the Northwest Passage — Issue 3 by Northwest Passage

vol. 43 | issue 3 | oct. 28, 2011

northwest

photo illustration by david freyermuth

THE SOCIAL CONNECTION

The vast number of online networking sites has led to a new way for information to spread, and a different world. on page 13

fall fever

Along with changing weather and colorful leaves, fall brings a host of pumpkin treats.

crossing the line

Students can be removed from sporting events for inappropriate behavior.

[

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Introduces:

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northwest

PASSAGE | CONTENTS

Issue 4 | Vol. 43 | Nov. 18, 2011 Shawnee Mission Northwest 12701 West 67th St., Shawnee, Kan., 66216

NEWS

FEATURES

recognizing outstanding educators

currently

Associate principal Lisa Gruman was recently honored with the prestigious Milken Educator Award. Pop culture and news from around the world

brothers and sisters

from the front of the class

photo by Kate Jacobsen

RECOGNIZING OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS

OPINIONS inspired to inspire

The news of new siblings motivated one staff member to turn himself into something they could be proud of.

thank a teacher

Educators deserve recognition for the hard work they do for students.

reviews

New education iniatives taking steps toward more 21st century skills emphasize the importance of being part of or student organizations.

SPORTS 08

ENTERTAINMENT J. Edgar, Evan Shinn’s Absence of Love, Coldplay’s Mylo Xyloto, Super Hyper Hydrator, H&M’s collection by Versace, Grimm, Florence + the Machine’s Ceremonials

While birth order isn’t a theory that can be proven with numbers, many people agree that the order they were born in impacts who they become and their relationship with their siblings.

18 FROM THE

FRONT OF THE CLASS

photo by Nate Compton

iron will

S-E-Ceding

Senior Abby Gomer was the youngest competitor in this year’s Florida Ironman, a 140.6 mile triathlon. The breakup of the University of Kansas and University of Missouri rivalry is something that will negatively impact both the fans and the teams.

northwest

[ staff ]

Co-editors-in-chief | Maria Davison + David Freyermuth

Graphic Artist | Mitch Feyerherm News Editor | Hayley Battenberg Opinions Editors | Maria Davison + David Freyermuth

EDITOR’S NOTE: Sadly, I can’t say that I’ve ever had a Xanga. The same goes for AIM and, yes, even MySpace. I’ve never been that into social networking. I have a Facebook that I check regularly, but my Twitter and Google+ accounts are just shy of being completely ignored. While I have managed to waste significant amounts of time looking through my friends’ photos (and my friends’ friends’ photos), I probably don’t spend anywhere near the average nine hours a week that teens spend on social networking sites, according to a report by the national school boards association. But what’s most interesting about social media is how small it makes our world. I have a friend who moved to Canada, and for the last four years, we’ve managed to keep in touch through Facebook messages. It took the Occupy Wall Street protests less than a month to spread to 900 cities around the world, all with the help of Tumblr and other social networking sites (page 14). In fact, all of the major international revolutions of the last year have in some way been aided by social networking. And because social media has become such a big part of these movements, so many more people have had a chance to get their voices heard. While it’s great when used for these purposes, social networking isn’t just for them. It was originally for helping people connect and communicate, and that’s exactly what we, as high school students, do with it. Social networking is our future; we’ll use it in our careers and, of course, in our social lives. It’s such an integral part of our lives that we should be able to use it in education and learning (page 8.) And because we’re the ones using them now, future social networking giants will be designed around how we use them, so that hopefully, they can be as useful to future generations as they were to us.

Maria Davison Co-Editor-in-Chief

Entertainment Editor | Ashlee Crane Sports Editors | Logan Coffman + Brady Klein Staff Writers | Jeffery Allen, Sam Bellmyer, Michael Catt, Rachel Ferencz, Baili Mcpheeters, Evan Shinn, Connor Thompson, Paige Waltman, Zoe Weber, + Eric Zoellner

Adviser | Susan Massy

Oct. 28, 2011

The purpose of the Northwest Passage is to relay important and interesting information to the community, administration and students of the Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. As a newsmagazine, the Northwest Passage will cater to the interests and concerns of the student body. Outside concerns and activities will only be covered if they somehow affect the school or students. the Northwest Passage is a 24-page newsmagazine. The paper will be distributed every three weeks during fifth 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 a solution. In these cases, the co-editors-in-chief will the have final say in all decisions. Letters to the editor will be accepted and encouraged, but will only be published if signed. 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 co-editors-in-chief reserves the right to refuse any letter.

IN BRIEF NHS inducts 100 new members National Honor Society held its induction ceremony at 7 p.m. Monday in the auditorium. More than 100 juniors and seniors were inducted. All inductees have a 3.5 or higher GPA. Based on NHS’s four pillars — scholarship, leadership, service and character — membership was determined by votes from a faculty counsel. “They have to prove that they’ve done at least 20 hours of service to get membership and are a leader of some sort of organization, activity, or sport here, at Northwest or in the community,” NHS sponsor Janine Deines said. “The character part is determined based on school behavior.” During the ceremony, officers explained the four pillars of the organization, principal Bill Harrington spoke. Then, newly inducted members pledged and NHS pins were distributed. “I really enjoyed it when we got our candles and pledged together,” senior Grant Pittrich said. “It was very illuminating.”

StuCo organizes headstart halloween carnival Student Council will host the Headstart Halloween carnival on Oct. 29. Headstart is a philanthropic organization dedicated to the education and development of Kansas children. Both Headstart members and Shawnee Mission students younger than third grade are invited to attend. “The carnival started off as just a benefit for Headstart, but over the years it has become so popular that StuCo expanded it to the Shawnee Mission schools,” senior Halloween Carnival coordinator Austin Tyler said. Children will play games run by student volunteers in the mall to win candy and prizes. StuCo plans to set up 13 games for the children to play, including a cake walk and a spooky mad scientist station. In addition, roughly 15 clubs will decorate the “Haunted Hallways” (first and second hallways) and hand out candy. “We want to give kids in our community who normally don’t get candy for Halloween, the opportunity to trick-or-treat,” Tyler said. The Halloween carnival also gives children, as well as student volunteers, a chance to wear their Halloween costumes. StuCo expects 250 children to attend. The carnival starts at 6 p.m. and is open to any SM student in third grade or younger.

by eric zoellner

by evan shinn

SME hosts 49th annual college clinic

Senior Baylee Birkmeyer lights the candle of knowledge in the NW auditorium on Oct. 24th. Birkmeyer had been chosen as secretary for the National Honor Society. photo by Johnny Tong

