The Tiger Print — April 2021

THE TIGER PRINT

blue valley high school | vol. 51 | issue 5 | april 2021 | bvtigernews.com | overland park, kansas

supporting

small businesses read on to page 13 to get an inside look at bv family businesses

| DESIGN BY CHARLIE TRENT

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ON THE

contents

Contents

WEB

NEWS

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NEWS

A year with COVID As the pandemic reaches a full year of international lockdowns and precautions, the Print reviews the history of the virus.

FEATURE

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Green Thumb Blue Valley junior shares passion for gardening and how her gardening habits have developed.

FEATURE

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NASA Searches for Extinct Life on Mars

Gluten-Free Treat Student with Celiac disease is now able to enjoy Oreos sans gluten with the release of the new Gluten-Free Oreo.

FEATURE

OPINION

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Internet Fame Are influencers celebrities? Staff writers Isabella Vaz and Charley Thomas duel their opposite stances on the subject.

THE TIGER PRINT editor-in-chief Claire Powell

story editors Chloe Browning Olivia Sherlock

assistant editor adviser Charlie Trent Michelle Huss web editors Stephanie Kontopanos Tymber Moody

“The Tiger Print” is an official publication of Blue Valley High School, an open forum distributed to all students six times a year. This publication may contain controversial material. Kansas law prohibits the suppression of a student publication solely because it may contain controversial matter. Blue Valley Unified School District No. 229 and its board members, officers and employees may disclaim any responsibility for the content of this publication; it is not an expression of school policy. Student authors and editors are solely responsible for the content of this publication.

@bvtigernews

staff members Rylee Bergmann Brynn Friesen Kaitlin Green Isaac Hudson Ayesha Khan Erika Kolseth Ani Kreegar Frannie Lamberti Harrison Melton

Claire Middleton Liya Patel Mia Rice Claire Stein Charley Thomas Isabella Vaz Mena Walker Eleanor Warren

Sophomore first in BV history to compete in Girl’s State bowling

OPINION

Letters to the editor are encouraged for publication. “The Tiger Print” reserves the right to edit all submissions for both language and content. Letters should be submitted to Room 450, emailed to thetigerprint@gmail.com or mailed to: The Tiger Print Blue Valley High School 6001 W. 159th St. Overland Park, KS 66085

@bvtigernews

bvtigernews.com

Can money buy happiness?

OFF the RADAR New Reason Found to Change Creek Name

Scan the QR code for the rest of the story | PHOTO FROM THE KANSAS CITY STAR

After public outcry, Johnson County hired UMKC historians to find background information regarding the name of a creek.

Through oral history and some written records, they discovered an enslaved man in the mid-1800s escaped but was caught at a creek nearby the Blue River. Instead of waiting to be killed or captured, he took his own life. In 1856, a Kansas map listed the body of water as Negro Creek.

Johnson County Commisioner Becky Fast emphasized the meeting and support from the general public is necessary before the United States Board of Geographical Names (USBGN) allows permission for the renaming of the creek.

“My hope is that this process will provide a larger conversation as we struggle to reconcile with out country’s history and educate ourselves on where we want to go,” Fast told The Kansas City Star.

Chinese Sanctions

On March 22, the U.S. — along with the EU, Britain and Canada — imposed sanctions against China as a response to Xinjiang’s alleged human rights abuses.

Their joint statement emphasized their continuance “to stand together to shine a spotlight on China’s human rights violations.”

Three days later, China announced sanctions of their own against four entities and 10 individuals, including several British lawmakers for spreading “lies and disinformation”.

China has been accused of detaining Uyghurs, a Muslim Turkic ethnic group, into religious, “re-education” camps where they tortured or even killed. However, the country has denied these allegations.

Actress Jessica Walter Dies at 80

Jessica Walter, who was on TV series “Arrested Development” and Emmy-winner for best actress from her role in limited series “Amy Prentiss”, passed away on March 25.

Walter’s daughter Brooke Bowman confirmed the actress’ death in a statement. “A hard working actor for over six decades, her greatest pleasure was bringing joy to others through her storytelling both on screen and off.”

Walter’s “Arrested Development” co-stars commented on her death, with narrator and executive producer Ron Howard calling her “a brilliant, funny, intelligent and strong woman.”

“What an incredible career, filled with amazing performances,” actor and Walter’s TV son Jason Bateman wrote. “I will forever remember my time with her, watching her bring Lucille Bluth to life.

She was one of a kind.” | WORDS BY CLAIRE POWELL | PHOTOS COURTESY OF TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

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news

One Year Later A look back at what Kansas students have faced in the year since COVID-19 was officially labeled a pandemic

eleanor warren staff writer

Although COVID-19 was initially reported in December 2019, it was not until March 2020 that the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared it a pandemic. In fact, the first case in Johnson County wasn’t reported until March 7. Now, just over one year later, Johnson County has roughly 55,COVID-19 cases, and what originally started simply as a long Spring Break, has turned into seemingly endless quarantines, lockdowns and mask mandates.

S N W O D K LOC

ember Kansas’ very first ost Blue Valley students rem Students were celebrating lock-down in Spring 2020. and looking forward to an the cancellation of school work was ryone did what little school early start to Summer. Eve or going ks” ek watching “Outer Ban assigned, then spent the we on family walks. wasn’t ht have had an easy life, it However, while students mig ior sen , tion dua gra of 2020 missed necessarily ideal. The class in got y the All . ool sch h rter of hig prom and their very last qua s and empathetic teachers. return were some yard sign students r after that first lock-down, Now in Spring 2021, a yea is it ger lon about COVID-19. No are feeling a little differently ing Spr g lon ra s and provides an ext something that stops classe h hig of s ect took out any fun asp Break; COVID-19 simply ces tball games and school dan foo s, blie school such as assem ment iron env ng rni lea ing ever-chang and replaced them with an ds. ill-suited to meet students nee er learning will be in-person, eth wh w kno er nev ts Studen even worse ss of 2021 arguably has it online or hybrid, and the cla

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ey have missed out on their than the class of 2020. Th ss senior seasons have been entire senior year and countle class of 2020 at least got ruined — not to mention the Current seniors have been classes essentially canceled. to senior year while still having deprived of the fun part of classes. keep up with schoolwork and e started out as a fun spring hav ht mig While lock-downs anxiyear of constant stress and break back in 2020, after a dy for rea are ple peo st issues, mo ety over COVID-19 related that a return to nor mal, even if gpro t, fac In l.” ma nor w is a “ne this s ress has been made toward such return with developments erson in-p n, as vaccine distributio of g nin ope relearning, and the und aro es hom g many nurisn Kansas City.

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MASKS

have you tested positive for COVID-19? *based on a poll of 111 students

n March 2020, m asks were not man dated in Kansas, have their own “f and most people ashionable” mas didn’t even ks. Those who wo disposable ones, re them generally and although scho stuck to the ols were shut do the grocery store wn, people could without a mask. still be seen at This all changed in July, when Kan ra Kelly passed sas Governor La a mask mandate urequiring Kansa wear a face mask ns to in public spaces.

Flash-forward to March 2021, and and they’ve become a regula part of fashion. r A year ago, peop le might have be en surprised to see face coverin gs in public, but now, they are both widely acce pted and expect ed.

L

22% yes 78% no

QUARANTIN ES

ast March, the words quaran tine and pand people’s vocabu emic weren’t re lary. The phra gular parts of ses “6-feet” an just beginning d “social-dista to see use, and m nce” were only over by summ ost people hope er. d COVID-19 would be Unfortunately, quarantines an of people’s liv d so ci al distancing ar es and have ev e still very nece en become co those in contac ssary parts mmon. Quara t with COVID ntines have co -1 9 to their hom students to mis nfined es and forced s sports, school and other activ The world was ities. informed that must be placed if they are expo on hold for tw sed, their life o weeks. Man these words w y hope by next ill be distant m March emories of a tim forget. e everyone wis hes to

S E N I C VAC

the past worse in k n e tt o g as -ris uation h ed: High rting to ID-19 sit actually improv sta V e O r a C s e ing t of th at has d, and th te hile mos is one aspect th a in c c re ing va nd go year, the s are finally gett family a ir e n th o ti e e, se vaccinapopula le to leav ting to receive b a n e l. e a eb tar nor m mes hav e teachers are s son after a return to rsing ho m er u o n -p S in in r. a e y s e Tho ed full in a y n e r m tu ti e r t s e fir nally reliable. out for th lue Valley has fi ning. d more n r B a a d r le n te a s id tions, asier, fa nd hybr around, online a ting has gotten e ally be turning nor mal year of s n fi te s to irus elatively Coronav 9 situation seem efully get one r to hop VID-1 The CO time for seniors igh school. h in f and just their last year o f o r quarte

W ||DESIGN DESIGNBY BYELEANOR ELEANORWARREN WARREN

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nnitiation of Staff Vaccinations BV employees reflect on Coronavirus vaccine experience

isabella vaz staff writer As demand for the COVID-19 vaccine outweighs availability, some Blue Valley employees say they feel fortunate the district is providing it. Two staff members, administrative assistant Jodi Hickman and French teacher Carol Bar were among the first group to receive the vaccine on Friday, Feb. 5 at Olathe Northwest.

“We were contacted through an email from district office,” Hickman said. “You had to go on and fill out a form [confirming] that you wanted to receive it. They shot us an email back stating what time we needed to be there and where we were to go. It was a very smooth process.”

Bar had a similar experience.

“It was very well organized, and I walked right in,” Bar said. “Children’s Mercy was in charge of all of the logistics and they were amazing.”

Both staff members also had the same reaction to the shot.

“The only side effect I had was a sore arm,” Hickman said.

“The nurse that administered the shot did a fabulous job and made it quick.”

Before the vaccine, Bar had reservations about continuing to teach under these circumstances.

“I’m greatly indebted to the Blue Valley School District for making this possible and offering an opportunity to protect us,” Bar said. “I probably would not have returned to teaching next year had we not been able to get vaccinated. I just wasn’t feeling safe this year. Even hybrid was making me a little crazy.”

Although there are still many unknowns about the future of the coronavirus and the vaccine, masks are one constant that Bar is hold#SleeveUpJoCo ing on to.

