The Epic - Issue 4

the epic.

Students anonymously speak about the E-Cig fad.

PHOTO BY CALEB VERING

8800 W. 85th St. Overland Park, KS December 11, 2014 Vol. 53- Issue 4

Table of Contents Read about the big cat sanctuary in Louisburg on pg. 13 Learn about the culinary center in Overland Park on pg. 18

“The Epic” staffs ranks our favorite holiday songs on pg. 25 Discover which movie you should see this winter on pg. 29 Photo by Colette Balas

Find out about Justin Reis-Henry’s Brazilian roots on pg. 20 Preview all the winter sports on pg. 22

Staff EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

ADVISER

Max Meyer and Brock Burnett

Amy Morgan

ASSISTANT EDITOR Kristin Wells

MANAGING EDITOR Drake Mattis

PHOTO EDITOR Rachel Harvey

CARTOONIST Alex Ralston

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WRITERS Isaiah McKay Spence Lassalle Isabelle Frankel Jude Kennedy Colette Balas Karen Barkema

Megan Bartlett Sylvia Bryan Kathleen Gartner Lexi Hart Samantha Jansen Logan Peterson

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Gabi Chavez Merani Rivarola Maddy Shackelford Kamryn Marshall Grace Armenta Rian Stallbaumer

Nina Williams Maddie Loe Kelsea Lilla Brooke Loiacono Caleb Vering Breanna McKinney

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“The Epic” is the newsmagazine of Shawnee Mission West, 8800 W. 85th St., Overland Park, KS 66212. It is produced by a staff of high school journalists dedicated to the principles of journalism: to present facts and occurrences truthfully and without bias. Articles of opinion or analysis are labeled and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff and/or the publication.

In accordance with Kansas law, “The Epic” staff is entitled to freedom of the press. Neither the West administration nor the SMSD are responsible for any article, advertisement, photograph, illustration or opinion piece in “The Epic”.

“The Epic” encourages letters to the editor, but they must be signed and submitted to room 11. “The Epic” is published monthly. It is printed by the Sedalia Democrat and is distributed free of charge to students. For advertising information call (913) 993-7911.

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Parking Problems An opinion of the staff

CARTOO

N BY JA CK WAR

NER

Parking lots; a place for parking our beloved automobiles. Nothing more, nothing less.

When driving in a parking lot, you have to be careful not to run into other cars or people. This is relatively easy for most people, but when you give a school full of students their own parking lots, things can get a bit hectic.

The clock strikes 2:40 and the bell rings. Hundreds of kids cram through the doors to get to their cars, to finally go home after a long day of school. One thing is blocking these kids; the parking lot. If you drive to school, you know how bad it is to get out of the parking lots once school is over.

There are people walking all over the place, cars lined up trying to get out, and cars driving around to find a faster way out. You have your occasional honk battles that start with

December 11, 2014

one kid honking at the person in front of them and now you have the whole parking lot honking at each other. You have your speed racers in their “fast” cars showing off how fast they can do a burnout.

I guess what we at “The Epic” are trying to say is, take it slow in our parking lots. Home is still going to be there, no need to speed. We don’t want any accidents that will only take more time for our parking lots to clear. Also, be courteous. Allow one car to turn in front of you from one of the rows. If you are waiting to get out of the row don’t pull out after a car has already let one car in. Wait your turn. Overall, be mindful of others and remember that following these guidelines will make things easier for everyone.

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Issue 4

BRIEFS DYING to Play

“...I don’t want to say anything of what value it will have... I would appreciate it if it were scuttled... I think if you want to consider yourself serious, that it will not appear anywhere.”

Bill Cosby, regarding an in-

terview conducted by Associated Press. The interviewer asked about rape allegations of events that supposedly happened as far back as 30 years ago, and Cosby requested that the footage not be shown.

“Blood Sport” is the name of a machine that attaches to a video game controller and the player’s arm. The machine will draw blood from the player every time they are hit in game.

“Blood Sport” is scheduled for a 2015 release to coincide with the release of the shooter game “Battlefield Hardline”. The blood drawn will be donated for use in medicine.

Katniss Everdeen

Cats

Trivial Pursuit of Knowledge Entertainment: Benedict Cumberbatch is planned

to play the role of Doctor Strange in a new Marvel movie sleighted to release in 2016.

Geography: On September 18, 55.3% of Scottish

citizens voted against Scotland becoming independent, so it still remains part of the United Kingdom.

District 13’s poster child for the revolution.

History: President Obama took executive action on Arts&Literature: Tim Howard, goalkeeper for

Twitter Takeover

the 2014 U.S. Mens’ National team, released an autobiography titled “The Keeper”.

Science&Nature: Vantablack is a carbon nanotube substance that is the blackest substance on Earth, absorbing 99.965% of radiation in the visible spectrum.

80%

Sports: Ray Rice won his appeal after initially being

of active users are on their phones.

indefinately suspended. He has been reinstated to the NFL, and currently eligible to sign with any team he wants.

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Cuddly feisty balls of fur.

Venn Diagram

November 20, and delayed the deportation of some 5 million illegal immigrants.

PITCH, PLEASE!

Great Reflexes

To many teenage girls delight, “Pitch Perfect” recently was announced to have a sequel to be released in 2015. The Bellas are heading to an international acapella competition in this upcoming installment.

Not #not, Not #hot, but

#Meh

1. Single Stuffed Oreos 2. Room Temp. Eggnog 3. Non-multiple choice finals 4. Deadlines

500 Mil.

tweets are sent daily.

77% of accounts are outside of the United States.

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DecemberJanuary Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

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Choir Concert @ 7pm

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George Washington dies, 1799

Odd classes

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final, even classes Hanukkah

Ice Cream Day

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Block 2 & 3 finals

Block 4 & 5 finals

Block 6 & 7 finals

WINTER BREAK BEGINS

begins

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Christmas Eve Hanukkah ends

Christmas Day

26 Kwanzaa begins

27 Cut out Snowflakes Day

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New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Day Kwanzaa ends

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SCHOOL BEGINS

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Issue 4

Feature

Across the Pond Jolynn Smith was one of 10 people chosen for a trip to London

by Lexi Hart Junior JoLynn Smith was chosen to fill one of the 10 delegate slots for a trip to London with a partnership organization between ANN INC. and Vital Voices.

