Blue Valley West Spotlight Dec. 2020

SPOT LIGHT

INSIDE Blue Valley West 16200 Antioch Rd., Overland Park, Kan. Volume 20 Issue 2 Dec. 11, 2020

Crotchet Animals.........04 College Signees............08 Holiday Activities.........12

Masthead Our Cover The holiday season is here! With the year we have had, it is no surprise we are ready for some holiday spirit. Although this season may look different, the cover along with a few special holiday pages have been made to bring you some cheer. Our favorite tradition here in Newspaper is Secret Snow Pals, we always end out our year by doing three days of gifts to one another, but we are continuing that traiditon by dropping off gifts to eachothers door steps. We wish everyone a safe healtyh and happy holiday break!

Letter from the Editors Making our second edition of the year while being completely online was a challenge. Even with the many past editions we’ve done over the years, nothing could prepare us for this. Thanks to our wonderful staff we were able to get this done, and have it be one of the best editions yet. We are so excited for everyone to read these stories.

Hopefully you enjoy the holiday cheer throughout, while also taking the time to read the stories about family and senior hardships. Here’s to a new year,

Kolbie, Natalie & Kiley

Spotlight is printed at least six times per school year for BV West students and the community. Its goals are to inform, entertain and interpret through bylined articles, opinions and editorials, while providing an open forum of communication for the diverse student population. Spotlight aims to be fair, accurate and impartial. The content of the print publication, online news site and social media accounts is determined by its student editors as determined by the Kansas Scholastic Press Act and may contain controversial subject matter as the staff exercises their First Amendment rights. (Spotlight does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty adviser, the administration of BV West or USD 229.)

Blue Valley West High School 16200 Antioch Road Overland Park, Kan. 66085 Phone: 913-239-3700 Email: bvwspotlight@gmail.com Web: www.bvwnews.com Social Media: @bvwspotlight

Staff Members Kolbie Christensen Natalie Lindmark Kiley Peterson Katherine Boston Lucy Call Kevin Glenn Ekansh Gupta Reese Hager Ally Madden Lauren Miexner Rachel Park Nabila Qureshi Madison Shuey Aminah Syed

In This Edition Arts and Entertainment 04..... Crotchet Animals Sports 06..... Winter Sports 08..... College Signees Opinion 10..... Finals in January Feature 12..... New Babies 14..... Holiday Activities 16..... College Applications News 18..... 2020 Timeline Interactive 20..... Photo Essay 22..... Gift Ideas 23..... Starbucks Review

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A&E

Crocheting with Delaney Delaney Horst explains how she got into crocheting, and what it’s all about

Kiley Peterson

editor-in-chief

W

hat is your hobby? Reading? Painting? Drawing?

Gaming? Playing an instrument or sport? A hobby is an activity done in one’s free time, and it’s usually something that one enjoys doing. This term has become more prevalent now than ever before due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the stay-at-home order this past spring, many people were forced into finding a new hobby of their own to keep them entertained while stuck in their household.

BV West Senior Delaney Horst found an interesting hobby to keep her busy whilst being stuck at home in constant boredom.

“I started crocheting during quarantine since I was bored and wanted something to do. It also looked really cool,” Horst said.

Crocheting can at times be very

complicated to learn, especially when you have to learn how to do it all by yourself. However, Horst was determined to learn, because she thought crocheting looked like it could be a really fun and cool activity.

“I watched a lot of YouTube videos, it was difficult to learn and it took me about a month to really understand,” Horst said.

Learning how to do something new can be stressful at times, but all it takes is some determination, and interest in the activity to understand how it works.

Once she learned how to successfully crochet after tons of practice, Horst realized that her main interest was in crocheting stuffed animals.

“I crochet stuffed animals mostly because I haven’t taught myself

how to do clothes yet.

It can get pricey especially if you make bigger projects,” Horst said, “but there are websites and sales that you can look for if you’re on a budget.”

She explained that some of the supplies that are necessary for when you crochet are a hook, a stitch marker, and yarn.

