Issue 6, Vol.93February 16, 2012

Hi Life Magazine

What You Need To Know. Now.

2 HI.LIFE 2012

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JLABMAG.COM 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

On The Cover:

Table of Contents7)ACT Prep:The ACT is important for just about everyone. Here is how to succeed.20)Personality Profile- Mr.Narren:The shop teacher and his job and life.

8) Health Standards:Staying health and living the life of a nurse in high school.22)Foreign Exchange:Meet the foreign exchange student of the month.

29)LSHS Base-ball Preview: What is the season going to look like? Find out here and now.

27)OSG:Meet the club OSG and see all of the fun things they do.

23) Strange Excuses:The strangest excuses for being late to class.

12)Outshine:Glitter, sparkles, outshine. All the latest styles you can’t miss.

9) Behind the Scenes:All the things that Student Senate does for the school.

13)Coffee Shop Questions:Which coffee shop will win? Gusto’s or Whistle Stop?

FebruaryVol. 93No.6

5 Things You’ll Know After Reading This Issue:

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8 9

12

It does not take much to stay healthy. Find fun ways to stay healthy and fit for life. See more on Pg.16.Picture by Nicole Kelleher

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292723

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22-How to save money when getting gas.- The differences between Obama Care and Health Care else where.-What Senate members do in our school-The better coffe shop: Whistle Stop VS. Gusto’s-State of LSHS

4 HI.LIFE 2012

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JLABMAG.COM 5

LETTER

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR It is time to turn the class assignment in. The whole class groans. No one is done and the teacher shakes her head in disapproval. As we move closer and closer to the end of the school year it is getting more diffficult for the majority of seniors to find the energy to finish their homework. Why? Senioritis. After being in school for 13 years a lot of us are just ready to be done. We want to move on and go out into the real world, not be stuck at home finishing a project last minute and then figuring out how you are supposed to get the rest of your homework done as well. It may seem like a daunting task, but it can be done. Senioritis happens, but you have to get over it to succeed and to finish out highschool in a way that will make yourself proud of everything you have been able to accomplish in a school year that is quickly winding down. If you do not get over that case of senioritis, things could start looking bad. When students start slacking on their work it causes problems and stress for everyone involved in the situation. You are going to have to deal with your grades going down, parents are going to get stressed out because they will end up needing to confront you about why your grades are slipping, and teachers have to hear complaints that they are not doing their jobs right, when, in reality, they are not doing anything wrong. Even if it does not seem like grades are important for your future in the last semester of high school, they are. So try to get over that silly case of senioritis and finish the school year strong.

SENIORITIS

MIKAYLA FROMMEREditor in Chief: Mikayla Frommer

Web Editor in Chief: Kevin Adams Photo Editor: Timmy Snook, Nicole Kelleher, & Zac Harris

News Editor: Mary Jo Roccaro and Michelle HurleyFeatures Editor: Tyler Robertson

Entertainment Editor: Haley Gillilan and Shelby McNealy Fashion Editor: Tori Carlile and Jordan Julian

Opinions Editor: Jacob ValentineSports Editor: Nick Rellihan

Copy Editor: Paige SeymourAds Manager: Sierra Lewis

Advisor: Marc Russell

Writers and Photographers: Paige Allin, Kaelyn Bailey, Jonathon Barr, Darby Beatty, Taylor Berg, Morgan Bruce, Marissa Corcoran, Samuel Eames, Chelsea Englis,Victoria Gardner, Daniel Graham, Aaron Hagan, Joshua Harris, Andy Jarnevic, Courtney Jeffries, Harlee Kelley, Chloe Maberry, Carly McCarthy, Anna Myers, Ian Nickens, Hannan Nickles, Sydney Nyquist, Taelor Oller, Logan Phillips, Andrew Potter, Matthew Rellihan, Jessica Rhoades, James Ross, Jared Shepherd, Kailyn Smith, Jude Spaulding, Arna Steinarsdottir, Sean Stevens, Megan Terry, Tierney VanMeter, Shelby Wagner, Tristan White, Ashley Hagan, Kimberly Tabe, Aaron Wood, Ashley Burrison, Jacob DePeralta, Timothy Snook, Jesse Butler, Wendy Hayworth, John Wood, Victoria Fangrow

MAKING IT HAPPEN

6 HI.LIFE 2012

NEWS

State of LSHSA state of change is taking over the school.

Story by Kaelyn Bailey Photos by Arna Steinarsdottir

Story by Ian Nickens

For hundreds of years, black men and women fought for their rights and freedom as American citizens. Their hard work has paid off.

Change is coming upon the school for the 2012-2013 school year. The school day, the clubs, and the staff will all be going through changes before the first day of school hits. Teachers are an extremely important part of the school atmosphere; they help us learn and reach our goals. For some teachers, however, it is time to move on from teaching and retire. “Kathy Leslie (FACS), Brian Bubalo (Math), Kathy Koonce (French), Greg Thiel (Industrial Tech), Dan Schnell (Activities Director) will all be retiring this year,” activities director Dan Schnell said. Next year, a new assistant principal will be welcomed to the school. The process for hiring any new staff members is definitely a long one. There are many people involved, as it is such an important job. “There will be an application process. From the list of applicants, a select number of applicants will be asked to interview with Dr. Faulkenberry and an interview committee. From those interviews, a person will be recommended to the Human Resource Director to be hired,” Schnell said. There will not be any new sports coming next year, but there are a few clubs that are new to our school, and starting new

clubs is a relatively simple, albeit long, process, involving a teacher sponsor and the administration’s approval. “You can fill out an application and turn into Mrs. Baxter in the main office. But every club needs a sponsor. This is a long process and needs an approval,” secretary Jeanne Nixon said. The late start policy will be in effect next year as well, which will include bussing and daycare. “Bussing will be the same, just one hour earlier. Students will be able to come at seven, but there will be designated areas, like the library, field house, cafeteria, and computer labs,” Nixon said. With all the changes taking place in the next school year and beyond, students and staff members alike will have quite a few exciting things to look forward to.

Throughout history, many people fought for the African-American cause, and are now remembered and revered for their actions. “I think that Harriet Tubman made the most difference in the freedom and rights movement because she helped around 114,000 people escape from slavery when she was alive,” Freshman Wayne Jordan said. Harriet Tubman, an escaped slave, ran a large part of the Underground Railroad, a secret route that would help slaves escape from the South and into the North. She made a great number of risky trips to the South in order to rescue all of those people. “Martin Luther King, Jr. made the most difference because he was compassionate, steadfast, and he wanted good for everyone. He never wavered and wanted everyone to be considered equal. I think everyone should follow his example,” Substitute teacher Yvonne Williams said. Clearly, everyone has their own opinion over who did the

most good. For history teacher Allison Black, there are so many that it simply depends on the time period. “I definitely think that if we’re talking about the Civil Rights movement, there are many people, but Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. were the spark plug to the entire movement,” Black said. Out of everyone that helped civil rights come about, February was chosen in commemoration of two specific people. “February was chosen to be Black History Month to honor Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, who had been influential in affecting the lives of African-Americans.” Lincoln is known for the freeing of the slaves during his administration, and Douglass was an educated black abolitionist that lived in the 1700-1800’s. Both of their birthdays are in February. All of these names and faces will be remembered forever for their efforts, especially during Black History Month.

Black History Month

Most people do not like hospitals. The white walls,

beeping machines, and needles are the stuff of nightmares for kids and adults alike. Still, no one can deny the importance of having access to hospitals, which is why the health care debate is so contentious. The health care debate stems from the problems associated with the various health care systems that exist in the world today. In America, where coverage is not guaranteed, 44 million people do not have any form of health insurance. On top of that, 38 million people have inadequate health insurance. Those against this health care system argue that it gives people the choice to forgo insurance if they want to. They argue that the mandator coverage that exists in other countries-and within the health care reform bill passed by Barack Obama-takes away peoples’ rights, and will strain the economy. Those for the health care reform bill argue that having uninsured Americans hurts not only those who are uninsured, but the economy as a whole. People who are uninsured are more likely to wait until their health issues are serious before seeking care, which can lead to costly operations that could have been prevented, otherwise. Whichever side of the debate one falls on, the economic problem health care poses is undeniable. At almost 20 percent

of the GDP, health care is the single biggest cost to our nation. Warren Buffet, a renowned economist and investor, suggests that in a healthy economy, that percentage would be in the low teens. The moral aspect of the health care debate is also important to consider. One overlooked aspect of the new health care bill passed by the Obama administration is the restrictions on insurance providers. In the current health care system, insurance providers are free to pick and choose who they cover. This means that it is very hard for someone with a serious illness to become insured. Under the new health care system, insurance providers will not be allowed to opt not to cover someone with a pre-existing condition. From regular checkups to open heart surgery, medical care is essential to the health of everyone. The health of our economy, however, is also important, and finding a balance between affordability and coverage will continue to be the subject of many debates.

