The Epic - Issue 3 by the epic.

the epic

Photo illustration by Merani Rivarola

Read about footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s numerous injuries this year on pg. 19

8800 W. 85th St. Overland Park, KS November 12, 2015 Vol. 54- Issue 3

Vol. 54, No. 3, 2015

The district’s signature programs find a new home

West has the lowest average ACT score in the district

Compare the different college towns in Kansas

Editors-in-chief Brock Burnett Max Meyer

assistant editor

The football team has had to battle injuries

Above: Varsity volleyball celebrates after winning a point. Photo by Rian Stallbaumer

the staff.

writers

Colette Balas Isabelle Frankel Caroline Fullerton Lexi Hart Christian Hooper Sami Jansen Spence Lassalle Adam Rellihan Eric Sedlacek Brevin Turner Nick Vance Caleb Walker Jared Walker

photo editors

Merani Rivarola Nina Williams Rian Stallbaumer

managing editor Drake Mattis

Special needs students pair with other students on a basketball team

news editor Sylvia Bryan

feature editor Kathleen Gartner

sports editor Drake Mattis

photographers

Grace Armenta Annissa Clark Kelsea Lilla Maddy Shackelford Kenna Swihart Jenna Wilson Kamryn Marshall

The Royals won the World Series and the whole city celebrated

a&e editor Logan Peterson

Kristin Wells

Learn about the history of West

cartoonists Alex Ralston Jack Warner

Our writers chose some of the best upcoming albums

adviser

Amy Morgan

Photos and photo illustrations by (counter-clockwise): Rian Stallbaumer, Jenna Wilson, Merani Riverola, Kamryn Marshall, Brock Burnett, Grace Armenta, Kristin Wells, and Colette Balas “The Epic” is the newsmagazine of Shawnee Mission West, 8000 W. 85th St., Overland Park, KS 66215. It is produced by a staff of high school journalists dedicated to the principles of journalism: to present facts and occurences truthfully and without bias. Articles of opinion or analysis are labeled and do necessarily reflect the views of the staff and/or the publication. In accordance with Kansas law, “The Epic” staff is entitiled 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.

News

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Editorial board An opinion of the staff

“I don’t care.” That sentence has become incredibly common in today’s society, especially amongst younger people. “What do you want for dinner?” “I don’t care.” “What do you want to do after school today?” “I don’t care.” “Do you want to try to make it to the game on time?” “I don’t care.” This apathetic attitude has become almost second nature for teenagers. Not caring about things has become the thing to do. Rather than inconvenience one’s self with making a decision or committing to an action, young people would rather sit by the wayside, let what happens happen, and continue on with their day. While this laid back, apathetic mindset may seem harmless, it’s quite the opposite. Indifference is often viewed as worse than a strong feeling towards something. “The epic” understands that it’s inevitable for a person to not care about things. There are things that people genuinely don’t care about, but we believe that it has gotten out of control. Not only at our school, but amongst all young people this apathetic

attitude has taken control. Participation and enthusiasm seem to be at a new low. Classrooms are just one example of this. It seems far too often that a teacher’s question to their class is responded to with no hands raising to answer. Sometimes, one student will pick up the slack for the rest of the class and answer many of the teacher’s questions. Why? Why are students reluctant to answer a question when they are given the opportunity? Previously, one could assume that students would be afraid of misspeaking or answering incorrectly. However, with the introduction of our laptops, students seem far more concerned with what’s on the screen than any question in the class. Students just don’t seem to care about class. The indifference doesn’t just stop in the classroom though. It’s pervasive in and out of school. School sponsored activities and sporting events draw small crowds, and the crowds that do attend are comprised of a lot of the same people. We, as a school, are failing ourselves. We aren’t living up to the potential we could have. If you have the mindset that we are fine presently, look at one of our school’s current activities: the canned food drive. If every student brought in about six cans, we

could easily meet the goal of 10,000 cans. Now, it’s unlikely to believe that every student would be able to bring in six cans, but some classes bring in few to no cans during the can drive. We are so apathetic that we don’t donate food for the hungry. While some students may not be in the position to sacrifice food or spend money for the drive, there are many who can, but choose not to. The act of bringing even one can from the pantry to school is too much for some of us, and it’s saddening to realize that we are unwilling to help those in need. Yet again, we just don’t care. “The epic” challenges our readers to give up their apathetic attitudes. Not all at once, as that’s an unrealistic expectation. However, find one thing daily to care about. Maybe it is something as simple as bringing a can for the can drive. Maybe it’s helping the freshman who dropped her book in the hall. Maybe it’s actually actively listening to what someone has to say. Maybe it’s answering that question in math class. Just find something. Something that inspires you to truly care. Perhaps, if we all start abandoning our apathetic attitudes, we could accomplish much more than we think we can. Then again, maybe not. Who cares, right?

Cartoon by Jack Warner

November 12

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opinion

Congratulations Shawnee Mission West Football Team!

What a great season! From all of us at Chick-fil-A Oak Park Plaza

GO VIKINGS!! By Oak Park Mall @ 9707 Quivira Road, Overland Park KS 66215

(913) 310 9222

息 2015 CFA Properties, Inc. Chick-fil-A速, Chick-fil-A Stylized速 and The Chick-fil-A Cows速 are registered trademarks of CFA Properties, Inc.

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calendar nov

Winter sports begin. Photo by Kelsea Lilla

November December

19-20 The Repertory Theatre Show: A Simple Task and 4 A.M. “I think the two one-act shows we are putting on are great in contrasting moods,” Senior Katherine Allison. Photo by Merani Rivarola

The Feast, a poetry event, begins at 5 o’clock. Photo by Natalie Derks

25-26-27 All schools and offices are closed for Thanksgiving Break. Thanksgiving is on the 26, and Black Friday the 27. Photo by Maddy Shackelford

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Future Viking Fun Night, sponsored by NHS. Photo by Hope Ericson

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A&E

Waving Dubai to Kansas

Senior Brandon Hattaway took the trip of a lifetime to work for his uncle. By Brock Burnett.

Photo by Brock Burnett

While many students go on summer vacations, few go on trips as involved as senior Brandon Hattaway’s. Hattway travelled to Dubai over the previous summer. Like most teenagers, he was searching for a summer job, but his search differed a bit from the norm. “I was trying to organize some sort of summer job. My dad sent out an email to his brother who lives in Dubai as a lawyer for DHL, a shipping company. He told me to send in my resume and see if I could intern for the summer in Dubai. I was like ‘Okay, that’s better than any normal job I’m going to have here.’,” said Hattaway. Hattaway’s uncle accepted him to intern for six weeks. Hattaway’s internship with DHL was filled with tasks associated with a stereotypical internship: getting coffee, organizing files, locating papers. However, one incident in particular stuck out in Hattaway’s mind. “I have to remember this correctly because it gets complicated. There was the Eritrean incident. They’re a country in Africa. My uncle was in charge of the Middle East/North Africa region for DHL. Eritrea was sending a diplomatic package to its embassy in another nation. They shipped it using DHL. The thing with diplomatic packages is that they’re immune to searches and seizures by customs,” said Hattaway. “If you can’t look inside it, you can’t

insure it. If you end up losing it, you’re kind of screwed. DHL ended up shipping it to an embassy of a nation that was at war with Eritrea. Basically, we said ‘We screwed up. We’re going to insure you (Eritrea) for the maximum amount.’ In any normal situation, we would only restore them for one dollar because we couldn’t know what was inside the package. We ended up restoring them about $500 dollars instead.” Hattway’s internship wasn’t just sitting in DHL’s office in Dubai though. As Hattaway said, his uncle was in charge of the Middle East and North Africa regions. Hattaway travelled to three other countries: Rwanda, Ethiopia and Tanzania. Hattaway’s experience in Rwanda stuck out the most to him. “It was interesting. I had learned about the Rwandan Genocide before but not really in great detail. There was a museum there, and I actually went to the hotel described in “Hotel Rwanda”, the movie,” said Hattaway. “I think the best way to describe the whole ordeal was very sobering. It really made you understand what it was like to be there. Even though it was only 20 years ago, they’ve recovered really well. They’re doing quite well.” Hattaway’s experience working in Dubai is something that not many people will ever be able to experience. Hattaway said that his time there during the summer was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Photo courtesy of Brandon Hattaway.

