Learn how to volunteer in KC

Highlights from Winter Banquet in“Neverland on 79th”

“Behind the Jersey” with the boys varsity basketball team

#Team Berkley

pawPRINTVOLUME III ISSUE 2

KANSAS CITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL | PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KAN. | FEB. 3

2

staffco-editors

Kayley ForsheyMaddy Hardt

staff writersGrayson Bohlender

Alyssa ElliottTurner Jones

MaryEileen KuceraOlivia Madderom

Ashley MooreJosh Willis

adviserKylie Briggs

The Paw Print is the high school newspaper of Kansas City Christian School. It is an open forum and is distributed to all students. This is a student publication and may contain controversial matter. Kansas City Christian School and its board members and employees are not responsible for the content of this student publication. Students and editors are solely responsible for the content.

table of contents3 Our H(APP)y Place

4 Opinion

6 Volunteering in KC

8 #TeamBerkley

10 Neverland on 79th

12 Following the Money

14 Behind the Jersey

16 Homecoming

On the cover: Students cheer for senior Berkley Walline. Photo by Turner Jones.

opinion 3

Sky Map is a free app available in the AppStore and Google Play Store. Unlike most apps, it is not a game app or a social media app. Sky Map allows you to see a digital version of constellations, individual stars, planets, the moon, the sun, and even the horizon from your location. It is relatively simple to use. You launch the app and allow it to access your GPS location, which isn’t as scary as it seems, and you can start moving your phone around to see different celestial beings. One of the best features of the app is that it allows you to choose what you see. If you only want to see the planets, you deselect all of the icons except for planets. If you want to see everything except for horizon, that can be turned off too. There are no bugs that make it difficult to use the app. There are ads, which make it slightly less fun. Other than that, the app is great. For those of us living in the city, it is nice to be able to see the different stars and constellations that are not visible. Even though you cannot always see the objects with the naked eye, you can usually locate it on your phone, while outside, then try and find it in the sky. It is a big help for those of us who cannot even begin to figure out which group of stars is the Big Dipper. All in all, Sky Map is a great app for the little astronomer inside of you and, for free, allows you to enjoy star-gazing without the need for a huge telescope and a plethora of knowledge of stars and constellations. -Alyssa Elliott, staff writer

In the spirit of New Year’s and resolution-making, I decided to brush up on my French skills. I love French, and I hope to someday speak it fluently. However, after completing French 3 at Johnson County Community College a while back, my French speaking abilities have continued to decline. Due to the fact that our school does not offer French as a foreign language class, I have not taken a French class in over a year and a half. Sure,

I’m nerdy and I have French grammar workbooks that I do in my free time, but what’s the fun in that? Here is where my new favorite app, Duolingo, enters. Essentially, it is a language learning game and tutor all-in-one. When signing up, you can set a goal for yourself to spend from five to thirty minutes a day on the app. A little green owl, or “coach,” sends you friendly reminders daily to help you stay on track. The app starts with the basics and progressively advances. What happens if you already know levels one through three? No worries, you can test out! This app allows you to learn a language through writing, listening, and speaking; but be careful, you only get three hearts per level. If you use all of your “lives” or hearts, you have to restart that level. Once a level is completed, “lingots” are rewarded and can be used in the store to purchase things like “heart refills.” You are also awarded for practicing your skills daily and creating a “day streak.” I have never experienced problems with Duolingo malfunctioning, and it is easy to navigate and understand. I definitely recommend this app to anyone who wishes to learn a new language or review one that was previously learned. -Maddy Hardt, co-editor

DUOLINGO

It’s 2014, and onboard drives have become irrelevant. Ever since its conception, cloud computing has been changing the way people store and use files, increasing the accessibility of documents, pictures and music from your personal computer to any of your devices, and any person you decide to share it with. Files have become social, in an almost-omnipotent sort of way. They are certainly headed in the direction of being hosted in whole by the Internet, and one of the biggest proponents of this “cloud revolution” is Google’s Play Music and Play Movies services. Built upon Google’s strong mobile ecosystem, called Android, Play Music and Play Movies are mobile- and browser-based applications that let you interact with music files and movie files. What makes the service different than normal music player is its reliance on the cloud. In the past, you’d plug your phone or into your computer, drag files to the phone’s drive and place them in a respective folder. With Google’s service, though, you upload media to the Play application, or buy it straight from the Play Store, and it will be synced with your account across the board. What that results in is your content on any device that you are logged into, making getting a new phone or computer easier. Also, it frees up physical storage space for more important files. On top of that, Google offers its Play All Access subscription. For $10 a month, not only can you stream your content directly, but you also have unlimited access to Google’s host of thousands of artists. As far as storing your own music, Google for sure has more server and development capability than just about any competitor, excluding maybe Amazon. Google’s own offering of music isn’t nearly as large as iTunes, but the Play Store is definitely favorable to any other third-party music option. Movies sort of seem like an afterthought because Google knows you don’t spend eight to twelve hours a day watching flicks, but they do rely on the same great interface and services that make their Music counterpart arguably the best option for cloud media available. -Gray Bohlender, staff writer