NEWS

JLABMAG.COM 7

The ABC’s of the ACTStory by Samuel Eames Photos from Associated Press

Ready? Set? Prepare! Preparing for the ACT is no joke, so students should take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself. Websites, classes, tutors, and counselors are all at the disposable of the students.

In order to do well on the ACT test, students should start taking advantage of the many tools at their disposal.

Obama Care Vs. Elsewhere

Story by Kailyn Smith Photos by Courney Jeffries

Students get up super early on the morning of the big day. It is finally test day. When students walk into the testing room, some might start to panic but if they are well prepared, the test will be a breeze. Lee’s Summit High School provides an ACT prep class at different dates all year long. Each set of classes is based around the test date and is centered around a specific subject. The cost of one of these classes is $109, and it is sure to pay off. Since only 30 kids can be in a class at a time, juniors and seniors need to sign up soon. Many websites offer resources for the ACT, where you can get registration information, tutoring, or general information on the test. Several colleges provide prep classes for interested students, which could also lend a hand in becoming familiar with different campuses. When students register they will be provided a practice test, which is one of the best resources available. The practice test gives each nervous student a pretty good idea of what they should know and how the test is set up. Students go to bed the super early the night before the test so they are ready to do their best. It is finally the day students have worked hard and prepared for. All of their hard work will finally pay off.

NEWS

8 HI.LIFE 2012

HEALTH ROOM STANDARDS

HEALTH ROOM STANDARDS THAT BOTH TEACHERS AND STUDENTS HAVE TO FOLLOW TO KEEP THE HEALTH ROOM SAFE

Story and Photos by Tristan White

Health rooms and health labs all over have standards, which are basically just regular rules or guidelines that health associates have to take in order to help kids and teens that have problems. Even the school we attend five days a week has these standards and are what health teachers need to know in order to help when a outburst happens. Some problems that are addressed by these standards are communicable diseases, student fevers, and even vomiting. “Many reasons why we use health standards are for safety of the students,” school nurse Hellen Enright said. Even when it seems like a normal trip to the health room, there are times when it gets hard for Enright. She has had many difficult days, some of which, are mostly asthma attacks and the students did not have their inhaler. Being without, or not having the correct medications can become a very dangerous situation. Enright does not only deal with regular health associate jobs at the school, she also volunteers at the ACS or the American Cancer Society. Which is an organization to help out and find a cure for cancer. Some things that volunteers do are called: Hope Lodge; I can cope; Look Good... Feel Better; Road to recovery; and Man to Man. Health teacher Kevin White gives out information to help the students, White has not just worked as a health teacher, he also was an athletic trainer before college. After college, however he was a personal trainer, and a part of Community Health. Community Health is a group of nurses or health type specialists that help give information out and tutor students in schools that did not have a health program. For White, it was his hardest in the health profession. This job was not so hard due to the health problems he encountered, it was hard because he was away from home seven days a week. Some good things that came from the job though are the opportunities for travel. There are many health problems around the world, but with the education of the students at an early age it can be easier for them to stay healthy and help nurses maintain their health standards.

JLABMAG.COM 9

BEHIND THE SCENES

Posters line the halls, calling the students to take action and vote for Student Senate. Hopeful students collect

signatures in order to be on the ballot. They are running to be the student representatives for the school. “Our biggest projects are Homecoming and Courtwarming and we do a lot of work for the Special Olympics,” student senate president Christina Jones said. Student Senate works to help improve the school through community service and generating school spirit. They plan assemblies and organize community service events like the Polar Bear Plunge. “We are the voice of the student body as far as making changes to the cafeteria or any spirit at this school,” student senate advisor Karla Thompson said. There are many important reasons to have a student senate. “I think it keeps the student body organized in community service events and school functions. It brings Lee’s Summit students together as a community,” Thompson said. Every year, ten students from every grade level are voted in to Student Senate. “New officers come in with new ideas and improve on old ideas that are already established and tradition,” Thompson said.MGetting voted on to the senate requires a significant amount of work from the new senators. “If you are a new member you have to fill out an information sheet and then get signatures from your peers, and

then you are put on a ballot and people can vote for you online,” sophomore Taylor Walker said. Some members of Student Senate choose to run for a higher position within the program. “There are elections every spring for people running for office,” Jones said. Being an officer comes with a lot of responsibilities. “I get the senators organized so they can complete their tasks and communicate with the staff to make sure all our plans are okay,” Jones said. The senate experiences many changes from year to year due to new leaders and new senators. “This was the first year we had all ten freshman. That changed a lot because they are all really awesome senators,” Jones said The program is run by students, with little help from teachers and advisors. “My job is just to advise and to help the officers and the student senators. My role is not to make decisions, but to be there for support,” Thompson said.

The program offers a way for students to get involved with the school. “I get to work with the leaders of the school and brainstorm ways to help the school and the student body of the school,”

Thompson said. Student Senate controls many important matters for the school, such as dance themes and community organizations. It is a very useful and important group for the school to have.

Behind the Scenes: Student Senate

1.”I get the senators organized so they can complete thier tasks and communicate with the staff to make sure all our plans are okay.” Senior class president Christina Jones said. Jones is graduating this year and leaving the reins to Nikki Perrilloux.

2.“Our biggest projects are Homecoming and Courtwarming and we do a lot of work for Special Olympics.” Jones said. The senate helps decorate for the courtwarming dance.

3. Junior Nikki Perrilloux is running for class president during the 2012-2013 school year.

4. The student senate help support Special Olympics at the Polar Bear plunge at Longview Lake.

“We are the voice of the student body as far as making changes to the cafeteria or any spirit at this school.”

Story by Andy JarnevicPhotos by Marissa Corcoran and Marc Russell

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FASHION

10 HI.LIFE 2012

By: Tori Carlile Photos by: Morgan Bruce

Perfectly Pastel

SugarRush

Certian colors remind us of particular foods. Fashion can be fun and scrumptious when you link the clothes with food, like what has been done on these pages.

Blue berry blue T-Shirt, Affliction, $58

Vanilla Cupcake white, layered tank top- Studio Y, $29

Cremey opaque blazer- studio Y, $49

Strawberry pink long sleeved shirt- Maurices, $19.98

JLABMAG.COM 11

FASHION

By: Tori Carlile Photos by: Morgan Bruce

Precious Pastels

Icing on the Cake

Lavender purple bracelet- Betsey Johnson, $35

Confetti like feather earrings with different colored feathers- Day Trip, $10

Strawberry vanilla heels- Maurices, $34

FASHION

12 HI.LIFE 2012

Outshine the crowd with sparkles, glitter, and sequins.

SEQUINED SHIRT

Outshine

Stand out from the crowd with a contrasting style. A regular nude color paired with silver sequins is the perfect top if you want to be noticed, without overdoing it.Sky, $108

FIND THE SHIRTS AND ACCESSORIES ALL AT Alysa Rene’s Boutique in Downtown Lee’s Summit

SPARKLY ZEBRA RING

Instead of going for the boring, plain rings you usually see, pick a big bold rhintestone animal print ring. $24

RHINESTONE WRAP BRACELET

With it’s pretty pastel color and added sparkle, drawing attention to yourself because of your great fashion sense has never been easier.$24

AN ENTIRE OUTFIT

The jewels on the neckline of this gray floral tank top add sparkle without looking like a disco ball. Awake Couture, $88

JEWELED JEANSMiss Me Jeans are by far the best jeans for sparkle. Miss Me’s are known for its blinged-out pockets, and the more jewels there are, the better.

JLABMAG.COM 13

ENTERTAINMENT

Whistlestop Gusto’s VSWhen Coffee Shops Collide Atmosphere: B+The Whistlestop follows a comfortable train style and provided very friendly service. It seemed, however, as if everything was cramped together to provide ample space. Also, there is an outdoor section for when the weather is fair.Taste A-The coffee at the Whistlestop tastes delicious and was tongue burning hot, with little effort to make the coffee look aesthetically pleasing. A bit on the sweet side for coffees, but the coffee nonethe-less tastes good. Prices: A-Lattes usually cost $2.90-$3.90 and mo-chas usually cost $3.35-$4.35. A very good price range considering the quick serving time.