Students and parents navigated through the jam-packed halls of SM East during the annual College Clinic on Oct. 12, where hundreds were in attendance. Parents and students made their way into the main gymnasium, where hundreds of colleges and universities had booths set up for people to take brochures and talk with alumni. A total of 420 colleges attended the convention, ranging in size from small private liberal arts colleges like Dartmouth, to large public universities like Michigan. “[Students] should go because it would be the easiest way to get one-on-one discussion with someone from the university, and you don’t have to miss school spending time and money on visits,” junior Joey Kendrick said. Kendrick took the time to go to the clinic because he had a list of colleges he was planning on researching. “I found a lot of information out about admissions,” Kendrick said. “For example I realized that I can’t go to the University of Michigan because they require two years of foreign language and I haven’t taken any foreign language.” The little things that students can learn about schools they have interest in is what Kendrick says makes going to the fair worthwhile. “I would definitely recommend it to any underclassman looking to get ahead on the college process,” Kendrick said.

by logan coffman

in brief

Pop culture and news from around the world.

compiled by Connor Thompson graphics by bailey kopp

You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future, you have to trust in something: your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life,” — Apple founder Steve Jobs said in a 2005

1 IN 2 MEN

speech at Stanford. Jobs passed away Oct. 5. (cnn.com)

14% of Americans use their mobile phones for social networking. (cnn.com Oct. 19, 2010)

John Graham, a 42-year-old lawyer from Leawood, has filed suit against Facebook. He claims the site tracked his location illegally on his computer while he was logged out of the site. The Federal Wiretap Act prohibits interception of wire, oral or electronic users, including Facebook members, in the United States.

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE IS THE SIXTH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES Mt. Kilimanjaro is

19,340 ft. tall

$43.52 the cost for a gallon of Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte

AND 1 IN 3 WOMEN

WILL GET SOME SORT OF

CANCER IN THEIR LIFETIME

“NO LONGER WILL BANKS TAKE OUR HOMES. NO LONGER WILL BANKS ROB STUDENTS OF OUR FUTURE. NO LONGER WILL BANKS DESTROY THE ENVIRONMENT. NO LONGER WILL BANKS FUND THE MISERY OF WAR. NO LONGER WILL BANKS CAUSE MASSIVE UNEMPLOYMENT. AND NO LONGER WILL BANKS CREATE AND PROFIT FROM ECONOMIC CRISIS WITHOUT A STRUGGLE,” — the message from Occupy Wall Street’s Facebook

page. The protesters have been in Times Square since Sept. 17 (cnn.com)

Oct. 28, 2011

LIVING THROUGH CANCER Cancer may be the United States’ second deadliest disease, but more people survive it than not.

BY THE NUMBERS 11.7 MILLION Americans with a history of cancer alive in January 2007

80—90% of breast cancers are detected by mammograms

1 IN 3

cancer deaths are due to physical inactivity and poor nutrition

FIVE-YEAR SURVIVAL RATES: all cancers diagnosed between 1999-2006

68% all childhood cancers combined

80% 91%

for persons with melanoma (skin cancer)

90%

for persons with breast cancer Information from the American Cancer Society

will get cancer someday. It’s not a matter of if, but when. In the last three generations of my family, more than 30 aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents have had some form of cancer — some of them more than once. My mom went to great lengths to avoid developing the family disease, undergoing voluntary surgeries to remove high-risk organs and tissues and performing and scheduling extra exams. But when she turned 49, she began noticing blood where it shouldn’t be, bumps where there weren’t any before. She went to the doctor — they told her she had stage three colorectal cancer. That day I came home to a bizarre scene. I hadn’t realized my mom was sick, or even that she had a doctor’s appointment. So, as I was walking home from the bus stop, I wasn’t expecting to find my family gathered quietly in the living room. My dad, as usual, looked mad about something, but my mother was practically giddy. I was perplexed — if someone died, my mom wouldn’t be excited. And nothing besides a death would bring my parents home from work hours early. My sister and brother seemed just as confused as I was, but they were old enough to realize something was seriously wrong. “I have colon cancer,” my mother told us. “We’re going to deal with this, and I’ll be fine.” So, we did deal with it. First we cried and had lengthy conversations, but we dealt. Mom had surgery to remove one-third of her colon, part of her large intestine and all affected lymph nodes. And then came the chemotherapy. My mom had her off days. Sometimes she couldn’t open the refrigerator because the door was too heavy and the inside too cold. Other days she would come home from work and just lie in bed, too tired to support the weight of her own body. But she also had her good days. The days when she would wake up early and go to bed late. When she could go to work, cook dinner, do laundry and still have energy. The days when I forgot she was sick at all. Cancer is a scary disease, but it isn’t a death sentence. 822,300 men and 774,370 women developed cancer in 2011, but only 36 percent of those men and 35 percent of those women died from those cases. It’s painful, expensive and exhausting for everyone involved, but cancer can be managed and dealt with. I’ve realized in retrospect how brave my mom

by hayley battenberg

was, but at the time it just seemed like continuing life normally was the only option. Everyone else in the family just continued when they developed cancer; why should she be any different? The oncologist my mother works with believes I’m predisposed to cancer. I’ll have to get mammograms annually starting at 25, 10 years before average women should. I’ll need colonoscopies annually beginning at 35, 15 years before the average recommended age. I’ll need yearly pap smears as soon as I turn 21, but thankfully that holds true for all women. I’m not welcoming the thought of developing my own cancer in the future. But I think I’ll be

CANCER IS A SCARY DISEASE, BUT IT ISN’T A DEATH SENTENCE.

prepared to handle it, with quite a bit of help from the medical world, if the time comes Thousands of doctors and scientists dedicate their lives to finding a cure for cancer. Although that goal has yet to be realized, great strides have already been made. Survival rates have gone up 18 percent in the last 50 years, lung cancer rates are steadily dropping (as is cigarette usage), mammograms are becoming more common as breast cancer awareness increases and education for early screenings is more well known in recent years than ever before. The world is more prepared to deal with cancer than in previous years, which might be the only comfort for future generations, myself included.

opinions

OPINIONS

FROM THE FRONT LINE

My predisposition to the disease has made me aware of the horrors of Alzheimer’s, and what needs to be done to help.

“W

e do not remember days; we remember moments. The richness of life lies in memories we have forgotten.” — Italian poet Cesare Pavese My family and I would know. From elementary school up until seventh grade, we had to watch as my grandpa, who used to be the strongest man I knew, slowly forgot everything: from how to feed himself, to his favorite songs that he used to know by heart, to who I was. Currently, 5.4 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease. Every day, millions of people worldwide lose more than just their “richness of life” as their memories fade. Like these millions, my grandfather withered becoming only a shell of the person he used to be. It was extremely difficult to watch and the 15 million caregivers of people with the disease have to see it every single day — but the toll isn’t just emotional. It costs Americans more than $200 billion a year to take care of these senior citizens, and with the huge number of baby boomers about to retire and go into nursing homes, that number will only increase. The outlook appears bleak. This mental illness is the sixth leading cause of death, and every 69 seconds, someone develops it.

