JagWire Newspaper: Volume 20, Issue 3

JAGWIRE MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL | VOL. 20 | ISSUE 3 | NOV. 14, 2019 | MVNEWS.ORG

breaking the

stigma Finding help for mental illness pg. 12-16

02

Table of Contents | Cover by Tatum Elliott

contents news

04 impeachment

06 low para salaries

features

08 kevin lee

10 hadley rupe

12 mental health

opinions

17 staff editorial 18 opinions

sports 20 hunting

a&e

22 budget trends

photo essay

24 the musical

November 14, 2019

letter from the editors hey mill valley!

For issue three, we felt it was time to address something that has impacted many students here at Mill Valley and across the nation: mental illness. Four students, sophomore Ryan Simpson, juniors Gabriella Hantla, Emily Hertel and McKenna Neely courageously decided to share their personal experiences with mental illness and their path to finding help with us. We hope everyone who takes the time to read their stories is impacted just as much as we were, and we are immensely grateful for their involvement in making this issue possible.

Each of our staff members has put time and effort into this issue, and we

hope it is evident in the content we’ve provided. We’re committed to improving with each of the issues we produce, and we learn something new during each of our production cycles.

We can’t wait to hear back from everyone on the contents of this issue, and we look forward to starting work on the next issue!

your editors,

staff 2019-2020 editors-in-chief

Hannah Chern

jagwire.hannahchern@gmail.com

Tatum Elliott

jagwire.tatumelliott@gmail.com

mill valley news editors-in-chief

reporters & photographers

Isabel Aerni

jagwire.isabelaerni@gmail.com

Aiden Burke

jagwire.aidenburke@gmail.com

Julia Fair

jagwire.juliafair@gmail.com

Anna Owsley

Claire Franke

Ben Wieland

Quinn Franken

jagwire.annaowsley@gmail.com jagwire.benwieland@gmail.com

photo editor Andrew Tow

jagwire.andrewtow@gmail.com

assistant editors Steven Curto

jagwire.stevencurto@gmail.com

Sophie Lecuru

jagwire.sophielecuru@gmail.com

Tanner Smith

jagwire.clairefranke@gmail.com jagwire.quinnfranken@gmail.com

Jordin Harris

jagwire.jordinharris@gmail.com

Anastasia O’Brien

jagwire.anastasiaobrien@gmail.com

Jordan Prestia

jagwire.jordanprestia@gmail.com

Hayden Resch

jagwire.haydenresch@gmail.com

Evan Sherman

jagwire.evansherman@gmail.com

Zach Shrader

jagwire.zachshrader@gmail.com

jagwire.tannersmith@gmail.com

@millvalleynews

find us at:

mvnews.org

@millvalleynews1 Mill Valley News

jagwire office

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, Inc.

JagWire

Content by Claire Franke | Design by Hannah Chern |

News Brief

03

HAVE YOU HEARD? A review of the significant news highlights and events to remember for this month

ISIS Leader Killed in a Raid by the US Military Sunday, Oct. 27

U.S. troops in Syria found ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Sunday, Oct. 27. He killed his family and himself by suicide bomb. No U.S. troop members were hurt. Troops received information about members of ISIS and their proposed plans. Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi was named the successor Friday, Nov. 1. photo source SalamPix/Abaca Press/TNS

Washington Nationals Win the World Series Wednesday, Oct. 30

The Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros in Game 7 of the World Series Wednesday, Oct. 30.

This is the Nationals’ first World Series win in their 50-year history. Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg was named MVP. Their World Series parade was Saturday, Nov. 2, and drew in a crowd of thousands of fans from all over the U.S. photo source Elsa/Getty Images/TNS

The Kincade Wildfire Is Fully Contained Wednesday, Nov. 6

The Kincade Fire in Sonoma County, California was fully contained Wednesday evening. The fire has been a massive problem since Wednesday, Oct. 23, causing 180,000 people to be forced to evacuate from their homes, burning nearly 78,000 acres and destroying 374 structures. Residents were given the all clear to return home Monday, Nov. 4. photo source Al Seib/Los Angerles Times/TNS

professional associations

Kansas Scholastic Press Association National Scholastic Press Association Journalism Education Association Journalism Educators of Metropolitan Kansas City The 2018 JagWire earned an All-American rating from NSPA and an All-Kansas rating from KSPA. It is also a member of the NSPA All-American Hall of Fame.

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.

World Hello Day Thursday, Nov. 21

“It sounds like a different type of holiday, I think it will work out well and be fun.” freshman raleigh laningham

Black Friday Friday, Nov. 29

“It is a bit scary and overwhelming, but it lets me get good sales.” sophomore lacey marr

National Cookie Day Wednesday, Dec. 4

“Cookies are delicious, rich and flavorful. They just melt in your mouth.” sophomore aneesa ismail

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.

04

News | Design by Tatum Elliott

INQUIRING ABOUT

November 14, 2019

IMPEACHMENT

An in-depth look at the ongoing impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump

MOST PRESSING QUESTIONS

AP Government teacher Ian Nichols answers commonly asked questions about impeachment

1

What is impeachment?

“Article two section one of the Constitution says the President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors.”

2

What is different between impeachment and removal?

“It is up to the Senate to determine whether to remove the president based off the articles of impeachment that the House has passed.

Impeachment does not mean remove. That is a common misconception.”

3

What are the chances of Trump being impeached? “[House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi made it clear that the impeachment proceedings would be going forward … it does appear that articles of impeachment will be drafted against President Trump.”