“I will conHealth & Environment tinue to double mask even after I get my second shot and probably do the same thing next year,” Bar said. “I will never feel comfortable going to school without a mask probably for a long time.”

Bar recommends receiving the vaccine to those who are able and get approval from their doctor.

“As anxious as I am about it, it’s the only way we’re going to achieve herd immunity and be able to open school safely where everybody can attend full time,” Bar said. “Even though we don’t know the long term effects, I think not getting vaccinated is probably worse than getting vaccinated, but everybody reacts differently.”

Hickman feels similarly.

“I’m just ready to go back to some more normal times,” Hickman said. “I think that [the vaccine] is going to help us get there.”

“As anxious as I am about [the vaccine], it’s the only way we’re going to achieve herd immunity and be able to open school safely.”

– Carol Bar, French Teacher

| PHOTO SUBMITTED BY JODI HICKMAN BV staff members Mark Dalton and Jodi Hickman recieved their COVID vaccine with BVN staff member Rebecca Dalton. | DESIGN BY ISABELLA VAZ

86%

of students plan to get the vaccine when it is available to them *based off 111 students surveyed

news

On Top of the World

Senior takes on national cheerleading competition chloe browning story editor To most people cheerleading is a sideline entertainment, but that is just a small glimpse into the cheer world. Along with high school cheer, senior Maddy Bridges also competes on the Level 6 team, Platinum, at Kansas City Athletic Cheer (KCAC).

“There is an extremely big difference between the two: high school cheer teams are more relaxed and many girls do not take it seriously or have the skills to be [on] a competitive team.” Bridges said, “Competitive cheer is much more intense and requires more commitment than a high school team.”

Although competitive cheer sounds fun, it requires time-commitment and travel.

“Scheduled practice times are about 8 hours a week and then I come in about 5 extra hours,” Bridges said. “During a normal, [pre-covid] year, we [had] about 6 to 8 competitions out of town.”

The small girls-only team received their bid for Worlds this year at The Redline Competition in Orlando, Florida. “Worlds is the world championship of cheer and only level 6 and 7 teams get to go and compete,” Bridges said, “To get a bid you must go to a bid event and compete. Each competition has its | PHOTO SUBMITTED BY MADDY BRIDGES | DESIGN BY CHLOE BROWNING

own criteria.”

Like any other sport, All-Star cheer has been affected by COVID-19. Several competitions have been canceled completely or done virtually.

“We have to wear masks, which have affected the performance and look by not being able to see the facial expressions made or excitement, but it’s understandable that we need to keep everyone safe,” Bridges said.

Due to the coronavirus, Bridges is hopeful she gets to compete in Orlando this spring.

“Worlds is huge. There are several thousand people there and it’s the most exciting competition for any cheerleader. I have competed at worlds three times and last year would have been my fourth,” Bridges said, ”They have talked about making Worlds virtual, and that would be very sad for me because competing at the competition is the highlight of my year.”

While Bridges has been to Worlds several times, this could possibly be her last opportunity to compete with Platinum, as she continues her cheer journey next year at Oklahoma State University.

“This could be my last year with my team,” Bridges said. “[However,] I am forever grateful to hit the stage with them one final time at Worlds this year.”

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TIGER TIDBITS Sophomore Ben Samuelson throws his hands into the air during a musical number. In order to comply with COVID-19 protocol, actors and actresses in the underclassmen musical accepted the difficult task of performing with face coverings. “The most challenging aspect was being able to display emotion [was] when we had masks on because they covered our faces,” Samuelson said.

Scan the QR code for more photos Sophomore Cannon Simpson lunges forward during a dance routine while on stage. Despite doing musicals in middle school, Simpson felt challenged in this show. “[It was hard] finding the courage to come out of my bubble since doing a musical is so different from what I normally do,” Simpson said.

Freshman Claire Younger clasps her hands along with sophomores Ella Moore and Dylan Casey during a song. Despite “Descendants” being Younger’s first musical at Blue Valley, she was cast in one of the production’s lead roles. “I was the character Jane,” Younger said. “I loved playing her because I had to play many different emotions throughout the show as she grew.”

Underclassmen Musical

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n Feb. 10, the cast of the first annual underclassmen musical, Disney’s “Descendants,” had their final dress rehearsal before the night of the big show, which was performed on Feb. 12 and 13, and was made available to stream to students through the BV Canvas page.

Sophomore Ben Samuelson, who played main character Ben in the production, said despite the challenges of performing in the midst of a pandemic, there were many positive aspects of the experience.

“My favorite part about performing was getting to know all of the people in the cast and creating a bond with them,” Samuelson said. “I think throughout this show, we have been able to grow as people. I think the end result was fantastic.” |WORDS & PHOTOS BY CHARLIE TRENT

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Choir teacher Sam Dollins dances through the school doors and past the celebratory welcoming committee. “I love the band, and I thought it would be fun to come out and show support,” Dollins said. “I was excited to come back.”

With her specialized mask, senior Mishy Liu plays the flute for passerby students. “Performing the welcome back definitely brought back memories of marching band where you’d hold your flute for a really long, [and] your arms start to get tired,” Liu said. “I loved playing for the school. It was funny watching the students’ reactions.”

Return Day After Spring Break

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n March 23, all students returned to school in-person. Tiger Pride organized with dance, cheer, band and staff to welcome their fellow BV tigers.

Senior Tate Gillen was amazed by the unusual greeting.

“I wasn’t expecting it, but it was a nice surprise,” he said.

While there is still a strangeness with classes doubling in size, Gillen is glad to have a sense of normalcy.

“We expected to do senior year in a fun fashion, but obviously that was changed,” Gillen said. “Now that we’re full in-person, it’s a little bit similar to what we were used to.”

Arriving in style, senior Tate Gillen enters BV on return day — cheering. Although he admits the vast increase in students seemed strange at first, he believes it also brought back a greatly missed sense of normalcy. “The freshmen and everybody deserve a good welcome back, so I think [it] was nice,” Gillen said.

|PHOTOS BY CLAIRE POWELL |WORDS & DESIGN BY CLAIRE POWELL & CHARLEY THOMAS | DESIGN BY CHARLEY THOMAS & CLAIRE POWELL

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Girls Swim & Dive

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very morning, the BV girls swim and dive team spend their time at the pool, practicing for their meets.

Freshman Elle Moulder finds comfort in the girls’ consistent routine.

“I like that we do the same warm up every time,” Moulder said. “You get in the water and you know what you’re doing.”

The girls’ swim and dive next meet is Tues.

April 6 at Blue Valley Southwest.

Scan the QR code for more photos

Freshman Elle Moulder gasps for air as she swims across the pool. “I like the team and the building of a community,” Moulder said.

Freshman Alayna Rabin cuts through the water. “I have been swimming for eight years and the main thing I enjoy about swim the most is, obviously getting better, [but] also making new friends,” Rabin said.

Junior Emma Schmidt takes a quick break during her swim practice. “Being on this team is one of my favorite parts of high school because I get to do the sport I love and achieve my goals, while spending time with these amazing girls,” Schmidt said. | PHOTOS BY MIA RICE

On the Web

Scan the QR codes for the photo gallery or visit bvtigernews.com

Chambers Junior Ethan Loftin, sophomores Brynn Friesen and Matthew Lane, along with others rehearse choreography on the track for Chambers. | PHOTO BY CHARLIE TRENT

Spring Play Seniors Bryce Merry and Sofia Hedstrom perform. | PHOTO BY CLAIRE POWELL

Debate Junior Shivam Singh participates in Debate class. | PHOTO BY MIA RICE

BV’s Coffee Shop GRADE Kate Gabel prepares a fresh cup of joe at the | PHOTO BY FRANNIE LAMBERTI

Track & Field Junior Will Creamer jumps over pole vault during track practice. | PHOTO BY ERIKA KOLSETH

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TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS BPA students win State

frannie lamberti staff writer Even though this year the Business Professionals of America (BPA) competition was virtual, Blue Valley’s group was very successful.

For only being her first year, junior Julia Denny was very proud of herself.

“I qualified for Nationals,” Denny said. “I got first in legal office procedures and I qualified in marketing management and human resource concepts.”

It was also junior Levi Rothwell’s first year being in BPA. “My team and I got second in the Presentational Management Team,” Rothwell said.

Denny took the Business Management class last year and decided to give BPA a try. That class and the ones she is currently in helped her prepare for the competition.

“We do a lot of practice and preparation in the class,” Denny said. “I did practice exams and events.”

Rothwell and his team worked with one another to develop their presentation.

“We worked for a few weeks to put together a creative idea that we believed would be the best option for the prompt of our event,” Rothwell said. “BPA is a simulation of real-life experiences inside the business world to prepare

you for the future.”

Denny also believes BPA will help with her career plans.

“I want to be a lawyer or do something in business, and [it] is nice that there were business law events like the one I placed in,” Denny said. “To be able to merge those two worlds together, I can experience some of the business side and some of the law side.”

Rothwell’s favorite part about competing in BPA is getting a new experience. “[I liked] to be working on a project for a while and seeing how much you have accomplished with the final result,” he said.

Denny enjoys business and BPA because of her teacher and her other interests like debate.

“I just love the whole business aspect of it,” Denny said. “I find – Levi Rothwell, 11 it very interesting to do formatting events [because it’s] something I have never tried before.”

Denny and Rothwell were both excited when Blue Valley won the overall competition.

“I know that last year, [BV] didn’t come close to even second place — to know that we had so many different kids qualify for Nationals was really special,” Denny said. “To be able to be a part of that, especially my first year doing it, feels really good to know that I helped in some way to get to victory.”

“BPA has helped me work better in a team environment and with adults in the business world.”

Levi Rothwell, 11

5th digital communication

and design

10 digital marketing 2nd in team presentation th

management

BPA Awards Julia Denny, 11

10th fundamental desktop publishing

10th marketing and hr concepts

1st legal office procedures

| DESIGN BY FRANNIE LAMBERTI

Scan QR code to see all of the awards BV students won

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Recapping at CAPS

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Seniors check-in after adjustments made to programs

mia rice staff writer

When it comes to learning more about yourself and your professional development, look no further than the CAPS program.

