A LOOK
THE HARBINGER
SHAWNEE MISSION EAST
7500 MISSION ROAD
PRAIRIE VIL LAGE, KS 66208
APRIL 14 , 2025
VOLUME LXVII
CLEAN STATE STATE A
14
The opioid crisis affects communities as opioid-related deaths decrease in Kansas due to improved treatments and grant funding
02 THE HARBINGER
APRIL 14, 2025
design by libby marsh cover design by sophia brockmeier cover photos by clara peters
staff list
VIDEO EDITORS
Alex Sajna
PRINT EDITORS
Avery Anderson
Addie Moore
ONLINE EDITORS
Larkin Brundige
Connor Vogel
ASST. PRINT EDITORS
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Libby Marsh
ASST. ONLINE EDITORS
Luciana Mendy
Lucy Stephens
HEAD COPY EDITOR
Ada Lillie Worthington
ASST. HEAD COPY EDITORS
Libby Marsh
Luciana Mendy
HEAD PHOTO EDITORS
Caroline Martucci
Molly Miller
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Will Griffith
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STAFF ARTISTS
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Mason Sajna
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DESIGN EDITOR
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SECTION EDITORS EDITORIAL
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OPINION
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editorial policy
The Harbinger is a student run publication. Published editorials express the views of the Harbinger staff. Signed columns published in the Harbinger express the writer’s personal opinion. The content and opinions of the Harbinger do not represent the student body, faculty, administration or Shawnee Mission School District. The Harbinger will not share any unpublished content, but quotes material may be confirmed with the sources. The Harbinger encourages letters to the editors, but reserves the right to reject them for reasons including but not limited to lack of space, multiple letters of the same topic and personal attacks contained in the letter. The Harbinger will not edit content though letters may be edited for clarity, length or mechanics. Letters should be sent to room 400 or emailed to smeharbinger@gmail.com.
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art by francesca lorusso
Redistributing donations isn’t the solution for funding inequality across SMSD schools
EVERYONE LOVES A good Robin Hood story — take from the rich and give to the poor. But in the Shawnee Mission School District, redistributing donations doesn’t restore balance, it only moves money around without considering the bigger picture.
In SMSD, private donations are the biggest contributor to inequality in funding. Over the past three years, SM East’s feeder schools have received $2.15 million in private donations, much of it from community fundraisers and local families. That money paid for new textbooks, four private study pods and even classroom aides.
Meanwhile, the other four SMSD high schools received a combined $704,000.
That’s not loose change. It’s a $1.4 million difference.
It may seem like the obvious solution is to redistribute donations evenly among the five high schools and their feeder schools. Easy, right? Wrong.
Redistributing donations doesn’t actually fix the problem — it’s just a band-aid for the much larger issue: public schools shouldn’t need to rely on private donations to fill funding gaps in the first place.
But instead of asking why schools are so desperate for outside funding, the district has formed a fairness-fighting task force: three board members with a mission to “protect equity” and “community spirit” by investigating private donation policies. But that’s trying to treat a symptom without addressing the root cause.
Today, the board of education plans to review a draft of a policy preventing private donations from funding staff positions at a workshop meeting. But the district has been investigating private funding since June 2024 — at this rate, school funding will be equal in no less than 20 years.
Taking money from East to give to the other
SMSD schools sounds great on paper, but it risks shrinking total funding district-wide. Don’t bring down East to bring up other schools — that doesn’t help East or North or Northwest or South or West.
Donations are personal. Families donate because they want to support their child’s school and their community. If those donations were suddenly going to other schools instead, people might limit their donations or cut contributions altogether.
The fact that East’s feeder schools receive 75% of total district donations does affect student outcomes. It’s not a coincidence that East students who consistently score higher on standardized tests have more resources. In 2022, East’s average ACT score was 23.5, while the other four high schools had average scores between 19.3 and 21.5, according to the Johnson County Post. A fourpoint difference can change a student’s college options, scholarship opportunities and future.
Part of this scoring gap can be attributed to the median household income in the East area being, according to United States Zip Codes, $83,860, compared to $57,929 for SM West. Families in the East area are more likely to afford private tutoring and test prep.
Nobody’s saying unequal funding isn’t a problem. It’s not fair that some students get fresh new books and study pods while others are reusing textbooks. But that’s not East’s or donating parents’ fault. It’s the system’s.
SMSD schools receive financing through public funding, local property taxes and mostly perpupil state funding. But, according to the Kansas Association of School Boards, when adjusted for inflation, the total per-pupil funding is only slightly higher than in 2009. Just “keeping up with inflation” isn’t enough when considering labor costs, building costs and school programs.
On top of that, Kansas’s per-pupil funding is over 10% below the U.S. average as of 2023, according to the Kansas Association of School Boards. Our funding is increasing at a slower rate than the national average.
No wonder East relies on private donations to pay for staff positions and educational materials.
But trying to redistribute money is nothing more than a distraction. Real fairness won’t come from just taking money from one school to give to another — it’ll come when we stop blaming private donations for the cracks in the system of public school funding.
As a community, we should push for fairer funding from the state. That means we need to be asking lawmakers to increase funding and ensure it’s being spent the right way — not just to meet inflation, but to match the real costs of running a 21st-century public school. Parents, students and teachers need to speak up at board meetings and contact Kansas representatives. A donation policy isn’t the answer to equity — real equity has to be fought for through laws, budgets and real action.
Until then, let’s stop pretending this game of Robin Hood solves anything — and start fixing the broken system that made him necessary.
closet exchange program news
ON MARCH 14, Plato’s Closet at 6620 Johnson Drive broke their donation record by giving a retail estimate of almost $30,000 in clothes to the Broadmoor Boutique: a clothing store at SM North where SMSD families can shop free of cost.
Plato’s Closet owner and SM North graduate Jill Moxley explained she’s looked for ways to donate and give back to her SMSD community, ultimately landing on the Broadmoor Boutique.
“I know that lots of people are struggling financially right now,” Moxley said. “We thought it would be a blessing to students and families and we were so grateful that the Broadmoor Boutique said yes.”
To start, they bought almost $600,000 of clothes from members in the surrounding area in the hopes it
The Mission location of Plato’s Closet made a record high $30,000 donation to the SMSD Broadmoor Boutique
was spent at other local businesses, according to Moxley.
While Plato’s Closet donates everything from gift cards for school auctions at SM North and purchasing ads in the Harbinger, their donation to the Broadmoor Boutique is the largest one yet.
Moxley stated that at Plato’s, clothes typically go through two to three price markdowns before being gifted to a charitable cause. But in the case of this donation, Plato’s gave the clothes away immediately.
“After items have gone through several clearance cycles, they get kind of picked over,” Moxley said. “So when we make a donation, it’s a big deal because there’s been a lot of staffing and energy and effort that’s gone into every single item.”
Plato’s Closet also employs the highest number of eighth grade
ON MARCH 21, the Department of State announced that due to budget cuts, African exchange students from nine countries won’t be able to visit and stay with their East host families.
SMSD Job Skills Trainer Kathleen Frederick said she was heartbroken that for the first time in over a decade, African exchange students would be unable to visit.
“It took me four days before I could write back to Global Ties, because I was so disappointed,” SMSD Job Skills Trainer Kathleen Frederick said. “I had tickets on [May] 19th to take two girls to a Current game and I had tickets on the 13th to take two other students to a Sporting KC game.”
For over eight years, PAYLP has paired exchange students with host families from Kansas City so African
RECENT NATIONAL NEWS TIMELINE
students in the surrounding area to teach them time management skills, proper business etiquette and interpersonal skills, Moxley said.
One employee is East sophomore Lauren Gantt who has worked for Plato’s closet for the last year and a half.
Gantt said she wouldn’t want to work anywhere else during high school because of these generous donations. Gantt calls her coworkers her second family.
Giving the Lancer community a voice
“If I didn’t work at Plato’s, I feel like my life would be stagnant,” Gantt said. “Plato’s closet has made me realize that I do enjoy working in customer service and I’d like to pursue that as a future career because when I get to meet and talk to people it makes me feel happy. And hopefully, I make them happy.”
The Global Ties Pan-African Youth Leadership Program was canceled after budget cuts at the State Department
students can visit the U.S. free of charge.
But for the second year, PAYLP has encountered problems with sending students to the U.S.
