The Pirate Clipper- Dec. issue

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The PIRATE CLIPPER Magazine Issue 2 Vol. 26 Platte County High School

THE FINAL WHISTLE Athletes face end of high school sports careers

HOPE IN THE HALLS

Community collects supplies for families in need

MAKE IT HISTORY Annual project hinders AP student preparation

EVERYBODY’S A CRITIC Students critique local theatre productions

Contents

Issue 2 Vol. 26 Platte County High School

News

The Pilot Way Hope in the Halls

Feature

College 411 Holidays in Kansas City Everybody’s a Critic

Sports

No Days Off The Final Whistle

Opinion

Make it History Arts and Recreation

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Table of Contents

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 14 15

The Pirate Clipper Staff Mara Tharp

Ashley Tohm

Zoe Mayne

Jake Nicholson

Editor-in-Chief Magazine Managing Editor

Emma Hessefort

Staff Writer Staff Writer

Lauren Sherwood Staff Writer

Website Managing Editor

Lauryn Masters

Sports Editor

Staff Writer

Kevin Burns

McKennah Houlahan News Editor

Kianna Castro Feature Editor

Alysse Maxwell Opinion Editor

Jalisia Lay

Photographer

Savannah Rottinghaus Photographer

Who We Are:

The Pirate Clipper is a student-run newspaper dedicated to informing students on current local, national and worldwide issues without bias. Opinions and editorials do not reflect the views or opinions of the Platte County staff, school, administration or adviser. For questions or concerns, contact adviser Kari Johnson at johnsonk@platteco.k12. mo.us.

Staff Writer

Danielle Boyle

Letters to the Editor: The Pirate Clipper will strive to meet professional journalism standards. We report news accurately, objectively and fully in-depth. We will acknowledge mistakes and correct errors in content when brought to our attention.

Letters to the editor are subject to be condensed for space and grammar. They will not be subject to editing for content. Anonymous letters to the editor will not be accepted. To contact the Pirate Clipper, email PCHSpirateclipper@gmail.com or deliver letters to Room 23.

The Pilot Way

Students in Pilot program take charge of own education Mara Tharp Editor-in-Chief The Flexible Learning Pilot taking place in Paxton has increased the amount of independent learning time within the traditional school day, leading to students having more time to complete large amounts of homework before they leave school for the day.

Junior Josie Rawlings spent the first two years of her high school career in the traditional schedule, but decided to join the Pilot after considering the amount of time she has outside of school.

“It fits the schedule of someone who is a busy teen outside of school,” Rawlings said. “I have a lot more time to work on things that I would have had to do outside of school last year.”

The common theme of more time to work during the school day has resonated with junior John Watts, who is a student athlete and spends his time outside of

4 News

school practicing and playing on teams for the school.

“The main reason I chose the Pilot was because I would have more time to do homework,” Watts said. “Last year there were times I would stay up until midnight doing homework after practice.”

Students in the Pilot are given differing Independent Learning Time (ILT) blocks depending on the day. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays have the longest times. For some students, that means more than an hour of independent learning, while their productivity is monitored by teachers.

“They give us a chart of all the work we do and check on us each week to see how we are doing,” Watts said. “They’re available most of the day, so if we need help we can ask.”

Some students have voiced con-

cerns, however, over the content of their classes and what they are learning. In the Pilot’s English classes, they are assigned blogs that can be over any topic, even ones that have to do with things outside of school.

“My English class doesn’t feel like we have a main task,” Rawlings said. “I’m just trying to get my grade.”

Pilot English teacher Heidi Mick incorporated the blogs into her lesson plans so that students could write about things they were interested in, such as food or movies. Some students have voiced confusion over the classes, like Rawlings, but are continuing the Pilot next semester.

“I think this type of schedule fits better for sophomore and junior year classes,” Rawlings said.

“If they have the classes I need next year I plan on coming back.”

Hope In The Halls Community benefits from student collection drive Jake Nicholson Staff Writer

The Day of Hope continues to be one of the school’s largest community service events. Last year the program helped around 1,200 people.

The program is run by the Rock of KC, a local church in the Kansas City area. Students donate supplies needed by the less fortunate for the Day of Hope, which is later distributed by the Rock of KC. The president of Interact Club, senior Jewel Fivecoat, has been with Interact Club for two years. In that time she has noticed that the Day of Hope has had a huge impact on the community.

