Northwest Passage Vol. 42 Issue 2 by Northwest Passage

passage NORTHWEST VOL. 42

ISSUE 2

OCT. 1, 2010

queen of the ring /20

RAINA ESPARZA SHARES HER EXPERIENCES AS A TOURNAMENTWINNING BOXER.

everyone knows someone /14 STUDENTS SHARE THEIR STORIES OF HANDLING FAMILY MEMBERS’ CANCER.

a chance to shine /16 LOCAL BANDS WORK FOR A CHANCE TO BASK IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

/ PHOTO BY BRITTANY BONSIGNORE

Bring this ad in to buy one drink and get the next drink of equal or less value free!

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contents

northwest passage staff Co-editors-in-chief

Features Editors

Copy Editor

Entertainment Editor

Design Editor

Sports Editors

MARIA DAVISON AND STEPHANIE SPICER LAUREN KOMER STEPHANIE SPICER

Assistant Design Editor BAILEY KOPP

Assistant Copy Editors WYATT ANDERSON AND BRIANNA LEYDEN

WYATT ANDERSON

MARIA DAVISON AND STEPHANIE SPICER

Ads Editor

KELSEY GASSER

Staff Writers

Graphics Editor News Editor



DAVID FREYERMUTH AND HANNA MEIGS TYLER ABSHER

RACHEL FERENCZ

Opinions Editors

MARIA DAVISON AND STEPHANIE SPICER

MORGAN JONES AND BRIANNA LEYDEN

HAYLEY BATTENBERG, ASHLEE CRANE, RACHAEL DEMJANIK, DANIEL MAGWIRE, TESSA MILLER, AND ALEX REVIS

Photo Editors

NORTHWEST PASSAGE / VOL. 42 / ISSUE 02 SHAWNEE MISSION NORTHWEST 12701 W. 67TH STREET SHAWNEE, KS 66216

09/reviews

SMNW.COM

SONIC OFFERS MORE COMBINATIONS THAN IMAGINABLE.

Co-editors-in-chief

LAUREN MINICK AND STEPHANIE SPICER

 NEWS 05 news briefs

Updates on happenings at Northwest.

The members of Mason City, Junior Josh King, NW Graduates Ed Spaunhorst, David Chavez, and Connor Mathews rehearse in their basement / PHOTO BY

DAVID FRYERMUTH

Northwest did not make Newsweek’s list of America’s top high schools.

06 news schmix

12 eye think I’ll do my own makeup

 ENTERTAINMENT 08 reviews

14 everyone knows someone

Hurley: Weezer’s newest album is a definitive hit. Wired magazine: This techy magazine brings out readers’ inner nerdiness. Stereomood.com: Multiple radio stations play music to fit a specific mood.

09 reviews: mix and match

Girl Talk: Mashup artist Gregg Gills’ new album is his best yet. Belkin RockStar splitter: IPod splitter works well for sharing music, not for mixing. Sonic: With countless drink combinations, some Sonic drink combos are better than others.

 OPINIONS 7 please cover up The purpose of the Northwest Passage is to relay important and interesting information to the community, administration and students of Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. As a newsmagazine, the Northwest Passage will cater to the interests and concerns of the student body. Outside concerns and activities will only be covered if they somehow affect the school or students. the Northwest Passage is a 24-page newsmagazine. The paper will be distributed every two weeks during fourth hour. Subscriptions will be available to the community for $35. 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.

 FEATURES 11 not on the list

Clothing makes school much more enjoyable.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T Students seem to need a refresher course on common courtesy.

Here are simple tips and advice to achieve priceless Homecoming looks for cheap. Students share their stories of handling family members’ cancer.

16 a chance to shine

Local bands work for a chance to bask in the spotlight.

 SPORTS 19 boss

The best sports photo and Q&A with freshman Kate Helfrich.

20 queen of the ring

Raina Esparza shares her experiences as a tournament-winning boxer.

22 upcoming games 23 coach and players unhappy with new soccer field

NEWS BRIEFS

Lowe’s grant funds PTSA landscape project The Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation (LCEF) has awarded the Toolbox for Education Grant to Northwest. The $2,500 grant will be used to complete the landscaping project “Bucks for Beauty.” “PTSA has wanted to help improve the landscaping in the planters outside the school entrances for some time,” Cathy Goodger, co-chairman of PTSA’s Beautification Committee, said. “[Principal Bill] Harrington was aware of our goal and directed us to LCEF as a potential source of funds for our project.” The Beautification Committee was created when the “Bucks for Beauty” idea was first envisioned. Committee members were responsible for submitting the grant request to the LCEF. “We have a compelling story, [with our] newly renovated building but very tired-appearing landscaping,” Goodger said. “The grant request also stressed that our school has lots of spirit inside the walls, and we want our outside entrances to reflect that spirit.” The LCEF’s mission is to “improve the communities they serve and have a positive impact on the lives of customers, neighbors and employees.” Through the Toolbox for Education program, the LCEF has granted more than $22 million to almost 5,000 schools around the country. The planters on the west side of the building will be renovated. Planting will be done by Lowe’s employees, students and volunteer parents. The project is set begin this fall and wrap up in the spring. “We just had the desire to beautify the school,” Goodger said, “by updating some of the outdoor planters to include low-maintenance plantings that are attractive on a year-round basis.” / ASHLEE CRANE

District proposes school closings

and boundary changes School closings and boundary changes were presented to the Shawnee Mission Board of Education by superintendent Gene Johnson. Of the 11 proposed1 changes, four would affect NW area students (see proposed changes below). Reacting to the current economic situation, recentåı population changes and projected enrollment, the proposals were added to the already established Shawnee Mission Five-Year Plan this summer after being revised by Johnson. “I understand this is very emotional. It’s an emotional time for families, especially when their school is considered for closing or their high school boundaries are changing in their attendance area,” Johnson said. “ While we recognize that people become extremely attached to their schools and feeder patterns, these are difficult decisions. It’s important that we strive to operate our district as efficiently as possible.” The proposals include closing Antioch Middle School and Shawanoe Elementary School. The students from Antioch would be moved to Hocker Grove Middle School, which would then become a single feeder school for SM North. Shawanoe Elementary School students would be split between Rising Star Elementary School and Benninghoven Elementary.

/ OCT. 1, 2010

Proposed for implementation in 2011-2012

 PROPOSED CHANGES

Proposed for implementation in 2011-2012

PROPOSAL 1: Reassign Brookwood Elementary School, 3411 W. 103rd Street, from the SM East attendance area to the SM South attendance area. PROPOSAL 2: Reassign a portion of the Ray Marsh Elementary School attendance area from the SM Northwest attendance area to the SM North attendance area. Ray Marsh is located at 5642 Rosehill Road.Proposals: An Overview PROPOSAL 3: Reassign the Trailwood Elementary School attendance area bounded on the south by 95th Street, on the west by Nall Ave., on the north by 91st Street, and on the east by Mission Road from the SM East attendance area to the SM South attendance area. Trailwood is located at 5101 W. 95th Street. PROPOSAL 4: Close Bonjour Elementary School, 9400 Pflumm Road, at the end of the 2010-2011 school year and reassign the students to Sunflower Elementary School, 8955 Loiret Blvd. PROPOSAL 5: Reassign a portion of students attending Sunflower Elementary School, 8955 Loiret Blvd., who live west of I-435, north of 87th Street, east of the westernmost Shawnee Mission boundary, and south of Blackfish Parkway to Christa McAuliffe Elementary School, 15600 W. 83rd Street. PROPOSAL 6: Close Shawanoe Elementary School, 11230

