staley talon vol. 8, issue 4, teen driving issue

TALON

Inside this Issue:‘Sadness and Regret’Cars Can Cost ReputationDriver’s Education

Staley High SchoolKansas City, Mo.Volume VIII Issue IVApril 2016

The Teen Driving Issue

Table of Contents

2 | Volume VIII | Issue 4 | Talon

PG. 4-5 Driver’s Ed Driver’s Ed Canceled District Wide

PG. 6-7 ‘Sadness and Regret’Teen Driver’s Life Changes After Crash

PG. 8-9 Driving Costs Reputation Student Cars Contribute to HowOthers View Them

PG. 10-11 Driving Tickets Students Share Experiences withTickets

PG. 12 Obscure Driving LawsDriving Laws You May Not Know

The Teen Driving IssueOn the Cover

Senior Alexis Jensen and sophomore Kylee Sally com-pare cars during discussion on how their vehicles have contributed to their reputations. Sally drives a 2012 Ford Mustang. “It got handed down to me,” Sally said. Photo by Christopher Spry

Sophomore Dillon Swafford poses for a photo withformer teammates Cayden Hoth, Alex Lancaster and MoVonn Banks. Swofford, Hoth and Lancaster were all involved in a car crash together. Photo Courtesy of Dillon Swafford

Photo by Emilie Kerr

TALON STAFF

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFAbbi Atwell

STAFFMaddy BendaLane BurchBryttany HolovachAlexis HowardHafsa HusseinJessica JordanEmilie KerrAlayna LopezRita SargentChristopher Spry

GRAPHIC ARTISTSJessica JordanAmber Lewis

ADVISERCherié Burgett

Talon is published quarterly during the school year. Talon will accept letters to the editor in CR202 or at [email protected]. Before the letter is published, we will need to verify the writer’s identity with a photo identification. Letters may not exceed a length of 350 words. We will not publish letters that are libelous, obscene or that may cause a verifiable disruption of the education process of Staley High School. Letters must be signed. Anonymous letters will be discarded. Advertisers may contact the adviser at [email protected], (816) 321-5330 or at 2800 NE Shoal Creek Pkwy, Kansas City, MO, 64156-1313.

Opinions expressed in Talon do not express the staff’s endorsement of the products or ser-vices.

Talon is a member of NSPA, MIPA, MJEA and Quill and Scroll. Talon is affiliated with JEA and JEMKC.

Volume VIII | Issue 4 | Talon | 3

Staff Editorial Distracted driving caused the deaths of 3,154 people in the United States during 2013, and 424,000 people were treated in emergency de-partments due to a wreck involving a distracted driver throughout that year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Distracted driving is among the most irresponsible things that teenagers do. It often takes the lives of those involved and of other people on the roads. Teen drivers from 16 to 19 years old are nearly three times more likely than drivers 20 or older to be involved in a fatal crash, according to the CDC. Some of the risk factors involved in this steep number of annual deaths are that teens are more likely to underestimate a dangerous situ-ation, speed and follow another car too closely. Only 55 percent of high school students in 2013 reported that they always wear a seatbelt. It has been said many times by this point, but a text message can wait. Driving is dangerous, no matter how good of a driver one person is. Teens who drive distracted are making it even more difficult to be safe behind the wheel. Every time someone picks up their cell phone to send a quick text, they are putting themselves and others at risk.

-Talon Staff

Letter from the Editor The theme for the challenge for journalism state competition this year was “The Cost of Driving.” The staff and I worked on stories that follow this theme and decided that this message was one that had to be shared with our classmates. Shortly after we completed much of this work, soph-omore Alex Wilson died in a car wreck. It seemed inappropriate to put a tribute to him in this themed issue. Look for a tribute to Wilson in the next issue of Talon.

-Abbi AtwellEditor-in-Chief

DANGERS OF DISTRACTED DRIVING

Oct. 5, 1999- March 24, 2016

Look for a tribute to Alex Wilson in the next issue of Talon.

Alex Wilson

After this fall se-mester, the online course for Driver’s Education was canceled within the North Kansas City School Dis-trict, according to counsel-or Rob Lundien. Without access to Driver’s Education, stu-dents’ driving habits may be affected, according to North Kansas City School District substitute teacher Tom Stout, who retired after 25 years of teaching Driver’s Education, and now gives private driving lessons. Now, any student in the district who wants to have driving lessons must pay for private ones. Senior Ward Mer-shon took lessons from Stout when he was 15 and said the lessons helped him become a safer driver and learn the rules of the road.

“He taught me a lot of different driving rules,” Mershon said. Senior Monica Aguila took the online Driver’s Education class before it was canceled, and said the class didn’t affect the way she drives. “I didn’t really learn anything new,” Agu-ila said. “It was basically busy work, but I think it would help someone only getting a permit.” Aguila also said that the online class helps with rules only if the student actually puts forth the effort to apply the in-formation they learn when they drive. When students learn to drive, most are taught by their parents, which is why many learn the habits of their parents and may not pick up on specific laws.

