Issue 6

NW PASSAGE MARCH 2, 2017 VOL. 48 ISSUE 06

Students and teachers suggest answers to the question: what does it mean to be patriotic?

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LET FREEDOM RING

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DINE, THEN DASH TO CLASS

BATTLING A DIFFERENT OPPONENET

Where to stop and what to get at breakfast locations near Northwest

JV basketball player deals with epilepsy in a positive way

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Issue 06 March 2, 2017

3 7-9 11 14

Let freedom ring

Protesters and dissidents shape America into the country imagined by our founding fathers

We the People

Students and teachers suggest answers to the question: what does it mean to be patriotic?

Dine, then dash to class

Where to stop and what to get for your Late Start Thursday breakfast

Battling a different opponent

JV basketball player deals with epilepsy in a positive way

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-inchief 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 MARCH 2, 2017 | Issue 06

Editor-in-Chief Online Managing Editor

STAFF WRITERS: Grace Gorenflo Jack Lynch

CONTENT MANAGEMENT: Design Editor Copy Editor Photo Editor Photo Editor

Shelby Beaumont Cadence Elder Taryn Smith Maddy Manning

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

Will Gross Annalissa Houser Samantha Joslin Anastasia Kling Sonni Meyers Michael Rock Jordan Sherfy Josh Sherfy

STAFF DESIGNERS: Asher Norberg Matthew Owens Benjamin Becker Sara Babcock

Rachel Albers ADVISERS: Adviser Assistant Adviser

Susan Massy Wes Mikel

STA F F E D I TO R I A L

LET FREEDOM RING

13 6 the editorial board voted

agree

disagree

Protesters and dissidents shape America into the country imagined by our founding fathers

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alk down Main Street America and you will see all of the tokens of patriotism: red, white and blue flags swaying, hats and shirts plastered with our president’s mantra, bumper stickers proudly boasting that “I VOTED.” The Oxford Dictionaries define patriotism as “vigorous support for one’s country.” Americans are raised to feel and express something we flippantly call “patriotism.”

But does waving a flag make you a patriot? Does casting a vote? Can patriotism be so cheap that a couple of gestures and some vague feelings make you patriotic? Not in my book.

Read the Declaration of Independence. Once you sift through that fancy language and archaic vocabulary, you’ll find the ideas that our ancestors literally fought for. The bloody war for liberty is what gave America its inspirational start, and our Declaration of Independence and Constitution alike have guided us from that monumental time on.

At the start of our country, Separatists felt patriotism because of the liberty, freedom and equality they were granting people of all nationalities — this was something that the world had never experienced. However, was everyone really equal? There was slavery from the very start; how could our founding fathers promise equality? Even now racism and discrimination are common in our country. Americans are not patriotic because of what America is; they are patriotic for what America promises and for what it has yet to become.

At first glance, this new generation of millennials may

03 MARCH 2, 2017 | Issue 06

+BY SAMANTHA JOSLIN

appear less patriotic than older generations — we may appear not patriotic at all. We complain loudly about America’s faults. Surveys by the American National Election Studies (ANES) have shown that we are far less moved by the American flag waving in the sky or by the Declaration of Independence than our parents and grandparents were.

But does that mean that we are not patriotic? Definitely not. We show our patriotism in a different way. We don’t love America simply because it is America. We love America for the ideas it represents, the opportunities it promises and the freedom it embodies.

Furthermore, we complain about America because these great ideals have not yet become a reality.

Looking back, you will not find a time when all races in America were considered equal, as the Declaration of Independence claimed. The very start of America was stained by slavery; the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 passed because Americans felt that Chinese immigrants were stealing their jobs — sound familiar? Even today, racism and discrimination are big problems.

Although there has never been absolute equality in America, the idea has inspired us for centuries — an idea that we can explore now, an idea that we are exploring.

Young Americans have not known great danger or an imminent threat to their freedom. Maybe that’s a good thing. Now, we have the chance to fight the injustices happening within America’s borders, not without. We can work out the kinks in our own country, find ways to make America better — to make America the country

that it set out to be, but never was.

In a survey published by the ANES, respondents were presented with this statement: “It is not really that big of a problem if some people have more of a chance in life than others.”

While 57 percent of millennials (18-33 years old) disagreed with this statement, only 37 percent of the older generation (68-87 years old) felt the same.

Millennials have a stronger drive to achieve the equality and freedom promised in the Constitution.

This is why we protest. This is what America is all about: equal opportunity and equal rights, and the freedom to protest when those rights are threatened. People in America today are not protesting America; they are protesting the lack of Americanism in the country.

It’s the idea of America that spurred our founders and ancestors on — the concept of freedom and peace.

We have a chance to make that idea a reality.

A patriot is defined in the Oxford Dictionaries as “a person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors.”

Protestors and complainers are patriots, if on a tamer scale than our ancestors who took up arms to give America the freedoms we still believe in. America wouldn’t exist if no one complained about unfair taxation, after all. From the outcry of protestors today, the America of our founding father’s dreams can be realized. Patriotism doesn’t have to be battles and fancy documents.

Patriotism is believing that your country can be great, and working to make it so.

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Mind Over Media Social media has a negative effect on self esteem +BY ANNALISSA HOUSER

Think Before You Post Five ways to use social media mindfully

og onto Instagram, post a picture and let the likes roll in. As the likes increase, so does your self esteem.

People only present the best version of themselves online which allows us to believe this is what they always look like. In reality, what makes them look so flawless is the angle, the editing and the makeup. Everyone has a bad angle and a bad side, even Miss Universe.

