Issue 6: Let's Talk Politics by Northwest Passage

LET’S TALK

POLITICS KAN$A$ PAGE .04 / THIS MONTH IN HASHTAGS PAGE .13 / LET’S TALK POLITICS .09 / WELCOME (BACK) TO THE JUNGLE PAGE .16

Northwest PHOTO BY TARYN SMITH

PASSAGE ISSUE 06 TABLE OF CONTENTS

BEST OF THE REST The Big 12 Conference proves why it is the basketball conference in the U.S.

IBELIEVE

IB students generate a petition and speak before the Board to protest the elimination of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program show constructive results

LET’S TALK POLITICS

13 16

LET’S TALK

POLITICS

From club meetings to canvassing, the Presidential campaign reaches Northwest

THIS MONTH IN HASHTAGS Twitter buzzed with talk about the Super Bowl, politics and award shows

What’s happening with the presidential election and how students are finding their own ways to prepare

WELCOME (BACK) TO THE JUNGLE

CONTINUES ON PAGE 10

Guns N’ Roses gets ready for a makeshift reunion, but their future is remains unknown

GOLDEN BOY

ROSE TO ROSE

Super Bowl Champion Ryan Lilja presents NFL award to NW

Sisters Brenni Rose and Emmalee Rose take the court together for the last time this year

STAFF PUBLICATION OVERSIGHT:

SECTION EDITORS:

STAFF WRITERS:

STAFF DESIGNERS:

Co-Print Managing Editor Grace Gorenflo Co-Print Managing Editor Sophie Flores Online Managing Editor Jack Lynch

News Editor Jack Lynch News Editor Grace Gorenflo Opinion Editor Sophie Flores Sports Editor Matthew Owens Feature Editor Cadie Elder Entertainment Editor Keegan Dolinar Social Media Editor Joshua Sherfy Ads Manager Maddison Jarman

Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer

Staff Designer Staff Designer Staff Designer Staff Designer

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

CONTENT MANAGEMENT: Design Editor Copy Editor Photo Editor Photo Editor

Paden Chesney Paige Eichkorn Addison Sherman Taryn Smith

OUR PURPOSE:

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

02 FEB. 26, 2016 | Vol. 47

Carter Adam Austin Bachert Ben Becker Kasey Gardner Anastasia Kling Asher Norberg Jackie Sayers Jennifer Silva Reed Williams

NW PASSAGE | feature 09

Rachel Bateman Shelby Beaumont Mia McDonald Makaila Williams

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.

Staff Editorial:

ELECTION SEASON GOES ON AND ON AND ON the staff votes

AGREE

22 2

DISAGREE

Presidential elections are flawed by too much time and too much money

.S. elections are long. Very, very, long. Ted Cruz announced his candidacy 596 days — over 19 months — before the ballots were set to be cast. In that time, you could walk nonstop across the continental United States in 19 months... 16 times. Swimming non-stop, you could cross the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to the U.S. nearly 14 times. You could drive from Kansas City to New York City about 795 times. And that doesn’t even include the time candidates spend funding exploratory committees, setting up for their announcement and more. Being constantly barraged by phone calls, pamphlets, television and radio ads — along with the consistent flame wars on social media — leaves people numb by the time the most important contest in the world (sorry Rio Olympics) comes around. When students are assigned a long-term assignment, how many students actually prepare, research or finalize before it is due? The same basic principle applies to elections. The election does not seem relevant when it is nearly two years away, but when caucuses and primaries are occurring it feels like starting an essay the night it is due. Our collective interest focuses on the election just long enough to get through it, and then we do the exact same thing for the next election. Or primary. Or essay. Other countries do not encounter this problem. The 2015 national elections in the United Kingdom lasted 30 days, from April 6 to May 6. In 2012, France had just 13 official days of campaigning. Apart from duration, the money spent on U.S. elections dwarfs the cash spent in the rest of the world combined. Political Action Committees (Super PACs) can funnel unlimited amounts of money into any campaign or any special interest group. This makes campaigning much harder for candidates who don’t wish to bend to the will of special interest groups or

Super PACs. Campaign finance reform is needed for two simple reasons: politics should be a level playing field and, as unnecessary to say as it might seem, corporations are not people. As “not people,” they should not be granted the same freedoms as citizens — especially at a time when people born on American soil are treated like second-class citizens (like those born in American Samoa). Corporations shouldn’t have the right of free speech (Campaign Finance Reform), freedom of religion (Burwell vs. Hobby Lobby) or any other right as they are not — nor will they ever be — people. The United States election wouldn’t fit into a 13day — nor even a month-long — timeframe, but it doesn’t need to. Our election process, transpiring over 596 days, is like a normal man wearing pants fit for an elephant. There should be an official election timeframe with roughly three months for party elections and three months for the federal election. Enacting this sort of regulation would mean campaigning should start no earlier than May 1 in the year of the election. Instead of spending an incomprehensible amount of time and an even more insane amount of money ($7 billion in the 2012 presidential election), someone should establish a federal time limit on presidential elections and a limit on the role non-people (corporations) have in the election. Elections are for the benefit of the people, and should be decided by the people. Corporations should not be legally allowed to donate money in any form to elections, whether local, state or federal. Even 26th President Theodore Roosevelt said, “Contributions by corporations to any political committee or for any political purpose should be forbidden by law.” America is exhausted from long, costly elections. Let us, as Americans change that.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ADDISON SHERMAN

NW PASSAGE | opinion 03

BEST OF THE REST

The Big 12 Conference proves why it is the best basketball conference in the U.S.

KAN$A$ Despite insistences otherwise, the Kansas economy is not strong

“

It is no longer the state that fought hard for the abolition of slavery, for freedom.

04 FEB. 26, 2016 | Vol. 47

ne true champion. This has been the motto of the Big 12 Conference since the conference went from 12 to 10 teams in 2012. This year, that team — the one true champion — could win the NCAA Title. Here’s why: 1. Rankings The Big 12 has five teams ranked in the Associated Press’ top 25 and three ranked in the top 10. That means 50 percent of the conference ranks among the top teams in the nation. College basketball experts like ESPN’s Seth Greenberg and Jay Bilas are predicting eight of the ten Big 12 teams will go to the NCAA Tournament. The Big 12 is ranked number one in RPI (Rating Percentage Index, a ranking based on wins, losses and strength of schedule). Second, the league has the nation’s best non-conference winning percentage at .831. Its runner-up is the PAC-12, which has a .780 winning percentage. Third, the league has won 27 of the last 31 nonconference games this season, beating the SEC teams 7-3. 2. Upperclassmen Athletes Among some of the best teams in the U.S., the Big 12 also boasts some of the best upperclassmen in the NCAA. The conference has yet to project a top 10 NBA draft pick like LSU’s Ben Simmons. It does lack in NBA talent but has a web of knowledge, athleticism and experience. These three skills combined are much greater than NBA talent. Buddy Hield (OU), Perry Ellis (KU), George Niang (ISU) and Jaysean Paige (WV) all

lead their teams in scoring. They were all on the Naismith Player of the Year watch list, but, most importantly, they are all seniors. What college basketball lacks today is senior leadership that helps teams get through the good and the bad times. In the Big 12, that is not the case, as the four top teams all have senior leaders. No other Power Five conference can say that. What does senior leadership plus athletes plus basketball knowledge equal? National championship. 3. Quality of Games As the KU-OU triple overtime game wound down, people easily realized that it was one of the best games of the year. Even though KU won, I thought both of these teams were wellmatched. I would not be surprised if these two teams meet again in the Final Four. This is just one example of the many close games played in the Big 12 this season. The two teams not projected to go to the tournament (TCU and Oklahoma State) are still good teams that can give any team a run for their money. KU found that out when they played against Oklahoma State, losing 86-67. Twenty-five of the last 36 Big 12 games have been decided by 11 points or less. This means that all teams are evenly matched against each other while providing exciting basketball to viewers. Every conference game matters.

