BVSW - The Standard - Volume 9 - Senior Issue

THE STANDARD

Rivers

& Roads senior issue 2019

2 | contents / the standard / senior issue 2019

a year from now we’ll all be gone

contents feature

3 | Living legacies 4 | Twin powers 6 | Softball senior signees 8 | Swimming foreign

sENIOR SECTION 10 | Sports & Performing Arts signings 12 | Senior map 14 | Senior survey 16 | Senior superlatives 18 | Senior letters 22 | Our final year

volume 9 / senior issue www.bvswnews.com

on the cover

Rivers and Roads by the Head and the Heart is a song about leaving and recconection. The theme and lyrics on these pages are all inspired by this song. photo illustration by jonah mccormick and emma olinger

feature / the standard / senior issue 2019 | 3

all our friends will move away

living legacies

students discuss plans to attend same college as their family members

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he process that goes into choosing a future path is different for everyone. Some people choose a university that offers them the biggest scholarship, others pick one that suits their specific future plans. Seniors Regan Vaccaro, Bri Lowe and Alex Stanton have chosen colleges to follow in the footsteps of their family members.

Vaccaro plans to attend the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. She said she was drawn there because of her family and childhood connection to the area.

“I’ve grown up going to football games and having a good time and just knowing the campus area a lot,” Vaccaro said.

Similar to Vaccaro, Stanton said he plans to attend Kansas State University and that growing up visiting campus allowed him to get to know what it is like in Manhattan, Kansas.

“I love the culture around there and always grew up as a K-State fan,” Stanton said.

Lowe said she was also raised a K-State fan, but the legacy that she is continuing is more than attending the same college. Not only will she be attending Kansas State University,

bri lowe

but she said she will also be throwing javelin there as her mother did. Lowe said that her mother’s involvement in the sport has made her the athlete she is today.

“I’m really close to my mom because she’s my track coach,” Lowe said. “She’s always been my coach for other sports, too, growing up, so we spend a lot of time together. I definitely think that’s why I love track so much is because she has made it such a fun sport.”

Continuing her mother’s legacy was not always her plan. Lowe said she had multiple offers she was considering before deciding on K-State.

“My mom was a really big help in the recruiting process because she’s gone through it before,” Lowe said. “When I was trying to decide between Hawaii and K-State, my mom was actually kind of leaning toward Hawaii because she didn’t want me to go to K-State just because she went there, which is not the only reason that I chose to go there.

It was just a better fit for me. But it was really helpful to have her help me make the decision.”

Although she’s chosen a place that is

regan vaccaro

familiar, Lowe said she is looking forward to more independence and new experiences.

“I’m really excited for college in general, just to be out on my own and to be able to be independent and kind of start my own life,” Lowe said.

Despite choosing the same school as his parents, Stanton said the changes of the school over time make it a completely different experience.

“My parents are like, ‘That’s completely new since I’ve been here,’” Stanton said.

“K-State as a whole has changed so much.”

Each individual makes a unique decision on what their future is and where to go next.

Vaccaro said choosing to go to a college with family connections allows her to grow closer to her family and feel more at home. She said she will be moving to Nebraska but is going to feel closer to home and more connected to her family. “[My family is] going to visit me all the time,” Vaccaro said. “I feel closer to home in a way, even though I’m leaving Kansas. I’m so close to home in the way that connects me to my family members.” | sadieputnam

Alex Stanton stanton

4 | feature / the standard / senior issue 2019

and they’re going to

better places

Twin Powers

a highlight on the twins of the senior class

F Jeremy and Jacob Boone

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enior Matt McCabe described him and his twin brother, Jack, as “on the same frequency.”

Matt said there are a lot of similarities him and his brother both share like dressing the same. Matt said there is no explanation as to why there are so similar; they tell everyone it is because they are twins.

“I think one of the things that is unique is how much we help each other out. When you have a twin, they are the person in the world who relates to you more than anybody else, because you share so much of your life with them,” Matt said.

Matt describes having a twin as having a best friend with you 24/7. He said he considers them both as leaders, with an ambitious drive.

“I dream a lot of big things I want to do; I am very creative. I don’t always make it happen physically — I am very ambitious in my mind

raternal twin brothers, seniors Jeremy and Jacob Boone, described their relationship as being supportive of each other and sharing common interests.

Jacob said their relationship has been like this since they were little.

“We use to share a room in middle school and most twins don’t do that,” Jacob said. “It got us really close together.”

The brothers said they both have outgoing personalities that fit in with their shared friend group.

and Jack is the same way — he’s got lots of great ideas and he is probably better at making it happen than I am because he is radically in that sense,” Matt said.

With high school coming to an end, their plans for the future will cause them to split up.

Jack is going to be attending the University of Central Missouri while Matt will be attending the University of Missouri.

“For the first time in 18 years we won’t be basically roommates, so it’s a little weird, it’s a little scary, because imagine having a best friend for 18 years and then all of a sudden they’re like, ‘see you,’” Matt said. “We see each other literally every day when we get up, when we go to sleep, so it’s not even like gradually decreasing the amount of time we spent together it’s like going from rooming together to like not seeing each other for a couple months.”

T BROOKE AND GAGE FINTEL

“We’re actually going to split [for college],” Jacob said. “I am thinking of going to Nebraska and he is going to go to KU.” While Jeremy said he hasn’t really thought of it much, they both acknowledged that it will be tough to separate but they knew it would have had to happen eventually.

“We have been together for 18 years and now we’re leaving each other,” Jacob said.

Jack and Matt McCabe

o seniors Brooke and Gage Fintel, having a twin was the automatic best friend they had when moving around and going to new schools.