The proposals also include reassigning groups of students within the NW attendance area. Ray Marsh students who live east of Pflumm would move to SM North. However, Quivira Highlands, The Sylvan, Forest Trace, Woodland Place and a portion of Lakeview Estates subdivisions would still attend Northwest. Mill Creek students living in the Prairie Lake apartment complex would be reassigned to Benninghoven Elementary School. Other proposals include closing Mission Valley Middle School and Bonjour and Moody elementary schools. Ten of the changes will go into effect for the 2011-2012 school year; however, the proposal to close Moody Elementary School would go into effect for the 2012-2013 school year. If put into effect, the school closings and boundary changes would save $3 million annually. Community meetings will be held between September and October for patrons and other members of the community to give input on the proposals relating to them. Dr. Johnson will present his formal recommendation for approval at the Nov. 8 board meeting at SM North. [location to be announced] / MARIA DAVISON AND LAUREN MINICK

W. 75th Street, at the end of the 2010-2011 school year. Reassign a portion of the Shawanoe students to Rising Star Elementary School, 8600 Candlelight, and a portion of the students to Mill Creek Elementary School, 13951 W. 79th Street. PROPOSAL 7: Reassign students in the Prairie Lakes apartment complex, 6700 Lackman Road, from the Mill Creek Elementary School, 13951 W. 79th Street, to Benninghoven Elementary School, 6720 Caenen. PROPOSAL 8: Close Antioch Middle School, 8200 W. 71 Street, at the end of the 2010-2011 school year and relocate the Antioch students to Hocker Grove Middle School, 10400 Johnson Drive. PROPOSAL 9: Reassign the Roesland Elementary middle school attendance boundary in the SM North attendance area from Indian Hills in the SM East attendance area to Hocker Grove in the SM North attendance area. Roesland is located at 4900 Parish Drive. PROPOSAL 10: Close Mission Valley Middle School, 8500 Mission Road, at the end of the 2010-2011 school year and relocate the students to Indian Hills Middle School, 6400 Mission Road. PROPOSAL 11: Close Dorothy Moody Elementary School, 10101 England, at the end of the 2011-2012 school year and reassign the students to Brookridge Elementary School, 9920 Lowell. Proposed for implementation in 2012-2013

more nw news SEPT. 22: SEE YOU AT THE POLE/ Christian students met around the flag pole on the east side of the building to pray and sign at the national See You at the Pole event.

SEPT. 22: MUCKFEST/ Water balloons, shaving cream, flour and mud went flying at this year’s Muckfest at Shawnee Mission Park.

SEPT. 23: COALITION WALK/ Students assembled bright and early for The Walk to raise awareness about human rights violations around the world.

SEPT. 23: HOMECOMING PARADE/ Seniors walked away from this year’s Homecoming Parade victorious after their “Coast to Victory” float won.

Young Life sparks Four Square Club Four Square Club met for the first time in August. Junior Katie Mulich, club president, started playing the “recess game” over the summer at Young Life camp with some other NW girls. They enjoyed playing four square so much that they brought it back to Northwest. “We wanted something fun to do for everyone, even for the kids who aren’t involved,” Mulich said. Four square involves a dodge ball, four numbered squares and four people. One person stands in each square and the person in the fourth square bounces the ball diagonally to square number one. From there, the players bounce the ball to different squares while avoiding holding or throwing the ball or hitting any of the inside lines.

More than 30 people met to enjoy a game most of them played as children, including cross country and soccer players who came in and out before and after practice to join the game. Four Square Club will meet, rain or shine. The club will meet outside of the east doors on the pavement by the circle drive. On rainy days, they will meet inside in Social Studies teacher, Katie Melcher’s room. “As a kid, it was one of my favorite games to play,” junior Taryn Vogel said. “I still think it’s a fun, relaxing and easy way for everyone to get together and make a variety of friends.” Four Square club meets Wednesdays after school in Room 133 and is open to anyone. / RACHAEL DEMJANIK

OCTOBER 2

8-11 p.m./

SATURDAY Homecoming Dance in

cafeteria

School Improvement Day

MONDAY (no school)

Late Start

Senior picture day in Art

TUESDAY

THURSDAY Gallery

7 p.m. / Fall Choir Concert

7:40-11 a.m. /

WEDNESDAY PLAN test for sopho-

Blue Cross Blue Shield donates $5,000 toward education Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City presented the Shawnee Mission School District with a donation of $5,000 in late August. The donation made to the Shawnee Mission School District is part of Blue Cross Blue Shield’s commitment to advance education in the community. Since 2003, they have made annual donations to member school districts totalling about a quarter of a million dollars. “You have a critical mission, and we want you to know that we are your partner in ensuring our community’s

future and insuring your district’s employees ... We view this gift as an investment in future excellence and hope you can accept it as a symbol of our mutual long-term commitment to the greater Kansas City community,” said Tom Bowser, president and executive officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City, in the letter accompanying The money was given to Dr. Gene Johnson who will be in charge of designating where it goes.

mores, PSAT for juniors.

7 p.m. /

THURSDAY Band and jazz band con-

cert in auditorium.

/ MORGAN JONES NEWS

/ 05

PORTAGE, WISCONSIN a 120-year-old levee on the Wisconsin River broke, flooding the surrounding area.

KALAM, PAKISTAN - U.S. helicopters are flying into the Swat Valley of Pakistan daily, which was torn apart by floods in August, to bring supplies and evacuate citizens.

NORTH KOREA – Kim Jong-un, son of Kim Jong-il, the leader of North Korea, was named a military general along with five others.

BEIJING CHINA – China will stick to its one-child policy in coming years due to the 400 million births have been stopped since it was implemented 1979. COLOMBIA – At least 20 people were buried in rubble from a mudslide due to an exceptionally wet rainy season on a mountain road between Giraldo and Canasgordas.

? Sunrise, Florida reappeared on Google Maps last week after disappearing for more than a month. When searched, Google Maps was directed to Sarasota, Florida, a town 200 miles away. This was the third time Sunrise was dropped of Google Maps.

interwebs

Now in the Oxford English Dictionary.

n. humorous the Internet. (Recently added to Oxford American Dictionary, same time as bromance)

WRITE US A LETTER

We would love to hear your opinion about anything we published or other things going on around Northwest or in the outside community. Letters can be sent to passageletters@ smnw.com or be brought to Room 151.

/ OCT. 1, 2010

MARK ZUCKERBERG’S FRIEND. The Social Network,

the movie based on Zuckerberg’s life and the creation of the social network Facebook, comes out on Oct 1. A CHIEFS FAN. The Chiefs are 3-0 for the first time since 2003. GOOGLE. Google celebrated its 12th birthday on Sept, 17.

BAD TIME TO BE:

TRYING TO FORGET HURRICANE KATRINA. The fifth

“by the numbers” DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PASSAGE?

GOOD TIME TO BE:

numbergossip.com

Type in a number, hit “gossip” and learn all the mathematical properties of any number up to 9,999.

weatherbonk.com

for quick, up-to-date weather information.

anniversary of the tragic event was on Sunday. UNPASTEURIZED MILK. The federal government is cracking down on states who are allowing the sale of unpasteurized milk, which is already illegal in ten states. A CORAL REEF. Climate change has caused significant amounts of coral to die near Indonesia.

MORGAN JONES

please, cover up

HERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO DRESS APPROPRIATELY.

ASHLEE CRANE

R-E-S-P-E-C-T BEING RESPECTFUL IS SO SIMPLE, YET IT SEEMS TO BE DIFFICULT FOR SOME STUDENTS.