fact checking. Statement #1: “The Kansas economy is far better off than it was before.” Kansas faces a $190 million deficit in 2016. Governors have yet to copy Brownback’s plan even in other conservative states. “We are not going to do what Kansas did,” South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley said. Statement #2: “Thanks to this strong job growth, Kansas has its lowest unemployment rate in 15 years sitting at 3.9 percent.” According to the Kansas Labor Information Center, the Kansas unemployment rate at the end of 2015 was 3.9 percent. Fifteen years ago the unemployment rate was 3.7 percent. According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report released Feb. 5, 2016 current unemployment in Kansas is at 4.3 percent. Statement #3: “[Kansans] are escaping the bonds of poverty.”- From 2009-13, 13.7 percent of Kansans were living below the poverty line. According to talkpoverty.org in 2014 the poverty rate reached 14 percent in Kansas. So, Governor, the Kansas economy is not strong. It is a pale, lifeless husk of what it needs to be in order to support pensioners, students and every citizen in between. It is no longer the state that fought hard for the abolition of slavery, for freedom. It is no longer the state that produced Amelia Earhart and Dwight Eisenhower. Kansas is now the state that says “You know what? Our education system is severely and unconstitutionally underfunded. Why don’t we take more money from those students?” Welcome to Kan$a$. We only have the be$t intere$t$ of our citizen$ at heart.

he Kansas economy is weak. It is falling apart. Recently, Gov. Sam Brownback wrote a column in the Kansas City Star stating that “the Kansas economy is strong, and it is growing.” This is wrong. Plain wrong. Not just because any state that regularly raids its Highway Transportation Fund for money should not be called “economically strong.” Not because the Governor proposed transferring money from the Children’s Initiative Fund — used to promote the health and welfare of Kansas children — into General Funds to balance the budget. Not because the state has so little money that it must choose between directing money into school funds or state pension funds. The Kansas school funding plan was declared unconstitutionally underfunded in March 2014, so Brownback cut $44.5 million from schools in Feb. 2015. State pensions are currently only 60 percent financed, but new legislation could allow $40 million to be drawn from pension funds for up to two years (to be paid back with interest). But don’t worry, it’s not like a state government would take out a loan using people’s retirement funds. “It’s not a loan,” senator Jim Denning of Republican-Overland Park said. “It smells like one, but it’s not.” It’s not as if Merriam-Webster defines a loan as “money lent at interest” because that would just be crazy. Oh wait. They do define it — word for word — as “money lent at interest.” Welcome to Kansas. Don’t worry if something is funded, it won’t be for long. But back to Brownback’s recent op-ed: several statements demand a second look — and some

+ BY MATTHEW OWENS

+ BY JACK LYNCH

SINGLE DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN

LONELY

Why loving yourself is just as good as loving someone else

DO: AVOID ALL MOVIES

ack in elementary school, Valentine’s Day, to me, meant putting heart-shaped candies into the decorated boxes on my classmates’ desks. We celebrated love every year with a big class party. I wasn’t worried about getting gifts for someone else or making sure my outfit was perfect; my only worry was what stickers decorated my box. Valentine’s Day urges us to buy heart-shaped chocolate boxes, teddy bears and, of course, red roses. Meanwhile, single people buy themselves chocolate, watch a bunch of sappy, lovey-dovey movies and eat heart-shaped pizza. Being single on Valentine’s isn’t as bad as people think: I mean, who else can say they ate a whole pizza in one night? Not being in a relationship does have its positives. You don’t have to stress about whether you have a dinner reservation or whether you’ve purchased enough gifts for your special someone. You also don’t have to worry perfecting your appearance for your Valentine. Without all that stress, you can have a nice, peaceful night at home. Valentine’s Day is just like every other day. The only difference is that people give gifts and go out to dinner and show their love to their significant other. Why is this holiday is so blown out of proportion? Valentine’s Day, to me, is the most nonsensical, ill-advised and irrelevant holiday ever invented. I feel as though love should be shown in little ways year-round rather than going to extreme measures once a year. Valentine’s Day consists solely of people proving to their partners that they love them. It’s like saying, “I loved you the same way I did

DO: NETFLIX MOVIE MARATHON

DO: WORKOUT

DO: SHOP YOUR HEARTAWAY

DON’T: GO TO RUSSELL STOVER

the single life DO’S & DONT’S

yesterday and the day before.” So why does this day mean more than the others? I see myself as independent. I don’t need another person in my life to make me happy. Having someone to rely on for happiness isn’t the way relationships should be. Valentine’s Day should always be about love. It should focus on love. When you’re single, it means focusing on loving yourself.

+ BY ANASTASIA KLING

Lessons I learned from the movie How To Be Single

— You don’t need to be in a relationship to be happy. — Having a boyfriend doesn’t mean you’re going to marry him and be with him forever. — You should always have friendships that last a lifetime, whether you just met them or you’ve known them your whole life. — You won’t always find happiness in others. They sometimes bring you down before they pick you up. — You should look for things that make you happy other than people. — If a relationship is meant to be, it will be — even through the rough patches.

DON’T: GO TO BOWLING ALLIES

of Valentine’s Day

DON’T: GO TO ICE SKATING RINKS

DON’T: DR VE PAST CHEESECAKE FACTORY OR PAULO & BI S’ NW PASSAGE | opinion 05

IBelieve A

t 6:50 p.m. in the lobby of the McEachen Administrative Center, students waited apprehensively for the Board of Education meeting to start. In one corner of the room, seniors Julia Sokolenko, Nick Senior and Braden Pomerantz were scrutinizing the speech. “How many pages is it?” “Seven, but it’s in a huge font.” Sophie Tomasic arrived and announced, “The petition just hit 1,000 signatures.” Amelia Guglielmi rushed in with the shortened version of the speech, smeared with ink. She and Braden went over last-minute fixes. “This is a good quote that’s not really relevant,” Guglielmi said. “And I left that in but took out the 2010 study...” At 7 p.m., people started to file into the meeting room, side-stepping Pomerantz, who was delivering his speech to the wall under his breath. The podium where he would speak stood between the panel of 10 district board members and the front row filled with sky-blue IB t-shirts and orange and black NW letterman jackets. All available seating was taken, forcing some students and parents to stand in the back corner or sit on the floor by the entrance. The meeting began with announcements, acknowledgments of achievements, news of website developments, building reconstruction and maintenance projects. The applause at the end of each order of business was glaringly loud. When the board reached item D1 on the agenda — the open forum — board president Sara Goodburn set the guidelines. “Tonight we have quite a few [speakers], so we’re going to hold [each presentation] to three minutes,” Goodburn said. The first speaker, Linda McCormick, brought up an issue with the technology initiative. The second speaker, Dorothy Warner, didn’t show. Then it was Northwest’s turn. Pomerantz, who had taken the spot on the floor closest to the door, got to his feet. The applause got more emphatic. He faced the board, which was a relief because he’d had the impression that he would have to address the entire room. “As I started, I realized my hand was shaking,” Pomerantz said. “My left hand. More than I’ve ever shaken before. And it was going crazy, and I was like, ‘This is so embarrassing; stop shaking.’ And so I clenched

06 FEB. 26, 2016 | Vol. 47

IB students’ efforts to protest the elimination of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program show constructive results +BY CADIE ELDER & SOPHIE FLORES

my fist and pressed it against the podium so that no one would see it.” The speech highlighted the unique benefits of the International Baccalaureate program, as well as counterarguments for factors like low participation and low college credit. (For a full transcript of the speech, go to smnw.com.) “Halfway through the speech, though, I started to calm down.” Pomerantz said. “I stopped being a bobblehead, and I was able to look up a lot more and speak directly to each of the members. Something that I really wanted to do was look at all of them, present to them, because I hate just reading a speech. I think that’s terrible.” The students nodded, as if saying, ‘That’s right. That’s just what I would say.’ Pomerantz was saying what they were all thinking. He was presenting the product of all their work and dedication. When he finished, the applause was long and triumphant. His peers attempted to suppress their grins. But it wasn’t an open dialogue. The board didn’t respond. “Thank you,” Goodburn said. “Our next speaker…”

