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KHQ KICKAPOO HIGH QUARTERLY

KHQTODAY.COM | @KHQTODAY VOLUME 50 | ISSUE 1 | SPRING 2021

Meet Our Staff

Josie Eiffert

Cayden Danzer

Maggie Miller

Madilyn McClure

Emilia Belcolore

Editor in Chief: Josie Eiffert Copy Editor: Maggie Miller Opinion Editor: Madilyn McClure News Editor: Emilia Belcolore Feature Editor: Gabby Burgess Website & Sports Editor: Cayden Danzer Reporters: Kylie Burks, Liam Karp, Caylee Howser, Cole Dobbs, Reed Jensen, Julia Klein, Emma Mayne, Aislinn Neubauer, Katherine Owsley, Avery Scott, Gracie Marsh, and Emma Washburn

Gabby Burgess

THE PRAIRIE PANEL

The Panel: Gabby Burgess Feature Editor

Reed Jensen Reporter

Julia Klein Reporter

Fav song?

Fav Halloween Movie?

Fav store in the mall?

Just Drive - Erin Halloween Town Aeropostale Kinsey 2055 - Sleepy Hallow

Frankenweenie

Love Sosa - Chief Halloween Town Keef

H&M Forever 21

Letter From The Editor JOSIE EIFFERT This is the beginning of my “year of last” and it is so sad to think how shortly everything will end. I am sad that our last couple football games are just around the corner, and my last season of playing tennis just ended. I have always taken my time here at Kickapoo for granted and never cherished the events how I should have. I am sad to say that I will only being working on three more issues of the KHQ, which has been my favorite hobby for the last couple years. Being EIC this year was my biggest accomplishment and I am so honored to be publishing this magazine for all my peers. Luckily, everything has been smooth sailing so far and I can finally say publishing the first issue is done. I feel very relieved because I spent my summer creating templates, planning deadlines, and messing with every font imaginable. Now, I am putting all the pieces together and it feels unreal. I am super excited for this first issue to be in student hands and I am so proud of the staff I get to work with. We have a magazine full of hard hitting news, amazing opinion pieces, and lots of fun feature stories. Not only that, but we also have a staff full of fun personalities and its so cool to see everyone work together to make such a great issue. I hope that as this year goes on we can continue to make magazines that everyone can find a story in that they enjoy. It is important to me that we as a staff can voice the opinions and stories of everyone at Kickapoo. Everyone here has a story.

CONTENTS

TABLE OF

NEWS

11 Under the Sun

BY MADILYN MCCLURE

13 Next Level Security BY AISLINN NEUBAUER

FEATURE

19 Halloween Costumes BY GABBY BURGESS

33 Tattoos of Kickapoo MAGGIE MILLER

OPINION

39 Teachers at Arms BY KYLIE BURKS

42 Parking Lot Panic BY GRACIE MARSH

SPORTS

54 Fall Sports Comparison

BY REED JENSEN & JOSIE EIFFERT

63 On Course for Victory BY EMMA MAYNE

PHOTO GALLERY 04

NEWS

Kickapoo offers these dual credit courses for this academic year:

Students can easily signing up for their dual credit class on Drury’s website.

Dual Credit, Double Credit Have you been educated on the offered dual credit opportunities?

“S

Students are given the opportunity to take college courses in high school for college credit if they pass the class in high school,” Mr. Harvey, Assistant Principal says. Kickapoo’s Dual Credit program makes it a simple decision for students to decide to take a dual credit course if available. However, only select courses/teachers offer dual credit. MSU, Drury, and OTC websites are easily navigated and make it effortless to sign up for a class. There is a small fee for dual credit registration. Depending on the class and college the course is taken through, the fees can be up to $200. Kickapoo offers a variety of dual credit courses. Taking a dual credit course often requires a minimal amount of extra assignments through the university offering it. This is because all dual credit classes are

BY MAGGIE MILLER college level courses and requires a college syllabus to be followed. Although this is college material, it is perfectly attainable to receive a satisfactory or excellent grade. In order to secure college credit, a letter grade of C or better is required. This credit can provide scholarships and provide an opt out for future college courses. Yes, there are some cases where taking a Dual Credit course will not be beneficial. Depending on the grade, colleges may not accept the credit. Additionally, out of state colleges may not take the credit at all. In rare cases, local and other instate colleges may not transfer these dual credit classes to your college transcript. Another way to think about dual credit, is that is possible to enter college with enough credits already earned to be almost finished with your freshman or even sophomore year of college all due to dual credit.

College Algebra Pre-Calculus/Trigonometry Calculus AB Calculus BC College Statistics Grammar/Comp. AP English Lit. & Comp. Introductory Speech DC Adv./AP Biology Chemistry H Adv. Chemistry Earth Science AP Physics I AP US History Spanish III, IV, & V AP Spanish Language & Culture French III, IV, & V Capstone Portfolio Computer Applications Personal Finance Specialty Cuisine PLTW Prin./Biomedical Sci. PLTW Human Body Systems PLTW Medical Interventions PLTW Biomedical Innovation PLTW IED and POE PLTW Computer Science Essent. PLTW Computer Science Principles PLTW Computer Science App. Computer Applications Marketing I Personal Finance Business Law Accounting I & II Entrepreneurship Child Development I & II Culinary Arts Specialty Cuisine

NEWS

What’s Happening in Springfield?

With the city of Springfield growing, residents can look forward to many new developments.

Within the last few years, the city of Springfield has been seeing steady growth. According to a report released by the Springfield News Leader in early June, Springfield, Missouri was named the fastest growing metro area in the state. As a result of this sudden growth, the city has been changing: new roads are being built, developers are beginning new plans to build large shopping complexes, and new businesses are coming to town. Of the many projects currently taking shape in Springfield, the largest one is a new development being built on Campbell Avenue, next to the Library Center. This development is set to cost around five hundred million dollars. This project was first announced in 2018, however the project officially broke ground in 2020. Once finished, businesses will have the opportunity to lease out a storefront. A separate area in the back of the complex is supposed to have an assisted living center, which is still subject to approval. Sarah Kerner is the Economic Development Director for the city of Springfield. She believes that once this project is completed, businesses will be interested in getting some retail space. She expects there to be restaurants as well. “I am very interested to see how a new, large, mixed use development will turn out. I expect there will be a lot of service businesses and

BY LIAM KARP restaurants mixed in with traditional retail, and I believe the current plan is for housing in the back half of the development,” Kerner said. Behind this project are two local men from Springfield, Trip Rhodes and Phil Williams. They are the developers who funded the project. According to Kerner both men had to put a lot of money upfront, in order to be able to finally get the project going. “This was a very challenging site to develop on a very attractive retail corridor with lots of traffic. The developers spent a ton of money upfront to blast out rock, build roads, and extend utilities so they had developable lots to sell,” Kerner said. The city of Springfield is also working on a project to provide residents with better internet access. An estimated 40,000 Springfield residents and businesses will be affected by this new project. Springfield is working with a local internet service provider called SpringNet, the director Jeff Bertholfi has hight hopes for these upcoming plans. “This network is also being built out to businesses as well. When complete, the network will reach over 115,000 addresses,” Bertholdi said. This new project is estimated to cost around $140 million dollars in the end, but according to Bertholdi it will be money well spent for the city and its’ residents. “Residents of Springfield will have the option to enjoy the fastest,

most reliable internet technology available in the fixed-broadband industry. Fiber optics offer decades of service with the ability to grow with consumer needs” Berthodli said. Once the new fiber optic cables are put into communities around Springfield, residents will have the option to choose services from SpringNet, which will be different from what has previously been offered to Springfield residents. SpringNet’s services will also be able to better handle the weather, and ultimately be more reliable. “It [SpringNet] differs from other services largely because it doesn’t involve metals like copper, which are susceptible to weather. Rain, humidity, lightning, etc. have plagued older telecommunications cabling for years. Fiber is resilient to those factors. Also, fiber optic systems require much less equipment on the network, so in the end there is much less to break and support” Bertholdi said. SpringNet’s service will have many benefits for residents across Springfield. Even though fiber optics are not new, SpringNet’s system is advanced, and will be able to adapt to the city of Springfield as the city gets larger and evolves. “Our goal is to ensure that Springfield becomes a true gigabyte city with gigabyte fiber access for everyone who wants it and not just certain parts of town. Springfield has had fiber and gigabyte options available to some addresses for

many years,” Bertholdi said. Bertholdi noted that with SpringNet’s new system being implemented, Springfield will become what is called a “gigabyte city.” As the world becomes more of a digital world, this will be beneficial for residents. “Residential addresses will have the ability to work from home, use telemedicine, have the ability for students to interact online with teachers and coursework platforms. Businesses will have the ability to reliably use cloud services, and streaming platforms without slowness along with many other commercial benefits,” Bertholdi said. Bertholdi estimates this project to be completed by late 2022, however he noted that this was a tentative completion time, as necessary materials have been hard to get recently due to the pandemic. One project that has been long anticipated by Springfield residents

is the construction on James River Freeway. The city’s contract has a completion date of May 22, 2022. The project is estimated to cost a total of 13.6 million dollars according to Brad Gripka, the Springfield Resident Engineer. Once completed, residents will soon see the changes they have long been long waiting for. The safety of drivers on this freeway has been a concern for many in the past couple of years. Accidents and traffic have put a strain on commuters, and have led to frustrations. However Gripka noted that once completed, those issues and stresses will be something of the past. “When the project is completed, the residents will see an improvement in safety at several ramp merge points and intersections. Also, with the added lane capacity, morning and evening commuters should see a great improvement in their drive to and from home” Gripka said.

Gripka, who is the General Engineer for this project laid out the plans the city has for the James River Freeway. In total there are five major changes that the city has been working on the past few months. This consists of adding a lane in the Route 60 median in each direction between National Avenue and Route 65, building a roundabout on Glenstone Avenue at the intersection of Nature Center Way/Republic Road, combining the Glenstone and Republic ramps to eastbound Route 60 at Harvard Avenue, removing existing northbound Glenstone Avenue to eastbound Route 60 on ramp near Nature Center Way, and widening the westbound Route 60 off ramp to Glenstone Avenue Widening eastbound Route 60 to Route 65 on ramp. With the continued growth of Springfield, residentscanlookforwardtomanynewprojects and developments happening in the future.

Residents who will be affected by SpringNets project received notices on their doors, like the one below.

Renderings show what thew highway will look like once completed later this year.. Photo Courtesy: Missouri Department of Transportation.

NEWS

The End of a War As America’s 20 year military presence in Afghanistan comes to an end, the resulting crisis casts a questionable shadow over the nation’s foreign policy.

Blood runs hot in American citizens and service members as the remains of the red, white, and blue trickle down the side of a former United States Embassy in Afghanistan, replaced with colors of terror and death. Americans left in the now terrorist-controlled country hide behind locked doors, terrified that their home will be the next one rampaged. Afghan women plead for help as their rights are stripped away one by one under the new regime. Men and women who allied themselves with the United States and other NATO countries count their breaths, praying for mercy as terrorists hunt them down. The Biden Administration’s decision to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan was a primary factor that caused the humanitarian crisis we are now witnessing. The Taliban, a terrorist group resurrected, now control the petrified citizens left behind. For the past 20 years, the United States has had military presence in the middleeastern country. The decision to invade followed the Taliban’s refusal to hand over infamous terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden. Bin Laden, who belonged to the terrorist group Al Qaeda, was responsible for the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11, 2001. After he launched these attacks, Bin Laden found refuge within the Taliban lands, according to cfr.org. Former President George W. Bush demanded that the Taliban give the United States military the names of all Al Qaeda leaders or risk being fired upon. The Taliban refused, resulting in the United States launching Operation Enduring Freedom, which consisted of a long string of military strikes on both Al Qaeda and the Taliban on October 7, 2001, according to npr.org. “The world has come together to fight a new and different war, the war on terrorism. First, and we hope the only one, of the 21st century. A war against all those who seek to export terror, and a war against those

BY KYLIE BURKS governments that support or shelter them,” announced Bush on October 11, 2001 following his declaration of war on terrorism. For twenty years, the United States and its allies fought to keep the Taliban subdued. 2,448 American veterans died in combat, and 2.2 trillion dollars were poured into Afghanistan, according to AP news and the Daily Wire. President Joe Biden announced in April that he was making plans to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, but those plans changed. On August 13, 2021, the worlds’ jaws collectively dropped. President Biden made the command to remove all US troops from Afghanistan, originally planning on keeping only a few Americans within the country’s borders. “The embassy remains open and we plan to continue our diplomatic work in Afghanistan,” Ned Price, the U.S. Department of State spokesperson announced. “The United States will continue to support consular services, and that

A U.S. Marine supervises Afghans evacuating Afghanistan at Kabul Airport. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.

includes the processing and operations of the Special Immigrant Visa program, and will continue to engage in diplomacy with the Afghan Government and the Afghan people. Additionally, we will continue our focus on counter-terrorism.” A few days later however, the decision was made to pull out all U.S. troops and citizens by the new deadline, August 31. Chaos ensued as Americans, Afghan citizens and allies swarmed the Hamid Karzai Airport. “Since the evacuation operation began on August 14, more than 123,000 people, most of them Afghans, have been evacuated, according to the U.S. government,” Gibson Dunn, a nationally-renowned law firm, reported, as of September 9th. It is estimated that the number of American citizens still left in Kabul is around 200, according to the Daily Wire. The actual number could be higher, given there are many undocumented Americans still there as well. During the Afghan evacuations, many events occurred that directly affected Americans. One of these events was the killing of 13 US service members, including 11 marines, one army staff sergeant, and a navy medic, according to NPR. “The attack, by at least two suicide bombers, struck at the only avenue of escape for the thousands of foreign nationals and tens — or hundreds — of thousands of their Afghan allies who are trying to flee the country following the Taliban takeover and ahead of the final withdrawal of U.S. troops,” the New York Times reported. This attack marked the deadliest military strike on Americans since February, 2020. “This tragedy should never have been allowed to happen, which makes our grief even deeper and more difficult to understand,” former President Donald Trump said in a statement made a few days after the attacks. This appalling attack is in addition to many other tragedies. Photos and videos have been released showing desperate Afghans clinging to the sides of airplanes midair, crowds of men, women, and children

American soldiers help lift a young Afghan boy on to a military vehicle amid the Kabul evacuations. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.

