the epic. (Issue 6)

the epic.

8800 W. 85th St. Overland Park, KS February 28, 2014 Vol. 52 - Issue 6

we’re banking on these next few years p.12

BRIEFS

News

by andy gottschalk

Students celebrate the snow days with sledding by Indian Trails.

Dylan crow

controversial vandals wreak legislature in havoc in kansas makes missouri high school waves in the media After a proposed bill that would allow discrimniation of gays for businesses and individuals, and another proposed bill that would allow the public spanking of children by teachers and parents, many are questioning the productivity and motivation behind Kansas’ legislature.

Media outlets jumped on the bills, suggesting Kansas to have mixed priorities.

This past Monday vandals broke in Platte County High School at 4 a.m., stealing computers and iPads, using hammers to break surveillance devices, damaging vending machines and the school’s phone system.

They broke 30 computer monitors and spray-painted both the interior and exterior of the building.

The police are unsure of who the vandals were and continue to investigate.

mcdonald’s hurt by an uncommon sales drop McDonald’s suffered its first drop in sales in nine years just after its new chief executive, Don Thompson, took office. According to franchise owners and stock analysts, a major factor is the toll of the economy on families and eating out.

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VENN DIAGRAM

woody allen

Ribald humor with a keen eye on human interaction

woody from “toy story” White males Hates, hates, HATES most people like. being replaced.

cheer’s issues Not #HOT, not #NOT with twitter but #MEH lead to limits 1 The second trilogy of Star

After issues with negative tweeting, the West cheer squad has plans to put in place a new rule that bans negative tweets from its cheer and yell leaders.

The plan, which is under review, suggests cheer members would be warned after one negative tweet.

After the second the member would be kicked off the squad, according to a source who asked for anonymity.

Cheer coach Kayley Otto responded, saying this was in an effort to “keep cheer drama off social media,” adding that she wants members of the squad to practice the West Way beyond practice and games.

Wars

2 Silver dollar pancakes 3 WPA 4 The “cook time” button on 5 6 7 8 9

microwaves A la carte pretzel bites at lunch Baby showers, probably YouTube Educational filter Sochi coverage Banksy

shia lebouf opens art show called #iamsorry

facebook to pay $19 billion for messaging app

In obligatory celebrity career move news, Shia LeBouf, after plagiarizing the famed comic artist Daniel Clowes, opened a performance art show that responded to flack he’s received online.

The performance piece, called #IAMSORRY allowed viewers to insult LeBouf while he sat with a brown paper bag on his head. Several viewers mentioned he cried, but said nothing.

Facebook, which is looking to expand its messaging potential, is buying WhatsApp, a messaging app more popular abroad than in the U.S. The app, which has little revenue, will be an expensive buy for Facebook, which paid for the more popular app Instagram for just $1 billion two years ago.

Because of WhatsApp’s more personal, one-on-one interactions, Facebook hopes to supplant its more public messaging with a more privatized experience.

The app, which has yet to catch on in America, is justifiable in its bid largely because of the app’s user base growth, which is seeing more users join than Facebook in its own early days.

:-(

#desperate

You beat a woman and drag her down a flight of stairs, pulling her hair out by the roots? You’re the fourth guy taken in the NFL draft. You kill people while driving drunk? That guy’s welcome. Players caught in hotel rooms with illegal drugs and prostitutes? We know they’re welcome. Players accused of rape and pay the woman to go away?

You lie to police trying to cover up a murder? We’re comfortable with that. You love another man? Well, now you’ve gone too far!

Dallas sports anchor Dale Hansen responding to critics of Michael Sam, the first openly gay NFL draftee

following trend, girl scouts releases new gluten-free cookie Girl Scouts, known for its celebrated annual cookie deliveries has added a new gluten-free chocolate chip shortbread to its repertoire. The move is a part of a larger trend of people moving away from gluten products. Nielsen reported that households buying gluten-free products has increased 5% in the past four years.

gluten isn’t cool. agreed.

Feature

Apart from Curriculum, A Book for the Fun of It teachers from west and westridge spearhead a reading group by jordan johnson

Mimi Rainen, English teacher at West and Maureen Frozell, English teacher at Westridge both came together to find a way to encourage students to read.

“It was Maureen’s idea, so we discussed it at our Vertical Team meeting,” Rainen said.

The Vertical Team is for 7-12 grade H/AP teachers. The idea came from a similar concept from Olathe Northwest High School.

The book chosen for everyone to read is “Hate List” by Jennifer Brown who lives in Kansas City, Missouri.

“I didn’t want to read about school shooting, but it’s also about the healing of it,” Rainen said.

West has been through a lot in the past year, and this book captures the togetherness of everyone after tragic incidents.

“I thought it was a good time to read this,

“I thought it was a good time to read this, how we come together as a community with Andre and Houston”

how we come together as a community with Andre and Houston,” Rainen said.

The original idea of having West Reads was to improve vocabulary, but in the end, it’s not a tough read for the middle schoolers.

“The vocabulary is not hard at all, I wanted to encourage others to enjoy reading. I think we need to value books more,” Rainen said.

“Hate List” is about a teenage girl named Valerie who created a list about people and things they had hated. Her boyfriend Nick finds the list and makes the list his target with a school shooting. Summer passes and Valerie has to go back to school and face the memories.

“The boyfriend was also into drugs and the book is also about bullying,” Rainen said.

At the event, Rainen hopes to have art displays of ways West students have overcome challenges to signify the rough patch in “Hate List” but how they healed.

West Reads night will take place in the West library March 3 at seven and then disperse into small group discussions.

Rainen has been involved in her own reading club for 24 years with a variety of women.

“I like to buy books and annotate, but books aren’t just for teachers, they’re for everyone. I want to do an annual event. I think this will catch

JUANYAE STALLINGS

on and the community encourages it. The Kansas City Missouri library, Johnson County Library and JCCC all sponsor readings. Kids need to make reading a habit,” Rainen said.

With new resources like a Kindle and iPads to read with, instead of books, kids can incorporate technology to encourage reading habits.

Students use technology every day, yet still are not reading as much as past generations.

So far there are approximately 43 people registered for West Reads.

“We encourage students to read with adults.

A lot of Westridge students signed up with their parents,” Rainen said.

This gives Westridge students an opportunity to discuss a book and better prepare themselves for the expectations of high school.

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Opinion

contents After Tim Bishop’s passing, we talk to his colleagues and players. p.2

One Small Step

Paras and how they help.

a move towards more integrated technology brings pros and cons an opinion of the staff

p.6

In case you haven’t heard from your teachers, one of the many students at this school or read the cover story of this issue, Shawnee Mission School District has decided to make a radical change to the way students will learn.

High school students in the 20142015 year will all be given Apple laptops to aid them in their learning process. (If you want to know more about this technology initiative check out our centerspread.)

This all sounds great. The Shawnee Mission School District has made a huge step forward into the age of technology.

However, this new ideal, like every ideal, has both pros and cons. So we at “The Epic” wanted to layout our likes and dislikes about this new initiative.

One of the major pluses to this new initiative is the fact that SMSD was the first school district in the Johnson County area to implement this big of a technological integration into the school environment. SMSD was often in the shadow of the Blue Valley district because the Blue Valley district had newer and nicer buildings with more updated technology installed inside them. Now that our school district will be giving out more upto-date laptops, our students will be able to use that more advanced technology to stay on par with the students of the Blue Valley district.

An ever present concern lies with students possibly defacing the laptops.

While most students are responsible enough to value and handle the technology with respect, there will always

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be those who can’t resist the allure of disfiguring the pristine condition of the new laptops. It might begin with a pen mark here or there, then it’s a missing key on the keyboard. Soon enough the laptop is in pretty bad shape. If we can avoid spending more money on repairing the laptops, we should. It is an inevitability though that some students will do some damage to their laptops. Just look at the amount of textbooks and desks with profanity or other writings, carvings, drawings and song lyrics on them. History repeats itself. With this new wave of technology being brought in, the desks and books will be replaced with laptops.

