NEWS STAFF CONTENTS
CONTENTS NEWS
Pg 4: Creepy Corridors
Pg 5: Hazardous Halloween
Pg 8: Diversity Beats Adversity
Pg 10-11: Para-educator Protest
Pg 16: ACT Accident
Pg 4: Firebird Costumes
Pg 12-13: Photo Gallery
Pg 21: Find Freddy
Pg 22-23: ADs
24: Fall Apple Strudel
FEATURE
Pg 9: Goats Take-Over
Pg 17: Let’s Ditch
Pg 18: Strive to Thrive
Pg 19: Etiquette in Action
Pg 20: Midwest Princess in Kansas City
Pg 22: Meeting Morrison
SPORTS
Pg 6-7: Budget Threats
Pg 14: Plugging In
Pg 15: Faith on the Field
ABOUT THE COVER
Running through Rim Rock Farm’s Cross Country course at the Sunflower League, freshman Taylor Hulcher crosses the finish line for the first time since the University of Kansas backed off hosting high school meets. Earlier this year, the University of Kansas backed out of hosting the Rim Rock Classic and put the KU Relays on hold citing budget cuts for the cause. Flip to pages six and seven where Free State Journalism talked to student athletes, coaches and community members about their opinions of KU’s decision. Photos By Kinley Gigous and Charlie Last, Photo Illustration by Evie Chancy.
SOCIALS 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.
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
Maria Mosconi
Evie Chancy
MANAGING EDITORS
Phoebe Morris
Rakshan Ossen
DESIGN EDITOR
Lucas Smith
PHOTO EDITORS
Julia Velasco
Nathan Kramer
CAPTIONS EDITOR
Ceci Bennett
COPY EDITORS
Meredith Shryock
Lauren Rosen
ONLINE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Baila Love
ONLINE
MANAGING EDITORS
Kinley Gigous
Odelia Colvin
SOCIAL MEDIA
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Katie Campbell
BUSINESS EDITOR
Piper Northrop
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Anders Benson
Baila Love
Charlie Last
Eden Weber
Leona Randall
Miles Beaty
Nate Willems
Nathan Friedman
Nora Greeson
Phoebe Morris
REPORTERS
Arianna Waller
Eula Heriford
Grace Mosconi
Jonah Frye
Kyla Meikle
Morgan Sponholtz
Penny Coleman
Rae Cordova
Stella Dorssom
Sydney Tiemann
DESIGNERS
Allison McCall
Ariza Nosca
Ava Talbottl
Bella Lylo
Celeste Jenkins
Elizabeth Puah
Harper Finck
Katie Campbell
Phoebe Morris
Rakshan Ossen
BUSINESS TEAM
Annika Lintecum
Sammi Smith
REMEMBERING RITA YANEZ
Friends and colleagues of Rita Yanez reflect on her life
Story by Evie Chancy
Student Facilitator and in-school suspension supervisor Rita Yanez died on Oct. 4, at the age of 21 from the injuries she sustained in a car accident.
Before Yanez became a member of the Free State community, she attended Turner High School and Aivala University. Former Turner High School teacher and current LHS journalism adviser Abbi Ladd said she had known and worked with Yanez for many years.
“She was one of those students who really shaped who I was as a teacher and as a person, and she taught me a lot of lessons,” Ladd said. “I got to know her for about a third of her life, and she got to know me for about a quarter of mine; I would say that that time in my life was some of the most impactful years I’ve had.”
Ladd said that, from the many conversations they shared, Yanez’s career interests had always centered around helping people and working with children. Yanez was working on becoming a health care administrator.
“She was really passionate about being around kids and helping shape people’s futures, and trying to have the same impact that I feel like a lot of her teachers have on her,” Ladd said.
Originally, Yanez was interviewed for a different position at Free State; however, Principal Amy McAnarney said that, because of her clear love of working with kids, Yanez was hired as a Student Facilitator and ISS supervisor instead.
“No matter how much students challenged her, she always remained calm and continued to try and help them,” McAnarney said. “Even though she was
here just a short time, she impacted many students in the ISS room by providing a listening ear, advice and help with academics.”
Even though she had only worked at Free State for less than a semester, best friend and roommate of Yanez, Juliana Sanchez, said she could tell Yanez already cared about the position and school.
“I know she was new to Free State but, there was never a day where she didn’t come home with a story about one of her students or one of the staff members. You could just tell that she loved everyone, and had always held a special place for everyone in her heart. Sanchez said.
In her role as student facilitator, Yanez worked closely with the school social workers and counselors. One of whom, social worker Ray Bennett, said Yanez was always interested in talking and learning from anyone, which made it easy for her to connect with both student and staff members.
“She was very easy to talk to
Design by Evie Chancy
and she would immediately find ways to connect with anyone she was around. It was easy to build rapport with her, and she was a naturally curious and kind person,” Bennett said.
