The Owl Post - Volume II, Issue 1 - October 2023

THE RISE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

olathe west high school vol. 2 | issue 1 | october 2023

WHAT’S INSIDE

PAGE 4

HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

PAGE 8-9

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN SCHOOLS

PAGE 14-15

PUMPKIN

DECORATING

3 4 5 6 7 8

10 12

14

News Briefs

Hispanic Heritage Month

OPINION AI Crosses Boundaries

FEATURE Rooftop Chicks

FEATURE Lexi Heideman

FEATURE AI in School

PHOTO FEATURE Homecoming Highlights

SPORTS Fall Athletes Q+A

ENTERTAINMENT

Pumpkin Decorating

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Hello and welcome to the first Owl Post print paper of the 2023-24 school year. Making a printed newspaper is both a challenge and an opportunity for our staff members to work with deadlines and gather creative content.

As you look through the issue, you can find homecoming pictures, sports photos, fall activities and information about artificial intelligence. This is the first of three print editions to be coming out this year, so make sure you look out for more during the winter and spring.

I want to give my profound gratitude to the Owl Post staff for working so hard on this paper to make it what it is. I am grateful for all of the staff members for working hard on their stories, photos, interviews and more to make this paper come to life. Their perseverance and teamwork has made us closer as a staff. Helping me create the spreads in the paper was our design editor, Annie Self. Annie is one of the reasons that we as a staff were able to make this paper come together. I would also like to thank Mrs. Walker as she constantly provided feedback and made sure everyone was on the same page at all times.

We are very excited to share these stories with you. If you like what you read, check us out online at owowlpost.com. Thank you for taking the time to look through the paper and we hope you enjoy what you read.

Sincerly,

Owl Post Editor-in-Chief

OWL POST STAFF

2023-2024

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Bryce Mallory

PRINT EDITOR & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

Annie Self

ONLINE EDITOR

Addison Smith

STAFF

Maya Gee

Brodi Gary

Logan Kraft

Avery Mathieu

Reece Young

ADVISER

Julia Walker

NEWS BRIEFS

Olathe West

Varsity Soccer Working Towards Post Season

Coming closer to the end of the regular season for the boys varsity soccer team, they have been working hard towards making an appearance at the state tournament once again.

Within the past six years, varsity soccer are two time State Champions, six time Regional Champions, and a two time Sunflower League Champions. Having so many titles in the program, the school has pride for the team and expectations are very high.

Varsity assistant coach Andy Weber shared some of his knowledge on how he thinks this post-season is going to go.

“It is obviously our goal every year is to make it back to the state tournament, so we like our chances,” Weber said.

Varsity uses every game and practice as a way to get better and progress towards the postseason.

Since quite a few seniors left the program last year, varsity has a lot of young players on the team this year. There are many benefits from having a young team as Weber shared.

“Benefits are there is a lot of experience they can get as a young group,” Weber said.“They can learn from the upperclassman, and just kind of get some of the varsity experience, and know the speed of play, the physicality, and it just really helps the consistency over the year.”

With competing with other successful teams in 6A, competition will be at a very high level which is going to be a great experience for the younger players and have a good impact on their soccer careers.

So far the varsity team is 9-2-1. Major victories include a 7-1 win over Pembroke Hill for the season opener on Aug. 26 and a 7-0 win over Lawrence on Sept. 26.

By: Reece Young

Local National

Olathe Schools Set Policies for Football Games

Olathe Public Schools Department of Athletic and Activities made a new chaperone policy for middle and elementary school students who attend the high school football games on Aug. 28.

In the past years, younger students have been attending high school football games unattended. As much as the high schools community wants families to come out and support the games, lower grade students have seen to be taking advantage of this by leaving kids unattended.

To avoid any problems they may cause, Director of Athletics and Activities Matt Johnson set policies for the younger students to follow. The policies include that middle and elementary students must come and sit with a parent or guardian to ensure their safety.

