Issue 7

the

Lance

A&E Lance gets the in-depth scoop on the YMCA league

8701 Pacific St. Omaha, NE 68114 Volume 60 Issue 6

March 4, 2016

‘THIS IS A DIFFICULT DECISION TO MAKE’

District begins tough process of reducing budget deficit

Comic by Abby Hack

Superintendent Blane McCann’s voice had an echo in the 20 by 40 conference room designated for the meeting. The space wasn’t accustomed to silence; the brick walls weren’t made for quiet.

“This is a difficult decision to make.”

McCann repeated the phrase too many times to count. It was a mantra. He didn’t seem to be able to say it enough.

Plastic and office chairs were crammed together in the back of the ABC Building conference space, causing the audience of almost 50 people to fill the room with difficulty.

English instructor Molly Hunt-Spisak stood at the back of the room, where all of the tables were stacked. There were some parents — the Kroegers, the Hughes. The board members sat at the front.

With the most reassuring voices as possible, they faced their district, telling them of possible budget cuts.

On Monday, February 29, Westside Community Schools held their Monday school board meeting, this week concentrating on proposed budget cuts to help relieve the $5.4 million budget shortfall. A packet containing the 33 proposed budget impact recommendations were handed out to members of the audience, highlighting the possibility of the removal of the Lighthouse Project, the creation of a completely online elementary language program and the displacement of multiple staff members throughout the district.

But as the administration continues to emphasize the difficulty of these decisions, they also would like to remind the district that all of these changes are only proposed. This Monday held only the first meeting that will focus on the possibility of these changes, with the next being planned for Monday, March 7. According to McCann, this meeting’s agenda does not yet contain a time for a public forum, but considering the passion felt by many on the nature of these topics, will likely allow for a small amount of prepared public comments to be presented to the school board. Currently, a feedback form is available on the district website for any questions or comments from the Westside population. Please use this form and the other resources posted there, including an FAQ and the official budget report, to become well-informed about this issue.

-EDITORIAL STAFF

2

NEWS

Additions to the budget supplemented both sports and music programs.

Sports are stealing money from music.

The elementary strings program will be cut.

An instrumental music teacher might be fired, no music programs will be terminated.

The band program will be cut.

fact vs. fiction debunking the rumors about budget cuts

MYTH

We could save money by cutting laptops and I-pads.

All summer school will be cut.

All facts were taken from the February 2016 Westside Community Schools budget report, presented at a Board of Education meeting Monday, February 29. For the full detailed PDF of the budget plan, visit westsidewired.org. Important dates concerning these decisions are included below.

Supplementary enrichment summer programs are considered being cut, while the remedial summer school will remain in tact.

Westside is in the middle of a four year lease with Apple, and is unable to terminate it.

fact

The district is getting rid of Special Ed at a school.

fact

MYTH

BUDGET CUTS: Confusion, panic over proposed changes

Two special education positions are being considered for termination. No schools will lose their program.

board meeting next monday, march 7th at the ABC building at 6:30

top tweets

The Westside District went to social media to share their thoughts on the budget decisions.

NEWS

3

SAYING GOODBYE

Vocal music instructor leaves middle school after 17 years

Students were bewildered. Eighth grader Brett Upton noticed how nervous the seventh graders MANAGING EDITOR appeared after hearing the news.

Westside Middle School vocal music instruc“The eighth graders were sad, yeah, [but for the tor Rob Huebner stood in front of his 54 middle seventh graders] I think the reality only having school show choir students with news that would ‘Heebs’ for that half of their middle school show impact the future of the program. choir [career] is what really got them,” Upton said.

He attempted to hold himself together. He was Huebner also noticed the shock among the stuvery “matter of fact” with his kids; he wanted them dents, and he also found the news difficult to tell. to hear the news from himself, the person they af“[Telling my students] was very emotional fectionately called “Heebs.” for me,” Huebner said. “Westside is my family. “[PrinThe relacipal] Mr. tionships Olsen alI’ve built VOCAL MUSIC INSTRUCTOR ways tells with kids us [teachand parers] that ents over we should the last 17 always do years [are] what’s best so special.” for our kids, A s and I feel the news like I’ve alspread, it ways done continued that,” Huebto surprise ner told his the comstudents on Wednesday, Feb 17. “[However,] I munity, including the parents. need to tell you about a decision that I did for me, “This is Nebraska — [Huebner moving is] like that I put myself first.” when coach Osborne said [he] was retiring,” parHe teared up as he proceeded to tell his stu- ent David Paul said. “He’s leaving the program. dents that he accepted a job as Elkhorn South’s The conversations I’ve had with other parents and vocal music director. other students has been [like,] ‘Oh my gosh, what “[He told us] that he thought [accepting the are we going to do? How are we going to replace new position] would be a really good opportunity him?’” to help push him,” eighth grader Abby Cota said.

This decision was difficult for Huebner to make “We were all his family, but he really thought this and he took awhile to even consider applying for would be furthering his teaching. This was the the job. next step for him.” “[Applying] wasn’t something I just decided

LI BBY S E L I N E

RO B H U E B N E R

“I never realized how rewarding music could be ‘til I got here...”

to do overnight,” Huebner said. “[The process involved] soul searching [and] lots of thinking. [I asked myself,] ‘What do I want to do professionally for the next 10 years?’”

He decided to apply for the job and be interviewed to see if he would fit in the program. After hearing that he had been chosen, Huebner consulted many peers about whether or not to accept the position and eventually decided to accept the position.

“I need to be in a new race; I need my professional batteries recharged,” Huebner said. “I think working with high school kids and getting in a program that’s up and coming will be a super great challenge for me.”

The administration has not yet decided who will replace Huebner. However, the community is hoping that they will find a good replacement that will live up to the reputation of the program.

“I think he starts with high expectations at the middle school level that carry through to the high school level,” Westside High School vocal music instructor Doran Johnson said. “Kids know that the program is about excellence and if they’re not willing to put forth the time and the effort in seventh and eighth grade then I’m not going to deal with them in high school.”

In the meantime, Huebner will continue to enjoy the last times he will experience in the months to come.

“I never realized how rewarding music could be ‘til I got here,” Huebner said. “Making music with kids, watching the program grow, seeing how much middle[school]-level kids could be…I never envisioned myself teaching middle school I thought the age would drive me crazy, [but] it was a really good fit for me in so many ways. It was the right job and the right time in my life.”

Westside Middle School vocal music instructor Rob Huebner looks at the middle school show choir’s final pose in their competition show during a rehearsal Wednesday, February 24. The show choir recently won the UNO show choir competition for the eleventh year in a row. Photo by Libby Seline

4

NEWS

FAREWELL FACULTY

Principal retires after 36 years of working at Westside JACE W I E S E L E R

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF When principal Maryanne Ricketts first started working at Westside 36 years ago, her goal never was to be principal.

She was a cheer coach for five years, helped run Homecoming and put into place freshman orientation.

Ricketts sat on the sidelines for many years, but 31 years after starting her job at Westside, she’s the coach. She’s manages every aspect in this building.

For 20 years, Ricketts worked as a guidance counselor at the high school and PRINCIPAL got to interact with students everyday.

She moved up the ladder from dean of girls, assistant principal, vice principal and, now, principal.

“I loved being a guidance counselor,” Ricketts said. “I always say I’ll be a guidance counselor in my heart. But I enjoyed the administrative side.”

Ricketts has seen many aspects of the school change through her years at Westside such as the demographics, the modular scheduling and the random drug-testing program.

Ricketts has been walking into this building everyday for 36 years and in the next few months, that will come to an end.

“It just kind of comes to you that maybe it’s time to go,” Ricketts said.

Ricketts is closing this administrative chapter of her life and retiring after five years of being principal.

“I am passionate about this district but I think

it comes to a point [where] I wanted to do some different things,” Ricketts said. “It will be difficult but we all make changes in our lives and I think it’s a good one.”

Although it was a hard decision, Ricketts feels it was her time to retire from Westside.

“A friend of mine said to me, ‘It’ll be really nice when you don’t live your life by semesters,’” Ricketts said. “I want to travel. I want to volunteer. I don’t want to be in Nebraska in the winter.”

