Wichita East Messenger Junior Issue

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March 11, 2010 Volume 117 Junior Issue

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INDEX

March 11, 2010

Letter from the editors

INSIDE

JUNIOR ISSUE Around the School

06

by jessica thomas

08

Hidden Talents

by salman husain

10

Disabilities and illnesses

by lauren graber

Culture

12

by donnie pepoon

Reader DAftearer wo rking on the Junior Issue, we’ve s,

es to discovered that East High continume for the r Ou ys. wa surprise us in many nown this issue focuses on hidden or unkool. sch our and life aspects of student s or This includes hidden talents, secretdent’s stu a or ool sch skills related to the many involvement in an activity that not people know about. g Our goal was to share the fascinatin t hou oug thr s ual ivid stories of unique ind se the for rch sea the school. In our because individuals, which wasn’t difficult of the diversity at East, we found Our candidates in many different areas.dents Junior Issue editors pose in the West third floor. danieldame, photographer endeavor led us to learn about stunown unk es, ess illn with life threatening school, a secrets within the tunnels of our ts who handful of talented kids and studen s. take pride in their cultural customtruly is ue Iss ior Jun As a result, this East. about the incredible student life at l wil you ue Iss ior Enclosed in the Jun We . ries sto nt ere read about many diff or hope that you discover something ut. abo w kne n eve someone you never porting We would like to thank you for sup the g din rea and ff our newspaper sta oy the “Messenger.” We hope that you enj t we tha nts tale and secrets, confessions a football game.

Students cheer at tried to capture within our paper.Editors grapher oto ph , en cassiefag Junior Issue

One of my guy friend snuck over to my house a couple of times after midnight and spent the night while my parents were home. They still haven’t found out about it. • My mom accidentally killed my cat in the dryer when I was four. • I can’t stand most of the people I’m

nice to. • When I was in preschool, I ran up to a boy and kissed him on the cheek and told him that he was my boyfriend. He ran away, and I kept chasing after him. • One time, I got attacked by geese. •

are of myself

I take pictures of myself all the time. The majority of the pictures on my camera

• I used a floatie in the pool until I was 16. • I miss the bus all the time. • I love ‘that’s what she said’ jokes. •

wouldn’t get in trouble.

I lied to my teacher so I

• My sister and I used to talk secretly at night through the vent that connected our rooms. • I lied to my teacher because I forgot to

do my assignment. I blamed it on one of my friends. • I drove a car when I was 10 because my cousins who I was with were too drunk to drive. The oldest one even puked in my uncle’s car. • When I was in P.E. playing, I slipped and fell on my butt. I was embarrassed that someone might have seen me. • I am color blind. • I draw my fantasies. •

A boy tried to kiss me in first grade and got expelled. • Every morning I blow dry my

hair to the song “That’s Not My Name” by The Ting Tings. It usually involves quite a few hair flips. • Some freshmen are older than me. • I love you so much that it hurts sometimes. • I left my door open and let my sister’s cat escape. • As I was leaving from my friend’s house, I hit a curb and he saw it. I was really embarrassed the next time I saw him. • I kissed a girl... And I liked it. • I left the gate open and my dog ran away. I lied to my parents about it. • I drove over the

grass in front of a lot of people at my church. Very embarrassing, mostly because I did this at 5 o’clock on Woodlawn. So many people saw it.

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confessions FEATURE

5

March 11, 2010

Students anonymously share secrets and embarrassing stories that you’d never know about them.

project ostsecret.com is a community art usly ymo anon can ls idua indiv h to whic . It offers a submit their secrets via postcard tion enunique and constructive, not to men le can peop tertaining, method through which ets. relieve themselves of various secr more To simulate the website and learn d aske about the students around us, we their own students to anonymously submit secrets subus vario are wing follo The secrets. friends. and es mat class own mitted by your Continued on page 13

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“I snuck out of my house, took my mom’s car and didn’t come back until way later that night. I couldn’t imagine seeing her face when she realized that I was gone with her car.”

“My friends and I were playing Chinese fire drill in the middle of the night. When the cops came and asked us why we all got out of the car, we lied and said that the driver had a stomachache.”

