned rocket carrying supplies for the International Space Station exploded during liftoff in Wallops Island, Virginia. The rocket was built by the Orbital Science Corporation and contracted

by NASA. The cause of the explosion has yet to be found.

“Space exploration, like anything, comes with risks and dangers and this just happens to be one of them”, said Senior Clara Ma. Ma is well informed about space exploration, having named the Mars Rover Curiosity and interned at

NASA over the summer. She is not concerned about the failed launch.

“The important thing is to figure out what exactly went wrong and to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

The explosion damaged the launchpad and may affect future missions. Although it is a setback, astronauts at the International Space Station will not be affected.

“This will definitely create a delay, but it isn’t something that is necessarily alarming as astronauts on ISS are still adequately equipped,” Ma said.

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TWO BILLION DOLLARS WAS SPENT ON ADVERTISING

Midterm Election Results Shows Republican Majority On November 4, the U.S. general election was held all across the nation. The Republicans clinched a majority of both the House and Senate, affecting the power the president has in his last 2 years in office.

“The Republican led senate will be able to get bills on Obama’s desk that have been sitting around in the senate for years.

I also hope that a GOP led senate would be able to pass the keystone pipeline as well as lower corporate tax rates,” junior Joe McLiney said. McLiney recently founded the Young Republicans Club with his fellow classmates to discuss political issues with like minded conservatives at East.

One of the most contested races was

between Independent Greg Orman and Republican Pat Roberts. They were both competing for a seat in the US Senate, representing Kansas. Roberts victory ended up clinching the Senate for the Republicans Republicans like McLiney saw the election as an opportunity for conservatives to have a bigger influence over the government and get legislation passed. “I think if Pat Roberts wins Kansas we will win the senate. I like Roberts, Yoder, and Brownback a lot. They all stand for smaller national government, lower taxes, and the second amendment which I think are all important for the country.”

Ottawa Shooting Causes Increase in US Security After a terror attack in Canada, in which a soldier was killed, the US announced enhanced security measures at government buildings nationwide. Middle-Eastern terror organizations have called for violence against law enforcement and military personnel. Airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria continue.

In a propaganda video, an Islamic State spokesman encouraged sympathizers to attack military personnel, “If you are not able to find an IED or a bullet, smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run him over with your car, or throw him down from a high place, or choke him, or poison him. If you are unable to do so, then burn his home, car or business.”

In addition to the Ottawa incident, there was an attack in Quebec on Oct. 20 in which a man ran over two soldiers, kill-

ing one. There was also an assault on two police officers Oct. 21 in New York City where a man wielded an axe, injuring two police officers.

The attackers are considered “lone wolves” acting alone as radicalized terrorist sympathizers. Nonetheless, security measures are being implemented to guard federal buildings.

At a press conference announcing the new measure, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Jed Johnson said, “The reasons for this action are self-evident: the continued public calls by terrorist organizations for attacks on the homeland and elsewhere, including against law enforcement and other government officials, and the acts of violence targeted at government personnel and installations in Canada and elsewhere recently.”

60%

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Photos of the Week Senior Max Sanborn dresses up as a cheerleader for the Halloween football game.

Juniors Ainsley Stern and Will Kost describe a Powderpuff play to Junior Maddie Mann.

Junior Tyler Armer ajusts his glasses while acting as speller William Barfee, an antisocial genius, during the fall musical, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

Knowing

4 news

the

Votes

As voter information becomes more available, Kansas residents discuss the pros and cons of their private information being public

written by John Foster

During the weeks leading up to the Nov. 4 election, residents all across America noticed campaigning from their local district candidates and state-wide candidates. This campaigning may have included phone calls, flyers and canvassing, walking doorto-door talking to voters. To help with their campaign, politicians all across the nation — including candidates in the Prairie Village area -- utilized a third-party program to access voting records.

One of these programs is called L2 VoterMapping and is located on votermapping. com, a subscription service that provides these records. From the website, political campaigners can then load this information into an app, called Ground Game, to help map out door-to-door canvassing.

Once logged in, the program gives a color-coded map of the state with colored points at each voter’s house. One can access every registered voter’s full name, birthday, age, address, party affiliation and number of elections each voter has voted in. The color varies based on each person’s party affiliation — red means Republican, blue means Democrat, purple is a Libertarian and white is nonpartisan. The program is useful because it allows a candidate to target households where they think they can get a vote.

The price for this program is split up between three categories: congressional district,

By the Numbers

$

Costs $90 for three months for the congressional district.

The county by county results of the 2014 Kansas gubernatorial election.

The winner was Republican Sam Brownback who had 49.96 percent of the votes.

single state and entire nation.

These prices range from $90 for three months access of a congressional district to $3,995 for one year access of the entire nation.

In the program, there is a place When he was voting on Nov. 4, he to search for specific names as well as a long thought back to the interaction he had with list of filters that can be placed on people. the candidate at his door. That is what KinSome of these filters include political party, ney thinks is the ultimate goal of door-togender, marital status, ethnicity, occupation, door campaigning. hobbies, interests, contributions to organiza“I appreciate [door-to-door interaction],” tions such as health care and estimated net he said. “Unless you live in a very small comworth. munity, I have found East parent J.D. it to be rare to know Kinney, father of elected officials even I liked the opportunity to meet the candi- at the city level, much senior Jimmy Kinney and sophomore date individually, although our conversation less at the state or Carolyn Kinney, was was brief and not about any particular issue national level. I liked approached by a or concern. -Kinney said the opportunity to candidate during the meet the candidate primary election in individually, although August campaigning our conversation was brief and not about any for re-election at his house on 71st St. particular issue or concern.” “[The candidate] noticed the SME yard Since Kinney recently moved to Kansas sign and asked how many kids I had in City from the Chicago area, the candidate school,” Kinney said. “[The candidate] want- may not have used the voting records proed me to know that [they] supported schools gram for him, but he feels uneasy about havas a Kansas state representative.” ing all of his information, including voting Kinney thinks that personal interaction records, available to anyone. between the candidate and the voter is one “I’m not in favor of [the program] since of the best ways to get a vote. He was only I believe very strongly that your vote is a approached by one candidate, and that was private thing and should remain so,” Kinney the only time someone came to his door. said. “An elected representative owes it to all

L2 Votermapping is refreshed with new data every 60 hours

Republican Democrat of their constituents to consider a variety of views and concerns and not just focus selectively on those with whom they agree.”

The East Young Republicans club, led by juniors Joe McLiney, Mark Ward, Baker Stradinger, Jack Johnson and Worth Blackman, used a similar program at one of their meetings. Club members made phone calls for Congressman Kevin Yoder’s office to help campaign for the Republican party in Kansas.

“All you can do is try to get people to go out and vote,” Ward said. “We used people’s phone numbers to call them and remind them to go vote.”

In this technology-driven world, with all of this information accessible to almost anyone who registers through the website, voting is becoming less of a private activity.

“Increasingly in the future, all interactions that we have, even those that we consider private, may be subject to collection and analysis, and possibly public and private scrutiny,” Kinney said. “In the case of voting, I would prefer that if my vote is to be counted and analyzed that it be done so without my name specifically attached to it, but that may be a vain hope.”

844,874 Kansans voted in the 2014 gubernatorial election

news 5

SPARKING

CONTROVERSY

New documents published by the Catholic Church on abortion, homosexuality and women in the Church creates controversy in the religious community written by Sean Overton

T

he Christian youth group K-Life holds meetings every Monday. On Nov. 3, the 23-year-old leader of the group, Kathryn Ellis, stands in front of a group of 40 kids. Tonight’s topic of discussion is the idea of Jesus being an advocate for change, not an accuser.

“We as Christians should not be quick to judge, we should not be the accusers, we should be open to people who struggle,” Ellis said to the group.

Tonight, K-Life is teaching acceptance of new ideas. The Catholic church has recently pushed similar ideas in efforts to keep this generation of kids practicing the Catholic faith.

A Georgetown University study states that, in the past 20 years, the number of people leaving the Church has gone from 17 million to 32 million.

Pope Francis has made efforts to modernize the church, including his use of social media sites like Twitter and, most recently, 12 documents discussing women involvement, abortion and homosexuality.

On Oct. 6, the Catholic Synod — a group of Catholic leaders and the Pope — created these 12 Vatican documents.

They meet each year and create documents, stating ideas for Catholic people.The Vatican explains the point is to raise new perspectives for people who practice the Catholic faith.

The documents are now subject to debate, and revision at an assembly with the Synod council.

Some of the documents have caused controversy throughout the Christian world, because they state ideas that have never been openly accepted in Church doctrine. In the past, abortion and homosexuality have been considered sin, but now these topics are more acceptable. Top Vatican watcher John Thavis, calls the Synod report “an earthquake” in a recent blog post.

One of the ideas the Pope published encouraged a more inclusive church for females and gay people. He wants to collaborate more with certain woman, priests and lay people. A lay person is someone who is not part of the clergy, but help with the church services.

“We need to create still broader opportunities for a more

inclusive female presence in the Church,” the document stated.

That could eventually lead to the inclusion of women in the priesthood.

Junior Becca Pfeifauf worries that the church wouldn’t be happy about breaking traditions.

“It doesn’t really affect me, but it’s kind of always been tradition for men to be priests,” Pfeifauf said.

Sophomore Holly Murfey supports the inclusion of women more into Church practice. She is Agnostic, which means she doesn’t believe in the existence of a God until proven otherwise.

“I think that they should be included more,” Murfey said.

“I know there are certain women pastors, but I think Catholic women should be allowed in on that, because we have come so far with women, and equality.”

There were also issues discussed in an earlier meeting with the Vatican’s Evangelii Gaudium -- whose primary mission is evangelization in the modern world. An issue it discusses is abortion.

“It is not ‘progressive’ to try to resolve problems by eliminating a human life. On the other hand, it is also true that we have done little to adequately accompany women in very difficult situations,” the Gaudium stated.

An example of difficult circumstances is someone who may have been raped, or are in extreme poverty.

Sophomore Eli McDonald has strong opinions on abortion. He was raised a Christian. His father worked for a church, and goes to church almost every Sunday. McDonald is opposed to abortion and the Church’s statement.

“If a woman is raped, I think it’d be best if they raised that child. If it’s a Christian woman it would be best to raise that child, and influence that child as much as she can,” McDonald said. “To bring them up so we can get more disciples to follow Jesus.”

Even though McDonald doesn’t support the new views, Pfeifauf, who is Catholic, agreed with the views on abortion.

“If a 16-year-old girl gets pregnant, I don’t think 16-year-

old girls want to have babies. Your religion can’t tell you everything you can and can’t do,” Pfeifauf said. “If you want to get an abortion, get an abortion.”

The documents state the Church must “turn respectfully” to couples who live together unmarried, or couples of the same gender. That the community should “appreciate the positive values” those unions may have. The Synod also noted that “gays have gifts and talents to offer to the Christian community.”