In the spring of 2024, 35 students from nine countries in Africa entered a quarantine for 12 days after a traveler on their flight became ill with Measles.
Fortunately, students spent two days with their host families before returning home, but it wasn’t the same as the two weeks volunteers had initially planned, as activities had to be cut short or eliminated altogether.
Frederick said that after the last trip didn’t go as planned, she and other volunteers hoped to redeem themselves with a similar itinerary
APRIL 2
and the same host families this year.
Since the majority of host families are composed of seniors this year, they won’t get the opportunity to host again due to graduation.
Senior and exchange student host in 2024, Nick True wished he had more time to hang out with his Namibian exchange student from last year — Cally Simushi Imwaka. But as he’s going to college next year, he won’t get the chance.
“It’s really fun to find out about their culture and how they live and view the world coming from an entirely different country,” True said.
“He walks six miles along a river to get to school and I found that incredibly inspiring that he was willing to put in that work just to get to school and be able to learn.”
Trump announced several new tariffs including a 25% tariff on cars, trucks and some auto parts.
8:06 P.M. APRIL 1
This is when Senator Cody Booker finished his 25 hour speech criticizing the Trump administration, breaking the record for longest speech in the chamber’s history.
APRIL 7
The Ohio River is predicted to crest over 60 feet. Roads are closed off due to the severe floods.
Q: Have you ever been shopping at Plato’s Closet?
A: I’ve gone a couple of times. I went with my friends, and we were looking for New Year’s Eve outfits super spur of the moment, like last day, and it was crazy how much we found there, really almost everyone left with something they were wearing and it was nice stuff. I feel like you have to go in there looking for something specific. So I was looking for jeans, and I spent time there looking for them, and I got a pair of Levi’s.
Q: Have you ever been shopping at Plato’s Closet?
A: The first time I went, I was with one of my friends, and we were trying to find the ugliest dresses we could. So we went through all the dresses and tried on a bunch. But while I was there, I found a Love Shack Fancy dress for $13 and bought it.
design by kai mcphail
A FEW STEPS
An executive order signed by President Trump eliminates affirmative action requirements for federal contractors
story by larkin brun dige
BACK A FEW STEPS BACK
PRESIDENT DONALD
TRUMP signed an executive order ending equal opportunity policies for federal employees in January. Now, parents in the SM East community worry the order will lead to a less diverse workforce.
The old policy required the implementation of affirmative action programs for women and minorities by federal contractors. These programs promoted diversity in workplaces and opportunities for minorities.
Federal and state law prohibit segregation under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. But contractors who receive funds from the federal government must comply with executive orders. Under Trump’s order, these contractors are no longer allowed to hire based on a person’s race, gender or sexual orientation.
AP Government teacher Benjamin Hendricks says the removal of the order benefits businesses. Companies can hire the most qualified candidate for the job instead of hiring based on diversity requirements.
“You can look at it in the context of how our government has gotten incredibly large and overbearing,” Hendricks said. “When you walk into a company and there’s a diverse population there, that’s a good thing
WHAT THIS
for most people. So does the government need to force people to do it, or will they do it naturally from public pressure?”
Most businesses aren’t federal contractors and won’t have to follow the executive order. But if a company works on a project for the federal government, it’s
I THINK THERE is a tendency for people to naturally seek out people that look like them and talk like them and have experience like them in their hiring. I personally am a believer of having [diversity], I think it does add the diverse set of backgrounds or voices on a team.
JUSTIN ANDERSON EAST PARENT
There was no written policy about diversity in the office, but Anderson said Sprint encouraged employees from different backgrounds to be involved in the hiring process.
“I’m concerned about some of the messages with [the executive order],” Anderson said. “I think there is a tendency for people to naturally seek out people that look like them and talk like them and have experience like them in their hiring. I personally am a believer of having [diversity], I think it does add the diverse set of backgrounds or voices on a team.”
it was a DEI hire.”
Obama aimed to reward contractors who pushed for diversity in the business place, while President Trump wants businesses to hire based on merit rather than diversity according to Nail.
considered a federal contractor. Companies such as Microsoft, Cerner and AT&T are all examples of federal contractors.
East parent and former Sprint employee Justin Anderson recalls being trained to not ask about physical capabilities, gender or sexual preference when interviewing potential employees.
However, Molly Nail, a Johnson County resident and partner of Chinnery Evans and Nail law firm, said the removal of the policy seems to target former President Barack Obama’s order from 2015. Obama’s order added gender identity as a protected class that contractors aren’t allowed to discriminate against. The policy had already included race as a protected class.
“[The administration] is trying to reverse affirmative action,” Nail said. “Most of these government contracts are with gigantic corporations that are led by white men. It’s just a way to reward male white businesses so they don’t have to appear or
“He says [the workers] are going to be merit-based,” Nail said. “Which leads everyone to believe that the only reason why the woman got the job, the black person or the transgender person got the job was because they were labeled as such. It wasn’t merit-based, it was only because
What Trump’s change in the Segregation Clause means for America
President Trump has removed the policy that enforces federal contractors to have affirmative action programs in place for their minority workers. These federal contractors now hire based on the employee’s experience rather than previous diversity requirements.
THE HARBINGER
MIND THE GAP
story by luciana mendy
DECREASED FUNDING FOR special education, as well as cuts to teacher-focused programs such as professional development were passed by the Kansas Senate through House Bill 2007 on March 18. Though the bill has been passed, it still needs to be signed into law by Governor Laura Kelly.
Last year, the Kansas legislature invested an additional $72 million to the $601 million annually allocated by the state to fund SPED in K-12 schools for the current school year. The state planned to do the same in following years. However, this bill reduces the increase to only $10 million for SPED for the upcoming year.
The superintendents of the three largest school districts in Johnson County — Olathe, Shawnee Mission and Blue Valley — sent a joint letter to Kansas legislators expressing concern for the bill. The original $601 million hasn’t been enough for the past few years, and the bill’s advancement is still too little, according to the joint letter.
“This failure to adequately increase SPED funding forces our districts to make damaging choices,” the superintendents wrote in the letter. “We must divert even more dollars away from general operations, core classroom instruction and vital student programs to fulfill the obligation left by the unfulfilled commitment and budget shortfall. This is not sustainable.”
In Kansas, the state is required to cover 92% of the school districts’ SPED costs, and
the districts are obliged by law to meet the needs of students receiving SPED services. However, according to the Kansas Association of Special Education Administrators, 2010 was the last year the 92% requirement was met.
To make up for this lack of funding, Kansas school districts transfer millions away from other student services. This year SMSD has allocated around $66 million for SPED, but to do so, SMSD had to transfer around $22.6 million away from operational funds that would otherwise be used for things like employee salaries and raises, supplies and administrative costs. Since 2022, the three largest Johnson County school districts combined have transferred $230.3 million towards their SPED programs.
“That difference [between what the state gives and what is needed] can grow bigger and bigger because the amount that the state’s contributing isn’t meeting all of the other inflation pieces in the economy,” SMSD budget manager Allison Staroski said. “So if they don’t keep increasing that dollar amount, like what we’re seeing for next year, well,$10 million of $600 [million] isn’t going to meet the inflation of the economy.”
later this month. According to Staroski, the district is keeping an eye on the legislation and is prepared to make necessary changes to the budget if the bill becomes law.
The bill also includes direct cuts to multiple teacher-focused programs such as professional development, the Mentor Teacher Program and the Teacher Excellence Program. However, according to Shawnee Mission superintendent Michael Schumacher, it’s uncertain whether the Board of Education will approve of a possible redirection of funds to make up for those cuts.
THESE CUTS WILL hurt some districts more than others but for us things like professional development and our ability to give sufficient raises are very important to keeping teachers.
MICHAEL SCHUMACHER SMSD SUPERINTENDENT
The SMSD is concerned with the effect the possible passing of HB 2007 — a new budget bill — will have on the quality of education they can provide students
more than others, but for us, things like professional development and our ability to give sufficient raises are very important to keeping teachers,” Schumacher said. “And the constant transfer of funds makes it harder for us to further develop our programming for students and teachers.”
In the superintendents’ joint letter, they also addressed “false narratives” of other potential solutions to fill the shortfall — one of which was the use of the Local Option Budget instead of transferring money from operational funds. The LOB is a fund generated from local property taxpayers to meet local needs, however, according to Schumacher, it was not meant to fund SPED.
