One of my jobs on the Harbinger is to find the interesting stories of East. There are more than 1800 students and staff members here. Some of them should be interesting. This blog will highlight these 1800 people and their stories through profiles, interviews and videos. I hope to show the various aspects of East students and how they all come together to form one unique student body. 

If you have any suggestions, such as who to do a story about or how to present these stories, please send a message to smeharbinger@gmail.com.

Advisory Council Member and English teacher Laura Beachy’s e-mail explanation reported the district superintendent’s latest decisions from the latest meeting. Just like always. She e-mailed it to the entire staff, just like always. She got replies, just like always. Usually, she would receive some thank you notes and one or two comments on the latest updates. 

When she read them though, something was different. 

This time, few people could believe the news: East would now be open to any student in the district.

Open enrollment, a policy dormant at East since 1999, will mean that any student in the Shawnee Mission School District will be qualified to transfer into East. Unlike the past 10 years, they won’t need to enroll in the Signature Programs, International Baccalaureate or Legal Studies, to make the switch.

“[Superintendent Gene Johnson] just mentioned that the high schools were all going to be open to transfers because in the district the numbers are low enough,” Beachy said.

East was one of the last schools to open up, along with West and Northwest. Principal Dr. Karl Krawitz attributes the new policy mostly to the Signature Programs. He said it started with the idea that the district couldn’t offer every program at every school.

“The best way to afford the opportunity for students, other than a formal application process, was to open up the enrollment,” Krawitz said.

Krawitz thinks the number of students coming to East will not be a cause for concern. He describes his total transfer estimate like “finding a needle in the haystack”, but he said the biggest student enrollment numbers might come from private school.

“It’s not cheap to attend Rockhurst, Miege, or Pembroke,” Krawitz said. “And since they all tend to draw kids from our attendance area, I would tend to think we could see an increase, just because of economics.”

The district’s projected enrollment numbers for East next year are almost 100 over those of this year. The incoming freshman class also has around 80 more students than the outgoing senior class, which is factored into the estimate.

The head counselors of the other schools predict a sizable amount of students leaving their schools to come to East. North Counselor John Stone predicts at least 20 studens will be transferring out of North, not including those from middle schools who will be able to decide this year.

“It’s always concerning when you lose good students who have gone to North,” Stone said. “But we were already losing strong students to the IB program.”

East’s President on the Board of Education, Donna Bysfield, thinks that the timing of the change will keep numbers down. 

“High school kids, for the most part, are not transferring a whole lot at this point,” Bysfield said.

Senior Jessie Light transferred to East through IB. At the time, it was the only way she could get into East from the North district, but will stay in IB until she graduates.

“I still would have done IB,” Light said, “but I think it’s great to have an option to not be forced into something that you might not to excel at.”

Krawitz doesn’t think the enrollment will cause a spike in total student numbers. This year, East’s enrollment is around 1,850 students, nearly 250 less than in 2004-05.  

The deadline for applying to East is Feb. 1, 2009. Krawitz thinks that’s the first time the administration will get an accurate idea of how many people are coming. So far, there have been 15 applications approved by the district. Transfer requests are approved mainly on the basis of GPA, which must be over 2.0, and behavior issues.

With the construction taking up room in the building, Krawitz expects more room next year for any transfers. When construction ends, he says that the district would not allow us to have a capacity limit unless it interfered with the student-to-teacher ratio in the Special Needs department.

 He also thinks there could be some movement out of the school to negate any large amounts of student transfers. Last year, East had 34 students transfer in and 106 transfer out.

“If we start to see some equity of movement, “ Krawitz said, “we’ll be okay.”

 “The best way to afford the opportunity for students, other than a formal application process,” said Krawitz, “was to open up the enrollment.”

 Krawitz thinks the number of students coming to East will not be a cause for concern. He describes his total transfer estimate like “finding a needle in the haystack”, but says the biggest student numbers might come from private school.

“It’s not cheap to attend Rockhurst, Miege, or Pembroke,” said Krawitz,” and since they all tend to draw kids from our attendance area, I would tend to think we could see an increase, just because of economics.”

The District’s projected enrollment numbers for next year are almost 100 over those of this year, but the incoming freshman class who has 83 more students than the outgoing senior class, factors in to that also.

The head counselors of the other schools predict a sizable amount of students leaving their schools to come to East. North Counselor John Stone predicts at least 20 kids will be transferring out, not including those from middle schools who will be able to decide this year.

“It’s always concerning when you lose good students who would have gone to North,” said Stone, “but we were already losing strong students to the IB program.

