The Express - February Issue

Sex trafficking can be hidden in plain sight and happen to anyone

The month of February is dedicated to remembering Black history, as well as honoring Black achievements.

As LEGO building begins to appeal to older demographics, more students and staff build this hobby.

Tattoos are becoming more mainstream, especially with teenagers and adults.

As part of the Career Development Opportunities Program, students with special needs work at local businesses.

At What Cost?

Sex trafficking is a form of human trafficking. Overland Park Police Detective Derrick Wilczek said sex trafficking scenarios are often the result of a trafficker posing as a significant other, and do not typically involve random abduction. “Almost all of our cases have something to do with some type of emotional connection or friendship,” Wilczek said. “Or, some type of partnership between the trafficker and the victim.”

The Love Languages Husky Highlights Game Day Gallery 22 10 30

A collection of student life photos from the start of the semester.

A look into the inspirations and origins of student’s style of fashion.

Photos from football, girls and boys basketball, dance and cheer.

IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING

To many of us, stories of human trafficking are horrible tragedies that seem far, far away from our everyday lives. Unfortunately, that is simply not true. Human trafficking has become a global issue, with Kansas City at the forefront. In this issue, we cover a subset of human trafficking: sex trafficking. To read more about how this affects our community, turn to pages 12-15.

Due to Kansas City’s geographic location at the intersection of two major interstate highways, our city is considered a rest stop for traffickers. The National Human Trafficking Hotline reported an increase in trafficking cases in the past few years, with the number of reported cases in Kansas growing from 68 in 2017 to 94 in 2019.

Human trafficking is the use of force, coercion or fraud to obtain labor, whether it be sexual or physical labor. Traffickers do not discriminate by age, gender or race but the ACLU reported an estimated 80 percent of global trafficking victims are women and children. They also reported the average age of victims in the U.S. to be 20 years old.

Vulnerability is what traffickers look for in potential victims, with LGBTQ+ individuals and people of color being targeted more often, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. This can be due to generational trauma, a history of oppression or other societal factors that put these groups at a higher likelihood for homelessness, addiction or other high-risk lifestyles.

With the rise in popularity of social media, traffickers have adapted to use these platforms for recruitment. Statistics from a nonprofit organization called Polaris show a 20 percent increase in online recruitment since the beginning of the pandemic.

We all need to stay vigilant. We cannot let this issue become removed from our everyday lives. Being able to recognize potential trafficking signs is the best way to prevent this crime from happening to you and those around you. A lot of traffickers will form a relationship with their

victims, promising high wages for easy work or other assurances that seem too good to be true. Potential traffickers will isolate you from your friends, family and money. They will take away your independence.

General safety tips to stop this from happening include keeping important phone numbers on you at all times, making sure you have a means of communication to call your bank or a trusted friend/relative and, most importantly, trusting your judgment.

Stay aware of your surroundings and look for warning signs of potential victims and suspicious individuals. The U.S. Department of State reported common signs of human trafficking include potential victims living with employers, an inability to speak to people alone, signs of physical abuse or an employer holding identification documents from the potential victim.

When you spot red flags resembling a trafficking situation, there are two different options. In the case of emergencies, alert local authorities or call 911. You can also call the National Human Trafficking Hotline. This hotline is a call and text line that can provide help and emotional support to victims. It also can take tips, so if you see something, say something.

This issue involves all of us, no matter your circumstances, and it is our responsibility to do our part in preventing the spread of human trafficking.

NO TEST, MO’ STRESS

Written by Regan Simeon, Designed by Julia Moser

It was an uproarious Friday night football game against our rivals when I got the notification. Canvas alerted me that my AP Chemistry test had been graded. I gulped down a rock in my throat and clicked on the notification only to find a big, fat bold C staring back at me. From that point on, I promised myself I would do better; I would study my notes and look over my test corrections religiously.

The week after a big test, my teachers usually allow me and my classmates to look over our tests and see our corrections. But, after that 20-minute “review” period is up, I never seem to see that magnificent packet again.

If I cannot see my mistakes, it only begs the question: how do I learn from them? If I am forbidden from seeing what errors I made, then how am I expected to do better on the next cumulative test?

Some might argue that you can come into class at another time to look over your corrections, but the truth is: if I do not finish my corrections in class, then I am forced to come back during other valuable time within my day. Furthermore, the inability to write down or take pictures of questions inhibits me from working on mistakes outside of the classroom.

Giving back tests fosters real learning outside of the classroom. It encourages students to focus on their mistakes and re-evaluate their thinking processes. Learning happens after tests are graded, when one is able to see their mishaps and right their wrongs.

In an article published by Harvard Business Publishing, authors Cindy Decker Raynak and Cheryl Farren Tkacs claim that teachers should allow students to self-correct their answers and look over their own work after a test, as it “sets the tone that quizzes are learning opportunities, not tools to deflate students’ confidence.” Furthermore, they state that teachers must explore different ideas for evaluating learning, ones that actually help students absorb the material rather than just memorize it.

When contemplating giving tests back to students, some teachers worry that their students will just memorize the answers rather than learn from their mistakes.

Math teacher Carolyn Potter says she does not let her students keep tests after they have been graded for

multiple reasons. “Sometimes I’m not allowed to let students keep tests,” Potter said. “In AP Calc BC some of the questions on the test are AP questions that are secured by College Board and are not allowed to be released.”

If this is the case, then teachers could simply rewrite tests for other years, and omit using AP College Board questions. I mean really, if students are more dedicated to memorizing a test than learning from it, then something else is wrong.

One possible solution to the never-ending cycle of stressed-out tears from a lack of understanding comes from the Association For Psychological Science. In an article by Joann M. Montepare, the idea of self-correction take-home tests is introduced. With this idea, students take an exam in class and then take home their answers to review if their choice was really the right answer. Students are permitted to use any resource available to them, and they are encouraged to change their answers, if necessary. They then return their exams at the next class period, with a self-corrected version attached.

In this model, Montepare says the self-corrected version determines her student’s final grades. “For each correct answer (no change), students receive full credit. For each corrected answer (wrong to right), students receive half-credit. Incorrect answers - originally wrong and unchanged, or changed to wrong - receive no credit,” Montepare says.

This structure creates a new way of learning for students. And sure, some students will still take the easy way out and cheat their way to an A, but that happens with every class in every subject, every year. To put it bluntly, there is no way to prevent cheating on tests.

“[When] students leave a testing room, [they] still remember the question. You tell your friend, and then your friend knows what to study for, or can memorize the answer,” said Potter.

But, all in all, it is unfair and ridiculous to punish all students for the poor choices of some. In the words of Montepare, testing can be an excellent way to identify one’s strengths and weaknesses in learning, but not if students are forbidden from seeing that magnificent packet.

-REGAN SIMEON

How am I expected to do better on the next, cumulative test?”

INCREASE COMMUNICATION

Written by Anna Bailey, Designed by Julia Moser

Blue Valley does not offer American Sign Language (ASL) as a class, even though the State Board of Education recommends accredited schools to offer the course to all students, whether hearing or hard of hearing.

According to Adam Wessel, the Blue Valley district director of career-ready programs, our district offers Spanish, French, Chinese and Latin. These four languages are the only ones offered throughout the Blue Valley district; however, they are not all offered in every school. Currently, the only world languages offered at BVNW are Spanish and French.

Schools provide the option to learn different languages because it is great for brain stimulation and development, but also because it teaches students how to communicate with a wider variety of people, according to a study done by Ithaca College.

Having an ASL class offered in our schools would continue to meet said goals and would directly impact a prominent group of people.

According to a survey done by a research facility, the American Community, 3.6 percent of the United States population is considered deaf or hard of hearing. If this percentage was applied to our school, about 55 people would fall in this category.

Junior Casey Clark is part of this population. He is hard of hearing and has used hearing aids since he was 3 years old. Clark said if an ASL class was offered, individuals in the deaf and hard of hearing community would feel more included.

“We would love to be able to communicate with others that normally wouldn’t know how to communicate with us,” Clark said. “Especially having a large part of our school knowing [ASL] and even just getting to talk with those people, that would be so much fun.”

