The Ledger - Issue 3 - Spring 2024

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CONTENT

lhstoday.org • Design by Taylor Koehnemann and Bryleigh Conley

What’s Inside?

ISSUE 3

By Taylor Koehnemann and Bryleigh Conley, Editor-In-Chief

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his year’s Ledger theme is the four seasons.

If you had noticed, the last issue was our winter issue. Our third issue, which is the one you’re currently reading, is our spring issue. The basic theme of the four seasons entails change for each one. Not only is the change in the air, but also in the plant life, and festivity.

This shift also changes us all year-round, whether it comes to modifying our mindset or emotional habits. With spring, it’s that time of year where we show gratitude towards the new beginnings and regrowth of the natural world and environment.

Spring is that time of year for cleaning out the old and bringing in the new which can also be applied to ourselves in a sense of mentality or physicality. In this we also find passion. We find passion in sports, music, hobbies, etc. It helps us build ourselves as people and make one another diverse.

As for the cover of this issue we wanted to keep in touch with finding beauty in the small things and in nature. The photo was taken at the Botanical Gardens located in St. Louis with junior, Mackenzie Reddick as the center.

To stay updated, follow our socials: Instagram @lhs.publications X @LHSJourn Youtube @Libertylhspublications

Cover photo taken by F. Vaught

The Ledger Liberty High School

2275 Sommers Road Lake Saint Louis, Mo. 63367 636.561.0075 ext: 28039 jonathanhall@wsdr4.org

Volume 11 Issue 3 Editor-in-Chief Bryleigh Conley Photo Editor Anthony Rey Reporters Kylie Brennan, Keena Boschert, Becca Fike, Taylor Koehnemann, Abbie Luker, Meghan Lynch, Ella Quinney, Anumitha Vaka, Loukya Vaka, Faith Vaught. *Each editor also serves as a reporter

Intentions

The Ledger is a publication that releases four issues (one issue per quarter) throughout the year, distributing 1,000 free copies to the student body, faculty and administration.

The Ledger is a part of the district’s curriculum and is designed to provide a practical journalistic experience for written expression on a variety of topics. It is a student-led publication class that reports on stories

related to the school community.

Students write, take photos, and design the publication while the adviser supervises the student journalists.

The opinions expressed in this magazine may not be those of Liberty High School, nor of the Wentzville R-IV School District faculty, staff or administration. The main editorial, when included, expresses the opinion of The Ledger editorial staff.

Reacting

Letters to all editors can be submitted in room 239, emailed or mailed to Liberty. All letters must be signed. Limit letters you wish to be published to 250 words. Letters may be edited for space requirements and libelous material to the discretion of the editors. If you have a news story idea or comment, please contact us in room 239.

Credentials

The Ledger is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association, Quill and Scroll and the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association.

Advertising

To further facilitate the space available for student writing, advertising will not be offered in The Ledger.

LEDGER STAFF

MAR. 2024

What Makes Us Happy? lhstoday.org • Design by Anthony Rey

Keena Boschert, Sophomore My cat never fails to bring me happiness. What my cat, Harley, lacks in smarts, he makes up for in emotional intelligence. He always seems to know when I’m having a hard day.

By Anthony Rey, Photo Editor

With all the time we spend on the magaizne, we got to wondering “What do we enjoy oustide of this class?”

Bryleigh Conley, Senior

Ella Quinney, Sophmore I feel joy when I’m in the kitchen. I spend most of my time baking or cooking, the kitchen is kind of my life. I can't imagine my life without an apron or a messy kitchen counter!

Something that brings me happiness would be my family. We are almost always together and they help support me. We also have our own things to do together whether it be hiking or going to concerts.

Abbiegail Luker, Senior Becca Fike, Senior Something that brings me happiness is my cat Luna.

She is so sweet and caring.

She's never done anything wrong in her entire life. She is very caring and everyone loves her immediately.

Loukya Vaka, Sophomore Something special that I value is being able to further learn and play the piano. When I play the piano, I find joy in being able to express a plethora of emotions and feelings through one medium.

Meghan Lynch, Sophomore I’m happiest when I’m traveling. I love going to different places, trying new things, and seeing the unique elements of different cultures. My favorite place I’ve ever been is either the Grand Canyon or Hawaii.

Kylie Brennan, Junior I’ve always been the type to get my joy from other people. I love quality time, even if we are just sitting around doing nothing. If the day just isn’t going my way I love to surround myself with the people who bring me joy.

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Music is a huge passion of mine; making and sharing music with others has been the most enjoyable experiences I’ve ever had in my entire life. I can’t imagine living a life without music.

