Issue 7: Medicated Education by Northwest Passage

northwest

VOLUME 45 - ISSUE 7 - JANUARY 31, 2014

AERIAL ASSISTANCE .05 Robotics club kicks off the building season with prototypes.

PUBLIC DISPLAY OF ANNOYING .09 The increasing demands placed on teenagers in school, in addition to a generational spike in ADD and ADHD diagnoses, has left many in a state of medicated education .10 PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY NATE COMPTON

In terms of public displays of affection, we know what’s okay and what crosses the line in school, it’s much like a job, don’t do something that could get you fired

TABLE OF CONTENTS

STAFF

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY NATE COMPTON

VOLUME 45 - ISSUE 7 - JANUARY 31, 2014

THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF DESIGN EDITOR STAFF DESIGNERS

PHOTO EDITORS COPY EDITOR WEB EDITOR WEB MANAGER GRAPHICS EDITOR STAFF GRAPHICS DESIGNER NEWS EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR FEATURES EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR STAFF WRITERS

Grace Amundson + Sarah Egger Grace Amundson Maddie Grimes Nate Compton Katie Addington Rachel Bateman Paden Chesney Nate Compton + Addison Sherman Lena Dennington Alaura Moore Haena Lee Mitch Feyerherm Calista Bohling Haena Lee Sarah Egger Atalie Black Lena Dennington Kylee Hartl Atalie Black, Keegan Dolinar, Deena Essa, Sarah Egger, Paige Eichkorn, Sophie Flores, Kylee Hartl, Haena Lee, Ben Lucier, and Alaura Moore

GUEST WRITERS

Jordan Arnold Britta Coleman Sean Collins Tess Holcom

ADVERTISEMENTS EDITOR ADVISER

Daniel Mirocke Susan Massy

PHOTO BY NATE COMPTON

PHOTO BY RANDY CASTELLON

08 17

PHOTOGRAPHERS Jordan Absher Emilie Amunatigui Shelby Beaumont Nisha Bisht Ginny Bohling Randy Castellon Gabby Chavez Nate Compton Clara Davison Sarah Dean Katherine Dewitt Lauren Edwards Kate Jacobsen Nicholas Kahtava Savannah Kelly

Teresa Pedroza Bryce Rex Kristi Seng Addison Sherman Lucas Silva Kristen Smith Taryn Smith Christa Stoll Lea Stuart Alexa Styers Sydney Taylor Nate Thompson Kyle Tong Isabelle Wallis Carleigh Whitman

MEDICATED EDUCATION

Students are turning to prescription “study drugs” to help them excel academically while ignoring the risks.

WAS IT ALL WORTHWHILE?

Although college acceptance didn’t go the way I hoped, I know life goes on, and it’s not the end.

NEW YEAR, NEW ME

It’s 2014 and students are keeping up with their resolutions, showing it’s never too late to make a change.

MARKETING Jon Anderson Jordan Berry Mitchell Bolton Evin Copeland Clay Droulliard Tristan Gerfen Nic Ghilardi Saliyah Henderson Travis Hickman Taylor Kangethe Daniel Kashani Celeste Lopez

Evan Miller Tyler Nelson Mia Pallito Jane Peterson Quincy Rast Kelci Scott Max Schnittker Christopher Spencer Elizabeth Stithem Jordan Sumner Hunter Thompson Daniel Wood

EDITOR’S NOTE:

t’s 10:30 p.m. and I haven’t even thought about my homework. Staring at my clock and then back at my planner reminds me that I have at least four hours of homework left to do before going to bed. As I open my computer, the first thing I click on is Twitter. How can I possibly do anything when I am not updated on the world of Twitter? After a solid 15 or 20 minutes, a tweet from SMSD pops up, reminding me that my homework hasn’t gone anywhere.

I turn on my study music (a Pinterest playlist) and immediately feel ready, even though my preferred music isn’t necessarily a pickme-up. I get up from the kitchen table (which is now covered with everything I need to get done) and start making coffee. At least with coffee I can finish half of the things I was supposed to get done without passing out. As the hands of the clock move past midnight, I reevaluate my attack plan. As per usual, I decide I can just finish everything

The purpose of the Northwest Passage is to relay important and interesting information to the community, activities will only be covered if they somehow affect the school or students. The Northwest Passage is a administration and students of the Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. As a newsmagazine, the 24-page newsmagazine. The paper will be distributed every three weeks during fifth hour. Subscriptions Northwest Passage will cater to the interests and concerns of the student body. Outside concerns and will be available to the community for $25. The Northwest Passage firmly supports the First Amendment

GRAPHICS BY MITCH FEYERHERM

PHOTO BY SARAH DEAN

PHOTO BY KYLE TONG

15 21 05 PHOTO COURTESY OF IMAGESHACK

PHOTO BY BRYCE REX

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LUCAS SILVA

20 22 09 15

ZODIAC

Take the Zodiac quiz to find whether your characteristics match those of your zodiac sign.

THE LEGEND OF HERCULES

The Legend of Hercules is a legendary blunder.

tomorrow. It’s 1 a.m.; I can barely stay awake. I shut my computer and go to bed. I will be up in less than five hours. I am horrible at planning my time, and I procrastinate. Regardless, I don’t resort to using drugs to help me focus and get things done faster: I rely on music and coffee. Sure, caffeine and music don’t always work. Sometimes,

THIS DISH SERVED

With health being a recurring concern, we found the best places to get sandwiches.

WINTER SPORTS

AERIAL ASSISTANCE

Robotics club kicks off the building season with prototypes.

PUBLIC DISPLAY OF ANNOYING

With the kickoff of winter sports at the start of the year, the briefs highlight each team’s accomplishments.

In terms of public displays of affection, we know what’s okay and what crosses the line in school, it’s much like a job, don’t do something that could get you fired

they end up leaving me even more distracted. But, they are far less dangerous than using someone else’s prescription drugs for ADD or ADHD. Not only are Adderall, Vyvanse and Ritalin highly addictive, they can cause hallucinations, seizures and depression if misused or taken at the wrong dosage (to learn more about drug use and abuse see page 10). The bottom line? These drugs are dangerous, especially to those who take them without doctor supervision.

Sometimes you just have to stay up late to finish a lastminute assignment. It happens to all of us. But, how far are we willing to go for those 10, 20, 100 points, and (the real question) is it even worth it? Sincerely, Sarah Egger Co Editor-In-Chief

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

aerial Robotics club starts building for the March competition

PHOTO BY NATE COMPTON

n the back parking lot across from the baseball fields, seniors David Pullen and Phillip Ruo begin testing the ball launcher for the robot. Ruo crouches beside it. “Are you ready?” Ruo asks. “Ready.” Pullen releases the stop mechanism on the launcher. The ball flies four feet into the air and is caught by sophomore Lucas Powell. In the upcoming First Robotics regional competition, to be hosted at Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City, Mo., March 13-15, the robot must be able to launch a ball, two feet in diameter, into a goal located six feet in the air. “It has to be able to catch passes. So, we have this giant ball, and we are supposed to pass it around to other robots because the game is called ‘aerial assist,’” senior Kristy Gentry said. “You get more points the more you pass it, so we have to share the ball.” The robotics team has approximately six weeks (from launch day) to construct a robot capable of completing the task. “Jan. 4 was our big kick-off day, and we watched the live stream video of the competition [rules], and as soon as it was over, we went to work,” Gentry said. “We have been [busy] ever since. And when we had the snow day, we were here working.”