4

What is being investigated through the inquiry?

“The House of Representatives is investigating whether President Trump’s withholding of funds to Ukraine was for national security purposes or if it was ... to hurt a potential rival.”

KEEPING UP TO DATE A timeline of the impeachment inquiry

source: CNN

THE ZELENSKY CALL

FORMAL INQUIRY BEGINS

This is the event that is the center of the impeachment inquiry. The call supposedly set up a quid pro quo with the Ukrainian government, which many believe is an impeachable offense.

After rumors of a potential quid pro quo, the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed representative Adam Schiff to lead the impeachment inquiry.

Thursday, July 25

Tuesday, Sept. 24

Photos by Isabel Aerni

JagWire

TANNER SMITH

AIDEN BURKE

05

assistant editor

reporter/photographer

POLITICAL PLAYERS

People who are involved in the impeachment inquiry source: CNN

Donald Trump President of the United States

Volodymyr Zelensky

Nancy Pelosi Adam Schiff

President of Ukraine

LIMITED KNOWLEDGE

A student survey shows how much students know about the impeachment inquiry

48% 26% 6% 41%

| News

of students knew the country at the center of the impeachment controversy: Ukraine

Speaker of the House

Leader of Inquiry

PAST INQUIRIES Past presidents who faced impeachment

source: US Senate

Andrew Johnson

impeached in 1868

of students knew who the head of the impeachment inquiry probe was: Adam Schiff of students knew what fraction of the House of Representatives it takes to impeach: 1/2 of students knew how many presidents have been impeached in the past: Two

WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINT

Richard Nixon

inquiry launched in 1974

Bill Clinton

impeached in 1998

survey of 189 students

REPUBLICANS STORM MEETING

OFFICIALS TESTIFY

A complaint from an unidentified whistleblower that claimed Trump misused his office for personal gain, endangered national security and tried to keep it a secret was released to the public.

Republican members of the House barged into a secure facility where witnesses were testifying for the House Intelligence Committee in regard to the inquiry.

High ranking members of Trump’s administration such as former National Security Advisor John Bolton and Secretary of Energy Rick Perry were called to testify for the impeachment probe.

Friday, Sept. 26

Wednesday, Oct. 23

Monday, Nov. 4

06

News | Design by Anastasia O’Brien

THE SALARY

November 14, 2019

STRUGGLE

Low paraprofessional wages make it hard to afford living and working in the same area

Working at Embellish Boutique has been a way for para Robin Roberts to get a second source of income on top of working at the school. | Andrew Tow

STEVEN CURTO assistant editor

CLAIRE FRANKE reporter/photographer

B

y day, paraprofessional Robin Roberts helps students with special needs do their classwork. By night, when many other professionals head home for the night, Roberts works her second job at Embellish Boutique, helping at the cash register and taking inventory.

Making $12.75 per hour, paraprofessionals like Roberts often struggle with monthly expenses living on a single household income in Shawnee and turn to a second job to make ends meet.

Roberts has worked as a para for the district since March 2018 and acquired her second job in October 2018. With one income from that position, she realized that she would need to obtain a second job.

“The obvious answer to why I

decided to get a second job is money. Paraprofessionals do not get paid much, neither do teachers,” Roberts said. “There is just not a lot of money to budget for salaries across the board.

Educator’s pay has always been a sore subject.”

“THE REASON I DECIDED TO GET A SECOND JOB IS MONEY. PARAS DON’T GET PAID MUCH, NEITHER DO TEACHERS.” paraprofessional robin roberts

Paraprofessional Emily Borchardt has also struggled to afford the cost of

living for a single income household.

Borchardt decided to split rent with a roommate in June as a way to afford living in the Shawnee area.

“I do not have enough money because I don’t get paid enough money to live on my own, so my roommate and I split the cost of living,” Borchardt said.

Currently, the district’s base pay for paras is $12.75 an hour. Other Johnson County public schools have slightly lower starting salaries than the district. Olathe Public Schools recently raised its starting salary for paras to $14 an hour.

The district tries to match the highest hourly pay of the other districts, but district director of human resources Carrie Handy is unsure if the district will be able to match $14.

“We might get it to $13. We just don’t know where it’s going to go because we always have to look at what kind of funding we’re going to have,” Handy said.

Although Handy understands pa-

07 LOOKING AT LOCAL PARA WAGES News

JagWire

See how USD 232 compares to other districts in the area

$9.65

Basehor-Linwood hourly rate

During class, para Mike Pierce helps a student study for an upcoming vocabulary test. | Andrew Tow

ras’ frustrations with their salaries, she feels that there are many factors that play a role in the annual salary of classified staff.

“We meet with area HR directors and then we determine the going rate based on that,” Handy said. “We do a lot of research that goes into that.

Then as the district gets new money, whatever ends up being negotiated for our teachers, we then apply that same percentage to our classified staff members as well.”

Due to the low salaries and new job opportunities at companies like Amazon in Gardner, the district has experienced an increase in the number of unfilled para jobs throughout the district. Starting pay at Amazon is around $15 per hour.

The district normally has two to three unfilled positions, but the current number of unfilled positions is nine, as of Nov. 5. Olathe Public schools has 45 classified staff openings.

Director of secondary personnel Brian Schwanz believes the number of open positions for paras corresponds with the low unemployment rate in Johnson County.

