The Northwest Passage: Volume 55, Issue 9

NW PASSAGE Issue 9

May 9th, 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

04 REMEMBERING ALEX CAMACHO 07 NEWS

FEATURE NEWS

Thespian troupe 888 nominated for blue star awards | The 2024 spring play “The Wedding Grift”

09 NEWS

NEWS

24-25 STUCO elections | IB/AP chemistry is set to combine | Girls swim prepares for state

11 SHARING THE SPOTLIGHT The school needs to recognize arts just as much as athletics

13 SENIOR COLUMNS Fear of graduating | Career paths changing

14 INFLUENTIAL SENIORS Class of 2024’s most influential student’s

18 WHERE THEY’RE GOING Class of 2024’s after high school plans

22 RETIRING TEACHERS Ms. Stewart, Officer Cohen and Mr. Tally reminisce on their careers in NW

OPINION OPINION FEATURE SPORTS FEATURE

25 PROM IN PHOTOS

The highlights of prom through our eyes

27 IT’S COMPLICATED NW experiences a rise in student absences

30 MONTH IN PHOTOS The highlights of March through our eyes

FEATURE

Vol. 55

PUBLICATION OVERSIGHT Editor-In-Chief

Ashley Broils

CONTENT MANAGEMENT Copy Editor Design Editor Online Editor Photo Editor Photo Editor Photo Editor Social Media manager Ads Manager

Grace Rau Greta Grist Bella Alvarado Alec Griswold Kara Simpson Ashley Broils Bella Alvarado Will Fandel

WRITERS

DESIGNERS

Sofia Ball Emma Wyckoff Jesus Lara Rivera Yohanna Ayana

Kennedy Woolf Stella Miyares Will Fandel Cain Kempf

ADVISER

Chris Heady

@smnwdotcom Photo by Kara Simpson

04 | feature - NW Passage

Remembering Alex Camacho When ELL teacher Nancy Blackburn first met freshman Alex Camacho in 2021, she didn’t know they would bond over a disease she survived and he was still struggling with.

She didn’t know they would keep in touch over months with miles between them.

She didn’t know she would one day attend his funeral.

She didn’t know his memory would remain with her forever.

“He was a very strong young man,” Blackburn said. “He was very determined.”

Alex, a junior, passed away in April. He is the third Shawnee Mission Northwest student lost this year, along with seniors Will Ensley and Demarcus Houston.

This is the story of the impact one student — Alex, known to some as Alejandro — had on Blackburn’s life. The story of a student who was so much more than the third tragedy of the school year. * * * Blackburn is a breast cancer survivor. In 2021, she met Alex, a smart and sometimes-serious young man who was a freshman in her study skills class. He stuck to himself, had a small group of friends, was somewhat shy and could easily be described as “kind.” Blackburn soon discovered Alex had battled with cancer, too, until it had gone into remission.

“Cancer is a unique situation to go through,” Blackburn said.

“Sharing that was something Alex and I certainly bonded over.”

Alex ’s cancer was malignant — it moved around, it spread.

That year, Alex and his father met with Blackburn for a parentteacher conference. That’s when they shared the news: Alex ’s cancer had returned.

Soon Alex was trading the halls of Northwest for the hospital rooms of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Blackburn recalls Alex ’s last day of school before he left for treatment. “ That’s a day that will live with me forever,” Blackburn said.

“Finding words [was] hard, knowing what to say was difficult. But my main objective was just to let him know how much we cared about him.”

They kept in touch over the phone, and she would check in to see how he was doing. Her studies skills class sent him gifts and a poster. Blackburn’s dragon boat racing team — the KC Pink Warriors, a group of women who are cancer survivors — dedicated one of their races to him. She mailed Alex a KC Pink Warriors stocking cap and the drumsticks they used in their race to encourage him.

“I wanted him to know that he was always on my mind,” Blackburn said. “ That he was not forgotten. That we were pulling for him.”

Months passed, and eventually, their communication dwindled.

Then, on October 28, 2022, Blackburn’s birthday, she received a text from Alex. Even though it was only two words, she calls it “the greatest gift.”

It read: “I won.” * * * In the first semester of 2022, junior Jose Duran was partnered with Alex in their video production one class.

“I sat down, he sat down right next to me, we started talking,” Duran said. “It was cool with him.”

Alex was quiet. Considerate. But he was funny once Duran got him to open up.

“He followed me wherever,” Duran said. “If I had a horrible idea he would never tell me.”

They talked about video games, like Alex ’s favorite, Apex Legends.

“He was a little bit of a nerd,” Duran said.

Alex opened up to Duran on their last project and told him he had battled with cancer four times, but was now cancer

by Grace Rau

free.

But Alex ’s cancer was ruthless.

“It never wanted to go away for very long,” Blackburn said.

His cancer had returned. Alex was in and out of school, constantly shuffling between home, Northwest and the hospital.

“Alex was a wonderful young man with a wonderful family, and he was a trooper through it all,” Blackburn said. “He was brave, he was strong, he was resilient and he did his best.”

Because of his disease, Alex only had a glimpse of the high school experience. So much of his time was spent inside sterile hospital walls.

This spring, Alex ’s health took a turn for the worse and he was in school less and less.

On April 12, 2024, Alex passed away.

“I just wish I was able to talk to him one last time before he passed,” Duran said. * * * On April 18, 2024, Alex ’s funeral was held at Good Shepherd Catholic Church. Family members, friends, teachers, school administration and students attended. Many held in tears as they said goodbye.

Will Ensley, Demarcus Houston, Alex Camacho.

Each name is a group of letters stamped with ink onto a page, yet they mean so much more — infinitely more than what can be confined into less than a square inch of space. Ensley passed away in a car accident in July and Houston was lost in a shooting in November. Invisible scars of grief will always be carried by their loved ones.

There will be dances they will never attend, tests they will never take, sunsets they will never see. There will be songs they will never listen to, memories they will never make, graduations they will not be there to walk across the stage for.

Alex Camacho may not have had the “typical” high school experience. He may not have always been in school. He may not have been the most well-known. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t leave a mark.

He was here, and he changed people’s lives. Like his family ’s.

Like his friends’. Like Blackburn’s.

“It was an honor to know Alex,” Blackburn said. “It was an honor to know his family. His family loved and adored him very much and he was truly supported through his journey.”

Will Ensley, Demarcus Houston, Alex Camacho.

They all were here.

They are all worth remembering.

Photo courtesy of Camacho family.

Recordando a Alejandro Camacho Cuando la maestra de ELL Nancy Blackburn conoció a Alejandro Camacho en 2021, cuando él estaba en su primer año, ella no sabía que él y ella iban a formar un vínculo no por el tiempo o la amistad, sino por algo más, una enfermedad.

Ella no sabía que los dos iban a hablar hasta cuando los dos tenían millas entre los dos.

No sabía que un día, ella iba a ir a su funeral.

No sabía que la memoria de él iba a seguir con ella por siempre.

“Era un joven muy fuerte,” dijo Blackburn. “Era un joven muy decidido.”

Alejandro, un junior, falleció en Abril. Alejandro es el tercer estudiante que muere este año. El como Will Ensley y Demarcus Houston, va ser recordado.

Esta es la historia de cómo un estudiante impactó a su maestra.

De la vida e impacto de un hijo, un estudiante, y un hombre fuerte. *** Blackburn es una sobreviviente de cáncer. En 2021, conoció a Alejandro, un joven inteligente y a veces serio que estaba en su primer año en su clase de habilidades de estudio. Alejandro casi no hablaba con nadie pero tenía un pequeño grupo de amigos, era algo tímido y fácilmente podía ser describido como “amable.”

