The Epic - Issue 5

the epic.

Changes to Broadmoor Technical Institute are set to take place pg. 16 PHOTO BY CALEB VERING

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

Table of Contents Photo by Hope Erickson Books from students who love to read on pg. 12.

Read about the removal of class rank on pg. 6

Look back at 2014 on pg. 12

Learn about students who love to read pg. 18

Learn about changes that are coming to the district pg. 16

Read about Darrell Stewart’s heart condition on pg. 22

Staff

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

WRITERS

Max Meyer and Brock Burnett

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

ASSISTANT EDITOR Kristin Wells

MANAGING EDITOR Drake Mattis

PHOTO EDITOR Rachel Harvey

CARTOONIST Alex Ralston

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Sylvia Bryan Kathleen Gartner Lexi Hart Samantha Jansen Logan Peterson Caleb Walker

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

Nina Williams Maddie Loe Kelsea Lilla Hope Erickson Caleb Vering Breanna McKinney

“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.

ADVISER Amy Morgan

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Issue 5

Topsy Turvy

An opinion of the staff

CARTOON BY JACK WARNER Grade point average, or GPA, plays a huge role in high school and even through college. Students in high school strive to become a member of the illustrious top 10 academic students and be recognized at graduation for their achievements, but soon, that recognition may not be quite as special.

Shawnee Mission high schools are discussing the idea of switching from the traditional top ten system, to a “cum laude” system, which recognizes students based on different GPA values, instead of the ten with the highest GPAs overall. This new system is one used in many colleges to designate students with above average GPAs instead of a top ten system. The cum laude system comes with its benefits, as well as a few problems.

One problem with the possible new system would be that there would be more students recognized which could take away some of the prestige. We think it’s wonderful to announce those who do great things at West, and there are certainly many students that would fall into that category, but previously, being in the top ten was a pretty big deal. Out of 400-500 students only a measly ten were chosen to have the honor of being the best academic achievers. With this new cum laude system, over 100 students could be potentially announced. Northwest, who used the cum laude system last year, announced 105 students to be honored. That amount of students chosen makes the award seem less important because about 20% of students receive some kind of distinction, with 12 receiving the highest honor.

One of the most positive aspects of the cum laude system is that students can now take electives and non-advanced placement

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classes without losing their potential to be recognized for their academic excellence at graduation. Currently regular classes (including most electives) are ranked on a 4.0 scale with an “A” grade being worth 4 points, and advanced classes on a 5.0 scale with an “A” being worth 5 points. Students bent on being in the top ten sacrificed their interests in certain electives just for the chance to get into a 5.0 scale class and advance that much close to becoming a part of the top ten. With the cum laude system, students can take those electives and non-advanced classes and still find themselves somewhere in one of the three distinctions of the cum laude system.

We think the biggest problem with this change is the current students who have dedicated their entire academic career to taking these 5.0 classes into making the top 10 now have been robbed. They sacrificed classes that they truly enjoyed in order to make it this honorable group. We think that this cum laude system should be ushered in starting with this year’s freshman class, so the current students don’t feel like they sacrificed their interests in order to make it into a group that doesn’t even exist anymore.

Allowing students to take classes they enjoy while not endangering their GPA is a step in the right direction for making students enjoy school more. This system should be in effect starting with the current freshman class though. The upperclassmen and sophomores that took every honors and AP class they could would feel like they have wasted their time.

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ACT & SAT Test Prep

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Shawnee Mission Girls Lacrosse

WANTS YOU!

All female athletes from ANY SMSD high school or surrounding area private school welcome!

The 2015 season is about to start Learn and compete in high school level girls lacrosse this spring with teammates from other schools. From Mar. 1- May 15 our JV and Varsity teams will practice on weekdays and play games on both week nights and weekends.

New to the game? No problem!

We will be holding two “Get a taste of Lacrosse� sessions for new players to learn to throw and catch. These will be held on 1/26 and 2/2 from 5:00-6:00 at the Kansas City Sports Club located at 3610 W. 95th Street, Leawood (behind the Price Chopper).

Register on our website now!

Twitter: @smgirlslacrosse Website: www.smgirlslacrosse.com

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Email: shawneemissiongirlslacrosse@gmail.com

Issue 5

BRIEFS

The Super Bowl is famous for the advertisements aired during it, but this year’s Super Bowl ads have drawn attention as they have covered real, important and depressing topics like childhood deaths and domestic abuse.

Somber Bowl

XLIX

Wh Ya G nna Call?

A new “Ghostbusters” movie is in the works but with a twist this time, as the Ghostbusters are going to be played by an all-star all female cast consisting of Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, and Melissa McCarthy. Director Paul Feig said on Twitter that the film is set to release on July 22, 2016.

Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski Kronker “Kronk” Pepikrankenitz

Trivial Pursuit of Knowledge

Entertainment: Two boxing giants are possibly going to finally fight. Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather have supposedly been discussing terms to have an upcoming battle.

Geography: Iran has agreed to aid the fight against

Both are big guys Patriots’ record-setting that get Yzma’s henchman and a excited tight end. great cook. easily.

militant group “Boko Haram.” Boko Haram is a terrorist group that is based in Nigeria.

History: A fire spread into a Russian university library

Venn Diagram

in January. The fire burned more than one million historical documents, some dating back to the 1600’s.

Arts&Literature: The hunt for Miguel de Cer-

Not #not, Not #hot, but

vantes, writer of “Don Quixote”, and his grave might finally be over. A coffin with the initals “M.C.” was found in a chapel in Spain.

Science&Nature: A new large scale study in Austrailia found that moderate weekly exercise helped to improve the quality of life for depressed patients.

#Meh

1. Referees 2. Over-filtered Insta pics 3. “New year. New me.”

4. Choosing electives

Sports: New England Patriots win Super Bowl 49

after a last minute interception made by Malcolm Butler. This is the Patriots’ fourth Super Bowl win in the 21 century.

I’m Lovin’ It

McDonald’s stores all across the country will be randomly letting customers pay with “acts of affection” through Valentine’s Day. These acts could be anything from a hug to a call to mom just to say “I love you.”

McDonald’s is proving that their customers truly are “lovin’ it.”

February 5, 2015

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Keep it Classy Shawnee Mission is transforming into a district that does not rank students.

By Lexi Hart

The old setup of this system used to be that students were numerically ranked by their GPA. However, a different approach of using groupings of similar GPAs will be utilized to recognize students without assigning a specific number to their name.

“If a student needs it, for a scholarship or a selective university asking for it, we will provide the information, we just have to take a few more steps,” Steve Loe, principal, said.

