Lance Issue Five

January 30, 2015 sports Check out our coverage of varsity and intramural basketball on page 12 and 13.

the 8701 Pacific St. Omaha, NE 68114 Volume 59 Issue 5

Lance Graphic by Allie Laing

Nacho average lunch patriots vs. seahawks

Nacho highlights:

Red, white and blue corn chips

“Brady” (bacon) bits

Nacho highlights:

Yellow corn chips

Tomato

“Russel” sprouts slaw

Chicken

Lunch program aims to involve students in deciding creative menu Estella Fox Editor-in-chief This Friday, when students line up for the nacho lunch at the Corner Café, they’ll notice something different. Banners, posters and balloons line the area, directing students to file into two separate lines. Each line signifies a different team playing in the Super Bowl, and each plate taken means one vote towards a certain team.

The nachos have distinct toppings for each of the competing teams. Ingredients represent players, food of the region and the name of their team. The “Pat’s Perfect Nachos” are red, white and blue chips topped with seasoned hamburger, American cheese sauce, shredded lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and Brady’s Bits (bacon bits). The “Hawks Triple Green Nachos” are yellow corn chips topped with shrimp or herb chicken, Monterey white cheese sauce, red onion, green pepper, green olives and green Russell (Brussels) sprouts slaw. Executive chef Sharon Schaefer came up with this idea after a national conference that the School Nutrition Association hosted in Boston last year.

“I went to Boston, and there was a high school that did something called ‘limited time offers,’” Schaefer said. “Throughout this entire school year, I’ve been doing stuff like Fall limited time offers and Winter limited time offers, and I thought ‘Why not the Super Bowl?’”

Schaefer contacted teachers to send her a list of students who would be willing to participate in the planning of these nachos. She then sent out an email to these students asking to give her suggestions for toppings.

“Their responses were very creative,” Schaefer said. “I always want more, but I was very excited because four years ago I was told, ‘You won’t get feedback unless it’s negative.

No one will participate in things like this.’ So I’ve tried to include the students and teachers as much as possible.”

This new “limited time offer” idea is something Schaefer just started implementing this year. She noticed that teenagers respond well to it.

“Teenagers seem to respond to two things: consistency and inconsistency,” Schaefer said. “So things that I do regularly, exactly the same way, people hold onto. ...

[I moved nacho day from Tuesday to Friday, and it was like,] ‘Oh my God, I just can’t remember that it’s now on Friday.’ [and] ‘This ruined my whole week because I’m here on Tuesday, and they’re not here,’ so they respond to that level of consistency. But teenagers are also extraordinarily creative and trying to determine who they are as a grown up because they’ve been a kid their whole Executive chef lives, so they like these little small windows of time to try something new.”

Schaefer wants to continue to give students these opportunities by implementing more student-led lunch initiatives in the future. Current plans include March Madness as well as other, non-sports related events.

[The students’] responses were very creative...

I’ve tried to include the students and teachers as much as possible.

Sharon schaefer

2

NEWS

FREQUENT FIGHTING

Recent school violence breaks out, draws crowds JACK COHEN SPORTS EDITOR

A cheer erupts in the Landing, and the students in the hallway freeze.

Shouting can be heard all across the second floor as people stop going to class and start running back towards the argument. They push and shove to try to get close to the participants, craning their neck for the best view. This has been a common occurence at Westside this year and one that freshman Hannah Graham can relate to personally.

Hannah was involved in a fight with another student Jan. 21. Her brother, freshman Hunter Graham, had to step in and break it up.

“The person thought I was spreading rumors on her,” Hannah said. “I was standing in the landing, and she ran up behind me and pulled my hair.”

The fight only lasted a few seconds before her brother pulled the student off her.

“I was just standing right there and stepped in immediately,” Hunter said.

Neither of the siblings were punished because they didn’t instigate or fight back. Still, the two experienced what few have: the school’s anti-fighting disciplinary process.

Dean Jeff Wagner is usually one of the first people involved.

“The first thing we try to do is be preventative,” Wagner said. “We always want to step in and stop the fight before it starts.”

The majority of the time, fights happen quickly, and staff members can’t stop it. This can mean teachers have to step in and break up situations.

Math instructor Benjamin Baber was caught in the middle of a fight earlier this year. He was supervising the lunchroom when a fight between two girls broke out.

“My first thought was ‘is this really happening?’” Baber said. “It’s just unfortunate when people let their emotions get the best of them.”

Although going into a flurry of swinging fists seems daunting for most, Baber didn’t think twice.

“I think being a teacher in the building, you have a responsibility to stop that,” Baber said. “Whether it is actually getting in between people or yelling from a distance.”

While some feel it’s their obligation, teachers are not officially required to break up fights between students. Oftentimes bouncers or other students are the ones to stop arguments. Once the fight has been broken up, however, the effects are always the same. The deans examine the situation.

“We take a look at what the situation was and how the code of conduct applies with that,” Wagner said.

The usual consequence for a fight is a three to five day suspension, and

BETA IS BACK

possibly a ticket from the Omaha Police for disorderly conduct. When injuries occur, punishments can include longer suspension, and the victim can also choose to press formal charges.

According to the administration, eight to 10 fights have already occurred this year, many coming in a span of a few weeks.

“The fighting is always over something ridiculous to me,” Wagner said.

“We have to try to educate those students that are fighting. That’s a post fight [lesson] of how you handle conflict before it gets to a physical state.”

The Grahams agree with Wagner’s message.

“I think fighting is a serious matter,” Hunter said. “A lot of people just want to see it, they don’t care who gets hurt.”

Graphic by Allie Laing

Returning club provides volunteering opportunities for students AUDREY MC MUL L E N STAFF WRITER

Junior Payton Knott sits in the cafeteria explaining the goals of Beta Club Tuesday, Jan. 27. Knott is currently involved in Beta Club along with several other representatives from various grades. Photo by Jakob Phillips

Dedication, leadership and academics are only a few words that come to mind when junior Payton Knott describes BETA Club. BETA is a nonprofit organization that encourages education and leadership while instilling the value of service in its members. To do this, the group organizes projects in their community.

Westside did have a BETA Club chapter at one point, but it concluded a few years ago. Since then, guidance counselor Kathy Toner has taken on the task of bringing the club back and assuming the position of club sponsor. She recruited Knott when she first brought the club back to Westside.

Since then, he has been actively involved.

“To be honest, I really wasn’t familiar with the club,” Knott said. “When I looked at it online I saw it was a national club. It could help you look at scholarship opportunities, and when I saw it was a good leadership club, that really got me in it.”

Toner had talked about BETA with Assistant Principal Trudi Nolin. They both agreed the club was a new opportunity for Westside’s students to take on leadership positions and to be recognized for their achievements. When Toner first was asked to lead BETA, however, she had no members. In order to get some involvement, she recruited sophomore Bennett Hellman.

“I think [BETA Club] is about kids who really want to push themselves academically and are well rounded kids who just want to help others out,” Hellman said.

One of the things Toner appreciated about BETA was its mission, which is similar to Westside’s goals and beliefs. They emphasize the importance of achievement, character, leadership and service. This led Toner to believe it was a perfect fit for Westside students. It also presented students with a chance to get connected and help out their school.

“We decided we wanted to give back to the

school first,” Toner said.

Before the club left Westside a few years ago, one of their projects was to set up a tutoring service to help prepare people trying to become American citizens for their citizenship test. This year, the group decided their goal would be to provide a peer tutoring program for Westside students. The club’s main role is to match up the tutor to the student. After that, the two work together during opens mods or outside of school.

The tutors and all members of the club are able to get service hours, but the rewards aren’t the reason they participate. “[Students] can learn to work hard to help others even if you don’t get an individual reward,” Hellman said.

Toner foresees the club increasing in size, and she often has students stop by her office asking to learn more about BETA. She has observed the current members stepping up to the plate, although some are still finding out how to get involved. Ultimately, she is hoping the club will develop and become more student led with time. Much of this comes down to the club’s environment.

“I think all the members in the club have grown closer,” Knott said. “Now we’re starting to reach out to other people and try and get more people involved. A lot of us are really starting to step up and become better leaders.”

While growing as a leader is one of the benefits BETA claims, it’s not the only one. BETA is a national organization, which means colleges will recognize it on applications and resumes. At Westside, members are still working to live up to the club’s national reputation. The chapter has grown to 17 members in three months, and, for some students, has already had a profound impact on their lives.

“It opened my eyes,” Hellman said. “Before, my thought towards service learning was that I needed to get this done to graduate. Now, why not go and help [people], when I can have fun helping them too.”

NEWS

3

MIND OVER MATTER

Instructor helps students succeed with mindfulness course KAYLA KYL E

STAFF WRITER

Junior Amber Lonneman and guidance counselor Kirk Henningsen discuss his Mindfulness Class in the guidance IMC Tuesday, Jan 27. Mindfulness focuses on human happiness, well-being, and resiliency.

When Kirk Henningsen became a guidance counselor, he knew that he wanted to do something more to help students with the rough aspects of their lives.

“A part of me was frustrated that I was only able to teach kids one lesson a year in terms of what I could teach to all students,” Henningsen said.

This frustration led Henningsen to start up a class at Westside called Mindfulness & Positive Psychology, which centers around mindfulness and meditation, a study used for finding peace and focus in your life.

This concept has been helpful to Henningsen and it’s something that he’s found himself going back to for help. Therefore, it’s become something he that he wants to use to help the students at Westside.

“For me, mindfulness helps with stress and dealing with frustrations. Also, I can be hard on myself.” Henningsen said. “Practicing mindfulness helps me to catch and let go of non-helpful thinking.”

Henningsen found himself succeeding by using these practices and wanted to give others the same opportunity.

