PATRIOTthe

SHAWNEE MISSION SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL • NOVEMBER 2012 • VOLUME 47 • ISSUE 03

A WALK IN SOMEBODY ELSE’S SHOES

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JULIA LARBERG

Going to school each day with over 1,000 students can be isolating. Taking the time to walk in another person’s shoes can change your perspective and allow you to empathize with those around you.

an issue about teen perspectives

IT’S NOT JUST DOING HOMEWORK.IT’S DOING WORK THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE, TRANSFORMING AMBITION INTO ACHIEVEMENT.

umkc.edu/choose

Pittsburg, KS 66762 1-800-854-PITT www.pittstate.edu

Pittsburg State University

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STAFFthe

NOVEMBER ISSUE

NEWS

OPINIONS

FEATURES

The Patriot is a newsmagazine that aims to objectively present the facts concerning Shawnee Mission South High School, as well as connect with readers on issues affecting the student body. Staff members reserve the right to express their views in the Opinions section. These pieces are labeled and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff, except the Lead Editorial, which represents the views of editors. Under the First Amendment and Kansas Law, The Patriot staff is entitled to freedom of the press and neither the school nor district is responsible for any content or coverage. The staff encourages letters to the editor, but they will only be published if signed. The editor-in-chief reserves the right to refuse or edit any letters for reasons of grammar, length, and good taste.

A&E

SPORTS

SPOTLIGHT

ALMA VELAZQUEZ

Editor-in-ChiefDesign

CASEY LEEManaging editor

Sports

OLIVIA FEATHERS

News

CALVIN FREEMANOpinions

HANNAH STRADERFeatures

RACHEL ROSENSTOCK

A&E

DEREK FUHRMANN

Copy

JULIA LARBERGPhotography

HUNTER YOUNG

Web

SHELBY JOHNSON

Ads

WritersLUKE HOLLAND

HAYLEIGH CHUDIK

NATHAN THIMMESCH

MIGUEL PALOMINO

GARRETT MOULD

GRIFFIN ZELLER

TRIVETTE KNOWLES

AMBER FELKINS

ADAM MATEOS

PhotographersETHAN STONE

BRIANNA HYDORN

SUSAN NGUYEN

DEZARAE DUFFEY

HANNAH HOLLANDER

JULIE FALESAdviser

MISSION

WANT MORE? VISIT WWW.SMSPATRIOT.ORGfor polls, staff columns, and pictures

03TOC

18

Senior takes a retrospective trip back to her hometown

Is Thanksgiving still a relevant holiday to our generation?

Senior shares personal struggles, empowers others

070809

Students raise awareness for help with family crises

IPS cadets and students throw a Halloween party

The stats on Thanksgiving around the country are revealed

040506

Editors express disdain for incentives given for charity10

Seniors graduating early discuss their choice as the year ends for them

11 Several students recount experiences and realities that shaped their perspectives

14

Tattooed students share the stories behind the ink

Read about the latest music, movies and other bits of pop culture

See SMS’s best dressed in an elaborate photoshoot

151617

Former local hotspots are forgotten as new ones take their place18

A look at the process behind the selection of team captains

Photos of the Pacesetters’ recent dance marathon

A look back at the fall season and a preview of what’s to come

202122

A sister tennis team shares secrets to their success23

24*

* cover story

PHOTO BY ETHAN STONE

Kemper Arena, a once a bustling and popular venue for concerts and other events, now rests barely used in the West Bottoms of Kansas City, Missouri and is soon to be demolished.

04 NEWS

CALENDARmark your

BLACKOUT[spirit dance]

12.7.12

breakthanksgiving

NOV. 21-23

fall

PLAY

tonight

tomorrow&

STUDENTS COME TOGETHER FOR EACH OTHERS’ PARENTSBY CALVIN FREEMAN

Donating, fundraising, T-shirt making and Twitter advertising, Team

Kris and #PrayForPaul are slogans for raising awareness for the Prueter and Cabral families, each going through their own family crisis.

Paul Cabral, father of junior Chase Cabral and 2012 graduate Macen Cabral, was badly injured in a motorcycle accident in August. He was transferred to a hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska and is currently in Omaha at a facility that specializes in traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

“I didn’t believe that it was happening,” Chase said. “I thought that it was just fake and that it was just something stupid and that it would be fine.”

Due to a large amount of medical bills piling up, the Cabral family held fundraisers and received support from family and friends to help get them through this difficult time.

Fundraisers were held at a local Home Depot and at Johnny’s Tavern on Corinth Square. At the Home Depot fundraiser, the store agreed to not only match, but double any donations that were made for Paul Cabral’s cause. At Johnny’s, there were silent auctions and

donation buckets sitting out with fliers that cash or checks could be dropped in. On top of that, Johnny’s agreed to donate 20 percent of all money that they made between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20.

“The two fundraisers we had were big,” Chase said. “Anything helps at all.”

As for the Prueter family, senior Jon Prueter has felt relieved since his mother returned home from the hospital after a battle against T-Cell Lymphoma.

“I’m very thankful for [the fact that she’s home] and I’m very gracious. Looking back on it I think it made my family a lot stronger. It also made me appreciate my friends a lot more for all the support we’ve gotten,” Prueter said.

Kris Miner, Prueter’s mother, was diagnosed with T-Cell Lymphoma in late May earlier this year. Rather than grieving about the situation, Prueter said that the family quickly took the approach of “what can we do to make it better” and “how can we help others from it.” The family soon started doing donor drives and encouraged other people to sign up for “Be The Match” which is a national

donor program for people with life-threatening cancers like leukemia, lymphoma and other diseases. The site was important in helping Kris because it helped the family find a bone-marrow match and allowed for a transplant.

The Prueters were able to make money by selling T-shirts with “Team Kris” written across the front and “be the match” on the back. The shirt was sold mainly to friends and family and it is worn by students all over the school. The football team, cheerleaders and Pacesetters showed their support at a football game for Kris’ cause. The players wore green socks, the cheerleaders wore “Team Kris” shirts over their uniforms and the Pacesetters wore green ribbons during their performance. The crowd theme for the game was “Team Kris.” The majority of the crowd either showed off their “Be The Match” shirts or wore lime green to match.

“You hear stories about other people going through it but when it actually happens to you, it’s kind of shocking,” Prueter said. “It’s not hard to look back on now, but it’s kind of surreal that everything went well.”

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DEZARAE DUFFEY

headstartHOLIDAY PARTY

Dec. 6

12/6winter band

concert

05NEWS

NEW RELIGIOUS CLUBS FORM AT SOUTH BY HAYLEIGH CHUDIK

Here at South, religious clubs are flourishing. Adding to many clubs

such as Club 121, Jewish Student Union and Fellowship of Christian Athletes, are two new clubs: Young Life and Shawnee Mission South Devotional Time.

SMSDT consists of devotional time, Christian fellowship and prayer. The club does not meet at the usual after school times like most other activities, but in the morning at 7:10 every day. The meetings are led by senior Abbi Lopez. For social studies teacher and club sponsor Jackie Turner, this club is something near and dear to her heart.

“For me, [religion] is everything I do,” Turner said.

Despite the early mornings, SMSDT has been having good turnouts.

“We have anywhere between 6 to 10 people and the same ones are coming very consistently,” Turner said. “I haven’t noticed that [the time] has been an issue with these kids. I admire them for getting up a little earlier and getting here!”

Young Life is the other religious club new to South. Senior Wheeler Crimm has been involved with Young Life for quite some time now.

“I went to North’s club last year and I really liked it. I didn’t

know why South didn’t have one,” Crimm said.

Young Life is different from most religious clubs due to the fact that it is a SM South and SM East combined club. The meetings are held at someone’s house each week on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. and the past few meetings have been at East student Troy Wilkinson’s house. The gatherings are not a Bible study or youth group.

“[The Young Life meetings are] one of those things that you have to be there to experience. We play a lot of crazy games,” Crimm said.

Since Young Life doesn’t meet at school, few South students have been in attendance. Trying to fix this and educate people on what the club does is a number one priority to Crimm.

“I think it’s hard because a lot of people don’t know what it is. They kind of think it’s like a youth group thing, but it’s not at all. It’s slowly gathering people. They’re figuring out what it is,” Crimm said.

SMSDT and Young Life are two new religious clubs encouraging everyone to come try them out.

“I think that it’s sort of a less intimidating way to get involved,” Crimm said.

BY ALMA VELAZQUEZ

IPS HOLDS YEARLY PARTY

Sophomore Nicole Thimmesch usually hates spiders, but the week before Halloween she carried

a plush gray tarantula on a string briskly down the hallway. A week later, this spider was part of decorations adorning the gym lobby Oct. 31 for the IPS Halloween party. The party, hosted by South, gave IPS (Interpersonal Skills) students the opportunity to experience a high school dance.

