The Eyrie: May 2021

Cover by Gagani Liyanawaduge

CONTENTS MAY 6-7, 2021

06

Table of Contents

Is the COVID-19 vaccine right for you?

08 Summer plans and student finances 12

10

Block schedule remains for 2021-22

16

Students unsatisfied with Advisory

24

KCK offers unique taco experience

2 THE EYRIE

Public schooling in a postCOVID-19 world

14 Do mental illnesses belong on TeacherVue? 18

Online schooling highlights student tech issues

20

e-Hallpass is both useful and excessive

22

Wahaus advocates for students first amendment rights

26

May is AAPI month - it’s time for some awareness

30

MLB is back, Chiefs face issues before NFL draft

The Eyrie Staff

Alex Burbidge - Editor in Chief Mark Elliott & Grace Price - Managing Editors Emily Gray & Cael Baumgarten - Copy Editors Gagani Liyanawaduge - Layout Editor Morgan Montgomery - Business Manager Alek Mackey - Photo Editor

Reporters Photographers Gianna Comelli Gracie Akers Lola Cooper Phoebe Blair Don Davis Abby Burkart Alyssa Fleming Danielle Desmarteau Brady Hause Katie George Avery Hoisington Jordyn Napier Melody Jiang James Neely Scott Letourneau Anna Palacio Gavin McAferty Daniel Palacio Skye Pancer Olivia Pierce Dalton Roberts Megan Proberts Corey Rott Edsel Quintana Puente Sydeny Slaton Ethan Runyan Jalil Smith Mikayla Skaggs Abby Wallace Kate Tankersley Advised by Heather Springer, CJE

MAY 6-7, 2021 NEWS

photo by Heather Springer

Rows of socially distanced chairs line the field at CBAC during the 2020 commencement last July. This, among with other COVID-19 mitigation strategies, will be in place during the 2021 commencement ceremonies to take place May 15 at 7 pm.

“A lot of us are disappointed. Some of us even went and talked to [Principal Longnecker] and some big district people.”

- Truman Gilner

With limited attendance, school district prepares for graduation

By Lola Cooper

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Olathe School District will have many restrictions on the 2021 class’ graduation.

This is the second consecutive year that the pandemic has affected the graduation ceremonies of all five high schools, with the 2020 class’ being pushed back to July.

Seniors will be seated for social distancing on the field, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s previous recommendation, much as they did for the senior awards night as well as the 2020 class’ graduation ceremony. In addition to the six-foot distancing, stage guests and performances have been limited to restrict the number of people on the field with the graduates.

The district does not plan to have any performances this year, which mainly

affects members of the band, who in past years have performed. Senior Kara Schlenk was extremely disappointed in the decision, saying, “I was looking forward to having one last time to conduct my band before I graduate... I thought it would be implied that we’d get one last hurrah before we graduate like the athletes did, but I guess I thought wrong.”

Masks covering the nose and mouth are required for all in attendance. Those involved in the ceremony will be discouraged from shaking hands, but instead will be encouraged to fist-bump to lower the amount of physical contact and risk of contracting COVID-19. Members of the graduating class will only be recieving six tickets, so overall attendance remains restricted enough to allow for social distancing in the stands.

All 482 graduating seniors will wear the school’s traditional royal blue gowns and caps with gold stole across their shoulders.

All seniors, whether they are doing school online or in-person, are invited to participate in the graduation. The ceremony will last an hour and a half to two hours. It is May 15 at 7 pm at CBAC. While it is to be expected that a slim number of students will be absent due to concerns surrounding COVID-19 or conflicts, the Olathe School Distric plans to make the best out of what they can do given the nature of the pandemic and anticipate a good turnout.

The ceremony will be broadcast live for those who cannot attend.

Livestream information will be available on the district website the day of graduation.

“The athletics got to have about a majority of their regular seasons, but the bands got barely anything.”

- Kara Schlenk

“It’s a shame that they aren’t letting us have our last time playing together as a band... but is it the end of the world? In my opinion, no.”

- Mason Romero THE EYRIE 3

PHOTO MAY 6-7, 2021

TOP LEFT Senior Bryce Goebel tees off against golfers from Olathe North, East and Blue Valley Southwest on April 4 at Sycamore Ridge. Goebel plays in one of his last high school career golf tournaments.

PHOTO BY Gracie Akers TOP RIGHT Jordan Allen, sophomore, throws a shotput at the track meet on April 9 at the Olathe District Activity Center.

PHOTO BY Edsel Quintana Puente RIGHT Varsity softball played Olathe Northwest on April 1. Sarah Proberts, junior, earned the 5-4 win at home for the Falcons. Proberts went seven innings, striking out six, and only allowing four hits.

PHOTO BY Danielle Desmarteau

4 THE EYRIE

MAY 6-7, 2021 PHOTO

ABOVE Riley Braden, freshman, runs to first after getting a hit against Olathe East during the JV softball game on April 7 at the College Boulevard Activity Center.

PHOTO BY Kate Tankersley LEFT Varsity girls soccer played Olathe North on April 19. Danielle Desmarteau, sophomore helps the team get a shoutout during a 1-0 win at the Olathe District Activity Center.

PHOTO BY Abby Burkart

THE EYRIE 5

NEWS MAY 6-7, 2021

COVID-19 vaccines: is it right for you?

By: Grace Price

On March 29th, Governor Laura Kelly set Phase 5 of Kansas’s Vaccine Prioritization plan in motion, making anyone over the age of 16 eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

There are 3 vaccines to choose from: Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson. Pfizer and Moderna are open to anyone over the age of 16 and both require two doses.

The Johnson and Johnson vaccine is available to anyone 18 or older and requires a single dose, though its use is currently suspended. Pfizer’s second shot is recommended for 3 weeks after the first shot, while Moderna recommends getting the second shot 4 weeks after the first.

The vaccines vary in effectiveness, with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, reporting Pfizer as 95%,

Make sure to bring a mask!

6 THE EYRIE

Moderna as 94.1%, and Johnson and Johnson as 66.3% effective in preventing the contraction of COVID-19 in people without evidence of a previous infection from the virus.

Additionally, this effectiveness refers to people who have had all the necessary doses for the vaccine they received. After receiving the first dose of either Pfizer or Moderna, the effectiveness gradually increases as the second dose is administered, totaling the full 95% or 94.1% two weeks after the second dose.

While the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines prevail in effectiveness, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is beneficial in how it only has to be refrigerated rather than frozen like the other two vaccines. Thus, it is easier to transport and administer, making a better choice for some people accessibility-wise.

Although, Johnson

It’s a good idea to have your ID, as well as proof of eligibility just in case.

and Johnson received a large setback in early April after it was reported that at least six people who received the vaccine had contracted rare blood clots.

The United States paused the administering of the virus on April 13 as a precaution. This came just one week after European regulators suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine there for the same issue.

All six of the people in the United States who contracted the blood clots are women, with one passing away and one requiring three brain surgeries.

However, many officials are pointing out that out of the 7 million people who received the vaccine, only six people have been affected, leading to possible doubts about their connection.

While scientists are not yet sure if there is a definitive link between the Johnson and Johnson vaccine and the blood clots, they

Bring water, especially if you have to wait in line.

are maintaining the pause on its administration for safety.

All three vaccines have reported common side effects aside from the blood clot outliers. They share the same possible side effects of fatigue, fever, chills, joint or muscle pain, swelling at the sight of the shot and other flu-like symptoms.

The CDC warns that if someone who has received the vaccine experiences severe headaches, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within 3 weeks of receiving the Johnson and Johnson vaccination, they should contact their doctor immediately.

For more information on the vaccine, where to receive it, or its benefits, visit https://www.cdc.gov/ coronavirus/2019-ncov/ vaccines/index.html or for information specific to Johnson County, visit https:// www.jocogov.org/covid19-vaccine.

Don’t forget your vaccination record card if it’s your second dose!

MAY 6-7, 2021 NEWS

Serenity Sosa, senior

1. Why did you decide not to get the vaccine?

“I decided against getting the vaccine due to concerns over being in the first batches of release to the public. Longer down the line I may take it, but I don’t feel comfortable taking it as of now.”

2. What led you to this decision?

“I have done independent research, more into the country’s history with vaccines and people of color specifically, an example being the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. That has made me even more hesitant to taking the COVID-19 vaccine.”

3. Would you ever consider chanigng your decison not to get vaccinated?

“My decision as it stands is firm, in the future I may take it, but I want to see any long-term side effects taking the vaccine may entail. I have heard concerns over infertility, and that is very important to me.”

Are Olathe South students getting the vaccine?

1. Why did you decide to get the vaccine?

“I have already received my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. I got the vaccine because I think it is important to keep everyone safe. I work with children and they are too young for masks. I feel that it is my responsibility to keep them safe. I also do not need to bring any unwanted germs that I pick from work home to my family. I do not want to force them to quarantine instead of go to work and school.

