Lance Issue Eight

May 1, 2015

Class of

2015

SENIORS Check out where the seniors are going after they graduate on pages 8 and 9.

the 8701 Pacific St. Omaha, NE 68114 Volume 59 Issue 8

Lance

Junior Candace Quaites shows a picture of her and her boyfriend, Erik Goodlett, at her home Monday, April 27. Goodlett passed away Monday, April 13 from osteosarcoma. Photo by Mitch Francis

HONOR AND LOVE

Junior remembers her boyfriend after his death Grace Fogland

managing editor The wake was April 15. Their one-year anniversary.

Junior Candace Quaites sat quietly in the wood pew of the Baptist church, listening to her father talk about her boyfriend, UNO sophomore Erik Goodlett. He talked about how he was nervous at first about letting her see Goodlett, but how Goodlett soon proved himself through the integrity of his character.

When it was Quaites’ turn to speak, she stood up and faced the large crowd filled with family, friends and teachers all there to pay their condolences. She talked about her relationship with Goodlett — the impact he had on her and how she loved him for the kind of person he was. How he would never complain, despite his illness, and how he would come to every Westside volleyball game and track meet to support her.

When the time came to say goodbye to him, she turned to the casket and whispered, “Happy Anniversary.”

“Spending that day without him was tough,” Quaites said. “We had some things planned to celebrate and he said he had surprises for me and now I’ll never know what he had planned.”

Goodlett passed away Monday, April 13 after battling osteosarcoma.

For Quaites, losing him made her realize the importance of loving the people in her life and

not taking anyone for granted.

“As high schoolers, I know people don’t usually take relationships seriously, but when you have someone worth holding onto, don’t let them go,” Quaites said. “Never take advantage of them. Take the time to care about others and not just yourself. Always love and care for those in your life. You never know when they’ll be gone forever.”

Goodlett’s co-workers and friends at Lighthouse Pizza came up with the idea of hosting a fundraiser for his family. Goodlett had worked there for a little over eight months.

“He was just a really good guy,” owner Matt Egermayer said. “We see a lot of people who come through here who are his age, and he [was] just about as kind of a character as you’ll ever meet. As his boss, I never had to worry about the job he was doing, or had any problems with it.”

The entire staff worked for free Friday, April 17, and donated their time to assist the family with medical expenses.

Junior From the time the store opened at 11 CANDACE a.m. to when they closed at 3 a.m., over a thousand slices of pizza were sold. The line wrapped around the restaurant and out the front door.

“It was amazing seeing all the support [for Erik],” Quaites said. “[It] was the busiest continued on page 2

Always love and care for those in your life. You never know when they’ll be gone forever.

QUAITE S

news

2

HONOR: Business fundraises for late employee continued from page 1 Lighthouse has ever been.”

All of the proceeds went to Goodlett’s family to help cover medical expenses. Goodlett was diagnosed with cancer in February of 2015. He was told that the doctors had found a cancerous tumor.

After Goodlett told Quaites the diagnosis, she cried.

Quaites first met Goodlett while working with his sister at a restaurant. Goodlett visited the restaurant frequently, and they became friends quickly. Their relationship slowly evolved from there.

“It was just the way I could tell him anything, and be myself,” Quaites said. “I didn’t have to try to be anything I wasn’t. And he liked me for me, I liked him for him. We could be honest with each other and just have fun with each other.”

Despite knowing he may not survive, she stayed by his side through everything.

“I love him,” Quaites said. “Imagine if you were in that situation. You wouldn’t want someone you love or thought cared about you to leave you in a time of need.”

She stayed by his side through it all. She would come before and after school, and sit by his bedside and talk with him. She spent every night at the hospital.

“I told him about my day, and everything,” Quaites said. “He liked to listen. I told him he could do it, he could fight through it, there were so many people supporting him, that I was here for

him. I would stay with him throughout this whole time.”

Yet after Goodlett’s heart stopped for the second time (the first being the Monday before Easter) and he suffered brain damage, she knew it was the last week. When she visited him and saw him in the hospital bed, she remembered the man who made her laugh. The man who was charismatic and loving, and spent his last weeks making others laugh and living life positively.

“The last week of his life he was unresponsive, so I would talk to him even though I knew he couldn’t reply to me,” Quaites said. “I would hold his hand, talk to him about the day and all the things on my mind, and tell him everything would be okay.”

The night he passed away, she was at the hospital.

“I kind of Junior just stopped,” Candace Quaites said.

“It was hard to believe. I went into the room and I saw him and everything. He just looked peaceful. I knew he was out of pain. It was good to know that, but it was still hard to know that I’m never going to talk to him again, I’m never going to physically be with him again.”

She remembered the dates to Red Mango, the sushi runs and the episodes of “How I Met Your Mother” they watched together on Netflix. His singing voice as he memorized the words to One Direction songs so he could participate in the July concert that they had gotten tickets to. She remembered the handshake they had that they would always do before leaving each other, and the nicknames they had for each other: most nota-

It was still hard to know that I’m never going to talk to him again. I’m never going to physically be with him again.

Quaites

bly Erik Too Turnt and Princess Potato.

“Honestly, it’s still unreal to me,” Quaites said.

“There’s times where I see something and I want to talk to him, but I can’t. I want to text him or something, and I know that he’s...it’s hard for me to realize that. It’s not like a break up, and you say it’s over. We never said it was over. It’s kind of a weird feeling.”

She keeps his sweatshirts, his basketball shorts and a stuffed animal penguin named Beau as treasured keepsakes. Hundreds of photos and letters help her remember the different memories they made throughout their relationship.

“I remember when he gave me each thing and what was going on in each picture we took,” Quaites said. “I can still picture [the memories] clearly in my mind. Those are the things that will stay with me forever.”

Junior Candace Quaites and her late boyfriend, Erik Goodlett, pose together in a parking lot. They first met in the restaurant that Quaites worked.

Photo courtesy of Candace Quaites

JEAN DAY

Teachers’ new game-day tradition will continue in years to come ELISE T UCKER A&E EDITOR Friday chants. Pep rallies in the landing.

The Red Shield. Over the past few years, Westside’s game day traditions have seen significant changes. Baby powder thrown into the air at football games was replaced with new callouts and chants. Giant cardboard heads filled the stands at volleyball games. And, for the first time, teachers brought out their blue-jeans and Westside tshirts.

That’s because this year marked the beginning of a new game-day tradition. Each Friday, teachers were allowed to wear jeans with a school shirt in order to support Westside activities.

This is a marked change from the teacher’s usual semi-formal dress code, which tends more towards slacks or khakis than Levi’s. Before “Jean Day,” teachers were required to wear these businesslike outfits everyday. It wasn’t until math instructor Michaela Schaben took it upon herself to change the dress code that this new tradition began.

Last year, Schaben went to 140 teachers and school personnel and asked them to sign a petition to allow teachers to wear jeans on Fridays.

Then, on the last day of the year, she wrote a letter to Principal Maryanne Ricketts and asked if she would allow the proposal to be implemented.

From there, Ricketts talked to the administration, and together, they decided to begin “Jean Day.” However, Schaben still felt this new tradition had unwanted limitations.

“I think that if teachers wear jeans on nonsporting event days, then it would create more of

a relaxed environment in the classroom,” Schaben said.

In Schaben’s mind, the purpose of a more casual dress code would be to build a better relationship with students. While she thinks having “Jeans Day” every Friday would help to make teachers more relatable, assistant principal Trudi Nolin thinks the current solution is effective.

“We are in a very professional environment, and I think the way that we dress and the way that we look affects the classroom,” Nolin said. “[…] We do feel that there are occasions that we need to celebrate in which we have them wear jeans on athletics and student activities, so it just shows school spirit.”

While other teachers have suggested having a casual dress code every Friday, the administration still stands by the current compromise.

According to INSTRUCTOR junior Alexis Ludwigs, the school is doing right by maintaining the formal dress code.

“An important thing to remember is that children and teens are good at modeling the behavior they observe,” Ludwigs said. “Teachers dressing for success helps to encourage teens doing the same now or later in later.”

Senior Leah Lee, however, doesn’t think “Jeans Day” will negatively affect the classroom environment.

“I don’t think they are unprofessional if they wear jeans in school,” Lee said.

Ultimately, whether or not “Jeans Day” will be extended to apply to every Friday is a question still unanswered. However, unlike baby powder and Friday chants, it seems the tradition is here to stay.

I think [Jean Day creates] more of a relaxed environment in the classroom.

MICHAELA SC H ABE N

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NEWS

NEW AND IMPROVED

3

Team from Lincoln designs schedule system to improve functionality LIBBY S EL I N E COPY EDITOR

The scheduling software is from 1983, but the team of faculty and students from the Jeffery S. Raikes School at University of Nebraska Lincoln was up for a challenge.

After 31 years of keeping the same modular scheduling software, Westside decided to contact the Raikes School and form a team to update the program. Because the scheduling system is different from most high school schedules, updating the system is a complicated project.

“The number of parameters we have is high,” Westside Scheduler Mark Stegman said. “Also, because of the unique structure we have, many parameters are not absolute. In the computer programming world, that’s something that doesn’t fly very well.”

The team from Raikes struggled to understand modular scheduling, but they were determined to give Westside a program that would fit all of the parameters Westside needed to meet.

