Free Press: Issue 4, Edition 20

THE FREE PRESS Issue 4 Edition 2 20 December 2016

STAFF

Issue 4 20 December 2016 Edition 21

Print Co-Editors in Chief MARIAH HOUSTON ADELAIDE WENDEL

Online Co-Editors in Chief JACKSON BARTON SAMANTHA SPENCER

Design Editor

Designers

DRAKE RINER

MACKENZIE BICKLING ELISE GARD CAITLIN MCANDREW-BECKMAN ELIZABETH MULLINS GOLDIE SCHMIEDELER JULIANA WILCHES

Copy Editors DARBY GILLILAND MAYA HODISON JUNA MURAO

Photo Editors ALI DODD GABRIELLE WHEELER

Multimedia Editor AUBIN MURPHY

Social Media Editor DARBY GILLILAND

Business Editors SPENCER BOWMAN SYDNEY VOGELSANG

Managing Editor KAYA SHAFER

Reporters JAKE CLARK ERIN LISTON RILEY PARADISE CHRIS PENDRY ROWAN PLINSKY REAGAN SULLIVAN

Photographers REBECCA CALDERON MORGAN EDMAN ANNA-MAYA HACHMEISTER EMMA JOHNSON CLAIRE PURCELL NICOLA SANTANGELO KLAIRE SARVER BRITTANY SWEARINGEN TIERNEY THOMPSON

Multimedia

fsfreepressonline.com

fsfreepress@gmail.com

FS Journalism

@fsjournalism @fsjournalism

SKYLAR WILLIAMS

Business Staff JOHN ANDERSON CARLY OLIVER Science teacher Kelly Barah and Benji Horton share a high five after Barah’s paper is delivered: Every day during fifth hour, Horton passed out the Lawrence Journal World to staff members. “It’s a great way for him to build a relationship with the faculty,” teacher Erin Campbell said.

Cover photo by GABRIELLE WHEELER Pages by ADDIE WENDEL

FS Journalism The Free Press is an open forum that accepts letters to the editor and guest writings which must include the writer’s name and telephone number.

Articles may be edited due to space limitations, libel or inappropriate content. Letters may be submitted to Room 201 or sent in care of Free Press to Lawrence Free State High School, 4700 Overland Drive, Lawrence KS 66049.

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

CONTENTS REAGAN SULLIVAN

CHRIS PENDRY

DARBY GILLILAND

4

JUST UBERING IT

6

AROUND THE WORLD IN ONE NIGHT

8

BRINGING DISABILITIES TO LIGHT

Ride service provides income, experience to teachers

Orchestras assemble multicultural performance

Lied Center program opens dialogue with NEA grant

10

A WHOLE NEW COURT

12

B+ FOR BAYLEAF

13

TREMENDOUS TREES

MARIAH HOUSTON AND ADDIE WENDEL

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EDITORS’ COLUMNS

Page by ADDIE WENDEL

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FINAL FRENZY

REAGAN SULLIVAN

SAMANTHA SPENCER

ERIN LISTON

City basketball showdown to be played at Allen Fieldhouse

School staff member-owned restaurant serves Indian cuisine, personal atmosphere

Lawrence festival celebrates holiday season, raises money for charity

Editors discuss importance of empathy, listening to other perspectives

Tips for acing final exams

MARIAH HOUSTON 20 ENABLING NOT DISABLING KUTPE program sparks discussion about high school special education training, definition of success Interviewed by ERIN LISTON

DARBY GILLILAND

MARIAH HOUSTON

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BIRD’S WORD

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CULTIVATING CONNECTIONS

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HOPE FROM HOPKINS

What ’s the best class you’ve ever taken and why?

Motor-skills based device improves student ’s non-verbal communication

Physical education teacher discusses past projects, future ambitions

Interviewed by REAGAN SULLIVAN

Page by DRAKE RINER

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STYLE COLUMN

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FEATURED ARTISTS

Teachers Stu Strecker and Elaine Hendrickson

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Ride service provides extra income

NEWS

5

UBER TEACHERS REAGAN SULLIVAN

R

Photo by GABRIELLE WHEELER Driving his car, special education teacher Curtis Field demonstrates what it is like to be an Uber driver. Field has been an Uber driver since June of 2016. “I decided because it was summertime, so I had free time and it was a good way to make money,” Field said.

ight after school gets out, junior Joplin Kean doesn’t walk, drive or ride the bus; instead, Kean uses Uber to get home.

“I use Uber because I don’t have my license, and it’s just quick and easy to get to places last minute,” Kean said.

Uber is a ride-sharing app that provides on-demand car service and typically costs less than a taxi ride. For drivers, Uber offers a chance to earn money in their free time by providing rides in their personal vehicle.

Special education teacher Curtis Field began working as an Uber driver in July.

“I just decided to start driving during the summer when I had a little down time,” Field said. “I like talking to people and I thought it would be an easy way to make some extra money.”

While some drive Uber for fun, others, like journalism advisor Laurie Folsom, became Uber drivers to save money for a specific purpose.

“Being a teacher, it’s not always easy to afford extra things, and my brother-in-law is getting married in Jamaica this coming summer,” Folsom said.

“So I’m saving up in order to take my family to Jamaica.”

Paraprofessional Danny Speicher agrees living off a teacher’s salary can be difficult, so he also turned to Uber for additional income.

“As a para, we don’t get paid on holiday breaks or over the summer, so I’m always keeping an eye and ear out for good short-term or part-time gigs that might work for those times, just to get by,” Speicher said. “My friend and co-worker Curt Field encouraged me this past September to check [Uber driving] out. I did and the rest, as they say, is history.”

Field notes the variety of people who request Uber rides. “[The person I’m driving] might be someone that needs a ride to work, [or] it might be a group of college kids headed to a bar,” Field said. “I just never know.”

According to Speicher, teachers’ communication skills are an asset if they are interested in driving for Uber.

“I think most teachers, in particular, are very natural [at] dealing with different personalities,” Speicher said. “After all, it is kind of the same adventure at the beginning of the year. You don’t know if you’re going to have a classroom full of bookish introverts or a ton of rambunctious socialites. If [teachers] roll with that year after year, Uber would be a natural fit for them.”

