WICHITA HIGH SCHOOL EAST
NOVEMBER 20, 2009 VOLUME 117, ISSUE 5
MESSENGER 2301 E. DOUGLAS AVE., WICHITA, KS 67211 // EHSMESSENGER.COM
NEW DANCE SCHEDULED - 2 TEACHERS ON FACEBOOK - 5 HISTORY OF MR. ACE - 9 BASKETBALL PREVIEW - 11
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November 20, 2009
WICHITA HIGH SCHOOL EAST
MESSENGER ON THE COVER Tyler O’Quinn, sr., Jaleel Burns-Guidry, sr., Gaylon Nickerson, sr., and Tyler Martin, sr., perform during the Mr. Ace competition Oct. 30. Nickerson was named Mr. Ace. Omar Abu-Sherbi, sr., Tim Dukes, sr., Tyler Fowler, sr., and Henry Nguyen, sr., also took part in the competition.EMMA
GILLESPIE, PHOTOGRAPHER
STAFF
Editors-in-Chief John Camenzind Jeremy Koehler
Webmaster
Jenice Duong
Advertising Manager Savana Cross
Reporters
Ian Bailey Emma Gillespie Lauren Graber Evan Gottstine Aaron Heil Salman Husain Violetta Lopez Ashley Matthews Kierstin McMichael Brae Miner Donald Pepoon Suhayla Sibaai Jessica Thomas Colin White
Head Photographer Ashley Matthews
Videographer Monique Levy
EDITORIAL POLICY “The Messenger” is published in print every two to three weeks, except during vacations, by the Journalism staff of Wichita High School East, 2301 E. Douglas Ave., Wichita, KS 67211. The Journalism department can be reached at (316) 973-7275 or by fax at (316) 973-7224.
NEWS New arena to host Bon Jovi, Taylor Swift JEREMY KOEHLER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF T
he Intrust Bank Arena will open Jan. 9 with a concert by Brad Paisley, followed by a performance by Harlem Globetrotters on Jan. 22. Other big names include Bon Jovi Feb. 11, comedian Jeff Dunham Feb. 12, and Taylor Swift April 1. “I would go see Dunham and Swift,” Lupe Marroguin, fr., said. “Swift is a great role model for innocent young people, and I’ve heard that Dunham is funny.” Some students are looking forward to seeing Swift for reasons other than her music. “I would see Swift because she is hot,” Cody McIntyre, sr., said. “The Harlem Globetrotters also sound like a fun thing to watch.” While many students are excited for upcoming events at the arena, some said that they wanted to see music groups that appealed to a wider range of people. “None of the people that they have scheduled sound that great,” Miguel Silva, sr., said. “I would go if they brought some Spanish music.” Chance Baldfor, fr., wants the arena to host more sporting events. “None of those people really
Jon Bon Jovi performs during Barack Obama’s inauguration celebration on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial Jan. 18. Bon Jovi will perform at the new Intrust Bank Arena Feb. 11. PHOTO COURTESY MCT CAMPUS appeal to me, but if they brought some boxers I would definitely go,” Baldfor said. “Floyd Mayweather would be cool to see.” The Wichita Thunder will play their home games in the Intrust
Bank Arena beginning Jan. 23. Tickets for these events can be purchased at www.intrustbankarena.com.
New dance, ‘The After Party’ scheduled for next month
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SUHAYLA SIBAAI, REPORTER
n additional dance will be held this year. On Dec. 4 after the home basketball game, Stuco will host a new dance, called “The After Party.” “I thought this dance would be good because we have all these dances at the beginning of the year, and then nothing except winter Homecoming later on,” Stuco president Adrianna Turner, sr., said.
The dance will be held in the west gym from 9-11 p.m. Admission is $3. “I really like the idea of a new dance,” Sonam Bhakta, sr., said. “We need more casual dances and it’s at a good time.” Formal dress is not required; the dance will be casual, much like the Big Do dance. Dec. 4 will be the first home
“The Messenger” staff will publish news, entertainment, features and sports in an unbiased and professional manner and serve as a public forum for the students of Wichita High School East. Letters to the Editor may be submitted to room W301 or by fax, and must be signed, legible and concise. The staff reserves the right to edit letters to conform to “Messenger” style. Baseless accusations, insults, libelous statements, obscenity, and letters which call for a disruption of the school day will not be considered for publication. “The Messenger” is the official student newspaper of Wichita High School East and it is distributed free to students. The opinions expressed in this publication reflect those of the student writers and not the Board of Education or Wichita High School East administration, faculty, or adviser.
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game against Heights. “We have the Toga dance to kick off the football season, so I thought it would be cool to have this dance to start off the basketball season,” Turner said, “The game against Heights is a big deal, and hopefully this will get everyone in high spirits.”
