battle
Senior Bryndal Hoover discusses how to combat the common affliction of senioritis Page 16-17
Bye bye, Covid High
The last class to have gone through high school in the pandemic graduates Page 14-15
What do seniors have planned next? Check out our map
12
DEI reviews could impact scholarship opportunities
16
Celeste Stinson paints her way to national acclaim
Newspaper editors-inchief bid The Budget farewell
FOLLOW
@lhsbudget
@lhs.budget
Retiring choir director Dwayne Dunn presents his final ‘Showtime’
Staying in town this summer? Heres a staycation guide
Is cheerleading a sport? Read this and you be the judge
Sibling of Cadence Scholz: “I won’t have track with her, which will be sad because she won’t be able to coach me and make jokes and whatever. But I’ll also be sad just like not seeing her in the hallways and like talking about our friends to each other.”
—Rilo Scholz, sophomore
Looking at photographed memories, the final cover of the year highlights the unique journey of the graduating class of 2025. From beginning high school in masks to finishing strong with an unknown future ahead, this senior class undoubtedly left their mark on LHS. Illustration by Wren Jay
REPORTING BY CHANNING SAINT ONGE
As seniors graduate, their siblings reflect on what will change
Sibling of Madalyn Crawford: “I think it’ll be harder because I talk to my sister a lot and rely on her for a lot of advice."
—Elsie Crawford, junior
Sibling of Sylvia Oparaji: “Next year I’m going to have another sibling here, so it’s kind of still going to be the same, but I’m going to be more in Sylvia’s role than my role, which is going to be kind of weird.”
—Chelsea Oparaji, sophomore
Sibling of Isabel Bonee: “So she’s going to college, and I won’t have a ride to school anymore so I’ll have to drive myself."
—Deacon Bonee, sophomore
Watch Room 308 productions for a playlist featuring all of your favorite seniors of 2025
Seniors Trent Blettner and Adele Erickson step up to the podium with words of wisdom
REPORTING BY CHANNING SAINT ONGE
What inspired you to write a graduation speech?
“I think what ultimately most inspired me was I just wanted to give a very unique and ORIGINAL take with a graduation speech. I just felt like I wanted to try and make something UNIQUE and different.
Something that’s not cliche”
—Trent Blettner senior
What was the main message of your speech?
“The main message of my speech was it’s about looking back to look forward and sort of you can TACKLE the future because you’ve already grown and changed as a high schooler and you can do that easily in the rest of the WORLD."
—Adele Erickson, senior
Reporting by Bebel Piepergerdes
Rose Allgeier
Biggest challenge in keeping a 4.0? “My biggest challenge in keeping a 4.0 was probably PreCalc last year was pretty hard. Just math in general is kind of challenging.”
Ava Kohart
Favorite part of high school?
“All my activities, all the extracurriculars just make the experience so much more fun and exciting. I think high school is fine and all, but going to just classes, I definitely would not have had as much fun.”
Trent Blettner
Organizing strategies? “Keeping a planner or a calendar so I can outline all the work that I need to do and setting very specific goals makes it easier for me instead of just saying, ‘I want to get this done today.’ ”
Josh Lavin
Biggest challenge in keeping a 4.0? “I’d say balancing extracurriculars and schoolwork. Just staying up late nights to do homework after everything I had to do.”
Sean Dixon
Organization strategies? “I would use reminders on my phone to just set times when I’d like to get things due. That’s what helped me the most.”
Adele Erickson
Words of advice? “Plan things ahead of time on your weekend that you look forward to so that it keeps you accountable to do all your work during the week and so that you’re already sort of budgeting that free time in .”
Jacob Leonard
Biggest challenge in keeping a 4.0? “Throughout high school, I feel like you get a lot of work at once in some classes. It’s really hard to kind of balance it all together. There’s different due dates you have to keep track of and it’s just a lot at once and it can be a little overwhelming sometimes.”
Hayden Mock
Staying on top of work?
“Probably just making sure you meet due dates. Once you get into high school, if you turn something in late, a lot of teachers will take 50% off, so that can really damage your grade.”
Lydia Folks
Words of advice? “I try not to sign up for too many hard classes. I’ll take less hard English classes and take AP math and science because I like getting my priorities straight and just not over-schedule myself.”
Sylvia Oparaji
Organizing strategies? “Keeping a planner or a calendar so I can outline all the work that I need to do and setting very specific goals makes it easier for me instead of just saying, ‘I want to get this done today’. ”
Thomas Sikes
Favorite part of high school? “Definitely the people. I think the people here are so fantastic , and I’ve made so many lasting friendships.”
Hannah Jenicke
Biggest challenge in keeping a 4.0? “I would say, seniorities this semester has honestly been my biggest challenge, but the other years were fine. Just doing sports outside of school, I had to find that balance between school and sports.”
Elise Rathmel
Biggest challenge in keeping a 4.0? “I would say just being involved in so many other activities throughout high school. I’ve gotten involved in more each year and as classes get harder, it gets more difficult to balance.”
Kaden Valbuena
Favorite part of high school? “ The LHS soccer team is always a blast every fall. I would say that’s been my favorite part of high school.”
Molly Kelly
Biggest challenge in keeping a 4.0? “Keeping track of assignments in every class. It’s easy to prioritize the ones you like or that seem the most important, but smaller assignments in easier classes can stack up and drag down your grade if you don’t turn them in.”
Connor Rayome Organization strategies? “I’m big on the to-do lists and kind of big into calendars . I kind of just do things as they come in as best as I can to stay on top of stuff.”