“Taxpayers contribute to that budget and we don’t get to just decide to use that money for SPED instead,” Schumacher said. “It’s not really a solution to the problem because it’s just shifting the burden and putting that burden on our community.”
Last year, the Kansas legislature moved closer to the requirement of 92% funding with the $72 million advancement, but didn’t meet it. The state typically only funds roughly 60-70% of SPED, according to Staroski.
The SMSD budget proposal for the 202526 school year is currently being drafted and will be presented to the Board of Education
These cuts to teacher support programs, along with the district having less available funds for potential raises due to diverting funds, can create a larger problem when trying to recruit and retain quality teachers, according to Schumacher.
“These cuts will hurt some districts
Though the bill has been passed in Congress, the bill won’t be considered law until Governor Laura Kelly signs it, but she will have the opportunity to veto the bill. Schumacher doesn’t know what Kelly plans to do or when the bill could be signed but he is prepared to work with either situation.
“We believe that public schools are economic boosts towards the community and that our district being able to work at its full extent is important to Shawnee Mission and its community,” Schumacher said. “So I would just want students to know that we are fighting for that.”
by tillie paisner art by preston hooker
EASTOFOPPORTUNITY
EAST
Proposed revisions to the SMSD community funding policy will be discussed at the upcoming board meeting on April 14 story by libby marsh
AREVISED VERSION of the Shawnee Mission School District’s community funding policy will be presented to the school board at the April 14 Board Workshop. The policy will mainly affect community-funded positions, including aides and interventionists.
The revised policy stems from a task force consisting of board members Jamie Borgman, David Westbrook and Jessica Hembree to investigate disparities in donations across SMSD. It was created in 2024 and determined that the SM East feeder area has more donations than all other SMSD high school feeder schools combined.
This new policy will add more steps and a new evaluation procedure for communityfunded staff members. The revised policy will require schools requesting aides to go through the district and the proposed position will be evaluated based on a rubric.
This rubric grades the positions based on how they align with the district initiatives, the need for the position and school-wide support.
The position of SHARE coordinator is considered an aide position and, therefore, one funded by donations. Erin Billingsley and Sheryl Kaplan fill this position and have spoken at board meetings to advocate for the necessity of this role.
“The change would be that they’re adding a different procedure for requesting community-funded positions,” Billingsley said. “And so they’re not eliminating them, which was kind of initially what we were all worried about.”
According to Billingsley, the position of SHARE coordinator will be approved by the district based on this rubric, meaning they’ll
POSITIONS
Positions
hold their roles going forward.
Aides are staff members who help with administrative tasks, teaching classes and helping students. Interventionists assist students who are struggling in math or reading to get them to grade level in those subjects.
“We are committed to providing the best educational experiences for all students,”
The district said in the application for community-funded positions. “Doing so involves allocation of resources from a District-wide perspective and in the most equitable manner possible.”
The Prairie Fund, Prairie Elementary’s parent-run fundraising organization, was founded in 2003 to pay for additional staff positions that were being defunded by the district. The school currently has a reading interventionist and the vice chairman of the Prairie Fund Andrew Wymore believes that the interventionists at Prairie will pass the requirements.
Wymore supports the proposal to the policy, as it primarily formalizes the process of approving and funding additional staff positions.
The task force argued that schools with aides show a disparity in funding. But, Wymore disagrees with this idea.
According to Wymore, the district evaluates the number of district-funded additional positions from a formula based on the number of Free and Reduced Lunch students and the number of English language learners. Additional positions to those provided by the district are evaluated based on the rubric and paid for by the community.
However, Wymore believes that the
numbers used by the district aren’t related to the need for additional staff members.
“A few school board members have suggested that elementary or high schools that fund for positions are getting ‘extras’ that other schools are not, and that’s just not the case,” Wymore said.
East Fund is East’s parent fundraising organization, but shouldn’t be impacted by the current revisions to the policy as East Fund does not fund any teacher positions, according to president Leslie Eakes.
“I think part of what makes East and our feeder schools so special is our parent involvement and community involvement,” Eakes said. “And I would really think it would be a negative to try and take that away.”
The school board will meet again on April 28 for their Policy Review Committee Meeting, where the new policy will likely be voted on and will go into effect in the 202627 school year if passed.
design
opinion
hot take
story by alex harden
IEscape rooms are the worst activity anyone could choose to partake in
T’S TIME THAT our society moves on from escape rooms.
I’m sick of spending over $50 for an hour of mediocre entertainment. Every time I walk out of an escape room I feel used. My wallet’s lighter, the sun is burning my eyes after an hour in a cramped, dim room and I’m nursing a headache after my friends spent the entire time yelling at each other trying to decipher each clue.
I feel ill when my friends suggest going to an escape room. They were a neat idea years ago, but as they started to spread across the country like a rash, I started to resent them.
If you do one, you’ve done them all. They all shove in your face puzzles
comic strip
art by avery foster
73% of Americans will switch to a competitor after a bad experience, according to Contentful
swears by BIC #2 pencils Sophomore Avner Crafton
that are either as easy as reciting the ABC’s or as incomprehensible as solving string theory. I find no enjoyment from going to an escape room with subpar decorating, unhelpful employees and going bankrupt from the sickening price tag.
SCAN ME LINK
Tripadvisor’s top five best escape rooms in Kansas City.
My greatest regret is choosing to do an escape room for my 14th birthday. I
30% of customer service agents can’t answer your question
*Instagram poll of 345 votes
chose between a haunted house and an escape room to try something new. All the kids paced around a dusty room for an hour, fumbling around keys, locks and whatever else the owner could find at a thrift store. Eventually, I left that escape room with a primitive regret inside me.
I’m convinced that fans of escape rooms pretend to enjoy them — they’re probably paid to advertise the escape rooms I have such disdain for.
In the Kansas City area there are eleven escape rooms. Eleven locations is a ludicrous number, that’s a gluttonous amount of escape rooms.
We’ve let these places of turmoil plague birthday events for too long. I
compel you to firmly say “no” whenever someone around you brings up going to an escape room — it’s never worth it.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES: GO ON A HIKE VISIT A MUSEUM
LEARN A CARD GAME
SEE A MOVIE IN THEATERS DO YOGA OUTSIDE
FINISH A PUZZLE
READ A BOOK OR SERIES
staff ranking
Harbinger staffer ranks the best way to cook eggs
1
Serving as a simple classic, scambled eggs are light and airy coated with black pepper and salt. Whether you spice it up with Tabasco, Sriracha or just eat them plain, scrambled eggs dominate the world of simple breakfast foods.
Whether it’s the liquid gold that oozes from the yolk, or the crispy egg whites that offer variety in each bite, over-easy eggs are the next best option. With a healthy portion of salt and pepper, you can prepare a world-class breakfast with minimal effort.
2
3
But if you need the crispyness of an over-easy without the added mess, poached eggs are a great option. With a soft and spongy center but crispy around the edges, poached eggs remain a great choice for a convenient breakfast.
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story
NAR-KANSAS
Locations in Kansas where free Narcan is available and accessible
SELF SERVICE DISTRIBUTION BOXES:
Kansas City Public Library
Kansas City Heath Department
Cass County Heath Department
Clay County Heath Department
NARCAN VENDING MACHINES:
Crossover Recovery Center
Lawrence Transit Center
Salina CKF Addiction Treatment
Wichita Second Chances
SAVE
LIVES
Narcan is an important medicine everyone should have and be able to administer
THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT nurse
questioned me with a judgemental side eye, taking her eyes off the IV she was attempting to insert into my friend.
“Why do you have that?”
I’d just told her I had administered my friend two doses of Narcan before bringing him in. He’d been roofied at a party and showed consistent signs of an opioid overdose — slowed breathing, pinpoint pupils and unconsciousness. I did what my parents taught me.
The fact I had Narcan on hand seemed to concern her more than her own patient’s care.
Narcan, a medicine that rapidly reverses opioid overdoses, is crucial to have on hand and know how to use — even if you don’t think you’ll ever need it. But you just might.
You don’t have to be actively using drugs or know someone who takes drugs to run into a situation where you need Narcan — something many clearly don’t realize.
They don’t realize there were over 16,000 accidental overdose deaths involving opioids in 2022. They don’t realize 480 college students out of a sample pool of 6,000
reported being roofied, according to NBC News. They don’t realize 60 students from the pool admitted to have slipped unknown pills into drinks.
