The Northwest Passage: Volume 56, Issue 2

NW PASSAGE Issue 2

September 12, 2024

United in Grief pg. 12

Volume 56

C T NW PASSAGE05 Shawnee Mission Northwest Highschool, 12701 W 67th St, Shawnee, KS, 66216

In Memory of Ovet Gomez Regalado. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

By Grace Rau & Sofia Ball

We Heard You | Locked Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

05 07 04 10 13 15 16 17 18 22

The English department at Shawnee Mission Northwest cracked down on the phone policy | By Sage McCarthy & Hope Hunt

Behind the Wheel: Bring Driver’s Ed to SMSD. . . . . . . . . . .

Northwest should offer driver’s education as a summer course

Not So Bad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Being the only girl in a room is hard, especially when it involves kickboxing | By Sofia Ball

It Ends With. . . Flowers?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Review of the popular, and controversial, movie “It Ends With Us.” There are some spoilers, so beware | By Sophia Ragan

Forks Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Where our school is sipping on during late start | By Sage McCarthy & Hope Hunt

United In Grief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Deaths is always hard to handle — especially when it’s the fourth within thirteen months | By Sofia Ball & Grace Rau

And That’s Enough. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Junior Lily Peters is on a healing journey after struggling with suicidal thoughts | By Sofia Ball

It Sleeps With The Fishes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ella Cole uses art to express her emotions | By Sophia Ragan

As Long As You’re Smiling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Joining dance team has been a rewarding experience for senior Elise Russell | By Grace Rau

Month In Photos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PUBLICATION OVERSIGHT Editor-In-Chief Managing Editor

Grace Rau Bella Alvarado

CONTENT MANAGEMENT Copy Editor Design Editor Photo Editor Photo Editor Online Editor

Sofia Ball Greta Grist Addison Griswold Kara Simpson Bella Alvarado

ADVISER CONTRIBUTERS Chris Heady Brylee Griswold

WRITERS Grace Rau

Emma Wyckoff

Jesus Lara Rivera Hope Hunt Sage McCarthy Quentin Brown Sofia Ball

DESIGNERS Bella Alvarado Kennedy Woolf Greta Grist

Check out our website for more content!

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OUR PASSAGE

T

he Northwest Passage is a news magazine that aims to provide information to the student body of Shawnee Mission Northwest and amplify their voices. We strive to be a reflection of our reader’s interests and relay relevant news about our world and community.

We firmly support the First Amendment and oppose censorship. The content of our paper is determined and created by our staff. When questions concerning word choice, ethics or legality may arise, the Editor in Chief, editor board and advisor will discuss the problem and come to a conclusion. In these cases, the Editor in Chief and editor board will have the final say.

Letters to the editor are encouraged. The Northwest Passage reserves the right to edit for grammatical mistakes, length, clarity and good taste. Letters may attack policy but not people. The Editor in Chief and the editor board maintain the right to refuse any letter.

The Passage publishes nine issues a school year.

Subscriptions are available to the community for $20.

1. Junior Traimyre Woodruff runs with the ball Sept. 6 at the SM North Stadium. Woodruff is quarterback and running back for the varsity football team. Photo by Finn Bedell 2. Sophomore Sophia Boshart runs through a finish line Sept. 4 in the Main Gym. Boshart participated in the sophomore skit during the Bonfire assembly. Photo by Finn Bedell 3. The football team prays together Sept. 6 in the SM North lockeroom. The team prayed together after they won against the Olathe North Eagles at the first football game of the year.

Photo by Cooper Evans

News | 05

In Memory of Ovet Gomez Regalado Story by Grace Rau and Sofia Ball Shawnee Mission Northwest sophomore Ovet Gomez Regalado passed away the morning of August 16. That day, teachers were instructed to share a sensitive email from principal Dr. Lisa Gruman with students regarding the death of Gomez Regalado.

On August 15, a different email from Guman was shared with staff about a football player who needed “emergency medical attention” the evening before. The football player, now identified as Gomez Regalado, was hospitalized and receiving medical treatment.

“It is important to understand that there will be many details that we do not know,” Gruman wrote to parents. “Your child will hear many different things, but please encourage them not to make guesses and spread rumors. The family will need privacy as they struggle to handle their

grief, and the administration is asking everyone to respect that privacy.”

Gomez Regalado is the fourth student at Northwest to pass away within 13 months.

Students and teachers were visibly shaken at the news, and some were in tears. Shawnee Mission School District officials were seen in the halls offering their support.

“Ovet was such a warm and wonderful student that touched the hearts of so many in our community,” Gruman wrote.

The Northwest community has gathered to show their support in the wake of Gomez regalado’s passing: raising over $33,500 for the family on gofundme, hosting a balloon release August 17 and wearing “#55 Strong” t-shirts to the first football game of the season September 6.

Gomez Regalado’s funeral was held on August 26 at Good Shepherd Catholic Church. Many students and teachers attended to show support and honor Gomez Regalado’s life.

Through the unprecedented times of yet another tragic death, people have come together to remember Gomez Regalado and recognize the impact he made.

School and district officials are available to offer counseling and any additional help. Students may visit the main office from 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., no appointment needed, if they wish to talk with a social worker or counselor. If they would like to talk to someone outside of those hours, the 988 National Hotline for management of mental health and crisis situations is available 24 hours a day.