Location: BThe Whistlestop is located in Downtown Lee’s Summit at 227 SE Main Street, which is good since people would not have to go far from their homes to travel there.

Atmosphere: AGusto provides a fancy home feel to it and has kind workers work-ing behind the counter. There was definitely a lot more room in

Gusto, and even more when their outdoor sec-tion is considered. This coffee shop even had a fireplace and some board games that were on the bookshelves.Taste: AGusto’s coffee tasted excellent and was served at a warm-hot temperature. They went one step further than Whistlestop by making a leaf-shape design with the milk foam, making the coffee look more physically appealing. Price: ALattes usually cost $2.75-$3.70 and mochas usually cost $3.15-$4.10. This is a better price range for this good coffee, plus it has an aver-

age of being around $.15-$.20 cheaper.

Location: C- Gusto is sadly located near Longview College at 3390 SW Fas-cination Drive, a 15+ minute drive just to reach Gusto from the high school. It seems unreasonable to travel ten more minutes just to save $.15-$.20.Overall: B+ Overall: A-

D’Bronx Tired of your regular Friday night pizza place? It is as big as a table. No really, the pizza is that big. It almost feels like a spiritual experience just to to see one. It must be a gigantic party a pizza like that is headed to, or perhaps one very hungry man. Not all the pizzas are that big obviously, but it is tempting to order one just to see it. That pizza is from d’Bronx and it may not be the best pizza ever made, but it is still pretty good. And once again, seeing those gigantic pizzas are worth the price of admission. D’Bronx is a pizza restaurant and deli with a couple locations around the Kansas City area. The one on 39th and Bell is definitely the best one and the most well known. The most immediately notable thing about the whole restaurant is the graffiti on every inch of the walls and the seats. It is no exaggeration to say there is not a single square inch of the walls without some message scrawled in Sharpy. When historians find the ruins of this place hundreds of years from now it will look more like a Sharpy testing facility than a pizza restaurant. Of course some of these bits are covered with photos of JFK and working class people and paintings, and with the music always filling the place with recognizable melodies you just cannot remember the names of, it gives off a very New York atmosphere. It is not the most original idea or the best execution of that idea, but it seems authentic and that matters more than originality. The pizza is the same way. It is perfectly fine. It is not the best pizza ever and it is not the worst pizza ever. It is pretty middle of the road. It goes light on the sauce and very heavy on the topping, which is not my preference, but others like it. Those toppings are very good. The pepperoni and the sausage are

perfectly seasoned and spiced and they are truly a pleasure to eat. The menu says in several places, “..takes 15-20 minutes, but it’s worth the wait,” and it is true. It is much better pizza than fast food places like Pizza Hut or Papa John’s could hope to have, but it is not really a contender in the class of pizza it tries to play in. It is a locally owned restaurant with pizza made from scratch, and in Kansas City, Minsky’s and Grinders outclasses it. It is good, but it is not the best, and that becomes a problem when it’s primary goal is to be the favorite pizza restaurant. The place they take all their friends any time there is an event. D’Bronx is not a bad restaurant, that last paragraph may have been a little more sour than it should have been, but it is standard. The atmosphere is warm and inviting but has been done before. The pizza is very good, but far from the best. The service is great and impressive, but it does not make the restaurant better. Still, it is far from a waste of money or time. They put the time and effort in to make a 30 inch pizza, and that is worth something.

By Jesse Butler Photo by Harlee Kelley

Yum. If you’re tired of you’re boring friday night pixzza place, try d’bronx, a chic new kansas city pizzeria.

ENTERTAINMENT

14 HI.LIFE 2012

The name’s Tiger, Mr. Tiger

Bucket List

Pageant shows are not just for girls. Lee’s Summit High School’s annual Mr. Tiger show is one example of how true that is. Throughout the show, a couple dozen talented senior guys strut their dance moves, bring their escorts up on stage, answer some interview questions, and compete in a talent portion. A couple of senior girls get to take on the role as MCing, or hosting, the entire show, and it takes a lot more work to perform this task than one might think. Seniors Kyleigh Fletcher and Rebecca Foley achieved the roles as being MCs. “The auditions were interesting. I had to walk gracefully down the PAC and onto the stage in six inch heels,” senior Kyleigh Fletcher said. “I had to remember to smile the whole time while saying my lines. Thankfully the judges were nice, and everything went smoothly,” senior Rebecca Foley said. Both girls were relieved and excited about the road ahead when they found out that they were chosen to be the MCs. Each year, one or two girls are chosen after their auditions to be the MCs, and this year the judges decided on two. Besides their smooth auditions, their great qualifications and past experiences with productions also boosted their chances at getting the role.

“I’ve been in every musical since my freshman year,” Fletcher said. “I’ve done public speaking in clubs and presentations, so I’m comfortable with talking in front of people,” Foley said. Both girls auditioned because they wanted to take their opportunity to be a part of putting together Mr. Tiger. They are not sure about all of the work that it is going to take them in order to be ready for the premier of the show, but they are sure that it is going to take some time to memorize their script and be fully prepared. “I wanted to audition because I recently did a runway model project which I thought was fun, and it made me want to see what it’d be like to MC for this,” Fletcher said. The jobs of these MCs is to start the show, introduce the boys, read their bios, ask them interview questions, and keep the show running smoothly. Mr. Tiger is showing on March 30th in the Performing Arts Center. It will be an opportunity for people to see these senior guys “back in action”, possibly even showing off dance moves that no one knew they had. It is also an opportunity for everyone there to see how the hard work of these MC’s has paid off.

Skydiving-Senior Michael Angel

Take a trip to Canada-Senior Samantha Hunter

2012, the year the world is going to end, the year you might as well “spice things up”. Talk has been stirring up for years now about the Mayan’s prediction, and if their reasoning is our fate. This is the year that everyone is secretly skeptical about, whether they believe this crazy fabrication or not. Whatever the outcome may be, only time will tell what truly will lie ahead for us. Until then, this has given many of us an excuse to check things off our bucket list of things that we want to accomplish before we part ways with life. Students we’re asked about what spontaneous event they wanted to take part of before the “end” approaches. Here are some of the answers you might get if you were wanting to get an answer out of the students at Lee’s Summit High School.

Ride a bull- Junior Robbie Martinez

Get hit in the face by Mike Tyson- Junior Jordan Perrin

Fight a shark - Senior Tim Marting Lay on a white, sandy

beach in the Carribbean for a week - Hi-Life Superviser Mr. Russell

New Mr. Tiger MC’s sound off

By Sydney Nyquist

By Paige Allin

JLABMAG.COM 15

ENTERTAINMENT

This album is defintaley not his best but shows some of his

cf creativity and some cool beats. He also shows his fans thats he wants to be taken seriously and not as some other white rapper. He is no eminem, but he can still hit those beats!Key Track: ‘Get Away’

YelawolfRadioactive

WILL.I.AM#WILLPOWER

TYGALast King

JAKE’S JAMZ

VAN HALENA DIFFER-ENT KIND OF TRUTH

SILVERSTEINSHORT SONGS

BUCKETH-EADElectric Sea

HONEY COCAINEDuck your feelings

BROWNINGBURN THIS WORLD

311FROM CHAOS

INCUBUSMAKE YOURSELF

ALBUM OF THE MONTH

CURRENCYMuscle Car ChroniclesKey Track: ‘Take Off’

Albums You Should Know About

‘The new album by The Weekend just hit the charts with strong vocals and upbeat rhytms. The band also does a great remake of Dirty Diana and it sounds just like him.Key Track: ‘Rolling Stone’

With his new mixtape just out he is about to his

the charts with the rise of the last king. His mixtape was a huge hit and every song was a hit. Hope-fully Tyga can deliver another hit album. If it sounds like his older stuff than im going to be dissapointed.Key Track: ‘Do It All’

Im just going to start off and say that Will.i.am is proably one of the worst

rappers or pop artist in the game next to T-Pain. His beats are always the same and his vocals seem to never blow anybody anyway. He was doing better with The Black Eyed Peas. His worst mistake was going solo and making a this album.Key Track: ‘T.H.E.’