Taylor Koehnemann, Senior I value movies, games, and collectibles, but the thing that makes it valuable is the people I’m with when I’m doing that stuff. Which really narrows it down to the memories I make with them because life is short and we gotta make it count.

Anumitha Vaka, Senior Something that brings me happiness, and I value a lot is my Indian culture. There are so many little things and traditions that are part of being Indian that bring me joy every day.

Faith Vaught, Junior I love my dog, my dogs name is Rip. Because he is a Dobermann my parents wanted a more threatening name. He was named after the character Rip Wheeler from the show Yellowstone.

The reason being, the character was shot three times and kept fighting.

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FEATURE

ISSUE 3

lhstoday.org • Design by Loukya Vaka

By the Ledger Magazine Staff

Sugar and Slice Bakery is a small business on Main Street St. Charles.

While it may be small, it’s full of life and sweets! We found it to be a cute and welcoming environment, with happy and hard working employees. The treats here range from cookies and macarons to cheesecakes and cake. Everything we tried was absolutely delicious! We highly recommend going to Sugar and Slice Bakery, for it provides so many delectable, sweet treats in one of the sweetest environments that one can find.

Photo by L. Vaka

Main Street Books is small but very cozy and welcoming. The employees were all very friendly and happy to be there, and they had such a wide variety of books, toys, and t-shirts. They put a lot of effort into making their shop comfortable by adding a lot of decorations, seating and a fireplace. They made sure to include different books for all ages, so everyone is able to find something they like. It was so fun to be here and very tempting to buy everything.

Photo by A. Rey

MAR. 2024

FEATURE

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lhstoday.org • Design by Loukya Vaka

When you look around you, you’ll find so many different places where one can make beautiful memories. So, with the spirit of finding a new adventure around us, the Ledger staff went to four different stores located on St. Charles Main Street, and we documented our experiences with writing, pictures, and music!

JOYS Main Street Market is a lively boutique filled with nostalgic and interesting items, such as vintage radios and fun clothes. It’s a very unique place that makes you feel comfortable while you walk through the many different rooms. This boutique is less of a store and more of an experience, it’s easy to wander around. Each room is decorated with beautiful antiques to keep you entertained and even has a specifically decorated ceiling that correlates with whatever items are in that room.

Photo by M. Lynch

The Cat Zen Cafe and lounge is a really fun experience! The workers are very nice and helpful, and if you have any questions they are happy to answer. Even though the cats at the lounge still await their forever home, this place serves as a foster care for the cats and allows them to be adopted.

The cats are super lovable and comfortable, and along with the cats, the atmosphere there is also comforting. They have fun play spaces and lounge areas for the cats, places for you to relax, toys, games, books, cute merchandise, and quiet nature sounds on the TV to set the mood.

Photo by A. Rey

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FEATURE

lhstoday.org • Design by Keena Boschert

ISSUE 3

High School Students Make Powerful Music

By: Keena Boschert, Reporter

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t’s the night of the talent show, The Bags are practicing their playing in lead guitarist Will Albers’ cramped room in the basement. Workout equipment is pushed to the side, the members are sprawled out with wires running across the floor.

Smiles light up all the teens’ faces as they bob their heads to the music. Seemingly unphased by their upcoming performance, they jump and dance throughout their playing. Everyone in the room can feel the power of the bass, as it seems to vibrate your entire body. Even though the talent show is later that evening, the highschoolers work out the song they’re going to play, “Master of Puppets” by Metallica, and bounce ideas off one another. “It’s all gonna be done with experimentation, honestly,” Albers tells his bandmates.

Connor Higlen, Jack Galloway, Sophie Stafford, and Will Albers came together through a shared love of rock. “Playing music with other people just forms such a strong connection,” Galloway explains when asked what had made him want to join a band. “I was looking for a band, so I reached out,” Higlen describes, simply.

Meeting together to play is not an easy feat, however. For high school students, the ever-looming pressure of academics is still present in their lives. “For me, I’ve completely disregarded school in the past to practice,” Albers comments, highlighting the importance of music in his life. When it comes to these musicians, their goals and aspirations typically surround their hobby, and take precedence over their school life. “I find myself more connected to music,” Stafford notes. She explains that she is able to feel excitement through the hardships of playing the bass “it is easier to have a personal experience with it.” While it can be a hard balance, being in a group that are all in the same situation is beneficial. “My bandmates are in school too, so they’re flexible,” Galloway says.

Photo by K. Boschert

Sophomore Jack Galloway laughs with his bandmates during their practice before the talent show.

The talent show, hours away, doesn’t hold down the members, as they joke around.

