Issue 2, Volume 52, The Northwest Passage

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The Northwest Passage

Homecoming Issue Issue 2,Vol. 52 Oct. 23, 2020

September in Photos Fall sports seasons begin

18-19

2 | ads

Oct. 23, 2020

15320 Midland Drive Shawnee, Kansas 66217 www.mcananyconstruction.com

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smnw.com

TABLE of CONTENTS

Corporation or Consumer?

Staff Editorial

4 OUR PASSAGE:

Learning from a Distance

5 6

Decisions, Decisions

7

Listen to Yourself

8

The Dangers of New Destinations

9

Columns Remote Learning

College Applications Mental Health

Travel Restrictions

Current Events

10

New to 12-13 Northwest New teachers share their hopes for the school year

Crafting a Difference

16

The Student Spin on the Beginning of Fall

17

Meet senior Sarah Milks

Homecoming Court Learn more about your king and queen candidates

14-15

September in 18-19 Photos Fall sports seasons begin

The purpose of the Northwest Passage is to relay important and interesting information to the community, administration and students of the Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. As a news magazine, the Northwest Passage will cater to the interests and concerns of the student body. Outside concerns and activities will only be covered if they somehow affect the school or students. The Northwest Passage is a 20-page news magazine. The paper will be distributed every four weeks during fourth hour.

Subscriptions will be available to the community for $25. The Northwest Passage firmly supports the First Amendment and opposes censorship. The content of the newspaper will be determined and created by the entire staff. When questions concerning word choice, legal problems or ethics arise, the editorial board and adviser will discuss the problem to find the solution.

In these cases, the editor-in-chief and editorial board will have the say in all decisions. Letters to the editor will be accepted and encouraged. The staff reserves the right to edit for grammatical mistakes, length and good taste. Letters may attack policy but not people.

In no way will ideas or viewpoints be changed. The editor-in-chief and editorial board reserve the right to refuse any letter.

STAFF: PUBLICATION OVERSIGHT: Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief

Rory Dungan Elizabeth Kuffour

CONTENT MANAGEMENT: Photo Editor Assistant Photo Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Online Editor Online Editor Design Editor

STAFF WRITERS:

Alex Barfield Yeretzy Blanco Michael Owens Veronica Meiss Morgan Tate

Claire Moore Sophia McCraney Emily Alexander Stella Grist Ruth Demeke Ally Pruente Erin Albers

STAFF DESIGNERS:

Karmela Davis Olivia Linville Kasi Maniktala Olivia Nagorka Alden Norberg

ADVISER: Susan Massy

SEPT. 17: CROSS COUNTRY

Senior Shane Mullen races to the finish Sept.

26 at Frontier Middle School. Mullen has placed first in three out of four boys varsity meets. “When I finish it physically feels like I can’t run anymore, but mentally it is like I have accomplished a lot,” Mullen said. + PHOTO BY CLAIRE MOORE

OCT. 9: HOMECOMING Moments after being crowned the Homecoming King and Queen, seniors Samantha Mudgett and Ty Black greet each other in celebration. At one of the oddest football games, both SM South and SM Northwest celebrated Homecoming. South crowned their court before the game and Northwest held its crowning at half time. + PHOTO BY JOSIE TORRES

NORTHWEST PASSAGE Issue 2 Vol. 52 O ct. 2 3, 2020

4| Opinion

Oct. 23, 2020

Corporations committed to reducing carbon footprint Amazon Creates 122.8 grams of CO₂ per dollar of Gross Merchandise Sales (GMS) in 2021 Amazon publicizes data on their carbon footprint at sustainability.amazon.com.

CEO Jeff Bezos announced Amazon’s “Climate Pledge,” promising that the company will take measures to reduce carbon emissions with the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2040

Google Carbon Neutral Google pledged to become carbon neutral in 2007, and claimed Sept. 14 that they’ve now accommodated for all the carbon emissions they’ve ever produced by purchasing carbon offsets. They also aim to run all of their offices on carbonfree energy by 2030.

Microsoft Projected 16 million metric tons of carbon this year Microsoft pledged in January that they would become carbon negative by 2030, meaning they will be purchasing offsets to remove more carbon from the

Corporation or Consumer?

Conservation must be practiced by the largest polluters: corporations It’s clear that the world is facing a serious climate crisis. Carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and industry have increased over 12.42 billion metric tons in the last 20 years, according to Statista, a German company specializing in market and consumer data.

The global annual temperature has increased approximately 0.13 degrees Fahrenheit per decade since 1880, and more than twice that rate since 1981.

Should climate change continue at this rate, the world will reach 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming between 2030 and 2052, causing significant harm to human life, according to the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Many have taken the responsibility of environmentalism upon themselves by making changes in their lifestyle to lessen their impact on the environment. Solutions like using public transportation, thrift shopping and using reusable straws have become mainstream practices.

Some have even taken this a step further by adopting a zero-waste lifestyle. They grocery shop in bulk, buy items secondhand and use biodegradable versions of disposable products in an effort to bring the overall amount of waste they generate to zero. Zero-waste living has been rapidly popularized in the last decade by social media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube.

But why is it the responsibility of the consumer to make the market more environmentally friendly? The problem isn’t with zero-waste or sustainable living, it’s with the premise that since industry isn’t going to go green, civilians have to do it for them.

The Carbon Majors Report found that more than half of global industrial emissions since 1988 can be traced back to just 25 corporate entities. ExxonMobil,

Shell, BP and Chevron are listed as some of the highest contributors. If each of these companies made an effort to decrease their carbon footprint, emissions worldwide would drastically decrease. Instead, it’s become the sole job of the consumer to alter their lifestyle. Imagine if environmentally friendly practices were implemented on both sides of the market; carbon emissions would drop tenfold and the responsibility would be shared.

A few companies have made an effort to reverse the negative effects they’ve had on the environment.

Amazon emitted 51.17 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2019, up 15% from the 44.4 million metric tons they emitted the year prior. As a result, they’ve fully disclosed their carbon footprint and pledged $2 billion to implement environmentally-friendly practices with the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2040. The Climate Pledge, announced by CEO Jeff Bezos in September 2019, was also signed by Verizon, Infosys and Reckitt Benckiser Group (the owner of Mucinex, Lysol, Airborne and Dr. Scholl, among others) in June of this year. Dell created a free recycling program for their products to encourage safe disposal. Volvo has begun to offer electric models of all their cars, aiming for 50% of sales to be “fully electric” by 2025. All of these efforts, however, are in vain unless the oil industry, which accounts for the majority of industry-related carbon emissions, follows suit.