“It did [take me awhile to understand modular scheduling], and I’m sure I cannot tell you full details of it even today,” Professor Ashu Guru of Raikes said. “It was [a] fun activity, [and] for me, it was very, very motivating to see how do we solve fix a software to such a requirement.”

The goal for the team was to create a new scheduling program that will have better functionality than the system and be able to make schedules.

Ideally, the program would be able to take attendance and display live data for a schedule so administrators could edit schedules. In addition, the program would allow people edit the master schedule, which lists all classes at the high school.

Westside sees these tasks as important to fix because of the current status of the modular scheduling program.

“Probably the worst part of [the current mod-

ular scheduling system] is that it was written in 1983 before the internet,” Scheduler Mark Stegman said. “There is no online capability or way for it to be displayed or interacted with online.”

The lack of modern-day technology has been an inconvenience for Stegman. He thinks that tasks like a schedule change should be a simpler process.

“It takes time to do schedule changes and get [schedules] to students,” Stegman said. “[With the new system], a counselor could sit down with a student and ideally a counselor could make a [schedule] change and it’s done and everybody knows the way. Something in this day and [age] should be almost an instantaneous thing is not.”

The team at Raikes has been working to meet Westside’s requests and make other updates as well. They are not officially done with making the features of the program, but have made a lot of progress. Stegman hopes it will be implemented for the 2016-2017 school year.

“A lot of the functionality that has been built in to what they’re doing really is lending itself to help the school run much, much more smoothly,” Stegman said. “The groundwork is laid to correct [current problems with system]. It’s just a matter of fine-tuning their actual algorithm.”

Stegman believes that this team has made great progress within the last year. Over the past 25 years, three other groups have attempted to redesign the modular scheduling program, but those attempts were not successful. Although Stegman does not recall the earlier attempts of redesigning the system, he believes that this team has shown the most success.

“I’m hopeful that this project continues another year,” Stegman said. “There’s going to come a time when this program written in 1983 is not even [going to] function like it is now. [Updating the system] is on the ‘has to be done’ [list], and I think the district is on the right track with the group.”

Graphic by Casey Arritt

OPINION

4 THE

LANCE

The Lance is a school-sponsored publication of Westside High School, Westside Community Schools, 8701 Pacific St., Omaha, NE 68144. The Lance office is located in room 251.

Phone: (402) 343-2650. The Lance is an in-house publication.

The paper is distributed every month to all students, except in vacation periods. Subscription rates to others are $25 prepaid.

The Lance is printed by White Wolf Web, in Sheldon, IA. Advertising rates are available upon request. The Lance editorial staff reserves the right to edit all ads for clarity and grammatical errors. The editorial staff reserves the right not to publish any ads that are libelous or that contain non-factual information.

The Lance editorial staff also reserves the right to nullify contracts at any time without prior notification. The Lance also refuses ads that promote activities illegal to a majority of the student readership.

Reader response is welcomed in the form of letters to the editor. Letters should be less than 300 words, signed by the author and sent to room 251.

Names may be withheld upon special request. Lance editors will decide whether to honor such requests.

The Lance editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and grammatical errors.

The editorial staff also reserves the right to not publish any letters that are libelous or that contain non-factual information.

The Lance is a member of the Nebraska High School Press Association, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association and the Quill & Scroll Society.

The Lance staff recognizes that the administration of Westside Community Schools controls the curriculum and, thus, sets the parameters of the production process of school publications. The Lance staff also recognizes its own responsibilities to inform, enlighten and entertain its readers in a way that reflects high standards of journalism, morals and ethics.

Editors-in-Chief Estella Fox, Nata Ward; Managing Editors Grace Fogland, Jace Wieseler; Copy Editors Lia Hagen, Libby Seline; Design Editor Allie Laing; News Editor Connor Flairty; Opinion Editors Sarah Hermann, Eva Wetzel; Feature Editor Celena Shepherd; Sports Editors James Buckley, Jack Cohen; Arts & Entertainment Editor Elise Tucker; Staff Writers Abby Lang, Alexis Bergin, Audrey McMullen, Bella Radler, Connor Castleman, Nicole Degand, Kayla Kyle, Connor Tucker; Staff Designers Casey Arritt, Jenna Hynek; Photo Editor Mitch Francis; Photo Staff Jakob Phillips, Taylor Schendt; Media Coordinator Aren Rendell; WMG Photo Coordinator Sarah Lemke; Advis0r Jerred Zegelis.

Graphic by Jace Wieseler

Editorial

Bond issue addresses critical needs In an April 14 news article, Westside Wired brought you an inside look at Oakdale Elementary School. From the school’s boiler room to its accessibility systems, you can find photos and video of some of the school’s greatest problem areas in that story.

Here at the Lance, after some staff members took a tour to bring you that coverage, we’ve been questioning whether the building is truly safe, and we’re certain that it isn’t an ideal learning space. Personally, we would not feel comfortable attending school in a building where moisture damage can be found on an electrical box, ventilation is poor and no proper tornado shelter exists.

But here’s the good news: you can help fix the many problem areas of Oakdale along with every other district elementary school, the middle school and the career center by simply encouraging your parents to vote “yes” — and by doing so yourself if you are 18 — to the District 66 $79.9 million bond resolution.

District 66 has asked little of its property tax payers over the last 50 years in regard to bonds. The last bond the district requested — for renovations at the high school — was in the mid-‘90s. For elementary school needs, the district has not requested a bond from its property owners since the ‘60s, when all 10 Westside elementary schools were originally built.

District leaders have shown tremendous stewardship in keeping buildings in working order for this long, but it’s time for that to be rewarded.

If passed by voters, who received the mail-in ballot the week of April 20 with a return date of May 12, the bond will provide for a new Oakdale,

Sunset and Swanson while providing critical updates and renovations to the other seven K-6 schools and the middle school. As Superintendent Blane McCann said, the bond will address safety, security and infrastructure issues at each of those schools. And at, roughly, the cost of a fairly cheap restaurant meal per month ($13.17, to be exact) for district voters with a property value of $150,000, it seems like a no-brainer.

After listening to school board members discuss the assessment of school buildings, which was done by DLR Group in 2012; the proper dollar amount for the bond request and the things that would be addressed with the ultimately selected $79.9 million, we assure you that the district has done its due diligence in developing this bond plan. McCann, who led a similar charge to renovate aging schools in his former district, has shown his experience while leading this effort, and voters should put their faith in him and the school board.

The Westside community and the property values of homes in District 66 have long been tied to the prestige and quality of its schools. Thanks to the commitment of district residents to Westside Community Schools over the past 60 years, Westside has maintained its status as, arguably, the best district in Omaha. Its time to reaffirm that commitment by voting “Yes” to the $79.9 million bond issue currently up for vote.

If you are not yet registered to vote in Douglas County, visit the Douglas County Election Commission today, May 1, which is the final day to register to vote for the bond. If you are registered, make sure to check “Yes” and to cast your ballot.

WARRIOR VOICE Do you like modular scheduling? Why or why not?

FRESHMAN

SOPHOMORE

JUNIOR

SENIOR

JAYDON CARLSON “Yes. It’s easy to get used to and I remember my classes.”

OLIVIA ROBINO “Yes because it allows you to pick classes and have variety in your schedule.”

TAYLOR KNIEWEL “Yes, it’s an excellent idea because it gets you ready for college.”

ALEEKE MURRAY “Yes, because [I have] more freetime.”

OPINION

5

You’re not special, and it’s ok

When I think about how I’ve changed since middle school, there are two things that stick out in my mind. The first is volume. I’m not exactly known for being a quiet person, but it’s nothing compared to how I was two years ago. My conversational tone resembled a truck’s horn more than a person speaking. And when I celebrated? Well, the only thing I can say is I hope you covered your ears.

I was proud of my volume. Upperclassmen used to send me glares or ask me politely to quiet down, and I would laugh, internally if not externally. I didn’t have Lia hagen to be quiet! I would copy editor never be quiet! I was cool, and quirky, and random, and that would never end. I remember one friend I had, a junior, who always shushed me. She had this hand gesture that accompanied it — palms facing the floor, hands slowly lowering as she whispered “shhh, freshman.”

It. Drove. Me. Crazy.

I never understood why people would tell me to be quieter. It seemed like an irreconcilably weird thing about me, something no one else would ever understand. To be fair, there were a lot of things about me I didn’t think those outside my nerdy friend group would understand. I was always so focused on what I thought made us different that I never thought about what made us the same. I let myself get wrapped up in a sense of isolation, in a constant vision of what other people thought of me.

I always thought I was standing against the crowd by being so radically weird, but I was actually just reacting to how I thought I was seen.

Which leads me to the second way I changed: I stopped caring about other people. Or, more accurately, I realized other people didn’t care about me.

I don’t mean this in a ‘woe is me’ way. I’m not sad or wishing people would pay more attention. I’m glad that people don’t care. It’s a freeing realization, and it was one that took a while. It slowly oozed into my consciousness throughout my sophomore year as I began to make more friends outside my tight-knit group. By the time I was a junior, it had hit full-force.

The reality is, no one has time to care about anyone else. We’re all so wrapped up in our own lives, our own problems and our own friends. We all feel generic sympathy, yeah, but we don’t go home and think about the girl we passed in the hall with the ugly t-shirt on. We don’t think about a stranger’s bad hair day or someone’s wrong answer in class.

We have other stuff to do.

