Free Press Issue 4, Edition 23

February 20, 2020 edition 23 issue 4

One in a Million, The Free Press has a theme for every issue. One in a Million focuses on the ways students explore and try to find their identity.

FSJ Staff, Designers

Editors

Photographers

Erin Fagan, yearbook Editor in Chief Emma Holsclaw, yearbook managing editor Maddie Day, yearbook design Spencer Farrell, yearbook photography Isis Norris, yearbook photography Isabel Janssen, assistant yearbook photography

Sports

Sabrina Castle, online Editor in Chief Alex Decker, online managing editor Maya Pavlyak, co social media Madison Goeser, co social media Emily Zeller, online design

Cameron Bringle EV Bishop Emma Nelson Ella Marshall Anne Pollard Angel Singhal Baya Burgess Emma Hardesty Elana Ho Delaney Rockers Karmina Douglas

Nate Ankenbauer Anthony Barberena Chase Overton Ben Shryock

Reporters

Jack Bellemere Brooke Burgess Ridwan Firman Vivian Moriarty Mary Kate Shultz

Multimedia Alek Prather Evan Sutton

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Greta Hayden, newspaper Editor in Chief Elana Ho, newspaper managing editor Nick Burket, newspaper photography Emma Milburn, newspaper design

Alex Brown, head copy Suzanna Ingram, assistant copy Ethan Wood, assistant copy Renna Folsom, business & marketing The Free Press is an open forum that accepts letters to the editor and guest writing which must include the writer’s name and telephone number. Letters may be edited due to space limitations, libel or inappropriate content. Submit letters to Room 203, FSJournalism@USD497.org or mail to the Free Press in care of...

Lawrence Free State High School

4700 Overland Drive

Lawrence, KS 66049.

The opinions expressed in the Free Press are not necessarily those of the Free Press staff, the school administration or that of the USD 497 Board of Education.

Contents

pages by Emma Milburn

That’s How We Roll.............................................4-5 Bowling season begins

photo by Elana Ho page 4

Ride or Die...................................................................6-7 Understanding equestrians

Getting Certified....................................................8-9 CNA classes offered to students

Signature Language.......................................10-11 Profile of language club founders

Bird’s Word......................................................................14 What superpower would you like to have and why?

Winter Memories......................................................15 Photo Rewind

submitted by Lakyn Roehrich-Putthoff page 4

Athleisure...................................................................16 Style

Fashion Q&A..................................................................17 Style

Rebuilding the School...................................18-21 Possible changes coming to the school day

Not Enough Time in the Day..............22-23 Staff Editorial

Five Freedoms....................................................24-25 Column

Art Gallery.............................................................26-27 Photo Essay..........................................................28-29 Kitchen Staff

Infographic.............................................................30-31 1 in a Million

Coloring Page..............................................................32

photo by Emma Hardesty page 10

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That’s How We

Roll

pages by Emma Milburn photos by Elana Ho story by Nathaniel Ankenbauer

Bowling team’s family atmosphere continues into another season

T

4

r y in g out for the bowling team led sophomore Keiron Langston to make memories that will last forever.

“It’s a lot of joking,” Langston said.

“Even if you do bad, we give high fives, make jokes, and we all sit at a table and just talk.”

The Free State bowling team created an atmosphere where Langston could joke around and hangout with his friends and coaches while also pushing himself and the team to go further than ever imaginable.

For Sophomore Mike Tennyson, the goal for the remainder of the season is to get first in some tournaments and to get better throughout the year. Championships don’t come without hard work and effort.

“We probably practice eight to ten hours a week,” Tennyson said.

Bowling for such an extensive amount of time works the players’ elbows, wrists, and knees. The eight to ten hours a week does not even include all the competitions and outside work they put in.

None of this would be possible without assistant coach Alex Jimenez, who makes newcomers comfortable with the team and helps veterans of the sport improve their game. For Jimenez, it all started in Oklahoma where his dad owned a bowling center. At just 18 months old, he had a ball in his hand.

“My goal as a coach is [to] teach what I have learned over the years with bowling overall, how to stay mentally strong, and believe in one’s team.”