“I am really passionate about the benefits of mindfulness and positive psychology. I see how the practice of mindfulness and the ideas in positive psych benefit me and I want to share this,” Henningsen said. “I believe that helping others is an instinctual part being human. Helping others simply brings me happiness.”

The class itself stems from an idea that Henningsen became intrigued with called positive psychology.

“[Positive psychology] is a way of looking at people that at their best,” Henningsen said. “It’s kind of the psychology of flourishing or thriving.

It’s been commonly known among people as the psychology of happiness.”

Teaching this class has done wonders for him and the students involved. It touches on three key elements: stress reduction, focus, and dealing with emotions.

“I heard someone say, ‘you teach what you need,’” Henningsen said. “It’s been great for me as well. Anytime you teach anything you like, it’s going to help you. It reminds me to do all the practices that I taught and keeps it at my forefront.”

Students have greatly benefited from taking the mindfulness course and going through the practices over the past year that the course has been available.

“Whenever I got stressed [during finals week], I used some of the techniques that the class taught me. It’s even useful for everyday things that stress me out.” Junior Amber Lonneman says of the course.

This is what Henningsen had intended to do when he became a guidance counselor at Westside. His main goal was to work them through problems with their social, academic, and personal lives. A class about mindfulness and becoming at peace with yourself is just what some students here needed and just what Henningsen was ready to teach.

“So often people think that they will be happy when something in the future happens. as in ‘I will be happy when…’” Henningsen said.

“But, students begin to see that, that is backward and that if you work towards authentic happiness in the now you are more likely to achieve success.”

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4 THE

OPINION

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.

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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; Sports Editor 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, Celena Shepherd, 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; Adviser Jerred Zegelis.

Graphic by Sarah Lemke

Fighting has serious consequences For most students, fights at school are exciting. They’re much-appreciated entertainment, a break in an otherwise boring school day. The minute one breaks out during passing period, everyone forgets what they’re doing and what class they’re heading towards. They crowd around to shout and cheer the fighters on.

The kids who get there the fastest are rewarded; they get the best camera angles, the most interesting Vines. While the two students duke it out, the crowd fights for the most retweets and faves.

It’s a phenomenon witnessed over and over again at Westside. People still have videos on their phones of a girl getting her weave ripped off and of a bouncer pulling one student away from another. Talking about a fight can spark a conversation and a laugh with nearly anyone, regardless of their personal opinion on the event.

That’s because, no matter how many times we say fights are wrong, we still like to watch them. We don’t care if they’re stupid or disruptive. We just want some entertainment. We want to be distracted.

In some ways, it’s understandable. Fights are interesting — that’s why every high school show features at least one a season. But we have to realize that, by spreading fights on social media, we’re implicitly supporting these actions. We speak just as loud through favorites and revines as the participants do through punches.

And encouraging these actions comes with real consequences. Fighting may not seem serious when everyone crowds in the landing and records some kid getting his face smashed in, but the fighters have to deal with academic and legal repercussions as well as the obvious physical dangers.

Many students this year have suffered serious consequences for participation in fights, including in school and out of school suspension. In ad-

WARRIOR VOICE

dition, they have to face their deans, family, friends and, in some extreme cases, court. However, to the people in the audience — us, the bystanders — fights aren’t real.

Like a wrestling match on TV or a picture on Twitter, the fights exist solely for our entertainment. Somehow, someone getting bruised and bloody in front of us exists in the same fantasy plane as reality shows and scripted fistfights on TV. Looking through the lens of a camera distances us from the actual moment. It’s no longer necessary for us to do “the right thing” and help to stop the fight. Instead, we can sit back and watch the action unfold without feeling any guilt.

It’s called the ‘bystander effect,’ and it’s been observed in every aspect of life. This can be applied specifically in this case. When people see others sitting by passively or actively cheering on the fight, they think it’s acceptable for them to do the same. We forget about the serious consequences.

We care only about how many retweets that pic got, not who got suspended.

These behaviors are more than just harmful. They’re hypocritical. We call out people who are involved in fights, calling them names and putting them down, but then we turn around and favorite a video of a girl getting hit in the face with a shovel. Everyone can pay lip service to a problem. The true challenge is to change your behavior and help prevent these incidents from occurring.

Ultimately, it’s on all of our shoulders to stop violence at school. We need to avoid the bystander effect by treating fights like the horrible events they are. Don’t rush to the landing when you hear they’re occurring, head to class or get a bouncer.

And next time you are unfortunate enough to witness a fight, think before you film.

How do you think social media plays a role in fights at our school?

JUNIOR

FRESHMAN

SOPHOMORE

AHMAD EALY “It antagonizes them.

[Technology] pushes [them] more than fighting over a stupid comment.”

OATHOUT ALIYA WASHINGTON “It escalates it. People “It influences it a lot. see it on social media There’s so much violence [the next day] and bring it so people think they can up at school.” do what they want.”

CAMDEN

SENIOR

MIKE WALDRO N “[Social media] encourages it by putting it on Twitter. People want the attention.”

OPINION

5

Periods should be destigmatized

I got my first period on a warm day in July. I didn’t notice for a good hour — not until the viscous liquid had seeped through my underwear and stained the crotch of my shorts a deep, russetred. Even then, it wasn’t me who realized what happened. It was my older sister who spotted the stain as I laid on my couch, reading a book.

“You know there’s a period stain on those jeans, right?” she said.

I snapped my legs shut, LIA HAGEN clever retorts freezing COPY EDITOR in my throat. Before I could formulate an answer, she’d continued. “You’re gross.”

My eyes watered as I waddled to the bathroom.

I couldn’t tell whether I was angry or upset. In reality, I was neither. I was ashamed.

Even though there was no way I could’ve predicted my period, I felt like it was my fault my pants were ruined. I felt guilty about something I couldn’t control and hadn’t asked for. In society’s eyes, I’d become an adult, and that meant it was time for me to begin hiding my biology from the world.

Every American with a vagina comes to this realization eventually. We never have to be taught that periods are taboo. It’s been implicitly drilled into our minds since we were children. It’s why we take our entire backpack to the bathroom rather than be seen carrying a tampon. Why we bury pads in our cart while we go grocery shopping, hiding them under bags of chips and bottles of shampoo.

No matter how many people have them, no matter how often they occur, we still feel like periods are something to be ashamed of.

To a certain extent, I get it. Blood coming out of a vagina isn’t exactly the sexiest or most pleasant thing in the world. It’s kind of gross, actually. It’s a constant, monthly battle to keep your underwear clean and your cramps under control. I just wish we had the same standards for discussing periods as we do for other, similarly gross things.

Think about how many poop jokes you’ve heard in the past year. Shows like Family Guy have entire episodes dedicated to the grosser part of our anatomy — to burping, to farting, to peeing. Our hang up isn’t about where the blood comes from. It’s about who it tends to come out of.

Throughout history, periods have been associated with womanhood. While it’s true that trans men and nonbinary people also have periods, society tends to see them as something only experienced by women. This is why they’ve never been a priority in our healthcare industry; women’s issues are always demeaned, minimized. It’s a phenomenon spread across generations. Unfortunately, when it comes to periods, this attitude has serious consequences.

The reality is, periods don’t just come with cramps. They come with real, monetary costs. On top of the inevitable expenses like panty-liners, pads or tampons, many people also need to replace ruined underwear or pants. Meanwhile, there are no systems in place to ensure we have access to sanitary products. Tampons aren’t covered by food stamps, and they’re not widely available the way condoms are. There are no charmingly decorated bowls full of pads at your local coffee shop. You won’t be handed them at every medical center in the city. If you want the sanitary products essential to the health and comfort of many of our citizens, you better be ready to pay for them.

And the costs aren’t low. According to Jezebel Magazine, the average user of tampons or pads will purchase around 11,000 in their lifetime, at a cost of around $61.11 a year. For many low income families, this is simply not a price they can afford to pay — especially not to protect the prejudices of those in our society.

We have to move past this stigma. Periods are a normal part of life for 51% of the population, and no one can avoid them for long. Chances are, even if you don’t have a period, you’ll marry someone who does. Or you’ll have a child who does. At some point, you’re guaranteed to find yourself buying tampons or keeping them in your bathroom cabinet. And when you do, you shouldn’t talk around it.

Don’t leave your child hiding in the bathroom like I did, pants around their ankles, unsure of what to do or who to go to. Treat periods like the normal part of life they are, and I promise, it’ll make all of our lives much easier.

Graphic by Jenna Hynek

Class structure causes inequality

We the students of Westside, in order to form a more perfect opportunity for success, establish that each student should have equal learning experiences.

I have noticed a pattern in group departments at our school, the unfair advantages that depend on which teacher students have. As students walk through the halls right after schedules are received, observers can hear the distraught teenagers complain about the teacher’s they will be spending a semester with. What causes this? Why would a teacher be the deciding factor of whether or not a good semester BELLA RADLER will be had? The answer is often STAFF WRITER unfair benefits. Some teachers are “easier” graders, and give out less homework. That is the ideal teacher for a lazy teen. I have had my fair share of experiences with this in World History, although I have heard extensively that many other group departments are the same.

In a perfect world, every student would have the same opportunities in school, no matter what teacher they are assigned to. Unfortunately this is not the reality. In group department classes, the teachers are often inconsistent in instruction, information they give out on the test, and opportunities for corrections.

There are different “types” of teachers. I have had exposure to many of them, and they all affect students differently. I have had three teachers for World History and let me tell you; none of them teach remotely similarly. My first teacher, whom I only had for a couple days, taught by sitting at his desk and lecturing. Thank goodness I was switched into another class, because I am not an auditory learner. My second teacher taught through historical skits, making the class much more involved and fun. For a semester World History became a class that I looked forward to attending. I don’t have much to

say about the my current World History teacher that I have, other than that people warned me that she grades harshly and gives out extra homework. I appreciate a challenge, so this doesn’t scare me much. Students all learn differently and are motivated by different things.