Zana Kennedy
Organization strategies? “A lot of the time I have to prioritize different things. I can’t always follow through with making a planner or sticking to a Google calendar. However, what I found has worked best for me is prioritizing different things when I need to.”
Channing Saint Onge
Biggest challenge in keeping a 4.0? “Definitely junior year there were so many hard classes on top of athletics and other activities and taking the ACT and trying to balance everything. That made it really hard, but
Ty Silvers Organization strategies? “Just getting your work done in class instead of waiting until you get home because there’s not as much time at home to get things done.”
Guilia Ventello
Biggest challenge in keeping a 4.0? “ My hardest year was definitely junior year because it’s the hardest class load and the most work. You’re also starting to think about college.”
Information gathered by journalism staff
Seniors begin a new chapter in education or the work force
Adult Education Program
Cristopher Salazar Navarro
Apprenticeship Steve
Mason Luthiers and Violin
Shop in Lawrence, KS
Chloe Novosel
Baker University
JJ Dos Santos, Andrew Nelson, Noah Richardson
Butler Community College
Brynnae Johnson
C-Tran
Valeriano Aguinaga, Jesiah Haider-Markel, Katie Kuzinski, Ashley White
Coffeyville Community College
Jahir Johnson
Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center
Miguel Brown, Xander Chickaway, Ethan Damron, Fin Tholen
Emporia State University
Grace Sanders, Veronica Wilke
Fire Fighter Training
Lawrence McCawley
Haskell Indian Nations University
Shikya Astorga, D’ema Barnes, Joshua Garcia, Valencia
Garcia, Micah Goseyun, Kiona Middleton, Mia Wilson
Johnson County
Community College
Kongmany Anonthysene, Maci Arnold Page, Elom Atiso, Trinity Ballard, Bri Brass, Juan Casimiro, Maliya Clark, Danica
Craig, Trumara Ewing, Brandon Felmlee, Megan Feltz, Rhys Fife, Arabella Gipp, Eliase Goodman
Thunder, Piper Gregory, Mia Hoover, Hannah Jenicke, Skylar Kennedy, Adie Lamer, Arely
Lopez-Garcia, Thailand MorrisTucker, Haylee Mosher, Ayanna Ness, Brycen Newberry, Trynt Nummerdor, Joel Ortega-Garcia, Noah Painter, Oliver Reynolds, Ivy Roman, Jenna Rossillon, Victoria Stevens, Franki Walburn, Taryn Wells, Rayne Woods, Abzal Yerkinuly
Kansas City Kansas
Community College
Anton Angeles-Cano, Maddy Crawford, Brayln Lambeth, Luzhilari Mathurin, Nikolay Nachev
Kansas State University
Katelyn Daugherty, Samaya
Miller, Hayden Mock, Adelaide Sivits, Miles Wade, Josh Lavin, Trent Blettner, Hailey Herren, Hanna Herren, Brice Schwada, Ahmad Zureid, Henry Martell
Neosho County Community College
Breia Marnell
Ottawa University
Arianna Powers
Pittsburg State University
Collin Adams, Adrian Dickey, Elijah Mann, Parker SnoadRodenbeek
Premier Academy of Cosmetology and Esthetics
Cadence Scholz
Seward County
Community College
Ajala Glover, Aden Ramirez Skn Academy
Jessica Sayler
University of Kansas
Ike Adams, Koyote Aguilar, Vicky Anyim, Thomas Basham, Isabel Bonee, Jun Brewer, Rhubarb Brubacher, Kylee Chee, John Clark, Xayden Cromedy, Lucas Crow Eagle, Reese Dannevik, Olivia Dennis, Sean Dixon, Mackenzi Downing, Harper Dye, Roscoe Ferguson, Lydia Folks, Desi Franz, Emma Gadzia, Elise George, Liam Gill, Freya Girard, Jackson Giroux, Ethan Hanratanagorn, Cameron Hardie, Ella Henry, Colin Hoffman, Riley Howell, Geneva Izquierdo, Kyleigh Kern, Ava Kohart, Ava Lee, Jacob Leonard, Sylvia London, Aubrie Magnuson, Kenneth Marcial, Reece Meyer, Morgan Moeckly, Olivia Monroe, Sophia Montrose, Jayden Moore,
Evan Murray, Eliza Naumann, Lylah North, Elliot Paden, Bebel
Piepergerdes, Holden Pike, Jaina Poettker, Magnus Pollington, Connor Rayome, Ava Razak, Harry Reed, Devyn Ridings, Luke Romero, Channing Saint Onge, Logan Sheldon, Ty Silvers, Adelle Spiess, Lillian Spinelli, Cayj Sutherland, Avery Sutton, McKenzie Torneden, Kaden Valbuena, Waylon VandeVoort, Asa Wiley, Gabe Wingerd, Aidan Wondrack, Anne Woolverton University of Saint Mary Lizzy Cano-Cruz
Washburn Institute of Technology
Raven Jones, Autumn Welsch Washburn University Alex Brinker, Bryndal Hoover, Kaliegha Johnson, Leslie Knox, MaKayla Madorin, Brianna Monroe, Skotlyn Morgan, Felicity Parker, Katelyn Rivers, Alexa Rodriguez, Reann Rodriguez, Asia White, Addison Whitenight, Caleigha Woods
Z Hair Academy
Gladys Demby
Rose Allgeier, Sabrina Ballou, Charles Black, Shanon Campsey, Ryan Carlson, Isaac Caudill, Mya Coleman, Ivon CortezOrtega, Lucy Devers, Cristian Díaz Oropeza, Garrett Ernzen, Aidan Esperance, Camryn Fowle, Sophia Graves, Ruby Haefner-
Silber, Alexander Hennessy, Avery Johnson, Sophia Jumping Eagle Jacobs, Zeke June, Blaise Katsbulas-Vaughn, Audrey Kemppainen, Logan Kessler, Aaliysah Lanning, Andrei Lefort, Cameron MacKinnon, Maddi Mayfield, Opal Morris, Naomi
