May 16th 2014 Issue 7 Volume 90

The Bell May 16, 2014 Issue 7 Volume 90

SCAN & VISIT

LHSNEWs.net

Table Of Contents

02

On the cover:

Page 16 Page 29

It’s a Man’s World

Find out how senior boys from Liberty High School competed for the ultimate title of Mr. Liberty.

Tossing the Cap

Find out how seniors feel about the process of graduating after four years of high school.

Photo by TJ Stansbury

The LHS Band hosts the annual Jazz and Java fund raiser for their trip to New York. To find out more turn to page 4.

Photo by Aly Copp

Page 06

Cool Jazz, Hot Java

Crouch, Bind, Set!

Learn about Liberty United Rugby and the exciting new changes happening next year.

Photo by Sadie Zipsie

Page 04

Photo by Summer Turner

Senior Brittany Mueller prepares to strike the soccer ball down the field against Park Hill. Read more about the soccer seniors on page 30.

Cover photo by Morgan McNea

The Bell Staff Editor In Chief Madi Denton Design Editor Diana Timmermans Features Editor Aly Copp Sports Editor Nick Palmarine Assistant Sports Editor Grace George Opinion Editor Molly Meeks A&E Editor Meredith Crouch News Editor Zach Kilgas In-Depth Editor Amanda Kovac Ads Manager Sammi Siegel Online News Manager Sol Kim Website Technical Support Tyler Eggleston Adviser Lori Oyler

Reporters Alex Wilson Alex Jimenez Jasmine Smith-Marley Address Katie Crouch 200 Blue Jay Drive Kennedy Allison Liberty, MO 64068 Sarah Arns Tara Prindle Email Michael McHale thebell@liberty.k12.

Allie Schowengerdt mo.us Teresa Parra Jeffrey Walters

Contact us

Photo Journalism Photo Editor Kristen Poe Assistant Photo Editor Nicole Throckmorton

Phone (816) 736-5353

Our Mission

Our Mission for the 2013-2014 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.

Twitter @TheBell_LHS

Jays’ Jabber

03

What’s happening @ LHSNews.net?

On April 24, LHS hosted Congressman Sam Graves in the Little Theater as he answered questions. The event also covered a legislative update on the federal education policy and gave parents and students a chance to interact with their district representative.

Photo by Zach Kilgas

Graves’ Visit

5k With DECA

The Liberty High School DECA organized a 5K on May 10 to support the TNK Children’s Foundation. This foundation helps provide services and supplies to families whose children are facing cancer and other blood diseases.

While the juniors were busy taking the ACT free of charge on April 23, the rest of the students were circled up around Harvesters bags and stacks of boxes. Administration created a way to keep the day on its regular schedule for students not taking the test. They called upon the Practical Leadership Class who, with some help from Link Crew, organized a service project where students folded donation bags for Harvesters as part of their Stamp Out Hunger campaign. See the full story online.

Senior Sports Editor of The Bell, Nick Palmarine has lost his diploma! Nick really wants to graduate, but he won’t be able to unless you find the diploma that he carelessly lost.. The first person to find Nick’s diploma and report it to room 513 at the beginning of sixth hour will receive a prize.

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Hide - N - Seek

Photo by Allison Schowengerdt

Stamping Out Hunger

04 News

Cool Jazz, Hot Java Concert raises money for the band’s trip to NYC next summer.

Story by Alex Wilson Coffee can go with almost anything: cookies, cake and even jazz. A whole night was dedicated to all of those combinations called Jazz and Java. Jazz and Java is an annual event for LHS and is a collaboration of multiple schools in the district coming together for this event.

“The Steel Drum Band, Discovery Middle School Jazz band, the Liberty Middle School Jazz band and the LHS Jazz Ensemble [performed at the event].” Band Teacher Edward Owen said.

Schools from all over performed under one roof while guests enjoyed some coffee and desserts.

“There [was] coffee, dessert and various drinks served to people who came.” sophomore Sam Browning said. “It [was] about ten dollars at the door and while everybody eats we perform jazz for them,” Many band students worked together to make this event

NYC

Photo by Morgan McNea

possible. Each student signed up from a list of jobs they wanted to do. Each job had its own part in making this event memorable and enjoyable. “[The different jobs are] setting up, decorating, setting out desserts, making coffee, cleaning up, and then the students that will be performing,” Owen said.

Earlier in April, band students all over the school were selling tickets to this event. Tickets were eight dollars before the event and is 10 dollars at the door. Also raffle tickets were available for purchase, every ticket cost one dollar, but for 20 dollars, you could have a strand of tickets as tall as you.

The raffle gave off prizes like gift cards for local businesses, Blue Jay clothing, and even bags of coffee.

The money from this event goes to the Band Department, and a trip to New York.

“The trip will be to New York City in June 2015 from

June 8-12. Students will be performing and will have a clinic with some professional musicians,” Owen said. “They will also be doing some touring while there.”

In case anyone at LHS missed this event, it is an annual tradition for the high school.

Jazz and Java will happen again next year around the same time.

Jazz and Java brings many opportunities for band students, and gives real performance experience to jazz members. It benefits the band department in general and gives band students opportunities to perform in New York next summer. Jazz students performed for the good of the band department and will for years to come.

The Liberty High School Jazz Band performs for the Jazz and Java audience.

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06 News

It’s a man’s world Senior men competed for the title of Mr. Liberty.

Story by Teresa Parra

On April 10 in the Little Theater, seniors competed in a male beauty pageant for the title of Mr. Liberty for a prize of two free prom tickets.

The overall winner, the one who won two free prom tickets, and the title of Mr. Liberty was Alex Hemphill.

“It was really unexpected, I was surprised,” Hemphill said. “I didn’t win any of the portions of the show so I was like oh okay I’m not going to win. But you know I guess I just did well in each category. So overall I was the best.”

Jacob Shipley won runner up and got one free prom ticket.

There were many awards passed out for each portion of the competition. Ray Pottios won the talent portion with his awesome dance routine.

“For the past couple of weeks I’ve been working on a dance routine for the talent portion,” senior Ray Pottios said. “It’s like this really advanced dance routine. My

Photos by Kristen Poe

sister is a dancer and she choreographed it. She’s doing it with me. She’s been like pounding me everyday to do this dance. I finally got it done and I’m excited to show everyone.”

There was a question part of the competition. Each candidate had to pick a question out of a bowl and answer it. Jakoby Swanson won by answering the question about what makes him blush. “People without clothes on,” Swanson said.

All of the contestants then had to compete in an eating contest, which consisted of their female senior escorts holding a donut tied to a string above their head while they tried to eat blind folded with no hands.

Whoever ate the whole donut first without using their hands won. Aaron Jones won by ripping the donut off the string and eating it off the stage floor.

“I really enjoyed that part,” Jones said.

“Cause I thought about it, if I’m going to try to eat this off a string then it’s just going to

fall off while I’m eating it and it’s going to be hard. So I should just to rip the string off, throw it on the floor, and eat it off there. It’ll be way easier.”

Senior Jakoby Swanson performs in the opening number.

Seniors MacKenzie Clawson, Ray Pottios, Serena Baker and Jacob Shipley join arms and enjoy being on stage for the Mr. Liberty show.

Up next was the swimwear portion, where each contestant had to put on their own unique swimwear attire and strut their stuff across the stage. There were things from guys on surfboards and guys on blow up ducks, to guys drawing faces on their stomachs. Alex Hemphill specifically stood out.

“I liked getting almost naked, for the swim suit portion,” senior Alex Hemphill said. “Yeah drawing a face on the stomach portion of my body.

That was probably the most fun part.”

The judges of the beauty pageant were teachers Beth Giesler, Kelsey Kleinmeyer, Charles Zavos, and Scott Gillespie.

All the funds

went to a good cause, the Liberty Community Scholarship.

The night started out with a group dance routine to the song Bye Bye Bye by N Snyc. All eight guys put lots of hard work into learning the dance routine.

“The guys had to learn a group dance routine,” the host senior Kaylie Botello said. “The practices were about two hours long. They had around four to five practices. They’ve been working really hard to learn it and put it together.”

The night continued with a formal dress wear strut across the stage from each guy with a fellow senior girl escort. Austin Gale and Chris Lonsdale looked particularly sharp.

Right: From left to right, seniors Haley Closson, Austin Gale, Anne Jackson and Aaron Jones wait as the title of Mr. Liberty is announced. .

Bottom Right: Senior Alex Hemphill lifts up Haley Brown to pump up the crowd and to secure himself for first place in the competition..

This was followed by the talent competition. Jonah Korondi stood out when he made music playing wine glasses. Jacob Shipley even pulled up his girlfriend Hannah Meloma during his stand up comedy act and surprised everyone when he asked her to prom. (She said yes.)

Exit 1-6, an improv group, performed in-between the different portions of the beauty pageant. That night they announced their next show, May 20, and you can purchase tickets during Liberty Hour in advance for $3, or for $5 at the door.

Overall the night was eventful and entertaining. The audience enjoyed the pageant just as much as the contestants enjoyed performing it.

07 News

08

Senior Congratulations Derek Archer

Derek, I can’t believe how quickly you’ve grown up. Its been my pleasure raising you, watching you grow into an mature, respectful, honest, responsible young man. You’ve brought tremendous joy love - tears these 18 years son and continue to make us proud over and over.

Your future awaits.

- Mom & family

Lindsey Butler Congratulations Lindsey!