No one in my family has used illegal drugs. We don’t even know people who do drugs. However, we all know exactly what corner of the cabinet our Narcan is kept.
Both of my parents work as nurses at Children’s Mercy, I regularly hear stories of teens who had overdosed on opioids. Some didn’t even knowingly take drugs. Narcan had always just seemed like another item to put in our first aid kit — no different than an EpiPen.
nal ox one
A medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose and is the active ingredient in Narcan
I quickly realized this wasn’t the case when side-eyes and questions started flying my way whenever people find out my house always has Narcan. Peers have given everything from passiveaggressive judgement to assumptions that my friends and I take opioids.
Narcan is no different than administering CPR or the Heimlich; they are all life-saving tools. The only
real difference is people’s reaction to them.
These are also required curriculum for most high school health classes. This ensures students have at least some experience with these procedures and an idea of how to give them — but this isn’t the case for Narcan.
According to a study by the National Center for Health Statistics, more than 75% of people don’t know how to help someone having an overdose. In a poll of 213 East students, 37% said that they don’t know how to administer Narcan and 81% percent don’t own any.
Adding a 30-minute presentation on Narcan in these classes would both help to end the stigma and ensure more people know how to administer it. You don’t have to be a user to have a dreadful encounter with opioids. You shouldn’t have to know a user to know how to deliver Narcan.
As a senior going into college, it’s flat-out delusional to assume I’ll know the bad habits of everyone in my dorm, on campus and at parties.
I would much rather be able to help someone overdosing on opioids than have to stand around and hope someone else knows what to do.
IDENTIFYING OVERDOSE
A list of symptoms that can point to an overdose Pinpoint pupils
Difficulty in walking, talking or staying awake
Extreme drowsiness
Slow, weak or no breathing
Cool and clammy skin
Dizziness and confusion
Blue, gray or purple lips and nails
Gurgling or choking sounds
Not moving and/ or limp body
*according to canada.ca
design by julia campbell
photo by lexi madden
by emmerson winfrey
YOU ARE INVITED EXCITING
EXCESSIVE? OR
EXCESSIVE? EXCITING
Staffers debate over the level of extravagance and energy seniors should put into their graduation parties
story by lucy wolf
SITTING AT MY friend’s kitchen table, graduation party themes bounced off the walls left and right. Garden party — no, too overused. Coquette — not trending anymore. Disco — no, too close to a high school afterparty theme. But one idea stuck out to us above the others: bubbles. This theme unlocked a wave of fresh ideas for our party like floating bubblelike balloon sculptures, a bubble machine, a bubble tea bar and refreshments like Poppi and Bubly.
beginnings. All I’ve ever known is over-the-top graduation parties. Attending ones with bouncy houses, pig petting zoos and even butterfly releases, I’ve never wanted to settle for a small family gathering with a box of pepperoni pizza — it’s just not for
Graduation parties should be over-the-top and unique to you
me.Everyone has their own idea of extravagance, meaning you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on a threehour celebration. You can still express your personality through your party with simple decorations like your college flag and a color scheme. Graduation parties are supposed to be closest family and friends. You can’t — this is the ideal way to celebrate. Planning graduation parties allows you to have creative freedom and take charge of your party. While the idea of finding tents to rent and restaurants to cater may seem stressful, it’s all worth it when your party ends with happy guests and new memories. You only graduate high school once. So why not end your final moments as a high school senior at a well-thought-out and exciting graduation party? You only have so much time with your closest friends in high school and a celebration like this only happens once. Have the extravagant party you want because any stress you may have experienced will disappear in a
After weeks of brainstorming and research, planning a graduation party made me realize one thing: it’s fun to organize an extravagant graduation party to celebrate the end of your high school career and honor new
YOU’RE NOT INVITED
FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS,
PLATTERSof food, balloons and college flags flood my Pinterest feed. For months, I’ve attempted to plan the intricacies of a senior graduation party, from which caterers to hire to how many tables and chairs to rent. But all this stressful planning has only brought me to one conclusion — excessive and extravagant parties aren’t necessary for graduation. While it’s SM East’s culture to plan and execute elaborate music-filled all-day-long- parties, this isn’t normal for other schools. In fact, most students tend to plan more laidback grad parties which — while “lacking” multiple food trucks, balloon arches and monogrammed cups — are still perfect for celebrating students’ accomplishments. East students should take note of these more easy-going grad parties, despite the absence of free taco trucks in their driveways. It’s not that I hate graduation parties altogether. In fact, I love the idea of celebrating 12 years of dedication to your academic career with close family, friends and food.
However, no one should feel pressured to host a 400-person party that costs thousands of dollars to execute. It’s simply unreasonable. The finances of these celebrations are especially crucial considering you’re about to go spend thousands on your education. Why not save a little for that rather than for a short, sweltering outdoor party in the middle of May?
I for one would be happy attending a party that consists of pizza on a back porch and 25 close friends and family members reminiscing over past Lancer Days and football games. The level of extravagance that comes with your party doesn’t correlate with your accomplishments in high school — it correlates with how you like to celebrate yourself. It’s your graduation, after all. And for many people, celebrating how you want means hosting a smaller or more relaxed party.
No one needs to sacrifice excessive money and time for a two-hour grad party unless they want to.
Graduation parties don’t need to be over-the-top and expensive to be significant
Plus, let’s be real, people rarely say they had fun planning their graduation party. At least not entirely. They’re generally stressful and difficult to plan with countless meetings and spreadsheets. And more often than not, that stress falls on our poor parents and families as well, whereas with a smaller party, much more of the planning can be done by you. There’s no reason to put yourself — and your parents — through all of the stress for a party that breaks the bank or ruins your passion for party planning altogether. So have the decorations you want, buy the food you like, invite the people you want to invite — or don’t. It’s your party, enjoy it.
story by avery anderson
Protesters rallied against President Donald Trump and his senior advisor Elon Musk across the world on April 5
HANDSOFF
ABOVE A protester rests on a tree as she watches the protest in front of her. photo by clara peters
BELOW Sophomores Caroline Beal, Julia Campbell and Lucy Swope held up three signs that read, “people over profit,” criticizing the government’s focus solely on gaining revenue at people’s expense.
photo by vivien glenski
design by molly miller & paige bean
ABOVE Protest crowd controller holds their fist in the air and uses a megaphone to encourage chants such as “hands off our rights.”
photo by molly miller
ABOVE
A protester holds a megaphone as he speaks out against president Donald trump to a crowd. photo by clara peters
of SM East students celebrate Easter Day
Learn about the members and goals surrounding Happy Club
MACY GARWOOD CO-PRESIDENT
AVA SMITH CO-PRESIDENT
RACHEL CONDON MEMBER
Students share their Easter plans
EVIE ORDONEZ MEMBER
LILI VOTTERO MEMBER
LULU STADLER MEMBER
They aim to offer a relaxed environment for students to socialize.
Activities include coloring, making motivational post-it notes to hang in the school, etc.
Sometimes they combine with breakfast club to gather more people together.
They meet once a month typically and try to meet during seminar or after school.
LEFT Juniors Tucker Ward, Gabe Wallace and Gage Mayfield join West’s Latino Club at the end of their dance during the Multicultural Fair.
photo by emma weidman
BELOW Senior Sophia Griggs helps freshman Simone Sprangler modge podge a building for their mini world project in digital photography.
photo by annie trenkle
MOLLY MINOR
JUNIOR
“EASTER IS A pretty big holiday for my family, it usually involves a lot of extended family, going to church and a delicious dinner surrounded by people who I love.
ANDREW BENNETT JUNIOR
“
MY FAMILY AND I always start the day off with church, first thing in the morning. Then after church, we do Easter lunch instead of an Easter dinner.
Bridge,” a fundraising
photo by
design by miranda liberda
FASHION
HUSTLE
Senior Evan Platz has turned her Instagram account @egpclozzzettt into a business where she sells her clothes as well as her friends’ clothes
SENIOR EVAN PLATZ has it down.
Empty closet, take photos, edit on VSCO and post. Then the sales flood in.
With over 400 followers, Platz’s secondhand clothing Instagram account — @egpclozzzettt — has grown from an attempt to make more room in her closet to an organized, professional business. The account’s recognized among teenage girls in and around the SM East community as a functional and fashionable side hustle.
