KHQ Volume 47, Issue 1

KHQ

KICKAPOO HIGH QUARTERLY

“FOR THE POO, FROM THE POO” KHQTODAY.COM | @KHQTODAY

Volume 47 | Issue 1 Fall 2017

Staff

Editors in Chief Tony Madden & Tate Hutter News Editor Diana Dudenhoeffer Feature Editor Mario Hackney Opinion Editor Garrett Peck Sports Editors Will Anoai & Jack Stobbe Sports Columnist Kody Kershner PHOTO EDITOR Jack Patrick Beats Coordinator Lily Ragsdale Business Managers Kelli Volonte & Cassidy Littlewood Reporters Aaron Sawchack, Zach Arnold, Zach Bain Adviser Leslie Orman

About KHQ

Volume 47 | Issue 1 khqtoday.com | @khqtoday Contact Information (417) 523-8500 khqtoday@gmail.com 3710 S. Jefferson Ave. Springfield, MO 65807 Font Families Josefin Sans, Merriweather, Lato, Myriad Pro, Baskerville Publishing The Missourian Commercial Print Division via PDF submission, printed on 60# glossy paper Tech All pages created using Adobe InDesign CS6 on the Apple Mac platform Copies 800 copies were printed and distributed for free to Kickapoo students and surrounding community COVER PHOTO BY JACK PATRICK

Tate Hutter & Tony Madden Editors in Chief

Diana Dudenhoeffer News Editor

Mario Hackney Feature Editor

Garrett Peck Opinion Editor

Jack Stobbe & Will Anoai Sports Editors

Kody Kershner Sports Columnist

Jack Patrick Photo Editor

Lily Ragsdale Beats Coordinator

Cassidy Littlewood & Kelli Volonte Business Managers

Zach Bain, Aaron Sawchak, Zach Arnold

Editorial Policy

KHQ (Kickapoo High Quarterly) exists as a quarterly student publication produced by the Kickapoo High School Journalism Department. It operates as an open forum, with the intention of accurately and fairly reporting and responding to the needs of readers. Staff members take responsibility for reporting honestly and without bias, for running the newsmagazine as a business and for printing material that is not legally considered obscene, libelous or invasive. Advertisements that appear in KHQ do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of Kickapoo High School administration or Springfield Public Schools. KHQ does not support any one political party, candidate or campaign.

2 | KHQ

Reporters

From the Editors

Tony Madden

I

n the spring of my sophomore year after my very first journalism banquet, I went to the top of a parking garage downtown to watch the sunset with my friends Lauren Stockam and Maddie Polonus. It was something we did often, but this time it was special. We played Taylor Swift’s Long Live and just watched the sky fade to black together. The day had been an exceptionally beautiful one, but, as all things do, it was coming to an end. We didn’t have to speak to know what was on each other’s minds.

Just as the day was coming to an end, so was high school. Only half of it was over for me, but all of it was about to be over for Lauren and Maddie. Since the beginning of my freshman year, people always warned me that high school would fly by. But it wasn’t until then that I actually got a taste of what that meant. Now, as I’m learning how to manage my Cabinet, KHQ and other academic responsibilities and preparing to leave for Mizzou next year, it’s really starting to hit me that my time at Kickapoo is almost up. In fact, when you first have this issue of KHQ in your hands, graduation will be roughly 213 days away. And I want you to promise me one thing, Chiefs. Promise me that you’ll make every one of these 213 days count (and the same goes for the Classes of 2019, 2020 and 2021 too). Go to dances. Buy a yearbook and keep your copies of KHQ. Go on that late night drive with your friends. Remember not to step on the chief head in the lobby, and make sure the freshmen don’t either. Be that friend who won’t stop taking pictures of everyone and everything you do. Make sure all of your loved ones know exactly how much you mean to them. Most of all, make your year one that is worth remembering; the power to do that rests in your hands and your hands only.

Make it one that you’ll look back on one day and say “Long, long live.”

Tony Madden, Editor in Chief

Tate Hutter

I

’m going to try and make this as non-cliché as possible because I hate clichés. I’m not even really sure what I should be writing here, but there are a few things I want to address. First of all, there are too many people that deserve a thank you, but I definitely need to say thank you to Ms Orman for making me a better journalist, writing multiple letters of recommendation, influencing me in such a positive way, and just being one of my favorite teachers. Possibly the person who deserves the most thanks is my co-editor, Tony. Tony and I were not only co-editors but also Cabinet members together. Between these two activities I often found myself telling Tony to not stress out and promising him that the magazine will look great. But besides all that, Tony has become one of my best friends and is a great journalist and I cannot express how much thanks I owe him. Well I guess this is the part where I’m supposed to talk about myself.

My senior year and the summer leading into my senior year have been one of the best yet. I went to Lollapalooza (a dream of mine), made new friends, discovered a passion for photography, and somewhat decided where I want to go to college. As a senior, I feel I need to give some advice to my peers. So if I had to say one thing one, it would just be enjoy your time in high school. I’m not a believer that they are the best years of your life because I really don’t think they will be the best years of my life and they definitely don’t have to be yours. But do enjoy them while you’re here.

Join clubs you’re interested in, go to sporting events (and actually cheer), and yes, go to some parties. If you spend all your time focused on academics, I truly belive that you will be unhappy, and I promise that one late paper or one B will not cause your world to come spiraling down. So finally I just want to say thank you Kickapoo, for reading the magazine, providing such great friendships, and for being my home for the past two years.

Tate Hutter, Editor in Chief

Table of Contents

NEWS 8 Coming from Abroad

BY MARIO HACKNEY

16 What is a Hate Symbol?

BY DIANA DUDENHOEFFER

24 KHS Political Q & A 16

BY CASSIDY LITTLEWOOD

FEATURE 26 Humans of Kickapoo

BY JACK PATRICK

34 Halloween DIYs

BY GARRETT PECK

21 Local Business Spotlight 34

BY KELLI VOLONTE

OPINION 42 SB98 Ignores Minority Rights

BY DIANA DUDENHOEFFER

44 I Believe That We Are Gross

BY TONY MADDEN

52 Editorial

44

BY THE KHQ EDITORIAL BOARD

SPORTS 58 Varsity Fall Sports

BY LILY RAGSDALE & JACK PATRICK

62 Bros vs. Joes

BY AARON SAWCHAK

58 4 | KHQ

67 Catchin’ Up with Kody

BY KODY KERSHNER

The Prairie Panel

THE PANEL:

What’s your Halloween costume?

Tate Hutter Editor in Chief

THE PURPLE DEVIL EMOJI

THE ENTIRE JV GIRLS TENNIS TEAM

Aaron Sawchak Reporter

I HATE HALLOWEEN

MASON AUER

Diana Dudenhoeffer News Editor

ZOMBIE PROM QUEEN

MY WHAT?

Tony Madden Editor in Chief

TAYLOR SWIFT’S PJ’S FROM THE YOU BELONG WITH ME VIDEO

LEAH VOKOLEK

Fall sports MVP?

Favorite emoji?

KHQ | 5

New Faces in the Halls Five newcomers join the faculty and staff at KHS

A

BY LILY RAGSDALE

s first quarter comes to a close, the new staff members are settling in. Jayme Donnelly (Social Studies), Justin Drane (Science), Mitch McHenry (P.E.), Angie Owings (Nurse), and Nate Thomas (P.E.) to this year’s staff.

Before coming to Kickapoo, Mr. Donnelly taught and coached basketball at Willard High School.

“The thing I love most about Kickapoo both academically and athletically, is the pride that the students and staff have regarding our school. There is so much support and togetherness that is tough to find in a lot of communities,” Donnelly said. For comparison, the student body at Willard has about 1000 fewer students..

Aside from teaching social studies, Mr. Drane is the head coach for girls golf this year.

“I chose to teach and coach at Kickapoo because of the rich tradition of success. I wanted to be a part of it and help my student athletes continue the legacy,” Drane said. He sees that the students here want to live up to that tradition and with that he sees a group of committed individuals who strive for their best self.

Not only is he one of the P.E. coaches, but Mr. McHenry is the boys basketball head coach.

“Kickapoo has a great tradition with athletics and academics which was a big draw to coming back to Kickapoo,” McHenry said. Before coming back and becoming the head coach, he was the assistant coach in 2015-16.

She may be the new school nurse, but Angie Owings is no stranger to Kickapoo. Owings was in the ‘88 graduating class.

“I became a nurse because I like science and caring for people,” Owings said.

Prior to coming to Kickapoo, Coach Thomas coached at Marshfield High School. Not only did the athletic program draw him in, but the academic program as well. “I like that you have multiple avenues in academics and athletics to succeed and grow in your own personal way,” Thomas said.

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Jayme Donnelly

Angie Owings

Mitch McHenry

Nate Thomas

Justin Drane

NEWS | 7

Senior Exchange Student Vegar Wilhelmsen will be in the United States until May 27.

Coming From Abroad Do you ever wonder what leaving everything behind to go to a different country is like? This is Norwegian exchange Student Vegar Wilhelmsen’s reality.

BY MARIO HACKNEY

A

s I took my first steps off the airplane, the only things I could think about were if it was going to stay this humid and if I was going to make any friends in Springfield,” 17-year-old Wilhelmsen said.

“I chose to come to America despite my parents being skeptical. I had studied English so I thought it would be a good experience for me,” he added.

Since his arrival in early August, most of his worries have dissipated.

“

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“Since I’ve been here, I’ve made many good friends. I’d consider my teammates from soccer as some of my closest friends. In general everyone here has been really nice to me and it was a lot easier than I thought,” Wilhelmsen said.

There are still challenges in his school life, as this year does count for his high school credit back in Norway.

“My only fear now is passing all of my classes.

I don’t want to have to take them again back in Norway,” Wilhelmsen said.

Wilhelmsen has already had some diverse experiences, whether involving school or home life.

“I had a really fun time at a water park, White Water and Table Rock Lake in Branson. Also the soccer team went together to a Sporting KC game. My host family took me to a Cardinals game and I really enjoyed it since there is no baseball in Norway,” Wilhelmsen said.

Some other things that he enjoys may seem silly to Americans however Wilhelmsen explains why he enjoys them so much.

“Some of the smaller things I enjoy (in America) are the candies here. Also the fast food is so much more consumed and cheaper here but I feel like if I eat too much of it I will feel bad,” he said.

Traveling to the U.S. isn’t his first experience out of Norway, nor is English his only other language.

“I speak four languages them being: two [dialects] of Norwegian, English, and I am learning Spanish....I’ve visited Spain, the Netherlands, and I am here in America obviously,” Wilhelmsen said.

However no matter where he is one thing that is constant is his love for soccer.

“I played soccer back in Norway. Over there it’s just a hobby, here it’s a little more serious with our school spirit. The soccer team itself is full of good people and they were all nice to me and made me feel welcomed.

Wilhemsen has seem to gotten used to the idea of a host family and living here in America. “ I go to church with [my host family], I participate in family activities with them, and they sort of let me do what I want. It’s a nice balance between the two,” Wilhelmsen said.

These budget cuts were due to a bill that was passed by Missouri Governor Eric Greitens in the attempt to lower spending without raising taxes.

Missouri State University was directly affected by this budget cut and had to raise prices of tuition for seated classes.

Seated classes increased in price by five dollars per credit hour.

“We were on track to stay at $250 a credit hour until the election,” according to Tori Vestal at the MSU Financial Office.

If the bill had not been passed,

MSU & OTC Raise Tuition Looking into why tuition went up and how it affects current and future students

BY CASSIDY LITTLEWOOD

$

251 million was cut from the Missouri education budget earlier this year according to USnews.com.

That $251M was originally funding

several areas in school systems that are K-12, but also greatly impacted higher education.

Now cuts have been made in spending for school buses, higher education and social services.

this would be one of the first years that Missouri State would not have raised tuition.

“The higher price is due to budget cuts with the election,” Vestal said.

OTC has a similar situation in the sense that they had to raise their prices due to the MO Education bill.

“The Board of Trustees did approve an increase in tuition by $10 per credit hour to be effective this fall semester.” Marla Moody with the financial office at OTC said.

According to Moody, raising the price per credit hour was something that they took into careful consideration and is something they felt they had to do.

“With the state higher education budget reductions that all colleges and universities received in 2017 and now 2018, we felt that there was no other choice but to initiate a tuition increase,” she added.

Along with these increases in tuition OTC was also forced to reduce overall budgeted expenditures by 1.7% and froze 19 full-time personnel positions, in order to hold spending within approved budget.

NEWS | 9

Broadcast’s Long Exposure

Desiree Nixon (11) makes use of the green screen in order to publish her daily weather broadcast.

Broadcast journalism classes are filled to the brim and left with an equipment shortage.

BY DIANA DUDENHOEFFER

W

ith a high demand for media content comes a high demand for media-based classes like Broadcast Journalism. YouTube’s increasing popularity and presence make for an environment where many people discover an interest in broadcast and media production. As a result, the school has four full media classes this semester.

