Issuu

THE FREE PRESS Issue 2 | Oct. 30, 2026 | Edition 30

Pg. 14-15| Halloween Unmasked

The Free Press

CONTENTS

4700 Overland Dr, Lawrence KS, 66049

NEWS STAFF EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Ceci Bennett Grace Mosconi MANAGING EDITORS Stella Dorssom Kyla Meikle

NEWS

A&E

Pg 04: Ousted Watchdogs Pg 05: Return to the Hill Pg 16: Lasting Legacy

Pg 10-11: Photo Gallery Pg 12: Spooky Movie Reviews Pg 18: Fall Activities Schedule

FEATURE

OPINION

PHOTO EDITOR Layla Afani Coburn

Pg 08-09: Lawrence Hauntings Pg 12: More Than Tricks & Treats Pg 17: Key to Healthy Relationships

Pg 14-15: Halloween Unmasked

CAPTIONS EDITOR Leona Randall COPY EDITORS Collette Colvin

Pg 06: Concussion Catastrophe Pg 07: Touchdown for Teamwork

Rae Cordova Sydney Tiemann

The large dark manor represents a haunted house. However, only the child on the rooftop balcony still believes in the illusion of monsters. The child stares at the spindly hand reaching down, whereas the adult stands silently. The adult no longer believes in haunted houses, and simply sees it as a manor. The adult’s hand resembles the hand in the sky, symbolizing how the child’s fear is exaggerated in the eyes of the adult. Design by Grace Mosconi

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ASST. DESIGN EDITOR Abbie Veeder

SPORTS

ABOUT THE COVER

SOCIALS

DESIGN EDITOR Jaime Stone

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.

SPORTS EDITOR Griffin McDonnell ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kinley Gigous SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Julia Andrade REPORTERS Finley Aiken Van Bischmann Liam Christian Jillian Lehmann Samantha Lowe Moses Minor Manha Ossen Alaina Shipley DESIGNERS Hannah Billen Maya Friedman Nora Green Diana Lee Ella Marsh Jay Navarro PHOTOGRAPHERS Carter Braden Olivia Frits Nora Greeson Joan Irungu Nate Sprecker Nate Willems BUSINESS TEAM Dylan Tenbrink

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Design by Jay Navarro

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS 2026-2027 Copy Editors Introduce Issue Two

Smiling together, sophomore Collette Colvin, juniors Sydney Tiemann and Rae Cordova pose for the photo taken at the Japanese Friendship Garden downtown. Photo by Nate Sprecker

Happy spooky season, Firebirds! Thank you for picking up issue two from the Free Press! As copy editors for the 2026-2027 school year, we hope to inform you of some fun activities and traditions you may not be familiar with. To get you into the spooky spirit with this issue, keep an eye out for any fall memories or celebrations that bring back a web of nostalgia. We highlighted tribute concerts, support groups, fall sports and some spooky activities around Lawrence to attend and explore with your friends! As you flip through these pages and venture into the stories within, we hope you discover something that sparks your interest, from national and local news, to captivating Free State features, to spooky opinions. As the autumn leaves fall and Halloween approaches,

we invite you to get lost in the stories we are excited to tell. But remember, every great story begins with a voice. We value your voice and encourage you to share your perspectives with us. You can do so by messaging @FSJournalism on Instagram with topics you want us to cover in future issues or, talk to a staff member you know! Thank you for making it to the end of this letter, and we hope you enjoy this year’s spooky package, filled with the arrival of autumn that is sure to send a little thrill your way!

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OUSTED News

Story by Samantha Lowe

White House attempts to ban major news outlets

WATCHDOGS

he White House temporarily banned CNN, Politico and MS NOW from attending press conferences and refused to let CNN or Politico continue in the press pool, the rotating group of news outlets that cover and travel with the president in lieu of the broader media corps, on Sept. 18. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled against the ban on Sep. 24 and set a 14-day restraining order to block the White House press ban, which ended on Oct. 8. According to CBS News, Kelly was contemplating extending the ban as of Oct. 8. Government teacher Jeffrey Haas said this is an unprecedented act regardless of who the president is, and that other networks, including Fox, willingly left the White House press room virtually empty for several days in an act of unity with the banned outlets until the restraining order came into effect. “There's a long track record with this particular administration of being uniquely hostile to the mainstream mass media coverage — the outlets that are allowed into the White House press room,” Haas said. Similarly, U.S. History teacher Susan Carey said the only press restrictions in recent history were the Biden and Obama restriction to the number of press passes distributed for White House conferences and Bush’s preference to be interviewed solely by local media over national media after the events of 9/11. “We often see the media as an extension of ourselves and access to the president… but there needs to be some hard limitations on them,” Carey said. Carey said that while these outlets can still cover governmental matters, there would not be frequent daily press briefings. Currently, Haas said the White House wants to ban news outlets because of how they are framing questions directed at the press secretary and president, but the media must be

able to serve as the “watchdog” to ensure government transparency.