Get With the Program T

he students packed a powerful message into their three-minute time slot Jan. 25. It was their response to the SMSD board’s proposal to exclude IB from their academic program. The proposal surfaced first at a meeting Jan. 11 with counselors, principals and the IB coordinators from the three participating high schools. At the meeting, chief academic officer Ed Streich went over proposed changes to next year’s curriculum. The last slide of the presentation was about IB, stating the last group of IB students in the district would be in the current sophomore class. “I was instructed at that meeting — as was everyone else — that we were not to tell anyone what is going on,” NW IB coordinator Janine Deines said. The events that followed happened in quick succession. Jan. 20: Superintendent Jim Hinson mentioned in a public Q&A called a Super Chat at Indian Woods Middle School that the board was planning to cut back on the IB program, inciting a conversation on Twitter. Jan. 21: Deines explained the situation to the IB Diploma Theory of Knowledge class, who immediately decided to take action. Jan. 22: The board posted the agenda for the upcoming

meeting, where the students planned to speak. “[That] morning, I talked about it with my students, and originally, on the agenda, IB was listed,” Deines said. “An hour later, it was gone.” The board had decided to delay making any decision about the future of IB. IB was no longer an issue in the upcoming meeting, but, according to Streich the discussion will resume in the summer. However, students still believed it was important to make their views known to the board. “Not one person was like, ‘Well, we don’t need to go anymore,’” Pomerantz said. “We understood that even though it was being taken off the agenda, that doesn’t mean that IB’s being saved at all. That doesn’t prevent them from bringing it up in another meeting and making that vote. I think we all understood that we might not be able to change their minds. But that wasn’t necessarily what drove us to do this.” It is certain that IB will be available for this year’s sophomores, but the ruling is still up in the air for the freshmen who might enroll in IB for the 2017-2018 school year. “The process [of evaluating the entire program of studies] will begin with building leadership,” Streich said. “They will help guide the process. Our building administrators will help [determine] who the stakeholders would be for each of the five high schools. We will work through the summer into the fall. The goal would be that the 2017-18 program of studies would be reflective of that process.” According to Streich, the issue is not money. Still, it costs Northwest approximately $38,000 to cover expenses such as teacher training, substitutes for when teachers are absent to administer exams and postage for materials that are shipped in and out of the country. The budget does not include testing and registration fees, which the students pay. It costs IB Diploma Candidates $842 over the junior and senior years. IB Course Candidates pay a one-time registration fee of $164 and $113 per test, while the fee for an AP exam is $92. “We are not getting any more money from the state,” Streich said. “When you have limited funds, you begin to evaluate all programs — and it’s not just IB — to ensure that you are getting the most positive student outcomes with the resources you have available.”

An Open-Ended Outcome for an Open-Ended Program I

B students used social media and reached out to IB alumni to help defend their cause. Freshman Henry Tomasic created the “Save the IB Program” petition and contacted The Shawnee Dispatch. “[With the petition], we could get people to share their stories,” Tomasic said. “We thought that would be a good way to reach former IB students, former parents. I would say a majority of people [leaving comments] weren’t even NW kids.” Students began sharing the petition and writing links to the petition on whiteboards all over the school. Senior Ian Boyd created a Facebook group inviting IB students from Northwest and SM East. The effort to save the program became a conversation involving students and staff throughout the building. “After we went to the meeting and presented our views, it was so cool the response we got coming back Tuesday,” senior Braden Pomerantz said. “[English teacher Ben Pabst] came up and fist-bumped me. [Junior] Tess Holcom was like, ‘In my AP stats class today, you all were the topic of conversation.’ Teachers told my sister

[sophomore Jordyn Pomerantz] that all over Facebook are links to the articles about what we did.” After the meeting, Streich approached Pomerantz and commended him on what a difference his speech had made. He remarked that the board meeting showed how student representation can have an impact. “I thought they were remarkable in that they shared their opinions,” Streich said. “That’s part of the reason boards of education have a public comment section. They are representative of the community.” The board will consider a number of options for the fate of the IB program. “Do we continue to offer IB?” Streich said. “Do we continue to offer IB at all three high schools? Do we expand IB to other high schools? Do we move IB to one high school? There are a lot of different options out there.” Students are worried and waiting for answers, but Streich advises they remain calm because no decision will be made in the immediate future. “We are going to go slow. We are going to try to make

the best possible decision based on the evidence we have available,” Streich said. “At this point, take that worry off and just focus on improving your performance within the IB Program.” Streich says that the students’ performance on the IB tests could make a difference, and one of the reasons the board gave for cutting IB was low test scores. The IB Diploma candidates succeeded in starting a district-wide dialogue that will ensure full consideration for academic programs, all in less than a week. “It’s been really cool to see what we’ve been able to do,” Pomerantz said. “It’s the first time in our lives we’ve felt like we did something really important. We’re not doing this for ourselves. We have learned from [IB]. It’s something we think is fantastic, and it’s something that we think other people should be able to enjoy as well.

SAVE THE IB PROGRAM!

“Keep Calm and IB on!” — sophomore Andrea Sexton

“I am currently enrolled as a freshman at SMNW, and growing up with 2 IB sisters who are seniors has helped me decide that I want to take the IB course. A new version of IB was introduced to the class of 2019 this year, and that is ISP, or Interdisciplinary Studies Program. If you enrolled in all honors classes, then you were put into a special, more advanced group. All of us have already made academic decisions based on our want to enroll in the IB program.” — freshman Henry Tomasic

“

Students and alumni share their opinions in the petition created by senior Sophie Tomasic IB teaches you to think, not just to know. This program creates a foundation for students to be able to interpret information, and problem solve in real world situations. To break down what you know, and build up in its place a broader, more detailed knowledge of the subject. Instead of just sitting and learning rote, it fosters an environment of discussion that allows students to reach a such significant understanding of any topic they may pursue. It encourages kids to dig deeper, and cultures a passion for learning that benefits the student in a manner that will extend beyond the walls of their high school. Minds were meant to be exercised, challenged, pushed, and expanded- IB is the premier environment for such growth.” — junior Ashton Hess

“As someone who attends two different schools in the district for a signature program, I strongly believe that these kids need the programs to learn about themselves and how to succeed. Taking any program away from the schools will be a huge blow that, not only the district, but the student body just can’t withstand.” — junior Neema Rafizadeh

“If SMSD wants to continue to create leaders and intellectuals in society, then IB should continue. The purpose of learning and high school is not to go to college: it is much more than that. Although college credit may get you to college, the power of multiple choice runs out there. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as career credit. Instead, what allows students to have the upper hand when pursuing goals much more etensive in college is the variety of life skills gained in IB.” — senior Braden Pomerantz “I felt that IB consistently gave me a superior education. The IB program approaches students with respect and dignity instead of treating high schoolers like machines designed to regurgitate information on command. IB course develop students into passionate and active global citizens by exploring the literature and history of all corners of the world, not just the Western hemisphere.” — alumna Clara Davison

1 1. Going over his “Save IB Speech,” senior Braden Pomerantz enlists the help of fellow senior Nick Senior to go over the final copy for the School Board meeting on Monday Jan. 25. Pomerantz was speaking for all IB students, urging the district not to cut the program due to budget cuts. “IB is very important to me and all the other students who take it or are currently taking it,” Pomerantz said. “Having IB be cut from the high school curriculum would devastate a lot of people.” 2. Senior Braden Pomerantz smiles after presenting his “Save IB Speech” to the Shawnee Mission School District Board of Directors at the front offices on Monday Jan. 25. regarding recent news that the International Baccalaureate program will be cut from all Shawnee Mission Schools. The International Baccalaureate Program has been apart of Shawnee Mission High School curriculum for 10 years. “The main purpose of the speech was to draw the attention of the school board members,” Pomerantz said. “Along with the other IB students, I think that the program shouldn’t be cut.”