The most meaningful way to combat corporate-level environmental harm as a consumer is to “vote with your dollar.” The consumer’s biggest power is capital, and when companies stop receiving it, they must make a change. We can only hope it’s a change in the right direction.

19/0 for

against

environment than the amount of carbon they produce. They also hope to remove all of their historical carbon emissions since the company’s founding in 1975 by 2050, and have invested $1 billion in a “Climate Innovation Fund” to achieve these goals

Apple 25.1 million metric tons of CO₂ in 2019 In July, Apple pledged to be carbon neutral by 2030, claiming their products will have “net zero climate impact” at the point of sale. In addition, they are requiring that their suppliers commit to being “100 percent renewable for their Apple production” in the next 10 years, according to BBC.

+ design by Kasi Maniktala

opinion | 5

smnw.com

Into

Now that we have fall sports, we must consider why

The cross country team and I all sat six feet apart on the pavement of the Northwest parking lot. A place that felt foreign, as if we hadn’t seen it in years. It was the first time in weeks that the sky + by Ally Pruente turned gray and the Copy Editor temperature cooled.

A lot of us had sweatshirts or pants but for those who didn’t we had empathy from a distance.

It was 3:20 p.m. My phone was propped against my leg as I watched the Shawnee Mission School District board meeting live.

Today’s topic: playing a fall sports season.

We had all gathered in hopes that the board would pass the act with flying colors and

we could run. At this point nothing was to be expected. As I looked around everyone was silent. I couldn’t quite tell what my teammates were thinking at that moment.

I had to ask myself: what’s the right thing to do?

When it comes to being socially distanced, I’ve really tried my best these past months. Besides my inner circle of people, which was small, and my job, I was pretty isolated all summer. When the board voted “yes” to fall sports, everyone on the team suddenly became my new family. All of us are now relying on each other to make the right decisions.

I saw many people I recognized protesting in favor of a sports season in the hours leading up to the board meeting.

Although I love my fall sport, these protests were lost on me. Something about asking for sports during this unprecedented time

didn’t seem like much of a priority. Health should always be the focus. All I want is to go back to school and see my teachers. My very first reaction to everything was that my season can wait.

These past couple weeks we’ve been holding practices. Social distancing is enforced and masks are worn every time we aren’t doing our workout. If we don’t follow health guidelines our season will be over.

My dilemma still stands. The kids who have vulnerable families or are vulnerable to the virus themselves are always on my mind.

The last thing I want is to have my cross country season negatively impact someone’s health. All I want for us as a student body is to really be selfless. We’re so lucky to have a season so let’s be smart. We have to realize we rely on one another now more than ever.

The last thing I want is to have my cross country season negatively impact someone’s health. ­­­— Ally Pruente

Strife

Putting political beliefs before compassion has led to a downfall of bipartisanship between each other Occasionally, when boredom heaves its way to the summit of my thoughts, I like to play a little game. It’s quite simple. First, I type in the nine-digit passcode to unlock my cell phone. Then, I open up the Instagram + by Alex Barfield app. Finally, I browse Staff Writer through the stories of the accounts I am following, and count how many posts contain some sort of attack against those with opposing political beliefs. Tonight, I played my little game and I counted 48 different posts attacking the opposite political party.

It’s in moments like that when I begin to consider how numb I have become to the constant cycle of pure, unfiltered, back-and-

forth hatred. The neverending merry-goround. I think about my mom and my aunt, one liberal and one conservative, who I have never seen get into vicious political discourse about their beliefs. I ruminate about my grandfather, who, for as long as I can remember, has dismissed the entire Republican party as a group of awful human beings, mocking them at every passing opportunity.

You could see the seething anger between former Vice President Biden and President Trump during the first presidential debate.

The snarky comments. The direct insults face-to-face in front of a national audience.

The President making a poop joke on national television. The flaws of those who are supposed to lead us directly reflect onto us.

No matter how hard I try, I can’t quite figure out the main reason for this ongoing

war of opinions. Is it one’s constant need to prove himself as the most correct person in the room? Are the words from the constant heavyweight matches of Washington starting to trickle down upon the American people? Or is this just the nature of people as a whole?

But in the end, it doesn’t quite matter at all why people feel the need to fight and hurt each other, over and over and over again. What matters the most, is just a small twinkling wish in the atmosphere of abstract thought. A wish to bring compassion back to the forefront of human decision making.

A dream where the happiness of others is valued at almost as much as your own.

A hope that warmth becomes the default reaction to anger. Because really, there’s nowhere to go but up.

It’s in moments like that when I begin to consider how numb I have become to the constant cycle of pure, unfiltered, back-and-forth hatred. ­­­— Alex Barfield

Crawl

My experience in the long line to pick up school supplies We sit at the intersection of 67th and Pflumm — get up, grab my school supplies and head to drop off the PB&J sandwiches I made for church.

We thought it would be quick. + by Morgan Tate But then we saw the Staff Writer line — running down both sides of 67th. I can’t see the end. My dad takes a picture of it to send to the Newspaper teacher.

I try to make myself comfortable, moving positions in the back seat. I try to just focus on my book.

We then start the crawl — past the crowded intersection, the neat suburban housing and the football field enclosed by a chain-link fence.

Finally, the parking lot. The back parking

lot. It’s been an hour. I sit in the back, spreading myself across the seats. I snipe, “This is like Andy’s.”

I put on my best impression of a fast-food employee “Welcome to Northwest, may I take your order?”

I respond to myself, “I JUST WANT MY SCHOOL SUPPLIES!” My dad chuckles, also irritated at the winding line around the school, “Andy’s is better with lines than this.”

I sigh and look out the window. That’s when I notice.

No tents up towards the end. I glance over at my dad and squeak, “I don’t… I don’t think they’re passing out books there. I don’t see any tents.”

I glance out the window. “Probably doing it up front.”

My dad’s eyes widen, “You must be joking!”

I laugh at the irritation in my dad’s voice and try to ward off my own anger. Anger

at the slow line. Anger at the increasingly make-me-vomit smell of peanut butter in the car.

I check out — stare at the e-book on my phone. Then, at some point, find myself calling Alyssa Kempf, my fellow sophomore thespian, she’s behind us in the line.

We continue the crawl. One hour, 15 minutes.

26 minutes later, we get up to the front parking lot. I want to smack something.

We’ve been in line for 156 minutes. 156 MINUTES. That’s 9,360 SECONDS. It’s hot… and the teachers really aren’t helping.

It takes 11 more minutes to get my schedule and English books. All the teachers stop us, despite another teacher telling us exactly where we need to go.

Finally, we’re through the line. But that doesn’t bring the expected relief — I’m just irritated, hungry.

And everything still smells like peanut butter.

Finally, we’re through the line.