Kay Krille, CEO of ANN INC. and Alyse Nelson, CEO of Vital Voices, realized they were doing a lot to help older women put their best self forward, but they wanted to reach to teenage girls, and let them know the power they have.

“I’m an Ann Power fellow, and it’s a partnership between ANN INC, who’s the parent company of Ann Taylor and the Loft, and Vital Voices, which is an international organization that works to empower women. They have a partnership called ANNpower, so I went with that organization,” Smith said.

Late in September, the organization announced that they had 10 global delegate slots open for a conference in London.

Anyone who has ever been in the fellowship was eligible to apply. Smith found out in October that she had been chosen for one of the spots.

“There were 10 of us and then there were four executive slots for adults that went with us. It didn’t feel real. When I saw that I had an email from ANNpower, my heart started racing. I had to read through the email three times before I could process it enough to call my mom,” Smith said.

Smith didn’t know about the organization and the opportunities it had in store for her until it was brought to her attention.

“One of my mom’s friends gave me a flyer and thought I should apply for it.

Then I was listening to Pandora and I heard an advertisement for the leadership forum and I thought I was definitely going to apply,” Smith said.

The application process for this opportunity was not easy. Smith had to prove that she was the right choice to fill one of those ten slots.

“I actually didn’t tell anyone that I had

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applied, and I was actually at an Olathe Northwest football game with my friends, and my email on my phone went off. It was a Friday night and I wasn’t expecting to get any emails, so I checked it and the subject was ‘You’re going to London’ and I freaked out. It was in the middle of the game and I went down under the bleachers to call my mom,” Smith said.

Her mom was surprised when she got the call from her daughter saying she will be going across the pond.

“My first thought was that she had to be joking. I thought there must be some London, Kansas or London, Missouri I had never heard about. But then she started explaining the conference she was attending and what she had applied for,” JoAnn Smith, Jolynn’s mother, said.

However, after thinking about it, the news wasn’t really a huge shock.

“My second thought was that I wasn’t really surprised because Jolynn has always been independent and determined. If there is something that she wants to do, she works hard to get there, no matter what,” JoAnn said.

Her trip was filled with many activities and Smith was able to learn a lot of background information on the city.

“I loved the culture. There is so much history imbedded in British culture. Plus the architecture is gorgeous. It really helps to add to the overall feel of London. Our hotel was a 10 minute walk from Buckingham Palace, so it was neat to be able to walk there and see that,” Smith said.

On top of all that she was involved in a conference with people she truly admired.

“We were in London for six days, and the conference was two of those days. The conference is called Trust Women, and it’s hosted by Thompson-Reuters. Each day they would have different speakers come in and present and then have panel discussions, where CEO’s of companies would sit and they would be asked questions and

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respond,” Smith said.

Smith really enjoyed the speakers that were at the conference. The man who won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize with Malala Yousafzai, Kailash Satyarthi, spoke at the conference.

“I got to speak with some of the presenters, one on one, and that was so fun. Also, there is this author I absolutely love, his name is Benjamin Skinner, and he wrote one of my all time favorite books called, A Crime So Monstrous which is about modern day slavery. So I got to speak with him not only about the slavery aspect of his work, but also about the business aspect of his work,” Smith said.

She plans to continue working with mentors from ANNpower.

“It did not feel real. It still doesn’t feel real,” Smith said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOLYNN SMITH Smith smiles for a picture with a classic telephone booth in London.

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Issue 4

Under the Sea

A new marine biology club was formed at West.

by Isabelle Frankel

Photo by (CC): http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/Quarterly/amj2005/divrptsNMML3.htm Colette Balas, a sophomore with a huge interest in ocean life came up with the idea to start a marine biology club. Balas and her sponsor, Brenda Bott, biotech teacher and marine biology major, hope to go far with it.

“People from Kansas don’t usually get the opportunity explore the field, and I think this club will give students a chance to,” Balas said.

She’s had a huge interest in sea life, especially dolphins, for as long as she can remember.

“My grandma took all of her grandkids on a cruise when I was in third grade. My number one thing I wanted was to swim with dolphins. So we went to Cozumel and I got to! ” Balas said. Her profound interest was obvious even at such a young age.

“I was asking the marine biologist who was working there how she got her job and how she worked with the dolphins and she told my grandma that she’d never had a little kid ask her stuff like that. Over the years I’ve grown to love the ocean even more.” She said.

Balas was recently reading “Seventeen” magazine when she came across a feature

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on marine biologist Danni Washington.

Balas took the initiative to email her for advice on how to become a marine biologist. She was the one that gave Balas the idea of starting a school club.

“I really wasn’t expecting a reply back, but within a week or so she emailed me and told me how excited she was that I emailed her, and she told me it was a really good a idea to start a marine biology club,” Balas said.

Washington said that she should find ways to study marine biology at home and that starting a club was a good idea.

One of her emails said, “Even if you live in Kansas, no matter where you live in the world, everyone has the opportunity to protect our oceans.”

Balas has very high hopes for the club.

“There’s a marine biology teacher at KU and I emailed her to try to get her to come talk to us. There’s also a class at Olathe North so I’ll see if their teacher can come talk to us,” Balas said.

Balas is also planning on contacting marine biologists who work at the Kansas City Sea Life Aquarium to see if they can talk to the club.

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“We’re starting off as an unofficial club and so that means we don’t have any funding so we can see if we can get people to come in but we can’t go anywhere,” Balas said. She hopes someday there can be club trips outside of the state, even if it is after she’s graduated.