PHOTOS BY CHANDLER BADO

2 NW PASSAGE | feature 07

08 FEB. 26, 2016 | Vol. 47

PHOTO BY TARYN SMITH

LET’S TALK

POLITICS What’s happening with the presidential election and how students are finding their own ways to prepare

CONTINUES ON PAGE 10

NW PASSAGE | feature 09

LET’S TALK POLITICS

CONTIUED...

hen you think about it, elections are a lot like high school: a period of sheer uncertainty — never knowing which doors are going to open amicably and which ones are going to be slammed in your face. Always wondering how much people actually like you and which of those smiles were dreadfully fake. Hoping for enough money to get through the next event. Name-calling, taunting and sharp comebacks echo throughout the room. It could be a high school classroom. Or a political debate. As a high schooler, finding a reason to care about politics can be difficult. Why be interested in something that doesn’t yet pertain to you? Because it does. The elected candidate will be in office in the first years of your adult life, will lead the nation and make decisions. Even if you can’t vote, you can impact the vote. Get involved in one of the school’s political organizations. Get out and campaign. Choose to make a difference.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION TERMINOLOGY The words you need to know to stay informed

PRIMARY POSITION

After months of campaigning, here is where the candidates stand on crucial issues

Note: As of February 22, these candidates had received at least 10 percent of total available caucus and primary votes. + BY JOSH SHERFY

— Canvassing: When active supporters of a party ask voters who they’re voting for and encourage them to vote for a certain candidate — Caucus: An informal meeting at which potential voters show up to support their prefered candidate and talk about the issues. The number of people who show up for each candidate determines the number of delegates that will be sent to their political party’s convention and which candidate they will support. Not every state has caucuses. — Debate: A public and formal discussion between two or more candidates for office, usually broadcasted live on TV. — Democratic Socialism: A combination of political democracy and social ownership of production.

CANDIDATE

ABORTION

ENVI

MARCO RUBIO: REPUBLICAN, PREVIOUS FLORIDA SENATOR

Pro-life supporter who promises to lower the number of abortions, granting exceptions in emergency situations.

Accept enviro is an u necess indust

BEN CARSON: REPUBLICAN, PREVIOUS RETIRED NEUROSURGEON

Pro-life. Exceptions to be made only when mother’s life is in jeopardy.

TED CRUZ: REPUBLICAN, PREVIOUS TEXAS SENATOR

Pro-life. Will prosecute Planned Parenthood and ban taxpayerfunded abortion.

DONALD TRUMP: REPUBLICAN, PREVIOUS BILLIONAIRE ENTREPRENEUR

Pro-life. Defends Planned Parenthood. Acknowledges potential exceptions.

BERNIE SANDERS: DEMOCRAT, PREVIOUS VERMONT SENATOR

Pro-choice. Promotes funding family planning services.

Stresse climate to str envi restric

HILLARY CLINTON: DEMOCRAT,

Pro-choice. Will decrease abortion rates by placing a greater focus on adoption and foster care funding.

Ackn enviro and stricter protec

PREVIOUS NEW YORK SENATOR, SECRETARY OF STATE, FORMER FIRST LADY

— Closed Primary: In this election, only voters who have registered as belonging to a specific political party can vote for that party.

Protect environ logical, on th individ compa envi destruc

Accept envi destru unfort indust

Has EPA Will d morali corp compa envi destru

— Electoral College: The people appointed by each state who formally elect the President. — General Election: The first Tuesday in November every even year. Every fourth year the general election includes the presidential election. — Independent: A person who is not associated with a particular political party. — Open Primary: In this election, all those who have registered can vote, regardless of what party. — Political Action Committee (PAC): A type committee that raises and spends money to support or defeat a specific candidate. PACs may only give $15,000 annually to a political party. — Primary Election (Primaries): The election that decides each political party’s candidate. These candidates will compete against each other in the general election. The states that do not hold caucuses will have a primary election. — Smear Campaign: A political tactic in which a candidate damages the reputation of an opponent putting them in a false light. — Socialism: A system of collective, community ownership of production, distribution and exchange. — SuperPAC: A PAC that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money but cannot donate directly to the candidate. + BY GRACE GORENFLO 10 FEB. 26, 2016 | Vol. 47

Young Republicans s president of Young Republicans A Club, Mark Petrie’s goal is to politically inform the students.

“I want to make sure young people who identify as Republican — or think they identify as Republican — are informed as to what they actually believe in rather than simply taking word-for-word their parents’ political beliefs,” Petrie said. “I hope our club members take away a better understanding of the world around them, as well as confidence in their personal convictions.” Junior club member Josh Plagge also stresses the importance of informing students about the candidates running for President. “It is important to educate students about politics,” Plagge said. “We have to form ideas of how we want our country to be run and learn about the

people who decide the future of our country.” With the race for the Republican nomination still wide open, Petrie thinks it is important to focus on all of the Republican candidates. “We all have our own opinions on who the best candidate would be,” Petrie said. “However, based on early discussions of this topic, we tend to talk the most about Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Donald Trump.” Petrie appreciates that the Young Republicans Club gives him an opportunity to start political discussions with Poli students who wouldn’t otherwise be informed. “My favorite part of being the president of Young Republicans is watching how our underclassmen have grown more confident in their personal beliefs over the course of the year,” Petrie said. “Nothing is more gratifying than having a younger member come up to me in the hallway and tell me about the article they saw or ask me for my opinion on this, that and the other. I’m not just their president; I’m their friend, and I’m very proud of that.” The club meets Friday mornings in room 120.

“I voted in 2000 for Al Gore, probably a little bit because I’m a big Bill Clin he was vice president, also I liked his focus on the environment, I think tha issue that we’re all ignoring.” — Rebecca Anthony

IRONMENT

WELFARE/ POVERTY

WAR

EDUCATION

TAX REFORM

ts that onmental decay unfortunate, but sary result of trial success.

In most cases, supports punishment through trade, not military might.

Will update the current curriculum to Common Core.

Will decrease tax rates, particularly in regard to businesses and corporations.

Will create opportunities for the poor to succeed through the Earned Income Tax Credit

Will leave immigration laws to the federal government. Supports increased border security.

ting the nment is only , but will depend he morality of dual corporations/ anies to prevent ironmental ction.

Remove military restrictions so that they may complete the jobs they have been sent to do.

Supports private schooling and believes privately funded education is superior. Maintains his opinion that Common Core public schooling is flawed.

Would institute progressive taxation on the wealthy, endorses tithing by biblical definition.

Will provide the poor with opportunities to succeed and eliminate their government dependency

No citizenship for illegal immigrants. Increase the standards for becoming a citizen.

ts that ironmental uction is an tunate result of try.

Strict sanctions and military involvement in the Middle East.

End racial, social and economic preference within public universities.

Abolish Simplify brackets.

IRS. tax

Welfare is a temporary fix that has become a long term solution.

Illegal immigrants are an economic nightmare for the low income population. Enforce strict immigration regulations.

Supports strengthening the military, but will act defensively.

Plans to eliminate the Department of Education and Common Core.

Reconfigure tax brackets and decrease tax rates across the new brackets.

Sees welfare as a temporary fix that has become a long-term solution.

Will ban Muslims from entering the country and significantly increase border security.

es the dangers of e change. Looks rength imposed ironmental ctions.