CURRENT OPEN POSITIONS IN USD 232 USD 232, as of Friday, Nov. 8, has a total of seven para positions open

“The unemployment rate is at historic lows, around 2.83%,” Schwanz said. “There’s a lot of other businesses that have opened up as well … so we’re lucky to only have nine openings.”

Roberts believes district-provided medical benefits does help her monthly expenses. Prior to working for the district Roberts paid for an individual health insurance plan. That cost increased nearly 40% within one year, prompting her to find a job with a lower cost of insurance. The health benefits the district offers saved her roughly $800 a month.

Schwanz said the district also provides disability, which many districts in Johnson County don’t do, and offers a paid life insurance plan for $50,000, according to Handy.

Despite the low wages of paraprofessionals, Roberts believes if another high paying job arose, she wouldn’t take it since she is content with her career.

“I doubt I would quit being a para.

I am so happy working with these kids,” Roberts said. “I get so much joy just being around them and seeing them grow into adults.”

$11.17

Lawrence hourly rate

$12.55

Blue Valley hourly rate

$12.56

Shawnee Mission hourly rate

$12.75

USD 232 hourly rate

$14.00

Olathe hourly rate source: director of human resources Carrie Handy

FILLED POSITIONS UNFILLED POSITIONS

source: Frontline Education

08

Features |

Design by Anastasia O’Brien

November 14, 2019

Although senior Kevin Lee is not planning on pursuing a legal career, he thinks Youth Court is a great way to get into the “world of law”. | Quinn Franken

YOUNG JUSTICE Senior Kevin Lee participates in Johnson County Youth Court as an attorney

AIDEN BURKE reporter/photographer

BEN WIELAND

mill valley news editor-in-chief

O

ne day in seventh grade, Kevin Lee decided to attend Youth Court as a jury member for the first time — his sister had been on the jury before, and he wanted to find out what the system was like. Six years later, Lee, who is now a senior in high school and a Youth Court attorney who hears a new case every two weeks, is more involved with the program than even he could’ve imagined.

The Youth Court program that Lee is a part of is Johnson County’s optional alternative justice system for juvenile offenders. The program is, in the words of Johnson County Youth Court coordinator Kirsten

Christensen, designed “to reduce the number of youth entering the court system by providing early intervention to youth who commit first-time minor offenses.”

Most of these first-time minor offenses are what one would expect from juvenile offenders: property damage, theft and trespassing appear on the Johnson County Youth Court website as examples of potential cases. According to former Youth Court jury member Nico Gatapia, though, some cases can be a bit more unique.

“Some of the more interesting cases include peeing into an oven at school and stealing a goat,” Gatapia said. “Sometimes, cases just get interesting in the courtroom.”

Juvenile offenders who choose to enter the Youth Court system don’t

have a formal record of their crime; instead, they stand before a jury of middle and high school students to receive a consequence, such as community service or an apology letter, for their actions. This is one of the main reasons Lee chooses to participate — he enjoys being able to play a positive role in the lives of his peers.

“I think it’s a good way for me to directly influence the behaviors of others to remedy bad behavior. Stealing, fighting, that sort of thing,” Lee said.

The system also functions as practice for high school students aspiring for a legal career. When attorneys like Lee arrive at court, they are given a case and only 30 minutes to prepare their arguments. Then, they take the role of real prosecutors or defense attorneys, questioning or cross-examin-

Features

JagWire

ing the defendant and giving a closing statement.

After the closing statements, a punishment for the defendant, who has already admitted guilt, is handed down by a jury of students as young as 10. High school students also get to fill the roles of judge and bailiff. For aspiring young lawyers, it’s essentially an abbreviated dress rehearsal for a criminal case; for those looking to help their peers, it’s a good opportunity to do just that. Christensen sees these as some of the many benefits for participants.

“They positively intervene in the lives of their peers and see the difference they are making in their communities, and they work with legal interns who attend law school, which can be a benefit to those interested in going that route,” Christensen said. “They can also improve their public speaking and communication skills.”

“I THINK [YOUTH COURT] IS A GOOD WAY FOR ME TO DIRECTLY INFLUENCE THE BEHAVIORS OF OTHERS.” senior kevin lee

Gatapia agrees. He sees Youth Court as a great opportunity for real-world experience in the world of law, as well as excellent public speaking practice for those like Lee who choose to be Youth Court attorneys.

“As a volunteer, you get to see the closest thing to a real court case available,” Gatapia said. “You can also be an attorney, which helps a lot with argumentative speaking.”

Although Lee isn’t interested in a career in the legal field, he does believe that Youth Court has offered him an inside look at the judicial system.

“It’s a great view into the world of law,” Lee said. “There’s a lot of lawyers, and there’s a lot of people who are studying the law that you can definitely ask questions.”

09

AMapping GUIDE TO THE COURT the layout of Johnson County Youth Court JUDGE COURT CLERK

JURY

BAILIFF

DEFENSE ATTORNEY AND DEFENDANT

PROSECUTING ATTORNEY

COURTROOM RUNDOWN Role descriptions and requirements of the courtroom DEFENSE AND PROSECUTING ATTORNEY:

Requires “hands-on” training and presents evidence including the impact of the crime on others or the context of the situation

JUDGE:

Presides over the hearing and keeps order in courtroom

JURY:

Requires “hands-on” training; decides the sentences including community service work, a victim apology letter, restitution or an educational workdshop

DEFENDANT:

Could be admitted to youth court for theft, disorderly conduct, assault, curfew violations, minor in possesion (consumption) and harrasment by telephone

BAILIFF:

Calls court to order, announces the case, administers oath, escorts individuals in and out and closes proceedings source: NCJRS & Courts.Joco

10 Features | Design by Sophie Lecuru & Jordan Prestia

Photo by Hannah Chern | November 14, 2019

FOREIGN FLUENCY Sophomore Hadley Rupe lived in Peru for three years before moving to Kansas

HANNAH CHERN editor-in-chief

ZACH SHRADER reporter/photographer

P

rior to moving to Kansas in 2018, sophomore Hadley Rupe and her family spent three years in Lima, Peru. Her father, Michael Rupe, works with the Drug Enforcement Administration, and that provided them the opportunity to experience a new culture abroad.