Photo by A. Simms

Sophomore Sophie Stafford plays her bass, nicknamed “Bruce”, in the talent show hosted

by Key Club. She is focused as she plays “Master of Puppets” by Metallica.

Playing music together also benefits the members in many ways. Higlen states that “it’s incredible to see the growth, especially after weeks of practice.” The four all agree that finally hearing the band play together cohesively is an amazing moment, Albers even describing the experience as bordering on religious. “The most rewarding part of being in a band is the feeling you get after everyone puts their parts together and it ends up sounding amazing” Stafford elaborates.

Just from witnessing the group’s practices, anyone could tell how much fun they have. The balance between keeping music a fun hobby versus something to be taken seriously is very important when being in a band. Taking their playing too seriously could lead to burn out or disdain. “Don’t push yourself to the point of resent while playing, but still make sure you practice enough for improvement,” Stafford advises.

After their win at the talent show, the members are optimistic for the future. “Everyone did really well and I didn’t think we could win, but our act was different than any other act in a long time, so I think that’s what made us win,” Galloway explained.

One thing is for sure, these students will not lose their passion for music any time soon. When asked about their goals as a band, each member describes wanting to go on to create original songs.

“We don’t want to turn into a lousy jam group of covers. We want to make something worth remembering.” Albers clarifies.

Photo by A. Simms Senior Connor Higlen stops playing guitar during the climax of the song, allowing lead guitarist, Will Albers, to solo.

The Bags The Bags The Bags The Bags The Bags The Bags The Bags TheBags The Bags The Bags The Bags The Bags The Bags The Bags

ISSUE 3

“One notable time that my family was there for me was when I first entered high school. Although this day went perfectly fine, at the time I couldn’t help but feel nervous.

Ever since I was a kid, I had always looked forward to high school— especially since I’ve spent my whole life in this school district, always destined to go to this high school.

Four years is a short time, but you’ll be surprised how much you can learn about yourself along the way.

My family was very supportive of me as I entered this chapter of my life, from easing my nerves to giving me an endless amount of pep talks, and I’ll forever be grateful to them for that and so much more. As I continue through my high school journey and make an infinite amount of memories, I’m lucky enough to say that I have a loving family at home who always have my back.”

- Rathi Thiagarajan All photos submitted by R. Thiagarajan

MAR. 2024

FEATURE

lhstoday.org • Design by Meghan Lynch

Finding a Lifeline Rathi Thiagarajan shares what keeps her grounded throughout the year

By Meghan Lynch, Reporter

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chool is a big source of stress for a lot of young people.

There’s a million different deadlines, problems with friends, social pressure, the list goes on. It’s impossible to deal with all the anxiety school can cause, unless one finds little, everyday things for themselves that keep them optimistic.

As an involved and hardworking student, sophomore Rathi Thiagarajan greatly understands the benefits of being grateful for the things in her life that might go unnoticed to most.

There are many different things that Thiagarajan is grateful for in her life, but the most prominent one is her loved ones. Her friends and family are her foundation; they love her unconditionally and make her life brighter. “My family gives me everything that I have right now,” Thiagarajan said. “They support me and if I ever need someone, they’re always there for me.” Whether she’s dealing with a serious issue or just needs to get something trivial off her mind, both her family and friends are willing to listen.

Along with her family, her friends make a significant impact in Thiagarajan’s life. “I read this quote, ‘Friends are the family you choose’, and I feel like your company says a lot about who you are.” Friends, according to Thiagarajan, are extremely important. They can make or break one’s experience at school and it can feel good to know there are people who see you for who you are. Thiagarajan’s friends in particular help her decompress and take some of the weight off of her shoulders.

Thiagarajan is a student taking all honors courses with aspirations to attend a four-year university. Naturally, that comes with a heavy workload. For Thiagarajan, her hobbies give her something to look forward to during school and—since she spends a lot of free time writing and reading—can sometimes help with the work she has to do. School is full of stressful situations and assignments that are the last thing one wants to do, but students have to push through it. “If you have your own personal outlet and you’re aware of what it is, it’ll help you deal with life.” Having something small yet meaningful that one can latch onto, almost like a lifeline, is a coping mechanism that Thiagarajan agrees aides in lessening the strain that’s often put on students.

Thiagarajan has expressed many times how important it is to have small things in your life that make you happy. “It gives you a break from life and gives you a time to relax,” she shared.

From her perspective, being grateful and focusing on the little things in life that make one happy takes away from the pressure people from life in general. It’s a practice that has endless benefits and can help one get to know themselves better.

