Northwest Passage Issue 7 — 2013

vol. 44 • issue 7 Feb. 7, 2013

/ pg. 12

UP IN ARMS Teachers being armed on school grounds is an imminent possibility, but a lack of resources might stand in the way.

Dating on a Budget

/ pg. 15

With Valentine’s Day rapidly approaching, an inexpensive date is a good idea.

Club Call

/ pg. 18

Students who play for the NW rugby team are more than teammates: they are family.

Issue 7 • Vol. 44 • Feb. 7, 2013

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given the right to carry weapons on campus, a lack of resources makes this a poor solution.

NEWS /

05 • Northwest News Updates about happenings Northwest.

at

06 • Currently Pop culture and news from around the world.

PHOTO BY PAIGE WALTMAN

OPINIONS /

PHOTO BY NATE COMPTON

18

07 • Leaving the “dream girl” in limbo Dances, for guys, are not always the most pleasant experiences.

07 • Making the first move When girls’ are given the responsibility to ask a boy to a dance, the pressure can be immense.

08 • The right place and time While religion is important to many people, it can easily be misused.

08 • Women on the front lines Women are now allowed to fight in combat, but this might cause problems for the military.

FEATURES/ 09 • Northwest in Photos The best photos from recent events.

11 • Up In Arms As teachers around the country are

14 • Reading through the lines Determine what your handwriting might say about you.

ENTERTAINMENT /

15 • Dating on a budget With the most romantic day of the year just a week away, here are some creative and inexpensive ideas to make the day special.

16 • Reviews Title Fight concert, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters + The Joe Schmo Show 17 • Panels to Remember Cartoons by some of Northwest’s most talented artists.

SPORTS/ 18 • Club Call The rugby team has formed lasting bonds while playing together.

21 • Sports Grid See stats and a schedule from recent and future games.

22 • The players aren’t the only ones Concussed Major concerns about the dangers of football were brought into perspective recently.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Coming from a strongly Republican family, I am usually conflicted when it comes to deciding my own beliefs. This seems to always be the struggle for teens: figuring out their own opinions on the seemingly endless issues.

I like to think that I have done a good job of educating myself on the issues that I really care about, and I actually disagree with my parents on a lot of issues. I believe in allowing anyone to get married, despite their sexual orientation. While it shouldn’t be considered an easy way out, I believe a woman should have a choice of what happens to her body. I also recognize the damaging effects that our current energy sources are having on the environment, and I will definitely be pushing for cleaner, alternative fuels when I finally turn 18 and can hit the polls.

My parents tend to disagree with me on a lot of my stances, and I am always quick to argue my point. However, there is one issue on which we are clearly on the same page: the Second Amendment, and the nation’s right to bear arms.

Since I am the niece of hunters and the daughter of a proud gun owner, it is easy to say that I have been around firearms all my life.

They have been a common thing to have around the house, although I hardly ever see them, since they are safely locked up and kept out of reach, unless in an emergency situation.

My father has done a fantastic job of preparing me in case of emergencies and taught me basic safety and survival skills. He has taught me the proper usage of firearms, as well as appropriate times to use them. He always stresses the importance of being ready to defend your family if need be.

The recently proposed gun legislation worries me. I am afraid that if our rights, which were laid out by the Founding Fathers for a reason, are infringed upon, that could mean bad news for Americans. While the Second Amendment was written more than 300 years ago, the reasoning behind it still stands firm. Americans should hold the right to protect themselves in any situation, whether that be through a shotgun or a semi-automatic rifle, as long as these weapons are purchased after a background check is performed and all the proper permits are acquired.

It is a right that has lasted for three centuries, and it should stay that way.

Sincerely,

Ashlee Crane Editor-in-chief

STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / Ashlee Crane DESIGN EDITOR / Bailey Kopp COPY EDITOR / Mac Cook PHOTO EDITORS / Mikala Compton + Nate Compton GRAPHICS EDITOR / Mitch Feyerherm ASSISTANT DESIGNERS / Grace Amundson + Maddy Grimes ADS EDITOR / Paige Waltman NEWS EDITOR / Brooke Courtney OPINIONS EDITORS / Ashlee Crane + Aaron Messick FEATURES EDITOR / Atalie Black ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR / Sam Bellmyer SPORTS EDITOR / Gabby Lorino STAFF WRITERS / Sarah Egger, Haena Lee, Davis Millard + Alaura Moore WEB MANAGING EDITOR / Edelawit Hussien CONVERGENCE DIRECTOR / Aaron Messick WEB STAFF / Hope Kang, Davis Millard + Crystal Osei ADVISERS / Susan Massy + Wes Mikel

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 two weeks during third 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.

NORTHWEST ADOPTS NEW IB ENROLLMENT POLICIES FOR 2013-2014

2013 WPA CANDIDATES Monica Castellon Paige Cook Laura Crosley Anna Guigli Anna King Bailey Kopp Claire Marley Kristina Purinton Julia Ruszczyk Raegan Wilks

Roosevelt Bryson Peter Campain Carlos Castaneda Clayton Henderson Eric Holton Timothy Jones Trenton Moyer Brett Skillet Matthew Styers Collin Weems

NORTHWEST TO HOST FIFTH ANNUAL TALENT SHOW Stuco member junior Carolina Mach organized the fifth annual talent show. It will be held on February 13 in the Greg Parker Auditorium at 7 p.m. Admission is free to any student with an activity pass.

Approximately 25 students will be performing a variety of different acts including songs, poetry, and monologues.

Mach had been organizing the talent show since the previous year when they set the date for the talent show. It was passed down to her by an upperclassman.

“I love organizing the talent show,” Mach said. “My favorite thing is when all of the acts come on stage and the first person gets to see them. Its really cool because some people get all hyped up from performing. I love seeing them smiling.”

/ SARAH EGGER

In order to create a larger sense of commitment from students enrolling in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, a new enrollment policy has been adopted for the rigorous curriculum. Northwest will be the only school in the Shawnee Mission School District to implement the policy.

Any student enrolling in the full IB diploma program is expected to honor their commitment to the two year program and remain in all of their classes until they take the IB exam May of their senior year. This policy was adopted due to concerns about faculty staffing and budget cuts.

