February 2017

The

Liberty High School

Bell

February 3, 2017

Volume 93, Issue 5

Visit us at lhsnews.net

Flying Marshmallows!

The College Algebra classes had a friendly catapult building competition on January 12. Students were put into groups to construct a catapult using only popsicle sticks, rubber bands, a plastic spoon and hot glue. The devices were tested for distance, velocity and speed by launching a marshmallow from the spoon. The winners were seniors Alex Tison, Maria Bongala and junior Anthony Mazzeffe from Matt Kiser’s sixth hour class.

Seniors Logan Mehaffy and Janai Simpson launch their marshmallow in the class catapult contest.

Photo by Isabella Siefkas

Staff Editor-in-Chief --> Hannah Leonard Managing Editor --> Emily Johannes Copy/Opinion Editor --> Lacy Williams Spotlight Editor --> Katie Moon A&E Editor --> Annika Fuller News Editor --> Riley Kelley Features Editor --> Joey O’Kelly InDepth Editors --> Delaney Tarpley Paige Twenter Sports Editor --> Caleb Lautenschlager Ads Manager and Cartoonist --> Daryl Gichui Jabber Editor --> Teegan Saunders Online Manager --> Kamden Bernard Reporters --> Alex Rogers Madeline Hensley Jenna Spence Haley Stephenson Caroline Parry Daisy Smith Liz Gammon Zahra Khan Marcus Myvett

Photographers --> Jenna Axsom Jack Barreca Grace Buehler Connor Callahan Morgan Clark Mara Fryer McKenna Hegger Kate Marshall Chrystian Noble Caitlyn Pearson Mercedes Peck Ashley Ritter Isabella Siefkas Adviser --> Lori Oyler

The articles featured do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the entire Bell staff. Please feel free to comment, compliment or criticize anything you see in this issue in a Letter to the Editor at lwil1524@ student.lps53.org.

Mission Our mission for the 2016-2017 school year is to unite a diverse group of people and ideas to compose an informative and entertaining magazine using articles, photographs, and commercial messages. As journalists in training we endeavor to give the best representation of the community of Liberty High School. The Bell student newspaper is a public forum for student expression.

Contact

Liberty High School Address --> 200 Blue Jay Drive Liberty, MO 64068 Phone --> (816)-736-2827 Email --> loyler@student.lps53.org Twitter --> @TheLHSBell

On the Cover: Junior Tavis Turner runs on the court with the Varsity Basketball team at the the C.W. Stessman Tournament to warm up for their game against Blue Springs on January 20. The Blue Jays took fifth place overall.

Photo by Chrystian Noble

02 TOC February 3, 2017

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Table of

Contents

06 Let’s #GlowJays

10 Mr. Roboto

Photo by Chrystian Noble

Photo by Caitlyn Pearson

TOC February 3, 2017

Photo by Chrystian Noble

12 Leaders Assemble

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14 Isaiah Miller 15 Ayraka Bree Straws 16 Jordan Carlson 17 Abby Geier 18 Lucas Jury 20 The Achievement Gap

19 Heather Moder

Photo by Mercedes Peck

32 Athletes of the Month

34 Hoopin’ & Hollerin’ 24 Columns

Photo by Chrystian Noble

26 Staff Editorial 28 It’s ValenTime

Photo by Lacy Williams

04 TOC February 3, 2017

30 Style 35 Swim The Extra Mile Photo by Mercedes Peck

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Letter From the Editor On behalf of The Bell staff I would like to express our enthusiasm for the new year. Last semester was full of many firsts for us, from a whole new design style, to our very own photojournalism staff. We hope to continue improving those features for the future.

For the first 2017 issue, diversity and love proved to be themes that kept coming up in all of our story ideas and interviews. Given our national political climate, I could not think of a better way to start the year than with those elements in mind. These themes are real: from high school relationships in

our Valentine’s Day Date Review and the opinions of the holiday in our columns, to finding solutions in our Achievement Gap story and the appreciation of diversity in our school. As always, our priority as student journalists is to publish the most ethical and empowering journalism possible.

Our focal point is always you, the students. We definitely have a diverse group of students with huge potential for love.

Sincerely,

Photo by Ashley Ritter

$12 HAIRCUTS EVERY TUESDAY

Let’s #GlowJays

LHS glows with excitement for Courtwarming 2017.

Story by Jenna Spence

There has been a different atmosphere in the school halls this past week, as if the students are buzzing with their excitement and school pride. Tonight in The Fieldhouse is when everything will let loose in bright neon. Courtwarming is an exciting week for many students, teachers and athletes. There are different things to look forward to during the week including the spirit days, Spike it Up, Courtwarming King and Queen, the Pep Assembly, the basketball game all capped off by the finale, the Glow Bubble Dance.

The Games

There would be no Courtwarming week without the basketball games. Boys and Girls JV play tonight at 5 p.m in the Fieldhouse and Cokely. Varsity Girls’ play in the Fieldhouse at 6 p.m and Varsity Boys’ play in the fieldhouse at 8 p.m. The theme for tonight will be the traditional Glow Crazy, where students dress in neon attire. The teams view this as one of the biggest games of the season, especially the Varsity Boys team, who will be playing Truman High School.

“We prepare for one game at a time,” Varsity Boys’ Basketball Coach Roger Stirtz said. “We don’t look ahead so we can narrow our focus.”

Pep Assembly

Brought to the students by the Leadership class, the Pep Assembly is intended to recognize all of the winter sports and athletes and the final push to pump up the students for the basketball games tonight. Planning started about a month ago and the theme was decided in the first week of planning.

“In the past we have tried to have characters with a story line and a plot instead of just narrators out there with a microphone,” junior Kayel Newland said.

Last year, two body-building characters hosted the Assembly. This year, the theme will be The Bachelor, which is something a lot of students can relate to and will

Photo by Chrystian Noble

hopefully enjoy.

“We have a guy and four girls,” Newland said. “We will be introducing them with what they do and who they are.

Hopefully it will make sense and will be funny.”

New performances are being added to the assembly this year, including Winter Guard and Exit 1-6.

Courtwarming King Candidates Hayden Allee Clayton Bentch Aidan Bishop Nathan Blochlinger Nate Grace Max Martin TJ Persell Kyle Rogers Brett Schweitzer Alex Tison

Photos by Chrystian Noble

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Above: junior Morgan Benton hangs posters for StuCo to advertise Courtwarming spirit days. Below: StuCo members sophomores Jacob Marquis, Shelby Erickson, Jordyn Marquis, Tiffanny Huynh and freshman Caroline Parry are ready for the annual Spike it Up tournament.

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“As a player, there are a couple of ways to respond to an environment like that,” Stirtz said. “You could be inexperienced in those situations and be a little timid or hesitant, or have experience in those situations, and be confident in that atmosphere and embrace it in order to succeed.”

The Dance

Immediately following the last game of the night, students will flow into Cokely for the Courtwarming Dance. A blacklight bubble dance will take place with a DJ. Students must wear their neon yellow Glow Jays t-shirt in order to get into the dance. StuCo purchased their own bubble machine for tonight.

“It is a lot more laid back than the other dances that we have,” senior Sarah Parrott said. “We are using the same DJ that was used in Homecoming this year and he was really good.”

StuCo prepared for 400 students last year, but 700 showed up.

“Turn out was very good last year,” sophomore Jacob Marquis said. “We are hoping to have around that number again this year.”

Courtwarming Queen Candidates: Kasey Allshouse Emily Azpell Dana Bartch McKenzie Hull Rachael Ingram Allie May Sarah Parrott Kelsie Schmitz Janai Simpson Rachel Stubbs

Photo by Chrystian Noble

Spirit Week

Spike it Up

The spirit days during this past week have mixed tradition and new ideas.