The Board of Education’s East President, Donna Bysfield, thinks that the timing of the change will keep numbers down. 

“High school kids, for the most part, “said Bysfield,” are not transferring a whole lot at this point.”

Senior Jessie Light transferred to East through IB. At the time, it was the only way she could get into East from the North district.

“I still would have done IB,” said Light, “but I think it’s great to have an option to not be forced into something that you might not to excel at.”

Krawitz doesn’t think the enrollment will cause a spike in total student numbers. This year, the East’s enrollment is around 1850 students, nearly 250 less than in 2004-2005.  

The deadline for applying to East is Feb. 1, 2009. Krawitz thinks that’s the only time the administration will get a real feel of how many people are coming. So far, there have been 15 applications approved by the district. Transfer requests are approved mainly on the basis of GPA, which generally must be over 2.0,   and behavior issues.

The deadline for applying to East is Feb. 1, 2009. Krawitz thinks that’s the only time the administration will get a real feel of how many people are coming. So far, there have been 15 applications approved by the district. Transfer requests are approved mainly on the basis of GPA, which generally must be over 2.0, and behavior issues.

With the construction taking up room in the building, Krawitz expects more room next year for any transfers and says that the district would not allow us to have a capacity limit unless it interfered with the student-to-teacher ratio in the  Special Needs department . 

 He also thinks there could be some movement out of the school to negate any large moves in. Last year, East had 34 students transfer in and 106 transfer out.

“If we start to see some equity of movement,” Krawitz, “We’ll be okay.”

Principal Dr. Karl Krawitz will be teaching a course next semester called ‘Personal Leadership.’ Twenty-eight students that applied were accepted after Krawitz reviewed their applications. In the application, students described their strengths, weaknesses and goals for the future. These applications will help Krawitz put the students into groups when they work as teams. 

“[The application] gives me an understanding so I know where [the students] can work together cooperatively,” Krawitz said. “Because people have various strengths, it’s good that a team recognizes a strength that everybody brings to the table.”

This class focuses on giving students life skills and abilities they’ll need in the future, like organization, problem-solving and responsibility. Additionally, the class includes training and certification through the ‘Stephen Covey Seven Habits for Highly Effective People’ course. According to Krawitz, only about 200 kids in the country get certified yearly.

“It’s a program that’s taught nationally pretty much at the corporate world level to executives and leaders of corporations and organizations across the world,” Krawitz said.  “It’s unique from the standpoint that takes an individual and raises their ability to see their own expectations and takes them to a whole different level.”

According to Covey’s Web site, Covey was one of ‘Time’ magazine’s 25 most influential Americans, and his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, had sold over one million copies. The seven habits of his program include ‘be proactive,’ ‘begin with the end in mind’ and creative cooperation.   

Krawitz wants to give every type of student a chance to take his class. In order to qualify for the course, students had to be a junior or a senior. The application also recommended that students be interested in preparing for the future, eager to participate in intellectual discussions, and willing not to make excuses. Krawitz says these traits will help the students think about their beliefs and the beliefs of others, and will help the students consider everyone’s point of view. 

“I always felt that there was more to school than reading and writing and arithmetic,” Krawitz said. “I don’t want that to sound like it’s a negative thing, but … I’ve found people who possess some of these skills and attributes in leadership, but maybe you don’t have the academic know-how on the same level as some other students.”

Krawitz created the course several years ago and has since taught it at each school he worked at as an administrator, and was certified in teaching Covey’s program. Over the years, he has compiled new resources and new activities that add to the class. According to Krawitz, this year’s class is shaping up to be one of his best.

“I wanted to take the class because I’d seen [Krawitz] is a really good leader at our school,” said junior Parker Heying, one of the students accepted to the class. “This is the first time a principal has taught a class. He just seems like a really good guy with some good advice.”

The class involves students breaking into teams and working under different scenarios. These scenarios include working in a city hall, planning a tour for a band, working as a corporation creating a new product and working on an assembly line trying to figure out the best procedure from a given set of clues.  The students will have to decide who can aid them with the problem and how the students are going to communicate with the people that will help them. In April, the class may go to William Jewell College’s Tucker Leadership Confidence Course, where they will undergo a variety of physical challenges relating to leadership. The physical challenges include high and low ropes courses, as well as relevant discussion.  

Students in the class will learn and discuss the leadership skills of people like William Bennis, Rudy Giuliani, and even President Barack Obama. They will also read articles from ‘Executive Excellence’ and ‘Personal Excellence,’ leadership magazines that are only available to those involved in Covey’s program.

