Issue 8

NW PASSAGE APRIL 27, 2017 VOL. 48 ISSUE 08

Students react to environmental concerns and strive to protect the planet PAGES 07-10

DEINES’ BEL CANTO

A QUIET TRADITION

ORANGE, BLACK, COUGARS

Longtime English teacher Janine Deines is also a classically-trained opera singer

The plant sale provides a learning experience for students and funding for their classes

Cheerleaders prepare for tryouts and the upcoming cheer season

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PHOTO BY TARYN SMITH

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Deines’ bel canto

Longtime English teacher Janine Deines is also a classically-trained opera singer

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Common ground

11

A quiet tradition

13

Students react to environmental concerns and strive to protect the planet

The plant sale provides a learning experience for students and funding for their classes

Orange, black, cougars

Cheerleaders try out in preparation for the upcoming season

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 16-page newsmagazine. The paper will be distributed every four weeks during fourth hour. Subscriptions will be available to the community for $25. The Northwest Passage firmly supports the First Amendment and opposes censorship. The content of the newspaper will be determined and created by the entire staff.

When questions concerning word choice, legal problems or ethics arise, the editorial board and adviser will discuss the problem to find the solution. In these cases, the editor-in-chief and editorial board will have the say in all decisions. Letters to the editor will be accepted and encouraged. The staff reserves the right to edit for grammatical mistakes, length and good taste. Letters may attack policy but not people. In no way will ideas or viewpoints be changed. The editorin-chief and editorial board reserve the right to refuse any letter.

PUBLICATION OVERSIGHT:

02 APRIL 27, 2017 | Issue 08

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 & Multi-media Editor Entertainment Editor Ads Manager

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

STAFF DESIGNER: Asher Norberg Matthew Owens Benjamin Becker Sara Babcock

Rachel Albers ADVISERS: Adviser Assistant Adviser

Susan Massy Wes Mikel

Head Head TO

THE TIME IS NOT NOW T

EARTH, WIND AND FIRE

Technology needs to improve before the United States can switch over to renewable energy

Switching to renewable energy would slow climate change and could be economically beneficial

+ BY MATTHEW OWENS

+ BY WILL GROSS

he future: a utopian society where cars can fly, diseases are cured and everything is powered by the sun.

A place where peace, prosperity and happiness are found in all areas of the world.

The problem: The United States does not yet have the technology necessary to switch to renewable energy.

In the United States, it currently costs $4.95, $3.14 and $2.16 to produce one kilowatt of natural gas, coal and nuclear power, respectively. Compare that to the much higher solar and wind costs, which come in at $18.12 for solar and 7 cents for wind per kilowatt, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. A couple of cents does not seem that big at first, but when you factor in that the average household uses over 10,000 kilowatts a year, it can add up. If just using renewable energy sources, the average family would spend over $2,100 per year, an increase of $900 over the current average cost of power. The problem with renewable energy as it stands currently is that it has not advanced enough to make it affordable to the average family.

In the future, the United States will need to switch to using more renewable energy to power our everyday lives, but the money for this advancement must come from private investors, rather than government bureaucrats.

When government initiatives run out of money, they just use more taxpayer dollars; when publicly-funded private businesses run out of money, they shut down.

This is particularly true for the solar industry, which is infamous for taking taxpayer dollars without actually improving the cost-effectiveness of solar energy — ­ in the 1980s they said it would be as cost-competitive as fossil fuels by the 1990s. We know that did not happen.

Currently in the United States there is a federal tax credit of 30 percent, which was set to expire in 2016 but was extended by Congress until 2022. This allows people to deduct 30 percent of the expense of putting solar panels on the roof from their taxes. According to an article by The Detroit News, $5.3 billion was spent in 2013 alone to help the solar companies but two years later, in 2015, the solar industry was only able to produce .05 percent of the electricity used in the United States. According to an article on CNS.com, when a solar company was asked about the lack of production they were quoted as saying there were “fewer sunny days.”

This is the main problem with the renewable energy industry which relies on government subsidies to try to stay somewhat competitive. Now fossil fuel companies also receive subsidies but at a much lower rate. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, solar and wind receive $10.5 billion in subsidies while fossil fuels received $3.5 billion —a much lower number. They do not let the free market do what it does best.

Eventually the United States and other countries will have to make the switch to renewable energy sources, but now is not the time. The government needs to stop providing worthless subsidies or incentives and leave the choice up to the public. Capitalism will weed out the companies that are only out for the subsidies. If a company has an idea that will create more efficient renewable energy, it will be funded by private investors, leading to profit for both the investors and the company.

