the fsfreepressonline.com @fsfreepress on Twitter 4700 Overland Drive, Lawrence, Kansas, 66049 edition 14 issue 6 january 19, 2011 Free Press BEND AND SNAP B 8 6-7 2 3 SKIN ILLUSTRATIONS STANDARDIZED TESTS FUTURE FIREBIRDS WINTER SOLUTIONS Students express themselves through body art Information about the SAT, ACT and PSAT that may help you in the future Major changes are taking effect next school year. Find out what to expect on pages... Feeling blue because of cold weather? 10 ways to spice up your life during the winter season
Transcript
the
fsfreepressonline.com @fsfreepress on Twitter 4700 Overland Drive, Lawrence, Kansas, 66049 edition 14 issue 6 january 19, 2011
Free Press
BEND AND SNAP BEND AND SNAP BEND AND SNAP
86-7
2
3SKIN ILLUSTRATIONS
STANDARDIZED TESTS
FUTURE FIREBIRDS
WINTER SOLUTIONS
Students express themselves through body art
Information about the
SAT, ACT and PSAT that may help you in the
future Major changes are taking effect next school
year. Find out what to expect on pages...
Feeling blue because of cold weather? 10 ways to
spice up your life during
the winter season
36, 2,400 and 240. These numbers may seem meaningless, but inside the walls of any high school, they on the minds of many students. These number describe the top scores on the ACT, SAT and PSAT, respectably. Understanding when to take each test, what they entail and why they are important to your future can be complicated and confus-ing. However, these tests are crucial to college admittance. What you score on these tests is one of the deciding factors that separates you from everyone else applying to your number one choice school and scholarship competitions. Hard work, preparation and prior knowl-edge are all that's needed to master these tests.
The Differences Between the Tests
The ACT is the shorter of the two tests, it is three hours and twenty-fi ve minutes (with the optional writing por-
tion), while the SAT is three hours and forty-fi ve minutes,.The tests are also structured differently. the ACT has four required sections (Reading, English, Math and Science) as well as an optional writ-ing section. The SAT has ten smaller sec-tions, with no science section and an es-say. Another big differences between the tests is that the SAT and the PSAT take off for wrong answers, while the ACT does not, according to Kaplan test prep (www.kaplan.com). However, both tests allow you to send in whichever score you prefer, if you take the test multiple times.
What They Mean toColleges
If you are applying to Midwest state colleges, the ACT tends to be used more for college admissions. If you are applying to more selective or private colleges, you should be sure to check their admittance requirements and make sure they don’t require another specifi c test.
The PSAT is not essential for any college admittance, and is only used as a practice test and as the qualifi er for the National Merit Scholarship competition, which can get you a full ride to college. The SAT is less commonly used in col-lege admittance (at least in the Midwest region) but many school still require it, so its always good to check. Students should only take the test(s) that are nec-essary for admissions to the schools they are applying to.
When to Take Each TestStudents should take the PSAT when
it is offered their sophomore year. That way, when it counts junior year, students
will be more prepared. “We encourage all juniors to take
the [ACT] test in the spring because a lot of college admissions deadlines are November fi rst, so it gives them time to retake the test,” guidance counselor Aimee Ziegler said.
Students should also consider taking the test their senior year, if they are not happy with their scores and also because more material is covered in classes that can help prepare students.According the the ACT registration website (actstudent.org) retaking the test does have some benefi t, 55% of students who retake the test score higher then their fi rst test.
“The PSAT was very benefi cial even besides the scholarship opportunities, just having that experience of sitting through the fi rst standardized exam and working under pressure and under the clock,” said senior Eric Palmquist, one of the students that was selected as a National Merit Scholar because of his PSAT score.
Words of Advice While becoming overwhelmed
by testing and college preparations isn't necessary, like any other school activity or extra-curricular, you should make sure you are adequately prepared. By studying and having confi dence you have won half the battle.
“You would never even dream of standing on stage or walking into a var-sity game without being prepared. You are essentially on stage for every college ad-missions offi cer looking at that [score],” said Ziegler.
2News
January 19, 2011
See more content on
fsfreepressonline.com and comment on this issue
Seniors Amber Catlett and Jaron Brynds hold up their shirts to show off thier tattoos. See pg3 for more info.
Preparing for The
Know the facts on the tests it takes to go beyond high schoolby miranda davis
Helpful Resourcesineedapencil.com
This was a website designed by a high school student who wanted to make sure all intelligent students, from whatever background had the op-portunity to do well on standardized tests. It is free practice and review for anyone.
thecollegeboard.comThis is the offi cial site for registra-tion for the SAT, The PSAT and the AP exams It also offers lots of online prep and college searches
princetonreview.com This site has college searches
www.studentedge.com/mystudentedge/ This is a website that the district pays for students to have access to. It also offers fi nanicial aid tools and career resources. The school access code is CZCVZEAG
Through the school, the test companies offer a waver of fees for students who have free or reduced lunch. See your guidance counselor for details.
