JagWire Newspaper: Volume 22, Issue 6

JAGW IRE

JW

EMBRACE THE ATYPICAL

With neurodiversity becoming more recognized, students share how to be more accepting of their differences

VOLUME 22 ISSUE 6 APRIL 22, 2022 Mill Valley High School | Shawnee, Kansas

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

April 22, 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

3 OPINIONS

STAFF EDITORIAL

4-5

NEWS

RELAY FOR LIFE

6-7 NEWS

TRANSPARENCY BILL

8 FEATURES

SMALL BUSINESS BAKERY

9 FEATURES

CAR BUILT FROM SCRATCH

10-11

FEATURES

TABLETOP ROLEPLAYING CLUB

12-15 FEATURES

NEURODIVERGENCE

16

2021-22 STAFF

OPINIONS

UNDERAPPRECIATION OF GIRLS’ SPORTS

17 FEATURES WORDLE

18-19

20-21

GRAPHICS PLANTS

Professional Associations Kansas Scholastic Press Association National Scholastic Press Association Journalism Education Association Journalism Educators of Metropolitan KC The 2021 JagWire earned a Pacemaker and an All-American rating from NSPA. It is also a member of the NSPA All-American Hall of Fame.

Online Editors in Chief

Gabby Delpleash Avery Gathright

Photo Editor

Hayden Resch

Assistant Editor

Madelyn Welch

Reporters & Photographers

Kaitlyn Burke Grace Brookshire COACH KEAL’S Emma Clement RETIREMENT Julia Coacher Liz Coenen A&E Alayna Dill MUSEUM AT PRAIRIE Amy Hill FIRE REVIEW Katelyn Krosky Sydney McGlasson PHOTO ESSAY Natalie Merley SPRING SPORTS Chloe Miller Baylen Monson Sophie Sena Julia Shumaker Elizabeth Summa Abigail Troilo Luke Wood Up at the plate, junior Adisyn Hopkins

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PUBLICATION INFORMATION 5900 Monticello Road Shawnee, KS 66226 Phone: (913) 422-4351 Fax: (913) 422-4039 Email: jagwirenewspaper@gmail.com Adviser: Kathy Habiger khabiger@usd232.org JagWire, a monthly publication of Mill Valley High School, is printed by Valley Offset Printing

Quinn Franken

SPORTS

hits the ball up the middle Thursday, Mar. 25th. Photo by Elizabeth Summa

JagWire Office

Editor in Chief

Editorial Policy We value your opinions. If you wish to submit a column or a letter to the editor to the JagWire, you can do so by handing it in to a member of the staff or to the print journalism room (C101). Additionally, you may email any member of the staff with opinions, as well as tweet us at @millvalleynews. Anonymous content will not be accepted. Please understand that we have the right to edit all copy that runs in this publication.

Censorship Policy The Kansas Student Publications Act guarantees the same rights for student journalists as are guaranteed for professional journalists.

These rights include, but are not limited to, all First Amendment rights, including the rights of freedom of speech and the press, insofar as published items may not contain libelous, slanderous or obscene statements, may not incite or promote illegal conduct and may not cause a substantial disruption to normal school activity.

This law also prevents censorship of any kind by the adviser, building or district administration.

ON THE WEB @millvalleynews @millvalleynews1 @Mill Valley News

JagWire

Design by Julia Shumaker

OPINIONS

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Staff Editorial

A NEED FOR NORMALIZATION

Stigmas surrounding neurodivergence can impact people’s lives and can be solved with acceptance and solidarity by jagwire staff

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icture yourself going to school.

It’s a normal day; you walk to your classes, talk to a group of friends, do your assignments, and overall have a pretty manageable day.

Most people can handle these seven hours of school each day, but for some, this can be a struggle.

Upon googling the definition for “neurodivergent’’ the sentence “a type of brain that is often considered as different from what is usual,” pops up.

This definition can be misleading, and the word “different” can be hurtful.

Nobody wants to be seen as different, whether they have a disorder or not.

People can work against stereotypes by describing their brain as different or even unique, instead of them as a person.

Society tends to make neurodivergent people feel unaccepted and unwelcome, specifically when they reach out for help. It is expected that everyone must fit within the neurotypical norm, despite this being far from the reality we live in. According to Text Help, one in seven people have a neurodivergent condition, more common

than some think.

Most people experience feeling “different” at some point in their life.

But with autism, that feeling only increases throughout life. According to Inclusive Cinema, at least one in three autistic adults experience severe men-

“Our society needs improvement in order to stand with those who are neurodivergent and fight the inclusion barrier.” jagwire staff

tal health difficulties due to a lack of support. In fact, 34% of children on the autism spectrum say that the worst thing about being at school is being picked on.

Neurodivergence includes a broad spectrum of disorders, and someone could have multiple. These disorders affect neurodivergent people daily, and even with medication, those ef-

fects don’t go away.

Many neurodivergent disorders have stigmas surrounding them. One such example is that people with autism are not as smart as someone who is not autistic. This belief is unfortunately common despite the fact that neurodivergent people offer many skills and can have the same amount of intelligence as someone without a neurological disorder. According to Esquire, dyslexic people have above-average reasoning and well-above-average visual thinking ability.

Even as the world moves forward, the stigma still stands strong. Labels, stigmas, and stereotypes have unfortunately become normal for categorizing people who are neurodivergent.

People can forget that neurodivergent people’s experiences may be unique from others. Our society needs improvement in order to stand with those who are neurodivergent and fight the inclusion barrier. Think about how you would feel if you were neurodivergent. Starting there will change your perspective of what your words and beliefs can do, and will start to create a more accepting world.

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NEWS

RELAY PREP

April 22, 2022

Relay For Life committees and participants prepare for the 2022 event and finalize plans

by kaitlyn burke

a part of Relay since her freshman year. Williams shares some behind the scenes when preparing for the event.

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writer/photographer

ince 2016, Relay for Life fundraising for cancer has been an event at school. Each year, students are led by social studies teacher Cory Wurtz in bringing to life an event that features games, food and activities with the aim of raising money for improving cancer survival and the quality of life for cancer patients and their caretakers. In recent years, COVID-19 has set back the event, but this year it is coming back.

This year, Relay for Life will be taking place on Saturday, April 23 on the track, from 6-10 p.m. This year’s theme is “game night” and will feature lots of booths with fun games and prizes to win as well as a food truck.