We are so proud of you!

Love, Mom, Dad, & David

Madison Denton Congratulations! We’re very proud of you! We wish you the best in all you do.

Love, Grandpa Butch & Grandma Marcella

Madison Denton

I could not be more proud of you Madison. As you begin your journey to college and create so many new memories, I want to say Thank You! Thank you for being you! As your mother I have had the pleasure of watching you grow into a beautiful young woman that I truly admire and respect. You are a fearless, strong willed and driven young woman who knows and believes in the power of prayer and community.

As you say good bye to high school and march with your classmates to take your diploma, take a moment to reflect on everything you’ve achieved. Then throw your cap in the air and welcome the excitement and emotions to starting your college career. I’m so excited to see what the future holds for you.

I love you and God Bless you!

Mom

Senior Congratulations

Amy Hartgrove

Linsdsay, We are so proud of the woman you have become. Have fun, work hard, and keep your faith strong in the Lord as you enter this new chapter in your life.

Love, Mom & Dad

Great senior year, Amy! Can’t wait to see what the future holds.

“I can do everything through him who gives me strength” Philippians 4:13 Love you!

Lindsay Buehler

Abigail Schott Abby: You have amazed us with your attitude, charisma, integrity, and your incedible ability to love and be loved. We cannot wait to see what the future holds for you in college and in life beyond college. We couldn’t be more proud of all your achievements - academically, vocally, socially and know that many more profound things lie ahead for you on the horizon. Always remember “Go confidently in the directions of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.”Thoreau We love you!

Mom, Dad, Carly, and Grace

Quinn Kielty

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Quinn, We are so proud of the young man you have become during your high school years. And we know you will continue to make us proud in the next phase of your life.

Love, Mom and Margaret

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Senior Congratulations

Molly Meeks

Wow, I can’t believe you are graduating.

It seems like yesterday that we were sending you off to kindergarten.

We are so proud of the young woman you are becoming.

We love you very much!

Always remember, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Mom, Dad & Cas

Sarah Meierhofer Congratulations Sara! We love you - Mom, Dad, Jason, Kari, and Alex

Meredith Crouch

Congratulations Meredith! We are so proud of your hardwork and perservance in school, ballet, volunteering and everything else you do! We are looking forward to your continued success in the future. You have brought so much joy into our lives!

We love you, Dad, Mom, Katie, and Jett

WAY TO GO RICK!

Senior Congratulations

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Noelle Prideaux

Our beautiful Noelle. It has been such a pleasure to watch you grow from the little girl who would spend hours creating “delicious” dishes out of play dough and was your mother’s constant shadow into the sweet, kind hearted beautiful young woman you’ve become. There is NOTHING you cannot do. You have this wonderful opportunity to do and be anything your heart desires. Always know that you have our full love and support.

When you were born, our lives became so much brighter. Until you arrived, we didn’t know what it was like to love someone more than life itself. You’ve brought more love and joy into our lives than you will ever know. While we may struggle with the fact that you’re ready for the next chapter in your life, know that we can’t wait to see what this next chapter will look like. To see you grasp life and run full speed into your next adventure, is amazing.

We love you so very much and are beside you, cheering you on in all you do.

Love, Mommy & Daddy

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Senior Congratulations

Aubrey Ewing

Congratulations Aubrey!

From BooBear to beautiful girl, we are so proud of you!

Love, Grandpa, Grandma, Mark, Mom, Madi, Sara, Nina, and Brenden

Diana Timmermans Congratulations Diana!

We are proud of you!

Every Move Reporter Sarah Arns reviews Every Move by Peter McPhee

Review by Sarah Arns With a play by play of a stalking victim’s life, author Peter McPhee confronts the reader with the raw truth and explains the reality of stalking in his novel, Every Move.

After reading the back of the book you know three things. Emily has two boys chasing after her, Daniel and Michael.

Michael is the stalker.

I expected to get into the book and see the slow progression of the boy from having a crush on the girl to having a complete obsession with her, but that was not the case. Instead McPhee starts and ends the book straight in the mind of the psychopathic Michael as he is watching Emily come out of school.

At the beginning it was frustrating to read from Emily’s point of view because she doesn’t realize he is obsessed and she tries to be nice to him. Inside I was screaming, ‘he took a picture of you from the bushes while he was stalking you!’ Much like when the girl in the horror film is about to open the door that you know the killer is standing behind.

It was actually pretty scary when I saw Michael’s kindness turned into taking

Photos by Molly Meeks and Maddie Hissong

photographs, giving gifts, following Emily around, breaking and entering, dangerous stunts and worst of all, the hidden camera.

Even after all of that, the ending was still completely unexpected.

While reading the book I felt like I was in Morgan’s shoes. Morgan is Emily’s best friend and is with her through it all.

I asked myself, what would I have done?

“My favorite book is The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wild. I’ve always been a fan of Oscar Wild’s work and The Picture of Dorian Gray is his only novel. It’s very human, which is part of the reason I like it. And I think the writing style that’s my favorite. A lot of the phrases have stuck with me over the years. And I’ve ready that book four or five times,” senior Katie Corum said.

What should I have done? And in the end I wondered what could I have done?

In the end the answer is . . . I will let you figure that out for yourself.

Emily is a nice girl and doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings but Morgan knows that some people don’t understand what ‘NO’ means and you have to be really straightforward with them.

Even Daniel, the boy next door who is completely unaware of Michael going after Emily, adds depth to the story. It makes you think about how bystanders can get be drug into a situation with a stalker and how it affects them.

Overall I would categorize the book as a great suspenseful thriller that I already feel like reading again.

You may have heard stories of ‘peeping Toms’ and persistent friends wanting to be more, but do you know how far a real stalker can take their obsession? You can find out by reading Every Move, but prepare to feel a shiver run down your spine.

“My favorite books are the Circle Trilogy by Ted Decker.

It’s actually four different books. What I really like about it is that it’s called The Circle Trilogy because you finish one and then it loops you back to the beginning of the next one so you can read them indefinitely,” Honors Theoretical Chemistry teacher Stuart Jorgensen said.

13 A&E

14 A&E

Snackin' On the Square Three members of The Bell staff tries out restaurants on The Liberty Square Review by Kennedy Allison, Grace George and Jasmine Smith-Marley Photos by Molly Meeks and Amanda Kovak

Ginger Sue's Grace - Walking in to Ginger Sue’s you enter a state of pure bliss. The friendly environment lights up with laughter and joy. Well known around town for their breakfast, Ginger Sue’s has great service, genuine workers and displays the upmost hospitality. Though you may have to wait a few minutes, once your food is brought to the table you will have no regrets. I ordered the West Coast Omelette and was very impressed when it came out to my table just a few minutes later. For a low price, I received a scrumptious breakfast, helpful service, and an overall pleasurable experience.

Jasmine - Ginger Sue’s is a historic restaurant that serves both breakfast and lunch in a casual atmosphere, and opened their doors in March of 2007. The prices are very cheap if you are looking for a fairly inexpensive place to eat any day of the week. The prices are at least under $12, the theme is very vintage and the service there is great. And the food is very good. Overall Ginger Sue’s is a great place to go. I had their coffee and I have to say, it was pretty good! And the country-fried steak was absolutely amazing.

Rock & Run Brewery and Pub Grace - Rock & Run is a great place for people of all ages to grab a bite to eat.

When walking through the doors of Rock & Run I immediately had a smile on my face. People everywhere were watching sports, listening to music, and having a great time with their friends. It’s the type of place where if you aren’t having a blast, you’re an outcast. The restaurant has a small brewery in the back through a set of glass windows, TV’s all over the walls and a large patio space outside for nice days. I had previously heard a lot about their pretzels and cheese dish so I thought I should try it. To call the meal mouth watering would be an understatement. The pretzel was perfectly baked with just the right amount of salt and the homemade cheese dip was like nothing I had ever come in contact with in my life. The food was slightly more expensive than most places on the square, but it wasn’t too bad. If you’re looking for a place with great food and fun people, Rock & Run is the place to go.

15 A&E

Huey's on the Square Kennedy - From selling ice cream to crepes, 4 N Main street is now home to a cute little coffee shop, only open in the morning hours of the day. It’s certainly no Starbucks, majority of the people I saw come in and out seemed to be people on their way to work or groups of friends coming in to just hang out with their friends for a little bit. Personally, it satisfied my coffee fix without flaw. They have your average coffeehouse snacks, but they are not a sit down restaurant with a full out menu. I don’t live in Liberty, but if I’m ever across the bridge and crave some caffeine, Huey’s is my number one choice!

The Bell Kennedy - Whether you’re looking for a place to grab some food and watch some TV or an outdoor patio to enjoy a nice meal, The Bell is the perfect place to go. I almost screamed with excitement when I saw cheese fries on the menu and absolutely had to get them. They had the perfect amount of melted cheese and the salt was just right (and yes, there is such a thing as not enough salt). It was a very friendly environment, not just for families but for anyone who walks through the doors.

Classy Chocolate Jasmine - Now we all must know or have heard of Classy Chocolate. Well this place not only sells chocolate, they also sell cookies, cupcakes, fruit, drinks and many other kinds of food. I had the s’mores and pretzels and they were very good and the taste of the chocolate had a very rich flavor. Sweet and salty together is the perfect combo! Also it is absolutely amazing if you have a major sweet tooth or are craving something that will satisfy you, sometimes you can just smell the chocolate while you wait.