Especially in the past few years, Northwest has made an effortt to ensure all groups of people feel involved and included. This is clearly shown by the inclusion statement posted and stated at every opportunity. Within this statement, it is included that each person

should be treated fairly in language and in action. So with the hope to include each person, shouldn’t Northwest provide an ASL class so the deaf and hard of hearing community can feel more involved?

One of the largest problems in our society is a lack of communication. Creating an environment where this can improve seems to be an ongoing goal within our world, so what better way to do this than to allow our youth to learn different ways to communicate?

If schools can continue to provide language options, these communication skills will naturally improve. Having an ASL class would enhance reading skills, vocabulary, spatial reasoning and cognitive skills, according to the University of Massachusetts.

Though the benefits are known, there are still challenges with providing ASL instruction to students. Wessel explained how the search for a qualified and certified person who could teach ASL does come as a challenge. This is due to a lack of people who know the language well enough and are willing to teach it.

We cannot teach students without a certified teacher, so finding someone who could teach this class would begin to help solve this problem. When students can be taught ASL, there will then be more people who become interested in learning and more people who are able to then teach more students.

Johnson County Community College does offer ASL classes. While this is a great start, it becomes very challenging for high school students to be able to take these classes since they do not line up with a realistic high school schedule.

The current lack of ASL classes will continue to prohibit easy access to learning ASL. In order to fix this problem, the Blue Valley district should work for a solution. Though this may be a challenging and long process, it would be worth having it offered so that our communication skills as a society can increase, and more importantly so that our deaf and hard of hearing population can feel more comfortable and included.

- ANNA BAILEY

The current lack of ASL classes will continue to prohibit easy access to learning ASL.

Written by Lexington Jones and Jeny Jithesh, Photographed by Arpa Das, Designed by Prajwal Adhikari

The purpose of Black History Month is to honor the achievements and history of African Americans. African Americans have fought against historical and ongoing oppression for many years.

This year’s theme for Black History Month is Black Resistance. The 1950s and 1970s in the United States were defined by actions of resistance against discrimination through sit-ins, boycotts, walk outs and strikes. Black Americans have had to constantly push the United States to live up to its ideals of freedom, liberty and justice for all.

Senior Lindsey Muchiri said for this reason, honoring Black History Month is important at a school, community and national level.

“Black history is really just American history. There’s so many things that Black people have done that are integral parts of our history now,” Muchiri said. “Black people helped build America.”

In February, sophomore Kelis Paige said she celebrates her culture and ancestors. February is a significant month regarding Black history. The month encompasses the birthdays of two men who are said

to be symbols of American freedom: Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

Paige said she also celebrates Black History Month with Black Student Union (BSU) by honoring achievements and history associated with her heritage.

“I am Black. I am proud of who I

Black history and just shine a light on present and past African Americans,” Paige said.

BSU Sponsor and science teacher Sarah Derks added that during Black History Month, it is necessary to recognize all aspects of the observance.

“It’s not just about celebrating Black people and Black history,” Derks said. “It’s [also] about cultural education and making sure that we are aware of the history of our country, the history of where we’ve been and where we’re going.”

Similarly, Paige said that calling for action in the present is equally as important as honoring the past.

“We need to be talking about how we can support Black people and what we can do for Black people,” Paige said.

am. And if I speak about being Black [others may] want to speak about it,” Paige said.

BSU celebrates Black History Month by supporting Black-owned businesses and educating others on the rich history behind the culture and struggle.

“We support local Black businesses or African American businesses. We post leaders of

Derks shared that the intention and mission of BSU is to educate members and BVNW about Black history.

“Historically speaking, [BSU] has been about education. It’s been about celebration. It’s been about allowing our Black students, and really anyone, to come together and celebrate Black culture, Black history and then offering opportunities to educate the whole

Black History Month provides time for people to celebrate racial and cultural pride, as well as assess America’s commitment to its ideals of freedom

There’s a lot of unheard voices that we can’t [hear] because not a lot of people are talking about it.”

-KELIS PAIGE

building.”

Muchiri added that Black history, both in terms of achievements and hardships, should be discussed and recognized more.

“Nobody’s listening to us, so things aren’t changing as much as we would like them to. We need to highlight the fact that these are problems during Black History Month,” Muchiri said. “We’re supposed to be a country that’s focused on equality, and we’re supposed to be some great melting pot where everybody’s welcome, but people don’t feel welcome.”

Muchiri emphasized that there must be accountability for racism on a personal and professional level. Schools, universities, and institutions can take actions to discipline students who spread hateful messages.

“[A constant issue] is racism and hate speech in schools that goes unpunished,” Muchiri said. “It is written off as free speech [despite] it being hurtful.”

Paige added that Black people are often disregarded when they share their opinions on issues that matter, like police brutality.

“There’s a lot of unheard voices that we can’t [hear] because not a lot of people are talking about it,” Paige said.

Because of this, Paige said she feels that it is important for those with social media platforms to share their experiences as members of the Black community.

“[As we face] the new year, there [are] upcoming artists, entertainers and speakers coming out and speaking about their past with racism,” Paige said.

Muchiri said that a balance between the reflection on Black history and the honoring of Black achievements should be emphasized as well.

“You are supposed to learn from the past, but some people choose to just say ‘The past is the past’ when in reality people are still dealing with things that should have already been fixed,” Muchiri said.

Paige also said that many of the struggles that Black people have faced in the past are the same ones that they face today.

“Oppression goes on all the time, behind closed doors, or even being [directly] spoken out, but no one’s hearing it,” Paige said.

Rather than ignoring such acts of injustice, Paige said she believes that recognizing and acknowledging it is the best way to move forward.

“If we do see or come across racism, we have to acknowledge [it]. What can we do or how can we help bring it to attention,” Paige said. “We need to show everyone what it looks like and what can happen what it looked like and what can happen with racism, oppression or police brutality.”

Recognizing the triumphs and struggles of African Americans should occur year-round, but February is the month focused

specifically on highlighting Black history.

“When we’re talking about Black History Month, just like with any sort of like Women’s History Month or Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it shouldn’t just be relegated to one month of the year,” Derks said. “That should be something that we educate and explore.”

February can be a time for everyone to reflect on the past, as well as the present, whether that is celebrating Black achievements or spreading awareness about changes that should be put in place to create a more inclusive and equal nation.

Junior Nimu Karani painting a poster for BSU to be hung up around the school. BSU is also “planning on making and selling shirts and doing a series of fun questions about Black history to get people excited,” Karani said

HUSKY HIGHLIGHTS

Senior Lexi Gattis completes her lab assignment for AP Environmental Science. “APES has been a very fun and interactive class this semester,”

Gattis said.

“The handson labs help me learn the material better.”

Freshman

Rishitha Bonthu participates in KAY Club’s weekly recycling pick-ups, Jan. 12. “I like giving back to the community,” Bonthu said.

“KAY Club is a good way to do that because you get volunteer hours and you can help the school.” (Photo

Junior Jay Santee practices playing his French Horn during band class, Jan. 18. “I enjoy band,” Santee said. “[Band instructors Kenneth] Tysick and [Daniel] Kirk are a lot of fun and I plan to keep playing.” (Photo by Bailey Thompson)

by Kendall Dickerson)

(Photo by Norah Alasmar)

find it useful and interesting to learn a new art medium.”

Left: Sophomore Mia Karaselimović works on designing a bookmark in Jewelry and Metallurgy. “My favorite part is making my own jewelry and being able to work with [my] creativity,” Karaselimović said. (Photo by Shahd Abdeljalil)

Top: Freshman Makayla Gao works on her painting project during her seventh hour, Jan. 18.“Most famous artists in history are painters, so I wanted to learn how to paint as well,” said Gao. “I

(Photo by Bailey Thompson)

hen survivor Kristy Childs left home at age 12 to escape what she described as a hostile environment, she was forced into sexual exploitation. Childs was sex trafficked until she was 36 years old.

“I began running away from an abusive situation in my home, and [I kept] being put back into that home when I was found by the juvenile system,” Childs said. “I recognized that to get away, I was going to have to get out of that town, and I began hitchhiking. That’s when the exploitation started.”

