The Express - December Issue

Memory loss, caused by Alzheimer’s and Dementia, forces families to adapt to a new life

FEATURES

A view into the experiences of multilingual individuals and the benefits of speaking multiple languages.

Social media can affect students’ views on prominent pop culture figures.

Local and chain restaurants throw away large amounts of food at the end of each work day. A

emphasis on the creative and practical elements of the artistic process to celebrate the national month of art.

Memory loss inducing diseases are something many families struggle with, like junior Ava Masterson, who’s father, Mickey, has Alzheimer’s. “Dementia and Alzheimer’s are two different diseases. Very different. While they’re both memory deteriorating, Alzheimer’s is a disease that also deteriorates connections within your brain,” Masterson said. “Most of the time, numbers are one of the first things to go and same for short term memory. And just like remembering to do these little nitty gritty things, like he doesn’t remember to shut off the lights or close doors.”

A collection of student life photos from the end of the semester.

A look into the inspirations and origins of students’ unique fashion styles.

Photos from football, girls and boys basketball, dance and cheer.

Attitude of Gratitude

Thankfulness and giving back to the community are common themes during the holiday season, but this attitude of gratitude seems to disappear for the rest of the year.

Charities need volunteers year-round, yet volunteerism increases greatly only during November and December.

While volunteerism only increases during the winter months, the US Census Bureau cited the official poverty rate at 11.6 percent in 2021, meaning over 37 million people require some kind of assistance. Additionally, the Bureau reported in the same year that 20 million adults — nine percent of the population — were food insecure because of the pandemic. Giving back to your community during the holiday season is a great activity, but these struggles do not just vanish for the rest of the year.

In our last issue, we wrote about the importance of education and increasing your awareness of the struggles people around you go through. This issue, our staff encourages you to focus on empathy by giving back to our

community. In a world that is so divided and at odds, empathy and a sense of togetherness is more important than ever.

Volunteering should be a habit, not an afterthought that only comes after November’s reminder to be grateful for what you have.

Making volunteering a habit is not only great for the people you are helping; it also helps you. Giving back to the community helps you create long-lasting relationships with the people around you. Connecting with your community builds your support system and social network. Even something as simple as serving food at a soup kitchen or helping out at your place of worship can give you the tools to connect with the people around you.

Generosity is a virtue that needs to be spread every day, not just during the winter. There are plenty of local charities who need your help, and plenty of organizations and websites can set you up with the perfect opportunity to pursue ways to live with an attitude of gratitude year-round.

OPINION

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by Anna Bailey

The Oppression Olympics are an event in which no one should ever be winning the gold, silver or bronze. The Oppression Olympics, a term first coined in 1993 by Elizabeth Martinez, is a useless charade pitting marginalized groups against each other to decide which group has it worse despite the fact these groups’ struggles should not be set side by side.

So this is a message for anyone who is a part of marginalized racial groups: no part of any marginalized group’s history is comparable to another. Some parts of history are terrible and disgusting. There is no reason to pit marginalized racial groups against each other because no one wins and everyone ends up getting hurt.

A common example I see is usually on social media with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Someone will comment or use the hashtag BLM to spread more awareness about the movement. Instead of standing with Black people, other races and marginalized groups will attack the writer and misconstrue the meaning of BLM. The marginalized racial groups will see the movement as something that is made to only benefit Black people, instead of seeing it for what it really is — a movement made to bring awareness to the Jim Crow like segregation that still exists today in America.

Members of the Asian American community felt like the public focus was purely on the BLM movement in 2020, despite the fact that they were facing an increase in antiAsian hate crimes.

The BLM movement is not designed to invalidate the discrimination that other racial minorities face. We, as the oppressed, fight the oppressors every day. We do not need to be fighting each other over who is the most oppressed.

The Oppression Olympics can be dangerous because it can allow groups and platforms on social media to spread counterproductive information to try to win the title of ‘Most Oppressed.’

When we continue bullying other marginalized groups out of their rightful feelings to past or present historical

events, we further these games. Instead of harping on others for having to deal with the harsh aspects of their life, marginalized groups need to choose to listen and take into consideration everything that other marginalized groups have gone through as well to keep it from happening again in the future.

There is no reason to make more enemies when you already have enough to deal with. There is no reason to diminish another’s voice. Oppression wins when different groups act to tear each other down and create an environment where they are the only ones allowed to speak out about their struggles. To combat this, marginalized groups have to set aside personal opinions on “who has it worst” in the oppression category, and, instead, listen to the reasoning of why other groups have experienced this trauma.

The world is already divided between the oppressor and the oppressed. We, as a community, need to practice empathy and remember that we all face discrimination.

The way to backtrack from this and fix the wrongs that have been made can easily be done, as long as the marginalized on social media and in person are raising each other up instead of tearing each other down.

We as marginalized groups cannot expect those who have oppressed us to turn around and fix the problems they created. This is unfair, but so is the life we lead.

If we want change we can not expect to get it done if we are adding to the oppression by taking part in oppressing other marginalized racial groups. As civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer put it, “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.”

The torch of the Oppression Olympics has been burning for long enough. It is past time for our nation, which is full of the marginalized, to extinguish it.

Written

Harper Latta, Designed

Oppression wins when different groups act to tear each other down.”

-Harper Latta

Written by Lizzie Lively, Designed by Anna Bailey

Ienjoy being a part of an online fan culture, seeing different cosplayers’ takes on certain characters and reading fan theories. Enjoying media is fun and being a part of a community that enjoys it as well makes it even better. But how much is too much?

Last summer, I could not scroll through any form of social media without being bombarded with another awful remix of “Chrissy Wake Up.” That certain line, used in season four of “Stranger Things,” was constantly remixed and used all over TikTok the summer after the season came out. This line was a reaction to another character being brutally murdered by the season’s main antagonist.

Most of the content, including those horrible remixes, centered around Eddie Munson, a supporting character who was introduced and then (spoiler alert!) promptly killed off in the same season. This obsession with someone so inconsequential to the entirety of the show is mildly concerning and evidence of parasocial relationships being formed.

The term “parasocial relationship” was developed in 1956 and defined by the National Library of Medicine as “symbolic, one-sided social ties that individuals imagine with media figures and celebrities.”

These one-sided relationships are not always harmful but can become harmful when left unchecked. Unhealthy parasocial relationships can interfere with real-life relationships, especially when supplemented for real-life interactions. According to Medical Health Today, they can contribute to anxiety, loneliness and self isolation. The National Library of Medicine has also linked unhealthy parasocial relationships with materialism and depression.

These one-sided relationships are not exclusive to “Stranger Things” fan culture; they are present everywhere online and they can have fatal results.

Christina Grimmie, a pop singer, was murdered after a concert by a fan who, according to Time Magazine, had an unhealthy infatuation with Grimmie.

Grimmie’s murder was not the first, nor the last, parasocial relationship to end in tragedy. Selena Quintanilla, a Latina singer, was also murdered by the president of her own fan club.

While these one-sided ties can grow to be toxic, not every parasocial relationship ends in murder. There is nothing wrong with enjoying a character, cosplaying as them, or even spinning wild fan theories based on circumstantial evidence. That is the fun part of being in a fandom. However, there is something wrong with being so overly obsessed with a fictional character or celebrity that you form an unhealthy and toxic obsession with them.

Fans of “Stranger Things” were creating parasocial relationships with Eddie, spinning their own tales of the character and his impact on the rest of the cast. For example, Sapphire, a musician and creator on TikTok, wrote a song about the reaction to Eddie’s untimely death. She inserted herself into the song as a narrator and detailed the other character’s reactions through her eyes. She said she wrote the song for Eddie. The song sounds like it was written for a real person who died tragically, not a fictional character that never existed.