Pronto, Blackburn descubrió que Alejandro también había luchado contra el cáncer, hasta que un día regresó.

“El cáncer es una situación única para pasar,” dijo Blackburn.

“Compartir eso fue algo por lo que Alejandro y yo nos unimos.”

El cáncer de Alejandro era maligno.

Ese año, Alejandro y su padre se reunieron con Blackburn para una conferencia de padres y maestros. Fue entonces cuando compartieron la noticia: el cáncer de Alejandro había regresado.

Pronto Alejandro estaba intercambiando los pasillos de la escuela por los pasillos de un hospital, el St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital en Memphis, Tennessee.

Blackburn recuerda el último día antes que Alejandro se fuera por tratamiento.

“Ese es un día que vivirá conmigo por siempre,” dijo Blackburn.

“Encontrar palabras [fue] difícil, saber qué decir era difícil. Pero mi objetivo principal era hacerle saber cuánto nos importaba.”

Se mantuvieron en contacto por teléfono. Su clase de habilidades de estudios le envió regalos. El equipo de carreras de botes - los KC Pink Warriors, un grupo de mujeres que son sobrevivientes de cáncer - le dedicaron una de sus carreras. Ella le envió a Alejandro una gorra y los palillos que usaron en su carrera para animarlo.

“Quería que él supiera que siempre estaba en mi mente,” dijo Blackburn. “Que no fue olvidado. Que estábamos apoyándolo.”

Pasaron meses, y finalmente, su comunicación con ella disminuyó.

Luego en el 28 de Octubre de 2022, el cumpleaños de Blackburn, ella recibió un mensaje de texto de Alejandro. El texto era simple pero como ella dice era “el mejor regalo.” El texto era solo dos palabras.

“He ganado.” *** En el primer semestre de 2022, José Duran conoció a Alejandro.

“Me senté, se sentó a mi lado, empezamos a hablar,” dijo Duran. “ Todo estaba bien con él.”

Alejandro era callado, considerado, pero cuando Duran consiguió que se abriera fue gracioso.

“Me seguía a donde fuera,” dijo Duran. “Si tuviera una idea horrible nunca me lo diría.”

Hablaban de videojuegos, como el favorito de Alejandro, Apex Legends.

“Era como un nerd”, dijo Duran.

Alejandro en su último proyecto con Duran se abrió. Le dijo que había luchado contra el cáncer cuatro veces, pero que ahora estaba libre de cáncer.

Pero el cáncer de Alejandro era despiadado.

“Nunca se quiera ir por mucho tiempo,” dijo Blackburn.

Su cáncer había regresado. Alejandro entraba y salía de la escuela, constantemente en su casa, en la escuela y en el hospital.

“Alejandro era un joven maravilloso con una familia maravillosa, y fue un soldado a través de todo,” dijo Blackburn. “Era valiente, fuerte, resistente e hizo lo que pudo.”

Debido a su enfermedad, Alejandro solo tuvo un vistazo de la experiencia de lo que es la secundaria. Gran parte de su tiempo lo pasó dentro de las paredes de un hospital.

Esta primavera, la salud de Alejandro empeoró y con el tiempo fue menos a la escuela.

El 12 de Abril de 2024, Alejandro falleció.

“Solo desearía poder hablar con él por última vez antes de que muriera,” dijo Duran. *** El 18 de Abril de 2024, el funeral de Alejandro fue en la Good Shepherd Catholic Church. Asistieron familiares, amigos, maestros, administración escolar y estudiantes. Muchos lloraron mientras se despedían.

Will Ensley, Demarcus Houston, Alejandro Camacho.

Cada nombre es un grupo de letras estampadas con tinta en una página. Significan mucho más - infinitamente más de lo que puede ser dicho en solo un papel. Ensley falleció en un accidente de auto en Julio. Houston murió en un tiroteo en Noviembre.

Las cicatrices invisibles de dolor siempre serán llevadas por sus seres queridos.

Habrá bailes a los que nunca asistirán, pruebas que nunca tomarán, puestas de sol que nunca verán. Habrá canciones que nunca escucharán, recuerdos que nunca harán, y ellos no van estar allí por el día más importante de la secundaria, graduación.

Alejandro Camacho puede no haber tenido la experiencia “típica” de la secundaria. Puede que no siempre estaba en la escuela. Puede que no haya sido el más conocido. Pero eso no significa que no dejará una marca.

Estaba aquí y cambió la vida de la gente. Como la de su familia.

Como la de sus amigos. Como la de Blackburn.

“Fue un honor conocer a Alejandro,” dijo Blackburn. “Fue un honor conocer a su familia. Su familia lo amaba y adoraba mucho y fue verdaderamente apoyado a través de su viaje.”

Will Ensley, Demarcus Houston, Alejandro Camacho.

Todos ellos estaban aquí.

Vale la pena recordarlos todos.

Photo courtesy of Camacho family.

May - feature | 05

NEWS BRIEFS

BREAK A LEG

The Shawnee Mission Northwest Thespian Troupe 888 just finished their production of “The Wedding Grift.” They had three shows and had previously shown teasers earlier that week. According to Shawnasea Holst, the theater director, the shows all went very well.

“The energy was up,” Holst said. “All of the kids hit all the marks that I asked for, so yeah I’m pretty pleased.”

The play went smoothly, aside from a few hiccups. The lead actress Ellie Roberts, who played Ashley Marvel, twisted and bruised her ankle in a transition scene during the final showing. When given the option to extend the intermission or start it earlier, Roberts decided to push through and continue the show. They wrapped up her ankle and she went back out on stage.

“I didn’t want an earlier intermission,” Roberts said. “I did everything as it was supposed to be done.”

Opening night ended with the unveiling of their Blue Star Awards and closing night ended with the cast, specifically the seniors since it’s their last show, all hugging and crying tears of joy. The cast also brought out flowers for their director, Holst, and technical director, Judy Tuckness. “‘The Wedding Grift’ went really well,” Holst said. “I was very pleased with our audience turnout.”

“I was feeling a sense of pride because I’m very proud of the show and I’m very proud to be a part of the seniors’ last show,” Roberts said.

Story by Yohanna Ayana

Sophomore Ellie Roberts and senior Lily Rieff flirt May 23 in the Auditorium. Roberts played a con woman named Ashley Johnson in the Spring play ‘The Wedding Grift’. Photo by Ashley Broils

THESPIAN TROUPE 888 NOMINATED FOR FOUR BLUE STAR AWARDS Story by Grace Rau

On April 26, after opening night of their spring show “The Wedding Grift,” Thespian Troupe 888 unfurled a blue banner officially announcing their Blue Star nominations: Outstanding Costume Design, Outstanding Hair & Makeup Design, Outstanding Orchestra and Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role for senior Lily Reiff.

“I was ecstatic,” theatre director Shawnasea Holst said. “We did so well on a low budget. We really did above and beyond.”

The Blue Star Awards are modeled after Broadway’s Tony Awards and are hosted by Starlight Theater. They annually recognize high schools with outstanding musical theatres in the greater Kansas City area. This year, Northwest was one of them.

The stage erupted with cheers as the musical cast and crew celebrated.

But Reiff couldn’t wait until the end of the show to find out the Troupe’s nominations. Instead, she listened in on the Youtube livestream earlier that day where Blue Star announced the nominees.

“I was in the bathroom, I’m washing my hands, and I heard

my name get called,” Reiff said. “I jumped everywhere, water is splashing everywhere, I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I did it!’ and there’s tears rolling down my face.”

Reiff was nominated for Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role, playing Grandma Addams in “The Addams Family.”

“I was really proud of myself,” Reiff said. “With all the work that I put in, I finally did it.”