Will remove U.S. forces from the perpetual warfare of the Middle East.

Supports free public college education. Replace No Child Left Behind system with a more holistic educational approach.

Increase taxes on the highest tax bracket. Close corporate tax loopholes.

Advocates for the social benefits of a public assistance program such as welfare.

Will secure the borders without a fence. Will open the borders to guest workers.

nowledges onmental issues, will impose r environmental ction regulations

Supports militaristic involvement in the Middle East.

Promotes public schools, but will revitalize the current system with new ideas.

Will lower taxes on the middle class, and raise tax rates for the wealthy.

Calls on the rest of the population to support those around them who are in need of assistance.

Will significantly improve rights for undocumented immigrants.

labeled the as worthless. depend on the ity of individual porations/ anies to prevent ironmental uction.

the the

IMMIGRATION

Young Democrats

AHEAD

OF THEIR

TIME

Although most members can’t vote yet, they are still sparring over their favorite political candidates + BY JACKIE SAYERS

nton fan, at is a big

oung Democrats Club works to politically educate students. Senior Zach Ziegenhorn, the club’s president, leads each meeting with a presentation about current events — the Iowa Caucus, for example. “My main goal for the club is to get people educated and interested in politics,” Ziegenhorn said. “During meetings, we look into stuff about the Democratic Party and Republican Party so everyone is informed and knows what is going on.” Although he enjoys the learning aspect, sophomore Julian Kuffour’s favorite part about Young Democrats Club is that it gives him an opportunity to meet other students who share his political views. “As well as teaching me a lot about modern social issues, the club has introduced me to the Democratic

community of Northwest,” Kuffour said. “Everyone in it is really nice and socially aware, which makes it cool to have in-depth discussions about things that matter.” Ziegenhorn, and a majority of the Young Democrats, are supporters of Bernie Sanders. “I think Bernie will make the most positive change that will affect me, with his views on college and health care,” Ziegenhorn said. “I think, in general, all of his reforms include things that most people want, but that most politicians aren’t going to do because they’re accepting money from big corporations and lobbyists.” Ziegenhorn plans to hold campaign events for specific candidates in the future, and encourages all who are interested in Young Democrats to attend a meeting. “I don’t really care whether somebody is a Democrat or Republican,” Ziegenhorn said. “I just want to see students caring about politics.” The club meets Tuesday mornings in room 126.

“The very first person I voted for for President was Jimmy Carter, and I voted for him because I thought that he would be an outstanding Democratic president, and I am a democrat.” —Fran Koenigsdorf

BERNING FOR SANDERS I went to the Iowa caucuses to support the Bernie Sanders campaign

The weekend before the Iowa caucuses, a group of young Bernie Sanders supporters, seniors Brendan Davison, Zach Ziegenhorn, Jason Wang, junior Dominic Lorino and I set out for Des Moines, Iowa. We were going to Iowa to canvas (solicit votes) for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. The Sanders campaign would be paying for our hotel room and gas. I rode in the back seat of Zach’s Toyota Corolla with Dominic riding shotgun. Jamming out to bops by Nicki Minaj and Animal Collective kept a fun vibe during the three-hour car ride through a rural Iowa landscape. I was not sure exactly what I was going to be doing once I got to Iowa, but I was giddy for the opportunity to support Bernie. On Saturday, Zach, Dominic and I arrived at the temporary campaign headquarters after breakfast, which consisted of about six cosmic brownies from the Hy-Vee next door. Upon walking into headquarters we were assaulted by reporters. People from CNN, Vermont Public Radio, WIRED and even the The Mainichi, Japan’s top newspaper, were all there talking to us. It was hard to tell what the headquarters was in its previous life, but it looked like an old preschool. A giant canvas painting of a red, white and blue Bernie was hanging in the room, along with a visual display of his stance on the issues. Various Bernie ephemera were sprawled throughout the headquarters, including pins, hats, flyers and pictures of Sanders at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I was told sby the campaign organizer, an English, 20-something named Simon, that we would be given packets including maps of neighborhoods with highlighted houses of people who listed themselves as interested in Sanders. We would be knocking on doors to inform them of the time and caucus location, make sure they were caucusing and, of course, that they went for Sanders. I later overheard Simon explaining to a reporter that he had backpacked around the U.S. all of last year. Once he learned about Bernie Sanders possibly running for president, he extended his visa. He decided to support the Vermont senator before returning to London in the summer of 2016. We were eventually sent into the field, with three reporters following us, and an added crew member, Des Moines native, Quinn Marron. Both Quinn and Zach would be 18 by the general election, which makes them eligible to vote in the primaries. The reporters were all over them. Upon learning that I was only 15, the attention shifted toward me. “Why do you even care if you can’t vote?” “How did your parents allow this?” “Is it even legal for me to quote him?” The reporters were interested in the reasons Sanders had a really strong youth following. We explained it was a combination of things: his historical support of the LGBTQ+ and Civil Rights movements, as well as his rejection of money from corporations, were our main points. We were assigned one of the most affluent areas of Des Moines, which was surprisingly full of Sanders supporters. Most of the people we talked to were definitely caucusing for him or not caucusing, but would vote for him if he made it to the general election; no one even mentioned Hillary. We ended up covering the whole neighborhood, making sure people were getting out to the caucuses. If we couldn’t talk directly to the residents, we left door hangers with information. I left Des Moines around 5:30 that night, feeling satisfied that even if I couldn’t vote until 2020, I could still make a difference and support what I believe in.

+ BY ASHER NORBERG

NW PASSAGE | feature 11

2016

12 FEB. 26, 2016 | Vol. 47

THIS

MONTH IN HASHTAGS

Twitter buzzed with talk about the SuperBowl, politics and award shows + BY SOPHIE FLORES

Top trend

#BoycottBeyonce People using this hashtag accused Beyonce of a subtle attack on police in her “Formation” music video (released Feb. 6), which alludes to the Black Lives Matter movement. They urged Super Bowl viewers to change the channel during her halftime performance. Fans later responded on Twitter in her defense.

#BroncosParade The city center of Denver was shut down, and its streets flooded with hundreds of thousands of people celebrating the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 victory against the Carolina Panthers. Meanwhile the #PantherNation used hashtags like #KeepPounding and #WeWillBeBack.

#KCA Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards nominees were announced Feb. 2, and Twitter users have been voting via this hashtag in the movie and television, music, video games, books and celebrities categories. The awards show, hosted by country singer Blake Shelton, will air March 12.

#Grammys The 58th annual Grammy Awards, hosted by LL Cool J, started with a performance of “Out of the Woods” by Taylor Swift, who later won best album of the year for “1989.” Meghan Trainor’s acceptance of the best new artist award and Bruno Mars’ acceptance of the record of the year award for “Uptown Funk” were other highlights.

#CleanPowerPlan The Supreme Court blocked the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan Jan. 9. President Barack Obama’s order to limit the greenhouse gas emissions of power plants will not go forward while it is disputed in court. This could delay action for the rest of Obama’s term, professor of law at Notre Dame Bruce Huber said in an interview with CNN. The White House disagrees with the Supreme Court’s ruling while Republicans celebrate it.