Senior Maddy Williams, head of the publicity, sponsorship, fundraising, and decorations committees has been

“Things that happen behind the scenes trying to make this the best experience for everybody.

The number one goal is raising as much as money as possible.”

Relay coordinator Cory Wurtz

“Relay is just around the corner so we have a majority of the event already planned. We are collaborating and delegating to other committee

THIS YEAR

members,” Williams said. “Dates and the event schedule are finished, for the most part, we are still trying to nail down speakers and other instructors for activities.”

Wurtz has played a large role in conducting and planning the event.

Wurtz and students work all year to put on this event that students and community members get to be a part of.

“There’s a lot of planning and thought process to it, it’s a system of oversight. There’s a lot of entering data with regards to students, forms and chaperone’s. Things that happen behind the scenes trying to make this the best experience for everybody. The number one goal is raising as much money as possible,” Wurtz said.

During COVID-19 planning the event became increasingly harder and raising the money for those events with the financial burden lots of families were facing was also difficult.

wwww

50

TEAMS

$100,000 RELAY FOR LIFE

GOAL

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

GAME NIGHT APRIL 23 THEME

WHEN

EVENT HI 2016

Raised: $50,000 First Relay For Life held at Mill Valley

2019

Raised: $114,000

JagWire

Design by Amy Hill and Grace Brookshire

NEWS

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Listening to senior Damara Stevens’ presentation, a group of team captains participate in a meeting after school to prepare for the 2022 event Friday, April 8. Photo by Amy Hill

Organizing individual applications, senior Damara Stevens arranges teams Wednesday, March 30. Photo by Luke Wood

Now stepping out of the shadow of COVID-19, Wurtz hopes to return to some normalcy.

“The first year we raised over $50,000, and then it was like we have got to beat that. Then because of COVID-19 and the economy, people just don’t have as much to give. We still were able to raise money last year, getting to where we got was remarkable,” Wurtz said. “This year if we get to that mark, again, it’s great. We have a goal and we want to raise as much

rate our stand. We’ve met a few times about what supplies people need to get,” VanRheen said.

All students are encouraged to participate in Relay. William’s shares what the benefits of joining a relay team are.

“I think attending Relay for Life is a great way to get involved in your community. It is a night full of fun, food and activities and it all goes towards a good cause. I highly recommend joining a team for relay, it really adds to the experience,” Williams said.

ISTORY

2017

as possible. That’s our goal, create a good experience while raising money to support our survivors.”

Sophomore Elly VanRheen, is a part of a relay team and is on the logistics committee as well. VanRheen and her group have been preparing in excitement to promote their booth “Hungry for a Cure,” taking after the game Hungry Hippos.

“We have been designating who’s getting what and what we want everyone to do and how we want to deco-

2018

Raised: $75,750

Raised: $82,269

2020

2021

Raised: $59,373 Virtual event due to COVID-19

Raised: $62,456 Ended at midnight instead at 6 a.m.

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NEWS

April 22, 2022

TOTAL TRANSPARENCY

A new bill would require teachers to disclose their instructional materials to online transparency portals

by emma clement by gabby delpleash

K

writer/photographer

online editor in chief

ansas lawmakers recently passed a bill that would establish a parents’ bill of rights for students in elementary and secondary schools. The bill, professionally known as the ‘Parents of Bill of Rights,’ would require teachers to make public the entirety of their class curriculum via a transparency portal by June 30 of the upcoming school year. The measure now heads to Gov. Laura Kelly’s desk.

Kansas Representative Kristey Williams requested to introduce the bill to the House floor Feb. 9 with the K-12 Education Committee acting as the bill’s sponsor. According to state Rep. Jo Ella Hoye, members of the Goldwater Institute, a “libertarian think tank” whose stated mission is “to defend and strengthen the freedom guaranteed to all Americans in the constitutions of the United States and all 50 states,” were among the only individ-

uals in favor of the bill. Williams did not respond to the JagWire’s request for an interview. Since a similar bill’s enforcement in Florida public schools starting in Nov. 2021, 10 other states have since passed the Parents’ Bill of Rights.

English teacher Victoria Byrd believes the bill’s parameters over-simplifies what it means to be a teacher.

“I think the worst part of all of it is the fact that as a teacher, I don’t teach the same thing every year and you shouldn’t teach the exact same thing the exact same way,” Byrd said. “This bill removes the ability for a teacher to base their instruction on individual student needs.”

The Kansas Legislature website states the transparency bill’s main objective is to promote parental involvement in their child’s education putting the responsibility of the child’s upbringing, education and care in their parents’ hands. The bill further

touches on prohibiting teachings that may align with personal beliefs such as “racially essentialist doctrines” and banning any books that discuss race or critical race theory.

Though school board president Danielle Heikes fully supports parental involvement in children’s education, she believes the district is already providing curriculum transparency via school management softwares Canvas and Skyward making the bill’s objectives ineffectual.

“I am 100% in support of parental involvement, partnership, oversight and engagement in their children’s education. The learning and education for students should be a partnership between home and school,” Heikes said. “However, I think that what’s being laid out in the bill today is already accounted for.”

State Rep. Hoye, who voted against the bill, concurs with Heikes stating that parental involvement is already

JagWire

Design by Chloe Miller

NEWS

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HOW DOES A BILL BECOME A LAW? Bills must go through a meticulous process in order to become an official law

1. INTRODUCTION

Legislators or the Governor have an idea that they believe should become a law. This often comes from the input of other groups or government agencies.

2. COMMITTEE

The committee analyzes the bill and then may holds a hearing.

They can then make amendments to the bill. Bills that are passed by the committee are then scheduled for a vote in in the chamber of origin and read for a second time.

3. VOTE

Members then vote on the bill. The bill is debated on the third reading on the floor. If the bill receives a majority of votes it will move to the other chamber.

A similar process occurs in the other chamber, and if passed, it is sent to the Governor. If amended, it returns to the original chamber.

4. GOVERNOR

The Governor now has the authority to sign the bill into law, veto the legislation, send the bill back or allow the unsigned bill to become law after a period of time.

Source: Cancer Advocacy

established through previously set district-wide policies but holds a stronger opposition toward the bill’s supplemental criteria.

“I am very opposed to the bill. It will be a huge burden on teachers for a lot of information that I don’t even think parents are interested in,” Hoye said. “As a parent of a fourth grader, I have great communication with my son’s teacher and I’m able to get a lot of information from being involved with the PTA and other newsletters and things that our school sends out.

