The Harbinger Issue 7

HARBINGER

7

ISSUE

THE

SHAWNEE MISSION EAST 7500 MISSION ROAD PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS

11/30/15

ON

Serving as more than just a breakfast food, waffles bring family and community together PAGES 16 &17

INSIDE

STAFFER LIVES A “PERFECT” WEEK PAGE 9

IMMIGRATION POLICY DEBATED PAGE 10

SENOR’S MUSIC HITS ITUNES PAGE 14

2

DisbandingDiscrimination Votes For: 11 Against: 0

I

Racial discrimination remains a problem throughout our day to day lives

n light of the recent protests at the University of Missouri, following the use of racial slurs, concerns of racial discrimination are becoming more prominent throughout our nation. We sat watching it on the news, assuming that the unrest hadn’t spread to our hallways and lives. But discrimination and profiling aren’t as far away as we think. Just because we’ve only heard about it at colleges doesn’t mean it’s not at East too.

Day after day, former East student Brandon Cooper faced name calling by his peers. They may have thought calling him the n-word was funny, but Cooper soon began to dread walking in the doors of East each morning. Being known for his skin color, not his personality, made Cooper feel unsafe and undervalued at his own school. The bullying affected his education so much that he transferred to Miege.

The Harbinger believes that East should be more accepting of diversity, so that kids can focus on their education. Imagine if you were the one being discrim-

inated against because of your skin color, and as a result you felt that you weren’t getting your full education. Imagine sitting alone at lunch, not learning how to build relationships with your peers because they assume stereotypes about you. School should be a haven, a place where people feel comfortable in their own skin and have the opportunity for an uninhibited education.

Yes, we have started a diversity board, but we still need work. Discrimination is still here, against people of all types. It’s not okay to ask mixed kids if they know their dad or if he’s in jail. Just because the teacher is talking about immigration doesn’t mean you turn around and stare at the Hispanic girl in the fourth row.

High school is a time to learn who you really are, but students can’t do that if they are being discriminated against.

Even though we have 86 percent white students at East, that shouldn’t mean you treat the other 14 percent students of color differently. When we leave this Johnson County bubble, it will be obvious how isolated we

were from minorities. It is predicted by the U.S. Census Bureau that by 2043, the U.S. will be a “majority minority.” This means that the majority of the population in the future will be people of color, and the minority will be white. We need to learn how to deal with minorities, so that we learn how to build relationships and be successful after high school.

The recent protests have taught us that discrimination isn’t something to joke about. Students shouldn’t fear coming to school and facing bullying from their peers every day. So let’s take a few steps to fix it. We need to work to be a united school where everyone feels accepted and has the same opportunities.

Even if you aren’t the one joking, you can still protect each other from people who assume stereotypes.

We are all Lancers, so let’s start acting like it.

Harbinger Staff List: Fall 2015 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ADS MANAGERS

CO-ASSISTANT EDITORS

ASSISTANT SPREAD EDITORS

HEAD COPY EDITOR

CO-PHOTO EDITORS

Tommy Sherk

Claire Pottenger Will Clough

Ellie Booton

ART & DESIGN CO-EDITORS Aidan Epstein Yashi Wang

NEWS SECTION EDITOR Caroline Heitmann

EDITORIAL SECTION EDITOR Chase Tetrick

A&E SECTION EDITOR Anna Dierks

CIRCULATION MANAGER Elizabeth Anderson

OPINION SECTION EDITOR Courtney McClelland

FEATURES SECTION EDITOR Chloe Stanford

SPORTS SECTION EDITOR Caleb Krakow

SPREAD SECTION EDITOR Ellie Cook

Grace Chisholm

Daisy Bolin Annie Jones

Callie McPhail Hailey Hughes

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Elizabeth Anderson Ellie Thoma Diana Percy Tess Iler Maddie Smiley Hannah McPhail Ava Simonsen Abby Hans Abby Blake Kaitlyn Stratman Allison Stockwell Annie Lomshek

STAFF ARTISTS Lennah Cardozo PAGE DESIGNERS Ali Lee Abby Walker Katie Hise Teagan Noblit Annie Jones Daisy Bolin Robbie Veghlan Catherine Brown Marti Fromm Grace Apodaca Harrison Gooley Morgan Biles

Kaylin McCan Seamus Carrol Isabel Epstein Ellie Mitchell Anna McClelland Jessica Parker Sophia Stechschulte Porter Carroll

COPY EDITORS Chloe Stanford Courtney McClelland Caroline Heitmann Daisy Bolin Kylie Schultz Elaine Chamberlain Tommy Sherk Ellie Booton Claire Pottenger Will Clough

CO-ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITORS Haley Bell

EDITORIAL BOARD Tommy Sherk Claire Pottenger Michael Kraske Will Clough Ellie Cook Ellie Booton Chase Tetrick Caroline Heitmann Courtney McClelland Celia Hack Daisy Bolin Chloe Stanford

CO-ONLINE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Ellie Cook Michael Kraske

ONLINE A&E SECTION EDITOR Jemima Swindells

PODCAST & RADIO EDITOR

ONLINE ASSISTANT EDITORS

Matthew Bruyere

Celia Hack Tyler Keys

Leah O’Connor

ONLINE VIDEO EDITOR ONLINE CONVERGENCE EDITOR Sean Overton

WEBMASTER

ONLINE ASSISTANT COPY EDITOR

Leah O’Connor

ONLINE LIVE BROADCAST EDITORS

Nick Mantel Alex Masson Will Hembree Joe McLiney

ONLINE NEWS SECTION EDITOR

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

ONLINE HOMEGROWN SECTION EDITOR

Katie Lamar Joseph Cline

Caroline Heitmann

John John Roney Will Hembree

Anna Kanaley Grace Apodaca

Lennah Cardozo

ONLINE SPORTS SECTION EDITORS

ASSISTANT WEBMASTER

John John Roney

ONLINE PHOTO EDITOR

MULTIMEDIA STAFF

Reser Hall Davis Finke

Gabe Snyder Nick Mantel Lennah Cardozo John John Roney

ONLINE OPINION SECTION EDITOR

CO-ASSISTANT ONLINE PHOTO EDITORS

Olivia Favreau

ONLINE EASTIPEDIA SECTION EDITOR Morgan Biles

Abby Hans Morgan Browning

ADVISER Dow Tate

NEWS in BRIEF y

nna Kanale

written by A

Bison Being Killed at Yellowstone

Y

ellowstone National Park is proposing to kill 1,000 bison because there isn’t enough room for bison to roam inside the boundaries of the park.

An estimated 5,000 bison roamed Yellowstone National Park this summer according to Fox News.

Stephanie Adams with the National Parks Conservation Association told Fox News that killing these bison seems to be the only solution. Reducing the reproduction rate is the main goal for this plan.

Most of the bison that would be killed are calves and females.

Sophomore Denny Rice went to Yellowstone last summer and saw hundreds of bison.

“It’s actually an incredibly humbling experience to see,” Rice said. “You can’t really

HUMANS OF SM

appreciate it until you come face to face with [the bison].”

However, the tourists’ view on this doesn’t change the fact that there is not enough room for all 5,000 bison.

“If reducing the bison population within the park prevents overpopulation and potentially risking overburdening the park’s ecosystem, then culling the herd seems to be the solution [for] maintaining a balanced environment,” Rice said.

In addition to the reproduction rate, the park is worried that thousands of bison will migrate to southwestern Montana. At least 300 are anticipated to be hunted or used for scientific research.

EAST

An exhaustive catalog of the brilliant, quirky and multifaceted students of Shawnee Mission East

Junior

Portia Renee

Follow @humansofsmeast on Instagram or check out smeharbinger.net for more

Tell me something that no one knows about you.

“I’ve wanted to be a surgeon since I was five, and that’s a really weird thing for a five-year-old to want to be, but it’s been the plan for a while now.

My whole lung collapse dealio was my first time in an OR (Operating Room).”

A

Refugee Safe Act Passed

ccording to BBC, 4.3 million Syrian refugees have registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) since October 2011. Of those 4.3 million, 2,370 have arrived in the U.S. Syria has been in a civil war for the past four years and millions of refugees have escaped to find safety.

Originally, most Syrians fled to neighboring countries, but recently they have been migrating to North America.

According to BBC news, Syrian refugees go through an extensive process to immigrate. First, they leave to find camps like those run

by UNHCR. UNHCR’s camps work to relocate refugees.

To get relocated to the U.S., they have to pass a personal screening that lasts up to two years.

According to The Huffington Post, the Safe Act passed Nov. 19 following the Paris attacks “aims to impose additional requirements

on an already cumbersome refugee screening process, including certification that individual refugees don’t pose a threat.”

Sophomore Hazel Carson believes the recent Safe Act was passed in the House out of fear and xenophobia.

She believes that the U.S. should be sympathetic and compassionate towards these refugees who have faced so much violence and unrest.

“I believe current efforts are sufficient to stop possible terrorists from entering,” Carson said. “I am also disgusted by recent Islamophobic remarks on allowing Christians rather than Muslims. It seems some politicians have forgotten the meaning of free religion.”

The Obama administration announced in a press release that it will allow an increase in refugees into the U.S. throughout the next year according to BBC News.

A BREAKDOWN OF SCHOOL, LOCAL AND WORLDWIDE NEWS

O

3

Tobacco Age Raised

rdinances to change the minimum age for buying tobacco products and e-cigarettes were passed by the Kansas City, Mo. City Council and the Kansas City, Kan. Unified Government Board of Commission.

People will now have to be 21 instead of 18 to buy these products as of Nov. 19. for the Kansas City, Mo. and Kansas City, Kan. area.

According to KCTV5, the KCMO City Council passed this in three ordinances, or decrees.

The first, with a vote of 11-1 in favor, made the age 21 to buy these products.

The second said that vapor products fall under the category of tobacco products and apply to the same law, with a 12-0 vote. With a vote of 11-1, the third decree prohibits the use of vapor products in enclosed public spaces.

Sophomore John Smith* uses e-cigarettes that contain low to zero nicotine.

“I believe it’s a little ridiculous that I’d have to be 21 to buy something so [harmless],” Smith said.

“I think there needs to be more specific laws about zero nicotine products and why they are illegal.”

Studies have shown that people get addicted more easily when they start using tobacco products in their teenage years. Supporters of this law hope the change will reduce the number of teenagers using tobacco products.

“I am under-aged already, but [I] respect [the law] because I’ve seen many of my friends get addicted to cigarettes,” Smith said.

“I think the law will help [keep] the youth from smoking and addiction.” *name changed to protect identity

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

ABOVE LEFT | Freshmen to senior girls continuely chant “La Toilette” in the fifth floor girls’ bathroom, while senior Sarah Allegri plays music with her speaker. “La Toilette” is a club made up of about 165 girls.

photo by MORGAN BROWNING BELOW LEFT | During the AP Physics 2 boat race, seniors Chloe Neighbor, Bryce Flora, Joe Levin, Michael Poskin and Logan Bennion try to keep their boat from tipping over after nearly the entire class gets in. The group had to create a boat that would float across the swimming pool and back.

photo by ABBY BLAKE

Why do you want to be a surgeon?

“Who doesn’t love a challenge?”

RIGHT | Senior Sam Engelken replicates a photo in his AP/IB Art during open work time after the class critique.

photo by Allison Stockwell

photo by HALEY BELL

TURFWAR

photo by TOMMY SHERK

A Checklist for the Turf Field

STEP 2 STEP 3

Blueprints for the field are drawn

Ground is cleared and leveled for the turf

Concrete is poured

4

T

STEP

of the season.

“They said it was going to be done he turf fields to be installed off before soccer tryouts,” said varsity soccer of Delmar are expected to be player, senior Michael Mardikes. “Then finished before holiday break. when it wasn’t done, we all thought oh The project started at the beginning of we can use it midway through the season, summer but encountered multiple com- and then it never even happened, which plications. However, according to Athlet- was pretty disappointing.” ic Director Kelli Kurle, it appears most of According to Mardikes, being able to the issues have been worked out, and the use the turf fields for practice could’ve finished product is in sight. helped the team practice more efficiently.