Although leaving Westside is hard on Ricketts, assistant principal Trudi Nolin will miss having her around as well.

Ricketts was Nolin’s mentor when she first began administration at Westside. Now, Nolin says when she’s trying to make a decision, she thinks of people that are really the heart and soul of Westside and how they would decide.

“If I talked with Mrs. Ricketts about it, what would she probably say?” Nolin said. “I’ll have to do that because I won’t be able to just go over to her office. [I’ll miss] being able to have conversations with her and the way that she will problem solve with you.”

Ricketts will be replaced with Jay Opperman, the current principal of Hastings High School in Hastings, Nebraska.

“I want people to remember that I was a good listener,” Ricketts said. “That I believed in all of our staff. That I would do anything to help them and help Westside High School remain one of the best high schools in the United States. That I’m passionate about what happens in this building.”

M A RYA NNE R I C K E T T S

“It just kind of comes to you that maybe it’s time to go.”

Principal Maryanne Ricketts poses for a picture in her office Tuesday, March 1. Ricketts will be retiring at the end of this school year after five years of being principal. Photo by Jace Wieseler

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OPINION

5

The winter blues

Comic by Raven Young

Gloomy weather has profound impact on student lives STEVEN S I M O N STAFF WRITER

The last thing he remembers is laying down and setting his alarm and now, all of a sudden, he opens his eyes and it’s 7:00 a.m. Monday morning and the dreaded beeping of the alarm fills the air. He needs to eat breakfast, shower, get dressed, brush his teeth and make the drive to school within the next hour. There’s so much to do but he just can’t escape the cozy warmth of his enveloping cocoon of a bed.

Outside the sky is bleak, snow blankets the ground, and it’s light outside but the sun can’t manage to break through the thick barrier of clouds. Without motivation for school or anything else, he hits the snooze.

Junior TreVonn Wright experiences mild seasonal depression throughout wintertime and during long periods without lots of sunlight. Wright described the effects seasonal depression has on him, “I’m just not as happy in the winter as I am during other seasons.” Wright said. “It takes longer to get ready because I feel sluggish. I find myself falling asleep in class or while I’m studying.” He isn’t alone though, according to the Cleveland Clinic, 10-20 percent of Americans are affected by seasonal depression. Without many windows and without the ability to go outside freely, it is likely that a much larger percentage of Westside students experience at least some degree of seasonal depression.

“Seasonal depression typically occurs in people in their 20’s or 30’s, but it can really happen to anyone,” said UNO Clinical Psychologist Doctor Jessiline Anderson. Symptoms of seasonal depression can include feeling grumpy, moody or anxious, loss of interest and motivation, lethargy, weight gain and even trouble concentrating.

According to the Mayo Clinic, seasonal depression can happen for three reasons. These causes of seasonal depression can act alone or in concert with one another, and result from the gradual and significant decrease in sunlight during the fall and winter months.

The first possible cause of seasonal depression is drops in serotonin levels. Serotonin is a brain chemical that is consistent with good feelings. When the amount of sunlight

received decreases, often times the amount of serotonin in the brain does too. This drop in serotonin can result in a lack of pleasurable feelings and consequently, seasonal depression.

A similar neurotransmitter, and another that is believed to be involved in seasonal depression is melatonin. With the lack of sunlight in the winter, more melatonin is released into the bloodstream. High melatonin levels are consistent with lowered body temperatures and general feeling of sluggishness or drowsiness.

The last possible cause of seasonal depression is the disruption of circadian rhythm, or the body’s biological clock. When days become very short in the winter and it becomes dark during normal waking hours, our body feels the need to rest and our internal clock may be thrown off, causing symptoms of seasonal depression.

According to Dr. Anderson, seasonal depression can occur in different levels of severity. For example, if you find it hard to get out of bed in the morning, and feel generally lethargic in the winter months, you may have mild seasonal depression.

Seasonal depression is very relevant because a very large number of Westside students experience its symptoms around this time of year.

Social studies and psychology teacher Otis Seals believes that it can be difficult for students in the winter months because arrive at school when it’s dark and leave when it is dark, getting a minimal amount of sunlight.

“Come late March into April or May, you notice a rejuvenation of sorts in students,” said Seals. “There’s a change in attitude.”

As winter changes into summer and sunlight increases, the body typically adjusts back to it’s normal state and like Seals noted, a rejuvenation of sorts occurs.

Although it’s possible to simply “wait it out”, there are proactive treatments for seasonal depression. Treatments include light therapy and antidepressant drugs. All in all, seasonal depression affects many students at Westside and can have negative effects on the body for various reasons. A lack of sunlight and gray skies outside can have a greater role in life than one might think, but once the sun comes back out and the birds start chirping, you’ll be happy to spring out of bed and start the day.

Student raises questions over WHS fundraising policy JACK COHEN

MANAGING EDITOR

Junior April Van Unen suffered through a massive tragedy. Her stepbrother died by suicide. An event such as that would overwhelm the lives of many, but Van Unen had more to deal with then just a death in the family.

“I come from a very poor family so we couldn’t afford to have a funeral for him,” Van Unen said.

PRINCIPAL “We couldn’t even afford to have him buried or things like that because that stuff’s expensive.”

Van Unen began a fundraiser on Gofundme. com, a website where users can donate to causes of their choice. Van Unen handed out slips of paper with the web address on them to her friends and word eventually got to April’s guidance, counselor Lauri Cunningham.

“A teacher came to me and said ‘April has flyers and she’s doing this fundraiser,” Cunningham said. “Of course I wanted to talk to April, but I didn’t know if you had to have certain paperwork or things in place to do a fundraiser so I asked Mrs. Ricketts about this.”

Van Unen had already emailed Principal Maryanne Ricketts regarding her desire to pro-

M A R YA N N E R I C K E T T S

mote the topic around the high school.

Ricketts expressed sympathy for Van Unen, but Westside’s policies regarding fundraisers are clear.

“There are so many things that happen in this building to different people and staff members we just can’t support everything,” Ricketts said. “All of them are usually good causes, especially for a student to run it. If there’s an organization or club that’s willing to support a cause were usually okay with that.

Van Unen was frustrated at the time due to the Beta clubs “Ayuda Bands” fundraiser for a Central American student.

Further investigation led to the understanding that even though it was a personal cause it was ran through a club.

The volume of causes Westside would have to support would be overwhelming, and the school is unable to accommodate all requests. In order to keep things fair the school only allows events through the support of the club.

Even without being able to promote her cause throughout the school, Van Unen was able to earn a portion of her desired goal.

“I reached $1,900 after gofundme took out their percentage,” Van Unen said. “It was enough.”

“There are so many things that happen in the building.. we just cant keep up with everything.”

6

OPINION

HOROSCOPES Horoscopes by April Van Unen, Design by Casey Arritt

Aries 21 mar – 19 apr Keep all of your emotions in check today.

Stuck in traffic? Turn on some music to make you happy. Be content and work well even if others around you are grouchy.

Taurus 20 apr – 20 may Don’t waste your time with someone’s flaky behavior. If someone has broken a promise recently, you may feel the need to confront them.

Tell them how you feel about the situation, but do so gently; don’t burn any bridges.

Cancer 22 jun – 23 jul You are concentrating hard about a choice. You can see the pros and cons on both sides. Don’t be so hard on yourself about being indecisive. Give yourself more time to see things in the right light.

Libra 23 sept – 22 oct You’re going through a phase in your life where all you want to do is relax and it’s not the end of the world. Don’t force yourself to mix things up if you don’t want to. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t feel like getting much done today.

Capricorn 22 dec – 20 jan Friends are not those who judge you. Whatever you are going through, friends will help you think of a solution so don’t hide your feelings from them or push them away.

Leo 24 jul – 23 aug It is likely that you will overreact today. Overreacting is not a good way to make new friends so try to avoid large social situations until your temper is stabilized again.

Scorpio 23 oct – 22 nov You have a specific vision of what you want your life to look like. Don’t let that keep you inflexible about things. Find new ways to do things and experiment with change.

Aquarius 21 jan – 19 feb Don’t lose sight of your personal growth when focusing on needs of those around you. Don’t give too much of yourself to others today. Make sure you leave time for yourself.