The topic that got many responses was the issue of homosexuals in the church. For sophomore Emily Kohring, who is a Christian and participates in K-Life, the statements above are something she doesn’t agree with.

“I personally know that the Bible says that men and women were created to get married,” Kohring said. “From my faith and my religion, I don’t think that it’s right. But I don’t think that I have a place to judge people. I guess that [same gender couples] could be in a relationship and practice the faith.”

Although she accepts their relationship, and participation in the church, Kohring still feels they shouldn’t be married through the church.

“I’m not supposed to judge, if thats who they think they are supposed to be, and how God created them,” Kohring said. “But traditionally I don’t think they should be married.”

Although Kohring wasn’t for gay marriage, McDonald supported the acceptance of gays in the church.

“We should accept all people whether you’re straight or gay. For gay marriage I honestly don’t care, because God will decide [if it’s wrong or right],” McDonald said. “It is not our right to decide if you’re going to Hell or Heaven. If you are gay and you follow Jesus and you worship him in the way he wants you to then it’s up for him to decide.”

Abortion, gay marriage and female participation within the church make up only a portion of the 12 documents. In the fall of 2015, a second meeting will be held to create documents that will conduct actual change in the church.

A SURVEY OF EAST

117 students at East responded to a survey over topics that were addresssed in the Catholic Church new documents Do you agree with the Pope’s How do you view statement about abortion and homosexuality today? birth control?

4% I am Against

Does your religion play a role in your views on homosexuality?

60% Not At All

20% Other

65% Fine With Me 10% Not Much

12% Somewhat

15% Very Much

9% I Disagree With It

15% Disagree 8% Strongly Disagree

43% Agree

27% Strongly Agree

6 news

PAKISTANI TEEN WINS NOBEL PEACE PRIZE Malala Yousafzai inspires students around the globe and at East written by Sophie Storbeck photo courtesy of MCT Campus

M

MALALA

YOUSAFZAI

alala Yousafzai was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman on Oct. 9, 2012 for advocating forwomen and girls’ right to education in Pakistan. The 15-year-old was airlifted and given medical treatment before making a full recovery. This year, at 17, Malala became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Within East, she’s inspired staff and students alike to rethink their views on education and injustice.

Malala won the award because of her work promoting equal education and fighting against the suppression of young people.

Her story is inspiring people like teacher David Muhammad. Ziauddin Yousafzai, Malala’s father, taught his daughter to stand up against injustice and to stand up for her rights. This message encouraged Muhammad to make sure his daughter, Aria, is raised to be strong and able to speak her mind as well.

“I’ll look at him as a perfect example,” Muhammad said. “lf it wasn’t for him she wouldn’t have felt as willing to step out and speak the way she did.”

As for Malala herself, Muhammad says that he found it was most impressive that she knew she was being targeted by the Taliban.

She knew how much danger she was in, but she kept speaking out.

Malala is also changing staff and students’ views on school and education.

Sophomore Miranda Baggett has been following Malala’s struggle since she her mom showed her a news story about the Pakistani teenager. She said that when she’s up past midnight surrounded by chemistry worksheets and notes, trying to cram information about the electromagnetic spectrum

into her head, she thinks of Malala.

“It definitely makes me feel like I should try harder because I’m put into school while some girls really, really want to go to school and learn,” Baggett said.

Being a teacher, Muhammad has strong views on the effect of education.

“When you educate someone it has so much power that it puts fear into people who want to keep control, like the Taliban,” Muhammad said. “When you give someone education, you give them power.”

Malala recently published “I Am Malala,” a book about her fight for education. “[While I was reading it] I realized how good we have it here where we live,” Senior Lara Hellenbrand said.

Malala inspired the Malala Fund, which raises money to help girls get an education, she thinks that this is important, but in the future she wants to become a politician.

“The important thing is that the government must make education compulsory for every child. And they must build schools,” Malala told Diane Sawyer in an interview.

The assassination attempt inspired protests and raised awareness, causing more than 2 million people to sign the Right to Education campaign, which lead to the ratification of Pakistan’s first right to education bill.

Malala has gotten people to push for change outside of Pakistan. She’s inspired people from around the world to stand up for their rights and to fight for those who can’t.

“I have to be an advocate for change,” Muhammad said. “It’s going to take physical proof and part of that is the way I treat my daughter and the way I treat my mother or my wife or female students.”

LANCER VOICE

EMMA MATTHEWS I read “I Am Malala” when it first came out, before I knew who she was. Now, she is my idol and I just love her so much. I think she is such an inspiration to a lot of people because she stood up for herself and for women around the world, even though speaking out is something that isn’t acceptable in her culture.

PRINTING

news 7

NEW PROCEDURES Due to changes in district policy, adults volunteering at schools must be trained and pass a background check, including fingerprint checks

photo illustration by Annie Savage

written by Daniel Rinner

T

Steps to Getting Certified The process of becomming a district approved volunteer, according to the new pollicy

1.

Online Application: Provide contact

2.

Training Session: Attend a training session covering appropriate conduct with students. Sessions generally last 30 minutes and take place either at a Shawnee Mission school or the McEachen Administrative Center. The next session is on Nov. 18 at 5:30 p.m. in the library

3.

Fingerprint Scan: Provide a finger-

information, references, volunteering interests and sign the applicant agreement on a form available through the SMSD website.

print scan at the McEachen Administrative Center, located near 73rd Street and Antioch Road. The scan takes 10-15 minutes.

Schools receive results on the background check around two weeks later.

hirty-two parents arrived at the East library on Oct. 29. Two hours before game seven of the World Series, they were attending a training course in order to comply with new Shawnee Mission School District rules for school volunteers.

All but a few parents in the room had volunteered in Shawnee Mission classrooms before.

Under new policies, district volunteers must complete an online application, training session and fingerprint background check to be considered safe for student interaction without staff supervision.

Policies will impact many of East’s programs. The school uses outside volunteers to chaperone band trips, tutor students, assist in the library and help in other areas.

“There aren’t many buildings of this size that don’t rely heavily on parent and community volunteers,” Principal John McKinney said.

Oct. 29 was the first training session East held. Associate Superintendent of Communication Leigh Anne Neil answered questions from parents about which volunteer positions required screening and how new policies would be enforced.

Before the changes, most volunteers were only required to sign in with the school’s office upon arrival.

Now, each school will have a list of people who have passed the screening process and a binder for volunteers to sign in and track activity in the building.

Although many parents at the meeting believed anyone who worked with students required screening, Neil said that background checks are intended to target parents who may be in contact with a Shawnee Mission student without staff supervision.

For example, a parent visiting an elementary school to help set up a class party does not require screening. A volunteer leading a group of students on a field trip does.

Senior parent and band booster president Margy Ronning has volunteered in the district for more than 10 years, but was required to pass the background check under new rules. Ronning first heard about the changes through a PV Post article on Oct. 16.

“You never know when you are going to run

into someone that doesn’t have a good background and wants to cause harm,” Ronning said. “They’re just trying to be safe.”

No specific incident prompted the change.

Specific volunteer programs have required different background checks in the past. The district is implementing the reforms to make screening consistent for all volunteer positions.

For a volunteer to be cleared by the district, they must fill out an online application form with general contact information and provide references. The district then requires every volunteer to attend one 30 minute training session.

The two opportunities East has hosted for volunteers to attend training sessions were on Oct. 29 and 30 in the library. The next session is on Nov. 18 in the library at 5:30 p.m.

The final step to screening is a background check and fingerprint scan, which generally takes less than 15 minutes to complete at the McEachen Administrative Center.

It takes about two weeks from the time a volunteer provides a fingerprint scan for a school’s office to receive the name of an individual who has passed the background check. When the policies were announced, some parents worried that they would not be cleared in time for Halloween events.

“I think the most difficult thing is that it came so suddenly.” Ronning said.

“If you don’t go through the training, probably at some point the district will say you can’t participate. It’s going to take some time until all these people can get trained.”

Parents and other volunteers who could not be screened in time for Halloween activities, mostly in elementary schools, were allowed to participate.

A volunteer has to repeat the process every five years to remain cleared by the district.

Schools are still working to get all of their current personnel screened and to put measures in place so that new volunteers throughout the year can get trained.

“Next year’s volunteer process will look different and maybe a little bit more efficient,” McKinney said. “As new parents come up and want to volunteer, we’ll make sure they get the training they need.”

You never know when you are going to run into someone that doesn’t have a good background and wants to cause harm. -Margy Ronning parent volunteer

NOV. 18 5:30 P.M.

BANK T S I E HBLUNDER

8 news

Two convicts arrested after armed bank robbery in Overland Park photos from The Kansas City Star written by Will Clough

T

wo men were arrested after they attempted to rob the Bank of America on the southwest corner of 95th Street and Mission Road. Police arrived on scene after receiving a 911 call on Wednesday, Oct. 29 from outside the bank, according to the Overland Park Police Department Public Information Officer Gary Mason.

By the time police had arrived at the bank, people began to crowd around to watch the scene. Among them was senior Catherine Sabates. She viewed the event from the gas station parking lot across the street.

“I was just driving past,” Sabates said. “I was going to go run some errands and cash a check and I pulled up and there were a ton of police outside.”

Sabates, a customer of the bank, arrived shortly after the suspects had been taken into custody. She did not see the arrest take place, but witnessed the disturbances occurring in the Ranchmart area. According to Sabates, road barricades were set up at both Mission Road and 95th Street temporarily blocking traffic.

According to court records filed Thursday, Oct. 30, Steven Allen Watts and Clifton B. Cloyd entered the bank at

Steven Watts

Crimes: Second-degree murder, multiple bank robberies, drug dealing

4:56 p.m. Wednesday evening. Both men were armed with handguns. They ordered the employees and customers inside the bank to the floor and moved them towards the vault.

Shortly after the heist began, a witness outside the bank used their phone to dial 911. After receiving the call, police arrived near 5 p.m.

Due to the location of the bank, several police departments assisted. While the bank is actually located in Overland Park, both the Leawood and Prairie Village departments played a key role in the arrest, according to Officer Mason.

“I want to stress the communication and the effort by the other agencies besides ours that helped take these guys into custody without having anybody get [seriously] hurt,” Officer Mason said.

Police were armed with rifles and handguns, and set up a perimeter around the bank. According to a witness, the police were accompanied by FBI and SWAT units, along with several ambulances and a fire truck.

“There were a ton of cops, and there was so many people standing around too.” Jacob Bossing, an employee of the Circle K gas station located across the street from the bank, said . “This entire area was just full of people.”

Bossing was the only one working Wednesday evening, and watched the event unfold from inside the convenience store. While he is glad that nobody was seriously harmed in the robbery, he does feel that it helped to remind people that safety is not always a guarantee.

“A lot of people didn’t take it nearly as serious as they should’ve,” Bossing said. “A bank robbery is a very serious thing.”