Honey Cocaine was signed to YMCMB

awhile ago and has been in a couple of songs with Tyga and they all have been hits. She has this Nicki Minaj attitude ,but with the swag of a beast. She kills all the tracks shes on. Even though their aren’t many female rap artists in the game she is one of th unique ones that can make it sound good.Key Track: ‘Heisman’

Try mixing Jimi Hendrix’s, Robert Plant’s,

Angus Black’s, and Kurt Cobain’s gutairs together and that would make Buckethead. Buckethead has produced more than 36 albums in his career and its all gutair reefs. He wears a huge bucket on his head and you can not even see him. He is a one of a kind artist and you will be hearing more about him with his sick riffs.Key Track: ‘Electric Sea’

Van Halen has been making songs since back in

the 80’s! Songs like ‘Hot for Teacher’ and ‘Jump’! Which all have made the top 10 in the billboard charts. This new album will come with the new revolutionzed sound of Van Halen. They may be a little bit older, but look at the Rolling Stones, they are old and still making music, but Van Halen still rocks out hardcore.Key Track: ‘Jump’

Silverstein is defintaley making the top charts

because they have made excellent music with good lyrics and hardcore gutair riffs. Their older albums are a lot better than their new ones, but I still would buy this album. Its not one of the best albums that someone would like to hear ,but you have to respect scremo and the awesome breakdowns.Key Track: ‘Take me away’

Named after the street right off of our High School, The

Browning. They are growing more and more everyday. This album unleashed a beast of hardcore breakdowns and lyrics. Their older stuff is awesome, but their new one makes them look less underground.Key Track: ‘Ashamed’

Always the fans favorite when you are just chilling

and doing nothing around your house. 311 soothes your soul and brings a california feel to the music. They have made a couple of albums, but this one definately tops the charts.Key Track: ‘Amber’

Incubus has a very unique

sound with a combination with rcck, rap, and slighty some reagga. They defintaley are going to have a future with their music because they have a distinct noise that nobody can copy.Key Track: ‘Pardon Me’

ALBUM TO GET

Designed and written by Jacob DePeralta

16 HI.LIFE 2012

CENTERSPREAD

‘SHEALTH AND FITTNESS

Travis Conley, a man who has been on both

sides of that steely gaze, is the owner and proprietor of

Underground Gym. To him, it is just the basement of his house; but to others, it is the place of pain, and pitiless practice. “For most people, half an hour of exercise 4-5 times a week is good,” Conley said. Conley made it clear from the start that too much exercising can be bad for anyone. “Too much of anything can be unhealthy, but bad is too general a term. I think it’s tossed around too much,” Conley explained. Most teens look for a ‘quick fix’ exercise to lose pounds fast, and Conley shared his thoughts on this. “The best exercise to lose body fat is dynamic movement, like a squat. It’s hard to say a single exercise, because it should be holistic, and about moving the whole body,” Conley elaborated. Dieting can also be a great way to lose weight, but it comes in may shapes and sizes. “I’ve had success with most people by having them eat higher protein, and lower carbohydrates, with moderate fats. Eating a variety, and making sure its unprocessed, and unpackaged. The cleaner and fresher, the better,” Conley said. Diets can be good, but they can also be traps. “You can’t believe all the fads of diets like the Blood Type Diet, or others. Some are made just for the money.” Conley said. Most kids do not notice, or simply do not care, but there are entire classes at our school dedicated to exercise, such as boys and girls weights.

“The weight room is never open to free lifting, but there are classes all day, or you might come in for a sport with Coach Voelker or myself,” physical education teacher Eric Thomas said. As to what was healthy and unhealthy, Coach Thomas and Conley had similar views. “If you’re out of shape, build up to where you can exercise for at least one hour.” Thomas said. Although the gym is not the only way to shed those pounds and gain some muscle. Dancing is a way of expression and simply fun to do. Most people think it is moving with the music and hopefully looking cool while doing it. No way it is an exercise! It is way too much fun! But that is when most people are wrong, because dance is an exercise; also it is considered a sport. Monica’s School Of Dance is a great example of this. From performing for fun to competitions, people can also find many different styles of dance here. Tap, jazz, ballet, cheerleading, tumbling, and hip-hop all different ways to exercise and have fun.

The sweat glistens as the 200 lb. bodybuilder stands up, grunting under the weight of 100 lbs. as it strains his shoulders and legs in his latest in a long line

of lunges. He looks at his trainer expectantly, only to meet the cold, hard gaze of a man who has seen this a thousand other times. He

watches in dismay at the shake of the head and he goes back down for another. Most would say he is amazing, but, in reality, he is only 16, and this is just his warm-ups. There are kids who do this daily, but there are also some who never exercise.

OF

JLABMAG.COM 17

CENTERSPREAD

“Well any dance is exercise. Dancing is a sport, dancers are athletes, everything you do is exercise,” owner and choreographer Monica Renwick says. When dancing, people are working their whole body. It is not simply taking a few steps one way and clapping. When dancing, people are always moving and getting the whole body fit. Hip-Hop and street style dancing would be one of the best ways for people to get into shape and stay fit. They are fast moving classes that are fun with music most people would recognize. Jazz is also a high energy class in which people would get a lot of exercise, have fun, and dance to music that can easily be recognized. With so many different types of dancing to choose from, a person can find what fits with them and have fun with it. Whether it is the music or the style of dancing a person should pick what they think will be the most fun and the healthiest for them. Although dance is a great way to exercise, there are other options as well. Yoga is an activity that most people think of as doing crazy poses and humming, and although it may look like that to an outside viewer, that is not what it is. When people start yoga there could be a variety of different reasons, from wanting to get physically fit, to calming one’s mind. Yoga is great for health. Asanas, or yoga poses, work to safely stretch muscles which releases lactic acids. Lactic acids cause stiffness, tension, and pain for muscles. It also causes fatigue which can inhibit how people work in school. Ashtanga and power yoga can be more vigorous types of yoga, focusing more on improving muscle tone than on alignment with poses; while lyengar and hatha would focus on less movement and more on posture and accurate posture stance. Although any of these types help provide strength and endurance benefits. There are eight “limbs”, or steps, of yoga: Yama, universal morality; Niyama, personal observances; Asanas, body postures; Pranayama, breathing exercises and control of prana; Pratyahara, control of the senses; Dharana, concentration and cultivating inner perceptual awareness; Dhyana, devotion, meditation on the divine; and finally Samadhi, union with the divine. All of these are things that people who are serious about following a lifestyle with yoga do to the best of their ability. Increasing one’s flexibility and strength brings on better posture. When standing or sitting in yoga, people are providing themselves with more core strength. This happens because people count upon their deep abdominal muscles to hold each pose. (Continued on page 18...)

Stretch it out. Yoga is extremely benneficial to ones body in many ways. It can improve flexibility, posture, core strength, body awareness, breathing, stress relief, and mental clarity. Places like the Zen Zone in Lees Summit are great for practicing yoga skills.

CENTERSPREAD

18 HI.LIFE 2012

(Continued from page 17...)With a strong core strength, people are more likely to stand and sit up straight. Yoga also helps with body awareness. People find it easier to tell when they are slouching and able to adjust their posture. Breathing is needed to sustain life so learning to control it better is always a good thing. When doing yoga, people learn to take deeper and longer breaths which increases lung capacity. Having a greater lung capacity can help in any physical activity people may participate in. Yoga is also a great way to simply relieve stress. It helps in quieting mind-chatter which is often an underlying cause of stress. It also lowers levels of hormonal imbalance which creates a feeling of calm. It also helps to improve interactions with other people and feel more relaxed around people as well. Dieting, a dreaded word for some, no candy, no junk food, means pure torture. Although for others its a piece of cake. Fad’s consist of large groups of people saying something is the new “thing” and then going along with it. Fad diets are no different: a lot of people say that they work and work fast, but where is the truth behind that? One fad is the Cabbage Soup Diet. If people eat just cabbage soup for a full week then there is guaranteed weight loss, but people find themselves craving foods with more sustenance. The foods that people crave the most are sugars, carbohydrates, and meats. After those seven days then people either have to keep eating just cabbage soup to keep their weight down or find a different way to keep it down. If people who did the cabbage soup diet went back to their old ways of eating they would find themselves back where they started. The Three Day Diet is another Fad diet. The Three Day Diet promises that people will lose ten pounds in three days. Although for the people who stick strictly to the diet do lose ten