But that doesn’t bring the expected relief — I’m just irritated, hungry. ­­­— Morgan Tate

+ design by Kasi Maniktala

6 | feature

Oct. 9, 2020

Learning From a Distance + by Veronica Meiss

Whether students chose remote learning or in-person learning, every student and teacher has been forced to start the school year online

SMNW Student Learning Choices 30%

Remote

70%

In-person

According to the Shawnee Mission School District board meeting

Waking up at 7 a.m. and eating breakfast during the first-

hour class. Taking a shower when a class lets out early or walking your dogs in the middle of the fourth hour. Wearing what you woke up into the first WebEx of the day. Whatever new routine you adopted for remote learning, the start of the year has caused students to adjust to the new rhythm of online school.

Last school year, when it was announced that students would not be going back to school in-person, they were forced to continue the rest of the year online. Students who did not like the online learning plan from last year, or who were just eager to be back in the building this fall, chose in-person.

However, some students who chose in-person for this school year, like freshman Anistyn Kempf, are enjoying remote learning. Kempf said that when they were in eighth grade last year, they didn’t have enough motivation to log in every morning, so they gave up after about a week.

“Online school was definitely not for me, so I [thought I] would prefer in-person,” Kempf said.

“If I had to pick whether I would choose online or in-person next year, it would be a big consideration, compared to earlier in the year [when] I even didn’t want to do online at all.”

- Anistyn Kempf

Although remote learning this year may seem more organized than last semester’s, that doesn’t mean it has been any less challenging. Recently, a petition to make the workload for virtual students more reasonable has been released for SMSD students to sign, in an effort to make remote learning easier.

While junior year already has the reputation of being the hardest year for high school students, Junior Alexís OcampoEstrada has found that remote learning has been even more difficult for him.

“I have to manage my time because I work after school,” Ocampo-Estrada said. “I just have to think about which assignment I should do first.”

For some who identify with certain groups of students, like the LGBT community, school is often a safe space where they won’t be judged by others. Many parents of LGBT students aren’t always accepting, meaning that school is the place where those students go to feel safe. Sophomore Lucian Gonzalez, who identifies as non-binary, is one of those students.

“It’s [one of] those situations where safety is more important,” Gonzalez said. “LGBT kids might not be accepted at home, and school gives a space to be addressed by their preferred name and pronouns.”

Secondary students who chose the in-person learning module will be beginning hybrid learning on Oct. 26, with last names A-L going to school on Mondays and Tuesdays and M-Z going on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Until then, the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment (JCDHE) says that it is still important that making sure individuals are social distancing and wearing masks.

presentation, about 41% of high school students chose to do online schooling across the district, with the other 59% doing in-person. At Northwest, 30% of students chose the online option.

+ Design by Livi Nagorka

smnw.com

feature | 07

Decisions, Decisions A seniors’ guide to the college application process + by Rory Dungan If you’re a senior and you still don’t know where you will end up next fall, the clock is ticking.

Instead of being stressed out over the process, seniors are encouraged to take advantage of the resources available to them.

College adviser Mallory Martin is able to help seniors with any questions they have during school hours, and she also sends out monthly newsletters and content on social media platforms.

“Seniors are either reaching out to me via email with questions, or I’ve been using a text feature, so if students prefer texting, we can do that,” Martin said. “A handful have reached out to me requesting to do WebEx meetings. I’m able to do that as long as students complete the parent consent to do telecounseling.”

Students would usually have access to in-person informational events, such as meeting representatives from different colleges and learning how to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Martin doesn’t know how that information will be presented this fall, but it will still be available. However, regardless of the way information is conveyed, there are still deadlines coming up that will not be changed because of COVID-19.

“Kansas schools have a scholarship deadline that will sneak up fast,” Martin

SCHOOLS University of Kansas

said. “The scholarship deadline is for seniors who are hoping to qualify for automatic freshman scholarships, or merit-based scholarships. That means you qualify for scholarships from the school, based on your ACT score and GPA.” Merit-based scholarship requirements can be found on college websites, but some of the most popular schools for NW graduates include KU, which gives $20,000 ($5,000/yr) for a 32 ACT and a 3.85 GPA or $4,000 ($1,000/yr) for a 25 ACT and a 3.5 GPA, K-State, which gives $14,000 ($3,500/yr) for a 28 ACT and 3.7 GPA and Pittsburgh State, which offers $500-$1,200 depending on ACT scores and GPA. Most colleges and universities have altered their admissions process in the wake of COVID-19. Students may not have to submit test scores to apply, and GPA requirements could be changed. Martin says it’s important to consider the limitations of skipping the ACT, even though it may seem like a good idea.

“The test-optional route sounds so good, and I’m glad the schools are starting to allow that,” Martin said. “But I think students don’t always understand that, if they want scholarship money, they still have to submit an ACT score.”

Once students have taken their admissions tests and are ready to apply, the

next question is, where to? Some decide that community college is the best option for them, while others wish to attend a more selective university.

Johnson County Community College (JCCC) recruiter Jean Cantero explains the benefits of going to a community college for the first two years of college in lieu of going to a traditional university all four years – JCCC does not require prospective students to have an ACT score on file, and tuition is less expensive than going to a state college.

“I went [to JCCC] with the intention of saving money on my tuition,” Cantero said.

“There was a chance to knock out all of my general education credits, and then transfer to a university where I then finished up my bachelor’s degree. I was able to graduate with my bachelor’s degree without any student debt.”

Along with saving money, Cantero didn’t have to worry as much about what he was going to study while attending community college.

“JCCC can really lead you to a lot of different paths,” Canero said. “I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study in college quite yet.

JCCC gave me that flexibility.”

Students who decide to go to a four-year university have several factors to consider.

This includes choosing an appropriate distance from home, the size of the school,

DEADLINES Early Action: Nov. 1 Freshman Scholarship: Dec. 1

selectiveness of admissions and programs the school offers.

2020 NW graduate Annalissa Houser chose to attend the University of Arkansas because of its proximity to home, among other reasons.

“I had a lot of very, very different schools in mind, on all ends of the country,” Houser said. “None of them really had anything in common. There were programs [at Arkansas] I liked. I like the honors college here, and all of the opportunities [to study abroad].”

On the other hand, 2020 NW graduate and current Stanford University freshman Alyssa Murray chose to move to the West Coast to pursue a competitive program.

“Most of the universities I applied to were either on the East Coast or the West Coast, because I wanted to get out of the Midwest,” Murray said. “I’m going into international relations – my last decision was between Stanford and Princeton, and Stanford seemed like the better school for global health policy.”

