vol. 21 | issue 6

The Story Behind the Flu

Epidemic

A Review of 2012 and a

Preview of 2013

Olathe East’s Sports Rituals

ExplainedPage 4 Pages 10 and 11 Pages 20 and 21

Taking a Shot at Gun Control

Hawk s EyeThe Olathe East

Volume 21Issue 6

Pages 12 and13

FEBRUARY ‘13 | 03

NEWSVol 21 | Iss 06

Day in the life of an Olathe East TalonCompetition edition: an inside look at the world of drill team competitions

Jordan Meier// Staff Writer

Dear Diary,6:30 am: It’s Saturday and I am already out of bed. Last night I had to be at a dance team competition from 3:30pm to 11pm to watch so-los and duets as well as mark our team routines on the gym floor. Exhaustion will take its toll by the end of the day but right now a burst of excitement has me ready to get the day start-ed. For months my team has had tons prac-tices, and early mornings; it all comes down to today, the day where everything needs to go perfectly, the day that we prove ourselves.

11:30 am: We just finished performing our first team routine of the day and it went great. Our coaches explained to us that the judges score each routine on how clean and together it is, how much energy and showmanship we display, how good our technique is and how well the routine is cho-reographed and staged. Now, as I look around our dressing room, I see girls scrambling to get changed for their next routine. Even though it is not for two more hours, the competition could be running ahead and we could go early. Sadly, these competitions are a lot of sitting and waiting for your turn to perform, but every couple hours you get a chance to showcase your talent and really shine.

2:30pm: Tragedy and panic has struck our team. One of the girls on varsity sprained her ankle in their jazz routine and will not be able to perform the rest of competition. Our coaches are scrambling to get varsity ready so they can fix formations for the next routine. The pressure and stress are now at levels exceeding the capacity of a normal human. In the competition world, teams are usually prepared for anything, but this is still so sudden and so bizarre that no one would have expected it. I think our team can pull through though and still bring home the gold.

5:30 pm: We are now getting ready for our final team routine and something amaz-ing just happened. At the end of the compe-tition, the judges select a group of routines that they thought exceeded the expecta-tions. All throughout the day the winning routines are posted on a power point in the lobby, and at the end of the competition, the selected few get to perform their rou-tine once more. This year the judges thought that our varsity’s contemporary jazz rou-tine was exceptional and it has been se-lected to be a part of the showcase. Even though they quickly had to change forma-tions to accommodate for a sudden missing person. Now the pressure is on because everyone will be expecting excellence.

9:30pm: Well all the hard work has finally paid off because we finally have proved our-selves. Nothing compares to the joy, relief and sheer excitement that accompany receiv-ing an award for something that you have ba-sically given up your life to do. Proving that your team is meant to be there is an award in itself, but bringing home a trunk full of trophies is a lot more exciting as they are the perma-nent reminder of our team’s accomplishment.

Talons dance team after awards Courtsey of Barb Kolb

The Olathe East Talons perform at numerous pep assemblies, football games and basketball games. However, the aspect of this school activity that is overlooked is the competitions the Talons par-ticipate in every year. They represent the school and bring home wins. With each year they participate in the statewide competi-tions, the pressure is on to prove themselves once again. As always, the Talons rise to the occasion and keep that Hawk pride alive.

7:30 am: When I entered our dressing room it already smelled like hairspray. Ev-eryone there was getting ready for their class dances or one of the officer rou-tines, as well as settling into the room that would house us for the next several hours. Pillows and blankets were spread out as we all claimed a spot on the floor. With clothes and costumes already scattering the floor, I easily lost track of my stuff.

HAWK S EYETa

ble of

Contents News

Drill Team Competition....................................................................3By Jordan Meier

Flu Epidemic........................................................................................4By Jessica Goddard & Lauren Heinrich

Honor Bricks........................................................................................5By Logan Brockschmidt

Table

of

Contents

FeatureArt School Kids....................................................................................6

By Aaron Rhodes

Sleep Deprivation...............................................................................7By Paige Schick

How I Met your Teacher...................................................................8By Austin Porter

Drug Tests or Not?.............................................................................9By Katie Thompson

Best/Worst of 2012..........................................................................10By Lauren Merino

Predictions for 2013.......................................................................11By Joseph Bush

SportsDance and Cheer?............................................................................19

By Sean Murray

Sports Superstitions.......................................................................20By Courtney Child

Sports Traditions.............................................................................21By Zack Neuman

Bowling History...............................................................................22By Aaron Yuratovich

EnterTainmentWalking Dead Preview...................................................................16

By Peter Hung

Les Mis Review..................................................................................17 By Lauren Hart

Golden Globe Winner.....................................................................18 By Sean Fiore

EditorialGun Control.............................................................................12 & 13

By Maddy Branstetter & Matt Gwin

Re-Trending.......................................................................................14By Kelsey Knect

Special Needs....................................................................................15By Brianne Grudek

Cover Courtesyof Zack Neuman

See pages12 & 13

Handguns are Handy Courtesy of Zack Neuman

Simply Spectacular Courtesy of Zack NeumanSee page 3

See page 6

The Finest of Fine Arts Courtesy of Carissa Kemnitz

hghfg

04 | THE HAWK’S EYE

NEWSInfluenza Extravaganza

Jessica Goddard//Managing EditorLauren Heinrich//Staff WriterWhat is up with this new flu strain?

The coughing, sneezing and hacking has been ringing throughout Olathe East and we all know that means the dreaded flu is here. So far, 47 states have been affected by the flu, 24 of them on high levels for the flu. On the bright side, not every flu case is severe. However, The Centers for Disease Control says this is the worst flu season in ten years. While late in the season, it is nev-er too late to get a flu shot. Just remember that they are about 62% effective, so there is no guarantee that you will be flu free.

The 10 germiest places in school:

1. The water fountain toggle

2. Manual pencil sharpener handles

3. Computer keyboard

4. Sink faucet handle

5. Paper towel dispenser lever

6. Sink countertop

7. Computer mouse

8. Student desktop

9. Student chair back

10. Soap dispenser lever

Ha-ven’t

got your flu shot yet? According

to school nurse Robin Mot-

ta, “It’s the first step to prevent-

ing the flu.” If you do intend to get a

flu shot, it takes about two weeks for the full

protection to kick into your system completely. The

bottom line is that the flu can kill you, so you should go

get the vaccine.” The only downfall to the shot is that it’s not fool

proof, but it can help. “From my understanding, they base the flu shot

on what’s been in the past. The flu protects against three viruses that should

be the most common.”

The flu season stretches through November into March and some statistics say we

haven’t reached the peak of the season yet. It’s too early in the season to tell for

sure. Health officials say, however, that the hard hit state cases are starting to decline.

Did you know that the flu is the number one cause of infectious disease death?

On average the flu kills about 24,000 people a year, according to the CDC. So far

nationally, twenty children have passed away due to complications of the flu.

If you do get the flu, the recommendation is that you stay out of school for at least

24 hours, that way you cannot get others infected. Don’t worry, the flu typically lasts

three to five days. “If you have the flu, wash your hands all the time, and make sure

that you are not touching people, not sneezing on them, coughing on them, [also

make sure] you cover your mouth and nose when you cough.” Motta said. “Just limit

contact with others as much as possible.” This will prevent further spreading of this

nasty epidemic. A little known fact about the flu is that it’s an upper respiratory infection not

a stomach infection. “Flu symptoms are fever, cough, sore throat, stomach ach,

headache, chills, fatigue, [and] sometimes people have vomiting or diarrhea.” Motta

explained. If you experience these symptoms, go to the doctor and stay out of school

until you are not contagious.

