The Express - November Issue by The Express

THE EXPRESS

Law enforcement officers and a lawyer explore the intricacies of the law, specifically the rights of teenagers in various scenarios PAGE 12

DO YOU KNOW YOUR RIGHTS? VOLUME 30 • ISSUE 3 • BLUE VALLEY NORTHWEST

CONTENTS 4

EDITORIAL

Bias Is Not Bliss

OPINION

...But Is It Fair?

OPINION

Acknowledge Your Privilege

FEATURES

Not-So High School Musical Popular movies children grew up watching have skewed current high schoolers’ expectations of a school reality.

Unnoticed. Unheard. Uncovered. While violence in the Middle East continues, students analyze its representation through both the media and BVNW community.

Homework: Helpful or Hurtful Insight as to why different teachers choose whether or not to assign homework, and determine the overall workload of a class.

The Price For Life Insulin prices are ever increasing, contributing to the growing struggles of diabetics trying to manage their condition.

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CONTENTS

ON THE COVER

Do You Know Your Rights? Local law enforcement and an attorney educate teenagers of their rights in various scenarios. After an encounter with the police, senior Adam Koehler said the situation would have been much smoother had he known his rights and legal procedures. “Knowing your rights would definitely help,” Koehler said “Not only help you feel more comfortable, going to places like that… [but] not finding yourself in a situation where you have misled the police.”

A&E

Husky Highlights

A collection of student life photos from September through October.

CONTENTS

Fall Bucket List

Fall activities The Express staff members look forward to.

Game Day Gallery

Photos from girls golf, cross country, football, boys soccer and volleyball as their fall seasons wind down.

NOVEMBER 2022 | 03

BIAS IS NOT BLISS

With accessibility to the internet increasing, we have an incredible amount of information at our fingertips — more so than previous generations. The spread of information is becoming more immediate, making it more and more difficult to differentiate fact from fiction. As social media algorithms become more intelligent, it is easy to get lost in an echo chamber of a specific belief. Narrowing the scope of your content intake will only further radicalize your views; education and awareness of other people and the struggles they go through are necessary to developing an unbiased worldview. With the spread of misinformation becoming rampant, utilizing various reliable and unbiased sources is key to developing healthy skepticism and avoiding incorrect information. People are less likely to be skeptical of ideas that already align with their moral and political beliefs, even when the idea should be criticized. There are many different experiences that influence perspective, and we need to be mindful of how your own life experiences can shape your bias. There are too many issues that we are not fully educated on and aware of. In the Middle East, wars have caused the deaths and displacement of millions. While we are privileged to not have this violence in front of our eyes, it still affects individuals within our community. It is also our moral obligation to stand up against unjust violence, even if it seems far away and removed. Although we cannot stop the violence ourselves, we can use our resources to combat the falsities and bias surrounding these issues. Not only that, but too many of us are unaware of the rights we possess. Not knowing the law will leave you

unprotected against corrupt authorities and governments. Not knowing what to do when being pulled over could mean the difference between life and death for some of us. Furthermore, medical prices are rising due to corrupt and greedy corporations, something many of us are unaware of. Even if this might not affect you individually, someone with these medical and financial challenges could be sitting right beside you. Understanding the intricacies of our economy, government, society and earth is crucial to being a contributing member of society. Empathy is a necessary part of being human, making it our responsibility to stand up for others in need, even if we do not endure the same struggles as them. As you read this issue, our staff uses different stories and perspectives to exhibit various ways people have struggled due to a lack of, or false, knowledge. Whether it be due to rumors, lack of coverage or simply an overload of information, everyone is capable of falling victim to social ignorance. Do not rely on others around you to form your opinions, be self-sufficient. Do not use social media sites as your only source of information, use reliable and trustworthy news references instead. When the resources to educate are right in front of you, there is no excuse not to utilize them. There are a multitude of backgrounds from which people garner knowledge and opinion. It is impossible for us to be attuned to all of these viewpoints, but that does not give us the right to close ourselves off to the experiences and insights of others. With the tools we have at hand, it is— now more than ever — our responsibility to stay informed and be watchful of misinformation. To get lost in an echo chamber of your own perspectives and beliefs is to be complacent. We have the unique ability to connect with people better than any generation before us, and it is high time we took advantage of that. Do not be complacent. Stay educated on the different struggles your peers go through and be aware of your surroundings.

EDITORIAL

Written by Regan Simeon, Designed by Sabrina San Agustin

OPINION

Why Can’t I Trick-or-Treat?

hen I was in elementary school, October Further, there is a strict time limit curfew for trick-ormeant one thing: trick-or-treating on treating, limited from the hours of 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. These Halloween night. I would spend months bizarre laws were created as a result of the Belleville senior nagging my mom for the perfect costume community’s fears over teenagers knocking on their doors at to wear out with my friends, my biggest the ungodly hour of 10 p.m. concern being whether I should dress as a Disney princess These laws are almost comical. The fact that governments or a Marvel superhero. Trick-or-treating was a big part of are more concerned with teens dressing up and knocking my childhood, I have many fond memories from the years on doors for candy than with teen drinking and driving on I would dress up and go collect candy with my friends. Halloween night is insane. People who claim teenagers will Thinking back on those times, I am reminded of the cause mischief and pull pranks on young children are the innocence and joy of simply being a kid. So same ones accusing teenagers of lacking the why does that innocence have to end? innocence they once had. To those people How am Ever since my eighth-grade year, it has I ask one question: How am I supposed I supposed become very clear to me that I am considered to retain my childhood innocence if I am “too old” to trick or treat. Apparently, once shamed for my childhood activities? to retain my you turn 13 adults no longer consider you as As teenagers we are not quite adults, but childhood an excited and innocent little trick-or-treater; we are also no longer children. When we turn you are, rather, a mischievous teen looking to our inner child and try to live out the little innocence if I for trouble. innocence we have left, we are shamed and am shamed for told to act like adults. But, when we try to act It has become a common belief that trickor-treating is not for teens. Some people see like adults and take on big topics, such as my childhood it as “weird” or “immature,” while others see voting or gun rights, we are told we are “too activities?” it as a threat to their children’s safety. In young.” some cities, it has even become illegal to trick This past Halloween I realized how much -REGAN SIMEON or treat past a certain age. I miss trick-or-treating; the excitement In Chesapeake, Va., Section 46-8 of the leading up until the sun goes down and the Code of Ordinances titled “Trick or treat activities,” states candy bowls come out, and the earnest conversations about any person over the age of 14 years shall be guilty of a class trading candies. Something about dressing up and sitting four misdemeanor. A class four misdemeanor, according to in someone’s basement just does not excite me the way that the Code of Virginia, is punishable with up to a $250 fine. strolling down my neighborhood’s streets collecting candy Additionally, any person found trick-or-treating after 8 p.m. with my best friends does. will be found guilty of the same misdemeanor and faces the The fact of the matter is that our childhoods go by in the same punishment. blink of an eye. Once we get to high school, we only have Similarly, in Belleville, Ill., Section 130.19 of the Code four years left of being kids. High school does not offer of Ordinances titled “Halloween Solicitation,” states that exciting Halloween parties or costume parades like we had in it shall be unlawful for any person over the age of eighth elementary school. As a teenager, trick-or-treating is one of grade to make trick or treat visitations on Halloween night. the few innocent parts of my childhood that I still have left. And really, what’s the harm? All I want is some free candy.