THE MAJORITY OPINION OF the northwest passage EDITORIAL STAFF

agree

disagree

eventy-three percent of Americans between the ages of 12 and 17 use some form of social networking, according to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a non-profit health research foundation. High school students already spend an average of 31 hours online in a week, and on average, nine hours of that time is spent on social media, according to a survey by Cyber Sentinel. If some of that time were harnessed for educational purposes, think about the effect that would have on how much students learn. According to onlineschools.org, 48 percent of young Americans already use Facebook as a main source of news. But instead of finding ways to use social networking to their benefit, schools spend all their energy finding ways to keep students from accessing these sites at school. They should instead

Oct. 28, 2011

There is no complete prevention. There is no cure. But there is hope. Recently, the Obama administration began work on a National Alzheimer’s Plan which will relieve the financial burden on some of these athome caregivers as well as put money toward more research to stopping the disease. With the contentious partisan environment in Washington, D.C. is, this could end up being just another political argument. I really hope it won’t. It doesn’t matter who you are — whether you are the president or a concerned citizen, a billionaire or bankrupt, or especially a Republican or a Democrat. Every single person is at risk to develop Alzheimer’s. And for those worried about funding — yes, this probably is a lot of money. No estimated cost has been released yet but, in the long run, it could actually save taxpayers’ money. Right now, many of those receiving treatment for Alzheimer’s cannot pay for it all. That expense is covered by Medicaid, a program paid for by the citizens of the United States. But even as the world faces economic uncertainty, other countries such as England,

by brianna leyden

Australia and France have passed plans that aid in the diagnosis, research and health care training necessary to combat Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s, or even just the broader category of dementia, is a disease that affects, or will soon affect, everyone. I can’t even imagine what it would be like die not being able to recognize my loved ones, and I feel nothing but sympathy for those who have to do so. In a message to those participating in the National Alzheimer’s Project, President Obama said, “You represent the front lines of our battle against Alzheimer’s disease. You help lead the fight every day on behalf of the millions of Americans who suffer from Alzheimer’s, and the families who have to watch heartbroken as a loved one slowly slips away. It’s incredibly important work, and it’s only going to become more important … That’s why my administration is committed to doing our part to help.” Do your part to help by providing feedback about the plan. Perhaps in 50 years you won’t have to face the same terrifying emptiness of forgetting that so many already have. Sign up to become an “Alzheimer’s Advocate” on www.alz.org., the Alzheimer’s Association website.

HARNESSING THE POWER

If social media were used for educational purposes, students would be more engaged in learning. be thinking about all the ways social media could be used to help students learn. With social media, the possibilities are endless. Students could read and comment on academic articles relating to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet as the beginning of a class discussion about criticism of the work. They could post drafts of essays or thesis statements in the works for their peers to comment on ask questions about the algebra or physics or calculus problems they are struggling with. If students already use social media as a means of gathering news, why not have them post an article every week as a current event assignment? And there are a million ways beyond just those in which social media could be used as an educational tool. Teaching students about social networking would also prepare them for their future jobs. More than 30 percent of Facebook’s 800 million

users are over the age of 35. Businesses use social networking — both profiles and advertising — to promote themselves. These are the tools of the future. The social networking sites of today may not last forever, but the way we connect and communicate in our future jobs will be shaped in part by Facebook and Twitter. The Children’s Internet Protection Act, though it is providing funding to the district, is no longer protecting students from anything they can’t get to on their smartphones. As long as these social media sites are blocked at school, teachers and administration can’t use them to their full potential. Bad things can happen on them, but the benefits for educational purposes outweight the risks. Students need to be prepared to use social media in their jobs in the future, but it is also the way to engage them in school now.

ENTERTAINMENT

things

with news editor hayley battenberg photos by mikala compton and daniel magwire

Blackdog White Cow latte

I am a coffee snob; cream and sugar just aren’t enough for my tastes. Blackdog Coffee House, with dozens of syrup combinations, is my go-to caffeine stop for fancy flavors. White Cow is my absolute favorite drink from their latte menu — it’s just vanilla and chocolate added to their freetrade coffee. $4.60 for a medium

Huy Fong Foods Sambal Oelek ground chili paste Shakespeare remakes

William Shakespeare’s plays are a bit difficult for me to understand. I love the plots of his dramas and romances, however, so I sought out modernized versions. The Johnson County library Web page has a teen section, complete with book lists. Free.

Smartwool socks

Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue

This fragrance breaks the perfume stereotype. Based on aromas from the Mediterranean, the eau de toilette is simple and fresh, reminiscent of summer and beaches. It’s a bit expensive for the average high school student, but you can get free samples from most department stores. Eau de Toilette, 0.8 oz. $47 at sephora.com

Made by the same company as Sriracha chili sauce, Sambal Oelek is the answer to bland dishes. The condiment is made from extremely spicy chilies, with only a pinch of salt and preservatives added to dull the heat. I love mixing it with plain hummus or mashed avocado, to dull the burn, for an amazing pita or chip dip. $8.12 for 18 oz. at amazon.com

These are the warmest, softest and most expensive socks I own. At $20 for one pair, they might not be the most affordable, but they are worth every penny. During Kansas winters, when the weather tends to become unpleasant, these socks will keep your feet cozy and comfortable. Perfect for walking to school, shovelling the driveway or just curling up on the couch, Smartwool socks are a wise investment. Available atThe Walking Company at Oak Park Mall

thesaurus.com

It’s difficult to write an entire essay without using a few words more than once, which is why thesaurus.com comes in handy. Synonyms are important to use if you want to appear to have an expansive vocabulary. It’s free, simple to use and makes certain that the right word is being used for every situation.

nthly Mead ewr eekly/mo plannthis calendar/organizer, I think sseI’ds,

Without mework, cla state of panic. Ho always be in a es are hard to liv l cia jobs and so extracurriculars, nager should tee why I think every s cheap and juggle, which is ke ma ad Me er. e plann $20, it’s a have at least on n tha s les izers, so for easy-to-use organ t. Available at Targe smart purchase.