“When I was in P.E. playing, I slipped and fell on my butt. I was embarrassed that someone might have seen me.”

“I lied to my best friend when I forgot her birthday. I told her that I was just really busy with other stuff that day.”

“I draw my fantasies.”

One time, I was walking down the stairs with my binders and skipped the last few steps and ended up sliding all the way down the hallway on my knees... Thank goodness nobody saw it. • I peed on my best friend’s toothbrush and didn’t tell him.

A few weeks ago I tried on my sister’s jeans and actually liked them so I wore them for half the day. I’m a guy. •

I felt kind of guilty, but not enough to actually tell him. He figured it out anyway. • I’ve gotten pregnant twice and had an abortion both times. I guess I never learn from my mistakes. • Once I made out with my best friend’s girlfriend. My best friend walked in and we got in a fist fight. I had to go to the hospital after that. Can you say awkward?! •

I still play pokemon with my brothers... I’m 18 now.

• I’m addicted to websites like FML,

postsecret, and MLIA. • In first grade, I talked to a girl everyday on the playground. Summer came and we stopped talking. On the first day of second grade, I said hi to her. She just looked at me and then ran away. We haven’t talked since then. I still think about her often. • I’m

me when I was little. • I hate sleeping with pillows.

terrified of ducks. They used to chase

• Whenever I’m in the car and its raining, I watch the raindrops race down the window and cheer

for a certain one. • I work out solely to meet hot guys at the gym. • I told my friend that “Cantaloupes” killed Simba’s daddy in the “Lion King”. He started to cry and asked if “Cantaloupes” lived in our town. • I color code all my folders and notebooks. • Sometime I watch PBS with my brothers. I love Arthur the

aardvark. • I’m practically blind and need to wear glasses, but I hate wearing them so I never do. It hurts my schoolwork and driving, but at least I look better and feel more comfortable. • On my first day of kindergarten, I brought a girl’s backpack. My mom picked it out, so I assumed it was acceptable to use such a girly backpack.

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6

FEATURE

our building

March 11, 2010

Kelly Minerd, building engineer, shows a tunnel of pipes that leads to the west complex. laurengraber,

photographer

A

fter 26 years working here, building engineer Kelly Minerd knows the school well. Even places students never see. Minerd has spent a good portion of his time working under the building, in a maze of underground tunnels that run under the whole school.

Before the 2000 Bond issue and renovation, Minerd used to spend much more time under the building. Now, he and his co-workers only have to go underground about once a week to check for water leaks.

When major construction was done, steam heating was replaced with a different system and the tunnels were no longer needed to heat the building. This switch got rid of many problems for the building staff. Before the Bond issue, repairs were constantly needed for the steam heat system. The staff worked three shifts with people working 24 hours a day seven days a week.

Since switching from steam heating, Minerd and his coworkers have spent a lot less time under the classrooms. Before, they climbed up and over a wall to fix pipes and leaks that sprung up under the east building. The same issues were present in the west complex as well.

“You can get up everywhere in the west complex, but a lot of it you crawl on your hands and knees,” Minerd said. “You belly crawl some of it. There’s no room to do anything else.”

The underground epicenter is somewhere students never visit, but everything from the

school is run from below. Bells, alarms, and clocks are all wired from below the school, as well as all the gas and electrical distribution.

Another new feature following the Bond renovation was the presence of wild cats.

According to Minerd, they managed to sneak into the boiler room during construction and infiltrate the tunnels. Now, however, the presence of all animals is greatly diminished.

“Over the course of the years I haven’t ever come across any rats or mice,” Minerd said. “There have been a few roaches here and there. There’s just not a lot of room (for rodents).”

Considering the building has stood for 90 years, there’s one question that must be asked.

What about ghosts?

“As much time as I’ve spent down here in the last 26 years, I have never seen anything,” Minerd said. “I’ve heard some noises unexplained but I’m sure it was just pipes shifting.”

In all this time, Minerd has had many adventures under the building. By now, he knows the tunnels like the back of his hand.

“I’ve had my light burn out and had to get out of here in the dark,” he said. “It sucked.”

