Looking into differing family dynamics of students
PAGE 22
SPORTS: TRAP SHOOTERS
Mill Valley High School Volume 25, Issue 5
Shawnee, Kansas April 10 2025
With prom right around the corner, students start to prepare outfits for the dance. photo by hannah stephensen
Two students participate in a trap shooting competition. photo by jake brown
Two softball coaches reflect on their time coaching and playing for Mill Valley. photo by ryan bloomer
Editors in Chief
hailey gussio
editor in chief
avery clement
editor in chief
madelyn mulryan editor in chief
Online Editors in Chief
maddie martin
online editor in chief
Sophomore Quyncee Graves finds joy in creating animal sculptures from pipe-cleaners, and is self-taught. photo by hannah stephensen
Professional Associations
Kansas Scholastic Press Association
National Scholastic Press Association
Journalism Education Association
Journalism Educators of Metropolitan KC
The JagWire earned a 2024 All-Kansas rating from KSPA and were 2023 NSPA Pacemaker finalists. It is also a member of the NSPA All-American Hall of Fame. 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. Editorial Policy
online editor in chief
evan leroy
online editor in chief ian chern
Copy Editor
maddie martin
online editor in chief
Staff
ryan bloomer writer/photographer
kennedy botkin writer/photographer
jake brown writer/photographer
natalia castillejos-ramírez writer/photographer
oliver feiring writer/photographer
mya franco writer/photographer
eva hernandez writer/photographer
doreen mahugu writer/photographer
quinlyn peters writer/photographer
gracyn schreiber writer/photographer
hannah stephensen writer/photographer
abby stidham writer/photographer
MORE THAN A LAST NAME
by jagwire staff
Every definition of family—whether built on blood, love or human connection—should be celebrated
The nuclear family, a household with two parents and their children, has been one of the most common types of families in America. However, according to the Pew Research Center, the percentage of married couples with children between 1970-2021 dropped from 67% to 37%. This decline means an increase in other types of households, such as single parents with kids or married couples with no kids.
This change shows that the type of people in a family doesn’t matter, but the basis of a family should include people who can be relied on and provide unconditional love for each other. A family shouldn’t have a limit and doesn’t have to just consist of people who are blood-related to each other. The family that someone was born into might not be the people who provide that support, so people
should be able to determine their own family.
It is up to each person to decide what a family means to them and what makes up one. In 2023, The United States Census Bureau recorded 128.7 million households in America. Those households could have one parent or two, they could be living with their grandparents, or they could be adopted, among other things. The number of people in a family is irrelevant because it does not affect the amount of love that those people provide each other.
However, some people feel that family should be legally determined by the government because it can have a beneficial impact on those inside the family. In the past, the government passed legislation that prevented certain groups of people from getting married or adopting. While the Gallup found
that 94% of Americans approved of interracial marriage in 2021, only 69% of Americans believed that same-sex marriage should be recognized by the law in 2024.
Even if two people are not legally married, that does not mean the love they have for each other or can give others counts as anything less.
The most important aspects of a family are love and acceptance, so just because the government does not recognize somebody’s family does not mean that the relationship should be discredited.
There are a wide variety of family dynamics and even if somebody else’s family dynamic doesn’t look like another person’s, it does not mean that one is “right” and the other is “wrong.” Ultimately, people should focus on finding the people who love them the most and accepting them as their family.
Abudget plan approved by both the Kansas Senate and House involving special education funding could cause changes in the district’s budget for both special and general education.
The budget would fully fund public schools but provides just $10 million in new funding for special education services, short of the $73 million commitment made a year ago.
Kansas Law 72-3422 states that Kansas must pay up to 92% of excess costs for district special education services. Last year, Kansas representatives developed a fouryear plan to gradually raise the amount it would pay to Kansas school districts.
Kansas representatives stated last year that the House would raise their budget by $73 million
a year to eventually get up to the 92% they are legally supposed to be paying. However, this year’s budget went back on this promise, paying $10 million of the promised $73 million.
The new Senate bill passed, HB 2007, has a new layout for how special education should be funded. According to an interview with district spokesperson Alvie Cater in the Johnson County Post, the new state budget would cut the amount of money the district has for special education by approximately $200,000.
Since the school is legally required to fund all of the special education budget, with or without money from the state, the district will now be forced to take money from other areas in the budget in order to make up for what the state is not providing.
Superintendent Dr. Cory Gib-
son provides examples of how the reduction in funding will affect specific requests from schools.
“Mill Valley and DHS both requested digital additional engineering teacher because the need is desired. Students are signing up more than we have available teachers. We had proposed that to the board,” Gibson said. “They had approved it, but now, as a result of less funding than expected for special ed, that would pause that unless additional funding is found another year down the road. There will be less offerings in engineering next year than what we expected going forward.”
Even though the budget won’t be paying the full 92% required, it will still add some money to the special education budget each year. Rep. Adam Turk, Republican from Shawnee, specifies how the budget only increases every year.
FUNDING DEFICIT
Special education funding requirements have not been met, affecting aspects of both general education and special education
by madelyn mulryan editor in chief
by mya franco writer/photographer
Learning how to use photoshop, freshman Xander Reynolds gets some assistance from his paraeducator Lilian Hollis in class on Wednesday, March 26. photo by eva hernandez
Getting in some cardio, senior Hank Moulin has fun using the elliptical in P.E. on Wednesday, Mar. 12. photo by eva hernandez
“The state appropriators’ starting position on the K-12 funding discussion every year is at a minimum what was provided the year prior and that any additional funding will be the baseline for the next year’s funding discussion,” Turk said via email. ““Cutting” isn’t even an option. Last year, the Kansas legislature added $80 million dollars to Special Education Funding alone.”
Representative Jo Ella Hoye, Democrat from Shawnee, feels like this issue is a difficult one.
“We had increased our funding and come up with a plan over a few years, just to make sure we can afford to increase our enhancement over the next couple of years. So it is unfortunate that we’re kind of going back on that plan, which I felt was already a compromise,” Hoye said.