L o cked up

News | 06

The English department at Shawnee Mission Northwest cracked down the phone policy Story by Sage McCarthy and Hope Hunt

S

tarting this year, the English department enacted a new cell phone policy which asks all students to put their phones away for the duration of class. Phones being banned has been a recurring practice around the country in Florida, Los Angeles County and more.

According to teachers, cell phones can restrict connections between students, and inhibit quality discussions from happening. This is where their new solution comes into play.

“Phones disable students from being able to think critically and socialize,” sophomore English teacher Michelle Titus said.

Titus has had many incidents in recent years where students have struggled to pay attention and make bonds in class.

“I would ask questions with no response,” Titus said. “Just missing conversations.”

Though English is the only department at Northwest that requires students to put their phones away, other departments also partake in enforcing the no phones rule. Other teachers have created a reward system by giving extra credit for putting phones in a wall pouch or wooden box at the beginning of class. In his classroom, history teacher Todd Boren expects students to keep phones in their bags, it’s the student’s responsibility to want to learn.

“I metaphorically refer to [phones] as their crack, like they have to learn to live without it and they have to learn to focus and stay attentive,” Boren said. “I truly believe that there are a lot of kids who are addicted to their phones, and because of that, it impairs their ability to learn.”

Some students, on the other hand, believe that the no phone policy is unnecessary.

“I do feel like if they wanted students

Design by Bella Alvarado

to focus more, taking away their phone shouldn’t be the main thing,” junior Jimmy Bullocks SMNW explained. “Because if a student truly didn’t care, then they’ll most likely find a way to “Our phon es distract themselves.” mentally e take up so much of ou motionally On the first day of school, and physic r minds ru n , it ’s n Bullocks walked into his ot a big de ally. In the al to live w long for an hou English class and was told ithout you r. And it w r p il h l benefit y don’t reali about the phone policy. ou in ways one ze or think we “I instantly know that ELA about.” Fre Ann shmen Ve for the rest of the year will ra be boring and the lowest part of my day,” Bullocks said. “It ruined my first day.”

“It 's also h Other students think ard when your whole o n your pho it’s okay to take phones world exis ne to give ts that up be during instructional time, kind of se cause you vering you but not during downtime. 'r r e c onnection social gro ups and y to all of yo “I think it’s necessary o ur lifelines ur through s to, you kn ocial med whenever the teachers o ia w , ” , W E n il glish teac liams are talking,” Sophomore her Eric Tiffany Silva Toral stated. “But when we work alone we should be able to have it.”

English teacher Eric “I dont lik e them at Williams has offered all! I neve anyways, r liked EL A s o this new the extra credit option phone jail h a te th e m made me for a couple of years more.” Jun ior Jimmy and will continue Bullocks to use this method as it’s beneficial to his classroom.

Williams said, “I “I’m also ju don’t approach st excited of the pos school wit it in a combative sibility of h no phon es, I feel li better wit way when I do ask ke it would h no phon be es . I them to put their enjoy scho ol more.” E think students wou phone away. I ld n glish teac Titus her Miche prefer students to lle voluntarily give up their phones.”

Design by Greta Grist

Opinion | 07

Behind the Wheel: Bring Driver’s Ed to SMSD Northwest should offer driver’s education as a summer course this fall

T

housands of teens across America learn to drive each year, memorizing handbooks, privately enrolling in classes and spending hours on the road.

But getting your license is a long, expensive ordeal.

Many driving courses come with a large price tag, which some student’s families cannot comfortably afford — especially when they have multiple students of driving age. In Kansas, private driving classes can cost up to $799.

The alternative is to obtain a learner’s permit and then spend 25 to 50 hours practicing with a licensed driver over 21. This route can be time consuming and it is difficult to work so many hours of driving into already busy schedules.

Offering driver’s education as a summer course through the Shawnee Mission School District would relieve financial and time-related barriers that prevent some teens from getting their license.

Driver’s ed was a course at Northwest before 2001, and many alumni earned their license this way.

“One [student would be] driving, the instructor in the passenger seat, and then one or two kids in the back seat,” history teacher and Northwest alumni Todd Boren said. “You would go out, and you would get to drive for about 10 or 15 minutes, and then you would switch spots.”

But, if driver’s ed was brought back, it would have a different look. Instead of being an in-school semester long course, it could be offered as an optional summer class for teens across the school district. Students would pay a relatively minimal course fee of $50 to $100, and attend sessions for three weeks.

During class sessions, students would first learn the rules of the road and driving etiquette. Once passing the Kansas Driver’s Handbook test, they would then be able to practice with their

instructor. Students would have four attempts to get an 80% on the test.

When driving, instructors and students would use a dual brake car, making it safer for beginners.

This summer course, similar to driver’s ed offered by private driving companies, will be taken on a pass/fail basis. Students must meet the participation requirements and complete the inperson driving and written exam portions.

At the end of the course, instructors would submit a student’s scores to the administrative offices. In three business days, students who passed would receive a valid DE-99, which they can take to a state driver’s license office. After passing a vision test at the DMV, students can then pay for a printed state-issued permit.

