Issue 9 for the 2013-2014 Harbinger by The Harbinger

the harbinger.

A NEW APPROACH TO

number of students enrolled in SMSD in 2013-2014

Percent of teachers who “often” use computers in class

27,450 $400 The starting retail price for a new iPad air

$1,199.00

Starting price for a MacBook Pro

PAGES 12-13

JUNIOR HAS RECORD DEAL

LEARNING Superintendent will propose to give every high school student a laptop

St. Teresa’s Academy was the first one to take the plunge in 2010. Next was the North KC and Kansas City Kan. School Districts. These districts and others across the region have all one by one transitioned to the 1:1 initiative, providing each student with a laptop for them to keep during the school year. Starting in the 2014-2015 school year, the Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD) will most likely be joining these local districts and schools across the nation who have chosen to dive into 21st century education, according to superintendent Dr. Jim Hinson. Hinson will offer a proposal to the Shawnee Mission School Board on Jan. 27 about the potential of SMSD taking part in the 1:1 Initiative. Hinson believes that the passing of his proposal is “likely, if not probable.” Ideally by August, Hinson would like to see a Mac laptop in the hands of every SMSD high school student. He also hopes to have iPads for middle and elementary school students, though the precise grade level for elementary school students is still being determined.

STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

WRITTEN BY KATIE KNIGHT PHOTO BY MADDIE SCHOEMANN Statistics courtesy of http://nces.ed.gov

Shawnee Mission East l 7500 Mission Road, PV KS, 66208 l January 21, 2014 l Issue 9 l www.smeharbinger.net

IN A PERFECT WORLD

editorial.

YES TO TECH TO BEAT

THE EDITORIAL BOARD TALKS ABOUT THEIR BIGGEST HOPES FOR 2014

TECHNOLOGY SHOULD PLAY AN ACTIVE AND ENGAGING ROLE IN THE LIVES OF STUDENTS

Next year, the Shawnee Mission School District will most likely be getting laptops and iPads for its students. Students in the district’s high schools will be receiving laptops while students in elementary schools will be receiving iPads. The Harbinger supports this new initiative if students are willing to demonstrate the proper responsibility when handling these new resources. There is no denying that technology is a large part of our lives; our smart phones are glued to our hands and we get our news from our Twitter feeds. The decision to provide laptops for all students is inevitable. Having a laptop in front of a student engages them by giving them a concrete device to complete their work on. In turn, they increase students’ productivity. One of the first examples of laptops in classrooms took place in Mooresville, NC four years ago. Mark Edwards, the superintendent of the North Carolina school district, said to the U.S. Department of Education that he noticed an increase in student attendance, academic performance and graduation rates after laptops were introduced to each student. Those positive results can also be in our district’s future if we get these new laptops. If the district does purchase new laptops, teachers would be subject to a training program over the summer; this would benefit them as well as students. For teachers, it would further their education regarding how to properly use technology. It would also give them a better idea of how to effectively use them in the classroom. If teachers come out of

these training courses with effective lesson plans, it can then translate into a better and more interesting school year for students. Several of the textbooks we use at East have online resources. Algebra assignments and chemistry homework could be easier to complete at school with the new laptops. Online textbook resources would be easier to access in the classroom as well as at home if each student gets a laptop. They would also be one of the most responsible ways to use our new resources. Yet with these new resources comes new responsibility. Downloading and watching movies during class does sound appealing, but could also ruin this opportunity. If teachers and administrators see us using the new laptops irresponsibly they could easily take them away. While websites like Facebook and Twitter will still be blocked at school, but they are always lurking around the corner while we are at home. We need to use these laptops in a productive manner in order to fully utilize them as a learning tool both at school and at home. The main thing this comes down to is personal responsibility. If you’re old enough to drive a car, then you should be old enough to responsibly use a laptop. So Lancers, we are potentially having this new, beneficial resource placed right into our laps; let’s not blow it. Let’s demonstrate the levels of responsibility and intelligence we know we are capable of.

EDITORIAL BOARD VOTES

for: 9 against: 4 absent: 0

equality ROCKHURST more education reform

IN BASKETBALL LESS VIOLENCE IN SYRIA

LESS MORE EAST STATE TITLES A DECREASE IN GUN VIOLENCE TWERKING IN THE more congressional agreement MEDIA LOWER OBESITY RATES

THE HARBINGER STAFF 2013-2014 Co-Editors-In-Chief Features Page Designers Andrew McKittrick Sydney Lowe Katie Knight Pauline Werner

Assistant Photo Editors Annie Savage Tessa Polaschek

Assistant Editors Morgan Krakow Sophie Tulp

Opinion Section Editor Morgan Twibell

Art & Design Editor Miranda Gibbs

Copy Editors Mike Thibodeau Clara Ma Andrew McKittrick Morgan Krakow Sarah Berger Sophie Tulp Katie Knight Pauline Werner Caroline Kohring Julia Poe Susannah Mitchell Gertrude Nepstad

Art & Design Assistant Editor Phoebe Aguiar

Freelance Page Designers Grace Heitmann Will Oakley

Sports Section Editor Will Oakley

News Section Editor Greta Nepstad

Staff Writers Madison Hyatt Ellis Nepstad Michael Kraske Hannah Coleman Sophie Storbeck Ellie Booton Sean Overton

Freelance Page Designers Grace Heitmann Ali Lee

Head Copy Editor Sarah Berger Assistant Head Copy Editor Pauline Werner

News Page Designers Mike Thibodeau Lauren Brown Spread Editor Caroline Kohring Features Section Editor Maddie Hise

Opinion Page Designers Nellie Whittaker Aidan Epstein A&E Section Editor Phoebe Aguiar A&E Page Designers Audrey Danciger Leah Pack

Sports Page Designers Tommy Sherk John Foster

Staff Photographers Neely Atha Photo Editors Callie McPhail McKenzie Swanson Kylie Relihan Maddie Schoemann Annika Sink

Letters to the editor may be sent to room 521 or smeharbinger@gmail.com. Letters may be edited for clarity, length, libel and mechanics and accepted or rejected at the editors’ discretion.

Taylor Anderson Katie Lamar Paloma Garcia James Wooldrige Tessa Polaschek Abby Hans Katie Roe Jordan Hall Editorial Board Andrew McKittrick Katie Knight Morgan Krakow Sarah Berger Lauren Brown Susannah Mitchell Morgan Twibell Sophie Tulp Julia Poe Grace Heitmann Mike Thibodeau Pauline Werner John Foster

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

A week in photos

F E I R B NEWS

news. WRITTEN BY TOMMY SHERK ART BY GRETA NEPSTAD

Utah changes stance on same-sex marriage HAILEY HUGHES Seniors Molly Ross and Emily Dodd block a SM North player at the varsity girls basketball game on Friday, Jan. 10. The Lancers won with a final score of 34-33.

ANNIKA SINK Junior Renee Brown practices witht he rest of the bowling team at College Lanes, preparing for the team’s third meet.

MADDIE SCHOEMANN Luke Haverty looks for an opening in the varsity game against SM North on Friday, Jan. 10. The Lancers won 62-56.

}

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

Same-sex couples in Utah who were married, or planning on getting married, had to put their plans on hold on Jan. 8. Just a month before, Judge Robert J. Shelby overturned a voter-approved ban on gay marriage, which led to about 1,400 couples getting married. However, the ban was reinstated when the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that prevented any more same-sex unions. This left those who had gotten married stranded in “legal limbo”, as USA Today’s Doug Stanglin put it. On Jan. 10, Attorney Genereal Eric Holder said “I am confirming today that, for purposes of federal law, these marriages will be recognized as lawful and considered eligible for all relevant federal benefits on the same terms as other same-sex marriages.” This resulted in the reinstatement of the 1,400 marriages, granting them all of their previously included benefits.

Quality of Kansas schools up for debate TESSA POLASCHEK Emily Beagelson does an interactive at the journalism showcase on Jan. 7.

e a tim line

Kansas public schools are at the center of a nationwide debate. Sources such as The New York Times posed the question -- are Kansas public schools unconstitutionally being restricted funding by Governor Sam Brownback? One case in June 2012, Gannon vs. The State of Kansas, it was found that recent education funding cuts have resulted in schools not getting the amount of money needed. In recent years, there have been a surplus of students in public schools, in addition to below-average funds from taxes intended for education. In the opinion pages of the New York Times, David Sciarra and Wade Henderson emphasized that the three judges of this case said these cuts were “destructive of our children’s future.” The judges ordered a raise from $3,838 to $4,492 on expenses per student. In response, Governor Sam Brownback appealed to the Kansas Supreme Court. A decision on the funding is expected to be made in late January.