Childs said there is never-ending danger for those who are sexually trafficked.

“Besides the abuse that you could endure at the hands of the trafficker, you are also at the mercy of the men who buy you,” Childs said. “And we know that women and girls in prostitution are targeted by serial killers, by rapists and by people that just want to cause harm.”

Overland Park Police Detective

Derrick Wilczek said Kansas and federal statutes define sex trafficking as engaging in a commercial sex act through force, fraud or coercion by being transported or recruited into the activity.

Sex trafficking is often described as modernday slavery. Victims are forced to exploit themselves for the benefits of others with little to no benefit for themselves.

There is a common misconception that Kansas City has unusually high rates of new human trafficking cases. Wilczek explained how this rumor stems from human trafficking victims being transported through Kansas City, as it is bisected by both I-35 and I-70.

“We’ve had plenty of cases where

I’ve had people come from other states, but they’re choosing Kansas City while they’re on their way to a different location,” Wilczek said. “It’s kind of just a logical stop. Like when you plan a trip, you plan stops where you would stay at a hotel.”

An FBI agent who specializes in human trafficking, and asked not to be identified by name, explained Kansas City is not actually a “hot spot” for sex trafficking.

Wilczek said many people have another misconception: being trafficked always takes place by abduction. In reality, sex trafficking usually stems from traffickers posing as someone in an intimate relationship.

“What we’ll find is, these guys will try to pretend to be a boyfriend, or the girls will try to pretend to be a

Sex trafficking is a form of human trafficking and spreading awareness is essential for minimizing new cases

Written by Ashley Adams and Lindsay Maresh, Designed by Sabrina San Agustin

It’s the pastors at church, it’s school teachers, it’s people that are…in businesses and then it’s just our everyday labor worker.”

-KRISTY CHILDS

girlfriend to their victims,” Wilczek said.

“They’ll develop this really tight emotional bond, then slowly introduce the idea that they’re going to try to engage in this behavior for money to support each other.”

The FBI agent said anyone can be a victim, and anyone can be a potential trafficker.

“Being a pimp (a sex trafficker) spans all the demographics; being a victim spans all the demographics. Anyone is vulnerable,” the FBI agent said.

As long as there is a market for sexual exploitation, there will be people who are trafficked. Childs said anyone could potentially be involved in supporting prostitution.

“It’s a profitable market, so these are everyday kinds of guys that buy people,” Childs said. “It’s the pastors at church, it’s school teachers, it’s people that are…in businesses and then it’s just our everyday labor worker.”

Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA) Advocacy and Outreach Specialist Jorge Basaure-Carrington said this market is influenced by the media.

“My job is to help educate my clients to help them understand that there are things facing our society that facilitate sexual violence,” Basaure-Carrington said. “Whether it’s in our pop culture, [or] things that we see on TV or on the news.”

The content people consume every day encourages the idea that women should unquestioningly obey men, Basaure-Carrington said.

“Pop culture is rife with rape culture promotion,” BasaureCarrington said. “There have been songs in the past that have been wildly popular that if you kind of dissect the lyrics, you stop and think, ‘Oh, wow, you know, this person literally is wanting women to be subservient.’”

Engaging in sexual activity when enthusiastic consent is not given has also become normalized in daily life, Basaure-Carrington said.

“Or, there’s this kind of expectation that if a man or

someone makes a sexual advance at you, that you have the responsibility to accept it,” Basaure-Carrington said.

The perpetuation of rape culture results in real victims, such as Childs. The exploitation she endured as a sex trafficking victim led to her wanting to take her own life, but she said a miracle saved her.

“It had been going on for many years, and I was just praying to die,” Childs said. “I was extremely fortunate to get pregnant. Not planned, but through hearing my son’s heartbeat, everything changed for me.”

When Childs had a motivating force to keep her going, she began to acquire the skills needed for a job outside of exploitation.

“I had to get marketable skills… junior high was probably as far as I made it. I don’t even know if I completed that. So, I had to get a high school equivalency and get some training and marketable skills to get a job. So, that’s what I did,” Childs said.

When Childs was able to create a life she wanted for herself, she

began the organization Veronica’s Voice to aid other survivors.

“When I did get out, I recognized that there were others that had very similar experiences that I had… and I wanted them to know there was something more,” Childs said.

Women who are sex trafficked are often stigmatized and treated as less than other individuals. Childs uses her own story to inspire and assist others who have been in her position.

“We’re treated as criminals. [I wanted to] come out with my own story and history and why I wanted to do something about it,” Childs said. “I had to expose that to get support from the community to be able to help the women that I wanted to help.”

Part of the mission at Veronica’s Voice is to provide care to all victims of sexual exploitation, despite what their past may hold.

“If they want out, and their only means of surviving is by having to compromise themselves sexually and they

want something different, we believe they deserve something different,” Childs said.

Veronica’s Voice is an important outlet for trafficking victims because for the law to help them, Wilczek said they have to be able to prove the trafficking took place involuntarily.

“A person over the age of 18 has to be able to tell law enforcement that they’re engaged in this behavior because they feel they’re forced to,” Wilczek said. “[They have to] prove that they don’t want to be doing this activity, and that’s where it gets really muddy.”

Additionally, Overland Park Police Detective

Derrick Wilczek said the law considers any person under the age of 18 who engages in any commercial sex act a victim.

Wilczek said law enforcement can sometimes struggle with helping the victim if they will not say they were involuntarily involved.

“It’s kind of a mental battle for control of their own mind and body,” Wilczek said. “If they don’t feel that way, and they can’t tell us as law enforcement that they were forced to, or tricked or coerced into that situation, then we can’t call it a trafficking scenario.”

Basaure-Carrington added some people do not come forward about their perpetrator, because before they can admit it to the police, they have to admit it to themselves.

“When I make these first contacts with people, they will kind of play it down, ‘Oh, it wasn’t that big of a deal,’” Basaure-Carrington said. “Or they’ll try and say, ‘Yeah, this happened to me, but I don’t want to talk about it, and I don’t want to think about it.’”

Traffickers with a certain degree of intelligence often make it harder for the victim to see they are in a forceful situation against their own will.

“You have to be very, very manipulative, but intelligent, and have mind control, tricking somebody and convincing them it’s OK,” Wilczek said.

Basaure-Carrington added that in other cases, the victim may even believe the violence is a result of their own actions.

“When somebody goes through something like that, it can be a really traumatic experience and it can leave someone feeling very confused or like it’s their fault,” BasaureCarrington said.

One way to avoid being trafficked is to never put full trust into a stranger. The FBI agent said this is especially true for online relationships.

“I think the online stuff is pretty important to keep in check; just know who you’re talking to… you never know someone’s intentions,” the FBI agent said.

Additionally, anytime interactions occur with people on the internet, it puts people at more risk, the FBI agent said.

“Posting online and talking to people you don’t know opens the door to a lot of things,” the FBI agent said.

Another way to prevent being a part of trafficking situations is to be attentive to signs of manipulation before entering new relationships.

“Imagine being able to convince a person to do something that’s so outside the normal,” Wilczek said.

Manipulation is prevalent because there is a lack of discussion surrounding abnormal intimate relationships, Basaure-Carrington said

“There aren’t enough conversations around what consent looks like or what a healthy sexual relationship looks like,” BasaureCarrington said.

For people who are unsure, or unable to admit to themselves that they are being sexually trafficked, Wilczek said if it feels wrong to talk about the situation to family or friends, something is probably

wrong in the relationship.

“The test that I usually tell people to use is, ‘are you comfortable telling your parents or your best friend everything that’s happening?’” Wilczek said. “That’s kind of the Litmus test. You have to be able to tell someone else around you that you trust, and [who] really, really cares about you and would never want you to be in a bad situation.”

BasaureCarrington added the most important thing to remember is even if someone agreed to engage in a sexual activity, they can always back out.

“[The] thing about consent is that it can be given and taken away at any time,” Basaure-Carrington said. “Just because you consent to doing something at first, you still have the right to retract that consent.”

The victim may feel inclined to remain in this situation because on the surface, it is a better living situation for them, the FBI agent said.