My fellow ladies, I would like to ask right now to please think of your favorite outfit. Now, imagine that you have just dropped your pencil. What do you do? Before you say, “bend and snap,” think about whether you can even make it to the “bend” without “snapping” your whole downstairs region to whatever viewer may be around. Unfortunately, when I walk around the school, this tends to be the case. Being an advocate of clothes and common decency, I have listed below some reasons why it may be a good idea to cover up. 1. Clothes are good. In fact, when worn correctly, they are 100 percent successful at keeping the private stuff private. This is school, not a peep show. I’m trying to earn my education but have trouble doing so when that girl in the front row’s G-string is screaming at me, and she’s got a natural landslide happening on her chest. Talk about needing a truckload of slaughtered pigs to get that out of my mind. 2. Clothes say a lot about a person. Sure, I try my best not to judge people by how they look but simple assumptions just naturally

happen. It’s all about self respect. Do you want people, especially guys, looking at you and imagining—well you know. I mean I give you props, you save their minds a lot of undressing. 3. Going back to the whole guys thing (awkward hats on), if you don’t care what guys your age think, do you care what your teachers or even the principal thinks? And it’s not just male teachers, female teachers notice too. Some try to say something but most don’t or can’t because of this little thing called sexual harassment and a lawsuit. And before you go immature and say, “They just shouldn’t look,” realize you’re the one that is flaunting it. Treat it like you would a pack of gum; you don’t want to share with everyone. So the next time you go to get dressed, consider what you are putting on. By all means, practice the bend and snap in front of your mirror. It’s a great technique to see if you are exposing too much. And remember, none of this is meant to offend you. This is just me, a girl, talking to you, another girl, asking you to please, cover up?

Okay, let’s get real. A serious lack of respect has pretty much taken over this school. We learned manners back in kindergarten, and we seem to have forgotten them; my question is, why? In every class there’s always “that one kid:” the one who talks throughout the class while you’re trying to get work done; the one who enjoys torturing the teacher and making him or her look stupid in front of other students. For me, there has always been just one. But now, I’ve noticed that there’s an increasing number of those “ones,” and that is not okay. When I try to walk from class-to-class, I am constantly tossed around. I feel like I’m at a heavy metal concert, except there’s no music to enjoy. Or anything to enjoy for that matter. All you have to do is turn around and say “sorry;” that’s all I’m asking. The lunch room is just as bad. People push to get in line as soon as the bell rings. They yell at the lunch ladies because they accidentally overcharge their card. They leave trash instead of walking 15 feet to the trash can. My personal favorite? The people who cut in line. Recently, the administration has taken notice of cutting, and they are taking pretty severe action. Students who are caught cutting in line are being assigned Saturday schools. Maybe it’s just me, but I think it’s a bit ridiculous that it has come to this. Strangely, the situation reminds me of third grade, when tons of drama was caused by “cutters.” The reality is, we’re no longer in third grade. Some of us need to grow up and start acting like young adults instead of elementary school children.

The other day, I was walking behind a girl. She dropped her planner without realizing it. Automatically, I bent down and picked it up. I tapped her on the shoulder and handed it to her. She said “thank you.” I said “you’re welcome.” And we went our separate ways. Seems fairly simple, doesn’t it? Apparently not. The next day, I saw the same scenario play out, except that I was on the other side of the hallway. A girl dropped her notebook and no one acknowledged it. What’s preventing students from doing the right thing and picking up a dropped notebook? Why can’t we do such a simple thing to help out another student? If rudeness is “cool,” my definition of the word is way off. I personally think that the “cool” people are the ones who get along with everyone, who are friendly to the staff, and who care enough to walk the few feet to the trash cans. We learned the Golden Rule back in kindergarten. Maybe we have forgotten what that rule is: “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” Aretha Franklin once said, “All I’m asking is for a little respect,” and that’s exactly what I’m asking of my fellow students. The next time you see someone drop something in the hallway, pick it up; the next time you get in the lunch line, say “thank-you” to the lunch ladies; the next time your teacher gives extra homework, keep your groans to yourself. Just use the manners our parents and teachers hammered into our brains long ago, and this high school experience will be a lot easier on all of us. OPINIONS

/ 07

REVIEWS

stereomood.com

WEEZER: HURLEY 4.5/5

In the past, Weezer has generally been a hitand-miss band, but the group’s eighth album, Hurley, which was released Sept. 14, is definitely a hit. Perhaps the reason is the change in record labels, because this album, the first one released by Epitaph Records, is one of the band’s greatest successes. Without hearing any of the content, I was drawn to the album. Maybe that’s because of the cover art: a bright, shining picture of Hugo “Hurley” Reyes from Lost; no words, simply a smiling portrait of actor Jorge Garcia. There is a rumor that the album is named after the Lost character, as well as a correlation between the album and the Hurley clothing line. Hurley sold the new album prior to its release date, and the company has teamed up with the band to create new Weezer gear. Regardless of the origin of the name and cover art, it works. Hurley starts off with the album’s single “Memories,” which was released on Aug. 9. The chorus features Johnny Knoxville and his Jackass crew. Rivers Cuomo, lead singer of Weezer, confesses that the band “had no idea what [they] were doing half the time.” This certainly explains some of the eccentric lyrics that they’ve written in the past. The album flows right into “Ruling Me,” where the band focuses more on the music than on cheesy jokes and celebrity references; it makes this track one of the best songs on the album. The next two tracks, “Trainwrecks” and “Unspoken,” bring the tempo of the album down a few notches, which is a nice transition. In “Unspoken,” violins allow the song to stray away from the classic Weezer sound, but once the distortion and drums kick in, I’m brought back to normal Weezer. The rest of the album, though not as great as the first four tracks, still impressed me. Hurley wraps up with “Time Flies,” which shows that when the band goes back to basics, they can still make a fantastic album. Whatever Weezer did with this album, they need to keep it up. / ASHLEE CRANE

/ OCT. 1, 2010

There’s nothing worse than being angry and turning on the radio only to hear Katrina and the Waves playing “I’m Walking on Sunshine”. It really makes me want to rip the stereo out of my car and throw it out the window. A new online radio service, stereomood.com, that plays music based on the listener’s mood will help listeners like me avoid this situation. Happy listeners, for instance, can tune into stations like Optimistic and Sunny Day, and hear artists like Sara Bareilles and Vampire Weekend. In a bad mood? Select the Melancholy or Lonely stations to listen to artists like Radiohead and The Smiths. If the listener’s feelings don’t fit into just one of these stations, there are over 140 moods on Stereomood to choose from. I have been using Stereomood for three weeks now, listening to as many different playlists as possible. My moods vary day to day, from energetic to funny, lonely to epic. The majority of the stations matched my moods perfectly, but there were a few that missed their target. Homework was one of those stations. I usually listen to Wilco’s alternative country

3.5/5

sounds when I do my work, but all I found on the playlist were piano pieces that went on for 30 minutes each. The repetitive, soft melodies didn’t make me feel studious, it made me want to throw my computer across the room and light my books on fire. On the other hand, I found a ton of mood stations I enjoyed. Energetic made me hyper with classic songs from the Clash and the Ramones. The fast punk sounds got my head banging and my feet tapping in no time. It wasn’t perfect, though. A few Jethro Tull songs popped up and threatened to kill the mood until David Bowie arrived to save the day with “Golden Years.” I’m also a fan of the Funny station. The songs picked for this playlist have humorous lyrics. There are plenty of Flight of the Conchords, Beck, and Cake songs to keep me smiling for hours. But my favorite station, by far, is Summer. It’s a potpourri of alternative and classic rock—Franz Ferdinand one moment, Tom Petty the next. Stereomood is a great concept that doesn’t always work perfectly, but if you want a radio station tailored / DANIEL MAGWIRE to your mood, there’s no better place to get them.

wired magazine

3/5

With a name like Wired, the geekiness of this magazine is presented loud and proud. Some techie lingo aside, Wired is a surprisingly easy read for an average high school student. Stories appeal to the reader’s secret nerdy interests, covering a wide variety of science topics ranging from the inner workings of Pixar to a reporter trying to disappear in a virtual age. Wired is a long magazine. In the August 2010 issue, it totaled over 150 pages. While many pages are solely for advertising, most pages are crammed with small stories, how to’s, advice columns and diagrams about every current science topic imaginable. One of Wired’s more unique pages is the last page of the magazine. Called “Found, Artifacts from the Future,” readers submit ideas about a fake artifact or scene from the future correlating with a topic provided by the magazine. One idea is chosen every issue and a photo is created depicting the idea. In the August 2010 issue, the topic is “In-flight Entertainment from the Future.” The photo depicts the back of a fake purple airplane seat. A video screen reads “Welcome Aboard!” and depicts all the restrictions for entertainment on the airplane, such as no gum chewing, no smoking, no video games, no virtual reality and no cyborg arm wresting. Another trait of Wired is their thinking outside the box coverage. The feature stories with somewhat controversial headlines (such as “Money Wants to be Free,” “Fail! Why Losing Big can be a Winning Strategy” and “The Tragedy of Craigslist”) are vibrantly displayed on the front cover. Each story is thoroughly researched, almost to the point of being overwhelming, as readers can easily become lost in a sea of text. At first glance, Wired looks like every other nerdy magazine. Digging deeper, their broad topic range and easy readability make this magazine accessible for any reader. This magazine can help satisfy the inner geek / LAUREN KOMER in all of us.

