the Northwest Passage Issue 7 Volume 41

passagenorthwest

Volume 41 Issue 7 December 18, 2009

best of 2009 The best of the best of 2009’s actors, movies, and music — chosen by students. 20

adopt-a-totTwo tales of holidays saved by the generosity of Northwest students and staff. 04

12 days of breakStaying in Kansas City this Winter Break? Beat the boredom with a local attraction for each day of the break.16

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Firewood

BIG SALE!

Branden913-207-5688

_________________________________ news04 / adopt a tot Underprivileged children get parties and presents.

06 / happenings Plan your schedule around this week’s happenings.

______________________________ opinions08 / just a little closer... Crowding in the hallways can be reduced if there is compromise.

09 / following a dream Anyone can grow up to be president, but it takes more to be a rock star.

09 / santa needs more than milk and cookies this year Tough economic times should bring families closer during the holidays.

10 / out of tune with auto-tune T-Pain’s musical revolution is destroying America.

10 / the case for limiting educational technology Modern technology in the classroom is corrupting our brains.

______________________________ scene12 / best of 2009 The best of this year’s pop culture selected by you.

17 / scene static Apps of the Issue, Live Noise, Sudoku and the Student Shuffle.

____________________ w features11 / he’s such a tripp...

You’ve seen him dancing with the cardboard guitar, now read his inspiring story.

14 / 12 days of christmas break Twelve different ways to spend your break.

sports19 / the boss Best sports picture and athlete questionnaire.

21 / must-see bowl games Which of this year’s games will have you on the edge of your seat?

23 / parting of the “red sea” It’s another difficult season for the Kansas City Chiefs

co-editors in-chief / wyatt anderson, daniel magwire copy editors / claire gordan, baili mcpheeters design editors / ashley lane, stephanie spicer photo editors / david freyermuth, hannah williams graphic editor / tyler absher news staff /nick coyan, katelyn hoffmanopinions staff / elodia terrazas, shelby moul, wyatt anderson, daniel magwire, holly thomasfeatures staff / tyler gilliam, baili mcpheeters, holly thomasscene staff / tiffany thompson, claire gordonsports staff / garrett alexander, chris edelman, anna lindholm, graham rockersads editors / kayleigh bray, ashley calvert web technical / andrew keith web managing editor / mary salazar web master / stephanie rupp staff writers / evan shinn

The purpose of The Northwest Passage is to relay important and interesting information to the community, administration and students of the Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. As a newsmagazine, The Northwest Passage will cater to the interests and concerns of the student body. Outside concerns and activities will only be covered if they somehow affect the school or students. The Northwest Passage is a 24-page newsmagazine. The paper will be distributed every two weeks during third hour. Subscriptions will be available to the community for $25. The Northwest Passage firmly supports the First Amendment and opposes censorship. The content of the newspaper will be determined and created by the entire staff. When questions concerning word choice, legal problems or ethics arise the editorial board and adviser will discuss the problem to find a solution. In these cases, the co-editors-in-chief will the have final say in all decisions. Letters to the editor will be accepted and encouraged, but will only be published if signed. The staff reserves the right to edit for grammatical mistakes, length and good taste. Letters may attack policy but not people. In no way will ideas or viewpoints be changed. The co-editors-in-chief reserves the right to refuse any letter.

Shawnee Mission Northwest12701 West 67th St.,Shawnee, Kan., 66216

staff

ED MCPHEETERS

cover photo / Taylor Pettit

backpage photo /Hannah Williams

Little Caesars’ guitarist Justin Tripp rocks out to attract potential customers on the corner of Shawnee Mission Parkway and Quivira Road.

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DAYS OF WINTER BREAK14

little blessings

tudents murmured in Sarah Dent’s U.S. History classroom, waiting for

the children to shuffle inside. Rushing into the room, Dent told her students that the children were on their way. A few students quickly read-ied the presents. No, it wasn’t Christmas, or even the children’s birthdays. It was the Student Council’s annual Adopt-A-Tot. When the two girls, Anna and her sister, Ali, came into the room, they were shy...and then they saw the presents. Ali, 3, picked up one of the presents on the ground and said, “This one!” Anna, 4, helped her to rip the tissue pa-per out of the bag to reveal a pair of princess walkie-talkies. The girls moved on to the other presents, tearing the pieces of wrapping paper off little by little. They received books and tiaras, as well as necessary items such as dishes and silverware. Soon, the girls spotted the biggest present they would open that day. “A BOX... and there’s TOYS in the box, too!” Until this point, the “big kids” had just been sitting in the room, watching the girls. When Ali and Anna pulled the Hot Wheels cars and tracks from the box, a few students helped them put the Hot Wheels track together. According to Dent, most “tots” are shy, so it was fun for this class to have such outgoing kids. All of the children were from Head Start, a program for low-income families that make

less than $20,000 a year. Student Council has been organizing the event with Head Start since 2004. This year, more than 50 classes helped out and contributed to Adopt-A-Tot. “Usually we only have about 45 teachers, so to have over 50 was just a blessing,” said Dent, who is also the StuCo sponsor. This year, Northwest sponsored 31 kids from 29 families, the equivalent of two prekindergar-ten classes in the Head Start program. “Every year, we wonder if we could adopt just one more class, but with most of the teachers already combining with other classes, we want to give the families and kids we adopt the best experience possible,” Dent said. This year, Northwest as a whole donated more than $11,000 for the children. Social Studies teachers, Drew Magwire and Matt Wolfe’s fourth-hour classes combined to raise $850, which let them buy an electric four-wheeler for their child, Baruch. He rode it through the hallways with a smile on his face. Ben Pabst, Lindsay Kincaid and Elaine Mick’s English 10 and English 10H classes sponsored one of the more shy children, Micaela. She sat in the middle of the classroom with her dad and three or four of the students. Whenever a new student sat down in the circle, she hid her face behind her arm so they would not see her. Her dad had to coax her into warming up to everyone. She opened up more when she and some of the students in the class

