Tiger News

Blue Valley High Class Day 2012

dbrand — Fri, 18 May 2012 18:37:24 +0000

Blue Valley High Class Day 2012

Journalism I students create, share audio profiles.

enteditor — Fri, 04 May 2012 19:07:05 +0000

During the spring semester, students in BV’s Journalism I class created and edited audio slideshows profiling other members of the BV community in order to practice reporting with multimedia.

These presentations were created by freshmen Danielle Williams, Natalie Thomas, and Annie Milbourn.

You can also check out Amy Noon’s audio slideshow and accompanying story here.

Teacher, adviser Jill Chittum leaving BV due to change in occupation

enteditor — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:42:06 +0000

After five years as BV’s Newspaper and Yearbook adviser, journalism teacher Jill Chittum faced a difficult decision when she was offered a job as a yearbook representative for Walsworth Publishing Company.
Ultimately, she decided it was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.
“I did an interview on a Thursday and on Friday, the person who will be my manager called to offer me the job,” Chittum said. “I sort of felt unless I did something weird, I’d get the job — I had a good feeling.”
To break the news to her newspaper and yearbook staffs, she called in newspaper students during the last five minutes of seventh hour on Monday, April 23 during Yearbook class. She waited for students to file into room 450 and listened to them mutter questions about the topic of the meeting. She then seated herself in the front of the class and teared up as she broke the news.
“I spent all weekend fretting about how to tell newspaper and yearbook,” she said. “I didn’t want anyone to hear it from someone other than myself. There were tears on my part and some students.”
Chittum said although this is a good step for her and her family, she’ll miss her students and fellow faculty members.
“I love the relationships I’ve made with yearbook and newspaper kids over the years, they work so hard,” she said. “I’ll miss some of the journalism inside jokes, going on convention trips and the late nights. The fun stuff students will remember when they’re older is the stuff I’ll remember.”
Fine Arts Department Chair Mark Mosier said working alongside Chittum has taught him more than he imagined over the years.
“I’ve always been a design freak,” Mosier said. “We shared back and forth design, typography and layout information. I feel like I’ve learned a lot from our professional relationship and she’s a great person — she really is.”
Mosier said when he learned of Chittum’s decision, he had mixed emotions.
“It’s always difficult when you have a colleague as a friend,” he said. “You understand her value and what she does for BV, but as a friend you understand this is good for her and wish her the best.”
Co-editor of the yearbook senior Lauren Reardon said although it is difficult to see someone she’s worked with for four years leave, she is thrilled for Chittum’s opportunity.
“It’ll be like losing a family member,” Reardon said. “It’s like when a child leaves for college, you can still see them and talk to them, but it’s not like having them there with you. I think it was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up. Sometimes you have to move on to bigger and better things. I know it was a hard decision because she loves BV.”
Yearbook member junior Katie Karst said next year will be more difficult because of the unknown.
“We’ll remember how great she was,” Karst said. “It’ll be hard next year without her, but we are all very happy for her.”
While the journalism position hasn’t been filled yet, Mosier said replacing Chittum isn’t possible.
“I certainly hope the person filling the position will bring strengths, but it doesn’t mean replaced, just filling a void,” he said. “You can’t replace a person and personalities unique to that person.”
Reardon said after building a bond with Chittum, it’ll be difficult to come into the journalism room and not have her there.
“I found my home in the journalism room throughout high school,” she said. “It’ll be weird to come in and not have Mrs. Chittum here. We really appreciate everything, especially her staying late, until 9 or 10 p.m. on deadline nights.”
Karst said Chittum differs from other teachers in the personal connection that is formed over the years in her class.
“Not only was she a good teacher and adviser, she could talk to you on a personal level,” Karst said. “It will be hard for someone to fill her shoes.”
After Chittum leaves BV at the end of the year, Mosier said her impact will remain.
“A school is defined by the people who work and study there,” he said. “Certainly with Mrs. Chittum, it’s a better place.”