The first issue that the installation They wouldn’t have had to worry about company faced was a blueprint error, ac- rain causing muddy fields, which ruins cording to Kurle. The blueprint company the grass. According to Mardikes, pracused a different form of measurement ticing on turf is all around much better than the installation company, causing than practicing on grass. an entire new outline to be created.

“On turf you don’t have to worry T h e about stuff original like little completion holes in the For a long time they couldn’t figure out the issue, which date was caused a pretty big delay, but now things are looking ground, or scheduled better and they’ve got a new time in which they think they chunks of to be Aug. dirt causcan finish.

13, but was — said athletic director KelliKurle ing the ball pushed to bounce back to funny,” Sept. 30. After that, they pushed it back Mardikes said. “The ground is just way even further to Nov. 1. Kurle believes softer and smoother, which makes passthe construction is on schedule, but she ing and stuff way easier.” wouldn’t be surprised if they had another The hope now is that the softball team postponement. will be able to use the fields for practice, “It’s been a mess,” Kurle said. “For a along with the boys baseball team, both long time they couldn’t figure out the is- of which start in the spring. sue, which caused a pretty big delay, but “I’m really excited to be able to pracnow things are looking better and they’ve tice on turf,” said senior baseball player give a new time in which they think they Spencer Mustoe. “Being able to have can finish.” that clean field instead of dirt will make Aside from blueprint errors, midway things go a lot better at practice, and not through the process, the district decided to mention it will help us on our road to a to add another field to the area, which state championship.”

Kurle believes was another major set The new fields will feature two baseback. ball diamonds and an outfield, along with “They say everything’s going fine,” one regulation sized soccer field. Once Kurle said. “And it will be finished be- completed, it will be the first time that fore winter break, but I mean you can see boys soccer will be able to practice on the work they’ve done. It’s all just rocks. school grounds in the last ten plus years, There’s still no turf on the ground. So along with softball. Both the teams were who knows when they will actually be forced to practice at Indian Hills Middle finished.”

School during previous years.

Setbacks have influenced the completion of the field, however the soccer team has endured their own setbacks, considering that they were supposed to be able to practice on the new fields at the start

written by DAVIS FINKE

STEP 1

Despite delays in the construction, the turf field is expected to be done by winter break

Rocks are layed on the field

STEP 5

4

Turf is installed

5

e k Ta Over written by MAC NEWMAN photos by AVA SIMONSEN

LANCER W

VOICE How do you feel about sophomores parking in the senior lot?

“If I were an upperclassmen I would be upset that sophomores get to so I will probably park in the back corner.”

Sophommore Alyssa Vuillemin “As long as they stay in the back corner of the lot it will be fine.

I hope they don’t try and move up closer.”

Junior Will Krebs “If sophomores are added there won’t be any spots and students will be forced to park in staff and get tickets.”

Senior Elisabeth Shook

Sophomores can park in the junior and senior parking lots next semester

ith the increase of tickets given out to students for parking in East’s lots without a pass, the administrators have taken action. For the first time ever they are allowing a specific number of sophomores to purchase parking passes next semester.

Previously, freshmen and sophomores had to park in the Prairie Village Pool parking lot, known by the students as the “sophomore lot.” Though juniors used to only be allowed to park in the southeastern lot by the soccer field and seniors in the northern main lot in front of the school, both will now be open to all upperclassmen.

But, the named “junior lot” and “senior lot” stuck. Now that some sophomores are going to be allowed to park in the main lots, the names are no longer relevant.

Once word got out about this controversy, the majority of sophomores were ecstatic, while upperclassmen felt quite the contrary.

“There will be a day sometime next semester – we have not decided yet – where we will either have the sophomores line up at 5 a.m., and first come first serve, or do a sort of lottery ticket thing,” Haney said.

“Once we reach a magic number, then we will stop giving them out.”

The reason for this change is because many seniors feel that they deserve to park in the “senior” lot even though they do not have a pass, which most do. The administration wants the students with parking passes to be the only ones parking

in the East lots, and they feel this is the way to accomplish that. Basically, that means pushing out the seniors without a pass. Haney and the administrators want to remind East that parking is a privilege, not a right.

The majority of seniors and juniors are outraged by this, mostly because they believe this will increase traffic and accidents, and they do not want to lose their parking spot.

Junior Cameron Fritz drove all sophomore year and feels that if he had to walk the long walk everyday, then the current sophomores should have to do the same.

“I think that [the sophomores] should have to struggle through parking in the sophomore lot just like everyone else did,” Fritz said. “But, if they do park in the senior lot then they should only be able to park in the back row, so that they are not taking spots from juniors and seniors.”

Fritz also believes that the traffic and accidents in the senior lot will escalate.

“It’s pretty tough to get out of the senior lot already, and now with the less experienced drivers there might be more accidents,” Fritz said.

However, Haney believes that the upperclassmen have been dealing with the traffic for years now, and it will not change much.

Fritz thinks that East should keep the same parking policy that has been in effect for years.

Due to their growing frustration, there are rumors and threats floating around from the upperclassmen, saying if a sophomore parks in their spot, forcing them to park in the sophomore lot, they are going to deface the sophomore’s car.

Fritz thinks that’s a bit extreme.

“If I knew them then I would say something to them, but if I didn’t know them then I guess I would just have to find another spot,” Fritz explained. ”But if I had to park in the sophomore lot, then I would be mad.”

These threats will most likely go away once one person does something to a sophomore’s car, because Haney said that if something were to happen, then the senior or junior found responsible will lose their parking privilege.

Sophomore Riley McCullough, one of the many students who has parked in the senior lot without a pass and has received tickets for doing so, has been driving to school since freshman year and has received a few tickets for parking in the senior lot in that time. She is extremely happy with the change.

“Coming from a sophomore I think this a good idea,” McCullough said.

McCullough also expressed how excited she is to get a parking pass in the future.

“I will definitely be getting [a parking pass], I would do anything to get one.”

McCullough said, “I would even sleep at East overnight to get one.”

6

Bleak Friday In-store Black Friday sales go down this year as online shopping becomes more popular

Black Friday Stats T FROM

2013 TO2014 In-store Sales

$57.4 trillion DOWN TO $50.9 trillion

Online Sales

$1.351 trillion UP TO $1.505 trillion

Top Online Sites Visited Amazon Walmart Best Buy Target Apple *stats via Static Brain Research Institute

BLACK FRIDAY

EAST

at

The Harbinger took a survey to see what students at East did on Black Friday. 276 students responded:

written by COURTNEY MCCLELLAND

his year’s big name retailers, including Macy’s, Nordstrom, Gap and Fossil, have reported poor holiday sales during this year’s Black Friday season. Businesses usually report drastic sales growth in November through January. However, this year’s projections are showing little to no increase in sales during the holiday quarter. According to a survey done by retail research firm Conlumino, 45 percent of consumers say they plan to spend less in stores on Black Friday this year compared to last year.

This drastic decline in Black Friday shopping is due to the wide popularity of online shopping, which has discouraged consumers from shopping in stores. Instead, consumers are turning to online retailers like Amazon for their holiday shopping.

Junior Emma Vaughters runs a fashion blog called “E and A Blog” and is one of the many East students who has joined this trend. Vaughters usually does most of her shopping online and plans to continue that this holiday season.

“It’s a lot easier to shop online because there’s more variety and better deals on different products,” Vaughters said. “I may go to a couple stores on Black Friday, but I know most of my shopping will be done online.”

According to Russell Price, an economist at Ameriprise Financial, online shopping has become especially popular among millennials, who have grown uninterested in the Black Friday trend.

“Online is so much more convenient,” Vaughters said.

“When you shop online, you don’t have to deal with any of the Black Friday crowds, you can do it all from your bedroom.”

Amazon will be offering its biggest deals yet this holiday season with its “Eight Days to Black Friday” sale, beginning Nov. 20. These eight days of deals will include “lightning sales,” which will be sales offered as frequently as every five minutes.

Who shops on Black Friday

24%

Some years 12% 64%

Do

Don’t

Because of Amazon’s flexibility as an online retailer, they are able to provide many more deals at a faster pace to consumers, compared to retailers who rely on in-store sales during the holiday season.

One of these retailers, Nordstrom, relies on in-store sales during the holiday season, where they traditionally do most of their sales.

“We always strive to beat previous years no matter what the projections are,” said Nordstrom at Oak Park store manager, Emily Adinolfi. “We do that by offering an additional 20 percent off items in store and our points reward systems, which drive consumers to the store instead of shopping online.”

Nordstrom is one of the few retailers who still does a majority of their holiday sales in stores. However, most big name retailers have turned to online sales to make up for their loss of in store sales.

Best Buy, known for their Black Friday deals, is offering many of this year’s deals online, along with their in-store deals, this year. These online deals include discounted televisions and laptops. The company is doing this in response to a disappointing 2.4 percent dip in sales during their third quarter. Best Buy will begin Black Friday earlier this year, at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving, in an effort to boost sales.

“The tectonic shifts across the retail landscape relate purely to the impacts of the digital revolution,” Price said.

Retailers like Amazon are able to thrive off the “digital revolution” with their market value at an estimated $305 billion, that’s higher than Walmart, Target, Best Buy, TJ Maxx, Macy’s and JC Penny combined.

With the growth of online shopping, most retailers are going to have to find new ways to make up for the loss of sales this holiday season.

“As always with this industry, there are winners and losers, and many of these winners don’t have physical stores,” Price said.

How they spend their money HES CLOT

59%

NICS

TRO ELEC

21%

S S GIFT SHOE OTHER

7% 5%8%

7 Student finds her place, and new friends, in the International Baccalaureate program

I

opinion by CELIA HACK

am a member of the International Baccalaureate program: a rigorous, academic society designed to give me a worldly education that will open my eyes to global problems.

Do I sound pretentious yet?

I do. I’m sorry. It’s not really like that, I promise, and I’m here to tell you why it isn’t. That’s just the spiel IB gives to families of interested sophomores to convince parents that this program that will help their kids get into a fantastic college.

Instead, I’m here to tell all the freshmen and sophomores why they should consider this program, without the fancy, meaningless words and with only a bit of bias. And, of course, to let all the Advanced Placement kids know what they’re missing out on. Read this and weep.

Kidding, kidding.

I chose to do IB because I had always taken, and been told to take, the most difficult classes – honors, advanced, whatever you’d like to call it. In case you’ve managed to escape the onslaught of information about IB versus AP during your high school years, IB is a rigorous program that students at East can choose to take. Six of my seven classes are advanced, leaving only one elective that can “give my brain a break”.

Though that’s why I chose to throw myself into the program,

there are so many better reasons to have chosen to do IB. The first being the insomniac-ridden group of procrastinators that I find myself surrounded by every day, who I have learned to love.

That didn’t come immediately, though. Unfortunately, after completing the first week of school, I went home and told my mom that I was worried I wouldn’t be able to stand it. I would be with the same people in six of my seven classes, day in, day out. My math class only has seven people, and my chemistry class has twelve. If I got tired of them, there would be nowhere to run.

But now, it’s four months after questioning my abilities to spend the majority of my day with the same forty people. And somehow, I’m not tired of my classmates yet. Somehow, I like them more than I did to begin with.

My seven-person math class, called “higher level math” in the IB world, but a similar class to Calc BC, is the hardest class I have ever taken. Maybe it’s just a lack of that “math brain” on my part, or maybe it really is difficult material. I’m having to work harder than I have ever had to before. Somehow, though, it’s still my favorite class.

The other six people in it make me laugh until I cry. Our teacher is fantastic. We get to

draw on the board and dare people to dance and make bets on who can make the shot into the trash can in mathsketball, by far the dorkiest game I have ever played.

While the tiny classes had turned feared claustrophobia into friendship, there was one other aspect about IB that forced us to befriend each other: the difficulty. There’s one slight downside about the class sizes – though parents may consider it a pro. Teachers can grade bigger, more difficult projects.

That’s the one big difference between Chemistry 2 IB and Chemistry 2 AP: design labs.

In Chem 2 IB, we’re required to literally design our own experiments, in which we are given an actual page limit, twelve pages, on how much we’re allowed to write. They take an entire week, and most of my classmates were up until midnight or one in the morning finishing them.