The 21-person robotics team works every day after school during the six weeks until 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. “It’s definitely a team effort; a lot of planning has to go into it,” junior Courtney Hedrick said. “The first couple days of robotics are spent trying to come up with ideas to use on the robot and to build the robot.” The team spends the majority of its time planning and creating prototypes. After producing a successful prototype, they perfect and build the final mechanisms for the robot. “I really enjoy how relaxing building is, actually,” Hedrick said. “You’d think that robotics is a stressful environment because we have six weeks to build a 120-lb robot with electronics that can do different tasks. The engineering part of it is stressful. But the actual building, when you aren’t making a ton of mistakes, is really relaxing.” Beyond the time it takes to build the robot, the team also has to raise funds for the $5,000 entry fee. “Competition is fun,” Hedrick said. “You get to see it finally compete and see how it compares to the other teams. You get to see the results of all your hard work.” BY KEEGAN DOLINAR

1 Junior Luke Hansen inspects a piece of the robot with

senior Brett Christianson in Rm C. Robotics is waiting on parts to be delivered to continue the building of their robot. “I joined [robotics] because I have always been curious as to how various things work,” Christianson said. “Initially, I didn’t think it would be as stressful as it is, but I still greatly enjoy it.” 2 Junior Luke Hansen cuts the thin sheet of metal on the portable bandsaw in room C on Jan. 21. The thin sheet of metal was used for the ball shooter of the robot. 3 Logging into his laptop, junior Denzel Richmond prepares to work on code for the Cougar Robotics team’s robot. Richmond and his brother, sophomore Dean Richmond, are both programmers. 4 Senior David Pullen test the launching component for the robot on Jan 17. The robotics team’s challenge for the year is to create a robot capable of shooting, scoring, and catching basketballs. “It’s a lot less technical than last year’s challenge because [a lot of the points] come from teamwork,” Pullen said. 5 Junior Courtney Hedrick holds a piece of wood as a screw is drilled in during robotics club on Jan. 21 after school. Last year the robotics team made it to semi finals at the state competition and placed 13 out of 55 teams.

PHOTO BY Kyle tong

PHOTO BY carleigh whitman

PHOTO BY NATE COMPTON

NORTHWEST PASSAGE 05 a

NEWS

briefly a Theater Department to Perform Crimes of the Heart

PHOTO BY LUCAS SILVA

A cast of six students will perform the winter drama Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley Feb. 20-22. “I have been begging to do this show for three years,” senior Emily Robison said. “It’s my favorite play. And [director Keli Rodgers] finally asked for suggestions from the board one night. And I said, ‘We should do Crimes of the Heart.’” It’s about three sisters, Lenny, Meg and Babe Magrath, whose mother had committed suicide and were raised by their grandparents. The play begins after Babe has shot her husband and Meg and Lenny get her out of jail and defend her against assault charges. The story mainly follows the three sisters’ reactions to this conflict.

An Apple for every student

PHOTO BY savannah kelly

BY SARAH EGGER

Every high school student in the Shawnee Mission School District will receive a MacBook Air to use for his or her high school career beginning next fall. The Shawnee Mission Board of Education approved up to $20 million to purchase Apple equipment and implement their use at last night’s board meeting. Middle school students will each receive an iPad. The technology will be phased in at the elementary level with 10 schools scheduled to receive iPads for each of their students next fall. Twenty-three elementary schools will be given iPad carts for the 2014-15 school year and full implementation will be achieved at those schools by the 2015-16 school year.

Open lunch won’t be cancelled

PHOTO BY aaron messick

BY SOPHIE FLORES

“Beth Henley has a fresh, original point of view,” Rodgers said. “Her dialogue is really good. It’s really good at creating character. And the characters are very well drawn the plot’s a little weird, in a comedy you have more latitude for that kind of thing. It’s just so well written.” “Rehearsals are going fantastic,” senior Michael Nyhart said. “The cast is moving along perfectly. It’s a more experienced cast so the chemistry is all there because we all know for a long time. For most of us, this is our senior year. So the connection we have builds the chemistry onstage.” The cast will perform at 7 p.m. in the Greg Parker Auditorium. Tickets are $8 or free with an activity pass.

“We have been investigating this opportunity for quite some time,” superintendent Jim Hinson said at the board meeting. “It will help the students adapt to a more diverse learning style, boost motivation, and enhance what the students can do with this technology.” In March, every Shawnee Mission teacher will receive a MacBook Air and an iPad so that the district can begin preparing teachers for the opportunities to improve education that this technology is expected to bring. “This is a vision of where we want to go,” associate superintendent Dr. Gillian Chapman said. “We want to improve the technology to prepare the students for where they want to go. This will help them get there.”

Despite rumors about the fate of open lunch, principal Lisa Gruman confirmed that the policy would not change for next year’s seniors. Open lunch is a privilege for seniors that allows them to have lunch off campus. “As you get older, as a senior, you’ve matured, and therefore, you get to have this privilege,” associate principal Tom Moss said. “In order for us to cancel open lunch, it would have to be a federal

BY DEENA ESSA

guideline or a district policy. We are not opposed to having open lunch.” Teachers and administrators said they face the same rumors every year. “‘Oh, they’re going to take away open lunch for the seniors…’ It’s simply a rumor,” associate principal Eddie LyDay said. “Where they come from I don’t know. It’s not true.”

Student Council organizes Talent Show Student Council (StuCo) will host the sixth annual Talent Show in the Greg Parker Auditorium Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. Students signed up for auditions Jan. 22 and Jan. 23 outside of Room 132. “[Tryouts] went extremely well,” Talent Show Chairman Carolina Mach said. “It was the most diverse group of talent I think we’ve ever had. And we’ve got some crazy talented acts.” The show will be 20 to 25 performers featured in the two hour long show with acts ranging from singing to juggling and everything in

BY HAENA LEE

between. All students and parents are welcomed to attend free with an activity pass or for five dollars. Many of these students have been rehearsing since many months ahead in order to prepare. “The group has been [practicing] for a couple of weeks for a couple times a week,” senior Steven Skells said. “I’m very excited because “It’s” [by the Black Keys] is a really cool song and I think it’s going to sound good as well. I’ve participated in all three years so far and I’m hoping for a fourth.”

PHOTO BY nate compton

WPA dance to be held at northwest

JAN. 31, 2014 a

NEWS

PHOTO BY mikala compton

Northwest’s annual WPA dance will take place Feb. 15 at 7p.m. in the cafeteria. The theme for this year’s dance is “Escape Through the Wardrobe.” StuCo chose the layout for the dance, a winter landscape theme, with colors such as silver, white and dark blue. “We wanted to try to put a different spin on a cheesy “Winter Wonderland” type dance,” StuCo teacher Sarah Dent said.

BY ATALIE BLACK

“We’ve been trying to incorporate movies and pop culture.” Clubs and organizations nominated seniors to be on the WPA court Jan. 15, a total of 20 girls and boys will be chosen from the nominees to be on court. The court will be presented to the school Feb. 14 at the WPA assembly and students will vote after the assembly. The king and queen will be announced at an assembly during the dance.