Fake relationships like these, when controlled, are not a big deal. They might seem cringey or embarrassing, but they have the potential to be beneficial for your mental health. Parasocial relationships are actually very common with 51 percent of Americans having been in a parasocial relationship according to a study by Thriveworks. Healthy parasocial relationships can be a coping mechanism, according to the National Library of Medicine. Additionally, they can help people develop autonomy and independence through embodying the positive traits the character displays.

While parasocial relationships have mental health benefits, they clearly can become dangerous for both sides. Social media and cinema are not reflections of real life, and they should not be treated as such. Interactions with real people cannot be replaced with emotional ties to a person or character you can never truly know. Parasocial relationships can be beneficial, but remember to ask yourself: “How much is too much?”

BREAKING THE

LANGUAGE BARRIER

The benefits of speaking multiple languages are often overlooked, but being multilingual creates many opportunities

F

or senior Ana Sara Rodrigues Chrisostomo de Brito, being bilingual gave her the chance to complete a year of high school in the United States. Rodrigues Chrisostomo de Brito learned English at her school in Brazil, with Portuguese as her first language.in video games, music and movies,” Rodrigues Chrisostomo de Brito said.

Similarly to Rodrigues Chrisostomo de Brito, senior Alessandro Navarra is a foreign exchange student from Italy who speaks English as his second language, with Italian being his first. He learned English at age 8 in similar ways to Rodrigues Chrisostomo de Brito.

beginning of the semester.

“English is funny to learn because it’s everywhere, so I learned it

Navarra said multiple forms of media helped him navigate the learning process.

“In the first week, my mom came here with me, and she said I was speaking English whilst sleeping,” Rodrigues Chrisostomo de Brito said. “It was so confusing, and sometimes, [with my] host family, I would just start speaking Portuguese with them and expect them to know, but they didn’t; it was so funny.”

acha zǎo

“I learned English through YouTube videos, films, and I like documentaries,” Navarra said. “I also did private lessons.” Rodrigues Chrisostomo de Brito said it was difficult adjusting to speaking English all of the time when she was first in America, at the

After attending Northwest this semester, Rodrigues Chrisostomo de Brito said being in school has been interesting because rather than just learning the curriculum, she is also learning English.

ma'an

gracias wǎn ān sorrir jameela

bù kèqì prego namaskar

“It’s a different way of learning because when you’re learning something in your first language, you’re just learning the subject,” Rodrigues Chrisostomo de Brito said. “But when you’re learning something in another language, you learn the subject and the language. So, when I’m in French class, I am learning English too. You’re learning English everywhere; it’s amazing.”

quaeso

vale

haan anno

In addition to a unique school experience, Navarra said learning English has opened many doors for him.

“I find that American English is very

08 | THE EXPRESS FEATURE

najma adeus

Written by Ashley Adams and Lindsay Maresh, Photographed by Kendall Dickerson, Designed by Avery Sigg

useful to travel the world,” Navarra said. “It also helps with [learning] new information. I found Italian YouTube wasn’t that interesting, and by learning English, I can watch American YouTube and learn new things.”

Many adults see the benefits and would like to learn another language, but Navarra said learning as a child is when it is the easiest.

“When we are kids, we’re blank. We’re like sponges,” Navarra said. “We’ll learn it faster. When we’re adults, we’ve learned so many things before; it’s more difficult to learn new things.”

Junior Amarah Qureshi is the daughter of a multilingual father, but does not speak a second language herself.

“My dad speaks Arabic, Urdu, [English] and Hindi,” Qureshi said. “I’ve definitely tried to speak the languages with my relatives, but they’re just so complex.”

Similarly to Navarra, Qureshi said learning a new language at a young age would have been beneficial to her.

“I didn’t start at a very young age,” Qureshi said. “If I was exposed to [those languages] more… I think I would have been able to speak [them] more and be more comfortable.”

While it is significantly easier to learn a new language at a young age, Spanish teacher Andrea Smith said there are many benefits to learning a new language, even later in life.

“It’s really important that teens at least study or take one language class, if anything, to start to think about how you can not only just communicate with more people, but how you can be more understanding and grow empathy,” Smith said. “It helps you think about things in a different way and approach people in a different way.”

Additionally, Smith said different languages do not always overlap in terms of informal phrases. This can tend to alter one’s personality when

speaking in another language.

“If I would say something that is idiomatic English, it doesn’t quite translate or have the same impact,” Smith said. “At the same time, when I am speaking Spanish, my personality is almost a little different.”

By learning English and getting to do his senior year at BVNW, Navarra said he has been able to observe American culture and compare it to life in Italy.

“Italy has more social life and public transportation. And, I gotta say, it has more artistic buildings,” Navarra said. “But, [in the U.S.] the quantity of people you meet is much higher. You can really network.”

Despite the boundless positives of being bilingual, many people in the U.S. are not able to speak another language. Navarra said a possible reason for this is many people in the United States are closed-minded.

“They think their culture is the best; this is why you should travel and have an open mind,” Navarra said.

Qureshi expanded on Navarra’s viewpoint.

“Even when we travel outside of the United States, we usually go to resorts

where people speak English,” Qureshi said. “So, nobody has to try and reach out and speak another language for other people.”

Another possible reason many people are not bilingual, Smith said, is due to the challenges involved with learning a second language.

“It was difficult [for me] in the way that sometimes you cannot force yourself to be able to pick up the language as quickly as you would like,” Smith said. “It took four or five years to start to feel confident with the language, which can be frustrating, but it takes a little while.”

Smith said despite the convenience of primarily speaking English, learning a second language can have great benefits later in life.

“It opens doors to communicate with a whole other group of people that speak that language,” Smith said. “But also it gives you communication skills and people skills and understanding of culture that can help you in all aspects of your life.”

Senior Ana Sara Rodrigues

Chrisostomo de Brito reflects on how music has fueled her progression in learning English. “Every person has their own ways to learn [English], and some people learn by movies but music is my whole life so it was an easy way to learn,” Rodrigues Chrisostomo de Brito said.

mi scusi aloha

grazie

hola nǐhǎo merci

wǎn ān sorrir jameela

haan namaskar

quaeso FEATURE

HUSKY HIGHLIGHTS

Senior Charlie Vincent performs the role of Detective Carl Hanratty in the theater department’s dress rehearsal of ‘Catch Me If You Can,’ Nov. 12. “This [role] impacted me because it’s the first time on stage where I’ve really felt free to go off the walls,” Vincent said. (Photo by George Buckley)

Sophomore Marly Burbach answers questions over the novel “Animal Farm” by George Orwell in her seventh hour ELA 10 class, Nov. 9. “This class has impacted me because I made connections with people that I otherwise wouldn’t have,” Burbach said.

(Photo by Remi Nuss)

Junior Kaia Bray paints her Coloradoinspired landscape project during her sixth hour Painting I class, Nov. 15. “Some of my favorite landscapes are in Colorado and I wanted to recreate something that is special to me,” Bray said. (Photo by Lila Vancrum)

Sophomore Ruby Ricker, and seniors Lauren Robinson and Andriyko Bondar and junior Hannah Hatton sing the national anthem with the Chamber symphony at the winter activity assembly, Dec. 12. “It’s cool to see our hard work come to life and have our peers watch us perform,” Robinson said.

(Photo by Lila Vancrum)

Junior Gabriella Jordanova works on her vase during first hour ceramics class, Nov. 9. “I love being able to sit down and listen to music and make 3D art,” Jordanova said. “I like making something that I then can take home and display.”

(Photo by Arpa Das)

The sophomore section sings along with student leaders to learn the new alma mater during the first assembly held in the new gym, Dec. 12. (Photo by Rachel King)

Dementia and Alzheimer’s affect family dynamics at various stages of life

Written by Alex Cowdrey and Bridget

Broadcast teacher Kim White has long-feared her own diagnosis of Alzheimer’s since her father developed the disease.

