the fsfreepressonline.com @fsfreepress on Twitter 4700 Overland Drive, Lawrence, Kansas, 66049 edition 14 issue 8 march 2, 2011 Free Press BEND AND SNAP 9 4 2 6-7 STICKING TOGETHER GOING GREEN THE ULTIMATE COLLEGE VISIT YOUNG MUSIC LOVERS Captains weigh in on why cheerleading is "all about relationships" Need to know how to make the most out of a college visit? Find out on page... Students share the unique reasons why they love their favorite music Community garden will provide opportunities for students
Transcript
the
fsfreepressonline.com @fsfreepress on Twitter 4700 Overland Drive, Lawrence, Kansas, 66049 edition 14 issue 8 march 2, 2011
Free Press
BEND AND SNAP
9
42 6-7
STICKING TOGETHER
GOING GREEN
THE ULTIMATE COLLEGE VISIT
YOUNG MUSIC LOVERS
Captains weigh in on why
cheerleading is "all
about relationships"
Need to know how to
make the most out of a college visit? Find out
on page...
Students share the
unique reasons why
they love their favorite music
Community garden will
provide opportunities for students
As if the freshmen weren’t enough, we have another addi-tion to our school for next year. Except this one has benefi ts. Free State’s community and learning garden was approved at a recent school board meeting. With much still to be decided, the garden is in it’s preliminary stages, but the plan is to start planting this spring. Unlike the West
Junior High, the Community Mercantile has no involvement with Free State’s community garden. It has been a “combined labor of love between the city and the FFA chapter,” principal Ed West said. The garden will be located on the east side of the school near the baseball fi eld, so gardeners may need to keep their heads up for fl y balls from the baseball fi eld. It will primarily be for agriculture classes, with the business side of things handled by the FFA. “If you are not a part of FFA, that doesn't mean you can’t be a part of the school garden,” Agriculture teacher Laura Priest said. Students who are not in an agriculture class, but wish to help with the garden can become a member of the student advisory committee. Priest also hopes to be able to hire students and give them the opportunity to work in the garden part time. “I think it will be a cool addition to the school, especially for the agriculture classes, but I don’t think many students will spend their time volunteering without any incentive,” junior Brogan Sievers said. Although the chance of students volun-teering to help may seem slim, getting paid to work in the garden over the summer will appeal to many students. Lots of kids need summer jobs, and why not help out the school?
2 March 2, 2011
Go Greenby ryan loecker
Community garden taking root benefi ts school community
""
If you are not a part of FFA, that doesn't mean you can't be
a part of the school garden.
Cover
The cheer team practices their halftime routine for the LHS vs. Free State game. Photo by Nora Elbayoumy
The star on the map of campus represents the proposed location for the community garden
News
Being foreign isn’t the only thing that can cause a lan-guage barrier. Hearing impairments can entirely change the way people communicate. Sign Language Club, led by social studies teacher Ron Swall, helps make a language that had been otherwise skipped over by the school population noticed.
“If you come across a [deaf] person you need to talk to, it’s important to know sign language,” sopho-more Kara Kelly said.
Many students have joined the club, who had their first meeting back on February 10, and for many reasons like how sign language differs from spoken English.
“I thought it was different than other languages,” junior Hannah Oberrieder said. “It’s really cool, a totally different world.”
Others joined because they were looking for a good time after school.
“I joined because I thought it would be fun. It’s always fun to learn a new language,” Kelly said.
“It’s really cool because I’m taking Spanish and i can talk to people in Spanish but it would be cool if i could speak to someone who knows sign,” Obrerrieder said.
Despite the difference in reasons for going to the club, everyone can agree on one thing, learning how to sign would come in handy to communicate with those who are deaf and hearing impaired.
“[Sign Language Club] is a very good club, its something educational,” Oberrieder said. “We have some weird clubs here, but this is one people can actu-ally use.”
Sign Language club has only had a couple of meetings so far this year, and is still planning out the semester. However, they have arranged for volunteer staff available in the district and Free State students already fluent in the language.
“We’re [starting with the] alphabet and greetings and that kind of stuff to begin with and then just going where people wanna go,” sponsor Ron Swall said.
Members already know what they want to learn. “I want to learn cat,” sophomore Maddie Brans-
trom said. Hannah Oberrieder has other ideas on what she
wants to learn. “I really want to learn belly button in sign lan-
guage,” she said. “ I want to learn my name because I forgot how to sign it.”