If you think that all teachers give the same information regarding tests, you are sorely wrong. A few of the six World History teachers provide their students with the short essay questions, which will be given on the unit exam. I have never done more condensed studying than the mod before I have a World History test. I search for answers to the short essay questions that will be on my test in less than 40 minutes.

Some of my classmates have had the questions for days, but I receive them from a friend who had just taken the test, since I have never been fortunate enough to be in the class of a teacher who gives out the questions.

Not only do students in group classes not all have the same benefits going into the test, but also coming out of it.

There is not a consistent rule throughout group department classes saying that they can or cannot offer corrections, or what percent to give credit back. Some teachers give the option for their students to earn full credit back on tests, while others don’t. This is the most frustrating thing for me, but I’m sure I would not be complaining if I were lucky enough to have a teacher who did offer the option of correcting. If a student has a teacher who lets them correct for full credit back, then they may as well mark all of the bubbles on the scantron randomly, because they will still have the opportunity to have the same grade on this test as students who had studied three hours the night before.

On the behalf of unfairly treated Westside students, it’s frustrating that our semester grades would fluctuate depending on which teacher we have. The teachers of this department should be working together to create rules for themselves to teach by, solving the problem. I feel like a philosophe under the ruling of King Louis XVI, and it’s time for a revolution, a not so bloody one that is resolved by the meeting of teachers.

...it’s time for a revolution... that is resolved by the meeting of teachers.

PowerGrade A+

To the Amazing Technicolor Show Choir, Simply Irresistible and Warrior Express for their outstanding performance at Ramageddon Jan. 24. The show choirs sweeped the competition, winning every caption award except Best Male Performer.

D

To the Snapchat update. Best Friends were one of the most unique and interesting aspects of the application, and not being able to see them takes away a lot of its value. That said, incorporating news into the application was a good choice.

F

To the Oscars. When every Best Actor and Actress nominee was white and not a single woman was nominated for Best Director, it became clear the Academy has a serious diversity problem.

6

OPINION

The real price of freemium games Sales charts don’t lie: free game apps are addictive. Nowhere is this more evident than in the halls of high school, where apps like “Trivia Crack” and “Flappy Bird” have spread throughout the student body faster than the annual norovirus.

Their bright colors, simple mechanics and snazzy graphics are like candy to the human brain. Once you start, it’s hard to stop.

This is especially true if the games are designed to be that way. It makes sense; games with in-app purchases, for instance, make money by engaging as many active players as possible for as long as possible, with the hope of eventually squeezing money out of them. I have found over the years that, as a result of this, many popular EVA WETZEL freemium games just aren’t fair to players, and OPINION EDITOR quickly lose their luster. Even the seemingly innocent “Trivia Crack” can be downright devious with its tactics.

It all begins with psychology. There’s a whole “pay to progress faster” methodology that first entered the public consciousness with FaceBook’s “FarmVille.” This method is used by many modern mobile apps: “Candy Crush,” “Tiny Tower,” “The Sims,” and “Tap-Out,” to name just a few. Instead of paying for the game once, it’s downloaded for free, and the tradeoff is that players are offered a myriad of microtransactions. These are usually able to speed up the story progression or give in-game advantages. Then, as players go on, the difficulty curve and scope of the game increases, but it never stops asking for money. Eventually, players have invested so much into the game that it’s incredibly difficult to let go. This cyclic pay-to-progress mechanic is compounded by the fact that these games could theoretically be played infinitely.

Not all free mobile games are coercively “freemium,” of course; “Flappy Bird” was one example. Its revenue was based on advertisements, there were no in-app purchases, and it was never meant to be addictive, according to a Forbes Magazine interview of creator Dong Nguyen. Additionally, there are some free games where you can upgrade to some kind of full or premium version after a onetime payment. Again, that isn’t the type of game I’m talking about.

One of the best examples to illustrate what I do mean is an app that dominated the charts for a good while: “Kim Kardashian: Hollywood.” This game hooked me right away with attractive graphics, character customization and the promise of celebrity life. The tutorial is incredibly fun, and it leaves you with just enough money to buy some cute clothes. I’ll admit I was hooked by the time the real gameplay began.

Here’s where things get manipulative. First, you’re introduced to two types of in-game currency. There’s regular cash earned by doing modeling jobs, which is basically tapping things on the screen (as many know, it’s more fun than it sounds.) Then there’s diamond-encrusted K coins, which cost real money. Surprise, surprise: most of the clothes, furniture and hair costs a large amount of K coins.

Cosmetics are one thing, but clothes are integral to playing the game and earning more in-game prestige. If the player fails to buy new clothes before going out with a boyfriend or girlfriend in the game, for example, they will be told something like “You could have dressed up more for the date…” and eventually, the player will be dumped if they fail to go on these (expensive) outings. That’s more than sketchy. The game is emotionally punishing players for not spending money.

The game does give the option to earn a small amount of K coins by watching in-app advertisements or completing offers. While desperate play-

ers spend hours slowly grinding for currency, the developers receive sponsor revenue. It’s kind of like doing a soul-rending minimum wage job, but for virtual Monopoly money. I’ve seen this option in several popular games and it’s never fun. In the past, I can remember cash farming for more than an hour to afford something like a new song on a singing app or a virtual pet for my barren Los Angeles apartment in Kim K. The app promises a world where anyone can be a Kardashian. In reality, playing feels like the opposite. Its virtual world becomes a cruel parallel to modern America’s class struggle. No matter how many hours a hardworking player may spend grinding for K coins, there will always be a circle of players — the real-life Kardashians — that can just drop more than a grand on the game, easily maintaining their spot among the elite. This isn’t unique to Kim K. In a game where you must “pay to win,” those with reallife riches nearly always top the leaderboard.

What’s more, regular players can’t play these games for long. Instead, there’s usually some kind of “energy” bar that depletes as they do tasks, and it usually runs out right in the middle of an action. This forces players to progress through the game’s story at a painful crawl. Unless, of course, they pay a few dollars to replenish their energy immediately. It’s an easy moneymaking tactic: nobody likes to wait. Some might even find it agonizing.

On first glance, it seems that this recent “Trivia Crack” fad is not nearly as underhanded. While it’s true that a player does not necessarily need money to enjoy the game, there’s still some treachery at work in the form of powerups. If the player is stumped on a particular question, they can use in-game gold coins to do several things: add time, eliminate some wrong answers, give two chances to guess, or skip to a new question. Essentially, cheat.

It’s all very coercive because coins are finite, but can be purchased for real money. Their most expensive bundle costs 99 dollars, and provides players with 1,300 coins. Most players probably won’t be tempted to drop 99 dollars on the game right away, of course, but the fact that this option exists at all is kind of scary, and shows just how far a person can be sucked into “Trivia Crack,” which I would probably appraise at six dollars, max.

Furthermore, much like in Kim K, you’re encouraged to pay for unfair advantages. Freemium games can do things the right way by offering purely aesthetic in-game purchases to support the developers, like new skins for the game. They can also simply charge for an ad-free version. “Trivia Crack” uses this latter option, but keeps its cheat coin feature nonetheless.

An unfair experience like that, which constantly reminds me to buy more coins and extra spins, is worth neither my time nor money.

In fact, upon reflecting on all the freemium games I’ve spent time with over the years, there’s one common theme: I can’t remember a single one that I’m happy I played. The only memories that come back to me are vegging out in front of the TV while repeatedly tapping the “Play Ad” button, or barely remembering to come back and play “Tiny Tower” every day before my visits tapered off, like some hollow relationship kept alive only by a vague feeling of obligation. For me, the only incentive to play freemium titles at all is the ability to do it with friends — but to be honest, if given the choice, I’d rather just play a game of Jenga with them. No microtransactions involved.

The real problem with pouring money and time into these freemium “waiting games” is that they never end. Sure, you can keep building your farm or fortifying your empire, but the game will never reach any sort of satisfying conclusion. It will just keep asking for money, forever. The only ones who end up winning are the developers, and that’s what tells me it’s time to say no and power off.

An unfair experience like that ... is worth neither my time nor money.

T H E facts 43.4

The millions of dollars grossed by Kim Kardashian: Hollywood in its first quarter theguardian.com

60 The number of days that “Trivia Crack” has topped App Store charts businessinsider.com

76 Percent of iPhone app revenue generated by inapp purchases (Data from March 2013) distimo.com

Safe Haven

School safety policies are effective, though imperfect Every night while my family sits in our dining room I can hear the background of the news playing in the kitchen and downstairs. Every so often, I will hear about an incident that involves a school intruder. I remember back to 2011 hearing about the shooting at Millard South High School. A Millard South senior shot and killed the school’s Assistant principal, then himself. I had a cousin that was a senior there that year.

Thinking about how NICOLE DEGAND something like this STAFF WRITER could happen fairly close to Westside made me wonder how safe our school is.

For Westside, every morning around 8:15 a.m. the doors to the school are locked. We have bouncers that roam the halls and have set locations to stand. At the doors there are bouncers at two locations, at the main entrance and in the English hallway that leads out to the senior lot.

The district follows certain safety precaution’s to keep everyone safe. All of the safety measures

are accessible on the districts website.

Walking into every classroom, there are Emergency Preparedness Procedures which are packets that tell you what to do during a certain emergency. For example, during a fire you would follow the emergency exit route.

It makes me feel safe to know that there are many plans mapped out for all kinds of emergencies. After interviewing bouncers, I feel more aware of what some precautions are. I personally didn’t know all of the procedures for what to do in all the emergencies. Now ask yourself, do you really know what to do during some of the emergencies?