Shortly after the police arrived, the men exited the building. Cloyd was quickly taken into custody in the bank parking lot, while Watts ran. He crossed the street to the northeast corner of the intersection. Police caught up to him in the McDonald’s parking lot and arrested him.

With the robbery occurring in such a highly-populated suburban area, many people could have been at risk. However, Sabates said she did not feel concerned about her safety after witnessing this event.

“I feel like anything can happen anywhere,” Sabates said. “It’s just where you are and the time you’re there. The chances that that could happen to me in this area are pretty slim, so I don’t feel worried or anything.”

While the robbery was potentially dan-

Clifton Cloyd

Crimes: Burglary, robbery, drug possession, possession of an illegal firearm gerous, Officer Mason does not believe that this reflects poorly on the safety of the Overland Park and surrounding area. A heightened sense of caution may result in the following days of the robbery, but he does not feel that the area will see a substantial increase in overall security.

“I don’t think the answer is to increase patrols because banks are robbed no matter what, and you can’t predict when [it will happen],” Officer Mason said. “A bank is robbed because it’s a bank and not because it’s a bad area.”

Mason feels that the best thing to do during a robbery like this is to be prepared with safety procedures and protocols. Bank of America Corporate Liaison Diane Wagner had similar thoughts.

“We have strict security standards that we follow,” Wagoner said. “I think that when an accident like this happens, there’s opportunities to see how we can have prevent it.”

The money stolen has been returned to the bank and only two witnesses involved were injured. They were sent to a nearby hospital and received medical attention.

A trial will soon be held to determine the sentences of both Watts and Cloyd.

9

A forgotten

beat

N

Students should take a second to listen to the multitalented marching band opinion by Elaine Chamberlain

ext time you go to a Tuesday night basketball game, I want you to stop and listen. I want you to think about the group of kids in the band who aren’t there of their own accord, who instead are obligated to come and “support the team.”

You could listen to us play, and maybe you would think, Whoa...they’re pretty good. And maybe when our next concert rolls around, you can ignore homework for an hour (instead of the two it takes for basketball) and come see us perform.

Because trust me — yeah, we’re pretty good.

We’re better than you would think hearing us drowned out by whistles and chatter at basketball games, or seeing how few people give us a second glance as we march off the football field after a halftime performance.

I doubt you’ve listened to us play “Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That” or “Land of 1000 Dances” for the twelfth time that week, let alone come to a concert. But maybe next time, instead of checking your phone or wandering off to get concessions during a time-out, you could stop and listen. And maybe it would make you want to see one of our concerts.

I wish that after playing clarinet for seven years, and being a member of five school bands and an orchestra, I wouldn’t mind the fact that no one comes to watch us. I love every other aspect of band; I love the music and I love the people.

And that’s why I’m twice as sad when I look out at the 40 people that show up to our concerts, who look like less because of all the empty seats around them. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful they came.

But all I can think is how disappointed I am when I look out from the brightness of the stage into the dark and overwhelmingly empty auditorium.

According to the district website, over $200,000 more is spent annually on fine arts than on athletics. Does that seem backwards to you? Then maybe you can make those expenditures worthwhile by coming to the occasional concert.

If students aren’t interested in the arts programs, what’s to stop the district from cutting from that budget? In 2013, East’s lower jazz band was almost cut due to budget strains, and it was only through the efforts of the band students that we were able to keep it.

Just looking at the countless trophies in the music rooms and display cases is enough to prove all the fine arts here at East are excellent: theater, painting, ceramics, choir (which is particularly impressive to me, considering my singing voice has been compared to a dying cow). Last year I was lucky enough to be one of the two clarinetists in what is quite possibly one of the best high school orchestras in the state. I didn’t make it this year, but I hope when I come to see their concerts that I see more people than I did when I was part of it, which was not very many.

Then there’s band. The end of summer kicks

I wish that after playing clarinet for seven years, and being a member of five school bands and an orchestra, I wouldn’t mind the fact that no one comes to watch us. off marching season, and even though everyone has to wear wool uniforms that are tight in all the wrong places and silver plumes that smell like rotten milk, what we present on the field is impressive enough to win us top ratings at both our festivals this fall. So you’d think it would be enough to impress the student body.

But apparently it’s not.

Most people have no idea about the jazz bands that have won national awards, the symphonic band that has a history of superior ratings at festival, the ridiculously elite district and state bands that people work their butts off trying to get into.

There are some outstanding musicians at this school, and honestly, I don’t think enough people

photo iillustration by Morgan Browning appreciate it.

The only parts of band people really see are marching and pep, which basically exist to hype up the student section and the team. But for some reason when football and basketball players are interviewed, they always credit the student section with motivating them to win, not the spirit squads and the band who come to every game and support them.

I wasn’t the only one who, at the sub-state football game last year, had to go sit on the floor of the bathroom after halftime rubbing feeling back into my white fingers and toes, since having them turn black and fall off would be a slight inconvenience.

Yes, that is exaggerated, and I know the cheerleaders were probably worse off, but in short I was very, very cold.

And what was it all for if the students are paying no attention to us anyway? We put a lot of effort into our show, and bear in mind no one does band because they have to. We do it because we enjoy it, and it makes us not want to try as hard if no one is watching. I get that we do the same show at every game, and maybe seeing it a couple times is enough, but there are other components to band than just marching.

So next time you hear about an upcoming performance, come. All the music programs are delightful to watch. And to say it’s not a waste of time would be an understatement, since I can’t think of a better way to spend an hour on a Tuesday night than seeing your peers perform. Because they are good at what they do, just like the football team.

It’s worth it to stand against the wall to hear the choir sing; it’s worth it to miss an hour of liking Instagram posts to see the annual musical. And it’s worth it to see that there is more to band than the “geeks” in tall hats sitting in the stands, playing “Land of 1000 Dances.”

10 columns

AN

UNWANTEDGIFT Being called “gifted” from a young age creates unrealistic expectations and skewed priorities

I

pressed the refresh arrow at the top of the actscores.com page over and over again, hoping that maybe things would change if I just kept re-opening the window. How could my score have gone down? How could I have gotten a subscore of 22 on opinion by Sophie Tulp math? The private tutoring, time and money didn’t improve my score on a test that was supposed to measure just basic skills.

I was supposed to be a “gifted” student, but the third time was not the charm for me. Gifted students don’t score below 30 on their third ACT. I didn’t feel like the smart kid people always pegged me to be. I hadn’t felt like that since freshman year.

All my life, friends, parents and teachers have told me I was bright. I was smart. I was “gifted.” I mastered the alphabet early into preschool. I was always in the advanced group when we read paperback books in Kindergarten. All throughout elementary and middle school getting A’s was like breathing to me.

I started off in Enhanced Learning in elementary school, then SEEK (Students Examining and Experiencing Knowledge) in middle school, then on to “Gifted” at East, I followed the special education program the district offered for advanced learners like me. When I was seven years old, someone stuck me on a conveyor belt, stamped my forehead with the word “gifted,” and moved me along the line.

And I cursed that stupid label as I sat there refreshing my ACT score, over and over again last month. Tears welled in my eyes as I pictured scholarship money diminishing, and doors to elite schools closing when they saw my results.

That label I was given when I was seven haunts me still today.

I don’t feel gifted. Sure, I feel intelligent, but nothing special.

Many of those “regular” classmates from elementary and middle school have surpassed me in high school.

But my problem is a lasting one. The gifted and talented system I entered into in second grade made me believe I was some kind of child genius. But when I was set up for greatness in the second grade, there’s only so far up I could go before I peaked and fell back down.

I’m not in the top 10 percent of my class, I don’t have a 4.5 GPA and I didn’t even break 30 on my ACT. But my standards are still impossibly high. I may not be one of the smartest kids anymore, but its not in my nature to accept failure, or even average.

I only want to excel, and I have learned time and time again that sometimes it just isn’t possible. Sometimes, my best work is not A work, but C work, and thats all I can hope for. Sometimes, I just cannot wrap my head around how to solve a quadratic equation or how to balance a reaction in chemistry.

These “failures” as I referred to them by my standards were

not actually failures at all, but problems with my mindset. Problems that stemmed from teachers, parents and friends all telling me I was “smart,” and me never knowing why I was smart. What made me smart? I always thought it was the test scores. The 95s and 100s. Thats what I always measured my intelligence with.

I equated the letter grade or percentage with intelligence rather than the process and learnings I gained from the assignments. This false ideal has only held me back.

It’s caused me endless bouts of anxiety and stress. It’s caused me to be a person that sometimes I’m not proud of: an overly intense, overly hard-on-herself person, not characteristic of your normal 17-year-old. Let’s face it, when I began drinking coffee in the 7th grade, that should have been a red flag.

Researchers at Columbia University found that children who are praised for their intelligence -- rather than what they actually did to seem intelligent -- were more likely to be overly-focused on results. Like me, they only see the big red grade mark, and not the skills they are learning, or even the material they are being tested over.

These children were praised for their intelligence, rather than their effort. If they did fail at an activity, these children persisted less, were more prone to quit and enjoy the task less after that point. These children attributed their failure to inability, which they believed they could not change, and in turn performed poorly in the future.

The conclusion of the study showed that these children equated failure with stupidity. I was one of those children.

If a grade wasn’t an A or B, it was an F in my mind. I would immediately get back an essay and look for the points and the letter grade. I needed the validation that I did something right, rather than focusing on the carefully-scrawled commentary by my teacher in the margins.

I would obsessively ask for grade print-outs from teachers, and not ask for help on the material. Why? Because I was resultdriven. I was just like those kids in the study. I always thought I was smart was because I got As, because I was taking classes like SEEK and EL, not because of creative ability or the way I was able to make connections or analyze things.

It’s taken me over 10 years of formal schooling to finally realize my major fault. It may be my senior year, and the grades I agonized over for three years might be water under the bridge now. Even with half of my applications sealed and sent out to college, it is never too late for personal growth.

I may not fit the “gifted” mold I was told that I was when I was seven, but after sending that ACT score out to all my schools, I realized it didn’t matter. What did matter in the end was the learning, the commentary and the criticism. Not the percentages -- not what I’d conditioned to believe were the true markers of my intelligence.

photo illustration by Abby Blake

C Band

columns 11

of

opinion by Tommy Sherk

U

Runners

tter horror surrounds me. I see fallen comrades writhe in the mud while others spew their morning’s breakfast over the dense foliage. I begin to wonder if what I am seeing is just a falsehood created by my oxygen-deprived brain, but this is no time to wonder. I must do as I have trained -- keep my eyes forward and trudge on through the fog. I must finish the race.

The most commonly told tale is the one of the varsity cross country runner. As it should be; they train rigorously, and finish their races many minutes faster than the rest of us. But the races they run are far from the same as ours. We, who do not kill ourselves during practice, who do not have the God-given talent and who just want to finish the damned race, have an entirely different story. This is the lament and recognition of the C-team runner.

