TALON
The Teen Driving Issue
Inside this Issue:
‘Sadness and Regret’
Cars Can Cost Reputation Driver’s Education
Staley High School Kansas City, Mo. Volume VIII Issue IV April 2016
Table of Contents PG. 4-5 Driver’s Ed Driver’s Ed Canceled District Wide
Sophomore Dillon Swafford poses for a photo with former teammates Cayden Hoth, Alex Lancaster and MoVonn Banks. Swofford, Hoth and Lancaster were all involved in a car crash together. Photo Courtesy of Dillon Swafford
PG. 6-7 ‘Sadness and Regret’ Teen Driver’s Life Changes After Crash
PG. 8-9 Driving Costs Reputation Student Cars Contribute to How Others View Them PG. 10-11 Driving Tickets Students Share Experiences with Tickets PG. 12 Obscure Driving Laws Driving Laws You May Not Know Senior Alexis Jensen and sophomore Kylee Sally compare cars during discussion on how their vehicles have contributed to their reputations. Sally drives a 2012 Ford Mustang. “It got handed down to me,” Sally said. Photo by Christopher Spry
On the Cover
The Teen Driving Issue Photo by Emilie Kerr
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Staff Editorial
DANGERS OF DISTRACTED DRIVING Distracted driving caused the deaths of 3,154 people in the United States during 2013, and 424,000 people were treated in emergency departments due to a wreck involving a distracted driver throughout that year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Distracted driving is among the most irresponsible things that teenagers do. It often takes the lives of those involved and of other people on the roads. Teen drivers from 16 to 19 years old are nearly three times more likely than drivers 20 or older to be involved in a fatal crash, according to the CDC. Some of the risk factors involved in this steep number of annual deaths are that teens are more likely to underestimate a dangerous situation, speed and follow another car too closely. Only 55 percent of high school students in 2013 reported that they always wear a seatbelt. It has been said many times by this point, but a text message can wait. Driving is dangerous, no matter how good of a driver one person is. Teens who drive distracted are making it even more difficult to be safe behind the wheel. Every time someone picks up their cell phone to send a quick text, they are putting themselves and others at risk. -Talon Staff
Letter from the Editor
The theme for the challenge for journalism state competition this year was “The Cost of Driving.” The staff and I worked on stories that follow this theme and decided that this message was one that had to be shared with our classmates. Shortly after we completed much of this work, sophomore Alex Wilson died in a car wreck. It seemed inappropriate to put a tribute to him in this themed issue. Look for a tribute to Wilson in the next issue of Talon. -Abbi Atwell Editor-in-Chief
Talon is published quarterly during the school year. Talon will accept letters to the editor in CR202 or at cherie.burgett@nkcschools.org. Before the letter is published, we will need to verify the writer’s identity with a photo identification. Letters may not exceed a length of 350 words. We will not publish letters that are libelous, obscene or that may cause a verifiable disruption of the education process of Staley High School. Letters must be signed. Anonymous letters will be discarded. Advertisers may contact the adviser at cherie.burgett@nkcschools.org, (816) 321-5330 or at 2800 NE Shoal Creek Pkwy, Kansas City, MO, 64156-1313. Opinions expressed in Talon do not express the staff’s endorsement of the products or services. Talon is a member of NSPA, MIPA, MJEA and Quill and Scroll. Talon is affiliated with JEA and JEMKC.
TALON STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Abbi Atwell STAFF
Maddy Benda Lane Burch Bryttany Holovach Alexis Howard Hafsa Hussein Jessica Jordan Emilie Kerr Alayna Lopez Rita Sargent Christopher Spry GRAPHIC ARTISTS
Jessica Jordan Amber Lewis ADVISER
Cherié Burgett
Alex Wilson
Oct. 5, 1999- March 24, 2016
Look for a tribute to Alex Wilson in the next issue of Talon. Volume VIII | Issue 4 | Talon | 3
Lifestyles
Weighing the DRIVER'S EDUCATION OF COSTs Driver’s Ed Canceled District-Wide Story by Bryttany Holovach Photo by Emilie Kerr
After this fall semester, the online course for Driver’s Education was canceled within the North Kansas City School District, according to counselor Rob Lundien. Without access to Driver’s Education, students’ driving habits may be affected, according to North Kansas City School District substitute teacher Tom Stout, who retired after 25 years of teaching Driver’s Education, and now gives private driving lessons. Now, any student in the district who wants to have driving lessons must pay for private ones. Senior Ward Mershon took lessons from Stout when he was 15 and said the lessons helped him become a safer driver and learn the rules of the road. 4 | Volume VIII | Issue 4 | Talon
“He taught me a lot of different driving rules,” Mershon said. Senior Monica Aguila took the online Driver’s Education class before it was canceled, and said the class didn’t affect the way she drives. “I didn’t really learn anything new,” Aguila said. “It was basically busy work, but I think it would help someone only getting a permit.” Aguila also said that the online class helps with rules only if the student actually puts forth the effort to apply the information they learn when they drive. When students learn to drive, most are taught by their parents, which is why many learn the habits of their parents and may not pick up on specific laws.