The walls of East continue to be painted The repainting of East is about 40 percent finished. According to Associate Principal Jeff Storey, the painting is predicted to be finished sometime during the summer. This is because some of the painting projects within East require oil-based paints. These oil-paint projects are scheduled when students aren’t in school to prevent them from getting sick from the fumes. In some parts of the school, the painters had to repaint because they had the wrong recipe for a specific color. Otherwise, the painting has been on schedule. Soon, the underside of the main staircase will be painted with a chrome-metallic paint. According to Storey, they will also be adding some color to the cafeteria. He thinks the colors it has right now make it look like a swimming pool, and wants to make it more attractive. Also, classrooms are being painted into more appealing colors, even if it means painting over student murals. The plan for converting the previously painted murals into a single large picture is still in effect. There has been discussion amongst the administration about letting kids paint murals in designated sections of the basement in the future.

Same-sex couple apply for marriage liscence.

1970

Nation’s first domestic partnership law passed in Berkeley, CA.

1984

Same-sex employees begin to receive domestic partner benefits in Mass.

1992 The first same sex marriage that was fully authorized by the law in the U.S. occured in Cambridge, Mass.

2014 A look into the two sides concerning the legalization of same-sex marriage

for

30% support gay rights in Utah “The state’s current laws deny its gay and lesbian citizens their fundamental right to marry and, in so doing, demean the dignity of these same-sex couples for no rational reason.”

against

63% do not support gay rights in Utah Rejecting samesex marriages is “the best course to defend traditional marriage within the borders of Utah”

Judge Robert J. Shelby

* quotes pulled from nytimes.com

Gov. Gary R. Herbert

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news. 1:1 Technology Initiatives

[By the Numbers]

Information courtesy of http://www.corp. att.com/edu based off a study in 2011

Approximate number of 1:1 program initiatives across the country

2,000

Of schools that implemented a 1:1 program initiative believed the program was having only a “moderate” effect on student learning

45% 33%

Of 1:1 initiative schools believe laptops were having a large effect on student achievement

TECH-ING OUT THE CLASSROOM Next school year holds potential for all SMSD high school students to receive laptops WRITTEN BY KATIE KNIGHT

“We’ve talked to a lot of our major employers of sion of technology,” Neal said. “So we’ve been look- do the majority of these clerical tasks on their own technology,” Hinson said. “We’ve looked at what ing at a number of different places, talking to people, time and hope training and transitioning from the we’re doing in the Shawnee Mission School District practitioners that have done this to find out what their PC to Mac will not have to be done, for the most part to say ‘We have a void. We really need to address experiences were, what their best practices are; if they beyond the contract day and school year.” Senior Anna Jones also sees both the advantages technology.’ and so we are trying to refine a plan...in could do it again, what were some of the pitfalls, how and the disadvantages for bringing in laptops for high relation to [whether we can] have a massive rollout of would they redesign if they could do it again.” This positive feedback has only encouraged Hin- school students. She brings her own laptop to school technology.” To fund this program, SMSD is using money from son and Neal. After hearing what other districts have every day and often is able to be very productive with their capital outlay account; that money is set apart gone through and the advantages the technology has it. However, she’s also unsure about how much the brought in for them, Hinson can only laptops would be used in a productive manner. Either specifically for purchasing equipsee the positives for integrating tech- way, she does believe that those who would use them ment, constructing buildings, etc. for educational purposes would benefit greatly. nology. and can’t be used for teacher sala“Whenever we have free time in classes [having “This is the world in which sturies. By using this funding track, Whenever we have free dents live,” Hinson said. “And so my laptop] allows me to work on assignments and there are no required grants to re- time in classes [having many of our students have technolo- stuff that I either have to do for later that day or a ceive the equipment and it doesn’t my laptop] allows me to work on assignments gy at home but then when they come later time,” Jones said. “Especially my senior year it’s require votes by the community. to school, it’s almost a technology been helpful because when we do get a free moment Once that technology is purdesert in comparison to how they live I can work on college applications. It allows me to not chased, teachers would receive ANNA JONES, 12 waste time at school.” at their home.” the same type of equipment to One of the biggest concerns among East staff is Although McKinney hasn’t heard collaborate with their students. To prepare for this massive amount of new technology, much feedback from teachers — positive or negative how to deal with the distractions a laptop would crethere would be extensive teacher training towards — he thinks most of his staff would be ready to “dive ate. For English department head Jeanette Bonjour, the end of this school year and into the summer. right in” to the new challenges the technology would there is no concrete solution to the problem. However, she does believe it is a manageable one. Principal John McKinney thinks that in order to be bring. “It becomes a matter of personal responsibility,” Chemistry teacher Steven Appier is completely on successful with the new technology, teacher training and being very knowledgeable of how to operate the board with bringing laptops or iPads into the class- Bonjour said. “Some of our students are really good rooms. He knows that specifically the science depart- at that and some aren’t. And I don’t know that it’s golaptops will be vital. “[Training teachers is] just the same thing as a ment would greatly benefit from the added technol- ing to be worse with the iPads or laptops in the room, but I just think it’ll be a different sort of distraction. teacher with students,” McKinney said. “You don’t ogy. “I think with the level of technology that we’re try- But I think it’s up to [teachers] to make sure they’re say ‘Hey I want you to read “Macbeth” and then write a paper on it.’ You don’t just throw it out there and ing to use...it would really be a helpful way to promote only out when we have a purpose for them.” All the potential distractions aside, McKinney bewalk away. If I’m going to ask teachers to utilize this student interest and to advance our learning into the technology in their classes and in their lessons, then 21st century,” Appier said. “For chemistry specifically, lieves that integrating technology is the right thing I need to provide them with the tools to be able to do there are a number of good applications that can be to do. He believes this generation grew up with technology, and regardless of the used on iPads specifically but it really that.” controversy on the topic, that Teacher development has been something that requires each individual to have their the future is headed in that diHinson has emphasized as well. In addition to dis- own. It’s not something that works as [Technology] just rection. cussing professional development, Hinson and Asso- well in a group setting or even working opens up so much po“[Technology] just opens ciate Superintendent of Public Information & Com- with a partner.” tential for wonderful, up so much potential for wonOn the other hand, Spanish teacher munications Dr. Leigh Anne Neal have also been deep critical thinking derful, deep critical thinking,” communicating with districts who have already been Linda Sieck is concerned about the McKinney said. “And that’s through the transition of adding in technology to the changes that will happen in regard to PRINCIPAL JOHN MCKINNEY the part I’m excited about. classroom. Their communication has spanned from teachers’ grading programs and the The pros outweigh the cons, local schools to districts as far as Lewisville, Texas to web backpack system currently in change is scary, but if we end place. get feedback on their experiences. “My concern is that teachers will have ample and up going that way, I’ll take a great deal of time and ef“We have to consider all the infrastructure...and some other things that have to support a large infu- effective training,” Sieck said. “Often teachers must fort to prepare my staff and students for that change.”

news.

Hacking in the

New Year

Recent hackings on corporations has led to a call for greater security measures.