Another thing I believe the students should know is when the building is in lock down, specifically when something is happening close to the school. There have been several bank robberies already this school year, but usually, you aren’t aware that you were in a lock down till it is all over Twitter. Sure you get an idea that something is going on when teachers are by doors but it sometimes you don’t know what happened until after the fact.

There are many positives about the schools safety policy. Having Officer Todd Crnkovich is a positive because he is around everyday.

Officer Crnkovich’s job results in many things.

Westside High School District 66

He talks about how his first job is to be anywhere in the school he is needed. He is not just an officer. He also goes to classrooms when needed to talk to students about law and safety. He councils and teaches kids when they have problems or have questions.

Overall, I feel Westside is a safe campus. There are some thing’s that could be different, like being more aware of what is happening around the school, but I’m happy to know that Westside is not one of the schools that needs to be under constant watch or have metal detectors in the entrance.

Graphic by Allie Laing

OPINION Pushing kids into boxes crushes wonder One of my earliest memories of my father is him writing out equations on a piece of paper and yelling, “Go!” I would then sit down and scribble answers as fast as I possibly could. After I was done, he would check my answers.

If I got almost all of them correct and did them quickly, I was rewarded.

I was pushed to be logical and analytical ALEXIS BERGIN from a young age.

STAFF WRITER I was good at those things, and soon the adults, parents and educators a lot of the time, had predetermined my destiny. I am not alone in this experience.

Kids throughout the United States go through this kind of adult control all of the time. They show strength in one thing, and all of a sudden, a lot of focus is directed towards heightening that one strength. The option for children to be pushed in other areas is taken away. This kind of pushing hurts us as students more than it does us good.

When kids are growing up, it’s time that we should be showing them all sorts of ideas and subjects to learn. Children have a natural wonder, and people crush that wonder when they put them into boxes that limit what they can do.

Also, if we push children in all facets of life from the time they are young, as opposed to picking one strength to focus on, we will end up with a society of people who are ready to take on any skill.

We need to make sure that we push our youth in all directions. We need to help them excel in math and English and science and art.

All subjects help people when they grow up, and these skills will be useful for the rest of their lives. We can teach our children how to think in different ways and how to be flexible with those learning abilities.

Yes, it’s good to let teenagers, especially when they are older, follow their own paths on where they want to go. With this being said, if young people are taught many different skills, they will have more open options. If they want something that’s outside their box, they are totally able to reach for it instead of being trapped and admiring a goal from afar.

People also change throughout their lifetimes. What they want and are good at when they are young can be very different from what will interest them at the time when they should be choosing a career. When kids are pushed in all fields when younger, they are on an even playing field when finding their path.

If a child shows interest in math, this does not mean that this is what they have to pursue in their lifetime. They could have succeeded immensely if they had also been pushed in English, but now they are trapped in the world of numbers because they showed interest in them as a kid.

This kind of trapping can also make the child come to hate a certain subject. Students who are over pushed in a certain subject will start to think of it as more of a chore than an interest.

Just because my father loved to train me in math and science doesn’t mean my life goals should be planned out for me. I don’t have to be the doctor they want. I am an independent person who doesn’t need adults predetermining how I will live my life.

7 Graphic by Allie Laing

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4:32 A.M. 4:30 A.M.

School laptops cause problems

Growing up in the age of the advancement in technology, young students have grown accustomed to depending on the Internet to complete their daily tasks and needs. Although technology can be great, there is a dark side to these technological wonders, and they just might end up doing more harm than good.

Laptops are seen as the ideal educational tools. With certain applications, students can easily take notes during class and keep track of homework assignments. Teachers have many advantages with laptops as well. They are able to easily reach out to students at home and post class notes on Blackboard.

SARAH HERMANN Laptops have many special OPINION EDITOR benefits that students have been taking advantage of. As technology has advanced, it has become more accessible, but we started to rely on it. Since we find it so easy to do certain tasks on our laptops, we are becoming less capable of doing tasks ourselves.

According to Experian, a global information services group, the typical American smartphone owner aged 18-23 sends an average of 2,022 messages every month.

That’s almost 67 texts per day, and about 2,000 conversations that could have been said face-to-face. Laptops only worsen the problem by giving students access to instant messaging all the time, most notably during class.

Teens resort to messaging on their laptops for a quick and easy solution, making conversations less meaningful. We tend to have more meaningful conversations when we talk to people face-to-face, so by messaging others on technology, it has the ability to weaken relationships between others.

Not only do laptops have the potential to damage our relationships, but they are also taking away our creativity. The Internet allows students to steal ideas for projects and essays, when they should be coming from the student. I constantly hear about people going on SparkNotes, a website designed to give complete summaries of books, instead of reading the book itself.

Reading a simple summary of a book won’t teach students anything they need to know. For students to gain knowledge, they need to do work on their own without the aid of SparkNotes.

This problem didn’t start with the creation on this website.

Before the advancement of technology, books were sold that provided the same assistance as SparkNotes. It may be an issue created in the past, but replacing books with websites only fuels the problem.

Students relying on technology to help out with schoolwork is a big issue, but the websites aren’t to blame: the students are. Because it’s so convenient for students to use sites like these, they don’t feel motivated to take the tougher route and do the work themselves. This gets them in the habit of relying on other people and resources to gain success in the future.

Laptops also impact the education of young children. This year, the district purchased iPads for all elementary students, and laptops for seventh graders. By giving technology to students as young as five years old, they’re teaching young children it’s okay to rely on technology, even though it shouldn’t be completely relied on.

According to Edudemic, 60% of all best-selling educational apps are geared towards preschool children. Most children in elementary school aren’t responsible enough to use these devices, so having these gadgets available to them wouldn’t help them out very much. Yes, they had to have been taught how to use them at some point, but, unsurprisingly, that knowledge immediately escapes their brain once they are handling something new. One of the biggest distractions to a kid are gadgets that are foreign to them.

Having school-provided laptops is a great thing for students to have. They contain all the possible resouces a student needs to succeed at our fingertips. But, I believe the majority of students misuse the resources given to them.

In order for students to expand their knowledge, I believe we should go back to basics and get our information from textbooks, and have our younger students go back to learning in a more hands-on, interactive environment. Technology may be an easy route for educational purposes, but it may not be the best route.

Since we find it so easy to do certain tasks on our laptops, we are becoming less capable of doing tasks ourselves.

crazy girlfriend gets snapchat update

Comic by Jace Wieseler

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HELPING HAND AND HOOF

FEATURE

Students bond with horses to overcome sadness, depression LIBBY SEL I NE COPY EDITOR Sophomore Carly Ingraham looks back on the first time she met her horse and smiles. She remembers how her boots scuffed against the dirt path as she walked towards an outdoor shelter at Prairie Gem Stables. Her eyes followed a black horse named Sydney that ran around the shelter.

Sydney was wilder than the other horses she had worked with. She was unable to stand still and invaded Ingraham’s personal space. However, Ingraham felt a connection between her and the horse and continued to work with Sydney during her freshman year. At first, Ingraham often felt frustrated during lessons, but over time, she started to develop a relationship with the horse.

“I could tell when she didn’t like something three months after I started working with her,” Ingraham said. “This summer is just when she didn’t have to do anything for me to know why she was in a bad mood.”

This relationship had a positive effect on Ingraham’s life. Although a doctor never diagnosed Ingraham with depression, she considered herself to be depressed during eighth grade. Ingraham felt as if she couldn’t be happy. She started to become a more positive person after she met Sydney.

“Once you start to feel [a horse’s] love, it’s almost more than a family member’s love,” Ingraham said. “You’re their whole world. Their entire trust is in your hands…There’s no feeling like it. [Sydney] loves me with her whole world, and when I’m gone, she worries about me like crazy.

There’s nothing like that.”

After almost a year of working with Sydney, Ingraham saw sophomore Clare Richardson at the stables while they were working at a summer camp. It was exciting for them to see someone they knew at Prairie Gem Stables.

“Our friendship really blossomed when we started spending more time at the barn,” Ingraham said. “I don’t know many people who have the same amount of passion for horses.”

During the summer of 2014, Richardson’s pas-

Above: Sophomores Carly Ingraham and Clare Richardson pose with thier horses Sydney and Montana Thursday, Jan. 22 at Prairie Gem Stables.

The girls have created a special bond with their horses. Right: Richardson shares an intimate moment with her horse, Montana. “With Montana, I actually have something to be excited about,” Richardson said. Photos By Taylor Schendt

sion for horses grew. However, she did not meet her horse Montana until November 2014 and did not purchase the horse until December 2014. Before she met Montana, she had been diagnosed with depression. She felt hopeless and unhappy with her life. “[Depression is] like you’re in a black hole, and there’s no escape,” Richardson said. “You’re just kind of stuck, and you’re hopeless, and you don’t know how to keep going…[My life came to a point] where I [decided I] can’t keep living like this, this is ridiculous. I need to get out of this.”

After she met Montana, her life changed for the better.

“With Montana, I actually have something to be excited about,” Richardson said. “It put me in a better mood. It got me excited to do stuff. I had something to think about that was a positive thing. A lot of times therapists will say ‘do something you want to do’ or ‘think about something that makes you happy’ or ‘find your happy place when you’re upset,’ and Montana is my happy place. Where she is, I want to be.”

Montana and Sydney have changed since they met the girls. Before coming to Prairie Gem Stables, the horses had previous owners who sold them to the stables when they could no longer afford the horses.

At the stables, Ingraham and Richardson are training the horses by teaching them necessary skills they should know about riding. By doing this, they are also encouraging the animals to trust them. Because the horses have never built trust in another human, they were hesitant to trust the girls at first.