“People post pictures because they want people to respond,” Dr. Janine Kesterson, a board certified behavior analyst for Families Together, Inc., said.

“If [people] don’t respond or respond negatively, it can affect their self esteem.”

We live in a time where seeking out the approval of others is extremely important.

However, the desire for the approval of others isn’t something new to our generation. Humans have evolved to care about what others think.

“If we really trace it back to early humans, the people who got the approval of others would keep living and having kids,” Dr. Alexander Williams, director of the University of Kansas’ psychology department said. “If they got on the bad side of other members of the tribe, they would be left to die off.”

It seems the desire to be liked has increased, but it hasn’t. In reality, all

Designate certain times throughout the day to scroll through your feed. Try to eliminate using social media as a way to pass the time.

Delete all the photo editing apps.

Teens’ social media should be about them, not what their followers want to see.

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Why Literature

Still Matters In the 21st century, the written word is still an integral part of the human experience +BY MICHAEL ROCK

04 MARCH 2, 2017 | Issue 06

n a modern age where we are constantly saturated with technology, the importance of a good book has gone by the wayside. We spend much more time reading up on the latest celebrity gossip or checking social media than we do reading a novel.

Nowadays, a lot of high school students don’t even read the books assigned to them in English class.

People are too glued to their phone screens and that has a damaging effect on real life, face-to-face interactions.

An entire generation is growing up with a huge focus on communicating through technology, and we are in danger of totally losing our personal communication skills.

While technology can help us communicate with anyone, anywhere in the world, it also dehumanizes us. Human beings were not meant to stare at an LCD screen for hours on end. We are social creatures, and literature encourages real socialization. When you read a novel, you’re engaging in a dialogue with the author. Through the book, the author is telling you about his worldview, and how he feels about the human experience. When someone writes a novel, a part of his very being goes into that novel. Being privy to such an intimate aspect of humanity is beautiful.

Many people claim that e-readers are a happy medium between technology and literature. However, substantial evidence exists to suggest that

that has happened is that the desire has become more apparent. Pop culture shine the light on social media and teens’ self esteem issues. Before this, it was less of a constant reminder. Now people feel the need to post and let people know what they’re up to. Hence the phrase, “pics or it didn’t happen.”

“I don’t think the evidence is clear whether social media has a negative impact on our minds,” Williams said.

“Those two things are related, but one may not be causing the other.”

I disagree. Dutch psychologists concluded in a 2006 study that 49.3 percent of people experienced negative effects on their self esteem as a result of using social networking sites. Only 28.4 percent of the 881 people surveyed felt a positive impact.

The same study also noted that when on social media, people seek out specific things. For example, men seek out women that show a lot of skin. In turn, women who show more skin usually have a higher follower count. On the other hand, when women see other women who post with a lot of skin, their self esteem drops. In the same sense, women tend to seek out men who post materialistic things, but when other men see these materialistic things, they experience a drop in self esteem.

Unfollow “fitspo” accounts and celebrity accounts that make teens feel less confident.

When we scroll through our social media feed and see celebrities’ edited photos or “fitspo” (fitness inspiration) accounts, people often fail to realize that the photo is edited. People feel like they need to change themselves to look like a photoshopped picture. I see my friends on their phones looking at celebrities’ pictures and saying things like, “How does she look that good?” Teens believe that if they don’t look like that, there must be something wrong with them. I think all teens need to realize that social media isn’t always factual.

According to Kesterson, teens need to be taught that they can be themselves and be confident.

“Teens are going to see a picture and strive to be that way,” Kesterson said.

“But they need to strive to be themselves and not what society wants to see.”

Social media provides images to compare ourselves to others. We focus on how many likes we get, how many followers we have and making our feed look good. It’s easy to portray a different version of ourselves online. We search for the approval of others when we can’t even accept ourselves.

Log off of Instagram and you’ll see — your self esteem really didn’t go up at all.

Don’t say something on social media that can’t be said in person.

We have been hearing it since we can remember, but most teens still don’t follow this simple rule.

e-readers offer a less engaging reading experience. A 2013 Norwegian study gave 72 10th-graders a text to read in PDF form and in print. A comprehension test afterward determined that “students who read text in print scored significantly better on the reading comprehension test than the students who read the text digitally.” E-readers do allow for another method of reading, but ultimately you’re still staring at a computer screen.

Literature is a vehicle through which we explore and rationalize our own minds. There is an intrinsically human element in literature, as well as in any art form. This is in harsh contrast to the cold facelessness of technology.

With the rapid development of new technology, we’re in danger of eventually losing the experiences, ideals and emotions that make us human. Art, in all of its many forms, helps us retain the essence of the human experience.

In today’s world, new technological innovations are almost a daily occurrence. The 21st century has already seen the invention of smart phones, virtual reality headsets and self-driving cars. These, and other innovations, are incredibly beneficial and we should embrace them. At the same time, we shouldn’t lose sight of the more introspective elements of human creativity. Literature, and art as a whole, is what makes humans human.

Ask yourself, “What would my parents say if they saw this?” More often than not, if we don’t want our parents to see it, we shouldn’t post it at all.

Desert Island Books 1. On The Road by Jack Kerouac: I read this novel in 7th grade and it was one of my first exposures to more sophisticated literature.

This, and most of Kerouac’s bibliography, totally changed my life and shaped the worldview I have today.

2. A Confederacy of Dunces

by John Kennedy Toole: The is the funniest novel of all time. This modern day retelling of Don Quixote is set in New Orleans and features one of the most colorful casts of characters in all of literature.

3. The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway by Ernest Hemingway: Arguably the greatest American writer of all time, Hemingway’s work encapsulates the entire spectrum of the human experience.