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The US has the MOST SUBWAY restaurants with

19,467

locations nationwide

COMPILED BY ATALIE BLACK GRAPHICS BY CALISTA BOHLING + NATE COMPTON

75%

of people maintain the average their New Years person will resolutions through the first week spend about weeks while only of his or her life are able to maintain their New Years

KISSING

46% resolutions past

6 MONTHS

COLLEGE STUDENTS

60%

will have student loan debt after graduating

22 / 3

full time college students

EACH YEAR

has increased by

3 - 5%

what is your zodiac animal

DOG

1994

BOAR

1995

RAT

1996

1997

TIGER

1998 1999

pay with grants & scholarships

the diagnoses for people with

ADD / ADHD

ZODIAC

“This is the one thing that I did not expect the most about tonight, so thank you so much. I think mostly to Bruno [Mars], to Sara [Bareilles], to Katy [Perry], to Justin [Timberlake]. I have been so inspired by all of your vocal work at some point in my life, so thank you . . . Thank you so much!” — Lorde upon winning song of the year and best pop solo performance with her song, “Royals,” at the 2014 Grammys

HARE

NORTHWEST PASSAGE 07 a

NEWS

GAMER GIRL

Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I can’t beat you BY KYLEE HARTL

I openly admit that I am what people would consider “a gamer.” I tend to lean toward role play games, like Dishonored or Fable, where you choose your own path; strategy games, like Assassins Creed and Devil May Cry; and the occasional shooter, like Halo or Call of Duty. I prefer games that span genres, particularly Borderlands or Bioshock. I also like multiplayer games, particularly when I’m playing Assassins Creed: Black Flag. I’m a level 5 player so far, which is considered low, but I’m just starting out, so naturally people assume I am new and don’t know how to play the game. They are sadly mistaken. I had experience playing multiplayer on Assassins Creed 3, which is almost exactly the same as Black Flag. The objective is simple, find your target (another player) and kill him or her. Simple enough. The ironic thing is that for the most part, I am the only girl in a group of about seven to eight guys. The moment I start talking, they freak out. “Oh my god, you’re a girl? And you’re beating me?” Well, yes. What’s so surprising about that? Comments like that tend to make me purposely kill them over and over again, just to show that they probably shouldn’t have said that. And, Assassins Creed isn’t the only game where this happens. Shooters like Halo or Call of Duty: Black Ops are also good examples of gender bias. Just because I am a girl, doesn’t mean you’re better at the game than me. Now, I tend to be better at games that aren’t shooters, and I’ll admit, I get beat all the time at Halo (because, frankly, I’m not particularly good at Halo.) But, I don’t complain about it. I typically end up in second or third place, much to the surprise of the group I’m playing with, which just proves that my ability to play a game does not have anything to do with me being female. There are even more female gamers now than ever. They tend to be more accepted nowadays and sometimes admired. I frequently get compliments on my abilities and I’ll occasionally run into another female gamer. For the most part, they’re good. Not to say there haven’t been games geared toward female gamers. Many video games like Borderlands and even Call of Duty Ghosts have introduced female characters into their games to appeal to a more female audience. The percentage of female gamers is rapidly growing. However, many guys in particular seem to have really large egos when it comes to video games, where I typically silently kill people. Fine, I sometimes get carried away when I play and mess with them, but it’s more for my own amusement and to prove a point: just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I can’t kick your butt.

JAN. 31, 2014 Y

OPINION

was it all worthwhile?

Although I didn’t get into my dream school, I’ve learned it wasn’t a failure BY LENA DENNINGTON

Although I have told myself numerous times I did all I could to get into my dream school, I can’t help but think of what more I could have done, what I could’ve written differently, or what club I should’ve joined. But, I’ve learned that it’s not about whether I get into a school that defines me. What I’ve most certainly learned are a few vital things that I never would have realized without being rejected. So thank you, Stanford. I owe you one big thank you. 1. Every day is another chance to meet someone new, and to be rewarded. I was immensely blessed on my journey toward Stanford. I’ve met countless people I would have never encountered. I couldn’t have done any of those activities without the people that I met in them. So, here’s to you guys. My family was also a huge part of the journey. I couldn’t have done it without the countless support and love I received from them. I realized the activities themselves are what the college is going to see, but they will never know the people and faces behind the activity: the laughs, the memories, and the reason I kept going back. It was you. 2. It’s not the finish line, it’s the journey. What I didn’t realize initially in my pursuit of this dream was the amount of memories I would gain along the way and how much it taught me about myself. I can’t help but realize I wouldn’t have half of the memories I do now without the incredible things that I encountered during the pursuit of this dream. So to all the late nights in Room 151, getting no sleep, running for Lt. Gov., the planning that goes into every case hearing, and the Wednesday night Bible studies: I realized what I enjoyed most was actually getting to the finish line, even if I didn’t get the place I wanted. 3. There’s a lot of little wins that get overlooked because of the bigger picture. One big thing I want to tell anyone considering pursuing a dream is to take time and enjoy where you are now. The moments where I paused to realize their greatness were the best ones. When the dean gave his opening remarks before stanford summer college, when I won Lt. Governor, when my

upwards team got first place, and so many more wins. Sure, the initial reason I did some things were because I figured Stanford would like that, but what I ended up realizing, is that I invested some extensive times in those things. I realize now that those little wins were huge at the time, and they shouldn’t be forgotten. 4. I am not a failure because I did not get in. The hardest thing I have found in this whole process to deal with is thinking that I am not a failure. It’s hard to think about the “what ifs”. It’s also hard to think how I was different than those who did get in. But, I’ve learned that, yes at the time it was hard, but I am not a failure because I did not get in. In fact, I am stronger because I pursued something that didn’t work out, but I will not stop. The most successful people in life failed more than they succeeded, so to stop dreaming would be a failure. 5. I am surrounded by some absolutely incredible people. The biggest thing I realized is that I have some great people around me. One huge thing that kept me going is the support around me. I realized that the people around me are proud of me and that is all I can ask for. I also realized that I need to be more thankful and start treasuring them a little more, because the loving response that my church family poured out after I was upset was irreplaceable. I think I missed out on them by misjudging. But, the people I have met and surrounded myself with, are just truly a blessing. I couldn’t have done any of it without you. So one last time, here’s to you Stanford. It was fun, but it’s time to move on. I’m ready to make an amazing mark pursuing whatever God sets on my heart next. I encourage anyone who pursues their dreams to take a moment, and enjoy the moment. Onto the next great thing. So was it worthwhile? I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. Although it didn’t finish how I had hoped, I made some great memories, and learned so much. It was worthwhile.

Public Display of

Annoying

Public displays of affection aren’t frowned upon unless they go overboard, but, please, hands to yourself

t’s 7:28 in the morning and social studies teacher Matt Wolfe is cruising through the halls. He sees a kissing couple. “KNOCK IT OFF!” he yells and then walks between them as they try to hold hands. “There’s a time and a place for it and it’s not at school,” Wolfe said. PDA is a taboo subject. There isn’t much discussion about it that doesn’t begin and end with “Don’t do it.” But no serious definition of “it” exists. Northwest doesn’t have assemblies or talks regarding what’s OK and what’s not. But, punishments are enforced for displaying too much affection. ‘Inappropriate display of public affection’ is listed as one of the infractions in the district handbook for Administrative Guidelines for K-12 Students. The consequences may range from a formal conference with an administrator to a higher level of consequence including In School Suspension (ISS) or Out of School Suspension (OSS), depending on the severity of the infraction. PDA is generally defined by a society’s

PDA:

Acceptable

intertwined

short hugs

never let go

quick kisses

making out

peck on the cheek

neck slobbering

‘‘ PHOTO illustration BY lucas silva

‘‘

Unacceptable

holding hands

Can you imagine how incredibly awkward it would be if your favorite teacher had to tell you to stop making out with your boyfriend/girlfriend?