Heying hopes that Krawtiz can teach him how to be a successful leader, and Krawitz hopes that his class will fill up every year. He expects word-of-mouth to get potential students interested in taking his course in later semesters.

“It’s not what most people are going to think a regular type of class or class on leadership’s about,” Krawitz said. “They’re going to be exposed to… some of the most outstanding people in the world who provide insights, and you just can’t go out and buy this stuff anywhere.”

As junior Jake Fleming pushes through the third floor hallway he feels his pocket vibrate and he quickly reaches for his phone. Instinctively he looks around for a teacher, but remembers East’s rule allowing phone use in hallways and in the lunchroom. After his quick text, he slips the phone into his pocket and walks into his English classroom.         

Later in class Fleming feels the short vibration on his thigh and he slips the phone out of his pocket, his eyes slowly drift downwards, but he is not falling asleep.  The phone secretly hidden, it was almost impossible for the teacher to notice with her back turned as she wrote on the whiteboard. He quickly hits a couple keys and returns to his notes.      

“I know it’s a distraction but I know when I shouldn’t be using my phone so if it’s really affecting me academically I can stop,” Fleming said.

Fleming is not alone. After working in schools for 35 years Dr. Karl Krawitz has never seen problems like cell phones at East.       

“I have never been to any school where students didn’t respond to a new rule positively,” Krawitz said. “We provided an opportunity to students allowing them to use phones…but they are taking advantage of being allowed to carry around phones and using them during class periods.” 

This year East decided to stray away from confiscating cell phones. Records show last year around 10-12 phones were collected a day. It became a problem as students visited the office to retrieve their phone, causing staff to search for a phone that may have become lost or damaged in a pile of papers or a desk drawer.       

To prevent the hassle, the rule changed to a teacher’s write up instead of collecting phones. 

“In the past we’ve dealt with issues regarding to this with no problems,” Krawitz said.      

According to Krawitz, cell phones were never as big of a problem at other schools that he has worked at as they are at East, so prevention during class was rarely an issue. He hopes that texting will eventually stop in class. 

“It may just be a fad, but for now there really is not much more we can do,” Krawitz said. 

Spanish teacher Linda Longoria thinks that texting is the new form of communication and that it will not be going away for a long time.

“Kids will always be texting there’s no way to stop it unless every kid stops using their cell phone,” Longoria said.     

She believes that texting during class isn’t the only problem with cell phones.

 “Besides being a distraction cell phones can be used to aid students or allow them to cheat during tests by texting other student,” Longoria said. 

Many phones now have Internet access, calculators and large memory capability, allowing students to store information that can also be used to cheat. 

“Students using phones doesn’t just affect them academically, it’s a matter of common courtesy,” Krawitz said. “Teachers work hard to help our students learn and when a student ignores this to use their phones it’s disrespectful.” 

Cell phones were not the first electronic Shawnee Mission School District struggled to implement rules for.  Krawitz remembers when tapes and headsets first were brought into schools and the district allowed their use as long as it did not disturb others. But electronics first became a problem when students began using pagers in class. The district’s only rules were that they needed to remain on vibrate and a student could not leave class for a page.       

“Many kids don’t even realize this is a problem because cell phones have become such a large part of everyday life, Krawitz said. “Kids don’t realize that it’s disrespectful to text while others are talking even if it’s within your family. Responding has almost become an instinct and sometimes you may not notice that you have been responding to a text unless it is brought to your attention.”

District policy also says that to remove a student from school, a parent must contact attendance or provide their child with a note for removal from school, not a text to their child’s phone.      

“For years our district has had policies on contacting the school for the removal of a student and cell phones should not change this,” Krawitz said. “If a parent needs to pull a child out of class they need to contact the school and we will deal with the situation whether it means sending a note to the student, or pulling them out of class.” 

Fleming believes allowing parents to contact a student in class should be allowed,

“If there is a family emergency I want to know from my mom or dad, I don’t want a sheet of paper telling me what happened,” Fleming said. “I realize that it is rude to be using a phone in class, but we have put such a negative view of texting that it’s almost a crime. I don’t see what the problem is, if you aren’t distracting others than it shouldn’t be a big deal,” Fleming said.

The Vernier Labquest was recently given to the science department as a part of a grant that gave twenty-eight Labquests to the department at an estimated $35,000. The final decision was made by teacher Steve Appier and the head of the science department Cole Ogdon.