WRITTEN BY LAUREN BROWN

ART BY MIKE THIBODEAU

There have only been 21 days of 2014 and already four ma- said. “In a way we don’t think twice about giving our informajor corporations — Snapchat, Target, Skype and Yahoo! — have tion out on the internet because we’ve grown up being combeen subject to data breaches. Recently, passwords of Yahoo! fortable with doing that.” users, Skype’s social media accounts as well the credit card Heitmann’s friends had mixed reactions when they heard numbers of Target consumers have fallen victim to hack- the possibility of their Snapchat information no longer being ings. In past years other companies such as Google, Visa and private. Heitmann said her friends who use the application Barnes & Noble have been anonymously hacked. Members most frequently tended to ignore the news, whereas Heitmann of the East community have been affected specifically by the and other friends who used the app less frequently felt that Snapchat and Target hackings. Snapchat should be more secure and learn from the hacking. According to a Forrester Research survey of more than In addition to those who hacked Snapchat, criminals ma2,000 security professionals, these hacking incidents serve as nipulated Target’s Point of Sale systems without raising any a lesson to be learned, with 46 percent of companies expect- red flags in the midst of last years’ holiday shopping season. ing to increase network security spending in 2014. In contrast to the Snapchat hackers, the Target criminals are However, Danny Perkins, a computer security analyst for termed “black hat hackers.” These hackers break into a system FishNet Security in Overland Park, believes the over-sharing in order to cause damage or for their own financial gain. habits of high school age students cause greater issues for Seventy million customers and counting who shopped online privacy and therefore an increase in security spending at Target between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15 have had information would do little to remedy the problem. such as their name, address, phone number and email ad“I definitely think that those in dress hacked in the breach. Now Target customthe younger generation share way ers’ credit card numbers that were compromised We don’t think twice are for sale on underground forums. too much personal information onabout giving our inforline,” Penkins said. “Take Facebook East psychology teacher and athletic director mation out on the interfor example, where you can add your Kelli Kurle was one of these customers whose prinet because we’ve grown email address, phone number, street vate information was stolen because of the Target up being comfortable address and date of birth to your hacking. with doing that profile. All of this information can “Target deals with such a mass quantity of be used and duplicated for identity accounts so their transactions are probably a lot theft.” more vulnerable,” Kurle said. “My identity was stolen in colPenkins is among many security experts who expect the lege so I’ve gotten super vigilant about keeping my informaSnapchat and Target hacks to bring privacy issues among the tion private, but there honestly wasn’t anything I could’ve younger generation to light and, hopefully, cause high school- done differently to prevent this particular hack.” ers to be more careful with their information online. Kurle says she shopped both online and in-store at Target. A recent report conducted by Pew Research Center found When her debit card was declined while paying for gas, she that high schoolers are the largest demographic of cell phone realized something was wrong with her account. She heard owners that use the Snapchat mobile application and there- about the hackings the following day and realized what fore would be most susceptible to their information being had happened to her. stolen. Someone located in Alabama with The Snapchat hackers published names and phone num- an untraceable email address bers of more than 4.6 million of the mobile app’s users. On his emptied Kurle’s account by blog, the CEO of Snapchat explained that the hackers could shopping at Best Buy. theoretically upload a database of Snapchat users’ phone The problem with her numbers and match usernames that way. account has been In a statement to technology blog TechCrunch, the hack- mostly remedied ers said that their motivation was simply “to raise the pub- since then, lic awareness” about cybersecurity so that Snapchat would but she still reevaluate the flaws in their system’s design. These types of has a few hackers have been called “white hat hackers,” meaning they bounced only hurt websites to make them stronger. transacFreshman Caroline Heitmann deleted the application tions upon hearing about the Snapchat hacking. She says the urge that Set up a firewall to share via technology is unstoppable now. she on your computer “I didn’t use [Snapchat] that often to begin with, so the is to secure and hacking was just another reason to delete the app,” Heitmann

Avo id G

Caroline Heitmann, 9

g n i t et

protect yourself.

waiting to get refunded fees on. “I have different passwords for each site that are different so I thought I was safer,” Kurle said. “All of my friends my age have fallen victim to having accounts hacked at some point. It’s just annoying.” A recent article in U.S. News & World Report says that certain legislators have begun to take action in regards to national cyber security. According to Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, these recent hackings could be a wake-up call about privacy. On Jan. 8 he reintroduced a new version of the “Personal Data Privacy and Security Act.” Changes in the act will increase the maximum sentence for a first-time hacking offender from 10 years to 20 in hopes of decreasing cyber crime. This bill will apply to all types of hackers involved in data breaches, cyber fraud activities, identity theft as well as criminals not hacking for financial benefits. Leahy wrote in a statement that “The Personal Data Privacy and Security Act will help to meet this challenge [of recent hacks], by better protecting Americans from the growing threats of data breaches and identity theft.” As a computer security analyst, Penkins agrees that Leahy’s legislative measures are a good start. However, he believes the problem will not be eradicated without people receiving better education and awareness of the dangers of operating online and how technology works in our everyday lives. “I think people don’t really understand the risks of being connected,” Penkins said. “Everyone can be a target, but there are definitely ways to minimize the risk of exposure with proper education and training.”

d e k c a H dit

bie

Har

Cre

Instead of using a credit card, use cash whenever possible.

101 001 0

0001

1002

Sean’s 3 easy steps to

supporting FEMINISM

1. Knock out offensive words and terms that degrade women.

2. Realize that a person’s gender doesn’t define the qualities they have and the jobs they are capable of doing.

3. Avoid judging women by their outfit choice. Whether a girl dresses modest or a little scandalous, respect them.

an opinion of

SEAN OVERTON In daily life, people interact with others through jobs they apply for, sports they play and art they create. They contend against each other through these things, striving to achieve personal goals. Both men and women are running on a track facing one another, trying to win the race. In that race we should all finish together. I’m not saying we can all get the same positions others have worked hard for, but simply that we should all have equal opportunities no matter our gender. Men are miles ahead in this race. This is due to centuries past where men have held women back with sexist mindsets. Males have thought that women couldn’t hold political roles. Views like these have left women miles behind. Although women may be behind, changes are being made to give women the extra support they need to be where men have gotten. The support given to promote women catching up to men is exactly what feminism is for. Many males who are confused by the idea of feminism wonder why there aren’t men’s rights activists groups, or why there aren’t equality groups for all. Well the thing is, males do not need men’s

rights activists. They have not been held back by the opposite sex, nor have men been restricted from their basic human rights like women have. Men have been given countless opportunities such as discovering land, creating the constitution and taking on legislative positions. However, women were not. While men have been given respect, women have been treated as objects, not as the equal people that they are. If there were to be a group that fought for both men and woman’s rights, instead of just feminists, no change would be made. Men have already recieved support in work and social feilds. They don’t need the same help that women do to become equal. Equality is not giving everyone the same type of help, it is helping those who are struggling to catch up. Women are still being affected by laws that hold them back from living as equally as males, and receive treatment similar to the misconduct various racial groups have received in the past. According to recent Huffington Post surveys, women are being paid less than males, don’t receive paid maternity leave and 50 abortion clinics have closed due to laws in the past three years, making it impossible to keep clinics open. Not only are women still affected on a political standpoint, there are still social issues they are facing. In the Maryville court case chargers were lessened for Matthew Barnett’s case, because the girl he raped had blacked out from

Wrestling for PHOTO BY KATIE LAMAR

alcohol. The percentage of feminists in the United States is already scarce at 20 percent, but the number of male feminists is even less. According to the Huffington Post, only 0.32 percent of the men in America consider themselves feminists. Most things that men’s rights activists want to achieve for males socially would, in the end, be achieved by feminism. Growing up, the girls who were more into activities like football have always received support. Most people think “Oh go ahead and play with the boys, way to be tough!”, but when a little boy wants to play with girl toys or has characteristics that, “only girls should portray” most people would assume there is something wrong with him. That is due to the fact that society has made femininity a sign of weakness. Feminism would help take away the stigma asociated with feiminine qualities. It would make it a sign of stength rather than a sign of weakness. Change is not going to happen with a few screaming ladies with picket signs. What needs to change is the hearts of those around us. Change is scary. the idea of life being different from what we know makes people nervous. If we do not educate those who are ignorant to the idea of breaking gender roles, how will we ever progress as a nation? Some people may want to support feminism, but don’t know how. You can make a difference

opinion. just by making simple changes in the way you treat others around school. For instance, when you see the girl dressed in clothes usually meant for a guy, you could refrain from whispering to your friends, “What is she wearing?” You could then give her a smile and let her know that it is ok for her to break set gender roles, and do what makes her feel comfortable. Those who oppose feminism and the defiance of gender roles would become more and more comfortable with others’ differences, the more accepted the idea would become. With feminism, there is hope that one day women will be right there, running as fast as they can, next to men. It will help the little boy who loves playing with dolls to not be ashamed any longer. With feminism, no one will look down upon those who don’t stick to their masculine and feminine titles. In the future, males and females will be appreciated just the same. In the end, strength is not about how many weights you can lift, or how fast you can run around a track. Strength is about living your life, even when people judge you. It’s having the courage to be the best version of yourself.