Created in order to invest students in opportunities, CAPS is known for its advanced environment with programs that ensure interactive learning. But what happens when a pandemic strikes and students no longer get that consistent hands-on experience?

T Miranda Holloway

aking CAPS in the engineering strand, senior Miranda Holloway is interested in the interchangeable aspects of the field.

“I thought the flexibility of engineering and design mindset would be fascinating,” she said.

Going further in the professional world, Holloway is interning through CAPS with Cerner Corporation, a healthcare IT company based in Kansas City.

“I have had an amazing time getting to learn from my instructors, peers and real-world business partners and other outside connections,” Holloway said.

With COVID, CAPS has had to pivot its curriculum.

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enior Autumn Dixon covers sports medicine and physical injuries in the field.

“I chose this course because I’ve been interested in being a physical therapist for a while and wanted to get a feel for what it would be like before starting college,” she said.

Dixon was keen on the more career-inducing atmosphere of the program.

“I expected CAPS to be a professional workspace where students are treated like adults and able to be more independent than they are in regular school, which is definitely the case,” Dixon said.

Regarding the changes of CAPS due to the coronavirus, Dixon finds the program to be just as

W Husam Younes

“I wish we had more opportunities for field trips,” Holloway said. “I have heard stories from our instructors about how they used to have the opportunity to work closely with the big engineering firms in the area.”

Looking on the brightside, Holloway said she has enjoyed her time at CAPS. “I had no idea how much I would learn about engineering and how many connections I would make,” she said.

Holloway has been able to take away rich tools for her future.

“There are many opportunities that CAPS offers,” she said. “CAPS focuses on pre-professional and career preparation skills and knowledge.”

enriching as if it were a normal year.

“CAPS has definitely exceeded my expectations,” Dixon said. “I feel like I’ve learned more in the past few weeks that’ll help me in my future profession than I have in all of high school.”

While respecting the safety guidelines, Dixon said students are less divided than expected.

“I absolutely love the atmosphere and being able to collaborate with people who are interested in doing the same thing as me as an adult,” Dixon said. “My favorite thing about this class so far was getting CPR and First Aid certified — these are both things that are really important to have, no matter what job I end up having.”

anting to grasp the professional side of life, senior Husam Younes enrolled in CAPS. “I joined hoping to have a better understanding of different jobs in the real world and see how they really feel,” Younes said. “It was proven right.”

At CAPS, Younes is involved with the innovation and entrepreneurship strand, leading students to create products or businesses.

“Although I am planning on going into dentistry, I am still enjoying learning more about the business world,” he said.

When it comes to connections in a professional

Autumn Dixon

environment, shadowing a mentor is common.

“A really big reason I joined CAPS was in hopes that I would shadow different places and really see how things are,” he said. “With COVID, we are not allowed to shadow which takes a little bit of the experience away.”

In spite of the inability to shadow, Younes still found a way to view the course positively.

“Even though we all have our different ideas, we are all brainstorming together,” Younes said. “We are helping each other and getting the experience together — that is different from what we do in just pure, typical classes.” | DESIGN BY MIA RICE

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Student speaks on recent laser hair removal tymber moody web editor

“I’ve just always been really hairy, even as a baby — I have tons of hair, and my hair grows fast, so I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to be shaving my whole life,’” Jones said. “After ody hair is normal. We all have it. Whether you’re you do the math and all the razors, the blades and everyshort, tall, a boy or a girl, we all have some sort of thing like that are added up, it is much cheaper just to do body hair. However, girls more than guys tend to feel laser hair removal.” the need to get rid of this body hair in order to conform to However, while laser hair removal was ultimately the society’s expectations. Senior Becca Jones has definitely cheaper choice in the long run, it didn’t come without its seen and felt these pressures in her day-to-day life. expenses. Jones was fortunate enough to find a Groupon that “If guys were to go wear dresses, people would give them made the total cost of hair removal cheaper, but it still ended weird looks,” Jones said. “It’s just what society does. If you’re up being more than $2,000. any different than what society “For the first eight treatments, thinks you should be, you’re it was $250 and then $77 each going to be judged.” treatment after that until it was That’s exactly what happens done,” Jones said. with girls and body hair. They Although it was a bit pricey, are constantly judged based on Jones said she doesn’t regret her if their legs or underarms are decision in the slightest. shaven or not and are expected Along with the cost, there to shave continuously so they were also a lot of stipulations have no hair visible when they and requirements that she had go out in public. to follow in order for the laser “If you were to look at ‘The hair removal to work effectively.

Greatest Showman,’ the person “If you have darker hair and there that had the beard was it’s really coarse, it works best,” – Becca Jones, 12 seen as a freak and an outcast, Jones said. “You can’t be in the and that’s only because she was a girl,” Jones said. “Everysun 48 hours before or two weeks after. [The laser] looks like body’s sculpted by the views around them, and society only a vacuum, and you’re always in a really cold room because really bases body hair around girls.” the machine gets super hot. I imagine it like the magnet For Jones, her feelings toward body hair started from a from “Minions” that sucks them all up because that’s kind of very young age and continued to grow from then on out. what it does to your hair.”

“In kindergarten, I got made fun of because my legs are The whole process took Jones about a year and a half, really hairy,” Jones said. “So in first grade, I got an electric and she had little to no pain throughout her treatments. She razor from my parents and I used that.” even said that at times it tickled.

After years of shaving and trying to keep up with her “It’s nice not to have to shave everywhere,” she said. rapid hair growth, she decided to spend the money and get “Sometimes there will be little hairs that pop up here and laser hair removal. there, but it’s pretty nice.”

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“I imagine it like the magnet from ‘Minions’ that sucks them all up because that’s kind of what it does to your hair.”

| DESIGN BY TYMBER MOODY

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Student shares tips for dealing with testing pressure brynn friesen staff writer The race to the end of the year has multiple students gearing up for summer, but for juniors, they prepare for the ACT and SAT. Junior Ellie Graham felt the burden of studying for her exams, knowing many of her fellow classmates felt the same.

“There’s a lot of pressure on kids, especially high school students, to score well, just because emphasis is placed on ACT [and] SAT test scores from a very young age,” Graham said.

“Especially in the Blue Valley district, where expectations are so high, students feel very pressured to score well.”

Graham tries to think happy thoughts when it comes to stan- – Ellie Graham, 11 dardized testing so she doesn’t stress herself out.

“It’s a universal struggle,” she said. “All the juniors and seniors who are taking it are going to be feeling this way so I [find] solace in that.”

The ACT requires studying to get a decent score and

Graham makes sure to keep up with her preparations.

“I’ve definitely been studying the past couple weeks [for] 20-30 minutes each night as best I can,” she said.

Going into testing, Graham set goals for herself.

“Scoring wise, I’m trying to get a 30 or above,” Graham said. “Other than that, [I’m] taking it as strategically as possible and feeling more prepared.”

Her advice to others is to feel calm and composed going into the test and keeping a positive perspective on the ACT. “Remember that everybody’s going to go through it at some point,” Graham said. “Start studying early, whether it’s for 10 minutes at night or just a couple times a week, getting any preparation. I think [this] can help people feel a lot more confident going in.”

From her experience, Graham has realized she doesn’t need to worry too much about the test and can calmly focus on achieving her goals.

“If 2020 taught me anything, it’s that focusing on myself is more important,” Graham said. “Acknowledging that, yes, this test is going to happen, and, yes, it’s important, but in the end, I’m going to be fine either way.”

“All the juniors and seniors who are taking it are going to be feeling this way so I [find] solace in that.”

ways that BV kids de-stress | 111 students surveyed

74% 60% 40% 30% 23% | DESIGN BY BRYNN FRIESEN

listen to music watch a show or movie exercise clean read

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HYBRID STRESS TEACHER COMMENTS ON HYBRID LEARNING STRATEGIES

isaac hudson staff writer

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ment versus when a teacher is standing right in front of t’s no secret that a lot of the students at BVHS do not you, it’s a lot easier to ignore it. I totally get that — it’s kind prefer the hybrid model over a fully in-person or all onof endemic to the format.” line schedule. 60% of surveyed students said they preThis year, McDonald believes students abuse their leverferred to be all in-person or all online over 40% who prefer age of turning in late assignments and still being able to get hybrid. It seems that a lot of the frustrations students have partial or even full credit. with the hybrid schedule are mirrored by the struggles that “I imagine it’s frustrating for everybody to have low it has put on teachers, which many students often forget. grades, but it’s mostly because students didn’t do someWith the constant burden of lesson planning and gradthing,” McDonald said. “It’s easier for them to make it ing assignments, Latin teacher Joseph McDonald feels up at the end of the year, term, unit or whatever. That’s a hybrid has not advantaged anyone involved. positive thing, but unfortu“The pressure that it puts nately it’s cheating students on me as a teacher, with the of the education in timeliness planning in hybrid mode, has and punctuality — which is forced me to reevaluate lesson one of the big benefits of an planning, strategies and things institutional school.” that I want to do,” McDonWith new responsibilities ald said. “That’s going to be and academic restlessness an effect that will carry back imposed on him due to the into a full in-person setting. hybrid format, McDonald It’s probably a benefit [to me describes the difficulty of right now], even if it’s not establishing lessons. a net benefit [overall]. That “[Planning] has been pressure makes you rethink really, really affected,” he said. things that you otherwise “That’s a pretty bland way wouldn’t be inclined to -Joseph McDonald, Latin teacher of putting it. It’s been much rethink.” more difficult because having There are lots of assignments and activities that to plan for students being out of class versus in class is McDonald simply cannot incorporate with his classes due challenging to say the least.” to the hybrid format.

McDonald said there have been a few benefits and posi“[Aspects such as] the basic language practice — that is tive outcomes from the hybrid school format. in many ways the bread and butter of the Latin classroom “I think in some ways it makes aspects of the lessons — [are] just impossible online,” he said. “In a hybrid easier because it incentivizes [me to do] things like making format, [they] have to be greatly curtailed.” a video to introduce or summarize a lesson, and that can McDonald teaches several Latin classes every day and help students who use that resource. It also pushed me to has witnessed first-hand how the stress affects his pupils. use other tools [and] capabilities of Canvas and similar “It’s not because what I’ve been asking of students has platforms. [It has pushed me to] use them more than I been more difficult,” McDonald said. “If it’s an assignment would have been inclined to otherwise outside of the hybrid that you have to turn in, and you’re sitting in your baseformat.”