Social studies teacher and De Soto Teachers Association vice president Jeff Wieland said the district may now have to cut classes and teachers’ salaries to make up the difference in funding for special education.
“Public education is a cen-
terpiece of Kansas. It’s part of what makes us a great state. It’s an investment in kids’ futures,” Wieland said. “When you cut the funding to special education, what you’re forcing school districts to do is make decisions to have larger class sizes. You’re forcing them to make decisions about whether
“If we continue on this trajectory, we will come to a point where we will cut programs to make sure we’re funding the federal mandate. “
Superintendent Dr. Cory Gibson
to cut programs in order to make payroll. You are certainly cutting teacher salaries, and you’re making it more difficult for us to attract people into the profession.”
Special Education teacher Sara Evans thinks this budget will harm
education as a whole.
“We’re gonna lose staff. There’s no question about that, and by losing staff from cuts, we’d eventually lose the staff that stays because they’re gonna be overwhelmed. So there’s a good chance that education is headed towards a crisis,” Evans said. “If this happens, our schools are gonna be full of students that don’t have teachers to teach.”
Not only will teachers have to deal with these effects, Evans believes students will feel these effects as well.
“Our students already struggle with limited funds as it is. We have minimal, and so if they get cuts, then we’re going to struggle with staff size. We will have bigger student ratios, and we might lose funding for materials that we need,” Evans said.
Gibson spells out how cuts to special education funding will affect the district as a whole.
“If we continue on this trajectory, we will come to a point where we will cut programs to make sure we’re funding the federal mandate and needs of students’ disabilities,” Gibson said.
THE ISSUE IN OVERVIEW
How special education funding discrepencies affect USD 232
Kansas law directs that of special education funding should be covered by the state
OVERVIEW
Last fully funded in
92% 2011 92%
Currently in year 2 of a 5 year plan to reach this goal
Yet no additional funds have been allocated
$16,154,397
In 2023-2024, total expended to cover special education costs by USD 232: $16,154,397 The state funded portion: $6,810,872 Federal/Medicaid funded portion: $1,718,853
Locally funded portion: $7,624,672
Out of general education funding
Decreasing available funds for raises for all staff
Allocating property taxes made for other purposes
HB2007 reduces funds in several areas this school year by:
$200,000 $200,000 and plans to do the same next year
As a result of this lack of funding and cuts the district is currently pausing:
The addition of the orchestra program
Additional secondary course options in engineering
Increases to Mill Creek Middle School staffing
AP: DIGITAL OR TRADITIONAL
by ian chern online editor in chief
The College Board has changed most of their AP tests to digital or hybrid instead of paper
Starting this year, the College Board is implementing a sig- nificant change to the AP exam format, with exams for 28 classes transitioning to either fully digital or hybrid. According to the College Board, this change is being made to improve security.
This is not the first time digital AP exams have been introduced. In 2020, AP exams were taken at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Science teacher Neil McLeod thinks the AP exams that were taken in 2020 were a trial for digital exams.
“When they did the AP exam during COVID-19, they still had the AP tests and those were all digital, so I kind of figured that was their pilot to see how it all worked,” McLeod said.
Twelve of the 28 exams will be hybrid digital, meaning that they will have both a digital component and a paper component while the
PRINT VS. PIXELS
remaining 16 exams will be fully digital. The digital part of exams will be administered on the Bluebook
Seniorapplication.Matthew Tieman, who is taking the AP Psychology exam, would rather take the exam on paper.“I am a little disappointed that the AP Psych test will be digital this year,” Tieman said. “I prefer paper tests over digital tests. I don’t like taking notes on my computer and feel like I learn more and can do more on paper.”
Similarly, McLeod believes a paper exam allows students to interact with the test easier.
“I think the hardest thing is [students] can’t write directly on it, so they have a piece of scratch paper . They’d be looking up and down, which I would find to be annoying as opposed to being able to circle and underline things in the short answers that are helpful.” Mcleod said.
Comparison of AP tests that MV offers
FULLY DIGITAL HYBRID
- AP African American Studies
- AP Language and Composition
- AP Literature and Composition
- AP Human Geography
- AP European History
- AP US History
- AP US Government and Politics
- AP Environmental Science
- AP Computer
Science Principles (CT)
- AP Computer
Science A (CT)
- AP Psychology
- AP Calculus AB
- AP Calculus BC
- AP Precalculus
- AP Statistics
- AP Biology
- AP Chemistry
- AP Physics 1
- AP Physics 2
- AP Physics C: Mechanics
- AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
UNCHANGED
- AP Art and Design
- AP Music Theory
- AP French Language and Culture
- AP Spanish Language and Culture
- AP Spanish Literature and Culture
Tieman believes the change could make exams for subjects like math more challenging, but won’t affect subjects like psychology.
“I think that it may be harder for math as there is more solution-based work in math,” Tieman said. “Psychology is mostly terms and how they apply to different situations so success on the AP test is going to be based on how much one knows while you have to work things out in math and the solution-based exams.”
McLeod is optimistic that the new change will allow students to get their scores earlier.
“Hopefully, they can get the multiple choice back faster and I would think that it’s probably going to be more secure,” McLeod said. “Big stacks of papers of the multiple-choice tests are more likely to be insecure as opposed to being digital.”
Students share their preferred style of the AP test Survey of 105 37% of
favored a fully online test
of
favored a hyrbrid test
of
favored a fully paper test
NAILED IT
Students blend creativity and skill to design nails and to create nail companies to share their work
FRESHMAN LEVI THATLOR
“I started doing people’s nails around last August. [My mom] owns Xclusive Nails,” Thatlor said. “I started doing it because I figured that it was a way to make money and as a hobby too. [Also] it’s practice for the future and working with my mom.”
SOPHOMORE GABBY FINCHAM
“I started in December two years ago because I had done mine for a while, and [my friend] saw it and was like, ‘Hey, can you do mine?’ So I started with [her] and it went from there,” Fincham said. “[I do nails] mostly because [my friend] wanted me to.”