Kennedy - Growing up, my step dad’s office use to be right across the street from Classy Chocolate and visits to the store for cookies were mandatory every single time. It wasn’t until I was assigned this review that I tried their chocolate covered strawberries and let me tell you, that was one of the best decisions I’ve ever had. Classy Chocolate is the best place to go and grab something quick and sweet to eat!

16 indepth

Tossing the Cap The Bell takes a look inside the biggest event in a high school career- the graduation ceremony.

Story by Amanda Kovac and Tara Prindle With graduation fast approaching, students and faculty are preparing for the ceremony, with help from Jostens. There are a lot of things to think about before moving forward to the next step in any student’s life.

Students must get their cap and gown, invitations for a graduation party, senior pictures, and doublecheck that all the credits needed to graduate are completed. The twohour ceremony will take place on May 18 at the Independence Events Center at 6 p.m. The Baccalaureate ceremony will be on May 16 at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church at 7 p.m. Each senior is allotted four tickets, with the option of an additional five tickets on a firstcome first-serve basis.

When it comes to the graduation ceremony, students are encouraged to take good care of their required graduation items.

“The student should take their cap and gown home, hang it up, all the wrinkles will fall right out, and don’t lose your tassel or your cap,” Scholastic Representative Jeffrey Enger said. “Those are two very common things that are lost.”

Oftentimes, it is hard for students to plan for graduation.

“It’s been hard getting all my family together on one day and figuring out what day to have my party because

Photos By Aly Copp

I want to invite all my friends and I don’t want to have my party on the same day as my friends are because then I won’t get to celebrate with them,” senior Taylor Maisch said.

Student volunteers involved in StuCo will aid the administrative and Josten’s teams during the ceremony.

“Last year I handed out pamphlets at the front door,” junior Madison Jones said. “We wore black and white and it was really fun. [Our job] will mainly be bringing the graduates in and setting them down. The main thing I’m worried about is falling.”

Each job is different and a very important part in graduation.

“Basically we’re only signed up [to help with graduation] but on May 16 we have rehearsal,” junior Mary Mwaura said. “I’ll be leading the students to their seats and showing them to the stage. Last year I played my instrument in the ceremony.”

The senior students are offered a unique opportunity after auditioning their speech to speak on behalf of their senior class.

“My speech is a little over three minutes. [In my] speech I talk about yearbook because this year the book’s theme is redefine and I talk about how we constantly redefine ourselves throughout our Right: senior Jeremy Cooper flaunts his graduation cap.

education,” senior Kelsey Neth said.

“I’ve been in yearbook longer than anyone in my class and I know my class really well so I can keep their best memories alive.”

Although the last few months will likely be busy ones, it is recommended for the seniors to enjoy the little time they have left in high school.

[The end of the year is] a good time,” Enger said. “You guys are with your friends eight hours a day, five days a week. Then you go off to all ends of the earth and you never see them again except for three times a year for holidays. [So you need to] enjoy it. You only graduate high school one time in your life. You want to get out of here, I understand that, but you will do anything in your power to get back. Not so much graduation, but the last two months of school. It’s spring outside and you’re here with your friends for the very last time, so just enjoy it all.”

‘

Seniors are getting ready for the ceremony and making sure their future is secure for the years to come.

“I’m going to University of North Dakota for football,” senior Jake Francis said, “I actually wish I would have [started preparing earlier] because freshman year I took it very lightly and didn’t push my hardest to get to where I was at, but I really wish that I would have pushed myself a little harder than I did and do more of my homework, which people don’t like to do that, but if you do more homework as a freshman it will pay off.”

Seniors have started getting ready for this moment ever since they were freshmen either with classes, clubs, or sports.

“I started to think about [graduation] about around freshman year. You really have to plan it out because

17 indepth if you wait until senior year you’re really going to have to take a bunch of classes,” senior Hailee Aimes said.

“As long as you [plan] everything out responsibly you should be fine. I just made sure I got all my required classes out of the way. I always took advanced classes because you’ll get hit with by a train going into college or during senior year if you don’t do that before.”

Although graduation is a big accomplishment, it is often bittersweet.

“I’m afraid I’m going to cry [during graduation] honestly just because my boyfriend is going to be ten hours away and some of my friends are going to different colleges,” Aimes said, “I have friends that are going to colleges all over the country and that kind of saddens me because there’s no guarantee that we’ll keep in contact. One thing

I’m looking forward to is being able to interact with seniors that I don’t know [during graduation].”

Other seniors are almost dreading the day because afterwards they will have to say goodbye to close friends and family members before they go off to college. “[I’m dreading] seeing everyone walk across the stage and knowing that’s probably one of the last times I’m ever going to see them,” Francis said. “I don’t want to leave high school. I don’t want to go to the next step and feel like I’m growing up and having to hold onto a job and get my major and actually know what I want to do with my life. It’s fun being a kid.”

Graduation time is finally here.

With all of the preparation going on students are urged to be responsible and enjoy their last few days of high school.

Left: Seniors Devon Houston and Tanner Simonson search boxes for their cap and gowns.

18

Keanu Vitug

Spotlight

Story by Madi Denton

Photo by Margaret Burton

Senior Keanu Vitug lives something of a double-life. He comes to school day by day, taking on a humble workload, but it is what he does outside the walls of Liberty High School that sets him apart from other students.

“I dance outside of school at the Conservatory of Dance Education. [I’ve danced there] 15-16 years,” Vitug said.

Vitug dances at the Conservatory seven days a week, for anywhere from four to seven hours a day. He also spends what free time he has there, teaching elementary classes.

He draws inspiration from his friends and family.

“My uncle Phil and my family [inspired me to dance]. They are the owners of the studio,” Vitug said.

His talent landed him the role of lead dancer for last year’s production of A Christmas Carol. His work ethic and personality made this experience successful for all involved. “[Working with him was] phenomenal.

Murron Paeth Senior

We looked to him a lot of times for helping others learn their dances. He and his cousin choreographed one of the numbers and we just kinda let them do whatever they wanted,” Theatre Director Don Johnson said. “It was great.”

Vitug plans on continuing to dance at the next level. “[I am looking forward to] the Conservatory at UMKC. [I am going to study] dance,” Vitug said. “[In 10 years, I see dance taking me] on a cruise ship, and to L.A. or New York. In New York I would want to perform on Broadway, and in L.A. I would want to do shows like my cousins. One of my cousins is Aladdin for Disney.”

Aside from dancing, his personality has left a lasting impression on those around him.

“Keanu is a rockin’, awesome person. I love him to death. He’s so kind, he’s always nice, and if something is wrong during the day he asks what’s wrong,” senior Amy Hartgrove said. “I’ve been with him for three years in

Senior

advisory, and he’s an all around awesome guy.”

Vitug has focused his high school career on his passion, and his talent is evident.

“It’s been an honor to have worked with him and I wish him the best of luck,” Johnson said.

Story by Diana Timmermans Photo by Grayson Osborn

Murron Paeth. How does one begin to describe Murron Paeth? Murron Paeth is basically like a ball of joyful happiness, wrapped in an enigma of mystery, shrouded in a certain kind of individuality that she has fully embraced since she was born on Cinco de Mayo or, also endearingly called, Cinco de Murron.

In her eighth grade year, Paeth wore a cape to school every day because she wanted to. And almost every 6 months to a year Paeth does something different to mix it up and keep you on your toes, including her current short purple hair.

Paeth also has an array of tattoos, “My first tattoo I got was on my 16th birthday. It was the Deathly Hallows on my right shoulder and I was terrified, I was like, ‘Do I really want to do this? Yeah I do!’ And I got there and [my little sister] Emily was holding my hand and I almost fell asleep. So I thought it was easy. Then a few months later, I got my chest one with my older sister, they are lyrics from our favorite song, For My Brother by Blue October. We actually got to show them to Justin [the lead singer of

Blue October] and we almost exploded. He really loved us. My best friend and I have matching bird tattoos on our feet. [Getting that tattoo] was probably some of the most intense pain I have felt in my life. September 13th of 2013, and Friday the 13th is a big

thing in my family because my mom was born on Friday the 13th. And Dark Lotus was doing 13-dollar tattoos and I thought it was a good idea to get another tattoo on my other foot,” Paeth said.

Her tattoos don’t stop there, she said she will be getting another foot tattoo and also a thigh piece depicting a wolf and her favorite quote from her favorite TV show Firefly, “No power in the verse can stop me.”

Other than being a trendsetter, Paeth has been a stand out leader in classes and clubs during her high school career. “She’s always been super bright, super enthusiastic, always a class leader” German Teacher Cindy Biermann said “It was nice to have her in the class because you was always the one who kind of set the tone for everyone being excited about German” In the Fall of 2014, Paeth will attend North West Missouri State University to study psychology with a minor in music and German. She has also received a violin scholarship and plans to study abroad. “My dream job is clinical psychology, getting to help people who really need it, because that’s basically what I like to do now,” She said. “I like to be a safe haven for people when they feel like they don’t have anywhere else to go.

I’m a really good listener and I like making people feel sunshine-y warm inside.”

19

Caroline Craven Senior

Caroline Craven is one of many seniors departing LHS this year. However, she has never been one to slide under the radar.

Whether it be running for homecoming queen, singing her heart out or playing soccer, Caroline has worked hard to leave her mark.