OPINION

NOVEMBER 2022 | 05

OPINION

...But Is It Fair?

Written by Quinn Brown, Designed by Sabrina San Agustin

ports are not, and have never been fair. Transgender people are not making sports unfair. As it is currently election season, political ads have been flying left and right. Just like every year prior to 2022, the season prompts attack ads, including one from the Republican Governors Association on May 14, 2022. The ad mentioned how current Kansas Governor Laura Kelly “opposed common-sense efforts to ban men from competing against girls in high school sports.” Attack ads like this use specific word choices to manipulate an audience, like the words “men” vs. “girls, ” indicating a predatory sense. When we see these ads, we need to remember: transgender people are not predators. In March of 2022, Director of the KU Sport & Exercise Psychology Lab Mary Fry was asked to provide an expert opinion on a West Virginia court case. The case was held to declare the possibility of allowing a transgender female to participate in a women’s team sport. This person was in middle school. “The states are making these laws that [say] you can’t transition and be female, [but] we don’t care about [transitioning males], which makes no sense to me.” Fry said. “It just fosters a stereotype that [trans women are] going to excel and have an unfair advantage.” Only three weeks ago, on Oct. 3, Kentucky State swimmer Riley Gains appeared in a political ad supporting Rand Paul. Gains disparaged transgender women in sports, specifically a transgender female swimmer named Lia Thomas. In the ad, Gains says, “for girls across America, [their] dream is being taken away by men competing in women’s sports.” Later on in the ad, Paul closes with the statement, “I’ll always fight for fairness.” This further perpetuates the harmful stereotype that all transgender women who are successful in sports do nothing but take away from cisgender women. The fact that grown adults need to resort to dehumanizing transgender students, by implying they’re predators or calling transgender women “men,” to make a point is not only extremely

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unfair, but it is also a slap in the face for every transgender person in the world. As more political ads are being spewed with hurtful lies, we are taking more steps backward. We should not allow this political pressure and antagonizing language to cloud the reality of transgender issues. In March of 2022, Thomas won the NCAA women’s 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:33.24. And even though she won - she didn’t break the record set in 2017 by cisgender woman Katie Ledecky, with a time of 4:26.06. When she competed, Thomas had been on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for close to three years. The NCAA requires that Thomas, like any other transgender athlete, must be on HRT for at least a year to compete. Because Thomas surpressed her hormones, she had the same “advantage” as the women she competed against regardless of her sex, according to data from The Independent. In fact, Thomas performed worse after taking HRT. Rachel Lang for LADbible wrote, “Before transitioning, her best time in the 500-yard event was 5.6 percent slower.” The commonly-used phrase that Lia was “a 400th rank swimmer and now is #1,” is deceptive. All transgender people should be given the opportunity to compete in sports without discrimination, especially when abiding by the rules. We need to have a balance between fairness and inclusion. Thomas should be allowed to swim as a woman, against women, because she is a woman. Every person comes with different athletic advantages and abilities, trans or not. Transgender women just like cisgender women, come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. Not every transgender woman who swims is a Lia Thomas, and not every cisgender man that swims is a Michael Phelps. Every athlete brings their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Unequal ability should not get in the way of equal inclusion.

OPINION

Written by Shahd Abdeljalil, Designed by Sabrina San Agustin

ecently, it was deemed unsafe for me to go to a friend’s house because of Islamophobic things her mother had said. The fact that people have the will to presume that I hate America, and discriminate against me just because I wear a scarf on my head came as a big shock to me. I had known Islamophobia existed, but it had never touched me this personally. It was just a reminder of the privilege that other people had. Privilege is when discrimination is something that you neither experience nor fear. My youngest brother does not go to school on days when they have classroom religious celebrations such as Halloween and Christmas. My family is Muslim, and we should not have to celebrate holidays that go against our religion. Privilege is when you are like everyone else, when you fit in and do not feel like you are different. Privilege is usually invisible to those who have it which is problematic as acknowledgment is the first step toward change. Acknowledging that you are privileged and that you have a life easier than others, is the key to the beginning of equality. Privilege does not mean that the privileged do not work hard, it just means that those without have to work harder. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, men are paid 18

OPINION

ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR PRIVILEGE

percent more than women. When stopped by the police, those who are white do not have to fear that their lives might be taken by just one wrong movement. People who are financially stable do not have to worry about whether or not they will be able to afford their next meal. Christian holidays are considered national holidays, while other religious holidays are not. These are privileges. However, things are slowly but surely improving. The gender wage gap is gradually closing. Those in poverty can now pay less for healthcare. People are recognizing white supremacy as an issue. In Philadelphia, schools now consider Eid, an Islamic celebration, a holiday and take time off. Our school district needs to start implementing changes and acknowledging that not everyone is white, rich, Christian or privileged. Acknowledgment is the catalyst of change and the first step toward closing the gap between the privileged and unprivileged.

NOVEMBER 2022 | 07

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL

Students compare the expectations set by popular movies to the reality of high school Written by Addison Aadland, Photographed by George Buckley, Designed by Avery Sigg

rowing up, many children and teenagers were enamored with movies and TV shows based on a high school setting. Movies like “Mean Girls,” “High School Musical” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” have set unrealistic expectations and ideas for what high school should be. Senior Abby Allen believes movies can create an invalid portrayal of a school reality. “I think movies in the high school setting have given us an unrealistic expectation of high school in kind of a funny way,” Allen said. “[They]make it seem like it’s all fun, but they don’t actually reflect on how much school [work] we have to do.” Similarly, after watching the movie “High School Musical,” senior Mateo Diaz said movies can set fictitious assumptions about high school. “I guess some movies kind of set a

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false standard that it’s all just fun and games,” Diaz said. “You can have fun but it’s also really important to focus on what you are going to do after you graduate, and that’s not really talked about in any movies.” Growing up, Diaz did not watch many movies about high school. He does however remember a few, one of which was “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” which he said was one of the movies he based his expectation of school upon. Since Diaz did not grow up in the U.S., he said he has had a different high school experience than the one portrayed in American movies. “Because I come from Canada we have seen movies about American high school and it is a lot different from where I used to live,” Diaz said. “The schools are a lot bigger, the people are definitely way different, their attitude, they value sports way higher and take it more seriously”

Expectations like the ones Diaz and Allen anticipated have had both positive and negative effects. Entering high school, Allen said she believed that it would be separated into cliques. Through experience, she realized that this negative expectation was not true. “There are going to be groups divided by sports activities, such as a football group, soccer group, a cheerleading group. But I don’t think you’re limited to only staying within your group,” Allen said. “When you join different activities then those groups start to blend a little bit more and that’s how you are able to meet different people.” As Allen has participated in varying activities, she emphasizes what that reality can look like. “I think in the movies it is very cliquey and they think that they are only allowed to stay within their groups

FEATURE

Twelfth grader Abby Allen considers the movies that impacted her childhood. “[Mean Girls] does a good job showing that… you should just try to be nice to people.” Allen said.