If someone’s going to hold the government accountable, there needs to be an outside source asking them tough questions, Hass said.

Pentagon is having press issues too. According to the Associated Press, three Stars and Stripes reporters are suing Pete Hegseth and other Pentagon officials via the claim that their First Amendment rights were violated. They were fired because of a CBS News interview they participated in regarding the opposition of potential censorship by the U.S. military. With the recent censorship, Carey said many people take their rights for granted because of the 60-second news cycle 24-hours a day, and that even older generations would find it odd if those constant updates were removed. “Sometimes I think we can have too much information and access. But I don't want to limit that either because we have grown accustomed to, since 9/11, having a daily press briefing,” Carey said. Haas said the Pentagon Papers reflect what is happening now because the government, military and civilian leaders were painting a rosier picture of events than the media was reporting. “You can't have a functional democracy that way without all the sides, all the information, because then the public can't really form their thoughts,” Haas said.

Haas said social media has been a big tool for President Donald Trump because he can bypass all the conventional media and directly reach millions of people. “[The public] would be subject to the whims of whoever has political power, framing things the way they wanted them to be framed,” Haas said. To avoid this, and to maintain government openness with the public, sophomore Juliet Lang said it’s important for everyone to be able to freely speak their ideas and for the press to oversee the government as the Fourth Estate. “I feel like you either have to ban all of them or none of them,” Lang said. Explaining the historical significance of the case, Carey said the founding fathers believed Americans had the right to voice and choice and wanted us to be able to freely report the facts. Now, Carey said the media feels like the Trump administration is putting a kibosh on these First Amendment rights. “Our Constitution is there The press pass represents the to protect our freedoms because our media ban. founding fathers found them to be Illustration by Nora Green necessary [as] they lived in a world with suppression [where] they could not have an opinion outside of what the government told them,” Carey said. Besides the White House, the

MS NOW

N N C PRE

S S S E PR

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RETURN TO THE THE HILL Design by Nora Green

Story by Stella Dorssom

KU’s music festival returns after 19 years

or the first time in 19 years, Day on the Hill returned to the University of Kansas. According to the University Daily Kansan, Day on the Hill was an outdoor concert funded by the KU Student Union Activities using leftover budget money. It was most commonly known for having grunge band Pearl Jam as a headliner in 1992. As a long-time appreciator of live music, math teacher Lawrence Baker said he is glad that some of the artists are coming to Kansas. Baker said that he gets annoyed seeing artists go to other big cities outside of the area, and is thankful that they are coming to Lawrence now. “I'm always kind of irked when a band I like will go to Denver, Oklahoma City, St. Louis, [etc.]. Kansas City's a really big city, so why are you skipping over us?” Baker said. Similarly, junior and music performer James Green said that he was happy to see Day on the Hill brought back and was excited to attend himself. He said that music would likely connect students further.

They brought it back to bring excitement back to campus and connect students through music. It helps support Lawrence’s music scene and brings people together, Green said.

Located in Marvin’s Grove, the KU Campanile bell tower rings every 15 minutes. Illustration by Nora Green

As an attendee of the festival, Washburn freshman Lailah Lewis said that live music is something special and is important to have and share. Lewis said that the concert and performances in general are essential for peace.

Music really binds communities together. We have peace, and all the worries go out the window when we hear music, Lewis said.

As tickets were sold and access to the concert was questioned, Green said music should be available to everyone. He said that discounted tickets for KU students were a great idea to implement. “[Discounted tickets] make concerts more affordable and accessible for students, which is always the end goal,” Green said. According to the Lawrence Times, Grammy-award-winning rock band Turnstile headlined the festival, with electropop artist Slayyyter as the supporting act and rock band Die Spitz as the opener. After attending the concert, Lewis said that she was wowed by many of the artists' performances. She said that even though she didn't really know of them going in, they are an essential part of her listening routine nowadays. “I’ve only heard of [the artists] through my siblings. They really enjoy them, and then at the festival they really opened my eyes to their music. I really love listening to them now,” Lewis said. In the future, Baker said that Lawrence should try to incorporate more live music like Day on the Hill. He said that it is a universally enjoyable experience and encourages more people to attend concerts. “The feeling of being in that group of people and all singing the same song, I couldn't tell you how many times I've just felt chills in my body,” Baker said. “It's very similar to being at a sporting event in that way.”