began a “candy walk” that they had set up be-forehand. The “candy walk” was like a cake walk. The students and Micaela walked around in a cir-cle. “For the first few rounds, the students won, then Micaela won one and then she started winning all of them,” sophomore Caitlyn Massy said. “It was funny because she would do a little dance when she won.” Adopt-A-Tot is just one of the events that Stu-dent Council and Head Start work together on. StuCo also hosts the Halloween Carnival, and Dent said that StuCo is trying to set up a Spring Carnival this year. “I think that this is my favorite event because the students get to see physically what their money went to and how it helped the families out,” Dent said. “It’s a great life lesson to teach them that their donations go to organizations that do things for people.” Dent said that although this event is the most rewarding, it’s emotionally stressful to plan. She doesn’t have a favorite part of Adopt-A-Tot, but she loves seeing the kids’ faces when they see the presents. “It’s a great tradition at Northwest because we bless families right here in our own com-munities,” Dent said. “They are our neighbors, the people standing next to you in the grocery line.” Nick Coyan

Students gave money to buy presents for low-income families and learned how to help in their own community.

hannah williams daniel magwire david freyermuth

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04/december 18

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Above: Eating a candy cane, Hayley plays with Student Council sophomore representative Aaron Terrill.Far left: Sitting upon Santa’s lap, Trey explains what he wants for the holiday season.Middle left: Baruch speeds down the hallway on his new four-wheeler that he received from his class that ad-opted him.Middle right: Tearing open her gifts, three-year-old Jade receives a Disney princess dress from the students in room 121.Far right: Listening to the choir, one of the tots sits in Santa’s lap. The cham-bers choir for the tots by singing holi-day favorites.

hannah williams

hannah williams

news\05

With no snow days last year, students are wondering if there will be any this year. The specific policies for having a snow day aren’t well defined. “There is not a specific policy regarding snow days. Many factors are considered when determining whether to cancel school. If a decision is not evident the night before, [district] personnel monitor conditions and make the determination between 5:30 and 6 a.m.,” Leigh Ann Neal, the Shawnee Mission School District’s director of communications, said. Cold days are also a possibility. District officials consider temperature and wind chill factors, [but] there is no set temperature or wind chill factor. With all this uncertainty, about all students can do is put a spoon under their pillows, turn their pajamas inside out and hope for the best.

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06/december 4

get out your #2 pencil. it’s finals week.

happenings

Dec. 23-Jan. 3winter Break

Jan. 14.6:30 p.m.: 8th grade orientation will begin in the auditorium.

BRIEF nEwssnow day policy unclear

Holly Thomas

Today is the Islamic New Year, Maal Higra Junior Fahmi El-Qadi and his family got up early in this morning, put their best clothes on (usually a suit for the guys) and attended a mass prayer that will probably last all morning. “At the end of the day, we party,” he said. This party celebrates the last full moon of the year. Unlike the American version of New Year’s, Muslims don’t make resolutions for the year. This holiday is celebrated through special prayers, quiet reading and reflec-tion on the Hegira (or Hijra), the journey Muhammad took from Mecca to Medina. This celebration was started in 622 A.D., after the prophet Muhammad’s emigra-

tion from Mecca to Medina. According to the story, Muhammad took his follow-ers and left to avoid persecution because those in power felt threatened by his growing popularity and influence. On the Islamic New Year, El-Qadi reflects on everything the year has brought. “Islamic New Year isn’t a very big holiday. We celebrate it like a normal Fri-day,” he said, which normally includes a service and prayer. “But every New Year, to us, means wonderful food, fancy clothes and a won-derful cultural get-together where we can all bond.”

Katelyn Hoffman

Muslims celebrate new year today

80/16/280,000/1925/1973/

years the Christmas lights on the Country Club plaza have been lit.

light bulbs decorate the plaza

by the numbers

lights lit in 1925

first year the lights were lit on the Plaza

the year the lights remained dark because of a call from president nixon to minimize reliance on foreign oil

I lIke these cold, gray wInter days. days lIke these let you savor a bad mood.

—Bill Watterson

fridaylatE staRt

2nd hour final: 9:15-10:453rd hour final: 10:55-12:25Optional lunch: 12:25-12:55Buses leave: 1 p.m.

mondaylatE staRt

4th hour final: 9:15-10:455th hour final: 10:55-12:25Optional lunch: 12:25-12:55Buses leave: 1 p.m.

tuesdaylatE staRt

2nd hour final: 9:15-10:453rd hour final: 10:55-12:25Optional lunch: 12:25-12:55Buses leave: 1 p.m.

teachers will remain available to help students until 3:20 p.m. on Friday and monday.

ACT PrepOne Tutor and You

Huntington Learning Center489-4106

t 7:20 a.m. students stand in the hallways,

goofing around as they wait for class to begin. As soon as a faculty member walks down the hall, the students press up against the lockers, thigh to thigh, as if they were young children recognizing their wrong doing. The students look and smile at the teachers as they pass, then it’s back to the same old thing—kids bickering and talking about the latest gossip. It seems harmless, but teachers would like to see students sitting down against the lockers doing work rather than socializing.

Some teachers and students see the hallways as passageways; however, other students see the

hallways as a place to talk and catch up with friends.

“The academic hallway is a place where students can sit and work in a quiet setting. If students want to talk they can go to the mall,” Environmental Education teacher Mike Pisani said. “I don’t make the rules, I just enforce them.”

“The crowding in the halls is sometimes a problem because it makes it hard for people to pass by. It also can get loud with all the people that stand there goofing around. So it makes sense why some teachers would get mad and make us move.” junior Andrew Archuleta said.