StuCo discovered that last year’s lack of participation was due to high-effort themes.

“This year we are changing things up by going for easier days that anyone can participate in without putting in a lot of effort,” senior Sarah Parrott said.

Roughly 20 to 30 ideas for themes are pitched and the process of narrowing that number down to five is tedious.

“It is a really long process of everyone raising their hand, speaking their opinion and then narrowing it down to five,” Marquis said.

The week was kicked off by a lowkey pajama day. Tuesday was a new theme called Mathlete vs. Athlete. Wednesday, students showed their class pride by wearing their class color,Thursday was USA day, with students displayed their patriotism. Friday, everyone wore their neon attire which is to be worn during the Pep Assembly during school and then tonight for the basketball game.

In another effort to hype up the game, Snapchat GeoFilters were provided to students throughout the week where StuCo requested students to tweet @ LibertyStuCo their pictures using #GlowJays.

The first event of the Courtwarming week was the annual volleyball tournament, Spike it Up, hosted by StuCo on Wednesday.

“All of the proceeds went to our Special Olympics athletes,” Parrott said.

To play, players had to pay $15 and the audience had to pay a $5 entry fee.

Photo by Chrystian Noble

Top Right: Junior Morgan Benton and freshman Karlie Benton work together to hang the poster advertising Thursday’s USA themed spirit day. Bottom Right: Sophomore Tiffanny Huynh cuts paper to make a Courtwarming poster.

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Try Me Mock Trial prepares for upcoming competitions.

Story by Joey O’Kelly

Photo courtesy of Emma Kenney

The Mock Trial team of lawyers and witnesses gather to compete in a real courtroom at the Jackson County Municipal Court in downtown Kansas City.

This is one court that doesn’t need a ball or net. The Mock Trial club laid down the law in the preliminary rounds of the Kansas City Mock Trial competition on January 17 with a 3-0 win over Liberty North and a 3-0 loss to the Rockhurst A team on January 19. The team showed evidence of preparation with months upon months of hard work and now they’re making their case at the downtown Kansas City Municipal Courthouse.

“We’ve prepared cross-examination questions and we know what line we want to ask them,” sophomore Abby Maloney said. “That’s going to differ during the competition because we don’t know what they’re going to say, but we do know what we’re going to ask.”

If there’s a trial, there’s a case. This year the case involves the murder of a racquetball player with several potential suspects.

“You’re scored on how

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you play your part, how well you follow courtroom procedures when asking questions as a prosecutor or defense attorney,” club sponsor Ron Ludwig said.

“Also, as a witness, can you portray the character with poise and confidence?”

“It’s a sense of inclusiveness. Everybody gets an opportunity to do something. Everyone gets a chance to be the star of the trial.”

-James Hirsch With witnesses, they give very realistic testimonies.

“Honestly, when I first saw the emails, I was horrified,” junior witness Heather Shipley said. “The email opens

in all capital letters saying ‘THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE’ and it goes on to say ‘you have that tournament in Big City this weekend. I will be there and we will discuss this. If you go through with this, you will regret that decision.’ Now I don’t know about you, but that sounds pretty incriminating to me.”

In a competition, the teams don’t know if they will be the plaintiff or the defendant until they show up to the courtroom. There are three judges who listen to the cases and cast a ballot for either the prosecution or the defense. The judges’ ruling determines the winning side.

“They give point totals as well,” junior Emma Kenney said. “With those point totals, they used to determine what seeding we would be at the next competition, but now the point totals are more reference for what we need to improve on.”

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In order for Mock Trial to be successful, students need to contribute to the team in different ways. After getting a packet in October with all of the needed information for the case, roles were assigned to each student in order to make sure everyone can contribute in a positive way.

“It’s a sense of inclusiveness,” junior James Hirsch said. “Everybody gets an opportunity to do something. Everyone gets a chance to be the star of the trial.”

With big goals and heavy motivation, the team is ready to get the show on the road. After last year’s fourth-place finish at state, they have big shoes to fill and expectations to top.

“Our hope this year is to hopefully win state,” Kenney said. “If you win state you get to go to the national competition, which, again, our school has never done.”

Along with current opportunities like going to competitions, Mock Trial also provides benefits for the future in college, law school or a law profession.

“Potential lawyers get to learn a lot about what a trial looks like and what you need to do to prepare for one,” sophomore Jake Hill said. “They get to know whether or not they really want to go into the field.

Even if you don’t want to be a lawyer, it’s still a fun activity to meet people who are similar to you.”

With all of the time and effort this team has put into the case since October, they’re ready to witness it all pay off.

“The group that we have for Mock Trial is a great group of kids,” Ludwig said.

“They’re very hard-working and fun to

be with. I can’t wait to see them in the courtroom and see how they perform.”

2016-2017 Mock Trial Team Abigail Maloney Abigail Schulte Addison Henson Beth Garrison Carly Mantia Emma Kenney Hannah Berry Heather Shipley Jake Hill James Hirsch James Kennedy Makana Brooks Sponsor Ron Ludwig Photo by McKenna Hegger

09 News February 3, 2017

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Mr. Roboto

Robotics team builds a robot for STEAM works.

Story by Madeline Hensley Have you ever worried robots are going to take over the world? The students in robotics sure hope so. It is currently build season for Robotics, which many members describe as the most stressful time of the year. During Build season team members spend close to 50 hours at school during the week and 8 more on Saturday.

“During this time you have to do homework whenever possible,” senior Austin Stark said. “It is not uncommon to be exhausted. Fridays and Sundays are typically long awaited to both relax and get work done.”

Most people are not aware of how Robotics competitions work. These competitions are just as energetic as high school basketball or football games.

This year the game is called FIRST STEAMworks and is steampunk themed.

It is a simulated airship race. Three teams work together to gather fuel for the airship by collecting whiffle balls and shooting them into a basket. They also collect gears to power the rotors on top of the ship.

At the end of the game each robot has an opportunity to climb a rope to go aboard the airship. Each of these goals awards

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points to the alliances. The team with the most amount of points wins.

Competitions take multiple days.

“Day one is for setting up our team workshop [pit] and practicing,” senior Sydney Scholes said. “Day two and three are for qualification matches where each team is given a rank.” Halfway through day three, the top eight teams are ranked and each team picks two other teams to form an alliance with. Together these teams compete in the finals. From there they use a bracket system to determine which alliance makes it to the World Championships.

The Chairman’s Award is given to the team that shows dedication to bettering their community. Last year LHS received this award. It is the highest award given at the Kansas City regional event and took the team to World Championships last year.

The robotics team has a busy few weeks ahead of them to get ready for competition on March 9.

“It may seem stressful, but as many teams say, it’s the hardest fun you’ll ever have,” junior George Meyer said.

Photos by Chrystian Noble

Top Left: Liberty North junior Lake Hall adjusts the camera to test the robot. Top Right: Junior Max Dowling works with sponsor Jon Nelson on coding the robot. Bottom Right: Sophomore Jacob Walker uses power tools to work on the robot.

News February 3, 2017

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Techie Teens

TSA takes technology and engineering to the next level.

Story by Zahra Khan

TSA is getting techie with it. This club is for those who want to make their ideas come alive. Students create projects from different fields of technology like animatronics, biotechnology, fashion and more. Students can work alone or in groups.

Some projects require more preparation and can take almost the whole school year to complete. Others require no preparation so students would do their project on site at the competition, like music production.

“I have music production, which is where you have to compose a song and record it,” freshman Fiona Burroughs said.

