BVSW The Standard - Volume 12 - Issue 1 - November 2021

Unnecessary Protocol

Paper pass process inconveniences students and staff opinion | pages 8-9

THE STANDARD blue valley southwest | volume 12 | issue 1

2 | the standard / nov. 2021 / contents

Contents news 4 | Uniting the School 12 | Busing Bothers

FEATURE 7 | Justice in our Hands 10 | A Foreigner’s Perspective 16 | Fall Favorites

Opinion 8 | Unnecessary Protocol

14 Fall Sports Recap

Sports

on the cover

6 | New Beginnings 14 | Fall Sports Recap

A variety of paper passes lay as a representation of the new system used by students and teachers.

Opinion | pages 8-9 Photo illustration by Karley Kent.

volume 12 / issue 1 bvswnews.com @bvswnews on Instagram and Twitter

editor’s note / nov. 2021 / the standard | 3

Editor’s Note T

he recent months returning to school are not anything like I expected them to be. I feel confident speaking for everyone when I say that COVID really put a damper on my high school experience. Since the beginning of the year I have not only struggled with the endless responsibilities that come with applying to college and planning a future, but I also sustained a severe sports injury that has left me benched from over half of the dance season. Life is full of unknowns and the best thing that we can do as a school community is to embrace these changes and let them bring us closer.

Much like the sophomore starting quarterback or the new pass system, there are new things for all of Southwest to adjust to. Not only has the mask mandate remained in our district, but our Homecoming was also outdoors. The second I start to think that we’ve outrun this pandemic, it keeps catching up with me. It’s impossible to expect everything to ever be the same again, which is why I offer our administrators and staff members my utmost respect for trying their best on our behalf.

There have been so many good moments since the full return to school that I feel cynical not mentioning. Fall sports have been quite the success and a new council has been formed to ensure mutual support across all of the great activities the school has to offer. It’s also a beautiful time of the year to be getting back in the swing of things and exploring the lovely assets of our city.

One last thing, to my fellow seniors, keep your head up. Much like all of you, I’m sure the last several months have been nothing short of a challenge. The stress and pressure of senior year doesn’t fade despite the very unique four years that we have spent inside this building together.

However, it seems that we are on the home stretch and I implore all of you to enjoy these moments while they are still here, because they won’t always be.

I thank The Standard for giving me this platform and I am so proud of my small staff for the work they’ve done on this issue. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did.

Karley Kent | editor-in-chief

The Standard editor-in-chief karley kent social media manager erica peterson staff writers logan brucker frost hunter macy kennedy lena palmieri ellie phillips emma smith adviser rachel chushuk The Southwest Standard is published for students, faculty, and surrounding community of Blue Valley Southwest. It is an open forum for student expression. Therefore, the opinions expressed within this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of the administration of Blue Valley Unified School District #229.

Letters to the editor and reader responses are encouraged for publication. The Southwest Standard reserves the right to edit all submissions for both language and content and encourages letters to be no more than 350 words. All letters must be signed and names will be published.

The Standard 17600 Quivira Road Overland Park, KS 66221 Website: bvswnews.com Email: bvswnews@gmail.com

4 | the standard / nov. 2021 / news

Uniting the school New initiative aims to better the student experience

T

he 2020-21 “school year” wasn’t what anybody expected it to be.

Between online classes and social distancing regulations, students and teachers were forced to adapt to a less than desirable high school experience.

But while the 2020 school year was anything but ordinary, it offered a unique opportunity to reevaluate the school’s reputation and legacy. Science teacher Brittany Smith worked with colleagues, social studies teacher Dustin Leochner, P.E. teacher Anthony Orrick and business teacher Michael Moss to develop the Student Experience Focus Group.

“I think the main goal of this student focus group is to enhance the high school experience here at Southwest,” Smith said. “We want [our school] to be a place where people are proud to go ... that’s what we’re aiming for in this focus group. How can we accomplish that as teachers? How can we accomplish that as students?

Administrators? How do we make sure that every student is having a great experience at Southwest?”

Teachers and students alike have expressed concern about the lack of school spirit and support between

departments; primarily between athletics and the arts.