Most students will agree that walking through the hallways can

be challenging. Sliding in and out between people isn’t the easiest thing to do, but it’s no different in the mall. In the mall students huddle closer together so their voices can be heard over the loud roaring of other students. Some students avoid going down to the mall for fear of the overwhelming mass of people.

While the teachers want to see students in the academic hallway sitting up against the lockers, it seems to me like we are more in the way up against the lockers as opposed to standing up in the hallway. When a student stands and waits impatiently to gain access to their locker, as soon as a group member spots the student, the whole group is told to

move. This constant shift of people is unnecessary.

“The rule for sitting against the lockers was addressed because students would impede the flow of student and teacher traffic. At one point, orange tape was placed on the ground to signify where the students could stand,” administrator Lisa Gruman said.

I say instead of sitting against the lockers we make a compromise: allow students to stand up but not intrude upon the center of the hallway. That way it allows students a quicker transition (from sitting down to standing up). This way students will be free to walk through the halls and have easy access to their lockers.

Just a little closer...Students and teachers can’t agree on the purpose of a hallway. The students see it as the best possible spot to gather each morning, while teachers and administrators see it just as a place to walk.

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08/december 18

nShelby Moul

A

want to be a rock-star, and I have no shame in

saying that. It’s a dream I’ve harbored ever since I can remember. If I could perform for thousands every night, record in the studio and travel to city after city to do it all again, I would be the most content teenager on this planet. It’s a dream that inspires me to challenge myself every day. And now that the band I joined in 8th grade, Auburn Skies, has finally given me a small taste of what that life offers, I have to admit, I’ve become addicted.

Very few have attempted my pursuit, and they either make it or “break it.” That’s just how it plays out; but these factors don’t discourage me. Too many times I’ve been told to find a realistic goal, but the fact is, being realistic only goes as far as your mind can stretch.

Like most people, I fear myself working in a cubicle at the age of

40 with two children, depression and a severe debt problem, my own personal definition of the American Dream, but with the right kind of mind set, that doesn’t have to happen.

Perceived success and personal endeavors are the best remedies to avoid such a fate. It’s the things you wholeheartedly work for that make you smile in the end. It could be as simple as a good grade, an acceptance letter or a promotion, but the way people apply themselves to achieve such things depends on themselves. Again, it’s about work and dedication. And what I’m working at wasn’t a decision made over night.

The band I sing for makes up a great deal of the passion I convey every day. I find myself daydreaming about being a rock star in school, wishing I could make it my career then and now instead of spending

countless minutes in class, learning facts that may or may not apply to my life. It’s the only thing that keeps me driven and dedicated to the goals I’ve chosen to pursue, and I wish everyone else could find something like that — something that wins over the heart and soul of their being. Numerous times in the day I think up ideas to further myself in my band, pushing the limits, but the thing that’s convinced me the most is my constant want for that career.

Do this for me now. Picture your dream job — it could be anything; An astronaut, a CEO of a large corporation, or the President of the U.S. — and hold it tight. If you can see yourself in that position, continuously ecstatic with no regrets and exhilarated to work at your profession every day, then I have faith you will achieve it. How accurate this theory is, I don’t know,

but if you want something so bad it hurts, then I have no doubt you’ll be headed in the right direction.

The American dream I described isn’t one many want to find themselves experiencing, but I feel the condemning society in which we live in tries to dictate our lives. Parents make socially accepted decisions they’ve conceived as valid from their so-called reality for us because they feel it’s the only way to live safe. But the reality is, they’re setting up their children up for a predetermined life instead of letting them pursue their dreams.

Success comes from happiness, and happiness comes from passion put into something you love.

So I hope the youth will reconsider their dreams and keep creative, because what’s a life worth living if your heart isn’t in everything little thing you do?

ast week, I went over to my cousins’ house to

have a movie night. The 12-year-old girl, Consuelo, and her 6-year-old brother, Emilio, are precious. Walking to the other side of the living room, I find myself searching for the few spots of wood not carpeted with newspapers and ripped magazines. Finally, I make it to the other side and, after the smooches, hugs and confessions of secret boyfriends and girlfriends, I discover what the clutter is all about.

I realize I am not just jumping over paper but images of iPods, CDs, movies, digital cameras, books and Wii games. They were all sloppily glued on a piece of paper headed by the line: “Dear Santa, My Wish

List,…” The fact that they asked for

expensive gifts did not bother me (because I am convinced their parents would love to buy them all they ask for and more). It’s just that I think they have set themselves up for disappointment.

Later, as they began explaining to me what they wanted from Santa with giddy smiles and twinkles in their eyes, I helped paste pictures on the wish list with them. And then it happened. My aunt delivered the bad news: Santa might not be bringing as many presents this year.

My older cousin probably knows that Santa is not exactly “real” and can handle it, but my little cousin doesn’t understand yet.

“But why wouldn’t he? We leave him cookies and milk every year,” he asked.

“Well, Santa might need more than just milk and cookies to bring all those presents,” my aunts responded with a comforting smile. At least for the moment, my cousin seemed to understand.

My mom grew up with 11 siblings to whom the “Three Wise Kings” gave presents. She vividly remembers the Christmas that she received a letter from the Three Wise Kings explaining that they couldn’t bring the presents that day, but would bring them as soon as they could. Years later, she still feels her heart break as she remembers that letter—not for the lack of presents,

but because she cannot imagine how hard it must have been for her mother to write the letter.

This year, I’m not asking for much, just a happy home and wonderful dinner with the family. Yes, Santa needs more than milk and cookies this year due to the economic crisis, but we also need more—more happiness, more laughter and more joy within our family.

Give your parents a big hug this year —a bigger one than usual. Actually, give everyone you see a warm hug, especially those who go out of their way to please you. Save that wish list for another year and enjoy the cookies and milk with your family. I’m sure Mr. Claus won’t mind.