Kansas is one of the states that is experiencing a harsh flu epidemic. “Just in our dis-

trict alone, all of our schools except eight have had sixty-two cases of influenza last

week [January 6-12].” Motta told the Hawks Eye. “One school last week [January

6-12] and two schools this week [January 13-19] had over 105 people that were out

sick. As far as our school goes, we aren’t in the 10% [of schools that are sick].”

To prevent the flu, get a shot. To help get rid of the flu, take medication. “Usual-

ly you want to take Tamiflu within the first two days of getting sick.” Motta stated.

“Taking the Tamiflu can be the difference between having a milder sickness or

having the full blown [flu].” Tamiflu isn’t the only thing you can take.

Relenza is also known to be 70-90% effective.

If you don’t want the flu and feel miserable, you should

probably get the flu shot. It will not only protect

you, but also protect others from getting

the virus.

all f onorProudly exemplifying excellence at Olathe East since 2005

Logan Brockschmidt// Staff Writer

FEBRUARY ’13 | 05

NEWSVol 21 | Iss 06

Some awards that are on display around the school:Eagle ScoutGirl Scout GoldOE Outstanding AthleteKSHSAA Citizenship AwardDale Dennis Education Award3rd Place at National Snow Ski Competition

As students walk through the halls, and their eyes may wander upwards, see the honor bricks. Students may not know that these tiles have been going up since 2005 and there are more than 150 tiles posted all around the school. These tiles, called the “Wall of Honor”, show some of Olathe East’s most outstanding athletes and students. You see eyes of current students, friends, and even College Basketball players. In 2005, a committee of teachers decided that the students who weren’t honored elsewhere around the school needed to be recognized. But, students also may not know of the ways you can procure a square. Once a freshman, to August 1st of their graduating year, an award you win, maybe a National Championship in a non-school sanctioned event. Psychology teacher Nancy Tjaden says, ”There are more than 40-50 people that apply for a tile each year, and we look at the award, and if they fit enough of the criteria of the student, and the award is already on the “Wall of Honor” they will get their square up in the next semester. The tiles are blazoned with their own non-religious, appropriate picture pertaining to the students’ award. There are hand drawings are accepted and placed on the tile. Students may be asking, who decides the awards? The people who decides what awards going up on the walls are a “board” that votes on whom and what will go up on the walls. They come together and see if students meet the disciplinary requirements, and the award is up on the wall already. If the award is not already on the wall, the board decides if the board is deserving enough. While these tiles might often be ignored, they do catch people’s eye. With enough drive, you too can get their name on the wall. While students and teachers come and go, these tiles will likely stand forever.


FEATURE

Hawks Shooting for the StarsStudents nominated for art scholarships

Shooting Stars, a program for high school seniors, has been sponsored by the Johnson County Arts Council every year since 1997. The contest has nine different categories and the winner in each wins a $1400 scholarship, second place receives $700, and third place receives $350. Winning art pieces will also be displayed at the Nerman Museum at Johnson County

Community College. This year six Hawks are nominated. Courtney Heier (winds & percussion), Meredith Hollan (voice classi-cal), Monica Sigler (theatre performance), Carissa Kemnitz (photography), Skylar Saxon (3D visual art), and Carson Long (2D visual art). The winners will be announced at the Shooting Stars Gala on April 7. Below are a couple of Olathe East’s nominees and some of their works.

Carissa KemnitzCarissa has enjoyed art since she was a kid. She has taken both of East’s photography classes and now takes pictures for AP studio art. Kemnitz focuses on black and white pho-tography saying it makes the photo “more powerful and emotional.” However, when she does take color photos she always makes sure the pictures are vibrant and interesting. She also likes to set up her pictures so they tell a story. Kem-nitz is looking to go to college to take more photography classes.

Carson LongLike Kemnitz, Carson has had a passion for art since child-hood. He said, “It’s something you can always do.” He’s taken drawing and painting classes since he started here at East, having dropped his band class to make more time for art during sophomore year. Long enjoys making his pieces so they feel like they create a story. One of his favorite pieces is a windup bird done in colored pencil (pictured above), part of a series of mechanical animals he’s working on. After he graduates he plans on going to college to major in industrial design, something he thinks his art background can help him with.

Aaron Rhodes // Publicity Manager

Walking zombies are what many parents say their teens look like in the morning nowadays. Sleep deprivation is a widely spreading epidemic among teens today.

Due to teens being of critical age for growth and development, doctors recommend at least 8 to 9 hours of sleep every night. Studies show that only 8% of teens get the right amount of sleep every night and 85% of teens have a type of sleep depri-vation. There are a variety of causes for teen sleep deprivation, but the major reasons include: depression, overwhelming stress, lack of exercise, staying up too late on a regular basis, trauma, and overuse of technology. According to recent studies, 64% of teens that look at some type of technology before bed have a hard time going to sleep and/or don’t sleep well. Procrasti-nation is also a relevant issue because many teens leave home-work untouched until late at night, causing them to lose many hours of valuable sleep. The affects of sleep deprivation are mostly linked to emotion-al problems. 24% of teens with sleep deprivation are likely to suffer from depression and 20% will consider harming them-selves. Drowsiness and loss of motivation are also character-istic for sleep-deprived teens. Lack of sleep harms the brain’s internal clock as well. Going to bed late regularly makes it harder for the brain’s normal internal clock to wake up on time in the morning. Getting rid of sleep deprivation is easier said than done, but there are many things you can do to help. Putting away tech-nology before bed has shown to ease the difficulty of falling asleep. Also, adjusting the brain’s internal clock can be ardu-ous, so going to bed a little earlier every night until you are back to normal is the most beneficial. Nancy Johns, our school nurse said, “I think people do better on regular schedule. If you can’t fall asleep there are many things you can do. You can read for a little bit and go to bed a little earlier or maybe do some relaxation techniques.” Sleep deprivation is affecting many teens around the nation and is not acknowledged as much as it should be. Lack of sleep is a serious issue with many consequences to a teen’s emotions and actions. Make sure to take the time you need to take care of yourself and get the right amount of sleep.

FEBRUARY ‘13 | 07

FEATUREVol 21 | Iss 06

Stop in the Name of SleepThe shocking truth of not getting enough sleep

Paige Schick//Staff Writer

Olathe East Students Go ToBed:

Earlier Than 9:00 2%

9:00-10:00 13%

10:00-11:00 37%

11:00-12:00 31%

12:00-1:00 11%

1:00 Or Later 5%

John & Suzanne McDonald

“I met my husband about 10 ½ years ago. We had a blind date and he came to pick me up at my place to go to lunch. I did know I liked him right away. We met towards the end of summer and would take long walks in the evening on the walking trails and just talk and laugh. That was romantic to me! He had a won-derful smile, he was friendly and outgo-ing and we had no problem talking for hours. During one of our many late night phone conversations, we were talking about the future – I just knew he was something special. When he proposed I was so excited! After hugging and cry-ing, I ran to the calendar to pick out a date!”

How I Met Your TeacherThe story of teachers’ lives before they met their better half.


FEATURE

“We met at a basketball game at Rockhurst College. I was looking around and she winked at me (so I thought, she was ac-tually winking at her friend I was sitting with). After the game we made small talk about my broken ankle ( I had crutches) and she left. I don’t think we talked long enough to know if I liked her, but I was definitely interested right away. I would say that after a few months of being together constantly and meeting each other’s families I knew that we just had the perfect mix of personalities. We were friends just as much as we were boyfriend/girlfriend. I just wanted it to be the perfect moment. We were at Kauffmann Stadium for a Royals game and there were fireworks afterwards. I planned to propose during the fireworks. It was the perfect plan, but I still wasn’t sure how it would all work out. It was definitely the most nervous moment of my life, even though I knew what the answer would be. Romantic is an opinion so I’m not sure

anyone would agree with what is and what isn’t romantic. I think it might have to be when we used to leave notes for each other on the windshield of the other person’s car. Those were always fun to give and receive. Maybe the times when I used to drive from Lawrence to Richmond, MO without her knowing and just show up at her door. We had a lot of picnics when we dated. Those were always fun. I’m probably missing a big one. Ask her. She’s better at remembering those things.”