The thought of adding on that much more to read, it just doesn’t seem realistic that parents are going to spend hours and hours reading training materials and things that don’t even relate to the classroom.”

Social studies teacher Jeff Wieland speaks from a similar perspective in saying that the bill may make teachers default to conventional and uncreative lesson plans, which will only hurt students’ education. “[Teachers will begin to] realize that every time we look for a new resource, that there’s going to be this extra step that we have to do,” Wieland said. “I think you might see teach-

ers move to more of what we call a canned curriculum, where it’s all done for you, and it’s really straightforward, and take the art out of the teaching.

I think [this style of teaching] would

“I just want [our state representatives] to see what we, as teachers, do and know that my goal is not to indoctrinate kids.

I want to teach kids and I want to make sure that I’m doing my best to do that.”

English teacher Victoria Byrd

definitely have a negative effect on students and a negative effect on instruction.”

The bill’s passage could also put additional stresses on the district admin-

istration. According to the district superintendent Dr. Frank Harwood, the proposed transparency portal could require specific skills to manage.

“If the district tried to take some of the burden away from teachers that means that we would probably have to hire people to [manage the portal] specifically,” Harwood said. “Teachers would still have to send it to somebody who would then be posting in a transparency portal, which would still take time and effort and would decrease resources that can be used in the classroom.”

Considering the new pressures a transparency portal would ultimately put on teachers, Byrd urges state legislators to consider who the bill will hurt most.

“Sit in my classroom, shadow me for a day or shadow any teacher and you will see how what so many portray to be a negative environment is actually an inclusive one,” Byrd said.

“I just want [our state representatives] to see what we, as teachers, do and know that my goal is not to indoctrinate kids. I want to teach kids and I want to make sure that I’m doing my best to do that.”

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CREATIVE confections FEATURES

Design by Natalie Merley April 22, 2022

From cookies to distinctly-decorated cakes, sophomore Ashlyn Bellmyer shares her passion through baking by madelyn welch assistant editor

Placing a toy truck, sophomore Ashlyn Bellmyer puts the finishing touches on her order for a monster truck cake Tuesday, Jan. 25th. Photo submitted by Ashlyn Bellmyer

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ophomore Ashlyn Bellmyer has her own bakery called Ashlyn’s Creamery and uses her baking skills to bring joy to other people’s lives. Bellmyer uses the Instagram @ ashlyns_creamery to take orders and advertise her items.

Bellmyer got started in baking when she was little, watching members of her family cook. Another thing that got her into baking was watching TV shows to get started growing up.

“I always used to watch my dad cook and I would bake with my grandma. I just slowly started to have a love for cooking so I started watching The Food Network and other cooking shows where I taught myself how to bake,” Bellmyer said.

Bellmyer’s business idea first started when she tried a recipe and it turned out to be really delicious. Her dad then had the idea of selling her products and her business eventually grew until she was baking and selling other desserts as well.

“I tried out a new ice cream recipe and when I allowed my family to taste it, they went crazy for it,” Bellmyer said. “That spurred my business idea, which then lead to me starting to make cakes, cupcakes, and cookies.”

Librarian Ashley Bennett bought cupcakes and cookies from Ashlyn’s Creamery for her daughter’s 12th

birthday and they were a hit.

“It was easy to order through Ash-

“The best thing about baking is me being able to be creative and put my ideas into an edible form.” sophomore Ashlyn Bellmyer

lyn’s page, she answered all my questions quickly,” Bennett said. “The cupcake and frosting were a perfect

CREATIVE BAKES $50

Depending on design

$5

combination and the cookies were huge and amazing.”

With prices of certain things increasing, Bellmyer shares her struggle with getting the ingredients and materials she needs to sustain her business.

“Some challenges I have is of course currently the inflation of prices. Butter, eggs, and flour have increased in prices majorly over the past year,” Bellmyer said.

Another struggle that Bellmyer faces is scheduling out her week to time for her bakery and school.

“To balance school and my business I have to have a written schedule,” Bellmyer said. “I also need to only schedule a certain number of orders a week, and be able to know I have time to accomplish my orders.”

After Bellmyer started expanding her business and making cakes, cookies, and cupcakes, as well as ice cream, her cakes became a favorite among her customers. Though her cakes are well liked, Bellmyer does have seasonal favorites as well.

“My most popular item is my cakes.

People love personalized cakes and order them for birthdays, graduations and more. But during the summer, ice cream is probably the number one,” Bellmyer said.

It is very important to Bellmyer to use baking as a creative outlet and make desserts she is proud of.

“The best thing about creating baked goods is me being able to be creative and put my ideas into an edible form,” Bellmyer said.

Prices regarding the different products Ashlyn’s Creamery offers to customers on Instagram @ashlyns_creamery

$24 Per dozen

$24 Per dozen

JagWire

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A I

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Design by Katelyn Krosky

FEATURES

A S

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Senior Christian Ammann built a car from scratch during his leisure time with the inspiration of his father

by julia coacher

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writer/photographer

enior Christian Ammann has taken the challenge of building a car from scratch with the inspiration from his dad, Paul Ammann.

The project began to take off last year but had been mentioned to Christian by his dad when he was 13.

“I suggested he think about rebuilding a car when he was 13 and he started researching older cars and different models,” Paul said. “We started looking for an economical old car to fix up.”

Christian’s car is a 1984 Trans Am that has involved 15 hours of work each week to lead to completion.

“I had nothing but the shell of the car when I got it, so it was a full restoration,” Christian said. “I started learning the car’s mechanics as I was building the car. I worked on my car in the shed for the first two years and then was able to move it into the garage when I installed the motor and transmission.”

In the course of completing this project, Christian has been spending an abundance of time and money on purchasing various materials.

“I have spent around $9,000 on this car. Much of this money I worked for.

My dad has helped me along the way with funding my project, but I have taken the time to get jobs and work for the money I need,” Christian said.

“The materials I needed were a motor

PARTS OF THE CAR

Standing next to his Trans Am Saturday April 9, senior Christian Ammann takes in his hours of hard work and dedication. Photo by Liz Coenen

and transmission and everything else you can think of on a car: brakes, suspension, axles, steering, interior. I did all of the body work myself by teaching myself how to weld.”

There are several procedures that have to go through to ensure the car is built properly.

“I started with removing all the parts of the car and replacing the suspension and brakes and rotors. I then started the body work: fixing holes and sheet metal work,” Christian said. “After that I moved to painting and getting everything ready for the engine.

With the engine and transmission installed, I am completing my project with exhaust and interior work.”