There are around two hundred students taking Broadcast Journalism this year, and there are hardly enough cameras to go around, according to broadcast teacher Kyle Loudis.

The department has ten professional-grade cameras and another five lesser-quality cameras that can still get the job done. On average, Loudis has one camera for every two students in any given class. That ratio doesn’t sound too bad, but once it is taken into account that those fifteen cameras are shared across all four blocks, the shortage of equipment becomes clear.

“It’s tough to organize all that, but we make it work. Kids don’t normally have to walk away with nothing . . . Ideally we’d be in a situation where we had enough cameras available for everybody and they were all professional-grade,” Loudis said.

He would like to have twice as many cameras as he does currently—enough for each student in the classroom.

“If I had thirty computers, thirty cameras, thirty tripods, thirty memory cards, then I could feel really good about every student getting that individual touch,” he said.

Loudis realizes that, with more equipment, it’s likely that a lot of it would go unused some days, but he believes that it would be for the best that each student has a camera.

“If I really want everybody to learn as best as possible, they each need a camera to touch, and they each need a computer to press.”

Junior Desiree Nixon has been in the broadcast department since her freshman year. She’s the school meteorologist, and students can watch her weather forecast on her YouTube channel. Nixon said that she’s experienced issues in the class with a lack of equipment.

“Sometimes it can be a battle to get the lights that we need for a project . . . but Mr. Loudis is usually really good at prioritizing which students need what,” Nixon said.

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“If I really want everybody to learn as best as possible, they each need a camera to touch, and they each need a computer to press,” Broadcast Journalism teacher Kyle Loudis said.

Students in Mr. Loudis’ fourth block entry-level Broadcast Journalism class work on their mixtape assignments. There are not enough MacBooks for every student to have their own work station, so they often have to take turns or work in groups.

For example, Nixon explained, when she filmed a wedding for a project, she needed multiple cameras and tripods for multiple angles. Some students may have been left without equipment because of her large project.

Junior Jacob Harris is in Loudis’ fourth block Broadcast 1 class, and he’s suffered the consequences of the equipment shortage as well.

“Last week, only a few kids could record audio for our assignment because all of the cameras had been taken,” Harris said. “We’ve been playing catch-up the last few days.”

Loudis is concerned that Chromebooks will soon replace his current hardware. He said that a MacBook Pro costs ten times more than a Chromebook, but the department has them for a reason.

“The school district now believes that, because every student has a Chromebook, they should be able to do everything on that Chromebook. And that’s a big misnomer because editing video, especially in high-definition, through the internet is not adequate today. What I’m afraid of is that, in the future, I’m going to have to justify what equipment I need compared to a Chromebook and explain why the video industry doesn’t work on some cruddy little tablet,” Loudis said.

John Mello, who teaches Broadcast Journalism as well, also believes that the students cannot effectively complete the class using only Chromebooks.

Mello finds that WeVideo, a free video editing software that students can use on their Chromebooks, is convenient. Every student has access to it, and they always have the ability to edit videos on their Chromebooks. However, WeVideo is only adequate for simple editing techniques and shorter videos, Mello added.

He said that Final Cut Pro, an expensive video editing software only available on Apple computers, is necessary because students need as many editing techniques and experiences as possible for when they go out into the real world and apply the skills that they learned in school to their careers.

Mello thinks that the cameras on phones can be a useful tool for some of the projects.

“Some upper-level phones have some amazing cameras, to the point that they can shoot in a super high resolution . . . it depends on what smart phones they have, and it depends on if they have a tripod,” Mello said.

Loudis requires students to turn in one assignment every six days, which adds up to around fifteen videos per student by the end of the class. Each semester, students will have turned in a total of three to four hundred projects. This comes with a unique set of challenges since there are not enough computers in the class for everybody to use one at the same time.

“Right now we have to prioritize which assignment is more important. It makes me have to be more flexible as a teacher with deadlines. [But] if I’m well aware of what their individual needs are, and if we keep up on the equipment that we need, we rarely need ten excellent equipment cameras all at the exact same time,” he said.

NEWS | 11

Hiking & Cycling Senior shares his passion for the outdoors with new club.

BY JACK PATRICK

T

he Cycling & Outdoors club is brand new this year. It is for students to adventure and explore the outdoors while making friendships and having fun in the process.

Students in the club go on organized trail and street bike rides, hikes, and go hammocking. Club founder and president Anthony Hales says there is a potential for climbing in the future.

“I want to share my passion for the outdoors with others and give students the opportunity to do something new with like-minded individuals,” Hales said.

If students are interested in joining, meetings are every Wednesday in Mr. Neeman’s room. To get reminders about meetings text @bg3ed to the number 81010.

Girls 4 Good

Seniors form club to celebrate female empowerment and volunteer work.

BY TONY MADDEN

W

hen senior JaMya Dean noticed the lack of clubs celebrating and empowering women, she decided to take action. In the spring of 2017, she decided to form the “Girls 4 Good” club with Mrs. Armstrong as a sponsor.

She says that this new club will uplift women, and will have a specific emphasis on community service. Dean added that boys are also invited to join the club.

“Girls 4 Good is an all-inclusive club that focuses on women’s empowerment and volunteerism in the community,” Dean said.

She says that Isabel’s House, Harmony House and Hope Give Hope are just a few of the organizations that “G4G” plans to work with this school year.

“I’m most excited for making an impact on people’s lives in seeing the difference that we make in the community and in the school,” Dean said.

12 | NEWS

ChiefTV

Broadcast journalism video wins Ozarks Sports Zone “Best Student Section” poll.

BY KODY KERSHNER

K Photo courtesy of Desiree Nixon.

ickapoo High school was voted as the best student section in the area in the recent Ozark Sports Zone twitter poll.

While the student section has been incredible this year, they got some help from Chief TV. Student Desiree Nixon filmed a video showcasing the fans hat was used for the poll.

“I was super excited that my video won the contest. I didn’t think anybody would see it and vote for it,” Nixon said.

Chief TV has other big things planned such as PSA’s and other exciting videos. Chief TV is putting Kickapoo on a bigger platform giving the school more recognition.

Speech & Debate Speech and Debate team prepares for first tournament of the year.

BY DIANA DUDENHOEFFER

S

peech and Debate has more than 100 members this year, and everyone has been preparing for their first tournament of the year, which will take place at Kickapoo on October 13-14 against Glendale.

Since Kickapoo is hosting the first tournament of the year, the returning members of the team are working hard to make sure that all the new members know the ins and outs of debate.

A lot of prep work goes into debating in a tournament.

Junior Anna Weiner explains that students have been working on finding sources to use as evidence in their arguments, as well as studying law and philosophy in order to properly prepare for their cases.

Even though there’s a lot to be done, senior Brock Richardson is optimistic. “I’m sure that this tournament is going to be one of the best of the year,” Richardson said.

NEWS | 13

Model United Nations Junior Zoe Sweaney founds KHS chapter of international organization.

BY LILY RAGSDALE

M

odel UN is a new addition to the list of clubs at Kickapoo. It is an international organization, open to any student looking to join, that helps expand the horizons most students are not exposed to. Founder, junior Zoe Sweaney, with the help of her sponsor, Mr. Baney, have started this club in hopes to help better the knowledge of her peers by informing them about world issues and what is going on in the world. With more information about the world around us, individuals are able to make better decisions that will impact our city, state, country, and international community with our voices.

“It’s important for Kickapoo to take on this club so that we can continue to thrive academically as one of the best schools in our area,” Sweaney said. Chapter meetings take place on the last Tuesday of every month after school in room 132. To sign up, contact Mr. Baney or Sweaney.

DECA

Junior Brooklyn Lofthouse elected DECA District Vice President.

BY JACK STOBBE

D

ECA went to their Ropes Leadership Course on Wednesday, September 13.

Junior Brooklyn Lofthouse ran for District Vice President against four other students.

“I had to take a test over DECA material, conduct an interview with three different DECA advisors and give a speech in front of almost 200 students from throughout Springfield Public Schools and some other schools like Nixa, Ozark and Willard,” Lofthouse said.

All of the schools took a vote and Lofthouse ended up getting first place in the test, interview and speech portions, as well as first in overall voting.

“On October 15-16, I have to do the process all over again in front of a new panel of judges at the Lake of the Ozarks. Everyone in the state will be there because they’re electing state officers,” Lofthouse explained.

14 | NEWS

DOES YOUR VOICE NEED TO BE HEARD? Drop your Letter to the Editors for the next issue of K H Q in the Voice of the Students locker outside of room 201 by October 31, 2017.

All letters will be read and approved by the Editors in Chief as well as the adviser before being considered for publication.

Hate Symbol What is a Hate Symbol?

Are They Illegal?

What are the Rights of Students?

by Diana Dudenhoeffer

S

ome American citizens have demonstrated a formidable amount of hate in recent developments. From the current political environment to the intolerance of certain radical groups, hate has become something that Americans cannot ignore.

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With a surplus of hate comes an increasingly popular assortment of hate symbols. A hate symbol is a design used to represent the ideals of a certain group.

A swastika is an example of a hate symbol. German Nazis during the second world war used it as a symbol for their party, and they promoted their agenda of a master race and the extermination of several million

“I think [students are] immature and don’t particularly care about the consequences . . . they see it as a joke,� junior Anna Weiner said.

Jewish people, gypsies, homosexuals, and other minorities.

Since this is the land of the free, hate speech is entirely legal, and so are hate symbols. Acts like discrimination, harassment and violence are indeed criminalized, but hate speech is not. According to Peter Tatchell from the New Internationalist magazine, declaring hateful words and being prejudiced is not a crime, unless it directly leads to unlawful discrimination.

The result of the 1969 Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines makes questions arise when it comes to a student’s First Amendment rights.

First Freedoms textbook explains that the supreme court ruled students still have their First Amendment rights even when they enter a public school building.

They still have the freedom of expression, so long as they do not disrupt the educational process.

If Mary Beth and John Tinker could wear black armbands to protest the Vietnam war, can somebody else wear an inverted cross to protest Christianity?

because it can create a hostile environment and harassment.

Although hate symbols are not directly addressed in the dress code guidelines, students are still unable to wear hate symbols—but for another reason entirely.

“If your actions are causing somebody else to feel uncomfortable while at school, it could fall under disorderly conduct or harassment,” Allison said.

Allison is sure that the current policy is applicable for any situation administration may come across, even considering the increasing tension and growing hate in these United States.

Allison explained that the consequences for this type of handbook violation are subject to the type of disruption the student has caused. Allison said that he is prepared to start out with a conversation with the student. Typically, he said, a conversation is enough to make the student understand why they can’t do what they are doing.

“If it gets to where somebody refuses to comply to our requests to find something else to wear, then it

“If your actions are causing somebody else to feel uncomfortable while at school, it could fall under disorderly conduct or harassment,” Principal Kelly Allison said.

According to the Springfield Public Schools (SPS) handbook, the rights of an American citizen differ from the rights of a student in a public institution.

Students are limited in what they can say and what they can wear.

The SPS handbook says: “T-shirts and/or other apparel will not contain profanity, obscenities, suggestive, or provocative statements, statements that cause disruption and uncivil conduct in school, drug, alcohol symbols, advertisements, or gang dress symbols are not to be worn.”

According to Principal Kelly Allison, students are also not allowed to wear hate symbols at school

Citizens across the nation express their opposition to hate symbols. In September, President Trump visited Springfield, and hundreds of protesters gathered on Glenstone street to voice their opinions.

Photo by Tony Madden.

NEWS | 17

WHAT COUNTS AS A HATE SYMBOL? It’s difficult to define a hate symbol because of its subjectivity. What is offensive to some may not be offensive to others. The following results are from a survey that students filled out when prompted: What is your reaction to the following symbols?

NEGATIVE

NEUTRAL

POSITIVE

SWASTIKA INVERTED CROSS

GAY PRIDE FLAG

CRUCIFIX

18 | NEWS

CONFEDERATE FLAG

RAISED FIST

Senior Victoria Marshall doesn’t view the confederate flag as a racist symbol. She thinks students should be allowed to wear it because the racial connotation is outdated.

Junior Anna Weiner thinks that people should be more educated about the history of the symbols that they’re using.

goes into defiance, and we will have to go into further disciplinary action,” he said.

Allison is optimistic, though, and he said that he has had to address very few instances of students wearing hate symbols.

He said, “it’s one of the things that I love about Kickapoo . . . the kids are very respectful to one another. I think kids are very conscious of how other kids’ feelings are.”

Allison recognizes that hate symbols are incredibly prevalent in today’s news, but he’s also confident that all the policies and procedures that the board has in place are adequate, even with growing tensions across the nation.

Senior Victoria Marshall does not see the confederate flag, something some would consider offensive, as a problem.

“I don’t consider the flag as hateful . . .

Some people are trying to bring back what the flag used to mean,” Marshall said.