“The driving skill level is not where it should be for most,” Stout said. “The thing I make sure to instill is safe driving habits and informing students of laws.” Many parents took a Driver’s Education class in high school, yet most teenagers aren’t tak-ing lessons, which could affect the habits of the next generation, he said. Assistant principal Kevin Kooi said that he understands the impor-tance of having more than an online class offered to students but also sees the effects of implementing driving lessons to stu-dents. “I think there’s value in online prepara-tion; it teaches the rules and regulations,” Kooi said. “When it comes to funding, there is a lot of

things to consider and how we would implement it. It would be of value if we could offer it.” Stout agrees that driving lessons are best. “Driving is the best experience. There’s no substitute for learning and experiencing what it’s like to drive,” Stout said. Having in-per-son driving lessons is important, according to Stout and Kooi. As well, Mershon said that it was important for road safety. “Driving lessons make the road better; it makes the road safer for the people driving,” Mer-shon said.

DRIVER'S EDUCATIONDriver’s Ed Canceled District-Wide

Weighing the OF COSTs

Story by Bryttany Holovach Photo by Emilie Kerr


Lifestyles

Teen Driver Statistics Graphic by Bryttany Holovach

According to the March 2012 issue of the journal Pediatrics.

Driver’s Ed Has Financial BenefitsInsurance Companies Give DiscountsWritten by Bryttany Holovach

Driver’s Education may reduce the cost of the students’ insurance bills. Someinsurance companies offer a discount for teenagers who have taken a qualified Driver’sEducation course. Among the local insurance companies near Staley, Allstate and Farmer’s offer a discount, but State Farm does not. The Driver’s Education class must be taken through the state or a qualifying business, and a certificate must be awarded from the state. According to the Department of Motor Vehices, the course will teach traffic laws, drug and alcohol awareness and driving in adverse weather. The course can either be offeredonline or in a DMV location.


Lifestyles

Many teenagers look forward to getting their licenses when they turn 16. While there are known financial costs that come with driving, one sophomore has learned about the emotional costs as well. “We were just driving and listening to music,” sophomore Dillon Swafford said. On Jan. 8,Swafford was driving with his friends,sophomores Cayden Hoth and AlexLancaster after leaving a basketball game at Oak Park High School. The crash left Hoth partially paralyzed and with

severe spinal cordinjuries. “I feel a lot of sadness and regret,” Swafford said. This is a bigburden for a sophomore to have to bare, but now Swafford has to do just that. He said that it has even affected him when it comes to friendships and friends getting in the car with him. “I’ve had acouple people say that they didn’t want to get in the car with me,” Swafford said. But there have also been supportive

people. Swafford said a lot of people arecomforting about it. “It might be something he will have to live with the rest of his life, but Cayden isn’t going to make him feel bad about what happened,” sophomore basketball coach Nick Dicappo said. Hoth wastransferred fromChildren’s Mercy to Craig Hospital inDenver, Colo., on Jan. 26 where the plan is for him to stay 75 days. The other two students were not seriously injured. With the

basketball season still going after the crash for Hoth’s teammates Swafford and Lancaster, they showed support for him. Swafford and Lancaster wrote Hoth’s basketball number on their shoes, and they had a large cutout of Hoth’s face made to bring to everybasketball game. “I’ve trieddealing with it, but I don’t think I’ll be able to overcome it,” Swafford said.

Written and Photographed by Emilie Kerr

‘Sadness and Regret’TEEN DRIVER’S LIFE CHANGED AFTER CAR CRASH


Feature

Deputy Thomas Q&ATeen Driving from a Different Perspective

Q: What do you think causes the most teen crashes?

A: “Being distracted; texting is probably one of the worst. When you’re impaired and drinking.”

Q: Is drinking and driving common among teens?

A: “Probably more than you think there is. It’s big with events like the dances and prom and in the summer.”

Q: What do you think teens can do to have fewer accidents?

A: “Definitely keep your eyes on the road, and don’t get distracted over a text mes-sage. That text can wait; just put your phone down. Also, don’t drive while intox-icated, and don’t get in the car with some-one who has been drinking.”