Before the move to Lima, Hadley had no experience with Spanish. After three years immersed in the Peruvian culture, Hadley learned to speak Spanish fluently.

Even though her teacher taught in English, Hadley became fluent in Spanish from being exposed to an environment where it is spoken.

“Everybody at my school spoke Spanish. Everybody took Spanish classes like you take English class here, so you have to know [Spanish] because you hear it all the time,” Hadley said. “You have no choice but to learn the language.”

To Spanish teacher Edith Paredes, being fluent means having the ability to communicate in a native country.

“You’re fluent in a language when

you can function in that language or in a culture where the language is spoken,” Paredes said.

Michael, going to Lima, hoped that the family would learn Spanish and expand their knowledge of the Peruvian culture.

“WE WERE ABLE TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW ABOUT THE WAY THAT PERUVIANS LIVE.” hadley’s father michael rupe

“We hoped for an understanding of the Spanish language first; it’s such a widely spoken language,” Michael said. “We love to learn about different cultures. We were able to learn something new about the way that Peruvians live.”

Immersing oneself in a native country is the most effective way of learning a language, according to Paredes.

“The best way to learn is to go to a

SCHOOLING SCHEDULE United States Peru

foreign country. I always tell my students when we’re in class, ‘I cannot teach you how to speak Spanish,’” Paredes said.

While attending school in Lima, Hadley noted that communication was the central focus of the classes.

“We didn’t have a lot of projects... because it was a lot of talking and writing,” Hadley said.

Alternatively, Spanish classes in the U.S. are centered around grammar.

Despite her fluency in Spanish, Hadley finds grammar to be the most challenging aspect.

“There were not many [struggles] in Lima, but here, Spanish classes are super hard. It’s mostly grammar class.

[In Lima], we just needed to be able to communicate.”

According to Hadley, becoming fluent in Spanish has given her the ability to talk to different people.

“I feel like I am proving myself,” Hadley said. “If somebody asks me questions in Spanish, I can respond to them.”

Michael thinks that Hadley has embraced Spanish to another level compared to the rest of her family.

“I think she picked up Spanish and embraced it better than any of us,” Michael said. “It’s become a part of her personality.”

Differences between Hadley’s daily schedules at school in Peru and the U.S.

6 a.m.

7 a.m.

Wakes up

Departs home

Arrives at school

Leaves school

Gets home

5 a.m.

6 a.m.

7 a.m.

3:20 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

Wakes up

Bus arrives

7:30 a.m.

Arrives at school

2:55 p.m.

Leaves school

3:10 p.m.

Gets home

JagWire

Design by Molly Smith | Ads

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12

Features |

Design by Tatum Elliott & Hannah Chern

November 14, 2019

finding the light Students seek help for mental illness

ANNA OWSLEY

mill valley news editor-in-chief

M

ill Valley, along with the rest of the nation, faces a mental health crisis of massive proportions. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in six children between six and 17 experience a mental health disorder every year. Within the school, the situation is even more dire: 39% of students have struggled with mental health.

The causes of this epidemic are numerous; academic stress, parental pres-

BEN WIELAND

mill valley news editor-in-chief

sures, social media, bullying and other occurrences have all been blamed for a nationwide decline in teenage mental health. Perhaps even more concerning is an inability to provide help; just one in five Mill Valley students who said they struggle with mental health also said they sought professional help.

However, for every student who is unable to seek help and improve their mental health, many others are able to successfully find ways to cope. Those

students, who bravely sought help for their declining mental health, are the focus of these four profiles.

The four featured students — Ryan Simpson, Gabriella Hantla, Emily Hertel and McKenna Neely — all found different ways to manage their mental health. Thanks to supportive parents and friends, and due to treatments like therapy or medication, they have found ways to confront the challenges of mental health.

Features

JagWire

Medication and therapy have alleviated sophomore Ryan Simpson’s depression

13

A

s if the idea of conquering freshman year wasn’t stressful enough, sophomore Ryan Simpson began experiencing clinical depression and anxiety the summer before entering high school.

“I had trouble getting out of bed, and I had anxiety over things I didn’t think I should have had anxiety over.

I was being distant,” Simpson said.

“I was just more secluded than other people; I found myself more sitting back and just thinking rather than being involved with other people.”

“IT’S SO MUCH BETTER BEING ABLE TO LIVE IN THE MOMENT, ACTUALLY HAVE FUN AND TALK TO YOUR FRIENDS WITHOUT FEELING DREAD AND SADNESS ALL THE TIME.” sophomore ryan simpson

One of his friends took notice during the summer and contacted Simpson’s parents, who sought the professional help of a psychiatrist.

Simpson was diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety last year and was prescribed therapy and medication, both of which he feels have been effective.