According to her, the flag doesn’t have the same racial connotation that it did in the Civil War. Today, the flag represents southern pride and her rebellious lifestyle.

To her, the flag has no racist connotation.

“Some people try to claim that I’m being disrespectful, but I’m not trying to upset anyone . . . because the flag isn’t a hate symbol to me,” Marshall said. ​ Junior Anna Weiner thinks that hate symbols are still a major issue within school doors. She’s seen swastikas several times in the school building.

“I think [students are] immature and don’t particularly care about the consequences. They don’t see it as doing something that offends someone . . . they see it as a joke,” Weiner said.

When people are able to see what they’re supporting, she said, it’s a pretty good motivation not to draw a symbol like a swastika.

“If there’s space in the curriculum to focus more on the Holocaust, I think, whenever people are able to empathize with what other people have experienced, and then they’re are able to really comprehend . . . how that has affected people,” Weiner said.

NEWS | 19

Introducing Chromebooks to the Classroom Teachers and students share their thoughts and opinions on integrating the utilization of Chromebooks into the school day

BY KELLI VOLONTE

4

.8 million dollars - the amount that Springfield Public Schools spent on Chromebooks for the

district.

Three years into the SPS Ignite program, Kickapoo students have received their Chromebooks as teachers more fully integrate technology into the classroom.

The Ignite program is the name for the induction of Chromebooks into all Springfield Public Schools.

Principal Kelly Allison explained the district’s plan for the Ignite program.

“They’ve established a budget now that it’s year three of the program.

They’re going to purchase new Chromebooks every three years,” Allison said.

He believes that with the new technology it will allow students other options with learning.

“I think with the new technology it’s going to provide new opportunities for students. It will give kids opportunity to learn outside of the classroom,” Allison said.

Although a worry has been that technology will replace teachers.

“I don’t think technology will ever replace teachers,” Allison explained.

Ecology teacher Mr. Hostetler, has seen one of the most important benefits as he has been incorporating technology into his sciences classes.

“I think that the biggest benefit I’ve seen is I can give them a quick quiz 20 | NEWS

and give them immediate feedback,” Hostetler explained. “We struggle with this concept so let’s talk about this.”

Even though sometimes it is easy for students to get off task, Hostetler believes that incorporating Chromebooks and technology into the classroom can change things in a positive way.

Students get more of a hands on experience with utilizing the tools

“I think that the biggest benefit I’ve seen is I can give them a quick quiz and give them immediate feedback,” Hostetler explained. technology is providing.

“One of the things I do in this class is link the Missouri Conservation online guide. They click on the link to the guide, and then they can identify the organisms,” Hostetler said.

He sees the future of this program focusing on personalizing the education of each student.

“We will be able to meet the needs of every student because they all have different learning styles,” he explained.

For art teacher Mrs. Loudis the introduction of Chromebooks has allowed her classroom to evolve.

“The traditional classroom isn’t going anywhere. It ‘s going to be a hybrid of personal and live teaching and then the student side with researching,” Loudis said.

She has noticed that with the Chromebooks when she assigns work, the work get done.

“The accountability is there with Chromebooks. It’s easier to track down who’s done what,” she explained.

The introduction of technology into an art classroom means discussion boards and daily research, but also there is an empowerment that comes with Canvas and Chromebooks.

“The grading turnaround is efficient. It puts some power back on the students,” Loudis said. “I think it’s empowering to have this in front of you to crank out what ever you need to.”

Junior Payton Marlin recognizes the benefit of Chromebooks, but for him personally they are not his preference.

“Chromebooks are useful but they’re not for everyone,” he said.

Even though he does not prefer them, Marlin understands the benefit in them. For him, Chromebooks do not provide programs like Microsoft Word or Excel that he needs to use for his engineering classes.

Chromebooks also are not a platform for programs such as Autodesk, which is a 3D design software used in the engineering classes.

“We’re taught to use Excel and

Word in Digital Communications [class],” Marlin explained. “In engineering classes, we don’t get Chromebooks. We get like normal laptops with Word and Excel.”

Although he does believe that the school does a very good job of providing the students with the materials they need.

Marlin also acknowledges that everyone learns differently, but his feelings about Chromebooks’ influence on the students’ learning is contrary to Hostetler’s.

“It seems kind of forced because not everything learns the exact same way,” Marlin said. “Some people learn hands on. Some classes just give you a Chromebook and start to take notes.”

He feels like Chromebooks should be optional instead of mandatory.

“It’s not really for everyone, and it’s hard for the district to fit everyone’s needs,” he explained. “It shouldn’t

Principal Kelly Allison has decorated his district provided staff device with stickers, and students are permitted to as well.

A student utilizes his Chromebook during Personalized Learning Time.

be forced; we should have one if we want to.”

With the continuation of the program it allows for improvements.

From connection to Canvas to the teachers’ grade books on eSchool to installing charging stations around the school and designing the school to benefit this new way of learning, the Ignite program is bound to grow and evolve.

The educational system is changing from a one-size-fits-all method into a more personalized learning experience with the guided help of teachers.

Every person has a different opinion about the use of technology in learning and the installation of utilizing Canvas and the Chromebooks, but overall the benefits are clear.

NEWS | 21

Bond Issue Under Reconstruction The Bond issue failed leaving the district shocked and, asking what’s next?

BY GARRETT PECK

S

pringfield citizens narrowly rejected a $189 million bond proposal that was meant to renovate, and in some cases, build entirely new schools.

The renovations planned would be new elementary and middle school campuses with separate school identities for Pershing, Pipkin, Boyd, Reed, Robertson, Jarrett, and Portland. Hillcrest would be expanded to have an increased capacity to 1200 students. Glendale would be refurbished for a new gym, career spaces and HVAC. Kickapoo would get a new gym with a promise of future additions. Jeffries, Pittman, Field, Disney, and Holland would all receive some renovation as well. Wilder would get renovation and a boundary adjustment with Pershing. This is all according to the Springfield Public Schools plan on their website.

The Bond would be paid for by raising property taxes.

According SPS this would mean that a person whose house was worth 100,000 dollars would pay $23 more in property taxes the first year and $46 the second year. The tax would stay at that level until the bond was completely funded, then property taxes would be restored to prebond levels.

When the bond issue failed, SPS hired a research company based in Springfield, to conduct polls and to discover why the bond failed in order to have an idea of what the district’s next steps should be.

According to survey results, the reasons that the bond failed are the size of the bond issue in both the amount of money asked for, and the number of projects to be undertaken. Many voters expressed concerns about building completely new schools versus making repairs and renovations to existing structures.

Marc Maness, a Springfield based opinion research specialist who reported to the school board, said that “This is a time where the credibility of institutions is doubted.”

This indicates a general lack of trust that voters feel toward all levels of government in general, and not

22 | NEWS

“...we do not want to jump into what’s next tonight. It’s just digesting the data, and understanding,” Lee said. specifically with Springfield schools. Other factors that were found to affect additional support are questions about the exact location of the where the new schools buildings would be placed, and then separating all of the projects down into multiple phases with fewer projects being started at once.

Mr. Gerry Lee, President of the Board of Education said “ [This meeting] is really a matter of understanding what it’s [the information] telling us, we do not want to jump into what’s next tonight. It’s just digesting the data, and understanding.”

This means that the voters won’t get another chance to vote on a similar bond in the near future, but the very fact that the district felt the need to run polls and collect and study so much data from citizens indicates that they will have another bond before Springfield voters eventually.

BUY YOUR

YEARBOOK! $50.00 AFTER SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 $55.00 AFTER MARCH 1, 2018

Buy your yearbook in person in room 201 or online at

www.jostensyearbooks.com (make checks payable to KHS Journalism)

SENIORS: Senior quotes with 140 characters or less (including spacing and punctuation) are due OCTOBER 27 to Katelyn Rogers.

Two 2.5”x3.5” black and white senior headshots are due NOVEMBER 10 to Katelyn Rogers.

Senior advertisement photos, letters and payment are due DECEMBER 21 to Lily Ragsdale. Information can be found outside room 201.

Touchy Subjects Students share their opinions on hot button political and social issues.

BY CASSIDY LITTLEWOOD & TONY MADDEN

CONNOR ELLIOTT “People should stand for the flag and if they want to protest then they could find another way to do that. But they should stand for the flag because of the men and women who have died for our country.”

JORDAN CRAIN “I feel like people don’t want to deal with global warming so they kind of dismiss it but it’s something that people should be more aware of and want to change instead of dismissing it as not real. With the government cutting research it’s not beneficial to anyone [to ignore it].”

24 | NEWS

JAMYA DEAN “I think there should not be a wall. All it’s gonna do is take taxpayers money. Most of the immigrants that are here have jobs and aren’t necessarily taking the jobs of people from here.

They have jobs that people don’t usually want to do. They’re not causing trouble they just want to support and have a better life for their family.”

DYLAN MORRIS “I think that the DACA program when it was made had good intention but it was misused. Then when Trump said he was going to change it, that caused unnecessary panic because the people in the program thought it was the end of the world and they were going to get kicked out when that’s not what is happening.”

JAKE TROYE “Businesses should not be able to discriminate against people for their sexual orientation or preferences. That’s all I’m gonna say.”

LILLI FLANIGAN (In reference to Donald Trump’s differing statements on the violence in Charlottesville and NFL Protesters) “President Trump acted irresponsibly in both situations...[he] needs to think for the country, not just for himself. They were both extremely difficult situations to handle...then again ‘easy’ is not in the job description. Although I may agree with what he was saying, there was a more politically correct way of saying it.”

SARAH CROOKE “I hate how close minded people are when it comes to America.

People think that anyone who has a different opinion is the wrong opinion...If people don’t start accepting others then this country will never work the way it should.”

CY WARLICK “On the topic of immigration, I am fully behind what Trump is doing.”

KATHRYN DECK “We don’t treat everyone like a person all the time...it seems like people are trying to take away rights more than protect anything. With the travel ban, that’s singling out groups of people. We should all just focus on working together to create a better environment for everyone instead of putting people down and singling them out.”

GARRETT REID “Go to the Arlington National Cemetery and look at the hundreds of thousands of names...names of people who gave their life for our nation’s freedom, and instead of thanking them we kneel down during our national anthem. Those people gave you the right to protest...but this is neither the time nor the place.”

NEWS | 25

Humans of Kickapoo

BY JACK PATRICK

Susan Clark (12) “I moved to Kickapoo from Nixa because I needed a fresh start. I was really nervous that I was going to have to sit by myself at lunch, but the students have all been really nice to me. It was a lot easier to make friends than I first thought it would be; playing volleyball helped a lot with developing an initial friend group. People that don’t go to Kickapoo have this false persona of Kickapoo students that they’re all stuck up and rude, but that isn’t the case at all. The students have been really nice to me, and so far I like it better here than I did at Nixa.”

26 | FEATURE

Follow @humansofkickapoo on Instagram.

Scott Neeman “Working at Kickapoo has made me strive to do my best as a teacher. It is the best job I have ever had. Coming to work every day and seeing how hard my students work has made me want to match their effort and work as hard as possible.”

Onaugh Shaughnessy (11) “Quitting volleyball was one of the hardest decisions I have had to make. It had been such a big part of my life for so long. I love volleyball, but I realized that I did not have a future in collegiate volleyball. I decided it was time for me to move on from volleyball and focus on school.”

FEATURE | 27

October Crossword Puzzle 1

2

3

4

5

6

7 8

Across

Down

5. Played Evelyn Couch in the 1991 film Fried Green Tomatoes.

1. A staple in fall attire; a type of sweater.

6. The worst; victims of bird season.

2. Your Student Body President.

7. It’s on the roof and it totally exists.

3. Look what you made her do.

8. Abbreviated title of a popular falltime beverage.

4. Stephen King novel and film; “You’ll float too.”

Bring your completed puzzle to room 201 during first block for a prize!

28 | FEATURE

Cars of the Quarter

BY KELLI VOLONTE

Jake Young

“I like to put everything in myself, and you can find everything on YouTube, anything you wanna learn is on YouTube,” senior Jake Young said.

Make, Model, year 2000 Honda Accord Nickname Lil Vroomstick Where did you get it?

I got it off a used car lot. It was cheap, that’s probably the biggest thing, and I know they’re reliable cars, so I wanted a Honda.

Favorite thing about car?

My favorite thing is it has a bunch of miles, so I do whatever I want with it. I took the seats out and put new seats in. I got a new exhaust, I put a new radio in it.

Best memory I was just driving down the road one day, and then my tire literally just flew off - the whole wheel and everything just flew off.

Katelyn Antrim Make, Model, Year 1998 Mazda 626 Nickname Old Faithful or Rust Bucket Where did you get it?

My parents got it for me after telling me for a year and a half to save up for a car, but they surprised me on my birthday in December, and it was pouring rain, and I cried really hard.

Favorite thing about car?

The adventures and stories it has given me, like when the brakes blew out.

