Issue 2: Political Playground by Northwest Passage

NW PASSAGE OCT. 27, 2016 VOL. 48 ISSUE 02

POLITICAL PLAYGROUND The position of one of the most powerful leaders in the world has been contested with juvenile remarks and elementary ploys, leaving the population divided +BY KASEY GARDNER, GRACE GORENFLO, JACK LYNCH, ASHER NORBERG

MONTH IN #’S

MVP OF SEPTEMBER

SMALL BUT MIGHTY

PAGE 11

Students vote Molly Born and Seth Bowman as the girls’ and boys’ MVP of the month through Twitter polls

Students fight to keep high school gymnastics PAGE 15

PAGE 14

+PHOTO BY TARYN SMITH

T A

Issue 02 Oct. 28, 2016

5 7 11 14

IT’S A MATCH Dennis Pagacz needed white blood cells and his daughter never knew she would be the answer

POLITICAL PLAYGROUND The position of one of the most powerful leaders in the world is up for grabs, but the fight has been plagued by juvenile remarks and elementary ploys leaving the electorate even more sharply divided

MONTH IN HASHTAGS

Twitter blew up with these hashtags during the past month

MVPs OF SEPTEMBER Students selected Molly Born and Seth Bowman as the girls’ and boys’ Most Valuable Players of the month through Twitter polls

OUR PURPOSE:

STAFF:

The purpose of the Northwest Passage is to relay important and interesting information to the community, administration and students of the Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. As a newsmagazine, the Northwest Passage will cater to the interests and concerns of the student body. Outside concerns and activities will only be covered if they somehow affect the school or students. The Northwest Passage is a 24-page newsmagazine. The paper will be distributed every four weeks during second hour. Subscriptions will be available to the community for $25. The Northwest Passage firmly supports the First Amendment and opposes censorship. The content of the newspaper will be determined and created by the entire staff. When questions concerning word choice, legal problems or ethics arise, the editorial board and adviser will discuss the problem to find the solution. In these cases, the editor-in-chief and editorial board will have the say in all decisions. Letters to the editor will be accepted and encouraged. The staff reserves the right to edit for grammatical mistakes, length and good taste. Letters may attack policy but not people. In no way will ideas or viewpoints be changed. The editor-in-chief and editorial board reserve the right to refuse any letter.

PUBLICATION OVERSIGHT:

02 OCT 28,, 2016 | Vol. 48

Editor-in-Chief Online Managing Editor

STAFF WRITERS: Grace Gorenflo Jack Lynch

CONTENT MANAGEMENT: Design Editor Design Editor Copy Editor Photo Editor Photo Editor

Shelby Beaumont Makaila Williams Cadence Elder Taryn Smith Maddy Manning

Asher Norberg Matthew Owens Benjamin Becker Sara Babcock

Agnès Aycock Kasey Gardner Samantha Joslin Anastasia Kling Michael Rock Jackie Sayers Josh Sherfy

STAFF DESIGNERS:

SECTION EDITORS: Opinion & Lifestyle Editor Sports & Mulitmedia Editor Entertainment & PR Editor Ads Manager

Rachel Albers Mia McDonald

All or Nothing The electoral college should be changed

Matthew Owens

Win or lose. In the words of Ricky Bobby from Talladega Nights, “If you are not first, you’re last.” Sadly, the same holds true for the electoral college. There are no points for coming in second, except in Nebraska and Maine where the most popular candidate gets two Senate votes, and the candidate who wins each congressional district gets a vote. In the other 48 states, plus the District of Columbia, it is winner-take-all. This should not be the way we decide who will occupy the White House for the next four years. But before we can talk change,

we have to understand where the college came from. Back when Alexander Hamilton was known for being a founding father rather than a Tony award-winning musical, they were deciding the best way to lead the nation. Ideas regarding a popular vote versus a congressional vote were thrown around but eventually struck down. The idea that the electoral college would be made up of people who the states selected was the one that stuck. The states were to pick people they thought were knowledgeable. This would assure that the candidate would be chosen without overbearing political influences. Each state got two delegates plus the number of house seats allotted, which were based on population. This system was modeled after the Roman Empire where men were separated by wealth and allowed to vote for the Roman Senators. But this system does not create

an accurate representation of the people’s choice. First, popularity doesn’t matter. In the United States, the most popular candidate has failed to win the election four times: in 1824, John Quincy Adams beat Andrew Jackson; in 1876, Rutherford B Hayes best Samuel J. Tilden; in 1888, Benjamin Harrison beat Grover Cleveland and in 2000, George W. Bush beat Al Gore. Second, according to an article published in the Independent Journal, 43 of the 50 states plus D.C have already been decided. The seven true swing states are New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia, Florida, Iowa, Colorado and Nevada. Without the swing states, the Republican candidate would have 206 delegates and the Democratic candidate would have 247. Each is looking for the 270 delegates needed to win the election. As a result, the citizens of the

Big Picture Ballots

swing states are being subjected to an oversaturation of political ads. In those ads, voters are reminded that Clinton called Trump supporters a “basket of deplorables” and that Trump has a little too much “locker room talk.” What is the solution? The election results should be determined by Congressional district, with each house district receiving one vote per delegate. This would allow the election to more accurately represent the votes of the American people, especially in heavily-populated non-swing states such as New York (D), California (D) and Texas (R). It would also force candidates to campaign in all states. Even if they had no chance of winning the state, they would work to win some of the delegates. People need to realize that by using the current electoral college system, their votes for president become worthless. + By Matthew Owens

Deciding not to vote because you assume your candidate will lose is not justifiable, and here’s why