“The driving skill level is not where it should be for most,” Stout said. “The thing I make sure to instill is safe driving habits and informing students of laws.” Many parents took a Driver’s Education class in high school, yet most teenagers aren’t taking lessons, which could affect the habits of the next generation, he said. Assistant principal Kevin Kooi said that he understands the importance of having more than an online class offered to students but also sees the effects of implementing driving lessons to students. “I think there’s value in online preparation; it teaches the rules and regulations,” Kooi said. “When it comes to funding, there is a lot of
things to consider and how we would implement it. It would be of value if we could offer it.” Stout agrees that driving lessons are best. “Driving is the best experience. There’s no substitute for learning and experiencing what it’s like to drive,” Stout said. Having in-person driving lessons is important, according to Stout and Kooi. As well, Mershon said that it was important for road safety. “Driving lessons make the road better; it makes the road safer for the people driving,” Mershon said.
Lifestyles
Teen Driver Statistics Graphic by Bryttany Holovach
According to the March 2012 issue of the journal Pediatrics.
Driver’s Ed Has Financial Benefits Insurance Companies Give Discounts Written by Bryttany Holovach
Driver’s Education may reduce the cost of the students’ insurance bills. Some insurance companies offer a discount for teenagers who have taken a qualified Driver’s Education course. Among the local insurance companies near Staley, Allstate and Farmer’s offer a discount, but State Farm does not. The Driver’s Education class must be taken through the state or a qualifying business, and a certificate must be awarded from the state. According to the Department of Motor Vehices, the course will teach traffic laws, drug and alcohol awareness and driving in adverse weather. The course can either be offered online or in a DMV location.
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Feature
‘Sadness and Regret’ TEEN DRIVER’S LIFE CHANGED AFTER CAR CRASH Written and Photographed by Emilie Kerr
Many teenagers look forward to getting their licenses when they turn 16. While there are known financial costs that come with driving, one sophomore has learned about the emotional costs as well. “We were just driving and listening to music,” sophomore Dillon Swafford said. On Jan. 8, Swafford was driving with his friends, sophomores Cayden Hoth and Alex Lancaster after leaving a basketball game at Oak Park High School. The crash left Hoth partially paralyzed and with 6 | Volume VIII | Issue 4 | Talon
severe spinal cord injuries. “I feel a lot of sadness and regret,” Swafford said. This is a big burden for a sophomore to have to bare, but now Swafford has to do just that. He said that it has even affected him when it comes to friendships and friends getting in the car with him. “I’ve had a couple people say that they didn’t want to get in the car with me,” Swafford said. But there have also been supportive
people. Swafford said a lot of people are comforting about it. “It might be something he will have to live with the rest of his life, but Cayden isn’t going to make him feel bad about what happened,” sophomore basketball coach Nick Dicappo said. Hoth was transferred from Children’s Mercy to Craig Hospital in Denver, Colo., on Jan. 26 where the plan is for him to stay 75 days. The other two students were not seriously injured. With the
basketball season still going after the crash for Hoth’s teammates Swafford and Lancaster, they showed support for him. Swafford and Lancaster wrote Hoth’s basketball number on their shoes, and they had a large cutout of Hoth’s face made to bring to every basketball game. “I’ve tried dealing with it, but I don’t think I’ll be able to overcome it,” Swafford said.
Feature
Deputy Thomas Q&A
Teen Driving from a Different Perspective
Q: What do you think causes the most teen crashes? A: “Being distracted; texting is probably one of the worst. When you’re impaired and drinking.” Q: Is drinking and driving common among teens? A: “Probably more than you think there is. It’s big with events like the dances and prom and in the summer.” Q: What do you think teens can do to have fewer accidents?
Deputy Cody Thomas
A: “Definitely keep your eyes on the road, and don’t get distracted over a text message. That text can wait; just put your phone down. Also, don’t drive while intoxicated, and don’t get in the car with someone who has been drinking.”
School Resource Officer
Driving Do’s and Don’ts
All three sophomore boys, Cayden Hoth, Dillon Swafford and Alex Lancaster, who were involved in the crash, played together on the sophomore basketball team along with their friend sophomore Movonn Banks. The boys took on St. Joseph Central High School on Dec. 15 at home and lost 53-62. Photo Courtesy of Dillon Swafford
DO drive the speed limit DON’T text and drive DO wear your seat belt DON’T drive under the influence DO keep your hands on the wheel DON’T run red lights DO look both ways DON’T talk on the phone and drive DO make room for bicycles DON’T leave valuables in your car DO pay your parking tickets
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Lifestyles
“Little kids point out my car a lot. My dad gave it to me. He bought it really cheap and then fixed it up for me.”