Music for Caroline is more than just a class at school. Not only is she a proud flute in the LHS band, or member of the Concert Choir. She has spent her past three years leading worship at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church.

Caleb Taylor

Senior

Spotlight

Story by Molly Meeks

Photo by Molly Meeks “I started doing worship for the youth during my sophomore year,” Craven said. “Then I later began worship for the upstairs service on Sunday mornings. Usually I will sing and play the keyboard.”

Caroline plays during the Wednesday and Sunday youth services, at the large services in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings.

Singing and playing piano for church is more than a performance for Caroline.

“When I was younger I was just leading worship mostly to draw attention to myself,” Craven said. “It was a performance like any other. But I soon realized that I was supposed to be playing for God. I had the opportunity to draw people closer to the Lord. Leading for me is now an act of worship.”

Caroline’s work for God does not stop at music.

“This summer I am going on a mission trip to Thailand,” Craven said. “We are performing this 18 minute drama all over, in schools and the slums. It tells the story from creation to the fall of man to resurrection. It’s actually a really cool skit, there are sword fights and I get to

tackle someone during a fight scene.”

The trip will take place on July 8-23. Caroline is going with the PVBC Youth Group.

Looking back on high school Caroline has too many memories to choose a favorite.

“There have been a lot of really great memories from these past three years,” Craven said. “I have great memories from marching band, and all of the fun in the flute section, singing at the Kaufman Center was a huge highlight, so was going to Renaissance Festival. I don’t want to stay in high school, but there have definitely been some awesome memories.”

Senior year poses struggle for almost every student in every high school and college in America.

“If I was going to give advice about senior year, I would want to say more than just the stereotypical, ‘beware of senioritis’,” Craven said. “Senioritis just happens. There is no avoiding it, unless your one of those people who are crazy motivated all the time. You just need to be careful, and not let it ruin your year.”

Next fall Caroline plans to study music and education at Northwest Missouri State.

Story by Alex Jimenez Photo by Grayson Osborn

High school is supposed to be one of the best times you will ever have in your life, the only way to enjoy it is to be active and outgoing in everything that you do. That’s how Senior Caleb Taylor lived his high school career. Caleb was a great mix of a jockey sports guy along with a gentle talented choir singer. Not only did he give a lot to Liberty high school, Liberty gave a lot back to Caleb.

“Liberty high school has given me so much.

I really don’t think I would have wanted to go to any other high school.” Senior Caleb Taylor said.

“I’m pretty sure I can say I had the best teachers out there that made my high school learning and sports playing experience the best it could be.”

Caleb played football four years for Liberty high school and was able to contribute on the varsity level for two. He has also been apart of the track team fours years being a key factor on the varsity level for three years.

Something more that makes Caleb a stand out, he is a member of the Liberty choir.

An all-conference singer you could say that Caleb really had it all in one package and was very passionate in everything he did for his school, he had much pride for his school. His friends saw it in him too.

“We’ve been friends for a long time. Since freshman year me and Caleb have done

track and football.” Senior and best friend Clay Newberry said.

“He is a great athlete and a great friend and I know we will stay friends through college.”

Speaking of college, Caleb has made a decision of where he will be attending.

“I will be going to the University of Central Missouri, but I am not sure what I want to do yet. I may be able to be on the track team if I reach my goals this senior track season.”

When asked how he felt about his time at Liberty and if there is any advice for the younger kids, this was said from Caleb.

“Don’t forget to enjoy it, you only get to go through high school once, live it up while you can. Times might get stressful and tough, but remember you have friends and great teachers here to help you through anything you need. I want to thank Liberty for everything it has done for me.”

20

Jimmie Asher

Spotlight

Story by Sammi Siegel

Photo by Ashley Covarrubias

Imagine being able to wake up on the beach and then go to your dream job. Only a combination of hard work, good memories and serious ambition can only set the right student up for many successful years to come. Luckily, senior Jimmie Asher had

what it takes to make his senior year one to remember.

High school is full of responsibilities that can be hard to handle at times but Asher managed to balance it all. “I played varsity soccer and I had jobs. I hung out with my friends a lot.”

Asher seemed to have an attitude that left only good impressions on his teachers. “ Jimmie is a good [man] and a very hard worker,” teacher Mike Hammer said. “I like Jimmie and the person he is [and] I’ll miss him a lot. He is a very good student.”

When it came to balancing schoolwork, jobs and friends he made being on the varsity boy’s soccer team a top priority. Many of his soccer memories turned out to be his most memorable ones in high school.

“We played Lee Summit in a soccer game and they are a really hard team to beat,” he said. “We [ended up winning] 3-2 with a PK in the last 2 minutes. It is a really good memory because they are always a challenging team to beat, but our team

Senior

pulled together really well.”

Hammer is a big believer in Jimmie’s soccer playing abilities. “He is probably the toughest soccer player to ever play soccer,” he said.

Asher has plans for what he wants to make of his future. “I’m going to Missouri State and I want to major in business with a minor in either finance or fashion.”

Asher even has an idea of what he wants to do after he graduates from college.

“I want to be a tattoo artist and I want to move to California [to open] my own tattoo parlor. I want to learn to surf [and] travel the world,” he said.

Although he is ready for his future, he will miss some things about being in high school.

“I’ll miss the friends I’ve made [and] I’ll miss playing soccer. I am glad to be getting out of high school to go to college,” Asher said.

Brock Dorothy

Senior

Story by Nick Palmerine Photo by Sadie Zipsie

When looking into senior Brock Dorothy’s high school career as a student or an athlete a long list of accomplishments follows. As a 4.0 student throughout high school and a member of NHS, He has excelled on the varsity playing fields as a two-time football letter winner and a three time letter winning, all-conference catcher for the baseball team. These accomplishments have set him up for great opportunities to succeed beyond high school.

“My main goal for college is to prepare myself for my future,” senior Dorothy said.

“I am planning on studying mechanical and nuclear engineering and I am hoping that will allow me to design and build rockets and missiles for the government.”

He will attend the University of Arkansas next fall and is really looking forward to getting settled in and working towards the rest of his life. Dorothy feels Arkansas will provide him with many opportunities to succeed.

“I chose Arkansas because I really liked the campus and I got a really good feel from the environment and everyone there,” Dorothy said. “I felt like the education style really fit me well.”

A lot of hard work has allowed Dorothy to achieve the things he has throughout high school and he knows it will take the same to achieve the rest of his life. This dedication to working hard has not gone unnoticed by his fellow classmates either.

“Brock is super smart, he has a lot of great grades in some really tough classes,” senior Tyler Stiff said. “He has his priorities straight when it comes to school and he has a really good head on his shoulders.”

Brock’s great mind and warming personality has allowed him to build strong relationships with teachers and students alike.

“Brock is a very dedicated student who puts forth his best effort inside and outside of the classroom,” Communication Arts

teacher Rebecca Burnett said. “He is a very sincere young man and I very much enjoy having him in class.”

His friendly attitude and dedication to working hard will allow him to achieve whatever he wants in his life. One thing is for certain; Brock Dorothy will succeed as a person and as a student.

21

Kiersten Penrod

Senior

Spotlight

Story by Allison Schowengerdt

Photo courtesy of Kiersten Penrod Senior Kiersten Penrod is an accomplished student at LHS. She is involved in the Early Childhood Center.

“I have been a role model by doing all my school work, maintaining good grades and teaching lessons in the preschool to help children in the community,” Penrod said.

Penrod has had outstanding academic work.

“Kiersten is a very dedicated student who puts forth her best effort all the time,” Sculpture teacher Tammi Kennedy said.

She is in College Level Sculpture and college algebra.

High school was a breeze for her up until senior year “was hard for me because I lost my 4.0 because of college algebra,” Penrod said.

Kiersten Penrod was chosen in sixth grade to be in a photo shoot for Liberty Public Schools. She got to participate in this photo shoot because she had outstanding academic work. After the photo shoot was done Penrod was informed it would appear on a school district truck.

“The first year it was on there it was OK and kinda cool but now it’s just old news. When people ask me about it I just

tell them it was from 6th grade and I don’t know how long it’s going to be there,” Penrod said. “Probably when I come back for my ten year reunion it will still be there.”

She enjoys being with her friends.

“Kiersten is very kind and she always tells the truth,” senior Mackenzie Malicoat said. “I could probably trust her with anything,” Penrod is planning on going to Missouri Southern University, to study child psychology.

Maegan Jones

Senior

Story by Meredith Crouch Photo by Rachel Untch

As a Liberty native, senior Maegan Jones had always looked forward to stepping through the doors of the high school and becoming a Blue Jay one day.

As an only child she has made and kept close relationships with friends throughout the years. She says she loves her friends as if they were her siblings. The friendships she has made during her time at school have been greatly influential, she would do anything for her friends. This characteristic is due to her parents’ teaching and simply her own instincts of caring for others more than herself because she believes that in the end, serving others makes her happy too.

There is one thing that she is most proud of concerning her high school experience: she has stayed true to who she is. It often happens that people allow the process of becoming an adult, and all the stress and peer pressure that comes along with it, to cause them to lose themselves in the mess of life.

“You know pain changes people, growing up changes people but no matter how much pain or suffering or even happiness I’ve gone

through, I’ve been able to remain a majority of who I was going in to high school.” Jones said.

She believes that if she has changed at all, she has grown for the better.