“What if I’m the one that has [Alzheimer’s], who then takes care of me. I don’t have kids, I’m not married. So, there’s a part of me that’s a little bit scared and worried. What if I’m next?” White said through tears.

White’s father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s almost nine years ago and now lives in an Alzheimer’s care facility in Overland Park. White’s aunt also had Alzheimer’s, and her grandmother had Dementia.

Neurologist Jeff Burns co-directs the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at the University of Kansas Health System and practices at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Burns said Alzheimer’s is the most common form of Dementia. He defines Dementia as, “memory and thinking changes that interfere with daily function… Alzheimer’s is the most common and it’s defined as the presence of plaques and tangles in the brain,” Burns said. “[Those affected] tend to have shortterm memory problems and other cognitive problems with organizing and

Clockwise from top left: Teacher Kim White’s father, Charles White, was diagnosed with Alzeihmer’s disease almost nine years ago.

Mickey Masterson and his wife, Xenia, photographed by their youngest daughter, Ava, in 2021.

Xenia and Mickey Masterson run down the aisle after being married in 1994.

Mickey and Xenia Masterson have six children together, Brennan, Alyssa, Ryan, Mychal, Ava and Julia.

(Photos courtesy of Kim White and Ava Masterson)

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planning. They don’t have any problems with their movements and their motor systems.”

The changes Burns described were familiar to White as she recalled her cousins talking about the symptoms of her aunt, and she said it sounded similar to what her father was experiencing. She flew down to where her parents lived in Georgia and was shocked when she saw the state her father was in.

“I was surprised because my dad is a really strong man, and he was just an entirely different person. His language changed, his mannerisms changed, the way he acted changed,” White said.

Junior Ava Masterson also suspected that her father, Mickey Masterson, had Alzheimer’s, as some of her relatives have had it. She said her family first

touchy subject within my family.”

Likewise, Burns said this disease can interfere with relationships because of its side effects.

“They aren’t able to do what they used to do as well; they often respond by feeling down or depressed, which influences relationships with others,” Burns said.

BVNW parent and co-founder of Prairie Elder Care Michala Gibson said there is a loss of control many families experience.

“The control is taken away from the [person] and the family, and they are left with a sense of helplessness, and they don’t know how to fix it. It is like the rug has been pulled out right under their feet,” Gibson said. “[At Prairie Elder Care,] we try to give them as much control as we can that most people try to take away. It gives them a higher quality of life and reason to live.”

White explained her family did not tell her father he had Alzheimer’s to help him retain his sense of hope.

saw signs of the disease two years prior to his diagnosis three years ago.

“When he was finally diagnosed, it wasn’t like an initial shock, but rather kind of validating that my suspicions were real,” Masterson said.

Mickey also said there was no “initial shock” when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s because his father, uncle, cousins and sister have all been diagnosed.

“I wasn’t quite shocked, because of the fact it was a kind of a family trait,” Mickey said.

Masterson described how her family changed after their suspicions were validated.

“We didn’t really talk about it to each other, out of respect for my dad and his privacy. You could definitely tell that everyone was kind of upset about it, but we didn’t say anything really out loud in a group to each other,” Masterson said. “You might have said something oneon-one to somebody but it was just a

“All the research I’ve read, all the people I’ve met, all the people I’ve talked to say that once an Alzheimer’s patient knows they have it, they give up because there’s no cure,” she said.

One of the most challenging things about being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Mickey said he has endured, was having to make the adjustment at work. Mickey was the Athletic Director at Blue Valley North for 12 years, but he was unable to work after he was diagnosed.

“I went from making a good amount of money to not being allowed to do it and not having any ability to work,” Mickey said. “I have a good family and people that support me, but, you know, for my whole life, I wanted to support my family. [And now I] can’t do that.”

Masterson said it has been hard for her dad to participate in certain family activities since his diagnosis.

“There are lots of games that we always play at our holiday parties. We love card games, and we’re all really

Hamlin, Photographed

Lila Vancrum, Desgined by Prajwal Adhikari

“My dad’s always been my rock, so I feel like that role has kind of reversed.

I feel like I try to be there for him, the way he’s always been there for me.” -Kim White

good at them. But since he can’t deal with numbers, he is unable to play [with us] anymore,” Masterson said.

White explained what has helped her father the most is time with his family.

“When I first moved my dad here, they told me he had two to three years to live. That was really hard to hear. Now we are almost nine years later, and he’s still with us, that’s amazing,” she said. “The doctors and the nurses say the reason they believe he’s still here and he’s still doing as well as he is, is because we spend so much time with him.”

White explained how her relationship with her father completely changed from what it was before.

“My dad’s always been my rock, so I feel like that role has kind of reversed. I feel like I try to be there for him, the way he’s always been there for me,” White said.

Although her relationship is different than it was before, there are still some things that have stayed the same.

“We still watch a lot of ball games together, especially on Sundays; we catch the Chiefs when they play at noon. I stop at McDonald’s and get him

a sweet tea and an apple fritter and his eyes just light up,” White said. “But it’s just different; I used to have a lot of heart-to-heart conversations with my dad about life, about family, about sports, just about a lot of things and his mind just doesn’t process.”

Masterson also expressed concerns about how quickly her father’s condition would worsen and how her relationship with him may be affected.

“[I worried about] how long he’d really be my dad. Since I’m the youngest, I was worried that I would be the first to go [from his memory], and that it was going to be a super rapid decline,” Masteron said.

When it comes to keeping himself healthy, Mickey said he has never had any struggles in terms of denying he has the disease. He often tries to get out of the house and stay active.

“One of the things that helps me is I referee basketball. So that helps, at least to get me out so I’m not just hanging out at home all the time,” Mickey said.

Mickey is going through day-to-day life as Burns described is best to keep

spirits up.

“I think recognizing [that they’re] vulnerable and really trying to acknowledge that they’re not dumb. They’re not. This is a disease.” Burns said. “What [they’ve] got to do is try to maximize what [they] have, make sure [they are] on the right medicine and make sure [they’re] exercising and staying active mentally and physically.”

Burns not only gave advice for the person with Alzheimer’s, but also their family members and loved ones.

“Be understanding by not picking fights and not trying to win fights with people with Alzheimer’s because their ability to reason through problems isn’t as good as it used to be. It’s not worth arguing over most things, so just pick your battles,” he said.

Burns also advised family members to note the disease may affect the things they say.

“Try to have thick skin because one day they may be happy and nice and then irritable and angry. It’s not personal. It’s the disease,” Burns said.

White has endured difficult experiences like this but she reminds herself it is not her father but it is the disease.

“Those bad days are hard because the person in that body is not my dad. He says things and that can be just gut wrenching. He’s hateful sometimes, and some of the stuff he says hurts a lot,” White said. “But I know that that’s my dad, and that’s what gets me through, is the days where I get to talk to my dad.”

Masterson said she also struggled when trying to spend time with her father after his diagnosis.

“There’s kind of a war going on inside your head between wanting to spend time with them, and when you are [actually] spending time with them, having to hold it together,” Masterson said.

Gibson said the good and bad days can be conflicting for the family to go through.

“It is hard to watch someone you have known and loved deteriorate. I do always say on the bad days remember the good days. The bad days can be harder for the loved ones than the patient, but the good days can be so rewarding,” she said.

Burns added that taking care of someone who has never needed that

Michala Gibson interacts with a patient at Prairie Elder Care. “We care for people through end of life and have so many special memories,” Gibson said

before can be difficult for the family.

“The hardest job for anybody is being a caregiver. Nobody’s prepared for it. Nobody feels up to the task,” Burns said.

