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THE FREE PRESS Issue 1 | Sept. 30, 2026 | Edition 30

Pg. 04| Social Shift

The Free Press

CONTENTS NEWS

A&E

Pg 04: Social Shift Pg 08: Midterms Explained Pg 09: The Clancy Case Pg 15: Destructive Data

Pg 10-11: Photo Gallery Pg 18: Firebird Thirty Pg 18-19: Ads

FEATURE Pg 05: Off and Away Pg 14: Development at the Doorstep Pg 16: Musical Traction

SPORTS Pg 06: Stadium Switch-ups Pg 07: Increase in Cuts Pg 17: A New Flag

ABOUT THE COVER Holding a phone, a student is met with notifications from across various apps fighting for attention. The hypnotic swirl represents the attention the student has given it and the phone addiction that has followed. In this issue, we covered the rising attention towards phone addiction and how the new Kansas law banning phones in schools has and will affect the Free State community. Photo and illustrations by Ceci Bennett

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EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Ceci Bennett Grace Mosconi MANAGING EDITORS Stella Dorssom Kyla Meikle DESIGN EDITOR Jaime Stone ASST. DESIGN EDITOR Abbie Veeder PHOTO EDITOR Layla Afani Coburn CAPTIONS EDITOR Leona Randall

SPORTS EDITOR Griffin McDonnell

Pg 12: Every Story Matters

@fsjournalism

NEWS STAFF

COPY EDITOR Collette Colvin

OPINION

SOCIALS

4700 Overland Dr, Lawrence KS, 66049

MISSION STATEMENT Curious Free State journalists will amplify voices, gather superior sources and tell pivotal stories of our community in a visually creative way in order to serve our audience and foster quality scholastic journalism in Lawrence, Kansas.

ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kinley Gigous SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Julia Andrade REPORTERS Rae Cordova Samantha Lowe Jillian Lehmann Lucas Sherwood Sydney Tiemann Maya Wuthrich DESIGNERS Hannah Billen Maya Friedman Celeste Jenkins Ariza Noscal PHOTOGRAPHERS Carter Braden Winry Eymard Olivia Frits Nora Greeson Joan Irungu Ava Mann Addison Powers BUSINESS TEAM Dylan Tenbrink

The Free Press

LETTER FROM Opinion by Stella Dorssom and Kyla Meikle

Design by Maya Friedman

News and online managing editors introduce new year of publication

THE EDITORS

Happy fall, Firebirds! As the new school year begins, Free State is flooded with new opportunities and opinions. This transition spans from freshmen finding their new classes to seniors preparing for the next chapter of their lives. From the consequences of our new school phone ban to a midterm elections guide, these new circumstances provided a plethora of story options. We’re excited to experience the

year alongside our readers and create new memories in this crucial stage of life. During this process, we hope our publication can guide you to determine which issues matter most personally. As journalists, our job is to present both the facts and the opinions of our fellow students so readers can continue to think critically about events happening in our school, town, state, country and even the world. This is no small feat, so we applaud every effort taken by readers to stay up to date and informed. This publication aims to serve the entire student body, but more importantly,

you. Each and every one of our readers gives us the opportunity to pour hours into making a product our staff can be proud of. We’re grateful for this chance to help you get to know your community just a little better. It’s a long, bright year of many opportunities. Don’t be afraid to reach out and get involved! The memories you make will help to shape you as a person and make every moment a little bit more worthwhile. As always, Sko Birds

The Free Press

News

Meta lawsuit limiting social media for teens brings about excitement and frustration

federal trial concerning Meta’s addictive social media platforms ended on Aug. 26 when Meta agreed to pay a settlement of up to $18 billion to U.S. states and territories. Twenty-nine states, including Kansas, sued Meta, the technology company that owns Instagram and Facebook, in October 2023 for creating addictive platforms. The trial revealed that Meta had lied about the safety of its platforms for teenagers and children. Senior Mallary Hice said that she was not surprised to hear that Meta had hidden this addictive information. “It has to do with just how much power, influence and money these social media companies have,” Hice said. “People are starting to see the impacts of social media on a larger scale because we are starting to see