And honestly, that stuff isn’t as different as we think it is. You may think there’s worlds of difference between you and a football player, or you and me, but you’re wrong. Chances are, we do similar things on the weekend. After all, we’re in Omaha, there’s really not that much variety. Or maybe we like the same television show or share a deeplyhidden insecurity. Maybe you’ve been through the same struggles I have. Or maybe you haven’t, but I can relate to your problems. Hey, maybe we just both hate math class. (God, I hate math class).

It doesn’t matter what it is. I’m certain we have at least one thing in common. And so do you and that guy over there. So do you and that girl with the ugly t-shirt on. And, in all likelihood, if you ever worked up the courage to talk to them, you’d find that commonality, and you could probably get along with them. It’s easier than it seems. Trust me: I’ve been putting this theory into practice for a long time now.

I’ve become a lot quieter since my freshman year.

I wouldn’t say I’m quiet, per se, but I’m quiet-er.

And every day, I see freshmen just like who I used to be. Sometimes, I find myself being for them who my upperclassmen friends used to be for me. I can feel the ‘shh’ on the tip of my tongue, my palms facing downwards, hands lowering slowly. And I can see that they have the same attitude I used to have.

When you’re an underclassman, it’s easy to feel like you’ll never change. It’s easy to feel like it’s you against the world, like you’re the lone weird wolf in a universe of dogs. It’s easy to feel that way as a senior, too.

But you’re wrong. If there’s one thing that’s constant in the universe, it’s change, and if there’s one thing I’m positive about, it’s that you’re not the only interesting one in a world of seven billion, a country of 318 million and a school of 2 thousand.

No offense, but you’re not that special. Everyone, absolutely everyone, has something you’d like about them. So go on — go find it.

Graphic by Casey Arritt

HARSH HUMOR

Being offensive doesn’t make it funny Around this time last year, after a particularly stressful day, I found myself crashing on my bed and flipping through television channels. I was looking for something that would distract me, so naturally I stopped on Comedy Central where an episode of Tosh.0 was playing.

About halfway into the show, the topic of the show turned to the subject of sexual assault. Daniel Tosh claimed that rape jokes were always funny and made an off-hand comment about how hilarious it would be if a girl had Kayla kyle gotten raped by five guys at that staff writer exact moment.

I had realized that some comedians tended to make offensive and triggering jokes to pass off as cutting edge. However, I didn’t know that their “shocking jokes” had gotten to be so insensitive to their viewers. Not only was the joke a lazy attempt to be controversial, but it was in extremely poor taste.

Since I’ve realized the very few boundaries comedians place on themselves, I’ve seen it more and more.

I’ve watched stand-up comedians make light of tragedies and then seen everyone in the audience laugh. More recently, I had to listen an uncomfortable attempt at a Bill Cosby joke at the Academy Awards, one that left me feeling unsettled more than anything.

It seems to be a trend. In order to make it in comedy, you have to shock people. You have to stand out and come up with something that people will remember. I understand this part. It would be strange for someone to want to watch the same thing over and over. However, I start to worry when a comedian immediately turns to jokes about traumat-

ic and tragic experiences in order to make an impression.

The famous rule of comedy is to “punch up, not punch down.” This essentially means to refrain from bullying and belittling people and go after the problems in society and the thing that oppress us. The main point of the quote is to make statements on the people or things that control us, rather than enforcing negative roles on those who can’t defend themselves.

I tend to believe in this rule. While I have found myself laughing at other peoples’ behaviors, I’ve gotten to the point where I find these jokes more mean spirited than funny, satirical, or edgy.

Many people have defended this kind of humor by calling those who oppose it “over-sensitive” and by telling them to lighten up. However, it’s not the comedians place to decide what’s offensive to the public and what’s not. A person that has lived with oppression and trauma is in a much better position to judge whether what you say is acceptable or not. To brush off these people as “too sensitive” doesn’t make any sense, as it’s not your life that you’re carelessly joking about.

Despite all of this, I don’t feel like this form of comedy is changing anytime soon. It’s still a very popular comedic style, as proven by South Park and Family Guy. As an audience, we need to acknowledge that our words have the power to hurt others and make a conscious decision to change that. We have to stop putting money in the pockets of people who use their power for harm. It’s time for us to realize the affect that that humor has on us and block it out of our lives.

Doing this will also send out a message to the comedians that their attempts at jokes aren’t appreciated When people can find humor in their lives without taking other people down as well, we will begin to see a change in the way that humans interact. Until then, it needs to be recognized that other people’s pain shouldn’t be considered funny. We need to spend our time helping each other, not tearing each other down.

PowerGrade A+

To ATSC and DECA. With both clubs competing at the national level during the past week, we’ve seen impressive performances from many of our fellow Westsiders. And, of course, we still get jealous when we see your Orlando selfies.

C

To finals. While we appreciate having one last chance to raise our grade, we can’t honestly say cramming for two weeks for an hour-long test really demonstrates how much we’ve learned from the class.

F

To the mayor of Baltimore. After Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African American, died in police custody, citizens of the city took to the streets in protest.Vandalism and violence ensued alongside other peaceful protests. While the mayor clearly wants to protect citizens’ property, calling protestors thugs was disrespectful to everyone and ineffective in reducing violence.

6

OPINION

Drinking age should be lowered to legal age of adulthood to reward responsibility and adult behavior

When you turn 18, you are treated as an adult.

After high school, you move out, pay your own bills, drive your car, and make your own decisions. Other adults around you look at you like more of an equal than a child. After all, you can do the same stuff they do… Right?

Wrong.

The legal drinking age around the United States is 21. This age needs to be lowered to the age of adulthood from state to state.

In Nebraska, this age would be 19.

Right now, there is ALEXIS BERGIN a big stigma around STAFF WRITER alcohol. Adults don’t have open conversation about it with their teens. There is a huge thrill in breaking the law and doing something out of the ordinary that comes along with this stigmatism. If we lower the drinking age and normalize drinking in our society, we will prepare our teens going out into the world on their own for safe and more controlled alcohol consumption.

When you are an adult, you should be responsible enough to make your own decisions. You are able to get your own place, own your own car, join the military, and be prosecuted as an adult. Those things require a lot of responsibility and maturity. If we are expected to be responsible enough to handle those things, it would make sense that we are also responsible enough to safely consume alcohol.

Another responsibility of an adult who is able to consume alcohol is being able to handle themselves in social situations where that alcohol is involved. Adults above 21 are able to drink in public places like restaurants and bars, forcing them to learn to drink properly with other people around. Adults under 21 are forced to hide their drinking to unsupervised places like fraternity or house parties. These unsupervised sessions can lead to uncontrolled binge drinking, and out of control behavior. There is no pressure to act responsibly from the public.

These people feel the need to get as much alcohol as possible while they can and have fun with it instead of taking it in moderation and acting responsibly.

Statistics have shown that there are fewer drunk driving accidents and fatalities in many countries with a legal drinking age of 18. In 1984 the United States increased its drinking age to 21. Traffic accidents and fatalities in the 80s decreased less than other countries in Europe that had a legal drinking age that was lower than 21.

This shows us that making people wait longer to drink does not make the difference that it is geared towards, which is making the public a safer place.

Ultimately we need to make sure that we have laws that are going to be best for the public. One way we can do this in our society is to lower the drinking age. It’s time that we look beyond only the things that we have been taught and look at the evidence that we are presented with. All adults should have the full responsibilities of a citizen of the U.S. If we want to treat people as adults and lay responsibilities on them, then we must also let them handle the responsibilities of drinking.

COVENANT

Cartoon by Sarah Lemke

Firing of LGBT teacher was justified

I remember my whole body trembling as I stood onstage at Skutt Catholic High School for a middle school speech meet. Skutt’s speech coach, Matthew Eledge, held the first place trophy in his hand, preparing to announce awards. Before I knew it, the speakers throughout the gym echoed Eledge’s voice announcing ‘Abby Lang.” After the ceremony, he approached me to commend me on my performance. Eledge was sincere and encouraging towards me, which, years later, is exactly how many of his students describe ABBY LANG him. staff writer In fact, hundreds of students who have been taught by Eledge testify that he has left a positive impact on the school. They say he has helped to shape their personalities and made them better people. Not only that, but he’s also led Skutt’s speech team to win the state title for four consecutive years.

Unfortunately, Eledge’s legacy at Skutt is coming to a close. The Catholic high school is refusing to renew Eledge’s contract for the 2015-2016 school year. The school made this decision after being informed Eledge became engaged to another man. In other words, they made this decision because it became clear he was in a homosexual relationship.

After hearing the news, I initially felt sad for Eledge.

He was a respected man. I remembered the kindness he’d shown me, and I knew he was now going to have to find a new job and leave all his former students behind. However, after looking into the situation, I realized that Skutt made the right decision by not renewing Eledge’s contract.

The Archdiocese of Omaha, who overlooks all of the Catholic schools in the city, requires each teacher to sign a contract before committing to his or her teaching assignment.

In this contract it states that, “in addition to teaching the classes assigned, the employee shall support the teachings of the Catholic Church.” Furthermore, the contract states, “This contract may be terminated immediately, without notice or hearing, in the event of conduct in violation of Catholic Church doctrine.”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a book that includes all of the teachings and instructions within the religion. This includes 2865 clauses, each of which provide guidance and rules for believers to follow. As their contracts state, employees at Catholic schools are expected to honor and support these clauses, and clause 2357 directly addresses homosexuality within the church. It states, “[Homosexual acts] are contrary to the natural law...under no circumstances can they be approved.”