“This change was based mostly on a philosophical basis. When you have class rankings, you are selecting talent, and when you’re trying to develop talent class rankings kind of opposes that pathway,” Loe said.

Students will still be allowed access to their class rank, if needed for a college application, however they will need to talk to their counselor as it will no longer be on the transcript.

“Not all the time, but when you have a ranking system, the focus becomes on

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a number, rather than the learning, or the opportunities afforded the students,” Loe said.

A grouping system will be put into place to recognize more students on their unweighted GPA. “I have mixed feelings about getting rid of rank,” JoLynn Smith, junior, said, “So much of rank was determined by who could “play the system” right and it seemed to penalize if you took a class that wasn’t honors.”

“We do not want to do away with recognizing those students who really work their tails off and get this great GPA, because GPA is not going away, so what we want to do is honor and recognize those students who are top performers,” Loe said.

Last year a Shawnee Mission school used the following categorizations for unweighted GPA’s; GPA’s that are 3.50-3.74 are cum laude “with praise,” 3.75-3.99 are magna cum laude “with great praise” and 4.0 are summa cum

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laude “with highest praise.” The rankings would be different with weighted GPA’s.

“I think it would have been better to keep class rank and also incorporate the summa cum laude idea into graduation, so that we have something to work for and more people could be recognized,” Renny Ma, junior, said.

Changes are being made and administration is working hard to help recognize more students.

“We are working on the number, because those students need to know their class rank, but it’s a transition year, and those kids who have been working hard to be top 10, they need to know who they are, and we are going to help them with that. We are still working to bring those students to the stage and giving them the medallions, but it could be 12 or 13, we just don’t know where that point break is right now,” Loe said.

As the district moves away from ranking students, these changes are bringing about differing opinions.

Issue 5

JCCC Honors: Dig deeper. Aim higher.

“I was first pulled in by the scholarships, but the Honors Program allowed me to further understand my studies and connect with professors.

I also was drawn in by the potential to study abroad.”

Lizzy, JCCC Honors student and De Soto High School graduate Johnson County Community College’s Honors Program stimulates and challenges academically talented students.

An Honors application is required for admission. For more information, call Pat Decker at 913-469-8500, ext. 2512, or visit www.jccc.edu/honors.

Merriam Office: 5746 Antioch Rd Mission, KS, 66202 913-362-3937

Hours: Monday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Tuesday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Wednesday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Thursday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Accepts most insurances Friday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Saturday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Closed Sunday Oak Park Mall Office: 11383 W 95th St Overland Park, KS, 66214 913-599-4393

February 5, 2015

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Hours: Monday - Friday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Saturday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Sunday 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

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Feature

Parading Around London The band and dance team marched on the streets of London

By Colette Balas

E

very three years, the band director Bill Thomas takes his students across the pond to London, England to march in the New Years Day parade.

This year, he took 90 students along with 22 chaperones.

It cost about $3,200 up front for each person to go to London.

“I’ve really been planning this trip for two years now. With all of the chaperones and how to raise that kind of money. Just the details; the itinerary on the ground, what we will see as a group. The little things like creating luggage tags for the kids, and food and party supplies for the New Years Eve party,” Bill Thomas said “If I wrote everything out, I’m sure it would all add up to 20 to 30 pages.”

“We spent a month and a half learning new music and working out a new TV show routine to prepare for the parade,” Preston Thomas, band member, said.

This is the eighth time West has traveled to London for the parade and the third time for Bill Thomas.

“I’ve talked to the kids and parents about going somewhere else, but we’ve never decided on anything. They so love the idea of the grandeur of London and seeing history come to life and that’s pretty important to them,” Bill Thomas said, “Going to Chica-

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go, San Diego, or New York doesn’t really appeal to them now, but we have looked at Rome and a couple of other places that fall with the same company, but we haven’t decided on anything.”

“They so love the idea of the grandeur of London and seeing history come to life and that’s pretty important to them,” Bill Thomas said.

The students had to raise money by doing various activities.

“For fundraising, we did car washes, sold Red Wheel cookie dough, and sold flowers; we’ve done that for three years now,” Preston Thomas said.

They marched for two and a half miles and performed two songs.

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Band members pass red telephone booths as they see the sights of London.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PRESTON THOMAS “We walked by the grand stand and everyone cheered, ‘Go Jayhawks!’ because they knew we were from Kansas,” Preston Thomas said.

The grand stand is a large group of people sitting in bleachers and a press box with tv crews and photographers.

“We marched for two and a half miles and when we got to the grandstand, we stopped, turned around, and the band had a choreography that they did behind us and we put our flags down and did some cheers with the band,” Melyssa Bussell, dance team member, said.

The band played “Kansas City” and the West fight song.

“They love traditional marches. The last time we were in London, we performed the same songs and the tv commentators loved the traditional American march,” Bill Thomas said.

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Feature “I really liked marching because when we would turn corners, you would see the big landmarks. Once we turned a corner and Big Ben was right in front of us. It was really cool,” Bussell said.

“The marching was really tiring but really fun because everyone was taking videos and pictures of us,” Hannah Heaton, band member, said.

Aside from performing in the parade, the band members toured some of the famous landmarks around London.

“As a group, we saw Oxford University, Greenwich, Windsor castle, and the tower of London where the queen’s jewels are held,” Bill Thomas said.

The members split up into separate groups with their chaperones and toured other landmarks.

“Our group went and saw the London Eye, the British museum, the natural history museum, and the Harry Potter walking tour which took us on a guided tour of filming sights of the Harry Potter movies,” Preston Thomas said.

“We took a lot of coach tours that went all over London and showed us a bunch of random things like Westminster Abbey, a church, and we took a ferry ride down the River Thames,” Bussell said.

“My favorite part about touring London was seeing all of the history.

I’ve read about it in books and learned about it in class, but actually seeing it was really cool,” Preston Thomas said.

The trip went well up until one of the group’s plane got diverted to Iceland.

“Our plane got caught in Iceland and we were just stuck on the plane for three hours because someone has appendicitis,” Preston Thomas said.

The airport staff had to search in the lower deck for the man’s luggage, which took a majority of the time, according the Bussell.

“It was really annoying because one man got off for his medical emergency and then three other people got off because of medical emergencies. So they had to search the lower deck for all of their luggage,” Bussell said.