Story by Ceci Bennett

generations of kids who’ve grown up completely on social media their whole lives.” The proposed settlement includes terms for minors such as a daily limit of two hours, a default night mode with no access from midnight to 6 a.m., silenced notifications from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. and during the school day, a hidden number of likes, a ban on cosmetic filters and an option to have a non-personalized feed, among other requirements for Meta to uphold. Psychology teacher Kellie Lang said that kids will just work around the hour limits, defeating the purpose altogether. “Let’s say you’re limited to two hours on Facebook, fine. Then you’re gonna get your two hours on TikTok in. Then you’ll go to Instagram. You’ll get in your two hours there, then you’ll go to whatever the next one is, and you’ll get your two hours there. You can still add up to eight hours a day, and then you get your video games and all the things,” Lang said. According to the American Psychology Association, American teenagers spend an average of over four hours a day on social media. Lang said that she has seen social media affect her students negatively over her time as a teacher. “Since cell phones became something that every student carries with them and wants to be on, I’ve seen their social skills tank,” Lang said. “Students don’t talk to each other. They’ll text or snap, but they’re not actually interacting and talking with each other.” The restrictions on apps are created to prevent overuse of apps, but the purpose of the other restrictions

are being debated. Freshman Brooklynn Gurss said that she is uncomfortable with how some of the requirements will actually play out, especially the hidden likes on posts. “I thought that was odd, because that feels like it’s even more incentivizing for creeps to be able to do things on people’s posts, except for you can’t even see it this time,” Gurss said. “It’s giving them more passage.” With these restrictions, users would be unable to override the daily limit. Gurss said it should be up to the parents to be able to control their kids’ social media settings.

Social media can be very bad, but I feel like a lot of the decisions that are being made are just by federal judges who aren’t actively like the most demographic towards what those apps are for, Gurss said. While Gurss said the lawsuit went the wrong way, Hice said the lawsuit could prove beneficial. According to UC Davis Health, social media can be linked to heightened anxiety and depression. Hice said cutting social media could benefit teenagers’ mental health. “It’ll definitely change how social media is seen and how apps are treated in the future because now a lot of people know about this as it’s coming out and are becoming more aware of the effects of social media,” Hice said.

The Free Press

Design by Abbie Veeder

Students and teachers reflect on the new phone ban Story by Sydney Tiemann

fter Governor Laura Kelly signed HB 2299 on March 19 and the law went into effect in August, students have not been allowed to use personal devices during the school day. On the third day of school, choir teacher Joshua East asked his chamber choir students about the positive and negative effects they had seen due to the phone ban. “I’ve seen an increase in engagement between students and each other, and students and the curriculum,” East said. “I’ve asked students, and they’ve noticed people are looking at each other more in the hallway, or lunch is louder; it’s a bunch of people talking instead of being on their phones.” East said that despite an increase in conversations between students and teachers, the phone ban has made advertising choir concerts and doing student-run social media more difficult since the choir Instagram is mostly studentrun. Senior Oren Gnojek said that although the phone ban does not completely prevent communications between families, it makes it less feasible. “Kansas specifically is not a safe enough place in schools for us to not have any means of communication,” Gnojek said. Gnojek said the biggest issue with the phone ban is the use of QR codes, as the school computers can’t scan them; otherwise, there is more focus in class. Principal Amy McAnarney said that students are learning more in the classrooms because there are fewer distractions preventing them from learning. “Students don’t have to feel the pressure of always checking their notifications on their phones,” McAnarney said. McAnarney said she has already seen significant academic changes this year and more interest in the curriculum. In addition, East said the phone ban will allow

students to be more prepared for future jobs because they are more engaged in class.

I actually love [phones] being banned, because sometimes we get so used to having the autonomy of doing what we want when we want. That isn’t really realistic in the job market,

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East said. East said that because Free State already had rules preventing the use of phones, the new law has been an easy change for the school. Gnojek said that because of modern technology and medicine, a cell phone is a necessity. “It’s important that there were exemptions written because there are people whose medical devices require an app on their phone, and they need to be able to check it. That’s really important because, obviously, you don’t want anybody’s health in danger,” Gnojek said. Gnojek said these exceptions are good because it still protects students’ health when needed. Similarly, McAnarney said the law has only shown positive changes because of the special exemptions and will hopefully continue. “Students are much more engaged and focused, so teachers are covering more content,” McAnarney said. “It is early yet, but we hope to see less cyberbullying on social media as time goes on with this new law.”