Creating such a course would be resource consuming and labor intensive. The class would be paid for by both school funding and fees collected from students. Instructors would be needed to teach the course, and a dual-brake car needed for driving sessions.

Though costs may be a concern, purchasing a dual brake car would be an investment, as it could be used for many years, and reduce the risk for instructors and students during sessions.

Driver’s ed would bring many benefits to the student body, outweighing the costs.

Driving is a huge part of life, especially for adolescents, which is why it’s so important to protect them on the road. Offering courses that are financially accessible to students and within a close proximity to their homes could potentially relieve pressure for Northwest families and bring the community closer together.

THE VOTE

Story by Grace Rau

12 / 0 / 2 agree

disagree

abstain

t d o N Ba o

Opinion | 09

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Photo By Kara Simpson

Being the only girl in a room is hard, especially when it involves kickboxing

Can we turn back now?”

“Sure,” my dad said.

“Really?”

“No.” As we passed College Boulevard, I gripped the handle on my olive Hydro Flask, tracing its grooves. I can feel myself shrink as he shifts into the right hand turn lane. Another left. Then, straight for 400 feet. 300. 200. 50. He unbuckles his seatbelt and grabs a gym bag from the backseat.

“Maybe another time” I say, and laugh awkwardly. But that doesn’t stop him from shutting the car door, and walking away. I tighten my ponytail, slip on some flip flops and readjust my electric blue Lulu shorts.

Did I mention that it was 28 degrees? After trudging through chunks of ice, shivering, I hear a soft jingle, and I’m transported into another dimension entirely. Children running, other kids playing video games on a TV in the corner, older men speaking Portuguese and an odd combination of sweat and acai berries hits me hard.

“Hey, Bruce, this is my daughter, Sofia.”

We shook hands.

Burce was a goofy guy, wearing comically large sneakers and a baseball cap.

“You train before?” Bruce said.

I shook my head no. Did I mention the thousand tattoos Bruce had on his arms, legs, and back? Or the fact that his biceps were probably larger than my head, or that he only spoke about 50 words of English?

Did I mention that after seven years of gymnastics competitions, dance recitals, hair glitter and sequined leotards that I had set foot in a Muay Thai class, with men three times my age, and twice my size? Or that I was the only girl?

I carefully strapped on some gloves and shin guards. We practiced jab crosses in front of a mirror, then switched to partner drills and pad work. Towards the end of class Bruce said something I couldn’t quite hear at first. Until realization hit, and I froze.

“Now we spar.”

I looked to my right, an older boy with a mullet and the kind of attitude that reminded you of Johnny Lawrence. You could tell the words “strike hard no mercy” were surging through his temples as he hit the bag with force. And to my left was Thade, who towered maybe two feet over me, and had an extensive background in boxing.

Though I could tell in his shy demeanor that he would never hit a girl. But as I made my way toward him, Bruce motioned me over instead.

“Crap.” *** I’ve only been doing Muay Thai twice a week, for seven months. Though I recently graduated to a red and white Pra Jiad armband, which means I attend Monday and Wednesday nights with my Dad, who’s been going for over two years now. My shins have stopped bruising, and I can even block

hooks faster than some of the guys.

I’m also not the only woman anymore.

Now there’s Stacy, one of the most positive people I’ve ever met, and her daughter Abby. There’s also Nicole, a mother of three, pharmacist, nail tech, hair stylist and yoga instructor (I want to be her).

Sometimes I still get hit in the face pretty hard, or else I’m tossed around even just by holding the bag for others. Don’t get me wrong, I still love this. There’s something so empowering about being a sixteen-year-old girl kicking grown men in the stomach. I finally see what Mullet Guy was all about.

But it makes me sad to think that, at one pint, I was the only girl in my class of 15.

And that alone was enough to make me not wanna come back. Sports such as martial arts are so dominated by men that women feel intimidated or not welcome. It’s the same, or similar, for fields such as STEM and IT. I don’t really know what else to say except I felt that asking my dad to turn the car around, and still went. Granted I kept asking every time for the first two weeks of classes.

The important thing is that I stuck with it, the smell of feet and man sweat is almost tolerable now. I can also sort of understand what Bruce is saying. And if sparring a professional Brazilian fighter on my first day didn’t kill me, I don’t know what will.

Story and Design by Sofia Ball

It Ends With... Flowers?

10 | opinion - NW Passage Story by Sophia Ragan | Design by Greta Grist

Review of the popular, and controversial, movie “It Ends With Us”. There are some spoilers, so beware

W

hile the movie “It Ends With Us” was heartfelt and hard to watch, did it have the same tragic effect as the book?

Jason Baldoni’s adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s “It Ends With Us” hit theaters on August 9, 2024.

While this isn’t Baldoni’s first movie he’s done from a book, he directed and produced “Five-Feet Apart”, I don’t think it’s his best one.

“It Ends With Us” follows main characters Lily Bloom and Ryle Kincaid, played by Blake Lively and Baldoni, through their relationship.

Bloom grew up with an abusive father and a mother who was too afraid to leave him. She moves to Boston the first chance she gets and only goes back for her father’s funeral.

Once Bloom and Kincaid get over themselves and start dating, they work pretty well together — they go on cute dates, make each other meals, and practically move in together. At least until Kincaid starts going down the same abusive landslide as Bloom’s father — with the black eye, concussion, and trip to the hospital, Bloom has to do everything she can to stop the cycle and get out.

