Issue 5 — The Northwest Passage by Northwest Passage

vol. 43 | issue 5 | dec. 16, 2011

northwest

photo illustration by bailey kopp

WHY SLEEP MATTERS

High school students need between eight and 10 hours of sleep a night, but most donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get nearly enough. At some point, their lack of sleep can begin to affect other areas of their lives. on page 13

7 THINGS

STUCK ON THE SIDELINES

Sports editor Brady Klein shares his favorite seven things of the moment.

For three seniors, injuries mean they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allowed to continue participating in the sports they love.

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Leo Moreno (913)207-0513) or E-Lisa Moreno (913) 207-2449

$5.00 OFF ANY PHILLY WITH THIS COUPON

7931 Quivira Road Shawnee, Kans 66216 in the Westbrooke Village

northwest

PASSAGE | CONTENTS

Issue 5 | Vol. 43 | Dec. 16, 2011 Shawnee Mission Northwest 12701 West 67th St., Shawnee, Kan., 66216

NEWS in brief

currently

Updates about happenings at Northwest Pop culture and news from around the world

ENTERTAINMENT 09

have plans, won’t travel

Buying tons of pointless consumer goods for Christmas can be exchanged for charitable works.

gift of giving

adderall abuse

rise and shine

One case of not being allowed to travel reflects the larger fear in the society to leave the country.

One case of not being allowed to travel reflects the larger fear in the society to leave the country. Students would benefit from a later start to their school day.

Kanye West and Jay-Z’s Watch the Throne tour, Pizza Man, Organix and Josie Maran Argan Oil, APB Reloaded, Imperfect Justice: Prosecuting Casey Anthony

FEATURES

photo by Monica Castellon

OPINIONS

reviews

why sleep matters

High school students need between eight and 10 hours of sleep a night, but most don’t get nearly enough. At some point, their lack of sleep can begin to affect other areas of their lives

SPORTS

stuck on the sidelines

chemistry: not just a class

For three seniors, injuries and diseases mean they can’t play the sports anymore. One reason for the girls’ basketball team’s success is the way the players interact, on and off the court.

photo by David Freyermuth

The purpose of the Northwest Passage is to relay important and interesting information to the community, administration and students of the Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. As a newsmagazine, the Northwest Passage will cater to the interests and concerns of the student body. Outside concerns and activities will only be covered if they somehow affect the school or students. The Northwest Passage is a 24page newsmagazine. The paper will be distributed every three weeks during fifth hour. Subscriptions will be available to the community for $25. the Northwest Passage firmly supports the First Amendment and opposes censorship. The content of the newspaper will be determined and created by the entire staff. When questions concerning word choice, legal problems or ethics arise the editorial board and adviser will discuss the problem to find a solution. In these cases, the co-editors-in-chief will the have final say in all decisions. Letters to the editor will be accepted and encouraged, but will only be published if signed. The staff reserves the right to edit for grammatical mistakes, length and good taste. Letters may attack policy but not people. In no way will ideas or viewpoints be changed. The co-editors-in-chief reserve the right to refuse any letter.

northwest

[ staff ]

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

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

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

Contributor | Edelawit Hussien Student Teacher | Kery Firestone Adviser | Susan Massy

EDITOR’S NOTE: If it’s any testament to my lack of sleep, I’m writing this note at 1:42 a.m. on a Wednesday morning. I will, once again, painfully walk through the halls with less than 4 hours of sleep. I haven’t started on my math homework, my english assignments, or the american government packet I should probably work on. However, I am 46 minutes into the movie 300 and I’m wide awake. Part of the awakeness I’m feeling could be from the hundreds of milligrams of caffeine I’ve consumed over the past few hours, but I’d like to think it’s just helping me focus. I’m not as involved as senior Sunny Dharod (page 14), and I definitely don’t have as much time-consuming homework, but I still end up staying up late three or four nights a week to get all my homework finished. I also don’t drink nearly as much caffeine as senior Andrew Bateman (page 15), but I still rely on coffee to help me focus when it gets to be this late. The Passage staff learned a lot by researching the sleep habits of teens. We now know natural, healthier ways to get energy, but we also know what to drink when we need the most caffeine. We now have a better idea of why it’s so hard to get up in the morning and what’s happening to our bodies when we walk around school sleep deprived. We hope you learn as much as we did.

David Freyermuth

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Dear staff of the Northwest Passage, Why do you continue to miss the stories that actually matter to the students? Or even flat-out ignoring any actual news. I mean, the girls’ cross country team has an absolutely amazing season, wins state for the first time since 2005, turned their team around from barely qualifying for state and were led by the future most highly decorated athlete in NW history and they do not even get a mention in the latest of the Passage. You must be tired of hearing of this, but when we are home to the winningest girls’ program in state history, they do not get even a photograph, while you include a two-page article about how great StuCo is. It is absurd when you think about it. And I have heard about the possible rationale for ignoring the team such as “Well, the KUGR team did that whole thing on them,” or anything else like that. And to that, I say this — because KUGR does the High School Game Day segment, do you stop writing stories on football players? Now with the advent of the web, you can post more stories online. When there is such an event like this, could you at least take out a CD review and place an ⅛ of a page article congratulating the girls? And it is not just the girls’ cross country team that deserves some print recognition: What about the Marching Cougar Pride and all their accomplishments? They got third at one of the largest marching festivals in the state, the drill team finishes first overall at said festival, and they get nothing in print. Maybe your readership would expand if you did not stick to the same formulamatic stories every issue. I understand that I have a personal bias, and my comments in this letter are my own and not endorsed by any of the mentioned organizations. I mean, we always talk about striving for excellence, but then when we have students reach that level, they are ignored by you.

Please fix these errors, Kirk Bado

The purpose of the Northwest Passage is to relay important and interesting information to the community, administration and students of the Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. As a newsmagazine, the Northwest Passage will cater to the interests and concerns of the student body. Outside concerns and activities will only be covered if they somehow affect the school or students. the Northwest Passage is a 24page newsmagazine. The paper will be distributed every three weeks during fifth hour. Subscriptions will be available to the community for $25. the Northwest Passage firmly supports the First Amendment and opposes censorship. The content of the newspaper will be determined and created by the entire staff. When questions concerning word choice, legal problems or ethics arise the editorial board and adviser will discuss the problem to find a solution. In these cases, the co-editors-in-chief will the have final say in all decisions. Letters to the editor will be accepted and encouraged, but will only be published if signed. The staff reserves the right to edit for grammatical mistakes, length and good taste. Letters may attack policy but not people. In no way will ideas or viewpoints be changed. The co-editors-in-chief reserves the right to refuse any letter.

Dec. 16, 2011

IN BRIEF Reflections contest ongoing through Jan. 17

Adopt-A-Tot raises funds for 23 families in need

PTSA is sponsoring the annual Reflections contest again this year. “Reflections is a PTA-sponsored contest to promote the arts, and to give kids the opportunity to submit their own artistic works,” chairperson Laura Amundson said. Students will be judged on how well their work represents the theme of the contest “Diversity Means...” Students can submit creative entries in one of six categories: film production, literature, musical composition, photography, visual arts or dance choreography. “The main focus is that the work of art supports the theme. The projects that stand out closely portray the theme,” Amundson said. Works submitted must be original ideas and content, and must include an artist statement of no more than 250 words that describes how the piece relates to the theme. Judges will base their decisions on how well the statement and piece correllate. “As a Reflections chairperson I have to get judges. They can’t be connected to the schools or the students so they won’t be biased,” Amundson said. “I look for someone in the field they will be judging, like a photographer to do the photography, a teacher to do the literature, a graphic designer to do the visual arts.” Students who wish to participate must submit completed entries to Melinda Heaton in the art department, or drop them off at the home of Laura Amundson (13318 W 73rd St.) by Jan. 6. For more information, go to www.ptareflections.org. Winners in each category receive $25 gift cards.