If seniors have questions or concerns about anything college-related, they can reach out to Martin via email (mallorymartin@smsd.org), or they can find college-specific recruiters on university websites.

TEST REQUIREMENTS Test scores required for some majors and programs

Kansas State University

Priority Date: Dec. 1

Test-optional

Pittsburg State University

Priority Date: Feb. 1

Test scores optional depending on high school GPA

Wichita State University

Rolling admissions policy

Test scores optional depending on high school GPA

Emporia State University

Rolling admissions policy

Test-optional

Recommended Date: Nov. 15 (students can apply any time) Freshman Scholarship: Dec. 1

Test-optional

University of Missouri

University of Arkansas Johnson County Community College

Priority Date: Nov. 15 Rolling admissions policy

Test-optional/Test “flexible” depending on high school GPA Test scores required by May 1

Test-optional + design by Alden Norberg

8 | feature

Oct. 23, 2020

Yourself While in the remote learning model, students face isolation that has large effects on their mental health

+ photo by Sophia McCraney

+ by Stella Grist The spread of COVID-19 has greatly changed aspects of our daily lives, limiting large gatherings of people and making school remote. These changes have led to increased periods of isolation for most people, which have a huge impact on mental health.

When human beings aren’t around other people for long periods of time, they start to develop symptoms of anxiety, depression and sometimes PTSD. “People are human beings and we are social beings, so the fact that you’re around people helps boost moods,” clinical psychologist Gladys Mwangi said. “That’s also the way the body works. Certain hormones, endorphins, oxytocin, are released just by being around people. Then just the social support.

When people are able to access others, it becomes easier to deal with some mental challenges or psychological issues.”

Teenagers are struggling with remote learning because of the isolation that comes along with it.

“I would say, in particular, it’s challenging for high school age students because this is your time to be more independent from your families,” social worker Melissa Osborn said. “This is also a time where being around your friends and your peer relationships with other teenagers are very important. So I think that makes it particularly hard for teenagers to be going through this staying at home stuff and staying apart.”

As school became remote, many activities students love got cancelled. School dances, sports games and extracurricular activities were changed entirely to comply with social distancing guidelines. “[The] majority of students feel like they miss the social activities, especially sports, cultural events, and things like that that bring students together,” Mwangi said. “In a way, you feel a sense of loss.

When you lose something, whether it’s a person or a thing, you’re supposed to go through a process of acknowledging the loss and even grieving that loss. I feel with COVID, it didn’t give people a chance to do that. It just came and people found themselves in this situation.”

In isolation, many people experience dark or negative thoughts, because they don’t have that support system they usually do.

“We refer to them as a silent killer,” Mwangi said. “They take on negative behaviors, and then that leads

Johnson County Mental Health Resources

Johnson County Mental Health Center (JCMH) Website: https://www.jocogov.org/ dept/mental-health/home

into a catastrophic problem, so listen to yourself first, know what is going on and then also having a network of people, it doesn’t have to be many people, maybe one individual or two who you can talk to and then also knowing how to access these resources.”

To combat these negative thoughts, along with having a group of people to talk to, people should be self-aware and know what is going on in their mind. Being aware of your mental health is key.

“First and foremost is just to keep in touch with people,” Mwangi said. “One of the things I like to tell people is being mindful, being more aware of what is going on in you as an individual. Everybody should just listen to themselves and be mindful of what is going on, because, again, isolation is often a major precursor to suicide. So, if people paid attention to what is going on in themselves, then they become aware of what is happening and they are able to know when to reach out.”

While in the in-person learning model, students have coping mechanisms to combat negative thoughts and improve their mental health. Many of these coping mechanisms can be done in the remote setting, as well.

“I went past our Sources of Strength ‘What Helps Me’ [bulletin] board,” Osborn said. “All those posters are from students. I was looking at those coping skills, and almost all of them are about things you could do from home. A lot of people say things like ‘I like to pet my dog,’ ‘I like to listen to music,’ ‘I like to go for a run.’ Most of the stuff that people put down [as something] that helps them, you could still do.”

If students are struggling with their mental health in the remote setting, there are many people in the NW community to contact. “[If] they want to know who to start with, it would be myself or Robin Sutton, who is the other social worker in the building, and she does the top half of the alphabet [A-L],” Osborn said. “There are a lot of resources in the community, but if you start with us, we can help [you], or if [you] need a referral for a therapist or stuff like that.”

Osborn is available at melissaosborn@smsd.org for last names M-Z and Sutton is available at 800021190@smsd.org for last names A-L.

Johnson County Mental Health Center 24-Hour Crisis Line: (913) 268-0156

To set up an appointment with a JCMH counselor: (913) 816-4200

JCMH’s recommendations for coping with the pandemic: https://jocogov.org/deptpage/mentalhealth/its-okay-if-youre-not-okayabout-covid-19-understanding-howpublic-health

+ design by Olivia Linville

THE DANGERS OF NEW DESTINATIONS smnw.com

feature | 9

Travel restrictions on U.S. citizens continue into the fall season + by Grace Logan Around the world, dozens of countries have banned U.S. travelers from entering their borders. COVID-19 cases remains unsteady, and the hopes of students who plan on traveling this spring break are starting to diminish.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States was approximately 7.4 million as of Oct. 7. On this date, more than 39,000 new cases were reported as well. Since the peak of nearly 75,000 new cases on July 17, the total daily number of cases has decreased drastically; however, the number of cases in the United States greatly surpass other countries, making U.S. travelers a danger to other countries around the world.

Both sophomore Abigail Bates and former student Ally Urich were signed up to travel to China during the summer of 2020. The travel location for this trip was changed to Australia and New Zealand before it was canceled altogether.

“I was very disappointed,” Bates said. “I was really looking forward to getting out of Kansas.

My dad lived in Japan for a little bit. He told me that those [countries] are like completely different worlds, that you wouldn’t understand until you saw it. I really wanted to have that experience.”

Countries such as France and Italy in Europe are presently considered “high-risk” destinations according to the CDC. Older adults and those with underlying health conditions are recommended to consult a doctor before traveling to low-risk areas, such as New Zealand or Thailand. Social studies teacher Rebecca Anthony, like many others, is not comfortable traveling at this time.

“I even hesitate right now to say [I would travel] next summer,” Anthony said. “Hopefully conditions improve a lot, but who knows?”

Regardless of whether you want to travel to a high-risk area, or somewhere less dangerous,

“As much as I wish I could go to those places, I'm glad that they have taken the precaution.”

- sophomore Abigail Bates the likelihood of being able to enter is low.

“I understand why they would [ban Americans],” Urich said. “We, as of right now, are not being safe with how we’re handling this pandemic, and there are a lot of people that are fine with that. I don’t think that those countries are wrong when banning us. They just want to protect their own people.”