“They feel like they don’t have a better option or anything to go back to,” the FBI agent said. “This is sometimes a ‘better’ situation than the home they came from.”

Childs said in order to create a world free from sex trafficking, communities need to speak out against this form of sexual violence.

“We also need to see people rise up, get angry, make these politicians and people within positions of power recognize that this happens because men buy sex,” Childs said.

Childs has been fighting this battle for much of her adult life.

“I’ve been screaming about it for 23 years,” Childs said.

Another reason it is important to spread awareness about sex trafficking is because many victims are in vulnerable

positions leading up to the exploitation, so Wilczek said they may have a harder time getting help.

“Traffickers see that person and they’re attracted to them. Not necessarily because of sexual attraction or whatever else. It’s more about seeing an opportunity; they’re kind of that gazelle, running… with a broken leg but slower,” Wilczek said. “And the lions are gonna go after that one because that’s a good target.”

Childs said her organization, Veronica’s Voice, has a powerful message meant to help women feel strong when they come forward with their stories.

“Our mission is to empower those that have experienced it. It is to educate and try to decrease entry into it. And to end demand for it,” Childs said.

Veronica’s Voice fulfills this mission in a variety of ways including a residential program where women can utilize two years of free transitional housing.

Additionally, the organization offers education to men to prevent gender-based violence and promote their accountability in choosing to not buy sex.

Wilczek said it is important to spread awareness because victims of sex trafficking are among the most vulnerable people in the human population. Without awareness and action, the cycle will continue.

“At the end of the day, if I can free this victim from that situation, I then really have to focus on the trafficker, because it’s more than very likely that this person is going to move on and recruit someone else,” Wilczek said.

There is a way out, and there is help readily available within our community, Wilczek said. Although it may be overwhelming, Wilczek said asking for help is the best way to find safety.

“The biggest advice I can say is just ask for help, if you can just connect with anybody,” Wilczek said. “There’s all sorts of people in our community who have the training, and that know what to do and how to contact law enforcement and how to contact someone that can help them out of the situation.”

If you or someone you know needs help, these organizations are available to help those struggling with the effects of sex trafficking.

What we’ll find is, these guys will try to pretend to be a boyfriend, or the girls will try to pretend to be a girlfriend to their victims.”

-DERRICK WILCZEK

not just for kids

Building LEGO sets can be a creative outlet and a stress reliever for any age group

Written by Nafsiya Hafiz and Hannah Rakolta, Photographed by Arpa Das, Designed by Regan Simeon

After weeks of work, sophomore Nina McNay adds another completed LEGO set to her world. For McNay, LEGO building is a creative outlet as well as a source of pride and accomplishment.

LEGO building can be powerful mental stimulation and a unique way for one to express their creative abilities, according to sophomore John Christianson, who spends his free time assembling LEGO bricks. Christianson said he never felt the need to give up this hobby, and has since reaped all of the benefits of LEGO construction.

“I got [a LEGO set] for my [seventh] birthday and I just never stopped,” Christianson said.

According to Christianson, LEGO manufacturers are increasingly trying to design themes that target older demographics, in hopes to demonstrate how they can and should be used by any generation.

“I think it’s seen more as childish because it’s usually marketed

to children, but it’s getting more integrated into different [demographics],” Christianson said.

Senior Jared Martens is a member of the BVNW LEGO Club. He also said many LEGO sets are specifically designed for older age groups. Some of the adult-targeted themes range from “Seinfeld,” “The Office,” “Stranger Things,” as well as LEGO “Creator Expert” sets, which offer more of a challenge.

“I think a lot of the time, LEGO advertises kids’ toys, but there’s a lot of other sets with [technical] pieces that are built more mechanically,” Martens said.

ELA teacher

Amanda Witty frequently sets aside time to build LEGO sets with her family. She said building LEGO sets can be very useful for adults who

have a hard time finding a creative outlet.

“We have a lot of LEGO sets at our house. It started with my son, who is in upper elementary now, and my husband,” Witty said. “We just started the winter village sets and got into building those, and since then, it’s just grown.”

Witty finds amusement in building LEGO sets after a stressful day because it allows her brain to unwind.

“This is something that I can do while there’s something playing on the TV, or there’s music on, or whatever; you can do this to kind of de-stress. It’s not too much brain thinking,” Witty said.

Witty said the adult demographic for LEGO is on the rise, and she personally has encountered many

I think [people] should give it a try because there’s something for everyone in the world of LEGO.”

-NINA MCNAY

Senior Jared Marten started building legos when he was around five years old and loved showing his family his final pieces. “I remember my fondest memory, building a little stage out of Legos and showing it to my family,” Martens said.

sets aimed at adults being sold online.

“Oh, I definitely think it’s less and less about kids; it’s really interesting,” Witty said. “If you’re on any kind of selling site, whether it’s the actual LEGO [site], or eBay, or Facebook Marketplace, or whatever, there is a whole subset that is purely aimed at adults. It’s definitely not just for kids.”

Christianson said he believes building LEGO sets is comparable to how others express themselves through art, due to both of their attentive qualities.

“They’re just making stuff [similar to] how people make a painting. It’s a little different and less creative because you have instructions and you are kind of limited, as well,” Christianson said.

However, McNay explained there are no restrictions to what you can

do with LEGO and that it is really up to the person building.

“Yes, you can follow the instructions, but you can really do whatever with the pieces you’re given,” McNay said. “There’s really no limit.”

The popular show “LEGO Masters” displays the extent of some people’s creatitivity involving LEGO, and the contestants get total freedom to create a design from scratch, according to Witty. Although Witty herself does not partake in the creative aspect of it, she said her husband and son enjoy the freedom LEGO building provides.

“I think my husband and son are more into the creative side of it, and I think there’s a lot of opportunity in LEGO. We started watching the “LEGO Masters” TV show and I’m always like, ‘There’s no way I could do what some of these people are

doing,’” Witty said. “They’re just told to come up with something, and I don’t even know how they came up with that idea or make it withstand the extreme test.”

Christianson said he enjoys hobbies that require hands-on skills and would rather spend his free time engaging his brain, rather than mindlessly looking through social media. He said he believes it is a healthier option, since the project requires brainpower.

“[It’s all about] making something good. I’m really into doing stuff with my hands [as opposed to] just scrolling on my phone,” Christianson said.

Likewise, Witty said working with LEGO is a great alternative to spending free time on social media and devices in general. She enjoys how it makes her mind and body more engaged, as opposed to solely

watching TV.

“I think it can hold people’s attention. Everybody should probably try to find ways to have less screen time. I don’t think social media is the answer to anything,” Witty said. “So it probably helps me spend less time scrolling and more time staying a little more active than just laying and watching a show or something.”

As a teacher, Witty does not always get to see the product of her work, which is why LEGO building is so enjoyable, as she can feel satisfied and proud of her final product.

“It is something that is rewarding for me. I have a job that often doesn’t see results. Sometimes as a teacher you don’t see the effects

of what you do, so I do think that it does kind of give you a good sense of ‘Oh, I did that,’” Witty said. It’s sort of like cleaning, because you can see the physical culmination of what you’ve done.”

McNay explained after she is finished with a set, it is a gratifying feeling to be able to step back and see what her hard work has amounted to.

“[I feel] kind of accomplished that I finished it and now I have a whole new thing I built,” McNay said.

On the other hand, Christianson faces the dilemma of what to do with his build after. He also feels immensely successful after finishing a set. But, he also said it

feels bittersweet that the journey is over since the process was so enjoyable.

“I might find somewhere to put it, maybe deconstruct it, or I might even save it away to rebuild it another time,” Christianson said. “I actually get bored because it’s kind of like, ‘what do I do with it now?’”

Nobody should judge a hobby and deem it childish, especially if they have never tried it, according to Martens. He shared his advice with people who doubt the benefits of LEGO building.

“Well, first, don’t judge a book by its cover,” Martens said. “I think you just got to be open to new things.”

McNay said she hopes people will start to open their minds and give new things a chance, before making harsh judgments. Many of McNay’s best memories consist of spending time building LEGO sets with her brother. She said she believes that if people gave it a try they could find something they really enjoyed.