All of these stories are perfect examples of how anyone can find true love. So keep your heads up, single Hawks. All you need to do is wait, and your special someone will find his or her way to you, but if for some odd reason they can’t find you, then you need to try your best to find them.

Matt & Jennifer Rippee

Kevin & Mary Mays

“When I was a high school senior and he was a junior, I wasn’t sure if I liked him or not until my friend said “Yeah, you should go for him”. We went ice skating at Crown Center then to Don Chilitos. He had the character I was looking for. I knew we had a mu-tual attraction, and he would be in it forever. When he proposed my mind was full of excitement, hopes fulfilled, and “it’s about time!” I will never for-get one of the first presents Kevin gave me very early in our dating career. It was two stuffed monkeys hugging with their little paws Velcroed together. I took that as a sign he really liked me.”

Valentines Day, a day that many couples look for-ward to, but if you’re not in a relationship it can kind of just be another day of a boring week. So let’s just forget about all the candy hearts, flowers, and choc-olates, because none of that is going to be cheering anybody up. So instead we’re going to take a little trip back in time, back through other peoples’ lives.

We’re going back to the time when some of this school’s best teachers met their signifi-

cant other. This is how they met our teachers.

Austin Porter Staff Writer

Language Arts

Tech Ed

Language Arts

“I disagree. We are teenagers, and teenagers make mistakes. Drug testing every student will just cause more prob-lems. Either way kids will still do drugs. And don’t do drugs, stay in school.”—Johnny Rivera

“I disagree. Drug testing every student interferes with students’ right to privacy. I believe it is the police’s job to deal with drug and alcohol abuse.”—Brennan Bukaty

“I think it will be good to try to set drugs away from people, but I don’t think peo-ple will stop. Good idea, but failed plan. I disagree.”—Derek Miller

“I think trying this out on an all boys school is a bit prejudice. No one will stop because people will always find a way. I do not believe it will help and a ton of students will leave the school.”—Brandon Scott

“Most kids will not stop, nothing will change, and nobody will stop doing drugs. Schools should only be able to test sports students, because if you are in a sport you must sign a contract saying you will not do drugs or alcohol. No one hands you a contract at the beginning of the year and makes you promise not to do drugs. So yes, I disagree.”—Malik Nance

“I think drug testing every student will lower peer pressure to do drugs. I think having a warning is smart and if they test positive again, then I believe strong discipline should take place.”—Carolyn Schmidt

“I agree with the drug testing. After the warning if students keep doing it then they are not smart. They get a warning so they have time to stop, and most will, but some will keep doing it.”—Aly Griffin

“I do not think kids should be doing drugs in the first place, and possibly some of the kids that are already doing them will quit. I think it is worth it a shot. I definitely agree.”—Alex Caedo

Testing Negative

Students2Students What students think about school wide drug testing

Katie Thompson//Staff Writer

Rockhurst High School is an all-male, Catholic school in Kansas City, Missouri. The leaders of the school have recently decided on a new drug testing policy.

“It will help students reject peer pressure to use drugs and alcohol,” officials stated. This policy will go into ef-fect this upcoming fall. The Kansas City Star reports that Rockhurst High School plans to test every student at least once per school year. The principal of Rockhurst, Greg Harkness, said, “This decision came after two years of research.” He also believes that testing every student instead of strictly test-ing students that participate in extracurricular activities

is something that has never been done before. A first positive test will not result in any immediate disciplinary action; however, a school counselor will conduct a con-fidential meeting with the student’s parents. If a student tests positive for a second time he or she will be referred to the dean of students for possible disciplinary action. Some students think that testing every single student is unfair and absurd, while others believe this action will help lessen the drug and alcohol use in this particular high school. Olathe East students express their opinions on whether or not they agree with this blanket drug testing decision.

FEBRUARY ‘13 | 09


What do you think about the school wide drug testing at Rockhurst high school? Do you agree or disagree?

Testing Positive

Olathe East has many opinions on if drug testing every stu-dent will work and be effective. Whether or not drug testing students is a beneficial idea is still up in the air, but students at Olathe East seem to be more against it than for it. So far schools around Olathe haven’t decided to drug test students like Rockhurst High School has. Drugs are obviously an issue here at Olathe East, but would testing every student help or hurt the fight to be drug free? What do you think?

“I’m going home now,” said coura-geous Felix Baumgartner, seconds be-fore he jumped from the edge of space, plummeting towards the face of the Earth. There were moments in the free-fall when he could not stop flipping, but he kept his composure and eventually took control of his stance as he became the first person to break the speed of sound in free-fall. As he fluttered to the

dusty ground of Arizona he was 24 miles below the capsule he dropped from. The way he carried this ac-complishment out makes a very impressive

achieve -ment that we can celebrate a c r o s s the globe for years to come.

The Best and Worst of 2012Lauren Merino//Staff Writer

A recap of the good, bad and the awful from the last year.


FEATURE

We have always been patriotic, proud, and loyal toward the country we call home; no one can deny that. This sum-mer has been the anniversary of more than a century of the official Olympic games and the results were made clear: Team USA had victory sitting comfortably in its hands. The US won a total of 104 medals, 46 being gold. Surely we’d like to think none of our victories were based on luck, but maybe the fact that the US has hosted more Olympic games than any other nation has a tiny bit to do with it. Neverthe-less, our accomplishments are to be proud of and there are

many more to come.

July 27th to August 12th- US wins 46 gold medals

August 6th- Curiosity lands on

MarsJuly

20th- Aurora

Shooting

October 24nd-

HurricaneSandy

This act of evil gave Amer-ica a long-term shock, trying to understand what went on in the mind of the shoot-er. The spontaneity of the shooting made it even more confusing. Although the choice and amount of weapons seemed not only ridiculous but very planned out, for the clueless people in the theater it was sim-ply a wrong place at the wrong time-type disaster. In the midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises, the gunman fired into the au-dience taking 12 people’s lives and injuring a total of 58.The theater re-opened on Thursday, January 17 and the response will be

interesting to see.

The only thing worse than opening fire on random people is opening fire on random innocent six and seven-year-olds. Something we can all agree on is that all the children victims of the Newtown shoot-ing were angels, beaming with nothing but purity, innocence and gentleness. The teachers that acted as heroes for their kids can never be forgotten. The shooter, Adam Lanza killed a total of 26 people, 20 of them being children and six being adults. After the catastrophe died down, all anyone could do was mourn in respect and sorrow for the lives that were abruptly stolen, and hope that somehow the fami-

lies of these victims will find peace.

Everyone was naturally terrified for those to be affected when a deadly tropical wave started to develop in the western Caribbean

sea. It destroyed parts of the Caribbean and Northeastern United States with less damage occurring in parts of Cana-da. This storm was classified as the largest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. A total of 253 people were confirmed dead across the US, Caribbean, Canada, and the Bahamas as a result of Hurricane Sandy. The disaster clearly didn’t just affect us as a nation, but our neighboring nations as well. Restoration has been far from easy and damages in total are estimated to cost around 65.6 billion, but the road to

recovery must be fueled with love and care.

The Curiosity rover is a ro-bot the size of a car that was sent to Mars to explore for any signs of life. The other goals included investigating the geology and climate of the planet and the possibil-ity of human exploration in the future. On January 16t the rover began to prepare to drill into rocks that were once saturated with water.