“I didn’t know the meds would help as much as they did. I was worried that they were going to make me feel artificial. They did not; they made me feel just better,” Simpson said. “They lifted my mood a little, just enough so I could start getting more help.”

Throughout his freshman year, Simpson met with a therapist once a week to discuss solutions.

“She helped me figure out ways I

Sophomore Ryan Simpson previously attended therapy and currently takes medication as a way to cope with his depression and anxiety. | Isabel Aerni could distract myself from [feeling down] or do something beneficial as opposed to just sitting and feeling dead for myself…” Simpson said.

“She helped me find strategies for way to calm down and just not be in that place.”

Simpson feels therapy can be an effective outlet compared to others.

“The people close to you, they love you; they’re worried about you, which is all wonderful, but someone disconnected from your everyday life is really helpful to talk to...” Simpson said.

“You can kind of just compartmentalize and tell certain things and not have to dump all of what you have on top of your really close friends or family.”

Having suffered from depression and anxiety, Simpson recognizes the importance of getting help. “[However] mundane and obvious that it might seem, [mental illness] is not a fun experience,” Simpson said.

“It’s so much better being able to live in the moment, actually have fun, and talk to your friends without feeling dread and sadness all the time.”

DISTRICT EFFORT

The district’s suicide prevention plan aims to bring awareness to students’ mental health

staff education:

Required hour of training in suicide awareness & prevention

parent education:

Provides newsletters and informational displays for parents during conferences

student education:

Uses the “SOS: Signs of Suicide” curriculum to teach students to recognize suicide risk factors

at-risk screening:

Staff is trained to recognize warning signs in students and follow appropriate protocol source: USD 232

14

Features | Design by Tatum Elliott & Hannah Chern

November 14, 2019

Group therapy gave junior Gabriella Hantla the push to start accepting help

E

Group therapy at KidsTLC was key in junior Gabriella Hantla’s fight back against depression, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder.| Isabel Aerni

ver since an array of mental illness - major depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, orthorexia and anorexia - infiltrated junior Gabrielle Hantla’s life during middle school, she has felt increasingly distant from the world.

Anxiety made her shy away from social situations, and panic attacks followed her home. She saw therapists, psychiatrists and state workers, but she “had a hard time accepting help.”

Hantla was driven to self-harm, eating disorders and a suicide attempt. “[Mental illness] just controlled my life,” Hantla said. “I didn’t know how to handle it, so I couldn’t just move past it. It was just very prominent.”

Her parents had no choice but to find a long-term solution. They sent her to the Marillac psychiatric hospital for a few days before she was transferred to KidsTLC where she spent two months getting therapy treatment.

Group therapy allowed her to open up to the idea of help.

“I just learned to be more comfortable sharing my emotions and feeling my emotions and not just discarding them since I was forced to feel them.

You had to sit in front of a group and tell them all your feelings,” Hantla said. “When I got out of there I was more accepting of people talking to me and people trying to help me.”

Hantla now sees a therapist weekly as a way to release emotions. “[Therapy] gives me an outlet to talk, because I don’t really feel comfortable talking to people still. I have that one trusted person that I can let out my feelings too, so they’re not like bottled up inside,” Hantla said. “You can feel more safe sharing everything and not hurting people’s feelings.”

YOU ARE NOT ALONE Johnson County Mental Health Center is one of many resources that helps people with mental illness their services access team:

deals with walk-in mental health assessments

after-hours team:

handles evening and night mental health emergencies

source: Johnson County Mental Health Center

mobile response team: provides mobile mental health services

their hotlines

Crisis Line:

(913) 268-0156 Daytime Calls:

(913) 826-4200

Features

JagWire

Junior Emily Hertel handles her mental illness with family support and group therapy

15

J

unior Emily Hertel’s cheerful disposition, colorful hair and constant sense of humor are easily the most noticeable parts of her personality — three things that, generally, aren’t indicators of mental health issues. However, Hertel has been diagnosed with general anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder and has spent high school trying to find ways to cope.

Throughout elementary and middle school, Hertel never noticed these disorders. However, just before high school, symptoms began to manifest.

“It was the summer before freshman year,” Hertel said. “I normally am pretty active in the summer, as I go outside a lot to hang out with friends, and I wasn’t really doing that much. I was just sleeping all day.”

A few months passed for Hertel between recognizing her symptoms and telling her parents about them. This talk with parents was, according to Hertel, one of her biggest challenges with handling her mental health.

“That was probably the hardest thing that I had to do. They had no idea, and it feels like you’re disappointing them,” Hertel said. “It’s almost like you can’t talk to them, which is sort of sad when they’re your parents.”

Once Hertel spoke to her parents, who both have psychology-related degrees, they were quick to pursue treatment options like therapy for Hertel.

However, therapy brought its own set of challenges. Hertel saw multiple individual therapists, but none of them were effective. It took her over a year to find a solution — group therapy with other adolescents — that worked.

“I saw multiple individual therapists

Junior Emily Hertel attends therapy to cope with anxiety.| Hayden Resch for about a year. After that didn’t seem to be really helping me, I went to a more intensive group therapy with five

“[IT WAS HELPFUL] TO BE AROUND OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUES.” junior emily hertel

to 10 other people,” Hertel said. “This one was specifically for adolescents.

That was really helpful, to be around

other people with the same issues.”

Today, Hertel sees her long road through therapy as a success.

“I definitely am doing better because of therapy,” Hertel said. “It has been very beneficial to my well being.”