“I feel like as a boy and a girl, we are kind of compatible and we can talk about different stuff and I can talk to her about a wider range of topics and it’s a lot easier to talk to her about [things],” Gage said.

Although Brooke said she defines their personalities as opposites, she said sometimes she feels like she can sense

what Gage is thinking or how he will react to certain things because of their close bond.

Both Gage and Brooke said they are planning on attending the University of Nebraska after high school and see college as an opportunity to grow a closer while also be independent at the same time.

“Because we [are siblings] we’ll be able to make new friends as well,” Gage said.

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but our friends

will be gone away N

Larissa and Brandon Vogt

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ccording to Mallory and Ryan they said they have a bond stronger than other twins.

“Since Ryan has a learning disability, we are different in that fact I step in a lot and you know when your twin and are in the same grade and see one of your siblings struggling, you obviously will feel concerned,” Mallory said. “So I feel like we bond better than other twins because we have that extra little aspect.”

They both described themselves as being similar on a 50/50 scale.

“We have similar aspects of our personalities — like we both like ramble,” Mallory said. “Not that we’re super extrovert, but we’re both introverted when were in uncomfortable situations. But when we’re in an environment with a bunch of people that we know, we’re both really loud.”

ot all twins share the same personality traits as shown in seniors Brandon and Larissa Vogt.

“We’re pretty opposite; we look kind of similar but our personalities are just so different and I think our friends would say the same thing,” Larissa said.

“I would say I’m more independent than him, and he is funnier that I am. We have different senses of humor and I’m probably more athletic than him.”

The Vogts described their relationship as pretty close, but they know how to get on each other’s nerves most of the time, often resulting in small, two-minute arguments that are quickly resolved.

Brandon said the most annoying part of being a twin was frequently being asked if they were dating, but he said it would be weird if they weren’t twins.

Larissa and Brandon have the same exact

Like many siblings, Ryan said they fight frequently, but still go to each other for everything and look out for each other.

“It’s nice for homework because when we take the same course, we help each other with homework. He will remind me of assignments and I will help him with math,” Mallory said.

Both said they are also similar in which they are both involved in the performing arts, however Ryan is more theater focused while Mallory enjoys choir and band. When it comes to plans for after high school, Ryan said their are both planning on attending Pittsburg State together to further their studies. “It’s nice having a twin because you’re both the same age and are both going to be graduating at the same time so there’s less tears,” Ryan said.

class schedule and share other similar interests. “Were pretty much in the same friend group. For the most part we hang out together with our friends,” Brandon said.

“We both have a car and drive to school separately most days, but our cars are the exact same color, interior, model and everything,” Larissa said.

Both said they plan to attend Johnson County Community College for one year after high school and then split while Larissa goes off to K-State for two years and Brandon goes to KU. “It’ll be hard because you don’t have your automatic best friend with you on the first day of school every single day and we would have most of our classes together because we’re majoring in the same thing,” Larissa said.

Mallory and Ryan Bennett |ishapatel

6 | feature / the standard / senior issue 2019

Not hing is as it has been

Softball Senior Signees all five softball seniors sign with a school to continue at the collegiate level

Peyton Renzi

A

fter her dad and brother both played in college, senior Kori Stonestreet said it had a huge impact on why she decided to play softball in college.

“It’s kind of a big family thing and my dad has always been my coach, so he’s kind of the reason that I wanted to play and kept me going to play,” Stonestreet said.

Stonestreet signed with University of Nebraska Omaha. She said she is excited to have a new instant softball family and new experiences.

“Some people say ‘you

know when you know’ and I always thought that was a joke, but when I walked on campus at Nebraska Omaha, I was like, ‘this is where I want to be,’” Stonestreet said.

She said she is excited for this change, however she said she has strong friendships with her current teammates.

“The family that we have here now — and especially with our incoming freshmen, too — we’ve already made close bonds with all of them, so it’s going to be hard leaving that,” Stonestreet said.

S

enior Peyton Renzi grew up with a love for a different sport: basketball. “[Basketball] was my favorite sport and then I stopped growing,” Renzi said. “I realized that basketball was not my sport.

I’ve always loved playing softball.

I started playing softball when I was like 3 or 4.”

Renzi said her dad put her in a youth softball league and when she was in sixth grade, she visited a college and realized she could potentially have a future in the sport.

In the following years, Renzi signed with the University of Kansas to further her softball career. She said she wanted to stay close to home and that she has always been a KU fan.

“I really like the culture, the

history and the traditions that they have there and the softball team, they’re on the rise,” Renzi said. “They’re getting pretty good; they just got a new coach and she’s super cool and I’m just excited to play with a different group of people.”

Renzi said she is excited to play with new people, but also said she has played with most of her teammates from a very young age and is going to miss the friendships she has grown up with.

“I’m definitely going to miss that and also the family feel,” Renzi said. “Obviously it’ll be kind of the same, but a little bit different at KU. I’m just going to miss playing with all of the girls and the coaches.”

KORI STONESTREET

and I miss your face

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like hell W

hen senior Maddie Redman was two months old, she was on a softball field. When she was 9 years old, she started club ball.

“I feel like I was kind of just born into this sport, into this family and when I started club at 9 years old, that’s when it hit me that if I have potential, then I want to play for as long as I can,” Redman said.

Redman signed with Butler Community College. She said tearing her ACL last January changed her opportunities.

“I decided that I was going to go on a visit to Butler Community College and they

maddie redman I

n eighth grade, senior Hannah Maurer said she was going to quit softball. However, a few people helped change her mind.

“My parents and actually my friend Peyton and her dad Joe ... convinced me to keep playing and then right before the fall of my junior year, [I had] this inclination that this was something I want to do and I did enjoy and wanted to keep pursuing,” Maurer said. “I wasn’t really ready to give it up yet.”

