Issue 4: There Is Hope

passage

Volume 46 — Issue 3 — November 21, 2014

IN A RECENT SURVEY, THE STUDENT BODY DESIGNATED THE YEAR OF 2014 A YEAR OF HOPE AND CHANGE, REFLECTING SOME OF THE MOST PROMINENT EVENTS WITNESSED IN THE PAST YEAR PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LUCAS SILVA & NICK KAHTAVA

2014 in photos.........................................08 behind the lights....................................06 not so late night....................................1 7

issue 4 contents

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BEHIND THE LIGHTS Students step on the stage for the annual talent show, each with their own story photo by Alexa Styers

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2014 IN PHOTOS From the big swim meet to the court candidates on parade day, photographers were on the sidelines, capturing every moment photo by Addison Sherman

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THERE IS HOPE In a recent survey, the student body designated the year of 2014 a year of hope and change, reflecting some of the most prominent events witnessed in the past year graphic by Grace Amundson

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2014 FASHION A collection of 2014’s most memorable and unique fashion trends photo illustration by Addison Sherman

SMNW.COM @SMNWDOTCOM 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

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FORKS DOWN Our hand-picked top 10 restaurants of 2014 photo by Atalie Black

activities will only be covered if they somehow affect the school or students. The Northwest Passage is a 32-page newsmagazine. The paper will be distributed every four 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 the solution. In these cases, the editor-in-chief and editorial board will have the say in all decisions. Letters to the editor

will be accepted and encouraged. The staff reserves the right to edit for grammatical mistakes, length and good taste. Letters may attack policy but not people. In no way will ideas or viewpoints be changed. The editor-in-chief and editorial board reserve the right to refuse any letter.

+ BY REBECCA CARROLL

+ BY HAENA LEE

NOT ONLY DO WE CHANGE OVER THE COURSE OF YEAR, THE WORLD CHANGES TOO

THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SHOULD GIVE MORE OPTIONS OF WHAT THEY TEACH RATHER THAN WHAT COMES OUT OF A TEXTBOOK

ach year I say the same thing.

“I have changed this year more than I ever have before.”

The thing is, every year we grow so much. Spare me the sentimental comments about growing up and being a teenager, but it’s all true. Every year, the experiences we have and the way we react to changes mold us into new people.

We not only become older and more mature physically, but we naturally become more experienced and exposed. But maybe it really isn’t us who is changing.

What was once considered an unspeakably horrific event is now passed by without a blink. Major events that would have seemingly shook the world when I was in elementary school now barely affect my day to day life. Isn’t this the opposite of how it is supposed to work?

I am supposed to become more intellectually minded, something I feel I am. I am supposed to care more about major events, which I feel I do. However, social media and society suppresses and covers important events with biases and “fluffy” stories, forcing us into a tunnel-vision mindset.

No longer are headline stories

t was Dec. 1 3:49 a.m. and I was overwhelmed beyond my mind.

In approximately 15 hours five of my college essays were due. I was not asleep only because I was still working on them, but also because I was so worried about getting admitted. I remember sitting in AP Psychology last year and listening to my teacher talk about how schools should teach additional things such as coping with stress and how to face real life situations. This is what she meant.

To be admitted to a well-ranked university you have to be in many extracurriculars, AP or IB classes, do volunteer work and win awards.

Doesn’t seem too much right? Well, that’s where you are wrong. Students are willing to do anything to make themselves look more outstanding in their applications. Look at this girl.

She is in two sports and is in a handful of challenging courses. But look at this boy. He is in three sports and is in all IB classes. The pressure to do well in all your classes and participate in many activities is overwhelming.

When you begin to type “school makes me want to” in the Google search bar the results include “cry”, “cut”, “throw up” and “smoke”. It doesn’t seem to be all that positive.

On top of doing well in school, students must do standardized tests and college applications during their senior and junior year, debatably the two most challenging years. How are students expected to participate in several extracurricular activities, take challenging classes, do homework for those classes and study for other tests? What if they work as well? They say it’s all about time management, but how can you manage time when there are not enough hours in a day?

Students attend school for seven hours. They have extracurricular activities that may take from one to five hours. They might a break for about two hours, leaving them with roughly an hour of homework for each academic class, which would come to approximately five hours. In this scenario, students are left with less than 6 hours of sleep: three and a half hours less than the required

the headline. I heard more about “Alex from Target” and YouTube videos with 1,000,000 views than I ever did about Ferguson, Isis, etc.

In school, only one of my classes took time out of Sept. 11 to talk about 9/11 and its effects on the world. Even less talked about the Olathe suicides.

Whether this is our fault, is anyone’s guess.

This isn’t something that can be pegged as anyone’s fault. We have fallen into a cycle, where we hear about big events and in our personal lives, and try to bring up our spirits with happy thoughts and distractions. However, this attempt at ignoring our pain and worries has gone too far.

In my opinion, we should spend less time worrying about our own entertainment, and more time discussing things that affect us and our world specifically. Not so we can worry about them and make ourselves crazy, but so that we can grow the way we are supposed to and be prepared for what is to come; good or bad.

This isn’t to say we don’t change at all. Of course we do, especially at this age. But maybe it isn’t all us.

The world changes too.

amount of sleep a teenager with a developing brain needs, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Albert Einstein failed school because it bored him. His teachers just taught the curriculum and acted like sergeants. He hated the competitiveness and how it was a way of telling student how much they value them. He “failed” not because he wasn’t smart enough to comprehend, but because he didn’t meet the standards of a “smart student”. He only wanted to learn what interested him. This proves that there are different kinds of smarts. Schools should just keep students motivated by keeping them interested, instead of telling them that they are failures for not understanding.

Schools should fix this if they want students to keep pursuing their education. They need to know how to change things up in a traditional classroom setting. Instead of marking that big fat red F” on the paper’s corner, why not ask the student how they could be helped understand the material? The school system should cater to each individual, so that everyone can do a good job.

Maybe if schools did that, every time I Google “school makes me want to” something nice would pop up.