White said that her mom’s emotions have taken a toll on her due to the duties of being a caregiver to her husband.

“One of the hardest things for me to watch is my mom watching what’s happening to my dad. She’s losing the man she loves and has been married to for 50 some years, so watching her have to watch him decline has been hard. She’s done it as best as she can and she’s been a trooper,” White said.

Although Masterson said she sometimes struggles with this, she reminds herself who her dad really is.

“Nothing has changed. He’s still that same person in my heart and everybody else’s hearts. The disease does not impact the way we see him,” Masterson said. “We still love to spend time with him, no matter how hard it is. He’s our dad.”

Masterson feels that the outside world views those with Alzheimer’s differently from reality.

“I think a lot of people, when they hear that [my dad] has Alzheimer’s, they assume that he can’t really remember anything at all,” Masterson said. “But, because of his medication, he remembers a lot of things, right now.

Mickey added another challenge he faces is communication and numbers.

“I know what I want to say, but I just can’t get the words out. It’s really frustrating,” Mickey said. “I cannot figure out my numbers. When [doctors] say to me, go backwards on numbers, I’m like, ‘wow, yeah, that’s really really hard for me.’”

Looking back, Masterson realized talking more about this subject would have helped her, rather than going through it alone.

“I definitely would not advise someone to go through this alone. It’s really hard to process on your own because you’re losing them, but you’re not,” Masterson said. “They are there, physically, but their brain is unable to associate the things that they love to do, with the ability to love to do those things. They don’t necessarily know who they are as a person anymore because they can’t make those

ago

started

symptoms of Alzheimer’s. “I typically see [my dad] somewhere between three and five days a week,” White said. “It’s a continual process because you never know what his condition is really going to be.” (Photo courtesy of Kim White)

connections.”

Although Mickey is in his early stages of Alzheimer’s, Masterson said it will get to a certain point where he might not remember her.

“When you get late in your diagnosis, you stop being able to associate the people with the connections,” Masterson said.

Mickey’s wife, Xenia Masterson, said he is in the process of possibly being admitted into a study which is looking to help slow the development of Alzheimer’s.

“They’ve already kind of discovered what is helping slow down Alzheimer’s, but [they are] trying to figure out how to slow down the Tau that builds up in the brain because they think that the brain connectors are not connecting for memory,” Xenia said.

Tau is a protein found primarily in neurons, or brain cells. Its main function is to stabilize microtubules, thus allowing cell and mitosis to function efficiently. However, if Tau acts abnormally it then creates tangles within the neurons, thus inhibiting basic brain functions.

Mickey said his biggest piece of advice he would give to people dealing

with Alzheimer’s is to be patient and have hope for the future.

“There’s a lot more out there. In terms of things that they’re doing now [that] they weren’t doing ten years ago, five years ago, even,” Mickey said. “A lot of research says that there’s some breakthroughs coming, and I obviously think that’s a great thing.”

Mickey also said he would advise getting involved in a study.

“Get with a study. Because again, there’s this ability to not only have something going on for you, but you also are there and people are checking on you constantly,” Mickey said.

Aside from the daily challenges Alzheimer’s brings, Mickey’s biggest motive to keep going is the desire to benefit the future generations.

“My goal is to help somebody down the road; whoever has [Alzheimer’s] and then hopefully we can find a cure,” Mickey said.

Kim White moved her mom and dad to Kansas nine years

when her father

to show

AN EXPIRED SYSTEM

Written by Jeny Jithesh & Addie Aadland, Photographed by George Buckley, Designed by Arpa Das

Approximately 108 billion pounds of food are thrown away each year in America, and almost 40% of all food in the country is wasted.

Commercial food waste accounts for about 61% of this problem, according to Feeding America, a nationwide nonprofit organization focusing on reducing food insecurity.

Senior Gabbie Troutner used to work at Crumbl Cookies and personally experienced overwhelming waste.

“Every night, we would take the whole rack of cookies and dump them into a giant box and then take them out to the dumpster,” she said. “The box of cookies could weigh up to 90 pounds. You would have to take a cart roller to roll it out to the garbage can and have three people lift it to the trash.”

Food waste occurs at every stage of food production and supply chains in restaurants and bakeries. Overproduction plays a heavy role in the amount of food that is thrown out at the end of the day. Another common source of food waste is from consumers purchasing too much food and disposing of what they do not eat.

However, some of the biggest contributing factors to the amount of wasted food are the disposal and donation guidelines businesses must follow, based on both company and federal policies. Many restaurants have

liability concerns over the possibility of being sued over the safety of their donated food. Although some want to reduce the amount of food they are throwing out, they are too scared to do so.

To eliminate some of the food waste, Troutner said Crumbl Cookies has tried to find places to donate excess products.

“I know that Crumbl has tried to give the leftover cookies to the hospital next door to us, so that was a lot better [than throwing them out],” Troutner said.

Senior Ainsley Novak worked at LaMar’s Donuts & Coffee over the summer. She said that the bakery was forced to throw out numerous donuts on a daily basis.

“Because it’s donuts, they go bad, and they had to throw them out at the end of every day,” she said. “They had racks of them that they would throw out.”

Novak said one way she and her coworkers tried to reduce the amount of food they were wasting was by taking the boxes they had left over at the end of the day and distributing them to local restaurants and bakeries.

“Sometimes, I would take boxes of them to businesses near my house because I wanted to actually give them to someone at least, even if they had to throw away the rest of them,” Novak said.

Both LaMar’s and Crumbl have not

responded to requests for comment.

Senior Claire Vanderpool has had a variety of experiences working with food over the years, having worked at McDonald’s and Target. For two years, Vanderpool also worked at Starbucks, where she said the amount of food wasted was difficult to witness.

“I think the biggest food amount that I have thrown away was like 50 unopened sandwiches and desserts. Starbucks is really expensive, so throwing that away sucks,” Vanderpool said.

Vanderpool said restaurants can decrease the amount of food they throw away by making smaller portions rather than excessive ones.

“I think if we made less in the moment instead of just making more and more [we could waste less]. I would rather have a customer wait an extra two minutes than waste a ton of stuff,” she said.

Although Vanderpool said she believes that preparing less food at a time can work to reduce the amount wasted, she understands the dilemma that restaurants and bakeries face in preventing such loss.

“There’s not a way to tell us who’s gonna order what [any given] day,” she said. “[Some days], 30 people will order a bacon gouda sandwich and we might only have five, and so we either have to offer something else, which we can get in trouble for, or just not sell it at all, which we can also get in trouble for.”

Starbucks declined to comment regarding their food waste policies.

In her working experience, Vanderpool has learned that most

Working students share their accounts of food waste in the community

I think the biggest food amount that I have thrown away was like 50 unopened sandwiches and desserts.”

-CLAIRE VANDERPOOL

In this reenactment of throwing cookies away at her old job, senior Gabbie Troutner expressed her concerns with wasting excess food at the end of the day. “I threw out a lot of cookies. I mean it kind of felt bad,” Troutner said.

food waste policies are determined by corporate rules rather than local ones. Similarly, Novak said the amount of food wasted bothered her managers as well.

“I remember our managers would beg us to take [the donuts] home because they felt so bad throwing them away,” Novak said.

Despite the general feelings of discomfort in throwing away so much food, businesses often do so because they lack other options. Many struggle with the liability concerns surrounding donating food.

The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act was passed in 1996, which protects businesses from liability when donating food in good faith, should it cause harm to the recipient. Although laws like this have been enacted to promote food donations from restaurants, many still fear that legal action could be taken against them for trying to help.

Vanderpool thinks that businesses are held back by fear of lawsuits and the negative publicity that comes with them.