Sign Language Club meets in Swall’s room, 245, after school at 2:45 on Thursdays. Since the club has only had a handful of meetings so far, so they haven’t really talked enough to really know exactly what they are going to do.
“We spent some time trying to sort out some direc-tions we want to go in, tried to look at what people want to try and learn,” said Swall “The leadership team came up with a couple of games to play like charades where people have to learn a few signs and have to interact using sign language.”
According to Swall, Sign Language Club isn’t all about learning, its also about having fun. It’s a neat opportunity to get involved in the school with something that is completely different and out of their comfort zone for not only students but for teachers who also want to expand their communication skills.
3Clubs
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March 2, 2011
by emma machell & chris allmon
Getting hands on with communication
Sign Language Alphabet
A guest speaker teaches proper hand technique at sign language club
4Feature
March 2, 2011
College is one of the most important decisions that high school students make. Which school to go to, or even to go at all are some of the many choices students have to make before the time they graduate. Visiting col-leges, or doing college tours is part of the process for narrowing down those schools and making that final decision.
A college visit can consist of many different activi-ties. It can be a anything from a walking tour of cam-pus with a students to an overnight in the dorms or sitting in on a class. There are many options for types of visits from a private tour to “Junior days” or “Senior days” offered by the uni-versity. Those who are interested in pursuing a certain activity in college (Art, music, sports... etc.) will need to schedule an audition or a tryout. Contacting the specific department before a visit can be extremely helpful.
“I went on a day specifically designed for [Arts and music], so they had the general tours, then they had one specifically for that department,” senior Adriane Dick said.
Before the VisitThere are several things every students should do
to prepare for college visits. Formulate a list of qualities that you want your future school to have. Narrow down your list of schools by doing research and try to visit a majority of your top schools.
“I read 40 colleges that change lives early last year, and decided which schools were good, then we planned
visits based on that list, “ senior Nora ElbayoumyAnother important step before visiting colleges is
to make a list of questions to ask guides, professors and current students.
“Try to ask the same questions and get the same information at each school you visit so you’ll have good comparison data,” said Lauren Erickson, assistant direc-tor of communications at University of Kansas admis-sions.
Make sure to also be aware of the culture of a
school before a visit. Having prior knowledge about a school can save time during question and answer por-tions of the visit and give more of a sense of what life is like on campus.
“Review the school’s website or brochures you’ve received in the mail. Watch videos on YouTube, check out the school’s Facebook page, do whatever you can to immerse yourself in the school before you even get there,” Erickson said.
During the Visit Spring of junior year or beginning of senior year is a
good time to start visiting colleges. While there be sure to ask several questions that you have thought of previ-
ously to have answered by current students and/or staff. An option for getting questions answered is a student forum, but they are not available at every campus.
“The student forum, [is] where a couple students go in a room with you and talk to you about student life, and parents aren’t allowed in, so you can ask all the questions you actually want to know the answer to,” senior Liza Farr said.
Other options for visits include overnight stays, junior days, senior days and daytime campus tours. Make
sure to check and to visit with professors and sit in on classes in your desired major. Getting a comprehensive look at what life is like at a college is the point of a visit, so students should try and see as much as possible to help make the decision.
Decision Time One of the most important things
about college tours is to do lots of them. Go to enough schools to be well informed about future possibilities. The more information that is collected, the more informed a decision can be.
“See a classroom, talk with current students, and meet with anyone you might be interested in because picking the right college happens ideally only once, so try to experience everything the institution has to of-fer,” said Cole Galyon, Kansas State University Admis-sions Representative.
“Preparing for college is one of those ‘life steps’ and it's important to make sure that you're going to a university that is right for you,” Gaylon said. “Relax and have fun. College visits should be a fun and enjoyable experience.”
by miranda davis and allison morte
Not a Site Left Unseen
The best questions to ask on your college visit:from Lauren Erickson and Cole Galyon
What are/is the: ...academic programs offered? ...cost? ...places to live? ...student jobs? ...ways to get involved?With my major, what jobs are available?What is the average class size?What is a normal freshman course load?Do I need to bring a laptop?How is the food in the resi-dence halls?
How safe is this campus?What is the student atmo-sphere like?What do students do for fun on weekends?Are there opportunities for student employment?What scholarships and financial aid are available for students?Where can I live my fresh-man year?How do I apply for admis-sions and scholarships?