I am afraid of needles, but I knew what I had to do to protect the people I come in contact with.”

2. What led you to this decision?

“My mom did tons of research and weighed the benefits and risks.

She decided that the good outweighed the bad. I trust her judgment and all my family members have been vaccinated. I think getting vaccinated is the best option and I do not think I would have chosen otherwise if I was in a different position.”

Hailey Lancaster, sophomore THE EYRIE 7

FEATURE MAY 6-7, 2021

Summer Trips on Summer Vacation By: Gianna Comelli

Summer is approaching and plans are beginning to circulate. As the weather gets warmer and school inches to the end of the year, the students cannot help but dream they are out in the sun. There is so much to do when school is out!

Here are several exciting plans the students shared.

This is the perfect time to take some trips.

Halley Garcia, junior, plans to vacay in “Destin Florida and possibly Mexico” as well as “New York, Arkansas, and Rhode Island for college visits.” Maybe you can try to escape Kansas too.

Although going to places with a beach and sun sounds amazing, don’t forget that small trips can be just as fun too. If your family does not want to go on any big trips, offer the idea of going to Oklahoma, where you can go to the zoo and see all their amazing animals! You can also go to Colorado, cool down and hit the slopes!

During summer, you have countless time to spend with your favorite people. Chase Wittman, sophomore, said “My summer break will be mostly spent with the football team and my group of friends.”

It’s always fun to spend time with your friends!

Spending time with friends can look like many different things. It mostly depends on you and the people you are around. You can go to the movies, go to the lake, have lunch, and take pictures. There are endless possibilities when it’s summer break.

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Tired of doing all the basic activities? Follow Hailee Murray’s, senior, lead and “find a good stargazing spot to go to.” Murray can’t wait to lay under the stars and all their beauty. You can also go to the planetarium down in Kansas City to get a closer look!

Make sure to go on adventures this year. Maybe you’ll ride a horse, or buy a fish. Try new foods and be spontaneous. Summer is around the corner and it’s about time for you to unwind, and let your brain relax.

There are so many fun things you can do over the summer. Hopefully you got some inspiration from your fellow students. Whatever you choose to do make sure you enjoy it! It’s your time off to enjoy however you want. After this crazy year, we deserve a break!

Make This

Summer One to Remember

All photos are from Canva

MAY 6-7, 2021 FEATURE

BY THE

NUMBERS The pros and cons of working

7/10

People spent money to buy electronics or video games. The average amount a person spent was around $8 per person per week.

8/10

People spent money to buy other forms of entertainment, such as books or hobbies. The average amount spent was $10 per week.

5/10

Teenagers have part or full time jobs. Teenagers under 17 typically had a 30% higher unemployment rate than those aged 17 or older.

$400

The average teenager who works makes around $400 annually, this includes people with jobs or those who do chores such as mowing lawns.

By: Don Davis

An entry-level job allows for someone to start their career with little or no experience. Students that are currently enrolled in or that have just finished school typically look for a job to help them pay for daily expenses or gain experience for life. People later in life may also look for a job to take their career in a new direction.

At an entry level job employees learn the ins and outs of the job and discover how the workplace functions. These types of jobs are also valuable to employers as workers who are just starting out typically get paid lower wages than those who have been with the company for longer.

There are also multiple types of jobs that depend on the level of schooling the worker has achieved. A person still in high school or one with only a high school diploma will most likely get a job as a clerk or factory worker. A person who has graduated from college will most likely be able to get a white-collar job. White-collar jobs typically require the worker to have knowledge or skills that can help them in the job.

Those who start jobs in big companies may

also later be promoted and be able to progress their career while staying with the same company. This also allows the employer to fill positions that may be missing. People may be fearful of getting a job as they don’t have any experience applying for one. However, applying for a job is easier than most people think, as there are many websites that can help, such as Indeed and Glassdoor.

Some people may choose not to get a job as there are other ways of getting money. Most students without jobs do chores or freelance for money, which allows them to build work ethic and earn money to spend. There are many upsides to not having an actual job during school. The first benefit is that you gain the full time you need to sleep and study for school. The second benefit is reduced stress, if you work while going to school it may lead to bad grades due to the fact that you have to balance both school and work. The third and biggest bonus of not having an actual job is that you can work on your own terms, you aren’t confined to a set schedule.

However, there are also downsides to not

How teenagers make money Jobs 47%

Gifts 64%

All percents are out of 100, people surveyed may have multiple sources of income

Chores 32%

WHY WORK? “I work so that I have something to do to keep myself from boredom, and so that I can earn money to spend.”

Sebastian VanNoy Grade 10 “I work to get more money to fuel my hobbies.“

Daxton Hurst Grade 11

having a real job. The first downside is that you do not have a stable source of income. While you do get paid for doing chores or freelancing, it isn’t a set amount like a job would be. The second downside is you don’t develop professional skills that someone who works as a cashier or in an office would. You are limited to what you already know and if you want to learn more you have to do so on your own time.

The third downside is that you do not get to put it in your resume, having a job during school shows future employers that you can balance working and school.

Overall, having a job during school is a personal preference. Some people may be able to balance school and work while others cannot. Having a entry-level job during school is good for the future, but it may lead to unnecessary stress. It should also be noted that having a job may reduce stress too, since having the right job can feel relaxing and you earn money to spend on things that you enjoy.

THE EYRIE 9

NEWS MAY 6-7, 2021

Amid widespread criticism,

By: Corinne Rott and Dalton Roberts

Due to COVID-19 procedures, Olathe South will keep the block schedule for the 2021-2022 school year.

Student surveys were collected as well as an interview with the principal on the details and further ways block schedule can change and where it should change to be more conducive to students’ learning styles and mental health.

To counteract the learning gaps and COVID-19 risks, Olathe South’s Principal Dr. Dale Longenecker believes the block schedule is the answer. “[The main reasons for block are] Mitigation, being able to do contact tracing for COVID-19. Lunch, so I can feed lunch in a safe way if I need to,” as well as the “learning gaps that have gone on in the last fourteen months,” Longenecker said.

COVID-19 plays a major factor in the switch from seven hour days to the full time block schedule, stopping the spread of COVID-19 is the major concern for those making this decision.

“From a mitigation standpoint, on a block day, you only see four classes.

So if you’re positive, you only impact four classes.

So we’ve gotta go back and contact trace, it’s four instead of seven or eight,” Longenecker said.

In order to try to not delay school for this year or even the next unless there is a drastic change in the COVID-19 front, our beloved Falcon 50 will stay dormant until further notice.

“We can’t run Falcon 50 next year, there’s no way. If Falcon 50 was our primary way to have lunch, we would not be able to have school the full year because we’ll all be exposed, they’ll go shut us down in two minutes flat,” Longenecker said.

However much we don’t want it to be, COVID-19 still is and will be a factor in decisions on school and how things run everyday to try and maintain safety for the students.

But the plan for students to have to sit through hour and a half lectures on occasion is not the plan.

The hope is to get to a point “where you [have] actively engaging stuff where you’re not just all sitting in five rows of six taking notes.

That stinks,” Longenecker said.

We can’t run Falcon 50 next year, there’s no way. If Falcon 50 was our primary way to have lunch, we would not be able to have school the full year cause we’ll all be exposed, they’ll go shut us down in two minutes flat.

- Dr. Dale Longenecker, principal

There is a goal to start students think there should to train teachers how to be a break because everyteach differently and in a one gets burnt out and more interactive way durspaced out. ing the block. “[There’s] lots of extra “When we get into time where there’s not a more engaged learning always stuff to do so you opportunities, where you get bored and tired easily” can do some group projjunior Skyler Schuck said. ects, you can do some pair With the longer class shares, you can start to put periods, some students together some other ways would like to see the longer other than just regurgitate block broken into smaller stuff back on, y’know, a chunks. multiple choice test,” Lon“Giving [students] a genecker said. break, it’s too much [being] While administracrammed and being thrown tion may have a positive at us at once is draining,” opinion on block schedulfreshman Melanee Chining, students don’t always chilla said. agree.

The reason most Though there is more students get worn out time to work on homework, halfway through the day some classes feel too long is due to the fact that most and clunky. Veteran teachstudents are used to the 7 ers are still figuring out the hour schedule. The way to best way to structure block fix this is with a mandatory schedules but break halfnewer teachthrough “I think block way ers were taught classes so block scheduling offers a lot more students can techniques, durhave a brain instructional ing their college break. experiences.

The adopportunities for “We briefly vantages of our teachers.” block schedtalked about it in college, but - Dr. Dale Longenecker, uling allow mostly, we just students to principal learned how to have more write an effective time to finish lesson plan no matter how work during school and long the class period was. have more freetime outside However, I did have a block of school to do other activischedule during student ties. teaching (which is still a Additionally, some part of college), so that was classes benefit more than a beneficial experience,” others from being on the English teacher Hannah block schedule. STEM (SciGreer said. ence, Technology, EngiBlock also helps stuneering, and Mathematics) dents cover material they classes worked better in missed this year due to the 7 hour period days, most many schedule changes. students say, but classes The block periods are like History, Guided Study, 90 minutes each, so some Advisory, Computer

MAY 6-7, 2021 NEWS

block schedule will stay Applications, and other electives are better for block schedule. Most students prefer it this way due to those classes being more lab based.