Best memory There’s been so much that’s happened to my car. I’ve had to replace the alternator, the brake pads, the calibrator, and the starter.

“I was going on Campbell, and my mom was riding with me,” senior Katelyn Antrim said. “There was a big boom and smoke. We were stranded on Campbell for awhile.”

FEATURE | 29

An Inside Look at Your 2017-18 Cabinet

BY ZACH ARNOLD

Q: What is the best purchase that you have ever made?

A: “The best purchase I’ve ever made would have to be my AirPods because I can always be listening to music. They also got stolen soon after I bought them.”

Chandler Nighswonger, Vice President (Left)

Q: What is your favorite sport to play/and or watch?

A: “My favorite sport to watch and play is basketball, I played basketball for seven years.”

Bryce Cole, President (Right)

Q: “What is your favorite part about being a Chief?

A: My favorite part about being a Chief is that there are

Q: Who is your favorite musician?

A: “Alan Jackson”

many things in which you can be involved in.”

Jameson Ellerbee, Social

Q: What is the process of getting into Cabinet?

A: “There is a lengthy and very laborsome application process which is indicative of the work that you will perform. It should be treated like a job application. You will provide 2-3 written essays as well as a resume.”

Andrew Paxson, Assemblies

30 | FEATURE

Cole Mccarville, Campus

Q: What is your favorite quote?

A: “Control your ‘anger’ because it is just one letter away from

danger.”

Garrett Weaver, Media

Q: Best memory in high school so far?’

A: “Going to all of the Kickapoo sporting events.”

Brandon Taylor, Financial

Q: What is the best place you’ve ever Q: If you could live in visited? whatever city you would like A: “Definitely Washington, D.C. It’s where would it be? exciting as a student journalist to be in A: “Los Angeles” Tate Hutter, Communications

the political hub of the entire U.S.” Tony Madden, Spirit

Q: What is your favorite type of food?

A: “I really like sushi.”

Sophie Ford, Chaplain

Q: What is your favorite summer activity?

A: “Traveling and sleeping in are the best summer activities,

espeically when you get to do both in the same trip.”

Hannah Carr, Art

Q: What made you want to be in Cabinet?

A: “I wanted to be able to help the other students at Kickapoo and help plan the dances/other events.”

Kelsie Mitchell, Secretary

Q: What are you looking forward to this year?

A: “Graduation and Christmas break.”

Harper Auman, Service

FEATURE | 31

Flexible Learning Spaces Adding flexibility to the school day could become a main focus for the school district in the near future

BY JACK STOBBE

W

ith buzzwords like “flexible learning spaces” growing more and more popular with school administrative boards, the students’ typical school day could be drastically different in the coming years.

Principal Kelly Allison explained that there was a district initiative last school year to increase flexibility in the school day and possibly add more “flexible learning spaces” throughout the building.

“During the bond issue that was voted upon in April, the school was supposed to receive funds to renovate the gym. The leftover funds were going to be used to add these learning spaces,” Allison said.

According to the Springfield Public School website, Kickapoo was scheduled to receive $8.7 million for “a new gym and additional site improvements.” The new learning spaces would have fallen under the “additional site improvements” category.

There are already four flexible learning spaces in place in the student center. The large computers in the common area are examples of what administration wants put in place throughout the building.

“Conversations stopped on exactly where they would go because the bond issue got voted down, but there were

To make room for the new learning spaces, lockers like these outside of Room 220 could be removed.

32 | FEATURE

going to be three or four of the learning spaces on both floors. There would be one every five or six classrooms or so, but not in the heavy traffic areas,” Allison said.

To make room for the flexible learning spaces, some of the lockers in the school would be removed. According to Mr. Allison, only 100 of around 2,000 lockers are checked out by students this year.

Allison went on to explain that, “The design is to build a shelf one or two feet into the wall to make room for students to go out into the hallway and put charging stations and printing stations for them to access.”

Since the school does not currently have the funds to make these changes, the learning spaces would not be put in place for this current school year. However, Mr. Allison is hoping to have them in place during the following school year, in 2018-19.

These learning spaces could just be the beginning of bigger plans for the school and the district. There is a trend sweeping through high schools across the country to increase flexibility.

“The goal is to add more student choice and flexibility during the school day. Adding in learning spaces for students to collaborate, getting away from traditional classes and being in there all day long, and trying to function more like

(Left to right) Junior Austin Frye, senior Riley Weiner and senior Drew Kruse make use of the flexible learning spaces in the student center. a college campus,” Allison said.

Some of these changes have already started to take place, such as having Chromebooks to free up students to access the curriculum through Canvas and other alternative methods. Three additional printers were also added to the library to help accommodate for the rising need for access.

Junior Onaugh Shaughnessy expressed interest in possibly having a less structured class where lectures were a smaller part of the curriculum.

“I would prefer a more flexible schedule because you have a better opportunity to think for yourself and work on your own, but still have the option of going to the teacher for help if it’s needed,” Shaughnessy said.

One concern Shaughnessy raised about having a less structured class period is the ability of the students to stay on task.

“Less teacher involvement could lead to a lack of concentration is some cases. Especially in high school, because high schoolers can get off-task easily when given time to work,” Shaughnessy explained.

While she has embraced some of the positive aspects of a device-centric school day, she prefers pen and paper to the computers.

“I like it because we don’t have textbooks, but I preferred when we didn’t have Chromebooks. I like writing and using my notes as opposed to using the devices,” Shaughnessy explained.

While she may not love using the Chromebooks, Shaughnessy would welcome a change to a course more similar to a college class.

“The main point of high school is to prepare us for college, so it would give us experience of what that would be like,” she said.

English teacher Jody Bilyeu is one of the staff members in favor of adding flexibility to the daily schedule.

“I think the flexibility is great. I like variety as a learner.

Change is hard as an educator, but I enjoy it. When I was self-employed as an editor I didn’t sit at a desk, and I worked where I felt comfortable. I think it’s great that schools are keeping up with the working world,” Bilyeu said.

Bilyeu is also in favor of classes being taught more like a college course, echoing some of the desires to have a more student-run curriculum than previous years.

“I think college courses are more interested in learning outcomes and not whether students comply with every little step that leads to the learning outcome. Like if a student aces the tests while doing none of the homework, but still gets an A in the class,” Bilyeu said.

Bilyeu has long been calling for students having computers or technological devices to enhance the learning process.

“I’ve been wanting computer access for students since the 90’s. If I find a cool poem or an interesting news item, my students now have access to it instead of having to photocopy it for everyone,” Bilyeu explained.

Some aspects of the new devices that Bilyeu enjoys the most is the wealth of resources it gives the students for them to conduct research.

“When my class does research, the students find articles I’ve never even read. Before, I was photocopying the same articles for all of them to read. So, I like the flexibility it gives the students because they are finding things on their own, which is more like the real world,” Bilyeu said.

Moving away from a traditional classroom setting and adding flexibility into the every day schedule is the goal administration seems to be trying to achieve. With all the changes expected to take place in the near future, a typical school day could look very different a year from now.

FEATURE | 33

Zombie makeup is easy and painless, even if you’re not a makeup guru. Make sure you start with a clean patch of skin and place layers of craft glue and single-ply toilet paper on the desired area.

Aim for five or six layers at least.

Wait for the glue to get tacky and begin to tear a small hole in the toilet paper.

This will become the opening to a gash.

Using a skincolored eye shadow, cover up the toilet paper until it looks like part of the face.

Fill in the center of the gash with darker colors, like black and green, to create depth.

Continue to blend together all sorts of nasty colors, making sure to keep the darker colors closer to the open wound and the lighter colors farther away to keep a sense of realism.

This decoration is great for those with a surplus of empty milk jugs laying around.

Start off by removing any stickers from the container. Wet down the surface with water and rubbing the area with acetone to wipe the stickiness away.

Using a permanent marker or acrylic paint, doodle large eyes and a mouth onto each container. Make sure to fill in each shape with minimal streaks.

Using a long cord of rope light, cut a small hole in the bottom of the carton and feed several lights into the incision so that one strand of rope lights can fill multiple containers.

Price Estimate: $5-$10

34 | FEATURE

Easy N’ Creepy

Halloween DIYs

BY ZACH BAIN & DIANA DUDENHOEFFER

Finish up the look by making fake blood using corn syrup, red food coloring and cocoa powder to thicken the consistency. Keep in mind that darker blood looks more realistic. Blot the blood around the wound, and make it run down the face.

Price Estimate: <$10

This Quarter in KHQ History

Kickapoo High Quarterly (formerly the Prairie News) printed this featurette about presumably haunted Springfield locations like Camp Winoka its October 25, 1991 issue.

FEATURE | 35

Falling For Fall Leave summer behind and kick off the season of pumpkin spice.

BY AARON SAWCHAK Tailgating before a football game is a thrilling way to get prepared for the game and show school spirit. Not a fan of football? Come anyway. There is always free food and tons of games and activities to keep a person busy.

Get a pumpkin at a local store and carve it into anything.

A well-done jack-o-lantern can impress anyone, anytime. The mainstream smiley face is always a great option too.

An enormous bonfire on an autumn night can be a great way to sit back and relax. But a bonfire can also be used for making sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;mores and cooking hotdogs, which makes everyone happy. Just try not to get too close to the fire.

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready for an extended scare, visit a haunted house. Dark lights, loud noises and creepy costumes will frighten anyone.

With jump scares and dead ends, corn mazes can be a very exciting activity for a spooky fall night.

Photo Courtesy of Tribune News Service.

36 | FEATURE

How to Quit Being a Sloth Tips and tricks for getting out of your lazy high school habits.

BY MARIO HACKNEY

Put your clock on the other side of the room so you have to get up in order to turn it off. Try to set it as far away as possible so you actually have to leave your bed to stop the noise.

Set your clothes out for the next day, so you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to spend time wondering what to wear. You can also wear your outfit to bed so you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even have to change in the morning.

In order to constantly remind yourself of your homework, you can always just write yourself sticky notes. The more sticky notes the more effective they can be.

Find a way to be comfortable while working.

This makes studying easier and helps with when you constantly are reading or writing for multiple hours at a time.

FEATURE | 37

A Spotlight on Local Businesses From an art studio to a skateshop to a non-profit organization - here is a look inside of local businesses in the Springfield community

By Kelli Volonte

I

want to change the world one kid at a time.”

Professional mental health therapist and business owner Kristen Bolton, explained that this was her goal throughout and after finishing her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.

Currently she’s achieving her goal, not only through counseling others but by using art.

Bolton and two colleagues, both mental health therapists as well, own Beyond Studio, which is a collaborative art studio where their offices are located.

“We wanted to create a non-sterile and colorful place for our clients to wait and relax,” Bolton explained. “But beyond that we wanted to create a space that brings beauty and healing together.”

It is important to her and her colleagues to support local art and use it as a way to showcase their belief that everyone has the ability to create art.

“We want to see what our neighbors have to say about the world through color and creativity,” Bolton said.

“We wanted to create a non-sterile and colorful place for our clients to wait and relax,” Bolton explained.

“But beyond that we wanted to create a space that brings beauty and healing together.”

Their studio partakes in the monthly Art Walk, where multiple studios and businesses open their doors to the public to admire and support the local artists they are featuring. Art Walk is the first Friday of each month.

For August’s Art Walk, Beyond Studio featured Drury graduate Tanner Kirksey, and his senior photography project, “Portraits of Another Reality: Depression Mirrored.”

“The art featured seemed to be very well received by the community,” Bolton said. “People loved that the photos had a story attached to the back; it made them feel like they knew that person’s struggle in a more personal way.”

Beyond Studio even set up a mini photo booth so people visiting the studio during Art Walk could create their own selfies and write their own hidden emotion on the back.

For the September Art Walk, Dr. Micki Pulleyking from Missouri State University created and showcased audio art, like recordings and spoken word poetry. They also featured the resident artist, Deborah Cox, who is one of Bolton’s colleagues at the studio, and a few other visual pieces were still available.

Her advice for someone thinking about or planning to open their own business: begin with great partners that share a dream and goal; then find trusting mentors and not to be afraid of doing something different.

38 | FEATURE

Kristen Bolton and her partners, Melissa Sundwall and Deborah Cox pose for a company photo with Bolton’s dog, Mia, who is a trained therapy dog. Photo Courtsey of Kristen Bolton.

Even though Bolton did not attend Kickapoo, she has strong ties to the community through teachers and students. The owner of 41/7 Skateshop is a KHS graduate and has a different set of ties to the community.

Jose Rojas-Natal has been skating for many years and got his very first job at a local skate shop when he was sixteen. Since then he has worked in another skate shop and at the Springfield Skate Park for a total of almost thirteen years before opening his own.

“When you get to the point where your boss lets you run their business by yourself, it’s a great sign that you know a great piece of owning your own business,” Rojas-Natal explained.

After learning how to manage the business during the years he worked in them, he knew that was what he wanted to do.