Currently, Richardson and Ingraham see that the horses consider them to be “their person,” and they too consider their horses to be one of their great friends.

“Who needs fancy clothes and money and cars, and a boyfriend or something when you got a horse that loves you?” Richardson said. “This huge being that could love anybody else in the entire world and it just chooses you…I mean, it’s amazing. I don’t even know how to describe it.”

LOVE FOR LANGUAGE

Sophomore pursues foreign language for future mission work ABBY LANG

STAFF WRITER Sophomore Andrew Wittwer’s life is divided into pieces, six to be exact. There are six parts of his life which consume all his time. English, German, Latin, French, Spanish and Japanese.

Wittwer takes all four languages the school offers and teaches himself Japanese. Wittwer also memorizes all of the different Spanish tenses.

He submerges himself into different cultures of the world through the foreign language clubs.

He even holds conversations in Spanish outside of class, taking advantage of any opportunity possible to progress in his communication skills. Not only is Wittwer passionate about language, but according to German instructor Melissa Roth, he also holds a natural talent in the subject area.

“Andrew is very talented at learning foreign languages,” Roth said. “He is able to easily make connections between the languages and learn these concepts.”

Due to his love of language, teachers and his parents have assumed that he’ll use his talent to become a translator or to earn a higher salary in another career. Despite investing all of his time into studying foreign language, that’s not what he plans to pursue in the future. Wittwer believes his talent serves a higher purpose than either of these things.

“My old youth pastor, Matthew Richardson, is a missionary in San Salvador and that is something

I would love to do,” Wittwer said. “He helped inspire my interest and I definitely want to go with him sometime.”

He admires Richardson for leaving his life in America to serve in countries that need help obtaining basic necessities. After hearing about Richardson and his work, Wittwer felt compelled to use his foreign language talents to do the same.

He thinks it is his calling to become an advocate and communicator for countries. He’s confident that speaking multiple languages will allow him to better serve within the countries struck with hardship.

“In most of America, our view of sorrow and being less fortunate is not getting the latest iPhone,” Wittwer said.

However, in other countries they know the true meaning of sorrow...

If I could make even a slight difference to end the SOPHOMORE suffering in any of ANDREW WITTWER these countries, I would be living a far better and more meaningful life than if I became a translator.”

Wittwer didn’t grow up with money being a central focus within his family. This mentality left an impression on him. He knows his talent can be put to use for financial gain, but that’s not what he wants. His priority is impact over income.

“In America [once you are] the person with the most money, everyone will love you,” Wittwer said. “It is constantly put in the media that you won’t be loved if you don’t have money. But I’ve never really been taught that money is important.”

With money not being a motive in his language-eccentric life, communication is what

However, in other countries, they know the true meaning of sorrow.

has become the central influence for why taking several foreign languages has grown into such a large part of his life. Wittwer was taught as a child that language has power and he needs to choose his words wisely. Whether it be on the job, talking with friends, or even through short texts, he’s found that how you talk to people and the words you choose matter.

“The worst thing for relationships is miscommunication,” Wittwer said. “Whether that be romantic or not, if you aren’t able to communicate clearly, then stuff isn’t going to be able to get done.”

Wittwer connected his view of communication with his love for foreign language and tied them together. Spreading humanitarian needs and his faith through missions would be best completed through communicating in the country’s native language. He came to the conclusion that being able to talk in multiple languages means being able to better understand others thoughts that, without language, would remain unspoken.

Sophomore Andrew Wittwer works on language homework in the cafeteria Friday, Jan. 23. Wittwer is enrolled in all foreign language classes offered at Westside. Photo by Mitch Francis

FEATURE

FLIGHTS AWAY

9

Instructor’s husband deploys for seventh time JACE WI ES EL ER

MANAGING EDITOR Whenever social studies instructor Katherine Lupo’s husband, Andrew Lupo, gets deployed, everything seems to break. The furnace. The air conditioning. The battery in Katherine’s car. One time, even the bathtub fell through the ceiling.

To Katherine, Andrew only leaves when things need fixing.

But ever since he was enlisted, he doesn’t have control over when he goes.

Andrew began his military career by enlisting in the Marine Corps during college. He didn’t have any other big plans after high school and was looking for a challenge. A sort of adventure.

Now, an officer in the Air Force, Andrew gets deployed for about three months every year. Although he’s on his seventh deployment, he hasn’t been in the Air Force for all seven trips. He has been in the Marine Corps, Army and, now, the Air Force.

He and Katherine were engaged when he went on his first deployment ten years ago in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, which was, according to Katherine, the hardest deployment he’s been on.

“It was the longest and super dangerous,” Katherine said. “That’s the worst deployment because he was on the ground. Now he flies in an airplane and that is very safe.”

Katherine learned to cope during his deployment by focusing hard in college and leaning on her family for support.

Since this trip, Andrew has gone on six other deployments to top-secret locations across the globe, with all of them being in different branches of the military.

“In the six years I’ve been in [the Air Force], I’ve never found myself doing the same thing I was doing the year earlier,” Andrew said. “I’ve had the

chance to travel often and meet plenty of interesting people. If you apply yourself, there is a lot of room to advance, and although you’re always at the mercy of Uncle Sam, you mostly have a good deal of control over the direction you take your career.”

Andrew’s career grew, and he became an officer, which required schooling at an Officer Training School. After his training, he became an electronic warfare officer (EWO), who is a trained aerial navigator who specializes in finding and countering air defense systems.

But since Andrew’s job changes often, this makes for a lot of moving around the country.

“The military tells us where to go,” Katherine said. “So before we came here, we were on our way to live in Mississippi, and while we were driving, they called us and said, ‘Turn around you’re going to move to Florida’. Then we got to Florida, got a house and they said, ‘We sent you to the wrong place’ and we had to move somewhere else in Florida. After Florida, we came here.”

Moving around often brings challenges. Katherine has to find a new job and new friends, and learn a new city like the best places to eat and shop.

“Everything is new, every couple [of] years,” Katherine said.

Although leaving things behind seems to be a pattern, coming back after a sixty to ninety day deployment makes up for it.

“The past few years Katherine and I have planned a vacation for a few weeks after I get back, so taking leave and getting away from everything for a while is something I always look forward to,” Andrew said.

And when Andrew comes home, Katherine will have already fixed all the things in the house, but there’s one thing left that he has to fix: Katherine’s heart.

Above: Social studies instructor Katherine Lupo says goodbye to her husband, Andrew Lupo, as he leaves for deployment. Andrew has been a part of the Marine Corps, Army and Air Force. Left: Andrew and Katherine pose for a picture before Andrew’s deployment. Photos courtesy of Katherine Lupo

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FEATURE

Student honors deceased cousin with buttons NATA

WAR D

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF When Burke junior JohnTavious Swift was gunned down last September, his cousin, senior Marcel Turner, got his first button.

It was a collage. For two boys who had known each other “since the diaper days,” there were a number of pictures to choose from: pictures of Swift, pictures of Swift and Turner together as toddlers. It was the day after Turner had gotten the phone call where they told him Swift had been shot.

Turner doesn’t pause when he says the date: Sept.

24, 2014.

“I was at home, eating a bowl of cereal [when they called],” Turner said. “At first, my cousin called me and told me, I was like, ‘No you’re lying’…

Until everybody started calling my mom [too].”

On Sept. 25, 2014, everyone in Turner’s family got a button with a picture of Swift on it. It is a tradition; when a loved one passes away, the rest of the family wears a token in remembrance. It can be anything from t-shirts to necklaces. Turner has made nearly all of his pins himself, about 20 in all.

The collage was the first one he designed.

“I didn’t want [anybody] else to get the collage,” Turner said. “Everybody just wanted different pictures. I felt like that one I made myself, and I wanted to be the only one that had it. It’s like an exclusive pin.”

Every day since Swift’s death, Turner has worn the buttons. He has two or three on his hat, backpack or shirt to be reminded of him and to repre-

sent his best friend.

“I called him my brother because [he] was my best friend,” Turner said. “…I talked to him every day — [sometimes] a couple times a day…He lived…like five, ten minutes away. The bad thing is [that his family was] moving towards me. Now they live near, but he’s not here.”

Swift was the kind of kid who played every sport, from basketball to football, and Turner was there in the front row cheering him on. There wasn’t a day that they weren’t hanging out or talking on the phone, they even planned on SENIOR going to college together. “[Losing Swift was] horrible,” Turner said. “He was like a piece of me. I think about him every second of the day. There doesn’t go a day that I don’t think about him.”

At first, it was hard to answer the questions people would ask him. He would tell people that he “just wanted to wear them” and leave it at that.

Now, the questions are almost comforting. “[The pins are] so people can still see them, so they will never be forgotten,” Turner said. “I feel like he’s still with me when I wear them.”

The buttons reassure Turner, who thinks about Swift too often to keep count. They bring the most comfort when he is reminded of the goals they had set together.

“We wanted to graduate high school, go to college, get a good job, start our own business — together,” Turner said. “It wouldn’t feel the same as if he were here, because he won’t be doing it with me…I have to do it by myself, but I’ll know he’ll be proud.”

[The pins are] so people can still see [Swift], so [he] will never be forgotten. I feel like he’s with me when I wear them.

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Above: Senior Marcel Turner poses with his collection of buttons Monday, Jan. 26. In his family, when a loved one dies, they honor them with a token of some kind. In the case of Burke junior JohnTavious Swift, it was buttons. Left: Three of Turner’s buttons are pictured on the left.