To combat this, the focus group is made up of students from various programs and activities. Smith said it was important to include multiple student perspectives on this issue.

“We as teachers, and as adults, want to make sure that high school is a good experience,” Smith said. “The best people to tell us how to make that experience good is the students.”

Senior Sydney Gilman represents forensics in the focus group, but she is also involved in other activities, including Repertory Theatre, Chamber Singers and Trebleaires.

“I feel supported by a lot of the other arts departments,” Gilman said. “But I feel like the bridge between arts and sports is still kind of bumpy . . . besides some wrestlers at ‘Mamma Mia,’ I haven’t seen sports kids at the musicals.”

Sophomore Gavin Grant is not in the focus group, but is involved in football, lacrosse, track and field and FCA. While he acknowledges that he and other athletes can do more to support the arts, he said he feels very supported by his school and community. “[I feel supported by other

departments at Southwest], especially the band,” Grant said. “They play at all of our home [football] games and are a big part of the Southwest tradition.”

Smith said she thinks students are willing to support one another, but are not sure of the best way to do so.

“I think they are just unsure,” Smith said. “Like, if I’m a football player, how do I make it known that I’m supporting the ceramics guru?”

“I’m having a lot of fun at the games. I’m sure experiencing a new activity will be fun for other students, too.” | seniorsydneygilman The Student Experience Focus Group is aiming to fix this problem by creating an identity the community can rally behind. Smith and other leaders in the focus group think this common identity is what is necessary to unify the school.

“I don’t think [Southwest] has an identity right now. Yeah, every year we come up with a new theme, [yet] we never stick with one,” Smith said. “[We need to] come up with something that

|5

is unifying. Something that everybody can get behind.”

When developing an identity, it’s important to consider the school’s current perception. Smith said oftentimes perception is reality, and the way people perceive Southwest can and will help the focus group create a positive image.

“I’m pretty sure we’re the ‘rich kid’s school’ in everybody else’s mind,” Gilman said. “I mean, I guess that’s kind of true, but we live in a suburb of Kansas City.

Johnson County is pretty well-off.”

Smith said the school’s unique aspects are what makes it a great place to be.

“We are the weirdest family that you could possibly think of,” Smith said. “We’re out here by ourselves, but we are a family.

I think [Southwest] is more closely knit than some of the other big schools. We don’t have as many people. We have fewer teachers, fewer students, so I think we can get to know each other better. We’re just like a cool bunch of weirdos.”

One thing that makes the school unique is its small size and population. The other district high schools outnumber Southwest by almost 500 students. Capitalizing on this fact and our “sense of community” in Gilman’s words, may be the answer to a number of problems, but specifically the

“lack of support” previously mentioned.

“We have a lot of work to do with finding the connection between sports and the arts,” Gilman said. “It’s been divided for so long. But I think the [focus group] will help a lot. I’m having a lot of fun at the games. I’m sure experiencing a new activity will be fun for other students, too.”

The focus group is dedicated to developing a more positive student experience for current and future students.

“Whether it’s a sports kid, an arts kid and music kid or whatever kid, we need something that we can all rally behind, then that would be an identity that we could be proud of,” Smith said. | emmasmith

6 | the standard / nov. 2021 / sports

New Beginnings Sophomore Dylan Dunn earns starting quarterback position for the varsity football team

I

n high school sports, there are many changes that can happen between seasons due to never having the same team twice in a row. After former quarterback Tanner Curry graduated last year, the door opened for a new quarterback to fill the role. By the end of the off-season, the coaches chose sophomore Dylan Dunn to be the quarterback for the varsity team and he began to train for the upcoming season.

“I was preparing all summer,” Dunn said. “[Being starting quarterback] was a good feeling and I guess I was ready for it.”

Dunn said he faced some challenges since he was younger than most of the other players on the field, but said his teammates helped encourage him.

“They’ve been really supportive of [me],” Dunn said. “I was a little nervous heading into [the first game] because everybody’s older than me … but I felt like I was prepared, too.”

Even though Dunn was worried about playing his first game, his coaches were confident he would play well due to the progress he made during training. Head coach Anthony Orrick said the coaches chose Dunn because of his determination to improve his skills outside of practice so he could become the starting quarterback.