9 Rathi Thiagarajan’s Indian culture has played a very important role in both who she is and who she’s becoming. Some of her favorite parts of her culture include: Its emphasis on family and education The wide range of diversity and people it accepts Its encouragement of non-violence and hard work I’ve always had to balance these two very different cultures— something that is as complicated as it is rewarding.

Rathi Thiagarajan and some of her closest friends (from left to right: Alexa Kiepe, Noelle Wise, Lorelei Wise, and Kayla Kroehnke) during one lunch period. Her friends love her and fill her life with so much meaning.

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OPINION

lhstoday.org • Design by Bryleigh Conley

ISSUE 3

Natural Beauty and Its Influence on Wellness

A closer look on the importance of natural beauty & wellness

By Bryleigh Conley, Editor-in-Chief

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hen we think of natural beauty, our mind often gravitates to a person’s natural beauty, overlooking the idea of beauty in the world around us. Finding natural beauty doesn’t have to be anything as big as traveling to see mountains or naturally formed arches; it can be found in anything from a simple flower, to the sunset after a thunderstorm.

Spring time generally brings light to these forms of beauty. As the air starts to warm, everything begins to bloom and heal from winter. I’d like to think that this is the time to influence wellness and growth. Seeing life around us grow and liven up can influence us to do the same, bringing us out of the depressive states we may feel during the winter.

I believe that understanding Earth’s natural beauty can benefit our wellness both mentally and physically. As described by Debbie Stoewen on the National Institute of Health’s website, “wellness is a holistic integration of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, fueling the body, engaging the mind, and nurturing the spirit.”

As for the eight different dimensions of wellness, the main focuses are on the mental and physical aspects. Your physical wellness consists of taking care of your body, and your mental emotional wellness consists of taking care of the mind.

When considering both aspects and how to put them in action, we can start with the physical ones. This could involve traveling to places you have never been to before or rather, some of your favorite places that you find beauty in; this way you can keep up with physical activity and be surrounded by growth. For the mental aspect, you should focus more on self-awareness. By finding places you find comfort and gratitude in you can relieve yourself of anxieties and keep a healthy mind.

Having a connection with something you find pleasing can influence your emotional experiences, better helping you seek beauty in the world, and find familiarity and comfort in the things you find satisfaction in. Dr. Shahram Heshmat states in Psychology Today, “most aesthetic perceptions of landscapes, natural scenes like sunrises, and sunsets tend to produce positive feelings of peacefulness, relaxation, and harmony.” Keeping this in mind, take time to acknowledge beauty in the little things to elevate your overall mood and improve your well-being.

By being outdoors we get to experience things we may not have experienced before and open our minds to new ideas. When we see something that we feel is pretty or aesthetically pleasing, we take time to appreciate it and capture it in the moment. We then yearn to feel that satisfaction again, influencing us to travel and seek our own form of beauty.

Photo by K. Brennan

Photo by K. Brennan

MAR. 2024

OPINION lhstoday.org • Design by Ella Quinney

A dive into the constant stimulation that surrounds us online

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By Ella Quinney, Reporter

bet that you can’t read this entire article. I can say with complete confidence that you’ll skim it, and then forget about it. Why can I say this with such confidence?

What gives me the right to tell you what I think you’ll do? Well, it’s the fact that I would do the same.

But why would I do the same? Why would I skim over this and forget it? Why? Well, It’s because about a million other things are being put in front of me. The world that surrounds me, surrounds us, is full of constant stimulation. This constant stimulation comes from the hundreds of new TV shows and movies being released, and the millions of 30 second videos that are accessible on a single app. We are shown everything all at once, but that everything is nothing. You probably don’t even remember what you saw 10 seconds before the last video.

I know that I don’t. Nothing makes an impact anymore.

Everything is meaningless, but so powerful at the same time.

How can this be? How can the world around us be full of meaningless things that are so incredibly powerful at the same time? Everything is at our fingertips, and this can be a great thing. People are connected through the crazy and overwhelming environment that is the internet.

People, specifically teenagers, find a safe haven in this constant stimulation.

But, the influx of information becomes mind numbing.

I, myself, will get lost on Instagram Reels, scrolling for an hour, when I had only planned on checking my notifications.

I feel that I can’t turn it off, because I need to know what the next video is going to be. I need to know all the information, I need my brain to be stimulated, and with reels, my brain is never not stimulated.

Why is that? Why do I need this constant influx of information?

Well, science says that it is due to dopamine and variableratio reinforcement. Variable-ratio reinforcement is when a habit or game has a sense of unpredictability.