Drawing on 19 years of experience, including time with college level players, Jimenez helps high schoolers learn the game and improve as much as possible.

“I would say it’s very high chemistry, very supportive, and very fun.”

Senior Porter Neidow prepares to bowl at practice. Neidow loves the bonds he has with his teammates. “The team dynamic really comes out in Baker games,” Neidow said.

SPORTS

Bowling coach Burton Gepford helps a student at practice. Gepford bowled in college and went on to coach the KU team to two national championships. “My favorite part of coaching is helping new students become experienced bowlers who can compete at any level,” Gepford said.

5

Ride or Die

story by Nate Ankenbauer pages by EV Bishop

Firebirds also competitive horse riders

J

unior Ellie Vickers started riding horses when she was 11. As a way to become more involved, last year Vickers took the next step and joined the drill team. A drill team is a group of riders who perform choreographed dance routines to music, usually.

Normally performing at rodeos, horse fairs and parades. Joining the drill team was huge for Vickers as it was the next step in riding.

When she was in the beginner stages and still learning, she rode occasionally, holding off from participating in competitions. When she turned 13, she started doing shows and took a giant leap in joining a drill team, where it’s not just you and your horse but other riders and horses as well.

It can take effort to make sure everything is safe and cooperative between so many horses and riders.

“We are working with animals that have a mind of their own and people don’t realize that,” Vickers said.

Being part of the drill team is not some stay at home effort. They travel every other weekend having two to three rodeos a weekend.

“I love competing” Vickers said,“but I have more fun performing and seeing all the little kids and even adults watching us is fun” Putting a smile on a kid’s face and making their day has a big impact on all the riders.

There’s more to equestrian than choreographed dancing. Junior Lakyn Roehrich is very experienced in Queening, where there is a vigorous process to bring home a title. This process includes a written test covering your rodeo knowledge and horsemanship, or how well you can ride your horse.

You are then asked to complete a reining style pattern, a flag run and a queens run.

A queens run is when the rider and their horse go around the perimeter of the arena waving to

all the fans. Queens should prepare a three minute speech, as well as conducting a personal interview.

Throughout this whole process the riders are being judged by the way they present themself.

Roehrich ended up winning ‘Miss Rodeo Topeka’ which took place in August of last year.

While winning three events inside Miss Rodeo Topeka.

“The process of becoming a rodeo queen is a very rewarding, and very meaningful experience,” Roehrich said., “You get to learn so much and meet so many new people and all you have to really do is be able to ride your horse and love rodeo because you can learn so much and meet so many new people.”

Roehrich didn’t start with queening. She got into equestrian by barrel racing by going to local 4H shows, but when she was asked to carry the American flag for the open 4-H show the idea of queening clicked in her head. After carrying the flag, she decided to run for a youth

Senior Carlie Torneden, above, races her horse Prince around a barrel. For Torneden, horses have had a huge impact on her life ever since she was young. “Horses gave me the freedom and really helped me become who I am,” Torneden said.

Sports

Junior Lakyn Roehrich, left, recently crowned Miss Rodeo Topeka, presents a certificate to the winner of the Boot Scramble. For Roehrich, being rodeo queen is more than the title. “Horses have really helped me be an advocate and pursue my passion,” Roehrich said.

Junior Lakyn Roehrich above, rides her horse Snidley at the Topeka Rodeo. Horses have always been a big part of Roehrich's life. "I spend all my time with my horses," Roehrich said, "It's kind of what my schedule revolves around."

representative deal through the National Barrel Horse Association in district 1 in Kansas.

Unfortunately she lost the US Representative spot, But that inspired her to go bigger. Roehrich decided to compete for the Miss Rodeo Topeka title and after winning three out of the four events, she took

home said title.

Equestrian has encouraged both of these women to go above and beyond, and by working their tails off and taking home titles they have set themselves up for a future in equestrian.

7

Getting Certified

pages by EV Bishop story by Ridwan Firman photos submitted by Katerina Valejo-Cooper

CNA classes offered to students

C

aring for another person can be a difficult task.

However, some are willing to put in the dedication to make that their calling. The Certified Nursing Assistant program allows students to not only gain experience in the medical field, but to earn college credit in the process. In the course, students learn to provide basic care to patients and prepare to take their certification exam.

