TIMESIssue 3 Volume 35 www.raypecnow.comThe Panther

Friday, January 30, 2015Raymore-Peculiar High School, Peculiar, MO 64078

For a peek at the Special Olympics event Polar Plunge see pg. 5 & 6

More than a Special Olympian Senior Brendan Elkins makes an impression on the court and in hearts

Miranda HoweReporterSenior and Special Olympian Brendan

Elkins is no stranger to most people within the school. Walking down the hallway, Elkins greets numerous students and faculty by name, high-fiving them as he goes.

One of Elkins peers notices the attitude that Elkins displays every day. Senior Kelsey Cunningham is a friend of Brendan’s from middle school. They have been friends since the 8th grade when Brendan first introduced himself to Kelsey.

“Brendan is the coolest and nicest person you will ever meet” said Cunningham.

Elkins is one of the key players in the program who has been a part of the team since his sophomore year. Special Olympics gives Brendan something to look forward to after school.

“Special Olympics has been really great and I always look forward to seeing my friends after school and at practice,” said Elkins.

He has been in the Special Olympics program since spring of his sophomore year.

Elkins being in Special Olympics for two years has given him the opportunity to meet a lot of teammates and volunteers. Elkins, his teammates, and the volunteers

have gradually formed a bond with one another that connects them.

“I am really thankful for all of the volunteers who come to help and support me at practices and tournaments. I am friends with all of them,” said Elkins.

Cara Hornbeck, coach of Elkin’s basketball team notices the dedication and his character that he brings to the program.

“Brendan is always positive and is always giving high fives and side hugs to people. He is always encouraging to the other team and his own. Brendan has gained school spirit because he has a feeling that he contributes something to the school while being on Special Olympics,” said Hornbeck.

Elkins plays two sports for the program, which are basketball and track. To Elkins, the best part of the sporting events are the people that are involved.

“I like going to the basketball tournaments to cheer people on. The best thing that ever happened is at a tournament this weekend (January 10) my team got first against two other teams,” said Elkins.

There is a special place in Brendan’s heart for Special Olympics and everyone involved. “My favorite thing about Special Olympics is definitely going to encourage people and show good sportsmanship.”

The latest Van Winkle Vibe can be found on pg. 8

Two swimmers and their record breaking story. Pg. 6

Smiling after making a shot, senior Brendan Elkins puts in extra practice. Brendan participates in the Special Olympics program at school and uses the program to have fun. Photos by Katie Johns.

Elkins spends time with sophomores Tana Miller

and Haley Bosserrt. Elkins always makes sure to say

hello to the people he knows during free time.

Since the moment a student has walked into a classroom, they have been lied to about how much high school will “prepare them for the real world”. But when they actually enter high school, the only classes that slightly touch the real world are personal finance and some tech classes.

Leaving high school, people do not know how to pay a mortgage, what the acronym A.P.R means, or how interest affects the amount you pay back on a loan. Students do not know how to change oil on a car or how to fix a flat tire. However, this can all be changed with the addition of a new class.

If Ray-Pec had to offer one more class to help students with the real world, it should encompass every basic thing a person needs to know to survive. It would be called “Real World Applications”. Students do not have time to dedicate an entire semester to just one aspect of finance, construction, or cooking when it is a requirement to take four years of English and three years of math. Instead, all three of these can be put together under one class.

Not only would this help free students’ schedules for classes that would benefit them later based on their career interests, it would also help give students a head start on tackling the various issues and problems of living on their own.

Whether it is changing oil or applying for a loan, “Real World Applications” really would prepare students for the real world, more than any trigonometry or algebra class ever will.

The Panther Times is published by students throughout the entire RayPecNow publication. Our primary obligation is to inform readers about school community events and issues of national or international importance. We provide a public service; a channel of information, news, and entertainment for students and the community. The publisher of The Panther Times is the Raymore-Peculiar Board of Education and is printed by the Daily Star Journal in Warrensburg, Missouri. Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/MCT Campus Newspaper High School Services.

Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Maddie ReihsOnline Editor-in-Chief Katie Johns

Copy Managing Editor Blake Smith

Sports Editor-in-Chief Tyler Putney

ReportersAbby Beck, Melina Hartnett, Aaron Fuller, Molly Johnson,

Cassie Allen, Rachel Hutchings, Natalie Cummings, Bethany Walter, Cierra Fuqua, Taylor

Mendenhall, Matthew Berry, Madison Howard, Alisseya

Didlo, Dylan Copeland, Dalton Dailey, Samantha Heggem,

Taylor Harshbarger.

Infographics Editor Rachel Murphy

Friday, January 30, 2015TTHE PANTHER TIMESOpinion2

This school is lacking basic essential classes. For example, a body shop class is realistic. Every driver will need to know how to change a tire, check the oil, and other useful knowledge. This class could be offered all four years. It would teach everything from basics to preparing students for a field in the auto department. This will benefit students throughout their life.

Another class that could be offered is a worldly class that would be focused on how to communicate and interact with people from other countries. This class would be different than the foreign language department or club, because it wouldn’t focus on the language. It would solely focus on the culture. America is a diverse community, so when students leave high school they might have co-workers, patients, students etc. that are difficult to communicate with. This class might include a penpal unit.

The last class that should be offered is a veterinary class. The class would interest students looking for a future job in any animal-related career or just want to learn the basics on animal care. This class could shadow actual animal-care professionals.

Classes should be offered for the most popular career choices, and popular life skills that students would come in contact with throughout their life.

Teenagers that walk among the hallways in high school need to have several classes offered to them, including one about personal hygiene. Health class that every student is required to take touches a little on the subject of taking care of one’s self. More specifically, a cosmetics class would cover everything from self care to grooming one’s self. Yes, most of these topics can be taught by parents but an in depth course teaching the fundamentals that some may not have a clue about.

This class would benefit not only the students who take the course but also the student body as a whole. For example, it would help students learn the basics of personal care, including hair care, how to take care of your body. Making sure that what you are doing to your body is truly the best for it. Also, it would even make students excited to come to school to learn about a class that they might actually enjoy.

This is not a superficial class, caring only about makeup and hair spray; the goal would be to improve the overall physical health of students, which would then hope to increase the students’ mental and emotional health. It would give opportunities for students to excel in being a beautician, and go to school for it.

Students interested in the class would want to excel in school and would participate in things simply because the change of one school class.

Aaron FullerReporter

Tyler PutneySports Editor-in-Chief Melina Hartnett

Reporter

Taylor MendenhallReporter

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Social Media Director Jordan Myers

Here at the high school, students are missing a large selection of classes. Students should be able to take classes that allow them to express their skills and figure out how to use their education in real life. Along with that, the high school should give students the opportunity to learn and use more foreign languages.

We can only learn two more foreign languages. One billion people speak English, half of a billion speak Spanish, and 400 million speak French, adding up to a total of 1.9 billion out of a world population totalling 7.125 billion. From these statistics, foreign languages in high school only cover 27% of the world, the other 73% are not taught. The school is missing Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Russian, German, and more.

“I feel like there is not enough diversity,” says senior Alex Demers, “Having more classes would allow for students to be able to pick between more than just two foreign languages.”

Culture is a large part of life, and students need to be able to develop their cultural skills throughout foreign language classes that are available during their high school education. Students deserve a certain level of available classes to extend their learning.

Leaving high school, people do not know how to pay a mortgage, what the acronym APR means, or how interest affects the amount you pay back on a loan. Students do not know how to change oil on a car or how to fix a flat tire. However, this can all be changed with the addition of a new class.

If the school had to offer one more class to help students with the real world, it would be called “Real World Applications” and deal with anything and everything financially, construction based, or anything else that deals with practical needs. Students do not have time to dedicate an entire semester to just one aspect of finance, construction, or cooking when it is a requirement to take four years of English and three years of math. Instead, all three of these can be put together under one class.

Not only would this help free students’ schedules for classes that would benefit them later based on their career interests, it would also help give students a head start on tackling the various issues and problems of living on their own.

It is understandable that adding a new class is not easy on the administration, and not every student is interested in taking a life skills class, but students are already required to take a personal finance class for a semester, when it could easily be eliminated and replaced with a class that covers more than how to save up a “rainy day fund”.