“Overall, everything worked out according to plan, besides the flight home. And even though the parade was tiring, I think we performed well. All of the tours that my group went on were amazing because of our guide who was hilarious and knew a lot of interesting things about the sights,” Heaton said.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HANNAH HEATON

February 5, 2015

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Opinion

Innovations Through Generations

An Opinion By Isabelle Frankel

E

very day I sit on my laptop doing my homework hopping back and forth between different websites and resources. Sometimes I think about how many advantages we have as first-world students living in the 21st century. We don’t often realize how advanced technology is.

Recently, I was going through a huge binder of documents from my long-dead ancestors. I came across a falling-apart three page report of George Washington. It was written in perfect cursive and the pag-

es were tied together with ribbon. It’s hard for me to comprehend how much effort was put into this small report compared to how easy it would be for me to write it.

If I were assigned a biography of George Washington today, I would take very little time and effort. Instead of having to go to the library and check out a biography on him, I could just type George Washington into google and conjure up 545,000,000 results in about half a second.

Right now I sit here writing this story with Google Chrome on the right side of my screen and netflix on the left, periodically taking breaks to snapchat my friends.

I never question these things but when I think about it I don’t even understand how snapchat works.

I tap a piece of glass a couple of times with my fingers and the next second my friends are able to see a double-chinned picture of me with a comment about how

slow my wifi is. I never think about how privileged I am to even have wifi and be able to find endless information with the click of a button.

I’m not trying to say that our generation is unappreciative of what we have and that we need to go back to the way our parents learned. I’m simply marveling at how far technology has come in such a short amount of time. Fifty years ago computers took up whole rooms. Today my family owns four portable laptops- not to mention the two we rent from school.

These advances make me really hopeful for the future. If you watch an old science fiction movie you’ll see computers and cell phones that look primeval compared to what we actually have now. I like to think that maybe people in the future will be watching movies made today and laughing at the simple-looking holograms and computer technology.

Sincerely, Wet Hands

An Opinion By Isaiah McKay

T

rying to avoid the restrooms at all cost is my motto, but sometimes you just drink WAY too much water and would rather not strain yourself.

After departing from the restroom, I see a familiar face that reaches out for a high five. Before I can stop to think our hands slam together and my immediate response is “Sorry the restroom had no paper towels.” Luckily they replied “it’s cool.”

But honestly, it’s NOT cool. I am not

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one who finds pleasure in air drying my hands unless I’m at the movie theater that has the “world class” hand dryers.

As you make your way from the bottom floor to the top the restroom quality and cleanliness increase each level. Not only is this necessary for you to know but there is an unspoken code regarding the restrooms here.

1. You’ve most likely had this nailed into your brain at a young age but let me reiterate. WASH YOUR HANDS. There is absolutely no harm in washing your hands after any encounter with a publicly used facility. You definitely don’t want to get sick.

2. Along with the first code, please LIMIT the amount of paper towels you use to dry your hands. If you grab 20 paper towels and only the first three actually get wet, this step is aimed towards you. I would rather you use three paper towels and be slightly damp than using your t-shirt in place of the paper towels.

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3. TIME MANAGEMENT is key.

Maybe it’s not the best time to go to the restroom during passing period being forced to wait in a small line to use the facilities, especially if you have a long walk to your next class. Most teachers prefer that you take the opportunity when there is work time in the class. That is the best route.

4. FLUSH, FLUSH, FLUSH. There is nothing more disturbing than having to walk into a stall to see the surprise the last person left for you. We are teenagers (most of us) and we should know how to act.

What I think that should be gained from this is the idea and acknowledgment of the wrongdoings regarding the restrooms at West. I hope this resonated with the students who commit these crimes each day and that you will change your unsanitary ways.

Sincerely, Wet Hands

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Opinion

Apocalyptic Failures

An Opinion By Logan Peterson With the release of films like “The Maze Runner,” “Insurgent” and “Mockingjay,” the trend of adaptations of gaudy post-apocalyptic “young adult” novels continues.

For years now, Hollywood has unapologetically taken already mediocre subject matter and turned them into these big budget schlock-fests.

Dubbed “young adult” and “teen” novels, these books more times than not have a premise that revolves around an oppres-

sive government and/or post-apocalyptic warfare.

In my humble opinion, once you’ve read one series of these books, you’ve read them all. Granted, the one exception is the first book in the “Hunger Games” series, which was utterly brilliant.

Now, once these books have gained a rabid fan base, down swoops the artistically inept producers in Hollywood to take advantage of these young people’s pockets.

First, they have to cast. And by cast, that really means gather all the prettiest people in Hollywood and clump them together in roles they obviously weren’t meant for.

People need to realize that defined cheek bones and blue eyes don’t guarantee good acting.

When the movie is finally being put together, only one thing is truly in mind: special effects. The use of green screen is

a commodity with today’s filmmakers and well thought out dialogue is long forgotten.

Demolition experts are more sought after than quality screenwriters.

Even though the quality of these films continue to decrease, money still continues to be made. This is because the marketing tactics of these movie studios are so good, that they are guaranteed to make money.

The movie producers feed off the the fandom from these books, making extensive viewing an inevitability.

I have a theory that the lifelong fans of these “young adult” novels can’t really see behind the pages of the book. Their adoration for these books cloud their ability to really appreciate a good film.

I hardly have a dog in this race, but one thing I know for sure, is that anyone who applies to these “fanboys” that I am describing, should really think before they spend $14 to see one of these films.

Masterful Movies

An Opinion By Jude Kennedy

When I was a child, I remember my dad always watching movies. He was always going to Vintage Stock or Best Buy to buy a new DVD. We would watch all these movies together. At first I wouldn’t even pay actually watch the movies, because I had the attention span of a 9-year-old; probably because I was one.

One night we watched the cinematic

February 5, 2015

masterpiece “Dazed and Confused,” of course I knew nothing about drugs and alcohol, I just thought it was funny. My favorite scene was when Kramer and his friends got revenge on O’Bannion by dropping paint all over him. After we watched the rest of the movie I thought to myself, “wow, this guy really knows what he’s talking about.” From there on I was hooked. Every night we would watch a new movie. He would normally let me choose, but occasionally he would torture me by playing a horror movie; M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Signs” really did a number on me.

In 8th grade, I moved to Kansas from northwest Ohio. My dad told me would be attending the same school as one of

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my favorite actors, Paul Rudd. I thought I would meet this guy who cracked me up in “Anchorman” at a basketball game, but sadly, I have yet to meet Paul Rudd. I still have hope that he’ll be at graduation this upcoming May. Its hard to find someone who has a love for movies as much as me. When I do find someone, I can talk to them about movies for hours.

If you haven’t seen “Dazed and Confused,” I highly suggest it. I promise you will get a kick out of it. By far my favorite movie of all time.