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“Everything that you are taught in this class, you see in the real world and so when you’re actually in a professional medical environment, you see the things you’ve learned firsthand,” senior Amani Austin said.

Going through the CNA program is not without challenges. Some students find it difficult to balance school work and CNA. “Having to go through school and then having to do CNA at night was pretty difficult for me,” senior Katerina Vallejo-Cooper said. “It becomes hard to motivate yourself and in order to make it easier, I had to cut off doing a few things.”

Despite these adversities, students are driven to help others in need. This motive ultimately beats whatever troubles that they go through in the program.

“Hearing about how some residents are treated in other nursing homes made me think that if I come into this field, I could make it a better place,” senior Gloria Reyes said.

NEWS

Senior Katerina Valejo-Cooper tries out some walking equipment in her CNA classroom at the College and Community Center.

Since the class is outside of school, students sometimes had to give up extracurriculars to take the class.

“I was really wanting to do crosscountry because I love running,” said Valejo-Cooper. “Although I think that being able to give up somethings and just have to do them in your free time, it really gives you the skill to be able to plan on your own and to be able to actually persevere through doing something on your own.”

Sitting beside a patient’s bed in the light is a Vital Signs Monitor.

This machine observes Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, Temperature, and other critical statistics. During the CNA program, students got to experience a real clinical envoirnment where they learned to use machines like these and to work with real patients, but this can be emotionally difficult. “ I think it was going to be too emotional for me to deal with seeing [patients] the way they were, you know their health and how sometimes we really can’t do anything about it,” said Gloria Reyes. “Learning about it is one thing but you seeing it is another.”

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Signature Language

story by Ethan Wood pages by Angel Singhal photos by Emma Hardesty

Closing language gaps in extracirriculars

I

n an age where communication is essential, yet so often overlooked, it is heartening to see students engaging in language clubs at our school.

Ella Young, a senior, founded the Spanish Club alongside some of her peers in the Environmental Club. She strives to find opportunities for the club to engage with the community and Spanish-speaking cultures.

“We have volunteered at churches and we’re working on educating ESL people outside of school,” Young said. “We got involved in Spanish-heavy areas across in Lawrence to help us further our spanish education.”

“We spend a lot of time speaking Spanish with [exchange students from Mexico] and learning about Mexican culture and everyday life,” club sponsor Stuart Stecker said.

The emphasis on culture helps students realize how much they have in common with one another, and celebrate their differences at the same time.

“We do a lot of cultural comparison between us and other countries,” Young said.

Learning about another culture is something sophomore Maxine Finch appreciates about American Sign Language Club.

“I didn’t know a lot about deaf culture

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so I wanted to educate myself and help break down that barrier, the language barrier between the hearing and the deaf and make things more accessible to them.”

During the weekly meetings of ASL club students review past signs they have learned and work on expanding their vocabulary with new signs.

“In December, we decorated cookies and learned signs for the cookies and the different shapes of the cookies,” Finch said.

“Next week is like close to valentine's day so we’re probably going to do some Valentine's-day-themed signs.”

Finch appreciates communicating with others without speaking, and she enjoys the acting component of ASL. “[When I] communicate with a hearing person I have a lot of expressions. I exaggerate things with my hands. It kind of transfers over to ASL and there’s just a huge acting portion, which I like.”

Club Profile Club sponsors Alyssa Cruickshank and Jamie Nichols participate in signing with the video. As sponsors they keep the club organized and clarify certain signs. “They support the club by helping to guide meetings, provide accurate information, providing snacks and by helping get the logistics sorted out with the school,” Maxine Finch, ASL club student leader, said.

The members of the ASL club follow along with a video of common family signs that is being projected on the screen. This was the ASL club’s second year since being founded and flourished this semester. “[We] usually recruit new members by telling friends, having them spread the word, putting up posters and promoting it on the club Instagram,” Maxine Finch , ASL club student leader said.

Sophomores Maxine Finch and Nick Dow sign the alphabet as the rest of the ASL club signs along. ASL can help foster relationships between students “What makes the club unique is that it’s trying to break down language barriers and make communication and interactions easier for the hearing and the deaf,” Finch said.

