VOLUME 28
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ISSUE 1
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OCTOBER 2018
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PLATTE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
CHANGE IN
PAGE 10
Management New softball coaches create C team
“What’s Inside?” FEATURE 04 A CHEERFUL SATURDAY 05 OWN ROSETTA STONE 06 TALENT IN THE HALLS
SPORTS 08 SERVING LOOKS
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MAKING WAVES
OPINION
9:41
Wednesday, June 6
12 MINDFUL THINKING 13 The Tardy Party
Earlier today
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now
COVER
October 2018
Up to bat, sophomore Ana Cesaro prepares to swing. On Sept. 20, the girls varsity softball team played a home game against Raytown South. Photo by Jency Bell
Dear Pirates,
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he school year has begun again, and with it comes days filled with tests, labs and projects. It’s easy to get lost in the bustle of the school, but we should remember to take a step back and enjoy the best parts about our days here. Think about when you get to walk with your best friend in the hallway or get to eat chicken patty on Wednesdays. That’s what our October issue is about. We want you to appreciate the best parts of the Pirate Nation and remember, even when you’re stressed about an upcoming quiz or whatever it is that troubles you, that we are all in this together. We are a family and this school is our home. I hope you enjoy reading about your classmates as much as we enjoyed writing about them. Let’s make this year the best this school has ever seen. Sincerely,
Ashley Tohm Editor-in-Chief
STAFF Editor-in-Chief Ashley Tohm Feature Editor Tatianna Tafolla
Discover your possibilities at missouriwestern.edu!
Opinion Editor Jacob Flynn
everything is possible
Staff Writers Sarah Meyer Kiersten Robbins Charisma Root Photographers Jency Bell Jessenia Orellana
A Cheerful Saturday Cheerleaders host youth cheer event
Scan here to see a routine from Super Saturday!
Written by Sarah Meyer
C
heerleaders and coaches hosted Super Saturday on Sept. 15 for young girls to learn more about what it takes to be a cheerleader in high school. Sophomore Natalie McKinley first started participating in Super Saturday when she was in elementary school. “I did it when I was in fourth grade and only for a few years,” McKinley said. “Last year was my first year actually being a cheerleader and teaching them things.” On Friday nights, varsity cheerleaders cheer on the football team and enter in competitions during the summer and fall. However, that is only a fraction of what these cheerleaders put into the sport. “Super Saturday is completely different,” McKinley said. “We take kids from preschool all the way to eighth grade, and we take them through a day of life as a cheerleader.” Coach Gail Martin took over Super Saturday 16 years ago. “We divide into stunt groups so there’s different categories,” Martin said. “Then they rotate around, so everyone has about 20 min-
utes in each group.” Platte County Cheer hoped to spread a message and interest more girls in cheerleading. “We’re really promoting it through our youth league throughout our community,” McKinley said. “We are really trying to promote it with the middle school.” Senior Taylor Bollinger has been helping with Super Saturday since her freshman year as a junior varsity cheerleader. “I hope to teach them something that they don’t already know,” Bollinger said. “Helping them be better at cheerleading if that’s what they want to do.” This year marks the 32nd year of Super Saturday. “This has become such a community tradition that everybody knows about it, and everybody likes to come to it.” The preparation for Super Saturday is mostly getting things together and notifying the community. Cheerleaders take one week to practice within their groups. “It’s a lot of organizational stuff, getting lists made, making sure everyone’s where they need to be,“ Mar-
tin said. “We hand out forms to the parents, and getting things organized.” This tradition takes a new approach each year. The coaches recap the day after Super Saturday and plan differences for next year. “Every year the coaches and I get back together and come up with ideas of maybe what could have gone better,” Martin said. “So every year we make it a little bit better.” Martin said Super Satur-
day is well known around the community. She also said Super Saturday can be beneficial for parents, and not just children who participate. “I think it’s good for the community to know that they can have a safe place to take their kids for a morning to have fun and not worry about anything,” Martin said. “It’s about cheerleading too, and also coming together as a community and following traditions.”
no
uk
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ta Stone?