Us C-teamers view the running world through different eyes. Practice is a harsh boot camp that is intended to prepare us for war, commonly known as a “race”-- a name that doesn’t truly express the drudgery that takes place. The simple-minded spectator would argue that a runner must train hard so that they don’t suffer in the race. But the C-teamers have an entirely different agenda.

We have recognized the fact that we are not the varsity marines, but the basic foot soldiers of the team. Our primary goal of practice is not to train our bodies, but our minds. Usually, we are ordered to run a route, which we then creatively alter to aid us. Sometimes, we take scenic nature paths to explore the beauty of the city, run through the creeks to admire the aquatic wildlife, or even dart our way through trees, buildings and side streets to hone our stealth skills. If this in any way coincidentally shortens the route, so be it. We are the kings of the city, learning its every hidden path and landmark.

Every run, no matter the length, is an adventure of its own. And if anything is created from one of these adventures, it’s the enduring brotherhood between us

photo illustration by Annie Savage and Audrey Danciger

C-teamers. This sacred bond is carried not only on the roads, but back in the halls of East. Of course not all of us know each other’s names, but when eye contact is made, like battered war veterans, we can see the mutual strife we have shared. In this way, we are strong.

But our mental workouts are not enough to get us to that divine finish line. We must have wise leaders, toughened by years of running, to aid us along the way.

Head Coach General Tricia Beaham is the strong-handed guiding force that realigns us when we stray too far from the path. Coach and Field Medic David Pennington is at our side with medical advice for our various -- and sometimes fictional -- injuries. Corporal Meschke provides running technique (it’s a lot more complicated than left-foot right-foot.) Then Lieutenant Amanda Besler, along with her athletic expertise, is there for us C-team runners to remind us of the beautiful women we fight for. Finally, Sergeant Michael Chaffee, barking in incomprehensible Russian, provides us with the image of the true running veteran that all runners strive to become.

Alas, nothing can prepare the C-team runner for race day. If Sunday is the Lord’s Day, then Saturday is the Devil’s Day--the day I watch my brothers writhe in the mud. On this day we glorify the marine varsity runners, who are actually able to run a 5K with an intent of achieving their set time goal. Yet, no war can be won with just marines. That is why us foot soldiers must run, too.

I have seen what pre-race nervousness has done to men. Some, not mentally strong enough, gorge themselves with delicacies on the snack table. I later see them during the race, crying as they see the delicacies again, in the mud. Others succumb to the stress, so they suddenly get “injured.” All their worry is caused by the fear of the sound that haunts them -- the sound of the gunshot that signals the start of the race.

BANG

The moment of reckoning has begun. The sound, like the dropping of a bomb, has shell-shocked us. This is where we are supposed to be “finding our pace,” but this is really where we begin to drown in the impending wave of dread. We are panicked and running as fast as we can, like men bridging the gap between trenches. We are constantly being shot at. Photographers lurk behind every corner, cruelly memorializing our worst moments.

People cheer, but after the first mile, we can’t hear anything but the tortuous sounds of runners suffering around us. Demons try to grab hold of our minds, making us think of the morphine-like water that could wet our crusted lips and throats. They make us consider the bittersweet consequences of twisting our own ankle or hurling ourselves off the upcoming bridge. But we Cteamers do not succumb to wishes of demons. We may not be able to feel our legs, but our mental goal of finishing and preserving our honor remain in tact.

As I approached the finish at Rim Rock Farm, our last race of the year, I experienced something that can only be defined as a religious experience. I was not controlling my body, I was only bathing in the sweet light of the holy finish line. It did not signify the end of a race, but the end of the season. I finished and drank the morphine water. I would finally be able to rest my body -- for months on end.

It has been almost a month since the 2014 season has ended, and I have not run a single step. I’m betting most of my comrades could say the same. Yet, in our off season, we are not completely separated from cross country. Some of us continue to hear that dread-inducing BANG when a classmate drops a book, while others suddenly feel the agony of shin splints every time they see Sergeant Chaffee in the hallway. Yet, when I lock eyes with my teammates, I see past the pain of battle-- I see the comrade who finished the race alive, by my side.

Until next year, boys.

12 columns Autism costs a family

$60,000 per year

Impacted By

Autism

By the age of 3 children will be diagnosed with autism

1 in 68 children are

diagnosed with Autism

opinion by Kylie Schultz

What life is like having a brother with Autism

I

closed my eyes and counted to saur chair at Lee Ann Britain, a school 10. Deep breaths. In front of me for infants with special needs while was a scraggly white dog that I’d my mom checked out my brother. never seen before. Behind it stood my I can’t say my childhood was norbrother, giving me a guilty look. Our mal. It was laced with instances of own dog, Huey, was nowhere to be Jackson telling the first guy I liked found. that I was his girlfriend, and hundreds “Jackson, where’s Huey?” I asked of temper tantrums, which usually him. ended with him repeatedly banging He gave me a sheepish shrug. his head on the floor. I’ve had to grow “Jackson. Where is Huey?” up at an insanely young age to keep Huey was trapped in our neighbor’s up with all of this. It’s almost like I’m backyard. My brother had decided that the hideous, scraggly menace in front of me had been lonely, so he’d taken it from its yard and re- I don’t regret having Jackson as placed it with our pug. He thought my brother in the slightest. He has made me a better person in so many the neighbors wouldn’t notice.

I spent the next hour and 30 different ways. minutes of my day assessing how to switch the two dogs back. It took a lot of willpower not to just shove his third parent, driving him to and him over the fence with my dog and from school and helping him tie his leave it up to my parents. But that’s the shoes after frisbee practice on Thursthing. This stuff happens all the time, days. and sometimes you just have to suck Jackson still believes in the tooth it up and do the dirty work yourself. fairy. On Christmas Eve, he’ll get inThat’s just the way it is when you have credibly angry at me if I stay up too a brother with autism. late in fear that Santa won’t come. I I’m more responsible and patient feel this massive urge to protect him, than a lot of other kids my age. My and the innocence that he still has problem-solving skills are constantly inside him. Whenever kids at school reaching new peaks. I’ve learned from try to take advantage of him, whether a young age that it’s never going to be trying to get him to say inappropriate all about me. things or convincing him that there’s Autism is a mental disability that an alligator that lives inside the Shawhinders fine motor skills, and makes nee Mission East pool, it makes me utsimple tasks like reading and writing terly furious. extremely difficult. Jackson was diagHe’s just a person. Why can’t you nosed with it when I was five. While treat him like one? other girls played with their Barbie These little things may seem like dolls, I attended countless Special a burden to other people, but not to Olympics basketball games. While me. I don’t regret having Jackson as they painted pictures, I sat in the dino- my brother in the slightest. He has

made me a better person in so many different ways. With him around, I’ve learned things in 15 years that take others a lifetime to perfect. I’m much more open to others now, and he always drives me to do my best.

He’s the jock, and I’m the nerd: that’s sort of the unspoken consensus.

I put a lot of pressure on myself to be perfect where he falls back, which is in the realm of grades. I’ve always tried to be on the honor roll, and I seem to get more satisfaction in finishing my outside reading book for English than going out to a movie with my friends.

It seems that I’m making up for the both of us sometimes. * * * It’s 6:30 on a Wednesday night.

I’m sitting in the middle of a baseball field, picking at my blue nail polish.

Ninety feet away, my brother steps up to bat. He squats down and narrows his eyes. My dad pitches. Jackson misses the first pitch, and the second.

The third pitch my dad sends his direction, we hear the solid clink of baseball against metal. It’s a single. Jackson sprints to first base. He pauses, looks around, and continues to second. One minute later, all of the outfielders are laughing. My brother turned a base hit into a home run.

That’s the final thing Jackson has taught me: not to take life so seriously.

Yeah, he steals dogs, and tattles to my fourth grade crushes, and blatantly cheats in baseball. But in doing all of that, he’s living his life to the fullest.

And I think we could all learn a little something from that.

Boys are 5 times more likely to have Autism than girls Information from autismspeaks.org

photo illustration by Abby Hans

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feature 15

written by Hannah Coleman photos by Annika Sink

As junior Christine Rosa trains for horseback riding showmanship competitions, she shares little moments with her horse, Amos

W

hack.

Two steps forward, two steps back.

“Whoa Amos, whoa.”

Junior Christine Rosa hit her nine-yearold, 15 hands-tall chestnut quarter horse whose show name is “Big and Famous” with the bridle. His shoulder was out of line again. For Christine, showmanship practice with Amos isn’t the easiest task, especially because of Amos’s young age and lack of show experience.

“Don’t be afraid to whack him again if he does that!” shouted her trainer Stephanie McAlexander.

She took the bridle in her hand again.

Quickly turning in a clockwise motion, Amos followed her steps, his hooves scuffled in the chocolate powdery dirt, puffing up in plumes behind them as they both moved in unison.

After turning a full 360 degrees, Christine stopped and stood still next to Amos on his left shoulder, his front legs coming to a complete halt behind her. Christine didn’t even look back. She needed to learn to trust him to do what he was told. To follow her exact movement. To be precise, flawless and in-line with her own body.

This is showmanship practice, where Christine works with Amos and her trainer

in preparation for competitions later this month.

The trainers were getting the riders to master the concept of touch and feel.

Christine knew the feeling all-too well, and her trainer, Ann Shaffer, knew Christine was advanced in knowing how to feel her horse.

“It’s all about horse and rider, and how they fit together,” Shaffer said. “Christine is advanced enough, she’s doing it all with one hand. Horses can feel a fly. So any movement with your body tells that horse to do something, it gives them a command.”

Whenever she does a showmanship competition, Christine knows that fluidity and precision are key, especially if she is showing Amos in competitions such as the Congress in Columbus, Ohio and even bigger ones such as the AQHYA World Show.

Making gentle kissing noises at him, Christine prepared to back him up in a quick, swift motion. Standing completely still in front of Amos, she looked at him straight in the eye, girdle in hand. With a determined stride, she thrust her front foot forward and began gliding ahead, Amos backing up quickly to match her pace.

And as soon as Christine stopped, Amos came to an easy halt, standing astute in front of her. Christine, still expressionless and serious, turned to face her imaginary judges once again, waiting for Amos to be in his “set” position; legs shoulder-width apart, and in a completely vertical position.

The only sounds left to fill the vast space

left

Christine getting her horse, Amos, ready to do showmanship training

of the barn in the riding arena were soft clicking sounds from the nine other riders gently urging their horses to perform their tasks. There was constant rhythmic squeaking coming from the saddles and horses huffing loudly, their white breath visible, protesting their difficult new exercises.

After finishing showmanship practice, Christine took Amos to brush him down and take off his equipment. Tying his bridle to opposite ends of the little dressing room, she gently took off the saddle as Amos nodded his head up and down, whinnying softly. Coming to his side, she took his head and leaned against him, stroking him and crooning soft whisperings into his ear.