Forty-two fourth-hour classes raised money and bought toys for 23 families in the Headstart Adopt-A-Tot program on Dec. 2. “We’ve been doing Adopt-A-Tot since before I was a sponsor, but using Headstart has been a recent thing,” Student Council sponsor Sarah Dent said. “With the old program, they didn’t do a great job of screening the families. With Headstart, you have to make a certain amount of money before you even qualify for the program. That’s why we chose to go with that program. We knew the families were in our community and in need of our assistance.” The program provides toddlers with families who otherwise couldn’t afford Christmas presents the opportunity to Senior Lauren Chance reads with one of the receive gifts. StuCo organizes and runs Headstart children during Adopt-A-Tot. the event, with the help of fourth hour Photo by Mikala Compton classes who raise the money for presents and choir performances. StuCo members from family wish lists. “Student Council basically acts organized the parties for the families, as a liaison. We ask fourth hours to and acted as tour guides and mentors for participate, pair the tots up with the the day. “Every StuCo member is paired up classes and pay for the bus to get the kids from Headstart over to Northwest,” Dent with a tot,” Dent said. “From the moment the tot enters [Northwest] to the minute said. Once at Northwest, the tots spent they leave, they’re not alone.” third hour listening to band, orchestra by hayley battenberg

by hayley battenberg

Repertory Theatre class performs Noah and the Dream(s)

Junior Gabby Rehor performs as Aislin, the love interest in Noah and the Dream(s). “All of her lines were ridiculous, but I really enjoyed the character,” Rehor said. photo by Kate Jacobsen

Repertory Theatre presented their studentdirected show, Noah and the Dreams, Dec. 9 and 10 in the Greg Parker Auditorium. Senior directors Tanner Rose and Karen Baltzley chose to have audience members sit on stage, and to include interactive roles, in order to involve the viewers in the performance. “We decided to have the audience on stage because it is a tradition for the class, and also with this show you need an intimate space and setting. Putting them in the regular seats would have made it harder to keep focus,” Rose said.

Baltzley and Rose had two weeks to organize and run through the play, written in 2008 by NW graduate Ann Manly. “It’s been really difficult, but I’m really proud of all the actors because we’ve come a long way,” Rose said. “But it was really stressful. It was very difficult to get the choir all the information they needed, to come up with a set and to build a set.” Noah and the Dreams raised $346 for the Theater Department. The next Theater Department performance will be Night Must Fall, held on Feb. 4 and 5, and Feb. 11 and 12.

by hayley battenberg

Pop culture and news from around the world.

compiled by Michael Catt

I don’t think it requires us to go negative in the sense of us running a bunch of ads that are false or character assassinations. We may just run clips of the Republican debates verbatim,” - President Obama on his re-election campaign strategy. politico.com

did you know?

Chia seeds (yes, the same seeds found in Chia Pets) are one the best natural energy foods a person can eat. In the stomach, the seeds slow down the process in which enzymes break down carbohydrates and convert them to sugars.

Herman Cain, the lead runner in the Republican race, suspended his presidential bid due to “emotional hurt and stress” on his family. Cain has been entangled in accusations of sexual harassment and having a long term affair with another woman.

10000+

6.9 HOURS

cans of food were donated during the 2011 canned food drive. 11.1 percent more than last year

The National Sleep Foundation

Dec. 16, 2011

16 DAYS: The time it took Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 to reach the $1 billion mark. It surpassed James Cameron’s Avatar for this record. modernwarfare3forum.com

There is twice as much caffeine in a Grande Starbucks Brewed Coffee than a 16 oz. Monster Energy drink.

the average amount of sleep a high school senior receives on school nights.

pets years ago, the original “Mup m d.co Movie” aired in theaters. imb

energyfiend.com

AN ESTIMATED

1 in 5

abcnews.com

HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS HAVE ABUSED ADDERALL

OPINIONS

by brianna leyden

HAVE PLANS, GIFT OF GIVING WON’T TRAVEL Some opportunities to travel are taken away because fear has overwhelmed our society.

My sister moved to Germany in August of 2010. Since then, I’ve been able to see her on one vacation. That means that I have seen this close family member in person for about 10 days out of approximately 750. So when she offered me the chance to come visit her for Christmas break, I was understandably excited. I started making lists of flights, places I could see in Germany, items to pack. But I forgot to take one important factor into consideration: My mom. Our arguments went back and forth for weeks. “Please, can I go? Please?” “No.” “Why not?” The reasons varied. The school break is too short for such an expensive flight, Cassandra (my sister) would have to work, I might have another commitment. They were all valid excuses, but my sister and I came up with counterarguments: She found a cheaper flight and said she could take vacation days for the time I was there, and I checked for the 100th time to see if I even had prior commitments on those days (which I didn’t, of course). But time and time again, my mom came back to this point — as a 17-yearold, I would clearly have no idea what to do if my flight had a layover or there was a cancellation (despite my point that I had already been out of the country three times before, including on a previous flight to Europe). Possible scenarios ran through her head. I would panic and get lost. I would wander off somewhere out of curiosity like a toddler that should be on a leash. I would be taken advantage of, robbed, raped, kidnapped, murdered with a hatchet, beamed up by aliens — you name it, my mom was probably thinking it. At first, I was just affronted. Am I really so untrustworthy that one 18-hour flight is going to be my downfall? Can I really not find my way around an airport? How can she expect me to go off to college and live on my own if she can’t even trust that I’ll be able to make my flight connection?

Then I tried to understand where my mom’s fear came from. What is it about our country that makes us so afraid of all the others in the world? We live in a tightly-wound, nervous society that does not believe the best about the people sitting next to them. If one is walking down a street on a cold, dark night and a lone passerby started to pull something out of his pocket, any “reasonable” person would probably be a hundred times more likely to suspect that it is a gun or knife than a tissue to blow his nose. We, as a society, are anxious, panicky and fearful, and we have the facts to back it up — 6.8 million Americans have generalized anxiety disorders, and 6 million Americans have panic disorders. And looking at the late-breaking, live news reported to us every day, it seems like we have a reason to be that anxious. From the look of it, people are being kidnapped and murdered all over the place. What isn’t publicized, however, is that according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics the numbers of homicides have sunk to levels of the ‘60s. Even with the millions of of people living in the country, we currently only rank 13th in the world with rape victims, 11th with assault victims and 15th for total crime (United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute). Our unjustified fear of our country has led us to thinking the same of every other one in the world. People should be allowed to travel. It can be a once-in-alifetime experience to go on a roadtrip across America, relax on the coasts of some distant South American country, feel the freshness of a crisp Irish wind. However, people have become too scared to consider leaving their comfort zone. That’s not to say that people should go absolutely crazy and lose any hint of common sense — but everyone needs to have that chance to pack up and leave on a great adventure. After all, epic stories of the past, like the Odyssey, Lord of the Rings or Beowulf, would never have been considered epic if the hero never left his or her backyard.

We spend our childhoods just waiting for Christmas so we can get more gifts, but giving to the less fortunate is a a gift in itself.

by brady klein

When I was younger, Christmas was all about the presents. That is what I always looked forward to, seeing all the gifts under the tree. However, every time I opened them, I would always wanted more. Really, I was just consumed by greed. I received plenty of gifts on Christmas and I didn’t realize what it meant to be grateful. Now I have changed my tune. I feel that presents in general ruin Christmas. I don’t care whether it is giving or receiving; it is all unnecessary. We don’t need gifts to enjoy Christmas; in fact, they make things worse as we often feel surprisingly empty after the last gift is opened. I remember when a boy at my church had a birthday party, and asked for his friends to bring food that he could donate to a local food pantry instead of presents for himself. Something like that is inspiring. A lot of us have received more gifts than

THE BEST LOCAL CHARITIES

THIS CHRISTMAS Project Shining Star- helps over 1,300 have a special

Christmas. Donations needed (gift cards/cash) for wish lists or help needed shopping for children.