“My partner and I are both in orchestra so an orchestral piece is the easiest for us to write. But other projects don’t take the same work. My technology writing is an on-site project. I go to the competition and go to a room where I’m provided sources and a topic. Once I have them, I write a paper there.”

Most of the work done for the projects is done outside on the student’s own time.

Some also work on their project during club meetings every Friday during Liberty Hour in room 30.

Photos by Caitlyn Pearson

After all the preparation for their projects comes the competition where the students showcase their projects.

Competitions are different for each field of technology but each one showcases the talent of the student.

“I have music production, which is where you have to compose a song and record it. My partner and I are both in orchestra so an orchestral piece is the easiest for us to write.”

-Fiona Burroughs

“For biotechnology everything is prepared beforehand and you make a display for the judges,” senior Amy Burnham said. “If you make it to semifinals then that consists of an interview given with a presentation.”

Competitions can be very competitive with so many other students showcasing their projects and all reaching for the same goal: to go to nationals. TSA has been

very successful in past years with 21 out of 28 students qualifying for nationals.

“We do a lot of fundraising because this year we are going to Florida for nationals, which costs a lot of money,” TSA sponsor Dathan Boden said.

One recent fundraiser TSA had was the MOD Pizza night where students came in and showed they were there to support TSA and eat.

“We have done cookie sales, coupon book sales and elementary age camps,” Boden said. “We had one during winter break, where elementary students come in for a day and we do activities with them and we also do one in the spring.”

One thing that is overlooked about technology is how it is changing the world as we know it. Technology will never stop growing and has left it’s footprint already.

“I’m so fascinated with technology and always am impressed with what the students come up with, so I am learning along with them.” TSA co-sponsor Eniola Ajayi said. “Technology is our future, it is the future of what we are doing, technology is in everything.”

Bottom left: Seniors Sydney Scholes, Amy Burnham and junior Alexa Smith are hopeful for a successful project in competition. Bottom Right: Junior Alek Morales focuses and works hard on their project.

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Leaders Assemble Take a behind-the-scenes look into the Leadership class.

Story by Riley Kelley

Photo by Grace Buehler

Top: Sophomores and juniors in leadership use teamwork to create themes and games for fun and smooth assemblies.

The games. The costumes. The rollercoaster. These components are the highlight of every school assembly.

Students from every class roar with laughter at the thematic costumes, cheer on their class in the competitive games and rumble with enthusiasm during the traditional roller coaster chant. However,

there is more to each assembly than what meets the eye. Sitting in the bleachers is one thing, but there is a lot more going on behind the scenes of each assembly than students might think.

On the sides of the gym and often in the middle of the floor, Leadership students stand and serve as the puppet masters of

each assembly. Before each assembly, the Leadership class divides up to organize ideas and begin planning.

“We have our Leadership class split into six different groups and we have to bring all of the different groups together to make the assembly come together,” sophomore Shae Turner said.

Initially, the plan for each assembly is very basic and requires a little bit of TLC to get a better idea of how it’s going to flow.

“We start really rough as far as writing and organizing, almost like a skeleton of what we want the assembly to look like,” junior Kayel Newland said. “We then type in dialogue and stage direction and build up more details as it continues to build.”

In each unique committee, members put their heads together and come up with ideas that will make the assembly better than the last. Most ideas come from past successes, but there are some fresh ideas that get thrown out to go along with the theme.

Photo by Ashley Ritter

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Leadership class members enjoy filming a lip dub for the courtwarming assembly.

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There is some pressure associated with being a part of Leadership. It’s not all fun and games when you know the entire school is watching the product of your hard work. The Homecoming assembly usually causes high stress levels for Leadership students, but allows for an experience that makes it easier when it comes to planning for Courtwarming.

Veteran members enjoy less pressure that comes with more experience.

“For Courtwarming we don’t have as much time to plan,” senior TJ Persell said.

“But we kind of know what we’re doing, so it’s more relaxing I guess.”

For some students, the Homecoming assembly was their first glimpse into what the Leadership class is capable of and has them looking forward to Courtwarming.

“At the Homecoming assembly, I liked the videos, decorations and water bottle flipping game they did,” freshman Gabby Schaller said.

Nobody is perfect. Sometimes Leadership runs into small problems on the day of the assembly that they have to address quickly.

“Last time a couple of videos cut out so we just have to make sure that we can flow it a little better and make sure that it all works,” Persell said.

After the assembly, Leadership welcomes feedback from the students and faculty.

“A lot of times we get feedback from administration and the teachers,” Turner said. “Our feedback also comes from people and students talking about it at night or the next week about how cool the assembly was.”

Photos by Grace Buehler and Caitlyn Peterson

Photo by Caitlyn Pearson

Seniors Brett Schweitzer, Josh Walton, junior Robert Rawie and senior Kaiden Hulett dance for the leadership lip dub.

The boost in school spirit only motivates Leadership to boost it even more.

Immediately after the assembly, they begin planning how to make the next one even better.

“At the end of each assembly we kind of have a list of things that maybe didn’t go so well and then we keep it for the next assembly so we can work on them,” Turner said.

Through all of the hard work and pressure that it takes to put each assembly together, Leadership always has one clear goal in mind.

“We try to increase the school climate or the school spirit a lot, which sometimes goes unnoticed,” Turner said.

When this goal is achieved, students in Leadership get to enjoy the rewarding feeling of their success.

“I think my favorite thing, like when I was on stage looking at the crowd, a lot

of people were smiling and they weren’t bored to be there,” Persell said. “It seemed like they were having fun. It’s just the expressions on people’s faces when everything is happening and just looking around and seeing everyone engaged instead of sitting in the back on their phones.”

Once the ideas have been approved

by Administration, the planning process begins. Leadership spends several weeks doing behind the scenes prep work.

This includes managing the logistics, writing a script, filming a lip dub and communicating with students and teachers who will participate. They also do several run-throughs to make sure every part of the assembly transitions smoothly and small errors are fixed before the big day.

For those on the decorations committee, the night before the assembly is spent staying up late to add finishing touches.

Left: The Leadership class is made up of experienced seniors who are ready to improve the school and assemblies. Right: Senior Janai Simpson performs her part of the lip dub in a banana suit.

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What do Pop-Tarts mean to you?

“My love for Pop-Tarts began in eighth grade because they had vending machines there and my parents didn’t really buy them so I got addicted. Pop-Tarts are important because it’s how people recognize me even if they don’t necessarily know me. It’s been a thing for me and if you look up Pop-Tarts, my name will pop up… if not it should. My Snapchat and Instagram name both involve Pop-Tarts.”

Why do you enjoy basketball?

“It’s such a fun sport and I really enjoy playing basketball with other people. You get different types of people that can do different things and it’s always fun to go up against them. Basketball players keep me watching because you get new players every year and you want to see what they do next; even if it’s a dunk, crossover or pass.”

What do you value in life?

“I value family and friends because they really are a joy to have around and they are always there to support you. I would say my family has the greatest impact on who I am because they always teach me to do the right thing and I try to do that wherever I am.”

Eniola Ajayi’s thoughts...

“Isaiah is a hard worker and wants to earn good grades and he knows that the way to do so is through hard work and dedication. One of the things that I liked most about having Isaiah in class was his great sense of humor.

He has this sarcastic humor that I really appreciate.”

14 Spotlight February 3, 2017

Senior Isaiah Miller Interview by Katie Moon

Photo by Connor Callahan

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What do you like about basketball?

“My favorite part of basketball is the girls I have grown up playing with. One of my favorite memories is a bus ride home after a game my freshman year. I don’t know how it started but we tried making beats. One person would start with a beat by stomping or clapping, then each person would jump in with another beat. I just remember how much fun we had and how we could not stop laughing each time we messed up.”