“I don’t agree with the new rules, especially having to take a requirement of more than one IB class because AP doesn’t require that,” Junior IB diploma candidate Chloe Adams said.

After the first semester of the program, students may only drop one or more IB diploma course if they are unable to improve low grades or struggling with personal issues such as illness or family issues. Aside from issues such as those stated above, students will not be able to drop any of their diploma courses. If the student does drops one or two courses, they will be removed from the entire program. Students may request an appeal of their removal by contacting next year’s IB coordinator Janine Deines, who will conduct a meeting with the student, student’s parents and counselor to discuss the issue.

Certificate candidates, on the other hand, will now be required to take at least two IB courses and remain in both.

Shawnee Mission North and East only have full IB diploma programs and do not provide IB certificates.

“I think it’s a good idea. It becomes more of a challenge than one class. It forces people to experience IB to a higher level,” Senior IB certificate student Mitch Nolan said.

Like diploma candidates, certificate candidates can only drop for low grades and personal issues.

/ EDELAWIT HUSSIEN

News 05

CURRE TLY

COMPILED BY ATALIE BLACK GRAPHICS BY MITCH FEYERHERM

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males

in North America say they have good handwriting

In a Match.com survey of 5,000 singles, 43% said fresh breath mattered the most before a date, 17% said stylish clothes, 15% said fragrance, 14% said good skin and 10% said great hair.

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18 42% of American households have a firearm, and of those households, 67% say they use their firearms for protection against crime, 66% for target shooting and 41% for hunting.

states already allow teachers to carry loaded guns on school property, usually with permission from the school.

$

$1,256

females

males

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were raised by CCC on Feb. 1 for families in the NW community through Love Fund.

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There is a huge difference

between having trained, certified and commissioned law enforcement officers who are fulltime, career public safety professionals that are armed and assigned the duty of protecting students and staff, versus having teachers, custodians, cafeteria workers and other nonpublic safety professionals packing a gun in school with hundreds

of children."

- Kenneth S. Trump, president of the organization National School Safety and Security

Over 230 people were killed in a fire at the Kiss nightclub in

Santa Maria, Brazil on Jan. 27. The fire is said to have been started after a band lit a flare in the building, setting fire to the sound proofing foam in the ceiling. The capacity of the building was set at less than 700, but an estimated 1,200 people were in the club that night.

Leaving the ‘‘dream girl’’ in limbo The fairy tale dances in movies aren’t the real story.

by Aaron Messick We all know the cliche: the nerdy but well-meaning boy pines for the most popular girl in school, but he’s too nervous to talk to her.

But then the school dance arrives and he decides to ask her to be his date. She turns him down. After feeling dejected for several days, his best girl friend finally offers to take him the dance. He agrees, they spend a magical night together and everything ends well.

For most guys, the only realistic part is being rejected by your dream girl.

When it comes to asking people to school dances, guys have a very specific set of challenges. Trying

to find a creative way to ask a girl can be difficult without going over the top. And If you’re just going as friends, you need to be able to ask them without saying, “Hey, I secretly like you.”

But if you are trying get a girlfriend by asking girls to a dance, you need to make sure you’re creative and cute without making it impossible for her to say no. Again, from experience, it’s awful asking your potential significant other in a big, grand, romantic gesture to have them say yes simply because it would be too awkward for them to say otherwise. This, like the idea of asking your dream girl, should be left in the movies.

Looking back on freshman year, the weeks before Homecoming were the most terrifying of my high school

career. When the announcement that homecoming was just weeks away ended, I thought I had the perfect chance to ask out my dream girl.

Later in the week, between classes, I found her in the halls and I asked “Will you go to homecoming with me?”

Then the words every guy dreads hearing, “Oh, oh no, I’m sorry, but no.” Those very words assured two things — that the only way I could date my dream girl would be in my dreams, and that I was going to be dateless that dance. Most of my guy friends and I had our self-esteem tied based on if we had a girlfriend or date to a dance. We all had this idea that if you couldn’t get a date to a dance, you were less of a man.

No guy likes the idea of being rejected, especially after going

through and planning an intricate, creative way to ask her. And when WPA rolls around, having to just sit around and wait to be asked is just like waiting to see if you’ll be picked last in dodgeball.

While the problems men face while asking others to dances are not guaranteed with a Y chromosome, chasing after your dream girl is. While this may work for some lucky men, most will be left by themselves with flowers in the trash and a rock in the stomach. As WPA and Prom approach, remember to not hold all your self esteem in having a girlfriend. Still, don’t be afraid to own up to your feelings and ask somebody because they could always turn out to be your dream girl.

Making the first move

When the WPA dance comes around, the pressure on the girl to ask in a creative way can often be overwhelming.

by Haena Lee The Woman Pays All (WPA) dance is the terrifying time when the girls in the school are pressured to ask the guy out. The biggest thing that girls fear the most is the possibility of rejection and the relationship between you and your date after you attend the dance. Some girls ask their crush from seventh grade, and others ask their best guy friend Of course there are some girls who don’t go at all because they simply don’t want to pay for their date.

No one would like to hear the words, “I’m sorry, I can’t go to the dance with you,” from their dream guy or girl. So just saying that you are going to ask someone is a risk.

No girl or boy enjoys feeling like that person said no because they

had someone else in mind. I don’t personally do this, but some girls take rejection poorly and may end up watching a movie like The Notebook while eating a bucket of ice cream.

Girls like to make things big and creative. They feel pressured that if they don’t do something unique and spectacular, they aren’t good enough or are not reaching expectations.

Plus, we tend to think that it is weird for the roles to be reversed and have a girl ask the guy out.

Some people may be lucky and have a closer relationship with the person after they go to the dance.

Then there is the situation when you asked a friend that you liked and got rejected you. One time I asked my guy friend that I had a crush on to a dance; he told me that he wanted to be asked by some girl he liked, but then she didn’t ask him. I

thought that was my chance. He was a church friend, so on one Sunday as we headed to class, I got there before him. When he entered the room I held a smiley face balloon, and a sign in my hand that was colorfully decorated and said, “WPA with me?”