“A lot of things make them really excited,” Thimmesch said. “I think it’ll be really fun, and they get to dress up; we’re all dressing up.”

One of many social activities, the Halloween party was also a chance for IPS students to interact with people other than the same teachers and cadets they see every day.

In 2011, South hosted a similar Valentine’s Day party, which all Shawnee Mission IPS students attended. Though this year was planned to be just as large of an event, other schools were unable to attend due to their own Halloween festivities.

Instead, however, students from the Broadmoor 18 through 21 program joined South students for games and snacks. Some were South alums themselves.

“It was great to see some of them again,” special education teacher Laura Keithly said.

For IPS cadets and students, the week before Halloween was spent in elaborate preparations. Much like for other school dances, cadets were split into seven committees to plan different aspects of the event. Committees

included food, music, invitations and the usual elements needed to put together a party.

“I am doing food and decorations. I just put together all the food that everyone has to bring and I’m sending fliers to the parents about the party,” Thimmesch said.

IPS students themselves also had a hand in the preparations.

“We like to see the students involved. They made some cupcakes and put together gift bags,” Keithly said.

The day of the party, these treats were displayed festively on tables as students and cadets awaited the arrival of their guests. Student costumes included a haunted butler, a witch boy, and a Greek goddess.

For cadets, it was a rewarding experience.

“This is kind of a point halfway through the year that we get to see them work on the skills we’ve been teaching them since the beginning of the year,” junior and IPS cadet Will Skoog said. “We get to see their progress.”

a quick look at the progress of the CANNED FOOD DRIVE

Mr.

Amer

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“I’M ELATED, AS I’M SURE MANY BEAUTY PAGEANT WINNERS FEEL.—senior Kenny Bergman TR

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1,500 CANS COLLECTED

equivalent to

$750on day one of the canned food drive CL

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[weekly winner gets a doughnut party]

week one winner:

MR. DEFFER’S CLASS

IPS students enjoyed food, arts and crafts at the annual Halloween Party on Oct. 31 PHOTO BY HANNAH HOLLANDER

06 NEWS

style

2013thanksgiving by the

numbersFACTS GATHERED BY OLIVIA FEATHERS

Illinois 425.4

Pennsylvania97.2Ohio110.4

New York 146.2California186.0

100 million lbs =

PUM

PKIN

S PR

ODUC

ED

16lbs of turkey

consumed annually

per person

12.3 billionbushels of

CORN

ANNUAL NATIONAL PRODUCTION

7.5 millionbarrels of

CRANBERRIES

266 millionlbs of

TART CHERRIES

2.4 billionlbs of

SWEET POTATOES

COUNTRY ROADS TAKE ME HOME

senior reminisces about hometownEven at 13 years old, I knew my town was

white trash. A total of 500 people lived in my hometown, a half hour drive from the nearest

fast food restaurant, but at the time this was normal. Worden was the kind of small town where everyone knew everyone and private business was never kept a secret for long.

It goes without saying that moving to Overland Park my freshman year was a huge change. We had never seen a highway with more than two lanes on each side, let alone lived in a city where you didn’t have to plan a 45 minute drive to go shopping. Surprisingly, this new lifestyle was easy to get accustomed to. It has become normal for me to simply drive to the next street over to grab Sonic for dinner or to leave five minutes early to get to my job at the mall on time.

Going back to Illinois in August, I was both nervous and excited. It was exciting for me to see all of my old friends and the town I grew up in. However, I was also aware of how different everything would seem to me now, four years later, not to mention the outward changes to the town. In my mind, Worden was in an eternal time capsule. Of course the rational part of me knew that a lot could happen during the time I was gone, but I was eager to ignore it. I just wanted to be back home, walking the streets I grew up on and knew so well, visiting people I intensely missed in my life.

The morning I arrived in Illinois, I met up with my childhood best friend at her church service in Alton, one of the many neighboring towns that also held significance in my life. Because I had been so close to her growing up, it felt like reuniting with family. Even her usually indifferent twin brother was welcoming as I sat between them that morning after embracing both her parents. After service, we began making our way down gravel roads between endless rows of cornfields to my hometown.

“Are you excited?” Lizz asked me, glancing

from the driver’s seat. I nodded, my eyes focused on the world outside the window that had seemed so distant until now. There was the first tunnel beneath the train tracks, small town graffiti covering its every surface. The rock pile, sandwiched between the two tunnels, made me smile as I remembered the many treks my dad and I had made there. I remembered climbing to the top and talking as we sat, victorious. Finally, my eyes settled on the welcome sign as I took in the familiar letters that composed the name of my home.

Waves of nostalgia washed over me as we weaved our way through those streets I knew all too well. There was my house, my neighbor’s house, the water tower, the bank, the volunteer fire department. We parked next to the fire department and set off on foot, visiting first Worden Food Market.

Growing up, Worden Food Market was our small-town version of a grocery store. It only had the essentials as far as food went, but it had personality. Proudly displayed above the meat section were 14 mounted deer heads, several photos of the owner during hunting season sitting below them. The signs were all hand painted, and homemade deer jerky was always available. Approaching the building, I took notice of the new sign. The name had changed and I vaguely remembered my mom’s friend mentioning there was a new owner during one of her many visits. I paused as I pushed open the door.

The entire store was re-arranged. To the left was a set of tables, a family sitting at one of them, eating sandwiches as they watched the Rams play on a mounted television. All the aisles were re-arranged, facing in completely different directions. The hand painted signs were gone and instead I was faced with pre-printed and laminated replacements mounted on the walls. Every single

taxidermied deer was gone and I felt out of place. I quickly exited, eager to get away from such an altered version of something so important to me as a child.

I tried to shake it off as Lizz and I began toward Tabby’s house. Tabby, a friend of my mom’s and our neighbor for 10 of the 14 years I lived in Worden, feels more like a second mom to me. Unaware of my visit, we surprised her by showing up at her doorstep. After a few embraces, we sat down in her re-decorated living room and caught up on all the small town gossip I had missed. Her son, Jesse, had just entered the sixth grade at the middle school I had attended. I took interest in the teachers he had, recognizing some of the names as she listed them off. This reminiscing continued for a while before I had to pull myself away. There were other people I was eager to visit in my town, and I spent another two hours with one of my previous teachers before I finally had to say my goodbyes. I had plans to meet with some of my middle school friends for dinner in Edwardsville, the closest town to Worden with a restaurant.

Meeting with all of these people I grew up with made me realize how much I miss them. I caught a glimpse of myself four years ago, a loud eighth grader trying to figure out where she belonged, not realizing that moving to Kansas was the right choice. She was afraid and depressed and struggling with her friends, and although I miss where I come from and the people I left behind, I know now that Kansas is where I belong. This is where I discovered myself and found my passion. This is where I began to pick myself up and move on. It was nice to go back and compare myself now as opposed to back then and see all the positive changes that have happened in my life and affirm that I’m right where I’m supposed to be. At the end of the day, Kansas feels like home.

10 OPINIONS

CAN OUR GENERATION STILL GIVE THANKS?find out

@ SMSPATRIOT.ORG

NATHANthimmesch 07OPINIONS

BY HANNAH STRADER PHOTO COURTESY OF LOT 7

SHOULD WE CELEBRATE

THANKSGIVING?

WORDON THE STREET:

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday, not only because of the family gatherings and incredible feasts, but because of what it stands for. I mean, it’s called Thanksgiving, giving thanks to those around you, and not only that, but being thankful for everything you have.

Not only do we get a break from school, but Thanksgiving also has a great history surrounding its origin. When the pilgrims met with the Native Indian tribes and were able to set aside their differences and share a feast together that just shows that all people are more similar than they are different. Thanksgiving can be dated back all the way to 1621 when the first Puritans started coming to the New World, and was celebrated

in present day Massachusetts because of a successful harvest. Back then they were celebrating and giving thanks to their lucky harvest.

Granted, these days you can’t really give thanks to the harvest, but people still have more to be thankful for than they understand or appreciate. And that’s what Thanksgiving is really about these days. We live in a great city in an even greater country. We have a lot of freedoms and material possessions that we think are a necessity where in reality we would be perfectly fine without them. These are the things we should use Thanksgiving to recognize in our present society.

To say that Thanksgiving is irrelevant is absurd. If you’re a

person who believes that you’re entitled to everything you have then I guess you would think that Thanksgiving is dumb. There’s always someone who’s better off than you, but there’s also someone who has it worse off than you. So no matter what your situation you always have something to be thankful for. It is a holiday for the humble. It’s hard to fully appreciate Thanksgiving nowadays when people think it’s about eating a lot of food and watching football, and I’m just as guilty as everyone, but while you’re sitting on the couch with your food-baby just think about how much better your life is compared to other people, not only around the world, but also in your own town.