“It impacts the community because we all band together for the good of people that are less fortunate than us,“ Fivecoat said.

The Day of Hope gives crucial supplies, such as food, laundry detergent and socks to people who need them. Junior Brittany Alvarado, vice president of Interact Club, sees how the Day of Hope impacts the less fortunate.

“A lot of families in more suburban school

Danielle Boyle Staff Writer

districts, have to go to Day of Hope in order to get their next meal or new hats, new gloves, new clothes, new hygienic products that they may not be able to buy,” Alvarado said.

The Day of Hope is an alternative for the less fortunate to receive items that many take for granted.

“It’s just another way to get them the stuff they need or want, that they can’t necessarily get on their own; things that are luxuries for us,” said Alvarado.

This year, the Mentors and Interact Club are hoping to increase the people outside of clubs who donate by changing the process and narrowing their options for donation.

“Each team or club is in charge of bringing certain things so that way not everyone is donating to certain items for the Day of Hope so it narrows down their options,” Alvarado said. “[From there] we narrow down the options to just the toys so it gets everyone involved to buy toys for kids.”

During Thanksgiving break, several com-

munities come to give the supplies donated by the student body over to The Rock of KC. From there, the supplies are distributed to people who need them.

“Last year they served more than 1,200 people, and that number just seems to increase every year,” said assistant principal Shari Waters.

Services such as the Day of Hope, have been found to increase hope in the impoverished by giving them the items necessary to continue in with their lives.

“One of the ladies that works at the Platte County Health Department found that for impoverished people, if you just gave them one day where they were given provisions to live, it sparks a little hope in them,” Waters said.

This hope could help out the impoverished in the long run.

“It may be that hope that they need to go apply for a job or to try to make their life better, and so to even be given that spark of hope was better than no hope at all,” Waters said.

Graphic by Lauren Sherwood

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College 411 Choosing a college to attend can be a daunting task. For those who are ready to make that decision, the Clipper provides the need-to-know facts about students’ most highly-attended colleges.

Information Compiled by Alysse Maxwell, Danielle Boyle, Savannah Rottinghaus and Ashley Tohm

Missouri Western State University Location: St. Joseph, Mo. Popular Major: Registered Nursing Student Population: 5,300 Mascot: Griffon Demographics: 42% male, 58% female Sports: Soccer (M&W) Track & Field (M&W) Basketball (M&W)

Graphics provided by Ashley Tohm

Northwest Missouri State University Location: Maryville, Mo. Popular Major: Elementary Education and Teaching Student Population: 6,700 Mascot: Bearcat Demographics: 43% male, 57% female Sports: Tennis (M&W) Cross Country (M&W) Basketball (M&W)

University of Central Missouri

Metropolitan Community CollegeMaple Woods

Location: Warrensburg, Mo. Popular Major: Registered Nursing Student Population: 12,000 Mascot: Mule Demographics: 45% male, 55% female Sports: Basketball (M&W) Bowling (W) Cross-Country (M&W)

Location: Kansas City, Mo. Popular Major: Liberal Arts and Sciences Student Population: 5,400 Mascot: Monarchs Demographics: 41% male, 59% female Sports: Baseball (M) Soccer (M&W) Softball (W)

University of MissouriKansas City Location: Kansas City, Mo. Popular Major: Business/Commerce Student Population: 16,700 Mascot: Kangaroo Demographics: 42% male, 58% female Sports: Basketball (M&W) Cross-Country (M&W) Tennis (M&W) Feature 6

KansasCity

A

Christmas

Photos by Julia Irminger and McKennah Houlahan

Everyone has something they do around the holidays.

Some wake up on Christmas morning and open presents with their family. Others may celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Ramadan. Each of our families have holiday traditions.

Lauren Sherwood Staff Writer

McKennah Houlahan News Editor

Plaza Lights The KCP&L Plaza Lighting Ceremony is a well-known tradition around Kansas City. This year’s lighting was the 87th anniversary of the ceremony. This year to help “Flip the Switch” at 6:45 p.m., Kansas City native Jack Sock was in attendance to bring to life the holiday season down on the Plaza. Sock is a Rio Olympic Gold Medalist in tennis mixed doubles. He currently is ranked 24th in the world, and is one of the top Americans in the Association of Tennis Professionals. The ceremony took place Nov. 24 at Nichols Road & Pennsylvania, by Brio Tuscan Grille.