Junior Emma Yu shared frustration with how this policy has yet to be enforced at the football games.

“I think it’s kind of annoying,” Yu said. “They’re still kind of sit at the top,”

In the past, there have been problems with the middle and elementary students roaming around the bleachers and causing problems with the fans trying to watch the football games.

Yu mentioned how she never would attend the high school football games when she was younger because she didn’t want to be obnoxious and most thought they weren’t allowed.

“I felt like I was going to be kind of kicked out of the student section,” Yu said.

Going forward, the Department of Athletics and Activities will be enforcing this policy if any more problems will be happening.

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US Public Supports Declines for Arming Ukraine

According to Reuters, support is declining on whether the United States should send more supplies to Ukraine and show support once again in their battle with Russia.

There was a two day poll for the Americans that ended on Oct. 10, 2023 asking if we “should supply weapons” or we “shouldn’t supply weapons” for Ukraine. Only 41% of the Americans that voted said we should supply, 35% said we should not supply, and the other 24% was indecisive.

A debate was taken as U.S. congressional leaders debated Democratic President Joe Biden asking $24 billion in funding supplies for Ukraine, and $17 billion of that sum would be going towards their defense aid.

Senior Government teacher Maegan Ruport shared her thoughts and opinions on both sides if we should or shouldn’t.

“So there is a lot of debate between the aid that needs to go over there and what America should be doing for that money that should be going somewhere else,” Ruport said. “I think there is a big division between congress right now on whether or not that should continue.”

With this big debate between the Republican and democratic party, spending is also a worry. Ruport mentioned how the US is already in trillions of dollars in debt, but then there’s the people that think we can spend it now, and it will come back to us in the future.

“There are people out there that think that it’s important that we are sending our aid now, so that we can keep authoritarian styles of government away later,” Ruport said. “ Our nation is already trillions of dollars debt on our own, and we need to be spending that money somewhere else.”

ELL AND HLC STUDENTS CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

English Language Learners and Hispanic Leadership Club students found various ways to bring Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations to West

By: Logan Kraft

Both ELL and HLC students honored Hispanic culture throughout Hispanic Heritage Month by speaking at the fall pep assembly, decorating the library and planning a Hispanic Heritage Night.

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 each year. This four-week long celebration allows for recognition of the history, culture and accomplishments of Hispanic Americans.

To kick off the month’s celebrations, HLC leaders spoke in both English and Spanish at the fall pep assembly, while ELL students created posters, flags and flowers for the library.

“ ”

Be proud of where you came from. Be proud that you came from another country. Be proud of your heritage and your culture.

- ELL teacher Kelly Ledesma

“So the ELL students decorated the library downstairs,” ELL teacher Kelly Ledesma said. “They made some paper flowers that are pretty traditional in their cultures.”

Participating in the fall pep assembly on Sept. 21 was important to junior HLC President Isis Ochoa because of the representation created throughout Hispanic Heritage month.

“I am really happy that I did it...I feel like we get represented more since we are obviously not the majority,” Ochoa said.

In addition to HLC members Ochoa and Ileen Sanabria Baez speaking at the assembly, a ELL student “hype video” was shown. OWTV students helped some ELL students with a 360 degree film of them holding their countries’ flags to share their

home country identities.

“[The video] is so good,” Ledesma said. “Be proud of where you came from. Be proud that you came from another country. Be proud of your heritage and your culture.”

To conclude the month, ELL students helped plan an event called Hispanic Heritage Night, which was done in previous years, but due to COVID it was canceled.

“We actually [planned] our first Hispanic Heritage Night on Oct. 11, and with the help of HLC, Mr. Falcon’s kids, they kind of [helped] coordinate that and put that on for West,” Ledesma said.

The Heritage Night, which was held at

West from 6-8 p.m., included Mariachi singers, Colombian dancers and a family potluck.