Yes, it’s amazing that we get to do these. How many students around the world are getting to make their own labs? Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop everyone in IB from complaining about how difficult they are.

That’s actually how we bonded though. With constant complaints being launched in the group chat, it was impossible to escape each other. The day before the lab was due, three other

girls and I sat in our teacher’s room “getting work done”. In all honesty, we were trying to convince our teacher to let us celebrate his birthday and accidentally spilling our lab data.

A slow change occurred throughout the first quarter and a half of this school year. We all started off as friends, sure.

We had a group message, complained about school, maybe waved to each other in the hallways.

But by now, the awkward barriers have been broken. We’ve come to realize that we’re all plagued by the same extended essay that’s encroaching upon us, that we’ve silently agreed to procrastinate on as much as possible. We all feel a little special because we can say we’re IB students, even though we know someone should probably tell us we’re not that cool.

IB isn’t for everyone. It isn’t for those who want larger classes or to see a large variety of people throughout the day. It is for those who want to constantly surround themselves with people who, like themselves, are looking to learn new things. If I want to continue to love learning, even when I have too much homework to sleep, I need to be surrounded by people that want to keep loving it, too.

REQUIREMENTS: EXTENDED ESSAY Time Limit: • Two Years Length: • 25 Pages Subject: • Anything

CAS HOURS 150 required community service hours

TOK Theory of Knowledge: A class in place of seminar

BELOW | Junior Celia Hack interacts with her fellow IB classmates in a discussion over a U.S. History assignment

photo by ELLIE THOMA

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REVAMPED ROUTINE

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opinion by CLAIRE POTTENGER

A TYPICAL TEEN Habits exhibited by the average high school student Teens receive about hours of sleep per night

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Healthier habits spark a happier outlook on life

am a self-proclaimed exceptionalist at being mediocre. I eat healthy enough. I get enough sleep to make it through the day. I workout when I have the time or feel motivated. I do my homework when I have to. It’s like I’m lazy, but not too lazy. I’m in a permanent state of doing everything to be the point of being enough, but no more.

So I wondered, what would I feel like if I spent one week attempting to do everything I needed to the fullest. I would attain the recommended nine hours of sleep, complete all my homework, exercise everyday, eat healthy, not procrastinate and only succumb to luxuries like watching TV when I finished all my work.

I didn’t know if there were even enough hours in the day to complete it all, but I was determined to reject every sub-par bone in my body and try.

MONDAY:

1 in 4

Teens receive the recommended 60 minutes of exercise daily

4:30 a.m. my alarm blared, and despite having gone to bed at 7:30 p.m., I woke up in a mood parallel to Satan’s. My bed was a plush paradise, and it was pitch-black outside, which only made me want wrap myself in my comforter and continue my dream where I had befriended an extraterrestrial that completed all my homework (don’t judge me, it would be cool, okay).

But unfortunately, I was going to a 5:00 a.m. workout class because it was the only time I could workout that day. I laid there with an impending sense of doom, knowing that I was going to do something painful like running or push-ups in the next 30 minutes. But in the name of journalism, I got myself up.

Once I got myself to the gym, I was glad I went. Although when I came home I was a little tired, I knew committing truancy to go back to sleep didn’t coincide with perfection and I had to go to class.

By the time second hour rolled around, my sleepiness had worn away. I felt refreshed and focused, a feeling that was a stranger to me on a Monday morning. It surprisingly lasted throughout the day.

comprehend this self-inflicted torture.

As my day progressed, I noticed a change in my mood; I was awake and happy to be at school. I think I actually even laughed in English -- God forbid. I didn’t even have my afternoon slump that leaves me wanting to crawl up into a ball during Physics. I knew my good night’s sleep, early morning exercise and healthy diet were responsible for new-found energy.

One third of teens eat fast food every day

WEDNESDAY:

I decided to wake up at 5:30 a.m. and ride my mom’s bike to get in my exercise. I didn’t go to bed early enough to make it to the 5 a.m. class and still get my nine hours of sleep in, and I honestly just wanted to get it out of the way before I was awake enough to

What Claire did throughout her perfect week

THURSDAY:

When my alarm rang and ripped me out of my blissful sleep state at 4:30 a.m., I surprisingly didn’t feel like I was going to commit homicide. It was easier this time to get up because, unlike Monday, I knew the benefits of getting my heart rate up early.

From there on, my day was great. I was in a good mood and productive -- I even got stuff done in seminar.

But then came lunch, when I ruined it. I had done well all week eating healthy and not binging on junk, but I cracked while out to lunch and got pizza and ice cream. Believe me, I tried to resist, but it was impossible to sit there watching my friends chow down on cheesy, greasy pizza and not join in. Then once I ate pizza, I somehow justified to myself that I couldn’t make it much worse by eating ice cream.

I paid for my error for the rest of the day, feeling like a bomb had gone off in my stomach. I completely regretted the splurge and mentally reaffirmed my commitment to eat healthy.

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Slept for 9 hours each night Drank 8 cups of water every day

FRIDAY:

I worked out again in the morning and got to spend the rest of my day kind of on a high from my week of good sleep and my workout in the morning.

By the end of the day, I was definitely a little worn out from my week. But I felt accomplished, I had done all my homework all week, gotten five days of exercise and wasn’t completely dead because I made an effort to go to bed early.

Teens use their phone an average of 60 times a day WHAT I LEARNED: to text, call and TUESDAY: After my attempt at being perfect, I came to the non-original My day was bleh. As much as I would like to say I felt exceptional conclusion that perfection is overrated, but a good night’s sleep, scroll through and refreshed, I really didn’t. I woke up at 6:30 a.m., which was a eating healthy and exercise are not. social media gift after Monday, but I was lethargic all day.

Lunch came and I really hadn’t struggled with eating healthy until then. I was full but not really satisfied after finishing my salad, when my friend asked if I wanted her peanut butter pretzels.

But I somehow I summoned will power from the darkest cavern of my brain and limply said no thank you.

After my feat in the peanut-butter-pretzel-war, I was feeling like a new woman. I worked out after school because I didn’t have to nanny. Then I came home, did my homework and was in bed by 8:00 p.m. to bed. Netflix’s distant calls were ignored by my superego reminding me to get my nine hours of sleep in. Sigh.

HER NEW NORMAL

I was energetic, happy, focused and more productive at school.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not miserable at school 24/7, but having consistently good days is rare. I felt like I was the best version of myself. I’d also like to think others around me appreciated my cheery attitude, as opposed to my maybe not so low-key death glares I can shoot when I’m tired or grumpy.

The best part of it is, I don’t have to wonder what made me feel so excellent. I know it was due to the trifecta of consistent amounts of sleep, eating healthy and exercise. All those things are usually controllable, exempting the occasional super busy day. It might mean I have to save my Netflix for the weekend in exchange for an hour of sleep, but it really is worth it.

It was also completely worth the early morning agony, and I plan to continue working out in the morning when my schedule allows for it.

Breakfast: blueberry smoothie Lunch: gluten free pizza with sugar snap peas Dinner: chicken with kale chips Snack: handful of almonds

Exercised for 30 - 60 min. each morning art by GRACE CHISHOLM

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opinion CHASE TETRICK

merica is defined by its people. Our country proudly boasts the greatest melting pot of race, religion, cultures and ideals in the world. Our diverse culture can be attributed to what many agree is the most successful immigration practice known to mankind. A practice defined by a specific system of rules, regulations and laws as it pertains to foreigners wishing to enter our country.

Immigrants who enter our country legally are immediately able to enjoy American amenities like health care and education and contribute to our democracy, provided they pay their fair share of taxes.

They are indoctrinated into our country’s rich history and heritage through a formal process, which requires them to learn it.

Granting those same rights

the

and capabilities to those who sneak into this country seems morally and ethically wrong to me.

I was born in Johnson County and haven’t had to work to be who I am today: a free United States citizen. I say this to show that this is not me hiding behind words, or saying that I am better than any undocumented immigrants — because I by no means am. I support immigration into our great country 100 percent as long as it is done legally.

Undocumented immigrants come into the United States in hopes of creating a better life for themselves and their family; all this at the cost of our citizens. According to the United States Immigration Survey, most undocumented immigrants crossing the border commit crimes, take U.S. jobs, do not pay taxes, take advantage of our liberties, and fail to understand how our democracy thrives under laws and regulations.

IMMIGRATION

ARGUMENT The debate pertaining to the status of illegal Mexican immigrants in the United States is discussed by two staff members

grow as the progressive nation America is portrayed as.

I’m especially unable to wrap my head here isn’t an immigration problem, around people’s reasoning for wanting to and no human being is illegal. Miwaste billions in tax dollars each year to gration is humanity’s natural, inherent right. I know it’s illogical to let people deport undocumented immigrants. Sendimmigrate to America with no process. ing immigrants home includes splitting We need control over people entering and up families, as well as sending Central living in our country, but not one that is American youth back to gang violence so ridiculous. Immigrants deserve a less and abuse.

One thing that needs to be changed is extensive and more accepting process, as how we think of undocumented –not illewell as amnesty to those who have crossed gal– immigrants.

Frankly the term illegal the border illegally.

I grew up with undocumented babysit- is xenophobic, which is having or showing ters who came here to work hard and make a dislike to people from other countries, a better life for their family. These women and demeaning. It makes it sound like we are better than those were single entering our country mothers. It’s Sending immigrants home includes splitting up and creates a culture a struggle to families, as well as sending Central American youth where immigrants are support kids back to gang violence and abuse. demoralized and peoon your own.

— said Sean Overton ple stop thinking of Those who them as equal human were raised with two parents and have never worried beings.

We can start to treat immigrants as our about money forget that these are real people. We can’t just ship them around equals by granting them amnesty. Amnesand strip them from their communities. ty essentially gives rights to immigrants.

It’s their right to be here. Once we start While excusing some of the laws set in thinking of immigrants in the correct, re- place, instead of our government having spectful way, we might actually be able to to pass a new set of laws. Granting amnes-

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opinion by SEAN OVERTON

Illegal immigrants are people with hu- warded with freedom, what is their motivaman rights who want nothing more than tion to change? to be treated as equals. We can continue Realistically, catching and deporting to treat them as equals by requiring them all of the illegal immigrants in the United to abide by our laws. By granting amnesty States is far too expensive, and frankly, our to the 11.7 million immigrants currently resources would be better used elsewhere. residing in the U.S., the problem would We can, however, strengthen our border not dissipate but rather amplify. Being an security and enforce our deportation laws “American” would soon have no meaning. more heavily.

The United States Immigration ConThe current deportation law states that trol reports that illegal immigrants ac- any and all undocumented immigrants count for 5.2 percent found in the Unitof the workforce in ed States are to America and only ... if they decide they don’t want to undergo the be deported to 3.5 percent of these their home counprocess, then they don’t belong in America. individuals regulartry and denied — said Chase Tetrick the opportunity ly pay taxes to the government. These to gain citizenare jobs that could otherwise be held by ship, a law that I fully support. tax paying American citizens.

Unfortunately, this law often results As undocumented individuals struggle in the separation of families and comto adhere to our laws, make money and munities. Although seemingly heartless, provide for their families, they resort to treating illegal immigrants as equals and crime. Illegal immigrants currently make requiring they take responsibility for the up 14 percent of our inmate population crime they committed is a necessary evil according to the 2010-15 Immigration and that protects our prosperity as a nation.

Crime Report.

Granting amnesty to those who disreYet people argue granting amnes- spect our laws and take advantage of our ty will immediately stop all of these liberties makes no sense to me. The natbad habits. The sad truth is that it uralization process is set in place to help won’t. If undocumented immi- prepare and transition immigrants into grants failed to pay taxes our country and if they decide they don’t or follow our laws in the want to undergo the process, then they first place and are re- don’t belong in America.

ty would help account for them which will make sure they pay more taxes than they already are.

With amnesty it will help lesson the expensive and expensive process of becoming a U.S. citizen. Becoming a U.S. citizen takes two years or longer, precious years that these people can’t get back.