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Sports

CONCUSSION CATASTROPHE

The dangers of CTE in sports

Story by Griffin McDonnell

CATASTROPHE

njuries are viewed by many “Football and soccer, girls’ they try to practice safe tackling techniques soccer especially, have the highest rate as the worst part of sports. They can to prevent instances in games, although it cause players to miss games, seasons of documented concussions,” Haig said. isn’t always possible. and even end careers. While injuries of There is no way to 100% reduce the risk of “In practice, we as coaches all kinds are serious, head injuries — sustaining a head injury, but that would be specifically concussions — can be some of minimize the number of head-to-head the most effective.” contact when it comes to practicing tackling. the most frequent while causing potential To better ensure player safety, the We also have limited numbers of days that lifelong risks. National Football League has implemented we go full contact. We do a lot of practice These injuries not only affect things such as Guardian Caps, which athletes’ performance on the field, but also where we hit one another but try not to go can go over a player’s helmet for extra affect their performance in the classroom. to the ground,” Gourley said. “Games are protection. The NFL also uses bye weeks a bit more difficult because it’s live hitting Social Studies teacher Kellie Lang said for teams to get extra rest and recover every play. Hopefully the techniques that we between games. Gourley said these could she’s had many students in her class practice, such as roll tackling, are applied to be useful at the high school level, but dealing with concussions that can slow get the head out of the direct tackling, but down learning. would also create some challenges. this isn’t always feasible.” “I’ve had several students with “Personally, I’m torn on the Trying to prevent these injuries concussions throughout the years that I’ve Guardian Caps. I think that they may have while playing is nearly impossible because some value in concussion protection, but I’m taught, and they come in with orders that of the nature of sports. Haig said the best they’re not supposed to be looking at a not totally sure what degree of effectiveness screen, or they’re not supposed to work for way to avoid these types of injuries is to they actually have,” Gourley said. “As for more than 15 or 20 minutes at a time. It puts avoid participating in contact sports. the bye weeks, I could see some value in them behind, and it lessens the amount of that, [but] it would extend the length of the work that they can do,” Lang said. season and would require a fair amount Recovering from concussions of reorganizing since teams would need The best way to avoid any is very important to prevent further risk. differing bye weeks and such, and I could Free State athletic trainer Kaarin Haig said sort of head injuries is to see that being a logistical challenge.” athletes with a suspected head injury need to Although football and other abstain from contact sports. be evaluated immediately after the incident contact sports can be dangerous, they to start the recovery process. While concussions can occur can also provide great opportunities for “Any athlete with a suspected athletes who play. Lang said that the in any sport, those requiring the concussion or head injury should report to positives sports provide outweigh the the athletic trainer on site for evaluation. contact have a higher risk negative risk of injuries. If there is no athletic trainer that can see “We’ve got kids that are associated with them, them, they should set up an appointment getting physical activity; they’re off of with their Primary Care Physician for their phones. They are making social Haig said. evaluation,” Haig said. “Repeated head connections and learning teamwork and injuries and post-concussion syndrome discipline and learning how to be coached Haig said that while specific may require vestibular therapy to assist and told what to do, and they’re finding a contact sports might have higher chances with returning back to baseline.” sense of belonging,” Lang said. “There’s so When it comes to the actual sport, for sustaining a head injury, none are much opportunity, and I just have to realize without their risks. assistant football coach Brad Gourley said that this is a risk.”

“

Sports

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Design by Abbie Veeder

TOUCHDOWN

Football players discuss team bond

Story by Finley Aiken

hen it comes to Free State football, players said improvement doesn’t simply come from playing. Football players said that building strong relationships with teammates improves their overall performance. Junior Charlie Griffith, a tight end for Free State, said that when problems arise, it is essential to work through them as a team.

“The team overcomes struggles during practices and games by watching film, fixing our mistakes and working hard,” Griffith said.

Running for a touchdown, senior Alijah Beckum carries the ball down the field. Photo by Carter Braden

unior Van Catloth also said that the relationship between his teammates has played a big part in his experience this year.

“My favorite part about football is ... celebrating with my teammates after a win,” Catloth said. “We work to overcome struggles by just having each other’s backs and knowing that even if you mess up, someone will be there to make it right.”