REVIEWS: MIX AND MATCH

2/5

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GIRL TALK

≥

belkin rockstar splitter

5+/5

If Tupac Shakur and Elton John were to come together and have a child, Girl Talk would be that baby. Girl Talk, the stage name of musician Gregg Gillis, is the messiah of mashup. Girl Talk has been on the underground hip-hop scene for more than a decade, but because he makes his music illegally (he samples songs without authorization), he still maintains anonymity with the majority of music lovers. However, with the release of his fourth album, Feed The Animals, much of the mystery surrounding the phenom was lifted. Feed The Animals skyrocketed to enormous fame when it first came out in 2008, and with good reason. The album was a huge success because it was fun. That’s a cliche thing to say, but fun is the only possible way to describe Girl Talk’s style. His music is upbeat, danceable and, most importantly, familiar to all audiences. On Feed The Animals, Girl Talk flaunts his ability to fuse completely unrelated samples into one perfectly harmonious album. “He demonstrates that, despite the frankness of hiphop, the twinkle of pop, and the angularity of rock, music is music,” said Jeff Roesgen, of tinymixtapes.com. His last album may have been the best by far, but that’s hardly saying that Girl Talk’s first three CDs (Night Ripper, Unstoppable and Secret Diary) were horrible. All four albums were amazing pieces of musical art; it just happened that Feed The Animals was met with more publicity than its predecessors. For anyone who doesn’t own a Girl Talk album: Go buy one. Or don’t buy them if you want, because Illegal Art, the organization that produces Girl Talk’s music, literally gives away the MP3 downloads. Similar to Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails, all four of Girl Talk’s albums are choose-your-ownprice at illegalart.net. If, for some inexplicable reason, it’s only possible to listen to five Girl Talk songs (a tragedy in and of itself), “Play Your Part Pt. 1” and “Play Your Part Pt. 2” from Feed The Animals are the top two on that list. Raunchy rap and classic ’70s rock mesh so perfectly that it’s hard to believe the songs were ever separate, and bobbing your head is nearly impossible to avoid. “Smash Your Head,” “Bounce That,” and “Too Deep” from Night Ripper follow closely in second position; the songs make you want to get into a fight and figure out world peace all within the span of 10 minutes. It’s not possible to hate Girl Talk; go get musically enriched. / HAYLEY BATTENBERG

Simply put, the Belkin RockStar Splitter is a waste of $19.99. Anyone looking for quality sound should keep searching because the RockStar is far from providing. Equipped with five jacks, one 3.5 mm cable and one built-in iPod hookup, the palm-sized gizmo has the potential to be a worthwhile product. At first glance, it seems to be an interesting idea: sharing your music with multiple friends. If that was the extent of the RockStar’s usage, it could be a good buy, if a not bit over priced. But the product is also marketed as an iPod mixer. When one iPod and one set of headphones are plugged into the RockStar, it has decent quality. But with each addition of another pair of earbuds, the sound gets quieter and quieter. When the second iPod is plugged in, the sound quality goes from bad to worse. The two iPods fight for control over volume, and although you can adjust the sound levels for

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the individual players, no two songs can be made to sound all right together without professional equipment and experience. It doesn’t matter which two songs play, the outcome is awful on the RockStar. For people who just want a splitter, something to make it easier to share music, buy the RockStar. For those who think that they can start their career as an amateur DJ by spending $19.99, stay far, far away. / HAYLEY BATTENBERG

your ultimate drink stop® It seems like no one knows just how many drink combinations are possible at Sonic. The official number, according to Sonic, is just over 168,000. According to a Wall Street Journal article by “Numbers Guy” Carl Bialik, the real number is 688,133. A Sonic employee explained the discrepancy in the article. It turns out the reason for the difference stems from a contest Sonic held in 2006, which awarded the winner $168,894 -- the supposed total number of possible drink combinations. The company chose this number (based on a maximum of six add-ins) in order to have a reasonable prize amount, while the number in the Wall Street Journal article reflects the actual number of possible drinks. Regardless of how many combinations may be possible, it stands to reason that when you start throwing flavors like blue coconut and Powerade into America’s favorite soft drinks, a fair number of them are going to turn out absolutely terrible. / WYATT ANDERSON + DANIEL MAGWIRE

COURTESY OF SONICDRIVEIN.COM

Dr Pepper with Apple Juice

Grade Pineapple Sprite

A complete shot in the dark. Apple juice was such an odd add-in that it had to be used at some point, and Dr Pepper was quickly proving to be the universal base. Against all odds, the two came together beautifully. It actually tasted like one of those caramel apple suckers that always get handed out on Halloween.

Easily the worst. I took one sip and wondered if we ordered a slush. The texture was so awful I couldn’t even think about the flavor. It was the only one I actually spat out. It had pineapple chunks, and tasted eerily like cough syrup. The chunks of pineapple actually clogged the straw, and the whole mess became thankfully undrinkable.

4.5/5

0/5

Dr Pepper with Everything 4/5

Cranberry Limeade with Apple Juice Dr Pepper seems to go well with anything, so we wondered 5/5

After the Dr Pepper’s success, apple juice went from oddball gamble to full-fledged legitimate add-in. This drink was a little more dangerous than the others, while still managing to stay within the boundaries of good taste. Light, fruity, easily the classiest of all our combinations, and quite good to boot.

Visit

– how well does it go with everything? We had to get a Route 44 size drink to fit all the flavors in. At first, the guy taking the order says he can’t fit everything in there, but he comes back a few seconds later simply saying “I’ll make it happen.” I was fully prepared to be killed by this drink, to be struck down by the awesome flavor fury of the drive-in gods, or to take one sip and vomit uncontrollably. Turns out, it just tasted like a Capri-Sun.

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for full coverage on the best and worst of Sonic combos.

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If you’re thinking about seeing Easy A in theaters, visit SMNW. com for our student review before you buy the ticket.

moe’s v. chipotle Which make your own burrito bar do you prefer? See SMNW.com for our rival reviews on Moes v.s. Chipolte.