This area, called Yellowknife Bay, has shown a quantity of evidence of flowing water. With patience, exciting and ground-breaking news might be coming Earth’s

way in no time.

October 14th- Space Jump

Dec-ember 14th-

Newtown-Shooting

Twinkie the Kid Returns!Courtesy of Wikipedia

FEBRUARY ‘13 | 11


2012 was quite a memorable year, filled with highs, lows, and everything in between.

But here at the Hawk’s Eye, we are not focused on the past. It’s time to look ahead for the future. Luckily, I happen to be a time lord, and I jumped forward into the future to find my year in review article from the end of 2013. These are organized by month, skipping January for (hopefully) obvious reasons.

2013February March

April May June

July AugustSeptember

A slightly twisted preview of:

October November December

The sports and pop culture world becomes shaken up by controversy at the Super Bowl, as halftime performer Beyoncé lets loose a torrent of profanities after her shoe falls off. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, shocked by the controversy surrounding the league’s first attempt to bring young pop musicians back to the forefront since the infamous “wardrobe malfunction” of 2004, promises to bring fans “a decent, wholesome experience,” and signs Australian group “The Wiggles” to a five year contract.

College basketball’s season ending tournament is ruined by an outbreak of the mumps in the locker room of the top-seeded Michigan Wolverines basketball team. A disoriented and weakened Wolverines team loses to the underdog Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens by 20+ points, ruining many office pools.

The “Kony 2012” campaign is reborn with the launch of the radically changed “Kony 2013” campaign. Unfortunately, this new movement becomes overshadowed by a video of a small dog attempting to play a drum set.

As graduation nears, many high school students are crippled by an outbreak of “Senioritis.” The Senioritis epidemic destroys the work ethic and attention spans of many and sends teachers into nervous breakdowns, causing several schools to enter lockdown.

The world rejoices as many of Hostess’ famous products are purchased and redistributed by a Swedish company. Baseball games, government assemblies, and wars are ceased in order for people to purchase their first Twinkies, Ho-Hos, and Cupcakes in months.

The billboard music charts are lit up for the summer’s biggest hit by an unknown boy band from Romania. The band, named “Ice World Dreemz” pour their hearts into a song titled “#internetlovr,” which covers the delicate topic of relationships on social networks (as well as potatoes).

In attempt to follow up Felix Baumgartner’s skydive from space in 2012; Red Bull decides to aim higher. “Travis Pastrana is going to be the first person to land a motorcycle jump on the moon” announces Red Bull’s CEO in a legendary press conference. The manned spacecraft costs billions of dollars, but the jump ends up successful, showing the people on earth that, indeed, anything is possible. Red Bull files for bankruptcy shortly thereafter.

In attempt to make the world’s largest waffle, Eggo builds a giant waffle iron in the middle of a field in South Dakota. As the waffle begins to cook, a flock of crows swoops down from the sky and devours the would-be breakfast treat. The record remains unbroken, but the event does break the record for “Most Birds Eating From a Giant Waffle Iron”

Campaigning for the 2016 presidential election begins.

On Thanksgiving Day, the sports world is shocked when notorious Detroit Lions defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh does absolutely nothing controversial at all.

Joseph Bush// Staff Writer

A group of bears climb out of a cage at the zoo in San Diego, California, escape from

the park, and become the

frontrunners for the 2014 San Diego M a y o r a l E l e c t i o n .

Twitter LogoCourtesy of Twitter

Former Presidential Candidates Ron Paul, Howard Dean, and Steve Forbes.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Logo of the WolverinesCourtesy of The University of Michigan

Ndamukong Suh Courtesy of ESPN.com

Mayor Bear’s Campaign LogoBrilliantly photoshopped by Joe Bush

Blame the video games, blame the movies, blame the people, but for God’s sake don’t blame the widespread acceptance of America’s death grip on guns for reoccurring violence

that has become a norm. Our nation’s culture refuses to imagine a life without guns. Yet, we continue to blame gun violence on the media. We continue to turn the other cheek as lives fade away. We continue to hold firm to the arguments that guns are needed not only for protection, but for leisure. We continue to dismiss highly preventable tragedies with the phrase, “what if?”. What if my house gets robbed? What if I find shooting inani-mate objects fun? What if I’m George Zimmerman, and I find you to be a threat as you walk down the street with Skittles? Don’t all of these highly hypothetical things give me reason to carry a gun? Do they outweigh the hypothetical futures that had twinkled ever so brightly in the eyes of students slaughtered while attending school? What if a Virginia Tech victim had dreams of activism that could have changed the world? What if a child attending Newtown held in his or her mind the cure for cancer, the cure for AIDS? What if a victim was more to you than a name? Have American citizens really lost the ability to feel empathy? It is appalling that we have such a firm grasp on our guns that we hold them at a higher value than human life itself. Open your eyes, open your ears, people everywhere are hoarding their guns—and they’re proud of it. Walk through the halls of Olathe East, or look on the Facebook pages of its stu-dents. You’ll find young students not only bragging about their proud possession of lethal weapons, but proudly declaring things like “I’d like to see Obama take my guns!” They fail to realize that their prized possession is nothing more than an inanimate object used to kill breathing, thinking, loving, knowing, moving, learning, living objects. The true tragedy of this is that their best excuse for keeping their guns around is their opinion that guns are fun. Fun to shoot, fun to collect, fun to hunt with. The phrase “It’s all fun and games until somebody gets hurt” comes to haunt the mind. Children are dead, people have gotten hurt, yet shooting targets is still a game to see how close one can sink a bullet into a heart. Yet there has been more than enough hurt, so why are we still playing games? But what if I need to protect myself in the wild ghetto that is Johnson County? It’s fairly safe to assume that more perfect little American Dream households own more guns as a result of their paranoia than individuals who actually pose a threat. If we really wanted to eliminate crimes and keep our streets safe, we’d let go of our own guns, in hope that others would follow. How often are there stories of stolen guns? How often has the statement “guns should be regulated more carefully” been met with the reply that criminals are going to get guns anyway, because they’re crimi-nals? The logical solution is to make guns unavailable to every-one, including criminals, then, since we all seem to be so worried.

”Yeah, but I still have my constitutional right to bear arms!” shout angry gun owners after being presented with the previous arguments. What a shame it is that the writers of the Second Am-mendment did not foresee the twisted future of our gun culture and the advancement of our technology, because surely a massa-cre in a movie theater is not what Thomas Jefferson had in mind when he wrote that all people have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. The point is that America desperately needs change. We watch as children die, but still hold firm to our right to bear arms. Do those children not have the right to live? Americans clutch their guns and try to “keep America American”, yet fail to see that if we continue to do this America is going to continue to slide down-hill. John F. Kennedy once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”. Our country cannot continue to allow children to die for the sake of selfish-ness, rather than ask it to, do instead what can be done to make our children safer, to make our students safer, to make ourselves safer. Allow guns to be outlawed, allow our country as a whole to be safer.


EDITORIAL

Detrimental Death GripAmerica’s gun culture is harming, not helping, its people

MaddyBranstetterStaff Writer

Gun Free ZoneCourtsey of Zack Neuman

FEBRUARY ‘13 | 13

EDITORIALVol 21 | Iss 06

Matthew Gwin//Staff Writer

After a year characterized by tragedy, society needs to changeA Time for Change

As Americans, we have a tendency to try to forget the bad things that happen in our lives. Whether it’s the death of a family member, an embarrass-ing moment, or a bad decision, we always re-

member to forget. The same goes for current events. We make something the “deal of the century,” then let it blow off with the wind (remember Kony 2012 or Gotye?) This is somewhat understandable, because there are important things going on in the lives of regular people, too. How-ever, as a society we need to break this trend, together. More caring and talking and mourning is needed, or else tragedies like those in Newtown and Aurora will continue. Gun control. That’s what everyone wants to focus on after these terrible shootings and rightfully so, as it needs to con-tinue to be addressed. Honestly, unless you’re one of the kids from the remake of Red Dawn and have to fight off the entire North Korean Army, is there any need for an assault rifle? Unfortunately, as regular citizens, we have to leave it up to our lawmakers to make changes in gun control, and does anyone see them making decisions in perfect harmony? We can change our way of life as a civilization though, by making

better efforts to feel sadness for all victims

of needless violence and at-tempting to communicate with others in order to prevent it.