“I’m so glad that someone besides me was able to recognize her amazingness,” Holst said.

The Troupe will find out at 7:30 p.m. on May 16 if they won any awards during a ceremony at Starlight Theater which is free for the public to attend. In a few short weeks, they could be bringing home four trophies.

Holst thinks the Troupe will apply for Blue Star next year, as she says the $75 entry fee is well worth the valuable advice they receive from adjudicators and the chance to have students’ achievements recognized on a larger scale.

“If we win awards, cool,” Holst said. “And if we don’t, at least we May - news | 07 can grow from the feedback.”

NEWS BRIEFS CONTINUED:

BITTERSWEET BEGINNING The Shawnee Mission Northwest Student Council had elections for the 2024-25 school year. Elections for class representatives took place on April 23, and results were given by the end of the day. In order to run for a spot as a class representative, students joined the Google Classroom and submitted a speech. Each candidate read their speech in front of their grade, and then the rest of the student body voted on the twelve representatives for each class. Those twelve vote on positions such as class president and vice president.

“I think it went really smoothly,” current freshmen and future sophomore class representative Anna Gast said. “Everyone had really good speeches and I was really interested in what everyone was saying. There’s some really good points made in all the speeches, and I think everyone did a really good job.”

STUCO held their final two events of the year, the annual Senior Sunset and Spring Carnival & Rotary Bike Rodeo, and are now preparing for summer. Over the summer they’ll send students to different leadership summer camps all over the country and do bonding activities. “[STUCO] will be a little different, but we’ll continue doing good next year,” current freshmen and future sophomore class representative John Leon said.

“It’s also exciting to know that we’re gonna have new faces and new people that are contributing to the group next year,” Dent said.

“It’s a very bittersweet day, you know, exciting times getting to meet some of the new kids and then also just feeling that sadness of losing people that weren’t reelected.” Story by Yohanna Ayana

AP AND IB CHEMISTRY SET TO COMBINE NEXT YEAR Chemistry is taking on a new look next year — AP and IB Chem are combining into a singular course.

Three school years ago, Northwest had Jennifer Ancell as an AP Chemistry teacher, but since then IB Chemistry has been the only second-level chemistry course offered. This year, though, AP Chemistry was placed onto the list of classes students could choose from when re-enrolling.

“We only had a small number of people signed up for both classes,” Dr. Johnny Winston, current IB Chemistry and future teacher of the combined class, said. “So filling up both of them was going to be complicated.”

Only eight students are signed up for the course next year.

Winston said that having enough students interested in the two classes has often been difficult. He attributes the lack of enrollment to the variety of other science classes offered at Northwest.

“We have AP classes, we have IB classes, we have career pathways at the CAA,” Winston said. “And where and how to stack

[those] has always kind of been a challenge.”

Winston said that he doesn’t think that the course work for next year’s combined class will vary drastically from that of his current IB Chemistry class.

“There is significant overlap between the curriculums,” Winston said. “Several people who have taken the course listed as IB have gone on and taken the AP exam.” “We have AP classes, we have IB classes, we have career pathways at the CAA,” Winston said.

“And where and how to stack [those] has always kind of been a challenge.”

Winston said that he doesn’t think that the course work for next year’s combined class will vary drastically from that of his current IB Chemistry class.

“There is significant overlap between the curriculums,” Winston said. “Several people who have taken the course listed as IB have gone on and taken the AP exam.” Story by Grace Rau

GIRLS SWIM TEAM PREPARES FOR STATE Our very own Shawnee Mission Northwest Girls Swim Team, again, broke the relay record for the 200 freestyle and hopes to set a new record at state.

The girls swim team is going to state on May, 17 and -18 at the Shawnee Mission Aquatic Center at 4:00 p.m. Attending state is freshman Sophia Boshart, sophomore Sofia Ellison, sophomore Kate Busenitz, sophomore Emma Fehr, junior Sahara Bhakta, senior Josie Malara, senior Ella Jones and senior Mya Lee, but the whole team is training for the united by a common goal: podium.

“Everyone is so fast this year, we’ve all really come up so much,” Jones said.

“I think we’re all pretty confident about it,” Malara said.. “WI think we’ll get a lot of medals there, honestly. I have a lot of faith there.,” Malara said.

The team has high hopes for the 200 freestyle relay again, but the girls also have their own individual goals, crushing their own personal records.

“I want to get a low 25 [seconds] in my 50 free”, Malara said. “And then I want to get 56 in my 100 free.”

The girls are currently going through what their coach calls “hell week.” It’s an intense level of training that uses parachutes, drag socks and drag gloves to restrict and hold their form. They The girls also do power training, which means they’re in the weight room a lot to build up their strength.

“As a coach,” Coach Ryan Lee said. “My goal is always to make the school proud, make the city proud, and put them in the best position to achieve their greatness.”

Story by Emma Wyckoff

Smiling with her team, sophomore Sofia Ellison celebrates after they won April 8 at the SM Aquatic Center. Her relay team broke the school’s girl’s 200 Yard Freestyle Relay record.

They eclipsed the record by only 0.1 seconds.

“I’m really proud of my teammates,” Ellison said.

Photo by Kara Simpson May - news | 09

SHARING THE

SPOTLIGHT

design by Greta Grist

The arts deserve recognition too

It’s no secret that American media places athletics on a pedestal. Cliché teen movies cast jocks as heroes, professional athletes are paid billions each year and an estimated 123 million Americans watched the Super Bowl last February. As Americans, we are surrounded by sports.

And at Shawnee Mission Northwest, it’s no different. Students hear athletic updates in the morning announcements, participate in sports send-offs and rally in the gym to celebrate the boys basketball team winning state.

But are the achievements of the arts being overshadowed by athletics?

At Northwest, sports disproportionately receive the majority of the spotlight while groups like theatre, choir, yearbook, band and orchestra receive little to no recognition for their equally — if not more — impressive achievements. This should change. The arts deserve to be recognized as much as sports.

It would be logical to assume that there aren’t many arts accomplishments because they aren’t talked about often, but that isn’t true.

Thespian Troupe 888 was recently awarded four nominations by the Blue Star program, and the Robotics Club competed in Worlds against approximately 600 other teams. The Lair, Northwest’s yearbook, won first place in a national best of show contest

and the Northwest Passage placed fourth. Recently, both orchestra and choir received the highest possible scores in the KSHSAA state large ensemble contests. The woods program has also seen recent success with one student winning the cabinet making SkillsUSA State Competition, and another winning the SkillsUSA R&D Overall Award for a waterfall desk — one which was also named the best woods project in the Shawnee Mission district.

While it is partially up to student media and teacher sponsors to make achievements of the arts known, it’s not exclusively their job. Administrators often attend sports games, so they are aware of athletic achievements and can then share their winnings with the rest of the school through things like morning announcements.

Occasionally, an arts group may receive a shout-out on the morning announcements for a day or may be given a minute or two to be featured in one of Northwest’s fall/spring sports pep rallies.

This is a far cry from the attention and emphasis placed upon athletics.

Morning announcements frequently encourage students to go support sports teams. Northwest hosts spring/ fall sports pep rallies that interrupt Seminar — an hour many students use to catch up on homework or work on things like art projects, theatre sets or

13 / 0 / 0 agree

disagree

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yearbook interviews. The basketball and wrestling teams were given state send-offs that stopped class as they paraded around Northwest’s halls. For boys basketball’s state championship in Topeka, Northwest ordered Spirit Busses for students to ride on and miss school. When the boys basketball team won state, there was a pep rally that took up Seminar and was not optional.

Students do deserve to be recognised for their athletic achievements, yet it seems to be at the cost of appreciation for the arts.