NEWS Scholars’ Bowl optimistic for upcoming season
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November 20, 2009
COLIN WHITE, REPORTER
B
UZZ! The buzzers at a tournament are all too familiar to the many interacting with the activity of Scholars’ Bowl. Known across the entirety of Kansas, the events bring in hundreds of eager students, and East High is no exception. So far, the Scholars’ Bowl team has been to a number of events and has won a tournament. The tournament itself took place Oct. 28, at Salina Central High School. The team has also traveled to competitions in locations including Kansas City and Liberal. They have participated in a total of four official tournaments, and considering the magnitude of the
activity’s hold on Kansas one win is notable. David Shelly, head coach, believes that the group will thrive although many of its star seniors were lost in last year’s graduation. “Well we’ve just gotten started,” Shelly said. “But we’re optimistic that we’re going to have a really good season.” Hopefulness isn’t the only thing looking up for the team. “We got a lot of new people this year,” Shelly said. “It’s interesting; we don’t necessarily get that many new juniors and seniors.” Shelly seems confident that the team will perform well, and he indictaed his trust in the team.
“It’s a really fun bunch of kids,” Shelly said. “I think we’re going to do great.” Scholars Bowl saw both the return of many varsity members, appears to be an excellent thing despite the huge losses suffered from graduation. This year, the total number is 28. Along with the competitions, Shelly is also looking forward to the performances of the team. “I’m looking forward to seeing how some of these people step up,” Shelly said. “We need some people to step up and take leadership.” Among the varsity members is Haley Stritzel, jr., who is also looking forward to this season.
“I really look forward to the tournaments,” Stritzel said. “They’re the most exciting.” Stritzel is very eager to participate more this season. “We’re kind of like a big family. Like everyone’s really good friends.” Lucy Orsi, jr., is also being positive, though her opinion of the team is somewhat different. “I feel good about Scholars’ Bowl this year,” Orsi said. “It’s going to be really fun.” “(The team) is really intimidating,” Orsi said. “They’re really good.” The next competition will be at Northeast High School, Nov. 21.
East builds on rich history of debate while encountering absurd arguments
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ith the 6A debate Regionals in December, held in Nickerson, and the State tournament in January, the debate squad is wrapping up the season with some interesting, and slightly ridiculous, stories. From the first tournament, Sept. 12, to present day, the East squad has had teams place 1st or 2nd 26 times in tournaments. “At novice and varsity,” Vicki Fellers, Debate Coach, said. “They’ve all done really well.” The resolution of this year is: Resolved, the United States federal government should substantially
increase social services for persons living in poverty in the United States. While this may seem simple, some schools have adopted some ridiculous arguments. “(We had) an entire case revolved around the idea that legalizing prostitution would solve for poverty,” Standlee said. While that argument may bring in the question of morals, another one may be more shocking. Victoria Tran, soph., and Nghiem Tran, soph., competed against a team that ran an argument called the Needle Exchange Program.
“They (would) go to the poor neighborhoods and exchange dirty needles for clean needles, so people won’t get diseases when they shoot up,” Victoria Tran said. Many students have come out of debate with friendship, skills, and invaluable experiences. “It’s also fun to sound like you’re smarter than other people,” Victoria Tran said. “The medals are also an incentive.” Despite the intense competition, debate still teaches valuable lessons. “I really enjoy debate,” Jonathan Lewallen, sr., said, “It’s a great way
EVAN GOTTSTINE, REPORTER
to learn about the world and think critically about issues and their implications. The greatest part of debate is getting to hang out with engaging people.” But, in the end, debate has helped reach to students, and teach valuable lessons that affect all aspects of life. “Debate has helped my speaking, organization and how I think mentally,” Taben Azad, jr., said. “It is very beautiful to anyone and I’d encourage anyone and everyone to try it out.”
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Drama performs ‘Once Upon a Mattress’ Erin Isherwood, sr., Keaton Jadwin, jr., and Harper Bottorff, sr., perform during a rehearsal of “Once Upon a Mattress” which will be presented this weekend in the east auditorium. The musical is an adaptation of the fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea” by Hans Christian Andersen. CASSIE FAGEN PHOTOGRAPHER
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4Opinion line
EDITORIAL
November 20, 2009
Do you believe the death penalty should be repealed? “I don’t think the death penalty should be repealed. I think, depending on the crime, that some people deserve the death penalty.” - Megan Davis, jr. “I think people (like Dennis Rader) deserve to be executed. If you kill someone, you should die too. Everyone should be equal.” - Keertana Chary, jr. “We should use it more often in Kansas than we do. A life for a life; if someone kills someone, they should die too.” - Adnan Jaffal, jr. “A lot of really bad people get away too easily. They have too many chances.” - Senda Vu, jr. “I believe in the ‘an eye for an eye’ way of thinking.” - David Heaton, jr. “If you murder someone, you’re killing them and disobeying God. I think they should take a different approach in prison and focus on the person’s trouble. They should try to make them a better person rather than kill them. That’s coming from a faith perspective.” - Alasyn Zimmerman, jr. “People shouldn’t be able to decide who dies. So I’m against it.” - Molly Pham, jr. “If they killed a lot of people, they should pay the same way.” - Deisy Castillo, fr. “It depends on the circumstances.” - Erin Cernik, jr. “I think they should get rid of the death penalty. It costs too much money for the taxpayers.” - Anthony Ochoa, sr.