Hospitality House at Cathedral of Immaculate Conception needs meal sponsors and those to provide warm meal packaging.

Catholic Senior Centers and Nutrition Sites, St. Louis Parish- help prepare meals for Christmas luncheon or help with meals for those stuck at home.

we ever needed. Now that we are older, wouldn’t it be more gratifying to bless other lives like we have been blessed? I know we do “Adopt-A-Tot” at our school, but we can go further than that. Churches all over the area do fundraisers to help the less fortunate during the holiday season. My family has realized that gifts are overrated and we have chosen to receive fewer gifts Now, pick names from a Christmas tree in our church. Along with each name we pick, we get a list of the items that person most needs. Helping out these people always brings our family and our church together. We all pitch in to aid a lot of families. It really makes you realize that we have gotten so much and it is time to give back to the community. Doing all this is a gift in itself and I don’t miss the ones I receive under the tree. Being able to share the love during the holidays is great, but we don’t need to stop there. I believe that Christmas is a time that really gets people into the giving attitude, but that should not stop when the season is over. People around our area will always need help, and as the more fortunate people in this community we need to be there to give them assistance.

opinions

OPINIONS

sam bellmyer

ADDERALL ABUSE Using ADHD medication as a study aid is just like cheating.

When 36 milligrams of Concerta were first prescribed for me, I was horrified. It was almost like someone was telling me that I wasn’t normal enough to be seen in society without a few pills. It was insulting. It wasn’t as if I was a devil child or anything. The medication changed me, and not just chemically. If I left the house without my medication I was nearly ashamed of myself. I felt like I couldn’t function like others could, and it bothered me enough to halt any progress I was making in school or life. See, being put on a medication is a strange thing . When you get placed on medication you’re being told that you’re too different; you’re being told that you can’t function normally. It was about two years ago that I heard that students were willingly, illegally and gladly taking the drugs that I was forced to take. The for the majority of these students the drug of choice was Adderall, which combines a complex substance and an amphetamine to stop

both ADD (or ADHD) and narcolepsy. My mother, also diagnosed with ADD, took this drug, and I too, took it for a short while. Adderall is not a toy. Adderall destroys sleep habits, forced my mother to work incredibly long hours, kept me awake for nights on end and made me hate a lot about myself for about nine or ten years of my life. It suppressed everything about myself for months, and I couldn’t act like I always had. I had been muted. The fact that people in this world can treat a drug which has caused me, and many others so much hardship merely as a study aid is absolutely maddening. I cannot stress enough that drugs aren’t a thing to play with. It’s not possible to convey through text just how enraged this make me. There is a reason that I take these drugs; it’s an honest deficiency, not because I’m not trying hard enough. Consequently, there is no reason for you to be taking these drugs, plain and simple, unless

you too share this deficiency. I’ve heard others tell me they don’t have the ability to focus without the drugs, in which case you should try to get them prescribed to you. It’s really not an impossible thing — if you don’t have the actual ability to focus then you probably have ADD or ADHD and can get a drug like Adderall or Concerta prescribed to you. The final nail in the coffin is that taking these drugs is illegal, and there’s no way to avoid that. There are a lot of undiagnosed kids out there without any medication that they actually need because they can’t get it prescribed to them, whether through poverty or other reasons. To gain it in whatever underhanded way you choose is flying it in the face of the people who actually need it. Study habits are the best way to study, not drugs. Using ADHD medication as a study aid is a supreme crutch. There is no other way to describe it other than a tool for the weak-willed who are only looking for an easy way out.

STAFF EDITORIAL:

RISE AND SHINE Realistically, almost no high school student gets the 9.2 hours of sleep a night they need. Between homework, jobs and extracurricular activities, not many students find themselves ready to turn off the lights and shut their eyes at 9:30 p.m. But students’ commitments aren’t the only thing standing in the way of them getting to bed on time. A shift that occurs in the teens’ circadian rhythm causes them to be feel wide awake late into the night. Most teens have difficulty falling asleep before 11 p.m., according to the National Sleep Foundation. Because of the shift in their circadian rhythm, teens dips in energy are between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. and 3 a.m. and 7 a.m., but for sleep deprived teens, the morning low can often last until 9 or 10 a.m. When a school district in Kentucky shifted their start time back an hour, the number of students

Dec. 16, 2011

If the school started later in the day, students would be more focused and ready to learn, especially in their morning classes.

getting at least eight hours of sleep a night was 50 percent, up from the previous 35.7 percent. According to social worker Susan Hartman,

THE MAJORITY OPINION OF the northwest passage EDITORIAL STAFF

agree

disagree

teachers, counselors and administrators often have casual conversations about school starting later, but it’s never been a serious discussion, mostly, she thinks, because the logistics could be difficult

to work out. If school started later, sports wouldn’t have as much time to practice, bus schedules become complex and students with jobs wouldn’t be able to spend as much time working. These are serious issues that could potentially stand in the way of any changes to school scheduling, but why hasn’t a shift in the start time of the school day ever been a serious conversation among students, teachers and administrators? Science and the numbers say it all: Students would benefit from delaying the beginning of their school day. Yes, students should be held responsible for managing their time and commitments so they have enough time to sleep, but they could be helped by schools that followed the same schedule as their bodies.

REVIEWS Josie Maran

ARGAN OIL

It seems like lately fashion magazines, makeover shows and cosmetic reviewers are all raving about Josie Maran’s Argan Oil. They say this “miracle” organic oil can be used as daily moisturizer, a skin treatment, a split end healer and a cuticle softener — all without clogging pores or leaving residue. I wanted to use this magic serum, but I didn’t want to spend a fortune on designer makeup, so I decided to try my luck with Organix Renewing Moroccan Argan Penetrating Oil at $7. Just in case, though, I bought the travel size Josie Maran Argan Oil to compare products. Here are my findings:

by hayley battenberg

photo by miranda miller

I was a little amazed by the numerous uses for Maran’s Argan Oil; most cosmetics with oil are smoothing serums and nothing more. After my morning shower, though, I used the oil as a facial moisturizer and a frizz-taming tonic — and it worked better than any other product I’ve tried. I couldn’t believe how velvety my hair was after only one use, and my skin was dewy for the first time since the start of winter weather. Maybe it is magic after all.

Organix

This product was only a hair serum and not a particularly terrific one at that. The oil was sticky instead of smooth, and the thickness made it hard to rub through my hair. After blow drying, I was left with patches of grease instead of silky shine. On top of that, the design of the Organix bottle makes it impossible to pour less than the BP tanker spill. My hair is extremely fine though, so maybe the Renewing Oil would work for thicker hair.