ABC News reported that it can cost up to $15,000 to immigrate legally. How exactly will someone who makes less than a dollar a day working in a sweatshop or other labor intensive jobs, be able them coming to America. That most likely would not happen. The New York Times reported that since 2010 there’s been more immigrants leaving the country each year than coming in. There isn’t a huge mass wanting to come to America, since Mexico is slowly improving its economy.

Even though there are fewer immigrants coming in, they are vital to the U.S. economy. I can’t count how many dumb political debates I have heard where certain parties badger on about American jobs getting stolen. Jobs aren’t stolen by individuals from another country; American businesses give them to immigrants

looking to exploit labor and underpaid wages.

Immigrants make up 5.2 percent of the American workforce.

If they were all deported, some states’ work forces would drop more than 7 percent.

The money immigrants have made and created for the U.S. outweighs the costs they are not paying. In 2007, the Congressional Budget Office reported the fiscal impact of immigration in the United State over the past two decades.

It concluded that over the long term tax revenues of both legal and unauthorized immigrants, they exceeded the cost of the services they made.

If America could grant these hard working people amnesty or actual citizenship, we would not only be helping the economy, we would be doing what is morally right as human beings.

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written by CALEB KRAKOW

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THE SPECTER SQUAD

photos by KAITLYN STRATMAN

East students are promised the opportunity to experience ghost hunting through a new club

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was never the kid to be worried or get scared of anything when I was little. I only had two fears: the dark and ghosts. All these fears became a reality at bedtime, my worst enemy. I hated turning off the lights and being alone. I can remember hearing noises in my closet, and never wanting to go in it.

People who knew me then would never believe I would eventually become East’s Ghost Hunting Club founder.

One day I decided I could summon enough strength to go in my closet, I thought maybe the ghost would be more scared of me then I was of him. I went and found nothing. After that, I never heard noises again and everything changed; my fears became my interests. I became intrigued with the unknown. One of my favorite writers Howard Philip Lovecraft said it best: “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.”

One day I was watching a Buzzfeed video during class about people who believed in ghosts, and people who didn’t believe in ghosts going to an old, said-to-be haunted castle together. As you might be able to imagine, the ones who believed in ghosts claimed they felt and heard paranormal things. Those who didn’t believe in ghosts heard and felt

1 Set Up

nothing. I loved this idea of how people with Associate Principal Britton Haney who do or don’t believe in things will and he seemed like he liked the idea. He convince themselves something did or took my form, but told me it was going didn’t happen. I have always believed to be looked over and he’d take care of it. ghost are real, but I also have a lot of I was so hyped for this. Like I said, friends that believe that they don’t exist. I I’ve always been convinced my house decided I wanted to create a place at East has ghosts, I’ve heard and felt them, like where people could discuss their ghost the situation in my closet I talked about beliefs. earlier.

On Harbinger we have “multimedia” On Nov. 16 I received an email from brainstorms, which involves us circling, Wagner. My eyes were drawn to the and talking words bad about cool Eastnews, and The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind my related videos heart is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of dropped. I and mediafear is the unknown related projects had a bad — said author Howard Philip Lovecraft feeling that we want to make.

I brought up my club was the idea of creating a video like the one denied.

Buzzfeed made. I got a lot of positive “Denied -- I need more specifics about feedback. It just kind of came to me that where, when and why,” wrote Principal I could actually go ghost hunting and John McKinney. create a club, and from then on I was I thought: oh this doesn’t change determined to create it. anything, McKinney just needs to The first thing I needed to do was to learn my purpose and intentions. I find a teacher that would sponsor my club quickly wrote up an email to McKinney, idea, but what teacher would sponsor a explaining my intentions and made a “ghost hunting club?” I ended up asking meeting with him for the Tuesday before my social studies teacher, Mr. Wagner. I Thanksgiving break.

I decided to do some research was a little surprised when Wagner said he was in. After that, all I needed to do on local ghost hunting groups. There are was get an associate principal, and then actually some paranormal investigator it would be official. I made a meeting groups in Kansas, I thought I would

Caleb gets ready to ghost hunt by gathering thematerials. This includes candles, a flashlight and his trusty Ouija Board.

2 Summon According to Caleb, the next step in the process is to call the dead spirits. It often takes over 20 minutes to hear back.

try to contact one just for fun. My plan was to maybe get one group to come to a meeting. I found a group called Heartland Paranormal Investigative that looked like the only active group close to where I lived. I decided I 0p would write them an email. I received a response within an hour. The man explained to me that he would love to come to one of my ghost hunting meetings and that he thought what I was doing was great.

I proposed to Haney that my club could do hunts at East, since the little theatre is apparently haunted. He said I would be able to if my teacher was present and if I worked with the custodial staff. I could get them to turn off a part of the school’s electricity so it could be completely dark.

Once my club is established, we will have meetings every two weeks and an actual hunt once a month. Each meeting will either have a real ghost hunter/investigator or a presentation about a paranormal topic or place. We will talk about our beliefs and experiences. I hope to explore East like they did in The Gallows, except maybe not chased and killed by an executioner. For now the club will stick to meeting and hunts around KCMO. McKinney approved my club, and will be sent to district for official approval.

3 Speak Once Caleb makes contact, he asks spirits a series of yes or no questions about their lives and their purpose on Earth.

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G GIVIN globally Members of Coalition gathered to celebrate “Friendsgiving” where they shared food and brought in cans to benifit the “Uplift” organization

Joe Webster chats with friends while snacking. “The atmosphere was super warm and inviting.” Webster said.

“I’m glad we had the chance to donate something, and cans were a great idea.”

FAR LEFT | Senior Jasmine Rios loads up her plate at the start of Friendsgiving. The cans that were collected combined with those collected at the Dance Marathon and they reached a total of 300 cans.

MIDDLE | Senior Hannah Ream fans a friend with a plate. “It was full of peole who are more regulars of Coaltion and their friends” Ream said. “It was kind of like a ‘thanks for coming!’ for the members.”

photo by CALLIE MCPHAIL

photo by CALLIE MCPHAIL

FRIENDS

GIVING

We love having team dinners so we decided having a friendsgiving gave us an excuse to get together...and cater Chick Fil A

East students outside of Coalition celebrate their own “Friendsgiving” and take to Instagram to showcase the event

— Freshman Liddy Stallard

GRAM

photo by CALLIE MCPHAIL

Everyone brought food and it all turned out surprisingly good so it went really well — Senior Madeline Long

LEFT | Coalition execs served food for members of the club. “The turnout was superb!” Coalition sponsor, David Muhammad said. “Next year I definitely want to push for more cans to be donated.”

It was a really fun bonding experience for JV Drill Team.

The best part was all the yummy food and hanging out with everybody — Sophomore Katherine Odell

Phone: 913-381-3000 www.boballenford.com

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iMADE IT written by ELLIE MITCHELL

Senior Charlie Jensen achieves lifelong dream of getting his music on iTunes

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California Gone - Single

efresh, refresh, refresh.

Every three minutes, senior Charlie Jensen refreshed the search for himself on iTunes. Nothing appeared but mass murderer Charles Manson’s beading eyes staring straight through the screen of his iPhone.

“Will people be creeped out when they see my name next to someone who killed nine people?” Jensen thought to himself.

After seven hours of refreshing it finally appeared: “Call on You” by artist Charlie Jensen for 99 cents.

Jensen’s lifelong focus on music – singing in his church’s choir, performing in school musicals, playing the piano in talent shows and entertaining a crowd with his band, known as the Rivets – was pivotal in guiding him to his goal of publishing his music on iTunes.

“Charlie was surrounded by music at an early age because his older siblings were all participating in piano lessons and we played all kinds of music at home,” said Charlie’s mom, Shelle Jensen. “I always exposed our children to music, from the KC Symphony to Theatre in the Park.”

Jensen never entertained the thought of a music career until his family took a rafting trip in the Grand Canyon. Each night, Tom O’Hara, their tour guide, played his Irish folk music with his guitar before the sun set. Jensen sat back, gazing up at the stars by the river, listening to the strum of his guitar – it hit him. He realized he wanted to be able to play more than just “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz on a guitar. He envied Tom’s ability to play for hours from memory.

As soon as Jensen got home from the trip, he purchased a guitar with a rosewood neck and maple body. It was the guitar he intended to start his career with.

“I started by being a Potbelly’s employee, and playing on Sunday afternoons at the Plaza,” Jensen said. “Then I played on the street at the Plaza Art Fair, and a guy stopped by, took my card and called me the next day. Turns out he’s a booking agent that now helps me get gigs.”

Jensen’s booking agent, Chad Bourquin, provides him with jobs at wineries, private parties and wedding ceremonies. Yet, Jensen still plays at Potbelly’s on the weekends for extra exposure.

With this limelight, Jensen finds peace writing his 37 songs alone on his roof; a place he knows he will be free of distractions to focus on himself, thoughts and music. He scratches down lyrics only to erase them and start over, eventually ending with a song he is passionate about.

After performing his music at various places, Jensen decided it was time to take his career to the next level: he needed to get his music to iTunes, Spotify and other music websites.

Last February, he and his parents took a weekend trip to Nashville, Tenn. to artist and family friend Sheryl Crow’s professional studio with a professional technician. He recorded two songs: “Call on You” and “California Gone”, which has been played 5,684 times on Soundcloud.

Crow was very honest and patient with Jensen. She made him repeat verse after verse to achieve a natural flow in his music. Once Jensen and Crow both felt that they were perfect, it was time for iTunes. “[Crow] really helped me get the feel that I was going for and made sure it wasn’t too perfect either,” Jensen said.

“I was intimidated to be there because it was where great artists like Keith Urban has been. I didn’t want to screw it up.”

3:24

$1.29

Jensen first chose an aggregator, a third-party website for music distribution, to get his music onto iTunes. He picked tunecore.com and paid $10 for each song to be distributed. Tunecore then sent Jensen’s music to different music hosting websites from iTunes to Spotify to Amazon Music to Pandora and so on. His music was on iTunes four days after the approval process.

“It was a very surreal moment to actually see my face up on iTunes, and I was very anxious waiting for it to happen,” Jensen said.

Charlie is hoping to gain lots of support from the public in months to come. His two songs first were priced at 99 cents per song, then, due to popularity, went up to $1.29. Jensen receives 95 cents and iTunes gets the rest. He is counting down the days until the first week in January when he will see what his sales’ report will be for the month of November. “iTunes is a wonderful opportunity for Charlie to share his songs to people who are interested,” said Charlie’s dad, Dan Jensen. “It is a great way for him to pursue his passion.”

Currently, Jensen is working on recording more songs individually, as well as recording a live album with the Rivets. Bourquin is working on getting them a gig at the Record Bar in Westport.

Jensen plans on carrying his career over in college, where he will be attending the University of Missouri. There will be many opportunities for him to play at bars or small coffee shops on campus.

“My goal is to stay connected with the kids I am now and get more songs on iTunes,” Jensen said. “But I am hopeful that I will meet new people to play with at Mizzou.”

If you are an unsigned and independent artist, you most likely will not meet these standards. You must: -have sold at least 20 Albums -have legal barcode identification (UPCs/EANs/JANs) for every product you intend to distribute -have an ISRC, International Standard Recording Code for every product you intend to distribute.

If you meet these standards, contact Apple directly and skip step two. If not, don’t worry!

If you do not meet the guidelines set by apple, then you can use an apple aproved aggregator, or a surrogate company, to handle all of the legal work and submitting for you. These companies charge a rate (Tunecore, the aggregator used by Jensen, charges $9.99/year per single) to put your songs on itunes, but they still allow you to make royalties and retain your rights.

Once you have finished with all of the legal work, then comes the fun part. After you have recorded your original material, all you have to do is design your cover art and upload your music to your aggregator.

photo by MORGAN BROWNING album cover courtesy of CHARLIE JENSEN

A CRAZY CLASS

15 written by GRACE APODACA

Spanish teacher Jennifer Holder gets students excited for class by creating an unique learning environment

“

No one will see your tears. No one will could spend more time with her 6-year-old daughhear your screams. No one will believe ter. Because of the time her job as a teacher gave your lies.” her, she and her daughter grew closer. Through This is the class motto written on the board years of being a single parent, they took vacations in front of Spanish teacher Jennifer Holder’s together, celebrated birthdays and rode to school classroom. On the board, an illustration follows together every day. the mantra: a stick-figure student, running from a Holder started teaching at Archbishop O’Hara Sharknado towards a swirling black portal.