Crocheting can be a time consuming hobby, which is why you need to really enjoy it to be able to keep up with it.

“I usually crochet for an hour each day, or more. It really just depends on how much time I have, and it takes up a lot of my time since I tend to do bigger projects, but I love doing it so I don’t mind it at all,” Horst said.

A&E One important thing to note is that on top of a hobby being something that someone does for fun, it can also be an activity that someone does to help relieve stress, and get their mind off of things. This is one of the things that Horst loves most about crocheting.

“Whenever I’m crocheting I’m really focused, which helps me calm down when I’m stressed and get away from technology” Horst said, “before I started crocheting, I was on my phone a lot but now I barely use social media which has been really helpful for me.”

Horst crochets because it’s something that she enjoys doing, and she also likes using her tal-

ents to make other people happy.

“I make crochet animals for my friends since I make so many, I never charge them because I enjoy doing it” Horst Said.

This brings up the question on whether or not she would consider making her own Etsy account, and selling some of her products on the site. When asked about this, Horst explained this is something that may or may not already be in the works.

“I’ve been thinking about starting an Etsy, but starting an Etsy can also be expensive if you don’t end up making a profit, however I’m definitely considering it!” Horst said.

What started as a quarantine hobby soon grew into something

10 min video “What you website with a video on how to Crochet REALLY need to start Crocheting”

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way more than that. It’s so cool that Horst was able to take a tiny interest and spark that into a possible tiny business out of it.

Let this be a reminder to always follow what you are passionate about, because you never know where it may lead.

If crocheting is something you think that you would be interested in, then this is your sign to start! Follow the QR codes attached to this page, and it will take you to various sources that will tell you everything you need to know!

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sports

COVID-19 IMPACTS WINTER SPORTS Kevin Glenn

KSHSAA edicts passed, altered and rescinded.

What happened when?

reporter

NOV. 18 KSHSAA EXECUTIVE BOARD VOTES TO DELAY SEASON START TO JAN. 15 Jan. 15 season start, No fans until Jan.28, Limited fans after Jan. 29, Winter Moratorium Dec. 23-Jan. 7

NOV. 24 KSHSAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS ALLOWS DEC. 1 SEASON START Fans disallowed through Jan. 28, Winter Moratorium Dec. 23-Jan. 7

DEC. 4 KSHSAA APPEALS BOARD VOTES 7-1 TO ALLOW 1-2 PARENTS PER PARTICIPANT Participants are defined as players, coaches, managers, cheerleaders, dance teams, pep bands and student journalists.

DEC. 8 KSHSAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS VOTES 54-24 ALLOWING 1-2 PARENTS PER PARTICIPANT Winter Moratorium Dec. 23-Jan. 7 Local Boards of Education and Health Department guidelines supersede KSHSAA. All schools expected to require face masks and ensure spectators adhere to social distancing.

DEC. 10 ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, CINDY ROACH, SENDS ATTENDANCE PROTOCOLS TO FAMILIES BVW Policies

HOPING TO WATCH BVW FROM HOME? GO TO: HTTPS://WWW.NFHSNETWORK. COM/SCHOOLS/BLUE-VALLEY-WEST-HIGH-SCHOOL-OVERLAND-PARK-KS

sports

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WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW BOYS BASKETBALL

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Coach: Ryan Hintz Seniors: Jaudon Mandley 2019-2020 Results: 12-5 (3rd place McPherson Tourn.)