06 News

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Photos by Jenna Wilson and Nina Williams.

The sixth annual Great Midwest Balloon Fest was held on Oct. 23 and 24. Dozens of balloons were on display. During the "Balloon glow", balloons stayed grounded and illuminated the area with their lights.

& Away

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feature

New Walls,

same program Signature programs are a unique part of our district and will now have their own building.

By Sami Jansen and Lexi Hart

he district administration has selected a few signature programs to be moved from their current schools to a new building that will be dedicated to the programs and their development. ”What we are looking to do in terms of movement from the current signature programs would be biotechnology at West, medical health at North, project lead the way (an engineering program), which is currently housed at South, those three programs would be moved to the center of academic achievement. Also culinary arts which is at Broadmoor,” Chief Academic Officer Dr. Ed Streich said. Biotechnology, which is offered at West, teaches kids skills important to research based science careers and gets them familiar with techniques and equipment used in research labs. “I didn’t expect it to, but the Biotechnology Signature Program became a huge part of my life” Renny Ma, senior, said. North’s Medical Health program prepares students with a math and science based curriculum that introduces them to concepts that are not commonly taught until college. Project Lead the Way builds fundamental knowledge for students hoping to go into engineering and familiarizes them with engineering technology and software. The final program being transferred is the culinary arts program currently located at Broadmoor. The culinary program teaches students skills that they then apply to their

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student run bistro. The students create menus, cook food and serve paying customers. The remaining programs, such as gaming design, will stay at their respective schools for now but may be moved in the future. The goal of this initiative is to raise the number of kids enrolled in the programs and make deciding which school to go to a thing of the past. “It’s very difficult for students to say ‘I’m going to pick up and transfer’ from their own high school to that center,” Streich said. Many students have made the decision not to pursue the signature programs due to problems it can cause in their schedule. ”Part of the problem is students that have to travel between schools lose a credit...So if they don’t change their entire school...they are going to lose at least a credit in transfer time... In today’s weighted GPA formula that Shawnee Mission has, your best students aren’t going to leave and lose a credit because it would impact their weighted GPA,” Streich said. Moving the programs may become an issue to students who currently participate in the signature program held in their home school. “Transportation is definitely going to be a complication. From a solely logistical standpoint, having to take the extra school block or time to get to the building will take away from other classes. I guess I’ve

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always just taken for granted the fact that I can walk down the hallway at my own school anytime to go talk to Mrs. Bott or go to the Biotech room,” Smith said. Teachers have been encouraged to move along with their respective programs. “The idea would be, the programs themselves, and I hate to say this, but are teacher dependent. It’s not the program, but what the teacher has done to build the program, that is really the critical piece. We have to leverage their talents in the new facility because just moving the program won’t make it happen. You have to have those tremendous foundation teachers, that we currently have, and build on that capacity. The things you are always fearful of, are people retire,” Streich said. The programs will be housed on 71st Street, where Antioch Middle School formerly stood. The new building will be able to house more labs and will allow for more complexity than the high schools. Construction has already begun and will hopefully be finished the school year of ‘17-18. They have recruited teachers of the signature programs to assist in the designing of the labs and classrooms in order to make them better suited to each individual program. “I’ve seen plans for the new biotechnology lab at the building and it is absolutely amazing.If the new lab design is any indication of what the entire building is going to be like, then it is going to be a nice transition,” sophomore Erin Smith said.

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The new building will house signature programs that are moving from various high schools. The building is named after a former Shawnee Mission School District Superintendent Howard D. McEachen. Photo courtesy of SMSD Biotechnology students practice with micropipettes in class. Next year, the Biotechnology program will be moved to the new building. Photo by Emma Arnold

Programs moved to McEachen Biotechnology Intro to BioTech BioTech 1 and 2 Medical Health Sciences Exploring Medical Health Science Careers Medical Health Science 1 and 2 Project Lead the Way Project Lead the Way TM Introduction to Engineering Design Principles of Engineering Digital Electronics Aerospace Engineering Engineering Design & Development november 12

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news

political update

An Opinion By Drake Mattis On October 21st, Vice President Joe Biden announced that he would not be running for President. His decision and the dropping out of Lincoln Chafee and Jim Webb finalized the field for democratic nominees, narrowing it down to Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley. Many factors went into Biden’s decision, including the search for “emotional strength” after his son Beau Biden lost his battle with brain cancer in May. After Biden and Obama’s term ends in 2016, Biden’s political career will come to an end. If Biden had decided to run, many, including myself, thought that he would have a significant chance to catch Clinton for the nomination, as he already has had popular support as the vice president. In my opinion, Biden had the potential to be a better president than Obama. When Obama came into office in 2008, he had limited political experience, and that is something that Biden does possess.

Something that political analysts have asked is, “Is Joe Biden fit to be president?” I think this question is ignorant and I think the answer is yes. I think Biden has had a successful run as vice president under Obama, and if anything, it has proven that he could be a strong leader for our country. When it comes to comparing political experience between candidates, Clinton clearly has the most. But, when she was secretary of state, her term was later defined by the Benghazi scandal and the email controversy. Now onto the two other candidates: Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley. Sanders is the former senator of Vermont who has gradually worked his way up the polls. In the first Democratic debate, Sanders defended Clinton when she was asked about the email scandal, and this was significant because it shows that the Democrats are much more friendly to one another, unlike the Republicans who all act very hostile to each other. O’Malley was the Mayor of Baltimore from 1999 to 2007, and Governor of Maryland from 2007 to 2015 when his term ended and he decided to run for president. At first, his numbers were very low, but now that there are only three candidates left, I wouldn’t be surprised if he made a quick surge in the polls. After the most recent Republican debate, which was aired on CNBC and was supposed to be centered around economics and financial issues, I have become a lot more fond of Marco Rubio and I think he

is my new favorite candidate. Now, I still do not agree with him on many issues, but I don’t agree with most Republican candidates on a lot of issues as well. After this debate, which took place on October 28, Rubio’s poll numbers took the largest surge of his campaign to date. Another significant event that occurred only days after the CNBC debate was Ben Carson’s overtaking of Donald Trump for the leading position on the polls. Personally I am indifferent to this move. I am not a fan of either of these candidates in any way. For one thing, neither have any political experience. I know that many Americans are tired of political experience being important for higher office positions and many Americans do not think this is as important of an issue as it was in the past. But to be President of the United States, I think some kind of political experience is necessary. Think about it, no matter who it is, the President of our country will inevitably become one of the most powerful people in the world, and previous experience of political superiority and preeminence is vital. Unfortunately, we will not be able to see if my speculation about Joe Biden would prove true, and I still have little optimism for who the Republican National Committee will nominate to become our next president, but hopefully, we can get a strong leader back into the White House in the winter of 2017. God Bless America.