“My mother had passed away during my last job, leaving me with money, and getting me in gear to get my shop started,” he said.

Rojas-Natal explained that he was in the middle of getting a loan when his mother left him with the money to open his own store, 41/7 Skateshop.

“She knew what I wanted to do, so I’m forever in debt to her,” he said.

He felt that Springfield needed something new. Rojas-Natal said that one of the difficulties of owning his own business was he knew what was needed product wise, yet there are so many people, and they all want different things.

“For the most part, I’ve catered to the right crowd and want to sell things that I know are good,” he said.

He runs the business completely by himself. Even though he has

hired people before, he does not keep them permanently.

“I’ve tried hiring people and I can’t keep them permanently. I want to, but when I get asked why, I can only say skateboarding isn’t a necessity like Taco Bell across the street,” he said.

Most people come to his business for new boards or skate parts, which means that do not come to him as frequently as they would if they were buying a daily item like food.

“People have to eat. People don’t need boards every day, so you can have slow periods where it messes with bills, and all you can do is wait for the people,” Rojas-Natal said.

Through the slow periods he explores and learns about ways to make his business better.

“Different marketing plans are always being made with me still, so I feel like I’m still learning at times to better the business,” he said.

In the skate world, supporting local skateshops by buying boards and products locally is incredibly important to skaters and to the skateshops.

“I’ve learned local businesses gives people jobs, but with my business it’s different,” Rojas-Natal explained. “Buying local versus a corporate store helps tremendously.”

Supporting local skateshops helps the community, but the buyer

“She knew what I wanted to do, so I’m forever in debt to her,” RojasNatal said. also receives knowledge of the quality of what they’re buying, whether it’s a board or merchandise.

“Coming into a real skateshop, you’re going to get 100% knowledge and shops are people bringing the pros, demos, and events [into the community] as well,” he explained.

Even though the community of 41/7 is a little spread out, RajasNatal feels like it has a good influence and future.

“Overall, we have a good scene with a bright future from the kids that are already getting super skilled and constantly progressing,” he said.

“The best part of owning my own business is making people happy,” he explained. “From a kid’s first board to reoccurring Kelli Eberhard and a crew member interview a woman for The Purpose Pursuit’s first film during their trip to Ethiopia. Photo Courtesy of Kelli Eberhard.

Jose Rojas-Natal’s skateshop 41/7 is located on the intersection of Sunshine and Grand, by the Chick-fil-a and Parkview. His shop also offers options of cute clothes and rad stickers for those who don’t skate. customers that become friends.”

His advice to people aspiring to own their own business is to do if it feels absolutely right.

“Learn and research what it takes financially and from then on, the steps start connecting,” Rojas-Natal said. “It’s a process paperwork wise at the beginning; it’s like homework that counts in life verses points, but once you get the ball rolling, it’s an exciting journey.”

2013 graduate Kelli (Woody) Eberhard’s organization is based upon the different journeys people have experienced. The Purpose Pursuit is a non-profit organization that was co-founded

by Eberhard and husband, Javan Eberhard. Their goal of the organization is to connect the public with different non-profits by creating films about other organizations’ purposes and goals.

The films that The Purpose Pursuit produces features a behind the scenes look into what really goes on in different non-profits.

After The Purpose Pursuit produces a couple more films, their goal is to pitch them to Netflix as a documentary series. If Netflix accepts their proposal, they hope to continue to create these documentaries to be viewed on Netflix “The major goal with that is to pitch it and if they pick it up, use it as a catalyst for people, “ Eberhard explained. “So people who might not know what non-profits are doing all over the world will now have an inside look at what they’re doing.”

She goes on to explain the detailed look that people will witness through these films.

“So instead of hearing, like ‘Oh this non-profit raised three million dollars for this area of the India,’ it’s like ‘Okay, so how did they do that, why did they do that, and what are the people going through?’ That’s what we caption,” Eberhard said.

Through the films, the organization wants to visualize the impact of the other non-profits but also the impact that the people who support them are making.

“You get to see the impact and the results of everything that happens, and where your money goes directly to” Eberhard explained.

FEATURE | 39

Her organization understands and recognizes the gap between the public and the non-profits, and that is what they are trying to fix.

“It’s kind of taking the guesswork out. It’s giving people a lot of reliability on these non-profits because there’s a lot of people that find them hard to trust, and we want to bridge the gap between non-profits and people who are able to help,” she said Instead of building an organization, the Eberhards have developed a team of people and a growing support base dedicated to helping those that are actively helping others.

“It’s full circle, domino effect. We get to be a non-profit, we’re helping other non-profits, and we’re helping people,” she said.

The message behind The Purpose Pursuit is founded upon the idea of people discovering the objective and meaning of helping others.

“I saw how to really have a meaningful life, and that doesn’t mean to stay in the U.S. with all the things I could have. It means how can I live as simply as possible and give 90% away,” Javan Eberhard said.

“The Purpose Pursuit stands for how we want people to find purpose in the pursuit of helping others, and so not only will we help bring light to these non-profits, but our hope is that it helps people kind of jump in with those non-profits as well,” Eberhard explained.

The Eberhards’ organization started with Kelli’s vision, but their love for helping others comes from their own separate experiences.

Javan’s passion came from the time he lived in Africa.

“So she was the one who like kind of dreamed out the vision of everything, but for my history: my parents are missionaries in Kenya and East Africa,” Javan said.

During the five years he lived there, he witnessed the non-profits and missionaries working. Even though he never felt the call to be a missionary, volunteering and helping others was something he loved and enjoyed.

“I really found my call to non-profits when I was in Kenya and just being able to travel outside the U.S. and see the need and get perspective on how blessed we are here,” he said.

“I saw how to really have a meaningful life, and that doesn’t mean to stay in the U.S. with all the things I could have. It means how

“We want people to get involved in bigger ways,” Kelli Eberhard said. The child in this photo is an example of the joy that people bring when they act out of compassion and love.

Photo Courtesy of Kelli Eberhard.

Kelli Eberhard and crew members, including Kickapoo graduates Josie Neal and Jordan McGee, during their trip to Ethiopia for The Purpose Pursuit’s first film. Photo Courtsey of Kelli Eberhard. can I live as simply as possible and give 90% away,” he explained.

Before Kelli and Javan started dating, they discussed her dream for this organization. While she was in the process of making her vision become a reality, Kelli asked him if he would want to help with it. He agreed.

Kelli’s experience began with a movie when she was twelve. Her musical studies teacher showed the class a movie called “War Child.”

“It was a movie about kids in Uganda who were abducted and thrown into the war there and were brainwashed,” she explained.

The movie showed her an entirely different perspective about how life is for people outside of United States, specifically about how unsafe it is for children and teenagers.

“I was just like, I can’t believe what they live and go through,” Kelli said. “I was obessedly researching non-profits, trying to do what I could to go [on a volunteer trip]. It took six years but finally at eighteen I got to go.”

When she graduated high school she was finally able to go to Ethiopia with I Pour Life. After the first trip, she went back three more times.

The idea for The Purpose Pursuit began when she was working at a conference in Austin.

“I was realizing how real this job field is, and how it actually makes a difference...it started with a movie for me at twelve years-old, and now I’m like, ‘I hope it impacts a twelve-year-old the same way,” Kelli explained.

The next step for the non-profit is to travel to Haiti and shoot a film highlighting orphan care. The Purpose Pursuit has team members all over the country, and they will begin having premiers for their documentary. In Springfield, Kickapoo graduate Riley McCullough will be in charge of the premiers and fundraisers. If people in the community want to help fundraise or host, he is the person to contact.

The Purpose Pursuit is about more than just helping people. It is about exploring human emotions and connecting people with knowledge, love, and compassion through their films and hard work.

“Pursuing something in this career really is worthwhile, even though it’s so difficult, and it’s so exhausting and heartbreaking all the time, but you have your moments of glory that you’re like, ‘This is why I do this,’” Kelli explained.

Is Kickapoo Dependent on Caffeine?

Taking a deeper look into the caffeine we consume on the daily.

BY CASSIDY LITTLEWOOD

C

affeine is defined as “a crystalline compound that is found especially in tea and coffee plants and is a stimulant of the central nervous system.”

Addiction is a psychological or physical dependence that affects the brain and central nervous system.

Addictive substances range from substances like sugar to drugs, alcohol, or caffeine.

In a survey of students done by KHQ Today, we found that 92% drink some sort of caffeine every day. Whether that be energy drinks, coffee, tea, or soda.

The reason many students drink caffeine can very from person to person

“I drink like four energy drinks a day,” junior Levi Ekstrom said.

Either way daily caffeine consumption can have some drastic effects.

In some cases over consumption of caffeine has caused symptoms of mania, mental illnesses marked by periods of great excitement,

euphoria, delusions, and overactivity (WebMD).

However, for students insomnia and sleep deprivation is a common side effect.

Every day, students show up tired and not ready for the day. This is a direct effect from a lack of sleep. To fix that tiredness, we drink more caffeine.

“If I don’t have coffee in the morning then I feel like something’s out of place and it’s hard to concentrate.” junior Addie DeMelo said.

As a school, there are many students, and staff especially who feel like they need coffee in the morning to function. There are many more students who drink at least some form of caffeine throughout the day.

Students’ Choice of Caffeine

49% said they relied on soda for their daily caffeine intake. (based on a survey of Kickapoo students)

FEATURE | 41

Senate Bill 98 Ignores Minority Rights State Senator Ed Emery’s “Bathroom Bill” threatens the safety and privacy of transgender students.

BY DIANA DUDENHOEFFER

S

pringfield Public Schools’ (SPS) policy on transgender bathroom use is the lack of a policy, and the Student Handbook makes no mention of gender and bathroom use.

Republican State Senator Ed Emery plans to change that. He oversees Senate Bill 98, commonly known as the “bathroom bill.”

The bill would make transgender students legally obligated to use the bathroom, locker room, shower room, etc. that matches with their anatomy, meaning their biological sex, and not their gender identity.

The bill states, “in every public school setting in which a student may be in a state of undress in the presence of other students, school personnel shall provide separate, distinct areas designated for use by students based on their biological sex to ensure the personal privacy and safety of students.”

Senator Emery claims that the safety and privacy of all students is his priority, but the details of the bill imply otherwise.

Should SB 98 pass, transgender students will not be allowed to use the bathroom that they want to use.

For example, a trans boy—let’s call him James—is someone who presents, acts, lives, dresses, and IS male. If the bill passes, James will not be able to use the men’s bathroom. This is discriminatory and does not take into account James’ safety.

Senator Emery thinks that transgender people should have to go somewhere else other than the bathroom with which they identify. What Emery doesn’t realize—or rather, what he doesn’t see to care about—is that transgender students wouldn’t be able to use their biological bathroom, either.

If James were to use the women’s restroom like Senator Emery wants, he would be very out of place because he doesn’t look feminine in any way. He would be ostracized for simply walking into the restroom that matches his anatomy.

The bill also states “A student who asserts to school officials that his or her gender is different from his or her biological sex may be provided with

42 | OPINION

alternative restroom, locker room, or shower room accommodations.”

The word to note is “may.”

Emery’s bill says that schools may provide alternative accommodations, but the bill in no way mandates the schools to do so.

Transgender students won’t be able to use the bathroom that they want, they won’t be able to use the bathroom that matches their biology, and there’s no promising that they will have anywhere else to go.

Alternative accommodations are not the solution to the bathroom debacle. Building a third bathroom for all the “others” in schools provides a breeding ground for harassment and bullying. It calls attention to students who use the third bathroom and jeopardizes their privacy.

The bathroom bill does not ensure safety for students. It is already illegal to go into a restroom with ill intent, so proposing a bill that targets transgender youth exclusively is both discriminatory and superfluous.

The bill further states that “[a student can] be provided with alternative restroom, locker room, or shower room accommodations, provided that a parent or legal guardian . . . shall provide written consent to use of such alternative accommodations.”

I do not need permission from my parents do use the bathroom! It should not be up to parents to determine which bathroom best fits their child.

Both Senator Emery and those in favor of this bill know that many transgender students have turmoil at home because they are not accepted by their families. By requiring parental consent, the

It is not up to senators to determine the gender identity of a student. Transgender youth should not be forced to use a bathroom that does not match their gender.

It is already illegal to go into a restroom with ill intent, so proposing a bill that targets transgender youth exclusively is both discriminatory and superfluous.

bill effectively denies transgender students of their rights.

To recap: James won’t be able to use the men’s restroom. He will be bullied if he uses the women’s restroom. And even if he obtains parental consent, he still will not be allowed into the restroom that he wants to use.

Bills and laws are written so that they can be enforced. Authorities will not be able to control who goes into what bathroom. Transgender students deserve their rights, and SB 98 does not ensure the equality of everyone.

The good news is that Missouri’s senate is not in session currently, so this bill will not go into effect any time soon. Emery will have to re-introduce the bill in January of next year and start over if he wants his bill passed.