High School in Kansas City, but moved to East “I’m sorry kids, but the portal is closing, and eight years ago for the almost doubled salary. She once it does, there’s no going back.” loves teaching, especially the family atmosphere The freshmen stare in horror. a classroom creates.

“You simply have to get your homework in on “When you have students for a year, [the class] time.” develops its own personality, its own little quirks,” These class mottos are some of the many ways Holder said. “You have your crazy uncle, and you Holder keeps students have your favorite couslooking forward to her in.”

Every day is something new, which is the best class. With the help of her Holder uses this envipart of it...I never know what to expect catchy songs and quirky ronment in her teaching sayings, Holder runs her style. She bounces up and — said sophomore Denny Rice down the rows of desks class differently than traditional teachers. throwing one of her fa“Every day is something new, which is the best vorite sayings, “What the what?” at the quietest part of it,” said sophomore Denny Rice. “I never freshman. She changes her desktop picture weekknow what to expect.” ly to display the Lancer Day parade, the debate At first glance, the Spanish 2, 3 and 4 class- team’s latest trophy or the swim team. es Holder teaches may look like any other class, “Señora is so witty and smart, and I feel like but in no other room will you find students tak- [her humor] doesn’t distract from the class,” Rice ing class selfies with wax mustaches, or receiv- said. “It keeps it moving forward. I think a lot of ing signed self portraits of Holder as prizes. You that goes back to how interactive she is with her won’t see Powerpoints full of guitar sound effects students.” or the dreaded dancing baby.

Holder goes beyond standing in front of the “[Dancing baby] is a bald baby [Señora Hold- class and lecturing to make sure students feel like er] puts on her note slides,” said sophomore Katie they belong.

MacAdam. “It plays the air guitar and does this “Señora is a great teacher because the way she roll down and back up. It’s just on there as a little makes her students feel so comfortable in her pop, a little extra action.” class,” said MacAdam. “I feel like she genuinely And, of course, you won’t find a class motto cares about each of her students. She treats us as that compares to Holder’s. if we were her friends.”

“She’s just being very blunt,” MacAdam said.

At the end of the day, Holder doesn’t only “All you have to do to succeed is get your Con- teach her students Spanish, but she also gives juguemos done on time. You just have to get in them a place where they can be themselves. the portal.”

“Be careful kids!” she calls as students file out Holder became a teacher 16 years ago after her classroom door. “It’s a jungle out there.” quitting her job as a commodities trader so she

CLASSROOM PRIZES Some of the objects that Holder gives to students after they win a class game

WAX MUSTACHE

photos by ABBY HANS

GOOGLY EYES

SIGNED PICTURE

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Junior Oscar Meth started a waffle truck with his dad this summer.

Since they’ve opened, business has been booming – and so has the family’s relationship

written by DAISY BOLIN

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photos by CALLIE MCPHAIL

er wedding would be Saturday. The ‘20’s themed gala at the Vox Theater was seamless, all she needed was to find the perfect dessert to top it off. Meghan “Meggo” Viers considered having food trucks cater, until a nostalgic wave hit her and her craving for Belgian waffles kicked in.

Immediately she called her dad, Russell Viers, explaining that all she wanted were the famous waffles they ate together in the central train station each time they visited Belgium.

His little girl had made a waffle request, nonetheless for her wedding day. Naturally, there was an obligation to perfect the recipe he had tried many times before. She knew her dad was both proactive and determined, but how possible was it to find and make waffles worth serving to everyone she knew? After tweaking and testing and tasting, then tweaking some more, he squandered her doubts.

“Meggo,” Russell said. “I waffle, I waffle well.”

“Oh, are you ‘The Waffler’ now?”

Meghan responded.

And then it stuck.

Russell and his family used to be satisfied with popping a frozen Eggo in the toaster, but ever since their first trip to Belgium, their taste has been refined.

It took Russell ten years to finally carry out his plans of bringing Belgium waffles home to KC. He had always thought about it, even attempted it a number of times when he was especially inspired after a business trip to Belgium. But in the end it was Meggo’s request that would make him put waffles on the iron In honor of her request – the waffles are no longer called waffles. They are Meggo’s.

Meggo is to waffles as Big Mac is to burgers; not your average cheeseburger, not your average waffle.

Ten hours of preparing dough goes into the waffles before they are kneaded in a tub of special bead-like “pearl sugars.”

After tearing the thick dough and rolling them into balls, they are placed on a scale to be measured so that each one weighs the same. The Belgian pearl sugars cement the thick fluffy golden waffle and caramelize over the outside while cooking on the griddle.

Even though the gem-like sugars sprinkled throughout each waffle are key ingredients, passion is the most important component according to Russell.

“You don’t spend ten hours making dough for the money, even our tip jar goes to charity... It’s about sharing our love of the waffles. It’s what makes our food truck different,” Russell said.

Junior Oscar Meth, known as ‘Son of The Waffler’, places each fresh masterpiece in a paper pocket. He hands it to the customer anticipating the same question they get from all first time visitors to the truck: “What about the syrup?”

Syrup. It’s a Meggo’s biggest enemy and most unwanted company. Oscar shades his eyes and whimpers through clenched teeth at the sight of a woman dousing her fresh Meggo in maple syrup.

“The waffles don’t need any syrup or toppings,” said regular customer, junior Lars Troutwine. “They have so much flavor by themselves.”

However, instead of dwelling on Aunt Jemima’s devilish appearance, they just await the wide eyes and pleased hum after the customer’s first bite. The satisfied reaction is the reason they return to the corner of Gregory and Wornall every weekend.

“Every waffle counts,”said junior Brooklyn Walters, Oscar’s girlfriend and a fellow truck worker. “If we slightly burn or undercook any of the waffles, we throw them out right away or eat them. Because a customer’s first bite of the waffle is when they realize how different they are.”

Steaming up in the small truck space, they press and roll the dough while simultaneously chatting with first-time customers and regulars from inside the metal base

of the truck.

Since three months ago when the food truck got started, weekends have been nothing but family, Meggos and good vibes for Russell and Oscar. They spend time creating new flavors, setting up to sell and talking over ways to improve and expand the business. Sharing their love for waffles has rekindled Russell and Oscar’s relationship. Russell found a new trust in Oscar allowing him to make dough for the waffles on his own and run the setup while Russell leaves the truck to hit it off with customers.

Although the whole family and a few very close friends work on the truck, those two are always there. Together they create new flavors like maple bacon--their top seller-- and come up with new ideas for the business.

“We meet in the labs, aka the kitchen, and think over new ways to make our truck even more personal,” Oscar explained.

They added a new item to the menu, Oscar’s idea of-- waffle ice cream sandwiches. Through their recent partnership with Foo’s in Brookside, they will be able to add a dollop of ice cream between two thick waffles on sweltering hot summer days.

And because Oscar had the idea, the ice cream sandwich will be called The Oscar.

Most Popular Flavors

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photo courtesy of OSCAR METH

Classic Maple Bacon Lemon

18 Sophomore Audrey Kesler is heavily influenced by her musically talented father

I

written by OLIVIA FAVREAU

n the Midwestern Musical Co., what used to be her father’s vintage guitar shop, sophomore Audrey Kesler made her first musical debut at age eight. She played to a live audience of three customers; her father on the guitar while she played the drums.

“Ever since I was born, my dad’s been in a ton of bands,” Audrey said. “And he’s just always been a musician.”

Her dad used to tell the neighborhood kids that he was going to be Elvis. Little did he know that he would soon become the bassist of a touring band called the Pedaljets and meet Prince. As the cost traveling on top of running his own business became impossible, it appeared that his life of performing live music would die down as well.

Until Audrey was born.

When Audrey was a baby, her father would take her to work and let her play with the basic stage set up he had on display. Sometimes the two of them would go down to the store even when it was closed, so they could jam out.

Audrey spent her childhood sitting behind the display drum kit in the shop and it soon became

her specialty. While other kids were listening to Barney, she listened to a four-piece rock band called the Doo-Dads.

The Doo-Dads are a children’s rock band composed of dads, including Audrey’s own. It was formed when Audrey was two years old. The group began to practice regularly and perform at different events and children’s birthday parties.

Even sophomore Caroline Blubaugh admits to having been a little groupie of the band. She first saw the band perform at Papa Keno’s in Overland Park on a Friday night and it soon became a family tradition.

Audrey and the children of the other members constantly went to their dads’ shows and were featured in their songs. As she began to grow out of the Doo-Dads, she continued to be involved with music. She spent many First Fridays watching shows performed in her father’s shop and selling band merchandise with another Doo-Dad daughter.

Not only was the music she was listening to different than other kids her age, but the places she was going to were different as well. Often she would spend nights in small venues that she never realized that other people didn’t know about.

“Some of the places my dad plays my friends will be like, ‘Oh I’ve heard that’s sketch,’” Audrey said. “But it’s not that bad. I’ve been going there since I was five!”

Being in a musically driven household has changed the way Audrey has grown up. Realizing that she had been to way more concerts than her

peers was strange for her. She had experienced a whole other world of music, where she had gotten the chance to go backstage and really talk to artists. With her father being good friends with the owner of the record bar she was able to go and meet one of her favorite artists, electronic musician Robert DeLong.

“Just last weekend I saw him perform at the midland so we went and met with him,” Audrey said. “I asked if he recognized my Instagram username and he was like ‘oh hell yeah.’”

It was such an amazing experience to not only meet him and have him sign her Robert DeLong T-shirt but to have him recognize her as well. The two still direct message each other back and forth via Instagram. It’s moments like this that makes Audrey believe that through her father’s career she has been exposed more to the music world. From not only loving all genres, except country, but also having an understanding on the process of putting together shows.

Audrey’s been surrounded by amplifiers and microphones since she was a baby, and although she’s grown out of the Doo-Dads, she’s still able to experience watching her father perform. On Saturday nights she can go down to the Jazz on 39th street and see the Midtown Quartet or have a night in listening to the Pedaljets on Spotify. No matter where she is she will always have access to the bond she has with her father, through music.

photo by MADDIE SMILEY

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A review of Werner’s sausage stand and an attempt at making sausage at home

written by HARRISON GOOLEY photos by DIANA PERCY

ABOVE | Sausages being grilled on Saturday morning at Werner’s, ready to be devoured by the long line of customers.

LEFT | Customers line up waiting to purchase a sausage from the Werner’s stand. Customers can also purchase chips and other sides.

Chop up various meats in to small chunks

Add seasoning to the meat and mix in a large bowl

STEP 3

STEP 2

STEP 1

HOW TO: MAKE YOUR OWN SAUSAGE

Put the meat through a sausage grinder and packager

The knackwurst, on the other hand, wasn’t exactly my favorite of the night. It was made of veal, which is meat from calves instead of older cattle. It had great flavor if you like veal, just not one for me.

Unlike the knackwurst, the bratwurst was satisfying. It had more bite to it than any old Johnsonville brat that comes in packs of five.

With the crisp burn on the sides and a little ketchup, I chowed down. I couldn’t exactly point out what was in the brat that separated it from others I had had before, but the flavor made it stand out as the best one yet.

The other two types of sausage were andouille and Polish. Andouille is a French sausage made using onions, pork, wine and pepper. It’s often associated with cajun food like red beans and rice or gumbo. As soon as I bit down on the andouille, my mouth was immediately on fire. All of the flavors flowed over my tongue. One word to sum it up: unbelievable. Just make sure you have a glass of milk when you eat it because it’s spicy.

The smoked Polish sausage was also a solid pick. It wasn’t my favorite, but like the others, it was full of well-mixed flavors, but they were all dull. Though the flavors weren’t too exciting, it’s not a sausage you should ignore.

When I got home, I used the inspiration from the Polish sausage to make my own. The sausage I made was an Italian sausage, which is like the Polish sausage. Mine was nowhere near the flavor of the Polish, but it was alright considering I have never made it before.

My experience at Werner’s was exceptional. The workers were genuine and friendly, helping me choose which sausages would be the best for me to try. The food was excellent and it’s undoubtedly a must-stop if you’re passing by.