Turner has nearly 20 buttons in all. Photos

by Taylor Schendt

SPORTS WINNING SHOT

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Freshman phenom stands out, dominates varsity girls basketball CELENA SHEPHERD FEATURE EDITOR

Top: Freshman Quinn Weidemann drives to the hoop in the recent Varsity basketball game Jan. 22. Weidmann was the leading scorer that night. Right: Weidemann takes a free throw. Photos by Jakob Phillips

SCHACK ATTACK

The pressure was on for Westside girls varsity basketball Jan. 10. Their game against Kearney was in overtime, 55-55. Stepping up to the free throw line was freshman point guard Quinn Weidemann, and the winning shot was, literally, in her hands.

She is the first freshman on varsity in three years and has started in all of their 16 games.

Weidemann was the high scorer against Millard North on Jan. 23, scoring 28 points, but her shining moment came a few games earlier.

Weidemann was at the free throw line in overtime, knowing nothing mattered except making this shot and winning the game. She became focused; it was just her, the basketball and the hoop.

Weidemann ritually bounced the basketball three times against the shiny wooden floor, spun it and then bounced it a fourth time before shooting the ball into mid-air.

Nothing but net.

Her teammates on the sideline, fans in the audience, and fellow classmates in the student section roared with excitement.

“I didn’t even want to look at it. I thought I missed it,” Weidemann said. “I don’t even remember what everyone else’s reaction was because I was so anxious.”

Senior teammate Jay Bridgeman explained that Weidemann played impressively, especially because the opponents she was up against were two to three years older than her.

“Quinn steps up all the time,” Bridgeman said.

“We needed her. She was dropping threes on 18-year-old and 17-year-old girls’ faces and Quinn is like 15.”

Weidemann’s teammates and coaches are continuously impressed with her performance on the court.

“Quinn fits in perfectly [with the team],” head varsity girls basketball coach Steven Clark said.

“The girls took a real liking to her […] right away.

Then you mix in that she’s very talented, and everyone likes to play with good players.”

Clark thinks the transition to varsity was easier for Quinn because she had great teammates like Bridgeman, who also played varsity as a freshman.

“I used to be in her position four years ago,” Bridgeman said. “I know how overwhelming and nerve racking it can be, but Quinn adapted to it really well.”

Weidemann loves playing for Westside and thinks Bridgeman is a great teammate who has helped her out a lot during games and practices.

Weidemann shoots 200 baskets every other day on her own, outside of school. This helps her

excel on the court and when in practices.

“She’s very competitive and coachable and battles physically and conditionally,” Clark said.

“She rarely comes out of the game. It shows how driven she is.”

Weidemann enjoys having the support of her father, mother, brother and grandmother, who all attend almost every one of her games.

“It means a lot,” Weidemann said. “I like to know that they care and want to come to my games to see me. It’s good to know that.”

Growing up, Weidemann always dreamed of being a star athlete.

She started playing basketball at an early age, for the YMCA. She instantly loved it and continued to polish her basketball skills.

Weidemann’s hard work has paid off because she’s achieved her childhood dream and is a starting point guard on varsity as a freshman and has become one of the most dynamic players on the team.

“I’m grateful I got the opportunity to be on varsity,” Weidemann said. “It was one of my proudest moments.”

Over the summer she tried out and made a prestigious select basketball team, Cornhusker Shooting Stars. Weidemann’s commitment to the organization was tremendous, attending practices daily from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

“I have had to work really hard throughout the years to make varsity,” Weidemann said. “[Cornhusker Shooting] Stars has helped me improve a lot.”

Weidemann enjoyed playing with great girls and working with great coaches because it challenged her as a player and enhanced her skills.

The select team traveled all over the country to different tournaments where college scouts watched their games.

“I’m practicing right now to get into college for basketball,” Weidemann said. “I definitely want to play college. I’ve been in contact with Princeton, Belmont, Dayton and UNO so far.”

Cornhusker Shooting Stars ended at the start of the school year, just in time for Weidemann to begin preparing for Westside basketball.

Bridgeman thinks that Weidemann is an exceptional basketball player, but hasn’t reached her highest potential yet.

“Quinn is going to do big things,” Bridgeman said. “I’m excited to see her grow as a player and as a person. I can’t wait to see how far she goes and keep up with her after I graduate.”

Clark also thinks that Weidemann’s future is bright and there are no limits to what she can accomplish.

“Quinn is very focused, and she has dreams and goals that she is intent on reaching,” Clark said. “I think she can reach all of them with the kind of passion she possesses.”

Sophomore uses paintballing as a way to spend time with family CONNOR CASTLEMAN STAFF WRITER

With paintballs flying over sophomore Andrew Schack’s head from every direction, all Schack can do is play in the moment and focus on staying in the game for just one second longer in order to advance as much as possible. Sense the team that holds the most ground win it is essential for Schack to stay in the game and advance with his team.

Once a year around May, Schack, his two brothers and his father all go on a road trip to Joliet, Illinois to participate in a once a year event called the Living Legends Paintball Battle. This event draws thousands of paintballers from all over the world.

Schack loves this event and looks forward to it all year.

“Living Legends Paintball is insane,” Schack said. “With nearly 2,000 people on each team each game gets crazy.”

During the summer, fall, and spring Schack tries to make the 25-minute trip down to Louisville, Nebraska and play paintball at the Mad Cow Paintball Complex. Schack’s brothers and father also play paintball occasionally as a hobby.

Schack’s family also owns many paintball guns that they use when playing.

“Paintball is a great way to spend time,” Schack

said. “When playing it’s easy to lose track of time because I’m having so much fun.”

Schack used to spend time at Mad Cow Paintball as a referee on the weekends, but due to school and extra curricular activities Schack had to quit his job there and plays paintball only when he can find time on the weekends.

“The job was amazing,” Schack said. “I got to run around, and basically play and watch paintball every weekend.”

Because of Living Legends, May is Schack’s favorite month to play paintball. Schack will lay on hills, dive for flags, and run across acres of land doing what he loves.

“When I go for a slapstick or even run across and open field there are thousands of paintballs flying at me from any direction,” Schack said.

When he is playing paintball at Living Legends, he has nothing else to think about besides how he is going to advance without getting shot even once more second.

Even when Schack is hit with paintballs he isn’t phased because he is so focused in the moment that all he wants to do is keep playing.

“When I get hit with a paintball it obviously hurts but in the moment, I’, hyped with adrenaline and don’t even feel it,” Schack said.

It was due to Schack’s talent and love for the game, that keeps him coming back to play paintball whenever he can.

Sophomore Andrew Schack poses for a picture outside Jan. 26 in his paintball gear. Andrew and his family have partaken in all sorts of paintball events throughout the years. Photo by Mitch Francis

12

SEASON OF BASKETBALL

sports

Varsity Teams

Aren Rendell media coordinator The Westside girls and boys varsity basketball seasons are in full swing, and fans have been treated to dunks, clutch three-pointers, close games and more.

The girls team has climbed to a top-five ranking in Class A (it stands at fifth). Its season has been highlighted by the emergence of freshman Quinn Weidemann (read about her on page 11) as one of the team’s two best players alongside senior Jay Bridgeman.

Big games against top 10-ranked teams Bellevue West and Omaha Central loom. The Warriors travel to Bellevue West to face Bellevue West tonight at 5:30 p.m. Westside will face the visiting Central Eagles Friday, Feb. 6.

The boys recently fell out of the top 10 with three straight losses to undefeated and No. 1-ranked Norfolk, No. 7-ranked Millard West and unranked Millard North. A 56-30 victory over North Platte Saturday, Jan. 24 got the team back on track.

The boys have been led by a “big three” made up of juniors Trae and AJ Meeks and sophomore Anthony Bratton (read about him in issue four of the Lance). Trae had the team’s best individual performance of the season in the loss to Norfolk as he scored 27 points.

Quite possibly the toughest month of the season is ahead for the team.

The season winds down with games against top 10-ranked teams Bellevue West, Omaha Central, Omaha South, Omaha North and Creighton Prep.

Make sure to visit westsidewired.org and follow @westsidewired on Twitter and Instagram for coverage of the final month of the regular season.

Above: Members of Red Shield and the students section go wild after a junior AJ Meeks put-back dunk in Westside’s loss to Millard North Thursday, Jan. 22. Left: Senior KaVon Neelon drives to the basket during his team’s loss to Millard North Thursday, Jan 22. Photos by Sarah Lemke

Left: Senior Jay Bridgeman protects the basketball during Westside’s game against Papillion-La Vista Friday, Jan. 9. Below: The varsity dance team performs at halftime of the girls varsity basketball team’s victory over Millard North Thursday, Jan. 22. Photos by Sarah Lemke

sports

13

SEASON OF not-so-BASKETBALL Intramural Team

Aren rendell media coordinator

Above: Senior Erik Williams shields the ball from his opponent, senior John Neubaum. Below: Neubaum and senior Jacob Andrews watch their ongoing game. Photos by Jakob Phillips

The story of “Team Stevenson” from Westside’s intramural basketball league is not one of great success or tremendous athletic achievement. In fact, the team stands at 0-3 in the league filled with shenanigans and unpracticed basketball play.

Simply put, Team Stevenson is a below-average basketball squad competing in a below-average basketball league.

“We are the pinnacle of mediocrity and a model for children to exceed,” said senior Sam Stevenson, the team’s captain and namesake.

After losing an uneven game Monday, Jan. 26, the team isn’t likely to win the intramural basketball championship. In fact, they aren’t guaranteed to pick up a victory.

Team Stevenson features Stevenson, seniors Kyro Iskandr, Mark Coldanghise, Hayden Lehr, Jared Musser, Kyle Petsche and Erik Williams along with juniors Max Malnack and Troy Suwondo.

Through three games, Musser, Petsche and Suwondo have been the team’s best players. As a unit, the team has played mostly a two-three zone defense. It has set its sights on picking up at least one victory this season. “[It] would be nice if we could win a game,” Stevenson said.