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of K ans alrea as high phon dy had schools s e ba n po imilar l i cies plac in e.

The hypnotic spiral in the phone screen symbolizes the addiction that people face towards their devices. Illustrations by Abbie Veeder

Sports

The Free Press

STADIUM SWITCH-UPS Kansas City Royals and Chiefs plan moves to new stadiums

Story by Collette Colvin

he Kansas City Chiefs football team and Kansas City Royals baseball team will have new home bases by 2031. The teams’ current leases for their stadiums in Truman Sports Complex in Jackson County, Missouri, are set to expire in 2031, prompting their relocation. The Chiefs are moving to a new domed stadium in Wyandotte County, Kansas. The Royals are staying in Jackson County, Missouri, but moving to a new ballpark in the Crown Center neighborhood. Governor Laura Kelly and Lieutenant Governor David Toland successfully campaigned for Kansas by using Sales Tax and Revenue bonds to raise the necessary $3 billion for the Chiefs’ domed stadium deal, and created an 11-member sports authority to oversee the stadium’s development. The Chiefs’ move has drawn some controversy from Kansas lawmakers, including democratic gubernatorial candidate Cindy Holscher. According to KMBC News, she said that she supports the stadium relocation, but not the tax deal where Kansas pays for up to $1.8 billion of the stadium’s cost. "The Hunt family with this stadium won't have to pay property taxes, but you

As a moving truck hits a bump, helmets, bats and baseballs fly out the back. Illustration by Hannah Billen

and I and everybody else will," Holscher said. "Additionally, it is a huge giveaway in terms of potential future revenue that will take away money to fund our schools and our roads and highways." Like Holscher, sophomore Weston Graber said he was excited for the new stadium locations for both teams. Graber said he is looking forward to the Chiefs’ move to Kansas, as it will stimulate financial growth within Kansas. “It'll bring money to the economy in Kansas, …[and] it's right by the Legends and the other stuff around there,” Graber said. “It's a good spot. It'd be awesome if they were both downtown, but since it's a dome, it doesn't matter as much.” Graber said that he will miss the Royals’ Kauffman Stadium and some of its unique features. However, he said he is excited to see a new stadium that fits the new, more modern era of ballpark design. The Royals' new ballpark is valued at $1.9 billion, the fourth most expensive MLB ballpark of all time. Junior Donnie Krehbiel said that he will miss the older style of Kauffman Stadium, but he is excited for the Royals’ new location, which he said would draw more fans. He said leaving it behind will be

a “bittersweet” moment.

There will be more poeple and more things to do around the stadium. I like the new Chiefs stadium because it is closer and will host more events, such as NCAA basketball games, Krehbiel said.

As for the old stadiums, according to KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, Jackson County officials have created a task force to evaluate the complex's future, deciding whether to renovate the complex or tear it down completely. Either way, officials say they hope reinvestment will economically benefit the city.

The Free Press

Design by Hannah Billen

INCREASE IN CUTS

Fall sports make more cuts after a jump in tryout participants

he start of the 2026 fall sports season brings a new group of tryout participants working to find spots on a team. Volleyball and boys soccer had groups of 63 and 86 players trying out, with both sports having to make several cuts because of the higher player counts. Volleyball kept 47 of 63 players, while boys soccer kept 61 of 86, for a total of 41 cuts between the two sports compared to prior seasons, when the number sat at roughly 30. Recent hire Joel Grillot is entering his first season as head volleyball coach, after 14 years as an assistant coach for the volleyball program. Grillot has seen previous tryouts and said that the larger groups make things harder for coaches trying to find a spot for all the players. “It definitely makes it harder when more girls try out, just because if we could find a way to keep them all, we would,” Grillot said. “In a perfect world, we would love to give as many athletes as possible the opportunity to join our program and be a part of things.” Entering his second season as the head coach of the boys soccer team, Tyson Heck was greeted with an above-average number of players at this season's tryout. Heck said it's hard to say what caused the increase, but it could be linked to the community aspect of the program. “It’s hard to say what really drives the numbers,” Heck said. “Some would say it’s just the class sizes. I’d like to think student athletes see the program,