But even with her best friend — Alyssa — in her corner, Bloom has to deal with her relationship with Kincaid — and how she’s supposed to leave the person she loves.

Baldoni’s adaptation is not without holes, but it’s still a decent transformation of Hoover’s book.

How Baldoni has incorporated domestic violence, though, is not nearly the level that Hoover had.

Instead of making the scenes obvious acts of assault, Baldoni glossed over each scene by diverting the camera. It makes the movie feel as though it is directed towards younger girls who need a parental shield — defeating the purpose of the book.

When the book was published, Hoover was very open about how it reflected what she saw growing up with her parents. She wrote the book to tell people not to be afraid to speak up about domestic violence, and while Baldoni has made a film with a similar output — it’s not as touchy-feely.

If you haven’t read the book, it’s hard to understand why Bloom goes to the hospital.

Nor do you fully get how hard it was for Atlas Corrigan, Bloom’s childhood homeless boyfriend, to grow up. Baldoni also gives you a flash of the letters a young Bloom was writing to Ellen Degeneres in a miscellaneous journal before instantly putting it away, while these letters could be full-on chapters in the book.

Hoover and Lively have been going on and on about how “cutsie” and almost romcom the movie is. Lively encourages people through her TikToks to “grab your friends, wear your florals, and head out and see it” — it should be “grab your girls and your

tissues.” A completely different outcome than it should have been.

There has also been a lot of controversy on how Lively has been promoting the movie and addressing domestic violence. Lively made her whole campaign around her hair, beverage, and clothing line. She has also avoided any questions in interviews revolving around the fanbase and how there could be encounters with survivors of domestic abuse and what she has to say about that.

Setting aside the cast and crew drama, this movie should not be considered a rom-com. It’s not an easy watch. And it’s not something that should be glossed over.

This movie and book give an insight into what living with domestic abuse is like. The whole point of the production should have revolved around that — and not the drama — still, I would rate this movie a 7/10.

While yes, the movie was not the same as the book, it was still good.

I still cried and felt for Bloom and the characters in the movie. It just didn’t have all the aspects that I wanted from it.

Forks Down:

Opinion | 11

Where our schools sipping during late start

Late start has begun, giving you enough time to grab coffee before school. On the Northwest Passages Instagram, smnwdotcom. We asked students what they’re drinking on late start days.

First Watch and 7 Brew Coffee were the top two places voted.

At first watch, we both ordered the Honey Caramel Crunch Iced Coffee.

Here’s what we thought: Story by Sage McCarthy and Hope Hunt Sage: The Honey Caramel Crunch Iced Coffee was okay, not my usual order of coffee but it was sweet enough.

The workers there were very nice, although the employee at the cash register did manage to rip Hope’s 10-dollar bill in half. Besides that awkward encounter, the coffee was average, not too bad and not the best. My favorite part of the coffee was the crunched-up health bar sprinkled on top and a little in the drink. It was pretty sweet but kind of a burnt taste. I’d rate it a 5/10.

Hope: I prefer iced coffee over hot, it wakes me up. The Honey Caramel Crunch consisted of honey-iced coffee, salted caramel sauce, sweet cream, and a health bar. I enjoyed how sweet the coffee was. Caramel and honey didn’t complement each other well, it just tasted a little off. The drink also had a crunched-up health bar, which was a nice feature. The bar has tree nuts, soy, and milk. It didn’t taste like anything, but the crunch was tasteful.

The staff at First Watch were super sweet, and there was great service. 5/10

The next place we went to was 7 Brew Coffee in Overland Park.

Sage: I’ve never tried 7 Brew Coffee before, and I have to say it’s one of the best coffees I’ve tried. The workers there were so sweet, and the coffee was very tasteful. I ordered medium caramel vanilla blended coffee, I liked that it was blended, it felt like I had more in the cup. I loved seeing the workers jam out to old 2000s music, it was overall a very positive environment. If you like sweet coffee, I would definitely recommend what I ordered. 9/10

Design by Bella Alvarado Hope: This was my first time going to 7 Brew. I really liked it, the drive-through reminded me of Dutch bros. The service was great, the employees made lots of small talk which was sweet. Everyone was positive and quick. The music was quite loud, but it was amusing. I got the Iced Caramel macchiato. I normally have to order coffees with extra sugar because some places don’t add enough, but this was the perfect amount.

8/10

Illustration by Brylee Griswold

12 | Feature - NW Passage Senior Jonty Harris-Webster prays with juniors Daquan Smith and Traimyre Woodruff Aug. 17 on the Field. A celebration of life was held for student Ovet Regalado-Gomez after he passed away early morning Aug. 16.

Photo by Kara Simpson

United in Grief

Story by Sofia Ball & Grace Rau Design by Kara Simpson

Death is always hard to handle — especially when it’s the fourth within thirteen months

AUGUST 26TH, 2024

The day of his best friend’s funeral, sophomore Issac Gregory had a lab in chemistry, but he barely participated.

He had a lesson in honors algebra two, but didn’t take notes or grab the homework.

He was on autopilot. For the past week Gregory had been memorizing a scripture to read at Ovet Gomez Regalado’s funeral.