Gemini 21 may – 21 jun Take charge of the stress in your life. Don’t worry too much about the future. Apply a proactive attitude and get stuff done instead of stressing yourself out from procrastinating for too long.

Virgo 24 aug – 22 sept Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need. Let your family know that you need time with your friends.

Others will be understanding today.

Sagittarius 23 nov – 20 dec Adapt your energy today. You may be feeling stressed out about a complicated situation. Try to focus on having calm vibes.

Pisces 20 feb – 20 mar It’s not a good idea to go against your instinct today. Make sure you are sure about the new people possibly coming in to your life. Get opinions from people you trust before making any final decisions.

THE BIRDS & THE BEES & THE BIAS

There’s unbalanced reporting in reproductive rights EM M A K O R E N G E L STAFF WRITER

The discussion of birth control has always been a controversial issue. Ever since it’s introduction in 1960 with the Envoid pill, it’s been a heated debate as to when, if, and how people should have kids. Until now, it’s been unclear just who’s been leading that discussion.

In a recent survey from the Women’s Media Center, it was found only 37% of reproductive issue articles in leading news sources were penned by women. Nine out of 12 major newspapers and websites were having men cover reproductive rights stories.

Now, normally this would be okay. After all, a healthy part of journalism is having outside perspectives and opinions influencing a piece. But the point has been raised that ultimately women should have the stronger influence as they bear the greater burden within the reproductive process, and too many male writers could offer some bias and skewed information. So with this information, who should get the greater say?

Firstly, it’s true both parties play a roll in reproduction. Each has their own part to contribute and both are equally important. But when it comes to the final process of development, birth, and raising, things always depend on the female. It’s a little upsetting that so many men, who don’t have to go through this process should a woman choose to have kids, are writing as though they would.

More important still is the fact that the women these men are writing for/against are total strangers to them. They could never be absolutely aware of the financial and relationship states these women are in, much more so if both them and their

partners are ready for children. “In mid-February, Congress convened an all-male panel to discuss ‘religious freedom’ and rejected a woman who attempted to testify. The next day, a gaggle of only men appeared on the MSNBC talk show Morning Joe to consider the atrocity of an all-male panel weighing women’s reproductive rights” (from FAIR.org’s Megan Tady). More often than not, situations like these continue to happen despite being condemned. The obvious flaw in this is that by writing these articles on a subject most men are not well-informed on is that it pigeonholes women into a box they may not be ready to fill. They may feel confused or guilty if they made choices contradictory to the written perspective earlier on.

This happens in political debates as well, pushing everyone into a decision they should be making on their own. You might say these things shouldn’t, or can’t, influence such a very personal choice, but when it’s a popular opinion or voice with sources of major traction, (TV and articles) women may feel pressured to abide by those opinions under threat of feeling wrong. Reproduction is a very tricky issue and a very, very personal decision.

And when someone is given enough power to sway or force decisions about it, it’s never a good thing.

Ultimately, a more balanced spectrum of opinions makes sure no one group of people are calling the shots for everyone.

Basically, it’s good to have both sexes writing on this issue, as it’s a good tactic to ensure balance in a system that needs mutual agreement and balance to prosper. However, when things have gotten to the point that the men outnumber those who will have to birth the actual baby, perhaps it’s time to even things out again. 50/50 ultimately makes more sense than even leaning in the female

direction, as then both shares are equal.

It’s a messy topic with even messier distribution at the moment, but I think most would agree that women should be allowed their fair share of speaking time over such an issue. So to avoid too much arguing, let’s even the playing field, okay fellas?

Graphic by Casey Arritt

FEATURE

7

beat of the heart

Junior’s love of music brings opportunities JI M SCH UE N E MA N

PRODUCTION EDITOR

Every Wednesday in his grandmother’s living room, a four-year-old began learning music on a baby grand piano. While some of his classmates were starting to read words, junior Tyler Douglass was reading music.

JUNIOR Now, he plays 11 instruments in his spare time.

“I started taking piano lessons from my grandma, who was a piano teacher,” Douglass said. “Then I moved to the [Omaha Conservatory of Music, but after my teacher returned to Cuba, the expenses were no longer worth taking [lessons] from there.”

Throughout elementary school, Douglass continued piano lessons with several teachers. He practiced nearly everyday for nine years.

“Starting before age six means a higher probability of giving you a perfect pitch, which helps in learning other instruments,” Douglass said.

Years later, Douglass consistently practices

TY L E R D O U G L A S S

seven of his 11 instruments. Douglass performs around the school, playing in Warrior Band, Warrior Marching Band, Concert Jazz Band, Stage Band and Show Band.

“It used to just be part of a routine, it gave me something to spend my time on,” Douglass said.

“Now I do these things because I want to.

I have an emotional attachment to music.”

Keeping this many instruments polished means work at home as well.

Douglass has been practicing more as he’s gotten older, now playing two hours at school with an additional hour of individual practice afterwards. “[Music] gave me something to do,” Douglass said. “Other than that, I’ve really only been into video games. Often when I write music, I think of it going with a video game.”

Douglass recently began writing music as well, working on arrangements and occasionally creating his own compositions. Many of these ar-

“It used to just be part of a routine...Now I do these things because I want to...”

rangements are based on or meant to accompany video game soundtracks.

“I’d like to put [my music] on SoundCloud and start [releasing music for general use] to get my name out there,” Douglass said. “If I end up playing for a living, that’s what I’ll do. If I end up writing, that’s what I’ll do. I imagine I’ll do both.”

In writing music, Douglass is hoping to work in the indie video game music industry. This would include creating background gameplay music for small game companies without major labels. Douglass also aims to work for Valve, a larger game developer.

“Music is all about doors when it comes to being professional,” Douglass said. “You go through one, it’ll lead you to another. It’s hard telling exactly what you’ll be doing, but you’ll be doing something.”

Junior Tyler Douglass plays his trumpet in the Band IMC on Friday, February 26. Douglass can play 11 instruments.

Photo by Roshan Sapkota

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8

IN-DEPTH

YOU need to

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS So Let Lance tell you about THEM Do you know that you even have rights? Like, we get it, it’s America, home of the free and all, but that doesn’t mean everything is protected. Things get especially complicated for students, as we can see through the rulings of Supreme Court casings in recent history.

And there’s a whole host of legal questions that the Court hasn’t yet ruled definitively on. Who owns the copyright for work produced on a school computer? When and where can you practice religion on school grounds?

Don’t dress codes inhibit free speech?

Read on to find out. See, it’s a little more complicated than you thought.

IN-DEPTH

9

WHY CAN'T YOU WEAR IT?

Authority explains dress code restrictions BELL A R A D L E R

dress code manual had to be enhanced. Many of us disagree with some of the outraSTAFF WRITER geous dressing requirements, such as the “no shoulders exposed rule” or “no letterman Back in the good ol’ days at Westside, the entirety of the dress code was “dress apjackets during school” policy, so I decided to go straight to the source by talking with propriately,” according to assistant principal Trudi Nolin. Since everyone has a different Nolin and Dean of Students Kim Eymann to figure out what the reasons are behind some opinion of “appropriate”, ranging from just-below-the-booty shorts to bermudas, the of the banned apparel you and I can not be seen sporting in these halls.

Graphics by Bella Radler

“[They’re banned because] there is no purpose [for them] and it’s distracting in the classroom,” Nolin said. “[When a student wears sunglasses] the teacher doesnt’t know what you’re doing – like are you sleeping.”

“When you get into spaghetti straps it’s just skimpier, 90 percent of tops with spaghetti straps are pretty minimal coverage,” Eymann said. “As long as your shoulders are covered [they are okay], but there are a lot of tops that are skimpier which are not something to wear in an educational institution,” Nolin said.

“They can wear bandanas they just can’t wear paisley bandanas...the Supreme Court ruled that it’s [banned] because its affiliated with gangs,” Eymann said.

“[The problem is] the bigness of the jacket, things could be hidden in them,like weapons,” Eymann said. “It’s just a safety concern.”

“In most public buildings you can’t wear a hat, it’s kind of a respect thing,” Eymann said. “Students used to be able to wear hats here,” Nolin said.