Girls’ Dive team practices due to motivation rather than strict schedule

enteditor — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:38:23 +0000

She walks up to the ladder and mounts the spring board. She takes a deep breath and leaps off the board, legs tucked, arms wrapped around her knees.
The BV Dive team consists of only five girls, three of whom have qualified for state.
Senior Payton Meyer said the BV girls dive team is laid-back and the divers typically only attend three of the six weekly practices.
“If you show up, you show up,” she said. “If you don’t show up, you don’t practice.”
Senior Hannah Griffin is a first year diver and said practices are easy to blow off but if you’re motivated, you go often.
“Practices are helpful for learning new things,” Griffin said. “I picked it up pretty fast.”
BV shares coach Bridget Allen with BV Northwest’s dive team.
“The coach freshman year wasn’t too strict, so she can’t go back now,” Meyer said. “Our coach’s personality makes it fun. We can go to practice and laugh.”
Despite the lack of practice, Meyer said the team has someone placing at every meet.
“When you go into diving you either have a natural ability or you don’t,” Meyer said. “Someone can practice every day but won’t have the ability of a natural.”
The scoring is based on the three judges’ opinions and the degree of difficulty of the dive. Meyer said a five out of 10 or higher is considered a good score.
She said most of the divers on the team are cheerleaders or ex-gymnasts, and they only dive during the season for fun.
“At the last meet, I did a can-opener for my dive,” Meyer said. “It was just for fun. My score was 1.5.”
Since BV’s diving boards are over the swim lanes, it can cause problems during practice.
“The swimmers don’t like us,” Meyer said. “They have to swim around the lane where we dive and we have to dodge them. It’s very unsafe.”
Griffin said she enjoys being a part of the team and learning new dives.
“Because I’ve never dove before, it’s not a huge priority but I enjoy learning new dives and being able to compete with new divers,” she said.
She said the lack of practice doesn’t effect the team in a negative way.
“Yes, if we practiced every day, we would be better,” Meyer said. “But if it was strict, we wouldn’t be diving.”

18-year old voters able to impact government, need experience

enteditor — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:00:28 +0000

It’s the day you have waited for.
You payed attention to all of the candidates’ ideas.
You’re 18, and the time has finally come for you to vote in the next presidential election.
Social studies teacher Brian Mowry said the importance of voting comes with the politicians catering to the voters. He said when it deals with making college cheaper, lowering drinking age or drug laws, those areas are not given enough thought.
“The fact that voter turnout is so low for teenagers means that the issues important for them are not going to get very much attention by policy makers,” he said. “The fact that people over the age of sixty have the highest amount of voting percentage [means it] is not a coincidence then that policy makers spend most of their time dealing with prescription drug plans, keeping social security, medicare.”
The voting age was changed in the mid-1970s from 21 to 18. This decision directly correlated to the war in Vietnam and the draft.
“18-year olds were being forced against their will to go fight, yet they couldn’t vote for the people who were making those kinds of decisions,” Mowry said.
Social studies teacher Mark Klopfenstein said voting is something young people have been preparing for throughout their educational careers.
“The reason [students] have social studies and history classes is to learn about citizenship and how the system works,” he said. “It’s kind of the fulfillment of what they have been training for.”
Mowry said the difference between teenagers voting and adults voting is that teens don’t always know what is going on around them.
“You just don’t have experience,” he said. “The older you get, the more experience you will have — you’ve been in a workplace, you’ve had to pay a significant amount of taxes, you may have even had a run-in with the law. You then see the connection between the government and how it interferes with your life.”
Senior Sam Nicol said he doesn’t think enough students vote, but voting is also not something one should be forced into. He said teens are much more idealistic when it comes to voting than adults.
“They are much more likely to vote for [politicians’] ideas rather than practicality,” he said. “Also, more social issues or things that generally adults either don’t want to talk about, or don’t really think about. It is the sort of thing that people should be voting on anyway. Adults are going to be thinking of ‘what is the best thing for me,’ instead of ‘what is the best thing for everybody?’”
Mowry said many people don’t know how many issues they are voting on or the effect their votes can have.
“You’re going to have the president, then US representatives, then county commissioners and all this other stuff where teenagers end up voting right down the ticket with whether it’s an R or a D [Republican or Democratic candidate] most of the time, based on what their parents think,” he said. “Most teenagers don’t determine their own court of lease until they leave home or go off to college.”
Although some may not be very informed about issues and people they are voting on,
Nicol said voting forces students to grow up.
“You will find yourself researching, ‘Well this candidate says this,’ and you start to realize, ‘Hey, that might actually be an issue in my area,’” he said.
Nicol said when people vote, they uphold their end of a social contract in which they participate in the government.
“By voting, you show that you at least care enough to get informed and to give your opinion about it,” he said. “Other than that, it’s just an afternoon spent on something that, deep down, you hope matters, but might not.”
Mowry said there is an intellectual and emotional connection with voting and taking part in democracy.
“Just the aspect of voting makes people feel more connected to their policy makers,” he said. “It is something that all Americans share — there are few things that we all have in common now across cultures, ethnicities and religions. It’s a unifying force.”
Klopfenstein said more teenagers and people in their early twenties have voted in the past few years.
“There was a perception that it didn’t make a difference,” he said. “I think the 2000 presidential election turned that around because of how close it was. It was a reminder on just how important each vote can be.”