All together, I spent $25, which was a very low price for the quality of the food. The sausage was $5.69 a pound, with four sausages in a pound. Werner’s is definitely a spot anyone who likes sausage should stop by. I know I will.

The respect I have for the cooks at Werner’s has immensely multiplied after making sausage myself. It took me forever and it was almost impossible because the ingredients were things like dry sherry vinegar. But time and effort was well worth the reward. I give props to all the Werner’s sausage makers who grind and stuff sausages all day.

A step by step guide of how to cook sausage at home

STEP 4

W

ith over 100 years of tradition, Werner’s Fine Sausages is my top choice for food when it comes to homemade sausage. They sell a wide variety of sausages ranging from authentic German bratwurst to Mexican chorizo. The quality of the meat is top-notch, and the price is favorable for both the service and quality.

In 1898, Swanson’s Sausages opened on Westport Blvd. In 1972, the store - names, recipes and all - was purchased by German-born Werner Wohlert. Werner’s Fine Sausages was opened in Mission, KS in 1973. Wohlert was a salumist, or a sausage maker, apprentice in Germany. He retired from the business in 1995, and Werner’s was sold to David and Judy Miller.

Before I visited Werner’s, I decided I was going to attempt to make my own sausage after eating Werner’s. I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn’t realize that it would be near impossible.

Walking into the little corner store, a savory, smoky aroma filled my nose. A lady with three 15 pound turkeys was having Werner’s smoke them for her Thanksgiving dinner while a worker in the back was tying off sausage links. My eyes immediately ran to the trays full of plump sausages. Before even choosing which of them I wanted to eat, I could already imagine the mouth-watering flavors.

Tall racks of German snacks and specialties were placed in the center of the store, each one more eye-catching than the other.

The walls had glass door refrigerators with breads, liver and bacon dumplings and German potato salads, all looking incredibly delicious.

On Saturdays, the store grills out from 11 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. For $4, you can get a bratwurst, knackwurst, smoked Polish sausage, cheddar bier bratwurst, andouille sausage or Italian sausage hot off the grill, served on a bakery-fresh bun.

I ordered three different kinds of German sausages, three knackwursts, three cheddar bier bratwursts and three bratwursts.

Even though each was a type of bratwurst, they all had their own unique flavors. My first bite into the cheddar bier brat was perfection.

It had this snap of the animal casing as I bit down, unlike the mush of a Farmland hot dog.

The cheese oozed out and mixed perfectly with the flavor of the bier. It was like nirvana in a bun.

5/5 STARS

Grill the sausages and serve on buns, just like Werner’s

MASTER OF NETFLIX Aziz Ansari’s “Master of None” is a creative and clever series to watch on Netflix

21

OTHER WORKS

written by MORGAN BILES

U

nless you’ve been living in a social media-free vortex for the past month, then you’ve probably heard the buzz surrounding Netflix’s new show, “Master of None.” The romantic comedy is led by Aziz Ansari, who is best known for playing Tom Haverford on “Parks and Rec.” Ansari brings aspects of Tom, along with leading man characteristics to create the character of Dev Shah: an actor whose biggest success is starring in a Go-Gurt commercial. Throughout the ten-episode series, the audience follows Dev as he tries to navigate the world of modern day relationships, romantic and otherwise.

“Master of None” is not another New York City-based sitcom with a group of impossibly good-looking, rich, white people living in amazing apartments. Okay, I take that back. The apartments are pretty nice, but it’s TV; we can’t expect the characters to live like cavemen, can we?

Apartments aside, the show has one of the most diverse casts out there right now. Not only is this refreshing, but it is also important that non-white Americans have the opportunity to see their ethnicity portrayed on TV as characters that are not just there to be the token minorities.

Dev’s career gives the show a vantage point to criticize the racism in Hollywood. But his character, as the title implies, is average – a true everyman. This gives “Master of None” the opportunity to have the uncomfortable, but important conversations that affect everyone. These issues range from infidelity and the elderly to sexism and perverts on the subway.

As with most shows, the first episode stumbles around a little bit. The opening scene about a one night stand, and a trip to the pharmacy to buy apple juice and

Plan B, is nothing less than uncomfortable for both the date and the audience.

By the second episode, “Master of None” finds its footing with one of the best episodes of the season.

Entitled “Parents,” the episode deals with the differences between the lives of Dev and his parents, who are played

by Ansari’s real-life parents, Shoukath and Fatima Ansari. The elder Mr. Ansari easily steals the show, whether he’s referring to calendar alerts as “ding-dings” or comparing his son to Iron Man. This episode does a great job of juxtaposing Dev’s 21st century life with that of his immigrant parents. His dad played with an abacus for fun; Dev grew up on video games. His dad came to America to become a doctor; Dev became an actor after a stranger asked him to be the minority in a Fruit by the Foot commercial. His parents had an arranged marriage and Dev has Tinder.

“Master of None” takes a lot of risks, but luckily they seem to have paid off, as the show has already been picked up for a second season. This is no surprise considering the it’s as unique and clever as it is funny and sincere.

With its latest creative venture, Netflix continues to cement its role not only as the best companion to waste a whole day with, but also as a creator of unique and binge-worthy entertainment.

Funny People Parks and Recreation I Love You, Man

30 Minutes or Less

Dangerously Delicious Ice Age: Continental Drift

Aziz Ansari: Buried Alive

Epic Adventure Club

5/5 STARS

photos courtesy of MCT CAMPUS

written by ANNA DIERKS

‘I

love you, Maria,’ he finally murmured. He watched as her surprise gave way to comprehension. With his hand still in her hair, she wrapped it in hers.

‘Oh, Colin,’ she whispered, ‘I love you, too.’”

Sound familiar? Maybe the mushy romance reminds you of Noah and Allie’s tear-jerking romance from The Notebook or brings you back to John and Savannah’s heartwrenching love in Dear John. To no avail, Nicholas Sparks new book, See Me, leads me to disregard my normal ten o’clock bedtime. It keeps me awake into the early hours, as I read through streaming tears. There’s nothing I love more.

The novel is based around Maria Sanchez and Colin Hancock, two seemingly opposite people who manage to find a way into each other’s worlds. Maria is a beautiful, Latina girl with a law degree and an overbearing job. She seems to have her life together but always feels like she is going through the motions of a monotonous life. No wonder, considering she spends her lunch breaks and weekends working tirelessly for a law firm. To spice up Maria’s character, Sparks mentions early on that she was involved in a messy court case years before that left her defendant dead and Maria with no option but to flee back to her hometown. The mystery surrounding Maria is what makes her character intriguing.

Colin is a reserved, mixed martial arts fighter and fitness fanatic -- not to mention ridiculously handsome.

As an adolescent, he was in and out of jail due to anger outbreaks and now lives very carefully, avoiding clubs and bars, so as not to not fall back into his old habits. Colin also has taken on a very honest persona about his past since learning to handle his anger, never hesitating to share his entire criminal record with anyone who might inquire.

Seems like an odd detail for Sparks to include, yet proves to be vital in getting Colin’s “no BS” attitude across.

Each chapter alternates between

each characters’ perspectives as they meet on a stormy night and travel through their “unexpected” love affair.

Maria and Colin’s love story is endangered when Maria realizes she is being stalked, though it is apparent that the stalker is Maria’s dead defendant’s brother returning for revenge. Suspense rises and Colin’s anger grows as Maria receives threatening notes and finds her tires slashed. Finally, Colin is pushed too far and is almost jailed again for aggression when Maria is sent a free drink from her stalker on a date night. Colin’s outburst pushes Maria away in fear of who he used to be.

The relationship that I had become so emotionally invested in begins to crumble, though their reprieve only lasted two weeks.

Soon the couple is back together and working with a detective to locate and determine Maria’s stalker.

The remainder of the novel follows Colin and Maria as they navigate love and life through constant turmoil.

The contrast of the two main characters once again illustrates Sparks’s ability to flawlessly fuse two opposing personalities together.

I fell in love with Colin and Maria before they even fell for each other.

See Me certainly doesn’t disappoint romance-hungry readers, though the plot line is often predictable. Sparks confesses on his website, “I have to be honest with you: it is always a challenge for me to conceive a unique, compelling and original storyline. After eighteen novels, it’s even more difficult. When I wrote See Me, my singular goal was to surprise and delight you as a reader.”

Even though his stories resemble one another, See Me managed to bring to me to tears and completely captivate me anyways.

So congratulations, Mr. Sparks. I’m certainly surprised and delighted by your ceaseless talent.

5/5 STARS

Bestselling author returns with another romance novel that draws readers in despite its similarity with his previous works

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24 4/5 STARS

Panache Chocolatier & Café offers a variety of breakfast and lunch options and lots of chocolate choices written by KATIE HISE

I

stepped out of Noodles and Company on the Plaza with my friends – I felt stuffed. I had enough Pad Thai and Parmesan Chicken to keep me full for what felt like days. Then, walking down Nichols Rd, we walk passed a little chocolatier, black awning identifying it as “Panache.”

And although I was full, my stomach was begging for the tiniest piece of chocolate. Man, I have a soft spot for sweets.

Every time I was on the Plaza since I was little, I walked by this chocolatier, promising myself that one day I would check it out. Yet somehow, I never stopped to peek in. But let me tell you, I wish I had earlier.

I walked into Panache on a Tuesday night and it was practically empty. I immediately saw glass display covers protecting their varying products, abstract tile floors and white walls with snowflake-like decor here and there. I had leftover bills stuffed in my pocket and decided this place was probably out of my budget. It felt much more upscale than my usual lunch at Noodles and Company. And yes, it drained my whole pocket of cash, but it was 100 percent worth it.

Julie, one of three workers in the store, was someone who I knew I wanted to be friends with. She complimented my shirt the second I walked in, what better way to make friends? Great customer service: check.

I quickly learned that she co-owned Panache with her husband Derrick, who I also met. After small talk about the Royals and East, we got down to business. She sat me down and gave me the inside scoop on what Panache is all about.

This woman sure did love her chocolate. She talked about their chocolate popcorn, “Choco Poppo,” like it was an antique delicacy, like they had found a hidden legend of the perfect blend between sweet and salty. She talked about how everything they produce is handmade, how they don’t even have machines in the back room. She knew their products were top notch.

So, I put it to the test.

I received plate after plate of different chocolates, and I had no idea how many different things could be covered in chocolate.

First was the hot chocolate. Julie knew they made good hot chocolate, but I’d be the judge of that. Inside I thought Oh no, not hot chocolate. Those gross powder packets with fake marshmallows always make my stomach hurt. However, this tasted nothing like those generic packets.

It was the perfect temperature. Not hot enough to burn my taste buds, but just above lukewarm. The added shot of espresso added a kick to it, each sip renewed with rich chocolate and a slight bitter twist from the espresso. So I sipped on that throughout my sitting.

Next, Julie brought out the choco poppo. The way she talked about it I thought it might be put on a gold platter to be served, which it might as well have been. Julie had every right to brag about this popcorn. It is sweet yet salty, crunchy yet smooth. I would not recommend buying too much of it though because fair warning: you will snack on it all day.

But it was not the Choco Poppo that stuck out to me.

The first thing my eyes went to in the glass display cases were the “signature truffles,” so I asked what all the different kinds were. Julie identified each truffle simply by a small decoration on top of them and I picked out three to try.

The dark chocolate raspberry is the best selling, so of course I had to see why. Taking a bite, the dark chocolate hit me first. The richness of the outer coating of the truffle was strong, but not overpowering. Next, the fruitiness of raspberry kicked in. The flavor wasn’t overwhelming though, leaving most of the taste to the chocolate, and it created a delicious mixture.

The next truffle was the dark chocolate peanut butter.

The thick peanut butter center was strong and lingered in my mouth a few minutes after I ate it. It tasted like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, but stronger, thicker, more homemade.

This was my favorite one, but I am a little biased because of my enamor for peanut butter.

While snacking on the different chocolates, Julie and Derrick made me, along with anyone else who walked in their café, feel at home. Julie and I talked about our weakness for ice cream, while Derrick told me all about Panache’s history. They bought Panache two years ago. He said it needed a new look and original ideas, and, well, why not?