entertainment

REVIEWS

PEOPLE AND THINGS Jack’s Mannequin

I love a good story, and Andrew McMahon of Jack’s Mannequin certainly has one to tell. McMahon started out as the front man of the band Something Corporate. By 2005, he had left the band to focus on Jack’s Mannequin full time and was getting ready to release his debut album, Everything In Transit. But on the day McMahon finished recording Everything in Transit, he was admitted to the hospital, diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. People and Things is Jack’s Mannequin’s third studio album and the follow up to 2008’s Glass Passenger. According to McMahon, Everything in Transit, Glass Passenger and People and Things make up a three part series. They all help tell the story of what it is like to battle cancer while trying to live with a normal life. Knowing the story of McMahon’s life gives the lyrics more meaning and seduces me to fall in love with the music. Glass Passenger consisted primarily of piano-filled tracks, while Everything in Transit was more upbeat and instrumentally diverse. While I enjoyed the mellow and calm vibe of Glass Passenger, Everything In Transit is my favorite Jack’s Mannequin album. However, People and Things does a wonderful job of providing the best of both worlds. The first two tracks, “My Racing Thoughts” and “Release Me,” are the most pop-influenced songs on the album and do a good job of getting the listener’s attention. “Televison” has a nice vibe to it. It’s more synthesized and doesn’t sound like anything Jack’s has released before. “Amelia Jean” has a contagiously catchy chorus and is one of my favorites. The rest of the album includes songs such as “Casting Lines” and “Restless Dream.” They don’t taint the quality of the album, but, after a while, some of the tunes start to sound identical and I lost interest. Overall, I’m thrilled with the latest Jack’s Mannequin release. It’s a band I’ve been listening to for years, and I wasn’t disappointed.

courtesy of www.jacksmannequin.com

by paige waltman

THE ESCAPIST The Escapist website is one of those things that nobody seems to know about, aside from one single person per city who talks to every other one guy through the forums. I discovered the Escapist just as everyone else did, through the reviewer Yahtzee. After searching ‘Fable,’ up came a retro video review. I took a look and found myself having to pause the video at least three times to stop myself from laughing. I was disappointed that the writer had only done one other video, and then I noticed that he was registered on the Escapist under the name ‘Zero Punctuation.’ I had no idea what this was, so I clicked on the link. As I searched around the Escapist, I found a series of other videos, including the LoadingReadyRun sketch comedy group, and their offshoot Unskippable. Beyond than that, there were a few no longer syndicated shows that were

Oct. 28, 2011

good for a few laughs, and not much else. At first, of course, I thought it was merely comedy and some weak journalism. And, for clarity’s sake, this means really, really bad journalism. I’m not joking when I say that Highlights Magazine has some top tier writers compared to a few of the journalists populating The Escapist’s News Section. Along with a few entertaining features, I was surprised to find a few honestly objective reviews, because as humorous as Yahtzee happens to be, you can’t trust most of what he says. I was surprised at the quality and depth of the reviews that the Escapist had. When I delved in deeper I loved what I found — another reviewer, MovieBob, who is one of the best movie reviewers to hit the Internet, and likely anywhere. His articles are engaging, intelligent, and unpretentious. He’s a grand go-to for any movie you may possibly wish to see.

The ads get fairly annoying when you watch a lot in a row, as I think I could make all the sound effects from the Rift trailer right now. Also, you can sense the comedy getting a little stale in anything that isn’t Zero Punctuation or has to do with LoadingReadyRun, and you can’t really show your parents how funny Yahtzee’s reviews can be because they contain the most swearing since swearing was invented. But those complaints are all minute compared to the quality that you can access on The Escapist. If you have any positive feelings toward video games, open up the nearest Internet browser, type in ‘escapistmagazine.com’ and don’t leave your house for the next few days.

by sam bellmyer

THE THREE MUSKETEERS The Three Musketeers isn’t exactly quality cinema, but it’s hardly the worst movie in theaters. Maybe the first 15 minutes are extremely hokey and unoriginal. Maybe the special effects guy went a little crazy with the stop-action introductions. Maybe Orlando Bloom is the worst villain in history, flamboyant and dependent on others for his crimes. But, after those unpromising first scenes, I was surprised to find myself truly enjoying the movie. Once I got past Bloom’s terrible acting as an evil mastermind, it became clear that all the other parts were cast wonderfully. Matthew Macfadyen (Pride & Prejudice, Death at a Funeral) played a brooding and wounded character like always, but Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil, The Fifth Element) stepped out of her usual comfort zone, as a clever leading lady. She was criminal, cunning and completely unpredictable, a role most wouldn’t associate with the Ukrainian actress. Newcomer Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Hoot) even managed to impress me as the reckless and fresh-faced D’Artagnan. And, although I probably should have been swooning at Lerman, who courtesy of constantin film is more age-appropriate, it was Luke Evans (Robin Hood, Clash of the Titans) as Aramis who melted my heart. Even though the acting was amazing, without the intense action sequences, this film could have been a huge flop. Thanks to slow-motion sword fights and mid-air ship battles, though, the edge-of-your-seat rush was not lost. My only problem with the movie was the ending, or lack thereof. I suppose the studio is planning a sequel, because the enormity of the cliffhanger could only serve that purpose. If you had asked me three days ago if this movie had potential, I would’ve told you no. Now, though, I don’t doubt the merit of The Three Musketeers.

by hayley battenberg

Editor’s Pick

PIZZA WEST photos by aaron messick It’s safe to say that pizza and I have a history. I could eat pizza every day of my life and never get tired of it. I have to have quality food if I’m going to spend my money on it, and quality is exactly what I get from Pizza West. The place has an odd look. Lights hang above the tables, but none of them match. The mismatched style gives the restaurant a fresh look and feel, while the graffiti on the wall makes it seem like a New York City pizzeria. With their variety of choices, like specialty salads, Mama’s Lasagna and West Wings, Pizza West offers much more than just pizza. The Shawnee, lasagna is fantastic, 5436 Roberts, KS 66226 with its cheesy, Located in the NE corner of K-7 and Johnson saucy goodness, Drive. and really hits the spot at the times when I’m craving pasta. Of course, pizza is the most important dish at this locally-owned pizzeria. There are the signature craft pizzas, like Hulala (which, as you can probably gather from the name, contains pineapple and Canadian bacon) and Margherita, which has five different cheeses for a fabulous cheese experience. They both sound like heaven to me. When none of these signature pizzas sound quite right, you can always build your own pizza. First step: The combinations are

endless and you’ll have to start by selecting one of eight different sauces. I didn’t even know there were that many types of pizza sauce. Next step: Add a topping.The long list of toppings includes veggies ranging from sauerkraut to pickles, and cheeses from feta to St. Louis style, which is a blend of three different cheeses. Last step: Buy your masterpiece. The prices are fairly reasonable for such variety and freedom Hours: to do your pizza Sunday to Thursday 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM your own way. If you Friday & Saturday are all alone with 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM no one to share the Lunch Buffet experience with, the Everyday 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM 5” pizza for $3.99 is Dinner Buffet a great deal. But if Sunday you have a bigger 5:00 PM to Close Monday appetite or find 5:00 PM to Close someone to share Wednesday with, the bigger 5:00 PM to Close pizzas ranging from $9.79 to $29.79 (the price for the Big Brutus: 26” of sheer deliciousness and the self-proclaimed “biggest pie in Shawnee”) are just what you need when you have a hankering for some sauce, cheese and one topping on a mouthwatering crust. I’m fairly certain that Pizza West is one of my favorite pizza joints in Shawnee. The food is fantastic, the service is exceptional and the prices are extremely reasonable. I couldn’t ask for much more when pizza is the topic because I can get pretty particular when we’re talking about my favorite food.

by ashlee crane

courtesy of constantin film

reviews

FALL FEVER

As the leaves change and the weather gets cooler, more and and more restaurants, coffee shops and ice cream places are getting into the fall spirit. For people who like pumpkin, this is the opportune time of the year to try the best pumpkin treats in town. by baili mcpheeters and paige waltman

photos by paige waltman

PUMPKIN ICE CREAM Aunt Jean’s: $3.37 (for a small)

PUMPKIN BREAD Scooter’s Price: $2.47

Aunt Jean’s is a locally owned gelato shop that is known for making new flavors every week. Their pumpkin gelato is a sweet treat. It’s filling and has a natural pumpkin taste.