“...with the planning in hybrid mode, [it] forced me to reevaluate lesson planning, strategies and things that I want to do.”

43%

prefer all in-person learning | DESIGN BY ISAAC HUDSON

41%

prefer hybrid learning

16%

prefer all remote learning

feature

17

Pan emic Performance

BV student shares virtual audition experience

go wrong,” Warren said. “Zoom could crash and also it doesn’t read too well.”

Experiencing technological issues have some snags for performing in a new environment, but there can also be mena walker advantages. staff writer “The [downside] would be the audio peaking or just not being able to perform [as] you could in person — also, Since her childhood, senior Emily it’s weird not getting any feedback or just not Warren has had a passion being in the room with for the performing arts. the people,” Warren “I’ve been singing [for] said. “[Fortuas long as I can remem “Even if I nately,] you’re ber, but I started choir in in your house fifth grade,” Warren said.

don’t make choir at so you’re very “My parents always kind of comfortable in my colleges, whichever pushed music on me since I a [loose- fitwas a little kid, so I guess

one I’ll go to, I’ll still have

ting] environI grew up with it.” ment.”

With the fun.”

-Emily Warren, 12 Warren changes that gives juniors,

come with who are interested COVID-19, in performing arts next year, it has become some tips in case COVID-19 still difficult for impacts auditions. students passion“Treat it like a normal ate about performaudition, but be aware you ing arts to apply to have to modify a few things because colleges in a safe way. some things don’t read well over a computer,” Warren has faced this expeWarren said. “My voice teacher really helped rience this school year. me since she was over Zoom. She was able to give “I applied to KU, Oregon feedback on what sounds good through Zoom.”

University of Vermont and University of Delaware,” Despite this year’s differences, Warren said students should Warren said. “Most of the auditions for college, or at least the not fray from this new experience. choirs and colleges that I’m looking into hold auditions that “I’d say go for it,” Warren said. “It can be a little semester, so I won’t be auditioning until the fall. I’m [even] nerve-wracking, but if you think you’ll enjoy it, just do what more excited.” makes you happy.”

With many years of practice, Warren still enjoys her love of performing, even if she doesn’t accomplish her journey into choir in college.

“Just because I really enjoy singing and even if I don’t make choir at my colleges, whichever one I’ll go to, I’ll still have fun and I’ll still be enrolled in vocal music classes,” Warren said.

Due to the pandemic, Warren has to audition virtually instead of on stage.

“You never know if something’s going to go wrong in a normal audition but with Zoom, the added technology could

How do BV students prefer to audition or interview?

86% In-person 14% On Zoom

| DESIGN BY CLAIRE STEIN

111 students surveyed

18

on the cover

Small shops design by Ayesha Khan

words by Brynn Friesen, Isaac Hudson, Ayesha Khan, Erika Kolseth, Liya Patel, Mia Rice, Charley Thomas & Mena Walker statistics based on 111 students surveyed

S

mall businesses — they’re where you recognize the faces behind the counter and the name on the sign. They’re what creates the social and economic culture of a neighborhood or town and what manages to bridge the growing gap between community and commerce.

Often characterized as the hearts of their community, locally-owned businesses bring personal connection and authenticity to affairs that have become purely transactional for many multimillion-dollar corporations, ultimately earning them the loyalty of the public they serve.

Danny Caine, owner of small business The Raven Bookstore in Lawrence, Kansas told The New Yorker, “I really just want people to think about where they’re spending their money and why.”

The lives and successes of small business owners, however, cannot be wholly described by a positive communal sentiment or a generalized, feel-good phrase, as these people must compete against national and even global corporations for customers and overcome challenges from inconvenient repairs to pandemics — all to secure a sufficient income.

Owning and operating a small business presents itself to be anything but a small task, which is one of the many reasons why shopping small can have an impact so big.

Emboldened Entrepreneurship

H

aving written articles and editorials, including publications such as the Kansas City Star, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Wall Street Journal’s online WSJ Market Watch, BV parent Laura McKnight is the Director of Practice Development of Creative Planning at Embolden, a local publishing company.

People like McKnight who own businesses in local areas can adapt to changes at a faster and more efficient pace.

This allows for giving more opportunities to individuals who may be overlooked by large companies or ineffective human resources.

“When you think about business, a lot of people only think about the big companies,” she said. “In fact, our economy is very dependent on small businesses being successful because they employ people and they also provide a lot of the goods and services that we need in our society.”

McKnight, who is the mother of freshman Eva Barker and junior Lindy Barker, used the advantages of the internet to gain possibilities at the beginning of her small business journey.

“I started researching and [worked] to figure out what it would take to not only write a book but also pay for it to get printed and how to sell it online through Amazon and Barnes and Noble,” she said.

When McKnight aspired to start her job in publishing in 2012, she began her very own publishing company named Embolden.

“I [wrote my first book] because I wanted to get into the

business — I knew that if I had a book, it could really help me with that,” she said. “The company [helps] foundations across the country with their marketing by creating materials they can buy online so they don’t have to write the materials themselves.”

McKnight said owning a small business has changed her outlook on the world.

“I really have a huge admiration for people who start businesses with their own money because it’s really hard and it’s easy to take for granted when you just get a paycheck,” she said.

“When you have your own business and you’re the one writing paychecks for other people, it really makes you appreciate much more.”

Embolden’s digital technology enables the business to move smoothly.

“It makes things a lot faster,” she said. “If you’re smart about it, it can make it cheaper.”

McKnight wants to make sure that it’s easier for people to find out how to publish books.

“There’s still a lot of misinformation out there,” she said.

“I think people waste a lot of time and money because they just don’t know how to begin [an entrepreneurship].”

For students interested in entering publishing in the future, McKnight suggested keeping an eye on the ever-evolving field.

“Pay attention to how publishing is changing to get a good historical perspective,” she said. “Also pay really close attention as it changes year-to-year because it creates opportunities.”

Laura McKnight

HOW OFTEN DO YOU SHOP SMALL? 60% occasionally 17% hardly 20% always 4% never

KNIVES OUT

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Spencer Marquardt

DESIGN BY YOUR NAME

pencer Marquardt, father of sophomore Carson Marquardt,is one of the owners and founders of Finch Knife Co., a small business specializing in handcrafted pocket knives. Marquardt began making knives with Finch in 2019.

Since then, he has learned a lot about owning and operating a small business.

“My business requires me to have many different responsibilities — I need to have an understanding of finance, marketing, management, manufacturing and customer service,” Marquardt said.

“I enjoy owning a small business because I get plenty of opportunities to manage scenarios in all of these disciplines.”

Because of the impact it can have on a business, Marquardt is attentive to the news.

“It is important for me to keep up with current events around the world,” Marquardt said. “I work with factories in Asia and have to coordinate with shipping companies to have my products exported out of the country of origin and into the U.S. We have to pay import taxes on everything we bring into the U.S.” Marquardt describes the significance of local businesses as the backbone of the

American economy.

“Small and family-owned businesses provide a level of service that is more personal [and] are [an] important part of their communities,” Marquardt said. “[It gives me a] strong sense of pride, independence [and] strong work ethic.”

Unlike other companies, Finch Knife Co. has not been impacted by the coronavirus.

“All of my products are sold online either directly from my website or through our network of dealers,” Marquardt said.

“My products are priced strategically that [even] during a down economy, our customers are still wanting and needing our products.”

For students interested in starting a business, Marquardt advocates to trust themselves and their clients.

“Don’t worry about making mistakes because they are inevitable — learn from your mistakes and quickly move on,” Marquardt said. “It’s all about the customer. We exist because of the customer, so take care of them. Don’t be afraid to take risks. If you believe in your product or service, others will too.”

CRAFTING A COMPANY

A

s someone who’s always loved shopping small and being creative, it was no surprise when a BV sophomore decided to open her own small business, Decals by Abby Taylor. “[My favorite part] is just making the products,” Taylor said.

“It’s such a creative process, and it’s really fun to just sit down and be creative and work with my hands.”

Although it began as just a small sticker account, she utilized her spare time over quarantine to revamp her account and expand her variety of products.

“I sell custom stickers and decals,” she said. “I also have ornaments, hand-knit yarn keychains and canvas banners that have cute messages on them.”

Having a small business has given Taylor the opportunity to meet new people and collaborate with several organizations.

on the cover “One of my favorite things was making the cheers stickers because usually I wouldn’t get to do that,” she said. “I also made ornaments for my dad’s work — that was really fun.”

Taylor said buying from local businesses is equally as rewarding on the other side.

“Shopping small gives you and the owner a bigger satisfaction — you’re not just contributing to a big million-dollar corporation, you’re helping one person,” Taylor said.

“Most of the time you get to know that person really well. You can see their personality and how they’re impacted by it.”

Being a business owner has given Taylor a way to apply the knowledge she has gained through courses at BV. “It’s given me more chances to use my creativity for a bigger purpose than just for myself,” Taylor said. “It’s taught me good social media skills, and I feel like I’ve gotten better at Canva and the other programs that I use. It gives me a bigger thing to focus my time on outside of everything else.”

Having created her business during the pandemic, Taylor was not forced to adjust as greatly compared to other local shops. Yet, she still experiences challenges.

“Although I still do some face-to-face deliveries, some of them I’ve had to set out in a little box and they’ll come pick it up,” Taylor said. “I also do a lot of Venmo. It’s easier than paying cash and handing it off.”

Taylor hopes to continue being a small business owner into the future and possibly expanding it with time.

“Right now, I like how small it is because I don’t have to worry about shipping, but I’m really open to moving toward Etsy,” she said.

Taylor finds this creative outlet to be a great place to focus her time outside of school and in other aspects of her life.

21

“It’s such a wonderful way to meet new people and earn a little bit of profit on the side,” Taylor said. “Wherever I go, I think I would continue with it — even as a side job in the future.”