“I prefer the ‘old’ Modified Block schedule because I have contact with my students four times each week. With performing arts, it is more important to see students each day for any length of time rather than only twice a week in some cases with our current block schedule.” Orchestra teacher Gregory Ferguson said.

Certain classes are good for blocks, like English, because they allow students to do multiple different activities in a single class.

“In English, it is nice to have longer discussions and to have enough time to read and write in one class period. For science classes, I am sure it is nice to have time for a lab. For FACS classes, more time for cooking. For all classes, more time for tests and projects.”

Greer said.

Despite what students may feel about block day, the main reasons still stand that it is for COVID-19 mitigation efforts, aimed at students safety and learning.

“All that being said, that’s not why we’re going to block next year, we’re going to block next year for COVID-19,” Longenecker said.”

Note: This information is current as of April 28, 2021.

Dr. Yeager, Professional Council and the ONEA are in discussion about potential schedules for 2021-22.

Grade level of survey respondents (292 responses)

9.9% Staff

28.4%

9th Grade

50.3%

10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade

1.7%

9.6%

Do you prefer 7 hour or block schedule?

(290 responses)

51.7%

Block schedule

48.3%

7 Hour THE EYRIE 11

NEWS MAY 6-7 2021

How the Pandemic Could Affect School Even After it’s Over

By Sydney Slaton

Almost everyone is wondering how the pandemic could affect future school years even after it is over, they want to know if anything will stay changed after things start to go back to normal.

Many things have had to adjust because of the pandemic, and school is no exception. School has definitely looked different this year, as students have had to switch between many different modes of education.

“It’s been really hard having to adjust and everything but you just have to. Obviously online and hybrid weren’t the best situations but now that we’re full time it’s better.” sophomore Deborah Kelecha said.

The way students have had to go to school this year has changed quite a bit, and many, like sophomore

12 THE EYRIE

Maddie Lauffer, aren’t very happy with them.

“I don’t really like how it is right now with the block schedule, I feel like it would be a lot better without the block schedule,” Lauffer said.

However, many are content with the modifications the school is making to keep everyone safe. Many students want to go completely back to normal as soon as possible, but others want to make sure cases are low enough before that day comes.

“I don’t think we’ll go back to normal until cases are down significantly enough that we’ll be able to, we would have a lot of negative effects if we went back too soon,” Kelecha said.

When the cases do go down many students, like Kelecha, “hope that after the

photos by Jordyn Napier

pandemic, school goes back remotely if they need to, to the way it was” before many feel like this option is COVID-19. Although, others very beneficial to students. think that there will be some

“I think if we things that back to “I think if we went went won’t go back everything to normal after back to every- we had done the pandemic.

I thing we had previously, “I think we would think there’ll be done previously, be missing a some changes of I think we would percentage that we were our population forced to do be missing a per- that thrives in because of the a slightly difcentage of our ferent learning COVID-19 restrictions that population that environment,” we’ll probWheat said. thrives in a slightly Alternaably want to continue movoptions for different learning tive ing forward,” learning could Green Springs environment,” be helpful for Elementary students with - Dr. Wheat Principal Dr. disabilities or Wheat said. learning disor One ders who might thing many want to stay have better access to help the same is the option for at home, or even just any students to opt out of going student who prefers to learn to school in-person and learn at home.

MAY 6-7 2021 NEWS

“I think there are some benefits for some of our students to opportunities like what we’ve had with remote learning,” Wheat said.

Many of the students feel this way too, they feel that having a more flexible schedule school year for some is a good idea.

“They have the online school that they’re offering for online students so it is already changing for future years already. I think that’s good because it’s good to have two options, either in-person or online, especially right now,” Kelecha said.

Other than just the way students could be able to learn in the future, many anticipate a difference in the students themselves. After how difficult last year has been for many, students will most likely be permanently changed.

“I think there will be some change, definitely in the people,” Lauffer said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost every aspect of education for the last year and a half, and many wonder if it will continue to change it years down the road.

“I do think there will be lasting effects, and there already have been,” Kelecha said.

THE EYRIE 13

OPINION MAY 6-7, 2021

Why doesn’t StudentVUE show

By: Morgan Montgomery and Abby Wallace

On TeacherVue, physical and mental disabilities are shown on the roster, yet mental illnesses are not. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 49.5% of teenagers from ages of 13-18 had some sort of mental illness in 2019. Mental illnesses are just as important as physical and mental disabilities so why, exactly, aren’t they shown as well?

Mental health is something that needs to be recognized. If a student isn’t doing the best in school, most teachers automatically assume they’re a bad student but in reality, they could be struggling with a mental illness.

Advisory lessons touch on it, but the lessons don’t acknowledge it in the way they should.

The lessons should take time to make sure students aren’t struggling by assigning less homework, or even taking breaks in class.

Being able to see which students struggle with mental illnesses can help teachers understand why a student isn’t getting work done or why they aren’t as motivated to do anything. Mental illnesses require a lot of support and patience, and teachers don’t always provide that.

Mental illnesses can affect students in 14 THE EYRIE

different ways. Seeing exactly what a student is going through and how it affects them at school could help teachers empathize with students more.

One person’s mental health may be more severe than another and teachers should be aware of how to help them, whether that be having some sort of training for teachers or just taking a quick class on how to treat it.

Treating each student as if they are all the same and some are just lazier than others is very harmful to those students who are struggling and makes them feel ignored.

students who want to be

Seeing mental extremely private and health on StudentVue others who are an open would also be confidenbook,” Brown said. “I tial. No one but the teachalways think it’d be helper and the student would ful for teachers to know know about a student’s because it’s hard for a mental health. Other teacher to educate the students wouldn’t have whole child when such a access to this, so it would large piece of information be very personal and “Most often it is the is missing.” wouldn’t Freshman be able to parent, parental be spread objection when we don’t Avery Mularound the learn information about lens agrees, school. a child’s mental well- and wants teachers to

being.” be aware of Student -Teri Daugherty students’ counselor mental health, as it would Amy Brown, an advocate help both students and for mental health, thinks teachers alike. seeing mental health is

“I think they important, but should be should [show mental illup to the students if it is nesses], because a lot of shown on TeacherVue. the teachers are unaware

“Just like evof what the kids are going erything else, there are

infographic courtesy of NAMI

MAY 6-7, 2021 OPINION

through and sometimes students deny needing help when they truly need it,” Mullens said.

Astronomy and earth science teacher Alison Wulff, however, has a slightly different opinion.

“I feel like it would be helpful but I know with the stigmatization of mental health stuff, that student’s might not be comfortable with that information being shared. So, it might be helpful, but I think what’s more helpful would be teachers taking the time to get to know their students each as individuals and from that I feel like students would be more comfortable talking with the teacher and figuring it out that way. So it’s the student’s comfort level with it,” Wulff said.

Students who struggle with their mental health can sometimes feel like a burden for expressing their feelings.

That could be because it doesn’t seem like schools care about their struggles by ignoring them.

Schools preach mental health awareness by doing very basic lessons telling kids to just exercise more, meditate, or quit stressing about things like their schoolwork.

Schools say that as they proceed to assign multiple assignments for seven classes all due by 11:59 pm the next day.

Block scheduling does give more time to

complete these assignments, but some teachers feel the need to assign more assignments now that they miss a day of class.

To ease some of the stress of extra homework, history teacher Teri Daugherty offers extensions and helps to cut down on the amount of homework a student has.

“I would still grade it the same way, but maybe what I’m asking of them, or requiring of them may be different.

Instead of showing me six problems to show me you know it, how about you just do three, then we can talk about the rest and that generally is a pretty acceptable plan,” Daugherty said.

Acknowledging that a student’s feelings are valid and real, and providing teachers with background on a student’s struggles instead of forcing them to pressure the kids into telling them exactly what’s going on with them, is beneficial to the teachers, and removes some of the pressure on the students.

It’s not always easy for students to just come out and say that they have mental illnesses and that they don’t know how to deal with in the middle of class.

Giving the students’ mental illnesses information to teachers will help them understand a student’s mental health and make the students feel heard.

photos by Alek Mackey

mental health?

Amy Brown

Freshman Avery Mullens

“What I do [to help kids stuggling], especially in my advisory, when we have those lessons about mental health, I think it’s important to share my own journey with mental health because if I’m willing to share about it, it takes away a bit of that stigma. And it is so pervasive everyone thinks it’s an individual, I’m the only one experiencing this, I can’t can’t share it with anyone, because no one shares it. So if I share my own journey, it helps others realize they aren’t alone. And I try to get to know them one on one, so if they do need to talk”

“Absolutely, I think it would be extremely vital [to see mental illnesses on the roster] especially if there’s something that I could do to help or to facilitate some sort of change that needed to happen.”