Then it was silent and awkward for too long. When I saw that he was surprised and was taking too long to reply, I knew I had it coming to me.

He told me that he was thankful that I put this together, but he had other plans on the night of the dance. My face probably resembled a cherry due to embarrassment. The atmosphere between us was then awkward for a couple weeks. We saw each other daily and I would avoid him. What was worse was that he told his friends about what had happened, and they teased me about it for a month.

Even when the pressure of

asking is on the guy, as it is with Homecoming and Prom, girls are still left wondering, “Is someone going to ask me?” Most girls are personally fine with not getting asked and end up going with a group of friends.

But some still wonder, “Why did no one ask me?” Some girls take it very personally, and feel that no guy out there likes them, or that they aren’t good enough.

It only takes a few seconds to get the bravery to ask, and some guys may like it when the girl makes the first move. So go for it. There is the risk of getting rejected, but there will always be a next time. You don’t have to go home crying, watch romance movies and shove a gallon of ice cream down your throat. If you don’t get asked, then go with a group. You never know if it would be a fun time or not.

Opinions 7

WOMEN ON THE FRONT LINES

THE RIGHT TIME AND PLACE

by Aaron Messick

Even though religion is a very important part of many people’s lives, some choose to abuse it.

Since I am religious, discussing my political views is a minefield.

I either force my views to fit my religion or alter my political beliefs so I can believe in what I think are basic human rights. While I do believe religion has a place in people’s lives, I also believe that it is not a political statement or advertisement.

When a politician promises to uphold the idea of “Christian values,” are they trying to say that non-Christians don’t hold the same values? The last six commandments are obey your parents, don’t kill, don’t cheat on your significant other, don’t steal, don’t lie and don’t covet other people’s things.

Are they saying that anybody not running on the “Christian” ticket won’t uphold these values? Or could it be just another political sound bite.

Another hot topic is the issue of gay rights and whether or not they’re the cause of hurricanes and other weather phenomena.

Politicians argue that gay marriage would ruin the sanctity of marriage while a straight Kim Kardashian files for divorce after 72 days and an equally straight Britney Spears anulls her marriage of 55 hours. The idea coming from certain churches and politicians, that the dreaded “gay agenda” is planning on destroying the fabric of America, is an antiquated idea.

When the Defense of Marriage Act was signed in 1996 the Nintendo 64 was cutting edge and people were heartbroken about Phil Collins leaving Genesis .

Some fundamentalists also argue that the idea of creationism (The idea that humans were created in our present forms, that evolution

8 Feb. 7, 2013

isn’t real and that the earth is just 6,000 years old) should be taught in science classrooms along with evolution. They will be pitting scientific facts against a set of ideas that it constantly changed and amended to help it fit with other scientific facts. Most of these ideas are never actually stated in the Bible. The “young earth creationist” conclusion that the Earth is only 6,000 years old is reached by adding up the ages of the known people in the Bible, so there’s probably some room for error.

Now, Kansas House Speaker Mike O’Neal sent an e-mail saying that they should be praying for Obama using the little known verse Psalms, 109:8 which states “Let his days be few and others take his office” and the passage goes on to say “Let his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.” His office has refused to issue an apology, stating that he only intended to say that he wanted Obama to be replaced as soon as possible after a fair election. This is the man who has been elected to help lead the state and he is very nearly praying for the death of the president.

While religion is very important to many people, myself included, there are inappropriate times to display it. Religion is supposed to help you find purpose in life, help pick you up after you hit the lowest of your lows and give you hope that there is hope and purpose for your life everyday you wake up. Your religion is your business whether you believe in Jesus, Brahman or nothing at all, it’s not your job to impose your beliefs on others, especially by using the government to do so.

by Alaura Moore

Coming from a woman’s perspective, females on the frontlines of combat presents many problems.

On January 23 officials from The Pentagon announced that they would be lifting the ban on women in combat. The military is trying to maintain a positive, non-genderdiscriminating defense team. But the list of questions and concerns that are brought up by this notion seems far too complicated and unsolvable.

To pass basic training and continue into Advanced Infantry Training, all soldiers must pass a Physical Fitness Test (PFT). This consists of a timed two-mile run, two minutes of push ups and two minutes of sit-ups. Males must complete 35 push-ups, while women only have to do 13. The male’s two mile run must be completed in 16 minutes, and the females are given 19 minutes. With women’s standards measured on a lower scale, how can we expect men and women in the combative field to work together efficiently without the women falling behind due to their lack of the same rigorous training?

Even if a woman is able to pass a PFT with the same standards set for men, that doesn’t change the fact that women are genetically and naturally built smaller than men.

Carrying an 80-lb or more assault load while marching for miles is a complicated feat for a man; imagine what that kind of strain it could do to a woman’s body over time. Also, think about what would happen if a woman soldier needed to lift a fellow soldier to safety and couldn’t due to her physical incapability.

According to the Washington Examiner, “U.S. Army studies [show] that women are twice as likely to suffer injuries... than men.”

Another issue with women on the front lines of the military is unexpected pregnancy. If a woman is trained to fight in a certain unit and is sent overseas just to be medically released due pregnancy, the team is left undermanned and thus less likely to complete a mission properly. The Huffington Post pointed to a study showing that, “11 percent of female service personnel scheduled to ship out were not able to in the previous year because of a pregnancy.”

Once again it comes back down to basic science. Men naturally have ten times higher testosterone levels than women, which makes them more easily aggressive and trainable for combative duty. Men also seem to have a natural instinct to help out a damsel in distress. If a man sees a woman hurt during combat, it could likely distract the soldier from his mission in order to help the female soldier.

Though the lift on the ban of females in combat has yet to be finalized, these are the questions and concerns I have on how this law will fall into effect and change the way our military works. It may be strange for a woman like myself to be preaching “anti-women’s rights,” but I don’t see the ban on women in combat as anti-women.

If anything it’s pro-women’s rights; a woman’s right to remain as safe as possible in the armed forces and her right to maintain her health without harming her body with physical and mental strain. So why not drop the women’s issue and continue our nation’s mission to build the strongest and most invincible military in the world.