JUNIOR EMMA CARBAJO
“I started in April of last year because my friend from Florida did it, and it rubbed off on me,” Carbajo said. “[Then] people started asking me if they could do their nails, and I was like, ‘Why not?’. [Eventually] I found fun in doing other people’s nails.”
by kennedy botkin writer/photographer
GLOSSY FINISH
Quick tips to insure healthy and clean nails
Cuticle oil
Helps to keep cuticles healthy and strong
Nail
Trimming
Round the nails slightly at the tips for maximum strength
Shaping
File your nails with an emery board to protect them from snags
Keep cuticles intact
Avoid removing your cuticles; this damages your nails
Avoid Excess water
Too much water can weaken nails, moisturizer can help
Don’t use your nails as tools
Avoid using your nails to do things like open soda cans
Source: American Academy of Dermatology
DRESSED TO IMPRESS
by maddie martin online editor in chief
by evan leroy online editor in chief
As prom approaches, students prepare their outfits and plans in anticipation.
JUNIOR ABBY ALLEN
“I went with the color because my group tried to do different colors for everybody, so we all had dif ferent things. I have dark hair, so I was trying to go for a darker col or.”
SENIOR NOAH PHAM
“I don’t know how much the dresses cost, but I think [girls] do spend a lot more time and effort into their appearance, whether it’s makeup or their hair and then men just kind of throw on a suit, show up and smile,”
Junior Abby Allen (right) poses in her royal blue prom dress with a mesh corset top, jewels and a slit in the side photo by hannah stephensen
Senior Noah Pham (left) plans to reuse his suit from last year’s prom. In the photo he poses in a black suit with a black undershirt and light blue tie. photo submitted by noah pham
LOOKING GOOD, FEELING BEAUTIFUL
Junior Annie Newell works as a stylist at Mimi’s Prom
“What I get to do is come to work and be surrounded by a group of empowering women, and also my job is I get to basically just [talk] with my best friends and make people feel beautiful all day. It’s one of the most rewarding jobs ever, and all my coworkers are just the best people I’ve ever met and it’s really just a great environment to be around.”
“It’s honestly one of the best feelings in the whole world, because especially when you have a girl that’s like, just not confident in what she’s doing, she’s like, I really just don’t know what I want, you’ll see their face instantly light up, and they’ll start petting the dress.”
Junior Annie Newell models a prom dress at the store Mimi’s Prom. She wears an ombre dress with tiers of different shades of pink tool and a jeweled top. photo submitted by mimi’s prom
April 10, 2025
NEXT GEN NURSES
by kennedy botkin writer/photographer
Nursing programs offered through MV located at JCCC, KCKCC, and EDTEC allows students the opportunity to gain career experience
ESTHER KISIVO
“We use mannequins, and we learn how to do the proper protection when it comes to certain residents.”
MOLLY GRIFFIN
“Two days a week we did labs and we would work on our skills and do skills like vitals, bathing, feeding, and personal care.”
KENNEDY GOERTZ
LEARNING BY DOING
Nursing students do important hands-on activities during their course
The Certified Nursing Assistant, or CNA, course offered through the school at Johnson County Community College, Kansas City Kansas Community College and Eudora through EDTEC gives students who are aspiring to be in the medical field an opportunity to take the CNA exam and to obtain extra hands-on experience and get their certification.
The class is divided into two parts: lab work and book work. Lab work consists of hands-on activities that teach students basic nursing skills like checking vitals or moving patients into wheelchairs. Book work is studying a textbook to help the students prepare for the CNA exam.
Junior Esther Kisivo, who is taking the course at JCCC, liked the lab work over the book work.
“I prefer the labs because I’m a more hands-on learner, and seeing it happen is easier for me to remember,” Kisivo said.
The CNA exam has a written portion and a skills demonstration portion. If students pass the exam, they get their CNA certifica-
tion. While a person does not need to become a CNA to work in the medical field, becoming a CNA or taking the course can provide students with extra experience that can give them a leg up when they get a job or begin college.
The course also provides clinical experience. Students are paired with licensed nurses and work alongside them to treat patients and work with medical equipment.
Senior Molly Griffin, who took the course through EDTEC, got to work at a nursing home for her clinicals.
“We were there for six weeks [for] three hours,” Griffin said. “We were there from 5:45 to 9:00, and we would get the entire floor out of bed. We’d shower them, get them dressed, [move them] down to breakfast and help them eat breakfast.”
The emotional impact of coping with a patient’s death in the medical field is harder to teach students. Senior Kennedy Goertz, who took the course at the Kansas College of Nursing during the
“We did everything on dummies,” Goertz said. “I learned how to do bed baths and [how to use a] gait belt.”
summer, works at Kaw River Care and Rehab and has experienced death first-hand.
“There was [a] lady I had, she recently just passed, but I was on my shift on a Saturday [and] I had to check her pulse and her aspirations to make sure she was alive every hour,” Goertz said. ”It’s sad to watch them decline because they’re talking to you and trying to get better, and you’re doing the best you can [to help them], but you can’t control it.”
In the future, Kisivo wants to go into the obstetrics and gynecology field, Griffin wants to get her Bachelor of Science in Nursing to become a registered nurse and Goertz wants to become an ER nurse. Kisivo believes taking the course will help her become an OBGYN.
“[The class is] teaching me the proper medical terminology that I’ll be using in the medical field and giving me experience working with patients and residents,” Kisivo said. “I think it’s gonna benefit me when I get to the higher-level medical field, and having had that familiarity.”
MISSING MOLARS
Several students’ wisdom teeth removal surgery memories and their difficult road to recovery
It has become a rite of passage for teens to get their wisdom teeth removed.
Third molars are generally referred to as wisdom teeth and they are the four molars in the very back of the mouth and they generally come in around ages 16-18. Wisdom teeth aren’t necessary and are most often removed because there isn’t enough room in the mouth for them to properly come in. Dr. Jill Jenkins of Jenkins Dentistry recommends getting them removed as soon as they start to appear.
“If wisdom teeth aren’t removed when necessary, the tooth could be restricted to only grow in partially where it becomes a trap for food and bacteria and can lead to infections. If the tooth is stuck in the bone then it has a higher chance of developing a cyst or other complications,” Jenkins said.
