Volume 24, Issue 1
Spirit Week Photo Dump (Pages 6-7)
Halloween Weekend (Pages 10-11)
Freshmen Firsts (Pages 12-13)
Pg 6 & 7: Spirit Week Photo Dump
Pg 8 & 9: A Rose By Any Other Name
Pg 10 & 11: Halloween Weekend
Pg 12 & 13: Freshmen Firsts
Pg 14 & 15: Stem Research
Pg 4 & 5: Campus Upgrades Cause Growing Pains
Pg 16 & 17: The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Lexi Reeder
REPORTERS
Mady Starkey, Liv Snyder, Ainsley Davis, Aubree Bowsher, Mallory Love, Maddy Mullins, Jasmine Crumpton & Bhavya Bhan
ADVISER
Mrs. Sinclair
Pg 18 & 19: Greek Life
Pg 22 & 23: The Gerontocracy
SPORTS
Pg 20 & 21: Roll Jags
BACK COVER
Pg 24: Photo Galleries
With the first quarter coming to an end, the newspaper staff is excited to announce our first edition of the 24-25 season. All of the students involved have put so much time, dedication, and effort into their pages! Your decision to read Spotlight means so much to all of us and we hope you continue to read future editions. So sit back, relax, and begin to explore what we have to offer. We hope you enjoy!
Your Editor in Chief, Lexi Reeder
Homecoming ROYALTY... Seniors Millie Reitz (left) and Brandon Kirk (right) smile big as they are crowned 2024 Homecoming king and queen.
PHOTO BY MADDY MULLINS
Spotlight is published for the BV West students. Our goal is to inform, entertain, and interpret through bylined articles while providing an open forum of communication for the diverse student population. We aim to be fair, accurate, and impartial. The content of the print publication, online news site, and social media is determined by the KSPA and may contain controversial subject matter as the students use their First Amendment rights. (Spotlight doesn’t necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty adviser, the administration of BV West or USD 229.)
WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BY MADDY MULLINS JUNIOR REPORTER
Construction of a new auxiliary gym and expanded parking lot at BV West began in the March 202324 school year. This largescale project, designed to improve both athletic facilities and parking capacity, has been months in the making.
The initiative addresses the growing needs of students and staff as the school grows in the number of students and programs. “The projected finish date for the gym is March 28,” said Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Kevin Simmerman, indicating that while the project is expected to go through the majority of this school year, the long-term benefits will be significant.
The new gym, in particular, is expected to relieve strain on the existing facilities, which often struggle to
accommodate the various athletic programs. Senior Reagan Lattimer discussed the benefit of having an additional gym: “If we have a varsity and JV wrestling tournament at the same time, they could be in different gyms.”
The gym will provide much-needed space for practices, games, and events, allowing athletes and teams greater flexibility and reducing scheduling conflicts. The expanded parking lot, meanwhile, promises to ease congestion during school days and major events.
Despite the excitement surrounding these improvements, the construction process itself has presented a unique set of challenges for students, parents, and faculty members. As the project unfolds, the daily routines of everyone involved in the
school community have been significantly impacted. The reduced availability of parking spaces and changes in traffic patterns have led to frustration and logistical challenges for many. “Dr. Bonnema sends out mass emails to people as we get information,” Simmerman adds. “As soon as we get the information, we get everything mocked up and
“I TRULY THINK THAT OUR KIDS, STAFF, AND EVEN PARENTS ADAPTED TO DOING THINGS AND FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS WE NEEDED,” SIMMERMAN SAID.
This communication makes way for the trucks with the walls on them, which has resulted in more staff parking in the student lots and different traffic patterns.
The changes to traffic flow have been another adjustment. Due to construction workers working on the north driveway, students can only enter the south
entrance and go behind the school to get into the family and pride lots. Lattimer said, “I think it disrupts the flow and we already don’t have much of a flow going on, so I think it just makes the situation way worse.”
As construction continues, students and staff alike are hopeful that the temporary disruptions will lead to long-term
improvements.
In the meantime, students are finding ways to adjust to the new parking and traffic challenges. Despite the inconvenience, the community remains optimistic about the enhancements the construction will eventually bring to the school.