Of course, there will be some students disinterested in the arts. But, similarly, there are students equally uninterested in hearing about sports, yet there are still sports assemblies that they are required to attend.

Currently, building administration as well as the Athletic Director try to cover both sports and arts. Hiring an Arts Director would provide a platform for the arts to shine.

Northwest should either stop giving extra attention to sports, give the same extra attention to the arts or hire an Arts Director to deal with publicity.

If they don’t, it perpetuates the cycle of arts students feeling underappreciated and ignored by Northwest, while athletes are given special time to display their talents.

Don’t the arts deserve to be appreciated, too?

THE VOTE

A staff editorial is an opinion piece crafted by a single writer and voted on by the entire staff of the NW Passage. It is not an unbiased news article, but an opinion piece tackling a major issue. Here is how the NW Passage voted on this editorial.

May - opinion | 11

151 don’t forget to buy your

CREATIVITY

YEARBOOK

BUY MAY 17TH MALL

Bring $70 to the Mall on May 17th

A NEW PATH

My journey from fashion designer to psychologist Story and Design by Ashley Broils

I

n my 6th grade yearbook, there’s a terrible photo of me with a terrible ponytail and a caption below it that says, “Fashion Designer.”

I wanted to live in Paris and design cute clothing. My designs were going to be pink and super adorable.

During the summer, I took a fashion designer camp and decided it was way too much work to design the clothing and then make it. So that dream went down the toilet.

Skip a few years, and after many different career choices, I think I know what I want to do with my life.

Psychology.

I love learning about different disorders and why certain people act the way they do.

While scrolling through YouTube in the summer of 2020, I found Anthony Padilla’s YouTube video on multiple personality disorder — a disorder where a person can have different identities due to adverse childhood trauma. After watching that video, I watched every video he had on other disorders and just fell in love with learning more. That is when I decided that I wanted to learn about different disorders and help people with those disorders.

Even though my path in life has changed, and will probably change again, and I’m not going to become a fashion designer like an 11-year-old me thought, I have a feeling I am going to do great things in the future.

Senior Cain Kempf reflects at their elementary school years April 28 at Broken Arrow Elementary.

Photo by Anna Torres

YOU’RE GOING TO BE SOMETHING

EXTRAORDINARY I don’t know if I’m ready to graduate; for real this time Story by Cain Kempf

I

Senior Cain Kempf reflects at their elementary school years April 28 at Broken Arrow Elementary. Photo by Anna Torres

woke up with urgency, like the clock was ticking eight times faster.

There’s no waiting, my eyes shot straight up as I hopped out of bed with that childish excitement you feel only on those special days like Christmas.

Or in that case, the last day of sixth grade.

My mom helped me curl my hair. I put on my navy blue ruffle tank top, floral capri palazzo pants and black sandals. I burst out the door, running to the car. The day began with cleaning. As 11 and 12 year olds, we were expected and required to wipe up all of the messes we created over the school year with a Clorox wipe and some brown paper towels.

It was gloomy and humid that afternoon, with our backpacks on, carrying our paper graduation caps we made in our art “specials” class out on the soccer field, underestimating what was to come next.

I tossed up my cap that read “You’re Going to be Something Extraordinary” in calligraphy scattered with roses, a reference to a quote from “Steven Universe.”

Six years ago still feels so recent, the memory so fresh.

I get to relive that sensation I felt that 2018 day in May all over again.

This time in a different field, surrounded by friends that I’ve made who would’ve been strangers back on that humid afternoon in 2018.

I still don’t know if I’m ready, but time is very impatient.

May - opinion | 13

14 | profile - NW Passage

L

Influentia SENIORS

TAKING A CHANCE

N

ext year, senior Francisco Juarez Nava will be attending either Rockhurst University with a track scholarship, or UMKC in the spring, and he’s majoring in engineering.

Juarez’s dad has a construction company, so Juarez has found himself working in construction a lot, installing drywall and also helping translate. He’s super excited to try engineering, working on roads and different kinds of buildings.

“I like the hands-on and being around the site,” he said.

But that’s not what Juarez’s dream has always been. As a child, Juarez wanted to be a gaming YouTuber. He wanted to play Fortnite like CoryxKenshin or SSundee.

Although that’s not his dream anymore, he loves gaming and will still continue it as a hobby.

“I think it was just reality,” Juarez said. “I mean, sooner or later, we’re gonna have to

give up on some things.”

Being a YouTuber was too risky in the game of being wealthy, which is what he ultimately wants.

“I mean, I just have to hope I land on the right side of the coin.”

So instead, he’s pursuing engineering and track in the future, even if it’s stressful.

He’s going to try his best to work through it. He started track his sophomore year and placed second in the 4x400 relay in the state of Kansas for 6A high schools.

Juarez says his parents want him to fully commit to engineering first, but that they also support his track dreams of going pro after college a lot more because he’s fast.

And he’s got to stay fast in order to hold onto his scholarship every year it renews.

“I’m gonna work,” Juarez said. “I love track. I can’t give up.”

story by Emma Wyckoff

FRANSISCO

SOMETHING REAL S

Abigail

enior Abigail Quick leads a normal teenage life.

She reads bad romance novels, loves her dog, hates math and spends time with friends.

But she also wrote a 4,000 word essay about the influence developing PCR DNA profiling had on catching the Golden State killer.

Quick’s version of “fun” is spent in a lab.

She’s an IB Diploma student with a passion for biology and an aspiration to attend medical school. Just four months ago, instead of doom scrolling on TikTok or deciding between french tip, bubble bath and funny bunny nails, Quick was in Kenya for 10 days designing the structural layout of affordable housing units.

“The most important thing was maintaining local architecture styles,” Quick said.

“I got to talk with engineers, and learning from them was a great experience. Sure, I was involved with the blanket drive, and that was nice. But this felt real.”

For the last four years Quick has been consumed by volunteer hours, Canva flyers and study halls.

As students ate lunch in the library, gathered for club meetings and creative writing read-alouds, many could see Quick with a hot pink highlighter jutting from her mouth, buried in the nearest textbook.

So much of her life has been dedicated to school, checking grades, cleaning creeks, working to mold Shawnee, Kansas into a better place.

Soon enough, Quick will no longer be confined by campus guidelines or open lunch policies.

This is her chance to make change. Because now there would be no more waiting until the weekend, spring break or summer, even though a part of her will miss it.

“I feel like I’m leaving a part of myself behind,” Quick said. “I’m never going to be 17, and a senior in high school, with all my friends at my fingertips ever again. This makes me sad, but I’m so excited for the future. Excited to finally go do something with my life.”

story by Sofia Ball

BEATING THE ODDS

S

enior Lily Reiff has one goal.

“Either be a writer or be a cast member, but just to be on SNL in general.”

Reiff has been in theater her whole life. From working with her dad, director for Shawnee Mission West Theater for about a decade, to winning Blue Star Award nomination in Shawnee Mission Northwest’s own musical, “The Addams Family.”

At age eight, Reiff was building sets for her dad on nights he couldn’t get a babysitter. He’d pick her up straight from JCPRD and they’d go right to tech.

“I was always there for tech nights,” Reiff said. “I was doing painting. I was doing everything.”

But theater was always just a fun hobby for young Reiff. She’d never even considered it as a career.

Young Reiff wanted to be an aerospace engineer. Her parents always told her that engineers made a lot of money. She was obsessed with space and loved the movie Hidden Figures, and decided she wanted

to be like the women in the movie. But once Reiff experienced high school math class, she immediately changed her mind.

“So I decided, you know what? I’m just gonna do what I like,” Reiff said. “I’m gonna do something I excel at.”