*Important:
Cover
phot
os b
y m
egan
eng
lem
an
February 8, 2010
Grade: Math teacher
Tattoo(s): Fibonacci numbers, wedding ring,
pinball queen, famous ‘50s pin-up girl Bettie Page, and her husband’s artwork of them
Piercing(s): belly button, gauged ears, lip ring
Date Received: Piercings: Rightmeier got her fi rst
piercing at six years old, then got her belly button pierced when she was 18, and she started gauging her ears at 22.
Tattoos: Rightmeier got her fi rst tattoo at 20 and is still adding today.
Tattoo Location: Her tattoos are located on back of her
calf, her left ring fi nger, the two tattoos on her back and her chest.
Meaning: Rightmeier is in love with the Fibonacci
numbers, she’s even lectured an entire class about Fibonacci numbers. She got her wedding ring tattooed onto her ring fi nger. When she was in college she was a big pin-ball fan and even became known as the pin-ball queen. She really admires Betty Page, she always thought she was really glamor-ous and beautiful, and her husband draws many different designs and the people tat-tooed onto her chest are of them.
Plans for the future: Rightmeier says she’s done with pierc-
ings but she plans on getting more tattoos when she gets the money, since tattoos are pretty expensive.
3Feature
January 19, 2011
A B
ody of A
rtCheck out some body art currently walking the halls.
Down the crowded hallways it is easy to spot a nose ring, a pierced eyebrow or lip and the occasional tattoo. While some parents and students might treat tattoos and piercings like a Death Eater’s dark mark, others embrace this unique way of being different, and some have other reasons to bare their ink and metal.
Grade: Senior
Tattoo(s): None
Piercing(s): Not any more
Reasoning: Allergic to the metal in the earrings
used to pierce ears
Plans for the future:So far she doesn’t plan on getting her
ears pierced again and if she does she’ll have to get more earrings since she gave all of hers away.
by emma machell
Laura Rightmeier
Lexi Griffi th
Jaron Byrnds(12) shows off his tat, which depicts a grim reaper and is located on his left shoulder.
Grade: Junior
Tattoo(s): a treble and bass clef
Piercing(s): gauged ears, nose
Date Received: Piercings: ears pierced when she was a
few months old, didn’t start gauging them until freshman year, nose pierced on her 16th birthday Tattoos: both on her 17th birthday.Location: left wrist and right wrist
Meaning: Both clefs symbolize her love of music
but the bass clef represents how much she loves playing her bass.
Plans for the future: plans on getting an owl head on the
tops of her feet, increasing the gauge size, cartilage piercing on her left ear and pos-sibly a lip piercing.
Kelsey Cole
Grade: Spanish teacher
Piercing(s): two cartilage piercings and two sets of
piercings in her earlobe
Date Received: fi rst got her ears pierced when she was 12,
got lobes pierced again when she was 19, got her cartilage pierced when she was 30
Reasoning: She followed the trends of her town and
really liked the look of the cartilage piercing
Plans for the future: none. She is done with piercings.
Anita Carlson
Grade: Senior
Tattoo(s): Chinese symbols
Date Received: the week of Dec. 19-25
Location: her left rib cage
Meaning: The characters mean “only the strong survive” which signifi es how big a part her dad plays in her life.
Plans for the future: the Grateful Dead bear, but she’s not posi-tive where she wants it
Amberly Catlett
People express themselves through everyday actions and words, through the music they listen to, movies they watch, even the clothes they wear. Philosophy Club gives members a chance to express themselves through direct, civil discussion of various moral, political and religious subjects.
Consisting of around 15 members at each meeting, Philosophy Club meets in Jason Springer’s room 253 every Friday after school. Discussions are centered around topics either presented by any attending member, or based off a movie that the club watches together.
“People come to Philosophy Club to express themselves and to discuss interesting and thought-provoking topics,” senior
Calvert Pfannenstiel said. Students who come to Philosophy Club meetings are encouraged to freely share their thoughts. Pfannenstiel’s job is to lead discussion in a direction that remains civil and orderly. Although crowded meetings add a little confusion, Philosophy Club would like to find new members to contribute more and deeper ideas to their discussions.
Senior Alex Kong believes that growth within the club will lead to structural changes.
“I can see us breaking off
into smaller groups within the club each week,” Kong
said. Many meetings consist of watching a
movie and following up with a discussion
about its various themes. At one point the club watched the movie Children of Men and had notable discussion about its elements.
The leaders moderate discussion during meetings to ease the flow of ideas for individuals and the group when the occasional mental roadblock or inconsiderate interruption loses focus on
the subject at hand.
Subjects discussed range from moral issues, to politics and religion. These mature topics aren’t just discussed by senior members of the club.