Near the main gym, junior Dylan Tenbrink looks up at the track and field records. Photo by Winry Eymard

the bond, family and community the program carries, and it draws them to it.” Having to 78 perform under the pressure of potentially not making the team is something that players have to manage during tryouts. Junior Diego Salazar, who made the soccer team, said many things go through his mind when trying out. “I always try to give my best effort, move on from mistakes and make the next play a better one,” Salazar said. “Just having fun is a really big one for me, but everyone who goes out is there because of their love of the game and how much joy it brings us when we are on that pitch.” Grillot said making these cuts has proven to be difficult. He said those tough decisions are what hopefully keep the program competitive and give athletes a chance to succeed at something else.

It is never easy to make cuts and, in fact, it is the hardest part of the job, Grillot said.

Story by Griffin McDonnell

“But Looking ahead, soccer hopefully it helps players sit on bench while another student is our program stay unable to fit alongside competitive longthem. Illustration by Hannah Billen term, as well as maybe give the athletes who weren’t able to join us the opportunity to explore other things that they could excel at.” Much like Grillot, Heck said he had similar thoughts about making cuts, calling it the lowest part of the job. Heck said he and his staff bring different views to make the correct choices. “The passion each player comes out and displays for the week we get them is awesome,” Heck said. “As a coach, I would never consider doing cuts without the support of my staff… Thankfully, we have drills that we prioritized as markers that would help back the choices that would have to be made.”

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News

Upcoming midterm elections broken down Collected by Kyla Meikle

MIDTERMS EXPLAINED

Midterm elections will be held on Nov. 3, 2026. These elections center around one U.S. Senator, four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and one new governor. Lawrence is located in District 2, meaning Lawrence voters are responsible for electing one U.S. Representative. Ballots may also include Kansas House and local races. Voter registration is due Oct. 13 at https://www.kdor.ks.gov/apps/voterreg/

For U.S. Senate

Roger Marshall (R)* Adam Hamilton (D) David Graham (L)

For U.S. House

Derek Schmidt (R)* Don Coover (D) John Hauer (L)

For Governor, replacing Laura Kelly Ty Masterson (R) Cindy Holscher (D)

(* indicates incumbent seeking reelection) R = Republican, D = Democrat, L = Libertarian

Dropping in a voting ballot, a person votes for the midterms. Illustration by Jaime Stone

The Free Press

Design by Jaime Stone

THE CLANCY CASE Lindsay Clancy case draws controversy over motives and outcomes

indsay Clancy, a mother and wife, faced trial for the murder of her three children and has gone viral on social media platforms. On Jan. 23, 2023, in her Boston home, Clancy took the lives of her three children under the age of five and reportedly tried to take her own life later in the evening, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. Though most would agree Clancy is responsible for the three murders, there are conspiracies popular on social media platforms that accuse her now ex-husband, Patrick Clancy, of committing the murders. Lindsay Clancy admitted to the triple murder, but later stated that there was a man's voice pressuring her to harm her children. Clancy worked as a labor and delivery nurse at Boston Massachusetts General Hospital. After the birth of her third child, Clancy supposedly noticed signs of postpartum anxiety and depression. In Oct. 2022, Clancy’s mother, Paula Musgrove, said she noticed her daughter’s mental state rapidly declining. Musgrove said that Clancy had asked her at one point to stay with her because of the insomnia she

was facing each night. She contacted multiple family members, including Susan Clancy, her mother-in-law, who was also a labor and delivery nurse. “Lindsay was struggling — we were all concerned,” Susan Clancy said. Clancy was prescribed multiple medications leading up to the crime; she reported no benefits. Susan Clancy said in court that her daughter in law, came forward and shared that she was scared to take the medications because of the way they were making her feel. Clancy said she believed the medications were destroying her mind. “I’m not okay, and I’m terrified of taking meds tonight,” Clancy said in a text message to her mother. According to Musgrove, Clancy had also come forward about the intrusive thoughts she was having about harming herself and her three children a month prior to the crime. Prosecutors argue that Clancy was fully aware of what she was doing when taking her children's lives; however, the defense argues that Clancy was undergoing an episode of Postpartum Psychosis. Postpartum Psychosis, a condition that distorts reality after giving birth, is what some speculate Clancy experienced in

Story by Rae Cordova

January 2023. Symptoms of PPP include hallucinations, mood changes and delusions. After discovering Clancy’s overmedicated state, her ex-husband sued her healthcare providers for medical malpractice.

