FAVORITE THINGS
A collection of photo stories told by the Harbinger’s 2025-26 photo staff
A MESSAGE from the editors
We can’t wait for everyone to see the topics our photo staff has chosen to cover and the hard work they put into producing these pages. Inside you will find a variety of photo stories focused on classes, extracurriculars, student life and more. Keep an eye out for more next year!
ABOVE Students walk into the Historic Municipal Auditorium before the junior varsity basketball game against Rockhurst High School on Jan. 30. photo by PAIGE BEAN
Scan this to view and purchase photos of all of our favorite parts about East SCAN ME PHOTO
Scan this to view the photography Instagram account of The Harbinger SCAN ME SOCIAL
CLASSES &
TEACHING as a
Teachers build meaningful relationships through collaboration and shared spaces that strengthen departments and student learning
TEAM
BELOW English teachers Hannah Kipp and Jennifer Hunter discuss Kipp’s lesson plan during their regular fourth-hour meeting in a shared fifth-floor workspace, also known as the ‘English Office’.
ABOVE The fourth floor science hall is lined with memes of chemistry teachers Susan Hallstrom and Jarrod Bardwell. The memes are created by chemistry students.
by VIVIEN
GLENSKI
Scan this to purchase and view more photos of teachers during in and outside of class
ABOVE Math teachers Ben Khank and Megan Dawson discuss their classroom plans during their department’s daily lunch meeting. The math department meets regularly to collaborate on lessons, share strategies, and build stronger connections that help both teachers and students.
ABOVE An edited photo of Social Studies teachers created by Jacob Penner during a professional development day hangs outside room 314. AP U.S.
History teacher Alexander Henton displays the poster, recognizing the department as voted “best” for the 2025–26 school year.
photo
SCAN ME PHOTO
photo by VIVIEN GLENSKI
photo by VIVIEN GLENSKI
photo by EMMA WEIDMAN
The FAIDS –– Fashion Apparel, Interior Design and Studio –– department offers six classes, allowing students to express their creativity through projects
Senior Ava
uses the serger machine –– which finishes fabric edges in one step by cutting and sewing at the same time –– to help senior Andi Prendiville finish the serger page of her technique book. Apparel 1 students make technique books with each page for different stitching techniques, these pages are used as examples for the rest of the semester.
LEFT The FAIDS room during 6th hour is home to three classes including Interior Design, Apparel 1, and Studio.
ABOVE Junior Anna Boren uses a MIFUSE – Multi-Angle Miter Shear Cutter –for cutting popsicle sticks. Boren cut popsicle sticks for the roof of her model house in Interior Design.
Scan this to purchase and view more photos of students learning within the FAIDS classes
SCAN ME PHOTO
photo by SYLVIE DEGALAN
ABOVE
Perez
photo by SYLVIE DEGALAN
ABOVE Senior Alice Ribeiro sews a matching set using recycled fabric. photo by RJ KORDALSKI
photo by SYLVIE DEGALAN
BEHIND
Students learn to speak fluent Spanish or French in their world language classes at SM East
The Lens Language
“It
ABOVE Senior Sammy Gibbs, sophomore Salem Wilson-Head and sophomore Emerson Suever sit on the ground in the 5th-floor hallway during their Spanish class, while drawing a house. photo by MOLLY MCDERMED
BELOW Sophomores Claire Martin and Ana Schafer bake a Bûche de Noël, a traditional rolled French “Yule Log” cake, for their French 4 annual bake-off competition. photo by FRANCESCA LORUSSO
BELOW Junior Anastasia Flower cuts out a mask made of paper for the class’s celebration of Mardi Gras. photo by GRAHAM GEHEB
RIGHT Junior Lila Scruggs colors her home for her Spanish 2 class.
was a group project where we designed our own houses and labeled them in Spanish,” Scruggs said. photo by GRAHAM GEHEB
by REPAIRING REPAIRING
BELOW Senior Julian Le Riche glances at junior Asa Racine after fixing the air filter within the car engine. “[Auto shop] has been a way for me to learn about cars and also hang out with my friends,” Le Riche said.
photo by MOLLY MCDERMED
Auto shop teacher Brian Gay and junior Nathan Bartlow use a box-end wrench to repair the tight suspensions on Mr. Gay’s Nissan Titan truck. “Seeing my students’ sense of accomplishment when something’s fixed and getting to help them achieve that is my favorite part of teaching,” Gay said.
