The Northwest Passage Volume 41 Issue 11

northwest

passage Volume 41

Issue 11

March 12, 2010

In search of the perfect bronze, many teenagers it really indoor tanning. Is

overlook the dangerous effects of

? k s i r e h t h Wort

14

t r o W

e h t h

? k s i r

come sail away

Sophomore Jack Roeder has blended his passion for building and sailing. 12

stunned into silence

The boys’ basketball season ended in heartbreaking fashion against the Leavenworth Pioneers. 20

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_________________________________ 04 / news briefs

news

See what’s going on around the school and in the community.

06 / schmix page

Plan your schedule around this week’s happenings plus some random stuff.

______________________________ 08 / awkward, my one true love

opinions

A Passage staff writer reflects on his own awkwardness.

09 / set your alarms a little earlier

4

A new final schedule will force students to wake up earlier.

09 / budget cuts to affect students Crucial district programs may be cut to appease the budget.

10 / better bleached than bronzed Tanning is an instant beauty fix, but the long term effects are not worth it.

scene

12 / scene static Apps of the Issue, Live Noise, Sudoku and the Student Shuffle.

14 / worth the risk?

features

An in-depth story on the dangers of tanning.

14 / come sail away

Sophomore Jack Roeder has blended his passions for building and sailing.

sports

19 / the boss Best sports picture and athlete questionnaire.

20 / the shot that stung The boys’ basketball season ended on a last-second shot.

23 / column page March Madness is upon us.

/ Ashley Lane backpage photo /Andrew Keith

cover photo

HANNah WILLIAMS

____________________________

20

top: Sophomore Colby Evertt races to grab a ball before his opponent during the Dodgeball Tournament. bottom: Junior AJ Spencer tries to shoot the ball around a Leavenworth defender in the Sub-State Championship game.

staff

co-editors in-chief / david catt, ryan mccarthy copy editor / ed spaunhorst design editors / ashley lane, stephanie spicer

photo editors / david freyermuth, hannah williams graphics editor / tyler absher news editor /lauren komer opinions editors / david catt, ryan mccarthy features editor / maria davison

The purpose of The Northwest Passage is to relay important and interesting information to the community, administration and students of the Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. As a newsmagazine, The Northwest Passage will cater to the interests and concerns of the student body. Outside concerns and activities will only be covered if they somehow affect the school or students. The Northwest Passage is a 24-page newsmagazine. The paper will be distributed every two weeks during third hour. Subscriptions will be available to the community for $25. The Northwest Passage firmly supports the First Amendment and opposes censorship. The content of the newspaper will be determined and created by the entire staff. When questions concerning word choice, legal problems or ethics arise the editorial board and adviser will discuss the problem to find a solution. In these cases, the co-editors-in-chief will the have final say in all decisions. Letters to the editor will be accepted and encouraged, but will only be published if signed. The staff reserves the right to edit for grammatical mistakes, length and good taste.

Letters may attack policy but not people. In no way will ideas or viewpoints be changed. The co-editors-in-chief reserves the right to refuse any letter.

scene editor / evan shinn sports editor / clay coffman ads editors /ashley calvert web technical / andrew keith web managing editor / mary salazar web master / stephanie rupp staff writers / nick alexander, jeremy allen, rachel alvey, wyatt anderson, nick feighner, rachel ferencz, kelsey gasser, claire gordon, tyler gilliam, andrew keith, brady klein, brianna leyden, maddie niemackl, cj reliford, madi watts

MICHELLE STUESSI Junior Adam Chase gazes forward at Mock Trial Competition.

Big River to

open April 8th The spring musical, Big River, will open on April 8 and run through April 10.

The musical, originally written by William Hauptman, is based on Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written in 1884.

The musical follows the story closely; Hauptman took direct quotes from the novel and put them into the script.

“I’ve wanted to do [Big River] for a long time, so I’m pretty excited about it,” drama teacher Keli Rodgers said. “William Hauptman has a way of showing you something that makes you go, ‘Wait, that’s not right!’ He let’s the audience work. I think that’s brilliant.”

About 27 students are involved in the cast, including senior Teddy Trice as Jim, senior Andrew Shaw as Huck, sophomore Tanner Rose as Tom Sawyer and junior Claire Martin as Maryjane.

Although only these 27 students will appear on stage, nearly 40 will help produce the musical.

“I have a lot of boys this year who are full of talent, so that’s why we have had more male-oriented plays this year,” Rodgers said.

Next year, Rodgers will be looking for plays that offer more parts for women because the current junior class is filled with predominately female talent.

Next year’s performance line-up will be announced at the year-end drama banquet.

Tickets go on sale the weekend after spring break. All tickets will be $7 and students’ tickets with an activity pass will be $3. Rachel Ferencz

04/march 12

Eight students brought home fourth place for their mock trial performance on Saturday and secured a spot in the state competition.

In Mock Trial, students use their acting and debating skills to personify either a lawyer or witness in the trial being performed.

“You want to fit your character,” Mock Trial performer Erica Waltman said. “You have to know a lot of background information on your character, especially for the expert witnesses.”

Students receive their trial assignment a few months prior to the competitions.

“Although we have the trial months in advance, we don’t really start buckling down until a few weeks before the competition,” Waltman said.

Before any practices are completed, each student decides whether to act as a witness or a lawyer. Each student selects

a characters that fits his or her own interests and strengths. This, in turn, enhances the performance.

“Generally people who can act become witnesses, and lawyers are people who can think on their feet,” Waltman said.

At the competition, each school performed their trial four times, competing against a different school in each round. Rounds are judged by local attorneys and law students.

This year, the NW trial involved a former soldier who shot a friend. The defense debated against the prosecution to prove that the client, Sazer Larson, suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.

“The doctor witnesses have a lot to memorize,” Waltman said. “They have a lot of background and medical information to recall.” Rachel Alvey

Robotics team scores at regional competiton The robotics team placed 17th out of 61 teams at the KCFIRST Robotics Competition, March 4-6.

For two days, robotics teams from the Greater Kansas City area met to compete and show off their robot-building abilities.

“They did a very, very good job,” sponsor Bob Stewart said. “It really is something to be proud of.”

The competition requires that students design and build a radio-controlled robot capable of competing against other robots in a soccer-style game. Each team attempts to score points in a two-minute time period, avoiding hilly terrain and blocks from the

opposing team. New this year are rules that prohibit the robots from lifting the ball. Only kicking is allowed.

Members of the Cougar Robotics team competed in 10 matches ­— winning seven, losing twice and tying once. The team scored high early on, but lost out late in the game.