Students interested in registering to vote can pick up voter registration forms and information in the office.

Lifelong golfer translates his talents to the varsity level

webeic — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:57:06 +0000

Following in his family’s footsteps, freshman Zach Karney has a passion for golf. He received his first set of clubs at age six and has been playing ever since. He said he fell in love with golf the first time he picked up a club.
This year, he is the only freshman on the boys varsity golf team.
Karney said being a part of a country club helps him improve because he has the opportunity to practice individually or get tips from his dad, who, he said, is a very good golfer.
“I belong to Lionsgate Country Club, and I am lucky enough to be able to go there just about every day and practice on whatever I like to without people bothering me,” Karney said.
Karney said golfing is in his blood. His dad is an avid golfer, and some of his dad’s family members played golf in college.
He said he is proud to be playing at the varsity level.
“It feels good to be the only freshman on varsity,” he said. “But it is kind of bad because you’re the youngest, and everyone else already has a better feel for what they’re doing. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but overall, it feels good.”
Throughout tryouts, he said he wasn’t entirely sure he would make varsity, but it didn’t come as a shock to him.
“I was right on the border between JV and varsity, so I didn’t know where I would end up,” Karney said. “On the last day of tryouts, I played well and made it. I was a little surprised, but at the same time I wasn’t because I had confidence in myself.”
Karney said his first high school tournament was nerve-wracking.
“When I got to the first tournament, I was really nervous because I never had that experience like the rest of the team has,” he said. “I think that it will help me for next year in the fact that I’ll have already had the experience so I won’t be as nervous.”
Karney said the team members know how to enjoy themselves while still getting the job done.
“At tournaments, we tend to be the team that’s having the most fun,” he said. “We have a good time golfing as a team. And we always go out to eat afterwards. We’re always there for each other.”
Varsity golf coach Andrew Millikan said Karney is an important asset to the team.
“He’s one of the six lowest scorers, and that’s very unusual for a freshman,” he said. “You can show him something once, and he gets it, but then he takes it and mixes it with his own game.”
Millikan said Karney is an outstanding player with a solid work ethic.
“It’s pretty good from what I’ve seen so far,” Millikan said. “As he gets older, it will continue to develop in all aspects of his life, whether it’s school or golf. I’m really looking forward to the next three years with him.”