Following a dreamTeenagers should continue to follow their personal endeavors instead of relying on a predetermined future.

opinions\9

Santa needs more than cookies and milk this yearThis year, because of dire economic times, there will be fewer Christmas presents under the tree. We should embrace the bad news and use this holiday season to remember how much our family means to us.

Evan Shinn

Elodia Terrazas

I

L

recently heard that teachers can acquire

lesson plans online. An entire online market of lesson plans is out there for any teacher who takes the time to look. Countless websites allow teachers to share lesson plans and most of them are free. It’s as easy as Googling a phrase like “High school lesson plans,. This is just one of the new technologies that is ruining the way we learn. With schools dishing out huge amounts of money on technology in the past few years, it doesn’t seem like a stretch to say that robots might take over the classroom. Why can’t we spend that money on more important things, like having enough books for every student. An entire market has been created for these overrated technologies. While some are very useful, others just seem obsolete. Take the Airliner, for example. It’s a tablet that allows students to see via a projector the information that the teacher is writing on a small electronic tablet.

My math teachers use it extensively to show examples of work on the board, but isn’t that the whiteboard’s job? If we want to the Airliner then shouldn’t we get rid of whiteboards,. There doesn’t seem to be a point in having both. Another pointless device is the reading pen, a gadget that allows the user to “highlight” text which the pen will then read to the user via headphones. Why do we go to school? I thought it was so we could learn to read and write. How lazy have Americans become? Can’t we even read a book without the help of a computer?

Call me old fashioned, but I really don’t want to see all these products in my school. While laptops have helped students with research, they have also caused major distractions. Let’s face it, we all have gotten on freetetris.com, miniclips.com or ninjakiwi.com. The temptation is there, it’s really hard to resist and, quite frankly, so easy to get away with.. That’s the problem. The Internet lets us connect with

the outside world when we should be focusing on school. Technology has corrupted our schools, making it even harder to learn, not easier.

But the danger of technology goes even beyond that. Will students lose the ability to interact with each other If they spend all their time behind a screen? They never talk to their peers. Plus technology is actually altering our brains, making it harder for us to learn. According to Professor Susan Greenfield, the author of ID: The Quest for Identity in the 21st Century, “It’s as if all that young grey cortical matter is being scalded and defoliated by a kind of cognitive Agent Orange, depriving them of moral agency, imagination and awareness of consequences.” Basically, Greenfield told London’s Sunday Times, technology is stripping us of important traits and features like our imagination. Its sad to think that students are losing their imagination to technology.

Computers haven’t just taken away students’ imaginations, it also

takes away our communication skills. This lack of skills will make it hard to live in the real world where you DO have to talk to people and you can’t just text them. You can’t get a job by simply e-mailing the company. You need to go in and talk to a person, face-to-face. Technology should not be the priority of the schools, human interaction should be.

Some say that this is just a new way to prepare us for the real world, but what they don’t realize is that they are just feeding the need for new technology. Modern technology makes things easier in some ways, but it should be limited in the classroom.

just finished listening (“subjecting myself ”

might be more accurate) to Owl City’s new hit single and have come to the realization that it’s time for the music industy’s current obsession with the auto-tune effect to end.

Before we begin, a refresher: Auto-tune is the process of running a song’s vocal track through a computer for the purpose of correcting errors in the performance. In the past few years, a rapidly increasing number of artists have used auto-tune in their songs. The thing is, auto-tune has been the standard in pop music since around 1998 (see paragraph 4).

It’s only recently, with T-Pain’s Rappa Ternt Sanga, that the abuse of auto-tune for artistic effect has become popular. Now everyone from established stars like Kanye West to up-and-coming artists like Owl City

are following suit. Most of its detractors just see it

as annoying — a fad, resulting from laziness in the studio. I see it as worse. I see a perception, an expectation that all music released from here on out must have squeaky-clean perfect pitch, that our music should be produced by robots. By removing any hint of error from your music, you strip it of its humanity.

I always thought of pop music as nearly identical packages being churned out on a regular basis by some all-powerful beast of a machine. And with every song that gets released nowadays being processed and packaged into an inoffensive little dollop of sugary electronic goodness, the idea doesn’t seem so far off. It seems anyone can be a pop star as long as they look good; musical talent is no longer

required.People like to think this is a new

thing — a breath of fresh air in the stagnant hip-hop scene, if you’re optimistic. Sure, T-Pain is the guy who made it famous a few years back, but it’s been used for more than a decade now. Cher started this whole mess back around 1998 with “Believe,” and the boy bands of the next few years jumped on the bandwagon. Somehow, the process of turning singers into androids became the industry standard; the vast majority of pop music continues to use it (in moderation) today. T-Pain, being T-Pain, just cranked the normal process up.

But, so what? So what if it annoys me? It’s not just that; I don’t hate T-Pain (in fact, he may be the only one doing auto-tune right). I think this perfect-pitch obsession discourages

real music and encourages style over substance, if you’ll excuse the cliche. Take, for instance, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, even Jimmy Buffett. These guys are immensely, insanely popular and none of them can really sing — at least not with the flawless accuracy of a computer. They connect to their audience through lyrics and attitude; on a personal level.

Think back to a time when you heard a song that hit home for you —when you felt that connection, that click when you and the singer are on exactly the same level and electricity runs up your spine, and down your shoulders and stands your hair straight out — was it auto-tune that gave you that?

Out of tune with Auto-tuneModern music’s perfect pitch obsession turns singers into androids.

The case for limiting educational technologyHas the high tech classroom really improved education?

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10/december 18

WYATT ANDERSON

DANIEL MAGWIRE

I

I

e is a common sight in Shaw-nee but born and raised in

the Turner school district just north of the Johnson County line. Every day at 3 p.m., he stands outside, rain or shine, until about 6 p.m. entertaining drivers on Shawnee Mission Parkway.