Not everything about Uber driving is positive. Speicher has had unpleasant experiences with riders getting sick while he is driving.

“I have had the unique privilege of having now four people vomit while in my car,” Speicher said. “Three of them made it out of the window before

Page by DRAKE RINER

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Continued from page 4

it hit. One, unfortunately, did not. Uber will provide a driver up to $150 for cleaning fees if any kind of bodily fluid is left in a driver’s vehicle. What they pay is based on the severity of the incident. This fee comes out of the pocket of the rider who left the bodily fluid. So, for the three that got all of it out of my car, I was gracious and didn’t turn them in. It just took a quick trip through the car wash and my car was good to go.”

However, for the one that didn’t—he vomited everywhere, a full 270 degree arc around his seat—there was no way I could not turn him in for that. I took pictures of the ‘crime scene’ and sent it into Uber. Then I cleaned it out with my own cleaning kit just to keep the smell of vomit down.

Then, after I got the $150 fee credited to my account the next day, I took it to a professional cleaner to do the deep cleaning.”

For riders, who is driving can make all the difference.

“It can be fun depending on who’s driving,” Kean said.

“Most people don’t talk to you the whole time, but some make it interesting.”

Though Speicher started driving for Uber to make money, he also believes in the positive impact his driving has on his passengers.

“Although it keeps bread on the table for me, it also makes me feel good that I’m getting young men and women home safely at the end of the day,” Speicher said.

Photo by GABRIELLE WHEELER

“As a para, we don’t get paid on holiday breaks or over the summer, so I’m always keeping an eye and ear out for good short-term or part-time gigs that might work for those times, just to get by.”

Paraprofessional and Uber driver Danny Speicher drives his Yukon with the Uber sticker on the driver’s side door. The sticker provides identification and an easy way for riders to locate their Uber drivers.

- PARAPROFESSIONAL DANNY SPEICHER

NEWS

AROUND THE WORLD IN ONE NIGHT

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CHRIS PENDRY

NEWS

F

or this year’s annual winter performance, the orchestra program is putting on a unique concert, with music from various countries and cultures.

Orchestra director Judy Erpelding made the decision to forgo the typical holiday program to acknowledge the diverse backgrounds of her students.

“I wanted to make sure that [my students] knew that I realized that [not all of them celebrate Christmas],” Erpelding said. “It’s important that we recognize that we don’t all practice the same things and there’s something to celebrate with every culture and the gifts that the music of that culture brings.”

Those involved with the concert acknowledged the importance of playing diverse music.

“Usually we play music for an American culture, by American composers,” senior and cellist Tarini Singh said, “but it’s important to see how music is expressed differently in other cultures.”

Twelve cultures, including those of Ukraine and Mexico, will be represented in the concert.

Senior Andrea Chen, a violinist in symphonic orchestra, hopes the variation in music will create a unique experience.

“For the audience, it’s a really good opportunity to expand their knowledge of music [by letting] them know that there’s a lot of different aspects to music,” Chen said.

Orchestras assemble multicultural performance

Andrew Shaw, the assistant orchestra director, values the opportunity for students to share their culture.

“Playing music from different cultures has given students who don’t ordinarily get to share about their culture a chance to educate their peers and their teachers as to what parts of their culture are important to them and how that shapes the way they see the world,” Shaw said.

The unconventionality of the music has also proved a challenge for the orchestras, but will show off their abilities as musicians.

“Especially the Eastern music, the stuff from Asian cultures and Indian cultures, have a very unusual sound, a different scale that you’re using, which creates, for string players, different finger patterns and things like that,” Erpelding said.

Erpelding’s students are enthusiastic about performing this new music.

“It’s cool to show that we’re capable of playing a lot of different things,” Chen said. “Music is not a barrier that only one culture can play.”

The challenging pieces facilitated teamwork within the many sections to create a fluid sound.

“You have to work together,” Singh said.

“Teamwork is a necessity. Without a section, the music isn’t right.”

Erpelding is proud of the work each ensemble has done and is open to doing more multicul-

tural concerts in the future to further challenge herself and her students.

“I feel like I just brushed the surface of what this concert could really be,” Erpelding said. “I think it would be even better to incorporate art or dance or something like that to just make it a little more well-rounded and in-depth.”

Although the pieces are diverse in background and structure, orchestra students themselves are a very ethnically diverse group who bond through music.

“Every culture has its own music, and it’s a way we can all connect,” junior Eileen Huang said.

Right: Freshman Kwame Britwum, a cellist, rehearses for his second orchestra concert. The challenging music has helped freshmen progress their skills in their early music careers.

Photo by BRITTANY SWEARINGEN Below: Playing the violin, freshman Micah Steele sits in orchestra. Steele has been playing the violin for nine years. “Being able to play music with so many other people you can make it sounds so much more beautiful with all of the sounds working together,” Steele said.

Photo by BRITTANY SWEARINGEN Page by DRAKE RINER

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NEWS

BRINGING DISABILITIES TO STAGE

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Lied Center program opens dialogue using arts grant

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NEWS

DARBY GILLILAND

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n Oct. 1, the Blind Boys of Alabama took the Lied Center stage. This five-time Grammy award-winning gospel group has been breaking boundaries in more ways than one. The three visually impaired lead singers have been touring the U.S. for more than seven decades.

The Blind Boys of Alabama have not let their disabilities hold them back.

This event season at the Lied Center has hosted several acts involving physical and

mental disabilities. Along with the Blind Boys of Alabama, they featured Josh Blue, a comedian with cerebral palsy, and the AXIS dance company, an ensemble with a mix of disabled and nondisabled dancers.

In 2015, Engagement/Educational Director Anthea Scouffas wrote a grant for the National Endowment of the Arts to get funding to bring in these artists.

“Many times, with our NEA grants actually, that gives us a chance to bring in

the work we just think is important to bring in,” Scouffas said. “Whether it’s going to sell a lot, or whether we have 400 people, but they’re the people who really want to see it.”

Scouffas’ motivation for writing the grant came from the need for representation of all types of abilities in the media. She recognized the importance of people seeing someone who looks like them on stage and found a way to incorporate able diversity into the event season.