Abby Taylor, 10

22

I AM LOCAL BUSINESS

on the cover

A

Mullika Hamilton & Carissa Hamiton, 12

I AM

FROZEN DESSERT CAFE

ll around town, businesses — ranging from clothing stores, to cafes, to restaurants — fill the streets and shopping corners and are owned by a variety of people.

One small business that has made its mark over the last few years, is run by senior Carissa Hamilton and her family.

During December 2018, the Hamiltons partnered with another local business owner, Ann Riensin-Piyapant, to open I AM Frozen Dessert Cafe.

“The whole concept is super popular in Thailand, and it’s never been done in Kansas,” she said. “We thought it would be unique to bring it her.”

Hamilton quickly learned owning a business is harder than people think.

“My mindset has definitely changed,” she said. “I realized that not everything is as easy as it looks and that it takes a lot of effort.”

While the constant hard work may seem tiring at times, Hamilton has been able to take away an exorbitant amount from this experience.

“I get the opportunity to learn a lot about business which is good because that’s what I want to get into,” Hamilton said. “I’ve also been able to learn and work with certain people to help me grow.”

While some may think owning a local business comes with fewer challenges, the reality is quite the opposite, as Hamilton’s mother, Mullika Hamilton, explains.

“You have a lot of responsibilities that revolve around every aspect of the business,” Mullika said. “You are constantly looking for ways to improve how you interact with customers, how you motivate, train and retain staff and how you cut cost without sacrificing quality.”

Now more than ever, small businesses have taken a major hit. The past year with COVID-19 has set new challenges for the Hamilton family.

“When the pandemic first started, we had to pause for a bit,” Mullika said. “Then, once things were able to open back up, we started doing to-go orders. It’s just starting to get back to how it was before COVID.” Despite the loss of business over certain stages in the past year, the Hamilton family has learned to grow and work even harder than before. It has given them and many business owners a chance to change their perspective on what they have.

“I’ve learned that it is going to be hard at times,” Carissa said. “It won’t always be the best experience, but you just have to put in more effort so that it stays alive.”

Understanding how to adapt to new situations and reinvent a concept on the fly was something the Hamiltons learned at an early stage.

“Finding new ways of servicing customers through new contact points and new products while still maintaining the identity of your business is key,” Mullika said.

Owning a business, the Hamilton family has learned first-hand the importance of shopping small.

“Shopping local ensures a stronger local economy,” Mullika said. “It’s not as though non-local businesses don’t hire local or source local, it’s just that a vast majority of the money does not stay local.”

As her family continues to recover from the pandemic, Carissa hopes to take what she’s learned from her family’s business and build something of her own.

“In the future, I would like to open a small business,” Carissa said. “It would mean so much to me.”

BUSINESS TOMORROW

on the cover

23

W

ith the years flying by, several local shops open their doors — inspiring teenagers to take part in their own way.

For students interested in creating their own line of work, business teacher Kathy Peres recommends the entrepreneurship course.

“One of the things we help students do in class is actually develop a business plan,” Peres said. “What that does is forces them to think through all of those key things that would need to be done in order to get their business running — an amount of money they’re going to need to come up with in order to start their business, their vendors, what type of marketing needs to be done, [starting] that business on their own as a sole proprietor or [grabbing] a partner.”

In spite of the difficulties in creating a start-up, Peres notes some students have found triumph in their own journey of entrepreneurship.

“We have students who started a quick lawn-mowing business — something like that is fairly easy to start,” Peres said. “While we are very fortunate that [our school’s coffee shop is] under the umbrella of school, if [an individual were] to start a small business like a coffee shop, there would have been a lot more that would have went into it.”

While small businesses are gaining popularity, Peres believes more support is still necessary for these people to be truly successful.

“If we want those businesses around and we want that local, family owned businesses feel, we have to support them and not drive through Chickfil-A just because we love Chick-fil-A,” Peres said. “Branch out and try a small business that [you’ve] never tried before. Any community needs to do that if they want to have more options.”

Do YOu Actively Support Small Businesses?

Kathy Peres

Read More

18% no

82% yes

Mowing On UP

The Banking Bunch

Starting Small

24

feature

All About Adoption

Senior discusses what it’s like to be adopted claire stein staff writer

A

ccording to the United States Adoption Network, each year nearly 140,000 children are adopted, and currently there are around 7 million Americans who have been adopted.

The Child Citizen Act of 2000 allows children whose adoptions were finalized overseas to receive full American citizenship when they enter the United States as lawful permanent residents.

Senior Katie McKain was adopted from Wuhan, China when she was 1 year old and in foster care.

“I have always known that I was adopted,” McKain said. “I’m not really sure when [my parents] first told me, but I was so young at the time that I didn’t exactly know what it meant.”

Although McKain does not remember much about her birth place, her mom and dad have told her many stories about what it was like to get her.

“I would like to visit Wuhan [at] some point in my life,” McKain said. “I think it would be interesting to see all the places my parents visited during their trip.”

“Being adopted and not blood-related has never really changed anything.”

– Katie McKain, 12

| DESIGN BY CLAIRE STEIN

McKain’s older sister, Maggie, was also adopted from China.

“We have always been super close,” McKain said. “Being adopted and not blood-related has never really changed anything — [it] doesn’t change how they act around us.”

Adopting a child can be very time-consuming for many families. The process includes researching and selecting an adoption agency, filing an application, conducting a home study, searching for the child or children and preparing them for a new home. The time frame and cost varies case-by-case, but the wait is typically between two to seven years for a healthy infant.

When McKain was adopted, she was underweight and had many health problems — including eye issues that required two surgeries at the age of 4 and 6.

“I was 1 and a half and weighed about 13 pounds [with an] underdeveloped digestive system,” McKain said. “Also I had a VSD, or ventricular septal defect, [a] hole in the wall of your heart. On the day I was adopted, I was going to have surgery to fix it, but when I got to the States, they said surgery was not necessary.”

McKain is appreciative for the family she has, and does not feel the need to meet her biological parents.

“I honestly don’t have much interest in meeting my birth parents,” McKain said. “I also don’t think it would be possible since I was in foster care and don’t know anything regarding my life before.”

McKain said being adopted does not set her apart from her friends or other students at BV. “Personally, I don’t think I’m treated any differently than someone who wasn’t adopted,” McKain said. “I’m very grateful I was brought into the family I have.”

feature

overcoming the

25

UNUSUAL sophomore hopes to spread more information regarding rare genetic disorder

ayesha khann staff writer

nonetheless, takes a toll and provides its adversities. Hazel finds comfort in knowing everyone has their own individual struggles.

“Eating is a part of everyday life and always having something different when it came to that was really difficult for me, especially when I was younger,” Hazel said. “I’ve realized as I’ve gotten older that everyone has things that make them different, which is why it bugs me less now.”

Another source of strength for Hazel is her sister who also inherited the disorder.

“She’s younger than me, so I had to set a positive message for her and show her that I can live a normal life with it so she can, too,” Hazel said. “I basically had to be a role model for her, knowing that it’s something we both have to deal with.

I wanted to keep a positive attitude so she would know it’s something manageable.”

Hazel chooses to focus on how her PKU condition is something that has made her stronger and more resilient.

“It’s OK to have things that make you different,” Hazel said. “Hopefully with sharing this, it’ll help people and educate others because not many know what it is — that’s the most important thing.”

When you think about some of your favorites foods, there’s a good chance they contain protein. Now, imagine not being able to eat any of them.

For sophomore Maci Hazel, that is her reality while living with phenylketonuria, more commonly known as PKU. “It’s a rare genetic disorder that causes an amino acid called phenylalanine to not be broken down in my body,” Hazel said. “To put that into simpler words, my body doesn’t have what it needs to break down that certain type of protein, which causes me to only be able to have a limited amount of protein every day.”

Hazel found growing up with this uncommon condition to be difficult.

“When I was younger, it affected me a lot more,” Hazel said. “Whenever I went to birthday parties or to school, I would always have to bring my own food. That obviously made me feel really out of place.”

Despite the lack of short-term effects, it can be detrimental to her well being in the long run.

“If I ate a bite of steak or a piece of pizza, nothing would happen; but if every single day I ate a lot of protein, since my body can’t break it down, it’ll build up and start to block parts of my brain,” Hazel said. “Over time if I were to eat protein every day it would cause brain damage.”

With age, Hazel has discovered ways to manage and accept her disorder throughout her daily life.

“There’s a lot of gluten-free foods that are lower in protein, so I’ve just found stuff that I like and that I can eat,” Hazel said.

Hazel fills her diet with lots of fruits and vegetables due to “It’s something I’ll have for their low protein concentration the rest of my life unless and enjoys going to certain they come out with new restaurants that offer gluten and dairy-free options. treatments“ “All my friends are so used to -Hazel, 10 it now because I’ve had it for the entire time they’ve known me,” she said. “It just doesn’t bother me as much anymore.”

Even with these alternatives and adjustments, PKU, | DESIGN BY LIYA PATEL

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feature

RE-L A ADED ACKNOWLEDGING THE CLASS OF 2021 BASEBALL COMMITS As Blue Valley Spring sports begin, one team in particular is eager to play. Baseball America has recently ranked BV as the number-one team in the Midwest Region. After beating the topranked team in the state of Nebraska over Spring Break, they are off to a good start. Twelve seniors on the roster are committed to play baseball at a college this upcoming Fall of 2021.

Expectations are high and work is to be done for these talented seniors.

Read on to see where they plan to go after graduating.

Jackson Nicklaus University of Oklahoma

2 9 5

Chase Jans University of Kansas

Luke Johnson Harding University

Tate Gillen Creighton University

21

| WORDS & DESIGN BY CLAIRE MIDDLETON | PHOTOS SUBMITTED INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS

Jackson Hagen Pomona-Pitzer College

7

Jack Tinberg University of Louisville

15

feature

27

Jake Hale Hesston College

6

Preston Giltner Johnson County Community College

22

Drew Sale Earlham University

4

Ethan Reinert Doane University

Grant Westermajer Undecided

10 3

8

Jack Harris Allen County Community College

16

Jace Peters Undecided

Carson Liggett University of Louisville

25

Scan the QR Code to see what some of the players have to say about what BV baseball means to them and goals for the upcoming season.

28

W E R P WER L F

feature

transformed and changed throughout the seasons.