“Students attend school for seven hours. They have extracurricular activities that may take from one to five hours.

They might a break for about two hours, leaving them with roughly an hour of homework for each academic class, which would come to approximately five hours. In this scenario, students are left with less than 6 hours of sleep: three and a half hours less than the required amount of sleep a teenager with a developing brain needs.”

NW passage | opinion

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a briefly REbel Club begins

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PHOTO BY TARYN SMITH

New security plan proposed for the district

you are almost out of time !

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t Northwest on Nov. 18 John Douglas, the district’s director of safety and security, spoke about the possible new security plan for the SM School District.

The timing of the additional security upgrades, depends on the result of a $223 million bond proposition, which voters will determine on the Jan. 27 mail-in ballot. This plan, if passed, hopes to improve security, an upgrade in staffing will be met for necessary safety. In order

to decrease the amount of people coming onto the school’s perimeters, an exterior fencing system will be made around the school.

For perimeter control they will make sure every outside door remains locked so the only access into the school will be through the main doors. Cameras will be in the front of the school by the East and West main doors. To enter the school if a student, you must swipe or show, the student ID. In order to enter

new club hopes to help students feel better about their body images and personalities in an attempt to counteract media messages that promote an “ideal” body type.

REbeL presents the message that students don’t need to be thin, muscular or perfect to fit in; students can be themselves no matter what the media says.

REbeL began as a club at Blue Valley Northwest devoted to promoting a positive outlook. Current copresidents Katie Born and Rebecca Carroll attended one of their informational meetings and got the idea to bring the club to Northwest.

The two girls talked to Social Studies department chairman Beth Jantsch, who agreed to become the sponsor, making Shawnee

Mission Northwest the first school in the district to have REbeL as a club.

“I’m excited to have this club because we need something that says that you don’t need to look like what there is on a magazine,” Born said.

“Sometimes we get hung up on what clothes we have, what outfit, is everything perfect, and really what we need for our day is just a good positive outlook on life,” Jantsch said.

Club members are considering activities like Whiteboard Wednesday which would involve students holding up a whiteboard that says “I love my…” with a list of positive characteristics about themselves, their personality or their looks.

the school, if not a student, a request will be sent to the office with the new speaker and camera, then the visitor will be buzzed-in through the main doors. Every teacher and parent will be given a pass card that will allow them into the building.

When doors around the school are propped open for more than six seconds an alarm will be sent to the new security offices. For the new camera system, every door will have camera to monitor

who comes in and out of the school at all times.

The new locking system hasn’t been approved by fire marshals yet, but they will keep every classroom door locked from the inside.

For all lock-downs and other emergencies, the staff members will now be alerted through their iPad instead of it being announced over the intercom.

+ by sam athey

+ by kaleigh schreiber

The final senior ad due date is almost here.

The last day that we can guarantee that senior ads will be accepted in Jan. 6 (the day we return from break). After that, space will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Don’t miss out. Get your senior ad submitted to Kara Bamberger by Monday, November 3.

Come to Room 151 to get a contract if you still need one.

NW passage | news

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behind the

Lights C

ell phones waved back and forth as sophomore Heather Jones sang her heart out. She sat on the right side of the stage hovering over the piano. Jones says that is her natural state.

Her performance ended. She got up from behind the piano and raised her hands up in the air forming a heart.

And that was the thing… everyone on stage that night was doing something that he or she loved. Here’s a quick look into two of those who performed in the 6th Annual Talent Show sponsored by Student Council on Nov. 19.

Sam Athey, sophomore Sam Athey started playing the piano when he was in kindergarten and it stuck with him.

He composes his own music and performs regularly at recitals. Athey wants to make it big; hoping to become a film composer.

He wrote the song he played.

“It starts out with chimes,” Athey said.

“It may be about the day, I’m not really sure though. It has something to do with a cycle.”

Interpreting his music is one thing, but Athey also gave the audience a performance.

He blended gestures with his music and told the audience a story of his own. Athey said he doesn’t write music about particular subjects, but hopes his music creates a mood.

STUDENTS STEP ON STAGE FOR THE ANNUAL TALENT SHOW, EACH WITH THEIR OWN STORY + BY CADIE ELDER & MAKAILA WILLIAMS

Allie Marx, sophomore Allie Marx was almost literally pushed onto the stage of the talent show by her older sister, Maggie.

“I want everybody at school to know that I have a little sister who sings, too; it’s not just me,” Maggie said. “I have confidence in her. I think she’s going to do really well because she’s been practicing a lot and I’ve been helping her out with everything. She’s grown so much in her singing and she’s so much more confident.”

Backstage in the Greg Parker auditorium, the two prepared for the show.

“Maggie, where’d you get that powder from?” sophomore Allie Marx said.

“What? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” her sister, senior Maggie Marx, said, giggling to herself as she continued putting on her makeup.

“We do fight about things,” Allie said. “It’s always about sharing stuff, pretty much.”

“But we’re best friends, not just sisters,” Maggie said. “We may fight, but that’s what sisters do.”

For Allie, singing isn’t a family talent, “I was actually a really bad singer,” Allie said.

“One day, my mom heard me singing in the car and said I wasn’t too bad, so I started voice lessons. I never knew how to project my words but I want to be my own singer and have my own type of style.”

ABOVE: Senior Laurence Adams performs his dance act on stage for the annual NW Talent Show held Nov. 15 in the Greg Parker Auditorium. Adams has been dancing since 2012 and is selftaught. PHOTO BY NICK KAHTAVA FROM LEFT: Senior Maggie Marx closes for the SM. Northwest Talent Show with “Hero” by Mariah Carey. This is Marx’s third time singing at the talent show and has done various other performances for the theater program. “Singing has gotten me through [many] struggles,” Marx said. PHOTO BY ALEXA STYERS Junior Alpha Hill-Spearman sings “I’ll Be There” by Tiffany Evans. This is Hill-Spearman’s 7th talent show and she frequently performs at her church. “The motivation behind my voice is God,” Hill-Spearman says, “I don’t do this for recognition, I do this for empowerment.” PHOTO BY ALEXA STYERS Senior Griffin Robinson and Sophomore Drew Vanderleest point to the emergency exists in the auditorium when running through the safety procedures at the beginning of the talent show. PHOTO

BY ALEXA STYERS

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feature | dec. 19, 2014

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When christmas ADOPT-A-TOT HELPS LOW-INCOME FAMILIES ENJOY CHRISTMAS cattered throughout the halls, StuCo students dressed in a variety of Christmas attire, from elf outfits to Santa coats, walked side by side with visiting toddlers, or tots, while accompanying them to their assigned classroom.