GOOGLE PLAY MUSIC & MOVIES

SKY MAP

Life has a number of inevitables. If you do your work, you’ll get credit. If you throw a rock, it’ll fly. Unfortunately, though, life on it’s own has not yet figured how to notify me via text when Zac Efron updates his Instagram. San Francisco developers saw the gaps in life’s system of inevitables, and decided, as a third party, to fill them all in. The result was iOS app IFTTT. IFTTT, which stands for “If This, Then That”, is an app that really is the necessary next step for mobile computing. It lets you pick a trigger app, a trigger action and then pair that with a response action. If Zac Efron posted a picture, which could be our trigger action, on Instagram, which will be a trigger app, then the response action would be to send me a text message. There are hundreds more of these ‘recipes’ you can create using IFTTT’s sleek and reliable iOS app. The app is very user-friendly, providing an ‘ease of use’ and certain fool proof-ness to an area of technology that is generally left for those nerdy enough to bare with bad app design. It offers great functionality, too, not sacrificing at all the workhorse that IFTTT is for the insane usability. It’s very well developed, and the support on it is stellar. This is definitely a must-have for any productivity power user. -Gray Bohlender, staff writer

IF THIS,THEN THAT

Whether it’s Friday night and you are on your way to a party with all your friends or it’s Sunday afternoon and you’re on a relaxing afternoon drive, Songza has the music you need. Songza isn’t just your typical music app where you choose stations based on an artist, such as Pandora. Songza is Pandora on steroids. Songza gives you a wide variety of music types based on what you might be doing at any given time. For example, as I’m writing this, it’s Monday afternoon. Songza is giving me suggestions for music to listen to while driving, working out, cooking, unwinding, doing homework, or brand new music. Songza is unique because it gives you options and picks music based on situations and times of day you are in, instead of just playing music that is similar to an artist or band that you choose. While this may seem like it limits your choices, it doesn’t at all. Say you don’t like any of the suggestions it gives you for music. That’s an easy fix. You just go to the search menu, and the app has literally hundreds of playlists to choose from. So for the music lover in all of us, Songza is a must have. It gives you more variety in your music listening and helps you find some sweet new music. I promise that if you whip it out around your friends, they’ll all be asking what app it is. Plus, it’s got an awesome name. What’s not to like? -Josh Willis, staff writer

SONGZA

our h(APP)y placeapp reviews by yours truly

4 opinion

an opinionby KAYLEY

FORSHEY

an opinionby ALYSSA

ELLIOTT As I ran around my backyard, pretending to be Lieutenant Commander Spock on a mission to a distant planet, I never thought I would see the day where I could actually talk into my watch. Whether we realize it or not, the line between reality and fantasy is blurring. The newest iPhone 5s has a fingerprint scanner, and Samsung has released a watch that will sync with your phone to allow you to answer calls much like iconic characters from science fiction. I love science fiction, just ask any of my friends. They know that the “nerd is strong with this one.” The amount of time I spend watching “Doctor Who,” Marvel movies, and “Sherlock” is honestly more than I spend studying for my tests. There is a pile of books, including “Star Wars” novels, multiple copies of “The Lord of the Rings” and a beat up set of “Harry Potter,” laying on the floor in front of overflowing bookshelf because of my lack of self-control when I enter Half-Price Books with money in my wallet. I’m also a tech geek. Now, I don’t care about how it works and no matter how much I want to know, I find myself bored as I read the detailed descriptions of circuits and other gadgetry. What I really love is the rapid growth of technology and how science fiction has influenced our reality.