Editor’s Pick

IMPERFECT JUSTICE:

PROSECUTING CASEY ANTHONY I remember the outrage on July 5, when the verdict in the Casey Anthony case was announced. I didn’t know much about the trial; all I knew was that people cared. A lot. It was all over the news. The woman who allegedly killed her daughter, Caylee, was free. It seemed that the evidence against her was stacked eight miles high, yet she was found not guilty. My friends felt really

PAGE COUNT: 322 PRICE: Hardback: $26.99

Barnes and Noble

strongly about it, and my family spent time talking about how her apparent guilt nightly during the case. I wish I had known what was happening during the trial so that I could have judged for myself. So when I read Imperfect Justice: Prosecuting Casey Anthony, I solidified that belief: that she was undoubtedly guilty. The book, told through the viewpoint of the Anthony’s prosecutor, Jeff Ashton, started out with Ashton talking about how prestigious his achievements were and how awesome he was for being the first person to

use DNA evidence in a court case. It was interesting that he had performed such a monumental and revolutionary thing for the court system, but it didn’t need to be so dwelled upon. Once I got past his cockiness, I really got into the forensics aspects of the book. It was so interesting to me to see how they used botany, toxicology, hydrology and anthropology (among other “ologies”) in an effort to put Anthony behind bars. They studied every aspect that there was to the case, from what that mysterious decomposing-body-like smell in the trunk of Anthony’s Pontiac to the evidence of animals having dispersed the bones of little Caylee’s skeleton around the area that her body was dumped. This forensic information was gruesome at times and not to mention disturbing because of the fact that the reader had to picture all of these horrible things happening to a three-year-old, but it was interesting to see how these amazing sciences can help our justice system. All in all, the book was a success. It’s one of the best-sellers at the moment, most likely because a lot of people are dying to get all the inside information behind the case, just as I am. It gave a great insight (even though it

photo by mikala compton was only from one viewpoint; but that was expected, since the book was written by the guy who without a doubt thinks she’s guilty) into what happened in the case that shook America to the core. It left people wondering what exactly happened the day of the murder, what caused a mother to allegedly kill her innocent, defenseless three-year-old. Maybe we’ll never know.

by ashlee crane

entertainment courtesy of constantin film

REVIEWS

UPCOMING RELEASES MOVIES:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo — Dec. 21 Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol — Dec. 21

BOOKS:

Tom Clancy Locked On — Dec. 12 iPhone 4s for Dummies — Dec. 12 Abe Lincoln at Last! (#47 Magic Tree House Book Series) — Dec. 26

ALBUMS:

Young Jeezy — Thug Motivation 103 — Dec. 20 Guided by Voices — Let’s Go Eat the Factory — Jan. 1

VIDEO GAME:

Assassins Creed: Ancestors — XBOX 360 — Dec. 13 MLB Bobblehead Battle — PS3 — Dec. 31

WATCH THE THRONE

perform the hitsong one more time before calling it a night. That closing moment was only a small example of the energy both artists demonstrated. From start to finish, the hit-peppered performance was executed so well that rock stars would be jealous. But let’s be honest; Kanye West and Jay-Z are rock stars. Only the two biggest names in hip-hop could get away with stepping on stage an hour and 45 minutes late, selling $45 t-shirts and wearing leather kilts. It’s their way of saying you should be “honored by their greatness.” But greatness is a bit of an understatement. West and Jay’s decision to keep the visual performance of their tour aesthetically pleasing, while maintaining a rock-show status, was the best move they’ve

Jay-Z, Kanye West “What are you trying to say, Kansas City?” a voice boomed from backstage. “What are you trying to say?” Super moguls Kanye West and Jay-Z had just finished their power-packed, two-and-a-half hour “Watch The Throne” set as well as a couple performances of their closing track “Paris.” The concert should have come to a close at that point, but the crowd continued to roar in hopes for an encore. “What are you trying to say?” the voice asked again. “You’re not ready to go home?” Seconds later, Kanye and Jay-Z were on stage, queuing “Paris” for a third round with a loud, “Again!” The crowd exploded. The power duo went on to

Dec. 16, 2011

photo courtesy of pcgamer.com

APB RELOADED It took us a year, but finally one of the worst reviewed Massively Multiplayer Online Games comes to us free to play: you can now play APB Reloaded for free. However, it’s not really for free, because if you want to win any mission, which is always Player Vs. Player, you need to buy the game’s good weapons with your own cash, because everyone else in the world has machine guns with infinite ammo and you-seeking bullets. You have the choice of playing either a criminal or an Enforcer, vigilantes with the privileges of a police officer, but the only difference is the type of clothing you get, since

ever made. Stage arrangements consisted of dual two-story cube-like platforms with light-up visuals of sharks and rottweilers on each side. No band accompaniment, an American flag, laser beams and fireballs provided the perfect amount of aggrandisement. Nine of the 16 tracks on the duo’s collaborative album were performed, as well as some well-known hits. From Kanye’s Grammy-winning “Jesus Walks” to his 2011 Grammy-nominated “All Of The Lights,” the evolution of his music could be heard. Watching Kanye flail around the stage, indulging in himself, gave the audience insight into his god-complex. After stopping mid-song, twice, to correct a light queue gone wrong, Kanye joked, “The light has a name. It’s me.” Contrasting West, Jay-Z eased his way through “99 Problems,”

the missions are the same. Something tells me Realtime Worlds isn’t bringing their A-game with this, because it’s riddled with design flaws and glitches. And not just graphical glitches; the freeze up your computer kind of glitches. I lost every bit of progress with a character once, when my computer froze, and it wouldn’t let me access my character to delete it. In general, this game is just weak: it’s buggy, there’s no AI but pedestrians that run from you and in general the game is broken. Don’t waste the download time.

by sam bellmeyer

“Empire State Of Mind” and “Hard Knock Life,” among other hits. He kept poised and relaxed, knowing full well that he is, in fact, the best rapper alive. If this concert proved anything, it’s that Kanye West and Jay-Z are hip hop’s best duo. Neither one outshone the other, and their brotherly love drew a connection for the masses to witness. After performing “Made In America,”

LOCATION:

Sprint Center, Kansas City, Mo. DATE: Nov. 29 a song which attributes their success to Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X, it reminded you that these multi-millionaires really did start out with nothing, but then the sentiment passed, and you realized how much you paid for your tickets.

by evan shinn

REVIEWS

STAFF PICKS

THE PIZZA MAN I go to the suburbs of Chicago to visit my aunt and uncle once or twice every year, and what I look forward to the most every time I go is the food. Chicago has food that you can’t find very easily in Kansas, like all the Italian beef combos, Polish sausages and Chicago dogs. About a year ago, I discovered The Pizza Man, and it brought Chicago style food to me. It is a little “hole in the wall” type of place with a few booths and some tables scattered around the room. It is located on 103rd and Pflumm, and it brings a little piece of Chicago to Kansas City. When you walk in, you are hit with the Chicago theme. The walls are painted red and blue for the Cubs and there are various Chicago sports banners and pennants hanging on the walls. It has one of the more unique atmospheres of any

Staff members’ top choice on their Christmas list photo by monica castellon restaurant I have ever been to, sausage and then tops it off with and it definitely reminds me of vegetables and jalapenos. all the places I have been to in This is possibly the bestChicago. kept secret LOCATION: Despite the in the city name, I would of Lenexa, 10212 Pflumm Rd. suggest getting as the food Lenexa, 66215 something other possibilities PHONE NUMBER: than pizza. You are endless. If (913) 492-2116 can find good you want to pizza places all enjoy a place over, but this is a with great unique place that food, a fun will serve pretty atmosphere, much any Chicago favorite you entrees under $10 and, best can think of. My favorite thing of all, a uniqueness that you to order is definitely the Italian cannot find often in Kansas, beef combo, which throws then I suggest The Pizza Man. Italian beef on top of Polish by brady klein

Sperry Top-Sider Rain Cloud Boots

Sperrytopsider. com, $80 hayley battenberg

Delonghi Espresso Machine

Target, $99.95

connor thompson

Adult Footie PJs Target, $22.49

For more reviews, visit smnw.com The Black Key’s El Camino

The Black Keys’s unique sound shines through in their seventh studio album.

Throwback: Roy Orbison

The late singer/songwriter’s duos with many popular artists.