Maurer signed with Baker University. She said she likes the environment of the community and the small classes.

“[I’m excited for] my teammates and the coaching staff, they’re very caring and they care more, like they don’t just look at you as an athlete,” Maurer said. “They actually care about your well-being and academics and everything.”

Maurer said she will miss the people, specifically the coaches at Southwest.

“I have been here the past three years now; it’s my fourth year,” Maurer said. “It’s kind of just something that I’ve gotten used to and now I’ll have to get used to something else.”

I

katie reeg

offered me the best scholarship and the best program to go to further where I want to be,” Redman said. “[I’m most excited about] meeting new people, making new friends.

I think the girls that I might go in with will be lifelong friends.”

However, Redman said she would miss her Southwest family.

“The family here has stepped up a lot from my junior to my senior year and I wouldn’t trade any of these girls for the world,” Redman said.

hannah mauer

n seventh or eighth grade, senior Katie Reeg’s father asked if she wanted to play softball in college.

Now, she has signed with the University of Dayton in Ohio.

“I really decided like freshman year,” Reeg said. “I just I didn’t want to think about not playing.”

Reeg said she chose Dayton because of the coaches, girls and atmosphere.

“It’s not too small and it’s not too big,” Reeg said. “I’m most excited about traveling with the team and

getting to go a bunch of places because most of the teams we get to play are on the East Coast — we get to go to New York City and Washington, D.C.” Reeg said she is excited for the new rivalries, but the ones in high school are what she is going to miss most about high school ball.

“I know there will be new ones in college, but we get to play Aquinas,” Reeg said. “I’ll also obviously [miss] the girls and coaches.”

| jessicabell Photos courtesy of Alyssa Arnett and Shari Schaake

8 | feature / the standard / senior issue 2019

and I guess it s ’

just as well

Swimming Foreign

foreign exchange student Natalia Komornikova gets involved through cross country and swimming

E

very new school year brings with it new and different faces to the halls. Since the school’s inception, students from 11 different and unique nations have transferred for the opportunity to challenge their foreign language skills.

This year, foreign exchange student, 18-year-old senior Natalia Komornikova, joined the halls from the eastern European nation of Slovakia. Komornikova said she decided to come to the United States to improve her English, which is a key component of school in Slovakia.

“In Slovakia, we start learning English in the first grade. So I’ve been learning English for 12 years,” Komornikova said.

Komornikova said one of the main reasons she decided to become a foreign exchange student was the profound foreign exchange experience of one of her role models.

“My sister was (an) exchange student two years ago, and she really liked it, and she improved in English, and it helped her with college and stuff,” Komornikova said. “I want to be like her.”

As a result, Komornikova is following a similar path to her older sister when it comes to her foreign exchange experience.

“I’m living with a host family, which was also my sister’s host family; they’re really nice people,” Komornikova said.

Although Komornikova said her transition was relatively smooth, she said it still took her some time to adjust academically, although she said she fared just as well.

“It was hard at the beginning, but when you get used to talking in English and listening to English all the time — it’s not hard anymore,” Komornikova said.

However, there are differences in the educational system in America compared to Slovakia.

“First of all, in Slovakia, we cannot choose classes, we have them

set,” Komornikova said. “All the students have to take physics and chemistry and biology. So it’s much more complex, and we choose classes only the last two years of high school, and we get to choose only subjects that we want to study in college.”

Socially, Komornikova said she quickly adapted because of her participation in the community through school sports such as cross country in the fall and swim in the spring.

“Without all the school sports, I wouldn’t probably have any friends because I did cross country at the beginning of the school year, and I have most of my friends from there,” Komornikova said.

Junior Ashley Schuler said she’s known Komornikova since the very beginning of the school year, and the two’s friendship developed in part because of Komornikova’s participation in swim.

“I’ve known her since the beginning of the school year because she swam on my club team,” Schuler said.

Komornikova has been swimming competitively for 10 years and is on a club team back home in Slovakia and was on another club swim team in Kansas before the school swim season started.

However, she said she really likes the change in pace of the school swim team compared to her club team back home and her club team abroad.

“I like it because the school swim team is different than club swimming, because it’s not that hard and we have more time to talk to each other, so it’s more fun,” Komornikova said.

Through all that swimming, Komornikova has developed a favorite stroke for competition and leisure.

“My favorite stroke to swim is probably breaststroke, which I’m also best at, but I don’t like swimming a lot of breaststroke,” Komornikova said. “I like swimming individual medley in practice, because I don’t like swimming the same stroke all the time.”

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but I miss your face

like hell

When in comes to Komornikova’s methodologies and philosophy in practice, Schuler said Komornikova is a positive influence.

“She’s really sweet, she’s hilarious, and she always makes jokes about being from Slovakia,” Schuler said. “But yeah, she’s just really fun to be around.”

Math teacher and head swim coach Jillianne Bellville said she is delighted to have a girl like Komornikova on her swim team.

“You can always see the girls have a positive attitude around her,” Bellville said. “She’s always, bringing her teammates up, and motivating them in a positive way. She just seems to know how to have a good time, and when to have a good time. It’s just a positive vibe that she brings to the whole team.”

When Komornikova isn’t joking around, Schuler said Komornikova is constantly working hard and motivating her teammates to do their best in the pool.

“She always works really hard,” Schuler said. “She yells at me whenever I try to skip sets, [and] she always yells at me when I’m going slow.”

Currently, Komornikova’s best breaststroke time is 1:06 and the school record looms within her reach at a 1:04.89, which was set by Sydney Angell in 2013.

“Natalia’s at a 1:06, the school record is at a 1:04. So, I could see [breaking the record] happening , but it would take a lot of work and just hitting every wall perfectly, hitting that start perfectly, and just digging,” Bellville said.