“We had the decision to make between a Pasco version and the Labquest, and ultimately decided on the Labquest due to its versatility, and the fact that it is supposedly more reliable than the Pasco version,” Ogdon said.

The Labquest, which can calculate a number of different things through the use of a system of probes, has greatly increased the ease of experiments as well as calculations that take place in labs.

“The beauty of this is that we can have students do work at their lab tables and they don’t have to be sitting at a station with the computer hooked up and the software hooked up, which can be very limiting,” Ogdon said. “This way they can actually take the hand-held at the table and do the experiment right at the table.”

The Labquest is used mainly in the Chemistry classes and can help read data such as temperature, conductivity, voltage and the potential hydrogen. It also can also help students with graphs through the touch screen that has made the Venier stand out to other competitors such as the Pasco.

“It’s also a computer in itself,” Ogdon said, “It can do graphing, all kinds of statistical analysis, and you can also hook it up to the computer if you want to print something out or do something else with the information, like put it in a graph.”

The ease of the Labquest and the fact that it is an interesting piece of equipment also has students interested in the uses.

“I used it a couple of time in labs,” junior Alex Cox said. “I think its pretty cool how you can switch the mode to find out different data.” 

The Labquest claims to be “the technology to excel,” having a color touch screen, built in temperature sensors and a microphone.

“There are hundreds, literally hundreds, of experiments that we can use these for,” Ogdon said.

To record data, one must find the right probe to measure it, set the desired mode  and then use the probe to record the data. The Labquest can then help you graph the data or help analyze it. 

The department currently has 10 probes that can help measure data, but the potential for measuring hundreds of different things is also there. 

Outside perceptions of East as an elitist school that have only been perpetuated by our policy of closed enrollment.  

But beginning next year, East will offer open enrollment to students within the Shawnee Mission School District.   

East, one of three remaining high school in the district with a closed enrollment policy, has had its doors closed to transfers for the last nine years because of excessive enrollment.  East will now accept transfers of students from other schools within the district and students who live within the district, but attend private schools.

 This policy change can only benefit East as it will allow for enhanced academic competition and ease the transition among schools in order to participate in specialized programs offered at the various high schools.

If a particular high school fits the needs of an individual best, the student ought to be allowed to transfer into the school.  For East, the Legal Studies program may fit that student, but under current policy it is less accessible due to East’s closed enrollment.

The snob perception of East, mocked by schools such as Rockhurst and Blue Valley North at varsity basketball games, could be alleviated with this transition.  Having open enrollment would allow for a more diverse populous which would promote newer, more diverse experiences and ideas that we have not had because of closed enrollment.

The opportunity for academic competition accompanying the change to open enrollment would be a great advantage to achieving students.  Students would be pushed harder to get higher grades, which would increase East’s prestige as an academically motivated school.  As is the case with Rockhurst, in which students across state lines attend in order to participate in their successful athletic programs, students may be more encouraged to attend East for our successes in academics. 

In addition to academic competition within the school, district-wide competition would be promoted with this change.  As a school with traditionally higher standardized and college entry test scores, East is a more desirable school for academics.  

As East would draw more students in with open enrollment, other schools within the district will compensate by increasing focus on academic rigor, theoretically raising test scores district-wide.

The selective process and requirements for transferring during closed enrollment, which limited transfers to International Baccalaureate program and few other circumstances, will now be lifted.

According to principal Dr. Karl Krawitz, this fluid transition will be made possible by families not having to fill out as much paper work upon transferring.  Previously, students needed to apply via a lengthy application process requiring signatures from many parties.  

Now under open enrollment, the hope is that this process will be simplified by eliminating parts to it.  Students should be able to attend the school that best fits their needs, be it East’s Legal Studies or North’s pre-med program, and this change in policy will make this process much more fluid.

A worry associated with this transition is the future of the IB program. 

East attendee Elizabeth Braeuel was permitted to attend East, despite living in the North district under the agreement she would participate IB program.  

After a few days of school, she realized the IB program wasn’t for her, quit the program and was told she needed to attend another school. 

Situations like Braeuel’s, who said she had every intention of doing the program and was encouraged to because she had friends at East, will be avoided under the policy change.  Students wishing to come to East will not be forced to participate in the IB program in order to attend.  

Additionally, the change will reveal more realistic enrollment numbers in the IB program, students who truly are invested in the program, only increasing the program’s prestige.

Similar to Braeul’s situation, students may wish to come to East in order to remain with friends.  Students, such as those from Indian Hills Middle School, who have established friendships with people who attend East, but will have to go to North because of their address, will now have the opportunity to attend East with their friends.