Drake’s Take Care

Drake has clearly evolved since his last album was released.

Childish Gambino’s Camp

Childish Cambino’s newest album may be profound, or it may be just another comedy act.

ashlee crane

Vintage Wayne’s World Hat

Mesh Hats by MFR Designs, $15.99 paige waltman

Bruce Springstein Concert Tickets Ticketmaster. com, $140

daniel magwire

entertainment

ENTERTAINMENT

things

with Sports Editor Brady Klein Fella

at i ustr

to ill pho y on b d davi uth

erm frey

To all that appreciate real, raw rap that is a testimony of a person’s life, you have to check out Fella’s mix tapes. Released from prison less than two years ago, Fella has already produced four killer mixtapes. If you like to unwind and listen to true testimonies from a person who lives a much different life than the average Johnson County kids, check out Fella. iTunes for $.99

Vitamin C tablets

I am convinced that the vitamin C tablets I take have kept me from getting sick for quite some time now. I chew about eight every day, however I suggest chewing up to four. I always have vitamin C tablets, not only because it keeps me from getting common colds, but I also love their citrus taste. There are a ton of different brands at Hyvee, and I always have a bottle or two at home. 7.59 at Hyvee

photo by daniel magwire

Jumpin’ Catfish

I love going out to eat at places that are not fancy at all; places where you can wear anything and still belong. That’s part of the appeal of Jumpin’ Catfish. It’s the opposite of fancy, but it still has great food, especially their famous “all you can eat” catfish. Also, they have the best baked beans in Kansas. To top it off, the prices are reasonable, and you always leave full. Prices range from $9.99 to $12.99. 1861 South Ridgeview Road Olathe, KS

Show stopper baseball

photo by marissa bruns

This is a baseball that has consumed my time more than anything, because unlike with video games or television, I can get a workout and get outside. I may be a dork, but I love using my free time to get out and bounce this ball off of my house. It’s also much cheaper than any video game as you can get this for under $5.00 at Dick’s Sporting Goods. $3.69

ESPN ESPN on Saturdays By far the greatest part of my week is watching the plethora of ESPN channels that are all broadcasting the most significant college football or basketball games. I start with College Gameday and move on to the big games of the day. I feel like it is Christmas every time I turn on the TV and flip between the five different HD channels showing the best games.

A Year in Aslan

A Year in Aslan is a collection of 365 passages from the Chronicles of Narnia series, meant for reflection, as the passages progress in the same order that the books do. I love this book because it is completely different than any other book I have read, and it really makes me think. $14.99

Ink Pad app for Android

Besides Tetris, this is my most frequently used app. It allows you to write anything you want without a character limit, and all of your documents are saved instantly. I love this app because I always write down things I need to remember, like “to-do lists” and specific Bible verses. This is the most useful app I have because I would probably forget everything without it. Free on the Android Market photo by david freyermuth

Dec. 16, 2011

photo b

y taylor

pettit

FEATURES

SLEEP Teens need 9.2 hours of sleep a night; most don’t get nearly that much. But sleep deprivation can impair students’ ability to learn and concentrate in school, which is exactly

why

matters

by Ashlee Crane, Maria Davison + Paige Waltman

EVERY MORNING, Sleep deprivation in high school students teenagers need

9.2 hours

of sleep every night. p de p r i v a t io slee f o ithin the fi r n s t nw st gi

The usuall effec yb e

senior Sunny Dharod’s alarm goes off at 5 a.m. Only five and a half hours earlier, he put down the homework he was working on and fell asleep. He wasn’t finished working, but he’ll use the hour and a half before school starts to complete the homework he has left. According to the National Sleep Foundation, high school students need about nine hours of sleep a night, meaning that a student who wakes up at 6:30 a.m. would have to be in bed no later than 9:30 p.m. Between homework, jobs and extracurricular activities, that isn’t a reality for most students. Dharod, an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma candidate, is also involved in several extracurricular activities. Between IB homework and all of his other commitments, Dharod isn’t able to make much time for sleep. “I’m a runner, I play piano, I’m training to be a pilot, I’m really involved in the Indian community and I’m in several clubs [at Northwest].” Dharod said. “But recently, because school has been getting so hard and college applications have been building up, I’ve had to stop some of my extracurriculars. And, because of all the homework, I still don’t get a lot of sleep.” Dharod sees his lack of sleep negatively affecting his school work. He said he has stayed up so late studying for tests that by the time the test came around, he couldn’t focus well enough to take it. He also sees his sleep deprivation affecting his health. “Lack of sleep and all of this stuff piling up can lead to more stress for me and sometimes I find myself sick or tired,” Dharod said. “I get headaches sometimes or my back starts hurting. My lack of sleep is unhealthy, but I can’t really do anything about it right now because I’m so busy.” Dharod knows his sleep habits aren’t healthy. But in order to be as healthy as possible, Dharod tries to eat right and exercise daily. “I may be quitting lots of my extracurricular activities because teachers are giving us lots of tests and homework, but everyday, I try to find time to run. It helps relieve my stress,” Dharod said. Sometimes, though, that isn’t enough. Already this semester, Dharod has stayed home from school four or five days in order to catch up on sleep and school work. “I feel like the more I sleep, the less productive I am,” Dharod said. “In my mind, more sleep means I’m lazy. I know sleep is really healthy, but for some reason, I set my alarm for 5 a.m. everyday and get up, go downstairs and start working. I need to stop that habit now because I know it’s affecting my health.” Dharod regrets over-committing himself during high school, but he learned from the decisions he made. Next year, in college, he plans to take it easier. “I’ll be more healthy and I’ll be happier, too,” Dharod said. “I don’t think it’s worth it, trying to do way too much and getting a lack of sleep.”

Sleep deprivation causes body temperature to drop and the immune system also becomes suppressed.

By the second or third day, the body stops processing glucose properly, which causes a craving for carbohydrates.

Body temperature drops and the immune system also becomes supressed.

SOME CAN

HOURS OF SLEEP

A NIGHT.

FUNCTION ON only

15%

of teens sleep 8.5 hours on school nights.

Many teens suffer from narcolepsy, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and insomnia. Anything less than 5 minutes to fall asleep means you’re sleep deprived.

It should take between 10 and 15 minutes.

Staying awake for 17 hours leads to a decrease in performance equal to a 0.05 percent blood alcohol level.

of high school students who report feeling unhappy also say they don’t get enough sleep and feel sleepy during the day.

Drowsiness and falling asleep at the wheel cause more than

100,000

car accidents a year.

The record for the longest period without sleep is

21 hours

and 40 minutes.

When sleep is cut short, the body doesn’t complete all the cycles necessary for memory consolidation, muscle growth and and the release of hormones regulating appetite and growth.

Information from the National Sleep Foundation and slate.com

caffeine levels Coke Classic

.625 mg/oz 2.9 mg/floz

Pepsi

3.2 mg/floz

Dr Pepper

3.4 mg/floz

Milk chocolate

THE CAFFEINATED LIFE

Energy drinks can have an impact on the health and wallets of people who consume them on a regular basis.