The car is not yet complete, but it is

drivable. Taking it on the road provided Christian with a rewarding feeling.

“The first time I drove it down the road I was amazed that I got it to that point. It was so crazy,” Christian said.

Paul has had some experience with working on cars and provides coaching and support when needed.

“I have coached him, discussed different options, and encouraged him to research his own designs. He has done all of the actual work on the car on his own” said Paul.

Paul has seen the hard work Christian has put into this difficult, yet achievable, project.

“We are very proud of his focus, determination, stubbornness at times, and independence” Paul said.

Different car parts that Ammann needs and their function

Engine

Suspension

Transmission

Brakes

Motor

Wheel

Axles

Radiator

Converts heat from burning gas into the force that turns the wheels

Powers the wheels and move the vechile forward Source: Engineering Choice

Connects a vechicle to its wheels and allows motion between the two

Controls the direction of the car

Converts the power produced by the engine into momentum

Rotate the wheels and supports the cars weight

Inhibits motion by absorbing energy from a moving system

Works to eliminate excess heat from the engine

FUN GAMES 10 FEATURES

April 22, 2022

by kaitlyn burke writer/photographer

by avery gathright online editor in chief

T

The Tabletop Role-playing club defies stereotypes while playing the game Dungeons and Dragons after school

he dice roll, clattering loudly against the table. A group of students stares with anticipation as they land. This is a typical Friday afternoon in science teacher Alexander Warn’s classroom, room A-209, where he sponsors the Tabletop Role-playing club, giving students a place where they are able to spend time together after school playing Dungeons and Dragons.

In past years, the club had not been approved by the administration, but after this year’s approval, many students meet regularly to enjoy playing the game. Because the club’s meetings generally only last until 4:30, they often play “one-shots,” shorter versions of the game with a specific goal that can be completed in one session.

According to junior Brianna Bruno, the club has an enjoyable atmosphere.

“It’s so much fun,” Bruno said.

“I’m personally there for character interaction…It’s just a really fun, homely vibe, that’s how I describe it. It’s very chaotic.”

Large amounts of work are put into

coming up with what to do prior to the meeting, and designing the game plan for each one-shot can be a time-consuming process. Senior Mason Mullen, who is one of the club’s Game Masters, shares how he prepares for each meeting to ensure that the members enjoy each session.

“I typically try things that I’ve noticed work. You talk to [the players] beforehand like, ‘Hey, what are the things you want to see from the story or the writings?’” Mullen said. “Because a lot of it is just writing notes beforehand that when you see you know what kind of story would you like. You talk to them individually, and express care in their interests and what they want to see. If you’re a Game Master, it isn’t about you having fun, it’s about the players. A lot of times you do a session that you really don’t want to do just because you know everybody else does.”

Sometimes there are negative stereotypes associated with the club, but the truth is it is just like any other hobby, with creative people doing something they love. According to

Senior Mason Mullen describes the setting of the quest the characters are enduring in a session of Dungeons and Dragons Friday, April 1. Photo by Liz Coenen

Warn, anyone can join, and the club’s members come from a variety of social spheres.

“I was a jock band kid growing up in high school, and I played Dungeons and Dragons,” Warn said. “You get a lot of the math club kids and the chess club kids, but we also have guys who wrestle and people who are on various sports teams or track [and] a lot of tennis people. You get all types. It’s mostly just people who like to use their imagination to escape their world for a bit.”

Bruno believes that anybody with the time to participate in the club should give it a chance, as its fun and friendly environment allowed her to meet new people.

“It’s honestly for people who don’t have anything to do on Fridays,” Bruno said. “It’s really, really fun. It’s always fun to try new things. I have met so many great, amazing people that I probably wouldn’t have talked to [if I had not joined the club]. I would highly recommend people just giving it a try. It’s just good vibes.”

Senior Mason Mullen guides junior Brianna Bruno through the trials and tribulations of Dungeons and Dragons Friday, March 25.

Photo by Liz Coenen

JagWire

FEATURES

Design by Julia Shumaker

SETTING UP THE GAME DRA GONS

1. Character Name

2.

2. Character class and level, race, alignemnt and more

3.

3. Saving Throws

3 3

2

1.

D4 D6

6

4. Skills

7.

6. Other Proficiencies and Languages

8.

8. Feautures and traits

ROUGE

BARBARIAN

D12 9

The 12 different classes players can choose to play as depending on their desired play style

D10

The OCTAHEDRON is an eight sided die

8

7. Equipment

THE 12 CLASSES

DRUID

D8

11

6.

5.

5

4.

5. Attacks and Spellcasting

The TETRAHEDRON consists of five flat sides and is used for healing spells and damage rolls for small weapons

The CUBE is the most standard cube with six sides

12

8

1

7

DUNGE ONS

THE DICE

4 41

What you need to know in order to play Dungeons and Dragons

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The DODECAHEDRON has 12 faces, each a pentagon

RANGER The PENTAGONAL TRAPEZOHEDRON are a pair of two, ten sided dice. With one counting by ones and the other by tens

WARLOCK

CLERIC

WIZARD

BARD

PALADIN

SORCERER

MONK

FIGHTER

D20 The ICOSAHEDRON is made up of 20 faces of equilateral triangles. The D20 is used when finding the successfulness of an attack, saving throws, skill and ability checks Source: Die Hard Dice

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FEATURES

April 22, 2022

EMBRACE THE ATYPICAL Neurodivergent students share the triumphs and struggles surrounding their diagnoses, as well as societal effects by emma clement by avery gathright by sophie sena writer/photographer

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online editor in chief

eurodiversity describes the wide variety of ways that a person’s brain and thought processes can develop. Neurodivergent is an umbrella term for a wide variety of diagnoses: ADHD, autism/ASD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette’s syndrome, OCD, and those identified as gifted. While a neurologically diverse world can offer many benefits, some still don’t see this.

Mill Valley only represents a small microcosm of the world, but the school educates many neurodivergent teenagers with unique experiences. These students share their experiences in hopes of creating a world that further values neurodiversity.

writer/photographer

GROWING UP DIFFERENT Growing up, many neurodivergent children feel different because they don’t learn in the same ways as their peers. This affects these children in a wide variety of ways including socially and academically.

Senior Hannah Hunter, who has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), struggled when it came to socializing at a young age.

Even though Hunter is now able to socially interact with many of her peers and won homecoming queen this year, social interaction didn’t always come easily to her.