In other cases, there are travel restrictions on U.S. citizens which can be passed. Two example of this are Costa Rica and Ireland. The former requires negative COVID-19 test results in the past 48 hours before arrival, while the latter has a mandatory self-isolation period of 14 days upon arrival.

“As much as I wish I could go to those places, I’m glad that they have taken the precaution,” sophomore Abigail Bates said.

At this time, the CDC recommends that citizens wear masks in any social setting around people who do not live in their household. Wearing a mask can help prevent the spread of COVID-19. States have the authority to require the use of masks, and Kansas is among the states with a mandate in place. The state of Kansas requires children over the age of five to wear a face mask in any enclosed area where members of the community cannot maintain proper social distancing. Despite CDC recommendations and state mandates, some members of the public have challenged mask laws, claiming that it is a violation of the First Amendment. However, others are frustrated with the few who dislike the guidelines.

“I wish that everyone took this seriously, so that we can move past it,” American History

and Sociology teacher Brooke Moore said. “Other countries who had high infection rates brought it back down again, and they are getting back to normal. It’s just a shame that we couldn’t have come together as a community.”

Social studies teacher Anthony Stubenrauch, who has taken students on schoolsponsored trips in previous years, believes that they are missing out on a good opportunity this year.

“It’s great for students to travel because a lot of the kids at Northwest don’t ever get out of the ‘Johnson County bubble,’” Stubenrauch said. “They get stuck with what’s going on, only amongst their groups of friends and don’t have a clue of all the other things that are out there.”

In addition to the new experiences students can gain from traveling, Anthony also thinks that traveling encourages personal growth.

“You have to get out of your comfort zone,” Anthony said. “You have to ask for help.

Sometimes if you’re in a country where you don’t speak the language, you have to rely on the kindness of others and that makes you feel vulnerable, which is good for human growth in general. I think with traveling, you really gain a lot of different perspectives.

Also, you learn how to appreciate and respect people from other backgrounds and cultures.”

10 | News

Oct. 21, 2020

Breonna Taylor’s Court Case Comes To a Close The police officers who shot Breonna Taylor were not charged with manslaughter + by Kyle Vogel Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was killed by police March 13 while she slept. Her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was involved in a shootout with police at their home, after Walker mistook the police for intruders. Taylor was shot by police during the altercation.

Taylor’s murder case was decided by a Kentucky grand jury, and the consensus was that the police officers who shot her would not be charged with her murder. Brett Hankison, one of the officers involved, was charged with three counts of wanton endangerment.

Taylor’s story was amplified by the nationwide “Black Lives Matter” protests this summer, along with George Floyd, Jacob Blake and other victims of racial violence in America. The movement

brought to light the social injustices that were being enacted by officers of the law in America.

Attorney General Daniel Cameron stated that it was outside the law to charge the officers who fired upon Taylor as “they were justified in the return of deadly fire after they had been fired upon.” The city enacted a state of emergency before giving the decision, anticipating the protests. Many argued that the police be charged with her death, and that accountability and change be brought to the law enforcement organization.

One juror filed to speak publicly and called for the transcriptions of the trial to be published. The grand jury granted both requests. The juror accused the grand jury of misrepresenting the information presented in the trial. The claims and actions of this

anonymous juror were pointed out by the community, in an effort to prove “a broken process.”

Whatever the case may be, this one defeat is not the end of the fight for social justice.

“The claims and actions of this anonymous juror were pointed out by the community in an effort to prove ‘a broken process.’”

The Next Holocaust is Happening, and No One Has Noticed China has been oppressing muslims for months in concentration camps similar to the Holocaust

+ by Kyle Vogel We are all familiar with the Holocaust that took place in the 1940s.

The event killed millions of Jewish people, and was the catalyst for World War II. Now, history is repeating itself with the Uighur Muslims in China.

Uighur Muslims are one of many minorities that have called China home for more than 1000 years. China’s government has now placed them in what they call “reeducation centers.” In these centers, they are taught using a curriculum of Communist propaganda, and led to believe the Chinese government is doing good things for them. Chinese officials have reportedly used intimidation and torturous actions against insubordination such as sexual assault, forced labor, renouncing their Muslim faith and water-boarding.

Uighur Muslims have been targeted because the Chinese government believes they are linked to several terrorist attacks. The United Nations are deciding on what to do with the information that they have.

This crisis just adds another to the pile in 2020, and like the others, it is nowhere near being solved.

“...there are reasonable grounds to believe that China is guilty of committing crimes against humanity...”

Forest Fires Rage in the Western U.S. Several fires have overtaken millions of acres in the Rocky Mountains and the West Coast

+ by Kyle Vogel The skies are orange and the streets are filled with smoke on the west coast, as everything is covered in flames and ash and the world delves further into chaos and uncertainty.

Several massive forest fires have been burning in the western U.S. since August. This year alone, over 7.3 million acres of land have been devastated. The current fires were reportedly started by a gender reveal party in Los Angeles. In mid-to-late August, the couple set off a “smokegenerating pyrotechnic device,” according to Thehill.com, that set the tall grass surrounding them ablaze. Firefighters arrived on the scene, but their efforts were fruitless in stopping the fire.

The fires show no signs of stopping anytime soon – they have been burning for over a month, and only continue to grow. Another factor is

that there has been a major drought in the west. Since there is no moisture in the air, trees and grass are more likely to burn. The smoke and ash in the air is also contributing to the lack of moisture, making it a vicious cycle.

Now, residents in areas under potential threat of the fires must either evacuate or at the very least, prepare for them. A statewide order of evacuation in Oregon has displaced over 500,000 people. A similar order was issued in Phoenix that evacuated 80,000 people. Thousands of buildings have burned down.

Even residents in the Rocky Mountains are working hard to prevent any fires from spreading in their area. Most residents’ properties are two to three acres in size,mostly covered in trees and tall grass and most of that land is covered in dead wood and tree limbs. This has prompted residents

to clean their properties of all materials that may catch or spread the fire, so their chances of harm or relocation become slimmer.

There is a long way to go until this problem is under control and more time and money can be put into COVID relief efforts.

+ design by Alden Norberg

11 | ads

smnw.com

YES!

There will be a yearbook this year!

To purchase your copy of the Lair...

- enter Skyward Parent Access - click “Fee Management” - make sure you have paid the $62 ‘Yearbook’ fee

Follow @smnw_yearbook on Instagram for updates!

SMNW Teachers and Staff receive a

25% discount

Thank you for all you do for our kids.