You may know him as the wild Little Caesar’s Pizza guy who dances at the corner at Shawnee Mission Parkway and Quivira as he tries to create business for the restaurant. Justin Tripp has worked for Little Caesar’s for almost two years and is now 22 years old. The costumes he wears vary from a sleek Michael Jackson costume to a rock star with a red Mohawk. Tripp refers to them as his “mascots”.

As cars pass by, passengers wave to Tripp as he sings, dances and plays his Little Caesar’s cardboard guitar.

“I consider myself famous,” Tripp says.

NW students headed home from school or sports practices look for him each day.

“When it’s a gloomy day out, you can always look forward to seeing him and making your day just a little bit bet-ter,” freshman Emily Devonshire said

Tripp is not only an interesting per-former but also a loving dad.

“My favorite thing to do in my free time is to spend time with my seven-month-old son, Hayden Lee Tripp, be-cause I don’t see him that often. I also love to play Xbox 360,” Tripp said.

“He is a lean mean pizza machine. I just love his enthusiasm!” freshman Akash Rahi said.

Tripp said he loves it when the NW cheerleaders wave at him.

“They wave at me every time they go past me. Sometimes people throw mon-ey. Last year, for my birthday, a lady at Home Town Buffet gave me $20,” Tripp said.

But the things people throw at Tripp aren’t always so pleasant.

“SM North kids played a little prank

by shooting paint balls at me one time. They missed thankfully. People have thrown pop cans at me. I wish they’d thrown regular pop at me but instead they threw diet,” Tripp said with a smile.

Tripp’s dreams for the future revolve around what he is doing now. He would like to be a professional sports mascot.

“I invited KC Wolf down here to dance with me but he won’t. That’s why I always say I’m the better mascot of Kansas.”

Tripp’s favorite part of his job is the people.

“I love the people. I love making the little kids that pass by me laugh. I stick my tongue out at them and act like a little kid.”

The Little Caesars job has been a stepping stone to other employment. Tripp also works at Challengers Bar and Grill. “I make Little Caesars lots of money. That is how I got my second job; the owners of the other restaurant saw me working for Little Caesars and wanted me so I took their offer. It’s more money,” Tripp said.

Although Tripp’s job is fun, it is a profession to him.

“I don’t like people coming up to me,” Tripp said, suddenly serious. “The mask and stuff is to hide my face be-cause I don’t want to be known as the Little Caesar’s guy. I just want to be known as the guy that makes Shawnee fun. I don’t stay at my job just to make Little Caesars money, I stay because I love making Shawnee way better than it was.”

But Tripp can’t stay serious for long. The other reason he stays on the corner playing a cardboard guitar?

“The crazy bread,” Tripp says.Some call him cool, some think he’s

strange, and some think he’s just a crazy performer, but nearly everyone smiles when they see Justin Tripp.

He’s such a Tripp...We know him from afar. To us, he’s just the Pizza Guy, But Justin Tripp sees himself as a mascot for Little Caesars and an ambassador of fun for Shawnee.

Baili McPheeters and Holly Thomas

No matter the condition of the weather, Justin Tripp spends three hours each day singing, dancing and putting a smile on the faces of drivers on Shawnee Mis-sion Parkway as a part of his job for Little Caesars. Photo by Ed McPheeters

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Taylor Lautner This break-through male star has proved that he is worthy to hold the title of Actor of the Year. His newest role is teenage were-wolf Jacob Black in The Twilight Saga: New Moon. He steals the heart of his old friend Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) when she is abandoned by her love, Edward (Robert Pattinson). Taylor’s major role in New Moon has brought in even more Twilight-crazed fans than ever.2nd: Adam Sandler (Funny People) tied for 3rd: Eric Christian-Olsen (Fired Up!) & Michael Cera (Year One)

Sandra Bullock Sandra Bullock has had a fantas-tic year starring in films including The Proposal, All About Steve, and The Blind Side. She uses her bril-liant acting skills to portray diverse characters such as a controlling boss, a quirky single woman and a strong southern mother. 2nd: Megan Fox (Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen) 3rd: Rachel McAdams (The Time Traveler’s Wife)

Taylor Swift Winning MTVs Best Music Video award, and nom-inated for many others like Best New Artist, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year, Taylor Swift has become an accomplished art-ist. With her new album, Fearless, she is going strong and not slowing down.2nd: Lil Wayne3rd: Eminem

2009

Glee The new FOX TV show Glee com-bines comedy, drama and music. With a clever story line of a high school Spanish teacher taking control and becoming the new director for the glee club, Glee has swept the nation with its catchy songs and original, witty dialogue. Glee was nomi-nated for three Teen Choice Awards and received the Hollywood Diversity Award for a cast of people from many different backgrounds and cultures. 2nd: “True Blood” (HBO)3rd: “Community” (NBC)

new tv show

3OH!3 The Band of the Year broke through with their hit “Don’t Trust Me.” The song was released in the summer of 2008, but the band didn’t re-ally take off until the spring of 2009. The group’s second album, titled “Want,” was released in July of 2008 and reached No. 44 on the Billboard 200. “Don’t Trust Me,” their first big hit from the album, reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 2009. 2nd: Rascal Flattstied for 3rd: TechN9ne & Boys Like Girls

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My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult was pub-lished in February 2005. It won the Virginia Reader’s Choice Award in 2007. With the release of the movie My Sister’s Keeper, the book has re-gained its original popularity, and the novel can still capture people’s hearts when they read it. 2nd: “Twilight” series by Stephe-nie Meyer3rd: “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins

The Twilight Saga: New Moon In this year’s Movie of the Year, Kristin Stewart and Robert Pattinson take to the screen again in this fantasy-romance film. Many cast members are already looking at award nominations only a few short weeks after the film’s release. New Moon has grossed $231 million so far, bringing in $69.6 million on the first night alone, according to The Huffington Post.2nd: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince3rd: Fired Up!