“The diagnosis of my autism was

in elementary school, my symptoms were that I didn’t want to be involved in things. I didn’t want to play with other kids, I wanted to be by myself in a little corner,” Hunter said.

Toward the end of middle school, senior Elisabeth Peters was also diagnosed with ASD. She found that by masking her neurodivergent traits, such as sensory sensitivity and differing social development, she began to lose her personality.

“You grow up being the weird kid, right?” Peters said. “You don’t know why. You’re just weird. You don’t have friends. You can’t connect. You’re just

JagWire

Design by Quinn Franken and Photos by Hayden Resch

FEATURES

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SENIOR

ELIZABETH PETERS

weird. So you try and learn how to be not so weird and then you lose yourself. It’s an incredibly difficult, incredibly challenging situation to be in, that you have to repress yourself on the most basic fundamental level in order

“The spectrum is represented by a rainbow radiant infinity loop because [autistic people are] not the same, but we’re different in the same ways.” senior Elizabeth Peters

to receive the things that other people around you receive by default.”

In addition to being autistic, Peters is also gifted. Gifted facilitator Inga Kelly, who was identified as gifted as a child herself, believes that as children grow up, their identity as a gifted student can become a burden.

“I think one of the things that I am thankful for is that we are continuing to evolve what we know about why older students still need gifted ser-

vices,” Kelly said. “I think there’s this conception all along that gifted kids will be fine. ‘Oh, those kids, they’ll be fine.’ And I think that that is true in some cases, but not all. And I think that anytime we know that somebody wants or needs something that will help them reach their potential if we have the ability to support that.”

Sophomore Ella Doyle has dyslexia and dysgraphia, which cause let-

ters and words on a page to appear as though they are flipping and moving about the page. This makes reading and writing more time-consuming tasks for Doyle.

“I would always be really behind in reading and be really slow at reading, so I would be like put in the stupid reading classes and the lower level [groups] until they realized that I just need more time to read,” Doyle said.

WORDS TO KNOW

Vocabulary words to know to understand and respect neurodivergent students

NEURODIVERGENCE

Differing in mental or neurological function from what is considered typical or normal.

NEUROTYPICAL

AUTISM/ASD AUTISM/ASD

ADHD

DYSLEXIA

STIMMING

HYPERFIXATION

MASKING

OVERSTIMULATION

Not displaying or characterized by autistic or other neurologically atypical patterns of thought or behavior.

Stimming – or self-stimulatory behavior – is repetitive or unusual body movement or noises.

A developmental disorder that is characterized by difficulty in social interaction and communication and by restricted or repetitive patterns of thought and behavior.

Being completely immersed in something to the exclusion of everything else.

A chronic condition including attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness.

Intentionally learning neurotypical behaviors and mimicking them in social situations.

A general term for disorders that involve difficulty in learning to read or interpret words, but that do not affect general intelligence.

Occurs when there is “too much” of some external stimulus or stimuli for a person’s brain to process and integrate effectively.

SOURCE: MAYO CLINIC

14 FEATURES

April 22, 2022

STACKED STATISTICS

STANDARDS AND STEREOTYPES

How the population is affected by neurodiversity

2.27

%

OF PEOPLE HAVE AUTISM

3.3

MILLION CHILDREN AGED 12-17 HAVE BEEN

DIAGNOSED WITH ADHD BOYS ARE

FOUR TIMES

MORE LIKELY THAN GIRLS TO HAVE AN ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER

% 30-40 OF PEOPLE ARE NEURODIVERSE

SOURCE: AUTISMSPEAKS, CDC, AND ADHD AWARE

Many different aspects of neurodivergence are commonly stereotyped or misrepresented in the media. Despite this, a growing awareness of neurodiversity has provided some opportunity for better representation.

Peters was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was young. For this diagnosis, Peters found representation in internet memes. However, when Peters looked for similar content after finding out she was autistic, the content was much more harmful. Luckily, she was able to find representation in other places.

“I was fortunate enough to have been introduced to some really good representation in what I would learn to be my special interest,” Peters said.

“It was Overwatch, which is a video game published by Blizzard Entertainment. One of the characters that was really well known at the time was acknowledged as being autistic, and she was a really cool character. So I remember getting my diagnosis and being like, ‘Hey, I’m like her.’”

On a more negative note, Kelly believes that the pressure put on students who are identified as gifted has led

to misleading stereotypes concerning them.

“I think there are a lot of misconceptions about gifted kids. I think one of them is that all gifted students are like little robots that you program,” Kelly said. “They’re perfect and they’re rule followers and they love doing every single everything and they never need to rest or take a break or all those kinds of things.”

In addition to harmful stereotypes about giftedness, there are harmful ideas about ASD as well. Many terms try to put neurodivergent people into boxes when those boxes don’t really exist. This is why, according to Peters, ASD is best represented as a spectrum.

“In reality, it’s a very fluid thing,” Peters said. “The [autism] spectrum is represented by a rainbow radiant infinity loop because [autistic people are] not the same, but we’re different in the same ways.”

For junior Atticus O’Brien, who was diagnosed with ADHD, it is important to recognize that people are more than their diagnosis.

“I think people see people by their personality,” O’Brien said. “I think if you have ADHD that can play into your personality but I don’t think it necessarily defines who you are.”

JUNIOR

ATTICUS O’BRIEN

JagWire

Design by Quinn Fanken

ENDING EXCLUSIVITY

FEATURES

15

SENIOR

HANNAH HUNTER

While the world may not become instantly inclusive, there are many things that the school can do to create an environment that fosters neurodiversity and inclusion.

Being both gifted and autistic, Peters has spent time in both the Voyagers (gifted) room and in other special education rooms. She feels that the environment for students in each room can be very different and hopes that this can be improved in the future.

“If you say the student is gifted, there’s not one right way to educate them. It has to be responsive to that individual’s needs.” gifted facilitator Inga Kelly

“I sometimes feel like an inconvenience when I’m in the SPED room,” Peters said. “I have been able to see both sides of that coin. And there definitely is, it feels like, a lack of belief in the SPED room like, the walls there are starker. There aren’t very many motivational posters in the SPED room.”

For Kelly, it is important to recognize that no two students are the same and that each require their own accommodations.

“It’s other diagnoses that really influence how your giftedness exhibits itself,” Kelly said. “[No gifted students] are identical. And so I think unlike something that’s pretty straight forward, like ‘the student has dyslexia so you do this,’ if you say the student is gifted, there’s not one right way to educate them. It has to be responsive to that individual’s needs.