In the fall, Jones will be attending Maple Woods Community College to use her A+

If she could have any career in the world, she would be a paleontologist. She recalls that as a child, while other girls played with Barbies, she played with toy dinosaurs and LEGOs. She is intrigued by the mystery of the old dinosaur bones that are still being uncovered today.

Jones has a love for travel which is spurred on by a great appreciation for history.

She has been to Hawaii and would love to continue to travel and learn as she gets older. She has also with her father’s help, traced her family heritage back to a town in Wales called Carmarthen.

“Carmarthen was one of the birth places of my family so that’s a place that I would love to visit. I am also learning how to speak welsh,” Jones said. “It’s such an abstract language it’s almost exotic. Not very many people speak it outside of Wales.”

Jones would love to travel to Wales to dig deeper into her past.

“Maegan Jones has a hidden stash of Tutoring money and after that, she will mythology knowledge that people would be headed to Park University in Parkville never know she had! She loves mythology.” where she plans to study communications. French teacher Laura Snead said.

22 Opinion

Fashion Freedom

Before I came to Liberty I went to St. Gabriel’s Catholic School. I went there from the time I was in preschool all the way through eighth grade. It was a completely different world compared to LHS. One of the biggest differences between St. Gabe’s and LHS is what we

wear. This is one of the main reasons I like not having an extremely strict dress code.

Until I was 14, I wore a uniform to school, consisting of navy blue slacks and a white polo shirt. This was the outfit I wore every day for nine years. I wasn’t alone though, because everyone else was wearing the exact same thing, and there was nothing we could do about it. There was no fighting it, and if you tried to fight it you landed yourself in the principal’s office almost instantly.

The strictly enforced dress code played a critical part at my old school, much like how I feel the dress code we have now is a critical aspect of our lives as teenagers.

One of the things I like the best about LHS’s dress code is how flexible it is.

For instance, at St. Gabe’s, no one was allowed to wear shorts from November through March, while at Liberty, there could be three feet of snow on the ground, and people can still wear shorts. I love having the freedom to

Debating the Dress Code

Self Respect is Trending The dress code here at Liberty High School is not strict, and personally I think that’s a good thing. However, I think that some students are taking advantage of it.

The most important aspect of a dress code is to promote a positive educational environment for students. I don’t know about the rest of LHS, but I’ve seen a few distracting outfits throughout the year that may be turning heads for all the wrong reasons.

Most teenagers believe that rules are meant to be broken. Even if there were a strict dress code at LHS, the administration would still struggle with students breaking the rules and wearing whatever they want.

I like to wear cute shorts and crop tops just as much as the next girl, but what I don’t understand is wearing a shirt that

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is practically a piece of fabric for school.

Since when does expressing yourself involve showing every inch of skin you could possibly get away with? Your right to express yourself is not an excuse to wear distracting clothing.

I think our administrators do a fantastic job when it comes to students who are wearing something too inappropriate for our school, but they also give students the freedom to express themselves through the way they dress, and I like that about LHS. Since the administration can’t pull every single person into the office to change clothes or call home. A lot of students can get away with wearing an outfit that may be a little distracting. So maybe not everyone needs to be confined to a strict dress code, but a little self-respect wouldn’t hurt!

choose how I dress, because I feel like I can basically wear whatever I want, within reason of course. There are just so many different routes you can take when you’re getting ready in the morning. If you want to look good, you can dress to impress. You can also rock sweats and a hoodie like it’s no big deal, because in all honesty, it isn’t.

I will admit, though, it was pretty easy not having to worry about what to wear every day until I was a freshman in high school. I can also see why many schools implement uniforms as a way to prevent distractions in the learning environment, and also to avoid competitions among students trying to determine the “Best Dressed” at school.

Even though this is true, I love having a variety of choices every day. In my mind, how you dress says a lot about you and is a great way to show off your personality. Thanks to the dress code, the brightly painted walls are not the only things that stand out in the halls of LHS.

Photos by: Molly Meeks

Reporter Katie Crouch

Congratulations Seniors

Above: See these Bell seniors on the following pages as infants. From left to right: (Top row) Nick Palmarine, Meredith Crouch, Alex Jimenez (Bottom row) Allie Schowengerdt, Diana Timmermans, Madi Denton, Sammi Siegel and Molly Meeks Photo by: Kennedy Allison

“We are so very proud of our five seniors,” teacher Stephanie McGill said.

“They have accomplished a major milestone in their life. They are all becoming productive young adults and will accomplish much more.” Left to right: PJ Hansen, Sara Wilson, Jeremy Cooper, Kaylee Moore, and Kathryn Ludwig. Photo by: Amanda Kovac

23 Opinion

24 Sendoffs

Madi Denton Editor in Chief

Photos courtesy of: Madi Denton and Molly Meeks

University of Missouri

I bought my first pair of Sperry’s four years ago, and they were a light shade of khaki. In that time, they’ve walked many miles beneath me, supporting me along the way (no pun intended).

My freshman year was the peak of my awkward teen years. My style was still developing, I thought bathroom selfies were cool and my Twilight obsession was embarrassing.

But freshman year was also one of my favorites. I was on team 9C and it was

then that I learned what it meant to have a true sense of community. As a team, we raised around $2,000 in two days for a charity donation. I also created a very educational, and unbelievably boring, story for broadcasting that allowed me to interview a William Jewell professor.

Those Sperrys carried me through that awkward year with poise and grace.

Being the definition of a try-hard my sophomore year, I decided to take Latin.

While I thought it was interesting, languages are not my forte, and I struggled. Thankfully, I had two of my best friends beside me, struggling as well.

I only remember one Latin word, out of the 273 note cards I memorized for the mid-term: suboobies. I can’t tell you what it means, but we all know why it stood out.

My shoes followed me into my most treacherous year. I’m not sure who said senior year was hard, because junior year was the near death of me. This was the year I mastered procrastination, but it’s also the year I established who I was as a person.

Junior year, long and agonizing, turned

Senior

Molly Meeks

Drake University

Sitting here typing out this column, one thought stands out more than any others; I am actually graduating this year, this really is my last year of high school.

Although I’ve known this for a while, there’s always been a voice in the back of my mind saying, “No. That can’t be true, I’m only a kid.”

out successful. I went to San Antonio and San Francisco, landed the Editor-In-Chief position, and didn’t destroy my GPA. My wonderful, and now slightly gross shoes traveled and procrastinated with me, matching almost everything I wore.

They have carried me through this year, which has flown by. There is no crazier thought than the fact that I am no longer a student in Liberty High School. All I know is that I couldn’t have had half the opportunities I’ve had were I to be in any other district, and for that I’m thankful.

This year I’ve traveled to Boston and San Diego for newspaper, attended state for choir and photography, and ran The Bell alongside the always-lovely Diana Timmermans. I could not imagine a busier or fulfilling senior year.

But this year, I began to notice how dingy, worn and smelly my beloved shoes were. It was time to replace them, so, I purchased a new pair. My shoes have seen and done some amazing things. But the era of the khaki Sperry has ended. I hold high expectations for my new Sperrys.

They have big shoes to fill (pun intended).

But still, here I am in my final days at LHS and my feelings are all over the place.

High school has been pretty alright. I definitely didn’t have the worst high school experience. Whether I’m going to miss it though, that’s the hard question.

Sure I will miss seeing my friends everyday, or getting to go to the same school as my sister. But walking shoulder to shoulder down packed hallways will probably be stricken from my memory.

But let’s focus on the positives. I was section leader, third chair flute in symphonic band, and Opinion Editor of this paper. On Saturday nights for the past four years I’ve gotten to teach the best 1st grade classes in the world, at my church. Three mission trips to Haiti have come and gone. I think my high school years have some nice highlights.

I have no room in my column for stereotypical goodbye messages or words of wisdom. So I’ll share my rules for surviving and maybe even enjoying (I know, actually enjoy school? Gross): • School spirit is key, you’ll have more fun in general if you actually try to have pride in

Opinion Editor

your high school.

• Sometimes you get bad grades. It happens, trust me I know, don’t freak out. The sun will still shine and just between us, you will still get into college with one failed chemistry test.

• Be Nice! If I could bold this and underline it and stamp it on every single person’s forehead I would. Just be kind and patient and a good person. Trust me that is a sure fire way to make friends and enjoy high school.

• Life is too short to wear uncomfortable clothes to school everyday.

• Go to at least one school dance, they’re actually really fun. It’s a matter of going with the right people.

• The school newspaper is the best organization at LHS • Senioritis is a monster and I know there are kids out there thinking it’ll never catch them, but let’s just be honest, it’ll get you at some point. Whether it’s the first day of school or the final 20 days. There will be a point where every senior just says “I’m done” and their motivation is thrown out the window.

And I guess that’s it, so for the final time, goodbye LHS, thanks for reading.

Diana Timmermans Design Editor Missouri State

I think every old person will tell you at the beginning of your senior year to “ live it up because your senior year is the best one yet and you’ll get to do things for the last time ever.” Looking back on senior year, yeah, I had a lot of last times ever, but to me I’ve had a lot of first times ever this year too.

volleyball.

•The first time I’ve been to the senior girls’ lock-in, ok yeah maybe that one is a bit of a stretch too, but I count it.

•The first time I stayed after school on deadline night the longest, I was probably here until 8-8:30 p.m.

•The first time I got to kiss a state rugby trophy my team and I had won together.