NW PASSAGE | entertainment 13

E S A E T P

I R ST

do you want to have your comic featured in the newspaper? contact one of our editors at ggorenflo21@gmail.com to see your comic in print

/ CREATED BY SARA BABCOCK

WORD SEARCH:

MEDIUM DIFFICULTY V H J R E L A X I N G K Q J L I O F D U P T

S A S R R Q U N N G S H T H I V Q R E Y K D

S S C U E U F A Z S I R A K I W R B H K S P

N C N A O L S X I N B I A C Y K Q R E R M I

O O G O T B A N N O F E Q S X Z I V A S H N

W W S E A I J X Y W R R F O C E A N H W E I

B B N U G G O O S B P Y E A Z D M M G I L C

14 FEB. 26, 2016 | Vol. 47

O O H S K I I N G R N S T V X N F D S M L I

A A W G D J K N Q D F L A C M S A G G M O S

R R B L S D I T L E F W T N I O I E P I I P

D D Y R U R P E O P L E H T D U H P F N T K

I I O D P S U N N Y V X B V W C F Q S G S L

N N D S I T W F U C G Y I L A Z Y L Z C M I

G G P E E L S L A O G X N E C Q M A N U E R

X B V R O D P I J K Z C B L I Y E D U D A P

WORDS TO FIND: SPRING BREAK SUNNY BEACH OCEAN SKIING SAND PICNIC SWIMMING SNOWBOARDING SNOW RELAXING HIKING VACATION

Forks

down

Noodles & Comp any or

Paner a

Noodles & Company

PHOTO BY ADDISON SHERMAN

MAC ATTACK Noodles & Company cooks mac and cheese right

ac and cheese is a simple pleasure that everyone should experience regularly. If you want to enjoy the city’s best mac and cheese, go to Noodles and Company at Oak Park Mall. Parking can be difficult on weekends, but the experience is worth it. For pasta lovers like me, walking into this restaurant is a dream come true. Their Wisconsin Mac & Cheese not only featured a creamy cheese sauce, but shredded cheese sprinkled on top. The pasta was so mouthwatering that I barely took a breath between bites. For the ultimate experience, stir the shredded cheese on top into the macaroni. That way the shredded cheese mixes with the creamy cheese sauce within the noodles. The noodles at Noodles and Company are cooked al dente (fully cooked, but firm), and I prefer that. After ordering a small dish, I could choose from a variety of extra ingredients

to add more flavor. In the past, I have added meatballs for about $3, and the result was surprisingly delicious. Salads and desserts are also available but must be ordered separately. I got the small order of mac and cheese, but every pasta dish can be ordered in either small or regular. Panera’s mac and cheese shouldn’t even be called mac and cheese. The noodles are overcooked shells rather than the classic macaroni noodle. The sauce was very runny when I first received it. I had to wait for it to cool and thicken. That is a problem when you want to eat your food right way. Panera offers no add-ins for their mac and cheese. When I want creamy mac and cheese, Noodles and Company is the place to go.

+ BY CADIE ELDER

PHOTO BY TARYN SMITH Panera

CHEESE OVER NOODLES Noodles & Company has noodles, but Panera has the cheese

ac and Cheese has been an American favorite for decades. This image of mouthwatering mac and cheese is presented beautifully by Panera. Their macaroni is drowning in cheese, just the way it should be. Although the serving size is equal to that of Noodles & Company, Panera offers sides of bread, chips or an apple. Noodles & Company does not offer a side with their macaroni and cheese, this is a problem, but you can get a side salad or dessert for a few extra dollars. Panera has two sizes: half, which is a smaller bowl with a side, is the perfect lunch, while the full-sized entrée with the side of your choice makes it a suitable meal for dinner. Noodles & Company offers a bowl of macaroni with shredded cheese sprinkled on top, seemingly out of a bag. Panera’s mac cheese is a bowl of creamy cheese soup with

noodles swimming in it. This is how mac and cheese should be: simple and cheesy. The fact that I have to stir the bowl of macaroni at Noodles & Company to get it cheesy is not what the founders of this dish would have wanted. The closest location is nine minutes away on Shawnee Mission Parkway. The travel time to Noodles & Company at Oak Park Mall, however, is practically double. Noodles & Company allows you to add things into the dish (like meatballs), but that’s not mac and cheese. To me, macaroni and cheese should be tasty whether you add extra ingredients to it or not. This is where Panera shines.

+ BY KEEGAN DOLINAR

NW PASSAGE | entertainment 15

DIIV

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPTUREDTRACKS.COM

UPCOMING TOUR DATES:

— FEB. 27 SANFRANCISCO, CA — FEB. 28 SAN FRANCISCO, CA — MAR. 3 NEW YORK, NY — MAR. 4 NEW YORK, NY —MAR 5 NEW YORK, NY — MAR 16 LONDON, UK — MAR 17 BIRMINGHAM , UK

s There Is Are is the tonguetwisting sophomore album of shoegaze, dream pop band DIIV (pronounced “dive”). The album, a massive 17song masterpiece, with lyrics mostly about youthful nihilism and the struggles the band has had with drugs, particularly heroin, is definitely one to add to your summer playlist. DIIV’s ability to keep its signature sound while simultaneously creating something fresh and

DIIV’S TOP 10 MOST DOWNLOADED SONGS ON ITUNES

WELCOME (BACK) TO THE JUNGLE Guns N’ Roses gets ready for a makeshift reunion, but their future is unknown

he popular hard rock band Guns N’ Roses, formed in 1985, is reuniting for a headline show. Fans of the band have many questions about what this reunion entails.

16 FEB. 26, 2016 | Vol. 47

satisfying for the listener is unusual in this industry. On this struggles with heroin and was actually arrested in late 2013 for album, DIIV frontman Zachary Cole Smith is much more possession of it. Since then, he has gotten clean, saying “Look upfront with his lyrics compared to 2012’s Oshin. at the words. Look at what happened to me.” His voice is clearer and his lyrics less cryptic. His HIS VOICE IS CLEARER AND HIS LYRICS LESS CRYPTIC. guitar also seems to be more forward with the HIS GUITAR ALSO SEEMS TO BE MORE FORWARD WITH THE LISTENER, COMPARED TO A MORE PASSIVE GUITAR listener compared to a more passive guitar that went wherever the wind took it on the previous album. This cautionary tale is packaged into 17 meticulously crafted, Smith’s lyrics offer an interesting perspective to the world summertime jams, perfect for a day of connecting with Mother of addiction. “Burned skin like a string black ashes slight/I Nature in the woods or for a rainy day spent in bed wondering know I gotta kick but I can’t get sick,” Cole sings on “Dust.” about the possibilities of tomorrow. This portrayal of his addiction is meant to be a warning for + BY ASHER NORBERG his mostly teenage audience: don’t do drugs or, at least, don’t get addicted to them. Smith has been honest about his

1. Under the Sea 2. Doused

3. How Long Have You Known 4. Dopamine

5. Bent (Roi’s Song) 6. Wait

7. Is the Is Are 8. Human

9. Mire (Grant’s Song) 10. Yr Not Far

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMAZON.COM GUNS N’ ROSES TOP 5 ALBUMS: (LEFT TO RIGHT) — APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION, USE YOUR ILLUSION I, USE YOUR ILLUSION II, THE SPAGHETTI INCEDENT, & GREATEST HITS Guns N’ Roses has seen many musicians come and go after some original members left. Lead guitarist Saul Hudson (Slash), bassist Duff McKagan and lead singer Axl Rose are going to share the stage once again. The other two original members, rhythm guitar Izzy Stradlin and drummer Steven Adler as well as those who became a part of the band later, have not indicated whether they are going to join the reunion. The first of the original members taken out of the lineup was Adler in 1990. He was fired by the band due to his drug problem. Stradlin left the band in 1991 due to Rose’s

behavior, which included being late to shows. Slash quit the band in 1996 because of some of the same issues, as did McKagan in 1997. The group will be headlining the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival this coming April. Whether they will go on a tour or begin recording new music together is still in question. There have been reports of the band possibly going on a stadium tour, but nothing has been confirmed.