“My garden now isn’t very big,” Siddique said. “Normally I [garden] in the spring or summer, so everything is dead [in the winter]. There’s nothing in it. I didn’t really take care of or junior Ariana Siddique, her first experience with it after school [started].” gardening was volunteer work, and her “green thumb” Because her education takes up so much of her time, has since stuck with her.

Siddique had to find ways to make her garden easier to care “I used to live in New York by the college called SUNY Brockport,” Siddique said. “They had a garden for a girl who for. Part of this simplification includes the growing of mostly perennials, which are planted in the spring or early summer. was hit by a drunk driver. It was a memorial. They would “They’ll bloom, and then over winter, they’ll be dead — have volunteers come and help garden every summer. It but they’re not actually dead,” Siddique said. “Their seeds would just be a bunch of kids, a lot of college students [and] and roots will still be there. In spring, you don’t have to plant professors. That was when I was 4 or 5.” them again — they’ll bloom on their own. We [also] have The university’s garden featured a vast variety of plants. sprinklers that do the watering for “They had a lot of apple trees, me, so all I do is put in natural rosemary, all sorts of different fertilizers once a week — like bushes and a lot of rare species coffee beans.” or ones that are nearly going Siddique purchases what she extinct,” Siddique said. “They needs at the store, which alleviates had chili plants that they’d grow the complexity of the gardening and different types of peppers, – Ariana Siddique,11 process. tomatoes — things like that.”

The Siddique family chose to “I buy my seeds from Cafe Equinox,” Siddique said. “I contribute to the garden so they could help serve the local don’t propagate my seeds except for basil. It’s really easy — area. you just put it in water and let it do its photosynthesis.”

“I decided to garden there because I felt like it was a Out of all her plants, Siddique has a specific one that she good cause,” Siddique said. “It was a way to be a part of the finds the most beautiful. community, and it’s a very small college town. It was nice to “I have an umbrella plant,” Siddique said. “It’s my be involved.” favorite because it’s very leafy, and it’s very pretty.”

This initial opportunity to garden gave Siddique the Despite the ease and beauty of her garden, there are still chance to inform herself about the subject. improvements Siddique would like to make.

“I learned about gardening because a lot of the faculty “If I could change anything about my garden, I would members would help,” she said. “They showed us a proper definitely make it bigger — it’s very boring, plain and way to plant things, pot them, take care of them.” amateur,” Siddique said. “I would probably do more things I In addition to a communal garden, the Siddique family can actually use — more basil, which is pretty easy to grow, had a more modest one of their own. or more tomatoes. Ideally I would use it for things like food.”

“We had a mini garden in front of our house,” Siddique Siddique emphasizes the stability that gardening requires. said. “It was just a flower garden [that] had tulips and stuff, “My tips for gardening [are] to keep at it,” Siddique said. so it wasn’t very fancy.”

“It’s really easy to fall out of a routine, but consistency is key.”

Since moving from New York, Siddique’s garden has stephanie kontopanos web editor

F

| DESIGN BY STEPHANIE KONTOPANOS

“[Gardening] was a way to be a part of our community.”

| PHOTO SUBMITTED

BY ARIANA SIDDIQUE At a young, junior Ariana Siddique helped her family garden in their New York home.

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ming C mmunity feature

Bl

ents le d u t s APES

A

arn how to garden for a good cause

s members of the AP Environmental Science class, seniors Jake Andry and Johnathon Lemons and junior Tori Wingrove have the chance to grow crops for the Olathe Parks and Recreation organization and a few local food banks.

Specifically, they are growing cabbages, onions and herbs to help bring necessary nutrients to those less fortunate.

“I feel like gardening is a rewarding experience,” Lemons said. “It makes me feel as though I am able to give back to the community.”

The planting process, which is mainly dependent on the students, has been mostly successful since starting at the beginning of February. In these few months, Wingrove has been positively impacted by the experience.

“This opportunity has made me realize that even the little things like growing plants can make a big difference in the community and environment,” Wingrove said.

Andry said this activity brings him joy but the effect was lessened on his end.

“It makes me feel good,” Andry said. “It feels good to do things that help other people not just for your own personal gain but to do it for others.”

Although it may seem pretty simple to gar-

den, challenges arise due to the specific schedule at BV because of COVID-19 regulations.

“Every time we have class, we have tasks to keep the plants alive: watering them, adding more soil and ensuring they stay healthy,” Wingrove said. “With hybrid, each class has to take care of each other’s plants on the days the other class is virtual.”

Within the first month of growth, the crops are proving to thrive, despite obstacles thrown at the APES students.

“The onions are growing quite well, as I predicted,” Andry said. “The cabbages, however, have been lacking in their growth, probably due to the lack of attention [caused from snow days].”

Despite the scheduling issue, there are no physical complications currently, but the class is prepared for any future ones, especially with the movement from the classroom to the outside organizations.

“I haven’t noticed any apparent challenges yet,” Lemons said. “They might come when we have to transport them.”

Andry, Lemons and Wingrove encourage their peers to get involved in nature more often.

“Gardening makes me feel earthy,” Wingrove said. “I would recommend it to everyone.” | WORDS & DESIGN BY RYLEE BERGMANN

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Let’s Talk About Blue Valley celebrates American-born music genre

April is Jazz Appreciation Month, spotlighting jazz music as a historical and living American treasure.

Blue Valley jazz band director Paul Bessetti has been playing the trumpet in jazz band since middle school and continues to involve jazz in his life.

“Jazz is literally the only original and true American art form,” Bessetti said.

“For us as musicians, we all have to have some sort of foundation of knowledge in this as an art form.”

Junior Lauren Kassing has been playing the trumpet in jazz band since freshman year.

“There are a lot of stylistic differences between jazz and classical music,” Kassing said. “I’ve been [in jazz band] before, so I know how to practice and analyze the piece.”

Senior Nathan Ponnuru has been playing classical style trumpet since middle school and joined the jazz band his junior year.

“Playing jazz, as opposed to playing classical, makes you a more well-rounded musician and teaches you different ways of playing,” Ponnuru said.

The jazz band has had to undergo various challenges due to COVID-19.

Since the band is split into two hours,

| DESIGN BY ERIKA KOLSETH

they have had to add after-school practices so they can play together as one band.

“We picked pieces that had a little bit fewer instruments required to play so more people were playing together in unison,” Bessetti said.

The musicians have trouble learning their part due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

“The problem is that the entire ensemble can’t hear each other,” Ponnuru said. “It’s difficult to match tuning rhythms.”

The difficulty in melding the group together as a whole has caused a rift in performance progress.

“A lot of what we do in our music profession is centered around the vibe of the ensemble,” Bessetti said. “It’s been very challenging to try to create that vibe that is such an integral part of what we do as musicians to help the music along and to help it speak for itself.”

These musicians have worked hard to maintain normality in the band under the circumstances, but say it is worth all of the effort.

“Nothing will challenge you and improve your musical confidence more than jazz band” Ponnuru said. “Jazz is like a whole other world.”

Who’s your favorite Jazz Artist?

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Fashion Fashion Fanatics Fanatics Students share their fashion inspirations

liya patel & harrison melton staff writers High school is known for being the time of self-discovery and transformation, a time to experiment with styles and trends to see what fits one’s personal mold the best.

Many Blue Valley students have embraced this idea with open arms and have Dylan Wicklund, 10 “[My style] is a mix between light applied it 90s goth and 80s street fashion. to different My style is creative and trendy, aspects of but often simplistic.” life — one being fashion.

As a senior, Victoria Peña has had the opportunity to reflect on how her clothing choices have changed over the past four years.

“I like to stand out from other people and send a message to other teenagers that it’s OK to be yourself and not care what other people think of you,” Peña said.

Using fashion as a trial-and-error process, Peña has explored different avenues in finding pieces to build her wardrobe.

Photo submitted by Jorian Sanchez, 11 “I like Jorian Sanchez “I would describe my style as to look somewhere between goth and emo. I also add in punk at thrift shops and elements.” see what I can find — maybe I’ll find things I can alter into how I want it to look,” Peña said. “I also get clothes from my sisters and make them my own.”

Peña, along with many other students, has shown that finding style does not require a lot of money to be spent. Thrifting has become a vital part of finding unique and interesting fashion. Sophomore Dylan Wicklund gets most of his clothes from thrift stores, but he also visits other websites and shops to supplement pieces.

“My favorite stores are H&M, Forever 21 and Hot Topic,” Wicklund said. “I occasionally visit places like Photo submitted by Dylan Wicklund

| DESIGN BY PacSun, Spencers and even Target HARRISON has some great stuff.”

MELTON Following creators on various platforms is an effective way to find Photo submitted by Kate Mahoney inspiration. Junior Jorian Sanchez tends to use social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram for her “goth, emo and punk” fashion. Unlike Sanchez, freshman Kate Mahoney creates their ideas from both physical and digital media.

“I spend hours and hours on Pinterest,” Mahoney said. “I like to look at people on Instagram. A lot of my outfit inspiration is from @luizacorderoy, @momiiblade, @kayllaalee, and @rui.gaoo. I love to look at old FRUiTS mag- Kate Mahoney, 9 azines, too.” “I like a lot of different aesThrough thetics, but I’m still growing my the process of closet to what I want it to be.“ figuring out her style, Peña emphasized making sure you “kind of fall in love with it instantly” is key to knowing when something is working for you. Fashion is typically used as a form of selfexpression and is an outlet for many.

“Don’t let anyone tell you what to Photo submitted by buy or wear, and always be open to Victoria Peña new ideas and creative ways to incorporate your expression into an outfit,” Wicklund said. ”Most importantly, make sure you feel comfortable.”

To wear a more loud or alternative outfit can require a lot of confidence due to inevitable judging from others.

“Wear Victoria Peña, 12 whatever “I would consider my style you want being very loud. I like to make — even if statements in the clothes that I wear. I inspire myself in how far you’re nerI’ve come from who i used to vous about be as a person.” being judged or what others think, it doesn’t matter,” Mahoney said. “If you want to wear a skirt, do it. If you want to wear a crop top, do it. If others judge you for it, why do their opinions matter? If it makes you happy, that’s what’s important.”