Medication stole my motherhood and my life, Clancy said.

This statement was made in a note on her phone on the same day of the crime. On Sept. 1, 2026, Judge William Sullivan sent the jury back out because they were unable to deliberate on whether Clancy should go to a mental health facility or if she should face life in prison without a chance of parole. By Sept. 4, 2026, the judge declared a mistrial after six days of deliberation because one juror did not agree with the other 11. Clancy will continue her stay at Tewksbury Hospital until further notice. An empty jury box represents the undecided result of the case. Illustration by Jaime Stone

A&E

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PHOTO GALLERY

Pointing, junior Bodhi Williams leads her LINK group during the first day of school for freshmen on Aug. 12. Photo by Carter Braden

Getting ready to throw the ball, senior Raleigh Jeter looks for a teammate for the soccer throw-in. Photo by Ceci Bennett

Performing for the Langston Hughes fifth graders, sophomore Jaeah Kim, junior Ruby Fritzel and senior Ellen Hanrath play their cellos. Photo by Layla Afani Coburn

Passing to her teammate, senior Tessa Nover-Estes sets the ball during the first home game of the season on Sept. 3. Free State won 3-0 against Olathe South. Photo by Leona Randall

The Free Press

Design by Grace Mosconi

In the first theater performance of the year, junior Elizabeth Davis, senior Joan Irungu and junior Mikala Davis perform in "The Super Weird School for Super Weird Students." Photo by Olivia Frits

Throwing bean bags, freshmen William Lawrence and Eamonn Batt play cornhole at the Freshmen Firestarter Dance on Aug. 21. Photo by Carter Braden

Smiling together, seniors Alice Lang, Allison McCall, Grace Christline and Ceci Bennett pose together at Senior Sunrise, which was held on Aug. 26 at the soccer field. Photo by Kinley Gigous

Scan here to check out our online photo galleries!

Signing her name, sophomore Joonah Chun joins DECA on Sept. 16 at the club fair. Photo by Nora Greeson

Opinion

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EVERY STORY MATTERS National Suicide Prevention Month begins Opinion by Griffin McDonnell and Lucas Sherwood

stablished in 2008, September has about speaking out. Whatever the cause, been set aside as National Suicide we have to continue to remove the negative Prevention Month. The month serves associations people hold towards men’s as a time to raise awareness and provide mental health to make permanent change support for those going through mental for the better. health struggles. Although not always Many young men find it difficult talked about, sometimes even ignored, to open up about their emotions, but suicide is more common than most people doing so is important when it comes to want to believe. The symptoms are personal well-being. A study, published exhibited differently across genders, and by BMC Medicine and commissioned by even from case to case, but the statistics the Department of Health and Social Care, show that it is more common than some showed that peer support can aid mental might think. Now more than ever, this health, which proves how significant talking situation needs to be addressed. to others can be. According to an article by the In this day and age, where so Pan American Health Organization, over many of us are constantly comparing the past two decades, suicide rates have ourselves to others or trying to act like increased by 38% for adolescents and are people we see on social media, take a pause now the third-leading cause of death for and simply enjoy your day. According to ages 10 to 24. The article also specified that a study published by Pew Research Center, 3 out of every 4 suicide deaths were males. 1 in 5 teenagers said that being on social On the other hand, according to a statistic media negatively affects their mental published by the CDC, women were more health. To combat this, try taking time likely to report mental illness than men, and off social media or make time for yourself although women have a higher attempt rate, to relax and build friendships. In addition, men often use more violent methods, which make sure to get enough rest so that you causes the death rate to be much higher. can recover and be ready for each new So why is this the case? Why are day. Although sharing your feelings can be men so much more susceptible to death by difficult at first, don’t hesitate when you suicide than women, and yet they do not feel the need to get something off your share their struggles? Perhaps it is because chest because it helps you from getting society has conditioned men to hold onto weighed down. Try having someone to their feelings, instead of sharing them, talk to who you are comfortable sharing causing some men to feel weak or insecure your feelings with.

You can't change the past so why be so fixated about it.