Rushing onto the field, the Free State football team hypes up the crowd ahead of a game. Photo by Olivia Frits

he football team practices daily. Junior and football captain Mark Ke said that it is important to be focused while practicing and playing.

The biggest part is just staying mentally locked in,” Ke said. “The starters have to be sharp and ready to go, and our backups should be too.”

ophomore Packson McDaniel, a wide receiver, said that the team’s connection is different than in past seasons.

Making sure he is on side, senior Alijah Beckum plays against Shawnee Mission North on Sept. 25. Photo by Carter Braden

“We’re an extremely young group, with lots of learning and many first-year starters,” McDaniel said. “We’re bonding as a group much earlier than in other years.”

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LAWRENCE HAUNTINGS

Famous hauntings in and around Lawrence, Kansas

Infographic by Van Bischmann

The Sigma Nu Fraternity sits on KU campus. Photo by Kinley Gigous

ormer Kansas Governor Walter Stubbs and his wife resided in the current Sigma Nu fraternity house from 1907 to 1922. The story says Stubbs’ rumored mistress, Virginia, hung herself in his house. They report she is the source of the haunting. Sightings include slamming doors, lights flickering and a female apparition appearing on the stairs and upper floor.

The Stull Cemetery is located around 9 miles from Free State. Photo by Leona Randall

tull Cemetery resides in the almost forgotten town of Stull, Kansas. Local legends claim witchcraft, ghosts and paranormal events surround the graveyard. The cemetery gained the title “Gateway to Hell,” because of a legend that says if you follow the stairs inside the abandoned church, at the top of the hill you will reach the gateway. If you try to climb back up, it will take weeks, if something doesn’t drag you back first.

The Pioneer Ridge Cemetery is near the Lied Center on KU’s west campus. Photo by Ceci Bennett

uantrill’s Raid in 1863 left around 200 dead, with Pioneer Cemetery holding the mass grave of that day. It also holds the 13th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry who died of typhoid fever while stationed in Lawrence. According to Lawrence Journal World, some say ghosts still wander the cemetery, and local folklore recalls a psychic speaking to one of these spirits who mysteriously carried her last name as well.

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Design by Ceci Bennett

The Eldridge Hotel serves as a hotel and restaurant. Photo by Joan Irungu

he Eldridge Hotel, built in 1855, has always been a historical piece of Lawrence history, but some may visit without knowing its haunted history. While the whole hotel is famous for its hauntings, room 506 is a hotspot for ghosts and paranormal events. The popular story is that the original owner, Shalor Eldridge still haunts room 506 because the hotel's original cornerstone was placed there. According to Edridge Hotel, customers claimed their rooms have been burning hot or freezing cold and hearing noises running outside the room. Reviews say even being on the same floor as 506 you will witness some of these hauntings.

Wonder Fair’s Haunted Bathroom is adorned with spooky decorations. Photo by Joan Irungu

hen Wonder Fair opened in 2015, a mysterious ghost cat hung on the walls of the bathroom. According to Wonder Fair, it began as an internet joke saying there was a “ghost cat” living in the store. Then noises began, and objects started appearing. Unable to let these forces win, Wonder Fair embraced them, coining it “Wonder Fair’s ‘famous’ Haunted Bathroom.”

Merchants Pub and Plate is located in the heart of downtown. Photo by Joan Irungu

erchants Pub & Plate, built in 1872, used to be a bank and is a classic haunted location in Lawrence. According to Kansas Haunted Houses, staff and customers alike said they feel a cold and eerie presence while climbing the stairs, some report seeing a disappearing apparition descending them.

A&E

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PHOTO

GALLERY Running her last race at Rim Rock Farms, senior Allison McCall participates in the C-team girls 5K race on Oct. 9. Photo by Olivia Frits

About to gain possession, freshman Johnny Deiter goes to kick the ball to an open teammate nearby against LHS on Oct. 10. Photo by Carter Braden

Playing her clarinet, junior Samantha Lowe performs in Concert Band at the Fall Band Concert on Oct. 1. Photo by Olivia Frits

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Design by Layla Afani

Conducting at the half time show, junior Cleo Green looks to head drum major junior Nora Greeson to keep tempo on Sept. 25. Photo by Carter Braden

Celebrating after the point, senior Aiyanna Moss, sophomore Brinley Whitney, freshman Bryna Clark and senior Tessa Nover-Estes hype each other up against SMNW on Oct. 15. Photo by Leona Randall

Up in arms, sophomores Ben and Jake Graham chicken fight at the Homecoming Festival on Oct. 3. Photo by Nate Willems