Whether it is changing oil or applying for a loan, “Real World Applications” really would prepare students for the real world, more than any trigonometry or algebra class ever will.

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Friday, January 30, 2015TTHE PANTHER TIMES Sports 7

Tyler PutneySports Editor-in-Chief

Key & Tre’: a tale of two brothersSiblings make the most out of their life on the court

Few experiences can out match the opportunity to play on a sports team with your brother. Whether it is the competition between siblings or the support given from parent to child, playing with family allows for unique memories. Sophomore Keyvaughn Schockley and his brother, junior Tre’vienne Wilson, have the unique opportunity to play basketball together on the JV team.

“Playing with my brother is definitely a fun experience. We always compete and try harder than the other to get the bragging rights,” said Shockley.

Last year, Schockley and Wilson also had the opportunity to play with their older brother, Jason Wilson, putting all three brothers on the court at the same time.

“Last year, Jason, Keyvaughn and I all played together, and that was one of the best times of my life. It allowed all of us to grow and bond closer together,” said Wilson .

Naturally, playing with a sibling on the same team produces a unique case of sibling rivalry, both of them hoping to earn bragging rights for the rest of the day.

“Each of us try and do better than the

other so we can take it back home with us. If one of us does really good and the other one did awful, we just have to sit and listen about what we did wrong,” Wilson said.

Head Coach Scott Jermain agrees that having siblings on the same court enhances the team play.

“We already have three siblings, and it’s cool to see any one of them playing on the court at the same time. There are always times where they get agitated and under each other’s skin, but they also know each others strengths and weaknesses which heightens the team’s play,” said Jermain.

Both brothers also feel that playing with one another gives them a certain edge over the teams they face.

“We play on the same [offseason] team, and we go to the courts and play a lot, too. So we know what the other person is going to do, when he is going to pass or fake, or when he is going to shoot, which gives us an advantage over the teams we play,” said Shockley.

The relationship that both Shockley and Wilson have built on the court also carries into other aspects of their lives.

“They definitely have a stronger bond. They have been playing together since they could walk, and that has let them be able to function and work together at home when we are away, and gives them

leadership around their younger siblings. It is so impressive,” said Kevin Yarbaugh, father of the two brothers.

Both Shockley and Wilson feel that the relationship they have built playing high school basketball together is something that many students will not ever get the chance to form, and they are thankful for the chance they received to play basketball together.

This story is the first in a three part series exploring the various siblings that play a sport together throughout the school. The next story will dive into the lives of two new athletes, and will be posted on RayPecNow.com.

Next Week on the Court

Girls & Boys Freshman A Tournament

V Girls’ Conference

Championship Meet @ Lee’s Summit West

JV/V Girls’ Swimming @ Lee’s Summit

JV/V Conference

Match v. Blue Springs & Lee’s

Summit

National Signing Day

JV/V Wrestling v. Blue Springs

South

JV/V Girls’ Basketball @ Platte County

JV/V Boys’ Basketball @ Blue Springs

South

JV/V Girls’ Basketball v. Lee’s Summit

West

JV/V Boys’ Conference

Game v. Lee’s Summit West

Tre’vienne Wilson (Left) and Keyvaughn Shockley (Right) warm up before practice together and enjoy their time with each other both on and off the court.

Monday 2/2

Tuesday 2/3

Wednesday 2/4

Thursday 2/5

Friday 2/6

Saturday 2/7

Courtwarming game

Senior night

Friday, January 30, 2015TTHE PANTHER TIMES In the classroom 3

Joining the international playing fieldThe IB program proves to be beneficial

Cassie AllenReporter

With enrollment packets for next year coming in to the advisors mail boxes, students are wondering what the next year of their life will hold for them. When students receive the course guide, they will notice that there are some changes. Next year, the school will incorporate the International Baccalaureate (IB) program into the curriculum.

“IB is an international program where students can take classes that are similar to the worldwide level. Students in Missouri will take the same IB class a student may be taking in another part of the country, or another part of the world.” said IB Coordinator Steve Meek.