“If you’re always watching TV or going to the theater and you never see yourself, let’s say you’re disabled or African American or Native American and you never see yourself on stage, you just disconnect from that and it doesn’t feel like you’re represented anywhere,” Scouffas said. “My story is not being told if I don’t see myself up there. Everyone wants their story to be told. Everybody wants to be able to relate to that.”

In elementary and middle school, students are bussed to the Lied Center to see shows once or twice a year. Due to the logistical difficulties paired with getting an entire high school student body to the Lied Center, they bring performances to the schools.

Art teacher Rachel Downs-Blair is an educational ambassador of the Lied Center, and assists Scouffas in choosing acts to bring in for the school district. “[My role is] to choose plays or to choose events or performances that would provide a positive message for adolescents,” DownsBlair said. “I help to pick pieces that I feel would integrate into our school culture well.”

Downs-Blair and Scouffas worked to bring the play Still/Falling to the auditorium on Nov. 14. This piece focused on depression and anxiety and how to deal with mental illness as a high school student.

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Page by DRAKE RINER

“My story is not being told if I don’t see myself up there. Everyone wants their story to be told. Everybody wants to be able to relate to that.”

- ENGAGEMENT/EDUCATIONAL DIRECTOR ANTHEA SCOUFFAS

uncomfortable but that made it better. If we ever do it again it will be better [because we have been through it before].”

Featuring acts with mentally or physically disabled performers is essential to helping nondisabled people understand the lives disabled people lead according to Downs-Blair “I feel like there is sort of an undercurrent of a misunderstanding about the way people with disabilities are exposed in the media,” Downs-Blair said. “That’s what I feel like they are: they’re exposed in some ways, often times made to look vulnerable or weak and my hope is to bring some sort of strength or confidence to those people who see the disability and who might experience it themselves.”

Above: The AXIS Dance Company is a group of both disabled and nondisabled performers. They have received seven Isadora Duncan Dance Awards (Izzies) and have appeared twice on Fox TV’s So You Think You Can Dance.

Photo courtesy of the Lied Center

Left: The Lied Center is a facility for the presentation of the arts in Lawrence. It hosts acts such as musicals, celebrity appearances, plays and talent shows. The Lied is the largest theater in Lawrence and the main auditorium can seat just under two thousand people.

Photo by REBECCA CALDERON

NEWS

“Sometimes [mental illness is] not talked about, they’re sort of pushed aside,” Scouffas said. “We can’t just throw a blanket over these issues. We need to look at them.”

Senior Corinne Nguyen felt an intense emotional connection with the protagonist in Still/Falling.

“Physically, I was reacting the same way as her, like when she started crying I started crying,” Nguyen said. “But it wasn’t because there was a threat to me, but just because I felt it with her.”

After watching the play, students took part in breakout sessions where they discussed the effects of mental disabilities.

“When we present work like that, for instance, we hope that it opens up a dialogue,” Scouffas said. “I would be willing to guess that almost every student has dealt with these issues or knows someone who has dealt with these issues in the past.”

While the topic of mental disabilities can be difficult to talk about with fellow students, Nguyen felt that it was a conversation that needed to be had.

“I think we should talk about uncomfortable things more often,” Nguyen said. “It was

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A WHOLE NEW COURT REAGAN SULLIVAN

SPORTS

B

City basketball showdown to be played at Allen Fieldhouse

right lights illuminate the court. Sneakers squeak against a floor that has seen All-Stars to D Roses, Chamberlain to Chalmers over the past 61 years. On Friday Dec. 16, Allen Fieldhouse will host an all new group of competitors. Instead of cramming into the Free State gym for the Free State versus Lawrence High varsity basketball showdown, fans have the opportunity to watch from the historic seats of Allen Fieldhouse.

The boys basketball coach, Sam Stroh, explained how the venue was secured for the school’s teams.

“Coach [Mike] Hill and I had discussions for the last 6 to 12 months and we always kind of talked about the idea. [Then] Coach Hill approached [KU Director of Athletics Sheahon] Zenger [and] they were on board and it was also working with LHS to kind of make sure everyone wanted to be a part of it.”

Stroh believes students from both schools are enthusiastic the iconic location has agreed to host the games.

“I think not only the two teams will generate a lot of buzz, but also the fact that there hasn’t been a [high school] game in [Allen Fieldhouse] in a long time. I think it’s been since the ‘80s since a high school basketball game has been played [there],” Stroh said.

The news spread when the Lawrence Journal-World Twitter account announced that the game would be held at Allen Fieldhouse.

Basketball players, fans and coaches shared their excitement about the event.

“I kind of heard it from a few friends and I didn’t really know how reliable that would be, but it was posted on Twitter [and] I got notified [and] I really couldn’t believe it,” said Jaycie Bishop, senior guard.

After hearing the news, girls varsity basketball coach Ted Juneau also shared his excitement and believes the game will be entertaining for the players and fans.

“It’s a great opportunity for not only the basketball teams but [for] the students as well to be able to go to Allen Fieldhouse and cheer

Continued from page 10 Now that we have more space, we will be able to watch,” Cushing said.

Senior guard Jacob Pavlyak expresses the importance of being able to play in such an iconic location.

“I think it will be cool to play in one “Being that the guys play right of the greatest venues of basketball in after us, our teams like to watch and the nation because this is the homesupport them but in the past at the LHS town and that’s where it was founded,” games there have been no room to sit.

Pavlyak said.

Bishop also agrees about the opportunity to play in such an historic “I think it will be cool to play in one of location. the greatest venues of basketball in the “Being in Lawrence, you always nation because this is the hometown and see KU mens basketball play [in Allen Fieldhouse] and to have it be [the locathat’s where it was founded.” tion of] our rivalry game is incredible because I know the crowd will all be - SENIOR JACOB PAVLYAK there and they’ll all be cheering, so it will be loud,” Bishop said.

for their high school team,” Juneau said.

Junior Leah Wethington, who attends basketball games, is enthusiastic at the thought of attending the big game in a fresh location.

“It will be really cool [for the teams] to play basketball in a place that has such a great reputation for basketball,” Wethington said.

Another reason for the enthusi-

asm is the size of Allen Fieldhouse, which will allow many more Free State and Lawrence High fans to attend the game.

Junior guard Erin Cushing is eager to be able to cheer on the boys team thanks to the greater number of seats.