Senior Column: ‘Live each day like it’s your last.’

webeic — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:56:51 +0000

Almost 10 years ago, I moved to Kansas.
For almost 10 years, I’ve been wishing and dreaming of the day I would at last be free from the Land of Oz.
The day I would be free to live by the ocean, to travel the world, to experience new cultures. And now, 10 years later, the day has almost arrived.
Who knew it would come so fast?
There was the blur of the succession of new backpacks, Thanksgivings, family trips, sweltering Augusts, Homecoming dances, Christmas parties and last days of school.
Finally, the last of the lasts draws near.
Graduation.
As I think back on my time in Kansas, the thought is always the same.
I wish I would have appreciated it more.
I wish I would have spent more time on the prairie, more afternoons at the Nelson and more evenings with my family.
I wish I would have taken a few more deep breaths and a few more naps.
So, in order to remain faultless, I blame high school. I blame the consuming classes, my busy extracurricular schedule and my athletic involvement.
The funny thing is, I was living in the moment but always looking to the future.
I could sense my college experience and world travels right around the corner.
All I wanted was the next weekend, the next break — I had always figured that if I could make it to that next marker, I would have time to slow down and enjoy the little things.
But time never did slow down, and, for a long while, I didn’t make time for the things that really mattered.
Then, as the college process began, I realized my time left in Kansas was too short to allow my existence to be consumed by a day-in, day-out routine of school-homework-occasional meal-bed-repeat.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved everything I’ve done at BV and look back regretting none of my experiences. My classes, Relay For Life, cross country and Student Council have certainly shaped the person I have become over the past four years, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
But, I began to change the little things — trips to the Arboretum and ice cream runs after school with friends, backyard play sessions with my family — finally doing things I had always been saving for the next open window.
It made all the difference in the world.
So, here’s my challenge to you. I know there has been a lot of build-up to this point, so I apologize for the ensuing cliché.
But, live each day like it’s your last.
Not in a “YOLO” sense of the phrase, but in a way that allows you to go to sleep each night happy, knowing that the day was worth living.
Your future will be here soon enough, I promise. Too soon, even.
Spend time with your family. Go out with your friends. Take advantage of the fun opportunities BV has to offer.
Just make sure when your head hits the pillow each and every night, you know you did everything in your power to add zest and flavor to your life.
It’s been real, BV. Evelyn out.

Summer spots around Kansas City

webeic — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:56:49 +0000

College Basketball Experience
Address: 1401 Grand Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64106
Hours:
Closed to the public: Monday and Tuesday
Open to the public: Wednesday – Saturday 10 a.m. — 6 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m. — 6 p.m.
Prices:
3 years and under — Free
4 – 17 years old — $9
18 years and older — $12
65 years and older — $9
This 41,5000 square foot building has two floors and houses several interactive basketball exhibits as well as the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Visitors can interact in multiple areas, including practicing rebounds, passes, three-pointers and free-throws.

LEGOLAND
Address:
2475 Grand Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64108
Ticket Prices
Child (3-12)
At the door: $15 plus tax
Online: $13.50 plus tax
Combo SeaLife and LEGOLAND: $23 plus tax
Adult (13+)
At the door: $19 plus tax
Online: $17.50 plus tax
Combo SeaLife and LEGOLAND: $29 plus tax
Hours:
Sunday through Thursday 10am – 8pm (last admission at 6pm)
Friday and Saturday 10am – 9pm (last admission at 7pm)
Legoland in Kansas City opened at Crown Center on April 29. Tickets for Legoland are $19 plus tax, and the combo ticket of Legoland and Sea Life (aquarium) cost $29 plus tax. At the LEGO Factory, visitors can go on a guided tour of the LEGO factory, where they will see the LEGOs being created right in front of them. Legoland features many different sections, including two rides and a 4-D theater.
MINILAND: Made from millions of LEGO bricks, MINILAND displays miniatures of Kansas City icons. Unique to Kansas City, MINILAND also contains scenes from the Wizard of Oz as visitors follow Dorothy from her farm in Kansas all the way to the Emerald City.
LEGO Racers: Here, visitors use provided LEGO bricks to create vehicles that can then be timed on its trip around the test track.
LEGO Factory: Professor Brick-a-Brack shows guests the process of making a LEGO brick. The experience includes seeing the LEGOLAND Discovery Center LEGO factory.