Using this system, I believe the United States will be able to run more on renewable energy in the next one to two decades. The solution: capitalism.

T

here is no doubt that fossil fuels have become a key part of American Industry. It’s what keeps the air conditioning running when it’s warm, the phone charging when it’s dead and the light on when it’s dark. The United States and many other developed countries owe a debt to fossil fuels for what they have done for society.

However, a question arises. If fossils fuels are a wolf that the world has been breeding for the past 100 years, when will the wolf bite back?

According to NASA, the average global temperature has increased 1.7 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880. Less than two degrees may not seem like a lot, but this temperature increase has already caused substantial drought in landlocked countries such as Uganda and an increase in hurricanes worldwide, as well as flooding in island countries such as the Maldives in the Indian Ocean and Kiribati in the Pacific (due to the melting of polar ice caps). Politicians argue that this increase is just a matter of global weather patterns, but 97 percent of scientists disagree. They say climate change is man-made.

The continual burning of fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas has taken its toll on the atmosphere.

Unfortunately, this industry provides much of the power humans consume on a daily basis. It is also seen as an economic necessity for the United States and it drives our foreign policy. However, this issue is more environmental rather than political or economic. Earth is heating up and, if things don’t start to change soon, more people may face

repercussions. Luckily, there is hope.

The last 50 years have seen tremendous advances in the field of renewable energy. Once considered experimental, wind, solar and hydroelectric power have all become more practical and cost-effective, contributing about 20 percent of global power. These three types of renewable energy have truly been revolutionized.

Unfortunately, the United States and many other developed countries (China, Russia, India) still rely heavily on fossil fuel energy and have yet to make the switch to renewable sources.

If the United States started depending more on renewable energy sources, they could not only limit their reliance on foreign nonrenewable resources, but could also be a role model for other developed, or developing, countries, encouraging them to make the switch as well. This switch would slow climate change and could create a system of continuous, sustainable energy for the nation.

Unfortunately, capitalism makes this switch difficult because fossil fuels are still cheaper to use because the system of trade and transportation is already in place. However, the switch to renewable energy is inevitable. Eventually fossil fuels will run out, and the longer we wait to make the switch, the more our environment suffers. Change is scary, but when the world is at risk, better safe than sorry. Which would you rather depend on: earth, wind and fire, or a dwindling supply of compressed dinosaur bones buried 65 million years ago?

NW PASSAGE | opinion 03

Forks UPPER CRUST

An enchanting venue and sweet flavor make this my favorite place for pie in Kansas City

A

chalkboard sign out front directs customers toward Upper Crust, a quaint bakery in downtown Overland Park.

The charming atmosphere welcomes pielovers just as much as the sweet aroma of pies and cookies wafting from the glass case beside the cash register. This delightful ambiance was a relief after the chaotic jumble of Ashleigh’s Bake Shop, which was nearly impossible to find in the basement of a topsy-turvy home accessories store.

While Upper Crust also functions as a gift shop, the pie-related odds and ends for sale double as quirky decorations in the comfortably small dining room.

Decoration was certainly not an issue at Upper Crust: fresh flowers rest in vases on the walls beside each table and water was served in embellished mason jars.

The attention to ornamentation saved the single negative of their cherry pie, which was poor presentation: the slice fell

ASHLEIGH’S BAKESHOP

I

+BY SAMANTHA JOSLIN

apart on the plate. Other than this, the cherry pie was perfect. The bitter flavor of Ashleigh’s was swapped for sweet, fragrant cherries and a sugary crust. While this isn’t traditional for cherry pies, which tend to be tart, the sweeter flavor was much more enjoyable. The crust was soft on the bottom and flaky on the top, and the whole cherries inside were covered in gooey cherry filling. From the sweet cherries to the filling absorbed in the soft bottom crust, this pie was delicious all the way through.

Upper Crust is the clear winner of these two bakeries. Ashleigh’s Bake Shop is hard to find and offers a “dining room” with only three tables; their pie was too bitter to enjoy and the smell of cooking pastries was overwhelming. On the other hand, Upper Crust has a cute dining room full of the smells of sweet, fresh baked pies. I know I’ll be coming back for another slice of pie.