•The first time I got an award for my writing in journalism at J-Day. •The first time I’ve gone to Prom

I could probably go on forever about all of the firsts I have done this year. But these are some of the firsts I’m really proud of because they took me way out of my comfort zone. It made me experience things pre-senior year Diana would never have done because they were lame or any other excuse you could think of. I’m so thankful I’m going out in to the big wide “real” world with all these experiences.

And my piece of advice to you is… Sure, the things you do for the last time your senior year are great and soak them in for everything they are worth but don’t forget to make room for something new you’ve never experienced before because those are what change you.

Sendoffs

Nick Palmarine Rockhurst University

that high school will inevitably cause.

However, there are many situations where the pain and suffering will lead to greater things for you and I am a testament to that.

Throughout my childhood I grew up a huge baseball fan and an avid baseball player. I even quit a few sports so I could continue playing baseball. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the best baseball player and I never got to live out my dreams of playing in the MLB. Fortunately, I had to deal with the heartbreak of being told I can’t do something while still in high school. You see the door of my baseball dreams being slammed in my face opened the door to an opportunity that changed my life.

Soon after baseball was out of the picture High school sucks. That is the honest, for me I took up the sport of lacrosse. I was brutal truth. There are fewer things in life a natural at it, I quickly fell in love with the that are worse than the pain and suffering sport and I understood how much more

Sports Editor

Photos courtesy of: Diana Timmermans and Nick Palmarine

•The first time I was ever truly challenged mentally in a class, shout out to Mr. Knowles.

•The first time I’ve been trusted to have a laptop. Guys don’t take them for granted.

•The first time I’ve had Liberty Hour. Guys seriously don’t take it for granted.

•The first time I’ve ever had to go to tutoring… Senioritis hits hard, so don’t forget to give it your best smack in the face right back. Also you might think that

sophomoritis and junioritis are a thing, it’s nothing compared to the real deal.

•The first time I ever had to really “study” hard for a test.

•The first time my GPA dropped to a 3.0… and stayed there for a while.

•The first time I’ve been fully awake and live for my first hour class, thank you Mrs. Knowles. FYI everyone Zoology is an awesome class.

•The first time I was put in charge of a big ongoing project, for example creating a newspaper page for the Liberty Tribune or designing The Bell student newspaper.

•The first time I’ve had to take P.E. since 8th grade, P.S. Thank goodness that is over, I’m sorry coach Stirtz, it wasn’t anything you did at all… It was just all the cardio days.

•The first basketball game I ever went to. Oh and cue the irony…

•The first time I was nominated for Court warming court, well I guess those two kind of intermingle a bit. Side note: I’d like to thank the teachers who nominated me, it was an awesome experience and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

•The first time I’ve participated in a spirit week •The first time I’ve participated in a school fundraiser, Spike It Up was so much fun even though I’m really not that great at

25 Sendoffs

fun a game is when you dominate at it. I love this game more than anything else, I love it way more than I ever loved baseball and it shows in my approach to the game and in the joy I express when I play. I now have the opportunity to continue playing lacrosse at the division two collegiate level at Rockhurst University and it is all because my dreams of playing baseball were crushed.

I could not be happier with where I am and the things I have accomplished throughout high school because they have shaped me into the person I am and the person I will become in the next few years of my life.

Yeah, high school sucks. High school sucks a lot, but in the end it is the experiences you gain and opportunities you earn from the pain and suffering you endure that makes it all worthwhile.

Photos courtesy of: Meredith Crouch and Sammi Siegel

Sammi Siegel 26 Sendoffs Northwest Missouri State

Flashback to a little girl carrying an itty bitty suitcase filled with only stuffed animals and multiple pairs of her flowery underwear, claiming she was running away from home and never coming back. Well, that little girl is all grown up and about to leave for college, wishing she didn’t have to pack up all her belongings, especially her stuffed animals, to move away to begin her future.

I remember stepping into Liberty High School on the first day of my sophomore year thinking to myself that I hope these next years go faster than I can blink.

Then, blink.

Here I am writing my senior sendoff, genuinely dumbfounded as I try to think of where exactly that time went and what that naïve 15-year-old girl was wishing for.

Reflecting on it all, that five year old and 15 year old girl got what she wanted, about to graduate and start her life. At 18, now I’m feeling more wise than I was before my senior year even started. I’m wishing I could pause this moment right now and sit down and rewind, play and simply enjoy the last few years and my life.

High school taught me so much, as cliché and unrealistic as that sounds. It was never like Mean Girls or Glee, like I daydreamed it would be when I came

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to the high school for the first time. I didn’t get the fantastic story line that both of these fictional stories got, but I believe I got way more than I could have asked for.

What I got in high school was real; love, fights, grades, friends and a million other things that people dream of. I had perfect days and the occasional days where I wanted to go home and cry, but the hits and misses I got are the ones I will never regret.

I can’t wait for my own child to run away, as horrible as that sounds.

I want he/she to learn just like I did.

I desperately wanted to wish it all away but in the midst of it all, I got everything I could ever wish for without even trying.

I’m leaving high school more ready for my future than ever, ready to move away but never ready to leave. I am just ready to enjoy my “now” and my upcoming future.

Senior

Meredith Crouch A&E Editor University of Missouri lot from my teachers and friends but I have also learned a lot about myself.

I have never really been the type of person who is great at talking in front of the class or always raising my hand to answer questions, and I’m still not that type of person. I’m a natural nervous wreck in situations that involve talking to someone new or getting up in front of people. I hope that someday I will grow out of these ways and I feel that this years has lead me on my way to doing so.

Joining the newspaper staff at the beginning of my junior year was a random decision that I didn’t think would have much of an effect on me.

But eventually I saw myself becoming better at taking charge and more confident in my own abilities.

From my senior year in particular I Out of all my years of high school, my learned that the better you are at acting senior year has been the one where I like you know what you’re doing the have learned the most. I’ve learned a more you will actually start knowing

what you’re doing.

My favorite singer Taylor Swift says it best, “The best thing to do when you’re not feeling confident is to act confident until you are again.”

This may be a cliché, but it’s true that it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks of you. You have to love yourself before you can love anyone else or have someone else truly appreciate you.

That is the most important thing I have learned in my time here and it is more important than anything I could’ve learned from a book or a lecture.

At this high school I have met some amazing people who I hope to know for the rest of my life. The experiences I’ve had have made me into the person I feel that I am supposed to be, even though I don’t know exactly what that is, I have a feeling that I am on the right track.

Allie Schowengerdt Northwest Missouri State

Reporter difference to me by either getting to sleep in more or having more time to get ready. I have had to deal with freshman coming into the school and crowded hallways. After a couple months the hallways did get better.

People figured out their paths and what hallways to avoid if at all possible.

On the plus side, there were snow days that I won’t have to makeup.

I do not have any regrets from high school. I have enjoyed going to all the sports games. Being involved in photojournalism was the best decision of my high school career. I got to capture all the great memories in this high school.

My biggest piece of advice is to enjoy high school it doesn’t last forever and time will fly. Keep working and try your hardest. Life can get tough just keep truckin’ it.

Sendoffs

Alex Jimenez Reporter Kansas State University

High school comes and goes. What most people don’t realize is that there are three stages to high school.

“The before stage” where the young ones are about to enter their exciting journey into the first steps of adult hood and hope high school is as amazing and adventurous as they have dreamed. I remember sitting outside of my house like I do every summer the day before the first day of school and having all these horrible thoughts of high

school. Some of these thoughts included bullies, not knowing where my classes would be and whether or not I would have any friends in them.

I found out the next day I may not have been the most nervous person there. When I was sitting in my art class and my now close friend who I didn’t know at the time, came walking in and boom, puked all in the trash can.

Stage two is what I would call “the long run.” These four years at times will be filled with memories you will never forget but also times of hardship and constant hard work. This all leads up to that one goal you have been working towards your whole life, graduating. I won’t lie, it gets old waking up everyday at 7 a.m. and sometimes earlier, going to school and learning things you may never once use in your life. If you know what you’re working for and the meaning of that hard work, you will carry on through.

Stage three is, “remembering the good times.” Personally I’m going to miss the Saturday mornings after Friday night

football games, waking up so sore I can barely move going to film to watch our game the night before with all my friends.

Then the Saturday evenings spent with my friends going to a movie, going out to eat or anything just to chill with my buds.

You will reminisce on the old times. I can still remember the day after our football team beat Rockhurst for the first time in 18 years. All of my best friends and I got together and went to my house and ate a whole bunch of food and talked about what will go down in Liberty history because our class had finally beaten the little Hawklets of Rockhurst.

A piece of advice I have is to please make sure when you drive to school early in the morning and have your light on, to remember to turn them off and not leave them on all day so that when you come out to leave your car battery isn’t dead and you have to wait 3 more hours at school for your parents to come jump it.

High school is the best time of your life. I can say this because I know it was the time of mine.

Photos courtesy of: Allie Schowengerdt and Alex Jimenez

am excited to get on with my life but I have to admit I will miss high school. I will miss the lunch table conversations, the crazy liberty hour and the crowded hallways.

I was a skeptic at first and thought liberty hour would never work, but I was so wrong. Liberty hour was the best thing that could have happened.

The class of 2014 has seen many changes throughout our high school career. Sophomore year we had some blocked classes. Those block classes disappeared junior year. I had sculpture blocked class and when I took sculpture my junior year I had no idea how I would get all my work done with no block class.