“When I taught in Salina, KS I took a group of 20 students to University of Texas marine Biology station in Port Aransas, TX to study marine biology in the Gulf of Mexico,” Bott said.

Balas plans on starting meetings after winter break and has very high hopes on what the club will evolve into.

“Hopefully this club will give students who haven’t even thought of the field a chance to explore it,”Balas said.

Bott also shares that aspiration. “I hope the club develops into a place where students interested in marine biology can further their education about careers and postsecondary opportunities in the science.”

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Opinion

Take It As a Compliment Find out what a real compliment is

An Opinion By Sylvia Bryan

C

alling me beautiful, telling me I’m smart, those are compliments. Unsolicited comments about my body do not qualify, especially when they come from a random guy who happens to drive by when I’m walking somewhere. It’s not a compliment, and it shouldn’t even be socially acceptable. It doesn’t matter what I was wearing, and it doesn’t matter when or where it happened, it’s just not okay.

For a long time I’ve noticed that some people seem to think street harassment isn’t a big deal, that it never happens, and even if it does, the person being harassed should find it flattering. Maybe I am just extremely unusual (I don’t think I am), but when 30-year-old men decide to point out what I look like, I don’t feel flattered and it doesn’t improve my day in the slight-

est. In fact, it becomes a lot worse. And what I just don’t understand is why street harassment isn’t seen as a bigger issue than it currently is.

In school we always learn about what to do if we’re bullied or witness it happening to someone else, and occasionally in middle school we would have an assembly about sexual harassment. But we were never prepared for how to react when we’re shouted at by strangers from a car. Well, I guess we did learn about stranger danger, but I feel like this is a slightly different issue. I know that this isn’t the easiest subject to educate people about, but maybe if there was more awareness then it would help, at least a little. If this can’t be accomplished by schools, parents should make the effort to keep their children informed about these issues.

It’s not just street harassment that seems to be dismissed as a non issue by some people. I still hear sexual harassment as a whole and even rape get joked about on a regular basis. I think most people understand how serious those issues are, but

it still happens. I understand that gallows humor can be funny at the right time, and rape certainly isn’t the only serious topic that gets turned into a joke. There are quite a few dead baby jokes and Holocaust puns that get tossed around on occasion, and I’m not saying that rape jokes are necessarily worse than those. But really, is it so hard to avoid these jokes in a public context?

I suppose what I’m taking five paragraphs to say is this: street harassment, as well as sexual harassment in general, is a serious issue that affects people everyday.

Just because it hasn’t happened to you or somebody you’re close to doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist. And although laughter is the best medicine, you are not Daniel Tosh, so just try to know your audience.

Be aware that this is a very real problem.

When somebody says they’ve been affected by it, believe them.

And please never say that it should be taken as a compliment. It’s not a compliment. It never is.

The Rise of Libertarianism Libertarianism is a growing political party

An Opinion By Drake Mattis

L

ibertarianism certainly isn’t a major political party in the U.S. yet, but its popularity is on the rise. It is currently the third largest party by personal affiliation, only behind the

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Democratic and Republican parties.

2012 Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson and former Governor of New Mexico once said, “I hope that people will see that we don’t have to sit by the sidelines and watch as the two major parties limit their choices to slightly different flavors of the status quo. It is, in fact, possible to join the fray, stand up for principles and offer a real alternative.” I personally agree with this quote more than anything I think I have ever heard when it

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comes to politics in general.

The philosophies behind Libertarianism are more complex and difficult to understand than you might expect, which may be a contributing factor to its unpopularity. If you could place it on the political spectrum, it would be slightly farther right than conservatism but not anywhere near anarchism. Libertarianism is opposite from Socialism on the spectrum but it is not near as radical as Socialism.

Issue 4

Contrary to what you might think, Libertarianism is not the same as the Tea Party. The two political systems have fairly common beliefs but the Tea Party is a movement known for its conservative positions in the GOP and Libertarianism is not affiliated with the Republican Party in any way. Despite being on the right side of the spectrum, most Libertarians are pro-choice and support gay marriage.

The beliefs the Libertarian party are not what you think they might be if you judge them simply by their position on the spectrum. Libertarians are not “all-out America lover freaks” and they are not anti-government anarchists by any means either.

Common Libertarian fundamentals have to do with individualism, civil liberty, strong belief in the free market, constitutionalism, consistent rule of law including fair treatment in the judiciary system, and limited federal government, which would

Opinion

give the states further freedoms and liberties to regulate themselves more efficiently.

During election season, Libertarians don’t stand a chance because they don’t get the all publicity that Democrats and Republicans do when it comes to debates and national conventions. This could, however, be justified because not very many voters are Libertarian or know anything about the party or the candidates.

As a self-recognised Libertarian myself, I hope Americans will educate themselves on Libertarianism and understand it’s beliefs. I think many people would agree with them and possibly even switch to being registered Libertarians if they would open their eyes and look Libertarianism dead in the eye.

Libertarianism is unpopular in today’s society because of the public’s ignorance of the party’s existence and their unawareness of Libertarian’s collectively shared

values. During election season, Libertarians don’t stand a chance because they don’t get the all publicity that Democrats and Republicans do when it comes to debates and national conventions. This could, however, be justified because not very many voters are Libertarian or know anything about the party or the candidates.

If Americans complain about their “freedoms being taken away” and “the judiciary system being broken” they should look at Libertarianism with an open mind and a free spirit. The best indirect and unintentional explanation of this political party’s beliefs may come straight from the U.S. Declaration of Independence. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

God Bless America.

Hallway Survival What to do while walking in the hall

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An Opinion By Isaiah McKay

saiah, don’t react. Just keep on moving, otherwise you’re going to be late.

This is what I must tell myself in order to proceed through the hallways unbothered by the lingering clutter of people, excessive amounts of PDA, acrid stench from those idly standing by, and last but certainly not least, people’s constant need to involve themselves in senseless drama.

Unfortunately, many of us (those who empathize) have grown accustomed to these daily obstacles.