Pang, Joseph Piley, Josephine Platt, Taylor Pubill, Nyasia Ramos, Maria Sanchez-Gonzalez, Brayden Sheley, Asher Sikes, Thomas Sikes, Micah Stanwix, Honesty Starr, Nora Steinle, Mikey White, Steele White, Joana Zuazua
Danah Alharbi, Santino Franklin, Elliott Geisler, Miz Glover, Elijah Gray, Dillon Jenicke, Sparrow Mock, Hailey Sanders, Oscar Vannucchi, Anthony Villegas, Justus Wilks
Metropolitan Community College
Tyana Heath-Belt
Missouri Western State University
Jaylen Newman
University of Missouri
Avery Sloyer, Beatrix Johnson
University of Missouri-Kansas City
Davon Foster
Washington University
Zana Kennedy
California Polytechnic
State University
Alexa Nauholz
San Diego State
Nate Schworm
Colorado State University
Harper Jay
Lincoln College of Technology
Isaac Sanchez
University of Colorado
Giova Rubenstein
Maine College of Art and Design
Henry Farthing
Unity Environmental University
I’Veyon Helm
WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON
University of Washington
Channing Morse
Western Washington University
Molly Kelly
Seattle Central College
Liza Terentieva
Yale University
Hugh Griggs
Prescott College
Loren Reiske
University of Arizona
Ida Harrington
Emerson College
Giulia Ventello
Boston University
Renee Dvorske
St. Olaf College
Ivy Tech Community College and Indiana State University
Hayden Thornton, Audrey Stock
Purdue University
Ruby Hull
Cooper Grant, Nicolette Bode
University of Minnesota
Prairie Mulligan
Carleton College
Celeste Stinson
Oklahoma State University
Banks Bowen
University of Tulsa
Elise Rathmel
Creighton University
Sophia McLaughlin
NEW YORK
Carnegie Mellon University
Adele Erickson
New York City College of Technology
Alissa Spahia
New York University
Xavier Klish
Carthage College
Northwestern University
Sylvia Oparaji
DePaul University
Eliza Pultz-Earle
Payge Cain
Lawrence University
Francis Alexander, Leigham
Alexander
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Tristan Prier
Army
Husam Al Jawabir, Isis Cross, Alejandro Flores, Xavier Gonzalez
Undecided branch
Kyzer Moore, Jordan Williams
Brenda Andrade Arcineda, Jesus Anguiano-Verdines, Connor Austin, Frankie Ayala, Alex Baker, Barack BennettRobinson, Jonny Bernier, Gabriel Blevins, Darius Calkins, Jason Camarena, Krys Carroll, Yosmar Chourio Galvis, Michael Clark, Tanisha Clark, Sam Cohen, Travis Dalton, Parker Dwyer, Maria Eduarda
Jack Bosh, Fidel Diego, Orion Hamlin, Esabella Johnson, Shyanne Lablue, Millie LaPierre, Karla Perdomo, Maliyah Perdue-Brown, Cameron Schavee, Avery Vorasith
Escobar Moreira, Nadia Esperance, Raylee Garcia, William Garcia Vandruff, Robert Gibler, Collin Gregory, Joy Hahn, Ismet Hilger, Emily Hughes, Maxx Ingram, Bishop
Ohio State University
Angelo Bray
Maryland Institute
College of Art
Ena Chambers MARYLAND
University of Montana
Provi Fowler
University of North Texas
Cymone White
Ellsworth
Community College
Darren Riccardo
Iowa Western
Community College
Ryan Lane
Jackovich, Kaden Johnson, Jaylon Khounthy, Steven Kortlucke, Brendan Lett, Parker Lopez, Ceanna Ludwig, Jaime Manueles, Aneesah McCant, Jaden Morris, Katelyn OBrien , Damian Ocegueda, Alea Parton, Kendal Reith, Yazmin Remigio Ortiz, Linda Salazar, Barry Sartin, Brendyn Shepard, Isaiah Shorter, Marko Simac, Conner Smith, Fernando Sobrevilla Jimenez, Keeley Stokes, Manning Urish, Allison Valladares Galo, Adric Watson, Hayden Wilcoxson, William Wise, Daniel Zogry
COVID YEARS: 2021
The class of 2025 entered high school in masks
DEVIOUS LICKS: 2021
Where did our urinal go?
Vandalism and TikTok haunt LHS
SSK SSK
SSK: 2021
VSCO girls and Hydro Flasks are back in style
BOMBS AND BARBIE: 2023
The iconic cinematic summer of Barbie vs. Oppenheimer, as many seniors did the Barbienhiemer marathon
BRANDY STRIPES: 2022 Sophomore year we fell in love with the Brandy Melville aesthetic
Throughout high school, what was the Class of 2025 into?
STANLEY SIPPERS: 2024
The infamous tumbler cup took LHS by storm
A FORCEFUL TREND: 2023
Nike Air Force 1’s dominated the LHS hallways
COZY CRAZE: 2024
Junior year, comfort was a footwear priority, with many students buying into the Ugg trend
SNEAKER CENTRAL: 2025
Senior year we fell in love with colorful Adidas Sambas
OWALA OBSESSED: 2025
Our quest for senior year was finding a color of Owala no one else at LHS had
BY ZANA KENNEDY
THE BUDGET, CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
What are your stats? This question flooded the comments and DM’s of senior Sylvia Oparaji after she posted a TikTok submitting her early decision Common Application to Harvard in October 2024. This was only the beginning of the intense application season caused by the phenomenon known as the “07 boom.”