“We felt pretty comfortable with Dylan, especially with his development throughout the summer, in the offseason,” Orrick said.

Orrick said another reason the coaches chose Dunn was because he has good knowledge of the game and a great work ethic. “​​He’s a very smart football player who studies the game,” Orrick said. “What really stood out was just his knowledge of the game, his desire to learn our offense inside and out and to put in the extra work that it took to become the starting quarterback Orrick said Dunn has improved each week as he gets more experience playing varsity.

“He just keeps continuing to strive,” Orrick said. “Each week he gets more and more experience and more and more understanding of the speed of the game at the varsity level.”

Sophomore Dylan Dunn passes a ball on Oct. 8.

Photo by Lena Palmieri

Becoming the starting quarterback as a sophomore could prove to be an advantage for the coming years.

“It definitely sets you up for the future,” Orrick said. “When he’s junior and senior, it sets you up pretty well because he’s had the experience going into next year.”

Senior running back Jake Laurie said part of the job of upperclassmen is to help the younger players prepare for future years.

“There’s been a couple sophomore starters in the past, but this year, there’s quite a few,” Laurie said. “It’s just a younger team, so senior leaders like myself have to step up more and be better examples.”

Although younger players have to adapt to the higher pressure situations, they must also develop their skills to be able to play at a higher level.

“He’s been doing a really good job,” Laurie said. “I think he’s improved his running ability.”

Laurie said Dunn quickly adapted to the varsity level of play. “[Varsity] is the first year of playing ­— instead of in front of your parents, you’re playing in front of a lot of people,” Laurie said. “He is really mature. He really cares a lot. He’s had struggles, but he’s definitely proven he’s worth the spot.”

On Oct. 29, the Timberwolves defeated Leavenworth in the first round of playoffs.

Final score was 37-7. Next up, they will take on Topeka-Seaman in the Regional Championship on Nov. 5. | lenapalmieri

news / nov. 2021 / the standard | 7

Justice in our hands I

Youth court offers students opportunity to see ins and outs of the justice system

n an age of information and news at our disposal, students have more access and exposure to what goes on within the system by which we live. This, in many ways, has sparked a generation of people who want to take change into their own hands by being involved. One way students can get involved is the Youth Court program. This is a chance for students to see the inner workings of the judicial system by being active participants. School resource officer Mark Kelly is the sponsor for the program at school.

“Youth Court is a program for first-time juvenile offenders that are arrested for a crime in Johnson County, such as battery and assault or theft, or any other small or low-level crime, that is not drug or alcohol related,” Kelly said. “It is a chance for them to go through the court system and complete the Youth Court program without that charge affecting the rest of their life. Meaning, if they complete the Youth Court program, the way they’re supposed to, that charge is wiped away forever, and it disappears.”

Kelly said Youth Court is a chance for minors to “rehabilitate” and start over without having their mistakes on their permanent record. Social studies teacher Matt Christensen said he thinks the program is beneficial for both the defendants and the students involved.

“I found it really impactful for the students that I had in the past because I felt that they could earn community service for something that they felt was helping their community,” Christensen said. “They felt that they were helping people their age by giving them fair trial and fair representation and giving them the opportunity to … avoid some of the severe punishments that end up on your record.”

The real world experience gained from being involved in deciding the deserved consequences for peer’s actions gives

students a peek into the system of law. Sophomore Miriam Hill said this was a key reason for her deciding to join. She said Youth Court is very similar to real court and that it is a good way for students to decide whether law is something that they would like to pursue.

“A good sense of morality and justice [is important to be on youth court],” Hill said. “You have to be willing to help people, yet also put work into it.”

Kelly said Youth Court caters to many different types of people in different ways. However, despite a student’s career mindset, anyone can join the program and all are welcome.

“We want anybody from seniors looking for community service hours, to students that are interested in the legal field, interested in being an attorney, interested in being a police officer, any of that stuff, that want to be an actual part of the court system,” Kelly said. “Anybody that’s interested in that, should definitely participate. It’s great for college resumes and you get double your community service hours.”