At the front of Allen Field House, the statue of Phog Allen stands to remind citizens of the history of basketball in Lawrence. Allen Field House is the home of Kansas basketball and has seen players like Danny Manning, Wilt Chamberlain and Mario Chalmers.

Photo by GABRIELLE WHEELER Bottom Right (opposite page): Seinor, Sloan Thompson goes in for a shot.

Thompson had played basketball for thirteen years. Before the game Thompson said, “I am looking forward to the atmosphere, just being able to play there.”

Photo by GABRIELLE WHEELER Above: Senior, Jacob Pavlyak runs in for a layup during a team scrimmage. Pavlyak had played for Free State his entire high school career. “I’m looking forward to the atmosphere at Allen Fieldhouse, its one of the greatest, if not the greatest, basketball venue in the world, so it’ll be a perfect place for the rivalry,” Pavlyak said.

Photo by GABRIELLE WHEELER Left: Dribbling the ball, sophomore Lauryn Jones runs up to the basket for a layup. Jones has been playing basketball since she was four. “It’ll be fun to see what we bring to Allen against LHS this year,” she said.

Photo by NICOLA SANTANGELO Page by DRAKE RINER

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SPORTS

Top (opposite page):

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School staff member-owned restaurant serves Indian cuisine, personal atmosphere

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B+ FOR BAYLEAF SAMANTHA SPENCER

REVIEWS

U

nder the glow of strings of Mass St. Christmas lights, my two companions and I scurried out of the cold and into Bayleaf Indian Restaurant & Bar on a Tuesday evening. We were met with a warm, dimly lit interior and a waitress who led us to a comfortable booth. Having been open for less than a year, the seating and decorations seemed new and clean. Our waitress brought us two chutneys that are commonly served with Indian cuisine and we began to flip through the extensive menus in front of us. Appetizers started at $2 and entrees around $12 to $15. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the restaurant offers a variety of vegan and vegetarian-friendly options.

We began with the vegetable pakora appetizer: an assortment of fried vegetable fritters.

The waitress served us in a timely manner and, as some of the few customers, she checked up on us frequently. We devoured our appetizer, deciding that the cauliflower fritters were our favorite and wishing there were more.

From there I ordered the paneer shahi korma: “an aromatic homemade cheese cooked with cream and tomatoes sauce with touch of yogurt garnished with raisins, cashews and almonds.” I also had paneer naan: “With heavenly stuffing of homemade cheese,” which seemed

most comparable to my usual order of the vegetable korma at the nearby India Palace, because I am not incredibly familiar with Indian dishes.

Maybe because we were hungry it seemed our food didn’t arrive quickly. By the time we had received our food, we were the only customers in the restaurant. My plate and one of my companion’s had small but noticeable spots where they hadn’t been washed thoroughly. I dusted my plate off a bit and it seemed otherwise clean. Mostly unconcerned, we dug in.

The paneer korma was less creamy and pale than expected, leaning more towards the consistency of a chowder soup than what I knew to be a korma. Despite being slightly hesitant about its appearance, it still had some flavor and a pleasant hint of sweetness from the raisins. The paneer naan was warm and appealing, but more buttered than I am accustomed to, and wasn’t “stuffed” with cheese as had been described. It did contain cheese, but mostly on the outside and less than I had anticipated based on the description.

About halfway through our meal we were greeted by owner and Free State paraprofessional, Nin Chawla, who explained to us the restaurant’s history in Vancouver, Canada and its efforts to support the Lawrence community

through the arts and using local ingredients.

Chawla said the restaurant’s aspirations are to display local art and to continue hosting “Paint Nights,” an event full of wine, hors d’oeuvres and art making.

She offered us some of her favorite desserts on the house and we shortly received some delicious gulab jamun; a sugary, milk-based, donut-like treat; kheer, a rice-pudding, and a sweet, tangy mango pudding. We ate as much as we could, enjoying the large portion sizes and the additional desserts, but still leaving some food to take home as leftovers.

I left Bayleaf Indian Restaurant & Bar remembering the upbeat attitude of its owner, our sweet complimentary desserts and delicious appetizer. Serving a buffet in the mornings, accommodating seating at night and accepting of reservations, Bayleaf is a convenient place to go with family or a large group, and its welcoming atmosphere may incorporate it into the Lawrence community in the future.

Paneer shahi korma and paneer naan are well-known Indian dishes at Bayleaf. Korma is defined as meat or vegetables that have been braised in a spiced yogurt sauce. It is typically served with naan (bread) and rice.

Photo by GABRIELLE WHEELER

Lawrence festival celebrates holiday season, raises money for charity

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REVIEWS

TREMENDOUS TREES

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ERIN LISTON

A

s I entered the doors of Liberty Hall, I was welcomed by colorful wreaths and decked-out trees. The Festival of Trees is a charity event that gives its profits to The Shelter Inc., an organization that helps to improve the lives of low income children and families in Douglas County and northeast Kansas. I was really joyful, knowing that something so beautiful was going to a good cause.

When entering the event, there was a suggested donation of five dollars for anyone who wanted to view the trees, which was a good price to pay to see something as wonderful as all of the wreaths and trees, lit up with festive decor.

In the past, I have attended this event with my mom who creates a wreath for her sorority, Pi Beta Phi, and auctions it off. As a young girl, I would also create a tree for the festival with my Girl Scout troop, and it was always an enjoyable experience.

Every year, I am amazed at how beautiful and well-decorated the trees are. This year, I obPage by ELISE GARD

served every tree very carefully and found a few favorites. The tree that stood out to me the most was a triangular tree made out of wood with green metal poles in the middle that resembled wind chimes. This tree was named “O Zederbaum,” and it was made by Nick Schmiedeler who also made a wreath. The wreath was made out of license plates that surrounded a piece of metal artwork and was named “734 Kansas Christmases.”

The Festival of Trees has been held at Liberty Hall for 30 years. While walking around the venue, I noticed that there was limited space, so it was hard to look at all the trees without running into somebody. This made me a bit frustrated at times when I was trying to take a picture of a certain tree I liked, or move on to the next tree. Although this event could be moved to a different location, I don’t think it should be since the location is part of the tradition.

Another thing about this event that made it above and beyond my standards was the Free

State Chamber Singers. They sang beautiful songs that added to the Christmas mood. Having the choir sing, and not having background music playing the whole time, was something that I enjoyed, and applauded.