Brushing off her heavily faded not so bluejeans and wiping off her sweatshirt, Christine looked at Amos knowingly.

They both know they did well. Amos was tired, they both had worked three times that week in preparation for their second competition that month. And Christine has confidence. Every interaction that she and Amos share is a further advancement in their relationship. Another touch equals one better 360 turn, or one better step forward, another one back.

For Christine, there is not a moment wasted in her chilly barn, the one with the 14 barn cats and the whinnying horses, and the huffing of their deep breaths, making her barn her own cloudy, serene sanctuary.

below

Christine practices with her horse, Amos, three times a week to get ready for competitions

Spread 17

16 Spread

Fall Festivities

on

written by Anna Dierks

CHLOE AZORSKY Netflix Enthusiast

HAYLEY LYNCH Thanksgiving Mishaps

ANTHONY SIMECA Facial Hair Expert

SAM POTTENGER Football Player

What Netflix show will you be watching this Thanksgiving break?

What is the most memorable thing thats happened at your Thanksgiving dinner?

How do you feel about No Shave November?

What will be your biggest challenges this post-season?

“

I’m a big Jayhawk fan and I think they have a good chance of going all the way this year. My favorite player is Jamari Traylor because he’s really good. There’s a ton of new, talented freshman so I’m excited for this season.

What are your favorite fall fashion trends this year?

“

Oh gosh, the ultimate question. I love a lot of the furs, the faux furs really. I also really like the animal prints.

“

What teams do you think will do well this basketball season?

What are you most thankful for this Thanksgiving?

“

I am most thankful for the stage of life I am in because it is kind of an in-between stage of high school and college.

We’re all about to go to college, but still in high school. I am thankful for that because the responsibilities are a little bit less this year. I’ve been able to support the soccer team more this year and go to more football games and even go to some Frequent Friday shows which is something I’ve never done.

So I think the senior class has embraced the awkwardness of this time and are making the best of that situation. So I am thankful for that.

“

The basketball Fanatic

KATIE FAUGHT Coffee Addict

What are your favorite seasonal Starbucks drinks?

“

I’m not a huge fan of the pumpkin spice latte, but I love the peppermint mocha. It is so exciting that the drinks are back in stores because we have to wait all year for them.

“

“

MAC LARKIN Fashionista

SYDNEY BAHR The Thankful One

“

Our biggest game this year will most likely be the sub-state game. It’ll probably be against either Blue Valley or Olathe North and they’re looking pretty good. Our biggest weakness has got to be the strength of our schedule. We’ve played some solid teams but no none as good as anyone we’ll face in the later playoff games. For these next four weeks, we’re really going to block out distractions and just focus on winning games.

“

“

“

TOMMY KERR

“

So a couple of years ago we were at Thanksgiving dinner with all my family. My little cousin, who was about 6-yearsold at the time, really liked the chocolate fountain. So a couple hours into the night she decided to stick her entire head under the fountain. She was covered with chocolate the entire night and her dress was ruined.

“

“

This Thanksgiving break I’ll be watching Mad Men on Netflix, I’ve started it already and it’s amazing. Recently I’ve been watched It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia which is super funny. I’ve also watched Lost.

I always watch Netflix when getting ready for dance so it’s super easy to go through the seasons quickly.

I think “No Shave November” is a good way to spread cancer awareness. My mother was diagnosed with cancer about four years ago so it’s definitely a personal cause.

So yeah, it’s great for supporting cancer patients while being lazy for a month and not worrying about shaving.

“

Spread 17

16 Spread

Fall Festivities

on

written by Anna Dierks

CHLOE AZORSKY Netflix Enthusiast

HAYLEY LYNCH Thanksgiving Mishaps

ANTHONY SIMECA Facial Hair Expert

SAM POTTENGER Football Player

What Netflix show will you be watching this Thanksgiving break?

What is the most memorable thing thats happened at your Thanksgiving dinner?

How do you feel about No Shave November?

What will be your biggest challenges this post-season?

“

I’m a big Jayhawk fan and I think they have a good chance of going all the way this year. My favorite player is Jamari Traylor because he’s really good. There’s a ton of new, talented freshman so I’m excited for this season.

What are your favorite fall fashion trends this year?

“

Oh gosh, the ultimate question. I love a lot of the furs, the faux furs really. I also really like the animal prints.

“

What teams do you think will do well this basketball season?

What are you most thankful for this Thanksgiving?

“

I am most thankful for the stage of life I am in because it is kind of an in-between stage of high school and college.

We’re all about to go to college, but still in high school. I am thankful for that because the responsibilities are a little bit less this year. I’ve been able to support the soccer team more this year and go to more football games and even go to some Frequent Friday shows which is something I’ve never done.

So I think the senior class has embraced the awkwardness of this time and are making the best of that situation. So I am thankful for that.

“

The basketball Fanatic

KATIE FAUGHT Coffee Addict

What are your favorite seasonal Starbucks drinks?

“

I’m not a huge fan of the pumpkin spice latte, but I love the peppermint mocha. It is so exciting that the drinks are back in stores because we have to wait all year for them.

“

“

MAC LARKIN Fashionista

SYDNEY BAHR The Thankful One

“

Our biggest game this year will most likely be the sub-state game. It’ll probably be against either Blue Valley or Olathe North and they’re looking pretty good. Our biggest weakness has got to be the strength of our schedule. We’ve played some solid teams but no none as good as anyone we’ll face in the later playoff games. For these next four weeks, we’re really going to block out distractions and just focus on winning games.

“

“

“

TOMMY KERR

“

So a couple of years ago we were at Thanksgiving dinner with all my family. My little cousin, who was about 6-yearsold at the time, really liked the chocolate fountain. So a couple hours into the night she decided to stick her entire head under the fountain. She was covered with chocolate the entire night and her dress was ruined.

“

“

This Thanksgiving break I’ll be watching Mad Men on Netflix, I’ve started it already and it’s amazing. Recently I’ve been watched It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia which is super funny. I’ve also watched Lost.

I always watch Netflix when getting ready for dance so it’s super easy to go through the seasons quickly.

I think “No Shave November” is a good way to spread cancer awareness. My mother was diagnosed with cancer about four years ago so it’s definitely a personal cause.

So yeah, it’s great for supporting cancer patients while being lazy for a month and not worrying about shaving.

“

Shawnee Mission Girls Lacrosse Fall Ball Lacrosse Conditioning and Skill Development

All high school females interested in playing lacrosse are invited to join our offseason fall workout program! Work on drills and skill development before the 2015 spring season with players and captains from the team.

Sunday Oct. 19 & 26 12pm-1:15pm Linwood Park (99th St. and Mission Rd.) $25 per player (cash or check made out to Shawnee Mission Girls Lacrosse Club)

Equipment Required: stick, mouth guard, eye protection For more information visit smgirlslacrosse.com

features 19

HandCRAFTED Photography teacher Adam Finkelston and former East art teacher James Meara create their own photography and printmaking magazine

written by Stella Braley photo illustration by Haley Bell

Adam Finkelston speaks to his class, leaning against the or- image as they print it. The definition is kind of gray, and we like ange-colored wood of his podium. His photography classroom it that way,” Finkelston said. “For example we don’t print a lot isn’t the cleanest or the dirtiest, and the messiest thing in his of documentary photography. It’s more of the idea of taking an room is the music he blares that ranges from Cee Lo Green to image rather than making an image.”

Slayer. And while he teaches, somewhere on the shelf of the Most of the production is done digitally, as the result of a orange-colored wood podium beneath him is six issues of a long-distance friendship. After teaching in the Shawnee Mismagazine that he is very proud to have made. sion School District (SMSD) for four years, Meara made the The Hand, an art magazine created by Finkelston and decision to move to New Mexico and go to Graduate School for former East art teacher and printmaker James Meara, began his Master of Fine Arts (MFA). small. At first, neither expected much more than a stapled pho“It’s not ideal, but it’s possible,” Meara said. “We both really tocopy of assembled pictures that costs less than a few dollars, like working on the magazine together physically -- it’s much called a zine. easier to talk about the layout and vision for the issue when “We planned that [the magazine] would start off like an 80swe’re sitting side-by-side. However, we can share each othstyle punk zine,” Finkelston said. “We thought we would literal- er’s screens through Google Chat and get it done that way.” ly just try to get submissions and put them on a xerox machine, Using the Internet and other ways to connect is not only fold up the copies, staple them and sell them for 50 cents.” helpful to Finkelston and Meara in working on the magazine, After the small start of the magazine, but also in advertising.

Meara and Finkelston agreed that they “Facebook is a really great way to do wanted something bigger than what free marketing,” Finkelston said. “It’s a they had initially thought. They found We’re interested in how the artists are great way to be in touch with thousands a printer called Creative Printing Com- manipulating the image — whether of people throughout the world. Things pany to make copies of the magazine it’s the subject matter itself or if it’s can spread very quickly. There’s just and, using private funds, began creat- the actual image as they print it different resources for photographers ing the first official copy of The Hand where they know to look in these places -Finkelston said. in March 2013. to entries.”

“The more we talked about the viAs well as subscriptions and issues sion we had for it, the more we realized we wanted something given to those who submit artwork, the magazine also can be a little more ‘professional,’” Meara said. “From that, it’s been found in places such as camera stores, art galleries, bookstores a real learning process for both of us: working with printers, and museums. Many are in the Kansas City area, like Lawrence artists, making the layouts and designs, marketing, and fash- and Overland Park. Though The Hand can also be found on ioning a brand.” the shelves of Through This Lens Gallery in Durham, North The first official printed issue came out in July 2013, show- Carolina and Quimby’s Bookstore in Chicago. casing printmaking and photography. The Hand features artThe magazine, while a creative outlet and project for both ists from all over the world. Some even as far as Australia and Meara and Finkelston, has opened up new connections and Thailand. Submissions are $15 and artists can submit up to five pathways for both in their individual artwork. images of their choice. With submissions, artists will receive “It’s been really exciting and interesting witnessing how an issue of The Hand, even if their work isn’t chosen for print. the magazine has transformed and progressed throughout its Finkelston and Meara search for artwork in which a viewer can short lifespan,” Meara said. “[Finkelston] and I both want to see the artist’s hand -- hence the name of the magazine. Essen- continue working with artists whom we really admire and protially, they’re looking for photography that’s been manipulated vide an avenue for artists working within the particular mediby the artist. ums of printmaking and photography to showcase their work.”