acceptance of certain behaviors. That definition is interpreted by an individual’s religious beliefs and moral stance. In a school setting, we have to be conscious of the wide variety of religious and moral opinions represented in the student body and be respectful of the most conservative opinions. Each student should be able to walk in the halls and feel comfortable. With this in mind, we propose the following definition of PDA for NW students. PDA consists of any gesture suggesting an affectionate or romantic feeling toward another, taking place in public view, with the following exceptions: 1) holding hands 2) hugging (no full-body hugging) 3) quick kiss on the cheek OK, let’s be real. This is a do-able policy, but in all reality, no teacher wants to enforce it. Can you imagine how incredibly awkward it would be if your favorite teacher had to tell you to stop making out with your boyfriend/ girlfriend? We can’t depend on the teachers to walk in the halls with a yardstick to make

sure couples are appropriately distant, or a stopwatch to time those “quick kisses.” We are in high school. We know what’s appropriate and what crosses the line. We are at school a minimum of 40 hours each week, so it’s kind of like a job. You wouldn’t make out with your significant other at work and not expect to face any consequences, or even to be fired. Perhaps if we simply started acting more mature, as is expected in the real world, discussions and rules about PDA would no longer be necessary. Everyone has a right to feel comfortable in the hallways. We’re here to work, learn and maybe even have some fun. So, please, listen to what every teacher and fellow student definitely wants to say: “Knock it off!”

Staff Votes

20 01

‘Inappropriate display of public affection’ is listed as one of the infractions in the district handbook for Administrative Guidelines for K-12 Students.”

PDA consists of any gesture suggesting an affectionate or romantic feeling toward another, taking place in public view.

agree

disagree

We are in high school. We know what’s appropriate and what crosses the line.

We can’t depend on the teachers to walk in the halls with a yardstick to make sure couples are appropriately distant, or a stopwatch to time those “quick kisses.”

NORTHWEST PASSAGE Y

OPINION

PHOTO illustration BY nate compton

JAN 31, 2014 y

FEATURE

The increasing demands placed on teenagers in school, in addition to a generational spike in ADD and ADHD diagnoses, has left many in a state of

She glared at the clock: 3 a.m. She sighed, her eyes felt droopy, and her fingers began to drag. She still had three pages to finish. She glanced at the amber bottle sitting next to her clock. Inside was a blue and white pill that would solve all her issues. “When I have a lot going on all at once and I know I have to spend four to five hours straight doing homework, [Adderall] helps me stay focused for that time period,” a female honors student said. No doctor has prescribed the drug for her. She, like 18 percent of the NW student body, takes it as a study drug. She swallowed the pill. About 20 minutes later, her pupils were dilated. She was literally wide awake. “I always get a little talkative and really focused on whatever I am doing [after I take it],” she said. “I take it because I know I must finish the work. I know I can trust it to help me complete an essay late at night, or do well on a test the next day. I honestly believe it helps me perform better.” Adderall is typically prescribed for people who are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or attention deficit disorder (ADD). People who have these disorders have problems focusing, paying attention, and/or struggle with overactivity; therefore, they need the prescription. In order to focus on everyday activities, those diagnosed with ADD or ADHD are prescribed Adderall, Vyvanse or Ritalin. “It’s almost like a funnel,” junior Gabby Lorino said. “You usually have all these thoughts and [the medication allows you to focus on what] you really need to think about.” According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the brains of ADHD patients mature roughly two years later than the average person. The particular region of the brain that the delay affects most is the area that controls attention, cognition and organization. According to WebMD, those with ADHD have a low amount of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, a chemical that sends signals to nerve cells in the brain. Therefore, ADHD patients need stimulants to increase the amount of dopamine in the brain. “Dopamine is an important chemical in the brain,” Dr. GeneJack Wang said in a Health Line News report about the effects of ADHD medication on dopamine transporters, “Low levels of the neurotransmitter are associated with, among other things, high levels

education

of novelty-seeking behavior, such as participating in high-risk sports and abusing drugs.” A person who is not affected by ADHD has a functioning frontal cortex and a stable amount of dopamine. After they take a stimulant, they will feel motivated, sharp and ready to go. “It helps me actually get things done when I don’t have the motivation on my own,” a junior IB student without a prescription said. “A lot of things happen all at once. Although [school work] is not that big on its own, all of it together makes it overwhelming.” Eighteen percent of NW students admit illegally using the substance. Eight percent of the student body uses these stimulants and is not in any honors classes.The difficulty of the class is not necessarily what drives students to take the class. Student athletes are also taking these study drugs because they believe it helps them focus on their sport better. “I take it so I can prepare and be ready for a swim meet,” a female athlete who is not prescribed the drug said. “It helps me stay focused on my event.” It’s not just students prescribed the medications who are using ADD/ADHD drugs. Nearly 20 percent of the student body either sells these prescription medications or purchases them. If caught, both the buyer and the seller could be charged with possession of a controlled substance. “The problem with these medications is the addictive implications that come with them,” pharmacist Jackie Baker said. “Students don’t realize that what they are taking is dangerous when it’s not prescribed. They are using it as a study drug.” Stimulants such as Adderall and Vyvanse are listed by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as Schedule II drugs, meaning that they are grouped with cocaine and oxycontin due to their high risk of addiction. Some students who are prescribed the drugs are selling them to students, making the drug easily accessible. These students, if caught, could be charged with distribution of a controlled substance. According to the DEA, this can include giving or exchanging a prescription drug, as well as an offer or agreement to sell or exchange.

Continued on page 12

NORTHWEST PASSAGE y

FEATURE

“I sell it because

“I sell it for $5 because I don’t need all of the pills,” said a junior prescribed the drug. “If I take one every other day, I’m fine. So, I make about $40 per bottle by selling them.” Adderall and its counterparts are not the only things students are relying on to help them study. In fact, students are consuming energy drinks or taking caffeine pills to stimulate their brains. “Students are using unsafe amounts of caffeine to stay awake,” Baker said. “Many fail to realize that the unnecessary stimulation many energy drinks can give you causes damage to your brain.” These side effects range from loss of appetite to, in extreme cases, death (see sidebar for more

brain on Adderall RED = INCREASED ACTIVITY

details). According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, Adderall contains amphetamine, which activates norepinephrine. Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter that accelerates the heart and increases blood pressure. The other main ingredient in Adderall is dextroamphetamine, which can cause a sense of euphoria due to the rise in dopamine levels. Together, they increase the risks of heart failure or a heart attack, in both short-term and long-term users. (See the sidebar for healthy alternatives these drugs). According to students, the pressures of school continue to grow: grades, teachers, friends,

dating, etc. However, some who are drug believe that the medication al connect with their peers and stay fo “I NEED my medication. Withou be lost and go crazy,” a sophomore a stimulant said. “I am afraid if I meds, I might lose all my friends.” Time management and organiz can help students stay on top of th without having to resort to aids like Parents, teachers and counselors can explore healthy alternatives. “I think one of the things that dra the profession is our desire to build

brain without Adderall RED = INCREASED ACTIVITY

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W Brain on Adderall When you are taking Adderall or one of its counterparts and you are not prescribed it, you increase the activity in your brain. This causes an overactivity of the brain by over 50 percent, according to prosandconsofadderall.com. Meaning, every part of your brain is active and aroused, arousing unnecessary areas of your brain to finish the work.