Due to their rooms being next to each other, Ted Juneau got to know Yanez well through visits she would make to his classroom, often when she didn’t have students. Juneau said she would spend her free time helping students, like with math homework or simply talking to them.
“Because we were next-door neighbors, she would come into my room and interact with my kids, and more than anything, she just brought a real positive presence. She always lit up a room,” Juneau said.
Having known Yanez since the two of them were in 6th grade and lived with her, Sanchez said she spent everyday making memories with Yanez.
“I’ll remember how you could hear her laugh from a mile away, her smile, her kindness, her humor,” Sanchez said.
“There’s just a lot that comes to my mind whenever people ask me what kind of memories I’ll miss.”
On Oct. 11, Nexus Church hosted Yanez’s Celebration of Life, which was adorned in pink flowers for Yanez’s love of the color. Ladd said the celebration of life was filled with family and friends from all areas of Yanez’s life.
“Her Celebration of Life was beautiful, and the room was completely packed with all of the people who she had made an impact on, and each had so many stories and memories to share about her and the person she was,” Ladd said.
Photo collected from Juliana Sanchez
CREEPY CORRIDORS
Student Council plans a Halloween event open to
the public
This spooky season, Student Council organized a haunted house-style event, “Haunted Hallways,” for various clubs and sports to participate in. According to StuCo, this event aims to provide a fun and interactive experience within the school.
The event was originally supposed to happen last year, but StuCo adviser Steve Heffernan said that the event wasn’t advertised quickly enough, and people didn’t want to participate as much. This year, however, StuCo has gotten enough participation to approve the event. Sophomore representative Jazmyn Byer said that she is excited for the upcoming event.
“This year we’ve had more people interested in it,” Byer said. “So we were able to get permission from [Assistant Principal Matthew Renk] to make Haunted Hallways happen.”
Heffernan said that his goal for this event was community outreach.
StuCo’s goal is to try to find different activities to attract lots of people. It’s an opportunity to do community service because it doesn’t always happen without requirement issues, Heffernan said.
Junior representative Quinn Schroeder and senior representative Rakshan Ossen have worked together to bring this event to life. Schroeder and Ossen have done prior planning and organizing to ensure the event is a success.
Story by Ari Waller
“It started as a rough plan on paper, but now it’s turning into something the whole community can enjoy. As committee head, I definitely feel the pressure to make this event the best it can be,” Ossen said. “We’ve worked hard to promote it and are really hoping for a great turnout from the community. We wanted it to bring people together and give families something fun to look forward to before Halloween.”
Haunted Hallways will take place on Oct. 29 from 7 to 9 p.m. in 200 and 300 hallways. The event is open to all, and students from clubs or sports can sign up to be scare actors by contacting their coach or sponsor, who will then coordinate with StuCo.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about creating memories,” Ossen said. “If even one kid walks away smiling or feeling like they got to experience Halloween in a special way, then all the work we put in will have been worth it.”
FIREBIRD COSTUMES
Students and faculty share their halloween costume plans
“
I’m gonna be Dorothy this year. Some of my accessories are gonna be a basket and maybe my dog if I like, forced my dog to come with me, sophomore Lily Salmans said.
I am dressing up as Woodstock from ‘The Peanuts’ because I think he is cute and I like the color yellow, “ “ “ “ “ “
“ sophomore Winry Eymard said.
I’m going to be a castle because I love paper mache, so I thought it would be a fun DIY. I even made a vision board for it, English teacher Sophia Coen said.
Collected by Penny Coleman
Photo by Baila Love
Collected by Grace Mosconi
Dangers during Halloween night and how to stay safe
HAZARDS OF HALLOWEEN
3,200 people visit the emergency room every Halloween
46% of which are under the age of 18 23% pedestrian deaths on Halloween are caused by drunk drivers
the majority of pedestrian deaths occur between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., with being the deadliest hour.
6 p.m.
Our kids are just that, they are kids. They need to be incredibly careful, because their bodies and their minds are not actually ready for that yet. That's why there is a drinking age, and it makes them more susceptible to a lot of dangers, student
resource officer Bailey Salisbury
said.
SAFETY TIPS
trick-or-treaters should stay on well lit roads and avoid dark areas.
children should have light or reflective wear to decrease the risk of being hit by a car.
children should not accept any non-prepackaged snacks during trick-or-treating.
Illustration by Ava Talbott
Photo by Kinley Gigous
According to the Red Cross
According to the California State University Channel Islands
According to the Healthy Children Organization
Information and statistics collected from the Red Cross, Consultant 360, Rosenbaum Injury Firm and Healthy Children Organization.
Design by Evie Chancy
KU budget cuts threaten local high school cross country and track & field
Citing budget cuts, the athletic department at the University of Kansas announced in mid-July that it would no longer host the high school Rim Rock Classic cross country meet. While budget cuts were cited as the official reason for the cancellation, former KU meet director and longtime NCAA coach, Tim Byers, said he wasn’t aware the meet was losing money.