“We’re interested in how the artists are manipulating the image -- whether it’s the subject matter itself or if it’s the actual

The CREATIVE PROCESS

$

Find a printer and funds to print The Hand

Receive submissions from printmakers and photographers

TheHAND

Collaborate and compile art into a magazine

Get magazine printed and distributed

feature 21

UNBREAKABLE

BOND

Junior Anna Witwer grows up with an older sister who has Down Syndrome and shows how big differences can have little impact

written by Pauline Werner photo by Annie Savage

photos courtesy of

The Witwer Family

above

Jill and Anna spend time together at the park

above

The two sisters share a crib

above

Jill holds baby Anna in her lap

I

t’s 2:50 p.m. Anna and Jill Witwer sit in a 2006 Toyota Camry, waiting for the senior lot to clear out. Anna’s driving, and Witwer family custom says that the person in the passenger seat gets to be the DJ. So DJ Jill plays Taylor Swift on the way to their home in Overland Park.

Then, it’s snack time. Anna likes Chex Mix, and Jill’s having whatever Anna’s having. Then Anna goes upstairs to work on homework. But Jill’s special education classes don’t give much homework, so she waits for their mom to come home.

Because Jill has Down Syndrome, her mom takes her to occupational therapy every week to work on motor skills that Anna learned as a young child. Because a piece of Jill’s 14th chromosome attached itself to her 21st, she takes classes like Social Skills when Anna’s in AP English, where Jill works on using polite conventions like ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’

“It’s definitely a lot different from what a lot of people experience, but in a good way,” Anna said. “For the first three years of my life, she was my only sibling, and we’ve just always been really close.”

They’re only a year apart in school — Jill’s a senior, and Anna’s a junior. Jill’s 20 months older, and a little different from the “big sister” image that most people have. Yet different doesn’t stop Anna from taking some time before dance class to watch “Say Yes to the Dress” with her sister, and it doesn’t keep them from bickering over what time to leave the house.

But to Anna, those differences are for the better.

Anna’s parents, Barb and Tom Witwer, sat 7-year-old Anna down in the living room to explain Jill’s disability to her. They wondered how to explain something like that to a first grader,

what Anna would do with the information.

Because for Anna, up until there was a name for Jill’s disability, there wasn’t a reason to get worked up. Knowing what physically made Jill’s speech and movements slower didn’t change a thing.

“To her, Jill was Jill,” Barb said. “And she knew things were harder for Jill and that she was a little bit slower at learning things, and that was how it was to her.”

Anna found herself learning how to crawl, to walk and to read with her sister because Jill’s Down Syndrome delayed her development. Even Jill’s speech, which came slowly and sometimes incomprehensibly, was not a problem for Anna.

Anna would act as the interpreter, making her sister’s needs known to her parents.

As they grew up, though, the differences started to be hard on Anna. A self-proclaimed introvert, Anna by nature shies away from the spotlight. So it was easy to get embarrassed when Jill would sit herself down in the middle of the aisle at Hy-Vee with a magazine in her hands.

Now, Anna’s in the middle of her junior year, and she’s matured. Now, Anna’s Toyota sports an “I Love Someone with Down Syndrome” bumper sticker, a declaration she wouldn’t have been comfortable making in seventh grade. Now, the Witwers laugh off the stares that follow their family wherever they go.

“I wouldn’t trade Jill for the world,” she said.

Jill won’t move away to college— she’ll stay at home with her sisters and parents. Still, she won’t be at school with Anna for the first time ever. Next year, the waves in the hallway will stop, and so will the walk from the counseling center to the car after school.

But, in some ways, Anna says she might like it -- if only because she sometimes feels invisible next to her sister. Because different also means

that Jill is one of three students with Down Syndrome at East, and grabs attention while Anna tends to blend in.

“In some ways it’ll be nice not always being in her shadow and being more just me,” Anna said.

Jill’s special needs do mean she needs extra assistance and extra attention. But it certainly doesn’t keep her from being first and foremost Anna’s big sister. Anna had a hard time with her classes last year, so one night she was worried.

Jill came into her room to remind her to never give up and to keep trying.

When Jill got her senior pictures taken, Anna came along. Not so that she could be in the picture, but because she can make Jill smile like no one else can. If Jill doesn’t understand to dress warm for the first cool day of the season, it’s Anna that goes upstairs and explains she needs to change clothes.

“If Jill’s getting upset or frustrated, Anna just knows how to talk to her, to explain things to her very simply and with respect, not talking down,” Barb said. “But she’s really calm and talking to her and explaining things so that Jill goes ‘oh.

Okay.’

It’s a gift. Anna’s sure that having Jill as her big sister makes her more empathetic, more patient. Her parents saw it when they played together as toddlers, and Anna knows it’s what she wants to do with her life.

She wants to be a special education teacher, working with students with special needs and bringing positive change to how they’re treated in schools.

“I have a lot of empathy for people with special needs,” Anna said. “And I definitely would love to make in impact with people with special needs.”

Jill looks at her sister, smiling, and nods.

Thai and

A Taste of

22 a&e

Unique local restaurant Lulu’s Bistro impresses with atmosphere and quality

F

or years I have driven past an abandoned tire store at 47th and Belinder, and thought nothing of it. Now, if I cruise past the tire store that has been transformed into a Lulu’s Thai Noodle Shop, it catches my eye. This restaurant, which is the second location in Kansas City serves tasty food. I venture to Lulu’s to try some of their quality Thai entrees.

Walking in, one of the first things I noticed was the unique design and size. There are plants growing in pots and flower boxes attached to the wall, and large artsy pictures, of what I assumed to be Thailand, hanging on the walls. The small size of the restaurant could result in waits on busy nights. They only have a handful of indoor tables, and walking in at 7 p.m. on a Saturday night there were only a one or two unoccupied.

Once seated, I began to browse the

photos by Kylie Rellihan

and entree, I was stuffed, and decided against getting dessert.

The service at Lulu’s was average, just as good as any other restaurant.

I did notice that the food came out quickly, less than 15 minutes after ordering it. There seemed to be only one or two waiters, but were able to check in with all the customers routinely. All the customers seemed to be having good time.

Overall, my Lulu’s experience was a good one. I thought the entree price was pretty fair considering the servings, however I thought that seven dollars for six crab rangoon was a little pricey, but worth it, after I tasted them. The highlight for me was the crab rangoon, and next time I want some good Thai food, I will cruise down to 47th and Belinder.

f the ingredients in

t he

Pa dS

..”

o “All

phere.

highly recommend them to anyone who goes Lulu’s.

After I finished the delicious appetizers, my chicken Pad Se Eu arrived under 15 minutes from ordering it. I wasn’t positive on what I was ordering, but it came with thin, long noodles, chicken, shredded carrots and broccoli all mixed together. The entree came out on a circular plate and was a relatively large serving.

All of the ingredients in the Pad Se Eu were well prepared, and tasted great. I will say, the noodle to chicken ratio was not even, there was far more chicken than other ingredients.

When I was about halfway done, my plate was made up of mostly chicken, with bits of carrots and noodles.

I would have liked for more noodles in the entree.

By the time I finished both my appetizer

we ere w u eE

ll prepared, and ta

ste dg rea t.

”

ings I noticed was i rst th t he f e h uni t f que o e n de o . . “.

n sig

os atm d an

menu and I noticed a fair amount of options. There were about eight appetizer options, and 10 entree choices. Half of them were noodles, the other half were a combination of soups, rice entrees and sandwiches.

With each entree there was a choice between mild, medium or hot, and I also had a choice of some type of meat or tofu. I chose chicken, and the mild option of Pad Se Eu. I ordered six crab rangoon for seven dollars. When the crab rangoons arrived, they looked as good as the tasted -- amazing. They were easy to tear off the corners, and in the inside there was lots of creamy filling. They were delicious, and I

written by Ellis Nepstad

C U O T P E C D A I K U ES G A A break down of how to bake any cupcakes, make the icing and decorate them written by Susannah Mitchell

T

here are several essentials in the baking world. There’s cakes, pies and cookies. However, a recent resurgence of interest in baking (ahem, Pinterest) has brought a new player into the limelight: cupcakes.

The cupcake is simple, versatile and fairly simple to make. I, personally, am a pretty big fan of cupcakes. And while bakeries like Smallcakes and Dolce do them a fair amount of justice, homemade cupcakes always taste better.

Through years of baking and multiple mishaps (including a time when I accidentally added three times the amount of water needed in a cake mix recipe), I’ve learned that cake mixes just don’t work very well. They come out far too light and fluffy, and can’t support the enormous amount of icing I like to use.

Which is why, this time around, I decided to go all out: I lugged out a new cookbook, “Miette,” from underneath a stack of assorted bakingrelated birthday gifts. The scalloped edges and pink-tinted pages pretty clearly indicate that the recipes inside are nothing to mess with. Thus, I flipped to the cake section and found (what looked like) a recipe for yellow cupcakes, and headed for the kitchen.

Now, I’ve always enjoyed floral tastes. Rose, orange blossom, you name it, I’ve probably devoured it. Although most people don’t find them palatable, I find floral tastes, particularly lavender, to taste just as good as they smell. Light, sweet and yet, somehow, earthy. Now, the “Miette” recipe for cupcakes already looked decadent, but I decided that the cupcakes needed a more interesting component rather than just “yellow.” So I added fresh lavender to the recipe.

So there it is: lavender cupcakes with a vanilla buttercream. The buttercream part, in itself, was a rather easy choice. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is better than a soft, fluffy buttercream to ice a cupcake with. And because I didn’t want to overwhelm the taster with flavor, I nixed the idea of any other icing flavor. Vanilla is basic enough to complement practically anything, and with fragrant florals, vanilla is essential.

Making the batter for the cupcakes, was, in itself, unexpectedly complicated. The recipe called for a thermometer, and to measure temperatures of several mixtures, which I had never done before.

After reading this portion of the recipe, I began hyperventilating while assembling my ingredients.

I made the mistake of choosing a saucepan that was way too small to melt the butter and milk in, which also caused me a lot of anxiety. Once the butter had melted, it was also supposed to cool to 85 degrees, which took almost 15 minutes. Way too long. I mean, who normally even considers butter’s exact temperature while baking?

Thankfully, mixing the dry components was ridiculously simple. Whisking the eggs, however,

was just frustrating. The whisking itself wasn’t, but having to measure their exact temperature before combining with the dry ingredients was a huge pain. I don’t really know where the “Miette” writers get off with having to have their eggs and butter exactly 85 degrees, but I measured the temperature nonetheless.

After mixing everything together, the batter was silky and smooth, like runny shaving cream but a little more appetizing. All I had left to do was pour the batter into 17 cupcake liners from TJ Maxx (I’m a proud Maxxinista) and then they went into the oven.

Now, to avoid doing a pile of dishes, I began mixing together the icing ingredients. And if I’m being honest here, I just pulled a random buttercream icing recipe off of the internet for this article. I may be a bit brag-y in saying this, but when I make icing, I don’t ever measure out the ingredients. I just mix a few tablespoons of butter, a bit of milk and an indeterminate amount of powdered sugar until the texture feels right.

I normally shoot for a nice, fluffy texture, but sometimes (and by sometimes I mean usually) I’ll have to dump in an extra cup or so of powdered sugar.