Don't take life too seriously, you'll never make it out alive.

Having people to talk to, whether it be friends, family or a health specialist, can provide an outlet to share your feelings and emotions. This allows people around you to help with whatever you may be struggling with rather than taking everything on by yourself. We can begin this change. Spreading awareness, being kind and supportive and being a person that other people can rely on and talk to can be the first step. It doesn’t take a lot, but simply showing kindness can make a world of difference to someone who feels out of place or needs some reassurance during a hard day. In a society where it can be easy to feel small or overwhelmed, we can help our school to be a place where we can come together and spread positivity, so that we can make our community just a little bit happier. The change begins with us. If you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal thoughts or actions, tell a trusted adult or call 988 to contact the National Suicide Hotline.

The Free Press

Design by Ariza Noscal

What are some helpful messages that have helped people overcome feelings of depression? According to a fsjournalism poll on Instagram from anonymous users

988 IN

LIFEL

I will never have all the answers, but I will always have an ear.

Tomorrow is a new day. A new day with new starts, new experiences, new beginnings — why stop today?

If you nee to talkd the 9 , Lifeli 88 is herne e.

Feelings are not facts.

A simple greeting Be yourself.

At Lawrence Nature Park, a boy checks out a 988 sign, which serves as a suicide and crisis lifeline for those in need of support. Photo illustration by Nate Sprecker and Ariza Noscal

News

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DEVELOPMENT AT THE DOORSTEP Effects of K-10 expansion on Haskell and Baker Wetlands

The construction worker, road barricade and the Haskell Indian Nations University sign represent the K-10 expansion and its impact on the surrounding area. Illustration by Jaime Stone

tarting in the summer of 2024 and continuing through 2026, the Kansas Department of Transportation has worked on expanding K-10, also known as the South Lawrence Trafficway, from two to four lanes. Because the construction moves along the southern edge of the Haskell Indian Nations campus and the southern edge of the Baker Wetlands, Native American History teacher Patrick Battle said that doing construction near the campus is disrespectful to the preservation of Native American history. “The Native experience in American history is unique. It is special, and it's something that should be preserved as much as possible,” Battle said. “I'd be very disappointed if I found out that it was basically strong-arming Native peoples into getting something [that helps us] get around town 10 minutes quicker.” In addition, Brigett Chapin, who has experience teaching and researching in the field of environmental science and aquatic ecology, said the expansion harms the Baker Wetlands. Chapin said that wetlands are necessary, and it is important to recognize their significance before being disrupted. “Wetlands are part of our natural infrastructure that protects us from flooding and enhances water quality, so

Story by Stella Dorssom

H A S K E L L Indian Nations University

we should do everything to protect them and their function when we do major civil construction projects,” Chapin said. In addition to concern for Haskell’s history preservation, Chapin said that roadkill is another concern. She said that the area designated for construction is a primary north-south migration route for many species and will cause trouble for those needing to cross. “We've seen large numbers of roadkill along the South Lawrence Trafficway,” Chapin said. “The number of roadkill will only increase with the expansion as it is being undertaken with little consideration to underpass designs that support the passage of water, people and wildlife on foot.” According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, wetlands have decreased by around 670,000 acres within the past two decades. Junior Moses Reuman said that he understands the desire for highway expansion, but said that the drawbacks outweigh the benefits of the project. “It will obviously achieve the goals of expanding K-10 and accommodating a larger number of daily commuters, but it will also leave a bad taste in people's mouths, as we did take this important land from Haskell,” Reuman said. Reuman said that he’s connected this controversy to his current AP United

States History class. He said that he finds similarities in the treatment of Native Americans between now and throughout American history.

The subjugation of Native Americans has been a very prominent theme throughout U.S. history, and it is definitely still ongoing today, Reuman said.

Battle said that it is important to protect Native American history not only out of respect for their narrative, but also for future generations. He said that this construction prevents the necessary respect. “It's erasing a chapter of a people's history, something that they revere and respect, and I feel that that's something that I don't necessarily support,” Battle said.