Starting in 2018, Platz sold old clothes on Poshmark — an app similar to eBay where people can buy and sell secondhand items through bids. While successful, the 20% commission taken off the profit fee wasn’t ideal.
Platz switched over to Snapchat during quarantine, posting pictures of her old clothing pieces on a private story she encouraged her friends to join.
“It was so chaotic,” Platz said. “I would post and then I wouldn’t know who texted me first.”
The mountain of clothes on her bed and lack of organization with packaging and picking up or shipping items enticed Platz to make a final move to Instagram in 2023. It’s easier and more organized for customers, according to Platz.
After cleaning out the linen closet in her hallway to store clothes, purchasing pink polka dot packaging and mastering the infrastructure of her business, the account gained traction among girls outside of her friend group.
Platz’s friend and St. Teresa’s Academy
senior Claire Buttell has even overheard people in the hallways at her school mentioning clothes they got from Platz or items on the account they’re interested in buying.
“I know a lot of other people make closet accounts, but I feel like no one really talks about buying from them,” Buttell said. “People would talk about buying from Evan.”
Platz has sold items to high schoolers from multiple schools in the Kansas City area. While most people pick up their items from Platz’s house, she’s made 35-minute drives to deliver clothes to customers as far as Olathe.
“
I KNOW A
lot of other people make closet accounts, but I feel like no one really talks about buying from them. People would talk about buying from Evan.
CLAIRE BUTTELL SENIOR
With the account’s increasing popularity, Platz started going to stores like Savers on 95th and Metcalf and City Thrift, purchasing clothing up to her standards to make sure the account always has items posted.
“I find so many cute clothes that I literally don’t need,” Platz said. “But I can’t leave them there. [I’m like] ‘this is such a good deal,’ ‘these are so cute,’ so I would just grab them, and if I have something to wear
story by addie moore
them to, then I would keep them to myself. And if I was like, ‘I’m never going to wear this,’ I’d post it.”
After buying various items from the account, senior Hattie Brooks had an idea to sell her clothes through Platz. Instead of creating her own account, struggling to gain attraction and handling payments and logistics, she just texted Platz.
“I was like ‘hey, you make [the clothes] look cute and a lot of people follow this account,’” Brooks said. “‘Please sell my clothes for me.’”
And Platz did.
Brooks dropped off two trash bags of hand-me-downs and soon received Venmo payments from Platz for the clothes — minus the 15% commission for selling, handling and packaging clothes.
Platz also has sold around 40 items for Buttell.
“I was like, ‘it’ll probably reach more people if I just do it through her,’” Buttell said. “Even though I wasn’t getting all of the money from it, I still probably made more than I would have if I just did it myself.”
Platz was inspired by Brooks and Buttell to advertise selling other people’s clothes on the account. According to her, it’s an easy and low-effort way for people to make money off their nicer hand-me-downs.
And, Platz has more money to buy clothes, ergo, more items that will eventually go up for sale, meaning her online closet will stay forever stocked.
Platz’s listings on her Instagram and Depop
design by sophia brockmeier photos by caroline hoffman
APRIL 14, 2025
Fostering Creativity Fostering Creativity
Members of the Freelancer literary arts magazine meet weekly to put together an award-winning publication
story by sophia brockmeier
IN ROOM 507, a small group of students huddle around a projector screen and shout out ratings.
“Four!”
“Seems more like a five, to me.”
They’re members of the Freelancer, a literary arts magazine that publishes original student artwork and writing annually. The staffers’ task: to sort through over 200 student submissions and pick the best ones to include in the publication.
The staffers, led by senior co-editors Riley Gaikowski and Keira Schneider, are fueled by pepperoni pizza, donuts and cookies. They’re clustered in club sponsor and English teacher Amy Andersen’s room to pull a “marathon” meeting — a four hour stint of combing through art.
“[People] are so happy to be there, and someone’s always bringing food,” Schneider said. “Everyone’s just happy to share the community.”
Members of the Freelancer meet on Thursdays after school in Andersen’s
room to rank submissions after the March 2 deadline for entries. Student artwork ranges from 2D pencil sketches to QR codes leading to videos of aerial arts.
However, before the Freelancer can be handed out at the bottom of the main staircase in early May, editors and staff members must attend meetings and review submissions to craft a coherent magazine. Additionally, each year the Freelancer decides on a theme with this year’s being fire related.
“We just establish this massive document of every [theme] that’s discussed, and we go through and vote on the real one,” Gaikowski said.
Andersen advises the Freelancer staff by sitting in on each meeting as members decide the theme and put together the magazine on Adobe InDesign.
“My favorite part of being the Freelancer sponsor is that I believe wholeheartedly in what the Freelancer does, which is to showcase a diversity of voices for students,”
Andersen said. “It’s also just a ton of fun to get to hang out with our talented, quirky, creative students.”
Although the Freelancer sells copies to mainly students and parents, they also submit their work to annual competitions, such as the National Council of Teachers of English REALM program. The Freelancer was one of 125 schools that received the highest possible rating last year, “First Class,” out of 421 entries nationwide.
“I really enjoy getting to watch my staff get to know each other,” Gaikowski said. “It’s fun to see new members come in sort of hesitant and unsure of what they’re getting into but realize this is going to be a place where they fit.”
STUDENT
SUBMISSIONS STUDENT SUBMISSIONS
Students on and off the Freelancer staff submit their work to be featured in the publication
The Freelancer will be released on Saturday, May 10 at their annual launch party in the Commons for artists and Freelancer staff members. Artists will bring their original work or perform their art live at the party to celebrate the magazine. Gaikowski and Schneider urge students to join the Freelancer, even if it’s just for half of a meeting.
“I feel like there’s this perception that you can only be involved in the Freelancer if you’re super artsy, if you already know the people,” Schneider said. “But the whole point is it’s the whole school. It’s every student. So anyone who likes to indulge in art, write poems at 3 a.m. when they can’t fall asleep, or whatever, is welcome.”
photo by annie trenkle
Junior Scarlett Stamos developed a passion for reading throughout high school
story by michael yi
A LOSS FOR A LOSS FOR
EGE LANGUAGE
Chinese and ELL teacher Hau-In Lau will retire this summer after bringing new opportunities to students for over two decades
VERY DAY during lunch, Hau-In Lau sits in her room, working on her laptop while snacking on fruits.
For Lau, the 25 minutes of lunch time are both a planning period and a second seminar to help her English Language Learner students. Teaching seven different courses across SM East and Indian Hills Middle School, it’s critical for Lau to be in her classroom during lunch, working while helping students.
Lau’s planning class and eating a banana when ELL 3 student and junior Hanifa Gul Mohammad walks in.
“I have crepes. It’s from France,” Gul Mohammad said.
“From what class?”
“International foods class.”
“See, that’s my lunch, you know, so I don’t worry,” Lau says. “Sometimes I get lunch from my students. So I say, ‘Go sign up for food’s class’ [laughs].”
Lau is the only Chinese and ELL teacher — having founded both programs in her 16 years at East. After two decades of providing critical opportunities to students in SMSD, she’ll retire in the spring.
“I love teaching,” Lau said. “My ELL students and Chinese students have been wonderful, but I’m only one small person. I feel my health is failing, my vision is getting worse… I just feel like maybe I don’t want to wait until I’m blind or get any health problems.”
Lau began teaching high school in 2002, starting the ELL program at SM North to teach introductory English to foreign students from around the world. After seven years at North, she moved to teach at the Center of International Studies at SM South. At the time, Lau was the second educator to teach Chinese in Kansas.
In 2009, Lau mapped out a curriculum framework with the other SMSD critical language teachers in Russian, Arabic and Japanese, using the blueprint to create content for the Chinese 1-7 classes. That same year, she began teaching Chinese parttime at East.
East alum Matthew Trecek took Chinese 1-4 with Lau and was the president of the National Chinese Honor Society before graduating in 2018. Lau encouraged thensophomore Trecek to apply for a scholarship to study Chinese language and culture in Ximen, China over the summer — an opportunity he readily accepted.
“When I got that scholarship, it made me realize that there are real opportunities for me and that I could use something I learned in school and have it immediately be applicable to my life,” Trecek said.
Trecek is currently applying to law school and aims to specialize in international law to continue studying Chinese politics, a decision he attributes to taking Chinese at East.