While navigating the pressure of outperforming each other on social media, the college class of 2029 additionally had to deal with a competitive larger application pool. The year 2007 marked the highest birth rate in US history with 4.3 million births recorded, just surpassing 1957’s historical Baby Boom according to The New York Times. This was evident in the college application pool, which increased 5% from the 2023-24 application season.
Combined with the spike in birth rates, digital applications became available in 2007, making the process of applying more accessible. Previously, the application process was completed only by mail.
“I think it puts a little bit more on students to be mindful,” counselor Amy Brown said I also think that would help limit how much you’re spending on things like admission costs, and you had to start early because you didn’t wait until the deadline.”
Easier application processes also increased the pressure for students to apply to more schools. Many students at LHS followed this trend. Oparaji applied to 19 schools, and senior Adele Erickson applied to 14.
“When we put this kind of PRESSURE ON OUR STUDENTS, that exacerbates mental health disorders,"
—Amy Brown, LHS counselor
This increased application pool also took a hit to overall college acceptance rates. Although Harvard had been Oparaji’s dream school since fourth grade, she kept this in mind while applying.
“I didn’t have expectations when going in,” Oparaji said. “I just internalized in my mind, if it’s a really selective school, I’ve already met the standard, but it’s kind of based on luck from this point forward.”
“My application process was pretty rigorous,” Erickson said. “It was really hard for me to manage all of that.”
College applications were made even more convenient through social media.
“I feel like it’s helped applying to college become a lot more accessible to more people,” Oparaji said. “So people are willing to apply to those higher reach schools and actually want to try reaching for something that may not have been attainable before.”
Overall, the combination of increased birth rates and newly available digital resources made the college competition fiercer. Erickson said the visibility of this competition was apparent on social media.
Seniors share their current dream jobs and their preschool aspirations
“It made me so stressed, like it actually made me go insane,” Erickson said. “You’re in that situation where you’ve put it out there and you have all of this information telling you, you’re not good enough. Everyone out there is so much better.”
Even state schools raised the standard for applicants. What used to be an easy fall back has started to become out of reach for students who struggle more in school. The University of Kansas requires a minimum 3.25 GPA or a 2.0 with minimum standardized testing requirements.
“The requirements to go to KU was to have graduated from high school, and now… this idea that you can just go because you graduate from high school is not true at all,” Brown said.
The increased competition to participate in higher education as a whole may have contributed to the rise in mental health struggles. As a counselor, Brown has witnessed this firsthand.
“When we put this kind of pressure on our students, that exacerbates mental health disorders,” Brown said. “Students are breaking down.”
Although the application season was difficult, Erickson encourages upcoming applicants to maintain a positive outlook.
“Work hard, do what you can, but also realize at the end of the day, there are some things beyond your control,” Erickson said. “All you can do is put yourself in a good position so that no matter where you end up going, you see a way forward for yourself.”
Reporting by Eliza Naumann
“I really wanted to be A PALEONTOLOGIST because I liked dinosaurs. My job I’m probably going to get now is a geologist or astrogeologist.”
—Thomas
Basham, senior
“When
I was little I WANTED TO BE A DENTIST. Now I want to be a cardiovascular surgeon.”
—Jaina Poettker, senior
"When I was little I wanted to be a CASTLE ARCHITECT. Now I want to be a lawyer or go into psychology."
—Sylvia London, senior
BY JULIET OUTKA
THE BUDGET, CO-EDITORIN-CHIEF
Recently, KU Endowment announced its decision to freeze all privately-funded diversity, equity and inclusion related scholarships for review. Private donors were invited to alter scholarship wording to expand their accessibility.
This could impact scholarships that account for gender race, national origin, age or disability in the selection of awardees.
About 80% of families in the United States utilize scholarships to help cover college expenses, according to an annual study by Sallie Mae. Since President Donald Trump took office in January, many scholarship funds have been affected, with Trump signing executive orders targeting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs at the college level.
At an address to a joint session of Congress this March, President Trump declared, “We have ended the tyranny of so-called diversity, equity and inclusion policies all across the entire federal government and, indeed, the private sector and our military.”
The federal Department of Education has advised universities nationwide to exclude race in decision-making and avoid promoting diversity efforts.
As a result, college towns around the nation, like Lawrence, have quickly begun to feel the effects of DEI clampdowns.
This decision frustrated senior Nico Bode, who plans on attending St. Olaf’s College next year.
“I find it personally frustrating
that there’s a group of people who have had the privilege of attending college and have been doing it for generations, who are upset that opportunities are opening up for other people,” Bode said.
Since most high school seniors applied for scholarships in the later months of 2024, they avoided the most drastic effects of the cuts.
Even so, the large changes made senior Sylvia Oparaji, who plans on attending Northwestern University, feel uncertain.
“I feel like it’s definitely made me more cautious. I feel with cuts to programs, it’s made me realize that I don’t have a super secure safety net to fall back on,” Oparaji said.
being returned to having those opportunities available.”
Martin said the DEI limits contradict the advice she usually gives to students.
“It feels a little bit like bullying, which I feel like we preach to our kids that we don’t do,” Martin said. “I don’t want to be naive and say that everything is fine because I don’t know that for sure. None of us do.”
“It’s made me realize that I don’t have a SUPER SECURE SAFETY NET to fall back on.”
—Sylvia Oparaji, senior
Many seniors from LHS and Free State apply to local scholarships, funded by families in the community and local organizations, such as the Lawrence Rotary Club. Counselor Elizabeth Martin said she is thankful for the accessible opportunities these scholarships provide.