Scooter’s pumpkin bread is topped with cinnamon-sugar and pecans. It has a mild taste, lacks flavor and is very dry. The pecans are a pleasant twist and Scooters offers the most generous serving of bread, but it still isn’t worth the price.

Panera Price: $1.29

Panera’s pumpkin muffin top is sprinkled with powdered sugar and packed with flavor. It is the smallest piece out of the three, but is also the cheapest and the most reasonably priced. It has a strong pumpkin taste, especially compared to Scooter’s.

Dairy Queen: $2.60 (for a mini) The Dairy Queen’s Pumpkin Spice Blizzard has the most pumpkin flavor to it, yet it seems artificial. It has whipped cream with cinnamon on top and pumpkin bits mixed it, but is over-priced for the small portion.

Starbucks Price: $2.45

Starbuck’s pumpkin bread with pistachios on top is by far the best of the three. The bread is very dense and made for a fulfilling snack. The pistachios add a unique kick and the pumpkin spices are very nsoticeable. It is definitely worth the price.

Sheridans: $5.06 (for a regular)

The Sheridan’s Blizzard Concrete was by far the best. It has the least amount of pumpkin taste to it, but the spices and custard mixture are delicious. You might be a fan even if you don’t particularly like pumpkin. It’s very filling and well worth the money.

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE Starbucks: $4.08 (12 fl. oz.)

If you like a weaker coffee taste, this would be your best choice. It definitely has a pumpkin flavor present, but it’s not too overwhelming. It’s a good drink, it’s just a matter of whether it’s worth the cost.

Black Dog: $4.09 (16 fl. oz.)

Black Dog’s pumpkin spice latte has the strongest coffee taste. There is just a hint of pumpkin, and the real foam makes for a more natural tasting cup of coffee.

Phillips 66: $1.08 (16 fl. oz.)

This “coffee” tastes like it’s 95 percent artificial pumpkin flavor and 5 percent coffee. If you’re looking for something sweet to keep you warm this winter, then this reasonably priced drink is perfect for you.

Oct. 28, 2011

the social connection:

by michael catt, ashlee crane, maria davison and rachel ferencz

ON AVERAGE,

teens spend nine hours a week on social networking sites, like Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. For students, that time is used to connect and communicate with their friends. And in many ways, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beneficial to students. Using social media can improve communication and social interaction skills, among other benefits. But some disagree, saying that the negative impacts of social media â&#x20AC;&#x201D; like addiction and privacy issues â&#x20AC;&#x201D; outweigh the benefits. graphic by bailey kopp

unior Claire Gordon, like many of her friends, checks her Facebook about once a day, “just for new notifications.” But she gets on her Tumblr four or five times during the day. “For me [Tumblr] is a lot more interesting and a lot more personal,” Gordon said. “The people on [Tumblr] don’t bug me as much [as people on Facebook]. I like it so much better than Facebook.” Tumblr is a micro-blogging platform from which users can post photos, text, videos, audio and links and follow other Tumblr blogs. The difference between Tumblr and other social networking sites is that users can also choose to keep their profiles private. “[Tumblr] is for people who want a place to vent,” junior Aaron Bullard said. “It’s like a virtual journal.” Founded in 2007, Tumblr surpassed the 20 million blogs mark this June. That figure is now quickly approaching 28 million. According to comScore the number of visitors to the site in July was up 218 percent from the same time last year. Gordon has noticed the increase in use. “I feel like [Tumblr] is growing a lot,” Gordon said. “I find out people have Tumblrs all the time.” While Gordon enjoys using Tumblr, she hopes the site doesn’t grow to be as large as Facebook, which now has more than 800 million users, because one of the benefits of Tumblr is the feeling of privacy and closeness it creates. “The majority of people [at school] don’t know that I have a Tumblr,” Gordon said. “It’s so personal that, at least for me, I’m perfectly fine with having only 12 or 13 people following me, whereas on Facebook there are 500 people who

can see what you’re posting.“ Although Tumblr is used as a personal blogging website, it has also had recent international political implications. The “We are the 99 percent” Tumblr page was created weeks before any Occupy Wall Street protests actually broke out in New York. Americans suffering from the worldwide recession posted photos of handwritten signs telling the stories of their economic woes. And since the protests began in New York in mid-September, they have spread — aided by social media — to more than 900 cities worldwide. Occupy Wall Street isn’t the first international event to be charged by social networking. A record number of Tweets — 177 million, exceeding the daily average by 37 million — were sent on March 11 in response to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The Green Movement in Iran — after the Iranian presidential election in 2009 — was dubbed the Twitter Revolution and Egypt’s uprising last winter the Facebook Revolution. With all of its recent growth, social media can now have a profound impact on people and movements around the world. But for most high school students, who spend an average of nine hours every week on social networking sites, according to the study Creating and Connecting by the National School Boards Association, the sites are all about staying connected with the people they meet. “What [people are] really interested in is what’s going on with the people they care about,” Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a Deseret News article. “It’s all about giving people the tools and controls that they need to be comfortable sharing the information that they want. If you do that, you create a very valuable service.” According to a report by the American Academy

of Pediatrics (AAP), social media can improve communication, social interaction and technical skills in teens and young adults. It gives them opportunities to get involved with volunteer work and can “shape their sense of identity.” “I think [social media’s] effect on people depends on the person and how absorbed they are [by it],” Bullard said. “Some people are always posting pictures to get “likes” and are always checking their homepage. They use it as a way to gain self esteem.” Junior Nicole Fuchs, who uses Facebook everyday, sees it for these benefits. “I think it’s a good thing because you can connect with people that you wouldn’t normally talk to,” Fuchs said. Increased communication, even if that communication is online, strengthens relationships, according to procon.org, a website that presents all sides of controversial issues. New relationships can be formed online, bringing people with common interests together and offering exposure to ideas and customs from different cultures and other parts of the world. Twitter is another social networking site exploding with more and more users everyday. Twitter users send an average of 140 million tweets per day, according to techcrunch.com. That number is up an average of 50 million Tweets per day from this time last year. Senior Madi Knight can vouch for this fact. “I Tweet way too much, sometimes up to ten times a day,” Knight said. Sending a Tweet takes about as much time as sending a text. Senior Aaron Terrill uses the texting feature for Twitter. “I can choose to follow people by text message, and I almost always send out Tweets from my phone by text rather than sending it on the