However, whether Komornikova breaks the record or not, her time rivals even the boys swim team’s best breaststroke time.

“Her best time right now that she’s gotten was with the club team,” Bellville said. “That was early this season, she got a 1:06. Our fastest time on the boys team was also a 1:06 this year and that was at state.”

Bellville said she is thrilled to have Komornikova not only as a swimmer onher team but also sees her as a well-rounded individual.

“Other teachers have said that they just love Natalia and that she’s a hard worker in class and that she gets everything done, and is just an all around good student,” Bellville said. “I think that’s really important, when you’re a student athlete, to be a very good student, as well as being a really awesome athlete, it just brings a lot to our school and community.”

Schuler said Komornikova is a senior leader on the team, not just based on her sweeping and vital force as a swimmer, but based on her character in the same facets Bellville described.

“I mean, she’s fast, obviously, but she just brings up the team I feel like and whenever someone’s upset, she always tries to help

them when they do bad in the race and stuff,” Schuler said.

However, as the school year winds down, so does the spring sports season, which includes girls swim. Before returning to Slovakia, Komornikova said she plans on putting her full effort forth into her swimming, while having some fun along the way.

“I think this is going to be my last year swimming, so I want to enjoy it and get some good times,” Komornikova said.

The varsity league meet is set for May 3 and May 4, and swim state is May 17, which Komornikova qualified for earlier this season.

Something unique about Komornikova is the fact that she will be attending high school again next year. As the seniors graduate and move on to college and the workforce, Komornikova will return to Slovakia. There, she will complete high school and graduate in 2020, even though she is graduating from high school in America this year.

“Back in Slovakia, we don’t have 12 years of school, we have 13,” .” Komornikova said. “So after I graduate here, I’ll have to finish my last year in Slovakia.”

This is a direct contrast to Natalia’s sister who was able to graduate and attend college directly after high school.

“She got the diploma and she didn’t have to (finish her last school year in Slovakia), so now, she’s in college,” Komornikova said. “It’s her second year. But me, I won’t get the diploma because they won’t let me.”

Komornikova said the reason her older sister got to graduate in Slovakia after being a foreign exchange student and the reason why she doesn’t has in part to due with the differences in the schooling system.

“It’s complicated to translate and transition all the grades and stuff, and we have big tests in Slovakia at the end of high school, from four years of high school, which we all have to do, but she was special, I don’t know why I am not,” Komornikova said.

However, Komornikova said she is already planning for her future after high school. After Komornikova graduates in Slovakia, she said she wants to follow in her older sister’s footsteps and attend college in England or Scotland — bringing her proficient foreign language skills with her.

“Maybe I want to go to England or Scotland because like now, in the world, in Europe, you cannot get [a] good job without knowing English. So studying English is much more useful for everyone in Europe now than studying in Slavic,” Komornikova said.

| lukehottovy

10 | sports and arts signings / the standard / senior issue 2019

been talking ‘bout Softball Katie Reeg - University of Dayton Hannah Maurer - Baker University Peyton Renzi - University of Kansas Kori Stonestreet - University of Nebraska Maddie Redman - Butler Community College

Volleyball Sydney Lierz - University of Central Missouri

Baseball Owen Chaffin - Neosho County Community College Will Eldridge - Neosho County Community College Quinn Hill - Cowley County Community College

Cheer Isabelle Muir -Graceland University

Football Kyle Murphy - Missouri Western State University Billy Bartlett - Iowa Western Community College Jake Lamfers - Iowa Western Community College

Cross Country / Track Mitch Sailer - Pittsburg State University Briana Lowe - Kansas State University Hannah Turner - University of Oklahoma

| 11

t he way

t hings change Soccer

Aidan Bates - University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

Theatre Jaden Tatge - University of Minnesota McKinley Barr - University of Utah Drew Thomas - WSU Cara Torchia - Chicago College of Performing Arts Max pinson - otterbein university ryan bennett - Pittsburg state university

Band Esther Lee - TSU Katie Lochner - Kansas state University Mitch Shulfur - Kansas State University Mallory Bennett - Pittsburg state university Neil Bates - Baker University Jackson Klestinske - Kansas State University Logan Hunter - MTSU

Nathan Pendleton - IUPUI Luke Rafanan - Rockhurst University Zander Glynn - Barton Community College Gracely Briley - University of Kansas Cassie Forcellini - University of Central Missouri Courtney Kooken - Indiana State University Macy Ruffalo - University of Central Missouri Cali Schechinger - Missouri State University Hallory Sutherland - Benedictine College

Wrestling Joseph Dennison - Drury University

2

2

John Brown University Austin Dougan Bailey Spencer University of Arkansas Grace Atkins Nicole Barber Lillie Barnhart Olivia Briney Eli Dickerson

Arkansas

Arizona State University Abby Phillips Mitchell Wilson Grand Canyon University Amber Yarbrough Scottsdale Community College Austin Reilly

Arizona

Auburn University Camden Frye University of Alabama Cassie Leighty

Alabama

List as of April 24

Drake University Noah Bell Graceland University Izzy Muir Iowa State University Regan Erwin Kyle Henderscheid Iowa Western Ben Miller

Iowa

Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis Nate Pendleton Indiana State University Courtney Kooken Purdue University Jack Robertston

Indiana

Wheaton College Emma Green

4

9 6

Pittsburg State University Mallory Bennett Ryan Bennett Grace Chramosta Taylor Falkner Ally Farris Danny Hill Julia Hughes Mitchell Sailer Ashlyn Wakefield University of Kansas Blake Agre Cara Ahrens Washburn University