“It’s subjective, it is, the appearance of fringe is an illusion to make them look shorter, or the ones where the pockets hang out,” Eymann said. “If you see pockets hanging out people automatically think they’re too short. It’s harder to find longer shorts, but it is possible. Unfortunately it’s a distraction if they’re too short, or too tight.”

“Crop tops were big in the 90’s and guess what’s coming back – crop tops,” Eymann said. “It’s a goal to be fully clothed at school, and not be a distraction. We’re not supposed to be able to see any stomach, we’re not at the beach. [Myself and Mrs. Nolin] are the first two who will say ‘hey that’s a really cute top, unfortunately its not school appropriate.’”

Mergens vs Westside

Case reached Supreme Court, still relevant CE LE N A S H E P H E R D

MANAGING EDITOR At Westside High School in the spring of 1985 a student, Bridget Mergens approached the principal at the time, Dr. James Findley because she wanted to create a Christian Bible study club.

Mergens was in Findley’s homeroom and he recalls her as being a “nice young lady”.

After their meeting he called the superintendent to discuss her request. The administration decided that the club could not be created because there was no sponsor and it wasn’t part of the school curriculum.

Mergens appealed the decision made by the Board of Education to the District Court of Nebraska, claiming Westside had violated the Equal Access Act. This states that schools that receive federal assistance and have a limited open forum must let students meet concerning religious, political or philosophical content.

The Westside Board of Education refuted, by saying that allowing this club to be created would violate the Establishment Clause. This clause says that the state and church must be kept separate.

Essentially, public schools cannot favor or advocate for a certain religion.

In February of 1988 The U.S District Judge ruled in favors of the Board of Education. It was

decided that allowing the Bible study club to meet would violate the Establishment Clause. In addition, the Court ruled that The Equal Access Act was not being violated for Mergens.

The following month, after hearing this verdict, Mergens took the case to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. In February of 1989 the three-member panel of judges ruled in favor of Mergens. They stated that Westside already had non-curricular clubs and had a limited open forum, so under the Equal Access Act Westside legally had to allow the Christian bible study club to form.

After finding out about the verdict the Board of Education appealed the decision and in April of 1989 asked if the Supreme Court would hear the case. A few months later the Supreme Court accepted the case.

The following summer the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Mergens with an eight-to-one majority. The court cited that students have the right to practice religion at school and that this does not violate the Establishments Clause because the school isn’t endorsing a certain religion by allowing them to practice. The Christian Bible study club had no official sponsor, but a staff member could check in, without taking part in the discussion and that staff member could not be paid.

This ruling affected high schools across the na-

tion and still affects the students at Westside today. The Christian club, now called Campus Connect still meets each week. This ruling is also what allows clubs like the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club to be created and meet regularly.

Graphic by Jim Schueneman

10

IN-DEPTH

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS Freedom of Speech Freedom of Religion Freedom of Press Freedom of speech has been a touchy subject for teachers to face. What if a student gets out of control in class and starts to blurt out raunchy words that makes kids uncomfortable? Freedom of speech is the right to express opinions without censorship or restraint exempt speech codes. Speech codes are rules and regulations that limits speech. In the Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, the court said that “students do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” The Supreme Court has recognized that students can speak their mind on school grounds, but what is Westside’s policy on the Constitutional freedom? Dean Trudi Nolin according to, “This process requires that students have the right to express opinions, to take stands, and to support causes, publicly or privately, in a manner consistent with the rights of others and the lawful function and objective of the school and the school district.” This means that students at Westside can express their opinions, but if a situation gets too violent then the student will be punished.

Overall, we need to watch what we say in schools because of speech codes.

Students are always being told what they are supposed to do by teachers, so it made me wonder how much freedom teachers have to express themselves, compared how much freedom students have. One of the most controversial topics surrounding teacher’s rights is whether or not they have the freedom to discuss their own religious beliefs.

According to the Constitution, the government shall make no law “respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” This means that public schools are not allowed to label themselves as having a certain religion, but they are not allowed to stop students from practicing their own religion.

There have been a couple of cases where the school has had to address this issue, the Christian club being an example.

We have a student-led Christian club at Westside where students get to practice their Christian religion during after-school hours. They are allowed to do so because public schools aren’t allowed to “discriminate against their religion.” If the club happened to be held during school hours, they would otherwise receive consequences for doing so.

The general rule for Westside is that students and staff are allowed to practice their religion as far as it doesn’t disrupt the school environment. If it does end up disrupting the school environment, then the administration will have to find an alternate way for them to express their

In our constitution of the United States, our first amendment guarantees that we have freedom of our press. We are allowed to publish what we want, even if it’s risky or controversial. But what happens to this freedom when students enter high school publications? Well the rights are fairly similar to those you have outside of school.

There are two standards by which high school publications are held in regards to how the school can censor them. The Supreme Court case that has protected students since 1969, the Tinker case, ruled that students have the right to share their opinions on school grounds as long as they didn’t disrupt school or intrude on the rights of others.

The court case that edited this and gave us the second standard was Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier in 1988. This case ruled that if the school sponsors the publication and provides an adult supervisor, the school has a right to censor what the students are publishing. Justice Bryon White stated that the school is allowed to intervene as long as the school can show that it was, “reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns.”

FERPA The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), is a government policy but differentiates vastly between school districts. In the Westside district educational records can be released to the legal guardian of a Westside student. If a student currently enrolled in the District has reached 18 years of age but is still claimed as a “dependent” under the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 152, by the parents, the parents or guardian continue to have the right to inspect and review their student’s records, but they no longer have the authority to authorize release of such records. Districts have the option of charging a fee to disclose educational records, however Westside usually doesn’t.

“The caveat on that is if somebody comes back and they’re asking every month for a new set,” Ricketts said. “It’s kind of like the doctor’s office, they’ll usually give you one set free, but if it comes to a repeated thing, we could charge, but we typically don’t.”

There also times in which Westside can disclose a student’s information without the consent of a legal guardian, if permitted or required by law. An example of this would be if a school official has a legitimate educational interest.

IN-DEPTH

Right to Vote With the upcoming presidential elections, Westside is buzzing about who’s going to ascend to leader of the nation. Will you be voting for Sanders or Trump? Clinton or Cruz?

This topic is popular in high schools largely due to the student’s rights to vote at eighteen years old. According the Twenty-Sixth Amendment of the Constitution established on July 1, 1971, citizens of eighteen years and older are allowed to vote in the country’s elections. The amendment, which originally only allowed citizens of 21 and older the right to vote, gives young adults along with students of our high school more independence and activism in our country, as well as allowing for more enriching and timely commentary in our student body.

11

Collective Punishment Search & Seizure It may seem that the school policy for punishment is random and doesn’t make much sense, but in fact, each instance in which punishment is required is handled by the administration individually, but what about group punishment? Westside does not punish students in groups.

“If you and eight of your friends go outside and do something we’d deal with each of you individually, we might do the same disciplinary measure for all eight of you, but it’s not a matter of, we bring you all in and say this is what we’re going to do.” Student Services Coordinator Allen Bone said.

Emergency expulsion may seem like a gray area in the school code, but it isn’t. The maximum amount of time a student can be held out of school under emergency expulsion is five days, after that the school must discuss a suspension with the student and their parents.

Typically what we do is look at that and de-

The Fourth Amendment states that “[t]he right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause…”

At a school building, an authority figure needs only reasonable suspicion to search a student, compared to outside of school, where an authority figure would need probable cause to search a citizen. Whereas a police officer would have to witness, smell or feel contraband before searching, a school official needs only a credible source before commencing a search. According to assistant principal Jeff Wagner, the administration “would never do a more obtrusive search than is necessary, ” and that a search is justified only if “it’s something that’s disruptive to the educational environment or against the school code of conduct.”

“If I’m driving into school in the morning, if it’s 7:45 and I see them smoking across the street, where do they go next?” Wagner says. “Is that reasonable enough suspicion for me to say, you know what, whatever they’re smoking over there, they probably brought with them into school?

Yeah, it is, so I can search those students.”