After thirteen years in school there are many things I have witnessed, which has forced me to create an internal list of my

December, 11 2014

many pet peeves regarding high school (pda is a huge one).

1. They aren’t going anywhere, I promise.

School should be a sanctuary for learning (even though we sometimes despise it), not a playground for overly emotional teens and their three week relationships.

I’m not saying be single for the rest of your life, I’m simply saying there are times AND places where it is appropriate for these moments of intensity. In front of my english class is NOT one of them.

2. I said they aren’t GOING ANYWHERE! Why must couples feel the need to grope and/or squeeze their significant other on site during EACH passing period? I have no clue. If “distance makes the heart grow fonder” then I would suggest limiting this face-to-face/mouth-to-mouth interaction to see if the relationship will actually endure for more than three weeks. It’s just an idea.

3. Who coined the named Times

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Square?

Unlike the actual Times Square Garden in New York, there is a lack of purpose when bustling to your next class. In New York, if you’re standing or in the way you get pushed and shoved, but if you push or shove here it’s practically a crime (which makes me a criminal). Do not stand in the way or prepare to get nudged.

Advice: Walk with a purpose.

4. Surviving the hallways is kinda like driving.

In order to achieve the least amount of resistance, it is best to treat the hallway as if you are on the road. You would never drive in the direction of incoming traffic, otherwise you risk a head on collision.

Don’t ever stop in the middle of a hallway, you will only aggravate those behind you.

It was truly hard for me to keep this short and not go too in detail because the number of pet peeves that I have exceeds the total runtime of the 1963 film “Cleopatra” (which lasted a whopping four hours).

Keep it PG.

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Feature

Home Away From Home You don’t have to travel to Africa to see a lion up close

by Colette Balas and Sami Jansen In Louisburg Kansas lies a big cat sanctuary that houses many different species of cats.

“In 20 years time, many of these big cats won’t exist in the wild.

Their habitat is being overrun, our populations are skyrocketing because of our quest for food, for building. We are putting too much pressure on them in the wild,” Steve Klein, president and director of facilities at Cedar Cove feline conservatory and education center, said.

At Cedar cove, they always need volunteers. Whether it’s trimming bushes or picking up hedge apples, they accept volunteers of all ages.

A group of students recently volunteered at Cedar Cove.

“I would recommend the sanctuary to anyone. It was a really cool experience and all of the money they make goes towards the cats,” Ali Hadenchuk, sophomore, said.

Cedar cove is place where many big cats have found their home.

It’s a sanctuary for many animals including: six tigers, two of which are white bengal tigers, two lions, two african spotted leopards, three cougars, four bobcats, a caracale, two servals, two kawadmunde, two Asian leopard cats, and two wolves.

A caracle a medium sized cat that lives in the middle east and Africa. It can be compared to a lynx, but has been found to be more closely related to a serval.

A serval is a medium sized African cat. It has large ears and a

December 11, 2014

spotted coat. A kawadmunde, or coatis, is a member of the racoon family that is native to Central America and southwestern North America.

Everyone who works at Cedar Cove is a volunteer except for the vet. That is one of the main differences between the cat sanctuary and a zoo. Since they are not paid, they volunteer because of their love for the animals.

“Sometimes you go to a zoo and feel like that’s where they should be, but we don’t agree. We all would love for the animals to be in the wild, but you couldn’t find a place to put the tigers back in the wild,” B.J. Auch, Treasurer and Director of Operations said.

Each of the animals have their “favorite” volunteer. The two lions, Tonka and Shanta were raised by Klein and respond very well to him.

Shanta and Tonka pose for a picture.

Klein shows his affection for Shanta.

PHOTOS BY COLETTE BALAS

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Top:VooDoo, one of only two leopards at the sanctuary.

Below: Rajah relaxes in his habitat.

“That’s the difference between a paycheck and not getting a paycheck: we don’t get a paycheck so that’s truly what it is here. We aren’t here because of what we’re going to get at the end of the day,” Auch said.

William Pottorff founded Cedar cove.

He grew up in Louisburg, took care of wildlife as a kid, and did wildlife rehabilitation with his sister. He served two tours in Vietnam where he saw tigers slaughtered because they were deemed magical for healing by the Vietnamese. When Pottorff returned from Vietnam, he made it his goal to help preserve and save large cats of the world and other endangered species.

“Our founder always had a passion for rescuing wildlife,” Klein said.

Conservation through education is the motto that will lead to a movement to rescue the disappearing wildlife.

“The message is: when lose these animals, it will start a domino chain.”

Klein said.

At Cedar Cove the vision is to turn the sanctuary into an educational meca.

“The park is hopefully an educational launchpad where people get their first exposure to what’s going on. We are

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so caught up with these little screens that fit so perfectly in our pockets and our hands that we’ve lost touch with reality,” Klein said.

Klein goes to schools with presentations about the disappearing wildlife.

“For my younger school groups I start off by asking if they have ever seen the Lorax because thats the story.

We start cutting down the trees, we take down their habitat, their forests; these animals go first. They’re the apex predators.They are crucial to any ecology, and without them, any other

ecology suffers and that chain will start to collapse,” Klein said. “Being able to use this to try to make a change on that front is our educational outreach. The conservation comes from hopefully getting us into a position of breeding these endangered animals down the road.”

“That’s ultimately our long term goal: to be a part of facilities and programs that will help to restore these cats, how will we stop decimating the wild.” Klein said.

PHOTOS BY COLETTE BALAS

the epic

Issue 4

Going Electronic

The popularity of electronic cigarettes is on the rise among high schoolers

By Drake Mattis and Jude Kennedy

Photo by Caleb Vering December, 11 2014

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C

Let’s Get

KING

The KC Culinary Center brings recipes from around the world to its students in Overland Park

By Megan Bartlett

T

he Culinary Center in downtown Overland Park offers 600 different cooking classes taught by some of the best professional chefs in the world. No matter what someone’s taste is, from barbeque to an Italian pasta, they can accommodate with a fun, interactive class.