Hertel also found ways outside of therapy to cope with her mental health. She takes prescribed medicine daily, and also developed a stronger relationship with her parents. This familial connection has become increasingly important to Hertel.

“I’m just trying to be as real as possible. Letting my parents know, talking to them and being open them,” Hertel said. “The way they handled everything helps now because they’re less shocked. They know what to do.”

Q&A WITH DEBBIE GUDENKAUF

School social worker Debbie Gudenkauf shares about her role within the school

JagWire: What does your job entail?

Debbie Gudenkauf: I work with students and families to address mental health, physical health, financial needs, etc. so that students may come to school ready to learn.

JW: Why did you become a social worker?

DG: I first learned about the social work profession when I was a sophomore in high school. A social worker from the county spoke to

my class and I was immediately captivated. I finally had a name for what I felt drawn to do. I grew up in a family where my parents volunteered and supported families in need ... Finally, I was validated when I spoke up for peers who were mistreated.

JW: How can students meet with you?

DG: If students want to meet with me, they can stop by, email or let their teacher know by writing “Ms. G” in their agenda.

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Features |

Design by Tatum Elliott & Hannah Chern

November 14, 2019

After trying other medications that have not worked well, junior McKenna Neely found a prescription that helped with her depression.| Hayden Resch

Medication allows junior McKenna Neely to find enjoyment in life again

A

fter a desire for isolation dominated her first year of middle school, junior McKenna Neely began to question her gloomy state of existence. With the help of her parents and a psychiatrist, she found answers in her diagnosis of clinical depression and anxiety.

“I started realizing that it’s not normal to feel this way … and I was like,

“I STARTED REALIZING THAT IT’S NOT NORMAL TO FEEL THIS WAY ... I COULD BE SO MUCH HAPPIER.” junior mckenna neely

‘this kind of sucks. I could be so much happier,’” Neely said. “Just being in big crowds of people having fun, I noticed that everyone’s enjoying themselves, and I just [wasn’t] quite there.

It [was] harder to have fun in big situations,” Neely said.

Finding the remedy for her mental health was a long but worthwhile process; after sifting through five therapists – which she found didn’t help because her depression is genetic – and trying seven different medications, Neely finally found relief through her current medication.

“The medications can really help balance my mood,” Neely said. “I just started enjoying the things I used to enjoy, that I haven’t enjoyed for a long time.”

While depression and anxiety are everlooming in her life, Neely finds comfort in the way her medication makes each day just a little bit easier.

“It’s an everyday thing. I wake up in the morning. I really don’t want to do anything,” Neely said. “But as the day goes on, it slowly gets better and I start wanting to do things.”

Neely notes that she started “not really wanting to be here anymore” before she sought help and stresses the importance of finding help, because struggling “just wears you out” in life.

Neely also has non-prescribed methods of reducing the effects of her illnesses.

“I enjoy reading a lot to take my mind off of it,” Neely said. “And watching movies or just like talking with my friends takes my mind off of it.”

STUDENT STATISTICS

A survey showcases the prevalence and causes of mental illness among students

have you ever struggled with your mental health? yes 39%

no 61% no 61% survey of 278 students

have you ever sought professional help? yes 19%

no 81%

what factor impacts your mental health the most? academics 43% social life 19% family life 15% other 14% sports 9%

Design by Tatum Elliott |

JagWire

Opinions

staff editorial:

STOP THE STIGMA The stigmas surrounding mental illness can have harmful and long-lasting consequences

A

fter decades of suppressing emotions, society is finally changing the perception of mental health from a topic that was once taboo into one to be shared and explored. While previous generations often silenced whisperings of mental illness, current generations are leading society’s trek to fight this social stigma and normalize the occurrence of these illnesses. A mindset fixated on facing mental illness has led to increased acceptance and discussion, but this normalization of poor mental health often masks the necessity for individuals to seek help.

We see this normalization in how society’s focus on mental health has turned mental illnesses into conversational slang and the subject of humor.

While some claim these are helpful coping mechanisms for those suffering, countless comments like “I’m trig-

gered,” “she’s psycho,” “I wanna kill myself ” and “I’m so depressed” are now used excessively and no longer hold real meaning. When it becomes commonplace to jokingly claim these illnesses as your own or diagnose others, it creates an environment that minimizes the legitimacy of these disorders and invalidates those who actually suffer from the illness.

This trend of casual self-diagnosing has led to the harmful appearance that more high schoolers suffer from social anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses than really do; when everyone pretends or dramatizes their own mental state, those who actually have a mental disorder or illness may feel they are just like everyone else and have no real reason to seek help - if everyone else is coping, why shouldn’t they?

That is why society must approach mental health for what is: a serious

topic that requires both a sensitive and comfortable environment to be effectively addressed. This can be done by making these conversations more constructive and empathetic.

Rather than treating mental illness like it’s the norm or lacks urgency, we need to take action; students should take every opportunity to share their own experiences with mental illness, creating a dialogue to push for greater acceptance. Especially in high school, where stress and emotions run high, students need to work together to discuss solutions to these problems.

These genuine conversations can be used to encourage those struggling to seek the advice of a professional and develop healthy coping strategies so that disorders and illnesses don’t get pushed aside.