With the number of students rising with the policy change, space issues might arise, but according to Krawitz, space will not be an issue.  When expansion because of construction and new areas closed during construction reopen, East will have plenty of space.  

In addition, Krawitz expects the number of transfers to be minimal, with only 24 applicants so far before the Feb. 1 deadline.  Though the district has not set a definite limit to the number of transfers, Krawitz expects a cap on enrollment to be unnecessary due to the small number of transfers.

Another reason Krawitz believes students may come to East is because of our recent economic troubles.   Due to these struggles, money has become a factor in family decisions for education.  Of the 24 applicants, nine will be transferring from private schools to what would have been their high school.  Parents may be encouraged to transfer their children in order to defer costs of private school towards things such as college or other items that may have become harder to afford.

But while transfer students may come, it won’t have a great change to spatial issues and will only be beneficial due to the academic competition and the increased diversity promoted by the change.

In the month of December, amidst boughs of holly, chestnuts roasting on an open fire and ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas, it’s easy for a Jew to despondently spin his or her dreidel and wish for more.

More drama.  More hype.  More stuff.  A fat, jolly, magical mascot who says, “Ho, ho ho,” and gives to all who’ve been good.

Instead, Jews must turn to Hanukkah Hero Judah Maccabee, who purged the temple at Mt. Zion of Hellenistic cult paraphernalia, but still takes second to Santa, whose name has over 13 million more hits on Google.

The overpowering presence of Christmas often makes it hard to get excited about Hanukkah. After all, it’s the Christmas season, when the Christmas spirit is all around and Christmas carols on Star 102 that have been playing since Halloween spread Christmas cheer for all to hear.

Christmas has Hanukkah beat, quantitatively speaking, in just about everything.  Take movies, for example.  Try and name five Hanukkah movies.  And The Rugrats Hanukkah Special doesn’t count—it was on TV.  As for Christmas movies, there are so many that each year, I’m convinced every Christmas-related plotline’s already been used.  Then comes Fred Claus, the story of Santa’s estranged older brother.

And then there’s the stuff.  Christmas trees, Christmas cookies, Christmas stockings, lights, garlands, ornaments, carols, poinsettias, inflatable Santas, light-up manger scenes and of course the Hannah Montana Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree Holiday Singing Doll.

Hanukkah is a holiday you can do in five items or less.  Menorah, candles, dreidel, gelt and latkes.  We don’t even have claim over lights, though Hanukkah is said to be the festival of them.

I’m not saying Hanukkah hasn’t been commercialized just like Christmas has.  Target sells both a Christmas and Hanukkah decorating kit, though the one for Christmas has 40 pieces and Hanukkah’s has 16.  And Jewish kids get the same iPods and XBOXes Christian kids do, except they’re not from Santa and they’re not under the tree.

For two holidays of conflicting religions, they do have similarities.  For one, they’re both in celebration of miracles.  A little over 150 years after the oil lasted eight days, immaculate conception gave way to baby Jesus.  And with both holidays, the true meaning’s become shrouded by Black Friday sales and presents. 

But Hanukkah is not just the Jewish Christmas.  Though I’ve been questioned about their existence, there is no Hanukkah fairy in place of Santa, no Hanukkah bush in place of a Christmas tree.  These are just fabrications created in an effort to equate the two holidays. You don’t get eight times as many presents as Christmas just because Hanukkah has eight nights.  Though that’s not a bad idea…

And just as I’ve learned to not expect Santa to come down the chimney on Christmas Eve, I’ve learned not to expect Hanukkah to meet the colossal expectations set by Christmas. 

I’m part of a religion where on the holiest day of the year, we go to services and fast all day.  Not exactly an Easter egg hunt.

Hanukkah follows the typical pattern of Jewish holidays.  Said best by musicians Sean Altman and Rob Tannenbaum of the band What I Like about Jew, “They tried to kill us, we survived, let’s eat.”

To me, that’s the spirit of Hanukkah.  There isn’t anything magical about it, and sure, it will always fall in Christmas’s shadow if measured by the number of ornaments on the tree or stockings filled by Santa on Christmas Eve.

But despite this, there is one advantage Hanukkah undoubtedly has over Christmas.  Even if most Jews spend the holiday trying to ignore Christmas and be satisfied with Hanukkah, they have eight days and eight nights to do it.

Imagine what Santa could do with that much time.

These “starters” may in fact taste phenomenal but great tastes comes at a great, great price.