The operation left junior Liberty Bouskill feeling very tired afterward.
“It did kind of suck, especially because I got them removed the day before Thanksgiving,” Bouskill said. “I just ate mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, and I felt
groggy and gross.”
Another impact of the surgery is the feeling of numbness after. For senior Jada Winfrey, this was one of the strangest things.
“The weirdest feeling for me is that when you wake up, your face is still numb, and your tongue is still numb for several hours after,
“I really think it’s not as bad as people make it seem. I just read books and watched
movies.“
Junior Liberty Bouskill
and it feels weird,” Winfrey said. “You can’t feel it unless you’re actually touching it with your hands.”
The recovery process can be intimidating for many but Bouskill found it to be better than she was expecting.
“I really think it’s not as bad as people make it seem,” Bous-
BITE-SIZED FACTS
Remember to brush the other teeth while in recovery to reduce risk of infection.
by maddie martin online editor in chief
kill said. “It was probably a week where I was down for the count. But I just read books and watched movies. I couldn’t really eat any- thing, so I just ate fudgsicles, bone broth and mashed potatoes.”
However the recovery process has its unique challenges. One being that afterward people cannot drink out of straws because it can cause dry sockets which is when a blood clot does not form around the extraction site. Senior Maggie Wieland thought this was the hardest part about the recovery.
“My biggest challenge was that I couldn’t use straws for 10 days after,” Wieland said. “That was a problem. If I wanted a coffee, I couldn’t sip it out of a straw. I couldn’t drink water out of my Stanley [water bottle] because I couldn’t drink out of straw. It was treacherous.”
While the entire experience can be uncomfortable, Bouskill found that drinking pineapple juice beforehand helped.
“I did the whole drink pineapple juice thing before, and I really do think it made a difference, because I don’t remember my face being super swollen or anything,” Bouskill said.
Different post-operation tips after wisdom teeth removal
Use frozen peas (or ice packs) on the side of face for the first 2 days; apply ice 20 minutes on and 10 minutes off.
FROZEN PEAS
Drink plenty of fluids and avoid using straws.
After the first day, use a warm salt water rinse after each meal for the first week.
Sources: Cleveland Clinic, Amarillo Oral Surgery
MELOD C
MELOD C MADNESS
Language classes fill out brackets for two different March music competitions by
maddie martin online editor in chief
Inspired by the NCAA March Madness bracket, French and Spanish classes across the country are participating in Manie Musicale and March Madness Música to help students learn about the music and culture of the languages.
The brackets each feature 16 songs from French and Spanish speaking countries and the winners of each round are voted on by students across the world, until a winner is declared.
March Música began in 2013, but Spanish teacher Siri Campbell introduced it to school in 2015.
“Everybody has a feeling of what they like and dislike, and music speaks to everyone in all cultures and languages.”
Spanish teacher Siri Campbell
“I jumped on board because I love music and music is the international language,” Campbell said. “Everybody has their feeling of what they like and dislike, and it’s music speaks to everyone in all cultures and languages.”
French teacher Denise Smith continued the tradition from previous French teachers. Smith enjoys getting to see her students form opinions and relate to each other through music.
“I think students really start to show their personality, because music brings something out in everyone, it can bring people together,” Smith said. “It’s neat to see when students who I know are very different on the personal-
ity spectrum, but yet then share a genre of music.”
Participating also allows students the opportunity to take a break from the busyness of the day. French III student junior Gwen Kline enjoys this aspect.
“We don’t have to do any classwork, so you can just relax, have fun, listen to music videos and watch them,” Kline said. “[And] I think you get a prize if you win.”
While the brackets are a nice way for students to unwind, Smith believes they are an opportunity for students to practice the language in a less conventional way.
“Music is always at a faster pace than spoken language, so they’re having to really tune in on their skill of listening to try and understand what is being said,” Smith said. “It also gives them awareness for cultural differences and how global the French language is.”
Kline has seen how participating has enhanced her listening skills.
“I like to listen to what words, and I’ll be like, ‘Oh, I know that word,’ and I can kind of understand what they’re saying,” Kline said. “So it’s definitely helped with really hearing and listening to those French words.”
Both March Música and Manie Musicale are staples for all levels of French and Spanish but the purpose can change depending on the level. Campbell likes to have different levels focus on different aspects.
“Particularly for the upper levels, the lyrics they can dive into that a little bit more,” Campbell said. “With the lower levels it’s more looking at sort of the culture in there’s certain rhythms that are typical for Spanish or Latin based songs, so we look in the and just kind of what’s popular, so it’s just more looking into the culture and having fun with the music.”
March Madness Musica
2024
2023
“Tacones Rojos”
“Muchacha” Gente de Zona, Becky G
“Destino” Greeicy, Nacho
2020 2022 2021 2024
Manie Musicale
March Madness Musica Manie Musicale
2023 2022 2021 2020
“Danser Avec Toi” LeFLOFRANCO
“Nouveau Monde” Corneille
“La Vie” Ichon Winners of each competition over the past 5 years
March Madness traditions and students who particpate
March Madness began in Staten Island in 1977 when Terence Haggerty, owner of Jody’s Club Forest started handing out blank brackets to customers. Students carry on this tradition by creating brackets online and on paper for mens and womens teams alike.
Senior Morgan Speciale fills out multiple brackets and competes against her family to to win a gift card.
To help fill out their brackets some students search online or on TV for help and advice to create the best bracket. Sophomore Cassidy Stuke does this to maximize her chances of winning.
“I usually watch SportsCenter or social media leading up to selection Sunday to see what underdogs might have a good chance
by ryan bloomer writer/photographer
of going far or seeing which high seed teams have faults,” Stuke said.
With so many teams to choose from students have many different reasons as to why they support the team they do.
For Stuke she generally watches the teams she finds interesting
“For men I like to support K-State if they make it into the bracket but good teams that always make it far that I like are Marquette, North Carolina and Gonzaga,” Stuke said. “For women I like to watch UConn, K-State and Iowa play.”
Like Speciale, many gather with friends or family to watch the games. Stuke does this with her family to keep up with her bracket.