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EASY

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/ OCT. 1, 2010

Class of 2011 say cheese. Wait, stop. I’m a senior? To see the “Big Picture” come together in a stop motion video, visit SMNW.com

Coalition’s “The Walk” is featured with a picture slide show on SMNW.com. Check it out.

not on the list: trailing behind America’s top high schools NORTHWEST WAS NOT ON THE RECENT NEWSWEEK LIST OF TOP UNITED STATES HIGH SCHOOLS. Shawnee Mission East. Shawnee Mission South. Every Blue Valley high school open last year. All of these high schools made the Newsweek top American high schools list. Where’s Northwest? The schools are rated by taking the total number of Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) or Cambridge (AICE) tests administered to students to the number of graduating seniors. Schools that do not have an average of one test per senior are not ranked. Only 6 percent of the approximate 27,000 U.S. public schools qualified to be ranked on the list. Northwest is not one of them. Newsweek reporter Jay Mathews wrote the FAQ section of the online article and explained the importance of the courses and tests. “AP, IB, and Cambridge are important because they give average students a chance to experience the trauma of heavy college reading lists and long, analytical college examinations,” he said. “Studies looked at hundreds of thousands of students in California and Texas and found if they had passing scores on AP exams they were more likely to do well academically in college. In the latest Texas study, even low-performing, low-income students who got only a 2 on an AP test did significantly better in college than similar students who did not take AP in high school.” Northwest graduate Travis Gockel agrees that AP classes are helpful for preparing for college. He took 10 different AP classes during his high school career. “The workload of an AP class is higher than a standard class. Beyond that, the level of work you are doing is significantly higher-level than in a standard class. For example: while a regular history class might ask what the Coercive Acts were, an AP class would ask you to analyze the effects of the acts.” Northwest graduate John Page also thinks AP classes are similar to college classes. “The AP classes I took at Northwest prepared me for college decently well as I had all good teachers who actually encouraged me to reason and critically think. The 100 level classes I’ve taken in college are honestly at the same level as my AP classes in high school.” There are some factors the Newsweek list cannot take into account. “Teacher quality, extracurricular activities, and other important factors are too subjective for a ranked list. Participation in challenging courses and tests, on the other hand, can be counted,” Mathews wrote.

Associate Principal Linda Gruman isn’t worried about Northwest not being on the list. She thinks there are many areas that cannot be measured by the researchers. “A student’s general growth and experience [are increased by] participating in our music, our theatre

receives the same education if they were to sign up for an AP class, although students are not required to take the AP exam at the end for credit. Mathews thinks all students should take AP or IB courses and tests. “To send a student off to college without having

AMERICA’S TOP

HIGH SCHOOLS programs, athletics, journalism ... and there are many other areas I haven’t named,” she said. “The kids benefit so much from that. Their confidence grows. Their abilities grow. We have many talented kids across a lot of different areas, and I think that really enriches their high school experience and shapes who they are as a person. I think it’s really hard to attach a value to that, but it’s an integral and important part of school.” The list also does not take into account college exams, such as College Now and other courses taken through Johnson County Community College (JCCC). Northwest has the highest College Now enrollment of all Johnson Country high schools, according to Gruman. Many College Now classes are tied to an AP curriculum as well, so a student still

had an AP, IB, or Cambridge course and test is like insisting that a child learn to ride a bike without ever taking off the training wheels. It is dumb, and in my view a form of educational malpractice. But most American high schools still do it.” Gruman thinks students need to choose what’s best for them. “I think our top priority has to be helping our kids find those right decisions. And, if in the process of talking to our kids about the benefits of the AP exam, more kids enroll in that, great. But we want it to be a dialogue with parents, we want it to be a dialogue with teachers, and the kid to find the right fit for them, whether it’s IB, AP, College Now. We just want to make sure our students are ready for college, whatever form that looks like.” / LAUREN KOMER

FEATURES

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ECOTOOLS Eyeliner Brush

ECOTOOLS Eye Shading Brush

ECOTOOLS Concealer Brush

eye makeup routine When it comes to eye shadow, colors possibilities are endless. If you can’t decide on a color pallet the L’oreal 4 packs have colors relating to the parts of your eye to use them on. Consider: Maybelline has better shimmery makeup, and L’oreal has better matte make up. Don’t be afraid to play with your eye shadow colors, it can be a lot of fun. 1. Using the figure shown (direct), apply base color over full eyelid (section 1) with the concealer brush or the applicators that come with eyeshadow. 2. Using the eye shading brush, apply accent color from the middle of your eyelid to the outer corner (section 3 toward section 4). 3. Apply highlighter directly under the outer part of your eyebrow using the eyeliner brush. If desired, this color can also be used in the inner corner of your eye, near your tear duct. Remember that this color should brighten up the area being applied to. Hint: Closing your eye helps for best coverage when applying to the inner corner of your eye. 4. Apply crease color in section 4 with the eye shading brush. Stroke lightly back and forth where the crease of your eye is. Keep your eye open while doing this. 5. Apply eyeliner if desired. Liquid eyeliner creates a darker and more defined line, but may be difficult to put on if you aren’t used to it. Pencil eyeliner might be easier, but is more likely smudge. With a personal history of most eyeliner ending up all the way to my cheek bones, I can confidently recommend Almay Eyeliner and Almay Liquid Eyeliner ($7.79) as the best at the drug store. When applying eyeliner, get as close to your lash line as possible. Be careful with your eyeliner — raccoons are so last season. Applying eyeliner below your eye will make your eyes look smaller and doesn’t look good on everyone. On the other hand, applying white eyeliner below your eyes will make them look bigger. Eyeliner can be hard to remove completely, so make sure you have enough time before you try anything you aren’t used to. 6. Final touch. Mascara. If you are not already aware of the kind of eyelashes you have and how to take care of them, you should be. There are many different kinds of mascara brushes, and although many commercials try to convince you that they really do volumize your lashes, most of the time this is not the case. The Colossal has been the best mascara I’ve ever used. The bristles are tight and thick. They get an overall coverage that makes your lashes look fuller. Remember, the more strokes you add to your lashes the thicker they get, but after a certain point it can look chunky. That’s not good. As for your lower lashes, barely touching them with your mascara brush puts just enough color to know that they are there, but not so much that they overpower the rest of your eye. Avoid waterproof mascara— it’s harsh on your eyelashes and over time can make your eyelashes thinner.

OLS ECOTO

/ OCT. 1, 2010

Blush

Brush

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FUN/FLIRTY LOOK

Base: Bright, pastel color. Accent: Vibrant color, same family as base color. Feel free to pick a shimmery color here. Highlight: Metallic peach, gold, or silver. Crease: Deep version of accent color.

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NATURAL LOOK

Base: Color close to your skin tone. Use a matte eyeshadow. Accent: Shimmery golds, tans, or peaches. Highlight: Light brown or white. Crease: Dark brown.

SMOKEY LOOK

Base: Light, matte gray. Accent: Medium gray. Highlight: Shimmery white. Crease: Dark grey or black.

The Colossal Volume Express Mascara

bamboo brush set BY ECOTOOLS $11.99 These eco friendly brushes are made from recycled aluminum, bamboo, and synthetic taklon bristles. Unlike some cheap brushes, ECOTOOLS don’t leave those pesky trails of hair across your face. See picture and correlating numbers for directions on how to use brushes.

WITH HOMECOMING JUST 24 HOURS AWAY...

I think I’ll do my own makeup

Girls, the dance is tomorrow, and if you don’t have money to schedule an appointment at MAC or any other makeup artist place, it’s OK. I’ve been doing my hair and makeup for every dance since freshman year. Even if you feel like you know nothing about makeup, a few simple tips will pull you through the evening. The best part is that everything you need can be found at your local drug store, such as CVS or Walgreens, but Walgreens has a wider selection and is currently having better sales. (Prices given were found at walgreens.com at time of press.) / LAUREN MINICK

PRE-GAME

It’s the night before the dance, and if you’re like most girls, you’re sitting on your bathroom sink plucking your eyebrows and popping those last little blemishes that have inconveniently shown up before important events. Well, stop. Picking at your face will only cause infection and explode debris deeper into the pore follicle. Would you rather have a pimple or a swollen, open wound that scabs and eventually scars? Acne doesn’t care if you have Homecoming the next day, and chemical-based cleansers are not always the solution. They often make the skin infection worse. The natural ingredients in these home remedies will cleanse your pores without irritating existing acne and give your face a refreshed look.

smart shade cover up

BY ALMAY $9.99 (REGULAR 12.99) Almay’s Smart Shades line of cover-up is a lightweight makeup that comes out of the tube in a white color. As you apply and rub the substance into your face, it changes to match your skin tone. Almay Smart Shades comes in light, light/medium, medium and medium/dark and is also conveniently hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested, making it better for sensitive skin. It’s important to match your skin tone appropriately and, when in doubt, go a shade lighter, not darker. When applying foundation, remember that less is more. Use foundation simply to even out your skin tones and cover any dark circles under your eyes.