The Center opened in 1998 with the intention to bring a new appreciation of food to the Kansas City area. Since then, they’re taste has been described as flavors from Napa Valley, Tuscany, southern France, Colorado, and home all rolled into one.

Instead of coming in to a scheduled class, you can have your own party and pick the menu. They can hold the party in their kitchen, or hold it in your own. There are over 300 different kinds of parties offered for a group of five to 200 people.

They do a special cooking party that benefits the hungry called “All Hands For Hunger.” Groups can be scheduled in to come in for a fun day of cooking, and then donate the food to a local shelter.

There are different courses every week, and an open-to-the-public lunch every Tuesday. Stop in and ask about what’s upcoming, or check their website for their calendar.

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Issue 4

Photos of the Month Here are some of the best photos taken by our photographers

Photo by Gabi Chavez

Photo by Breanna McKinney

(Top left) Senior Tyriq Gunnels scores a bucket against Northwest.

(Top right) Students brought in canned food throughout November.

(Bottom) Families gathered to eat on Thanksgiving.

Photo by Sami Jett December 11, 2014

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19

Feature

Dois Mundos, Um Família J

One junior has a home in Brazil as well as this community

By Kathleen Gartner and Kristin Wells

unior Justin Reis-Henrie wakes up to the sound of Portuguese al therapy. every morning.

One big difference between Brazil and America is the difference “I speak mostly English at home, but sometimes its Portuguese. in food.

English is easier, but it depends how much I’ve practiced Portu“It’s unheard of to have juice that isn’t fresh in Brazil. There’s an guese and if I’m talking in it a lot, then it’s pretty easy,” Justin said. abundance of tropical fruit,” Fabiola said.

His mother, Fabiola Reis-Henrie, was born in northeast Brazil, “The meat is really good in Brazil. They have restaurants where just three degrees South of the equator and speaks Portuguese as you can go and there might be 15-20 different cuts of meat. They her first language. She lived there until she met Mark Henrie, an come around with the meat on a skewer and just cut off the piece American exchange student and her future husband, while she was you want,” Mark said, “It’s like the U.S. where there’s different at a beach with friends. regions with different cultures of food.”

“We didn’t date right away you know, we just met. But then three But the Reis-Henries’ didn’t just leave that food in Brazil. They weeks later we started dating, and then three days after that, he left enjoy some Brazilian food here in America. my city. His group was going to go on to Rio and then back to the “We eat Brazilian food like beans and meat a lot, at least three United States,” Fabiola Reis-Henrie said about her husband, Mark times a week. Also we eat couscous, which is a Brazilian food. ” Reis-Henrie.

Justin said.

Although Fabiola thought There’s a lot more to Brazil she would never be able to see than its food. Culturally, it’s Mark again, they kept in conunique and has a wide range of tact and she even visited him music including samba, forro, during a semester vacation with bossa nova and rock and roll. her cousin.

The music is part of what drew “Back then there was no Mark to Brazil in the first place. email, no texting. And every“That’s another thing that rething was very expensive. I ally attracted me to Brazil was think there was one time where the lyrics of songs. Sometimes he (Mark) spent 800 dollars the lyrics are just beautiful,” on phone bills. It was crazy,” Mark said.

Fabiola said.

“It’s a different culture. It’s After 18 months of long-disstill western, but it’s different. tance dating, Fabiola and Mark The way we talk in Brazil, you tied the knot in a Brazilian can say stuff more freely, it’s Catholic church. Soon aftermore candid,” Fabiola said. wards, they moved to MinnesoWhile there are differences beta, and Fabiola began to learn Photo Courtesy of Justin Reis-Henrie tween Brazilian and American English. culture, there are also quite a few similarities.

“He (Mark) speaks Portuguese fluently so I just spoke to him in “There are some things about the U.S. and Brazil that are comPortuguese. But then after two weeks, I said to him ‘Okay, I can’t mon, but then there’s a twist, it’s a little bit different. We’re both big do anything for myself and I can’t communicate with anybody. So countries and we both have really significant immigrant populaI decided to tell him not to talk to me in Portuguese anymore. Not tions. They’re very like Americans, very proud of their country and at all. And it was very, very hard. And I complained to him- even very patriotic as well,” Mark said. though I asked him to do it. Mark was very supporting of me to All of Fabiola’s family still resides in Brazil, so the Reis-Henries’ learn English,” Fabiola said. have traveled back there frequently.

Fabiola worked in an ice-cream shop and took community college “I’ve been to Brazil at least 10 times. I went this year and I went classes in order to practice and learn English. Although at times last year, so recently it’s been every year. It’s like a vacation but she was very frustrated, she became a functional speaker after four also a family meet up,” Justin said. months, and she was fluent after two years of living in the United Justin definitely enjoys his life here, but he loves and appreciates States. his Brazilian heritage.

The Reis-Henries moved frequently due to Mark’s various job “When I’m at home, there’s always that nagging feeling of I’ve offers and promotions. They traveled from Minnesota to Florida got to do summer reading or homework, but when I’m in Brazil, I to California to Indiana and finally to Kansas. Fabiola eventually can just relax and it’s nice. It’s a cool place, I love Brazil,” Justin earned her master’s degree from KU Medical Center in occupationsaid.

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Issue 4

Sports

Born to Cheer

Two students are fanatics for KU and K-State

T

here are millions of college athletics fans across the country, but few fans are as dedicated as Chris Holcomb and Josh Compton, juniors.

Holcomb and Compton have traveled across the country to watch Kansas and Kansas State play, respectively. Holcomb has traveled to Boulder, Colorado; Miami, Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana; Atlanta, Georgia and many other places.

Compton has traveled to Phoenix, Arizona; Dallas, Texas; and New York City; New York in addition to several other cities.

Both students began going to games at very young ages.

“My first game was the Nebraska game in 1998 when I was six months old,” Compton said. “I’ve been going to games ever since.”