When Eledge signed his contract to teach English and hold the position as the speech coach at Skutt, he made a legal

agreement. He chose to give Skutt permission to terminate his contract if he were to violate clause 2357 or any other of the rules proposed by the church. There were no exceptions, no altered rules. He signed the same contract other Catholic school teachers signed, and, because he signed it fully aware of all it entailed, Skutt refusing to renew his contract due to his homosexual relationship is not out of line.

If an employee at any business were to dress outside of the dress code or miss shifts, the employer would have every right to fire the employee. It’s not a matter of pushing their beliefs on their workers; the employee simply wasn’t abiding by the employee contract. Skutt has this same right to set forth regulations for its employees. However, since Skutt is privately funded and is classified as a religious organization, they are also given the right to hire based on a potential employee’s adherence to the church’s teaching. In Catholicism, this includes a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. This means that anyone employed under the Archdiocese of Omaha can be fired for being in a homosexual relationship. They can also be fired for not attending mass every Sunday and on holy days, for not financially supporting the church or for not obeying the marriage laws within the church. These are just some of the countless other practices these teachers must obey. Still, while Eledge blatantly violated one of these practices, he most definitely isn’t the only one.

After attending a Catholic school for nine years, I encountered multiple teachers who didn’t abide by all the church’s practices.

I had teachers who didn’t attend church every Sunday. I knew teachers who had gotten a divorce. These teachers broke the same contract Eledge did. The only difference is that Eledge isn’t having his contract renewed, while hundreds of other teachers in the Archdiocese are.

This is employment discrimination. The archdiocese cannot terminate a contract with a teacher who isn’t following a certain part of the church’s doctrine but not another teacher’s jusr because they don’t consider their infraction as severe.

I’m not saying they can’t fire people for not adhering to their religious beliefs; they simply need to be more consistent. According to Archdiocese of Omaha chancellor Tim McNeil, the school has no measures in place that allows the administration to check whether or not a staff member is living according to the church’s teachings. This means that there are divorced teachers, teachers who marry outside the church and several other teachers who have broken the contract, but they still have their jobs because nobody brought it to the administration’s attention. If Omaha’s Catholic schools are going to practice what they preach, they need to change this. If their contracts insist they follow Catholicism, they can’t selectively choose which parts of Catholicism to follow. For this reason, all of the Catholic school’s administrations need to put in place a practice that keeps up on the teachers. They need to make sure each instructor is held to the same standards to help ensure that employment discrimination doesn’t grow into a problem within Omaha’s Catholic schools.

Skutt has the right to set forth regulations for its employees.

OPINION

7

GOING VIRAL

Online marketing betters life for all consumers The image

is this: a realistic computergenerated Chicago Bears football player, doing leg kicks over a molten, fiery background. Spurts of magma explode violently as the player dances in an endlessly looping GIF. The caption, in bold white letters, reads: “AAH! THE FLOOR IS MADE OF LAVA!” This is but one sample of the hilarity of the EA Sports “Madden GIFerator,” which recently took over Twitter feeds everywhere. Fans could create GIFs with canned animations of the football players set over a variety of backgrounds, and add their own captions. Suddenly, everyone was creating GIFs of “Madden” players. In another example, a player runs through a sci-fi vortex with the caption “I MUST GO… MY PEOPLE NEED ME.” Participants had fun, and “Madden” caught the attention of people who had never considered playing video game football.

This “Madden” madness was an example of viral marketing. Some believe that this corporate hunt for likes and shares is annoying. In reality, however, viral marketing is anything but an illness. It’s an example of how the Internet encourages the creation of new and interesting content.

Take the “Jurassic World” website, for example. It’s set up to look like a genuine promotional website for the fictional theme park, and its attention to detail caught my eye. Graphic design that rivals Disney’s, “live” camera feeds of the park, a daily forecast, fake reviews of the travel packages and an interactive park map all contribute to the feeling that one is planning a real trip. After navigating the site for a good twenty minutes, I was inspired to see “Jurassic World” in theaters.

Because many people nowadays utilize extensions such as AdBlock, “Jurassic World” would have never created this buzz with banner ads or videos. There’s outrage at the very thought of waiting more than ten seconds to see a YouTube video.

For this reason, companies and networks can’t hold us hostage on the Internet.

Instead, they have to beg for our attention.

To put it simply: we don’t have time for junk anymore. There’s an endless amount of options for what to watch and what to buy. This is why many compa-

nies use viral marketing to interact with consumers in a way that is both clever and symbiotic. They don’t rely on plastering ads over people’s Twitter feeds, but rather giving them something to Tweet about.

It also encourages companies to raise the banners for social change. In Chipotle’s recent “Food With Integrity” campaign, they featured an animated short promoting sustainable farming that skyrocketed to fourteen million views.

Another example is Dove, which ran an incredibly popular ad campaign to encourage self-esteem among women. The film, with its slogan “you’re more beautiful than you think,” has over five million views, proving the effectiveness of corporate activism.

It’s not just ad campaigns that go viral, either. Controversy can spread easily through the Internet. It’s because of online news coverage that many people were able to hear about the statements made by Abercrombie & Fitch’s CEO about why they refuse to carry women’s XL and XXL size clothes; online news and social media also played a large role in spreading controversies about Chick-Fil-A and Hobby Lobby. Each of these businesses was subject to minor boycotts. Now, more shoppers than ever before are able to make an educated decision about whether to support certain companies. The companies face a choice: align their values with customers, or lose sales.

The only drawback to this new frontier is that advertisers are getting sneaky – as they are wont to do. For instance, certain YouTube stars are being paid to feature products or services at the end of their videos. One of my favorite content creators regularly encourages viewers to sign up for a free trial at Audible.com. These are mostly unobtrusive, though, and certainly better (or at least no worse) than what we had before: corporately controlled teen idols on TV. YouTube stars are organic; they have more freedom and scruples about what products they promote. Not only that, but we can choose who we click on. We’re not forced to watch whatever’s on TV at the moment.

This is why I believe that we should ditch the fashion magazines and TV channels and learn to appreciate how much the Internet is broadening our power as consumers. No longer must we suffer through hours of uninspired primetime ads or movie trailers.

The only thing that’s left to do is choose carefully what we like, share and buy to create a better world – and crack up at silly GIFs of football players while we do it.

EVA WETZEL OPINION EDITOR

Sleep-deprivation

Students need lots of sleep, should take more control

CONNOR T U C K E R STAFF WRITER

The worst sound on Earth interrupts my sleep: my alarm clock. I might have been dreaming about burning my homework in a fire fueled by textbooks. Or maybe I was fantasizing about summer days or leaving on the last day. Instead, I must now wake up and start a new day filled with nothing but dread.

Many teenagers deal with sleep deprivation. The United States Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) has even referred to the phenomenon as a public health epidemic. In fact, according to the CDC, over 30 percent of adults get less than six hours of sleep per night. These habits begin in high school, when teenagers begin to sleep less and work more. In fact, the National Sleep Foundation found that less than 15 percent of teenagers reported sleeping eight and a half or more hours per school night. Even these teenagers are not getting as much sleep as they should; the NSF recommends teenagers sleep 10 hours per night.

This affects teenagers’ performance at school and in their outside work.

The NSF found it limits students abilities to learn, leads to more troubles with acne and makes people irritable and less fun to be around. We all know how it feels to attend school after an all-nighter. You’re grumpy, exhausted and angry. The last thing you want to do is goof around with your friends.

However, many teens have more control over their sleeping patterns than they might initially think. All the time, I hear my classmates socializing first and working later. Much later. With simple changes like pushing up the time when we begin homework, we can avoid these challenges.

Theresa Henson, a guidance counselor at Westside High School, has seen sleep deprived teens throughout her tenure here.

“More often than not, teens will come out and say how late they stay up,” Henson said. “They explain how they stay up until 1 o’clock in the morning and wake up at 5, which is clearly not enough sleep.”

Still, some people’s sleep deprivation is caused by things out of their control. Some teens have sports and afterschool club activities that last until the evening. With the addition of a job and homework, it is hard for some to

find an adequate amount of sleep.

However, even if you are unable to get the proper amount of sleep, there are other things you can do to be healthier. One example is trying a healthy diet with plenty of exercise.

According to a National Sleep Foundation poll, 40 percent of Americans believe sleep is as essential to overall health as eating nutritional food and exercise. Those who are sleep deprived are unhealthy in both physical and mental fitness.

Insomnia may be another cause of sleep deprivation that seems uncontrollable. Insomnia makes it difficult to fall asleep and can lead to increased levels of anxiety and depression.

“Insomnia can be caused by eating too late or drinking caffeine not long before going to bed,” Henson said. “It’s also a good idea to turn off all technology.”

This is because cellular phones and laptops emit blue light, preventing the brain from distinguishing night and day. Many teens are practically addicted to their phones. I see them use their phones during class, and I know many of us pull them out in bed.

Nightmares can be another culprit in stealing your sleep. Though more common in childhood, they can still be present in adults and teens. They interrupt our sleep patterns while being unexpected and spontaneous.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services says there are many strategies to combating sleep deprivation. One of these strategies includes going to bed and waking up at the same time, even during the weekends.

Stress from school and issues facing the teen’s family also don’t help.

However, stress can still be controlled. More often than not, teens are just making poor decisions.