PRIVATE vs. PUBLIC When thinking about the rights students have in school, you don’t tend to think about the vast differences between the rights of those in public schools and the rights of those in private schools. However, there are more differences than you might think. According to the Illinois State Board of Education, if a student in a public school has a disability, they have the right to an IEP (Individualized Education Program). These programs aren’t established in private schools, which have much less detailed programs for these students. Additionally, if private schools believe they need to evaluate a certain student for any reason, the district doesn’t have the power to refuse them access to do so. This is usually in terms of mental health. Therefore, search and seizure laws that apply to public schools don’t apply to private schools.

Private schools aren’t required to follow the constitutional rights as closely due to their exclusivity which leads to more restrictions when it comes to student’s rights.

TECHNOLOGY

In our digitalized society, technology is constantly at our fingertips, especially in the Westside school district. Even though technology is a realm that is essentially available at all times, there are many confounding views as to if the personal information that our school technology contains should be available to both the Westside administration and tech support team. According to assistant principal Jeff Wagner, neither the tech support team nor the administration are able read student messages unless the student has logged on to their computer and has their messages open and running. He would like to make it clear that “most of our teachers and administrators don’t mess with that, we just don’t go there.”

If there was a situation where the administration felt that the safety of the student body was in danger and information that gave insight to this situation could be obtained through student technology, they would take the measures necessary to respectfully get this information. For example, if a student had sent a text message containing a potential bomb threat and the administration was made aware, the student would be asked to print or screenshot the text message, instead of school asking the alleged threatener to physically unlock their phone. In these situations, Wagner says that the ultimate reason for any type of searches, technology or otherwise, is to always ensure the safety of the school

“I’ve always said, the number one security [system] we have in our school is our students.” Wagner said. “Our students know ahead of time if something is going to happen, whether it’s a fight, or somebody’s bringing drugs, or is somebody has a weapon, or somebody’s doing something illegal.”

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

12

Lance interactive

IN-DEPTH

Enjoy this interactive section! Answers based on content throughout paper.

CROSSWORD Across Down

4. Individuals cannot hold fundraisers for a ______, but clubs can 7. The first and last name of the student who took Westside to the Supreme Court 1. The denomination of the religious club made in 1990 2. The first and last name of the principal at the time when Westside went to the Supreme Court 3. Site student used to raise money for brother’s funeral 5. Administration banned this item in fear students would hide items in it 6. Ms. Nolin fears that if students wear these they may be sleeping 7. Some types of this article of clothing are banned for being associated with gangs 1

2

3

4

5

6

b c S ram ler LIRNIGOE

7

EPSCHE EINTUPSMNH SERPS RCSHEA DAN IREZSUE NLYOCETHGO

Answers Scrambler 1. RELIGION 2. SPEECH 3. PUNISHMENT 4. PRESS 5. SEARCH AND SEIZURE 6. TECHNOLOGY 7. FERPA 8. SUPREME COURT 9. PUBLIC VS PRIVATE 10. PLEDGE

Crossword

RAFPE MERUPSE URTOC CLIBUP SV EATVPIR DLEGPE

1. Christian 2. JamesFindley 3.GoFundMe 4. PersonalCause 5. LettermanJacket 6. Sunglasses 7A. BridgetMergens 7D. Bandana

the

EDITORIAL

13

Lance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Editors-in-Chief Nata Ward, Jace Wieseler; Managing Editors Jack Cohen, Libby Seline, Celena Shepherd; Production Editors Madigan Brodsky, Jim Schueneman; Design Editor Casey Arritt; Cartoonists Nick Gross, Raven Young; Staff Writers Alexander Bergin, Benjamin Brodkey, Shannon Chinn, Sam Cohen, Sarah Hermann, Cole Hopkins, Emma Korengel, Kayla Kyle, Trevor Mumford, Nicole Petersen, Bella Radler, Steven Simon, Nolan Tracy, Elise Tucker, April Van Unen; Photo Editor Mitch Francis; Adviser Jerred Zegelis.

Graphic by Nick Gross

Editorial

School district handles rights appropriately When you walk into this building everyday, the rights you once had under the Constitution are immediately forfeited. Whether that be with search and seizure rights or even just what you can and cannot wear, what you can and cannot do is dictated by a board of people who get the final say in the students’ rights.

We learn in government class about each of the amendments under the Constitution and what rights we are reserved that the government can’t take away from us. These civil liberties aren’t necessarily the same, once we walk into a school building. Not many people realize these rights and the differences between each one, and to be able to stand up for yourself within the school walls, knowing these rights is a vital part to a student’s independence.

Knowing these rights puts yourself in a more knowledgeable position to hold your own against an authority figure who is accusing you of a wrong-doing. It puts you in a position to fend for yourself without a lawyer present at the moment.

For example, school administration does not have the right to go through a student’s backpack without reasonable suspicion. If that student knew their right at the time of this occurance, they would know that if a teacher doesn’t have a good reason to search their stuff, it violates their rights in the school.

It’s important to note, however, that authority figures inside a school building have much more power over students than police have outside of school. It is the difference between probable cause and reasonable suspicion. School authorities only need to suspect that a crime is being committed to have legal right to search you, where police officers and other

personnel require a higher level of suspicion, called probable cause.

Also, if they knew their rights, and this certain person has something illegal within their things, they would know the only reason a teacher is searching their things is to keep the learning environment safe, not the send their student to jail.

On school grounds, a student loses certain Constitutional rights but also gains others that allow them to have certain freedoms. And by having these freedoms, we can know about these freedoms and use them to protect ourselves against those in authority.

And we need to question authority within reason, and hold ourselves accountable for regular checks and balances of those in authority. If no one is scrutinizing the power that governs us all, the security of our consitutional rights are in jeopardy.

In the U.S. Justice Department’s case to press Apple to provide the FBI with the software to unlock the cell phone in the San Bernardino terror investigation, this has directly questioned the rights of Apple and what they can and cannot withold from the government.

Apple has questioned this authority and gone against what the U.S. government is telling them they have to do. According to a New York judge, James Orenstein, has decided that Apple does have the write to withhold this information from the government to keep the privacy of the users.

This is just what students need to do at school. They need to be aware of their rights so they can protect themselves. Westside Community Schools, overall, handle student rights very appropriately. But as an educated student, and an educated citizen, being aware of your rights can only help.

WARRIOR VOICE Was Apple’s decision justified in not providing the FBI with the software?

FRESHMAN

ETHAN GOLDNER

“If they make an exception just for them, then everyone else will ask for an exception.”

FRESHMAN

BI RUK TEWODROS “It would be really unethical [to make them give it to the FBI because it would compromise the safety of everyone in the room.”

JUNIOR

SENIOR

“Instead of just arguing over it, they should spend time together to figure out how can we do this without compromising everybody.”

“If it’s threatening a lot of people’s lives, I think we should go in and look at that.”

MYKIAH N E L S O N

PA Y T O N KNOT T

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SPORTS

Baseball has no borders

Student finds identity in new country through athletics N OLA N T R A C Y

STAFF WRITER

Moving is not an easy task, especially for a high school student. Moving from state to state causes you to leave behind friendships and everything you know. But, moving from one country to another, is a major task that can take years to get used to.

Ask senior Franklin Rodriguez, and he can tell you all about moving. Rodriguez was originally born in Montecristi, Dominican Republic. Montecristi is a small town located in the northern part of the country located near the bordering nation of Haiti.

“I moved to the United States for the first time on April 24, 2011,” Rodriguez said. “The first state I moved to was New Jersey, I was in eighth grade.”

While there are a few similarities between the United States and Dominican Republic, the differences are real. Poverty is extremely prevalent in the Dominican Republic. Over one third of the population lives off less than a $1.25 a day, according to Dominican Today. About 20 percent of the whole country lives in extreme poverty.

“There are some rich and prosperous families from my country, but sadly for a majority of people, it is the opposite,” Rodriguez said.

But moving to New Jersey was just the very beginning for Rodriguez and his sister. After moving to New Jersey, Rodriguez moved to Iowa for a year, then to Nebraska, where he attended Millard South for his freshman year.

“After New Jersey, I moved to Iowa for a year,

then to Nebraska and I attended Millard South for my freshmen year of high school. After freshmen year I was back in New Jersey, then back to the Dominican Republic for two years, until I moved to Nebraska.”

One of the biggest parts of Rodriguez’s life, is baseball. Although baseball is labeled as “America’s pastime,” just about everybody plays it in the Dominican Republic.