To voice your concerns, visit senate.mo.gov and send Mr. Emery an e-mail. Missouri State Senator Bob Dixon’s district includes Kickapoo, so you can also e-mail him so that he can vote with for best interests of the people he is representing.

OPINION | 43

New Year, New Me I deleted all of my social media to focus on myself.

I

BY KELLI VOLONTE

recently read a New York Times article about how to detect if you are beginning to burn out. If only I had read that article a year ago.

After a long, hard junior year I learned a lot about myself. At the time, it felt like I was never going to heal from the mistakes I had made, and over the summer a multitude of new experiences happened, and I learned that I didn’t like who I was pretending to be.

In English classes, teachers teach about how to create a good story. There’s a plot line, a subplot, the big event where life will never be the same afterwards, the climax, and resolution.

If my life was the kind of novel English teachers spend a month tearing apart, dissecting and analyzing, one of my life changing events occurred this summer. I then realized how ashamed I was of the person I had developed into over the course of the past year.

Focusing on myself is difficult, but it’s even more difficult with a constant flow of outside influences and distractions.

After the “Big Life Changing Event,” I decided to cut off all the outside influences that I felt were negative factors to the person I had become.

I deleted everything. One after another, I left without saying a word to anyone. All the Snapchat streaks I had always been so worried about losing, didn’t seem to matter so much anymore. 356 days, 117 days, 40 days, the list goes on and within a few days, they were gone. No more Instagram, Twitter, Facebook - I even deleted the Tumblr I hadn’t used since freshman year.

Almost three weeks went by, and I was enjoying the isolation. Without the constant pressure of having the perfect Instagram aesthetic or retweeting the best dog photos on Twitter, I was free to focus on myself and really self reflect. It felt like I was in my own little reality, where all the mistakes I had made felt a million miles away and a lifetime ago.

Within that isolation period, I discovered who I was and who I wanted to be. While the rest of my peers were posting their senior photos and finding out what classes they had with their friends - all things I had been looking forward to over the summer - I was alone.

With being alone comes a peaceful period of self reflection and contemplation. Until reality hit me in the face and it was the night before the first day of my senior year. All of the sudden, everything I had been working on was going to have to be utilized consistently in an environment where I have struggled the most.

Slowly as I made progress on myself and toward my goals, I opened back up to the outside world awaiting on

44 | OPINION

As an underclassman I loved having a school ID, because it was like a token that now I’m actually in high school. Now, three years later and most days I forget it at home.

social media. It was a long process, taking months to add everything like Instagram and Snapchat back. The process isn’t over. I’m constantly working on being happy, approaching everything with empathy, and all of the other goals for I have for myself.

Having personal goals for developing as a person is overlooked by the goals people have for their career or college. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter if all of the other, more materialistic goals are reached if you haven’t developed as a person and grown from the experiences you’ve had.

Being a kind and compassionate person, constantly growing and learning to be a better person is all that really matters. And sometimes, it’s easier to focus on doing that without a continuous flow of outside influences. I can tell you that Social media will still be there if you decide to take a break for a little while.

I waited to take this photo until the day before it was due. I wanted to look good with cute clothes and makeup on, but this is me everyday: no makeup, woke up five minutes before I had to leave, wearing the shirt I slept in. To publish a photo I’m not confident with in a nationally ranked publication, it’s a step I’m proud of myself for taking.

Pros and Cons of Chromebooks Chromebooks have taken over classrooms with the new ability to learn.

BY KODY KERSHNER

S

PS has introduced Chromebooks to their curriculum for all students to use this year. This gives every student the opportunity to have Internet access on their own personal district provided computer and can use Google Docs to store and save all work. This feature may limit the use of paper and pencil in many classrooms that are now more centered on technology. There are positives and negatives to this new movement in curriculum.

Some pros are that you can do your work at school and it will be in the same place you finished it.

There is also a lot more information you can figure out while using the Internet and find helpful resources.

Quizlet and Kahoot are great resources that these

Chromebooks can provide. These websites are great tools that can help you learn information and study. For students who do not have access to Internet at home, the Chromebooks gives them Internet access at school to be able to have similar opportunities as the other students. The district is also providing free hotspots to students who need internet access away from their school building. Lastly, another pro is that you can see your grades online, so you can check and see how you are doing at any time.

Some of the cons of the Chromebook is the low battery life. It feels like every time I come home after using it during the school day my battery life is almost dead. Another thing holding it back is the blocked websites. I feel as if I sometimes can not do my best work due to the fact that I cannot get on the websites necessary to complete research. The Internet on the computer runs slowly which is not the worst thing, but is an annoyance. The last con is they will randomly crash for no reason.

Overall the Chromebooks are a good idea for students who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have computers or internet access.

They are not the best computers in the world but they get the job done for all of the students in the district.

OPINION | 45

Frightful Films Movies to give you more than a fair share of screams this Halloween season.

BY TATE HUTTER Halloween (1978)- What better place to start on a list of Halloween horror movies than Halloween itself. This thriller is a staple among classic horror cinema and is sure to leave you checking your windows. Watch as killer Michael Myers stalks his victims on the night of October 31.

Friday the 13th (1980)- The most famous slasher film is also notorious for being one of the most terrifying. As you watch serial killer, Jason, hunt the inhabitants of Camp Crystal Lake, you will undoubtedly be left wondering if you are next on his list.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)- Taking a turn from the slasher films, watch the footage of three film students who disappeared while trying to document the infamous Blair Witch. The movie that revolutionized the “found footage” genre is sure to leave you feeling uneasy.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)- No horror movie list is complete without this chainsawwielding gore fest. Watch in shock as a group of five friends are hunted down and killed in horrendous ways by the sinister Leatherface and his family of cannibalistic psychopaths.

IT (2017)- The cinematic remake of Stephen King’s famous novel was one the of the most anticipated films to the year and arrived just in time for Halloween. Watch in terror as the kids from Derry, Maine face the shape-shifting demon known as Pennywise the Clown.

Final Destination (2000)- Death isn’t meant to be cheated. After saving himself and his friends from a plane crash, death begins hunting down Alex and his group of friends to kill them in horrific manners. The first installment in the Final Destination series, this movie is sure to leave you paranoid of when death may be coming for you.

The Exorcist (1973)- A classic in the horror industry, The Exorcist will scare even the most hardened horror junkies. A sense of dread will creep over you as you watch two priests try to expel a demon from a young girl’s body.

46 | OPINION

Clockwise: The sinister Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Pennywise the clown lurks through the sewers in IT, the group of friends watch as their plane explodes in Final Destination, the young girl who has been possessed by a demon in The Exorcist. All photos courtesy of Tribune News Service.

OPINION | 47

Are Clothing Companies Pushing Fashion Trends in the Wrong Direction?

Our editors debate the growing trend among fashion companies known as “fast fashion.”

BY DIANA DUDENHOEFFER AND TATE HUTTER

F

ast fashion is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “an approach to the design, creation, and marketing of clothing fashions that emphasizes making fashion trends quickly and cheaply available to consumers.” The “new arrivals” tab on any clothing brand website is a great example. The large-scale, quick and inexpensive production of clothing may sound like no big deal, but there are many facets of the issue that make fast fashion controversial.

Diana dUDENHOEFFER

We live in a world where our value is determined by what we buy.

I’ve been bemused with fashion trends for years now. I’ve often wondered why these crazes change so rapidly. As it turns out, we switch between low-rise and high-rise jeans every few seasons not because we cannot decide which of the two are more functional, but because it makes more money for the fashion industry.

“Fast fashion” is a promotional technique used by clothing companies to make consumers feel the need to buy more goods more frequently.

This morally questionable practice thrives on impulse purchases and making the buyer feel bad about themselves.

If I’m caught wearing last season’s clothes, I’ve managed to isolate myself as someone who doesn’t partake in the mad dash to wear the newest styles. We are encouraged to buy

A woman searches the racks at an Old Navy, a store known for using the “fast fashion” trend. Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service.

48 | OPINION

cheap, trendy clothes, wear them for a season, and discard them quickly to make room in our closets for next year’s hottest buys.

Just a few seasons ago, mid-calf boots were all the rage.

Those flat, suede boots with little shape to them were a staple for winter fashion across the nation. This year, ankle boots are in style, effectively nullifying the mid-calf boots.

We fear the possibility that we will be ostracized, and that fear is what drives us to buy clothes that are popular with little thought regarding the consequences of our purchases.

There ARE consequences for our purchases. Even though the striped tops in the New Arrivals tab on the Old Navy website are only fourteen dollars, a lot more went into making that top than many would care to realize.

Toxic water, poisoned air and depleted natural resources are only a few of the many by-products generated by clothing companies, particularly by fast fashion manufacturing, because modern and trendy pieces are always in high demand.

According to worldwildlife.org, more than 700 gallons of water goes into the production of one cotton t-shirt. Fourteen dollars is not an accurate measurement of how much money was spent on the creation of Old Navy’s top.

Alternatively, consumers should be encouraged to express their individuality free of the pressures set upon them by the industry. Instead of succumbing to the urge to buy the newest fashions, the buyer should take care to realize what it

Musician Pharrell Williams with Nigo, the creator of Bape, a popular brand in the streetwear community. Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service.

is that they actually enjoy wearing and focus their attention on that.

Fashion companies are advocating for something else entirely. Trendy clothes are a waste of time, money, and resources. They are short-lived, and the clothes are only made to be thrown away.

Tate HUTTER

The fashion world, just like any other industry, is constantly changing. The fashion industry is incredibly competitive and to survive it is necessary that companies constantly adjust to meet the demands of their customers.

Today’s society is a constant stream of trends. Some stay and some are short-lived, soon replaced by the newest fad.

These trends are determined by consumers; by what they think is cool and by what they are willing to spend money on.

If a clothing brand does not update their products to meet the current demands of their customers, they will most likely fall behind while other brands snatch those same customers away.

While the argument has been made that this is a materialistic thought process that makes individuals seem only as good as their clothes, I don’t believe that this is the case. Instead of promoting an object-oriented state of mind, I think companies want their clients to embrace these trends. I truly believe that companies are creating products that they believe that their customers will enjoy while also producing them in a manner that is most beneficial to their financial game.

Furthermore, it is important to understand that many companies would not survive without this style of production.

Brands such as Supreme, Palace, and Bape have based their entire sales platforms on small, fast releases.

These three companies are all considered streetwear, a style of clothing and merchandise that is based on skateboarding, pop culture, and music. The streetwear community is where I

have personally seen the fast fashion production most heavily integrated.

These brands, among others, usually have two large releases per year, a spring/summer release and a fall/winter release.

Those within the streetwear community refer to these as “drops.” These drops usually take place over a set number of weeks in which smaller numbers of items are released each week. For example, Supreme releases each of their drops over a 17-week period in which each week a handful of items are made available to the public.

Although this style of buying may seem odd to someone who has never purchased clothing in this manner before, it has become very popular within the streetwear community and has worked with tremendous success. Supreme is possibly the most popular streetwear brand in the world. Customers will line up for hours, sometimes even days, to buy Supreme’s products proving that this style of production does work.

I also believe that brands such as Supreme use this style of release because they think it will be the most beneficial to their customers. Since streetwear brands only release twice a year, they are usually very large releases with hundreds of items. By stretching out these items over a number of weeks, it allows their customers to spread out their purchases. This essentially helps customers financially while also helping the companies manage a smaller number of items.

Additionally, despite selling merchandise in fast intervals, brands like Supreme do not decrease the quality of their products, and in fact are known for the high quality of their clothing.

For me, the method of fast fashion is unavoidable and essential for many of my favorite companies to survive. It doest create any sense of materialism and I definitely don’t see the industry straying away from it any time soon.

OPINION | 49

I Believe That We Are (Still) Gross For the love of Wasaka, act like a decent human being when you sit in the student section.

BY TONY MADDEN

B

efore I begin, I want to make one thing abundantly clear: I absolutely love sitting in the student section at football games. The camaraderie, the school spirit and the cool fall weather have all made sitting in those bleachers on Friday nights one of the most enjoyable parts of the past four years.

I do not, however, enjoy the bottles, loose beads and/or other debris that come hurtling toward my head, or hearing racist, homophobic or otherwise offensive comments coming from the student section while I’m trying to enjoy some of my last high school football games.

If you went to Kickapoo during the 2015-16 school year,

Student sections are to cheer on our team and to instill fear in the opposing one- under no circumstances are they meant for us to throw garbage like wild animals or make anyone feel unwelcome. you may remember a certain opinion piece entitled I Believe That We Are Gross (written by former Kickapoo High Quarterly Opinion Editor Meredith Murphree) in KHQ that caused quite a stir among the student body. The fall 2015 piece described how our student section exists solely to cheer on our team and to instill fear in the opposing one, as well as how Murphree failed to see how a seemingly endless storm of garbage flying down from the top of the bleachers and unnecessary screaming accomplished either of those things.