+ BY AUSTIN BACHERT

+BY CADIE ELDER PHOTO COURTESY OF YOUTUBE.COM

PRIDE AND PREDUJDICE

AND ZOMBIES

fter movies like Zombieland and World War Z, everyone is waiting for a zombie apocalypse to strike. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies had hopeful expectations but the combination of love and decaying bodies did not mix well. It’s hard to recreate the critically acclaimed remake of Pride and Prejudice from

2005 and have the characters meet the expectations that have already been set by Keira Knightley and Matthew Mcfadyen. Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley) in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies started out the same cold, bitter man, but his character never developed because scenes moved too rapidly. The audience was left thinking that Elizabeth Bennett (Lily James) just fell for another bad boy who killed zombies. The zombie scenes were impressive but were very few and very far between. The movie focused more on the plot of Pride and Prejudice than the “new” zombie aspect. This was not a good idea since most of the

storyline was either rushed or cut out. The entire purpose of the movie is lost in the lack of character development. Lily James does not capture the quirky and outspoken girl Elizabeth is meant to be. Elizabeth is supposed to be the girl who doesn’t marry for money or because she is a certain age, but rather for love. The directors did not follow the storyline at all. In the first remake of Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy realize their love for one another over time, and it is not until the end that they admit it. In Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Darcy admits his love for Elizabeth in one of the first scenes.

All of a sudden, they just fell in love because that happens eventually, right? This movie strays away from the traditions that make the first movie so real. For example, in the first remake, Mr. Collins tries to sit next to his wife to eat dinner, but Catherine Darcy (Mr. Darcy’s aunt) corrects him and has him sit across from his wife. Little details like that were ignored in this movie. Not only was this an inadequate comedic version of Pride and Prejudice, it was not even a good zombie movie.

some of the cleverly embedded jokes had my side hurting. The trailer is a bit of a stab in the back though. Its tone doesn’t match that of the movie. Don’t go into the theater expecting the two to line up. It is an odd gem of a movie, much like Fargo, that not everyone will understand, but is incredible nonetheless. The lack of emotion illustrated in most scenes could have been greatly improved

upon. Everyone was the exact same at the end as they were at the beginning, as if the entire middle section of the film had no impact on them, with only a few exceptions. With a cast as illustrious as this one and the Coen brothers behind the camera, it was no wonder the finished product was an ambitious and praise-worthy film. This may not win any Oscars but it is definitely worth the time to see.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MOVIEFONE.COM

+BY BEN BECKER

HAIL CAESAR

ail, Caesar delivers everything you’d expect from a Coen brothers movie: edgy humor, wild antics and an intriguing plotline that keeps you hooked. Yet, somehow, it manages to lack character development.

The plot follows a Hollywood “fixer”, Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin), put to the task of making sure big budget films stay on schedule. His frenzied life suddenly turns worse when Baird Whitlock (George Clooney), the main character of the year’s biggest release is drugged and kidnapped by a mysterious group known as “The Future.” Although this movie seemed more like a homage to 1950s filmmaking than a comedy,

PHOTO COURTESY OF MOVIEFONE.COM

+BY ANASTASIA KLING +BY KASEY GARDNER

HOW TO BE SINGLE H

PHOTO COURTESY OF YOUTUBE.COM

ow to Be Single starts with Alice (Dakota Johnson) and her boyfriend Josh in his dorm talking about how they need a break and how it’s not a breakup. The opening was slow, but soon sped up when Robin (Rebel Wilson) came on screen. This movie had a good overall message because the main character is learning to be happy without Josh. Alice had no idea what it was like to be single, and this movie showed her path to be happy without a guy. Alice says she needs to find out who she is again and where she belongs. I would give the movie 3.5 out of 5 stars. Although I enjoyed the humor in the movie, it also contained unnecessary amounts of vulgar and inappropriate language. Alice teaches the audience and herself that you don’t need to be in a relationship to be happy. You can be independent and achieve your dreams. Sometimes, when in a relationship, you forget to give yourself a little freedom to live your life because you only get one, and you should live with no regrets. I recommend this movie for people who are newly single or are learning how to be single. Being single doesn’t mean you can’t be happy in life or with yourself. The first thing about love is you have to love yourself before you can love someone else. Loving yourself gives you self confidence and respect toward yourself and toward others.

THE CHOICE N

icholas Sparks is known for writing amazing novels that are later turned into fantastic movies that rarely disappoint. The latest Sparks story to hit the theatres is The Choice. The movie starts out full of fun summer nights and, of course, a sweet summer romance. However, things take a turn toward the middle of the movie that had me sitting on the edge of my seat and crying until the end. I’m usually pretty picky about movies, but just about every part of this movie was gold. With great acting from Benjamin Walker, who plays main character Travis Parker, and Teresa Palmer, who plays Gabby Holland, the love between the two characters seemed genuine. One thing I really enjoyed was how the movie starts off with a narrative from Travis. He talks about choices and how every choice can affect the rest of your life, which is immediately grabbed my attention. It was, of course, very romantic and, at points, sexy, but it is tasteful as well. I like being able to go see a romance movie without feeling like I’m watching pornagraphy. The Choice had the perfect mix of romance, comedy, heartbreak and southern charm. Nicholas Sparks has outdone himself once again.

NW PASSAGE | entertainment 17

NW Super Bowl Champion and SM Northwest graduate Ryan Lija is presented with “The Golden Football” from Athletic Director Angelo Giacolone on Feb. 9 in the main gym. in honor of the 50th Super Bowl this year, former champions returned to their high schools to gift them a football.

PHOTOS BY KEVIN THOMPSON

EN D L O G

l Bow Ryan r e p Su pion NFL Champresents Lilja rd to NW awa

BOY

C C

olt’s offensive lineman Ryan Lilja returned on Feb. 9 with a Super Bowl ring on his finger to present a Golden Football Award to the school. He was surrounded by parents and students who traded their traditional orange and black for red Chiefs gear. He handed the football to athletic director Angelo Giacalone as the crowd roared. Lilja then spoke to the crowd and, shook Giacalone’s hand before walking off the gym floor. “It was a neat moment for me and my family,” Lilja said. “I have not been back here to the school in a long time. It was a neat thing they did for the 50th anniversary of the Super Bowl. It was a cool moment for me, my wife who graduated from here (1999), and my mom. It was fun to be back.” Approximately 3,000 former and current NFL players and 2,000 high schools received golden footballs. To receive a football, a player must have been on an active roster of a Super Bowl team. SM South also received a football from Rodney Peete who played in Super Bowl XXXVIII (38). “I think it is a great honor to have a young man like Ryan Lilja give us the Golden Football,” Giacalone said. “To the community, it is great every time a young person is able to come back, whether [from] the world of athletics, music or a veteran of foreign wars. Anytime you do that, it is a proud moment for our school and community.” Schools who receive the award can apply for a grant of up to $5,000 to maintain the school’s football team. The NFL has set aside $1 million for the grants. “There is a national charter deal you have to apply for,” Giacalone said. “I think