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Feature

Review of 2014 A timeline of the major events of the past year

By Sylvia Bryan and Megan Barlett ortex olar V 3rd: P

Februar y

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April

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7th-23r d: Russia hosts th e Sochi Winter Olympic s

Oscar Ellen ent e h T : 2nd lfie w rity se celeb viral

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Janua

14th: W es Ebola o t Africa utbreak

March

30th: M ea 10 year n Girls turns s old

May

30th: A LS Ice B uc lenged first rec ket Chalognized in the m edia via Channe the Golf l

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Feature

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February 5, 2015

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11707 Roe Ave., Leawood 913-491-6218 Issue 5

Feature

Organic is the New Black

A local juice and smoothie store is brightening up Old Town Lenexa

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ttracting hundreds and hundreds of people to its grand opening last year, this local health food source will not disappoint.

With a calm ambiance, welcoming atmosphere and energetic staff, the road to a healthy lifestyle is much smoother than you think.

Bulk It is a health food store that provides organic, non-GMO products to customers by helping get them on the path of clean eating. These items range anywhere from organic juices to a wide variety of seeds all the way to french vanilla almond granola.

“There are three founders of the business. Two are owners and my mom is a founder,” Stuke said.

Bulk It was founded by Nancy Baum, Vicki McIntosh and Mandy Stuke to fulfill their mission to provide a safe and healthy clean eating option.

“We’re small, we support local business and local vendors. What’s really important is that our juice and smoothie bar is ALL organic fruits and vegetables.” Baum said.

The daily operations and maintenance of a business can sometimes become very overwhelming, but the Bulk It team takes it all in stride and fosters creative and thoughtful ideas to improve each customer’s experience.

“It’s a ball! We are more than a store, we teach yoga here, we have all kinds of community get togethers.” Baum said.

Located in the heart of Old Town Lenexa, Bulk It’s refreshing spirit and support towards local organizations and vendors is widely popular amongst the Lenexa natives.

“We’re surrounded by other small businesses. And we love the historic aspect of

By Isaiah McKay

it and being part of reviving this location.”

Baum said.

Customers from near and far are often found wandering throughout the store searching for the newest finds and are aided by the brilliant staff. Baum appreciates the amount of local interest, especially from parents and students of West.

“We are big supporters of Shawnee Mission West.”

Senior Skyler Stuke took the opportunity to help co-founder and mother, Mandy Stuke get Bulk It prepared for its grand opening and is now a part of the Bulk It team.

“Last July, I was working a lot of hours by helping set up the store and be ready for opening day,” Stuke said.

Fortunately the amount of effort, hard work and preparation that the Bulk It team took to create and build an eccentric expe-

rience for health newcomers.

“My favorite moment was the first day that we opened, when I saw a line out the door before we even opened. [It] made all of the people that helped get the store ready so happy to see all the people.”

Stuke said.

Although Stuke’s free time is limited during the school year, he continues make a positive connection with anyone that steps into Bulk It. “During the school year I work the weekends. I run the cash register and help our customers while they are in the store,” Stuke said.

With the vast amount of health and nutritional benefits that Bulk It has to offer, there is no reason you shouldn’t give Bulk It a try. There is something there for all members of the family.

PHOTO BY RACHEL HARVEY February 5, 2015

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Feature

Book, Line and Sinker Students at West share their timeless love for books

W

By Kathleen Gartner & Kristin Wells

ith the uproar of technology, books haven’t been on the front shelves of many peoples’ minds.

Yet despite the growing amount of dust in libraries, books are still a source of entertainment for many students.

“When you read a book, there’s just so much more aspect to life. Electronics are just about playing the game, or seeing what your friends are doing. (Books) teach you about life and open your perspective to other things,” Sophomore Adam Holmes said.

Like many other so-called “bookworms,” Holmes began reading from a young age. This early start on reading was often encouraged by parents, siblings, and teachers.

“My mom started reading to me when I was about 2- super young,” Freshman Erin Smith said. “It’s just such a good way to gain knowledge and books hold the answers to everything.”

When asked who inspired her to read, Junior Emma Stamm said, “My mom.

She has always been into mystery books, and she used to read to me all the time.

{ {

I wouldn’t say we bonded over books because we really didn’t, but we always had fun trips to the bookstore and we’d always go to the library and I would sit in the window seat. It was my favorite place to be.”

Reading is not something that Stamm has grown out of. It’s more than just a chapter of her life.

“Giving a book away is like giving a part of yourself away with it,” Stamm said.

Although many students enjoy reading for pure enjoyment, there are some educational benefits as well.

“I enjoy reading because I feel like I’m being productive with my time, I’m not just sitting there, watching a TV show, I’m doing something slightly educational,” Senior Cady Pendleton said.

Reading is also a major part of academics. Most english classes require reading classical or modern literature throughout the year. However, this required reading often has repercussions on the students’ opinions of reading.

“It turns reading into more of a chore and has a negative connotation to it,” Smith

Their Favorites

{ {

Emma Stamm

Cady Pendleton

Tiny Beautiful Things

By Cheryl Strayed

The Clockwork Three

By Matthew J. Kirby

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PHOTOS BY HOPE ERICKSON

David Copperfield

By Charles Dickens

The Infernal Devices

By Cassandra Clare

Adam Holmes

said.

As an alternative, Pendleton suggests using more contemporary texts.

“The books we read for school aren’t as modern. Maybe they were fun to read when they were written, but they’re not necessarily still fun to read today,” Pendleton says.

Another hot topic between book lovers is reading on a kindle or an E-reader versus a paper copy.

“I have a strong opinion. I would discourage reading on a kindle. I love holding a book, turning the pages. I love the smell of new books, I love just the process of going to places and picking out books and being able to hold them and turn the pages,” Stamm said.

Other students, like Holmes, don’t care as long as they’re able to read. But no matter the medium, these students agree that reading is an important part of their lives.

“Reading is an escape to go somewhere new and I can become someone else. A lot of the time, it changes my outlook on different things in life,” Stamm said.

Erin Smith

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Issue 5

300 Words

Photos by: Grace Armenta and Maddy Shackleford

Everybody has a story...

By Karen Barkema

Lindsey Rowatt Freshman Lindsey Rowatt fell in love with running even before middle school. Last fall she came to West with one reason in mind: to run cross country with one of the top teams in the Sunflower league.

Rowatt left Santa Fe Trail Middle School to come here rather than going to Olathe North.