Forks Le Fou Frog

Charisse

Finest and most traditionally French escargot +BY ANASTASIA KLING

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e Fou Frog served the finest escargot I have ever savored. The restaurant is located one block east of the River Market in a freestanding building. The lighting in the restaurant created a dim red glow which contrasted to the flame of a solitary candle on each table. Menus were presented on chalk boards, much like a traditional French café. We were served fresh-baked, soft bread with a perfectly crispy crust.

I have never had the desire to eat escargot, nor did I know what to expect. I was surprised when the snails were presented on a porcelain plate, still in their shells. It was the most traditional presentation of all three restaurants.

The escargots bathed in a garlic butter sauce inside the shells. This was the only restaurant which didn’t include button mushrooms in the dish. The mushrooms at the other two restaurants distracted me from the most important part of the meal, the snails. The escargot at Le Fou Frog was, by far, the most flavorful and tender of the escargots reviewed. I would return to enjoy this dish again.

I was expecting Le Fou Frog to be quaint and peaceful, but it turned out to be the noisiest and busiest restaurant we visited. Despite this, it was still an intimate dining experience; the cramped seating made me feel close to my peers and I witnessed other groups sharing the same amount of intimacy. Le Fou Frog is one of the few restaurants in Kansas City which sets its tables with a white cloth.

Although Le Fou Frog had marvelous food, their customer service and table side manner failed to meet the standard. The “aloof French waiter” stereotype was alive and well at Le Fou Frog as the staff was clearly surprised to see high school students dining here. In spite of this, I adored the escargots and the candle lit tables, which transported diners into a hidden Parisian restaurant post World War II.

PHOTO BY NATE THOMPSON

05 MARCH 2, 2017 | Issue 06

Aixois

Most modern take on the classic dish

Best presentation and atmosphere +BY ASHER NORBERG

+BY WILL GROSS

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ocated in the lobby of an office building in downtown Kansas City, Mo., sits a not-so typical French restaurant, Charisse. Tall ceilings, bright lights and sleek tables made this restaurant seem more modern than traditional.

Businessmen and women enjoyed drinks as cars whizzed by on the substantially busy Walnut Street. Charisse presented a contrast to the classic French restaurant stereotype of dim lighting, soft music, cramped seating and an aloof waitstaff.

The question was whether this was good or bad.

Walking into the restaurant, I felt a bit out of place.

Contemporary electronic music played in the background. A 10-year age gap separated me from the rest of the crowd. The waitress, understandably, seemed surprised to see a group of casually dressed teenagers. Nonetheless, she treated us with respect and brought out the still warm, complimentary bread as expected. Then came the escargot.

Throughout my life, I had always been hesitant about eating snails. The slithering, petite beasts were something I never considered putting in my mouth. However, when prepared properly, escargot is one of the most delicious things I have ever tasted. The escargot at Charisse was served on a wooden bread board with bread chips on the right side. The escargot itself was marinating in a warm garlic sauce inside a mason jar on the left side of the board. The combination of garlic, butter, mushrooms and snails on top of a bread chip was masterful.

The taste wasn’t as pungent as Le Fou Frog but wasn’t as subtle as Aixois. The bread chips also added another contrast to the presentation at Aixois or Le Fou Frog. The snails themselves, however, were not as tender as Le Fou Frog, nor were they served in actual snail shells, which were both drawbacks.

Overall, Charisse’s atmosphere was modish, its service and presentation were posh and its escargot was pleasantly tasteful but not perfect. If you are looking for a classic French restaurant, Charisse is not for you. Charisse captures the ambience of a chic restaurant with good escargot.

PHOTO BY TARYN SMITH

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n the corner of 55th Street and Brookside Boulevard, two blocks east of Loose Park, rests the quiet, stylish, French bistro, Aixois. Anchoring the elegant boutiques and antique dealers that make up the Crestwood Shops, the restaurant is a bastion of French cuisine in Kansas City.

Aixois offers refined, indoor dining, as well as outdoor dining that evokes the casual glamour of a Parisian sidewalk café.

Inside, the blood-red walls and wrought-iron chandeliers add a country flair to the cosmopolitan environment. Not as refined as Le Fou Frog, yet exponentially more chic than Charisse, Aixois is the perfect bistro for any budget.

At Aixois, our group was hastily seated in one of the bistro’s two large dining rooms. Our order was promptly taken and a sliced baguette, swaddled in white linen, arrived shortly after.

The escargot arrived in a petite iron tray with button mushrooms in a boiling hot bath of melted butter and garlic.

An almost-too-subtle flavor was saved by perfect consistency and presentation. While the snails were delicious, compared to Le Fou Frog and Charisse, the flavor was average at best.

It may also be noted that achieving deliciousness is not difficult when garlic and butter are the listed ingredients.

Traditionally, escargot is served in the shell on a circular plate with small indentations for each snail. As many restaurants today do, Aixois took a modern spin on a classic dish. The escargot was served naked with mushroom caps, unconfined to a traditional escargot plate.

Escargot, Old French for “edible snail,” is a traditional French and Spanish hors d’oeuvre consisting of Burgundy Snails cooked in herbs and butter. Archaeological excavations indicate escargot has been consumed by the elite since the the time of the Roman Empire.

Aixois’ interpretation of this ancient delicacy was delicious yet unremarkable, but what they lacked in flavor, they made up for in presentation and atmosphere.

PHOTO BY TARYN SMITH

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Applications are available on-line @ www.cityofshawnee.org Waterpark Lifeguard Certification classes are available through the Shawnee Parks and Recreation Department by calling 913-631-5200.