Josh Sherfy

Kansans will head to the polls ready to support the candidate they think will do what is best for the country they call home on Nov. 8. Who will claim our electoral college votes? Republican nominee, Donald Trump. Before a single ‘I voted’ sticker is placed on a shoulder, the winner has been all but decided. In the 2012 election, Republican nominee Mitt Romney won Kansas by a comfortable m a r g i n of nearly 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 votes. The previous election year, Republican John McCain claimed 56.5 percent of the votes, compared to President Barack Obama’s 41.6 percent. The last instance of a Democratic presidential nominee winning the state of Kansas occurred in 1964,

with the reelection of President Lyndon B. Johnson; marking only the sixth time in 38 presidential elections held in the Jayhawk state that such an event had occurred. Kansas is a red state, and has been for many years. This fact deters some Democratic voters from showing up at the polls at all. Why would those who lean blue want to support a candidate who didn’t bother to appear in Kansas during the election or a Democratic presidential candidate nomination process because they knew they would not garner the support necessary to win the state? Those who are victims of this toxic mindset have forgotten that there is more at stake than the results of one presidential election. The most powerful man or woman in the world resides in the White House, and although the decisions made in the Oval Office affect us all, Washington, D.C. is a long way away from Shawnee, Kansas. The spotlight may be wrongly focused on Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. The

reality is that the results of local and state elections often have a more immediate significance than the presidential vote. Candidates for the senate and house positions at the state and national level will be vying for votes when Nov. 8 rolls around. Members of the House of Representatives are elected by the people in their designated districts. The political allegiances of each congressional district within a state do not always mirror the dominant party within a state. For example, Kansas District 3, Johnson County’s congressional district, elected a Democratic representative in every primary election from 1996 to 2010. In that same time frame, every other Kansas District remained decidedly Republican. It is also true that if a large number of voters who lean toward a minority party steer clear of the ballot boxes, voting results will provide a distorted view of the real voter sentiment. Let’s think through a realistic scenario: only 60 percent of Kansas residents vote, because 40 percent stayed home as a protest. If one candidate

receives 65 percent of that vote, it appears that candidate’s policies and actions are well supported. But that 65 percent really only represents 39 percent of all possible votes; not a clear majority. If that missing 40 percent of the vote had shown up, they could have changed the outcome. And, even if they didn’t, the results would still be a more accurate reflection of the voters’ preferences. In Kansas, and other states where one political party runs the presidential tables, skipping out on election day has become common practice. Disregarding the opportunity to cast your vote for public offices at the national, state and local level because of indifference or the belief that your vote is futile is not a form of protest. Instead, it is confirmation that the candidates whose political views are opposed will continue to be re-elected unchallenged, further validating any previous political allegiances of the government offices in your community and state. + By Josh Sherfy

NW PASSAGE | feature 03

11/4/2016

04 OCT. 27, 2016 | Vol. 48

2. 3.

IT’S A M TCH PHOTO BY NATE THOMPSON

Dennis Pagacz needed white blood cells and his daughter never knew she would be the answer

Senior Taylor Pagacz pulled out her phone and sent a text to her friend, senior Agnès Aycock: Going to the hospital again this Thursday!

Bone marrow?

Yeah and I have to administer thigh shots to myself every day for five days. And then I go in again on Monday for the actual thing.

Can I go with you? Delivered

Taylor woke up the morning of Sept. 26 and, instead of grabbing her backpack for school, headed to Children’s Mercy Hospital. She had been preparing for this moment for a week. The process that Taylor endured was for her father, Dennis Pagacz, who has struggled with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)

4. 1. Senior Taylor Pagacz laughs at her dad as he tells a joke. Her dad has been fighting Acute Myeloid Leukemia for about one and a half years. “I enjoy sitting with him and chatting,” Pagacz said. “[His] laugh always makes me laugh.” 2. Taylor’s parents hold two-yearold Taylor up for a family portrait while visiting her Aunt Sally’s house for Thanksgiving. 3. Dennis reads a work contract as infant Taylor listens intently. 4 Dennis jokingly rides Taylor’s new bike during a family outing at the park.

since Febuary 2015. AML is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow that targets white blood cells, which are key to fighting infections. Taylor had been giving herself shots to boost her white cell count for the last five days. The increasing number of white blood cells in her body gave her flu-like symptoms. Her father’s white cells, on the other hand, were not reproducing rapidly enough, so he was receiving the same shots as well as preparing for Taylor’s donation. “My bones ached,” Taylor said. “The shots made all the white blood cells from my bone marrow come out of the bones and circulate through my blood, so it hurt because they were shoving their way out.” But it wasn’t just the symptoms that concerned her. She knew she would spend the next day tangled in tubes, breaking in and out of consciousness just long enough to reach for the nearest trash can. “I don’t see it as bravery,” Taylor said. “It was something I had to do.” Although it took six hours to extract the stem cells from her jugular, it only took her father seven minutes to receive the donation. “After the donation, I felt really good, better than ever,” Taylor said. Aycock was there with Taylor at her first bone marrow transplant as well as during the harvesting of stem cells. During the bone marrow procedure, doctors weren’t able to collect a high enough concentration of white blood cells, so they decided to switch to stem cells, a purer form. “It was crazy,” Aycock said. “You could see the different tubes separating her plasma and her white blood cells and her red blood cells.” Aycock has insisted on being at consultations and procedures that Taylor has gone through for her father. “Taylor doesn’t like to ask questions,” Aycock said. “I would raise my hand and be like ‘I have a list of questions I’d like to ask.’ Her doctor is always like ‘So the bossy friend is back.’ I definitely want to have all the information, even if she doesn’t, so I can feel confident in what is happening.” Aycock even contacted CCC teacher Sarah Dent to see if they would be willing to have a Cappuccino Day to raise money for