Teri Daugherty

Alison Wulff “I feel like if you take away the opportunity to turn in the work, then you’re taking away a learning opportunity for that student, because if they aren’t going to get the points, it’s not going to change for the grade, I feel like there’s less motivation to actually do it, then they just have that gap in knowledge instead of doing the work even though it’s late and learning.”

“For a lot of times, the kids just feel overwhelmed, so a lot of times it’s simply just a reduction in work or the type of work. A lot of times they’ll be doing oral homework, come in and talk about it with me instead of writing an eight page paper.

That would help a lot of kids.”

“On occasion I do [have kids approach me about their mental health], but that’s more rare than me pulling them out and asking. A lot of times, kids who are struggling with mental health don’t have the confidence to say something or, and confidence may be the wrong word, the interest in telling me, or the ability. So

THE EYRIE 15

FEATURE MAY 6-7, 2021

Students unsatisfied with advisory lessons By: Cael Baumgarten and Emily Gray

“I think they need to focus on creating a comfortable environment for our upcoming freshies because this year was rough and I know next year will be too and I know a lot of freshmen feel overwhelmed and lost.”

-Iris Recinos-Franco, 11

“[Advisory is] not hard, it’s just time consuming. It’s never a thing that stresses me out; it just gives me less time to work on actual work.”

-Grace Bartlett, 9

“I think the advisory board should include more upbeat activities that students participate in. This could include fun little games that simply boost students’ attitudes—they could even be quirky computer games!”

-Alyssa Deleon, 12

Photos by Alek Mackey

16 THE EYRIE

lesson is not going to stop someone.”

Since the first advisory lesson

Advisory cuts into in the fall of 2017, students time that students could have received over 100 lecspend productively, which tures about topics like organiwould ironically reduce their zation, mental health, careers, stress. Senior Alyssa Deleon and more. Though these all believes that the timing of are important subjects that the lessons hinders student are largely ignored in school engagement. curriculum otherwise, dis“I feel that a little part of the satisfaction is rampant amid reason why students don’t the 30 minutes that precede participate in advisory acmany a seminar. tivities is because it falls right Junior Iris Recinos-Franco before seminar,” notes a lack of Deleon said. appeal to the “Everyone is in “Everyone is students in the the homelectures, making the homework in work mentality them forgettable mentality already already and has and easy to things to get ignore. and has things to done.“ “I don’t think Lessons involvget done.“ anyone paring Xello are ticularly enjoys particularly cheesy infocontentious. mercials from Most students agree the quesour administrators,” Recitions and recommendations nos-Francos said. “I don’t are often unhelpful, overlong, remember any of the handand sometimes wildly inacouts in advisory because they curate, supposing they even haven’t really been super complete the assignment. beneficial to me.”

“Most of the time, the site Recinos-Franco is also tired doesn’t even load,” Deleon of the superfluous activities said. “When it does, I feel after three years of repetition. forced into completing the

“The lessons are activities. I don’t spend time usually things that I was looking at my results which previously aware of, espemakes the entire process of cially as an upperclassman,” doing it worthless.”

Recinos-Franco said. “I think QUEST teacher Helen most of the lessons should be Hardgree wants to see imfor freshmen, I know a lot of provements in the lessons, them could use that informatoo. She believes, echoing the tion.” plight of so many students,

But freshman Grace that much of what is taught is Bartlett seems to disagree. To unnecessary and unhelpful, her, the lessons are not only and if they haven’t adapted repetitive, but also fruitless. to the difficulties of high “It’s always the same thing, school by their junior or over and over again,” Bartlett senior year, it will take more said. “We don’t need another than a half hour lecture to get lesson on how to stop being the students back on track. mean or to stand up for a “I don’t think there needs friend. Either the person will to be a grade check day for stop [being mean] or they seniors,” Hardgree said. “The won’t, a 30 minute video majority of kids that are re-

ally failing, there’s something more going on that most advisory teachers are not going to be able to have an impact on.”

Hardgree also stresses the importance of a good environment to talk about the deeper issues explored during advisory, like mental health and academic dishonesty.

“Depression, lying, cheating, kids are not going to open up and talk to you about that unless you’re working with a group of kids that feel it’s safe,” Hardgree said.

“I know we can’t just have every kid say ‘I wanna work with ‘blank’ but we’re smart enough to figure out which kids we need to come up with an intervention for and then do something about it.”

“If used correctly, the whole idea is [the teachers] [are] building close relationships with students and creating an incredibly close bond.”

Students aren’t the only ones who feel as though advisory could be more helpful. English teacher Brian Hubbard joined the advisory board in 2018 during his first year teaching at Olathe South.

“I had been involved with an advisory type program at a different school and I really embraced the idea,” Hubbard said.

In order to create the lessons that teachers present, the advisory board has to keep in mind how much time they have.

“We only have 20 minutes so we have to keep it in the time, which leads to a lot of compromise in lesson planning,” Hubbard said. “We usually start with the goal in mind and work backwards.”

Hubbard stated that a common misconception is that all lessons come from the school district when in reality the lessons can come from teachers and the counseling staff as well. For example, the organization lesson was specific directly to Olathe South because teachers were talking about how unorganized students were.

While Hubbard has high hopes for what advisory could eventually be, he does agree that it is not as beneficial as it could be to the students right now.

“We never got the buy-in from teachers, faculty, and students which caused a push back against it,” Hubbard said.

However, Hubbard does think that advisory could become something important to the students in the future.

“If used correctly, the whole idea is [the teachers] [are] building close relationships with students and creating an incredibly close bond,” Hubbard said.

Counselor Jean Busey has similar ideals towards the future of advisory.

“The purpose of an advisory program is first and foremost to ensure that at least one adult in the school is getting to know each student well, making sure that learning needs are being met, and encouraging students to make good academic changes and plans for the future,” Busey said.

Busey worked in a school previously where they had a very successful advisory program and she hopes that eventually South could be like that as well. She does

MAY 6-7, 2021 FEATURE

“Have a team of people working together that includes the kids. Since they are the people we are trying to reach, they should be part of the conversation when making plans.”

“We’ve been told that next year, the district wants to take more control and have more district wide lessons throughout all of the schools.”

-Brian Hubbard, Staff

-Helen Hardgree, Staff

believe, however, that there have been some challenges with getting advisory to be functional enough to have an impact on the students.

“Unfortunately, not all teachers and students have given it much of a chance to experience its benefits,” Busey said.

Although there have been

I would love for kids to be more involved because it shouldn’t be an isolated conversation between adults.

Plus, we can make the advisory lessons more pointed to our school.”

-Jean Busey, Staff

struggles, Busey thinks that there will eventually be a successful advisory program implemented at the high school level.

“The primary goal of the advisory program is to develop a supportive relationship between each student and a faculty advisor,” Busey said.

“This relationship, while improving student attendance, attitudes, and achievement, will also encourage healthy decision making and fostering a deeper sense of community among the student body.

Plus, it’s something we have to do anyway so we might as well make the best of it.”

THE EYRIE 17

OPINION MAY 6-7, 2021

With laptops lacking in every way, By: Gavin McAferty

I think we all remember the rumor that students in the Olathe School District would be given Macbooks vividly. Then enrollment came around and we found out that they would either get Chromebooks or Dell laptops instead. Finally, for whatever reason they came to the conclusion that we would all use Dell laptops which were issued in the fall of 2018.

Zoom seems to take a lot away from what the laptop is capable of doing, slowing it down and making it extremely hard to move around programs quickly.

People have experienced lag and other frustrating annoyances while being in zooms using our current laptops.

Not good for the thousands of students participating in online school.

The model of the laptop is the Dell Latitude 3168 with an 11.6 inch touch screen. Some common reviews or complaints about the current computers from people outside of the district are that they are very slow, have poor graphic acceleration, and a poor refresh rate.

Everyone loves the touch screens on their phones, but there isn’t much of a point of it being a component on a laptop. It can be very aggravating when the computer has a lapse in judgment and goes to tablet mode when you’re clearly trying to use the keyboard dock.

Touch screens aren’t much of a need according to more than half of the students in a survey given during advisory. Everyone surveyed agreed that

18 THE EYRIE

photo courtesy of Apple

Apple described their MacBook Air as “Our thinnest, lightest notebook, completely transformed by the Apple M1 chip. CPU speeds up to 3.5x faster.” The MacBooks would be a welcome addition to the Olathe School District, especially in comparison to the currently-issued Dell laptops. we need new laptops, although the reasoning might be that the MacBooks are simply better, it’s actually because we’ve already used these laptops for a while and a replacement is necessary.

The laptop lacks in size and capability and the screen is the same size as my hand. It’s also very frustrating when it disconnects from the school WiFi during a lesson. The storage is very limited due to the size of the hard drive.