“It’s nice because it’s a small application pool. You’re just competing against Lawrence students,” Martin said. “We work with our donors to choose winners, and then we celebrate our seniors on that.”
Amid the cuts, Bode urges students to have conversations about the changes.
“The public can influence people’s decisions, and so I think if it becomes a thing that more people acknowledge, it would help,” Bode said. “More than that, then there’s a bigger chance of it
The recent DEI cuts have altered the tone of starting college for Oparaji.
“It’s a little daunting, just knowing that I’ll have to be on my own itself, but also deal with more hardships like this, and that I won’t have my mom or dad right there to give me advice,” Oparaji said. Overall, Martin urges students and families to stay informed about how the changes will affect them.
“I just want students to be educated. I want them to be knowledgeable about what their rights are and knowing their resources…I feel like people just need to know what’s out there and not turn a blind eye to it,” Martin said.
Beaming, senior Harper Jay receives a scholarship certificate. Jay plans to use the money to support her studies of science in college. “I was really excited,” Jay said. “I actually thought I was going to have an unimportant scholarship because I thought my essay wasn’t that good but I’m glad that she liked it.” Photo by Juliet Outka
Receiving the LMH health scholarship,
was awarded three scholarships at the local scholarship ceremony at Lawrence High. “I was really excited and happy, and honestly relieved because I feel like I worked really hard on the applications,” Oparaji said. Photo by Juliet Outka
Proudly, senior Sylvia London receives a local scholarship. “This scholarship helped me realize I have the potential to make a difference and that others can see my desire to make change and be involved,” London said. Photo by Juliet Outka
The class of 2025 is the last group to have gone through LHS during the pandemic
BY BRYNDAL HOOVER
THE BUDGET, CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
As it graduates, Law rence High School’s Class of 2025 marks the end of an era in the school’s history: the last class to experience high school during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the fall of 2021, the eager ninth graders started high school under districtwide mask mandate. While face-covering requirements were lifted near the end of the school year, the Class of 2025 experienced most of freshman year with pandemic-era restrictions in place, including required masks, contact tracing and modified social events.
“I never really got to know people,” senior Isabel Bonee said. “I felt like their expressions and emotions were covered with a mask.”
odd.”
As the 2021-2022 school year ended, restrictions drastically changed.
“It felt strange coming back to normal sophomore year, but now I’ve almost forgotten how it was to wear a mask all day,” now senior Zana Kennedy said.
The strange experiences of physical and emotional separation did not last forever. Expanding after the mask mandate was lifted, the Class of 2025 could finally hug, sing and laugh together like normal high schoolers, without the fear of spreading disease.
“I am so proud of my class for OVERCOMING THE AWKWARDNESS and social anxiety that came out of the pandemic.” —Rhubarb Brubacher, senior
“Tensions were high freshman year, as everybody was trying to get back into the swing of being at school,” senior Jack Bosh said. “Now things are much more relaxed and there is more motivation for participating in extra-curricular activities and other social events.”
Many seniors agreed, believing their grade had a slow start to involvement in school spirit due to the restrictions freshman year.
“It was hard just simply getting around the school, and the masks weren’t the only restriction,” senior Kaliegha Johnson said. “I felt held back from joining classes or clubs earlier.”
Bonee thought she had missed out on the promises of high school, and the next four years felt like a complete unknown.
“It made me feel uneasy because the chances of getting COVID were high,” Bonee said. “But then it had grown into this normal thing that we had to live with, which, looking back now, seems
Despite beginning high school with isolating adversities, senior Rhubarb Brubacher remains proud of her peers for eventually embracing all LHS has to offer.
“I am so proud of my class for overcoming the awkwardness and social anxiety that came out of the pandemic and forming a great sense of community,” Brubacher said.
On May 20th, the Class of 2025 will finally close the book on the story of high school during COVID. As they walk across the stage at graduation, the seniors will carry with them the memories and challenges they overcame during high school amid the pandemic.
Seniors reminisce about their freshman year in three words only
Reporting by Selah Wolfe
“New experiences, free will and different.”
—Mia Wilson,
senior
“Boring, lazy and sloppy.”
—Conner
Rayome, senior
“Exciting, new and interesting.”
—Ella Henry,
senior
“Procrastination, exciting and informative.”
—Nico
Bode, senior
BY GRACE SANDERS
Senior twins and cross country co-captains Francis and Leigham Alexander are distance running stars, who plan to go to the same college to run.
In the fall of 2025, both Francis and Leigham will attend Lawrence College in Appleton, Wisconsin, and continue their careers as cross country runners.
From a young age, Francis and Leigham were influenced by their father, Sean Alexander, a fellow runner, to try out cross country. Originally, neither of them enjoyed the sport and thought of basketball as their main priority.
“I started running. I was not good at all, but I found it as a hobby to get better for basketball, so it didn’t really matter to me…And then I didn’t have a season in eighth grade, and I kind of thought that was going to be it, because I didn’t really mind missing it. And then freshman year, I did cross country, and still, basketball was my number one,” Leigham said.
It wasn’t until sophomore year that the twins began to take running more seriously, and by senior year they were rigorously training in the off seasons and serving as cross country co-captains, along side seniors Xavier Klish, Freya Girard and Kylee Chee.
As captains, the Alexanders led the team through warm-ups, kept underclassmen motivated, and reached out as friends and mentors
to freshmen.
“I try to be like an older friend figure to the freshmen and sophomores, and then everyone else, I’ve known them for a really long time,” Francis said. “So it’s just kind of a friendship. I don’t think it is as hard as any other sport, to be honest. It’s a smaller team, so it’s easier.”