Another positive aspect of this initiative though is that it will level the playing field for students. No longer will some students say that they don’t have access to a computer. Students will be able to compete on the same ground now that they will all utilize the same type of technology. Lazy students, proactive students, students from well off families, students from poorer families, students who have a homework hungry dog and students that always seem to leave their homework at home will all be on the same page. Homework that is given to be done on the laptops will be easier to find and grade as they will all be in the same format and all in the same place.

But a negative stemming from this positive will be the worry that some students will not be able to access the internet at home. While every student might receive a laptop, that doesn’t mean that they also receive a stable internet

connections as well. If the students are given homework that requires the use of an online textbook or some other online peripheral will be out of luck if they don’t have access to an internet connection.

While many places offer free Wi-Fi like libraries, cafes and restaurants, they aren’t always in convenient locations.

Especially in the winter when we receive snow, getting to a free Wi-Fi point is not going to be an easy task for some students. Location and weather will definitely affect how some students will be able to get access to the internet. Unfortunately, in some rare cases, some students may find doing homework impossible.

To end this on a positive note, the implementation of this initiative is very quick. The district will give all the laptops to the high school students by the start of next school year. This is incredibly speedy. To be able to purchase and distribute laptops to every student in every high school in under a year is an amazing feat.

To give a final outlook on the new initiative, “The Epic” staff is cautiously optimistic about it. We will wait with bated breath to see how things will turn out for the school district with this bold new initiative. We are hoping for some great things, but we are aware of the possible downsides with it. Only we, the users of the new laptops, will ultimately determine how well things go. The success of this initiative rests in the hands of the students and the teachers.

Dory’s back with his art blurbs. See what he has to say! p.20 To come up with this issue’s cover we played with ideas of how much the new tech initiative would cost and how new access would affect students. After settling on a design, Guest Editor Dylan Crow took to the studio to fulfill our vision.

staff Editors-In-Chief assistant editor Managing editor guest photo editor Photo editor writers

Cartoonists adviser

Andy Gottschalk & Marleah Campbell Brianna Cole Lauren Scobee Dylan Crow Sami Jett Betty Thomas Isabelle Frankel Jordan Johnson Max Meyer

Brock Burnett Spence Lassalle Kristin Wells Isaiah McKay Chance Julian Alex Ralston Amy Morgan

News

It’s Not Easy Being Green enviro club” hopes to positively impact the lives of others and the community by marleah campbell

W

Sponsor Doug Moles on the rooftop with Enviro Club members.

PHOTO BY DYLAN CROW

ith the founding of a new ambitious club, some innovative, eco-friendly changes can be expected in coming months.

This January, sophomore Alex Ralston, started Enviroment Club, or “Enviro Club,” with the hopes of instilling eco-friendly habits in others.

“I think there’s a lot of, I wouldn’t say detrimental, but more unhealthy habits the school has. I think people are kind of turned off by ‘green freaks,’ but if they understand how cool it is and the positive impacts it has then people would be more likely to engage in eco-friendly practices,” Ralston said.

Club sponsor Doug Moles plans to have a three-pronged approach to the club– impacting the local community, looking into renewable energy sources and developing sustainable agriculture.

A main goal of Ralston’s is to get other people to make “green” habits that are beneficial to the environment as well as themselves. An example of this is urban farming, where people can grow food for themselves and their families in their own backyard.

“It’s really easy for people to grow tomatoes, for example, in our climate.

We want to get people to realize how much money it would save them,” Ralston said. “If people would realize how easy it is and how cool it is to have their own garden and grow food in their backyard, and how good it is for themselves and people around them, then they would probably be more inclined to do it.”

Along with eco-friendly habits in the home, Ralston hopes that the club can help the school make major strides towards being eco friendly. An idea he hopes to bring to life is the implementation of a high tunnel in the science courtyard.

Currently, growing crops at school runs into problems because of a lack of continuity. Because of a cold, windy climate known to Kansas winters, crops can’t grow on their own.

“The main trouble of growing in the winter is wind taking heat away from the plants,” Moles said. “The high tunnel helps plants grow in winter months.”

The high tunnel would be constructed to use year round to grow a

variety of vegetables and is designed so that it uses no energy at all.

“At first, we are looking to grow lettuces and roots like beets and carrots,” Moles said.

Club members will take care of the many jobs that come with growing plants – planting seedlings, watering plants, harvesting vegetables.

With approval from Dr. Julie Crain for the project, funding is the next obstacle to tackle. According to Moles, approximately 60% of the money will come from the Environmental Science Fund.

“The first step is finding companies around the area that would supply us with materials or possibly kits to build these things,” Ralston said.

“Then we’d need to get bids from companies to see how low they’re willing to go for a school project.”

Initially, the food will go out to club members to enjoy. In the long run, Ralston and Moles hope that some of the crops will be donated to the school cafeteria for the student body to enjoy.

Why Should I Be an Urban Farmer? source: beanurbanfarmer.com

• Improves biodiversity in the city setting by attracting various plants, insects, wild plants and amphibians • Absorbs greenhouse gases and can help with climate regulation • Improves nutrition by offering fresh and accessible produce • Reduction in crime rates has been noted in urban cities with gardening projects

The club looks at solar panels on the school’s rooftop.

PHOTO BY DYLAN CROW

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Feature

The Students’ Champions paraprofessionals help beyond just classwork by kristin wells

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They flit in and out of classes. Maybe they’re not always seen, but their influence sure is.

Paraprofessionals, those who work mainly with kids who have special needs or have IEP’s(Individualized Education Program). The work that they provide at the school is more than just assisting in the classroom.

“Some kids I work with have down syndrome so there’s a lot of one-on-one time. I’m in an art class often and it’s very one-on-one. It’s also motivating and encouraging. Some kids need the push,” Katie Carlino said.

Carlino is one of the about 30 paras that work at West. She originally had never planned on working as a para.

“My older sister is a para and I just graduated college. I’m in that spot where I don’t know what to do with my life so she suggested this,” Carlino said.

Carlino didn’t have personal experience working with special education kids, even in high school.

“My high school didn’t have any special-ed programs. Coming here you realize how much they can do. You have to give them a chance.

They really surprise me, there’s more than just how people look. It’s a nice daily reminder,” Carlino said.

Ashley Arnold is also a para who had not planned on this job. But it is a perfect fit for her.

“I have a good friend that told me this was right up my alley. I love it. It’s opened my eyes to the diversity of different students. I already am a compassionate person and this opened my eyes so I have such a soft heart because I love all my kids so much,” Arnold said.

Paras may just be the backbone of the school.

“I feel that most paras are encouraging and

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“I truly believe that what I’m doing is good for students. I’ve learned a lot. If I would have had someone at school maybe things would have been different. So I’m doing what I wish I would have had.”

motivational.

We’re constantly giving them a hand up and lots of positive reinforcement,” Arnold said.

As one who has always worked with kids, para Megan Vertz knew this job would be good.

She may not have realized how good.

“I’ve always worked with students, nannying, teaching pre-school, managing a camp. I get a lot of joy out of it. Sometimes they can frustrate me but nine times out of ten, they make me happy. I feel very lucky to work with students,” Vertz said.

Paras work with a variety of students from kids with down syndrome and autism to kids with behavioral or attention disabilities. Even kids that just need a little extra help, an extra push can find help through paras. The students are what make the job worth it.

“It can be challenging, you have to have patience. It’s something different everyday, it’s never a tedious job,” Arnold said.

“I like being able to interact, I need interaction. It’s fun learning stuff again, it’s a learning experience for us too,” Carlino said.

Vertz gets lots of joy from seeing students succeed.

“Some of them are just so funny and so sweet. Everyone has bad days, but the good outweighs the bad. I also like how after you’ve worked with someone and their eyes get bigger when they’ve gotten it,” Vertz said.

Vertz works with a distinct goal in mind, but sometimes things are a bit uncertain.

