Tiger News » Opinion

With scheduling changes becoming more difficult, choose next year’s classes wisely

webeic — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:07:01 +0000

Editor’s note: This is the staff editorial from the January edition of the Tiger Print, with staff votes being 24 agreen and 0 disagreeing.

If you tried to change your schedule this semester, you might have noticed the incredibly long lines, piles of paperwork and giant schedule blacked out in the counseling office.
If you are an upperclassman, you might have wondered why switching classes has been so much more difficult than previous years.
While the reasons vary — everything from budget cuts to optional courses like CAPS — there are only two things students can do: choose classes wisely, and choose them now.
The chances of an easy schedule change next year are highly unlikely, if not impossible.
So don’t select classes because your friends are taking them or because you can’t think of anything else to fill up your schedule.
No matter how much you heart your best friend, copying his or her schedule in an attempt to get in the same class won’t be worth it. Especially on your college transcript.
If you have no idea where to start, talk to your counselor, your current teachers or read the course description guide on the school website.
The guide shows all necessary prerequisites and might surprise you with a class you would have never thought of before.
Take the classes you know you will enjoy and classes that will challenge you without being overwhelming.
That means you are going to have to decide now whether you can handle the classes you want to take next year or whether you should aim for a lighter schedule.
Be honest with yourself.
Unless you are a super genius, don’t take all AP courses. You won’t be a happy camper, and it will be a headache to switch into the regular course come August.
And don’t assume that elective classes won’t adequately prepare you for your future.
Newspaper, yearbook and debate are examples of classes that will give you the real-world experience colleges and employers look for.
Colleges look at your schedule, and three years of drama or art (no matter how time-consuming they are) show the college admissions officers that you aren’t flighty and that you actually have a passion for what you do.
So don’t choose a random class just for the heck of it.
If you don’t love the particular area of study, it will be a nightmare.
Even if it only lasts for a semester.

Tension between U.S. and Iran escalates as Iran threatens to close off essential oil seaway

webeic — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:03:11 +0000

The Nuclear Club
In early December, Iran confiscated an American drone that had been launched from Afghanistan.
As reported by the New York Times, the drone was being used by the CIA to monitor nuclear power plants in Iran.
While Iranian officials have stated numerous times that the country is merely attempting to generate electricity through nuclear power — not building any nuclear weapon — several countries, including the U.S., are nervous about Iran’s progress in nuclear capability. Especially after the recent news that the nation’s capital is producing more uranium than is what is needed by civilian use.
Saudi Arabia stated that they too will pursue nuclear capability, if Iran does test a nuclear weapon.
If this were to happen, there is a possibility of a Middle Eastern arms race that would have disastrous results in an already volatile region.
To stifle Iran’s nuclear capability, the European Union has proposed Iranian oil sanctions, and according to Businessweek.com, EU foreign ministers are likely to agree to block Iranian oil imports at the meeting in Brussels on Jan. 30.

Tension rising in the Strait of Hormuz
With Europe moving forward with Iranian oil sanctions, Iran threatened to close off the Strait of Hormuz, a small bend of water between the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf that is essential for the transportation of oil from the Middle East to other parts of the world.
Iran also sent the U.S. a simple message, warning them to stay out of the area and not to get involved.
“We recommend to the American warship that passed through the Strait of Hormuz and went to Gulf of Oman not to return to the Persian Gulf,” said Gen. Ataollah Salehi, the Iranian commander in chief of the army, as reported by Iran’s official news agency, IRNA. “The Islamic Republic of Iran will not repeat its warning.”
One-fifth of all crude oil comes out of this area, and according to Société Générale S.A., a major European bank, if Iran were to close the strait, oil prices would rise from $150 to $200 a barrel.

Not so idle threats?
According to CNN, Iran has backed up their threats by beginning naval exercises in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. They tested missiles that, if successful, would prevent any movement in the Strait of Hormuz.
With these missiles, Iran has proven they have the technological capability to ensure complete control over the Strait of Hormuz.
But do they have the political or economic power to do so?
Sadly for them, not really. Their currency is crumbling, and any more sanctions would ruin whatever economy Iran has, especially now that new U.S. legislation included provisions to impose trade sanctions on Iran’s central bank. And with Iran’s unemployment rate more than 20 percent, social unrest is likely in a country surrounded by effects of the Arab Spring.
Threatening the U.S., a country with significant economic power, only hurts them more in the long run. Let’s see where their nuclear capabilities go if they can’t afford the technology required.