Coach: Richard Strecker Seniors: Brenna Morrison, Lauren Sinclair 2019-2020 Results: 4-9

Passing the ball to senior Jaudon Mandley, junior Jack Ratigan helps the Jags beat Gardner-Edgerton 56-43 on Dec. 8. Photo by Avery Peterson

Smiling after her introduction at the March 3 games against Olathe East, sophomore Lily Ba enters the game. Photo by Austen Nordstrom

WRESTLING

BOYS SWIM AND DIVE

Coach: Randy Lowe Seniors: Ryan Schram, Vincent Xiao 2019-2020 Results: 8 State qualfiers

Coach: Tobin Sample Seniors: Evan Clymer, Ethan Evans, Sam Foster, Kevin Glenn, Nick Hawley, Rishab Jampana, Sergej Kavs, Sam Pankratz, Hunter Rey 2019-2020 Results: State Champions, EKL Champs

Competing in the Dec. 2 wrestling meet, freshman Brady Watts gets the best of his BV Northwest opponent. Photo by Chloe Muehlmeier

Swimming the breaststroke on Dec. 3 in the first meet of the season, senior Sergej Kavs helps the Jags defeat BV North. Photo by Emily Gordon

Bowling competitions do not begin until Jan. 28. Additional coverage will be provided in subseqent issues.

Feature

Natalie Lindmark Seniors share their journey to getting committed to college.

“Swimming in college has been my dream since I started swimming 10 years ago. Thanks to a lot of hard work, commitment, and support from my family, teammates, and coaches, I was fortunate to have opportunities at some great schools. I signed with Kansas because I felt an instant connection with the team and coaches, and I knew that KU would provide me with incredible opportunities both academically and athletically to pursue my future goals. I am looking forward to furthering my education, making memories with my teammates, and competing at the next level for the Jayhawks!”

-Addi Barnes

editor-in-chief

COLLEGE

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“I committed to UCO, because I fell in love with the coaches and the program! I felt very welcomed by girls on the team, and I felt like I would be able to get along well with the coaches and my teammates for my next 4 years. My journey to committing was a long one. Of course everyone was affected by COVID and it took a toll on recruiting, but it hit me right at the time that I was about to get my biggest college looks, and hopefully commit.

All tournaments and showcases were cancelled so I wasn’t able to be seen until things started opening up again. I spontaneously went to a showcase where UCO took interest [in] me, which has now led to me committing there! I’m looking most forward to play the sport that I love for the next 4 years, and build amazing friendships along the way! I can not wait to become a Broncho.“ -Berit Jones “I signed to Dayton because the moment I stepped on campus I felt like I had found a home. The community atmosphere at UD is incredible and everyone genuinely cares about each other. During my recruiting process I could tell that my coaches loved what they were doing and they cared for their players as people and not just artificially. UD just seemed like a perfect fit right away in pretty much every aspect. I think that I’m most excited to play volleyball at the highest level possible with people I know that will push each other to be the best we can possibly be.” -Alyssa Miller

“I signed to University of Chicago to play volleyball because it has always been a dream and a goal for me to be able to play a sport in college. The academics along with their amazing volleyball program sold it for me and I’m so excited to be going there next year. When I decided to pursue volleyball in hopes of playing at the collegiate level, I was quite behind, as I started playing much later than most people. I worked hard and had some amazing experiences with my teammates and traveling to different cities across the country, all which shaped me into the player I am today. My journey to signing at University of Chicago has come not only through hard work on the court but through school as well. I’ve pushed myself to maintain good grades and excel, as I knew that would be important when going to an academic school like UCHI. I’m especially looking forward to meeting everyone on the volleyball team and compet[ing] next fall of 2021! ” -Bettye Igbenebor

SIGNEES

“I’ve been playing baseball since I was 5 and have loved it since I was a young kid. The idea of playing in college really came to me when I started playing at a more competitive level, around the age of 13.

Since I was a freshman, my goal has been to play at a college that wants me. I believe I have found that place at Cowley. I’m most looking forward to the relationships I will make with my new teammates because as a team all you do is practice, play the games and hang out in the dorms or on the bus.”