And Minerd and his team will continue to run the school from under the building indefinitely.

www.ehsmessenger.com

7

FEATURE

March 11, 2010

learnmore To hear more about this story see the Messenger website at

www.ehsmessenger.com.

Online, you can find an extensive video tour of the underground tunnels.

This painting in the library celebrates Kansas heritage. jessicathomas, photographer

undergroundart

When I first entered the tunnels that run under the school, I felt a little disappointed. The air was dusty, and low lighting made it difficult to see. The small space made seeing difficult. As we continued our tour, I began to appreciate more how complex and vast the tunnels were.

-Jessica Thomas

This colorful mural is located in the west building near the office. jessicathomas, photographer

Mystery art

This ceramic carving is outside the journalism room, which has also been an art room, a computer room, and a vocal music room.

This tile mosaic is located outside the art room and was subject to graffiti. jessicathomas, photographer

The underground tunnels are located below the boiler room near the gym.

laurengraber, photographer

www.ehsmessenger.com

Russell Best’s history room has a closet autographed by students. jessicathomas, photographer

8

FEATURE

March 11, 2010

from martial arts to music...

Where do you usually perform?

“My pop sets up all the shows for me. I usually do performances at clubs around Wichita or at house parties. Just whatever is available. There will be a lot more opportunities once I turn 18.”

Where do you get your inspiration?

“I usually just rap about my everyday experiences and especially about girls. Like I could write a song about how I walked outside and met a hot girl.”

“What interests you most?

“My brothers were the ones who first got me started rapping. One day they put me in a studio at Broadway and Lincoln and I just did it. Now we’re recording at my house.”

Have any of your songs been played on the radio?

“My two biggest songs are ‘Going Crazy’ and ‘Fantasy’. Those two should get on the radio.”

What do you expect to do with your talent in the future?

earlbell

“My two biggest songs are ‘Going Crazy’ and ‘Fantasy’. Those two should get on the radio soon.”

This picture is of Earl Bell’s, soph., album cover entitled Polo’s Assassin.

Photo courtesy of ICTHiphop.com

hidden talents

Why did you start tae kwan do?

“My best friend and I were going into freshman year at different schools and we wanted a way to stay together and see each other. She ended up getting too busy to keep doing it but I kept going because I love it.”

What keeps you interested?

“There’s a lot to like about it. My favorite is the sense of discipline. I like having something to do with my body, like my sister does dance. It’s kind of the same thing.”

How often do you practice?

“Twice a week for an hour. I have began also helping with lower level classes once a week.”

edenmaack

How high in the belt system are you?

I am a blue belt, and at my next test will get a red tip, then after that I will have a red belt, which is the highest level.”

Do you compete?

“I’ve been to two tournaments so far which were extremely interesting.”

corneliusbaker Cornelius Baker, soph., sings at the front of the stage at “Nights of Glee.”

cassiefagen, photographer

Eden Maack, soph., practices her Tae Kwan Do at the West YMC Center.

Photo courtesy of Eden Maack.

Were people surprised to see you at Nights of Glee?

“I think people were kind of surprised to see me in the show. I don’t think people see me as a performer, but neither do I.” Why did you decide to participate in the show?

“I decided to participate in the show because I saw the Nights of Broadway show last year and I thought it would be something fun to do. Plus I know I have bad stage fright, so I wanted to do it as a way to sort of get over that.”

Did you think you would get a part?

“I wasn’t really sure if I would get in when I auditioned because it was the first show I auditioned for at East so I didn’t know what to expect.”

What do you plan to do with your talent?

“I always joke around about going on ‘American Idol’ but I’m not really sure that dream would work out too well, though I would like to continue singing in some kind of way. I definitely hope to do more shows while at East also.”

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9

FEATURE

March 11, 2010

Talented students discuss stories about secret abilities

T

he abundance of talent at East High is usually not difficult to find. However, sometimes talent isn’t as obvious.

Many individuals have hobbies, skills and activities they either keep hidden from the rest, or are just not recognized for.

Kelly Benson, jr., is one of these students.

Benson creates art, not only in her free time, but also during school.

“I mostly like to do watercolors and various forms of painting,” Benson said. “I do pottery, but I’m more familiar with working with a pencil in my hands than actually using my hands to model three dimensional art such as pottery.”