FairTax benefits America, solves problems T
he end of the IRS. Decreased taxes. Reduced unemployment. The return of manufacturing to American soil. The FairTax can deliver these to the American people. The proposal replaces all current forms of taxation (including personal and corporate income taxes) with a federal sales tax of 23 percent. The tax would apply to all retail goods and services purchased for personal use, meaning that it would exclude used goods and business-to-business sales. While 23 percent seems exorbitant, the FairTax is designed to be revenue-neutral, meaning that it generates an equal amount of tax income for the government as the current system. The blame for the high rate lies with excessive government spending. Tax evasion is a significant problem with the current tax system. Rich Americans find ways such as estates and tax havens to avoid paying taxes. Undocumented sources of income, such as organized crime, are impossible to collect on. Illegal immigrants, who benefit from tax paid government services as well, do not pay any income tax at all. Many refuse to pay until the IRS hunts them down. Not paying taxes does not hurt the government, instead the costs are passed on in the form of increased taxes to those who pay honestly. Under the FairTax, tax evasion becomes an impossibility because taxes are collected at the point of sale. No additional infrastructure or costs are needed because taxes would be collected alongside
existing state sales taxes. Everyone who lives or spends money in the US contributes to the tax base. The IRS (along with its $12.1 billion budget) would no longer exist. Tax day, April 15, becomes just another beautiful spring day. While the current income tax discourages productivity by taxing profits (both personal and corporate), the FairTax would encourage people to save. Because only purchases are taxed, money that is saved remains untaxed. The FairTax would also bring jobs by encouraging businesses (both American and foreign) to move their operations here from overseas. Businesses move operations overseas for two reasons. The first is reduced costs due to low wages. But the second reason, which is often overlooked, is that developing countries have lower tax rates because they do not have the vast infrastructure, entitlement programs, and war spending the US federal government supports. The FairTax would shift the balance back in America’s favor by eliminating all taxes before the point of sale. When these companies return, so do their jobs. Wages will increase under the FairTax. Currently, 7.5 percent of each paycheck is deducted before the worker even gets to see the money. Employers are forced to match this “contribution” with an additional 7.5 percent in the form of a payroll tax. With the FairTax, these taxes are eliminated and the 15 percent difference goes into the workers’ pockets. On the surface, it would seem
JOHN CAMENZIND
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF as though tacking a 23 percent sales tax onto all purchases would increase prices. Not so. The reason has to do with taxes that are embedded into all goods and services. Taxes are paid on land owned or rented, on payroll, on profits, and on purchases from other businesses. The business has to recoup this increased cost of operation with higher prices. Under the FairTax, all taxes before the point of sale are eliminated. This decreases the cost of doing business, which in turn decreases the prices businesses have to charge in order to stay profitable. As a result, prices would drop. These eliminated taxes add up to 23 percent. Add the FairTax back on top, and the prices will return to normal levels. Families below the poverty line do not pay income tax under the current laws. The FairTax would provide a rebate (read: free money) to all heads of households amounting to 23 percent of the poverty line. This would offset all FairTax that people who spend at the poverty line pay. The FairTax would be a drastic improvement over the current system. It would decrease waste, encourage responsible financial decisions, help the poor, increase wages, and decrease unemployment.
Capital punishment means unnecessary cost for taxpayers
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ven if one ignores the overly used, but accurate bumper sticker depiction of the death penalty - we kill people who kill people to prove that killing people is wrong - there are numerous practical reasons for its elimination. The most obvious reason to eliminate capital punishment is pure economics. According to a recent report from the Death Penalty Information Center, an execution costs an estimated $30 million more than a sentence of life in prison. In some states, the cost for an execution is as much as $50 million. Many of these costs come from the long appeal process required before the offender can be executed. Before the death penalty is to be abolished, it is important to examine the reasons that it was brought about originally. One reason that capital punish-
ment came about was to increase the feeling of safety among citizens within the state. If the offender was dead, there would be no chance for him or her to escape and hurt others. This makes sense, except for the fact that many people sentenced to capital punishment are still alive. Since 1994, when Kansas instituted capital punishment, nine men have been sentenced to death by legal injection. All nine are still alive. Another reason that many states instituted the death penalty was to reduce violent crime, believing potential murderers would fear the death penalty and refrain from committing violent acts. An article from the Associated Press suggests that this is not working as lawmakers intended. According to the article, a California man sentenced to life in prison has requested to
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JEREMY KOEHLER
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF receive the death penalty, as the amenities on death row are better than those that he would receive if he spent life in prison. So the death penalty is ethically questionable, extremely expensive, and some violent criminals even like it. The correct decision for every state is to eliminate the death penalty immediately. In a time of economic crisis, millions of taxpayer dollars cannot be thrown towards programs that are obviously ineffective, like the death penalty.
