Staley High School Kansas City, MO. Volume 12, Issue 2 november 2019
under surveillance
P. 08-09
behind the scenes p. 4-5
in with the old p. 15
Strength in numbers p. 10-11
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Issue 2 Volume 12 talon Table of contents
Inside 04-05
This Issue
feature
meet those who keep the school running
06
News
07
Staff editorial
08-09 10-11 12-13
impeachment misconceptions debunked parents set boundary between surveillance, safety
News
technology allows parents to track teens
Sports
coaches build teams without cuts sports
Athletes excel in outside-of-school sports
14
opinion
15
lifestyle and entertainment
16
Feature
ranking northland’s doughnut options Thrift fashion rises in popularity
multiple activities keep students busy, involved
Table of contents talon Volume 12 Issue 2
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Talon Staff editors-in-chief Makenzie Hooton Hailey Milliken Copy editor Jack warner
Staff Autumn Adams Sara Almansouri Isabella Dorrington Cassie Ford
jenny Le Hannah Moore Charlie Warner
Adviser Cherie Burgett
Letter from the editors Dear Readers,
Fall is finally here! The Talon staff had our first staff bonding of the school year, and we went to the Fun Farm pumpkin patch! We definitely made some memories, but we knew before we could have too much fun, we had to focus on providing the student body with the latest information. Since our last issue, the staff has discovered some strengths and are gaining confidence in writing, designing and photography. The first issue is always the toughest because the staff is trying to figure out what their roles are and what we expect of them. However,
they took the challenges and expectations we dished out and excelled. With the school year in full swing now and the stress starting to set in for Staley students, Talon is no exception. The quick turnaround from our last issue took us by surprise. However, as always, the staff was able to get through it. We are so proud of the hard work and dedication we all put into this magazine. In this issue, we wanted to recognize our unsung school faculty that puts in countless hours in order to keep our school functioning. Read more about them on pages 4-5. We also wanted to cover the latest on President Donald Trump’s possible impeachment and what
impeachment really means. You can read more about that on page 6. We hope that with each issue, the Talon staff gains more confidence in themselves and the work we produce. We anticipate that the student body and faculty will continue to enjoy what we have to say. Hailey and I encourage students to tell us about any concerns you have because we would be more than happy to hear about what our audience has to say as well! We look forward to hearing from you! Sincerely,
Contact us Write the editors a letter
Talon publishes seven issues during the school year. Talon will accept letters to the editor in CR202 or at cherie.burgett@nkcschools.org. Before the letter is published, we will need to verify the writer’s identity with a photo identification. Letters may not exceed a length of 350 words. We will not publish letters that are libelous, obscene or that may cause a veritable disruption of the education process at Staley High School. Letters must be signed. Anonymous letters will be discarded. Advertisers may contact the adviser at cherie.burgett@nkcschools.org, (816) 321-5330 or at 2800 NE Shoal Creek Parkway, Kansas City, MO, 64156-1313.
Opinions expressed in Talon do not express the staff’s endorsement of the products or services.
Talon is a member of NSPA, MIPA, MJEA and Quill and Scroll. Talon is affiliated with JEA and JEMKC.
On the cover
Talon decided to look into how students feel when they are constantly monitored by their parents. Senior Makenzie Hooton took the photo for the cover in order to depict what it is like to be tracked wherever a student may go.
On the web StaleyNews.com
@staleynews
Staley News
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Issue 2 Volume 12 talon feature
behind the scenes Meet those who keep the school running
Written by Cassie Ford Photos by Autumn Adams and HAnnah MOore
Karen Bruscato
Jackie Fabert
attendance office assistant
T
W
hen parents call the office to say their student won’t be in school on time, attendance office assistant Karen Bruscato is often on the other end of the line, marking down student absences for the day. Her workspace is in the student attendance office that leads out to the student parking lot. She also takes messages from parents and guardians when they need to call a student out of class or school. “We make sure kids are where they are supposed to be,” said Bruscato. While handling absences, she also deals with people dropping off students’ items for them to be called up and get them from the office. “Some days are overwhelming, kids coming and going, hectic at times, but it’s my job, and polite kids and people make the day a lot better,” said Bruscato.