18 FEB. 26, 2016 | Vol. 47

we probably don’t have the same need as what they [the NFL] are talking about.” Lilja played for the Cougars from 1996-2000. His high school coaches saw something special in him. “Ryan’s best attribute was his athletic ability and his work ethic,” former head football coach Scott Diebold said. “Ryan was very agile for his size and worked extremely hard every day to get better. I felt Ryan could [go] a long way in the game of football because of the abilities that God gave him, and his desire to achieve great things.” After high school, Lilja played for two years at Coffeyville Community College and finished his college career at K-State, where he majored in finance and marketing. He was an Academic All-American and was -Ryan named to the secondteam All-Big Twelve in 2003. “It was more important for me to get good grades and to study,” Lilja said. “I could control what kind of grades I could have but I could not really control if somebody picked me or voted me for allconference performer. I never thought I would play in the NFL, so what I wanted to take away from football was an education.” After graduating from K-State, Lilja started his professional career with the Chiefs in 2004. From there, he was claimed off waivers by the Colts in 2004 where he played until the 2009 season. In Indianapolis, he played in two Super Bowls and was part of the Super Bowl championship team in 2007. His last

professional game was in the 2012-2013 season with the Chiefs. “My first thought was just ‘Wow, we did it,’” Lilja said of the Super Bowl win. “I wished my dad and my grandpa could have been there to see them. I was holding Jeff Saturday’s daughter on my shoulders and he had his son on his shoulders. I remember grabbing the Lombardi Trophy while rain was coming down in the stands and there was confetti all over. [It was] obviously very euphoric because I never won any kind of championship like that.” Perseverance and determination helped Lilja overcome major roadblocks that could have sidelined his football career. The first, during his senior year at Northwest, involved getting caught drinking Lilja at a party. This violated the school’s drug and alcohol policy and he was removed from the team after two games. That meant that he would go to Coffeyville Community College instead of K-State out of after high school. The other roadblock occurred a few years later. While sitting at his older brother Brady’s house on the draft night of 2004, his name was not called. Lilja was not one of the 256 players drafted, making him an undrafted free agent. Lilja becamed even more motivated to achieve his dream of playing in the Super Bowl. “My personal roadblock was breaking rules,” Lilja said. “Getting in trouble, getting kicked off the team in high school and having to go to junior college, that

“You are going to get knocked down. What matters most is how you recover and move on.”

was a defining moment for me. It could have derailed my goal of playing at Kansas State.” But Lilja kept pushing forward despite his missteps. His biggest motivation was provided by coaches who told him to never give up. Because he lost his dad when he was 14, his coaches became father figures to him. His most notable coaches were Diebold, NW offensive and defensive line coach Bob Jensen, K-State’s Bill Snyder and the Colts’ Tony Dungy. “I have taken a lot from all of my coaches,”Lilja said. “Someone who really stands out was Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder. I got to play for him for two years at K-State. That was kind of my goal. I just wanted to play for him. He has been doing it for so long. He is kind of a legend in the state. He changed my life. He is a special coach.” For Lilja, Northwest was one of the main reasons that he was able to succeed in life and win a Super Bowl. Now he is able to come back to Northwest and speak to both parents and students about his experiences in life. “This was really where I made the jump to having that confidence, to having that ability to believe that you can achieve your dream,” Lilja said. “This was the birthplace of my football career. It was not in eighth grade. It was really in high school, coming up and playing with the buddies that I had grown up with, playing for these coaches that I always wanted to play for.”

+BY MATTHEW OWENS

Born to Bowl

hen sophomore Kaden Bower decided to try out for bowling this year, he only expected to bowl in a few JV meets. After all, he hadn’t taken the sport very seriously until right before tryouts, and his scores seemed to reflect that. “I didn’t begin bowling competitively until a few weeks before tryouts,” Bower said. “I decided to try bowling because I’m not playing basketball this year, but I still wanted to be a part of something. I’ve always thought bowling was fun.” Bower certainly didn’t expect to bowl a 254 in the first week of practice and become the third top varsity bowler during that week. Bower’s score and determination impressed varsity bowling coach Billy Dent. After the first JV tournament, Bower moved up to the varsity team. “Kaden’s work ethic is strong,” Dent said. “It starts with his desire to be successful. He’s also very consistent with how he throws the ball. He seems to be one of our most steady players.” Bower admits that having a good attitude can be the toughest part about bowling. “It’s hard when you get on a bad streak or your team’s not doing too great,” Bower said. “You have to learn to just keep going at it with your head up.” At practice, Bower and his teammates motivate each other by setting small goals that teach each player to

Rose to Rose

s senior Brenni Rose walks onto the court for her final games as a Lady Cougar, she will treasure not only her final moments with the program, but also the time shared with her sister, junior Emmalee Rose. “Especially after this past McPherson tournament, we have been kind of on a more understanding level, even when things weren’t always going good,” Brenni said. “It’s fun because we work well together, and get to make each other look good. I’ll miss it next year.” This season has been extra special for the two, as it is the first year they are both in the starting varsity lineup. So far this season, Emmalee has scored one game-winning shot, and knocked down two free throws to bring the Cougars more wins; Brenni couldn’t be more proud of the way Emmalee has filled the role of starting varsity point guard. “(During) her freshman and sophomore years, Emmalee didn’t really play varsity at all,” Brenni said. “This year she was just kind of thrown into it, and expected to play at the level of Danielle, Shelbie and me. That’s hard because we’ve played together since 4th grade, but I think she’s handled this year really well.” Brenni admits that, although she enjoys playing with Emmalee, it can also be frustrating at times. “You expect so much of each other,” Brenni said. “You expect them to know exactly what you’re thinking and then they don’t. But as much as we argue on the court, we also click a lot easier and have a chemistry that others don’t.” Senior teammate Shelbie McLain agrees that having two players who have played together their whole lives is an advantage to the team. “They know each other really well both as a person and a player, and it helps them synchronize

Kaden Bower discovers his bowling skills focus on individual pins. “If we don’t hit a certain pin, we owe five push ups,” Bower said. “We have those goals to encourage each other and keep our heads focused on every individual shot, instead of worrying and letting that affect your whole game.” JV bowler Pierce Mitts respects Bower’s determination. “Kaden is very hardworking and always looking to improve,” Mitts said. “He is always supportive and energetic.” Dent also credits Bower’s ability to have fun with the sport while taking it seriously. “My favorite part about Kaden is the mix of his competitiveness with his sense of humor,” Dent said. “It’s nice to see an athlete be able to rise to the occasion and compete, but also have a good attitude and spirit about life … being able to both give a joke and take a joke.” Bower isn’t thinking too far into the season. “My only goals are to continue helping and supporting my team,” Bower said. “Coaches and teammates: we all try to help each other out. It’s a very supportive environment.”

+BY JACKIE SAYERS

Sophomore Kaden Bower competes at the bowling meet at College Lanes on Jan. 28. “This season was a great first season” Bower said. “I’m looking forward to getting better as time progresses.”

PHOTO BY MIO UEKI

Sisters Brenni and Emmalee Rose take the court together for the last time this year with each other when they play,” McClain said. “There are times when they get on each others’ nerves, but once they step on the court they are professional and encourage and help each other as teammates.” The Rose duo has made plenty of good memories on the court together, but one sticks out in Emmalee’s mind. “Once when I was in the 6th grade, Brenni’s coach had put them in a boys’ bracket because they were like killing everyone they played, and he let me play with them,” Emmalee said. “We just slaughtered all of these boys and it was so much fun.” The sisters admit that it will be tough to say goodbye to each other, both on and off the court, when Brenni leaves for Drake University next year. “It’s just going to be weird because I’ve played with my sister all of my life, and it will feel weird not having her on the court,” Emmalee said. “And also it will be hard for us to adjust because Brenni is obviously the best player on the court. She can work both inside and out, and her role will be hard to fill next year.” Brenni and Emmalee will cherish the last few games they have together on the court, remembering all that basketball has given them throughout the years. “Basketball has brought us closer by teaching us to get along better at home,” Brenni said. “I would never say this to her face, but Emmalee’s a lot better than I give her credit for. We’ve had a lot of good plays together out on the court. Next year, I’ll miss it.”

Left: Emmalee Rose, Right: Brenni Rose

PHOTO BY ADDISON SHERMAN

+BY JACKIE SAYERS

NW PASSAGE | sports 19

looking at the crowd, senior Carson Vielhauer smiles after being crown Sweetheart Queen on Feb. 12 in the Main Gym. Vielhauer was nominated by boys basketball.

PHOTO BY ADDISON SHERMAN

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I COULD HEAR EVERYONE CHEERING FOR ME ESPECIALLY MY CLOSE FRIENDS AND FAMILY. IT WAS THE COOLEST MOMENT I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED IN MY LIFE FOR SURE! — senior Carson Vielhauer