Whether it’s using their phones until 1 a.m. or not starting their homework until 11 p.m., high school students need to change their routine. No matter how fun the procrastination, it’s not worth it if it conflicts with nature’s most powerful stress reliever: sleep.

8

CENTERSPREAD

Oh, the places they’ll go...

DESIGN BY

ALLIE LAING

G

The future of Westside’s graduating class LIA HAGEN COPY EDITOR If asked, the average senior would probably tell you they’ve been waiting for graduation since the first day of sophomore year. Of course, there are the oddballs. The students who lacked even the shiny, freshman-year excitement that seems to possess each year’s entering class. There are even some students, inexplicable as it may seem, who want to stay in high school. Who enjoy the hours of homework and being shushed in the IMCs. Alternatively, they’re just afraid of what’s out there.

As it turns out, though, what’s out there is not so bad. This year, Westside’s graduating class is exploring an endless amount of new frontiers. From the University of NebraskaLincoln to the Brooks Institute, students are following their dreams across many of the 50 states. Whether you’re a senior interested in seeing where your classmates will go or a freshman looking for college inspiration, check out our maps and see, once and for all, the places this senior class will go. All surveys were coordinated and conducted by Westside Media Coordinator Aren Rendell.

Kenneth Owens

DePaul university Paul Romero

Illinois Wesleyan university Allison Guenette

Northwestern university Connor O’Doherty

Quincy University

Bellevue Masters Commission Chandler Bushnell Bellevue University Joshua Bush Bryan College of Health Sciences Regan Johnson Chadron State College Aaron Duin Antonio Gaskill Clarkson College Nadia DeGraw College of Saint Mary Sage Porter Concordia University Anna Headlee Hailey Hoemann Creighton University Anna Barros Hannah Kasem Mary Novoa Christa Pierce Hannah Pulverenti

Thomas Seline Anna Stone Hastings College Hannah Goebel Brittney Loney Skylar Ricceri Metropolitan Community College Matthew Ekstrom Anna Bollig Haliegh Brinson Kaitlyn Brown Jamie Bruce Shelby Chrisman Cole Brady Ashton Dennis James Dremann Zachariah Duminy Tanner Dyer Andrea Faucher Connor Furchert Davisha Garrett Cherri-Anna Haynes Brittany Herd Dayna Hunt Brandon Javorsky Kayla Leapaldt

Kansas

Illinois Columbia College

Nebraska

Thomas Kutilek Kennedy Matt Maura Maynard Robert Peterson Abigail Poppert Maura Ramsey Patrick Sawyer Tyler Schneiderman Courtney Strayer

Garden City Community College Alex Nielsen Rockhurst University Madeline O’Kane

University of Kansas-Lawrence Hannah Bohacek Stevie Dobson Juliann Hellman Kylie Korff

William Lux Andy Pintado Kevin Roman David Shadlow Royce Slatten Zachary Summers Kristin Udhus Alexandra Watson Michaela Wiese Kristen Young Midland University Patryk Bogdanski Robert Wiseman Nebraska Methodist College Collin Palermo Nebraska Wesleyan University Jessica Hrbek Kacey Rose Morgan Zabel Peru State College Sebastian Baxter Courtney Perquin Southeast Community College Connor McMahon William Patterson Earley Smith University of Nebraska-Kearney Njali Kowa Claire MacBride Halie Platt University of Nebraska-Lincoln Samantha Allen Jacob Andrews Jared Andrews Jonathan Bass Madison Beda Abigail Bessmer Austin Boltin Jacob Bowen

Madison Rall

Missouri Columbia College

Alexandria Bergman

Kansas City Art Institute

Iowa

Evan Dunn

Buena Vista University Jennifer Poots

Grinnell College Silas Hammel

Iowa State University

California brooks institute Sarah Lemke

Cinema Makeup School Dylan Baker

San Diego State University Ashlee Wigness

Thomas Ashford Jordan Estee Forrest McQueen Hannah Smith William Watsabaugh Alexander Zimmerman

Iowa Western Community College Jayde Albers Chelsea Beveridge-Grandizio Riley Brockman

Joshua Burnett Keegan Cole Daniel Davis Ashlie Griffith Elssey Guerrero Samanttha Harwood Carleen Kochanowicz Zoe Lee Aaron Quiroz-Celedon Jordan Tanga Luther College Sarah McClenny

Mississippi University of mississippi

University of the pacific Rylie Towne

North carolina

Duane Dodoo Brody Hughes Carter Ruff Gabrielle Simon

Barrett Re

Samantha Holzapfel

Berklee College of music Rebecca Erdman

Nikolas Hill

Harvard University Aren Rendell

Minnesota

Texas Christian University Olivia Bradford Rachel Griffin

Crown College

Jared Musser

Ridgewater College

Elizabeth Moore

tennessee

Massachusetts

Texas University of Texas at San Antonio

Vanderbilt

University

Erik Williams

University of Arizona

Lucas Schrager

Maximilian Petersen

Christian Muganyizi

Connor Flairty Wallis Harry Sabrina Nihsen

University of Central Missouri

arizona

University of North carolina at chapel hill

college of charleston

oregon

Saint Louis University

Christian Arnold

south carolina

Mt. Hood Community college

Stevie Allison

William Penn University

Michelle Xiao Cara Treu

Sidnee Dudley

Missouri Western State University

Alexa Barnhart Anna Hoyme Morgan Novacek

Stanford university University of San Diego

Northwest Missouri State University

Todd Pursel

new hampshire

St. Olaf College

dartmouth College

University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Shaket Chaudhary

Grace Fogland Teigen Swanson Miranda Thacker Maya Smith

Pennsylvania

Carnegie mellon Univer Jules Ross

University of pennsylva Max Slosburg

CENTERSPREAD

9

new york

Oleg Biletsky Gabrielle Christensen Lia Hagen Erin North

Georgia Clark atlanta university

Manhattan School of Music

Ruth James

Colorado community college of denver Stephanie Scales

Pace University

Fort Lewis college

Skidmore College

Northeastern junior college

Mitchell Schenkelberg

Kelly Dornan

Jennifer Ahn

New York University

Blair Goldstein

Hosea Briggins Maximillian Carlson Kieran Carter Colin Cassidy Kelsey Coziahr Annie Davis Latjor Dei Hannah Dickson Shannon Donoho Stefan Drincic Connor Eickhoff Megan Ekstrom Jack Frazier Ryan Golden Molly Graf Timothy Graves Sydney Harlow Kathryn Harrison Sydney Hawekotte Everett Henry Sydney Holzworth Preston Klimek Andrew Koch Alexandra Laing Ariel Larios Hayden Lehr Andrew Luebbert Michaela Mapes Madilyn Marshall Lexi Martin Lauren Matis Tara Maulsby Eric McAtee Delaney Micheels John Neubaum Paul O’Dell Cassandra Oliver Isabella Pepitone Kyle Petsche

University of Colorado Boulder Leah Miller

University of Denver Hope Lawlor Evan Piquette Adiline Roth Christopher Rothe Kayla Ruh Nicole Russell Lauren Sandoval Kathryn Shehan Ronald Snow Samuel Stevenson Joshua Stubblefield Sarah Sweeney Hanna Tate Max Tierney Luis Torres Elizabeth Tyler Matthew Waldron Delaney Walsh Regina Wees Sydney Wilson University of Nebraska-Omaha Kylene Abraham Kahli Ackerman Asim Ali Madonna Attia Cole Bails Jacob Beber Destiny Blythe Anthony Boone Jaymechia Bridgeman Simon Clark Sophie Clark Jesse Clippinger Mitchell Coziahr Kylie Derry Jazmine Duff John Ekstrom

Alberto Esposito Habsa Farah Olexandr Fedoronko Abigail Franco Nathen Fuccio Matthew Gagne Lat’ea Glenn Lauren Goodhard Cheyenne Harrell Patrick Hodson Summer Holub Aaron Hoppe Madeline Hurley Kyrilos Iskandr Cassidy Kennedy Sara Kenton Amy Kohlscheen Alyssa Koory Elizabeth Lewis Angelica Martinez Sean McCartney Osiris McKizia Alexis Morse Suhail Naddimulla Elizabeth Newton Jessica Noble Sean Padios Kelli Palmesano Cambria Peters Reis Pieper Jessica Prucka Austin Prunty Alexa Pugh Casey Schroeder

Washington, d.c.

Georgetown University Daniel Coyle

Jared Schuttler Leah Schwarz Emily Selling Jennifer Solheim Benjamin Sullinger Josalyn Switzer Cameron Thelander Leyah Thomas Marcel Turner Olivia Warren Peyton Wells Elizabeth West Joseph Wiles Kisten Wilson Keith Wilwerding Andrew Wiseman Megan Young Wayne State College Paige Bailey Andrew Combs Morgan Flores Sarah Straley Western Nebraska Community College Emma Sherman

Washington

Florida Florida State University Kady Hosman

Gonzaga University

Miami Dade Community College

Blair Coziahr

Luisana Contreras-Delgado

University of washington

University of Central Florida

John Hamann Madeline Holmes

Caroline Pribus

University of miami Thomas Huerter

louisiana Elisa Kroeger

ector

south dakota South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Miami University

Reece Watanabe

a

rsity

vania

Clairissa Selby

South Dakota State University DanniJo Johnston

University of South dakota

Kennedy Johnson, Rodney Johnson, Lucas Mace

Military

Kaleb Buss Benjamin Gottsch Charley Kidder Michael LaFournaise Sabrina Mendoza Coby Peterson Jacob Schweigart

Workforce Karim Ereikat Philip Gatzemeyer Jaiden Johnson Isaiah Peerman Taylor Weaklend Jordan Williams

NEBRASKA 2.