BUDGET “
This cancellation was announced less than three months before the event's scheduled date, with hundreds of teams already committed. Cross country coach Steve Heffernan said he thought this was unjust and would leave many teams without a meet to compete in.
“The only reason we jumped [to run the meet] this year was because eight weeks out, there weren’t going to be enough meets to absorb the teams that wouldn’t have a meet [that] weekend,” Heffernan said. “We talked about how that wasn’t fair to the group, so if there’s
anything we could do, we wanted to make it happen this year, regardless of how hard it was going to be. It has not been impossible, but it’s been a lot of work.”
While Heffernan, along with help from Free State and Lawrence High School, stepped up to manage the meet this year, some current high school seniors are concerned about the future of the Rim Rock Classic.
Additionally, senior Crosby King, who has been running on the cross country team for four years, said that this is an event he’s been looking forward to for a long time and is sad to see it being neglected by KU.
“[KU running] has had a really cool history, and to see them throw away this thing that’s special to the cross country world, and especially to American cross country,” King said. “I just wish that history would mean more to them than just straight dollar signs. I think it’ll affect a lot of high schools … and I think it’ll be sad,
especially given how much it means to people on the team.”
In light of the change, Byers commended the actions taken by Heffernan and local high schools, and said he is very grateful for the schools keeping this rich tradition alive.
I am hopeful Free State and Lawrence High can carry the torch for the Rim Rock meet. Steve Heffernan has made every effort to ensure athletes all over the Midwest get to run on one of the best [cross country] facilities in the nation,
“ Byers said.
Rim Rock Rescued
THREATS
Story by Rakshan Ossen and Jonah Frye
The Impact on KU Relays
Amid the track season for high school students to take place in the spring, KU’s Athletic Director, Travis Goff said in an interview with the Lawrence Journal-World on Sept. 18 that KU Relays will not be happening this year, citing the budget they have to run for the meet.
The cancellation of the 102-year-old event comes as a major disappointment to many in the local track and field community, especially for junior distance runner and Relays participant Emery Frye and other high school track and field athletes who view the KU Relays as a prestigious milestone in their seasons.
“It’s such a fun event, and I’m going to miss spending the whole day there, watching every race, cheering for the events we have people competing in, and the ones we don’t. We’ve had relays qualify every year I’ve been around, and being part of that is something I absolutely love,” Frye said.
While this event is temporarily on hold, Frye said the loss of the relays this season could impact how track student-athletes view their goals and motivation.
“I’ve
heard many athletes say that making it to the KU Relays is their big goal for the season, and taking that away could change how hard they train, Frye said.
“Senior Addy Tenbrink said she views the cancellation of KU Relays as an example of how track and field is often undervalued. She said that because the event is more mainstream, it gave high school runners more recognition than they usually get.
“Even in high school, there is this feeling that running cross country is less important than every other sport. It is important for people to see their sport is represented and KU Relays did that. It made the sport feel special for all runners able to compete,” Tenbrink said.
Coach Gabriel Dalton said that despite the KU Relays not being a part of the calendar this year, he’s still hopeful for its return in the future.
“It’s always unfortunate to see an event with such tradition come to an end … from a high school standpoint, this has always been a premier event for regional talent to compete with one another,” Dalton said. “We are all disappointed that we won’t have the opportunity to participate, as both coaches and fans of the sport, this spring. Hopefully, we can see it return in the future.”
Story by Eula Heriford
BEATS DIVERSITY ADVERSITY
Unified Sports program given title of Olympics Unified Champion school
One of three schools in the state to receive recognition this year, Free State’s Interpersonalized Skills program was given the status of a
Together, Campbell, who also runs IPS, and Hendrickson inform families of upcoming events, help plan the Polar Plunge and try to keep the whole school engagement high.
“[The IPS teams’ goal] is that anyone who participates in IPS or Unified Sports feels safe, included, and has their needs met,” Campbell said.
“The team has the best and biggest cheerleaders you could ever have.”
Senior Sara Kumar has been involved in both Unified Sports and IPS for two years. Kumar said that over her time in the programs, Hendrickson and Campbell have kept things fun and comfortable for
“They’re really good leaders, and they adapt to what different students need really well,” Kumar said.
It can be a chaotic class sometimes, but they know how to get everyone’s attention, keep everyone calm and have fun, “ “
Junior Olivia Storey has been involved with Unified Sports since she was a freshman, and now acts as a manager for Unified Sports by organizing teams, running the club fair and posting photos to social media. Throughout her time she said the program has done their best to uphold the required standards, specifically those falling under the category of inclusive youth leadership, and she believes that the award was well won.
“[Unified Sports] gives a lot of kids the opportunity to take on a new role and learn how to play a sport that is not in a super high risk environment,” Storey said. “We’re able to include other people who maybe wouldn’t have done something like that before, and work with all types of people to give them the opportunity to learn something about themselves.”