SOCIAL NETWORKING THROUGH THE YEARS: timeline information from seodesk.org

AOL Instant Messaging is created by Barry Appelman and Stephen D. William

1997

2002 Friendster is created by Jonathan Abrams. Today, Friendster is popular in Asia.

Tom Anderson launches MySpace after only 10 days of coding and development

2003

computer,” Terrill said. Tweets have a maximum of 140 characters, much less than a Facebook status, but the constant need to know where everyone is or what they’re doing is what is seemingly driving the people toward using Twitter. “Everybody is on Twitter because everyone wants to be updated constantly,” Knight said. People’s ability to be more open and honest on Twitter is something that Twitter users like Knight find interesting. “People are much more honest about what they’re actually doing on Twitter than on Facebook. You can tell that there are certain Tweets that people would never set as their status on Facebook,” Knight said. Using social media, teachers and leaders of organization have found new ways to communicate with their students. Science teacher Sarah Moles is using Facebook to connect with members of Health Careers Club, which she sponsors. “We made a group on Facebook, and I made it a closed group, so students have to ask to join,” Moles said. “I told the students in class to go home and join.” She uses the group to post articles related to the medical field or websites that might be interesting to the group members. She also posts when the next meeting will be. “I think Facebook is a good reminder,” Moles said. “If [students] don’t remember what I said, or they forget, I’m pretty sure they check their Facebook, so they’re going to see it. I know almost every student has a Facebook, and they check them. It’s the easiest and fastest way to communicate with a lot of students.” According to the report by the National School Boards Association, 59 percent of online students use social media to discuss education-related topics like news, careers, jobs, politics, religion, school work or college. English teacher Fran Koenigsdorf also has a Facebook, which she uses to connect with former and current students. She was introduced to Facebook by her son when he was in college. “I thought it was really neat. It would be a way for me to connect with people that I went to high school and college

87%

of all people in America are aware of what Twitter is.

37% of people log-in on a mobile device.

48%

of the Twitter demographic is in college.

3 years, 2 months and 1 day to get to the

1 BILLIONTH

information from www.marketinggum.com and www.huffingtonpost.com

Bebo was founded by Michael Birch but was sold to AOL for $850 million in 2008

2004 Flickr was originally created by Ludicorp and was later aquired by Yahoo! in 2005

Co-founders Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin launch Thefacebook.com

2005

Former PayPal employees Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim create YouTube

with who I had lost touch with,” Koenigsdorf said. Koenigsdorf had more than 800 Facebook friends, significantly more than the average 130. She said that around 600 of those friends are current or former students. “I don’t initiate friendships with anyone other than people my own age or my relatives,” Koenigsdorf said. “But if a student asks me to be their friend, I accept them.” Even after hearing all the recent controversy about inappropriate contact between students and teachers through social media sites, Koenigsdorf still believes that teachers should have some connection to Facebook and that being connected with students is acceptable as long as the contact is public and appropriate. “I think all teachers should know what Facebook is,” Koenigsdorf said. “I think it can be used improperly, but hopefully the teachers are professional and using it properly.” While social networking offers many benefits, it can also have a negative impact on those using it. “I’m pretty sure I have a problem,” sophomore Daniel Kashani said. “I spend around three hours on Facebook [a day]. That doesn’t include when I’m messaging my friends from my phone with the [Facebook] app. I even signed up for a Twitter account; my friends are trying to convince me it’s better.” One psychologist has given this condition a name: Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD), and a supposed 350 million people suffer from it. Diagnosis of FAD is based on six symptoms of which patients must exhibit at least two or three in a six-to-eight month period. Symptoms include withdrawal, a decrease in normal social or recreational activities and friending strangers. “It surprises me that [Facebook] has such an addictive quality for young people,” Koenigsdorf said. “I know that students tend to use it one or more hours a day. That really amazes me because I get on it once or twice a week just to see what people have put on there — maybe photographs, or if they’ve sent me something. I just don’t have the

2006 Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams and Biz Stone launch Twitter

Tumblr is founded by David Karp

2007

compulsive urge to check it as frequently as today’s students.” For some, sleep deprivation can be one of the main effects of this constant influx of information. “I’m overwhelmed by Facebook and Twitter,” sophomore Lauren Smith said. “I receive texts from Twitter and always find an excuse to get on Facebook and procrastinate on my homework. This keeps me up until midnight on school days sometimes.” Another concern with social networking is privacy. Junior Sarah Hansen’s parents have noticed this specific issue and taken measures to protect her from the possible dangers that can occur when publicly displaying personal information. They do this by avoiding it all together: Hansen isn’t allowed to have a Facebook. “[My parents] think that [social media] can be good or bad, but mostly bad,” Hansen said. “It opens you up to be more vulnerable to dangers like Internet predators. I agree with that on some levels, but there are security settings that can be put into place.” Hansen, though she doesn’t have personal experience with social networking sites, understands why they are such a large aspect of socialization and communication in society in this day and age. “I think it’s really important that this generation perceives it as important,” Hansen said, “but in other ways it limits your social activity if all you’re doing is staring at a computer screen and not actually getting out there and doing stuff. [Speaking to people in person] is more sincere than over Facebook.” Koenigsdorf also sees Facebook as a way to relate to students and keep up with what they are doing. “It’s a way to show students that you’re current, that you know what’s going on and that you’re keeping pace with today’s technology,” Koenigsdorf said. “Facebook has practically become a coordination of the Internet. Almost anything that you get on on the Internet has a link to get to Facebook. It’s a very important aspect [of student life].”

Google releases Google Buzz, but announces in Oct. 2011 that it will be discontinued.