Equality

a male’s take on feminism makes for more equality

opinion.

FINALLY WRAPPING

UP THE HOLIDAYS

A view on how materialism ruins the holidays AN OPINION OF MORGAN KRAKOW PHOTO BY TAYLOR ANDERSON

e once watched this truly horrifying video in my Environmental Education class. As the scene panned out over a sub-Saharan watering hole, seven crocodiles nestled their heads just above surface level. Even though I was wishing for a peaceful reptile feature, an inevitable wildebeest attempted to dart across the watering hole. The rest was splashing and ripping noises as we all averted our eyes. I’ve felt like that wildebeest before. I hate the holidays. Whenever I talk about disliking the holidays in public, I get a lot of heat for it. But in my opinion, it’s an unfair criticism. I like the idea of the holidays, just not how they’re carried out. Now tear me to shreds with your razorsharp teeth, or better yet, stop reading because I’m sure that’s what a lot of people are going to do. But I promise it’s not as bad as it seems. The season of giving often feels like everyone is more focused on themselves than any other time of the year. And this past year was no stranger to the truly cringe-inducing holiday moments, with inappropriate news anchors, retailers opening even earlier on Thanksgiving day, and a seemingly more materialized season than ever before. That’s why I’m happy to finally be saying sayonara to the holidays for 11 peaceful months. It’s true, I’ve never really gotten much out of the fa-la-la-la’s, and the snowy weather gets me down. But easily the worst part of the holidays is that it has the potential to be so much more than it actually is. I can’t tell you how many holiday cards I’ve gotten touting the notion of peace on earth. But step into 21st century America between November and January, and you’ll quickly note the culture is far from peaceful. From the absurd parking lot tactics of holiday shoppers (slam the breaks, lay on the horn, repeat), to the attitude I get flipped when I don’t order up a pumpkin spice latte, it always feels like everyone is in a rush, and I should just walk (or more likely sprint) the opposite direction. The atmosphere is heightened and suddenly the world feels like a consumerist race to see who can obtain the best items, at the lowest prices, in the least amount of time. I start each year with an open mind, ready to dive right into the holiday cheer. But every time my optimism is squashed. I hope that I will at some point realize my true love for Frosty and jump on the sleigh-bell-ringing

bandwagon. I can’t bring myself all of the perceivably warm and joyful parts, when the bad parts are so eminent and disturbing. There is nothing that brings out the worst in people more than the period between midNovember to Jan. 1. And don’t “bah humbug” me. 2013 took the awful attributes of the holidays to the next level. This year was far more disappointing than most. It felt like the holidays weren’t even really the holidays, but rather six weeks of forced materialism. Although I am Jewish and celebrate Hannukah, I think I can gather the jist of what the Christmas spirit is. And I’m sad to say I barely witnessed it once. Black Friday has never been America’s brightest hour. But this year it seemed that as the lights flickered on at 6 p.m. in Walmart on Thanksgiving evening, people turned into animals and the Black Friday savagery was rawer than ever. Perusing the internet last week, I found a website called blackfridaydeathcount.com. Yes. You read that right. There is a website solely dedicated to recording the injuries and deaths of Black Friday shoppers since 2006. There have been officially seven deaths and 90 injuries on Black Friday since then. While the website might seem crass, the more I think about it, the less surprised I was. I found myself almost numb to the fact that people were being trampled to death in order to snag the newest Xbox. People have been killing each other over deals like half-priced television sets and, according to ABC News’ article on Black Friday deals, an ever-classy camouflage reclining chair from Cabela’s. No offense America, but we’re doing the holidays all wrong. That’s why I’m challenging everyone reading this column to a reallife bet. Next year, take the hours you would usually spend carefully crafting your gift wish-lists, or begging your parents for a new phone, and spend it volunteering. I guarantee you will feel far more fulfilled, and if you don’t feel free to come and hunt me down, crocodile-style. So, what’s the deal? Can’t we put down our coupons, lay off the gas on the way to Walmart and enjoy the holidays for what they really are? They shouldn’t be a burden. The holidays are for giving thanks and random acts of kindness. Forget the decor, the frilly drinks, the unnecessary feuding and give the holidays a chance to be what they really are: peaceful.

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features.

FAST FACTS:

Tarantulas their bite is less dangerous than a honeybee’s

there are over

An Unusual Friend

PHOTOS BY MAXX LAMB Senior has a close relationship with her pet tarantula, who serves as a creative inspiration as well as a companion

WRITTEN BY MAXX LAMB

Senior Emily Hamel sits at her table with her stant company and the fuzzy nature of Marilyn older sister, Claudia, in Hometown Buffet. Her throughout the day. right arm is cocked out at a 90 degree angle as “I call her my brooch,” Hamel said. “I like to she shovels cotton candy into her mouth and have her with me wherever I go. I just think betmumbles into the sleeve of her hoodie, “You ter when she’s with me.” want some cotton candy, darling? Oh, I’m sorry Hamel even takes Marilyn with her to school Marilyn, it’s not spider food.” sometimes, and since tarantulas are nocturnal Hamel walks to the ice cream machine with Marilyn just sleeps in Hamel’s jacket. She ofher arm looking like she ten wears a baggy black needs a square-dancing hoodie to give Marilyn I got [my tarantula] partner. She sets her bowl extra space to crawl banned from Dog General down under the machine, around inside her jackin Spring Hill because they pulls down the lever and et. During class amel were like, ‘don’t you dare begins to giggle and tells reaches into her jacket bring your spider in!’ Marilyn, her pet tarantula, and strokes Marilyn as to settle down. she sleeps. Hamel has had Marilyn “I was pretty terrifor two years and tarantufied,” her Economics las of her species have the capability of living for teacher David Muhammad said. “I kinda stared well over twenty, so their friendship could last at [Hamel] because I wasn’t surprised and was well into her thirties. Marilyn goes everywhere in awe and told her not to come near me. I don’t and does everything with Hamel. They go to do spiders.” Hometown Buffet, Quik Trip, Home Video, evHamel more often than not receives stares erywhere. when people notice her “brooch.” Employees at Hamel, an aspiring artist, even lets Marilyn Home Video are always surprised if she doesn’t crawl around her body when she paints. Mari- have Marilyn with her when she comes in to rent lyn climbs up Hamel’s neck onto the back of a movie. her head, but Hamel continues to paint, undis“I remember when Emily first walked into turbed. Having Marilyn crawling around her here with Marilyn on her chest,” Chris, an embody and feeling her hair tickling her skin helps ployee at Home Video said as he sends a picture Hamel’s creativity. Ever since she bought Mari- of Marilyn to all of his contacts, “I remember lyn, they’ve been inseparable. seeing it but not seeing it. I thought it was a de“I named her Marilyn Monroe, because she’s sign on her shirt at first, it was different, but I figa rosehair [tarantula],” Hamel said, “Chilean ured since I’ve seen stranger things — a woman Rose Hair, that’s the actual term for her species, with a parrot on her shoulder — that I’d let it fly, so I call her Marilyn MonRoseHair.” you know, whatever floats her boat.” Hamel feels at ease whenever Marilyn is She has no problem with the extra care her tucked inside her jacket. Hamel enjoys the con- cargo brings with it. Hamel and Marilyn have

EMILY HAMEL, 12

a deep connection, but it’s not like other pets. Marilyn doesn’t come when Hamel calls, and Marilyn can’t fetch, but Marilyn is Hamel’s friend. “I just have to be a little more careful when I’m walking around so that I don’t smush her so in exchange for the company it’s worth it,” Hamel said. Hamel knows Marilyn won’t live as long as her, so she came up with a solution: she’d get a tattoo. “At first, I thought spider tattoos were just so exotic looking, but I want a tattoo of Marilyn, my first spider,” Hamel said, “I want her to always be with me.” Hamel realizes that she may not always want a tattoo of Marilyn, so she’s decided to wait until she gets older to get the tattoo. Hamel plans to have a tarantula with her for the rest of her life, one way, or another. “I love spiders and [raising tarantulas] is what I want to do for a living,” Hamel says, “I’m just a spider person.”