“It gives them a space where they feel comfortable,” Hispanic Leadership Club sponsor Noah Falcon said. “They feel like they can be themselves in a place where they feel like we can create activities and events and things which help showcase a vibrant community.”

Ochoa agrees with Falcon in the sense that Hispanic Heritage month creates a community for individuals to feel more like themselves.

“Just having that month for Hispanics to feel like, ‘Oh wow, I can be more myself,’” Ochoa said.

ABOVE Juniors Isis Ochoa and Ileen Sanabria Baez speak during the homecoming pep assembly on Sept. 21 about Hispanic Heritage month. Photo by: Laci Lister

ABOVE Juniors Jairo Tejada

Vasquez and Juan Sebastian Garcia Velasco hang a string of flags from around the world in the library to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Photo by: Kelly Ledesma

TOP RIGHT Sophomores Keyla Yanez Salazar, Cesia Velasquez Aguilar and Cesar Gonzalez Navarro pose in front of the library decorations placed by ELL students. Photo by: Kelly Ledesma

AI: CROSSING BOUNDARIES WE DIDN’T KNOW WE NEEDED

Artificial Intelligence was created to serve certain purposes in our society, but now has become more capable of negatively impacting society

By: Addison Smith

Artificial Intelligence, commonly referred to as AI, has been growing in our society for years. At first invented to help mankind advance technologically, it has now taken a sharp turn into an intrusive and powerful plague that is starting to take over our lives.

One particular example that many teenagers can identify with is the Snapchat AI, called “My AI.”

This AI feature, launched in April, sits at the top of the page of friends, regardless of the amount of contact you have with it. You could ask it questions and have a conversation with it, or even have it write you an essay for school.

That started to change in August, a story appeared on the AI’s profile, featuring a ceiling in what seemed to be someone’s house.

Everyone immediately speculated that the AI had been hacked, also noticing that it had stopped responding to messages.

A Snapchat spokesperson addressed the concern surrounding

the issue in the chat, saying “My AI experienced a temporary outage that’s now resolved.”

The incident in August, along with the fact that the creepy chat bot can’t be removed or hidden from your friend list, has been one of the many concerns society is starting to have around AI.

“

AI is starting to become dangerous, it’s invading our privacy and that’s not even the tip of the iceberg.

“

“I feel like it’s a real person,” sophomore Amara Brown said. “I feel like it’s stalking me.”

AI is starting to become dangerous, it’s invading our privacy, and that’s not

What’s Your Opinion On AI?

Jackson Satterfield (9)

“It’s kinda nerve-wracking, but it definitely has a lot of potential.”

Emily Flack (12)

“I think its kinda stupid, because its this really cool technology but it is destroying some genuineness of creativity in all aspects of life.”

even the tip of the iceberg.

Actor Tom Hanks recently took to Instagram with a disturbing warning, saying, “There’s a video out there promoting some dental plan with an AI version of me. I have nothing to do with it.”

So what can you do to stop artificial intelligence from delving into your personal lives?

In regards to AI like the Snapchat bot, alter your location access and don’t interact with it.

In regards to AI out in the world, stay informed. Know what apps you download, what permissions you give, stay up to date on the newest versions of AI and be aware of what areas it can potentially affect.

AI can cross boundaries that we aren’t aware of, and if we don’t stop and think about what might come of our use of artificial intelligence, it might be too late to stop it before more areas of our everyday lives start becoming invaded by AI.

Illustration By: Annie Self

WHO ARE THOSE CHICKS?

Green Tech welcomes a new set of chicks to the rooftop coop

By: Bryce Mallory

Imagine your first class of the day is on the third floor. After what feels like a mile long hike up the stairs, you make it to the top and to your room just before the bell gets a chance to ring. You look around, getting ready for another day in a classroom. Except, this room has a window looking out on the roof. A window showing the chicken coop with a chicken staring back at you.