“I hope education-wise, I hope I make a difference, give a good support system and move them to independence. That’s our goal, to get the kids to independence. But you never know exactly what’s going to happen,” Vertz said.

West is incredible in many ways, but the

way that the special-ed kids are included, that’s special. The Cadet Teaching class is a great example. Regular-ed kids are mixed right in with the special-ed kids.

“The special -ed kids are really incorporated.

We can be walking down the hallway with regular-ed kids and they’ll say hi,” Carlino said.

Sarah Fisher, Psych para, has a bit of a different job. There are only five of these positions in the district. She doesn’t interact with special education kids on a daily basis. She does paperwork, testing for the school psychologist, mentoring and working with kids to be more successful.

“I’m the mom, the encouraging one. Sometimes kids just need a hug so I give them that. I just love, love, love, love the students and seeing their smiles,” Fisher said.

Fisher gets to really impact and influence students in a positive way that others may not be able to.

“My favorite part is watching a student who was so down, to see them smile because they got a B on a test, just those tiny things. I see a boost in their self-esteem, see they’re worthy and then go out and make friends,” Fisher said.

Fisher has a unique opportunity with her position. Because of her own experience in high school and life, she is someone that kids can relate to.

“I know I have an impact on students I work with directly. I can easily bond with those students because I experienced those same things when I was a kid and I’m a single mom. I wasn’t the best kid myself so I know the tricks and my daughter is going to be a freshman too,” Fisher said.

And creating a bond with students requires more than just classroom time.

HOPE ERICKSON “I eat lunch with them. Getting to know them is what makes an impact. You’ve got to see them out through good and bad, “ Fisher said.

Fisher uses her own personal life and truly knows what the students are going through, what they’re feeling. She believes in her work and puts passion into it.

“I truly believe that what I’m doing is good for students. I’ve learned a lot. If I would have had someone at school maybe things would have been different. So I’m doing what I wish I would have had,” Fisher said.

So the general consensus is that the paras love the difference in every day, the West staff and oh, Erica Warren. Fisher, Vertz, Arnold and Carlino each mentioned Warren as one of their favorite parts about working at West.

“I love our staff and Erica Warren. I graduated from Shawnee Mission North but I loved the staff so much that I came here instead of North. There was no question,” Arnold said.

“I love Erica Warren. She’s the best part of this entire building. She and I share the same philosophy,” Fisher said.

Fisher worked as a middle school special-ed teacher, but there’s something about high school that she just loves.

“I like high school better, just the age group.

You get to watch students grow into adults,” Fisher said.

In order to grow into an adult, Fisher believes that an adult influence is essential.

“Every kid needs an adult at school that they can trust. Just because I’m not a teacher, I’m not a counselor; they know they can come to me. I also feel that having a positive adult influence on kids at this age is crucial and a lot of people don’t see that,” Fisher said.

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y

Opinion a letter from the future what does adult ralston have to say? an opinion by alex ralston

rumors that disappear as quickly as they are conceived or the rise and fall of yik yak an opinion by andy gottschalk

Dear past me, How’s everything going there? I’m joking, I already know.

Gotcha. Anyways, I’m “snowed in” today because the radioactive ash is still circulating around the atmosphere (long story). So while I’m stuck in the house, I figured I’d write you a little letter. I’m not exactly sure how this format will work out, because we are WAY past word processors and laptops, etc. There’s also a few bugs to work out in regards to the whole “sending things to the past” situation. Don’t worry though, I got a letter from future me, and he told me that all that stuff gets worked out eventually.

First thing I should tell you about the future is that almost nothing changes in terms of space travel. So, just abandon that hope right now. However, Deffenbaugh does end up buying Jupiter and just kind of using it as a trash dump. Yeah, all the earth’s trash, including Sector 39’s president! Wait, you don’t get that joke. You will later, though. Also, Newt Gingrich ended up making the moon a satellite state, but it really only turned into a trashy Silver Dollar City. There’s a theme park and everything, but the gravity on the moon makes all the roller coasters really slow.

In terms of technology, there’s a massive increase in all these mind phones that you control with your thoughts. By the way, Apple literally runs the country. The CEO of Apple is also just an iPhone 12s that they put inside of a little business suit. However, President Siri runs the United States, which is kind of a big deal. First woman to be president. There’s also these things called eye-Phones. And eye-Macs. Makes the whole “Google Glass” thing looks really primitive.

There are flying cars here, too. And there are flying boats.

They’re nothing special, though. I know back in the day they had those Duck Tours where they drove you around in cars that could turn into boats. It’s kind of like that. When it comes to gaming innovations, we only have the Kinect. Nothing more than that.

I don’t know if you remember the “District 9” movie from a while back. It had all the weird insect aliens that bled black goop and stuff. I remember you were all like, “That could never happen in a million years.” That movie is almost word for word what happens in the future. I’m joking. You’re so naive. There are, however, races of intelligent insects that are slowly growing in population size. They are incredibly specie-ist against humans and birds. Everything from them is always, “Don’t tread on us -- literally.” It’s a stupid saying.

Even the cyborgs, who are supposed to fully rational, have hatred for them. Those don’t start appearing for awhile, though.

Anyways, I thought I would just check in with you. But seriously, I already know everything that happens to you. It’s really beautiful to watch the nuclear ash build up on the windowsill. Don’t worry, WWIII won’t happen for a long time. Just be ready.

Sincerely, Future You P.S. Make sure you act on your potato chip vitamin supplements.

They end up getting extremely popular.

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In fourth hour most everybody had his phone out. The name of the game was Yik Yak and I had no idea how to play it.

“It’s like Twitter but it’s anonymous,” was how the app was described to me Twitter, but anonymous? “Sounds like a breeding ground for rumors,” I said.

“Yeah. That’s exactly what it is.”

I took a look at the app and noticed how users, or Yakkers, could submit statements, and others within a certain mile radius could view them and subsequently up or downvote them.

By nature, nearly everything I observed was some sexual remark that decontextualized the victim of the rumor and placed him or her in a humiliating situation.

“This is so awful, one guy said after reading about how boy X was rejected by girl Y was known for giving Z to the entire male gender. He upvoted it and laughed.

I watched how others updated the app. With each refresh an inundation of unsubstantiated rumors poured in, and with them, a horde of up and downvotes.

Every post or so required a public reading, and nearby Yakkers would laugh and say, “That’s horrible” or “Yeah, I upvoted that.”

There would be one post that caught the eyes of everyone in the room, and people would agree unanimously that the yakker went too far in what s/he said. But that would last for but a moment, and a new post would fill the void and dominate the public discussion.

Occasionally people would protest the claims, but most accepted the ephemeral posts as either true, or true enough, and didn’t question the validity of them.

I thought about the app and how, or if, I would use it if I had an iPhone. Would I too have to check it every minute or so? Would I join in the endless upvotes and give my own approval through votes? Would I post rumors and watch them catch fire?

When the negativity swelled, yakkers would start ironically posting positive comments about people. “Stacey is a great dancer,” one might have read. “Brad has good taste in music.” My friend posted one that said, “Andy is really good at designing the school newspaper.” It got one downvote. Ouch.

When someone sitting near me was yakked about, he grew offended and decided to delete the app. Others grew tired of the rumors and followed suit.

“Yik Yak is dead,” I was told by the same person who introduced me to it.

“This is boring,” another girl added.

That night I overheard on the broadcast news that an app named Yik Yak was growing popular in high schools and was promoting a new kind of bullying.

The news was a few hours late. “Haven’t you heard?” I thought.

“Yik Yak is dead.”

Feature

100 Years Remembered looking back at the great war by betty thomas

The World War I Museum in Kansas City, MO.

2014 marks the centennial of the Great War, the war meant to end all wars. Unfortunately, this was not the case. World War I marked the entrance into modern warfare, equipped with heavy artillery and heavy casualties. The war, under recognized in the United States, ravaged Europe for three years before Americans made it to the frontlines. In the end there were roughly sixteen million human lives lost - a shock to those who started it, who imagined a sweet, short war.