custodian
here are many people who help keep our school running. Custodian Jackie Fabert is one of those people. Some things she does during the day are cleaning windows, helping out with lunch and cleaning the classrooms in the art hallway. She said she loves her job and all of the student body and staff she works with. “My duties are diversified, so it is very enjoyable,” said Fabert. “I stay busy all day long.” When staff or students ask her to do something, she said she finds joy in knowing she can help people and make them happy by doing so. “It feels great. I love my job. I just love coming here every day. I feel like God put me where I’m supposed to be. It’s the best job I’ve ever had,” said Fabert.
feature talon Volume 12 Issue 2
05
What do you appreciate most about them? Emma thom, 10 cafeteria workers
“I appreciate that even when they have a bad day, they make me smile and a little happier with how nice they are. I think they are so nice and sweet. I think they are really fast at their job, and I think they are overall amazing. When I go in line to get a cookie, they say, ‘Is that all sweetie?’ and that just makes me smile.”
Myles Howard, 12 attendance assistants “They make sure you’re OK, and they want to take care of you, and they are really cool people to talk to.”
Lisa Ruedisueli food nutrition manager
H
undreds of students and adults get school lunch every day, and some of those lunches are prepped and made by Food Nutrition Manager Lisa Ruedisueli. Around the kitchen, she comes in early and bakes that day’s batch of cookies. She also helps with ordering food supplies and lunch line checkouts. “I love seeing the kids come through the line, talking to them and knowing we are giving them good meals,” said Ruedisueli. She has been working with the district for seven years and originally started working at Nashua Elementary School. “It’s rewarding at the end of the day when we leave, and we know that we fed 1,100 to 1,200 kids, and some kids might not have the luxury of going home and having a hot meal,” said Ruedisueli.
benton Jenne, 11 custodians
“Just how hard they work; I know there’s probably nine or 10 of them, and they have to do the whole school, and they still have it looking fantastic.”
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Issue 2 Volume 12 talon news
What impeachment implies impeachment misconceptions Debunked
O
n Sept. 24, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced the impeachment inquiry of U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump is accused of pressuring the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, into investigating former vice president and current democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. It is against the law to obtain foreign support in the hopes of winning an election. This is what Trump is being accused of because Biden is a candidate in the upcoming 2020 election. If the president was impeached, however, that does not mean he would be removed from office upon his impeachment. “Many students believe that once impeachment occurs by the House of Representatives that the person serving as president must leave office. This is not the case as 67 U.S. Senators must then concur with the House Of Representatives
findings,” said government teacher Bob Buck. Buck said Trump must be charged, found guilty by 51 percent of the House Of Representatives and then found guilty by two thirds (67%) of the Senate to be removed from office. “I think that he will get impeached but will not be removed from office, the same as the other presidents that have gone through the process,” said senior Katy Thomas. This means that Trump could be found guilty by the House of Representatives, essentially serving as a jury, but not be found guilty by the Senate. In this situation, Trump would have been impeached, but not removed from office. Factors such as the fact that the Democrats are currently the majority leaders in the House and that the country is nearing an election year will play a part into the outcome of the inquiry.
If Democrats vote along party lines, Trump would be found guilty by the House. However, some senators may be tentative to vote against Trump, as one third of senate will be up for reelection. Written by Jack Warner Graphics by Jenny Le
1 coupon per order, not including toppings. Only available at 6595 N. Oak Trafficway, Gladstone, Mo., 64118
staff editorial talon Volume 12 Issue 2
07
protection or privacy? Parents set boundary between surveillance, safety
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here is a fine line between being involved in a teen’s life and suffocating them with surveillance. Many parents are concerned with the choices their child may be making and decide it’s necessary to know all of them, but this is nearly impossible and only leads to more conflict within the family. Tracking apps such as Life 360 have great intentions and do keep a lot of parents updated on their child’s whereabouts and make the roads a little safer. Though, they are often only effective on kids who usually make responsible decisions anyway. The technology isn’t foolproof, and many kids who want to disobey will just download a VPN or turn off their phone. On top of that, tracking apps can lead to teens feeling like they need to be sneakier instead of having open communication with their parents. This same principle applies to apps like MMGuardian and SaferKid that allow every message and phone call to be monitored. Using these apps cross the line between being a concerned parent and being a helicopter parent. Helicopter parenting has been proven to have detrimental effects on a child’s mental health and create distance between parent and child. The
American Psychological Association reported that helicopter parenting caused children to struggle with behavioral regulation and social anxiety. Additionally, when the teen goes into adulthood, he or she will be more likely to rebel and separate themselves from their parents to overcompensate. Something that’s more important than closely tracking teens is establishing trust. Parents and children are more likely to have a mutually rewarding relationship with each other if there’s clear communication and boundaries put in place. If teens decide to violate that trust, then these apps can be used until the trust is gained back. Cartoon by Autumn Adams graphics by makenzie hooton
Do you or your parents have a tracking app?