BREWING
Senior Avie Koeneman prepares a Valentine’s Day drink for the coffee shop’s seasonal menu. The coffee shop changes its menu for special events which include seasons and holidays.
RIGHT The coffee shop staff and teacher
Amanda Doane lock up the shop as they close.
“My favorite part of the coffee shop is that there is a place for every single person here. It’s not just for one type of person, it is for everyone,”
Doane said. “All age groups, all interests and all types of friends are brought together by coffee.”
photo by LIV RUECKER
Senior Sarah Stein mixes lemonade with cherry syrup to make a cherry lemonade.
“Coffee shop has been so amazing to do my senior year, as it helped me get involved and interact with students in different grades who I would have never met or interacted with,” Stein said. “It’s a good way to stay connected in the school, and see what everyone’s up to.”
by
LIV RUECKER
Scan this to purchase and view more photos of
and
ABOVE Juniors Owen Wagstaff and Spencer Thornhill work the coffee cart during second hour. Students in the special education classes have the opportunity to work in the coffee shop, to learn a skill. “The kids [in the special education classes and coffee shop staff] have a really strong connection. They really love each other,” teacher Amanda Doane said, “so much love, caring and planning goes into the program.”
Senior Sarah
and teacher
after the coffee shop closes about a new menu item’s success. “I think something that people may not realize is that it is one hundred percent student run,” said Doane. “Every recipe and drink is a student made recipe, students make decisions, and the students run all of our finances.”
by AVA TOWNER
students
staff bonding in Columbia Brew
RIGHT
photo
ABOVE
Stein
Amanda Doane talk
photo
RIGHT
photo by AVA TOWNER
photo by AVA TOWNER
MORE MERCH
than
The Student Store helps build leadership and communication skills for high schoolers
LEFT Senior Ellie
Moilanen peels off the vinyl top sheet of the Beat Rock design while simultaneously using a Cricut scraper to seal the vinyl words to the shirt after pressing it.
photo by MOLLY SCOTT
SCAN ME PHOTO
Scan this to purchase and view more photos of the Student Store
TOP RIGHT
The Conrad and Morrissey families pose for a photo with their matching Christmas shirts during a student store holiday party. Seniors LJ Morrissey and Cate Conrad are cousins and work in the store together.
photo by MOLLY SCOTT
TOP LEFT Junior Arlo Mai works on Beat Rock shirts to help the student store staff with the flood of orders. Mai helps during his marketing class in order to make an impression on the student store teacher, as he interviewed and will be on staff next year.
photo by
SADIE JOLICOEUR
MIDDLE Senior Charlotte Wissel shows her older sister and SM East parent Lora Garrison the holiday shirts she made for them. “I made them both shirts of their dogs, and I made Mrs. Garrison a shirt of me and [SM East alum] Francie [Garrison] when we were little,” Wissel said. Garrison attended the holiday party with Wissel because her parents were out of town. The Garrisons and Wissels are close friends and neighbors.
photo by MOLLY SCOTT
BOTTOM LEFT Hanging up inside the store there are many different hoodies with varying designs.
photo by SADIE JOLICOEUR
EXTRACURRICULARS EXTRACURRICULARS
Take a look at how the student body chooses to spend their time outside the classroom
BELOW Junior Ellie Burgess pulls down the tablecloth that covers the swim and dive Lancer Day float, to paint a wave along the side.
photo by ADDIE CLARK
PRESSED FOR TIME TIME
The Hauberk and The Harbinger alternate Wednesday nights to stay after school to publish the newspaper and complete the yearbook
BELOW Seniors Luciana Mendy, Libby Marsh and Sophia Brockmeier grab vegetables from dinner delivered to bi-weekly Harbinger deadlines. Parents of staff members take turns supplying food for deadline.