This unpredictable nature leads you to want to continue, it makes you wonder what you’ll see next. With social media, the variable-ratio reinforcement is even further fortified by a burst of dopamine in your brain, making it nearly impossible to stop scrolling.

This constant stimulation doesn’t only come from social media, but also from television and music.

The constant stimulation that we experience from television and social media can be so overwhelming that it overloads our brains, and sends us into choice paralysis, making us question our own self judgment.

The world we live in is full of overwhelming and constant stimulation. This stimulation has its ups and downs, it leads

to a more connected and united world, but this connectivity and ability to have the world at the tips of our fingers, can be dangerous. It can cause screen addictions and loss of the ability to pay attention.

As I wrote this article I struggled. I struggled writing it, I struggled doing research for it, I struggled focusing on it. I would get easily distracted by the conversations around me, by the group chats on my phone, by my social media and the series I was watching.

At the beginning of this article I bet that you wouldn’t read it, I bet that you would skim through it and forget it. I even agreed with you, I said that I would do the same. Even after writing this, after doing all this research, I would probably still only glance over this article, and that’s the problem with the world around us. We know that the constant stimulation causes problems, we know that we are addicted to screens, but we ignore it. We let the nothingness on our screens control our lives. Letting that nothingness control our lives makes it everything. And as said before, everything, the constant stimulation, the information overload we experience day to day, night to night, is everything and nothing all at once.

Choice paralysis, also known as decision paralysis, transpires when we are presented with too many options or our options are too difficult to compare. With a plethora of options on TV and on Social Media, choice paralysis is a constant companion to us. Photo of sophomore, Louis Stoyanov. (Photo by E. Quinney)

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SPORTS

lhstoday.org • Design by Loukya Vaka

By Loukya Vaka, Reporter Photos by A. Rey

Senior Hunter Foerstel has been a part of the track team, as a sprinter, since his freshman year. For him, track has become so significant, and changed the lives of many. “Our sport has produced many great people and has even sent a handful of students to college because of it,” Foerstel said. “Also, over the years the team has won GAC and even Districts at times.” Foerstel’s best moment is, “The banquet, where everyone gets recognized for what they have done, and almost everyone gets something, like an award, when they go.”

Senior Imane Larhdiri–a track athlete who runs mid-distance and distance races, including relays–has been a part of the sport since sophomore year. She chose to do track because of her participation in cross country during the fall, along with her enjoyment of running and being a part of a team. During her time in track, Larhdiri has noticed how much the track team has grown over the years. “All of the track and field coaches are passionate about the sport and helping athletes achieve their potential. I think the track and field program here will continue to thrive and attract more students.”

Senior Connor Place is just one of the many athletes who have been a part of the school’s track team during the spring season. Place has been doing track– mainly doing triple jump, but also doing sprinting events occasionally–for all four years of high school.

Place originally joined track because of his competitive spirit and goal to become a better athlete. “I think track has grown a lot while I’ve been here. It seems like the coaching staff gets better year after year, and this leads to better athletes as well. Our team has grown more competitive against other schools every year I’ve participated,” Place said. “If the team continues in the way it’s been going, Liberty is going to be extremely competitive in the coming years. I think we’ll see effort grow and better results with that effort.”

ISSUE 3

MAR. 2024

SPORTS lhstoday.org • Design by Faith Vaught

SOCCER Senior Madison Lipp calls for the ball, ready to take the ball up and score.

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Important traits you need for each position, do you match the description?

By Faith Vaught, Reporter

FORWARD Score and create

opportunities for your teammates.

Have accurate aim, cannot gain goals if you miss the shot!

Be quick and agile.

MIDFIELD

(from left to right:) Senior Mia Knobbe and junior Natalie Zeman laugh as they run to get open for the ball.

Try to remain open in order to receive passes.

Be able to read the field, look for those open players.

Have good foot and ball control.

Maintain precise passing.

Senior Syndey Strassemeier preparing to block the ball from senior Madison Madison Lipp scoring.

Senior Madelynn Kuhn passes the ball out from the box.

DEFENSE

Stop the opposing team from scoring.

Help with Moving the ball up the field.

Just like Forwards they need to be Fast.

GOALKEEPER

Prevent the ball from making it into the net.

Help direct the rest of the team.

Strong kick from both feet.

Photos by C. McDonnell

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IN-DEPTH lhstoday.org • Design by Abbiegail Luker

ISSUE 3

Attitude of Gratitude What it is, how to practice it, and why

By Abbiegail Luker, Reporter

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ratitude; to be grateful for the things we have. Practicing gratitude is an incredibly important part of improving and stabilizing our quality of life mentally and physically. It can be especially helpful for those struggling with their mental health. Research. com’s ‘35 Scientific Benefits of Gratitude: Mental Health Research Findings in 2024’ cites many physical and mental benefits of being grateful, including but not limited to; better sleep, lower blood pressure, strengthened immune system, improved patience, boosted self-esteem, strengthened relationships, reduced materialism, and more.