“We all watch most of the evening games during March to keep up with our brackets,” Stuke said.
84% participate in a mens bracket
SCHOOL SCORES
23
23 million people watched the championship game in 2024
26 SCHOOL SCORES
26 56 56
million people watched the final four game in 2023
million people filled out a bracket in 2023
NATIONAL SCORES NATIONAL SCORES
Student versus national bracket involvement with March Madness
NATIONAL PLAYS NATIONAL PLAYS
Survey of 109 students
Source: Statista
Senior Morgan Speciale watches a baketball game on Monday, March 31 photo by evan leroy
Who you live with shapes who you are. According to a survey done by the JagWire of 109 students 67% said their family dynamic has impacted them in a positive way. From living with one parent to living with step parents, no two families are alike.
Everyone has a different perception of what family means to them, senior Maya-Rose Yancey believes family is more than the
people who are blood related.
“I would say a family is a group of people that you can talk to all the time, and make deeper connections than you would with just casual friends,” Yancey said.
Similarly, junior Rider Rew feels that family doesn’t have to be the person’s family they were born into.
“I think [blood relatives] give you the expectation that they’re supposed to be a part of your family, but if they’re not good people,
NUCLEAR FAMILY
The nuclear family is a very traditional family dynamic that most people are familiar with. These families have one mom, one dad, and children. This dynamic is one of the most common at the school.
Freshman William Crawford shines a light on what his nuclear family dynamic looks like.
“My mom works on the financing side of a hospital, and my dad is a para at Mill Valley. My family dynamic is pretty basic. Both of [my parents] pitch in to make dinner and do occasional chores around the house,” Crawford said. “I have two siblings, Miles and Ernie; one’s in middle school at Monticello Trails, and one’s at Prairie Ridge.”
Sophomore CJ Hereth also has a similar nuclear dynamic to Crawford, with a mom, dad, and siblings.
“My dad is an engineer at Hewitt, and it pays pretty good. My mom was an orthodontist assistant,” Hereth said.”I have four sisters, two older and two young-
er, no brothers.”
While Hereth and Crawford both have siblings, Yancey is an only child.
“It’s just me and my parents,” Yancey said. “We have a dog as well, but it’s mainly just my mom and I, [and] my dad.”.
Although these families have few differences in their mechanics, they do have things that set them apart. Crawford’s family interests differs from others.
“I feel like some of the interests of my family are a little different, mostly relating to sports, because my dad is the soccer coach at the high school, so a lot of our family is soccer-related,” Crawford said.
Yancey talks more to her mother about emotional things and her father about logical things.
“I’m much more open when talking to my mom about certain topics,” Yancey said. “And if I’m talking to my dad, I can still be open, but you get different answers that might not be as in sync or understanding.”
While nuclear families may not differ extremely from others,
FAMILY TIES
Some of the many different types of families that make up the student body and how different families live
then you don’t have to consider them family,” Rew said. “You’re not inclined to hang out and enjoy someone just because you feel like you’re supposed to.”
According to Pew Research Center, 67% of families in the 1970s were nuclear, meaning a mom, dad and children. Now, that number has dropped to 37%. Family dynamics are changing, and it’s no longer the status quo for families to be limited to a mom and dad.
SENIOR MAYA-ROSE YANCEY
Hereth shares why he admires his parents’ relationship so much.
“I admire them being so open, while they’re sometimes too open to me,” Hereth said. “They often do kiss a lot in front of me, which embarrasses us kids, but it does set a good expectation for what a good, loving relationship looks like.”
by madelyn mulryan editor in chief
by natalia castillejos-ramírez writer/photographer
by mya franco writer/photographer
IMMIGRATED FAMILY
Immigrant families are different from nuclear families because of the struggles they face and their different ways of doing things. These families had to go through a lot when they came to America, despite the fact they immigrated legally.
Junior Hiya Sood opens up about how and why her family moved here.
“My mom immigrated here when she was around 12, and there was a lot of discrimination and bullying going on when she was in high school. She didn’t know English, nor did my grandparents, but they immigrated here because of my great grandma,” Sood said. “Then my dad got here after he married my mom because they had an arranged marriage.”
Setting aside the obvious differences from other families, Sood has seen differences between her family and her peers.
“I always see differences between my family and other families. Recently, I figured out my friends’ families are a lot older,” Sood said. “They had their kids when they were [in their] 30s and 40s, now, their parents are in their 60s, and my parents are [in their] 30s and 40s.”
The Kaur family has a similar family dynamic. Junior Prabjot Kaur and sophomore Amrit Kaur’s parents immigrated here before they were born.
Prabjot explains why their parents immigrated here from India.
“My grandpa came, and then my mom came here when she was [around] 17,” Prabjot said. “Then she went to college here for a year. My dad came here after eight years of struggle because of 9/11.”
Although the Kaur’s moved here before all of their children were born, Prabjot went back to
India when she was little. “I lived in India for eight years because my parents wanted me to learn the culture and language, so I came [back to America] in fourth grade, and I barely knew any English,” Prabjot said.
Amrit has an accent because of this, which has caused problems for her.
“I have an accent and people like making fun of it. Now, I don’t care, but when I was in middle school, I did care,” Amrit said. “I did take it to heart sometimes.”
Even though Amrit struggled with the repercussions of having immigrant parents, she has also learned things from them.
“[I’ve learned] that it’s okay to be different because everybody’s gonna be different in their own way. It could be in a color or their personalities. Everybody’s different, so you have to accept it,” Amrit said.
Junior Noah Kim and sophomore Josh Kim’s parents are also immigrants, but their situation is a little different.
“Both of my parents were born in South Korea. My dad moved to America when he was four, but my mom came to the U.S. when she was 26 on a visa for college
SOPHOMORE
JOSH KIM
education,” Noah said. “There’s a big difference [between them]. My dad is super American, and my mom is still deeply rooted in Korea, and she always speaks Korean in the household.”
Josh’s parents’ expectations have impacted his life .
“With Asian parents, they have more expectations for academics and music,” Josh said. “I’ve been in music lessons for a while. Having immigrant parents has furthered my musical career.”