Senior Andrew Bateman spends between $50 and $75 on energy drinks each week. Diet Coke 3.8 mg/floz “I usually drink one or two a day,” Bateman said. “I first heard 4.5 mg/floz Mountain Dew about them in eighth grade, but Amp 8.9 mg/floz I didn’t start drinking them until freshman year. My friends had Red Bull 9.5 mg/floz them around and I eventually started buying my own.” Atomic Rush 14.92 mg/floz HealthDay News projects that 30 Coffee 13.4 mg/floz to 50 percent of teenagers consume energy drinks on a regular basis. Espresso 50 mg/oz Business Week reports that 5 hour energy 69 mg/floz companies target groups of certain people, rather Arizona Arnold Palmer Half and Half 1.6 mg/floz than attempting to appeal to the masses. Consumers interested in Barq’s Root Beer 1.9 mg/floz extreme sports are drawn to Red Chocolate Milk 0.6 mg/floz Bull or Go Fast!. Video gamers tend to favor Bawls Guarana, the Decaf Coffee 0.7 mg/floz company which sponsors gaming tournaments and encourages Full Throttle Energy Drink 9 mg/floz players to pull all-nighters. Jolt Energy Drink Venom and Fuel are senior Ryan 11.9 mg/floz Duong’s favorite energy drinks. Lipton Iced Tea 2.5 mg/floz “My friend that graduated last year drank [energy drinks] almost Monster Energy Drink 10 mg/floz every day. He got me into them, and Rockstar Energy Cola 10 mg/floz from the beginning of sophomore year to the end of junior year I had one almost everyday,” Duong said. Consuming the high amounts of caffeine in energy drinks can Caffeine, in high enough levels can actually be fatal. be dangerous. There is 160 mg of Depending on the weight of the person in question, caffeine in every 16oz can of Lost it would usually take between five and 10 grams to Energy Drink and Monster Energy kill someone. Death by caffeine is rare, as a person Drink. Most adolescents that drink would have to ingest all five to 10 grams in one sitting. An average cup of coffee has between 60 and 120 milligrams of caffeine. In high enough levels, caffeine can also cause abnormal heart rhythms and seizures. Here are the amounts of some popular sodas, teas, coffees and energy drinks it would take to kill someone, based on a 125 pound person.

DEATH BY CAFFEINE

more than 100mg of caffeine a day are at risk for increased blood pressure. “I know how my body reacts to the drinks and I will get help if I know something isn’t right,” Bateman said. “My advice to people is if you’re concerned, change your routine.” Caffeine increases the level of dopamine in the brain, which helps to improve a person’s overall mood. This is one of the main reasons about 90 percent of Americans consume the chemical component on a daily basis. But caffeine isn’t the only potentially harmful ingredient in energy drinks. Most brands have 18-39g of sugar per can. Consuming that much sugar on a regular basis can lead to weight gain and type two diabetes. “My entire sixth hour last year was concerned,” Bateman said. “They noticed how much soda and coffee I drank and how many energy drinks I would bring to class. They were convinced I would have a stroke any minute.” Duong has similar experiences. “Every time I drink one in class, someone bothers me about it,” Duong said. “I sometimes worry about [how they effect my health], but when I’m being lectured about it, I just get annoyed.”

by Paige Waltman

Natural ways to get energy

Chocolate milk: 1,706.25 glasses Decaf coffee: 1,523.44 cups Barq’s Root Beer: 379.17 cans Lipton Iced Tea: 170.62 bottles Coke Classic: 247.28 cans Pepsi: 224.51 cans Arizona Arnold Palmer Half and Half: 227.5 cans Dr Pepper: 208.08 cans Diet Coke: 189.58 cans Mountain Dew: 157.99 cans

Amp Energy Drink: 59.66 cans Red Bull: 106.64 cans Monster Energy Drink: 53.32 cans Rockstar Energy Cola: 53.32 cans Jolt Energy Drink: 30.47 cans Coffee: 79.36 cups Espresso: 110.80 shots 5 Hour Energy: 61.82 bottles Information from overcaffeinated.org and energyfiend.com

Some things that you can do to get energy naturally include: • Eat breakfast • Do yoga • Singing • Drink water • Eat almonds or peanuts • Eat cinnamon or a mint

• Exercise • Get some sunlight • Eat a light, healthy snack • Talk to vibrant friends • Drink green tea Information from webmd.com

Shift in schedule When students haven’t had enough sleep, their ability to focus, along with their memory, is compromised. They’re dazed. They’re irritable. “The mental and physical is really connected,” social worker Susan Hartman said. “If you’re sleep deprived, you’re just not ready to take in information. Your brain isn’t where it should be.” Hartman says she often notices sleep deprivation in students. But part of the reason many students don’t get enough sleep is the changes in their circadian rhythm. High school students’ melatonin levels tend to rise later at

Because of a change in adolescents’ natural sleep patterns, teens often have difficulty falling asleep before 11 p.m.

night than those of adults and children. Because of this, teenagers often aren’t able to fall asleep until 11 p.m. or later. Students can’t get the nine hours of sleep their bodies require between the time they naturally fall asleep and the time they have to be up for school. Hartman said that counselors and teachers often discuss the possibility of school beginning later in the day, but the logistics of that could be difficult. “If [students] went to school until 5 p.m., when would they play their sports or do their activities?” Hartman said. “A lot of students have to work and they wouldn’t be able to hold jobs and

HOW SLEEP WORKS stage 1

stage 2

stage 3

stage 4

is the light sleep between wake and asleep. During this stage, muscle activity slows.

is the onset of sleep. During the stage, you become disengaged from your surroundings, your breathing and heart rate become regular and your body temperature drops.

is the first stage of deep sleep, which is the deepest and most restorative sleep during the night. In this stage, your blood pressure drops, breathing slows, muscles relax and hormones are released. This is also the stage where energy is restored and tissue growth and repair occurs.

is the second stage of deep sleep. If you are woken up during deep sleep, you will feel groggy and disoriented for several minutes.

do their homework, so I get that. I understand it. I don’t know what a good solution is to that. But if [school] started at 9 a.m., I think that would be great.” While Hartman thinks there would be benefits to school beginning at 9 a.m. and going until 4 p.m., she also has some concerns. “If that really did happen, would teenagers just stay up later?” Hartman said. “Instead of going to bed at midnight or 1 a.m., they’d go at 2 a.m. Ideally, [students] should be in bed by 10 p.m., but I don’t know any teenagers that are.”

by Maria Davison

When you sleep, your body follows a pattern alternating between non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. This cycle generally repeats itself about every 90 minutes. NREM sleep is composed of four stages, which the body enters right as it falls asleep. Stages three and four of NREM sleep are also referred to as deep sleep. When you first fall asleep, you spend most of your time in deep sleep. As the night progresses, however, you spend more time In REM sleep, which is where dreaming occurs.

REM occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep and recurs about every 90 minutes, and for longer periods as the night progresses. This is the stage when the brain is active and dreams occur.

Full sleep cycles last about 90 minutes. If you are woken in the middle of a cycle, especially if during deep sleep, you will feel groggy for several minutes after waking up. In order to plan so your alarm will go off at the end of a cycle, count back by 90 minute cycles to know when you should go to sleep. Or, if counting is too much work, this website will do it for you. Just enter the time you want to wake up and it will give you several suggestions for when to go to sleep: sleepyti.me Information from the National Sleep Foundation, webmd.com and sleepdex.org.

ADVENTURES OF A SLEEPWALKER Junior Maggie First shares tales of her adventures while asleep. “I’m trying think of a good sleepwalking story. There’s tons of them,” junior Maggie First said. First, who suffers from what she calls “mild insomnia,” is also known by her family and close friends as a notorious sleepwalker. “I do, like, all of the above when I sleep. I talk in my sleep, I walk,” First said. “Usually, I’ll just walk around and rearrange things.” Sleepwalking, also called somnambulism, generally occurs between the ages of five and 12 and usually decreases as children get older. However, it can develop into a disorder as an individual ages. It also tends to run in families. “One time, I removed everything from my closet. I took everything off the hanger, like my shirts, and put them in a pile [on the floor],” First said. “I move things, like I rearranged a refrigerator. I put things from the freezer in the refrigerator and things from the refrigerator in the freezer. I’m not even trying to organize things; I’m just moving things.” Some of the symptoms of sleepwalking are performing detailed activity during sleep, having a blank stare, acting confused or disoriented when awakened and muttering things that don’t make sense. “I have conversations with my mom [while I’m asleep]. She thinks it’s hilarious,” First said. “I really don’t know [what I talk about], but they tell me that I just have a conversation with them, or I come out and tell them something, and I’ll just go back to bed.” “I think once when I was at a sleepover, I even told jokes in my sleep. They probably weren’t funny; all my jokes are super corny. But I walked around and told jokes,” First said. The causes of sleepwalking can be fatigue, lack of sleep, anxiety and mental disorders. First pinpointed the cause of her sleepwalking as stress.