“Other than that, [our goal is] just…dribbling down the court, showing off our limited skills, draining threes and trying to drain other threes.”

On its quest to claim a victory, the team has done exactly what any team in its situation would do: very little to improve.

“We sometimes go over what a two-three zone defense is before games,” Stevenson said. “Other times, we just play.”

Regardless of its record and not-so-lofty goal, the team still looks like the average intramural basketball team during

warm-ups. Iskandr was seen draining three-point shots during warm-ups Monday. Lehr was heard saying, “Everyone buys me McDonald’s if I dunk.” The players dress in theme, always going with a whiteout. Stevenson says keeping the consistent theme helps them “harness our inner chi.” It’s not until the game ball goes in the air for opening tip that things go south for Team Stevenson.

“During warm-ups, we seem to have our rhythm,” Iskandr said. “But when we get out on the court with real time and real pressure, we lose all composure and start to just throw things up.”

As far as good plays, Stevenson said his team hasn’t had many. However, a memorable one was Petsche hitting a threepointer to put the team within two of Team Phillips. Unfortunately for Team Stevenson, Team Phillips pulled away shortly after. “[Junior] Abdi [Abdinasir] turned on the jets, and he just destroyed us,” Stevenson said. “We got within two, and then the intensity was probably a little too much to handle.”

But however many shots they might miss or rebounds they might not get, it isn’t all about winning for intramural basketball ball. Stevenson’s team is succeeding at the most important thing about the intramural league: fun.

“It’s fun to watch,” said art instructor and intramural basketball supervisor Shawn Blevins. “Everybody’s there for their own reason, but the key is that it’s fun.”

Iskandr said he is glad the Westside intramural basketball league has given him and his team the chance to play a sport in a fairly non-competitive atmosphere full of entertaining moments.

“I for sure [have] a good laugh watching my team and others play,” Iskandr said.

Team Stevenson and the rest of the intramural basketball league hit the courts again Monday, Feb. 9.

Above: Seniors Jared Musser and Jared Andrews battle to win the opening tip. Photo by Jakob Phillips

Left: Musser and seniors Luis Torres and Kyro Iskandr get loose before their intramural basketball game held Monday, Jan 26 in the Activity Gym. Far Left: Senior Jared Musser pulls up for a jump shot with a defender, senior Kieran Carter, in his face. Photos by Jakob Phillips

14

NO HILL TOO HIGH

SPORTS

Sophomore wrestler lives up to family name JACK COHEN

SPORTS EDITOR

Sophomore Darlondo Hill wrestles against Bennington Thursday, Jan. 22. He has been wrestlilng since he was seven years old. Photo by Monica Siegel

Sophomore varsity wrestler Darlondo Hill doesn’t say much on the mat. He doesn’t have to. He has quietly started with a record of 25-10 through his first 35 matches of the varsity season.

Hill is smashing expectations and the more experienced competition.

Hill has grown up around wrestling. His dad and uncle won state wrestling in high school, forming the family tradition.

“I’ve been wrestling since I was 7 when I started with my dad’s club.” Hill said.

Since then, Hill has been working to achieve the successes of his family before him. Now, as a sophomore on varsity, other wrestlers are taking notice.

One of these wrestlers is fellow sophomore Bryce Harvey-Semi. The two have been wrestling together since seventh grade.

“He’s definitely progressed as an athlete,” Harvey-Semi said. “He’s gotten stronger and faster and is now beating more experienced competition regularly.”

Hill is accustomed to this type of competition.

Varsity Coach Michael Jernigan regularly pairs Hill up with more experienced wrestlers.

“Darlondo works out with Jacob Kent, a guy with forty or so pounds on him, every other day,” Jernigan said. “We have a guy who wrestled in college for four years work with him as well as several coaches, so he’s working out with people a lot bigger and stronger then he is.”

Working with these people has translated to

immense success on the mat for Hill, but according to Jernigan you wouldn’t know the extent of that from the way he presents himself “He is one of those kids who always has a smile on his face, but beneath that he’s ready to rip your arms off,” said Jernigan.

When it comes to the physical aspect of Hill, he has a body different from the usual short and stocky bodies that typical wrestlers have. Hill has several inches on most of his opponents as well as a lot longer arms and legs. He’s able to use this to his advantage. Using his long arms he is able to ward off holds and apply more leverage then a smaller wrestler would be able to.

As physically overbearing as Hill is, his mental take on the game is one of his biggest advantages.

“He beats them with his strong mindset,” Harvey-Semi said. “You can see his determination every time. You can be as strong as anyone, but ultimately it’s his mind that wins the match.”

The mindset that Hill plays with determines if the day is a success or not.

“A good day I just feel like I did the best I can,” Hill said. “Even if I don’t actually win, but I feel I beat him physically and mentally and gave it my all it’s a good day for me.”

Hill is still in the beginning of his wrestling career, but he has made it his goal to achieve now.

“My goal for this year is to at least place at state,” Hill said. “If not this year, I hope I’ll be able to win it by my junior or senior year.”

With district and state competitions approaching the pressure would tower of most wrestlers.

Hill stands tall amongst them.

A MAN AND A SWORD

Math instructor participates in Kendo, popular Japanese sword art JAMES

BU CK L EY

SPORTS EDITOR The sparring begins in a stare down. Both fighters won’t move, waiting for the other to make a move.

As the tension mounts, one of the fighters goes in for a strike.

The swing of the shinai comes, but his opponent reacts quickly, and blocks the attack.

Back and forth the two go, one strikes, the other blocks. Throughout the spar, scoring hits are scarce, but finally math instructor Ryan Stejskal lands the final blow to win his Kendo match.

During his time at Kansas State University, Stejskal enrolled in a Japanese language/culture course.

The course wasn’t actually his first choice. He only took it because he could get out of chemistry. Luckily, the class gave him the opportunity to travel to Japan.

“I’ve always had an interest in that part of the world, but when I studied and got the chance to use it, I knew I’d like to take the opportunity.” Stejskal said.

In Japan, Kendo clubs are in almost every high school and some schools even offer it as a P.E class. For that reason, he heard about Kendo very quickly and found his new passion.

In Kendo, participants use shinai (bamboo swords) to fight instead of real swords, and have protective body armor and helmets on during combat. This way, they can still go full speed, but not worry so much about injury.

Stejskal describes the fighting style as a sort of Japanese fencing.

“It’s a little bit different from normal fencing because a Japanese sword is more of a cutting weapon rather than a stabbing thrusting weapon,” Stejskal said. “So you’ll notice that most of the attacks are swinging the sword.”

In Kendo, there are many ranks, like the belt system in other martial arts, but there are no belts.

“There are what are called kyu ranks, which are like color belts and then there are dan ranks which are like black belts,” Stejskal said. “…You start at sixth kyu and go up to first kyu, and then you go to first dan and the dans are numbered upward. If you’re a complete master, you’re an eighth dan.”

Currently, Stejskal is ranked third dan, which he achieved two years ago. In order to keep ranking up, Stejskal and anyone else in his dojo (a place for practicing kendo) must attend a convention in the springtime. Usually it is in Dallas or Denver, and dojos from all across the Midwest attend every year.

MATH INSTRUCTOR The RYAN STEJSKAL ranking system consists of learning a new set of skills, following the waiting period and then be judged using kata (showing of techniques using a dummy partner) and shinsa (full sparring with another partner). The process becomes more and more rigorous each rank according to Stejskal.

For example, before Stejskal could become a third dan, he had to wait at least 2 years. In addition, he had to pass a written exam and perform his kata in front of five fifth dans and have three approve his techniques.

“It is kind of nerve-racking,” Stejskal said. “…

There are a lot of things going on around you, but you don’t think about them.”

Along with the stress of the convention, the preparation for it is a grind according to Stejskal.

Him and everyone else at the dojo practice twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. During practice they start with kata for 20 minutes, focusing on counterattacks they are lacking at.

Then they have 20 minutes for practicing strikes on still opponents. Finally, they end on sparring, like how they would at the convention.

For Stejskal, now being at a higher rank, he has

If you’re a complete master, you’re an eighth dan.

to wait an extra year every time he ranks up from now on, because each new rank calls for much more concentration and skill mastery.

To Stejskal, the extra time is okay, because he wants to keep with Kendo for as long as possible.

“I have no immediate plans to stop,” Stejskal said. “As long as it’s fun and if my body holds out then I will continue to do it.”

Math instructor Ryan Stejskal practices Kendo at the Benson Community Center Wednesday, Jan. 14.

Photo by Sarah Lemke

15

A&E Photo by Sarah Lemke

BERKLEE BOUND

Senior persues music career despite setbacks Connor FLAIRTY NEWS EDItoR The audience packs into the crowded auditorim, the lights shine bright onto the stage.

It’s Cabaret Night at Westside high school, the annual concert and fundraiser. Then senior Becca Erdman takes the stage, the young woman’s voice takes control of the entire show the second she drops her first note. Fellow ATSC member and award winning soloist, junior Jacob Thomas describes the experience best.

“She’s like an angelic goddess when she sings,” Thomas said. “She uses every fiber of her being when she sings. It’s amazing but incredibly difficult to describe.”

However Erdman’s rise to success was a rough one. Early in the young singer’s career there were a lot obstacles, which nearly forced her to stop singing all together.

“In middle school, I was going to quit, I didn’t make show choir either year, and I was really bummed out. I really didn’t want to sing anymore,” Erdman said.

Thankfully for Erdman, encouragement from her Mother helped her find the strength to persevere and find her talent.

“My mom wouldn’t let me quit,” Erdman said. “She made me stick through it, and at first I was very upset about it but eventually I found my passion for music. That’s when I realized I want to do this for the rest of my life.”