Once I was done mixing the icing in my Kitchen Aid, the cupcakes were about done. I took them out of the oven, when I noticed they were very spongy. Though I was initially concerned, I decided that what they looked like didn’t really matter.

After all, they were going to be covered in icing, so who would care?

In what is probably my most professional move, I popped all 17 cupcakes out and shoved them in the freezer for a few minutes to cool down. In the meantime, I ate a good fifth of the icing and I don’t regret a thing.

Upon cooling, I took the cupcakes out and iced them quickly with a small, flat baker’s spatula. I could have gone the fancy, impressive route by using a cool metal tip or making the top of the cupcakes look like a rose. But ultimately, I decided to just plop a few tablespoons of icing on top and spread it to my satisfaction. After repeating that for all 17, I decided I wanted it to look like I put in a decent amount of effort into their appearance, so I chose to garnish them. Basically, I just rolled some lavender buds between my hands for a few seconds and then tossed them on top of the icing.

Ta-da.

Overall, the cake was rich, not too sweet, and dense enough to hold the icing. The lavender taste was strong, but not overpowering, and the vanilla extract complemented it well. The icing was predictably fluffy and delicious, as all icing is. Delicate, but still tasty, the cupcakes were a slam-dunk.

And I know from now on, whenever I bake cupcakes, lavender and vanilla is the way to go.

Vanilla Lavender Cupcakes

a&e 23

ingredients

cupcake: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 1/3 cups white sugar 1 cup unsalted butter 1/2 cup milk 1/4 cup corn (or potato) starch 3 eggs 2 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon lavender icing: 3 cups confectioner’s (powdered) sugar 1 cup unsalted butter 1 teaspoon milk opt. purple food coloring lavender buds to garnish

Batter +Preheat the oven to 350 degrees +Line a cupcake or muffin pan with 16 cupcake liners +Cut butter into 1-inch thick pieces and place in a saucepan with milk. +Allow butter to melt and stir into the milk. Once combined, take the saucepan off of the heat and allow to cool to slightly above room temperature, at exactly 85 degrees. +In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla together. Microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, until the mixture is 85 degrees. +In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, starch, baking powder and salt. Mix with a paddle, or by hand with a spoon. +Measure out 1 teaspoon of lavender, crush it with your hands, and combine with the flour mixture. +While mixing, pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture to combine. Then, in three phases, pour in the eggs, still while mixing. +Use a 1/4 cup measure to pour the batter into each cupcake liner. Each paper should be filled about 2/3 full. +Bake in the oven for about 20 to 23 minutes. +Allow the cupcakes to cool before icing.

icing

+Let the butter warm to room temperature, or cut into 1 inch pieces and microwave 10 to 15 seconds. +Combine powdered sugar, butter and milk in a Kitchen-Aid mixer, or in a regular bowl. Mix with a paddle or by hand with a fork. +To decorate, place a large scoop of icing (about 1/2 cup) in a plastic bag or piping bag, cut off the end, and pipe from the outside to the middle of the cupcake, ending with a swirl. +Optional garnish: crush lavender buds and sprinkle over decorate cupcakes.

photos by Allison Stockwell

24 a&e

ADMIT ONE: LOCAL THEATERS

Three lesser-known local movie theaters provide unique atmosphere and films for moviegoers

Audrey’s Picks: The best and worst each theater has to offer Theater with the best seating: The Tivoli Theater

Theater with the best Popcorn: The Rio

Theater with the cheapest tickets: All tickets cost $6.50

Theater showing the best film selections: The Tivoli Theater

TICKETS

Worst: The Glenwood Arts

Worst: The Glenwood Arts

THE RIO

7204 W 80th St, Shawnee Mission Like something straight out of the 50s, the neon lights of the Rio Theatre certainly stick out among the simple, brick buildings of downtown Overland Park.

Part of the Fine Arts Theatre Group, The Rio shows mainly independent films in its one-screen theatre, so you better check their movie schedule online before heading over.

Everything about the Rio is relatively small, taking up just enough space to provide moviegoers with the bare necessities. The theater’s designated parking lot is easily filled up, but it isn’t difficult to find space in a neighboring business’ lot.

The tiny ticket booth out front looks like one you might see in an old movie and the lobby is just a room with a concession stand flanked by two doors leading to the theater. In addition, the snack selection is limited, though cheaper than anything you would find at a chain theater like AMC or Cinemark.

The theater itself, however, is large enough so you can sit far from or near to the many groups of elderly women that apparently love their Saturday matinées.

The theater is very clean and you don’t have to wait a minute past the advertised start time for the stage-like curtain to rise and the previews to start.

The Rio makes up for its small space with their dedication to a single screen and their extra-buttery popcorn. If their online schedule happens to feature a movie you’re interested in, I highly recommend paying them a visit.

Best over-all experience: The Tivoli Theater

THE TIVOLI

GLENWOOD

Next to where the Beaumont Club used to be in the heart of Westport sits the Tivoli Cinema. This lesser-known theater houses three screens and plays a mix of independent and foreign films. Of course, parking in Westport is always hit or miss, so the theater kindly provides a free parking garage that can be accessed from two main roads.

Inside the Tivoli, it feels as if the ticket booth is the only operating thing in an otherwise abandoned building. But past the usher and up a flight of red velvet steps, is the spacious lobby clad with large mirrors and Art Deco accents.

The concession stand sells your typical popcorn, soda and limited types of candy, but also offers bottled beer and sparkling soda. The theater is much larger than one might expect, similar in size to a typical chain theater, minus the stadium-style seating.

The seats are comfortable enough, although they feel more like an antique chair than a La-Z-Boy you want to sink into at the end of a long day. However, the screen is so large you’ll want to kick your feet back anyway.

The Tivoli is well-kept and offers about as wide a variety of movies an independently owned theater can. The movies might not always be everyone’s cup of tea, but they are certainly works of art you won’t see many places in Kansas City.

Lucky for the Glenwood Arts Theatre, their blue and pink, medieval style sign on 95th St. is so eye-catching.

Otherwise, no one would even know it was there.

Located in the now-closed Metcalf South Shopping Center, the theater is almost completely hidden from street view. The entrance is around the back of the mall, juxtaposed with an optimistically large parking lot.

Inside the doors and to the right sits the theater, with a mix of old movie posters and cutouts cluttering the lobby to make up for the lack of people. The carpets and faint smell of mothballs are reminiscent of an old folks home, and walking down the long hallway to the theater makes you feel like a horror movie killer could jump out and attack you at any second.

Glenwood Arts has three theaters, a big one and two smaller, that all show the same movie at different times. The smaller theaters provide an enjoyable cinematic experience that almost makes up for everything else with an intimate ten rows of velvet seats and incredible surround sound.

The previews start promptly at the time stamped on your ticket, relieving you from having to sit through the ongoing commercials, useless movie trivia, and “First Looks” that waste time at larger theaters.

However, the theater could use some major refurbishing. The atmosphere is outdated and leaves a lot to be desired, taking away from the great experience the movie actually provided.

4050 Pennsylvania Ave, KCMO

9575 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park

photo essay 25

photo by Annie Savage

Collecting for a

CAUSE

middle

A group of students stand at a door waiting to recieve canned goods. East students, as well as alumni, participated in the event on Oct. 30.

photo by Annie Savage

Pack of PALS went trick-or-treating for canned goods this Halloween. The canned goods will be donated to the Johnson County Christman Bureau to help feed families in need.

photo by Annie Savage

above Pack of PALS director Mrs. Popplewell, started the program 7 years ago. Pack of PALS works with current and graduated students from East.

right

Freshman Hannah McConville (far right) walks with her buddy while collecting cans. “I had fun on Halloween because I got to see all my friends dressed up in cool costumes.”

McConville said.

above

photo by Katie Lamar

Seniors Maggie McGannon and John David Cunningham laugh together before the start of trick-or-treating. McGannon is involed in STUCO and urges students to bring cans into their classes.

middle

photo by Annie Savage

Senior Paige Braeden warms up around the fire pit. “I loved going trick-or-treating with Pack of PALS. My costume was Cake the Cat from the TV show “Adventure Time.”” Braeden said.

26 sports

photo by Haley Bell

left

The cross country team huddles together before competing in the team’s first state meet in ten years.

The boys placed fifth overall.

photo by Kaitlyn Stratman

far left

Senior Annie Savage attempts to run the ball through a pack of waiting junior powderpuff players. The juniors would win the powderpuff game. photo by Hailey Hughes

bottom left

Senior Josh Zillner attempts to dribble by two BV Northwest defenders in the middle of the field. The Lancers would lose 1-4 to end their season.

1. Lancers on Social Media

Instagram of the Week

Tweet of the Week Mitch Tamblyn

Tweet of the Week: Senior Mitch Tamblyn thanks the fans for coming out to see varsity boys’ soccer games. The loss to Blue Valley Northwest was the last game for senior players.

swilliams1919

“I want to thank anyone who made it to a game this season. It’s been so special for all of us and it was a great season to end my career.”

Instagram of the Week: Seniors Sam Williams and Kyle Ball pose for a picture with the district championship plaque.

The lancers won their district two weeks ago with a 62-12 victory over Shawnee Mission North

D-End buddies for football, but brothers for life.

2. A Final Update The fall season is now coming to its conclusion, with only football still left in the playoffs.

The other sports now out of season — volleyball, cross country, soccer, girls’ tennis and girls’ golf, will have to return next year.

The incoming sports for the winter season, girls’ and boys’ basketball, bowling, boys’ swim and dive and wrestling will be allowed to begin practice in three weeks.

3 Weeks Left First undefeated team in the regular season in school history. The Lancers look to keep the ball rolling in the playoffs.

SeasonOver Lost two weeks ago against BV Northwest 1-4.

Knocked out by the Huskies for the fourth time in four years.

SeasonOver Boys won fifth in state, while girls had two competitors. This was the first time to state for the team in ten years.

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28 sports

SAILING TO SUCCESS

Juniors Robert Duff and Kevin Krugh build successful sailing team, culminating in a win at the Kansas High School Sailing Competition

I

t’s the little things that please juniors Robert Duff and Kevin Krugh.

It’s the way the wind hits the sails, making a snapping noise. It’s the way the boat cuts through the smooth, glassy water, leaving a mess of waves behind them.

It’s sailing.

Duff has been sailing for about 12 years. Krugh, however, has only been sailing for about one and a half months.

Yet they pulled together to race in and win a Kansas High School Sailing Championship title only weeks after they began to sail as a team. Maybe it’s raw talent. Or maybe it’s the great bond between the two.

The only people that had sailed in Krugh’s family before him were his grandparents. But that was when they were younger. Unlike Duff, who has sailed since he was four, Krugh had not grown up in a sailing family.