Gap Year:

Callasandra Caudell Jenna Curry Margaret Landolt Jamie Malik

Transition program:

Did not participate

of Missouri

Joseph Durst

1.

Easton Fletcher Connor Russel

Tulane University

ohio

Top 5 States

Graham Cahill

Vassar College Xuewei Zhao

Undecided - College

Shania Aistrope Jennifer Alexander Logan Bell Elizabeth Bruckner Christopher DiGiorgio Jacob Ebeltoft Jack Ethofer Estella Fox Chloe Fulbright Nathan Hall Alexander Howdle Cory Jansen Alexis Jensen Victoria Johnson Hayley Krumwiede Michael Morales Trenton Peterson

Sarah Prescott Lauren Rennels Lauren Salerno Shayna Sterling Michael Waldron Yun Zhang

Undecided

Kyle Barchus Megan Chanthavong Adeline Encell Christopher Helm Spencer Link Kirkland Swanson Danielle Tracy

John Albers Jennifer Alexander Malikh Alkhiat Matthew Babe David Basile Courtney Batt Ean Baumgartner Brittany Boatman Parker Bremer Blayne Byers Dayle Carter Christian Cejka Cooper Clark Mark Coldanghise Courtney Conway Justice Cruz Hunter Cubrich Cyrus Khandalavala Jakob Erickson Elizabeth Fixley Donald Flatt Jr. Laura Gehringer Nathan Genzler Mack Greder Emma Hanel Victor Harman Aaron Hiatt Michael Hill Zane Homan Jonathan Jefferis Collin Jerabek Tre’Quan Johnson Kathleen Jones Muerynda Kelly Cassidy Kennedy Jordan Kerrey Vayda Kirshman David Kline Alexis Knutson Casey Kobjerowski Emma Krenzer Anthony Lester Haley Life Kevin Lopez

Hannah Lux Monica Lynch Delaney Mayhew Alajia McKizia Micheal Mickles Cole Mrsny Aleeke Murray KaVon Neelon DaShaun O’Neill Caine Petersen Ryan Petersen Kristofer Peterson Olivia Peterson Franklin Pivonka Mason Prout Devante Rahn Chesalon Reineke McKenzie Robins Juan Romanl Monica Schneider Jacob Smith Michael Staehlin Christian Swope-Bock Aaram Thompson Michael Vacha Michael Vega Michael Warren Christopher Westphal Brett White Jacob White Stephen White Samantha WieczorekColvin Rachel Wiesman Alexandra Burdyny T’Challa Renfrow Michael Worthington Bryan Jimenez-Villanueva DaShaun O’Neill

Other

Gage Forbes Leah Lee

Iowa 3.

Kansas 4.

Missouri 5.

New York

10

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FEATURE

BURNING TIME

11

Students family restaurant catches fire, rebuild JACE WI ES EL ER

MANAGING EDITOR It wasn’t until midnight when junior Megan Stephenson and her family got the call.

The fire started at 9:45 p.m. on Thursday, March 26 from a spontaneous combustion in the back of Stephenson’s family’s restaurant, Mariah’s Place.

The family showed up to the scene, but there wasn’t much they could do except watch.

Stephenson held her crying mother Jen Hulett on her knees as they watched their restaurant burn before their eyes.

“It didn’t hit me until the next morning when I walked into the building,” Stephenson said. “…You walk in, and it looked like a warzone. Everything was destroyed. There was nothing left. … We put six months into [building] that café, and it was like something had been torn away from us.”

The broken windows and smashed in doors weren’t what Hulett envisioned when she named the restaurant in honor of her daughter Mariah.

Mariah was diagnosed with schizencephaly at the age of five months old. Schizencephaly is a rare, incurable brain disorder where there are abnormal clefts in the cerebral hemispheres of the brain. This causes developmental delays in speech, problems with spinal cord communication, and in some cases, little to no vision. According to weare-

rare.org, only 7,000 cases of schizencephaly have ever been reported in the world.

At four months, Stephenson started noticing Mariah’s seizures when her eyes would start to roll into the back of her head. They took her in for testing, and the doctors found nothing wrong. A month later, Mariah had a severe seizure that caused her to stop breathing. It took 12 hours in the emergency room before the doctors diagnosed her with schizencephaly.

“Pretty much all we can do is hope that she has another day,” Stephenson said. “…We wake up knowing that we may not get another day with her. We JUNIOR go to bed knowing that she may not wake up tomorrow.”

In honor of Mariah, the family decided to name the restaurant after her. They use Mariah’s Place as a place to raise money and awareness for other families going through the same things they are.

“We decided that the café was the place that we’re there everyday, so Mariah needed to be there too,” Stephenson said.

Stephenson describes her familys restaurant as a friendly atmosphere. The regular’s come in, get a cup of coffee or a piece of pie and enjoy their time joking with each other.

Since the fire, the family hasn’t started rebuilding Mariah’s Place. The building still hasn’t been verified whether it can be used again or

We wake up knowing that we may not get another day with her.

MEGAN ST EPHENSON

not, but once it is, the family knows they will have a lot of support from the community.

“They love Mariah,” Stephenson said. “When the fire had happened, the next day they came and told us, ‘If you need any help or need anything, just let us know’.”

Whether the restaurant reopens or not, the family still wants to raise awareness about schizencephaly and continue their strong relationships with their customers “When you meet her, she leaves a footprint on your heart and a smile you will never forget,” Hulett said.

Preparing Warriors for the ACT and SAT for 14 years!

Helping Schools & Families Create College Graduates With Minimal Debt JohnBaylorPrep.com

Junior Megan Stephenson visits her family’s restaurant for the first time since the fire with her sister Mariah Tuesday, April 28. The restaurant burned down from a spontaneous combustion Thursday, March 26. Photo

by Sarah Lemke

12 Graphic by Allie La ing

FEATURE

RELATIONSHIPS AND REHABILITATION Student struggles with addiction LIA HAGEN

COPY EDITOR James’ first major relapse occurred after nine months of inconsistent sobriety. They were nine months of Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings. Nine months of working through the organization’s 12 Step Program, of fighting to stay clean. They weren’t easy months; they were complicated, and difficult.

They were filled with the physical and mental pain of withdrawal. And for James, they ended in one day.

On that day, James’ sponsor quit the program. The concept of sponsorship is one fundamental to NA. Essentially, your sponsor is another addict who is further along in the program and can help their sponsee throughout their attempt to stay clean. Most people in the program have a sponsor; they can also sponsor other members. James had both — a sponsor and a sponsee. And on the day his sponsor quit, his sponsee relapsed as well. With his support system crumbling around him, James joined them both in relapsing.

Once again, he began to use the drug methamphetamine. He lost weight. He stopped sleeping. As the situation grew more dire, it also became more familiar. James had, of course, reached bottom before.

His drug use began when he was in middle school and used marijuana for the first time.

“Basically, everything about it made me want to do it every single day,” James said.

“After the first time I tried weed, I pretty much wanted to do everything I could get my hands on.”

Two weeks later, James began to take pills as well. He started drinking heavily. For a few years, he spent every day inebriated.

However, it wasn’t until high school that he began using meth. “[Meth] made everything so much easier,” James said. “One of the biggest things for me is school is so stressful. I feel like I constantly have a big workload, and I could still have fun with this drug and get stuff done. […Drugs were] a way to manage the responsibility.”

The longest James stayed up while on meth was 10 straight days. Among other things, he spent the time working on homework. In 10 sleepless days, he says, he could complete almost a quarter’s worth of schoolwork.

However, meth’s effects began to fade. As he used it more often, it stopped increasing his productivity. Instead, he found himself becoming less productive when he wasn’t high. He began to rely on the drug to make him feel the way he used to feel when he was sober. He continued to abuse other substances alongside meth, and, eventually, his situation came to a boiling point.

His family heard him screaming in the other room. When they talked to him, he was belligerent. Violent. Destructive. They called the police, and he

was brought to the hospital. There, he tested positive for every drug on the standardized drug test, which contains over 10 different substances.

By the time he was able to leave the hospital, he was clean. He generally stayed that way until his relapse began nine months later. This time, he didn’t have a harrowing breakdown to force him to quit. He had to find a new source of motivation.

By the time he hit rock bottom the second time, he was 80 pounds. He couldn’t lift his backpack on his own. Still, his own health wasn’t enough to get him sober. It wasn’t until he saw how he had destroyed those around him that he was able to do what needed to be done.

“My family was in pieces because of me,” James said. “You just start to see how it affects other people around you. It’s no longer about yourself and what you think you need. It’s what needs to happen for everybody in your life.”

Once again, James’ sobriety was influenced by his relationships. This time, one of those relationships was his relationship with his girlfriend. She had been there through it all. While he was using, she was the person he trusted to help and support him.

“My girlfriend saved my life more times than I can count,” James said. “[…She is] the most unconditionally loving, supportive girl in the whole world… She’s just had my back the entire time.”

Ultimately, though, he realized his using was unfair to her.

“She needed a change,” he said.

“I’m just trying to be the person she deserves.”