51.9%
48.1%
No yes
Do you think the tracking apps work?
69.6%
yes
30.4% No
Do you think they are an invasion of privacy?
65.8% yes
34.2% No Survey of 87 students
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Issue 2 Volume 12 talon news
Under surveillance Technology allows parents to track teens
H
aving your every move being watched may sound threatening and dangerous out of context, but this is just a reality that has been created for today’s teens. With current technology, parents have the ability to track and monitor almost every aspect of a teenager’s life. “It’s kind of an invasion of privacy, honestly. I feel like I’m constantly being watched even though I’m not doing anything wrong,” said junior Lindsey Rippee. Life 360 is an app that has become popular among families. The app allows parents to track the exact location of their child and set boundaries to where they can go. On top of that, it reports cellphone battery percentage and unsafe driving habits like speeding and phone usage. The app was made for the purpose of keeping young drivers safe, but it has led to negative reactions from some teenagers who are subjected to it. “I think it shows that they don’t trust me enough to just have me out there, and they have to track my phone because of that,” said junior Ashton Olson. There are also parents who use apps like these to reinforce parenting techniques
they’ve already instilled in their kids. “Some of my friends are really annoyed with the app because they normally didn’t
“
It’s kind of an invasion of privacy, honestly. I feel like I’m constantly being watched even though I’m not doing anything wrong.
,,
Junior Lindsey Rippee
have to tell their parents where they were going. They could just get up and leave whenever they wanted to. That’s not really a thing for me and never has been, so it doesn’t really make much of a difference,” said senior Amber Gillani. Keeping an eye on physical location is one thing, but there are even apps like SaferKid and MMGuardian that allow parents to view text messages, block certain contacts and view search history straight from their
phone. Sophomore Clare Simpson had the app for about a year before her parents decided to get rid of it. “I felt lonely,” said Simpson. “I wasn’t allowed to have specific people on my phone, so they couldn’t talk to me if they wanted to. I couldn’t talk to some friends because my parents disapproved of them.” Simpson’s parents stopped using the app because they believed she was old enough to take care of her own social life and no longer had to closely monitor what she does. “There’s a sense of freedom with not having it. I don’t have to worry so much about my parents being like, ‘Why did you say this?’ or ‘Why did they say that?’” said Simpson. Teacher Noelle Stepp chose to start using Life 360 for her daughter senior Marissa Stepp about three years ago. “Contrary to popular belief, it’s not because we didn’t trust her. It’s more of a safety issue about being able to know where she is, if there was a problem then we can get to her. It also has crash data, so if she had a car accident it would notify us. It’s really about safety,” said Stepp. When many parents were younger, one
news talon Volume 12 Issue 2
of the only ways they could be tracked was through a phone call to a friend’s house. They had much more freedom to grow up and experience life on their own. Many kids now are more sheltered through this consistent surveillance. “My mom was definitely a helicopter parent, so I bet she would’ve known right where I was at all times,” said Noelle Stepp. When approaching adulthood, setting the appropriate amount of boundaries can be a gray area for parents. Using these apps require their own discretion depending on the relationship they have with their children. “I think that technology in this day and age isn’t always beneficial; kids need to have a little bit of freedom. On the flip side, it’s a scary world out there. I want to know where my kids are and make sure they’re safe,” said Noelle Stepp. Written by Hailey Milliken Graphics by Jenny lE and makenzie Hooton
Friends track each other using life 360 Dominque Cannova, 11 “We’re just really close friends, so we decided to get on it together and track each other. It’s just kinda fun.”