IB is a more rigorous program students can take for college credit. Many schools around the country have the IB program, including Lee’s Summit High School. One Lee’s Summit West student believes IB is a great chance for students to expand their

knowledge.“The IB curriculum is more intense and

covers more material than other classes might. the courses are similar to freshmen and sophomore level college work so it’s extremely helpful when you’re preparing yourself for college,” said Lee’s Summit

West junior Holly Coleman.

Coleman is on one of the two IB tracks available for IB students.

“There’s two options to do through IB. The first option is to take 2 or 3 IB classes, and get certificates per each passed class. This can be taken for college credit,” said Meek, “The second

option is taking the IB diploma, which means they take 6 classes, have to take our Theory of Knowledge class, write a 4,000 word extended essay, and take part in the creativity action service, which is like community service, non-academic

personal growth.”While the IB diploma is a tough process,

students are able to graduate high school and get accepted to some of the top colleges and universities. Stanford’s acceptance rate for students with an IB diploma, according

to IBO American School Acceptance Survey, are 4% higher, from 13% IB acceptance to 17%.

One student at Lee’s Summit West moved to Missouri from St. John’s School in Waterloo, Belgium. St. John’s is an

international school and follows the IB curriculum.

“I’m doing the diploma program so I have six IB classes. 3 higher level and 3 standard level.” said Makenzie Loescher.

Loescher was at an IB World school, and so her credits transferred from her school in Belgium to LSW. She believes that IB is good at preparing her for college, and that it is a higher level educational program.

“The IB program is especially good for students who do well in their classes and are looking to be challenged, but with the right work ethic and a good attitude, anyone can do it. It’s not a program for those who are looking to skate by or who aren’t willing to

invest the time.” said Loescher.School is taking a progressive step by

adding to IB program to our curriculum. Students can look forward to seeing the options in the course guide for the upcoming school year.

No show fashion showAnnual fashion show cancelled for second year in a row

Rachel HutchingsReporter

Throughout the years, the annual student-ran fashion show has become a staple of the FACS department and the class that creates and hosts it, Fashion 3. For the second year in a row, the fashion show will not be put on due to the lack of enrollment in Fashion 3.

Fashion teacher Kerri Reed hopes for a different outcome for the show next year, and encourages students to be involved if they want to do anything within the fashion industry.

“If students really enjoy the fashion industry the class is an invaluable experience for them,” said Reed.

Senior Sarah Kranz signed up for the class and was discouraged when she learned she would have to take another class instead of putting on the show.

“But I am mainly disappointed because I want to go into the fashion industry after high school,” said Kranz.

The importance and advantages of having a fashion show can be carried into students’ futures, especially if students want to go into the fashion industry.

Joking around before practice, junior Taylor Felz (left) and sopho-more Jessica Dillon (right) share a laugh. Both girls broke personal and school records at the COMO meet on Jan. 3. A few minutes after Felz set a new school record, Dillon broke the same one. Photo by Jordan Myers

Friday, January 30, 2015 TTHE PANTHER TIMESSports6Meet the Wrestler

Varsity girls’ swim break back-to-back records

Over 26 high school girl swim teams from all over the state participated in one of the biggest swim meets of the year at the Columbia, Missouri Invitational at the University of Missouri on Jan. 3.

Girl swimmers from all over Missouri met to compete in the COMO invitational. They came to this meet with goals in mind. Not only to excel at the meet but also to set personal records, break school records, and to achieve the ultimate goal of making it to state in St. Louis on Feb. 20.

The girls’ swim team had a rare

occurrence of having two girls break a school record at the same meet, in back-to-back heats both sophomore Jessica Dillon and junior Taylor Felz broke the school record in the 100 yard. breaststroke. Felz broke the school record with a time of 1:18.11. Soon after in the following heat, Dillon broke Felz’s school record with a time of 1:16.17, beating her personal record and her previous school record of 1:18.16.

“It felt great breaking the school record. I had no

idea that Taylor beat my previous school record I held, I thought I had just beat my personal record until I talked to Majors and he said Taylor broke

my record,” said Dillon.