800

species found in the wild

the largest ones have a legspan of a dinner plate (10 in)

females can live for up to

years

they are nocturnal

information courtesy of nationalgeographic.com

Left: Hamel lets Marilyn Monroe, her pet tarantula, who spends every day with her at school loose on her appartment complex lawn.

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erves, a chorus of hushed voices from the audience, the theater dimmed. A school talent show. Anxious small talk N from conMA testants with LE O C wide eyes. AH AGE N Prepped miV AN SA crophones and H E I Y scorching lights. N B ANN E T Y But behind the curIT S B R O tain, a single voice. A W OT H completely unexpectP ed, solitary voice. A girl who had a piano flooded with manuscript paper, a girl who had 100 of her own songs in her head. A girl who was about to sing. Standing at the microphone, she surveyed her audience. Nerves. She remembered she was nervous. No one knew about her; no one knew she could sing. Cautiously, she sang the first words of “At Last” by Etta James. Despite how nervous she was, everything flowed. It was natural. She was comfortable with the blazing spotlight. She was fine. She was great. She was... done. Everyone was on their feet, and now they knew; the knew she could sing, and they wanted more. As a freshman, Madi Porter had released herself into the audience letting them see her, giving them her gift. That was step one. Her music career had only just started. *** Junior Madi Porter, a songwriter since the age of 10, and a perpetual theatric from the time she could dance, has written over 100 songs. Her first experiences with music were playing in her elementary school band as a clarinetist. She always sang outside of school for fun, and that was that. But with everything she wanted to do, she wanted to be on stage in some way. Once Porter got into choir in middle school, she realized that singing was her true passion. Her connection with singing was so strong, that she decided to sing for the first time in front of a big audience. The first time she would be recognized for her voice. As a freshman and sophomore, Madi went to Notre Dame de Sion, and it

rn into u t r eal o i n d Ju ord rec

was freshman year that she decided to sing at the talent show. The crowd’s standing ovation caught her completely off guard. Throughout her two years of being at Sion, teachers and students would come up to her at school and compliment her constantly. It even became the norm for students in her classes to ask her to sing so they could record her. She was a full-blown celebrity. Having confidence in her passion for music, Madi believed that East’s music program towered over Sion’s. This was taken largely into consideration when Madi transferred schools. “Sion is such a small school to begin with, and our choir only had 13 people in it, and so transferring into Choraliers this year was like, whoah,” said Madi. “And since it’s an all girls school, we didn’t have any male singers, and so I’ve gotten to hear how that’s like singing in a big group.” To Madi, singing and songwriting is an artistic form of communication. Without music, she would never be able to say things she wouldn’t normally say, or communicate what she wants to communicate without the feeling and voice she puts into song. That’s what stood out to Darron Story, a judge and producer at a singing contest Madi had entered for charity. Story had come up to Madi asking her if she wanted to take her singing career further and record a demo song for him to get her used to recording in a studio. That was when Madi realized that her music could be more than just a hobby. “At first I didn’t know what to think but I was immediately excited,” said Madi. “I knew I had a nice voice but once someone who was of his stature pointed it out to me it was such a compliment. It seemed so weird and amazing that there was actually a chance of me starting a music career.” Madi wasn’t noticed at the contest just because of her voice, but also because of her personal uniqueness. Madi’s ability to bring youth to old music immediately caught the judges’ attention. “What I like is she doesn’t have a ‘style’ so to speak,” said Story. “She has a lot of influences, and any 16-year-old that listens to Nina Simone is on another level. That’s when I knew she was something special.” To accomplish her record deal, Madi will begin working with a songwriter that Darron set her up with. They will collaborate and work on music and get songs ready to put on iTunes for companies to see. If a company is interested in Madi, they will contact her producer and agree on a potential record deal. With her upcoming schedule, Madi will be working on her songs about 8 hours a week, and a total of around three to four months to complete the production. Having a love of old music, Madi bases her style off of Michael Buble, and has a lounge, jazz feel with R&B influences. She has also looked up to Christina Agulera and Ariana Grande as models for her singing. ““The first thing about her [talent] is her passion for music and her natu-

ral knowledge of the craft,” said Story. “She has a very unique vocal style and sound and I believe her vast knowledge of all styles of music will serve her well. Littered with notebooks and manuscript paper, Madi’s piano is her goto music-writing station at home. It’s where the music process begins and songs are written in only days. Madi’s inspiration isn’t forced. She doesn’t sit, staring at the piano keys waiting for the music to happen; it comes to her naturally. “I will usually see how the tune feels to me, and which way I want to go with it, like if it’s going to have like a soft melody, or an upbeat one,” said Madi. “Different things inspire me. Like if I’m outside, usually something will come to me, or just out of boredom.” Madi spends several hours singing and playing music because she wants to. And to accomplish her aims, it will take even more than what she has put in. According to Madi, a record deal isn’t all that it seems. In Madi’s opinion, people tend to forget the hours spent working on lyrics and music, and collaborating ideas in a box-like recording studio. “A lot of kids my age might not have the time or the willingness to put a lot of time into what I’m doing because it’s going to impact my social life quite a bit,” said Madi. “But I am fully dedicated and I couldn’t be happier about how far I’ve come. I’m just hoping that this will take me even further.” Madi’s uniqueness and will-power comes with a great reward. The music business is a tricky thing, according to Story. Unfortunately, Story thinks being able to succeed isn’t always based on talent. “I think she has great potential but a lot of the time it’s not up to the artist,” said Story. “It depends on timing and trends. But if I were a betting man I’d definitely put my money on Madison being a success.” According to Madi, her success is mainly based from her ability to use music as an extension of her voice. “It’s like I’m singing to [people],” said Madi. “I can say things through music that I normally can’t say directly. My goal is to have people feel what I feel through my music and get that connection where they can put themselves in the lyrics.” Madi can speak through music, but she can hear others’ voices from it as well, even if there aren’t words. And that, to Madi is the most important thing. “A song is special when you can feel what it’s about without having to be told,” said Madi. “Some of the most beautiful songs are without lyrics.”

Madi performs covers of some of her favorite artists, including Amy Winehouse, Ariana Grande, Beyonce and Etta James in a recording studio.

I’m just hoping that [music] will take me even further.

MADI PORTER, 11

A Look into Madi’s Song Writing Process Madi gets inspiration listening to other genres of music, so she can see what other artists write about.

Madi likes to write songs that are relatable, but not generic. To be sure of this, she writes in a poetic way.

It’s easier for Madi to write songs that are slow and melodic, but a lot have a feel good upbeat mood.

Inspiration usually comes to Madi randomly, which is what makes each of her songs unique.

If Madi is out, she writes her song inspirations in her phone. At home, she keeps her lyrics in a songbook.

Typically, Madi will think of lyrics first and then match them to chords she comes up with on the piano.

Madi has written over 100 songs, and sometimes she will be writing two songs at once.

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g n i v i L ically f r o y m ity a L re al s d re

rn into u t r eal o i n d Ju ord rec

Madi performs covers of some of her favorite artists, including Amy Winehouse, Ariana Grande, Beyonce and Etta James in a recording studio.

I’m just hoping that [music] will take me even further.

MADI PORTER, 11

A Look into Madi’s Song Writing Process Madi gets inspiration listening to other genres of music, so she can see what other artists write about.

Madi likes to write songs that are relatable, but not generic. To be sure of this, she writes in a poetic way.

It’s easier for Madi to write songs that are slow and melodic, but a lot have a feel good upbeat mood.

Inspiration usually comes to Madi randomly, which is what makes each of her songs unique.

If Madi is out, she writes her song inspirations in her phone. At home, she keeps her lyrics in a songbook.

Typically, Madi will think of lyrics first and then match them to chords she comes up with on the piano.

Madi has written over 100 songs, and sometimes she will be writing two songs at once.

features.