Photo courtesy of (CC) Peter Stevens

opinion

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issue 3

And i’ll never be royal

An Opinion By Isabelle Frankel Until one year ago, my indifference towards major league baseball has not affected my life at all. Then, miraculously, the beloved Kansas City Royals made it to the World Series. After my 16 years without hearing a single word about the success of a KC sports team, it was suddenly inescapable. I have never been the type of person who particularly enjoys watching sports on TV. I find myself distracted by the surplus of slow motion replays and interjections by announcers and Dorito commercials. I was raised by natives of Des Moines and New York City, so I lack the innate sense of love for Kansas City sports teams. When I was young, I spent my softball days making sand angels in the outfield. This was rarely a problem for me until

the Royals became a highly successful team. Now I’m faced with looks of disapproval every time I can’t say each players name, position, and favorite ice cream flavor, as if I deserve to be deported because of my disservice to our community. The most frustrating aspect of this problem is my inability to redeem myself. If I somehow find myself with tickets I am forced to make a difficult decision. My first option would be to go to the game and then later face comments such as, “Wow, since when does Isabelle like sports?”, “Are you even a real Royals fan?”, and “Do you even care about baseball?” The second option would be to not go to the game and then be asked “What kind of person skips a royals game?” and “How dare you not support your hometown team?” Comments like these discourage me from trying to be in tune to the Royals success. I’m fully aware that sports are a great way to bring a community together. I have noticed a strong sense of family within the area when we all have a common passion. The success of the Royals has made Kansas City come together in support of our team. This is probably one of the reasons that I’m criticized when I don’t express immense

love for the Royals. Not taking time out of my days to watch the three hour games doesn’t mean I hate Kansas City. I have also noticed a disdain for “bandwagon fans.” It’s something understandable. I can see how you would be annoyed by every fan who starts to support a winning team only once they’re winning. Especially if you’re one of the people who dedicate hours and hours of your time to following a losing team until they finally become winners. Hatred of bandwagon fans definitely has reasonable causes but when you think about it it’s very unreasonable. A fan of a team should be overjoyed when they see that all others begin to support them alongside you. Also, not being a fan of a winning team when everyone you know adores them is not enjoyable. Diehard Royals fans need to create a welcoming environment so that everyone who wants to support the team can. Although I am not the biggest Royals fan I know and might have missed almost every game this season, that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy celebrating a Kansas City victory with my friends.

trying is cool

An Opinion By Max Meyer Throughout my four years of high school there have been more than few great times. However, there are a few things in particular that have really bothered me about high school. I’ve noticed that often students feel that it’s “cool” to not participate or not try at

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school and activities. Also, students frequently complain about how hard classes are. The biggest example of not trying hard that I have seen is not doing homework or not studying for tests. During freshman and sophomore year I noticed this the most. More than a few times I was asked early in my high school career why I spent so much time on homework as if it was a bad thing. At the time I never really understood why people thought it was bad to spend time on homework, but I think it was because students didn’t understand that their early years of high school actually matter. As junior year came around and

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college loomed near those students who didn’t try hard enough freshman and sophomore year realized that they had seriously messed up. I know that students always hear from teachers and counselors that the early years of high school are important, but it doesn’t strike a chord with most students. So I am here as a student who has been through the same thing that you have to tell you to take your first two years just as seriously as the last two. The second thing that has really bothered me in high school is not participating in the student section at sporting events. Every time I look back and see someone

opinion

just standing while everyone around them is yelling I am stumped. It is even worse when one of the senior leaders turns around to start a chant or pump up the crowd and someone looks down at the leader as if they’re crazy. First of all, there’s nothing wrong about a senior being excited about watching their friends play football. Second, not having school spirit is not cool either. Every student should support their fellow classmates as they play out on the field and the best way to do that is by yelling for them. Many students don’t participate out of fear of looking dumb, but if everyone in the

section is yelling no one will think that. My final complaint is that much too often I hear other students talk about how hard classes are. The only problem is most of these students don’t put their full effort forward and that’s why the class is hard. These students don’t pay attention in class or they don’t do their homework. It is impossible to learn any information if they don’t pay attention, so of course the class is going to be hard. Also, if they aren’t practicing with homework they are not going to retain what they went over in class. Most importantly, they signed up for the class, so they knew what

they were getting into. It’s not right to complain about a situation that they put themselves in. With all of that being said, I have a few challenges for all students. My first challenge is for you all to reflect on your effort in school. If you realize you aren’t trying as hard as you can, start going all out and I guarantee that you will see results right away. Second, let yourself get excited at sporting events and participate fully. Finally, if you sign up for a class don’t complain about it especially if you aren’t giving your full effort.

the war on guns

An Opinion By Logan Peterson The second amendment of the United States constitution states “...the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” The public’s right to own guns has been in jeopardy in recent years, specifically with tragedies happening all across America. These tragedies leave many people asking questions on whether or not the second amendment is outdated. The United States government is in the middle of an intense struggle. Should gun control in the United States should be stricter? Some politicians are even suggesting that it is necessary to ban all guns from civilians. I consider this to be one of the silliest and most unconstitutional debates in our country’s history. Let us set the record straight: guns do not wake up in the middle of the night and pop off a few rounds in the late evenings. Guns are inanimate objects that cannot operate unless used by a living thing.

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The argument becomes very muddled and conflicting to this point. The human element of gun catastrophes are what is causing the most issues within the government. The tragic shootings in Aurora, Colorado and Sandy Hook, Connecticut were committed by men known to have had various mental illnesses. I am not trying to deem these tragedies minor or unimportant. These horrific events, among many others, have painted the United States as some sort of ungoverned territory where everyone goes around shooting each other to solve their problems. The evil men that committed these crimes deserved justice, and unfortunately, men like this exist all around the world. Not just here in America. The solution to ending or even slowing down these cataclysmic events is to enforce stricter background checks with the purchasing of guns. This means taking psychological profiles and looking at family history of mental illness and criminal history. These laws only apply to the purchase of short-barrelled shotguns, machine guns, and silencers, according to the National Firearms Act (NFA). If Congress can pass laws that would make it illegal for any felons, mental defectives or otherwise to purchase guns, the state of violence in this country would improve significantly. But to strip the right to own guns altogether is wrong, and frankly hints at the start of a

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neo-communist government. The Obama administration has used each circumstance of gun violence as an opportunity to brainwash the American people into believing that the guns themselves are the enemy, and that to own a gun is a criminal act. Don’t give in to the pressures of our current, abusive government. Realize that the main priorities of a gun-owning family are two-fold: protection and recreation. Hunting is arguably the world’s oldest sport, and is an exercise that can teach focus and discipline. Hunting is not the number one concern, though. The fact of the matter is, the government should be able to trust the people. Also, Congress has the power and vast capacity to enact laws that create a stricter barrier for the minority of Americans, especially the ones that aren’t mentally, emotionally and physically capable of handling weaponry. Gun laws are never easy to enforce and cause a great divide between the political parties. But, the fact of the matter is that the constitution is legally binding, and was absolutely essential in the molding of this great nation. I believe in the constitution, and what’s right is right. Once the government starts regulating the use of guns, it will lead to a domino effect which could make even the most democratic government regulating more than it needs to.