“Everyone gives the same amount,” senior Elise Loney said. “Sophomores who’ve never even been to a meeting before have all these ideas that they’re excited to share. They’re still good at shaping their ideas and coming up with something that we can elaborate on and discover together.”
What makes the club remarkable is that it allows free expression for Free State students of all ages and ideologies. A simple thought from anyone can bloom into a colorful exchange of interpretations leaving all involved with a new take on the subject.
4Clubs
January 19, 2011
Scale 1” = 1” Last Saved By: heather_fi eld
Job #: 1618-32671 Trim Size: 10.5” x 7” 10.5” x 7” Studio Artist: Heather Field
Size: 12 Version: A Bleed Size: None 10.5” x 7” Art Director: Nathaniel Cooper
Live Area: None 10.5” x 7” Print Production: Lora Mertz
1” Last Saved By: heather_fi eld Scale 1” = 1” Last Saved By: Scale
GET A LIFE
UMKC has hundreds of ways to get a life. Find yours at umkc.edu/getalife
PRE-MED
MECHANICAL ENGINEERINGURBAN PLANNING & DESIGN
EDUCATION
PHYSICS
ACCOUNTING
COMMUNICATION STUDIES CRIMINAL JUSTICE
NURSING
ARCHITECTURAL STUDIES
PRE-LAW
A UNIVERSE OF KNOWLEDGE IN A CITY OF OPPORTUNITY.
A UNIVERSE OF KNOWLEDGE IN A CITY OF OPPORTUNITY.
S:10.5”
S:7
”
T:10.5”
T:7
”
B:10.5”
B:7
”
1618-32671_Skater_StudentPub_AD_s12_R01A.indd 1 9/14/10 11:06 AM
PHILOSOPHYCLUB
by austin fisher
In a nut shell...
What?Discuss moral, political and religious views
Where?Jason Springer's room (253)
When?3:30pm every Friday after school Who?15 members
A unique method of expression
5Feature
January 19, 2011Onthe
Front LineSenior Devante Green’s father may have to travel a
long distance to see his son graduate from high school. Green is one of many students in the country
who have a parent in the military, facing the every-day struggles of growing up while their mothers and fathers fight battles for the entire nation.
“It’s not likely he will miss it, but it is possible,” Green said of graduation. “Around that time is halfway for his allotted time, so he will take leave to come home.”
Green’s father is currently serving in Iraq. He was sent to Afghanistan for short periods of time during his son’s freshman and junior years in high school. Though being separated from his father is an unfortunate reality for the younger Green, he understands how demanding a job in the military can be.
“I moved in with him and now he is gone again during my most important year of school,” he said. “[But] you’ve got to take the good with the bad.”
Sophomore Raul Cody can relate to the influence of the military on family life. His father was in the U.S. Navy until he was honorably discharged due to medical conditions.
“He went to war once or twice; he wasn’t re-ally the guy in the field,” the younger Cody said. “He
worked at a computer, like he does now. I’ve always thought it was pretty cool. My dad’s a smart person.” Smiling, he added, “He’s a tech nerd.”
His father’s career affected him not only in emotion but also in location, since his family moved frequently during those times.
“I’ve been out of the country, across a Middle East-ern island called Bahrain--it’s between Europe and Asia. I’ve moved to different parts of Florida, different parts of Georgia, here, different parts of Kansas,” Cody said.
His thoughts on these changes are varied. “Exciting, lonely, different. It’s definitely made me a
better person. I’ve met a lot of different people.”His father agrees that the chance to travel abroad
was worthwhile.“I joined the military to have an opportunity to
leave my community and see something different,” former Petty Officer 3rd Class Roderick Cody said. “The military gave me the opportunity to explore education from a hands-on perspective rather than in a classroom. The U.S. Navy also blessed me with the opportunity to see the world, literally.”
Now retired from the Navy, sophomore Amanda Mast’s father served for 26 years after graduating from Lawrence High School.
“I don’t have a huge memory of it, but I do remember that it affected my mom a lot,” Mast said. “She would work her extra jobs, but I remember most when Daddy would come home, because we would have huge parties.”
Even at a young age, the absence of a parent was hard on Mast.
“I think the longest that I can remember him being gone was six months, and when he came back, I had no idea who he was,” she said.
Now that he is retired, though, the Mast family receives many benefits from the government, such as the ability to live and shop on military bases.
“That helps us with groceries and stuff, because military stores aren’t allowed to add or lower costs,” she said. “They have to [charge what the goods are] actually worth.”
While careers in the military can strain family relationships, the children of servicemen and women recognize the good that their parents are doing for the nation.
“I am very proud of what he does,” Green said. “I think it takes a courageous, special person to serve. It is an honor I wouldn’t mind someday experiencing.”
Proud students share stories about their military parentsby katie guyot
UndercoverParentsUnusual jobs for parents of the usual kids
by jacob caldwell
To the right, Khloe
Kardashian and Joe Passio pose
for a picture after the Lakers
game.