Concentrating on the pin, junior Tola Jankowski scores a par on hole 5 at Eagle Bend Golf Course on Oct. 6. Photo by Winry Eymard

Welcoming the audience, senior Avery Fox shares upcoming events within the music department at the fall choir concert on Oct. 1. Photo by Leona Randall

Leading with pride, freshman Callie Livingood and sophomore Hadyn Bishop carry the IPS banner during the Homecoming Parade on Oct. 2. Photo by Joan Irungu

Holding flowers, seniors Joey Clossen and Olivia Storey pose as they are crowned Homecoming king and queen on Oct. 2. Photo by Carter Braden

Check out our online photo galleries by scanning here!

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SPOOKY MOVIE REVIEWS Opinion by Moses Minor

Halloween (1978)

addonfield, Illinois, experiences a night of terror after one of the most iconic masks in horror comes home on Halloween night. John Carpenter’s tale of terror tells the story of a masked psychopath hunting down babysitters on Halloween night; the premise is simple but a staple. There is no October complete without “Halloween.”

The Thing (1982) This supernatural movie takes the viewer on a claustrophobic witch hunt in Outpost 31 in Antarctica. A research team stumbles upon an alien life form that begins to take the shape of the crewmates, leading all to be suspicious of all. This film is highly influential on all horror to come because of its steps in practical effects, slow-burn storytelling and the launching of many different acting careers of the eighties.

Coraline (2009) “Coraline” could be a core memory for late-2000s kids, or it could be a reason they “never got into the stop motion movies.” However, hate it or love it, I promise it is worth a revisit this spooky season. The movie’s complete, wholly fall aesthetic makes it worth viewing. Not to mention the music and the beautifully displayed artistic sense of the scenes throughout Henry Selick’s “Coraline.”

Various Movie elements were from the reviewed movies. Illustrations by Diana Lee

Get Out (2017) This 2017 debut film directed by Jordan Peele is an incredible weekend-trip-gone-wrong meets social commentary. Oscar-winner Daniel Kaluuya meets his girlfriend’s family one weekend, and it takes little time for the viewer to realize her family’s perception of race is not normal. Peele creates an environment that criticizes the lasting effects of slavery, treatment of racial injustices and continuing norms through a project that is often taken as a horror movie at face value.

Resident Evil (2026) This is the latest film from Zach Cregger, who directed the modern horror classics “Weapons” and “Barbarian.” It stems from the widely enjoyed video game series of the same name, but is completely approachable from a place of novelty to the franchise. Austin Abrams stars in this gory ride of hilarity and constant chaos within the 95-minute runtime.

Handle with Care Keep Cool - Do Not Freeze

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MORE THAN TRICKS & TREATS

Throughout many changes in history, past Halloween traditions continue to shape celebrations today

rom family traditions and elaborate costumes to the yearly Haunted Hallways at school, Halloween looks different for everyone, but the holiday continues to bring people together through celebrations and traditions. Although Halloween has changed over time, many of the traditions surrounding the holiday have roots in history and cultures all around the world. Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts, who lived 3,000 years ago in Central and Eastern Europe, celebrated their new year on Nov. 1. That date marked the end of warm weather and the harvest and declared the beginning of winter — a time of year often associated with death. On the night of Oct. 31, the Celts celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts from the dead could return to Earth, and the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead became a blur. During celebrations, they wore costumes typically made out of animal heads and skins, as they told each other fortunes. The tradition of trick-or-treating dates back to the early All Souls’ Day parade in England. During festivities, poor citizens would ask for “soul cakes,” and families usually provided them. The practice, which was called “going a-souling” was eventually taken up by children who would visit houses in their neighborhoods and be given ale, food or money.

Sophomore Penny Salb said that one of the many traditions she does every year is that her family hosts a Halloween party with all of their family friends. “A week before Halloween we host a party and we usually have a theme. One year we did childhood toys. We’ve done movie characters, and Disney characters. People don’t have to follow the theme, but it gives my parents something to go based off of.” Salb said. Salb said that she usually plans out her costumes months in advance, which she enjoys doing very much. “I just love dressing up. I have two or three costumes every year,” Salb said. Paul Rosen, a Spanish teacher at Free State, said that another late October celebration, Día de los Muertos, originated from indigenous, pre-Columbian celebrations and later merged with the Catholic All Saints’ Day following Spanish arrival, which primarily celebrates the return of the souls of loved ones.