“Too often people are afraid that they’ll be judged for trying different hobbies, so they shy away from things that are foreign to them,” McNay said “I think people should give it a try because there’s something for everyone in the world of LEGO.”

However, this hobby can become expensive, but Witty shares her advice on how people can still enjoy LEGO at an affordable cost.

“There are ways to make it cheaper, and there are also a lot of places where you can usually find them, like Goodwill or Savers, so you can buy them much cheaper,” Witty said. “But, a lot of times you’re not gonna get the whole set, or maybe you won’t get the instruction booklet, but you can find almost everything online.”

Christianson advises people who may judge this hobby due to its child-like stereotype to look past that and try it for themselves.

“Try it because you’ll never know if you like it if you never have tried it before,” Christianson said.

According to research, 91 percent of grown-ups find play helpful in managing stress and anxiety, and 76 percent find LEGO bricks more appealing than any other form of play. “My husband has a pretty stressful job, and I think for both my husband and me [LEGO] is something that [we] can do while there’s something playing on the TV or there’s music on,” Witty said.

Tattoos are a way for to students, teachers and parents to express themselves, providing a creative outlet

Written by Alex Cowdrey, Photographed by George Buckley, Designed by Avery Sigg

enior Angelina Thomas got her first of two tattoos when she turned 17. Her first tattoo is a mirrored image of her birth date, Nov. 11, written as “ELEVEN/NEVELE,” a matching tattoo with her mom.

“I think I’m [my mom’s] favorite child, so she got it too. That was kind of special [for us],” Thomas said. Thomas also has another tattoo on her thigh which is the number, “222.”

“[It] means not to worry, that everything’s aligning the right way, and everything happens for a reason,” Thomas said.

Lisa Thomas, Angelina’s mom, said of her twelve tattoos, four of them are especially important to her. One is dedicated to Angelina and three others to her late mother.

“My mom died of a heart attack, so I have a heart with the EKG symbol around it. The last one I have was from the last day she was alive. It was a text message she sent me that day, and what she would always say was, ‘Good morning, darling girl,’ so I have that in cursive going around my collarbone,” Lisa said. “[The last one I have] is of her favorite flower, the Stargazer Lily.”

Senior Juliana Quickel has two important tattoos, each dedicated to a family member. One tattoo is a sun and moon, which she got to match

with her sister’s tattoo. The other is a lily on her ribs, dedicated to her grandmother who passed away in July.

“I was really close to [my grandma], and it was her favorite flower. The flower is like her,” Quickel said.

Aside from having an idea of what she wanted her tattoos to be due to influence from her sister and grandmother, Quickel said she got most of her inspiration from social media.

“I looked on Pinterest a lot and Instagram because I did want to come up with [my own] design,” Quickel said.

Likewise, Thomas said she uses social media for tattoo inspiration and has a shared Pinterest folder with her mom.

Lisa said looking on social media is a great start for inspiration, but once you take the idea to a tattoo artist, they usually like to help you make it your own.

“If it’s a good tattoo artist, he or she will ask questions to find

out about your personality, what you like, what you don’t like, etc. Then, they take their time,” Lisa said. “If they’re good artists, they will draw up their rendition of what they think you’re looking for, so that it’s not completely copied off of

Senior Merrin Dillavou reflects upon the comments made about receiving stick and pokes at her age. “If the biggest problem you have is a tattoo, I

social media - It’s something that’s more suited for the person.”

ELA teacher Dan Eigenberg has four tattoos, all located together on his upper arm, shoulder and back. The first tattoo he got is an insignia of the style of martial arts he did when he earned his black belt.

“I was an adult when I started doing martial arts, and I trained for, I think, five or six years before I got my first degree black belt,” Eigenberg said. “I worked really hard for that one.”

Eigenberg also has a tattoo of a Hamsa above an open book on his tricep. A Hamsa symbol is a hand with two thumbs and three fingers, sometimes seen with an eye in the center of the palm. The term Hamsa is a Hebrew word derived from the term hamesh which means five. A Hamsa is used symbolically to represent the repelling of bad or evil.

“There’s a common thing with this tattoo, the Hamsa, to also have a lotus flower beneath it. At the time, I didn’t want a flower, so I had the guy insert an open book,” Eigenberg said. “I thought it worked nicely.”

Eigenberg said he did not have a specific moment when he wanted a first tattoo, but it was getting more popular, and he thought it would be a good way to honor his achievements in martial arts.

“I don’t remember how [getting a tattoo] first came into my head,” Eigenberg said. “I think [tattoos] just started becoming more acceptable, probably when I was in my 20s. I always felt people looked down on it when I was younger.”

Lisa said she got her first tattoo at a young age and now she finds the process healing.

“I guess it’s a little addictive. I started out when I was young, but then when my mother passed away, it was kind of like a form of therapy for me because it was traumatic,” Lisa said. “[Her death] was shocking, but [tattoos] kind of gave me a way to feel something.”

Thomas said she bonds over tattoos with her

friend, senior Morgan McQuarters.

“We love tattoos. We both have two and [plan on getting more]. We kind of influenced each other on what we should get because we find them special,” Thomas said.

One of McQuarters’ tattoos is a quote inspired by the book, “It Ends With Us.”

“I was going through a pretty hard time in my life, so [my parents] wanted me to pick something significant,” McQuarters said.

During this time, McQuarters said she decided to tattoo a quote along her spine.

“It says, ‘Naked truths aren’t always pretty,’” McQuarters said.

Like McQuarters, Eigenberg’s second and third tattoos are a quote and a mural inspired by one of his favorite books, “East of Eden.”

“There’s a religious story [in the book]. It works thematically with the book, and so I got [the quote] in Hebrew, since my family is Jewish,” Eigenberg said.

Lisa said she does not necessarily regret any of her tattoos, but she wished she had given some of them more thought.

“I was 18. You know, it’s kind of like the right of passage. When I first turned 18, [I got] a Chinese symbol that I thought was my name, but I’m really not sure,” Lisa said. “It was a learning experience, you know. We all have that one [tattoo] where we are kind of like, ‘I don’t want people to know about it,’ but it’s there.”

Eigenberg said he does not regret any of his tattoos at the moment, but he has a rule before he gets one in order to limit any doubts in the future.

“For each of them, I kind of followed my ‘one year rule’. If I think of something that I want, I wait one year. If I still want that same thing, then I pursue getting it done,” Eigenberg said. “I would recommend considering what you want, and how you might think about that in five years time, 10

English teacher Dan Eigenberg has had multiple tattoos, the most recent finished last year. “The oldest I think is eight years…and the newest… just got finished in September,” Eigenberg said.

years time. I think the hastier you are, the more likely you are to get something that you’re gonna look at in the future and be like, ‘What was I thinking?’”

Unfortunately for McQuarters, she said she and her father do regret her most recent tattoo, the rose on her hip, because it lacks importance.

“[My dad] wanted all my tattoos to have some type of meaning behind them, so he was mad that it didn’t make sense,” McQuarters said. “I regret the one on my hip already because it is not significant. It’s just a rose.”

Eigenberg also said placement was important to him because tattoos are not normally seen in Jewish culture, and he knew his parents would not approve.

“Generally speaking, in Judaism, tattoos are kind of a no-no. Like, they’re just not culturally appropriate,” Eigenberg said. “So when I got mine, I kept it secret and hidden even though I was an adult. I knew I’d get some negative reaction from my parents.”

Like Eigenberg, Lisa mentioned that taking placement into consideration is important when getting a tattoo because of professionalism.

“I have a corporate job, so I had to definitely take [placement] into account. I work in finance, so I’m working around a lot of older people who are a little more traditional, and piercings and tattoos are something that’s not really seen in banking,” Lisa said. “Make sure that it’s something that can be covered easily, if it has to [be covered].”

Lisa also advised to never get a tattoo of the name of a significant other, and that certain tattoo parlors even prohibit it.

“Some places don’t allow it and that’s very good, but always, always, always, 99.9 percent of the time,

[getting a significant other’s name] is bad,” Lisa said.