For oily skin: Combine the 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and 2 egg whites in a bowl. Beat until fluffy. Apply to your face, avoid getting too close to your eyes. Wait for 10-20 minutes and rinse off with warm water. For dry skin: Mix 1/4 cup of brown sugar and 1-2 tablespoons of non skim milk. Apply to freshly cleaned face and massage gently for a full minute. Leave on for 15 minutes. Wash off with warm water and pat dry. WARNING: Masks will work as a deep cleanser, but expecting instant or permanent results is unreasonable. Do not scrub excessively and remember to use warm water to open your pores when washing your face.

cheekers blush BY COVERGIRL

$4.49

Cheekers Blush by CoverGirl comes in many colors. Remember when putting on blush, use Blush Brush, start from the upper cheek bone and brush downward to avoid that “baby doll cheek” look. But how do you choose the right one? You have to learn your skin tone and what brightens your face. Consider this, how does your face look when you’re in the sun? If it’s slightly yellow, greenish or gold, you have warm undertones. If your skin is pink, beige or rosy, you have cool undertones. Here is a chart to help:

YOUR SKIN VERY FAIR

COOL UNDERTONES

BLUSH COLOR

SNOW PLUM 135

VERY FAIR

FAIR

ROSE SILK 105

CLASSIC PINK 110

NATURAL ROSE 148 TRUE PLUM 185

WARM UNDERTONES

one last thing

COOL UNDERTONES

Before you walk out the door to take pictures, get your lips under control and bring out your outer Angelina Jolie with these four easy steps. Tools: Toothbrush, foundation one shade lighter than your face, lip balm (Carmax or Nivea work best), clear lip gloss or light pink tint.

WARM UNDERTONES

MEDIUM

COOL UNDERTONES

MEDIUM

DARK

PLUMBERRY GLOW 140

NATURAL TWINKLE 183

DEEP PLUM 154

WARM UNDERTONES

COOL UNDERTONES

WARM UNDERTONES

1. Brush your lips with a damp tooth brush to rid your lips of any dry skin. The exfoliation will leave your lips as a smooth surface and ready for the product. 2. Add a dot the size of a hole punch of foundation on the inside of your ring finger. Rub over lips until fully rubbed in. 3. Apply a light layer of lip balm to your lips. 4. Apply clear or light pink lip gloss. FEATURES

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someone.

CANCER. PEOPLE THINK IT WON’T HAPPEN TO THEM PERSONALLY, BUT EVEN WITH INCIDENCE RATES FALLING, IT SEEMS LIKE...

everyone knows HER GRANDMA, GRANDPA AND DAD Multitudes of people fill the street, whether they are walking for the cause, supporting the participants or just cheering on the survivors. Pink flutters against t-shirts, hangs from signs and litters the ground. This is the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. And this is one of the many signs of the fight against cancer. “I did the Walk this year and it was amazing to see 30,000+ people gathered for one cause, and a good cause at that,” senior Katie Taylor said. For Taylor, this cause is personal, as her dad, grandpa and grandma were taken by various forms of it—the former two by lung cancer and the latter by breast cancer. At age thirteen, Taylor

about that, and you still have to keep on track with your own life.” Through writing poetry, talking to her brother and turning to God, Taylor counseled herself through the grieving period. “Grieving was the worst thing, and then the acceptance of them being diagnosed, and the acceptance of knowing they were going to die and then acceptance when they do die. My grandpa was always at my sports events and stuff as the one who was always thrown out of games, so I kind of miss having someone there to yell at the referee. My grandma was the one that I could relate to the most, like when I was mad at my parents; I could talk to her about that. And then my dad and I were a lot alike. I was ‘little Johnny

“BEFORE, I WAS VERY SUPERFICIAL AND WORRIED ABOUT MATERIAL THINGS. NOW I REALIZE THAT YOU REALLY ONLY HAVE ONE LIFE, AND IT’S NOT WORTH IT TO WORRY ABOUT EVERYTHING.” —Junior Kaycee Greenwood was first touched by the disease when her grandma was diagnosed with an aggressive stage four cancer. “They didn’t give her much time. They always kept saying, ‘Oh, she’s only got a few more months to live,’ but she ended up pulling through for four years. Both of her breasts were removed, and she was in the hospital all the time. She ended up dying Feb. 28, 2009. My dad had actually been diagnosed Jan. 2 [of that year]. My grandma died of breast cancer ten weeks before my dad died from lung cancer.” And her grandpa’s death had been just before that in Oct. 2008--a death that came as a shock as he had only been diagnosed 36 hours before. “It was like it hit close, closer and closest. When the first one is diagnosed, you’re like, ‘Could anyone else close to me be diagnosed?’ It sucks to think

/ OCT. 1, 2010

Taylor,’ that’s what my mom used to call me. I miss talking to him and asking him about life. But once it hits home, it really hits. Everybody knows somebody that has been affected by cancer. ”

HER MOM Standing in a crowd of girls perhaps only yards from Taylor, junior Kaycee Greenwood hands out pink ribbons to her fellow NW varsity cheerleaders who came to support participants at the same Race for the Cure by cheering for those that finished, handing out water bottles and giving flowers to survivors. Greenwood’s experience with cancer began a while ago--back in May of 2004, when her mom was first diagnosed with breast cancer. “My mom started off with breast cancer and [it] moved to her lung, and then she had to get half of her right lung

removed. And then it went to her brain and she had to have brain surgery, and then it finally moved to her bones, and that’s when she died.” Her mom’s fight with cancer ended May of 2009. “The most difficult part of it all was realizing every single day that my mom would not walk through the door. I miss a lot about her--I miss how she was always there for me. She was the person I could go to that would never pass a judgment on me. I could speak to her, and I would feel that everything was OK, even when it wasn’t.” Since that day at the end of her freshman year, Greenwood’s life changed drastically. She moved into her grandparents’ home, and Greenwood had to help raise her younger sister Kamille. “I felt like once my mom left I had to step into the role of making sure she was OK. Being the older sister, you kind of have to do that anyway, but I had to step in a little bit more.” And at the same time, as if she were a normal teenager, there was drama and changes in friendships for Greenwood. “You kind of have to figure out who your real friends are, and they were the people who stuck with me through my hardest time. I needed them to be there, and just carry on as normal. I didn’t need pity. I didn’t need people to be, like, ‘Poor Kaycee;’ I just wanted to be treated like everyone else. It was a lot of change, and it was all at once, and I just really didn’t know how to handle it.” But the thing that changed most might have actually been Greenwood herself. “Before, I was very superficial and worried about material things. Now I realize that you really only have one life, and it’s not worth it to worry about everything. I had a relationship with God, and around when my mom died, I kind of lost it. I felt really alone--like, why would God take my mom away from me? But through living with my grandparents, they’ve helped my faith become stronger.”

As time passes, it becomes easier for Greenwood to talk about her mom. She can talk to other people who have gone through the same thing. She’s able to handle going to fundraisers for breast cancer like Race for the Cure. “The year before I didn’t go, because it was too hard for me. It was just harder when it was more recent, but now I can even talk about it. The race raises money to find cures for cancer and I think it’d be amazing even if it just helps someone not feel the way I felt.”