JAN 31, 2014 y

FEATURE

When I tak Vyvanse, I f my teacher Let’s say of a packet as I get the p only thing I that packet I’ve answere than assign I don’t precalculus AP English the hour is homework. able to get before I lea Vyvanse ha effects. When I homework thing I care ignore the d When I’ have to tell talk so muc

Editor’s note: We 1) Medical profess to avoid being pre 2) Because ADD/AD request.

zational skills heir workload e study drugs. n help students

aws teachers to d relationships

BY ATALIE BLACK + LENA DENNINGTON + HAENA LEE + ALAURA MOORE

ug misuse d abuse ong teens

A 2009 study from University of Rhode Island researchers found

percent

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side effects

Caffeine

For more information about substance abuse, or if you or someone you know is abusing prescription medications, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at 1-800-662-HELP or www. samhsa.gov.

Purpose stimulate central nervous system, muscles, and heart

commonly used to improve alertness

raises blood pressure, increases urine flow, hyperactivity, chest pain, anxiety, stomach irritation, increased breathing and heart rate, nausea and insomnia

Adderall

with students,” English teacher Marc Gibbens said. “If the situation arises that students don’t think they can talk to a parent, I hope that most students have a teacher they would feel would be receptive to a personal conversation after school.”

stimulate central nervous system

treats symptoms of various forms of Attention Deficit Disorder

rashes, irritation, anxious, seizures, difficulty breathing or swallowing, headaches, chest pain, swelling of the eyes, face, tongue or throat, nausea, loss of appetite, lack of sleep or having trouble sleeping, unusual changes in personality and/or behavior, hyperactivity, depression, fatigue

stimulate central nervous system

treats symptoms of various forms of Attention Deficit Disorder

rashes, fatigue, hyperactivity, changes in sensitivity in toes and fingers, sporadic muscle movement, and erratic outbursts and vision changes.

Ritalin

prescribed the llows them to ocused. ut it, I would e prescribed to don’t take my

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Americans in 2010

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of students take stimulant drugs not prescribed to them

of the world's population, but in 2010

544mg for every and child living in the U.S.

two-thirds

of the world's Adderall.

ADHD Anonymous

ke my prescribed dose of feel like I can do anything puts in front of me. y I’m assigned questions 1-4 in AP U.S. History. As soon packet, I start working. The I can think about is getting t done. Ten minutes later, ed all 15 questions — more ned. stop there. I finish my homework and some annotations. By the time s over, I complete all my . Don’t get me wrong, being all of my homework done ave school is awesome, but as some undesirable side

I walk in and tonight’s is on the board, the only e about is getting it done. I day’s lesson. ’m with my friends, they l me to slow down, not to ch. That’s hard when it feels

like my mind is racing. Other times, my friends think I don’t care because I zone out when they talk, and they constantly have to repeat themselves. On the days I forget to take it, or when my refill is delayed, I can’t focus on anything. I can’t get my homework done. I am fidgety and nervous, and the stress builds with every assignment. Even if I have all night, I just can’t bring myself to do it. I have to have Vyvanse to function normally. When I don’t have that rush, I don’t have the motivation to do anything. But it is a prescription drug, highly addictive and dangerous for those who take it as a study drug. It may cause hallucinations, seizures, depression and, if you overdose, death. When prescribed and monitored, it is an aid. When it is abused, it is not only dangerous but illegal. It’s insulting to think that while I need it to function, others are taking it to simply to perform better on the ACT.

have chosen to allow this editorial to run anonymously for two reasons: sionals warn those who take prescription stimulants not to share this information with friends essured to share or sell the drug. DHD is a medical condition, the writer has the right to request privacy. We have respected this

of students use caffeine as a stimulant

of students do not take any kind of stimulant

of students are prescribed to a stimulant drug

- A cup of coffee offers a couple hours of energy. - Consuming carbohydrates can increase production in serotonin, which may make feel calm. - Drink a glass of water. Dehydration can impair one’s concentration. - Give yourself a pat on the back. Your touch releases oxycontin, a hormone that reduces anxiety and promotes the feeling of satisfaction. - Get some rest. A healthy amount of 8-9.25 hours of sleep can improve concentration and decrease the risk of health problems. - Eat some chocolate. Not only does release endorphins, but it has small amounts of caffeine to keep one alert.

results taken out of 1129 surveys NORTHWEST PASSAGE y

FEATURE

Colleen Winter Owner

13222 West 62nd Terrace Shawnee, KS 66216 Phone: (913) 962-0077 Fax: (913) 962-5577 Email: wbushawnee@gmail.com www.shawnee.wbu.com Twitter: @wbushawnee Facebook: Wild Birds Unlimited of Shawnee, KS

What students say about College Now

“Great way to earn college credit in high school!” “It is a wonderful, invaluable opportunity.” “Stay ahead and get a head start for college credits.” College Now at Johnson County Community College is the only nationally accredited concurrent program in Kansas. See your school counselor for details or visit www.jccc.edu/collegenow

(Jan. 21- Feb. 19)

Aquarians are charming, polite, interesting, openminded, forward-thinking, unpredictable, moody, and don’t like emotional situations.

‘‘

Have you ever heard couples say,

“My boyfriend and I are so perfect for each other. Even our signs say that we are meant to be.” They were referring to the

(Feb. 19- Mar. 20)

Pisces are perceptive, creative, good-natured, sensible, spiritual, musical, giving, shy and can get depressed easily.

(Mar. 21- Apr. 19) Arians are brave, fiery spirited, confident, adventurous, born leaders, opinionated, short tempered, impulsive and impatient.

(Apr. 20- May 20)

Tauruses are faithful, reliable, musical, headstrong, secure, down to earth, overprotective, and bullheaded.

(May 21- Jun 20) Geminis are loving, caring, relaxed, easily distracted, chatty, often two-faced and can do too much at once.

(Jun. 21- Jul. 22)

Cancers are compassionate, loving, thoughtful, defensive, steadfast, can be controlling, lack confidence and be too sensitive.

(July 24 - Aug. 23)

Leos are natural born leaders, ambitious, charismatic, loyal, big-hearted, magnanimous, optimistic, opinionated, flamboyant and pompous.

(Aug. 24 - Sept. 23)

Virgos are perfectionists, realists organized, logical, diligent, sympathetic, faithful, responsible, critical, shy, and anxious.

(Sept. 24 - Oct. 23)

Libras are a people pleasers, intellectual, social, naive, artistic, affectionate, cheerful, sensitive, indecisive and selfish.

The Greek zodiac signs were created after Babylonians introduced astronomy to Greeks and Romans. Astronomers divided the sky into 12 zones creating them into 12 constellations (Due to the changes in the Earth’s alignment, there

is a new claim that there is a new sign, Ophiuchus, in addition to the 12 original zodiac signs.) Originally used to predict possible chaos, today people use the zodiac signs for everything from predicting love and

money to how they should arrange their furniture and what to eat. Sometimes that means reading the horoscope every day. BY KYLEE HARTL + HEANA LEE

Here is a quiz to for you to see what sign really fits you.

Rank the statements to a scale of 1, meaning it does not sound like me, 2, it sort of sounds like me, and 3, this is me.

1. Introvert or Extrovert

1. When a new student joins the class I am one of the first people to befriend them. 2. I enjoying participating in class. 3. I do everything with a sense of enthusiasm. 4. I sometimes get in trouble in class for talking. 5. I am friends with more than 10 people.

Total:

4. Patient or Intolerant

1. When someone clicks their pen excessively I wait patiently for them to stop. 2. When someone disagrees with me I listen to what they have to say. 3. It is difficult to make me mad. 4. I do not complain to people often. 5. When things go wrong I stay calm and collected.

(Nov. 23 - Dec. 22)

Sagittariuses are proud, enthusiastic, ambitious, independent, light-hearted, intellectual, caring, and can be brutally honest.