For a while, I truly believed that Murphree’s statements 50 | OPINION

What a wonderful sight.

Chiefs gathering for a night of school spirit, FNL and an all-around good time. Little do they know that an unforeseen shower of garbage and offensive slurs is in the evening forecast. Photo courtesy of Jack Patrick.

made a difference in our beloved student section. But when Kickapoo won the best area high school student section poll on the Ozarks Sports Zone website last month, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wish I could take my vote for the Chiefs back.

We are simply not the best student section in the Ozarks.

To my own disappointment as well as that of some faculty members and students, certain issues in the student section have made a comeback for the 2017-18 football season.

One of which is the throwing of trash from the top of the student section: something that Murphree mentioned in her piece from two years ago. I don’t know about you, but I don’t particularly enjoy being hit in the head with water bottles and loose beads while I’m trying to enjoy some good, old fashioned FNL. Is there something that I’m missing? Is there some kind of thrill or vigor that is only attainable through the hurling of refuse down at those of us who are actually paying attention

to the game? I seriously have NO idea what you think you’re gaining from doing that.

The second issue with our student section is a completely astonishing one that I am appalled having to face. According to a group of students who attended the Kickapoo versus Glendale game on September 15, discriminative slurs like the n-word and “faggot” (along with other offensive phrases directed at specific students on the track and field area) were heard coming from the student section. Similar remarks were heard at the September 21 game versus Hillcrest.

“I’m really disgusted,” one student said. “I don’t really think that the Kickapoo community should treat our own that way...It’s not okay and someone needs to do something about it.”

I wholeheartedly agree. This is 2017, people. Demeaning statements based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or any other factor have no place in any settinglet alone a high school football game with hundreds of

students, parents, teachers and children in the audience.

I find it absolutely disgusting and personally offensive that these kinds of statements would be acceptable in any context to anyone in this day and age.

I’m not sure whether or not he was referring to ceasing this unacceptable, obnoxious and quite frankly disgusting behavior in the Chiefs’ student section, but our 35th President, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, said it best when he asked, “If not us, who? If not now, when?” We’ll never know, but I like to think that those wise words are applicable here.

So please, Chiefs. I’m not only asking for me, but for every single person who sits on those bleachers on Friday nights.

Stop being terrible human beings.

I know that we can come together as one tribe to put an end to this disgusting nonsense. I’ve seen it before. I believe that we are gross, but I also believe that we have the potential to stop being gross.

OPINION | 51

Editorial

No speech, No freedom Censorship is becoming more acceptable, putting the American way of life in danger.

T

BY THE KHQ EDITORIAL BOARD he first amendment, which guarantees the freedom of speech, the amendment held nearest and dearest to most Americans, is under attack. It is under attack by people who fail to understand it’s true meaning. It’s meant to protect all speech, not just the kind that we like. This even applies to the vilest form of hate speech that neo-nazis and white nationalists spew on a regular basis.

All speech should be allowed except, when it calls for or threatens, violence. Bomb threats and shooting threats are forbidden because of the potential physical harm these things can cause. While with other forms of speech the likelihood of real violence is zero.

Banning ideas, no matter how disgusting you find them, should be abhorrent to all Americans lest we go back to the days where speaking poorly of the government could get you thrown in jail for sedition. Any sort of restriction of speech by the government should be a terrifying idea. It’s simply one step toward tyranny.

The protests going on in the NFL are an excellent example. The players who are kneeling during the anthem have every right to do so. Morally it might be completely wrong to some, but the first amendment protects all speech not just the kind that people find morally right.

The American people need to get over

52 | OPINION

themselves and realize that words really cannot hurt you. We cannot remove all of the hate in this world, we must learn to live with it, and do our best to make it better through positive actions, not calling for speech bans.

Freedom of speech is worth the sacrifice.

Like occasionally hearing something you find offensive or that you disagree with.

Words alone will not harm you and if you hear something contradictory to your own views you might learn something. We need to remember our roots as a nation and learn why we have this freedom. We need freedom of speech, it’s a vital part of our democracy.

Our government would not function if we did not have the freedom to speak our minds. It would cease to be a government of the people.

When we see riots because people do not want a certain speaker to give a speech it should be a wake up call. A wake up call to the fact that things are changing, people are being encouraged to abandon our hard fought American values and ideas. Especially when these riots are occurring on college campuses. Colleges are supposed to be havens of exploration of ideas. Now colleges have become a place where only the right ideas of certain ideologies are considered acceptable.

We should find all censorship deplorable. We should regard it as a tool of tyranny, a slippery slope that does not stop until all of our rights cease to exist. We as a people need to remember that freedom of speech is the wall that stands between us and tyranny.

A woman protests fascism on Glenstone Ave. on the day of President Donald J. Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s September visit to Springfield. Photo by Tony Madden.

OPINION | 53

As a Journalist My experience at the Freedom Forum’s Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference

BY TONY MADDEN

J

ournalism first became a part of my life in mid-August of my sophomore year. I walked into room 201 as a timid 15-yearold with none of my own opinions or ambitions, terrified of the adviser.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid that I had made a terrible mistake in taking Journalism I. Little did I know that this giant, intimidating classroom would lead me to the single most lifechanging experience in my short 18 years.

I still remember the day that my adviser, Leslie Orman, handed me a pamphlet for the Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference. It was a great honor to be bestowed upon any student journalist. Only one student from each state and the District of Columbia would be selected, and would receive the all-expensespaid trip to our nation’s capital for the conference, a $1000 college scholarship, 50 new friends from all around the nation and all the networking opportunities I could ask for.

I obviously didn’t think that I would be selected. Out of hundreds of Missouri applicants, there was no way I could possibly be the most appealing to a Freedom Forum selection committee. The conference was for the best of the best student journalists- not for me. To my utter amazement and boost of confidence, I was selected to represent the state of Missouri at the conference from June 1722, 2017.

The Free Spirit program was founded in 1999 by Al Neuharth, creator of USA Today, the Newseum and Newseum Institute and Freedom Forum. Since then, Al Neuharth Free Spirit scholars have gone on to report for major publications like USA Today, The Associated Press, Politico and The Washington Post. Some of these scholars even came back to Washington as speakers at the conference.

During our week in D.C., I also got the opportunity to meet with other well-known media professionals like Pulitzer Prize winners Martin Baron, David Fahrenthold and Sara Ganim (three of my personal heroes when it comes to investigative journalism).

We even got to meet two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Mills, a photographer who was with President George W. Bush on September 11, 2001.

I can definitively say that learning from these media professionals and making connections with them changed my life for the better.

As most people know, Journalism is a risky trade. Every time you put yourself out there, you’re putting everything on the line; sometimes it’s your career in general, sometimes it’s your reputation, and sometimes, it’s even your life. I didn’t think I really had what it takes to succeed in this trade. But thanks to the Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference and everyone at the Freedom Forum and Newseum Institute, I now know with total confidence that I will survive in this industry.

My week in D.C. this summer was the single most important and life-changing experience of my entire life. But if I hadn’t taken JI my sophomore year, I never would’ve been presented with this great opportunity and even greater honor. So my advice is to take chances. Apply for that Rotary scholarship. Look into GOCAPS or ask your teacher about that art institute. Don’t miss out on those opportunities because you were afraid. They could be terrifying, and you might fail. But you also just might find out what you were meant to do with your life through amazing, metamorphic experiences like mine.

Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron speaks to the audience in the Newseum lobby after accepting the Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media. Baron is most popularly known for his 2003 Pulitzer Prize-winning exposé about the Catholic Church child molestation/sexual assault scandal in the Boston Globe.

All 51 Free Spirit Scholars gather on the Newseum rooftop for a group photo shortly before the award ceremony.

All Photos courtesy of Maria Bryk/Newseum Institute.

Associated Press News Automation Editor and 2006 Missouri Free Spirit Alum Justin Meyers (with other Free Spirit Alumni) speaks to the Free Spirit scholars at the Knight Conference center at the Newseum.

Frank LoMonte, Executive Director of the Student Press Law Center, speaks to the Free Spirit scholars about the rights of student journalists at a U.S. District Court in D.C. He also described how the 1988 Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier Supreme Court case is â&#x20AC;&#x153;cancerâ&#x20AC;? to student journalism.

Nevada representative Sarah Fernandez, Kentucky representative Fons Cervera and New Jersey representative Anna Favetta stand in awe inside the United States Capitol Building rotunda shortly after visiting the press galleries of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives chambers.

New York Times White House photographer Doug Mills shows his camera equipment after showing the Free Spirits his Pulitzer Prize-winning photos, along with many others. Mills photographed President George W. Bush in Air Force One and at the Sarasota, Florida elementary school on September 11, 2001.

OPINION | 55

The First Amendment the most important of our rights, and American should be aware of it.

The Erosion of Our Rights Free speech is the most important American right. And it has found itself under attack.

BY GARRETT PECK

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ree speech is a widely held American value. It’s the first and most important Amendment to our the Constitution, yet it finds itself under attack by ignorant people who do not realize its purpose.

It was meant so that all speech could be protected, from the most evil Neo Nazis to writers of the most innocent children’s television programs. It was written like this to stop any kind of slippery slope.

Our founders believed that government, unless carefully limited, would evolve into tyranny.

They strove to create a system of government that was the least likely to make this evolution in granting the people certain rights that could not 56 | OPINION

be infringed upon. These rights were designed to give the people a great amount of freedom and to give them the power to oppose any government that could be construed as tyrannical.

Lately, the actual reason for these rights have been slowly overshadowed by the hyper-emotional and, frankly, stupid arguments of organizations such as The Anti Fascists. They equivocate speech that they don’t agree with as potential violence. They have even professed to wanting an end to free speech. This is terrifying to me, as without free speech we’d have no legal way to demonstrate any opposition to the government.

Are our feelings really so valuable and so vulnerable that we would give up monumentally important freedoms to protect them?

The worst part is that these ideas are becoming more and more mainstream. With more and more people calling for an end to hate speech, without realization of the slippery slope they stand on. When you give the government the power to censor and to stop certain forms of speech, it could eventually start to expand on the “true” definition hate speech until we truly have completely lost our right to free speech.

A Q & A With Coach McHenry

Coach McHenry is back, now as head coach of the boys basketball team.

By Kody Kershner

Coach McHenry is excited for the upcoming basketball season. Photo

by Lily Ragsdale.

Q: What made you want to come back to Kickapoo for a second stint?

A: Being the head coach at a school with such rich tradition and knowing some of the coaches here made this the best decision for me.

Q: What did you learn in your first coaching experience?

A: I learned better organization skills, I learned how to manage a team better, and I just hope to improve every year.

Q: What are your expectations for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team?

A: We are a very young team and are not returning any starters. I expect us to compete in every game and grow as a team throughout the season.

Q: Did you always want to be a coach?

A: Yes. I always knew I wanted to be a coach because my dad was a coach, and I grew up around sports.

Q: What is your favorite sport outside of basketball?

A: My favorite sport outside of basketball would have to be football. I help coach it here and played in college.

SPORTS | 57

Varsity Fall Sports Throwing , spiking, and swinging. Fall sports are back and better than ever.

BY LILY RAGSDALE & JACK PATRICK

‘T

is the season for fall sports. Although school had just started, many of the teams have been in full swing since the summer. A lot of teams graduated their senior class last year, so there are many players this year that are unfamiliar faces.

When one door closes, another one opens. Last year, the varsity football team said goodbye to Coach Thompson and hello to Coach Thomas. Before becoming a Chief, Thomas was a Bluejay at Marshfield High School. “I think the kids mentality here at Kickapoo toward winning and competition is awesome,” Thomas said.

Both the boys and girls cross country teams have been practicing all summer and haven’t stopped the grind since last year. Many of the runners take up track and field during the spring to stay in shape for cross country season. This year they are looking forward to winning their conference and district, and hopefully qualify a team for state. Coach Jeremy Goddard has been taking a different approach for his varsity team this year. To be eligible for a spot on varsity, a runner must be one of the first seven to finish. The spots on varsity are determined every week. “[The] Boys team graduated four of our top seven boys and one athlete didn’t come back so this year we have a whole new varsity roster. [The] Girls only lost a couple of athletes and the returning girls did lots of work over the summer to improve themselves on the course,” Goddard said.

The boys soccer team this year is a completely new team than last year’s. Varsity soccer coach, Phil Hodge, explains that “this year we don’t have the experience that we have had in the past.

This is a lot of guys first opportunity at the Varsity level. This team is adjusting to the Varsity speed of play and are getting better and better each and every game.” Last year the team graduated eight starters, some of which won awards for their excellence on and off the team. Many of the returning upperclassmen will step up and become leaders to help regain where they were last year.

Many students don’t acknowledge softball, which is unfortunate.

The girls are off to a winning start and will continue to keep going up. Senior Katelyn Antrim has been playing on the softball team her whole high school career.