pounds, that ten pounds is more from loss of fluids than anything else. Once people start eating regularly after the three days they will most likely gain back every single pound lost from the diet. While on the Three Day Diet people will feel extremely hungry and overeat after they are done with the diet. Thus gaining back all the lost weight. Fad diets work too fast to be healthy for a person’s body. Most of these diets are just ways for companies to earn money from people buying their product. Fad diets work for short term, but in the long run are hard to stick with. An easy and efficient way to lose weight is just to eat right and exercise. A good formula for eating right would be consuming 60 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent proteins, and 10 percent excess fats. This goes along with exercising regularly also. This is the best and healthiest

way to lose weight and keep weight down. Although of those fats it is best to eat saturated fats over trans fats. Trans fats are fats that have been broken down into liquid. They are also called trans-fatty acids because the liquid it is turned into is a basic form of acid. People should not lose more than one or two pounds a week because losing any more than that is considered dangerous to a person’s health. If a person is just on a diet and not exercising they may lose weight but they will not be getting any healthier or fit. An option people should not choose to lose weight is to completely stop eating. If someone completely stops eating that is called anorexia. This is an obsessive fear of gaining weight. If someone is anorexic they will not eat for days on end or eat very little. This is much more unhealthy than some of the fad diets people could go on. There are many different diets out there. Just like there are many different body types. People who want to become fit have to find what works best for them. It is recommended that if someone wants to start going on a diet to consult with their doctor first for diet and exercise plans and ideas. When people combine healthy eating with the different ways of exercising like gyms, yoga, or dance, a healthier way of living is achieved. As the bodybuilder lowers the object of his agony from the past hour, he grins knowing that it has made him that much stronger. To him, an hour is nothing, so it should not be too hard, should it?

Students dont have to pay money to work out, they can simply join a physical education class or go running on their own for free.

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CENTERSPREAD

“There are so many ways to stay healthy and get fit, all it takes is a little time and effort. It is a lot easier for people to get fit when they are young. Starting early can benefit you in the long run” lsr7 employee Marrisa Camacho said.

Story by Sean Stevens and Anna MyersPhotos by Nicole Kelleher, Joshua Harris, and Victoria Fangrow

FEATURES

20 HI.LIFE 2012

A&Q

Narren: The InterviewHe knows the drill.

Teacher and coach Bobby Narron is often described as a cool and enjoyable teacher. Everyone has interesting aspects about themselves, so what are Narron’s? Question: What are your professions here at LSHS? Narron: I teach wood-tech and home and auto. I coach wrestling and baseball. Q: Could you please describe some of your teaching strategies? N: I use the “all hands on” approach and make the kids try to figure it out themselves. Q: What is the coolest thing that you have created with your wood-working skills? N: A spiral staircase. Q: Why do you enjoy wood-working? N: I grew up doing it. My friends and dad did it. I find it relaxing. Q: Why did you choose to coach baseball and wrestling? N: I played baseball through high school and college. I like baseball and I have a great knowledge of it. I wrestled in high school, but I also boxed a lot. Q: What would you say are the high points of this wrestling season? N: We did well with the Christmas tournament. Many players, including younger ones, have really stepped up and applied their skills. Q: What do you hope to achieve this upcoming baseball season? N: I will be helping junior varsity step up, so they can keep playing even through college. Q: How long have you been teaching and coaching? N: This is my 23rd year of both. Q: What is your greatest accomplishment as a teacher here? N: I am learning and becoming a better coach. I like to see these kids apply what I have taught them. It seems that not only can Narron wrestle himself a good reputation, but he also hits home when it comes to being a great teacher. It would seem that Narron can really nail his job.

by Ian Nickens

photo by Chloe Maberry

FEATURES

JLABMAG.COM 21

AdoptionFeeling different, acting different, and living different. Is this adoption? Or is it better than that?

Whether it is believable or not there are many kids at the school that are adopted. “I don’t really feel different or the odd one out because I grew up without my biological parents anyway,” freshman Autumn Welch said. Someone might be under the impression that an adopted child would miss their real parents, but it seems this is not always the case. “I know my parent’s names, I talk to them every now and then, but I honestly don’t even know them,” Welch said. Kids who lose their parents are generally unhappy at first, especially when having to be moved in with ‘new parents.’ Although in the end most adopted children are happier and more secure in the home of their adopted parents. “I have occasional moments when things don’t feel right, but I actually am happy,” sophomore Bennett Wood said. In certain circumstances high school students feel as if they are treated differently based on who they are, or their background. Maybe this is not always the case, but most high school students would agree. “I feel like I get equal or even better privledges now,” Wood said. Most believe that people are adopted at a young age, in some circumstances this is true, but in reality kids in all

stages of life are adopted. “I’ve lived with my biological parents since I was 10 years old, but my adoption was finalized when I was12. All of this started when I was only 7 years old,” Welch said. Adoption must be a good thing if the children who are adopted are happy, loved, and taken care of. “I don’t know anything else, this is me,” Welch said. Adoption is a very serious thing, and helps children with different, or more compicated backgrounds. Some might say it gives them another chance to live their life in a postive way.

Sophomore Bennett Wood was adopted and is okay with it, “There’s nothing like getting a second chance personally from God to redo any mistakes from birth,” Wood said.

I have occasional moments

when things don’t feel right, but

I actually am happy.“ ”photo by Victoria Gardner

by Taelor Oller

FEATURES

22 HI.LIFE 2012

?Foreign Exchange Interview

Mladen Grgurevic describes his cultural experiences.

Traveling thousands of miles to visit a place across the ocean without one’s family cannot be an easy thing to do, but junior Mladen Grgurevic did it. Grgurevic is a foreign exchange student currently staying in Lee’s Summit. Q: Where are you from? A: I am from Montenegro which is in Southern Europe. Q: How long have you wanted to come to America? A: I have wished to come to America for a very long time and I paid to get into a school program to come here. Q: What were you thinking about on the flight to America? A: It was a very long flight and I thought about many things, but I was not nervous. Q: What were your first impressions of America when you got here? A: Everything is different. There are too many differences to talk about them all. We do not have lunch at school back home. I go and have lunch with my family at home. Also teenagers can work here. Q: Is there anything you like better bout America? A: Both are nice, they are just different. There are nice things about here and there are nice things about there. Q: How do you like the family you are staying with? A: They are very nice. They are normal people.

Q: And how does your own family feel about you coming to America? A: They kind of miss me, but they are doing okay. I call once a week. It sounds like Grgurevic is taking his time away from home fairly well, and he is enjoying his stay on this side of the Atlantic. The school is also happy to have him, and wishes him the best during his stay.

by Daniel Graham photo by Vicky Fangrow

Four Tips on How to Save On Gas !

Since the fuel economy is steadily increasing, most drivers want to know about any possible way that they can save money on gas. Gas prices keep going up and money seems to be evaporating more quickly in one’s wallet. Everyone wants to know of ways that they can save money because; after all, everyone likes saving money. With the economy the way that it is today, any possible way to save can be a huge help to many people. Here are four clever,helpful ways to spend less money on gas. According to bankrate.com, one way to save gas would be to drive slower. Experts say that the faster a car is driven the more gas it uses. Driving at 55 mph rather than 65 mph can save drivers by two miles per gallon. Another way to save gas, according to planetgreen/discovery.com is to empty your trunk of any unnecessary daily luggage. Carrying as few as 100 pounds can decrease the average car’s fuel economy by one to two percent. According to consumerreports.org, driving less can help reduce the amount one pays for gas. Instead of making multiple

drives to run errands, try to minimize your driving by killing two birds with one stone. In other words, complete all of your errands while being already out. Driving continuously can obviously have a huge effect on the gas hand. So by minimizing the amount a person drives, they can save a lot of gas in their

tank. Gassaver.com says that letting the car warm up on winter days can also save gas. Driving cars while it is still cold and frosted by the whether can drain the fuel, rather than letting it heat up. So remember to start the car up at least five minutes before leaving the house so that not only is the car toasty and warm, but it also saves people from having to put more gas in their tank. Given the tips above, one can save a lot of money on gas. Money is something

that everyone wants to spend on the things that they want and not on the ridiculous gas prices that are being faced today. With these smart, helpful ways, drivers should consider driving at a more cautious manner in order to save a couple of bucks for their pockets.