2008

2010 facebook’s active

user count reaches

100 MILLION

Sergey Brin and Larry Page create Google Plus +

2011

Why I don’t need Facebook

by brady klein

Facebook was never a major priority of mine. I spent about 20 minutes a day on Facebook. I was never addicted — but, I felt like I was. Every time I would get on the computer, I would make a quick detour to Facebook first. I would get on the site and check the top left corner to see if I had any new notifications. I was always excited if someone accepted my friend request or commented on my status. Only after I checked all my notifications and messages would I log out. Finally, one day I decided that there was no need for Facebook anymore. There was no need for any social networking sites, period. I got rid of my Facebook in mid-July, and have never had a desire to bring it back. Being done with Facebook has made my life so much simpler. I no longer have to worry about hiding anything from my mom, accidentally offending anyone or posting a lame status. I feel liberated from the binding social networking site that I used to center my life around. Facebook is time-consuming and pointless. If you want to stay in contact with old friends, get their numbers and call or text them. Or better yet, help out the US Postal Service by mailing them a nice little letter. If you want people to know your personal information then write and publish your autobiography. And best of all, if you want to know if your ex is dating someone new, go up and ask them. Facebook might have made social life easier, but it did not make social life. With my incredibly outgoing personality, I am doing just fine without Facebook. Facebook has made people less social. I mean, why go up and talk to someone when you can just send them a Facebook message? We all hide behind a computer screen and say whatever we want to say, but when it comes to talking to someone in person we are more tentative than ever. I am not advocating approaching and cussing at someone you don’t like, or unleashing offensive comments everywhere you go. Simply stop relying on Facebook to be social for you. We all have the capabilities of communicating in person, so we should just do it. Yes, I say “we” because I cannot exclude myself from this stereotype. Even though my account is deactivated, I have been there before. Simply put, I beat Facebook. I realized why it is unnecessary, and why nobody needs it. Not having a Facebook has relieved stress and made my life better. I do understand the reasons for which it has been invented, and I am certainly not condemning anyone who has it. I just wish our population wasn’t so reliant on it.

500,000,000

AC T I V E U S E R S

(1 IN EVERY 13 PEOPLE ON EARTH)

206.2 MILLION INTERNET USERS

U.S.

IN THE

OPINION

71.2%

OF U.S. WEB AUDIENCE IS ON

facebook

70% of userbase is outside the U.S.

927 MILLION HOURS

PER MONTH ARE SPENT PL AYING

FACEBOOK GAMES.

57%

of people socialize more online than they do in person.

The average Facebook

user has around

130 friends

48%

of adolescent Americans are informed about news through Facebook.

information from trak.in/tags/ business/2010/02/01/social-media-statisticsfacebook-twitter-flickr-linkedin/ www.onlineschools.org/blog/facebook-obsession/

homecoming 2011

(1) Freshmen Harrison Chen, Tom Green, and Jillian Borel ride on the back of the freshmen float for the 2011 Homecoming parade. Their float won second over all. Photo by Grace Amundson. (2) Sophomores Emily Daly and Ben Higginbotham slow dance at Homecoming on Oct. 15. Photo by Carleigh Whitman. (3) Senior Isabel Zacharias strums her ukelele while singing to “Hey Ya!” at the homecoming assembly on Oct. 12. Photo by Brittany Bonsignore. (4) Senior Connor Holman walks senior Abby Hoelting down the football feild at SMN after she was crowned 1st runner up for homecoming queen on Oct. 14. Hoelting was nominated by student council, boys’ cross country and German club. Photo by Nate Compton (5) Senior Anthony Yates pours syrup on his home-made waffles at the homecoming breakfast on Oct. 12 held at senior Jake Gipple’s house before school. Photo by Bailey Kopp (6) Senior Kaylee Trost performs the varsity drill team routine to “Can’t Touch It” at the homecoming assembly on Oct. 12. Photo by Brittany Bonsignore. (7) Senior Grant Pittrich juggles for the senior float on Saturday Oct. 8 at the Homecoming parade. The senior’s float took second behind the freshmen for the float competition. Photo by Aaron Messick.

2 3

6 7 2010 Homecoming Queen Gwen Devonshire crowns senior Rachel Ferencz during halftime on Oct. 14 at the SMN Stadium. Ferencz was nominated by journalism. “I didn’t know I was so well respected by my peers. It was an honor to have everyone come up to me and tell me how proud they were of me; that’s never happened to me before,” Ferencz said. Photo by Sarah Dean.

CROSSING

THE LINE Many students like to show school spirit with passionate cheers and unique displays of fan attire, but when their spirit is outside the bounds of what is acceptable, students can be removed from sporting events. by logan coffman

sports photo illustration by bailey kopp

enior Joanna Taylor painted the last touches of the black G on her stomach. The plan was simple — when the game started, she and four friends would stand together in the crowd and lift their shirts to reveal the word “C-O-U-G-S.” For Taylor, however, the night wouldn’t end with cheers. The evening ended as she was escorted out of the stadium by police. The Kansas State High School Activities Association’s (KSHSAA) Rule 52 clearly defines unacceptable behavior (see sidebar). Taylor found out just how strictly these code of conduct rules can be enforced. “I was just really frustrated that they took it like I was disrespecting our school,” Taylor said. Taylor was removed from the football game against West on Sept. 9. While body painting does not violate Rule 52, it is an issue that NW administrators have dealt with for a very long time, according to associate principal Tom Moss. “[Body painting] is something that comes up almost every year,” Moss said. “It is something that may not be spelled out in the handbook, but it is something that we ask our students not to display. We have held this position for many years and most of the time when we ask students to cover up, they do.” “We all had clothes on, which covered up the letters and, when the game started, we all just pulled up our shirts to show the letters,” Taylor said. “[Associate principal Lisa] Gruman and Moss came running over to us and said that if we did it again then they would kick us out. We were all kind of confused as to why they made such a big deal out of it. When they went away, I lifted my shirt slightly and Moss saw me.” “[Taylor] was asked by Ms. Gruman to not do something, she was warned, and then she did it again,” Moss said. “She defied an administrator after being warned. I felt that was grounds for removal.” He and the police escorted Taylor out of the stadium. “I just went home after that, kind of humiliated,” Taylor said. Taylor’s painted friends were allowed to stay at the game and cheer after she was removed.

“MY BEHAVIOR HAD APPARENTLY BEEN GOING ON FOR TOO LONG. I WAS BANNED FROM ALL NW SPORTING EVENTS FOR THE YEAR.”