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November 20, 2009 EDITORIAL Teachers on Facebook allow students to reap academic benefits JENICE DUONG S crolling through Facebook status updates, one might see, “John Doe wonders if illiterate people get the full effect of alphabet soup?” Although this might be the most amusing part of a person’s day, not only is Facebook a place to put your life ponderings, but it’s also a place to keep up with past and current friends. Created in 2004 for college students, Facebook allowed high school students to join in 2005. In 2006, the California-based company invited the public to join Facebook and begin inviting people to be their friends, opening its virtual doors to 300 million users. Despite preconceived notions, Facebook does not remain reserved for teens and 20-somethings. A 2008 ComScore study found that almost 40 percent of Facebook users were above 35. Although some might see this once hip destination as verging on the un-cool, some teen Facebookers see that adding adults as friends benefits them. Adding teachers as friends could help close the generational gap as well as help students receive extra help with schoolwork. Some teachers believe social networking sites help them connect with their students about homework, tutoring and other school matters. Other teachers believe that they must keep their relationships with students purely professional to avoid developing inappropriate relationships. Although teachers may want to keep relationships with students
WEBMASTER purely professional, merely wanting to be a teacher means that one agrees to get to know students and form relationships with them to show that they more than just a name in the grade book. One step may include helping students using other means such as outside communication such as districtsupported classroom websites or adding students as friends on Facebook. It seems evident that teachers sometimes need to communicate after school with students about educational matters, but some teachers have their own class pages hosted by their school districts for that very purpose. Those pages eliminate the need for Facebook or other social networking sites and allow the schools to monitor all student-teacher communication Unfortunately, students rarely ever visit them. Students are more likely to click on an interesting status update made by a teacher about the upcoming test because it happens to be dispersed with their friends’ Facebook updates about alphabet soup. While some teachers believe that adding students on Facebook may be too invasive, others have found creative workarounds such as only accepting friend requests
from students who have graduated or those who are over the age of 18. Teachers can also sort student friends into lists and adjust their privacy settings to control what people in that list see. Teachers could allow students to see basic information and nothing else if they so choose. Teachers can use Facebook privacy settings according to the different types of relationships they have.
As long as both parties behave appropriately, as they should, there exists no awkwardness or inappropriateness in students and teachers to being friends on Facebook. So go ahead, act appropriately and add your teachers. You never know, being on Facebook more often just might raise your grade point average.
MINHCHAU TRUONG, GUEST CARTOONIST
Only Special Education Drivers Education in city needs recognition from students
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ast is known throughout the district as having the best of everything (to us at least). We have the best academics, best sports, and best students. These elements are all what led Connie Chappell, Drivers Ed. instructor, to chose East 20 years ago when she was looking for a job—because, according to Chappell, we have “the best school and best cast of teachers in the city.” Chappell did not come to East to fill any ordinary position, though. She was took the role of Drivers Education teacher for students with special needs. Chappell offers her class to all Special Education students in the district, but the class is only offered here. Chappell has been in the position for about 20 years, and notes that she considers working with Special Education students a very rewarding experience. She came
JESSICA THOMAS
REPORTER into this career by first getting a Masters in Special Education and a Minor in Drivers Education. Her program gained in popularity, and now Chappell has a waiting list of potential students. Chappell’s program is similar to a normal Driver’s Ed. program. Her students must pass five classroom tests and 10 driving tests with an 80 percent score or better. However, this is where the similarities end. Chappell is able to change questions on classroom tests to help her students better understand. For example, instead of asking the student what the “required
speed limit in a designated school zone,” is, she can ask what the “speed limit in school zone” is. This simplifies tests for students, and makes passing a little easier for students. Another difference between this and regular driving classes is the individualized plan. Not only is the classroom more one on one, but students spend an hour driving each lesson instead of the 15 minutes that is standard in most Drivers Ed. classes. While this extra time helps students succeed and pass their tests, sometimes the whole hour works against students, who have more opportunity to make mistakes. Despite the challenges students in Special Education face in terms of learning to drive, motivation is not a problem. According to Chappell, the environment in her class is a positive one. Students work hard
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to do whatever it takes to get their license. “Many of my students do not read, but in 20 years I have never had a student leave this room not reading,” Chappell said, “They want a license so badly they will learn to read.” Programs like this are ones more students and the community should hear about. Our Special Education program is one to be proud of, and there needs to be more information for students to learn about Special Education and proctoring for classes like this. Driving is a skill no teenager should have to go without, and teachers like Chappell and our Special Education department should be proud to continue offering this program.