Lily Hernandez, 11 “My friends and I like to use it to be safe. There’s been a few car crashes, so it’s good to check where everyone is.”
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Issue 2 Volume 12 talon sports
coaches build teams without cuts
Strength in numbers
10
In the midst of the action, the varsity football team watches their plays on a TV. This was during a game against Lee’s Summit West High School Sept. 25. “We feel like we have tremendous support in our community and with our administration, and we are committed to making every young man that comes out for football have a positive experience,” said head coach Phil Lite. photo by claudia St. JOhn
Focused on the win, senior Gabriella Knox talks with assistant tennis coach Jacob Sullivan Sept. 5 against Lincoln Prep High School. Sullivan said he tried to get to know each player personally even with the large team. “I feel like they’re more free to be themselves, and so I get to see them be individuals more than students,” said Sullivan. photo by claudia St. JOhn
sports talon Volume 12 Issue 2
Focused on practice, varsity sophomores MaryPaige Miller, Makenzie Miller, Mia Bonet and juniors Rylee Sapp and Lauren Spolec hit a Liberty Line from their competition routine. The girls were practicing for their 2019 State competition. “During time outs with so many stunt groups going, it’s a lot more entertaining to watch,” said senior Annamarie Circello. photo by Hannah Moore
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he stress that many players deal with going into tryouts affects student athletes with the fear of being cut. This year multiple teams decided to go without cuts. The girl’s tennis team was one. During tryouts, coaches had the option to cut players. Assistant coach Jacob Sullivan said they chose not to cut because there were 40 talented girls who tried out. While one downfall of having so many girls on the team was that they got less playing time, the teams had a bigger cheering section. Sullivan said the games and tournaments become more fun for the athletes when they had more people cheering them on. “Even with 40, I feel like I get to know them better simply because they feel like they can be themselves,” said Sullivan. The cheerleading team was another example of a sport with no cuts this year. “For sideline, I feel like it hasn’t affected us very much. It’s nice to have more girls on the sidelines to cheer for the teams and to split games. But, for competition purposes it’s a little
difficult because there are restrictions on the amount of people we can put on the mat,” said coach Jennifer Newman. Having a bigger team has positives, such as more cheerleaders to support other teams. Though the number of girls allowed to compete has not changed, the bigger team means a few girls to not be able to compete during state and regional competitions. “It just happened as things progressed and as we saw the talent come in. There was no conscious decision to put everyone on the team,” said Newman. As the teams have grown each year, athletes are getting more used to accommodating to the large numbers, from adding more stunts into a routine to adding practice time for tennis. “I honestly think it’s more fun having a bigger team because you just have a lot more people at school,” said Rylee Sapp. Along with those two sports, golf and football also went without cuts. The football team has never had cuts due the sports being a game of large numbers.
“Since day one, we do not cut. That has been our philosophy ever since we started the football team around 2008. When it comes to football, it’s a numbers game,” said head coach Phil Lite. Written by Hannah MOore
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Above 12
Issue 2 Volume 12 talon sports
And
Beyond
Athletes excel in outside-of-school sports
A
thletes who play for the school have had success or have been playing most of their lives. Many student athletes continue to play their sports on club teams after the highschool season is over to be consistently training or play in front of scouts. Some of these athletes said it can be difficult but that they hope to continue playing at the next level, whether it’s collegiate or professional. Written by Charlie Warner Photos by Hannah Moore, Cassie Ford
Benson
smith,
baseball
“It’s my passion. My main goal is to go as far as I can, hopefully go pro,” said freshman Benson Smith. Smith plays baseball for his club team, the KC Bullets, and he’s been playing for 10 years. “You have to put in a lot of work, and it takes a lot of time,” said Smith. His team won state last year.