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english

APATHY

There are a lot of people taking AP English, but some of them might not be ready for it. By Sylvia Bryan Taking Advanced Placement English means summer reading, more homework and a lot of writing, but it continues to be a popular decision for upperclassmen. Honors classes in English and science are an option for students starting in seventh grade, but by the time “honors” becomes “AP” there’s big difference in enrollment for those two subjects. SM West offers AP English for juniors and seniors, as well as a multitude of AP classes in science, math, social studies and foreign languages. However, English is the most commonly taken AP class by far. For science, students can take AP classes in physics, chemistry and biology. This year, there are about 100 people enrolled in all three AP science classes combined, which isn’t surprising since AP classes are known for being strenuous. What’s surprising is that three times that amount are taking an AP English class. It’s not just science. There were around 160 AP math students at the beginning of first semester, which is a little over half the amount of AP English students. The disparity isn’t as large as the one between science and English, but it’s still there. “I think sometimes students will get into an AP English and not realize it’s going to be more difficult than their English 10 honors class, and I think sometimes that can cause students some trouble if it ends up being more difficult than they thought it would,” Amy Blakemore,

English teacher, said. With the exception of audition classes and math, which requires teacher recommendation, students can choose which classes they take. Because of this, AP students are entirely self selected. “Anyone can enroll, and I think students might just want to look carefully at how they’ve done in their English class in the past and they might want to look at their MAP test scores and their state test

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“I think it should be that AP is above and beyond, and I think sometimes students forget that, I think that people are maybe misjudging the easiness of it sometimes.” -Amy Blakemore

ing scores to see how they have done on reading tests in the past,” Blakemore said. “Sometimes students have trouble with reading comprehension, and in the past they’ve been able to get by with makeup work and extra credit.” Since AP classes are supposed to be college level courses, that’s not always possible at the junior and senior level. However, not all students realize this coming in. “For the most part, I have a lot of students who seem prepared and ready for the challenge. But I also have some

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people who don’t seem prepared this year, and unfortunately for those students it gets pretty apparent,” Blakemore said. Unprepared classmates can cause frustration for other students. “It sucks when you’re in a group project and you’re with people who have no idea what they’re doing,” Mahlia Mann, junior, said. SM West’s enrollment policy doesn’t allow students to switch classes in the middle of a semester, which can lead to problems when students are in AP classes they aren’t ready for. “I think you should have to qualify for it because there’s a lot of kids who just flunk first semester,” Mann said. This means waiting it out until second semester, when students have the opportunity to drop classes. “If you get halfway through the semester and you’re failing, you have to wait it out. So I think for some people, they should be more careful about the AP classes they choose to take,” Blakemore said. Since AP classes generally move faster than their regular counterparts, transferring requires students to adjust to a new curriculum, which isn’t always ideal. “I don’t think you should take an AP class in a subject that you aren’t interested in and don’t plan on working hard on,” Blakemore said.

A&E

aCT aCTing

out:

SM West’s ACT scores are the lowest in the district--again. By Sylvia Bryan

The ACT is a common source of anxiety for high school students, but it can also cause stress for the schools themselves--especially if a school is scoring lower than its peers. The district’s Assessment and Research Department publishes statistics on ACT scores at all Shawnee Mission high schools each year and compares those statistics to state and national averages. The 2015 report included statistics from every year since 2011. Last year SM West’s composite ACT score was 22.1. That beats out the national average of 21, but falls short of the district composite of 23.8. Although every major school district in Johnson County beat Kansas’s composite of 21.9, Shawnee Mission was the lowest of the three. The Olathe composite was 24 and Blue Valley’s was 25.4. “If we could have a school average of 24, that would be awesome,” Cindy Neely, counselor, said.

SM West’s relatively poor performance isn’t a first; in past years it’s fallen short of the other schools in the district. Since 2011, SM East has always had the top score in the district,

West has the lowest average ACT score in the district followed by SM South and SM Northwest, who are usually tied or close to it. SM North and SM West have always been the bottom two. There’s no universal goal for ACT scores, and some students never actually take it; in 2015, only 65 percent of West graduates took the test. According

to the SM West school profile, 91 percent of 2015 graduates continued their education. However, a plurality of them attended Johnson County Community College. JCCC doesn’t require an ACT score for admission, so it’s possible for many students to go to college without ever taking it. The number of graduates tested at a given school and the school’s composite score seem to have a positive correlation. At SM East, 82 percent of 2015 graduates took the ACT. This was the highest percentage in the district, followed by SM Northwest at 79 percent and SM South at 68 percent. While SM North had a higher composite than SM West in 2015, it actually had a lower turnout, at only 56 percent. However, there’s still a clear pattern: schools with more test takers tend to get higher scores.

By the numbers

23.8

80%

22.6

West’s highest section score (reading)

of KS graduates took the ACT

District composite

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“There’s different goals for different students. For some students, if they could just get a 21 that would be great. And for other students they’re looking to get a 32 because that’s where the big money is,” Neely said. Test preparation is something many students worry about, but the ACT is a skill based test. “The best preparation is your curriculum. There’s test strategies you can learn, but for example in terms of math if you’re in geometry and you’re taking the ACT then you haven’t been exposed to any of the Algebra 2 or trigonometry problems that are being asked, so it’s all about your curriculum,” Neely said. Despite that, SM West does offer test prep classes. The ACT itself, as well as third party companies like the Princeton Review, publish prep materials A student crams for a test that will help decide her college future. that include test taking strategies and Photo illustration by Maddie Milazzo practice tests. Emma Bunde, junior, utilized these materials. Her composite score the first time she took the test was 34. “I had a test prep book I used. I average ACT score think I’ll probably take it again though, because I could have done better on math,” Bunde said. Although the school composite is 22.1, that’s not an accurate representation of each student. There are many students like Bunde who score in the high 20s or 30s, while others struggle to get to a 21, and most students fall somewhere in between. For students who don’t go to JCCC, the most common choice for college is a four year in-state school. A 21 on the ACT will get a student assured admission at KU and K-State, but only if other criteria are met. For example, KU requires a 3.25 grade point average, whereas students with an ACT score of 24 only need a 3.0 GPA.

Massachusetts

has the highest ACT score nationwide with a

24.4

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who’s on top 1 2 3 4 5 6

East: 25.5

Northwest: 24.1 South: 24.1

North: 22.6 West: 22.1

Nation: 21.0

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“Epic” staﬀers gathered data on four nearby colleges to see how they compare. by Brevin Turner, Brock Burnett, Kathleen Gartner and Jared Walker.

Pitt.State U n i v e r s i t y

The

Colors: crimson and Gold Mascot: gus the gorilla Student Pop. : 7,500 Student to Faculty: 19 to 1 In-state tuition: $6,230 Majors offered: 150+

Colors: Blue and crimson Mascot: Big Jay Student Pop. : 27,983 Student to Faculty: 17 to 1 In-state tuition: $10,448 Majors offered: 200+

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University

Kansas

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66%

of all college students in Kansas applied as residents of Kansas. Source: http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/ksdata/ksah/education/6ed8.pdf

Kansas State

wichita State

Colors: purple and white Mascot: willie the wildcat Student Pop. : 24,766 Student to Faculty: 19 to 1 In-state tuition: $9,034 Majors offered: 250+

Colors: Black and yellow Mascot: wushock Student Pop. : 11,979 Student to Faculty: 18 to 1 In-state tuition: $7,267 Majors offered: 140+

U n i v e r s i t y

November 12

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@SMWjournalism 18

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The varsity football team has perservered through numerous injuries this season. By Logan Peterson and Eric Sedlacek Photo illustration by Merani Rivarola.

Players that have been affected by some sort of injury during their season line up together. R-L: Derek Woolley, Trey Carter, Christian Perez, Conner Riley, Jason Meeker, Jonah Stremel and Br Photo illustration by Merani Rivarola.

njuries have become an epidemic among high school football players around the country. Concussions, heat exhaustion and dehydration are simply a few of the many growing concerns between state officials, coaches, and especially players and their parents. Several starters on the varsity football team have been plagued with debilitating injuries; senior Jordan McKinney and junior Jason Meeker are just two of the large amount of student athletes crippled with injury. Meeker suffered a broken fibula and dislocated ankle on his right leg. The injury occurred during varsity’s first game of the season against Lawrence Free State High School. Meeker hurdled through three Free State defenders and broke away for a 55-yard run, before being brought down at the Free State 10-yard line. What began as a moment of euphoria for West fans suddenly turned to horror as Meeker twisted in pain on the field. He couldn’t get up by his own strength; he has not played a down of football since. “I was running for a touchdown, and the defender dove and swiped at my ankle,” Meeker said. “It was really painful. Last year I hurt my ankle, and this hurt a lot worse so I