-Jake Sawyer

“Ever since I decided that I wanted to continue playing lacrosse in college it has been my dream to play D2, somewhere in Colorado. I’m a huge nature lover, so somewhere with mountains felt right at home for me. The recruiting process was stressful at times and it was a lot of me emailing coaches and not hearing back or getting tons of messages from colleges I was uninterested in. Luckily my coach from Pueblo got the chance to watch me play at a big recruiting tournament and that’s where it all began, I quickly scheduled my visit and fell in love with the school, the girls on the team and my coach. Even though I didn’t verbally commit right away after my visit, I knew that it was the school for me by the end of my visit. I am most looking forward to being able to play my favorite sport in the crisp air with a view of the mountains from the field, and getting a fresh start with all new people, I think it will give me the chance to grow a lot as a person.” -Lindsey Locke

sports

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10 opinion

Finals 2020 2021 Moving first semester final exams to January worries students

Ekansh Gupta reporter

A

lthough it has been quite a rocky year, the change to the finals schedule is yet another “new normal” students are being asked to adapt to. Finals will no longer be held before Winter Break. They will be held Jan. As our community returns to a “minilock down,” as the COVID-19 cases rise, in-person students have been moved to online from Nov. 30. It has yet to be decided when they are to return to in-person.

With all students now online in some format, it is difficult to say when we will be back. The format and content of finals will most likely be different.

I don’t like having finals after our Winter Break because I don’t think that I, or many other people, will be able to retain all of the information after having a break from school and having to be online as well. It will be even more difficult for me to focus on the work provided to me. I do like that finals are being held off until we are perhaps able to go back into an in-person format.

With the combination of finals being after a long break and most likely looking quite different, this will bring a lot of challenges to most students. Concerns like a lack of focus and lack of knowledge, after not being oriented to being in school, could cause students to crack under pressure.

Students will not be studying over Winter Break and perhaps they should not. Online school and the general pressures of being a teenager in 2020 has been stressful. Students will be less knowledgeable in subjects that they have finals for. At the time being, there is no information on how teachers plan to continue with final exams and what approaches to it they are considering.

A few of my teachers have given some information on how we may be able to do a project instead of an actual exam because to do a final exam online would most likely be too difficult for teachers to monitor.

Students have their own points of view on this topic.

“I don’t understand why it was

decided to put finals in January, sophomore Nargis Suleman said.

“I and many other students are going to feel even more pressured to spend our entire enter break studying, having finals before the break was always a good way to go out.”

After putting out a survey on the Spotlight Instagram, the account received several direct responses that having finals after the break would be harmful to students as they would stress the entire break and spend their time studying.

“I would rather spend my holiday break having fun with my family, but this year I’ll be stressing about studying for school,” sophomore Caroline Orr said.

Even though I believe that finals after the Winter Break are an awful thing for both our students’ mental health and wellness, I also believe, as most students do, that returning to school in the next few months to be the first step to getting back to our normal school lives.

JAN. FINALS PROS & CONS Positives of Finals After Winter Break -Final exams may not be online -More time to prepare

Negatives of Finals After Winter Break -Trouble retaining information over break -Stress about studying during break

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feature

HOW WE HOLIDAY Families explain how they plan to celebrate the holiday season during the pandemic

#2020

Katherine Boston reporter

W

ith COVID, families are trying to find ways to stay in touch for the holidays. Whether it’s on Zoom or going on a trip, people are getting creative with staying in contact with their loved ones.

Getting in contact has evolved since our generation was born. It started with low-pixel Skype calls to now Zoom quality paired with green screen backgrounds and filters.

Senior Marwah Aql and freshman Madeline Kirby shared their experiences for family gatherings this year.

Marwah Aql is traveling overseas to Qatar to see her dad and extended family.

“I love traveling. I do it every year but this year seems like a lot of work especially with COVID and schooling.”, Aql said.

She plans on getting tested before traveling, wearing a mask on the plane, and then quarantining for two weeks when she arrives. Since school is all online she won’t have too much trouble keeping up with her school work, despite the large time difference. Qatar is nine hours ahead of Kansas which causes her to attend school in the evening. Aql has traveled every year during the holidays since she can remember.

She plans on safely going to the beach, shopping, riding ATVs, and

other activities with her family..

On the flip side, Madeline Kirby and her family decided that getting together on Zoom would be the safest bet. Kirby said,

“We are zooming because my family does a Zoom get together once a month so we decided to do it for the holidays.”