Grant Braddock, who is an online student gave his insight and opinion on the school laptops. “My problem with the laptops is that they’re incredibly slow.”

Even with Google Fiber-wired internet at his residency, the laptops still failed to provide sufficient

productiveness. “WiFi doesn’t get faster than that, so I know it’s the computer,” says Braddock. The laptop has been at fault for Braddock being late to class on multiple occasions. “They have made me late to my Zoom classes before because it takes eight minutes to load everything,” Braddock said.

Survey respondents expressed the same frustration with the laptops.

Samantha Scharsch said the biggest con of the computer is the short battery life.

Other common complaints consisted of the WiFi disconnecting frequently and that the laptops are insanely slow. Of the six students surveyed, five said that they were under the impression that they would be getting Apple MacBooks.

When asked the question “If you

were in the position to decide which laptop we received, which one would you choose?” Many responded with just “MacBooks”, but others went into greater detail. “I would go with Macs. I have a personal Mac and that’s what we use at school for editing in the pub lab. They run pretty well and can hold a lot of storage... the Apple MacBooks are just so much easier to use!” said Halley Garcia.

While it may appear they are advocating for the removal of laptops, they are actually in favor of getting rid of the current devices and replacing them with Macbook Airs or Chromebooks. Without laptops, students would be increasingly left behind.

With many students, having their own laptop made it easier

MAY 6-7, 2021 OPINION

MacBooks a good alternative to do things like take notes, work on assignments, study, research, or even just stay in touch with friends. However, it is incredibly frustrating when the issued laptops load slowly and struggle to connect to WiFi.

Macs are well-built computers, more specifically, the MacBook Air. Any MacBook should be capable of completing any academic task at a high frame rate. For most students, the MacBook Air is the best choice and will perform well throughout their high school career.

The MacBook Air is everything you need and more.

The 13-inch laptop weighs in at 2.75 pounds, so it’s essentially the same dimensions as the current laptop with better software. The laptop includes eight gigabytes of RAM , which is enough to multitask at a fast rate.

Finally, there’s the software; MacOS runs well on any MacBook and is packed full of useful features. It supports not only Apple’s own apps but also Microsoft’s Office suite of productivity apps, as well as a library of excellent thirdparty apps.

While they are quite expensive, Apple does provide certified refurbished laptops for anywhere from two hundred to three hundred dollars cheaper. Refurbished items arrive with complete documentation, and every unit is inspected to meet Apple’s quality standards.

Additionally, MacBooks are the longest lasting laptop on the market currently so the district shouldn’t be too worried about replacing them anytime soon. The suggestion

Zoom has become a big part of students’ lives over the past two years and for it to not work efficiently just won’t cut it. A backup plan shouldn’t fail.

photo courtesey of Zoom Blog

photo taken by Andrea Martin

An Olathe North student’s district-issued laptop, a Dell Ltitude 3168. The Olathe School District launched the laptops in fall 2018 and have been riddled with issues since. isn’t too far fetched, because other districts in the area already do this and would contribute to a more productive school day. The Kansas City Kansas School District exclusively has MacBooks provided for their students.

In 2007, KCK was capable of launching a MacBook program as one of the poorer districts in the Kansas City area, where more than 75 percent of students qualified for free or reduced-price lunches. Kansas City Kansas Public Schools, gave every high school student and teacher a laptop, about 5,400 systems total. They spent around $8 million over four years. This paid for leased laptops, WiFi, and other technology upgrades.

Heather Springer, a teacher at Olathe South, was formerly a teacher in KCK

and said they still used MacBooks when she was there for her last year in 2018.

Students and teachers were issued 13” MacBook Airs during her tenure. “I believe the Mac worked better than the current student laptops.”

Springer is currently issued a MacBook Air along with being in a Mac lab for a majority of her days as a publications advisor.

With that being said, a direct comparison between the two that is helpful in determining which is truly better is that when talking about the Dell laptops, she said, “I struggle using them. I often hit keys I don’t intend to due to the size of the laptop and often find the trackpad to be laggy or unresponsive.”

Springer said.

THE EYRIE 19

OPINION

MAY 6-7, 2021

Opinions about e-hallpass remain divided, students more against than staff members

By: Scott Letourneau

E-hallpass was adopted by the Olathe School District in an effort to minimize the risk of COVID-19 exposure.

The software can track the amount of time a person is gone before arriving at their destination or coming back to the classroom, making it easier to tell when a student is messing around or not where they are supposed to be when they leave the classroom. This also allows school administration to perform contact tracing at locations where a student has been if they test positive for COVID-19 so the staff can evaluate the people who may have been exposed to that student and who may be at risk.

However, despite the precautions taken and thought that went into this system, many students have shown their distaste for the new system, and it is very unpopular among members of the student body.

“I can understand why we transitioned to e-hallpass in order to help track exposures in the school,” senior Danielle Ferguson-Ticao said. “But the timing feature as soon as it’s approved until it’s ended seems like a bit much.”

Many students dislike e-hallpass for the inconvenience it causes and the inconvenience it is to set up, as their request may be automatically denied due to a location being full or laptop WiFi being out.

“I think so many students dislike e-hallpass because sometimes the bathrooms are full and they have to wait,” freshman Alex Howell said. “Also I think that it’s just tedious sometimes to get your laptop out turn it on, log in and such just to go to the bathroom.”

There has also been the apparent issue of students filling out a pass to go to a specific bathroom only to go to the closest one - even if the closest bathroom is the opposite gender.

“Sometimes I’ll go to the other one,” senior Lauren Taylor said. “That usually works if the girls’ bathroom is full.”

However, despite the inconveniences and bathroom issues e-hallpass presents, it

may still be a better alternative compared to the blue planners and advisory sheets used for the previous years.

“I do remember when we used planners and advisory sheets,” Ferguson-Ticao said. “So in that sense it’s nice we’ve gone virtual.”

The planners were small blue handbooks that acted as the school’s hall pass system.

They were easy to get out and have a teacher sign right away without all the hassle presented by e-hallpass, such as long loading times, updates, and connection issues.

“I think the planers just in general were more convenient,” senior Sam McCauley said. “With the planners, it was easy to be able to get a

The typical layout of a student’s e-hallpass after logging in. The Olathe School District switched to exclusively using the e-hallpass system in Sept. 2020 in effort to reduce the amount of contact with students’ planners because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Olathe West was already using the system, but other schools were forced to adapt to the new website, that teachers can send students passes to go to their classrooms, or vice versa. It has been met with mixed reception from the student body and staff.

20 THE EYRIE

MAY 6-7, 2021 OPINION

The first page of the old, physical planners that students would take with them when traveling during class (right) and a screenshot of e-hallpass in action with an active pass. Some students preferred the old planners, as they could be given to other students to borrow if needed. e-hallpass is not transferrable between students, and also times students so that administration can monitor how long students are away from class. Administration can also see how many students are in one place at a time.

pass to go to the bathroom or something.”

However, there was consistenty a problem with students losing their planners or leaving them at home, which led to students borrowing planners from other people so they could use the restroom or go see a teacher.

“Me personally, I don’t think I’ve ever had to borrow a planner because I always kept mine in my backpack and never took it out unless I needed it,” McCauley said. “Even if you left it at home, per se, most of the time someone else in the class always had it.”

While most students returned the planners to the people they borrowed them from, there were a few instances where people forgot to give the planner back after they borrowing it and inadvertently walked away with another student’s planner.

“A lot of people lost their blue booklet and would have to end up borrowing somebody else’s while they were out,” Ferguson-Ticao said. “And then if they forgot to give it back to the person they borrowed it from it became a mess.”

Since the laptops are much harder to leave at home and cannot really be stolen, e-hallpass is an excellent way to reduce the chance of students getting their hall passes stolen. The only thing to stop a student from getting on is if they forgot to charge their laptop the night before and had it die.

In that case, however, they could easily log in using someone else’s laptop.

“Of course, e-hallpass, you can’t really forget it,” McCauley said. “The computers are not really a daily schedule sort of thing.”

Advisory sheets also seemed very nice in theory,

even allowing those with high enough grades to obtain a gold advisory sheet that allowed them to go to the commons during Advisory, which many students did. This would not have continued this year however, as the school is limiting people per table to one.

“I do miss being able to sit in the commons and hang out with friends or study together peacefully and I hope that once more people get vaccinated and social distancing isn’t necessary that that will start back up,” Ferguson-Ticao said.

“I won’t be there for it but I think the future classes will really benefit from that time.”

However, the advisory sheets would also keep certain students from leaving the classroom if their grades were too low, a restriction that no longer applies with

the installation of e-hallpass.

“Say if you were failing English, and you wanted to work on it in your English teacher’s class,” McCauley said.

“It just makes more sense to go to your English teacher’s class and work on it than sit in an Advisory room with a teacher that has nothing to do with English, and for them to keep you there because your grade in English is low, that just doesn’t make any sense to me.”