(Dec. 23 - Jan. 20)

Capricorns are giving, romantic, committal, trustworthy, ambitious responsible, cautious, and short-tempered. graphics by mitch feyerherm

Aries:

10+ in sections 1,2,3. less than 10 in 4,5,6.

Taurus:

10+ in sections 2, 4, 5, 6. Less than 10 in 1 and 3.

Gemini:

Total:

10 + in sections 1,2,3. 8-12 points in section 3. Less than 10 in sections 4,6.

5. Leader or Follower

10+ in sections 1,2,5,6. 8-12 points in section 3. Less than 10 in section 4.

Leo:

2. Artistic or Intellectual

1. I take many art classes because I enjoy them. 2. During my free time I draw or paint. 3. I often daydream during class when I get bored. 4. My work reflects my mood of that time. 5. I enjoy listening to music while I work.

Total:

1. I just go with the flow. 2. People come to me for help. 3. I organize the times and dates to hang out with my friends. 4. I make sure everyone does their work in a group project. 5. I try to make the best decision for myself and others.

Total:

(Oct. 24 - Nov. 22)

Scorpios are committed, honest, out-going, humorous, passionate, magnetic, competitive, stubborn, envious, and overly sensitive.

Results:

3. Sensitive or Tough

1. When I do something wrong I like to know right away. 2. I like criticism because it helps me do better. 3. When my friend does something I don’t like, I tell them. 4. When my friend is in a tough situation I tell them things they could do. 5. I do not care about the opinions of those that I do not respect.

Total:

6. People Pleaser or not people pleaser 1. I try to make everyone happy. 2. I do what my friends want to do. 3. I apply the motto “sharing is caring” to my life. 4. I don’t mind paying things for my friends occasionally. 5. I follow directions well.

Total:

Virgo:

10+ in sections 4,5,6. Less than 10 in sections 1,2,3.

Libra:

10+ in sections 1,2,4. Less than 10 in sections 3,5,6.

Scorpio:

10+ in sections 1,6. Less than 10 in sections 2,3,4,5.

Sagittarius:

10+ in sections 1,2,5. Less than 10 in sections 3,4,6.

Capricorn:

10+ in sections 2,5,6. Less than 10 in sections 1,3,4.

Aquarius:

10+ in sections 1,3,6. Less than 10 in sections 2,4,5.

Pisces:

10+ in sections 2,4,6. Less than 10 in sections 1,3,5.

NORTHWEST PASSAGE y

FEATURE

Summer Aquatic Positions Assistant pool Manager must be 18 years of age and hold current American red Cross Waterpark lifeguard Certification. Starting salary is $12.00/hr lifeguards must be 16 years of age and hold current American red Cross Waterpark lifeguard Certification. Starting salary is $8.75/hr. Swim instructors must be 16 years of age or older. Training will be provided. Starting salary: $9.75/hr. Concession/Front Desk Attendant must be 15 years of age. Starting Salary is $7.25/hr. Assistant Dive Coaches must be 16 years of age with prior diving experience. Starting salary: $9.75/hr. head Swim Coach must be 18 years of age with previous coaching experience. Assistant Swim Coach must be 16 years of age with prior swimming experience. Starting Salary $9.75/hr pool employment Applications available on-line at www.cityofshawnee.org and at Shawnee City hall, 11110 Johnson Dr., Shawnee, KS 66203. positions open until filled. All positions require pre-employment drug screen.

A month into the New Year, students work to live up to their resolutions BY SARAH EGGER + PAIGE EICHKORN

PHOTO BY nisha bisht

PHOTO BY lauren edwards

BRIDGET LYNCH, SENIOR

fter a tough year, senior Bridget Lynch is working to be more optimistic. “I would love to be an optimistic person. I used to be very optimistic, but I’ve slowly gotten away from it,” Lynch said. “Optimism is how I got through middle school and most of high school. I’d like to get that back and enjoy what I have.” Being more optimistic is not the only resolution Lynch plans on keeping. She also strives to be less introverted and socialize with people she might not otherwise speak to. “My other resolution is just being me,” Lynch said. “I’ve kind of lost touch with myself a little bit, not being fully who I want to be. I would like to be unashamedly me: write poetry, play the ukulele, go running, be a total dork about Doctor Who and Sherlock and all of the TV shows, and be able to watch Netflix and obsess over cats and not worry about what people think about me. Lynch is working to reclaim her optimistic outlook on life. “My goal in life is to be happy,” she said. “These resolutions are going to get me there.”

“My other resolution is just being me.

PHOTO BY randy castellon

ERIN FINDLAY, SOPHOMORE

ophomore Erin Findlay has decided to eat healthier and train harder for the upcoming track season. “I’m just eating the healthier foods at school,” Findlay said. “I have tried to eat more of the salad, cut down on the number of cookies I eat, and drink more water. I used to have cookies every day of the week, but now I only have them once a week.” Findlay’s motivation to maintain a balanced diet and to exercise is the upcoming track season in late March. “I’d like to get a spot on varsity,” Findlay said. Findlay has had some challenges keeping up with her exercise schedule. “It’s getting hard to run outside [in the bitter cold],” Findlay said. “Whenever that happens I just run on the treadmills at Element.” Cross country coach Van Rose encourages a healthy diet during the cross country and track seasons, so Findlay took his advice. “[Rose] recommends that we eat healthy all year,” Findlay said, “and get rid of as much body fat as possible so we aren’t carrying around extra weight. He definitely talks about it during track and cross country season [more] because he just wants us to be happy with ourselves.”

“I’d like to get a spot on varsity... that’s my motivation.”

AUDREY GLEASON, JUNIOR

fter finding herself doodling in most of her classes, junior Audrey Gleason made a New Year’s resolution to focus more on school. “Fall semester was really hard,” Gleason said. “I was feeling sad about myself and not really confident because I wasn’t doing as well in my classes as I expected.” The resolution turned out to be more challenging than she thought. “It’s harder in some classes than in others. I’m not really a math and science person, so in those classes it takes a lot of effort to keep myself on track,” Gleason said. “I never once looked at the clock in English and hoped that it would move faster because I naturally pay attention in there.” Despite her classes getting harder, Gleason wouldn’t let that stop her academic success. “Last year I just had a word, ‘trust,’” Gleason said. “I was going to work on trust a lot, and I definitely got better. Although I’m far from perfect, I definitely made progress. This year I have a lot more concrete resolution, so I think it’ll be easier to stick to.”

despite her classes getting harder, she wouldn’t let that stop her academic success. NORTHWEST PASSAGE y

FEATURE

DO YOU WANT TO SUBMIT A COMIC? Send an email of your comic to our graphics editor at mitchfeyerherm@gmail.com and you could be featured in an upcoming issue of The Northwest Passage.

Words and Ink by Mitch Feyerherm

Spirit of Northwest by Isaac Coleman

Lrsky Comics by Skylr Heck

JAN. 31, 2014

ENTERTAINMENT

came across Divergent one weekend, and I had a pile of homework that I didn’t want to think about. But, without thinking, I picked up the book, got back into bed and started to read. I didn’t stop until I had finished. I read the entire 500-page book in a 24-hour period. It seems like the Divergent trilogy is grouped with Harry Potter, Twilight, and Hunger Games as one of those book series that every teenager has to have read. Divergent is about sixteen-year-old Beatrice “Tris” Prior, who lives in a Dystopian form of Chicago. In the city, people choose between five factions that determine their way of life: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite. The Abnegation are selfless, living for other people, and leaders in government. Amity is kind, Candor is honest, Dauntless is brave and Erudite are intelligent. Tris finds out that she is Divergent, meaning she belongs in more than one faction, which in this world can be dangerous, even fatal. I hung on to every word as I was reading. The plot is thrilling the whole time. You will not find a break in the suspense to put the book down. The fast pace, action, and plot twists will keep you reading.