Her family did one large Zoom featuring her paternal grandparents, two of her dad’s sisters and brother, and all of her cousins. They just chatted for a few hours to catch up. With more holidays coming up, her family will continue to do the same thing since it is an easy and safe way to be all together. One thing in particular that they plan to do is Zoom in with her grandparents while opening presents.

Whether in Zoom across state lines or in person right by the dinner table, families are making it work to see their loved ones. Closeknit families who all live under the same roof can celebrate together while meeting the safety guidelines put forth by health professionals.

Far-flung families from Finland to France are connecting as if they were there in person. Fortunately people have many options to celebrate the upcoming holidays with their families.

PHOTO: MARWAH AQL

feature

HOW TO HOLIDAY

COVID Edition!

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DIY UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER

GINGERBREAD HOUSE BAKING

NEW SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

PHOTOS: PINTEREST

16 feature

MORE THAN AN APPLICATION Three seniors discuss their college application process and what went into perfecting their application

Kolbie Christensen

editor-in-chief

S

enior year is full of firsts and lasts. Taking in the last of the high school classes, football games and dances that felt like they would never come to end is bittersweet.

Along with that, taking the first of the college visits, trying to find the perfect school, and applying to finding a new home can feel like a rollercoaster, all while trying to soak up every last memory of high school.

This year has been no different for seniors, except for the added stress of COVID-19. With so many difficulties and so much uncertainty, the class of 2021 has had to take on college applications in unexpected ways.

BV West Senior Natalie Dresdow is no stranger to college stress or applications as she has applied to over six universities.

Looking to get her masters in teaching and secondary education Dresdow definitely had her work cut out for her.

“I ride horses and want to be on a team that is more competitive,” Dresdow said.

While horses are a big part of her college decision, Dresdow also considered location

and the type of school she wishes to attend.

“I only applied to private universities. I love the east coast, and also wanted to be somewhere with a warmer climate,” Dresdow said.

With COVID-19 even affecting college applications, seniors and colleges have had to adapt. With many schools deciding to go test-optional, meaning that students could decide not to submit an ACT or SAT score, this leaves seniors with many options.

Some have decided to not submit their scores while others have.

Dresdow on the other hand, decided she wanted to send in her score.

“I did not go test optional. I took the ACT twice and submitted those scores,” Dresdow said.

Another issue that many seniors are running into is being unable to go on college visits, opting for virtual tours. While colleges still trying to have visits is helpful, seniors not being able to see their potential future home leave many frustrated.

Dresdow has been on college tours and even some virtual ones,

“Virtual tours never do the school justice- visiting multiple times has really helped,” Dresdow added.

Dresdow says that one of her biggest challenges she has faced so far is trying to figure out what schools she wants to apply to. Acknowledging that there are many other challenges that seniors not just at BV West are experiencing.

“I think the pandemic definitely had an effect on people’s applications. I know many people that had issues with [standardized] testing as well as some GPA’s being affected by their ability to do school online,” Dresdow said.

Dresdow says that she is most proud of being able to take the ACT and submitting her scores as well as being able to ride horses in front of potential coaches.

Another BV West senior who knows the difficulties of the college application process is Sara Alam. Alam is applying to Brigham Young University, located in Provo, Utah, in hopes to major in exercise science.

17 feature

How many seniors went test-optional?

have to worry.

While COVID-19 was a challenge that every senior had to overcome for applications, Alam said it wasn’t her biggest challenge.

Instead it was the ecclesiastical endorsement she had to get in order to even apply to BYU.

Alam had to agree to the BYU honor code as well as meet with the bishop of a local LDS church and the university chaplain to get their endorsement to submit her application.

“That was the hardest part because I was the first ever nonchurch member that the bishop had ever interviewed so I was nervous I might not get his endorsement because of that. But, it was the total opposite, he was super excited that a non-member was interested in the university and happily gave me his endorsement,” Alam said.

Not only is Alam proud of her endorsement, she also adds that having to write six essays for her application is another achievement.