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FEATURE
November 20, 2009
Traditions
thanksgiving
Individuals relate holiday experiences
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acrosstheglobe
he first Thanksgiving celebration dates back to 1621 when Wampanoag Native Americans and colonists from Plymouth joined in communion and celebration. They could not have predicted that they would lay the foundations of a tradition that would last for centuries, but that’s exactly what happened. In the modern world, Thanksgiving isn’t nearly the same as it was in the 1600s. In fact, it’s impossible to say that it’s even the same for people today. In reality, Thanksgiving changes drastically from family to family and individual experiences define the holiday. “My family doesn’t do anything for Thanksgiving, or any holiday really,” Rachael Nguyen, jr., said. “It’s nice that we don’t do anything. Family gatherings are always too stressful.” It seems that few students agree with Nguyen’s view of Thanksgiving. “For Thanksgiving, my mom bakes a lot of pies and traditional Thanksgiving foods like turkey,” Megan Crawshaw, soph., said. “Then we turn off all our electronics and just talk as a family. It’s great. I think Thanksgiving, along with Christmas, is the best time to grow closer to family.” Traditions, like Crawshaw’s tradition of turning off all electronics, can be found all over East. “Every year my family has a huge dinner and makes traditional Mexican food like tamales, menduo, and polze,” Itzel Ontiveros, soph., said. “Then we just sit
around, eating and talking. My favorite part is when we tell stories about our ancestors. It’s really interesting.” While many students gather with extended family to tell stories about ancestors and culture, others find that culture is not a significant aspect of their Thanksgiving. “My family is Welsh and most of my extended family still doesn’t live in the U.S., so Thanksgiving is usually just my close family,” Kyra Rice, soph., said. “We bake a lot of pies, especially pumpkin pies, but there’s not too much Welsh influence in the food.” Rice wishes Thanksgiving could be more centered on her culture. “I wish my extended family could be here,” Rice said. “It would be cool to celebrate Thanksgiving with them.” Other students do not mind having the traditional turkey dinner kind of Thanksgiving. “My family doesn’t really do anything too out of the ordinary,” Desiree Parmaley, fr., said. “We usually just have turkey and watch football. After dinner, we also set up our Christmas tree and get ready for the Christmas season.” While some families enjoy smaller celebrations, Asia Moore, sr., exemplifies the idea that bigger is better. “We invite tons of people over and have a huge barbeque,” Moore said. “We make everything from bratwurst to steak to potato salad and greens.”
In America, everyone knows about Thanksgiving, but much of the rest of the world is oblivious. Regardless, every culture celebrates a day of thanks and four foreign exchange students discuss their individual cultural experiences.
marieschart • germany
In her culture: “Our ‘day of thanks’ isn’t really that big of a holiday in Germany. It’s more of just a Christian thing. People will pray and give thanks for things they have.” Views on Thanksgiving: “I’m really looking for-
yiyizhang
•
ward to Thanksgiving. I’m excited for a lot of new dishes and meeting their big family. I’ve never even had turkey. I’m excited for that.” Sharing traditions: “I definitely plan on bringing back the dishes and sharing them with my family.”
china
In her culture: “There isn’t a holiday like Thanksgiving in China. Sometimes at school we write a note of thanks to each of our parents, though. We do celebrate the Spring Festival, though. We eat dumplings, watch fireworks, and meet with family.” More on culture: “Since there is a law in China that allows families to have only one child, we have really small fami-
lies and so we take every opportunity to get together with our whole family.” Thanksgiving in America: “For Thanksgiving my host family is going to Texas. I think it will be fun. A while ago, I went to a blue grass festival and had a huge turkey leg. It was so good.”
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FEATURE
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1. popeyes chicken Like most other students, Giovanni Poland, sr., seems to partake in the typical Thanksgiving meal. “The things we eat usually include chicken, turkey, mashed potatoes, and collard greens,” Poland said. “Oh! And don’t forget the hot sauce on the greens. That’s the best.” For Poland, the food doesn’t stop at Thanksgiving. She enjoys the food offered by restaurants after the holiday. “The day after, I go with my family and friends to eat chicken at Popeye’s and Church’s,” Poland said. “A lot of people don’t get chicken because of turkey on Thanksgiving, but I do. Both are good.” In fact, the restaurants offer Thanksgiving deals. “A lot of food is on sale,” Poland said. “You can get a two piece with a biscuit at a good price and 99¢ chicken.”
November 20, 2009
holiday salad Kelley Courington, jr., acknowledges the eccentricity of her family’s special food item. “My family makes holiday salad,” Courington said. “If you came to my house, you’d think ‘what is this?’” Unlike the traditional salad which accompanies a Thanksgiving meal, Courington’s holiday salad functions as a desert. “It has weird ingredients like red jello, coke, cherries and nuts all mixed in,” Courington said. The salad has been a tradition in her family for years. “I think the holiday salad dates back to when my grandma made something like it from the 1800s,” Courington said. While holiday salad is different from many other Thanksgiving items, Courington defends it as her favorite. “It’s delicious. It might look gross, but trust me, its good.”
lubnaloubani • israel
In her culture: “We have some holidays that are similar to Thanksgiving, but not Thanksgiving specifically. We celebrate Ramadan which is an everyday fast, but at the end, we have a big fast with all our family. I really enjoy spending time with the family. The men pray and give thanks while the women sit and talk.”