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18 Opinions | Design and Illustration by Tatum Elliott

November 14, 2019

DON’T IMPEACH We should not impeach Trump

“I am undecided [on impeachment] … I personally don’t think there’s enough for him to get removed.” junior alex whipple

“I don’t believe that [the inquiry] has any depth to it. It happens every time the other party is not pleased with how the president is doing.” junior brady bidnick

CONSIDERING THE

EVAN SHERMAN reporter/photographer

There is not enough evidence to impeach President Trump

O

ne of the most pressing topics in the media since the 2016 election has been whether or not we should impeach Donald Trump. While the vast majority of the actions he’s taken have been contro-

versial, there is no definitive evidence that he has committed any impeachable offenses.

An excellent example of this is Trump’s deal with Ukraine. Trump threatened to stop aid and end the sale of Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine unless they launched an investigation into Hunter Biden’s business dealings.

Trump originally lied and stated that it never happened, even though there was definitive evidence that it did, and he eventually owned up to it. Even if it was explicitly illegal, the majority of the Senate is Republican, so impeachment would not go through.

Other acquisitions of impeachable offenses committed by the president have no evidence to support them or are not impeachable. For example, Trump was under the legal purview with his decisions to fire both Special Counsel Robert Mueller and FBI director James Comey. The president has every power dictated to them to do so.

Another claim is sexual assault.

Any accusations of sexual assault are just that – accusations, none of which have reached a legal verdict. Therefore, they cannot be used as a legitimate justification for impeachment.

The most popular accusation is that Trump obstructed justice. Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who investigated possible obstruction, found no conclusive evidence as to whether obstruction happened.

None of this is to say that Donald Trump has been a great president, and the fact that so many are calling for his impeachment is a surefire sign that his rhetoric has not been great.

Even if the impeachment process makes it through the House, it would still need to make it through the Republican-majority senate. Instead of trying to bring Trump down after losing the election, it would be best if the Democratic Party focused on electing an honest and reliable presidential candidate.

Opinions

JagWire

IMPEACH

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We should consider impeachment

“I think that if Democrats are starting impeachment proceedings, they should make every effort to get Trump impeached.” sophomore grace emerson

“I believe he has positioned the nation both geopolitically and economically in a rough position.” sophomore noah reed

NEED TO IMPEACH TANNER SMITH assistant editor

President Trump has perpetrated a myriad of impeachable actions

F

or almost three years, President Donald Trump has committed one impeachable offense after another. From the things that have already been proven, such as his quid pro quo with Ukraine and his attempt to obstruct justice by firing Special

Counsel Robert Mueller, to the accusations of sexual assault from people such as Summer Zervos and conspiring with the Russian government, the time for impeachment is now.

While there are a number of impeachable offenses Trump has committed, such as firing the active FBI director James Comey to stop an investigation into his campaign and coercing witnesses such as Micheal Cohen to not testify, Trump’s most blatant offense is using the powers of the presidency to pressure a foreign government to find dirt on his political rivals.

Recently, in a call with the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump threatened to take away military aid from Ukraine unless they investigated Joe Biden. According to the official White House transcript, Trump told Zelensky that if he wanted more military aid he “would like [him] to do us a favor.” In addition, according to Vox, Trump and his personal attorney Rudy Guiliani had pre-

viously told Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and the democratic party to get an edge up in 2020.

Now many of you may be asking why this matters. Who cares if Trump tried to get dirt on Biden? It matters because it erodes the principles of democracy the US was built on. Trump’s actions send signals to the rest of the world that they can interfere in our elections.

For an offense to be impeachable it needs to be treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

If bribing a foreign government and committing a treasonous act of election interference is not an impeachable offense, then I don’t know what is.

This simply can not stand. Now is the time to impeach and remove Trump from office. Even if he only has a year left as president, impeachment is important to show the world that the office of the president is a position held by someone who will do what is best for the country, not what is best for himself.

20 Sports | Design by Quinn Franken & Sophie Lecuru

November 8, 2019

HUNTING FEVER

Changing seasons allow students to pursue their passion for hunting

Hunting has been a way for junior Sam Myers to get outside and spend time with the people who are important to him. |Andrew Tow

ZACH SHRADER

C

reporter/photographer

older temperatures signal the arrival of hunting season. For students like sophomore Ethan Fleming and junor Sam Myers, it’s the best season of all; the sport not only holds a special place in their childhood memories but is an important aspect of their seasonal routine.

Fleming has been going on hunting trips with his father since he was a child. Though he didn’t hunt, he is still fond of the memories he made.

“My earliest memories [of hunting] are from when my dad started taking me hunting,” Fleming said. “I remember my dad gave me snacks and a blanket and I played on my DS all day.”

Unlike Fleming, Myers got into community is really cool,” Jackson hunting with his uncle. said.

“Growing up, my dad never An added bonus to hunting, achunted with me. My uncle on my cording to Fleming, is that hunters mom’s side [got me into hunting],” Myers said. “They are really big will often miss school in order to hunters and outdoorsman, so they maximize time spent in the field. really kind of took me under their wing.”

Myers enjoys hunting because “I LIKE THE THRILL of the excitement shooting animals gives him.

OF GOING OUT IN “I enjoy hunting because I like the thrill of going out in the field.

THE FIELD.” It’s fun to shoot animals; [I like to] get that thrill,” Myers said. junior sam myers Outside of being in the field, sophomore Dylan Jackson has also bonded with other hunters through “I sometimes get out of school if their common passion for the sport.