Although the motivation came from within, head cross country coach, Kyle Morgison played an important role supporting the two. The twins credit their coach to pushing them to become better athletes.
the summer, like waking up at 6 a.m. every day and running — not a lot of people do that. So we were super happy,” Francis said.
“All the sacrifices we had to make in the summer, like waking up at 6am every day and running, NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE DO THAT.”
—Francis Alexander, senior
“There’s potential beyond just high school, if they really wanted it, through giving the workouts and just trying to be as positive and influential as possible, in terms of acknowledging their accomplishments and correcting when they’re not doing well, or helping them through hard times,” Morgison said.
The highly anticipated first cross country meet of the season was located on the Congo Trail in Manhattan. In the 2024 season, the boys varsity team ranked 12th overall, coming in last place. This year, the team’s sacrifice, hard work and early morning training sessions, all paid off. The team came in first, with five runners placing in the top 20.
“I was pretty emotional then, but it was just because that was our first race after all the summer training, so all the sacrifices we had to make in
When visiting colleges, the Alexanders toured Lawrence University, a private college in Appleton, Wisconsin. The tour, which was originally planned to last two hours, ended up lasting nine hours total. Originally, the twins had not planned to go to the same school, but Lawrence University instantly felt like home. They admired the academic opportunity, the overall ambiance and the proximity to family members. Of course, the cross country scholarship sweetened the deal.
“We just kind of decided on it,” Leigham said. “And the coach, the team, the school itself, the teachers, the class size, like, it all worked out. And I also have family up in Wisconsin, so I’m up there quite a bit, and I just love it there, so I’m really excited. It really all worked out.”
Running hard, senior Leigham Alexander concludes the last mile of the Rim Rock Farm invitational on Sept 27. “My team and coaches motivate me to run; it makes the hard days easy when you have a supportive squad behind you,” Alexander said. “I like the different courses. It’s nice to have a variety of terrain, makes it way more fun than running on a track.” Photo by Fin Tholen
Dripping in sweat, senior Francis Alexander recovers after his race on Sept. 9 at Rim Rock Farm in 2023. Alexander enjoyed the competitive aspect of running cross country. “There are 150 plus people in a race and only one can win,” Alexander said. Photo by Fin Tholen
Gasping for air, senior Leigham Alexander recovers with senior Xavier Klish after the boy’s varsity race on Oct. 19, 2023, at Rim Rock. Alexander ran cross country all four years of high school. “I have… dropped my time from freshman year by over six minutes,” Alexander said. Photo by Fin Tholen
After starting in ballet, senior Celeste Stinson finds a new artistic outlet through painting
BY RUBY FLANNER REPORTER
Senior Celeste Stinson once considered ballet her most expressive art form— until she discovered painting.
What began as a high school art class quickly became a powerful form of art, for Stinson, influencing her expression in dance in complex ways she had not explored.
Stinson has won regional awards for her artwork, including first place in Topeka’s Youth Art Month and national recognition in the Scholastic Art and Writing competition.
“For so many years of my life, ballet and dance were the way I expressed myself,” Stinson said. “I felt like I could be myself when I was dancing and performing, and I felt like it represented me. I’d always liked drawing, but I had never considered art as a way to express
myself.”
Soon, Stinson graduated from pencils on paper and began working with acrylic and oil paints. She quickly gained confidence with new materials and techniques.
“Celeste has an ability to hyper-focus on details,” art teacher Tod Poteet said. “She’s able to very quickly render and capture the reality of a space or a form.”
In just the past year, peers and mentors have marked Stinson’s growth as remarkable and impressive.
“In the last year alone, she’s just sort of exploded,” Poteet said. “Her rendering skills, her confidence in oil painting, and her ability to compose more complicated compositions and more conceptual communications in her work have just continued to grow.”
Ballet is a critical source of inspiration in Stinson’s work. Her art often reflects both the
elegance and emotional weight of the dance world.
“I feel like not a lot of people know exactly what goes on, especially at a high school level,” friend and fellow ballet dancer junior Bella Maletsky said. “I think there’s definitely some underlying themes about body image and how dancers are treated by teachers and casting. Her art is really impactful for people who are involved in dance.”
Creating that kind of impact is exactly what motivates Stinson.
“It means a lot when people are like ‘This piece is so important to me,’ or ‘This represents exactly how I feel,” Stinson said. “That’s really nice, because that’s ultimately what it’s about.”
Barbershop quartet completes three years of collaboration, performing
BY RHUBARB BRUBACHER LHSBUDGET.COM, CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Seniors Thomas and Asher Sikes, Parker Lopez and Cooper Grant recently performed for the last time in their barbershop quartet, “Hatuna Fermata.”
Their work started in second semester of their freshman year when choral director Dwayne Dunn brought the four of them together and proposed they start a barbershop group that would continue through and shape the rest of their time at LHS.
“Dr. Dunn really got me into the idea, he called Cooper and I into his room and threw the idea out there, and we just ran with it,” Lopez said. “Everyone was immediately on board.”
The four were also inspired by a previous group of seniors who performed in a barbershop quartet back during the 2021-22 school year.
mance presents unique challenge for the singers.
“I like how exposed it is, since each person is the only one singing their part and the parts can get really challenging. It’s pushed me to be a better singer,” Grant said.
“If it weren’t for him THROWING THE FOUR OF US TOGETHER . . .we never would have gotten to where we are now.
—Thomas Sikes, senior
“I remember hearing them sing at various choir performances that year and wanting to be like them someday,” Grant said.