2,900 calories, 182 g fat, 240 g carbs

2. Chili’s Awesome Blossom:

Just like the cheese fries, these appetizers provide you with more than a meal’s worth of calories.

2,710 calories, 203 g fat, 194 g carbs

3. On the Border Stacked Border Nachos:

These nachos may have more calories than the “Blossom,”but less fat makes it the better choice.

2,740 calories, 166 g fat, 191 g carbs

4. Macaroni Grill Spaghetti and Meatballs with Meat Sauce:

Carbs may be good before a big race but this pasta dish satisfies your calories for an entire day.

2,430 calories, 128 g fat, 207 g carbs

5. Uno Chicago Grill Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza:

This pizza is the calorie equivalent of eating 18 slices of a thin crust cheese pizza from Domino’s.

2,310 calories, 162 g fat, 123 g carbs

6. On the Border Dos XX Fish Tacos with Rice and Beans:

Fish, that has to be healthy…right? Wrong. A dozen crunchy tacos from Taco Bell would give you fewer calories.

2,100 calories, 130 g fat, 169 g carbs

7. Chili’s Honey Chipotle Crispers with Chipotle Sauce:

These are glorified chicken strips that have an extra layer of bread crumbs that soak up all the grease.

2,900 calories, 182 g fat, 240 g carbs

8. P.F. Chang’s Pork Lo Mein:

The fat content in this dish alone provides more than 1,100 calories.

1,820 calories, 127 g fat, 95 g carbs

9. Chili’s Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream:

Would you eat a Big Mac for dessert? How about three? That’s the calorie equivalent of this decadent dish.

1,600 calories, 78 g fat, 215 g carbs

10. Bob Evans Caramel Banana Pecan Cream Stacked and Stuffed Pancakes:

Five Eggs McMuffins yield the same caloric cost as these sugar-stuffed flapjacks.

1,540 calories, 77 g fat, 198 g carbs

11. Lonestar 20 oz T-bone:

Add a baked potato and Lonestar’s Signature Lettuce Wedge, and this is a 2,700 meal.

1,540 calories, 124 g fat

12. Carl’s Jr. Double Six Dollar Burger:

This may not be a local establishment but when your outside of the Sunflower state, watch your choices.

1,520 calories, 111 g fat

13. On the Border Grande Taco Salad with Taco Beef:

Don’t let the word “salad” fool you. Just because it has something green in it doesn’t mean it’s a solid choice.

1,450 calories, 102 g fat, 78 g carbs

14. Quizno’s Chicken Carbonara (large):

A big homemade sandwich would most likely provide you with less than a third of this sandwich’s calories.

1,510 calories, 82 g fat, 106 g carbs

15. Macaroni Grill Double Macaroni ’n’ Cheese:

It is the equivalent of downing one and a half boxes of Kraft mac ’n’ cheese.

1,210 calories, 62 g fat

16. Chipotle Mexican Grilled Chicken Burrito:

This is certainly a favorite, and not the worst choice you can make. Be aware of the add-ons, those are the killers.

1,107 calories, 44 g fat, 113 g carbs

17. Ruby Tuesday Bella Turkey Burger:

The term “Turkey Burger” often implies a healthy choice. But that is certainly not the case with this sandwich.

1,145 calories, 71 g fat, 56 g carbs

18. Pepperidge Farm Roasted Chicken Pot Pie (whole pie):

This meaty “pastry” may be tremendously addictive and small in size but it packs a big, caloric punch.

1,020 calories, 64 g fat, 86 g carbs

19. Jamba Juice Chocolate Moo’d Power Smoothie (30 fl oz):

More like a milk shake. It contains as much sugar as two pints of Ben and Jerry’s Butter Pecan ice cream. 

900 calories, 10 g fat, 183 g carbs

20. Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips from McDonalds w/Ranch:

The only thing “premium” about these strips is the caloric price you pay. Add fries and a drink to top 1,500 calories.

830 calories, 55 g fat, 48 g carbs

America is the fattest country in the world. Many have heard that before, but it is something that all Americans should pay attention to. The most recent statistics show that over 30 percent of Americans are clinically obese. And the six percent lead we have over second place Mexico indicates the United States wants to hold on to the top spot.

While a heath and fitness page in the Harbinger won’t solve the country’s problems with obesity, it should help people in our school and community improve their health with just a few simple pieces of information.

We have compiled data from various sources that are both quality and reliable. The book ™Eat This, Not That∫ by David Zinczenko, editor-in-chief of Men’s Health, is a wonderful source. It truly is the ™no-diet weight loss solution.∫ Over 250 pages contain some of the best nutrition information available and the facts are presented in an easy to read, understandable way.