Ovet passed away after being hospitalized on August 16 following a medical emergency at football conditioning.

Gregory had yet to accept the loss. It all happened so quickly.

What if he forgets Ovet’s smile, or his bear hugs? What if he forgets about their long conversations, or inside jokes? What if he forgets about the time Ovet brought him chicken wings when he was concerned about body image, and they ate the whole plate together?

“I still tell myself he’s on vacation or just taking a nap,” Gregory said.

That day, he left school, went home,

changed and arrived at church.

One by one family, friends, teachers, students, administrators and football players started to arrive. Many hugged Ray, Ovet’s older brother, at the door.

Gregory’s necktie felt tight as he approached the lectern.

Daisies, roses, dianthus and peace lilies were strewn at the altar while sniffles reverberated against vaulted ceilings.

Everyone leaned in to listen. The church grew quiet.

Ovet was the fourth Shawnee Mission Northwest student in 13 months to pass away.

The deaths of Will Ensley, Demarcus Houston, Alex Camacho and Ovet have all been vastly different, and all have shaken the Northwest community.

With the beginning of this school year marked by yet another tragedy, both students and teachers are again struggling to grasp with death. This is the story of a high school coping with loss and grief while trying to find hope in new beginnings.

AUGUST 16TH, 2024

When teacher Katelyn Rollins read the email, she didn’t believe it. She looked over it once. Twice.

Ovet, the kid who always had a smile on his face in Rollin’s seminar class last year, was gone.

Ovet, the kid who would walk into Rollins’ other hours with a bathroom pass just to give her a fist bump, was gone.

Ovet, the kid who brought two giant family sized bags of candy to share with every single one of his classmates — even the upperclassmen who came to Rollins for math help, even total strangers — was gone.

Rollins tried to hold it together in front of her freshman English class. Many knew Ovet from Trailridge Middle School.

What happened?

Was he sick?

I saw him on Wednesday, how could he die?

Feature | 13 gets hit with waves of sadness multiple times a day. There are points where she doesn’t want to talk with anyone and the pain is unbearable. Sometimes, late at night, she’ll sit in her bedroom alone, expressionless.

We could’ve done more.

That could’ve been me.

“What if the announcement comes on again and it’s someone I was just talking to?” Jackson said.

She carries that weight with her every day.

Still, for some, the news of Ovet’s passing was a reminder of all those lost before.

Like Mac Herbst.

“

“

She tried to answer their questions.

The fifth hour bell rang. Rollins found an empty classroom and broke down.

“He’s just such an amazing, happy, outgoing person,” Rollins said. “One of the nicest people I’ve met.”

It’s been weeks since the email came, but sometimes Rollins still cries.

“I kept reminding myself, ‘Gotta keep going forward. I’m gonna be okay. I’m gonna try to do something nice today,’” Rollins said. “Trying to keep that memory of him in something I do.”

Ovet is one of four students who have recently passed away, their legacies resting with those who remember them.

Will Ensley, a rising senior, died last July 26, when a dump truck slammed into him at a stoplight, triggering a nine-car pile up. Will was an honors student and varsity swimmer, holding the school record for breaststroke. He was the kind of person who would drop everything to help someone in need, always pay for dates and say “I love you” on a six month anniversary.

Senior Demarcus Houston was shot the night of Nov. 16 in Kansas City, Mo., two miles from Arrowhead Stadium. Demarcus worked hard in school and kept his head down. He was a quiet kid that loved the city.

He valued deep conversations and talked about starting his own business someday, creating a clothing line or producing music.

Junior Alex Camacho battled cancer for many years and passed away on April 12.

Alex was shy, and considerate. He liked telling jokes and making people smile. He played video games for fun, passed out gum in class and shared hoodies with his friends.

All were on the path to graduate.

Four students in 13 months.

In a school of 1,600, statistically only one student would pass away in a year according to teen death rates from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Four is nearly unheard of.

After Ovet’s passing, senior Logan Morley helped organize a balloon release at the Northwest football field on August 17.

“I told all the football guys to spread word,” Morley said. “His family deserves it.

He was so loved by everyone.”

Around 200 community members arrived to show their support for the Gomez Regalado family. Nearly all tied green balloons to the fence around the tennis courts — green was Ovet’s favorite color.

Those balloons have since deflated and flown away, but the community’s grief remains. Students and teachers are still trying to navigate this painful loss and, at times, they don’t know how to.

Even without being close to many of the students who passed, senior Sophia Jackson

Everyone has lost someone they love.

Everything is finite.

- Mac Herbst

A year ago, Herbst heard of his friend Will’s passing while on a break at work. For two days, he couldn’t think. He couldn’t do anything. He had looked up to Will since middle school.

How do teenagers process the loss of a classmate? Or teammate? Or friend?

“Death doesn’t come at an easy time,” Herbst said. “It’s a reality check. Everyone has lost someone they love. Everything is finite. It’s bad, but good to know that there’s other people, not just me grieving the loss of my friend.”

Herbst spent so much time searching for answers, trying to make sense of what happened. Others know that the deaths of

those so young shouldn’t make sense.

When ELL teacher Nancy Blackburn heard the news about Ovet, she thought one thing: “Fifteen year olds are not supposed to die.”