To Grant, the A cappella style of barbershop perfor-
The format of barbershop musical scoring is unique, with each number swelling to a grand ending. Sikes always looks forward to these dramatic finishes.
“My favorite part of barbershop music is always the very end of each song. There’s a big spectacular climax at the end of each barbershop song, usually called a tag,” Sikes said. “It always makes me feel satisfied and accomplished afterward.”
From the Lied Center to Nashville, Hatuna Fermata has sung on many impressive stages. Throughout their successes as a group, Hatuna Fermata remains thankful to Dunn for starting it all.
“Freshman year I had no idea what barbershop music even was,” Sikes said. “If it weren’t for him throwing the four of us together and putting music in our hands, we never would’ve gotten to where we are now.”
Harmonizing, seniors Cooper Grant, Asher Sikes, Thomas Sikes and Parker Lopez perform “Spend My Life With You” during Showtime.
Photo by Eliza Naumann
Kitchenettes continue barbershop at LHS
Reporting by Clare Lindemeyer
Zoe DeBoard, sophomore, discusses the group that also includes Ace Jaeger, Pilar Sphabmixay and Isabel Luellen
FORMATION
“Dr Dunn played a video for us. And then Pilar turned around and she looked at me, and she was like, ‘You're going to be in it.’ And I was like, ‘OK.’ ”
FOLLOWING HATUNA FERMATA
“It's a little scary, because they already have, like, so much reputation, and like, people know how good they are, and I feel like they're kind of expecting us to get to that level.”
BY CHANNING MORSE LHSBUDGET.COM CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Three LHS seniors performed solos during the end of year dance showcase at the Lawrence Arts Center.
Zana Kennedy, Rhubarb Brubacher and Celeste Stinson are all members of Lawrence Ballet Theatre. Their solos served as a celebration of their years dancing at the arts center.
Each dancer chose a song and theme for their solo, working with a mentor to put their piece together. The students got to work with a choreographer or choreograph their own dance, and had mentors who were dance teachers at the center.
“I’m going to try to choreograph it myself,” senior Celeste Stinson said. “We’re going to see how that goes. I’m not really a choreographer, so I might have to employ one of the teachers last minute to help me.”
seniors did a final senior bow as well as played a video interview before they performed. The arts center usually pays someone to compose the videos, but with recent budget cuts, Stinson took it upon herself to deliver the special messages.
“They didn’t have enough money to do those videos this year to employ someone. So I offered to just make them myself for free, because they’re such an integral part of the senior showcase,” Stinson said.
Brubacher, Kennedy and Stinson had all been dancing at the center since they were children. Growing up dancing ballet not only shaped who they are as people, but also taught them vital life lessons like discipline and commitment.
“Hard work and SHOWING UP CONSISTENTLY really does pay off.”
—Rhubarb Brubacher, senior
“I think having somewhere that I had to be every day for that many years that I really treated like a job made it easy for me to commit myself to things when I really care about them and understand that hard work and showing up consistently really does pay off at any job,” Brubacher said.
The dancers choose a song and an atmosphere that they wished to dance to.
“I wanted to feel very bittersweet with an upper tone of happy, because a lot of the time that is kind of what hits you hardest in the chest,” senior Zana Kennedy said. “When it’s happy, but you know how sad it is for the person doing it and for the people who they’re leaving. And so that’s very much the vibe I wanted to give.”
Along with performing their solos, the
Cheesing for the camera, senior Rhubarb Brubacher poses with senior Celeste Stinson after her performance in the Kansas Nutcracker. “It’s a really special thing to find such a community within dance,” Brubacher said. “We have kind of all come to act like siblings.” Photo contributed by Rhubarb Brubacher Beaming, a young Celeste
Striking her final pose, senior Zana Kennedy completes her performance of Pas de Quatre, or the “Step of Four,” alongside her senior peers. “It was a really cool process,” Kennedy said. “To just be able to dance with three of your best friends …it was a really magical experience.” Photo contributed by Zana Kennedy
Stinson smiles alongside Zana Kennedy after her performance in Annie. “Dancing with the same group of people for seven years has definitely bonded us intensely,” Stinson said. “We’ve gone through everything together, and I truly don’t know who I’d be without the friendships I’ve formed.” Photo contributed by Zana Kennedy
Senior ballerinas quickly wear out their pointe shoes as they stay on their toes
Reporting by Aubrie Magnuson
How many pointe shoes do you own?
“A lot. Too many to count. Probably at least 40 pairs. Maybe 50. I started dancing on point in 2018, so it’s been like six or seven years worth of shoes.”
Where do you store your pointe shoes?
“I just keep them in a box. I have a big plastic box that’s in my room that’s just full of old shoes. I mean I could throw them away, but its sad because it’s so much waste. I feel bad throwing them away, so I just keep them in a box.”
How many pointe shoes do you own?
“Let’s say I started getting new pointe shoes at the beginning of 2019. That’s five years. One pair per month. That’s 60.”
What different kinds do you wear?
“I’ve pretty much worn the exact same shoe since I was 12, but they all have different names written in them. So every time I get a new pair of shoes I name them something topical so I remember where they’re from, so it’s like characters from a show I’m watching or something I’ve been thinking about.”
How many pointe shoes do you own?
“I probably have around 40, maybe 50 pairs of dead pointe shoes. I have a picture of them hanging on my wall.” Where do you store your pointe shoes?
“I hang them on my wall in a big bouquet. I just want to keep them as a memento of how much time I’ve dedicated to this activity.”
Reporting by Hayden Carr
"I’m really ready to get out. I feel very TRAPPED like I could be doing a lot more advanced stuff.”