One of the most amazing things about gratitude is that you need one thing that makes you happy. I’ve had many struggles with mental health, and gratitude has been one of my biggest saviors. A year ago, I spent a month going to IOP (Intensive Outpatient), and every day we listed three things we were grateful for. Some people had completely different reasons every day, and some people had recurring reasons the whole time I was there.

Some people listed more serious things, like friends or family. Some people listed sillier, more mundane things.

As someone who’s dealt with depression and anxiety for a lot of my life, I’ve practiced gratitude for a long time. The first and main person who has helped me to practice it was my dad, Scott Luker.

Before IOP, before regularly going to therapy, it was my dad. My dad has also had his fair share of mental health struggles over the years; he’s been sober for 10 years, and I am incredibly proud of him. One of the biggest things that helped him in becoming and staying sober was learning to practice gratitude. “I never would’ve thought in a million years that something as simple as making a gratitude list and having an ‘Attitude of Gratitude’ could be such a life-changing thing.” ‘Attitude of Gratitude’ is a common saying in AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) to demonstrate being grateful as one of the biggest factors of success in the program.

It wasn’t always easy. Luker said that he first started consciously practicing gratitude when he realized that he always had everything he needed in order to be happy. One of his favorite memories is from about 20 years ago when there was a blizzard on Christmas. “I can’t remember how many gifts I got, how much money I had in my wallet, or what kind of phone I had; but I vividly remember having fun with my family.”

Gratitude is as simple as a thank you note; a text, call, picture, you name it. Just a thought, any little effort to appreciate what you have in your life, especially when being thankful is hard. Whether it helps you on the road to recovery, like my dad, or simply just improves your quality of life, gratitude is one of the most important and fulfilling skills you can have.

Things I’m Grateful For

MAR. 2024

IN-DEPTH lhstoday.org • Design by Kylie Brennan

I’ve Learned to Live With it

The most important thing is finding what makes you happy

By Kylie Brennan, Reporter

D

ivorce is not a light topic. It doesn’t matter if it happened when you were young or older; it hurts either way. The pain doesn’t just go away and it’s easy to lose yourself in negative feelings. The good thing is there are so many moments that help make those negative feelings less of a focus for us.

Everybody deals with divorce differently, so there really isn’t a guide for how to get through it. My parents got divorced on November 16, 2022. Although I talked to counselors and professionals, I personally got similar responses. You can’t control what happens during a divorce, and it is not your fault. It didn’t mean much to me the first couple times I heard it, but it is something that everybody who is going through or has dealt with divorce should know.

Going back to school right after we found out was difficult for me. I had just moved for the first time and had to say goodbye to my dad. The feelings that I had during those moments are almost indescribable. I couldn’t figure out why my dad had to leave or how to help my mom feel happier. I tried extremely hard to just pretend everything was okay and normal, but deep down I knew that it wouldn’t be for a long time. So, I coped in the only way I knew how, I threw myself into school and in doing so met the people who are a big part of my life today. If you, like myself, ever feel like you don’t have control, it helps to channel that into something you feel passionate about.

I would bet that over half of Liberty alone has divorced parents, that means that all of those people have at least one thing in common. You might feel alone, scared or out of place; However, you aren’t the only one. Setting aside time for yourself can bring you peace of mind.

Doing what makes you happy helps you heal from events like divorce. When things are going bad or you start asking yourself what went wrong, that is when you need to find the things that make you happy. Even if it is just taking a long shower or a small walk at sunset, it really helps to have moments that are just for yourself.

After the divorce I became very interested in scenic or “aesthetic” photos and spent a lot of my time capturing small views that made me feel something.

The top photo, a man looking out into the ocean, is one of my favorite photos I’ve taken.

It was extremely bittersweet to watch him look out over the water by himself. It reminded me of my father in a way, I was away with my mom and her side of the family for Christmas and I felt horrible for leaving him alone. It was easy to pick this man out of the crowd because the contemplation that it looked like he was feeling was something I could relate to.

The smaller photo in the middle is my old neighborhood. I took this photo a couple months after we moved out. I tend to drive by the old house often and I remember just seeing the sky and how beautiful it was. Driving became an escape for me, I was always in my car. It was freeing and I found out how nice it was to have time for myself.