“How’s your day been?” one of the StuCo kids asked the tot.

Adopt-a-Tot is more than a fundraiser. It allows students to help local children and their families celebrate Christmas.

Classes choose whether or not to sign up, and each student is encouraged to contribute. Each class can choose how many children they want to adopt. The children are selected through Student Council Head Start, a program that supports low-income families and their young children.

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+ by SAM athey / photos by emilie amunatigui

“Since we do this every single year, [Head Start] e-mails us a list of children that we can bring over here, so we assign a child to every classroom that signs up,” Sophomore Vice President Courtney Jones said.

“Since [the families] are lower-income, this is the only Christmas that they have,” Jones said.

Each member of StuCo was divided among the kids, talking to them before escorting them to their classroom.

In the Choir room, Addyson, three years old and wearing a pink shirt with Ana from Frozen on the front, shyly walked across the front of the room to retrieve her stocking. She took the stocking in her hands.

Inside the stocking, she pulled out a Frozen-themed hat, looking at it curiously. A student helper happily took the hat from her and demonstrated putting it on, after which it remained on Addyson’s head. “[She likes to do] exactly what she’s doing right

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Senior Sam Adams smiles at 4 year old Levi as the tot plays with toy dinosaurs that he was gifted with by Mr. Hunt’s 4th hour class.

Junior Erica Esch draws with Adopt a Tot Leslie on a toy that was given to her in a stocking by Mrs. Koenigsdorf’s 4th hour class on Friday Dec. 5.

Junior Erica Esch laughs with tot Leslie as she grabs different items out of the stocking which was put together by Mrs. Koenigsdorf’s fourth hour class.

Standing by Santa during Adopt-a-Tot on Friday Dec. 5, 3 year old Tiara opens one of her gifts amongst the students of Mrs. Stojak’s class during 4th hour.

now. Eat snacks, do puzzles and be a princess,” her father, Alex Lee, said.

“It’s a really good experience because you get to see the little childrens’ faces as they’re opening up their little presents and how appreciative they are of what we’ve done for them,” Jones said.

Each class raised money to provide for the kids, and it certainly paid off.

“I think [the best part about it is] the fact that you’re helping not just the kid but you’re helping the whole family,” StuCo president Harrison Chen said. “And that’s really nice because you know that you’re at least making a difference.”

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NW passage | features

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in photos

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Photographers are always there to catch the moments you miss. They capture the action, the performance, the interaction; everything that should be remembered is saved. From the final movements of the water before the swimmer reaches the end, to the happiest moments of the homecoming parade, Northwest photographers were on the sidelines, getting every moment. + BY ADDISON SHERMAN 1. Senior Brandon Wood swims the freestyle on Jan. 11 in the Northwest pool. The Northwest boys’ swim team placed fourth in the swim meet. PHOTO BY BRYCE REX 2. Graduate Jake Horner goes for a layup during the game against Olathe South on Jan. 7 in the Main Gym. The Cougars won 65-51. “I thought that we played really well, but we kind of let [the other team] make it interesting in the end,” Horner said. “We were all very excited to get back on the court. [Coming back from break] definitely made us more hungry [to play] because it’s really frustrating to practice for that long with no games.”

PHOTO BY CARLEIGH WHITMAN 3. Crying, junior Zachary Ziegenhorn hugs his sister, graduate Zoe Ziegenhorn, after she read her poem at the Poetry Slam on April 17 in the library.

Zoe’s poem was about how she was bullied her freshman year and almost committed suicide as a result. “It was really weird seeing Zoe in that light,” Zachary said. “I never knew that

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features | dec. 19, 2014

it got that bad.” PHOTO BY SAVANNAH KELLY 4. Hitting the pavement, junior Tevyn Pak dives for the ball during a match on April 8 at Olathe East. This was Pak’s first official singles match, which he won 8-3. “I don’t really think [about diving during a match], I just know that I need to return the ball,” Pak said. “ Sometimes I forget that I’m not playing goalie [like I did in soccer].” PHOTO BY CARLEIGH WHITMAN 5. Senior Alex Quinn competes in the wrestling meet against SM North in the Northwest Auxiliary Gym on Jan 8. The Cougars beat the Indians 58-22. “The most rewarding part of wrestling is probably winning, but it’s different than winning in any other sport [because] there is no one else on the mat to help you, so when you win it’s more gratifying” Quinn said. 6. Junior Nate Jones celebrates after scoring a goal to put the NW boys varsity soccer team up by a goal sept. 16 at SMAC. The final score of the game was 2-1. “I cant wait to see how far we’ll make it this

year, we have big plans.” Nate jones said. PHOTO BY NICK KAHTAVA 7. After heading the ball, senior Tom Green is tackled by Olathe South’s Will Davis during the final game of the preseason Olathe East Tournament on Sept. 6 at CBAC. The Cougars lost to the Falcons 0-1. “It’s easy to get frustrated [when play gets really rough],” Green said. “You just have to move on, focus on the game and [find] any way you can help your team out.” PHOTO BY

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CARLEIGH WHITMAN 8. Junior Gerrit Prince recovers the ball on Sept. 20 against SME on the turf feild at SMNW. PHOTO BY EMILIE AMUNATIGUI 9. Juniors Nate Jones, Jamey Fisher, Sam Oberbroeckling, and Bailey Jerret pump up the crowd at the NW Homecoming Parade on Oct. 3rd. “It was definitely frustrating seeing our float destroyed by the rain the night before,” said Jerret, “but I feel like we came together as a class and even without a float we were able to make the best out of a bad situation.” All floats go on for student to vote which on was their first, second, and third favorite. PHOTO BY JORDAN ABSHER 10. Senior, Maggie Marx celebrates with fellow seniors, Jillian Borel and Brooke

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Bennett at North Stadium on Oct. 3. Marx won homecoming queen, Borel first runner up and Bennett second runner up. “I was so shocked”, said Marx, “I was not expecting it at all”.