While reflecting on the movie Diary of a Wimpy Kid, senior Mateo Diaz believes this movie helped him look forward to highschool experiences. “[Diary of a wimpy kid] made me look forward to making new friends and… participating in clubs and sports.” Diaz said.

in the movies and they don’t separate reality [and is] definitely different from out. In the movies, the characters are Hollywood.” only seen being within their groups. When senior Andriyko Bondar I just don’t think that is reality,” Allen reflected on the character Troy Bolton said. he said he doesn’t believe he is the best Similar to example for that those attributed character but he to students, there does feel he could I think movies in the are expectations be close to it. that come with “If anyone high school setting teaching in high had to be kind of have given us an school. English close to that role teacher DeAnna I would probably unrealistic expectation Elgin talked put myself there of high school in kind about how her because no one is perception has this charicature of a funny way” changed after but I do what I can watching movies to be friendly and -ABBY ALLEN in the high school class president or setting. whatever but at the “When kids end of the day I’m watch those movies, they think that just a person,” Bondar said. is what high school is going to be In “High School Musical” the about,” Elgin said. “It’s not the same character Troy Bolton talked about

FEATURE

how different stereotypes are not a reality. “High school is a place where teachers encourage us to break the status quo and define ourselves as we choose. Where a jock can cook up a mean crème brulee, and a brainiac can break it down on the dance floor. High school is having friends we’ll keep for the rest of our lives, and that means we really are ‘all in this together,’” Troy Bolton said in “High School Musical 3”. Bondar said that the meaning behind this quote is true but unfortunately not fully applicable to the real world. While he feels he fits the description of Troy Bolton he believes no one should base their high school experience on a movie character and everyone should live their high school experience the way they will be most happy.

NOVEMBER 2022 | 09

HUSKY HIGHLIGHTS Sophomore Suhana Grover dances in the dance circle at the Homecoming bonfire, Sept. 29. “I enjoyed the bonfire because it was really just a good time to socialize, talk with my friends, and honor the fall sports,” Grover said. (Photo by Shahd Abdeljalil)

Senior Natalie Sarff plays the violin with the Chamber Symphony for their performance of the song “Psycho” by Bernard Herrmann during the Spooktacular concert, Oct. 20. “I liked how on theme [the song] was for the Halloween concert,” Sarff said. (Photo by Lila Vancrum)

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HUSKY HIGHLIGHTS

Sophomore Paige Toon marches with the Howlin’ Husky Marching Band before a football game on Oct. 7. “I think [the music selection] is good because it appeals to a lot of audiences.” Toon said. (Photo by Kendall Dickerson) Senior Angela Bartholet signs the fight against breast cancer poster created by National Honor Society during fifth hour, Oct. 7. “I believe this fundraiser helped because it brought together a sense of community for a good cause,” Bartholet said. (Photo by Remi Nuss)

Sophomore Chris Owens sings with choir during their concert on Oct. 3. “The people in choir are some of the most out there and talented people you could ever meet,” Owens said. (Photo by Shahd Abdeljalil)

HUSKY HIGHLIGHTS

NOVEMBER 2022 | 11

ou have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.” (Miranda v Arizona). These famous lines are part of your Miranda rights: the set list of rights police officers are required to recite when you are under interrogation or in custody, according to Overland Park Police Officer Jonathan Batley. When those words are spoken, it likely ends the fun for teenagers who find themselves in precarious situations with the police. Senior Adam Koehler proposed one reason teenagers may partake in illegal scenarios in the first place. “I’m not an avid partygoer, so

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I haven’t been in a whole lot of [situations, but] the act of doing something a little bit illegal is the main enticing thing [for teenagers], I think,” Koehler said. “It’s almost that sort of ‘rebellious teen’ type of thing.” In the past, Koehler found himself in a predicament where his peers had the possibility of getting in trouble with the police at a party. Though Koehler was not participating in anything illegal, he was fearful of being found guilty by association as he did not know the specifics of the law or his rights. “It was scary, for sure. There was no panic, just a lot of uncertainty; nobody really knew what was going on,” Koehler said. “Then, when it finally set

on us that, ‘oh, we’re in trouble here,’ that was when it kind of got really, really frightening. People were kind of losing their minds.” Koehler thinks it would be beneficial for students to be more educated on their rights and the law. He said in the heat of the moment, many teenagers do not know their rights or what plan of action is best to avoid further consequences. Say you are at an underage house party where alcohol, drugs or other unlawful substances are present and the police are called to come investigate. Batley said what an officer could charge a minor with in this scenario, which is similar to

COVER

DO YOU KNOW YOUR RIGHTS?

When teenagers encounter law enforcement, many do not their rights or what to do in these various situations Written by Hannah Rakolta and Lexington Jones, Photographed by Lila Vancrum, Designed by Sabrina San Agustin

Officer Batley believes showing respect to an officer is the best thing people can do in any situation. “If you can be respectful and have a conversation with me, I’m going to do more to try to help that person in their situation,” Batley said. Koehler’s experience. Many minors think they can receive a MIP (minor in possession) or be charged with other misdemeanors, even if they did not consume any alcohol or drugs at the scene. However, Batley said this was a misconception. “When it comes to things like alcohol and drugs at a party, there’s no law that says you can’t be around it,” Batley said. “The law says you can’t possess it, and you can’t consume it.” However, Philip Glasser, a private practice lawyer in Overland Park, warned that in these specific cases,

COVER

the officers may act subjectively. For example, if a minor is standing near something illegal, the officer may assume that it is in the student’s possession. This is why it is advised to try to stay away from these activities in the first place, even if you are technically doing nothing wrong, Glasser said. If the officer wants to come into the house where a party is going on, they usually need a warrant, but there are many exceptions, such as medical emergencies or destruction of evidence, according to Batley. He said

the Fourth Amendment protects people and their property from unreasonable search and seizure by law enforcement or the government. “Your rights are especially protected when it comes to your home,” Batley said. However, to think it takes a judge days to get a warrant is a misconception. Judges anticipate warrant requests on weekend nights and can quickly send them to the officer electronically, according to Glasser. “Judges are sitting there every Friday