Kansas City’s best-kept pie secret is hidden inside Pryde’s Kitchen and Necessities

nside of Pryde’s Kitchen and Necessities, Ashleigh’s Bake Shop is home to some of the best pies in Kansas City. At $4.50 a slice, the delicious dessert, along with the nostalgic environment, make Ashleigh’s a true hidden gem.

Ashleigh’s resides in the basement of Pryde’s, located in Westport. As soon as I stepped into the bakery, I was transported to a world of sweet aromas. The bakery is quaint and may feel cramped if there is a large crowd, but the cozy ambiance makes up for the small space.

At the front of Ashleigh’s is the bakery case featuring pies and other sweets. Two walls of the bakery are covered almost completely in unique pie stands, all for sale to customers. The only seating could be found on stools at three high top tables.

None of the furniture matched, creating a patchwork look.

The cherry pie was presented on a white

plate after almost no wait and looked completely mouthwatering. The top of the crust was golden, buttery and just flaky enough to still hold its shape before it melted in my mouth. This was far better than the hard, sugary crust at Upper Crust.

Even the bottom crust was better. It was not soggy, in contrast to the other crust which was undercooked and chewy. The pie was stuffed with gooey, sweet cherries but did not taste processed. The crust and filling presented an incredible texture and flavor combination. Ashleigh’s offers 52 kinds of pie, including fruit and cream pies.

The staff at Ashleigh’s was extremely polite and even offered us an extra slice of cherry pie when they cut the first slice incorrectly. Every aspect of Ashleigh’s Bake Shop, from the pies to the atmosphere, makes it my favorite option for pie in Kansas City.

PHOTO BY ABIGAIL ROBERTS PHOTO BY TARYN SMITH

+BY ANNALISSA HOUSER

PHOTO BY MADDY MANNING

NW PASSAGE | opinion 04

IB English teacher Janine Deines stands in front of her first hour junior English class, explaining the written portion of their final exam. “Deines is unlike many teachers here,” junior Alyssa Gaul said. “She doesn’t assign busy work, she actually delves into the topics with you in class. You can tell she really cares aout her students.” PHOTO BY TARYN SMITH

Deines’ Bel Canto

Longtime English teacher Janine Deines is also a classically-trained opera singer

J

anine Deines is many things — NW IB director, IB English teacher, ELL teacher and classically-trained opera and show tune singer.

“I’ve always been singing — since I was little it was something I enjoyed,” Deines said.

“However, I didn’t know I ‘could sing’ until I was in seventh grade.”

While she had already been using her talent for years, Deines’ professional training did not begin until she was in seventh grade. When she was recommended for professional vocal training, she went to sing for former SM West choir Director Bill Oldham.

“My parents loved music,” Deines said. “We had a phonograph. My dad had a huge record collection.

Big band, show tunes, jazz — we always had music in our house.”

Despite the more classical influences Deines was exposed to at a young age, she found a genre that suited her adolescence.

“My parents hated [classic rock],” Deines said. “When I would get angry with my parents I would go to my room and put on the song ‘The Bitch is Back’

by Elton John, full blast. That was my response to, ‘You’re in trouble’ or, ‘You’re grounded’ or whatever. I wasn’t a perfect child.”

The transition from Elton John and rock’n’roll to classical opera was not a decision Deines had a say in.

“Everything goes back to my vocal music teacher,” Deines said. “He would give me opera to sing because he was

+ BY JACK LYNCH

into training me vocally. It wasn’t rock [or] modern stuff, it was basically always classical opera.”

Her training in opera gave Deines an appreciation for the genre she didn’t have before; an appreciation which continues to this day.

“Why opera? It has a lot of emotion,” Deines said. “You have to use the songs to tell the story. In musical theater, you have words besides the song to tell the story.

In an opera, it’s just the songs, the music. It’s so emotional.”

As she grew up, Deines focused her life less on music and more on her other passion — teaching.

“I already knew when I went to college I was not going to be a vocal major,” Deines said. “First of all, I knew I wasn’t that good. When you go to college, there are people who are really, really good and I knew I wasn’t. So I just did it for the enjoyment. I did stage shows, the Rock Chalk Revue, my sorority always did skits during rush. I was always the lead in the skits because I was the one who could sing.”

Even as Deines focused more on teaching and less on music, she continued to find time to practice.

“Now music is just secondary, it’s not a focus like it was in college,” Deines said. “I made that choice and I love the choice that I made. I’m not sure all of my students agree, but it’s not like when I was a lot younger — when I was 30 years younger, I had to balance the two. [Now] I just do it for fun.”