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beauty Seniors show off cosmetic skills on social media olivia sherlock story editor

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ver quarantine many people started to partake more in social media trends. Senior Alaina Scotten started a new Instagram account dedicated to makeup and beauty. Her account handle is aks_makeup1.

Her love for makeup spans past her Instagram to client work.

“I’ve always loved doing makeup, and girls started reaching out to me to have their makeup done for dances and events,” Scotten said. “I decided that if I make an account, more people will reach out.”

Scotten not only works with her peers but has branched out into more serious client work with photographers.

Recently she worked on a “Euphoria”-themed photoshoot where she did bold makeup on all the models.

“I have done makeup for photoshoots, and whenever I’m bored, I mess around with looks on myself,” Scotten said. “This photographer from Blue Valley Northwest has had me do makeup for some of his clients and promotes my account.”

While fame can be a motivating factor for many teens, stepping into the world of being a social media influencer is not the primary reason for Scotten.

“If I had one follower, I would still post because it’s something I’m really passionate about so I don’t really care if others are interested in it because it’s mainly for myself,” Scotten said. “I would definitely say I’m posting just for fun and also to help out people who are just starting in makeup — I don’t expect to get famous at all but if I do that could be fun.”

Scotten currently only has an Instagram account but is also thinking about branching off to different social media.

On Instagram she posts photos of her looks, but has yet to start doing tutorials.

“I’ve been thinking about making a TikTok because that could be an easier platform to use but for right now, it’s just Instagram,” Scotten said.

| DESIGN BY OLIVIA SHERLOCK

Videos tutorials are not the only new content coming to aks_makeup1 — new types of posts have been requested from Scotten.

“I’m really big into skincare, and I have been for a long time — I can see myself posting about that because I normally have a lot of people ask me about it and what products to use,” Scotten said. “I have posted one picture of hair I’ve done, so I can definitely see myself posting more.”

Although Scotten only has 56 followers, she has support coming in from all types of people.

“My parents are very supportive.

They’ve been pushing me to do something with makeup, and they were really happy I made an account,” Scotten said. “My friends are definitely my number-one supporters because they ask me to do their makeup all the time.”

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bloggers liya patel staff writter

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long with Scotten, senior Gabby Esposito has also found her passion within the makeup and social media community.

Having had a liking toward the beauty industry for quite some time, Esposito decided to create her Instagram account after receiving an overwhelming amount of encouragement.

“My hairstylist was always telling me I should start posting more,” she said. “She’s helped me grow my account by posting about me and giving me shout-outs.”

Along with her hairstylist, Esposito has received positive feedback from her peers and family members that has pushed her to expand her content.

“My account is a combination of makeup, hair and nails,” she said. “I’ll post my nails when I get them done or if I do someone’s hair I’ll post that as well. I mostly post pictures of the makeup looks I do though.”

Since starting her account, Esposito has had the opportunity to do wedding makeup for family as well as makeup and hair on her peers for events.

“My favorite look I’ve ever done was for [senior] Lucy Lobb for Sweetheart,” Esposito said.

Like many other creators and content builders, she has faced her own set of challenges that has pushed her to step outside of her comfort zone.

“Sometimes people will come to me and ask me to do a look that just matches their outfit,”

alaina: @alainaaks_makeup1

she said. “They don’t really give me any inspiration to go off of, so I am forced to get creative.”

Similar to Scotten, Esposito is focused on using her account for personal enjoyment. Despite only having 35 followers, she doesn’t let numbers get in the way of her passions.

Not holding any obligations to its successes, Esposito doesn’t pay attention to her following.

“I don’t necessarily care if it grows because I’m doing this for me,” she said. “If it does, great. If it doesn’t, that’s fine, too.”

Having had the time to get creative and find ways to display unique talents, both Scotten and Esposito have been able to pursue their passions and showcase them to the world.

Focusing on their own priorities, both have proven that social media accounts focused on beauty do not need to be engineered to fit the likings of anyone but yourself.

“Do what makes you happy,” Esposito said. “dont worry about what anyone else might say.”

gabby: @grwm_ge | PHOTOS SUBMITED BY ALAINA SCOTTEN & GABBY ESPOSITO

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Switched Off Junior, teacher discuss burnout

kaitlin green staff writer

understanding something fully, they’ll switch it off.”

On the other hand, Middleton has also seen teens midst chaotic classes, extracurricular activities who are unaffected by second-semester pressures. and daily life, students become swamped with “Students that don’t experience burnout are the work during their second semester of each ones that can shift gears and pull out their stamina,” school year. This can lead to procrastination and she said. “They shut down the thoughts of ‘I’m apathy, more commonly known as burnout. tired,’ [or] ‘I’m sick of this.’”

Like most high school students, junior Tyler Middleton recognizes most students, AP or not, Runyan has experienced burnout, most notably deal with procrastination. In order to combat this during her fourth quarter of sophomore year and her vice, she suggests a simple trick — beginning. first semester of junior year.

“If you could just take “I got out of the habit it on, just 1% of what of doing homework and you’re avoiding, that burnlearning material,” Runyan out will lift 1%,” Middlesaid. “Then this year, it was ton said. hard going into all the juRunyan also suggests nior AP and honors classes students study with friends and not remembering how in order to regain motito study for them.” vation.

On top of new courses, “Having people I can many students have adjustdo homework with makes ed to the lack of social time me more responsible for – Theresa Middleton, ELA teacher at school over the past year. it,” Runyan said. “Espe“A lot of my motivation cially if we’re doing peer edits or group projects, for school was having my friends there,” Runyan I feel more responsible because what I’m doing is said. “It’s kind of like a competition — I want to affecting someone else.” measure up to how my friends are doing.”

Even though this has not been a normal year for Students’ burnout does not go unnoticed by their students, the end is in sight. Middleton believes as teachers. Theresa Middleton, one of the AP Lanlong as students do not give up, they will be victoriguage and Composition teachers, has witnessed the ous over their lack of motivation. effects of high-stress classes and situations.

“You have to keep moving one foot in front of the “When I see students who are struggling with other,” Middleton said. “This too shall pass. You will burnout, it’s due to being overwhelmed and then shutting down,” Middleton said. “If students are not get through it.”

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“If you could just take it on, just 1% of what you’re avoiding, that burnout will lift 1%.”

s pain i ry ra tempo is gpa . l eterna | DESIGN BY KAITLIN GREEN

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GRACEFUL GUIDANCE

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Teachers give advice to students in the midst of pandemic

“My best advice to students is to be discerning about where you put your energy. Ask yourself — does this activity enrich me or drain me? This doesn’t always mean doing what makes you ‘feel good’ in the moment. I may hate cleaning my house, but I know that a cluttered living/work space isn’t good for me; I sometimes don’t feel like going for a walk or run, but I know it always helps me put things into perspective. It’s challenging, but figuring out what really fulfills you and eliminating what doesn’t can be such a great thing to learn and continue even after the pandemic is over.”

-Jessica Kramer, ELA teacher

“My biggest pi ece of advice for students ca — grace. At th n be wrapped e beginning of up in one wor the year, I told have to be will d all of you that ing to give grac we absolutely e to others, re most importan ce ive grace from tly, give oursel others and, ves grace. You figured out ev don’t have to ha ery single day. ve everything Some days are just are. Grace harder than ot and kindness an hers — they d compassion hopefully this have always m pandemic has attered, but m ade all of us re are the core of alize that thos good humans e things really an d hopefully we this pandemic is over. But for remember that now, give grac even when can.” e whenever an d wherever yo -Ange Sulliv u an, AP US H istory teacher

d your lanner, rea ensure p a se u r, da to your calen peers and teachers ey. Check k h it OW to is w H n o te w ti a o a n ic mmun u also k o o “Organiz c y f d t n u a b , ss o to d g on top o to cla t you need ules, stayin emails, go a d ade h re h w d sc e w r o u th n to o ly k creating d n a you not on e continual changes d f in ro th falling beh his is a yea we do it. With necessary to avoid g work. T n — si is lp e m h is to d s nee coursework ffect’ when it come now if you ” k s. n rs o e ti h e c lu ll a a ] find so t your te d le n ed ‘snowb r [a so s , e m a c LA te che proble and gra ueven, E u to solve n o flexibility y K h y it k c w e -B work are here to

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BSESSED Celiac offers opinion on Oreo’s new gluten-free option ayesha khan staff writer “This sounds crazy, but I have 17 packs [of gluten-free Oreos] at my house right now.”

Like many others who are deprived of traditional sweets, sophomore Sydney Ruder struggled finding gluten-free alternatives due to her celiac disease. Then at the beginning of this year, Oreos released a gluten-free version of their classic frosting-filled cookie.

This was particularly exciting for Ruder, who had never been able to truly experience this cream-filled delight. Nonetheless, most had a similar reaction upon hearing her Oreo obsession.

“They think I’m insane,” she said. “They think I’m crazy when I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, I have 17 packs at my house.’”

Some still question why she would need such an abundant supply for this seemingly normal treat.

“They’re like, ‘Why do you have so many?’ but I have to explain to them it’s not like a normal Oreo,” Ruder said. “You can’t just go to a store and they’re stocked on shelves; they’re sold out most of the time when you go to the grocery store.”

After finding little luck in typical supermarkets, she had to find other ways of obtaining this newfound obsession of hers.

“We ordered 12 off of Amazon because they’re sold out everywhere you find them,” Ruder said.

She has been doing her best to spread the word to anyone and everyone she can, although she focuses on selling it to those with gluten sensitivity or allergies and celiac disease.

“I recommend it to the two families I babysit whose moms are both gluten sensitive,

so I brought them over to their houses because they couldn’t find them anywhere,” she said.

The question still remains though, “What is so special about these compared to other gluten-free Oreo dupes?” For Ruder, a sense of normalcy was something she lacked while growing up after learning she has celiac.

“I was only diagnosed in about fifth grade, but whenever I had a normal Oreo when I was younger, I would only lick the middle out and then just put the cookie back in my lunchbox,” Ruder said. “Once they came back out in gluten-free, it brought me back to my childhood since I haven’t had a normal Oreo in seven years. It reminded me of way back when I could have all this food before we figured out I had celiac.”