“Companies are scared because people can always take something that is legal and try to make it illegal,” she said. “[It’s] bad press as well. If they are giving out food and someone gets sick, people might see that and

think, ‘Oh, I am not eating that food.’”

A survey conducted by the Food Waste Reduction Alliance in 2016 showed that 61% of restaurants view liability concerns as a barrier to donation.

Experts from the National Resources Defense Council agree that the Good Samaritan Food Donation Act needs updates so that it protects nonprofits and their donors as well as guidelines concerning food labels. Some suggest an executive agency should be put into action to ensure enforcement of the law.

In spite of concerns regarding the enforcement of this act, Troutner asks people to be mindful of their waste production.

“There are people out there that need food and that don’t have as easy access as you might,” Troutner said. “You just have to realize your privilege.”

Still, some businesses do donate despite the risk it poses. Vanderpool said that at the Starbucks she worked at, food donations were made every week.

“It’s usually a bag of individuallywrapped sandwiches and snack boxes,” she said. “It’s a lot, which is really good.”

Roberta Lyle is the program director of education and foster

adoption ministries at Church of the Resurrection. There are multiple food-based programs at Church of the Resurrection, including Backpacks for Hunger. This initiative involves bagging nonperishable foods and giving them to students in need all over the community. Additionally, Lyle said that large events are held at the church in which food is collected and distributed to those in need at food drives or shelters.

Another food preservation program Church of the Resurrection has provided is one that buys expiring produce and donates it to convenience stores in the inter cities where they are sold for a very low price.

Lyle said that the Church of the Resurrection also partners with organizations that do charitable donations of food from certain restaurants.

“They have done the same thing with Papa Johns where there are pizzas that people did not pick up or they made the wrong kind and we would have volunteers pick those up and give them to places like homeless shelters,” Lyle said.

Considering the immense overproduction many restaurants have, Vanderpool said restaurants and bakeries should consider decreasing the amount of food they make at a time. Although producing less could potentially lead to longer wait times for customers at restaurants and bakeries, Vanderpool believes it is worth the cost.

“As a whole, we can all change our mindsets on how companies work. I think we [should] switch our mindset as a society to not be so focused on ourselves and instead focus on everything else,” she said.

The choice between food and other necessities is one that many people have to make every day. Vanderpool said the prominence of dilemmas like these make food waste a pressing problem.

“It sucks because there’s so many people that are hungry, especially in the Kansas City area,” she said. “There’s just so many people that are struggling for food and struggling for money.”

Food waste is found after lunch in the cafeteria trash bins on Dec. 5. A Penn State University study found that 27 - 53% of school-provided food is wasted at any given meal in an American school cafeteria.

YOU’RE CANCELED.

Freshman Makayla Gao finds it difficult to support a controversial celebrity. “You can’t really view someone the same after situations like this,” Gao said.

Social media and cancel culture influence students’ opinions regarding celebrities

Written by Sydney Barnett and Saraphina Wambi, Photographed by Norah Alasmar, Designed by Sabrina San Agustin

Social media and the internet can bring any piece of information right to people’s fingertips, creating a smaller, more connected world. This results in the normalization of sharing one’s experiences, beliefs and opinions. However, according to students and staff, social media also encourages cancel culture by utilizing the concept of herd mentality.

Due to the uncensored nature of social media, freshman John Kreisman said it is very easy for anyone to share their opinion as well as spread information, true or not.

“On social media you can kind of say anything,” Kreisman said. “You don’t really get punished for saying [things] and you can also say false stuff and spread misinformation.”

Psychology teacher Heidi Gipple said to combat the spread of false information, people should do their research on controversial topics before they form their complete opinion on them.

“Take everything you see online with a grain of salt; make sure that if you do see something, go confirm it with a

reliable source,” Gipple said.

However, Kreisman said celebrities’ actions—particularly ones who are active on social media—affect his view of them more than it would for noncelebrities.

“[I’ll] gain respect or lose respect for a certain celebrity, depending on what they did,” Kreisman said.

In light of the recent controversy regarding Kanye West’s antisemitic comments, Kreisman said while he disagrees with Kanye’s statements on social media, he has chosen to separate the art from the artist.

“I’m definitely not a fan of what he’s said, but I’m still a fan of his music. I’ve kind of separated him as a person from his music,” Kreisman said.

Junior Parker Sorenson also tries to break the connection between how he views Kanye as a person and an artist.

“I still want to listen to [Kanye] without having to think of that; it’s not like [it’s] in the songs,” Sorenson said. “I try not to [let] that influence how I see him as an artist.”

However, Congregation Beth Shalom Rabbi David Glickman said this mentality is unrealistic because we individually are responsible for what media we choose to pay attention to and share with our peers. When

promoting antisemitic ideology.

These statements include Kanye saying he would go “‘death con 3’ on Jewish people,” as well as saying “the Jewish community, especially in the music industry…[will] take us and milk us till we die,” during an interview with Revolt TV.

As someone who plays a vital role in the Jewish community, Glickman expressed the extremely detrimental impact these statements have on the Jewish community worldwide.

“It creates a sense of fear and ostracization for Jewish people because it’s not ‘just a celebrity’ and it’s not ‘just a famous person,’ it’s one of the most famous people,” Glickman said. “He himself has more Instagram followers than there are total Jewish people in the entire world.”

Glickman said this causes an underlying anxiety among the Jewish community because of the number of people who could be influenced by Kanye’s statements. Additionally, he shared that the range of Kanye’s words can cause loneliness to Jewish people.

“There can be a feeling of loneliness when you see someone getting that kind of publicity who is so popular who’s saying these terrible things about Jewish people and worldwide conspiracies,” Glickman said.

After learning about Kanye’s statements, Kreisman said his opinion changed some regarding the separation of art from the artist.

“Considering what he’s said, it’s harder to listen to his music without thinking about it,” Kreisman said. “I’ll still listen to [his music], but probably not his newer stuff.”

While Glickman said he does not want to be in a position where he tells teenagers what they should or should not be listening to, he said he believes everyone should be cognizant of their potential impact.

“I think we all need to reflect on who we listen to, what media we consume, and what values we are supporting when we consume that media,” Glickman said. “I think that consuming anything is not a morally neutral position.”

Furthermore, Glickman said he believes that it is not possible to completely separate the art from the artist. He said that the honest thing for people to do is acknowledge that,

Musician Alexander O’Connor, better known as Rex Orange County, has left his fans shocked as serious allegations of sexual assault have surfaced against him.

while they enjoy the music, they are giving money to someone who may not deserve it.

Freshman Makayla Gao said listening to controversial celebrities’ art conflicts with her moral values, but she does not think less of someone who does still listen to their music.

“Some people just really can’t give up some parts of pop culture when the person becomes problematic, so they just keep listening to [the artist],” Gao said. “I personally don’t believe [in] that because it just feels wrong. But, if someone believes [in separating] the art from the artist, I won’t come at them for it.”

Sorenson said while he has only been listening to Kanye’s music for the past couple of years, Kanye has made a huge impact on his life.

“I love Kanye’s music. [It] gets me through times that my friends and my parents can’t because it’s like being alone, but it’s also being connected with Kanye through music,” Sorenson said.

However, Sorenson said Kanye’s controversial statements have made it difficult to have the same level of admiration for the artist as he previously did.

“With the recent things that have been happening, I don’t know if I can call him an idol anymore,” Sorenson said.

Kreisman said while he does not necessarily idolize Kanye, he is a fan of his music. Even with this, Kreisman said he found Kanye’s antisemitic comments disturbing.

“It definitely makes you think less of a person when they say something like that. It’s not right to say, especially when you’re someone like Kanye who has a big influence on a lot of people,” Kreisman said.