Specifically pertaining to the award, Storey said she and many of her classmates posted about the award on social media, and that it came as a surprise to the team.
“It’s so happy for all of us, it’s good to see our work being paid off,” Storey said. However, as much as she was happy to receive the award, she also believes that the program’s real purpose lies in the effect they bring to the community, not just the title they’ve won.
“The whole point [of Unified Sports] obviously isn’t for recognition or any type of glorification, but really just for more outreach and the ability to bring joy to all types of people,” Storey said.
Throwing a ball down the lane, sophomore Aiden Toms competed in the Unified Sports bowling tournament on Oct. 14. Photo by Miles Beaty
GOATS TAKE OVER
Langston Hughes Elementary School rents goats to cut their grass
Story by Sydney Tiemann
The Lawrence Public School District rented goats for Langston Hughes Elementary School to eat grass from Aug. 29 to Sept. 20. Langston Hughes Principal Jackie Mickel said neighbors were worried that the goats would cause a safety concern from overgrown grass without the goats, potentially causing a fire hazard.
Since the goats’ arrival, Langston Hughes librarian Jenny Williams said that she has incorporated them into her lesson plans. The goats are still there, and Williams taught lessons about the importance of caring for the animals with the goats.
“My favorite part was taking the kids out as part of one of our library lessons,” Williams said.
Similarly, Mickle has brought students out to the fields to visit the goats, but she reminds them of the portable electric fence stationed around the grassland, as it was a concern brought up by families living around the neighborhood.
“[Concerned neighbors] now appreciating the effort the school district is taking to keep the brush down, but it is so much more fun to see the goats out there working,” Mickle said.
Elizabeth Ricklefs, who lives near the school, said that she raised safety concerns when the goats arrived, but she said that it seems the neighbours have adjusted. As time has gone on, Ricklefs said that the neighbors have realized how harmless the goats are and how good they are at eating the grass and keeping it healthy.
“The only concern I have for the goats is if they got out or if someone tried to harm them.
“
Although there were concerns in the beginning, Ricklefs said the goats have helped bring the community together.
Ricklefs said that she believes the goats have brought more people from the community to the school and have sparked an interest in animals. Williams said that the school has done a great job communicating the importance of safety when visiting the animals or when approaching the electric fence.
“We stressed the importance of safety because there is a portable electric fence,” Williams said.
Williams said that the school has stressed safety and following directions because it can be a safety concern. Ricklefs said that the goats may have gathered some publicity and require extra rules, but they have done their job of eating the grass promptly with great progress.
The goats have given me a lot of joy. It is fun to see where they are going to be each day, Ricklefs said.
“
“Adding the goats was a great idea, and they are doing their job well,” Ricklefs said.
Eating grass, the goats roam in a field at Langston Hughes Elementary School to maintain the greenery.
Photo by Leona Randall
Design by Ariza Noscal
The Lawrence School Board reached an agreement with the Lawrence Education Association by approving a 2025-2026 contract agreement in a 7-0 decision on Sept. 24. The contract agreement will increase Education Support Professionals', which include paraeducators, food service workers, secretaries, IT staff and othershourly wage by $1, as well as increase the minimum wage for ESPs from $14.02 to $15.46.
According to the Lawrence Times, the living wage in Lawrence for an adult with no dependents is currently $20.87.
On Aug. 14, during the first contract negotiations meeting with the school board, the LEA advocated for a $3.10 raise to bring the minimum wage up to $17.12. However, the district countered with an offer of a 54-cent raise, which would only bring the hourly wage to around $15.
Paraeducator Diana Brown, who has been working in the district for 10 years, said that the union had a meeting
and decided 54 cents wasn’t enough. Brown also said that three years ago, ESPs were told they could receive a better wage in a couple of years.
“We continued to ask for the same $3. Then, after the district’s caucus meeting, they came back with an even dollar as their option. One dollar, not $3 or even $2, and they told us rudely that this was their final offer,
School Board President and Negotiations Team member GR GordonRoss said that the district was unable to
meet the $3.10 raise proposal because it does not have the necessary funds, and that if the district were to agree to a higher raise, they would have to identify specific sources to support it.
According to a statement from the district, the $1 raise will cost the district $1.13 million.
“The board, along with myself personally, is committed to working with ESPs on a multi-year plan to address wage disparities. Our goal is to find sustainable solutions that ensure fair compensation, and I am confident that Dr. Swift and her team share this commitment,” GordonRoss said.
Gordon-Ross said that, in addition to a raise, the leave pool was reinstated for ESPs in the new contract. A leave pool can be drawn from or donated to, helping ESPs take work off in case of medical, personal or familial issues
“These updates to the negotiated agreement will bring so much to our ESP staff members. It is great to have the illness leave pool back with the addition of the catastrophic leave pool.