What do people not know about you?

“I love music more than sports. I have grown up with music in my life. I have been playing the bass since the fifth grade and I love it. I grew up singing with my siblings while my dad played the guitar. I’m a very eclectic person. I am interested in fine arts, sports and school.”

What is your goal in life?

“I hope to get to a place where I am content with everything in my life. I am really excited to get to a point where I can have my career going steady and I am comfortable and set financially. That is when I can start reaching out and helping others.

I can start giving back to my parents by making sure they are taken care of.”

Trilaina McCallum’s thoughts...

“In Ayraka I see strength, integrity, confidence and courage. She has truly been a great help to me as I have transitioned here and has stepped up and been an awesome leader in the Diversity Council. I am so thrilled to be able to work with her and help her map out her future.”

Junior

Ayraka Bree Straws 15 Interview by Katie Moon

Spotlight February 3, 2017

Photo by Grace Buehler

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What sport do you play?

“I play baseball. My favorite memory was going to see the Royals play in the playoffs in 2014. It was such a new experience for Kansas City and it was just a lot of fun to go see. I think my biggest accomplishment is probably winning state twice for baseball. My favorite part about baseball is just being with the team and having a lot of fun.”

What’s your favorite class?

“This year it’s AP World. I like to study history and it’s something really interesting to me. I’ve always been interested in history since I was really little and I like to read books about it a lot. Honors American History is my favorite history class I’ve taken. The 60’s are probably my favorite decade to learn about.”

How would you describe yourself?

“I would like to think I’m caring, kind and fun. The basics. I like to volunteer a lot as well. Every summer I volunteer at Martha Lafayette Nature Sanctuary and help out kids around the camp. It’s nice volunteering at a place that doesn’t receive all the funding that it deserves because it feels like you’re doing a good thing.”

Tim Baldwin’s thoughts...

“Jordan has been incredibly successful in his first few years of his debate career. He’s a privilege to have on the team. He’s a nononsense sort of competitor and he’s always there for all of his teammates, no matter what.”

16 Spotlight February 3, 2017

Sophomore Jordan Carlson Interview by Delaney Tarpley

Photo by Kate Marshall

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What are you involved in?

“I’m involved in Robotics, Breakfast Club and volunteer at the zoo. I joined Robotics because I knew people who were in it and it sounded like fun. I volunteer at the zoo because I want to go into biology and I thought it would help with that. Volunteering at the zoo taught me responsibility and workplace values.”

Who is your role model?

“My role model is my brother Travis.

I chose to play the tenor saxophone because he also played the saxophone. I chose to be in the high school jazz band and 5 Star, because he was also in them, so I wanted to follow his footsteps.”

What is your dream job?

“I want to be in forensics. I want to do that because it is really cool and sounds like a lot of fun and I can still be involved with biology. I also like the mystery and violence and I can get paid a lot of money.”

Eddie Owen’s thoughts...

“She is energetic, exciting and a hard worker. I knew she was a band kid when I met her. Abby is a great musician. She has a good sense of humor and is funny.

She chose band and made it a part of her life. She is a good band kid.”

Freshman

Abby Geier Interview by Caroline Parry

Spotlight February 3, 2017

Photo by Jack Barreca

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What did you do before working at LHS?

“I’ve had a million jobs. My biggest job was in the Marine Corps and then I got out of that and I ran a private security company in Columbia. Then I came back here and worked at the Clay County jail, then at another security firm. I went to school full time for a year until I got here.”

What did you learn in the Marines?

“How to talk to people. In that job, it’s life and death. I was in the infantry, where you have to be able to talk to your officers and be able to tell them when they’re wrong. You have to do it in a fashion that doesn’t get you in trouble, but it definitely has to stress the point when something isn’t right.”

Who do you look up to?

“I’m secretly a total comic book nerd. It’s laughable, but in a good way. I really strive to be the best person I can be, like Batman and all those superheroes. It sounds silly, but growing up I didn’t have the best childhood, so that’s what I had to look forward to: learning from reading different lessons on how to be a hero and putting others before yourself.”

Lindsay Marchand’s thoughts...

“Mr. Jury is really easy to talk to. He’s a nice hall monitor and he’s really helpful if you don’t know where you’re going in the school.

He’s very friendly and open with everyone and he really adds to the school by making the school fun and friendly for everyone.”

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Staff Lucas Jury Interview by Delaney Tarpley

Spotlight February 3, 2017

Photo by Isabella Siefkas

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What are your hobbies?

“I love photography, so I take a lot of pictures. I like to take pictures of anything that inspires me; mostly I like to take pictures of anything that is colorful or exudes life in some way. I draw equal inspiration from urban settings, nature scenes and the daily happenings of my life.

I do crafty things too, so I do a lot of DIY stuff. I also play with my cat, go running, hang out with my husband and spend time with family.”

Why are you a teacher?

“I had really great teachers in high school and I was really inspired by them. They encouraged me and made a really big difference in my life. My teachers created safe environments that helped me focus on my learning. They did this by treating everyone equally and including everyone in the learning process. I wanted to do something like they did and I wanted to be like them.”

What makes you unique?

“I have a lot of fun in the classroom. My tendency is just to be who I am. I often do different accents or sing no matter where I am, whether I am teaching or whether I am just hanging out with family or friends.

I have a flair for the dramatics. When I do these things in class, it is sometimes helpful in maintaining their attention.”

Katy Wheelhouse’s thoughts...

“She is really nice and fun. She likes to teach and has a bubbly personality. When I first met her she was very energetic and nice. In her class, she sings a lot and makes funny voices like accents. She makes me want to read more and be a better student because she just makes learning sound fun.”

Teacher

Heather Moder Interview by Caroline Parry

Spotlight February 3, 2017

Photo by Morgan Clark

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THE ACH

Definition of ACHIEVEMENT GAP noun achieve ment \ə-ˈchēv-mənt\\ gap\_ Any significant and persistent disparity in academic performance or educational attainment between different groups of students.

The Glossary of Education Reform

20 InDepth February 3, 2017

IEVEMENT

G An P

Story by Annika Fuller, Hannah Leonard, Paige Twenter and Daisy Smith Photo by Mercedes Peck

“All students need to be offered the same opportunities and encouraged to succeed.”

-counselor Brenda Wiederholt

The Gender Gap There was a time when people thought girls were not cut out for science, technology, engineering and mathematic classes (STEM). However, as more national attention was drawn to the issue, it became apparent that female students are able to achieve at the same level as their male counterparts in high level STEM classes. However, female students are still not enrolling in STEM classes at the same numbers.

The AP Physics II class at LHS has 30 students, but only four students are female.

The AP Calculus BC class has seven female students of 22 students. According to AP Physics II and AP Calculus BC enrollment and ACT scores, the lack of equal representation in these classes has nothing to do with female students’ ability to achieve at the same level as males.

In 2016, average science ACT scores for LHS female students were only one tenth of a point lower than male students. For the math section, female students were only half a point lower. So why are there so few female students taking these classes?

Continued on page 22

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“From my experience, when there are more girls in the room there seems to be an air of confidence for the girls,” teacher Angie Klein said. “When there are less girls there is less confidence in the individual girl.”

Even though female students are just as capable as males to do well in upper-level STEM classes, they choose not to take these classes, possibly due to a lack of other female students.

“If I weren’t confident in those classes I would probably be super uncomfortable because I don’t have any friends in the class,” sophomore Addie Morgan said.

“It’s kind of hard to take a class like that when you know you are going to be in that situation.”