12| feature

Oct. 23, 2020

New to Northwest New NW staff members share their hopes for the school year + by Olivia Nagorka

Trisha Elder

Steve Obenhaus

Biology, Anatomy, Exploring Medical Careers and Physiology teacher

Remote Math teacher Q: What classes are you teaching?

A: “I’ll be teaching remote classes this first semester; Algebra 2, Geometry and PreCalculus.”

Q: How long have you been teaching?

A: “I’ve been a teacher for nine years, before here I was teaching at Bonner Springs High School.”

Q: How did you end up at Northwest?

A: “I graduated from Northwest in 2006, and teaching here has kind of always been my dream job. There’s a lot of teachers that shaped me into the person I am today, so the opportunity to work among the teachers that inspired me to become an educator is a really great honor.”

Q: What’s something you look forward to this year?

A: “Definitely getting better with technology.

I think it’s going to force me to be more creative in how I use technology in my classroom with the COVID situation.”

Q: How long have you been teaching?

A: “I’ve taught middle and high school for over 21 years. I haven’t been teaching [that age group] the last couple of years For the last 10 years I’ve been at KU, teaching how to teach math.

They terminated our program, and I really liked teaching math so I decided to go back and do that rather than stay at a college.”

Q: How will you make a difference at Northwest?

A: “I don’t know how that’s gonna work with the online instruction, but I know that

David Birch

Heather Ogle

Q: What do you hope to accomplish this year?

A: “I hope that whatever classroom I’m in on that particular day or situation, that I can make it a good learning environment for the students where everyone feels like they can express themselves.”

Q: What class are you teaching?

A: “I am teaching Integrated 1, which is Algebra and Geometry, and then one section of Algebra 2.”

Building Substitute and Basketball coach

Q: How did you end up at Northwest?

A: “Last year I was a head basketball coach at Piper High school, and we had a really good season. A job at Northwest opened up, so I applied.

From there we figured out how I can stay in the building both as a coach and a teacher.”

I would like to have students be successful in ways they haven’t thought of themselves before. A lot of kids haven’t seen themselves as a successful math student in the past. I think that’s something I can change, because I think everybody can be successful math students even if they haven’t liked math before.”

Integrated 1 and Algebra 2 teacher

Q: What is something you’re looking forward to for this year?

A: “For the last three years, I’ve had to be a coach at a different school than the one I was a teacher at, so the first thing I’m looking forward to is just being able to coach and teach in the same building. I’m also looking forward to working with the great staff at Northwest.

Q: What drew you to teaching at Northwest?

A: “I’ve taught in SMSD for 15 years, and I’ve just always really loved teaching math. I was kind of looking for a change because I had taught sixth grade for so long, so I moved to Westridge and then decided to move up to Northwest.”

Q: What do you want to accomplish this year?

A: “I want to be the type of teacher that makes kids feel comfortable and enjoy math.

Hopefully they look forward to coming to my classroom each day, or my virtual classroom.”

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Lola Brignoni

English 9 and 11 teacher

Other New Staff

Q: What drew you to becoming an English teacher?

A: “I hated reading in high school, which is probably incredibly common. I started doing hair when I got out of school and I would sit there for days at a time bored waiting for clients, so I started reading.

I really liked it — it’s just about finding something you’re interested in. I realize that in school, reading can be boring, so I wanted to make it the most fun thing ever. I love [seeing my students make] connections with the literature.

Q: How did you end up at Northwest?

A: “Principal Johnson and I have known each other for a very long time. He mentioned that there was a position opening up and he thought I would be a good fit for the school. I really like the diversity in this school. I’m Puerto Rican and my kids are black, so my household is very diverse and I like to see that in my students and workplace as well.

William Epeset Teaching French

Leaving Staff Leslie Ransdall Taught French

Q: What do you most want to accomplish at Northwest?

A: “It’s going to be hard, because I’m not sure what it’ll look like. I just want to meet as many colleagues and talk to as many students as possible, and just get my name out there because I want to stick around for a while. I like to go to class and I’m really excited. I’m a people person.”

Digital Design, Digital Design Studio and Financial Literacy teacher

Q: What do you most want to accomplish at NW? A: “Building the business program, so I’m going to be working really closely with Mrs. Johnstone, who’s another business teacher. I really want to build the program to get more kids into design studio. I’ll also be the BPA advisor and build that program up, and really prepare you guys for the workforce.”

Cindy Swarner Taught Family and Consumer Science

Jan Berg Taught Digital Design, Digital Design Studio & Financial Literacy Teacher

Kate Cervantes

Q: What drew you to digital design and financial literacy?

A: “When I was in high school, I was in a program called the Academy of Finance.

I took classes [like] accounting and such, I actually thought I wanted to be a math teacher. Once I started getting into my major classes in college, I decided it was too much and I was thinking what else I could fall back on. I thought back on my high school days with design and media, and I started exploring it and switched my major to business education.”

Donna Pedersen Taught Engineering

Anthony Galindo Taught ELA

Dr. LaTonya Gillis Taught special education

Chasity Hurd Communities and schools liaison

Q: What are you most looking forward to?

A: “Definitely meeting the students and building relationships with you, along with my colleagues.

I’m definitely excited to be teaching Digital Design again, I haven’t taught that in probably about a year and a half and they’re my favorite courses to teach.”

Mike Rose Taught Geometry

Jessie Rood Taught Physical Education

Jennifer Ancell Taught Sophomore & AP Chemistry

Erica Jablonksi

Sarah Moles Taught Anatomy, Biology & Exploring Medical Health Careers

Anatomy and Physiology teacher Q: What class are you teaching?

A: “I’ll be teaching anatomy and physiology for sure. I might also teach exploring medical careers, but that depends on enrollment numbers.

Haley Lukes Taught World Regional Studies

Q: What drew you to this job?

A: “I live in Shawnee and this has been my community since 2010. I wanted to be an even bigger part of the Cougar community by teaching at Northwest.”

Q: How did you end up at Northwest?

A: “Mrs. Moles was a friend of mine, as we taught the same classes for the district. When I heard she was leaving, I jumped at the chance

to move to NW. I loved and will dearly miss my position at East, however, I believe for a number of reasons like closer location and part-time schedule, Northwest is going to be a better fit for me.”

+ design by Kasi Maniktala

16 | feature

Oct. 23, 2020

HOCO COURT

Get to know your homecoming king and queen candidates + by Emily Alexander, Stella Grist, Ally Pruente & Rory Dungan + PHOTOS BY SOPHIA MCCRANEY

MADELYN OMANSON & CULLAN BOWER Cheer

Who is your favorite teacher at Northwest?

I have many favorites, but I would have to say Dr. Winston.

Who is your favorite musical artist?

Thomas Rhett.

What is your dream car?

A McLaren.