Focusing on her practice, senior Lily Pickard holds up a sign. Pickard often researches signs and symbols in order to increase her understanding of ASL. “We have videos demonstrating the signs and we follow along,” Pickard said.

Greetings in Spanish Hello - Hola How are you? - ¿Cómo Estás?

I’m fine, you? - ¿Estoy bien, y tú?

What is you name? - ¿Cómo se llama?

Do you speak English? - ¿Hablas Inglés?

Thank you - gracias You’re welcome - De nada Goodbye - ¡Adiós!

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Bird’s Word What superpower would you like to have and why?

story by Ethan Wood page by Angel Singhal photos by Emma Hardesty

“If I had any superpower it would be reading minds, ‘cause I’m nosy.”

junior, Mercedes Mitchell “Intelligence, I want to be super smart so I can multitask and get all my work done.”

sophomore, Viet Nguyen

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“Probably shapeshifting because it sounds cool.”

? freshman, Susan Mechem

page by Greta Hayden

Recap

Wintermemories Seniors Ella Smith and Maxwell Huerter use the ring light when taking a picture. The winter formal’s theme was “City of Lights.” “The lighting was cool... there were lights flashing everywhere,” Huerter said. photo by Spencer Farrell

During the Martin Luther King event hosted at Billy Mills Middle School, sophomore Baya Burgess dances to a speech by King choreographed by Mikaila Morgan.

Dancers portrayed the importance and duties of white allies to support those who experience adversity. “I loved being apart of the production,” Burgess said. photo by Delaney Rockers Celebrating with her teammates, Mackie Moore, Robin Todd, Nyasha McVay and Thayu Kimori, varsity basketball player junior Anna McIntire jumps in the air. The game against Shawnee Mission South had been the first home game of the season. “Somebody scored and I just got really excited because I thought we were going to win,” McIntire said. photo by Isabel Janssen

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Athleisure learning in comfort

A

s a student, it can be hard to choose between style and comfort. But some are finding a balance: Athleisure. “[I describe my style as] sporty, a little bit of comfort with a little bit of street fashion,” senior Eli Loney said.

“The comfort [of athleisure] combined with the normality of it makes it an easy go-to for when you’re getting ready in the morning.” comfort is also a big factor for seniors Emily Stone and Makenzie Brosa, who also wear athleisure.

“I think it’s comfortable,” Stone said. “[I usually wear] leggings and tennis shoes.”

Along with comfort, convenience and normality are other reasons athleisure has become popular, especially among high school students.

“People wear it at school because they just want to feel comfortable and I work out after school, so it’s just easier.” Brosa said.

Sophomore Jasmine Brixius agreed convenience is part of the reason she wears athletic clothes.

“Sometimes I’ll dress up nice, but if I’m kind of being lazy I’ll wear athletic clothes,” Brixius said. “I feel like it kind of depends on the day.”

Brixius described how she likes to wear preppy clothes along with athleisure. “I like to shop at Forever 21,” Brixius said. “I like to wear jeans and a nice T-shirt.” For others, only certain events change their day-to-day style. These included religious services, game days, and award ceremonies.

“Usually I only wear preppy clothes when the coach is like, you have to dress up nice today.” Brosa explained.

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story by Mary Kate Shultz pages by Angel Singhal photos by Emma Hardesty

“[I’ll wear nicer clothes] if it’s an event where I’m presenting myself in a professional manner.” Loney said.

Athlesiure can be about more than just comfort and functionality, though.

For Loney, it’s a way to connect with sports teams like KU, the Chicago Blackhawks and Cubs.

For Stone, wearing her cross country tennis shoes connects her to her sport.

While Athleisure may be frowned upon by some for being too informal, it’s a type of style nonetheless. “I think that’s what makes style awesome, when somebody wears something that is themselves.” Loney said.

“I say you kind of have to be confident to wear [athleisure] because I feel like some people get judged,” Brixius said.

“You have to be yourself to wear athletic clothes.”

February Where do you shop?

“Online, mostly. Like AliExpress and YesStyle.”

Style

How would you describe your style?

“J&K fashion, Japanese fashion and Korean fashion mixed together.”