Paraeducator Protest
Story by Maria Mosconi
New contract approved for Education Support Professionals after months of negotiations
Illustration by Ava Talbott
Brown said.
The added support of staff being able to take care of themselves is vital to ensure that our students are cared for,” LEA ESP Negotiations Lead Andrea Albright said in a USD 497 News Release.
Before the contract ratification, union members organized and participated in protests both in and outside of school. Members and supporters participated in “Union Thursdays” by wearing red to show their support. LEA members also got to wear their red shirts at the LHS homecoming parade, which Brown said garnered them support from parents.
On Sept. 4, LEA held a walk-in with 300 participants across 11 schools, and 140 supporters showed up to the negotiation meeting on Sept. 8. Brown said that the LEA advocates felt like their cause was noticed by the community that night.
“It’s a great feeling to have that many people, and [to] know all these people and be all there for the same purpose. And the bottom line purpose is for our students.
We are fighting. We are advocating for those students,” Brown said.
As a single mom, Brown said that she has struggled to pay the bills or make her salary stretch for 12 months, and that she has wondered for some weeks if she can afford to buy bread.
While Brown used to work a second job, she said that one job should pay enough.
“I was working two jobs for a while. I was working at a factory every other weekend, so I was working at least 20 hours on a weekend. That makes me really tired, but I was still barely getting the bills paid,” Brown said. “I’m 57 this last year, I started seeing health issues, and I could not keep doing that job … I physically just could not do it anymore, and I quit. Now I’ve been struggling even more. One job should be paid enough for someone to survive.”
Brown’s career in paraeducation started with writing her son an IEP during his eighth-grade year. When she saw a paraeducator position open, she
Thenewminimumhourlywage
willincreasefrom $14.02to$15.46
applied and got the job. Since then, her job consists of moving from class to class with her students and providing any extra care that they may require.
“Paraeducators are integral to the district’s vision and mission of providing a quality education for all students. They play vital roles in the day-to-day operations within our schools, and we couldn’t function effectively without them,” Gordon-Ross said.
Gordon-Ross said that all negotiations, as well as the ratified contract, included not just paraeducators, but all ESP groups.
“We’re education. Teachers can’t do their jobs without us, without the janitors, without the lunch people. We’ve realized that we may have been disrespected for a lot of years,” Brown said. “Superintendent Dr. Swift wants to use the word dignity as a good word for the year, to ‘treat everyone with dignity,’ and we have stated that, back to her, we need to be treated with dignity.”
CurrentEducationalSupport Professionalswillreceive
$1hourlyraise
Board Members to approve the 2025-2026 contract agreement
PHOTO GALLERY
Senior Claire Hull responded to an unexpected shot at Lawrence High School on Oct 2. Photo By Charlie Last
Swinging through, sophomore Tola Jankowski hits a shot from midrange at the Varsity Golf Tournament on Sept. 17.
Photo by Anders Benson
Running as a group, the varsity boys cross country team competes in the Rim Rock Classic on Sept. 27. Photo By Nathan Friedman
Arm-in-arm, senior Claire Weipert walks with her parents during flag football’s senior night on Oct. 1. Photo By Charlie Last
Exchanging her tickets, sophomore Cleo Green receives a prize at the Homecoming carnival. Photo By Nathan Kramer
Design by Rakshan Ossen
Watching the conductor, accompanist Joseph Piontek plays the djembe. Photo by Nathan Kramer
Senior Felix McGowan applauds during the fall choral concert on Oct. 2, 2025. Photo By Nathan Kramer
Waving to the onlookers, the Spirit Squad participates in the Homecoming parade on Sept. 26. Photo by Leona Randall
Playing the cello, sophomore James Green participates in the fall orchestra concert.
Photo By Miles Beaty
PLUGGING IN
Story by Rakshan Ossen
Recently sanctioned esports come to Kansas schools
When the conversation of esports came about to the Kansas High School Activities Association last year, member schools were on board to make this into a program. At the April board of directors meeting, KSHSAA member schools voted to sanction an esports state championship if 24 schools signed up for the activity.
Assistant Executive Director of KSHSAA Jeremy Holladay said that the organization followed the lead of other activity associations nationwide. Holladay said that the response from Kansas schools was overwhelmingly positive.
“Up until last year, we probably had over 50 to 70 schools that were doing it as a club sport. From there, our athletic directors in the state put a proposal to the case, and said, ‘Hey, we have enough interest in this, ’” Holladay said.
Holladay said that he was initially concerned about participation, but as soon as schools started to implement the program, he was proven correct. Holladay said participation has shown similar growth to athletic programs such as girls’ wrestling.
“Nearly 90% of the students [who] participated in esports were not doing anything else within the school before,” Holladay said. ”That’s the main mission of the activity association, and that is to get students involved because we firmly believe that the students that are involved … are going to be more successful.”
For now, KSHSAA sanctioned esports competitions will only play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros and Rocket League. Plans to add more games are still being discussed, but the only restriction is that the game should be rated Teen or below.