The coop sits on the roof, directly next to the horticulture room. The young chickens have shelter and a space to run around outside, away from predators found on the ground like foxes.

These rooftop chickens are egg laying hens, not poultry chickens. This means that when these baby chickens become of age, they will produce roughly an egg a day and not be slaughtered for their meat.

Olathe West has had chickens since the doors have been opened. The Green Tech academy uses these birds for their everyday assignments. Plant and animal science teacher Matthew Milholm oversees the chickens on a daily basis.

“In one of my courses,, we talk about the poultry industry and a lot of our poultry we grow for meat and a lot of it we grow for eggs,” Milholm said. “Our chickens are egg laying hens which means we don’t eat those, and that’s a very difficult concept for students to realize. Not every chicken [is a chicken] we eat or is the chicken that you get in the chicken nugget.”

The chickens this year are new, replacing the older ones from years prior. The older ones had been living at West since 2017 and were starting to show signs of old age.

Junior Brynn Parry is one of the plant and

animal science students who watches over the chickens.

“And as they get older they’re going to produce less eggs…they’re not really here to be production hens, but we do give the eggs to people and they do like that,” Parry said. “Since the chickens were getting older, some had passed away. Not painfully, just from old age.”

The plant and animal science students are the primary caretakers of the chickens, not Milholm, so there is an added amount of pressure for the students to do their best to ensure the health and safety of the animals.

“If the chickens aren’t fed, that’s on us,” Parry said. “If they’re not watered, that’s on us.”

Taking care of these chickens, even though it may be stressful at times, is a lot simpler than taking care of a household pet like a dog or a cat.

“They are very easy to take care of,” Milholm said. “You just drop feed, grit which is the rocks, and water and that’s all they really need for the first few years of their life.”

These chickens are a unique experience for students to get hands-on learning and a new understanding of how to properly take care of animals.

“We use them [chickens] primarily with our plant and animal science classes when we teach poultry industry, egg industry anatomy, digestive systems [and] things like that to look at different species of animals and that gives us a hands-on approach,” Milholm said.

Even though the chickens are there for learning purposes, students who take care of them grow personal attachments and start to figure out the personalities of each. Students

I enjoy letting students have an experience of production agriculture in an urban environment.

-Matthew Milholm

“ ”

also get to grow their knowledge of chickens and get excited to share it with their peers.

“I think the students really enjoy talking to other students about it and showing off their learning about, ‘oh the whole process of egg laying, that’s called oogenesis’ and ‘this is how their digestive system works,’” Milholm said. “I think they get to share their knowledge from class with their peers and it makes them feel like they are doing something.”

In the plant and animal science class, the topic of food insecurity is mentioned frequently. Where does the food come from? What condition is it in? Will there be any at all? Milholm teaches his students lessons on how to deal with food insecurity based around the chickens.

“I enjoy letting students have an experience of production agriculture in an urban environment,” Milholm said. “A lot of what we talk about is food insecurity. How do we get food to people in larger cities, or more urban areas and have that food more closer to them? And I think that having chickens on a roof is a great visualization of ‘you can put food anywhere.’”

LIFE IS BETTER

WHEN THINGS ARE PRETTY

Lexi Heideman shares how art makes life more fun

By: Avery Mathieu

Senior Lexi Heideman loves to express herself though her love of art, she does this with photography, crochet, embroidering, sewing, ceramics, ecoprinting and acting.

“I am a very colorful person, so I really enjoy being able to take whatever colors, patterns, different mediums that I can and just put them all in one area, on one garment or one wall of my room,” Heideman said.

Heideman said that if she had to choose one type of art she would probably have to choose photography. She was given her first camera by a woman that was in “Seussical the Musical” with her, and that is the camera she uses today. She began taking pictures of her sister and her dogs then decided that she needed to start showing her pictures.

“I like capturing pretty moments,” Heideman said.

She shared that her favorite part of photography is the composition, finding the place where all the elements line up perfectly.