Not only does having immigrant parents impact Josh’s academics and musical career, but his interpersonal relationships as well.
“[I’ve experienced] just basic racism, like in school people will make comments and they think it’s funny but it still offends me,” Josh said.
Noah explains how having immigrant parents has helped him have a more open mind.
“[Having immigrant parents] helped me become a more open person, just because I understand that a lot of people come from different backgrounds and they all have different experiences,” Noah said. “A lot of the things that happen within your household defines who you are.”
JUNIOR NOAH KIM
DIVORCED FAMILY FRESHMAN
ZOEY ZAGORSKI
Another family dynamic is separated and/or divorced parents. This dynamic can have complications but it also offers numerous opportunities for personal growth.
Divorced families are unique as they create several family dynamics. When parents remarry, it results in step-families, creating a larger or nuclear family. According to Child Trends, about two-thirds of remarriages involve step-families.
On the other hand, some parents remain single. The National Library of Medicine notes that 58% of single parent families are mainly the result of divorce.
Freshman Zoey Zagorski was an only child before her mother remarried. Re-marriage allowed her to experience and enjoy a different family dynamic with siblings.
“I like having step-siblings. I think it was nice to grow up as an only child. But then, having a sibling now, it’s better and less lonely,” Zagorski said.
In addition, having step-parents can create good role models. This was the case for sophomore Charlie Barrett who, because of divorce has a stepfather.
“At my mom’s house, he [stepdad] acts like my dad. So he’s very, like, protective over me, and, like, cares for me a lot,” Barrett said.
Having different family dynamics can lead to having more siblings and step-parents. However, having different family dynamics and separated families can also present various challenges, particularly when spending time with each other. The most common way to split time is 50/50. Ultimately, the effectiveness of the arrangement depends on the parents.
For Zagorski, it can be tough to
compromise with each family.
“There’s more family dynamics that you have and it’s harder to be with everyone and make everyone happy,” Zagorski said.
For sophomore Blayne Christman balancing each family is always a journey of conflict and feelings.
“I’m sad and baffled that I didn’t choose one parent, but I’m also happy that I chose one parent because I had fun [with the other parent], I’m also sad that I might have had fun with the other it’s, very conflicting,” Christman said.
Barrett has faced numerous challenges due to switching between families.
“Sometimes, you’re not as opti- mistic because you have to go back and forth between two homes. For holidays, I always have to go between my mom’s and dad’s, and I can’t always hang out with friends. Also, sometimes it can cause tension between my parents when I have to go back and forth,” Barrett said.
The actual process parents being divorce or separation can be very difficult, each case having its individual struggles.
For Zagorski, it was especially difficult because she was managing various complications while her parents divorced.
“It was right before middle school, and I had broken my leg. A month later, I was out of the boot, and they told me they were getting divorced. Then COVID happened was already happening,” Zagorski said.
For Christman, it was arduous after his parents split because he was separated from his brother for a few“Beingyears.away from my brother for a while and only seeing him now and then made it hard to
develop a strong relationship be- cause we kind of had to,” Christman said.
Although the process of sepa- ration can be difficult. The same hardships help others grow in their qualities and what they appreciate.
For example for Christman, having limited time with his brother made him more appreciative of his time.
“What we [him and his brother] have made us value our time together because we learned not to take the time we had with each other for granted,” Christman said.
Additionally, divorce can serve as a valuable lesson in personal growth and can offers other positive benefits.
“[Divorce] Made me stronger and more mature. I value the things like the time I spend with people. I also get more presents on holidays, which is always fun. But the best part is that I get to spend more one-on-one time with each parent” says Barrett.
SINGLE PARENT FAMILY
Not all families have two parental figures, some families have one single parent. In 2024 there were approximately 9.8 million single parent households, according to the United States Census Bureau.
Sophomore Gracie Pollicita details how she has adapted to living with just her mother.
“There’s just some things you have to figure out for yourself,” Pollicita said. “Especially not having a dad, I know it sounds cliche
SOPHOMORE GRACIE POLLICITA
but you have to learn how to fix things.”
Junior Rider Rew, who also lives with just his mother, explains how it was difficult when he was a kid.
“Growing up I was lonely,” Rew said. “[My household now] is pretty well off financially, but we didn’t have much in the early years, so my mom was a stay at home mother who did editorial work. She was usually always in her office doing work, so I was on my own a Pollicitalot.”highlights some of the lesser known struggles of living in a single parent household.
“I think one of the most difficult parts is the age gap where I don’t have my license, and having one parent have to do everything, while everyone kind of assumes that you have two who can drive you places [is hard],” Pollicita said.
Just like any family, there are a multitude of things to balance with both siblings and parents. Pollicita has found that balance in making sure she is supporting her brother and her mom.
“Even though my sister’s away from college, making sure my brother knew he could talk to me, and also making sure that my mom knew that she could tell me what was going on,” Pollicita said.
For some single parent families, the children will have contact with the other parent, for Rew he still sees his dad and tries to strike a good balance in their relationship.
“I’ve been a lot more busy with work and school, so I try to call
WHAT MAKES US FAMILY
him a lot more, and also try and set up days where I’m able to go to dinner with him,” Rew said. “But [I] have a good healthy balance now.”
While the National Library of Medicine says that some single parent households might be more likely to be bullied, Pollicita noticed that most of her peers treat her the same when they find out she lives with her mom, whereas adults or teachers might treat her differently.
“I noticed adults pity me a lot, like a lot of my teachers and administrators,” Pollicita said. “They definitely try to be a little nicer when they find out because they’re trying to support me. I don’t think I get a lot of sympathy from kids my age, though.”
Rew believes that he isn’t treated differently for his family, and
“In general, I never hear anyone really care if your parents are divorced or if you live at home with just your mom or dad,”
that non-nuclear families are becoming more accepted in society.
“In general, I never hear anyone really care if your parents are divorced or if you live at home with just your mom or dad,” Rew said. “[Different family dynamics] are getting more and more normal.”