“In robotics, we face a difficult task, building a robot in six weeks,” junior Ryan Kirkendall said. “It takes a lot out of you, but once the robot is completed, you realize how much you have learned. We do these things because they are hard and challenging, and when it’s all over, we are glad we did it.”

Andrew Keith

Dodgeball tourney raises over $600 The 2nd annual dodgeball tournament that took place last Saturday raised over $600 for the Johnson County Christmas Bureau.

Fifteen teams competed in the tournament. The winning team included seniors Chris Mansker, Alex Geis, Matt Nowak, David Catt, Brian Ayers, Rachael Zdeb and Lisa Imgrund.

“It was a lot of fun. It was intense competition and the 2nd year our team has won,” Geis said. Geis and his team will compete in the District Dodgeball tournament in April. Rachel Ferencz

BRITTANY BONSINORE

northwest passage/smnw.com

Mock trial participants head to state

Sophomore Eric Zoellner throws a dodge ball at the tournament on March 6. Zoellner’s team name was the Amish Plows.

Pennsylvania school accused

The Girl Effect works to support women

of e-spying

internationally and in their community

The parents of Blake Robbins, a student who attends a school in the Lower Merion School District in Pennsylvania, filed a class action law suit against the district on Feb. 19.

The parents claim that the school took advantage of the technology offered with the school’s laptops and covertly spied on their child.

Robbins said that he was accused of selling drugs by an associate principal on Nov. 11 after she saw him with pills in his bedroom. The principal cited this information with a picture taken from Robbins’ laptop. The pills turned out to be Mike and Ikes.

With the assistant principal’s accusations came a national controversy.

The situation left people wondering if the school system could legally monitor student activity at home using means not revealed to the student. Some think this is a direct infringement against the Fourth Amendment which guards Americans against unreasonable searches and seizures.

According to the District’s superintendent, the original intentions of the use of webcams weren’t to spy on students but to track stolen or missing laptops. It still didn’t answer the question as to why Robbins’ system activated and took a picture.

“A school doing this is unbelievable,” junior Joey Schmits said. “I understand the school wanting to keep track of their items, but it has to stop at a certain point.”

The Lower Merion School District stated that they have only used the laptop security system 42 times in the past 14 months and recovered 28 missing laptops. The system has now been deactivated.

“It’s beyond my comprehension,” associate principal Tom Moss said. “I wouldn’t think [Northwest] would ever do this. It’s very well an invasion of privacy.”

Even with the reassurance that laptops at Northwest do not have the capabilities of spying, some students still are uncomfortable with the possibility of any school district doing this.

“I don’t like the thought of a district taking advantage of technology like this,” Schmits said. “It’s disheartening.

“The Girl Effect” is a new club designed to support girls and women around the world as well as those in their communities and schools.

The founders of the club, juniors Addie Evans, Kaitlyn Carl, Caela McMillon, Kadie Nugent, Rachel Alvey and Jenny Skells, searched at the beginning of the year for a way to help women both overseas and at home. In late January, Evans found an organization online called The Girl Effect. The organization is all about working to improve girls’ lives and, in turn, improving the world.

“It’s about empowering girls to allow them to improve their lives and, therefore, their families and their communities,” sponsor Debra Brewer said.

The Girl Effect was approved as a club in mid-February after meeting with principal Bill Harrington. Although the group is using the name of the organization, they have adapted the purpose for what they want to accomplish.

While the organization gives money to girls in

Performance at 25th annual Jazz Cabaret The 25th annual Jazz Cabaret was held in the cafeteria and auditorium last Friday, March 5.

Twelve jazz groups performed. CCC and Band Booster Club provided refreshments.

This year, the event took on a festival approach.

Beginning jazz musicians performed in the auditorium while professionals played in the cafeteria.

Spectators chose between venues and enjoyed refreshments in the cafeteria.

Sophomore trumpet player Kelley Gamm thought there was a good turnout.

“My favorite thing was all the energy, all the jazz musicians keeping the beat,” Gamm said.

Among groups performing were the SMNW Alumni Band, Southwest Missouri State University Jazz Symposium and String Vibrations.

String Vibrations is composed of beginning string players taught by Cecily Mahan.

“We’re probably the only jazz strings group in the state,” Mahan said. “I started this group to expose [the students] to one of our greatest American genres, which is jazz.”

Jazz teacher Doug Talley said everything went pretty smoothly and hopes to continue the tradition.

“I think my favorite thing [was] seeing all the people gathered together to listen to jazz music and have a great time,” he said. “As much as I love the music, I think seeing the people is my favorite.”

Lauren Komer

CAITLYN MASSY

Jeremy Allen

developing countries. The mission statement of the club states that they will raise funds to empower women in developing countries as well as work to empower themselves and the women in their school.

“We want to focus on helping women in other countries and women in our school as well,” Skells said.

While The Girl Effect is about helping and supporting women around the world and in their community, the founders don’t want it to be looked at as a club only for girls.

“It’s not a feminist club, and we don’t want it to be viewed that way,” junior Jenny Skells said.

“We just want to be there for girls in our school.”

Five boys attended the first meeting along with 24 girls.

“That really showed that this is not going to be a group only girls can be involved in,” Skells said.

The Girl Effect meets at 7:10 a.m. on Tuesdays in Room 204. Maria Davison

Sophomore Kylie Lambeth plays the alto saxophone on Feb. 23 in the cafeteria. Lambeth also played at the Jazz Cabaret on March 5. “I think the concert went pretty well,” Lambeth said. “Playing in jazz band is always fun.”

news\05

Americans use tanning beds each year

28 million l annual net worth of the

$5 billion

l tanning bed industry

25 % 20% more than

as muc h as

According to Expedia, spring break flights to Orlando, Los Angeles and New York all jumped more than 25% this year.

Flights to spring break destinations in the Caribbean are down as much as 20% this year.

75%

In an analysis of 20 such studies, the International Association for Research on Cancer found that people who use tanning beds before age 30 increase their risk of developing skin cancer.

\`rif\ verb.

To cut teacher positions. Is currently being used at NW as the district considers cutting positions to help meet the projected budget.

20%

Use of the tanning beds boosts the risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, by 20%.

google,KS the capital city of fiberoptics

Topeka’s mayor, Bill Bunten, says the city shall temporarily be referred to as Google, KS, in an effort to persuade the Internet giant to test an ultra-fast internet connection in the state capital. Bunten issued the proclamation Monday after no City Council members objected to the monthlong change. Bunten said he hoped the proclamation would set Topeka apart from other cities, including Grand Rapids, Mich. and Baton Rouge, La., vying for Google’s attention.| The Associated Press

Well... wow. I already have two of these.