“ In musical theater, you have words besides the song to tell the story.

In an opera, it’s just the songs, the music.

It’s so emotional.”

—Janine Deines

NW PASSAGE | feature 05

(913) 825-4776

06 April 27, 2017 | Issue 8

Common Ground Students react to environmental concerns and strive to protect the planet +BY BENJAMIN BECKER, CADENCE ELDER, GRACE GORENFLO, JACK LYNCH & ASHER NORBERG

PHOTO BY MADDY MANNING

Common Ground +BY BENJAMIN BECKER, CADENCE ELDER, GRACE GORENFLO, JACK LYNCH & ASHER NORBERG

T

his April marks the 47th celebration of Earth Day, an event now celebrated worldwide in over 193 countries. Founded in 1970 by U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson, the event was created to educate people about the environment. Twenty million Americans

demonstrated that year for a healthier environment. Later that year, President Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency.

Environmental activism and preservation have come a long way since the first Earth

What goes around, comes around

SMSD’s plan to compost in all school cafeterias makes its way to Northwest +BY GRACE GORENFLO

A

ll schools in the NW attendance area will begin composting cafeteria waste, rather than simply sending it to the landfill, starting August 2017.

The program has been slowly growing in the district since 2008, when the mother of a student at Briarwood Elementary raised a concern regarding composting in the school cafeteria. Along with students and faculty, she did research, developed a system and formed a partnership with Missouri Organic Recycling. Nine years later, this grassroots movement has spread to 33 schools across the Shawnee Mission School District.

“When we use [finite resources] and put them in the landfill, they are no longer useful to us,” Joan Leavens, coordinator of sustainability and community engagement for SMSD, said. “But if we turn our food back into compost, it comes back to us. At the Center for Academic Achievement, there is a one-acre urban farm that is being established by the culinary program. Missouri Organic donated 260 cubic yards of compost to the urban farm.

They spread that on this farm to help enrich the soil and get the soil ready to grow food for the fall when the students arrive.”

When the composting system is implemented, the cafeteria will have distinctly labeled bins for trash, recycling and compost items. Missouri Organic will pick up the compost items and take them back to their facility, where they will then be composted. This process includes setting the items outside for 10 weeks, in varying weather conditions, so they can turn into soil.

Leavens, along with Johnson County Health and Environment staff, will spend a week here during the lunch hour to help ease the transition. In addition, environmental education teachers, cafeteria staff and custodial staff are all working to prepare students and faculty for next year’s shift to composting. With each implementation comes innovative ideas on how to improve the system and many staff members working behind the scenes to ensure a successful operation.

“We work together with the custodial staff to try to identify what works best for their school — each school is designed differently, each lunch area is different, each school culture is different,” Leavens said. “We just implemented [the program at] our 33rd school [a month ago] and a custodian there came up with yet another innovation, so it’s a continually changing process. We’re constantly improving the system [and] relying on the innovation of our staff, teachers, students or custodians.”

Day, but climate change continues to be a threat. According to the Yale Program on Climate Communication, 70 percent of Americans view climate change as harmful to future generations. But what are Americans doing about it? In Shawnee, our

lives seem far removed from the climate change debate — daily life is not threatened by rising oceans. Despite the lack of an immediate threat, students are reacting and striving to protect the environment.

DON’T GO WASTING WATER BOTTL In an attempt to reduce plastic waste, Student Council purchased 12 water bottle filling stations

+BY CADENCE ELDER & JACK LYNCH

S

tudent Council purchased water refill stations designed to decrease the amount of plastic water bottles used at Northwest.

“We identified [water fountains] as something people would find useful in the school,” Student Council sponsor Sarah Dent said. “We wanted to purchase something that would be an ongoing gift to the school.”

The total cost of the 12 stations was $20,000, and the money was provided by StuCo. Each individual installation cost approximately $1,000.

Although the idea to install the water fountains began last year, gathering the money and finding a plumbing company to complete the installation took time.

“We had the money, we just couldn’t figure out how to actually get them installed since our operations and maintenance could not physically install them,” Dent said.

The stations keep a tally of the number of water bottles refilled rather than tossed into

the trash. So far, over 13,500 water have been saved from landfills by th water fountains.

“I think it’s already cut down w water and the water is fresher with th installation,” StuCo treasurer Will H said.

The water refill stations are benefi both the students and the planet.