As of this season, competitions are handled by PlayVs, who are the main sponsors of all high school esports programs nationally. In aid of helping schools with fewer resources, they are offering 10 Nintendo Switch 2s for the first 100 schools to apply in Kansas. Additionally, Holladay said that regarding helping schools, they will be depending on grants to help schools get an esports program started.
Esports head coach Josh Hart said that the team has the tools to create an established
program and that their goals for this season are clear.
“We might be small in numbers at first, but we want to grow from here, and we want to compete. We want to win championships but also just give them a place where they feel like they are seen, they’re valued, and that they have some kind of exposure for their unique gifts,” Hart said.
Hart said that he acknowledges the skepticism that still exists around the legitimacy of esports; however, he said it’s important for students to take pride in what they’re building.
“You might tell people you’re on the esports team, and you’ll get some side-eye. I got some side eye. But carry yourself proudly. This is something to be proud of,
” Hart said.
Senior Chloe Hannings, who hopes to be a part of the team the coming season, sees an opportunity to help change the demographic of the team. She said that the current makeup of esports is male-dominant and hopes for it to be different in the future.
“Being a part of the team would mean a lot, as someone whose special interest is video games. I noticed that everyone else at the info meeting seemed to be male. It would feel nice if I, as a woman, could show up and be a valuable contributor to the team … and possibly encourage other women to join who might have been nervous they wouldn’t be accepted,” Hannings said.
As the program continues to grow, Hart said he hopes esports will one day be recognized like other athletic programs at school.
“I want the spirit squad and cheerleaders to be at our competitions and parents to be able to watch,” Hart said. “I want it to be as big as you see on the big streams … I want it to be seen as a sport that’s important, and to value the time of those [esports] athletes.”
FAITH ON THE FIELD
New Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter opens at school
Walking through the halls, students may notice an influx of black t-shirts featuring the words “Jesus Won.” These are the visual identifiers of the newest club, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
While FCA is a global organization based in Kansas City, Free State’s huddle, or chapter, is largely student-led and features volunteers from a variety of churches around the area.
FCA had its first meeting on Wednesday, Sep. 24, but youth leaders like senior Darin Fehr said they already have high hopes for the impact it will have on students’ faith and relationships.
“It’s a way to get people involved with the school, involved with their faith and doing things in the community that they’d otherwise be too scared to do,” Fehr said.
While the club has yet to establish a specific agenda, students and leaders alike have said that the primary goal of FCA is to initiate a greater sense of community through shared beliefs and uplift members through devotionals and community service. Chet Kueffer, the FCA-
certified leader of the huddle, said that the importance of a club based on faith is to draw people together.
“There are so many people that you have a tremendous amount in common with that you’ve never actually had a conversation with,” Kueffer said. “It’s a way to build relationships, community, with people who are like-minded and are on the same faith journey as you.”
To help accomplish these goals, FCA is using the “Jesus Won” t-shirts to drive interest and represent their faith daily. Sophomore Aubrie Young said the shirts have a tremendous effect on helping her share her faith simply and confidently.
I feel like it helps us go public with our faith … It’s a way of showing my faith without actually saying, “
” Young said.
Story by Kyla Meikle
“But I can feel like I’m representing, and I feel like [Jesus Christ is] there with me,” Young said.
In addition to starting conversations, Kueffer said that there is a feeling of comfort and pride these shirts give to FCA members, especially during difficult times.
“That can be [a way of saying], ‘I have victory over depression or suicidal thoughts or abuse. I’ve experienced some hard or even horrible things, but that doesn’t define me.’ That comes from the victory we ultimately have in Jesus over all things,” Kueffer said.
Because FCA isn’t affiliated with a specific church, it encourages students from every denomination and even multiple religions to come and explore and further develop their beliefs. Fehr especially encourages faith-curious students to attend FCA and gain an understanding of their beliefs.
“Sometimes, the hardest part about [growing] your faith is the very start,” Fehr said. “FCA provides a way to go with your friends, have fun, and learn. It’s not a commitment, it’s an introduction.”
Showing off their new shirts, senior Gabrielle Coozennoy and sophomore Aubrie Young attend the Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting. The FCA had their first meeting on Sept. 24 in the auditorium. Photo by Nora Greeson
ACCIDENT
ACT clock malfunctions during science section
Story by Lauren Rosen
An irregularity occurred during the ACT held at Free State on Sept. 6 in which the digital clock used to time the science section experienced a malfunction. Test takers were under the impression that the end time of the test was 10-15 minutes earlier than it actually was because the clock visible to the students did not align with the start and end time that the proctor wrote on the board. While students were still given the correct amount of time, they said that they felt that the irregularity harmed their pacing and caused confusion.