POSITIONS AVAILABLE: LIFEGUARD – $9.25 • SWIM INSTRUCTORS – $10.25

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06 MARCH 2, 2017 | Issue 06

Now that’s teamwork!

CALL FOR A QUOTE 27/7

WETHE THE PEOPLE WE PEOPLE Students and teachers suggest answers to the question: what does it mean to be patriotic?

NW PASSAGE | feature 07

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

WE THE PEOPLE

+ COMPILED BY JACK LYNCH & GRACE GORENFLO

Mark Johnson, professor of law and journalism at KU and a partner in the Kansas City office of Dentons law firm

Sara Schaufler, U.S. government teacher PATRIOTISM

“To be respectful of your government, but to always question it.

What makes the United States good is that we work to correct our wrongs. I believe our country should always be openminded, and that makes me patriotic.”

“It is the personal commitment and loyalty to the country. It doesn’t have to be expressed it’s more of a personal feeling. It’s not something that should be utilized as an excuse to antagonize other people.”

CONSTITUTIONAL

Follow what the constitution says verbatim. But there are times when we need to use judicial activism, which means we adapt the constitution to a specific situation.

Anything that fits within the rights that are guaranteed to us by the constitution. The constitution allows you to do everything that is legal. But a lot of things that are included in that are unethical. Burning the flag — entirely constitutional. I’m not saying you should do it.

Students and teachers suggest answers to the question, what does it mean to be patriotic? +BY CADENCE ELDER, GRACE GORENFLO, SAMANTHA JOSLIN, JACK LYNCH & ASHER NORBERG

A

mericans want to be patriotic. Seven different holidays each year are set aside to celebrate the country’s discovery, its birth or the people that have served it.

Citizens break from their daily responsibilities, don red, white and blue and spend the day commemorating — or is it just relaxing? On the Fourth of July, various festivities show just how loud and proud the land of the free can be — proud of having the loudest firework display, perhaps. These

activities give Americans the appearance of patriotism — devotion to their country, and pride that they are citizens of it.

The aura of dissention throughout the country today has caused many to question exactly what it means to be American. Each person believes that their interpretation of patriotism is the correct one.

Some believe that they show spirit by participating in national holidays, while others think spirit is making a point

to exercise their rights. Standing by the ideals our founding fathers wanted for the country is the American way, but many believe it is wiser to alter these ideals as America evolves. Loving the country could be believing that America can be great again, or believing that America’s greatness never faltered.

Nowadays, patriotism could mean anything. So, what does it mean to Northwest?

CONSTITUTIONAL, NOT PATRIOTIC

Burning the American flag

Participating in a Pro-Klan rally

R E A L TA L K

What does it mean to be patriotic?

We invited six students to discuss the concept of patriotism in today’s America.

KD = Kelley Dungan, sophomore MS = Mihir Shroff, junior

TB = Trenade Brotherton, junior ST = Sydney Taylor, senior

What does being a patriot mean to you?

Do you think Northwest is a patriotic school?

discourse in school between both parties makes it patriotic as long as it’s not disrespectful.

KD: I feel like there are a lot of people — the overwhelming majority of America loves America and is grateful for this place where we live. Patriotism is subjective and we show patriotism in different ways.

Some people are more outspoken and some people are more quiet about it. Disrespect for others and other citizens of a country is not patriotism, and I see that a lot around Northwest.

KD: Disagreement is certainly patriotic. Speaking out against your own country is patriotic, because you’re exercising the First Amendment, which is loyalty to our founding principles as a country.

KD: I think a patriot is someone who has love for their country without corresponding hate for others. I don’t think patriotism necessarily corresponds with the party that you belong to.

MS: I think patriotism would be knowing you’re from a country, but also recognizing your roots and the culture you belong to.

JM: I feel that patriotism is distinct from nationalism, in that nationalism is a blind adherence to anything your country will do, regardless of leader, unto death. Patriotism is more a love for the ideals of your country and a love for what your country should be: wanting to make your country the best place it can be. And that doesn’t correlate to any [specific] political party, whereas nationality is inherently exclusive.

KD: I agree with that to a degree. Nationalism usually becomes popular when our country is in a war. People are nationalists when we’re fighting another country, because they agree with what we’re doing. So nationalism comes with negative connotations, whereas anyone can be a patriot.

MS: I don’t think nationalism is necessarily blind, either. People can be nationalists and there’s a reason they’re nationalists during a war: because they don’t want their country to lose.

JM: Nationalism sure has political purpose.

It’s been played for political purposes throughout history, including winning a war.

EO: At some point, I feel like nationalism and patriotism are intertwined. I feel like both of them are necessarily reliant on pride in one’s own country.

08 MARCH 2, 2017 | Issue 06

TB: I think disrespect is not okay.

But, I think that just because someone doesn’t wave around a Trump flag doesn’t mean they aren’t patriotic. I think that you can love your country and be patriotic and still challenge the policies that Trump talks about, or challenge policies on the Democratic side. You don’t have to fully support every single thing that the government does to be patriotic. I think that just having

ST: I think that if we do the Pledge of Allegiance it should be altered. It does say “under God,” and quite a few people don’t worship that “God” throughout America. An altered way would be better. I think it’s controversial to have that [phrase] in a public school.

EO = Emmanuel Osei, junior JM = Josh Marvine, sophomore

JM: I would say Northwest is patriotic in that even though most people at Northwest don’t wave around American flags [and] don’t wear exclusively red, white and blue, there are many, many people at Northwest that are politically active. They’re engaged in current events and, whatever their political ideology, they want what they view is best for America. And that’s patriotism.