—Sandy

Powell,

winner of best costume design at the 2010 Oscars.

http://www.imslp.org

Wisconsin is the only

state that bans indoor tanning among kids under 16.

In 28 other states,

teens under 16 need parental consent or accompaniment.

According to a 2004 survey,

1 in 10 youths ages 11 to 18

use a tanning bed each year.

Read more: http://www.time.com/

march 12 15 22 23 25

Last day for AP test registration First day of spring break Last day of spring break 6pm Cheer banquet Seminar Sophomore Top 100

thurs

06/march 12

320-400 nanometers

tues

The Petrucci Music Library is an internet-based collaborative music score library and is currently the main project. You will find tens of thousands of scores composed by thousands of musicians, all available for free download.

Ultraviolet A radiation (used in tanning) is in the wavelength range of

mon mon

$400,000

spri n g break

rif( in force ) reduction

fri

approximate total cost of a l 20-bed tanning salon

did you know? x

The NW school fight song played at sporting events is not the original fight song. The original fight song was the theme from “Hawaii Five-O”, a television series in the 1970s and 1980s. Basketball band members still play “Hawaii Five-O” as a pep band song.

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northwest passage/smnw.com

Best of good intentions

The actions of ten Americans in Haiti, jailed and accused of kidnapping Haitian orphans, has only added to the plight of a nation ravaged by an earthquake.

T

en American missionaries

so the Haitian government has been

cracking down on the rules surround-

were detained at the Hai-

especially harsh toward them. Prime

ing medical airlifts. Immediately after

tian border Jan. 30 when they tried

Minister Max Bellerive was angered

the jailing of the 10 Americans, Hai-

The infection is spreading, and doc-

to take 33 children out of the country

by their actions.

tian officials required doctors to have

tors will need to amputate.

n ANDREW KEITH

into the Dominican Republic. The 10

“It is clear now that they were

all papers in order before the children

The 10 Americans should have

missionaries, members of the Idaho

trying to cross the border without

could be airlifted to the United States.

left well enough alone; they have only

Baptist Convention, admitted that

papers,” Bellerive said in an interview

This was a near-impossible task, be-

caused more problems for the Hai-

they did not have permission or the

with MSNBC, “and it is clear now that

cause the papers needed were bur-

tians. Innocent children have died

proper paperwork from the Haitian

they knew what they were doing was

ied under mountains of rubble. As a

because of their actions. If they had

government needed to transport the

wrong.”

result of the lock down on medical

followed the rules, at least 300 ad-

Although the Haitian govern-

airlifts by Haitian officials, only three

ditional children could have sought

“We were just trying to do the

ment dropped all charges against the

children were airlifted to hospitals

much-needed medical attention in

right thing,” said Laura Silsby, the de-

last two of the 10 detained Americans

in the United States for the 24 days

United States.

tained leader of the missionaries, in

in question Feb. 25, the lesson to be

following the incarceration of the

The actions of the 10 missionaries

an interview with MSNBC.

learned from this incident stands.

Americans. Pilots who violated this

were counter-productive, and have

orphans across the border.

“Our point was to draw attention

Prior to the incarceration of the

new policy faced up to a $400,00 fine

also detracted from the real issue at

to the plight of Haitian orphans” told

10 Americans, 15 Haitian children a

and jail time if they airlifted children

hand in Haiti, as their story was being

Corina Lankford, a fellow detainee, to

day were being airlifted from the larg-

without the proper paperwork.

splashed on the front pages of count-

The New York Times. “We came here

est pediatric field hospital in Haiti to

“For these kids, the kidnapping

to help, not to become the story,”

the United States. Pilots would airlift

case isn’t just a distraction; it has be-

They had good intentions, but

Ostensibly, their intent was to

the children to the United States, and

come the difference between life and

as the saying goes, “The road to hell

transport the children to the Domini-

then take care of the paperwork after

death” said Dr. Lee Sanders, a pedia-

is paved with good intentions.” And

can Republic and then to the United

they had arrived.

trician who is treating children in a

that’s exactly what the Haitians are experiencing — a living hell.

States, where they could be adopted.

When the 10 Americans were

makeshift field hospital set up inside

The missionaries were fully aware

captured and accused of kidnap-

an airport. One girl could lose her leg

that what they were doing was wrong,

ping, the Haitian government started

if she cannot get out of Haiti in time.

less newspapers across America.

Awkward, my one true love High school is a time for people to come to terms with their idiosyncrasies. I’m thankful that I’ve finally been able to accept mine. she was, sitting T here in the hallway. Of everybody in this class, she had to be the only other person who missed the test the day before. I would have preferred to meet anyone else out there: the boy in the class who picks the skin off his hands and eats it; the girl who constantly scrutinizes and contradicts everything I say; heck, I’d even take the boy who has the tendency to “let one rip” at the most inappropriate times. But, no, as I walked out of the classroom door, there she was.

I guess I brought this on myself.

I decided to take a mental health day which, causing me to miss a test so I had to go into the hallway while the rest of the class reviewed it.

I had sat in class by my fellow

08/march 12

temporary exile for the entire school year. Even when we received new seats, by some divine plan, I was placed right next to her again. The school year is more than half over, and I still haven’t even managed to break the ice with her. Once I almost did, but she gave me the “don’t even think about talking to me” stare. It’s not that she was stuck up; it was that she was, for lack of a better word, awkward.

Thrown into this situation unwillingly, I decided to use it to my advantage and attempt to get to know her, if for no other reason than to make sure I hadn’t offended her in some way. Even if I could just barely break the surface, small talk would suffice.

There we sat, both blending in

with the murals painted on the walls — in silence. The only thing breaking the quiet were the passers-by who likely assumed we had been kicked out of class.

The silence was deafening; the weight of it unbearable, crushing me from all sides until I didn’t think I would be able to take it anymore.

But then I came to a sudden realization: it wasn’t my desire to talk to her and her offish response that made me feel uncomfortable; it was that within all this awkwardness, I was entirely comfortable. I was the most comfortable I had been in a long time. And that, quite frankly, made me feel awkward.

I live for awkward moments in my life. And I must admit, when the teacher came out to say that we could

n JEREMY ALLEN come back into the room, I was a little sad.