Not many people’s dads can say they met Chloe Kardashian after last weekend’s Lakers game; senior Joey Passio's can.
There are many people whose dads have odd and unusual jobs that allow them to meet people like Chloe Kardashian.
After being in the shoe business for over 20 years, senior Joey Passio’s dad, does have that opportunity.
Passio’s dad is the Vice President, Divisional Merchandise Manager at Payless ShoeSource.
“When people are introduced the face is the first thing the other person notices. Well, my dad always looks at their shoes,” Passio said. He went on to say that his father’s dedication to his work even intro-duced him to his wife.
“My parents met when my dad was working in his home-town’s Footlocker store. She was one of his coworkers at the time, “ Passio said.
Both of senior Sam Prososki’s parents own Yacht Club, the res-taurant.
"[My dad] works until about three in the morning," Prososki said. Meaning, there are some
days where he will not see his dad all day. His mom does most of the accounting and menu-creating at home, while his dad does all his work out of the house, so Prososki and the rest of the family see him much less.
Not many people’s dads can say that they deal with hundreds of thousands of dollars daily, either. Sophomore Evan Smith’s dad is Deputy State Investment Officer for the state of New Mexico, where he does a majority of his work. Smith’s dad lives in New Mexico and comes to visit every two months. Smith and the rest of his family are moving to New Mexico as well in July.
“My dad helps out with the economy of New Mexico,“ Smith said.
The investment division of state gov-ernments handles financial decisions so the government can make enough money to pay the bills.
Such stories are reminders that stu-dents are shaped by their experiences both at school and at home. Some kids only see their parents late at night; others don’t see theirs for months at a time. Parents who work hard and away from home influence their children, who will be just as successful, without the distance from home.
"Not many people dad's can say that they deal with hundreds of thousands of dollars daily..."
Jan.
Mar.
May
Apr.
JuneJuly
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.Dec. Feb.V
V
New Year’s Revolution
76Feature feature
January 19, 2011January 19, 2011
With what seems like a million changes rumored to be planned for next year, things may seem a little confusing. The schedule changes have been fi nal-ized and veteran Free State students are in for a change.
With shorter classes and more of them, students will have the opportunity to take more electives.
But be prepared for more crowding. With an extra class of students, and 16 to 20 new staff members, according to assistant principal Mike Hill, everyone will be packed in more tightly.
“Wherever you see open space in the hallways, is probably where you’re going to see lockers [next year],” assistant principal Hill said.
Change for Teachers:Teachers often won’t have a room of their own, but will have to rotate
classrooms throughout the day, according to principal Ed West.Before Winter Break teachers in the district completed a survey to express
where they would prefer to work next year. This will help determine which junior high teachers will move up to the high schools and which will stay at the junior high level. However not all new teachers at Free State will necessarily be transferring from junior highs. Teachers may come to Free State from anywhere in the district, including elementary schools, if they have the right certifi cation.
Scheduling Changes:Scheduling changes for next year mean classes will be shortened from the
current hour to 52 minutes on regular days. This will make the seven-period
day possible without altering the start and end times.Late arrival on Wednesdays will start a half hour earlier, at 9 a.m. instead
of 9:30. Luckily Wednesdays will still be only three classes and end a half hour earlier, at 2 p.m.
Thursday schedules have been changed as well to fi t the seven period day. Seminar will be removed and replaced with the new class period. By replacing seminar, Thursday will still begin at 8 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m.
Zero Hour:There will still be a zero hour offered next year; however, it will mainly be
reserved for those who do not take a seventh period. In other words most students will have schedules from zero to six or one to seven. There may be some exceptions though; for example, students who are in Student Council which is only offered zero hour who also want to participate in a class that is only offered seventh hour.
Ninth Graders:But despite all the scheduling changes taking place next year, the new class
of freshmen in classes, hallways and extra curricular activities will likely have the biggest effect on students.
“I think that having ninth graders in the building changes the dynamics a little bit from a maturity standpoint,” West said. “They will adjust. If we bring them into the high school and they are high school students they’ll act more like high school students, and they’ll have more opportunities as well.”
Student’s Opinion: Some current Free State students are excited about the opportunity to
take more electives while others believe 52 minute classes will be too short. Junior Michael Guerich is looking forward to having shorter 52 minute
classes next year. However junior Katherine Berger disagrees. She feels that 52 minutes for each class might be cutting things short.
Current students aren’t the only ones who have been thinking about what next year at Free State will look like. Eighth graders who will be the fi rst fresh-men next year also have to think about what the changes will bring.
Allyson Hertig, an eighth grader at West, is disappointed that she won’t have the chance to be top dog at junior high.
“We don’t get ninth grade formal, and the recognition probably won’t be as good,” Hertig said.