Questions for Students:What’s the one thing you will always remember about your school?What’s the one piece of advice you have for being successful here?
Basic Questions:
...picking the right college happens ideally only once, so try to experience everything the institution has to offer.
Make sure you follow us on twitter, or comment on the Free Press web-site!
How to plan the ultimate college visit
The Hard TruthOne of the tabs on English teacher Alice Karakas’s
website reads “Awareness.” Just a click away from homework assignments and term paper due dates lie several links leading to serious topics, including the infamous issue of text messaging and driving.
Despite widespread awareness about the dangers of distracted driving, cell phones continue to divert countless drivers’ eyes from risky roads to shining screens. The National Safety Council estimates that 28 percent of all automobile accidents involve wireless devices, and cell phone use is said to increase risk of a crash by 400 percent.
“It’s such an epidemic problem, and a lot of us don’t understand how dangerous it is yet,” Karakas said. “It’s something people do naturally.”
In a survey conducted by SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) in 2007, 50% of teenagers admitted to using cell phones while driving a vehicle.
“I don't think young drivers text a lot when they start driving,” said Walter Olker of Go Driving School in Lawrence. “They're too concerned initially with driving properly. The more comfortable they become driving, the more liable they are to start letting things distract them, like music, food, and cell phones. They naturally start gravitating toward their main communication means: texting.”
Lasting ConsequencesThe Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
claims that cell phones on the roads account for 2,600 fatalities and 330,000 injuries annually, and it is almost universally accepted that teen drivers are more likely to be involved in such accidents than adults.
“What teenage drivers lack is the experience to identify possible problems as well as adult drivers,” said Olker. “Teenagers’ reaction times are better than most adults’, but when their attention is diverted by texting, that advantage is negated.”
If the possibility of becoming an insurance company’s statistic isn’t enough to keep drivers’ hands on the wheel, they should also know the legal consequences of distracted driving.
Kansas is one of 30 states, plus the District of Columbia, that bans all drivers from text messaging in
their vehicles. The Kansas Texting Law, in effect since
January 1 of this year, disciplines any driver using a “wireless device to write, send or read a written
communication" with a minimum fine of $60, not counting the $53 required for court costs.
Dangers of DenialThe question remains why many drivers are
undeterred from paying more attention to their phones than to other cars.
“For the same reason all of us do silly things,” Olker explained. "
‘It won't happen to me.’"Sophomore Patrick Liston, who took a
Driver’s Education course with Go Driving, said he understands why some people cannot resist the urge to take their hands off the steering wheel to pick up their phones.
“They want to rush to answer the text message
so the person doesn’t think they’re ignoring them,” he said.
Liston predicts that he will not fall into this trap, but Karakas believes that there can sometimes be a difference between what drivers say about their driving habits and how they actually drive.
“I think they consciously say that it’s dangerous,” Karakas said. “But then they get in their car and are like, ‘It’s not really that bad,’ or ‘I’m just doing it at the stoplight.’ I think people don’t think it’s actually as dangerous as they might say. I’m guilty of doing it in the past, and I had to make myself stop once I learned how dangerous it really is.”
Senior Taylor Beals also admits to having sent the occasional text from inside the confines of his car.
“I tend to not [text] while I’m actually driving, but if I’m at a red light, I probably do,” he said. “I think people are really tied to their technology by now. You have to be in contact with people at all times.”
Lesson LearnedArguably the best way to prevent drivers
from text messaging while driving is tried and true education.
“It’s something I think we should be more aware of,” Karakas said. “When you’re around teenagers and young people so often, you just realize how quickly they can be gone.”
Go Driving School includes the topic of text messaging within discussions about alcohol, drugs, fatigue, and distracted driving.
“All of these subjects involve less than full mental or physical attention to driving,” said Olker, who teaches this section of the curriculum with great care. “I try to get students to think beyond themselves and consider the effects of their driving under these conditions on other people. I don't try to scare people; I want them to think. By trying to appeal to their sense of humanity I think we make a bigger impact.”