According to Doyle, English class is the most difficult with dyslexia, and there are small things teachers could do to help.

“I feel like they could tell English teachers that some people take longer to read stuff,” Doyle said. “With timed writings and timed readings, it’s going

to take longer to piece together the words and not everybody can do the same thing at the same pace.”

Peters finds many terms used to refer to autistic people to hinder the ability to get accommodations, some of which being functioning labels.

“If you label someone as high functioning, they’re not allowed to be autistic,” Peters said. “If you label someone as low functioning, autistic is all

they’ll ever be.”

Hunter believes that education can help lead to a better future, which the school is well suited to accomplish.

“One of the ways that the school can do this is to teach and educate more students who don’t have autism or who are not on the spectrum by educating more about autistic people so that [autistic students] can be more nice and kind,” Hunter said.

REIMAGINED SPECTRUM There are many misconceptions about how the autism spectrum looks

THE SPECTRUM IS NOT LINEAR. IT LOOKS MORE LIKE THIS.

LESS AUTISTIC

MORE AUTISTIC INFORMATION PROCESSING

MOTOR SKILLS

EXECUTIVE FUNCTION

SENSORY PROCESSING

PERSEVERATIVE THINKING SOCIAL AWARENESS

REPETITIVE BEHAVIORS

VERBAL & NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

SOURCE: CARMEN B. PINGREE AUTISM CENTER OF LEARNING

16 OPINIONS

REACHING FOR EQUALITY

Design by Katelyn Krosky

April 22, 2022

Women’s and men’s sports deserve an equal chance at media recognition by gabby delpleash

I

online editor in chief

n 2012, Olympian Missy Franklin swam one of the greatest races in NCAA history. But you probably didn’t see it. Over 40% of athletes are women, but they get less than 10% of media coverage.

This common apathy aimed by the large media apparatus toward female athletes is the reality of women’s sports, which continue to be almost entirely excluded from television news according to a 2021 USC/Purdue study.

This study on men’s and women’s sports has been conducted every five years since 1989. In the latest study, researchers found that 95% of total television sports coverage as well as the ESPN highlights show “SportsCenter” primarily focused on men’s sports in 2019. Similar lopsidedness was found in social media posts and as well as in online sports newsletter coverage, which were included in the report for the first time since researchers began gathering data three decades ago.

In a separate USC study, news media tends to focus on the “big three” of men’s sports - football, basketball and baseball - creating an audience’s

knowledge about and excitement for the same sporting event over and over.

Meanwhile, women’s sports continue to get a short shrift, which is significant considering the larger picture of womens’ efforts to achieve equal op-

“This common apathy aimed by the large media apparatus toward female athletes is the reality of women’s sports, which continue to be almost entirely excluded from television news.” junior Gabby Delpleash

portunities, pay and respect in sports.

Subsequently, sports media’s apathy has reached its viewers since female sports received, overall, 27% lesser viewership than men’s sports for the 2020-2021 basketball season.

Women’s sports at Mill Valley have had to deal with the same struggles

on a microcosmic scale whether it be playing for a substantially thinner student section at games or simply fighting to be held to the same importance as men’s sports for hosting school events and being the pinnacle sports event to precede a school dance.

“Buick” demonstrated awareness for the marginalization of women’s sports by starting the “See Her Greatness” campaign during this year’s NCAA March Madness tournament.

Timing of introducing the campaign’s mission of increasing women’s visibility in sports was clever since its introduction was during a time the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament was being overshadowed by the men’s tournament.

Now, after 30 years of data demonstrating the stagnation of female sports media coverage, there’s reason to be skeptical over if women’s sports will ever get the same attention as men’s. However, recent awareness raised including the recent end to the U.S. women’s soccer team’s long fight for equal pay provides hope that sports media and its viewers are changing their long held jaundice toward women’s sports. We’re all aware of the hard work female athletes put in on the field, so do we care enough to give them our attention for it?

PAYMENT DISPARITIES IN SPORTS

A look at the real difference in men’s and women’s pay in America’s most popular sports

MEN’S PAYMENT

WOMEN’S PAYMENT

Source: Adelphi University

$35,000

$75,181

$410,730

$8,321,937

$4,000

$283,635

$4,031,549

$335,946

NWSL NPF

WNBA

WTA

MLS

MLB

NBA

ATP

JagWire

Design by Quinn Franken FEATURE

W O R D

P L A Y

17

Students join New York Times’ Wordle trend, playing in seminar, during class, on their laptops or phones

Playing the daily Wordle in seminar, senior Carly Knight makes her sixth guess Friday, April 8.

Photo by Liz Coenen

Sophomores Truman Griffith and Davion Harris battle with another classmate in Wordle during seminar Tuesday, March 29. The group prefers the multi-player version because they enjoy the competition between friends. Photo by Kathy Habiger

by lauren cannata

R

guest reporter

ecently students have been raving over The New York Times’ newest edition to the mini-games offered on the website, Wordle. Created by a software engineer from Brooklyn, John Wardle, the game was originally meant to be a love letter for his word game obsessed girlfriend.

After the release of Wordle in October 2021 during the pandemic, it quickly gained traction. The game offers players six chances to guess a five-letter word, telling them what letters they have correct, wrong and in the right spot with a new word being introduced every day.

One of the most appealing aspects is the ability to show off your skills with friends and family, according to senior

W H

Y

I

Carly Knight.

“Every day before school I do the Wordle and send it to my family,” Knight said. “We also will likely talk about it once it is done. When I play the game I first try to get some consonants, the most common ones being R, S, T, L and N and then from there you could guess words like AUDIO to try and get some vowels.”

Knight is not the only one strategizing tactics and incorporating Wordle into their daily routine. Senior Alyssa Canning believes she has become somewhat addicted.

“Sometimes I wish Wordle was more than a ‘one a day’ thing. It’s become a part of my daily routine,” Canning said. “I always ask my friends ‘have you played the Wordle yet.’”

Conversations about Wordle are circulating quickly, and students are

W O R

D

L

E

Wordle players share their streaks

WORDLE STREAK

WORDLE STREAK

25 DAYS

“I play Wordle because it’s quick and I like that it’s just once a day. I also like that everyone has the same word so it gets people talking.”

ENGLISH TEACHER

MALORIE CRUTCHFIELD

drawn to the game from all kinds of sources, which is similar to how Knight was drawn to the game.