Some students, such as senior Morgan Sponholtz, felt that the confusion negatively impacted their testing performance. Sponholtz said that the difference in the times led her to believe she had 10 fewer minutes than she actually had on the science section; consequently, she began rushing through the section.
“I felt a lot more confident on the science [section], and that just wasn’t totally reflected in this,” Sponholtz said. “The timing was part of that, and then also, it kind of turned me off my game.”
The proctor, Mike Colvin, as well as counselor Marc Conover and three testtakers, reported the irregularity to ACT. As compensation, students who filed a complaint were offered a free test for any national test days in the next year. Colvin said that as far as he knew, nothing else happened after the irregularity was reported.
“We did have a computer glitch. The whole school lost internet access, and so I called the counselor who was running
the show, and he came down by the time he got there, it was already starting to get fixed,” Colvin said. “[Students] didn’t lose any time. If anything, they had to go a little longer.”
Although junior Mira Edie said that she did not take the science section, other factors contributed to a poor testing environment.
“
The main thing is just that it was really long. There were certain sections [that] were super rushed, and then other ones that were way more time than we needed. But I don’t think it affected my score,
Edie said
“
Another concern Sponholtz said she had following the incident was the lack of time to prepare for and take another ACT if they felt their scores were affected by this irregularity. Sponholtz said she worried that deadlines would close before she got another opportunity to retake the ACT.
“I want to get my [college] applications done. So it’s just kind of frustrating because I did get my scores and I did get a free retake, but my options are to either drive to Eudora in October and take it, or wait until December,” Sponholtz said. “By that point, I’d be worried that my scores wouldn’t come in time to send them to colleges.”
LET’S DITCH
Students skipping school at bridge causes concern
Abridge on the south side of the building facing Overland Drive has become a hotspot for skipping, harassment and illegal activity. The bridge, which lays between a pond and tree line, is frequently lined with students during lunch and after school.
Administrators said they are concerned about the bridge and the activities that take place there. The bridge is not district or school property, so staff aren’t allowed to enforce school rules in that area. Security officer Dee Kemp said the bridge was harmful to students because it’s close to campus but exempt from its policies.
“That bridge was the worst thing that happened to Free State,” Kemp said “Kids go there because they know we can’t go off campus and police it so people are getting yelled at and cursed at. People are throwing stuff at the cars, just being rude and crazy.”
Assistant Principal and Activities Director Matt Renk said the bridge is owned by an out-of-state company that Free State does not have contact with. Recently, graffiti was removed and most of the trash has been picked up. The company also placed no trespassing signs around the area.
“I do think that whoever owns it has cleaned up that area because I noticed that they now have no trespassing signs on there. So now police can go there if people are sitting there,” Renk said.
Renk also said he notices more students skipping during lunch than any other time, which may be a result of open lunch. Kemp said he agrees that open lunch
may encourage students to skip class, but he wants to explore other options before closing lunch.
I want them to have that freedom. It’s not every student. It’s a small few students, and we don’t deal with them enough or severely enough that it discourages that behavior, so they’re going to keep doing it, Kemp said “
“
Renk also said that chronic absenteeism has many consequences for students and parents. Parents are notified every time a student skips class and administrators involve them in preventative measures. Chronic skipping can make a student eligible for truancy, lunch detention and loss of school privileges. Kemp said absenteeism doesn’t just affect students now, it also sets them up for failure later in life.
“[Students] get stuck in that habit of not going and then it just gets worse and worse, and then that high school student that didn’t go to class is an adult that doesn’t go to work. So it hurts them now, and it’s going to hurt them later in the future,” Kemp said.
Story by Morgan Sponholtz
Commonly known as the main meeting spot for students who frequently skip class, the bridge near Sprouts and Theatre Lawrence is now property of Free State. Photo by Baila Love
FIND FREDDY
Where is Freddy in the picture?
MIDWEST PRINCESS IN KANSAS CITY
Chappell Roan’s concert in KC excites students Story by Stella Dorssom
With many anticipating the performance, Chappell Roan’s Visions of Damsels & Other Dangerous Things tour arrived in Kansas City with two sold-out shows on Oct. 3 and 4 at the World War I Museum and Memorial Park.
For the two shows, Roan used a lotterystyle distribution system for fans to buy tickets as an anti-bot measure, and those granted a link could purchase a select number of tickets. Among those individuals was sophomore Vivenne Pro.
“While Pro was able to pay for the tickets, English teacher Sophia Coen said that she doubted whether paying a premium for the tickets was worth it. When she applied through the Ticketmaster sale, she was not granted the opportunity to purchase one; ultimately, Coen decided it wasn’t worth it.
“You kind of just have to gauge what you’re willing to spend on a concert. And for Chappell, specifically, I’m not really an over$100 kind of person for it,” Coen said.
With Kansas City being one of three cities Roan is performing in and Roan’s ties to the Midwest, Coen said she expected ticket prices to be higher. Sophomore Geneieve Williams, who had tickets but is no longer able to attend the shows, said that this was a good choice for the pop star to make.