Crown Center Ice Terrace This holiday season the Crown Center Ice Terrace will be open once again. This will be the 44th annual opening.

This year they are having 2-for-1 admission Tuesdays, after 5 p.m. Children under 4 and adults over 60 get in free. If you’re not the best skater but feel like giving it a try, the Ice Terrace offers lessons until March on specific weekdays. If you can’t make it out to Crown Center there is also a rink at Park Place. Whether you choose to spend the holidays at Crown Center or Park Place, both of these destinations have several shops and restaurants for when it’s too cold.

Mayor’s Christmas Tree A tradition in Kansas City that has lasted generations is the Mayor’s Christmas tree. Kansas City Mayor Sly James’, 100foot Douglas fir Christmas tree is located at Crown Center Square. The tree represents the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Fund. According to kcmayor.org, The Mayor’s Christmas Tree Fund benefits senior citizens, persons with disabilities and children every year with gift cards. This staple tradition dates back to Mayor George Shelley in the 19th century.

Mayor Shelley bought a Christmas tree for the town and prepared baskets of food with his own money to give to the poor. To kick off Black Friday, the tree lighting ceremony is held. The ceremony includes musical performances, fireworks and features a citizen that represents the best of Kansas City.

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Everybody’s a Critic

Students critique local schools’ theatre productions Ashley Tohm Staff Writer

IN

the seats of every local scholastic theater production, there is a group of students who function as the show’s biggest critics. These students are called Cappies.

Cappies are hand-picked by their school’s designated mentor to critique plays or musicals put on by other schools in their area. Cappies mentor Kim Foster chose seven students this year. The students who work under her write reviews to be submitted to local media outlets, such as The Kansas City Star, in hopes of being published.

“They [the Cappies] are students who enjoy all aspects of theater and enjoy writing about it,” said Foster.

At the conclusion of each school year, all the Cappies in the Kansas City area meet and decide who the best actors, producers, crew members and other production members are and host the Cappies Gala, where those who win awards are honored. Beyond awards, though, Cappies gain the unique experience of being exposed to many different forms of theater.

“It allows them to see other schools’ shows and to see what is going on in other areas so they are exposed to different types of theater,” said Foster. “They’re able to see what other schools can do with what they’re given. It sparks new ideas.”

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CONNOR MENDENHALL SENIOR “Cappies exposes me to other high school theater, which is good as an artist. Seeing what other artists are doing helps you grow.”

ELISE BENNE SENIOR “It’s really improved my writing skills, and it makes you look for the good in everything.”

MADALYN IVY SENIOR “It’s helped me develop myself as a performer, and it’s rounded me out on the technical side of theater because I can see the show from afar.”

COLIN KINNICK JUNIOR “I get to see cool shows, meet cool people along the way, and it gives me a different perspective on things. I get to be in the audience, actually talking about the shows.”

KAILEE YOUNG SENIOR “I’ve realized that I like writing reviews so it’s something I may want to look into after high school. It’s just something really fun to do.”

Photos by Savannah Rottinghaus and Ashley Tohm

No Days off

Student-athletes face challenges of not having an offseason Kevin Burns

Sports Editor

Tick. Tick. Tick. As the clock wound down on Nov. 4, the Kearney Bulldogs defeated the Pirates by a score of 58-41. When the clock hit zero, the season was over.

With football season ending, many looked on to what they were going to do after school every day. Some would go home and relax, others would get a job, but some were back to practice. Only now it would be for a different coach and a different sport. Certain athletes such as junior John Watts, had almost no time to recover as he was at basketball only three days after the end of football season.

“The bad thing is, I have no time to let my body recover,” said Watts. “The good thing is I can get right back to work and get better for the next season.”

The time between when an athlete’s season ends and the next season starts is known as the offseason. The offseason can be very helpful to athletes as it gives them time for their bodies to recover. When they are deprived of this time, it can hinder them going into their next sport.