Kalia
morris,
Volleyball
Since she was 8 years old, sophomore Kalia Morris has played volleyball. She plays for Dynasty, a club volleyball team. “I can get extra reps in and practice in and learn from different coaches,” said Morris. “I want to play D1, and I want to make my family proud of me.” Morris’s team came in second in nationals last year.
Johnie
Shephard,
judo
For 10 years, sophomore Johnie Shepard has competed in judo. “I like contact sports,” said Shepard. He said his main goal is to make it to the Olympics. “I won international and national competitions in June, and I took third in worlds,” said Shepard. Right now, Shepard is ranked No. 1 in the nation in the cadet male 90kg weight class, according to TeamUSA.org, as of Oct. 7.
sports talon Volume 12 Issue 2
Jazmen
Newberry,
track
Sophomore Jazmen Newberry runs track in Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). Newberry started running track her freshman year at school and runs AAU in addition to that. Newberry wants to get scholarships from running AAU. “Practice was in Topeka, so I had to drive an hour every day, and the workouts were really hard,” said Newberry. Newberry won all of her events in a meet in Tulsa, Oklahoma, this summer.
Kaylyn
Taylor,
basketball
For 12 years, junior Kaylyn Taylor has played basketball. She plays for club team Lady Run GMC as well as playing on varsity for the school. Taylor has been playing for 12 years. “It’s fun, and it keeps me busy outside of school,” said Taylor. “There’s a lot of pressure, and you have to make sure to get your work done.” It’s also an opportunity for Taylor to play in front of college scouts as Taylor’s team plays at the highest rank in the Under Armor Circuit.
Haley
Faubion,
soccer
“I love soccer, and it’s going to be my future for college,” said senior Hailey Faubion. Faubion plays for KC Athletics, a club soccer team, and she’s been playing club soccer for 13 years. In addition to that, Faubion plays on the school’s varsity team. “We play all year long,” said Faubion. “I get a three-week break, but if you love it, then it’s not a problem.” Faubion’s team came in second at Nationals last year. Faubion committed to University of North Carolina at Greensboro to play Division 1 soccer.
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Issue 2 Volume 12 talon Opinion
Don’t glaze over these local doughnut shops warner judges how northland doughnuts stack up Written by Charlie Warner Photos by charlie Warner
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Ray’s Donuts
R
315 NE Vivion Rd Kansas City, MO 64116
ay’s Donuts is an inviting doughnut shop with a very friendly staff. The staff makes you feel welcome. The doughnuts are perfect, just what a doughnut should be. They have some that are covered in icing, like Pike’s Place, but they also have traditional doughnuts, like glazed and long johns. Their more traditional doughnuts are the best there are. The shop also has plenty of tables to sit and enjoy your doughnuts and have something to drink. It would be a great place to meet a friend for coffee. Ray’s Donuts is the perfect local doughnut shop and my favorite out of all places I visited.
LaMar’s Donuts
2
L
1183 W Kansas St LIberty, MO 64068
aMar’s Donuts is a staple doughnut shop that was established in Kansas City and has since spread to other states. LaMar’s Donuts has fantastic tasting doughnuts and a wide variety. The staff is quick and will get you a dozen doughnuts in no time. Like Pike’s, it doesn’t have any tables and is more of a grab and go shop. While it isn’t always necessary, it’s nice to have a place to sit and eat and talk with people in a doughnut and coffee shop. LaMar’s is a famous local shop that has expanded locations for a reason, great tasting doughnuts.
3
Pike’s Place
P
1914 NE 72nd st kansas city, mO 64118
ike’s Place is a charming little doughnut shop with fancy doughnuts. A little too fancy. Doughnuts are meant to be simple, and when a lot of ingredients are introduced to make it fancier, the true essence of a doughnut is lost. Although they do have glaze, many of the doughnuts are caked in icing and topped with something like fruit, a piece of white chocolate, or a candy bar. They taste great, but it’s just a bit extra for a doughnut. The building also has a small area to sit and eat, so you likely wouldn’t stay and have coffee with friends. It’s more of a grab and go shop than a sit and talk one. Overall, the doughnuts taste good, but it’s too much for my taste and is the third best out of these doughnut shops.