5March 2, 2011
FeatureHold the Phone...
photo illustration by Megan Englem
an
37 The percent by which using a cell phone decreases brain activity in relation to driving (Carnegie Mellon)
1 The rank of how distracting wireless devices are to drivers compared to other sources of inattention (Virginia Tech/NHTSA)
5,474 The number of deaths caused by distracted driving in the United States in 2009 (FARS and GES)
16 to 30 The age group most prone to text messaging in the car (Nationwide Insurance)
4 How many times more likely a driver is to be in an accident while using a cell phone than while paying attention to the road (NHTSA, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
by katie guyot
Text messaging continues to pose a danger to drivers
76Feature Feature
March 2, 2011March 2, 2011
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T U N I N G I N
Taking a look into the diverse musical tastes of Free State
Dan Jasperson’s taste in music seems to match up with what most teenagers like today. His favorite music styles range anywhere from alternative rock, hip hop, and rap. Jasperson’s favorite artist, Yellowcard, was the fi rst band he ever listened to and got him into alternative rock.Favorite Genre(s): Alternative Rock, Hip hopFavorite Artist(s): YellowcardFavorite Album(s): Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard
Trey Jones enjoys a combination of rap, hip hop and R&B from the 90’s to today.Favorite Genre(s): Rap, Hip hop, R&BFavorite Artist(s): Big L, Cassidy, Fabolous, Lil’ Wayne, The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur, Wiz KhalifaFavorite Album(s): The Blueprint by Jay Z, Ready to Die by The Notorious B.I.G.
Aaron Hiatt has an appetite for energetic and emotional music. “Electric Six is strong and rabble-rousing,” he said. Aaron is in choir and sings bass, which has infl uenced his music tastes.“I like Johnny Cash because he has my vocal range.”Favorite Genre(s): Rock and roll, Garage punk, Romantic musicFavorite Artist(s): Electric Six, Foxboro Hot Tubs, Johnny Cash, TchaikovskyFavorite Album(s): Dial-A-Song by They Might Be Giants
Favorite Genre(s): Hip hop, RockFavorite Artist(s): Atmosphere, Aesop Rock, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Wu-Tang ClanFavorite Album(s): The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd
Lioba Gierke’s music taste is different than students at Free State because she is an exchange student from Germany so her music interests are unique.Favorite Genre(s): Pop, Hip hopFavorite Artist(s): Peter Fox, Ke$ha, P!nk.Favorite Album(s): Stadtaffe by Peter Fox
Caitlin Laird's taste in music may not be the same as many teenagers. Her favorite music ranges anywhere from classic rock to popular music. Her favorite artist is John Denver and she got interested in him because her mom liked him.“My mom got me into John Denver because he has a ridiculous range and can belt for a long time.”Favorite Genre(s): Classical, Classic rockFavorite Artist(s): John DeverFavorite Album(s): Wicked (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
Willie Jordan listens to a wide variety of artists, to the point where categorizing his tastes into genres is diffi cult. Favorite Genre(s): Punk, Hip hop, World music, RapFavorite Artist(s): Buena Vista Social Club, Black Moon, The Clash, The Sex Pistols, Rancid, The Fat Boys, Kurtis Blow, MF Doom, The Dirtbombs, Ozomotli, Jurassic Five, The Libertines, The White Stripes, Run-D.M.C., Wu-Tang ClanFavorite Album(s): Up the Bracket by The Libertines, White Blood Cells by The White Stripes, Raising Hell by Run-D.M.C.
Dan Jasperson
Aaron Hiatt
Willie Jordan
Caitlin Laird
Lioba Gierke
Trey Jones
Moses Brashear
by austin fi sher, amani safadi, jacob caldwell
8Lifestyle
March 2, 2011
To Tweet or Not to Tweet?On August 14, 2009 Ashton Kutcher beat news
anchor Larry King in a race to have one million follow-ers on Twitter. Most students had not even hear about Twitter at this point.
Twitter’s popularity originated with celebrities. Stars such as Kutcher, Oprah Winfrey and Ryan Seacrest all used this new social network to broadcast their thoughts to anyone who would take the time to follow them.
“[The fi rst time I heard about Twitter] was at the Jonas Brothers concert a couple of years ago,” sopho-more Kylie Dever said. “They said to follow them on Twitter so I decided to make one.”
It seems as though a large majority of students had little to no interest in Twitter a year ago, but now has a good number of students who have created and use their accounts actively.
Junior Taylor Augustine said that although Twitter sounded stupid at fi rst, she is now an active user.
“It is just status updates, but now it is really addict-ing,” Augustine said.
Just like most things in life, peer infl uence has im-
pacted Twitter’s popularity.“More people in the school have gotten Twitter, so
it is more appealing since you can follow your friends,” senior Katy Thellman said.