The impact of this organization is shown by the aftermath of the trials. Christensen said he has seen students who have gone on from Youth Court to be accepted into law school. On the flip side, Kelly has seen, firsthand, students who were on trial, end up joining the program to go on and help make an impact on other juvenile offenders. The students go from being on trial for their mistakes, to helping those in similar situations redirect their path.

“The law is protective of the people from the government, but it is also the role of the people to participate in it, not just be affected by it,” Christensen said. “So, playing the role of any of those positions is good preparation for life in the future.” | elliephillips

8 | the standard / nov. 2021 / opinion

Unnecessary Paper pass process inconveniences students and staff

A

fter an extended hiatus from inperson classes due to COVID-19, there have been several new procedures and schedule revisions put into action. Some of which have proven to be an advantage to the student body, but others have done the exact opposite.

Implementing more academic intervention time has become a top priority for administration this school year, which provides lots of opportunities for students to complete their work during the day. Not only is this academic support built into regular class periods, but students are also encouraged to take advantage of their TIPS class.

Not all students have seen the benefits of this additional work time and most privileges are specific to upperclassmen. Although this time is meant to be independently structured for the students, all building staff is now required to collect a signed paper hall pass or sealed TIPS 2 invitation

in order to let students leave their classrooms or visit another teacher.

As I have observed this new system for an entire quarter, it has been made abundantly clear to me that the paper passes are a large inconvenience to students. However, principal Scott Roberts said these paper passes are meant to challenge students to practice time management skills.

“When we initially introduced academic support time last spring, it was kind of a free for all,” Roberts said. “The time is meant to be spent on homework and student-teacher interaction, so after reviewing our options, we decided that paper passes would be the most simple solution.”

The vast majority of our current student body didn’t get to experience Timber Time pre-COVID, so adjusting to the new pass system might not seem so difficult. However, senior Kennadie Campbell said this transition to using paper passes has jeopardized the freedom for older students.

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Protocol “I remember when we had Timber Time every day and I barely ever had homework,” Campbell said. “Now with the new schedule, it’s much harder to do things like meet with teachers or retake tests because you have to get a pass so far in advance, and even then, some teachers won’t let you leave. It’s honestly just a hassle to go through that’s adding unnecessary stress and complication to my senior year.”

Meeting independently with teachers can make the biggest difference when it comes to success in a class. However, freshman Alyson Massey said the passes impede her ability to get the attention she needs.

“Already high school is so much different than anything I’m used to,” Massey said. “If I have an absence and want to go visit a teacher, I have to get a pass right away or it will be days before I have a chance to see them.”

The shift to a block schedule increases the amount of things that students can accomplish in one class

period, but it is almost more difficult to catch up when there isn’t an opportunity to see your teachers every day.

“We are trying our best to teach students executive functioning skills … you kind of have to plan ahead,” Roberts said. “Also, from a teacher’s standpoint, imagine having a full TIPS class combined with students looking for additional help in your classroom all at once. It doesn’t really work efficiently which is another big reason why we started requiring the signed passes.”

These passes equally impact the staff members as well as the students, but each teacher has been approaching the problem differently. Some teachers are extremely diligent when writing or accepting passes from students, while others don’t keep track of who is coming or going from their classroom.

“It’s impossible to give every student undivided attention, but it seems to me that the students who

need the most help are the ones who probably won’t ask for a pass,” Campbell said.

At this point it would be unrealistic to expect a change in the pass protocol, but as a student body, I feel that we should aim toward building trust with our administrators in hopes of gaining more independence for future years.

“I can understand from a student perspective how it might be a little bit of a pain, but I think that they’re finally starting to get used to it and plan their schedules around it a little better,” Roberts said. “As long as you’re where you’re supposed to be throughout the day, we should have no issues. It’s unfortunate that we had to implement these rules, but so far it’s been very effective.” | karleykent

very to give e ut le ib s s o b “It’s imp ided attention, iv d ents n d u tu t s n stude at the th e m to re the it seems the most help a k for d as who nee probably won’t o h w ones bell a pass.” kennadiecamp | senior

“”

10 | the standard / nov. 2021 / opinion

a Foreigner’s Dual citizen shares his opinion on the US

Writer’s note: The following article is intended to be a humorous contrast between New Zealand and the U.S.