It is a way of connecting to your heritage and for people to come together and be reminded of those in their family as well as their loved ones,

Design by Diana Lee

Story by Manha Ossen

Rosen said that a way that they honor their deceased family members is an Ofrenda, which is an altar created in one’s home filled with items the deceased enjoyed, as well as photos and candles. He said that people usually associate this day with Halloween because it deals with the dead. “Mostly just because of the time of year and the skeletons that are involved, and they’re very close in date together.” Rosen said. Quinn Schroeder, a senior StuCo member, said that Haunted Hallways is an event held at Free State usually during the week of Halloween. It is now a tradition that they try to execute yearly. “We decorate the hallways and basically we make them super scary, and some of them have themes,” Schroeder said. Schroeder said one of the most difficult parts of planning events is making sure everything gets done on time, especially the day before and the day of the event. She said that making sure that everyone is getting stuff done and completed is a big part of it. “My favorite part is after the event, we talk about it, and it’s just so amazing to see how many people have fun and so many people are engaged in it when maybe they wouldn’t have been if there wasn’t any event,” Schroeder said.

Rosen said.

The skeletons below are associated with both Dia de los Muertos and Halloween. Illustrations by Diana Lee

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HALLOWEEN A

s children, Halloween night was dedicated to knocking on doors, carving pumpkins, and trading for the best candy. Annually, we pranced around neighborhoods and wandered through the night without a hint of fear. The facade of death and monsters simply served as an excuse for the true fear: an empty candy bowl. Even in our late trick-or-treating years, as the illusion of monsters became more apparent, parts of the magic remained. It transformed from imaginary monsters to the unifying joy given freely by and to communities. Every smile behind a child’s mask illuminated the hearts of the adults holding the candy basket, and every crafted tale from adults brought a grin to a sugar-lined child’s lips. Celebrating Halloween as a kid meant embodying a character — hiding behind a mask. As we’ve grown older, the mask has slipped, and with it, the innocent joy we obtained through letting our reality transform for a day. Halloween served as an escape where the possibilities remained as open as the night sky. However, a global pandemic helped the costumed children redefine fear. While previous generations slowly transitioned from ignorant childhood bliss to teenage reality, we were faced with months of isolation that changed who we were as people. We returned to society physically six feet apart and mentally distanced from our friends, communities and traditions.

News Editors discuss Halloween for teens

UNMASKED We were left without the critical pre-teen years to discover ourselves. How were we supposed to immerse ourselves in a different reality when the reality around us was already so difficult to comprehend? As we transitioned into a changed society, many of us had left our elementary schools behind and were cemented in middle school. We had unknowingly been placed in an age where trick-or-treating was a rarity. It wasn’t “cool” to stain your shirt and hands carving pumpkins; it was “cool” to stay inside and watch violence through a screen. No longer would we pick a costume based on our obsessions; instead, we would choose based on what is trending. Scrolling on social media for inspiration last minute became the go-to method for finding a costume rather than feverishly considering options months in advance. Over time, the holiday turned entirely on its head. When we were young, the whole idea was to have a day to be entirely ourselves — to express ourselves without judgment. Now that we have hit high school, we have learned to overthink our appearance enough to fundamentally change how we view Halloween. Growing up changed not only our perception of Halloween, but how we treat it. No longer would we pick a costume based on our obsessions; instead, we would choose based on what is trending. Scrolling on social media for inspiration last minute became the go-to method for

finding a costume rather than relying on imagination.. The magic was gone. COVID had left us all with this gap in our development, creating a stark difference between the Halloween we had experienced as children and the halfhearted holiday we experienced now.

Along with our growing fears, our perception of how to celebrate a once lively holiday began to shift.

We went from watching familyfriendly classics to horror films that sent shivers up our spines and made us reflect on what was acceptable to enjoy as a young adult. The classics were quickly ushered out in favor of the newest cheap slasher made to keep audiences hooked. As the years slipped away, our perception of the day changed. No longer were the monsters under the bed enough to make us lie awake; instead, we turned to a crueler reality — a reality without magic. As young trick-or-treaters, the faces we approached on each doorstep were a blur; we didn’t pay attention to who was under each mask and who was behind every door. The carefully curated

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route crafted by parents wasn’t questioned as we hopped from house to house. It never mattered which streets we roamed as long as they held enough goods to make the trek worth it. Suddenly, we began to question the intentions of people around us. We started fearing the people behind the mask and the candy we once longed for, looking over our shoulders every step of the way.