Taylor’s father. “With Cappuccino Day, there is a fixed audience and you know it’s going to raise money,” Aycock said. “Teenagers always want coffee and they always want sweets. We thought that was the best way to have a fundraiser that was guaranteed to be successful.” The Sept. 16 Cappuccino Day raised $2,172 and was split between Taylor’s father and a faculty member. The money would help the Pagacz family with the medical bills that have accumulated over the one and a half years AML has controlled Dennis’ life. During that time, the Pagaczs’ have spent many nights traveling back and forth to the hospital, a place that incites memories of some of the most trying times in Taylor’s life. “I hate looking at him when he is wearing the mask because then I realize that he is sick,” Taylor said. “It’s just so difficult... otherwise he looks normal.” Following Dennis’ diagnosis, tasks many people do routinely became nearly impossible. This is due to the level of hemoglobin in his blood. The average hemoglobin level is between 13.5 to 17.5 for men, and Dennis is currently staggering with his level at 8.4. Dennis describes it as wearing a 70-pound backpack all day, every day. “Well, I can’t go out and cut the grass,” Dennis said. “I’ve done it but I’m exhausted for the rest of the day. If I went up like three or four steps on a ladder, I had to stop and wait until I caught my breath. I couldn’t walk from here to the light without feeling like my legs had weights on them and I could not physically take another step.” Taylor and Dennis’ relationship has become even stronger after the donations that Taylor has made. In fact, as the blood of father and daughter has mingled, it has changed her father’s DNA. Ninety-eight percent of his genes now match Taylor’s. “Me and him are kind of the same person already, but now we’re even more the same person,” Taylor said. “I’m definitely a daddy’s girl.”

+ BY CADIE ELDER

GoFundMe: https://www.gofund me.com/dennispagacz NW PASSAGE | feature 05

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06 OCT. 27, 2016 | Vol. 48

The position of one of the most powerful leaders in the world is up for grabs, but the fight has been plagued with juvenile remarks and elementary ploys, leaving the electorate even more sharply divided +BY KASEY GARDNER, GRACE GORENFLO, JACK LYNCH, ASHER NORBERG

+PHOTO BY TARYN SMITH

POLITICAL

NATIONAL POLLS

PLAYGROUND

36.6%

63.2

•

He would be the first U.S. president who hasn’t held a public office. He went to high school at New York Military Academy where he was involved in baseball, football, soccer, Cadet Council and Honor Guard.

08 OCT. 27, 2016 | Vol. 48

Popular

Donald Trump

Hillary Clinton

ISIL

50%

COST OF COLLEGE

Popular Gary Johnson

Jill Stein

other

Gender- based on student polls 1%

5.6%

Electoral

43.2%

DONALD TRUMP

27%

illary Clinton and Donald Trump will H go down as two of the most polarized presidential candidates in American

•

49.6

1.5%

+BY KASEY GARDNER, GRACE GORENFLO, JACK LYNCH, ASHER NORBERG

DO YOU KNOW TRUMP?

On The Issues

Out of 658 responses

0.2%

history. Clinton, the career politician with decades of experience in both the legislative and executive branches of government, has a tainted legacy because of scandals going back nearly 25 years. Trump, the outsider businessman who speaks his mind and wants to “make America great again,” also has an image marred by scandals and is categorized by some as racist, xenophobic and sexist, among other things. Clinton and Trump squared off in each of the three presidential debates, events that should explain policies and positions to undecided voters in swing states. Instead of debating merits and details of specific policies, the candidates launched a barrage of attacks across the stage, aimed at destroying the reputation of their opposition rather than building on their own. As a final question in the second debate, moderator and CNN correspondent Anderson Cooper asked what they respect about one another. The answers given were among the shortest of the night, a fact that perfectly encapsulates the polarization of American politics. As the race for the 270 electoral votes grows nearer, the voting population becomes increasingly more divided. On Nov. 8, months of political ads and a year’s worth of water cooler gossip about locker room talk and deleted emails will cease. Americans will go to the polls to vote. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are fighting for the chair in the oval office. Only one will become the 45th President of the United States of America.

STUDENT POLLS

Statistics courtesy of fivethirtyeight.com.

39%

Donald Trump

6% % 48% 46

60%

Hillary Clinton

32%

Gary Johnson FemalE

Male

0.5% 4%

0.5%

Donald Trump

African American

75% Gary Johnson

Asian

Latino

IF YOU COULD VOTE, WHO WOULD YOU VOTE FOR? “Hillary because, as a Hispanic, I’m offended by a lot of what [Trump] says towards not just Hispanics but just the way he talks about people.” — senior Karen Ortiz

“At the moment I probably wouldn’t vote for anyone. There’s no point in fueling a fire that’s just going to burn us down, and voting for someone who usually ends up screwing over the country, so I probably wouldn’t vote for either.” — junior Andrew Naumann

“By 2021, families with income up to $125,000 will pay no tuition at in-state, four-year public colleges and universities. And, from the beginning, every student from a family making $85,000 a year or less will be able to go to an in-state, four-year public college or university without paying tuition. All community colleges will offer free tuition.” Clinton plans to generate enough renewable energy to power every home in America, with half a billion solar panels installed by the end of her first term. She proposes cutting energy waste in American homes, schools, hospitals and offices by one-third and making American manufacturing the cleanest and most efficient in the world by investing in clean energy infrastructure, innovation, manufacturing and workforce development and by cutting billions in wasteful tax subsidies for oil and gas companies. Clinton proposes giving American families a raise by cutting middle-class taxes, making college affordable, raising the minimum wage, supporting unions, rebuilding infrastructure, boosting manufacturing jobs, investing in clean energy and decreasing child care costs.

NATIONAL DEBT

The national debt would increase from $14 trillion today to $39.5 trillion (approximately 182 percent increase) under Trump’s plan according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Under current law, the debt would be about $29.1 trillion by 2026 (108 percent increase). Trump has no policy for reducing the federal debt.