NORTHWEST IN

Senior Eliot Alpert cheers on senior Ben Koeller on Jan. 16 in the NW pool.

Koeller was performing the 200 relay. "My teammates are like brothers; I’ve got their backs. It’s an experience that no one else goes through except your teammates," Koeller said.

PHOTO BY MONICA CASTELLON

PHOTOS

5

1

2

3 1. Sophomore Rachel Carder high fives students in the crowd after asking junior Jake Horner to WPA at the varisty boys basketball game on Jan 25. Carder had multiple students hold up seperate signs with the letters "W" "P" and "A" as she held the "?" when the boys came back from half time. "I was a little nervous because everyone was watching," Carder said.

"But I was really excited to see his reaction."

PHOTO BY BRITTANY BONSIGNORE

4

2. Senior Lovell Jones prepares to throw in the ball on Jan. 4 at SM West. "Our record is good, we beat some top teams and it’s my fourth year playing," Jones said. PHOTO BY MONICA CASTELLON

in late April and sells a varity of annuals, perennials, tomatoes and peppers. All proceeds go to helping the Environmental Ed classes buy new animals, cages and other supplies. PHOTO BY AARON MESSICK

3. Replanting a propagation, senior Laura Crosley helps prepare for the annual Environmental Education plant sale in the green house Jan. 23. The plant sale is held

4. Senior Eliot Alpert swims freestyle on Jan. 5 at the Varsity Invitational. Alpert will be attending state in the 400 freestyle relay, along with sophomore Daniel Wood and seniors

Andy Marshall and Aaron Bullard. PHOTO BY NISHA BISHT 5. Senior Lovell Jones goes for a lay up in the Northwest gym on Jan. 28 at the game against Washington High School. The Cougars won 4436. PHOTO BY JORDAN ABSHER

Features 09

DRIVER EDUCATION H 913.485.1155

Convenient and Year Round

WHILE THERE ARE BENEFITS TO TRAINING TEACHERS TO HANDLE FIREARMS SAFELY IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY, THE PLAN TO ARM TEACHERS ON CAMPUS IS SIMPLY NOT FEASIBLE.

BY ASHLEE CRANE + SARAH EGGER Features 11

ust a little over one week ago, seven California Republican legislators introduced AB 202 in response to the tragic school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary which occurred one month ago.

The bill would use state funds to give firearm training to teachers, administrators and other staff in a “school marshal” program.

And the Golden State isn’t alone in this type of discussion. There has been talk in at least 11 states of passing legislation that would put guns in the hands of teachers and faculty in many, if not all, public schools in their respective states.

This legislation has even become a reality in some states: two rural school districts in Texas have already passed a decision to allow teachers to carry concealed weapons on campus.

Along with Texas, 17 states, including traditionally liberal states California and New York, already allow teachers to carry weapons, normally with the permission of the school. It seems as if a significant part of the country may be in favor of allowing weapons in schools.

While there are obvious benefits from having armed teachers — for example, being able to fight back in case of an armed intruder, or at least to make them think twice before acting — many people have fought back against this type of legislation.

One of the major arguments is the large amount of money and time that arming teachers would require.

To become a police officer who is fully trained to carry a weapon, candidates must go through numerous hours of training, according to student resource officer (SRO) Mark Coenen.

He thinks that teachers must be “trained like a police officer” to safely handle a gun, which means being able to make a “split second” decision, he said.

Coenen thinks that, while there are some benefits to having armed faculty, the implementation of such training would be nearly impossible, as well as improbable because of how many hours of training teachers would have to complete.

“We’re talking maybe 40 hours a year, in addition to what they would have to do between their teacher studies. I just don’t think it’s feasible, and I don’t think it’s safe to just say, ‘Here, go to a range, qualify with a gun, and here’s a gun, go at it.’ It’s just not safe to do that.”

He doesn’t think it’s fair to force teachers to go through the training.

“A teacher is a lot different than a police officer; it’s almost two different personalities.

12 Feb. 07, 2013

Teachers didn’t sign up to do that; they didn’t sign up to shoot up people, they didn’t sign up to wrestle people to the ground, they didn’t sign up to have to train like that, and it’s not fair to them to do that as well,” Coenen said.

“While there might be a benefit, I don’t think a lot of the teachers would be interested in that type of thing, if they knew what was involved in it.”

National School Security Safety and Services president Kenneth S. Trump has also brought to the country’s attention the amount of pressure and responsibility that allowing teachers to carry loaded weapons in the classroom comes with.

“School districts considering arming teachers and school staff with guns would take on significant responsibility and potential liabilities that I firmly believe are beyond the expertise, knowledge-base, experience, and professional capabilities of most school boards and administrators,” Trump said in response to the national discussion about the topic.

Instead, Trump encourages more schools to employ armed officers on campus throughout the day, saying that those who are “assigned the duty of protecting students and staff” are far more qualified to carry weapons around children.

According to USA Today, 70 percent of public schools in the nation do not have an armed police officer. The National Rifle Association (NRA) has suggested that at least one armed officer be placed in every school in the country. According to marketplace.org, this plan would cost approximately $8 billion.

“In an ideal world, where money wasn’t an object, yeah, it would be great to have armed police officers in every school,” Coenen said, “but economically, I don’t ever see that happening.”

Money seems to be the largest roadblock when it comes to protecting schools. Using state funds that are needed elsewhere to train faculty to properly use a weapon may seem wasteful. The $8 billion needed to place armed officers in every school has to come from somewhere. It seems like more guns may not be the answer.

While some schools may be unprepared for emergencies that could arise, Coenen thinks that Northwest is safe and would be ready in case of an armed intruder, with two armed police officers on campus throughout the day, and many other safety precautions that are “behind the scenes,” such as locking the doors and posting teachers at both main entrances.

“Is there stuff that could be done more?”

Coenen said, “yeah, but you have to weigh the benefits and the risks. I think we are doing everything we can at the school to be safe.”

THE GUN MAN UF COLLECTS AN AN ABOUT $11 BIL LI

N FIR O I L L .4 MI D EVER 3 T U E ABO FACTUR U MAN Within seven weeks after the Newtown shooting, there were more than 1280 firearm homicides and accidental deaths

IN OTHER WORDS..