She’s also nervous about coming to high school so soon.“There’s a pretty big age range between freshmen and seniors in high
school,” Hertig said. But she’s also excited about the new opportunities high school will offer,
especially in sports. With the scheduling changes and new class of students, the dynamics
of Free State next year are sure to be different. Some seniors are glad to be leaving before all of the changes take place but for those of us who are sticking around, it should be an interesting experience.
* This is a possiblelayout for a regular school day which is represented by information currently available to the Free Press staff.
* Lunch scheduling has not been worked out yet
2011-2012 Schedule
What to expect in the coming school year
Re-vamp your hair
1
Bake something2
Make more "me" time or go for a walk
3
Add something new to your wardrobe
Read a new book
4
Do something you've been meaning to
5
Repair a broken relationship
6
Make crafts or an art project
7
Rearrange your room
8
9Have a kid's night with friends
10
8Feature
January 19, 2011
10
CLASSES FORMING NOW!BRING A FRIEND & GET $50 OFF!
www.educate.com
785-842-62844920 Legends Dr.
Lawrence
Ways to Avoid the Winter Blahs
Re-vamp Your HairGirls get their hair done, but even you dudes out there can switch it up. Col-oring your hair, getting it cut, even just switching up how you wear it can drasti-cally alter your mood. Just checking out other people’s styles and flipping through a magazine can help you visualize what you want. According to hubpages.com, cute winter trends for women include bangs, layers, retros and bobs. A new look will boost your confidence and make you feel better about yourself!
Add something new to your wardrobeDuring the winter it’s easy to get caught up in the jeans-and-a-sweatshirt routine. Treat yourself to a mini shopping spree and buy a new shirt, skirt, jeans, anything you can afford. Two or three new pieces of clothing can create a ton of new out-fits to wear. Stylisheve.com suggests furs and leopard print for girls and jeans and army jackets for guys. Also, try checking out a store you wouldn’t usually shop in. You could be surprised and like what you find.
Read a new bookGetting lost in a book is one of the greatest pastimes. Ever. Escaping into another world on a cold day keeps your mind away from the freezing rain-snow-sleet grossness going on outside and the homework you still have to do. Try reading a book from a genre you don’t usually read or maybe a classic. Broadening the variety of books you read positively
Make more “me” time or go for a walkI know it’s cold outside, but there is such a thing as a coat. According to healthmad.com, “Enjoying the scenery and the different seasons will help clear your head and make you feel less stressed. You will be able to go back to work or tackle a problem with re-newed energy.” Take a step back from all the chaos to be alone with yourself.
Bake somethingWarm cookies make everyone happy. That may be a generalization, but tak-ing some time out of your weekend to make some chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes or dinner for your family will cheer everyone up. They’ll be happy you made food, and the process of creat-ing something delicious will make you proud.
Rearrange your roomSwitching up your living space can switch up your mood. If it’s messy, clean it up. Seeing the floor will be a relief, and your parents will be thrilled. Move your bed to a new space or rearrange where your desk and dresser are. Changing the make up of your room can change how you live in that room. Hubpages.com suggests visualizing your empty room, then putting in your furni-ture and belongings in order of impor-tance, to help with organization.
Repair a broken relationshipNothing can make you feel better than fixing up a bruised friendship. Holding on to past a grudge takes a lot of energy, and that energy is much better focused on other things. I’m not saying be best friends, but start up a casual conversation and let someone know you’ve moved past whatever came between you.
Do something you’ve been meaning toFor example: that huge Humanities project. Whatever it is you’ve been putting off, finally take the time to get it done. You’ll save yourself a ton of stress and be proud of yourself that you didn’t wait until the last minute.
Make crafts or an art projectAny kind of arts and crafts can clear your mind. According to medical writer Lucy Boyd, turning on the right side of your brain helps with “creativity, intuition and hands-on learning ability.” Draw a picture, paint something, take pictures of the beautifully iced trees. Whatever it is, working on something will calm you down and free your mind from the stress of everyday life.
Have a kid’s night with friendsLet’s be honest: who doesn’t love getting together with all of your friends and hanging out? Better yet, recreate a kids night. Get together and have everyone bring a different board game or Disney movie. You can spend the night acting like a kid again, ignoring the freezing cold and generating heat by laughing with friends.
by kim carter
phot
o co
urte
sy o
f nor
a el
bayo
umy
The Rundown on How NOT to Get Run Down
Don't let the snowfall bring you down.
9Sports
January 19, 2010
ORDER TODAY lied.ku.edu 785-864-2787THE ELDRIDGE & THE OREAD
clAssicAl music remixed wiTh jAzz, funk AnD hip-hOp
TUESday, FEB. 8 — 7:30 p.m.
FEB
8
BLACK VIOLIN VIOLINVIOLIN
Free after-party at the Cave nightclub (all ages) Oread Hotel
$11 sTuDEnT TickETs
Athletic seniors say goodbye to their school sports and teammatesby amani safadi
Entering high school as sophomores students have a chance to try out for as many sports as they want. Many seniors realize their attachment to a part of their high school experience they have dedicated so much time to that may soon be coming to an end.