Even though e-hallpass takes longer to set up, ehallpass may prove to be the more cautious, equal, fair, and safe system for creating passes in future school years.

“I think e-hallpass is here to stay,” Student Naturalist teacher Joan Radakovich said. “There was never a way for the office to track where a student really is until e-hallpass.

THE EYRIE 21

FEATURE MAY 6-7 2021

Wahaus encourages students’ First Amend photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Mary Beth Tinekr (left) poses with the armband that she used to protest the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War. Her case has been brought again to light with the advent of masks as a way to compat COVID-19, as well as people’s messages they display on them.

“ Students do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom - Chief Justice Abe Fortas, 1984

22 THE EYRIE

““

of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.

MAY 6-7 2021 FEATURE

ment right to have political mask messagBy: Jalil Smith

In 2020, COVID-19 struck the United States and has infected and killed a lot of people.

To combat this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) instructed the public to wear face coverings, as the science has proven them to be effective in preventing the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

There have been many styles of facial coverings used during this amount of time, notably gaiters and face shields, but the most well-known covering is masks. While the traditional blue medical masks are popular, ones with specialty designs and even designer brand are even more so, especially at Olathe South.

A vast majority of the students around the school can be seen wearing masks with designs that include superheroes, brands, sports teams, or their school. The school’s sports teams, such as the football, soccer and baseball teams, have even gone so far as to hand out their own masks (usually gaiters) with their

team’s designs on them for their players to wear during competition or just around in place of a normal mask.

Women’s studies and AP Government teacher, Kim Wahaus, throughout the school year has been advocating for students to express whatever they feel like on their masks, just as if they were a shirt, a pair of shorts, or a hat, which she believes is constitutionally upheld by the Supreme Court.

“I think that as the Chief of Justice said in the ‘Tinker v. Des Moines’ case, students don’t shed their freedom of speech just because they enter a schoolhouse,” Wahaus said.

“Tinker v. Des Moines” or “Tinker v.

Des Moines Independent Community School District” was a landmark case brought before the Supreme Court in 1965 where a group consisting of Mary Beth Tinker, a 13-year-old from Iowa, and three students (along with their fathers) sued the Des Moines Independent Community School District because they suspended her and four other students for wear-

ing plain black armbands in protest of the United States’ involvment in the Vietnam War, which was a widespread movement throughout the country in the mid-1960s. The court battle lasted four years until it eventually reached the Supreme Court.

In the end, after a long and drawn out case with much deliberation and discussion among both the judges and the Amercian people, the court ruled that the First Amendment applied to public schools and that school officials couldn’t censor students unless it disrupted the educational process. This ruling included political statements as part of anyone’s attire and is still upheld to this day.

Staying consistent with the landmark verdict, Wahaus believes that students should still be able to wear their opinions on their masks almost as another forum for people to put their beliefs, as they do on social media and online.

When asked, “Why do you believe that students should wear whatever they want on their masks?” Wahaus responded with, “under Tinker v. Des Moines, students were able to protest the Vietnam War. Why shouldn’t students be able to wear whatever they want on their masks to show what they think about today?”

Wahaus believes

that the only limit on masks should be legality which, again, is just as it is in the official Olathe School District dress code handed out to students before each school year.

“You shouldn’t be able to wear anything that supports illegal substances like drugs, alcohol, etc” Wahaus said.

Wahaus, as one would imagine with the freedoms she has instilled upon her students, has seen some interesting masks in her classroom during the year, including those with some diverse and potentially divisive opinions. When asked, “What has been the most interesting mask that you have seen?” her response was “probably, [seeing] a “Make America Great Again” mask sitting next to a “Black Lives Matter Mask,” Wahaus said.

“Make America Great Again,” of course, was the 2016 campaign slogan of former president Donald Trump, who was rather imfamously against the Black Lives Matter movement and called it a movement of hate.

Masks are a way to showcase one’s personality and it has thus far been a small highlight and perhaps a small shining light in the dark of the pandemic, but for Wahaus, the issue goes far beyond the pandemic.

“I feel strongly about student first amendment freedoms,” Wahaus said.

THE EYRIE 23

Taco Trail includes mo FEATURE MAY 6-7, 2021

Photo by Visit KC

By Fletcher Smith

The Kansas City, Kansas (KCK) Taco Trail, which opened Oct. 1, 2020, was created by Visit Kansas City Kansas (Visit KC) to draw attention to the taco scene in Kansas City, Kansas. The trail includes 52 restaurants, featuring street tacos, TexMex style tacos, and more, ranging in location from the Legends Outlets to right across the Kansas River from downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Most of these restaurants allow patrons the option to either dinein, carry-out, or even have meals delivered, depending on how close one lives to the restaurant.

“Many people are unaware of the concentration of authentic taquerias in KCK,” Alan Carr, executive director of Visit KC, said.

“This is part of a broader initiative to highlight the culture and diversity of Kansas City, Kansas, and encourage more visitors to explore our neighborhoods.”

The KCK Taco Trail has been a huge success. “In

24 THE EYRIE

the first six months, more than 8,000 people have downloaded the online pass and nearly 8,000 have checked-in at restaurants,” Carr said. “We’ve already had 8 people complete the trail and visit all 52 restaurants. In addition, we are getting national publicity with a recent article on Forbes.com about our Taco Trail with the headline, ‘America’s Taco Capital Isn’t Where You Think.’”

To explore the KCK Taco Trail some more, I decided to travel to some of the restaurants on the trail and explore for myself the different taco styles and restaurants of Kansas City, Kansas.

Taco Republic: My first stop was at Taco Republic, a mainly-street taco restaurant on the corner of Mission Rd. and W. 47th Ave. Situated across the street from the original Joe’s KC, the small yet colorful building appears inviting, and has plenty of patio seating. There is not a lot of area to park if it is busy (and, with its popularity, it is

unsurprising if it is busy), but I was able to find a spot just before they were all taken.

With several tables inside, as well as a small bar, the inside felt cozy and welcoming. I ordered four S&P tacos, which contained shredded chicken, republic cheese, lettuce, and pico de gallo, but customers have the choice to order any combination of tacos they want, ranging from beef to veggie tacos, and flour tortillas can be requested on any taco in replacement of the usual corn tortillas.

With my first bite I knew why Taco Republic was so popular. All the elements within the taco felt perfectly balanced, and they all complemented each other extremely well. What surprised me the most, though, was that with each bite the balance remained, and I never grew tired of it, even after four tacos.

After I finished eating, I decided to order the sopapillas, expecting the usual four or six that are usually provided at Mexican restaurants. The server came

out with 12 freshly made sopapillas and a cup of warm dipping chocolate. After the shock wore off, I ate four incredibly soft and warm sopapillas before deciding that I had already had too much. Luckily, the server came back and offered me a bag for the sopapillas and a cup for the chocolate so that I could take them home and eat them later.

Amigos Grill and Cantina: My next stop was at Amigos Grill and Cantina, just off highway 635 by Shawnee Drive. I ordered carry-out for my whole family, and, despite the large order, it only took about 20 minutes to make every meal, so it was ready to grab by the time I got there.

When it came time to eat, I started with the chips and salsa. The chips were salted almost perfectly, and the salsa had a little bit of acidity, which I thought to be from lime, but it actually helped enhance the flavor a little more, and I might have ended up eating more chips than I needed.

For my tacos, I ordered the taco authenticos, which included three pork carnitas tacos mixed with cilantros and onions in soft shell corn tortillas. Since I had never had pork carnitas, I was a little nervous with my bold choice of meal, but knew after my first bite that my risk had paid off. The pork, onions, and cilantro combined together to create a taste I had never experienced, and I ate my first taco before deciding to be even more adventurous and put the salsa on my next taco. The small amount of acidity blended almost perfectly with everything else, and I finished my last taco the same way.

re than 50 restaurants

MAY 6-7, 2021 FEATURE

La Fuente Mexican Street Food: My last stop was at La Fuente Mexican Street Food, located in the Legends Outlets. I went at around 2:30 p.m., so there was not much of a wait. The inside was set up as a Chipotle-style restaurant, where you order the kind of meal you want, as well as the meats, and then put every other topping on it afterwards. The men at the counter were great at helping me figure out what I wanted, and were very generous with how much they put in my meal.

I ordered three chicken street tacos, and I decided to put shredded cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo, and their “medium” salsa on top of it. When I picked up my first taco, it was so stuffed that some of its components fell out onto my other tacos, and juice started to drip out as well. I took my first bite and quickly realized where all that juice was coming from. The chicken was very juicy, and it never dried up through all three tacos.

The juiciness combined with the warm taco shells and the salsa that was perfectly tuned for my taste buds. To keep this taste in my mouth, my brain must have decided to eat as continuously as possible, because, before I knew it, I had finished my first two tacos. I decided to slow down for my last taco so I could really taste every bite and enjoy it for as long as I could. That strategy only lasted for a couple bites, and I ended up eating the taco almost as fast as the other two, which left my mouth feeling sad and forced me to seriously consider going up to the counter and ordering three more tacos, but I

ultimately decided against it.