According to the CRFB, under Clinton’s plan, debt would increase from about $14 trillion today to $29.6 trillion (111 percent increase) by 2026 . Clinton has no policy for reducing the federal debt.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

“Mexico will pay for the wall. 100 percent. They don’t know it yet, but they’re going to pay for the wall.” Trump would target at least 5 million and as many as 6.5 million undocumented immigrants for swift removal. He has indicated that he may deport anyone who has entered the United States illegally. He will triple the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and create a “new special deportation task force” to track the most serious security threats. — The Washington Post, Sept. 1

“I am 100 percent behind comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship.” Clinton wants to create the Office of Immigrant Affairs and reform immigration policies to protect families. She wants to help Dreamers and those with a history of service and contribution to communities or those who experience extreme labor violations find a path to citizenship.

NAFTA/TPP AMERICAN JOBS

“You go to New England, Ohio, Pennsylvania, you go anywhere you want, Secretary Clinton, and you will see devastation where manufacturing is down 30, 40, sometimes 50 percent. NAFTA is the worst trade deal maybe ever signed anywhere but certainly ever signed in this country.” Trump says he will withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Clinton has promised to “stop any trade deal that kill jobs or hold down wages – including the Trans-Pacific Partnership” — but has not indicated that she would pull the United States out of NAFTA. She has said repeatedly that the United States must trade with the rest of the world, while providing a basic safety net for American workers.

2% 10%

TAXES

“We’re cutting taxes for the middle class and I will tell you we are cutting them big league.” Trump wants to cut taxes across the board, especially for working and middle class Americans.

“Hard working, middle-class families need a raise, not a tax increase.” Clinton wants to restore basic fairness to our tax code, close corporate and Wall Street tax loopholes and invest in America. She’s calling for simplified and reduced taxes for small businesses so they can hire and provide tax relief to working families from the rising costs they face.

56%

ABORTION

“As far as Planned Parenthood is concerned, I’m pro-life,” Trump is against abortion.

“Politicians have no business interfering with women’s personal health decisions.” Clinton opposes efforts to roll back women’s access to reproductive health care, including Republican efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, and will stand up for access to critical health services, including safe, legal abortion.

14% jill Stein GUNS

White

Trump has promised to slash funding for the Environmental Protection Agency. He thinks that human activity has a minor impact on global warming. “But nothing, nothing to what they’re talking about.” (USA TODAY)

12%

Hillary Clinton

“That’s probably one of the only things the government shouldn’t make money off. I think it’s terrible that one of the only profit centers we have is student loans.”

“We have to intensify our airstrikes against ISIS and eventually support our Arab and Kurdish partners to be able to actually take out ISIS in Raqqa, [and] end their claim of being a caliphate.”

other

64%

“If I win, I don’t want to broadcast to the enemy exactly what my plan is.” Trump has presented no specific plans on this topic.

“In order to achieve the American dream, let people keep more money in their pockets and increase after-tax wages.”

jill Stein

% 8% 11

HILLARY CLINTON

INOME INEQUALITY

64%

Race- based on student polls %

CLIMATE CHANGE

Where the major party candidates stand on the issues + BY JACK LYNCH AND ASHER NORBERG

“Trump. I don’t like Hillary. Obviously she’s a criminal and Trump is a populist and he’s going to put America first and he’s going to make America great again.” — senior Colin Donovan

Middle Eastern

other

“I am a 2nd Amendment person. If we had guns in California on the other side where the bullets went in the different direction, you wouldn’t have 14 or 15 people dead right now. If even in Paris, if they had guns on the other side, going in the opposite direction, you wouldn’t have 130 people plus dead.” Trump firmly supports the 2nd Amendment.

HOW WILL AMERICA CHANGE IF CLINTON WINS? “It’s going to be more equal. Children will be our priority which is how it should be and women should be treated equally and paid equally.” — senior Karen Ortiz

“I think there will be a lot of rules and regulations that we won’t like, but can’t do anything about because the Clinton family has a lot of power.” — junior Andrew Naumann

“As president, I’ll take on the gun lobby and fight for common sense reforms to keep guns away from terrorists, domestic abusers and other violent criminals.” Clinton’s plan includes comprehensive background checks and the closing of loopholes, specifically the “gun show loophole.”

HOW WILL AMERICA CHANGE IF TRUMP WINS? “I don’t think he’s going to go through with the wall thing, I think that’s just a political stunt, but I think he will bring a few more jobs back and keep the Second Amendment strong.” — junior Cody Muller

“A circus. I don’t remember the last presidential candidate who has attacked private citizens or who’s just been a general bully to people, and if we put someone like that in charge of our nation, I don’t think it will end well for anyone.” — senior Samuel Athey

DO YOU KNOW CLINTON? • •

She would be the first female to be U.S. president. She went to high school in Illinois where she was involved in student council, newspaper, pep club and National Honor Society.

NW PASSAGE | feature 09

DOOR TO DOOR STOLL MY HEART Former Northwest Graduate Tom Cox runs for Kansas State House

welve years ago, Tom Cox was sitting in AP government and never imagined he would be running for political office. Back then, Northwest was different: students wrote their assignments on paper and Otis Spunkmeyer cookie wrappers were strewn about the cafeteria. “I have preached my whole life that we have a civic duty to help our community,” Cox said. “I want to serve and protect my community and to make sure our interests are being represented in Topeka.” Cox plans to tackle two major problems: Kansas finances and funding for schools. This includes closing loopholes on LLCs which could bring in $250 million; lowering the sales tax which is higher than California and New York; installing business incentives like tax credits or loan forgiveness programs to businesses that expand or move to Kansas. “We can’t put more money into schools if we do not have the money,” Cox said. “We have to put tax reform through to get our revenue up so that we can fund our schools.” As a lifelong resident of Shawnee and 2004 NW graduate, his campaign slogan, “From Here For Here,” speaks to his roots. “Northwest had the most incredible teachers and that is one of the reasons why I fight so hard for to protect public schools,” Cox said. “I know the impact they can make.” At Northwest, Cox participated in student council, CCC and track. One of his favorite classes was AP English. “He was one of those kids you will always remember in classes,” English teacher Fran Koenigsdorf said. “We had to take a Kansas State writing test. He wrote this essay that was designed to be serious but was hilarious. That essay is so funny that I have had it stapled to my bulletin board behind my teacher desk ever since.” Cox has had a love for politics since high school when he helped run voter registration drives. He graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in history and political science and worked on Kevin