In our fast-paced and demanding society, one of America’s first holidays has turned into nothing more than a commercial advertisement and an excuse to crowd around the TV. The tradition of Thanksgiving has been around since the first pilgrim’s infamous meal with the Native Americans in Plymouth. But do Americans these days really celebrate those original values of thankfulness and appreciation of one another? Americans can no longer celebrate the original intent of the holiday, we live in a society dominated by taking and no giving, even on a day of thanksgiving for our many blessings.

At the first Thanksgiving, the Indians and colonists came together peacefully to share food and learn about each other. They prayed and thanked God for their blessings in the long feast. Centuries later, in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared

Thanksgiving a national holiday, which would be celebrated on the last Thursday of November. Since then, the holiday has evolved little, only changing the date in the early 20th century to be changed back a few years later. Unlike many of our other holidays, such as Christmas or the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving has endured little change.

All Thanksgiving has become is another product to sell. Clothes, cards, advertisements all have a turkey or pie on them, and every commercial leading up to the day is about the holiday and what some consider to be even more important: Black Friday. The main draw for gathering at a family member’s house is to talk football with other fans and see whose pumpkin pie is the best. How many families even say a prayer of thanks or acknowledge blessings? Not all families practice a religion synonymous with the values

celebrated on Thanksgiving, or even practice one at all, so why should it be a national holiday?

Another important factor to consider is that many people living in America now have origins in a foreign country. The United States is infamous for being the only country to celebrate Thanksgiving, and many foreigners are curious about the traditions behind the holiday. But if Americans with families that have decades or even centuries of history in our country don’t even respect the original values, that doesn’t set a good precedent for immigrants looking follow our lead. Instead of being proud of our country’s history, we ignore a centuries old tradition and replace it with football games. But if you think about many seemingly “historic” traditions, not many are actually carried out. America has outgrown our old, traditional ways and needs to move into the 21st Century.

PRO

CON

“Yes, because you celebrate

what you’re thankful for and

so you never forget what you

have.”

“We need to be able to give

thanks and have a day of the year

to appreciate what we

have.”

—SENIOR SAM MOORE

—FRESHMAN RACHAEL ASHCRAFT

—JUNIOR BRITTANY KLOPPER

BY ADAM MATEOS

BY RACHEL ROSENSTOCK

DEBATEthe

08 OPINIONS

“It’s more about the family and giving, instead of Christmas which is more commercialized.”

be(you)tifulMost people don’t understand. If I tried

to explain it to you, I’m not sure I could because I don’t even fully understand it

myself. I don’t really know how to say this: I am a part of the one percent of people in the United States that inflicts self-harm. I cut my wrists. I feel like this is an A.A. meeting where someone stands up and says “I’m blank, and I’m an alcoholic.” Well, I’m Casey and I’m a cutter.

Why do I do it? I think I’ve been asked that question about a hundred times. I’ve asked it myself about a thousand. I guess the simple answer would be, it’s how I cope. People cope by overeating, under eating, doing drugs, drinking etc. I cope by cutting. I know it’s difficult for you to wrap your head around. When you get upset, you naturally feel the urge to do a certain thing, right? It’s the same with me. I just naturally feel the need to cut myself. I know this sounds weird, but it’s normal for me. I guess overall, the real answer is much more complicated, and hard to explain. Cutting gives me a sense of control. I know, it doesn’t really make sense. But I get to choose when, where, and how much I cut, and somehow that comforts me.

I also cut because I feel extremely guilty for my past mistakes. I’ve struggled with forgiving myself. Forgiveness isn’t something I feel I deserve. I’m trying to learn how to forgive: to forgive people that have hurt me, and most importantly myself. I hated who I was, and more than anything I hated the person I had been. Guilt is a strong emotion. I’m cutting because I feel guilty, and yet cutting makes me feel guilty. Makes sense right? I’m inflicting pain on myself on purpose. People are constantly trying to live, and I’ve been wanting to die. Crazy right?

I cannot say this enough: for the most part, people that cut are not crazy. We are not psychopathic, mentally ill, crazy people. And we do not need to be put in institutions. For the most part I’m just like you. I just have some slight imperfections, but who doesn’t? Yes, people who cut need help, but no, I do not need to be put on medications, or be treated differently. I don’t need to go into therapy to “talk about my feelings” and then have someone tell me what’s wrong with me. I already know what’s wrong with me.

You cannot define someone. I’m sick of being called “depressed” and “suicidal.” What does that even mean? Do you think that it’s really possible to define someone’s life? To define who someone is? I am Casey. I’m not depressed. I’m not suicidal. I’m not crazy. I am Casey.

That’s the issue with cutting. It’s so

misunderstood and misinterpreted. What people assume about it is usually wrong. Believe it or not, most people who cut aren’t suicidal. Some are, but most people don’t cut because they want to die. According to society, dark-hair, dark makeup, and “emo” classify cutters, not a blonde hair, blue eyes, Johnson County girl.

So what has kept me going? What has stopped me from killing myself? How do you go from wanting to die, to wanting to live again? If it weren’t for my family, friends, and God I wouldn’t be here today. For a long time, I didn’t tell anyone. I was terrified. I didn’t want to be judged, and I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. How would you react? Would you know what to say? Because “everything happens for a reason” doesn’t really qualify. But what should I expect you to say? Nothing. I understand how hard it is to find the right words. I had support, and I had people that cared about me, but something was still missing.

January of my junior year, I found God. Well, I guess He found me. Sounds cliche, but let me rewind a little. Growing up I hated God. I hated Him and blamed Him for everything bad that had happened in my life. I was so angry with Him. Then the cutting got to a point where I was on the bathroom floor digging a knife into my wrists begging God to kill me. Begging Him. Telling myself, “You’re not good enough. You’re ugly. You’re stupid. You’re not worth anything. Nobody loves you. You don’t even love yourself. You mean nothing. Your life means nothing.” Taking your own life is a very scary thing. God has a funny way of coming into your life at just the right time. I needed Him. And I may be a mess, but I’m His mess. His beautiful, indescribable, yet perfect mess.

This has been the most changing time of my life. I have fully accepted God into my heart. I am a completely new person. However, cutting is a hard habit to break, and most cutters continue to cut throughout their entire lifetime. I think about it every single day. One step at a time, that’s all it takes. It’s something that I will continue to struggle with, but I am so much stronger. This past year has given me courage. I view life differently now. It is so precious to me. So many people take living for granted. There’s the possibility that I couldn’t be alive right now, and that amazes me. I am alive, and for the first time in so long, I am excited to live.

But something that I can guarantee you is that life is worth living. I know what it feels like to be lost, and alone. To feel numb. I know what it feels like to have no hope. And I promise you that you will never be alone. You matter, you mean

something to someone. I don’t care what anyone says or what you tell yourself, you matter.

And don’t be afraid to be you. For a long time I was ashamed to be me. I hid behind who I was; I hid behind my scars. Don’t hide behind who you used to be, because it’ll hold you back from the person you might become. Embrace your flaws and your imperfections and accept the things you can’t change. Because your flaws and imperfections are what makes you, you. Look in the mirror every morning and realize how truly beautiful you are. Beauty can come in all forms. My scars may look ugly, but to me they are beautiful because they remind me of who I am and reveal my strength. They are a part of me. Don’t ever be scared of what someone might think of you. Your strength and your courage, are things that other people admire. Strength lies in differences, not in similarities. It’s something that others lack. Don’t ever let someone tell you that you’re not good enough. You know that you are. Don’t let them tell you what you can and can’t do. Don’t let them tell you who you are. Remember, nobody can define you. Ugly, fat, stupid, beautiful, skinny, tall, crazy. They’re just words.

So why am I telling you all of this? To make you be a Christian? To help you? For pity? Honestly, I fear your judgments, assumptions, and misunderstandings of it all. I would never want it to change the way you view me or look at me. I don’t want you to look at my arms when you see me; I want you to look at my eyes. I would never want my scars to define who I am. They made me who I am, but they are not who I am.

I didn’t kill myself. I choose to be alive. Suicide takes an average of 35,000 lives every year, and I refuse to be a statistic.