So she did.

Reiff started out doing all the tech for the theatre. No auditions. But when she saw her friends acting in the plays, she wanted to be a part of it. She started moving some set pieces around, and it just evolved from there. She went on to play Wayne Hopkins in “The Puffs”, the grandma in “The Addams Family” and many more.

Reiff plans on going to Graceland University, where both her parents attended, in the spring on a volleyball scholarship and is majoring in the performing arts. This major offers not only classes for theater, but film, script writing, acting, videography and everything that Reiff wants to pursue.

“0.1 percent of people get into [theatre],” Reiff said. “And I’m like, maybe I’ll be that 0.1.” story by Emma Wyckoff

Lily

design by Stella Miyares

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HELPING NOW AND LATER

E

laine Gast, the co-founder of Interact Club and president of Thespian Troupe 888, is ready to graduate.

At the moment, Gast doesn’t know exactly what she’s going to do, but she knows one thing.

It’s going to help people.

She is interested in doing a variety of things, including biological research, physiology or general medical work, like being a doctor.

A lot of people have influenced Gast to want to help others. Her mother, just like her, has helped her community. Donating food and items to those that need it has taught Gast the importance of helping others. Stepping away from parental influences, teachers like Kenneth Lee, the biotechnology instructor at the CAA, and Zulma Pérez-Estrella, biotechnology and

health science instructor, have taught Gast what the world of science can do not just for her but for the world. ​​”[Lee and Pérez] taught me to never say I’m not too young to be like that or that I don’t have enough experience to go into a lab,” Gast said. “They’ve always taught me that if you can show somebody that you’re serious about something and you want to work hard, you can do and be whatever you want, even at a young age.”

“Looking back at my high school experience,” Gast said. “Obviously there’s good parts and bad parts and everything, but grateful for it.” storyI’m byreally Jesus Lara Rivera

Elane BEHIND THE CAMERA

T

Tad

ad Lambert grew up loving film.

He wanted to use his love of film and knowledge of it to tell stories and reach different people.

“In second and third grade, Steven Spielberg was like my idol,” Tad said.

In third grade he would tell everyone, his classmates, teachers and family, that one day he was going to work for Pixar. He knew he wanted to pursue his love of film and storytelling and turn it into a career.

Over the years, that career choice evolved. He took a journalism class in middle school and begged Jeff Nesselhuf, the former Trailridge computer dimensions and co-journalism teacher, to let him record a basketball game with “a really bad camcorder”.

Then Tad came to Northwest, took Video Production 1 and went straight into KUGR. “[KUGR] stood out in my mind of what I love doing,” Tad said. “And it made me realize that this is actually what I wanted to do.”

On the day of the Eighth Grade Orientation, he got his science teacher to play a Cougar Roundup episode for the eighth graders to see, hoping to recruit some to KUGR. He knows he wants to work in the film industry and become an executive producer on a film project, but his goal for now is “just to get whatever. I can and work my way up.”

He plans to start at Chapman University in Orange, Cal, just outside of Los Angeles, to major in and create creative producing at the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.

“I guess I kind of have always known [I want to work in video production],” Tad said, “but over the past few years at Northwest, it’s solidified that.” story by Yohanna Ayana

ON A MISSION

A

Derek

couple days away from graduating, the constant contradicting thoughts battle in senior Derek Larsen’s mind. He feels ready, but the closer the day comes, the more he doubts himself. Larsen has worked hard, he played varsity football for two years and was the student body president.

“I’ve just been trying to focus on finishing strong. I’m not going to get these four years back ever,” Larsen said. “Why complain about the next 20 days that I have left when I can just enjoy them?”

After high school, Larsen isn’t planning on going to college right after high school.

Instead, he’s planning on following his faith. A two year long service mission in Flagstaff, Arizona for his religion, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“I’ll be teaching people about Jesus Christ and doing service projects with some of the locals in the area,” Larsen said. “And kind of just fostering relationships with

others to just help them better themselves in the communities,” Larsen’s story doesn’t end there. He plans to go to Brigham Young University to study marketing or entrepreneurship.

Larsen’s goal mission didn’t just appear out of nowhere. People all around him have motivated him to pursue service, including his parents who had also served on mission trips of their own.

“The gospel brings me a lot of peace and a lot of joy,” Larsen said. “And that’s something that I want to share with other people as well, as there’s not going to be [another] time in my life that I can like, set aside two years to go full to go and serve Jesus and go help a totally different community of people.”

The closer Larsen gets to graduation the more real his service mission and life beyond it become reality. In a way he’s ready to share that peace and joy that the gospel brings him, not just in Arizona but wherever life takes him. story by Jesus Lara Rivera

FINDING HER PLACE

K

atie Patrick was shy. When she was in elementary school, she was what teachers would describe as “quiet.” She wasn’t a social butterfly, the loudest in her class, wasn’t in a half-a-dozen clubs and worried at the thought of walking up to a group and jumping into their conversation.

When Patrick was young, she never would have believed that in a few short years she would be the person she is today. A drum major, Poetry Club president, an editor on the Elementia literary magazine, NHS member and, most importantly, a girl who’s gained her confidence.

Patrick never set out to open up, but high school changed everything.

She found herself in a swirl of honors classes, band rehearsals, service hours, poetry club meetings, bus rides to the CAA and job shadowing after school at State Line Animal Hospital.

Soon she was an upperclassman, taking on leadership roles that forced her outside her comfort zone.

Patrick didn’t think she would gain confidence — she just wanted to do her part in improving things where she could. But striking up conversations with

new people started coming easier to her. She found that she could laugh with strangers and approach groups without a worry. She had found a place, a place where she fit, a place where she could open up and be herself. “[Middle school me] probably wouldn’t have imagined that I have gained the confidence I have throughout high school,” Patric said.

As for now, Patrick doesn’t have a perfectly clear vision of her future, but she knows that she wants to spread compassion. She wants to become a veterinarian with hopes of improving people’s lives through animals. She wanted it ever since she was little, and now she’s a senior in high school, years older and wiser, and chasing the very same dream.

If she could travel back in time, though, there is one thing she would tell her younger self: “Everything’s going to work out in the end. It might not seem that way in the midst of it. Ultimately, you can only grow from the story

by Grace Rau experiences you have. Taking those risks is worth it.”

Katie

design by Stella Miyares

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Where they’re

Going ...

ARIZONA

IOWA

Arizona State University

Graceland University

University of Arizona

Drake University

Allison Ard

Lily Chalfie

Jonathan Prosch

ARKANSAS

University of Arkansas Meredith Bonge Peyton Frazier Josh Mudgett

Lauren Deel Kaia Givner Anna Seibold

CALIFORNIA

Chapman University Tad Lambert

Lily Reiff

Julian Jones

Iowa State University Isabel Keim

University of Iowa Ella King

Sidra Sakati

William Penn University Kleber Meneses Fabian

LOUISIANA

Tulane University Marin Kaufman

COLORADO

NEBRASKA

University of Colorado-Boulder

Creighton University

Colorado School of Mines

University of Nebraska Kearney

Grace Vivian Lucas Taitt

FLORIDA

Florida Gulf Coast University Samantha Bailey

Lydia Davis

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Ava Price

University of Nebraska Omaha Elle Hallock

IDAHO

York University

INDIANA

Rutgers-University Camden

Bringham Young University Sydney Keller

DePauw University Vincent Nixon

Indiana University Kayley Givner

Purdue University Miles Cohen

Celestina Ndubuisi

Quintin Anderson

NEW JERSEY

Jaelynne Klepac

NEW YORK

Cornell University Theodore Ohly

Rochester Institute of Technology Dylan Lowe Keffer

The Culinary Institute of America Keegan Bachert

OHIO

Wittenberg University Clayton Habben

OKLAHOMA

Langston University Ahkeelah Chrisman

University of Nebraska Kearney Alex Babler

OREGON

University of Oregon Lindsay Sinclair

PENNSYLVANIA

Geneva College

WORKFORCE

Joseph Barajas Spencer Creedon Joel Gray Noah Golden Kristina Keys Nissi Ortiz-Torres Madeleine Raines Michael Santos Acosta Andy Sontay Scott Wyckoff Dylan Haupt