Throwin’ around the insults

While Iran teeters on the edge of economic ruin, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez to discuss politics — and to joke about atomic weapons. According to MSNBC, Chavez joked that a bomb was ready under a grassy knoll in front of his palace steps.
Clearly, Iran doesn’t mind befriending our enemies, and while Ahmadinejad might have not said the words himself, it was just as insulting.
Perhaps, President Barack Obama should joke around with the Prime Minster of England about the crumbling of the currency in Iran. Or about how amusing it would be if Israel started bombing the nuclear power plants that, clearly, Iran is ready to go to war over.

Iranian nuclear scientist killed
On Jan. 11, an Iranian nuclear scientist was killed by a car bomb. A senior Iranian lawmaker, Kazem Jalali, placed the blame for the act of terrorism on the United States and Israel.
Hillary Clinton, the U.S. Secretary of State, has denied such claims, while a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces wrote on his Facebook page that he has no knowledge of who targeted the Iranian scientist — but he wouldn’t shed any tears over it.
Irony found in the unlikeliest of places

In early January, shortly after Iran’s veiled threats, U.S. sailors rescued 13 of Iran’s sailors from a pirate attack in the North Arabian sea, near the Strait of Hormuz. Maybe Iran should worry more about the pirates targeting their ships than the American sailors saving their butts.

Current as of press date.

Parents’ actions influence teenage behavior, can cause problems

webeic — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:56:25 +0000

Why do some kids act out more than others?
Why is there always that one student who gets great grades and follows every rule in the book, while another is getting arrested before the age of 20?
There is no factual answer to these questions, no scientific reason for which ones are “good kids” or “bad kids.”
In most cases, people just blame it on society or peer pressure.
Yes, these can affect how we grow up, but how can we follow the rules if they’re not enforced by parents in the first place?
According to childtrends.org, more than 80 percent of adolescents think highly of their parents.
They watch us grow up, and, for the most part, will always be in our lives.
If we’re taught the basics at a young age — respect for people, responsibility for our actions and self-control — then we will carry them on as we get older.
Teenagers tell stories all the time about their parents allowing them to drink at parties or even giving away alcohol to them and their friends.
This shocks me because I always thought of parents as authority figures who enforce the rules.
I actually feel sorry for those kids because that is the example their parents will have set for them the rest of their lives — that it is OK to break the law.
Parents can be held liable if their underage kids are drinking in their own home. Even if the parents are not aware of the drinking.
What can be just plain bad parenting can result in legal issues.
So why take the risk?
I always hear kids in the hallway saying ‘My parents don’t care what I do.’
Those are the parents who are either oblivious to what their children are doing or are too stressed out to think about it.
We can all understand stress, but giving teenagers unlimited freedom is like showing us that there are no rules in the real world.
And that isn’t reality.
While we see some teens bragging about this, deep down they are probably vying for more attention from their parents.
Instead of being jealous of the students with lenient parents, I feel sorry they will never learn that all actions come with consequences.
And having no consequences shows us that what we’re doing is always “no big deal.”
So next time your parents don’t let you do something that all your friends are allowed to do, consider yourself lucky that they love you enough to care.

How do your parents influence you? Leave a comment.