I hope that this changes your outlook on things, on life. I hope it decreases your judgment of people that you know nothing about. Keep in mind that the definition of judgment is the ability to judge, or to form an opinion, and that opinions aren’t always true. Accept people who aren’t like you. Learn how to love everyone, even yourself. I want you to cherish and enjoy life. Live your life with the intention of making an impact on someone else’s. If you think about it, one person is so insignificant compared to the billions of people on this earth. But if sharing my story touches someone, helps one person, or saves one life, then it’s worth telling. Dr. Seuss said it best, “a person’s a person, no matter how small.”

senior opens up about her struggles with self harmBY CASEY LEE

09OPINIONS

STAFF EDITORIAL:

Do we need incentives to donate?By the time they graduate, National

Honor Society seniors need a total of 45 volunteer hours. At private schools

such as St. James, and Kansas City Christian, students are required to have a certain number of volunteer hours to graduate also. For the Canned Food Drive, the class that raises the most money receives a party. If you donate at the Blood Drive, you’re exempt from a class while donating. Doing something that is supposed to benefit others, purely to benefit yourself is morally wrong. When helping others isn’t a personal choice, but required, it should not count as volunteering. If we receive a benefit from giving to others, it’s not really charity. If we are giving to get something in return, it is purely to benefit ourselves, not others. With incentives, volunteer work stopsbeing a personal choice. We need a certain number of volunteer hours, they don’t necessarily want them. And instead of, “You should donate,” it is, “If you donate this, you get this!” Or “If you volunteer you’ll get this in exchange.” Isn’t the system a little flawed? They need the hours to graduate, and if they want them, well, we all know volunteer work looks great on college applications. Incentives are typically offered to help a certain organization or volunteer group get volunteers and donations. But are they hurting our morals? In most aspects, incentives are the reason most people agree to do anything. It is absolutely true that without incentives, organizations wouldn’t nearly reach their volunteer goals and efforts. Incentives are a main reason most people choose to volunteer or donate. Rewards make people volunteer

and donate, but it doesn’t make anyone morally correct. However, it gets to a point where we question, do you have to have a reward/incentive to do something good? That’s the mindset of most. When we do something good for others, we almost always expect something in return. Whatever happened to doing something because it is right and you want to do it? Why can’t most people do things purely from the goodness of their heart? It’s all about selflessness and good morality. Instead,

we are often greedy, and expect something in exchange for our “selfless” actions. We seek approval from others, so when we do something good we look for a pat on the back or a job well done. The reality is, you won’t receive a cookie or a gold star every time you do something morally correct. Society just makes you think that you will. Instead of seeking others approval, we should find pure satisfaction within ourselves after helping others less fortunate than us.

WE VALUE YOUR VIEWS.if you wish to respond to this editorial, please submit it in the form of a letter to the editor. These may be submitted in person to Room 195 or e-mailed to almaighty@gmail.com. Responses may or may not be printed in the next issue.

THE VOTE IS IN:06:10 SIX OUT OF TEN EDITORS AGREE WITH THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS EDITORIAL.

10 OPINIONS

11FEATURES

BY NATHAN THIMMESCH

a newThe high school years: they can be the best and worst

of someone’s life. All the good times had with friends, all of the dances and sporting event and activities through school, and four years of classmates and family and finally growing into a young adult. However, there can be many struggles along the way: fitting in at school, home troubles, work, and keeping grades up. While some teens may not experience any of these, and others may experience them all and more, these four years of high school can see many adolescents grow into who they will likely be for the rest of their lives.

Some major contributors that may be among these influential factors could be the loss of a parents, a sibling who is living with some kind of a disability, or adopting a sibling from another country. According to multiple sources, one in seven Americans will lose a sibling or a parent before they reach the age of 20. According to siblingsupportproject, over six million people have special health or development concerns, and they typically have a healthy sibling. According to some sources, thousands

of families adopt abroad each year. These can all lead to a teenager having a major perspective change in the course of his or her high school experience, and ultimately his or her adult life.

The majority of teenagers have a set outlook on their lives. Many of them don’t know exactly what it’s like to have a major event alter their lives so profoundly; a significant number have not yet had to deal with some major life event or decision that will weigh on them forever. But what happens when that idea is shattered? What happens when some massive event sweeps through a teen’s life that forever changes how they look at their lives? Sometimes, teens are shocked by something with so great a magnitude that they must re-evaluate what it is that they hold dearest in their lives, and how they choose to perceive their lives. Whether this event has a negative or positive impact on their lives, these students will always have this experience burnt into their minds, something that will forever mark the time when their lives changed forever.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JULIA LARBERG

perspective

12 FEATURES

from herethe view

JORDAN & JESSIESenior Jordan and junior Jessie David know what it’s like to have something alter their perspective on life. Their mother, Lyn David, lost her life to breast cancer in the spring of 2010. The two had to cope with the loss of someone so close to them, and the event affected them both deeply.

“[The hardest part was] just knowing that I won’t be able to see her anymore,” Jordan said.

Jessie also felt the magnitude of never again seeing her mother. One distinctive factor of Jessie’s daily life that had changed was coming home from school every day.

“When I’d get home [from school], she’d be [at home] and it’s just different not having her there,” Jessie said.

The two siblings had known that it was inevitable. Their mother had been battling the illness for many years, and with cancer, very few things are certain. Knowing that their mother didn’t have much longer, they tried to make the most of what time was left.

“[We] just tried to spend as much time with her [as possible]. She couldn’t talk much, but we just tried to be with her,” Jessie said.

Jordan also remembers how difficult it was. His mother couldn’t get out of bed very much, so they tried to stay home and be around when they could, as well as help more around the house because she was bed-ridden.

“We did most of the housework, laundry, that stuff,” he said. After their mother passed, the family had to cope with her loss.

Spending time with family and friends was something that helped; the grieving process not only helped with dealing with her death, but it also made them consider their perspectives on life and it changed them.

“[What changed about my perspective was] that if I wanted something,

I would beg for it. I thought everything could come my way and everything would be good, [and now I know not to] take anyone or anything for granted,” Jordan said.

Jessie also changed her perspective on her life, though the change wasn’t the same as her brother’s. The two experienced the same event, though they both have new, differing perspectives on life.

“[I used to think that] life was always going to be there and [I] didn’t have to worry about anything,” Jessie said, “[Now, I know] that you can’t determine when you’re going to die, and it’ll come when it comes.”

RILEYLike the Davids, senior Riley Bortka also had a parent affected by cancer. Her father, Greg Bortka, contracted lung cancer and passed away soon after; this was during Bortka’s freshman year at South.

“My dad was diagnosed with lung cancer—never smoked a day in his life—in July, [and he] passed away in October. It’s one type of cancer that by the time it shows signs, there’s nothing you can do to cure it. Once you find out that you have it, it’s already far enough along that it’s going to go pretty fast,” Bortka said.

Bortka had to cope with the loss of her father, and had to do it both while he was alive and after he passed.

“At first I was so shocked and it was kind of hard to believe, but as it got farther along, it was like, ‘Wow, this is really happening.’ I guess it was more of a struggle everyday to stay focused and thinking that I could turn around one day and my dad may not be here. It was definitely something that was hard to cope with and made life a definite struggle, especially with school and everyday stuff,” she said.

After he passed, Bortka was initially shocked, and felt a sense of disbelief, but as time progressed, the reality of the situation seemed to set in.

“I guess again, just being shocked and unbelievable and even to this day, it’s like, ‘Wow’. It’s been three years since last month, so that’s a long time, but even today it feels kind of surreal and it’s very hard to explain. Unless you’ve been through it, it’s not really something you can understand,” Bortka said.

Bortka’s perspective changed after her father’s passing. She has altered her perspective a lot since she lost her father.

“Treat your family right and love the people in your life for everything they do for you. It sounds very cliché, but live every moment like it may be your last because you never know what’s going to happen,” she said.

BECCANot only can a student’s life be changed by something afflicting a parent; it can also be altered by something that is affecting siblings. Senior Becca Osborn knows what this is like; Osborn lives with two siblings who have mental disabilities.

“I have two siblings. One blood brother and a stepsister. And both have

PHOTOS BY JULIA LARBERG

Students share their personal experiences and how their outlooks on life have changed

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: JESSIE DAVID, JORDAN DAVID, BECCA OSBORN, AUSTIN LOVELACE, RILEY BORTKA

13FEATURES

Then we waited another six months before they sent us the dates we were going, which were another six months [away], so the whole process, before we actually went to China, was about three years,” Lovelace said.

This was only half the battle. After getting to China, it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing right away.

“[Mae] was very quiet, hardly spoke at all. She was obviously very nervous,” Lovelace said. “Then, one of the orphanage workers left the room, and Mae starts to get nervous again, like ‘Wait, what’s going on? Don’t leave me,’ that kind of thing. We’re talking with our translator and the orphanage worker, just trying to see what we should do after they leave. It’s just crazy because this whole thing lasts about an hour, and then the other two people left, so it was just our family and at that point Mae just burst out crying, total emotional outburst. So my mom took her and held her and Mae was crying for twenty to thirty minutes.”

However, given time to deal with her new situation, Mae soon adapted to what was going on around her. Lovelace recalls what it was like when the tears subsided.