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knew I broke something.” Meeker began his rehab in order to restore strength to the muscle in his right leg. After spending several weeks in a wheelchair, he then began walking on crutches. Varsity coach Tim Callaghan weighed in on the possibility of him playing this year. “I don’t think I would recommend it. Jason’s gonna get hit in his position. If I were his parent, he wouldn’t be back on the field,” Callahan said. Jordan McKinney, who plays safety, suffered a torn left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), torn left meniscus, and sprained left medial collateral ligament (MCL) during practice on August 25. “I was covering Israel [Watson] and it was a back shoulder pass. I planted my left foot and twisted my knee around while my foot was still planted,” McKinney said. When the injury first occurred, the doctors weren’t aware that McKinney had torn his ACL. ACL injuries are considered significantly more serious than injuries of the MCL or other knee ligaments. They also take much longer to heal. At that time, McKinney and his doctors still had hope that he would return to the field this year. “The doctor originally called my house and said I only had a torn meniscus, so I told coach, and he told me to run during weights,” McKinney said. “So, I ended up

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running a mile on the treadmill with a torn ACL, which was pretty cool.” Concussion-related injuries continue to make headlines across media outlets daily, the most recent being Josh Nava, a senior player at Riverside Poly High School in California. He was put in a medicallyinduced coma after an apparent head injury during the game. The Kansas State High School Athletic Association (KSHSAA) rules state that any student athlete suspected of suffering a concussion during should be removed from the game or practice immediately. “It’s important for the athletes to be honest in that situation. They’re the only true source of knowledge in that situation. When you don’t let your brain fully heal, that’s where you can get yourself in trouble down the road,” Callaghan said. McKinney suffered a concussion last season, during their second game of the season against the Olathe Northwest Ravens. He spent most of halftime wandering around aimlessly, confused as to what had happened. “We kept having to tell him where his locker was,” senior Pablo Lira said. “I just remember being in the locker room at halftime one minute, and the next thing I knew I was in my bed,” McKinney said.

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rayden Stanhope. senior Christian Perez suffered a broken thumb, and junior Montelle Madlock has had sprained ankles throughout the season. Senior Connor Riley and senior Derek Wooley both also suffered concussions. Riley missed three Senior Jordan McKinney games and Wooley missed one. The football team has a 7-2 record and are on their way to regionals. Their next game is against The first step to concussion recovery the Blue Valley Tigers. is cognitive test. Activities that require “It’s going good, we’re getting better attention such as trying to meet academic each week. We’re finally coming together as requirement , the use of electronic devices, a team,” Callaghan said. and exposure to loud noises may worsen “I’m happy we’re doing well, but it symptoms and delay recovery. also sucks that I can’t be a part of the The Kansas School Sports Head Injury success, [...] I’m glad they’re doing well,” Prevention Act provides that if an athlete McKinney said. suffers, or is suspected of having suffered, Football is a growing sport; in order to a concussion or head injury during a make the game safer, there will be many competition or practice, the athlete must be bumps along the way. States continue to immediately removed from the competition enforce less contact during games, as well or practice and cannot return until a health as creating pad-heavy helmets in order to care professional has evaluated the athlete minimize head-related injuries. and provided a written authorization. Only time will tell whether or not states “[Concussions] are a part of sports,” will find the proper solution for high school Callaghan said. “Sports have gotten so athlete ailments. physical. You’re not surprised when it does happen, but you don’t expect it to happen.” The football team has also suffered a few smaller injuries this season. Junior Korey Belcher suffered a high ankle sprain,

‘the next thing i knew

i was in my bed’

November 12

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Want to know more about West football players overcoming obstacles? Visit

www.smwest.com to watch “the heart of a viking”, an exclusive look into one player’s health condition.

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FCCLA members assisted with Safe Trick-or-Treat activities. Photos by Maddy Shackelford.

Family Matters

FCCLA is a club that focuses on personal growth and leadership development. By Caroline Fullerton and Christian Hooper

amily, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is a national organization that provides a focus on family and career preparation opportunities for students. FCCLA is the only national Career and Technical Student Organization whose primary focus is family. The only prerequisite to joining FCCLA is to have taken a FACS class either in middle school or high school. FCCLA was established in 1945, and is a nationally recognized program. Over 200,000 people in over 5,500 chapters are involved from every state in the U.S. Each chapter takes on a project focusing on a wide range of youth concerns, such as substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and nutrition and wellness. Students involved in FCCLA competitions get the opportunity to meet other members from different schools on field trips. “It’s something that anyone can get involved in,” Jennifer Choquette, foods teacher, said. According to Choquette, the main goal of FCCLA is to “develop life skills and prepare for future careers”. Students involved compete in competitions promoting areas such as public speaking, community service, and parliamentary procedure. Members are also exposed to a political environment, by running for local, chapter, state or national office. FCCLA sponsored their annual Safe Trick-or-Treat event at on October 22. This event invites all children and their parents from preschool to 3rd grade to participate in trick-or-treating, fun activities, and Hallow-

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een games. Admission was free, but they did ask participants to bring canned goods for donation. “It was really fun. We had a lot of help from our whole group, we had a lot of things to put up and make sure everything was safe and where it was supposed to be,” junior Gabriela Venzor said. “We all had a blast setting up and during the event. We always look forward to Safe Trick-or-Treat,” Venzor said. Junior Monique Morales has been involved with FCCLA since freshman year and was elected the district vice president of community service, and vice president for the school. “In the winter we help out with the Johnson County Christmas Bureau, and we make blankets for children that are going through adoptions. During Valentines day we make goodie bags with cards for kids that can’t afford them,” Morales said. FCCLA is involved in the national Lead2Feed student leadership program that more than one million other students are involved in throughout the country. Chapters compete to earn $250,000 in charity grants and $150,000 in technology grants for schools, and all proceeds go directly to their community. So far the program has donated more than one million meals to hungry families throughout the United States in just three years.

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Trick or Treat Fccla sponsors the annual “safe trick or treat” which offers many activities for children to enjoy before Halloween day. Photos by Maddy Shackelford.

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Mathnasium of Overland Park 9339 W. 87th St Overland Park, Ks 66212 overlandpark@mathnasium.com 2nd grade - 12th grade

november 12

mathnasium.com/overlandpark

ACT & SAT Test Prep

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(913) 642-MATH

once a viking,

always a viking

West is not the same school as when it opened in 1962. By Kristin Wells

The class of 1965 graduated when gas cost 31 cents a gallon, a gallon of milk was 95 cents and minimun wage was $1.40. They were the first class to spend all three years of high school at West, as the school opened in 1962. The class was the largest in the school when it opened, with 721 students, as opposed to 531 juniors and 282 seniors. When West opened, only the academic wing was fully ready for use. “The academic area was ready, so as you come in, the main area was ready. The area across the bridge was not ready yet, it was full of paint buckets. There was no pool, and the library was across from the office,” Nancy Swartz, class of ‘65, said of West at its opening. At the time, the bridge was an actual bridge with no classrooms underneath. “We had so much traffic under the bridge because there were no classrooms on the lower level. It was always shaded in the summer, and we had our cheerleading practices under there when it was hot out,” Swartz said. For girls in high school, there were not many options for physical activities, nor as many clubs available as there are today. Title

IX, which forbids discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program, didn’t become a law until 1972. “I was a cheerleader. There were no girls competitive sports, I would have played softball and volleyball if they had been offered, but cheerleading was the most physical thing you could do,” Swartz said. The West mascot, the Viking, was not decided upon fully by district administrators. When future West students were in junior high school, the students themselves had some input in the new school. They were polled on what they wanted the mascot to be. The beginning classes of students at West had many responsibilites. They had to set a standard of what it meant to be a Viking. They set traditions for all future generations to follow. “The whole school would come together [at pep rallies] and it was incredibly loud. The same basic cheer moves that we had back then have been passed down,” Swartz said. They even had to create the first mascot costume. Now called Victor Viking, the Sh-Mi-We-Vi was the name of the original Viking. He was made of paper mache and constucted in garages of students. After his glory days and paper mache wore out, Sh-MiWe-Vi was reconstructed out of fiber glass. While West is not the exact same school it was when it opened, the fighting spirit of the Vikings has never wavered.