“It’s definitely stress-related,” First said. With a terminally-ill father at home in addition to the normal pressures of being a high school student, First faces stress factors throughout the day. But First often has a hard time getting to sleep in the first place. She was diagnosed with what the doctor referred to as “mild insomnia,” which means she doesn’t have such a problem that she goes days without sleeping, but if she doesn’t take steps to get tired before bed, she has a hard time falling asleep. “I sleep, but I have an odd sleep pattern,” First said. “It’s never the same. I could go to bed at one in the morning, or I could go to bed at nine, or I could go to bed at three and still wake up [after] a couple hours and not [be able to] fall back asleep [for a while]. I do that about three to five times a night.” When she began to have problems getting to sleep, doctors suggested over-the-counter remedies for sleep difficulties, but First would feel ill after taking them. “They never thought I needed [prescription drugs] because they usually just prescribe them to people that are up all the time,” First said. Instead, doctors suggested that she take Benadryl to help her have a more restful night’s sleep. “If I have a test the next day, I take Benadryl, and that usually knocks me out. It helps me get a deeper sleep, so that helps,” First said. “If I don’t take Benadryl [though], then I’m totally drained the whole day. I’m just tired and don’t feel like doing anything, and obviously that affects my school work [on those days].” “I have a weird, quirky sleep problem. That’s the best way to describe it. My doctors even checked it out. They did pretty much everything, and they were like, ‘you’re just odd.’”

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SPORTS

STUCK on the

SIDELINES For several NW athletes, injuries or illnesses have come at the price of never being able to play their sports again. by Brianna Leyden, Eric Zoellner, + Rachel Ferencz

SPORTS As senior Megan Musson drove home from the hospital, she silently contemplated her athletic career. After years of playing basketball, softball, volleyball and soccer, including varsity basketball and JV soccer her freshman and sophomore years, she had been diagnosed with slow growing growth plates and weak appendage joints. She could choose to keep playing, but would risk permanent damage if she chose to do so. “I would run the risk of breaking another growth plate and then potentially not being able to heal completely,” Musson said. Sports were a major role in her life, and she had just been dealt a crippling blow. She chose to no longer participate in contact sports, including soccer. “I told my coach that I would be at all the games, sitting on the bench, helping him coach,” Musson said. “I only went to one because it was too hard for me to watch my friends and not be able to play.” Even though sports had been a crucial part of Musson’s life, she chose to have a positive outlook about her situation. “Having this happen has helped me realize that I have a lot to be thankful for,” Musson said. She is still able to compete in cross country and competed all four years at Northwest. Although Musson is still able to run, she will always miss the feeling of having a team around her. “I miss the whole team aspect of contact sports,” she said. “During a season, you get to see all of your teammates at their best and at their worst.” The heartache of not being able to play at such a young age is something she will have to deal with for a long time to come. “When you sprain your ankle or jam your thumb, it hurts, but after a bag of ice and maybe sitting out a practice or two, you’re back out with your team. My situation is more like sitting out for life and that hurts more inside than out.”

PROBLEMS OF THE HEART

“At first I was in denial,” senior Brendan McCluskey said. “I was really skeptical and I was like, ‘There’s no way. I’ve been working out, busting my butt for three years and now all of a sudden I have some disease that I don’t even feel?’” McCluskey was told he had familial dilated cardiomyopathy (FDC) a week into football practice. The diagnosis came after a routine physical. “When I was doing my physical, my doctor asked if there was any family history,” McCluskey said. “Even though I had absolutely no symptoms, he sent me in to get [a test].” FDC is a genetic heart disease that he inherited

Dec. 16, 2011

from his father where the weakened muscles of the dilated heart cause less blood to pump through the body. “Where a normal heart would pump 55-75 percent of your blood, my heart only pumps like 36-40 percent,” McCluskey said. “My dad has it. My two little sisters might have it, but they don’t have it bad enough yet to even tell.” Cardiomyopathy affects only approximately 50,000 Americans, and 35-50 percent of those have the familial type, according to the Familial Dilated Cardiomyopathy Research Project. The diagnosis effectively stopped all competitive play for McCluskey for the rest of his life. “You know, I think that if I had kept playing nothing would have happened,” McCluskey said. “But basically the doctors didn’t want my coach to have to call home during the middle of practice because I had a heart problem and fell over and died.” His family, especially his parents, knows just how important it is to take care of their hearts. When McCluskey’s dad was 24, he had a heart transplant because the cardiomyopathy was caught too late. “My parents definitely took it harder than I did, especially my mom,” McCluskey said. “My dad, since he had the disease, was able to guide me through what was going on. He helped me get to know all the people at KU Med, so it wasn’t like it was something foreign to my family that we were just diving into.” Since receiving the news, McCluskey has picked up new hobbies and has more time to hang out with friends, play golf and march in the band. “Marching band is so awesome this year. I hadn’t been able to sit in the stands or sit with the marching band since freshman year. It’s exciting,” McCluskey said. As far as sports goes, he can now only watch the games. At the beginning, that was difficult. “At first, I completely removed myself from football,” McCluskey said. “I didn’t watch it or talk about it or anything. Now, I’ve gotten over it, except during games. It’s frustrating.”

HEAD INJURIES

Senior Luke Schnefke also lost the opportunity to compete in the sport he loves. Schnefke was a goalkeeper in soccer and also played basketball, but multiple concussions have taken both away from him. Schnefke has always seemed to be prone to head injuries, even when he was a child he suffered concussions. “When I was little, my dog undercut me and I flipped in the air and hit my head,” Schnefke said. That was his first. Since then, concussions

(top) During her freshman year, Megan Musson was able to play on the girls’ basketball team. However, beacuser of her health issues, she is no longer able to play. photo by marissa bruns (bottom) As a junior Brendan McCluskey was able to participate in sports, but now, diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, he is unable to participate in basketball or football. photo by johnny tong

SPORTS have just kept coming. “I have suffered seven concussions, ” Schnefke said. Most of Schnefke’s head traumas came from sports — three were from soccer, and two were from basketball. Although Schnefke chose not to continue his soccer career in high school, he played junior varsity basketball his freshman year. One day in basketball practice, Schnefke dove after a loose

Most common forms of injury: • Sprains and strains • Knee injuries • Swollen muscles • Achilles tendon injuries • Shin splints • Fractures • Dislocations

According to the Boston Children’s Hospital, a third of childhood injuries are caused by sports, and 62 percent of injuries in organized sports happen at practice.