76.7%
81.44% Rosetta Stone
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the Rosetta
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Do you prefe rt
w
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October 2018 / 05
Traditional Classrooms
Yes
No
Own rosetta stone Students learn foreign language with Rosetta Stone
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Written by Tatianna Tafolla & Kiersten Robbins Rosetta Stone is an entirely self-paced, self-taught program that is student led and which is different than the group activities or discussions that comes with a traditional classroom. There was a mass amount of students applying for a foreign language and to prevent an overload on the staff, Rosetta Stone was added to the curriculum. “It has a lot to do with giving our students opportunities, where they might not have opportunities,” Larson said. “Instead of having to rearrange their schedule if they say they want to take French III, that was only offered one hour, now they can take French III at any hour of the day.” The languages used in Rosetta Stone are Spanish classes I-IV and French classes I-III, as well as Chinese for the first time in the foreign language department. “I think anything that allows students more opportunities than what exists currently can only be good,” Larson said. Spanish teacher Vanessa van Bleisem is not only a
Spanish teacher for traditional Spanish, but also personally used to take Rosetta Stone in the past as a supplement when in college. The expectation while using Rosetta Stone is that students are learning thoroughly and managing their time wisely. “It will be up to the stu-
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you can go at your own pace,” Burg said. The flexibility of this program allows students to take a specific class that may not have been possible before, whether its due to a scheduling conflict or not a high enough demand. “I didn’t sign up for the
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ew to the curriculum is a self-paced online computer program known as Rosetta Stone, used to teach foreign language. Along with Spanish and French being taught on the program, a new language is being offered, Chinese. This is the first year utilizing Rosetta Stone, and the differences between the traditional classroom and Rosetta Stone is in how both of the classrooms are conducted. Rosetta Stone is based online with independent learning while traditional classrooms are focused on interactive class work. Sarah Larson is the facilitator and supervisor of the Rosetta Stone program and makes contact with the students to ensure they’re learning the required amounts everyday. “Like any personalized learning program, I think that you just need to find out what type of learner they are, work with them to develop a strategy or a learning plan that works best for them and then check in when you think is necessary,” Larson said.
Traditional class is better because there is someone there to actually help you. OMAR VAZQUEZ | SOPHOMORE
dents on how they feel about it, whether or not they take learning foreign language seriously or if they’re just taking it as a credit,” van Bleisem said. “I think those two different philosophies in a student’s mind will really influence the outcome of their experience with Rosetta Stone.” Students such as sophomore Omar Vazquez and freshman Konnor Burg were put into the Rosetta Stone program. “It’s really easy because
program, there just wasn’t enough Spanish IV students to make a class,” Vazquez said. “Traditional class is better because there is someone to actually help you.” Rosetta Stone incorporates listening, speaking, writing, and reading into its online program which helps with fluency and comprehension. “I think that it’s just one more thing that we’re offering our students that gives them the option to choose when they learn,” Larson said.
06 / Feature
Talent in the halls
Senior Grant Clark becomes verified on Spotify after collaboration with artist
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Written by Tatianna Tafolla com to choose the winner. “I couldn’t really tell anybody about it because I was under a contract,” Clark said. “It’s out now though so I can really talk about it.” New tunes are already put togeth-
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were great inspirations, and helped push him to try his best and to strive to learn new things when it comes to music. “When I was 12, I started to get into this style of music, electronic, and when
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hile teenagers spend their free time listening to music, senior Grant Clark spends his time producing it. After entering a contest held by artist Kaskade and Splice.com, a website for producers to network and get samples to use, Clark became officially verified on Spotify and plans to produce more music. As part of the contest, Clark’s job was to remix the song “Fun” by Kaskade. After hearing his production, the artist chose him and one other out of 900 submissions to be featured on Kaskade’s album, forfeiting their ownership of the remixes to the record label Arkade. “You have an idea in your head, and you can do whatever you want with it,” Clark said. “There are no rules when it comes to making music. Whatever you feel like writing, you put it down and hope it sounds good to other people.” Clark took a few weeks to create his piece for the contest. After it closed, it took three days for Kaskade and Splice.
I just kind of got into it and I fell in love with it.
er for the future. Traditionally Clark creates his own pieces, but the remix he made happens to be the first that comes up when searched on Spotify due to it being his most popular piece. “I’ve been producing music for three years now, and I just kind of got into it and I fell in love with it,” Clark said. While Clark is no longer in the band, he shared that the band directors, and choir teacher Brian von Glahn
GRANT CLARK | SENIOR
I was 14 or 15 is when I actually began to do it,” Clark said. From vocals to instrumentals, the music Clark typically makes is all put together in his house with the help of advanced equipment. The devices used can be varied between materials such as the Audio Technica 4050 microphoneand two of the KRK Rokit eight inch studio monitors, all of which are tools used to help produce his music.