MONDAY: MIDNIGHT MONDAY TUESDAY: TEACHER TUESDAY WEDNESDAY: WACKY WEDNESDAY & CARNIVAL
THURSDAY: THROWBACK
THURSDAY
FRIDAY:
CLASS COLORS & FOOTBALL GAME
WRITTEN
BY JASMINE CRUMPTON SOPHOMORE REPORTER
On Nov. 7-9, BV West is about to see an entirely new spin on the widely known play, Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare. Just like the 1995 version featuring Leonardo Dicaprio or the 2013 rendition with Hailee Steinfeld as Juliet, BVW’s production of the beloved Shakespeare play will be a little different than the original script. Director Reed Uthe, has decided to turn the 1590’s classic into a modern biker gang contemporary.
In a short interview with Juliet’s actress, Senior Hayley Heilings, she says this about how she feels the change in tone will dictate how she plays her character; “It makes it a little bit easier for people to understand what is happening. I think it also gives context to the character, you just understand her more now that we can see what she’s going through.”
Get ready to see the
characters you know and love in ways that you’ve never imagined. Mr. Uthe, while not the first to put his twist on Romeo and Juliet, is believed to be the first to turn the Montagues and Capulets into feuding motorcycle clubs.
One way to describe this unique blend of ideas is to imagine if The Outsiders meets West Side Story meets Hamlet. Gone are the days of corsets and poofy dresses, this Romeo and Juliet will be all about the guts and glory of two rivals fighting a war neither side seems to be capable of stopping.
A rather big, and somewhat unexpected, aspect that Uthe did keep in the show is the dialect. So, anticipate a score of fun words like “canker’’ and “thither” that will definitely cause you to whip out a dictionary. Or, at the very least, type up a quick Google search.
BV West has not been one to shy away from other
works like this. This will be BVW’s second Shakespeare play in the last five years and their second time preforming Romeo and Juliet since the school opened. Romeo and Juliet is a widely popular story with many people knowing it by heart. It’s easily one of Shakespeare’s most wellknown works.
“I THINK THAT SHAKESPEARE IS STILL RELEVANT TODAY AND THE CHARACTERS ARE VERY RELATABLE.”
SAID UTHE.
Speaking with Romeo’s actor, Senior Bubba Haynes, talked about how he feels the change in tone will affect the audience turnout. “I think that the audience turnout will actually be pretty high. It’s hard to say if it’ll be the same as, say Outsiders, but everybody knows Romeo and Juliet. There might be
do something with the grades [freshmen]. That’ll be really cool; everybody probably wants to see what Romeo and Juliet is about, but I hope that people don’t see it as a Shakespeare show.”
With the whirlwind that comes with any Shakespeare show, everyone is always the most excited about the costumes. Despite the sharp contrast to how Romeo and Juliet costumes usually are, the actors’ excitement is equally as present.
“I like the blue and yellow color scheme. That’s going to play nicely to help the viewers follow along. I feel like it’ll look a lot more put together than trying to pull together 1600s outfits from the Renaissance.
That can be a little tough, but I feel like this will maybe give everybody a clearer idea of what their characters should play,” said Haynes.
It’s easy to see the hard work and dedication that these students have put into this show. Under the professional expertise of the theatre director, Mr. Uthe, this
year’s fall play is setting to be a stunning preformance. With Shakespeare like you’ve never seen before. Be prepared to see BV West’s production of Romeo and Juliet on Nov. 7th9th.
Haunted Houses - There are many haunted houses you can go to with your friends this spooky season including popular attractions such as the Beast and the Edge of Hell located in downtown KC. The Edge of Hell is easily the most popular house during the spooky season and the longestrunning haunted house in the United States. Founded in 1975, The Edge of Hell is home to the largest python. It is a go-to destination for every Halloween season as well as its partner house, the Beast.
Sophomore Austin Schrader - “Going to houses is so much fun, I love doing it every fall! My favorite place to go is the Edge of Hell and the Beast in KC. I will say I prefer the Beast more because the Edge of Hell is a little too intense for me.”
Parties - One of the most popular things to do on halloweeked is to go out to a party. At parties, you can dress up, take pictures with your friends, and listen to music. If you want to go the extra mile of hosting a party, there are plenty of things you can do to prepare. Such as putting up decorations, putting together a photo wall to take pictures, preparing different snacks and drinks to have, and finding or creating a good music playlist to listen to.
Senior Sydney Rush - “I love dressing up and going out for Halloween! It’s somthing I do almost every year and will continue to do this year.”