It’s a lot easier to be involved in sports and activi-ties in high school than in college because the com-petitive athletic opportunities become more diffi cult.
For many seniors they have been playing their sports for many years and it has become a beloved habit that they will not want to leave.
“I plan to use basketball to get myself a scholar-ship to college, so I defi nitely want to play basketball as long as I can, and once I get older I might coach,” senior Eric Watson said.
However, for many seniors, this will be the last time they are able to play their sport competitively with their team mates.
“I want to go to KU and study international busi-ness and Spanish,” senior Cale Nieder said. “I wanted to focus on something that was more realistic than football and something I could actually see my self
doing in the future.”Regardless of their future plans, seniors are get-
ting ready to leave their beloved sports and friends. “It’s really sad that [gymnastics] is over actually
because three of the girls on the team are graduat-ing,” senior Aly Frydman said. “We’ve been doing gymnastics since we were really little so it’s sad to fi nally be done with everything.”
It’s a big change for seniors because sports has been, in many cases, the highlight of their high school careers. Many seniors have enjoyed the fact that most everyday they had the chance to play a sport they loved with their best friends, while making new memorable friendships along the way.
“I will probably miss Evan Manning and Eric Wat-son,” senior Austin Hoag said. “They’re my closest friends on the team and then Brett Frantz and Tyler Self for the juniors.”
This is an emotional time for the seniors because they are starting to cope with the fact that next year will not be the same. They will go from seeing their best friends non stop to going to a place with a completely different atmosphere and new faces to
see around the college campus. The seniors, however, are not the only ones who
are sad. “I will miss the seniors because they led all the
chants and pre-game activities, pretty much every-thing, and they always told us to play our hardest so that once we become seniors we could play on varsity,” sophomore Riley Buller said.
For underclassmen many seniors weren’t just people who knew more than them but also a group of students willing to help with their problems. It will be a sad time when doors open on the fi rst day of school next year.
Senior Cale Nieder played during his last season of football this year.
Photo by megan engleman
Seniors Aly Frydman and Kelcy Bowers both participated in
competitive gymnastics for the last time this year.
Photos by Taylor Beals and Mary Cairns
10Opinion
January 19, 2011
11000
One in One Thousand Free State is not just a building. It is a community of unique people. Each issue the Free Press will highlight one person and HIS or HER unique story.
Junior Brooke Fox only recently found out she was Dutch.
“I finally know what nationality I am: Danish.”
Over winter break Fox met up with her biological father whom she hasn’t had any contact with since she was three-years-old.
“Now is the perfect time in my life for this kind of thing,” Brooke said.
Her mother married Brooke’s adoptive father when Brooke was four and she has always considered him her “dad.” Although some may consider him her “step dad,” Brooke considers him her “real dad."
“He’s my dad, he raised me. We have a really good relationship,”she said.
She first became curious about her biological father around the age of ten.
“It was kind of like finding out about Santa Claus, I had a feeling my dad wasn’t my real dad. It was a little suspect.”
Her biological father never played a role in her life until now. Except when she would occasionally visit him as a toddler.
“I would like to have a relationship with him,” Brooke said. “Not so much a father-daughter relationship; but more like what you would have with an aunt or an uncle."
For Brooke, it was about finding out about who she was.
“I felt like I could learn about myself and my past. He was able to
explain better why he wasn’t in my life growing up.”
At first her parents weren’t on board with the idea.
“It makes my parents uncomfort-able,” Brook said. “It was a hard time in my mom’s life. But I did get their per-mission, they understood why I wanted to talk to him."
Her dad was even the first to contact her biological father. When Brooke was younger, her mom kept his contact information, but it was no longer accurate.
“I Googled him, it felt a little creepy. Then my dad called him, so he would know I was trying to contact him and not freak out when I called him out of the blue.”
Brooke says her best advice for someone who is seeking a relative is to have someone else contact him or her first.
“Let them know you’re trying to contact them so it isn’t a super big shock and they don’t say anything they don’t mean.”
However, for Brooke, this has been a positive experience.
“It’s really cool knowing that you have one more person in your life that cares about you.”
Brooke Fox
by katherine corliss
Last year, my grandma found out that her best friend’s son committed suicide. I decided to travel with my aunt, mom and grandma to Colorado Springs to attend the funeral even though I never met the man; I didn’t realize how strange and awful it would be.
I sat in the church and looked around at all the grieving strangers: the dark-haired sister with sunglasses on; the young and confused daugh-ters; the mother and father. I quickly realized that everyone there shared at least one thing; they were feeling the worst kind of pain.
After the funeral, we went to the family’s house for a more private and casual memorial service. Leaving the church relieved some tension, but the anguish was still clearly visible on the faces of his loved ones.