Breaking school records is not an easy task to

accomplish. It takes effort, dedication and lots of time practicing in the pool in order to be able to hold a school record.

“The records are not easy to beat,

it takes hard work at practice to set school records,” said varsity swim coach Matt Majors.

Having not one but two girls that are so close in the same event can help provide support and competition for one another, which can help them push

each other in races and at practice.

“Having someone so close in times helps us push harder, especially when we are racing at the same time instead of different heats. It’s good always having

someone to try to beat and even more fun when your friends as well,” said Dillon.

Breaking in the New YearDylan CopelandSports Reporter

Dalton DailySports Reporter

Both swimmers are looking forward to pushing each other in practices in order to make the ultimate goal of state, not only in the 100 meter breaststroke, but other events as well.

“I expect for at least two of our relays to qualify for State, hoping for Taylor to qualify in 100 free, and Jessica in the 100 Breast,” said swim coach Matt Majors.

Dillon is only six seconds away from making state in the 100 yard breaststroke. However, Dillon is battling with an injury which may hold her back from making state this year.

“I think I could make state this year if I worked hard enough, but with having an injury

I’m not exactly sure if I do not make it this year then I definitely will next year,” said Dillon.

With only a few meets left, the girls swim team is working hard at practice to cut down on their times in order to qualify for as many

events as possibly at state. The next chance the girls have to qualify for state is Feb. 6-7 at the Conference Championship at Lee’s Summit High School.

Friday, January 30, 2015TTHE PANTHER TIMESThe plunge4

Since 1968, Special Olympics has been raising money for people of all ages, providing outlets for those with intellectual disabilities. Athletes and volunteers can participate in over 32 individual and team sports. Supporting this cause, the Ray-Pec Team has been involved in polar plunge making it a district wide tradition.

Plungers raise over 15-20,000 dollars every year, beating other schools within the Kansas City area, such as Belton and Lee’s Summit. Last year, 18,500

If you would like to support SO, scan the QR code to

make your donation.

Quick Facts

As little as $35 can help train an athlete for a season.

Intellectual disability is the most common developmental disability.

develop physical fitnessdemonstrate courage

experience joyskills and friendship

Special Olympics gives opportunities for athletes to:

Any sport from cycling to Judo to kayaking is

available for the athletes to particpate in.

Blast from Polar Plunge pastdollars was accumulated from donations and supporters to RP’s team.

The Ray-Pec team consists of not only students and faculty, but friends and community members as well. Jeff Moore, Student Senate advisor and history teacher, has plunged over seven times, this year being his eighth. Moore encourages others, no matter experienced or amatuer plungers, to take the plunge. “Everyone should come support. It is a great cause. Thank you to everyone that has supported us,” said Moore.

Friday, January 30, 2015TTHE PANTHER TIMES the plunge 5

“Stop the Bop”

Around this time every year the same announcements blast through the speakers and echo through the halls, ‘Donate to Polar Plunge!’ , ‘Take the Plunge for Special Olympics!’ Many students do not take the time to learn more about where their money is going, or what the Special Olympics are all about. Students only see the surface, all the flyers and whacky donation stunts. What they do not see is all the work that comes from below the surface, from both the students and the coordinators.

“It’s totally worth it,

Special Olympics makes such a difference, they get so excited for it, they look forward to it all the time and the money goes for cool stuff,” said senior Jenni Repschleger.

Repschleger has been working directly with Special Olympics since her sophomore year, specifically helping out with the bowling team.

“Usually I just hang out with them, I don’t personally coach them, we just hang out and practice and they always work pretty hard,” said Repschleger.

Students like Repschleger help out with this cause through

different ways. Student Senate members and their classmates raise money and donate; others choose to raise a certain amount

of money in order to take the plunge themselves.

“For everyone else it’s

$75. But if you are part of a school team it’s $50,” said Jeff Moore, one of the school’s Student Senate advisors.

The Plunge itself entails students running into the frigid waters of Longview Lake, fully clothed. The money that the student body raises goes directly towards Special Olympics, helping out the teams with costs such as transportation, equipment and uniforms. Last year, the Special

Olympics bowling team saw the benefits that the donations brought.