All three sophomore boys, Cayden Hoth, Dillon Swafford and Alex Lancaster, who were involved in the crash, played together on the sophomore basketball team along with their friend sopho-more Movonn Banks. The boys took on St. Joseph Central High School on Dec. 15 at home and lost 53-62. Photo Courtesy of Dillon Swafford

Driving Do’s and Don’tsDO drive the speed limitDON’T text and drive DO wear your seat belt DON’T drive under the influenceDO keep your hands on the wheel DON’T run red lightsDO look both waysDON’T talk on the phone and driveDO make room for bicyclesDON’T leave valuables in your carDO pay your parking tickets

Deputy Cody ThomasSchool Resource Officer


Feature

Graphic By Amber Lewis

Comparing their cars in the parking lot are senior Alexis Jensen and sophomore Kylee Sally. Students drive a very diverse group of cars, from Pontiac Grand Ams and Ford Mustangs to Toyota Corollas and Chevrolet Camaros. “I feel like a lot of people know me because of it,” Jensen said.

“Little kids point out my car a lot. My dad gave it to me. He bought it really cheap and then fixed it up for me.”

Senior Alexis Jensen

Q&A:

A: “Yeah, if I see someone with a really nice car, I assume they must be rich.”

-Freshman Grace Duddy

Q: Do you judge people based on the type of car they drive?

A: “Yes. When I see a guy in sweatsdriving an oldCorvette, I think, ‘Wow he must be having a lazy day,’ but if the same guy was in a 2002Camry with the

mirrior missing, I think, ‘Dang, that’s all that guy can afford.’”

-Sophomore Lane Burch

A: “No, someone with a trashy car isn’t automatically a trashy person. In the same sense, someone with a nice car doesn’t make them a nice person.”

-Junior Catherine Flores

Falcons Most Common and Least Common Cars

= 5 cars*58 Students out of 200 polled


Lifestyles

At a school where the most commonly-driven car brand is Ford and the least common are BMW and Jaguar, certain cars have a tendency to stick out in the parking lot. On the other hand, the most popular car for high school students is the 2000 Honda Civic Sedan, according to the Torque Report. Sophomore Kylee Sally drives a red 2012 Ford Mustang, which receives a lot of attention in comparison to other students’ cars. Her car has even affected the way that other people see her. “Usually people think I’m a grown woman because of how nice of a car it is,” Sally said. In contrast to the atten-tion that a Mustang receives, se-nior Alexis Jensen drives a purple and white 2001 Pontiac, which receives attention because of its eclectic colors.

“I’ll meet someone new, and they’ll say, ‘Oh, you’re the girl who drives the purple car,’” Jensen said. People often have expec-tations of others based on what kind of car they drive. Cars have even been known to cause issues between friends at times. Soph-omore Joseph Cantrell drives a Chevrolet Camaro, and he said that he gets a lot of requests to drive it. “I’ve let a few people drive it, and then people get jealous once they hear that someone’s driven it,” Cantrell said. The comments that stu-dents get from others about their car highlight the impact that a car can have on a person’s reputation. A car can add character to one’s reputation or make people think of others in a negative way. “People think I’m the

stereotypical rich girl and maybe a little snotty,” Sally said. “That has a big impact on me.” Top of the line cars may draw lots of attention, but more common cars as the Ford Taurus or the Focus tend not to draw as much attention from peers. Senior Haylee Andrews drives a 1995 Toyota Camry and said that she doesn’t care what people think of her car. “My car hasn’t affected my reputation at all,” Andrews said. “It’s financially responsible for me to drive a used car.” When it comes to older cars, friends even have come up with nicknames for the car and are able to laugh about it together. “It’s a used car, so I know it’s kind of a beater,” Jensen said. “I don’t get offended by comments. We all kind of laugh about it.”

Written By Abbi Atwell Photos By Christopher Spry

Driving Can Cost ReputationSTUDENT CARS CONTRIBUTE TO HOW OTHERS VIEW THEM

“People ask me how a 16-year-old got such a nice car. It was my mom’s car, and my parents didn’t want to buy a new one, so it just got handed down to me.”

Sophomore Kylee Sally


Lifestyles

The Cost of Driving

Senior John Bastarache said he has spent more than $1,000 onspeeding tickets. “The most expensive ticket I got, I was going 48 in a 30, and that was around $640,” Bastarache said. The fine was higher than it would have been if he wasn’t in a school zone. When Bastarache gets aspeeding ticket, he not only has to pay for the ticket but also has to pay for a lawyer to clear the ticket. “I’m lucky enough to have friend whose parents are lawyers, so they didn’t charge me that much,”Bastarache said.

John BastaracheSenior

4 Tickets

Story and Photo by Alayna Lopez

STUDENT SHARES HOW TICKETS HAVE COST HIM BIG


Lifestyles

“The first time I got a ticket, I was going 60 in a 45, and that

was really expensive.”

STUDENTS SHARE WAYS TO GET OUT OF A TICKET

Ryan Dorian Senior

“Just be really polite.”

Mariah Edde Sophomore

“Crying is an easy way to get out of a

ticket.”

Ariel KonyaliogluSenior

“Have areally good

excuse ready.”

Ryan Bedard Junior

“Just be honest.”

By Alayna Lopez


Lifestyles

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