Especially her final essay that she had to write about her parents.

Senior Natalie Lindmark applied to eleven schools and ended up getting into her dream school,

Baylor University.

“It was a dream getting in, I was so happy in that moment I had got in but also so relieved to have had it work out so perfectly,” Lindmark said.

Lindmark also added that she went test-optional, believing that test scores aren’t all that matters on an application.

“I went test-optional, but felt my strengths and involvement in other areas in my application weighed out any disadvantages that had,” Lindmark said.

The college application process is not the same for everyone and looks different depending on the student, this year definitely adds a couple more hurdles for seniors to jump over.

Whether it’s college visits going virtual, or students unable to take the SAT and ACT, nothing about the application process this year was easy.

Whether they’re flying across the country or going forty minutes away, after what they have experienced this year, BV West seniors are definitely up for the challenge.

How many seniors have committed to a college?

With BYU being one of the top colleges for exercise science combined with her love for Utah it was a no brainer to apply to BYU for Alam.

Due to COVID-19 it has been hard for students to take the ACT or SAT let alone find one that they could sign up for.

Alam decided to go testoptional for her application because she believes her test score isn’t where she wants it.

One thing that sets Alam apart from other students who might be applying to BYU is that she is Muslim. BYU is a Latter-Day Saints school meaning most of the student body is Mormon.

“It’s a little weird being Muslim and applying to an LDS university, but a lot of the morals that Muslims have line up with morals that LDS members have. We don’t consume alcohol or do drugs, we choose to dress more modest,” Alam said.

Being Muslim and applying to BYU was nerve-wracking for Alam because she didn’t know how accepted she would feel. After talking to other LDS members Alam feels much more at ease and doesn’t

Data taken from Instagram polls conducted on Dec. 9th.

LOOKING BACK...

18 news Lucy Call

reporter

2020 Timeline

Ally Madden

managing editor

In the ending months of 2019, many had high hopes the new year would bring good fortune and new opportunities. However, as we have seen, that unfortunately is not the case. From famous celebrity deaths to a global pandemic, 2020 has felt like a century long. As the year comes to a slow end, let’s look back at some of the most memorable events from this year.

PollWhat was the worst event to happen in 2020?

january All of January- Wildfires consumed thousands of miles in Australia 26th- Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and along with 7 others died in a tragic helicopter crash

corona virus - a junior

family death - a sophomore

an empty classroom - a teacher

remote school - a freshman

february 2nd- The Kansas City Chiefs won the Superbowl for the first tim since 1969

legal trouble - a senior

march 13th- Blue Valley West along with hundreds of other schools across the country canceled in person school for the restof the school year

news 19

April 5th - The white house recommends everyone to wear a mask 15th- South Korea takes the polls for the election with masks and gloves

July 2nd- More than 100 die after a massive landslide in Myanmar 6th- Patrick Mahomes agrees to the largest contract in sports history at $503 million

october 2nd- President Trump tests positive for Coronavirus 23rd- Trump announces Sudan and Israel have agreed to normalize relations

May

June

30th- SpaceX launches two U.S. astronauts to the International Space Station

All of June- Protest begin following the death of George Floyd. Protesters fight for racial injustices Protest!

august

september

3rd- Apple fires in California consume 20,000 acres 28th- Beloved “Black Panther�

Chadwick Boseman passes away from colon cancer

18th- Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passes away 25th- Trump announces he plans to nominate Amy Cooney Barret for Supreme Court

november

december

7th- Joe Biden becomes president elect

2nd- The tradition of the Rockfeller Christmas Show continues

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interactive

Reese Hager

reporter

WALK THIS Look towards the sun! These sunflower painted air forces were a gift to senior Clarice Koenig for her birthday this year, “Sunflowers are my favorite flowers, which made the shoes that much better.”

Koenig said.

Lucky day! Senior, Carsen Malan bought this collab of Nike and OffWhite, shortly before prices skyrocketed! “If you want to find these now, they're going to be about triple the original price.” said Malan

On cloud 9. These Yeezy 350 cloud whites were released in 2019 and sadly, are no longer available on the YEEZY website.