When thinking about getting a tattoo, Eigenberg recommended abstaining from stick and pokes for people considering any sort of design on their body.

“I would say avoid the stick and pokes. I think you’re more likely to regret those,” Eigenberg said.

A stick and poke is a non-electric method of tattooing that is performed by using a needle to pierce the skin with ink one dot at a time.

Senior Merrin Dillavou has four sticks and pokes, located on the outsides of her wrists and on the insides of both of her ankles. Dillavou said she considers the main distinction between a tattoo and a stick and poke is that it is more personalized.

“The most important difference is that you can do it yourself- you can be more meaningful with it,” Dillavou said.

Dillavou said there was not really much purpose behind getting her first stick and poke, other than the thought of creating unique art.

“I found out about them the day I did it. My friends were like, ‘Oh, this is the thing’ and I was like, ‘That sounds cool,’ so I just did it,” Dillavou said. “I thought they looked really cool, and I love the idea of being able to do them myself and getting to put my own art on myself and other people.”

Dillavou said she gets most of her ideas for

Senior Angelina Thomas said she had to consider the timing of her tattoo so she would not regret it later. “That’s why I waited but I was still pretty young,” Thomas said.

stick and pokes from life, and that is enough meaning for her.

“[I get my inspiration] just from life. I tend to make them things I want to remind myself of so I can see them and remember,” Dillavou said.

Thomas said she does not regret any of her tattoos so far, and does not think she will in the future.

“You put a lot of time and thought into it, and I think you kind of just grow to love them even if you’re a little skeptical at first,” Thomas said.

Likewise, Dillavou said she does not feel any remorse about her stick and pokes, and plans to get a tattoo in the future.

“I don’t really see a point in regretting something you can’t change. I have one that doesn’t look great, but I don’t really care. It’s kind of just a part of me now,” Dillavou said. “If my biggest concern is that there are just a few dots of ink on

I think the hastier you are, the more likely you are to get something that you’re gonna look at in the future and be like, ‘What was I thinking?’”

-LISA THOMAS

the 5 love

Learn about the five love languages and how to appeal to them

Compiled by Reagan Kauth, Designed by Regan Simeon

Happy and healthy relationships require each of the five love languages to function, but each person still has a primary and secondary love language they prefer. These love languages are acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, words of affirmation and physical touch. All of these can be demonstrated in ways that will make a major impact on relationships.

ACTS OF SERVICE

Individuals who primarily identify acts of service as their love language often value acts that may be viewed as small or minuscule to others. They want any offered help to be genuine and from the heart, rather than out of obligation. The thought that you would take time out of your busy schedule to do something special for this person is important when loving them, as a friend or more.

DO’S:

• Make genuine offers to help out often

• Complete chores and tasks before they ask

• Surprise them with home cooked meals or their favorite takeout food

DONT’S:

• Break commitments that you made to them

• Make more work for them in any way

• Act like you are being burdened when helping them

RECIEVING GIFTS

People often mistake this love language for materialism and greed, but that is not the case. Individuals with this primary love language value the thoughtfulness and effort the gift-giver puts into the gifts. Receiving well thought out gifts can make these individuals feel seen and cared for.

DO’S: DONT’S:

• Bring them small gifts often, such as flowers or coffee

• Put time and effort into every gift given

• Give homemade gifts with sentimental value

• Give them a last minute or meaningless gift

• Forget a birthday or important holiday

• Give them a gift with little or no meaning behind it

QUALITY TIME

While spending time together is important in all relationships, a person with quality time as their primary love language will value it above all else. These individuals want time with you and your undivided attention. Whether you are laying on the couch or out on the town, just being together and completely in the moment can make someone with this love language fall head over heels.

DO’S: DONT’S:

• Spend uninterrupted time together

• Have quality conversations

• Try new things together, whether that be new food or finding new hobbies

• Be distracted when spending time with this person

• Only hangout in groups

• Ignore them when they talk

WORDS OF AFFIRMATION

When someone says their love language is words of affirmation, compliments should be the first thought. An unsolicited loving phrase or comment will go a long way for this individual. Words with truth and love behind them are the best things for this person to hear.

DO’S: DONT’S:

• Give constant reassurance in the form of words such as “I love you” or “you are doing great”

• Use well thought out and purposeful language when communicating with them

• Write surprise love notes or words of encouragement often

• Use harsh words when in an argument

• Avoid telling them how you feel because you assume they know

• Say things you don’t mean

PHYSICAL TOUCH

Physical touch does not always have to consist of kisses for it to be meaningful. While people whose primary love language is physical touch can come off as overly touchy, they feel there is meaning behind every action. Being physically present for a person with this love language is a very significant aspect of how they feel loved.

DO’S: DONT’S:

• Give them hugs often

• Sit close to them when you are together

• Grab their hand or rub their back when appropriate and timely

• Neglect them in anyway

• Only wait for them to initiate physical touch

• Avoid physical contact just because you are with friends

STEPS TO

SUCCESS

The Career Development Opportunities Program brings life skills and experience to those involved

Written by Sydney Barnett and Addie Aadland, Designed and Photographed by Lila Vancrum

Every morning, junior Sarah Bell hops on the school bus and heads to her job at IHOP. At IHOP, she clears dishes and wipes down tables as a busser.

“I like bussing tables. That means [taking] the dishes back,” Sarah said. “I just do not like wiping down tables.”

Sarah is a member of the Career Development Opportunities Program (CDOP) which is an elective credit program offered in the Blue Valley School District. It is designed to help students develop job skills. The program is focused on students who have an Individual Education Program (IEP) due to low incidence disabilities or moderate intellectual disabilities.

The program is integrated into a student’s schedule as two courses, either third and fourth or sixth and seventh hour, allowing them to attend their job for about an hour every day. A bus is provided to take students to and from their job.

Avery Reid, BVNW 2022 alum, was part of the program for her junior and senior year. She said she worked a morning shift at various places including Cosentino’s, Panera and Crumbl Cookies.

“I would take the bus to my job and the bus would take me back

to the school. There was morning and afternoon and I was in the morning and I would come back in the afternoon,” Reid said. “[Our job coach] would come and see how everyone was doing.”

BVNW and BVN Transition Specialist Kotoka Kerr is responsible for helping students, specifically those with IEPs, transition after high school. Kerr determines the best fit employment for students and works with companies to create those opportunities.

“The first step in the process is trying to figure out what a student’s interests [are], what they are interested in doing after high school,” Kerr said. “A lot of times we try to connect them with an employment experience in our community that’s connected to their area of interest.”

Cyndi Reid, mother of Avery Reid, said this was true.

“[Avery] would usually be able to give her opinion on what type of job she would like,” Cyndi said.

When reflecting on her time in the CDOP, Avery said she is glad she did not work at the same place both years.

“I think it was best to [go to] different places so I [could] see what the difference was in different jobs,” Avery said.

Cyndi also said she believed working at multiple places was beneficial to decide places Avery could thrive in the future.

“It helped us determine that [Avery] needed to be in a workplace environment that was a social setting for her to enjoy it,” Cyndi said.

While Avery prefers a social workplace, senior Jaden Hill said a quieter setting is best for her. Jaden currently works at the Blue Valley Public Library, previously being employed at Pawsibilities, a company that makes dog toys.

Similar to Cyndi, Cori Hill, Jaden’s mom, said that working at multiple places has helped Jaden determine where she works best.

“She likes it because it’s a quiet place with not a lot of noise and distractions,” Cori said.

Jaden mentioned she likes working at the library because it is quiet and has helped her prepare for future jobs.

“It gives me more time to focus,” Jaden said.

While some students go through the CDOP only to find what they believed they wanted to do was not the right match for them, Kerr said some students find a good match and acquire jobs through their employment in the CDOP.

“One of the students we have is

working at an auto mechanic shop,” Kerr said. “When he graduates from high school, they would like for him to come and work with them full time while he goes to college to work on his auto mechanic certificate.”

After working at Panera, Avery was hired part time over the summer. Cyndi said that while she struggled with the cash register and money side of the job, Avery appreciated the social side of the job.