m

ovie

Fireflies by Owl City “Fire-flies” by Owl City reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top 100 on Nov. 7, 2009. It became the number one download on Itunes on October 25, 2009 and is nomi-nated in the People’s Choice Awards. With a good beat and uplifting rhythm, this song can always make you smile. It was also No. 1 on digital songs and No. 8 on top ring tones. 2nd: “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift3rd: “I Got a Feeling” by Black Eyed Peas2009

album

As well as inaugurating the first African American president and losing the “King of Pop” Michael Jackson, this year has been packed full of new movies, songs, artists, actors. Now, NW students have had a chance to choose all the best out of the hundreds of new additions to pop culture from this year. Here are the picks of the NW students who took the “Best of 2009” survey. By Ashlee Crane and Claire Gordon song

Fearless by Taylor SwiftAfter the release of her second album, Fearless, Taylor Swift bounced back onto the charts with relatable lyrics accompa-nied by catchy beats. Five of the songs have reached the top of the charts, includ-ing “Fifteen,” “Fearless,” and “Love Story.” The album has received many awards, in-cluding Favorite Country Music Album at the American Music Awards and the Album of the Year at the Country Music Awards. 2nd: “Ocean Eyes” by Owl City3rd: “The E.N.D.” by Black Eyed Peas

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4Dec. 23: During the day, get a group of your friends together and head out to

. The entertainment cen-ter offers a laser tag arena with plenty of obstacles, Go-Kart racing on an in-door track and many other games. If you don’t want to get all sweaty chasing your friends around the massive arcade, or if your parents insist on joining you, then bowling at one of the 8 lanes might be an enjoyable compromise.Location13110 W 62nd Terrace.(913)-268-7220.

Dec. 28: For chocolate lovers, offers a that teaches participants about

the tastiest treat on Earth. The exhibit is a timeline of chocolate history, from its beginnings in Mayan cul-ture to the multi-national corporations that package the product today.Hurry down and catch this event, it’s only here until Jan. 3.Hours and PricesTuesday thru Saturday - 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.Sunday - Noon to 5:30 p.m. Monday - ClosedAdult tickets (13 & up) $9.50Child tickets (3 to 12) $7

Dec. 25: Sneaking in snacks to the movie theaters can be hectic, but find-ing a place to eat after the movie can be even worse because it is too late. What if you had the restaurant in the movie theater? That is ex-actly what you’ll find at the AMC 30 in Olathe. “Fork and screen” provides viewers with an in-theatre dining experience. You have to be 18 years old or accompanied by a parent/guardian who is 21 years or older. Lovely Bones, Nine, and Sherlock Holmes.ticket Prices $10 per regular ticket$12.50 per fork & screen ticketphone: 913-393-2262

6Dec. 27: Ice skating at

is a classic romantic destination. It’s a fun way to spend some alone time with that special someone. After ice skating, venture over to the hot chocolate stand to warm back up or head inside to shop in the stores or eat at a restaurant. Big Momma’s Bakery and Café features famous cinnamon rolls, cakes, cookies, and coffee for hungry skaters looking for a treat.ticket Prices Tickets $6Skate rental $3(816) 274-8411

1Dec. 26: The

has a selection of eye-popping documentaries. Some upcoming shows are Grand Can-yon Adventure, which teaches about global water issues, Van Gogh: Brush with Genius, which is a documenta-ry about Van Gogh’s life and some of his important works of art and The Polar Express in 3D is about a boy who doubts the existence of Santa until he boards the Polar Express. The IMAX Theater is a great place to watch movies on the big screen. information (816)-460-2020

Dec. 24: The has many different activities for Christ-mas site-seers and shoppers. The Plaza has a variety of shops from high-end clothing (J. Crew, Coach, Burberry, etc.) and the “hippest” fashions (American Apparel and Urban Outfit-ters) to books (Barnes & Noble) and the newest technology (Apple, Sharper Image). When you’re not shopping, take a lei-surely walk around the Plaza at night to see all of the historic buildings decked out in lights. When you get tired of walking, carriage rides are also available. carriage ride Hours Monday thru Friday - 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.Saturday - 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.Sunday - 5 p.m.2

5

winter Break is a few days shorter this year. Use this entertainment guide to take advantage of every available opportunity.

twelveby Tyler Gilliam

14/december 18

Dec. 30: When it is time for a manly get together, and it is too cold to play football, then go to Jaegers for some fun paint ball.

arena is set in one of Kansas City’s oldest lime-stone mines. The fields are offered year round and the temperature is at a steady 56 degrees. Call to reserve a field and have some fun. Hours Monday thru Thursday - 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.Friday - 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.Saturday - 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.Sunday - Noon to 8 p.m.(816)-452-6600

8711R e d

B o x

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9Jan. 3: The offers a variety of activities, but the best attraction has to be Cosmic Mini Golf. Located in the mall, Cosmic Mini Golf promises 18 holes of fun and eye-popping images. The room is lit by neon lights, and the each hole has dif-ferent obstacles painted in neon paint. The balls are neon colors, so you can track the path. At the end of the round, there’s a bull’s eye set up and if the ball lands in the bulls eye, a prize is awarded to the winners. InformatIon (913)-764-5565

Jan. 1: Head out to the just off highway I-435 and State Avenue to spend Christmas gift cards and money. Sports Nutz is an excellent store for the sports fanatic. The store has a variety of items, including jerseys, hats and autographed items. For those in search of clothes, the Legends has shops like Old Navy and Pac Sun for sweaters, t-shirts or jeans. The Legends is also an entertainment hub. Dave and Busters combines an arcade experience with a gourmet restaurant. In the arcade, games range from Time Crisis 4 to Top Spin and Dance Dance Revolution (DDR). After building up an appetite from playing games, it’s time to chow down on some delicious burgers or chicken strips at the restaurant. InformatIon (913)-981-6815