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art has it all.
Everything from African to Chinese art, from modern to contemporary works, from sculptures to photography.
Admission is free and open to the public Wednesday through Sunday.
The beautiful architecture, large windows and gorgeous floors all contribute to the wonderful and pleasant atmosphere.
The campus has two parts — the original Nelson-Atkins Building and the more modern Bloch Building.
The museum has many different rooms, each allowing the breathtaking artwork within to be respectfully and properly displayed.
Currently maintaining more than 33,500 works of art, the museum adheres to everyone’s possible artistic preference.
The museum displays many showcase pieces such as Claude Monet’s divine Water Lilies and John Caravaggio’s awe-inspiring Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness.
From April 14 to Aug. 19, the museum will showcase The World’s Fairs exhibit. Student tickets cost $5.
World’s fairs showcases the exhibition Inventing the Modern World. The exhibit will highlight important ideas such as cross-culturalism, technology and nationalism that shaped all objects at fairs from 1851-1939.
To top it all off, outside the museum building visitors can enjoy the spectacular Kansas City Sculpture Park. The park allows for a nice breath of fresh air and the chance to look at some beautiful sculptures or lounge in the grass.
The museum offers walk-in tours of certain exhibits and collection highlights.
However, it also offers an audio-guided tour that includes information about each work either presented by the artist or a curator. This allows visitors to travel through the museum at a pace of their own liking.
After a day of appreciating stunning artwork throughout history, you can stop by the museum store to pick up some souvenirs at very reasonable prices. Or you can enjoy a nice lunch at the Rozzelle Court Restaurant.
Overall, your experience at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art will be very memorable, and there’s no doubt you will want to return.
Traveling Exhibits:
Rodin: Sculptures from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation* — Until June 3
Looking at Historic Lands: Urban and Rural — Until June 10
Abstraction: From A to B — Until July 27
The Starr Miniature Collection: Individual Representations — Until July 29
Inventing the Modern World: Decorative Arts at the World’s Fairs* — Until Aug. 19
Timothy H O’Sullivan: The King Survey Photographs* — Until Sept. 2
Fine Lines: Whistler and the American Etching Revival — Until Nov. 4
Acts of Nature: Contemporary Decorative Arts — May 11 until Dec. 12
* Additional ticket purchase required

The Country Club Plaza
Address: 4750 Broadway, Kansas City, MO 64112

Hours: Vary depending on store.

With stores such as the Apple store, American Eagle, Barnes & Noble, Pottery Barn and Bath & Body Works, the plaza is a conglomerate of many different avaliable products. The plaza also features eating options like Starbucks, Noodles & Company, The Cheesecake Factory and Panera Bread Bakery Cafe.
Plaza Live! Courtyard Concerts: The Country Club Plaza will features live musicians through September.
Times:
Thursdays 5 – 8 p.m.
Fridays 6 – 9 p.m.
Saturdays 2 – 5 p.m.
Sundays 12 – 3 p.m.
Locations:
Mermaid Courtyard – Nichols and Broadway
Penguin Courtyard – Nichols and Pennsylvania
Neptune Courtyard – 47th and Wornall
Valencia Courtyard – 47th and Jefferson
The Country Club plaza features many different places to eat and shop.
Forever 21:
Whenever people ask me where I get my clothes, it’s almost always the same answer.
Forever 21.
I discovered Forever 21 the summer before sophomore year, and ever since, my closet has filled of clothes from Forever 21. My style changed from Aeropostale t-shirts to girly and contemporary.
I remember leaving that store feeling confident and comfortable in my own skin. I could now express myself through what I wore.
Whenever I need a casual outfit, Forever 21 will have something.
What about business professional? Yep. Even that. I have found some of the cutest tops and professional skirts.
On top of that, when I go to Forever 21, I can always find something I look good in. I always try to find the Beatles shirts (I own nine of them) and the vintage-ish, flowery print shirts. I love finding the gorgeous flowing shirts. My clothes reflect my personality and my mood. This store always has something that will reflect any mood I feel on a given day.
Forever 21 is located in the Plaza, Oak Park Mall, and the Legends. My favorite of these stores is the Plaza location, however.
The first time I walked into that store, I saw and organized store with more clothes than both the Oak Park Mall and the Legends, as it is two floors of beautiful clothing for almost everyone’s style.
Until I visited this store with sister, she hated it. When we shopped at this store, she found a shirt she loved and, though she may not be the biggest fan of the store, she can almost always find something she enjoys.
The Plaza’s Forever 21 contains more options and a broader collection. It even contains a men’s section, which I hadn’t even heard of at a Forever 21 store.
Overall, the Plaza’s Forever 21 offers a vast selection for all people. I strongly recommend checking it out.