Some very new aspects to the chocolatier are the breakfast and lunch menu. They are pretty plain as of now, but delicious. I never had their breakfast, but I will be going back for that chocolate dipped cronut very soon. As for lunch, they serve soups, salads, quiche and different kinds of paninis. The menus are limited right now, but intend to grow. And for such a new café, they make great paninis. The triple cheese grilled panini melts in your mouth.

Overall, Panache makes amazing food. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a little sweet treat.

But more importantly, if you are looking for a friendly environment, Panache is the place to go. The experience I had becoming friends with the owners while enjoying delicious food was one I won’t forget. It is simply a comfortable environment with nice people.

From now on, when I walk down the Plaza with a group of friends, I know where to stop for a sweet snack. I’m just disappointed it took this long for me to find it.

L

KING

INSIDE THE MENU Hot Chocolate Thick hot chocolate with a shot of espresso covered in whip cream and chocolate drizzle

Three Cheese Grilled Panini Layered gouda, provolone and brie on grilled Italian bread

Chocolate Truffles

photos by ALLISON STOCKWELL

A variety of dark chocolate truffles filled with various fillings like lemon poppyseed, raspberry, and peanut butter

25

Sponsoring Confidence

In pursuit of tennis success, Junior Alex Brown earns Adidas sponsorship and confidence boost written by ANNIE JONES

J

unior Alex Brown darted across the court on a typical Friday. It was hour three of seven full of nothing but tennis. He had three more hours of clinic left, then a workout, then homework, then finally bed.

Because of his passion for the sport, Brown finds the strength to push through the sore muscles and aching feet every day.

He smashed his first serve at age seven and started playing competitively on the courts by age 10. Dropping two classes, moving states and spending his free time hitting balls, Brown has rearranged his life to pursue doing what he loves.

After moving from Waukee, Iowa in October 2014, Brown signed himself up for tournaments in KC, hoping to find new success in the sport he had played all his life.

“Alex and I relocated to Kansas City so he could pursue his dream of [playing] tennis, while my husband and younger son remained in Iowa,” Kim Brown, Alex’s mom, said. “It has definitely been a real adjustment.”

Ever since he joined the Overland Park Racquet Club last year, he dreamed of being one of the players on top. Some of these players with Adidas sponsorships, and he admired their sizable amounts of self-confidence. They ruled the court, owning every match they played.

But while Brown’s skill closely competed with those on the top at OP Racquet Club, he wasn’t fulfilling his need to win.

His outcomes weren’t where he wanted them, and to reach his goals in year-round tennis he would need self-confidence, something he didn’t have much of.

“I hate losing more than I love winning,” Brown said.

This past July, Brown and his mom seated themselves in foldable chairs at the annual OP racquet club banquet. Coaches gave speeches to their players and handed out trophies labeled “Most Improved” and “Best Work Ethic.”

Then it was time for them to give out the Adidas sponsorship. One boy and one girl who are deserving of the patronage are chosen every year to receive an individual sponsorship.

Brown and the other players waited for the announcement of which hard-working player would be honored. He had worked hard all season, going without a sixth and seventh hour at school and devoting his life to the sport, but Brown never expected to win.

After seniors gave their farewell speech-

es and said a final thank you to their coaches, Brown was told he was the winner of the fellowship. He received endless sweatpants and discounts on the newest models of shoes - A tennis fanatic’s paradise.

But Brown gained much more than the benefits of free stuff. It gave him the self-confidence he had lacked. Brown knew he now belonged to the group of highly noted players and he couldn’t help but be proud.

“I play the most and I work really hard,” Brown said, “so I was hoping to get some kind of recognition, because I’ve never gotten any before.”

Soon his game started improving, and his motivation was fueled from the fresh pair of Adidas Barricades on his feet.

Brown repped the company that supported him everywhere he went, getting great use out of the merchandise they sent to him.

“We were very happy and proud of Alex for being recognized in this manner,” Kim Brown said. “It has since provided a consistent look on the court and he now plays with more visible confidence.”

Junior Joie Freirich, who has been playing tennis on the same seven-hour-a-day schedule as Brown since she was 12, was the girl to receive the Adidas sponsorship during the same year at OP. “I think it was so great [to get the sponsorship] because it let me realize how much the coaches believe in me and I became so much more confident in my play,” Freirich said.

With new outfits put together of 100 percent Adidas tennis line clothes, Brown felt an oncoming sense of professionalism anytime he was on the green surface.

The three white stripes of the Adidas logo flashed boldly when he struck each ball.

Every ball now soars off his Babolat AeroPro Drive racquet with strain, forcing

his opponents backward. Brown finds himself winning a greater percentage of the tournaments he spends his Saturdays and Sundays doing.

With this new confidence, Brown has since proudly committed to The University of Illinois with a scholarship and his daily marathons of tennis will follow him to his college experience in 2017.

“The sponsorship and my hard work have definitely given me success, and my future shows it,” Brown said.

Alexander Brown Age Homewtown National Ranking Record Schools of Interest

Junior, Class of 2017 Ubrandale, Iowa (trains in Kansas City, Kansas) 14 58-13 Committed to University of Illinois

26

written by RESER HALL

A NEW ERA

The sophomore coach brings youthful energy to the team

BEHIND | Coach Kupersmith works with sophomore Ben Dollar on the second day of practice

photo by KAITLYN STRATMAN

S

weating profusely, a few dozen high school boys sprint up and down the court at the sound of their coach’s whistle.

Sophomore basketball coach Jake Kupersmith yells at the players to work harder. They pick up their basketballs and start swerving through cones doing dribbling drills. This is what Kupersmith likes to see in his players: energy.

Kupersmith’s journey to East has been one with many stops along the way. He grew up in Olathe and attended high school at St. Thomas Aquinas. Kupersmith began his coaching career as a volunteer with the basketball program at Kansas State University, but worked his way up to a graduate assistant on scholarship.

“Early on [in my career] it was grunt work, making sure gear was organized, laundry, travel responsibilities,” Kupersmith said. “When I got older, I ran offseason workouts with the players and typed up scouting reports for the coaches.”

Kupersmith worked under two coaching tenures, Coach Bob Huggins and Frank Martin. Under those coaches, Kupersmith learned valuable skills for life and for coaching.

“It was very demanding and very intense, but in a good way,” Kupersmith said. “Being 18 and 19-year-olds and having grown men trusting you with things in their program was very humbling.

But at the same time it taught [me] accountability, time management, organization and how to interact with people.”

Kupersmith finished up school at Kansas State in 2010 looking to find a basketball related job. After all jobs in the basketball world froze because of the NBA lockout in 2011, Kupersmith moved to Orlando, Florida to work for a family member flipping houses and selling mortgages.

After a year, he realized his true calling: coaching. he moved back to Kansas City to search for a job.

Now the sophomore coach at East, he is looking to bring the skills taught by Huggins and Martin with him to East.

“The energy was incredible [at tryouts],” Kupersmith said. ”We coaches always have energy but when the players bring it, it makes it really fun to coach.”

Kupersmith needs more hustle than normal from his players for his new high energy scheme that he is bringing to the sophomore team. It is more fast-paced than it has been in the past.

“We are going to be up and down flying in your face,” Kupersmith said. “It’s going to be more high speed and high tempo. The games are going to be tough.”

Sophomore Sam Friedmann is looking forward to playing for Kupersmith. One reason he is excited for the season is Kupersmith’s basketball knowledge and positive attitude toward the players.

“He knows pretty much everything to know about basketball and teaches us what to do and how to do it,” Friedmann said. “I can’t wait for the season to start.”

Although any coach wants to win, Kupersmith focuses more on the effort and preparation of the players than the overall record. Most importantly, he cares that they compete. “[The East coaching staff] are competitors and you expect [the players] to compete for them,” Kupersmith said. “I’ve always been a believer of not being lucky, because luck is just a revenue of preparation. We will just try to go 1-0 that day and see where the chips fall after that.”

BOUNCING BACK Girls’ varsity basketball players talk about their upcoming season

written by ISABEL EPSTEIN

A

s girls’ basketball tryouts end, the players get ready to start the season and face their rivals Shawnee Mission South in their first game. Last year, East’s varsity team won one game and lost the other 20. This year they’re determined to turn that around with new coaches, hard work and a strong bond between the players.

Sophomore varsity player Emma Linscott thinks that practice has been more intense this year to help the team build their skills. At practice they do offense, defense and fundamental drills.

“We’re trying to improve our teamwork and our intensity this year so we can outrun a lot of people,” Linscott said. “We’re not a big team, so we don’t have a bunch of six-foot-something people.”

Varsity player and junior Kyle Haverty, thinks that teamwork will be the key to winning more games this season. She’s planning to improve on working as a team and build team chemistry.

Returning varsity coach Lauren Lawrence is also trying to bring the team closer together. At

photos by ALLISON STOCKWELL a team meeting, she gave each of the girls a “secret sister” on the team that acts as a rally girl.

They give each other candy or notes on game days to pump each other up.

“I think it’s going to be such a helpful way for us to get even closer and know that someone is paying attention to you,” Linscott said.

All but one of the five coaches are new this year. The new varsity assistant coach is Heidi Delaney, the new junior varsity coach is TJ Taylor, the new sophomore/developmental team coach is Drew Steffan and the new freshman coach is Matt Jacobsen. Haverty also thinks the new staff has already helped the girls to create a stronger bond.

“I love [Coach Steffan] already. He really bonds with all of us and he’s just a really nice guy and he knows what he’s doing,” Haverty said.

Heading into the start of their season, and their first game against South, girls’ basketball is ready to leave last year behind and use their talent and teamwork to win more games.

“I think we’re starting from the bottom basically,” Linscott said. “We have a lot to prove.”

ABOVE | Freshmen girls stretch to prepare for their last day of basketball tryouts

LEFT | To finish out tryouts for the day, the girls huddle up around the coaches

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Sophomores earn and lose money illegally through sport fantasy league website photo illustration by HANNAH MCPHAIL written by ROBBIE VEGLAHN

A

t this time last year, the eyes of three gamblers were fixed on the final two minutes of the Phoenix Suns vs. the Atlanta Hawks regular season game.

At any given moment, the anxious viewers could cut the tension and explode in disgust or victory.

The Hawks, who had already clinched a playoff bid and weren’t playing any of their starters, were obliterating the abysmal Suns by almost 30 points. So why the hell would anyone care?

Because between the three fans, there was over $90 riding on these last two minutes.

Serious stakes, serious stress, serious heartache – and the potential loss of a serious amount of money.

Yet, these gamblers had to finish their chemistry homework first before they could watch.

East sophomores Ben Walters*, James Washington*, Paul Johnson* and junior Zach Smith* are just a few East students who have become part of the new fantasy sports craze: FanDuel.

A craze that, while lawful for those over the age of 18, is illegal for these high school students.

The site allows the user to enter into contests that vary in price range and payout. The player can enter into a new game every night in a variety of sports.

Players select a lineup of athletes who are playing in games and then compete against other lineups for a chance to win a cash prize.

Walters, a FanDuel veteran of over a year, has put thousands of dollars into the game. He recalls the elation of the times when he has “cashed out” on all of his entries, making himself a profit of $1000 in just one day. But then, there are also the off nights.

“God damn it, Muscala!” Walters said. “You just cost me 50 bucks.”

This is the real price of FanDuel: accepting the losses with the wins.

“You just gotta realize that you’re gonna lose sometimes,” Walters said.

“You can’t win if you don’t take a chance.”

That mentality, however, has been the cause for some really off nights. Laughing about it now, Walters grudgingly relinquishes the fact that he once lost

$1200 in a single night.

“I had made a ton of money earlier that day,” Walters said. “And I guess I just got carried away.”

But even that didn’t stop him. The next day Walters was back scouring the FanDuel forums and Twitter pages, desperately searching for whether Donatas Motiejunas would be starting in place of the injured Dwight Howard.

While he may not have lost $1200, Johnson remembers a night that, in his mind, was almost as bad. “[I lost] my last 15 bucks,” Johnson said. “And my parents didn’t let me play again till the NFL season.”