According to Sorenson, in recent years, cancel culture has started to heavily impact celebrity’s influence which he often attempts to block out, but eventually it becomes hard to ignore.

“I’m pretty lenient when it comes to canceling people. I’m not just gonna stop [supporting someone] right when they say something, but [I do] when… they are discriminating against a race or religion,” Sorenson said.

While some cancel culture is often rooted in what someone said, there are

other times where it is fueled by what someone has done.

Alex O’Connor, also known in the music industry as Rex Orange County, was recently accused of six counts of sexual assault by a woman who has chosen to remain anonymous.

Gao said that she could not appreciate O’Connor’s music again after these accusations. Considering she was previously a fan of his, this was unforgivable.

“It hurts when celebrities take a turn for the worse,” Gao said. “You really look up to them, and you really enjoy their content, but then you can’t enjoy it [the same] way you did before because you just can’t see them that way anymore.”

While Sorenson did not share the same love for O’Connor, he thought he produced some good music. However, following the accusations, Sorenson said he stopped listening to O’Connor’s music entirely.

“I just think of him as a person every time I hear his music now,” Sorenson said.

In addition to cancel culture, Kreisman said because of herd mentality, having an uncommon opinion online, especially one regarding controversy, can lead to someone receiving hate.

“On social media, having a different opinion can lead to a lot of backlash and a lot of bad stuff because you are not a part of the [majority],” Kreisman said.

Gipple said cancel culture is backed up by the psychology of herd mentality and not wanting to be left out.

“It’s just kind of natural that herd mentality exists within social media. But with specific reference to cancel culture, that is an idea that originated with [social media], so I think that it’s almost its own little herd mentality thing within social media,” Gipple said. “I mean, somebody’s gonna jump on the bandwagon, no matter what it is.”

Gipple warned teenagers about the dangers of becoming ensnared by herd mentality and social media to the point where their thoughts are just biased reflections of things they see on social media.

“I’ve seen more and more things on Instagram or TikTok of somebody being like, ‘Oh, somebody made this video or reel or posted about this specific thing,’ and I now see everybody posting it, so I feel like I need to put something out there about it, or I need to make a statement about it,” Gipple said.

Gipple emphasized that she hopes people are canceling celebrities for the right reasons and not just because they see others doing it.

“It’s definitely something to be conscious of, [making] sure that we aren’t just canceling somebody immediately when we don’t have the full story, but making sure that we’re forming our own opinions and not just taking everything that we want from the internet,” Gipple said.

Kanye West has created many controversies throughout his career, his latest offense has created loads backlash due to his anti-Semitic comments.

WHAT ARE YOU

Fashion exists as a form of self-expression through various styles and inspirations

Written by Libby Addison, Photographed by Rachel King, Designed by Sabrina San Agustin

Ella Lagoski

Senior Ella Lagoski has been exploring fashion since the beginning of her junior year. She said influencers on Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok who posted fashion content drew her to using it as a form of expressing herself. Lagoski described her outfits as a mix of grunge and fairy core depending on the day.

“I just like expressing myself through style,” Lagoski said, “After years of wearing oversized hoodies and shorts in 15 degree weather, I’d rather look presentable than wear sweats.”

Lagoski said she believed when she first changed her style and wore statement pieces, she felt like an outsider compared to the girls wearing LuluLemon and hoodies. After dressing this way over the past year and half, however, she said she does not care about the judgment she receives anymore.

In Lagoski’s outfit, she is pictured wearing a dress paired with a jacket from Emmiol, shoes from Steve Madden, and all jewelry and accessories from Hot Topic.

Senior Ella Lagoski said she uses different colors to style her outfits. “I really enjoy wearing darker colors that are more earthy tone.” she said, “I feel like that fits my style because I tend to like a more fairy grunge type of style.”

Claire Doherty

Senior Claire Doherty has been wearing what she considers minimalist streetwear with a more muted color palette for the last two years. Doherty’s inspiration came from social media, but her interest in fashion was sparked by a YouTuber under the name of Best Dressed.

For Doherty, fashion has also become a staple piece in her self expression, and has helped her develop relationships with other people.

“Fashion has helped me express how I’m feeling on certain days,” Doherty said, “When I feel confident I usually dress up more. I think some people admire or find interest in what I wear and it’s a good way to have a few friendly conversations about clothes.”

Doherty is pictured in a tank top from Shein, pants from Cider, a jacket from YesStyle and boots from Target. When Doherty is looking for clothing pieces, she tends to shop online through websites or in-store at Target.

Senior Claire Doherty said she incorporates colors to enhance her outfits. “I feel this outfit shows my style with the muted and darker colors,” she said.

WEARING? Byze Klick

Junior Byze Klick said he has been passionate about developing his style for nearly three years. Klick said he found himself most comfortable when he dressed in a punk or goth styles, as opposed to the more common fashions seen around high schools. His clothing choices have been inspired by posts he saw on social media, along with an old friend who began dressing in a similar fashion.

“I thought, ‘that’s pretty cool,’ so I wanted to try it and it just felt comfortable to me,” Klick said.

Klick said he felt as though after he began to form his style, strangers were less likely to start conversations with him.

“I used to be very extroverted, and I still am, but I feel like people don’t talk to me or approach me as much now,” Klick said.

Many of Klick’s outfits include staple pieces like chokers, spikes and fishnets, along with jewelry paired to pull his outfit together.

In this outfit, Klicks earring and rings were from Hot Topic, his fishnet top was from Pink Moon, his shirt was from Spencers, his pants were from Hot Topic and his shoes were from Target.

Junior Byze Klick said he uses accessories to complete his outfits. “This particular outfit shows my style because it has a lot of my signature types of items that I usually wear, like chokers, spikes and fishnets,” he said.

Reagan Priest

Senior Reagan Priest has developed her style over the past two years through finding inspiration on social media and following celebrities like Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber and Princess Diana. In the past year however, Priest said her style has developed into what she described as chic streetwear.

“The past year has been where I really realized what I liked and actually started focusing on creating my own style,” Priest said.

Some of the key pieces Priest said she likes to incorporate into her outfits are oversized jackets, hand bags and jewelry pieces that vary on how she feels each day. In this outfit, Priest is pictured in a top and jacket from Forever 21, jeans from Urban Outfitters and shoes from Uggs. Priest said that Forever 21, Shein, Brandy Melville and Urban Outfitters are all her goto stores when she is trying to find new pieces to style.

Senior Reagan Priest said this outfit shows off her classic and chic looking style. “My favorite part of the outfit is the black trench coat because I think it’s what ties the outfit together.” she said.

CREATIVI TY CHERISHING

As December is national art month, the intricacy and beauty of art is recognized nation-wide.

The Nerman, Prairiefire, Nelson Atkins, Kansas City Artists Coalition — these are all names of local museums and art galleries in the Kansas City area. Art has a presence in our local community, with some artists coming from BVNW. Ceramics and painting teacher Chris LaValley is currently showing her work at two local galleries.

“I have a piece at the Kansas City Artists Coalition right now that’s a group show. I also have a show of just my work that’s [at a gallery] over at 110th and Nall called Serendipity Labs,” LaValley said. “I’ve shown at different places around Kansas City.”

As recognition is a large part of any creative field, LaValley said it is important that we have a national month specifically for art.

The fact that there is [a national art month] is really cool because I think a lot of other things get acknowledgement, but you don’t see the arts getting as much acknowledgement,” LaValley said. “You don’t see that for student artists being announced for any awards they’ve won.”

Going further in-depth with the

pieces she is showing at Serendipity Labs, LaValley said it is a local office space which showcases artwork.

“They had a bunch of wall space in there. They needed somebody who had 30 pieces of art very quickly because the artist they were going to show backed out last minute,” LaValley said. “[My work is a] variety. There’s some paintings on canvas, some paintings I did over COVID that are more abstract. There’s some watercolor landscapes.”