Many different types of families make up the student body
Junior Rider Rew
FAMILY MATTERS
How the family dynamics of JagWire reporters have shaped their lives for the better
GENERATIONAL HOME
by natalia castillejos-ramírez writer/photographer
hen I moved to the U.S. at three with my mom and brother, we didn’t have a lot of money so we moved in with my grandparents and aunts. It was a wonderful childhood being surrounded by so many family members. Over time, my brother and aunts pursued their independence. At that time, my mom had built a better life for us and bought a better home for me and my grandparents. Growing up with a single mother who always provided for my grandparents taught me independence and to give back. I am so grateful for her and she continues to inspire me every day.
A multi generational home teaches valuable lessons
At home, my grandpa shares his ideas on life and encourages me to see beauty in everything. My grandma isn’t as philosophical, but she always makes me laugh with her entertaining life stories.
Seeing them age has taught me the importance of supporting others through aging and health issues. It has influenced me to try to bring light to dark situations. My family dynamic has taught me all family dynamics are valuable. What matters is love within the family. I feel blessed to have lived with different family members because they all taught me something different and shaped who I am today.
A HOME FULL OF LOVE
by hannah stephensen writer/photographer
While having such a large family may seem outlandish to some, for me it’s a normal part of my everyday life. Growing up I never realized that having a family this large wasn’t common. My dad has seven siblings, which means that I have over twenty four cousins on my dad’s side.
I grew up with my mom, dad and two younger brothers my whole childhood. When I was 12, my parents got divorced. About a year later, my dad got remarried to my step mom, who has three kids, two girls and one boy, so in total there were eight of us all in one house. This past November, my half sister was born. Whenever I go to my dads, it’s a full house.
The chaos of a large family is outweighed by their support
My mom later got remarried to my step dad, who has two kids. I’ve never had a sister before, so I was very excited to find out that I was going to have three step sisters.
Having this many family members can be very chaotic, but at the same time very entertaining. My family is usually the loudest in the crowd, and they are the best supporters I could ask for.
However, a downside to having such a large family is that there are lots of activities. Therefore, not everyone will make it to your events. Everyone has soccer games, track meets, swim meets, dance recitals, musicals and more. But when they do show up, it is one of the most uplifting feelings in the world.
After enjoying a nice day in Kansas City, junior Natalia Castillejos-Ramírez and her grandparents smile in front of the National WW1 museum. photo submitted by natalia castillejos-ramírez
Junior Hannah Stephensen and her dad’s side of the family pose for a group photo on Dec. 30, 2024 photo submitted by hannah stephensen
DEFINITION OF FAMILY
Family dynamics should not be dictated by genetics
Growing up, people did not alway accept my family because it wasn’t the standard, but the family I have were always the people who made me feel loved. I have been close to Anthony and his sons ever since I met them when I was seven. As I got older, my relationship with my biological father grew sour, but I was never at a loss for a father figure. Anthony has raised me as his own for the majority of my life. Anthony has in every way become my dad and to me he is as much my dad as he would be if we were blood related.
Throughout my life, I have experienced people not understanding or agreeing with my family because it was different. I’ve been told that Anthony is not my “real” father and his sons are not my
by hailey gussio editor in chief
“real” brothers. I’ve been told that my biological father is my dad and Anthony will never be that. Com ments like those used to weigh on me greatly. I always wanted people to accept my family, but I have learned to look past those comments. Others do not need to understand or accept my family, I know who my family is and that is what matters.
After nearly a decade, my last name was finally legally changed to Anthony’s on March 25. It is nice to no longer be questioned why I have a different last name from my parents, but most importantly it felt like crossing the final hurdle to belonging in my family. It’s a reminder of the love I have for them and that no matter what people say they will always be my family.
THE GIFT OF ADOPTION
Legal labels should match family dynamics at home
Being adopted by my aunt and uncle has completely changed my life. My story has affected me in a variety of positive ways and has made me who I am today.
Until I was four years old, I lived in Los Angeles, California with my mom and dad. My life was extremely unhealthy and unstable. Each day, both of my parents gave their time and money to drugs, which left me neglected and our family with little to no money. A few weeks after my fourth birthday, it got to a point where my parents could not take care of me anymore and my dad ended up calling my aunt for help. After flying to Kansas City almost 12 years ago to stay with my aunt
by abby stidham-ebberts writer/photographer
and uncle, I haven’t left since. Ever since that day, my life has improved so much and now I see that it was all in God’s hands. On Dec. 3, 2023, my aunt and uncle officially adopted me. My adoption has been very beneficial in my life because it helps me feel more connected with my family. The relationship I have with my family hasn’t changed, but the labels we use to describe it have. Instead of being called their niece, I am their daughter.
I believe there is nothing negative about adoption; it is so helpful for children who want to feel a sense of belonging and importance in their families. Overall, being adopted has been the most special gift in my life.
On vacation in Colorado, senior Hailey Gussio and her parents bond over their shared love of photography photo submitted by hailey gussio
Sophomore Abby Stidham-Ebberts smiles between her aunt and uncle in the park a few days after the adoption was finalized, on Dec. 23, 2023. photo submitted by abby stidham
AIMING FOR EXCELLENCE
After shooting 250 shots, senior Owen Kalma and junior John Duld both only missed one shot the entire fall season, crowning them both state champions of the Kansas State High School Clay Target League in their respective categories since they had the highest averages.
In clay target shooting, there are three main disciplines: trap shooting, skeet shooting and sporting clays. Since the school does not have a clay target shooting team, Kalma and Duld won their state championships as members of the St. James Academy team. Kalma was the champion of trap shooting while Duld was the champion of skeet shooting.
Although it was not the first sport Kalma played, he has found that it is the one for him.
TRAP VS. SKEET SHOOTING
“I’m good at it, so it’s fun. I played baseball and basketball, and I started shooting trap with my grandpa and my dad just for fun,” Kalma said. “Then once I became good at it, I was better at trap shooting than any of the other sports I played, so I just stuck with it instead.”
TRAP SKEET
Targets move away from shooter
Requires a gun with a longer barrel and tighter chokes
Targets cross in front of shooter
Requires a gun with a shorter barrel and open chokes
Similarly, Duld was also introduced to clay target shooting by his grandfather.