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Dec. 29: The offers a look at the

once dubbed “Great War.” A series of trenches provides a ground-level view of what the soldiers saw and is complete with the sounds of guns being fired and people barking out orders. As you move along, look for animated battle maps that indicate the movement of the armies and where they attacked each other. A walk-through crater allows the viewer to experience the devasta-tion of a 17-inch howitzer shell on a French farmhouse. Lastly, Liberty Hall is a place that needs to be visited. It features a paint-ing by Daniel MacMorris of the five allied leaders in WW I. He also painted a mural devoted to the women of World War I and their sacrifices. InformatIon (816)-784-1918

Dec. 31: has a special event go-ing on this day. For people who love to ski or snowboard, this is an opportunity to get some practice in or ski and snowboard close to home.Hours Dec. 31 hours - 9 a.m. to 2 a.m.(816) 640-220

Jan. 2: When it’s too cold to do anything outside, and there isn’t much money in the bank, McDonalds’

offers mov-ies for cheap. Movies cost $1 for a single day rental. Sit back, relax, watch movies and en-joy eating popcorn all day. Some movies that are available are “Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian,” “Terminator Salvation,” “Angels and Demons,” “FourChristmases,” and “Funny People.”

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Josephine Collective at the Beaumont Club

Jack’s Mannequin at the Beaumont Club Feb. 19

Vedera at the Beaumont Club Dec. 19

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STUDENT SHUFFLE

All the Right Moves by One Republic “This song is my favorite song because it is easy to sing, and I love One Republic.”

Rain by Creed “Rain is a good song to listen to when you’re tired or just want to relax.”

3 by Britney Spears“It’s a fun song and also puts you in a good mood.”

Tik Tok by Kesha“This is one of my favorite songs because it is easy to sing to and remember the words.”

Bad Romance by Lady Gaga“Bad Romance is another good song because it is fun to listen to.”

Madison HowellFreshman

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sports\19

best of sports shotBOSS

The BOSS photo for this issue was chosen for its stop action and great timing as senior Alex Severance comes up for air while performing the butterfly stroke. By Caitlyn Massy

Loryn GoebelSenior(Bowling)

Gwen DevonshireJunior(Basketball)

Eric ZoellnerSophomore(Swim and dive)

Reed BowkerFreshmen(Wrestling)

Hermione (Harry Potter) Tuna sushi KU basketball game Dave after dentistLoaded mashed potatoes

Thanksgiving mashed potatoes

Chocolate covered cricket

Ku women vs. Creighton

Psycho DynoChris Mansker and Stephanie Tapke as one

Fruit cake Bill Clinton A person Flamers vs. White and Milds

60 Minutes interview with CJ Reliford

Thanksgiving Pink Sushi Volleyball game A Milli by Lil Wayne

My favorite food/meal for the holidays is....

My childhood hero is.... Craziest thing I have ever eaten was.....

Best online video I’ve seen....

Last non high school game I attended was...

Take your Pick!

The 7-5 Georgia Bulldogs are coming off an upset win against ACC conference champion, Georgia Tech. While preparing for the game, Coach Mark Richt of the Aggies said, “I will be spending 99 percent of my time on the defensive field.” Needing 6 wins to become eligible for a bowl game, A&M barely made it into a bowl game with a record of 6-6. The Bulldogs will have to play hard in order to keep A&M from slamming a door in their face and winning this game.

indePendence Bowl texas a&m

georgia

graham: Georgia 24-13 garett: Georgia 14-10 tyler: Georgia 21-17

Gaylord HoTels Music ciTy Bowl At the beginning of the season, the Clemson tigers struggled out of the blocks losing three of their first five games. They ended up in the Music City Bowl against the Kentucky Wildcats. With Clemson’s loss to No. 10 Georgia Tech, they missed out on the ACC championship and fell to 8-5. For the 7-5 Kentucky Wildcats, this will be their third trip to a bowl game in four seasons, and the Wildcats hope to extend their postseason win streak.

clemson

kentucky

graham: Clemson 14-28 garett: Clemson 35-21 tyler: Clemson 42-17

Texas Bowl Two completely different offenses will square off in the Texas Bowl. The last time Navy and Missouri played each other was in the 1961 Orange Bowl. Navy needs to focus on shutting down Denario Alexander. He is the nation’s hottest receiver and his team’s offense is averaging 32 points from passing in their last five games. Missouri has a potent passing attack and usually spreads the entire field out of the shotgun. Navy is one of the best rushing teams in the country, using their triple option attack.

missouri

navy

graham: Missouri 27-21 garett: Missouri 35-24 tyler: Missouri 35-14

This game will be a mismatch with Texas Tech’s high-powered offense going against Michigan State’s stout defense. Texas Tech wasn’t expected to follow up last year with another spectacular 11-2 season and is still playing in a Jan. bowl game as a result. Although Michigan State will have eight players suspended because of a violation of team rules, they will be coming into this game ready to win another Alamo Bowl.

Valero alaMo Bowl michigan state

texastech

graham rockers: Texas Tech 21-17 garett alexander: Michigan St. 28-17 tyler gilliam: Michigan St. 21-13

These two teams were both ranked in the top 10 at the beginning of the season and are now going to face off in the Poinsettia Bowl. California hopes to welcome back star tailback Jahvid Best, who suffered a concussion last month. Utah has a high-powered offense and is looking to show it against California’s great defense. Utah finished the season with a well fought 9-3 record, but failed to capitalize on their close matchups, especially in a loss to rival BYU.

san dieGo counTry cu PoinseTTia Bowl

california

utah

graham: Utah 35-17 garett: California 35-21 tyler: California 28-10

Bowl games begin tomorrow, but with 34 games throughout the next three weeks, The Passage picked five games to watch that you might not have known about.