The building itself has undergone many changes in 50 years. The bridge now has classrooms underneath. Additions include a new library, a pool, the auxiliary gym and a remodeled auditorium. This photo from the 1965 yearbook shows the bridge as it was originally constructed. Photo Illustrations by Merani Rivarola

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282 s

ior s

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483 f

1785

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students

se n

499 so p

ores m ho

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ior s

jun 476

Cost to build and furnish the school

students

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Student Body population by the Numbers

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FUN TO-DO in FALL Looking for something to do in KC this fall? Look no further. By Spence Lassalle and Lexi Hart

Visit a Cider Mill A place where people can go and enjoy a bunch of different activities such as: run through a corn maze, pick a pumpkin from the patch, and of course enjoy some apple cider and a donut.

Photo by Maddy Shackelford.

Go to the Farmer's Market A market where local people sell their freshly harvested produce, or flowers, and even baked goods. Music is played by a band while customers walk through the tent to find something delicious. Open every Saturday until November 21 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Photo by Hope Erickson.

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Go ice skating Crown Center’s ice skating rink opened on November 6. Whether you are the next Apollo Ono or Michelle Kwan, or you are just learning to skate, ice skating can be fun for everyone. Bonus points for going after the Plaza lights have been turned on.

Photo courtesy (CC): Laffy4k

Attend a football game Whether it’s your high school team, or the Kansas City Chiefs, football season is a big part of fall that many people enjoy. Cheer your heart out and support your local teams. Nothing says fall quite like standing under the Friday night lights.

Photo by Caleb Vering.

Pumpkin Flavored things Fall is the time where everything is now offered in pumpkin flavor. The most popular item being the pumpkin spice latte. You’re lying if you say you don’t like them. From pumpkin flavored Oreos to pumpkin flavored PopTarts, almost every food has a pumpkin variation.

Photo by Maddy Shackelford.

Plaza Lighting Ceremony The Plaza lighting ceremony marks the end of fall and begins the transition into winter. The ceremony began in 1925 with a single strand of lights. Thousands of Kansas Citians come out to see the switch being flipped. The lights will go on at 6:54 p.m. on November 26.

Photo courtesy (CC): Hngrange

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Uniting Players A new opportunity has been given to students with special needs. By Eric Sedlacek and Caleb Walker Students with specials needs at West have been given a unique opportunity. Shawnee Mission West is the first high school in the Shawnee Mission School District to be involved in a Special Olympics basketball league. There are fifteen schools in Northeast Kansas that partake in this league, only three of which are from this area (SM West, Blue Valley Southwest, and Bonner Springs.) The team had its first tournament at Sumner High School where they beat BVSW 18-10 and Washburn Rural with a score of 22-16. This is the first year of this league and the coaches hope to see it continue to grow. “Principal Steve Loe and Grant Dreiling have been a huge advocate for this,” Coach Dave Tines said. “Both of them have been a huge part getting this off the ground along with Anne Flora, Kelly Tines, and Kim Witters. There is no max on a team, but we can split teams. We would love to see two teams and would love to see these kids continue to play,” The special olympic basketball team partners with the cadet teacher program here and is sponsored by Parent Teacher Student Association. The cadet teaching class pairs students who display signs of leadership with those with special needs. These respective students, also known as Cadets, assist their partners with homework and they also spend time with them outside of school. Certain Cadets have chosen to take part in the special olympic basketball team. Rules and regulations of the game are kept relatively similar to those of high

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school varsity basketball games. The only major change to the game is that there are two, 10-minute halves, rather than four, eight-minute quarters. In regards to personnel, there must be three special olympic athletes and two cadets on the court at all times. Cadets are not allowed to attempt any shots; all of the scoring must be done by the special olympic athletes.

The best part about being with the team is seeing all the kids score and all the smiles on their faces during our tournament “Being in the class, I had a lot of fun with it and all of the kids are really fun to work with,” Josh Compton, senior, said. “I thought it’d be really fun to watch them have fun playing basketball.” The idea behind the special olympic basketball team is to promote friendly competition and community between students with special needs. “The best part about being with the team is seeing all the kids score and all the smiles on their faces during our tournament,” Compton said. Only positive remarks have been made about the basketball team by the special olympic athletes. Devin Seeger, junior, says

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he has a lot of friends on the team and he loves scoring baskets. One of his favorite parts of playing with the team is playing with Ben (Karlin) and Josh (Compton). Ted Clayton, senior, expressed that his favorite memory was also scoring his first basket. Being involved with the basketball team has proven to be humbling for everyone involved. “It makes you grateful for what you have,” Witters said. Coach Tines also speaks highly of the opportunity. “One of the funnest things we’ve ever done, kids are fantastic to work with. (They) Put a smile on our face, honored to be apart of this,” Tines said. The team also receives a great deal of support from the administration of West. “One of the parents told me that this is the most smoothly run sports we have been a part of. Hearing that is really awesome that we’re doing something good, and it’s only the first year of this,” assistant coach Chris Martin said. “All the support has been unbelievable with Mr. Loe and Mr. Dreiling to get things running so smoothly the first year.” The team’s next tournament is in Atchison, Kansas on Saturday, November 8th and student turnout is greatly encouraged. They have also be invited to play in the Viking Invitational Tournament which is a basketball tournament that is also a fundraiser for the boys basketball team on November 14th.

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.5 million unified teams worldwide Clockwise from top: Seniors Ted Clay and Heather Hoback play with Cadet Annie Rinnie. Clay and Senior Shannon Cochren dribble down the court with Cadet Abby Briney. Clay jumps to shoot the basketball. All photos by Kelsea Lilla

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K O O T N W CRO THE

le city c the who d n a s an d Serie he Worl m Rellih t a d n o A w d s n al Meyer a The Roy By Max

Royals’ first basemen Eric Hosmer froze as Mets’ third basemen David Wright fielded the ball off of catcher Salvador Perez’s bat. As Wright began his throw to first Hosmer took two shuffles and broke for home… safe. Lucas Duda’s errant throw sailed past Mets catcher, Travis d’Arnaud. The Royals had scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning to spark their seventh and final comeback victory of the postseason. Three innings later the game winning run was scored by pinch runner, Jarrod Dyson. He was hit in by an unlikely hero, reserve Christian Colon. Colon, who did not have an at-bat since October 4, fell behind in the count no balls and two strikes before hitting a line drive single into left field. The Royals would go on to score four more runs in the inning and gave a 7-2 lead to closer Wade Davis. He struck out the side and the Royals became World Series Champions again after 30 years of struggles. Seven months earlier the Royals’ season

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had begun with some uncertainty. Despite being the reigning American League Champions the Royals were picked to finish towards the bottom of the American League Central division. Royals fans, on the other hand, had high expectations for the team. “I felt like they would pick up where they left off last season and contend for a championship,” Chris Holcomb, senior, said. Within the first week the Royals were on track to prove these doubters wrong. They opened the season by winning seven straight games. The Royals continued to dominate the American League and spent more time in first place than any other team in the MLB. They won the Central by 12 games and finished with the best record in the American League, securing home field advantage for the postseason. The Houston Astros won the American League Wildcard game against the New York Yankees and were the Royals’ oppo-

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d elebrate

nent in the American League Divisional Series (ALDS). The Royals were on the brink of elimination in game four. The Astros were leading the series two games to one and were leading the game six to two in the eighth inning. After mounting an incredible comeback, one that included five straight hits, the Royals were able to take the lead. “I thought they didn’t have any chance,” Emma Beason, junior, said. “Any normal team would’ve lost and no one would think they could come back from four runs.” The Royals would go on to win the game nine to six and would win the series in game five behind a dominant performance by pitcher Johnny Cueto. In the American League Championship Series (ALCS), the Royals faced off against the Toronto Blue Jays. After five games, the Royals led the series three games to one and had a chance to clinch the series at Kauffman Stadium.