I THINK THE TE WITHOUT GUNS

FACTURING IN DUSTRY NNUAL REVEN UE OF ION.

APPROXIMATELY 17 MILLION BACKGROUND CHECKS WERE CONDUCTED BY THE FBI ON FIREARM PURCHASERS FROM JANUARY THROUGH NOVEMBER 2012, AN ALL-TIME RECORD.

Less than 80,000 firearm purchases were denied by the FBI in 2011, which was only

RE

MS A R A RE AR. E Y RY

..

62%

of private gun sellers agreed to sell a firearm to a buyer who couldn’t pass a background check, according to an undercover investigation

by New York City public officials.

ned ? i a t b er o legally l l i K ons p a we

16,000,000 background checks on prospective gun buyers were performed in 2011

of all attempted purchases.

AN ESTIMATED 4.3 MILLION PEOPLE ARE A PART OF THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,” NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre said when announcing his proposal for placing armed guards in schools across the country on. Dec. 21.

EACHERS ARE BEST LEFT AS THEY ARE, S."- — PRINCIPAL DR. BILL HARRINGTON

"[Teachers] should be able to carry a gun, but there comes a point when it’s dangerous to others. I think if there was some way to be able to make sure the teachers were completely well-trained so the school knew the teacher would be okay with a gun, then I think that would be okay." — JUNIOR ABBY BORN "I FEEL LIKE IF SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN, IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN. I DON’T FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD VIOLATE ANY CIVIL LIBERTIES, BECAUSE HURRICANES HAPPEN, TORNADOES HAPPEN; YOU CAN’T CONTROL IT,"

— SENIOR CONNOR ROCKROHR

"I THINK IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP SOMEONE WHO HAS THEIR MIND SET ON COMMITTING MASS MURDER. IF YOU HAD A POLICE OFFICER SERVE AS THE DOOR PERSON AT EACH SCHOOL, IT MIGHT BE EFFECTIVE," — KANSAS CITY, MO., DET. JAMES AGNEW SAID IN AN INTERVIEW ON JAN. 30.

Features 13

write "the quick fox jumps over the lazy dog" on the lines: lee

Many students may not know that handwriting itself is a language. hether you print neatly or have a signature a doctor would be proud of, your handwriting tells a story about you. Graphology, the analysis of handwriting, is related to psychology and has resulted in the studies that explain the connection between human expression and handwriting. Your hand is your brain’s pen and when you write it is directed by your brain which is influenced by your emotions.

In other words those chicken scratches say something about you.

According to handwritingfoundation.org, the first book about handwriting analysis was written in 1622 by Camillo Baldi, who was a doctor of medicine and philosophy as well as a professor of theoretical medicine at the University of Bologna. The serious studies began in France, where members of the French clergy studied the relationship of human expression and one’s handwriting.

Jean Hippolyte Michon coined the term graphology to refer to the study of handwriting. He combined the Greek words “grapho” meaning “to write” and “logos” meaning “theory or doctrine.” He is also known as the “father” of graphology.

14 Feb. 07, 2013

now analyze your writing:

Loops:

by

na hae

Loopy: You are very social, sensitive to criticism and you are imaginative.

Not loopy: You tend to be more isolated, and shy.

Line Level: Straight: You are someone who writes in a straight line can be rigid and methodical. And it indicates good self control.

Large: You are outgoing and confident. You like being the center of attention, but may have trouble focusing on one thing at a time.

Small:You have a high level ofSmall:You have a high level of concentration and are generally concentration and are generally detailed oriented. You may be detailed oriented. You may be perceived as a shy person. You perceived as a shy person. You do your best working alone. do your best working alone.

Ascending/Descending: If the line slopes upward as you write you have a positive outlook in life and are generally enthusiastic and motivated.

If it slopes downward, that suggests depression, moodiness, and tendency to be a ‘Debbie Downer.’

Average: You can adapt to your surroundings.

If writing slants...

To the right: You enjoy socializing and are an understanding person.

You are emotionally open and friendly.

To the left: You don’t know how to express yourself and like being behind the scenes. You sometimes are mistaken as an unfriendly person.

Not at all: You tend to be logical and practical, driven by the head and not the heart.

You are a very fair person.

Very Wavy:When the lines look like a roller coaster, it might mean that the you feel frustrated with your emotions.

However, having a slight wave is normal and generally means balanced emotions.

FROZEN BANANA SLICES WITH PEANUT BUTTER

PIZZA CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

Valentine’s Day is coming up, and instead of going to a crowded expensive restaurant, consider staying at home and making dinner together. The average high school student will have to work six to seven hours at his $7.25 per hour job to pay the tab at an Applebee’s-type restaurant and more than 10 hours for a special dinner for two at Hereford House. And if you don’t have a job, you’ll be asking for money from your parents to take your girlfriend/boyfriend out, which, let’s be honest, is a pain.

Dinner and a movie at home will set you back less than $25 for two and will put you in a setting where you can actually carry on a conversation, and spend time together. Here is a suggestion for a three-course meal for two.

Have this tasty and healthy appetizer ready when your date arrives. It take two hours to freeze, so be sure to allow plenty of time.

• 5 medium ripe bananas • 1 tablespoon of creamy peanut butter • 2 ounces of nonfat vanilla Greek Yogurt

• 1 bag of Egg Noodles • 1 extra large can of Ragu sauce • 3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese • 1 1/2 pounds of hamburger meat • 1 package of pepperoni

Directions:

Directions:

Ingredients:

• Peel one banana and mash it with the peanut butter and yogurt. Then set it aside for later.

• Peel the other four bananas. Slice into half-inch thick slices. Smear the banana, peanut butter, and yogurt mix on half the banana slices and top with the other halves, making banana sandwiches. Place on a cutting board and freeze for two hours.

Start the prep for the main course together before you enjoy the appetizer. This pasta and pepperoni dish has all the flavors of a pizza without the hassle of rolling out a crust. It will take about 30 minutes to put the dish together and then you can enjoy the appetizer and watch some shows on Netflix while the casserole bakes.

HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Brown the hamburger meat and drain the grease.

• Boil Egg Noodles until soft and drain.