“Since the evacuation operation began on August 14, more than 123,000 people, most of them Afghans, have been evacuated,” according to Gibson Dunn. fighting to get onto planes. Afghanistan is like, now that the United States is gone. “We just smell the death. I’m afraid to let [the children] go out, or myself to go out, an American woman left in Afghanistan told CNN, after the August 31st deadline passed. She and 37 other Americans, including children, are all living together, fearing for their lives. “This is my fear that if American could not help me, when they were on the ground, how will they help me now, when there no one is here? That’s my question.” The horrors occurring in Afghanistan have not been without moments of joy. “A flight with American citizens and lawful permanent residents that departed Afghanistan on [September 9th] safely landed in Qatar,” Fox News reported. (Qatar is another

middle-eastern country located on the coast of Saudi Arabia and shares no borders with Afghanistan.) This successful evacuation signals the beginning of the government’s promise to get all American citizens out of Afghanistan, regardless of any deadlines. “As President Biden has said, if you are an American citizen who wants to leave Afghanistan, there is no deadline,” Emily Horne, National Security Council spokesperson, said. “We remain committed to get them out if they want to come out.” The events that have taken place in Afghanistan are unforgettable and will keep their mark in history. As the Taliban government is set up and Afghans prepare for the worst, the future is uncertain for America, Afghanistan, and foreign policy.

Taliban fighters stand outside the Kabul Airport armed with U.S. issue guns and dressed in U.S. military uniforms. Photo courtesy of MCT Direct.

NEWS

Under the Sun Climate change is acting fast. We have to act faster.

Scorching rays of sun beam on the girl’s tennis team as they gather at Gillenwater Tennis Courts, rackets in hand and ready for their summer practice. The heat lowers morale, and complaints about the temperature increase with each passing moment in the sun. With an average temperature of 89 degrees Fahrenheit in Springfield, the blistering heat of July 2021 has now been globally recognized as the hottest month in the 142 years of recorded temperatures. While the mean global surface temperature for July was 60.4 degrees Fahrenheit, July 2021 reached a global surface temp of 61.71 degrees Fahrenheit. Regarding this information, 2021 will most likely rank in the top ten warmest years recorded. Is this a direct reflection of climate change? When looking at climate change from a wider perspective, the impact it has on everyday life can be seen all around the world. Food prices are spiking due to the global increase in heat, and dryness in certain climates. “Heatwaves and droughts during the past several years have been connected to fluctuating wheat prices, including a 20% spike in European and U.S. markets,” the Environmental Defense Fund said. Climate change also makes itself known through the declining condition of coral reefs, forests, and severe storms overtaking the lives of coastal Americans. Those are things happening both nationally and globally. However, the question remains; how is climate change specifically impacting Missouri? “Changing climate is likely to increase the frequency of floods,” said the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in their 2016 report on climate change in Missouri. States all across the Midwest have experienced an increase in precipitation by at least 5 percent in the last 50 years, leading to higher water levels and recurrent floods. The EPA predicted that citizens of Midwest states will experience increased rainfall in springtime, and rainstorms are expected to intensify. Over the summer, however, things are to take a drastic turn.

BY MADILYN MCCLURE “Although springtime in Missouri is likely to be wetter, summer droughts are likely to be more severe,” the EPA said in their report. As well as increased chances of drought, the report takes note of the expected surge in temperatures. The summer of 2021 was a direct example of this, given the global temperature record that was set during the month of July. As uncomfortable as the hotter temperatures may be, it should also be noted that the increase has several underlying issues that follow. “Higher temperatures can increase production of ground-level ozone, a pollutant that can cause lung and heart problems,” the EPA reported. This presents health threats for not only

humans, but plants that are harmed by the ozone produced. As the climate warms, life on earth becomes more and more endangered. Heat stroke and dehydration run rampant through urban areas across Missouri where air conditioning is hard to come by. So what can one do to help the preservation of our climate? One of the best and most convenient ways to do this is to recycle. As often as this proposition arises in today’s society and culture, the importance shines through. Other ways include reducing food and water waste through buying food that you can guarantee will be eaten, and conserving water usage. All it takes is cooperation and effort in order to make strides towards a healthier planet.

An athlete tries to stay cool outside in the heat.

Hats off to Kickapoo

Kickapoo starts off the school year with a reevaluated dress code, with changes to hat and ID badge policies.

In the past, Springfield Public Schools (SPS) had a policy of prohibiting hats in the classroom, claiming they were not only a distraction but also inappropriate. Students often disregarded the SPS policy and wore them anyway. In SPS’s “Dress and Grooming Standards” policy, Policy JFCA states “Hats, including beanies, are not to be worn in the school building unless approved by building administration,” exempting religious head coverings. Beginning the 2021-2022 school year, Kickapoo Administration collectively agreed they were not going to fight the previously enforced “No-Hat Policy.” This past July, the KHS leadership team, including department heads and administrators, reevaluated a portion of the student handbook dress code policy. Ultimately, they decided not to follow the existing hat and ID badge guideline.

BY MAGGIE MILLER They reasoned the policy states it is optional if not mandated by the school’s administration. Kickapoo leadership had no problem going against this code. “If it’s not a distraction or impeding learning, there is no problem,” Principal Dr. Powers said. To some students, hats, beanies, or hoods are a way to shelter or even express themselves, similar to the clothing they wear. The new approval of hats during school hours serves as a relief to many students. Sometimes such a small change can make a significant impact in student lives. Listed in the same policy, Policy JFCA also requires that “All staff and high school students are required to properly display a visible ID badge during school hours...An ID badge may be affixed using an approved lanyard, clip or magnet.” For years, Kickapoo Administration required an ID badge be visible around a student’s neck with a school provided or approved lanyard, regardless of the JFCA

policy said. Now, following the exact code, Kickapoo students’ only requirement regarding ID badges, is that they must be easily accessible during school hours. This means students can store their ID in their wallets, in their backpacks, or around their necks. Visible ID badges have always been required for safety reasons. Although those reasons still exist, it is still considered safe to have a badge on a student, even if it is not visible. However, ID’s must be easily accessible for library book checkouts and lunch purchases. “I’m not going to fight the ID battle because some adults don’t even abide by it,” Dr. Powers said. Some teachers are more lenient regarding school policies than others. Teachers are able alter the ID policy in their classrooms according to their comfort level, similar to the standard phone policy. Although these minor changes may not seem significant to some, school administration is doing their best to accommodate students’ wants and needs.

Students utilizing the recent dress code policy changes in the halls.

NEWS

Next Level Security

The old security cameras at KHS were so outdated as to not be of much use. “Time stamps were off. Our old cameras were really outdated, grainy, and hard to see,” Officer Dennis Goss said. Officer Goss and Officer Rachael Boxberger are the two School Resource Officers assigned to Kickapoo. This year, the system was upgraded and now the school police have a much closer and clearer look at what is happening around campus. “We have everything on one system, last year we had three systems and seven or close to seven servers,” Goss said. It took a long time to plan out the new security and locations for the cameras. “We [Goss and Boxberger] worked on it days before. I had a map in front of me,” Goss says. Now with the updated cameras, and better placement, security has reached completely new heights. “The quality is a lot better, some are 4K. For the first time we can see the back forty area. We can even read license plates,” Goss said. This is convenient due to the high vehicle crime route. Now with a better view of the parking lot, the school police have a better chance at catching a culprit. “Common things are car hits in the parking lot during the day,” Goss said. Even though it is early in the year, our school is that much safer. “Once I get the hang of things it will make my job much easier,” Goss said. With the update, the school police will be able to enforce safety on campus.

The security system gets an upgrade. BY AISLINN NEUBAUER

Officer Goss’ handcuffs.

“The quality is a lot better, some are 4K. For the first time we can see the back forty area. We can even read license plates,” Goss said.

Officer goss’ badge

Learning Beyond Kickapoo

BY GRACIE MARSH

Springfield Public Schools offers a variety of off-campus programs. Connecting students with different learning styles to various opportunities that can bring success outside of the classroom. Two of these programs that primarily focus on after high school life for students are OTC’s (Ozarks Technical Community College) Middle College and the GO CAPS (Greater Ozarks Centers for Advanced Professional Studies) program. Both programs are for juniors and seniors only and are there to guide and help students get a jump start on their future. OTC’s Middle College is a five day a week program where students attend school on the OTC campus. While on campus, students learn at collegiate-level classes while also finishing their high school credits. After taking the college level courses, students can graduate high school with a two-year associate of arts degree as well as their high school diploma. OTC’s Middle College allows students to choose classes that align with their career cluster. Many benefits can come out of Middle College. “It helps students gain information about themselves and their future without costing a fortune to do so,” Director of Middle College, Dr. Tiffany Brunner said, While attending Middle College, students are still enrolled at their same high school. Students are still able to participate in their high school extracurricular activities such as sports teams, dances, and theatre. Senior, Emilia Romero, is attending her first year at Middle College. “I regret not enrolling my junior year. I like how every student focuses on themselves so students hold themselves to a higher standard to get their work done,” said Romero. Classes at Middle College are split between high school credits and college credits. “I love taking my college classes more than my high school classes because I feel like I am benefiting for the future more,” said Romero. With smaller class sizes, learning is more individualized. Natalie Scheihing is attending her second year at Middle College.

Education opportunities for students off-campus.

Student forms relations during job shadow at primary school. Photo courtsey of D. Hubbard. “I feel like I get treated more like an adult. My teachers take their time to help me one on one,” Scheihing said. With getting a break between classes she can get her other school work done. “I have an online class this semester so I am not in a seated class all day. I use that break to catch up on other assignments,” Scheihing said. OTC’s Middle College can be described as a “tight-knit family” according to Brunner, allowing students to build better relationships with their peers and educators. “We work on a coaching model,” Brunner said. OTC’s Middle College provides a different atmosphere and approach to learning, allowing students to learn and grow as an adult. The second program that Springfield Public Schools offers is GO CAPS. GO CAPS is a year-long program in which students go off campus for two blocks of the day. GO CAPS allows students to learn in realworld situations, allowing them to job shadow live professionals in the career of their choice. Students have the opportunity to enroll in five different categories when applying for GO CAPS this includes, medicine and health care, business and entrepreneurship, teacher education, IT and software solutions, and engineering and manufacturing. Students gain knowledge to guide them to transfer their learning from a classroom to the real world. Dana Hubbard, Director of Summer Learning and Student Experiences said, “We want kids to be able to do real work and see how the content they are learning in the classroom transfers to the workforce.”

GO CAPS begins with classes on professionalism and then translates into job shadowing in the field. Students are job shadowing at least three times a week, the other two days students attend classes that help them solve problems and project management. Gaining relationships with teachers is a key detail in the learning environment that GO CAPS provides. “Many times, students feel that their educators are more colleagues rather than someone giving authority,” Hubbard said. Student-to-student relationships are very apparent as well. “I’ve already met a lot of cool people so far. They are all really fun and I enjoy spending time with them,” junior, Sam Wiener said. GO CAPS allows students to see the ins and outs of the workforce. A junior in the program, Zack Hamilton, is enrolled in the business and entrepreneurship strand and is excited to have the opportunity to see what it is like in the real job environment. The program is very individualized. Learning becomes more hands-on rather than sitting in a classroom. “Being able to learn hands-on and apply what you are learning helps students,” Hubbard said. Students are in a new environment which gives them guidance and growth as they further their education into the workforce. Students attending OTC’s Middle College and GO CAPS are benefiting from gaining knowledge outside of the classroom. Getting them prepared for the future and what they want to do in life.

NEWS

Local Hospitals Mandate Vaccine for Employees

COVID-19 has taken a turn for the worse in the Springfield area over the past few months. Following an increase of cases and prevalence of the Delta Variant, Mercy and Cox Hospitals in Springfield have enforced a vaccine mandate for their employees. On July 7, Mercy Hospitals announced a September 30 deadline for their employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Cox followed Mercy’s lead, enforcing a mandate on August 23 with an October 15 deadline to receive the first dose. Kylie Schmied is a final semester nursing student who attends Cox College, and is doing her Capstone program at Cox Branson in the Emergency Department. “Since I’ve been working in the ER a lot, the vaccine has been crucial to help protect myself and others in emergent situations,” Schmied said. This vaccine mandate includes all workers, interns, students, and leaders of Mercy and Cox hospitals. Workers who do not comply with the mandate may face termination. “I think that getting the vaccine as a hospital worker is important because we are around a lot of sick patients, and also patients in general that may not be able to receive the vaccine due to illness or immunosuppressant issues,” Schmied said. Kourtney Angus, a Springfield resident, disagrees. “I feel like it should be a choice and no one’s job should be jeopardized because they have hesitation on getting the shot. I have friends that have worked in the medical field for 20 years and now will have to find another job because they don’t want to be forced to get the shot or lose their job. It should be a choice,” Angus said. Mercy’s initial announcement sparked lots of protest. The Pfizer and Moderna

Mercy and Cox Hospitals of Springfield have mandated all employees to be COVID-19 vaccinated, causing controversy. BY AVERY SCOTT

vaccines had not been FDA approved at the time of the mandate enforcement, which raised many concerns. The Pfizer vaccine now has full FDA approval, and scientists behind Moderna have submitted their paperwork and are waiting on a response. Protests began all around Springfield. They were seen in Park Central Square, outside the hospitals, and even on main roads including Battlefield and National. Many protesters held signs that had statements such as, “My body, my choice,” or “Honor our choice.” “I think it’s still too soon to know if there will be side effects, and the shot affects everyone differently. I pray there won’t be any serious side effects,” Angus said. Hospital workers and civilians have come together to protest against Mercy and Cox’s mandate, sharing their opinions and beliefs. “I feel like it’s unfair for hospitals to

require the vaccine or lose your job. It should be a choice. If masks work, then why require a vaccination,” Angus said. While the community is coming together to show support against the vaccine mandate at the hospitals, Schmied believes that receiving the vaccine could bring the community together. “With a higher vaccination rate, we would see a lot more gatherings that people don’t feel guilty for going to. It would bring the community together knowing that people are getting vaccinated to help protect one another,” Schmied said. Doctors and department heads of Cox and Mercy have been coming together to persuade workers into receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. There is a physicians advisory group that has been put in place at Mercy to help educate workers who are hesitant to receive the vaccine and to persuade them to do so.