One of LaValley’s students, senior Lily Steinbrink, said her favorite art piece she created was just last year, and consists of charcoal.

“I call it Bodhisattva because it was this wolf that was coming out of this lotus flower and it kind of symbolizes enlightenment and coming back,” Steinbrink said.

Blue Valley Northwest alum Lula Edwards is a junior at the Kansas City Art Institute. Similar to Steinbrink, Edwards said she took many art classes at BVNW and admired LaValley’s artwork and teaching style. Edwards said her favorite piece of art out of her own creations is a video documentation titled “Evidence of Existence.”

“Basically, [I’m] doing an improv dance on charcoal to see how my body reacts with sound without a script or anything,” Edwards said.

For Edwards, LaValley was the

teacher who guided her in her art studies. She said she determined she wanted to pursue art during her late junior/early senior year at BVNW.

“Chris LaValley [helped me]. She teaches painting and ceramics there. She’s the one who really took me under her wing and allowed me to see what art can be,” Edwards said.

In response to Edwards, LaValley said she appreciates staying in touch and being able to help her along her artistic journey.

“I [still talk] to Lula a lot, so I’m glad to hear her say that. I could see she wasn’t sure what to do and was struggling, so I think I just kind of encouraged her with her artwork. I think that helped her to submit an application to the art institute to see what would happen,” LaValley said.

Inspiration can play a key role in an artist’s creation. Artists can use their surroundings, feelings, traditions or experiences in their work.

“I have an amazing family who does amazing things. They inspire me to work really hard. I have a great partner who is helping me pursue my Native heritage, so my culture inspires me a lot,” Edwards said.

Similarly, Steinbrink said she finds inspiration in what people around her create. An artistic community surrounding an artist can help them

Art, in all its forms, is celebrated during National Art Month

Written by Quinn Brown and Lexington Jones, Photographed by Shahd Abdeljalil, Designed by Avery Sigg

find their creativity.

“I do love the BVNW art teachers and art department…[and] seeing what other people make is really inspiring,” Steinbrink said.

With that artistic passion, LaValley added students have great opportunities close-by for them to get involved with and showcase their talents.

“[Overland Park has] big galleries, [and] we have [an event when galleries showcase artists called] First Friday, [and] all the smaller galleries open up. We have monthly shows, so those are all places,” LaValley said. “And I’ve had current and former students who’ve submitted to The Jones Gallery downtown that’s very supportive of new artists.”

When an artist is working on a piece, LaValley mentioned she wished people recognized the work and intensive

process creating art entails.

“That person that you think is drawing so well has practiced a lot. They don’t just sit one day; they’ve worked really hard,” LaValley said.

“Even if you’re not going to pursue art, I think just taking a class and realizing that, ‘Hey, this is not as easy as it looks. This takes time and practice to make something successful.’I think [the process of art is] gaining appreciation.”

When starting a new art piece, Steinbrink said she tries to have a grasp on the outcome of the piece, but works not to box herself in.

“Sometimes, if you think of something that you want to do, you get stuck in it. And so I’ve been trying to expand outside of my base idea and just really go at it and see what looks good and what doesn’t in that moment,” Steinbrink said.

Acknowledging the benefits of living

in the Kansas City area as an artist, Edwards mentioned potential paths that can come from being in the local art community.

“[Kansas City] is, honestly, probably the most economically friendly place artists can be,” Edwards said. “There’s a lot of small artists here that then move on [to] get some better connections to bigger cities.”

To recognize and fully embrace finished art pieces, LaValley encourages everyone to visit their local museums.

“You actually go see [artwork] in a space and it’s like, ‘Woah! This is really big!’ And you can see the texture and all the colors where they kind of painted and overlapped in areas,” LaValley said.

But to fully appreciate the creativity in museums and galleries, LaValley said she hopes every student will take an art class first.

“If anything, I would encourage

Chris LaValley, the ceramics and painting teacher, works on her latest art piece. “This series focuses on where my inspiration from nature began and my enjoyment on focusing on smaller details and elements most would miss,” LaValley said.

everyone to take an art class. Even if your schedule is full of AP and PreCalc, and all these other classes, find a space even if it’s not here at school, find a space where you can do something creative,” LaValley said.

Along with LaValley, Steinbrink mentioned everyone should create art, as the process can be broad and simple.

“Even just like a coloring book or something. It’s fun to do [art] and relax. Let your mind wander,” Steinbrink said.

Like Steinbrink said, art can range from the simplicities of a coloring book to a complex sculpture. Grateful for national art month, LaValley stressed the value of people recognizing the hard work that goes into making art pieces.

“It’s nice for any of those [national] months to have a time where people may not think about it and acknowledge the fact that ‘Hey, this is kind of a cool thing, and it’s not everyone that can do this,”” LaValley said. “[There was] a quote I saw, and it said “‘The only natural talent an artist has is the desire to create. All the rest is practice.’”

Even though a career involving the arts can be challenging, LaValley said it is important for young people to pursue their passions.

“You want to enjoy your life. If you’re doing something and thinking, ‘I’m doing this because I’m going to make money,’ and you’re not passionate about it or enjoy it, then that’s a big part of your life to not enjoy,” LaValley said.

Art teacher Chris LaValley’s work is hung up in Serendipity Labs, located in Overland Park, KS. Lavalley’s work has been displayed in this office space for about two months. “It’s a great experience to work at Serendipity labs. It allows for my work to be viewed by a different set of people then would normally see it,” LaValley said.

local art galleries

I H E A RD

“ “ M A R

U O

R

Victims of rumors still face effects of past gossip

Written by Reagan Kauth and Harper Latta, Photographed by Norah Alasmar, Designed by Regan Simeon

In December of her freshman year at Blue Valley Northwest, senior Nia Bender was told information she believed at the time meant her school reputation and life were over. This rumor, which Bender first heard in December of 2019, started in October

and lasted until just before spring break.

“People were saying that I was pregnant when I was not. I just had a pregnancy scare because I am very, very regular on my periods. I was late

by two weeks, so of course, I would get nervous,” Bender said.

By the time Bender heard the original rumor and attempted to shut it down, new ones had already bloomed.

“Rumors went out of control that I was pregnant and then had an abortion,” Bender said. “And then other rumors went out of control, that I had the baby and I was just trying to cover it up. And then quarantine happened, and it never really got addressed.”

Bender said she was shocked people she knew would believe these obvious lies about her.

“When I first heard about [the rumor], it just drifted so far from the truth that I’m like, ‘why would anyone who knows me think that I did stuff like that?’” Bender said. “Like, that just felt so ridiculous.”

Senior Andriyko Bondar was also bullied, as he also suffered from being a victim of gossip during his freshman year.

“I used to have a mole on the side of my face, and it was very prevalent. There were a lot of rumors about it, and there’s a lot of very negative gossip Senior Nia Bender says the rumor made it hard for people to see who she really is. “They were stuck in that perspective, while I wanted to live past it they didn’t want to,” Bender said.

According to the American Psychological Association as much as 65 percent of people’s conversations could be defined as gossip.

around me and who I was,” Bondar said. “People called me gross, they called me Mole Man. They called me Ecosystem. They said it was like cancer on my face.”

Andriyko’s mom, Lesya HoletsBondar, did not respond to comment on her son’s experiences.

According to Bondar, the rumors had been happening for some time. However, they gained traction again during his freshman year.

“[The gossip] pretty much went on my whole life. Freshman year at the very beginning, because over time people just grew to ignore it.”

Additionally, Bondar said he felt that because a majority of his classmates were quick to judge him, the opportunities for him to reinvent himself were limited.