10 OCT. 27, 2016 | Vol. 48

Yoder’s first congressional campaign (2010). “I have been fascinated by the political process my whole life,” Cox said. “I have learned that it is okay to take risks, to put yourself out there and, most importantly, not care about what people think about you. I think this translated well into every job I have taken.” Cox never considered going into politics until about nine months ago when a friend from middle school convinced him to run. “I know that there was a major effort to find candidates to run in several key races this year,” Shawnee City Councilman Brandon Kenig said. “I knew he mentioned that he wanted to run at some point. I called him up and said, ‘This is the perfect time, if you are thinking about running.’” Cox thinks that politicians should look at the long term consequences along with short term benefits. At a local forum on Kancare (Kansas’ medicaid system), most candidates focused on what the crowd wanted to hear, repealing the bill, without looking at the negative long-term consequences. “If you plan for the short-term, you tend to implement things that will destroy our country/state over time for shortterm benefits,” Cox said. “Good longterm planning and solutions will provide the best economic growth and most stable government.” Cox can be seen walking house-tohouse in his district six days a week. The conversations he engages are not just about local politics, but range from local sports and activities to national politics. “[In a local race], you need to let them know that they have access to you,” Cox said. Cox knows that there are students at Northwest who are just like him and he has some advice. “Start volunteering right now on local races,” Cox said. “Those are the ones where you make the connections.” +BY MATTHEW OWENS

NW Senior Christa Stoll’s mother runs for District 17 representative

s a mother of a NW student, funding for education has been an important issue for Helen Stoll, who hopes to claim the House seat for District 17. With the current financial situation facing Kansas schools, she says that issue has never been more important. Stoll wants to get the message out about what is going on with education in Kansas and has been involved with advocacy groups including Kansas Families for Education, Mainstream Coalition and Game On for Kansas Schools. “A lot of these groups would have legislators involved with them, and I would hear what they were dealing with in Topeka,” Stoll said. According to Stoll, the lack of funding for education is just a side effect of Kansas’ unbalanced budget. In 2012, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback signed a bill into law that would cut state income taxes by $3.7 billion over five years. The problem is that revenue from tax collection in Kansas in 2012 was drastically cut. Kansas took 330,000 businesses off the tax rolls allowing them to pay zero taxes resulting in insufficient funds to pay for the services many Kansans rely on. In order to balance the budget at the end of the year, spending for schools, health care and programs that benefit the elderly was cut. “And now we’ve cut to the bone,” Stoll said. Because Stoll works at Johnson County Community College, she’s experienced the cuts firsthand. “I was a commercial real estate lender for a long time,” Stoll said. “I’ve seen the business side of things, and now I see the education side, and issues that are affecting young people and people in the community, as well.” Rebuilding the tax structure so that it can pay for services that fit the needs of Kansans is an essential component of Stoll’s campaign. With the current tax

structure, state fiscal analysts predict that the budget deficit will reach $2.5 billion in 2018, according to The Kansas City Star. Expanding Medicaid, a federal-state health insurance program for low income people, is another important issue to Stoll. “Around 150,000 Kansans don’t have access to health insurance,” Stoll said, “That is unacceptable.” Campaigning as a Democrat in Kansas can be tricky, Stoll said, since it is never cut-and-dried who is a solid Republican, who is just a registered Republican and who can be persuaded to the middle of the road. “The biggest challenge is to get the word out that there are Democrats in Kansas,” Stoll said. The primaries showed a backlash against pro-Brownback legislators as they lost 10 of 16 contested seats in the Kansas legislature. This gives Democrats like Stoll hope for Kansas. “Democrats should be given a chance because we have been consistent in the message of what we stand for,” Stoll said. “Moderate Republicans are subjected to extreme pressure by the GOP leadership. They took the only doctor, Barbara Bollier, off the health committee because she wasn’t voting the way they wanted her to.” Stoll’s daughter, Christa, a senior, is also helping with her mother’s campaign. “It is a lot more complicated than I thought. There are a lot of layers to it,” Christa said. Stoll’s campaign manager, Kathy Cook, helps her with fundraising and debate preparation among other things, and expresses admiration for her. “Candidates, like Helen, work hard,” Cook said. “I believe that work will pay off. She’s a mother, has a job and still finds time to knock on doors in the evenings and on weekends. I give her tremendous credit.” +BY ASHER NORBERG

#nationalcomingoutday Falling on the anniversary of the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay rights, Oct. 11 has marked National Coming Out Day for the past 28 years. Founded by Robert Eichsberg and Jean O’Leary, National Coming Out Day helps to raise awareness for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) issues and to celebrate being part of the LGBTQ community.

#yahoo Yahoo announced Sept. 22 they had been hacked in late 2014 and information associated with 500 million accounts had been stolen. Names, phone numbers, birthdays and passwords could have been stolen from accounts. Yahoo suspects the hack was perpetrated by a person acting on behalf of a government body. The hack is considered one of the largest cybersecurity breaches in history.