Fifteen year olds were supposed to go to football games, and homecoming, and prom and graduation. They were supposed to grow up and attend college, go on to careers, get married, become parents.

They were not supposed to have medical emergencies at football conditioning. They were not supposed to have cancer. They were not supposed to be shot. They were not supposed to get in nine car pile ups.

“They will never get to experience growing up,” Blackburn said.

Blackburn had Alex in her studies skills class in 2021, his freshman year. She and Alex bonded over their shared experience of battling cancer.

A picture of Alex is pinned to a cork board in Blackburn’s classroom by her desk. A story that ran in the Northwest Passage last year about Alex is framed, resting atop a shelf. While others may move on, Blackburn won’t forget her student who passed away.

“Remember Ovet,” she said. “Remember Alejandro. Remember all these people who are no longer here.”

AUGUST 25, 2024

As teacher and football coach William Dent stepped into the church for Ovet’s viewing, a sense of calm washed over him.

With the emotional turmoil he experienced in the previous weeks, it was a welcome relief. It felt peaceful.

He’d come to say his goodbyes.

Dent walked up to the casket.

He coached Ovet last year on the freshman football team. He’d seen the sparkle in Ovet’s eyes, and received Ovet’s “big old giant hugs.” He’d eaten leftover tamales for “three weeks” after a team dinner the Gomez Regalado family hosted, one that Ovet he talked about for a month in advance. He knew that Ovet didn’t have a mean bone in his body and that deep down, he was really just a fun-loving kid.

Dent knelt down at the casket.

“It’s not going to be the same,” he said while wiping away tears. “[We’re] never going to be all together like that.”

“He’s not coming back.”

Dent went home that night. He cried for two hours.

This scene is one many at Northwest have lived through over the past 13 months.

One year ago students gathered around a grave. Ten months ago someone’s son was taken from them. Five months ago, a mother sobbed in church.

PUB - KITCHEN

AUGUST 26TH, 2024

Isaac Gregory looked down at the reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. He held onto both sides of the lectern. He gazed out at the somber congregation dressed in black.

As he spoke, the words came easy.

Gregory finished the reading and sat down, realizing that the closure he’d been searching for wouldn’t find him.

Today, he’s still processing Ovet’s death.

He has trouble sleeping. School no longer feels important. How can it? Every day he thinks about Ovet.

Hundreds of other students have felt this way: losing siblings, best friends, classmates and teammates.

“Since then it’s made me realize I didn’t care about [Ovet] enough or put in the effort

“

I don’t want to say goodbye,

“

Two weeks ago, a football coach grieved his former student.

“He was like my son.”

This is what it’s like to lose four students in 13 months.

- Isaac Gregory

Feature | 15 that he does,” Gregory said. “I really regret that. It’s made me think a lot about how I need to treat everyone else better. I’ve been a lot more sensitive and emotional.”

He can’t change what’s happened, or cling to the past. Sooner or later he will have to face reality, but until then, for Gregory, Ovet is still on vacation somewhere or maybe just taking a nap.

Gregory is still trying to make it through each day, like many others.

Like Rollins, who tries to be as kind as Ovet. Like Jackson, who worries every time the intercom comes on. Like Herbst, who, after months, feels like the only way to honor Will’s life is to live out his own. Like Blackburn, who keeps a photo of Alex in her classroom. Like Dent, who feels as if he’s lost his son.

People who still can’t help but cry. People who search for answers.

“I don’t want to say goodbye,” Gregory said.

But life goes on.

Teary-eyed, parents Randall and Sharon Ensley and swim coach Ryan Lee listen as the announcer speaks about deceased student Will Ensley Oct. 13 at the SM North District Stadium. In Will Ensley’s honor, the football team established a scholarship fund of $2,700 raised by students and the community.

Photo by Kara Simpson

16 | News - NW Passage

Story by Sofia Ball

Junior Lily Peters is on a healing journey after struggling with suicidal thoughts December, 2023.

Junior Lily Peters was reaching a tipping point. There was too much at stake.

She had to be at school on time, and from there spend every moment studying, memorizing and reviewing the course materials.

She had to get all A’s. Finals had to go smoothly. There was already an impossible amount of pressure placed on her shoulders.

“I was emotionally and physically just so tired,” Peters said.

“So no energy, no motivation. In my house there’s always been an expectation to do your best, and that means getting an A. As soon as you don’t reach the norm that you expect or that you think others expect you go, ‘What’s wrong with me? ‘I don’t understand why I’m failing.’”

Her older sister Emma, was smart, super smart. She had perfect grades in high school, always took excessive notes and is currently majoring in microbiology at K-State University. Emma was never on the verge of falling asleep in class, unlike Peters. Never on the brink of exhaustion. Never sobbing in between study breaks. She never had thoughts about ending her own life.

Did she?

Peters felt alone, suffocating beneath the weight of Canvas assignments, alarms, Quizlet study sets and work schedules. She began to question her existence entirely, incessantly.

Am I worth it?

I am not enough.

Who will miss me?

I can’t do this.

Why am I still here?

But Peters isn’t alone: the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that 22% of high school students seriously considered attempting suicide, and 42% experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.

For a while Peters tried to hide her issues and put up a front.

“She was so kind to everyone else that it was hard to notice,” junior Charlotte Millard said.