As the tricks began to outnumber the treats, the appeal of the holiday began to dissipate. The monsters were real — they lived down the street from us. Why create new monsters if it was already so hard to discern the true ones? And the candy, the simple, silly candy we once craved and even stole to satisfy our insatiable sweet tooth, threatened our self-worth. And the people who greeted us under the dark night sky became the monster under the bed. We’ve turned the holiday gruesome, to reflect the hardship and pain of reality. The monsters and masks weren’t scarier than reality, we needed something crueler and harsher. The day, originally dedicated to fighting off spirits to protect lives, has transformed into a day to take it. As teenagers, we no longer picture slowwalking zombies with their arms held out

reaching for their next victim, we instead remember the horrific screams of a horror movie victim as their guts lay mangled in their hands. We needed something terrifyingly realistic to scare us. That is the trouble with masks: they don’t fit forever. Our eyes grew sharper, our faces longer and the mask no longer hid our faces. This illusion that had been so carefully orchestrated by our society to promote a day of bliss, was no longer a refuge; we had grown too old to withdraw from reality. This Halloween will serve as the annual reminder of a childhood we miss. As we approach a holiday that has lost its luster for many of us, we urge you to remember the joy the holiday used to bring. Carve a pumpkin with your friends, read a murder mystery or maybe even hop into a costume and visit your favorite neighborhood for one last

Design by Hannah Billen

round of trick-or-treating. Halloween should not just be for little kids. It should be a way for everyone — regardless of age — to celebrate the wonder and innocence of childhood we seem to have misplaced.

The child’s shadow represents the love of Halloween many lose. Illustration by Hannah Billen

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News

LASTING LEGACY

The life and legacy of Dolly Parton

fter a battle with cancer, Dolly Parton passed away on Aug. 25 at the age of 80. The Grammywinning country artist, entrepreneur and philanthropist received thousands of tributes from country music stars, politicians and fans worldwide. Nicknamed the “Queen of Country” and known as one of the bestselling country music artists, Parton had an impact on the world both in and out of the music industry. Although Parton didn’t directly identify with the term “feminist,” women such as senior Eula Heriford found her music empowering and inspiring.

It probably resonated with a lot of women seeing this very beautiful, energetic and lovely woman also write her own music and be so successful, Heriford said.

Heriford said Parton’s powerful songwriting and self-made success provided a strong female role model for women around the world. “She was able to inspire a lot of women like that because her songs were so successful and because she was doing it herself,” Heriford said. Throughout Parton’s nearly 60-year career, she maintained a large fanbase across generations. English teacher Kylee Johnston, a long-time fan of Dolly Parton, said that Parton’s success is part of what made her career so unique.

“She has maintained such a long career of an equal amount of fans the whole time. That’s really impressive. When someone like that dies, everyone knows, and that’s a big impact,” Johnston said. One of Dolly Parton’s most notable achievements was creating the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in 1955. According to its website, the program provides free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five to encourage reading and improve literacy rates. Johnston said that giving children access to these resources makes a huge difference in their lives and gives them skills they can use in their future education. “Early literacy is very important up through third grade and gives kids the chance to really develop reading skills.

Story by Alaina Shipley

And if students who don’t have as much access to books can get free books, that makes a difference,” Johnston said. Sophomore Makenzie Browning said she used the Imagination Library when she was younger and enjoyed reading books she knew other people had donated to the organization. Now, she donates books back to the library so local children can have the same experience she did. “I love giving the books that I love. Now somebody else who might not be able to have those books gets to have them because I donated them,” Browning said. The Dolly Parton Imagination Library of Douglas County hosted its third local Dolly Parton tribute concert this month, with all ticket proceeds going to the organization. The concert featured local musicians singing covers of Parton’s greatest hits. Arthur Dodge, one of this year’s performers, said that the tribute concert felt more impactful this year because of Parton’s death. “She’s not around to make more music. Any time a great songwriter or artist dies, it’s just a little bit sad because that’s all you’re gonna get out of them,” Dodge said. Although Parton isn’t around to make more music, Dodge said her legacy will live on through her successful career and generous philanthropy work. He said she will be remembered by her loving and bubbly personality, while still remaining humble and down to earth. “She was a very genuine, happy, kind and outgoing person,” Dodge said. “She seemed like she was always accessible to lots of different people from all walks of life.”