“Taking that Chinese class was maybe the best decision of my life,” Trecek said.
In 2016, Lau started the East ELL program and began to work at the school full-time. Her students — native speakers of languages from Spanish to Swahili — learned to adjust to East with Lau teaching them in ELL and study skills classes.
Junior Hanifa Gul Mohammad has had Lau as her English teacher for over a year and a half, and is currently in her ELL 3 class. Lau cried when she told Gul Mohammad’s class she was retiring.
“We love her a lot,” Gul Mohammad said. “She is working so hard for us, [which] nobody did. She’s so great, and now she is leaving. It’s just so sad.”
As the sole ELL teacher, Lau has been struggling with nested classes in the same
class. ELL 1-3 classes are all in the same hour, as well as Chinese 3 and 4. Lau has also begun teaching ELL at IHMS this year, straining her ability to give students individual attention.
“In my position as a teacher, I see every student as an individual,” Lau said. “Every kid is that wonderful child that we need to take care of… I cannot just look at a [roster] number, like, ‘I have a lot of students, [so] I don’t care.’ Everyone is so important.”
Lau hopes that when she retires, SMSD will find two ELL teachers to replace her position so her students get the support they need. Without Lau, the Chinese program at East will dissolve next year.
According to CNHS president and junior James Quance, CNHS students will try to continue the program.
“I think having a Chinese program is a way to set East apart as a school from other schools in our district,” Quance said. “It’s unfair to the freshman class that they won’t be offering Chinese anymore.”
After retiring, Lau will enjoy having no schedule for a few months and getting to sleep late. Come fall, she’ll begin to plan the next chapter of her life — learning Spanish, traveling and learning to dance.
“I’m old enough to retire, but I’m still too young to stop doing things,” Lau said. “I still need to be an active member of the community, to contribute in some way. So I might be volunteering but I will also consider other employment if I think it’s worth my time.”
Began her teaching career with an evening class at Kansas City Kansas Community College
First semester taught a part time ELL class at SM West and began full time second semester
Started the ELL program at SM North
Taught Chinese part time at both SM South’s Center for International Studies and SM East
Began to teach full time at SM East for ELL and Chinese classes
Began to teach ELL part time at Indian Hills Middle School
design
photos by ava towner
ABOVE Mrs. Lau helps junior Hanifa Gul Mohammad during her 4th hour ELL class.
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prom season
local spotlight
Location:
Donutology was a near miss, only saved by their unique variety of mini donuts
on an original strawberry-frosted and chocolate-sprinkle donut, both with a cake base.
The only items on the menu that differentiated Donutology from any local grocery store with the same five basic donuts to choose from were their mini donuts, which came in nine flavors.
After adding three mini donuts to my order, the total was almost $15, which seemed excessive considering the lack of choices.
I was immediately handed the strawberry and chocolate sprinkle at the counter while my mini donuts were being heated and iced behind the counter. As soon as I took a bite from both cake donuts, I was thrown off by the stale base and rubbery frosting.
The strawberry icing tasted overly artificial — with way too much sugar and no real strawberry flavor — while the chocolate icing tasted like it came from a tub sitting in the back for too long.
But, after only a few lackluster bites, the mini donuts were ready at the front, and I could feel the warmth coming from inside the small box as I held it. The three flavors — s’mores, peanut butter cup and strawberry shortcake — were adorably lined up, each about the size of a golf ball.
The s’mores and peanut butter cup minis had rich chocolate undertones, with slightly melted icing and perfectly moist cake bases.
The strawberry shortcake mini had fresh graham cracker crumbs and a dollop of strawberry jam on top, which gave the two-bite donut just the right amount of sweetness.
Although Donutology’s regular donuts lacked variety and flavor, the minis made up for the miss and added a needed twist to the lackluster menu.
story by caroline beal
story by ada lillie worthington
The new show “The Residence” offers a clever approach to an old-fashioned murder mystery at the White House
WHODUNIT
AS SOMEONE
WHO grew up watching the original, 1960s “Mission: Impossible” TV series and currently obsesses over “Criminal Minds” and “The Mentalist,” I like to consider myself an expert on all shows crime and mystery.
So when I saw Shondaland — a production studio known for shows like “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Bridgerton” — released a new murder mystery TV show called “The Residence,” I forced myself to carve time out of my busy schedule to binge the series.
And it did not disappoint
Released on March 20, “The Residence” delivered a clever, eight-episode murder mystery surrounding the death of the Chief Usher of the White House, A.B. Wynter. Watching the chaotic events that followed his death made both my heart rate spike and my cheeks ache from laughter.
Wynter, played by Giancarlo Esposito, is murdered while the president hosts a diplomatic state dinner for the Australian Prime Minister. He’s found within two minutes of the show, so don’t worry, no spoilers here.
In order to solve
the case quickly and cause as little commotion as possible, the police bring in the “world’s best detective,” Cordelia Cupp, played by Uzo Aduba. I certainly believe she is the best detective in the world. And the most effortlessly hilarious one, too.
Cupp is an eccentric, comedic detective who likes to do the exact opposite of what the president’s advisors tell her to do. Her apparent defiance makes for a highly hysterical watch.
A general manager of the Executive Mansion, who oversees the first family’s private as well as public life, meeting the private needs of the family and working to ensure that public and private events do not conflict.
With the feud between Australia and the U.S., President Perry Morgan, played by Paul Fitzgerald, advises Cupp to solve the case before citizens think the Australians planned an assassination. Gotta love a time crunch.
Cupp starts interviewing all 157 people at the dinner to investigate alibis and backstories. Her interviewing techniques were arguably the most entertaining moments in the show. Sometimes, her most effective interviews were the ones where she just stared at the interviewee — an uncomfortably humorous exchange.
While investigating, the White House setting added an extra sense of pressure and mystery. The Chief Usher managed all things White House — the kitchen, decorations, planning, even plumbing. He knew every single person who worked at the White House.
And everyone had an issue with him.
Although it was slightly hard to remember all the suspects after their first appearance, I got the hang of it after a couple episodes. No hand-written, complex family trees needed.
This complexity also contributed to the tension in the story. Since there seemed to be hundreds of suspects, I never truly knew what was coming next — or what everyone was hiding — despite my desperate attempts to play detective. The plumber, the maid, the First Gentleman
— they all seem irrelevant until Cupp takes a closer look into their motives.
The White House room names added a “Clue” feel to the story. Detective Cupp used “Clue” terminology as she debated: Was it the plumber in the Yellow Oval Room with a candlestick? Or maybe it was the chef with a knife in the Game Room?
These room names added a vintage mystery element to the show, which I absolutely devoured . I grew up watching a 1960s mystery show after all.
My one complaint of the entire series was that it may have been too long. The middle episodes especially seemed to drag the story out longer than needed as Cupp struggled whittling down suspects. But I guess I can forgive a bit of slow world building in exchange for Australian accents.
Despite the tedious interviewing, I would 100% recommend “The Residence” to anyone craving a “Knives Out” meets “Clue” murder mystery. And who doesn’t love the occasional “naur” from an Australian Prime Minister?
BIRDS OF PREY
A description of a few birds on Detective Cupp’s list of birds she wants to spot on the White House:
GIANT ANTPITTA
The bird Cupp attempts to find throughout the entirety of episode six
This is the bird Cupp wants to spot on the White House grounds the most and symbolizes spotting weaknesses in suspects
GOLDEN-HEADED QUETZAL Cupp spots this bird in episode seven and calls the first person to spot one after she sees it
design by lucy stephens art by francesca lorusso
photo courtesy of IMDB
story by preston hooker
CAN YOU IMAGINE a reallife Twilight Sparkle from “My Little Pony” stabbing someone in the chest and ripping out the victim’s intestines with their horn? If you can’t, Alex Scharfman’s new horror-comedy film “Death of a Unicorn” is sure to paint the picture delightfully dark red.
Loosely based on the real “Unicorn Tapestries” — famous textile Dutch depictions of unicorns from the late 13th century — “Death of a Unicorn” shows the mythical creatures as eloquently violent and vengeful. But not without a cause.
The plot kicks off with Elliot, played by Paul Rudd, and his daughter Ridley, played by Jenna Ortega, running over a unicorn on their way to a mansion owned by Elliot’s rich boss — Odell Leopold played by Richard E. Grant. After Leopold refuses to give the unicorn back because of the profitable healing properties in the creature’s blood and horn, the unicorns come for the corpse of their lost one-horned kin — and they don’t hold back.