WAY

interactive

Impressive! These shoes took senior Tori Gonzales 24 hours to paint and customize. “They were time consuming, but worth it!” said Gonzales.

These hydro-dipped air force one’s were made over the course of a few days by senior, Aiden Wurster.

Goosebumps! These signature Travis Scott Jordans belong to senior Carsen Malan. “As soon as I heard Travis Scott was collaborating with Nike, I made sure I was going to have those shoes” said Malan.

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Interactive

Holiday Gift Ideas Kiley Peterson editor-in-chief Nabila Qureshi reporter

Gift Ideas to help spread some joy this holiday season

Gifts for friends Gifts for Sister/mom

Flowers Gift basket/box Candles Matching jewelry Perfume/cologne Framed photos Jewelry or Makeup Crafts Car accessories from Amazon Tickets to a concert/musical/play Clothes and blankets Gift cards Fuzzy socks or slippers Bullet journaling supplies Face masks Essential oil diffuser Chocolates Succulents Kitchen appliances Card or board game Curling irons or straightening irons Tapestry

Gifts for brother Headphones Gaming equipment Shoes Personalized wallet Speaker Drone Candy Virtual reality headset

Gifts for dad

Amazon Echo Fitbit Tools Grooming kit Wallet or coin counter Watch Personalized mugs

Gifts that would work for anyone:

The adventure challenge https://www.theadventurechallenge.com/ A personalized gift (painting, picture collage, DIY craft) Hammock Wireless phone charger or Phone case Airpods Homemade cookies or desserts “Open when� envelopes Personalized mask Monthly subscription box

Gifts for girlfriends/ boyfriends

Gifts for Grandparents Cute wall hanging signs Paintings DIY Mugs Recipe book Puzzles Photo snow globes Bird feeders Pottery Sculptured items

A scrapbook full of pictures and memories Explosion gift boxes Bond touch bracelet Gift cards Nail polish A jacket or coat Jewelry Custom made portraits, vinyls, and more from Etsy!

Hats (beanies, ball caps, beanie with a palm) A bucket list of fun things to do with each other

HOLIDAY STARBUCKS REVIEW

interactive 23 This year, everyone is waiting for Starbucks holiday drinks to signal the start of the holiday season. As someone who is new to liking coffee, these drinks are a first for me. I tried the five iconic drinks. The Chestnut Praline Latte, Caramel Brulée Latte, Eggnog Latte, Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, and Peppermint Mocha.

Aminah Syed

managing editor

It’s sweet. It has a slightly bitter aftertaste, it’s not bad.

It’s on the less sweet side, but it’s still sweet! Definitely recommend this to someone who does not like super bitter coffee. This is the best one out of the five.

Very sweet, there’s little coffee taste, but it’s still a great drink to get for people not into coffee as much! There’s still that coffee undertone but it’s a lot sweeter! Recommend to White Chocolate Mocha those who like their coffee heavily sweetened!

It’s on the bitter side, not as sweet as Chestnut, and heavier on the coffee flavor, but definitely can sense the caramel sweet side of it. It’s not an overwhelming drink and it’s good for people who like their coffee sweetened.

Very sweet, there was too much peppermint. It reminds me of someone’s coffee breath after they brushed their teeth. It’s got an even mix of peppermint and coffee and the ratio between the flavors is awkward.

Caramel Brulée Latte

Chesnut Praline Latte

Peppermint Mocha

Gross. It’s disgusting. It has a terrible egg-like aftertaste. Why does anyone like eggnog? What kind of drink is this?

eggnog latte Sources: starbucks.com

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First Semester Highlight 2020 6A Volleyball State Champions

Trying to pose for a proper “championship photo,� the volleyball team bursts with excitement after dominating quarterfinals on Oct. 27. The team went on to beat Olathe Northwest for the 6A State Championship in Salina on Oct. 30. Photo by Lily Ba