The last photo is of our schools theatre. I became Publicity Crew Head in the fall and continued to put the most I could into the program. I made incredible friends and connections, it was like when my family fell apart I got to be apart of a new one.

These photos are just a few of many photos that I connect emotions and memories too.

The small things in life can mean the most to people, and these small photos and memories mean the world to me.

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A&E

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ISSUE 3

lhstoday.org • Design by Anumitha Vaka

By Anumitha Vaka, Reporter

This fun crossword is based off of our 2024 spring themed Ledger issue. You can find the answers to the crossword by going to the listed pages and finding the word that fills in the blanks. Enjoy!

2.

1.

16

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Down:

Across:

1. “And as said before, _______, the constant stimulation, the information overload we experience day to day, night to night, is __________ and nothing all at once.” pg. 11

4. “This includes _____ like Winnie The Pooh, Piglet, King Kong, Frankenstein’s Monster, etc.” pg. 17

2. “Winning an award like this is always an honor for the ____and can have a huge impact on their career.” pg. 19 3. “When it comes to these musicians, their goals, and ______ typically surround their hobby, and take precedence over their school life.” pg. 6

5. “_______ is as simple as a thank you note; a text, call, picture, you name it.” pg. 14 6. “Finding natural beauty doesn’t have to be anything as big as traveling to see ________ or naturally formed arches; it can be found in anything from a simple flower, to the sunset after a thunderstorm.” pg. 10 7. “Senior Connor Place is just one of the many athletes who has been a part of the school’s track team during the _____ season.” pg. 12

MAR. 2024

A&E lhstoday.org • Design by Taylor Koehnemann

17

Mickey has entered the public domain, what does that mean?

By: Taylor Koehnemann, Reporter

The 2024 new year finally rolls around. Although this year brings a new surprise. On Jan. 1 of this year, Steamboat Willie (Mickey Mouse), had reached public domain. Within the first week of the new year, there had been multiple horror-based Steamboat Willie projects confirmed. All the way from movies to video games. If you’ve been keeping up with this topic, Steamboat Willie isn’t the only character to go public domain.

Other pop culture characters have also gone public within the last couple of years as well. This includes characters like Winnie The Pooh, Piglet, King Kong, Frankenstein’s Monster, etc. With most of these characters being public domain, a lot of people have used these for projects of their own. Some of the most popular projects are horror media and a big one to name is “Winnie The Pooh: Blood And Honey.”

The biggest question on most people’s minds when these iconic characters are free to use out of nowhere is, “Why do characters go public domain?” So it starts back when the character is first created. People have the option to copyright claim their property or creation, which means only the company that made it is the only set of people that are allowed to use it in their media. Companies like Disney can be very strict on the copyright claim policy.

After a while, a copyrighted creation will go public domain unless acted upon with an extension. An extension can be used once for a second term.

Disney, on the other hand, had pushed these limits with the Steamboat Willie version of Mickey Mouse.

After getting a second term in 1984, the next date for public domain was 2004. In the mid-90s, Disney once again had worried about Steamboat Willie’s release. So Disney decided to lobby again for another extension.

Thankfully for Disney, the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act had been able to extend everything by another 20 years. Eventually it had gotten to the point where this would be the last extension for Disney to keep Steamboat Willie. The day would inevitably have to come, and Disney would have to face defeat for Steamboat Willie and the public domain.

Unfortunately for other characters like the more iconic Mickey Mouse with the red pants, white gloves, and yellow boots, it has a pretty firm trademark. Trademarks on the other hand don’t have an expiration date. As long as a trademark is used frequently for a company, then the trademark is forever protected. So for the moment, Steamboat Willie seems to be our only Mickey Mouse that the public will be able to use.

Moving back too soon to expire copyrights, other popular characters push their way into the public domain soon too.

Characters like Batman, Superman, and Donald Duck will all be in the public domain sometime during the 2030’s as well. Or will other companies find another way to extend their properties similar to Disney?

18

A&E

lhstoday.org • Design by Bryleigh Conley and Faith Vaught

March(ing) to the Beat

Two of our most anticipated albums out this month

By Bryleigh Conley, Editor-In-Chief and Faith Vaught, Reporter Parkwood Columbia Music World

Eternal Sunshine by Ariana Grande Date of Release: March 8th Republic Records

Act II by Beyonce Date of Release: March 29th

- Album singles: Texas Hold ‘Em and 16 Carriages - Genre: Country - Beyonce’s 8th studio album - This album will be the second album to the Reniassance Triology; three related albums created by Beyonce

- Album singles: Yes, And? and We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love) - Genre: House and R&B - Grande’s 7th studio album - Inspired by the film Eternal Sunshine the Spotless Mind

Graphics by F. Vaught

ISSUE 3

MAR. 2024

A&E lhstoday.org • Design by Becca Fike

19

Grammy Awards 2024

By Becca Fike, Reporter

From the Oscars to the Grammys, award ceremonies have been an important part of the music and film industry for decades, as they recognize talented artists and highlight their skills and achievements.