It isn’t just new technology that has been inspired by science fiction. In the year 1870, Jules Verne published his book “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” which features Captain Nemo and his submarine called the Nautilus. By 1898, J.P. Holland was commissioned by the U.S. Navy to build a submarine and after a successful test was commissioned to build more. Science fiction has always been ahead of the game with authors fictionally inventing things well ahead of their time. In 1895 when H.G.. Wells wrote “The Time Machine,” the greatest invention of that year was the zipper. Yes, the zipper is an important item in today’s world; I understand that it revolutionized clothing. But, Wells was writing about time travel when Whitcomb L. Judson was demonstrating a zipper at the World’s Exhibition in Chicago. Now, though, science is catching up. Things that were once thought to be impossible are on the cusp of reality. Soon, a “bioficial” heart made with a 3-D printer at the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute in Louisville, Ken. will be used in heart transplants. Prosthetic limbs that can be controlled with your mind, much like Darth Vader’s and Luke Skywalkers’, are currently in trials with amputees. A laser, similar to the one on the Death Star, has been developed and is being tested by the Navy to be put in use instead of rockets and guns. Some days I wake up and wish that I was “in a galaxy far, far away” or hitchhiking my way from planet to planet. I used to think that it was impossible, and I would never see the kind of technology that was used in the movies and TV shows I grew up watching. Now, I read the news and see that the future is rapidly approaching. I may never live to travel to distant planets, but for our children, that fantasy may become a genuine opportunity for them. You never know what is going to happen when what was once science fiction becomes reality.

Fact or science fiction?

perfect, to put on a mask. I see the pressure to keep things bottled in and “stay strong.” To put up this wall that everything is and always will be OK. And then I lie to myself in order to sound convincing in the lies I tell others. I look around at everybody else and think they have it all together, and I am the only one still very, very uncertain of things like college, jobs, and what I plan to do with the rest of my life. But I have to act like I know what I’m doing, ‘cause I’m the only one, right? This mindset I’ve had is dangerous because I am fed through peer pressure and societal norms that weakness is a bad thing, that it makes me undesirable or unneeded. A while back, someone told me a truth that shattered that hurtful mentality: I don’t have it all together and I probably never will, but the surprising thing is, nobody else does either. We are all just trying to keep our heads above water, hoping to stumble upon land. No one knows all the answers, no one knows the ultimate outcome. So it’s OK to ask for help. It’s alright to be confused or not be sure about what’s going on because we are not perfect. God created us to need Him and each other. We can’t do this alone.

Sometimes I’ll stop, look around, and think, “I have no idea what I’m doing.” I mean, I honestly can get so lost when it comes to life. I am constantly trying to watch what I say, do, think, watch, wear, read, eat...everything. I am just figuring things out and praying that I don’t look too much like an idiot every day. There is so much pressure from society to be perfect, or to at least act

1898H. G. Wells’ “War of the Worlds” was published, featuring rockets that the Martians used to travel to Earth.

1966 The first episode of “Star Trek” aired, featuring a mobile communicator, used by Captain Kirk.

TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS LATER 1923First liquid fueled rocket is sucessfully launched.

SEVEN YEARS LATER 1973First call made from a mobile phone.

Breaking a destructive mindset

opinion 5

staff editorialReading isn’t for losers

an opinionby OLIVIA

MADDEROM Liking to read, or being able to enjoy a well written book, isn’t something that we need to dislike. I understand that it’s hard, especially for our fast-paced generation, to focus on fine print and put time into something that doesn’t yield any physical results; but ultimately, reading is rewarding. Reading enables us to think differently and focus on things outside our community. I love to read because of how different each book is. Books are written differently throughout eras and throughout cultures. Books are interpreted differently by each and every reader. In reading good books, we’re able to grasp the author’s view on various topics, and it therefore solidifies our own views. Each author of each genre has something to share, something to give the audience. They provide us with unique insight into the characters, and in a small way, the characters story becomes more than a story. We travel with them, see their struggles, and understand their reasoning. In reading, we see characters that model what we want to be ourselves, or what we don’t want to be. Reading is fun, and I’m a great believer that the more books you read, the more you’ll like to read. It strengthens our imagination, vocabulary, and concentration. I’m not a ‘read or die’ person, but I appreciate it enough to know that it is--and has been--extremely important in my own personal development. Jane Austen taught me how to be classy and remain myself; John Flanigan taught me that others’ opinions of you don’t define you; Francine Rivers taught me that we are nothing without Christ and everything with him; Gail Levine taught me how to find courage and character within myself; and J. R. R. Tolkien taught me that good things are more powerful than bad things. Other authors have impacted me and shaped me as well, and I love to re-read books and pull different things from them. So, next time you swing by a bookstore or are stuck inside on a rainy day, pick up a book and read it.

sound off: what is your favorite book?

“‘A Corner of our Universe’ by Ann M.