Outside the main building of Cox South in Springfield.

Many workers and civilians alike feel that the vaccine has long term side effects that range from infertility and disabilities that will affect a person’s life and health. Schmied had no regrets or second thoughts about receiving her COVID-19 vaccine. “I got my vaccine as soon as I could because I have older grandparents that mean the world to me and I would do anything to protect them and the community,” she said. While these mandates are enforced hospital-wide, there are some medical and religious exemptions. These exemptions can include severe allergic reactions to the vaccine or religious ideas not aligning with the receival of the vaccine. Exemptions like these are hard to come by, and are very rarely granted. Those who are granted an exemption will be required to test weekly. As of October 1st, Mercy announced that employees who do not have their vaccine will be placed in a 28 day suspension. However, these employees are given another opportunity. If they receive their vaccine during this 28

“I feel like it’s unfair for hospitals to require the vaccine or lose your job. It should be a choice. If masks work, the why require a vaccination,” Angus said.

day period, their jobs will be restored Schmied believes that a higher vaccination rate entails a lower number of COVID-19 cases. “Most COVID-19 patients we have been seeing have been unvaccinated, however, you can still get COVID-19 with the vaccine. But, with the vaccine there’s a much lower chance of being hospitalized or having serious complications,” Schmied said. Angus disagreed with this statement, and shared her opinion. “I would like to believe that a higher vaccination rate entails a lower number of COVID-19 cases, but it is hard to believe as we are seeing people who got the shot still contracting COVID-19,” Angus said. As an essential worker in Springfield hospitals, Schmied encourages others to receive the vaccine. “Do what you feel is right, but we all have to help each other if we want to overcome this pandemic as a community. Getting your vaccine is a great way to help,” Schmied said.

Photo Courtesy of Andrew Sullender.

Protesters outside of Mercy Springfield’s main building.

FEATURE

“There’s No Place Like Home”

Caleb Francis, new drama director, has big ambitions for the drama department.

TheWizardofOzhasbeenaclassicmovieforages, but to Caleb Francis it is more than just a movie. “In fourth grade, I got cast as the mayor munchkin in the Wizard of Oz. That’s when the ‘theatre bug’ bit me,” Francis said. He kept performing in theatre up until college; deciding he wanted to teach it instead. “I decided to go to Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana to get my Bachelors Science in theatre education,” Francis said. He explained that he was interested in theatre education, but wasn’t thrilled because he still had a love for performing on stage. “It wasn’t until a camp production I did as a freshman in college that made me realize that theatre education is what I wanted to do,” Francis said. To him, theatre education is more fulfilling. “I wanted to be on Broadway before pursuing theatre education,” Francis said. Sometimes, people don’t know what they will end up doing or where they will end up. “I was applying to many other schools and the facilities Kickapoo offered just stood out to me. Especially the PAC that we have,” Francis said. Before the first day of school, Francis had a vision of what he wanted to come true for the theatre program. He has a lot planned for the production and wants more people to be a part of that. “Advice I would give to students wanting to join theatre, or if they’re curious about it, is to just come and try it out,” Francis said. “The other reason why students don’t try out for drama is because of their worry for their self image,” Francis said. In Francis’s eyes theatre is not just his job, but his home. “ Theatre is a place I know I belong and a place I can escape from all of my problems and stress,” Francis said. Francis loves theatre and he hopes to share that love with other students. He plans on doing that through his version of the Wizard of Oz. But like many other productions it takes a lot of preparation for the cast, tech, and directors. So how are the students preparing for the show?

BY COLE DOBBS

Mr. Francis directs the students during a rehearsal

Tech Students Tristan Bess and April Noe working on set construction for the show. Students who were casted, or part of tech, have to do a lot of work in such little time. This means set building, memorization of the lines, painting, and more. Francis not only has costume ideas, but also different cosmetic ideas to bring the show up to the next level. “We are trying to pull out all of the stops tech wise…fingers crossed that it all goes to plan. You’ll just have to come see the show to see the final product” The more ideas Francis wants to carry out, the more it will cost to do that. So how is the theatre planning on funding it? “As for fundraising, we are pushing the ad and banner sales to help off-set the cost it takes to

Tech Student, Conner Rowe, working on set design for the show. put on such a large production to ensure we are able to accomplish everything we want to. We are also reaching out to the community to do potential promotional events to get donations and people to come see the show,” Francis said. Like most directors they get their inspiration from something. So where does Francis get his? “I want to go more of the classical way, but I am also incorporating a lot of my students’ ideas,” Francis said. He hopes that his students will take ownership over this show because even though he is the director, his students are the artists behind it. “I just want to see my students out in the world and see what they will do on the next level of theatre,” Francis said.

INDIVIDUAL

FEATURE

DIY Costumes

Quick, easy, and affordable Halloween Costumes for however you choose to spend the holiday! BY GABBY BURGESS

Social Butterfly Toilet Paper Roll

Supplies: Printed social media logos, tape, white shirt, tutu, and butterfly wings Directions: Can be made quickly at home! Tape on the logos to the shirt and tutu, put all of it together for the perfect individual costume!

Supplies: Cardboard and brown butcher paper Directions: This one takes a little bit of prep work but is totally worth it. Use old cardboard boxes to form a cylinder, then wrap in the butcher paper to create a toilet paper roll!

GROUP

Supplies: Black blazers, sunglasses, white shirts, and pants. Directions: This is a quick and easy option that can be thrown on with no prep work! It can work for any number of people.

Teletubbies

Men In Black

Supplies: Red, Yellow, Purple. and Blue T-shirts, and pipe cleaners Directions: Use pipe cleaners to make the different shapes and glue onto headbands. This one is quick and easy for a group of four people!

FEATURE

Couples of Kickapoo Get to know the couples you see around school. BY AVERY SCOTT

Isaac Smith (11) and Tessa Trombetta (11) Isaac IsaacSmith Smith(11) (11)and andTessa TessaTrombetta Trombetta(11) (11)

When is your anniversary? Dayne: October 25, 2020 Campbell: October 25, 2020 Where was your first date? Dayne: Mini golf Campbell: Mini golf What is Dayne’s favorite food? Dayne: Steak Campbell: McDonald’s Who wears the pants in the relationship? Dayne: Campbell Campbell: ME DUH

When is your anniversary? Isaac: September 8, 2020 Tessa: September 8, 2020 Where was your first date? Isaac: Schlotzky’s Tessa: Schlotzky’s What is Tessa’s favorite food? Isaac: Sushi Tessa: Jalapeño roll at Haruno Who wears the pants in the relationship? Isaac: Isaac Tessa: Tessa

Dayne Brown (11) and Campbell Holt (10)

Dane Prost (9) and London West (9)

Who buys the best gifts? Connor: Her Claire: Me What is Connor’s favorite food? Connor: Coconut shrimp Claire: Miami roll or fried chicken What is Claire’s birthday? Connor: March 23, 2004 Claire: March 11, 2004 Who wears the pants in the relationship? Connor: Tie Claire: 50/50 Ty Wendel (11) and Emma Bramell (10) Ty Wendel (11) and Emma Bramell (10)

What is Dane’s shoe size? Dane: 9.5 London: 9 Where was your first date? Dane: Branson London: Silver Dollar City What is Dane’s birthday? Dane: August 19th, 2006 London: August 19th, 2006 Who wears the pants in the relationship? Dane: Her London: Me Connor Owens (12) and Claire Linton (12)

When is your anniversary? Ty: March 18, 2021 Emma: March 18, 2021 Where was your first date? Ty: Movies Emma: Movies Who buys the best gifts? Ty: Ty Emma:Ty Who wears the pants in the relationship? Ty: Emma Emma: Emma

FEATURE

Sensory Issues and Allergies: How to Include Everyone This Halloween

Dark blue and teal pumpkins are growing in popularity as a way of spreading awareness.

Halloween is right around the corner. As fun as it can be for individuals of all ages, remembering to include everyone this year is extremely important. BY EMILIA BELCOLORE

Most kids growing up look forward to jumping into their Halloween costumes and waiting for the sky to get dark enough to begin trick-or-treating. But, not everyone shares the same childhood experiences. On average, 14 percent of children who attend public schools receive special education services for a disability and every 1 in 59 kids are diagnosed with Autism. These children have a different exposure to Halloween compared to children who are not on the spectrum. Halloween can create many challenges for all. Though the ones who have autism, can have a harder time overcoming these difficult circumstances. One of the biggest challenges that children with autism face, especially on Halloween, include sensory issues. There are two types of sensory issues, they are known as hypersensitivities and hypo-sensitivities. Hyper-sensitivities is when a person is overly sensitive to different stimulations, and hypo-sensitivity is just the opposite. People with hypo-sensitivity experience underresponsiveness to different stimulations. “For example, many people on the spectrum are hyper-sensitive to bright lights or certain light wavelengths. Many find certain sounds, smells, or tastes overwhelming. Certain types of touch can feel extremely uncomfortable,” says Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks is the United State’s largest autism research organization. They strive to educate and familiarize the public to autism, help parents notice the signs of autism in their children, and much more. Though Autism is well-known and can affect thousands of kids across the United States when it comes to Halloween, it’s not the only issue that kids are facing. Almost every child remembers going through their candy stash at the end of the Halloween night looking for the best candies to eat first. The most common ones include Reece’s, M&M’s, Snickers, Hershey’s Mr. Goodbar, Butterfinger, and PAYDAY. As popular as these candies may be, they all share one thing in common, peanuts. Since 2010, there has been an increase of peanut allergies by 21 percent, resulting in 1.2 million kids and teenagers to be allergic to peanuts. According to the Mayo Clinic, peanut

allergies are one of the most food induced reasons that children go into anaphylaxis. This is a serious medical emergency that requires epinephrine auto injector, also known as an EpiPen or Auvi-Q followed by an excursion to the nearest hospital. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP? To prevent potential sensory overloads and allergic reactions, there are many things you can do to keep all children, feeling included this Halloween. If you want to decrease risks here are some tips for this Halloween. • Avoid decorations such as fog machines, bright lights, and moving robotics, decorations such as these can easily overwhelm a child with autism. • Be understanding of children who do not say, “trick-or-treat” or “thank you” when they walk up to your doorstep. Being non-verbal is commonly associated with the diagnosis of autism. • Be accepting of those who do not show up in a traditional costume, or even one at all. Autistic children often have a hard time handling the stimulation that different textured costumes bring, especially if the child isn’t used to the costume yet. • Children who show up in a DIY costume or just a fun pair of pajamas still deserve the same amount of treats compared to the children who are dressed up more traditionally. If you’re wanting to create a safer environment for children who suffer from allergies, one of the best options is non-edible treats. Items such as small toys, pencils, toothbrushes, stress balls, and glow sticks are all great examples of treats that can replace candy. If you’re or someone you know is interested in spreading awareness about autism and allergies this Halloween, one thing that the two disorders use to

represent are blue colored pumpkins. WHAT DO THE COLORED PUMPKINS SYMBOLIZE? If you happen to pass a house with a painted dark blue pumpkin or blue pumpkin candy container, then that’s a sign of spreading awareness for autism. Just because you or someone you love doesn’t have autism, doesn’t mean that you can’t display a blue pumpkin. Displaying a blue pumpkin allows autistic children to feel more welcomed at that house. If you’re wanting to let children know that they are safe from any allergies, then a teal pumpkin is what you’re looking for. In 2014, the Food and Allergy Community of East Tennessee started what’s known as the Teal Pumpkin Project as a way to increase awareness of food allergies. The project encouraged the people who give out treats to give out non-food goodies. The people who participated would paint pumpkins teal and leave them on their front porch and hand out goodies that were not edible. Ever since then, the Food Allergy Research and Education organization, along with countless numbers of citizens across the United States have participated in this safety awareness tradition by displaying teal pumpkins in front of their houses. Halloween is a yearly holiday celebrated by all ages and no matter the differences a child may have, everyone equally deserves to enjoy the festivities. From autism to allergies, and more, there are many challenges that children can experience. But, with you and your community’s help, people everywhere can make children feel more welcomed. No matter how you’re celebrating Halloween this year, remember these three rules: be accepting, be patient, and be kind.

In a teal pumpkin, appropriate items include small toys, pencil, and other tangible items that are not food related to keep children with allergies safe. In a dark blue pumpkin, you can include candy and anything else you wish to spread autism awareness.