For those who are unclear on the war it was between the allied forces, chiefly England, Russia, France, and America, and the central forces, Austria-Hungary, Germany, the Ottoman Empire, and Hungary. A build-up of nationalism, armament, and secret alliances helped fuel the flames of war; a war sparked by the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife in Sarajevo during 1914.

In the United States, due to our short involvement, the focus of our history regarding the war is less derived from military history than our emergence as a world superpower. As America built the weapons and supplies needed for victory, its troops also interjected fresh spirit into the war-weary European lines.

“In my opinion the evidence is that we contributed to what

Dylan crow

pushed the war over the edge for an Allied victory,” said Scott Dory, AP European history teacher.

As the centennial of the war’s beginning is commenced, Kansas City will be put in the spotlight. The city boasts the National World War I museum. The exquisite museum, located beneath the Liberty Memorial, opened in 2006.

Junior Michael Wirth describes the museum as, “an eye opening experience with its enriching history.”

With its permanent collections including many bold visuals, interactive learning tools and artifacts to bring the war to life for the visitors. Crowd favorites include a life-sized trench broken into countries segments, where they learn through spoken testimonials how life in the trenches was like, and a recreated crater that shows how a howitzer shell would destroy a farmhouse.

“Having the Liberty Memorial and museum in Kansas City is a huge resource for our students, especially their library,” said Dory.

The national museum kicked off the centennial, which will be observed for four years, with an international conference of historians on how to properly commemorate the war in March of 2013. For visitors it will be featuring many different exhibits during the years of centennial commemoration, many of which are still

in the works. This year the itinerary includes exhibits entitled “On the Brink,” “Over by Christmas,” “The Volunteers: Americans Join World War I,” and “Christmas Truce.”

In additional to the activities at the national museum, the Lenexa Historical Society will be hosting an exhibit at the Legler Barn Museum. The exhibit, put on by Kurt Russell, will feature artifacts including artwork, photos, and uniform pieces from Lenexa’s residents who served in WWI. “They [The National World War I Museum] are expecting a big rise in visitors because of the centennial and I see that as an opportunity for Legler barn to get some more visitors as well,” said Russell.

These commemorations, coupled with an uptick in television programs that accompany anniversaries, will provide opportunities for Americans to learn the sacrifices of their forefathers.

“It [WWI] is becoming too distant for kids to relate to,” said Dory.

As the years march on, it is essential not to forget the lessons learned from WWI. Through the centennial spotlight, many historians hope to renew interest in the Great War.

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Feature

TEACHER BATTLE vs. lockhart schieszer schieszer teaches ap art and photography. lockhart teaches ceramics and jewelry. who can answer more of our questions? by brock burnett and max meyer

1/2000

Q: How fast is the fastest shutter speed commercially available? What fraction of a second?

A: 1/16000 of a second

1/6000

B-R-I-C

Q: Put these art styles in chronological order of their apex of popularity. Romantic, Baroque, Cubism and Impressionist.

A: B-R-I-C

B-R-I-C

French. Rejected

Adjusts the opening that lets light in.

Avant Garde refers to art that is experimental or innovative and on the edge of what’s considered normal in art. What language does Avant Garde come from and what is its literal meaning?

A: It’s French and it means advanced guard, vanguard or fore-guard.

What does adjusting the aperture on a camera do?

A: The aperture adjusts the size of the opening that lets light into the camera.

Hey now. Looks like a tie.

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French.

On the edge

Adjusts the light level that enters the camera.

Feature

She Is Basically A Pro jordan tyler is a musical force to be reckoned with by brianna cole

Senior Jordan Tyler can easily be explained as an all around talented student. She is musically gifted in many different aspects and this year she hopes to reclaim her rightful place at a state competition.

Tyler is heavily involved in different activities. One of Tyler’s dominant talents is she is a spoken word poet. She is involved in Writers’ Workshop and also started Starving Artists’ Poet Society (SAPS) with a former student. Tyler is currently on the Louder Than a Bomb (LTAB) team and will be competing at the first annual preliminary round on March 11th.

“I’m overwhelmed that such a prestigious competition [LTAB] is coming to Kansas City. Poetry is so close to my heart, the fact that this is my senior year makes it that much more important to go out with a bang,” Tyler said.

Tyler is also involved in choir. This madrigal will be auditioning for Spotlight, a showcase of the talented singers at West. This year Tyler will be auditioning with a long time friend and will sing a familiar song with a new twist.

“For Spotlight I plan auditioning with a duet with Jenny Brown. I

will be playing the piano and we will sing the Glee version of Poker Face,” Tyler said.

Tyler has been playing the piano for what she called “forever”.

She has been taking lessons since she was six but recently has stopped. It tends to be a trend for parents to make their children experiment with some kind of instrument. Unlike some children, Tyler fell in love with the art naturally, through her home.

“My dad doesn’t know how to read music, he basically just has an ear for it. He can pick out the notes so when I was little I would play along with him and sing. He really got me into playing the piano so my mom signed me up for lessons. And I never objected to having piano lessons and I’ve never lost my love for it,” Tyler said with a sincere tone.

Because practice makes perfect, Tyler attempts to touch the keys as much as possible.

“Usually I practice on the piano daily. If I can’t play everyday then it is every other day. I will sit down and play anywhere between five minutes to two hours just losing track of time,” Tyler said.

Tyler has participated in many piano competitions. These competitions individually grades each pianist on a scale of one to five, one being the best.

“I’ve gone all three years to regional competition. Freshman and sophomore year I received a one so I was able to advance to state,” Tyler said.

Recently, Tyler has received a one at the regional contest so she will be representing West at the state competition on February 22nd in Wichita.

Next year Tyler will be attending the University of Arkansas.

She plans to continue playing the piano and singing.

“I kind of want to do this for the rest of my life. I don’t know if I will be able to make a living off of it professionally, but I would really love that. I will keep improving and I will definitely keep piano in my life...I don’t think I could ever let it go,” Tyler said.

Jokingly, Tyler was asked how much she loved the piano. Her reply justified her passion.

“I would tattoo a piano on me in a heartbeat, of course I would,” Tyler exclaimed.

PHOTO BY BRIANNA COLE

11

Feature

Taking Center Stage karl wallace prepares for mr. viking by isaiah mckay

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Senior Karl Wallace dances with Junior Emily Sutherland at the Special Needs Clinic.

PHOTO BY JEN MAHR

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enior Karl Wallace, has been gearing up for Mr. Viking, with the help of Seniors Alex Elliott and Taylor Yates, for a knock-out routine that will light up the stage.

The Mr. Viking pageant is a Senior Sizzle fundraiser. The senior boys will compete in several events such as: talent, beach wear, and formal wear.

In order to be crowned the seniors not only have to win over the crowd, but the judges too.

Wallace, Elliott, and Yates plan on having a great time and hopefully getting the crowd to go wild.

“I think it’s gonna be a lot of fun, and make his mom really happy,” Elliott said.

They originally got the idea from Cadet Teacher Mrs. Flora, who suggested that Karl participate in Mr. Viking. Elliott was very anxious to be a part of it.

“Taylor and I wanted to be his escorts just to experience it with him,” Elliott said.

Cadet teaching is not the only time Wallace and Elliott spend time together.

“I work with him outside of school for Helpers, Inc.” Elliott said.

Helpers, Inc. is a company that provides necessary help for families in need of assistance with volunteers.

The volunteers go out weekly and spend time with the family completing necessary tasks, like having quality time and mentoring with Wallace.

Wallace is a positive influence on many students at West with his bright personality and endless optimism.

“He is one who smiles more, laughs harder, and loves freely. He lights up the room, and everyone is just happier when he is around.” Elliott said.

When Wallace is not preparing for Mr. Viking, he is spending time with his friends at school, which is something he enjoys most. He is a very interactive person and always has a big smile on his face.