“I’ve been going to games since I was three or four,” Holcomb said.

Family has been the influence that caused both students to become so involved with KU and K-State.

“I became a K-State fan because both of my parents went to K-State and my dad grew up there (Manhattan),” Compton said. “I was basically raised into it, but I wouldn’t change it for a million bucks.”

“My parents and a lot of other relatives all went to KU and ever since I was little, KU athletics have always linked my relatives.” Holcomb said Through the years Holcomb and Compton have witnessed some great games and had great experiences. “(My) favorite place for football was Phoenix because of the weather and we won a bowl game there,” Compton said. “Oklahoma City for basketball because we won both games there and I got to see KU lose.”

“San Antonio was my favorite

December 11, 2014

By Max Meyer city because KU won the National Championship and I think it is one of the best cities to host a Final Four,” said Holcomb.

Holcomb and Compton hope to be able to continue their dedication to their teams as they grow older.

“Obviously, I’ll go to most home games when I actually attend KU,” Holcomb said. “And I hope I’ll be able to have time and money after college to be able to go to some road games for the teams.”

“I also want to be able to bond with my kids at games like I did with my dad,” Compton said.

Over the years, supporting their teams has become more than just a hobby, but a lifestyle.

(Right) At the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl Compton stands with his siblings. (Below) Holcomb poses with his family at the 2012 Final Four in New Orleans.

Photo courtesy of Josh Compton

Photo courtesy of Chris Holcomb

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Winter Sp

by Karen Barkema

Cheer Senior Jaci Desordi -Personal Goal: Form a

Girls’ B-Ball Soph. Kenzie Loe

Boys’ B-Ball Senior Louis Rollins

-Personal Goal: To start on -Personal Goal: Be named All

stronger relationship with the team. Varsity and grow as a player.

Sunflower 1st team and be a leader.

-Team Goal: Get a superior

-Team Goal: Win sub-state and

-Team Goal: Winning State.

rating a competitions.

make the state tournament.

-Favorite Thing: Being part -Favorite Thing: Meeting

-Favorite Thing: Being on the

of a family.

new people from different schools.

-Pump Up Song: N/A

-Pump Up Song: The CD made by the seniors.

-Inspiration: N/A

-Inspiration: Marleah Campbell and Maddie Loe.

-Biggest Competitor: Shawnee Mission Northwest

-Biggest Competitor: Brenni Rose from SMNW

court with his team, with a loud gym packed with fans, and the student section cheering them on.

-Pump Up Song: Likes to

listen to slower music before a game like The Weeknd or Frank Ocean.

-Inspiration: Enjoys watching

motivational videos about how athletes put in the work to become great.

-Biggest Competitor: Shawnee Mission East.

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Issue 4

orts Preview

and Sylvia Bryan

Swim&Dive Bowling Wrestling Senior Mitch Arndt Senior Michael Wirth Junior Jose Montoya -Personal Goal: Qualify for an-Personal Goal: Place top 10 -Personal Goal: Be named All individual state event.

-Team Goal: Improve from last season.

-Favorite Thing: Whole team works well together.

in state and reach an average over 210.

-Team Goal: Both boys’ and girls’ teams qualify for state.

you get when you string together strikes.

Sweet Home” by Mötley Crüe.

-Pump Up Song: “Go to

-Inspiration: Charles Darwin

Sleep” by Eminem.

Teammates and every school.

-Inspiration: N/A -Biggest Competitor:

Not sure yet, but Olathe schools always offer stiff competition.

December, 11 2014

-Team Goal: Win a meet or a whole tournament.

-Favorite Thing: Looking into -Favorite Thing: The feeling your opponent’s eyes and knowing

-Pump Up Song: “Home

-Biggest Competitor:

Sunflower 1st team and be a leader.

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you’re going to win.

-Pump Up Song: Frank Ocean to relax, and then gangster rap to get hyped.

-Inspiration: Wrestlers that do the job as best they can.

-Biggest Competitor: Alan Clothier from Lawrence

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Sports

Cheerleaders are People Too An opinion by Logan Peterson

I

f you asked a random person on the street what a cheerleader does, they’d probably tell you something like, “They do little dances,” or “They jump and shake their pom poms around!”

Yes, people’s perception of cheerleaders is fogged behind layers of cliches brought to you by film and television. Well, if your parents have taught you anything, it’s that you shouldn’t believe everything that happens on TV. The same goes for cheerleading.

First of all, cheerleading goes way beyond doing cheers and “shaking pom poms around,” but that’s obviously a small factor.

The work and preparation that goes into cheering and stunting has to be meticulous and can be rigorous.

With this, I’m talking about competitive cheerleading. Competition routines are the definition of rigorous. Not only does strength and endurance play into it, but cardio as well. It’s a two and a half minute routine, filled with non-stop stunting, jumping and constant running.

Competition practices are just plain rough. Another thing to remember is that they are always risky and dangerous. Cheerleaders can just as easily break a bone or tear a muscle tumbling, as a football player can tackling.

Then comes the mental and emotional aspect of it. Mental fatigue and exhaustion can happen easily when running through an entire routine without getting rest. Also, having to remember endless eight-counts can be just as stressful.

What I’m trying to say is, ostracizing cheerleading from the world of sports is unjust and unfair. Cheerleaders work hard in each and every practice, trying their very best to create a memorable experience for their audiences.

It’s also important to note, that cheerleaders aren’t just given the cold shoulder by students, but by the staff as well. West cheerleaders are forced to practice at Broadmoor Technical Center, because they aren’t given the space they deserve at school.

Yet, the volleyball players get to use two gyms for their practices. This is just silly. They may have the need for an excess of gym space, with the amount of players they have, but two gyms just seems totally unnecessary.

Too often are the cheerleaders at this school, and in schools everywhere, not given equal opportunity to succeed. They’re also not given the recognition as a sport that they deserve. They are too important to the spirit of this school.

For the Love or the Game?