“The end goal is to reduce our footprint,” Dent said. “I know that s like a really lofty goal, but if it helps u a look at how much we are recycling. you reuse your water bottle and cou invest in a $20 water bottle bottle beginning of the school year that you c all year? How much money are you as a student from going to the v machines? How much waste are we from our trash? Recycling is importa if you can reuse rather than have to r then all the better.”

Helped eliminate waste from over 13,500 disposable plastic bo

THE BE

Earth Day Art Show inspir +BY CADENCE ELDER & JACK LYNCH

F

Displayed in the center of the NW art gallery is an arm made out of garbage materials for the Earth Day art show. “It didn’t need to be perfect,” senior Ally Steinmetz said. “Looking at it now, I only see what was once there would [otherwise] be in a landfill now.” PHOTO BY MADDY MANNING

or 18 years, the Earth Day Art Show has embodied the idea that the Earth should be celebrated every day. It began as a collaboration between art teacher David Hunt and former science teacher Debbie Mayer, who passed away last month.

“I encourage students to recycle, recycle, recycle all the time, to the point where it gets to be a headache to some people,” Hunt said. “I always like to remind people, ‘Do you know where plastic comes from?’”

Senior Ally Steinmetz found items

in her re to create Show.

“My coming of plas Steinme represen so much The h is follow that has resource not ever

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Stepping out of the lab Kansas City hosts science march +BY BENJAMIN BECKER Over 600 Marches for Science took place all over the world on Earth Day, April 22. Washington Square Park in downtown Kansas City was transformed by the voices of protesters who showed up that day. The crowd chanted, “Science, not silence.”

Kenneth Lee, father of junior Maya Lee, helped organize the KC march. Lee, who has been observing NW biology teachers, plans to become a teacher himself.

“The National March for Science was announced about three months ago,” Lee said. “Three other people and I independently started Facebook event pages, so we merged. We were the original organizers of the KC march.

The four of us have had to do almost everything.”

Lee and the other organizers had two goals in mind for this march. First, to get passionate youth inspired; second, to be heard. Marchers, both young and old, including senior Tyler Tummons, held protest signs. Tummons made the sign he carried which read, “Protect Her” above a drawing of the earth.

“We are making great strides in the scientific community that should not be put off or ignored; they are affecting people’s lives and how we live on this earth,” Tummons said. “Everything that the scientific community is doing needs to be heard by politicians.”

Lee agrees with Tummons.

“We would like the administration to listen,” Lee said.

“Scientists are stepping out of their labs to indicate our support for science and our need for science,” Lee said.

“Science helps to push inventions and helps people survive from diseases: we can’t sacrifice that to save money. That’s our hope.”

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1. Marching down Grand Street, Kenneth Lee and his son, Brenden Lee, chant, “Science, not silence” April 22. Kenneth was one of the organizers of the March for Science — Kansas City. “My son and daughter are the main reason I marched,” Kenneth said. “For them to be there and support me, and science, was such an awesome experience.” PHOTO BY MAYA LEE 2. In front of a crowd of 5,000 people, Dr. Roy Jensen speaks about the importance of funding for science April 22 in Washington Square Park. Jensen, director of the KU Cancer Center, was an organizer of the march. PHOTO

BY MAYA LEE 3. Being interviewed by a Fox4 News reporter, Jessie Blakeborough discusses the importance of supporting science. Blakeborough was one of the four administators that organized the march. PHOTO BY MAYA LEE

EAUTY WAY

res students to create art from trash

ecycling bin that inspired her e a piece for the Earth Day Art

idea was making a hand out of the earth made stic and different trash,” etz said. “I think that nts a lot of humans creating h trash.” hand Steinmetz constructed wed by a piece of cardboard s the quote “Earth has enough es for every man’s needs, but ry man’s greed.”

“I’ve made a lot of changes to how I throw away things and I started a garden,” Steinmetz said. “Although the Earth Day Art Show won’t give them the instructions to do that, I still think it’s really important that people stop and understand what we are doing as a society and how we are affecting the planet.”

Hunt has incorporated a variety of philosophies into his teachings, one of which is the Navajo Native American philosophy called the Beauty Way.

“The Beauty Way for the Navajo is ‘With beauty below me, beside me, above me, in front of me, behind me, I walk in beauty,’” Hunt said. “The Navajo will stop and fix the harmony.