“Mae just fell asleep [after she was done crying] and then she woke up again. She started playing with everyone and laughing and it was total nervous energy. She was laughing and giggling and then she crashed,” Lovelace said.

Despite the happy ending, it was a very nerve-racking event. There are so many variables that cannot be accounted for; there are certain things that can only be dealt with as they come along.

“It’s really strange; it’s the first night. You have no idea what this person’s like, no idea what this little girl’s thinking, you can’t speak her language, and she’s part of your family now,” Lovelace said.

The entire experience changed Lovelace’s outlook on life. He realized that, despite language barriers, cultural differences, and age variations, someone can still adapt to any given situation that they are put in.

“As far as my perspective [and] what has adjusted is just how incredible it is that we as people can adjust to situations like that in such a small amount of time. I mean, the process that one has to go through. Looking back at it now, all of the stuff that we have done, and the girl that Mae has become,” Lovelace said.

However, though Lovelace had realized how people can change in so short a time, his biggest revelation came when he took time to reflect on the experience he had be a part of.

“I think the biggest adjustment for me is how when you put yourself out there for people in a place where you say ‘okay they need help,’” Lovelace said, “and you look back at it and you’re like ‘that’s crazy, that’s such an awesome experience, being able to have a sister now that’s from a different country,’ it’s awesome.”

disabilities,” she said.This is something that Osborn has to help out with every day. She

contributes by helping with the daily routine.“[My siblings] go home, they normally watch TV and then they do their

chores. Sometimes they don’t do it and there’s a lot of [difficulty] involved because they aren’t doing it,” Osborn said.

Despite all the difficulties that can come with siblings who have special needs, Osborn finds that her perspective isn’t changed too much by this fact.

“They’re just family. I’ve lived with my brother since he was born and I knew from day one that he was kind of different,” Osborn said.

Even considering a life without siblings with special needs, Osborn doesn’t think that her outlook would change. She thinks that her life wouldn’t be too different one way or the other.

“I don’t think that would ever change. I mean, yes they don’t listen very well but everyone doesn’t listen [the first time around],” Osborn said.

AUSTINHowever, not all of these experiences are difficult to handle, or have a negative pall cast over them. While there are students who have to cope with deaths and disabilities in their families, others have had the opportunity to welcome a new life.

Senior Austin Lovelace and his family had the chance to adopt a daughter from China. The family adopted a four year old girl named Mae in the summer of 2009. The process itself, without any visits to China, took a long time, with a lot of interviews and preparations.

“There was a lot of paperwork that had to be done, [and] there were a lot of interviews that my parents and my brother and I had to go through.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: JESSIE DAVID, JORDAN DAVID, BECCA OSBORN, AUSTIN LOVELACE, RILEY BORTKA

14 FEATURES

EARLY DISMISSAL

students make the decision to graduate early BY AMBER FELKINS

Most seniors are looking forward to winter break after finals, but those planning on graduating early are preparing for their

last 25 days as high school students. Graduating early can be a difficult task.

Students need to plan ahead to fulfill high school requirements in a short amount of time. Summer school classes and late nights can be a part of achieving the 23 credits needed to graduate early. Parents also need to agree with the plan and sign paperwork approving early graduation. Senior Allison George decided to graduate early to pursue her interest in the arts. She had original plans for a career as a nurse practitioner but then realized she had a natural knack for creativity. George plans to study art in college after getting a job after her early graduation.

“I originally wasn’t going to graduate early, but then I realized I wanted to do other things than I was planning on doing [originally], but I didn’t know that I had enough credits,” George said.

An average of seven to 10 students every year graduate early, but only about five are actually following through this year. Counselors typically discourage early graduation because of all the second semester activities these students won’t have the opportunity to participate in.

While they may be missing high school events such as Prom, Got’cha, and Senior Skip Day, many have different reasons for wanting to graduate early. It’s a goal worth having to some.

“I’m going to miss prom and I won’t be here for the assemblies and stuff as a senior,” senior Samantha Harstead said. “But I really don’t care.”

Harstead currently has a job and plans on saving for college in the spring. She doesn’t think

she’ll have any regrets, although her mother disagrees with this. Harstead is looking forward to being out of high school and moving out to be on her own.

“It’s kind of scary because I have to find a place to live and pay bills and all that and [also] pay for college, but at the same time I’m excited to be out of high school,” Harstead said.

For some seniors, graduating early isn’t a choice, it’s a necessity. They may need to work full time to help support their family, or just need to get out of a high school atmosphere. Harstead plans on working to save money to attend Johnson County Community College in the spring.

“I’m definitely going to miss some of my classes. Ceramics and Environmental Ed were a lot of fun,” Harstead said.

While leaving high school behind an entire semester early may be hard on those students who take this opportunity, it is equally difficult for those around them.

“Part of me is like, ‘You’re going to miss Prom. You’re going to miss all that cool senior stuff at the end of the year. You’re not going to be here.’ But I don’t know... It’s just kind of a pro and con thing,” senior Makala Chapman said about her friend Harstead. “In a way, I’m proud of her and I’m like, ‘Yay! Graduate early, get started on your life.’ I know she’s going straight to JCCC for spring classes, so getting a jump start sounds like a good idea to me.”

While friends are preparing for their good-byes, families are starting to prepare for their high schooler to become young adults.

“[My parents] are fully supportive of anything that I really want to do that is good and beneficial to me. They’re always on board with my choices. I said ‘I think I’ll graduate early’ and they were

like ‘OK, let’s go get the papers for that’,” George said. As in any situation, there are positive and negative

consequences to making the decision to graduate early. Some can take it as an opportunity and others view it as a break.

“Sometimes when they do decide to walk, it’ll be months before they’ve seen any of their classmates, so they can be strangers,” Counselor David Mesh said. “For a certain number of students who have already defined the pattern they want to take after high school, they can get on with it.”

PHOTOS BY JULIA LARBERG

SENIOR ALLISON GEORGE

SENIOR SAMANTHA HARSTEAD

RAIDER INK After Junior Jes-sica Renfrew’s mom died during her freshman year, she decided to get a tattoo on her left ankle. The tattoo says MOM with a heart used as the O, she used getting a tattoo to commemorate her mother and she could always be with her.

In senior Gabe Guild’s family it’s a tradition to get a tattoo that says, “The only constant is change.” Most people in his family have it, but in different locations and fonts. The tattoo means to face your problems head on and roll with the

On senior Ciara Putnam’s 18th birthday she, her mother, and cousin all got tattoos together. Ciara and her cousin have an infinity symbol with strength in the middle and her mom has live laugh love along with the infinity symbol.

After senior Miranda Huff had gone through painstaking surgeries and bullying, she decided to get the Hakuna Matata symbol tattoo on the back of her neck where the scar of surgery begins. She got the tattoo as a reminder to always stay happy.

Society stereotypes teens with tattoos as juvenile delinquents that smoke and get into trouble. But with this generation and decade do those stereotypes still hold any truth? Pew Research reported that 10 percent of teens have tattoos. Today many students have deeper sentimental reasons for getting tattoos. Some decide to get inked after the tragic loss of a close family member as way to commemorate them or to express certain important values the hold.

“When I think about getting tattoos, it has to have meaning; my mom died and my tattoo represents her,” junior Jessica Renfrew said. “My dad didn’t mind because it has special meaning to it.”

After Renfrew’s mother died her freshman year, she decided to get mom tattooed on her lower right ankle. Her tattoo appropriately says mom with a heart as the O.

Senior Miranda Huff also got a tattoo to turn a negative experience into a positive one. After going through bullying and painstaking surgeries she got a symbol that represents “Hakuna Matata” tattooed on the back of her neck.

“It means ‘Hakuna Matata’ and it means no worries be happy. I had to go through everything by myself without my family helping me. But I told myself I was going to be OK as long as I put a smile on my face,” Huff said.

She got the tattoo as a reminder that she was able to go through such a difficult time in her life and still have an optimistic view. Surprisingly, getting the tattoo wasn’t less painful than everything else she’d gone through.

“It was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. It was my first tattoo and it’s a good size, pretty small. I’ve been told if you blur out the buzzing it won’t bother you. It was more of like an annoying kitty scratch,” Huff said.

Getting tattooed is actually a tradition in some families, like a right of passage. Senior Gabe Guild, along with most of his family, has “The only constant is change” tattooed on his forearm.

“My brother originally got it first,” Guild said, “now everyone in my family has it, but everyone has a different font and [it’s in a] different place. The saying itself means you’ve got to be ready for the challenges that are facing you up ahead. The only thing you can do is roll with the punches and face the challenges head on.”

Another student that has a similar situation in her family is senior Ciara Putman. On her 18th birthday, she got the same tattoo with her mom and cousin.