A

fter moving to the United States from New Zealand, I have collected quite a few observations on the country, both positive and negative.

First, the airports. I would like to point out how confusing the airports are. The second we got off the plane and entered the Los Angeles airport we got turned around. That airport is 135 square kilometers in total, or 1,456,254,360 square feet if you are a patriot, which you are. The biggest airport in New Zealand is only 23 square kilometres, or 247,551,480 square feet, if you need perspective.

Speaking of measurements: the metric system. One of the main reasons the U.S. is known to be resistant to widespread change is its continued refusal to use the metric system. Why this steadfast, unbreakable loyalty to the imperial

system? Even the bloody creators of the system don’t even use it anymore. After using both the metric and imperial systems, I find the metric system much easier to use. Honestly, would people really rather use fractions in every measurement instead of counting to 10? In the metric system, 10 millimeters is 1 centimetre, 100 centimetres is 1 metre, and 1000 metres is 1 kilometre. Some would argue it would cost a ton of money to switch from the imperial system, but that is incorrect. For example, when you order a sandwich in New Zealand, you don’t order a 0.3048 metre sandwich, you order a footlong. My point is, you don’t have to switch absolutely everything over, just the things that make sense.

On a more serious note: summer break. Why hasn’t the U.S. gotten rid of this yet? Hear me out.

I’m saying there are better daily schedule options that would help students not feel so overwhelmed

when school is in session. The only reason the U.S. implemented summer break in the first place is because people needed their children to help them farm. I know this is an unpopular opinion, but honestly, having three months off adds two bloody hours to your daily school schedule. Just shorten it to one month or less and call it a day at 1 p.m., or take a breather and sleep in until 8 a.m. For me, spending three months off instead of my usual two weeks was like taking sandpaper to my brain, effectively erasing all of the topnotch material I had learned that year.

Controversial topic alert: don’t get upset. Public health care. The U.S. is known for the excellent quality of life to Americans, but public healthcare not being a thing is a very big downside for me. Don’t get me wrong, private healthcare has benefits as well. Such as increased quality of health care and no wait times, but I feel like

type / month 202# / the standard| 11 |#

perspective healthcare being institutionalized is inefficient and a bit unethical.

What if your insurance company finds a reason to not cover you?

By allowing insurance companies to make a profit, the question of priorities skews the system.

Insurance companies may be prioritizing financial gain over taking care of their clients. Some may argue that having public and private healthcare doesn’t work, but New Zealand does it this way. Public healthcare allows the average citizen to get treated for free, as long as the treatment is necessary for survival, to relieve pain, etc. This means no free cosmetic surgeries (that means you, 1.4% of the US population). Here in the states, hospitals are required to assist you if you are in need of a life-saving surgery, but you will still have to go into life-ruining debt if you end up surviving.

Let’s keep going with medicine.

Medicine being advertised as a product is kind of bad. It is, in

fact, illegal in New Zealand. As in, they don’t allow it. As in, companies break the law if they advertise medicine, even if that advertisement features a cute yellow lab or a person going on a hike in the woods. American medical advertisements usually give us one minor good thing, such as: “Improve your skin!” And then spout off 20 lethal downsides such as: Taking this could result in organ failure, death, depression, mental illness, brain damage, and/or severe addiction to fast-food, like 37% of the U.S. adult population. They say this at the speed of bloody light as well, either to prevent people from hearing it, or because there are so many downsides they need to speak faster to fit everything into their short ad.

I don’t mean to be so harsh on the systems the U.S. has in place.

Since living here, I’ve picked up on a few American customs that New Zealand would benefit from adopting. I’ve noticed the kindness

to strangers here. When someone walks down the street in the states, random people will say “hi” or “good morning,” which is mostly unheard of in New Zealand. There, people would either straight up ignore you or give a brisk wave.

New Zealand’s population usually is too focused on where they are going rather than greeting and being nice to passerby. It kind of caught me off guard when I came here.