Martin because it makes you think about how you

should treat others”-freshman Nora Dooley “‘Redeeming Love’ by

Francine Rivers because you get to see her transform from

her old life to new life.” -senior Rachel Reitveld

“‘Thirteen Reasons Why’ by Jay Asher because it talks about things most books don’t talk about

without sugar coating it.” -sophomore Hope Sanders

While a certain niche of students goes all out for boys soccer, not many students attend other sports’ activities, especially for the smaller sports, like bowling and tennis, or few show up when the game is away. This can be discouraging for the players when their friends aren’t there to support them. We, as a staff, strongly encourage participation in school activities. A supportive, rallying crowd may often seem unappreciated, but is a strong asset to any winning team. It shows the players that their fellow students are there to cheer them on, win or lose. School spirit is critical, especially for a small school, because it fires up the players in a game. Students can change the course of a game; cheering can become like a pep talk from the sidelines, giving players that small boost of morale they need to keep going. Attending school sports can also promote friendships and a closeness throughout the school. We are all on the same team, so motivating each other is extremely important. We are a family in Christ, and it’s our duty to uplift one another, in all we do. “It shows good school spirit [to attend school events],” athletic director Josh Poteet said. “I think it would be good for our school to get to the point where they are supporting every student.” Take a look at Sporting Kansas City’s iconic supporters section. Led by fans almost as infamous as the section, they continue to cheer and chant for SKC even through losing games. The energy that they create at the games is tangible, and makes the home game advantage at Sporting Park very clear. That is a notion very transferable to high school sports. Attending and cheering for our Panthers does not only change the atmosphere in the bleachers, but also the course of the game. Sacrificing a couple games of Flappy Bird or an episode of “Parks and Rec” to support KCC’s favorite ballers won’t hurt your high score or binging plans. Come to a game for anyone of KCC’s sports and cheer on your friends - it brings real results!

First liquid fueled rocket is sucessfully launched.

Letters to the editor are encouraged. Letters must be signed by the au-thor to be considered for the publication. The Paw Print encourages letters to be no longer than 500 words. Letters should be submitted to room 311 or mailed to: The Paw Print c/o Kansas City Christian School, 4801 W. 79th St., Prairie Village, KS 66208.

Where are the fans? Students need to show support at all sporting events

6 feature

Freedom Fire seeks out the young people in urban Kansas City communities. They provide the resources to help these adolescents lead their communities “spiritually, economically, and socially.” A simple way for students and adults to volunteer their time with Freedom Fire is at their Friday Night Outreach from 6 to 8 p.m. This is a weekly event that offers games and other fun activities for kids, including a meal, devotional, and even a raffle. Volunteers would be assisting Freedom Fire employees with games. “All the kids just come running,” senior Annie Keel said. “In the summer we’ll usually play an outdoor game, like soccer, but in the winter we’ll do crafts or jump-rope.” After games, everyone sings songs such as “King Jesus is All.” The night is usually ended by a meal provided by a church and a prayer with the kids. To volunteer with Freedom Fire, click on the volunteer tab at the Freedom Fire website and click on the volunteer application form.

City Union Mission is an evangelical Christian ministry that seeks to provide support to the homeless and poor men, women, and children of Kansas City. They provide shelter, food, and the Gospel for the homeless. Volunteers are needed to help with tasks such as providing meals and delivering donations. City Union Mission is also a great place to donate goods, toys, and other items necessary for living. Freshman Avery Moore spent Christmas Eve volunteering with City Union Mission. “It felt good to bless them and know that they would have presents and turkey on Christmas,” Moore said. To volunteer with City Union Mission, follow the basic steps on the organization’s website and fill out the volunteer form.

Many local hospitals provide opportunities for volunteers in the various units of the hospital. Shawnee Mission Medical Center offers a Junior Volunteer Program for high school students. Junior volunteers can volunteer in units such as the Intensive Care Unit, ChildCare Center, Surgery Center, and Cancer Center. Senior Sarah Birchler spent the past summer volunteering in the toddler room in the ChildCare Center. “I learned how to equally proportion goldfish,” Birchler said. She also added that volunteering taught her how to handle children, as well as some life skills. To join Shawnee Mission Medical Center’s Junior Volunteer Program, go to the hospital’s website and click on the volunteer tab at the top right of the page. There will be a list of tasks required for the application process on the right side of the volunteer page. For more information, call the volunteer services department at 913-676-2330.

-All stories by Ashley Moore.