“It’s a connection that we will always have. Me and my mom planned on getting matching tattoos for my 18th birthday when I was 16. Mine is an infinity sign with ‘Strength’ on it. It means your strength never ends, because no matter what, you can never give up,” Putman said. “My mom’s says ‘Live Laugh Love’.”

Though they hold important meaning to the people who have them, tattoos are not the cheapest form of body art. They can range from $50 - $1000 or more depending on the size of the design, quality of ink, and details. Designs can range from simple small symbols to large and elaborate scenes.

Senior Ryann Saunders even designed her own tattoo. It says “ I believe I can fly” in Croatian, the country where her grandmother was from.

“I used to sing ‘I believe I can fly’, to my grandmother when I was younger. I was always afraid to sing to anyone else, but for some reason I felt comfortable when i was singing to her,” Saunders said.

Even with the best intentions at heart, some parents aren’t always the most open minded when it comes to their kids getting tattoos. Legally, in the state of Kansas, a minor can’t get a tattoo without parental consent, but that doesn’t always stop teens.

“I kinda got kicked out for a day. They were mad. Now they don’t really care, I was already 18 when I got it,” Huff said.

Because tattoos have a negative stigma, individuals sometimes judge tattooed people before they know the story behind, or the reason for getting the tattoo. On the other hand, tattoos just aren’t for everyone.

“I don’t think it’s the saying itself [that] people don’t like. I think it’s the fact that it’s a tattoo,” Guild said. “It’s mixed emotions. My mom hated it, but my stepmom has it.”

Because of their underlying meaning it’s not likely these students will regret getting their tattoos. It shows that teenagers aren’t just trying to rebel against their parents or society, but they are capable of making permanent adult decisions.

unconventional art decorates students

BY MIGUEL PALOMINO

15A&EPHOTOS BY HANNAH HOLLANDER

MIXrereviews of the latest in pop culture

MUSIC:

FLIGHT

After the release of One Direction’s first album Up All Night in March of 2012, the boys skyrocketed to the most popular boy band to have ever existed in the United States. This group, consisting of five boys from the UK with heavenly hair styles and a vocal range to match, have become more popular than even The Beatles, a feat proven by their No. 1 debut in the U.S., which was the first time in history to happen with a British band.

Their follow up album, Take Me Home, has had Directioners on the edge of their seats since its announcement and it didn’t disappoint.

The album opens with “Live While We’re Young,” the first single released. The track has been featured in a new Pepsi commercial featuring the boys and has received tons of airplay on radio stations across the nation. Their other single from the album, “Little Things,” is a complete turnaround from LWWY. Completely acoustic and filled with swoon-worthy lyrics written by Ed Sheeran, this song is sure to be played at awkward middle school dances for years to come.

Notable tracks on the album include “Rock Me”, “I Would”, and “Over Again.” “Rock Me”, a personal favorite of mine, might as well be titled Heart Attack Part Two (the track follows a song titled “Heart Attack”) because that’s what girls will be having while listening to this track. “I Would” features stand out lyrics that make it sound both comical and sweet. “Up in my head I’m your boyfriend,” croons Liam. Nice to know the feeling is mutual.

“Over Again” is the second song on the album to be written by Britain’s favorite ginger, Ed Sheeran. The lyrics flow almost like a rap, though the song itself is slow. For those who know Sheeran’s music well, it’s easy to immediately pick out.

The album offers a multitude of what I like to call ‘Happy Music’, but if it’s variety you seek, this is not for you.

ONE DIRECTION

16A&E

BY HANNAH STRADER

MOVIE:

Guns and girls. After 50 years and 23 movies, one of the longest running franchises delivers again. The movie starts with James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Eve (Naomie Harris) pursuing a mercenary who’s stolen a hard drive containing the identities of undercover NATO agents. While fighting with the mercenary, Bond gets shot on the shoulder after a misfire by Eve. Bond falls into a river and is presumed dead. Back in England, M (Judi Dench) is becoming pressured to retire. On her way back from a meeting, the MI6 security system is hacked, causing an explosion in the building killing six people. Bond, who was using his death as an early retirement, hears of the attack on MI6 and decides to come back. But a now broken Bond finds out getting to be his same old self isn’t as easy as he thought.

Director Sam Mendes has brought something different to the franchise, a different tone, and in this case different is very good. The film brings up what happens when in our age with information being online and in computers, and how much easier it is to manipulate private information for your own advantage. Bond and M are in some ways viewed as outdated relics and they question their place in a world where you can do more damage to a country with a laptop than bullets.

Javier Bardem’s character, Silva, is different from any other villain in recent Bond films. He’s charming and slightly flamboyant, yet there’s an underlying darkness to him. Craig does a great job holding his ground against Bardem’s performance. The film gives us a look into Bond’s tragic past, something that hasn’t really been addressed before. Like most movies, the film still has its faults, it tends to drag a little in the middle and was a little overhyped. Still, the film is enjoyable overall and will be one of my favorite Bond films.

BY MIGUEL PALOMINO

Walking into the theatre, I expected Flight to be a story about a man who heroically crash-landed a plane and had to deal with the consequences of drinking the night before, but instead I was drawn into a deep story centered around a drug and alcohol addiction and how hard it can hold onto everyday people. Denzel Washington plays the main character of Captain “Whip” Whitaker, who saved 96 of the 102 people on board a commercial plane by pulling off an untraditional flying maneuver.

Immediately after the crash, a toxicology report taken shows that Whitaker had a blood alcohol level of .17, twice the legal limit to drive a car, let alone fly an airplane, and there were traces of cocaine in his blood. The leaders of the investigation try to blame the plane’s malfunctions on the fact that Whitaker was drunk, but in reality, the plane was broken. During the investigation, Whitaker’s alcoholism gets progressively worse and he falls quickly towards rock bottom.

The movie does a fantastic job of capturing the realness of addiction and the effect it has, not only on the addict, but on his family, friends and peers. Whitaker’s character development really makes the film shine. He starts as an everyday person, but as the movie goes on you can see that there is more than meets the eye.

As the movie progresses he wants to do the right things but his addiction has him in a chokehold that he can’t break by himself, but his pride gets in the way of asking for help. All of this takes the viewer to end of the movie where he is finally at peace with his family and more importantly, himself.

SKYFALLMOVIE:

MEEK MILLMUSIC:Dreams and Nightmares by Meek Mill is

possibly the most anticipated hip hop album of the year, and it lived up to the overwhelming amount of hype. In my opinion, Meek Mill is the best up and coming rapper, with Kendrick Lamar in a close second.

Both Rick Ross and Wale, who are other members of the Maybach Music Group, are featured on multiple songs including “Believe It” and “Lay Up”. Mill’s two singles, which were released long before the album itself, feature both Drake and Big Sean.

In my opinion though, the two best songs on the album did not feature another artist. “Tony’s Story Part Two” and “Traumatized” were the best songs on the album, and they focused on Mill’s family, and more specifically about the death of his father.

Most rappers, such as Lil Wayne and Wiz Khalifa, have been accused of letting their fame and money change them. While Meek Mill still raps about women, money, and drugs, he continues to implement the struggles of his home life into the music, transforming the song into a story.

If you look back at the best rappers in history, you will notice they don’t only make music, but create stories, giving the music an emotional element, making it more meaningful. I’m not putting Meek Mill on Tupac or Biggie Small’s level, but if he continues to release albums as good as Dreams and Nightmares, it won’t take him long to be considered an elite rapper.

BY ADAM MATEOS BY GARRETT MOULD

DRESSINGTH

E2 9s

Seemore

WATCH:DKNY

Not only can a watch be useful to keep time during class, it can accent your outfit. It adds a touch of flair while keeping the look classy and simple. A watch is a must-have this winter.

NECKLACE:FOREVER 21

This spiky, shiny necklace adds a fierce edge to the otherwise conservative look. It draws the eye to the layered collars and contrasting patterns.

HEADBAND:WAL-MART

A big, floppy bow headband only works with certain looks, and here, Graham pulls it off. Paired with the spiky necklace and Aztec sweater, it completes the multitude of patterns.

WHAT YOU SEE:

17A&E

The Patriot holds a monthly competition to find fashionable students around the school. On the 29th of every month, The Patriot photographers will be in the cafeteria during 1st and 2nd lunch to photograph anyone willing to enter the competition. The winner each month will be featured on this page, and the second and third place winners will be on SMSPATRIOT.ORG, along with other finalists. The competition is based on creativity, variety and individuality and anyone is able to enter.

WHAT IS DRESSING TO THE NINES?

photos@ SMSPATRIOT.ORG

JUNIOR TAMARA GRAHAM

PHOTOS BY SUSAN NGUYEN

18 A&E

Dead, desolate and defunct: the words that come to mind when describing an old, abandoned building. Two formerly iconic Kansas City hotspots, Metcalf South Shopping Center and Kemper Arena, have seen better days. Built in 1967 and 1974 respectively, these former entertainment meccas have been reduced to a shell of their former self.