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Design by Jaime Stone

DESTRUCTIVE DATA Growing data centers prompt protests

wo women filed a petition According to KCTV, Schmidt attempting to ban data centers and Twente formed their petition within Edgerton, Kansas on July based on data centers’ environmental 15, only to be sued by the city of Gardner footprint. Taylor said large companies Edgerton. The city filed a lawsuit against and governments should not advocate or the two women, Carrie Schmidt and support more data centers. Kimberly Twente, on July 21. According “Nobody should be fueling to KCTV, the city claims the lawsuit made [data center construction]. There needs false statements regarding city actions and to be some sort of regulations put on agreements that never occurred. it…,” Taylor said. “A lot of city councils According to Data Center are eager to get them built for their own Watch, with more data centers being selfish reasons.” built, more protests have arisen in Taylor said it is important to opposition. Support technician Braxton recognize who is in charge of creating Taylor said people should be allowed data centers, and in turn benefiting. to protest, even on controversial topics. According to Brookings, lawmakers and Taylor said that being sued for making a politicians often propose building new petition violates the First Amendment. data centers. AP environmental science teacher Sam Gleeson said that people should focus on the long term impacts of data centers, instead of simply seeing the [People] should fight for short term profit. “My biggest hope is that people what they want their keep in mind who is going to benefit community to look like, from these… I worry that the impacts for the community that are beneficial are and for the resources short term, but the potential for damage that they pay for, and degradation long term fall on local communities,” Gleeson said. Taylor said. According to an interview by Yale with Karen Seto, the director of the Hixon Center for Urban Sustainability, data centers can warm the city they are in by 1 to 7 degrees Fahrenheit. Gleeson said that change is needed to preserve our current environment.

Story by Grace Mosconi

“We as a society need to ask: Why are we dealing with data centers at all? Why not just say we can live with what we have?… We have some hard decisions to make as a society,” Gleeson said. According to ABI Research, most data centers are owned by multibillion-dollar companies such as Google and Facebook. Junior Issy Huling said she wants these owners to feel the impacts their data centers have on the surrounding communities. “I want them to hear how much they’re damaging the communities they’re in, the ecosystems and environments that they’re messing up,” Huling said. “I also want them to see it, because I don’t think most of these people who are running AI data centers are actually experiencing what it’s like to live there or be in a community affected by their own data centers.” According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, larger data centers can use up to five million gallons of water per day, or the equivalent of a small town. Huling said that while water is an efficient choice for cooling data centers, data center owners’ top priority should not be profit. "I think if they did live there or experienced [it] that they would see how it sucks and how it’s not great at all,” Huling said.

Depicting a tree and gavel, this represents the environmental concerns and legal challenges surrounding data center development. Illustration by Jaime Stone

The Free Press

Feature

Student’s original music skyrockets in Spotify streams Story by Samantha Lowe

fter gaining popularity this past summer via social media, junior Alex Caldwell started being contacted by record labels. He currently has four released songs and more than 61,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Picking up a guitar for the first time his freshman year, Caldwell said that — with the exception of a few weeks of lessons — he is mostly self-taught and has never taken a traditional music class. He said his love of rock music was what inspired him to learn. “I wanted to shred like those guys,” Caldwell said. “But I learned it was kind of hard and I had a long way to go.” He said he practices up to 10 hours a week, but that he plays when he feels like it, which is most of the time. To practice, Caldwell said he started making covers of artists that inspired him, such as Tommy Ragen, doan and overtonight. However, during the second semester of his sophomore year, Caldwell said people began encouraging him to write his own material.

listening to and enjoying his music. “I knew the video was good, but I didn’t think it would get hundreds of thousands of views,” Caldwell said. As a result, he said record labels reached out to him through social media. Caldwell said he walked Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles this summer after being flown out to discuss possible record deals. He has not signed any record deals yet, but plans to within the next few months. “I have a plan to keep pursuing music for at least the next couple of years,” Caldwell said.