MILLITARY

Bridget Camacho-Torres Violet Cottini A’Miya Ewing Alanna Nasby Bladimir Rivera

Gracie VanHorn

TEXAS

Baylor University Olivia Martin

Texas Tech University Mark Quinn

Samuel Wilson

University of Texas Emelia Fothergill

NOT LISTED

Tani’Ya Allen Osman Asalati Jacky Carr Erick Chavez Maurico Garcia Jaylen Hansard Elijah Locke Rebecca McClelland Caleb Munsayakam Mekko Newton Faith Smigalovic Hannah Vondrachek

Graduated eary

Brian Alvarado Abigail Bledsoe Rebecca Eggerman Nardaicela Garcia Broc Henry Ignacio Hernandez-Delgado Tylen Junius Zachary Maxwell Hannah Mott Anna Rich Raegan Westbrook

Menjivar Argueta Mariah Beavers Caleb Champagne Enrique Gallegos Jacob Greer Claude Hudson III Breanna Lopez Nava Yosselyn Menjivar Argueta Miguel Murillo Trujillo Jose Perez Alvarez Jack Tola Edward Washington

Keonthony Banks-Locke Oscar Castaneda Aguilar Micah Felder Jai’la Green Ania Hernandez Joanna Hernandez-Figueroa Sabastian Leyva I’Neaya Moore Olivia Nagorka Piper Stackhouse

Moises Cazares DaMarrion Dillard Rylee Green Mason Jones Nathaly Linares Xavier Ollie Stephanie Robledo-Mendoza Michyla Sayles Paige Viles Eduardo Zavala Gonzalez

Alex Bergman Jack Ester Destiny Colum Gavin Hohe Ian Krugjohn Lily Phillips Luis Reynoso

Brett Charlton Christopher Covey Jeremiah Montes Mohammad Nazari Trace Welker

GAP YEAR

Galen Clark Julia Camacho-Santiago Nehamiah DeLaughder Cain Kempf Derek Larsen Angel Quinones Rubio Madeline Van Auken

TRADE SCHOOL

Keon Artis Haylee Harper Imani Jones

Jayden Gragg Kyra Highlander

UNDECIDED

Deven Bolton Grace Braswell Kenold Dexantus Luisa Duewel Teal Franklin Addison Masters Dominic Nixon Mark Pischke

Ellison Bonge Grace Couldry Denzell Dillard Hudson Dunbar Auden Hardy Shane Neumer Christophers Paez Jaimes Gabriel Rice

ABROAD

Nayawat Assawagovit Shaye Leary Philippe Reischl

Olivia Liu Tyler Murdock Santino Stamati

design by Kennedy Woolf

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Baker University Bonny Gunkel

KANSAS

MidAmerica Nazarene University Aubrey Hook

Kate Reese

Pittsburgh State University

Bethany College Kaitlin Parker

Sienna Jordan

Annamarie Torres

Ava Van Nieuwenhuyse

Madison Cecil

University of St. Mary

Emporia State University

Hannah Harris

Rose Cox

University of Kansas Zurich Allen Catherine Ancell Jewel Andries Gauri Bairagi Joey Bartkoski Charlie Beardslee Gabe Hoskins Ashley Broils Blake Bohndorf Adra Cress Eunice De Jesus Gianna Gallager Cierra Gamble Mattaya Hager Brooklyn Harvey Courtney Allison Ava Huggins Stella Hyter Dominique Barnett Ella Jones Kulraj Karra Orion Brindle Savannah Avery Lang Kayla Carpenter Kessinger Mya Lee Paige Cheffey Josie Malara Mekaela Malinowski Bo Draper Cullen McCaffery Bryan McKee Michael Frimpong Mohammad Nora Nightingale Dayanara Gutierrez Nazari Abigail Quick Abraham Hernandez Eli Rice Evan Schotland Hunter Jaster Gabriel Sinclair Esaias Spencer Ethan Jones Donovan Stewart Julia Talley Lillia Kleinow Solveig Thomas Krystin Thomas-Bird Tania Madison Manrup Virk Adam Vogel Robert Moore Montserrat Perez Dominic Rigoli Nathan Deleon Kaitlyn Pruente Arya Ross Samantha Saathoff Izak Zeller Emma Sheverbush Aaron Sirena Padilla Dominic Vargas Dylan Paflas Gavin Weeks Madelynn Yepez

Highland Community College Emma Doleshal

Donovan Hamby

Johnson County Community College Emma Albanna Kailee Alexander Da’Naj Anderson William Arnold Cristofer Barrios Lemus Max Bender Adrienna Brown Ivan Brunksy Zia Carter Breann Cheatham Edrei Delfin Cobos Jai’den Dirks Abby Fenton Isabella Fenton Morgan Gottfried Morgan Gottfried Jesselyn Hagerty Anne Henson Makayla Hoffman Riley Holliday Gunnar Johnson April Jones Emily Kaminski Dalton Kelly Isabelle Koenig Jenah Lockwood Brandon Mancilla Andrew Montes Ta’Nasia Painter Logan Palermo Juan Murillo Trujillo Amelia Pyle Dailyn Rixtun Monzon Nicholas Roberts Ryan Russel Madeline Harkeerat Singh Schladweiler-Trebbe Jacob Still Adam Strock Ben Vasquez Ben Vasquez Jayden Wilhite Tyler Woodring Meredith Yuman

Kansas city Kansas Community Collage Jasiney Clark

Graeme Hobbs

Kansas State University

Reid Strom

Ottawa University

Concorde Career College Aja Robinson

Elizabeth Ann Barry Ryann McEniry

Jacobe Arnold

Carlos Rodriguez

Anna Berardo Brooks Borgman Chloe Carter Dylan Cooper Taryn Day Sarah Elias Samantha Ellison Brayden Frazier Grayson Fugett Alan Gomez Morales Julian Gonzales Sophie Horner Nathan Jaime Jase Luttrel Gracilyn McManness Stephanie Moreno Tristin Newell Griffin Nusbaum Katelyn Patrick Parker Pavlik Emma Peters Reese Rodgers Jack Scheffler Leila Schenke Margo Schuerman Theodore Siceloff Taylour Standifer Abby Trondson Tyler VandenBros Brayden Vil Tyler Wachsnicht Joy Wilson Zachary Wilson Kendra Zamora

Olivia Anderson Theresa Barger Brooklyn Bridwell-Keaton Marissa Buffon Danie Eaves Ava Griffin Jordan Hipsher Marina Johnson Cameron Kelly Halley Laurant Drake Lichtenauer Rakesh Mandal Luigi Muscadin Evan Qualls Natalia Ramirez Wolfgang Sell Lukas Steinlicht Audrey Teel Jose Villalba Hernandez Anderson Walsh

Washburn University

Washburn University

171 / 329 seniors plan to stay in Kansas after high school

MISSOURI

Columbia College of Missouri

William Jewel College

Mark Noble

Brenner Mitts

Cooper Newkirk

Drury University Marshall Dayton

Lindenwood UniverTeal Franklin

Metropolitan Community College Alexander Hernandez

Kendall Marchio

Elizabeth Wilson

Missouri Valley College Malia Todd

Pearl River Community College Serena Decker

Rockhurst University Cassandra Cain Chelbi Dinkela Francisco Juarez Nava Rhys Lewis

Truman State University Elaine Gast

Lina Herbst

University of Central Missouri Cayla Cummings

University of Missouri-Kansas City Orlando Hernandez Garcia James Martin

Salonii Hightower Kaitlynn Onsen

Maddie Knapp Cory Zoeller

University of Washington in St. Louis Ruby Corzine

GOING THE DISTANCE

7 students are going to colleges over 1000 miles away

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22 | feature - NW Passage

OLD AND NEW HABITS After 40 years, Douglas Talley is ready to return to playing like before story by Jesus Lara Rivera

F

orty years ago, music teacher Douglas Talley started his career as a teacher, thinking it was only going to be something small. Something like a summer job with no strings attached.