One area that has emerged recently as an outlet for people to voice their opinions is the world of sports. The most memorable statement came from Pat Kelsey, the men’s basketball coach at Winthrop, a small university in Rock Hill, South Carolina. After a loss to Ohio State, Kelsey said, “There’s 20 families in New-town, Connecticut, that are walking into a pink room with a bunch of teddy bears with nobody laying in those beds. And it’s tragic . . . I know this country’s got issues. Is it a gun issue? Is it a mental illness issue? Or is it a society that has lost the fact, the understanding, that decent human values are important? This has to be a time for change.” In the past, the practice of athletes and coaches discuss-ing real-world problems and touchy subjects has been ques-tioned and even frowned upon. Although that trend is starting to buck, there should be no hesitation in this day and age to address the issues of the world. Sports are not separate from society, but rather an integral part of it. This goes for other celebrities such as entertainment stars. No one should ever be condemned for talking about real problems. It’s not what we want to hear, but it’s what we need to hear. Everyone throws around that word after all this violence. That powerful word that suggests action, but only occasional-ly prompts it. Change. Instead of just preaching it , we have to go out in the world and actually change. With a few ex-ceptions, one thing we agree on is some form of change. As Coach Kelsey alluded to, there is debate and even uncertain-

ty on what changes need to be made. Many wonder how to get from point A to point B. For that matter what is point B or even point A? Of course something’s wrong, but what exactly is wrong? So many questions with so few certain answers. The final piece needed is a solution. That seems impossi-ble at this point, but eventually we’ll find the answers. Pres-ident Obama just signed 23 executive orders to better con-

trol guns and to ensure the safety of Americans. The main goals of the plan are to take military-style weapons off the streets, better protect children in public places, allow better access to mental health facilities, and require exten-sive background checks on every gun sale in the country. He also pushed Congress to reinstate the Assault Weap-ons Ban that expired in 2004. All this faces stiff opposition from the NRA and its allies in Congress. Just like the “fiscal cliff,” we’ll likely suffer through weeks, probably months, of heated discussions and end up with minimal progress. Who knows for sure? Maybe an effective deal will be struck that pleases everyone. However, one thing remains certain—if we mourn the loss of every innocent victim whose life was cut short, cherish each moment we have, and talk to and include those who believe no one cares, things will get better. Socie-tal change can make a lasting difference. Coach Kelsey said it best. “I’m proud to grow up American. I’m proud to say I’m part of the greatest country ever. And that’s got to stay that way. And it’ll stay that way if we change. But we gotta change.”

President Obama signs 23 executive orders as kids from Newtown look on

Courtesy of Forbes

An AK-47Courtesy of Wikipedia

The logo of an organization that advocates for societal change Courtesy of PeoplePoweredChange

Coming Full CircleRe-Trending Old Fads Kelsey Knecht // Staff Writer


FEATURE

Picture for me a teenager of the 70’s. What are you seeing? Maybe some denim on denim. Tiny leather wrist watches. Square glasses, pea coats, maxi dresses, crocheted shirts,

and crew necks. Now picture today’s indie-influenced teenager. There’s not much of a difference. As one of those retro kids with a knack for finding most of what she wears in a used clothing store, I have found that shop-ping at Goodwill is in and Abercrombie is out. It’s about time. If you look around our school, there seems to be a major change in classes: the freshmen wear the brand names, while the upperclassmen have become more aware of style. I walk into school and see a girl wearing green Keds, a leather mes-senger bag, and corduroy jeans with a comfy - enlarged sweat-er. I go to lunch and talk with my friends about new vinyls that we adore, while lusting over someone’s new vintage camera bought from Savers. Are you seeing what I’m getting at? It’s even worse at the college level. The other day I visited my good friend in the music department at K- State. She had a 20’s bob complete with bangs, huge round glasses, and a denim shirt with a chunky necklace. We talked about Simon and Garfunkel and the hipster guys that can be seen on every corner of the campus. Then, she rode off on her 50’s inspired powder blue retro bicycle. My parents and I frequently talk about the bands from their time. My boyfriend and I dance around to his Beatles record in his room. I get on Instagram and use the Polaroid settings for most of my pictures. Each and every one of my guy friends wore a bow tie for Homecoming. Some of them even wore jackets with arm patches. In this day and age, we have interlaced the past’s fads into our own kind of fashion. We have grown up listening to our grandparents’ records in their basement and have fallen in love with the music of their time. Many of us are influenced by the fashion of our favorite bands. For some reason, we have back-tracked to different fads from different eras, such as loafers from the 1950’s, or legwarmers from the 1980’s. We’ve taken all of these things into account, along with our unique music taste, and even our admiration for independent film. The point is that the old is now new. Our generation is enthralled with turning old, stuffy pieces into unique outfits. We are the generation of old souls.

Trending items Courtesy of Google

Issue of The IssueBudget-cuts affecting those with special needs

Brianne Grudek//Staff Writer

FEBRUARY ‘13 | 15

EDITORIALVol 21 | Iss 06

Desks, whiteboards, filing cabinets, paper, pencils, would all be found in a typical classroom around the school. If you wander down to the 800 hall, you will spot those

items along with unique ones. Wheelchairs, bicycles, sensory items, talkers, and others take precedence in the classroom. Unless you have been living on a deserted island or in a hole underground, you should be familiar with budget cuts. The Kansas school districts are coping with the major cut backs but in some areas, students are being affected more than we know. Students with learning disabilities, physical disabili-ties, and Autism all suffer greatly from the budget reductions.

As students, the effects can be felt because of large class sizes or not enough text-books to go around. Children with special needs receive additional help with aca-demics, speech therapy, and physical therapy. Even though the school districts try not to cut, some-times the choice has to be made. While the all-im-portant men and women in the State Capitol building are slashing funds to schools with no

consideration

on the changes, special education teachers are hav-ing to write grants to hopefully be able to get one IPad to help an Autism classroom. Teachers use special seating and sensory items to help teach. Nowadays, the only way to get what you want is to buy these yourself. That’s not easy to do with a teacher’s sala-ry. Legislators need to be more aware of what goes on and the accounting costs. When a classroom gets larger in a special needs class, the students start to suffer because of the lack of one-on-one attention and instruction given. Not only are the teachers being cut, but para-educators are starting to be let go. These positions are vitally import-ant to the special needs kids and the teachers. Paras work with the students on academics, provide sensory time-out ses-sions, and accompany students to their classes. If para-edu-cators are being cut, students start to suffer and the teach-ers do as well since they help with the lesson planning, and data information on the students for the district and state. A para-educator here at East, Valeria Duncan, stat-ed “If we are short on para-educators, the safe-ty of the children and others will be affected.” The state of Kansas will continue to use the argument that as long as finding levels are constitutionally based on the state revenues, cuts will keep happening. Legislatures, along with the majority of the population, don’t know what it is like to be in a classroom working with special needs students. I would love for them to spend a week in there, hands-on with the kids, and then tell teachers what needs to be cut next. They need to shed those expensive suits and roll up their sleeves to experience what they have done. It’s easy to sit in a comfy office and look at the numbers on a piece of paper, but by just looking at numbers, you cannot visually see what has happened. People need to start looking at the faces of the children being affected instead of the numbers.