CANCER AWARENESS

Events like Race for the Cure happen all the time, especially in October, the designated National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The most important prevention for cancer is being aware and getting check-ups, a rule that both girls now advocate. “I told my dad to go the doctor for a year and a half, and when he passed out on my 16th birthday, then he was finally like, ‘Oh, I think I need to go the doctor,’ Taylor said. “I always wonder what would have happened if he had actually gone to the doctor a year and a half before he was diagnosed. Would it have changed things? Would he have surpassed it?” “My mom didn’t get a check-up, and she felt a lump in her breast. If she would have gone to the doctor earlier, it could have been taken out and could have been cured,” Greenwood said. “It’s very important to get checked, even if you think it could never happen to you.” It’s also important to not be immediately afraid if a doctor says the word “cancer” because with various medical practices ranging from alternative herbal methods to chemotherapy and radiation, cancer survival rates are actually up in 70 to 90 percent (for breast cancer). “Around my mom’s death, when I thought of cancer, I’d just think of death and darkness,” Greenwood said. “Now, I think ‘Pink.’ It’s just a fight that God put together to prove your faith to him. If you have cancer, it’s not the end.” / BRIANNA LEYDEN

BREAST CANCER AFFECTS 1 IN 8 WOMEN.

GENERAL CANCER AFFECTS: 1 IN 2 MEN 1 IN 3 WOMEN

PROSTATE CANCER AFFECTS: 1 IN 6 MEN

LUNG OR BRONCHUS CANCER AFFECTS: 1 IN 13 MEN 1 IN 16 WOMEN

MELONOMA SKIN CANCER AFFECTS: 1 IN 37 MEN

COLON OR RECTUM CANCER AFFECTS: 1 IN 19 WOMEN

/ PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DAVID FREYERMUTH FEATURES

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COURTESY OF COLBY MOORE

CITIES AND THRONES For Cities and Thrones, a Kansas City-based band, the process started with a previous band, About A Hero. “We felt like our style of music had changed and we wanted to start fresh,” guitarist/ vocalist Ryan Kennedy said. “We all matured and actually started putting more thought and technicality into our songs.” According to Kennedy, the difference between About A Hero and Cities and Thrones is how their music, and the players’ styles and techniques matured between the end of About A Hero and the beginning of Cities and Thrones. As Cities and Thrones, they describe their sound as “hardcore metal with maybe a splash of punk.” Former members of About A Hero, 20-yearolds Skylar Irvine, Sean Coffman, Andrew

/ OCT. 1, 2010

Hooper, 18-year-old Pat Schissler and 21-yearold Ed Irvine, formed Cities and Thrones after adding Coffman on bass and Hooper on vocals. With Hooper’s lyrical creativity and Coffman’s talent for the bass, they were ready to work to be noticed on the music scene. As Cities and Thrones, and even as About a Hero, the band’s lyrics weren’t cliche which is one reason their fans like them. Senior Lauren Burroughs frequents local shows. “[Their] music isn’t about stupid teenage heartbreaks or the girl they couldn’t get. Their songs are about life,” Burroughs said. The band doesn’t take their music as just a hobby. To them, it’s something worth the effort. “We are putting as much time into it [the band] as we possibly can. We really love what we do,” Kennedy said.

But, Kennedy admits, finding a way to coordinate the schedules of the six band members is challenging. “We all have jobs and school, but we usually somehow find time to make it happen,” Kennedy said “That’s just part of being in a band I think, constantly figuring out schedules.” Having only played five shows as Cities and Thrones, including shows at The Refuge, The Granada, and The Youth Center (located in Harrisonville, Mo.), they are still working on recording and getting noticed. “We currently don’t have any shows coming up because we are mainly focusing on recording right now,” Kennedy said.

a chance to shine LOCAL BANDS TRY TO WORK THEIR WAY INTO THE MUSIC SCENE.

/ BY TESSA MILLER

Within the Kansas City music scene, many young musicians strive to get their shot in the spotlight. Each has a story to tell and something new that they bring to the stage. From getting started, filling each spot in the band and finding time to practice, each band has their share of troubles.

MASON CITY

Mason City, an alternative/poppunk band composed of former and current NW students, is just now getting into the picture. NW graduates Connor Matthews, David Chavez and Ed Spaunhorst combined talents with junior Josh King to form the band. “We met through mutual friends, and had thrown around the idea of starting a band together before we finally got around to making it happen,” guitarist/vocalist Matthews said. Being brand new to the scene, Mason City only has one gig under their belt. Their first public appearance

was an acoustic show on Sept. 18. For them, the hardest part is finding a drummer. “It’s been really hard to get the vibe going,” Matthews said. “We’d been using a drum loop on a laptop until we find someone to fill the spot.” For now, the band is focusing on writing songs and playing shows to get themselves more exposure to possibly make a name for themselves. “We would like it to go somewhere, but if it doesn’t it’s fine,” Matthews said. COURTESY OF ASHLEY LANE

ANA SUITE

COURTESY OF CHRIS SAYEGH

For Ana Suite, a local alternative band, getting started was fairly easy. Landon Turcotte, Chris Sayegh, Dustin Merchant, and Cody Barret all came from previous bands. Merchant and Sayegh had been in another band together, making the relationships between band members easier to form. “It has basically turned into my second family,” Sayegh said. “It’s all we have been thinking about.” Ana Suite is pretty new on the scene and like Cities and Thrones has played only five shows, performing at the Granada as well as smaller venues like Toad’s Pub and The Refuge (both located in Overland Park). “Our shows are full of energy and we try to throw in a lot of crowd participation,” Sayegh said. “We have a lot of different approaches. We usually start clapping and wave on the crowd.” Ana Suite has used their methods of crowd participation to gain fans. Burroughs has also attended Ana Suite shows and has met the musicians.

“They’re not just another ‘scenester’ screamo band,” Burroughs said. “They don’t really try to make it as a band. They play because they like the fans and the music that they make.” Although getting the band together was easy for Ana Suite, actually producing the music proved difficult. “It takes a lot out of someone to sing in front of people. Plus using my diaphragm with a guitar on my chest is pretty hard. It’s a really hard feeling to describe. ‘Multitasking’ would be putting it lightly,” Sayegh said. Another problem is getting studio time. Band members have put college aside for now to achieve their dreams of getting their shot at the spotlight. “We write every day, and we all have a passion for what we do,” Sayegh said. “Our songs are all good and we know people will love our music when they hear it.”

FEATURES

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UPCOMING GAMES Football Oct.1 vs. SM South 7 p.m. Oct. 8 vs. Olathe North 7 p.m. Oct. 15 at SM North 7 p.m. Girl’s Golf Oct. 4 at SM South 3 p.m. Oct. 6 at Olathe East 11:30 a.m. Oct. 12 at Regionals 8 a.m. Gymnastics Oct. 4 at Lawrence HS 6 p.m. Oct. 7 vs. SM Northwest Quad 6 p.m. Oct. 11 at SM South 6 p.m. Volleyball Oct. 2 at Lawrence H.S. Tournament 9 a.m.

[

]

forgot your camera? we didn’t. check out:

Oct. 7 at Olathe South Quad 5 p.m. Oct. 12 at Shawnee Heights Quad 5 p.m. Girls’ Tennis Oct. 9 at Regionals 8 a.m. Oct. 15 at State (TBA) Boys’ Soccer Oct. 2 vs. Washburn Rural 12 p.m. Oct. 5 at SM South 7 p.m. Oct. 7 vs. SM East 7 p.m. Oct. 12 vs. Olathe South 7 p.m. Oct. 14 vs. Olathe East 7 p.m. Cross Country Oct. 2 at Community America Invitational 8:30 p.m. Oct. 9 at Haskell University JV/C Team Invitational 10 a.m.