“Over the past summers of track practices with KC Track, I loved training with the West runners and I wanted to stay with them all year. Former assistant coach Leeann Reed gave me the idea to transfer schools for cross country,” Rowatt said.

She had heard about the current coach, Jeff Onnen and knew he could help her become faster.

“I didn’t know she (Rowatt) was coming to West until it was common knowledge. I’m not allowed to convince athletes to transfer for cross country, but she’s a great addition to our team,” Onnen said.

“Last summer my parents and I made a list of pros and cons to consider if transferring would be worth it. During our decision process, it helped to know that Tim Callaghan would help with the carpooling,” Rowatt said.

The beginning of school were not hard. Rowatt had gone to Base Camp and summer conditioning so she recognized many familiar faces.

“I miss my Sante Fe Trail friends, and I text them everyday, but I wouldn’t go back and change anything,” Rowatt said.

In the end, it paid off. Rowatt was top on girls varsity with a personal record of 15:44 for a 4K. Last fall, they went to state and earned 3rd place.

“It was one of the best decisions in my life because I’ve really appreciated how much Onnen has helped me grow and I hope to go to KU or UMC on a cross country scholarship,” Rowatt said.

Photo by Natalie Dierks

February 5, 2015

Do you have a story and want to be featured in the next issue’s section of 300 Words?

Message us on Twitter @SMWjournalism

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Sports

What to Watch For The best storylines in College Basketball An Opinion By Max Meyer As the college basketball season enters the final stretch, there are a few stories that stand out.

1. Will Kentucky go undefeated?

College basketball hasn’t seen an undefeated team through both the regular season and postseason since the Bobby Knight coached Indiana Hoosiers in 1976. Kentucky is 17-0 and seems to have all the tools to win out. They have perhaps the best defense in America giving up only 50.4 points per game. They have rim-protectors in Willie Cauley-Stein (1.9 blocks per game) and Karl-Anthony Towns (2.6 blocks per game), and a scorer in Aaron Harrison (11.4 points per game). Kentucky also has unbelievable depth. They have been able to platoon with two five-man squads.

Another factor that may allow them to go undefeated is that they are in the very weak SEC. Despite everything in Kentucky’s favor this year, I feel as if Kentucky will eventually lose a game.

2. Who wins the Big 12?

The race for the crown in the Big 12 has heated up. KU and Iowa State each only have one loss. Kansas State, West Virginia and Texas are close behind with 2 losses. With the strength of the Big 12, any team can beat another on any given night. It is going to be very hard for any team to pull away. Expect the race for the championship to come down to the final week. When I was trying to decide who I thought would win the conference my first thought was definitely KU. They have won 10 straight conference titles, so they are pretty hard to bet against. However, after watching Iowa State play, I think that Iowa State will be able to dethrone KU. Along with the stellar play of Iowa State, I also feel that KU is not the same team it has been over the past decade. This year they lack a upperclassman leader. Over the years the likes of Sherron Collins and Thomas Robinson have lead the Jayhawks. This year however, the upperclassman who plays the biggest role on the team, Perry Ellis, isn’t vocal enough to be a good leader. With that being said, KU will be neck and neck with Iowa State and a few other teams still have a good chance to win the conference.

3. Which conference is the best in America?

This year it appears that the ACC and the Big 12 are the two premier conferences in the country. When it comes down to evaluating these two conferences it is evident that they are almost polar opposites. The Big 12 has six teams in the top 25, but only one in the top 10. The ACC has five teams in the top 25, but four teams in the top 10. There was a lot of talk at the beginning

20

of the year that the Big 12 was by far the best conference, but now it would seem that it is the ACC. However, I think that is not the case. If you took the top five teams from each conference it would appear that the ACC is better. They have five teams in the top 15, while the Big 12 only has two teams. Top to bottom though, the Big 12 is far superior. 60% of the Big 12 is in the top 25 and 80% of the Big 12 has been ranked at some point. Also, K-State is tied for third in the conference. On the other hand, the ACC has three teams that are winless in conference play. Only time will tell which conference is really the best.

4. Can Gonzaga finally break through?

In recent memory Gonzaga has been one of the best mid-major teams each year. The only mid-major who has been better is Butler who went to back-to-back National Championship in 2010 and 2011. Butler has been a regular in the NCAA Tournament for the last decade and a half, but they have only been to the Elite Eight once. This year could be the best team that Gonzaga has ever had.

They are 18-1 with their lone loss to Arizona and they are ranked third in the nation. Gonzaga should be able to get through the West Coast Conference schedule relatively unscathed which means they should be able to get a high seed for the tournament. After watching Gonzaga play a few games, they definitely have a chance to make a deep run in the tournament.

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PHOTO BY: (CC) en.wikipedia.org

Issue 5

No Rest for the Wrestler Q&A with Jose Montoya about his success in wrestling over the past three years.

By Jude Kennedy

Jose Montoya (right) practices his wrestling with teammate Trey Carter.

Jude Kennedy: How long have you been wrestling?

Jose Montoya: Since freshman year JK: What are your personal goals for this wrestling season?

JM: To win state

JK: Do you plan on wrestling in college?

And if so what is your dream school?

JM: I plan on playing football in college.

If there happens to be an opening in my weight class, I might walk on and be a two sport athlete.

JK: What does your training consist of?

JM: Pretty much lift weights and work on moves.

JK: As a whole, what is your greatest attribute?

JM: Sometimes the other wrestlers in the room look up to me for wrestling moves.

JK: What weight class are you in?

JM: 195

JK: What is your weakest attribute?

JM: Probably warming up.

JK: What is your record? (as of 1-14) JM: 21-3

JK: What is your most memorable moment wrestling as a Viking?

JM: It happened this year. I was just chillin’, and I just barely beat this kid 3-2.

February, 5, 2015

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Photo by Rachel Harvy

So I’m just chillin’, going to sleep, but the round went fast. I was asleep for like 20 minutes. So the guy I’m supposed to wrestle is already on the mat. So they’re looking for me around the whole gym, I wake up, and they’re like you’re up now, no warm up time or nothing. Then I pin him in like 2 minutes.

JK: What made you want to wrestle?

JM: Well, I said I was gonna do it for football, just to get in better shape.

JK: Is it hard for you to balance your diet so you stay in your weight class?

JM: Haha, no, not at all.

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Feature

It Takes Heart

Junior Darrell Stewart has a heart syndrome, but continues to play basketball

By Caleb Walker When you first thinks of characteristics of a varsity basketball player, ideas such as height, strength, speed and leaping ability may come to mind. A genetic heart syndrome however might not make the list.