Metcalf South used to be the premier shopping center in Johnson County. Throughout its existence, the mall has been the home of stores such as Osco Drug, Topsy’s popcorn, Walden Books, the Jones store (now rebranded as Macy’s) and many more.

While most of the storefronts in the mall are no longer occupied, it is worth noting that there are a handful of wholesale operations and small businesses still there.

Wholesale businesses are not open to the public, but sell to retailers and store owners. One store named Willow Tree has been in business at Metcalf South for three years. Owner Pat McFillen describes why she chose to set up shop in the defunct mall.

“I chose Metcalf South because there are many other wholesalers here. I have five or six shows every year and that is when I have the most customers,” McFillen said.

The mall has an eerie feel to it when traipsing about the maze-like corridors. The floors are kept immaculately clean and the numerous fountains are meticulously maintained. There are signs plastered onto the walls around the fountain atrium stating that all coins thrown into the fountains will be donated to local charities.

While the converted third floor office space is kept off limits to the general public and the escalators are disabled, many people, generally senior citizens, are seen walking around for exercise.

The fate of Metcalf South is shrouded in secrecy as there are no set plans. One blogger contradicts the next, but according to a 2006 entry from the Kansas Business Journal, a Colorado firm will reconfigure the mall and give it a much needed facelift. The plausible new mall was slated to be named “The Streets at Metcalf.”

Unfortunately, this post was six years ago. Drive past the mall and there are no construction crews, no cranes and no signs of change. Metcalf South is like the can of tomato soup in the back of the pantry, it is past its expiration date and forgotten, but it will stand the test of time until it is finally thrown away.

The year 1974 brought Richard Nixon’s resignation, the hit horror film The Exorcist, and Kansas City’s first multipurpose arena. Built on the former site of the Kansas City Stockyards in the West Bottoms, Kemper Arena was an architectural marvel of the time, with its exoskeletal steel trusses jutting hundreds of feet into the sky.

R. Crosby Kemper originally planned on building an arena which would be exclusive to the American Royal Association, a non-profit Kansas City

organization which is known for its annual rodeos. What was once the crown jewel of downtown Kansas City now plays host to only a dozen or so events per year. Most events are livestock shows, rodeos and corporate luncheons.

Kemper Arena has played a large part in turning Kansas City into an entertainment mecca. Bob Petersen, President of the American Royal Association, offers some insight on why tearing Kemper down isn’t the easiest decision.

“Kemper has had a wonderful run. It has been a Kansas City icon. History has been made there for 40 years, but unfortunately what’s done is done. The Sprint Center was built in 2009 and we understand the city’s position. We want them to focus on making the Sprint Center successful,” Petersen said.

Having played host to events such as the 1976 Republican National Convention and the 1988 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, Kemper has seen its fair share of publicity. On May 23, 1999, the WWF (World Wrestling Federation) held their “Over the Edge” pay-per-view, drawing a large television audience. Canadian wrestler Owen “The Blue Blazer” Hart was booked to wrestle that night. His superhero gimmick called for an elaborate descent from the rafters at the top of the arena. The harness that Hart was attached to malfunctioned causing him to freefall over 50 feet, crashing into the metal corner of the wrestling ring.

According to Petersen, ever since the accident, nobody has walked the rafters. There are very few events held at Kemper anymore. I was lucky to gain access from the city to be able to walk through the arena. Rodeo festivities are being held in the middle of November which meant that a thin layer of dirt was spread about the arena floor. Walking through the industrial garage area down onto the floor was chilling. For most, walking the floor of an empty arena would be a boorish waste of time, but this is something that I have wanted to do for years: relive all of the Kansas City Comets indoor soccer games that I went to with my parents.

Kemper’s fate has been widely publicized. In its place, the city will construct an Agricultural Events Center which will be used exclusively by the American Royal. Not only will the new arena provide a breath of fresh air to the deteriorating West Bottoms, it will prove to be a smarter economic decision as rodeos do not need a 19,500 seat arena.

“To keep Kemper in class A operating condition runs the city about a million and a half dollars, they lose a million and a half each year just keeping it open when nothing happens,” Petersen said.

With plans for the new arena nearly finalized, Kemper will be brought down in the next two to three years. Down will come the steel trusses that have stood tall for nearly 40 years along with many memories that have been made along the way. Will we be seeing the same situation encompass the Sprint Center, 40 years from now? Only time will tell.

FROZEN IN TIMEa look at two defunct kansas city landmarks

OVERtime

1990s 20121960s-70sKEMPER ARENA AND

METCALF SOUTH

BY DEREK FUHRMANN PHOTOS BY ETHAN STONE

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20 SPORTS

Think of the word captain and several other words come to mind: the best, leader, authoritative and even boss. Some think

of the typical team captain seen in movies who yells at everybody, is the most popular and takes all credit for the team. However, at South the reality is different. To be a captain in any sport, self-discipline, responsibility and leadership are required.

Some team captains, such as senior Ali Gascoigne, have been wanting this position for years.

“Well I went to Extravaganza when I was 6, and I have always wanted to be a Pacesetter since then. Once I got to high school I really wanted to be captain,” Gascoigne said.

But becoming a captain requires more than wishes. Depending on the coach, determining the leader of their sport could be a decision they make or leave up to teammates. Student’s opinions on which process is more accurate differ. Junior Will Skoog thinks teammates voting is a more objective process than coaches choosing.

“In the case of soccer, it’s the players on the field not the coaches. The coaches are on the bench,” Skoog said.

On the opposite side of the spectrum however, is senior Gabe Guild’s opinion on the matter.

“I think coaches [are] more effective since they see us at practice and who’s doing what needs to be done. As far as the students picking them, it could just turn into a popularity contest sometimes,” Guild said.

Coaches have different methods of appointing captains for every sport. Trying out for an officer position on Pacesetters has the participants choreographing a 20 second dance and writing a speech. Sports like soccer and football are both based on coaches and teammates past experiences with the individual. Depending on the coach there can also be grade requirements. Most varsity teams save captain positions for upperclassmen.

“It’s rare that anyone besides a senior is chosen but it does happen if a coach sees that a certain person needs to be in a leadership role,” Guild said.

Being a captain is no easy task. It involves correcting others mistakes and taking responsibility for the team even when it may not be effortless. Friendships are put on hold during practice and captains must treat them the same

as the other teammates. For Gascoigne, it’s hard.“Sometimes I feel like I need to be a better

captain than I do a best friend. Like if someone is off task or not doing what they need to be doing then I will step in,” she said. “I’ll be nice about it but I do my best to let people know when they aren’t reaching their full potential.”

As for soccer there seems to be no hard feelings about who is chosen.

“They had the choice of who they wanted to be their representative, so in having that choice they pick people that they feel were deserving and hopefully were picked without any sort of animosity or ill will,” head coach Travis Gatewood says.

No matter what sport it is, athletes need leadership within their team. Communicating with someone the same age is more effortless than speaking with a coach or sponsor. Motivation coming from within the team, as well as from the sidelines, is important. Captains have a big responsibility and need to be committed in season and out of season. Having the weight of their team on their shoulders can be stressful at times, but their leadership is appreciated and overall, beneficial to the entire team.

selecting successa look at how each team selects their captains

BY HAYLEIGH CHUDIK

PHOTO BY ETHAN RAY Seniors Devin Martin, Chris Ash, Joe Harvey and Ian Roberts hold hands as they walk toward midfield for the coin flip before the Olathe East game.

21SPORTS

The second annual Dance Marathon took place Nov. 9. The Pacesetters held the marathon for the Caruther’s Creative Center Dance Studio. Half of the benefits went directly toward the dance studio so they will be able to travel for their competitions. Just as they did last year for the Karen’s Dance Studio in Joplin, the Pacesetters have been helping out dance studios. These studios have been struck by either unforeseen circumstances or cannot always afford the fees and payments required for dance performances.

At the event, the Caruther’s dance studio performed, along with the

Pacesetters, Southettes and Southlanders. This year the Pacesetters donated 50 percent of all the donations from tickets and purchases to the dance studio. An estimated $4,100 was raised, a huge jump from last years $2,600.

The Dance Marathon theme this year was “So You Think You Can Dance.” For $10 students were able to eat, drink and dance for a total of four hours. Students came in outfits resembling dancers, such as ballerinas, hip-hop dancers, and tap dancers; prizes were given to the best costume, most involved guy and girl, and the winners of various contests throughout the evening.