When having a conversation with a friend, they both said they wanted to start crocheting, so Heideman got out her grandmother’s old hooks and looked up a tutorial. Her favorite things to crochet are granny squares because they are like small victories during a big project.

“I think just usually the color of the yarn gets me excited and then I crochet whatever from there,” Heideman said.

Heideman first got into theatre when she auditioned for the musical “Honk!,” a show about the ugly duckling. Once she got involved in that show, she decided she loved the people and the environment of theatre. She said that as she got cast in bigger roles she realized just how much she enjoyed theatre.

After high school, Heideman is looking into schools like the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Kansas City Art Institute, and Savannah College of Art and Design. She says she would love to be a photographer in the future but, ”I would really love to do art in any capacity honestly,” Heideman said.

Heideman said she thinks it would be cool to be able to add all parts of art together in her future. For instance, she could use graphic design to design a website for a photography business, then wear her own garments to the shoots she schedules. Heideman not only enjoys art for herself, but she also wants to encourage others to find their creative outlet too.

“Do art!” Heideman said. “If you want to crochet, crochet. If you want to take a picture, take a picture.”

I like living more when things are pretty so I want to surround myself with as much of that as I can and I feel like I like my surroundings most when I make them.

-Lexi Heideman

LEXI’S CREATIONS

Bag,

“

Photo by: Kennedy Heideman

top and photographs by Lexi Heideman

WHEN COMES TO THE

AI

Chat GBT, a growing AI technology is making its way into schools. While many teachers and students see it as a cheating tool, others have proven they can be responsible with this new AI

Wouldn’t it be convenient if you could just snap your fingers and have all your school work done for you? Well now it’s just a click away.

More and more students have been using an artificial intelligence app called “Chat GBT” to generate ideas, write essays and do other work for them in little to no time. Some teachers see this as students being irresponsible and abusing their resources, while others see it as a way to help with brainstorming or using it for clarification on certain topics.

Students may not think that teachers will catch on to them using AI to complete their school work, but sophomore English teacher Heather Sramek said she can tell when a student is using AI in their writings just by the way it is formatted.

“The lack of variety in sentence structure,” Sramek said. “Therefore that kind of impacts the fluency and it’s really easy for a computer to recognize a computer.”

For most people using Chat GBT, the generated answers wouldn’t look or sound like their original word choice. Sramek shared that in the beginning of the school year, it’s harder to tell if it’s their actual writing because teachers don’t know them as a student yet. However, once the teachers start seeing more of their work, it would be easier to catch them using Chat GBT because they are more familiar with the students’ writing style.

Sophomore Lyanna Beeland is familiar with AI being a big help for some other students that she knows.

“They use it for math problems and other subjects,” Beeland said.

pasting work that isn’t theirs, so they have found other ways around it by still being able to use Chat GBT.

“I would change it to make it more of my writing,” Beeland said.

In a situation where students would need help with ideas, a math problem, or starting an essay, according to Beeland, some students would translate the work to look like their own.

English teacher Brady Field shared some problems he could see as AI becomes bigger.

“I would say my biggest concern is students not using it as a tool for learning, but a way to get out of the learning,” Field said. “So when we talk about writing, which is primarily what the tool does, that’s a skill that you have to develop on your own, and through a lot of hard work. And if you’re using it to simply get out of the hard work, then you’re not truly understanding the process of writing. And it’s not helping you learn how to write.”

While AI does provide some positive academic assistance, such as using the AI for more ideas, clarification on topics, or research, some negative outcomes that come along with Chat GBT seem to be catching most teachers’ attention.

are copying and pasting, they would consider that as cheating or plagiarism like Field had said. As students are going straight to AI more and more, teachers are frustrated that students aren’t asking them for help, but understand the temptation.

“I think the responses are instantaneous,” Field said.

“They’re very quick.