“I just met [Duff] during freshman year,” Krugh said. “And come junior year he invited me to go sailing with him one time. And just asked me if I wanted to train for state with him. And that’s how it happened.”

The two work well with each other.

Most times.

“Sometimes it’s chaos, sometimes it’s smooth,” Krugh said.

It’s during the competitions that things really click. Duff and Krugh know what

written by Caroline Heitmann they have to do to win. Whether it’s adjusting the sails or steering the boat, they are smooth and in unison.

“We know what’s going to happen next,” Duff said. “We almost don’t have to talk. It’s just like, we’re on autopilot.”

Not to say some races haven’t been a little rocky. Duff takes the most of the blame, as he steers the boat. Steering is a difficult task in strong wind because the boat can’t sail directly into wind. Instead, it has to go at an angle.

“If you don’t both get what you’re supposed to get done something can go wrong,” Krugh said. “Then you’re behind in the race. And it’s pretty hard to get back into first if you lose ground.”

Duff and Krugh have competed in several competitions so far, but the most memorable has been the first ever Kansas High School Sailing Championship in October. They won.

And they had only practiced for an hour the weekend before. Ted Lischer, who started the competition, let the duo borrow a boat and practice for a little while.

Then they were ready.

Ted Lischer sponsored the competition with the University of Kansas Sailing Club. He started by contacting different sailing clubs around Kansas and explaining the upcoming race. The clubs then talked to their nearby high schools. Some

schools expressed their interest in it immediately, and soon the competition was planned.

Five teams were able to come out representing SM East, St. Thomas Aquinas, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy and Blue Valley North. Indian Hills eighth graders Davis Drew and Jack Lischer raced as East’s second team, and they came in second place.

“It was kind of difficult at state,” Duff said. “Because we had some bad starts, and we had to work our way back to first.

There was a lot of wind that day, so it was hard to keep the boat up at 15 knots.”

But they kicked it up a notch and raced hard to make it up to the front, and they stayed there as they crossed the finish line.

Next year, more than double this year’s teams are expected for the state competition. Not to mention the 420 Class National Championship they’ve been invited to this summer. So Duff and Krugh have work to do. They want to make sure the races aren’t close. They want to win by a lot.

But for now, it’s another weekend ahead for the two. It’s another chance to hear the waves smash against the boat. It’s another moment for the friendship to grow.

“We haven’t tipped together yet,” Duff said, laughing. “I probably should do that with him so he’ll learn.”

photos courtesy of the Duff Family

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Duff and Krugh sail in a competition hosted by the University of Kansas

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Duff and Krugh try to hang on to make sure the boat doesn’t turtle

30 KC

TRENDING: KANSAS CITY

World Series win or not, Lancers celebrate the hidden wonders of KC

photo by Annie Savage

PICTURE PERFECT

3.

A GUIDE TO ‘GRAMMING KC

SUMMING UP THE CITY IN 140 CHARACTERS OR LESS

1.

STAFFER: Pauline Werner “My KC is sharing a booth at Jerusalem Cafe, sunsets on Southwest Boulevard and quiet Thursday nights at coat check in the Bloch Building”

2.

1.

THE SKYLINE SELFIE

“You just get a really good view of the skyline of the whole city [at the Liberty Memorial]. So it’s a good place to take pictures when you’re with your friends.

You just go up there when you have nothing else to do. You just feel more connected to it because you’re seeing the entire area that you live in.”

-ELISABETH SHOOK, 11

KC IN A TWEET

2.

THE PICTURESQUE PANO

“I’m really into art and I think as teenagers in Kansas City we kind of take it for granted but we actually have a lot of venues and places to go to see art. We have First Fridays and we have the [Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art] and we have a really good art institute. And so I really like going down [to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art] because my family used to go a lot and so I started going a lot.”

-LAURELL STEGELMAN, 11

3.

THE CITYSCAPE

“My uncle lives in the Piper Lofts and he just recently moved there so he lives on the very top floor and he has the coolest view ever. Just seeing all that, the whole city alive is just so exciting because I remember as a kid doing downtown, there wasn’t much to do. Now there’s so much to do so it’s really exciting.”

-CHLOE KERWIN, 11

STUDENT: Noah Marsh “To me KC may not cater to tourists quite yet, however as a member of the community I have seen this city nurture and excite so many people.”

CLOSE UP:

2.

written by Caroline Heitmann

SO YOU’RE HUNGRY....

Your guide to KC’s freshest eats

1.

Pad Thai from Lulu’s Bistro

2.

Slice of cheese, Pizza 51

3.

Chimichanga from Port Fonda

How Hungry?

I could eat the fourth floor hallway

If you could go on vacation to Thailand or Mexico, which would choose?

PIZZA 51 WEST

no

coffee or something more?

just java please

Thailand

With locations in both Westwood and the Crossroads, Lulu’s offers steaming Thai noodle dishes

breakfast? yes

I’m willing to drive

no

LULU’S BISTRO

written by Phoebe Aguiar

Something light would suffice

If pad Thai fought pepperoni pizza, would the noodles win?

yes

sas City, but also could be put in Austin or Chicago or Portland and be really cool and relevant.”

Everything was handpicked, making sure it screamed Port Fonda. Whether it’s the tables made from different pieces of wood or the industrial pipes exposed on the ceiling.

“I think the biggest thing that attracts people to Port Fonda is the really fun environment,” Davila said. “It can be so many faces. So many people feel comfortable here.

And there are not a lot of restaurants my parents would want to go to and little hipster kids [too].”

Davila believes that Port Fonda was the spark that ignited a surge of new restaurants in the area.

“Once we [opened], it opened eyes for the guys at Julep,” he said. “And opened up the eyes for Ale House, Ça Va, and Blanc.”

Port Fonda’s success has led to the new face of Westport: eccentric yet loved.

“I just love walking around down there and seeing everybody,” junior Jake Marsh said. “Because there’s a lot of weird people down there. And weird in a good way.”

CLOSE UP:

Something close or far?

closer is better

PORT FONDA

Walk into Port Fonda in the heart of Westport, and your ears will explode from the loud music. It can be hip hop, Gospel or country, just depending on what time it is.

From the wall of windows to the old, stained wood that came from a barn in the middle of nowhere hanging on the walls, the decor is unique and expressive.

The scent of smoking meat sitting in a ceramic, wood-burning stove back in the kitchen wafts around the restaurant. It entices the customers, and they quickly sit down, ready to sample some of the award-winning food. This is the food that’s been raved about in The New York Times and USA Today and Food & Wine and more.

Port Fonda has been a staple on Pennsylvania Avenue for about two and a half years, originally a food truck in an Airstream trailer downtown. When transitioning to a restaurant, chef Patrick Ryan and general manager Jamie Davila knew what they wanted.

“We wanted people to feel comfortable,” Davila said. “And we wanted a place that was going to look and feel not only cool for Kan-

3.

1.

KC 31

the more, the merrier in my belly

Do you like spicy food? yes

no

Mexico

PORT FONDA

ODDLY CORRECT

Conveniently located This Westport restaurant Boutique coffee and and bar serves up a smiling face, they’ll at Mission and 59th even deliver your Street, Pizza 51 offers fusion Mexican dishes favorite brands by customizable slices at for brunch, lunch and dinner bicycle a reasonable slice

ODDLY CORRECT

Driving down Main St. you might miss it. Nestled on the corner of Main and Westport Road, sits Oddly Correct coffee roastery and shop. Even though the actual shop is easy to miss, the style of coffee and its owner and creator Gregory Kolsto are much harder to overlook.

Kolsto had previously worked for Digital Java, owned by Krispy Kreme, and at Kansas City’s local roaster, Parisi, before he decided to create his own brand of coffee.

“It was then that I decided that if I couldn’t find a company that I agreed with 100 percent in terms of ethics or beliefs, I would create one myself,” Kolsto said in an interview with The Pitch Magazine.

So in 2008 he roasted his first batch of Oddly Correct coffee in a friend’s garage. Kolsto had a purpose when creating Oddly Correct aside from promoting artisan coffee.

“Coffee-shop owners don’t want to work together. It’s so competitive.” Owner of the Filling Station Coffee Shop Robin Krause said in an interview with the Pitch Magazine. “But Gregory just wants to build a community.”

In the beginning, Kolsto’s coffee was only carried in other coffee shops and restaurants. Kolsto delivered most of his roasted coffee on

bicycle. As recognition and profits grew, he made the decision to purchase a space for his own shop.

Originally at 3934 Main but when a larger more accessible location became available Oddly moved to its current location in 2012. Oddly Correct is still available throughout Kansas City at other coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants and retailers.

The actual coffee shop is an eclectic and stylish interior with exposed brick walls, reclaimed wood counters and coffee that serves its coffee in chemistry beakers. Art from the owner not only decorates the walls but bags of coffee beans sold.

Oddly Correct isn’t about embellishments according to Kolsto, it’s about pure coffee or “Grown-up coffee” as Kolsto calls it. The milk and sugar are stored under the counter and the most popular item is a pour over, where the beans are weighed, freshly ground and then placed in filter and hot water poured over to brew the coffee. There are no orange mocha frappuccinos, the most complex drink on the menu is a classic cappuccino.

“We pursue excellence through coffee,” Barista Lacy Smith said.

“We don’t believe we will reach the point where we stop growing.”

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32 photoessay below

Foreign exchange student, Fredi Felber, performed somewhere other than in the auditorium for the first time.

“I liked being able to sing somewhere other than the auditorium or the choir room,” Felber said. “It was fun to see people’s reactions when we started singing right next to them.”

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Senior Rilye Fries performs on stage after the first part of the flash mob. “It was really cute how excited [Foley] was. I think he would’ve liked to see more people though because only 50 people came and we have a choir of 140,” Fries said. “It’s awesome because now we can say that we sang at Union Station.”

photos by Kaitlyn Stratman

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Seniors Katie Sgroi and Susannah Mitchell sung songs from their first fall concert: Earth Song and American the Beautiful.

“We weren’t very loud even though they tried to mic us. It was a cool idea and if we have even 100 people there it would have been a better experience,” Sgroi said. “I think people really enjoyed listening to us though.”

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Bystanders took our their phones and video taped the Choraliers singing on stage. “Union Station was a really fun place to sing because [sound] rings around a lot.” Foley said.

photos by Kaitlyn Stratman

photos by Morgan Browning

Choir director Ken Foley leads the mix of junior and seniors in Choraliers during the centennial event. “They had asked us back in the summer if would do this so we just showed up and crowded around and then got up on stage,” Foley said. “We didn’t have a big turn out from the Choraliers as I wanted but it was still fun.”

FLASH M B

photos by Morgan Browning

The Choraliers performed at Union Station in downtown Kansas City, Sunday Nov. 2. Various dancers and singers performed at Union Station as a part of their centennial event. “[At the end of the performance] they gave everyone Hostess Cakes which was a bonus,” choir director Ken Foley said. photos by James Wooldridge