High school stress has harmful effects

webeic — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:52:47 +0000

A couple months ago, I saw a documentary that finally brought two underlying problems to the surface: homework and stress.
All I hear in the mornings at school is “I want to go home,” “I want to take a nap,” or “I don’t want to be here.”
The documentary I saw, “A Race to Nowhere,” discussed how students are so stressed with homework and school, they don’t have time to live life anymore. They become sleep deprived or develop stress-related illnesses — one girl even committed suicide because she was so overwhelmed with stress.
Students are losing motivation to be in school and to actually learn because of the excessive amounts of homework that have to be finished every night. It’s like having 11 hours of school instead of only seven.
Yes, I understand, some homework is mandatory. Students can’t learn all the information in a 50-minute class period. We get it. But what’s the deal with all this extra work? Does it really make a difference if I read two extra passages about John Locke and complete a book scavenger hunt so I can ‘get to know my literature textbook?’ No.
The way I see it, most homework is pretty pointless.
If I know how to do something, why do I need to keep doing it? If I don’t know how to do something, what’s the point of attempting the problems? It would just frustrate and confuse me even more.
“A Race to Nowhere” featured an AP biology teacher who cut his students’ homework load in half. Guess what happened to his students’ test scores?
They went up.
It’s probably because his students were actually focusing in class — absorbing and retaining all the information being taught instead of vigorously copying down notes or trying to get a head start on the night’s assignment.
Has anyone noticed how after a test we all magically forget everything we just learned?
Yeah, that’s because we don’t pay attention in class, most likely because we’re tired. Because we don’t get enough sleep. Because we’re up all night doing homework.
The sad thing is it’s not just homework that has to be done. We have so many other things we have to do or could be doing with our lives.
Things like learning how to live life instead of hiding from the world behind a textbook.
Maybe if we weren’t so focused on getting the 4.0 we’ve strived for since birth, the teenage population might have an ounce of common sense.
I realize being book smart is important, but we also need to be street smart. I have some of the smartest friends, but when it comes to the simplest of problems outside the school’s doors, they’re absolutely clueless.
Living the sheltered life isn’t exactly ideal sometimes. We need to experience the world. We need to be free to make mistakes and learn from them, and no, I’m not talking about the mistakes we make on a math test.
Problem is, we don’t have time to make mistakes, screw up or even get sent to our rooms.
We could be out enjoying ourselves and taking advantage of the last few years of our adolescence, but no, instead we’re stressing over the six FRQs, three-page papers and worksheets all due tomorrow.

How do you feel about stress? Is there something you think teachers or schools should do to improve the situation? Leave a comment.

Foreign Exchange Students interview

dbrand — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:22:17 +0000

See the video shown at BV’s annual diversity assembly.

BV girls bowling team has first meet of the season

dbrand — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:38:15 +0000

BV Girls Defeat Miege

dbrand — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:56:25 +0000

Winter Break Withdrawl

webeic — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 23:36:08 +0000

20 Reasons Why Post-Winter Break Isn’t So Bad:
1. Miss seeing your friends everyday at school? You can catch up with everyone now that we’re back!
2. Spring break is just around the corner…time to begin the countdown. It’s like the next best thing to summer and winter break.
3. Think positive thoughts. Winter break may be over but at least you have something to do every day from 7:45 to 2:50 five days a week.
4. Now you can show off the new clothes or accessories you got for holiday presents, but don’t lose any of your new gadgets or leave them somewhere they could get stolen.
5. You can swap some of those awkward relative stories with your friends.
6. A new semester is the perfect time to start over. Not completely satisfied with the grades you got on your first semester finals? You can really get down to business and study hard this semester.
7. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some of BV’s cafeteria food again –– nacho bar, whole-grain pasta and pizza…my favorite.
8. It’s time to get working on those New Year’s resolutions you made. Don’t quit or forget about them this early in the year!
9. In just two short weeks we get Monday, Jan. 16 off of school for President’s Day. Three day weekends are the best, and who doesn’t love a day off of school?
10. It’s time to start stressing and planning for the Sadie Hawkins dance, ladies! We’re only a little over a month away from the dance. Did you meet anyone over winter break? And don’t forget about the crazy spirit days.
11. There’s always the chance of a snowday in January or February, just like all the snowdays we had last year after winter break. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
12. All the winter sports are picking up and spring sports will be starting before you know it. That means a whole variety of games to go watch and show some Tiger pride. And for those of you on a team, it’s a great way to burn off all the snacks and holiday desserts you had over break. (See the list below for upcoming varsity games.)
13. There’s a lot of things happening inside the walls of BV: The Tiger Print and Tiger TV are working on new issues, students are practicing for the musical, choirs are rehearsing for concerts, Fifth Wall Comedy Troupe is performing again soon, a second Pizza Dance is scheduled for Jan. 20, etc. (See the list below for some upcoming events at BV.)
14. If you’re participating in Relay for Life, get excited: Relay is only two months away! March 2, here we come.
15. It’s that time of year again…enrollment! Time to bring out the four-year plans again.
16. You’re all caught up on sleeping in thanks to winter break, so maybe waking up early won’t be as bad… just kidding. At least you got extra sleep for a little while.
17. Seniors: ready or not, it’s your last semester at BV. Make it count!
18. It’s time for that second semester elective you’ve been waiting all year to take –– the wait is over!
19. You’ll remember how much you appreciated Friday nights and weekends during the school year.
20. Summer is still far away, but at least we’re one semester closer.