This is a great tradition around the holidays.

The Festival of Trees really got me into the Christmas spirit and made me feel like I was doing something good for the community. I’m looking forward to attending it again in the future.

Photo by BRITTANY SWEARINGEN Decorating for a cause, community members join together to create holiday trees and wreaths for the Festival of Trees. This tradition began in 1987 in order to raise money for The Shelter Inc., a nonprofit agency that provides residential care and prevention services to youth and families. The event is the primary fundraiser for The Shelter Inc. and takes place at Liberty Hall every year. This year the Festival of Trees ran from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2.

E

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COLUMNS

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mpathy is something my mom carries to work with her every day; it lays nestled in her purse between her laptop and her stack of freshly graded papers.

Growing up under the wing of an associate professor for the department of special education at the University of Kansas meant growing up knowing that love and acceptance were the most important things I could give to someone who was struggling.

Struggle is not a hindrance; it is not a limit; it is not the end. Struggle is natural and beautiful, and people with intellectual and physical disabilities want to be treated as the natural, beautiful beings they are.

At summer camp, one of my best friends was deaf. I have memories of our gangly, elementary-school-limbs stretched out on a pool deck, her smile glittering against the glare of the sun. Her struggles with communication never stopped her from laughing; they never stopped her from positively impacting everyone she met.

Although I’ve seen my mom jaunt off to work happy, I’ve also seen her come home disappointed.

I’ve seen her come home drained, defeated.

Fighting for the rights of the disabled population is fighting for the rights of people the world has unfairly deemed inferior. Sam Brownback has forced them off Medicaid, workplaces have discriminated against them, and school systems have segregated their special education classrooms.

I remember coming home drained and defeated too: a mirror image of my mom. In elementary school I would hear kids use the word “retard” in a derogatory way. I would see kids mock people with dystonia. My peers would run away from me at recess because they thought my asthma was contagious, or they thought my psoriasis would cause an epidemic. I never understood the fear of what is different.

Without empathy, we are alone in our struggles, and the beauty of struggle is not in how we face it alone, but rather, how we unite and overcome it together.

Photos by GABRIELLE WHEELER

STRENGTH THROUGH STRUGGLE MARIAH HOUSTON Co-Editor in Chief

Editor stresses importance of empathy

Pages by ADDIE WENDEL

ADDIE WENDEL Co-Editor in Chief

OPINION

I

n light of the hostile responses I’ve received following the publication of the previous issue of the Free Press, I’d like to take the time to address the issues at hand. Reactions came from both sides of the political spectrum: some denounced this publication as blatantly liberally biased while others argued that it promotes racism, homophobia and sexism. Some members of our own staff have stated that they do not feel comfortable discussing their views because this environment suppresses them. As an empathetic and sensitive person, it’s disheartening to hear so much criticism of something I devote so much effort to, but as a journalist, I know the importance of telling the truth, even if it isn’t what readers want to hear.

It is not my duty to pass judgment on the news this publication covers.

As a person, I can maintain my personal beliefs, but as a figurehead—a reflection of the actions of my fellow editors and staff members—I cannot. As editor in chief, my sole interest is for the education of the readers. We are not an activist organization: this staff aims only to address events as they occur within the school, the community and beyond. It is up to you as the readers to decide how to respond and to take your desire for change into your own hands. Know that if and when you take action, we will be here to objectively present your views to the rest of the student body, regardless of whether I or any other editors agree or disagree with your opinions. This publication does and always will continue to maintain its journalistic integrity and impartiality.

However, I am incredibly privileged to share with you my honest and genuine thoughts on page 15 every month. Should you like to submit your own opinion, you are always welcome to email us a short piece to be featured in this publication.

I encourage all of you to have open, productive dialogue about the issues you see around you and if you feel that the Free Press staff doesn’t reflect your viewpoint, know that I respect and value your input. I am always willing to listen, whether you choose to denounce, threaten or stand with me. Differences in opinion do not make us enemies, and while I will continue to express mine in this column, I hope that you will take the opportunity to assert yours however you choose.

Editor responds to criticism following election issue

JOURNALISM VS. ACTIVISM

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FINAL FRENZY GRAPHICS

Tips for acing final exams

Don’t try to multitask by watching TV, listening to music or doing two assignments at 17

once. You’ll just get distracted

18

and be less productive.

19

Make a list of what you need to accomplish while studying.

This will help you prioritize and keep on schedule.

2 3 y = x + 2x

y’ = 3x2 +4x

Re-write your notes or make flashcards to review the material. Writing information down will help it stick.

DECEMBER

20 2016

Pages by ADDIE WENDEL

GRAPHICS

have d n a m l a Stay c inter a happy w break!

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Test yourself by using review questions from the textbook, writing your own or using an application like Quizlet.

Make sure to take breaks

To do:

Write term paper Finish lab report reflection

in between tasks and provide

Study for math test

small rewards for yourself

Take a nap

to incentivize studying.

Tips courtesy of psychologicalscience.org

ENABLING, NOT DISABLING 19 20 21

KUTPE program sparks discussion about high school special education training, definition of success MARIAH HOUSTON

FEATURE

D

uring the summer and fall of senior year, many seniors hunker down in front of their computers for hours of laboriously filling out college applications. Similarly, Jacob Hammer, class of 2016, is pondering the benefits of college.

While at Free State Hammer participated in special education courses from work experience courses to Intrapersonal Skills classes. Although Hammer believes he benefitted from the job training the work experience courses gave him, he does not feel fully academically prepared for a college setting.

“To be honest, I’ve been kind of scared of college,” Hammer said. “In high school I didn’t do some of the classes that would have prepared

me for college. I did do a couple science classes though, and one class was more stressful than the other, so I guess you could say sometimes I think that I’m not prepared for college.”

The program Hammer is considering is the Kansas University Transition to Postsecondary Education program. KUTPE is for KU students with intellectual disabilities ages 18-25. The program is non-degree seeking, meaning the students seek a two-year certificate instead of a degree and don’t have to submit ACT and SAT scores.

“I don’t know if I have made up my mind to do the TPE program,” Hammer said. “I think it’s my only option that’ll let me get to college since I haven’t done the ACT test. Because of

my disability, I’ve thought about just working and not attending college, but I do want to learn more about the subjects I want to have as a career.”