Splatter paint teachers

Best Dressed

$

Change wars Movie Night

The reason for the plungeThe meaning behind why Ray-Pec is involved in Special Olympics

Jordan MyersSocial Media Director

“Last year we were able to get T-shirts for Ray-Pec Bowling and it’s just stuff like that, the year before we weren’t even able to get T-shirts,” said Repschleger.

Annually, the school raises around $7,000. This year, the goal is to earn $7,500 from the student body. Getting in on the fun, Jeff Moore, Joe O’Neal, and Mike Williams will sport a dress throughout the whole day on Feb. 6th if that goal is reached.

“I think all of this goes to a great cause. I’m a team player,” said O’Neal.

With music blaring,

students are encouraged to donate money during their lunch shifts.

During lunch shifts, students

can pay a fee to throw

paint on a few select teacher

volunteers.

Joe O’Neal, Mike Williams, and Jeff

Moore have agreed that if the student body raises $7,500 that the three men

will wear their fanciest gowns on

Feb. 6.

Teachers compete in collecting

money from each of their classes. The winner of

Change Wars wins the opportunity to tell the loser of Change Wars

what to wear for a school day.

Popular movies are screened

for a small fee and snacks are

provided, as well as an open gym. Students viewed

films such as Pitch Perfect, The

Avengers, and Wreck it Ralph.

Raising for a cause

Our climb to $7500

$750

$1,500

$2,250

$3,000

$3,750

$4,500

$5,250

$6,000

$6,750

$7,500

$8,177.82

Friday, January 30, 2015 TTHE PANTHER TIMESentertainment8

229 N MADISON ST, RAYMORE, MO 64083

(816) 322-3323

The Van Winkle Vibe

4/5winks

Civil rights movie touches core of today’s issuesLogan Van Winkle

Contributing Writer

Photo by Maddie Reihs

“What happens when a man stands up and says ‘enough is enough’?” During a particularly inspiring scene that perfectly captures the essence of Selma, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. challenges his fellow civil rights activists to join him in making a difference. This question lingers in the mind of the viewer throughout the two hour runtime and stays there long after. This biopic about the courageous

civil rights leader is unique in the method it takes in tackling its subject matter. Many biopics revolve around the entire life of its subject, skimming over some important events, while entirely missing others. Rather than focus on the whole life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Selma takes the bold approach of telling one single story, set in a very particular time and place: Selma, Ala. in the spring of 1965. Though the United States

had officially desegregated following the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 a year earlier, African Americans were still unable to practice their right to vote. The film depicts the 54-mile marches, from Selma, Ala. to the state’s capital of Montgomery. Dr. King and thousands of others participate in these marches as a way to protest their inability to vote and the opposition they faced at this point in time.Surprisingly, this

film marks the first time Dr. King has been portrayed as the main character in a film about the Civil Rights

Movement and

David Oyelowo, who plays him in Selma, sets the bar high for those who follow in his footsteps. Oyelowo has the ability to convincingly portray Dr. King as

nervous and unsure about his next steps in one scene and then portray him with all the self assurance in the world in the next. The best scenes are those of Oyelowo delivering some of

Dr. King’s speeches in order to light the fire under his listeners. Oyelowo’s confidence and charisma in these scenes are readily apparent and his performance is so electrifying that it

feels inspiring even to those in an air conditioned theater on a Friday night.Selma, like last year’s 12 Years a Slave, is hard to watch but it is an important film to see. Director Ava

DuVernay pulls no punches in these scenes and that no holds barred style of

filmmaking really benefits the film because Hollywood has never depicted this time in our nation’s history in such a dark and honest way, without glamorizing or toning it down in

any way. Subtle scenes, such as one early on in the film involving an elderly woman, played by Oprah Winfrey, trying to register to vote and being turned away is just as heart wrenching as the ones depicting graphic violence. The scenes involving police brutality against African American men and women who just want to exercise their rights are heart breaking, in part because it is difficult to watch

them without immediately being reminded of what has happened just recently right across the state in Ferguson and in New York City. The similarity between what is onscreen and what has been in recent headlines is scary and ultimately raises the question: How far have we really come?