photo by AVRA WELLING
Scan this to purchase and view more photos of the Hauberk late nights and Harbinger deadlines
BELOW Junior Grace Pei receives advice from para-educator Bill Bell during deadline on her English paper, “he was editing my spread for issue nine” Pei said. Bell was a reporter with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and student taught the journalism department last year.
photo by AVRA WELLING
ABOVE Junior Catherine Sullivan ties senior Juliana Jamison’s Hamilton dress during the Halloween late night. Sullivan and Jamison frequently listen to the Hamilton soundtrack in the backroom of the journalism wing. photo by PAIGE BEAN
ABOVE Sophomores Paige Wildman and Mia Irwin look for mistakes in spelling and names while proofing the sports pages and club photos of the yearbook. photo by ANASTASIA FLOWER
SHARE
SHARE is a student-led organization that allows students to lead and volunteer
WEALTH the
Scan the QR code to purchase and view more photos from SHARE
SCAN ME PHOTO
RIGHT Senior Bella Broce speaks to a fellow SHARE Executive while volunteering at the fruit station at the Johnson County Christmas Bureau. photo by CHARLOTTE WALTON
RIGHT Senior Brock Rider performs “Piano Man” by Billy Joel during his Mr. Cansas act. He invited his younger brother on stage to wrestle.
photo by SYLVIE DEGALAN
ABOVE Junior Lauren Mercer gets her blood drawn during the Blood Drive on Feb 28. photo by EVELYN GEHEB
RIGHT SHARE Chairs Sylvie Degalan, Addie Clark, and Anne Bowser host a Service Seminar on January 27 for KC Angels. photo by CHARLOTTE WALTON
RIGHT SHARE Executives Sawyer Chapman, Charlotte Wissel, Georgie Boyd, Maile Tormohlen, Davis Eakes, Luke Taylor and Vivian Fraley sit on the couch in the SHARE room during second hour. photo by CHARLOTTE WALTON
ELECTI N
Commotion
Students interested in leading their peers campaign as student body and class officer elections
Scan this to purchase and view more photos of students running for student council positions
explaining his role next year and how he is campaigning around the school.
ran for student body secretary and senior class secretary, which he will be next year.
ABOVE Junior Vada Walsh passes out ‘Vote Vada’ stickers to juniors Charlotte Hardy, Hannah Klumpp, and Eleanor Peattie. photo by MAGGIE ROGERS
RIGHT Junior Ben Lewis speaks to sophomore Alex Harden
Lewis
photo by ALLIE BEAULIEU
BELOW Juniors Vada Walsh and Burt Sheets promote themselves during Student Body elections by writing on white boards in the journalism room. photo by ALLIE BEAULIEU
BELOW Sophomores Emily Enger and Charlie Harris talk about the competitions for each grade level position. Harris is currently the freshman vice president, running for sophomore vice president. photo by ALLIE BEAULIEU
& DINE DINE RISE RISE
Once a month Breakfast Club meets during late start on Thursdays to make and eat breakfast together
LEFT Sophomores Dave Williams, Henley Ganz, Stella Fredrickson, juniors Ava Slocum, Grace Deschaine and freshman Francie Stedry stand around a table eating waffles. Their March meeting was hosted in sponsor Susan Hallstrom’s room, where they brought fruit, orange juice and made waffles. Deschaine, one of the club officers, said “we had a lot of people and there were some that do not normally come – so that was fun.”
LEFT Juniors Charlotte Hardy and Maci Grecian laugh after a Chick-Fil-A worker gave Grecian twelve packets of sauce with her meal.
Scan this to purchase and view more photos of students meeting and leading the breakfast club
photo by LAYLA LOVE
ABOVE Junior Charlotte Reintjes unboxes her hash browns. photo by LAYLA LOVE
FAR
SCAN ME PHOTO
photo by ADDIE CLARK
ABOVE Juniors Ellie Burgess, Maci Grecian, Charlotte Hardy and sophomore Harper Pendleton sit together and converse while eating breakfast. Breakfast Club hosted their January meeting at Chick-Fil-A during BEAT ROCK week to encourage students and help East win the competition.