3. greenbean casserole Erika Ekengren claims her family’s green bean casserole is the best. “Our casserole is made of cream of mushroom soup, French fried onion, cheese and green beans,” Ekengren said. While it seems like an ordinary dish, Ekengren said one ingredient puts the icing on the cake. “My mom’s casserole is the bomb because of that extra French fried onion on the top,” Ekengren said. “It adds a real crunch.” Despite the number of other food items, green bean casserole takes precedence above all else for Ekengren. “It’s my favorite Thanksgiving dish,” Ekengren said. “Actually, it’s my favorite all year round.” As tradition dictates, Ekengren’s Thanksgiving dinner is very family oriented. “My folks and I gather around the dining room table and have a celebration of what we should be thankful for in our lives. Like green bean casserole.”
Thanksgiving in America: “For Thanksgiving, I’m going to Texas with my host family. My host mom’s brother has a farm there.” Thanksgiving expectations: “I think Thanksgiving will be fun. I’m looking forward to the big family and big meal. It will be similar to back home.”
mausjesperson • denmark
In his culture: “The only holiday that we have that is similar to Thanksgiving is the Danish Independence day. It’s kind of mix of Christmas and Thanksgiving and we eat a lot of food.” Views on Thanksgiving: “I’m looking forward to Thanksgiving because I’ve heard a lot about it on TV and it seems like
it’s one of the biggest holidays. I’m glad I get to participate in it.” Thanksgiving expectations: “My host family is the best. I think Thanksgiving with them will be a lot of fun. They let me in quickly and really accepted me.”
LAUREN GRABER, REPORTER SALMAN HUSAIN, REPORTER
ENTERTAINMENT 8Cell phones evolve from talk phones to life phones November 20, 2009
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verywhere you go there they are. It seems like no one lives without them anymore. It’s an absolute must for emergencies and has become an every day necessity. “I have a phone because everyone has one pretty much,” Diamond Dameron, fr., said. The first basic cell phone was launched in 1973 and was created by Martin Cooper. Not a lot of people owned a cell phone then, but now most people do. Phones have evolved from being 90 pounds to a few ounces. Phones may seem overpriced but compared to the 1984 Motorola DynaTac 8000x which sold for almost $4,000, they are not. Now phones cost from $50 with a service contract to $250 or more without a contract. Cell phones are sometimes free with deals and contracts. “I’ve had six phones so far because some of them broke,” Ashlyn Evans, soph., said. “Others
were from friends and also I had to change plans,” Most phones that are made today are flimsy and are not as durable as they were years ago because they are more hi-tech. Cell phones are filled with more features including mp3 players, cameras, touch screens, internet accessibility, and keyboards. “I have a Verizon LG,” Douglas Biggs, History instructor, said. “It has a keyboard so I can text all my homeboys and keep in touch.” Modern cell phones are not just used for calling anymore. They are used every day as organizers. Cell phones include alarms and time sets so agenda or a watches are not needed. It helps people keep in touch with friends and family when they are not always there. “I want a phone with a full keyboard because I like texting a lot and also because it’s more organized,” Vincent Nguyen., soph, said.
Most people today own a cell phone with texting. People can be spotted texting in classrooms, offices, homes, and anywhere else imaginable. The third generation of mobile phone technology or 3G for short is now available. It provides the ability to transfer both voice data and non-voice data such as downloading information, exchanging email, and instant messaging. “I have a Blackberry Curve,” Alex Keomanyvong, sr., said. “I’ve only had it for a week now because I break most my phones so I can get an upgrade. My phone is used for texting the most. The best feature of my phone is unlimited internet. I get on MySpace a lot and also Facebook so I can communicate with my friends.” Having an upgraded hi-tech phone isn’t what is most important about having a cell phone. No matter what, they are still used
The iPhone is scrolled using touch screen. PHOTO COURTESY MCT CAMPUS
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DUDE looks like a
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FEATURE
November 20, 2009
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very year, a brave group of young men get together, dress as women AARON HEIL, REPORTER for a day and perform in front of a KIERSTIN MCMICHAEL, REPORTER school of 2,000 plus students – all as a DONALD PEPOON, REPORTER competition to hold the coveted title of Mr. Ace and raise money for the United The committee in charge Way. of donations helped, but The first Mr. Ace pageant took place in 1984. even some of the student The idea originally came from Tiffany Wilson, body participated in putting former East student and current professional it together. fund raiser, as a way to do something fun and Now, 25 years later, the unique that would also benefit charity. tradition continues in an effort to Wilson said that people gave $1 each as an not only have fun, but do something entrance fee to this United Way week idea. good for others in the process. “We thought it was a good idea because it got “We just wanted something everyone everybody together for a good cause,” Wilson said. could be involved in and have a good time,” Although the concept of a cross-dressing Wilson said. “We didn’t think it would become a pageant could have incited controversy, “it went yearly tradition. I’m glad it is being carried on. very well the first year,” Wilson said. “The total It’s great that it is supporting United Way week.” (amount of money raised) was very good and it was very popular.”