The mission of Mission Southside is “taking Jesus to people in need by extending help and hope.” Mission Southside partners with local institutions such as churches, businesses, and individuals in Johnson County, Kans.. By doing this, Mission Southside can help meet both the physical and spiritual needs of those in Johnson County, specifically Olathe. Volunteers are needed to work with the donated items, such as receiving, sorting, and even delivering them to families. There are also many events Mission Southside holds that could use volunteers, such as J-train. J-train is a Bible program designed to provide a church experience for kids who might not otherwise have that opportunity. At J-train, volunteers help with games, bible stories, and other activities. Other Mission Southside events students could volunteer with are the free garage sales. No money is necessary to claim items at these sales; families can just take what they need. “It was fun to know that we were helping people in our own area,” sophomore Andrew Carnes said after volunteering with Mission Southside through SLi. To volunteer with Mission Southside, go to the Mission Southside website and click on the volunteer tab. Complete the questionnaire asking for basic information and volunteer preferences, and someone will respond.

feature 7

MOKS

Map of Local Volunteer Opportunites Giving

BackKansas City is home to over 900 organizations that provide support to people with a variety of needs. Although these organizations have different missions, they are united in the fact that they need and are constantly accepting volunteers. An institution cannot complete its purpose without people stepping in and sacrificing their time to help.

Kansas City, Missouri

Shawnee Mission, Kansas

Olathe, Kansas

Kansas City, Kansas

A team of SLi students bags cereal at Mission Southside during a day of volunteer work. Junior Olivia Madderom stacks cans in the pantry of Mission Southside. Other SLi groups bagged cereal, sorted clothes, and boxed toys.Steve Friesen, a member of the Mission Southside team, shows SLi students what they need volunteer help with. Seniors Elisa Davis and Jillian Unruh high five after a day of sorting donated clothes.

In a hurry? Call in your order!

Eagle

Community Friendly Radio Voice of Miami County and Beyond! Featuring local news and sports and a variety of country,

contemporary Christian and 50-60 Oldies.Tune in today!

photos by Kayley Forshey

8 feature

JOSH WILLISstaff writer

Liftout Quote- Name

#TeamBerkley

Exodus 14:14“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

There are times when you hear something that blindsides you, completely taking you off-guard, leaving you with nothing to do but fall on your knees in desperation. It completely takes the wind out of your sails, alters the entire direction that your life was headed. It leaves you lying in bed, feeling a sense of defeat and utter hopelessness, crying out one simple question: why? For senior Berkley Walline, this moment came on Dec. 6, 2013, when he was diagnosed with cancer. For anyone, this news hits hard. But for a 17-year-old with so much life in front of him, it cut straight to the core. “First finding out I had cancer was kind of an initial shock, like not really belief that it could happen to me,” Berkley said. “It’s caused a lot of stress, and I guess a lot of tears from many family and friends. No one really knows what to say or do.” Before having any idea it was cancer, Berkley had not been feeling well. He was absent from school the week before he was diagnosed for what was thought to be pneumonia, but after being admitted to the hospital and having tests and X-rays done, they found out it was much more serious than that. The specific cancer type is adenocarcinoma, and although the source is unknown, the cancer has spread to his lungs, chest cavity, and lower back. No one wanted to believe that this thing was really happening. “The initial shock lasted a while. The reality of it never really kicked in until chemotherapy started,” Berkley said. Chemo didn’t start for another 10 days. Those 10 days left Berkley with a lot of time to think and time to try to process what was going on. Not only was the cancer and the treatment going to be hard on him physically, but it also brought all different kinds of emotions that a normal 17-year-old should not have to face. “The emotions are just up and down like crazy; it’s hard to contain them,” Berkley said. “I’m just trying to roll with the punches.” Many times, a situation like this can cause a person to get angry at God and ask Him hard questions: Why am I the one stuck with this

miserable thing? What did I do to have this thrown on me? For Berkley, it has done the opposite. “It has had more of a good impact than a bad impact. I used to never read the Bible and now I’m starting to. I’m starting to try to grow [in] my relationship with Him,” Berkley said. “When I’m happiest, I’m just focused on God and knowing that it’s all in His hands.” Berkley isn’t the only one whose relationship with God has been strengthened through this. “It’s been strengthened for sure. More of an intimate, daily, sometimes moment by moment dialogue of trust and faith rather than fear and apprehension,” Melissa Walline, Berkley’s mother said. The Walline family’s faith in Christ has been key when dealing with doctors and facing this disease head on. “The thing about physicians is that they never factor in how Jesus is going to play, so we never ask them how they think Berks is going to do, because we know what his [Jesus’] capacity is,” Melissa said. The Walline family is learning that it is out of their hands. “I’m just handing it all over to God, and I am like, ‘Take it. Do whatever you want’,” Berkley said.