NOVEMBER 2022 | 13

Officer Batley’s on his third year serving as a school resource officer at Blue Valley Northwest. “Before I was [at] Northwest, I spent quite a few years out at Oak Park Mall as my patrol districts dealt with a lot of a lot of theft out there,” Batley said. and Saturday night in Johnson County, waiting for those phone calls to come through,” Glasser said. If events progress and an officer is interrogating you, Glasser said the Fifth Amendment grants individuals the right to remain silent and decline to answer the officer’s questions in order to avoid providing incriminating information against yourself. This means you may refuse to respond to an officer’s questions if they directly pertain to you. However, if you were trying to protect anyone else besides yourself from an incriminating charge, for example if you lied about seeing your friend drink, it would be

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considered an obstruction of justice. “You can’t lie, and you can’t fail to answer a question when it’s [someone else’s] rights that are at stake,” Glasser said. “If I were their lawyer, I’d say ‘rat [them] out,’ because it will [benefit] you.” Koehler said in these situations, being respectful and honest with officers can be your best plan of action. “If you’re ever in a situation like that, no matter what kind of choices you have made throughout the night, the best thing you can do is to be honest and compliant,” Koehler said. “The worst thing you can do is try to run and get away, or directly lie to the officer.

Most of the time, if you’re upfront from the get-go, nothing bad will end up happening to you.” Blue Valley Campus Officer Cameron McLain agreed that the best thing for teenagers to do would be to simply comply with the officers, and the majority of the time, officers will be lenient and may not distribute any tickets. He also said giving multiple teenagers tickets causes a large amount of paperwork, which officers typically would like to avoid. “My advice is just to be respectful. It’s not fun for an officer to walk into a house party with 30 kids. Imagine how much work that is,

COVER

because they have to identify every single kid,” McLain said. “So if [an officer] walks in with 15 MIPs, that’s like a week’s worth of work.” Batley said he understands how people get caught up in these situations, but he wants to clarify to students that often, it is just not worth it. “So you go to a party that you think is just going to be friends hanging out, and all of a sudden, you turn the corner, and there’s a bunch of people pounding beers and smoking marijuana; that’s when you gotta make that decision. Am I going to stay here and be a part of this just by being around it, or should I not take a chance?” Batley said. “What are the consequences, and [are they going to

COVER

affect me], or should I just go and do something else?” Now, imagine you are pulled over on the side of the road by an officer; many teenagers may not know what to do in this situation. Glasser explained that you should have your driver’s license, vehicle registration and insurance ready to give to the officer. Glasser further explained you cannot refuse to provide such information, or else the officer will become suspicious. “You’re obligated to have that stuff; that’s a lawful ask. That’s another reason for them to be concerned about what the heck is going on [if you do not give them what they are asking for,]” Glasser said. However, citizens are granted the right to say “no” or refuse to interact with law enforcement under certain circumstances, Batley said. “Anyone can always say no, but the only time it really holds legal authority is if the police are acting under the umbrella of consent,” Batley said. “So, if we’re dealing with someone who is consenting to us being there, they’re consenting to a search in a car. Whenever they say, ‘No, I don’t want you to do that,’ then we have to stop.” Glasser elaborated on when individuals can say “no” to law enforcement regarding car situations. “Under Kansas law and federal law, you don’t have to say yes; you can say no. They may still have a reason that they can use to search without your consent, but it is possible to withhold consent on a search for an automobile,” Glasser said. Batley explained they are allowed to search a car if they have reasonable suspicion. An example of this would be smelling the odor of marijuana or seeing evidence of alcohol. McLain said if an officer suspects you will endanger someone, or if alcohol has been involved, they can subsequently take your keys. “If [I am] fearful that they might drive away, I might just say, ‘hey, give me those keys,’ because I’m worried they might take off on me,” McLain said. In most cases, McClain said he believes officers want to act as an educational resource instead of trying to catch teenagers in the wrong and punish them. He said officers value students’ safety and overall future

above everything else. “I feel like everyone thinks officers are out to get them, and we are not,” McLain said. “I would rather every kid make the right decision, do the right things, and have the best opportunity to move forward after high school.” McLain said he believes it is much more beneficial for minors to learn from their mistakes in a teaching manner, rather than having something on their permanent record. “[We] want to see you guys go on and play sports in college, or go on and get scholarships,” McLain said. “But if you get arrested for every little thing, then you quickly lose those opportunities.” Similarly, Batley said officers prefer to have schools or parents handle the consequences, rather than the courts, in order to not completely damage a teenager’s future. “A lot of courts are trying to minimize juveniles’ experiences in the criminal justice system, so that’s one reason why we release them to their parents and don’t take them to a detention center,” Batley said. Koehler elaborated on this idea, speaking on how some of the punishments due to naive mistakes can have heavy repercussions. For instance, if a school hears about a problem, the student could be kicked off of their sports teams or exempted from their extracurricular activities. “Some of those [charges] can be pretty serious and ruin your whole year,” Koehler said. Batley emphasized the idea of thinking about future consequences before you act, and implores teenagers to incorporate this type of thinking into their lives. “Before you make a decision, before you go somewhere, before you get involved in something with potential [negative] consequences, make an informed decision about what you’re doing,” Batley said.

NOVEMBER 2022 | 15

UNNOTICED. UNHEARD. UNCOVERED. A deeper look into how the violence in various Middle Eastern conflicts affects the students involved and how the BVNW community can help Written by Saraphina Wambi and Alex Cowdrey, Photographed by Shahd Abdeljalil and Remi Nuss, Designed by Lindsay Maresh

s a Pakistani, junior Wania Munir said she has noticed people have become desensitized to violence in the Middle East, and the media does not give those countries the attention they deserve. “When people think of the Middle East, they generally think of a wartorn area…but no one ever talks about it, it’s never discussed, you barely see anything in the media,” Munir said. “Hundreds of people are dying, but it’s kind of like ‘whatever it’s a war-torn area.’” Sophomore Safa Qureshi, who is also Pakistani and Muslim, said that because violence in the Middle East has been occurring for decades, it has become more normalized. “You can’t compare and contrast the blood of wars because honestly, that’s not even relevant. But you can definitely compare the reactions of people outside of it, like [in] America,” Qureshi said.

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Qureshi said it is typical of the and what’s not, [so] people just tend to Western narrative to only post about stay out of it,” Munir said. what is being shown Senior Hiba Issawi in Western media has seen the results You can’t and never take action of a false narrative compare and beyond posting, such as spreading in the recent attempting to aid those contrast the blood news over the death of in need. Mahsa Amini and the of wars because related protests in Iran. “People don’t even realize that they’re According to press honestly, that’s not biased because they reports, Mahsa Amini even relevant. But was an Iranian woman don’t realize they’re only posting for something or you can definitely arrested on Sept. 13 for like they’re only talking wearing “inappropriate compare the about one thing, [or] attire.” Shortly after they’re only aiding one being arrested, she fell reactions of thing,” Qureshi said. into a coma and had people outside of bruises on her legs. Munir explained that false information from it like [in] America Amini died in a hospital, illegitimate news sources but questions were - SAFA QURESHI also plays a part in raised as to whether her whether people choose death was caused by the to educate themselves on Middle authorities. Eastern news. Issawi said she believes that the “When there’s false information media is emphasizing the wrong details present, people don’t know what’s true of the protests occuring in Iran.