Awkward moments, more specifically creating them, gives me a sense of comfort. I’ll be honest, I don’t like that awkward feeling initially; it’s only after the situation when I realize how much fun it was. I think the comfort comes from the fact that I know that it takes two people to make a situation feel awkward. She was experiencing it with me, if not more than I was.

As for the girl, I appreciate the fact that she, in some fashion, allowed me to bathe in the awkwardness. And, just to clarify, I haven’t said a word to her, even to this day.

Set your alarms a little earlier

With the start of this spring semester finals, students will now be starting at 7:40, which could effect the students sleep and test performance.

A

s a freshman, I haven’t had much experience with taking finals. When winter was approaching, I would frequently hear my teachers remind the class, “this might be on the final” or “finals are coming up soon, so you should start studying.” I was worried, to say the least.

My outlook improved when I saw that school would actually start late at 9:15 a.m. and get out at noon.

This would allow me to sleep longer and, in the end, improve my mood.

Studies from the National Sleep Foundation found that teenagers need at least nine hours of sleep to perform efficiently. Side effects can include poor memory, reduced work efficiency and decreased decisionmaking skills, which, if I’m not

mistaken, you need to take a major test. It also said that 30 percent of teens fall asleep during school without the recommended amount of sleep.

With one semester of finals under my belt, I felt more comfortable with the idea that we would only have half days. I could study before or after taking the finals and get help from teachers. But now, we’ll no longer reap the benefits of a late start during finals.

This semester, finals will start at the regular time of 7:40 a.m. As a result of a bus company change. It was a problem to get our students to school and make sure that the students for the middle schools and elementary schools get to their schools.

Sure, we get out earlier, but does that make up for the sleep that we could be getting? We aren’t just taking a regular test in one of our classes; we are taking tests that count for up to 20 percent or even more of our grades. We should at least get the opportunity to get an adequate amount of sleep.

And a very vital piece of information from sleepeducation. com, is that teens have a biological clock that controls when you feel sleepy and when you feel alert. The only problem with this is that it is set for teens to start falling asleep at 10 p.m. or later. This means that students would be more alert in the afternoon or evening rather than earlier in the morning. But it’s not just the students who will suffer.

nCLAIRE GORDON Also, teachers are using this extra time before school to hold study sessions to help students cram before finals. What happens to the students who work or have other obligations and can’t come in after school? These students could end up having to stay up all night to study. This is not good for the students, or their grades. And if our school has to change our final schedule, why couldn’t we just make it later in the day?

This would benefit students who either study in the mornings, or students who need the sleep. This would help students to be well rested and prepared to take these finals.

Budget cuts to affect students With the cuts the district made this year, and the amount of money they will need to cut next year, any number of important programs. still have two-and-a-half years of high school left.

And the way things are going, it’s very possible that, at the end of that time period, Northwest won’t be nearly as great of a place to go to school as it is now.

Almost $11 million were cut from the SMSD budget for this year.

The cuts for next year haven’t been announced yet, but, according to the budget and finance director for the district, Tim Rooney, district officials expect to slice another $10 million or so from next year’s budget to meet the state’s budget deficit.

With the cuts that were made this year, programs like “teachers on assignment” and “New Beginnings” were lost. But, in reality, who knows what those programs actually did?

The district did that on purpose.

I

They cut the things that they knew would have little to no affect on the majority of students. And they did a pretty good job. A lot of money was cut from the budget, and I barely noticed it.

But when the district has to cut another $10 million or more for next year, what will be cut? The most expensive programs are things like honors, AP or IB classes with 10 or fewer students and the gymnastics team. They already eliminated everything that students don’t care about, so what’s next? According to Rooney, everything is on the chopping block.

It seems like arts are one of the first things to be considered when the district is talking about making budget cuts. Northwest is a great place to go to school partially because of the

great art and music programs. With every program being considered for cuts, the art programs may well take a punch in the gut.

If I didn’t have newspaper, orchestra, and cross country, I would never want to go to school.

I wouldn’t have anything to look forward to during the day. Just going from English to math to science to Spanish and then home would make the high school experience so much less enriching.

And even more to the point, newspaper and orchestra are the two classes I learn the most in. I don’t spend that time taking notes about how to find the determinant of a matrix or how many moles of sodium chloride are in 2.65 grams. I learn how to work with people and how to manage time, and, most importantly,

nMARIA DAVISION those are the places I learn what the real world is going to be like.

Students who are involved in extracurricular activities are also more likely to graduate from high school, become leaders, voice opinions and complete tasks, according to the Montana State University Extension Service.

Extracurricular activities are what makes Northwest, and the whole Shawnee Mission School District, a great place to go to school.

If all of our programs eventually get cut because the people in Topeka refuse to raise taxes or just can’t come to an agreement about what’s best for the future of public education, the future is going to be rather bleak.

opinions\9

northwest passage/smnw.com

Better bleached than bronzed Tanning looks great now, but over the years, damage to the skin accumulates and can causes major complications to your health. nMARIA DAVISION ccording to most forms of western media, the “perfect” woman, and even the “perfect” man, should have a flawless tan. Their skin should be a deep, rich brown. No one with my paleas-paper skin is on the cover of a magazine this month, or any month of the year.

But where did that notion come from? Being tan used to mean that you were poor, and you worked in the fields all day. The higher class people had soft, pale skin. The paler, the better. Anytime these high class women stepped foot outside the house, they wore a sun bonnet or carried a parasol just to protect their skin from the sun’s rays.

A

Over the years, that standard has somehow changed.

Now, people lay outside for hours on end waiting for the sun to fry their bodies like an egg on the sidewalk.

And while too much exposure to the sun is harmful, it is natural to be darker in the summer. More time is spent outside because the weather is nice and you’re not in school.

But paying to lay under light bulbs that imitate the sun’s rays and do nothing but damage the skin is probably taking it a little too far.

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), there is also a significant link between the use of tanning beds at a young age and melanoma, the

most fatal form of skin cancer.

People in the tanning business argue that if you don’t get burned, or if you only tan for a few minutes, nothing bad will happen to you. But according to Skincare-news.com, all of these arguments are false. Whether the skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays for 10 minutes or six hours, anytime the skin changes color, damage is happening. (For more information, see pages 14-15) Yeah, I’m pale, and yeah, I get made fun of for it. But the risk isn’t worth it to me. It’s not the risk of cancer that scares me the most; I’m told three times a day that something I’m doing puts me at risk for cancer.

It’s the risk of being incredibly

wrinkly when I’m 40 years old that scares me.