“I couldn’t have imagined that I would stay in [teaching] for 40 years. I was probably thinking, oh, five or 10 years, and I’ll teach for a while then I’ll go back to playing [in a band or in a club],” Talley said. “But that didn’t happen, and I think it’s because I just fell in love with the job.”

Talley always loved playing music. He started with piano, then cello in elementary and lastly clarinet. Learning and improving as time went by. Talley is ready to put that all into work once again as his retirement approaches.

“It’s a magical experience,” Talley said.

Before teaching, Talley played on the road, went to school to get his teaching certificate and even spent time playing in Las Vegas.

In 1984, Talley moved from Texas to Kansas, where he taught at Hillcrest Junior High. After two years of teaching in 1986, Talley moved to Trailridge Middle School and Northwest where he would spend the next 38 years.

“When I was much younger, I taught, of course, five days a week, and played five nights a week in a club,” Talley said. “And so I do remember that I had my alarm clock set for 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. both because when I got home from school every day, I would try to take a nap for about an hour or two [before heading over to the club].”

Talley has played in a lot of bands and groups, but recently he’s been forced to turn a couple opportunities down due to teaching.

Now he’s ready to jump back into playing, though maybe not as much as before.

“The two things I’ll miss the most are the students and the staff,”

Talley said.

Talley doesn’t truly want to leave. To him, this school and the people in it are worth keeping, but after so long he thinks it’s about time he does what he loves: something other than teaching.

Jazz band teacher Doug Talley plays jazz music on his clarinet May 3 in Room 39. photo by Jack Pischke

A NEW CHAPTER 37 years of teaching and learning comes to a close story by Jesus Lara Rivera

K

athy Stewart, English teacher and department head, stands at the front of her class, leading her students deeper into a discussion about Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar.” For 37 years, Stewart has been doing this exact same thing day after day with different students, different authors and different schools. But at the end of this year, she’s retiring.

“I want to see what else I can do in life,” Stewart said. “I want to know who else I am besides coming to school every day, which I’ve been doing since I was six.”

Back in 1987 Stewart began her career, jumping between jobs all around South Dakota. In 2006, she moved to Kansas to restart her teaching career after a short break where she decided to stay with

her kids. From then on, Stewart has been teaching English in the Shawnee Mission district.

Until next year.

“This is the best job ever,” Stewart said.

“I get to go to work every day. Whether it’s a good day or bad day, I know what I did at the end of the day, and I get to do something that hopefully moves society forward in a positive way.”

Stewart is ready for what she calls the “next chapter in life.” This time it won’t include Shakespeare, William Golding or Anthony Doerr.

Smiling, english teacher Kathy Stewart sits at “I’m retiring. I’m not going away. I’m not her desk April 25 in Room 131. photo by Andie tearing my sleeve,” Stewart said. “You know, Berg it’s just a new path on the journey of life. It’s as unknown to me as a senior leaving high school in many ways. We’ll see what’s next.”

MOVING ON Mark Cohen retires from the police force after 28 years

S

tudent Resource Officer Mark Cohen has been on the force for 28 years, and at Northwest for 19. This means traffic duty, confiscating vapes, searching backpacks, writing parking tickets and making arrests. He’s sat at the same desk since 2004, watching surveillance footage of students skipping math class. He’s stared at the same beige walls, ate the same ham sandwich for lunch and had the same badge number.

On the plus side, he was able to work with kids, serve the community and fulfill his childhood dream – which stemmed from watching cop shows like “CHiPs.” On the down side, he had to work with kids, deliver bad news and put his life on the line for complete strangers.

Thousands of interactions, hundreds of hours in overtime and dozens of 4th Amendment presentations have led Cohen up to his retirement this August when he’ll be only 50 years old.

Meaning he has the next half of his life to do whatever he wants.

“It’s not gonna be as stressful,” Cohen said. “It seems like on the days that are busy everything happens at once.”

story by Sofia Ball

He’s already rented a home on Anna Maria Island, just off the west coast of Florida, for a whole month this winter, and plans to make the long drive out with his dog, Sara, a rescue border collie lab mix. From there on out he’ll be relaxing by the beach, drinking Piña Coladas and doing his best not to burn.

No more school fights, no more radio chatter, no more drama.

“I think as a police officer, we can become negative,” Cohen said.

“We’re seeing people at their worst, so you have to work really hard to stay positive. Sometimes you don’t wanna be around people. You enjoy being by yourself in your time off.”

Cohen said he’s likely to catch up on yard work and projects around the house. He’ll sleep in, and spend time with his daughter Elizabeth. He may even get a job bagging groceries at Hy-Vee. A lot is undecided.

“I like to think that I’ll kind of move on from this,” Cohen said. “But you never know.”

Student resource officer Mark Coenen leans on his car April 29 in the Student Parking Lot. photo by Cooper Evans

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PROM IN PHOTOS photo by Maddie Roof

photo by Maddie Roof

photo by Maddie Roof

photo by Jack Pischke

photo by Maddie Roof

photo by Maddie Roof

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CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM

28 | feature - NW Passage

IT’S COMPLICATED

photo by Addison Griswold

Northwest represents a rising national trend of chronically absent students story by Sofia Ball

S

ophomore Jillian Thimesch’s alarm blares on her bedside table.

She hits snooze once, then again and again until she realizes it’s an hour to noon and school started at 7:40 a.m.

But at this point, why bother?

Instead of grabbing her car keys, frantically combing her hair and racing out the door, she decides to just stay home. This may annoy Thimesch’s parents, but not enough to drag her by the feet. This may make Thimesch feel guilty, but not enough to leave her bed.

In total, Thimesch has more than 20 unexcused absences this school year, meaning she’s considered chronically absent.

“It doesn’t take long for us to finish that one little work sheet in math,” Thimisch said. “I feel like I’m just scrolling through social media for the rest of the day, when I could get it done at home and take a nap.”

Thimesch isn’t alone: she’s part of a national trend of high school students who are choosing not to come to school.

“There’s not a district who isn’t experiencing this,” Northwest Attendance Specialist Tyrone Foster said.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, a student is considered chronically absent once he or she has missed at least

10% of school days or 18 days in a year for any reason, excused or unexcused. This is different from truancy which only categorizes excused absences. In total, 21% of Northwest students are presently chronically absent, nearly twice as many as a decade ago, according to data provided by the Northwest Office.

For the senior class at Northwest, 35% are chronically absent, whereas for freshmen it’s 13.8%. According to incoming Superintendent Dr. Michael Schumacher, seniors in all SMSD high schools are 44% chronically absent. All high school students are 20% chronically absent.

“We need our students in our building so that we can provide them all of the support that they deserve,” incoming Superintendent Dr. Michael Schumacher. “Lower performance, and mental health concerns are incredibly troubling for us.”