FEATURE

“The way that the media is portraying it, they’re kind of making [all] Muslim women look oppressed because I wouldn’t say that’s a bad thing that women want to wear the hijab,” Issawi said. “Like, there are [more] women that have the choice than are forced to put on the hijab.” Munir said it is heartbreaking to see women lose their choice in whether or not they wear a hijab. In Iran, women are legally obligated to wear a hijab, while women in other parts of the world, such as France, are not allowed to wear one. “Iran has very strict policies on the hijab and, Islamically speaking, that’s not allowed. You’re not allowed to force anyone to do anything, especially wear the hijab,” Munir said. Freshman Melika Zabet emphasized the difference between simply being a citizen under the Islamic Republic of Iran and being a practicing Muslim. “Islamic Republic regime is very different from the religion of Islam and very different from being Muslim. Islam is a personal choice, a personal family thing,” Zabet said. Munir does not believe Islam is constricting, and she said the fact that the media portrays it as such, highlights the bias in news. “I feel like the religion of Islam does get a bad reputation for some things, and we’re associated with terrorism, even though a group of bad people doesn’t make the whole religion bad,” Munir said. Issawi said she believes religious bias plays a part in the lack Sophomore Safa Qureshi said she believes current Middle Eastern conflicts have been censored, taking away the voice of those affected.

of media coverage Middle Eastern wars receive, partially because of the increased prejudice toward Muslims after 9/11. “The way people used to feel sympathetic for [Middle Eastern countries] kind of left because [people] think in their head, ‘Oh, they’re deserving of this because of what they did in 9/11’ even though that has nothing to do with us,” Issawi said. Issawi said the media needs to do a better job of portraying the violence occurring in many Middle Eastern countries because of the chaos it is creating. “I’ve seen little kids be killed. I’ve seen families be torn apart. I’ve seen it all,” Issawi said. Zabet said that while her immediate family now lives in the United States, they are still aware of the

immense afflictions citizens of the Middle East endure, specifically in Iran. “Even though they’re here, they see all those people fighting for their basic human rights…[and] they can feel the pain that they felt when they were raised in that country,” Zabet said. In an attempt to spread awareness regarding conflicts in the Middle East, Munir said her content was taken down and her account was threatened to be banned by Instagram. “My people are dying. People are dying and I can’t even post about it? It sucks,” Munir said. Issawi experienced something similar when she tried to share about the Palestinian War on social media and she said her content was taken down, as well. “There was one time where my account was under surveillance by Instagram because I was supporting a fundraiser [for Palestinian hospitals], and I had it attached to my bio on Instagram,” Issawi said. Qureshi said she has seen censorship occur on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. When The Express contacted Instagram for a statement on this issue, they had no response. “Posts are repeatedly taken down because they’re about Palestine, the [Chinese] Uygur Muslims, or Syria. Anything [about] any Muslim country or anything Muslim is repeatedly taken down,” Qureshi said. Qureshi encourages everyone to seek more information on these issues, but understands it may seem daunting to some. “If you’re not like Muslim, you may feel like

Sophomore Safa Qureshi and senior Hiba Issawi hold signs to represent protests in Middle Eastern countries and their own beliefs. you’re less connected to it. You feel like you don’t need to have knowledge of it, because you feel like you can’t do anything,” Qureshi said. To overcome this, Zabet said teenagers can help by educating themselves and paying attention to legitimate news sources. “Finding authentic sources…on social media, then going out and doing your research on articles written by

18 | THE EXPRESS

Middle Eastern people, [gives] a good explanation on what’s happening in the Middle East,” Zabet said. Issawi emphasized the importance of teens receiving their news from primary sources rather than mass media. “It’s really important that people read or educate themselves with firsthand resources, rather than paying attention to what Fox is saying or what

CNN is saying,” Issawi said. Munir also emphasized how big of an issue this is, and urges readers to maintain awareness. “People are dying, [there] are holy places being destroyed, and it’s not a small thing because this is a big issue,” Munir said. “It just sucks. People are being thrown out of their homes, being killed and torn apart.”

FEATURE

HOMEWORK:

A) HELPFUL?

B) HURTFUL?

Opinions vary on the importance of homework and the reasons it is given out Written by Sydney Barnett, Bridget Hamlin, Photographed by Bailey Thompson, Designed by Alex Cowdrey

AP Literature teacher Valerie Golden answers a question for a student in her sixth hour regarding in-class homework. “I realized that asking them to put in a lot of time for my class outside of school maybe detrimental to the balance that they could find and in addition to all the other homework they might have that I wasn’t considering,” Golden said.

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NOVEMBER 2022 | 19

hether students go home with 15 minutes of homework or multiple hours, AP Literature teacher Valerie Golden said the stability of their lives can be affected by their workload. As a parent, Golden said her idea of how much time should be spent on homework outside of school has changed. “I realized that asking them to put in a lot of time for my class outside of school was maybe detrimental to the balance they could find, in addition to all the other homework they might have that I wasn’t considering,” Golden said. Having kids who stayed after school for activities, then went home and did more schoolwork, Golden said she realized the need for a fair and balanced schedule for students. “I recognized the need for balance. Sometimes it is the teacher’s role to implement that balance with what they expect to be done outside of school,” Golden said. While math teacher Kerry Kinkelaar also gives out less homework than she used to, she still believes homework is necessary to allow academic growth. “I think [homework] is an opportunity to practice, so if you are an athlete you should practice to prepare for a game, if you are a musician you should practice to get ready for a

concert and if you are trying to learn a skill at school, I think that is something you have to practice to get better at as well,” Kinkelaar said. Kineklaar teaches Honors PreCalculus and AP Calculus AB. She has found homework is crucial to understanding math. Almost every day, Kinkelaar said she gives homework graded on completion and weekly reviews that are graded on accuracy, but students have multiple attempts on them. She said that because they are graded by accuracy, students are given multiple attempts, allowing them to fix small mistakes without being penalized. Unlike Kinkelaar, history teacher Corby Lange does not assign traditional homework but does offer optional assignments for students to further their learning. Lange also believes that the importance of homework is dependent on the subject being taught. “There’s a big difference between types of classes or subject matters,” Lange said. While he knows the necessity of homework is different between subjects, Lange feels that giving kids homework in every subject sets them up with an unrealistic schedule, prompting them to make poor choices. “If [we] give them [an] amount of work that they can’t manage or that

Math teacher Kerry Kinkelaar passes out homework as an extra opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of the class content. “I like to think that if students do their homework they become more efficient and understand what they know, but they also figure out what they don’t know on their own,” Kinkelaar said.