“Even with my mole, people would see me and immediately assume that I was gross or different or not on their level, just because of the way I looked [due to] something I couldn’t control,” Bondar said. “Some people judged me a lot of the time before ever getting a chance to know me, and I feel as if that’s unfair.”

Unlike Bondar, the rumor about Bender began with her best friend and transitioned into grade-wide gossip.

“I told my best friend at the time,

who I’m not friends with anymore, ‘I think that I might be [pregnant]. I’m not sure, I’m going to take a test just to double check,’” Bender said. “I guess she sort of told everyone that I was pregnant. I felt super betrayed by that.”

School social worker Anyssa Wells said the spread of gossip happens often simply because of the way high schoolers are.

“I think in an environment that is the high school setting, it’s very common, and I think with social media, it’s very common for things to be said and overheard or misheard or miscommunicated,” Wells said.

After the rumor about Bender had been circulating for some time, Bender said despite being frustrated at her friends and others for believing the gossip, she was handling it all decently well.

his feelings about other people changed due to the rumors about him and those who spread them.

“My high school experience has been pretty good, all around, it’s been a lit, crazy movie,” Bondar said.

Though Bender said she felt her mental stability had been OK throughout the ordeal, her mom, Susan Bender, noticed a difference in Bender as she came home each day.

“I did notice that she was sadder. She’d been very happy and engaged and loved middle school. And I noticed that she wasn’t having as much fun [in high] school, that she wasn’t as happy, that she got frustrated more easily,” Susan said. “At the time, I largely attributed it to changing schools. But of course, in retrospect, I know a little bit more now about what she was facing.”

The feelings Susan had noticed Bender projecting are not uncommon when kids go through something difficult, like dealing with a rumor, according to Wells.

“It affects them in their whole world, essentially. So I think mentally, and emotionally, and just physically, it becomes very draining, and it can become very stressful,” Wells said.

Bender felt that although the situation was hard for her, she could see why people would believe the rumors based on her past.

“[I was] doing adult things that someone my age really shouldn’t have been doing. And I think it just got me off to a rough start, and I think having that rumor sort of escalated it all a lot,” Bender said.

You don’t know me. I know myself. I know myself better than you do. So you can say what you want. It will not affect me.”

-NIA BENDER

“I was handling it pretty OK because I knew my truth, and I knew what I was going through,” Bender said. “You don’t know me. I know myself. I know myself better than you do. So you can say what you want. It will not affect me.”

In contrast to Bender, Bondar said

Bender additionally said one of her largest struggles through the situation was the fear of where her reputation was going. At the time, she had just transferred after her eighth grade year from Horizon Academy, and no one really knew her.

“I didn’t want to have that reputation and just sort of be looked at like a slut or like some big giant joke,” Bender said. “I’ve had to definitely redeem myself in a lot of ways, but I’ve come really far.”

In spite of Bender’s understandable fear of being viewed in that image,

English teacher Kyle Farrington said he does not always see students in the same light as their peers may.

“If I have a certain feeling about a kid prior to hearing a rumor about them, that doesn’t really line up with my feelings about that student,” Farrington said. “I don’t think it affects me that much.”

Additionally, when teachers do talk about students, Farrington said it is not in a malicious or harmful way. It is an opportunity to grow closer to students by being able to learn more about them from previous teachers as well as learning what the student will need for future classes.

“There are a lot of different reasons that we would hear different gossip, and it’s not necessarily that we’re talking trash or spreading rumors,” Farrington said. “Most of the time, it’s trying to help the student find a resolution to a problem that they have.”

Despite teachers being able to talk about their students in a professional, research-like manner, making sure students are not talking about other students can be difficult to control.

Susan felt that because gossip was not regulated, she would never really be able to protect her daughter from the rumors that spiral out of kids’ mouths.

“You can’t legislate [rumors]. You can’t force people to stop talking. So, problem solving is kind of limited, unless the people in the community — in this case students — decide that they want to hold themselves [to] a different level of treating others and resist that very natural, desirable instinct to get involved in gossip,” Susan said.

Likewise, Bondar said that kids will always find a way to hurt others, no matter what it is.

“At the end of the day, people will be people. If it wasn’t the mole, it’d be something else. It’d be my shoes, or my haircut, or something and people will always find something to latch on to,” Bondar said.

Wells, however, said she does not think kids always have bad intentions when gossip starts.

“I think it’s human nature to gossip. As far as the talking down to others, I think that can come from gossip,” Wells said. “I don’t think it’s always our first intention to talk down about others, but it is common for us, if we

hear something intriguing, for us to go to somebody else and be like, ‘did you hear this.’”

Bender additionally said she felt people’s perspective and unhelpful response to the issue was another part of it.

“If they knew my side of the story, they wouldn’t have spread the rumor. I think they would have shut it down immediately, and would have tried to understand more,” Bender said. “But I think because we were just so young, and I’m a girl, they’re kind of like ‘oh, that’s what happened.”

Additionally, Susan believes a part of the issue with rumors is that most teenagers do not consider how a rumor may affect the person it is about.

“I think good people gossip. I don’t think it makes you a bad person. But I think that when people realize the impact that it can have on others, or how they would feel themselves, they recognize that it’s just not really an OK

thing,” Susan said.

Along with considering the feelings of others, Bondar added that there needs to be a higher level of awareness and allowing yourself to fully meet someone before judging them.

“I think we should still be more conscientious about what people think instead of just, by default, assuming it’s okay to make fun,” Bondar said. “The most important thing is that before you judge someone, you should at least know them.”

Although Bender did not have the support of friends, she said knowing her self-worth allowed her to overcome these rumors.

“Prove to yourself, not anyone else, that you are so much better and that you aren’t who they say you are,” Bender said. “The people that believe it aren’t really your friends because if they believe that and they didn’t ask you the right questions, they didn’t [want] to learn more.”

reasons to be rude no matter what. “Ultimately all I can do is

Bondar says he realizes some people will find

continue to self improve, and try to be as good as I can be in what

Senior Andriyko

GAME DAY GALLERY

Seniors Sophia Steketee and Linsay Harris and junior Kennedy Fenley perform during the Pack Dance Team’s state competition, Nov. 18. “I think a lot of us had put that our main goal is to make finals at state,” Harris said. “To [be able to] achieve that, I was just really proud of everybody.”

The dance team placed sixth in the KSHSAA 6A state competition.

(Photo by Lila Vancrum)

Senior Grant Stubblefield carries the ball during the regional playoff game against GardnerEdgerton, Nov. 4. “We had [all] been on the same team probably since fourth and fifth grade,” Stubblefield said. “I’ll never forget walking on and off the field one last time with them.” The Huskies went on to lose that game 14-28. (Photo by Bailey Thompson)

Junior Jake Fritz goes up for a basket against a defender during the home opener boy’s basketball game, Dec. 8. “It felt great to start off with a win,” Fritz said. “I’m looking forward to a great year with this team.” The Huskies defeated Father Tolton, 58-49. (Photo by Bailey Thompson)

Sophomore Kendall Stecher drives to the basket in the C team scrimmage during Late Night at the Pound, Nov. 30. “I am very excited for the season,” Stecher said. “We are all having fun and off to a good start.”

(Photo by Bailey Thompson) Senior Kate Newby performs the cheer squad’s Game Day routine during the KSHSAA 6A state competition, Nov. 19. “My favorite part about the day was finding out we were first in prelims because we were all so confident in our performance,” Newby said. The BVNW state cheer team placed third at the competiton.

(Photo by Hiba Issawi)

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ABOUT US

The Express is the official high school news publication of Blue Valley Northwest High School, an open forum distributed to all students seven times a year. This is the December Issue of Volume 30. The Express is printed by Valley Print Logistics, 160 S Sheridan Ave, Valley Center, KS 67147.

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