By: Reece Young Illustration and Design by: Annie Self

Students know their way through advanced technology and have the ability to make it sound like their original work. No one would want to be caught in the act of copy and

“I think the biggest one is that if you’re copying and pasting something that AI produced, I would consider that cheating – plagiarism,” Field said. “And so first of all, there’s an ethical issue there. Secondly, you’re kind of sliding yourself, in a sense, too, because if you’re reliant on AI, then you won’t be able to develop the skills on your own in a way that, in some cases, is probably superior to AI. I find that the writing that AI produces is pretty plain. It’s pretty formulaic. It’s not interesting.”

When teachers see that students

Some people I know kind of use it like a Google search, and so it’s a way to get answers fast. But at the same time, you do need to fact check it because it doesn’t always spit out correct answers, and in terms of

THE CLASSROOM

writing, I just think they probably are uncomfortable with their writing skills. They don’t have the competence yet. And obviously, if that’s the case, then really they should just be meeting with the teacher because the teacher wants to help them so they don’t feel like they have to rely on a tool that just spits out a generic essay.”

Along with all those negatives, there are positives with students using Chat GBT in the classroom. Junior Alexis Jeffery has found ways in class to utilize Chat GBT in a responsible way. With some

of her teachers allowing the use of Chat GBT in certain ways, she shares how she uses it in her English class.

“I use it in English mainly for the vocab tests because in order to study, [Mrs. Brownlee] gives us a definition,” Jeffrey said. “She wants us to come up with sentences and she allows us to use Chat GBT because it gives us correct sentences used the way she wants us to use it.”

Jeffrey also uses the AI tool for her math class as well.

“In math, our homework assignments are just completion and he posts the answer key, so it’s not like he’s looking for the correct answer, he just wants us to understand…if you put the problem into it, it will take you through how to do it.”

Jeffrey also shared that she misses a lot of school, and Chat GBT helps her catch up on the instruction she misses.

“It definitely has helped me in school,” Jeffrey said. “Just better understanding on what I need to get done, and how to get it done correctly.”

While most teachers struggle with navigating the new landscape of artificial intelligence in schools, Jeffery hopes they can embrace it and teach students how to use it responsibly.

“If you’re able to fit it into your curriculum where it’s not like necessarily the right answer is what you’re getting, but wanting completion and better understanding for the students would definitely be helpful for students that use it properly,” Jeffery said.

Teaching students how to utilize Chat GBT in a responsible way, rather than stereotyping AI as being only a negative resource, can be very beneficial inside the classroom.

HOW TO USE AI RESPONSIBLY

1. Do not copy the information. Use the information provided to teach yourself. When using AI like Photomath or Mathway, make sure not to copy the information -- this hinders your learning. Instead, use the steps provided to learn how to do it yourself, or even to check your original work.

2. Use AI for ideas to guide you through your assignment. Don’t use it to create your project.

When writing an essay, instead of using Chat GBT to write for you, use it to create inspiration for your title, content, quotes, and vocabulary. You could even use it to help you create an outline for you to use when structuring your own essay.

3. If using AI-generated content, make sure not to plagiarize.

If Chat GBT content has an interesting point, instead of using it word for word, make sure to quote and embed it into your essay to ensure no plagiarizing, or use this information and reiterate. Make sure to provide a citation for where your information originates from.

4. Check if the information given by AI is correct. Even though AI means artificial intelligence, sometimes it can make mistakes, so always double-check that the information provided is factual from other sources.