JENNA CAMPBELL & ANTHONY KEMPF Girls’ Tennis and Prom Committee

What is your dream car?

A Convertible 1969 baby blue Camaro.

Who is your role model?

My grandmother. She is the most intelligent, loving and accepting person I have ever met.

Spirit Club

Who is your favorite teacher at Northwest?

Newcomb is a G. What is your dream car?

Any car from any of my favorite movies, or any one of the Batmobiles.

What is your favorite food?

Sushi.

RORY DUNGAN & LANDYN LUTTRELL The Northwest Passage and Student Council Who is your favorite teacher at Northwest?

Susan Massy.

What is a quote that you live by?

“Fight for the things you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” — Ruth Bader Ginsburg

CCC

What is your favorite movie?

Happy Gilmore.

What would you do in a zombie apocalypse?

Me and the boys would raid a Hy—Vee, steal a speed boat then habitat a private island.

DECA

What is a quote that you live by?

“Do what you love and love what you do.”

What is your favorite movie?

The first “Incredibles.”

Who is your favorite musical artist?

Logic

1st runner up

KATIE ASSEL & COLBY JOHNSTON Marching Cougar Pride and NHS Who is your favorite musical artist?

I could definitely recite an unhealthy amount of Taylor Swift and Post Malone lyrics.

What is your favorite food?

Anything that is sweet and salty. Best combo out there.

Marching Cougar Pride, Dance Team, Math NHS

What is your dream car?

DeLorean DMC—12.

What is a quote that you live by?

Keep your words sweet — you may have to eat them.

What would your superpower be?

Photographic memory.

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Homecoming King

HADLEY PATTON & TY BLACK Dance Team

Who is your favorite teacher at Northwest?

Coach Cook, because he’s the nicest guy and cares so much about what you have to say.

Who is your role model?

My mom. She’s my best friend, and has shown me the kind of parent I want to be when I get older.

Football, Girls’ Golf, Cheer, FCA

Who is your favorite musical artist?

George Salt.

What is a quote that you live by?

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.”

— Abraham Lincoln

Homecoming Queen

SAMANTHA MUDGETT & GARRETT GOETZ CCC and Young Democrats

What would your superpower be?

To speak every language.

What is a quote that you live by?

“Never stop being a good person because of bad people.”

Student Council, Cheer, Prom Committee

Who is your favorite teacher at Northwest?

My favorite teacher, by far, is Mrs. Dent because she is so loving and just such a great teacher.

Who is your role model?

My father, because he raised really well, has a great family life and I aspire to be as successful as him.

ERIN ALBERS & TY BLECHA Girls’ Golf, Student Prom Committee and Council, KUGR, Croc Club, Chick-fil-A Club Tech Deck Club What would you do in a Who is your favorite teacher at Northwest?

Mrs Dent is always there to listen to my problems and comfort me and Mr Dent always tells me what I need to do better.

Who is your role model?

Steve Buscemi.

zombie apocalypse?

Survive.

What is a quote that you live by?

“Take care of y’all’s mentals, y’all bodies, y’all chicken.” — Marshawn Lynch

2nd runner up

SYDNEY ALLEN & AJ MAKKYLA Link Crew

NHS, Link Crew, Dance

Who is your role model? Team Nick Miller from New Girl. What is a quote that you live by?

What would you do in a “If you have everything zombie apocalypse? under control, you’re not Probably become a moving fast enough.” zombie, it sounds fun.

— Mario Andretti What is your favorite movie?

“Stuck in Love.”

What is your favorite food?

Saganaki.

1st runner up

LAUREN SANDERS & KENET DEL CID Boys’ Soccer

Who is your role model?

My two older sisters. They are both so incredibly hard working. They are compassionate, and everything I aspire to be.

Who is your favorite musical artist?

It’s actually a band, but LANY is by far my favorite.

Boys’ Soccer, Spirit Club, Educators Rising, Croc Club What is your favorite movie?

Avengers Endgame.

What would you do in a zombie apocalypse?

I would get a group of people to barricade in a bunker, get food and weapons, and live it out.

2nd runner up

ELLA KUFFOUR & CALLAN TAYLOR The Northwest Passage and NHS

What is a quote that you live by?

My dad once told me, “You’re gonna have a lot of lovers. But you’ll have haters, too. Who gives a diddly.”

What would your super power be?

I would want to be a waterbender like in “Avatar: The Last Airbender.”

Student Council, NHS, CCC, Spanish NHS

What is your dream car?

I already have my dream car, a 2006 Kia minivan.

What is your favorite food?

Seafood Jambalaya.

Who is your favorite musical artist?

Glass Animals. + design by Erin Albers

16 | feature

Crafting

Oct. 23, 2020

a Difference Senior Sarah Milks’ small business takes on mask-making + by Ally Pruente

Senior Sarah Milks sews a mask Aug. 23 in her home. Milks started making masks over the summer for fun. “I wanted to have cute masks for myself,” Milks said. “I gave some to my friends and they told me to start selling them.” + PHOTO BY CLAIRE MOORE

In a time where masks are as much of a necessity as your wallet and car keys, senior Sarah Milks adapted her small boutique, SarahJo’s Designs, and added homemade face coverings to her inventory list.

Her boutique started off as a simple love of creating.

“When I was about six or seven, I started buying transfer paper and printing designs out to iron on my shirts,” Milks said. “They turned out horrible, but the idea of making shirts has always been [of] interest to me.”

One year for Christmas, Milks’ family bought her a Cricut machine, a tool that cuts fabrics and other materials for crafting. This is when she really began to perfect her craft. After making some custom products for her family and friends, Milks decided it was time to start selling her work.

“I have an Instagram account [@sarahjosdesigns] where I post all of my products,” Milks said. “If someone sees something they like or want a custom order it’s easiest to DM [direct message] me.”

Masks have quickly become Milks’ fastest selling item. Her shop also offers custom shirts, hats, earrings and digital prints. She hopes to start making stickers, and thinks they might outsell her masks.

Milks’ masks are made using elastic to go around the ear, a single-colored piece of fabric on the inside, and a pattern of the customer’s choice on the outside.

“For a mask I need four pieces [of fabric], so I do a cut in a patterned material and then a cut in a solid color,” Milks said. “Then I sew them together.”

Overall it takes approximately eight to 10 minutes to create one mask. All her work takes focus and attention to detail.

“I have messed up quite a few masks by the fabric getting folded during the sewing process,” Milks said.