***** If you search #teamberkley on Twitter, you will see hundreds of tweets with this simple hashtag in it, trying to get the word out about Berkley and get more people praying. Some of them are tweets from people that have never even met Berkley. Even famous sportscaster Dick Vitale retweeted a tweet about Berkley. “The whole Team Berkley thing is so awesome I think,” Berkley said. The support that has come in as a result of this situation has been overwhelming. It is obvious how many lives are affected by Berkley and his story from the more than 6,000 visits to his CaringBridge website. And all of the support isn’t in vain. It means the world to him. “I’ve had people come over to see me that I didn’t even think cared. I’ve had someone text me that had cancer and survived,” Berkley said. “So far it’s just been cool to see everyone coming together really.”

no one fights alone

Below: Seventh graders Jakob Swanson, Caleb Tywater,

Carter Schuchardt, Brendon Gardner, Brandon Engel, Marc

Trujilo shave their heads in support of Berkley.

PHOTO BY MADDY HARDT

feature 9

Senior Berkley Walline snaps a selfie in the hospital after his third chemo treatment.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BERKLEY WALLINEon Twitter

Many people have banded together and joined Team Berkley in his fight against cancer. Different people have been doing little things to show their love and support for him. A youth group in Texas that met Berkley through a mission trip this summer made a Youtube video with their entire high school holding up Team Berkley signs, cheering him on. KCC has made efforts to show their support too. “The basketball team’s efforts and all the posts on CaringBridge and what not has really showed that there are a lot of people out there rooting for me,” Berkley said. The KCC basketball team has dedicated their season to Berkley, and on their last home game, warmed up in their Team Berkley T-shirts. These shirts have become a hot commodity. Over 300 of them have been ordered, with even more people wanting to order them. “A friend from church was at Panera in Corinth and saw three different tables that didn’t know each other at all that had on their Team Berkley T-shirts,” Melissa said. The support that Berkley and the Walline family has received has been overwhelming. The prayer and encouragement gives them the strength they need to keep battling this thing, and keep hope alive, no matter what. Everyone who knows Berkley knows that he is a fighter, and he is going to fight this thing with everything he’s got. He even promised that he would be back in time for baseball season. As for the student body, we can keep the support going. We can even bring in more support. Tweet #teamberkley. Pray for Berkley any chance you get. Tell other people about Berkley, so they can pray too. Wear your T-shirts every day if you have to. Do everything you can to get the word out. Do it because you care for Berkley, and you want to help him defeat cancer. Do it because no one fights alone.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BERKLEY WALLINE

Senior Berkley Walline with his mother, Melissa Walline, in the hospital.

Go to kccsnews.com to see a video from the student body to Berkley.

10 featureDrawing on a moustache, senior Mary Carnes adds the finishing touches to

senior Tom Gentry’s Captain Hook costume. Freshmen Olivia Baxter and Jackson Vander Ark compete in a game of Bingo.

freshmen Claire Rogers and Samuel Peterson

juniors Katelyn Holst and Jake Fields sophomore Jon Swiastyn and datejuniors Savannah Ko and

Holly Spencer

sophomores Andrew Carnes and Briana James

sophomores Nate Ward and Kathryn McKenzie

seniors Chessie Esposito and Nate Starcev

seniors Mitchell Pivovar and Lauren Smith

sophomores Peter Beikmann and Rose Campbell

feature 11

GRAY BOHLENDERstaff writer

socially neverland“Woke up with #swagyolo in green face paint still completely visible on my face. Thanks, #kccneverland. #turndownforwhat”- @TayBreck

“What a fantastic night with a such a great guy. #kccneverland #cantstopwontstop”- @cnicks21

“Man last night was seriously incredible. #winterbanquet #kccneverland” - @j_jenks13

It is impossible to not grow up. Everybody knows that.

Growing up is an inevitable, if sad, part of living. Life, in its very purpose, is a story that matures with

you. Just for one night, though, is it wrong to defy that?

Is it really that bad to pretend that all children, except us, grow up?