MS: Sure, and even if you look around there’s an American flag in every classroom, in the library, things like that. We live in Kansas, kind of a patriotic state as well.

MS: Seeing people not stand up upsets me, because of what [Sydney was] talking about. There are people fighting for us so that we can have this flag and all this freedom. But then again, I also respect people’s own opinions and it’s a good way to protest.

How do you feel about people who refuse to stand up for the Pledge of Allegiance?

ST: Personally, I’m [planning to become] a soldier, a Marine. It kind of hurts, because I’m sacrificing eight years of my life to make sure that you can have that flag. I’m doing it for a purpose so we can have this freedom, and you not standing up hurts, saying that my job isn’t important.

KD: I personally believe that if you don’t want to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance or the National Anthem, I don’t think that makes you any less patriotic. You’re protesting the government, and you’re exercising your freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of press, etc. And [to be] upset by that? Everybody has the right to an opinion, but it’s their right as an American to not stand up for the Pledge.

JM: That’s why I think whether or not you stand for the flag, what’s more important are the people who’ve fought and died for the flag, people have also fought and died for your right to not stand. And it’s counterproductive and antithetical to the ideals of free speech to force standing [for the Pledge].

Waving a TrumpPence flag, senior Jake Snider stands with his fellow classmates Feb. 16 in the Main Gym. Snider’s flag caused an uproar which led to it being pulled down by senior Olivia Sabal after the seniors were awarded the spirit stick. “I felt like she was way out of place,” Snider said.

“They don’t realize how important he is to everyone”. PHOTO

BY BROOKLYNN ROTH

I

n the front of a crowd of seniors decked out in red, white and blue for their Spirit Week theme, senior Jake Snider waved a flag emblazoned with the Trump-Pence campaign logo back and forth during the assembly Feb 16.

“I know it’s a political statement, but, in the end, he’s our president,” Snider said. “It’s America. We can do what we want. We can bring whatever, rep whatever, support whoever.”

The St. Patrick’s Day-themed juniors were a sea of green in their section of the gym, although they were not feeling the luck of the Irish that day. As the Spirit Stick made its final lap around the gym, the seniors reigned victorious. In the midst of cheers and disappointed sighs, the seniors rushed the court to claim the Spirit Stick. Senior Olivia Sabal rose from her spot in the bleachers. She pushed her way through the crowd and tore the flag from its pole.

“I didn’t have any intention of ripping his flag,” Sabal said. “I just wanted it down. The intention was to let kids know that they don’t have to put up with this stuff. They don’t have

Spirit Stick celebration interrupted by altercation over student’s Trump-Pence flag +BY ASHER NORBERG & CADENCE ELDER to let people be bullies.”

Sabal said the decision to rip the flag off the pole was completely impulsive; she felt that the presence of the flag was making her classmates uncomfortable.

“I don’t really have a problem with him waving his flag anywhere else, but assemblies are usually pretty positive,” Sabal said. “To bring that into such a positive event, and to wave it around, especially in front of the ELL kids, was making [everyone] very uncomfortable. All of my friends are queer, including myself, and he was making us very uncomfortable. I took greatest offense when he took it out to run up to the Spirit Stick. I felt that was a misrepresentation of the senior class.

I spent most of the assembly thinking ‘what can I do about this?’”

Shocked and angry, Snider stood in disbelief.

“I just stood there and was like ‘Is anyone going to do anything about this?’”

Snider immediately approached Gruman to see what action would be taken. With any damage to a student’s

property on school grounds, it’s typical for the administration to seek restitution from the offender as part of the resolution. The flag, however, belongs to senior Noah Kendall, who was not present at the assembly.

“This is not a political issue, this is a crime,” Kendall said.

“He is upset,” Snider said. “It is a destruction of property. They always teach us that growing up: respect people’s property and treat others the way you wanted to be treated.”

Snider was not concerned that others may have been particularly uncomfortable with his flag.

“I mean I’m sure they were [offended by the flag],” Snider said.

“But they can’t really do anything because it’s their president, and if they want to live here, they have to abide by his rules.”

According to University of Kansas professor of law and journalism Mark Johnson, the flag is not considered a disruption. Although a public school should be free of political statements, Snider has the right to have the flag.

“Because it is inside the school,

the law essentially says that any activity that disrupts normal school activity is something that the school administration can prohibit,” Johnson said. “An example would be a student wearing a Trump or Hillary button walking in the hallways.

That’s not disruptive, so if the school administration [did] something to punish that student, [they] would be violating that student’s First Amendment rights. If, on the other hand, a student ran up and down the hallway yelling ‘I’m for Trump,’ or ‘I’m for Hillary’ that would be disruptive activity, so a student could be punished for that.”

The distinction is whether or not actions taken by students are disruptive.

“It was really loud, so if the girl was just yelling at him that’s OK because she isn’t disrupting anything,” Johnson said. “The [assembly was] totally disrupted. Once they got to the point of tearing the flag away from him, that’s where they crossed the line.”

Snider remarked that classmates

made derogatory comments while entering the assembly because he was waving the flag. That, Johnson noted, is a right students have. Sabal and other students had the right to comment on Snider’s political speech (the flag) and he had the right to respond, but once she put her words into action (ripped the flag), according to Johnson, it became disruption.

“They can’t forbid her from expressing her opinion,” Johnson said.

“It’s just how she went about it.”

Although it may be unlawful for Sabal to rip the flag, not all students see her as a criminal.

“The entire day, people were stopping and hugging me and shaking my hand,” Sabal said.

Other students supported Snider.