To sign up for the KCK Taco Trail, visit the KCK Taco Trail page on the Visit KC website. From there, a Taco Trail pass can be obtained for free. The pass is mobile exclusive and is instantly delivered by text and email.

There is no app associated with the Trail that needs to be downloaded, although the Taco Trail pass can be bookmarked to make it easy to find.

Once trail-goers have the pass, they can check-in to whichever location they decide to go to. Prizes are offered to those who checkin to a certain number of restaurants, which is shown to the right of this article.

The trail is open until Oct. 31, 2021, so, if you want to win some of the prizes listed above, explore the taco scene in KCK, or just find a great place to eat with your friends and family, you can sign up for the trail until then.

With the success of the KCK Taco Trail, there have been questions as to whether Visit KC will create more trails. Luckily, the KCK Taco Trail seems to be just the beginning.

“We are developing a series of themed trails, which can help us draw attention to small businesses and lesser-known sites in neighborhoods throughout KCK,” Carr said.

“The KCK Taco Trail was the first trail to launch, but we have more planned… we hope to create 1-2 new themed trails per year that spotlight different aspects of Kansas City, Kansas. Our next trail will be a heritage trail telling the story of the journeys of the groups that have made their home here.

We hope to launch that by the fall.”

THE EYRIE 25

FEATURE MAY 6-7, 2021

Rising numbers of hate crimes against Asian Americans shouldn’ t be a surprise By: Melody Jiang

Discourse and awareness surrounding Asian Americans and their status in America have been circulating a lot more recently on the internet and on the news (think #StopAsianHate, which has been a trending topic in recent weeks.) All of this stems from the recent attention on the rising numbers of hate crimes against Asian Americans, specifically the spa shootings that recently occured in Atlanta, Georgia.

While this rise of Asian hate crimes seems like a new phenomenon, it is hardly a recent occurrence.

Ever since Asians (specifically the Chinese) began arriving in America in large numbers beginning in the 19th century, they have been targeted and discriminated against. One of the earliest examples of a major hate crime against Asians was the Chinese massacre of 1871, in which 17 Chinese men and boys were lynched in the Chinese community of Los Angeles. And there was the spike of hate crimes against Muslims that occured after 9/11- those perceived to be from the Middle East (much of which constitutes West Asia) and those perceived to be Muslim (including large numbers of Southeast Asians) were targeted.

Though most Asian Americans have never been the target of a hate crime before, nearly all have been the target of pervasive racism that is all too prominent and normalized in American

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society. Even in this day and age, Asian Americans are constantly reduced to stereotypes that are racist and outdated, including the exotisiation and fetizization of Asian women stemming from the idea that they are “naturally submissive”, the idea that they are savage peoples who still eat dogs, cats and bats, or even the misconception that all Asians are lawyers, doctors, and engineers.

This is all to say that there is already a precedent set against Asian Americans in this country today, although it is largely ignored, or people simply do not know about it, because of the lack of knowledge or understanding of Asian Americans’ “place” in American society. And out of this ignorance, a culture or understanding is formed, where sinophobia (anti-Chinese sentiment) and disrespect of all Asians in general is okay and tolerated.

So it should really come as no surprise that with the coronavirus originating in China and the tense political climate between the US and China at the moment, sinophobia and antagonism against all Asian Americans have risen dramatically over the past several years, the latter of which has risen largely because many people assume all Asians are Chinese- there have been too many incidents like the one where a Filipino medical worker was shoved to the ground and told to “go back to [expletive] China,” according to

the British Broadcasting Corporation.

The rise in hate crimes isn’t just confined to the past year and the onset of the pandemic, however.

It’s been rising for several years, mostly due to political rhetoric and media coverage of Asian countries. Political and economic tensions between the world’s two most prominent superpowers, China and the US, have heightened this neo Cold War atmosphere.

And like the original Cold War, propaganda and media coverage have been extensively used to turn the masses against China, and subsequently, Chinese and Asian people.

A quick Google search of recent headlines on China- “China Plays Up Ascendancy Over West as It Sets Economic Path” (WSJ), “Why China’s Space Program Could Overtake NASA” (CNN), for example, are indicators of the constant divide being created between China and the US, forcing a narrative of “us vs. them” that results in Asian Americans being caught in the crossfire of these tensions. Political leaders have been even less subtle with their villainization of China, such as former president Donald Trump’s constant referral to coronavirus as the “China virus” or “kung flu.”

The onset of the pandemic certainly hasn’t made things better. Hate crimes against Asians multiplied beginning last year- the Center for the Study of Hate and Extrem-

ism found that Asian hate crimes had risen 149% from 2019 to 2020, especially worse when compared with the 7% drop in hate crimes last year. (Poynter) But this pattern of behavior has been seen before. During the San Francisco plague outbreak of 1900, the first victim in the United States was a Chinese immigrant, and so police surrounded the city’s Chinatown, with the entire community subsequently being blamed for the onset of the disease, even though it’s likely that the plague itself originated from a boat arriving from Australia.

(Washington Post)

It’s because of racism that Asian people have been constantly blamed for coronavirus, and now more than ever are they taking the brunt of these consequences.

Whatever the reasoning behind any of these recent hate crimes might be, it’s impossible to deny that a culture that has normalized the dehumanization and mockery of Asian Americans has led to a consistent rise of hate crimes against them.

Even though education and awareness can only go so far in combating the rising wave of Asian discrimination, it’s still essential for people to unlearn old stereotypes and assumptions, and to learn about the nuanced place in American society that Asian Americans hold - and most importantly, to understand that Asian Americans are just like all other Americans in this country - free people living in a free country that deserve to be treated as such.

MAY 6-7, 2021 FEATURE

Illustration by Gagani Liyanawaduge

Lack of media representation perpetuates stereotypes and hate for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders By: Gagani Liyanawaduge

Asian American representation in media matters because it can shape how a minority is viewed by others and what a minority might think of themself.

Asian American Pacific Islander heritage month is May, and the goal is to celebrate AAPI heritage and educate others about the different cultures of AAPI. Diversity in media is a huge issue, and AAPI are the least if not one of the least represented in media. This lack of representation causes others to view AAPI negatively, and perpetuates hate crimes against AAPI.

When AAPIs are represented, they usually aren’t portrayed positively.

In Disney Channel’s “Jessie,” Ravi is an adoptee from India. He is portrayed as weak, extremely gullible, awkward, and intelligent. Ravi is often laughed at because

of these traits; his character was created solely for white laughs. His character pushes the stereotype that brown Asians are “nerds” and lack social skills.

Asian women are often hypersexualized and fetishized in the media, portrayed as submissive, exotic, or docile (NPR). This specific portrayal of Asian women is what influenced a white terrorist to murder 8 people, 6 of which who were Asian women, in Atlanta on March 16. He targeted businesses run by Asian women, as his goal was to “eliminate” a “temptation” from his “sexual addiction,” according to the Cherokee County sheriff. Lack of proper representation is a significant contributing factor for hate towards AAPIs.

When AAPIs do receive representation in the media, they are often overlooked for awards in favor

of more traditionally white media. “Minari,” a movie about a Korean-American family living in Arkansas in the 1980s, won “Best Foreign Language Film” at the Golden Globes. While this is a great accomplishment, it did not meet the 50 percent English requirement to be eligible for a nomination in the best picture category.

This is controversial because other movies that do not meet the 50 percent English requirement such as Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” from 2009, have been nominated for best picture in the past and won.

BTS broke more world records with their single “Dynamite,” accomplishing “most viewed YouTube video in 24 hours,” “the most viewed YouTube music video in 24 hours,” and “the most viewed YouTube music video in 24 hours by a K-pop group”

(Guinness World Records).

“Dynamite” was nominated for best pop duo/group performance, competing against “UN DIA (ONE DAY)” by J Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny & Tainy; “Intentions” by Justin Bieber feat. Quavo; “Rain on Me” by Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande; and “Exile”

by Taylor Swift feat. Bon Iver. Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s “Rain on Me” won, despite not being as successful as “Dynamite.”

AAPI representation in the media has to be increased and portrayed properly. Disney’s live action versions of “Aladdin” and “Mulan” had AAPI actors, but the creators and directors were all white. Those in charge of everything behind the scenes should be those of AAPI descent so that they can be represented properly.

Proper representation will help end stereotypes and hate towards AAPIs.

THE EYRIE 27

PHOTO MAY 6-7, 2021

TOP LEFT The Olathe South Girls JV team played against Shawnee Mission Northwest on April 8.

Abigail Pierce, junior, does a flip throw to get the ball to her teammates down the field.

PHOTO BY Anna Palacio TOP RIGHT Eric Butler, sophomore, competes in long jump during the track meet against Olathe East on April 9 at the Olathe District Activity Center.