These awards are taken very seriously by both the industry and fans. It’s an exciting experience to watch your favorite actor or singer win an award. Winning an award like this is always an honor for the artist and can have a huge impact on their career.

This year, the Grammy Awards took place on Feb. 2, 2024. The Grammy Awards focus on the most popular and liked music artists and songs.

See the most popular 2024 Grammy Award winners below.

Album of the Year & Best Pop Vocal Album “Midnights” - Taylor Swift “Midnights” is an album by Taylor Swift, released on Oct. 21, 2022. The album is around 45 minutes long in total and it is categorized as pop music. The most popular song from this album is “Anti-Hero”, with about 1 billion streams on Spotify. Another very popular song from this album is “Karma”, with 500 million streams on Spotify. With the help of this album, Taylor Swfit became the first female artist in history to surpass 86 million monthly listeners on Spotify, with 86,180,000 in total.

She is also the first artist ever to win “Album of the Year” 4 times.

Song of the Year “What Was I Made For?” - Billie Eilish

“What Was I Made For?” is a song by Billie Eilish. This song is a part of the Barbie Movie album, and is showcased in the Barbie movie, which was released on July 21, 2023. A few other very popular songs, including “Barbie World” by Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice, and Aqua, and “I’m Just Ken” by Ryan Gosling were also

Record of the Year

“Flowers” - Miley Cyrus “Flowers” is a song by Miley Cyrus, released on March 10, 2023 as a part of her album “Endless Summer Vacation”. This song is categorized as alternative/indie or pop music.

This song was the most popular streamed song on Spotify for 2023, with 1.6 billion streams, breaking multiple records since January.

Graphic by A. Bowen

QUIZ

lhstoday.org • Design by Loukya Vaka and Meghan Lynch

1: A great day is one where you get to… a. Finally doing that one thing you’ve been wanting to do for a while now. b. Hang out with your loved ones in a place where you can have fun together. c. Get cozy and read that good book/or watch that show you’ve been waiting for. d. Go out and take a nice, long walk. e. See where the day takes you, having a blast while moving through the hours.

4: What element do you feel most connected to? a. Fire b. Air c. Water d. Earth e. Depends on the day

2: At a social gathering, you are… a. Enjoying yourself while sticking with your close circle of friends. b. The life of the party, being extra lively and boisterous. c.The person who arranged the party, c. for that is where you feel in your element. d. Not in the center of it all, watching the event while standing comfortably elsewhere. e. Running around to do as many things as you can before the day ends.

5: What candy do you like best? a. Milky Way b. Kit Kat c. Reese’s d. Twix e. Something Else

3: What nostalgic song matches with your personality best? a. Toxic by Britney Spears b. What Makes You Beautiful

by One Direction c. Super Bass by Nicki Minaj d. Teenage Dream by Katy Perry e. We Are Young by fun.

6: Which word best describes you? a. Bold b. Loyal c. Mindful d. Peaceful e. Excited

Mostly A’s: Rose As a rose personality, you are truly bold, fiery, and passionate about many things. You are extremely caring about the things and people you hold dear.

You are a person who is especially aware of your own values, guarding what matters most.

Mostly B’s: Sunflower As a sunflower personality, you are a person who is very warm and approachable.. You always turn towards the brighter side of things, and your approachable energetic personality can be quite infectious infectious,, comforting many people around Mostly C’s: Iris As an iris personality, you are a timeless, wise individual individual.. Your intellect makes you a person who is sophisticated and organized. organized. You take each moment of life as a learning experience, noticing a lot more about your surroundings.

Mostly D’s: Lavender As a lavender personality, you are someone who exudes positivity and calm energy.

You create a soothing atmosphere with your grounded, sure presence. Your dependability derives from your ability to notice your world while keeping composure composure..

Mostly Es: Hibiscus As a hibiscus personality, you are quite eccentric and unique. unique. You are someone who appreciates a good challenge, challenge, never backing down from what life throws at you. What you enjoy most is being able to spread your wings and thrive wherever life takes you.

7: What part of nature do you prefer? a. The many animals and plants. b. The bright sun. c. The endless sky. d. The glowing moon. e. Fluffy clouds.