3

12

2

6

1

2

2

6 3 2

1

Montana

Boston University Kassandra Wu Suffolk UniversityBoston Morgan Young

Massachusetts

Finny Bradin Sara Elizabeth Fullington Lauryn Massey Wichita State University Lainey Caldwell Sarah Hjelmaas Drew Thomas

1

162

1

22

13

2

Bill Patterson Alex Rains Elizabeth Reilly Brandon Robinson Sylvia Sanford Paul Schraeder Jakeb Sharon Andrew Taggart Audrey Tribble Michael Uko Kansas City Art Institute Drew Sabath Kansas City Community College-TEC Alex Van Pelt Kansas State Polytechnic Devin Chrisco Kansas State University Caroline Ayres Caleb Bowles

2

1

Utah

Texas

Lipscomb University Jacqueline Keith Middle State Tennessee University Logan Hunter

Tennessee

Brown University Anna Lee Johnson & Wales University Carly Pearch

Rhode Island

map of the destinations of this year’s seniors

2 2

Montana State University Sophia Johnson Baylor University Sadie Putnam Lauren Dudley Rachel Kelley The University of Texas University of Nebraska at Dallas Crandall Blake Ted Shi Jacob Boone Dylan Doerr Brooke Fintel Brigham Young Gage Fintel University Ryan Hakim Kacee Call Matt Lowry Anna Hansen Rachel Lovell

Nebraska

2

1

2

My family lives in a different state 12 | senior map / the standard / senior issue 2019

Bradley University Lauren Urschel Chicago College of Performing Arts Cara Torchia DePaul University Jada Harper Loyola University Chicago Katherine Garrett Northern Illinois University Dawson Borninkhof

Illinois

Disney College Program Lauren Bailey Full Sail University Preston Dupriest

Florida

Community College Of Denver Adler Boten Brooklyn MacDonald Colorado State University Carmen Kapadia University of Colorado Sydney Self University of ColoradoBoulder Dawson Plaster Western Colorado University Amayah Meadows

Colorado

California Polytechnic State University Elianna Oliver Chapman University Haley Hunter

California

Alexander Eggleston Matt Esposito Abby Fanous Madeline Hall Carlie Marrs

Baker University Hannah Maurer Neill Bates Barton Community College Zander Glynn Benedictine College Abby Garretson Nathan Hall Hallory Sutherland Butler Community College Maddie Redman BV 18 to 21 Ryan Gress Ashley Schuster Iris Zakarian Cowley County Community College Quinn Hill Johnson County Community College Rand Alazzeh Avery Appleby Nada Bayazid Allison Behrens Dylan Black Alexis Blond Tighe Brown Frankie Borowiak-Miller Kate Boyer Dylan Burrow-Allega Kyle Crader Brieanna Davey Maile Dearth Barrett Dupree Matthew Gerstner Camryn Holcomb Violet Holman Lucy Jenab Benjamin Kathol Brandon Lefert Dean Livingston Megan Mabry Meaghan McNair

Kansas

Community College Billy Bartlett Jake Lamfers Maddie Bowron Alynn Bratkiv Betsy Burress Becca Cannon Michael Charest Kale DeYoung Taylor Dufield Patrick Fowler Lauren Golec Savannah Greathouse Bethie Gregory Spencer Harmon Abby Hunt Regan Kerr Jackson Klestinske Andrew Lawrence Kendra Lee Mitchell Lenartowicz Katie Lochner Briana Lowe Jonah McCormick Avery Miller Alex Morris Tyler Operach Keegan Peckman Dylan Pell Connor Price Trent Price Tyler Rapavi Kendall Rintamaki Alex Rockwell TJ Scanlon Mitchell Shulfer Alex Stanton Blake Steele Nolan Taggart Isaiah Tarwater Larissa Vogt Domnick Weber Jaren Williams Katie Zimmerman MidAmerica Nazarene University Arielle Sargent NCK Technical College Logan Taylor Neosho Community College Will Eldridge Owen Chaffin

Sharon Aligaz Jeremy Boone Gracely Briley Luke Brown Kaylee Cart Samuel Corum Cole Cruce SJ Dahms Grant Dichiser Jada Echavarria Christian Edwards Paige Embry Trevor Kenner Grace Kim Jared Klingensmith Joe Kowalski Jack Lapke Jack Lawrence Ryann Lenhart Nick Limback Aidan Lopez Sam Lopez Summer Lyon Ally Martin Faith Mayhugh Kaylee McNeill Logan Moore Adam Morse Emma Olinger Andrew Ott Sam Pardo Shayen Patel Mallory Peterman Shaun Profaizer Sydney Quijano Jasmine Reeves Madeline Reeves Peyton Renzi Sally Rose Anjali Roy Derek Ruf Leo Shiker Ava Stedman Lexi Stethem Hassaan Tariq Meghan Tidwell Brandon Vogt Brooke Weiser Matthew White Ashley Young Drury University Joseph Dennison Missouri State University Samantha Perdieu Cali Schechinger Missouri Welding Institute Joey Bottaro Samuel Craven Ethan Ludwig Will McBee Missouri Western State Nicholas Hopwood Kyle Murphy Rockhurst University Luke Rafanan JP Tymosko Truman State University Esther Lee University of Central Missouri Cassie Forcellini Emma Hines Sydney Lierz Jack McCabe Macy Ruffalo University of Missouri Riley Blee Ben Hawkins Matt McCabe University of Missouri Kansas City Savannah King Ashley Loeffelbein

Missouri

Mississippi State University Arrington Ervin

Mississippi

University of Minnesota Jaden Tatge

Minnesota

Michigan State University Jenna Hope

Michigan

Undecided

University of Wisconsin Green Bay Aidan Bates

University of Pittsburgh Claire Rips-Goodwin

Pennsylvania

Chemeketa Community College Paige Archambault University of Oregon Hannah St.Clair