Junior Darrell Stewart is a towering 6 feet 3 inches tall with a standing explosive vertical of 42 inches. Stewart’s most unique attribute on the court is something that cannot be viewed with the human eye. Stewart was diagnosed two years ago with a heart condition known as Long Q3 Syndrome. The condition causes his heart to be “off rhythm.” After the diagnosis, Stewart had surgery in order to put in a defibrillator.

Stewart is not the only one to have heart conditions in his family.

Two members of his family have passed away because of similar heart conditions. This specific syndrome requires appointments with a cardiologist every six months.

The defibrillator acts as a safety net in case his heart rate reaches a dangerous level. Safety precautions have been taken in order to put Stewart in the safest environment as possible.

“If it gets to a certain level then you get shocked which of course we don’t want it to get to that level,” Ryan Darst, boy’s varsity head coach, said. “We monitor his heart at all times during practice and games,” The school administration has also partnered with the coaching staff to ensure Stewart’s safety.

“This fall, we had a sit down with his dad and trainer and principal just to make sure we were all on the same page,” Darst said. “We understand the condition and it hasn’t been an issue at all.”

“We kind of got a routine of how we handle it now and it’s worked pretty well so far,” assistant coach Hunter Henry said, “I think we have kind of gotten it down now, I think it took the first couple weeks. It was a pretty big concern.”

Special equipment is used to ensure that Stewart’s heart rate is always under control.

“At practice I wear a watch and a band. Then, during games I wear a bluetooth band so coach can look up the heart rate on his phone,” Stewart said.

One of the largest components to the successfulness of coping with this condition is trust.

“It’s kind of a fine line you have to walk with how you treat it.

You have to kind of have trust that he knows his body and how he feels, he’s lived with it his entire life and you have to trust that he knows how hard he can go,” Henry said. “At the same time, as a coach, you always think that guys can go harder and can run faster and do these things but you kinda have to put a little bit of that trust in his hands and that is hard sometimes as a coach to kind of give up that control.”

Darst also places trust into Stewart’s hands.

“We trust him so when he’s at that point he has to stop himself,” Darst said.

Although this syndrome brings fear at times, it also brings both

22

motivation and inspiration to the coaching staff and teammates.

“It’s inspirational,” sophomore Isreal Watson said. “It’s pretty fun playing with him. He’s a great athlete.”

“It’s cool that he is able to play basketball and do sports and run and jump and not be affected, it isn’t something that really limits him,” Henry praised. “But it’s cool cause a lot of people, with what has happened in his family, they would stop doing things but he’s kind of kept going and pursue the best that he can, that’s pretty neat.”

Darst also finds the light in the situation.

“He’s a great kid. And Darrell, you know, has a tough situation and he’s dealt with a lot of things in his life already. He’s handled stuff pretty well to get where he’s at,” Darst said.

Stewart also utilizes his condition to act as a motivation factor.

“It motivates me to strive for greatness and to work hard everyday. It really makes me go harder,” Stewart said.

Stewart shoots a lay-up against Shawnee Mission West.

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Issue 5

Sports

Remaining Sports Schedules Date

Feb. 13 Feb. 17 Feb. 20 Feb. 24 Feb. 27 March 4, 6 March 11, 13, 14

Girls/Boys Basketball Opponent

SM North Olathe South SM Northwest Lawrence e Leavenworth Sub State State

Venue Home OS SMNW Home Home TBD TBD

Wrestling Date

Feb. 14, 9:00 A.M. Feb 21, 9:00 A.M. Feb. 27, 28, 9:00 A.M.

Opponent

Sunflower League Tournament Regional Tournament State Tournament

Venue

TBD TBD Wichita, Kan.

Boys Swim/Dive

Date

Feb. 20 Feb. 21

Opponent State Meet

State Championships

Venues

Topeka, Kan. Topeka, Kan.

Girls/Boys Bowling Date

Feb. 12 Feb. 18 Feb. 19 March 6

February 5, 2015

Opponent

SM North, Lawrence, Leavenworth SMSD Tournament Sunflower League Tournament State Tournment

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Venues

Mission Bowl Park Lanes Crown Lanes Northrock Lanes

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A&E

Best Ten Films of 2014 Film Critic Logan Peterson gives his Top Ten films of 2014

I

f I had to use one word to describe 2014 in film, it would be: inconsistency. Several films really impressed me, particularly over the summer, but once it came to the months of October to December, dubbed “Oscar Season,” there were a few underwhelming films.

So without further adieu, here are my favorite films of 2014.

1. X-Men: Days of Future Past- 2014 was an exemplary year for the comic book movie genre and “X-Men” was far and away the best of the bunch. It matched an intricately weaved plot, incredible action sequences and emotional resonance. Director Bryan Singer brought new and old casts together to create an Kitty Pryde, played by Ellen Paige, talks to Bobby (Ice Man), played intense and visceral movie-going

by Shawn Ashmore in “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” experience that I will never forget.

2. Boyhood- Chronicling the life of a boy named Mason from adolescence to young adulthood, visionary director Richard Linklater takes a seemingly simple story and turns it into an epic mosaic that will surely find it’s way into the ranks of the greatest films of all-time. Linklater did the impossible by filming over a 12 year period, while using the same cast and crew. The performances from top to bottom are so authentic, particularly Ethan Hawke, who is incredible as Mason’s father.

3. Birdman- “Birdman” is set around Riggan Thompson (Michael Keaton), a washed-up actor who once played an iconic superhero and mounts a Broadway play in order to regain his former glory. This is such an unapologetic look at ego, fame and human nature. The razor sharp dialogue is both hilarious and melancholy.

Edward Norton as “the pretentious Method actor” is a scene stealer but the great acting comes from Michael Keaton, who is essentially playing a fictional version of himself in that he once played an iconic superhero himself (remember “Batman” circa 1989).

4. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes- This unrelenting sci-fi features the best use of motion capture technology I’ve ever seen. “Dawn” is set 10 years after the Simian Flu epidemic rampaged the world and left the human race close to extinct. Andy Serkis as Caesar is so incredible and he continues to be unappreciated, ever since his captivating performance as Gollum in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. “Dawn” is a smartly written and wellpaced sci-fi action flick.

5. Wild- Reese Witherspoon gives the best performance of her career in “Wild,” where she plays Cheryl Strayed, a woman who undertakes a 1000 mile solo-hike in order to recover from the death of her mother. The film is edited so well, showing flashbacks of her troubled life, as well as her relationship with her mother (an amazing Laura Dern). Her struggle against wilderness only intensifies as her struggle for inner-peace comes into play.