photo by ADDIE CLARK
STUDENT
life
life
Student life encompasses all aspects of a student’s journey, not only clubs and classes, but fun as well
ABOVE Junior Ellie Burgess dances to ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” in front of the DJ booth. photo by FRANCESCA LORUSSO
The SM East Pep Club is run by senior Pep Executives Luke Taylor, Georgia Boyd, Hudson Weaver, LJ Morrissey, Andrew Rhodes, Campbell Aldredge and Grant Kimmel
PEPPED
BELOW Seniors Charlie Hoskins and Andrew Rhodes celebrate after Hoskins eliminated the last Sweetheart court candidate in a “snatch the wig” competition. The competition was held at the end of the Sweetheart Pep assembly.
The Pep Executives meet in the library conference room during their seminar hour to plan what is coming up for the club.
Scan this to purchase and view more photos of Pep Club and Executives
UP
RIGHT Seniors Luke Taylor and Andrew Rhodes cheer with the student section after junior Chase Jehle catches a touchdown to tie the Lancer Day football game against Olathe Northwest, late in the fourth quarter. photo by RJ KORDALSKI
ABOVE Freshmen Austin and Jack Durbin compete Link Day started with a pep assembly to introduce
RIGHT
photo by ADDIE CLARK
SCAN ME PHOTO
photo by SOPHIA CICERO
SUPERFAN SUPERFAN
Leaderboard ranking system for those who attend SM East events
You have to check-in with the app once you arrive at the location
is
The top five students are awarded at the end of the semester
ELLIOTT COWDEN SENIOR
I WANTED TO go to as many [events] as possible. I always enjoy, going out and supporting either my friends or my fellow classmates. I enjoyed watching sports too, so it was like a win-win.
LEFT The Pep Executives walk in front of the student section as they lead students to their seats before the Homecoming football game against SM North starts. The theme was black-out and the SM East student store made jerseys for the game that students purchased the week before.
by TYLER RUSSELL
LEFT After receiving Superfan of the month, senior Elliot Cowden was rewarded with the opportunity to pie in the face anyone in the room. He smashed it in Principal Jason Peres’s face. photo by SYLVIE DEGALAN
LEFT The Pep Executives give their Lancer Day speech during the rally in the Prairie Village shopping center after the completion of the Lancer Day parade. The Pep Executives spent their morning having a group breakfast, followed by heading down to the shopping center to prepare for the rally.
photo by WILL
GRIFFITH
photo
compete in a wheelbarrow race in the auxiliary gym on Link Day during a sibling relay race. introduce the freshmen to what East
all about. photo by WILL GRIFFITH
THE MEMORIES
THE MEMORIES
Sports provide athletes with more than practices and games, they provide traditions and friendships that athletes will cherish for a lifetime
linger on
LEFT Senior Trey Pendleton is cheered on by his coaches and teammates before the announcer introduces the starting lineup in his last home basketball game.
BELOW Senior Grant Kimmel looks at the state championship trophy with senior Luke Sinatra. This was the 18th swim state championship and 113th overall for SM East, giving them the school with the most 6A state championships in the state.
BELOW Seniors Harper Beck and Jane Rasmussen sing the school song at an assembly celebrating Varsity Lancer Dancer’s state championship.
RIGHT Senior Brock Rider celebrates on the sideline after senior Jack Reeves’s game-winning feld goal as team manager and senior Woodsie Wetzel holds back teammates to avoid a penalty. photo by WILL GRIFFITH
Abby Jackson and junior Sahana James hug while she delivers her fowers on cheer senior night.
photo by SOPHIA CICERO
photo by SOPHIA CICERO
photo by WILL GRIFFITH
photo by WILL
design by SOPHIA CICERO & WILL GRIFFITH
12 STUDENT LIFE UNDER
Lancers come together in student sections
of varsity sports throughout all seasons
THE
LIGHTS
FAR
Officer Tony
holds up a sign reading “Get Loud or Go to Jail” to the student section during their Homecoming football game against Nut Cup rival Shawnee Mission North. After his final week of a 35-year career as the Campus School Resource Officer, Woollen decided to celebrate his last football game at East.