For instance, when I’m walking down the sidewalk and notice a piece of litter, well, that litter is ugly to look at, and I realize if I don’t pick it up no one else will. So I will pick it up just to restore the harmony to that area.”

Earth Day Art Show pieces can be seen in the art gallery.

Just heard the buzz Bees are critical for the future of the earth

+BY CADENCE ELDER Bees are responsible for 80 percent of pollination that takes place on Earth, according to greenpeace.org. Pesticide usage, habitat loss and global warming are a few reasons the bee population is in declione. Although many flinch at the sight of a bee, these tiny creatures are responsible for the pollination of fruits, nuts and vegetables.

• Mix one gallon of vinegar, one cup Epsom salt and one tablespoon castile soap to create an alternative to chemical pesticides.

• Plant bee-friendly flowers such as geraniums, black-eyed susans, hyacinths and wild lilac.

22

ways you can help

save the earth

+COMPILED BY GRACE GORENFLO / GRAPHICS BY SHELBY BEAUMONT

1.

REDUCE (1 - 15)

5.

Turn off the lights and unplug appliances when you leave a room.

6.

Open the blinds and light your house with sunshine rather than electricity.

Avoid using paper napkins, towels and tissues.

10.

Use less food packaging by buying in bulk and buying fresh.

15.

Turn down the heating/cooling when you’re not home.

19.

Consider buying used — clothing, electronics, furniture, books, etc. — before buying new.

10 April 27, 2017 | Issue 8

2.

11.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth, and be conscious of how long you’re in the shower.

7.

Make your own house products, such as kitchen and bathroom cleaners.

12.

Slow down. Lower speed limits reduce fuel use and your chance of getting a ticket.

REUSE (16 - 21)

20.

Start a compost bin in your home for kitchen scraps.

Love your leftovers.

Freeze them for later or find a way to use them in a new dish.

16.

BYOB. Bring your own bag — to the store.

3.

4.

8.

9.

Skip red meat every now and again — the production of it is extremely resource-intensive.

Scale back your car use by biking, walking, using public transportation or carpooling.

13.

14.

17.

18.

Grow your own food to save money and reduce fossil fuels used to transport produce.

Use a refillable water bottle.

21.

Save gift boxes, bags and paper to reuse for someone else.

Avoid plastic microbeads in scrubbing face products, as they pollute the water supply and kill marine life.

Change your light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs and recycle the old bulbs.

Or buy locally at farmers’ markets, such as Overland Park, Brookside or the River Market.

Don’t throw anything away until considering how it can be repurposed.

22.

RECYCLE (22)

Recycle — paper, aluminum, plastic, glass, old devices — as much as you can.

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A QUIET TRADITION The plant sale provides a learning experience for students and funding for their classes

+ BY SONNI MEYERS & SAMANTHA JOSLIN

S

unlight shines through roof of the greenhouse, reflecting off shiny green leaves and absorbing into pink and purple flowers. Humidity and the aroma of growing plants permeate the air of the crowded space — crowded with flowers, vegetables and eager customers.

“We have a little bit of everything at the sale,” environmental education teacher Michael Pisani said.

“There’s plants that attract butterflies, some plants attract deer.”

The sale has hundreds of varieties of plants, including mint and coriander for scent and spice, hosta for shade, petunias and mums for pops of color, and tomatoes, peppers and strawberries for eating. The sale is hosted by the environmental education students and their teachers Stacy Robins and Pisani. After learning about the process in the classroom, students take turns working at the sale.

“Before we plant seeds, we learn about seeds,” Robins said. “What a seed is, how it’s made and why we plant them.”

Instead of taking notes about seeds, the students get a hands-on experience when they start planting for the sale.

TOP SELLER: TOMATO PLANT

“In December, the kids learn how to propagate plants from cuttings and then we grow roots from those and then we pot those,” Robins said. “Then we have plugs, too.”

While working their 2 ½-hour shifts, Environmental Education 1 and 2 students help customers find the plants they are interested in and take their purchases to their car. Money from the sale goes toward future plant sales, tools for labs, animals for the classroom and bedding for the animals.

“It’s good to learn general skills, like taking care of something or doing manual labor that’s actually redeeming in the end,” senior Alex Kendrick said.

Over a thousand customers each year attend the plant sale, usually averaging 1,500 people. The profit adds up to more than $1,500, which all goes back into the program.

Plants that are not sold are donated to Harvesters or a local community garden.

“People from 10 and 15 years ago come back to Northwest because they remember the plant sale,” Robins said. “It’s a quiet tradition.”