Ever had anything annoying to gripe to somebody about? Ever notice somebody doing something that makes you want to grab and shake him or her while shouting “HEY STOP THAT”. Well,

now we have the chance to rant on numerous issues we experience. Hopefully you all can relate and say, “OMG, I hate when they do that!” and if not, you’re probably the offender.

Classroom items used Courtesy of Allie Hicks

“

Les MisérablesThe film of love, sacrifice, and passion that took the world by storm

“When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums, there is a life about to start when tomor-row comes.-Ensemble preparing for revolution

Lauren Hart//Staff Writer

FEBRUARY ‘13 | 17

ENTERTAINMENTVol 21 | Iss 06

The musical phenomenon, Les Misérables, was released on Christmas Day, ranking second in the box office gross of all Christmas Day open-ers. This lengthy, opera-style movie, may be a bit much for those who

are not super-fans of the musical or novel written by Victor in Hugo in 1862. Taking place in France in the late 1800s, Les Misérables tells the story of the ex-pris-oner, Jean Valjean, who is chased throughout the years by Inspector Javert. When Valjean vows to make a new life for himself and becomes a factory owner, he meets Fantine. As Fantine is dying of tuberculosis, Valjean promises to take care of her daugh-ter who is currently living with cunning innkeepers, the Thénardiers. After Valjean and Cosette take off, their lives take a very dramatic turn that will change their lives forever. Director Tom Hooper made a gutsy decision to have the music sung live while filming in-stead of lip-synching to the recorded, studio version. Doing this took courage, but it definite-ly proved to be a benefit and helped to intensify the film even more. This really evokes the emotion out of the actors and actresses. The rawness of the vocals can bring anyone to tears.

Les Misérables recently won several Golden Globes. Anne Hathaway received the award for best performance of an actress in a supporting role in a Motion Picture for her role as Fantine. Hugh Jackman won the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture. Winning one of the most coveted awards of the evening, the Les Misérables cast

took home the award for the Best Motion Picture- Musical or Comedy. The film was also nominated for several Oscars. Some of them include Best Picture, Hugh Jackman for Best Lead Actor, Anne Hathaway for Best Supporting Actress, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Original Song, Production Design, and Sound Mixing.

Les Misérables movie poster Courtesy of http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1707386/

All in all, Les Misérables was a fantastic film. The movie deserved each of the awards it has won and has been nominated for. Although a bit lengthy and dragged out at times, the film sends out an inspiring message. The well-chosen group of actors and the outstanding vocals make this an enjoyable experience, even for those who are not devotees to the musical.

The movie does a fabulous job of thoroughly explaining parts of the story line that the musical does not. For anyone seeing the musical for the very first time, the plot can seem very confusing at times. Director Tom Hooper definitely makes it a point of his to try to help explain what is happening during the film. Although there may still be a few times when the audience is confused, overall, this is a well told tale of love, forgiveness, and redemption.

Anne Hathaway, who plays Fantine, delivers one of the most heart-wrenching performanc-es of the show during the song, “I Dreamed A Dream”. This particular song made her one of the many standouts of the movie. Hugh Jackman, who portrays the main protagonist

Jean Valjean, delivers vocals that leave the audience speechless. Russell Crowe, who portrays the ruthless Inspector Javert, stands out with his superior acting skills. Howev-

er, his singing abilities do not come up to par with his fellow cast mates. Eddie Red-mayne plays Marius, the student revolutionist, with stellar vocals; one of the best singers of the show. Amanda Seyfried’s vocals as Cosette are far overshadowed

and overpowered by Samantha Barks, who plays Éponine. Samantha Barks’ vocals give away her Broadway background. She played Éponine in the 25th Anniversary Concert of Les Misérables in 2010. Her experience on the stage really shines through in her outstanding rendition of “On My Own”.

The Thénardiers, played by Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter, provide lightheartedness constantly throughout the at-times, depressing film.

Discussion on ’s hit showand why it deserves more fansPeter Hung // Editor


ENTERTAINMENT

Based on the graphic novel The Walking Dead by Rob-ert Kirkman, this TV show follows a group of survi-vors as they struggle to live during the aftermath of a

zombie apocalypse. Deputy Sheriff, Rick, leads the group as they attempt to find a safe haven in Atlanta, free from the dangers of walkers, referring to the zombies that will eat any flesh on sight. A bite from these zombies will

turn a living person into a meat hungry walker. Though this show contains satisfying scenes for gore lovers, the interaction between the survivors keeps viewers watch-ing. When society has collapsed and walkers have taken over the streets, it’s the living that people must fear. If you’re new to this show that attracted 10.5 million viewers on its mid-season 3 finale, I highly suggest watching it.

Reasons why you should watch this showGore Fight ScenesSuspense Drama Acting

People are bitten. Blood is spilled. Guts are pulled out. Zombies are executed in numer-ous ways. Body parts are chopped off and the cam-era shows you the whole scene. View-ers will not stay comfortable while watching The Walk-ing Dead, and they are highly advised to not eat anything while doing so. If you love violence and gore, this show will satisfy all of your bloody needs.

One scene Rick’s group encounters zombies that were wearing riot gear. This means the survivors must find a way to pene-trate the gear’s high de-fense in order to kill the zombies. As time passes, Rick’s group becomes uni-fied and incorporates strat-egies while fighting walkers. The choreographers make sure the fight scenes are unique every episode, not just gunshots to the head. There’s Daryl with his silent but deadly crossbow, pistols and machine guns that most people uses, and even the good old-fashioned base-ball bat.

Though The Walking Dead can be scary at times due to the incredi-ble make-up the zombies have, it is a thriller, not a horror show. Apart from the creepy introduction music, TWD’s actually not that scary. Unless you watch it alone at night or you are new to the zombie apocalypse world, you shouldn’t get nightmares as you would with scary movies. Every time the group stumbles on to new terri-tory, you always wonder, “will they get jumped by a zombie behind that door?”

The characters are what drive this show. Writers and producers establish characters that you begin to support through their use of dramatic dialogue and emotional events. Crit-ics can point out the lack of how and who the people were. The Walking Dead does lack background sto-ries on all the characters, but the writers purposely choose to do so. It’s not about who the characters were now that society has fallen, it is about who you are in the effort of surviv-ing. As you begin to love certain characters and hate the stupidity that characters are known for, the writers kill them off one by one.

When actors find out their loved ones have been bitten (meaning they will turn into a zombie), their facial expressions are on point. The acting makes it apparent wheth-er the characters are scared, confused, happy, angry, or even crazy. An-drew Lincoln, who plays the sheriff deputy Rick, sets a perfect example for how people act when they go emotionally insane. His acting is so convincing that you can see his char-acter change from a law enforcer to a more ruth-less dictator in his group. The Governor, played by David Morrissey, nails his role of portraying a man who built a safe haven from the ground up and will do anything to keep his people alive.

Award Winning Video Game

Emotional ride by TellTale GamesGraphic Novel

by Robert Kirkman

Oth-er The

Walking Dead Media “ “ I watch The Walking

Dead because it can be in-tense, but also have a good plot and have likable charac-ters at the same time.-Junior Parker KempinThe Walking Dead Pictures

Courtesy of Google Images

War of the Awards Clearing up the confusion with the entertainment awards

Sean Fiore// Business Manager


ENTERTAINMENT

With the start of a new year comes the beginning of the entertainment award season. During award season two shows will dominate more than any others: the Golden Globes and the Acad-emy Awards (Oscars). On the surface, the two shows seem virtually the same. But once you peel back the curtains and take a second look at the Oscars and the Golden globes are vastly different.