Do you have a favorite brand or store?

“Really just anything on AliExpress, but for fancier stuff, I like this one brand, Angelic Pretty and Lizz Lisa.”

Senior Chloe Fraiser

Do you have a favorite outfit or clothing item?

“I like wearing dresses… you can just put it on and then it’s cute and you don’t have to worry about it.”

What fashion trend do love?

“I love the oversize cute kind of fashion, because it’s so easy to put on, and it’s cute and

comfortable at the same time.”

What fashion trend do you hate?

“I really don’t like fanny packs, I think they look stupid. I’m gonna get hate for that.”

What’s your favorite animal?

“Cats.”

What’s your favorite color?

“Pink, definitely.”

Tell us something interesting about yourself.

“I really like science and math…

I like fashion and math and stuff at the same time…

I feel like that’s somewhat unusual.”

What inspires your style?

“The Instagrammers that I follow… and certain fashion models in Japan.”

Is there anything else that you want Free State students to know about you or your style?

“I feel like people should shop online more because the clothes like it may look kind of extravagant, but it’s a lot cheaper if you shop for clothes on AliExpress, for example…

It’s really nice.”

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Rebuilding

story by Ridwan Firman pages by Angel Singhal photos by Nicholas Burket

T

the School

here is no question about the fact that there are many issues in high school that both students and faculty are unhappy about. The overwhelming workload of students and staff has sparked a desire for change. As a result, throughout the country, numerous school districts are embarking on a process called redesign in which these problems are being addressed.

Aimee Landwehr teaches social science classes and is one of three co-pilots leading the efforts. The other co-pilots are graphic design teacher Michelle Salmans and science teacher Steve Heffernan.

“The purpose of redesign is to improve the outcomes for all students coming through Kansas schools,” said Landwehr. “It is an initiative that has come down from the state and they have essentially given a directive for schools to find solutions to whatever problems we have that are going to work best for our students.”

Efforts that have been made to solve these issues include having multiple faculty meetings centered around redesign, gathering feedback from students through social skills lessons, and having a student blitz in which a few

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students from each grade came together and tried to come up with solutions for issues that they had. In this gathering, students were encouraged to “think wrong” in order to get more imaginative and out-of-the-box solutions.

Ashley Mai is a sophomore that attended the redesign student blitz.

“I think the way that the redesign team tried to get student input through getting them to ‘think wrong’ was a great way to let students think about things they believe could never happen that would have actual impact to the school,” sophomore Ashley Mai said.

With almost a year of researching and going through staff and student input, the redesign team has learned a lot about both the issues that the school has and possible solutions that would benefit the community as a whole.

“We have a very old fashioned education system,” Landwehr said.

“Students sit in here for 53 minutes for a class period and you check off a certain number of those days and at the end of that there’s credit and so taking a step back and looking at how we can make school more reflective of what students will have to do outside of high school is one of the ultimate goals of the redesign.”

Feature

Pilot testing new changes to the school day

Math teacher Bonnie Mills asks about the “gaps” in the redesign initiative and how the redesign team could fix them. For Mills, she has noticed the current system has put stress onto both students and teachers. “I think that [the redesign process] will only make Free State High School ready for the future,” Mills said.

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Speaking with his fellow teachers, English teacher Sam Rabiola talks about the topic of scheduling. The team looked at several forms of schedules to implement into the school day to help decrease the workload of students.

“We’re looking at what sort of schedule might we be able to go to to help students keep on track to graduate with a number of credits [needed],” Rabiola said.

Sitting with biology teacher Sara Abeita and math teacher Bonnie Mills, English teacher Jordan Roquemore discusses the redesign progress at a Feb 11 faculty meeting. Prior to the meeting, a group of teachers visited Basehor-Linwood High School who is implementing redesign concepts. “I feel that in our group there was progress made,” Roquemore said. “If I learned anything from the school trip to BasehorLinwood, it was that those who want to be involved in the change, will be, and those who don’t, won’t be.”