• Spread a thin layer of the Ragu sauce onto the bottom of a baking dish.

• Then, put half of the noodles, meat and sauce to complete the second layer.

• Then put the rest of the noodles on top of the sauce and half of the cheese to complete the third layer.

• Put the rest of the meat, sauce and cheese down to complete the fourth layer.

• Then, put the pepperoni across the top of the cheese, until the top layer is completely covered up.

• Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

• Take off the foil and bake for 15 minutes.

• Finally, let it sit and cool down for ten minutes before serving.

After dinner, curl up together while you watch a movie.

Once the movie is over, it will only take you a few minutes to whip up this speedy version of homemade strawberry ice cream.

OTHER DATE IDEAS FIRST FRIDAYS DATE: GET SOME CULTURE INTO YOUR LIFE, AND DINNER DOWNTOWN

BY BROOKE COURTNEY

Every first Friday of every month, Crossroads has most of the galleries open for free to the public.

It is a great way to get more culture into your life, and it is a great way to make each person have to talk to one another, if you spend most of your dates without much conversation going on.

While you are down there, you can enjoy a dinner downtown, try finding the best “hole-in-the-wall” restaurant.

Ingredients:

• 1 banana, sliced and frozen • 1 handful of strawberries, frozen • 1 to 2 tablespoons of coconut milk • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions:

• Place the frozen bananas and strawberries into a food processor • As you are blending those together, add the vanilla and coconut milk • Once it is nice and smooth, but still very thick, scoop it out and serve.

FOR MORE RECIPES, VISIT SMNW.COM

POWERPLAY FOR 10-12 P.M. DEAL

Powerplay offers a fun night out for a very low price. On Friday and Saturday nights, Powerplay has a special from 10 p.m. to midnight, where most games are unlimited, as well as the go-karts, laser tag, bumper cars and all other attractions for $10, without tax, a person. Have dinner before going, and make bets on who can beat who on the go-karts.

PHOTO BY PAIGE WALTMAN

ICE SKATING DOWNTOWN

PHOTO BY ALEXA STYERS

Try going ice skating, while it is still winter. The Crown Center Ice Terrace is a public outdoor ice skating rink, which costs $6 per person. If you do not know how to ice skate, now is the perfect time to try it. Learn how to do something new together, or teach your date how to.

Entertainment 15

ENTERTAINMENT

TITLE FIGHT The night that ended with ringing ears, sweaty band tees and minor bruises started off great with opening performances by Sovereign States and Clairaudients. Sovereign States, a local five-piece punk band from Lawrence, released an EP on a blank homemade disk for free at the show. Their high energy and smooth alternative sound proved that they were a very tight and well-rehearsed band.

Following their melodic punk sound was the band Clairaudients, formerly known as The Atlantic, who added an upbeat “jam band” style to show. The creative use of a single drum played by guitarist Jordan Tompson during their intro intrigued the audience and made them a very interesting band to watch.

After the opening band’s acts, the crowd was more than pumped up for the headliner, Title Fight. Before they were even done setting up their gear, the crowd had pushed forward and was ready to throw down. When the band finally started with their opening song “Symmetry,” the audience wasted no time proving what

it was made of. Seconds into the song, people were already running on stage and diving into the crowd. It was impossible to stand still as the people bumped into one another, moshing and dancing along with the music. The hardcore punk music blared from the speakers with ear-ringing volume but the concert-goers took that as a challenge, singing and screaming the lyrics just as loud as the band.

Halfway through the set, it seemed as if the harsh crowd was never going to slow down. As Title Fight played “Head in the Ceiling Fan,” a song of off their latest album Floral Green, the slower melody and soft grunge lyrics provided the break they needed. The wild jumping and headbanging slowed to a swaying “zombie mosh.”

The setlist couldn’t have been better.

The band seemed to make no mistakes and owned the night with their final song “27,” from their second album Shed. Title Fight succeeded in leaving the crowd begging for more and giving them the most fun, hardcore show they could have imagined.

/ ALAURA MOORE

sudoku

DIFFICULTY: evil

9 3

8 6 1 4 7

6 8

7 2

4 9 5 1

2 1 9

8

3 6

4

7 7 6

1 5

PHOTO COURTESY OF VULTURE.COM EDITOR’S UNPICK

HANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS

It’s common for today’s cinema to model itself off of what’s worked before. Taking the tale of Hansel and Gretel from the Brothers Grimm and making it an action-comedy film is not so much modeling off of what’s worked as it is just reprinting it.

In 2005 Matt Damon and Heath Ledger starred in a film directed by Monty Python veteran Terry Gilliam called Brothers Grimm. The film was about a fictionalized Brothers Grimm, the famous progenitors of countless germanic folk tales. The film was, like most Miramax films, not very popular in the box office or with critics, but garnered a huge cult following.

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters tried to mix a film as clever and new as Brothers Grimm with a lot of skin-tight leather and slow motion. It was obvious that director Tommy Mirkola was gunning for something in the style of Shaun of the Dead by combining gory action with comedy. But most of the jokes just make the entire film seem silly and infantile, combine that with the cringe-worthy, overly gory action scenes. The entire film made me feel a little sick, since it wants you to cheer at all of its battles.

A complaint that needs to be addressed is whatever they tried to do to Gemma Arterton, the actress who played Gretel.

She looks about 15 in the film, and it’s rather disturbing, considering the clothes they stick her in. For some reason I felt as though she was trying to mirror Katniss from the Hunger Games series the entire time.

In defense of the film, bringing in producer Jeremy Renner was a strong call. Renner has the ability to make any film exponentially cooler. One might call him a solid foundation, but it’s hard to build a brick house on nothing but glue: you can kick the base all you want, and nothing will happen, but if you cough too hard on the rest of the house, it’ll find a way to catch on fire. When the house collapses near the end, when it’s obvious an executive asked, “Oh, but what if we get a sequel?,” it’s actually fairly entertaining.

The movie is almost brilliant in its rigidity to formula, and it adheres so closely to current tropes of action comedy that it’s kind of a joy to watch as a culmination of a culture. However, this doesn’t even come close to the level of intelligence or weirdness that Brothers Grimm touched upon. Worth a watch if you can find it for free, but spending money on this when you could be watching Zero Dark Thirty is not recommended.