Sports with the highest injury rates: 1. Football 2. Wrestling 3. Girls’ basketball 4. Girls’ soccer Information from the Ohio State University College of Medicine and the Center for Injury Research and Policy in the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital

ball and collided heads with another player, that play resulted in another concussion and ended his basketball career. “I went through a series of tests called IMPACT testing. My poor scores along with my history of concussions led the doctors to [decide that I would] no longer be able to continue to play contact sports,” Schnefke said. Schnefke’s soccer and basketball careers were over. After so many concussions, more head trauma could have been fatal. “[If I continued to play], the consequences range from memory issues and poor cognitive and motor skills to life-threatening scenarios,” Schnefke said. “Concussions stick with you for the rest of your life. The more concussions you have, the easier it is for you to receive another concussion.” Unlike McCluskey, Schnefke had other ways to

compete. He was cleared to run track because of its lack of contact. Last year, Schnefke was part of the state champion track team. But even a state championship isn’t enough to ease Schnefke’s desire to play contact sports. “I definitely wish I could still play basketball. The one thing I miss the most is putting on a show for the people watching,” Schnefke said. “Many fans go out to a basketball game to cheer them on but that’s not the case for track.” Schnefke frequently attends NW sporting events to give those athletes the same feeling he misses about basketball. “Now I try to support all my friends in their sports,” Schnefke said. “My friends found out through the grapevine as I probably only told a handful. The reactions were all the same as everyone was disappointed that I no longer could play.” Just as Schnefke supports his friends, those close to Schnefke support him. But concussions are something Schnefke has realized he’s going to have to live with. “I will always have concussions looming over my head,” Schnefke said. “I just have to watch what I can and can’t do.”

were surveyed. Of the 250, an overwhelming 78.4 percent had been injured. “A lot of times if they’re athletes their sport is really important to them, and they’re very upset,” Hartman said. “That was their favorite thing, and now they don’t fit in anymore. Everyone else is out practicing, and they aren’t.” In the survey, only 34.6 percent had reservations and fears (of re-injuring themselves, falling behind, not being as good, etc.) about going back to their sport. The most common emotion those students felt was frustration. On a scale of 1 to 10, athletes gave their frustration an average rating of 8.40 out of 10. In another study by the Vanderbilt

“When you sprain your ankle or jam your thumb, it hurts, but after a bag of ice and maybe sitting out a practice or two, you’re back out with your team. My situation is more like sitting out for life and that hurts more inside than out.” — Senior Megan Musson

INSIDE THE MIND

Although McCluskey never talked to a counselor about not being able to play, many students are referred to counselor Susan Hartman. “Sometimes [the athletes] aren’t the ones to seek me out, though; sometimes it’s the parents who will call, and they’ll be upset because their kids just shut down,” Hartman said. “They don’t want to do their work, they have trouble getting up in the morning, they don’t want to go to school anymore. Sometimes they’ll tell the parents it’s because of [not playing their sport]; sometimes they’ll just guess it.” Some of the most common reactions of athletes who have been injured or are no longer able to play their sport are frustration, anger, stress and tension. “I think it’s absolutely different for everybody,” Hartman said. “It’s more a personal part of their identity, especially if they were really good at it, or known for that, like if they’re a star soccer player and then they can’t play soccer. All their friends are playing soccer, and then they don’t feel like part of the group. It’s social loss; it’s an esteem loss.” A recent study of athlete reaction to injury conducted by the University of Rhode Island,a group of 250 players from 14 different sports

University School of Medicine, athletes sometimes feel as disrupted in their personal lives as those who have been affected by natural disasters, while at the same time scoring higher on the avoidance and denial scale. “You know, at least I think, that if I had kept playing nothing would have happened,” McCluskey said, “but basically the doctors didn’t want my coach to have to call home during the middle of practice because I had a heart problem and fell over and died.” “They want to take the risks because it’s important to them,” Hartman said. “That’s who they are, they designed themselves that way, or that’s just where they get the greatest pleasure — that’s their main thing. They’re going to risk it because they think it’s for the best.” When it comes to rehabilitation or not playing again, however, most athletes believe patience, determination, optimism and hard work are the most important factors in whatever recovery they will achieve. “Things that have came out positively through this experience have been a stronger faith in God and a determination to make something of myself in track,” Schnefke said. “I kind of tend to ignore the sadness that I was supposed to feel,” McCluskey said. “I don’t like getting sympathy all that much, so I just kind of went on with it, accepted it, and accepted the fact that there are a lot of people out there with worse problems than mine.”

Sports

SPORTS

by Connor Thompson

Chemistry: BY THE it’s not just a class NUMBERS 19–26 It’s one of the most important factors and the biggest uncoachable element in sports for teams like girls’ basketball.

Chemistry, in sports, is an elusive element that makes a good team great. It is a rapport or understanding that allows a team to function as one. “The best way to describe our chemistry is that we are a family,” senior Mary Slattery said. “We have a bunch of respect for each other, and just know each other better than just about anyone else.” Slattery and fellow seniors Katie Biggers, Sarah Schmidt and Jessica Johnson have played together for three years. That experience gives them a major advantage over teams who are just starting to play together. “It has definitely made us better. We are stronger because of how tightly knit we are. Last year, our team grew extremely close and this year it has been the same, if not better,” Slattery said. As an example, Slattery points to the support she and Johnson received in their off-season endeavors when basketball teammates and the coach showed up to cheer at Slattery’s tennis matches and Johnson’s cross country meets. “ It has really helped us become a stronger team. We know that no matter what happens, good or bad, that we will always have each other as a team, and a family,” she said. To me, team chemistry speaks to the aspect of non-verbal communication. Not many teams have it. It takes a team with core players who have played together for several years, who know what to expect from each and who trust each other on the court. “I think it shows because we can all tell when a teammate is down. We know how to pick each other up and when to pick each other up,” Slattery said. “Off the court, we know that we have all of our team mates and coaches there for us.” In the pros, the chemistry is even more readily apparent. How would teams like the Packers or the Mavericks win so many championships without it? They wouldn’t. These teams may not have the biggest bank

Dec. 16, 2011

roll, but they are consistently good. The key to sports is having a team that knows how to play together. This is the type of team you see in the championship games or even just the playoffs year after year. There are partners who immediately come to mind when team chemistry and playing together are discussed: Shaq and Kobe, Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry, or Jordy Nelson and Aaron Rodgers. These athletes played together long enough to know how to work as a unit and thow to set the other up for success. Actual chemistry between teammates is pretty important. If a team doesn’t get along well, they will lose. But some players can’t work together indefinitely. Kobe and Shaq always fought and eventually stopped winning. There are more examples of teams that work well together than not though, like Jordy Nelson and Aaron Rodgers. They both had individual talent, yes, but the intangible objects make them the best. Nelson knows exactly what Rodgers thinks about and where the ball will be. They have this connection because they have played together for quite a few seasons. This season they have combined for 51 receptions for 957 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns (all are career highs), with four more games still to play this season. Plus, after a 12–0 start, they are almost guaranteed a playoff spot, meaning at least one more game together. You can’t coach that kind of ability. Teams that remain together over the long haul develop a certain level of trust and camaraderie which improves both their communication and their level of play. Team chemistry is undoubtedly one of, if not the most, important aspect of any sport. This should give teams like the girls’ basketball team a good advantage. Having the advantage of playing together will give this year’s Lady Cougar basketball team a push that other teams don’t have and create a good season.

Todd Haley’s record as Chiefs head coach after two seasons and 13 games. This record is fourth worst record for a Chief’s head coach. Haley was fired Dec. 12.

23.6

50-yard freestyle time (in seconds) for junior Max Oberbrockling, his fastest this year in the event.

Forced turnovers by the Lady Cougar basketball team against Shawnee Mission North Dec. 9

749 Days between Tiger Woods’ most recent tournament wins.

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IN FOCUS

“I think the whole SM school district has come together and put our rivalries behind us, and everyone is together now in honor of #ATB.” — senior Quinn Truax SM West junior Ashton Brunemier lost his two year battle with cancer on, Dec. 4. Students tweeted #ATB in an attempt to get the topic trending. Senior Quinn Truax, along with friends, tagged #ATB on cars in the student parking lot on Dec. 8.

photo by monica castellon