However, not all upper-level STEM classes are male dominated. In AP Biology, the class is made up of 77% females. The same goes for College Chemistry with 52% females and College Algebra with 65% females. The reason why some classes are equally populated with female students and why others don’t show equal representation may have a basis in career goals.

“I believe a possible reason is that some classes are more closely related to the healthcare field,” counselor Brenda Wiederholt said. “Thus, females would be more inclined to take that course because historically the healthcare field is equally populated with males and females.

Whereas, some STEM careers, such as engineering, are heavily male dominated.”

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InDepth February 3, 2017

This theory is not far-fetched. According to the National Girls Collaborative Project, only 15% of people in the engineering workforce are women. This issue isn’t just present in the professional world. LHS’s Principles of Engineering class has only three female students out of 33 students.

Intro to Engineering and Design has 14 females of 59 students. The other two engineering classes are both only 30% female students. Students walking into computer classes will also see a striking difference between the number of females and males.

“This is our sixth year of teaching AP [Computer Science] and the first couple years there were no girls,” Klein said.

“This year, between the two classes, we’ve had five girls. Five girls out of less than 20

is pretty outstanding compared to six years ago.”

Klein does not see this as an achievement problem for female students.

She sees it as female students simply choosing other paths.

“It hasn’t really discouraged me. I’ve always been told, ‘Hey you’re smart. You can do this if you want to do it. Go do it,’” senior Emily Seever said.

The Race Gap Another gap exists for minority students. Although 81% of LHS students are Caucasian, the AP scores reflect a variety of gaps. Students may enroll in AP classes but it’s their choice to take the course exam.

Photos by Ashley Ritter

For example, 265 AP tests were given in 2016 to students at LHS. Proportionally, 18 tests should have been given to African-American students but only seven were taken. It is important to consider that with a proportional amount of tests given, if one person scores lower, the entire average drops down significantly. The average AP score for African-American students was a 3.0, for Asian students a 3.73, Hispanic students 2.8 and Caucasian students 3.2.

Although there is the appearance of disproportional representation of minority students in AP or Advanced classes, the overall demographic within LHS needs to be acknowledged. Out of 1,697 students enrolled in LHS, 116 (7%) are AfricanAmerican, 53 (3%) are Asian, 102 (6%) are Hispanic, 10 (.05%) are Indian, six (.03%) are Pacific Islander, 31 (2%) are mixed and 1,378 (81%) are Caucasian.

Regardless of where racial proportions rest, the school does their best to provide equal opportunities for every student.

“There’s a couple of things you really want in your high school and that’s legitimacy,” assistant principal Brett Coffman said. “Legitimacy is that your classes are fair and equal, there is an ability for everyone to come in and learn.

There’s a diversity of thought in those classes so when you lack that diversity of thought you actually don’t get the full effect of instruction.”

Solutions To educators, it’s possible to close the gaps. The first step is raising awareness.

Female students need to be aware of STEM classes from the beginning of their education. Through organizations like Girls Who Code, which has summer programs to teach computing and programing skills to girls, middle school can be the beginning.

“When you don’t hear people’s view points that aren’t like your own, you really aren’t growing.”

-Assistant Principal Brett Coffman Wiederholt reminds everyone that LHS provides help to those who want it.

One of the programs offered is the After School Educational Mentoring Program, or ASEM for short, which is sponsored by the Clay County African American Legacy, Inc. The program has volunteers from William Jewell College who mentor students every Tuesday during Liberty Hour in the StuCo room.

Also, there are clubs right here at LHS that are already hard at work recognizing and trying to solve these issues. Women’s Issues Now is a club where students discuss women’s issues while trying to educate and raise awareness to students.

Another club, Diversity Council, helps increase awareness and acceptance for people’s differences. A third club is League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), which helps try to advance educational attainment of the Hispanic population in the U.S. Before it was a state requirement, LHS

gave the ACT to every junior, giving every student free access to this college entrance exam. Starting this school year, sophomores will take the pre-ACT and next year freshmen will be added to the list. This will help administrators see if there are holes in academic progress and continue to help all students have the same opportunities in school.

Another solution is to attend the daily tutoring time built into student class schedules: Liberty Hour. During this time students can get help from teachers for classes in which they are struggling.

In the first semester 12,226 Liberty Hour sessions were assigned and 9,361 of those were attended. While it’s not a 100% attendance rate, it’s a high number that shows the growing importance of having Liberty Hour. Of the 1,153 students assigned to a Liberty Hour session, only 588 have never missed one. That number needs to grow, but that takes student commitment. This time gives students an opportunity to close the gap between themselves and their peers.

Next year the school will support students to be the first in their family to go to college through a program of guest lectures, lessons, discussions and encouraging upper level classes in all areas for college career success.

“Our country has a history of offering inconsistent educational opportunities for students due to race, ethnicity or gender,” Wiederholt said. “All students need to be offered the same opportunities and encouraged to succeed.”

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lhsnews.net

Appreciation in Education Editorial by Editor in Chief Hannah Leonard

Our school is diverse, there’s no doubt about that, but how well appreciated is diversity in our society? Sure, every student is unique in their own way. Still, the cultural and social elements of which

Photo by Lacy Williams

learning in classrooms with peers of different genders, races, political views, religions and beliefs is underappreciated in the average student’s eyes. How often do you think a teenager sits in their classroom, aware of being able to receive an education with and from people from different cultural and logical points of view? I don’t think that would cross a high school student’s mind very often.

To me it’s amazing that as a Roman Catholic, Mexican and German, female, I can have a discussion with someone who shares none of the same characteristics or opinions. It is even more incredible that in one aspect we are not aware of those traits but in another sense, they are what creates a cultural understanding of the other person’s opinion. Learning in a diverse environment promotes individuality, pride

and respect for students themselves and their classmates. There is no better way to prepare young people for the real world than to surround them with peers who are different than them.

The unique blend of students at our school is represented well socially through the various clubs and activities they participate in. Through clubs and classes such as Diversity Council, the exchange programs, social studies, communication arts and foreign language we are taught about different cultures and ways of life.

It’s one thing to acknowledge we are surrounded by diversity, but it is another to appreciate diversity and be grateful for the opportunity to learn from it.

Value in Valentine’s Editorial by Managing Editor Emily Johannes

Love. It seems stupid to have an entire day dedicated to it, but here we are. There are pressures all around us to be cute and romantic. And if we don’t face those pressures because of a lack of someone special, the idea of being sad and lonely on Valentine’s Day surrounds us. Being sweet and romantic to the person

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Opinion February 3, 2017

Photo by Lacy Williams

you love shouldn’t be so hyped up on this one particular day. Why not be kind and loving every day instead of expecting so much on this one day?

Valentine’s Day has been in existence since the Romans, but it hasn’t always been about being sappy and lovey-dovey.

It wasn’t until the Middle Ages that the holiday was associated with love and even then it wasn’t the commercial mess it is today. In my opinion, the entire holiday was an excuse for the greeting card companies, florists and chocolate companies to make an extra buck off of people desperate to be a good partner.

Sure it’s nice to receive a card expressing feelings of love, but it is unnecessary to do so under the guise of a holiday driven by money and spending to show that love.

The holiday has become so big that clothes are designed for this one day, stores decorate based on it and candy companies change their packaging just

for the 14th. The expectations are so high that when I searched the term “Valentine’s Day,” the top results were articles saying how to make Valentine’s Day less stressful. I can’t imagine how much people are spending on this holiday, all I can say is that it’s probably too much and that profits are being made off of corporate exploitation of your heart.