The popular social networking site, Facebook, includes photos, videos, apps, and status updates. Twit-ter, however, is only status updates. Also unlike Facebook, Tweets are limited to 140 characters. Twitter creates a, shorter and more casual alternative to Facebook status updates.
“You can post whatever is really on your mind,” Dever said. “If one of your friends says something funny you can just quickly tweet it.”
Students can swiftly tweet what they are doing or thinking and add “hash tags”. In order to create a hash tag a student adds a pound sign in front of a word or phrase with no spaces. If a hash tag is clicked, Tweeters can see who else has tweeted the same word or phrase.
Even though Twitter has gained considerable popu-larity, many students still do not have the desire to join the site.
“I do not think there is really any point to Twit-ter,” sophomore Jordan Rietcheck said. ”It is all sort of
‘jibber-jabber’. I would feel stupid if I got one.”
Other students simply just do not understand how to start an account.
“[The only reason] I haven’t gotten one yet is I do not know how to,” junior Kitty Tootle said. “I might get one if it gets popular enough, I might not.”
In addition to gaining popularity among high school students,Twitter is used by businesses and newspapers across the country to broadcast their news to their followers. Whether it is something funny a friend just said, or a business broadcasting its latest sale, Twitter continues to grow as a quick way for people all over the world to receive news in quick 140 characters.
It is just status updates, but now it is really addicting."
"
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by katie guyot
Twitter becoming a popular social site to mingle
A Twitter news feed is shown in the picture to the left on an iPhone. Twitter is becoming a popular site to visit.
photo illustration by megan engleman
Check out fsfreepressonline.com for extracontent, and tell us what you think about Issue 8
Yes, we are now on Twitter! Follow us at @fsfreepress for news updates
As
9Sports
March 2, 2011
As basketball season comes to a close, so does the cheer season, and with it the high school cheer careers of the squad’s senior captains Aly Frydman, Korie Reed and Cali Brasseur. All three have been cheering on the squad since sophomore year and have given much of their time and spirit to the school and it’s sports.
“We make signs every week for as many sports as possible,” senior captain Korie Reed said. “We try to support all of the sports and the school and get people riled up at assemblies and games.”
It’s not just about making signs and performing at assemblies, though. These cheerleaders devote most Friday nights, and sometimes even Tuesday nights, to cheer at football and basketball games.
“We also make appearances at other games,” senior captain Aly Frydman said. “For big games we go to the player’s houses and decorate them and make
signs.” The three captains are close, much
like the bond that the squad forms. “When you spend that much time
together and go to camp together and are together all the time you make some good friends,” Frydman said.
Though gymnastics is a sport in high school, the Kansas State High School Activities Association does not consider cheer a sport. The squad practices three or four times a week at school for two hours, but finding the time can be dif-ficult. Even though they invest much of their time, people don’t appreciate that investment.
“Cheer is different because it isn’t
considered a sport,” senior captain Cali Brasseur said. “It is harder for us to practice because it conflicts with other sports’ practices, but at the same time it is just as important as the other sports because they depend on us to support them and get the student body involved.”
While the sports depend on the cheerleaders for support, the cheer-leaders depend on these captains for instruction. The squad and the coaches voted on the captains at the beginning of the year.
“As captains we have a lot more responsibilities and actually make deci-sions for the squad,” Brasseur said. “We
make decisions about what we wear and help with the performances and routines.”
Having so many practices and so many responsibilities doesn’t leave these captains to have a lot of free time.
“Most of the year I’m doing two different sports,” Frydman said. “Which limits the social life I can have. When
I do gymnastics I’m here from the beginning of the school day until nine, with only an hour break.”
Though the girls’ busy schedule of practices and games may cut into their free time, it helps when the squad is close.
“The closer you get with people on the squad the better it is,” Frydman said. “I think that goes for most things you do: the more people you meet in it and the more involved you are makes it a better experience.”
Reed agrees.“It’s all about relationships.”
building spiritphoto by nora elbayoum
y
by kim carter
Meet the senior Captains
Aly Frydman Korie Reed Cali BrasseurI'm here from the beginning of the school day until nine, with only an hour break.
It's all about relationships. It is just as important as important as the other sports because they depend on us.