REED JENSEN

Maggie Miller lights up the student section at Kickapoo games. She is constantly uplifting and supporting our teams. Miller’s favorite cheer to lead is “Load the Buses,” and her favorite theme is Random Objects. Miller’s favorite rivalry is Kickapoo Basketball vs Glendale and she loves to cheer for football. “I love cheering because I love school spirit and hanging out with friends,” she said. Miller loves to yell and show her Kickapoo pride during a big game.

Reed Jensen is undoubtedly one of the most essential people in the Kickapoo student section. Jensen is always encouraging and cheering on the Chiefs. “My favorite thing about Kickapoo games is the environment and energy that fills it,” Jensen said. Jensen’s favorite theme is camo and his favorite sport to cheer for is volleyball. Jensen’s favorite chant is “O-U-T, Out,” and his favorite rivalry is Kickapoo Football vs Glendale. Jensen will continue to lead the student section in supporting our school throughout all sports seasons.

JOSIE EIFFERT

Josie Eiffert is one of the biggest faces of the Kickapoo student section this season. You will often find her on someone’s shoulders or leading chants. “My favorite thing about Kickapoo games is how excited everyone gets when we do good,” Eiffert said. Josie’s favorite theme is gold rush, and her favorite rivalry game is Kickapoo Volleyball vs Nixa. Josie loves to lead any of the defense cheers, and her favorite sport to cheer for is volleyball. Eiffert brings lots of excitement and fire to the Kickapoo student section.

MAGGIE MILLER

FEATURE

Student Section Super Fans

Introducing some familiar faces from the Kickapoo student section for the 2021-2022 school year. BY AVERY SCOTT

ANNA JOPLIN

CAYDEN DANZER

Cayden Danzer is one of the key faces of the Kickapoo student section. He helps initiate cheers and loves to include everyone. “My favorite thing about Kickapoo games is cheering on the team with other fans,” Danzer said. Danzer’s favorite rivalry game is Kickapoo Football vs Glendale and his favorite chant to lead is “Give ‘em the DEEEE-FENSE!” Danzer likes to cheer at football games and his favorite theme is camo. Danzer loves to show support for his school and takes great pride in Kickapoo and its environment.

Anna Joplin may be one of the most hyper girls in the Kickapoo student body. “I cheer because Kickapoo is love, and Kickapoo is life,” Joplin said. Joplin’s favorite theme is red, white, and blue, and her favorite rivalry game is Kickapoo Girls Soccer vs Glendale. Joplin loves to cheer at football games and loves to lead the chant “Kickapooooo Chieeefs!” Joplin plays an important role in the student section and has the most unforgettable voice of the student section.

CONNOR OWENS

Connor Owens has an exemplary amount of school spirit. He gives his all at every game he attends. Owens favorite rivalry game is Kickapoo Basketball vs Glendale, and his favorite cheer to lead is “You can’t do that!” Owens favorite theme is camo and his favorite sport to cheer for is football. “I love how everyone comes together to support the same thing,” he said. Owens is heard loud and clear at every game, and shows great pride in supporting his school.

FEATURE

Humans of Kickapoo Everyone has a story. BY CAYLEE HOWSER

Ally Ondatje, 12

Meet Kickapoo senior, Ally Ondatje. She has been fully online since quarantine began. “I do online school because I have a lot of anxiety and it makes me feel better to do it on my own with my own schedule. I like online school because it allows me to build my schedule and I don’t have to do things at a certain time. I can go to work during the day, and not be burnt out when it’s time to do school work. It’s really just what works best for me and I’m really glad this was an option provided at Kickapoo,” Ondatje said.

Sam Weiner, 11

Meet junior, Sam Weiner. At school he takes honors classes, participates in NHS, Spanish Honor Society, and plays Soccer. Weiner only spends half of the day seated at Kickapoo. The other half is spent at Cox North where he participates in the science and medical branch of GO CAPS. Outside of school he volunteers regularly at the food pantry and at his synagogue. Weiner also works at Chesterfield Family Center. “I like being really involved in my community because it makes me feel like I’m using my time well and making a difference,” Weiner said.

Mrs. Canella

Mrs. Canella teaches Physics First. She graduated from Drury University initially for architecture. Canella never ended up working in architecture, but used her knowledge from it to be a successful physics teacher. “You are never too old to make the transition and do what you want to, people grow and change and there are always other opportunities and there’s always time to make the change. There’s going to be something else, this isn’t it. Don’t be scared to change. It’s never too late,” Canella said.

A Blast From the Past Whitney Fearing

2023

What activities are you involved in at Kickapoo? Kickapoo Golden Girls, Student Council, Chief Mentor, Kare Team, and NHS. Can you think of any traditions you guys have at Kickapoo? “One of my favorite traditions is dressing up for the spirit days when we have football or basketball games.” What is your favorite memory from high school? “My favorite memory so far is getting to go to Disney World for nationals with the poms team.”

Gannon Benton

2024

What activities are you involved in at Kickapoo? Football Can you think of any traditions you guys have at Kickapoo? “Everyone wears their team jerseys on game day.” What is your favorite memory from high school? “Hanging out with the football team before and after games.”

BY JULIA KLEIN

Chad Fearing

1990

What activities were you involved in at Kickapoo? “I played football, baseball, and I was involved in FCA.” Can you think of any traditions you guys had while you were a student at Kickapoo? “Traditions we had at Kickapoo included a thing called soap and soda scrimmages for football (these were practice football games before the season started, you had to bring either soda or soap to get in the game), senior prank day, how night, and before every football game there was a pep rally.” What is your favorite memory from high school? “My favorite memory from high school was almost winning state for football my junior year.”

Brad Benton

1990

What activities were you involved in at Kickapoo? Wrestling, Football, and Pole Vaulting. Can you think of any traditions you guys had while you were a student at Kickapoo? “Pep rallies before games, vanilla and chocolate shakes at lunch.” What is your favorite memory from high school? “My favorite memories revolve around sports. Football game road trips and all day track meets.”

Brad Wilkinson

What activities are you involved in at Kickapoo? FCA, Cheer, and Concert Choir Can you think of any traditions you guys have at Kickapoo? “Fight song after touchdown.” What is your favorite memory from high school? “FNL and hanging out with my friends after the game.”

What activities were you involved in at Kickapoo? Baseball, FBLA, and Concert Choir Can you think of any traditions you guys had while you were a student at Kickapoo? “A senior was chosen to dress up as a chief every football game, dances were a big deal, senior prank day, sang the fight song after every touchdown, the band sat in the student section, hanging out at the circle in Bradford Park, and leaving for lunch.” What is your favorite memory from high school? “Meeting up with friends every Friday and Saturday because we had no cell phones.”

Campbell Wilson

Deanne Wilson

FEATURE

Anna Wilkinson

2023

2023 What activities are you involved in at Kickapoo? Golden Girls, Chief Mentor, Peer Mediators, Kare Team, NHS, Student Council, A+ Program Can you think of any traditions you guys have at Kickapoo? “The Homecoming Parade; marching in the parade before the Homecoming football game.” What is your favorite memory from high school? “My first high school football game; seeing the football boys run out of the tepee, dancing in front of the student section, and getting to chant ‘Who Said’ after we won.”

1995

1994

What activities were you involved in at Kickapoo? Golden Girls, NHS, Key Club, and Career Club. Can you think of any traditions you guys had while you were a student at Kickapoo? “The Pow Wow was always a fun tradition. The entire school attended. They had all kinds of games/contests and even a student band one year. My senior year, I won the ice-cream eating contest.” What is your favorite memory from high school? “Being on Golden girls, lots of fun memories. Poms camp, early morning band camp, performing at games and assemblies. We even marched in the Rose Bowl with the band one year.”

Maggie Miller

2022

Alison Miller

1986

What activities are you involved in at Kickapoo? Cabinet (VP), NHS, Kare Team Leadership, Chief Mentor, Spanish Club, Spanish Honor Society, DECA, Writing Center, Magazine (Copy Editor), Girls Soccer, and Girls Tennis. Can you think of any traditions you guys have at Kickapoo? “Poo Night, Homecoming Parade (new), Pool on the Roof, and Senior Skip Day.” What is your favorite memory from high school? “Long bus rides with the soccer team.”

What activities were you involved in at Kickapoo? Cabinet (Spirit Commissioner), Cheerleading, and NHS Officer. Can you think of any traditions you guys had while you were a student at Kickapoo? “How Night, banner run-through before football games, memories assembly, pep rallies, and senior pig roast.” What is your favorite memory from high school? “Football games- specifically winning the state championship in basketball and doing well in the Tournament of Champions in 1985 and winning Blue and Gold.”

Bryan Disylvester

2022 What activities are you involved in at Kickapoo? Varsity football, DECA, FBLA, track and field. Can you think of any traditions you guys have at Kickapoo? “We had How Night but that has been canceled the past few years due to COVID. We also used to have a tepee for football but that was also recently removed.” What is your favorite memory from high school? “My favorite memory so far has been bus rides with the football team”

1990

What activities were you involved in at Kickapoo? Soccer, Student Council, Youth in Government, Spanish Club, NHS, and FBLA.” Can you think of any traditions you guys had while you were a student at Kickapoo? “Traditions we had were How Night at the beginning of the year where we had the tepee set up and a bunch of games and activities on the football field. We had four dances a year: homecoming, LPA, Sweetheart, and Prom. We also had “senior skip day” where all the seniors “skipped” and everyone went to Springfield Lake to hang out.” What is your favorite memory from high school? “Favorite memory is probably playing soccer my senior year. We were good (224). It was the only time my brother Dan and I played on the same team growing up. Some of my best friends were on the team that I’m still friends with now.”

FEATURE

Friendsgiving

An unconventional twist on a classic holiday. BY GABBY BURGESS

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, many prepare for the awkward conversation with the family you see once, maybe twice a year.. While it is rare we get to gather with our friends around the table on that celebratory Thursday, we can still find ways to share our gratitude for one another. Friends can sometimes be just as close, if not closer, to us than the extended family we see each year. That’s when Friendsgiving comes into play. It provides a fun and inclusive way to celebrate those who are with us through thick and thin. Friendsgiving is the perfect way to get everyone together before the craziness of the holiday season and is a sure way to create some memories!

Entertainment: Fish Bowl Game This game can be played with any number of people. To start, each player will get three small pieces of paper and write down one noun on each. This could be anything from TV shows to food, to random objects around the room. Then all the players will throw their papers into a bowl. Everyone will sit in a circle and be split into two teams. The bowl will get passed around the circle and each time the bowl comes to you you’ll have 30 seconds to describe as many items in the bowl as you can. Each word your team guesses correctly is 1 point. You’ll do this for

Hale’s Fall Harvest on West Republic Road is the perfect place to find your pumpkins and gourds for decorating the house before this November holiday. They have great prices, and great staff who are working to give customers the best experience!

This one works best if you and your 3 rounds, each time going around friends can drive but can still be fun the circle until the bowl is empty. In and chaotic either way! For this game, the first round, you can use words come up with a list of things that can and actions to describe the word; in be found around your neighborhood. the second round, you can only use Then, split up into several different actions; and in the last round, you can teams. Each team has to go and either only use one word to describe the noun. get that item or take a picture with it before the time runs out! This game can be personalized to your area and Neighborhood/ be as long or as short as you like. In the Photo Scavenger Hunt end, everyone comes back together to see who found the most items!

Food:

The easiest way to plan out a Friendsgiving meal is to have everyone bring something. The potluck-style allows for a wide variety and doesn’t put all the preparation stress on one person. This means everyone brings a dish to share. Some people bring a side, some bring a dessert, really anything that is needed! Here is a sweet and savory option to contribute to your Friendsgiving meal.

This dish was so easy to make, and you can get the squash form local markets to help support small businesses!

Roasted Butternut Squash Ingredients: 1 butternut squash, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper Directions: 1- Peel the butternut squash and scoop out the seeds, then cut into small cubes 2- Place cubes onto a baking sheet a drizzle with olive oil, then lightly season and toss cubes with salt and pepper (or another seasoning of your choice) 3- Cook at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until the cubes turn golden brown around the edges

These cupcakes were so much fun to make and can be personalized to fit all your favorites! You can also get creative with the icing using a bit of food dye!

Overall, this dish takes about 40 minutes overall to prep and cook and will serve about four people. This is a perfect side dish to add to any Friendsgiving dinner. This recipe can also be found on loveandlemons.com

Filled

Cupcakes

Ingredients: Vanilla Cake Mix, Chocolate Pudding Mix, and Icing (Vanilla) Directions: 1. Follow the directions on the back of your cake mix, cooking them fully in cupcake molds 2. While the cupcakes are cooking, begin to make your chocolate pudding and refrigerate when finished 3. Once the cupcakes have finished

cooking, allow them to cool outside of the molds for 30 minutes to an hour 4. After they have cooled, take a spoon to carefully remove the center without breaking through the bottom of the cupcake 5. Now take the chocolate pudding and use it to fill the hole 6. Lastly ice your cupcakes and they are ready to be served!

This recipe will vary in time based on your cake mixes prep and cook time but will take from 2-3 hours Typically one box of cake mix will make around 24 cupcakes. This recipe allows room for creativity, you can mix and match the different cake, pudding, and icing flavors to create your own unique dessert!

FEATURE

Tattoos of Kickapoo Description: The tattoo is of a simple, bold cross on the back of his upper arm. Meaning: “I wanted to show my faith.”

Noah Wilkinson (12)

Katy LaPoint (12) Description: The tattoo is a cassette tape with the Harry Styles song “Sunflower Vol. 6” on her upper forearm. Sketches of sunflowers are growing all around within the tape. The tattoo is made up of simple line work putting emphasis on the unique design. Meaning; “This tattoo is special to me because I am a big fan of Harry Styles and my sister designed it for me. I also got this tattoo at the same time as my dad got another tattoo.”