Since the fuel economy is steadily increasing, most drivers want to know about any possible way that they can save money on gas.

photo by Taylor Bergby Kim Tabe

FEATURES

JLABMAG.COM 23

Every year on March 17, people from all over gather to celebrate St.Patrick’s day. But the real question is, what can students under the age of 21 do for St.Patrick’s day to have fun? Freshman Lizzie Ciafullo goes to a parade in Independence, Missouri every year. She says that she always dresses up in green and goes all out with the beads, face paint, and even the green hair spray. But Ciafullo hasn’t always just watched. She actually got to be on a float once. “I was on a float. I had fun waving to people like a princess, and I got to throw candy at little kids.” Ciafullo said. Freshman Delshon Spratt says, “I always go to down town Lee’s summit and hang with my friends.” He says he wears lots of green and beads. Spratt also says he would definitely recommend people going to the down town Lee’s Summit parade because he says, “It’s cool to get candy.” Sophomore Connor Laurine goes to the parade in down town Kansas City with his family every year. He said that he goes down town and stays in a hotel and it’s really fun. He gets to listen to bands play and goes in all green, with beads, hats and everything. “I like the people because they are dancing and just having a good time.” Laurine said. Laurine would recommend to this parade to anyone.

“You can’t miss the parade!” Laurine said. There are also other local places people can go, to have a great time on St.Patty’s day. So go out and have a great holiday!

St. Patrick’s Day

Strange Excuses The moment someone walks into the classroom in the middle of class, every head in the class turns to see who it is. With a sigh of relief, every one realizes that it is just their class mate. But before they accept their tardy, they start up with and out of this world story about what happend to make them late. Mrs.Prindle, an art teacher here at LSHS, talked about the strangest excuses she has heard for being late to class. “Once a student told me that their car broke down and caught on fire, turns out its really did happen.” She also explained that there are a lot of students that blame the weather, and think that they can slide by with an excuse like that. Mrs.Pribyl, said that she has heard a lot of excuses used during her four years of teaching. But when she explained about her experience she had, where a student told her that their mother was sick, and their step-dad passed out, so the student had to drive the parents to the hospital at the age of 14. Someone might think that there could not be any better ones out there. but anyone who has had Mrs.Pribyl knows she does not mess around. Mrs.Pribyl shared, “It was hilarious to think they can get When asked if she got these students in trouble she said, “I had to get them in some trouble for being late.” Chance Gates, a freshman at Lee’s Summit High

School explained, “i always hear the excuse, ‘my locker was jammed’ used by other students.” “The strangest excuse that I have heard has to be when a student told me that when they let their dad borrow their car, they drove off with it to the airport. The student’s gym clothes were still in the car so they did not have them for class.” Gym teacher Keith Miller said. Miller explained that this was a pretty wacky excuse to use just for trying to get out of wearing their P.E. clothes While these excuses may seem kind of nutty, teachers can be pretty lenient as long as you are not a multiple offender. But excuses like these might just get you into even more trouble.

How to have fun if you are under 21

By Megan Terry Photo by Chelsea Englis

Kiss me I’m IrishRobbie Martinez says “its one thing when you get to go watch the parades, but I get to go surfing on the beach wearing all green!”

“Sorry I’m late but..”Students these days have the strangest excuses for being late to class! “Someone as late because their horn fuse died which made the horn honk non-stop! The student pulled over and turned the car off which didnt work” says Mrs. Woody

By Megan Terry

Photo by Chelsea Englis

24 HI.LIFE 2012

OPINIONS

This past weekend was such a bittersweet time. In my four years of Student Senate, dances have always been one of my favorite projects. I love the fact that so many people can come together for a night to simply have fun. I feel like after all of the hard work is done, everyone (including senators) gets to relax and enjoy their friends and dates. I must say, that Footloose was an excellent theme to kick-start the second semester. Everyone who dressed up for 80’s day was so awesome! It was such a fun spirit day, and definitely gave people the opportunity to show of their spirit (and for some of the boys’ case, their legs). Even on the White-Tee Wednesday, I was so pleased at the turn out. While it seemed like a pretty boring spirit day, it was exciting in that so many people participated. The fact that so many students and teachers can come together and participate in a spirit day is very refreshing. At the dance, there were 940 people in attendance. This number exceeded my expectation by a long shot, which was an incredibly pleasant surprise. Historically, fewer students attend Courtwarming than Homecoming, but not this year! I am so happy that everyone decided to attend and seemed to have a good time, regardless of the short break from dancing. The student body of Lee’s Summit has truly out-done itself with this year’s Courtwarming, and I can not wait to see what Mr. Tiger has in store! Thank you all for making Courtwarming such a fantastic time!

Some drivers should not be allowed to drive to school. Accidents are happening more and more frequently at LSHS in our parking lots. The cage for example seems to be one of the biggest hot spots for accidents to occur. Many of my friends say their cars have been hit while parked in the cage and nothing has been done about it. There have also been other incidents where cars have been broken into or vandalized in the past years and again nothing was done to aid the students. These drivers that actually are doing it on accident need to either stop and wait for the driver of the car to get there so the two involved can talk about the incident and see what they would like to do about it, not just drive off. I personally do not think it is that hard to not hit a car, so if you are a bad driver and are able to hit a parked car then you should be held responsible for the damage you did to the other person’s car. I can understand if you are in an accident with a moving

Column,

by senior Christina Jones

Christina’s

Some students should have to retake their drivers ed classes.

How bad of a driver do you have to be to hit a parked car?

Incidents in our parking lots seem to be happening more frequently around LSHS.

Making Things Happenby Opinions Editor Jacob Valentine

“ “

car, but I do not have much sympathy if you are that bad at driving that you hit a parked car. There should not be a problem

with parking or hit and runs in the parking lot when everyone is parked in the parking spots. One of the LSHS staff has to go around and check for parking permits and if cars are parked between the lines so I would assume that if you are parked in your parking spot you should be safe from other drivers coming and hitting you, but I’m unfortunately wrong. LSHS has cameras inside and outside of the building all around campus. Have these cameras been used for anything in particular? I have personally not heard anything about these cameras answering any real problems at school. They have caught incidents on camera but failed to use the evidence to solve anything.With personally being affected by the troubles in the cage parking lot, I am hoping that our school funding was spent wisely on the security cameras and Student Administration is able to assist me in finding out who hit my car. If the cameras prove not be helpful, maybe we need a better security system at LSHS.

JLABMAG.COM 25

OPINIONS

Staff Editorial

Man on the Street

There is a better way of keeping students safe than pointlessly locking a few doors. Everyone has been there. Running late for class, opening the heavy front doors of B Building to the cold, inclement weather, stumbling up the stairs outside the back entrance to the Field House lobby, only to get stopped by the glass double doors, locked to everyone from the outside. These anxious students see kids coming to open the doors, chuckling at their eager expressions, but they are not coming quick enough. Students nervously pace, watching the seconds tick by, as they contemplate yet another tardy. These doors, which are always locked, cause many students problems. One way to solve this problem would be to leave the doors unlocked. In a school so focused on being on time to class, it is strange that doors that would allow students a quicker route to class are constantly locked. Many kids use these doors to cut through the Field House to allow a faster, more direct route between buildings. In some cases, this route is necessary for students to avoid a tardy since every second counts on this campus. However, every hour students must stop outside these doors, waiting for someone to come unlock them. This holdup wastes precious time from the already limited six minute passing period. Unlocking these doors could cut down on the number of tardies students receive. Furthermore, in the winter many students use these doors to travel inside and to avoid the blistering cold weather. When students are required to wait outside in the freezing wind, this defeats the purpose. If these doors were unlocked, students could get inside faster and stay sheltered from the cold. Safety is the only reason one could conceive for the Field House lobby back entrance doors to be locked. If these doors were unlocked, there could be the risk of intruders or strangers that could jeopardize students’ safety. “Safety of the students is the first thing we consider when deciding what doors to lock, but since so many other doors are left unlocked, it’d be hard to argue that this campus is any safer with those (Field House) doors locked,” principal John Faulkenberry said. Most of the doors that are locked on campus are around the perimeter and do not aide students in getting from class to class. However, these doors are heavily traveled and utilized by many individuals during every passing period. Many other doors are left unlocked, so there is no harm in leaving these doors open. The real reason these doors are locked may come as a surprise. “The only good answer for why these doors are locked is that we’ve never liked kids cutting through the Field House, so we keep those doors locked to try to discourage traffic across it,” Faulkenberry said. Ask any student on any given day if they have walked through the Field House recently and chances are he or she will say yes. Although preferred not to, many students still traipse over the wood floors of this gym to get to class on time. The fact of the matter is that these locked doors are doing little to dissuade students from traveling across the Field House. Although there are some concerns about leaving the Field House lobby doors unlocked from the outside during regular school hours, the benefits are worth it. Most notably, students could reduce the amount of tardies they get and find a more direct route to class, since every second counts when trying to navigate this busy, widespread campus. Along with that, leaving these doors locked is doing little to keep kids from walking through the Field House, so the main reason these doors are locked is not valid. All things considered, there is not much harm in leaving these doors unlocked, so why not give it a chance.

by Shelby Wagner

“Yes, because I think it would make getting to classes a lot easier.” said senior Dustin Richardson

“No, Because people would frequently go through those doors to get to class or to lunch, use those doors in the morning when they get to school.” said freshman Michaela Murphey

Question: Do you think the fieldhouse doors by the cafeteria should be unlocked? Why or why not?