PHOTO BY REAGAN KEY 11. Junior Trenton Schroeder races up the hill during the meet on Oct. 18 at Rim Rock Farm. Schroeder ran in the varsity boys’ race. “I was really proud of our team as a whole, with JV and C-team both taking first place,” Schroeder said. “It was a really tough meet, and there was a lot of good competition. I look forward to seeing how well we stack up against the other teams in our region next week.” PHOTO BY CARLEIGH WHITMAN 12. Senior Sam Sullivan throws a frisbee to start the game for Ultimate Frisbee

Club on Oct. 19 at the NW practice football field. Ultimate Frisbee Club is a new club that was started this year by Sullivan and seniors Riley Wood and Anthony Abarca. PHOTO BY LUCAS SILVA 13. Senior Sam Adams Fights possession of the ball against an Olathe northwest striker on Oct. 1 at CBAC. The cougars tied with the ravens 2-2 after double overtime.

PHOTO BY NICK KAHTAVA 14. Before the SMNW Homecoming Parade on Friday OCt. 3, Senior Rachel Carder laughs on the KUGR float with fellow KUGR members Tracy Mohan, Brooklyn Wagler, and Kirsten Mehrtens. “I haven’t been able to go to the parades the past three years because of volleyball tournaments so it was really nice to have the parade during the school day so that everyone could be involved,” Carder said. PHOTO BY EMILIE AMUNATIGUI 15. Senior Korbyn Caswell holds up the sign “We Are” at a cheer competition at BVSW on Nov. 15.

PHOTO BY ADDISON SHERMAN

NW passage | features

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ITALIAN DELIGHT

by Avelluto Bros

Restaurant - Pizzeria - Deli 6552 Martway Mission, Kansas 66202 913-262-7564

THERE IS

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In a recent survey, the student body designated the year of 2014 a year of hope and change, reflecting some of the most prominent events witnessed in the past year Thousands of illuminated balloons floated into the sky Nov. 9 along a stretch of what used to be the Berlin Wall, in celebration of its downfall a quarter of century ago. In 1989, using their fists and shovels, tens of thousands of Germans had torn down the wall that had divided Berlin for 28 years.

Hope.

In a recent survey conducted with the student body, 40 percent of students designated 2014 a year of hope and change.

For the first time in history, mankind landed on a comet.

The Rosetta orbiter’s Philae probe successfully touched down Aug. 6 on the surface of Comet 67P after a seven-hour descent.

Earlier on in the year, 33 same-sex couples were married at the Grammy Awards, officiated by Queen Latifah. The past year has seen a surge in the legalization of

same-sex marriage; a total of 35 states have legalized samesex marriage to date.

Amongst other social networking sites, Twitter has seen a rise in social activism in the last year. Over 284 million users on Twitter alone have spoken their mind with under 140 characters, images and hashtags like #HandsUpDontShoot.

And yet there is more to come; just as the current year nears its end, 2015 is only 11 days away.

+ by calvin lacerte // continued on next page

NW passage | features

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This year, Kansas, along with 17 other states, was forced by federal ruling to recognize same-sex marriage. In 2013, the Supreme Court declared the Defense of Marriage Act and California’s Proposition Eight unconstitutional. This opened the flood gates for federal judges to strike down state laws against same-sex marriages.

Human activities have been contributing to increases in greenhouse gases, causing an increase in average global temperatures. Organizations such as the UN and The International Energy Agency worked to reduce emissions, increase climate resilience and find new ways to use clean energy.

2014 represented a shift to a digital age. Our language has become more visual as we communicate through emojis, pictures and video clips. Technology has become more immersive, allowing people to personalize their own experiences. While mobile devices provide opportunity and accessibility, privacy and anonymity have become an issue, with corporations and governments having access to personal data.

J a n . 2 6 : At the 56th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, Lorde’s song “Royal” earns Song of the Year while Macklemore & Ryan Lewis win Best New Artists. Queen Latifah officiates the marriage of 33 gay couples while Macklemore & Ryan sing the samesex marriage anthem “Same Love” by Macklemore & Ryan.

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features | dec. 19, 2014

J a n . 2 7 : The Shawnee Mission Board of Education approves up to $20 million for the purchase of technology and the training of personnel.

Jan. 28: Shawnee Mission district places order with Apple for nearly $19 million of Apple products and services for 2,100 staff members and 27,000 students.

Feb. 7: 2014 Winter Olympics held at Sochi, Russia

According to a passage survery in january, Students have abused Adderall, a medication typically prescribed for people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, to better focus on schoolwork or sports.

E-cigarettes, thought to be safer than standard cigarettes, also trended at Northwest.

Feb. 15: Seniors Sean Collins and Mallory Wilhite are crowned king and queen of the Women Pay All dance.

Feb. 18: 2014 Ukrainian Revolution begins Feb.

M a r c h 4 : The blood drive scheduled for this day is cancelled.

Due to a change in policy, no more blood drives will be held at any SM high school.

In September, ISIS militants b journalists, James Foley and S

retaliation for U.S. airstr Barack Obama authorized ai and asked Congress to aut train moderate rebel groups

M a r c h 8 : Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappears with 212 passengers and 17 crew members aboard, prompting the most expensive search effort in history; a total of $44 million by April 8 is spent.

March 13: At state quarterfinals, the boys’ varsity basketball team loses to Blue Valley North 66-57.