Being unnaturally tan in the middle of February looks great now, and the skin doesn’t show any signs of damage immediately. But when I’m middle-aged, I don’t want to be sitting in a hospital room wondering why I tanned so much as a kid. I will know it wasn’t worth it when I have skin cancer and my skin looks like that of a 70-year-old.

No matter what the media or tanning salon advertising says, the benefits of tanning don’t outweigh the risks. Being beautifully bronze right now isn’t worth the wrinkles and possibility of cancer that could haunt me later in life.

Tyler Absher

10/march 12

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When The Stars Go Blue by Bethany Jaoylenz “I got this song off of One Tree Hill. Tyler Hilton has the hottest voice. I listen to this song before I go to sleep. It’s relaxing.”

Slow Dancing in a Burning Room by John Mayer “John Mayer is such a heartthrob. I don’t know any girl who doesn’t love him and his talent.”

You Don’t Know Me by Ben Folds “My guitar teacher, Andrew Shaw, introduced me to Ben Folds not very long ago, and now I love his music.”

LIve noise John Mayer at Sprint Center March 22 Taylor Swift at Sprint Center April 2

Stone Temple Pilots at AMC Midland March 22 Five for Fighting at Beaumont Club March 25

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1947-2006 1948-2008 1994-2008 City Counter Pickup 15450 W.108th Street Lenexa, KS 66219

northwest passage/smnw.com

Debates are cropping up all over the country over the dangers of tanning. Is it really...

worth the risk?

S

ophomore Kaitlin Eubanks lies in a tanning bed for the first time nervously. A salon worker sets the timer for the bed and leaves the room. As Eubanks relaxes under the bright illumination of UV lights, she begins to feel the heat of the bulbs surrounding her. After getting out, she realizes, upon later examination, that she had actually ended up with a harsh burn.

“I was in the bed way too long because the worker had set the wrong time,” Eubanks said. “I ended up red all over, especially on my stomach.”

Stories like these are common among those who use tanning beds, but despite the danger of getting burnt, many still think the pros to outweigh the cons. With both spring break and prom drawing closer, many teens may be looking to get a nice tan without the annoyance of having to sit outside for hours.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has found that about 1 million people stop by tanning salons every day in America, and with salons’ busy season of spring about to start, that number may increase.

According to the AAD, only 70 percent of use indoor tanning beds are female. With the popularity of tanning on the rise among people of all genders, ages and ethnicities, researchers from the San Diego State University discovered that salons can be found in

14/march 12

some cities more frequently than Starbucks and McDonalds.

“I started tanning when I was 14,” Eubanks said. “I just started to hate looking pale, and now I go at least three or four times a week.”

Whatever the reason, 2.3 million teenagers like Eubanks pop into a tanning salon at least once a year, according to Time magazine. Yet, all over the continent, laws are being passed to protect minors from tanning beds. In Canada, laws prohibit children under the age of 8 from tanning, and 31 states have enacted similar restrictions for those under the age of 14, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

“We had a lot of different ages come in, like around dances, when lots of highschoolers come in. But I even saw people in their 70s, which was pretty interesting,” said Lesa Eden, senior and former employee of Electric Sun Tanning Salon.

Using tanning beds can be healthy — to some extent. Vitamin D can be received from sunlight, which strengthens the immune system, among other benefits.

“You can get your daily allowance from

just 10 to 15 minutes of sunlight,” dermatologist John Rupp said. “Since we know that the sun increases the chance for melanoma, basal and squamous cancers, we are advocating that you get vitamin D through vitamin supplements orally; it’s the safer way to get it.”

Studies have also shown that the body produces endorphins, hormones that can contribute to a better mood, while tanning.

The rush of endorphins can create an artificial high, and a study by the University of

Texas Medical Branch at Galveston found that 26 to 53 percent of people who head to the beach to tan exhibit signs of addiction to tanning, an addiction that can be commonly referred to as “tanorexia.”

“I’m happier after tanning,” senior Jasmine Radice said. “I feel much better about myself. It’s extremely relaxing, and I don’t even think about anything that’s going on.”

A few doctors and dermatologists think that tanning can help with some skin prob

fact or fiction

Doctors prefer patients to receive their vitamin D either by eating the right foods, like fish and fortified dairy products (milk, etc.), or by taking pill supplements.

Tanning is actually more dangerous than sunbathing at times because some tanning beds release more UV radiation than the sun Any long exposure to UV rays, whether they are the “burning” UVB rays or the tanning UVA rays, can cause cancerous cells.

Just a 20-minute session in a tanning bed is equivalent to sitting at a beach for several hours, according to the Boston Globe.

lems, like psoriasis, acne and eczema.

Psoriasis is a condition that causes irritated, red and flaky skin, and eczema causes itchy and inflamed rashes. The National Psoriasis Foundation does include using a tanning salon as a way to help the conditions. They only recommend it as a last resort.

Many salons promote “facts” that aren’t true to attract more customers. The Federal Trade Commission recently attacked the Indoor Tanning Association for false statements in a promotional campaign. They advertised falsehoods such as government approval of indoor tanning and claims that sunbeds are safe because the amount of UV light received is monitored, etc. The association is now prohibited from making misleading statements to the public and can not claim in ads that indoor tanning is safe.

For example, some salons claim beds are safer because they block the “burning” UVB rays. Although most beds do have UVB blockage, that doesn’t necessarily make them safer. The sun produces three different rays of ultraviolet light; UVA, UVB and UVC. The skin needs a form of UV light to stimulate pigment in the skin. UVA rays are considered the lesser of two evils, but essentially both rays are dangerous.

“UVA rays penetrate deeper in the skin and also increase the risk of skin cancer.

That’s why we don’t advocate that people to go to tanning salons,” Rupp said.

One of the biggest reasons tanning beds are not considered safe is skin cancer, alongside eye damage and photoaging, a process where the skin becomes wrinkly and spotty earlier in life. Basal cell carcinoma (the most common type of cancer), squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma (the deadliest skin cancer) are all on the rise. A tanning bed can increase the risk of getting squamous cell carcinoma by 2.5 times and basal cell carcinoma 1.5 times, according to the National Cancer Institute.

“I’m already at risk for skin cancer because it runs in my family,” Radice said. “I do worry about it, and that’s why I don’t go every single day. I split it up, and only go tanning before dance competitions or [school] dances.”

Damaged skin cells are harmless at first, but if they are not watched carefully, they could develop into any cancer. They can be formed from just one use of the tanning salon, because as soon as people tan, their skin cells are damaged, causing the DNA to make abnormal cells. Although there is still danger from just being in the sunlight, it takes a more prolonged exposure to be as dangerous as a concentrated dose of UV light in a tanning bed.