“I’m not for President Trump so I’m torn on it because that is damage to someone’s property,” senior Issy Wallis said. “I thought what [Sabal] did was more than rude.”

Gruman pulled Sabal aside and talked to her after the assembly. Their conversation and any actions taken are confidential.

NW PASSAGE | feature 09

1. After being1.crowned, senior John Baska stands smiling alongside senior Hannah Gruman, in the Main Gym Feb. 18.

Baska was crowned WPA king and Gruman was crowned queen. PHOTO

BY PIPER SCHUERMAN

2.

3.

4.

WPA

in photos 2. Sophomores Henry Tomasic, Jacob Shreve and Spencer Kaleko laugh together on the dance floor, Feb. 18. Although each of the three boys had dates, they were mostly found dancing with each other. “WPA is a good time to hang out with your boys,” Tomasic said. “It doesn’t have to be super serious with them.”

PHOTO BY PIPER SCHUERMAN 3. The 22 members of WPA court pose for a photo in the Main Gym Feb. 16.

Each member was introduced to the student body during the assembly before voting took place later that day. PHOTO BY MADDY MANNING 4. Laughing with senior Emma Sanders, senior John Baska smiles as the two were presented as candidates. Baska was crowned King at the WPA dance Feb 18. “The most memorable part about the whole thing was walking with [Baska] and seeing his face light up,” Sanders said. “I really loved seeing his mom’s expression and tears of joy when he got to have his moment in front of everyone.” PHOTO BY

7.

MADDY MANNING 6. Seniors Leah Pfeifer and Juan Pablo Ramirez were both nominated by Northwest Connect club, which was started by Pfeifer this year. “Walking was so sentimental because it’s my last year here and I have so many memories in this gym,” Pfeifer said. “Time has gone by so fast, and I’m going to miss this school along with all the memories from assemblies and games that have happened here.”

PHOTO BY MADDY MANNING 7. Posing for a picture, the junior class cheers and jumps. Each class had their own holiday theme for the assembly, and the junior class was assigned St. Patrick’s Day. “Assemblies are a lot of fun to be a part of and cheer

alongside your friends,” junior Jacob Cobler said. “There’s so much energy throughout the gym and competitive spirit between the classes.” PHOTO BY MAYA LEE 8. Finishing the walk, seniors Bryce Rex and Shelby Beaumont smile together. Beaumont was nominated by photojournalism, while Rex was nominated by yearbook, orchestra and NHS. “As I walked up to Bryce, I could hear my brother and all of his friends cheering for me,” Beaumont said. “I almost cried right then because I realized the people in that gym had voted for me and thought I deserved to be there and that was so special.” PHOTO BY MADDY MANNING

8.

5. At the WPA crowning, junior Christian Ghilardi cheers for the WPA king court Feb. 18 in the Main Gym. “I thought it was awesome that John [Baska] won and my best friend Colton [Skeens] got second, so I was pretty happy,” Ghilardi said.

PHOTO BY ERIN HENTON

10 March 2, 2017 | Issue 6

Dine, then Dash to class

W

Where to stop and what to get for your Late Start Thursday breakfast

S

+BY JOSHUA SHERFY & JORDAN SHERFY

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The alarm clock sounds an hour later than normal. Motivation levels are considered, and finally a decision is made.

The best way to take advantage of the day’s late start is breakfast on-the-go. Whether you’re looking for a fast food option or a meal with friends, these restaurants are sure to satisfy your hunger.

E

Renner Rd

Shawnee Mission Northwest

I-435

Maurer Rd

1.

1. IHOP — 6 min. from Northwest

Johnson Drive

15350 Shawnee Mission Pkwy., Shawnee Open 24 hours a day Suggested Menu Items: Drink: All you can drink Coffee $2.19 Food: Bacon and Egg Breakfast $8.39

Lackman Rd

2. Black Dog — 10 min. from Northwest 67th St

71st St

79st St

87th St

12815 W 87th St. Pkwy., Lenexa Opens at 6 a.m.

Suggested Menu Items: Drink: 12 oz. Snickers Latte $4.15 Food: Sunrise (bacon, egg and cheese on Grilled Ibis Brioche Bread) $7.95

3. Starbucks — 4 min. from Northwest 12164 Shawnee Mission Pkwy., Shawnee Opens at 5 a.m.

Suggested Menu Items: Drink: Grande Vanilla Latte $4.15 Food: Bacon and Gouda Breakfast Sandwich $3.75

Pflumm Rd

2.

11112 W 63rd St., Shawnee Opens at 7 a.m.

Suggested Menu Items: Drink: Morning Meditation Juice (orange, lemon, tumeric, ginger, agave nectar, beet) $3.99 Food: Lemon Blueberry Quinoa Pancakes $8.99

Quivira Rd

5. QuikTrip — 5 min. from Northwest 6637 Nieman Road, Shawnee Open 24 Hours Suggested Menu Items: Drink: 32 Oz Fountain Drink $.79 Food: Bacon, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Burrito $2.99

5.

Nieman Rd

Shawnee Mission Parkway

4. First Watch — 5 min. from Northwest

3.

4.

7.

6.