I stood on the back porch with Ned, the man’s father. The Colorado air was crisp and cool and their back-yard smelled like flowers; most people were probably outside enjoying the day. I couldn’t help but feel angry that this beautiful family was unable to en-joy the beautiful day because of such an unexpected tragedy. As if he could read my mind, Ned suddenly started speaking. It startled me; I wasn’t sure I’d heard his voice yet.
“We have bears back here all the time,” he said. “I came home one time to find one right in the foyer of the house.”
I laughed and immediately won-dered if it was inappropriate, but I looked over to find him chuckling too. His eyes were watery and swollen, but I could see the sparkle in them; I un-derstood that there was still a living, breathing man behind the sadness. I could tell that he would be okay, even if it took a long, long time.
My grandma’s best friend called her almost every day in the following months to check in. She told her that every day for the rest of their lives would be difficult, but that they were finally moving on. Ned was still seeing bears in the backyard, and her young-est son was going to have a baby. They were learning how to live again.
The entire situation made me rethink the way that I walk around in my daily world. We all face adversity, and grieving is completely natural. However, sometimes it's best to think about the bears in the backyard instead of focusing on the sadness.
Meeting this family also made me realize that every day is important. I never want to let a headache or a rude comment ruin my day again; it seems selfish to me now to waste time being upset, especially when I have no reason to be.
So, I think life is about being happy, or at least content. Why? Because there's air to breathe, flowers to smell, and bears to find in the foyer...might as well make the most of it.
Find ways to make the most of every day
It's really cool knowing that you have one more person in your life that cares about you.
"
"
"
"
Junior's curiosity drives her to contact biological father and learn more about her past
Check out fsfreepressonline.com for extracontent, and tell us what you think about Issue 6
Yes, we are now on Twitter! Follow us at @fsfreepress for news updates
by bailey schaumburg
...it seems selfish to me now to waste time being upset, especially
when I have no reason to be.
Bears in the Backyard Focus on the...
11staff editorial
January 19, 2011
2010-2011 Free Press Staff
allison morte chris allmon katie guyot
The Free Press is an open forum that encourages letters to the editor and guest writings.
They must include the writer's name and telephone numbers. Submissions may be edited due to space limitations, libel or inappropriate content.
Submissions may be turned to Room 115, sent in care of Free Press to Free State High School, 4700 Overland Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66049 or submitted online at fsfreepressonline.com.
The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Free Press staff, the high school administration, nor that of the USD 497 Board of Education.
11
web
mas
ter
repo
rter
repo
rter
bailey schaumburg
kim carter katherine corliss
allison harwood miranda davis
austin fi sher ryan loecker amani safadi jacob caldwellemma machellzach hilltrevor bird megan engleman
edit
or in
chi
ef
man
agin
g ed
itor
copy
edi
tor
busi
ness
edi
tor
ad e
dito
r
repo
rter
repo
rter
repo
rter
repo
rter
desi
gner
repo
rter
phot
ogra
pher
desi
gner
Is What You Say linePunishable Campus?
students' online posts may put them on the hook at school
Recently, a student in Florida was suspended from school for mak-ing a Facebook group,
about her English teacher. The group was a forum for people to dis-cuss how much they did not like this teacher and included comments from different students about her. Even though no threatening remarks were made, the student who created the group was suspended. The student took her school to court and won a $15,000 settlement.
According to school resource offi cer Ryan Halsted, there is no offi cial policy detailing how to handle situations involving Facebook and other social networks at Free State. Disciplinary action comes on a case-by-case basis. Such a response is understandable; however, we feel that the school should make students more aware of potential punish-ment. Not to mention it is rumored that someone on the school staff has a Facebook account under a fake name and has access to some students’ profi les.
When setting up their Facebook page for the fi rst time, many teens choose to have privacy settings that allow only their friends to see their profi le. What many students do not know is that while their parents, whose friend request they are still ignoring, might not be able to see their information, their information is in no way private.
Conducting a simple Google search of someone's name can bring up wall posts, pictures or anything else on the Internet that contains their name. And once something posted on Facebook is out on the Internet, it is out there for good. What even more students do not realize is that they can potentially be punished for what is said on Face-book and other social medias, even if it does happen outside of school.
Say someone’s English teacher hands out a pop quiz that he was not prepared for, or his history teacher puts questions on a test that were not on the study guide and the he becomes upset about it. Then this student goes home and writes on a friend’s wall ‘I was so mad at Mr. So-and-so I could have punched them’. Now imagine the SRO fi nds out about this wall post and tells the teacher, who feels genuinely threatened. The student is looking at some potentially serious conse-quences over a threat they most likely did not mean and had no idea would get back to the school.