For me, Valentine’s Day represents good intentions, but doesn’t have any importance to me and my life. I feel like it is an important holiday to some people who value showing their love in the ways that the holiday promotes and all the power to those people. No matter how you are celebrating the day, I want people to remember the importance of celebrating relationships whether they are romantic or not. However, I also want them to remember you don’t need a special day just to express those feelings.

lhsnews.net

What is Love?

Editorial by Copy/Opinion Editor Lacy Williams

Okay yes, I’m a single pringle, but I also think it’s great when people find someone to share all their time with. Of course, I

Photo by Mara Fryer

want my Cinderella happily-ever-after ending too! For heaven’s sake, I am a Disney Princess at heart. However, I’m willing to wait for it and just bring joy to my own life as well as other people’s lives first.

For me, love is what keeps me going.

It’s what makes me wake up in the morning and want to continue making people smile. My love is music. Singing makes me the happiest person alive. I know I have brought glowing smiles of joy to people’s faces through music. That’s honestly one of the main reasons I want to be a performer. My goal is for people to share my love of music. Some of my best friends, I’ve met through performances who share the same love of music I have.

Being with the people who mean the most to you is what love is supposed to be about. I adore my family and will admit that I truly love all of my friends. If they weren’t in my life, I wouldn’t be who I am today.

Society seems to want people to believe that the only way to be happy is to be in a relationship with someone. Personally, I’d much rather be in a great relationship with myself and love everyone around me.

That’s why my love for music inspires me to find hope for the future because it’s what develops some of the best relationships.

Brace Yourselves Editorial by Ads Manager Daryl Gichui

When the ball drops I never shout or post, “New Year, New Me,” because I know I’m still going to be the same doofus from 11:59 p.m. once 12:00 a.m. hits. Yet, after the turn of the calendar year, there always comes a sudden wave of new joggers, weightlifters, dieters and habit breakers

Opinion February 3, 2017

Photo by Lacy Williams

sweeping the streets and invading our personal lives. However, sooner or later the waves die down and tides begin to turn merely weeks into the new year. All of these groups begin to settle back into their past year blues and this cycle seems to have been going on for centuries.

The hard truth is that most people never keep up with their resolutions. In fact, statistics say that at least 90% of people don’t actually hold to their resolutions. We use the new year as an excuse to change things, as if a change of calendars will suddenly cause us to be more motivated to get things accomplished.

Instead of expecting myself to get things right instantly after the new year, I wear a colored bracelet all year, and use it as a daily reminder of certain things I’d like to improve on long term. I keep a collection of the bracelets I’ve had over the years in a box so that I can look back on my

growth every year.

It lessens the pressure and it’s been a helpful tool over the years that helps remind me not to procrastinate on my homework, which I’m not perfect at still, but I’ve gotten better. I’ve even used it to help remind me to keep pushing through things when I’m tired or frustrated, or to chill out when I stress out about the impending doom that is growing-up.

I understand that I’m just like every other person on earth, I’m not perfect. So anytime I try to change a habit or stick to a certain plan it’ll take me a lot of tries to actually get it right and for me to be satisfied. Improvement shouldn’t be something dictated by some dumb piece of paper with some dates on it. Frankly, it should be a constant thing to be worked on over time.

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Can LHS Fix the Achievement Gap? Editoral by Annika Fuller The Bell staff sat around the classroom and prepared themselves for the possibility of an uncomfortable conversation. We would discuss the achievement gap, the distance in educational achievement between groups of students at the school.

Can LHS close the achievement gap? In the end, 13 staff members voted the school could close the gap, while eight didn’t think so.

The Bell staff believes that not all intelligences are academic. Students who don’t excel in math and reading may be great musicians or artists. Those students are taught early on that the most important intelligence is through academics, but just like it’s unreasonable to expect a fish to climb a tree, these students are talented

Staff Vote: Yes: 13 No: 8

in other aspects of life. The Bell staff thinks it’s important for LHS to continue showing students that while it is necessary to apply oneself in core classes, other areas of expertise are just as valuable.

While the expectations at school may be close to the same for every student, the ones at home are not. One teacher knows that while the school cannot change a student’s home life, they can change their school experience. Although that may not be a lot, it’s a start. The only problem with that start is that it needs to happen sooner. The majority of the staff members said that the acceptance of different intelligences, the knowledge of a student’s capabilities and the expectations to which they apply themselves need to be

taught earlier than high school, regardless of where one receives elementary school education.

The Bell staff agreed that the achievement gap is not always a matter of choice. While the achievement gap groups people of the same race, gender and income level together, students are not defined by these things. Each student has a complex identity with their own experiences that has made them who they are today. The Bell staff believes that students could up the ante a little in applying themselves and taking advantage of opportunities because they are capable of so much more than they believe. There is always room to grow.

Illustration by Daryl Gichui

The articles in this section do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the entire Bell staff. Please feel free to comment, compliment or criticize anything you see in this section in a Letter to the Editor at lwil1524@student.lps53.org.

26 Opinion February 3, 2017

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Jabber

I just learned that Where’s Waldo is called Where’s WALLY in England, what else is the government hiding from us? -@MakanaBrooks

I could be paying attention in class right now, but instead I’m joining a bracket for the bachelor.

-@lexcree

Congratulations to Erin Ramsey.

Recipient of KMBC9 Teachers Who Inspires award. Nominated

by Ss Josie Wilkerson. #bluejaypride #lpsleads -@LHSNews

As much as I would like to say I work well while listening to music, I would only be lying to myself cause I end up singing more than hw-@Elizabeth_Elder I TYPED “HELP” INTO MY BROWSER AND I JUST NOTIFIED THE HELP DESK AH. -@LogansNotHere

Does anyone else sit in their car for 20 min before going inside their house, cause same-@tiannafry_

I think Twitter really peaked with political jokes during the presidential primaries. -@ Human__Bean

Photos by Mercedes Peck and Ashley Ritter

Jabber February 3, 2017

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It’s ValenTime

Valentine’s Day can be felt with indifference, love, or hatred.

Story by Haley Stephenson and Caleb Lautenschlager Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and giant teddy bears are flying off the shelves as couples prepare for a day of flowers, romcoms and fancy dinners. However, for some February 14 is simply the beginning of a month of discounted chocolate.

Whether a student is already picking out their date attire or starting a new list of sad movies on Netflix, everyone can agree that Valentine’s Day creates quite a buzz around school.

Staying in Alone “I guess Valentine’s Day would be a big deal if it actually involved me,” senior Josh Romay said. “To me it’s like celebrating somebody else’s birthday. It’s a special day but not particularly for me.”

Many students may feel left out of cupid’s holiday, but many proud singles refuse to let Valentine’s Day bother them.

“Valentine’s Day is basically just another capitalist way to promote relationships,” junior Hannah Spell said. “I don’t find it a big deal. It’s just another commercial holiday.”

Some staff members aren’t shy about their disdain for Valentine’s Day. “It’s over-commercialized,” administrator John Neldon said. “Some people really get into it, but personally I think that it’s just another holiday where people can make money.”

Neldon also proved that spending quality time with your loved one inside is just as good as a fancy dinner. He chooses to stay in with family as opposed to going out on a fancy date.

Although some students can forget Valentine’s Day’s existence, many prove there’s a diamond in the rough when it comes to their least favorite holiday.

“When I was really little my

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grandma bought me Teddy bears every year,” sophomore Kaylee Parker said.

In addition to stuffed animals, chocolate is often the one thing that everyone can look forward to on Valentine’s Day. “My mom got me chocolates and in elementary school we would do the Valentine’s boxes,” Romay said. “I haven’t celebrated it in a really long time.”