The KUTPE program of study consists of four required classes and four electives, but the students can take more classes if they choose to.

Six credit hours each semester is the minimum requirement.

According to KUTPE academic adviser Megan Gentry, going on to postsecondary education is a critical time in young adult’s lives for gaining experiences academically, but, in her opinion, the more important gains will be on social and emotional levels.

“All of us who go to college learn far more Page by DRAKE RINER

may not have had experience in expressing their opinion about a topic. They also are likely to not have some of the critical thinking and problem solving and communication skills. There are so many of the soft skills that are needed to be successful in adulthood. It’s not just how to be successful in college, it’s how to be successful in a job in adulthood, and it starts in high school.”

Inclusive environments for students with disabilities can also be described as the integration of special education students into general education classes.

“Rather than being pulled out to go to the special ed. room to get their academic instruction, the special education teacher and the paraprofessionals push in and provide the supports and services in those academic classes,” Morningstar said. “[Paraprofessionals] are not there to be the staff members who stand right

according to special education teacher Curtis Field.

“In special ed, every kid has an IEP which means Individualized Education Program, so each student that I work with is different,” Field said.

Federal law mandates students are placed in their least restrictive environments which can result in the integration of special education students into general education classes, according to Field. Special education teacher Rachael Statler supports inclusive environments for her students.

“I fully believe in integrating students with exceptionalities into core classes with support from special education teachers who co-teach with general education teachers,” Statler said.

“Students benefit from seeing peers model appropriate behaviors in general education classes.

If students pursue a higher education they will need to have classroom social skills mastered.”

“I don’t think [success] has to be measured Gentry agrees with Statler that peer influby a degree at all … some of them are ence can have positive outcomes for special interested in pursuing a degree, and they education students as they are integrated into core classes. absolutely can go on and get that degree, “I think that we all learn by being around but it’s them realizing that they can do all our peers,” Gentry said. “I know even just from of those things that matters.””

KUTPE, those students have peer mentors, and the students that are in the KUTPE program - KUTPE ACADEMIC ADVISER MEGAN GENTRY very much want to hang out with those students and kind of mimic them socially, and it’s how and that’s a part of high school,” Morningstar beside the students and do all the instruction they’re picking up and learning things just like said. “What we’re finding is that the students with the students, we’d rather see all the adults other students on campus. I think that is a huge who are not as prepared don’t have the problem in the room working with all the students and benefit for students with disabilities, and I think solving skills, and part of that is because they facilitating learning and supports for all students it’s great for people without disabilities to be haven’t been allowed to face problems. If you which would include a student with a significant involved with that population.” have students whose experiences have always disability.”

To make the integration of students with been with a paraprofessional or with a staff, and Free State’s special education program is disabilities and their peers a priority Free State they’re never allowed to experience a fully inclu- ability based, meaning the students are placed in has Interpersonal Skills classes where regular sive social studies class, then they not only don’t classes that support their individual needs. This education students mentor special education stuhave the academic experiences they need, but ability based program helps to meet the needs dents. Some of Hammer’s fondest high school they may never have taken a test before, or they of students and celebrate their individualities, memories are from his IPS class experience.

Top (opposite page): Working together in class, Benji Horton and paraprofessional Meghan Chaffin collaborate on a project.

Photo by GABRIELLE WHEELER Left: Paraprofessional Meghan Chaffin helps a student in Interpersonal Skills class. Paraprofessionals aid with helping students with special needs achieve what they require in order to become more independent and determined in their academic careers.

Photo by GABRIELLE WHEELER

FEATURE

than academics,” Gentry said. “A lot of the early research does show that students who are participating in programs like [KUTPE] are coming out with more independent skills [and] increased self determination which is what we all kind of go to school to look for. I don’t think [success] has to be measured by a degree at all … some of them are interested in pursuing a degree, and they absolutely can go on and get that degree, but it’s them realizing that they can do all of those things that matters.”

Realization of potential is an area that Dr. Mary Morningstar, Associate Professor of Special Education at KU, believes high school special education programs can focus on in order to prepare students for life after graduation.

“Schools and families should hold the expectation that these young adults can go to college, but they have to really be prepared for that,

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FEATURE

Continued from page 22

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“I just thought that it would be good to find a way to help students who were less fortunate than I was growing up and help students find a way to focus on their abilities rather than their disabilities.”

- SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER CURTIS FIELD

“I loved IPS because it was a great way to meet people and make new friends,” Hammer said.

Senior Kylie Stancliffe is actively involved with IPS. She has seen the benefits the class has on the students with disabilities as well as the positive impact the class has had on her life.

“I’ve learned how to communicate with people who aren’t like me, and that’s just so important for life in general,” Stancliffe said.

Stancliffe hopes to pursue some form of special education training in college. Similarly, Field’s interest in a special education career also started in high school.

“I just thought that it would be good to find a way to help students who were less fortunate than I was growing up and help students find a way to focus on their abilities rather than their disabilities,” Field said.

Similarly to Stancliffe, senior Caylee Irving recognizes the need for regular education students to not be isolated from their special education peers to learn to communicate.

“We get to come together, and it’s like a mentor-mentee class, but when we get into the class we’re just peers; we’re all the same,” Irving said.

The work experience courses and vocational training program focus on teaching students what are known as “soft skills,” such as being on time, being hygienic, being attentive to an employer and performing tasks. The work experience coordinator, Patrick Dipman, also helps the students find volunteer work and paid jobs.

“One of my first students started with the work experience program, and he started volunteering somewhere with [Patrick] Dipman, and now he works full time for them,” Field said.

Although Morningstar understands the ideals of vocational training, she believes high schools should reorganize their approach to it.

“We used to believe that we had to get students ready to have a job, so we would work on pre-vocational skills in the high school,” Morningstar said. “I have no problem with working on school based learning around career development in high schools, but what we ended up doing is we had them do jobs that are demeaning, and that’s setting the expectation that those kids are not capable of anything [else].”

Gentry agrees students of all capacities should be able to pursue what they are interested in, and vocational training is beneficial if it supports those ambitions.