To James, this relationship was crucial to his recovery. However, his relationship with his family had a significant impact as well. One example of this is his relationship with his SENIOR mother. She also struggles with addiction, though she quit abusing substances when James was a child. This gave her a unique ability to understand what he was going through.

“The respect goes both ways,” James said. “She really respects what I’m trying to do. She knows how hard it is to get clean.”

Together, these relationships help him get through every day. When he feels the physical or mental pain of withdrawal, he can rely on these people for support.

“Sobriety is about fellowship,” James said. “And not just in the context of a 12 step meeting or anything like that. To be sober, you have to have connections with other people. It’s impossible to be completely sober by yourself. I think you really need support. And the biggest part of sobriety — and I honestly believe this with all my heart — the biggest part of sobriety is helping other people. Because otherwise, it’s just a selfish illness. That’s really all it is. When it comes down to it, it’s just pure selfishness. So the only way to do it is to help other people.”

It’s no longer about yourself and what you think you need.

It’s what needs to happen for everybody in your life.

JameS

*All names have been changed to protect the students’ identity.

the facts

All statistics were collected from Alcoholics Anonymous and Caron Pennsylvania.

1935 The year Alcoholics Anonymous was founded.

23.5 million people over 12 years old needed treatment for drug or alcohol addictions in 2009.

2.1

million Emergency Department visits were the result of drug abuse in 2009.

53

percent of adults who have one or more close relatives with a drinking problem.

SPORTS

13 Seniors Matt (left) and Mike (right) Waldron pose for a picture after practice on Monday, April 27th. The Waldron twins, now seniors, have been on Varsity since their freshman year. Photo by Mitch Francis

DOUBLE TROUBLE

Senior brothers still share passion for baseball after sixteen years james

bu ck l ey

Sports editor It’s the 2013 state baseball championship game and then sophomores Mike and Matt Waldron are starting at pitcher and shortstop respectively. Being their first state title game, both of them had plenty of butterflies in their stomachs.

“Obviously I was nervous, but we jumped to a five run lead in the first inning so it made it easier to throw strikes when you have such a big lead,” Mike said.

After that first inning, the Warriors went on to win the game 8-0 against Millard South. Once the game was over, the nervous feelings Mike and Matt had turned into ones of euphoria.

“Everything was just going the way it should have and it was just a great time,” Matt said. “Ultimately winning for the first time in a while for Greco was great too.”

With the Waldrons great success in high school, including two state championships and third place in the Legion World Series, it’s no surprise they started playing at age two.

“We just started playing catch at a really young age,” Mike said. “Baseball’s easy to start when you have a brother to play with.”

A lot of their influence also came from their

brother who played college baseball at a junior college in Kansas.

Although they weren’t playing real baseball, once they turned five the twins started playing baseball recreationally. They then moved to select baseball when they were nine. After they moved to select baseball, the twins realized their passion for the game.

From then on they continued to improve in baseball. By the time they reached high school, they were varsity baseball players. However, their freshman year didn’t bode well for playing time.

It wasn’t until the summer during legion baseball that they got the chance to play.

“There are a lot more games [in the summer] and it’s a lot easier to get more playing time when there’s so many opportunities to play,” Matt said.

Although they didn’t play until the summer, the tips and lessons they learned from upperclassmen throughout their freshmen year helped prepare them for leadership roles on the team in the seasons following. Improving team chemistry was the biggest lesson.

“There were a lot of players that were big on getting to know one another and team bonding,” Mike said. “They were really good with that freshmen year and I think that’s a big part of what led up to our senior year.”

In the following seasons as their baseball skills

improved, so did their leadership, according to head coach Bob Greco. The biggest improvement came from last year to this year.

With these improvements, one thing has stood out the most to Greco: Mike and Matt’s ability to create team chemistry.

“They’re very good teammates,” Greco said. “It’s not just about them, it’s about the team. They’re very good at encouraging and picking up others.”

Along with Greco, teammates have seen and felt the impact of the Waldron’s selflessness. Senior Paul Romero has been on varsity with the Waldrons for two years and has seen plenty of great things from Matt and Mike.

“They’re great leaders, always making sure that we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing and playing the game Westside baseball expects” Romero said.

While they love winning state titles and want to win again this year, one of their main goals is to create a great atmosphere for everyone.

“Setting a good example, like when we were freshmen what the seniors did for us,” Matt said.

“Ultimately mature more on and even off the field.”

As the upperclassmen Mike and Matt’s freshmen year made the baseball environment fun and encouraging, they hope the environment stays the same for years to come.

t h e facts 4

The amount of years the Waldron’s have been on varsity baseball

2

The number of state title’s Westside baseball has won with the Waldron’s on the team

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A&E

ALBUM PREVIEWS Estella F o x

Editor-in-chief

Summer is coming soon, and with it comes swimming, no homework, and great new music. If you’re like me, however, I’m sure you feel it isn’t coming soon enough. WIth so much too look forward to, the wait can be painful. So while we all sit at the edge of our seats waiting for the bell to ring, turn your attention to these upcoming albums. They’ll make the season feel just minutes away.

KANYE WEST Two years ago, I wrote an album preview for Kanye. A year ago, I wrote an album review for him. Over and over again, I find myself poring over his work. His songs somehow manage to find their way to every playlist I make, and I’m constantly recommending his music to people. It’s no secret: I love Kanye. And after the intensely dense album Yeezus released in June of 2013, the most surprising thing he did was release the song “Only One.” It’s soft, sweet and passionate, a concept we see very little of in his last album. Then, “FourFive Seconds” was released, and, although it was announced that it will not be on his next album, I assumed these two songs set the stage for the work.

I expected a move away from electronic music and a push towards soulful, layered instrumentals. However, I was taken off guard after his release of “All Day.” A loud, heavy electronic voice, screams, and digital instrumentals are present throughout the song, making it a complete 180 from “Only One.” So, as the release of So Help Me God comes closer, only one thing is certain: I have no idea what’s coming. But what I do know is that I will still be putting his songs on my playlist for years to come.

Tame impala Just like everyone else, I am a self-proclaimed Beatles fan, and, when I first heard a song by Tame Impala, I immediately thought it was a B-side from a later Beatles album.

The lead singer has that same high-pitched, ambient voice as John Lennon, and the psychedelic rock instrumentals take everyone back to the 70’s. After their 2012 album hit Lonerism, I was left wanting more. It was an amazing album, a perfect mix between chaotic and careful. But with their somewhat short discography left something to be desired. As far as I was concerned, they seemed to only be getting better, and I wanted more of their new sound. My hopes were dashed for over two years. I watched live videos, interviews and concerts, dreaming of seeing a new song or an announcement of a new album. Luckily, in March of this year, the song “Let It Happen” was released, and in the following month, so was “Cause I’m A Man.” These two amazing songs are still characteristic of Tame Impala’s sound, but they bring a fourth dimension to it. They sound more realized, more in tune and their lyrics have only gotten better. With this in mind, their next album Currents is certainly something to look out for.

WHEN IN ROME

Students travel abroad to expand horizons Audrey M cmu l l en Staff Writer Memories are still fresh in the mind of junior Madison Hoy as she scrolls through hundreds of photos on her camera. One depicts an iconic movie moment. The 20,000 lights on the Eiffel Tower sparkle in the black night sky. Hoy took the picture when she traveled to France on one of two school trips over spring break.

Hoy had exciting things to look forward to as this was her first trip to Europe. She prepared for the trip by researching the places they were going. For example, she chose to attend a four-week French intensive summer camp. This was a great chance for the students to practice their French with native speakers.

“Being completely surrounded by a language is the best way to learn it,” Hoy said. “Even if you’re not [in France], you’re still going to pick up on conversational habits and how things are said.

Sometimes it only takes hearing something you’ve learned in class applied in a real situation.”

The trips take place every other year. French instructor, Sarah Percival, has now accompanied students on the school trip three times. After arriving, they spent three days in Paris. They then took a bus to Normandy and got to visit Omaha Beach, which is where the famous WWII battle DDay occurred. After Omaha Beach, they went to Brittany, the Loire Valley, Provence, Cannes and Nice. Even though Percival has been on similar trips multiple times, she always discovers something unfamiliar. “[Every time I travel], there are some things that are new,” Percival said. “I appreciate whenever I get to go because there’s always something

to look forward to.”

In a different Westside department, another camera screen is brought to life. Now senior Lauren Rennels recalls her trip to Italy with the art department. In the first photo, you can almost feel the sweltering heat at the Rome Colosseum. Art instructors Shawn Blevins and Liz Dittrick oversaw the trip. Rennels worked her way up from Art Foundations her freshman year to AP 2D Portfolio this year, which qualified her to join the trip. When she landed in Europe, she immediately noticed differences from America.

“The first thing I noticed were the different languages,” Rennels said. “I really wished I had known the word for bathroom.”

Lauren had no previous experience with the native language like the French students did. There were many moments where words or phrases were lost in translation. These moments began with their landing in Rome. They then traveled around the country to Icici, Florence, Orvietto and back to Rome. Lauren has many favorite memories, but one really stuck with her.

“When we were in Rome, at one of the last hotels, we were in a really nice dining hall,” Rennels said. “There was a grand piano in there, and across the room there was a beautiful sunset. I played a few songs on the piano, and there was a sense of togetherness that we all had.”