Senior Alexis Jensen
Comparing their cars in the parking lot are senior Alexis Jensen and sophomore Kylee Sally. Students drive a very diverse group of cars, from Pontiac Grand Ams and Ford Mustangs to Toyota Corollas and Chevrolet Camaros. “I feel like a lot of people know me because of it,” Jensen said.
Q&A:
Falcons Most Common and Least Common Cars
= 5 cars *58 Students out of 200 polled
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Graphic By Amber Lewis
Q: Do you judge people based on the type of car they drive? A: “Yeah, if I see someone with a really nice car, I assume they must be rich.” -Freshman Grace Duddy
A: “Yes. When I see a guy in sweats driving an old Corvette, I think, ‘Wow he must be having a lazy day,’ but if the same guy was in a 2002 Camry with the mirrior missing, I think, ‘Dang, that’s all that guy can afford.’” -Sophomore Lane Burch A: “No, someone with a trashy car isn’t automatically a trashy person. In the same sense, someone with a nice car doesn’t make them a nice person.” -Junior Catherine Flores
Lifestyles
“People ask me how a 16-year-old got such a nice car. It was my mom’s car, and my parents didn’t want to buy a new one, so it just got handed down to me.”
Sophomore Kylee Sally
Driving Can Cost Reputation STUDENT CARS CONTRIBUTE TO HOW OTHERS VIEW THEM Written By Abbi Atwell
Photos By Christopher Spry
At a school where the most commonly-driven car brand is Ford and the least common are BMW and Jaguar, certain cars have a tendency to stick out in the parking lot. On the other hand, the most popular car for high school students is the 2000 Honda Civic Sedan, according to the Torque Report. Sophomore Kylee Sally drives a red 2012 Ford Mustang, which receives a lot of attention in comparison to other students’ cars. Her car has even affected the way that other people see her. “Usually people think I’m a grown woman because of how nice of a car it is,” Sally said. In contrast to the attention that a Mustang receives, senior Alexis Jensen drives a purple and white 2001 Pontiac, which receives attention because of its eclectic colors.
“I’ll meet someone new, and they’ll say, ‘Oh, you’re the girl who drives the purple car,’” Jensen said. People often have expectations of others based on what kind of car they drive. Cars have even been known to cause issues between friends at times. Sophomore Joseph Cantrell drives a Chevrolet Camaro, and he said that he gets a lot of requests to drive it. “I’ve let a few people drive it, and then people get jealous once they hear that someone’s driven it,” Cantrell said. The comments that students get from others about their car highlight the impact that a car can have on a person’s reputation. A car can add character to one’s reputation or make people think of others in a negative way. “People think I’m the
stereotypical rich girl and maybe a little snotty,” Sally said. “That has a big impact on me.” Top of the line cars may draw lots of attention, but more common cars as the Ford Taurus or the Focus tend not to draw as much attention from peers. Senior Haylee Andrews drives a 1995 Toyota Camry and said that she doesn’t care what people think of her car. “My car hasn’t affected my reputation at all,” Andrews said. “It’s financially responsible for me to drive a used car.” When it comes to older cars, friends even have come up with nicknames for the car and are able to laugh about it together. “It’s a used car, so I know it’s kind of a beater,” Jensen said. “I don’t get offended by comments. We all kind of laugh about it.” Volume VIII | Issue 4 | Talon | 9
Lifestyles
The Cost of Driving
STUDENT SHARES HOW TICKETS HAVE COST HIM BIG Story and Photo by Alayna Lopez
John Bastarache Senior 4 Tickets “The first time I got a ticket, I was going 60 in a 45, and that was really expensive.” Senior John Bastarache said he has spent more than $1,000 on speeding tickets. “The most expensive ticket I got, I was going 48 in a 30, and that was around $640,” Bastarache said. The fine was higher than it would have been if he wasn’t in a school zone. When Bastarache gets a speeding ticket, he not only has to pay for the ticket but also has to pay for a lawyer to clear the ticket. “I’m lucky enough to have friend whose parents are lawyers, so they didn’t charge me that much,” Bastarache said.
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Lifestyles
STUDENTS SHARE WAYS TO GET OUT OF A TICKET By Alayna Lopez
Ryan Dorian Senior “Just be really polite.”
Ariel Konyalioglu Senior “Have a really good excuse ready.”
Mariah Edde Sophomore “Crying is an easy way to get out of a ticket.”
Ryan Bedard Junior “Just be honest.”
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