/ SAM BELLMYER

16 Feb. 07, 2013

ARBOR HORROR

WITH JORDAN ABSHER

From a young, age, many of these artists had a knack for drawing and an ear for humor. As they grew up, they honed their talents and now these student artists present their paneled works for the world to see. Over the next issues, the newspaper hopes to add a multitude of comics to this comics feature. Do you have comics that you would like published in the Northwest Passage? If so, contact Mitch Feyerherm at mitchfeyerherm@gmail.com.

ENTERTAINMENT

Panels to remember

LRSKY COMICS WITH SKYLR HECK

WORDS AND INK WITH MITCH FEYERHERM

SPIRIT OF NORTHWEST WITH ISAAC COLEMAN

THE JOE SCHMO SHOW While channel surfing the other week, I came across a show that caught my attention. I rarely laugh at television shows, but The Joe Schmo Show had me in tears. The idea of the show is unusual. It’s all about keeping a secret, but at the same time, it’s about pushing the oblivious participant as far as he can be pushed without the truth coming out.

So here’s how it works: Spike’s producers created a fake reality show, called “The Full Bounty,” where the winner gets to make his or her dream of becoming a bounty hunter a reality. Everybody except for one person, is an actor or actress. The one person that isn’t an actor is 28-year-old nice guy Chase Rogan. Because this is a fake show, the actors are playing stereotypical characters, such as “The Ex-Con” or “The Buddy.” This entire show is dedicated to maintaining the hoax of this bounty hunting show for Chase, while making him do increasingly stupid things in the name of entertainment.

Got it? “The Full Bounty” is a fake show and everybody but Chase, knows this. The only question is, how far can the actors push Chase before he figures out that it is all a hoax?

In the first episode the cast were introduced to a Native American man who was able to read their energy and tell them their spiritual animal. This was a complete joke. The Native American man was shouting out made up words and doing ridiculous body movements. At this point in the show, the actors had a difficult time keeping a straight face.

In order for a show like this to succeed, it takes a genuinely nice and honest person to be the “schmo”.

You need someone who will rise above the intentionally negative actions of the actors. The point isn’t to break Chase, but rather to put the villain show against the schmo. If Chase actually sunk to their level, then the show would be exposing a person’s negative qualities, that’s not what this show is trying to do. The show is the villain, and the schmo is the hero.

If you’re like me and enjoy watching people look stupid, this show is for you. It is, however, a little crude, so if you are an innocent eight-year-old girl, steer clear of this show, and the Spike TV network in general. The show airs on Tuesday nights at 10/9c.

albums: Confessions by Buckcherry —

FEB. 19 Privilege by Parenthetical Girls — FEB 19 Good Songs & Great Friends by Bret Michaels — FEB. 26

movies: A Good Day to Die Hard — FEB. 14 21 and Over — MARCH 1 The Last Exorcism, part 2 — ­ MARCH 1

video games: Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance — FEB. 19 Crysis 3 —FEB. 19 Tomb Raider — MARCH 5

/ DAVIS MILLARD

Entertainment 17

1

CLUB CALL

Students play rugby outside of school for the second year.

“They were in the weights room talking to [coach Kevin Kelly], and he wears Rugby shirts all the time,” senior Ryan Ellis said. “They went on to ask him about starting a rugby team at Northwest, and he said ‘If you guys can get 10 or 15 guys together, I can make a team.’ So they got a whole bunch of guys together, they got some money and bought jerseys.”

The rugby team was started by graduates Colin Middleton and Stewart Ralph last year.

“We all kind of fell in love with

18 Feb. 7, 2013

the sport immediately,” Ellis said.

“Throughout the season we gathered more and more players, and the final game we played was at the state tournament. We placed third at state. That kind of adds respect to the sport. I think a lot of kids saw that.”

Because rugby is not KSHAA (Kansas State High School Athletics Association) sponsored, it does not qualify as a sport.

“There are a lot less hoops we have to jump through, since it’s not KSHAA sponsored,” Ellis said. “We

don’t have to do orange cards, and we don’t have to do orange packets.

It’s good because different colleges offer some scholarships; they treat it like a real sport.”

The previous year, they had trouble recruiting new players. The cougar rugby team is open to all male high school students around the area.

They currently have players from Bishop Miege. To encourage others to participate in the sport, they have flyers posted around the school.

Students were concerned that no

padding would be used in the sport.

Padding is not needed and slows the players down. This season they have 30 students signed up to participate.

“Most of the time we just tell people that contact is pretty much not a big deal, and it depends on what position you play.” Ellis said.

“We tell people how fast we fell in love with it, and most of the time we get people to come to a practice or two and then they fall in love with it, too. They usually finish out the rest of the season. We have never had someone come out to a game, and then not play. They always finish out the season.”

The team practices Monday

2

1

The 2013 rugby team meets in a circle at the end of practice on Jan. 30 in an indoor facility to discuss the current and upcoming events and information, and keep the team up to date. The team is not sponsored by Northwest, but is mostly made of NW boys.

2

Senior Ryan Ellis rehearses tackling during a rugby practice on Jan. 30. Ellis is the captain of the team this year.

3

Senior Nick Sosaya participates in a tackling drill during the first rugby practice of the season. The techniques for tackling and passing are different in rugby compared to in football.

4

Junior Griffy Hoffman laughs with the team as they go around in the circle to introduce themselves. Hoffman is one of the new members to the latest rugby team.

3

4

5

Sophomore Joel Droge practices tackling during a rugby practice. During the first practice of the year, the players learned the techniques for tackling and passing in rugby.

through Wednesday every week.

Several schools around the area have rugby teams who compete almost every Saturday. The first rugby game of the season is scheduled for March 2 against Liberty. Because the schedule changes often, none of the games are set in stone.

“A lot of [the games] are just like Fight Club. No one tells you the location of it until the day of the game,” Ellis said. “A lot of times we will say ‘Alright guys, let’s drive out to Liberty, Mo., so everybody get in your cars.’ It’s always a fun experience to have six cars trying to follow the coach to Missouri.”