As the cabin lights dim for the long flight home, Hoy and Rennels pull out their cameras. The plane makes a low rumbling noise as the engine jolts to life. Monuments, experiences and friends scroll past their eyes as they remember their trip. Each picture tells a different story, documenting moments that each of the seniors will remember for years to come.

Photos courtesy of senior Lauren Rennels

A&E

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Photo by Sarah Lemke

adiós academics Seniors share their stories, tips and wisdom Check out this advice from seniors Connor Flairty and Aren Rendell.

Social media?

Connor: “Here’s the thing about social media: that stays around forever. Do you want to know what my first tweet was? My first tweet was “Luis just completed a 300 piece puzzle in under 30 minutes #mexiCAN” That’s around forever.”

Aren: “I don’t actually know my first tweet, but knowing myself, it was “Hey, just got a Twitter.” I actually fought against getting a Twitter until freshman year, and I don’t know why. Twitter is very useful.”

School dances?

Connor: “Go to them; they suck.”

Aren: “Go there, grind on people and never stop grinding.”

Connor: “Here’s the thing though, Aren is just pretending he grinds on people. Let’s imagine Aren Rendell grinding for a second.”

Aren: “I am an intense dancer. The thing about school dances is there is only that one light on, and teachers are always surrounding you, so jump up and down but don’t actually grind. It’s kind of weird. Grind at a party, where it is dark and people are actually dancing. Don’t grind when there is just a light on. When Mr. Brousek is standing 10 feet from you, don’t be getting all intimate on the dance floor. Nobody wants to see it.”

Connor: “That being said, dance your heart out. Creighton Prep is better than us at nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

Aren: “Creighton Prep is terrible and the worst school in the country.”

Connor: “But they do beat us at one thing: school dances. They dance.”

Aren: “The video evidence shows us that they do dance.”

Connor: “They dance, and it still looks fun. It doesn’t matter how good you are at dancing, just dance. Because everyone is awkward and thinking they are too cool for it, and it just makes you look uncool. Just let it go and dance.”

School events?

Aren: “I’ve been to every high school dance except for one. I was out of town for one.”

Connor: “That was bad. We fell apart without you.”

Aren: “I went to almost every football game. They’re fun. It’s part of high school. Go to girls basketball games. Heck, they won the state championship. Go to those. You can have fun at any sport.”

Connor: “We have a hockey team. Here’s the thing: yes, they’re fun. But you only have one opportunity. High school has its highs and lows, but you don’t want to sit at home and waste away time. This is an opportunity you get only once in your life. When you’re old, on some southern plantation, like every old person does,

don’t have any regrets. Go out with your friends, have as much fun as you can.”

Aren: “Don’t use the ‘you’ll never remember the nights you stayed in’ excuse to do something stupid, though.

Use that excuse to do unique things, things you have never done before. People do things to get MIPs in high school. People drink, it’s no secret. But here’s the bottom line: never drink and drive. Also, never text and drive. Those are two things you should never ever do in your life, especially in high school. You just learned how to drive, and it’s not legal at all. Also, click it, don’t risk it.”

Connor: “Take every opportunity, don’t have any regrets and don’t just sit back and watch it. Get involved.

Trust me, this school is full of amazing people. Just get to know them.”

Significant others?

Connor: “Don’t use the excuse ‘it’s high school’ to not get in a relationship.

Aren: “I mean, you’re probably not going to get married to anyone in high school. But learn how to have relationships, learn how to be in relationships. Above all, you learn about someone and become closer to someone, and 10 years down the road, you’re going to be like “Hey, that person was a part of my high school career,” and that’s cool. Have one if you want one, and don’t if you don’t. It’s your call.”

How have you grown through your time at Westside?

Connor: “Man, have we come a long way.”

Aren: “Oh, no doubt. So many cargo shorts.”

Connor: “I was in a punk rock band at one time. I mean, we thrashed and chicks dug us, but things are much different now.”

Aren: “I mean, when it comes down to it, high school is a journey, and things will change — we’re prime examples. You just have to take the journey.”

Connor: “That was beautiful.”

Aren: “Thank you.”

Worst piece of advice you received about high school?

Aren: “My father used to tell me to stay in on Friday and Saturday nights for homework, but that is just unrealistic.”

Connor: “Oh, typical Papa Rendell.”

Aren: “Live your life, experience high school.”

Connor: “Woah, I mean this isn’t some Mtn. Dew commercial, still try in school.”

Aren: “I mean, yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”

Who wins a teacher Hunger Games?

Connor: “Oh, that’s easy. You gotta give it to Jernigan and Haberman. I mean that’s obvious.”

Aren: “Not so fast! It’s not just physical fighting. You have to be scientifically sound. Mrs. Stucky not only can wield a sword, but understands the physics to make some amazing traps.”

Connor: “I’d like to see Stucky step in the wrestling ring with Jernigan.”

Aren: “I don’t know, man. She has a lot of LARP experience.”

Best place to do something sketchy around school?

Aren: “The Dean’s office.”

Connor: “So you hooligans can be rightfully reprimanded immediately!”

IMC advice?

Connor: “Don’t mess around when the almighty duke of the SS, King Preister the seventh is around.”

Aren: “He will kick you out, laugh about it and deep down enjoy every moment of it.”

Connor: “It’s terrifying, really.”

Aren: “We love him though.”

Connor: “And fear him. It’s a weird relationship.”

Activity gym and courtyard?

Connor: “At one time, I did hang in these places, and yes, I played a lot of minecraft. My world was called Connerica. It had a football stadium. It was pretty tight.

Aren: “This just proves that time changes us all.”

Connor: “Bottom line: you lose at least two brain cells when you go in one of those places. Get some studying done in the IMCs, you rapscallions.”

Mr. Brian’s homeland?

Aren: “He is 100 percent Australian, end of story.”

Connor: “Came straight from the outback.”

Aren: “Huge fan of Australian soccer.”

Connor: “He also loves to talk about it. Go talk to him about it!”

Hallway etiquette?

Aren: “All right, I’m going on a very brief rant here.

Where do you think all the trash you so freely drop in the hallway goes? Some magical trash can? Does it vanish? No! It stays there. Then Mary and the other very nice custodians pick it up so you can go to a nice clean school.”

Connor: “If I hear of any of you guys throwing trash in the hallways, I will come all the way from St. Louis and RKO you straight into a trash can, so Mary and the awesome custodian staff don’t have to deal with your pig lifestyle.”

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A&E Photos by Mitch Francis and Taylor Schendt

Smoothie Reviews CELENA SHEPHARD FEATURE EDITOR

lie Laing Graphics by Al

With the start of May, flowers are blooming and summer weather is just around the corner. Imagine the hot beating sun, blue skies and clear, sparkling pool water. The only thing missing is the sweet satisfaction of an icecold, fruit smoothie.

I went to Scooters, Juice Stop and Smoothie King to find the best place to get smoothies in Omaha. Read this review and get a head start on where to purchase your deliciousness before the summertime heat hits.

Scooter's

I always crave smoothies, especially this time of year, but when trying to purchase one it seemed like the odds were never in my favor. Finally, in between work and studying I had a little extra time. Key word little, so I needed a quick and easy smoothie. That’s why I went to Scooters.

As I approached the drive-thru sign I immediately saw a picture of three smoothies: one white, one pink and the last orange. My usual pick is the strawberry smoothie, which I like, but I decided to change it up and order the mango. I was surprised with the unique taste. I never order mango, and was fond of the extra sweet creamy flavor, at first. Halfway through the smoothie, it became too sweet, more like opening a candy wrapper than bursting into a delicious sweet fruit. I felt sick to my stomach and only finished it because I didn’t want to waste the whopping five dollars it cost.

Juice Stop

Smoothie King

I was staring at the menu at Juice Stop in awe because the variety was endless. The playful colors on the walls and in the fruit filled paintings make this a great venue.

I would’ve been trying to decide what to order for hours when the red-haired girl who works there recommended the America’s Cup. She said it was the most popular smoothie they sold. All of the ingredients are listed on the menu: strawberries, bananas and vanilla low-fat yogurt.

I was nervous to taste this smoothie at first because I thought the banana would be overpowering and I wouldn’t be able to taste the strawberries. As I took my first sip into the fresh, chilling smoothie, both flavors were distinguished.

It’s flavors were similar to any other normal smoothie and there was nothing unique. I could easily make an equally tasteful smoothie at home. The reason for this disappointment could be because I didn’t pick their best option on their menu. I encourage customers to try something other than the America’s Cup because it was just average. This smoothie was cheaper then Scooter’s and Smoothie King.

Juice Stop’s only cost $4.25.

The last place I visited was Smoothie King and it was a short four-minute drive from Westside High School. As I pulled into the drive-thru, an automatic greeting played.

Like juice stop, their menu was overwhelming. A smoothie called the Strawberry Kiwi Breeze caught my attention. I pondered what these two flavors would taste like together, and then ordered it. My smoothie consists of strawberries, kiwi juice, papaya juice and vanilla protein. Uniquely, Smoothie King offers enhancers for their smoothies like protein, antioxidants, several vitamins, fiber or immune supplements and more.

I was handed a huge 20 ounces drink. I questioned if they had given me a medium or a large, but I had in fact received a small. The total was $5.25. I think the smoothie was well worth the price because not only was it bigger than the other smalls, but also more flavorful. Smoothie King is also extremely convenient and a great place to hangout with some friends. But beware: it can get very busy, so I advise you to go after rush hour.