Kickapoo’s students and staff showcase their creativity and passion through their tattoos. BY MAGGIE MILLER Description: The tattoo has a baby angel and an eagle between the words “Child of God” surrounded by clouds. Wrapped further around the leg (not pictured), is the word “Blessed” vertically. The tattoo is in great detail incorporating various shading and line work techniques. Meaning: “The tattoo says “Child of God” and it has “Blessed” on the back of my leg. It means that God has me no matter what I go through and the “Blessed” represents how blessed I am to have my athletic abilities as well as have things so many people don’t have.”

Matthew Jones (11)

Mrs. Armstrong (teacher) Description: The tattoo consists of a light bulb with pink and green lilly of the valley flowers growing inside. Meaning; “The tattoo represents my daughter, her name means light. She was born in May and the flower for the month of May is lily of the valley. This is my most visible tattoo because it reminds me of her kids, so I don’t mind.”

FEATURE

Two Truths & One Lie BY REED JENSEN

Get to know your some of our support staff

Jennifer Danzer Mrs. Jennifer Danzer graduated from Kickapoo High School in 1985 and has worked in education for 28 years. Mrs. Danzer loves basketball so much that she named one of her three dogs LeBron, after her favorite NBA player.

1. I married my high school sweetheart, and we met when I was a freshman and he was a junior. 2. My favorite season is winter and I plan to retire in the mountains, with lots of snow. 3. I am related to Miley Cyrus. Attendance Secretary Kim Brown

1. I keep things instead of throwing them away. 2. The first time I got stitches was when I was 59. I got 12 in my hand from jumping onto a tree limb. 3. I will try to fix just about anything.

Mrs. Kim Brown’s favorite things are family, the St. Louis Cardinals, and swimming. She graduated from Kickapoo High School and has been a secretary for 16 years.

Attendance Secretary ANSWER KEY Mrs. Danzer #2 Mrs. Nixon #3

Mrs. Brown #1 Mrs. McCullough #3 Mrs. Davis #1 Mrs. Hendricks #2

Mrs. Nadherny #2 Mrs. Bricker #3

Carrie McCullough Mrs. Carrie McCullough has been a counseling secretary at Kickapoo High School for four years. She also has a daughter that is a senior at Kickapoo.

1. I’m scared of heights. 2. I love ice cream. 3. I love watching sports on TV. Counseling Secretary Jerri Nadherny

1. I was a diesel mechanic in the navy. 2. I love to shop. 3. I have a 32 year old son.

Mrs. Jerri Nadherny has worked at Kickapoo for 22 years. She also enjoys spending time at the lake and reading a good book.

Counseling Secretary

1. In the summer, I enjoy hiking and going to the lake. In the winter I love to go to Colorado and ski. 2. I am a KHS graduate. I was on the skateport artistic and speed team from 2nd grade to college. 3. I have six kids - four boys and two girls.

Janevra “JJ” Dixon Mrs. Janevra Dixon and her husband bought McSalty’s Restaurant in 1995. This is Mrs. Dixon’s first year here. She is very excited to be at Kickapoo, make new friends, and form long lasting relationships.

A+ Secretary

FEATURE

Karen Davis

1. I love mushrooms. 2. I was a travel agent and have traveled to 21 countries. 3. I was born in Hawaii.

Mrs. Karen Davis has two daughters and is very thankful that they graduated from Kickapoo. She also loves spending time with her two young grandchildren.

Principals’ Secretary Lisa Hendricks Mrs. Lisa Hendricks graduated from Reeds Spring High School. She has worked at Kickapoo since 2013, and has two sons that both graduated from Kickapoo. She loves to spend time with her kids and read books.

1. My mom had a search and rescue dog at the Twin T-owers on 911. 2. I have never traveled out of the U.S. 3. I love my job (minus the masks)! Assistant Principals’ Secretary Andrea Bricker

1. I have a two year old granddaughter. 2. My favorite city is Kansas City, but my true love is in the country. 3. My favorite sport is football. I never miss a Chiefs game!

Mrs. Andrea Bricker is a KHS graduate, class of 1987. She came back to work at Kickapoo in 2007 as a staff member. “Once a chief, always a chief,” Mrs. Bricker said. Her interests are reading, traveling, drinking hot tea, and Athletic and Activities spending lots of time with her family. Secretary

OPINION

Teachers at Arms

In an era defined by an increase in violence, the act of arming teachers should be considered for the protection of students.

Gone are the days when students attend school without regular intruder drills, potential lock downs, and the fear of a school shooter entering the building, looking to harm. Whenever we hear about another school being targeted and attacked, a sense of horror fills us, followed by a sense of relief because it wasn’t us, this time. As more and more stories of school shootings make the news, the fear of not making it home every time the school bell rings looms on students. This is why it’s time for schools to look into building up the figurative barrier between students and bullets. This can be done through the arming of select teachers and administrators throughout the building. Before changing the policy that allows trained and certified teachers to carry guns on school property, the stipulation of the law has to be considered. “Missouri prohibits the carrying of a firearm, whether loaded or unloaded, into any school, onto any school bus, or onto the premises of any function or activity sponsored or sanctioned by school officials or the district school board,” Gifford Law Center says, citing the gun policy for Missouri. However, this law does include some loopholes. “This prohibition also does not apply to any person with a valid concealed

BY KYLIE BURKS carry permit or endorsement (with permission from the school) or to school administrators or teachers who have been designated as school protection officers,” Gifford Law Center also stated. Based on these statements, it would be possible for Springfield Public Schools to introduce a policy allowing select teachers to carry guns. As of right now, the Springfield School Board’s stance on the subject is no. “It is not district practice to allow any staff to carry weapons outside

“I feel safe here, but I’m sure the schools where things like this have occurred said that as well,” Powers said.

of our school resource officers,” Tammi Harrington, secretary to the Superintendent said. With the present policies in place, it is not likely that this could become a reality, but the sheer matter of increased security in a dangerous world begs the question of whether this should be reversed. Although the need for extra protection in Springfield Public Schools doesn’t seem like a big issue, the risk in the United States is growing. “There have been 15 school shootings this year, 74 since 2018,” Education Week, an organization which tracks school violence, reported. Not only that, but the number of school shootings since the devastating Columbine High School massacre in 1999, the first recorded high school shooting in the United States, has increased exponentially, according to a timeline published by security.org. These statistics may feel like meer numbers on a page, since we have not had a school shooting in Springfield. Although this is true, no one knows what school will be next. Therefore, it is reasonable to implore Springfield Public Schools to consider increased security on school premises. Security already in place at Springfield high schools includes two school police officers stationed in the building. One of our school police officers is Officer Goss, and he patrols the school, making sure everyone is safe. He is not

necessarily opposed to arming teachers. “It really depends on the situation,” Goss said. “It [also] really kind of depends on the individual person. Our school district is fortunate in that there’s going to be at least one armed officer here.” In a potential emergency situation, there is the power of numbers to consider. If Officer Goss had gun backup from a handful of teachers who had been extensively trained in defense tactics, the chance of students being evacuated without harm would increase. In order for a teacher to become qualified in carrying a gun on school property and be able to use it in a crisis situation, the individual would have to go through extensive training and screening prior to earning their license. “You would have to do a second round of [background checks],” Goss said, explaining what he thinks would need to happen before teachers would be allowed to carry guns. “There would have to be some gun

safety courses, there would have to be something similar to what you have for conceal and carry to make sure if someone was proficient with [the gun], there would have to be some kind of arranged qualifications. There would be a lot of steps.” Going through this amount of training would be crucial in order for the concept to even be considered. That, coupled with the freedom of the individual teacher to decide if he or she would want to undergo this process, would all be important in determining who was fit to be an added wall of protection. Dr. Powers, Kickapoo’s principal, sits on the fence on the subject of arming teachers. “I honestly don’t know how I feel about it,” Powers said. “I feel safe here, but I’m sure the schools where things like this have occurred said that as well.” Despite this, Powers agreed that if extensive training was conducted and varying kinds of exams were conducted on the potential subjects,

he would not be closed off to the idea. “I think just like any police officer, whether school police, or city, county, et cetera, I think all those folks go through all of those background checks, and psychological exams, and the training that they do, not only before but on a consistent basis,” Powers said. “They’re constantly training and learning.” He went on to say that if this amount of training was required for teachers to carry firearms, he would be open to the idea. Guns are a powerful tool. They often get labeled as killing devices that steal life instead of give. I disagree. I believe if guns are handled by the right people in the right circumstances and under the right conditions, guns can preserve life instead of stealing it away. Students’ lives matter, and arming teachers will give every person involved a fighting chance in a situation that threatens those very lives.

Guns can be used to protect or destroy, so in order to ensure student and teacher safety, teachers would have to undergo training similar to that of a conceal and carry license.

OPINION

Student Section Savages Is this tradition just another exclusive club?

A t-shirt can mean metaphorical life or death for a teenager. At Kickapoo, we have had the tradition of ‘Superfans’ for decades. For those unaware of this tradition, it is a group of senior students who are handed down the title from the seniors before them. The summer before school starts, the graduated Superfans decide who their shirt will go to and surprise the incoming seniors with the title. The purpose of having Superfans is to have a group of students who attend all school sporting events so that everyone has cheerleaders backing them. While this may seem like an inclusive idea for the sports that are often shoved to the side of the spotlight, after attending a football game where the real stars are the Superfans you might think differently. I’ve wondered since I went to my first Kickapoo football game as a freshman what the point of having Superfans was. The same year, in Broadcast Journalism I did a project about this topic. That year it was the class of 2020 who were the Superfans. I interviewed a few of them and thought they were super cool and I wanted to be like them. While exploring the topic and who to interview, I realized I should get a perspective of what the administrators thought. This idea led me to a very eye opening conversation with Mrs. Hunsaker. It’s been three years since we had that talk and yet some how it what she said always stuck with me. She said she thought we should all be Kickapoo Superfans and cheer each other on rather than a select few taking over and telling the rest how to act. Mrs. Hunsaker stated that having Superfans made others feel out of place and that it was a very exclusionary thing. Ever since then, gradually, I began to mature and agree. I don’t have anything against the kids who are selected to be Superfans. Some of them are my good friends. It’s the principle of “I’m better than you and what I say is more valid than what you say because I have this shirt and you don’t.” When you think of topics such as this in hindsight they really don’t matter. It isn’t

BY CAYLEE HOWSER

Students cheer and celebrate a victory during the pink out football game. the end of the world either way. If I were to be given a shirt I would be more than happy to accept, because I know it’s not that serious and I just really like screaming at sporting events. Dressing up and getting hype at games have been some of the best memories of my high school career. Regardless, I think the situation should be talked about more. Is it really necessary? Do kids in high school not feel excluded enough without trivial things like this? It leaves me wondering how long this tradition will go on. I don’t see any end in the foreseeable future, and that is okay. It doesn’t make the people participating bad people, They’re all actually very cool people. The tradition doesn’t necessarily need to stop, it just needs a reality check. The necessity of having this tradition is something to think more deeply about when you are wishing you had one of those shirts. They don’t actually mean anything, much like a lot of things you will be excluded from in high school. At some point you must realize that is how life is sometimes. No it doesn’t always make sense, and yes sometimes it really sucks. A selected Superfan, Connor Owens shared his point of view. Owens stated, “The class of 2021 Superfans didn’t hand their shirts down necessarily. They more or less just told their friend group to figure it out.” The way he put it definitely makes the idea seem more inclusive. “I do not see anything wrong with it, like it’s the same as student council people

just get chosen for it. I don’t think it’s excluding people because we’re just leading them. We’re showing them what to do and want everyone to join in,” Owens said. While acknowledging in the past the Superfans have mainly attended only major events, Owens stated that they try to have at least four Superfans at each event (ex: volleyball, softball, cross country). They plan to expand their support and attend robotics competitions. “No one should feel left out. We want as many people there as possible and just get loud and have fun,” Owens said. While I can agree with this perspective, that isn’t how it always appears and not everyone involved has that mindset. I think to solve this we should prioritize the goal Owens said previously. If you haven’t been to a Kickapoo football game, basketball game, robotics tournament, cross country meet, or anything in between, you need to. The memories that are made with your friends and the friends you will make when we are all together will last a lifetime. From freshman year to junior year I have gradually seen less of a gap between Superfans and the rest of the people in the student section. It’s more just all seniors lead the student section and encourage everyone to get hype. My hope is this trend continues and slowly just comes to an end because do we really need another reason for people to feel excluded in high school? From who you sit with at lunch to what you wear, and anything in between. No one wants to be excluded and the “One Tribe” mindset would be beneficial here.

Parking Lot Panic Over the years many changes have been made to the parking lot, but it will never be enough. BY GRACIE MARSH

The parking lot is one of the worst places to be on campus. Getting stuck in traffic when all you want to do is go home is awful. Students pick their parking spots in a pyramid-type system. Cabinet gets to pick their spots first, followed by senior and junior Chief Mentors, the rest of the seniors and juniors, and finally any sophomore with a license. This year, I was in the fourth tier to pick my parking spot. As Dr. Powers handed me the little white sticker to select my parking space, the only available spots left were in the back 40. The parking lot needs to be bigger. With just 610 spots, there is not enough for every eligible student to park. There are roughly 1,500 current and soon-to-be drivers, yet only a select number of parking permits

are offered, costing $35 each. Every year, Dr. Powers tells us that the only places we are allowed to park are the parking lot and in the minimal parking spaces on Jefferson in front of the school. If we try and park anywhere else we are at risk of being towed or ticketed during the school day, which could end up costing more than the parking permit itself. Admin would not have to continuously make this announcement throughout the school year if our parking lot was bigger. Before and after school traffic is unavoidable. Dr. Powers and the rest of the administration make an effort every day to try and contain the flow of traffic by standing outside directing the parent car line. There are three entrances/exits but two of them are taken up by the parent car line. Just this year, the car line was moved to the east side of the building because of the new bus system that was put into place. With the student body trying to leave the parking lot all at the same time, traffic

jams and accidents are bound to happen. “We have a growing student body every year and it can be really hard getting out of the parking lot,” senior, Ami Thompson said. The small parking lot causes the parent car line to flow into the rows of student parking, causing student drivers to have to wait before being able to pull out. If the parking lot was bigger, the parent car line could be moved so it would not be cutting off student drivers from entering and leaving their assigned parking spot. Last year, a staggered dismissal style was put into place to help prevent the number of students in the hallway at once. It ultimately led to the congestion of traffic going down. Because seniors left first, they were already out of the parking lot and on their way home while I, a sophomore, was just getting to my car, so no traffic got in the way of me leaving the parking lot. This dismissal style was very helpful last year and I believe that we should bring it back. Expanding the parking lot would be the best option to solve this dilemma, but it seems to be almost impossible. With that challenge in mind, bringing back the staggered dismissal style is an easy and realistic solution to the parking lot panic.