Oregon

Oklahoma

Ohio

Tyler Aho Celina Chapel Rylee Greet Natalia Komornikova Audrey Lawrence Sam Martin Shaylen Simmons Ashton Stieg Megan Swenson Lijana Teague

Other

Military

Sara Armstrong Michael Chichura North Dakota State Wyatt Driskell University Joclyn Goode Haley Specht Zach Guertin Annaleise Zimmerman Pierce Hampton Matthew Jewett Maria Johnson University of Dayton Noah Kneisler Katie Reeg Jeremy Kyser Otterbein University Brian Lu Max Pinson Matthew Ricci Megan Swafford Nik Tanner Oklahoma Panhandle State Gage Whitley University Matthew Tullock University of Camden Lentsch Oklahoma Dan Roarty Hannah Turner

North Dakota

North Carolina State University Mallory Gonnerman

North Carolina

Wisconsin

Virginia Tech Alexander Bybee

Virginia

New York Columbia University Marlen Salazar Cornell University Brandt Geist

Bailey Rindlisbacher Scott Sawaya Rachel Taylor Utah State University Aidan Anderson Grace Davis University of Utah McKinley Barr

Marlee Milner Georgia Raaf Christie Seyl Brady Sorbin Regan Vaccaro University of Nebraska at Omaha Kori Stonestreet

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14 | survey / the standard / senior issue 2019

so if you don’t know what to make of this

60

percent of seniors were born in kansas

38

percent of seniors say their favorite recess activity was kickball

best kids movies of

2008 (according to seniors)

1. Camp Rock 2. WALL-E 3. Kung Fu Panda

44 60

percent of seniors say their favorite childhood trend is silly bandz

percent of seniors say they got their first phone in middle school based on a survey of the 2019 senior class

ads / the standard / senior issue 2019 | 15

For stories, live updates, photo galleries and more: Twitter: @bvswnews Snapchat: @bvswnews Online: bvswnews.com

BVSW NEEDS JOURNALISTS Introductory course: 21st Century Journalism

Publication Staffs: Newspaper & Yearbook Enroll now and watch for an announcement in April for application availability.

Distribution Day Seniors will receive their yearbooks at the senior picnic.

Underclassmen will be dismissed from seventh hour to pick up their books in the Commons.

May 3

16 |

then we will

SENIOr SUPERLATIVES

attached at the hip

katie zimmerman & sally rose

most involved blake steele & sadie putnam

most likely to cheer you up

connor price & jenna hope

most likely to be found at the gym

sam lopez & georgia raaf

Best Dressed

isaiah tarwater & bailey rindlisbacher

most likely to be ID’d at 30

jack lawrence & bethie gregory

superlatives / the standard / senior issue 2019 | 17

not relate

most likely to be a millionaire

scott sawaya & kassandra wu

most likely to never return to kansas

most changed since freshman year

gage whitley & lauren urshel

most likely to be on snl

max pinson & morgan young jaden tatge & mckinley barr

funniest twitter @jpmccormick516

class clown

@_carolineay

caroline ayres & jonah mccormick

drew thomas & haley hunter

ooooh oh oh

18 | senior letters / the standard / senior issue 2019

Senior Letters Emma Olinger T

his is it. This really is it, huh? I’m not sure how else to write this, I would like to talk about my experience like I normally do in an editor’s note, but I think it would be more valuable to give you some advice. You specifically. I want to tell you a few things I learned in my high school experience in no particular order. I will dispense this information now.

I

Isaiah Tarwater

t is common knowledge that high school is a time of extreme change for everyone involved. I know that if freshman year Isaiah and senior year Isaiah were in a room together two things would happen. First off, no one would accomplish anything due to the excessive number of random facts and “your mom” jokes. And secondly, it would be incredibly easy to recognise the growth I have undergone while at Southwest, much due to The Standard. When I first joined newspaper all I knew was graphic design and a little photography. Since then my skills have expanded to a plethora of not just journalism but life skills. This important growth is credited in part to the wonderful staff I have worked alongside these past two and a half years with a special part of my heart going out to Churbs. Even with the look down, rubbing the bridge of your nose, after I missed yet another deadline, I have become a better man because of Mrs. Chushuk. Room 118 has always been a place where I have felt safe and loved for who I am and for that I thank you.

Another thank you goes out to all 12 of our readers who still look forward to receiving a copy of the school paper, even though two of the twelve are my parents. And even though I never learned the time management skills I was promised when signing up for the class, I have learned something much more valuable. I have learned how to be a human being.

Labels feel comfortable, but they limit creativity. Being the best isn’t always the best thing to do. Don’t do things because it’s ‘cool,’ do things because they’re right. Who gives a damn about an Oxford comma? It’s okay to have opinions, but it’s not okay to socially expel another person for having different opinions (especially with politics). Don’t cut your hair to feel more gay, cut your hair because you’d like it to be short. Don’t feel bad about wearing a swimsuit that exposes your midriff or even your entire chest; confidence is attractive. If you stop judging other people, you might just stop judging yourself. Turn your assignments in on time; I never did. Question the status quo. Don’t cause drama, just watch YouTube beef. It’s okay to lose touch with old friends. Don’t plan too far ahead. The best decision you’ll ever make will be one you didn’t think too much about. Listen to music that makes you feel your heart thumping in your chest. It’s okay to be a fangirl or a fanboy or a fan-anybody. Text wrap is obnoxious. Make sure you know their name before you do anything with them. Try it. Call your relatives every once in a while, it might just make their day. Be kind. Be truthful, unless it will do nothing but cause drama. Ask your teachers questions, but don’t call them by their first name unless it’s really, really funny. Go in during Timber Time, it’ll be fine. Cry a little bit. Cry a lot. Laugh a lot. Do something wild.