The book is a fascinating mostly because it By Sophie Flores asks “What if?” What if Chicago was crumbling and divided into factions? The day after I read the book, I was categorizing the people in Chipotle into which faction I thought they would belong in. What really made this book good were the characters who were completely likable and relatable. It was hard to find something negative to say about the book, but I did find that the ending - which I am not going to give away - was a little disappointing because it could have gone a little slower. This book is at the height of Dystopian novels, and I would suggest this to anyone who’s looking to read something unique. Anyone who liked Hunger Games would love this. This book is easy to get lost in, even for people who do not read often. I thought Divergent was fantastic, and the next two books in the trilogy, Insurgent, and Allegiant, continue to surprise.

Divergent Book by Veronica Roth BY SOPHIE FLORES

I held onto every word as I was reading v

Go to smnw.com for a review about the movie trailer, a quiz to find out what faction you’d belong in, and links you must see. PHOTO courtesy of studio system news

PHOTO courtesy of shazam.com

PHOTO courtesy of andriod guys

Name that tune:

Music recognition apps Soundhound and Shazam face off

SoundHound and Shazam are some of the most well known iPhone, smartphone, Blackberry, and Windows apps for recognizing music within seconds. SoundHound and Shazam are similar when it comes to recognizing music, but their performance differs in what they offer the user. BY Ben Lucier

f you’re looking for a big dog in music recognition apps for Android, SoundHound may be your smartphone’s best friend. Soundhound says it licks the competition by recognizing songs based on the tune, not just the lyrics it hears. The app is impressively accurate, even when the music is hummed or song. This is my favorite aspect of this app. When SoundHound recognizes a song, it will instantly display the lyrics. These live lyrics scroll in time with the music. SoundHound allows users to

soundhoud

look up links for a song and then connect to sites like YouTube, Rdio and Spotify. SoundHound saves all history from the songs that you’ve searched, whether it’s a song you’ve tried to recognize or a song you’ve looked up. No Android phone? No worries. Soundhound’s companion app, Hound, is made just for Apple phones. SoundHound has an estimated 50 million downloads on the Android app store.

shazam

f you are looking for an app that will grant your every wish to name that tune you’re hearing, Shazam is your music genie. With impressive accuracy, Shazam can recognize any song that you hear. It is not able to identify songs that you hum or sing yourself. Its ability to identify songs is limited primarily to songs and versions of songs available on iTunes, YouTube and similar venues. This app allows you to instantly and easily start Shazaming a song. A blue circle in the top left corner is

always available. This is a major advantage for this app and makes it significantly easier to use. Shazam links users to iTunes as well as provides information regarding concert and tour info, artist information and recommendations in addition to linking you to YouTube, Rdio, and Spotify where you can listen to the song. The Shazam app is available for both Android and Apple. Shazam has more than 100 million downloads on Android devices.

When it comes to song recognition apps, SoundHound and Shazam serve their masters well. The differences between the apps are worth trying out on your own because they’re easy to install and uninstall.

NORTHWEST PASSAGE

ENTERTAINMENT

i, Frankenstein

veryone’s heard of the book Frankenstein: Dr. Frankenstein creates a monster using different body parts. It comes to life with electricity, and the doctor realizes he made a mistake and so on. However, I, Frankenstein was different. For one thing, it takes place 200 years after Frankenstein’s monster (Aaron Eckhart) was created. The monster goes by the name Adam, a name given to him by the gargoyle queen. Not your typical Frankenstein story. And the strangest part? The movie was about a war between demons and gargoyles, and Adam just happened to be thrown into the mix. Of course, Adam doesn’t want anything to do with this war, but, as predicted, he ends up the pawn. It was a weird but intriguing take, and since the creators of Underworld made I, Frankenstein, I expected a lot of action, and definitely blood and gore. The movie delivered the action, but hardly any blood. When a

PHOTO courtesy ifrankenstein

PHOTO courtesy of img94.imageshack.us

demon is killed, it bursts into flames and descends back to Hell. When a gargoyle is killed, it returns to heaven in a flash of light. Both were really cool effects, but I particularly liked watching a human shift into a gargoyle. Their cloaks are incorporated into the transition, and it’s done s m o o t h l y . However, when a demon in human form turns back into a demon, it’s cheesy and obvious that the actor is wearing a mask and gloves. Eckhart suits the role of Frankenstein’s monster perfectly. He can pull off being the grim, somber antihero quite nicely. Most of the demon characters, however, were boring and lacked emotion. Overall, the concept was fascinating. It’s definitely an action flick you watch once and are done with. So, would I recommend it? Only if you’re ready to forget what you know about Frankenstein and are looking for your fantasy action flick BY kylee hartl fix.

It was a weird but intriguing take.

The Legend of

Hercules T

wo words to describe The Legend of Hercules? Cliche and boring. This story is as follows: A tyrant king ruled over Greece and his wife bore the child of Zeus to bring peace to the kingdom, naming him (you guessed it) Hercules. Hercules falls in love with Princess Hebe; however, his older brother gets jealous and has Hercules sold into slavery, forced to fight for his freedom. Sound familiar? This is exactly like the movie Gladiator. The Legend of Hercules was one of the most poorly done, boring and worst movies I have ever seen. What makes it so horrible? Horrendous acting, for one. Honestly, it felt as if none of the actors, except the actor who played Hercules, Kellan Lutz, put any effort whatsoever into making the movie come to life. Also, quotes were boring, and tended to be passionless and It’s interesting how almost every single actor and actress had a british accent. Do I dare mention the overuse of slow motion, and very cheap and poorly done graphics? It borderlines being cartoonish. For instance, in the beginning, Hercules defeats a lion that looked so unrealistic, it looked like a giant stuffed animal. And surprisingly enough, not even a single drop of blood was

spilt, despite some gruesome death scenes. As for the character of Hercules, he’s supposed to be extremely strong. However, he really only displays his “heroic strength” in two heavily overproduced scenes. Lutz was the center of attention and that clearly shows. He portrayed Hercules as arrogant and lovesick, frequently contradicting himself. One moment he’s talking about peace, the next minute he’s enjoying slaughtering hundreds of soldiers. However, Lutz seemed to have issues spitting the lines out and really did a poor job of acting. Much like everybody else. And for all our history buffs, The Legend of Hercules is far from being accurate to the actual legends. Even Disney’s Hercules was more historically accurate than this. The story of Hercules is not a forbidden love story. According to the myths, it’s a story of the trials and suffering, the demigod, Hercules faced. Luckily for Hercules, there’s another movie about him coming out, called Hercules., directed by Brett Ratner. It’s supposedly more historically accurate and which will be a thousand times better because face it, anything is better than this Hollywood Blunder.

Cliche and boring.