The back 40 of the Kickapoo parking lot.

OPINION

Are You College Ready? Do your four years of academics truly prepare you for the rigor of college classes? The answer is complicated. BY EMMA WASHBURN

Are high schoolers truly prepared for college life and curriculum? According to a Brookings University study [done by economic researchers in Dartmouth high school] “90 percent of students who scored a perfect “5” on the AP Psychology exam reportedly failed the university’s own test.” This is just one example of downfall of high school, in which students spending years preparing for college, and it is not doing them any good some of the time. Brad Hershebein, a Senior Economist and Communications Advisor at W.E Upjohn Institute for Employment Research shows how high school education does little to no good for students in college. “In our research [joint with Greg Ferenstein] of high school curricula and college performance, we found that students’ high school exposure to most subjects, and their grades in those subjects, had little if any relation to their grades in the same subject in college,” Hershebein said. The gap between high school and college is big, making such a difference in the material taught. When a student gets to college they are learning completely new material, which is a serious problem no one is doing anything about. “Comparing curricula between high school and college, we found that the former more heavily emphasize memorization while the latter tend to focus more on applying critical thinking and learning new contexts, often collaboratively with other students,” Hershebien said. High schools are not teaching real-world events and are constantly telling you to memorize a list of items.

Preparation in high school requires tons of books and material. Most of this material is n’t that beneficial. In my science classes, I am told to memorize parts of organisms, cells, molecules and other vocab words. I have zero plans to be a doctor or work in the medical field, similar to hundreds of other students. Curiculum should be a generality towards all students not a specific few. This curriculum should be preparing students for life, not some end-all exam. In my Journalism class, everything we do is based on collaboration, communication, and real-world ideas. We learn what it means to strategically communicate, how to report ethically, and of course how interview processes go. All of these skills can push you to succeed in college classes. Plus, journalism in college is the exact same in high school, there is no durastic changes in curriculum, the only thing that changes is your practical skills and knowledge increases. Math is supposed to be filled with memorization and lists of items, because math never changes, every equation has an answer and nothing more.

Some subjects do not require curriculum to be changed, but the negatives still outweigh the positives Taking out a majority of memorization learning and replacing it with realworld situations will help students who struggle in school succeed and pass more tests. This is because they are using common sense and real examples. Students are able to put a why to something instead of just a what. “I believe there should be more communication between high school teachers and college professors at least at an aggregate level to better align curricula and make sure students are learning necessary skills in high school classes,” said Hershebein. Hershebein is exactly right. If the high schools and colleges were to come together and learn from each other, seeing what is taught and what is not taught then the curriculum could align and make more sense to the students. The better we are able to align and work together, the easier it will be for that incoming college freshman.

Emma Mayne, junior, gives a current events presentation to her class which is to be followed by a discussion

Teaching Opinions Some of our history lessons hold bias, and why it is a problem that needs to be solved. BY GABBY BURGESS

OPINION

SPS explicitly takes pride in “a long tradition of providing quality education to all students.” Why then am I seeing students disrespected and opinions taught as fact within this “excellent“ school system? Let me explain. Throughout high school, students are required to take three social studies classes. American History, World History, and a Government class. In each of these courses, teachers are expected to present the material in a non-biased manner, not swaying or favoring one political view over another as aligning with the SPS Tradition of Excellence. I along with many other students have felt this is an area where our educators have not upheld the expectation of neutrality. In each and every history class I have taken there has been bias present and certain opinions taught as factual statements, a sign that this tradition has not been upheld for at least one class of students. I have taken all of these required classes, in each one I experienced a form of bias. One with a clearly conservative standpoint that overcrowded and distracted from the material. One that discreetly praised and bashed historical events all of which favored one political view. Lastly, an extremely liberal standpoint that restricted the 1st Amendment rights of students and silenced any opposing view to their own. So much to the point that I and some of my other peers were quite blatantly afraid to speak up when we would usually be very vocal in these settings. After conducting a survey asking students about their opinions on our history classes and whether or not our lessons were presented without bias the survey showed that nearly three out of every ten students felt the curriculum was not presented impartially. This may be a minority of our students, but if we look at the student body as a whole, that is roughly 600 students who don’t feel that their curriculum is

being taught properly. That is over 600 students at our school alone being taught political bias as fact. It is no doubt that all of our fellow peers have potential to influence our world, some possibly on the political side of things. How will they be able to do that properly if they do not have a full and unbiased understanding of the basics of our politics and history? A few anonymous students shared their experiences with this bias. “They [the teacher] normally lean toward a more democratic or liberal side and would rant about current issues to students but won’t let students with opposing views speak up,” one student wrote. Personally, I have had a very similar experience, during a class discussion over the “Heartbeat Law” that was previously enacted in the state of Texas. This law that makes any abortions illegal after the fetus had a recognizable heartbeat. It is no secret that this was a very controversial issue, so naturally, students were speaking passionately about their point of view. This wasn’t a problem, but when the teacher cut off the discussion with only one side being voiced, not once allowing for the opposing view to speak up, it quickly became a problem for me. I was afraid to speak up, many of my fellow classmates who shared this view were afraid to speak up. Unfortunately we were never even given the opportunity to voice our opposition. As I mentioned this was a classroom discussion. A discussion is defined as the “consideration of a question in an open and usually informal debate,” meaning that there is an opposition, but that the opposition is handled properly and respectfully on both sides. Yet throughout the current event “discussions” students have in many of our social studies classes, the opposing view, whatever it may be, rarely has a chance to be heard if it goes against an educator’s opinions/ beliefs. This is not something that only I have experienced, this happened to another student who plainly and accurately said “If you were on the same political side as the teacher you got to talk more.” This is not only unfair to the students,

but it also puts unnecessary stress on these environments making some, if not most, students worried or fearful to speak up in political discussion. Especially when they are opposing the majority. (Ten percent of students surveyed said they did not feel like both sides were respected within their class discussions.) Teachers are responsible for controlling the environments of their classrooms and making sure that all beliefs can be safely expressed and valued within their classrooms. Especially when they and a majority of their students do not agree with the students opinion. In this case however their own motivations get in the way of these students’ equality among their peers. Their job is to moderate these discussions and teach facts. Nothing less, nothing more. This should be evident in my classes, unfortunately, it is not. All of our teachers work to properly administer the information and application techniques intended to be obtained from their classes. In a world where nearly everything is politicized, this is a very hard task to accomplish. While I respect their efforts, it is also their responsibility to present their material in an unbiased way, and if they are unable to fulfill it then they need to figure out a solution. The solution to this problem is bound to be different for every teacher. However, as educators, it is their responsibility to ensure they find the necessary means for them to have neutrality in their lessons and respect for students. Without this neutral way of teaching, students will not be able to get a fully rounded education, they will and are often left with a negative view of what a political discussion looks like, this does nothing but bring more controversy into our world. Our classrooms, especially those focused on social studies are intended to be a space for political discussions. However, this can only occur when all views and students feel valued and confident in their ability to speak up without being verbally attacked by their peers and educators.

A Gay Agenda The fight for LGBTQ+ Sex Education in schools.

BY KAT OWSLEY

According to Child Trends, [an organization focused on improving the lives of children] only 15 states and the District of Colombia have of schools that teach LGBTQ+ sex education. The lack of proper education makes it more likely for same-sex couples to contract sexually transmitted diseases because students aren’t taught practices for how to stay safe during sex. “I think schools should teach it [LGBTQ+ sex education] because it’s the same thing, just different genders. I think that it wouldn’t be fair for a gay person to learn about straight sex but not their own,” junior Morgan Paquin said. If schools can teach students how to be safe during heterosexual sex, they should also teach how to stay safe during homosexual sex. Curriculum should also discuss the lifestyle of asexual individuals. Asexuality means a person doesn’t have sexual feelings or attraction. Some asexuals still engage in sex, some don’t. Either way, it’s something that should be brought up. “If our school taught LGBT sex it would only be beneficial. Many young LGBT youth have trouble understanding how to practice safe sex, and more often than not even feel shameful for not understanding it. I would support the schools if they taught LGBT sex education and even educated more on LGBT history,”sophomore Ramona Carlson said. LGBTQ+ students deserve to learn who they are in a safe environment, and shouldn’t feel left out or different. Right now, most individuals in same-sex relationships have to turn to YouTube or websites like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the information

LGBTQ+ students often feel isolated from their peers. most

health classes doesn’t teach. Learning crucial information from the internet can be very harmful since individiduals can’t ask the personal questions they might have or can be lead to misinformation. “Schools should teach LGBTQ+ SexEd because many times, those students are uninformed. This leads to STD’s, emotional stress, and ultimately a bad relationship with sex. The only way to ensure sexual safety in all students is to teach everyone safe practices,” Sophomore Kassidy Ellis said. Widening the sexual education curricumlum is beneficial for all students, and for some is neceasary to prevent againt unhealthy sexual practices. Many schools believe teaching abstinences is the solution to make sure students are staying safe, but “abstinence only” programs

have more of a negative affect. An abstinence only program teaches the ideals of not engaging in any sexual interactions until marriage. According to the National Prevention Information Network, Schools with this policy result in more teen pregnancies, and higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases, even HIV/AIDS. The easiest solution to this problem would be asking questions in a safe enviornment such as, the sex-ed unit in your health class. Students can push to make a change by emailing or sending letters to the school board because the district won’t change the curriculum unless students show the need for it. We have to show this is something we must learn for the safety of ourselves, our friends, and society as a whole.

OPINION

Stop Complaining: Mandating Vaccines and Masking is Constitutional Businesses and other organizations should not fear to mandate masks and vaccines; both measures are legal and will protect others.

BY LIAM KARP

Springfield Residents protest local hospital vaccine mandates. Photo Courtesy: Andrew Jansen: Springfield News-Leader

A popular topic of discussion as of late has been whether or not mandating masks and vaccines is actually legal. Even with FDA’s full approval of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, and numerous studies proving masking to be effective and necessary, many still remain skeptical. While still in the midst of a global pandemic that has killed countless people, we should not be complaining about people and organizations taking measures to protect us and others. It is ironic many have argued that mandating masks and vaccines violate one’s rights, because one of the most important rights we have as Americans is the right to life, as outlined in the

Constitution. No one should have to die, when it could have been a prevented cause. People are quick to bring up the bible, in support of their arguments against such mandates. However we are “One Nation under God” and together as a nation we should respect the mandates being put forth, to protect us. Furthermore, for those of us who are religious, have to remember that it was also Jesus, who made the ultimate sacrifice for all of us. I think we can make a little sacrifice, and follow mandates by putting a piece of cloth over our mouth and nose, and get the vaccine. Taking the vaccine and following masking mandates, will protect yourself and others from contracting the deadly COVID-19 virus and its variants, which has led to the deaths of many innocent people. Children have been left without parents,

parents have been left without children, spouses have been widowed, countless people have lost family and friends close to them due to a preventable cause. Now that we have the opportunity to protect ourselves and others, at no cost to us, one would be right to think we would not hesitate to take full advantage of this moment. While many have taken advantage of the free, safe, and effective COVID-19 vaccines, some still have not, which is why organizations have had to step in and begin mandates. We, or at least most of us, want to get through this pandemic, and at this point it seems like this is the only viable option left on the table. With the Delta variant quickly spreading, majorly among the unvaccinated, businesses and schools have begun to rightly require masking again and some places are even requiring vaccines. Even though the purpose of such mandates is to protect yourself and your peers, people have begun to protest such mandates, and even take legal action against organizations making such requirements, arguing that such mandates are unconstitutional and violate their rights. Some have even went as far as to say that a vaccine mandate is akin to the “medical studies” performed on Jews during the Holocaust. With so much noise surrounding this topic, and at times extremely offensive arguments being made, it seems as though we have gotten off track, and have turned this discussion into a political one. We should, however, be asking ourselves the very simple question, at the crux of these conversations, which is: are vaccines and mask mandates constitutional?