Power and Light District
Address: 13th & Walnut Sts. Kansas City, MO 64106
Hours: The overall District is open 24/7, however store and attraction hours vary.
Parking: Parking is free during lunch, but other times of the day it is $2.
The Power & Light District has a variety of restaurants, stores and attractions such as the Sprint Center, AMC Mainstreet Theatre and KC Live!.
AMC Mainstreet Theatre: Tickets must be reserved ahead of time, prices range from $6 to $12 dollars depending on time of day and age of participant.
KC Live! : Across from the Sprint Center, in between 13th and 14th Street.
A feature stage music artists can perform on once a month during the summer and a city block with two levels of restaurants as well.

Sprint Center
Address: 1407 Grand Boulevard Kansas City, MO 64106
Ticket prices depend on seats and the event. Bands, solo artists, sporting events and other attractions such take place.
Upcoming Events:
May 11th: Miranda Lambert with Chris Young and Jerrod Neimann — 7:30 p.m.
May 18th:Street League Skateboarding — 7 p.m.

Union Station
Address: 30 West Pershing Rd Kansas City, MO. 64108
Hours of operation:
Tuesday — Thursday: 9:30-5
Friday — Saturday 9:30-7
Sunday — 11-6
Ticket Prices: $19.12 for adults and $16.12 for seniors (60+), military and children.
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition: Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition takes visitors through an all-age-appropriate tour of the life of the Titanic. The tour covers the construction, launching, voyage, sinking, rescue and discovery of the wreckage site. Visitors learn stories of travelers and observe a realistic setting modeled after different parts of the ship. The exhibit closes Sept. 3, 2012.
The Maker Faire:
June 23: 9:30 am to 7 pm. June 24: 9:30 am to 5 pm.
In the Union Station West Yards parking lot.
The Maker Faire KC 2012 is a faire celebrating things made by mankind. From food to new age technology, different creations and their inventors will be displayed.

SeaLife Aquarium
The SeaLife Aquarium at Crown Center houses more than 5,000 different sea creatures with talks from experts and feeding show times avaliable throughout the day. Visitors can see creatures such as sharks, jellyfish, octopus and seahorses, touch crabs and starfish in the Interactive Rockpool Experience and take a walk through a shark-and-ray-filled underwater tunnel.
SeaLife also works with active conservation organzations. In addition to viewing and interactive activites, visitors can learn about and support local activites to aid the conservation effort.
Ticket Prices:
Child (3-12)
At the door: $15 plus tax
Online: $13.50 plus tax
Combo SeaLife and LEGOLAND: $23 plus tax
Adult (13+)
At the door: $19 plus tax
Online: $17.50 plus tax
Combo SeaLife and LEGOLAND: $29 plus tax
Hours:
Sunday through Thursday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., last admission at 6 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m., last admission at 7 p.m.