- Trick-or-treating is a time-honored tradition that goes back to the early 20th century and was practiced by Irish and Scottish immigrant communities. It wasn’t until the 1920s that the idea of trick-or-treating spread but even then it was known as a day of mischievous pranks. We didn’t see the trick-or-treating we know now until post WWII with growing suburbanization. Now, trickor-treating is known as a time when kids dress up and go door to door asking for candy.
Senior Nuha Gohaish - “On Halloween, I usually take my younger brother’s trick-or-treating. It has been something we’ve done since we were little and going brings back the nostalgia of my childhood.”
Watching Movies - One of the best things about the Halloween season are all of the amazing seasonal movies that come back around. Some of the most popular Halloween movies are Hocus Pocus, Scream, Halloween Town, the Nightmare Before Christmas, and Beetlejuice. Cuddling up and watching these spooky movies is a great alternative to going out.
Freshman Abby Curtis - “I’ll watch movies with 15-20 people. We’ll talk or watch movies in a basement; always Halloween movies. We watch mostly horror movies or the Scream movies. I don’t really love the Disney ones.”
Halloween Costumes - The biggest question of this season has always been “What am I going to be for Halloween this year?” Whether you’re going out, or staying home handing out candy, everyone can still dress up in their most fabulous costumes. Some of the most popular costumes of this year include being a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader, Padame and Anakin from Star Wars, Disney princesses, and a leopard.
Senior Kelsie Gana - “This year for Halloween I am going to be a black cat. I’ve seen a lot of people doing it on my FYP and it’s an easy costume to get everything I need. Most costume inspiration I get is from either TikTok or Pinterest.”
WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BY
AINSLEY DAVIS
SENIOR REPORTER
Class Competition FIRE...
Freshmen cheerleaders
Caitlynn Fowles, Chandler Mosby and Zylah Whiting cheer their hardest during the class competition at the first assembly on Friday Aug. 30. The seniors were the loudest .
Jags take the COURT...
BV West freshman A volleyball players Morgan Hachenberg and Brooke Dawson shake hands at the end of their game against Blue Valley.
With the end of the quater, freshmen have finished their first quarter of high school. Making the jump from middle school to high school can be challenging so mentors work to make that transition as seamless as possible.
Senior mentor Madelyn Bailey says that “As a mentor I am there for the freshmen before high school even starts. I think helping them walk their schedules makes the transition easier and puts the freshmen at ease. Also, getting to know each and every one of the freshmen and their likes and interests in my advisory class allows them to have a familiar face in the halls and someone they can come to for any questions.” In high school, students have more choices in what classes
to take and more freedom within the school. When asked about her favorite part of high school so far, freshman Nishna Meesa stated that she “loved the large variety of classes” that she can take.
Not only does West take pride in the classes we offer but we also take pride in our sports, activities and clubs. Many sports at West have already started with winning seasons.
Additionally, the club fair took place on Sept. 10, which allowed freshmen to explore and learn more about the clubs that Blue Valley West has to offer. “I have joined Pre-Med Seekers and I plan to play tennis in the spring,” said freshman Akshar Modi.
Now that the freshmen
have settled down and made a home at Blue Valley West, they start to think about the rest of the school year. When asked what they are most looking forward to the main response was sports. Freshman Collin Haag said “I’m looking forward to the atmosphere and playing a high school sport.”
West students show grit through not only sports and activities but also in academics. The freshmen are also trying their hardest to achieve their academic goals. Modi said he is stiving to “hopefully get all As.”
BV West freshman football players shake hands at the end of the game against Saint Thomas Aquinas.
PHOTO BY MINA ALAM
BY BHAVYA BHAN SOPHOMORE REPORTER
As activities take off for BV West, new groups such as the Stem Research Club are making their big break. Started by science teacher Dr. Heather Hall and two sophomores, Rebekah Tariku and Sloka Ganne, Stem Research Club allows students to explore opportunities in different STEM fields to gather new information and answer unknown questions.
STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math. These fields emphasize problem-solving, critical thinking, and innovation. STEM is important to our society because as technology advances, there needs to be people who can understand and improve it.
Tariku and Ganne chose to start this club to improve the extracurricular opportunities in STEM that BV West offers. They believe it benefits students who want to work in this career field to have prior
knowledge and research experience before they go on to work in their STEM field. This is also why Dr. Hall is a fitting sponsor for this club.
“I’D LIKE TO HOPEFULLY EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE AND LEARN,” DR. HALL SAID.