“I first heard about Wordle from TikTok. People posted their strategies and experiences with the game. I started playing Wordle with my family soon after,” Knight said. “I like that every day there is a puzzle. Everyone has the same word so it is interesting to see how people played the game. It’s also interesting to see what words they use and sometimes I get to learn a new word.”

Overall, the game is definitely worth try, according to Canning.

“I don’t typically like video games.

Wordle is a challenge and it’s fun to see what the word of the day is,” Canning said. “Almost all of my friends play it. I think it’s super trendy and a fun challenge for a lot of people.”

11 DAYS SENIOR ALLISON

“I play Wordle because it is a fun game and I get to do it every day. I look forward to the challenge and talking about it with my friends.”

RADER

18 GRAPHICS

PRAISEWORTHY PLANTS From real succulents to fake plants, houseplants can make a great addition to anyone’s home

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR SUCCULENT

While succulents are easy to care for, they still require the basics

1. Sunlight Succulents need 6 or more full hours of sunlight each day.

2. Water Be sure that the soil is completely dry before watering your plant again. Over-watering is the root of most growth issues.

3. Pot and soil Indoor succulents do better with well draining soil, which is very coarse. To improve aeration, perlite and pumice can be added to the pot.

4. Fertilizer Though it is not required, succulents can benefit from occasional diluted, water-soluble fertilizer.

5. Pests Be sure to check your plants for bugs and treat them as necessary. Indoor succulents are more prone to these pests Source: MasterClass Staff

Design by Chloe Miller Research by Emma Clement

SUPERB SUCCULENTS

STUDENT STATISTICS

These plants are hard to kill, making them perfect for those who may not have a green thumb

Sansevieria or Snake Plant This plant can tolerate very low light and infrequent watering. There are 60 different species of snake plants, some even looking like starfish.

GRAPHICS

See the different types of plants students own

47% of students own succulents or cacti

survey of 57 students

75% of students prefer real plants to fake plants

Ficus Elastica or Rubber Plant This plant does well in low lighting and is “forgiving” if you miss a watering. It is a perfect large plant to fill a corner.

16%

Dracaena Marginata or Dragon Tree This plant does well without much water, though it does require medium light. This plant is perfect for rooms with tall ceilings as it can grow 6 feet tall.

of students own hanging plants

14% of students own no plants at all

Source: Food52 & Folia Collection

RESILIENT ROOTS

Roots are an essential part of plants survival

MAIN FUNCTIONS Roots have three main functions...

1. Store food 2. Anchor and secure the

plant to the ground

3. Absorb water and

minerals

Source: LibreText - Biology Section

19

TAPROOT SYSTEMS

Taproot systems have one primary root and many secondary roots branching off. They sturdily anchor plants into the ground and can go as deep as 200 feet below the surface.

FIBROUS ROOT SYSTEMS

Fibrous root systems have many different primary and secondary roots, but no main one like a taproot system.

These roots are less secure in the ground but are better at delivering nutrients.

20 SPORTS

READY TO RETIRE

April 22, 2022

Travis Keal retires after coaching wrestling for 26 years by baylen monson by julia coacher writer/photographer

writer/photographer

A

fter 26 years of being a wrestling coach, PE teacher Travis Keal has decided to step down from his position. His career as a wrestling coach will come to an end after his 22 years as head coach at Mill Valley, three years at De Soto, and one year assistant coaching at Wichita, but he will still continue to teach.

Travis announced his retirement following the 2022 state wrestling tournament. He decided to retire because he was beginning to miss out on some important moments, such as spending time with his daughter, Maryn Keal, a sophomore at Olathe West, and watching his twin sons wrestle in college. Both wrestled at the DI levels after graduating from Mill Valley in 2021.

“It’s just time to give up something I love to be around the people I love,” Travis said.

Throughout his coaching career, Travis has been recognized for many accomplishments. He was Kansas Officials Coach of the year in 2010, 2017, and 2020; NFHS Sectional Coach of the Year and KCA Coach of the Year in 2011 and 2020; Regional Coach of

the Year in 2006, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020 and 2021; and KWCA Coach of the Year in 2015, 2018, and 2020.

He has helped lead his teams to sev-

SENIOR PAYTON DOUGLAS

JUNIOR EDDIE HUGHART

“My most memorable moment was definitely the hug he gave me after placing at state.”

“Something that’s memorable is probably the long leadership talks we have.”

After winning the individual state title, former wrestler Ethan Kremer embraces Travis Keal. Kremer won the individual state title three times in his career wrestling with Keal. Photo by 2019 JAG staff

share their favorite FAVORITE MOMENTS Wrestlers memory of Keal as their coach

en regional championships and five league team championships. Finally, he coached his team to the 2020 6A state championship and third in 5A state in 2015, 2016, and 2021.

Austin felt that his dad not only set up his players to be great athletes but also set them up for future success in life.

“Aside from his wrestling achievements, Coach Keal has produced great young men. Coach Keal’s athletes have gone on to attend some of the country’s best schools and achieve great things. Multiple athletes have gone on to attend Military Academies and Ivy league Schools. Coach Keal’s athletes continue to do remarkable things,’’ Austin said.

Travis had many goals when coming into his role as wrestling coach.

These goals reflected his compassion and dedication to the sport and the athletes involved.

“I have a yellow piece of paper on

JagWire

Design by Grace Brookshire SPORTS

21

SIGN-OFF STATISTICS

Coach Keal’s wrestlings stats

11

STATE CHAMPIONS Giving his team a hype speech before their home meet, head coach Travis Keal motivates his wrestlers for their upcoming matches. Photo by

Head coach Travis Keal gives a speech dedicated to his 2020 state championship-winning team. In his speech, Keal thanked his team for their hard work and commitment. Photo by 2020 JAG staff

my desk from 2000. It’s a sticky note that had my goals on it and it was to build athletes’ character and build a championship program daily, coach all my athletes and win state championships,” Travis said. “It’s still pinned to my desk, so I’m glad it all worked out and I am very grateful for that opportunity.”

around tough,” Austin said. “When putting on the Mill Valley singlet you were expected to go out and fight every time, no matter what. Coach Keal’s expectations went beyond the mat.

You were expected to be successful everywhere, especially the classroom.”

Junior Eddie Hughart, a three-year wrestler, shared that Keal has taught him some valuable skills throughout his wrestling career.

“I feel pretty sad about Keal’s retirement,” Hughart said. “He has taught me how to be a better man, and how to never give up even when your body is telling you you can’t go on any longer.”