#ifiseeaclown A multitude of clown sightings and attacks have been reported across America since late August. The epidemic started in Greenwich, South Carolina, after a clown was seen in the woods trying to lure children with money and treats. Other online threats have been made against the Philadelphia School District and Houston’s Spring Independent School District. In the wake of these sightings, citizens have taken to Twitter to describe what they would do if they were to see a clown themselves.

#hurricanematthew The Category 4 hurricane had been on a destructive path since late September, making its way up through Haiti, Cuba and the Bahamas, eventually hitting Florida. After moving up the east coast to South Carolina, it veered off the U.S. coastline and became post tropical. With winds reaching 160 mph and 43 recorded deaths, Matthew is the strongest hurricane to hit the United States in a decade. The total number of deaths caused by Matthew was 1,384.

Month in ‘s

+BY BENJAMIN BECKER

#debatenight Presidential nominees Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton had their third presidential debate Oct. 19 at the University of Nevada. Moderated by Fox anchor Chris Wallace, the debate which lasted a total of 90 minutes. was scheduled to discuss foreign policy, immigration, the Supreme Court, entitlements and debt, the economy and each candidate’s fitness to be president. This was the final presidential debate of the 2016 election.

#charoletteprotests After the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott by Charlotte police, the North Carolina city erupted into chaos. During the two days following the shooting, protesters reacted with violence and looting. Local police subdued the protestors with tear gas. A midnight curfew was put in place for the third night, but was not enforced as protesters remained peaceful. Tension has since decreased.

NW PASSAGE | feature 11

AND A BEAT

+BY JOSH SHERFY

The Leader

Junior drum major Sophia Hollman conducts the pep band at the away game Sept. 8. “Conducting during pep band is a bunch of fun for me because the band gets to play fun songs,” Hollman said. “Plus I can watch other band members’ dance moves, ... another reason I’m laughing.” PHOTO BY ABBIE ROBERTS

Step... Step… Step… Bulletin board artwork flutters as the hallway’s first traveler of the day passes. Step...Step...Step… The soles of her shoes, slick with the morning’s dew, squeak across the white- tiled floor of the band wing. Beneath the hem of her jeans hides a pair of red tie-dye knee socks, her contribution to band’s Fun Sock Friday tradition. It’s 6:30 a.m, but she doesn’t mind. For junior drum major Sophia Hollman, it has become routine. “I get there early to take care of the small details,” Hollman said. “I just make sure the band room is in

good condition and get the plans for rehearsal that morning.” She carries her second mug of coffee of the day in one hand. The other is busy rolling out the uniform racks in preparation for the evening’s show. Hollman has been active in band since her freshman year, but has taken on additional responsibilities as junior drum major this year. “The bulk of my time is spent making sure things run smoothly,” Hollman said. “When we need to be lined up for pregame, we organize people ahead of time, making sure things [that] require at least a little bit of forethought are taken care of ahead of time.”

Arriving early also allows Hollman to spend time practicing conducting with her fellow drum majors Ashton Hess and Greta Christianson and to make sure that everything is in place. “I love seeing progress in rehearsals,” Hollman said. “[I love] feeling the high point that happens when the band is at its best during a performance.” When all is in its place, Hollman begins her march from the band wing to rehearsal, conversing with other instrument-toting band members. The sun shines through the glass panes on the doors as she sets out for the practice field. Step...Step...Step....

drumline worthwhile. “Friday nights for games, we get [to Northwest] around 4:30 p.m. and usually don’t get back until after 10:30 p.m.,” Taylor said. “We get here at 6:45 every morning, and drumline spends three hours after school on Tuesdays to work on music.” The devotion to drumline isn’t simply an aptitude for percussion. Taylor thinks the physical and mental endurance required to perform with a 30-pound drum slung over her shoulders exceeds what is required to compete in some varsity sports. “Marching band is cut-anddried,” Taylor said. “You either get

to your spot or you don’t.” For Taylor and the rest of drumline, the culmination of the hours of dedicated work is an experience to treasure. “Playing in the halls and in front of the student section is the most exhilarating part of drumline. You’re in awe. You can’t fathom what’s going on,” Taylor said. “It’s melodic. It’s exhilarating.” After one final thud, the mallets were pressed firmly across the face of the drum head. The rumbling ceased and, just as suddenly as they appeared, the battery instinctively began its march back to the band wing. Tap...Tap...Tap…

band camp, has done his best to learn what it takes to be in marching band. Stepping out onto the spongy synthetic turf surface, he recalls the words of junior Eric Maxon’s pre-show speech, suppresses a small laugh, and remembers the conclusion to the monologue. “Appreciate this. Make this your best performance because you never know if it may be your last.” Shreve takes his place on the field, clears his mind and the show begins. The cool brass of his trumpet chills his lips as the soft sounds of the first song disappear into the night. “Other than playing the right notes, the only thing going through

my mind is how amazing of an experience this is,” Shreve said. “When I march and play the music, I think about how cool it is for the entire crowd to be looking down at us.” Shreve floats across the hashmarks, careful not to miss any of his spots. When the show concludes, there is only one thing on his mind. “When the show’s over, it means I can go to the concession stand,” Shreve said. But first, he must stay at attention just long enough to finish his trek past the clamor of the student section and back down the lanes of the track. Step...Step...Step...