—Xayden Cromedy, senior
“I just kind of think about the END and realize it’s almost over so I try to CONVINCE myself to keep going because I only have like one month left.”
—Katie Daughtery, senior
“I only have a bit left and I’ve done it pretty much my whole life so I can get through a FEW MORE WEEKS.”
—Thomas Basham, senior
"“I just think about how LITTLE TIME I have left so I just show up to school”
—Jaina Poettker, senior
BY BRYNDAL HOOVER THE BUDGET, CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF
As the end of high school gets closer, many seniors start to experience what’s commonly known as senioritis.
Some symptoms of senioritis are a noticeable drop in motivation, focus and effort. At first, it might seem funny or like a normal rite of passage — something every senior just goes through. But in reality, senioritis can have serious consequences if left unchecked.
Senioritis often begins as procrastination, which quickly snowballs into missed assignments and falling behind. That “I’m over it” attitude kicks in, and suddenly the drive that carried students through years of hard work starts to fade. With graduation on the horizon and plans for life after high school becoming more real, it’s tempting to just want to coast through the final months.
Giving in to senioritis, however, can lead to grades dropping and finishing high school with results
that don’t reflect a student’s full potential. And it’s not just about pride; colleges do look at final transcripts. A sharp decline in academic performance at the end of high school could lead to lost scholarships, rescinded admissions, or a weaker start to college.
One of the more serious aspects of senioritis is burnout. Seniors have spent years juggling school, extracurricular activities, part-time jobs, and their personal lives. By this point, many are emotionally and physically exhausted. Add the pressure of college applications, future decisions, and the emotional weight of saying goodbye to friends and teachers, and it’s no surprise that motivation starts to slip.
trying to finish the present.
“Senioritis
often BEGINS AS PROCRASTINATION, which snowballs into missed assignments and falling behind.”
Bryndal Hoover, senior
The good news? Senioritis isn’t permanent, and it’s definitely beatable. Staying organized, setting small, manageable goals, and finding ways to stay engaged can help. Keep your routine steady, stay involved in the activities that energize you, and don’t be afraid to lean on your support system, whether it’s friends, teachers, family, or counselors.
Senioritis can also take a toll on mental health. The final months of senior year are filled with a mix of emotions: excitement about what’s next, anxiety about the unknown, and sometimes sadness about leaving behind what’s familiar. It can feel like you’re stuck in a game of limbo: one foot in the future, and one still
Seniors often find themselves trying to “lock in” at the very last second, which is never ideal. But the truth is, you’re almost there. You’ve put in the effort for over a decade; why stop short now? Push through the finish line. Once you walk up and receive your diploma, you’ll know you truly earned it. And that feeling? It’s worth every ounce of effort in these final months.
The Budget is committed to providing the Lawrence High community with objective, inclusive news that ensures relevance to its readers. The staff devotes itself to the exercise of First Amendment rights and upholding the highest of journalistic standards. While the paper is a tool to publish student voices, it works to help students grow as journalists and help readers access information.
The Budget is distributed free of charge to students and faculty at Lawrence High School, 1901 Louisiana, Lawrence, Kan.
The Budget is produced by students in the Digital Journalism and Digital Design and Production courses with occasional contributions from 21st
Century Journalism and guest columnists. The newspaper’s goals are to inform, entertain, and present a forum of expression for students, faculty, administrators and community members. The newspaper is financed through advertising and fundraising.
The editorial staff is solely responsible for the content of this newspaper, and views expressed in The Budget do not necessarily reflect those of the administration of Lawrence High School or USD 497.
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Arabella Gipp Co Editor-in-Chief
Bryndal Hoover Co Editor-in-Chief
Zana Kennedy ............................. Co Editor-in-Chief
Juliet Outka Co Editor-in-Chief
LHSBUDGET.COM
EDITORS
Rhubarb Brubacher Co-Editor-in-Chief
Channing Morse ........................ Co-Editor-in-Chief
Ashlyn Tell Co-Editor-in-Chief
Naomi Sui Pang 308 Connection Manager
RED & BLACK EDITORS
Lydia Folks Co Editor-in-Chief
Delaney Haase Co-Editor-in-Chief
Avery Sloyer................................ Co-Editor-in-Chief
SOCIAL MEDIA
EDITORS
Beatrix Johnson .......................... Co Editor-in-Chief
Mimi Rosado Schmitt ................. Co Editor-in-Chief
Barbara Tholen Adviser
BY ZANA KENNEDY THE BUDGET EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Dear Lawrence High School.
When I first entered 21st Century Journalism as a 15-year-old new to the public school system, I had no idea what I was about to be sucked into. Joining journalism was a completely different environment from the Lawrence High I had come to know as a freshmen With tight professional deadlines (mostly), bonding activities like staff Jeopardy and a chaotic world of inside jokes that I barely had time to wrap my head around, it was safe to say I was out of my comfort zone. However, through the chaos, I began to have my stories published, and slowly started using a voice I didn’t know existed through writing articles. Slowly, through this process, I started to gain confidence, took on leadership roles in journalism
and out of it, and became more authentically myself. I made friends I will never forget, worked in an environment that taught me what the real workforce looks like, and was able to expand and excel in my favorite activity, writing, in AP style.
I owe journalism so much, and journalism would not exist without the student body. Thank you for sticking with us through a crazy four years from entering with masks to iPads to nine snow days. I am so grateful for every time you clicked on our online articles and every copy of The Budget that you took the time to leaf through.
More than that, thank you for letting us share your experiences, your accomplishments and your voices that make the field of journalism possible in and out of high school. Every staffer and I will be forever grateful for that.
Signing off,
Zana Kennedy