A Look Ahead at Varsity Games and Other Events: January

Wed. Jan 4. –
Second Semester Begins
Enrollment Fair
College Panel – PAC
Senior Class Photo

Thurs. Jan 5. –
Girls Varsity Basketball vs. Blue Valley Northwest -7 p.m.
Boys Swim vs. Turner -4 p.m.

Fri. Jan 6. –
Boys Varsity Basketball vs. BVNW -7 p.m.
Varsity Wrestling at BVNW -6 p.m.

Sat. Jan. 7 –
Varsity Wresting at SMS -9 a.m.

Mon. Jan 9 –
Varsity Girls Basketball vs. Miege -7 p.m.

Tues. Jan. 10 –
Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Miege -7 p.m.

Thurs. Jan. 12 –
Varsity Boys Swimming at Emporia -4 p.m.

Friday Jan. 13 –
“Friday the 13th”
Varsity Wrestling at Basehor -12 p.m.
Varsity Boys Basketball vs. BVSW -7 p.m.
Varsity Girls Basketball vs. BVSW -7 p.m.

Sat. Jan. 14 –
Varsity Boys Swimming at BVNW -10:30 a.m.
Varsity Wrestling at Basehor -9 a.m.

Mon. Jan. 16 –
No School – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Fri. Jan. 20 –
Varsity Wrestling at BVNW Invitational -4 p.m.
Varsity Girls Basketball vs. Gardner -7 p.m.
Varsity Boys Basketball at SMW Tournament
Pizza Dance after Girls Basketball game -Commons

Sat. Jan. 21 –
Varsity Wrestling at Piper -9 a.m.
Varsity Wrestling at BVNW Invitational -10 a.m.
TBA Boys Swimming at BVSW Invitational
Varsity Boys Basketball at SMW Tournament

Tues. Jan. 24 –
Varsity Wrestling Dual vs. BVW -7 p.m.

Wed. Jan. 25 –
Curriculum Night/Activities Fair at BVHS

Thurs. Jan. 26 –
Band Chili Dinner and Concert -PAC and Commons
Varsity Girls Basketball at Topeka West Tournament

Fri. Jan. 27 –
Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Garder -7 p.m.
Varsity Girls Baseketball at Topeka West Tournament
Newspaper Distribution Day

Sat. Jan. 28 –
Show Choir Festival – PAC
Varsity Boys Diving at SME
Varsity Wrestling at SMN -9 a.m.

Mon. Jan. 30 –
Varsity Girls Bowling at Ranch Bowl
Varsity Girls Basketball vs. BVNW -7 p.m.
South Area Choral Festival in BVHS Gym -7 p.m.

Tues. Jan. 31 –
Varsity Boys Basketball vs. BVNW -7 p.m.

Blue Valley’s Tiger TV December Show

dbrand — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:54:21 +0000

The December broadcast of Tiger TV, where anchors talk about recent school construction, quiz students on their knowledge of holiday song lyrics, feature a teacher’s engagement and more.

Holiday Movies

webeic — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:59:29 +0000

Scroll down the page and check out the Prezi for the movies our entertainment editor deemed must-sees this holiday season. Give us your opinion in the comment section here or on our wall on Facebook. What movies do you think are the best to watch? What did you think about new movies we featured?

Christmas Movies to Enjoy over Thanksgiving on Prezi