HOMECOMING IN A FLASH

A look back at what happened during homecoming week

By: Annie Self

ABOVE Senior Lauren Grimes performs a sneak peek to the upcoming theater musical “The Prom” at the homecoming pep assembly. Photo by: Brodi Gary

ABOVE Senior Micah Boswell cheers on the football team at the homecoming football game against Olathe Northwest. Photo by: Addison Smith

RIGHT Junior Jaqui Granados poses with her teammates after winning the homecoming powder puff game, on Sept. 20 after receiving their trophy and medals. Photo by: Brodi Gary

LEFT Senior Elijah Hakim looks into stands at the homecoming football game against Olathe Northwest. Photo by: Brodi Gary

BELOW Senior Reese Heather smiles to the crowd while performing the field show “The Heist” at the homecoming football game against Olathe Northwest. Photo by: Addison Smith

CENTER Senior Scarlett Swinford passes the microphone to seniors Conner Gundelfinger and Brandon Rafoth, and sophomores Emmy Rink and Kellyn Roach to play “finish the lyric” at the homecoming pep assembly. Photo by: Brodi Gary ABOVE Seniors Ty Huber and Gabby Clinkinbeard pose for photos after being crowned homecoming king and queen during halftime. Photo by: Addison Smith

LEFT Senior Ethan Lickteig prepares to pass the ball in the buff puff game. Photo by: Brodi Gary

Q+A WITH FALL ATHLETES

As sports kick into gear, hear from our fall sports athletes with responses regarding their season that give you a glimpse into their sports

By: Reece Young and Annie Self

FOOTBALL

For a full feature on freshman quarterback Cameron Kruse, visit OWOwlPost. com or scan the QR code

CAMERON KRUSE

VOLLEYBALL

CARLY HAIN

FRESHMAN SENIOR

Q: How did your first game go and how do you feel about the outcome?

A: I feel like we did alright, we’re really young and obviously new systems on both sides of the ball. First game we played a really good team, did OK but we’re looking to do some good things this season.

Q: What makes OW volleyball so special?

A: I’d just say our bond with each other. I love hanging out with everyone we’re a super close team and yeah, I’d just say that makes us special.

ABOVE Seniors Kalyn Willingham and Kolby Brown hug after completing a 5k at Washburn Rural on Sept. 16.

Photo By: Avalon Carrin

RIGHT Senior Trey McKee kicks a free kick in the game against Olathe East on Sept. 12, with a final score of 2-0.

Photo By: Malia Sheppard

RIGHT Junior Clara Brown takes a break during a match on Sept. 12 against Garden Edgerton Photo by: Laci Lister

GYMNASTICS

ILYSE HAYNES

CROSS COUNTRY

OWEN DIEDIKER

DANCE

LILY MANNIS

SOPHOMORE SENIOR SENIOR

Q: Do you have a meet day ritual?

A: We have our lucky ducks. So we have rubber ducks and we bring it to every competition. It’s our good luck charms and we can bring as many as we want.

Q: What motivates you to keep going?

A: I just want to be one of the elite and so does everybody. And you know, this is my last year, maybe my last year in the sport, and I’m just shooting for the stars, you know.

Q: How is the season going so far?

A: I’m really excited for this year. I think that we’re gonna improve a lot this year. We have two new coaches and I’m super excited about them, we’re super strong. We’re getting more competitive this year. And I’m just so excited for that.

CHEER

LOGAN SIMMS

GOLF

MADDIE WEGMANN

SOCCER

SAM DELONG

SENIOR JUNIOR SENIOR

Q: What are your game day rituals?

A: We definitely like to listen to a lot of music, like scream on the bus rides on away games and stuff, and that’s really fun. We don’t have a lot of rituals, we kind of just go with the flow and just try to have fun songs.

Q: What motivates you to keep getting better?

A: Golf is kind of a life skill I guess, I mean I guess you won’t always need it but it’s always good to just be able to go out with people and have fun.

Q: Do you have anything that motivates you?

A: Yeah probably losing the state final last year and then winning it my sophomore year so hopefully we can be back to winning.