Despite the barrage of insulting material, the United States is an incredible country to live in. I’m sure that if someone from the U.S. moved to New Zealand, they could write a similar commentary from the opposite viewpoint. I understand why so many people flock to the U.S. Everything is cheaper here, the education is excellent, and it is by far the most culturally diverse country I’ve ever been in. It’s also the funniest country to tease. | frosthunter

12 | the standard / nov. 2021 / news

Busing Bothers Students experience inconveniences due to lack of bus drivers With the changes to everyday procedures brought along by COVID comes a distinct lack of bus drivers, one that happens to be impacting Blue Valley in greater proportions than one might think.

Director of Business Operations Jason Gillam said the district is suffering from what is “a national shortage of bus drivers.”

“We are not immune to that in Blue Valley,” Gillam said. “This is majorly impacting our ability to attract and retain large quantities of bus drivers.”

Finding drivers that are able and willing to operate buses has been difficult. With low salaries, unique hours, behavioral management requirements among other things to consider, driving a school bus may not be the most commonly sought-after position, and COVID has only multiplied this.

“We weren’t expecting the impact of the Delta variant, and a number of our bus drivers are older or have some other health

issues,” Gillam said. “That scared a lot [of drivers] away.”

Despite reasons against being a bus driver, there are also many that can support the decision. With added bonuses, hourly wages and CDL (Commercial Drivers License) training included in the package, driving can be a quite appealing position. “[Durham is] offering a $1,000 referral bonus to individuals or entities, and in addition the driver gets a $1,500 sign-on bonus,” Gillam said. “If they already have a CDL, they get a $3,000 sign-on bonus.”

Through the positive programs that have been put in place, a number of bus drivers have been and are continuing to be hired, but this does not mean that they are immediately allowed to begin working.

“Bus drivers have to go through criminal background checks, driving background checks, physicals, in-person classes, take tests, written tests and behind-the-wheel tests all before they can get released to become a bus driver,” Gillam said.

Sophomore Mira Desai rides the bus most days and said the lack of

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communication between the school and bus company when there is an issue with transportation is the most frustrating part of this problem.

“It is really hard to coordinate a ride on such short notice,” Desai said. “It is stressful and the buses are unreliable.”

Most days missing buses are not communicated until the end of the day, anywhere from one to two hours before school is over. This crucial information is easy to miss as it is only an announcement over the intercom and many students are prone to overlook them.

“On such short notice they announce it, at the end of the seventh hour or around that time,” Desai said. “‘These buses aren’t here, find transportation or wait an hour for a bus to come.’ It’s really stressful.”

Receptionist Meredith Stewart said she announces missing buses as soon as possible so that students can coordinate rides.

“I do my best, if I know ahead of time I try to get on the announcements,” Stewart said. “This allows kids to find a friend, a

sibling or call a parent and find a ride.”

Gillam said the district is looking for different ways to solve the bus problem in both combining routes between middle and high schools as well as using the Durham Text Service consistently in order to inform students.

“We look at where a bus can serve both a small number of high schoolers as well as middle schoolers,” Gillam said. “We think that is better than making one group wait 40 minutes over the other.”

Despite this combination of routes, many are still experiencing delays and are encouraged to make travel arrangements for themselves. Desai said she thinks this is unfair and extremely inconvenient.

“Honestly it isn’t fair to tell someone that their bus isn’t coming at the end of day. Especially because parents have jobs,” Desai said. “Not everyone is going to be able to find a ride and will be forced to wait on buses, which is not what was promised initially by the bus company.”

Despite persistent missing buses, Stewart said the situation has improved

compared to the beginning of the semester.

“I would say this situation is working itself out quite nicely,” Stewart said. “At the beginning of the year, I would have said [missing or late buses] were common, but we’re down to about one a week.”

Buses are facing difficult times, but Gillam pointed out that it is worth remembering the bus drivers are not to blame. A national shortage is difficult to manage and considering the situation, the district is supplying more buses and drivers as well as working to find other solutions to the problem.