Tanning beds are the best way to get Vitamin D supplements.

Tanning is safer indoors, where the amount of UV light received is controlled, preventing the user from receiving too much.

Only burning the skin can cause skin cancer.

UVB rays are more dangerous than UVA, because UVB rays cause burning and peeling.

Using the bed for just a short amount of time doesn’t do any harm.

“Skin cancers are very rare in [the teenage] age group, but I’ve seen a few girls who have melanoma, the most aggressive and deadly cancer,” Rupp said. “Two were 15 and one was 18, and one was actively going to tanning salons. Now I see those teenage girls every six months getting checkups for skin cancer.”

Dermatologists recommend spray-on tans, tanning lotions and creams. It’s a safer, but less popular, option.

“It makes you look splotchy, and it washes off easily,” sophomore Morgan Kronawitter said.

Several states require that schools begin teaching safety in the sun as early as possible to try to thwart the rapidly increasing rates of skin cancers, but it is harder than ever to stem the huge flow of teenagers going in and out of tanning beds every day.

“When you see someone who has been in sun all their life, their skin is saggy, leathery, has spots, and the skin does not act right,” Rupp said. “If you see someone tanned, their skin has been injured or damaged—people are beating up their skin.”

For more information on tanning or to find a dermatologist near you, visit www.aad. org, the site for the American Academy of Dermatology.

Brianna Leyden

features\15

come sail away The Sailor

Sophomore Jack Roeder stood proudly before the pristine cover in his garage. The fluorescent orange name “Jack” was crudely painted across it. It disappeared into a heap on the floor as he drew back the cover, revealing the white hull of a sailboat. Against the wall were the boat’s tightly wrapped sails, which, unraveled, consist of about 80 feet of fabric.

“Man, it can be a challenging boat sometimes,” Roeder said.

Roeder moved to the other side of the boat and stared at it with the watchful eye of a parent.

“Sailing is what I live for now.

I’ve shaped my entire life around it.”

­—sophomore Jack Roeder

The boat, a present bought by his parents three years ago, is a 1980s Laser named “Pride”. Roeder started sailing only four years ago at Bartle Scout Camp when he took the sailing merit badge. He has made racing, sailing and now boat building his life’s passion.

“I have no idea where I would be without sailing, honestly. Before I started sailing, I was just your typical teenager playing countless hours of video games.

Now that’s stopped,” Roeder said. “Sailing is what I live for now. I’ve shaped my entire life around it.”

Although it may seem like an unusual hobby for a midwestern teen, sailing is something that runs in his family. His cousins, who live in Miami, are avid sailors. Every summer, he makes the trip to visit them and, of course, it’s a great excuse for him to get some time in on the water.

“Sailing on the ocean is exhilarating; that’s the only way to describe it. You

have five-foot waves that send your boat flying,” Roeder said. “I can remember once we were sailing off the coast, and we saw a lot of dark shadows beneath the boat. It turns out it was a school of sting rays below us. What other sport is going to give you that opportunity?”

Since Roeder began to sail, he has embraced it fully. To fuel his passion for sailing, he occasionally instructs sailing at Olathe Lake during the summer. It’s this love for sailing that has helped him to decide a career path.

“I really want to get into the Naval Academy. I know it’s a long shot, but I’m hoping that sailing is something that can help me get in,” Roeder said.

If he graduates from the Naval Academy, Roeder plans to continue in pursuit of a career in the Navy.

“I want to help people, and the Navy seems like the best way to do that. Not to mention, I will be on the water for a long time. I would be doing something I love,” Roeder said.

Roeder organized the equipment lying in the boat and sighed. He slipped the boat’s cover back on with precision.

“You know, no matter what happens I will always have sailing.”

The Builder

“I’ve always loved to expand on simple items and, as I’ve gotten older, those simple items have gotten just a bit larger,” Roeder said.

Roeder stared down upon his newest creation. He ran his hands over the coarse, white sides of the boat as he pulled off miniscule bits of plywood. His creation is a 10-foot motor boat made out of wood and sealed together artlessly.

The boat stood awkwardly on a trailer outside in the cold. It was motorless and barely gave the appearance that it would be buoyant if placed in any waters.

“I’m going to launch it at Shawnee Mission Park,” Roeder said. “It’s hard to

The birth of a boat

Here’s a time line of Roeder’s boat from beginning to the present. Over all, it took Roeder roughly two months and under $40 to complete.

Photos courtesy of Jack Roeder.

16/march 12

believe that this boat is even real; it’s even more hard to believe that my own hands built it.”

His plan to build the boat actually started out as a joke between himself and senior Carter Clond in woods class. They were assigned a project of their choice.

“We both just said one day, ‘Let’s build a boat.’ I don’t think either of us took it serious, and I started the project with a bit of skepticism,” Roeder said.

Roeder half-heartedly went through with the idea thinking it would just be a waste of time.

“Even when I continued building the boat, I was still surprised that I was actually doing it.”

Building has been one of Roeder’s favorite things to do since he was little.

He used to have RC cars that he would upgrade. He now spends time improving on his 2007 Dodge Magnum.

Roeder eyed the boat and remarked on the boat’s symmetrical qualities. He was amazed that it could be so well built in two months and with the $40 he had to build it. The boat, however isn’t entirely finished.

“I still have to put another coat of paint on it. I also plan on attaching a 4-horsepower motor to it.,” Roeder said.

“I’ve seen it run, though; I know it will work.”

He laughed nervously.

“I hope it will work.”

He took a step backward, admired the boat in the cold winter air and shot a sly grin at it.

“People are telling me it isn’t going to float. It’s nothing but motivation for me,” Roeder said. “I know that if it floats I’ll prove everybody wrong. If it doesn’t float, well, at least I can say I did something. How many other 15-year-olds do you know that have built a boat?” n Jeremy Allen

12/17/09: After all the measurements on paper are complete, the boat’s construction begins. Here, the port side and stern are completed and sealed together.

KEVIN BUIE

Jack Roeder always loved building things. Four years ago, he stumbled into the world of sailing. He never thought his two passions would collide.

1/22/10: Both sides of the boat are cut out, and the final measurements are made. The hull is now placed together.

The shape of the boat is starting to show.

Sophomore Jack Roeder examines the symmetry of his boat. Roeder has been working on this boat in both woods class and at home.