“I understand having shows in New York and Los Angeles because they’re obviously going to be huge crowds. But I actually completely understand why she would choose the Midwest because it just matches her whole theme,” Williams said.
The Kansas City concert was assigned the “Pink Pony Club” theme based on her hit single of the same name. Pro said that having these themes for shows can be helpful, but it also lacks the choice for creativity with the audience.
“[Having themes] helps people decide what to wear. But at the same time, it kind of can just change everyone doing an individual, more creative costume, because then everyone is going to show up with the same genre of outfits, instead of everyone having their own,” Pro said.
Coen said that she questioned whether having only a couple of shows in North America was a good choice for Roan, especially in light of her newfound fame. In the long run, Coen said that she decided that it was a good choice to make, as Roan protects her mental and physical health.
“As an artist, I feel like it makes sense to play in the cities that you connect to, and then also only sign up for as much as you can take on,” Coen said.
Collected from Ceci Bennett
Collected from Kinley Gigous
Collected from Genevieve Stephenson
Story by Baila Love
ctor and dancer Matthew Morrison, known for his lead role as Will Schuester on “Glee” and his 27 years of Broadway experience, hosted a master class in the Free State Black Box on Oct. 22.
During stops on his "Rhythms & Revelations" tour, Morrison said that hosting a masterclass for schools in each town makes
“I love that I get to…tap into my memories of being inspired at that age and what really stuck in my head. Hopefully something I said today had the same effect,”
Taking inspiration from speakers who came to his own high school, Morrison said that his main focus was to give back to students and leave that same lasting impact.
“What I'm really trying to dive into is connection to myself and connection to the people around me,” Morrison said. “I just hope that my connection to those kids in the room today is something that they can take and implement into their lives.”
Students across Free State High School and Lawrence High School attended, with those in theatre or choir classes receiving the first opportunity to receive a ticket. The class consisted of Morrison rapidly teaching students a snippet of choreography to mimic the Broadway audition process. One performing arts student in attendance, sophomore Lily Davis, said that she was shocked but excited when she
“It was hard to believe that an actual celebrity would be in Lawrence, specifically at some random high school,” Davis said.
Not only did the masterclass involve a hands-on lesson, but it also included a Q&A section where Morrison would answer questions directly from students. Choir
teacher Olivia Henning said that many of her students were eager to hear advice and learn from someone involved in the industry.
Everyone’s pretty hyped that he’s coming, It’s cool to see someone in person who’s made it, and make that idea just a little bit more real, Henning said. “ “
Henning said she has been a big fan of many of his projects, and some of those projects, like “Glee,” gave her the confidence to pursue performing professionally.
"When the show came out, I was the same age as the characters. I was like, 'I want this to be my life, singing and dancing all the time,'" Henning said.
While Morrison has more stage appearances than anyone at Free State, he said that he is still a normal person and that anyone could make it just like him. Ultimately, Morrison said the biggest advice he can give to succeed on the stage is to be confident in yourself.
“The essence of who you are as a person is what's going to come through in any character you do…but if you don't know yourself, there's just going to be a lot more gray area,” Morrison said. “Being able to figure out who you are and express your individuality is what it's all about.”
Leading his master class, actor and dancer Matthew Morrison teaches Free State and Lawrence High School students Broadway choreography on Oct. 22. Photos by Maria Mosconi
FALL APPLE STRUDEL
Recipe enough to make two apple strudels
Preparing the filling :
1. Peel the skin and remove the core of your apples. Then dice the remains of your apple into small chunks.
2. Add the diced apples, sugar, cinnamon, butter cubes and lemon juice into a large bowl.
3. Then, stir until the apples are covered in cinnamon to combine the filling.
Shaping the strudel:
1. Lay out the puff pastry sheets on parchment paper
2. Place a tall row of apples into the center of the puff pastry, leaving a one inch margin from the edge on one side, and a three inch margin from the other.
3. Evenly cut the three inch side into 10 to 16 equal strips horizontally on each side of the filling pile.
4. Starting from one side, fold the strip diagonally into the center making a “V” shape.
5. Repeat this process through all 10 to 16 strips of the puff pastry and avoid open gaps.
6. Brush the frosting over the uncooked strudel.
Baking and serving:
1. Set the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes
2. Put the strudel in after shaping.
3. Let the pastry sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Ingredients:
• 6 to 7 apples
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons of powdered cinnamon
• A pinch of salt
• ½ cup of lemon juice
• 2 sheets of puff pastry
• 3 tablespoons butter
Frosting:
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons sugar
Equipment:
• Baking Sheet
• Parchment paper
• Knife
• Bowl
• Whisk or large spoon
Recipe by Phoebe Morris
Fresh from the oven, Phoebe Morris’ strudel, made from her grandma’s recipe, is presented on a plate. Photo by Phoebe Morris
Design by Allison McCall