“It is important to understand that sometimes the buses may be late and it is important for our staff to keep that in mind and give grace to the students as well,” Gillam said. “Sometimes buses are late, but in Blue Valley, we work with what we have.” | macykennedy

14 | the standard / nov. 2021 / sports

Fall Sports Recap Tossing the ball into the air, senior Lydia Peterson takes aim for a serve. The team hosted regionals this year for the first time in school history. “Last year we were a lot more closed off and didn’t do as much as a team,” Peterson said. “This year, we were allowed to do a lot more.” Photo by Karlee Doerr.

Performing on the sidelines, senior and dance team captain Lauren Finke dances during senior night at the varsity football game on Sept. 3. With the hope to go to nationals later this year, the dance team continues to practice their different routines. “[This year] dance is getting back to normal,” Finke said. Photo by Kia Patel.

After scoring a point against St. James, junior Hailey Auslander celebrates with her teammates on Sept. 28. Auslander said she was excited to have a full season of competition this year. “[A highlight has been] the cheering and all the people that come to our games and support us,” Auslander said. Photo by Logan Brucker.

Teeing off, junior Hillary Currier looks down the course. Currier broke the school’s single-round record with her first place at Regionals. “Breaking the record has been my goal since freshman year and it was a big accomplishment for me to finally get it,” Currier said. Photo by Sophia Rose.

| 15 Facing off against Blue Valley North, senior and wide receiver Zach Atkins guards his opponent. Atkins said this season has been much more enjoyable now that everyone is allowed to engage in sporting events. “It has been a lot better with fans in the stands,” Atkins said. Photo by Raegan Tausz.

Kicking the ball, senior Sam Michael dribbles down the field on Sept. 23. The team won the EKL championship against Piper on Oct. 26. “Last year we didn’t have fans and only our parents were able to come and we couldn’t have a student section,” Michael said. “This year there’s always people, it’s always loud and there’s great energy.” Photo by Marissa Cart.

At the center of her stunt, senior and cheer captain Grace Nab cheers on boys varsity soccer from the sidelines on Oct. 7. Cheer has continued to work on state routines and lead the school in spirit. “My favorite part so far has definitely been cheering in front of a student section,” Nab said.

Photo by Raegan Tausz.

Mid-stride, senior Drew Dombrosky runs down the cross country course on Oct. 14. The boys cross country team placed second at Regionals and qualified for State this season. The team was also once again able travel. “We’ve gone to Wichita, Minnesota and we’re going to South Dakota at the end of the season,” Dombrosky said.

Photo by Karlee Doerr.

Standing in formation, freshman Bria Taylor (far right) plays alongside fellow members of the Emerald Regiment as they perform their 2021 field production “Babel” at halftime on Sept. 24. “Seeing everyone applaud us for working so hard has been my favorite,” Taylor said.

“Everyone knows how hard we work and how much we rehearse.”

Photo by Veronica Fuendling.

| loganbrucker

16 | the standard / nov. 2021 / feature

FALL favorites

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Students share thoughts on three autumn traditions

LOUISBuRG CIDER MILL The Louisburg Cider Mill is a Kansas fall favorite. Located in Louisburg, Kansas, a once small establishment has grown in popularity. The Cider Mill is best known for its apple cider and cake donuts. Junior Hadley Tuel enjoys the donuts over the cider. “I prefer the donuts because its sugary and you can’t get that kind of donut anywhere else,” Tuel said.

LOUISBERG

CIDER

MILL

DOWNTOWN HAUNTED HOUSES Downtown Kansas City offers haunted houses every year.

The Beast and The Edge of Hell are many people’s favorites, but it has become a tradition for freshman Paxton Prockish.

“Me and my friends go pretty much every year,” Prockish said. The Edge of Hell features a well-known slide at the end of the haunted house, which senior Isabel Ellis has visited. “A notable memory was when I went down the slide and hit my head at the end,” Ellis said.

THE CANDY DEBATE The opinion on candy corn has always been a love-hate relationship. Some argue that it tastes like wax, but others always look forward to it as the season arrives. Junior Luke Petersen said he enjoys candy corn. “I like candy corn in small amounts,” Petersen said. “Every fall I get into that mood where I wouldn’t mind it but not in big portions.”

| ericapeterson