The simple answer is yes. Business, organizations, schools, and even the government have the authority and right to make such requirements, and indeed they should. For years, there have been certain requirements put in place that you must follow in order to do certain things. There have always been certain vaccines children have to get in order to attend school. Many jobs require that you meet a certain set of criteria in order to even be a contestant for the job offered. Many of us can probably think back to a time when at an amusement park we had to get our height checked, if we were too short, we got turned away, and had to find a different ride to go on. The reason amusement parks do this is to make sure that we are safe. Once you meet the requirements for the ride, you can go on it as many times as you want. But until then, certain restrictions apply. Sure as kids we may have been slightly upset, but you would have never heard someone complaining about this, to the extent some are about masking and vaccine mandates. Let alone, file a lawsuit against the amusement park. One does not need to engage in complex analysis to understand that it is the job of the government, employers, and schools to protect the people who they are in charge of. Mandating masks and vaccines are being done to protect us, not infringe on our rights as some have previously argued. Vaccines are here to protect us, and help us to build antibodies against the COVID-19 virus, so we don’t contract it, and pass it on to others around us who remain vulnerable. A case from 1905, gained attention recently. The case Jacobson v. Massachusetts is more than a century old, however it sets forth an important precedent that can indeed finally put an end to the baseless banter being spread. In this case, Pastor Henning Jacobson argued that the state of Massachusetts requiring him to get the smallpox vaccine violated his 14th amendment right. and he further argued that “Compulsion to introduce disease

into a healthy system is a violation of liberty,” Jacobson argued according to his legal papers. However, on February 20, 1905, the Supreme Court in a 7-2 majority rejected Jacobson’s claims, and at the time Justice John Marshall Harlan wrote that, “upon

“Bridges can freely choose to accept or refuse a COVID-19 vaccine; however, if she refuses, she will simply have to work somewhere else,” US District Judge Lynn Hughes said. the principle of self-defense, of paramount necessity, a community has the right to protect itself against an epidemic of disease which threatens the safety of its members”. More recently there was a case in which Jennifer Bridges, a nurse at the Houston Methodist Hospital, had filed a lawsuit

against her employer because they were requiring COVID-19 vaccines. Bridges made a slew of arguments in her lawsuit. One of the most rouge arguments she made was that the workers were the equivalent to, “human subjects,” being forced to participate in a human trial, since at that time the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had not approved the vaccines yet. She also argued that “forcing” one to get the vaccine violates the Nuremberg Code, equating getting the vaccine to “medical studies’” performed on Jews during the Holocaust. Bridges along with her 116 co-defendants lost their court battle against the hospital, and a judge tossed the case, noting that every argument she made did not hold ground. U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes of Houston, Texas, in her order on the case, upheld the Houston Methodist Hospital’s requirement that employees be vaccinated. Furthermore, the judge ordered the 116 plaintiffs in the case to either get the vaccine or find a new place to work; noting that it is their choice to either receive or refuse the vaccine, however the decision the nurses make will dictate their future employment at the Methodist Hospital. “Bridges can freely choose to accept or refuse a Covid-19 vaccine; however, if she refuses, she will simply need to work somewhere else,” said U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes. The judge in this case made the right decision, as have all other judges who tossed cases people brought forth arguing that vaccine mandates are illegal. At this point people should begin to realize that masking and vaccine requirements are legal, and they should start following them, and stop complaining. Of course there has to be some exceptions, as it relates to outlying factors such as medical issues; and many have noted this. However, masks and COVID-19 vaccines are here to protect us, and help us overcome this virus. We should all stop complaining about such mandates, they hold legal precedent, and will only be here to stay if we continue to ignore and fight them.

OPINION

Becoming Informed It’s time we realize the importance of paying attention to the world around us and start caring about the future of our country.

BY KYLIE BURKS

Teenagers often get a free pass in society. We are overlooked and thought of as dumb, ignorant, and fools who don’t have a single thought for ourselves. Well if we are being honest, these critics aren’t that far off from the truth for many teens. According to a survey I conducted that includes all high school grades, 62% of students do not care about what is going on in their city, their country, and their world. These teens, and others like them, need to start caring about what is going on outside of their personal lives, so that we all can understand what world we are living in and where our future will exist. We are at an age where we are told to start thinking about our futures. We begin to think about what college we want to attend, what job we want to pursue, and what life we want to live. Among these considerations, thoughts of being able to vote at the age of 18 don’t often cross people’s minds. But it should. It is the very essence of American democracy and should not be taken lightly. “The right to vote is the basic right without which all others are meaningless. It gives people, people as individuals, control over their own destinies,” Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th president of the United States said, when he signed the Voting Rights Act in 1965.

Reading the news and paying attention to what’s going on in the world is essential so that we know what our present and future are going to look like.

His words ring true to this day. Without the right to vote, and being without the ability to make an informed vote, we have no say in what happens in our country. Before a person can make a decision on a ballot that accurately reflects what they want done in the country, they must first know what exactly they are voting for. What does a candidate stand for? Does what they say and plan to do align with your morals and values? Is the candidate’s vision for the country one that reflects the heart of America? By researching for answers to these questions from reliable, truthful sources, teenagers can prepare to make their mark through their vote. If we don’t, the government we are supposed to

control will end up controlling us. Not only is following politics important so that we can vote, it is also important so that we know what is happening in the present that affects us now, as well as our future. On June 23, 2021 the Supreme Court

“The right to vote is the basic right without which all others are meaningless,” Lyndon B. Johnson said.

made a decision that greatly affected the future of students, schools, and social media. This ruling involved a former teenager named Brandi Levy and a Snapchat story she posted, in which she expressed her anger about not making the varsity cheer squad in 2017. “I was frustrated, I was 14 years old, and I expressed my frustration the way teenagers do today,” Levy told reporters from the Philadelphia Inquirer. In her post, Levy expressed her disappointment to her Snapchat friends. The message included vulgar language, according to NPR. This vulgar language was what got her in trouble with her coach. “She was suspended from the cheer team, but a federal appeals court ruled that the school had no right at all to discipline students for any off-campus speech,” Nina Totenburg, NPR’s legal affairs correspondent, reported.

The case was taken to one other court before landing in the Supreme Court. Fortunately, the nine judges did not disappoint Brandi, her family, and students across America. “By an eight to one vote, the court declared that a cheerleader’s online cursing about her school is protected speech under the First Amendment.,” NPR reports. “The court, since 1969, has made clear that students do not shed their First Amendment free speech rights at the schoolhouse gate...” This ruling was a huge win for student rights. If the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of the school system, school administrations across the country would have the freedom to punish students for anything they say on social media, regardless if the speech is disruptive, harmful, or on school property. We would be required to censor ourselves,

something the First Amendment promises we should never have to do. Decisions such as this that affect our lives, either now or in the future, are made daily, yet there are students who barely know who the President of the United States is and what he stands for. Many teens believe the first thing they hear about a candidate or a policy, and instead of doing their own research to find the truth, they go along with the crowd. How can we expect to do great things in our country if we don’t even know what sort of country we are inheriting? It’s time to wake up and realize what America is all about; the right to know what is going on and what we can do to control it. Without the willingness to do this, our future will be snatched out of our hands, and our freedoms along with it.

Mrs. Armstrong’s speech class discusses current events once a week. Each student is intentive and gives their input and opinion on different topics, something they can only do if they are informed and pay attention.

OPINION

No ‘Mo FOMO

To get the vaccine, or not to get the vaccine. That is the question. And the answer? Get it. Definitely get it.

Isolation. Often, that word strikes fear into the heart of the common high school student. But when paired with terms like ‘quarantine’ or ‘COVID-19’, that word loses its grip. It becomes a joke, a laughing matter, a conspiracy theory. Quarantining in 2020 had an enormous effect on the morale of the student body, separating individuals from the family members and friends they used to see so often. Today, as society has slowly morphed into a newer version of normalcy, things are looking up. Friends are reconnecting, things are reopening, and social events are going on. Everything seems great. All until the Delta Variant creeps your way, you get that fateful call, and you’re yanked back into isolation. Quarantine, but this time, it’s even worse than before. How does one avoid this? How does one protect themselves from the undetectable spread of that inconspicuous virus? How will the community ever get back to a point of real, pure, and complete normal? You get vaccinated. As of September 7th, 2021, 47% of Greene county has been fully vaccinated - specifically with both doses. An even lesser percentage has only been vaccinated with the first. “The rate is consistently below. Are we proud of our community?

BY MADILYN MCCLURE

If herd immunity is reached, masks will no longer be neccessary. Absolutely, [but] we are not going to be protected as a whole until we get to seventy percent,” said Sean Barnhill, a Public Health Information Specialist for the Springfield Greene County Health Department. The deeper into the pandemic we get, the more impossible it will be to get out of. Fully and completely recovering life back to a total semblance of ‘normalcy’ is going to take more than just time and patience. It’s going to take action. Everyone should receive the vaccine not only for the health and safety of our community, but to get their lives back on track and return things to the way they used to be.

Unfortunately, as necessary as receiving a COVID-19 vaccination is, there is still much uncertainty revolving around its safety and the effects it may have. However, it should be known that on August 23rd, 2021, three COVID-19 vaccines were fully and officially approved by the FDA. Those included Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. This means that, after a multitude of tests and studies, they concluded and ensured that the vaccines are completely safe. The concern revolving around receiving the COVID-19 vaccination has been apparent in our community. However, it is completely unwarranted. “We understand hesitancy, and

fearfulness [of the vaccine’s] side effects like fatigue and nausea,” says Barnhill. The side effects may seem daunting, but when compared to the actual virus, they are definitely belittled. “Those side effects only last a day or two, they don’t realize that one or two days is much better than being out for ten to fifteen.” Quarantining isn’t an enjoyable experience. It’s one filled with loneliness and seclusion. Nowadays, when places and events are reopening, social separation means so much more than it did back in 2020, when everything was closed. FOMO, or fear of missing out, is a common feeling that shakes the average highschooler at their very core. Quarantining not only means you can’t see your friends and family, but it means you can’t participate in the things they do either. Those ten to fifteen days could potentially be the most important days in a student’s high school career. “Not only does [the vaccine]

protect you and your family, but it also means you don’t have to miss out on important milestones in high school,” Barnhill states. So, picture this: you’ve just gotten home from school, and are currently relaxed on the couch. You’re enjoying some free time before the big birthday party you’re excited to attend later. You hear a parent or guardian answer a phone call in the other room, and a couple seconds later, they disturb your comfortable relaxation with unfortunate news. You have been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, and because you have not been vaccinated, you must quarantine for 10 days. No party. No school. No friends. High school athletes are also required to abstain from their sport for three weeks if they test positive for COVID-19. This could potentially mean almost a month of missing out on important games, championships, and team bonding. This situation can happen to

anyone in the Springfield Public Schools community, and there is only one way to get out of it. What might that be? Getting the vaccine. Vaccinated students, even when potentially exposed to the virus, do not have to quarantine at any point throughout the school year. This last year and a half has been a new experience for everyone. At this point in time, it’s safe to say we’re all tired of it, and long for the years before, when things were the way they used to be. When we had school dances, assemblies, and social gatherings. When we were maskless and didn’t even know what the term ‘contact tracing’ meant. With the help of the vaccine, we as a community can reclaim what COVID-19 took from us. We can reclaim our peace of mind and our personal safeties within schools and work environments. Herd immunity is achievable, when we all work together to accomplish a united goal.

A student is quarantined in isolation due to not recieving the vaccine.

SPORTS

Fall Sports Comparison A look into the overall differences of each fall sport.

1. What does practice look like for you?

CICI MOSES CHEERLEADING

KAITLYN PILE GIRLS GOLF

BY REED JENSEN & JOSIE EIFFERT

1. What does practice look like for you?

“The team meets at the course, then we split up in groups to putt, chip, and go to the driving range.”

“Practice starts with rolling out the mats, conditioning, stretching, and lots of tumbling, jumps and stunting.”

“Get up stupid early and drive to the bus with music blaring. We loadd up, get to the course, go to the range. I hit a few shots before I head to the green, and I try to stay focused.”

“Game days are the best! We all start with a short practice, then we all eat dinner together, while painting eachothers faces. We take cute photos, of course, and then its off to cheer on our chiefs.”

“It is all individual, you have to rely and trust yourself. Also, you can have your best round ever one day and shoot one of your worst the next.”

“I truly love my sport and the bond we have with each other is unbreakable. In cheer we are all one big family. Being on this team has taught and given me so much. I love them all and will miss them.”

2. What is your normal routine for game day?

3. How does your sport differ from others?

2. What is your normal routine for game day?

3. How does your sport differ from others?

SPORTS ALI DAWSON VOLLEYBALL

“A normal day for practice looks like everyone helping to set up the nets and get all of the equipment out. Then stretching and warming up by 2:50. After, we do drills and practice until 5-5:50 depending if we do a workout.”

2. What is your normal routine for game day?

“Our game day routine is setting up the net and getting out the equipment. Then, we eat and warm up alittle around 3:45. We watch the freshman game and the first set of the JV game. We then go to stretch and warm up again, before we play. After our game, we take the equipment down.”

3. How does your sport differ from others?

“It is a combination of fine tuned finesse and strength. Most sports are one or the other, yet the best teams in volleyball have a solid balance of both traits. ”

SALLY CYBULSKI CROSS COUNTRY

1. What does practice look like for you?

“Practice consists of a morning run or weights and then afternoon practice that could either be a workout or a long run. We always stretch and do strides, abs and then we team it up.”

2. What is your normal routine for game day?

“Game day routine always starts out early and the first thing I put on is my uniform. I always eat animal crackers and fruit cups and pump myself up by listening to the climb by Miley Cyrus for hours on repeat.”

3. How does your sport differ from others?

“I think the most obvious difference is that cross country runners are a lot dumber than other sports, because it is 100% more mentally and physically challenging and the kids still show up the next day, ready to do it again.”

HOLLACE HUBBARD GIRLS TENNIS

SAM SNIDER FOOTBALL

1. What does practice look like for you?

“Practice starts out with a solid round of our warm up routine, doing a variety of drills, and sometimes practice matches, plus tons of water.”

“For practice I meet with my position group and watch film, go out stretch, [and] go through individual with the rest of the offensive line”

“A normal routine for game day is staying fueled and hydrated through out the day, getting out on the courts to warm up and hyping up your teammates. ”

“My rountine for game day really starts before Friday, as I like to make sure to hydrate before game day and then on actual game day I like to get a nap in pregame before I listen to music and get ready to go.”