“I agree with students getting to pursue what they want to do, and sometimes their career choice does lead them down a path of vocational training, but I think that students with intellectual disabilities can pursue four year degrees or two year certificates and pursue a career in that,” Gentry said. “I think that it really just depends on the person’s interests and the training that they need.”

Although Gentry advocates for the pursuit of postsecondary education, she understands that college is not an option

FEATURE

for every student. Similarly, Stancliffe sees college as an optional stepping stone rather than a definition of success.

“I don’t think that success is a college degree at all,” Stancliffe said. “Sometimes [college] is just not feasible even for kids that don’t have special needs, so I don’t really base that as success in general. For [students with disabilities], I think success is that they’re prepared to move on after high school, no matter what that is.”

Hammer’s ambitions have not stopped after graduation from high school. He hopes to pursue film, music, language, history and theater.

“I think anyone can attend college,” Hammer said. “It doesn’t matter what disability they have, and they should have the right to choose.”

Free State’s special education program is home to students who possess various backgrounds, characteristics and goals, and they all have teachers who are working hard to equip them for personal success in their futures.

“I love the daily challenges of working with unique individuals with unique needs,” Statler said. “It takes creativity to create meaningful opportunities for those who see the world differently than many of us.”

Left: Working on his tablet, freshman Caleb Saripalli listens to music while he works.

Photo by GABRIELLE WHEELER

Left: Working with his special education teacher, sophomore Christopher Richt rolls cookie dough in sugar. He is helping prepare snacks for the Interpersonal Skills class’s Christmas Tea.

Photo by GABRIELLE WHEELER

22 Right: Terry Murray III is preparing for the SPE Christmas Tea. The group made various desserts to serve at the holiday gathering with teachers.

Photo by GABRIELLE WHEELER

23 24 For [students with disabilities], I think success is that they ’re prepared to move on after high school, no matter what that is.”

- SENIOR KYLIE STANCLIFFE

MEME FOR ME

Memes: This is what happens when journalism students get overwhelmed with finals.

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ENTERTAINMENT

25

CALVIN JANZEN CHAPPELL

Orchestra, because I get to make music with my friends.

sophomore

PROFILES

sophomore

THEA SCHOLZ

“I really like ESL because it helped me. ESL always gives you this little group of friends that you can stay with and they’re always there for you.”

BIRD’S WORD

What’s the best class you’ve taken at Free State and why? senior

NATHAN THOMAS

Modern World History with [Rob] Hassig, because he was so funny and he knew exactly what he was talking about.

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freshman

ERIN FAGAN

Graphic Design, because I like the class and I want to be a graphic designer.”

Interviewed by ERIN LISTON Photos by REBECCA CALDERON Page by SYDNEY VOGELSANG

CULTIVATING CONNECTIONS Motor-skills based device improves student’s non-verbal communication

PROFILES

W

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DARBY GILLILAND hen it comes to working with sophomore Natasha Stein, IPS students go above and beyond the course

and made a goal to learn how to communicate with Stein.

“When I was in Tasha’s group, I was like description.

‘I really want to know more about Tasha,’” Stein, a nonverbal student with special Alghafli said. needs, is learning to converse through a comAlghafli asked one of Stein’s paraprofessionmunication device. The device is a screen of als to teach her how to use the device. Then, folders and subfolders with pictures on them. she began having regular conversation with It is targeted towards motor skills, so the user Stein. physically selects the picture of what they want At first, Alghafli did not see much improveto say. ment in Stein’s conversational abilities, but she She has struggled to become accustomed to found that the more her group worked with it because previously, her IPS classmates did not Stein, the better she got. make an effort to learn how to use her device.

“After we started getting to know her she “Last year, she didn’t really use the device started talking back to us,” Alghafli said. that much because her peers didn’t really dive Buckingham recognizes the importance of into the device and learn it,” junior Heather going through this process not only in helping Buckingham said. “If she sees us [using the Stein’s conversational skills, but in respecting device], she is more likely to do it.” her as a person.

This year Buckingham and senior Bayan “If you go to a different country, you’re not Alghafli were assigned to Stein’s group in IPS going to expect them to speak your language. If

you want to communicate, you have to put in the effort to speak their language,” Buckingham said. “I guess the device is kind of Tasha’s language.”

As Stein continues to improve, her group members celebrate each new interaction she has through her communication device.

“I had a conversation with her one time and she told me that she was having hamburgers with her grandma that weekend, without any prompt,” Buckingham said. “ I’ve seen a lot of her, from not even wanting to use [the device] to actually expressing her wants through it.”

Below: Senior Laetitia Old and junior Heather Buckingham converse with sophomore Natasha Stein using her device. “If you want to talk to someone and communicate with them, you learn their language,” Buckingham said.

Photo by NICOLA SANTANGELO

HOPE FROM HOPKINS

Physical education teacher discusses past projects, future ambitions

MARIAH HOUSTON

B

Page by ELISE GARD

project was financially impossible.

“I was originally trying to get leftover bond money and nothing happened, nothing happened, nothing happened,” Hopkins said.

“Finally, I asked the principal one day ‘what did you hear about the cardio room?’ and he said ‘it ain’t gonna happen,’ and I said ‘well why not,’ and he said ‘because there isn’t any money.’”

Despite this minor setback, Hopkins’ vision remained, and she decided to make the cardio room a reality on her own.

Hopkins started to call volleyball players and their parents for donations, earning about $15,000. She reached out to politicians, musicians, singers, actors, educators and anybody famous, asking for any kind of memorabilia that she could auction off.

“It was kind of funny because every day I would get a stack of boxes in the office. It was like Christmas every day for a long time,” Hopkins said.

She hosted an auction, so she can sell items like an engraved iPod from Yoko Ono, overall earning $45,000.

Hopkins’ cardio room was constructed and became a safe and free place for kids to exercise; however, Hopkins didn’t stop there. Years later, her next project was in full swing.

“I wrote to authors to get books for an LGBT section in the library,” Hopkins said.

“I got probably 450-500 books. I gave the librarian her choice of whatever she wanted.

Anything I had duplicates of, I gave to Lawrence High, so they got some too. They all went to good use.”

Hopkins’ enthusiasm for taking on whatever needed improving is one of the many reasons she chose to become a physical education teacher.