“I began playing the game when I was just five years old, and I loved it,” Rodriguez said. “Here kids strictly play on baseball fields made of grass and dirt, whereas in the Dominican Republic kids play everywhere and anywhere such as public streets and parks.”

The competition is not far less than one would believe it is in the United States. The Major Baseball League (MLB) began releasing the number of foreign players on each MLB roster in 1995.

Each year since, the Dominican Republic has had the most in the MLB, more than every other country in the world, except for United States.

This season there is a projected number of 89 Dominicans in the league, which is over 10% of the entire MLB. “All of the players are poor in the Dominican, and it is free to play on fields and such,” Rodriguez said. “Players in the Dominican Republic play with a lot more aggression than they do in the United States.”

This spring, Rodriguez plans on playing outfield and pitcher, as he does everything he can to help the boys get their fourth state championship in a row.

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Senior Franklin Rodriguez plays baseball outside on the field Friday, February 26. Rodriguez started playing baseball in the Dominican Republic, where he’s from, when he was five years old. Photo by Roshan Sapkota

SPORTS

15

ymca basketball Where hard work is turned into victory; where the ball never lies; where the 3 pointers STAFF WRITER are always wet. This isn’t something for the weak and afraid. This is YMCA Basketball.

There are a handful of Westside students that come together after school hours and There is a time and place in a person’s life where they feel like nothing can bring them dedicate their efforts to YMCA basketball. I got to catch up with three of the Westside down. Where the Earth stands still and they can enjoy the bliss of the moment. For 4o min- teams and ask them a few questions about their YMCA experience. Here is what the hooputes, blood, sweat and tears are shed, turning mere mortals into heroes and champions. ers had to say:

TREVOR M U M F O R D

WESTSIDE TROPICS Nick Trude (12) Grant Gaden (12) Lathan McAndrews (12) Cole Jankovich (12) Michael Merical (12) Jack Jenson (12) Alex Nielson (10) Adam Folsum (10)

BABBS Olivia Robino (11) Lilli Marvin (11) Katya Ward (11) Ande Bilyeu (11) Dana Cox (11) Kate Alston (11) Anna Knutson (11) Carleigh Pope (12) Haley Malnack (11) Jenna Hynek (12) Taylor Schendt (11) Roton Nero (9) Lloyd Glover (9)

TEAM JASA Noah Jarosz (11) Jackson Pflug (11) Zane Watanabe (11) Jake Meyerson (11) Ethan Jasa (11) Steven Simon (11) Connor Roach (11) Alex Belgrade (11) Isaiah Reed (11)

Question and answer with BABBS’ juniors Olivia Robino and Anna Knutson Q: What is the meaning of your team name?

A: [Anna Knutson] I can’t tell you that. Only BABBS gets to know, not the public.

Q: How long has your team been together?

Question and answer with seniors Nick Trude and Grant Gaden:

Q: How long has your team been together?

A: [Grant Gaden] We’ve been playing together for four years now, but the team was first established in 1892.

[Nick Trude] Yeah, we disbanded for like 110 years.

Q: Does the name originate from anywhere?

A: [Grant Gaden] It’s a very original name. We were just sitting around one day and were like, you know what, we’re actually pretty tropical guys. And so we were like, maybe we should start a basketball team called the Tropics.

Q: What’s your biggest strength and weakness as a team?

A: [Nick Trude] We have no weaknesses. Our biggest weakness is that we have no weaknesses. We’re just too perfect and hit 98 percent of the shots we take. You know, I wake up in the morning and piss excellence.

A: [Olivia Robino] We’ve been a team for two years, playing in the male YMCA league. A lot of us girls used to play together on the feeder Jr. Warriors team though back in like 6th grade.

Q: What is your biggest strength and weakness?

A: [Olivia Robino] We are really short compared to boys, so I’d have to say our biggest weakness is height.

[Anna Knutson] The strengths totally outweigh the weaknesses though.

[Olivia Robino] Yeah, our biggest strength is that because we’re girls, the random boys teams won’t try hard against us and get physical, allowing us to exploit their weaknesses.

Question and answer with TEAM JASA’s juniors Jackson Pflug, Noah Jarosz and Zane Watanabe Q: Why don’t you guys have an official team name?

A: [Jackson Pflug] We don’t specify with a team name. We’re just bonded and we don’t need a team name because it’s the relationship that counts.

Q: How long has your team been together?

A: [Jackson Pflug] Three years, but it feels like forever.

[Noah Jarosz] It really truthfully feels like an eternity with these boys. It’s been wonderful.

Q: What are your biggest strengths and weakness?

A: [Jackson Pflug] Our biggest weakness is we try too hard. It’s also our biggest strength.

16

A&E

EscapING THE UNESCAPABLE

New entertainment in Omaha area attracts people of all ages

scene.

“Each room is very individual from the themSTAFF WRITER ing to the very structure of the game,” Nichols The answer is in here somewhere. Within the said. “Strategies that might make sense in one dimly lit walls plastered with aging newspaper room could totally screw you over in another.” clippings is the key to unlocking the door. An eeAll the rooms are designed a certain way to rie song plays on the radio, bombarded with stat- create an atmosphere that gives players a certain ic and followed by a string of numbers. A code? feeling while playing.

There is a scramble for the clipboard, anything “Controlling the environment’s the whole could be a clue. All that’s known for sure is the game,” Nichols said. “You can definitely get scared need to escape the room. of the room and have that creepy feeling crawling Escape rooms have become one of the newest up your spine, but it’s intentional.” attractions to hit Omaha, bringing a brand-new Although the game has been targeted towards form of entertainment to people of all ages. college-age participants, Nichols has found that The idea of an escape room is that six people many participants spanning from high school stuare locked in a room in which there are a variety of dents to retirees have been interested in playing puzzles and clues that need to be solved. In order despite not being the goal demographic. to “win” the game, players have to find the code to “[The rooms] are fun and edgy and unique, and the door and escape the room.

I think people are always looking for that,” NichJust opening up their doors in July, The Escape ols said. “You can market that however you want, Omaha has become one of the main escape room but everyone’s buying that.” businesses in the city.

Not only was the wide variety of participants Manager of the Escape Omaha, Nathan Nich- surprising, but sometimes even the way players ols, says that the idea of escape games did solve the puzzles was as well. De- spite there not start in the being a speUnited States. cific writ“Escape ten plan MANAGER OF THE ESCAPE OMAHA Games started for how in Asia and Euthe code to rope, and there unlock the are gigantic door is to multi-nationbe found, al companies Nichols doing escape said that games on the there have other side of been defithe world already,” Nichols said. “It’s a very grow- nite instances in which people have solved it their ing and rapidly changing thing.” own way.

Nichols says that the primary goal of the rooms, “As soon as you make a plan God laughs at it, formally known as “live-action escape games” is to right?” Nichols said. “You can design a room to have players be completely immersed in the game. flow through a certain way, and the second you “We try to make the adventure so that when a put a human in that room, nothing goes the way group goes into a room they disappear into their you thought it was going to.” own little world,” Nichols said. “We put a lot of efSome players have gone to lengths of taking the fort into controlling the rooms and theming them door off its hinges and bringing in their own utility properly.” belt to aid them in the escape.

From unsolved murders to spy espionage, the “They justify things that don’t make sense Escape Omaha has three main story plots which and find things that somehow work that just differ heavily in rooms design as well as game shouldn’t,” Nichols said, “and the chances of play. One is set in an alchemist’s study, another in something like that happening are so minute, but an abandoned soviet bunker and a third at a crime they happen all the time.”

SH A N N ON C H I N N

N A T H A N N I C H O LS

“As soon as you make a plan God laughs at it right?”

Contrary to popular belief, participants do not necessarily need to be exceedingly intelligent to solve the puzzles in the rooms, but instead need to work as a team to escape.

“The goal of a game like this is to work as a group to make up for your weaknesses and [then] combine your strengths to figure out something none of you had thought of,” Nichols said, “No one is going to walk in here and have answers just because they’re more intelligent, they might be able to put a little more brainpower into to figuring out a solution, but really the only way you do that is by figuring out more wrong ones.”