Let’s first take a look at the black tie of the two award ceremonies: the Academy Awards. The Os-cars are all about large-scale glitz and glamour. Before the spectacle even begins, multiple hours are spent on the red carpet coverage where jour-nalists meet with attending celebrities and discuss what extravagant designer clothes they are wearing. Winning an Oscar is considered the most prestigious award in the film community. The Academy Awards are special because a specifically selected committee that votes on them: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). The AMPAS is an honorary group whose goal is to advance the level of art and science in films, hence the name. They see themselves as the keepers of an archive of motion picture success throughout history. The Oscars have a history of giving awards to movies that few moviegoers have seen. Let’s take a look at the last five Best Picture winners: 2011- The Artist, 2010- The King’s Speech, 2009- The Hurt Locker, 2008- Slumdog Millionaire, 2007- No Country for Old Men. While some of these movies are not household names, they are con-sidered some of the most artistic ever made. When the $15,000 dollar outfits, expensive limos and red carpet are stripped away, the Academy Awards are about art in film.

So this brings us to the Golden Globes, less of a cele-bration of art and more of what the average moviegoer and TV viewer likes. Golden Globes reach a wider au-dience every year because they tend to be more laid back, more entertaining and less about the formali-ties. The Globes are more like one big party where ac-tors, actresses and comedians come together to have a good time and relish in their own accomplishments. Like The Oscars, the Golden Globes have a pan-el of voters. The Hollywood Foreign Press (HFP) is giv-en the job of selecting the nominees and winners of the awards. The HFP is a coalition of all non-American jour-nalists in Los Angels as a way to get a global perspec-tive on the film and TV shows from the preceding year. The Golden Globes do not exclude any form of media. The categories range from TV comedies to heart wrench-ing dramatic movies. The Golden Globes are unique from a viewer standpoint; they feel like part of the party that adds a truly human element to the celebrities that are almost mythic in the way they are disscused in magazines and TV.

When choosing an award show, and you want to see glamorous celebrities and movies as pure art, the Academy Awards are for you. Now if you want to see an entertaining show where your favorite celebrities are having a good time and being personable, the Golden Globes are up your alley. Photo credit

www.goldenglobes.org

Photo creditwww.oscar.go.com

Even the dictionary can’t definitively tell us which activities are considered sports and which are not. People just have their own idea of what a sport is. Generally, activities such as soc-

cer, basketball, and football are widely regarded as stereotypi-cal sports. But when you start talking about activities like poker, equestrian, and ice-skating that aren’t as widely renowned, the decision on whether a form of entertainment is a sport or not is up for interpretation. This problem may seem trivial in nature, but actually entire com-mittees exist across the globe solely to make this determination. The dictionary says that a sport is “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and a competitive nature.” So in short, as long as something is athletic, skillful, and competitive, it is a sport. Simple enough right? Not even close. A couple of activities that are often caught in the crossfire of this ongoing debate happen to be very popular among the fe-male students of our school. Many members of the drill team and cheerleading squad here at Olathe East consider their extracur-ricular involvements to be sports. Senior Madi Cole, who is a member of the OE Talons, consid-ers drill team a sport. “We have a rule book to follow and we compete multiple times a week,” she said. But chess has a rule book too and they practice just as often, so does that make chess a sport? It isn’t that simple. Senior cheerleader Mariah Adams brings up a valid point for why cheerleading should be considered a sport. “Cheerleaders have to demonstrate their athleticism when they stunt, jump and tumble. Plus we practice as much as any other sport and we have to be strong, fit, and extremely flexible too.” Recently, the United States government was asked to weigh in on the debate, and even it doesn’t consider those activities sports. The Kansas government categorizes drill team and cheerleading just like it does band, orchestra, or choir: as an activity. More specifically, the KSHSAA calls both activities “Spirit Competition Groups.”

For this reason, Olathe East is allowed to have a class dedi-cated to drill team and cheerleading, but not a class dedicated to basketball players. They are technically not sports, but rather extracurricular activities. If they were sports, they would have af-ter-school practice just like all the other ones do. The only reason this argument even exists is because people crave credibility and validation. If people refuse to acknowledge the activity that you dedicate your time to as a sport, it is only offensive because they are suggesting that you are wasting your time. Don’t get me wrong, I think it is incredible that cheerleaders can stand on each other and do tons of flips and what not, and I also think it is amazing that drill teamers can twirl around and coordinate their hair flips. But I don’t think their effort and skill qualifies their activity as a sport. I also don’t mean any offense by refusing to call drill team and cheerleading sports. So what’s the big deal if people don’t want to call your passion a sport? I think the real problem here is that activities need to be called sports in order to be considered legitimate. The term “sport” should not be seen in such high esteem. Just because drill team and cheerleading aren’t sports doesn’t mean they aren’t athletic, skillful, and spectacular. As a matter of fact, I consider both activities arts, which in my opinion are more masterful than sports. But that is beside the point. The point is, why does our society use the word “sport” as a justification rather than just a classification? People tend to think that if something is not considered a sport, it is worthless. But why can’t we just be satisfied with calling drill team and cheerleading activities? Why does it need the label of being a sport in order to be recognize the stunning abilities of its participants? That’s the real problem. So I applaud you, Olathe East cheerleaders and drill teamers. Even though the rest of the world may not consider what you do to be worthy of the elite title of a sport, you don’t let this stop you from doing what you do, and doing it well.

Sean Murray//Editor

Sport or Not?

The KSHSAA HandbookCourtesy of www.kshsaa.org

Drill team seniors Madi Cole, Hannah Murray, and

Abby Thompson perfomingCourtesy of Dylan Klohr

Cheerleader Mariah AdamsCourtesy of Zack Neuman

FEBRUARY ‘13 | 19

SPORTSVol 21 | Iss 06 The KSHSAA HandbookCourtesy of www.kshsaa.org

Wrestling


SPORTS

SuperstitionsCourtney Child//Staff WriterZack Neuman//Graphic Editor

Bowling

The wrestlers have their own rituals as well. Husayn Sultani grabs his ankle band, jogs to the edge of the circle, puts it on, and while he is on his knee, he’ll say a prayer then jog to the mid-dle. Evan Green pumps himself up for every match by rocking out to “Waka Flocka,” and also wears a certain pair of socks every match. Also, Connor Leach drinks chocolate milk the morning of every match day, then before every match, eats a protein bite, drinks half a bottle of water, and listens to his wresting playlist.

The E.W. Krause Award is given out every year to the wrestler who has given the most to the team over their four-

year career at Olathe East. This senior may not be the most vic-torious wrestler, but the one that has given the team their all. This award is named after former Olathe East wrestling coach and Language Arts teacher, Eric Krause. At the end of the sea-son, the Hawk Award goes to one of the seniors. The award goes to the senior that best exemplifies the Octagon and has outstanding character. Though the Octagon is not an award, this eight-pronged tradition takes place at every practice. The team recited “The Octagon” as a group. It is “Commitment, Dedication, Discipline, Honor, Respect, Teamwork, Wrestling, Hawks”. One more tradition that the wrestling team has is that during away competitions that require a hotel and other transportation, the team divides into two different groups. The groups go as those who can eat and those who can’t eat.