Peters would give compliments to strangers, make her friends feel heard and usually fake a smile, or at least try to.

“I knew that something was wrong,” Peters said.

She always had.

Christmas was around the corner — but Peters was too consumed by school to enjoy it. She got an A on her Spanish final, but that wasn’t enough. Her family was busy decorating the tree, baking Linzer and molasses crinkle cookies and watching “Polar Express.”

The house was warm, and smelled like chocolate drizzle.

She didn’t notice.

“I’d rather be upstairs studying,” Peters told them.

A couple nights before winter break ended, Peters had an anxiety attack in her downstairs bathroom. She rested her head on the soothing rug and cried softly for hours, feeling stuck, nowhere near ready to face the school hallways once again.

Finally, she sat back up and looked in the mirror, afraid of who stared back, a skinny girl with puffy eyes and messy hair.

Why couldn’t she be happy?

For months her friend, junior Connie Freedman, was packing extra cheese, nuts and fruit leather strips in her lunch box. She was worried. Peters had lost weight, and was always “forgetting” to eat something. Often, she made remarks about “being too heavy.” But Freedman never saw that.

“I wanted to talk to her, but didn’t know how because she seemed so closed off,” Freedman said. “I would be like ‘Hey, are you okay?’

But I obviously knew that she wasn’t okay. So I started using the words ‘Are you surviving?’”

Peters looked in the mirror, she didn’t want to live this way.

“I need help.” That was the first time those words were said out loud.

Peters went upstairs. Hannah, her little sister, was at a sleepover, so the house was quiet. She told her parents what happened, that she had thoughts about killing herself.

“I think they both cried,” Peters said. “I made my parents cry. But they immediately set up a couple appointments with doctors, saying ‘We want to help you as fast as we can.’”

Since Emma was back at college, Peters and Hannah no longer had to share a room or bunk bed. Peters took some time off of work and got straight to deep cleaning. Any old papers, notebooks, work sheets; all trash. Anything she didn’t absolutely need or want: junk.

She vacuumed under the bed and threw away old journals which were “basically full of hate messages to myself.”

And she decided to burn everything that reeked of honors chemistry.

It was healing in a way, no longer clinging to those painful memories, full of frustration and disappointment.

Now, her room is pretty much empty, except for a few family photos, books and childhood stuffed animals.

Moving on wasn’t easy. These were pieces of herself that she was discarding. There was a point where Peters hated the way she spoke, looked, laughed and walked. Everything.

“It was hard to just sit there and be a person,” Peters said.

But she always wanted to get better. She wanted someone to

Feature | 17

Gradually, the self deprecating humor came to a stop, and negative comments were less frequent. Peters knew that she deserved to be happy, and nothing was wrong with her.

She didn’t have to cope alone on the floor of her downstairs bathroom. Looking in the mirror is easier.

Her value does not come down to a grade point average.

“Take a leap of faith,” Peters said. “There is always at least one person out there who cares about you. They will help if you just ask for it.”

Now, Peters sees a therapist once a month. It used to be every two weeks.

She’s taking medication.

She writes things down in a planner and journals.

She takes the dog for walks and tries to meditate twice a day, preferably in a spot that’s sunny. She likes to light candles and leave her bedroom window open.

She has a boyfriend, who helps Peters to focus on herself.

She no longer wears baggy clothes and strictly low ponytails. Her smile is genuine.

“I’m not perfect. But I’m doing my best, and that’s enough.”

Photo by Andie Berg

Junior Ella Cole stands with her art Aug. 30 in room 151. Photo by Maddi Roof

Arts | 19

It Sleeps With The

Fishes Junior Ella Cole uses art to express her emotions Story by Sophia Ragan Design by Bella Alvarado

J

unior Ella Cole grew up taking art classes with her mom and sister. She remembers drawing many different types of cats and being a super imaginative kid. Throughout her childhood and teen years, Cole has always used art as an outlet for her feelings.

Cole’s art is colorful and “experimental with shapes and contrast.” While her art lacks blatant fluidity, she can appreciate it in other works.

Cole shared one of her favorite pieces called “Sleeping With the Fishes.” This work has a multitude of strokes — all done in very messy oil pastel. With no chance of erasing what you put on the paper, it can be very difficult to work with.

This was the first time Cole had used this medium, but she said she had a good experience and is excited to use it again.

“I kind of just wanted to experiment with [the] color and try to make things pop,” Cole said.

The pink and green contrast with each other, as they are on the

opposite sides of the color wheel.

But Cole did hit a few bumps along the way – the linework wasn’t exactly how she wanted it or trying to get the fish in the middle to stand out more – but she persevered and produced a piece that went straight to the CAA art show.

Cole aspires to be an art therapist to help kids talk through their feelings and experience them through art. “[Art] is a way to get my emotions out on paper, or just in a physical form, because I have trouble with bottling up my emotions…,” Cole said. “I feel like it might help other people do that too.”

Cole wants to give kids this same opportunity, and can only hope that it will help them as it helps her.

She loves talking to people about their emotions, and doing art, so being an art therapist is the perfect job for Cole.