With senior year everything seemed to change in front of my eyes. I have All I have been thinking about this missed having late start Tuesdays. year was the last day of school. I Those 20 extra minutes made a

27 Sendoffs

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29 Sports

Crouch, Bind, Set! Liberty United Rugby is making several changes in the upcoming year.

Story by Sol Kim

Photos by Sadie Zipsie

Left: Park Hill Titans put the ball into a scrum and then go into a break as Liberty United gets ready for the next play. Right: Hill Titans put ball into a scrum and Liberty United gets ready to defend..

The Liberty United Boy’s Rugby team came home with two wins and two losses after playing at Ruggerfest on April 12-13.

Located in St. Louis Missouri, the rugby tournament consisted of 30 plus rugby clubs around the Midwest. “Ruggerfest would probably be the highlight of the season so far,” Head coach Tracey Davies said. “The boys enjoyed a weekend together to build their team cohesion and just enjoyed being around the sport. It is always an intense weekend of rugby.”

The sports club played two years as the Liberty Jays R.F.C. The name soon changed to Liberty United R.F.C. after LNHS opened to combine the two schools into one team.

Starting in the fall of 2014, Liberty North and Liberty will split and have two separate girl’s teams and two separate boy’s teams.

“We can now proudly say that we have been able to start six rugby teams in the Northland,” Davies said. “Every time I have had to let one program go to coach another, it has been so hard emotionally and this was definitely as hard, if not harder.

We have built such unity in the Liberty community and I have had an opportunity to get to know more of the players and their families in the community. That unity and love of the game doesn’t change, just the colors of our jerseys.”

“It was great playing with Liberty North, but I am excited for our future and playing against them,” sophomore Joshua Gale said.

“They have some great players and I know we’ll all get a long even though we won’t be playing with them any longer. I am excited to see the future of our rugby team.”

Several players on the team have various reasons why they enjoy playing rugby. “[I decided to join rugby] because my brother helped start the team and it’s a super hard core sport, and I like hard core sports,” sophomore Nich Musselman said.

“This is my second year playing on the team and I plan on playing till my legs fall off.”

Rugby offers players the chance to form strong relationships with their teammates. “[My favorite part about playing rugby] is the brotherhood that is formed,” Gale said.

“Our coach makes everybody feel loved and important and she shows us that she loves us every single day. It’s what makes us brothers; and we are just one big family.”

A big factor going into playing rugby is the physical contact involved that can sometimes turn violent.

“Rugby can be for everybody, however, if you don’t want to get hit and if you’re scared of people coming at you, then it’s not for you. I get minor injuries pretty often,” junior and team captain Chase Chapman said. “Like scratches and bruises, but I’ve only gotten seriously hurt once this season.”

This is Chapman’s third year playing rugby.

“I’ve learned a lot about the game,” Chapman said. “When I went in to [play] rugby, I didn’t know anything. I’ve learned all the rules and it was not entirely difficult to pick up the general rules after a few hours playing.”

Liberty R.F.C encourages everybody to come out and play. “If you’re scared to come play, try it for a day, and you’ll find out you love it and keep playing if you want to, or not,” Gale said. “Practice is what it takes to get better.”

“Show up and look at it. It’s a fun sport; you can learn a lot just by showing up and watching what other people are doing,” Chapman said.

“I am probably a little biased but in my opinion, rugby offers the entire package for an athlete. It offers the power of football, the agility of soccer and the speed of track,” Davies said. “Some students who have never played a sport prior to trying rugby, gain confidence and try a new sport in the off season for rugby. The players build friendships within the team, setting a great foundation for life long friends. [Keep in mind] just like any other sport, athleticism, commitment and sportsmanship are incredibly important.”

If students are interested in joining rugby, e-mail Tracey Davies at tsdavies18@ gmail.com. Practice is held at Shoal Creek Elementary School on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:15-6:15 P.M.

30 Sports

Survival of the fittest

Seniors last words as a Liberty Blue Jay soccer player.

Story and design by Jeffrey Walters Photos by Morgan Mcnea, T.J Stansbury and Madi Hayter

Above: Senior Jensen Harless runs back to sidelines after national anthem.

Below: Senior Kaitlyn Clark taking a shot at the goalie.

High school sports are not just a whole bunch of practices, scrimmages, and games. They are more than that; they are experiences, opportunities, and memories. High school sports show more than just athletic abilities they show dedication, determination and that high school students have the ability to focus on more than just school.

Liberty’s high school girl soccer season has already kicked off and they have been holding their own on the field. With a great defense that has been able to stop the in-coming opponents, which has lead to offense being on a roll driving down the field, getting pass each defender one kick at a time. Three of the players that have made a huge impact on blue jays girls’ soccer team are seniors Kaitlyn Clark, Brittany Mueller and Jensen Harless.

These girls have devoted their blood, sweat and tears into this team.

Senior Kaitlyn Clark plays mid-field and has been playing soccer since she was in kindergarten.

[My favorite memory is] “Probably just being around all of the girls, the chemistry that we have, how we work as a team and all the fun memories we have made,” Clark said.

Clark has been playing soccer for four years and has something to say about the great coaching staff here at Liberty High School.

“I love the coaches. I have been with them all four years and I really have gotten to know them. Clark said.

We’ve built a really strong relationship as friends.”

Clark has committed to Missouri University to continue on with her soccer abilities.

31 Sports “I’ve been playing soccer since fourth grade so about 12-13 years now,” Senior Brittany Mueller said.

[My favorite memory is] “Winning state my freshman year!” [I will miss] “The girls in general and the team atmosphere.” Mueller’s also has big plans for college, [I am going to] “Missouri western to play soccer and I want to be a physical therapist.”

Mueller said.

Senior Jensen Harless also plays backfield has been playing soccer for 14 years “The thing I will miss most will be the girls on the team.” Harless said.

[My favorite memory is] “Winning state and playing with a bunch of girls that play on really high level colleges.” Harless said.

Harless plans on playing soccer in college for Park University. Her other plans for college are to major in sociology and minoring in political science.

These three seniors have made a big impact on the underclassmen. “ They are really positive and they keep motivating us to work hard and never give up, after they get done with conditioning before us they always clap us in, and keep us

inspired to keep going even when we just want to give up! Even of the field there really nice they always treat us like real teammates and not like underclassmen. They always support us during JV games too cheering us on and motivating us to strive to be our best. I wish you all luck where every your future takes you girls!”

Freshman Alyssa Hamline said.

These three seniors have been together since freshman year and they have stuck with this Liberty High School team. They have been able to show us that school sports are not just practice, scrimmages and games. They have been able to show us that they have the dedication, determination and that high school students have the ability to focus on more than just school.

They have shown us that high school sports are not just about who has the best athletic abilities. They have taken advantage of the experience, memories and opportunities to show they have what it takes to be in the next level.

Above: Senior Kaitlyn Clark and Junior Emma Baldridge hugging eachother after great play.

GO LIBERTY BLUE JAYS!

The Mini Bell

This section showcases the second semester Journalism 1 students

Isaac Kinard “Some people may see it as scary, but I don’t. I’m excited, “senior, Isaac Kinard said. Kinard does not have to worry about making college plans just yet, as he has decided that he wants to join the Army after high school. This path may be foreign to some, but not to Kinard. As most could assume, Kinard Kinard knows plenty about the Army and has decided that it will benefit him in many ways.

On September 23, kinard will fly to Fort Benning, Georgia. In Georgia, Kinaard will take part in a program that will prepare him for the Army. This basic training will last roughly 17 weeks and six days after he goes through basic training, he will make choices about where he goes next. Isaac said he is very excited and not scared. He wants to be a tanker so he can drive and shoot.

Someone who knows

Eli Wallace

The next Picasso may very well be Liberty High School’s own, senior Eli Wallace. When it comes to the arts, animation and graphic design are his second nature.

Wallace has been accepted and offered scholarships to both Savannah College of Art and Design, and to the Kansas City Art Institute. The types of art he does are animation and graphic design.

“I draw for fun a lot, and I’ve been in art classes since a wee boy,” said Wallace.

His favorite artist, Agnes Cecile, an Italian painter, is someone that he has ‘looked up to since

Isaac is Coach Frigon.

Coach says “Isaac has always been a hard worker from what I have seen of him. He likes to be a low-key kind of guy some days and he will actually go really hard in his lifts. But overall I really enjoy talking to him and he’s great to have in class.”

Some people may not understand Kinards motives to be in the Army. He was born into a military family. One of his

grandfathers was in the Navy and two other of his grandparents were in the Marines. Kinard also have four cousins in the Army Air Force.

This family situation is one of the reasons that Isaac wants t go to the army but that is not the only reason. Kinard believe that going into the Army will help him better himself as a person, also after he gets out of the army it will pay for his college.

Story By: Jacey George Photo: Sadie Zipsie

Story By: McKenzie Hull Photo By: Spencer Hausman

6th grade’ and who is the “biggest influence on his artwork.”

Wallace also takes part in some art c omp e t it i ons and puts his work out there.

A few that he has entered into are UCM, and Avila. He was proud that his artwork was good enough to get in to both. His favorite art teacher here at Liberty High School is Debra Martin, who has even entered some of his pieces into

competitions as well.

“Eli is the type of student every teacher wants to be assigned in their class. I am so impressed by his depth of understanding and his interest in working b e y o n d expectations.”

Martin said.

“He is always curious and willing to take a risk which is how people grow and learn.”