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Issue 5

A&E 6. Captain America: The Winter Soldier- Along with “X-Men,” this film really gave me a different perspective on superhero films. “Winter Soldier” plays out like a 1970s political thriller as we see Captain America take on a Nazi organization known as Hydra, that cemented it’s way inside SHIELD. This is a sequel that easily stands on it’s own and doesn’t feel at all like a set-up movie. The action sequences are intense and it also has an intrigue about it that creates a sense of suspense and nostalgia.

7. Whiplash- This intense drama had me sweating from start to finish. Andrew (Miles Teller) an aspiring jazz drummer develops an abusive relationship with his instructor (JK Simmons). The scenes of verbal and physical abuse can make you cringe, but at the same time, you can’t look away. When the two are on screen together, their dynamic relationship creates a moral ambiguity that wrestles with the audiences emotions. Both Teller and Simmons are worthy of Oscar nominations for their electric work.

8. Foxcatcher- This slow burn thriller tells the true story of the relationship between Olympic wrestler Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) and billionaire John du Pont (Steve Carell) during the 1988 Seoul Olympics. The performance of Steve Carell as the sinister and jealousy filled du Pont is breathtaking and he creates such a tense world around him with his malice. Another great entry for acclaimed director Bennett Miller.

Chris Evans, Captain America, and George St, Pierre, Georges Bartoc fight in “Captain America: The Winter Solider.”

9. Gone Girl- The first time I saw this film, I enjoyed it to a certain degree but with a second viewing, I realized how great it really was. “Gone Girl” tells the story of a woman (Rosamund Pike) who goes missing, with her husband (Ben Affleck) as the prime suspect. Anything more would spoil this intricate mystery. Both Pike and Affleck command the screen, along with a superb script and the bone chilling musical score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

10. The Lego Movie- Obviously the most underappreciated of the year, “The Lego Movie” was omitted from the Best Animated Feature category at this year’s Oscars. This is a crime. “Lego” is one of the best animated films of the last decade with it’s fast paced humor and beautiful animation. Directing duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller had an amazing 2014 with “The Lego Movie” and the uber-successful, albeit disappointing comedy, “22 Jump Street.”

Honorable Mentions- “A Most Violent Year”, “The Babadook”, “Edge of Tomorrow”, “The Guest, Joe”, “Life Itself”, “Nightcrawler”, “Selma”, “The Theory of Everything”, “Under the Skin”

February 5, 2015

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Golden Globes Recap & Oscars Preview

by Spence Lassalle

Did you miss The Golden Globes this year? Well if you didn’t don’t fear because I am here to tell you everything important that happened.

This year most of the the awards kinda felt obvious, which isn’t very fun. There were a couple surprises, but most of them just were kind of expected. J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) winning for best performance by an actor in a supporting role in a motion picture really surprised me. Don’t get me wrong, it was a great performance and I wanted him to win; I just thought it would have been overlooked.

I was also surprised that “How to Train Your Dragon 2” won Best Animated Picture. I was thinking either “Big Hero 6” or “The Lego Movie” would have won. I guess it’s just lucky for “The Lego Movie” to be nominated, but we’ll get to that later when we talk about the Oscars.

Jeffrey Tambor winning the award for best actor in a TV series, Musical or Comedy honestly was the best choice. He won it for “Transparent”, which is show that not a lot of people know about mainly because it comes on Amazon Prime. The show centers around Jeffrey Tambor as a man making his transition to a transgender. It was really awesome when he won because I don’t think a lot of people were expecting it.

Kevin Spacey won his first Golden Globe this year after having eight nominations, he finally won for Best Actor in a TV series, Drama “House of Cards”. “Boyhood” won the Golden Globe for Best Picture which it totally deserved in my opinion. Will it win best picture at the Oscars? Who knows.

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A lot of people are excited for the Oscars, and they usually never fail entertaining me. The Oscars will air on Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. and will be hosted by Neil Patrick Harris.

Some of the nominations either surprised me or disappointed me, for example I was surprised that St. Vincent wasn’t nominated for anything. I would at least expect Bill Murray to be nominated for Best Actor. He probably wouldn't have won but he should’ve been nominated. I was surprised that Steve Carell's performance in “Foxcatcher” was nominated for Best Actor, I expected for “Foxcatcher” to be nominated in Best Make-up, and it is. The biggest snub of them all was “The Lego Movie” not even being nominated for Best Animated Picture, everything is awesome though because the song “Everything is Awesome” is nominated for best original song. Emma Stone’s nomination for a Best Supporting Actress in “Birdman” was a little bit unexpected, I’m not saying she didn’t deserve it, I just think more people deserved it instead of her.

There has been some controversy over the fact that none of the actors in “Selma” have been nominated for anything, but it was nominated for Best Picture, so at least the film as a whole has been nominated. The song “Glory” from Selma has been nominated for best song. The song already won Best Original Song at the Golden Globes so it might have a chance to win two awards.

The big question is who will win Best Picture? The nominees are -“American Sniper” -“Birdman” -“Boyhood” -”Grand Budapest Hotel” -”The Imitation Game” -“Selma” -“The Theory of Everything” -“Whiplash” Will “Boyhood” win the Oscar for Best Picture after it won Best Picture at the Golden Globes? I think so because out of all the movies on the list, I have heard the most positive things out of “Boyhood”. I do think every one of the films on the list are great, but there are good and bad things about them. I believe they all deserve to be nominated because they truly are some of the best films of the year.

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Issue 5

A&E Drake Mattis’ Review of The Smashing Pumpkins “Monuments to an Elegy” The Smashing Pumpkins are an alternative rock band that was formed in Chicago in 1988. They released their first fulllength album, “Gish” in 1991 and rose to fame with “Siamese Dream” in 1993.

The band, and lead singer Billy Corgan in particular, is currently working on a three-part album cycle project called “Teargarden by Kaleidyscope” which will be compiled of three other albums, “Oceania,” (2012) “Monuments to an Elegy,” (2014) and “Day for Night” (2015).

Their most recent album, “Monuments to an Elegy” is their ninth album and was released on December 5th, 2014 in the U.S. and immediately received some mixed, but mostly positive feedback.

The album only has nine songs that collectively last about 32 minutes, but those songs contain some fantastic guitar riffs that go along with Corgan’s signature airy voice which make this album one to be heavily praised given the long breaks in their music production. It should also be noted that Corgan continues to write all of the bands music and that he is still able to come up with some really good songs over the almost 27 years of the band’s existence.