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Speaking to her faculty group in the Black Box Theater, graphic design and photo teacher Michelle Salmans discusses the three goals of the redesign project: to provide balance in student and teacher workload, make the curriculum more relevant and instill habits of success. Salmans is one of three co-pilots, along with Aimee Landwehr and Steve Heffernan, leading teachers in the redesign process.

“This whole concept is design thinking because that’s what we are really doing, we are just empathizing with and designing a solution,” Salmans said.

Feature

Social Studies teacher and redesign co-pilot Aimee Landwehr leads a talk on the relevance goal. The purpose of the redesign process is to cultivate successful habits within students at school to prepare them for the workforce. “Our overarching goals are helping to make education more relevant, bring balance to student’s lives and help foster habits of success for them,” Landwehr said.

Changes Being Considered with Redesign

• Alternate ways to schedule classes

ex. Flex Mod and others

ex. competency-based learning, dual credit

• Alternate ways of awarding credit

• Adding an advisory period to the school day

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Not Enough

story by Mary Kate Shultz pages by Emma Milburn photos by Nicholas Burket

Time in the Day

Stressed, busy students need built-in time to keep up with school

S

tress among high school students is nothing new, but it has been steadily increasing over the past years. Schoolwork combined with extracurriculars, jobs, struggles with mental health, and the general stress of being a teenager is too much for many students. Changes need to be made in response to student stress, and a study hall is a viable solution.

Currently there is no option for a study hall.

Years ago, there was a required seminar period, but it was removed, leaving students who have jobs and extracurriculars with little or no time to complete schoolwork.

While some expressed concern at a mandatory study hall cutting down their elective spaces, an optional study hall could benefit those students that need it without restricting others’ schedules.

The workload of seven classes can be difficult to handle. If a student’s schedule includes advanced, AP, or concurrent enrollment classes, it can quickly become overwhelming. Many students expressed frustration about homework—that it is simply too much, and that it is often irrelevant. We believe if a student shows understanding in class, they should not be required to complete homework covering that topic.

The workload itself is not always the issue for students, though. Difficulty comes when students are involved in extracurriculars and do not have enough time for homework.

It may be easy to say that students should

22

just be less involved in activities, but it is not that straightforward. These after school activities are taking up time for a reason: they are students’ passions and interests. Also, according to Educationcorner.com, students participating in extracurriculars rank better in GPA, and standardized testing, are more likely to plan on attending college, and have fewer absences than those who do not participate. These extracurriculars that are eating up student’s time are also what is keeping them motivated.

Many students also have jobs, and some must work to support their family. Introducing a study hall elective would be beneficial to these students, and would acknowledge that some students are busy after school not by choice, but by necessity.

Mental health is another growing factor affecting stress levels of high school students. A study conducted in 2018 by the Pew Research Center found that seventy percent of high school students ages 13-17 think anxiety and depression are major problems among their peers.

Concern for mental health outranked bullying, drug addiction, drinking alcohol, poverty, teen pregnancy, and gangs by at least fifteen percent.

Rates of severe mental illness are increasing as well. Fifty-two percent more students ages 12-17 experienced major depressive episodes in the last year. Serious psychological distress in the last month in students of the same age group increased seventy-one percent (Age, period, and cohort trends in mood disorder indicators and

Many students are overwhelmed by stress, and school needs to change to combat this. An optional study hall period could help students stay caught up with school, especially those who are involved in extracurriculars, have jobs, struggle with mental health, or simply feel overwhelmed by classwork. Countless people in our school are struggling, and it is time to create new options to assist our student body.

Editorial

suicide-related outcomes in a nationally representative dataset, 2005–2017. Journal of Abnormal Psychology).

This data only reflects more serious mental health issues, so it is worth noting that many other students struggle with mental health in smaller ways. A study hall period would not directly solve this problem, but it could provide a time for students to relax or even go speak with a counselor or social worker.

Staff Editorial: Our staff editorial reflects the general opinion of The Free State Journalism staff.

23

fiveFreedoms Podcasts exemplify a modern take on First Amendment

V

oices should be heard.

Sometimes I hear a story and wish I had the power to amplify it. So many speeches to hear, so little time.

My current obsession is podcasts.