I-3

5

6. Panera — 5 min. from Northwest 10606 Shawnee Mission Pkwy., Shawnee Opens at 6 a.m.

Suggested Menu Items: Drink: Iced Tea $2.49 Food: Cinnamon Crunch Bagel (dozen) $9.99

7. Pegah’s — 6 min. from Northwest 11005 Johnson Drive, Shawnee Mission Open at 6:30 a.m.

Suggested Menu Items: Drink: Coffee $2.49 Food: Biscuits and Gravy $6.95

Antioch Rd

NW PASSAGE | feature 11

WPA Spirit Week Winners

Rhiannon Wilhite Monday — Flannel Day 12 MARCH 2, 2017 | Issue 06

Cassie Gomer Tuesday— Jersey Day

Dawson Mesh Wednesday — Hippie Day

Kaden Bower Thursday — Holiday Day

Panda Panda Panda

Student raises money for endangered species by starting his own business

A

t 13 years old, Salvador Morfin dropped out of school and immigrated to the United States from Mexico. His first job consisted of cleaning windows with a rag and a squirt gun he created by puncturing a bottle with a nail.

Now, 20 years later, he owns GM Construction and has given his son the opportunities he had to struggle for. “[My father] said ‘When you’re at the bottom, you can only go up,’” junior Bryan Morfin said. “That’s my inspiration. I don’t have to start from the bottom, so it’s not that hard.”

Bryan has taken after his father and started his own business, Save the Animalz, a company-charity hybrid that sells an assortment of clothing while donating a percentage of the profits to save an endangered species.

“We donate 50 percent of the profits to save animals from extinction,” Bryan said. “Every six months, we change our logo depending on what animal we are donating to. I’m going to start selling shirts toward the end of [February] and the first animal we’re donating to is the giant panda.”

Deciding to donate to the panda was an easy choice for Bryan.

“The way I decided on the panda was I found out there are more people supporting Trump than there are pandas,” Bryan said. “There’s only 300 pandas in the world, more or less, and I just really like pandas. They’re awesome, they’re really cute and who doesn’t want to donate to pandas?”

Besides donating half of all profits to endangered species,

Bryan’s business stands out because of his customizable logo. The consumer can personalize the logo by changing the background print.

“Fully customizable — that’s my marketing strategy,” Bryan said. “In the website that I’m going to be setting up, you can have whatever you want as the background and then the animal will be a stamp. You can put it on a shirt, hat, watch or pin.”

Senior and fellow Business Professional of America (BPA) club member Carlee Dubbert sees the brilliance of Bryan’s logo.

“I really think the company was spot-on as far as the target market,” Dubbert said. “The cute panda logo is simple, yet effective.”

By selling shirts at $30 apiece, Bryan has a profit of roughly $200 which he has donated to Pandas International.

Bryan plans to lower shirt prices to $25 a piece. He doesn’t want the money to force him to lose track of the charitable purpose of the company.

“I don’t want to make it about the money,” Bryan said. “I want to make it about helping people and helping animals.”

After the initial success of his Etsy store, Bryan plans to expand the business to its own website.

“For now, I haven’t set up a [website],” Bryan said. “But if I can’t set it up or if it’s too expensive, I might just have to stay on Etsy.”

Although this started out as a BPA contest project, it

Which animal will Save the Animalz help next? You decide.

1. Create a logo with an endangered species you think Bryan should donate to.

2. Send your suggestions to @zavetheanimalz on Twitter.

+BY BENJAMIN BECKER

quickly grew into something real. BPA sponsor Jan Berg saw a drive in Bryan, essential to any business owner, and has helped him move forward with his idea.

“He’s a self-starter, but he’s also very inquisitive, so he is asking questions all the time. He’s trying to find people that can help him move [his business] forward,” Berg said.

“I don’t think this will end. I think this is just the beginning of a lot of things he’s going to do.”

After donating 50 percent of his profits, Bryan uses the majority of the other 50 percent to purchase more product. Any remaining money will go to his college fund.

He plans to pursue a marketing degree and begin his next entrepreneurial phase, starting another company-charity hybrid called “Keep the Dream Going.”

“This next [company] is going to be shirts and other clothing, but the designs on them are going to be ancient Aztec art,” Bryan said. “One hundred percent of everything I make from that is going to go to trying to start up my own organization that helps immigrant students stay here in the United States and stay in college. A lot of my family are immigrants and they usually can’t stay here because of that status. The only way they can stay here is if they’re students and, with Trump taking away what a lot of people call the “Dream Act,” they have to go back to their country without a good education.”

The winner will receive a $50 visa gift card, and a hat, shirt and pin with their own logo on it.

Bryan shows off one of his t-shirts that includes the panda logo. “The only rule I gave myself is ‘whatever I do with my future, it has to help out somebody,’” Bryan said. PHOTO BY ALLY KESSLER

NW PASSAGE | profile 13

PHOTO BY MADDY MANNING

Battling a

DIFFERENT OPPONENT JV basketball player deals with epilepsy in a positive way +BY SONNI MEYERS

L

ogan Skeens was diagnosed with epilepsy in second grade, but he did not let that hold him back. Seven years later, Skeens is the only freshman chosen for the JV basketball team.

“I just kept playing basketball, working hard and having fun with it,” Skeens said.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that sends a sudden surge of electricity to the brain causing a seizure. Although epilepsy is most commonly triggered by tiredness, stress, alcohol and failure to take medication, lack of sleep is a trigger for Skeens.

“Usually when I’m playing basketball I just feel free, like nothing is going to bother me,” Skeens said. “I don’t think [epilepsy] really bothers me, I don’t think it does anything to me when I play.”

Skeens’ spirit and persistence stands out, especially to his basketball coach

October 2009 In second grade, Skeens was diagnosed with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy and put on anti-seizure medication.

14 MARCH. 2, 2017 | Issue 06

Anthony Stubenrauch. “[I admire] that he still has a positive attitude, even with all the medical issues that he is dealing with right now,” Stubenrauch said. “He is not letting it stop him from wanting to play hard and wanting to be around everybody.”