PHOTO BY James Neely RIGHT Kaylie Guinn, freshman, steals the ball while playing against Shawnee Mission Northwest during the JV game on April 8 at Shawnee Mission Soccer Complex. The Falcons tied 2-2.

PHOTO BY Alek Mackey

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MAY 6-7, 2021 PHOTO

ABOVE Juniors Brenley Reno and Olivia Swaney celebrate finishing first in a relay against Blue Valley Southwest on April 22.

“We made a really good time in the 200 [freestyle] so we got excited,” Reno said.

PHOTO BY Phoebe Blair LEFT Seconds away from releasing the ball, senior Brady Beverman throws a pitch in the varsity game against the Shawnee Mission South Raiders. The Raiders had a runner on first base awaiting the pitch.

PHOTO BY Olivia Pierce

THE EYRIE 29

SPORTS MAY 6-7, 2021

MLB and COVID,

MLB still sees ripple effects of 2020

BY THE season’s COVID-19 cancellations NUMBERS By: Alex Burbidge and Brady Hause

After more than a year of enforced protocols, postponements and cancellations, MLB seems to have finally gotten a hold on controlling the spread of COVID-19 within teams. It was a long and taxing year, but now that vaccines are rolling out and fans are now allowed back in the ballpark, a sense of normalcy is at last returning to the world of baseball.

The 2020 season was one unlike any other; Spring Training that year started as normal, but two weeks in, it was put on hold while the world shut down due to the pandemic. While operations were suspended, many executives and players tried to propose plans to commissioner Rob Manfred to resume play, but Manfred would not agree to any of them. The main holdups in the process were players’ salaries, service time, and

the amount of games to be played. Instead of negotiating however, Manfred unilaterally implemented a 60-game season due to start July 24, which nearly incited a league-wide lockout by the Players’ Union.

Putting aside the drama from the off-field negotiations, clubhouse trouble started almost immediately after the season started. The Miami Marlins had multiple players test positive for COVID-19 a mere three days after Opening Day, and ended up having 12 games postponed. A similar incident happened with the St. Louis Cardinals, who broke protocols by going to a casino in early August and wound up playing 53 games in a 44-day span.

The 2020 season also saw a few significant rule changes that are almost universally hated among baseball fans, namely the new doubleheader structure and the new extra innings

photo by Marcio Jose Sanchez

Members of the Minnesota Twins walk on the field with their masks up during batting practice before a game against the Los Angeles Angels. MLB requires masks for all team members and staff that are not participating in the game in effort to combat the spread of COVID-19.

2021 has seen a small number of games postponed compared to 2020, suggesting that their protocols are effective.

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rules. Doubleheaders were changed to make each game seven innings instead of the traditional nine, making the total number of regulation innings played for the day 14. Additionally, extra innings (from the eighth inning on in doubleheaders, tenth inning on in regular games) were altered to allow a runner to start each half inning on second base; MLB claims this is to minimize player contact, but it is consensus among fans that this is only to have games end quicker. To the fans’ dismay, both rules were brought back for the 2021 season.

Obviously the biggest change for the 2021 season is that fans are attending regular season games for the first time since Sept. 29, 2019; that’s a full 550 days, which has fans clamoring to come back into the stadiums, which are open at capacities ranging between 12 percent to full capacity. MLB has mandated league-wide that face coverings are to be worn at all times except for when eating or drinking, so theoretically it is completely safe for teams to open like this; in fact, in New York, fans are required to show a proof of vaccination or test negative for COVID-19 72 hours before first pitch as part of an abundance of caution.

At the end of the day however, Major League Baseball is back. Ziptied seats and gated off sections may not represent a total return to normalcy, but with a full 162-game slate to be played and fans allowed back into the ballparks, it’s safe to say that the worst of COVID-19’s effects on baseball are well in the rear view mirror.

43

That’s the number of games that MLB was forced to postpone, including 14 of the Cardinals’ and 12 of the Marlins’.

24

That’s how many players opted out of the season, including three that opted out during the year and two that opted back in.

54

That’s how many games were played in MLB’s expanded postseason due to the four-round postseason format instated.

53.3

That’s the percentage of MLB teams that qualified for postseason play, the first time that more than half of MLB’s teams qualified.

MAY 6-7, 2021 SPORTS

Chiefs need to address O-line, secondary By: Mark Elliott

The Kansas City Chiefs have been dominant in the AFC West for the past 7 seasons, the past 3 years since the Mahomes era started. Emerging the Chiefs as true contenders.

In 2018 the Chiefs made a great playoff run, ending the Arrowhead playoff curse.

But ultimately fell short in the AFC Championship against Tom Brady’s New England Patriots. In 2019, they returned the Lamar Hunt Trophy back to Kansas Cityfor the first time since 1970. In the Super Bowl LIV, they came back to beat the San Francisco 49ers.

This last season they made it back to the Super Bowl, but got blown out by the Buccaneers, Mahomes’ first ever loss where the margin of victory was larger than one possession. Now there are some questions to be asked in the Chiefs’ Kingdom.

Due to injuries on the offensive line and releasing Mitchell Schwartz and Eric Fischer, due to injuries the Chiefs deemed them out of their prime, and with these injuries decided

it was time to release them.

Their release comes with uncertainty about other offensive linemen, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, who opted out of last season due to COVID. His intentions are still unclear regarding possibly playing in the upcoming 2021-2022 season.

There was also great concern with the Chiefs corner and other secondary problems this season. Tryann Mathieu had a great season, being the leader of the Chiefs defense, although the rest of the pass coverage struggled, unable to make big in-game adjustments. This could also be partially put on Defensive Coordinator, Steve Spagnola.

As for the pass rush, Chris Jones played pretty well on the front lines, but he was frequently double teamed on the interior. Other pass rushers such as Frank Clark didn’t produce numbers until postseason time. No big free agency moves have been made to improve the defense thus far as the Chiefs likely look toward the draft for defensive talent The Chief’s General Manager, Brett Veach, has

Photo by: Jason Behnken

Wide receiver Tyreek Hill, getting one of his few receptions in Super Bowl LV. Hill was frequently doubled.

Photo by: Jason Behnken

Mahomes evading the Buccaneers pash rush in Super Bowl LV. He was consistently blitzed all night long.

already been moving in on solving some of these problems, signing offensive linemen Joe Thuney to a 5-year $80 million deal. And offensive linemen Kyle Long for a one year deal. These players have been good and debatably Joe Thuney has been just as good if not better than Mitchell Scwartz and Eric Fischer. These signings will not fully repair the damaged line but will heavily help the situation.

It was also very upsetting for Chiefs fans to see their offense seemingly halted against the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl this last season. The Bucs were ready for anything the Chiefs offense tried to do, the only one able to make plays was Mahomes.

Personnel has come into question with the Chiefs, as they may lose offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy. Bienemy has proved to be a great offensive minded coach, and the thought of losing him to a coaching position elsewhere makes people uncertain about the Chiefs offensive future.

There is also a lot to be said about Andy Reid, as

his coaching approach to the Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV was subpar at best. He came with the same game plan as he did against the Bucs earlier in the season. He continued to design plays for Tyreek Hill as he put up 4 touchdowns on the Bucs at their previous matchup. Hill had at least two defenders at a time on him all night, and Reid seemingly wouldn’t adapt to the situation. It was especially hard for Mahomes as there was immediate pass rush on him at all times. This is where Reid could have adapted and used quick hitters to Travis Kelce or Mecole Hardman. Reid is obviously not at fault for the loss but played a large role.

Despite all of these problems and questions the Chiefs have always found a way to problem solve over the past 3 years. I think the Chiefs will prevail nevertheless of their setback, as long as number 15 is leading the team, the Chiefs have a chance. Not to be mistaken, this year will be the test, if they win it all this year, it becomes a dynasty, but if they flop and don’t perform, the Red Kingdom’s reign will come to an end.

THE EYRIE 31

Stuffed S’mores Crispy Treats

Total time: 15 minutes | recipe from blackberrybabe.com

7 cups marshmallows (prefer mini sized - can also sub for marshmallow fluff) 5 tbsp butter 6 cups crisped rice cereal 4.4 ounce bar Hershey’s Milk Chocolate 5 graham cracker sheets (about half of one package) Instructions 1. In a large pot, melt butter and 5 cups of marshmallows over low heat.

2. Add in crisped rice cereal, stir to combine, and remove from heat immediately.

3. Set oven to broil on low.

4. Lightly grease a 9x9’’ pan. Add one half of the crisped rice mixture and press down with a spatula to spread evenly.

5. Layer graham crackers, milk chocolate bars, and 1 cup miniature marshmallows.

6. Place in oven to broil for 30 seconds, then remove from oven.

7. Spread remainder of crisped rice mixture on top of the s’mores layer.

8. Press down with spatula to smooth.

9. Top with remaining 1 cup of marshmallows and return to oven to broil for 1 minute.