By Logan Peterson

Lexi Rueger and Natalie Derks cheer together, but Lexi and Jack Stalbaumer are dating.

Who knows Lexi better?

Natalie Derks teammate

Lexi Rueger athlete

Ryan Renolds

Ryan Renolds

Matthew McConaughey

9

11

8

Favorite Color?

Light Purple

Purple

Purple

Dream School?

K-State

K-State

K-State

Softball Position?

Pitcher

Pitcher/Second Base

Pitcher/Second Base

The Bachelor

The Bachelorette

Going to the lake

Going to the lake

Celebrity Crush?

Years cheerleading?

Favorite TV Show? Bachelor/Bachelorette Favorite Hobby?

Dancing?

Jack Stalbaumer boyfriend

Looks like Natalie wins! Better luck next time Jack.

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Issue 4

A&E

Top 5 Holiday Songs

“The Epic” staff chose their favorite holiday songs

By Logan Peterson

1. “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby Bing Crosby’s crooning rendition of “White Christmas” is always thought of when snow starts to fall. The beautiful strings matched with Crosby’s marvelous baritone vocals and bravado, make for a classic Christmas song that has gotten better with age.

2. “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams This upbeat and jolly tune will get any scrooge excited for the Christmas season. Andy Williams signature sound blends classic tones and groovy soul. The boisterous horns also give it the roaring vibe that we all know and love.

3. “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” by Bruce Springsteen The rock rendition of this Christmas classic soars far above its predecessors with Springsteen’s signature rasp along with the late Clarence Clemons’ awesome saxaphone solos. It proves that rock and roll can outdo the oldies.

4. “All I Want For Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey No sound is more recognizable than that of Mariah Carey. Her soulful Christmas hit will always get whoevers listening, to sing along with her.

5. “The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole This intimate carol really brings out the smooth soul of the great Nat King Cole. Cole astounding voice The strings are delightful and no other song can quite match it’s kindred spirit.

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A&E

Spence Lassalle’s Review of TV On The Radio’s "Seeds" When I first heard the name TV on the Radio I didn’t know what to think of the band. I thought it was like a soundtrack or something. Then when I heard that their latest album was called seeds I had to hear what it sounded like. At first I thought it wasn’t going to be my type of music. For the most part the songs are pretty refreshing and peaceful. If you’re not familiar with the band this album is a good place to start. My favorite song on the whole album is “Careful You”, In my opinion that song is the highlight of the whole album. It is soft mellow song with a good beat. The song “Seeds” is what the album is named after and I was expecting for that song to be better. It was kind of annoying with all the sounds in the back. In no way am I saying this is a bad album, I would totally recommend it to anybody who is looking for a new taste in music. I just wish that bands like this were a little bit more popular, Its not often you hear TV on the Radio on the radio and that stinks because it is good music. Even if they had a one-hit

wonder that would be amazing. This album is underappreciated and should be played more often. I’d recommend putting this album on while your doing homework or studying, not all of the songs are calm but some of them are. If you like to put in music and just relax, play this album. This album is pretty soothing and probably the most underrated album I’ve heard this year. It isn’t fantastic, but there are some songs that really stick out, the ones that don’t are just kind of annoying in my opinion. It’s a shame you don’t hear about these guys more often. I’ve watched some of the music videos for the songs on the album and they are very obscure, which makes sense because most of the songs aren’t normal. One could say that unnormal is different but I could also say unnormal is original. Overall, this album is really nice and the most of the songs just feel nice to listen to and they put you in a good mood.

S

re pic” staff m o “E em w T be rs

re their though ea ts. er

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E D I A

m bu

n The Radio’s n O ew TV d es e ta w e i l v

Issue 4

A&E Alex Ralston’s Review of TV On The Radio’s "Seeds"

S

TV On The Radio (TVOTR) is an indie rock band that was formed in Brooklyn in the early 2000s, with their earliest works dating back to 2003. The group came out with their debut album, “Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes,” in 2004; since then, they have released several other albums to critical acclaim, including, “Return to Cookie Mountain” and “Dear Science.” Even though the band is mainly classified as a rock act, their sound ranges from electro to jazz and post-punk, but has always had a strong pop sensibility. The band took a four year long hiatus after they put out their 2011 album, “Nine Types of Light.” Now the band has returned with “Seeds,” an album that shows that TVOTR may be altering their sound; and in my opinion, this alteration seems to be for the worse.

In the past, I’ve usually enjoyed TVOTR’s output and their unique fusion of different genres, which have always come together well without compromising the music’s integrity. These qualities seem most noticeable in earlier singles such as “Wolf Like Me,” “Halfway Home,” and “Dancing Choose.” I’ve also admired the band’s straightforward approach to songwriting. However, it should be noted that there’s a difference between straightforward and simple, the latter style being more apparent on “Seeds.”

I actually like the start of this album a lot. The intro track, “Quartz,” starts with very abrasive metallic synths banging along in the background on top of overlapping vocal samples; Tunde, the band’s frontman, hops on the track later and displays an amazing mastery over his vocals. It all makes for a very exciting introduction. The next song is “Careful You,” which also happens to be my favorite track on the album. The track is very slow, dark, and beautiful, maybe even slightly anthemic, and it features mainly synths and 808 drums. I was glad to hear TVOTR branching out with their instrumentation and using more electronic flavors. However, “Careful You” slightly misleads the listener into thinking that the rest of the album will match the

December 11, 2014

song’s mood, when in reality it doesn’t.

Next comes “Could You,” a track that sounds as if Temples produced it. This song comes out of nowhere and disrupts the darker, more urgent feel of the previous tracks; Tunde also gets replaced by Kyp Malone, whose voice doesn’t seem very fitting and clashes with the track. This song is the perfect example of the simple songwriting that I mentioned earlier, and it just sounds corny and mindless. Most of the songs that follow resemble “Could You” and its simple songwriting, instrumentation, and lyrics–the only exceptions being “Happy Idiot” and “Winter,” in which TVOTR returns to its rock roots.