Dr. Hall has experience with STEM, being from a research family and having taken and taught classes about research. Dr. Hall said, “I get to be involved in research in a lot of different ways.”
This club is beneficial for students who may not be able to fit AP Research into their schedule and want to have research opportunities to contribute knowledge in their specific field. because I know there’s going to be a
Additionally, Stem Research Club can help help those interested in pursuing STEM-related fields to develop their extracurriculars in a way that helps them learn more about their passion. The club aims to attract students who want to broaden their knowledge and learn from professionals. It will teach students what the expectations and realities are of working in research-based fields.
BV West should have opportunities like these because it empowers students to take charge and as Rebekah Tariku said “I feel there’s so many people that want to develop their extracurriculars but don’t know what to do. This club supports you and pushes you to go for that dream.”
A goal for this year is to get the club up and running. Sloka Ganne
couple of struggles.”
The overall goal of Stem Research Club is to help students connect with researchers in the community. The club members understand that it can be intimidating to reach out to experts and ask to join their investigations, so Stem Research Club wants to foster relationships for students to find community connections.
Another goal is to participate with different audiences in sharing their findings, such as the Greater Kansas City
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY REBEKAH TARIKU
Science Engineering Fair. This will allow students to build a foundation in their chosen field if they’re interested in pursuing their topic in college or as a profession which is what the club strives to achieve.
Stem Research Club does not have membership fees however there will be competition registration fees like the International Research Olympiad. The prerequisite to join is having completed a high school science course. An important thing to note about this club is that it
does require 4-8+ hours per week.
The club doesn’t have plans to go on field trips but they would like to have guest speakers to talk about the tasks and responsibilities they have to keep on top of at their lab as well as what goes on behind the scenes.
If you’re interested in seeking a career in STEM, consider joining this club to jump on new opportunities to better your knowledge and the community’s.
WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BY MADY STARKEY SENIOR REPORTER
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is a reality TV show that came out Sept. 9, 2024. This Hulu exclusive follows a group of mothers, who met through social media and share their stories and lean on each other for support because they all are members of the Latter-Day Saints Church (LDS). This group is known as “MomTok,” which is a blend of Mom and TikTok, as TikTok is the main platform they post on. ELA teacher, Olivia Wallace, is a part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and shared her thoughts regarding the show.
The most controversial argument circling social media is how extreme the representation of the LDS religion was presented. “With any reality TV show, producers are setting up scenarios to create conflict and stir the pot,” said Wallace. The producers are likely staging controversial situations with norms that typically are outside of the LDS religion, such as certain types of clothing and the act of drinking. Wallace said “It makes it a little bit overly sensationalized, because they are constantly trying to up the ante.” All these women are the breadwinners of their families, which is essentially the partner that is primarily making the most of the household income, which raises
the question regarding the intent of the show. “They are most likely having to make things more extreme to keep their following and be able to get contracts with various companies,” said Wallace. Throughout the show, the women explore and address the issues and misogyny that the group claims the LDS Church promotes. “There is an element of patriarchy, for sure, our churches run at the very top with a male Prophet and President of the church, as well as his counselors being male too,” said Wallace. The LDS church maintains the traditional gender roles within the church, but every household has their own experiences. “Most of my friends have supportive husbands who would never think of them to have a subservient role,” said Wallace. This is very different from what the show is presenting to the audience. The LDS church is slowly adapting to societal changes regarding gender roles.
Any reality TV show can have the possibility of being controversial, yet when religion gets involved, the likelihood increases even more. Overall this show did not accurately illustrate the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints because it is extremely difficult to capture what a religion is when every member has their own experiences.
Whitney Leavitt is known as the “villain” this season after causing drama and demonstrating narcissistic traits after leaving the group midseason.
Jennifer Affleck is seen as a saint because her lifestyle aligns the most similar to the LDS church’s values. This season exposes the secrets to her marriage with Zac.
Mikayla Mathews attempts, for the most part, to stay out of drama within the group. She shares her struggle with eczema to her followers to support others.
Mayci Neeley is the first to defend her friends. She also explores her passion of business through her new company BabyMama, a natal nutrition company.
Taylor Frankie Paul exposed a scandal in May of 2022 and began the show with the entire MomTok group. The show explores her complex relationship status.
Jessi Ngatikaura is always the first one to jump in and defend and support her friends. Jessi is a hairdresser and owns her own hair salon along with a hair designer school.
Demi Engemann always speaks her mind regardless of the outcome to defend her friends. She has a blended family with her now husband Bret Engemann.