Additionally, Ruder claims she has not found an Oreo alternative that tastes as similar to the original cookie.

“There’s the Oreos I would have before Oreo came out with gluten free— one was glutinosa, and they taste completely different,” she said. “This is a lot better. Even though they’re both really expensive because gluten free foods are just always expensive, I would definitely recommend the Oreo brand over any other brand that’s gluten-free.”

A common misconception held by many is that gluten-free alternatives taste noticeably different, which in many cases, they can. However, Oreos’s similarity has allowed them to dominate the gluten-free dessert industry.

“Honestly, I didn’t think it would taste the exact same because looking at all the other foods that I have — it takes some trial and error,” Ruder said. “My brother was curious about what it tasted like, so he tried it and said it tastes the exact same as normal Oreos.”

To anyone in search of a new gluten-free dessert, there aren’t many options that can top these.

“Definitely go buy them, even if you don’t have celiac,” Ruder said. “It’s by far the best thing I’ve discovered that’s gluten-free.”

| DESIGN BY AYESHA KHAN

“This sounds crazy, but I have 17 packs [of gluten free Oreos] at my house right now.”

– Sydney Ruder, 10

LOOK OUT FOR

LOGOS RANKING THE DUPES (according to Ruder)

1.

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Oreo Brand

Goodie Girl

Glutinosa

CELIAC What is it?

an immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye

1 00

1 in 100 people worldwide have celiac disease

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There are over symptoms associated with celiac disease

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of people with celiac disease are asymptomatic INFO BY CELIAC DISEASE FOUNDATION AND MAYO CLINIC

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HAVE YOU TRIED GLUTEN-FREE OREOS?

78% have 22% have not

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opinion

The Hypocrisy of

COVID a note to those who “care”

claire powell editor-in-chief

for the parties and lack of following COVID guidelines, of students traveled but frankly it comes down to during spring break the parents — they decide what their children can and went out cannot do. of country Some can argue rebel* 1 11 s tudents rveyed su lious teens will not listen to their mom or dad regardless of consequences, but it doesn’t even matter because those parents are the ones posting their child at super-spreader events (yes, that’s what a party is) or even hosting it.

Of course, many have suggested that those who feel uncomfortable attending school during a pandemic can always take virtual courses instead. So what? Some students have to choose between hunger or possibly exposing themselves to COVID-19 when eating a sandwich?

It boggles me how masses of people are allowed to declare they care about their community and its members, while at the same time, actively making choices that hurt those said community members.

The decreasing of cases can change in an instant.

The majority of scientists interviewed by The New York Times expect a fourth wave of infections. Vaccines are distributing across America, but that’s noy enough.

According to Carl Bergstrom, a biologist at the University of Washington in Seattle, the outcome of the coronavirus mwainly depends on human behavioral factors — human behavioral factors such as wearing a mask, social distancing and not going to any super-spreader events.

In the U.S., more than 500,000 citizens have died from COVID-19. Eleven million children live in food-insecure homes. Almost 19% of high schoolers considered themselves suicidal. Nearly 700,000 children are abused each year.

It’s time to stop being a hypocrite and start actually caring about the students with the problems parents are so readily able to use.

It’s getting old to say this, but some of you still don’t get it — wear a mask, social distance and stop going to parties.

If you forget about those rules, feel free to look it up on the CDC website — I’m sure they’ll have plenty of information.

64%

5%

All Blue Valley students came back to school on March 23 and sat amongst the other half of the alphabet for the first time since March 12, 2020.

Going back fully in-person reminds me of one of the school board meetings where members of the community could use their voice concerning education during the pandemic. I remember watching the live-stream of parent after parent demanding schools be opened not because of their own child — but because of others.

They informed the school district of the students who have abusive home lives, who aren’t sure when food will be on the table and who are depressed or suicidal.

BV parents said, “Think of those children. Think of how much they need school.”

Yet, they were asking the school board to do something they couldn’t even truly do themselves.

You see, if you really care about those students being back in school, I wouldn’t be scrolling through countless Facebook posts of “Sweetheart.” I wouldn’t be swiping through the Saturday night parties on Snapchat. And I definitely wouldn’t have seen any posts of the senior trip to Mexico.

I’m not saying the issues presented above concerning students at Blue Valley are invalid, but I just can’t help to point out the hypocrisy of parents and their children using others’ trauma for their own personal gain.

It’s easy to blame “stupid teenagers”

| DESIGN BY CLAIRE POWELL

They Are

Really

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Stars?

Do you think influencers are celebrities?

37% yes 63% no

students debate whether influencers qualify as celebrities isabella vaz staff writer

Emma Chamberlain — know who she is? My aunt calls her a celebrity. I call her an influencer.

What’s the difference? A generation.

Social media platforms have grown to become the place where billions go for inspiration, entertainment or just to kill time. I’m sure you know that users with a million+ followers eventually become known as influencers.

Influencers develop a platform where their actions and words have an impact on those who follow and look up to them. That impact translates to

dollars and celebrity status.

The main argument from those who say otherwise is that celebrities find their fame through “traditional channels,” such as television, radio and magazines.

Yet TikTok and Instagram are arguably replacing those mediums as social media’s now grown to be the most impactful channel of our generation.

Influencers are entrusted by companies to grow their profits making the influencer market a $5 billion to $10 billion industry.

Ever ordered the Charli D’Amelio cold brew at Dunkin? You wouldn’t be the only one. The day D’Amelio’s drink launched Dunkin saw a nearly 50% increase in drink sales and a 57% increase in Dunkin’s daily app downloads. D’Amelio’s 108 million follow-

ers on TikTok are what landed her a sponsorship with the international fast food chain and that’s no joke. Just ask Jimmy Fallon who interviewed the internet sensation on “The Tonight Show,” a common stop for celebrity guests.

The impact of these influencers goes beyond money. Similar to traditional celebrities, influencers shape styles and trends seen in everyday life.

The Jojo Siwa bow your cousin wears or the “merch” worn throughout the halls are real life examples.

The definition of celebrity is simply a “famous person,” and influencers fit that definition.

We all know their names — that’s all it takes.

Now go back to what you were doing. You know — scrolling on TikTok.

ty and a social media influencer, let us as quickly as any other, short-lived compare two well-known figures that internet trend, as can be demonstrated perfectly fit their respective categories: when attempting to answer questions charley thomas Zendaya and Addison Rae. like, “Where is everybody who was in staff writer Zendaya, somebody who is indisput- the once viral ‘It’s Everyday Bro’ video ably recognized as a celebrity, exhibits now?” Everyone in that video who had exceptional talent in fields such as their 15 minutes of fame as “influencIn this day and age, with the ever-in- singing, modeling, acting and dancing. ers” in 2017 is irrelevant just four years. creasing popularity of social media plat- She lays claim to multiple highly covetLastly, I’ll present one final hypoforms, the line between celebrities and ed awards, including an Emmy and a thetical: What if — due to some global influencers has become blurred. Many People’s Choice Award. disaster or a magical occurrence — all followers of influencers will argue they Addison, despite her TikTok fame, social media platforms vanished? are worthy of the celebrity title, citing simply does not have a remarkable Celebrities would simply lose their their name or face recognition along ability, talent or accomplishment that social media presence, while influencwith their social media statistics as eviwould warrant her labeling as a celebers would be stripped of their entire dence, but this comparison reveals itself rity. Although her follower count and livelihood. It’s this lack of presence, to be quite comical when one examines popularity may have risen rapidly over influence and accomplishment beyond the difference between exceptional, the last year or so, it’s doubtful she will the parameters of apps like TikTok and celebrity-like qualities and accomplishfind herself as “influential” as some say Instagram that firmly separate the viral ments and fleeting, digital fame. she is able to be with her platform in, from the timeless, the interesting from To demonstrate an example of the say, 5 or 10 years from now. the extraordinary and the influencers difference between a true A-list celebriInfluencers are cycled through just from the celebrities. | PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE NEW YORK TIMES, PEOPLE, AND REPUBLIC WORLD | DESIGN BY CHARLEY THOMAS

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on the cover

| CARTOON BY EMMA GULLEDGE

Individuals are responsible for uplifting local businesses In a socio-economic landscape made claustrophobic by the overwhelming volume of immediately attainable inventory, the action of purchasing everyday items at low costs from online retailers is often compulsory.

It’s true these distributors are much more accessible than the store-front of the average small business — especially in the reality of a pandemic — but at what point do obstacles such as this become an excuse to deflect the responsibility of providing support to the community around us for the sake of satisfying our ravenous appetite for material items?

According to a study done for the Proceedings of the Natural Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, three-quarters of small business respondents in the sample only had enough cash on hand to last two months or less. This means that while many Americans were reliant on digital distributors, such as Amazon, for contactless delivery in the early stages

of the pandemic, the majority of small business owners were left with little to no support as they navigated the uncertainties of the time.

In this context, it is understandable individuals could not act as a customer for local retailers, especially if there were no delivery or mobile options available as a means to contribute. Yet as restrictions lessened and the small businesses that survived the brunt of COVID-19 reopened to in-person customers, these stores have still struggled to stay afloat.

A study done by the Federal Reserve Bank found that even in 2021, 3 out of 10 small business owners do not think their business will be able to outlast the pandemic. Furthermore, 8 in 10 minority-owned businesses report their company is in poor financial condition.

Although the coronavirus created a suffocating environment for financial opportunity for these businesses, is there not some responsibility on the communities surrounding them to stimulate

the local economy by purchasing from them?

Chiefly in the Blue Valley community, there have been major losses of locally owned companies throughout the pandemic, but some of this loss could have been avoided if the privileged community in this area actively supported these entrepreneurs instead of opting for the convenience of large corporations such as Amazon or Shein.

The reality of a world and economy so debilitated by a pandemic is that without the collective working to avoid the simplicity and absentmindedness of quick retailers, local businesses cannot survive.

Whether it’s grabbing coffee from a family owned coffee shop or buying your next loungewear set from a tiny boutique, choosing to seek out opportunities to do your part as a member of the greater Overland Park community not only supports small business owners in need, it also expands your exposure to quality goods and new experiences.

This staff editorial is the representation of the opinion of The Tiger Print staff.