WRITTEN BY MADDIE HISE “Last day of having only 2 siblings. Hope the snow is good luck #pleasebeaboy” Luke Hair — eldest son of varsity basketball coach Shawn Hair — was hoping for a baby brother during his stepmother and East business teacher Jennifer Hair’s 8 a.m. C-section on Jan. 2. An hour later that morning, he sent another tweet: “Well everyone...I have another sister.” “You know I had hunches [that it was a baby boy],” Jennifer said. “I was just so large, everyone was like, ‘it’s a boy, it’s a boy, it’s a boy.’ So we were like five o’clock in the morning [before the C-section] still trying to decide a boy name ‘cause we were just convinced it was a boy.” After their daughter was born, they had no girl name set in stone, so the couple sent out a text to Luke and his sister, Grace Hair. “Caroline or Ava?,” the message read. Both kids responded with Caroline, ultimately deciding their new sister’s name: Caroline Eileen Hair. The two teachers, Shawn and Jennifer, have what Jennifer calls a “stereotypical relationship,” with the varsity basketball coach dating the varsity cheer coach. After a year-long secret relationship, and five years after their marriage, Jennifer thinks their family is finally complete with the addition of their second daughter together. * * * “Why do you yell so much?” Jennifer responded after Shawn asked her out for the first time in 2007. “Why do you wear heels to games?” Shawn replied. This began the first of many dates together. To keep their relationship under wraps, the two teachers would exchange emails throughout the school day, thinking it would be better not to tell the students until they knew it was the real deal. “That was a big huge controversy,” fellow business teacher Mercedes Rasmussen said. “The cheerleading coach was dating the basketball coach. It was a big ‘Oh my

god’ everyone was freaking out about it. I had kids calling me that graduated and asking me if the rumors were true, if Coach Hair and Ms. Zerrer were dating.” Between classes, Shawn would run Diet Cokes up to her. As his family grew closer to her, they started spending more and more time together. The student saw his kids hanging around her, raising rumors. “At that time, his kids would come sit with me,” Jennifer said. “He would have to bring the kids to the game with him and they would come sit by me. So I was cheer coach Zerrer to them.” A year later, Jennifer was getting ready for the West basketball game when she received a text from Shawn asking if he could run by her house. Jumping out of the shower, Jennifer put on sweats and met Shawn as he walked in. Having already received Jennifer’s father’s blessing, he got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. “I had mascara running everywhere.” Jennifer said. “He was like, ‘I had [the ring] in my pocket so I had to come do it.’ Then, I hid the ring and told the [students] after the game. It was totally stereotypical.” * * * In addition to Caroline, the couple has one other child together, Annabelle, who is almost four. Shawn also has two other children from his previous marriage; Luke is a 16-year-old JV Rockhurst basketball player, and Grace is a 12-year-old at St. Peter’s. Jennifer thinks four kids tops the family off nicely. “I can’t keep schedules straight,” Jennifer said. “Four is plenty for us. It was sweet when Annabelle said we’re a family of six. Now that we’re a family of six, we’re done.” As the last child, the new mom hopes her baby will be an independent spirit and do as she chooses. “As the last baby, we want her to do her own thing,” Jennifer said. “I’m a big proponent of seeing life and ex-

Caroline Eileen

Hair PHOTOS BY TESSA POLASCHEK AND SHAWN HAIR

H ai r

Lancer teachers Shawn and Jennifer Hair have their second child together

SH HE E’S RE ! .2

Jan

PARTY OF 6

Caroline Ei

n lee

- Hair Family -

, 20

ploring the world, getting away from us, being independent, spirited and feisty. I would love a cheerleader. But her daddy, he’s going to make her a left-handed point guard is what he says.” Jennifer notices some of Annabelle’s attributes in her newborn. Annabelle is a diva with an independent spirit, according to Jennifer. With Caroline, the pair thought she would be a quiet little girl, but Sean said she has her days and nights mixed up. She is wide awake all through the night and sleeps during the day. “We just figured Caroline would be so sweet,” Jennifer said. “But my gosh we call her Squeakers. We just thought she was going to be this sweet Caroline, and we bought the song, but she’s feistier than we thought she was going to be.” Jennifer said she has found Shawn sitting, watching films of basketball games late at night with their nocturnal little girl in his arms in front of the computer. As the coach, Shawn has already started training Caroline in Tummy Time, a child development exercise, to get her little muscles working. “[Shawn’s] got a rough exterior but he’s up at night burping her,” Jennifer said. “He changed the first poopy diaper, and he changes the most diapers. There’s a different side to him than his coaching side. That’s the first thing I asked him, ‘What is that? You need to put that away.’ When we first met him, I said, ‘I don’t think you’re really like that,’ and he’s not.” Jennifer is on maternity leave until April 9. In the meantime, she says she is enjoying being a mother to Caroline. She has made Caroline her own Instagram and Snapchats the family’s other kids pictures of her. Jennifer hopes to make her and Caroline’s first outing to see Shawn coach the varsity basketball boys when they take on Rockhurst.

Player Stats

hometown:Brookside length: 19 in. weight: 8 lbs. 1 oz. time: 8:09 A.M. date: Jan. 2, 2014 gender: female favorite toy: pacifier room color: pink and purple

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aTASTY TRIO

Hidden Mexican restaurants around Kansas City are a delicious alternative to the usual spots

WRITTEN BY MADISON HYATT PHOTOS BY PALOMA GARCIA

El Pueblito

La Fonda El Taquito

Taqueria Mexico

El Pueblito is the type of place where you and your drunk girlfriend would go at 2 a.m. on a Saturday night (it’s actually open until 4 a.m. every Friday and Saturday). It looked like a club inside. An expansively stocked bar was the centerpiece of attention while cheesy, Mexican style pop blared in the background. My friend and I were immediately greeted by the informal “Hey what’s up ladies?” from one of the owners lounging in a booth. Immediately afterwards, he started yelling at a tech guy that he wanted karaoke to stream from both flatscreens this weekend. Based on the atmosphere of El Pueblito I wasn’t expecting anything earth-shattering. The only reason we stayed was because the party vibe and the restaurant’s owner were so entertaining. I was proved wrong once again; the chips were both crunchy and perfectly salted, the salsa was spicy, but not spicy enough to make your forehead sweat. My friend and I ended up ordering and sharing a soft shell, chicken taco and tamale. Surprisingly, both things were pretty good, although not up to the standard of La Fonda and Taqueria Mexico. The chicken taco had a tangy flavor but was a little bit too salty for me. The tamale came out a little dry, however adding salsa disguised the dryness. I would recommend El Pueblito based on the electric, festive feel it brings to the table.

Situated in downtown Kansas City in the heart of Westside, La Fonda El Taquito has an authentic Mexican cuisine hard to find at many other Mexican restaurants. If you’re looking to experience a mouthwatering Mexican restaurant out of Leawood or Prairie Village, this is the place. Its half bar, half restaurant layout creates an open feel with an exciting vibe coming from the brightly-painted yellow walls and multicolored Mexican tissue paper banners. Aside from the decor, La Fonda’s self-serve salsa bar may be one of my favorite parts of the restaurant because it gives you the ability to concoct your own mixtures of pre made salsas. They have at least four types of salsa ranging to mild from extremely spicy. My personal favorite is mixing a hot sauce with a mild salsa giving the already delicious salsa a new zesty kick. The smooth salsa creates a contrast between the crunchiness of the chip. When ordering, I suggest you order at least two hard shell beef tacos with a side of rice. Their tacos and rice are to die for. Their deliciously moist, fluffy rice is the best I have tried. However, don’t expect your typical, Americanized taco from Taco Bell or Salty Iguana. La Fonda’s crunchy shell perfectly coincides with the amount of lettuce, seasoned beef and cheese already in the taco-- and the cheese is the best part. Surprisingly enough it’s powdered parmesan cheese, which may sound weird, but actually makes it one of the best tacos I have ever had.

Walking into Taqueria Mexico, I wasn’t blown away. The red checkered table cloths and plain interior screamed “small town cafe with down home, Southern food” and didn’t necessarily coincide with my idea of Mexican restaurants. However, the run-of-the-mill atmosphere ended up being worth it. The food was delicious and the servers were very attentive. Taqueria Mexico’s subpar chips and salsa were not impressive and honestly tasted store-bought. I ordered guacamole, and after my experience with the salsa I wasn’t exactly expecting to be impressed. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The guac could not have been further from subpar -it had a spicy kick and salty undertone with hints of lime. As hard as it is to do, Taqueria Mexico’s guacamole could probably top the delicious guac from Chipotle. After the guacamole, my entire lunch experience was instantly improved. The cheese enchilada I ordered was mouthwatering; if you’re in search for a cheese filled and coated enchilada, I suggest you check out Taqueria Mexico. Just adding some guacamole and salsa on top took the enchilada to a whole new level. The pros — gooey, cheesy enchiladas —of Taqueria Mexico definitely outweigh the cons — lack of ambiance and outdated decor. Their guacamole made me rethink my idea of what good guacamole is. The bland, underseasoned guacamole I was used to eating will never cut it again. In the future, I expect to take many a trip down there just to eat their guacamole.