As opposed to going out with a significant other, many single students choose to stay home and treat Valentine’s Day as any other day.

“I usually just stay home with my family,” Parker said.

Staying in With a Date If students are looking to still have a great time on Valentine’s Day with that special someone, but want to skip the busy restaurants and large price tag that can come with it, staying in for Valentine’s Day can be a great alternative.

“I would rather stay in. Going out is expensive and costs money, while staying in is easy and simple but can still be just as nice as going out,” senior Carlie Ross said.

“Valentine’s Day is basically another capitalist way to promote relationships.”

-Junior Hannah Spell

Photo by Chrystian Noble

Junior Hannah Spell talks about her Valentine’s Day plans.

The Inside Scoop

Valentine’s Day can be particularly stressful for single people, and for some the sight of any couple being cute and sappy makes them want to gag. For those that dislike the day of love, make the day about yourself. Log out of snapchat, watch your favorite shows on Netflix, and buy yourself some chocolate. Do whatever makes you happy to turn the day around.

Valentine’s Day isn’t only about love that you share with another person, it can also be about the love that you have for yourself.

While staying in for Valentine’s Day has it’s positives, it may seem less exciting to some people, however, it can still give someone and their significant other quality time together. Staying in can cut out distractions. While the gesture may not be as grand as going out on a date, the night can still be special.

“I think as long as the gesture is thoughtful and sincere, then it doesn’t have to be big and extravagant,” Ross said.

Staying in can be more than just being lazy too. You can do anything from cooking a meal, watching a movie, or just ordering pizza and talking. You can still make a simple night special.

lhsnews.net

Photo by Morgan Clark

Sophomore Kaylee Parker enjoys spending Valentine’s Day with family.

The Inside Scoop

Staying in can sometimes be exactly what you and your date need. After long days and the stress of high school it can be good to grab a good movie and get close with someone you care about. Even though it’s simple and small, you can avoid the high prices and large crowds while having an amazing night

Going Out With Friends Other students, however, prefer to spend Valentine’s Day out of the house with other single friends.

“I love spending time with friends,” Spell said. “It makes the day more fun because nobody wants to be alone on Valentine’s Day. My friend date is probably going to be Derek Ray. I like dates that are really relaxed and chill, like maybe go to a restaurant or go see a movie. I want to spend time with them and not ignore them.”

Teachers, who every year witness the effect of Valentine’s Day on students, often have a lot to say about letting the holiday get to teens at such a young age.

Teacher Tara Grosdidier is no exception.

“I think people put too much pressure

A&E February 3, 2017

on themselves to have someone to spend Valentine’s Day with and I think that’s obviously due to social media and just life in general,” Grosdidier said. “I feel like you should just relax and have fun even if you don’t have a significant other, you can still go out with your friends and do something fun. It doesn’t have to be a day you spend with a significant other but rather just a day spent with people you love.

The Inside Scoop

Friend dates can be just as great as going on a date with a significant other.

Treat your friends to dinner, hand out Valentine’s cards, go see a cheesy movie together. Share the love this Valentine’s Day.

Going Out With a Date Going out with your date on Valentine’s Day has become a tradition for many people. Whether it’s having a nice dinner, seeing a movie, or going somewhere new, it can be a great opportunity to spend time with someone you care about.

“I enjoy going out because it gives you a chance to experience different things with this person. I get to find out more about

what they enjoy and they get to find out what I enjoy,” junior Lily Bogue said.

Going out on Valentine’s Day can also give couples an opportunity to show each other how much they care for one another.

It allows them to do something special for the other person and go on a bigger date they may not do on just any other day.

“I’m a go out girl. I love to go to dinner, hang out with my family who usually includes my girls, husband and my mom,” Grosdidier said.

Other great reasons to go out on Valentine’s Day with your date include being able to get out of the house and give both you and your significant other something to make your night more special. Going somewhere nice gives you a chance to change the atmosphere of just a normal date and can be a breathe of fresh air in the middle of a busy school year.

“I do believe doing something for Valentine’s Day is important,” Bogue said.

“Going on more formal dates every once and awhile helps to keep things fresh.

Plus, I think it’s fun.”

The Inside Scoop

If one is looking for a classic way to spend Valentine’s Day with their significant other, going out is a great option that can lead to a fun and memorable night. However, if students want to skip busy restaurants and price tags, staying in can be a great alternative.

What are your plans for Valentine’s Day? 349 students responded.

Spending time with family 10%

Going out with a date 20%

Going out with Staying in friends 16% alone 43%

Staying in with a date 9%

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Winter Weather What are YOU wearing?

Names Clockwise: Allison Price, Chloe Warner, Layne Nichols, Eniola Ajayi, Alexa Danahy, Katelynn Dale

Photos By Chrystian Noble, Jenna Axsom

30 Style February 3, 2017

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Valentine’s Day Maze Can YOU find the rose at the end of the Valentine’s Day maze?

YOU BELONG AT PITTSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY 200+ ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

IN-STATE TUITION

The first student to solve the maze can stop by room 512 for a chocolate treat!

#BeAGorilla

Start!

Athletes of

Mallory McGee Interview by Marcus Myvett

“So far the season is going pretty well. I’m excited to swim at some bigger meets and hopefully improve on my times. It’s been a lot of fun being a part of the team the past four years and developing lots of close friendships with my teammates. It’s really fun to watch them get their state cuts and it makes meets more interesting and meaningful.”

-Mallory McGee

Photo by Lacy Williams

Grade: Senior Height: 5’6” Favorite Event: 500 Free Favorite Food: Pasta

“She was able to go to state with us last year. It was a lot of fun having her there and she’s always so much fun at meets and swim activities. COMO (a big swim meet for some of the best teams from around Missouri at Mizzou) this year was also a lot of fun, just being able to pump each other up and cheer each other on. Her attitude is always positive in and out of the pool. Mal is one of the nicest girls and is very humble.”

-Junior Maddie Pittman “Mallory has done a great job throughout her career in distance events, which is rare for a swimmer who doesn’t train with a club team. She is one of the best distance swimmers I have had that doesn’t swim all year around. My favorite thing is she always gives everything she has in every race. I know that no matter what I enter her in she is going to race 100 percent.”

-Coach Chris Murphy

Jordan McClellan Interview by Elizabeth Gammon

“As of right now, we’re looking pretty good, but we can’t get too ahead of ourselves. We just need to go from one game to the next. My mom inspired me to start playing. She was big into basketball in high school and she was my first coach.

I’ve been playing since I was four.”

-Jordan McClellan “I’ve been playing basketball with him for a while and he’s progressed and gotten better every year. He cares about others and he tries his best. I think we’ll have a good season and I think he’ll do well. He fits in well.”

-Junior Brock Matson “Jordan’s attitude is consistently positive and tough-minded. He’s determined to be successful at everything he does. Jordan is a hard worker and because of his high expectations, he’s improved himself as a player and a person. Every aspect of his skill set has improved this season. I expect Jordan to continue to improve, compete and be successful on a daily basis. I am very proud of him.”

-Coach Roger Stirtz

32 Sports February 3, 2017

Photo by Isabella Siefkas

Grade: Junior Height: 6’1” Position: Shooting Guard Favorite Food: Waffles lhsnews.net

the Month

Maddie Davolt Interview by Marcus Myvett

“This season is going really well. We’re undefeated right now, so I’m really excited for the rest of the season. I have a lot of friends on the team. I’ve played since I was a little kid. I just love playing.”

-Maddie Davolt “My favorite memory with Maddie during a game is one time there was a last second shot before we went into halftime and she swished a three with a girl in her face. She’s really enthusiastic and cheers for people and even on the bus she’s getting us hyped and gives us high fives.”