MARK YOUR CALENDAR SATURDAY, MAY 6

SUNDAY, APRIL 30

SUNDAY, MAY 7

WEDNESDAY, MAY 3

WEDNESDAY, MAY 10

1.

HOURS: Wednesday 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Th

r$

SATURDAY, APRIL 29

2.7 5

The plant sale will be open six more days through the end of April and the beginning of May

e y s e ll fo

Saturday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Sunday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

2.

PEACEFUL PROTEST +BY SONNI MEYERS & CADENCE ELDER

3.

1. Among the flowering plants offered at this year’s plant sale, geraniums are available in a wide variety of colors. PHOTO BY MADDY MANNING 2. During seventh hour environmental education, seniors Kaitlin Ward and Sarah Hedrick pot plants in the greenhouse April 19. PHOTO BY MADDY MANNING 3. Environmental education instructor Mike Pisani and senior Damien Kendrick inspect the plants in the greenhouse. PHOTO BY MADDY

Phones buzzed as senior Agnés Aycock spread the word that she had started a petition to support environmental education teacher Michael Pisani who had been placed on adminstrative leave in late March.

“I think the whole student population was kind of like, ‘Oh no, not again,’” Aycock said.

“We wanted to know what to do to stop this from happening because Pisani is such a wellloved teacher.”

Within two days, 917 parents, former and current students had signed the online petition.

“When people signed it, they could put the reason and tell where they were in their life and how Pisani impacted them,” Aycock said. “Even if the petition didn’t do anything

administration-wise, at least Mr. Pisani could look and see all these hundreds and hundreds of people talking about the positive impact he had made on their lives.”

The petition was not the only form of peaceful protest used.

Students from Pisani’s fifth hour class sat outside the main office instead of going to class. When questioned by administrators, some students responded that they wanted their teacher back.

“I didn’t go to my class because I truly believed there was no point to go to class without my wonderful teacher,” junior Mandy Dulny said. “I sat not only for Pisani but for everyone.”

After three days on administrative leave, Pisani returned on March 31.

MANNING

NW PASSAGE | features 11

12 April 27, 2017 | Issue 8

ORANGE, BLACK, Cheerleaders try out in preparation for the upcoming season +BY JORDAN SHERFY “Ready? Okay! North. West. Cougars.

We’re back.

Once a-gain,” echoed around the cafeteria as approximately 70 cheerleader hopefuls nervously ran through the tryout cheer, chant and dance in the minutes before their numbers were called.

Once their numbers were called, those trying out stepped into the hallway to be directed individually to one of four classrooms. In each room, aspiring cheerleaders were asked to perform a different part of the routine.

“Being the only one in the room with all the judges is the hardest part [about tryouts],” freshman Alyssa Nettie said.

The process began with the annual tryout clinic, April 1, where cheerleaders learned the various routines required for tryouts.

During the four-hour clinic, aspiring cheerleaders rotated through cheer, chant, dance and jump stations with their grade level. At the end, graduating cheerleaders shared their best piece of advice.

“If you mess up, don’t show it in your face.”

“Don’t over practice and freak yourself out.”

“If you forget anything, improvise your own motions.” “[The most important thing is] to rely on their confidence,” varsity coach Renee Chambers said. “A lot of them know [the material] and have tried out for many years, but every time it freaks them out. They are not confident in themselves. It’s their confidence that holds them back because they do it by themselves, [not with their team].”

Trying out is something that could make anyone nervous, regardless of her experience, but this is especially true for incoming freshman who have never been

through this process before.

“It was definitely very nerve racking,” eighth grader Sam Mudgett said.

“On a scale from 1 to 10, I would say I was at a 10, but the payoff was definitely worth it.”

There are many differences between cheerleading in elementary or middle school and cheerleading in high school, but Mudgett looks forward to one thing in particular.

“Assemblies — I love to perform a perfected routine with a group of girls that I love,” Mudgett said.

As eighth graders transfer into the upcoming season and look ahead to the future, returning cheerleaders build on the foundations and connections established the previous year.

“I am excited to see all the new faces,” junior Erin Osner said. “I cannot wait to see all the younger people that step up.”

For this year’s juniors, next fall marks the beginning of the end of their cheer careers. The opportunity to support her school, day in and day out, has made an impression on Osner’s life, and the lives of junior cheerleaders like her.

“I have gained so many skills thanks to all my coaches and my friends,” Osner said.