Lorain Cordain, John Berardi and Eric Cressey are just a few of the trustworthy sources around the country for dependable nutritional and fitness related articles. Cordain, Berardi, and Cressey all have a number of books and their articles appear regularly on their respective websites. 

Another common ™problem∫ that Americans often find is a lack of time or resources to take care of their work out. But it doesn’t take the experience of a professional athlete to create a simple workout. In fact, it doesn’t even take a gym membership.

We’ve provided a sample home workout that takes nothing more than a milk carton and a little creativity.

With just a little knowledge, creativity, and determination Americans can begin to lower the obesity number, and ,yes, that may mean making that large milkshake a small.

1.     All wrapped up. Get together with family and friends for a White Elephant gift exchange! Gifts brought should be suitable for anyone in the group, but also completely random. They should be wrapped in a fashion to disguise what they might be. Let’s say you bought a mood ring— Wrap it in a giant box. Gift giver identities should be anonymous as well. Players take turns choosing and opening a gift, or, instead of opening one, they can ’steal’ a previously opened gift, forcing that person to choose a new one or steal a gift from someone else.

     2. Get crafty. Holiday crafts could either be an excuse to “bond” with your younger siblings or it could become your “homemade gift” for your grandparents. Either way it’s a fun way to get in the Christmas spirit! Some basic crafts are paper snowflakes, popsicle-stick reindeer, Styrofoam snowmen, or paint dull light bulbs for ornaments.

      3. Crave cookies. Invite 12 friends for a gathering of delicious cookie-eating. Each will friend bring three-dozen homemade cookies and go home with a three-dozen assortment. Pig out and chat over cookies. Also, make sure to save at least one half of your cookies for your family… or maybe just one third.  

      4. Holiday classics. You’re never too old to watch some classic holiday movies—A Christmas Story, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer and The Snowman.

      5. Lend a hand. - Volunteer at a soup kitchen! You can earn more service hours and help feed the homeless during the busy holiday season. Grace and Holy Trinity Church holds a soup kitchen over the holidays.

      6. Ice, ice baby. - Slide on over to Crown Center Ice Terrace or The Ice at Park Place to enjoy a spin around the ice rink. Both charge six dollars for admission plus three dollars for skate rentals. Remember to skate at your own risk!

7. Keep warm. Make a fleece blanket. Buy two sheets of fleece material (found at Hobby Lobby or Michaels), each 1 and 1/2 by 1 and 1/2 yards. Choose a pattern you like and a color to match. Simply cut 3-inch deep slits around the edges of both sheets, creating fringe. Then, use the fringe to tie the two sheets together, creating a double-layer, cozy blanket! 

Due to this and its “Legal Alternative” logo, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent a warning letter to the manufacturer and pulled it off the market for eight months in 2007.

In spite of the rumors that the drink is potentially harmful to health, that the FDA bans it and that stores won’t sell it, Cocaine inventor and Redux Beverages’ co-founder, James Kirby, has made a few changes to the drink in order to comply with the FDA. 

It’s back on the market. 

Despite the name and the 280 mg. of caffeine, which is the equivalent of three espresso servings, it doesn’t discourage sophomore Ian Exline from drinking it. In fact, he finds the red-colored, cherry scented drink tastier than Red Bull. 

“We got it from Mr. Bulky’s for my Homecoming after party,” Exline said. “I drank about four and was shot with adrenaline. But when I got the crash I hit the wall and seriously couldn’t get off the couch. You feel as tired as can be.” 

Cocaine is available in three different types: Original, Free and Mild. The Original contains the Japanese root wasabi, which is used in sushi, as a base. It gives off a an extremely spicy flavor that Exline says, “causes a burning sensation in the throat.” 

According to the Science and Biomedical Information about Real Wasabi, the root is alleged to be useful against osteoporosis, arthritis and allergies as well. While the Free version is sugar and calorie free, the Mild version doesn’t contain the wasabi heat. 

As far as taste, sophomore Austin Miller prefers the Mild drink, but if he would want more energy, he would get the Original. He doesn’t drink Cocaine on a regular basis, in fact he doesn’t even drink a lot of caffeine. 

“Occasionally it’s nice to drink,” Miller said. “I think it’s worth it. I like the taste, it’s similar to Red Bull but maybe a bit more concentrated.”