Wallace recently went sledding in gym, which he was ecstatic about.

“There was [a] lot of snow” Wallace said, cheerfully.

When Wallace is at home he enjoys listening to lots of music, which varies from Justin Bieber to One Direction, and he loves watching Hannah Montana.

“He [also] loves Kids Bop,” Elliott said.

After getting to know him and spending lots of time with him, Elliott has been greatly affected by him in a huge way.

“He has made me a better person,” Elliott said.

300 Words

Feature

every issue, a random student is selected for their story to be told. here is eleanor prevot’s story. by isabelle frankel

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unior Eleanor Prevot’s dad is from France and her family does their best to keep in touch with those who still live there and participate in French traditions.

Prevot’s dad is from Antony, located a few miles south of Paris. Her parents met in college when her mom, who grew up in Illinois, was studying abroad.

“Her friend set them up, then she came back, my dad finished his studies, then he came to KU to study abroad and see her,” Prevot said.

Prevot enjoys visiting her family that still lives in France.

She has dual citizenship and has been there five times.

Even though it is difficult to see them in person often they find other ways to talk to them. “We video call our family in France every week on Sundays,” she said.

Apart from her family, she has many friends from France that have moved here and they visit each other often.

Prevot says that one of her favorite things about visiting France is the food and when she’s there she eats as much as she can. She sometimes has French foods at home too.

“Every now and then we’ll have traditional foods like Raclette, where you melt cheese and you put it on potatoes and grill stuff, or we make crepes or cakes for holidays like they would,” she said. Even though they live here they still celebrate French national holidays.

She also has been taking French since seventh grade to keep in touch with her roots. She’s now in French 5 and even speaks French around the house every now and then.

Prevot is very proud of her heritage and does lots of things to stay connected to it. “It makes me stand out in a way because a lot of the people here aren’t from France.”

Despite the distances, Prevot Skypes her family in France every week

Eleanor Prevot is proud of her French heritage. PHOTO BY GABI CHAVEZ

15

Sports

Time Runs Out a solution to slow-paced high school basketball games

Sign on the Dotted Line

athletes carefully chose where they decided to continue their athletic careers. on signing day, they made it official. by marleah campbell

an opinion by max meyer I was watching College GameDay a few weekends back and an interesting concept came up: shortening the time on the shot clock. The discussion moved to how the shot clock has to be 35 seconds because in high schools there is no shot clock. Because of that, the transition would be too tough for the players.

That got me thinking, how would high school basketball be different if we had a shot clock? At first I thought it would make very little difference, but then I realized that games would become much more entertaining. I remembered a Freshmen A game against Shawnee Mission South this year.

West had the ball, and South was back in a zone. South wasn’t pressuring the ball, so West just held the ball up top. This was taking place during the 2nd quarter, and West was up by around 10, so there was need to shoot.

West was perfectly content with holding the ball for the last five or so minutes of the half. And that’s exactly what they did. This may be extremely rare, but this does happen to much less extremes in other games.

You might be thinking, how many times does it take a team 35 seconds to get a shot off? The answer, quite frankly, is rarely.

However, if teams were required to get a shot up in 35 seconds teams would most likely change their defensive strategies. Teams would press more often because they could burn time off of the shot clock. Because of this offenses would change their strategies.

Teams would likely adopt a faster, up-tempo offense to counter a limit on the amount of time for each possession. The shot clock would speed up the game, and take it away from the slow, drawn out games we currently see.

The ends of games would be-

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come much more interesting too.

Currently, teams can just hold the ball for as long as they want if they are winning. This forces teams to foul in order to get the ball back. I think we would all agree that the ending of a game would be much more interesting with both teams playing instead of just watching one team shoot free throws.

Another benefit of the shot clock would be more possessions for each team. A high school basketball game is 32 minutes while a college game is 40 minutes. High school games are eight minutes shorter which already mean lower scoring games. Plus many of the high school teams you watch run set offenses where the ball is walked up the court. If a shot clock was added to the high school game scoring would go up because more shots would have to be put up. Game scores would look more like 54-48 instead of 36-30.

The individual skills of players would improve because of a shot clock. With teams facing a limited amount of time to shoot players will have to be able to create a shot for themselves instead of relying solely on a diagramed offense. Players would have to develop their skills because of this need.

Coaches would most likely be in favor of this move too. This would be a way of rewarding their team for playing great defense.

Also, I don’t think any coach is drawing up a play that takes more than 35 seconds to score a basket, so for a coach there is no real downside.

A shot clock would help the state high school basketball is currently in. The game would become more entertaining, and players would become better prepared for the next level.

Coach Sarah Gonzalez speaks during the Signing Day ceremony.

The recruiting process is often a difficult one. With phone calls, emails and visits, a lot of effort goes into choosing where one will continue their athletic career at the collegiate level.

Marquan Osbey, Fort Scott Community College, (football) “I chose Fort Scott because I think the coaching staff is great, and I love the linebackers coach.”

so I could be able to transfer to a big Division I school.”

Rashaun Owens, Hutchinson Community College (football) “I felt like it was the best place for me to better my future, and to get to my goal of going to a division one program.

I don’t see this as playing junior college ball. I see it as a business trip.”

Mario Louis, Fort Scott Community College, (football) “I’ve always wanted to be a defensive back, and they offered me to play safety. That’s why I chose to go to Fort Scott.”

Cooper Arner, William Jewell (football) “I chose William Jewell because they value academics and athletics very much and I wanted to be at a school that would prepare me for my future as best as possible.

Lee Spight, Hutchinson Community College, (football) “I really prayed about it and I felt as if God was leading me more towards Hutch. I just felt more at home when I was at Hutch.”

Justin Hobbs, University of Tulsa (football) “I chose TU because it’s not far from home. Also because the campus is great and my family would be able to come to the games.”

Juanyae Stallings, Fort Scott Community College, (football) “I’m happy I can continue playing the game of football and Fort Scott is giving me the best opportunity to fit in their system, graduate and go to the next level.”

AJ Verdini, Hutchinson Community College (football) “The campus was great and it’s a great chance for me to move on to the next level and restart the whole recruiting process over again.”

Carredyn Steele, Saint Mary’s, (football) “I chose Saint Mary’s because of the family atmosphere, and it just felt like home.”

Jacob Sylvester, Iowa Western Community College, (baseball) “It was the best place for me to go

Emily Franchett, University of Central Missouri (soccer) “I chose UCM because the instant I stepped into the team locker room, I felt like I was a part of the team. Everyone there is so friendly, the academics are great and the campus is beautiful.”

PHOTO BY HUNTER WRIGHT

Rachel Krueger, Drury University (soccer) “I picked Drury because it was the perfect fit for me. A few hours from home, a smaller school, and the soccer team seemed like a family community. I had great experiences on my visits, and everyone I met was incredibly friendly.”

Ali Smith, Drake University (soccer) “Division I was always a goal of mine and the academics at Drake are nationally acclaimed.”

Austin Chambers, Brigham Young University (football) “I chose BYU because the coaches fit my style of play and BYU is the university I grew up cheering for and love.”

Nick Banman, Fort Scott Community College (baseball) “I chose Fort Scott CC because I believe they are the best program to help me develop into a better player and will assist me on reaching my goal of playing on an elite D1 baseball team.”

Taylor Yates, Baker University (soccer) I chose Baker University because it’s a really great athletic and academic school. I also know girls that play there and they love it, and I love the coaches and campus.”

Ryan Cheshire, Saint Mary’s, (football) “I chose Saint Mary’s because I like the campus and the coaches are cool.

It being so close to home was a major factor too.”

On the Right Track

Sports

having sports in middle school isn’t that far out of reach by isabelle frankel In his first year as Shawnee Mission Athletic Director, Matthew Johnson is near to completing the first phase of a middle school sports program.

“The school board is currently reviewing the middle school sports proposal, and I am very confident that they will approve an adoption of middle school sports for the 2014-2015 school year,” Johnson said.