Drive until you get to the end of the road. Listen to your friends. I promise they don’t hate you, you’re just a little crazy. It’s okay. Always be kind, no matter what they did to you. Tomorrow’s a new day, it might be better, it might be worse. That’s just life. There’s always at least one person in the world who loves you, if not two, or five, or ten, or 100. You matter.

Thank you to my friends and teachers for cluing me in on these little lessons. I can hear my future calling me, so I better sign off. Thanks for the life, Southwest.

ooooooh oh

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Sadie Putnam

A

s a freshman, many upperclassmen told me not to waste my time and to make the most of my high school experience. I quickly joined any and every club, activity and sport I had any interest in. One of which being yearbook, a class I was in for two and a half years. A class that taught me how to work with all kinds of people, how to deal with stress and how to be a leader. A couple of my best friends were on the newspaper staff, persuading me to join, to betray the yearbook. So, having

W

spent enough time as a yerd, I decided to see what it was like as a newsie. No offense to yearbook or anything, but newspaper is way better. I learned how to work on a different kind of publication and work with more amazing people.

I’ve had at least one class with Mrs. Chushuk, known by her nickname (that I came up with) Churbs, every single semester of my time in high school. From digital imaging, to yearbook, to editors hour and finally newspaper. Churbs, thank you for supporting me throughout my dramatic, sarcastic and difficult tendencies. We’ve deleted yearbooks, we’ve gone on so many field trips, we’ve (unfortunately) created the fall page, we’ve won an All Kansas, we’ve made some great publications and honestly spent way too much time together. You’ve taught me more than you will ever know and I’m so thankful to have spent so much time in the wonderful classroom of 118. #rachandrichgethitched I’ve met the best people in the world in room 118.

I love you all and can’t wait to see what you guys accomplish in the future. Best of luck to the future of the Standard — freshman brunette, Isha and Luke, you guys got this.

Lauren Urschel

hen I decided to join newspaper, I was a relatively uninvolved sophomore who was absolutely terrified about making friends and stepping outside of my comfort zone. Walking into that first meeting the summer before junior year, I had no clue what to expect—all I knew is I was nervous. Yet, when I stepped into a room filled with laughter and junk food, I knew I’d found a new type of home.

Newspaper has taught me many lessons I didn’t even know I needed, ranging from simply being able to talk to strangers in interviews, to being able to meet a deadline every week. I’ve learned how to be a part of a team, and even though we don’t know what we’re doing most of the time (or we do and we’re just choosing not to do it), we always get the job done in the end. Most importantly, I’ve witnessed the most wonderful friendships form and met some of the best human beings I’ve ever encountered.

To Sadie, my French National Honor Society President, thank you for making us all laugh. To Elianna, thank you for editing all of our rough drafts (when we finally got them done). To Isha, thank you for writing all the sports stories when no one else wanted to.

To Isaiah and Jonah, thank you for teaching us all basic design skills. To both Emma and Churbs, I deeply apologize on behalf of all of us for our continual failure to get work done in class, but I

thank you for putting up with us and encouraging us from beginning to end. To Churbs specifically, I thank you for believing in all of us and loving us despite our inability to be prepared for reads. Finally, to every other staff member, thank you for creating a welcoming environment that made each day a little bit better.

My experience on this staff could never be as amazing as it was without each and every one of you, and for that I am eternally grateful.

20 | senior letters / the standard / senior issue 2019

ooooh oh oh

Jonah McCormick

W

hen I was a sophomore in high school, I had no idea I would join newspaper. I was too concerned with drafting classes and wanting to become an architect when I grew up that everything else became a blur. I remember taking a graphic design class and that was what really spurred my interest in digital art and communications. After a semester, I had really enjoyed myself in that class and a good friend of mine and current editor-inchief Emma Olinger encouraged me to join The Standard staff, as well as some minor persuasion from Ms. Urban, back when it wasn’t pronounced Churbs.

Throughout the time from then until right now, newspaper helped me turn myself into the person that I am today and helped me elevate my graphic design knowledge to a place that I thought wouldn’t be achievable. When I first started on staff, it was tough to talk to people that I didn’t know before for interviews and work on a deadline schedule. These things that I initially would’ve hated, helped push me out of my comfort zone and mold me into the person that I see in the mirror today, and I give it all to memories made in Room 118.

A

Elianna Oliver

s everything in high school seems to come to an end, my biggest hope is that what I’ve learned in room 118 and who I’ve met in room 118, won’t be one of those things that ends.

I joined newspaper sophomore year, solely because my sister, Delaney Oliver was the editor-in-chief. As time progressed, I grew to love The Standard, but more than that I grew to love the staff.

I’ve got to work with my sister and best friend in the world, as well as some amazing people who have graduated and are spread out across the United States — shoutout Arielle Singer, I hope Tulane is treating you well.

But above everything else, I have completely and wholeheartedly loved the 2018-2019 newspaper staff — well, more like family. Not only do I get to work with my best friends, I’ve watched my favorite people flourish into the amazing people they are today, and I couldn’t be more proud. I can’t believe my time in 118 is coming to an end, but the newsie fam will always hold a special place in my heart.

So here’s to you, fellow seniors: Izzy I hope you never stop smiling, your smile always lights up the room. Ashlyn, keep up your laid back nature, you are never hard to talk to. Lauren, I admire your character and your confidence in your own beliefs, I hope you never shy away from being a queen. Isaiah, I think I’ll miss your random facts and daily jam sessions the most, stay crazy my dude. Jonah, we’ve been though a lot, but through it all, thank you for never failing to make me laugh, your fouryear-old alter ego is always a show-stopper. Sauce? Jenna, your heart is so big and you are hands down one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. I will love you and our back-room rants forever.