The Drummer

Junior Austin Andersen and other drumline members play cadences as the marching band exits the field at the home game Oct. 7. “Playing in front of the student section is my absolute favorite thing,” Andersen said. “I can’t help but smile, which makes it tough because you’re not supposed to smile when you’re playing.” PHOTO BY ABBY RYAN

Tap...Tap…Tap… The unaccompanied rap of a mallet rattling the frame of a bass drum parts a path through the crowd of students gathered in the mall. Tap…Tap…Tap… After the drumline finds its place near the west entrance, the solitary sound soon matures into an unmistakable thunder that reverberates down the halls. The rhythm pulses against those who have congregated around the 11 drum-clad percussionists, watching as the monotony of ‘just another morning’ is been shattered by a beat. For senior Sydney Taylor, moments like this are what make her tireless commitment to

The Marcher

Junior Jackson Brogan turns into a right slide to face the audience during the band’s performance of Journey to Neverland Oct. 7. “After hours upon hours of practice and hard work, the rush of finally getting to perform and show everyone what you’ve put so much time into is amazing,” Brogan said. PHOTO BY SIDNEY HENKENSIEFKEN

12 Oct. 27, 2016 | VOL. 48

Step… Step… Step… Eyes on the sidelines. Remember the notes. Concentrate. Step... Step...Step… Freshman Spencer Shreve keeps his place aside sophomore Evan Wapp as the stadium lights glint off the black brim of his hat. The sound of 160 synchronized feet trodding across the brick red track are dulled to a soft hum for those seated in the bleachers on the opposite side of the field. His instrument has been tuned. His music has been practiced. His sets have been rehearsed and his uniform has been carefully buttoned, zipped and clicked. Shreve, in the four months since

PHOTO BY BRYCE REX PHOTO BY BRYCE REX

PHOTO BY TARYN SMITH

4. 6.

PHOTO BY BRYCE REX

PHOTO BY BROOKLYNN ROTH 1. After being crowned, 2016 homecoming queen Tavin Cook walks with senior Jake Leyva Oct. 7 at SM North District Stadium. Senior Katie McCluskey was named second runner up and senior Courtney Jones first runner up. 2. Sophomores Kelley Dungan and Zoe Kopp dance on the sophomore float Oct. 7 during the Homecoming parade. The theme for the float was the 1990s. 3. Senior Joe Slattery dances along with junior Yolanda Chavez and other KUGR members in the east parking lot. KUGR’s float placed first in the parade competition. 4. Seniors Noah Kendall, Winter Sparks and Colton Skeens chant along with Jake Snider and the Cougar mascot Oct. 7 in the Main Gym during the Homecoming assembly. The seniors won the Spirit Stick, an award to the loudest and most spirited class. 5. Junior Samantha Anderson spins during Cougar Classic’s performance at the Homecoming assembly. The Drill Team danced to “Fire Under My Feet” by Leona Lewis. 6. Senior Mark Babcock plays the marimba during marching band’s performance. Babcock started the performance by playing “Lost Boys” by Ruth B. 7. Senior Tavin Cook smiles as she walks with senior Alex Oleson after he was announced homecoming king in the Main Gym on Oct. 8. Oleson is the student body president while Cook is vice president. “I love how we both got king and queen,” Cook said. “The two of us work well together both as friends and being president and vice president.” 8. Reacting to being crowned 1st runner up, senior Courtney Jones celebrates with her father. “When I heard my name called I was so shocked and confused, but honored more than anything”, Jones said.

PHOTO BY RYLEE GARRETT

NW PASSAGE | feature 13

MVPs of September + BY JACKIE SAYERS

Four female and three male athletes who have performed well in their respective sports for recognition were nominated for Most Valuable Player of the Month. Students had the opportunity to select the winner by voting via a Twitter poll. Junior Molly Born received 58 percent of the 165 votes cast for the girls, while senior Seth Bowman received 49 percent of the 197 votes cast for the boys.

PHOTO BY SIDNEY HENKENSIEFKEN

Junior Molly Born

arsity cross country runner Molly Born, who has won two state titles and holds the state record in the 3,200 meter run, appreciates the perseverance cross country demands of her. “You definitely have to work hard to be a good runner,” Born said. “And that is one of the things I like best about cross country — that the amount of work you put in is how good you are going to be.” The 45 miles Born runs every six days proves she is working hard to succeed. Head coach Van Rose’s favorite part about having Born on his team is her dedication. “She doesn’t cut any corners,” Rose said. “She doesn’t take any season off. She is running consistently, year-round.” Born is thankful to the teammates and coach who have been a vital part of her success as a runner. “As teammates, we all push each other to get better,” Born said. “We all are competitive with each other, but we also want to get better as a

14 Oct. 27, 2016 | VOL. 48

PHOTO BY SHELBY BEAUMONT

Senior Seth Bowman team. Coach gives us our workouts to make us better runners.” Rose is proud of Born’s development as an athlete over the years he has coached her. “She came out of middle school and she wasn’t the best,” Rose said. “But she trained, and gradually progressed in her training. That’s the whole secret to it: do what you’ve been doing but just try to do a little bit more with each year.” When the races get tough, Born focuses on her team and uses them as encouragement. “During the race, I’m thinking about how good it will feel when the race is over,” Born said. “It’s not very fun during the race. I just try to stay strong and do my best for the team.”

ead coach Todd Boren praised varsity soccer player Seth Bowman’s commitment to his team. “Seth brings an element of creativity on the field and he wants to win,” Boren said. “And that is something that you can’t coach. I mean, he has that internal desire that he wants to win, and he will fight, and he will battle, in order to help his team.” Boren recognized a greatness in Bowman very early on; in fact, he was the only player in his freshman class selected for the varsity team. “What set Seth apart as a freshman was his technical ability,” Boren said. “For a freshman, he had decent size, and knowledge of the game. That kind of set him above the rest of the freshmen, and put him on a level where, as coaches, we thought he could develop on the varsity level.” Bowman has always been a leader on the field. “Even as a freshman, I had the

mouth of a senior,” Bowman said. “I always kept talking and some of the seniors hated me for that. When I see something that should be fixed, I say it. And I try to do the best I can to keep a positive mentality in every single one of our players.” Now, as a senior and co-captain, Bowman has developed into one of the team’s leading scorers. “Scoring is an adrenaline rush,” Bowman said. “You’ve got the crowd on their feet. When you do something like that for your team, they’re all around you giving you high fives, and telling you good job. It’s just a great feeling to know that you helped out like that.” The secret to Bowman’s success? His dedication to improving himself as a player at each and every practice. “My mentality is to go 100 percent and always stay focused,” Bowman said. “Every practice will make you better as long as you stay 100 percent.”