The community of support and motivation that has been created through the wrestling program is what Travis considers to be his biggest takeaway from coaching. Whether it be students, parents, or other teachers, Travis said that he has built strong relationships with all of them, and receives many positive messages.

“People here push me to be my best self,” Travis said. “I always stay motivated … trying to get better as a coach, as a person, as a husband, as a dad, and as a teacher.”

A notable takeaway of Travis’ coaching over the years is that he acknowledges his athletes for more than just their performance when competing, but also what they are learning from the sport.

“It’s really not about wins and losses, it’s about how they grow as a person and as a student it really changes their lives and when you see that transformation, I’ll miss that,” Travis said.

2021 Jagwire Staff

“I have a yellow piece of paper on my desk from 2000. It’s a sticky note that had my goals on it, and it was to build athletes’ character and build a championship program daily, coach all my athletes and win state championships.” wrestling coach Travis Keal

As Austin grew up in this Mill Valley wrestling program, he saw every aspect that was put into creating great athletes.

“I got to witness Coach Keal ingrain key values into the program that Mill Valley came to be known for. We were known for pushing the pace, hustling back to the center, staying in good position, and just being all

2020

6A STATE CHAMPIONS

7

REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

57

ACADEMIC ALL STATE TEAM MEMBERS

51

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

5

LEAGUE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS

11

ALL-AMERICANS

22 A&E

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

April 22, 2022

A guide to all the sights and experiences the Museum at Prairie Fire has to offer by abigail troilo by sophie sena writer/photographer

writer/photographer

Facing the hidden entrance, patrons are greeted with the Prairie Fire Museum sign and an array of colorful stainless steel tiles and the same glass used in astronauts helmets to protect them from unfiltered sunlight. Photo by Alayna Dill

T

he Museum at Prairie Fire, located in Overland Park, offers many sights and activities for friends and families to see. Besides being a hot spot for photo opportunities, the museum itself has many features that would make a perfect day out for anyone.

The museum is open from 10 am to 3 pm Monday through Saturday and 12 am to 3 pm on Sundays.

The admission price to the museum is $10 for adults and $5 for kids 12 and under.

Starting with the ground level, the museum includes a replica of the T-Rex from the “Night at the Museum” movies where artifacts at New York City’s American Museum of Natural History come to life. It is one of only three replicas in the world making it a very rare find.

Continuing with the dinosaur theme, there is a mirrored screen with customizable dinosaurs that walk across the screen. This activity is a great way for younger children to spend their time, and just one of many of the museum’s “hands on” activities.

The museum offers ways for all members of the family to get involved, such as a long wall of posters covering topics of race and identity, which is a great place for teenagers and adults to explore while visiting.

You start to enter the most handson room of the museum on the upper floor of the building. Topics of space

“Our mission is to open the door for bright futures by providing access to unique STEAM education opportunities for all.”

Museum at Prairie Fire website

and wildlife are seen through handson activities like solving puzzles, as well as looking closely at different artifacts and living creatures. This area is great for younger children, but is still educational with real fossils and infor-

mative readings as well. You are able to hold or pet most of the creatures in this part of the museum.

The hands-on portion of the museum shows representation of cultures through face masks and information about each one. There are also replicas of real life human skeletons showing the evolution of humans, where you can match together different skulls from different periods in human evolution.

Moving past that section, the museum also includes a wide variety of creatures and insects, which adds to the whole “living” theme of the museum. In this portion, creatures such as a snake, turtles, fish, snails, cockroaches, iguanas, and more.

There is a life-sized artificial tree where through a screen you can see different points of views from different creatures such as bees and other wildlife that could be found in the natural world.

Through the final room the main focus is space including smelling a “moon” and a wall where you can learn about the star signs, and you can even draw your own.

In the future, the museum plans on opening a new exhibit called Kansas Revealed that features a look at how Kansas might have looked like in the time of the dinosaurs for all ages. This new exhibit is sure to be an exciting new addition to the museum Overall, this museum is great for those who are looking to get a very hands-on learning experience. Entering the museum is a reasonable price and has enough activities to occupy anyone for hours of time. Prairie Fire is especially fun for groups, visiting would be a great way to spend time with friends while also being able to learn a few things about the world around us. Although this museum is geared more towards children, it is truly a fun and exciting experience for all ages.

JagWire

Design by Natalie Merley A&E

23

Led by their tour guide, junior Sophie Sena and sophomore Abigail Trolio learn about the exhibits in the museum, including the Race and Racial Identities exhibit Saturday, March 26. Photo by Alayna Dill

Looking down from the balcony, patrons can see an exhibit featuring astronauts and the entrance to an event space Saturday, March 26.

EXHIBITS AND ADMISSIONS

Information about the admissions prices, exhibits and different experiences you will find throughout the Museum at Prairie Fire

Photo by Alyana Dill

Prices/ Memberships

$5.00

(children, adults and seniors)

FREE

Main Exhibit

(Veterans only)

Paleo KC

MAP (REG) (1 year) $75.00

TEACHER

(1 year) $60.00

Great Hall

Source: Museum at Prairie Fire

STUDENT Discovery Room

(1 year) $35.00

24 PHOTO ESSAY

Design by Liz Coenen

April 22, 2022

SWINGING INTO SPRING

Whether it’s on the field or the track, here’s a preview of a few sports teams playing this spring

At home plate, sophomore Blake Neis concentrates on the ball when playing Shawnee Mission South. The team came out on top with a final score of 12-0 Monday, April 4. Photo by Madelyn Welch

Returning from scoring in a rally with his opponent, sophomore Blake Powers prepares for the next point during a home match Thursday, April 14. Photo by Elizabeth Summa

Getting ready to throw the ball, senior Landon Schwartz makes the play for the team Wednesday, March 9 Although not an official KSHSAA or school sport, the team plays at Jaguar Stadium. Photo by Elizabeth Summa

Up to bat, junior Haley Bryant gets in her batting stance, focusing on the pitcher’s throw during the team’s first scrimmage on their new field Thursday, March 25. Photo by Elizabeth Summa

Sophomore Samantha Mullen passed the ball to her teammate to possibly make a play for the JV team in their 10-0 win against Gardner Thursday, March 31. The varsity also beat Gardner 3-0. Photo by Sydney McGlasson

Arms out, senior Qunicy Hubert clears the hurdle in the 100-meter race. Hubert took first with a time of 6.79 Saturday, April 9. Photo by Gabby Delpleash