“I like hunting because it is a I’m lucky,” Fleming said. “My pargood way to spend time with my ents let me leave school if my grades dad, and everyone in the hunting are good. My parents usually put

Sports

JagWire

SEASONAL STATISTICS

GEAR OF THE GAME

Comparing the school’s hunters to those nationwide

The equipment sophomore Ethan Fleming uses to hunt

NATIONAL STATISTICS

hunting backpack

Preparing for the upcoming hunting season, sophomore Ethan Fleming loads his hunting gear into his truck. | Julia Fair

hunting rifle

gun case

binoculars

binoculars case

3.5% hunt

96.5% don’t hunt

Percentage of Hunters that Hunt Each Game

70% 17% 11% 10% Deer Turkey Rabbit Duck

source: 2016 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation

the responsibility on me to get my assignments done.”

Despite only being allowed to hunt at specific times of the year, Fleming keeps himself busy in between hunting seasons by watching videos and looking for new equipment.

“Hunting fever gets to me a few months before the season. I watch a lot of YouTube videos,” Fleming said. “I try to see where I can improve my hunting. I search Amazon, Cabela’s and Bass Pro for anything that I might need.”

Before a hunt, the land needs to be prepared properly. Myers said that there is much that needs to be done the day before a hunt in order to be ready.

“We go out and scout the day before we hunt, and we locate the birds,” Myers said. “Then, we get

all of our equipment ready and set up a big spread of decoys. We just do maintenance on the land.”

Jackson’s preparation even extends to showering and washing the clothes he is going to wear the night before a hunt.

“To prepare for a hunt, I wash all my clothes in a scent-free wash and then take a shower with scentfree soap so that nothing can smell me,” Jackson said. “The most vital part is the scent-free wash and shower.”

Hunting is a good way to grow as a person. According to Fleming, it is a lot of responsibility for one person to have.

“I’ve gained respect for the animals,” Fleming said. “It’s a way for me to have more responsibility because I have something that can kill someone.”

SCHOOL STATISTICS 22.1% hunt 77.9% don’t hunt Percentage of Hunters that Hunt Each Game

31% 27% 18% 24%

Deer Turkey Rabbit Duck survey of 276 students

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22

A&E | Design by Isabel Aerni

November 14, 2019

trends on a

Students give their insight on cheap, trendy alternatives

trendy nike air force

$90

nike air force vs. new balance dylan dedrickson

danny talavera

DD: I don’t wear them every day. I coordinate them with my outfits so they look good.

DT: I wear them every day because they can withstand wear and tear. I have had New Balances since last year and have been a customer ever since.

kanken bag

$80

JW: Would you recommend your shoes to others?

DD: Yeah, because I think they’re super cute. You can dress up and dress down in them.

apple watch

$400

DT: I recommend buying New Balances if you’re looking for a lasting shoe that goes with everything. Not only do they look good, but they also cost way less than other brands.

apple watch vs. garmin watch

hydroflask

$40

JW: Do you wear your shoes every day?

alex cobin

chase schieber

total

$610

JW: Why did you decide to buy this watch?

JW: Do you wear your watch every day?

AC: I didn’t have a watch and my dad was getting a new one, so I got his old apple watch.

AC: I do try to wear it everyday to keep track of time, but some days I forget to put it on.

CS: I like to use my Garmin watch to keep track of my runs.

CS: I do wear it everyday. I use it to track my runs, keep track of my step count and to keep track of time as well.

A&E

JagWire

budget

CLAIRE FRANKE reporter/photographer

thermoflask vs. hydro flask sydney wootton

carlee liby

JW: Why did you decide to get this brand of water bottle?

JW: Would you recommend your water bottle to others?

SW: I have always had a big obsession SW: Yes, I would recommend it because with water bottles, and then [my friend] you can use it for a long time, and it got a Hydro Flask so I decided to get one. helps you want to drink more water.

CL: I needed a new water bottle, and I wanted one that was trendy and cheap, so I got one that looked like a Hydro Flask.

CL: Yes, because it’s cheap and really good at keeping things cold and hot.

kanken vs. jansport JW: Do you use your backpack strictly for school, or is your backpack used for other purposes?

MS: I actually have a Kanken Mini that I use as my purse.

LC: As of now, I solely use my backpack for school, but during the summer I used it when I went on vacation.

JW: Do you consider yourself trendy?

MS: Not really, because I don’t really care about the upcoming trends. I kind of just get what I like and what I think is cute.

LC: I mean, I don’t try to look for things that are trendy. I usually just ask people for input and make a decision from there, but I would consider the brand trendy for sure.

meghan sherman

lauren cannata

budget new balance

$60 jansport

$40 garmin watch

$120 thermoflask

$20 total

$240

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Photo Essay | Design by Andrew Tow

SHOW PREPARATIONS

The theater department prepares for their upcoming show “Newsies”

November 14, 2019 Jack Kelly, played by senior Cael Duffin, and Crutchie, played by freshman Carter Harvey, sing the song “Santa Fe” in the first act.

The theater department will be presenting “Newsies,” a show about poor children in 1899 New York City who sell Pulitzer’s local newspaper.

The musical will be played Saturday, Nov. 9 through Sunday, Nov. 17. | Hayden Resch

Acting out a scene for the upcoming musical “Newies,” seniors Aidan Thomas and Cael Duffin recite their lines Thursday, Oct. 24. | Steven Curto After running a scene, senior student director Angelina Rico assists senior cast member Spencer Endsley with his line for the next scene. | Steven Curto Working with the set crew, junior Madelyn Augustine stains a prop Saturday, Oct. 26. | Steven Curto On the first tech rehearsal day Thursday, Oct. 24, junior Aiden Hazlett prepares the lighting and listens for signals from student directors. | Jordin Harris