Ap Men ma Mi ra Je tem sho pe

THROWBACK TO THE VIRAL The hashtags and social trends of 2014 show a rise in social activism and interaction + by rebecca carroll & deena essa

Defining the

THE TOP TWEET OF THE YEAR: ELLEN’S TWEET AT THE OSCARS At the 2014 Academy Awards, host Ellen DeGeneres posted a selfie on Twitter with stars including Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Angelina Jolie. The selfie broke President Obama’s record for the most retweeted tweet. In fact, the Oscars were livetweeted to such an extent that Twitter crashed. Several Twitter users pointed out that it was probably a publicity stunt for the Oscar-sponsor Samsung because Ellen took the selfie with a Samsung Galaxy Note 3, but she had been using an iPhone backstage.

These are the major issues 2014 faced in order of importance, according to a survey conducted at Northwest

3.4 million retweets

2 million

ten a-list

favorites

Hollywood stars were in the selfie

+ by sophie flores PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY LUCAS SILVA & NICK KAHTAVA / GRAPHICS BY GRACE AMUNDSON

#FERGUSON After Michael Brown’s shooting in early August, the events in Ferguson exited media outlets. However, the weekend of Oct. 10 was declared “Ferguson October” by Hands Up United and the Organization for Black Struggle – a weekend of protest and marches against “the epidemic of police violence facing Black and Brown communities,” according to Hands Up United's website.

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY #WAYBACKWEDNESDAY #FLASHBACKFRIDAY #YALLREMEMBER Throughout the year, these hashtags were popular excuses to post pictures from the past.

#ROBINWILLIAMS

rikes. President irstrikes in Syria, thorize funds to s in Syria.

#WORLDMENTALHEALTHDAY World Mental Health Day was celebrated Oct. 10 to raise awareness of the struggle mental illness puts many people through.

Zelda Williams took to Twitter to remember her father Robin Williams, who committed suicide in early August, and to encourage people to fight depression.

A new mindset of celebrating imperfection emerged.

April 17-18: Senior Sam Gross wins the ninth annual Poetry Slam and senior Natalie Chance came in second place.

April 21: Gov. Brownback signs bill allowing Teachers to be fired without cause.

June 12: Germany defeats Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win the 2014 FIFA World Cup Final.

J u ly 8 : The Verruckt, the world’s tallest water slide, opens in Schlitterbahn Kansas City, Kan.

Aug. 9: Michael Brown was fatally shot in Ferguson, Mo.

retweets in the first hour

FIFA banned Uruguay striker Luis Suárez for four months from all soccer activity after he bit Italy defender Giorgio Cheillini during the World Cup. The hashtag was used over 3.1 million times.

Miss New York Kira Kazantsev was named 2015 Miss America Sept. 14. Social media users disapproved the Hofstra University graduate’s talent of singing Pharrell William’s “Happy” while beating a red cup on the floor “Pitch Perfect” style, apparently too simplistic to be considered a talent.

A desire for the authentic and a rejection of anything polished or mass-produced was reflected in the focus on natural beauty and selfconfidence. Anything flawed and real was more widely seen as meaningful and comforting.

1.7 million

#SUAREZ

#MISSAMERICA

beheaded American Steven Sotloff, in

pril 13: ntally ill an from issouri aided a ewish mple and ot three eople.

has become nearly impossible to escape the hashtag; whether it appears in the various social media feeds or sneaks its way into casual conversation, hashtags have become a part of our daily lives.This year, hashtags played an important role in controversial issues. The web was awash in hashtags on topics of importance and on subjects of much less significance.

Aug .11: Robin Williams commits suicide.

Aug. 12: Northwest becomes the first Shawnee Mission school to deploy Apple Air computers to students.

S e p. 1 5 : Microsoft buys Mojang, acquiring Minecraft.

#EBOLA New outbreaks of the Ebola virus started in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia killing more than 6,000 people, according to the Center for Disease Control, and prompting fears that the disease, which kills 50 percent of those who contract it, would become a pandemic.

So far, 10 Americans have contracted the disease, resulting in one death.

#PRAYFORGAZA Conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians started after rockets were launched from the Gaza strip into Israel in retaliation to the brutal beating of Palestinian 15-year-old Tariq Abu Khdeir. Rihanna and Selena Gomez were some of the handful of celebrities who displayed support for the Palestinians.

Rihanna tweeted “#FreePalestine” July 15 and Gomez posted a picture to her Instagram that stated “It’s About Humanity. Pray for Gaza.”

S e p t . 1 8 : In a referendum deciding whether to break away from the Union, Scotland votes “no.”

S e p t . 3 0 : A case of the Ebola Virus reaches Dallas, Texas.

The Ebola virus worldwide death toll has reached over 6,000 people.

Oct. 3: Northwest’s first Homecoming parade during the school day proceeds in front of students from Northwest and Benninghoven.

NW passage | features

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POLITICS With a Democratic president overseeing a Republican majority in both House and Senate, it is difficult to predict the shape politics will take in the coming year. John Boener is already working to pass a bill to avoid another government shutdown, and President Obama seems to be willing to pass it, indicating there will be some sort of cooperation amongst both political parties.

CLIMATE CHANGE It seems that every time the local news comes on, the weatherman mentions the phrase “recordbreaking”, and not without reason. The past year has brought severe weather nationwide; 2014 is reported to be the hottest year ever. In fact, Nov. 10 recorded freezing temperatures in all 50 U.S. states. Near Buffalo, N.Y., residents were snowed in under 88 inches of snow, breaking the 2001 81.5 inches record.

And climate change is not stopping. The Earth’s temperature is expected to rise an additional 2° in the century, a change that seems small but can cause drastic measures in U.S. and worldwide climate. Water levels in the Great Lakes have been going up and down and the average surface water temperatures have increased by a few degrees since 1995.

ECONOMY Recently, gas prices have been on a steady low. As the consumption of oil decreases, members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries have continued the same production levels – averaging 30 million barrels a day – thus driving oil prices down. Although this drop in prices could substantially hurt Opec economies, the majority of the world, including the U.S., might see growth.