Layla Taylor is the youngest in the group and a single mom of two. Although she did not get much screen time this season, she speaks regarding the drama on her socials.
WRITTEN BY LEXI REEDER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Greek life can be a great way to network and make connections, but it is not for everyone. Sororities and fraternities have been a part of the college lifestyle since 1825, growing to be more popular and sought-after each year. ELA teacher Heather Barnhart made the decision to join a sorority while she attended the University of Kansas. Like most people she joined the sorority in search for a community and a place of belonging.
Barnhart said “I wanted to join a sorority because a lot of the girls that were older than me in high school did, and it looked like a lot of fun. I went to school out of state so I wanted to have a place to make new friends.”
While some people enjoy being involved in Greek life, not everyone has the same experience. There are different cons being involved in Greek life, such as having your friends in different houses, as well as not wanting to do all the things that comes with being in a sorority or fraternity.
Barnhart said “The cons for me were that my closest friends that I made in the dorms during freshman year were all in different sororities. It was hard to kind of keep forcing
myself to make new connections when I felt like I had good ones in other places. Another con of being in a sorority is following what they want you to do even if you disagree with it.”
Being in a sorority or fraternity comes with many tasks and responsibilities and being involved is very time consuming. For some people this is a good thing because it can give you structure and a home when you are first starting college, but for others it can feel restricting and not worth giving up your time and money to be a part of. Overall, Greek life can be great for some people, but it is not for everyone.
WRITTEN BY MADY STARKEY SENIOR REPORTER
Greek life in college is a super beneficial way to get connected to those around you and gain access to all the opportunities that college has to offer. Students choose to join sororities or fraternities for various reasons, whether it be to grow their social circle, gain an alumni network after college, participate in activities to help the community, be introduced to a sisterhood or brotherhood, or any other positive factors.
ELA teacher, Maryn Brown, attended the University of Kansas and was a part of Chi Omega’s sorority. “I really wanted to find a new group of people in a new place outside of high school, and I liked the opportunities for involvement with the community and on campus,” said Brown.
Starting a new chapter of life in college is something that freshmen can relate to one another with and allows strong bonds to be created. Although Greek life is a large time commitment and an additional cost, it can also teach students how to balance responsibilities, and overall the pros outweigh the cons. “Pros are that you get to meet a lot of people, and right off the bat, have a lot of social activities on your calendar outside of people that you would have already known in high school or just would have met in the dorms. Also, how close you live to campus is nice for most houses. At KU I lived two minutes from where I had all my classes so I could walk everywhere,” said Brown.
Another valuable lesson is “living with 80 people at one time teaches you a little bit about patience and sharing. So that has made me a better friend and roommate in adult life,” said Brown. Brown also was a part of the executive board, which allowed her to learn organizational skills, through setting up and planning events. Overall, Greek life helps students build connections and learn valuable life skills which is beneficial in life after college.
Friday Night Lights have finally returned to West as football season is officially underway. This is a big year for the seniors as it is the last season they can put on their pads and run out on the ANTDAC field.
That being said, they are not taking this season for granted, working hard in the off and in-season to turn their dreams of going to the state championship game into reality. When asked about their improvements to get the team ready, senior quarterback and cocaptain Tate Nagy talked about how exactly this team has changed.
“I think it’s the confidence level. Now that we’re seniors, we know it’s our team so we’re ready to get after it this season.” Nagy threw for 1,900 yards and 17 touchdowns in the 2023 season yet is looking to improve. “I think I had a
Senior captains Jack Cook, Tate Nagy, and AJ Roach line up during the national anthem during a varsity football game against Saint Thomas Aquinas Sept. 6.
PHOTOS BY TYLER HARDY
good first year at quarterback. I didn’t reach the goal I wanted personally with the whole team and not winning a state championship, but I think it was a good start,” Nagy said.
Nagy has led the team to a 3-1 record this year and is looking for more. A key factor of the offense’s success thus far is the offensive line and how they allow Nagy and other players to make plays. Center and senior cocaptain AJ Roach talks about how the offensive line improved from the following season.
“We’ve got more experience, we’re all seniors and I think having that’s a huge thing. All guys know the offense, all the guys are bought into what we want as a team,” he said.
Though being a key factor in the offensive success, the offensive line is underappreciated; so how does it truly impact the game?