-Freshman Mary Mason “Maddie is an outstanding teammate. She communicates well on the floor and always plays hard. She is a very talented player who is always trying to get to the basket or put her teammates in the best position to be successful. With her help, we are off to a great start. We are currently 9-0 and we play hard every game.”

-Coach Zach Werner ”

Photo by Mara Fryer

Grade: Sophomore Height: 5’7” Position: Power Forward Favorite Food: Pasta

Jeremiah Reno Interview by Elizabeth Gammon

“I think it’s going pretty great, we’re working hard. I think my chances are pretty good. I feel like I’m going to have a lot of people go to state with me. Most of my family wrestled. My dad coached a little bit and my grandpa taught some people. We have a big group of people that wrestle. I’ve been wrestling for 11 years. I’m very passionate about it. In 2020 I’m going to try out for the Olympics because I’m going to be 19.”

-Jeremiah Reno “I’d say he has a pretty good attitude. He works hard everywhere and in every aspect of his life. He’s worked really hard and he’s definitely grown a lot. I remember when he won state and now he’s winning nationals.”

-Freshman Zeke Beach Photo by Mara Fryer

Grade: Freshman Height: 5’4” Weight Class: 106 Favorite Food: Pizza Sports February 3, 2017

“Jeremiah is fun to watch wrestle every time he steps on the mat. He is aggressive and goes out to score as many points as possible. Jeremiah is very driven. He sets goals and works very hard to achieve them. Jeremiah’s skill was very high when he came into our room, but he continues to get better by making small improvements. I expect big things out of Jeremiah this year.”

-Coach Dustin Brewer

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Hoopin’ & Hollerin’ The Jays are optimistic about post-season play.

Story by Alex Rogers Toughness is the team motto this season for Varsity Boys’ Basketball. They have been through a whirlwind of challenges on and off the court, but have fortunately always overcome. This year’s tight-knit bunch has the ability to have fun one minute and get down to business the next, which has brought [re]bountiful success for the team’s dynamic.

Experience is a big factor in high school sports. It’s different from club or anything one might be coming from because of the unique competition aspect. This is true for even those moving up from JV to varsity.

“We’ve got a fairly new group,” coach Roger Stirtz said. “We’ve got a couple of starters back, Jalen and Clayton Adams, but everyone else is in a whole different role and I’ve been very proud of them.”

Photo by Chrystian Noble

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Stessman Tournament

This is the 46th year LHS has hosted the Stessman tournament and the Varsity Men’s Basketball team is banking on some slam dunk wins.

“The expectation is always to try our best and test ourselves against everybody else,” senior Alex Tison said. “The Stessman tournament is always going to be a tough tournament, so we’re excited for that. The goal is to go out there and play as hard as we can to prove ourselves as the better team.”

Although the Jays suffered a loss first round, they were ready to rally back.

“Lee’s Summit North is a good team and we allowed them to score most of their points in the paint,” sophomore Grant Houston said. “We were very disappointed to lose the first game of our home tournament but we’re motivated to redeem ourselves.”

The Jays clenched a fifth place finish overall out of eight teams and look to build on their growing team chemistry.

“We’re a pretty tight-knit group,” Tison said. “We can all have some fun together, but we also know how to get down to business.”

Conference Play

As if Friday the 13th isn’t a dreadful enough day already, it did a whammy on the boys’ game that night too. The scheduled game against St. Joe Central was postponed due to winter storm Jupiter’s anticipated detriment. Instead of taking on the Indians at home, the Jays just stayed home.

Weather is no obstacle when it comes to practicing overtime, however. They practice for two and a half hours every week night in either Cokely or the Fieldhouse. They focus on what they need to improve on so that they have the best chance of shutting opposing teams down with each game. Before tip-off, players discuss goals and game plans. At halftime, they reflect on what has worked and what has not.

The Jays and Eagles went head-to-head on Friday, January 27. The final score was not available by press time. Junior Jalen Lewis was especially excited for the rivalry.

“There was a big crowd which is always motivating,” Lewis said.

The Crosstown Cup standings have been updated.

Photo by Jenna Axsom

Left: Junior Jalen Lewis puts in a layup against Blue Springs. Right: Junior Jordan McClellan shoots a three against Lee’s Summit North in the first round of the Stessman Tournament.

Sports February 3, 2017

lhsnews.net

Swim The Extra Mile State is quickly approaching and the Jays look promising.

Story by Paige Twenter They’re swimming in work at school, but it’s time for them to jump in the pool and swim the extra mile.

LHS’s girls’ swim team has been swimming like mermaids during their season, amounting to a 5 to 2 win streak and most swimmers surpassing their best times recently at COMO, a tournament in Columbia, Missouri.

“It was really good,” junior Hannah Schrag said. “I think I’d say it was our meet of the season so far and almost across the board everybody was dropping time and everybody on the team did personal bests, it was awesome.”

From day one, the goal has been to make it to the second day at State, which is the top 16 in Missouri. The girl’s swim team has made it to State every year but the last time they made it to the second day of State was in 2013.

In the wake of their resurgence of success this year, swimming coach Chris Murphy has plans for prepping for another victory at State.

“I want to keep improving through the end of the season,” Murphy said. “Many of the girls just had lifetime bests at the meet in Columbia and I want to build upon that. I don’t want to just rest on that and have those be our fastest times of the year.”

Many students would typically complain about the lengthy and strenuous practices but some find it calming or therapeutic and let the water carry their worries away.

“For me, I enjoy the sport a lot, so going to practices after school is a stress reliever,” Schrag said. “It helps me take my mind off of school and any drama or anything and so it’s a great way to stay in shape and stay healthy but also a great sport to get your mind off things.”

The team takes the mantra “there is no ‘I’ in ‘team’” passionately and with no room for dispute. Whereas some sports are purely either a team sport or an individual one, competitive swimming is the inbetween sport where one can place

Sports February 3, 2017

Photo by Mercedes Peck

Senior Kaylea Charmichael swims butterfly during practice at the Liberty Community Center.

exclusively or with their team in a relay.

“In high school swimming everyone really supports each other. I think sometimes that’s even more important than the times,” junior Shea Williams said.

“It’s just being supportive and everyone cheering each other on. It’s individual but also still a team thing, which I love because I’m kind of an individual person but then I love coming together for relays and swimming with my teammates.”

A few reasons that this season has been so successful include new freshman talent, a revival of energy and the strong sense of community and support on the team.

“I think we have a great team dynamic and a great bond outside of the pool as well as inside the pool and I definitely think that reflects in our times,” Schrag said.

One swimmer stated that one of the best aspects of swimming is seeing the cause and effect of all their hard work being paid off. For swimming, no change will miraculously happen if there’s no change in time and effort put into the pool.

“It’ll be great,” Murphy said. “It’s something that we’re focused on. We don’t want to go out there to State just to make the trip. We want to go and be a force. We want to have both relays and individuals swim at finals. When that happens we’re going to be very satisfied.”

For the goal of achieving a personal best and swimming at State to take root, the swimmer first need to answer to themselves, “why do I swim?”

“I swim for myself,” Schrag said. “I set my goals and then I accomplish them.

It’s a great feeling of accomplishment whenever I can set my individual goals at the beginning of the season and I keep pushing through it and then I see those results at the end of the season. It’s very rewarding and accomplishing.”

STATE QUALIFIERS Madeline Pittman Kate Towns Christina Rangel Shea Williams Hannah Schrag EVENTS 50(Free) 100 200(Free Relay, I’M) 400(Free Relay) 500(Frees)

35 lhsnews.net

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