I am a huge fan of the Pumpkins’ previous work and I think making this “comeback” threepart album cycle is a great opportunity for the band, it’s fans and Corgan to reflect upon their unique flare over the past few decades.

Corgan’s age is hardly noticeable throughout the album; he sounds almost the same as he did in songs like “Cherub Rock” which came out nearly 22 years ago. His genuinely palpable emotion comes out often throughout the album and that is something that has always been typical for Corgan.

“Monuments to an Elegy” features a new, more electric feel than some of their old work. It’s a nice touch in some songs but just sounds a bit out of place in others. It is also difficult to put this album in a certain genre because it seems to lack the wide variety of instruments often used in today’s form of popular alternative rock. To some it could be described as modern day grunge but it seems too vibrant and upbeat for that. I would most likely label this album as “modern rock” or “soft rock” because of the band’s effort to make it sound of age but also their

27

shortcoming of advancement from their “90’s grunge” attitude.

I know I don’t know anything about putting together albums or writing music but if I could give Corgan any advice for future work it would be to review the use of new and somewhat unfamiliar beats and cadences. When you mix vocals that may be a bit past their prime together with, what are supposed to be, fresh, crisp beats, you probably won’t get the best product. This was a frustrating reality and a large factor that could have lead to the negative, though uncommon, criticism.

This album was not put together perfectly and I would say that the last three songs in the album are not very good and were a tad disappointing. It left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth which was not how I expected to feel after listening to the album.

Something that I took away after listening to this album was that the band seems to be stuck with their “90’s” fervorous sentiment despite their addition of some electronic beats and upbeat tempos. This new sanguine attitude is something I haven’t seen before out of Corgan or the band altogether.

I can easily say that “Being Beige” is the best song on this album. This song is one has been played on local alternative radio station, “96.5 The Buzz,” numerous times since it was released as a single in October. This song seems to stick out to me because it has a different but more classic “Pumpkins” vibe.

“Monuments to an Elegy” is a collection of six colorful, florid, and developed songs (those being the first six) and it leaves me excited and eager to hear what Corgan has for us in “Day for Night,” the next and final album in this current project, which is currently scheduled to be released in late 2015.

This half-hour beauty of an album was a great listen for me and I would definitely recommend this album to any fan of The Smashing Pumpkins. After writing this, I will continue to listen to the album and hopefully enjoy it for a long time to come.

Grade: B-

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Issue 5

Page 1 A review of Graeme Simsion’s “The Rosie Project”

by Kristin Wells I usually don’t look twice at a book that seems like just another love story, but “The Rosie Project” is definitely not your typical romance.

While it is about a misunderstood and socially awkward man finding love, love is not the main focus and theme of the novel. It focuses on fitting in, yet being true to yourself.

In addition, it is quite hilarious and enjoyable to read the comedy interwoven throughout the entire story.

Don Tillman is the most logically-minded person I have ever met, real or fictitious. A professor of genetics, he approaches everything scientifically, even his relatively non-existent love life. Rosie Jarman, he thinks, will never be a suitable wife, but the undertaking of a project to find Rosie’s biological father creates a quirky relationship between the two.

Rosie does not fit Don’s scientific set of guidelines for the perfect wife, but there’s something about her that Don can’t figure out. His scientific mind can’t comprehend something that doesn’t fit within his sphere of logic. The Father Project brings them together, and Don realizes that some things don’t need to have scientific proof to be true.

I loved watching Don’s character sort through all the new changes to his schedule and to his life. He changed from a man performing everything the exact same way to

a somewhat spontaneous man, who would go anywhere to help Rosie. For me, that was the best part, seeing the change in Don and the change in Rosie towards Don. Don narrates the novel, and it showcases his unique personality. It was a brilliant and risky choice by Simsion to have Don narrate the story. His way of thinking is so logical, it was so intriguing to me to see his mind work that way. On the other hand, reading through his point of view was very difficult to relate to.

While a creative and brilliant book, it doesn’t make my shelf of favorite book. It lacked the spark that all truly great books have. Don’s character is a work of genius, but it’s difficult to get into the book when the narrative is completely scientifically thought. The only emotions we as the reader get to see and feel are through Don’s eyes and he doesn’t feel or recognize much emotion.

On the whole, this book was brilliantly unique and funny to read. It was difficult to relate to, which made the book a little less interesting for me.

Grade: B-

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Issue 5

Page 2 A review of Graeme Simsion’s “The Rosie Project”

by Kathleen Gartner Graeme Simsion’s debut novel, “The Rosie Project,” is a fun and quirky read revolving around a hopelessly unromantic genetics professor.

After countless failed dates and social faux-pas, “aspie” Don Tillman decides it’s time to approach the issue of love the way he approaches everything else: through meticulous scientific analysis. He creates a 16-page questionnaire to give to future candidates, aptly dubbing it the “Wife Project.” It is designed to filter out unintelligent women, smokers, and the late arrivers- in short, the perfect woman.

The plot that ensues is a laugh-out-loud adventure, as Don realizes that love is no easy variable to isolate.

This book surpassed my initial expectations. “The Rosie Project” is a fresh take on a somewhat worn out genre. It was very entertaining to read a “romance” novel through a largely unromantic viewpoint. Instead of focusing on gushy feelings, author Graeme Simsion takes the readers on a journey of self-identity and acceptance. He also uses the clueless professor to delve into what it truly means to love another human being- love that is often not easily defined nor formulated.

Don’s unique character is what made this book worth reading for me. It takes guts to write an emotional story from the eyes of someone socially inept. Simsion’s gamble pays off as we get to see the rigid, routine-driven Don transform into a man in love.

However, all this being said, because the entire novel is written from Don’s emotionally limited point of view, the reader’s perspective is limited to what Don emotionally perceives from the other characters. A lot of the potential character development and “spark” in Rosie is lost on the readers because it is lost on Don. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an unconventional feel-good book. It had just enough humor and was a quick read. Graeme Simsion made this eccentric scientist so relatable that I couldn’t help rooting for him.

Grade: B

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X HOT OR NOT @EmmaFerrin If you aren’t coming to see A Year with Frog and Toad, you’re missing out

@JamesJrhoopes Having Freddy’s made my night

@TThatch12 Looks like I’ll add another Gamewinner to my senior year #GABL

@_kemg5 This snapchat update is weird. It doesn’t have best friends anymore.

@JohnOchsner1 Sure do love shaving off years of my life with tedious homework that I work on long into the night so my school doesn’t get defunded @USGOV

@nackvince The grey phase West is going through is terrible and needs to be stopped

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Clint Eastwood

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