October 2018 / 07
What’s your favorite music genre? What’s your favorite music genre?
Do you listen to music on the radio?
“I myself play the alto saxophone, and I also play the drums,” Clark said. “Some of the drums that I use in some of the songs that I make are actually from the drum set from me recording it.” Along with his own musical works, Clark also has included bits of his father’s guitar playing, and a family friend’s violin playing into his many
pieces. Clark also samples other rappers into his music. “For my career, I want to produce music, be an artist and musician, and tour the world, DJ clubs and big festivals,” Clark said. There is no set genre that Clark sticks to whilst creating, although a large portion of it is a part of the electronic dance music, also known as EDM.
With his music, Clark creates what he feels, and what he thinks will speak to his audience. “You’re gonna want to quit, you’re gonna want to stop doing stuff, like when you send stuff out to somebody, and they tell you no and that it’s not good enough for us,” Clark said. “You can try again, and learn more. You can never really stop learning.”
08 / Sports
SERVING LOOKS
At time out, the volleyball team huddles up and talks about their next move. On Sept. 22, the volleyball girls competed against three other teams, Liberty North, Summit Christian and William Chrisman. Photo by Jessenia Orellana
Varsity volleyball players balance Homecoming activites with tournament Written by Charisma Root
H
omecoming is an event with several moving parts, but as event planners, parade participants, football players, cheerleaders and the student body geared up for the festivities this year, the varsity volleyball girls had something else to focus on: a tournament on Homecoming day. Players such as junior Karoline Kilkenny planned to use it to keep the season’s progress going in the right direction.
“It’s a big tournament because it’s home,” Kilkenny said. “We always have good competition there, but it’s not insane huge teams so it’s a tournament for us to kind of be able to win but still push ourselves.” Meanwhile, Student Council representatives prepared for the first dance of the school year. Student body president senior Keji Jale said she considers it a big deal. Jale had a key role in organizing this
year’s Homecoming celebration. “Homecoming is basically bringing back the roots,” Jale said. “To me it’s getting everyone in one place and showing them that home is PC.” Varsity volleyball members however were not the only ones with some team competition during Homecoming week. Football players, such as senior Brice Bertram, still had to tackle the Homecoming football game.
October 2018 / 09
“The game and parade are exciting mainly because I know a lot of people come to the Homecoming game, people who are coming home,” Bertram said. “And I know that the parade is big for the little kids. They get to see all these people come through in costumes, dancers, marching band, all that.” For players such as Bertram, it can be tricky to play a good game and still take part in all the festivities. “Usually going into it I’m so focused on the game that by the time Saturday comes by I have to change my whole mindset to, ‘Oh, now I’ve got to get ready for a dance,’” Bertram said. This is a point the girls playing in the volleyball tournament are aware of as well. Being scheduled to play during an
event that involves the community and the student body means players such as senior Carlie Hensley had to find a way to balance their game with the weekend celebration Platte County provides. “Considering it’s our seniors’ last home
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tournament ever, it’s kind of a big deal for us,” Hensley said. “I’m just going to have to get dressed a little quicker, not take a shower, but I will just have to be a lot more rushed I guess.”
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About to serve, senior Gracie Acker tosses the ball in a match against Liberty North on Saturday, Sept. 22. The volleyball girls placed second last year and placed first at their last home tournament of this year. Photo by Jessenia Orellana
In the PCMS gym, senior Mikayla Landers sings along to the music and dances at Homecoming on Saturday, Sept. 22. Landers was voted homecoming queen for her last year of high school and said she enjoyed the new theme of this year’s homecoming, “Gone Country.” Photo by Brooke Tramel
To me it’s getting everyone in one place and showing them that home is PC. KEJI JALE | SENIOR
10 / Sports
B
Written by Jency Bell ecause of an increase in players, softball’s new coaches, English teacher Wendy Assel and history teacher Callie Beaver, started the season by creating a new C team. Since creating the team, Assel plans to prepare students for JV and varsity roles in the future.
“A lot of girls tried out this year,” Assel said. “So rather than sending a big portion of them home, they decided to make a C team.” This is Assel’s first year coaching any sport for the high school, but has had some experience coaching softball. She began coaching with a small parks and recreation team for her children. “I help with my kids’ little league over the summer, and I played softball from first grade until college,” Assel said.