" ""
" ""
Do you love the cheer captains?Comment on this story and others online at fsfreepressonline.com
First five comments get a free taco from Taco Johns
cheer captains vital part of spirit program
10Opinion
March 2, 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.
by katherine corliss
"
"
"
by bailey schaumburg
The best way to deal with something is by learning to be mature and have a
conversation in order to work it out...
Destroy the Drama
Check out fsfreepressonline.com for extracontent, and tell us what you think about Issue 7
Yes, we are now on Twitter! Follow us at @fsfreepress for news updates
"
There is really only one way to say this: drama is stupid. Stupid, stu-pid, stupid, stupid! It’s so stupid that the word stupid is starting not to look like the word stupid anymore because I’ve typed it so many times. It truly is that stupid.
First of all, it’s not funny, cool, interesting, entertaining, intelligent, attractive, etc., to be dramatic and hostile. Trust me, no one wants to hear you yelling about how your ex-boyfriend’s sister’s best friend looked at you the wrong way. Maybe I’m mistaken, but that just doesn’t seem too important in the big scheme of things.
There are plenty of ways to deal with a situation without drag-ging other people into the equa-tion. If you and someone else have a problem, keep it between the two of you.
Bringing a bunch of other people into a problem that could easily be solved is completely un-
necessary. It’s the quickest way to turn a tiny issue into a gigantic fight.
Another way to minimize the drama is by keeping it behind closed doors. Honestly, publicizing your private life is embarassing and can even make other people feel uncomfortable. No one needs to know your business...seriously.
Most arguments are blown way out of proportion. The best way to deal with something is by learning to be mature and have a conversa-tion in order to work it out; it’s amazing how a civilized talk can change things.
We’re supposed to be having fun, and drama is not fun. No mat-ter what you think, it is NOT fun. It alters relationships and stresses people out.
So, let’s just...smile at each other instead of screaming at each other, okay?
The college search is an interesting and sometimes daunting process. Often students want to be challenged and broaden their horizons, but also want to find comfort in familiarity. Senior Erin Ice set out looking for a university that was highly academically ranked in the Midwest. Great standardized test scores have allowed her the freedom to look about many schools in the area.
“My junior year during spring break my family and I went to Chicago,” Erin said. “We visited the University of Chicago and Northwestern. At that point in time I wanted to live in a big city. But I didn't end up applying to those schools.”
Erin also looked into Grinnell College and Washington University in Saint Louis for their strong academic reputations.
Like many of her fellow seniors finances has been the driving concern of her college decisions.
“I’m planning on going to medical school after undergrad so if I want to be able to afford that I need to have a lot of my undergrad paid off before then.”
The reality of the costs of college inspired her to look closer to home.
“I’ve gotten some pretty good
scholarships from KU, and I’m pretty sure I’m not going to get that much scholarship money from Grinnell or Washington University,” Erin said.
Although financially these schools might not be realistic, Erin will still be challenging herself academically. Currently, Erin is planning on attending the University of Kansas and being a part of the honors program.
However, staying in Lawrence will not keep her from being involved in campus life. Erin is planning on being an active member of a scholarship hall, involved in volunteering opportunities and might even play intramural soccer.
Throughout her college career Erin plans on continuing to be the well-rounded person she has become here at Free State.
Erin Ice
Erin Ice steals the ball at last year's girls soccer game against Olathe North.
I would rather have people think I'm weird
than boring.
Little known facts about Erin:-Weird birth mark on left thigh- Recently overcame slight addiction to Excedrin- Left-handed- Hopes to someday run a marathon- Favorite color: tie between yellow and purple- In two math classes
Want a yearbook?It's your second chance to buy at August prices.
Send your $50 to the finance office
by March 10!
Get there or be square.
Kansas is a “brain-drain.” Young people who are suc-cessful in the sciences, arts and other valued skills often want nothing more than to leave the state. Even those who stay here for college plan to get out as fast as they can. Why then, did the State of Kansas end funding to the Kansas Arts Commission, a reason people might want to live in Kansas later on in life?
The Kansas Arts Commission funds many local and state-wide arts projects. Often, they sponsor grants for programs like the Lawrence Arts Center, Lawrence Community Theatre, even programs put on by the Lied Center.
Understandably, the state is having to make cuts as there is a $550 million budget shortfall. However The Kansas Arts Commission receives less than $600,000 from the state every year. But while this is saving every Kansan approximately 29 cents a year, it will have seri-ous negative affects on the economy, whichis already struggling to survive.