Posing for the camera, Senior Sarah Milks smiles with her mask on Aug. 23 in her home. Milks runs an Instagram account that sells her masks and other items such as vinyl shirts and earrings. “Masks are definitely the most profitable right now,” Milks said. “My plan is to continue to make them and advertise them through my account.” + PHOTO BY CLAIRE MOORE

When it comes to the many products that SarahJo’s Designs offers, Milks had to teach herself the crafting process. T-shirts and earrings are just two examples of things Milks taught herself to make. She also came up with all her own designs with some help from social media.

“I had to find ways to make my own designs,” Milks said. “Some helpful tips I found along the way were through Facebook groups.”

Giving back to the community and simply making people happy was a high priority for Milks. Once her business took off, the profit from every mask she sold was donated to Children’s Mercy. Milks also changed her logo to an S and a J placed in the middle of a sun, to symbolize her shop’s mission.

“I really want people to be happy wearing the things I make,” Milks said.” I want to make them feel like a ray of sunshine on any day.”

+ Design by Livi Nagorka

6 | feature

Oct. 26, 2020

WE HEAR YOU The SMSD school board’s decision to open the fall sports season came with mixed reactions from students + by Yeretzy Blanco

“I [was] really happy about [the] sports season starting. [It meant] I got to do cheer and sports. [It’s] like a main part of high school so it just doesn’t feel right without it. I definitely supported the decision.”

– freshman Nikki Cohen

“I think it’s a good idea. Since we’re doing online school, some of us don’t do anything out of school, so being home all day is kinda sad. Reopening fall sports was good so that people are able to be active and get out of the house.”

– senior L’Leana Jones

Well, I feel like we could make it work as long as everyone follows the guidelines. I’m in the middle, just because I understand that there’s COVID and it carries risks. I can see both points of view but I honestly don’t think it was a bad idea to start sports back up.”

–freshman Quang Dang

“I’m torn. I understand that people want to do sports because it is their passion. But there’s a pandemic going on, and I feel this puts others at risk. My friend plays for the SM South football team, [and] one of his teammates started showing symptoms for [COVID-19]. He ended up testing positive but thankfully stopped going [to practice] before he could infect anyone else. It goes to show that this [decision] puts people at risk.”

–junior Luis Hernandez

“I think it’s a good idea. Since we’re doing online school, some of us don’t do anything out of school, so being home all day is kinda sad. Reopening fall sports was good so that people are able to be active and get out of the house.”

– senior Anaid Ornelas

“I don’t think it was the right thing to do. People on our volleyball team had been put in quarantine for having COVID, and all of a sudden everything started back up again. It doesn’t make sense to me. People don’t care about [the virus], they just wanted their sports back, and it doesn’t seem fair to the people who genuinely care about others’ health.”

– freshman Maya Sayam

“I understand that [we] miss the normal aspects of life and that students have scholarships they’re trying to get, but people are missing the point that this is a pandemic and the U.S. has the worst cases. People aren’t thinking of the families they’re affecting by starting sports and school again. Clearly students aren’t either and they’ve shown that by [going] to the JV game at North and sitting shoulder to shoulder with no masks on. Most students clearly aren’t taking this pandemic seriously .”

– junior Jaxie Smith

“I understand why we want sports back open. I myself do cheer, and I missed it a lot. But if things aren’t good enough for us to go to school physically and learn in-person, then I don’t think we’re ready for sports, which actually involve contact. I [understand] that sports do mean a lot to students, but until everything is completely safe, sports shouldn’t be the top priority.”

– junior Immaculee Muragizi

+ design by Erin Albers

Oct. 23, 2020

18 | feature

UPCOMING EVENTS All scheduled events are at risk of cancellation due to COVID-19. Check your email regularly for updates on schoolsponsored events. + by Yeretzy Blanco

OCT. 24 ACT Test

OCT. 26 NHS Application Deadline

NOV. 6 End of First Quarter

The ACT test will be held at Northwest in various classrooms. Registrants should check their emails for updates as the test date approaches.

Are you a junior or senior thinking about joining the National Honor Society?

Don’t forget about the application deadline!

NOV. 13 No School

NOV. 23-27 Thanksgiving Break

Cancelled Events + Design by Olivia Linville

Much to many athletes’ relief, fall sports seasons begin with safety restrictions + Design by Olivia Linville

SEPTEMBER 23: GIRLS TENNIS Senior Grace Rippee hits the ball Sept. 23 at CBAC. Rippee played doubles with her partner in the girls varsity quad tournament. “I played doubles with [senior] Alexis Smith and we worked really well together,” Rippee said. “We celebrated each other’s points and encouraged each other when we could have done better.” + photo by Claire Moore

Students Pre-K-12 will have no school due to a teacher workday. Enjoy your day off!

NOV. 9 Start of Second Quarter

SEPTEMBER

The second quarter begins.

Pre-K-12 parent conferences.

Enjoy your day off!

Spend time with loved ones and enjoy your break!

SEPTEMBER 16: GIRLS GOLF Swinging her club, senior Ella Legreid hits the golf ball Sept. 16 at Sunflower Hills Golf Course. Legreid takes deep breaths when she swings to keep her technique in check. “Golf is a huge mental sport,” Legreid said. “If you’re frustrated, your technique is going to be off, and you are just going to play even worse.” + photo by Evan Johnson

Nov. 9: NHS Inductions (was rescheduled for January) Nov. 18: Thespian Improv Show

smnw.com

IN PHOTOS

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SEPTEMBER 22: COUGAR BOYS SOCCER GAME Stealing the ball, senior Vann Skinner advances down the field Sept. 22 at SMSC. The Cougars lost to the Freestate Firebirds 1-2. “On the field, I’m a different person and all I want is to leave with a win,” Skinner said. “Losing hurts so I try to have the thought that we can still do this mentally.” + photo by Erin Dory

SEPTEMBER 9: CROSS COUNTRY Freshman Kayla Carpenter crosses the finish line Sept.

19 at Lexington Lake Park. Carpenter keeps herself motivated by thanking herself that she is part of a sport that relies on only her. “Don’t compare your time to someone else’s too much; cross country is more a sport of self- improvement than a competition,” Carpenter said. + photo by Sloan Munson

SEPTEMBER 17: VOLLEYBALL Senior Taylor McCarthy jumps to hit the ball Sept. 17 in Main Gym. McCarthy is a six rotation outside hitter. “I love stepping onto the court with my teammates and playing the game I love, representing our school,” McCarthy said. “I am ready to take the next step playing at the collegiate level. Because we have started off the season 21-0, this is something none of us will never forget.” + photo by Josie Torres

“It feels good to play quarterback because the game is in my hands and I like it that way,” Black said. “My favorite thing about football is getting to play for my dad and play with my teammates.”

Senior Ty Black looks to pass the ball Sept. 19 at CBAC.

N W P

+ photo by Anna Torres