Change in Management New softball coaches create C team
Assel has had a passion for helping young kids learn the sport and become good athletes. She said she hopes to use her experience to help students such as sophomore Avery Krahenbill, who plays on the C team for fun. “It’s a really chill team,” Krahenbill said. “We are really good friends, and it is just kind of us getting better at softball.” Assel plans to help improve the girls’ character, teamwork and confidence by teaching them the basics of softball and motivating them to strive to be better players. “I want them to enjoy the sport and not feel like it’s a job,” Assel said. Senior Shayla Kohler has played softball for the high school since her freshman year. For players like her, adding a C team was an adjustment to practices and playing time.
“I like that we have a C team,” Kohler said. “It gives the girls an opportunity to come out next year.” As the new varsity softball coach, Beaver said she hopes to create a positive environment that makes her players feel comfortable. Players such as Kohler appreciate
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Warming up for the third home game on Sept. 20, sophomore Madison Carter plays catch before playing Raytown South. The Pirates won the game 15-0. Photo by Jency Bell
work as a coach brings the team together as a whole. “We are trying to create a very positive environment,” Beaver said. “[We want] the girls to feel comfortable being themselves and failing sometimes.” Both Beaver and Assel’s efforts have been for one
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Ball in hand, head softball coach Callie Beaver helps varsity players practice for the game on Sept. 20. This season was Beaver’s first as head coach. Photo by Jency Bell
The whole dynamic of the team has changed. SHAYLA KOHLER | SENIOR
the transition to a friendlier atmosphere. Kohler said. “Everyone is more positive and wants to be there.” Coaching has taught Beaver to think on her feet and always have a backup plan. She has also learned that her
goal: making the softball team a happy place. The program participates in themed practices every Friday for the players’ entertainment. “Being the new softball coach is a huge honor,” Beaver said. “It has been very busy but also very rewarding.”
October 2018 / 11
In preparation for state swim, junior Rhett Spell races in the 400yard freestyle relay. On Tuesday, Sept. 18, Spell and three others had the best time in their heat with 3:35.51 seconds. Photo by Jessenia Orellana
As junior Blake Lewis begins his heat, the members of the boys swim team cheer from the end of the lane pool. On Tuesday, Sept. 18, the boys swim team competed in St. Joe against St. Joseph Central High School. Photo by Jessenia Orellana
MAKING WAVES Boys swim team members qualify for state
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Written by Kiersten Robbins in breaking a school record. Beall who recently broke the school’s previous record of 56.10 seconds for the 100-meter backstroke by clocking in at 55.15 seconds. “I needed to play a sport because I was getting out of shape, so I started swimming,” Beall said. “And then I started getting into better shape, because I enjoyed it. And now I have a school record.” Along with Beall, there is one relay team that has also qualified for state one of the qualifiers for the relay team is junior Baxter Stone. Stone was 0.07 seconds away from making the state qualifying time for the 100-meter
breaststroke. “I was really excited when I found out about going to state because it had been a
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prove to the coaches that they deserve the opportunity to go to state. This will be the fourth
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he boys swim relay team and one other swimmer qualified for state at the Battle of the Northland Invite on Aug. 25. Not only did one individual swimmer and one relay team already qualify for state, senior swimmer Alex Beall also recently broke the school record for the 100-meter backstroke and will compete at state along with four others who will be determined by coaches Bret Anderson and Marnie Jenkins. “It’s been very rewarding getting to work with a lot of the kids,” Anderson said. Beall is excited to be as successful at state as he was
Going to state had been a goal for our relay team for a long time. BAXTER STONE | JUNIOR
goal for our relay team for a long time.” Stone said. Anderson and Jenkins will decide who they think would be the best four swimmers to go to state for the relay team. In order to earn that position, the swimmers must
year in a row the boys swim team has made it to state. “I didn’t know we would hit that state mark as early as we did, and it told me a lot about the team and how good we were going to be,” Anderson said.