Spreading her wings, Dolly Parton glances behind her shoulder. Illustration by Ella Marsh

The Free Press

Feature

Design by Ella Marsh

KEY TO HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS Story by Jillian Lehmann

Claire’s community opens a violence-prevention program within school

laire’s community is launching a program to prevent violence by educating students. The goal of the Locket Project is to create a group of students that their peers can talk to about any school- or relationship-related stress. Academic counselor Summer Frantz said the Locket Project started this program to support the students in relationship or friendship crises. The Locket Project is training 30 students to be peer leaders and create a safe place to talk for fellow students. “Students often talk to their friends about what’s bothering them before reaching out to an adult,” Frantz said. “The Locket Project is designed to provide student leaders with tools to help them navigate these difficult conversations, and understand when it’s imperative to connect their peers with support from our mental health team.” The project adviser and photography teacher, Sarah Podrasky, said the students participating will train over a six week period to learn healthy

relationships and support, emotional awareness and digital safety, boundaries and active consent, navigating endings, how to help a friend and other forms of advocacy and support.

Once the students are trained they will be able to be advocates of the prgram and be available for the student body to talk to, Podrasky said.

Frantz said that students are more likely to talk to their friends than school counselors about personal issues, so the program is set up for the students to have a place to feel more comfortable while helping students connect and relate with their peers.

The Locket Project is designed to train students to be able to talk about difficult things and give useful advice. Junior Ingrid Karman said she wants the students to see the peer leaders as safe people to ask questions and talk to. “I think students should see peer leaders as advocates and as safe places to go if they’re having any issues, are curious about if the relationship is healthy or if they’re wondering if they can do anything to fix the relationship,” Karman said. Karman said the Locket Project has resources that Free State will benefit from in regard to learning how we can be a safe place for the students to be able to talk. “Free State is a larger school that could use a lot of the resources that Claire’s Community and [the] Locket Project will provide, and I think that there are a lot of students who will do a lot of good work with the program,” Karman said.

Pointing at their stickers, sophomore Violet Vanlandingham and senior Dillinger Singer explain Claire’s Community to a student. Photo by Ceci Bennett

The Free Press

FALL ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE Upcoming events in Lawrence from Oct. 23 to Nov. 30

Collected by Liam Christian

Build Bat Boxes! Oct. 30 — 5-7 p.m.

6A KSHSAA XC State Championship Oct. 31 — 10 a.m.

Kansas Half Marathon & 5K Nov. 1 — 7-11 a.m.

FSHS Fall Musical Nov. 5-7 — 7 p.m.

Free Live Trivia at Spin! Pizza Nov. 9 — 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Veteran’s Day Ceremony Nov. 11 — 9-10 a.m.

FSHS Chamber Singers Open House Nov. 19 — 6-8:30 p.m.

KU Astronomy Public Telescope Night Nov. 21 — 3-6 p.m.

The Free Press

A&E

Design by Maya Friedman

BACK TO SCHOOL. BACK TO CONFIDENCE. MODERN SKIN OFFERS TREATMENT FOR MILD, MODERATE, AND SEVERE ACNE AND ACNE SCARRING BY OUR EXPERT DERMATOLOGY NURSE PRACTITIONER. CALL OR MESSAGE US FOR AN APPOINTMENT OR VISIT:

WWW.MODERNSKIN.CARE PH: 785.856.0746 1425 Wakarusa Dr Ste D Lawrence, KS 66049

FREE STATE JOURNALISM

senior ads deadlines nov. 13 dec. 4 jan. 22

Senior yearbook tributes or ads are your chance to use your own words and photos to remember special moments and celebrate your graduating senior. These full-color ads often include childhood and/or senior photos of your student and a congratulatory message. These are a highlight of the Free State yearbook.

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Pu mpkin Muffin

Recipe

Recipe by Maya Friedman

Necessary Utensils: - One large mixing bowl - One wooden spoon - Cupcake pan - Cupcake liners - Oven - Ice cream scooper

Instructions:

Ingredients: - 15 oz can of pumpkin puree - 12 oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips - 13.25 oz box of spice cake mix

1.) Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and set the setting to bake 1. Combine the pumpkin puree, chocolatethe chips, spice cake mix box intoof thepumpkin large mixing 2.) Combine can and of pumpkin puree, spice cake bowl. mix and your desired amount of chocolate chips 3.) Mix together thoroughly using a wooden spoon. Mix until you 2. Stir all the ingredients with a wooden spoon until combined. cannot differentiate the different ingredients 4.) Line the cupcake pan with cupcake liners 5.) Fill each cupcake liner 2/3 of the way full with batter using the ice cream scooper 6.) Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes depending on muffin size Freshly baked, the pumpkin 7.) Let cool and dig in! chocolate chips muffins from the recipe are pictured above. Photo by Addison Powers