THE YEAR AHEAD

258 BILLION TONS OF LAND ICE MELTS EACH YEAR CLIMATE.NASA.GOV 275 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ARE REPUBLICANS, WHILE 254 MEMBERS ARE DEMOCRATS

Even though 2014 has come to an end, many issues will pass onto the next year. Going into 2015, the outcome could swing either way. Politics and the economy are only some of the most controversial loose strings that could either wrap up very nicely or not at all. Here’s a look at what 2015 could look like. + BY DEENA ESSA / graphic by grace amundson

CLERK.HOUSE.GOV

THE UNITED STATES USES 18.89 MILLION BARRELS OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS PER DAY EIA.GOV

Oct. 25: The boys’ varsity cross country team fails to qualify for state competition for the second time since 1989.

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Oct. 29: Royals don’t win World Series

features | dec. 19, 2014

Nov. 3: UN secretary General Ban Ki-moon calls for world leaders to act on climate change following stark warning from scientists on its severe and irreversible effects.

Nov. 4: New York's World Trade Center re-opens more than 13 years after the original towers were destroyed during the 9/11 attacks.

Nov. 6: The Republicans win control of the US Senate in mid-term elections, increasing its power in the final two years of Obama's presidency.

Nov. 8: President Obama authorizes deployment of 1,500 additional troops to help train and advise Iraqi and Kurdish forces fighting Islamic State militants.

Nov. 9: Celebrations held in Germany mark the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. White balloons marking a stretch of the wall symbolize its disappearance.

Nov. 12: Robot Philae landed on a comet for the first time in history.

+ by deena essa & calvin lacerte

HERE ARE A FEW OF 2014’S MOST MEMORABLE AND UNIQUE FASHION TRENDS

Flannels Nails

Thrifted, brand new, or pulled out of your dad’s closet, flannels were a large trend this year. Their versatility and comfort made them a great accessory.

Gel nails became popular this year along with “claw”-like acrylics and interesting textures. Popular colors included black and deep red.

Polaroids Sneakers with everything

Though not a fashion trend, these quickprinting pictures were big this year for snapping quick pictures of a cute outfit or a memorable moment.

Maroon

This was a very popular color this year, especially this fall. It could be found in many styles and patterns.

Army green jackets

These became huge this year as fall approached and it got colder. They match virtually every fall color and make for a warm accessory.

Sneakers, high tops and tennis shoes, were the way to go this year.

They made any outfit comfortable as can be while maintaining a sporty, classic feel.

Boots

Although these have been around for ages, boots of all styles became a hit in 2014. From ankle booties with jeans to riding boots with a leg warmers, boots were vamped up and more diverse than ever this year.

+ by Rebecca Carroll & photo illustration by addison sherman

NW passage | features

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PHOTO BY BRYCE REX 4

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PHOTO BY ATALIE BLACK

PHOTO BY BRYCE REX

Hands above their heads, the seniors hold the Spirit Stick at the Not So Late Night Assembly on Dec 1 in the main gym. The seniors and juniors developed high tensions over who would claim the Spirit Stick, a pole that is given to the loudest class of each assembly.

3 Laughing together, juniors Sam Oberbroeckling and Reagan Walsh

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2 Senior Roan McAnerney pretends to read to the

other seniors participating in the Drill Team senior dance. For this dance, each senior girl on Drill Team chooses one boy to dance with them.

PHOTO BY HAENA LEE

hold hands during the KUGR Christmas music skit on Dec. 1 in the main gym. KUGR’s skit was one of many skits performed by different clubs at the Not So Late Night assembly.

Junior Rachel Barnes cheers as she carries the spirit stick with senior Carrie Mulder Dec. 1 during the Not So Late Night assembly in the Main Gym. “My favorite part about Not So Late Night was that we got to give the winter sports the recognition they deserve,” Barnes said.

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5 Running around the gym, junior Sam Oberbroeckling waves

the American flag during the Not So Late Night assembly.

PHOTO BY BRYCE REX

PHOTO BY ATALIE BLACK

Oberbroeckling was in the Young Republican’s skit.

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Juniors Jackson McCone, Sam Oberbroeckling, and Jamey Fischer react to a skit by KUGR.

Bumping hips together, seniors Brooke Evans and Brandon Gomer dance during the Senior Christmas Dance during the Not So Late Night assembly on Dec.1 in the main gym. The dance was performed by seniors on Drill Team and their partners.

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NW passage | features

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Our Hand-Picked

PHOTO BY NATE THOMPSON

PAULO AND BILL’S:

This is a special occasion restaurant, and before every school dance this is where you will find me. It is expensive but the food you get is well worth the price. The flatbread pizzas are crafted by hand and it is my favorite pre-dance meal.

HEREFORD HOUSE:

This restaurant is very expensive. Reserve ahead of time if you want to avoid the rush for this amazing food. The steak is expertly seasoned and cooked, with huge side portions. My personal Favorite is the medallions with a mountain of mashed potatoes.

FIVE GUYS:

Five Guys has the best burgers in the area, hands down. The restaurant overall is kind of overwhelming, with its out of date “retro” theme. But the food is good and that is important. Plan to bring home leftovers. The cajun fries are the best fries I have ever eaten.

CINZETTI’S: It seems like no matter when you go to this restaurant it is always busy. If you do not have reservations the line is normally unbearable. But once you get through that you have a HUGE buffet of well made Italian food. Just make sure to have reservations.

+ by Keegan Dolinar

Jose Pepper’s Favorite Dish: Chicken Enchilada Especial: Two seasoned all-white chicken enchiladas with chile verde sauce, jalapeño cream cheese and guacamole.

Served with rice and black beans.

Cost: $10.49

of 2014

PHOTO BY ATALIE BLACK

JOSE PEPPERS:

My go-to restaurant whenever I want good food and do not want a hole in my wallet. The staff welcomes me with a smile and the food is always spectacular. From the espinaca to the quesadillas, it is all amazing. I often bring home leftovers to enjoy them the next day.