Whether or not you find the idea of being locked in a small room with six people for an hour appealing, Nichols says that the fact that the rooms can be changed or taken away completely at any time to make way for new and improved rooms and stories makes it a once in a lifetime opportunity.

“It’s a unique experience, [that] you’re not going to have anywhere else ever again,” Nichols said. “If you let that ship sail, you let it sail.”

Comic by Nick Gross

PLAY REVIEW: A Midsummer Night’s Dream BENJAMIN B R O D K E Y STAFF WRITER

Senior Zach Bowen and junior Jim Halgren pose on stage at a February showing of Westside’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Photo by Adrianna Bollinger

The stage is set. Ancient Greek columns rest on a platform and hand-built trees fill the right half of the stage. Actors enter wearing Roaring 20s garb and start speaking in Shakespearian language. I sat in the audience, slightly confused of what was happening. As I watched the scene fall into place, I began to understand more and more of the language, thanks to the amazing blocking by director and theatre instructor Jeremy Stoll, student assistant director Johanna Hager and choreographer Esther Katz.

The abridged and adapted version of William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was overall a well-staged performance, although the language, at times, was difficult to understand.

The comedic acting and blocking, however, made up for misunderstood speech.

Throughout the show, by instinct, I was trying to tell who had experience with Shakespearian acting and who didn’t; however, it was difficult because the acting was executed so well. I went in expecting a high-school production of “Midsummer,” but I walked out feeling like I had sat through a college production.

The choreography of the fairies onstage was clean and looked very elegant. This was not to mention the fog from fog machines enhanced the scene. On the other hand, there were points where the permanent setting of the columns and the trees did not make much sense in the scene on stage. For example, when talking in Theseus’ palace, the trees made little sense. Some parts when we were in the forest, the columns didn’t help the scene.

As I mentioned, the actors made me, as an audience member, feel like I was part of the play.

That is a difficult skill that can only be pulled off by a few specific actors, and these actors managed to do it well.

In the story, Puck the Fairy, (senior Zach Bowen) interrupted a fairy dance, and disrupts the nature of human love, and delivers an apologetic speech. Puck did this with such class and humor; I think I laughed during every single one of his scenes.

When Peter Quince (senior Amy Conaway) was forming his cast for Theseus’ play, the cast of characters reacted to their parts in such a comedic way. The male character, Flute (sophomore Grace Johanningsmeier), was unwilling to play a woman because of his non-existent peach fuzz, Robin Starveling (senior Madison Hoy) was such a straight and quiet man, it was funny whenever he changed moods. Snout (junior Jason Geho) played such a fabulous wall. Then there was Nick Bottom (senior Jacob Thomas), an over-the-top “actor.” Mr. Bottom was written as one of the most hilarious characters and not only was he one of them, Thomas added so much more to the character to make the show even funnier.

Throughout the course of the show, the whole love story played itself out. The fights over Helena in the woods, whether it be between Demetrius and Lysander (juniors Josh Wonder and Luke Esola, respectively) or between Helena and Hermia (senior Natalie Day and sophomore Abby Cameron), the stage fights were exciting to watch. The catfight going on between the two men while the ladies were “discussing” was rather entertaining.

Of course, the comedy was farcical, of course, and high school students pulled it off extremely proficiently. The 1920s garb was a little strange, but otherwise, the show was presented with extreme care and precision. It was more than definitely worth the admission price.

FEATURE

17

WORTH the WORK?

Q&A with teachers and students about service learning hours SAM COHEN

STAFF WRITER Graduation includes many requirements such as senior project, completing all proficiencies and taking a certain amount of classes for a certain number of years.

The most time-consuming of requirements is completing eighty hours of service learn-

ing, whether that be in the community, around the school or in a family.

We went around the school and asked the opinions of students and staff on the requirement of completing eighty service hours.

Some view service learning as a rewarding experience that makes them want to continue on serving the community. Others see it as a hassle to complete this many hours in just four years of high school. Here’s what these students and teachers have to say:

Q: Do you think that the service learning hours are worth it?

Q: Do you think the service hour system is effective?

A: “I think they’re worth it. But I know some kids think that the number of hours is overwhelming. If you split it up 20 hours every year, it works.

A: “It works for what they’re trying to accomplish, which is making sure no one is faking it, in that way it works, but for the student, freedom wise, I don’t think it’s in our best interest.”

Q: If you were to change anything about the school wide policy, what would you change?

Q: If you were to change the school wide policy, what would you change about it?

A: “If anything, I would lessen the amount, but I think the volunteer hours are still very important.”

AN N E L I S E B L E S S E N

CHASE T H O M P S O N

SPANISH INSTRUCTOR

FRESHMAN

Q: Do you think that the service hour sheets make it harder for students to get service hours?

Q: Do you think the 80 hours is too many?

A: “I definitely think it’s achievable, you just have to do it. [To me] it doesn’t even feel like 80 hours.”

A: “I don’t think it necessarily makes it harder for them, it’s just a loop they have to jump through. I don’t think it’s necessarily too difficult.”

Q: If you were to change the school wide policy, what would you change?

Q: If you were to change the school wide policy, what would you change?

A: “What I think they need to do is look at addressing what the parameters of the program are. I think that eighty hours for the JON AT H AN P R E I S T E R SOCIAL STUDIES INSTRUCTOR students is a pretty big number. I would like to see them limit what the students do, make it more meaningful.”

SARUP K U N W O R FRESHMAN

A: “I think for certain students it might be too many. Just because there’s not a whole lot of [opportunities] for teenagers. They’re kind of limited.

Especially not being able to drive as a freshman.

A: “I think it can be overwhelming when it’s neglected for some time, and then students realize they need to make up forty, sixty, eighty hours in a year. I think the stress of it whittles down to larger issues of time management.”

Q: If you were to change the school wide policy, what would you change?

Q: If you were to change the school wide policy, what would you change?

ENGLISH INSTRUCTOR

A: “If systematically, we were to decide that it would be less, I would hope then that some further stipulations regarding the nature of those hours and how they’re dedicated would be put into place.”

A: “The only thing I find as a problem is that my homeroom teacher tells me that some students wait until the last year to do all 80. I think that there should be parameters where you have to do a required amount of hours each year. Other than that, I think the system is great.”

Q: Do you think the 80 hours is too many?

Q: Do you think that the 80 hours is too many?

ANDREW EASTON

A: “I would say that as long as you are getting the work done, then getting paid for the jobs count.

Also the number of hours, so I would just change it to 20 hours less.”

JORDAN B O W E N FRESHMAN

A: “I don’t think I really would change anything.

I like the way we can get them in the summer, it’s just easy.”

18

A&E

‘TEEING’ ON TEAS Comparing Omaha’s most popular tea stores

BENJAMIN BRODKEY, SARAH HERMA NN, KAYLA KYL E,

STAFF WRITERS For this review, we reviewed teas from two different shops at the Westroads Mall. Our experiences with tea varies: Benjamin loves tea and coffee, and he would definitely call himself the “tea expert” of the group, as he drinks it a few times a week. Sarah will have it from time to time before bed, but she wouldn’t call herself a “tea enthusiast”. Kayla has attempted to become a “tea drinker” several times in her life, but has always disliked it.

TEAVANA...

Benjamin: The iced tea had a tasteful amount of peach.

However, since there was so much fruit, I couldn’t actually taste any tea. The tea was watery, likely due to the fact there was more ice in the cup than tea at first. This was definitely a turnoff for me. I think this tea would have tasted better hot. The tea specifically reminds me of the cheap Peach Tea from Baker’s my middle-school-aged sister would drink when she was “sick.” The price of the tea was more than six times too expensive for what it was worth. I don’t think I would ever buy it again. I can buy peach-flavored water practically anywhere for a lower price.

Walking into the Teavana shop is like taking a breath of fresh air. It was refreshing to step into a calm, quiet store after having to endure the odd smells and the large amount of screaming children the mall has to offer. We were all immediately greeted by a rather nice woman in her early 20’s, which made a lasting impression on us. The store wasn’t the most visually pleasing compared to Aroma’s Coffeehouse in Flagship Commons, but we came for the tea anyways, so it’s not that big of a deal. All of the herbal remedies for the teas were placed behind the checkout counter, acting as the menu for customers to look at. They were all brightly colored, which added a fun aspect to the little shop. However, the “fun aspect” quickly vanished when I looked closer at the prices. Teavana is owned by Starbucks, so of course, just like Starbucks drinks, their tea was inconveniently overpriced. We kept in mind that the teas are probably expensive for a good reason, so we then proceeded to order our drinks.