HELLO GOURD-GEOUS

Take a look at some fun fall pumpkin carving crafts with a variety of different designs. These fun designs are sure to make your porch spooky for this upcoming Halloween

By: Maya Gee

GHOST PUMPKINS

Materials:

• A pumpkin

• White and black acrylic paint

• A small paint brush

Directions:

1: Take your white acrylic paint and put a good amount of white paint on your thumb

2: Then press your thumb gently against the pumpkin and repeat that step all around the pumpkin

3: Let paint completely dry

4: Then take the small brush and paint faces on the white thumb prints

CLASSIC JACK O’ LANTERN

Materials:

• A big pumpkin

• A pumpkin carver

• A pumpkin scoop

• Washable marker

Directions:

1: Cut open the top of the pumpkin

2: Take out the guts of the pumpkin

3: Trace a face with washable marker

4: Cut the face out

MONSTER PUMPKIN

Materials:

• A big pumpkin

• A pumpkin carver

• A pumpkin scoop

• Washable marker

• Toothpicks

Directions:

1: Cut open the top of the pumpkin

2: Take out the guts of the pumpkin

3: Trace a face with washable marker

4: Cut the face out

5: Make sure to keep pumpkin scraps to use for the ears

6: Use remaining pumpkin pieces to make two ear shapes then stick into pumpkins with toothpicks

MUMMY PUMPKIN

Materials:

• Small pumpkin

• Toilet paper

• Tape

• Jumbo googly eyes

Directions:

1: Take two jumbo googly eyes eye’s and tape them on the pumpkin

2: Take the end of the toilet paper and put a piece of tape on the end and do small sections, once it rips put a piece of tape down and repeat until the mummy is fully covered except the eyes

PERSONALITY QUIZ: WHICH ENGLISH TEACHER AM I?

Do you ever wonder which teacher you are most like? Answer this quiz to find out.

By: Logan Kraft

1) Which color are you more drawn to?

A. Blue

B. Pink

C. Yellow

D. Light Blue

E. Purple

2) Which book or movie genre interests you the most?

A. Literary Fiction

B. Murder Mystery

C. Fantasy

D. Historical Nonfiction

E. Psychological Thrillers

3) Which childhood book sounds the most interesting?

A. Calvin and Hobbes

B. Goodnight Moon

C. The Great Brain

D. Magic Treehouse

E. Harry Potter

4) What would your guilty pleasure be?

A. Dorky Video games

B. Spending too much money on Starbucks

C. Competition cooking shows

D. Procrastination

E. Desserts

5) What would your final words be most similar to?

A. “Don’t try.“

B. “Thank you.“

C. “I love you.“

D. “See you on the other side.“

E. “I told you so.“

6) What place would you most like to visit?

A. Spain

B. Greece

C. Ireland

D. Thailand

E. Sweden

7) Which superpower sounds best?

A. Stealing other peoples powers

B. Mind reading

C. Empathy

D. Flying

E. Stop time to take a nap

8) Which music genre do you listen to the most?

A. Alternative

B. Country

C. Singer-songwriter

D. Indie

E. Pop

9) Where does your dream day take place?

A. Somewhere cold with friends

B. The beach

C. At home with my partner

D. On a mountain skiing

E. Disneyland

10) What fall activity interests you the most?

A. The last time I mow the lawn

B. Going to Louisburg Cider Mill

C. Having a fire pit

D. Going to a Football game

E. Going to the Pumpkin patch

ANSWER

KEY:

Lindsay Brownlee

Brownlee teaches sophomore on-level English and English

11: College Prep

Paige Parker

Reed Buckstead

Buckstead teaches English

11: Career Prep and English

11: College Prep

Mardy Ortman

Ortman teaches AP English Literature and AVID 12

Aaron Schwartz

Parker teaches sophomore on-level and honors English and coaches cheerleading and dive If you have mostly... As, you’re most like Aaron Schwartz. Bs, you’re most like Paige Parker. Cs, you’re most like Mardy Ortman. Ds, you’re most like Reed Buckstead. Es, you’re most like Lindsay Brownlee.

Schwartz teaches English 11: College Prep and AP English Literature