Ellis plans to continue playing rugby at the University of Arkansas. “[I’m going to miss] the group of guys

that taught me; it’s going to be really hard to move on to different coaches, styles of rugby, and different people,” Ellis said. “It’s always exciting to play at a higher level, but to leave the first people that taught you how to play is always rough. I’ll definitely miss that.”

“I love the sense of family that it gives you,” Ellis said. “Especially, in rugby, whenever you have to go out, you have to trust your teammates to protect you from getting hit by some massive guy on the field. It’s a little more trust you place in your guys, and it’s a little more sense of friendship that you get out there.”

/ SARAH EGGER

5 5

photos by Nate Compton

Sports 19

LAST GAME

NEXT GAME

QUOTE

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

FEB. 1 SCORE: 60-59 vs OLATHE NW

FEB. 8 @SM EAST, 7PM VS. SM EAST

“It was a great game and come back.

[Luke Fields] hit some good three’s and luckily I got the ball at the end and made the last shot.”

— SENIOR MARCUS MCNEACE

BOYS’ SWIM + DIVE

FEB. 3 @LAWRENCE FREE STATE VARSITY LEAGUE PLACE: 7TH

FEB. 7 @LAWRENCE FREE STATE, 4PM vs FREE STATE

“The season’s been going pretty good, we’re improving a lot.

Hopefully at the last chance meet we’ll get some more state qualifications. With state and the end of the season coming up the seniors are pretty bummed but it’s nice finally getting to rest.”

— SENIOR JOSH GOMER

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL WRESTLING

BOWLING

FEB. 8 FEB. 1 SCORE: 55-44 @SM EAST, 5:30PM vs OLATHE NW vs SM EAST

“So far this season has been amazing. We’ve become really close this year and I think it helps out team chemistry on the court.

— SENIOR KRISTINA PURINTON

FEB. 1 @SMNW TOURNAMENT PLACE: 2ND

FEB. 9 @LAWRENCE HIGH, 9AM vs LAWRENCE HIGH

“It’s time to really start buckling down and working hard. I love the sport even though I’ve only been in it since the beginning of high school. It’s my last year, and I don’t want to leave.” — SENIOR KYLE ZARDA

JAN. 31 @MISSION BOWL GIRLS’ AND BOYS’ PLACE: 2ND

FEB. 12 @COLLEGE LANES, 3:30PM SM VARSITY TOURNAMENT

We lost a talented group of seniors this year. We had a lot of young kids who have never thrown a ball seriously.

It was a lot more teaching and instruction than past years, but it’s rewarding to start to see them start to figure it out.

— COACH LINDSAY KINCAID

Sports 21

BY DAVIS MILLARD

THE PLAYERS AREN’T THE ONLY ONES CONCUSSED Football “fans” want outrageous rule changes to reduce the number of concussions in football. them, the NFL is not making enough rules to protect the players. The family of linebacker Junior Seau—who killed himself in May of 2012—recently filed a lawsuit blaming the league for failing to protect Seau from head injuries. Seau was believed to have suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, which is caused by repeated traumatic blows to the head.

Some fans want the league to make rules to reduce or eliminate concussions in the NFL. That would be the worst decision the NFL could make.

I’m not denying that there are concussions in football, it’s a violent sport and will always

25 boys

have attended rugby practice so far this year.

22 Feb. 7, 2013

3

these players were injured? No, it was a result of them playing football.

I don’t want to see the game ruined, and that’s what will happen if the league is forced to make rules to make the game “safer”. There is no way to make football safer and keep it the same. I played football to hit people, and I think that’s why a lot of other players play the sport too. Simply put: without hits, it’s not football, and with hitting comes concussions, that’s the unfortunate truth. It’s a brutal game and that’s why only a few can survive it.

seniors signed letters of intent to play college sports on Feb. 6.

Lovell Jones signed with Coffeyville Community College to play football; Kirk Bado signed with Belmont University for cross country and track; and Chloe Weishaar signed with UMKC to play soccer.

an estimated

of high school athletes will experience a sport-related concussion before they are even able to participate in high school sports.

The stadium lights at Super Bowl XLVII were out for

34

11-0

According to senior Ryan Ellis, about

be, but if the NFL makes all of these rules that the “fans” are suggesting then it wouldn’t be football anymore. Hard hits are a part of football and the players understand that risk.

The league is not to blame for the head injuries that occur to players while playing. The only way to eliminate head injuries would be to take away tackling all together, making it a game of flag football.

It isn’t just a problem on the national level, players at Northwest are all too familiar with concussions. Several senior football players were sidelined by head injuries this year. Was it the Sunflower League’s fault that

As of Feb. 4, the JV girls’ basketball team was undefeated, with a record of

ays before Super Bowl XLVII, President Barack Obama commented on the violent nature of the NFL, and the sport of football itself. President Obama said he would have to “think long and hard” before allowing his hypothetical son to strap on a helmet and lower his shoulder.

His reasoning behind not allowing his non-existent son to play football is that the sport is too violent and the health risks are too high. These comments, made by the president, drew quite the reaction from the NFL. The main reason for concern from the critics is concussions.

People are blaming the league for this because, according to

minutes

D

WHAT’S NEW ON

multimedia:

opinion:

Teachers discuss the benefits and problems with arming teachers and other faculty members.

We should leave Monday alone and start hating the real enemy: Tuesday.

OPINIONS ON GUN CONTROL

MONDAY IS NOT THAT BAD

by Crystal Osei

PHOTOby

BY Davis CARLEIGH WHITMAN Millard

REVIEW: WARM BODIES This twisted romantic comedy will leave you with a good laugh and a warm heart.

by Ashlee Crane

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest NW news updates. facebook.com/smnwdotcom

twitter.com/smnwdotcom

“I was very surprised and extremely excited. [An award] was not what I was expecting when I walked in to a meeting in the office. It really just added a bonus to my everyday life.”

— SCIENCE TEACHER LINDSEY DEMKE is interviewed by members from the district on Jan. 10 after receiving an award for an exceptional first year of teaching. Demke was nominated for the award by Dr. Bill Harrington.

PHOTO BY BRITTANY BONSIGNORE