Sarah: If you have the courage to name your drink

“Peach Tranquility”, it better be the greatest beverage to ever grace the earth. Sadly, it was not. There was nothing special about it, nor was there anything distinctly bad about the tea. This is unacceptable, since the water/fake peach flavoring mixture costed us $5.35. I was almost pretty sure that I just had the same peach flavored tea at my local Panera, which tasted 10 times better and costed considerably less than this tea. I was disappointed because the peach tea should have tasted the best out of all the teas we tasted, considering it was the simplest and most classic flavor of the other three.

Kayla: Going in, I had high expectations for this tea,

as I had peach tea in the past and enjoyed it. While it was a refreshing drink and tasted nice, it was not worth its price at nearly six dollars. There was more ice in the cup than actual tea and you couldn’t taste much tea in the drink itself. The taste resembled flavored water more than actual tea. Overall, it left me feeling very underwhelmed and disappointed that a tea this expensive could be found for much cheaper anywhere else. I did finish the drink, however I couldn’t see myself ever buying it again.

...AROMAS Considering Aromas Coffeehouse is a part of Flagship Commons, the newest addition to the Westroads mall, the atmosphere was very energetic and exciting. There were people walking everywhere, upbeat music playing, and it had an overall friendly feel to the place. Since Flagship Commons is relatively new to the mall, it was relatively busy, but it was nothing that couldn’t be managed. Aroma’s was one of the first places we saw walking in and its rustic feel made it very welcoming. We came to test out the tea, but they also served coffee, ice cream, pastries, and other desserts for a very affordable price, making this a place anyone could enjoy. The vibe was warm, inviting, and definitely made us eager to try the teas. Having been intrigued by the warm invitation the store broguht to us, we decided to try a tea we were curious about called Green Flower Rooibus.

Benjamin: The first thing I tasted were flower petals. I

was unable to tell if this was good or bad. It grew on me. I had already enjoyed a vanilla bean rooibos, so I saw absolutely no problem in a green flower one. I enjoyed the fact it was a strong tea, as I was actually able to pull a single, beautiful flavor from it and enjoy it. The tea included a sense of calmness. This is a tea that I can drink at night before bed and actually be calm, while still maintaining a strong body.

Kayla: This tea was the strongest of the three we tasted

and had a refreshing feel to it. I disliked it when I first drank it, as it was very strong and didn’t have the nicest aftertaste. The best way I can describe this drink is a mixture of flowers and water, which was a turn off initially.

However, it ended up being a decent drink. I enjoyed the very mellow flavor it had and it became better as the drink cooled down. I wouldn’t purchase this on my own, however it wasn’t the worst I had had that day.

Sarah: I started to lose hope at this point. I am a big

fan of floral teas, so I figured tasting one of these would restore all faith I had in teas before this sad tea-tasting trip. Upon the first sip, I just tasted dirty dishwasher and instantly regretted even coming to the mall in the first place, but after having another sip, my opinion quickly changed. Flower petals aren’t typically seen as being appetizing, but this drink makes you believe that they are. It was incredibly calming and would be the perfect beverage to drink after enduring a long day at school. This tea is the poster child of all teas. I would recommend this to anyone who has a tongue.

FINAL THOUGHTS...

Based on the fact that Westroads has a whole lot of tea to offer, one must be careful which they choose. Considering price, it is ridiculous to pay $5.35 for a cup of tea, and not even be able to take a tea bag home. Also, the fact Teavana is owned by Starbucks can help jack up the prices. The $3 Aroma’s tea was far more cost-effective, especially for teenagers who cannot treat themselves to a $5.35 tea often. Overall,

Flagship Commons had a more welcoming environment than the Teavana shop, inviting you to sit as you drink your tea. It has an adorable rustic feel to the place that can’t really be found in the tea shop. Aroma’s definitely won the tea squad’s thumbs up because it had a more pleasant atmosphere and served better teas at a lower price.

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y 25, 2016 at 2:18:38 PM Central Standard Time

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right across the street from Westside High School!

20

A&E

TV SHOW REVIEWS Story by Elise Tucker

Shadowhunters The new show, “Shadowhunters,” on Freeform (the new name of ABC Family) is based on Cassandra Clare’s bestselling series “The Mortal Instruments.” It tells the story of Clary Fray (Katherine McNamara), a girl who is thrown into a world of vampires, demons and human-angel hybrids called “Shadowhunters” after her mother (Maxim Roy) is kidnapped. With the help from her new friends, Jace (Dominic Sherwood), Isabelle (Emeraude Toubia) and Alec (Matthew Daddario), she hopes to discover clues that will help her find her mom. When I heard of the new TV series called “Shadowhunters,” I immediately thought of the

monstrosity that was The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones movie. I didn’t like the movie because they cut out a lot of important things from the book and focused on love. Once the pilot came on the reprise pleasantly surprised me. From the dialogue, to the casting to the action scenes, the show is a great start for Freeform. I like how the storyline is very close to the book and the writers don’t really make a lot of changes to the characters or the plot. I applaud Katherine McNamara for stepping up to fill Lily Collins’ shoes as the naïve character. Overall, the show pulled me in the moment I saw it and I hope it will get more seasons.

The Shannara Chronicles “The Shannara Chronicles” is about three heroes, Elvin Princess Amberle (Poppy Drayton), Human Rover Eretria (Ivana Baquero), half-elf Wil (Austin Butler) who are trying to hunt and destroy a demon that wants to destroy the universe. The Lord of the Rings elfish costuming and the main man caught my eye when I tuned in for the show on MTV. When I was watching the pilot I was a little unsure about what I was getting into. This show really doesn’t hold back on

the gore, sex and violence. I thought I was going to be done once the pilot aired, but fortunately I was wrong. After each episode there was a cliffhanger, so I couldn’t just leave the show and now I’m obsessed. Although the acting isn’t very good, the love triangle between Wil, Amberle and Eretria was the part that pulled me in. Just imagine Twilight, but with a better acting and plot. “The Shannara Chronicles” is an addicting show and I will keep watching it, but I hope the acting gets a little bit better.

Colony Los Angeles has been invaded and has split California into colonies, blocking each exit with a silver steel wall on the new USA Network show “Colony.” Will Bowmen and his family must find their son Bram because they got separated in the invasion and they need to go through many obstacles like facing the Red Hats, the army of the outside force. From explosions on our soil to countries invading our home, “Colony” is about the not-very-distant, “fictional” future of Los Angeles. After watching the first couple of episodes the plot line really scared me. I imagined that this could actually happen to us in the future with our

Vinyl “Vinyl” was created by Mick Jagger Martin Scorsese, Rich Cohen and Ternence Winter. They wanted to give current audiences the experience of the stress of being in the music business. This HBO show captures the essence of the 70’s that makes me want to travel back in time to the classic era of rock. From the first scene of the pilot episode I knew it was going to break some TV chart records because of how raunchy it is. It’s filled with so much sex, cursing and drugs; it’s almost shocking that the characters are still alive. The show follows Richie Finestra (Bobby Cannavale),

a record executive for American Century, as he struggles with trying to sign big names in music.

He goes through being addicted to cocaine to almost getting shot at and that’s only in the first episode. When I heard about this show I just thought it would be a cheesy drama that would make me want to leave it as soon as possible, but it’s real and raw. It captures what it might have been like to work in the entertainment world and the music behind the pilot fits the series perfectly. Overall, the era show captures the 70’s perfectly with the costuming, music and overall drama of being in the business.

families. It’s too troubling and surreal and that pushed me away, but the acting is superb. Josh Holloway (Will Bowman) and Sarah Wayne Callies (Katie Bowman) have real chemistry and it seems like they have been together for a couple of years. They’re performances give off a raw and true feel and even when they aren’t together in the same scene they shine in their own way. Overall, the show has some elements that I like, but the plot is just too real for me. Seeing the military roaming the streets is just a scary thought, but the actors really pull through and make this show worth watching.