In pursuit of perpetual youth, and also of a Winter Banquet worth remembering, StuCo turned the school’s gymnasium into Peter Pan’s Neverland. Captain Hook and his goonies had crashed their ship where the stage had been, while the Lost Boys had set up camp on the opposite side of the room. Fierce swordfights erupted in one of the gym’s darker corners, and adventurous students swang from a dangling rope in another. To combine two classics, we weren’t in Kansas anymore, Toto, because this was Neverland. “It was amazing to see the gym come alive after countless hours and dollars spent recreating the fabulous world of Neverland,” senior Libby Fields said, later personifying the gymnasium as an “ever-maturing baby, who I got the luck of tending for and nurturing through its full development.” Handfuls of Wendys and Peter Pans, fairies and pirates spread across the dimly lit gymnasium. Switching between bites of catered Mexican food and fully-costumed Snapchatting, students seemed to have really adopted the Neverland theme as a culture for the night. In that respect, it was more than Peter

Pan cosplay. As a school, the community became something that may only be

possible within a community

already so tightly knit; that is, they became an entirely different community. They became Neverland. “The most communal time, I felt, was when I first walked in. Everyone was so excited to see me, and I was excited to see them. It was an all-dressed up KCC family,” junior Brooke Robertson said. Costumes are an encapsulating factor when it comes to recreating any culture, and the appropriately hashtagged #KCCNeverland was absolutely no exception. Junior James Bentley played the part of Tiger Lily’s chiefly father, while senior Kayley Forshey came as the much more traditional Wendy Darling. The wide range of characters represented was definitely a contributor to the depth of Neverland culture. “It was fun to be a Lost Boy, and call all the Peters my father, and to fight all the Captain Hooks,” senior Hayden McBee said. Capturing the spirit of the immortal evening, ages and grade levels were virtually forgotten in Neverland. Apart from a few grade-specific activities, the pixie dust seemed to have merged all of the high school into a family; a family of bandits, forever-teenaged boys and Indian clusters, that is, but a family nonetheless. Junior Jenny Jenkins said that our community “definitely bonded during Winter Banquet,” and bonding was for sure a uniquity of the night.

“If only I could go with you,” Wendy sighed.

But there were fourteen Wendys in the gym, and Peter couldn’t tell which one was talking, so he flew back on his lonesome to a very different Neverland.

“All you need is faith, trust and pixie dust. #kccneverland”- @SarahGromer

“Thanks for lots laughs and broken tacos! Had a great time! @nbeach605 #kccneverland- @mybestfriendjo

12 feature

following themoney The costs of running KCC and

where the money comes from

Ave

rag

e T

uiti

on

Co

st

goes to student activities like athletics.

5%

1%is spent on classroom supplies.

pays the mortgage on the two buildings.

2%is used on building, grounds, and utilities.

6%

goes to the payroll and benefits like insurance.

67%is spent on principle payments on loans.

12%is used for administrative expenses like tech support.

7%

by Alyssa Elliottstaff writer

feature 13

45%of the $500,000 is raised through the

Auction alone.

$500,000is raised in addition to tuition through donations and fund raisers like the Auction.

$1,121per student

If additional money was not raised, tuition would be increased by

approximately

$2

,75

5

$4

,73

5

$5

,25

0

$6

,09

0

$6

,470

9-126-8

5-41-3

K

Ave

rag

e T

uiti

on

Co

st

Students Per Grade Range

238461113159

440total students, K-12

tuition prices are dependent on how many children are enrolled from each family.

14 feature

Oliva Madderomstaff writer

“That’s the biggest thing that being a Panther means: that we’re playing for something

bigger than ourselves.”- senior Josh Willis

On every bus ride to away games, often taking anywhere from 45 minutes to well over an hour, the varsity boys Panther team listens to pump up music, barely talking to each other, snacking on dinners provided by the parents. They walk straight into the locker room and are serious, intensely focused on the task ahead. No jokes are made, no light hearted conversation is carried. This is the time for last minute instruction from the coaches, a final chance to get their head in the game. Almost half way through the varsity boys basketball season, on Jan. 23, head coach Michael Loney resigned as. Assistant coach Alan Chugg shifted up to head coach and the athletic director Josh Poteet became the new assistant coach. That change was the latest challenge in a season full of ups and downs for the varsity Panthers. “One of our biggest challenges [this season] has been not having many upperclassmen and playing with freshmen,” senior captain Colson Bayles said. “It can be a little difficult because they have a lot of adjusting to do from middle school basketball to high school basketball. It’s a huge jump, but they’ve done a great job.” Freshmen Ben Knutson, Sam Coleman, and Davis Gunnigle have played in almost every basketball game thus far and have started in a couple games. “The guys are a lot bigger and faster, and there’s not really a weak link on the court. In high school everyone is there to win and there to work hard,” Knutson said. “[Playing as a freshman] is certainly not an advantage, but it’s also not a huge disadvantage.” Head coach Allan Chugg sees the challenges in using freshmen in

varsity level basketball. “The problem is that they’re not physically able to handle the strength of seniors and juniors,” Chugg said. “And they’re not mentally prepared for the speed and the physicality of the game.” The boys varsity basketball program is young, with only four seniors, two juniors, one sophomore and three freshman. “They’ve acclimated quickly to the pace of playing high school basketball, and they want to get better,” senior captain Josh Willis said.