1/22/10: Roeder’s boat gets

clamped together to join both sides.

1/28/10: On January 28, Roeder completes and places the first seat for his boat.

1/28/10: Roeder adds the second seats to his motor boat.

2/4/10: Roeder’s boat sits on a workbench in the school’s workshop after having a fresh coat of sealant applied to it. It is the first of two coats that will be applied before the boat is painted.

features\17

BOSS

best of sports shot

This issue’s BOSS photo was chosen because of its stop action, timing and lighting. Senior Hannah Singhal practices the butterfly stroke during practice. Singhal is a three-time state swimmer. Photo by Hannah Williams

Where are you going for Spring Break?

Who was your hero growing up?

Who would co-star with you in a movie?

Brittnee Edelman Freshman Swim and Dive

Mount Rushmore

Reese Witherspoon

Elle Woods

Happy Meal with a toy

Austin Vanderpool Sophomore Boys’ Basketball

Candyland

Caulin Pendleton

Megan Fox

Taco Bell two of everything

Chase Quarnstrom Junior Baseball

Sadly, nowhere

Tyler Amble

Will Greenhaw

#2 combo at Sonic

Kent Hollingsworth Senior Track and Field

Disneyworld

Spiderman

Steve Carell

The Northwest Passage

What’s your favorite fast food meal?

Chick Double (McChicken and McDouble)

would like to apologize for an inappropriate reference made in the sports section of last issue. We regret any of fenses that may have resulted from our error.

sports\19

silence

northwest passage/smnw.com

stunned into

It was raucous all Saturday night inside the gymnasium, but it was silent after a jump shot sealed the Cougars fate.

Photos by Hannah Williams

nHolding his head, junior AJ Spencer reacts in agony to losing the substate game against Leavenworth 54-52. nSenior Steve Carver goes up for a dunk during the second half of the last game of the season.

This was his final high school basketball game.

20/march 12

The NW fans sat in disbelief.

Leavenworth had run down the game clock to less than 10 seconds when senior Kyle Wiggins began to cross-over his dribble, slowly working closer to the basket. Suddenly, he pulled up and swished a two-point basket. Coach Mike Rose had called a timeout with 1.7 seconds left but, at that point, everyone in the gym already knew the outcome of the game. The clock would run out. The game would be over.

“Give the kid credit. He came down and knocked down a shot when he needed to, and it was a big one,” Rose said following the 54-52 loss to Leavenworth in the substate championship game.

Band members and the entire parents section stood in amazement. The only person sitting was Ben Meseke, looking out on the court with the same expression he had when the Cougars were eliminated last season by Wichita Heights in the state tournament.

Northwest attempted a last-second shot, as senior Steve Carver redirected the full-court pass to junior Trey Fruehling who heaved up a desperation three as the buzzer sounded.

It was a different Leavenworth team than two weeks before when Northwest controlled almost the entire game and beat the Pioneers 69-52 in one of their better performances of the season. Northwest also beat the Pioneers in last year’s substate championship game, which sent the Cougars to Emporia. But last Saturday, roles were reversed.

“They definitely came to play this time,” Carver said following the game. “They definitely had revenge on their mind tonight, not just because of the last game, but because of last year. I think they came out strong and wanted it just a little more than we did.”

Coach Rose also gave the Pioneers credit.

“They definitely played a heck of a basketball game compared to a couple of weeks ago. Their energy level was tremendous. They were knocking down a lot of shots,” Rose said.

The most glaring statistic of the night for the Cougars was their free-throw shooting.

“I thought our kids played well, and you hate to look at one little thing, but 8-18 from the freethrow line is going to be tough in a game like this,” Rose said.

The boys’ basketball team finished the season with a 15-7 record, not quite as impressive as last year’s state semifinal team, but it was exceptional compared to some of the Cougars’ past seasons.

“Looking back on it, I’ve really enjoyed the memories I’ve made with these kids,” Rose said.

“You talk about those three seniors: Brady, who just accepted his role on this team and was there battling every day in practice; Nick, who’s going to play baseball at CMSU; and Steve, going to Holy Cross. I now get to be able to say that I coached those kids for a year in high school. They’re not just great athletes, they’re great kids, and they’re great students in the classroom as well.”

This season was a roller coaster of wins and losses. After drubbing their rival SM North to open the season, the Cougars went on to lose to Washington High School the following night.

There were other head-scratching losses to mediocre opponents SM West and SM East at home — the first losses at home over the past four seasons.

On the other hand, Northwest played some of the best teams in the metro to the final buzzer. They went on the road to Olathe South and pulled out a 44-43 victory over the Falcons. They took the nationally ranked Bishop Miege to the final seconds of the Saints Classic Tournament, and they battled the Olathe East Hawks through two overtimes.

“You know I’ll take time to sit back and reflect, and there’s a lot of good memories — beating Olathe South at their place and the Olathe East double overtime game and a lot of things that go on at practice that a lot of people don’t see. Just building that camaraderie with those kids is really what it’s all about,” Rose said.

As the final spectators left the gym, stragglers remained, crying over what they had just seen.

Others cheered on each player as they entered the gymnasium.

The players were comforted by family and friends as they came together one last time as teammates.

“You know just how close we were, especially off the court,” Carver said. “I love every one of these guys, and I definitely wouldn’t trade anything for them,” Carver said. nRyan McCarthy

With 1.7 seconds left in the substate game, the basketball team huddles around coach Mike Rose as he tries to come up with a plan to score the two points needed to tie the game. The Cougars missed the final shot and lost 52-54.

season results Dec. 4 vs SM North

75-48 (W) Dec. 5 at Washington

62-59 (L) Dec. 11 at SM South

38-35 (W) Dec. 18 vs Lawrence

46-42 (W) Dec. 19 vs Rockhurst

52-50 (L) Jan. 5 at SM East

62-44 (W)

Jan. 12 vs. Free State

61-49 (W) Jan. 15 vs. SM South

57-55 (W) Saints Classic- at STA Jan. 21 vs. Northeast

58-40 (W) Jan. 22 vs. STA

58-39 (W) Jan. 23 vs. Bishop Miege 58-54 (L) Feb. 2 vs. SM West

41-37 (L)

Feb. 5 at Olathe East

69-62 (L) (2OT) Feb. 6 at SM West

60-33 (W) Feb. 9 vs. Olathe North

76-45 (W) Feb. 12 vs. SM East

45-43 (L) Feb. 16 at Olathe NW

57-45 (W) Feb. 19 vs. Leavenworth

59-42 (W)

Feb. 23 at Olathe South

44-43 (W) Feb. 26 at SM North

54-46 (W) Sub-state Tournament

at SMNW March 4 vs. Lawrence

63-53 (W) March 6 vs. Leavenworth

54-52 (L)

sports\21

upcoming games Girls’ Soccer: Thurs. April 1, at Shawnee Heights 7 p.m.