Benson gets her inspiration from from her personal experiences.

“I almost always listen to music when I paint or create art,” Benson said. “I pull from various subjects and events based on what music I’m listening to. There isn’t one thing in particular that I decide to paint about every time.”

She enjoys focusing on certain subjects when she creates art.

“I really like the human form,” Benson said.

“My parents have a lot of medical books that I like to look through. In particular, I like the eyes and face of humans.”

What started as a fun activity for Benson has even become more than a hobby.

“I created a pot in art class and one day my art teacher came up to me and asked me if I would like to display it in an art competition, Benson said. “I said “yeah” and now I’m excited that it will be featured.”

Like Benson, some students aren’t known for their skills. Benson and five other students took the time to share their stories to let the school know about their hidden talents.

Entitled “Winged,” Kelly Benson, jr., created this piece in April, 2009. In order to emphasize the details of the wings, she chose a limited color palette of yellow, blue, and green. Photo courtesy of Kelly Benson.

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What got you interested in snow boarding?

“I skied for a few years with my family, but I always kind of wanted to learn how to snowboard. It looked like a lot of fun and seemed cool.”

Why do you love the snow sports so much?

“I’ve always loved being on the mountains. My family goes a lot and it’s something that I’ve always really enjoyed.”

Photo courtesy Kyle Charles Where do you usually snow board?

“We usually go to Breckenridge, Colorado. My family first got me interested in the idea of learning to snowboard. They suggested that I rent a board and take some lessons one day.”

Are you interested in other athletic activities?

“I play soccer and golf too, but skiing and snowboarding are really different for me. There’s more danger involved so it’s more of a thrill.”

How did you learn?

“I only took one day of lessons and it took a few days to get the hang of it.

It was pretty difficult to learn and I was only able to do it that one year.”

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www.ehsmessenger.com

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FEATURE 10 2 overcoming August 11, March 17, 2010 2009

challenges

Students deal with illnesses, disabilities, offer inspiration

acesofhearts

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O

n August 24, 2009, Benjamin Ale-Ebrahim’s life was changed forever. It was that day that he received the call that a liver was available for him.

“Apparently I had a genetic disease called Wilson’s disease,” Ale-Ebrahim said. “It inhibits the body’s ability to process copper, such as chocolate and nuts. All that built up in my liver and caused it to fail.”

Prior to last summer, Ale-Ebrahim had never encountered problems with his liver, in fact, he had no idea of what Wilson’s disease was. It was not until a trip to Alaska that the disease began to affect him.

“I started swelling up and thought it was nothing big,” Ale-Ebrahim said. “When the trip was over, my mom took me to the hospital immediately. They said that my liver was failing.

After a while in the Wichita hospital, I just kept getting worse, so they sent me to the Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.”

At the Kansas City hospital, the doctors told

“I

see almost everything that you hear about out in the community; when you have 2400 students, you see splatters of everything,” Glenna Haney, nurse, said. “I’ve seen heart, stomach, and lung problems, asthma, diabetes, bleeding, cancer, everything.”

While no disease is a good thing, Haney said that she has had to deal with some things she considers to be worse than others.

“The worst thing to experience is when there’s a student who is terminally ill,” Haney said. “I’ve had students with cancer and two with congenital heart defects. I’ve been here 11 years and had too many students pass away. That is hard.”

Whether they are terminally ill or not, all students have to cope with their diseases. Haney tries to assist students with this process.

“Everyone’s coping abilities are different,” Haney said. “Obviously, some kids who have had their disease for a long time have learned to cope with it better than newly diagnosed students. But every teen has to relearn how to cope

Ale-Ebrahim that he needed a liver transplant.

“I was really confused and scared of dying.

It was hard. I didn’t know much about transplants before so it was a lot to handle.”

Though the transplant was a shock, AleEbrahim managed to continue his school work throughout the process and remain in the International Baccalaureate program.

“I was in KC for about two months and I did a lot of school work there. The teachers would e-mail my assignments and I’d have to teach myself. The teachers were all really understanding. I had a lot of support from my teachers, family, and friends. I didn’t want to give up. I really like the IB program.”