“She enjoyed [working at Panera] because she worked in a bakery and was able to talk to people that came in and enjoy the other employees and the manager she had,” Cyndi said.

Northwest’s Intensive Resource Special Education teacher Kassidy Evans has worked with the CDOP for two years. While the program is focused on building job skills, she said it is also beneficial to her students by giving them experiences and exposure in the community.

Evans said there are multiple skills students involved in the program develop and improve. These include communication, time management and organization. She also said students become more independent through the program.

“I mean, [it’s] even as simple as the independence of washing their uniform and managing their uniform, to know when they need to leave class to go change into their uniform,” Evans said.

When observing Avery’s experience with the CDOP her senior year, Evans said Avery’s autonomy grew a large amount.

“Avery grew incredibly independent in the CDOP program,” Evans said. “I think her confidence grew, as well as just being able to independently navigate the whole routine of going to work every day.”

Likewise, Cyndi said that Avery’s confidence and independence levels grew through the program.

“Initially she did rely on a job coach quite a bit, but in the program she definitely was more independent and she was able to communicate with the driver that picked her up,” Cyndi said. “[She] felt more comfortable in a job setting.”

Most students in the CDOP have a job coach who goes to work with them. Evans was a job coach for one of her students when she was a para, prior to being the Intensive Resource Special Education teacher.

“A job coach is almost like the equivalent of a paraprofessional, but instead of working within the classroom, they’re going into the community with workers,” Evans said. “They’re working on job training skills and just developing the skills that are relevant for that student’s job.”

Job Coach Roshonda Musau is currently Sarah’s job coach, along with two other students in the district. In regards to Sarah, Musau said her strength is she knows how to do her job well.

“She knows what she needs to do, she has learned how to do everything,” Musau said. “She is pretty independent.”

Junior Sarah Bell wipes down tables at her job at IHOP. Senior Jaden Hill sorts books at her job at the Johnson County Library. Junior Anh Nguyen, who is also in the CDOP Program, works at Cosentino’s Market where he helps organize the store.

They can be a part of the community and work just like everyone else does.”

-CORI HILL

Jennifer Bell, Sarah’s mother, said she has noticed an increase in confidence in Sarah throughout her first year in the program.

“She’s actually become a little more helpful at home in wanting to do things like help clear the table and stuff,” Jennifer said. “It’s definitely teaching her [the] skills she needs.”

Cori said she experienced similar skill developments in Jaden as Jennifer did with Sarah.

“Her communication skills are really good for the level that she is and she’s learned a lot from the program and a lot of life skills,” Cori said. “It’s been a great opportunity for her. Even things that we don’t even think about on a day-to-day basis.”

Post high school, Jaden plans to attend college at Johnson County Community College and join the 1821 program. It is offered to students with IEPs who need extended time after high school to prepare for life.

Avery is currently a part of this

program. She said the 18-21 program is very similar to the CDOP. She said she feels they both focus on building job skills along with other life skills, like being able to talk to people.

“It’s easy for me because all you do is clean, and once I know where everything is it’s easy for me to do,” Avery said.

According to Cyndi, students who are a part of the 18-21 program spend half of their day at a job and the other half focusing on building life skills. Avery is in her second semester of this program, meaning she has worked at two different places, the preschool side of Hilltop and now TJ Maxx, and has liked them both.

“My hope [is that], by the end of the program, she will have tried [jobs in] different areas to see what she might want to do when she gets a real job,” Cyndi said.

In regard to deciding what programs to take part in, Cyndi said it is important to focus on what a child thrives in and needs to work on.

“I would say just really look at the strengths of your particular child and make sure that the program is a good fit for where you see them thriving,” Cyndi said.

Cori believes the CDOP can find a job for almost anyone and would recommend the program to others. She also said it is a great way to get involved.

“I think [it is] a great opportunity. They can be a part of the community and work just like everyone else does,” Cori said. “They might not be able to work at a full time level, but it gives them something to do just like we do every day.”

Musau agrees that the CDOP is a good opportunity for students with special needs, and believes that parents should give them the opportunity to be part of it.

“I think if they want their children to be a part of society and perhaps advocate for themselves, it would be a good idea for them to gain independence,” Musau said.

Sarah Bell works at IHOP where she helps clean and busses tables. “I like bussing tables,” Bell said.

She’s learned a lot from the program and a lot of life skills.”

-CORI HILL

The Fight For L fe

The Fight For L fe

Cancer affects patients, friends and family, all of whom need support. This acknowledgement is needed beyond Cancer Awareness month

Written by Bridget Hamlin and Saraphina Wambi, Photographed by Shahd Abdeljalil, Designed by Lucy Halverson

When math teacher Teresa Hogan received her diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma in December 2014, she felt it was straight out of a movie.

“They called me, and I was alone in my house, and told me that it was probably cancer,” Hogan said. “My legs fell out in front of me, and I fell to my knees on my kitchen floor.”

Hogan described the experience of learning about her cancer diagnosis as completely unexpected.

“I did not see it coming at all, it was totally like [getting] hit by a bus,” Hogan said.

Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a type of cancer affecting the lymphatic system, a part of the body’s germfighting immune system.

Hogan was not the only one surprised by her diagnosis; her family had mixed reactions to the news.

“I have a daughter who’s very compassionate and very caring, so she was a train wreck, thinking it was gonna be gloom and doom,” Hogan said. “My son thinks everything’s always gonna be fine, so he was like, ‘she’ll be fine.’”

Hogan emphasized that although her kids were grown when she received her diagnosis, she did not want to miss out on what was to come in their lives.

“I didn’t want to leave my kids. I didn’t want to miss out on all the things that were happening,” Hogan said. “[My kids] asked for recipes; that night I stayed up the entire night, writing up traditional family recipes, crying in my bed as I typed them up… I didn’t want to go.”

It was also an emotional time for junior Ava Smith when her mom was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016.

“It was really hard for us because it was one of the [later] stages. So, there was only one option — it was surgery — and we didn’t really know how well it would work,” Smith said.

Smith said it was difficult to see her mother less often.

“Whenever we’d see her during her treatments, [she would] just

have so many machines and wires connected to her,” Smith said.

Richard McKittrick, an associate professor in medical oncology at KU Medical Center, illustrated how he has witnessed families changing because of cancer diagnoses.

“It’s very scary for them and very sad, because if you find out that someone you’ve lived with your [entire] life, like a mother or father, [now has] cancer that’s going to limit or take their life,”

Junior Sophie Lage holds the pancreatic cancer ribbon in support of her grandfather, who passed away from pancreatic cancer when Lage was 3 years old. “I wish I was old enough to remember who he was,” Lage said.

McKittrick said. “You see anger, almost like, ‘why did this happen?’”

Junior Sophie Lage said the most difficult moment she endured when her grandma was diagnosed with cancer was watching her condition worsen.

“I remember standing, looking into the window, you could just tell that she was really sick because of how skinny she was,” Lage said. “I just remember watching her look at all the pictures [of our family], since she couldn’t really see us anymore, and it was so emotional for me to watch her suffer.”

Lage’s grandmother was not her first family member to battle cancer, as her grandfather died of colon cancer, but her grandmother’s diagnosis was the most emotional for her because of how close they were.

“I grew up with her, and every time I saw her, it just made me happier,” Lage said. “So, when I found out that she did have cancer, I was set back by it and it hurt a lot because I knew that she wasn’t gonna be around much longer.”

Lage said she was shocked when she received the text from her

mom saying her grandma had died, and said it was hard for her to accept that she was not able to say goodbye.

“I wasn’t prepared; I didn’t know when it was gonna happen, [and] I didn’t know how soon it was gonna happen,” Lage said.

Like Lage, Assistant Principal Kelsey Bakalar was not given the chance to say goodbye to her sorority sister, Julie Zittergruen, before she died from colorectal cancer.

“Julie was the first person my age that I lost, and that was a very different experience to see someone my age [die] and to see someone with young children lose their mom,” Bakalar said.

Zittergruen is not the only loved one Bakalar has watched battle cancer, as her close friend Kathryn Sanfle was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer in 2018. Bakalar said Sanfle has made it her priority

to make memories with her loved ones.