Top 10 Restaurants

SPIN PIZZA: Every other person that I ask says that this is their favorite of before-school-dance-restaurant. The prices aren’t too high and the food is worth it. I order the Mini Mia with a half eight color salad and a mini margherita pizza.

2 3 4 5

CHEESECAKE FACTORY:

This restaurant is where I go when I’m feeling fancy. The atmosphere is top-notch.

I’m always treated with respect and am seated relatively quickly considering the line length. My favorite meal is the four cheese pasta: penne noodles, mozzarella, ricotta, romano and parmesan cheeses with marinara sauce.

UNFORKED:

Unforked is a drive out to West 119th Street, but it’s worth it. I’m always greeted with a “Welcome to Unforked” and a smile upon entering. The citrus crunch chicken soft tacos are my favorite item on the menu. Much like their service, I am never disappointed with this dish.

CHEDDAR’S:

This place is always bustling. A 20-minute wait is a minimum. But the wait is more often than not worth it.

The service is as pleasing as the food. The honey glazed croissants that come with every salad and the baked potato soup with bacon bits on top are my favorite.

EGGTC.:

This small location is wedged between Minsky’s Pizza and Chen’s Kitchen. My mom and I often go on Sundays when it’s packed but the wait for two people is no more than 15 minutes. I order the classic raisin french toast. I end up taking most of this home in a box.

+ by Paige Eichkorn

Spin Pizza Favorite Dish: The ‘Mini Mia!’ with a Margherita pizza and an Eight color salad: Fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil pizza; with romaine, red butter lettuce, roasted grape tomatoes and radishes completing the salad.

Cost: $9.45

NW passage | entertainment

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Isaac Coleman | Spirit of Northwest

Mo gitonga-mbgori | A Roundabout to Nothing

MItch feyerherm | Words & Ink

SUDOKU: MEDIUM DIFFICULTY

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Do you want to have your comic featured in the newspaper?

Contact our graphics editor at mitchfeyerherm@ gmail.com to see your comic in print!

360 Smash is a simple, enjoyable and easy flash game that can be played with four people

PHOTO COURTESY OF KONGREGATE

+ by ben Lucier

360 SMASH is a straightforward four-player flash game. It’s so simple that it can quickly become extremely competitive. It’s in the category of a tennis game, but with a completely unique type of game play. The main character, a ghost, can swing the tennis racket or duck.

Platforms: nintendo 3ds, 3ds XL Release date: nov 21

At the start of the game, a tennis ball appears. The object of the game knock the other players off the planet using the tennis ball which is capable of knocking any ghost off of the planet. The last ghost standing wins the game. The first player can play against one to three ghosts at a time. The ghost has to avoid getting hit by the tennis ball. Every time a ghost hits the the tennis ball, it slowly increases its speed which makes the game more difficult and fast paced.

This game is exciting not only because you are able to play the bots but because you can play against up to three other people at the same time.

What makes it tremendously addictive is the simplicity of the game play. It’s so amusing to play with friends because it’s easy to master the skills required for the game which allows it to quickly become wildly competitive.

As uncomplicated as the game is, it has a drawback. If you plan on playing

360 Smash with three other friends on your MacBook Air, then prepare yourself for inconvenient gameplay in four-player mode. Keep in mind that you will all be on the same small keyboard attempting to hit the control keys for each player. It’s difficult and frustrating, but strangely entertaining.

360 Smash is an easy-to-play game with its simple controls, one dimensional gameplay and enjoyable interactivity when competing against others.

PHOTO COURTESY OF POKEMON OMEGA RUBY

+ by haena lee

OMEGA RUBY AND ALPHA SAPPHIRE Hearing Nintendo will be releasing Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, remake of the third generation Pokemon games, made me ecstatic. I have always been a Pokemon fan since I was little.

You start out in the Hoenn Region and you come out of the moving van when you arrive to Littleroot Town. Ring a bell? It is the exact same beginning as the original Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald games. Even though

the storyline follows the original, the addition of the higher quality graphics, a player easily becomes absorbed into the game. The 3D option during battles and some segments during the storyline almost make it seem like I’m watching a Pokemon movie.

One thing that gamers dislike about these games is that they are too easy, which is true, for the most part. Defeating Team Magma and Team Aqua was a breeze.

The eight gym leaders don’t present a challenge, either. I was undefeated and the entire campaign took me less than 24 hours until the legendary Groudon appeared. It took six restarts, 17 Ultra Balls and two Great Balls just to catch it. But all

the tries it took me to capture it made the achievement that much more fulfilling.

With the newer Pokemon bringing changes and more Pokemon, the developers applied many of them to Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. In these remastered versions you can register more than one key item, reuse both Technical Machines and Hidden Machines (items that teach pokemon new moves) and last but not least, players can Mega Evolve certain pokemon. With the Mega Evolution it allows players to increase base statistics of their pokemon during a battle. It’s not just for the looks. One thing they did not include was the ability to go and personalize your character, which honestly

The top grossing movies of 2014 + by keegan dolinar

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY- $331,855,381 Adventurer Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the target of bounty hunters after he steals an orb from Ronan, the main villain. To escape Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with four other criminals: a trigger happy Rocket Raccoon, treelikehumanoid Groot, enigmatic Gamora, and vengeancedriven Drax the Destroyer.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FORBES But Quil soon discovers the orb’s real purpose and the cosmic threat it poses, Quill must rally his ragtag group to save the universe.

FURY- $82,002,443 During the allies final push in Europe, an Army sergeant named Don Collier (Brad Pitt), leading a Sherman tank and a fiveman crew, undertakes a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Outnumbered, outgunned Collier and his men face overwhelming odds as they move to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MOVIE PILOT

isn’t a big deal to me.

They added some new features as well, such as the DexNav. It allows players to identify what pokemon is in the rustling grass or splashing water. It becomes handy when you are looking for the more uncommon pokemon in the area.