Though this experience is one that no one would wish to have, Ale-Ebrahim offers advice to others who may experience such a situation.

“Don’t give up. Its going to get better.

Don’t let yourself get too upset; things will improve.”

once they get to high school. Everyone wants to be normal and sometimes you have to struggle with that, even kids who don’t have an illness or disability.”

Haney believes that one of the most important parts of her job is to help students with this process. Through clubs such as Aces of Hearts and support from counselors, Haney said that East does everything it can to help students facing various health challenges.

“We try to do everything we can for the students, however, we want to support them in a low key way that doesn’t draw too much attention to them,” Haney said.

“We have counselors who offer help and various support groups. Obviously, we just want to offer the help that each individual student needs.”

Overall, Haney said that the students and faculty seem to be doing a good job at supporting students in this way.

“I think that East is pretty accepting as far as high schools go,” Haney said. “I really haven’t gotten too many complaints about people being teased or bullied because of their illness or disability. I’ve noticed that if the teachers are accepting, then the students usually will be too.”

benjaminale-ebrahim

www.ehsmessenger.com

11

FEATURE

March 11, 2010

W

hen Courtney Kane, fr., was diagnosed with diabetes, her first thought was ‘What’s that?”

She was quickly informed that diabetes is a disorder in which the pancreas is unable to produce the insulin needed to maintain blood glucose levels.

“A lot of people don’t understand it,” Kane said. “Some think its contagious, but it’s not. I try to live my life like a normal high school student, but sometimes it can be hard because I have to take insulin shots four times a day. It can really interfere with friends and other things in my schedule.”

Yet Kane remains positive through it all.

“You just have to make the most of what’s in your life,” Kane said. “Take advantage of everything. Things like diabetes can close a lot of doors, but it opens some too.”

One way that Kane thinks diabetes has benefited her is through the friends she has made because of it.

“About six weeks after I was diagnosed, I went to a camp for kids with diabetes. It was basically just like a normal camp, except we were with kids who understood

the situation we were in and learned more about diabetes. It was a really good opportunity and I met a lot of new friends.”

courtneykane S

taying positive through challenges is never a problem for Emily Matthews, a sophomore who has learned this life lesson through her arthritis.

The official name of Matthews’ disease is dermatomyositis.

“It affects a lot of my activities, especially sports,” Matthews said. “Even basic movements, like standing up, can become difficult. It’s in all my muscles, so it affects my life a lot.”

Not only does it affect her muscles, but it can also cause fevers and skin rashes as well.

Doctors first diagnosed Matthews at age five when her parents noticed that she and her twin sister Ashley, were having difficulty with normal movements.

“Ashley and I are the first twins in the US to both be diagnosed with arthritis,” Matthews said.

“It’s extremely rare for kids our age to get it, especially at the age of five.”

Since it is so rare, doctors are unsure of the

cause of dermatomyositis, or even a possible cure.

“It’s pretty frustrating,” Matthews said. “There’s only so many medications they can use on something they don’t know very much about. We are always the guinea pigs for these medications.”

Though she feels frustrated by the situation, she also finds joy in the possibility of spreading awareness and helping other students in the same situation.

“I’ve been really lucky to tell my story,” Matthews said. “I’ve gone to conferences and talked to congressmen; I’ve had opportunities to do a lot to help other kids.”

One of the biggest things Matthews believes she has learned from her arthritis, is to keep a positive attitude.

“As corny as it sounds, just don’t give up,” Matthews said. “There is help out there; you just need to find it.”

emilymatthews

W

hen students see Dimitri Irby, fr., wheeling down the hall, many wonder why he is in a wheelchair.

“I have a disorder called dwarfism,” Irby said.

“Basically I’m a little person. The reason I’m in a wheelchair, though, is because I can’t support myself.

I have weak bones. When I was little, I was able to walk a little bit, but after a while, I just couldn’t anymore. I can still stand for short periods of time, but it isn’t easy.”

When Irby and his family realized that he was unable to support himself, his doctors decided to perform surgery to help him.