“I think the team starts with us,” says Roach. “We set the tone early in the game and we continue to set it. We’re the most physical bunch on the field, so we set the tone and keep the vibes high.”
Hard work is not
something this team shies away from, but this year it’s feeling a little different for these seniors knowing it’s time to put their all in.
Roach explained the team’s process. “Doing everything that we could, coming in every day wanting to improve. I think everybody has [that work ethic]; not just the offensive line. The entire
team kind of bought into our new motto, and bought into the season, and because we got a good group of guys and want to be successful.”
On the other side of the game, the defense has been working hard to make plays and create offensive stops. Senior defensive player and co-captain Jack Cook knows the work it takes to get back to a winning defense, that starts with working hard in the offseason. When asked, Cook highlighted the importance of “Growing over the
offseason and getting bigger and stronger and just having more IQ of the game. I did a lot of speed training, gained a decent amount of weight, and just watched a lot of film so I was ready for whatever game.”
As the Jaguars make their way through the season, there is only one game that all three captains have on their mind, Blue Valley High. “It’s always Blue Valley,” says Cook. “I’ve never been on the field with a win on the varsity level, so that would be really great to have.”
The other two captains had similar sentiments about BV High with Roach saying “We know the guys, we’ve played against them and we want to win.” The Jags play Blue Valley on Friday Oct. 18 at Blue Valley making it the most anticipated game of the season.
WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BY AUBREE
JUNIOR REPORTER
Agerontocracy is a state or society run by old people. Without a cap on how long politicians can work, people are working later and later in life. There are several contributing factors to the growing population of senior workers. While there is nothing wrong with people working into their later years, those workers should not occupy jobs that affect everyone on state and national levels.
Citizen voting trends have greatly impacted how older politicians have managed to stay in office as well as how the system is set up against younger politicians. However, there are dangers when it comes to relying on older workers.
We are now living in a world where people maintain a higher level of physical and cognitive function for longer. However senior citizens still face a decline, which affects more than just the people
BOWSHER
around them when they hold a position such as an office. Would you trust a seventy-year-old to perform a complicated surgery or fly an airplane? So why would people trust someone that old to govern a country?
WOULD YOU TRUST
Older politicians are more likely to get voted into office because they often have more connections and resources from previous candidacy runs and time in office. Someone who has been in office for years is more likely to receive large endorsements than new and emerging politicians. Running a campaign can be very costly making it more feasible for people who are more financially
stable, which typically occurs closer to midlife. Unless people inherit family money, people have to get a stable income and earn the money themselves. It can take women even longer before they run for office since many wait until their children, if they have them, are raised and out of the house. These factors push back the age people normally begin running for offices, so by the time people get to federal positions like senators and especially the president they are already at an older age. George Washington was 57 when he took office as the first president and after serving and setting the precedent of a two-term cap, he retired at the age of 65.
Arguably, the most important is the two-term cap for presidents. This serves two important purposes in today’s world; it prevents tyranny and corruption by limiting how long you can remain in the Oval Office, and serves as a reminder to the presidents that the time will always come to pass the torch onto
the next person.
Lately, this second idea has not been reaching the minds of politicians. President Joe Biden sought re-election at 81 which would have made him 85 when his second term ended. Less than half the U.S. population lives to be 85. Former President Donald Trump is 78 and is currently seeking re-election, making him 13 years older than Washington was when he retired.
This prompts the question of why won’t the politicians just retire? I think there are two big answers to this however neither of them justifies letting people stay in office instead of letting new people in and giving the next generations their chance to govern.
Undoubtedly politics take over politicians’ lives; when they retire they are losing that. It is perfectly reasonable for people to
worry about what they will do once they retire, regardless of what their career is.
However, at some point, it comes time for everyone to retire when they get old enough and let the next generation take control. If a politician wants to continue working and contributing to the community than they can find a job as a crossing guard or another small job that still helps the community.
It is important that our government continues to have new people voted into office rather than having the same people determining laws for decades. Fresher faces give the new generations the same voice that those before them had.
Airline pilots must retire at 65 and air traffic controllers retire at the age of 56 with some getting exceptions to work until 61.
FBI agents are required to retire at the age of 57 while foreign service employees or diplomats can work until
Firefighters hired by the military and various government agencies are required to retire when they turn 57.
Certain states, including Florida, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Maryland require judges to retire at 70. In Oregon, the retirement age for judges is 75.
ILLUSTRATIONS BY AUBREE BOWSHER