/ OCT. 1, 2010

SPORTS

/ PHOTO BY BRITTANY BONSIGNORE

boss/

BEST OF SPORTS SHOT

// by hayley battenberg

QUESTION + ANSWER WITH KATE HELFRICH

FRESHMAN, VARSITY VOLLEYBALL Q: How long have you been playing volleyball? How frequently did you practice before making varsity? A: [I’ve been playing] since first grade, and I usually practiced two or three times a week. Now I practice every single day. Q: How did the older girls react to having you on the team?

A: I don’t really know if they liked [having freshmen on varsity] that much. But they treat us like they’re glad to have us, so it’s nice. Q: Does everybody on the team work to help out the freshmen, or do the freshmen even need help? A: Yeah, they do a lot to help us out. They encourage us, keep us motivated; keep us working hard. I won’t say anything for the other girls, but I sure do need a lot of help. Q: Was being one of the youngest girls on the team scary or exciting? A: I feel quite a bit of pressure and a little nervous because it’s really scary to be up against 18-yearolds slamming the ball at your face. It’s really nerve-wracking, and you feel like you have to live up to [varsity standards].

Q: How much game time to the freshmen usually get? A: It depends on what the rotation is. We have Kelle Carver who hits, and sometimes she sets. When she sets I get to play more than when the usual setter plays. It varies with each new rotation, but usually every freshman gets to play. Q: How are the team dynamics? Does everyone support each other? A: Everybody is extremely encouraging, especially when one of the freshmen mess up. [The upperclassmen] really don’t take [their frustration] out on you, they don’t let it show that they’re upset. They just help you.

SPORTS

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“At our gym the biggest thing we teach is defense. As long as you can block and keep your hands up, you will not allow any points. The opponent could throw a million punches and out of that, maybe only 50 will land.” —Elisa Moreno, Freshman Raina Esparza’s coach

queen of the ring

FRESHMAN RAINA ESPARZA BEGAN BOXING A YEAR AGO. THIS SUMMER, SHE WALKED AWAY FROM ONE OF THE LARGEST AMATUER BOXING TOURNAMENT IN THE WORLD AS A CHAMPION.

At the sound of the bell, the two fighters quickly move toward each other. The chatter from the crowd grows nosier as punches begin to land on one girl’s body. She retaliates with a hook. Her opponent dodges the quick strike. More punches are thrown into her face. She throws her hands in front of her head to deflect them. The crowd gets more and more excited. Her opponent’s punches are quick and powerful. She tries desperately to block, but her defense is futile. After three quick rounds, freshman Raina Esparza’s arm is held in the air. The Amateur Ringside World Championships in Kansas City is the largest amateur boxing tournament in the country. Hundreds of boxers came from all over the nation to the early August event aiming to take the title as the top amateur boxer in the United States. Freshman Raina Esparza was one of them. Esparza trains four days a week, runs every night, diets constantly to make her weight, and she is always learning how to get better from her coaches. When Esparza was 13-years-old, her mom told her to take up a sport so she would not be stuck in the house all summer. She chose boxing. This eventually led Esparza to

Hollywood, Fla. on June 19, where she claimed victory at the 2010 Women’s National Golden Gloves. “In her first two fights, Raina beat the girls in the second round. In her last one, they went the distance, but Raina just killed her,” said professional boxer and Esparza’s coach, Elisa Moreno. This championship victory was a huge morale booster for Esparza and proved that she was near the top in the country for her age. However, the Golden Gloves was a small tournament compared to the national competition in Kansas City. On Aug. 5 Esparza stepped into the ring at the KCI Expo Center nervously, and began her run at the championship. The 2010 Ringside World Championship hosted fighters from both genders, from age 9 to 72. There are certain divisions for each age group for the junior boxers (like Esparza, who was in the 13-14 year old division). “I was very nervous and so was my mom. Every time I step into the ring, she can’t even talk,” Esparza said. Eventually, Esparza calmed down and was able to focus on the fight. “We didn’t want to tell her so she didn’t go into the fight with her head huge, but I expected Raina to win it

very easily,” Moreno said. In the preliminary round, Esparza defeated McKenzie Means from Wyoming. The next day, she went on to defeat Jennifer Ruiz from Texas in the semifinals. In the final round, Aug. 7, Esparza defeated Chelsey Roman from Texas to win amateur boxing’s greatest honor, the 2010 Ringside World Championships. “I was so excited when I won. I felt like I did a great job. No one else won from the gym, so it felt good,” Esparza said. Esparza’s quick footwork, powerful hits, and unbeatable resiliency helped her win, but Moreno believes boxing is more than just offense. “At our gym the biggest thing we teach is defense. As long as you can block and keep your hands up, you will not allow any points. The opponent could throw a million punches and out of that, maybe only 50 will land,” Moreno said. “Raina has great defense, so the other girls just couldn’t touch her.” Esparza appreciates everything her coach has taught her. “[Moreno] has been there since day one. She always worked with me, and told me what I did wrong and told me what I needed to work on,” Esparza said.

Esparza continues to train rigorously as she prepares for more upcoming fights. On Oct. 2, Esparza will go to Garden City for a fight. On Oct. 16, there is a match at Turner Boxing Club that Raina will be participating in. Esparza’s parents have their own opinions about her boxing. Her mom gets nervous before every fight, but she still supports her. However, her dad is quite the opposite. “My dad loves that I box. He doesn’t even want me to do my homework, he just wants me to come to the gym and train,” Esparza said. Esparza, 14, has three years until she can qualify for the Olympics and become a professional boxer. She thinks she may have a future in boxing. “It’s something I am always thinking about, but it is a long way from now. I still don’t know whether I will box in the future,” Esparza said. Right now, Esparza is just taking it one day at a time and training relentlessly for her upcoming match in Garden City. “She comes in training really hard, she focuses, and does what she has to do,” Moreno said. “If I could describe Raina in one word, she’s a beast.” / BRADY KLEIN

(far left) Training at the gym, freshman Raina Esparza practices her boxing with a trainer on Sept. 20. / PHOTO BY BRITTANY BONSIGNORE Freshman Raina Esparza begins to spar with an opponent on Sept. 20. Esparza won the 2010 Ringside World Championship in her division. / PHOTO BY BRITTANY BONSIGNORE

SPORTS

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COACH AND PLAYERS UNHAPPY WITH NEW SOCCER FIELDS

Dirt patches and standing water on the soccer field were less than the coaches and the soccer teams expected from their newly renovated field. The field was redone last spring and summer forcing the girls to give up their practice field for the spring, and forced them to delay practicing on the field until Aug.16. When they finally were allowed to practice for the first time, Head coach Todd Boren and his team were disappointed. “The field wasn’t crowned (sloping down on either side to drain water) correctly. It was basically the same field we had. The grass didn’t take, the field still holds water and it is still 90 yards with a lot

of dirt patches,” Boren said. Athletic director Richard Grinage said that the field was done correctly, but it doesn’t drain well. The crowning necessary to correct the drainage system would pour pesticides and fertilizers into the environmental lab, killing many plants. As a result, a new drainage system, which will run to the parking lot or the street, will have to be installed. But this isn’t the fix Boren is looking for. The field is still patchy and uneven. Technically, the field is not short of its 110 yards, but a dirt patch in the top left corner (facing Pflumm) cuts it short.

Goodwin Proturf, the company that did the construction on the field, wouldn’t comment on the situation. “My biggest issue with the field ,“ Boren said, “is that is really no better than it was.” Grinage said that work on the new drainage system will begin after the boys’ soccer season ends. “The idea is that we get this done between [the boys’ and girls’ soccer] seasons but Mother Nature has to work with us.” / CONNOR THOMPSON

IN focus

“At first, I hadn’t heard much of See You at the Pole. I saw it last year, but didn’t think much of it. This year I got to school early and saw a group of people gathered around the flagpole singing good songs I knew, so I stopped to sing with them and hear what they were saying.” –sophomore Anna Lindholm

/ PHOTO BY MIKALA COMPTON