Royals/ Sporting KC:
The Kansas City Royals play at the Kauffman Stadium.
Ticket prices:
$12 to $250 depending on the location of your seat.
Left-fielder Alex Gordon takes a few practice swings and makes his way up to the plate. In the bottom of the first inning, the score is tied, 0-0. With only one out, Gordon is confident he will get a hit.
When the Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Drew Hutchison throws a perfect pitch over the plate, Gordon swings, hitting the ball into deep left-field.
As the ball lands in the Sonic section, the stadium erupts in excitement.
Not only does Gordon win the entire stadium a free Sonic slush but adds points to the board. The Royals lead the Jays, 1-0.
Along with giveaways, fans can visit the many attractions offered at Kauffman Stadium, such as the Outfield Experience.
The Outfield Experience is equipped with a playground, carousel, batting challenge, base run, mini golf course, pitching mound and mini baseball field. It’s the perfect venue for children to run and play, while parents watch the game.
Every Sunday is Family Fun Day, where kids can participate in the Fun Run and run the bases after the game. From singing along to Garth Brook’s popular song “Friends in Low Places” to cheering on your favorite hot dog condiment in the Hot Dog Derby, Royals games are always a memorable experience.
Walking in from the left-field entrance, one will immediately notice the Royals Hall of Fame. In the Dugout Theatre, the Hall of Fame starts with a 15-minute video displaying a timeline of Royals history, dating all the way back to the Negro Leagues and onward to the 2012 All-Star Game and Home Run Derby at Kauffman Stadium.
In addition, visitors will see Royals Hall of Famers Frank White, George Brett and Dick Howser’s jerseys on display.
The final stop of the Hall of Fame is a souvenir shop.
Tickets range from $10 to $250.

Sporting KC plays at the Livestrong Sporting Park.
Address:
One Sporting Way
Kansas City, KS 66111
Ticket prices: $20 to $70 according to seating location.
Almost immediately after the soccer ball sails into the net of the opposing team, blue confetti erupts from cannons around the field. The fans that fill Livestrong Sporting Park cheer, hug and yell out of sheer joy.
The fans sitting in the members club, also known as the Cauldron, begin to chant “Olé, olé, olé, olé,” as drums beat madly and a man with a blue trombone joins in the melody. People wave enormous blue-and-white-checkered flags as a man dressed as “Sporting Jesus” dances triumphantly in his robe and a man in a massive headdress bellows out a rallying cry.
The fans sitting in the South stand cheer and hold up their Sporting scarves.
The entire park is alive with excitement.
Livestrong Sporting Park is a gorgeous new facility, unveiled only last year. Many of the players say the park is unlike any other in which they have played, thanks to both the facilities and the fans cheering them on each game.
It’s an atmosphere every Kansas-citian should experience at least once. The rush of seeing forward Kei Kamara nail the ball into the net, a referee card defender Aurelien Collin (again) and a crazy fan getting tackled as he jumps from the Cauldron onto the field.
Not to mention Sporting Kansas City actually wins games. I know it’s a shocker for us Kansas-citians, but it’s just another reason to go out and support the boys in blue.
You’ll be singing “I believe that we will win” in no time.

World War I Museum
Address: 100 W. 26th Street, Kansas City, MO 64108
Hours:
Now – May 27: Tuesday through Sunday — 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
May 28 – September 3: Daily — 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Ticket Prices:
Adults — $12
Students (18 + with ID) — $10
Youth (6-17) — $6
Visitors of the World War I museum can travel through the exhibits and observe artifacts from World War I. The museum features weapons, uniforms and combat facts.