Aside from art, a common love that Wallace shares with many

other people is the love for feline friends. He has two cats; one is a stray named Butterball.

Wallace said, “Butterball is my everything, she is perfection.”

The other, Kitty, is what he would compare to a ‘tub of lard,’ but he loves Kitty just the same.

However, while art is Wallace’s favorite subject, he is also very talented in science and biology classes as well. One that he particularly likes is Zoology.

With all of Wallace’s interests and talents, he is a well-rounded student. “Eli is also a wonderful citizen in the classroom because he models friendly,

33

The Mini Bell

Jakoby Swanson Story By: Caroline Reeder “Beating Rockhurst this year is one of my favorite high school memories”, senior Jakoby Swanson said.

Since he started playing football in the fourth grade, Swanson to this date has received an all conference honorable mention and academic all state award. When he isn’t running on the field you can catch him on the track team, as a hurdle jumper, He became a

district champion and moved off to sectionals.

“I started getting involved in track my sophomore year in high school,” Swanson said. “ I really enjoy it.”

Swanson works just as hard in school as he does in sports, He is eager to study psychology and eventually become a psychiatrist.

Currently he is waiting to hear back from his first choice college, Stanford, but maintains a

long list of schools that have already accepted him for the coming year. “I have been accepted to Mizzou, Pepperdine University, Miami, and San Diego,” Swanson said.

It is clear that Swanson will reach his goals from the sheer knowledge of his hard work, dedication and likeable personality.

“He is one of my best students, his academic abilities are excellent and

the fact he is not cliquish makes him personable. His overall personality is his best trait,” Fairchild said.

In the meantime this summer before college Swanson hopes to find a job and practice his guitar skills with his classic rock band, “Slash is one of my biggest role models because he is a great guitarist, hard worker and just a good role model to look up to.”

Levi Harris-Hale Levi HarrisHale is a senior at LHS, but he hasn’t always attended Liberty schools.

He moved here in first grade from New York City.

Harris-Hale loves to spend his time doing art. His favorite class is AP Studio Art with Debra Martin, who also happens to be his favorite teacher.

“He has such a great sense of humor!” Mrs. Martin said.

Martin has known him for three years, when he first started taking her painting and drawing classes during sophomore year.

All seniors have day dreamed at least a couple times about their very near future.

Livi’s idea of a bright future would have to be one where there are no worries and having the ability to have everything. If he

could wake up anywhere, in the whole world, he said, “I would like to wake up somewhere where there’s food everywhere, like a food mountain!”

And if he could share a meal with his favorite celebrities, it would be Morgan Freeman or Will Smith.“They seem very relaxed and really cool,” Harris-Hale said.

Everyone has heard about the

Story By: Ashley Closson Photo By: Rachel Untch

world known rapper, Lil B, and in Harris-Hale’s opinion, he’d be someone he would want to trade places with for a day. “He’s the best ever. He makes everything happy and so positive,” he said.

Dedication is key. “I’m most dedicated to relaxing and just getting my art done,” Harris-Hale said.

The Mini Bell

34

Tristan Hill Story By: Damion Brown

Not everyone can be as cool as the other side of the pillow like senior Tristan Hill is, he has very big plans for the future. Not being able to attend four years at the same high school did affect Hill “Still to this day I miss all of my old friends, I had a few plans already as a sophomore in high school but having a mid-year move coming from Lafayette High School in St. Joe definitely affected me, not in the best way.” Being able to move on and look for positive things at

The price of finding yourself is taking chances, and senior Tyler Frost is always game, that’s how he discovered acting.

Frost’s older sister dragged him to an acting festival, and with bated breath he performed for the first time. Since coming to LHS this year, he’s been in all the plays.

Acting helped Frost make a lot of good friends. Many of his friends would describe Frost as funny and sarcastic, but he gets down to business when it comes to his future.

After high school, Frost wants to go to

Liberty High School, Tristan joined theatre which was something he didn’t really have much interest in at St. Joe. He joined the class thinking that it would be a good way to meet new people and find some friends. Which he did, meeting his now favorite teacher, Tim Baldwin who teaches forensics. Baldwin said “Tristan’s a great and funny kid. He’s focused and always involved in class discussions. Ever since he came here, I’m talking day one, he was never shy. He said what was on his mind and

Missouri state and live out his life as an actor.

He’s already prepping for the hard life ahead of him by working at a car dealership.

Somewhere along the road he wants to finally work in Broadway and live in the Big Apple. His favorite broadway show is Next To Normal.

Frost wants many things, but he’s fine with hard work. In the beginning of his acting, he said,”I struggled with talking too fast.”

But, he improved his body movements.

His biggest accomplishment was

really didn’t care what other people thought of him. That’s just the type of person that he is. He’s always making us laugh and I love to be around the kid.”

Even though Hill loves theatre it isn’t his favorite class, that would be Communication Arts with Amy Ahart.

Hill says he loves communication arts because he can see himself being a writer.

Any time that he is supposed to write a long essay or some sort of writing material, he loves it. “Writing

being a leopard in this year’s production of Tarzan. ”Tyler was given new thing to do every day. Tyler took it head on and wouldn’t stop until it was perfection. That is the best way to describe his performance, perfection,”Josh Mundon said Frost’s favorite actor is Jason Sedakis.

Just like Sedakis, Frost used to live in Kansas City. But, acting isn’t all that Frost does. Frost is on the Forensics Team, and he said,”It really gives you a sense of relying on other people and yourself.”

has always been in my blood, I love to write, St. Joe or Liberty it doesn’t really matter. Of course with my Mac it’s a whole lot easier to write in Liberty”, Hill said.

When asked where he would rather live today, St. Joe or Liberty, Hill said “Probably Liberty, people are really friendly here and I like the campus more.” This doesn’t mean that Hill does not like Lafayette High, he loves it and that is his hometown and he says there will always be a place in his heart for them.

He loves running and plays basketball.

His favorite athletes are Jamaal Charles and Lebron James. If he could change one thing about himself he said,”I would want to be taller. I just feel like I’d have more confidence.” This isn’t surprising because his favorite athletes are around six feet tall.

“Tyler’s strengths include his personality, leadership, and responsibility,” said Michael Turpin teacher of Theatre and Forensics team.

Tyler Frost Story By: Jazmyne Ross Photo By: Sadie Zipsie

The Mini Bell Social butterfly Senior Kayla Gold has definitely left her mark on LHS over the past three years.

She has been an active member of Link Crew, Peer Helpers, EIP and the leadership class.

She describes herself as “heard before seen” and is very friendly to everyone she meets.

As she wraps up her senior year here at Liberty, Gold recalls some of her favorite memories in her activities, one of her favorite being in Link Crew.

“Getting to know the freshman because I know they were nervous and being able to show them

35

what high school is all about,” Gold wants to get a degree in early childhood education at UMKC and become a preschool teacher.

Educational Internship Program, more commonly known as EIP, has given her the experience working one on one with preschoolers in the Early Bird Learning Center right here at the high school. She plans lessons and activities for the preschoolers several times a week and she knows the EIP program will really give her a great start to her future career. Kayla brings

a lot of energy to the classroom, she loves working with the Early Bird Learning center kids, she always has great ideas and enthusiasm,” EIP co-coordinator Mrs. Giesler said.

Not only is Gold involved in several organizations right here at school; she is also the highest level in Girl Scouts and has been a proud member since kindergarten.

Her troop recently won the silver award, which is the most prominent award given to Girl Scout troops. It is based on outstanding service projects and Gold’s troop did a project for

a local women’s shelter.

Gold has made a lot of friends and memories during her time at LHS, as well as gaining important experience for her future. As she embarks on the next part of her life, Gold will treasure her times as a Liberty Blue Jay.

Kayla Gold Story By: Alexia Harman Photos By: Spencer Hausman

Anne Jackson Story By: Lexi Ressa Photo: Spencer Hausman

Senior Anne Jackson loves to explore. She is one of the faces on the KLHS broadcasting team, but she has a more adventurous side to her. Whether it’s riding elephants or scuba diving, Jackson always has an interesting story to tell.

Jackson and her family love to travel for vacation and plan to go to Indonesia and on a cruise this summer. She has been all over the world and has experienced many things. Ever since fourth grade, when she first stepped foot out of the country, Anne has been

to places such as Egypt, Honduras, Australia, Costa Rica, Hungary, Check Republic, Kaman Islands, Germany, and Austria. The list doesn’t stop there either “My favorite trip was probably Thailand,” said Jackson, “It was the first time I had ever been out of the country. I was going into fourth grade. It was all new and exciting and something I had never done before, but it was just so beautiful and everyone was so friendly.”

However, all of the other places she has been have been quite memorable too.

“I have different favorite things from all the places I’ve been,” Jackson said, “In Thailand it was probably riding elephants, but in some of the other places I’ve been like Honduras me and my dad went on a dive trip with like 30 of our close friends so that’s fun because it’s a lot of people that you care about going” “Anne always tells me where she is going and shares information about her travels that I have been able to share in class,” Jackson’s sociology teacher Mr. Hammer said, “She travels all over the

world. I also enjoy that because I know she has an interest in history and places that she goes to.”

But her love for traveling doesn’t stop there. At school she enjoys Zoology and AP bio classes. She plans on going to Missouri Western to study wildlife biology. Her dream would be to travel the world and study animals.

“My dream would be to be like Adam Borough and travel the world and study animals. Probably be the coolest thing ever,” said Jackson.

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