20 | THE EXPRESS

isn’t always connectable, then it encourages kids to find other avenues to get work done, which defeats the purpose of the homework in the first place,” Lange said. Golden said students should be given minimal homework but still need to be prepared for the next class period. “It is impossible to avoid asking students to do some things at home in order to be prepared to do what needs to be done in the classroom,” Golden said. In further explanation, Golden said just as she has to do work at home to prepare for the following school day, students need to be prepared in order to have a meaningful time in class. Science teacher Jeremy Mohn agrees with the idea that the benefit of homework is dependent upon how a student utilizes the assignment. “If you are not actually interacting with the text to answer the questions and you are just looking up the answers on the internet then you’re not really benefiting the way [homework is] intended,” Mohn said. Especially with his higher level classes, Mohn said students must build the skill of self-regulation studying. “[In college] you don’t necessarily get a lot of class time to interact with the material or talk about it with others; it’s often lecture-based. That’s kind of what I want students to be prepared for,” Mohn said. In the spirit of self-regulated studying, Kinkelaar explains that doing work, especially math, outside of school helps students determine what parts of the material they understand. “I like to think that if students do their homework they become more efficient and they understand what they know, but they also figure out what they don’t actually know on their own,” Kinkelaar said. “Sometimes it is just easier to do things in class with the teacher and other people around but at home sometimes you realize you can do it or that you need to ask for help on some of those questions.” Lange said that not giving homework seems great for students at the start, but throughout the year many realize it makes the class harder. “Homework is an easy way to build up your grade,” Lange said. “Generally, you don’t have to actually know a lot to be able to complete homework.”

FEATURE

Kinkelaar hands out a worksheet to her seventh hour Calculus students to provide more practice over the content. “I hope that it makes students more efficient and it helps them understand the concepts that we are working on and then in math it allows us to build on the next layer the next day,” Kinkelaar said. He continued on to say that not finish in the amount of time they need giving homework makes it more to,” Kinkelaar said. difficult to get the grade you want Golden said she does not give out because you have to think at a higher homework every day, but when she level and does she occasionally demonstrate gives them class time knowledge to work on it. I hope they see the from the Similarly, Mohn work I ask them to do said that most of content learned instead of just outside of class as being his assignments are completing an started in class and both meaningful and then finished as assignment. On the other homework. manageable.” hand, Kinkelaar “Most of my -VALERIE GOLDEN described the assignments are consequences intended to be done in students may face when they choose class, but whatever is not completed is not to do their homework. homework,” Mohn said. “If you don’t do your homework, Like Mohn, Golden said she feels that typically students struggle on things giving students time to work in class like assessments when they are asked can be beneficial by understanding to do it on their own or they maybe priorities. aren’t as efficient and won’t be able to “When you spend all day at school,

FEATURE

I don’t think school should be the primary thing [at home as well],” Golden said. When Golden does send students home with homework, she grades it by accuracy. She said this is due to her not wanting to assign homework simply to assign homework. “I want it to be something that’s thoughtful and meaningful, and not just a box check,” Golden said. If students feel the work they are given is not meaningful or manageable, Golden said she understands that will reflect negatively on the class and possibly herself. She hopes that her students do not view it this way. “I hope they see the work I ask them to do outside of class as being both meaningful and manageable,” Golden said.

NOVEMBER 2022 | 21

MEET THE

CANDIDATES Who will you vote for November 8th?

Written by Thomas Rose, Designed by Avery Sigg

emocrat Sheila Albers and Republican Michelle Dombrosky will compete for the District 3 seat on the Kansas School Board. This board makes decisions regarding statewide school policy; the members serve four-year terms and each represent a different district.

22 | THE EXPRESS

Albers was the principal of Harmony Middle School for 13 years. Dombrosky, who has held the contested seat since 2018, formerly served as a teacher and board member at Prince of Peace Catholic School. The election is scheduled to take place on November 8th. Each candidate has different priorities this election; here’s what they

had to say regarding their priorities, experience, and current state board issues. Michelle Dombrosky declined to comment, so her quotes come directly from her website and the Kansas Department of Education’s website, in addition to other writings of hers.

NEWS

SHEILA ALBERS

MICHELLE DOMBROSKY

Albers came to BVNW for an interview regarding her campaign.

Dombrosky declined to comment on any issues regarding her campaign.

TOP PRIORITIES: Sheila Albers said her top three priorities for the Kansas School Board are to end the current teacher shortage, expand early childhood education as well as post-secondary options and to write better standards to prepare students for modern jobs.

EXPIERIENCE: Sheila Albers has been an educator for 25 years, starting as a teacher and then becoming an administrator. Albers was principal of Harmony Middle School, a feeder school of BVNW. “My 25 years of work speaks for itself. If people wonder if I believe in academic rigor, all they have to see are the test scores coming out of Harmony Middle,” Albers said. “If they want to know if I’m passionate about innovation and doing new things in education, they just look at the middle school redesign.”

RESPONSES TO CURRENT ISSUES:

TOP PRIORITIES: Michelle Dombrosky said her top three priorities for the Kansas School Board are to expand local control, to protect in-person learning and to advocate for more parental direction in education.

EXPIERIENCE: Michelle Dombrosky has lived in Olathe since 2000 and has been a state board of education member for four years. “She volunteered in a variety of capacities, including teaching classes at Prince of Peace [Catholic School],” Dombrosky’s Department of Education website said. “She also served on the Prince of Peace Mothers of Ministry Board for three years, as well as two years on the Aldersgate Preschool Board.”

RESPONSES TO CURRENT ISSUES:

When they applied to run for the state board position, Albers and Dombrosky both filled out a KASB questionnaire about their views on several issues they will likely address. Here is how they responded to several of the questions.

Do you support a “voucher program” which would allow for state tax dollars to be distributed to families for reimbursement of expenses to attend nonpublic schools in Kansas?

I do not support the voucher program. Public dollars should not be spent on private schools. Kansas does not currently fully fund special education. Sending public dollars to private schools will further diminish the limited funds needed for public schools.

When public money is used to fund private ( non-public ) entities, the taxpayer loses any say as to how that money is used. As they are not operated/run by elected boards. This used to be accurately defined as “taxation without representation.”

Do you support increased funding for special education funding up to 92 percent of excess costs as directed by state law?

I absolutely support increased funding for special education up to 92% of excess costs as directed by state law. Currently, many school districts supplement special education with local dollars. If the state fully funded special education, those dollars could be used to support other programs to meet student needs. Special education has not been fully funded since 2011.