As Long

Story by Grace Rau | Design by Kennedy Woolf | Photo by Kara Simpson

As You’re

Smiling

Joining dance team has been a rewarding experience for senior Elise Russell

S

enior Elise Russell swiped on berry red lipstick in front of the school bathroom mirror. She’s dressed in her orange and black tank top and leggings, her hair tied back into a blonde ponytail at the base of her neck. The name “cougars” was proudly written across her chest.

This was it, her first real performance as a member of the Shawnee Mission Northwest dance team. The first school assembly of the year.

Her first time holding those shiny orange pom-poms on the floor of the main gym as students crowd into the bleachers around her.

Though she’s tried, Russell can’t perform the dances with her eyes closed. She can’t run through their choreography in her sleep. She only felt comfortable with about half the dances.

She was still new to the team — she made tryouts last March. Russell shook off the nerves that surrounded her as she stretched with her teammates before the gym was flooded with eager seniors and bored freshmen.

“I mean, as long as you’re smiling, no one really knows if you mess up anyways,” she said.

Five months earlier...

Feature | 21

Jazz, hip hop, kick, pom and flag.

Russell recalled the different dances she had to memorize for her audition.

Jazz, hip hop, kick, pom and flag.

For years she watched the dance team girls move in sync from the stands of football games and school assemblies. She’d been awed by their effortless moves and flawless choreography. As her senior year was approaching, though, she wanted to be down there on the football field and gym floor with them.

Russell’s been dancing since sixth grade and attends the Nallia School of Dance. Four of the girls at her stud i o are also on the dance team, so

Russell was persuaded to try out herself.

But auditions weren’t a breeze. Russell had a week of preparation to impress the judges. She had no idea if she was going to make the team. “[In tryouts] we teach them some basics and then teach them a short routine,” dance team coach Christin LaMourie said. “We’re really just kind of looking, ‘Do you have potential, do you have some rhythm? Are you able to learn and pick up the stuff that we’re teaching you?’”

That week was the first time Russell had ever spun a flag. She practiced new choreographies for hours, and tried her best to memorize every step. She also met all the new girls who were trying out.

“Everyone’s super open and positive,” she said.

At least she’d be walking away from tryouts with new friends.

Friday, the final day of tryouts, Russell was a nervous wreck. She had to perform routines she’d been working on for only a week.

The girls were reviewed by the judges, and waited anxiously to see who would make it.

“I’m very proud of them,” LaMourie said.

In the end, all the girls who finished the tryout process ended up making dance team — including Russell.

Five months later…

Russell danced the pom routine with half a dozen other girls on the main gym floor. After band camp, group chat conversations and hundreds of celebratory high fives and handshakes, she feels like she’s become “one of the girls.”

Even though she doesn’t have all of the dances perfectly down, she can move in sync with the team as one. She raises her shiny pom-poms in the air and moves to the beat of the band.

After the assembly, Russell returned to her fourth hour.

She couldn’t stop smiling.

MONTH IN

22 | Month In Photos

1

2. Playing “Down By the Banks,” sophomore Maddilynn Roof slaps her neighbor’s hand Aug. 23 at Thomas A Soetaert Aquatic Center. Roof was on the rock team. “Everyone was putting in a lot of effort and was really passionate about winning,” Roof said.

Photo by Cooper Evans

2

1. Raising her fist, sophomore Violet Seibold dances with the other students Aug. 23 in the cafeteria. Seibold recalled her and her friends going out to eat after their first Freshman Mixer. “We were all talking about the night and how excited we were about what’s going to happen in the next four years,” Siebold said.

Photo by Andie Berg 3. Cheering to the junior and senior student sections, junior Ava McMahon brings her pom-poms together Aug. 22 in the Main Gym. Cheerleaders go to a National Cheerleading Association (NCA) camp over the summer to prepare for the year. “We get a lot of our choreography from [the camp,]” McMahon said. “It’s a four day camp of cheers, chants and band dances.”

Photo by Cooper Evans

3

4. Being hoisted in the air, sophomore Finley Bedell waves his arms Aug. 24 in the Greg Parker Auditorium. Bedell was a captain for the indie team for the lip sync. “It took a lot of time picking out the right songs and mixing them all together,” Bedell said.

Photo by Cooper Evans

4

N PHOTOS

Month In Photos | 23

7. Freshmen Micha Baker and Cora Anderson laugh together Aug. 13 in the Main Gym. All freshman meet in the gym to play games on their first day. Photo by Cooper Evans

7

5

6

5. Senior Luvon Peterson catches a pancake on his plate during Senior Sunrise Aug. 16 on the football field. Chris Cakes provided pancakes for the event. “The pancake flip was cool,” Peterson said.

“The pancakes were delicious.” Photo by Jack Pischke

6. Freshmen Amora Tatum-Wigfall and Ivory Jones laugh Aug. 13 in the Main Gym. During the freshman first-day assembly, students were tasked with sitting backto-back and then attempting to stand up. “[During the activity] I was thinking ‘I can’t do this,’” Jones said. “Too many germs.”

Photo by Kara Simpson

“

“

N W P

There is no other feeling like coming out on a Friday night.

Especially the first game, and winning in front of the whole school [and] family.

- senior Adam Hageman

Jumping in the air, senior Adam Hageman attempts to block Olathe North’s extra point Sept. 6 at SM North Stadium. This was the first game of the season starting with a win.

Photo by Emily Wright