“Yes, because I dont understand why they aren’t, convenient.” said History teacher Stacey Moore

“Yes, because I can get to my classes faster and so I don’t have to waste time waiting for someone to open the door and be late to my next class.” said sophomore Davian Hawkins

“Yes, because I use the doors everyday because it gets cold outside and its too much of a hassle to go through the lunchroom when lunch is starting..” said senior Kayla Smith

“No, the lazy people can walk around” said junior Tyler Honeycutt

26 HI.LIFE 2012

OPINIONS

Stoplight Cameras SOPA PIPA ACTA

A man is running late. He speeds down the street, unaware of the changing light ahead. It is yellow. He thinks he can make it. The stop line is fast approaching. It turns red. It is too late to stop and he plows through. He checks behind him. There are no cops. He thinks he is safe. Stoplight cameras have the ability to record the time and date of events like this; the time elapsed since the light turned red, and even the speed of a vehicle can be determined. Based on this evidence, a ticket may be mailed, along with a photo of the event, to offenders. The idea of these cameras is to cut down on accidents at intersections. However, some people doubt the ability of the system. If someone knows there is a camera at the intersection they may be more likely to slam the brakes causing an accident. Many people are concerned about privacy issues. To address this most cameras are designed to only capture the rear license plate.  However, in some states, it is required that the camera capture both the rear license plate and the driver. In this way, the proper driver will be given the ticket. If an intersection is being monitored, it must be properly posted. Signs are placed near the intersection to warn oncoming drivers of the monitoring cameras. Some intersections have unlabeled cameras meant for surveillance. It is illegal to use these cameras to write tickets. Installing stop light cameras is only one trick being used to decrease the number of accidents. It is, however, the easiest to implement. Another trick is to build roundabouts instead of intersections. Every single intersection cannot be turned into a roundabout. Many Americans, are also, not used to using roundabouts.  Many people have never learned how to properly navigate them as well. Unsurprisingly, not everyone is happy with this system. A quick search online will bring up numerous sites complaining or protesting against the use of cameras. There is even technology available claiming to make one invisible to the cameras. However, things such as these are usually scams. The ultimate goal of this system is to bring an end to the running of red lights. If drivers do not run red lights, thousands of lives will be spared each year. On the downside, they may arrive at their destination just a few minutes later than they would have otherwise. With this system people do not know they have gotten caught until they receive a letter in the mail. Enclosed is a ticket and a condemning photo. Technology is rapidly taking its place in our justice system. What will happen next? 

SOPA could affect most Highschool students.

Wendy Hayworthg Jude Spauldingg

The Hi.Life is an open forum to provide up to date and pertinent information compiled by high school journalists. We will be a bold and trusted publication that raises the bar of high school journalism. The Hi.Life newsmagazine is a student led publication. Our obligation to readers is to provide credible, reliable, and unbiased information to the student body. None of the opinions in our publication reflect the views of the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District. We strive to create a professional newsmagazine that provides accurate insights and entertainment.

Editorials

POLICY

In the government’s attempt to eliminate piracy in the U.S., congress has proposed two bills. The first one is the Stop Online Piracy Act, SOPA, if passed this bill will allow the government to erase any and all copyrighted content from websites run in the U.S as well as shut down websites that contain this material, this includes album covers/artwork, music, videos, and written material as well. However SOPA does not allow the government to touch foreign sites. Their solution is the Protect Intellectual Property Act, PIPA, which will allow the government to block links to any and all websites containing pirated content, even foreign sites, from U.S webservers and shut down those who contain these links. These two bills however may not be enough to stop piracy in the U.S. While the government’s standpoint is a reasonable one, it can be veiwed as an overeaction to copyright, as well as an invasion of the peoples rights to intellectual property. With all of these proposed bills there are people who are fighting back. In response to the shutting down of Megavideo, as well as MegaUpload, a group named ‘Anonymous’ had shut down two government websites. They used a program titled ‘The Low Orbit Ion Cannon’ a name lifted from the Comand&Conquer video games. This program allowed them to overload a website by sending millions of requests at once. Anonymous can be veiwed as criminals due to the fact that their form of fighting can be considered illegal along with their previous activies of identity theft, theft and distribution of credit card information, as well as harrasment. While others veiw them as heroes to the people defending our rights to free speech and freedom of intellectual property. They continue to battle for control over the internet. While people in America have been faced with the threat of SOPA and PIPA, several countries, including the U.S., are considering enforcing a bill that would be effective almost world wide. The Anti-Counterfeit Trade Act, ACTA, is fundamentally SOPA and PIPA put together and stretched worldwide. This bill will not only allow governments to monitor people on the internet and shutdown websites containing copyrighted material, it will also allow them to monitor and stop the trade of counterfeit goods such as generic medicines, recipies, texts, and soforth. If passed it will be most prominent in Europe and in North America. While this will allow major corporations to lose less money to counterfeit goods those who cannot afford goods of the name brand will have an issue with the prices. This bill is basically designed to make the rich richer. Overall even artists who have created their own material will not even be able to get it spread across the web since people will not be able to see or hear it for free, people will not get to listen to a new song on playlist or grooveshark without having to pay for it. The internet will become a digital wasteland void of any and all copyrighted material.

Cutting down on fatal accidents.

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CLUB PAGE

Strategic GamesA BATTLE OF THE MINDS

Story by Jared Shepherd Photos by Tristan White

The player moves his piece slowly towards his opponent, a bead of sweat on his brow, his hand trembling slightly, not knowing how his adversary will counter, knowing defeat could be just one move away. These are the goings on of OSG. OSG or ‘Organization of Strategic Gaming’ is the games club here at school. “It’s a strategy gaming club, but we play all types of games,” club coordinator Duane Fleck said. Many students may not like the idea of a strategy gaming club, thinking that it is only for nerds and geeks, this however, is not the case. “The club is open to everyone, it is a great time to socialize and make new friends from across a table playing a board game rather than playing a game online,” Fleck said. There are a wide variety of games available to play at weekly meetings. “You get to play a bunch of board games that you would not normally play because most people don’t have them,” freshman Kellen Nuffer said. One thing students should know about the club is that there are not just strategy games, there are history games, collectible card games, role-playing games, and sometimes, online games. “I normally play Magic the Gathering,” Nuffer said. Some may find it surprising that the club has its origins with students.

“I personally play a lot of games and some students back in 2003 kind of guilted me into it. They said ‘Mr. Fleck, we have three months until graduation when are you going to show us the games you always talk about?’” Fleck said. For those that do not want just regular weekly meetings, OSG holds an event called Recruits, a huge gaming convention held in the LSHS Fieldhouse. “Recruits is the most exciting part of OSG,” Nuffer said. “We have Recruits twice a year, in spring and fall. Spring Recruits this year is March 31 through April 1, we normally see about 500 people there, just coming to play games, and we have a website with more information on Recruits called recruits-con.com, and there is also a link on the club page on the school’s website,” Fleck said. As the game ends, one player falls in defeat, another rises in victory, both wary, knowing the outcome of their next game could be very different.

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SPORTS

his golf game.“I have been doing lots of practice to prepare for the season,” Staudinger said. This Tigers team will be unseasoned and will be considered successful as long as they continue to improve everyday. Success is on the horizon for these hardworking teammates, but the success may not come for at least a year.