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RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR

WRITTEN BY MIRANDA GIBBS

Four new movies come with the new year on Netflix

JACK REACHER

AS I LAY DYING

Based on a series of British novels by Lee Child, Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) is an ex-military cop investigating the murder of a pro-sniper charged with killing five people. Teaming up with defense attorney Helen Rodin (Rosamund Pike), the two are drawn into a complex cat-andmouse game in this exciting thriller. Tom Cruise makes this movie with a blend of comical dialogue and badassery.

Written and directed by James Franco (yes, you did read that right), this is the ambitious adaptation of the 1930s William Faulkner novel. It tells the story of a poor southern family as they travel the Mississippi River, carrying their mother’s body back to her hometown. A story of external struggles and internal turmoil, this movie sheds light on how the fabric of a family can be stretched and torn.

MORE SUGGESTIONS | HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS; END OF WATCH

MORE SUGGESTIONS | JACOBS LADDER; THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY

AMELIE

DRINKING BUDDIES

Although this film is in French, do not fear the subtitles. Sheltered Amelie (Audrey Tautou) grew up as a lonely waitress in a corner bistro until the death of Princess Diana. In her shock, a series of random coincidences leads her to discover a rusty box of a young boy’s long hoarded treasures. In her adventure to return the box, she finds her life’s work: making people happy. This whimsical romantic comedy leads you through the streets of Paris on a journey of charming and surprising kindness.

Kate (Olivia Wilde) and Luke (Jake Johnson) are two best friends, who spend their days — on and off the clock — drinking beer and flirting. They seem perfect for each other, but both are in relationships with other people. Things, however, get complicated when the couples spend the weekend in a lakeside cabin together. This film is a hysterical and heartfelt glimpse into the lives of two brewery workers. Nothing more, but you definitely don’t want to ignore it on your queue.

MORE SUGGESTIONS | SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED; PRINCE AVALANCHE

MORE SUGGESTIONS | FRANCES HA; LOST IN TRANSLATION

FILMS WE LOST IN 2014 ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

TITANIC

CAPOTE

REQUIEM FOR A DREAM

HEY MS.CARTER a&e.

WRITTEN BY MORGAN TWIBEEL PHOTOS COURTEST OF MCT CAMPUS

Morgan Twibell reviews singer Beyonce’s newest album that was released secretly on Dec. 12

Not many artists can secretly develop an album and drop it without any publicity beforehand and still have it sell like crazy. Well, apparently Beyonce isn’t like many other artists. She released her album titled “BEYONCE” on Dec. 12 and it sold 430,000 copies in America within one day. This is a huge deal seeing as Miley Cyrus’ “Bangerz” album sold 270,000 in the first week of being released. Billboard reports recognize “BEYONCE” as the FASTEST selling record on iTunes. Beyonce’s album includes multiple collaborations with big names such as Jay-Z and Drake. She even has one song featuring her daughter Blue Ivy which still really confuses me because I can’t seem to understand what her daughter contributed to the song and I’m pretty sure her daughter is only like 1 year old... Beyonce calls it a “visual album” with 17 videos released for the 14 songs on it, including a few bonus videos. These videos are full-blown music videos, nothing like Kanye West’s video that featured Kim Kardashian bucknaked on a motorcycle. The videos have great charisma. They are sophisticated and sultry which fits perfectly with the vibe of the album. In the “Drunk in Love” music video, Beyonce is on the beach sporting a black bikini showing off her toned bod and workin it with her famous dance skills. I’m going to be honest, this album is basically about how much sex she has with her husband. I’m a pretty vulgar person, but I could see how her songs might be a little over the top in sexual detail for some people. While I was researching the album, I read about how Beyonce does a great job covering a more feminist side on woman empowerment and equality between genders.

Not worth it

I probably wouldn’t have realized this on my own, but I think its pretty cool that she can do that while still remaining sexy. It doesn’t seem that there are any standout songs on this album. That probably has to do with the fact that she didn’t release any of them as singles, so no one song was able to become more popular than another. Below, I’ll break down a few of my favorites: ***Flawless: It starts off with an old timey recording of a male announcer, then the beat drops with a high pitched electronic voice, and BAM. Beyonce comes in with her voice like butter singing “Bow down bitches.” I’m bobbing up and down to this one. It’s definitely a song that would get me off my feet and dancing. The song is different than a lot of songs I’ve heard before. She uses Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s, a women’s rights activist, dialogue that was on a Ted Talk preaching feminism. Adichie adds a unique angle to this track. This song instills confidence into young women which a lot of singers don’t do now a days. Blow: In my opinion, this is a ballad of Beyonce’s love for Jay-Z, and how she enjoys sexually pleasuring him. This song is catchy and has a great beat that stays consistent throughout the track. It is a standout in my mind among the other songs because I think it is the most graphic and “out-there” one on the album. It’s by far my favorite song, not only because I think it has interesting lyrics but also because it has a great beat to it. Mine: Featuring Drake, this song starts off with beautiful piano in the background. You can tell she is really digging deep into her emotions during this song. One of the starting lines is “Been having conversations about sepa-

Buy a few singles

rations and breakups I’m not feeling like myself since the baby, are we gonna even make it?” Although I’m usually not a fan of a super slow paced song, Beyonce’s incredible voice makes it such a soothing and relaxing song. Great song to listen to while taking a nice bath. Superpower: This song starts out a bit creepy, with acapella voices mingling to create a beat a single note being held in the background. It for some reason reminds me of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This track features Frank Ocean, who adds great vocals into it. I really like this because Beyonce is singing about getting older and just change in general, a subject that really hits close to home as I start to get nearer to graduation and heading off to college and such. This is probably the least sexual song on the album. Although I’m not the biggest music guru, I can definitely say that this album isn’t the best thing I’ve ever heard. There are some great tracks on it, but nothing that I could see myself listening to on repeat. The real thing that I find so fascinating about the album is the way it was released without any publicity. It’s no surprise that Beyonce, of all people, was able to pull this whole “secret album” thing off. (Although I do have my theories that it could be somewhat related with the Illuminati). They don’t call her the Queen for nothing.

Worth a listen

Love it

A comparison of Past Beyonce Album Sales 4

I Am... Sasha Fierce

B’Day

310,000

482,000

541,000

in the first week

Dangerously in Love 317,000

in the first week

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sports.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

SPORT

Zach Rome

Boys’ Basketball

PHOTO BY EMMA MATHEWS

Girls’ Basketball

Q:What is your goal for this season? A: [My goal is] to place in state

Boys’ Swimming

Q: What will you do to help you place in state? A: Well right now, we have Kevin Eckert coming in too help

practice with me, he is my drill partner. And he will coach me really hard, he is a Mizzou Alumn.

Wrestling

Q: How much do you trian in the off season? A: I do another sport, I do mixed martial

Bowling

arts so I do that year round and I do that three times a day. But right now I just broke my wrist.