Jason Terry, a player in the NBA, wears a pair of the next day’s opposing team’s basketball shorts for good luck. Bruce Gardiner, a player in the NHL, dunks his hockey stick in the toilet before games, and especially during slumps,

to score more goals and to end the slump. Turk Wendell, a major league baseball pitcher, must chew four pieces of black licorice while he pitches. Then he’ll bound over the baseline, spit them out and brush his teeth in between innings. These routines in sports can define a player’s ability to perform well on the court, in a meet, or in a dual. The subconscious mind merges doing well with a certain activity or action done beforehand, as early as the previous night or as late as immediately beforehand. As for sporting tradtions, numerous of them have endured over the years. Various traditions such as the unfor-gettable “storming the field” make players feel close to one another and to the fans. The best ones are the ones that bring

the teams closer together. These are a few of the unknown traditions that go on within Olathe East’s sport’s teams.

Many bowlers will only wear certain colors to continue a streak of good bowling or wear the same shirt over and over again for the same purpose.

Mr. Thibodeau struggled with coming up with some.

He believes that because the boys and girls have practice as a whole, that is something that

brings the team together.

Strike at a recent bowling tournament Courtesy of Zack Neuman

Olathe East wrestler taking out the competition

Courtesy of Zack Neuman

FEBRUARY ‘13 | 21

SPORTSVol 21 | Iss 06

and TraditionsWinter sports teams share their quirky rituals

Swimming/DivingSome of our divers have to bounce the diving board a certain amount of times, or count to a certain number before throwing a dive. Junior Tanner Emer-son has to fix his goggles at least five times before plunging into the pool, and junior swimmer Ty-ler Gartenberg wears a certain bracelet on meet days, up until his first dive.

The Cone Game is one of the many traditions that the Men’s Swimming Team has. During practices, cones are

placed at the bottom of the swimming pool. Each lane fights over the cones, and the lane with the most cones at the end of practice claims victory. On other practice days, preferably when snow is on the ground, the swimmers will hop out of the pool while dripping wet in speedos. They then run outside in the snow. Some of the men try to sprint to a fence about 200 meters away. Other men just play around in the snow. James Kor holds the record distance running past the fence and completing a lap around the California Trail track. Not typically used in practices but mainly at meets is the “Spin-ner”. Every year, the coolest freshman receives the spinner from the previous owner. Purpose: to boost morale. Similar to the spinner are the pirate flag, given to a junior, and the

conch, given to a senior.

Olathe East gives a home to many gifted athletes, and though some may credit their talent to a few superstitions or traditions, they are the true stars. They are the ones who put in the effort,

they are the ones who stay late and wake up early, they are the ones who put in their personal best for ev-ery practice. They radiate Olathe East’s classy nature with every shot, every dive, every win.

Men’s and Women’s BasketballOur women’s basketball team is quite supersti-

tious. Every time they are on a winning streak and Coach Evans brings it to attention, the Lady Hawks knock on the floor, or any available wooden sur-face to not jinx the streak. Also, after every practice, a senior must take a half court shot for good luck. The men’s team has some athletes with superstitions as well. The night before a game, senior Kyle Smith sports army camouflage socks, freshman Cedric Rollen wears basketball boxers to bed, and fellow freshman Josiah Talbert wears a jersey and game shorts. For good luck, junior Ezra Talbert’s secret is chewing gum. Finally, sophomore Tez Stroggins lis-tens to his One Direction playlist before every game.

“Donut Defense” is a reward for the boy’s bas-ketball team. If the team holds the opposing team

to less than 50 points, the players are rewarded with donuts the following day.

Chris Strange and Tyler Gartenberg during a snow run

Courtesy of Karah Brown

Crowd storming the court at a basketball game

Courtesy of Zack Neuman

The success of the Olathe East Bowling program Aaron YuratovichBusiness Manager

Vol 21 | Iss 06

FEBRUARY ‘13 | 22

Olathe East High School has a vast selection of sports to choose from, and an even more massive amount of state championships; bowling holds its own as a well-known sport and state championship winner. Since the beginning of the bowling program in 2006, the team has accumulated three individual state titles, Britney Yuratovich-2006, Nikki Hurmence-2011, Aar-on Yuratovich-2012; and one team state title in 2011. 2011 was possibly the most prosperous year for the bowling team; they racked up the Sunflower Championships, City Championships, Regionals, and also brought home the year-end 6A State Tournament. “It was phenomenal effort by the entire team; The year typified team work. When one bowler was down, the whole team picked him up. It was an incredible feat to say the least”, said assistant coach Vic Yuratovich, when asked about the incredible 2011 bowling season.

In 2012 the Hawks brought back another star stud-ded team which continued the winning streak from 2011. They racked up the Sunflower and Regional titles. Although they didn’t successfully defend their team state title, another great year was put in the books for the Hawks Bowling team.

The 2013 season, like many other high school bowling programs, has be-gun as a rebuilding year as 14 senior bowlers graduated in 2012. Even though many are gone, 2013 brings a fresh young perspective to both the girls’ and boys’ team. A few juniors but mostly freshman and sophomores fill the bowling team.

When Coach Thibodeau was asked about all the new players, he said, “Although this is a rebuilding year, we have a decent amount of talent, and should compete for state again”. Although most of the team is underclassmen, the bowling team feels they have a resonable chance at making state again. Ju-nior, and defending individual state champion Aaron Yuratovich will have quite a bit of pressure on his back to carry this young team. “I have confidence in our team, and I believe that with practice and preperation anything can be possible this season”, said Yuratovich.

In th

e Mix

February 5th- Olathe East Area Band Festival

February 13-14thParent-Teacher

Conferences

February 8th- No School: Professional Day

February 7th- Athletic Signing Ceremony

Dates to REMEMBER

Imageof the ISSUE

by theNumbers

115 YearsApproximate

age of the NFL’s longest running

franchise (Arizona Cardinals)

48Age of the oldest

player ever to play in the NFL

111.3 MillionNumber of viewers

of last year’s Super Bowl XLVI

75Most combined

points scored in a Super Bowl (XXIX)

$3.5 MillionAverage cost

of a 30 second advertising spot during the Super

Bowl

HAWKS EYEa student run publication Olathe East High School14545 West 127th Street

Olathe, KS 66062

ADVISERKaren Bourland

EDITORSPeter Hung

Sean Murray

MANAGING EDITORJessica Goddard

GRAphIC EDITORZach Neuman

BUSINESS MANAGERSSean Fiore

Aaron Yuratovich

phOTOGRAphERSKelsey Knecht

SENIOR STAFF WRITERSJoseph Bush

Brianne Grudek

pUBLICITY MANAGERAaron Rhodes

STAFF WRITERS Maddy Branstetter

Logan BrockschmidtCourtney ChildMatthew Gwin

Lauren HartLauren Heinrich

Jordan MeierLauren MerinoAustin PorterPaige Schick

Katie Thompson

Here’s a guy who can use his arms and his legs at the same time!

-John Madden

“

by Peter Hung “Hawklentine”

“

Notice of Non-discrimination: The Olathe Public Schools prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in admissions, access, treatment or employment, in its programs and activities as required by: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Inquiries regarding compliance with applicable civil rights statutes related to ethnicity, gender, the ADA or age discrimination may be directed to Staff Counsel, 14160 Black Bob Road, Olathe, KS 66063-2000, phone 913-780-7000. All inquiries regarding compliance with applicable statutes regarding Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act may be directed to the Assistant Superintendent General Administration, 14160 Black Bob Rd. Olathe, KS 66063-2000, phone 913-780-7000. Interested persons including those with impaired vision or hearing, can also obtain information as to the existence and location of services, activities and facilities that are accessible to and usable by disabled persons by calling the Assistant Superintendent General Administration. (06/10)

Photosto

ry

Courtsey of Zachary S. Neuman

KSPEC Competition

Sophomore’s Allison Walker, Emily Luder and Morgan Martin preparing to dance

Varsity Hip-Hop dancing

Jr. Varsity Pom giving their all

Junior drill teamers leaping through the air

The Olathe East drill team shines at contest