Michigan is lucky to have the Jenny, J Dog, Jenna Hope. Emma,

our newspaper-sponsored-friendship is one that I will forever be grateful for.

Newspaper gave me one of my best friends and I’m so proud of what you’ve done for The Standard. I wouldn’t want to skip school, go to Sonic, have nerf gun wars, or live life with anyone else. Last, but certainly not least, Sadie. Thank you for being my best friend since freshman year ELA. I’ve never met someone with more personality and I mean that in the best way. Your laughter is contagious and you always know how to cheer me up. I can’t wait to see where you go, and I know you’re going to shred it on the slopes in Montana. You all will forever hold a special place in my heart.

As for you Churbs, thanks for dealing with us. I know we’re not an easy bunch, but we love you endlessly and I don’t know what I’d have done without you for the last three years. Thank you, Newspaper; I will forever be grateful for what you’ve given to me.

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Jenna Hope

B

eing a staff writer on The Standard, I was given the opportunity to do something I truly love: tell people’s stories. What one has been through, what one is passionate about, what one has learned etc. In doing so, I was able to make connections with the staff and student body I never thought I would. I was able to share stories that I believed southwest students needed to hear and stories I thought would help us understand each other a little better.

Newspaper gave me the platform I needed to discover who I am as a person and what I value. In a way, through telling other people’s stories and reaching out to get interviews, I gained my voice. Newspaper challenged me, pushed me out of my comfort zone, but gave me so much more in return. It gave me my best friends, my newsie fam. The sweetest, funniest, most creative people who understand what it’s like to work on deadlines, and who tolerate how slap happy I get during reads. I’m especially grateful for our advisor Churbs. Thank you for always putting up with us and encouraging us to do better. I’ll never forget room 118 and all the amazing people it brought into my life!

A

Izzy Muir

s a freshman, my parents always told me to join as many clubs, activities or sports to make the most out of my high school experience. One of them was the cheer team as a freshman I made JV. I had always wanted to make the cheer team because I loved to cheer, being able to get in front of a crowd and cheer on my school. But another thing that I loved to do was take photos.

I started taking photography and fell in love with it. I have been taking photography for three years now. I’ve gotten the chance to have taken both film and digital photography as well as graphic design which teaches you how to create movie posters or business cards but this class also teaches you how to use different Adobe programs.

In the first semester of my senior year, Emma Olinger came into my Digital imaging class to talk about newspaper and why we should join. After she was done talking I knew that I wanted to join newspaper because they incorporate both writing and design which is something that I liked to do.

Even though I’ve never been a strong writer, I knew that it was gonna be hard.

Once I walked into room 118, I knew that it was gonna be a great semester. I learned how to work on a different kind of publication and work with more amazing people. I’ve had at least one class with Mrs. Chushuk, also known as Churbs. Churbs is someone who wants you to succeed and wants you to push yourself. Newspaper has helped me to become a better writer; I’ve learned that it does take time and hard work to create something amazing. But, in the

end all of the hard work that you have done pays off and you have created a story that you are proud of.

I’ve learned so much in room 118 that I wish that I was a part of newspaper for more than one semester. I’ve met some of the best people. I so thankful for all of the memories that I have made in room 118. Best of luck to the future of the Standard!

D

Ashlyn Wakefield

uring my four years at Blue Valley Southwest, I have become a better person altogether. With all the sports like track, cross country and a brief year playing basketball I have made wonderful friends that are like family to me now. I’m so grateful to the coaches who have helped me through the season and the school year. Many opportunities have been given to me like going to state for track and finding my passion for working with the special needs kids which is what I will hopefully be pursuing next year at Pittsburg State.

This year I joined the newspaper and have loved the experience. I have become a better writer and designer all together. The other students in the class are so sweet and fun especially Mrs. Chushuck who has helped me all year. I had some ups and downs trying to get my part of the newspaper published and even now I’m writing this at the last second. I’m going to miss this class and all the people in it.

In these last few weeks, I realize how big of a change graduating from high school really is. Moving away from home, leaving friends and family is going to be shocking. It is going to be a bittersweet ending saying goodbye to the teachers and the school I have learned to love. I want to thank all the great teachers I had throughout the years and all the people that have helped shape who I am today. I hope the best for all the senior graduates this year and all those who will graduate in the years to follow. Goodbye Southwest

22 | photo essay / the standard / senior issue 2019

Rivers & Roads Our final year Senior year photo recap 1]

2]

3]

1] In the crowd, seniors Andrew Lawrence and Luke Rafanan cheer on the varsity football team to a victory.

2]Striking a pose, senior Sharon Aligaz dances alongside the Glitter Girls at an assembly.

3] Lining up his put, senior Daniel Roarty takes a practice swing at golf practice.

4]Participating in class chants, seniors Jack Lapke and Adam Morse yell “South, Southwest.”

5]During a varsity football game, senior Jaren Williams takes a quick water break.

6] Seniors Barrett Dupree and McKinley Barr perform in “Bright Star.”

6] 5]

4]

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1]

Rivers & Roads 2]

1] Running sprints, senior Eli Dickerson participates in his final year of baseball tryouts. 2] Senior Kale Deyoung plays his trumpet loud and proud in the winter sports assembly. 3] Posing in the stands, seniors Logan Moore and Blake Steele watch the Friday night football game.

4] During the spring sports assembly,, Megan Mabry encourages the crowds to cheer for the girls bowling performance.

5] Holding the American flag, senior Alex Rains marches in the diversity assembly. 6] Standing above the plate, senior Peyton Renzi stands ready for one of the first pitches of the season.

3]

4] 5]

6]