The gory cat-and-mouse-style slaughter can be a little over the top at times, but is a plus in my book. As a viewer, I want to feel the impact and stakes at hand for the characters I’ve been spending precious time getting to know throughout the film.
“Death of a Unicorn” delivers, despite its occasional faults.
Although the direct comedic elements and one-liners don’t always land, the movie’s entire concept is inherently funny and makes up for the lack of comedy from this “horror-comedy” flick.
The unicorns are ethereal and psychedelic in design — glowing horns and terrifying tight, leathery skin contrast the tacky and materialistic style of the flamboyant mansion, staying true to the “man versus nature” motif in an eyecatching way.
IN A
million
The genre-blending film “Death of a Unicorn” is a bloody mess of a good time
Every blood-covered horn and skullcrushing hoof was haunting and surreal, making the environment surprisingly immersive for a movie about killer unicorns. The stunning visual effects, in spite of a low $15 million budget, were refreshing to see in an era of $100+ million films with terrible imagery. Cough cough, Marvel movies, cough.
“
EVERY
BLOODcovered horn and skull-crushing hoof was haunting and surreal, making the environment surprisingly immersive for a movie about killer unicorns.
Being based off of real mythology, the film had me imagining what it would be like if unicorns were real — something I haven’t thought of since I was six. It’s ironic such a non-family-friendly flick evokes such nostalgic memories.
I prayed that “Death of a Unicorn” wouldn’t fall into the senseless “killer monster” trope of jumpscares and sappy eye-roll moments — and it didn’t, really. Though the film definitely has both, Scharfman tries something different with character dynamics and plot that outweigh most of my gripes.
Elliot has an estranged, complicated relationship with Ridley after the death of his wife and is struggling financially. He hopes to financially gain from working with the Leopolds, although Ridley just wants to move on and forget the money.
Ridley doesn’t empathize with Elliot’s desire to provide for her one bit, leaving their unresolved conflicts floating in the air of the story.
Another character, Shepard, played by Will Poulter, shines as Mr. Leopold’s
son. Poulter’s hysterical out-of-touch performance adds to the snobbiness of the Leopolds and their superficial, transactional relationships. The writing is one-of-a-kind and so are the characters.
No one is really “great” as a human being in “Death of a Unicorn,” but that’s the point.
These deeply flawed characters provide an inward look on the effects humans have on nature and each other — nothing too groundbreaking. But despite the cliché messaging of “humans are bad,” the delivery via murderous horned-horses and decently thought-out dialogue are hilariously clever.
Despite the stunning visuals, I would by no means call “Death of a Unicorn” a truly terrifying movie. Some moments are gross, but the design of the unicorns themselves are much more captivating than any amount of blood and guts they throw at you.
BUT DESPITE THE cliché messaging of “humans are bad,” the delivery via murderous horned-horses and decently thought-out dialogue are hilariously clever.
The whole film unintentionally serves as satire for horror movies while simultaneously acting as a character study on human greed and environmental impact. Add that to a cohesive cast, killer soundtrack and out-of-this-world visuals, and you have a potion that’ll keep you entertained.
Side effects may vary.
TWILIGHT TAPESTRIES
The Unicorn Tapestries that inspired “Death of a Unicorn” background courtesy of adobe ai
“THE
UNICORN
RESTS
IN A GARDEN”
ALSO REFERED TO AS HUNT, CAPTURE & DEATH TAPESTRIES DEPICT THE OF
7 THERE ARE THE HUNT OF THE UNICORN
design by libby marsh
art by preston hooker
photo courtesy of the met museum
design by caroline martucci
PHOTOSTORY
SHARING CULTURES CULTURES
The Multicultural Student Union held their second annual fair showcasing over 35 countries during seminar on April 1
“Ritmo Latino” performing a traditional Latino dance during the cultural fair. Students came to the fair at staggered times determined by grade level, so the club performed four times.
photo by caroline martucci
ABOVE Lempira — Hondura’s currency — Horchata, a rice and cinnamon drink, banana soda and Zambos chips, brought by sophomore Lucas Herrera sit on a table.“It’s really good to give information about your country,” Herrera said. “It’s good to get out there and let people know about all the different cultures.”
Principal Jason Peres dances with SM West junior Sherline Lopez after Ritmo Latino invited viewers to join them dancing after their performance. “I think it’s important [to have this fair] because it showcases all of the different backgrounds that make up our school district,” Peres said.
RIGHT
photo by caroline martucci
President of the Chinese junior James club as they walk around holding up a traditional zac russell
photo by caroline martucci
RIGHT SM West senior Shelsea Duarte films her club
ABOVE Junior Josie Mangine demonstrates how to prep “atiklet,” a traditional Ethiopian dish. Students at the fair represented countries and heritages by bringing traditional foods, drinks and descriptive posters.
photo by emma weidman
design by mya smith photos by caroline hoffman
NUULY STYLED
The leading subscription-based clothing rental store, Nuuly is a functional alternative to buying clothes and offers environmental benefits
as I finished up the last problem on my chemistry worksheet. I hurried down the stairs and out my front door, anxious for the thrill of opening a new package. Sitting on my front porch was a black reusable tote bag made from post-
I dragged the bag inside and immediately began to dig through the treasures, pulling out six clothing pieces I’d spent an entire weekend picking out. I’d ordered the clothes a few days earlier from the Nuuly website — an online subscription clothing rental store. The high-quality tops and pants were fitting to bring on my cold-weather trip I’d rented them specifically for. My December
Renting is a budget-friendly way to find clothes for a trip, special event or even everyday wear. It’s also a solution to spending hundreds of dollars on upscale brands or wasting money for low quality fast fashion companies such as Shein or Forever 21 that sell worse quality items than the plastic packages they come in.
made another order and patiently awaited my new package with the peace of mind that I could cancel my subscription whenever. I again picked out six different items, this time for my spring break beach vacation, from their website and eagerly pressed the ship button.
But to my dismay, when they arrived on my doorstep, some items were faded in color, others didn’t fit true to size and overall, the clothes looked shabby and felt like they had been worn before — ironically enough.
The next item, a mixed sherpa anorak jacket in the color moss from Anthropologie, was a suitable piece for my trip that would protect me from the 20 degree weather. I’d never be able to buy an item like this knowing it would only be worn a few times, but since I was able to rent, it made for a fun addition to my vacation wardrobe.
To make matters even better, a patch pocket puffer coat from NVLT that originally would’ve been $128 provided me with much less expensive comfort and warmth.
And if you fall madly in love with your purchases, don’t mourn their one-month life span — Nuuly lets you buy them. I ended up purchasing the NVLT coat because it was just too good to turn down for just $45 to keep.
Unfortunately, my second order was much less satisfactory. With so many styles, I should’ve read the hundreds of reviews on the Nuuly website before renting.
How ordering from the Nuuly website works
1.
Despite my second order falling short of my expectations, Nuuly’s large range of expensive clothes that you don’t have to pay extra for makes it worth the hundred-dollar subscription. You just have to understand you’re renting clothes, not buying new.
The first time I used my subscription, instead of paying hundreds of dollars for coats and cold-weather sweaters and jackets, I rented a black winter puffer coat, a fleece jacket, and a pair of jeans.
The first item I pulled out from the tote bag was a pair of rosie coated high-rise wide-leg jeans, which would have been $245 if I had bought them from the Hudson retail store. I didn’t need these jeans for the entire year, and they made for a stylish alternative to my blue jeans I wear to every
A mini dress from Free People in the color pink came to my house and was a dull magenta rather than the blazing hot pink shown in the photos.
The fabric on a tiered maxi dress from Anthropologie was so worn it didn’t fit as advertised and ran too large on me. The colors were again faded and gave an almost dirty look to the dress. Needless to say, it didn’t make it into my suitcase.
Although the sizing and the clothes weren’t as I’d pictured, Nuuly is still a quality alternative to spending money on clothing pieces that you hate by next year.
Nuuly allows me to expand and retract my closet like the living, breathing thing it is, and I suggest all clothing-lovers try it at least once.
3. sign up on the website for $98 a month choose six items that you want for your nuuly box package comes in the mail and return what you didn’t like
2.