“It doesn’t give them a ton of a break,” athletic trainer Robby Dingman said. “But the sports they’re going in to are using different muscle groups so it is not totally a bad thing.”

Another challenge of not having much of an offseason, is athletes are going from one sport directly to another. And they could be sports as different as cross-country in the fall, to wrestling in the winter. To avoid having to go through such drastic changes athletes often do one sport year-round, such as junior Austin Kincaid.

“I don’t really have a break,” said Kincaid. “I wrestle year-round so that helps keep me in shape all year.”

Sprinting past two East Kansas City defenders, junior Chandler Peterson prepares to shoot. Peterson scored 61 goals which set a new school record and made him third in state history for most goals in a single season.

Being 6-foot-4 became junior John Watt’s biggest advantage this year, as he towered over opposing defenders. Watts used this advantage to break the school record for most receiving yards in a game.

Photos by Kevin Burns

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THE FINAL WHISTLE

Athletes face end of high school sports careers Mara Tharp

Editor-in-Chief

Kianna Castro Feature Editor

"Every athlete dies twice.

Once when they take their last breath, and the other when they hang it up."

Roger Kahn

Photo by Amanda Sullivan

The

whistle blows, ending the last game of the season, leaving many senior athletes questioning what will happen next. The scoreboard has no answers for the players, just the cold reality that the game they spent their childhood playing is over.

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Photo by Amanda Sullivan

Senior Zach Rolofson finished sucks to give that part up.” out his high school soccer career Some student athletes decide in the sectional game against to continue their sports careers East Kansas City High School. into college, a choice that brings When the game ended, he said even more dedication and stress he was overcome with emotions, into the day-to-day lives of playthinking back on the four years ers. Senior Bailey Harris played he worked to better himself only volleyball for the school for four to feel like he let his team down. years, but decided that she “The whistle blew, and I just wanted to keep her love of the fell to my knees and put my head game alive-something she feared on the turf,” Rolofson said. would be affected by the pressure Feelings of disbelief and disof winning. appointment, he said, kept him “I didn’t want it to turn into a from joining the team for the job,” Harris said. “So many peocoach’s final speech. ple love the sport, so they con“I was sitting in the grass tinue to play, and they’re fine. away from everyone,” Rolofson I’ve kinda reached the point said. “I couldn’t be near them where coaches have gotten the while I felt broken.” best of me, and I just don’t want Other student to end up hating the athletes were game by playing colI couldn’t be uncertain on lege.” their emotions Watching younger near them while athletes after their final enjoy their I felt broken. game. Senior game without the Cade Goettling, pressure of success Zach Rolofson cornerback, or the worry over faced a devastating loss against time running out, Goettling said, Platte County’s biggest rival Kehelps him cope with the end of arney High School. his season.

“It was the weirdest feeling “I love seeing the little kids right when the game ended,” full of joy and so happy to just be Goettling said. “I didn’t really playing,” Goettling said. “They feel much. Just empty, and not aren’t worrying about workouts really sure what to do or how to or anything. They are just living act.” life.”

Goettling said he struggled As for advice for younger athwith returning his jersey, giving letes, Rolofson said they need to up the number 6 jersey meant cherish it as much as they can. giving up one of the biggest parts For him, the season ended on of his life so far. The jersey an their last game, but athletes athlete is assigned becomes a should be prepared for anything. part of them, holding a value that “You never know, it could end Goettling said represents part of the first day of districts, or the his high school career. beginning of the season when “As weird as it sounds, you be- you get hurt,” Rolofson said. come attached to who you are on “You need to make sure you live the field,” Goettling said. “It like you want to play.”

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Make it History

NHD project detracts from AP curriculum Lauryn Masters

IN

1974, an organization was formed in College Park, Md., striving to further the education of students across the nation. This organization, National History Day (NHD), was created with the intention of improving history education, but for Advanced Placement students, it has proven detrimental to the learning process.

Five years ago, the school district made the decision that students in government classes would take part in the extensive research endeavor, finding 20 primary and 10 secondary sources centered around a specific topic and creating a project to convey their thesis. The project takes approximately six months to complete from start to finish, translating to a large amount of time spent in and out of the classroom. In 2014, the first year PCHS participated in NHD, students in AP Government and AP Language were exempt from the project on the basis that the college-level classes were more rigorous and that completing a six-month project would prove an insufficient use of class time. Now, just a few years later, that idea has completely changed.