“I think what sets us aside [from other teams] is that we don’t back down from a challenge. Where someone may lack in execution or ability, another teammate is willing and able to do what needs to be done to help the whole team and not themselves.”

The boys swim and dive has many state classifying returners this year. Senior Ivan Quackenbush being one of them. “We have a really close group of upperclassmen and we all really enjoy competing with each other and supporting one another. Our goal this year is to qualify for state and win Southwest Missouri.”

Girls Varsity Tennis: “We have a lot of brand new, some two sport or three sport athletes that are all welcomed and achieve at whatever level they want to. We also are a “partner before the ball” team. This means win or lose the point each teammate knows that they are there to support each other.”

Along with all the other varsity sports, volleyball graduated a lot of their seniors. Many of the girls have stepped up and played different positions to help better the team. Returning senior, Harper Auman, has high goals for her team this year. “Our main goal is definitely to go to state, but we’re going to take it one step at a time and really focus on our team chemistry and what’s going on, on our own side before worrying too much about anyone else.”

In the first tournament of the season, the Chiefs took down state-ranked team Rockbridge. They also had a heated game against Glendale, in which three red cards were given out. Two red cards on the Chiefs, one red card on Glendale.

Senior Coral Tracy returns the ball to her opponent. Tracy has been playing on the varsity team since her freshman year, and is a returning state qualifier.

58 | SPORTS

Sophomore Megan Macci bunts the ball into fair territory. The main purpose of a bunt is to get the ball as far from the fielders as possible, while staying within the infield.

Junior Bailey Schuldt spikes the ball over the net in hopes to get a point for her team. For the first time in eleven years, Kickapoo beat Ozark: a huge win for the Volleychiefs.

Sophomore Katy Fink digs the Junior Autumn Stephens strides club into the ground to get the to the finish line to help her ball closer to the hole. Coach team win. Scores are given Drane has high hopes for all to the corresponding plan in his golfers this year. which the runners finish.

They started off the season well with a convincing win against Parkview. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been downhill from there, with five consecutive losses to Rolla, Joplin, Camdenton,south side rival Glendale, and Hillcrest.

Senior Christan Casertano does the breast stroke in the All Relays meet at the John H. Foster Natatorium. Casertano is part of the state hopeful 200 freestyle relay as well.

SPORTS | 59

New Coach, New Start

T

BY WILL ANOAI

his school year, Nate Thomas has come in as the football head coach and brought new traditions to Kickapoo that he has used at his previous job at Marshfield.

“He is one of the best replacements we could’ve found and I think he fits perfectly in the Kickapoo football program,” senior Adrian Davis said.

The players are really starting to accept the new routines and ideas that Coach Thomas has brought to the Chiefs.

“Honestly I feel that the new traditions this year help the team get hyped before games and that it brings the team together as a whole and I wish we had all these traditions three years ago,” said senior Cole Farris.

“The first championship Thursday we had was fun.

The paintballing war we had was awesome. But when we had to do that workout circuit on the football field I almost met Jesus that day,” senior Ian Martus said.

One of the new traditions is called the K life. The K life is basically a set of values that players can follow as they go throughout high school and life.

This consists of the following six character traits: accountability, trust, work ethic, integrity, identity, and respect.

“The K life is the tradition I really like because not only is coach Thomas trying to make us better football players but better man,” said senior Tyler Waggoner.

Another new tradition that Coach Thomas has introduced is championship Thursday. On this day the team either has a fun day of team bonding or they have to go through a high intensity workout.

The team doesn’t know until that Thursday if it will be fun or work. It has created a sense of anticipation and optimism for this team that is learning new ways.

60 | SPORTS

Junior Travis King attempts to catch the ball over Glendale defenders. Photo courtesy of Jack Patrick.

SPORTS | 61

Bros vs.

Joes

BY AARON SAWCHAK & WILL ANOAI

S

occer is a sport that takes a great deal of concentration and determination.

Goalies, especially, need to stay locked in the whole game. Some games come down to penalty kicks, which are gut wrenching moments that can make or break a game.

We put the varsity goalie, Jacob Holman (11) up against Will Cantu (11) in a one vs. one penalty kick challenge. Each player gets a point for either scoring a goal, or saving a goal.

Cantu stood 12 feet away, waiting to strike, while Holman was against the net anticipating Cantuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kick.

Holman got off to an easy start after Cantu shanked the ball and it slowly rolled towards the goal. The goalie takes the lead 1-0.

Holman then comfortably saved the next 3 kicks to make it 4-0. Being the nice guy he his, Holman then let Cantu score the next 6 goals to make the score 6-4 for the striker.

Holman then started to showboat thinking he had the win secured after gaining all of the momentum.

Not wanting him to get much closer to victory, Holman effortlessly saved the next 4 goals to take the lead 8-6. Then Cantu and Holman go back and forth saving and scoring goals to tie the game 9-9.

Coming down to the final kick, the pressure was on Holman; can the varsity goalie stop an unathletic baseball player?

Holman comes up big in the clutch. He saves the last kick attempt with a little dive to his left.

Jacob Holman wins the 1st annual Bros vs. Joes soccer penalty kick shootout 10-9.

62 | SPORTS

Junior Will Cantu approaches the ball getting ready to shoot.

Junior Jacob Holman patiently awaits the kick standing in the goalie box.

Kobe Bryant bears an “I can’t breathe” shirt to stand up for victims of police brutality. Photo Courtesy of Tribune News Service.

NBA Players Fight for Change NBA athletes are raising their voices against injustices.

BY KODY KERSHNER

T

here have been high profile controversial events happening that have spilled over into the celebrity athlete world. The shootings in Ferguson and Baltimore just to name a few have made headlines all across America. These injustices have caused high-profile NBA players to speak out and voice their opinions. During the 2016 Excellence in Sports Yearly Award show (ESPY’s) LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwayne Wade spoke out on the underlying issues that were happening all across the United States. They used their voice and platform to discuss the Black Lives Matter movement and re-enforce that we as a nation need not to judge somebody by the color of their skin,

but by the way they act. They were not the only players to do it; players all across the league have voiced their displeasure in a variety of ways.

The Brooklyn Nets silently protested before the game by wearing warm up shirts the read “ I can’t breathe” in protest of Eric Garner saying he could not breathe during a police altercation. Lebron James was also seen wearing this same warm up as well. One of the most interesting and frightening stories of the offseason was with Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter.

Kanter was visiting his home country of Turkey while on tour for his basketball camps. He was about leave and head back to the U. S. when something went wrong. He had been told his passport had been canceled. He said the reasons for it were because of his political views and him being more fortunate than most. He went live on Twitter to explain the situation and his frustration. He explained how his family could not even go to the supermarket without being spat on.

He is trying to use his fame to voice the rights he thinks the people of Turkey deserve. The NBA players feel that now their voice is more needed than ever.

They have spoken up and helped to spark change using a platform that reaches millions.

SPORTS | 63

New Starters on the Football Team Last year’s seniors left big shoes for a new coach and a new batch of starters to fill

BY JACK STOBBE & GARRETT PECK

T

his football season poses new challenges for Kickapoo’s brand new head coach Nate Thomas.

Thomas went from coaching 60 kids in grades nine through twelve at Marshfield, his previous job, to coaching 100 kids in the same age group at Kickapoo.

Thomas discussed the transition and adjustment from being a senior-laden team last season to having a mostly young and inexperienced team.

“It’s not that different for me because it’s my first year, but it is an adjustment for our players because of all the players and talent we’ve lost,” Thomas said.

The only returning all conference player from last year’s team is Defensive Lineman Will Anoai, who is also one of the only seniors with starting experience on the team.

Senior Noah Jennerjohn, starting Defensive End and Tight End for the varsity team, is another one of the few seniors who are starting. He explained how he has tried to be leader to such a young team.

“I’ve basically just tried to continue to do what I’ve always done, and that is lead by example,” Jennerjohn said.

Both Coach Thomas and Jennerjohn have had mostly positive things to say about how some of the younger players have performed under the bright lights of a varsity high school football game.

“A lot of young guys stepped up and held their own when called upon,” Jennerjohn explained.

Coach Thomas praised starting quarterback Mason Auer, saying that the coaching staff has put a lot on his plate, and he is impressed with how he has responded.

Jennerjohn and Coach Thomas agreed that the biggest adjustment this team has had to make after losing so many experienced, senior starters last season was winning close football games.

With a young team and a first-year head coach, the Chiefs have made many adjustments this football season.

64 | SPORTS

Quarterback Mason Auer attempts to run for a first down on September 1 against Joplin at Pottenger Stadium.

All photos courtesy of Jack Patrick.

Linebacker Jack Hayden returns an interception during the game against Parkview on August 18 at Pottenger Stadium.

Senior Adrian Davis catches a touchdown pass aganst Glendale on September 15 at Pottenger Stadium.

Senior Joshua Scheiderer attempts to make a catch against Parkview on August 18 at Pottenger Stadium.

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Senior Leah Vokolek plans on attending Missouri State University after graduation to play volleyball and major in Biomedical Sciences.

Queen of the Court A spotlight on Volleychiefs star player Leah Vokolek.

BY ZACH ARNOLD

F

rom volleyball to basketball, senior Leah Vokolek has always had a strong passion for sports. During her senior year however, she will be focusing only on volleyball.

“After high school I plan on attending Missouri State University to play volleyball, majoring in biomedical, hoping to pursue a career in healthcare,” Vokolek said.

Having grown up with parents and a brother who all had a passion for sports, Vokolek found

66 | SPORTS

her love for volleyball in the fifth grade.

“My parents influenced me to play as many sports as I could as a child, playing volleyball, basketball, soccer, and softball,” she said.

Sports took up a lot of her life which is why her parents really pushed for her to stay in them, keeping her focused.

Beating Ozark this year was easily Vokolek’s most exciting moment in her athletic career, as it was the first time they’d beaten the Tigers in eleven years.

“I was speechless after the Ozark game. The twelfth year is a charm.

I felt like we came in prepared with a mission to beat them and after two sets we did,” Vokolek said.

Her other favorite moment in her sports career was when the Kickapoo girls basketball team won state. She was on the bench for this experience, but had amazing season with those girls.

Getting to where she is today took a lot of time, practice, and dedication. She does not have the typical social life of an average high school student. She spends more time putting in hard work with teammates to better themselves and exceed towards their goals.

“I handle stress and pressure by focusing.

When the team is in a pressure situation we relax and play like we know how to, not letting the other team get in your head, volleyball is a mind game. We focus on what needs to get done and do it, without hesitation,” Vokolek said.

Training for volleyball consists of perfecting fundamentals such as passing, setting, and hitting every day. Also training mentally focusing on the game and not letting mistakes get to your head. Outside of volleyball she and her friends do crossfit training to keep their agility and cardio at a good rate.

Vokolek and her team are going to continue working hard in order to keep winning games and make her friends and family proud.

University of Clemson linebacker Ben Boulware celebrates the national title win with teammates. Photo Courtesy of Tribune News Service.

Catchin’ Up With Kody

BY KODY KERSHNER

T

his time of the year is one of the best in the sports world. There is college and NBA basketball starting back up, the NFL and college football are in the middle of their seasons, and the baseball postseason is heating up.

Sports fans can’t be bored with all of this to watch.

I’m here to give you reasons why each of them will be worth watching.

The football powerhouses will be right in the middle of their seasons. This means we will know who’s going to compete for a championship

and what teams are going to throw in the towel on the season. We will also get to see how the Atlanta Falcons respond to their heartbreaking Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots and how Alabama can come back after losing their first game in almost two years. There has been a lot of shakeup in these two sports and will most likely look a whole lot different than last year with all the draft picks and free agent signings.

This football season will be one of the most unpredictable and exciting yet.

The NBA and College basketball will be just starting their respective seasons and there is a lot to look forward in each of them. The NBA had one of it’s most watched finals in history last year. The Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers have met for the past three years in the finals and people have tuned in at a high rate. The NBA is gaining popularity every year, and with all the new superstars in the league, it doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. College basketball lost some of the best talent the sport has seen in a while to the NBA. The good news is that the upcoming recruiting class is one of the best in the past ten years. This college basketball season will be one of the most unpredictable in a while. Duke and Kentucky have been picked as the favorites to win the title the past two years but have come up short in the tournament, while sleepers like Gonzaga have made the title game.

This year should be no different and will be full of surprises.

The MLB postseason is beginning and this has been one historic year. We’ve seen guys like Giancarlo Stanton hit 50+ home runs, Aaron Judge having one of the best power seasons by a rookie ever and Chris Sale breaking strikeout records. Some of the best teams in baseball hope to finally win the world series for their city. The Dodgers are looking for their first world series title since 1988, while the Astros and Nationals are looking for their first one ever.

This season has been full of stories and teams that have not been in contention for a while.

This time of year will be full of events to watch, and no sports fan should be bored.

SPORTS | 67

KHQ

KICKAPOO HIGH QUARTERLY