12 / Opinion
Mindful Thinking
Mental health education should be more comprehensive Written by Sarah Meyer
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every student has a positive relationship with their family members or counselors, meaning that they have no avenue to vent their problems. Creating a class for mental health education would be beneficial for students. Mental health needs to be integrated into the curriculum to help increase understanding and reduce stigma around issues, according
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T
he topic of mental health in teens has been discussed throughout schools, but these schools are not doing enough to educate students about the issues of mental health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the second leading cause of death among teens. Anxiety disorder, impulse control, addiction, PTSD and
It’s extremely difficult to admit that you are struggling when the school does the bare minimum to provide a safe environment. EMILY HELMICH | SOPHOMORE
countless others can affect others as well. Our school only focuses on two of 200 or more illnesses, depression and suicide. Those two are only a fraction of what schools should teach us. Students with mental health issues should always have the option of being able to reach out for help and they are able to talk to their school counselors and their family members. Yet not
to the independent website TheConversation.com. Mental illness is an issue in the community. It’s everywhere, even when we may not see or notice it. According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, anxiety, depression, and mood disorders have the biggest effect on the health of Americans. Students need to learn more about the signs of men-
tal issues, so they can help themselves and those around them. Every year, we spend a day on studying mental health. Students answered a survey and attended an assembly. How do these activities make students aware of mental health issues? Yes, taking a survey may be beneficial for our counselors and administrators, but how does it help the student body? I think that the school should spend more time and create more options for learning about mental health. According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants, providing a mental health curriculum helped kids notice the signs of mental illness, and students were able to seek treatment or help someone seek treatment after taking the class. Mental health affects the way we live, learn, think and act. I have learned that anyone could have mental issues. Teens ranging from 13-18 years old may have a greater risk of developing a mental disorder severe enough to harm daily life, according to the National Center for Mental Health Checkups at
Do you think the school should teach more about mental health?
Yes
No
Columbia University. Knowing these issues can create a safe, happy and caring environment. Students all around the world should have the right to be able to learn without the effects that mental illness has on them. To achieve a caring environment, administrators and staff should come up with more tactics and programs that support the idea of mental health awareness. Students will be able to express their issues and feelings to other people, and by creating a program, we are able to help those being affected. I know that mental health awareness is pushed throughout the district, but it isn’t being pushed enough. Students should know more about the signs of these issues, and how important mental health is among the community. While the school has created a few programs to help with teen depression and suicidal thoughts, these efforts are not enough to effectively combat worsening mental health in teens. Therefore, the school needs to create a class to increase the knowledge of mental health among students.
Do you think PCHS students are well educated on mental health issues?
No
Yes
October 2018 / 13
THE TARDY PARTY PCHS needs solutions to fix its low attendance rate
PCHS Average:
Country Average:
85.2% Students with 90% or above attendance
90.1%
State Average:
94.8% Data from dese.mo.gov.
F
Written by Jacob Flynn
or most students, missing a day of school is no big deal, and in most cases it really isn’t. However, when a person is missing more than a few days of school then it becomes a big problem, and with PCHS attendance being below the ‘okay’ state average, attendance should be a top priority. The Missouri average attendance rate for the 2017-18 school year was 94.8 percent. The amount of students with an attendace rate above 90 percent at PCHS is a mere 85.2 percent. Students gave their input on this problem and ways the school could help increase the attendance rate. Out of all the responses 22 percent of responses had to do with starting school later, around
8 a.m. Teenagers need about nine hours of sleep, but the average student only gets seven hours of sleep. Sleep deprivation can have negative side effects on adolescents such as mood swings, negative behavior, a decrease in their cognitive ability, tardiness and can cause drowsy driving. Personally, an extra hour or so of sleep a day would help a lot in and out of school. Most nights I stay up quite late, not intentionally, but because I have problems sleeping. And by the time I fall asleep I would only be getting a few hours of rest. I often come to school drowsy with a want to put my head down on a desk and doze off. However, with an extra hour a night, I would
have an easier time properly functioning and focusing on class. One of the other most common responses was to give greater incentives and rewards for having good attendance, and not just a Subway gift certificate. Normally, having something like this greatly improves attendance because students know that their hard work will be rewarded. Having a greater incentive and reward for students with 95 - 100 percent attendance could motivate some students to work to attend school more often. Knowing that I would earn a reward for working hard to stay engaged and in school, would make me want to come more often. I would try harder to come to school
and stay there, so I could get said reward, but of course the reward would have to be something worth that time. Maybe a monthly smaller prize for people with great attendance, or a grand prize at the end of the year for all those who did have great to perfect attendance. Our attendance rate as of right now, is lacking. It is something the school thankfully has decided to focus on and fix. Having an attendance rate under 95 percent can be detrimental to education and cause grades to decline, as well as create a difficult time getting them back up. That’s why it’s an important topic to focus on. There are numerous ways the school can assist students in increasing the amount of time they are at school.