Senior Column: ‘We need to wake up and start fixing our own problems’

webeic — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:56:15 +0000

Before we get into this, let me inform you readers that I am not, in any way, a writer. But why let that stop me?
Four years of high school and 18 years of life have taught me a couple of things.
The most important lessons seem to fly over people’s heads.
We forget that our high school drama is limited to the short time-span of our high school years. Which means I had to sit through four years of Twitter and Facebook posts riddled with complaining and negativity. We all did.
Girls crying about guys. Guys whining about girls. Frankly, it annoys me beyond belief. I don’t understand how people can fret over little things like that. For some strange reason, I doubt when they are 40 and homeless, they will be saying, “If only I didn’t get upset about Sally insulting me. Oh, woe is me.”
A fight or argument I had my sophomore year will not affect me when I’m 40 or any other age.
We need to understand the world does not stop moving because something bad happens to us.
The world keeps on going when we get Fs. The world keeps on going when we get speeding tickets. The world keeps on going, even when we get dumped.
We need to wake up and start fixing our own problems before complaining.
Work hard and do extra credit. Get a job and put in long hours to pay off the ticket. Don’t worry about your ex, many more people will come along, hopefully.
The more you worry and concern yourself with little nuances, the worse it will get.
Take the most repetitive question you will ever hear in high school, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I’ve hated that question for as long as I can remember.
I dream of working with a camera for decades, but as a career? I have no clue. I gave off-the-wall answers: pro wrestler, police officer, photographer, director, actor or whatever interest I had on my mind that week.
At best, I gave a shrug.
Why worry and stress out about a choice, which supposedly determines the rest of your life, at the age of 18?
I’m still unsure about what I want to do when I’m older.
Just as Daria from the old cartoon show said, “My goal is not to wake up at 40 with the bitter realization that I’ve wasted my life on a job I hate because I was forced to decide on a career in my teens.”
Point is, I don’t care — not right now at least. I still have a good chunk of my life to figure out exactly what I want to do to make me happy, to sit back and enjoy the rest of the best four years of my life.

Senior Column: ‘Time for my acceptance speech.’

webeic — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:55:56 +0000

Ahh, graduation.
In my mind, I see Orlando Bloom standing on the stage of the Hollywood and Highland Center, formerly known as the Kodak Theatre. In his right hand, an envelope. In his other gorgeous hand, there is a microphone, which he uses to announce the winner.
With a flashy smile, he opens the envelope and calls out my name “Emily Brown.” Well, duh.
Still, I pretend to be surprised, and I shake my head in fake shock. Of course, I’m sitting at a glamorous table with Leonardo DiCaprio and a much younger version of Brad Pitt.
A round of hugs and pats on the back, and then I’m strutting to the stage in my Fall 2010 Chanel Couture dress, completely decked out in jewels.
I throw a wink at Josh Hutcherson on my way up. I mean, why not?
Once I reach the stage, some smiling model hands me my award. A golden tiger statue, in honor of my high school graduation. My name and the words “Release the Kraken,” are inscribed into the base of the statue. Obviously, it is all written in Comic Sans. Gotta love journalism inside jokes!
After a hug from Orlando Bloom, which might have lasted too long, I make my way to the podium. I’m here. After four grueling years of putting up with moronic directors and diva co-stars, I’ve finally made it.
Thank the journalism gods that all of that annoyingness was balanced with knowledgeable producers and a few amazing fellow actors.
Time for my acceptance speech.
OK, OK. The likeliness of all of the above ever happening is a whopping 0 percent. Yet, this is how I picture my senior column and my impending graduation. So, I might as well stay true to the theme and give my version of a diploma acceptance speech.
A simple thank you.
Firstly, I would like to thank every person who has read my stories this year. To every individual who walked up to me and complimented me on my writing. Or even just wanted to share a relating personal story. Thank you, because I’ve remembered every single comment.
Thank you to all of the people who allowed me to interview them this year. Thank you for sharing your amazing stories with me and putting up with any stupid questions I asked.
Thank you to Mrs. Chittum, my editors and my fellow Tiger Print staff members. For putting up with my political rants and my borderline obsession with commas. COMMA.
Thank you to my family. Mom, Dad, Ash, Ryan and Chester. You guys truly are my best friends.
Thanks Grandma and Sophie for watching over me from heaven.
All of these people, along with God, have given me hope for a future career in words — whether publishing or journalism. They have inspired me to continue doing what I love most. Reading and writing.
Annoying classical music starts playing because I’ve gone far over my word-count limit.