The plan will develop a program for fall cross country for 7th and 8th grade boys and girls, fall wrestling for 7th and 8th grade boys, Winter basketball for 8th grade boys and girls, and Spring volleyball for 7th and 8th grade girls. The teams will compete against other Shawnee Mission middle schools.

Johnson see many advantages to middle school sports. “I believe very strongly that an existence of a program of athletics is very beneficial to the school and the positive culture and climate that it would create.”

The Olathe School District already has middle school sports.

They have football, cross country, volleyball, girls basketball, boys basketball, and track and field. The Olathe Athletic Director, Lane Green, said, “I think there is a correlation between success of athletic teams at the high school level and middle school sports.”

An example that he used was football’s state championships.

Prior to 2012, the last time Shawnee Mission had a team in the state championship game was in 1985.

“In the years between 1985 and 2011, Olathe has been represented in the state title game approximately 13 times and winning 9 titles,” said Green.

Green also made the point that all schools between 1986 and 2011 who won a state title in football had middle school football programs.

While Johnson agrees, “There is a subtle correlation between middle school sport programs and successful programs at the high school.” He adds however, “the other benefits...are more important in the grand scheme of our focus for this endeavor.”

“This will give many students an opportunity to play a sport they have not been able to play outside of school while representing the school they attend. It improves their chances of being able to play in high school and prepares them for what lies ahead.” Johnson said.

Johnson made the point, “Cross country has been a very successful intramural sport and has been an illustration of what any sport could be like. We are excited to have it as a sport to lead the way as we get started with this exciting new programming.”

Limited financial resources have kept Shawnee Mission from getting a middle school sports program. Johnson believes the current plan addresses the financial and space concerns that have been a barrier..

Johnson stressed, “Being involved in any school related activity improves the overall education experience of the student and helps develop skills such as confidence, self-esteem, leadership, teamwork, motivation and attention to academics.”

Middle school sports could be a possibility for Shawnee Mission schools in the future.

A Fresh Outlook

FHOTO BY GABI CHAVEZ

two freshmen have made an impact on varsity basketball this year by max meyer It’s uncommon for a freshmen to play varsity basketball, boys or girls, at West. It’s even more rare for two freshmen to start on varsity. Zach Witters, guard, and Kenzie Loe, forward, have both made an impact this year on the boys’ and girls’ varsity teams.

Playing AAU and summer basketball leading up to this year helped Witters and Loe prepare to play at such a high level as freshmen. They began playing basketball around kindergarten, and never slowed down. Soon they made the transition to tournaments, and this is where they faced some of the best competition in the area, and sometimes in the country.

“I went to Tennessee, and this summer I’m going to Las Vegas,” said Witters.

Witters and Loe both started the year off playing on JV, but quickly showed that they were capable of playing on varsity. Loe played her first varsity game against Shawnee Mission Northwest before winter break. Witters played his first varsity game against Olathe East after winter break.

“Coach (Ryan Darst) said I might get in, I need to be ready,” said Witters.

Loe was unsure if she’d play which added to the nerves she had. Witters was nervous too, but those nerves calmed down once he got in the game.

“I remember how after I scored everyone was chanting my name, and it was really cool,” said Witters.

Witters had made playing varsity a goal at the beginning of the season.

“I wanted to work my way up,” said Witters. “Hopefully, make an impact on varsity.”

After playing more than half a season on varsity they have gotten into the flow of the game.

“I’m used to (playing varsity) it now, it doesn’t both me,” said Loe. “I feel more comfortable,” said Witters. “It’s slowing down.”

In addition to just playing varsity Witters and Loe feel like they

have made a real impact on the varsity team.

“I feel like I add a shooting threat, and I add another ball handler,” said Witters.

Now that they have accomplished their goal of the playing varsity their focus is changing to the overall success of the team.

The season is reaching the final games, and sub-state is now approaching.

“I want to keep starting and playing hard,” said Loe. “(I want to) get a hot streak going, and win the sub-state games,” said Witters. “I just want to go to State.”

Witters and Loe hope to have a growing impact over the next four years. They want to contribute more every year they are here.

“I want to win the state title,” said Witters.

“I want to be a four year starter and I want to contribute each year,” said Loe. Witters and Loe have already made an impact on their teams and their future is very bright.

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Arts&Entertainment

This Isn’t Just Child’s Play the lego movie, witty in its writing and beautifully animated, is fit for teens, too. by spence lassalle I could not wait to see this movie, I was so excited. If you think you won’t like this movie because you’re not a fan of Lego, I would reconsider. This movie has something for everybody: cowboys, astronauts, unicorn cats, wizards, superheros and Channing Tatum. The directors of this movie are Phil Lord and Chris Miller who directed films such as 21 Jump Street (2012) and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009).

I knew going into this movie I was going to love it because I am a huge Lego fan and have been waiting a long time to see it. In the title credits the Warner Brothers and Village Roadshow logo are made out of none other than Lego. We start with a scene set in the past. We see the antagonist, President/Lord Business (Will Ferrell) stealing the most powerful weapon in the Lego universe known as the Kragle, from Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman). The scene cuts and says 8 ½ years later out of Lego bricks, and we see our protagonist, Emmet (Chris Pratt) waking up and getting ready for his busy day as a construction worker.

While on site at work he discovers the piece of resistance and touches it, going unconscious. He wakes up at the police station and is being yelled at by the Bad Cop/ Good Cop (Liam Neeson) a person with two personalities and two different expressions on either side of his head. Emmet, facing a near death experience, is rescued by Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) and Wyldstyle thinks that

Emmet is the “Special.”

Emmet, Wyldstyle and Vitruvius head out to stop President Business from ending the world with the Kragle. They team up with some other Master Builders who want to help such as Batman (Will Arnett), Uni-kitty (Alison Brie), Metalbeard (Nick Offerman) and Benny the 1980’s astronaut (Charlie Day). There are even more master builders that have small roles such as Superman (Channing Tatum), Green Lantern (Jonah Hill) Wonder Woman (Cobie Smulders), Shaquille O’Neal as himself, among others.

A clever, comedy-filled plot will leave you wanting more The people in the Lego world have these things called relics, which are items that are easily mixed in with Lego pieces for example a used Band-aid, a Q tip, a key, a golf tee, and even a bottle of nail polish. If you look close enough you can see Vitruvius’ staff is a relic: a broken lollipop.

Overall I really enjoyed this movie, it doing better than I thought it would. I enjoyed the story as well. I was impressed because the

plot actually wasn’t too expected, at least near the end. It took a turn at the end, which kept the movie intriguing.

This movie has many references to Lego themes from the past and the present such as City, Castle, Pirates, Ninjago, Friends, Space, Duplo and the Minifigure series. There are references to some of the licensed themes as well such as Speed Racer, Lord of The Rings, Harry Potter, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Simpsons, Star Wars and of course DC Super Heroes. This might be the best movie based on a toy company those being Transformers, Battleship, etc. (Toy Story not counting because those toys weren’t largely franchised based).

A song in the movie called “Everything Is Awesome” by Tegan and Sara feat. The Lonely Island will easily get stuck in your head and you’ll want to keep singing it. The cast is amazing and there are some people I didn’t even mention, for example: Dave Franco, Will Forte, Jorma Taccone, Keegan-Michael Key, and Billy Dee Williams (Lando) and Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) play the same characters they do in the Star Wars movies. Like all other Lego themes you can buy sets for “The Lego Movie,” which are filled with almost all the characters. I can’t wait to go see this movie again. There is already a sequel on the way, and if it’s anything like the first one it should be awesome.

High Five for Pie Five a new, trendy and quick way to get pizza is a treat for customers by jordan johnson The smell of freshly made sauce fills your senses as you walk into the restaurant.

The first thing you see is the pizza makers behind the counter with all the different ingredients. It is an open concept, nice and tidy; it is very unique and bright with the open windows. There is a lot of space to walk around without bumping into a chair, but with plenty of seating. Turning right you see the wall of options you get to choose from. You can order a signature pie (pizza) or create your own choosing between four different crusts, seven different sauces and three different cheeses. The only other side you can get is a salad, but it’s not a normal salad, you get a variety to choose from and it comes in a pizza crust bowl.