1st place was the ranking of varsity boys track and field at SM East quad
scored a hat trick, or 3 goals in a game, while playing against SM West
04 days until the varsity boys tennis quad at Harmon Park
most recent gallery
Check out our latest game photos
athlete updates Q&A with our spring athletes
Girls varsity and JV swim and dive placed first at their second meet of the season against BV West on Tuesday, April 1, with a score of 621.
Darcy Kroening placed first in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:16.79, and the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:27.19, qualifying for state in both events.
Sophomore Anne Bowser placed fourth overall in the 100-yard backstroke, attaining a state consideration cut with the time of 1:07.83.
TOP RIGHT Sophomore Vada Walsh gets ready to swim backstroke in the first event of the meet, the 200-yard medley relay. photo by emma
BOTTOM RIGHT Sophomore Addie Clark swims breaststroke in the 200-yard IM, placing fifth overall with a time of 2:34.47.
photo by emma weidman
HOW IS YOUR CURRENT SEASON GOING AND HOW HAVE YOU DONE AS A TEAM THUS FAR?
GRACYN DARRINGTON SOPHOMORE JV SOCCER
“
WE HAVEN’T BEEN doing the best. So far, we’ve lost both our games. I just think there’s holes on the field, and our defense keeps getting broken down, and I’m saying that as a defender. But I’m excited to keep going and see how this team progresses.
16APRIL
GRACE DESCHAINE
. .
SOPHOMORE VARSITY LACROSSE
“
OUR TEAM AS a whole is actually doing great. We’re all working together and getting closer. I’d say last year, it took a bit for everyone to get to know each other. But this year, it seems like it kind of just clicks. So that’s really great for the season.
Mark your calendars
24APRIL
BOYS TENNIS
weidman
FAR LEFT Sophomore Caroline Hawkinson does her front tuck twist in the meet.
photo by emma weidman
ABOVE Sophomore Caroline Hawkinson performs dive 103C, a forward 1 and 1/2 somersault tuck.
photo by emma weidman
NEW COACH, CAREER CAREER
NYC
worked as a private tennis coach in NYC
Assistant coach Brian Miller is introduced to the boys tennis team
SAME GOAL
story by jeremy george
EMBRACING A FRESH direction, SM East’s boys tennis program introduced their new assistant tennis coach, Brian Miller.
Before arriving at East, Miller worked several years as the head coach of Kansas City Christian School, where he won numerous titles, including a total of 15 boys and girls regionals.
Miller expressed his enthusiasm for collaborating with head coach Andrew Gibbs, whom he believes shares the mindset.
“I got a pretty good relationship with Coach Gibbs. We’ve known each other for like, nine years now,” Miller said.
When former assistant tennis coach Susan Hallstrom decided to retire from coaching tennis, Miller was the perfect replacement due to his strategic approach to teaching the fundamentals, according to Gibbs.
Though winning championships is the end goal, Miller finds his greatest pride in moments like watching a player perfect their serve, rally through a tough match or master a skill that seemed impossible at the start of the season.
“My goal is to get these guys to get their best potential out,” Miller said. “Because I know how they’re insanely talented.”
Gibbs shares the same vision as Miller to boost player performance in order to compete for the state championship.
“
EACH SEASON IS also a bit of a puzzle to figure out how we maximize the abilities of the players. We have to put together the best team that we can.
ANDREW GIBBS
“Each season is also a bit of a puzzle to figure out how we maximize the abilities of the players,” Gibbs said. “We have to put together the best team that we can.”
Athletes might need to adjust to different roles and positions in the lineup and embody the core values of the program Sportsmanship, Teamwork, Accountability, and Resilience, according to Gibbs.
“It felt a little different, especially since we got a new assistant coach and many seniors were gone,” sophomore and varsity player Bush said. “But for the most part, it felt normal. I feel like I am a little higher up than last year in terms of leaders on
the team, since this year, I’m a sophomore.”
Athletes learn that sometimes they need to change their individual approach, attitude, execution or strategy. Sometimes, they aren’t at their best or conditions are tougher than expected. Regardless, they still find ways to compete, according to Gibbs.
And the difference is clear. Players can be seen executing sharp cross-court volleys and employing smarter court-positioning. These are subtle yet significant changes shaped by the new assistant coach.
“No matter how great you are, there’s always something you can tweak to make it a little bit better,” Miller said.
As the season unfolds, SM East’s tennis program stands with a coaching staff that values both tradition and innovation, and with young players eager to make their mark.
“I love the process of working with players and helping them to succeed,” Gibbs said. “The journey of each season is unique, and I am fortunate to have been part of journeys with many teams and players at different levels.”
APRIL 14, 2025
MAKING A
MEET THE
TEAM SPLASH
A few of the divers and the country club they go to
Almost all the girls’ dive team divers have past experience diving for various country clubs during the summer
CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
erupted from behind the diving boards.
Freshman Zoey Allen was resurfacing from her reverse double — one of the three new dives she’d learned during her two-hour after school practice.
“Zoey, a little more reach coming off the board,” SM East girls dive coach Hannah Bortnick yelled from across the pool.
With just six divers on the team, each girl took their turn performing various dives off the two East boards, cautiously waiting for gaps between the girls’ swim team who swam below.
Even with a crowded pool, the dive team is familiar with tedious practices filled with constructive coach criticism and countless “smacks” into the water.
Although dive is typically not regarded as a widely embraced sport, with exposure to country club dive teams across the Kansas City area, almost all the divers on the team have come with past diving experiences, according to Bortnick.
According to varsity diver Abby Hunt, who dives for Mission Hills Country Club during the summer, the East dive team practices one hour before school on Mondays and Tuesdays, and two hours after school Wednesdays through Fridays.
The Mission Hills Country Club dive team, along with other Country Club Swim Association of Kansas City teams, practices in the summer twice a day, five days a week, although attendance is far less mandatory than East practices.
“I’d say high school [dive] is more structured practice, whereas [country club dive] is more like ‘Okay, you can
do whatever you want,’” Hunt said. “Summer dive helps you get off your feet when you’re young, which is always good, but then high school is really where you learn new dives.”
According to Bortnick, it’s helpful to have a team that knows the diving basics, such as an approach. Starting the season with basic skills makes it easier for Bortnick to focus on technique.
Whether demonstrating posture drills against walls or showing the team her old diving videos from college, Bortnick points out specific movements or tweaks that help the divers improve their scores.
ap proach
The forward steps a diver takes towards the end of the board before the hurdle and takeoff
“Technique is the biggest difference from high school [dive] and country club [dive],” Bortnick said. “A lot of the time with country club [dive], they aren’t exposed to the technique that I would give them, so sometimes it can be really hard to learn [new] things.”
For Allen, having one coach and a smaller team at East was a shock after coming from the Milburn Country Club dive team, which has three coaches and over 70 divers.
“I’ve already learned a lot of new dives, and my form on all my dives has changed a lot,” Allen said. “[Bortnick] is really helpful, and she’s good at pointing out the little things that county club coaches wouldn’t notice [or] focus on.”
It can be hard to hear Bortnick’s critiques over the loud whistles and splashing of the swim team, according to Allen. When Bortnick doesn’t have
her megaphone or is busy working with another diver, the girls have learned how to critique and compliment each other.
From telling each other to keep their chest up while leaving the board to giving motivational messages before learning a new dive, the culture of the team is more intimate and bonded compared to Allen’s larger country club team.
“Everyone’s getting really close and comfortable with each other,” Allen said. “When we’re all waiting in lines, everyone’s talking, and it’s really fun when people are learning new dives because you get to cheer them on.”
Even with the differences between the East dive team and country club dive teams, the work ethic and team bonding skills can be applied to both, according to East alum Elle Gedman.
Gedman spent most of her childhood summers on the Indian Hills dive team, leading her to join East dive during her sophomore year of high school and later becoming team captain.
Gedman is now one of the two dive coaches at Milburn Country Club. As a past East dive captain, she’s used her leadership skills she learned to promote diving technique and collaborative practices among the country club team.
“[East dive] was hard, and it was early and I wasn’t very good at it, but I ended up really liking it,” Gedman said. “And then I went back to country club [dive] that summer after I was a diver, and I took that work ethic that I learned in high school, and I tried to get better.”
design by addie moore photos by addie clark
GRAY SULLIVAN SENIOR
lexi madden & reese dunham