Hearing people discuss different topics as I go on with my day brings a certain calm. Often I’ll put in my ear buds, play a recent episode of a podcast I follow, and continue what task I have. I don’t like having complete silence, it’s rather deafening, so I’ll listen to the latest news and ramblings.

Perhaps I’ll start one someday, but for now, I’m content with just listening.

Listening to them, I learn to appreciate my ability to do so.

I’ve heard several criticizing the American and foreign governments.

I remember sitting in history class and hearing about governments suppressing their critics. I don’t believe people here always appreciate that right today.

Last summer, I visited Hungary, a former Soviet satellite state. It would be witless to say they have the same rights.

I remember going on a tour called “Behind the Iron Curtain.”

24

Not many had signed up. Myself, my dad, and a couple. The couple had never showed up, so it was just the two of us and the guide. Our guide had grown up behind the curtain.

It’s one thing to read in a history book how difficult life was and the lack of rights, but it’s another to listen to childhood stories from the person themself. The government decided to pay people to rat out individuals who express distaste in the regime, resulting in great distrust between friends and neighbors.

There are still nations out there with censored media today, some with heavier filters than others.

Why does my voice, one out of a million, matter?

Media outlets being able to openly criticize President Trump and covering the impeachment process matters. People can say express what they want, and that’s the ultimate freedom . The chance to be a voice matters, and that is the most important right to me.

Listening in bed, with my cat and fuzzy blankets, to a podcasts recounting political coups, revolutions and mythical stories is not something I take for granted.

Column

pages by Greta Hayden photo illustration by Greta Hayden & Nick Burket story by Greta Hayden

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Studio 213

Artist of the Month

junior, Cole Huang

Mili Matthias

senior,

to the “I golibrary

really often, so it’s my second home.

“

26

Ivy Woolsoncroft pages by Greta Hayden

freshman, Madi Reid

Art

Featured ed

Art

Bailey Kivett’s artist of the month:

freshman, Allison Cindrell

Want your art in our next issue?

“All my art refers to my desire of becoming a ruthless dictator and “CONFORM” is no exception.”

Email a high resolution .jpg or .png file to gretah.freestate@ gmail.com, and be sure to submit an artist’s statement.

Art can include, but not limited to, photography, paintings, jewelry, and pottery.

junior, Matt Reimer

junior, Ivy Woolsoncroft

27

Thank you

Kitchen Staff pages by EV Bishop photos by Elana Ho

Before the next lunch period, Kenny Oladimeji gets ready to serve food to students.

For Oladimeji, the work environment is very tight-knit.

“All of us, we’re a family,” Oladimeji said.

A lunch staffer assembles trays before the next wave of students. For many staffers, the students are a highlight of their job. “I just enjoy it because each day is different,” server Jacolin Miller said.

Pamela Gillmore serves lunch to a Free State student.

Gillmore loves interacting with the students. “[The students’] manners are impeccable,” Gillmore said. “I’ve really have not had anybody be rude and I’m so thankful.”

Kenny Oladimeji stacks a tray during lunch hour. Oladimeji enjoys her work.

“I came from Nigeria and my husband has worked for the embassy for 25 years,” Oladimeji said.

Cashier David Spangler, assists students with purchasing lunch. Spangler previously worked as a sales rep for Kraft Foods before retirement. “After I retired, I wanted a job and so I thought the school district,” Spangler said.

Georgia Keener serves pizza to students during lunch. Keener has been working here for 11 years.

“I just like meeting students,” Keener said. “They keep you young and they keep you going.”

Photo essay

Pamela Gillmore prepares food in between lunches.

Gillmore arrives at school at 6:30 every morning to start baking.“Something that people might not understand is how hard it is sometimes,” Gillmore said. “It’s a lot of options to prepare.”

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1 in a Million

pages by Angel Singhal

Winning the $1 billion jackpot

1 in 88

quadrillion

GETTING IN A PLANE CRASH

1 in 60 million

Creating the perfect March Madness bracket 1 in 1.6 billion

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Infographic

The odds something extraordinary could happen to you

Being born 1 in 5.5 trillion Becoming the president 1 in 10 million Dying in a tornado 1 in 60 billion Being killed by a shark

1 in 3.7 million

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Free Press

Coloring Page

coloring page by Anne Pollard