Skeens deals with being a basketball player and having epilepsy by not focusing on what could happen and only worrying about the sport he loves.

“You just have to keep moving on, just don’t worry about it. Everything will be good,” Skeens said. “Literally that’s it, just don’t worry.”

Skeens’ teammates know he is dealing with epilepsy, but on the court they treat him the same as any other player.

“I think there is a zero percent chance they act differently at all,” Stubenrauch said. “They are just as critical or just as

August 2015 Skeens was taken off of the anti-seizure medication.

helpful as they are with anybody else.”

Stubenrauch has seen what Skeens has been through and what he is dealing with, but has watched it help him grow, improve in the sport and become a better person.

“I’ve seen him deal with a lot of adversity and I think that he might not know it now, but, in the long run, that will help him out a lot,” Stubenrauch said. “He’s having to deal with all this stuff and being able to power through it is making him grow up a little bit — maybe earlier than he wants to.”

Skeens’ family has been there for him though it all, always supporting him.

“My family, well, first off, they come to all my games,” Skeens said. “They support me and they’re always there just cheering me on, just saying ‘you can do it’ and just believing in me.”

Through all the obstacles, Skeens maintains a positive attitude, keeps his

August 2016 Skeens had his first tonic-clonic seizure and was put back on his anti-seizure medication.

September 2016 Skeens had two more seizures.

head up and has his family right there with him to help him get past what he faces, and what he will have to face in the future.

With his sights set on being a professional, Skeens does everything because of his mom.

“My mom is my inspiration because she cared for me and was there for me,” Skeens said. “She used to play basketball and went to college and was a hall-of-famer. I’m just trying to make it big time for her and my family so I can take care of her one day like she took care of me.”

But, for now, he will continue to rely on her to help him build his future.

“What we hope for him is that he is able to go to college and continue to play basketball at the collegiate level,” his mother Joy Skeens said. “That’s what he wants to do, so we’re going to support him in every aspect of it.”

September 2016 Skeens was rediagnosed with atypical absence epilepsy with generalized tonic-clonic seizure condition.

Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ Bowling is more than just a game of luck and chance

Bleachers, lights and scoreboards sur-round the pinewood floors while fans cheer and yell behind the athletes.

These elements, as with any spectator sport, can be found in bowling.

“It takes talent to bowl consistently, and hit your shots on the pins,” varsity bowler Alaina Burris said. “I can throw a football, but I can’t play football on a team.

I can shoot a basket, but I can’t play basketball. Not everyone can be a bowler.”

Other aspects that separate talented bowlers from others are composure and focus, along with a good work ethic during practice.

“I think people don’t realize what goes into bowling as

far as the fundamentals that need to be done, as far as the teamwork that has to happen to get scores, as far as the conditions and how they change,” varsity bowling coach Billy Dent said. “If you are just bowling straight down the middle every time, you are not going to get very many pins.

It takes constant adjustment in order to do well, which I think makes it a legitimate sport in that not everyone can get up and do it.”

Bowling became Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) sport the 2004-2005 school year. Bowling has been a part of Burris’ life for as long as she can remember. Her parents worked in a bowling alley and, at a young age, she was put into bowling leagues where she began to enjoy the sport.

“There was this one youthadult tournament I bowled in

+BY MATTHEW OWENS

and I was on both my dad’s and mom’s teams,” Burris said. “My dad and I beat my mom and I by only one pin, so I took first place with my dad and second place with my mom.”

Sophomore bowler Spencer Engelby moved to Kansas two months ago from Oklahoma where bowling is not a part of the high school activities association.

“In Oklahoma, it is seen as an abnormal activity because it isn’t a high school sport,” Engelby said. “In Kansas, however, I feel as if bowling is much more competitive and holds a much higher standard.”

Englebly’s career began much like Burris’ with his mom being a bowling alley manager in Oklahoma.

“We had a team that represented our school,” Engelby said. “We would practice once or twice a week and then have

competitions on Fridays. At these competitions we would go against other schools in our local area. Nothing, however, was paid for by the school; everything was paid for through fundraising and the bowling alleys.”

As the team reaches the end of the season, they hope to accomplish the goals they set for themselves at the beginning.

“My expectations are that we make it to state,” Dent said. “We had some goals for this year. First goal was to win the district meet.

Next step is to win league and, while it has no bearing on state, it is a pride thing. It would also be nice to place [in the] top five at state, but that will be tough. The Wichita schools bowl year-round, but anything can happen on that day.”

Both teams will compete at the state tournament in Wichita tomorrow.

Varsity Boys’ Stats

Varsity Girls’ Stats

1. Kooper Jones, 196

1. Alaina Burris, 193

2. Colton Kreie, 196

2. Katy Doleshal, 174

3. Colton Kinsella, 195

3. Cheyanne Bolin, 163

AVG. PINS PER GAME

AVG. PINS PER GAME

2.

1. Bowling at Park Lanes, junior Jalen

Pak throws a spare Feb. 14. All six boys and all six girls qualified for state this year. “This season showed room for development and improvement for my next and final season,” Pak said.

2. Throwing a strike, junior Alaina Burris competes at Park Lanes. Burris’ top score this season was a 246. “I think I’ve just gotten more consistent this year,” Burris said. “We’ve worked together as a team better this year.” PHOTOS BY SIDNEY

HENKENSIEFKEN

NW PASSAGE | sports 15

“

The crowd was cheering rather loud, and to think that they were cheering for me was incredible but also very humbling,” Gruman said. “I was trying to calm down and take it all in so I could remember it all later. It was very exciting. ” — SENIOR HANNAH GRUMAN