“They know the game well and have some natural talent.” Other struggles this season have been the absence of available gym time. With all other basketball teams practicing in the gym, as well as cheerleaders and middle school students, the gym is in high demand. “Gym time is precious. And we, as the

captains, try to make sure everyone’s giving 110 percent every drill because it is humanly possible to give 110 percent,” Willis said. To make the most out of their short practices, the boys have limited water breaks and often practice at early times in the morning. “Our practices are pretty intense. We do a lot of fast-paced drills and there’s not much break time,” Bayles said. “We have to get after it while we have the gym.” Playing varsity basketball is very high-energy and abrasive. But the Panthers wouldn’t have it any other way. “I’ve gone to this school my whole life and [playing varsity basketball] is what I’ve been waiting for my whole life,” junior Derrick Cook said. “I’m able to play with the guys that I’ve grown up with at KCC.”

Behind the

JerseySenior Josh Willis shoots a free throw at the Homecoming game. “I knew I needed to make the shot since the score was so close,” Willis said.

feature 15

With a 2-11 record, the varsity players could get discouraged. But, captains Willis and Bayles have only seen growth from the team game after game. “We’re doing a good job being teachable and learning from our coaches,” Willis said. “It might not be reflected in our record, but we are definitely getting better every game for the most part.” The basketball team has advanced their development throughout the season and will continue until the last game. “I think they have improved on their mental toughness,” Chugg said. “They’ve improved on some fundamental components like boxing out, rebounding, some outside defense and handling pressure.” The basketball team has had to focus on each game one at a time and not the overall season. “We’re getting better every game and maturing and learning from our mistakes. We’re not making the dumb mistakes we made the first couple games,” Bayles said. Keeping Christ as the center of the basketball season has tethered the players to a hope outside of basketball. “It’s pretty tough. When you get to play there’s the most people there [in the stands], so there’s pressure,” junior Luke Streeter said. “But instead of playing for myself and my status, I’m playing for Christ to glorify him and so are my teammates.” Even with a losing season, The team has experienced some “wins.” “I think it’s unique how even through a losing season we, as players, have become closer as friends,” Streeter said. “I’m really going to miss all the seniors: Josh, Colson, Gromer and Piv, and what great leaders they were to the rest of the guys on the team.” The seniors on this years varsity team have led the team through many

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difficult situations. “I’m going to miss all of the seniors next season because I’ve built great relationships with all of them,” Cook said. “They are some of the coolest guys I know.” Playing as a Panther is something that neither Willis nor Bayles takes for granted. Having both come from public schools, the captains fully appreciate playing basketball as a Panther and representing Christ. “I think playing with KCCS on my chest means that we’re playing for something bigger than ourselves and our team but we’re playing to honor God,” Willis said. “Sometimes I don’t do a great job of that and I forget, but I think that’s the biggest thing that being a Panther means: that we’re playing for something bigger than ourselves.”

Junior Derrick Cook looks for a passing option during the second half of the game at Heritage Christian Academy.

homecoming

Seniors Mitchell Pivovar and Libby Fields are awarded the titles of Homecoming king and queen. “I was glad to be homecoming king,” Pivovar said. “It was meaningful to see everyone cheering for us.”

Spanish teacher Alicia Kahler and

English teacher Rachel Schulte

show off their cheer leading

moves. Some of the high school

faculty posed as cheerleaders and basketball

players in the Homecoming pep

rally.

History teacher Chad Pirotte dribbles the

ball during the Homecoming pep

rally. “To get to play

during work is a nice break,”

Pitotte said.

Freshmen Wyatt Palmer and Maya Mastin, sophomores Taylor Clevenger and Jacqueline Anderson, juniors Matthew Horner and Ellen Lee, and seniors Patrick McEldowney, Sara Goodwin, Mitchell Pivovar, Keana Ko, Tom Gentry, and Libby Fields are presented as nominees for Homecoming court. All photos by Lauren Smith.

and a pep ral ly