According to Kirby, the drink does not contain high fructose corn syrup. Instead, it contains the sugar, dextrose, which doesn’t cause a heavy sugar crash, nor does it make the body work as hard to work it off. It contains 750 mg. of Taurine, which is an amino acid that helps prevent heart palpitations and the caffeine jitters. Kirby came up with the drink’s formula himself, knowing it met regulations, and worked with his chemists on it. 

“I would say our drink is one of the most healthy energy drinks out there,” Kirby said. “It only has 70 calories, Red Bull has something around 120. It only has 18 grams of sugar when Coke has 39-40. This is why the U.S. Navy Seals have named us their official energy drink and they’re beginning to work with us on a full ad campaign.” 

Adrienne Baxter, a registered dietician and clinical instructor at KUMed School of Allied Health claims Cocaine is not a nutritionist pick. 

“I would encourage people to substitute this drink with milk, water and possibly juices,” Baxter said. “I do understand the role of alertness these drinks give to teens through test taking and so forth. [So] I would give the drink a limit for one per day.” 

Baxter considers the high caffeine content no controversy since it presents no long-term effects to consumers. Although, she wouldn’t recommend it to a patient with coronary heart disease who has been advised to limit caffeine. 

“All of the other ingredients are either stimulants, like the South American additive Guarana,” she said, “or they are added proteins like L-Carnitine.” 

When the FDA came across the beverage in 2007, it wasn’t because they were concerned about its ingredients; their eyebrows were raised about its name. 

The name that 43 year-old software developer, Kirby, came up with one night after finally going back to the drawing board of product names. 

“I thought, Cocaine,” Kirby said. “That’s it. Right then I saw the controversy, the media, and the free press. I knew it was a fine line to walk from the beginning but that’s the kind of person I am. I like to see how far we can get to the edge before we fall off. [The name] was an epiphany.”

It was an epiphany that sold Redux $1.5 million worth of Cocaine internationally in the first three months, according to Forbes Magazine. 

Then on Valentine’s Day in 2007, members of the FDA came and interrogated Kirby for five hours about changing the name of the beverage. Since it was Kirby’s first endeavor in the beverage business, he agreed to pull it off shelves for eight months. Once they began to sell it again, the logo “the legal alternative” was removed and the name was replaced with a blank spot that read, “insert name here.” Then over this past summer, the FDA sent Redux another warning letter complaining about the white powdery look of the font. 

“Since when is the FDA the font police?” Kirby said. “It’s about the safety of the food you’re consuming. They said it looked like you could chop it up with a razor blade or a credit card. I simply wanted a 1970’s soda shop theme, didn’t want to promote drug use. I thought it would be a funny name people would like. There’s such a fine line between promoting drugs and a [energy] drink.”

According to Devin Koontz, a public affairs specialist for the FDA at the Denver District office, since dietary supplements like Cocaine aren’t subject to approval, they can be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Cocaine came under their radar because they had heard it about it from paying attention to word of mouth.

“We viewed it as a street drug alternative,” Koontz said. “Their logo said so and the labeling resembled a white powder. They were implying their product was substantially similar. I personally don’t care enough about it, but I do think it is a marketing scheme.”

Kirby says that now that his beverage is back on the market, they’re ready to fight back. He has set up a legal fund online where the public can make donations to Redux. The money is strictly spent for lawyers, and for fighting the FDA in the future. 

“We’re ready to fight back,” he said. “Is their next step to go through and remove ‘cocaine’ from the dictionary? What’s the difference? I don’t want kids spending money on actual cocaine, I want them spending it on my drink.”

Miller doesn’t find the provocative name or the high caffeine content problematic since the drink is legal. 

“It would be a problem if people were drinking just that,” he said. “But I don’t see a real issue with it. It’s not converging people to do drugs. It’s just the name of a product.”

According to Kirby, distributors are nervous to carry his product since the FDA has intimidated them. Most distributors can choose whether they want to carry the product, and 7–Eleven did just that. They sent Redux a letter explaining they didn’t want to sell Cocaine because it could ruin their image. According to Kirby, their corporate headquarters didn’t want to stir up controversy. That’s why Kirby says it’s harder to find a big distributor like 7-Eleven, so the drink is easier to find in smaller or local businesses like Mr. Bulky’s, or it can be ordered on Redux’s Web site, drinkcocaine.com.  

At the end of the day, Kirby just wants people to accept the product.   

“There more important things out there people need to be worrying about than an energy drink called ‘cocaine,’” he said. “We just want to sell energy drinks, not be wrapped up in lawsuits.”

All because of one name.