Students entered their AP classrooms on the first day of this school year, prepared for the relentless study schedule these classes would bring. Their preparation did not include NHD. Never in the past have AP students been forced to do this project, but suddenly it was decided

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Opinion

that the typical coursework for an upper-level class was not preparation enough for college, and that students should spend a great amount of the school year working on a project that has nothing to do with the skills tested on AP exams.

According to the College Board, 45.3 percent of students took more than one AP exam in 2014.

One college-level course is rigorous in itself, but multiple AP courses require more time to complete the work. This means that countless hours must be spent studying by the students enrolled for each of their AP classes in order to be successful. If students are spending a majority of their study time on multiple AP classes, then having time to work on a project like NHD is out of the question.

On top of the typical studies for an AP student, they are expected to spend multiple hours a week completing NHD. This seemingly pointless project is wasting vital class time which could be spent learning the curriculum the College Board expects students to know in order to receive college credit. When applying for college, universities are not going to care that a student was able to find 30 sources and create a website

Staff Writer

or documentary about them.

These schools are going to look at AP exam scores, and if students are not given the class time to study for success on their exams, then taking the AP class was a giant waste of time and effort in the first place.

In some AP classes, the amount of time spent on NHD is the same or more than the amount of time spent by teachers lecturing on the actual curriculum. If students spend one class period a week doing research for a project that relates in no way to the AP skills instead of actually taking notes, how are students expected to be prepared for their exams? More time should be spent focusing on curriculum, rather than an extra project. With the addition of NHD, AP students are struggling to learn the content that factors heavily into their grade, and consequently, their future. These students would be more successful in their AP classes if NHD was removed from their workload.

Graphic by Lauryn Masters

Zoe Mayne

Managing Editor

ARTS and RECREATION

Students in non-athletic activites deserve more recognition

Having a sense of self and belonging in today’s fast-paced society feels harder and harder to obtain. With a constant emphasis placed on athleticism, those who do not participate in sports can often be left in the dust. Sports are a key part of many people’s adolescent years, but for some sports are simply not a talent they possess or a joy for them. There seems to be little light shed on the arts in school anymore, but it is art that can allow for greater self-expression and can open the doors to many future career paths and happiness.

Participating in the arts is what has been the defining moment in my high school career thus far. Before I tried my best to find a place where I fit in this school, by joining various clubs and trying out multiple sports. Every time an activity ended, I realized it did not offer what I was trying so desperately to fill. It was not until I joined theater that I realized I finally found my place. There I felt free of all judgment and found a place of love and acceptance.

This niche is different for everyone, but there needs to be a greater emphasis placed on the arts in school and quite frankly they need to be encouraged more.

Graphics by Ashley Tohm

Kids who choose to participate in theater instead of a sport, can be ostracized and made to feel like an outcast for not choosing to run on a field and catch a ball. There is nothing wrong with sports, but they are currently dominating our culture, and that needs to change.

Art can touch people in ways far greater than they can imagine, as I can attest.

In a study of high poverty schools in Chicago, those schools those who participated in the Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE) made large strides in achievement in comparison to the high income students. Art serves as a bridge between creativity and education, and as seen in this study, can even improve academics.

The theater department as well as other areas, such as the The Pirate Clipper, do not receive funding from the school and are forced to find the means to keep their programs afloat. On the other hand, sports are being funded, and while yes they do bring in money, so do other departments.

Sports teams seem to be the most developed area of this school while the arts scrape by.

The arts are just as important as sports, so why

is it that their importance is often diminished? Tapping into imagination should be encouraged. Art is a way of self-expression and a coping mechanism, just as sports can be that for people. The arts allow for interpretations and a medium that can often be missing in the classroom.

It is time to break the “bubble” that currently surrounds high school and societal culture. The arts are just as valid as sports, whether one chooses to be artistic, athletic, or both, they need to be fairly encouraged.

The ostracism that can come from diverging off the beaten path needs to be diminished.

If you have always thought of joining art club or auditioning for a play then go for it, because sitting by and not giving what you desire a try factors into the issue. The arts are important, so students should give them a chance.

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