I tried an original pizza, to see if they transform a classic into something better. Artisan thin, marinara sauce, pepperoni, mozzarella with an option of magic dust which contains romano,

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parmesan and italian seasoning for only $6.79. They put it in the oven as you walk down to the desserts, I tried the red velvet pie and chocolate chip cookie pie; both were moist and chewy for a reasonable price at $1.59. You walk down to the register and order a drink for $1.89. By the time you pull out your money your pie is ready to eat. My total was about $12 including tax.

When I got my drink and sat down at the table and took my first bite thinking it would too hot or too cheesy, but it wasn’t, it was perfect. The pepperonis were huge and full of flavor. The pie was cut into six perfect slices. I couldn’t get enough The cheese wasn’t too stringy, it wasn’t burnt at all; I am definitely coming back again.

Even at four o’clock they had customers ready to eat. Teenagers come in after school to get a pie to stay and chat. Many of the pizza makers memorize what customers like to order every time they come in.

If you are ever interested in free pizza, Pie Five offers everyone to join their Circle of Crust, by registering you get 10 points. When you purchase a pizza or large salad, you will receive two points for every order. To get a free pizza you need 20 points. You can also get a free pizza on your half birthday.

I recommend Pie Five if you are ever hungry for a barbeque pizza or an alfredo pizza because you have so many toppings to choose from that you can’t run out of ideas on what to make next time.

Try it for yourself!

12154 W. 95th St. Lenexa, KS 66215

Arts&Entertainment

the app sensation “flappy bird” was removed from the app store just weeks after becoming immensly popular by brock burnett The world shed a collective tear on February 9 as one of the simultaneously loved and hated mobile apps, Flappy Bird, was gone.

Flappy Bird was a mobile game developed by Vietnamese game developer Dong Nguyen and published by .GEARS Studios, an indie publishing company also based in Vietnam. It was released on May 24, 2013, but it grew in popularity in January 2014.

The premise is fairly simple. You control a small pixelated bird by tapping your phone screen and making him flap upwards. It constantly moves right, and the player must make the bird fly through a narrow space between a pair of pipes. Score points by continuously passing through more and more pipes, but touch a pipe and the game is over.

Just how popular was this simplistic game? Well, it was the most downloaded app in the entire Apple App Store in January. It was downloaded on over 100 million Android phones. Due to ad revenue (companies paying to put their ad on the top and bottom banners of the screen of the Flappy Bird app) some reports say that Flappy Bird was bringing in $50,000 daily when it hit peak popularity.

With this much success, taking down Flappy Bird would seem foolish. Nguyen had made a huge hit app and was supposedly

making incredible amounts of money. Nguyen saw it in a different light though.

“I am sorry ‘Flappy Bird’ users,” Nguyen said through Twitter. “I will take ‘Flappy Bird’ down. I cannot take this anymore.”

Nguyen gives no reason for taking it down other than eliminating the option of legal issues in another tweet. One cause could be the massive popularity it received eliminated his privacy. Another could be the amount of hatred he might have received for making the game. Though enjoyable to some, Flappy Bird often was the cause of rage and anger for other players. This is all speculation though, as Nguyen has not released an official statement as to why he removed it.

The game may be gone from the store, but it is still in the hearts of millions. Many parodies of the game were made to carry on the spirit of the game such as “Flappy Doge”, “Flappy Octopus” and “Ironpants”. If an imitation isn’t good enough for you, phones with copies of Flappy Bird are selling on eBay from anywhere to $300 to $81,000, and yes, people are crazy enough to buy the extremely high priced ones. Flappy Bird is gone, but it will live on forever in countless imitations and on the phones of the hundreds of millions who downloaded it before it was taken down.

Flappy App Review I downloaded Flappy Bird because it was apparently the “hot new app” that everyone was playing and it was free. I thought it would be a fun and lighthearted game that I would love playing. I was so wrong.

Flappy Bird is possibly one of the most worthless things I have encountered in my life. It is a game, but it feels like a prison sentence. It constantly barrages you with the same challenge, which doesn’t sound very hard, but it some how is one of the hardest games I have ever tried to play. It cracks you to the core and rattles you. I got to a high score of 12 before I deleted it.

I was done. I had deleted it. It was gone and it was never coming back. I didn’t care that all of my colleagues were playing

this game. I didn’t care that people were bragging about their high scores. I was happy and free.

But then I heard the news. Flappy Bird was about to be removed. I had to redeem myself.

Personally, I find the game to be not that fun. It’s addicting, but not fun. The challenge feels artificial. It’s not challenging because there are new things that add challenge, it is just jerky and hard to control. That doesn’t make it challenging or fun. It makes it aggravating and tedious.

The art style isn’t even respectable. Besides the title, I wouldn’t be able to tell that the bird was infact a bird. He is just a little blob of pixels that resembles an animal. The pipes and

by brock burnett

ground are an obvious rip-off of a certain Nintendo game.

I don’t really know what is redeeming this game. I think it might be the fact that you can brag about succeeding at such a difficult game. Succeeding at something horrible isn’t worth it though. It’s basically an endurance test of how long can you tap a screen in rhythm. This isn’t fun. This is a rote task. I don’t get how people enjoy this game other than to get a false sense of accomplishment that comes from beating others in this game.

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Arts&Entertainment

Dory’s Review

little known historical figures!

As told by Ron Walker

John Tyler, the tenth President of the United States, fathered 15 children through two different marriages.

“The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things” by Hieronymous Bosch

While Bosch painted during the Renaissance, he was known for his real real surrealist, out there work in a very traditional time period. He also highlights the freedom of expression for artists prior to the reformation. This work features the seven deadly sins of wrath, greed, sloth, pride. lust, envy and gluttony.

Mimi Rainen, English teacher, just recently finished “Tenth of December” by George Saunders, a collection of absurd and eclectic short stories.

She cites “The Semplica Girl Diaries” as one of her favorite short stories. The story centers on a father who can’t provide for his daughter, but ends up winning the lottery and buys a lawn piece of immigrant women strung through the head.

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dercher’s den If you are a lover of Shakespeare and his works, you are a bardolater, or lover of The Bard.

Arts&Entertainment

Sweeter than a Spoonful of Sugar a q&a with nurse marilyn mortimer by lauren scobee Lauren Scobee: What are your hobbies?

Marilyn Mortimer: Swimming, I swim a mile three times a week.

Scrapbooking and spending time with my grandchildren LS: Where did you go to college?

MM: St. Louis Community College for my RN and University of Missouri, St. Louis for my BS LS: What is the number one item on your bucket list?

MM: Somewhere where I can take my children and grandchildren and swim with dolphins LS: What is your favorite TV show?

MM: Downton Abbey LS: What is your favorite movie?

MM: “Forrest Gump” LS: What was your inspiration for becoming a nurse?

MM: I have two children with Cystic Fibrosis, they were diagnosed in 1979 and 1982 LS: If trapped on an island what one item would you bring?

MM: The Bible LS: Favorite radio station?

MM: K Love LS: What is your biggest pet peeve?

MM: Bad attitudes LS: What is the strangest injury you’ve seen?

MM: A sewing machine needle through the finger

LS: What do you do for a pastime?

MM: Read books LS: What kind of books do you read?

MM: Fiction books. My favorite book is the one I would take on the island with me.

LS: How long have you been married?

MM: 38 years.

LS: How would you describe your husband?

MM: Patient LS: Where did you grow up?

MM: St. Louis, we moved here on June 30 from St. Louis LS: If you weren’t a nurse what would you be?

MM: A teacher LS: What subject would you teach?

MM: Health LS: What was your first job?

MM: A donut shop LS: If you had three wishes what would they be?