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The Royals held a lead in game six and they were up three to one going into the eighth inning. Ryan Madson was in to pitch for the Royals. He had been a big surprise in the Royals’ bullpen this year posting a 2.13 ERA during the regular season. On this night, however, Blue Jays’ outfielder Jose Bautista would get the best of him. Bautista, who had already homered earlier in the night, took a Madson pitch into the Royals’ bullpen tying the score at three to three. “I was at game six of the ALCS and I was shaking I was so nervous,” Beason said. “I haven’t been that anxious or stressed in a while.” In the bottom half of the inning, centerfielder Lorenzo Cain led off the inning with a walk. Next up was Hosmer who hit a bloop single into right field. At first glance, it only appeared that Cain would get to third base, but Bautista threw to second base.

Students show their spirit the day after game five. Photo by Merani Riverola

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Royals’ third base coach, Mike Jirschele, waved Cain home. The Blue Jays’ shortstop Troy Tulowitzki tried to relay home, but was too late. The Royals had taken the lead; Closer Wade Davis was able to pitch out of a jam and secure the series for the Royals. The World Series could not have started much better for the Royals. Shortstop Alcides Escobar began game one by hitting an inside-the-park homerun. The game proved to be thrilling, going 14 innings. The game ended with a walk-off sacrifice fly by Hosmer. The Royals cruised to a win in game two behind another great performance from Cueto. Game three was won by the Mets and was marked by a high and inside pitch to Escobar from pitcher Noah Syndergaard to begin the game. Games four and five were both come from behind victories for the Royals and they are now World Champions again after 30 years.

“It was so awesome to reflect on how amazing these last two years were,” Holcomb said. “When they won the series I just started laughing I was so happy,” Beason said. “Just thinking about how far they’ve come in the past two years is amazing.” The championship was capped with the parade through downtown Kansas City the Tuesday following game five. It was estimated that 800,000 people came out to witness the parade and the pep rally that followed. The parade was a testament to the fan support that the Royals have had all season long.

Alcides Escobar shows his gratitude to the city during the World Series parade. Photo courtesy of Maddie Wilkus

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A Royal celebration Enjoy every part of being World Champions. An Opinion By Max Meyer Growing up as a sports fan in Kansas City has been rough for most of my life. The Chiefs have only made the playoffs four times since I’ve been alive and the Royals have only made the postseason twice. The Chiefs have showed the most promise, but they consistently have fallen short of fans’ expectations. During my lifetime, the Chiefs have kept their attendance up and Arrowhead has remained the loudest stadium in the NFL. Despite this, on a day-to-day basis interest in the Chiefs isn’t very high. Very rarely are the Chiefs a topic of conversation outside of dedicated fans. The Royals on the other hand, were one of the worst teams in baseball for over a decade. You almost never saw someone wearing a Royals hat on a random day. Just about the

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only time you saw someone in Royals gear was at Kauffman Stadium. Tickets were available in the lower level of Kauffman for less than $10. Now tickets in the same spot cost between $30-$40. The likes of Mark Teahan and Trey Hillman have been replaced by Alex Gordon and Ned Yost. Only very dedicated fans stayed by the Royals during these trying times. Oh how the times have changed. Yes, the Chiefs are not playing well this year, but the Royals are World Champions. Because of this success the Royals have had, Kansas City sports are relevant again. At the end of a class it’s not uncommon to have a conversation spark up about the Royals. Most of the fountains in Kansas City have been blue and people wear Royals’ gear

all the time. The Royals have gained a lot of new fans the past two years, so often times the new fans don’t understand what it’s like to root for a bad team. All these fans know is winning baseball and because of this they don’t appreciate how great this time is. I am here to remind you to enjoy every moment of the Royals’ success. For all we know, this may not ever happen again in our lifetime. So enjoy every moment of the trip. Even though the World Series is already over fully enjoy this time that the Royals are the best team in the world. The good fortunes that the Royals have enjoyed over the last two years can just as quickly go away. For example, look at the Boston Red Sox of 2013 when they won the World

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Series. In the past two years the Red Sox have been near the bottom of the American League. The fate for the Royals could be entirely different next year. The moments from the past year and this year specifically are memories that you should cherish for the rest of your life. Don’t brush them off as if they will happen year after year because, as our parents know, it may be another 29 years until the Royals are back in the World Series. So, if I can leave you with one thing it is to never forget this time. Go Royals. Royals fans gathered outside of the Liberty Memorial and Union Station to cheer on the team. Photo By Kamryn Marshall

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HOTEL HELL A Television Review by Logan Peterson

The murder, mayhem and torture of the now infamous “American Horror Story” continues for another year, with the newest season dubbed, “Hotel.” The story centers on an eerie hotel in present-day California, and all of it’s insane and ambiguous residents. I must stress the word ambiguous, though, as the decadence and outstanding visuals completely eclipse any plot device, exposition or almost any dialogue whatsoever. The characters range from the brilliant Lady Gaga as a vampire temptress known only as The Countess, to the glazed-looking Wes Bentley as a detective in a tailspin of a marriage after the disappearance of their son years earlier. The series continually goes for the shock factor rather than develop any of these characters. Many of the characters’ motives are consistently obscured by their horrific, and oftentimes terrifying, actions. I recognize a lot of inspiration from horror director Eli Roth. As a fan of previous seasons, I am continually dissatisfied with how the show has failed to evolve over the years. The creators of the series, Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, are pseudo intellectuals in the world

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of television writing. Each season, the quality of their writing dwindles, yet their egos inflate like hot air balloons. They lack an ability to write thoughtfully and with any precision. Their vision consists of merely sexualizing the horror genre and flashing their credentials; their only goal is to make themselves out to be gods. Going back to Gaga’s performance, she is an astounding diamond in the rough. She exudes elegance and dominant sexual prowess. The moment she steps into a room, she owns everything and everyone. Series regular Jessica Lange doesn’t appear here; nevertheless, Gaga more than holds her own, her performance equal parts chilling and delicate. Although, the same cannot be said about Finn Wittrock’s disjointed performance as washed up male model, Tristan Duffy. Am I the only one sick of Hollywood trying to make this man-child a star? Talk about egos, Wittrock takes the cake. He continually plays the brat, drug addict role with enough angst to make JD Salinger roll over in his grave. There is no shortage of sheer ineptitude between many of the characters. For a show that is supposed to redefine horror

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and camp, there are large amounts of cliches that include, but are not limited to: jump scares, deformed persons and sexual deviancy. Aside from Gaga, there are no memorable characters. It has shown that not having Jessica Lange on the roster has not paid dividends. If only the show could be as perfect as the production design. “Hotel” is quite possibly the most aesthetically pleasing of the series so far. The camera work is tight and there is a paranoid quality of the setting that pays homage to the peak horror year of the 1970s and 80s. “Hotel” is without question the most flawed season of the “AHS” lore. The writing is at it’s absolute worst and the story provides little in terms of likable characters or interesting motifs. There is some promise that it may improve based on the performance from Gaga, but thus far, this has been the worst I’ve ever seen from the so-called creative geniuses Murphy and Falchuk.