JAN. 31, 2014

ENTERTAINMENT

BY kylee hartl

SUDOKU hard 5 6 2

6 3

6 8

3 3

6 3

1 3

5 1

thisDISH

SERVED sandwich

Stick with Subway

Finer at Firehouse

BY LENA DENNINGTON

don’t enjoy a superfluous amount of condiments on my sandwich. However, whenever I am looking to eat a sandwich, I always choose Subway. Subways are easy to find, especially since there are more than 41,000 of them nationwide, and I always know what I am going to get when I go there. If you can’t decide what to get, they have a menu of more than 20 custom subs. But, if you are like me and you like to create your own, you can choose to do that too. Chances are they have exactly what you want. With more than 12 different kinds of bread, eight different kinds of cheese, 14 different kinds of vegetables and 18 different

BY NATE COMPTON

’m not going to lie: As I approached Firehouse Subs, I was not looking forward to it. I had just eaten lunch not too long before, so I wasn’t quite in the mood for a large sandwich. (The ever-too-cute firehouse theme with dalmatian spotted tables and a childish mural wasn’t helping.) Then I opened the door and stepped into the establishment. The mouth watering aroma rushed through my nose and into my brain, quickly evicting my negative thoughts and replacing them with a newfound hunger for a sub. The Firehouse menu consists of 10 specialty subs and nine other hot and cold subs to choose from.

kinds of sauces, an eclectic variety of toppings are sure to satisfy any craving. And in an effort to maintain their “Eat Fresh” mantra, Subway cuts its vegetables and meat fresh every day. Subway is accessible and flexible. For example, I am lactose intolerant, meaning I cannot have dairy. Subway caters to my needs. I can count on the same pleasant, cheese-free experience. If you’re looking for a quick meal, or just craving a good sandwich, Subway is the place for you. Whether you want a warm sub or a cold deli sandwich, Subway’s wide selection is sure to meet your needs consistently.

Taco U Taco Uno 1.2 mi, 3 min

HyVee 1.1 mi, 3 min

photo by sarah dean

Much like Planet Sub, and equivalent restaurants, you cannot go through a line to pick each individual ingredient. But, let’s speak honestly here: We all know that whatever combination you put together on your own isn’t going to meet the quality of these perfectly crafted masterpieces. You don’t go to the Cheesecake Factory and build a dish from scratch — you would mess it up, so don’t do it to your sandwich. Even something as simple as a sub can be ruined by poor decisions. While Firehouse is a dollar or two more expensive than the average sandwich shop, it is worth it for the superior quality.

photo by jordan absher

rush

Boston Market 1.3 mi

Nieman Rd

LUNCH

J Jimmy John’s 2.0 mi, 4 min

Pflumm Rd

c Sonic 1.6 mi, 4 min

Quicktrip 1.0 mi, 3 min

Pkwy to this open lunch privilege is The freedom to leave campus for lunch provides a great break for seniors in the middle of Shawnee the day. TheMission only downside Chipotle mi, 3 min that seniors only have 25 minutes to make their way across the parking lot to their cars, drive to wherever it is they want to eat, and 1.0 then come back, park, and run back to class — not to mention find time to eat. Rushing around on the roads and speeding into the parking lot isn’t the safest way to enjoy your lunch period, so use this map to help you find the closest, cheapest and tastiest places to eat on your lunch break. BY ALAURA Firehouse MOORE 0.8 mi, 2 min

W 67th St

Shawnee Mission Pkwy

are he r ou

Quicktrip 1.0 mi, 3 min

Chipotle 1.0 mi, 3 min

Firehouse 0.8 mi, 2 min

Quivira Rd

J Jimmy John’s 2.0 mi, 4 min

Nieman Rd

Pflumm Rd

Sonicc 1.6 mi, 4 min

Boston Market 1.3 mi

Taco U Taco Uno 1.2 mi, 3 min

HyVee 1.1 mi, 3 min

W 71st St

Starbucks 1.4 mi, 4 min Planet Sub 1.4 mi, 4 min

are he r ou

W 67th St graphics by calista bohling

Quivira

NORTHWEST PASSAGE

ENTERTAINMENT

PHOTO BY lucas silva

sports

PHOTO BY katie dewitt

bowling

PHOTO BY Katie dewitt

he NW bowling teams have began their seasons. So far, the boys team has placed third in all of their events but two, and the girls team has place first in all of their events but one. The bowling team has high hopes of continuing their domination. “I just got my best score of the entire season, and I am so excited to see how I can improve,” senior Benjamin Higginbothem said. “It felt great to take home a first place and show our hard work paid off.” Not only is the varsity bowling team excelling, the junior varsity bowling teams have yet to lose a game. “Being on bowling has allowed me to let go of stress after school,” sophomore Mary Dennington said. “I’m excited because the jv team is really performing at its best, and we have yet to lose a game.” The Cougars’ next meet is Monday at Ranch Bowl against Turner. BY lena dennington

JAN. 31, 2014

SPORTS

PHOTO BY lea stuart

restling girl’s basketball

PHOTO BY addison sherman

he Girls Varsity Basketball team’s season is going great with a record of 8-4. The team had multiple players scoring double digits at the majority of their games towards the beginning of the season, showing that the Lady Cougars were there to win. On Jan. 25, the team competed in a tournament at Truman High School but fell 12 points short of the win. “This tournament was a huge step in the right direction for us,” junior Tatum Graves said. “We improved on some things we had been struggling with and we figured out what we need to work on going forward.” Their next chance to prove what they have will be on Jan. 30th at St. Thomas Aquinas. BY jordan arnold

PHOTO BY carleigh whitman

PHOTO BY bryce rex

PHOTO BY katie dewitt

PHOTO BY bryce rex

PHOTO BY carleigh whitman

PHOTO BY lucas silva

PHOTO BY katie dewitt

PHOTO BY nick kahtava

boy’s basketball swim & dive wrestling

fter coming off of a big win against Shawnee Mission South, the Cougars went in to the three game tournament at St. Thomas Aquinas went confidence. South was the defending 5A state champs and were undefeated when they lost to the cougars. “[Beating South] just confirmed what we already knew and that is that we can play with anybody,” senior Jake Horner said. The cougars lost in the championship game to Olathe East 54-40 in the STA tournament, but now have a record of 9-3. Senior Brady Skeens was announced at the HyVee player of the week last week. “It was nice to be rewarded for how we have been playing lately,” Skeens said. “But it’s only an award. We still have bigger goals to accomplish this year.” BY sean collins

fter a full week of tryouts, 60 boys have been selected for the swim team. “Stepping into tryouts on the first day, I was a little nervous, but I just relaxed,” freshman Will Hauser said. “I knew I had a chance to make varsity, so I just gave it everything [I had].” The week long tryout began with a 25-meter freestyle on the first day. After that, boys were put into lanes based on their speed. The fastest swimmers were put in lane one and the slowest in lane five. Throughout the week, boys were moved to different lanes based on their skill level. “It was a tiring first week,” Hauser said. As tryouts ended, 20 swimmers were placed on C-team, 25 on junior varsity and 15 on varsity. “I think this is going to be a great season,” Hauser said. “We have some work to do, but we are getting faster every day.”

PHOTO BY katie dewitt

restlers were pushed to their limit at one of the second to last meet before regionals, The Blue Valley Northwest, BVNW, Husky Invitational. NW took 13th overall out of the 18 schools with senior Mario Galvan winning first and Horizon senior Laphonso Mikkins who wrestles for NW receiving second. Junior Zach Newcomb injured his shoulder during the semifinal and lost by default of his injury in the next match, but still receiving sixth in the semifinal. Newcomb will continue to practice but not participate in any meets until his shoulder is examined. “You have to have a little more mental toughness to get there in a one on one situation,” coach Howard Newcomb said. “Battle for your position and you have no one else to blame for your loss.” BY tess holcom

BY britta coleman

NORTHWEST PASSAGE

SPORTS

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“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 its more gratifying” — junior Alex Quint

PHOTO BY katie dewitt