Erdman’s Mother, Jill Stocking, was a big reason for Erdman’s return to music. But unlike her daughter, Stocking knew Erdman had the talent.

“I’ve sung all my life, but never at a level like Becca’s,” Stocking said. “She has been singing all her life, and I always knew she had a passion for it, so I always encouraged it.”

Erdman couldn’t be more thankful. Because of this encouragement she found her one true love in music, the solo.

“In eighth grade choir, they gave me a solo, and it really felt amazing,” Erdman said.

“Standing up on stage, having the spotlight on you, singing by yourself that’s when it hit me, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.”

Despite Erdman’s struggles in her early career she is very happy she pushed through to get to where she is today. Erdman is one of many to have rough starts, and to all those singers struggling to find their talent, Erdman reminds them, to never give up their dreams.

“You can’t get discouraged, nobody is good their first time and you have to just keep practicing,” Erdman said. “It’s so fun and becomes so much easier the more and more you practice.”

For Stocking, the moment her daughter picks up the microphone, she knows her daughter is truly doing what she loves.

“She comes alive when she sings, especially when she has the microphone,” Stocking said. “That’s who she is, that’s who she has really become and who she is supposed to be.”

While Erdman’s career right now includes being a top ATSC singer, competing in competitions, being the lead singer of a band and even working on a demo album, Erdman is excited to take her career to the professional level. Erdman’s next big step includes going to the very prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston.

“Next year heading off to Berklee is when it all really starts going for me and I’m very excited.” Erdman said. “I will not do anything in my life that’s not related to music. There is nothing I love more then music, whether that be writing it, singing it, producing it, performing it, that’s what I have to do in my life.”

Teacher’s activity promotes her confidence Elise Tucker A&E Edtior In a black suit with red details, she ducks down on the cold ground as an enemy with an enemy spy holding a knife runs into view. With her gun in hand, she creeps up on them and attack with all her might.

This is what science instructor Judith Stucky does whenever she live action role-plays (LARP), which is just like Dungeon and Dragons in real life. But she wasn’t always a superhero.

“I consider myself to be kind of shy; kind of introverted,” Stucky said. “You don’t think of teachers being that way, but usually teachers are really comfortable in their subject area. Sometimes they aren’t as comfortable when trying to make social talk or with strangers.”

Before she started LARPing, she was that person who couldn’t start a conversation, but then, Stucky saw the activity in a gaming magazine and she was instantly hooked. Seeing that magazine changed her life. She went from being shy to dressing up in costumes battling.

Dressing up in dozens of costumes such as Star Trek characters, vampires, zombies or even a CIA agent gives Stucky the opportunity to be someone she’s not. It depends on where LARPing happens, but it’s like a traveling art show.

She has gained confidence and social skills from LARPing. Being different characters has made her more out going in the world of teaching and just whereever she goes.

“I can do crazy things when I’m in character,” Stucky said. “When I’m out in a setting, I’m not Mrs. Stucky. I’m Lady Antalbet or I’m Elven ranger. It’s just a fun thing to do to try and be creative in.”

LARPing also has some risk factors that Stucky loves when she’s in character, like when she plays the CIA agent and she got to help capture bad guys.

LARPing to Stucky creates a new world for her and people around her as well. It has made her become more noticed by her peers.

“People have noticed that I am more confident or even more talkative in class,” Stucky said.

Students in her classes also love how she is herself.

Even though it’s fun to LARP with strangers, Stucky loves to meet up with her family to LARP. They make her feel comfortable and they allow her to act like herself when she is with her family.

“My brother does it, his wife does it, my husband does the activity, a bunch of friends from high school and college do it,” Stucky said. “They helped me become more confident when I first started to LARP.” Having her family there with her while she was LARPing helped her to be more comfortable around strangers. One of her best moments during LARPing was with her brother.

“My first time LARPing started with an eight hour car drive from Minneapolis to Madison, Wisconsin,” Stucky said. “We set up our tents, then on the way back we were so excited that we got to LARP that my brother and I forgot to fill the tank up with gas, so we got stuck.”

Even though she is with her family a lot, it’s nice to meet new people and build relationships with them.

“It’s just a fun activity if you want to meet people outside of your normal group,” Stucky said.

“From stepping out of my family circle, I have made more friendships in the LARPing community that I hope will last all my life.”

Even though she doesn’t LARP every second of every day, she would like to do the activity in the future.

“I would love to LARP in the future,” Stucky said.

LARPing has not only impacted her as a person, but students at Westside are also effected by LARPing or role-playing.

“Some of the kids in the Renaissance club can be so quiet in class, but when you get them in costume and in character they are a whole different person,” Stucky said. “They are pretending to be somebody, and the person they are playing can do some of these things that they can’t.”

When students LARP, they also are not like themselves. Stucky saw that in her students and she hopes that more students go into the activity.

“I hope more people at Westside or around the world go into LARPing,” Stucky said. “It’s a fun activity that really challenges you.”

As she finishes off the enemy, Stucky has more confidence in herself. She can now take on whatever the enemy throws at her. Whether it be a sword or just a complicated science problem, she can handle it.

Science instructor Judith Stucky poses for a photo dressed in LARPing attire Friday, Jan. 23. LARP sessions happen when it gets warmer and can be viewed in Elmwood Park. Photo by Sarah Lemke

A&E

16

Valentin

e’s Day

SIde A

Last Min Graphic

Gift Guid

by Case

y Arritt

ute

e

For a Friend Celena shepherd feature editor

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and the presents people receive should be absolutely perfect. It’s our job to make this happen, but it can be tough avoiding cliché chocolates and roses on this holiday because they are advertised everywhere. You can’t fall for these tricks. It is impeccable that we find the best presents for our special someones, friends and family members by Valentine’s Day. This last minute gift guide will contain all the creative ideas and inspiration you need to get the ultimate present before time runs out.

Good luck!

For a Family Member Valentine’s Day lands on a Saturday this year, which provides the perfect opportunity to surprise your family with a delicious breakfast. The main course for this cute affair will be strawberry-cream cheese stuffed French toast. This dish is just as sweet as the holiday, and you can never go wrong with strawberries on Valentine’s Day. All the ingredients for this easy recipe can be found around the kitchen. To start off, spread the desired amount of plain cream cheese onto one side of the bread. Next, cut strawberries in half (the long way) and place them on top of the cream cheese. Take another piece of bread and put it on top of the bread with cream cheese and strawberries, forming a sandwich. Whisk together a mixture of two eggs and half of a cup of milk in a bowl. Then, dip the sandwich in for a few seconds on each side. Finally, cook it in a pan or griddle on medium-low heat for two to three minutes or until golden brown. Serve the delightful French toast to your family with extra strawberries and maple syrup, and there you have it: the tastiest present your family could’ve asked for on Valentine’s Day. Instead of purchasing a boring iTunes gift card for a family member on Valentine’s Day, try putting together a fun playlist with all their favorite songs. This present is perfect to give to a parent or grandparent who is technologically challenged. You can burn their favorite songs onto a CD so they can listen to the playlist while relaxing at home or driving. Put 14 songs on the CD, because Valentines Day is on February 14! Show your relative you know their specific taste in music, by picking songs you know he or she will like. Once you’ve finished, it’s time to decorate. Since the CD is a Valentine’s Day present, use red and pink sharpies to jazz it up.

Once your CD looks pretty, give it a creative name and present it to your loved one.

Valentine’s Day isn’t just for the adorable couples we all hate, but also for the friends we want to show our appreciation for. Do something sweet for them. Don’t buy premade treats at the grocery store, instead make a cake or cupcakes with your friend. Buy a festive strawberry cake mix along with your favorite frosting at a local grocery store. Next, go to the dollar store and buy cute wrapping paper or gift bags to put the cake mix and frosting in before giving them to your BFF on Valentine’s Day. Now you two can bake an extra sweet cake (or cupcakes) together on this extra sweet holiday while spending quality time with one another!

Attention Valentine’s Day shoppers, it’s time to get crafty! For this humorous gift, you’ll need to get in touch with your creative side. To begin, you’ll need a piece of red cardstock paper, a black sharpie and glitter glue. Start cutting out a large heart from the cardstock and when you’ve finished write on the heart in medium letters I love you as much as you love, leaving a blank space towards the bottom. Write in the blank , with the glitter glue, something silly like a favorite pop, candy or celebrity crush. Now, buy your friend what you filled in the blank, like the can of cop, candy bar or a cheesy poster of that celebrity. This is a fun way to surprise your bestie on Valentine’s Day and be creative.

For your Special Someone To purchase this thoughtful Valentine’s Day gift, you will be headed to the bookstore to pick out a novel your crush will love. Have a general idea before hand the type of books they will enjoy, perhaps romance, science fiction, horror and so on. This is a sweet way for you to show you really know your special someone. Once you’ve picked out the perfect piece of literature, place it in a cute Valentine’s Day themed gift bag. Next, fill the gift bag with red Hershey kisses. To top it all off, you should write your special someone a sweet note that will make their day and place it in the cover of the book.

When thinking of a present to give to a special someone, you should be imaginative. Think specific, and customize something special they can appreciate. Making a tie blanket is a thoughtful gift your crush will love. First, you’ll need two pieces of fleece, 2-3 yards each. One piece should be a solid color and the other should be patterned. Pick fabric that is personalized to him or her. Fleece is available at places like Hancock Fabrics or Walmart. Next, lay the solid fleece on a clean surface with the patterned one on top. Cut a 4-inch by 4-inch square out of each of the four corners and then continue cutting 4-inch incisions about 1-inch wide around all four sides of the fabric. Now tie all the loose strips together to finish your blanket! Grab your favorite movie, and there you go! A perfect Valentine’s Day for the two of you to share under the warmth of the new blanket.