2. What is your normal routine for game day?

3. How does your sport differ from others?

“Tennis is different than other sports, because even though its an indivudal sport most of the time, there is a huge dynamic of team work and support from your teammates. We also love to be out on the courts playing and practicing because we have so much fun doing it.”

2. What is your normal routine for game day?

3. How does your sport differ from others?

“Football is different from other sports because of game planning and prepartion that goes into each week. For football, we are changing and adjusting entire schemes each week to match what we see from the other teams for one game on Friday night.”

MEGAN DANCEY SPORTS SOFTBALL

“Practice usually consists of playing catch, taking reps in the field and batting practice and scrimmaging.”

2. What is your normal routine for game day?

“For game day we warm up by playing catch and hitting in the cages. We then take infield/outfield to get game ready.”

3. How does your sport differ from others?

“My sport is different because many of us have to step up and be leaders. The ball is hit to my position so much which means I have to step up and be a leader and role model for the younger kids. Softball is all about being a team and helping each other to be successful.”

ETHAN ARROYO BOYS SOCCER

1. What does practice look like for you?

“Our practices our centered around working one corner kicks and free kicks. We have also done a lot of scrimmaging when we have games coming up. ”

2. What is your normal routine for game day?

“Game day is typically spent hydrating and listening to music. I’ll show up early to watch JV play and then we will have a quick team meeting before warm ups.”

3. How does your sport differ from others?

“My sport differs from other because there is a different MVP of each game. I feel that it is only takes one individual to change the entirety of the game.”

GRANT RUDNICK BOYS SWIM

CLAIRE LINTON GOLDEN GIRLS

1. What does practice look like for you?

“Practices are usually two hours each. We do different sets every day, but we usually swim about three or sometimes more than four miles per practice. That distance is divided into sprint work or distance work.”

“Practice consists of warming up/ conditioning, learning or cleaning whatever dance we are performing that week, and sometimes placing them on the field to get ready for game day.”

“When we have a swim meet, I make sure to eat lots of carbs. During the day, I like to imagine my races and how they are going to feel before actually swimming them, so that I am prepared for it.”

“On game day, we all get ready together, go to team dinner, and get to the game early to prepare and warm up.”

2. What is your normal routine for meet day?

3. How does your sport differ from others?

“The swim team is just one large team; there is no varsity or ranking. Everyone proves themselves by how well they swim during the season. Swimming is unique because it seems like an individual sport from the outside, but is very much a team sport. ”

2. What is your normal routine for game day?

3. How does your sport differ from others?

“Dance is different than other sports because it is also an art form and you perform for large groups of people. It takes a lot of time and is a bigger commitment than people realize.”

SPORTS

Fall Sports

Learn more about our fall sports from this year’s captains. BY JULIA KLEIN

Rachel Deters Cheerleading

What are you most excited about this season? “I am most excited about getting back into stunting and competing this year. Last year we were not able to stunt or compete due to COVID. I am also very excited to be mask-less on the sidelines.” What are you hoping to accomplish this season? “This season I am hoping to accomplish our team’s goal of continuously working hard and winning our competitions. I am also hoping to figure out where I want to continue my cheer career for college.” Is there any young talent that you are looking forward to this year? “There is a ton of young talent this year! We have many new freshmen that bring a lot of skills to the team, shout-out to Sailor!!”

Elizabeth Finke Girls Golf

What are you most excited about this season? “This season, I’m excited to see how much everyone improves their skills and passion for the sport. I want to be the best team leader along with Kaitlyn Pile in order to be a cohesive team.” What are you hoping to accomplish this season? “I’m really hoping to make it to state this year. I’ve been within a few strokes the last two years, so I’m focused on playing my best at districts.” Is there any young talent that you are looking forward to this year? “We have a freshman who has started on varsity and keeps improving every tournament, so that is exciting. There are many seniors graduating this year, but I know that many underclassmen have great potential.”

Luke Courtney Boys Soccer

What are you most excited about this season? “I am most excited for working hard with the team to hopefully win districts. I am also excited that there are not as many COVID restrictions this year and we actually get to travel to St. Louis and Jeff City.” What are you hoping to accomplish this season? “We are hoping to win the district title and get a conference championship.” Is there any young talent that you are looking forward to this year? “Kai Jaeger is a freshman striker and he’s shown some great talent throughout the summer and the first couple of weeks. I’m excited to see what Kai can bring to the table.”

Claire Linton Golden Girls

Esther Choe Girls Tennis

What are you most excited about this season? “I’m most excited about the team traveling. It’s super fun and we have a really good team this year. We are all super close.” What are you hoping to accomplish this season? “I’m hoping that me and my partner, Brynley Brotherton go to state this year and place in at least the top six.” Is there any young talent that you are looking forward to this year? “Windsor Brotherton is a freshman. She is our number six on varsity and is my partner, Brynley Brotherton’s, little sister. I think she has a good chance at making top varsity in the next couple of years.”

What are you most excited about this season? “I am most excited about getting to go to nationals... hopefully. We weren’t able to go last year because of COVID-19, but have high hopes that we will be able to go compete at ESPN this year” What are you hoping to accomplish this season? “We are hoping to place at local competitions, state, regionals, and nationals. Last year we placed 11th nationally and are hoping to get top 10.” Is there any young talent that you are looking forward to this year? “I would say all of the freshmen on the team this year. I did not know any of them prior to tryouts but have been amazed by their work ethic and drive during our practices.”

Grant Rudnick Boys Swim&Dive

What are you most excited about this season? “We are gonna do a lot of travel meets this season. I’m excited to go to Kansas City because we didn’t get to do very much last year.” What are you hoping to accomplish this season? “I want to make it to state in the 100 yard breast stroke and I’m hoping that our relay will do well at state. We have a good relay group this year.” Is there any young talent that you are looking forward to this year? “We have a freshman, Bryce Ridder. I swam offseason with him and he’s already probably the best person on the team. He’s pretty much qualified for state already. I’m hoping he can possibly get top 16 at state.”

SPORTS

Tara Randol Cross Country

What are you most excited about this season? “Just looking forward to being able to travel. We have 17 girls on the team this year, so excited for a big team and looking forward to doing well.” What are you hoping to accomplish this season? “I am hoping to make it to state individually and as a team for the third year. And hopefully we could even place at state but we will see how it goes.” Is there any young talent that you are looking forward to this year? “We have two new girls, both freshmen, Charlotte Cones and Kaitlyn Davis. They both ran with us all summer in the offseason and they’ve already done really well in the first couple meets.”

Brooks Barker Cross Country

What are you most excited about this season? “I’m most excited to see how we do this season. We have a really strong team and if we perform like we should we have a shot at the state title. I’m also excited to see how my teammates do.” What are you hoping to accomplish this season? “I’m hoping to run good times and help out my team in trying to win a state title.” Is there any young talent that you are looking forward to this year? “Lots of people are working hard this season to get better, one in particular would be Owen Siever. He has lots of dedication to the sport and placed eighth in the freshman race at Forest Park. I’m excited to see how he progresses this year.”

Kate Pierce Softball

What are you most excited about this season? “I think I’m most excited to see the growth of our team and how our success will develop throughout the season. Also, having fun with my friends.” What are you hoping to accomplish this season? “Our goal is definitely to win our conference and hopefully advance to districts after that.” Is there any young talent that you are looking forward to this year? “Pitcher, Allison Scott, a freshman. I’m excited to see her grow through the season and to watch her mature in the circle. Also, Taryn Hagardt, a freshman. She is our second baseman and a slapper. I’m excited to watch her develop as well.”

Sam Snider Football

Caroline Field Volleyball

What are you most excited about this season? “I’m really excited to grow relationships with the girls and to just have a good senior year.” What are you hoping to accomplish this season? “Hopefully, we beat Nixa, win Districts, and are able to go to State.” Is there any young talent that you are looking forward to this year? “Emma Eaton, sophomore, is someone who I’ve really seen step up into our libero position on varsity. Last year I never would have expected this but she’s transitioned into the position really well. She works really hard every practice to fight for the spot on varsity. Bella Faria, sophomore, made a varsity spot right when she became a freshman. She’s someone who scores a lot of points on the court and she brings a lot of energy to the court. Reagan Greenway, sophomore, has moved into the setting position really well. It’s hard to form connections through the setter and the middle but she’s done really well working together with them.”

What are you most excited about this season? “I’m most excited to see what my boys can do. I’m pumped to play Glendale because we’ve been right there for the past two seasons, and this is our year. There is some great talent on our team and I’m looking forward to seeing how we work together on the field.” What are you hoping to accomplish this season? “I’m hoping to play to our fullest potential and to get better every week.” Is there any young talent that you are looking forward to this year? “We have Bird Mabins at quarterback, Shaun Campbell at receiver, Jake Field at running back, and Paxton Wehner at tight-end. They are all sophomores. All dawgs. It’s been great to see them do their thing so far and I’m excited to see how they’ll improve throughout the season.”

SPORTS

On Course for Victory Tyler Harris and Klarie Brown give a glimpse into what it means to be a committed athelete in the world of cross country.

BY EMMA MAYNE

my own work ethic,” Harris said. While Harris is proving himself for the boys, Klarie Brown has been pulling her weight on the girls side of the team. She is currently one of the top three girl runners in the district, and a part of the top ten in the class 5 schools, marking herself as one of the top girl cross-country runners in the state.

“I stay motivated because I have a team that counts on me,” Brown said.

Junior Tyler Harris runs towards the finish line during a 5k run at a cross country meet.

Running means something different to everyone. For some, it’s a chore, others it’s torture, but for the Kickapoo crosscountry team, running is a passion. These athletes understand the true meaning of hard work, with year-round practices and hours of sweat in preparation for their races. While everyone on the team has

proven themselves so far this season, juniors, Tyler Harris and Klarie Brown, have both shown that they are among the most elite runners in the state. Tyler Harris has placed fourth amongst dozens of other runners from class five schools in Missouri. This wasn’t the only thing Tyler accomplished in the 2020 season, he also placed first in district competition and is projected to do it again this year. “I try to make cross country about self-benefit and improving

Brown loves the atmosphere of the team, even when the pressure is on during race day. “You just have to pretend that you’re not nervous and hype everyone up,” Brown said. “I tell myself that I just need to chill and have fun because I always race better when I am trying to have fun.” It takes hard work to be in a sport, especially when you step up to the starting line. “I tell myself, ‘show them what you can do.’ This helps me prepare myself for the pain and the duty I need to do for the team,” Harris said. Harris and Brown both know that sometimes dedication isn’t always easy to muster. “Everyone has bad days, but it’s not letting those bad days ruin others that’s the trick,” Harris said. Everyone in a sport knows that finding motivation is key. “I stay motivated because I have a team that counts on me and I just remember the little girl that fell in love with running,” Brown said.

Coach Goddard, the head cross-country coach, has enjoyed training the kids. All the runners this year have natural talent but Brown and Harris have worked hard to be where they are. Goddard loves being around the athletes and seeing the fruits of their labor. “It’s something they want to do, not have to do,” Goddard said. It isn’t over for Brown and Harris yet. District competition is October 30th and state competition is expected to be held on November 5th. As of right now, all eyes are turned on these two outstanding runners to see how they will finish out the season.

Junior Klarie Brown shows off her skill during a 5k race. Photo courtesy of Kylie Burks.

“I try to make cross country about self benefit and improving my own work ethic,” Harris said.

SPORTS

The Next Step B

Bright lights shine down on senior Nick Quadrini, as he stands on the 44 yard line and kicks an impreesive field goal for the Chiefs. This Friday night excitement is nothing new for this star athelete, who has been playing varisty since his freshmen year. With football season coming to an end, and college just around the corner, Quadrini has his eyes set on his future at the University of Missouri. “When I received the offer in June, I was very excited and proud. Having the opportunity to play football in the SEC is a dream come true,” Quadrini said. Not only was Quadrini excited to recieve an offer, but from somewhere close to home made it even better. “Having grown up in Missouri, I am proud to represent my state at Mizzou. Not only do they have great football facilities and coaches, but my family has many friends who are either alumni or currently attending,” Quadrini said. Four years of hard work, dedication, and a great support system have been pushing Quadrini to sucess. “My dad has been with me on this journey since 5th grade when he encouraged me to start kicking. He would spend countless hours traveling with me to competitions, shagging balls for me, and pushing me to get better,”Quadrini said. As Quadrini rounds out an outstanding season with his teammates and coaches, this program will always be close to his heart. “I will miss my teammates the most. Going into summer camp for the past four years with my guys is something that I will never get back. Being teammates with them since 7th grade has been a real pleasure, and I have made many great friends out of that group,” Quadrini said. “Kickapoo’s football program has been a huge part of my life for the past four years, and will continue to be a part of my life in the future. It has shaped my character and who I am today.” From a Chief to a Tiger, Quadrini will always carry where he came from.

Star kicker Nick Quadrini, follows his dreams as he commits to play at Mizzou. BY JOSIE EIFFERT & EMILIA BELCOLORE Kicker, number 98, punts the ball to the opposing team.

Photo courtesy of Emilia Belcolore Nick Quadrini and the defensive line, rush to the opposing team as the ball is punted.

Photo courtesy of Emilia Belcolore

Dream Duo

Brynley Brotherton and Ester Choe are the definition of a perfect doubles team.

BY CAYDEN DANZER

PHOTO GALLERY

Bringing Pep Back

With a never ending list of cancelled events, having our first assembly after two years brings us one step closer to normal. BY JOSIE EIFFERT

PHOTO GALLERY

Friday Night Lights BY EMILIA BELCOLORE

About KHQ

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