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Sept. 11,2013
Homecoming candidates voice views Candidates gives their answers to questions regarding their homecoming nominations By Harley Phelps Ryan Bellinger Q: If you were crowned homecoming king, who would you be most excited to see as your queen and why? A: “I would choose Abbey [his girlfriend] because she has relatively good hygiene so standing next to her for pictures and stuff would be pleasantly fragrant.” Abbey Berland Q: How do you feel about having been named to homecoming court? A: “Incredible. I am completely overwhelmed and overjoyed. It has been exciting to celebrate past years’ nominees, and it is such an honor to be among the nominees this year. Now all I have to worry about is tripping on my dress.” Panyin Boye-Doe Q: Throughout your high school career, you and your twin brother have often participated in the same things and have gotten grouped together, will it be like to have this moment just for you? A: “I wish we would’ve gotten to share this experience, but it is always nice to have individual achievements and to be known as your own person.” Caitlin Broadwell Q: How was it coming out of surgery and finding out you were on homecoming court? A: “I was not expecting to be on it at all. I was really confused why everyone was texting me ‘Congrats.’ I was like ‘OK, yeah, I made it out of surgery. Thanks dude.’ But then I asked why everyone knew that I just got out of surgery, and everyone was confused and then someone tweeted at me a picture of all the people on homecoming, and I saw a picture of me.”
Katie Lomshek Q: What is it like having your boyfriend on court? A: “It’s awesome. I feel he represents the school very well as a spirited individual who is well liked by the student body. He has my vote.”
Although every student dreams of the perfect parking spot, getting the school’s Wi-Fi password or getting to jump the lunch line, starting next month, one of these dreams will become a reality for 10 students. This month, Student Council is launching a Student of the Month program to reward students who demonstrate dedication to learning. Junior Sadie Keller suggested this idea because she saw a need to recognize students who would not normally receive awards — students who aren’t praised regularly on school announcements. “We’re hoping with the program in general just to recognize kids who aren’t necessarily Student Council kids or aren’t in the band or in the choir and maybe don’t get recognized all the time,” Keller said. These students, however, prove their strength instead in the classroom. “We are looking for students who embody the qualities of Lawrence High students that we like or that students
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should have,” Keller said. “So, like a hard worker, someone who is punctual, like they come to class on time, they always have a good attitude, and it’s not necessarily so much about grades as it is about work and work ethic.” Every month, each of the school’s nine departments will choose a nominee who exemplifies the ideal student. Department heads will then put their nominations in a box in the main office. An additional student will be chosen by peers. Each month, students will have an opportunity to nominate classmates to be Student of the Month through a box in the StuCo window. From these nominees, StuCo will randomly select one. StuCo members hope this plan will incorporate a few of the other projects they have been working toward to improve student morale. “I’m hoping it’s kind of a continuation of the ‘Be More Awesome’ campaign and maybe even a step further because the cool things that we have as motivations for students to be Student of the Month and the perks that they get — those are things Student Council [members] brain-
Drew Green Q: During half time as you sit in the locker room and your stand in is on the football field for you, which activity do you think will weigh more heavily on your mind in that moment? A: “Depending on the score of the game probably football. I’ve put too much time and effort into football to not be totally focused on that.”
Kieran Severa Q: Do you think the popularity of your Vines helped you know more people and gain a nomination? Also, do you plan on making any special homecoming Vines? A: “The Vines I made became more popular in Lawrence then I first anticipated, and the fact that some people that didn’t already know me may have viewed them and thought they were funny probably did earn me some extra votes, just because some underclassmen may not know a lot of the other candidates. I definitely want to try a homecoming Vine.”
Puja Shah Q: What does being on homecoming mean to you and your family, as you are the first Indian member of the court? A: “Being on homecoming court is humbling, and I think my family and I are just as excited as the other families. But we’re a different kind of excited because homecoming is an unfamiliar concept to anything my parents have ever experienced in India, so it will be fun to go through this process with them.”
Anna Meissbach Q: After cheering at homecoming games for the past few years, what will it be like to finally be on the court? A: “It’s going to be awesome to get to be a part of it instead of just watching from the sidelines. Plus being able to get all gussied up in a formal dress instead of my uniform will be really fun, and I can’t wait. But I will miss performing the band show with my amazing team.”
Students awarded for effort Ten students to be chosen each month for Student of the Month By Kendra Schwartz
Haley Ryan Q: What was it like finding the perfect dress for homecoming? What were your peers and friends reaction to your dress? A: “I was excited that it was so easy. One store and I was done — thank goodness. My mom and I loved it. It was a bonus all of my friends liked it as much as us.”
Matt Rood Q: What was your family’s reaction to finding out you were on homecoming? A: “ My mom was actually more excited than I was. She freaked out.”
stormed and were like, ‘We really wish we could have that,’ ” Keller said. Student body president, senior Abbey Berland and other members of StuCo’s executive board embraced Keller’s idea. For years, StuCo has worked with teachers to encourage students through its Mr. Goodbar program, which allows teachers to send students encouraging notes and tickets for a free candy bar. “We were really excited about it because we’ve been working on that and on encouragement through Goodbars, but this takes it a step further by giving them perks and incentives to do great things in school,” Berland said. “Goodbars are a lot more common and the range of things to get a Goodbar is a lot broader, and it’s up to the teacher, and this is more of a Student Council-teacher combined effort.” Although Keller and other students came up with the plan and presented it to administrators, teachers have answered a resounding “yes” to any requests made relating to the Student of the Month program. “We had to set up a meeting with the administrators, but they were really open
Tucker Sutter Q: What was your process in choosing the perfect stand in? A: “Well I picked the cutest one, Narito. I knew he would look almost as good as me up there, so I picked him. It also happens that he is my best bud.”
Student of the Month FREE Your Face
1)
All winners will receive free school wifi.
2)
PARKING
Have the choice of free parking in the faculty lot.
3)
4)
Have the choice of making a principal wear a shirt with your face on it.
Have the choice to skip the line at lunch.
Fast Pass
Students of the Month will receive a multitude of perks throughout the month. Graphic by Gage Nelson
to it and they were really supportive of it,” Keller said. “They said they had thought about doing it themselves, so it was pretty easy.” Student Council adviser Jason Lichte has quietly but ardently encouraged StuCo as he notes the perks of giving more students an incentive to work hard. “If we have 10 students in a month and we do it over nine months, we’ll have 90 students,” Lichte said. “So when the students do the math, they realize, ‘I got a one in 10, one in 15 shot of being Student of the Month. That’s attainable. That’s something maybe I can do if I show teachers and show other students how I can help the school.’ ”
Page Design by Kendra Schwartz
Keller is working to assemble a diverse advisory board of 10 students who will oversee the project. “As Student Council we’re really going to try to get some new faces,” Keller said. Student Council as well as the teachers and administration are excited for this opportunity for a whole new spirit in the hallways. “Be on the lookout for the students chosen as Student of the Month and see what qualities they have,” Keller said. “We’re really just trying to stress that they are the example of the great qualities that Lawrence High School has and the things that Lions should be and can be.”