4
Dunkin’
D
6050 N Antioch RD Kansas city, MO 64119
unkin’ Donuts is a very average coffee and doughnut shop. Your experience with staff will differ with each different location, but it is generally normal fast food service, a nice smile, and then the normal exchange. Nothing goes above and beyond here. The doughnuts don’t taste bad, but they aren’t anything special. Sometimes the selection of doughnuts here can be limited, as they don’t make batches as fast as local shops. Dunkin’ is good for when you’re on the run and need some doughnuts quickly.
What is your favorite doughnut shop? 39%
Lamar’s
16%
Quicktrip
25%
Dunkin’
12%
Ray’s
6%
pike’s Place
Survey of 87 students
Lifestyles & Entertainment talon Volume 12 Issue 2
In WITH THEold
15
Thrift fashion rises in popularity
F emma haynes, 10
Goodwill
savers
jason hensley, 12
savers
amanda benedick, 11
Red Racks
Avenue thrift
ashion trends are currently favoring retro styles from the 70s to the 90s, causing many teens to shop at thrift stores. Thrift stores resell donated clothes, so shoppers can find vintage pieces Teens like senior Jason Hensley would rather go to thrift stores to buy secondhand clothes instead of shopping at stores that sell new clothes. “I feel like there is a history to everything you buy there,” said Hensley. Hensley said he likes to build different outfits when thrifting because of the unique value of the clothes. “I look for very interesting pieces,” said Hensley. When sophomore Emma Haynes goes thrifting, she said she likes to transform thrift finds into something more stylish. “I’ll make a different shirt out of a huge T-shirt. I’ll make a tube top, or I’ll make some sort of cool neckline and make it my own,” said Haynes. Not only are the clothes stylish, but Hensley said they are more affordable than regular stores. “High school students are broke, and college students are broke, so it’s cheap,” said Hensley. When shopping, junior Amanda Benedick agrees that thrift store clothes are more affordable. “It’s cheaper; you can get a lot more for your money,” said Benedick. Haynes also shops at thrift stores because she thinks it helps the planet. “I shop there because not only is it cheaper, but it’s also really good for the environment,” said Haynes. Hensley also feels that shopping at
thrift stores is helping the environment. “The environmental aspect plays a bigger role than I think people might realize,” said Hensley. Fast fashion is a term used when popular designs frequently go from the runway into stores. The fashion industry is one of the leading causes of global warming by greenhouse gasses pollutingthe air, according to EKO energy, an international nonprofit for renewable energy. When Haynes and Hensley shop at thrift stores instead of encouraging fast fashion, they are recycling. Whether it is because it’s cheap, in fashion right now or helps save the planet, this trend has changed the way teens are shopping Written by isabella dorrington photos by sara almansouri
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Issue 2 Volume 12 talon feature
Count me in multiple activities keep students busy, involved
Written by sara almansouri photos by charlie warner
Remy Asta, 11
F
or junior Remy Asta, being invloved in many different activites is an opportunity to spend time with friends. “I’m in all these activities because I really enjoy being involved and doing a lot of things and being able to interact with all different types of cool people,” said junior Remy Asta. However, being involved in softball, wrestling, bowling, track, FCA, Staley TPUSA, National Honor Society, Beta club, student council, class officers, Young Life and choir comes with challenges. “Managing time is hard. I have to study really late at night. I have to get my work done during school if I want to be able to do everything,” said Asta.
Averi Clement, 12
F
or senior Averi Clement, being invloved in many different activities allows her to learn many different skills and grow as an individual. “I have a lot of things that I am passionate about. I like spending my time in clubs or different teams like tennis and Science Olympiad because I think they help me grow in different aspects of my life,” said Clement. Being involved in Scholar Bowl, Science Olympiad, National Honor Society, Spanish Club, a leader for yoga club, tennis team captain, HOSA and FCA requires Clement to be organized. “I manage my time by simply setting aside my time for the activities I’m in and allotting my free time to relax or get other things done. Having my planner organized and using it daily allows me to stay on top of my activities and dates,” said Clement. Clement said that to be this involved, good time management skills are necessary.