“About six years ago, my grandfather drove me out to the gun range and started just handing me a gun, saying, ‘Here you go’ and I’ve been shooting ever since then,” Duld said.
Last year, Kalma fell just short of winning the
by ian chern online editor in chief
state championship. This made winning it this year even better.
“Winning was pretty awesome,” Kalma said. “The year before, I got second because I lost the tiebreaker, so getting first this year was pretty awesome.”
According to Kalma, the sport is more individual based than team based.
“It’s similar to track in a way,” Kalma said. “It’s like an individual sport. Your scores are more important than your team scores. So you’re competing individually, but with people to try and help boost your scores.”
Kalma is preparing to compete with 1800 other shooters in the USA High School Clay Target League National Championship held in Mason, Michigan in July. In order to qualify, shooters must have above a 19 out of 25 average per box. Shooters who have higher averages get the opportunity to sign up early until all spots are taken.
“I’m excited and I’ve got to nationals the last two or three years, and I’ve placed,” Kalma said. “I placed, but I didn’t play very well the first time. Last time, I placed top 100.”
Although Duld is also preparing for a national competition, he will be competing in the Scholastic Clay Target Program National Championships in Ohio rather than the high school league like Kalma. Both Kalma and Duld plan to continue clay target shooting in college and the future.
“I love [clay target shooting] cause it’s a lot of fun,” Duld said. “The environment’s fun, the people are fun and everything is just a lot of fun.”
Junior John Duld and senior Owen Kalmas win state in clay target shooting
During his practice Friday, March 7, senior Owen Kalmas aims high to hit his target as it flies through the air. photo by jake brown
COACHING THROWBACK
by ryan bloomer writer/photographer
Former softball players Ashley Copeland and Jessica Garcia return to be coaches
From playing softball to coaching softball at Mill Valley, coaches Jessica Garcia and Ashley Copeland are shaping future players to be the best versions of themselves on and off the field.
Garcia has seen crucial development not only in their players but also in the softball program itself, since she played from 2017-2020.
“Well, I played out at 3&2 [softball fields], that was our home field, so I didn’t really get all these nice tunnels, nice dug out and nice field,” Garcia said.
Copeland played for the team all four years and still appreciates the connections she made in the program.
“I played two years of JV softball and then two years of varsity softball, Copeland said. “I had a lot of fun. I have some friends that I still connect with, and it was a really good growing experience for me.”
Copeland sees coaching as an opportunity to spend time with others and help them grow.
“I just think coaching is just an opportunity to build relationships with people. And so I think it’s just, you know, a connection. You can find connections anywhere in a house that we have softball in common with, but it’s just when you spend time with people that helps,” Copeland said.
Garcia has played under Jessi-
ca DeWild which has allowed her to keep a good relationship while coaching“Whentogether. I was here playing, I felt comfortable talking to DeWild about anything and everything, and I feel like that’s carried over into the coaching,” Garcia said.
Garcia appreciates the opportunity to share a common love for the sport and has a determination to help all her athletes succeed.
“I think being able to play at a higher level as well. It’s a certain amount of respect that they have for me and respect that I recipro- cate to them. They’re a good group of girls, and I’m excited to see what they’re going to do this season,” Garcia said.
FROM FIELD TO COACH
Starting as players at Mill Valley, two alumni returned to take coaching positions
ASHLEY COPELAND
PLAYED: 2004-2008
COACHING: 2022-present
JESSICA GARCIA
PLAYED: 2017-2020
COACHING: 2025-present
During the 2018 state championship, softball coach and, at the time, sophomore Jessica Garcia winds up to pitch the ball. photo from Mill Valley News
Softball coach Jessica Garcia calls out the next warm up for the team to do during practice on Tuesday, March 11. photo by Evan LeRoy
Softball coach Ashley Copeland plays catch with a player to help her warm up during practice on Wednesday, March 12. photo by Evan LeRoy
Back in high school, bottom left, Ashley Copeland poses with her softball team. photo submitted by Ashley Copeland
HONING HIS CRAFT
A few of Graves’ pipe
ANKLYOSAURUS
STEGOSAURUS
I AM
MV
Through a couple of bends and twists, sophomore Quyncee Graves can turn a bundle of pipe cleaners into unique work of art.
When he was only in the first grade, Graves’ curiosity gave him the idea to make sculptures out of pipe cleaners.
“I guess when I saw pipe cleaner, I thought, ‘What is this? People used this with art?’ So I just decided to see what I can use it for and I decided to make something,” Graves said.
When art teacher Erica Matyak first met Graves, she was astonished by his pipe cleaner sculptures.
ELEPHANT AND BEE
“I met him when I was subbing for Mrs. Ellis, and when he was in her classroom, he was making one of his pipe cleaner sculptures, and I was just amazed at how he was creating these without looking at anything,” Matyak said. “They’re anatomically correct, and just amazing
pipe cleaner creatures.”
Graves makes the sculptures in 20 to 30 minutes, with some larger ones taking up to 50 minutes. He describes the process of making a sculpture.
“The process would start by forming like a skinny skeleton and, like how long it should look or how it should be,” Graves said. “I may start with the legs, then move to the body and then last, the details.”
In order to determine what he wants to create, oftentimes he takes inspiration from things he sees in movies.
“Sometimes I sculpt what I want and sometimes I do whatever and I figure out what I want to do,” Graves said. “Like when I saw those Godzilla movies, I thought that maybe I should make a Godzilla sculpture.”
Matyak enjoys how Graves uses his artwork as a way to express his emotions.
“What I love about his pipe cleaner sculptures is that it’s just the process of how he creates them. It’s so amazing that he’s self-taught,” Matyak said. “If he does a drawing or with his pipe cleaners sculptures, he kind of comes up with stories about them and puts a lot of humor into his work.”
QUYNCEE GRAVES
Sophomore Quyncee
Graves creates pipe cleaner sculptures
by ian chern online editor in chief
Sophomore Quyncee
Graves is deep in thought while working on his next creation on March