“[Sanfle] lives for experiences and is trying to create a lot of videos, pictures and written memories for the boys because she worries about whether or not they will remember her,” Bakalar said.

Bakalar’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when Bakalar was a teenager. She said this made it extremely heartbreaking to see her friend go through a similar experience.

“I remember [finding] out about my friend Kathryn’s diagnosis, and having to close the door and take a moment to myself…I remember having a kind of a breakdown,” Bakalar said. “I got some help [from the school psychologist], someone to help me calm down and get through it.”

At McKittrick’s practice, the Kansas City Cancer Center, they not only help patients’ physical state but their emotional state as well. They offer free counseling to families and patients.

The hardest part of seeing Sanfle battle cancer, Bakalar said, was not knowing how to help her while knowing she was in pain.

“To look at someone you love, you think, ‘just give [your sickness] to me because I don’t know what I can do unless I take it on for you,’” Bakalar said.

While Bakalar did not fully process her mom’s diagnosis when she was a teenager, looking back, she has realized how fragile mortality is.

“When my mom was diagnosed, I think I was so selfish. You know, as a young teen, you’re focused on your social life, your activities, your grades, and I definitely didn’t process it the way I processed it as an adult,” Bakalar said. “I think as you get older, you see that people are not invincible. None of us are invincible.”

Ribbons are used to express support and raise awareness for all types of cancer. The white ribbon represents lung cancer, the green for lymphoma, the pink for breast, the navy for colon, and the purple for pancreatic.

Bakalar said the busyness of her teenage schedule never clouded

I think as you get older, you see that people are not invincible. None of us are invincible.”

- Kelsey Bakalar

her constant worry for her mom’s health.

“I was very active in school, and I remember [my mom] couldn’t come to a lot of my events. I was worried about her and worried about disappointing her in any way,” Bakalar said. “

Senior and cancer survivor Anna Shaughnessy explained when she was getting her treatment, it was hard on her siblings because of the massive adjustment her family had to make.

“My parents had to devote a lot of time toward me getting my treatment, so we had my aunt come stay with [my siblings] or they would come stay with me for a little bit in the hospital,” Shaughnessy said.

Shaughnessy was diagnosed with dysgerminoma, a type of ovarian cancer, at the age of eight. Shaughnessy said something people should consider more often is supporting the families of cancer patients.

“We really need to support [the] people who are going through this tough time. Not just the people who have cancer, but their families,” Shaughnessy said.

Shaughnessy said because she received her cancer diagnosis at such a young age, she did not process it as well as she does now.

“I don’t think I fully understood it at first, but I could see the people around me crying. One of my friends also had cancer at the time, so I just didn’t fully understand…how bad [cancer] is,” Shaughnessy said.

Shaughnessy said that there is still a lingering fear her ovarian cancer will return.

“Up until like two years ago, I had to get scans every year to make sure [my cancer] wasn’t coming back. But now that it’s been almost 10 years, they’re pretty certain it won’t come back...but it’ll always be a fear in my mind,” Shaughnessy said.

The fear of cancer returning is a shared experience, as Ava Smith still worries about her mother’s cancer history.

“I was really worried that she wasn’t going to make it, and it was

gonna be too hard on her,” Smith said. “I’d say now [I’m] just worried that [the cancer] could come back.”

For Hogan, no symptom is too small, and she advises people to always go to the doctor even when they feel slightly off.

“If you don’t feel well for whatever reason, keep fighting it, keep going to the doctor, keep having people check it out,” Hogan said. “Had I just dealt with the fact that they thought it was a respiratory infection and I was gonna be fine, I wouldn’t have been fine.”

While undergoing her cancer treatment, Hogan found a quote that monumentally changed her outlook on her diagnosis and experience.

“‘I’m not a princess [needing] rescuing; I’m a queen, I’ve got this handled,’” Hogan said. “So I just [took] it as positively as I could.”

Hogan advised everyone to value every moment with loved ones and said to reach out to friends and family as often as possible.

“You got to make every moment count,” Hogan said.

Teresa Hogan and her sister, Pam Bell, arrive at Hogan’s first chemotherapy session. “Family and friends [would come with me to] chemotherapy. I had a rotating patrol of who would take me and stay with me,” Hogan said.

GAME DAY GALLERY

Junior Joey Matteoni protects the ball against defenders from St. Thomas Aquinas Jan. 10. “We have a great team chemistry,” Matteoni said.“I am the closest to this team as I have been with any team in my life.” The Huskies defeated the Saints, 6042. (Photo by Norah Alasmar)

Senior James Bi competes in the Husky Invitational against Lawerence High School Jan. 21. “I will miss the people the most,” Bi said. “After four years in the program, I have built great relationships with my teammates and my coaches.”

(Photo by Lila Vancrum)

Freshman

Kevin Jiao competes in the 100-meter fly during a home meet against De Soto High School and Louisburg High School Jan. 24. “My favorite part about the season is team breakfasts and dinners,” Jiao said.

Senior cheer captain Carly Worden, junior Gabby Milsap and senior Raegan Rephlo lead a cheer at halftime of the boys basketball game Jan. 13. “I like being able to help make [games] more fun for the student section and fans,” Milsap said. (Photo by Arpa Das)

Sophomore Megan Darensbourg dribbles up the court against St. Thomas Aquinas Jan. 10. “After a loss, I motivate myself by knowing that there’s more work to be done and coming back harder and stronger,” Darensbourg said. The Huskies were defeated by the Saints, 5340. (Photo by

Shahd Abdeljalil)

(Photo by Lila Vancrum)

ABOUT THE EXPRESS

CONTACT INFORMATION

Mailing address: 13260 Switzer Rd, Overland Park, KS 66213

Phone: 913-239-3544

Email: BVNWnewspaper@bluevalleyk12.org

RESPONDING TO THE PUBLICATION

Letters to the editor may be submitted electronically on our website at BVNWnews.com under the “Contact Us” tab. Letters may be published either on BVNWnews.com or in our print edition. Letters may be edited.

ABOUT US

The Express is the official high school news publication of Blue Valley Northwest High School, an open forum distributed to all students seven times a year. This is the February Issue of Volume 30. The Express is printed by Valley Print Logistics, 160 S Sheridan Ave, Valley Center, KS 67147.

DISCLAIMER

This is a student publication and may contain controversial matter. Blue Valley Unified School District No. 229 and its board members, officers and employees disclaim any responsibility for the content of this student publication; it is not an expression of School District Policy. Students and editors are solely responsible for the content of this student publication.

EQUITY POLICY STATEMENT

BVNW Publications is committed to amplifying the voices of our student body and community, no matter the color of skin, religious belief, financial status, gender or sexuality. We are an independent platform that by practice, and by law, is not a mouthpiece of the school district. We promise to cover all stories with fact and integrity. We stand in solidarity with all people who are fighting for equality. We promise to educate ourselves and represent our entire community to our audience to the best of our ability. For our students, teachers, readers, viewers and families who are struggling for equality, we deplore the injustices you face. We strive to be a unifying platform that celebrates diversity and shares your stories, and we will continue to work toward increasing minority voices internally, as well as externally. We may not always get it right, but we will try, and we will listen and be open to suggestions on how to better tell your stories.

THE EXPRESS STAFF

Editors in Chief

Julia Moser

Lucy Halverson

Print Editor

Anna Bailey

Online Editor

Liz LaHood

Copy Editor

Ashley Adams

Photo Editors

Norah Alasmar

Lila Vancrum

Sports Editor

Alyssa Gagnon

Opinions Editor

Social Media Editor

Regan Simeon

Chief Photographer

Bailey Thompson

Writers

Alex Cowdrey

Libby Addison

Lindsay Maresh

Quinn Brown

Reagan Kauth

Thomas Rose

Hannah Rakolta

Harper Latta

Nafsiya Hafiz

Bridget Hamlin

Photographers

Remi Nuss

Shahd Abdeljalil

Videographer

Alivia Ozbun

Assistant Adviser

Amanda Ford

Saraphina Wambi

Sydney Barnett

Design Editor

Sabrina San Agustin

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