— Senior Boris Huston

Oct. 28, 2011

“I felt like a criminal the way I was treated. All I was trying to do was show a little school spirit,” Taylor said. “Basically if they go on their own accord, it’s not an issue,” Gruman said. It’s when students fail to leave that administrators feel that they must escort the offender out. Administrators have the difficult task of making sure that students adhere to the sportsmanship rules of the Sunflower League and KSHSAA rules. They have the right to censure the student body’s behavior at school events, otherwise things might become chaotic, reflecting poorly on Northwest. While Taylor’s actions may have fallen into the gray area of what is stated in rule 52, another instance involving senior Boris Huston was a clear black and white violation of the rule. Huston was cheering at a varsity boys’ soccer game when his frustration with the referees boiled over. “I was irritated with the terrible calls that had been happening, so I finally snapped and shouted at the top of my lungs, “Are you freaking kidding me? This is such [expletive]!” Huston said. “LyDay then came up to me and said, ‘You’re done. See ya.’ I said, ‘I know.’ Then I left.” Instead of simply being removed from one sporting event, Huston’s senior year of being as a “Cougar Crazie” evaporated. Foul language is not tolerated at Northwest or any school-sponsored activity. Huston admits that his choice of words could have been better. Huston was called to LyDay’s office the day following the game. “My behavior had apparently been going on for too long,” Huston said. “I was banned from all NW sporting events for the year.” As a senior, it was hard for Huston to hear that he wouldn’t be allowed to attend any more sporting events. “This situation is aggravating because the players thanked me for being so loud and supportive,” Huston said. “Then I got banned for the whole year. I was talking with [varsity soccer player] Connor Holman the other day and he was saying that at one of the games not a single cheer was started other than the “Olé” that follows a NW goal. When I went to the games, we went through every cheer we knew at least twice.” “Students like Huston and Taylor who like to get creative are awesome,” Holman said. “They are helpful to our sports teams because they can get us so pumped up.” Although the repercussions of his actions were grave, in hindsight Huston respects the administration’s reasons for punishing him. “Although people have probably heard me complaining about the decision that banned me from sporting events, I understand the administration’s point of view,” Huston said. “They want us to have fun, but there has to be a line. I crossed that line and now I just have to keep my nose clean and hope for the best.”

RULE

Booingorhecklinganofficial’s decision; criticizing the merits of officiating; displays of temper and arguing with an official’s call; derogatory remarks toward the official; chants or actions which single out individuals; yells that antagonize opponents when you feel you have won the contest; blaming loss on officials, coaching, individual contestant’s performance, KANSAS STATE HIGH or other rationalizations; SCHOOL ACTIVITIES rushing the field/floor or victory celebration on the ASSOCIATION playing surface/field.

(dominant) Senior Mack Preston and other fans cheer for the boys soccer team on Oct. 13. As part of senior night the first number of fans were given foam cougar paws. (below) Junior Jeff Brann cheers on the Cougars at the football game on Oct. 20 against Leavenworth at the SMN stadium. The Cougars won 24-22. photos by carly whitman

sports

by eric zoellner

REMOVING THE BY THE NUMBERS 12TH MAN 2

the point spread in the football game against Leavenworth. The Cougars won, 24-22

Prohibiting certain cheers at sporting events is meant to protect players, however, fans and players are adversely affected. I remember the first goal that was scored on me this season. Olathe South had a free kick just outside the 18-yard box from a foul my team had committed. After a strong shot and a deflection, the ball ended up in the back of the net. Believe me, their fans let me have it. From the stands there were shouts of “You suck,” “You let the whole team down” and more explicit insults I can’t mention here. I felt awful, like the goal was all my fault, but what those insults also did was make me want to beat them all that much more. I believe wholeheartedly that they heightened my level of play and made me a stronger player. Fans take verbal shots at players every game. It’s not that it shows a lack of class or respect, rather it exemplifies the fans’ passion for the game when they yell things at the opposing team. I’m not sure the administrators at Northwest understand this. Because our school is ‘held to a higher standard,’ our fans have had this stripped away. The players also lose the exposure to adversity that will ultimately make them a better player. OK, so maybe the administration should prohibit cussing at games, but fans should be able to give other players a hard time for messing up. It’s just part of the game. KSHSAA’s Rule 52 spells out the acceptable displays of citizenship and sportsmanship at athletic events. According to the organization, high school athletic events are meant to “provide an arena for participants to grow, to excel, to understand and to value the concepts of sportsmanship and teamwork.” Fair enough, but isn’t high school is meant to prepare us for the real world? You want to prepare us for life after high school? Toughen us up. Look at college sports. Those players aren’t getting paid to play, but college fans heavily criticize players for messing up. That’s the reason why I love going to KU games; I scream all my thoughts without having to worry about administrators kicking me out. Part of the fun as a fan is getting in the other team’s head and trying to give your team an advantage. The most fun I have at basketball games is distracting an opposing player enough to make them miss a free throw. Unfortunately, Rule 52 prohibits a lot of the ways fans affect the game. According to KSHSAA’s interpretation of Rule 52, any “antics

Oct. 28, 2011

which draw attention to you instead of the contest” are prohibited. Isn’t that called cheering? By that definition, half of the chants we actually are allowed to do break Rule 52. The rule takes the fun out of being part of the crowd. After four years of cheering at football and basketball games, chanting “Cougars, Cougars” can get a bit old. I’ve noticed at football games it’s difficult to unify the crowd. A whole section of students remained seated during the overtime against SM North. Come on people, it’s overtime. But then again, can you blame them? Our fans are limited to about a fourcheer arsenal, and to a freshman who doesn’t know anyone playing, that gets old after the first quarter. The one cheer that game that got everyone involved was the Tomahawk Chop that Chiefs fans traditionally use. It was witty and fun because it played off the fact we were playing the Indians, but unfortunately it lasted about 10 seconds before administrators shut it down. Apparently it’s too disrespectful. If 77,000 fans at Arrowhead stadium do the Tomahawk Chop every Sunday, why does the cheer get thrown out the window when 100 high school students do it? Obnoxious fans have definitely made me feel bad about myself, but in the end they have shaped me into a tough player. Athletes have to get used to the fact that their performances will be criticized, but apparently it is up to the KSHSAA to protect players’ feelings. Personally, I think it’s called mental toughness, and it’s arguably the most important part of sports. I can see where KSHSHAA is coming from, but varsity and junior varsity players better be able to take some criticism. Protect the little kids and the recreational players, not the high school athletes. By the time players put on that varsity uniform and step onto the field, they better be able to focus on the game, not the petty insults coming from the stands. KSHSAA needs to take a step back and let fans cheer without all these restrictions. Don’t let the fans cuss, but other than that, just leave the crowds be. It’ll toughen up players, let fans have more fun and make the overall atmosphere of athletic events the way they were meant to be: competitive.

the number of years that Missouri has been a part of the Big XII. They are expected to announce a move to the SEC.

1,387

the number of consecutive days cross country coach Van Rose has run as of Oct. 24.

the number of goals scored by the boys’ soccer team on Senior Night to beat SM North.

the preseason rankng of the KU men’s basketball team in the USA Today poll. Their season starts on Nov. 20 against Towson.

for more nw news, visit smnw.com to the top Senior Jake Gipple and sophomore Brennan graphic by mitch feyerherm

Strohm both climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro over the summer.

sudoku difficulty:

7 8 2 1

1 9 8

6 2

7 7 1 8 5

3 4

5 9 4 3 smnw.com

IN FOCUS

“It’s great being able to dance around and not worry about being perfect.” — junior Chloe Wilson Marching Cougar Pride Light show, Oct. 21.

photo by aaron messick