Gaylon Nickerson, sr., receives a bouquet of flowers upon winning the Mr. Ace pageant, Oct. 30. HALEY SHELTON, PHOTOGRAPHER
PAST MR. ACES 1984 - Dennis Bradfield 1985 - Pete Holloway 1986 - Craig Bay 1987 - Craig Bay 1988 - Phil Slope 1989 - Jerry Clayton 1990 - Dwayne Lipscomb 1991 - Adam Healy 1992 - Adrian Griffin 1995 - Chuck Johnson
Craig Bay (‘87) wins the 1987 Mr. Ace for the second time in a row. Bay is the only student to win the pageant twice.
Jake Ramstack (‘97) is congratulated upon his victory in 1997’s Mr. Ace contest.
1996 - Joe Steffes 1997 - Jake Ramstack 2000 - Eric Smith 2001 - Landrell Hoover 2003 - Joseph Earnest 2005 - Isaac Mitchell 2006 - John Stegman 2007 - Aaron Gurley 2008 - David Cooper 2009- Gaylon Nickerson
SPEAK OUT “It’s funny and upbeat. It raises money for a good cause. The Spice Girls from two years ago were pretty funny.” Megan Janusz, sr. “It’s a fun way to get out of class and lighten the mood.” Dylan Morlan, sr.
The Mr. Ace candidates of 2000 pose for the swimsuit competition
Stephen Houser (‘04), a candidate for the 2004 pageant, uses the moniker Alexia.
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“As a judge it has haunted my soul, since you have to be in the front row and they don’t tell you what to judge. It’s a lot of fun, but I don’t like judging.” Doug Biggs, History instructor
SPORTS 10 Indoor soccer prepares East’s girls for outdoor season November 20, 2009
sounded,â€? Asia Moore, sr., said. On Nov. 13 half of the team showed up, forcing the girls who attended to pick up the slack. Each girl played at least ďŹ ve times and the game was only lost by one point to the Spider Monkeys. “I think we’re losing because we lack communication,â€? Emma Lavacek, soph., said. “It’s not that we aren’t good, we just don’t talk to each other on the ďŹ eld. Not everyone knows everyone’s names and they aren’t sure about skill levels yet. This could easily be ďŹ xed just by being around the team more and getting to know the girls more.â€? All three games were at Sport Zone. The girls substituted every three minutes, giving all 20 players a chance to play at least twice. The team captains considered splitting up the team because of how large it was but they decided to keep the girls together until the second session in December. “We can’t split into two teams
because of the issue with money,â€? Bailey Avery, sr., said. “People have already paid and it wouldn’t be fair for them to pay for six games and only play three.â€? Each girl paid $21 to play, $9 for the team t-shirt, and $12 dollars to cover the registration fee. The seven seniors on the team give support and encouragement throughout the game. “The girls need to pay attention and take the advice the seniors give to heart.â€? Avery said. “Some people brush it off and act like we don’t know what we’re talking about, and we deďŹ nitely need to stop the drama.â€? The girls agreed that drama is another reason why the BBG’s are losing. “The gossiping needs to stop,â€? Savannah Golden, soph., said. “I go to games to play soccer, not to be talked about when I’m on the ďŹ eld. We’re a team and we need to play as one.â€?