Grade: CA&E

the stage is all right Theatre is on a winning streak By Sylvia Bryan Theatre is in the midst of another busy year. This year’s season began with “Almost, Maine,” which is the most performed play in American high schools. The musical is “All Shook Up,” which is based on Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” and takes place in the midwest during the 1950s. It will run in late January; the spring show is the original “Twelfth Night,” premiering at the end of April. Repertory theatre also puts on shows. “4:00 AM” and “A Simple Task” will premiere on November 19. “‘4:00 AM’ is a dramedy that focuses on a group of teenagers who are all awake at four in the morning,” Jenna Heng, junior, said. “A Simple Task” is also a comedy, but a slightly different genre. “Our second rep show is ‘A Simple Task’ and it’s a slightly absurd comedy. It’s about a girl who gets a new job and the

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identity of her boss keeps changing,” Heng said. The program and students themselves have gained recognition over the past year. In October, five students were inducted into International Thespian Society (ITS): Heng, junior Hannah Parker, and seniors Katherine Allison, Megan Bartlett and Ethan Evans. ITS is an honorary organization for high school theatre students, and has about 4,000 chapters worldwide. It includes actors and technicians, or “techies.” “It’s the closest thing we have to NHS [National Honor Society] that we have for theatre,” Heng said. Allison, Bartlett, Evans, and Heng are primarily actors. Parker is both an actor and a techie, which isn’t uncommon. “I do a little bit of everything in theatre,” Parker said. The department was also recognized by the Blue Star Awards last season. The Blue

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Star Awards are “Tony-inspired” awards for high school theatre programs sponsored by Starlight Theatre. SM West won awards for lighting design as well as best overall tech crew. However, the new year did bring some changes to the program. Michael Reiff, social studies teacher, was the long time director. But Reiff left the program this year, and Eric Magnus took his place. “We definitely spend a lot more time on character development than we did before. We have to figure out how our characters would think,” Heng said. Magnus will also bring eighteen members of the program to Wichita for the Thespian State Conference in January. “The last time we did that was this year’s seniors’ freshman year,” Heng said. Theatre still means late nights and stress for those involved. But it could be another rewarding season.

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behind the masks meet the actors inducted into the international thespian society

Senior Ethan Evans 11 mainstage shows 1 repertory theatre show

Senior megan bartlett 9 mainstage shows 5 repertory theatre shows

Senior katherine allison 9 mainstage shows 4 repertory theatre shows

junior hannah parker 4 mainstage shows 7 tech shows

junior jenna heng 6 mainstage shows 2 repertory theatre shows 7 mainstage tech crew Photos by Merani Rivarola November 12

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Worth the Wait

Five staﬀ members have chosen their most anticipated albums still yet to come in 2015.

Caleb’s Pick

Logan’s Pick “25” - Adele

“views from the 6” - Drake

Adele’s long awaited follow-up to her groundbreaking “21” has seemingly been on the shelf since this time last year. Reports have stated that she has gone back to the studio on several occasions, trying her best to make the album perfect; a perfect culmination of her best work that can also resonate with new audiences. She has already released one single, “Hello,” which is the first song on the album. It is a haunting and emotionally taut song that will send chills down your spine. The way she has blended soul, R&B, and classic pop sound is a testament that true talent still exists. Having to listen to Selena Gomez autotune and Taylor Swift mistake herself as the next great singer/songwriter has truly been a severe chore for the last several years. Adele, we love you, we miss you, and it’s time for you to bring your unbelievable voice back to the public.

Drake’s Pick “A head full of dreams” coldplay Ever since Coldplay’s last album, “Ghost Stories” critics have been speculating that the band may be working on a trio of albums to end their careers in a group and as a whole. So far these predictions are looking promising, and “A Head Full of Dreams,” a follow up to “Ghost Stories” is set to release before the end of 2015, and the earliest I see it coming out would be this December, but realistically, the album may debut in early 2016.

Speculation of Drake’s newest album flooded the internet as September loomed. The much anticipated album was predicted to be released on September 24, the one-year anniversary of one of his previous works, “Nothing Was The Same”. The world-renowned hip-hop and rap artist recently worked with colleague Future in a collaborative album titled “What a Time To Be Alive”. Drake’s most recent individual album, “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” was described by the rapper to be, “a bit broken”. Drizzy hopes to rebound with “Views From The 6” to reinstitute himself as the best rapper of the time.

Jared’s Pick “Reminiscing” J. Cole & Kendrick Lamar Recently there was a leak of an album cover for a collaboration album featuring Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole. The supposed album’s title is “Reminiscing”. This possible album has been rumored about for years, but the leak on September 24 started an outbreak of speculation on social media. About two weeks after the album cover drop a video of J. Cole singing a song that he has not yet released, which lead people to believe that they were giving everyone a sneak peak at the album. Both Lamar and J. Cole have openly expressed respect for one another’s music and say that they would like to work with each other in the future. I believe I speak for both J. Cole and Lamar fans when I say that “Reminiscing” will be a gift from God.

Alex’s Pick “Radio Silence” - James Blake The world at large got its first taste of UK crooner James Blake’s’ soul-electronica fusion back in 2011 after he released his self-titled debut on Polydor Records. Blake showed strong control over his voice and great talent for writing simple yet engaging songs. In 2013, he released his sophomore album, “Overgrown,” which added longer soul ballads and even stronger songwriting, but dropped some of his vocal experimentation and electronica overtones. On a BBC Radio interview in 2014, Blake announced that he would release his third studio album, “Radio Silence,” in early 2015. After hearing that Kanye West, Bon Iver, and Connan Mockasin would be featured on the album, Blake fans, myself included, have been eagerly waiting to hear what new sounds he’ll bring to the table.

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Games Can you solve our crossword puzzle about players from the Royals World Series team? Across 2. Pitcher acquired before the trade deadline to boost the Royals starting rotation 3. Two-time Gold Glove winning 1st baseman 6. Speedy outfielder and pinch running specialist 8. Outfielder acquired in the offseason who shared rotations with Dyson and Orlando throughout the season 9. All-star outfielder who ended up being a key acquisition in the Zack Greinke trade 11. 20 year old infielder who made history by being the first player to make his MLB debut in the World Series 14. Backup catcher 16. Pitcher whose father died hours before Game 1 of the World Series 17. Drove in the game winning run in the World Series at his first at bat in the postseason 18. 6’ 10’’ pitcher who came up big with a late inning relief appearance in Game 1 of the World Series 19. Starting catcher and World Series MVP

Sudoku Tic-Tac-Toe

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Down 1. 3rd baseman nicknamed “Moose” 4. Young starting pitcher who has now started in the World Series in his first two professional seasons 5. Longest tenured current Royal and 4-time Gold Glove winning outfielder 6. Starting pitcher who was moved into the bullpen during the playoffs 7. Designated hitter replacement for Billy Butler 10. Key utility player traded for in July 12. 30 year old outfielder who spent 9 years in the minor leagues before making his MLB debut in 2015 13. Shut down closer who stepped up when Greg Holland went down with an injury 15. 2015 ALCS MVP and All-star shortstop

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West in pictures 2.

1. 3.

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7. 1. Senior Julius Maddox performs a piece during Writers’ Walk. (Merani Rivarola) 2. A young Batwoman is admiring her art. (Maddy Shackelford) 3. Sophomore Dara Williams hypes her team up at Cross Country Regionals. (Maddy Shackelford) 4.Senior Keith Acosta, moments after being pied in the face at Writers’ Walk. (Merani Rivarola) 5. Senior Alyx Kemp rears back to spike the ball as senior Kelsey Klemma looks onward. (Rian Stallbaumer) 6.Pumpkins lay on the grass with messages from students scrawled on. (Kamryn Marshall) 7. JV cheerleaders support the JV football team. (Merani Rivarola) 8. Sophomore Lindsey Shirley pouts on stage during the fall play “Almost, Maine”. (Rian Stallbaumer) 9.Orchestra members play during their concert. (Maddie Milazzo)

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BackPAge By Alex Ralston

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