20/december 18

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Boys Basketball:Fri Dec. 18, vs. Lawrence 7 p.m.Sat. Dec. 19, Hy Vee Shootout vs. Rockhurst at Avila UniversityTues. Jan. 5, at SM East 7 p.m. Fri. Jan. 8, at SM West 7 p.m.Tues. Jan 12, at Lawrence Free StateGirls Basketball:Fri. Dec. 18, vs. Lawrence 5:15 p.m.Mon. Jan. 4, at Blue Valley West 7 p.m. Thurs. Jan. 7 at SM West 7 p.m.Tues. Jan. 12 at Lawrence Free State 5:30 p.m. Boys Swim and Dive:Sat. Jan. 9, NW Invitational 10 p.m.Tues. Jan. 19, Olathe South Invitational 4:00 p.m.Fri. Jan. 22, SM East 4:00 p.m. at SMNWThurs. Jan. 28, JAG Invitational at Blue Valley West 4:00 p.m.Sat. Jan. 30 SM East Diving Invitational 9: 00 a.m. Wrestling:Fri. Dec. 18, Johnson County Classic at Blue ValleySat. Jan 9, Dick Burns Classic at Bonner Springs High 9:30 p.m.Wed. Jan 13, vs. Blue Valley West 6 p.m.Wed. Jan. 20 at Lawrence Free State 6:00 p.m.Fri.-Sat. Jan. 22-23 Husky Invitational

USA Today NCAA Basketball Poll 1. Kansas 9-0 2. Texas 8-0 3. Kentucky 10-0 4. Purdue 9-0 5. Syracuse 10-0 6. West Virginia 7-0 7. Duke 7-1 8. Tennessee 7-1 9. Villanova 9-110. North Carolina 8-2 22. Kansas State 9-1

BCS Power Rankings (NCAA Football) 1. Alabama 13-02. Texas 13-03. Cincinnati 12-04. TCU 12-05. Florida 12-16. Boise State 13-07. Oregon 10-28. Ohio State 10-29. Georgia Tech 11-210. Iowa 10-2 19. Oklahoma State 9-3 22. Nebraska 9-4

Week after week, tens of thousands of fans gather in Arrowhead Stadium, which was once proud to hold the title of the loudest stadium in the NFL. The voices of the “sea of red” rang out at the end of the national anthem. Devoted Kansas City tailgaters crowded the parking lots and filled the entire area with the smoky scent of barbeque. Fans pounded on the backs of seats, yelled until they lost their voices, then finished it off with the tomahawk chop. It all made for a great day at Arrowhead Stadium.

But not anymore. The cheers of the fans have

been nearly muted by the roars of the opposing team’s crowd. Much of the upper deck now sits vacant, and the threat of having a blackout becomes more of a reality with each loss. There has not been a blackout in Kansas City since 1990.

With a 9-36 record since 2007, something drastic had to be done. Owner Clark Hunt set up an entirely new organization, hoping to get Kansas City back on its feet and on its way back to the playoffs.

The two seemed a near-perfect match: Matt Cassel, an emerging quarterback coming from one of the most envied offensive programs in NFL history and young offensive coordinator, Todd Haley, who helped lead the Arizona Cardinals to its first franchise Superbowl appearance. But three quarters

through the 2009 season, Haley has yet to put his team together. The offensive line cannot create holes to boost the running game or keep the quarterback protected.

Since Haley took over the play-calling at the beginning of the season, the improvement in offensive production is unimpressive. How can Matt Cassel be expected to lead this team to a winning season if he is given a lump of coal for a playbook? With the responsibilities of offensive coordinator and head coach resting on his shoulders, it seems too much for Haley to handle. Hiring new assistant coaches cannot be worse than what we have right now.

Cassel doesn’t seem to be learning that he needs to throw the ball away. The offensive line can rarely block long enough to give Cassel a chance at throwing a long ball. Even with open receivers, Cassel quite often fails to throw for an easy completion. If he continues to perform the way he has been, especially with an increasing number of interceptions, he should be benched in favor of quarterback Brodie Croyle or third string quarterback Matt Gutierrez, who seemed to play well in preseason. If Cassel cannot drastically improve

his performance in the final weeks, the Chiefs should be forced to draft a quarterback in the upcoming draft.

High draft picks are supposed to be an easy way to a star player, but not when the Chiefs draft. After drafting defensive ends Glen Dorsey and Tyson Jackson with two

top five draft picks, neither have played up to their potential or shown they deserve the high salaries they receive. Is the defense not set up to highlight their positions?

Although the team is supposedly

filled with young talent, only a few players show up consistently. Outside linebacker Tamba Hali has become a threat across the line of scrimmage and second year cornerback Brandon Flowers may be the highlights of a defense struggling since the ‘90’s. On offense, Jamaal Charles is holding his position as well as a young running back can with an offensive line as bad as our own.

Despite the lack of enthusiasm, thousands of fans still show up to watch the Chiefs try to perform a near-miracle. Maybe, with a little consistency, the Chiefs can finally return to their old winning ways.

inside the numbers

The parting of the “red sea”The Chiefs’ first blackout game in nearly 20 years almost happened on Sunday as even the Kansas City faithful slowly lose hope.

jeremy allen

upcoming games

Number of Big 12 teams that will be

playing in bowl games this year. K-

State and KU will not be playing in a bowl.

Combined points that the boys’ varsity

basketball team scored in their first

three games.

Number of wins the Chiefs have in 13

games.

8178 3 3The number of points the Cougars held Shawnee

Mission South guard and K-State signee Will Spradling to on Dec. 11

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ANNA L iNDhoLm

IN focus

“I’m going from zero dunks last year to two dunks this year. I never thought I would get two dunks in a game.” —junior AJ Spencer