Erika Ekengren jr., runs towards the ball as a forward. EMMA GILLLESPIE, PHO-
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Photos have black 1p0 stroke. Text wrap at 0p10, 0p5 on bottom. Photo credits are always included with the caption. FIRSTNAME LASTNAME, PHOTOGRAPHER
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hough East’s indoor soccer team, the Big Booty Girls, also known as the BBG’s, is not an ofďŹ cial team, the girls feel still feel a sense of family. Every girl on the team goes to East and some girls are returning players from last year but most are new. “This team was made so we can all reunite and get to know each other better so when outdoor starts we know how to play as a team,â€? Nousette Escoto, jr., said. After two games, the girls realized how much they really do need to work as a team. On Nov. 6 the BBG’s played together for the ďŹ rst time and lost by one point to Valley Center, 2-1. On Nov. 7 they played their second game, tying Hays Thunder 2-2. The girls stepped it up the last few minutes but couldn’t score to win the game. “The end of Saturday’s game was really cool because we were continuously shooting at the other team’s goal until the buzzer
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EMMA GILLESPIE, REPORTER
Erika Ekengren, jr., plays forward on Nov. 6. EMMA GILLESPIE, PHOTOGRAPHER
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November 20, 2009 SPORTS Boys basketball hopes to improve on previous trip to State
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BRAE MINER, REPORTER
sked what they wanted the school to know about the basketball team, Randall Rogers, sr., and Jalen Carter, sr., requested a minute to speak alone. Sixty seconds later, two beaming and brawny basketball players stood erect with warm smiles, confidently declaring, “We’re going to State.” And it’s quite possible. Last year, the team tied for second place with a 12-4 win-loss record in the City League. “The tradition’s been set and I’ll be relying on a core group of about five players,” head coach Ron Allen said. “I want to blend another group of kids who haven’t been battle-tested yet, but will need to step up.” The season will kick off with a home game against Heights scheduled for Dec. 4. Though last year’s All-City team members Marcus Adams and Leon Flowers graduated in the spring, All-City Honorable Mentions including Rogers and Jalen Williams, jr., remain to lead the Aces. The team as a whole, however, has already prepared for the season by enduring eight weeks
of conditioning and playing in the scholastically unaffiliated basketball league Hoop Mountain Central. “We’ve been doing a lot of running and weightlifting,” Carter said. “It’s really helped us to bond.” Bonding will definitely help when it comes to meeting short term goals of winning the City League title and then Sub-State. This is not to mention enduring the infamous two-adays, the tradition of practicing as a team both before and after school during the first week of the Ron Allen, head coach, intructs players during a game Dec. 6, 2008. JUAN RIVERA, PHOTOGseason. RAPHER “The doors are by accomplishing things together, time to teach because kids retain locked when practice which builds team chemistry and information better early in the day. starts at 6 a.m. in order to teach eventually, team pride.” The boys also form a fraternity discipline,” Allen said. “It’s a good
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12
November 20, 2009
FEATURE
g and alcohol n i y t Par I
Many teens have or will drink, but many might think twice if consequences are known
t is fun, occurs frequently, and is also illegal. According to Alcohol and Public Helath drinking for young adults under 21 may have decreased, but the numbers are still shockingly high. In fact, approximately 5,000 youth under 21 die per year by choosing to drink. Drinking occurs mostly at parties or in small groups of friends. When it is time to have fun, alcohol tends to show up. Andrew Wagle, jr., was one of the unlucky people to be caught with alcohol. Last Memorial Day weekend, he
and a small group of friends went to El Dorado Lake to have a good time. It was a planned event, and knowing there was going to be alcohol, Wagle went. “Drinking feels good to me,” Wagle said. Wagle has been going to the lake for a while and this was his first time caught. Butler County had just recently hired officers to monitor the activity that goes on around the area. With being caught came consequences. He had to go to DUI classes for a month, write a 250 word essay about the effects of
alcohol, be tested for alcohol levels every three months, have his license restricted, and follow a curfew. He will start a class called “Think for a Change” this month. “I regret being caught that night,” Wagle said. Many factors can contribute to someone to drink. Someone might just want to have fun, or might be depressed. “I think that they have nothing else to do, they want to have fun, and it shows their true selves,” Wagle said. Underage drinking is a serious public health issue and requires community based efforts to watch the activities of youth to decrease the access to alcohol. “Just warn (youth) of the consequences; the police (being called) are not worth it,” Wagle said. Alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among young adults. The smallest amount of alcohol consumption can impair judgment and doing the simplest things can become difficult. Many reasons can contribute to why someone may become an abuser of alcohol, and treatments are offered to correct the habit- both voluntary and involuntary. This means that the individual may choose to enroll in an alcohol abuse treatment program, or in other instances, a court may order the person to counseling. The Wichita Public School District has a zero tolerance policy of pupil behavior of alcohol, drugs, drug paraphernalia, and any other controlled substances. If this policy is violated, the student will be
punished with a 186 school day expulsion from all Wichita Public Schools. Young adults take unessary risks with underage drinking despite the fact that in a few short years, teenagers will be able to legally drink.
Effects of alcohol - School problems - More likey to be involved in fights - Lack of social interaction - Hangovers and illnesses - Hampers sexual development - Physical and sexual assault - Higher risk of suicide - Alcohol- related car accidents and other unintentional injuries - Memory problems - Abuse of other drugs - Life long effects in brain development - Weakens the immune system - Death from alcohol poisoning - Lose control of emotions - Depression - Lack of motivation - Anxiety disorders - Hallucinations
ASHLEY MATTHEWS, REPORTER IAN BAILEY, REPORTER
SPEAK OUT “There are parents that don’t tell (their children) not too. Some parents drink themselves, so it makes it easy to steal a bottle of beer or something.” Keegan Hughes, soph.
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“I think underage drinking is useless; if you need to be intoxicated to have fun, then apparently you don’t have friends that can make you happy enough.” Kaytie Beasley, fr.