People love culture, and culture often pays to get stuff done. Take Lawrence’s recent “Final Fridays” when art is displayed throughout downtown on the last Friday
of every month. The City of Lawrence estimates that approximately 3000 people fl ock down-town on a given “Final Friday” for the event. While downtown, these patrons who may not normally spend money in downtown Lawrence each decide to buy a $3 ice cream cone, that’s $9,000 being pumped into the local economy. Although $9000 may not seem like much, that’s $783 sales tax dollars, enough to pay to fi x about four normally-sized potholes. Not to mention, visitors from outside the Lawrence area are spending even more money on lodging and food, driving the local economy. While not everyone who goes to Final Fridays will buy ice cream, chances are they will buy something, feeding their stomachs as well as the local and state economies. That adds up to a lot of potholes.
A recent study by the Kansas Arts Commission
shows that the arts support 4,612 jobs and generates $15.6 million in revenue to local and state governments.
Any elementary school music teacher can tell you that the arts are important. Not only does creativity use the opposite side of the brain as math and science, but it also many door for those who are surrounded by it.
Art creates culture, and people want to live in a place with vibrant culture. Since Kansas doesn’t have too many spectacular outdoor endeavours, the arts need to be supported. Especially by the state.
11Staff Editorial
March 2, 2011
2010-2011 Free Press Staff
allison morte chris allmon katie guyot
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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.
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"I think it's a very bad idea. Unfortunately I still do text and drive on occasion."
"I think it's bad, and I don't like to do it but I catch myself doing it sometimes."
"I think it's dangerous. Yet I do it all the time."
"Don't be stupid about it. It's just as bad as driving drunk. No I don't text and drive"
Share your opinion. Vote on the Bird's Word at fsfreepressonoline.com.
Kristina Rasmussen Brandon Dodge Jakob Brewer Bryan Duncan English teacherseniorjuniorsophomore
What do you think about texting and driving? And do you text and drive?
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Art funding disappearing right before our eyesby katherine corliss
Does advertising in a high school newspaper work? It just did.
The King of Limbs isn’t a huge departure from past Radiohead albums, but it deserves notoriety for the number of different sounds
that are packed into a very short album. Coming in at just under 37 ½ minutes, it’s the shortest Radiohead album to date, and argu-ably the most succinct. The variety of sounds is exemplified in the band’s use of percussion. The songs Morning Mr. Magpie and Feral
have tempos that cause real drums to sound hurried and electronic. Give Up the Ghost and Codex have little to no percussion, falling back on the tried and true methods of Thom Yorke’s falsetto and pulsing piano progres-sions. If you like any of Radiohead’s music, or if you haven’t and you’re looking for a some-thing a little different, you can download The King of Limbs on Radiohead’s website.
In celebration of it’s tenth year anniversary, Liberty Hall is finally showing Donnie Darko for Midnight Movie Mad-ness. In this movie, filmed in a mere 28 days, Donnie (Jake Gyllenhaal) is kind of like the little boy in the Sixth Sense (if you replaced “dead people” with “a creepy-looking, evil bunny rabbit”). LA’s New Times said, "It isn't spoiled by the Hollywood forces that helped birth it," and although the movie failed to break even, it has developed a cult follow-ing. It ranks high on many different lists such as: Empire’s “Greatest Indie Films”, FilmFour’s “50 Movies to See Before You Die”, and Entertainment Weekly’s “50 Best High School Movies.” Go see it. The King of Limbs album review
Donnie Darko (Midnight Movie Madness) 3 / 4 / 11 @ Liberty Hall
World Migration Film SeriesFREE SCREENINGS @ Liberty Hall
1. A Hebrew Lesson - 3 / 3 /11“Offering a novel glimpse of the immigrant experience, filmmak-ers David Ofek and Ron Rotem follow several students in a multicultural Hebrew language immersion class in Tel Aviv”This movie tells three different stories about a Russian lawyer, Chinese maid and German woman who is unemployed. Sundance says it is full of inti-macy, humor, charm and irony.
2. Still Life - 3 / 10 / 11“Citizens return to a flooded town to salvage what they can and say good-bye to things they lost.”Still Life is a documentary about the destruction of the Three Gorges Dam in China which leaves millions of people home-less. Although this isn’t the happiest film on the planet it is definitely worth seeing and is a New York Times Critics’ Pick.