[My music] is straight from the heart, Caldwell said. Based on his experiences and feelings, Caldwell said his writing process centers around putting his emotions on paper. He said he hopes to send a deeper message through his lyrics: to be unafraid to feel. “I think a lot of people have bottled up emotions, but you don't have to keep it in,” Caldwell said. “It's not good for you.” Caldwell said he plans to release more songs, including an upcoming single and several other unproduced songs. Initially, Caldwell said it was a shock to see people

Despite the publicity, Caldwell said his daily life hasn't changed drastically. He said he spends a lot of time recording and writing, and that people occasionally talk to him about his music. “I love music, and making music as a career has been my dream for a long time,” Caldwell said. “I'm going to do everything possible to make sure that happens.” Strumming along, junior Alex Caldwell plays his guitar. Photo by Nate Willems

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News

A NEW

Girls flag football team becomes officially sanctioned

FLAG

Design by Abbie Veeder

ith the 2026 school year starting, the Kansas State High School Activities Association approved the girls’ flag football team to count as a school-sanctioned sport instead of a club sport this year. Sanctioned means “officially or formally ratified or confirmed.” Flag football head coach Adam Barmann said the team wasn't sanctioned last year, meaning the records never counted. Now, like any other schoolsanctioned sport, the winner of the flag football championship will get a banner to hang in their school. “There wasn't an official state champion; we crowned a champion, but it's not as though there's a banner hanging in that gym. This year all the records will count, all the statistics will count. Somebody will be crowned a champion at the end of the year,” Barmann said. With the flag football team eligible for championships, Barmann said this year the team will approach the sport the same way it did last year and try its best. “Now we are like every other sport that exists here at Free State High School, and not

Story by Jillian Lehmann

under the umbrella of a club sport. It's certainly going to be different in that regard, but we're still going to approach it the same way,” Barmann said. Senior Mallary Hice said she played on the flag football team last year when it was a club sport, then decided to join again when it was sanctioned. “I've always wanted to play a fall sport, and I never have, so it just seemed like a perfect opportunity to get into a new sport and try something new,” Hice said. Flag football could be compared to traditional American football because of the name, but there are many differences between the sports. For instance, the dimensions of the field are 80x40 yards compared to a 120x53.3 yard field that the football players compete on. Barmann said the center is eligible to catch a pass, unlike traditional football, where only the players who are furthest to the left and right of the field are eligible receivers. “It's pretty similar to the guys' seven-on-seven [person] game,” Barmann said.“Now, there are some subtle differences. For example, anybody can motion at any time, but just one person in motion. Obviously, the field dimensions are different, but there are a lot of concepts that overlap.” Freshman Nora Storey said that the team has been practicing on the baseball field ever since school started. “We practiced over the summer on the softball field, but now we practice on the baseball field because they put lines like a field on it,” Storey said.

Running down the field, junior Zayauna Jones catches the ball at the first game of the season. Photo by Addison Powers

Assistant coach Summer Frantz said that since both teams practice around the same time, flag football has been practicing on the other fields while football is on the main field.

I think it's really nice to have our own space, and we're really fortunate that they did that for us out there on the baseball field, and obviously, having the appropriate line markings is really nice, Frantz said. Even with the new players coming to the team, Hice said that the team is very close and it's an easy way to make new friends. “We're just such a close-knit team, and it's really easy just to get to know people and to find new friends, and it's a good way to meet new people,” Hice said.

Handing off the ball, sophomore Layla Hafoka plays at the varsity flag football game against Shawnee Mission East on Sept. 2. Photo by Ava Mann

A&E

The Free Press

FIREBIRD 30 30-year anniversary of Free State’s opening inspires schoolwide challenge

nyone has the chance to win Free State merchandise by attending "30-for-30" events that were designated by the school. The number 30 commemorates the school’s opening in 1997. You must bring your punch cards to the event to get them punched as proof that you went. To enter the drawing, take your punch card to the Learning Stairs and fill out a slip of paper during lunch on the admin-specified Friday for each month.

Collected by Samantha Lowe

Upcoming Events:

Oct. 1, 7 p.m. in the FS auditorium - Fall Choir Concert Oct. 8, 7 p.m. in the FS auditorium - Fall Band Concert Oct. 16, 7 p.m. at the FS football stadium- Varsity Football Game

or more information about future events, watch the slideshows presented around the school, listen to morning announcements or read the Sunday newsletters.

Scattered on the table, "30-for-30" punch cards will be used at each event. Photo by Joan Irungu

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9:88 Sept. is Suicide Prevention Month. Teal and purple ribbons as well as the semicolon represent suicide awareness and prevention.

If you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal thoughts or actions, tell a trusted adult or call 988 to contact the National Suicide Hotline.

You Matter. Hope has a number.