Scan this to purchase and view more photos of student sections
RIGHT Lancers watch the varsity cheerleaders perform their routine during a timeout during a football game versus Shawnee Mission North for the Nut Cup. photo by FRANCESCA LORUSSO
TOP Senior Dexter Stephens leads the Lancers in their victory chant during the first quarter of a basketball game versus Lawrence Freestate. photo by FRANCESCA LORUSSO
ABOVE Seniors Hank Hendon, Barrett Tegtmeier, Luke Sinatra, Declan Millett, Cade Wildman and Elliott Cowden cheer for senior quarterback Jack Reeves’ first touchdown of the Homecoming football game. Reeves had a 70-yard rushing touchdown. photo by TYLER RUSSELL
RIGHT
Woollen
photo by FRANCESCA LORUSSO
BELOW Freshman Kennedy Garwood hugs her sister, East Alumna Macy Garwood, as they take a selfie during a Lancer Football game versus SM North. Macy Garwood graduated the year prior with the class of 2025. photo by FRANCESCA LORUSSO
BELOW Freshman Jack Durbin swims the 200-yard freestyle with a seed time of 2.03.65. Durbin places third overall with a time of 2.03.36, gaining six points for SM East. photo by WILL
BELOW Juniors Cole Person, junior Emmet Lynch and senior Barrett Tegtmeier celebrate senior Luke Sinatra’s freestyle fnish in the 200m medley where senior Luke Sinatra fnished the race in frst for the Lancers. photo by
ABOVE Junior Emmet Lynch signals to his team mate, sophomore Hampton Boyd that he is on his 15th lap out of 20 for the 500-yard freestyle. Boyd got frst place with a time of 5:48:45. photo by
swimmingJUST KEEP
The boys swim team secured a frst place win at state due to their depth and motivation from a strong bond
WILL GRIFFITH
CHARLOTTE WALTON
ABOVE Senior Hank Hendon holds up the state championship trophy in front of the team and celebrates, shaking it up and down in front of the podium. photo by WILL GRIFFITH
GRIFFITH
Scan this to read and view more about the boys swim and dive team
SCAN ME GALLERY
PHOTOS YEAR YEAR YEAR IN
LEFT Sophomores Charlotte Taylor and Sydney Feldman get excited to walk with the tennis foat on Lancer Day. photo by AVRA WELLING
BOTTOM LEFT Junior Nathan Bartlow works on a used car in auto-tech with his friends. In auto tech, students work to repair used cars every week. photo by SOPHIA CICERO
RIGHT Junior and lights chief Storm Vontz smiles as she directs the spotlight onto junior Tori Roland during the musical rehearsal of Bye Bye Birdie. Vontz said her favorite part about being lights chief is how “timing the lighting just right [adds] to the comedic efect. And I love being able to have that part.”
photo by SYLVIE DEGALAN
LEFT Junior Landon Callenbach is lifted up by other SM East students. He was crowdsurfng to the song “Get it Sexyy” by Sexyy Red. Junior Anne Bowser had requested this song. photo by SYLVIE DEGALAN
ABOVE Teacher Miles Martin demonstrates the procedure for a trial in a velocity lab for his physics class.
photo by AVA TOWNER
design by EVELYN BAGLEY
STAFF LIST STAFF LIST
HEAD EDITORS
Paige Bean
Will Griffith
assistant editors
Addie Clark
Ava Towner
Tyler Russell
promotion manager photo mentors
Anastasia Flower
Francesca Lorusso
Molly Scott
Sylvie DeGalan
Vivien Glenski
Molly McDermed
Sophia Cicero
We appreciate you taking the time to view our issue of The Harbinger’s photo magazine. Our staff’s hard work shines through their pages and photographs. To support us moving forward, follow along online by scanning the QR code or heading to smeharbinger. net/category/photos/
staff photographers
Allie Beaulieu
Avra Welling
Bella Thompson
Charlotte Walton
Emma Weidman
Evelyn GrahamGehebGeheb
Layla Love
Liv Ruecker
Maggie Rogers
RJ Kordalski
Sadie Jolicoeur
Juniors Anne Bowser and Hallie Pfeiffer
photo by ADDIE CLARK
Zac Russell