The lyrics on “Seeds” seem one-dimensional and simple as well. They mainly deal with love and its setbacks; in fact, TVOTR may be bent on writing as many love songs as possible. Usually, the band has always sung about love in a sarcastic tone, a quality which makes their tracks unique and–well–lovable.

On top of that, the band has usually sought to diversify their lyrical content, and in the process have created interesting stories; but it seems like they’ve recently dropped that characteristic from their music. What happened to the strange characters that Tunde sang about on “Dancing Choose” and the werewolves on “Wolf Like Me?” It’s disappointing that the band members settled on such mindless lyrics for this album.

Overall, I wasn’t pleased with “Seeds.” The combination of bland lyrics, simple songwriting, and even monotonous instrumentation made for a boring and cheesy album. It seems like TVOTR could really hit the sweet spot if they refine their new, electronic sound and pair it with more straightforward songwriting. The first part of the album and its style shows promise and character. It just seems like the band could have done so much better with all the talent it has at its disposal.

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An Epic Voyage of Mediocrity Is “Interstellar” really stellar?

By Logan Peterson Photo (CC) by: http:// hubblesite.org/ newscenter/archive/ releases/2009/25/image/k/

D

azzling and equally frustrating are the perfect words to describe the blockbuster film “Interstellar.”

It tells the story of a not-so-distant future, where the world has been stricken with drought and famine. It is centered on Coop (Matthew McConaughey), a pilot turned farmer who is struggling to support his children.

One day, he and his precocious daughter, Murph, stumble on what is left of NASA. Coop then finds out that he is the one man to lead a mission into space, and try to find a replacement for the dying Earth.

One thing to understand about “Interstellar” is that the plot is impossible to explain in merely a few sentences. It has a very complex and oftentimes, convoluted, plot which just might be it’s downfall.

I went in to this film with extremely high expectations. Christopher Nolan is one of the best filmmakers in the business today, and he had some of the best actors in Hollywood in starring roles.

I say with a heavy heart, that my expectations, though exceedingly high, were not met. But, that’s not to say that it wasn’t a good film.

The obvious attraction that “Interstellar” brings is the cutting edge special effects and intense sound. But, underneath all of the spectacle, there lies a beautiful story of a father who wants nothing more than to give his children a better life.

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The first half of the film is definitely its highpoint. It is the strongest portion of the film because it plays into the strength of the actors, specifically McConaughey and it gives an excellent father and daughter relationship between Coop and Murph. It also features the most extravagant sequences of the film, and it still remains interesting, before the near-three hour runtime forces some fatigue.

A particularly touching scene has Coop watching messages sent from his family over the course of 23 years. In the few hours he’s spent in this current space dimension, his children back on Earth, have become the same age as him. It’s truly heartbreaking.

Some of the pitfalls of the film, though, are glaring and hard to overlook. The script contributes to this in a big way.

At times, the script can be very hard for the audience to understand. The dialogue is verbose and filled with scientific jargon, rather than emotional depth. It’s not that Nolan needed to dumb the script down in any way, but that he needed to bring it back down to Earth.

The same goes for the musical score.

Hanz Zimmer is known for his loud and bone chilling scores, and he continues that trend in “Interstellar.” At certain points, it can be a dazzling score, but there are too many instances where the music doesn’t synchronize with the particular scene. It’s

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almost like it is so loud, just for the sake of being loud.

McConaughey is a standout in the film.

Throughout, he puts so many emotions on display. He is torn away from his children, knowing he may not see them again, in order to try and save the human race from extinction. He continues to prove why is he such a sought after leading man in the film industry.

“Interstellar” is many things. It’s long, loud, impressive, but at the same time, it’s unfulfilled. I will say that if this film did anything, it’s that it proved how incredible a filmmaker Christopher Nolan is, when he releases a film that is far from his best work, but it’s still a very well done film.

Grade: B

Movie Info: Cast:

Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathway, Jessica Chastain, Mackenzie Foy, Michael Caine, Ellen Burstyn

Director:

Christopher Nolan

Runtime:

169 minutes

Issue 4

Is There Anything Good Out Right Now? A guide on what movies to see in December

by Brock Burnett

So, you want to see a movie?

Mockingjay Part 1

This page isn’t for you then.

nope yeah

Sci-Fi! Would you rather watch something more comedic or someting a bit more action-y?

Bring on the laughs!

More action!

Sci-Fi or WW2?

History!

What kind of laughs are you looking for?

Robots or penguins?

Wholesome family fun.

Something immature

“Fury”

“Horrible Bosses 2” Pretty immature.

How immature?

SOOOO immature!

“Penguins of Madagascar”

“Dumb and Dumber To” the epic December 11, 2014

“Big Hero 6”

29

Insta-Famous

Many West students post pictures to Instagram, here are some of the most interesting ones.

@tammyh Throw back to when I was Victor Viking about a couple hours ago #Irocked

@r_s_photo

@lauren_walbss Sko vikes.

Exploring old summer photos

Double Take

ior

Sen Jonathan Shull, 30

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Actor Tom Hank

s Issue 4

faces in the hall

By Isaiah McKay

CELEB CRUSH?

ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE YOU IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

Freshman Noelle Eland

Nial Horn

Crazy

Goodcent’s

Pizza

Get straight A’s

Sophomore Matthew Winter

Jennifer Garner

Athletic

Jimmy John’s

Chicken Strips

See my dad get better

Weird

Jimmy John’s

Nachos

Improve academically

New

Jimmy John’s

Chicken Nuggets

NAME AND GRADE

Junior Herlinda Aparicio Senior Johnny Nevels

Alejandro Bedoya Jhene Aiko

SUBWAY, JIMMY JOHN’S, OR GOODCENTS?

BEST SCHOOL LUNCH?

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION?

Be more polite

@SMWjournalism December 11, 2014

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29

BACKPAGE

By Alex Ralston

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