“I have learned what I want in life and how much I love being at Northwest. I have met some of my best friends through cheer and made the best memories with them.”

PHOTO BY SKYLAR BROGAN

Eric Beatty, O.D. Andrea Beatty, O.D

16202 Midland Dr. Shawnee, KS 66217

P: 913.962.2010 F : 913.962.2013 E: westglen@wgeyecare.com www.westgleneyecare.com NW PASSAGE | sports 13

Moving On S

ix athletes sit at a table in front of a crowd of coaches, teammates, family and friends, each ready to sign the letter that commits them to play their respective sport at the next level. One by one, all

six athletes made a short speech saying their thanks to the people who have helped them succeed, both in athletics and academics. This is the Northwest spring athletic signing ceremony that was held after school,

Athletes sign letters of intent to play at the next level + BY WILL GROSS, MATTHEW OWENS & JOSHUA SHERFY

April 5 in the cafeteria. Five athletes will play at NAIA schools and one will play at a NCAA D-III school. Two will join teams in Kansas, two in Missouri, one in Nebraska and one in Wisconsin.

Athlete Name: Kara Knapp Sport: Soccer Position Played: Right defender Years on Varsity: Four Games Started: 53 School: Baker University Biggest role model: “Someone I’ve constantly looked up to and who has taught me most of what I know about the game is my previous coach Brian Roberts. He was been my coach since I was little.”

Kara Knapp

Favorite soccer memory: “My favorite memory is freshman year beating Olathe East.

They were undefeated and the best team in the league. Everyone was hyped for the rest of the season.”

PHOTO BY BROOKLYNN ROTH

Athlete Name: Annie Connor Sport: Volleyball Position Played: Middle hitter and setter Years on Varsity: Two Stats: 157 kills, 15 aces, 52 digs School: Central Methodist University Why she chose CMU: “CMU nursing program is very intense and will help me in the long run.”

Favorite volleyball memory: “My favorite memory definitely would be getting the game point to win sub-state.”

Annie Connor

PHOTO BY NICK LORINO

Athlete Name: Emily Sanders Sport: Soccer Position Played: Center Back Years on Varsity: Three Goals Scored This Season: Two School: Concordia University Biggest role models: “Erica Esch and Amelia Hoelting are doing great up at Baker and I really, really hope I can do the same.”

Favorite soccer memory: “Team dinners, for sure.”

Emily Sanders 14 APRIL 27, 2017 | Issue 08

PHOTO BY SIDNEY HENKENSIEFKEN

Name: Alix Willming Sport: Soccer Position Played: Forward/Midfield Years on Varsity: Three Total Career Goals Scored: 10 School: Baker University Why she chose Baker: “I chose Baker because everyone made me feel so welcome and the campus overall was the perfect size for me. I also love not being far from home so I can see my family whenever I want.”

Alix Willming

Favorite soccer memory: “My favorite memory was when I scored my very first varsity goal my freshman year against SM West.”

PHOTO BY BROOKLYNN ROTH

Name: Davia Clarke Sport: Track Years on Varsity: Three Events Run: 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash Personal Record: 26.42 School: University of Wisconsin – Stout Biggest role model: “I really look up to my teammates and my coach [Justin Stigge] because he is such a great person to talk to whenever I doubt myself and lack confidence.”

Davia Clarke

Favorite track memory: “My favorite memory was going to state for the first time and sitting down to play cards with my team in a secret area far away from the actual track.”

PHOTO BY SHELBY BEAUMONT

Athlete Name: Ashley Ard Sport: Soccer Position: Forward Years on Varsity: Three Total Career Goals Scored: 10 School: Evangel University Biggest role model: “My dad has always been my role model. He was my coach until eighth grade and he always taught me the important lessons that had nothing to do with a soccer ball, like perseverance and loyalty to my team.”

Ashley Ard

Favorite soccer memory: “My favorite memory is from last year, the SM West game.

We played so well as a team. I was so proud and we didn’t even win. That game was an example of why I love this sport.”

PHOTO BY PIPER SCHUERMAN

NW PASSAGE | sports 15

“

We all read poetry in English class and we all read Shakespeare, but slam [poetry] is a completely different environment that opens up the real possibilities of poetry writing.

It’s important for kids to know they have a voice and that people agree with them or feel their pain. ”

— SENIOR CLAIRE HUTCHINSON

PHOTO BY ABIGAIL ROBERTS