These questions may apply more to state legislature candidates as funding of Kansas public schools is the responsibility of the Kansas legislature. Elected members of the state board of education take an oath to uphold the U.S. and Kansas Constitutions and have a fiduciary responsibility to those who elected them, which I work to uphold to the best of my ability.

NEWS

NOVEMBER 2022 | 23

$ $ 1

THE PRICE FOR LIFE Students and teachers share experiences with diabetes and the growing struggles of managing the condition, including expert insight into insulin prices

Written by Jeny Jithesh and Nafsiya Hafiz, Photographed by Arpa Das, Designed by Prajwal Adhikari

ocial studies teacher Rob Meacham began to experience alarming symptoms regarding his health in 1996. Rapid weight loss, numbness and a general feeling of discomfort prompted Meacham to seek medical attention. “I was a building sub here at Northwest, and suddenly every day, every class I’d sub for, I’d have to literally leave the classroom to go to the bathroom,” Meacham said. “I was losing a bunch of weight. I thought I was having a heart attack.” However, what Meacham was experiencing was something he had not even considered. His doctor explained that he had Type 1 diabetes. “It was the suddenness of it. ‘You’re a Type 1 diabetic. The nurse is going to take you into here and teach you how to give yourself a shot. You’ll be doing this forever,’” Meacham said, recounting his experience. Diabetes is a health condition that affects almost 37.3 million Americans, meaning one in ten people have diabetes. Usually, the human body breaks down food into glucose, or sugar, then

24 | THE EXPRESS

releases it into the bloodstream. Then, when a person’s blood sugar goes up, their pancreas creates insulin which acts like a key so that cells can use blood sugar for energy. With diabetes, the body does not create enough insulin or cannot use it properly. This can lead to a surplus of blood sugar that stays in a person’s bloodstream, and over time this could cause major health problems such as heart disease, kidney failure and vision loss. “I guess that [diabetes] gets exhausting a little bit. You just kind of constantly have to check on and think about your process,” Meacham said. “It is supposed to happen automatically.” Sophomore Haley Shannon’s younger sister was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 11 years old. Shannon’s family once faced a situation that could have ended dangerously due to a lack of insulin. “We were on a lake trip and her [insulin] pod fell off- we couldn’t bring it back up,” Shannon said. “So we literally had to get in the car and go home because she wouldn’t have been able to go the night without it.”

The medication replaces the insulin that the body cannot produce by moving sugar from the blood to places in the body where it is used for energy. If insulin is not administered to a diabetic patient in time, their body will try to break down its own fat and muscle, which can lead to a deadly condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis. Though insulin is a necessity in the life of many diabetics, its accessibility in recent years has plummeted, while its price has only soared. Over the last two decades, insulin costs have increased over 600 percent. The medication’s expense has forced many families to pay thousands of dollars out-of-pocket, even with health insurance. Some people even try to ration how much insulin they use. Bonnie Fogwe, a pharmacist at CVS, has dealt with insulin for five years. He stressed the effects that rationing insulin might have on a person. “They are rationing it because they have to wait so many days and manage with what they have until they can pay for it again,” Fogwe said. When diabetics are unable to pay the

FEATURE

heavy price of insulin, they are put in a potentially fatal position. “There can be really tremendous effects. [Their] blood sugar stays really high, and sometimes they end up in the hospital because they have very limited access or really just no chance at all to get onto insulin,” Fogwe said. Rationing insulin is a harmful and detrimental choice, because without the hormone diabetic bodies cannot safely function, and, in some cases, it could lead to hospitalization. “Even though it’s expensive, people need it,” Fogwe said. “If you really care about your health and about taking care of yourself, then you have to buy [insulin] regardless of how much it costs, though most people cannot afford it” Insurance Pros Inc. President Chris Goodwin has been in the healthcare industry for about 23 years. With his experience, he summarizes how health insurance works in terms of insulin. Goodwin said that health insurance covers the price of insulin if that specific brand is on the list of covered prescription drugs of the health insurance plan. “Most plans actually have a drug copayment benefit for prescriptions, and insulin will typically fall into one of the copayment tiers,” Goodwin said. A copayment benefit is a fixed amount you pay for a certain health care service. Through this plan, those who are insured typically pay significantly less out of pocket for insulin. In the 26 years since his diagnosis, Meacham said that his experience with rising insulin costs has been more fortunate than others thanks to insurance coverage. “I’m a little bit sheltered from what the actual [insulin] prices are because of insurance,” Meacham said. “But I know it’s a lot more expensive now.” Meacham receives health insurance through his job at Blue Valley. Since he has high-quality insurance on one of the higher tiers, he only needs to pay a portion of what his actual insulin costs are. “I did pay early in the first half of the year; a small percentage of what I use, and once the deductible is spent, it’s provided for free as it is considered essential.” Despite this, Fogwe said that no

FEATURE

Despite the rising prices in insulin Meacham says “I’m a little bit sheltered from what the actual prices are because of [my] insurance.” matter what kind of health insurance plan one has, the price of insulin still increases each year. Though the change in price may be small, over time it can build up to be significant for some. “Insurance might pay more for insulin, depending on the kind of plan that a patient has, but prices really never go down for insulin, particularly,” Fogwe said. “Prices for insulin will always go up, typically, but if the patient has good insurance then it’s cheaper.” Type 2 Diabetes runs in freshman Sumlina Alam’s family- both her grandparents and her mother were diagnosed with the condition. For

Alam’s family, the impact of health insurance has been positive as well. “It hasn’t directly affected us, which we’re thankful for because we have insurance. My mother had insurance which is what enabled her to get insulin,” Alam said. Without insurance, one vial of insulin can cost up to 275 dollars as of November of this year. Most diabetics will need two to three vials per month. The increase in the price has been concerning, even to lawmakers. On August 12, the Inflation Reduction Act was passed. This comprehensive bill places a cap on insulin prices per-vial at 35 dollars for those on Medicare.

NOVEMBER 2022 | 25

However, for people with private insurance, the cost of insulin remains limitless. Goodwin said that this bill has provided a source of relief for some of his clients paying for insulin. “That’ll be really significant starting in January of 2023. I’ve had clients who have been very happy to hear that,” Goodwin said. In addition, diabetics must pay for the equipment they use on a daily basis. Most Type 1 patients use a pump to administer insulin. “Pumps are devices that are built to give a shot of insulin every time it detects that there is a higher blood sugar than they want,” Fogwe said. Though insulin pumps have made managing diabetes easier for many, the device incurs yet another financial burden for diabetics. “These devices are not cheap. So for people who cannot even afford insulin, it’s an extra cost for them,” Fogwe said. “They have to think about ‘OK, now I’m on insulin. What do I have to do to make sure that I stay [healthy] and keep my blood sugar levels stable?’” Along with these devices, according to Alam, having people around to support makes managing diabetes a little bit easier for many diabetics especially with the continuous rising prices of insulin.