The Lee’s Summit boys’ golf team will have to overcome a great challenge this year, and they may not be able to conquer it. The challenge they face is replacing several seniors from last year that made the team so good.This year’s team has been taking advantage of the unexpectedly nice winter weather to hit some golf balls around at the driving range as well as playing some rounds of golf. The team also has some time to practice as a team, which is called Open Net. “Open Net is basically for the guys to get a chance to some balls into nets and get some practice in,” boys’ golf coach Manning Williams said. The team will be young and inexperienced, which leads to very muddy expectations as far as this year is concerned.It is hard to know what to expect for this year’s team because they will be inexperienced and it will take them awhile to grow,” Williams said. There does appear to be at least one bright spot on this year’s squad, and that is the two-time state qualifier. “Everyone should watch out for Austin Staudinger because he has qualified for State his Freshman and Sophomore years of high school,” Williams said. There are high expectations for this golfer, and that includes his own expectations. My expectation for this year is that I will hopefully make State again,” junior Austin Staudinger said. Staudinger has been working very hard this off-season on improving and fine-tuning

The Swing of ThingsLSHS Boy’s Gear Up for Golf

Story By: Jon BarrPhoto By: AP Images

For years now, the Royals have been feeding the same propaganda to their fans: Wait for the draft picks from years lost to accumulate at the Major League level. Then things will be different. No more embarrassing seasons for Ewing Kauffman’s once proud franchise. At least, that’s the idea. In reality, though, this baseball utopia will likely never come to fruition. Ever since he took over after a dishonorable discharge from an executive position at Wal-Mart, team owner David Glass has failed to put up the bucks needed to retain the stars that his team develops. And it’s unreasonable to expect anything else to happen in the near future. The best farm system in the majors will produce high-quality players that will bring KC out of the dark ages of under-.500 finishes. But the gang will never be able to stick together as they defect one by one to teams willing to pay them even close to what they are worth like Johnny Damon, Carlos Beltran and Zack Greinke before them. The greed-fueled ineptitude of Glass is perfectly illustrated by the owner of the in-division Detroit Tigers, Mike Illich, who just made a huge investment that will solidify years of team development into a perennial champ in the AL Central. Prince Fielder, one of if not the best hitter in the game, will join on with Detroit and keep the Royals down year after year. The Fielder signing, of course, is not unbeatable. After all, the Tigers’ stars are all much older than the Royals’. Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera and Fielder are the best in the world, but they are all close to their 30s while Kansas Ciy’s rising stars are all in their early 20s. So, if Glass decided to put down and invest in a winner, he could certainly have one in the very near future. but as we’ve seen every year since 1993 when he took over, there is absolutely no reason to expect this of him. Instead, the Tigers will bail over the division year after year, perfectly exemplifying how commitment from the top lead to wins while excuses and greed keep the low teams low.

A Royal PainDetroit threatens KC’s title chances

Story By: Aaron WoodPhoto By: AP Images

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SPORTS

With spring just a couple months away, sports teams are starting conditioning to get in shape. One of these sports is baseball. The coaches of the baseball teams are, Jim Mellody; Head Coach, Kevin Petit, varsity assistant coach; Eric Schmidt, JV coach; Bobby Narron, JV assistant coach; and the ninth grade coaches are Joe Rohlfing and Ron Downs. Baseball conditioning is on Tuesdays and Thursdays before school. Conditioning starts at 5:45 AM to 7:00 AM. Part of the players conditioning is eating a lot of food and staying hydrated Sophomore Blanton Spaar said. “ My favorite thing about baseball is that it is during the summer which is my favorite time of the year and I enjoy playing be-cause I am good at it.” Spaar also thinks the teams biggest competitors this season with be Blue Springs, Blue Springs South, and Lee’s Summit West “ One place where sacrifice is appreciated is baseball.” Sophomore Blanton Spaar said.Senior Ethan Peacock, pitcher and outfielder, “ My favorite thing about baseball is that its during the summer and its one of my favorite things to do.” One of Peacocks best memories of playing baseball is when he got two home runs in one game. “Never give up, always fight even if the game is bad.” Peacock said. “ I remember a game from freshman year when I hit a home run on my moms birthday, which is April 8th, that was pretty special.” junior Jordan Knutson said. Knutson is a pitcher on the LSHS baseball team says his biggest supporter is his Dad. And Knutson also looks up to Him.Baseball is the national pastime. You need mental and physical toughness and it’s fun,” sophomore Travis Simonin, catcher, saidEven though baseball season has not started yet, the players of the baseball team are more than ready to get the season off to a good start.

LS Baseball PreviewLSHS Prepares for another season

American Academy of Dermatology - Meghan - KFull Page B/W: 8.625 x 5.25Prepared by: Houlihan Madison Most 312-492-7932

She was wrong.

UV light from indoor tanning,especially when exposed at an early age,

can increase your risk of melanoma...the deadliest form of skin cancer.

That’s what Meghan developed when she was 20after being a frequent indoor tanner since she was 17.

Current estimates show that 1 in 5 Americanswill develop skin cancer.

Do you want to be the one...like Meghan?

Indoor tanning is out.

Meghan Rothschild didn’t thinkindoor tanning would hurt her.

To read Meghan’s skin cancer story orto learn more about protecting your skingo to www.aad.org/media/psa

by Hannah Nickles photo by Carly McCarthy

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SPORTS

Bottom of the Ninth, one out, runner on third, game tied 6-6. Eric Hosmer steps up to the plate. The crowd is cheering for the rookie. He feels the pressure. The game is on the line. The pitch comes in at 99 MPH and crack, Hosmer rips the baseball straight up the middle of the field. The runner is in, and the game is over. For the first time in Eric’s career he has hit a walk off. This is just a piece of the Royals upcoming future. The Royals dynasty is now beginning. The Kansas City Royals upcoming season is full of promise. New talent is finally being used and the pitching is coming together.The outfield features Alex Gordon, Lorenzo Cain, and Jeff Francoeur. Gordon is coming off of a great season, batting .303, hitting 23 HRs, and batting in 87 runs. An amazing improvement from years ago and he will look to increase his stats even more. Lorenzo Cain came from the Brewers in the trade that involved Zach Greinke last year. He is full of hope and will bring the D in defense in CF. Scouts say that Cain will bat .290 and be a speed demon. Lorenzo could become one of the most CF’s in the game. Last but not least, Jeff Francoeur. Frenchie batted .285 and hit 20 homers. He was recently signed last year and played above expectations. This year the Royals will have one of the most elite outfields in the MLB. The young infield is the most exciting part of the upcoming season. The oldest member of the infield is Short Stop, Alcides Escobar, who is 25. Alcides is coming off of a great defensive season and his batting is improving steadily. Look for him to be the heart of the infield’s defense. Mike Moustakas looks to be the stud third baseman almost everyone predicted him to become. He tore the last month of the season up, hitting 5 home runs. He will be around for many years to come and Moustakas is already a fan favorite. Eric Hosmer is the most highly regarded prospect in the Royals organization. The rookie started ¾ of the season and honestly looked like he had played for years. Hoz batted .293, hit 19 Home Runs, and 78 RBIs. He is going to be one of the most elite players in the MLB. This Royals team is one of the youngest in the league. It is truly amazing how great the talent is for Kansas City. This season is one to look forward to. Many people say that is what the media says every year. This time it is very different. There has never been this much talent on a team roster all at once. There is even more talent coming up through the farm system. The Kansas City Royals are here to compete. The 2012 All Star Game is being held at Kauffman Stadium. It hasn’t been held in KC since the 1972. This means the media will pay closer attention to the team. This 2012 season is when the Royals Dynasty rises.

Royal DynastyAndrew Potter look’s into the Royals’ future Story By: Andrew Potter

Photo By: AP Images

JLABMAG.COM 31

SPORTS

Story By: Andrew PotterPhoto By: AP Images

Do YouKnow“Spur”?

Favorite thing about cross country

FavoriteCollege

Keeping my abs, for theladies

Staying in shape

Being part of a team

Ohio State

He always wantsto go with the underdog, so I’llsay Gonzaga

Kansas

Oklahoma

Mo State

Mo State

March MadnessSelection

10 0

0 0 0

Running with his friends Mizzou Mo State

0 0 0

ucmo.edu/ced

Choose RED.

of all Lee’s Summit teachers have a degree from UCM.

Louie Bertoncin

Jordan Andrews

Trevor Martin

Spencer Martin

32 HI.LIFE 2012

PHOTO ESSAY

Hot ShotsDo you think you have an eye for good photos? Send in your best LSHS themed photo to ztharris0403@lsr7.netIf your photo is the best it will be featured here next month.

Just Cut LooseSenate showed up at 8:00 A.M.

to decorate for the dance.

1

2

34 5

1. Having not dealt with balloons on this scale before many members needed a quick crash course.2. The balloon designs varied from an arch to a giant string of lights.3. Since the theme was Footloose a barnyard atomoshpere had to be created.4. Many members got on their hands and knees and knew to tape down extension cords.5. When the job was good and done each member recieved a ticket for the dance.