To most, $15 is a minor setback, but to Johnson, this meant he had to resist the brutal temptation for the next 147 days till the opening kickoff.

Offering little bonuses for putting in large amounts, Fanduel makes it easy for these gamblers to bet another $50 with one easy click of a button and your parents credit card number.

Johnson’s parents aren’t the only ones who disapprove of the students’ new pastime. Walters, Johnson, Smith and Washington all said that their parents have threatened to make them stop playing at one point or another. And Mr. and Mrs. Smith never said yes in the first place.

The parents shot Smith down the second that he asked to play.

According to Smith, they had heard about it from other parents and feared it may be a bad influence on their son. They didn’t want him getting involved with anything “shady.”

“They have no idea that I’ve been playing FanDuel,” Smith said, “and I’m not going to tell them.”

With no background checks or security measures to ensure adults are the ones who are actually playing the game, they are purely relying on the integrity of the user to tell the truth about their age. In reality, all you need to gamble these days is a computer and a credit card number.

Most teens, it turns out, have both.

*names changed to protect identity

HOW FANDUEL WORKS What makes FanDuel different from other fantasy leagues is that users start over with a new team and line up every day, opposed to keeping their team for the entire season

1 User wires money from their bank account to Fanduel account

2

The user receives 60,000 virtual dollars to spend on players

3

The next step is to pick from one of the contests, each varying in cost and payout

4

Pick players and create a line up

5 Wait and see how the chosen players do and what the reward or loss is

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Wrestling Into Place

written by MICHAEL KRASKE

W

ith winter sports starting up, Lucas Baker is preparing for his first season as head coach of the wrestling team.

In his second year at East, last year as an assistant coach, he says that he has a lot to look forward to.

This season, four seniors will lead the varsity team --Drake Yost, Mike Bamford, Michael Aldrich and Jack Carter. Senior leadership this season is the key to the team’s success, according to Baker.

“Seniors have to lead every year regardless of the class,” Baker said. “This sport is a little bit different than most, seniors leave behind a legacy for the wrestlers to come. But it

helps me quite a bit to have these seniors this year. I have terrible knees and can’t show too many moves, so I always ask a lot of these seniors.”

Yost acknowledges the fact that there are only four returning varsity wrestlers, and is doing his best as co-captain to work with the less experienced kids to get to the varsity level.

“Last year, junior year, the seniors and juniors were all pretty close, because the seniors and juniors both led the varsity team in terms of wins,” Yost said. “And this year there’s not many returning varsity wrestlers.”

Aldrich, the other senior co-captain, is

Tapping into Wrestling You score points by throwing or driving an opponent off of their feet onto the mat, this is called takedowns You can gain points by escaping from the opponent’s grasp or control, putting an opponent on their back, reversing an opponent There’s a time limit there are six minute matches and four minute matches for JV Varsity divided into two, three minute periods Whoever has more point at end wins unless someone pins them which is automatic victory

photos by JOSEPH CLINE

looking forward to the aspect of working hard with these younger kids to get them in varsity shape.

“It’s kind of hard with only four returning varsity members, but we have a lot of potential,” Aldrich said. “But everyone else really we just have to work with them a lot more, trimming those rough edges and getting them in shape.”

The team has a single goal overall for the season- 100 points at state. Nobody is realistically expecting to win state overall as a team.

“As we were leaving state last year I made a goal to score 100 points,” Baker said. “It’s

something I really want to do, and to get five or six state placers, compared to last years two state placers and 32 points overall.”

Yost explained that wrestling is a very unique team sport, because of the individualistic aspect.

“I go into my match with an individualistic mindset, because you have just a singular opponent,” Yost said. “If everyone wins individually well win as a team, in terms of the team, everyone should worry about themselves, then the team success and the 100 points at state will work itself out.”

fencing

without the

fight

Junior Alexander Vassilevsky finds that fencing can be an enjoyable hobby, rather than a competitive sport written by WILL CLOUGH

photos by KATIE LAMAR

sessions, is very good for Alexander because it allows time for him to switch gears from homework to a fast paced competition,” Lena said.

Vassilevsky’s mother, Lena Vassilevsky, describes how his weekly practices can provide a break to his day that allows him to re-engage himself using a whole new skill set.

And surprisingly Vassilevsky manages to pack academic, mental and physical stimulation into an hour and a half on a padded gym floor.

It’s easy for him to do and even easier to see how it can affect his everyday life. Through fencing, Vassilevsky has found a unique passion that has manifested itself in a way that doesn’t require his intense dedication and obsession in competition. Instead, all fencing requires from Vassilevsky is an open mind and a thin blue duffle bag.

29

ALEXANDER’S

equipment Metal mesh covers the athletes face.

The bib protects the front of the neck, while the back of the neck is exposed.

mask

H

e can fit all of his gear into a narrow blue duffle bag. It’s not very heavy and easily holds his mask, chest armor, gloves and, most importantly, his foil. That’s all Junior Alexander Vassilevsky needs for fencing practice each week.

He doesn’t practice to be the best in the field or win prestige from competitions; he does it out of enjoyment. He focuses on appreciating the short time he devotes to fencing each week and making it worth his effort.

Vassilevsky arrives at Heartland Fencing Academy in Overland Park each Thursday night ready to go. He runs through the usual drills, jumping jacks, running laps and other calisthenics, before putting on his helmet and armor to practice his techniques. When Vassilevsky fences, he focuses his mind on mastering his style and form, in addition to simply enjoying what he’s doing.

Vassilevsky fences recreationally, meaning he doesn’t compete at tournaments, and began his career during his freshman year. When his parents asked him to find a sport to participate in, he turned to an ad he saw in a Johnson County Living Magazine for HFA. On a whim, Vassilevsky decided to head down to HFA and give fencing a try. And it was perfect for him.

Fencing was something that he didn’t have to treat as a competitive obsession. Instead, fencing is a craft for Vassilevsky; something he can improve on and apply to his life, rather than a sport that consumes his life.

“I’m not afraid that I don’t have the skill to move to competitions,” Vassilevsky said. “It’s just that [the competitive tournaments] are kind of a waste of time for me personally.”

It’s not a sport that you have to compete in to take something out of, he explained. Fencing provides valuable lessons and skills to all people at all levels. In Vassilevsky’s case, it provides an easygoing environment that also allows him to sharpen himself mentally and physically.

Fencing in general is considered a mental sport that challenges the two opponents and forces them to work with and against one another. As one opponent thrusts, the other must deflect in unison. It’s this challenge in fluidity of motion and cooperation that appeals to Vassilevsky more than potentially winning different tournaments.

“In this way fencing is a very challenging and very beautiful sport,” said Emilia Ivanova, Vassilevsky’s coach and head coach at HFA. “But it’s meant for kids who think at a very high level.”

Ivanova is a decorated fencing athlete and a seven-time National Foil Champion of Bulgaria.

She also coached the Bulgarian National Foil Team and participated in the 1996 Olympic Games. Throughout her years as a fencing instructor, she has worked with kids of ages ranging from 6-60, rookies to Olympians. Each of them is looking to take different aspects from the sport.

She notes that for recreational fencers like Vassilevsky, one draw to the sport is the mentally captivating and stimulating aspect.

It’s something that often interests academically successful students, and can easily be applied an intellectual environment.

“The format of their lessons, 1.5 hour long

chest armor and jacket The jacket is covered with lamé, an electrically conductive material which scores touches.

foil

The foil is used in a thrusting motion to strike the opponent. It has a flexible blade to protect athletes from injury.

glove A protective glove covers the armed hand and forearm.

ALL STUDENTS RECEIVE A 15% DISCOUNT Use promo code “GOTMOJOSTUDENT” at checkout.

MOJO is the latest fitness trend to hit the Country Club Plaza: a party on the bike that works the entire body!

YIELD 5 3/4 CUPS DRY MIX OR 92 EIGHTOUNCE SERVINGS 3 1/2 cups sugar 2 1/4 cups cocoa 1 tablespoon table salt Whole milk for serving If stored in an airtight container, this mix will last all winter.

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In a large bowl, combine sugar, cocoa, and salt, and whisk to combine well. Store the mixture in an airtight container.

For individual servings, pour 1 cup whole milk into a microwave-safe mug, and microwave on high just until hot. Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa mix, and stir to dissolve. For a larger batch of cocoa, warm the milk in a saucepan set over mediumlow heat, taking care not to let the milk boil; as it warms, stir in 2 tablespoons of mix for each cup of milk.

A homemade hot chocolate version is delicious and natural -containing only cocoa, sugar, and salt -- and economical compared with store-bought mixes.

Fill these little guys with whipped cream, icing, cream cheese, or anything else on hand that works.

YIELD 12 SANTAS 1 dozen strawberries 1 cup whipped cream a handful of chocolate sprinkles Hurry to put the santas in the refrigerators before they melt.

Using a pairing knife, slice the leafy end off each strawberry so they stand up. Then slice the tip off to make a hat.

Using a spoon place a dollop (about 1-2 tsp) of whipped cream on top of the strawberry base. Plop the hat on top. Add another small dollop of whipped cream to the tip of the hat to make a mock pom-pom.

Place two chocolate sprinkles, or chocolate chips, in the Santas "face" for the eyes. Using a toothpick, place two very small splotches of whipped cream down the front of the strawberry for buttons.

Pour the confectioners' sugar into a large written by CHLOE STANFORD photos by HAILEY HUGHES tupperware or zippedStart the holiday season with recipes to top bag. Pour the chocolate make for family and friends covered cereal/candy canes in next.

1 cup confectioners' sugar Seal the bag or container and shake until all the cereal is coated with the powdered Pour the ceral into a large bowl. mixture.

Melt white chocolate/almond bark Discard excess powder. according to the package directions.

Store at room temperature Pour melted chocolate over cereal, up to 2 weeks stirring and folding until the cereal is completely covered. Fold in the This sweet snack mix, made with just white chocolate and crushed candy canes.

YIELD 5 CUPS 5 cups Rice Chex cereal 10 ounces melting white chocolate OR vanilla flavored Almond Bark 1 cup crushed candy canes

candy canes, is perfect to serve or give away during the holiday season.

YIELD ABOUT 2 DOZEN 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour Sanding sugar, in assorted colors

Use sanding sugar in shades of silver and blue for a Hanukkah celebration or green and red for Christmas.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt with an electric mixer on mediumhigh speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down side of bowl as necessary.

Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low; add flour, and mix just until combined.

Shape into 3/4-inch balls (chill dough if too sticky).

Place sanding sugar in shallow bowls. Roll each ball in sanding sugar, and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.

Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are lightly golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cookies cool completely on a wire rack.

32

BEHIND | Restart KC Manager of Volunteer Resources, Timothy McMahon, takes a selfie with the crowd during a break between artists.

McMahon appeared on the stage numerous times between performers to inform the audience about Restart and why they should support the youth program.

photo by MORGAN BROWNING

ABOVE | Junior Reagan Flora laughs at herself after forgetting the words to the song she was performing. Flora performed along side her brother, senior Bryce Flora, and fellow junior, Christian Kennedy, who shared a laugh as well.

photo by ELLIE THOMA

FAR RIGHT | Seniors Chloe Kerwin, Emily Loveland, and Rockburst High School senior Henry Nickerson laugh and sing during Charlie Jensen’s performance. Nickerson (right) was one of the many performers at the event.

photo by CALLIE MCPHAIL

RIGHT | Senior Charlie Jensen and band mates perform three of Jensen’s original songs, which are now available on iTunes. “When I was performing, I had the chance to kind of manage the concert and make sure everything ran smoothly,” Jensen said. ““[Performing] was great because the cause means so much and I loved being surrounded by music from my peers.”

photo by CALLIE MCPHAIL

BELOW | Blue Valley North senior, Brooks Brown, performs solo at the Restart KC benefit concert. Brown is a popular DJ in Kansas City, performing at birthday parties and many other social events in the area. Unfortunately, he did not get to finish his set due to the fire alarm going off, caused by the smoke machine.

photo by DIANA PERCY

CONCERTCAUSE for a

On Monday Nov. 16, a benefit concert called ‘Restart the MusiKC’ for the Restart KC program was held at the Country Club Church, and over $1,500 was raised at the event