MM: Go on a nice vacation, for my family to stay healthy, and the eat whatever I want without gaining weight LS: What is great about working at West?

MM: The positive and respectful students here. I get to work with an awesome clinic aid and the staff is great to work with too.

This is nurse Marilyn Mortimer’s first year here.

PHOTO BY NICK VANCE

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Arts&Entertainment

“Suffering Succotash!” that is some good food by alex ralston Located between Hospital and Union Hill in Kansas City is a gem of a restaurant called Succotash and one of the most interesting and best brunch restaurants in the area. With an eclectic mixture of art, customers, and delicious food, Succotash is a real treat.

One of the first things I noticed as I walked toward the restaurant was a colorful sign running vertically on a column displaying the restaurant’s name. To the side was a totem pole-like sculpture with the word “Succotash” on it as well. Combined with a chandelier above the door, Succotash has a very colorful entrance. But that is only the start.

As soon as I stepped in I noticed a strange collection of art that, while being incredibly varied in style, fit together well as a collection. There are painted portraits of past staff members, as well as sculptures around the bar area. The atmosphere struck me as artsy, unique, and incredibly happy. There were colors everywhere, and at no point did I feel that this place was boring or monotonous. The entire restaurant was packed, and not a seat was empty.

There was a diverse mixture of customers, ranging from early twenties to late sixties and with all sorts of personalities. It wasn’t quiet at all while I was there.

Succotash only offers a brunch menu on weekends, but throughout the week

90s Kids and Future Generations an opinion by lauren scobee Oh how the have times changed to where seven year olds are checking Twitter on their iPhones at a movie with their friends and determine if they want to order a cappuccino or a chai latte.

Technology is just one thing that has changed in the world in the short amount of time it has been since I was a kid. I remember the days where you didn’t have a cell phone until at least sixth grade, kids didn’t order coffee it was hot chocolate and people went to Blockbuster instead of Netflix on their computer.

Fellow children from the 90s, I urge you to think about the good old days. Remember when you would make paper fortune tellers for your friends? What about coming home to watch “Drake and Josh” or “Full House?” The joy of quality television and family time has evaded us.

Now, there are no family game nights! Playing Monopoly or Scrabble together just doesn’t

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they offer a lunch menu, an expansion of the brunch menu. That being said, though, Succotash has a broad range of foods that can appease almost any palate. For example, one side of the menu offers Swedish Pancakes ($10), which are delightfully fluffy and have a sweet lingonberry jam on the inside. Then the other side offers the Kitchen Sink Scramble ($9), two scrambled eggs underneath a mountain of ham, peppers, home-fried potatoes, and cheddar and sausage gravy. You know, everything but the kitchen sink. There are also a couple of vegetarian and vegan versions of this same dish.

Succotash has no shortage of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or kosher variations of dishes. A women sitting at a table next to me had a gluten-free shortstack of blueberry pancakes. She said she was allergic to gluten, so she goes to Succotash whenever she visits Kansas City (she was from Tulsa). The head chef and owner, Beth Barden, is specially trained and certified to cater to most dietetic needs.

I had the Veggie Kitchen Sink ($9) with lemonade. The Kitchen Sink was true to its name, with a wide assortment of foods that fit together really well. I also didn’t feel overly-stuffed after eating the dish.

It was just the right amount of food. The lemonade ($5) was pleasantly tart, with hints of pineapple and ginger between the

sour notes. This invigorating drink was only one of many freshly-squeezed juices on the menu. These drinks are all very healthy (some more than others) but still maintain really good flavors.

Succotash is also one of the more eco-friendly locations in the area. Most of the artwork, furniture, and decor is bought at garage sales, donated by people from around the area, or made from recycled goods. However, that doesn’t mean that the restaurant feels trashy or gaudy. In fact, everything fits together very well and looks great, too. Succotash also composts most of the leftover food scraps, which they send to a compost “dump,” turning the crude compost into refined fertilizer. This fertilizer is later sent to farmers around the U.S. Almost all of the ingredients for the food are bought from farms within a two hour drive from Succotash.

I highly recommend Succotash. The service was great, the employees were really friendly, and the atmosphere was unique and genial. I left this restaurant in a very pleasant and happy mood. The food was also affordable. Succotash demonstrates that a very unlikely combination of different elements, such as the furniture, building, food, and people, can come together and create a unique and enjoyable experience.

happen.

Just imagine walking into a normal family from the 2000s with each kid on a different floor. One will be playing video games on their Xbox 4 (whatever happened to the Nintendo 64?), another might be watching a movie on their 3D TV while the mom is ordering take out and dad is still at work. Seriously, it has gotten to the point to where if my mother is downstairs and needs me she just sends a text.

There are some perks though to having a more advanced society, remembering back to freshman year I would write my English paper off of my monster desktop computer, now I can do it at work off of my phone.

I urge you all to think about the future. If the cursive we worked hard to learn in third grade is no longer used, then what will happen in another 10 years or maybe five? Will people even write at that point?

We 90s people have spent our childhood learning what we may never again use. Calculators are taking over simple math skills we worked hard to memorize and skills at tetherball and foursquare have gone to absolute waste.

It is time to move on from the good old days but never forget them. The new generations may need our help to keep their heads in place and life on track. Progress is good but when our seven year olds own iPads, credit cards and can understand all that goes on in an episode of “Family Guy” we might need to rethink a little.

Growing up and and advancing comes at a price that younger generations are too naive to understand. The golden key to changing society is to appreciate the child in us before it disappears forever and accept that advancement is good and inevitable.

That is my advice for you all today my fellow 90s children don’t forget the days of watching Uncle Phil and his advice to Will and that there was a time when we did not all have cell phones and picked up an actual newspapers to cut out for school projects. Don’t forget you lived through the days where heelys and scooter were cool. Remember the time where children were innocent and help those now to remain innocent for as long as possible.

Arts&Entertainment

Gone Too Soon tragedy struck with the recent passing of gym teacher, golf coach and former basketball coach tim bishop by marleah campbell and max meyer

A

n involved member of the Viking community, Tim Bishop, passed away the weekend of February 15.

As a basketball coach, Bishop served as a JV coach under Brett McFall, Donnie Campbell and Mike Brinsko. In his time helping with the team, success on the court could be contributed to the accuracy of the scout team in practice, coordinated by Bishop.

“He had a great basketball mind and was great coaching the scout team. At times he got the JV scout team to run the opposing offense even better than their own,” former player and current girls’ varsity basketball coach Scott Aldrich said.

As a colleague, Aldrich appreciated talking to Bishop for advice as a basketball coach.

“He continued to teach me as a coach as someone who I could go to and talk hoops with. Today, some of the offense we run is thanks to him,” Aldrich said.

Current JV and assistant varsity basketball coach, Hunter Henry, played under Bishop for three years during his high school career. Bishop was Henry’s JV coach in his sophomore season and served as the varsity assistant in Henry’s upperclassmen years.

Henry also found Bishop to be the master of running the scout team against the varsity squad. With his experience in running the scout team, challenging the varsity helped them improve and contributed to the teams’ success.

“We won substate that [sophomore] year because he had us ready,” Henry said.

One major characteristic that Henry and Aldrich pointed to was

how Bishop was blunt, but because he wanted his students and players to succeed to the best of their ability. He would tell them exactly what he wanted and expected everyones’ best effort.

“The same way as a coach, teacher and person, he wanted you to succeed and would be your biggest fan and biggest advocate,” Henry said.

Off the court, Henry remembers Bishop being a devoted family man, including bringing his kids to practice every Saturday morning.

As golf coach, Bishop took a different approach than he did with basketball.

“He had a really good attitude towards the game. He was happy, never got too frustrated,” junior golfer and basketball player Michael Kinklaar said. “He offered to help you but didn’t tell you too much to do. Helpful, but not controlling. He let you do your own thing but still helped you at the same time.”

“Bishop was blunt, but because he wanted his students and players to succeed to the best of their ability. He would tell them exactly what he wanted and expected everyones’ best effort”

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