OPPONENT Tournament

DATE 1/23/14

LOCATION McPherson

Tournament SM South Tournament

1/24/14 1/21/14 1/30/14

McPherson SM East Emporia

BV North

1/21/14

SM East

Topeka

1/28/14

Topeka

Paola

12/25/13

Paola

Olathe NW

1/28/14

Mission Bowl

Lawrence

1/23/14

Royal Crest

Olathe N

2/1/14

Olathe N

PHOTO OF THE WEEK PHOTO BY MARISA WALTON

BOYS DIVING

INSTAGRAM OF THE WEEK jayjoseph45 (Jay Anderson)

WRITTEN BY ELLIS NEPSTAD

The varsity dive team has four divers this year: seniors Brody Arvesen and Cameron Carollo, junior John Foster and sophomore Henry Sniezek. The team has been focusing their training towards league and state. “The season is going great,” Sniezek said. “All four varsity [divers] are throwing new dives, and the freshmen are learning new dives.” The SME dive coach, Betsy Anderson, assigns the divers a dive and they practice it all week, then complete them during the meets. In order for a diver to qualify for state, two things must happen. First, the dive must have a certain degree of difficulty (DD). The DD is how hard the dive is to complete successfully. Second, the dive has to be judged at a meet. The judges give the dive a score and that number is multiplied by the DD to give the diver their total points. Harder dives have a higher DD, giving a higher multiplication of each dive. At each meet, the divers have either six, or 11 dives to complete. The number of dives depends on the meet. At a six dive meet, 190 points are requried to qualify for state, and at a 11 dive meet, 280 points are needed. Every year, the dive team can take four divers to state. This year all four varisty divers have qualified. “I think we can get three of our boys into the top 16[at state],” said Anderson. “If they all do well I think they all can get in the top 16.”

EAST BOWLINGLANCERS 2nd

OUT OF 3

OLATHE S FALCONS

SWIMMING

EAST LANCERS

1st

OUT OF 5

FREE STATE FIREBIRDS

BOYS BBALL

TWEET OF THE WEEK @SME_Wrestling Congrats to Zach Rome & Will Amrein on their 4-1 performances yesterday at the Topeka dual tournament! 8

RETWEETS

53 44

Hey it’s bowling time.... crisis

FAVORITES

This past weekend, the wrestling team went to Topeka to compete in a duel tournament. Juniors Zach Rome and Will Amrein both won four games and lost one in this tournament. EAST LANCERS

110 likes

OLATHE EAST HAWKS

At East’s tournament against Leavenworth and Olathe South, senior Jay Anderson posed next to an arcade game named crisis for a postgame celebration. The team finished second.

GIRLS BBALL

EAST LANCERS

38 28

OLATHE EAST HAWKS

They never miss a shot, why should you?

Watch all the East basketball games from the comfort of your home at smeharbinger.net Jan 21 SM South Jan 23 McPherson Jan 24 McPherson Jan 25 McPherson

Jan 31 Rockhurst Feb 4 SM West Feb 7 Olathe North Feb 7 Olathe North

Feb 11 Olathe South Feb 14 SM Northwest Feb 18 Olathe Northwest Feb 18 Olathe Northwest

Feb 21 Leavenworth Feb 21 Leavenworth Feb 25 Lawrence Feb 28 SM South

sports.

BASKETBALL

fter last year’s success with the “Pink and Blue” night, Peggy Miller and her son’s organization, the Bret Miller 1T foundation, returned for the second annual “Pink and Blue” night on Jan. 10. The Bret Miller 1T Foundation, founded by Peggy and Bret, informs high school and college students around the nation about men’s breast cancer. Bret is an SME alum and three-year breast cancer survivor who has dedicated himself to raising awareness. At the game, players warmed up in pink T-shirts and entered the court through a tunnel of lancer dancers. “When I first came into the gym, all I could see were pink bandanas waving everywhere,” freshman Katie Kuhlman said. “It was crowded, sweaty, but super energetic!” Burgundy and blue bandanas were passed around the stands for fans to wear creatively. The winners were awarded gift cards to Chick-fil-a for the best worn bandanas. Between shooting contests, fans draping themselves in bandanas and a roaring student section, energy was high throughout the night. At half time, players collected donations from fans at each of the four games. In the end, the proceeds added up to $412.90 and were evenly distributed between the Bret Miller 1T Foundation and Susan G. Komen.

VOLLEYBALL

uring the fall season, the JV and varsity volleyball teams took part in the annual “Dig Pink” tournament. Hosted by BV West, Dig Pink is the Side-Out Foundation’s national October breast cancer rally established in 2004. Proceeds raised through donations and tournament fees benefit the Side-Out Foundation, which in turn awards grants to medical research organizations. It is also dedicated to providing patient services to breast cancer patients and their families. The girls played teams from Olathe South and BV Southwest. Each school wore different shades of pink T-shirts and played two matches throughout the day. Before their first match, the players’ names were announced as they ran onto the court and the girls threw pink rubber ducks to their fans on the sidelines. Mid-day, all matches were paused for any family members or friends of a player that had breast cancer or is currently fighting it to walk alongside the athlete onto the court as an honoree. Sophomore Hannah Ream’s grandmother Donna Limbaugh, a seven year survivor, walked out with Ream last year. “I loved it because my grandma had breast cancer and freshman year she came and I honored her at it,” Ream said. “She grabbed my hand and we walked out in front of everyone, and even though everyone was there for cancer, it felt like a family environment.”

PRETTYin PINK

SWIMMING

or the first time ever, the boys’ swim team is hosting a “Pink Out” meet on their senior night, Jan. 21. There, the team will be selling pink swim caps to the attending swimmers and Columbia blue wristbands to anyone else supporting breast cancer. Proceeds will be donated to the University of Kansas’ cancer program. Senior Ian Lee and his father Dane had been thinking about doing something in support of breast cancer since last summer. “My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer my freshman year and she won her fight,” Lee said. “So we wanted to help others with their fights too.” They had researched different ways to raise money for the cause and discovered that several college swim teams do fundraisers similar to East’s “Pink Out.” From there, Lee informed his coach and his team of his plan. “I think it was a great idea by Ian; I’m just glad we can help out as a team,” boys varsity swim team coach Wiley Wright said. But it wasn’t only his coach that appreciated his proposal. Sophomore swimmer Adam Bublitz commended Ian and his father for their new idea. “That’s awesome that Ian’s family got this together,” Bublitz said, “It’s a great cause and it’s a huge meet. I’m excited to see everyone in their pink gear, also.”

DIFFERENT SPORTS TEAMS PROMOTE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS WRITTEN BY ELLIE BOOTON PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CALLIE MCPHAIL

photo essay. BELOW: Varsity basketball Coach Shawn Hair watches intently as Lucas ‘Tuna’ Jones makes a free throw. “Overall the boys played really tough and it was a great game,” Hair said. “We only have one returning starter, so the guys who played JV last year have really stepped it up.”

PHOTO BY MCKENZIE SWANSON

ABOVE: Seniors Jay Anderson and Mitchell Tyler celebrate after the Lancers take a 10 point lead over the Indians. “I think chanting in basketball is a bigger deal because the other side can actually hear you,” Anderson said. “I’m working on some new chants but they’re still in the planning process.”

PHOTO BY JAMES WOOLDRIDGE

BELOW: Senior Kaitlin Stewart dances to “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody” at halftime. “We like to call this dance our sassy jazz dance,” Stewart explained. “We tell all of the girls to find their inner Beyonce right before we perform”. PHOTO BY MADDIE SCHOEMANN

ABOVE: Junior Lucas Jones and senior Christian Blessen fight for possession. “We’ve had a pretty good track record against SMN in the past,” Jones said. “North played well and it was a good game.” Jones had 23 points, leading the team in baskets.

PHOTO BY JAMES WOOLDRIDGE

ABOVE: Junior Gunnar Englund puts up the ball for an easy two points. “It was nerve-racking, we had a lot of turnovers and kept missing our free throws, but we had a lot of fans there who really energized us,” Englund said. “I like it when there are a lot of fans at the games.” Englund had a total of 17 points for the night. LEFT: Senior Luke Haverty runs through the spirit tunnel as one of the starting five players. “The atmosphere at home games is awesome. It’s then when you realize that all the hard work you’ve been doing is all for that one moment,” Haverty said. “We really appreciate all the support.”

Upcoming Games

PHOTO BY HAILEY HUGHES

PHOTO BY MARISA WALTON

ALL or NOTHING

Jan 23-25 McPherson Jan 31 Rockhurst Feb 7 Olathe North Scan here for an online recap and gallery of this event.

On Jan. 10, The Lancer Boys Basketball Team battled it out with the SM North Indians. After a back-and-forth lead between the two, and losing Joey Wentz in the second quarter, The Lancers fought back and secured a victory of 62-56. “The season is going really well,” Coach Shawn Hair said. As of Jan. 15, The Lancers hold a 6-2 record and are ranked fourth in the state. Exceeding expectations, the Lancers have certainly lived up to their motto: “All or Nothing”.