“Typically, one of the best things is to have family members that are able to be there and help keep track of nutrition, diet and other things,” Alam said, bringing up another struggle in managing diabetes, involving the diet necessary to sustain their blood sugar balance. Fogwe also said that diet plays a significant role in managing diabetes. “It is really not an easy task for somebody who’s diabetic, because every time they eat more, they have more sugar in their blood. Every time they don’t eat as much, then they have less sugar in their blood,” he said. “I think that there’s a lot that goes into being diabetic.” For those with diabetes, living life does not come as easy as it does for others. Each day requires time, effort, and money from diabetics and their families to ensure that they can be healthy and safe. The rising prices of

Meacham admits that his biggest struggle with diabetes is his diet. “During the summers, I’m always so under control. I have a lot of time to think about stuff and I spread out my eating. Then during school, it gets a little bit more out of control.”

26 | THE EXPRESS

INSULIN INSULIN

insulin impose yet another challenge of surviving. Though governmental decisions such as the Inflation Reduction Act have worked to reduce insulin prices for some, there are other actions that could be taken by insulin manufacturers to make the life-saving drug more affordable for all. Goodwin said that being aware of the issue can also help to make a difference. “I think that it’s worth it for people to learn- whether you’re diabetic or notabout what’s going on here, because just by the mere fact of the law being put into place tells you that it’s been a significant problem,” Goodwin said. “If we can all have some understanding about the issues surrounding insulin, what it does to people within our society, their budgets and in their health and how it affects our healthcare system, then we can continue to actually move the ball forward and help people and the whole healthcare system.” Meacham said that it is important for others to be aware of the daily struggles that diabetics face, especially those who are younger. “It’s good for people to know and to kind of understand your fellow classmates that have [diabetes]...what they have to go through. Hopefully, they’re a little bit more empathetic of their classmates or other Type 1 diabetics.”

FEATURE

Fall Bucket List Activities our staff looks forward to in fall

Written by Lucy Halverson, Designed by Sabrina San Agustin

Carve Pumpkins

Watch scary movies

Drink Pumpkin Spice Lattes

Share spooky stories

Visit the Louisburg Cider Mill Drink hot chocolate Go Camping Get apple cider and cider donuts Visit Pumpkin Hollow Rake leaves

A&E

Read by the fire Makes s'mores around a campfire Bake pumpkin bread Finish a corn maze Go on a hayride Have a picnic

Watch football games

Set clocks back for Daylight Savings

Light candles

Go apple picking

NOVEMBER 2022 | 27

GAME DAY GALLERY Junior Jackie Lee competes in the girls golf regionals tournament, Oct. 11.“I liked going to away tournaments and going on the van with my teammates,” Lee said. Lee placed fifth in the EKL, 12th at regionals and 18th at the state tournament. (Photo by George Buckley) Senior Rylee Kyle performs during halftime of the football team’s game against BVSW, Oct. 7. “We work really hard to put on a great performance and it is so fun to dance on the field,” Kyle said. (Photo by Remi Nuss)

Senior Grant Stubblefield runs the ball in a game against Bishop Miege, Oct. 21.“I was really happy [that we won] because I knew it was a big win in the EKL and [gave us] a lot of momentum going into the playoffs.” (Photo by Shahd Abdeljalil)

28 | THE EXPRESS

GAME DAY GALLERY

Senior Abby Allen competes in the KSHAA 6A girls cross country regional meet at Johnson County Community College, Oct. 22.”It has been my goal since freshman year to qualify individually to go to state,” Allen said. “It’s really exciting that I was able to do that with my teammate Laya.” Allen placed eighth at the regional meet and she placed 30th at the KSHSAA 6A girls state meet on Oct. 29. (Photo by Lila Vancrum)

Sophomore Summer Anderson hugs her teammate Remi Nuss during their volleyball playoff game against Olathe North, Oct. 22. “[Our team] has positive communication and when we are in a difficult situation we all talk to each other and build one another up,” Anderson said. The Huskies defeated the Eagles 2-0. (Photo by Julie Dean) Senior Sam McIntosh dribbles the ball during the KSHSAA Regional quarterfinal against Olathe South, Oct. 25.”When they scored the winning goal we all felt shattered, but I wouldn’t have wanted to go through this journey with anyone else,” McIntosh said. The Huskies were defeated by the Falcons , 2-1. (Photo by Norah Alasmar)

GAME DAY GALLERY

NOVEMBER 2022 | 29

ABOUT THE EXPRESS CONTACT INFORMATION Mailing address: 13260 Switzer Rd, Overland Park, KS 66213 Phone: 913-239-3544 Email: BVNWnewspaper@bluevalleyk12.org

RESPONDING TO THE PUBLICATION Letters to the editor may be submitted electronically on our website at BVNWnews.com under the “Contact Us” tab. Letters may be published either on BVNWnews.com or in our print edition. Letters may be edited.

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 November Issue of Volume 30.

DISCLAIMER This is a student publication and may contain controversial matter. Blue Valley Unified School District No. 229 and its board members, officers and employees disclaim any responsibility for the content of this student publication; it is not an expression of School District Policy. Students and editors are solely responsible for the content of this student publication.

EQUITY POLICY STATEMENT BVNW Publications is committed to amplifying the voices of our student body and community, no matter the color of skin, religious belief, financial status, gender or sexuality. We are an independent platform that by practice, and by law, is not a mouthpiece of the school district. We promise to cover all stories with fact and integrity. We stand in solidarity with all people who are fighting for equality. We promise to educate ourselves and represent our entire community to our audience to the best of our ability. For our students, teachers, readers, viewers and families who are struggling for equality, we deplore the injustices you face. We strive to be a unifying platform that celebrates diversity and shares your stories, and we will continue to work toward increasing minority voices internally, as well as externally. We may not always get it right, but we will try, and we will listen and be open to suggestions on how to better tell your stories.

THE EXPRESS STAFF Editors in Chief Julia Moser Lucy Halverson

Photo Editors Norah Alasmar Lila Vancrum

Print Editor

Sports Editor

Online Editor

Opinions Editor

Copy Editor

Design Editor

Anna Bailey Liz LaHood

Ashley Adams

Alyssa Gagnon Lizzie Lively

Sabrina San Agustin

Social Media Editor Regan Simeon

Chief Photographer Bailey Thompson

Designers

Avery Sigg Prajwal Adhikari

Writers

Alex Cowdrey Libby Addison Lindsay Maresh Quinn Brown Reagan Kauth Thomas Rose Hannah Rakolta Saraphina Wambi Sydney Barnett Jeny Jithesh Lexington Jones Addie Aadland

Harper Latta Nafsiya Hafiz Bridget Hamlin Rachel King

Videographer Alivia Ozbun

Adviser

Jim McCrossen

Photographers Remi Nuss Shahd Abdeljalil Arpa Das George Buckley Kendall Dickerson

Assistant Adviser

Amanda Ford