Too many students at Free State are not aware that other people can see their posts even if their profi les are on private. Even more are unaware that they could be subjected to punishment by the school. There is nothing in the school handbook about Facebook or other social media. We feel that it is unfair that there is any justifi cation for punishment without fi rst warning the students.
by allison harwood
Should the school be able to punish students for things they say on Facebook?
staff members voted in favor of a school's right to punish kids over online posts
staff members voted against a school's right to punish kids over online posts
Question:
"No. As long as it happens outside of school it is within the student’s freedom of speech."
"No."
"It depends on what they say."
"No, it’s none of their business."
Staff Vote
Share your opinion. Vote on the Bird's Word at fsfreepressonoline.com.
3
13
Calee Cruse senior
Chloe McPherson senior
Miles Stevens sophomore
Jason Springer social studies
QUICKLY BECOMING FIREBIRD FANS’FAVORITE PLACE FOR BURGERS.
SB_F
reeS
tate
Ad
_081
0
Go Firebirds!
Valid only at Lawrence location. Original offer must be surrendered at time of purchase. May not be combined with any other offer. Taxes not included. No cash value unless prohibited by law, then cash value is $.005. No substitutions. Void if copied or transferred and where prohibited. Limited Time Offer.
LAWRENCE: 4801 Bauer Farm Drive (6th & Wakarusa)
QUICKLY BECOMING FIREBIRD FANS’FAVORITE PLACE FOR BURGERS.
Free State High School Ad¼ page ad (4.875” W x 5.416” H)
smashburger is perfect for eating in or having a better burger to go, a quick workday lunch, the weekend burger and shake, date night, a family dinner, or with the team after the game. smashburger has something great for everyone.
Open 10am - 10pm Daily
Firebird Special - $71/3 lb Classic smashburger with smashfries and a drink. Just show your Free State I.D. to receive this
special offer. Available to students, faculty and staff.
Disney’s latest 3-d adventure, “Tron,” is action packed, visually captivating, and well directed. In the fi lm, Sam, the son of an inventor of sorts who vanished on the brink of unveiling a revolution-ary advancement in technology that would “change the human condition”, ends up back in his dad’s old offi ce where through a series of events gets transported into the world of “Tron.” Sam’s father (The Big Lebowski) has been trapped within the computer world for twenty years. Following suit with recently released movies, “Tron” is a visual revolution. The three dimensional animation leaps from the screen and Tron is and acute vision of a
digital frontier. Each actor carries the weight of their role while helping to support the out of this world storyline. “Tron” attempts to make a metaphor or statement about human society but doesn't fully achieve this. Some aspects of the fi lm go over one’s head, but when paying attention, not much of it has any ground to it. Either way, “Tron” is straight up entertainment and an awesome movie to watch with some borrowed scenes from past block busters. “Tron” is defi nitely a movie you should see in theatres, and a sweet sci-fi adventure any age will enjoy.
Coming soon to Liberty Hall, “Tiny Fur-niture” is a movie about “new friends who share a lot of old memories.” This fi lm, which looks like the perfect date movie, won jury awards for best feature-length documentary and narrative at the SXSW Film Festival. The main character Lena Dunham plays a college graduate who lives in the same house as her mother, 17-year-
old sister and a man named Jed who gives her relationship advice. According to Entertainment Weekly, Dunham, who is not only the star, but writer and director, is “a storyteller of gigantic charm and subtlety, and a fi lmmaker of exciting feminine origi-nality.” This movie seems like a must-see for any “Juno” fan.
Does advertising in a high school newspaper work? It just did.
Urban Book2 / 14 / 11 @ Lawrence Arts Center
In the Urban Book art class, “students will take an urban expedi-tion of downtown Lawrence, noting the environment through photo-graphs, drawings, the written word,
and collected materials” according to lawrenceartscenter.com. Students will create a book compiling all the work done in this four-week class.
Tiny Furniture @ Liberty Hall
New Release Movie Reviews - TRON
David Hasselhoff on Acid 1 / 27 / 11 @ Bottleneck
Students who have been to Wa-karusa Fest will probably recognize this experimental-funk jam- band. As if the name isn’t convincing enough, their music sounds like an alien spaceship landing on our planet from outer space. “We immerse people in
the music until the show is done and the crowd wakes up from the reality we just put them in,” one of DHOA’s band members said according to Lawrence.com. This performance is sure to be out of this world.
LawrenceGuide
Baby Birds Don’t Drink Milk1 / 20 / 11 @ Replay This experimental rock band is one of my favorite lo-
cal bands. Their live performances consist a small drum set, multiple guitars, a whole mess of pedals to put weird effects on those guitars and an occasional key-board. According to Lawrence.com, some of BBDDM’s infl uences are: “chocolate milk, birthday parties and waterguns that look like alligators.” Formed in 2004 in Kansas City, Baby Birds Don’t Drink Milk don’t seem to have a set lineup of musicians and they often perform in the apartments of their friends. With that being said, every performance is very unique, and anyone who has already seen them is sure to hear something new.