“The doctors did a surgery when I was little to try to strengthen my legs,” Irby said. “It didn’t work though; My bones didn’t become any stronger and I still couldn’t walk.”

Irby says that when he is older, the doctors will attempt the surgery again.

“I’ll probably get the next surgery when I’m

dimitriirby www.ehsmessenger.com

in my 20s,” Irby said. “The doctors will replace my hip bone to try to improve the strength in my legs so I can walk on my own. If the surgery doesn’t work, though, I’ll lose my ability to walk forever.”

For now, however, Irby says that he is content in his wheelchair.

“Even though I’m in a wheelchair, I still try to act like a normal teenager,” Irby said. “I can’t run or reach things that are up high, but I can still do a lot of normal things.”

Irby admits that living with a wheelchair does present many problems; he is not able to do many of the things that other teens can. Yet, he believes that this does not define or restrict him in anyway.

“My advice to other kids is to just be yourself,” Irby said. “Try everything that you can and don’t think that you can’t do something just because you’re in a wheelchair or something else. Don’t let your problems hold you back. You can still be you.”

12 cultural March 11, 2010

FEATURE

talents

For some students, knowing their culture simply is not enough. These students connect with their culture through talents, such as dancing, to gain a better understanding of their heritage.

Chinese yo yo

Since fifth grade, Eric Yang, jr., and four other East High studentshave participated in the challenging activity of Chinese yo yo and have performed at local festivals and charitable events. Unlike its American counterpart, Chinese yo yo consists of using both hands to control an hour glass shaped yo yo with a string connected to two handles.

How did you get into Chinese yo yo?

“I got into it in a summer camp, where I took a class from a teacher from Taiwan.

I started an association in seventh grade.”

What is different about Chinese yo yo compared to American?

“It’s more challenging and versatile than American yo yo. Unlike normal yo yo, it is not just you, Chinese yo yo can involve many people.”

How do you and your group get better?

“We do not really have a teacher, so all of our learning comes from looking stuff up online. We are trying to get better at communicating with one another and with making our shows flawless.” Wei Shi jr.

Eric Yang, jr., Wei Shi, jr., and Kenneth Ma, jr., do their Chinese yo yo routine at multicultural assembly. cassiefagen, photographer

Irish step dance

Irish step dance, also known as river dancing, is a cultural dance which originated in Ireland.

The dance consists of is a series of steps and kicks to Celtic music. Marrissa Bazzelle, jr., has been performing since the fourth grade and placed ninth in a worldwide competition for her age group.

How did you get into Irish step dance?

“I started in fourth grade when my mom’s friend took me to a class at an Irish Dance Academy. I have liked it ever since.”

Marissa Bazzelle, jr. dances during the multicultural assembly.

What is Irish step dance and why do you like it?

“It is a form of artistic expression that began in Ireland and carries on today. It is really fun and unique. There’s only one Irish dance step school in the state.”

cassiefagen, photographer

What competitions do you participate in?

“The CRN organization creates the competitions. I went to Ireland and placed ninth in 15 and under group my freshman year.

Competitions are divided into difficulty levels, currently I want to pass level three and eventually move into level four and five. You have to place first in a dance with more than seven people to move up a rank.”

Indian dance

Indian Dance is a type of dance native to India that is performed usually on special occasions including weddings and festivals. Divya Chivukula, sr., has been dancing since the age of three. She and other members of East’s Indian Dance Club perform regularly at charity events and private parties.

How how did you get into Indian Dance?

“All of my family friends have been involved in it and it seemed fun. I’ve been involved with it in my Indian community since I was three.”

What kind of events do you perform in?

“The Asian Association contacts us to perform at charity events. Sometimes we will perform at weddings and private parties.”

What do you like about Indian Dance?

“It is basically a choreographed dance that represents Indian culture. So it helps me connect with my culture,” Sagar Patel, jr., said.

How do you learn new dance and get better?

“I choreograph new dances by listening to the music a couple times,” Pooja Sheth sr., said. “The dance just comes to me.

We practice once or twice a week starting about a month before the event.”

Sagar Patel, jr., and Tony Mai, sr., performs at the Multicultural assembly for the Indian Dance Club. cassiefagen, photographer

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