Around Northwest, group essays are submitted unfinished, lab observations incomplete and seating charts sparse, causing tensions to rise between students and teachers as the district continues to search for answers.

“If it were an easy problem to address then there wouldn’t be a crisis,” Chief of Student Services Dr. Christy Ziegler said. “That’s why it’s important. “There’s all kinds of data regarding student success

later in life. But if you’re missing your education that impacts your job, your future and so forth.”

In 2016, 13% of public school students were considered chronically absent, according to the American Enterprise Institute. An estimated 26% of public school students nationwide were chronically absent last year — a 15% rise from before the pandemic, according to the American Enterprise Institute.

COVID-19 has had a major impact on school attendance, according to Ziegler. Not only are students more prone to stay home for every sniffle and sore throat due to previous regulations, but aspects of online learning have given many a sense of normalcy.

If a high school student has the chance to complete their assignments or take notes through Canvas, they fail to see the benefits of in-person learning.

“That really tells us that we need to make sure they’ve got a reason to come to school,” Ziegler said. “That there’s engaging instructions, and students can feel they belong.”

Despite state laws requiring that students meet a certain level of attendance, they may miss school for a variety of reasons, according to a handout from the Kansas Department of Education.

Many are absent due to barriers such as chronic illness, house instability or poor transportation. Others struggle academically, socially or are bullied. Some students feel disengaged, with no meaningful relationships established with adults in school, discouraged due to lack of credits or are lacking culturally relevant material/ lessons.

Some students fail to see the reality or consequences of their actions when skipping — which can lead to involvement with the district attorney’s office, possibly sending their parents or guardians to court. Instead, they brush off the warnings and letters sent home as empty threats.

“I haven’t been to math in two months,” senior Brooklyn BridwellKeaton said. “I’ve just accepted the failure there because I was gone so much, I [now] use second hour as a free period.”

Some teachers take severe offense to students who skip, others find ways to adapt their teaching styles, such as posting video notes or updated modules and many have accepted what’s out of their hands.

“I’ve been teaching for 17 years,” English and creative writing teacher Sheila Young said. “And absences are the worst I’ve ever seen. I don’t take it personally, but I do worry about it.

Math teacher Mira Davidovic says as attendance has dropped since COVID, she feels annoyed and sad because she cares about her students.

“People who end up with a D move on and continue to struggle in other math classes,” Davidovic said. “There’s just nothing I can do about it.”

Science teacher Michael agrees.

“It’s their education,” Pisani said. “If it were my kid, I’d be walking them to class. I don’t wanna say too much more and get myself in trouble.”

IB Diploma students, track athletes, cheerleaders and theater kids alike are beginning to experience burnout, or something similar due to COVID, even though less is expected of them. Logic might justify that there are only a few more weeks left, a couple tests, and some half days, but that doesn’t stop them from hitting the snooze button like Thimisch or pulling into a Starbucks drive through instead of the student parking lot.

It’s complicated,” Thimisch said. “If I really wanna go home or I’m desperate I’ll sometimes fake an illness. But usually I just won’t show up in the first place. It’s nice to have a rest day every once in a while, but missing class has definitely dropped my grade. So the guilt is there.”

Some students also tend to suffer from mental health issues keeping them from school.

According to Bridwell-Keaton, the average classroom setting doesn’t meet the needs of students prone to hyperactivity. She proposed lengthening passing periods and letting all students listen to music during work time in order to keep more of them in class.

“I have chronic ADHD,” BridwellKeaton said. “I have to have four different modes of brain stimulation to be comfortable. I’m in the back room in Yearbook, playing a game on my phone, while designing and there’s a Youtube video on. And I get my work done.”

Some parents, such as Thimisches’, have offered to buy her a PS5 if she can make it a full month in school, whereas others have given up entirely.

District officials have worked tirelessly brainstorming ways to keep students in class. Is the answer social media, sending email blasts to parents, PJ day?

According to Ziegler, SMSD will utilize Sources of Strength to promote inclusivity, and address any feelings of anxiety.

Attendance specialists, such as Foster, have also been hired recently, across the district to monitor rates of chronic absenteeism in high/middle schools and to increase communication with student families.

“The way I present it to them, [graduation] is a goal,” Foster said.

“It’s a small goal, but an important one. ‘Just two more weeks,’ I say.

I’m not gonna get everybody because not everybody’s gonna buy into that. Some kids are like, ‘I don’t care.’ Some parents are like, ‘I’ve had it up to here with them, I don’t know what to do.’”

On his desk, Foster has a list of between 30-40 student names that are on the path not to graduate. He claims that if he can get at least 80% of those students to walk the stage come May, then he’s done his job.

Until then, teachers will continue to unload their frustrations, students will sleep through first hour and administration will ask the same questions.

“I’m trying to improve,” Thimisch said. “I swear.”

The highest rates of chronic absenteeism are in grades 8-12

Grade 08: 22.6%

Grade 09: 19.4% Grade 10: 27.1%

Grade 11: 30.5% Grade12: 44.8%

May - feature | 29

30 | Year in Photos - NW Passage

YEAR IN

1. Celebrating their win, the Cougars pile on top of each other March 9 at the Charles Koch Arena. The Cougars won the Boy’s Basketball 5A/6A Kansas State Championship title against Wichita Heights High School. “This win is everything,” junior Aiven Riley said. “I’ve been thinking about [winning state] since last year.” photo by Kara Simpson 1.

2. Senior Elaine Gast stands with seniors Lily Reiff and Meredith Bonge April 20 at the Hyatt Hotel. Gast was crowned prom queen, Reiff was first runner-up, and Bonge was second runner-up. “I was happy to be up there with Meredith and Lily,” Gast said. “They are both such amazing people.” photo by Maddi Roof 2.

During the finale of “The Addams Family,” juniors Gentry Fox poses with junior Luke Dent Feb. 13 in the Auditorium. Dent and Fox played Gomez and Morticia Addams, a married couple in the production. “[Gentry and I] had already been very good friends prior to casting, but learning to be believably in love for most of the show was difficult,” Dent said. “The biggest compliment we got was from [Theater Director Shawnasea Holst] who stated that she didn’t see us as two high schoolers playing characters, but a real middle aged couple in love.” Photo by Annamarie Torres 3.

3. Senior Gabe Hoskins yells at the cameras March 9 at Charles Koch Arena. The boy’s basketball team finished the season undefeated with a score of 47-39. “I was so proud of how far we came as a team and how much we grew throughout the season,” Hoskins said. “This group is going to do big things in life.” photo by Ashley Broils 4. Senior Ava Griffin reacts to her name being called Feb. 24 in the Main Gym. Griffin was crowned the 2024 Sweetheart Queen. “I was completely surprised, I invited my family to come to watch, and right before they said my name I thought ‘My whole family came to see me and I didn’t get crowned.’” photo by Ashley Broils

PHOTOS

6. Seniors Cameron Kelly and Gabriel Hoskins celebrate after scoring a touchdown Sept. 15 on the North football field. The Cougars lost to the Jaguars 14-7. “I felt really good about [scoring a touchdown] but I felt like I didn’t do enough to get that W for my team,” Hoskins said. “But just wait for it, we are going to turn it around.” photo by Ashley Broils 6.

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5. Kicking the ball through an opponent’s legs, sophomore Jennifer Portuguez pushes towards the goal March 20 at De Soto High School. Portuguez plays as a forward on the C-team. “Getting the ball and scoring is my number one priority as a forward, so I always have to think one step ahead of my opponent,” Portuguez said. photo by Cooper Evans

May - Year in Photos | 31

...THE REST IS STILL N UNWRITTEN. W P