“I couldn’t participate in sports when I was in high school because there wasn’t anything for girls,” Hopkins said. “My teacher kept tell-

ing me that there will be a time when girls will be able to play, and I just kept thinking ‘God, I wish it was now.’”

Hopkins’ experience with the inequality between men’s and women’s sports did not end in high school.

“I went to Emporia State, and I played volleyball and softball,” Hopkins said. “Back then, there was no such thing as a scholarship for women. If you wanted to play in college it was like trying out for high school. It’s changed a lot, but because of that...I wanted to be a PE teacher, so I could make those opportunities available for kids.”

Hopkins’ passion stretches beyond the classroom; she coached a club volleyball program to nationals in Orlando, she runs the shotclock for the KU men’s and women’s basketball games, she has aspirations to become a novelist, she created a computer program for basketball substitute management, she has walked arm-inarm with Bobby Knight and she is close friends with Lynette Woodard.

According to Hopkins, almost every connection she has made in her lifetime was sparked from her love of sports and her career as a teacher and coach.

“It’s amazing how life sometimes takes these twists and turns,” Hopkins said. “There’s a lot of coaches out there that played for me, and now they’re coaching, and that gives me a great sense of pride. There’s a lot of players that I contacted coaches for and said ‘you need to look at this person.’ Some of them don’t even know that I did that, but that’s okay because I’m not doing it for me.”

Above: Overcome with joy, Coach Nancy Hopkins congratulates junior Brie Mingus during the 2011 Free State Quad. Mingus and the Firebirds won two of three matches at the home invite.

Photo by TAYLOR BEALS

PROFILES

efore physical education teacher Nancy Hopkins began her high school teaching career, the murals in the women’s locker rooms were blank, gray walls, the current cardio center was a cluttered storage unit for broken equipment and the LGBT section of books in the library did not exist.

This is Hopkins’ last year teaching before retirement. For 44 years, she has taught in the Lawrence district and for 44 years, she has vigorously tried not only to improve the character of her school but also the lives of her students.

“I started out [teaching] at West Junior High and was there for 24 years, and I moved over to Free State when it opened to be the volleyball coach and to teach,” Hopkins said.

After a year of teaching at Free State, Hopkins began the first of many projects: the locker room murals.

“I got really tired of walking into my locker room and seeing a gray wall; it was boring,” Hopkins said. “I painted two murals, and they depict every sport that Free State offers for girls.

It took me about 100 hours per mural, and I did two of them. I did one during the school year at night. Then I did the other one over the summer.”

Determination also played a large part in the completion of her next project. After eight years of fighting for the room, raising funds and renovating the space, the cardio center was established. “[The cardio room] started out when the building opened as athletic storage, but then stuff kept disappearing,” Hopkins said. “All of us coaches moved our stuff to where we could keep an eye on it. The custodians would start dumping stuff in there that was broken, and it just became a junk pile. I thought ‘okay, there must be a better use for that room.”

After gathering a consensus from the physical education department and generating a blueprint, Hopkins received news that her

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STU STRECKER

Spanish teacher Where do you shop?

“Online and the Salvation Army.”

What inspires what you wear?

“Usually really what’s most comfortable and what’s affordable.”

How would you describe your style?

“Comfortable and affordable, kind of like, you know, semi-casual adult attire.”

What is your favorite clothing item?

“Just in general, I like cardigans because the school is really weird temperature-wise. So it allows me to adjust without having to take drastic measures.”

What is your favorite color?

“Any shade of blue.”

What is your favorite animal?

“Dogs.”

STYLE

What music do you listen to?

“Pretty much everything, except for pop [or] country music.”

What fashion trends do you love?

“I don’t know about trends necessarily because I’m too old for trends.

I like layering because the temperature is weird in the school.

I like jackets and cardigans and [other things] that are durable.”

What fashion trends do you hate?

“Overly casual clothes at work.”

If you had a million dollars, what would be the first thing you would buy?

“Wow . . . I would eliminate my debt.”

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What’s something your students might not know about you?

“I played the accordion badly for about three years.”

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Page by DRAKE RINER

ELAINE HENDRICKSON

English teacher

Interviewed by REAGAN SULLIVAN

Where do you shop?

“Online at Modcloth. Prob Third Planet, Earthbound, hippie stores.”

What inspires what you wear?

“Comfort and price.”

How would you describe your style?

“Swagalicious.”

What is your favorite clothing item?

“Maxi dress, tights, anything really non-restrictive.”

What is your favorite color?

“Blue, today.”

What is your favorite animal?

“Dogs.”

STYLE

What music do you listen to?

“Death metal and opera.”

What fashion trends do you hate?

“Tights and big muumuu shirts.”

What fashion trends do you love?

“I don’t know if I feel that strongly about clothes . . . For anyone over 25, I would say cargo shorts.”

If you had a million dollars, what would be the first thing you bought?

“A big farm so I could have a lot of dogs.”

What’s something that your students might not know about you?

“I don’t think many people know that I got married.”

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Photo by GABRIELLE WHEELER

ARTISTS

ARTIST OF THE MONTH sophomore BLUE O’LEARY

What is your favorite part about being an artist?

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“When I create something that I think is really beautiful just at that second, even if I don’t later.”

FEATURED ARTISTS

ARTISTS

sophomore DANIEL WENSEL sophomore JAKE BAKER sophomore ANAS ALGHAMDI

junior CALLIOPE TAYLOR

senior NATALIE CLARKE senior BEN HILL

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IMPROMPTU PEP ASSEMBLY

Junior Will Cook leads the freshman and sophomore side of the gym in a “roll coaster” simulation. This activity took place at the surprise pep assembly on Thursday, Dec. 15.

Dance team members, led by junior Cameron Wood, performs a hip-hop dance routine. The team performed to a variety of music including Beyonce’s “Formation.”

Performing a routine alongside her fellow cheerleaders, sophomore Meron Hayden energizes the crowd. Their prepared cheer involved tumbling, stunting and teamwork.

Photos by ALI DODD

In an attempt to win the tug of war faceoff, social studies teacher Jason Springer, art teacher Bryan Lloyd and science Marci Leuschen exert teeth-gritting effort with support from junior Will Cook. Although Springer and Lloyd’s team did not emerge victorious, their spirits remained peppy as ever at the surprise assembly.