“

The mood was very passionate, concerned and supportive for our sport. I was just thinking about how badly I want the sport to continue and how intensely gymnastics had affected every single person there for the better. — freshman Kara Martin

PHOTO BY MAYA LEE

PHOTO BY ASHLEY CASTILLO-AVENDANO

small BUT MIGHTY

1. Sophomore Zoe Kopp performs on the balance beam Sept. 13 at SM West Auxiliary Gym. “The beam is my favorite out of all four routines because you feel in control,” Kopp said. 2. Chalking up her hands, freshman Kara Martin prepares for her uneven bars routine Sept. 29 in the Main Gym. Martin scored a 6.6 on her routine in the district meet. “Gymnastics has allowed me to find a lot of people who I have something in common with,” Martin said. “It’s just really fun being able to show off what you’ve created.”

Students fight to keep high school gymnastics

n an auditorium filled with athletes dedicated to a sport that has consumed their lives for years, tears rolled down the faces of some. They came to save the sport they love. They talked about the family atmosphere and the ways gymnastics helped them find their places in high school. “The mood was very passionate, concerned and supportive for our sport,” gymnast Kara Martin said. “I was just thinking about how badly I want the sport to continue and how gymnastics has affected every single person there for the better.” Martin, along with other gymnasts, coaches and parents, was attending a meeting about the future of gymnastics in the Shawnee Mission School District. The #savekansashsgymnastics began trending on Twitter after the meeting. The main reason why gymnastics could be cut is the lack of participation. In 2014, 165 gymnasts competed in the sport; last year, 120 participated and this year the number fell to 110. In the Shawnee Mission School District, this year’s 41 participants represented a loss of 30 percent from the previous year. Gymnastics has fewer participants than girls’ golf and bowling. “There has been an issue of maintaining and retaining coaches,” SMSD athletic director Richard Kramer said. “Because of that [coach turnover], it is really hard to establish any type of program. Then you

throw in that there are only 13 schools in the state competing and the participation numbers are extremely low.” Kramer wonders how to decide when the state can no longer sustain a quality program. Having a smaller team in gymnastics can be beneficial. First, they can not handle a team of more than 20 gymnasts due to the facility constraints. Second, a smaller team allows for family atmosphere among the girls. “I love having a small team because each of us has our own personality and we really all enjoy each other’s company,” gymnast Zoe Kopp said. “Having smaller numbers makes it easier to get to know each other and to grow together as a small family.” The consideration of cutting the sport was not a spontaneous decision as it has been discussed for the past couple of years. “There are a lot of things that are being looked at and taken into consideration from that standpoint,” athletic director Angelo Giacalone said. “There is a lot of passion and hardwork. You never want to see a sport of any kind get cut.” Gymnastics is not just on the chopping block in Shawnee Mission. It is also up for debate in Olathe, another Sunflower League district. If either district were to drop the sport, that would likely spell the end of high school gymnastics in Kansas. “Back in 2000 we had 25 schools, then we lost the five Wichita schools

and the numbers have steadily declined since,” KSHSAA administrator Cheryl Gleason said. “If we were to drop to eight or fewer schools, then schools could still participate in gymnastics if they wanted, [but] we would not hold a state tournament.” Players and coaches say that even though gymnastics has smaller teams than other sports, they think they have the numbers to support the sport. “You have a community of girls in every school that wants to participate,” head coach Jessie Rood said. “We have enough girls and we have the numbers required to keep the sport in place. Bottom line.” Not just gymnasts and coaches, but also parents have played a key role in trying to keep the sport alive in Kansas high schools, including preparing a pitch to the school board. Their plan includes holding tryouts in the spring, recruiting more in the middle schools and promoting high school gymnastics through the clubs. “We have made t-shirts to promote continuing the program,” gymnastics parent Marlo Martin said. “We have also emailed the school board, superintendent and other SMSD staff, communicated with KSHSAA and plan to present to the school board at the next meeting.” The owner of Emerald City Gym and 1978 NW graduate Steve Glickley said he learned several skills as a member of the NW men’s gymnastics team. “It helped me manage my time,” Glickley said. “It also helped with self

discipline and handling self pressure.” High school gymnastics has been former NW head coach Janice Baker’s life. She started coaching in 1973, creating a foundation for the gymnastics program here. During her coaching career, the team won seven state championships. “Gymnastics should be saved because it provides these athletes an opportunity to compete for their school,” Baker said. “If you ask high school students to describe themselves, often their identity is linked to their activities. For example, I am a Cougar gymnast.” One of key problems facing the sport has been a lack of qualified coaches. Since Baker left coaching in 2007, the NW team has endured a constant stream of coaches, most only staying for one or two years. In Europe, gymnastics is called the “mother sport” due to the foundation that the sport lays down for other sports like pole vault, high jump and diving. “I have two athletes who I can think of,” Glickley said. “One that did gymnastics and soccer and went on to get a full ride scholarship to college. Another athlete I taught went on to play professional baseball. They look back and compliment gymnastics as being part of that success.” For gymnasts, cutting the sport would be devastating. “It would really break my heart,” sophomore Zoe Kopp said. “I’m not ready to accept the fact that I would probably never do gymnastics again.”

+BY MATTHEW OWENS

NW PASSAGE | sports 15

“

+ PHOTO BY BROOKLYNN ROTH

I started crying because I realized I wouldn’t be who I was without my adopted mom. She is one of the few things I cherish most on this planet, seeing all my ” friends was great but sharing that with her was really special.

— senior Alex Oleson