01 Senior Kara Hodoh and Teshae Davis dancing02 Senior Riley Bortka and costume winner Chris Ash enjoying the dance marathon03 Sophomore Skyla Divine dancing with her little cousin04 Senior Jeramie Fischer competing for the dance competition at the marathon05 Junior Xavier Poteat, dance off winner, at the dance

PHOTOS BY DEZARAE DUFFEY

BY TRIVETTE KNOWLES

01

02 03

04

05

DANCE FOR A CAUSE

Overland Park, KS 66212 10362 Mastin

The 2012 fall season was a milestone for Shawnee Mission South sports and an unforgettable time for the athletes. The 5A/6A transition that recently affected every team, besides football, has changed South sports for better or for worse. Some teams and individual players were able to make the most of it.

The girls and boys cross country team both took 8th place in the Sunflower League. Senior, and returning state varsity runner, Curtis Cline took first place at 5A State.

Boys soccer finished their season 9-8. After graduating 13 seniors each the past two years, the team is generally younger. Junior Calvin Freeman finished the season with 9 goals, and sophomore Brandon Maxey with 4. Altogether, the team had a total of 30 goals this season, with big wins against Olathe North, Leavenworth and Shawnee Mission North.

The girls gymnastics team had a successful season overall. Individually, senior Monica Funk placed third on vault, fifth on bars, sixth on beam, and fourth overall in the Sunflower League meet.

“It was the best I’ve done at state individually,” Funk

said. “It was the most fun I’ve ever had in a season, and it was really sad when I did my last routines and the season came to an end.”

The second football season under Coach Ryan Lonergan finished 5-4, a huge improvement from last year. Senior Gabe Guild stacked up a total of 1,437 yards in seven games, and currently holds the record for most rushing yards in a career with 3,111 in two years.

The girls golf team finished third place in 5A Regional’s, and eleventh place at 5A State. Senior Hannah Sears took fifth place in the Sunflower league and at Regional’s, fourth place at State, and made First Team All Sunflower League and First Team All State. Senior Ali Gascoigne took eighth place at Regional’s.

For girls tennis, senior Micah and sophomore Chloe Matthews placed third in Regional Doubles Tournament and senior Teagan Jarchow placed sixth in Regional Singles.

The girls volleyball team ended their season with 10-21. They are showing signs of improvement and are more confident in their team.

Winter is close at hand, with tryouts beginning and teams being decided for the South 2012 winter sports season. Boys and girls basketball, swimming, bowling and wrestling are all kicking into gear and the coaches have high expectations for their players during the next few months.

A handful of guys from last year’s boys basketball team will be returning to the court this year, including sophomore Dainan Swoope and senir Josh Pederson. Though not as big as last year, Coach Brett McFall is confident that this smaller and faster group that is experienced and will greatly improved over last year. Major games for the team include those against rival Shawnee Mission East and Olathe East.

“We are young, athletic and talented, four out of our top six return from last year’s team,” head coach McFall said. “We will work extremely hard on defense and push the ball in transition on offense.”

Most of the JV girls basketball team will be returning this year, along with five players that qualified last year for the State Tournament and finished third in the Sunflower League. Seniors Sam Bendrick, Hayden Roberts and Amanda Schwabauer and juniors Sierra

Roberts and Allison Hines are expected to lead the team. They’re eagerly awaiting the home opener versus Shawnee Mission North Nov. 29, and the Pink Night versus Shawnee Mission East Dec. 11.

“I will look to all five of them for increased leadership, scoring and rebounding,” head coach Brendan Curran said.

Four of the top six of last year’s boys bowling team will be back to lead the team. There are high expectations for seniors Alex Brown, Daniel Coup, Kevin McAulay and junior Josh Hasenleder. As for the girls team, seniors Shelby Johnson, Jessie Steffee and junior Nia Madison will all be key players. The matches to see will be the Sunflower League Meet and Regional Meet to go to State.

The boys wrestling team looks to be promising. Returning wrestlers, including seniors Reis Humphrey and Grant Jongerius and junior Rasheed Brady, will be leading the SMS wrestling team in the wake of JW Pabst. Coach Joel Rios will be returning yet again to lead the boys to victory.

SPORTS:WRAP-UP

PREVIEW

22 SPORTS

wrap-up of fall sports preview of winter sports

volleyball: 10-21football: 5-4boys soccer: 9-8cross country: seventh place at State for the girls and eighth for the boysgymnastics: individual achievements at Sunflower Leaguegirls golf: third in regionals, eleventh at stategirls tennis: third in regional

SCORE BOARDBY LUKE HOLLAND

how to

SURVIVETRYOUTS

THE NIGHT BEFORE

THE MORNING OF

LESS STRESS

WORRY ABOUT YOU

BIGGEST TIP

get plenty of sleep the night before

definitely eat a big breakfast, it’s the most important meal of the day

don’t worry! stress will only make everything worse

worry about yourself, it’s an individual competition to make the team, not a team effort

impress the coaches, they’re the ones watching, right?

PHOTOS BY JULIA LARBERG AND SUSAN NGYUEN

23SPORTS

doublethetrouble

The doubles team of senior Micah Matthews and sophomore Chloe Matthews can taste the tension on the court. The sisters are at state,

their first match of the competition. In the third set, the game is in a super-tiebreaker. Just points away from a rank at state, the team loses. However, the girls had accomplished their main goal of the season together through hours of hard work and dedication.

“I promised [Micah] at the end of last year that, since we came up one spot shy of going to state, we would go to state this year,” Chloe said.

The coaches of the tennis team were impressed with the performance of the team at state, where they came up mere points away from being awarded a state title.

“We were really proud that they stuck together and that they were able to do as well as they did [at state] because it was a very, very close match,” tennis coach Scott Hirons said.

In order to get to state, the girls put in substantial work in the off-season. They enjoyed hitting together on a regular basis, and went beyond recreational playing to prepare once the season started quickly approaching.

“For the month before school started we were playing tennis three hours a day together,” Micah said.

The success of the Matthews team can be attributed not only to their commitment to the sport in the off season but also by pushing each other during practice. Though they admit to having occasional joking around during practice, they held each other accountable to ensure their spot in the state competition.

“We like to push each other’s limits so we got mad at each other a lot, but we played through it,” Chloe said.

Though they challenged each other throughout the season, the girls thoroughly enjoyed playing together.

“I don’t think that I would have been as happy

playing with anyone else. We definitely had bad moments, but when it was good it was really good,” Micah said.

Their coaches also saw the benefits of playing as sisters.

“They know their strengths and weaknesses and being sisters probably helps because they end up knowing each other really well,” Hirons said.

Micah played a large role in the team overall this year, not just in her individual matches. She designed tennis spirit wear and organized team bonding activities to create a positive environment.

“I really went pretty far out of my way to make sure that all the new girls were comfortable since we lost 20 kids last year,” Micah said.

Her work in this respect was appreciated by those around her.

“Micah definitely provided some good senior leadership, as did Teagan [Jarcow],” Hirons said. “We’re losing two of our best players.”

With Micah graduating at the end of this school year, Chloe will be forced to look for a new left-handed doubles player or be forced to play singles next season.

“It’s going to be hard, because I love playing doubles,” Chloe said.

Hirons, however, is not worried about Chloe’s future career in tennis at South.

“I can see Chloe qualifying for state as a junior and as a senior. She’s a very good player and I think that the more match experience that she gets the better she’s going to be,” Hirons said.

Though success is anticipated for Chloe, her experience on the team will likely be different without her sister by her side. Both sisters felt the support that playing with a sibling provided during this season.

“She’s more of my rock,” Chloe said. “Going in there I can just rely on her for everything so she kept me calm and I kept her calm and we just worked together.”

siblings form bonds on and off the fieldBY OLIVIA FEATHERS

Senior Micah Matthews and her younger sister, sophomore Chloe Matthews play tennis together.

Senior Lauren and freshman Maddie McCarthy ran cross country together this season. This year was Lauren’s fourth year running, and Maddie’s first.

Twin juniors Dametrius and Dominique Berry play football together. Their younger sister, sophomore Zoee, is on the sideline as manager for the team.

Twin sophomores, Marissa and Caroline Gatti are hard to tell apart. It’s even harder to tell them apart when they’re dancing together, or playing on the soccer field together.

PHOTOS BY JULIA LARBERG

sms

Spotlight

WITH THIS DIGITAL SOUNDBOARD, I CAN MESS WITH EACH OF [THE VOICES] TO MAKE THE MICROPHONE NOT SOUND AS FUZZY OR SQUEAKY. “—sophomore Parker Winkler

Parker Winkler, sophomore, runs the soundboard inside of SMS’ auditorium during rehearsal for Godspell, the SMS Theater’s fall musical.PHOTO BY ETHAN STONE

READ THE FULL STORY ON GODSPELL

@ SMSPATRIOT.ORG