Although the Gym Leaders were not at all challenging, I would definitely recommend this game to any pokemon fan. Players get to explore the Hoenn Region with better graphics, the storyline is the exact same and many of the more recent changes have been applied to the remakes, making the overall gaming experience more enjoyable.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DOWNLOAD WALL PAPER HD

GODZILLA- $200,676,069

THE MAZE RUNNER- $101,061,381

Ford Brody (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), a Navy bomb expert, is forced to go to Japan to help his estranged father, Joe (Bryan Cranston) who has spent his life researching a nuclear powerplant. Soon both men are swept up in an escalating crisis when Godzilla, King of the Monsters, arises from the sea to combat malevolent adversaries that threaten the survival of the human race. The creatures leave nothing but destruction in their trail, as they make their way toward their final battleground: San Francisco.

Thomas (Dylan O’Brien), a teenager, arrives in the center of a giant labyrinth.

Like the other boys dumped there before him, he has no memory of his previous life. Thomas quickly becomes part of the group and soon after demonstrates a unique skill and they soon promote him to Runner status, those who patrol the always-changing maze to find an escape route. Together with Teresa (Kaya Scodelario), the only female, Thomas tries to convince his cohorts that he knows a way out.

NW passage | entertainment

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Follow us on twitter @smnwdotcom for score updates during each varsity game

+ by haena lee

Boys’ Basketball

B

oys’ basketball had a rough start with a record of 0-3. They lost to SM West 4754, BV North 53-76, and Wyandotte 50-62. “[The] game was rough,” captain Doug Debose said. “We go into halftime with a lead and we start to build on it, but the next thing we know our lead was gone and we’re trying to fight back. After a couple of crucial turnovers there was nothing more we could do.

With the team mostly made of juniors, Debose hopes the team will mature enough to improve as the season goes on.

+ by natalia kidder

O

Boys’ Swim

“Regardless of the outcome of our first three games, I still have high hopes for this team,” Debose said.

“We just have some things we need to clean up on both sides of the ball [defensively and offensively].”

The Cougars will be up against Olathe North at Olathe North tonight.

winter PHOTO BY CARLEIGH WHITMAN

PHOTO BY CARLEIGH WHITMAN

PHOTO BY BRYCE REX

n Sat. Dec. 6, the NW boys swim and dive team had their first meet of the year.

“It was really exciting to get the season started,” senior Mark Hanneman said. “It’s my senior year and it’s my last chance to do my very best.”

Hanneman placed fourth in the 100 meter backstroke with a time of 1:06.3.

While the NW team placed last overall, their individual swimmers and relays performed well.

“We had a lot of swimmers [get their personal records], which was really cool,” senior Daniel Wood said. “The meet went really well for us.”

Hanneman, Wood, senior Sam Adams and sophomore Brandon Harrell all swam a 400 meter medley relay. The boys made time of 1:57.05.

Their time made consideration for the State Competition in the later spring.

“I am really proud of how well we did, for this only being our first meet,” Adams said. “There will only be improvement.”

+ by sarah keegan

Girls’ Basketball

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he Lady Cougars started off their season with an undefeated record. At the end of the fourth quarter against Shawnee Mission West, the scoreboard shone Cougars win 48 to 31.

“It wasn’t a very pretty game, we have a new coach and it was the first game of the season so we knew it was going to be a little rough, however we stepped up for the win,” senior Brooklyn Wagler said.

After a back and forth battle during the first two quarters, the Cougars maintained their lead the last half of the game.

“We have so many talented players that are capable of having great games which makes us really hard to guard,” senior Tracy Monahan said.“We have an understanding of each other on the court.”

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sports | dec. 19, 2014

With a minute forty left on the clock of the fourth quarter, Rose chucked the ball across the court to Wagler on a fast break. Bumping the Cougars lead 48 to 31.

“We all do really believe we can win all of our games,” senior Brooklyn Waggler said.

“Our biggest competition would be against Leavenworth and Olathe South.”

The student section exploded jumping up and down, the bleachers started shaking.

“I believe that we will win,” students chanted.

The fans began a 10 second countdown as senior Ariel Jackson waited out the clock.

“There are a lot of expectations for this years team, but one we have for ourselves is to make a run at state and potentially hang a banner,” junior Brenni Rose said.

PHOTO BY BRYCE REX

sports update

Bowling + by emilia battles

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PHOTO BY NICK KAHTAVA

PHOTO BY NICK KAHTAVA

r. Fryatt predicts “It is going to be very competitive to be on varsity this year.”

Bowling Tryouts will begin on Dec. 1 and wrap up on Dec. 4. The students with the best averages over eight games will be selected for the team, according to bowling coach Marcus Fryatt.

“I am also looking at who has the best potential to build up a good program over the next few years,” Fryatt said.

The team typically competes in 10 meets per season: January to March. Varsity and JV compete at the same meets. How to “win” a meet is to take the top 4 scores of the varsity bowlers, add them up, and see who gets the most pins.

“The only key to bowling is to knock down more pins [than the other schools]” said Fryatt.

Wrestling

PHOTO BY EMILIE AMUNATIGUI

“T

he first few practices are always hard, going from being able to eat whatever to having to maintain weight,” varsity wrestler Colin Smith said. “The conditioning is always intense, but practice is running smooth and the new assistant coaches have fit in very nicely.”

Varsity wrestling started their season

+ by emilia battles

off with competitions back to back days at Pleasant Hill High School. Multiple teammates placed in the top 10 for their weight class.

This Saturday a tournament will be held at Shawnee Mission Northwest.

“The more people we have there, the more the wrestlers want to win,” team member Hunter Masters said.

F O RG E T YOUR C A M E R A?

WE DIDN’T.

CHECK OUT ANY EVENTS T H AT YO U M I G H T H AV E M I S S E D BY G O I N G T O

NW passage | sports

23

“I think what will go down in history [from this year] is the outbreak of Ebola, for sure…Also, the fact that Republicans took over both houses, I think is a big deal. What happened in Ferguson showed that race issues are not just going away...ISIS is a big deal, that even in American media, [has been downplayed]."

— social studies teacher Drew Magwire