Mon. April 5, vs. Topeka West at SMAC, 7 p.m.

Tues. April 6 vs. Olathe Northwest, at SMAC, 7 p.m.

Thu. April 8, at Leavenworth, 6 p.m.

Girls’ Swimming and Diving: Wed. March 24, SM North Spring Meet, 4 p.m.

Fri. March 26, vs SM East at SMNW, 4 p.m.

Wed. April 7 vs Olathe South at SMNW, 4 p.m.

Baseball: Wed. March 26, vs. SM North, at 3 & 2, 4:30 p.m.

Tues. March 30, at SM East, at 3&2, 5 p.m.

Thurs. April 1, vs. Lawrence, at 3&2, 4:30 p.m.

Softball: Thurs. March 25, vs. SM West at SMSD Softball Complex, 4:15 p.m.

Thurs. March 25, vs. SM West at SMSD Softball Complex, 6:15 p.m.

Tues. March 30, at Olathe East, at CBAC, 5 p.m.

Track and Field: Thurs. March 25, SM North All Corner’s Meet, 3 p.m.

Sat. April 3, SM South Relays, 9 a.m.

Fri. April 9 Blue Valley Relays, 3 p.m.

Boys’ Tennis: Wed. March 24, at SM East, 3:30 p.m.

Tues. March 30 vs. BV Northwest, 3:30 p.m.

Thurs. April 1, at Olathe South, 3:30 p.m.

Boys’ Golf: Mon. March 29, at Lionsgate, 3 p.m.

Mon. April 12, SMNW Invitational 3 p.m. at Lake Quivira USA Today Basketball Poll 1. Kansas (30) 29-2 2. Kentucky 29-2 3. Syracuse (1) 28-3 4. Duke 26-5 5. Purdue 26-4 6. West Virginia 24-6 7. Ohio State 24-7 8. New Mexico 28-3 9. Kansas State 24-6 10. Villanova 24-6

The march to madness Three local teams, Kansas, Kansas State, and Missouri, each have a chance of advancing in the upcoming NCAA basketball tournament.

The opening round of the NCAA Tournament is scheduled to start on Tuesday. And three of the most popular local teams will desperately try to win it all. For Kansas sports fans, this will be one exciting tournament; both Kansas and Kansas State have the fire power to make it to the Final Four.

The Missouri Tigers also are predicted as a tournament team.

Kansas State heads into the tournament after a disappointing senior night loss at home against Iowa State, but was it a fluke or a meltdown? This definitely worries me about the Wildcats because there is no excuse for a loss against a team as disappointing as Iowa State.

To do well they simply need to play a lot smarter ball. Forwards Jamar Samuels and Curtis Kelly seem to always lose their temper and get into foul trouble much earlier than they should. Composure for these two big men is the first thing that they need to work on. If they can stay in the game down low, and not cause any problems while going to the foul line, things could be much improved for the Wildcats.

K-State also needs guard Denis Clemente to be on top of his game.

Clemente has to be the most inconsistent player I have seen in a long time. If he plays anything like he did against Texas, where he only scored five points in 33 minutes, then it will force Jacob Pullen to do double the scoring.

On the other hand, if he delivers a performance similar to the first game against Iowa State, in which he scored 30 points and was six for six from three-point land, things

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losses by the Nebraska Women’s basketball team this season. The Cornhuskers and the UConn Huskies are the only undefeated teams.

could be alright for them. pecially on defense.

With a great coach and good Another thing that should team players Kansas State could also really help Kansas is Xavier get that number two seed and be Henry’s play. In the last four out of the team to beat in the tourney. five games he has scored at least 17 Missouri’s chance of making it points. Henry has also started to far in the tournament is highly un- become more of a team player. If likely. I have seen the Tigers play Henry can be that third musketeer strong defense, but unfortunately, to join Cole and Sherron the team they are consistently bad on of- could be sitting pretty on their way fense. Their shooters to the Final Four. will definitely need to The only thing that get hot from outside. I think the Jayhawks Guards Kim English need to improve on and JT Tiller need to is free throws, which be lights out from the have plagued top floor, and Zaire Taylor's teams for years. The defense must dominate most memorable free for the Tigers to keep throw drought oc the score close. If it is curred when Kanb r ad y k l e i n kept close the entire sas beat Memphis in way, Mizzou will have a great shot the 2008 championship game. If at winning. But if they get behind Memphis could have made just early on, like they have against one more free throw in regulation Kansas, then the Tigers will strug- then they would have been the Nagle from their lack of resiliency. In tional Champions. Right now KU all likelihood, they probably won’t is ranked 146 in free throws, and go very far in tournament play be- in a game against Colorado they cause they don't have a key player shot 48 percent from the line. This to lead them. If they make it to the could really hurt them in the tourSweet 16, I'll be surprised. nament.

Now on to the Jayhawks — the My prediction for the Jayhawks team that has been expected to is that they lose in an unpredictdominate college basketball since able Final Four to a good team that the season began. Lately, they have was not expected to make it to the been doing just that. Kansas has final game. As for K-State, I can't been nearly invincible the last two see them getting past the Sweet games after a tough loss against 16, and Mizzou’s play as of late has Oklahoma State. The Jayhawks made me think that they may not have played excellent ball and have even advance past the first round. finally proved to be a true team, If you can’t wait for the tournanot just a bunch of superstars ment to start, check out the new playing for themselves. The credit NCAA video vault (vault.ncaa. should go to coach Bill Self, who com) to watch every classic game had the difficult task of getting all from the past 10 years of tournathese players to work as a team, es- ment competition.

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place for senior Loryn Goebel at the 6A State Bowling Tournament last week. This was the best placing in NW bowling history.

by the numbers

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Projected Big 12 Men’s Basketball teams in next week’s NCAA Tournament.

Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor, Missouri, Texas, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State.

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the margin of defeat for the girls’ basketball team against the top seeded SM East. The Cougars led by six after the first quarter.

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IN focus

“Both my sister and my dad have trouble giving blood; I have a family history of fainting during things like this. Last year I fainted in the anatomy lab, but I’m managing now. I’m not nervous. I think I’m breaking a family curse.” —senior Christian Buller