Free Press: Issue 3, Edition 19

THE FREE PRESS ISSUE 3

Photo by Christina Craig Cover design by Lane Weis and Caroline Kelton

12 November 2015

EDITION 19

CONTENTS 4

Page by Sydney Gard and Trenna Soderling

Hang 12 Final Fridays gallery show puts high school students in the limelight

STAFF

Written by Reagan Sullivan print editors in chief

6

online editors in chief

“Big Fish” Musical Curtain opens on biennial musical Nov. 19-21 Written by Sydney Gard and Maya Hodison

design editor photo editors

copy editors assistant copy editor multimedia editor managing editor social media editor business editor senior ad design editor

Excess Baggage 3 Sports and Homework 8 Skyward Habits 10 Editors’ Columns 12 Profiles 20 Reviews 22 Style Column 26 Artists of the Month 28 Photo Essay 31

designers

Sydney Gard Trenna Soderling Maame Britwum Libby Stanford Adelaide Wendel Rose Arachtingi Christina Craig Sam Goodwin Lauren Brittain Hala Hamid Kaya Shafer Jake Clark Haley Van Vleck Elizabeth Patton Sydney Vogelsang Julia Pfannenstiel Sydni Beeley Sophia Bone Tori Karlin Caroline Kelton Cooper Mumford Drake Riner Atticus vonHolten Lane Weis Lacey Windholz

photographers

reporters

multimedia

student info clerks

Ali Dodd Morgan Edman Anna-Maya Hachmeister Kylie Hawkins Alexis Luinstra Nicola Santangelo Klaire Sarver Tierney Thompson Gabrielle Wheeler Madi Engnhel-Thomas Evan Frook Darby Gilliland Maya Hodison Mariah Houston Allie Knapp Juna Murao Reagan Sullivan Margaret Uhler Jackson Barton Aubin Murphy Samantha Spencer Paul Bittinger Nate Strathman Drew Vereen

Whic h Box Do I Check?

Advocates push for change to 2020 census to include Arab-American option Written by Hala Hamid

“I” IS FOR INTERESTS

Written by Jackson Barton, Evan Frook and Hala Hamid

“Guilty pleasures are great “Having people to share your because we love them despite interests is amazing, but it can their label. If we adore some- be difficult when you’re scared thing enough to keep doing of being labeled a weirdo. or watching or reading it, it Embrace your guilty pleasure shouldn’t matter what everywith open arms.” one else thinks.”

-Trenna Soderling -Sydney Gard

14

13

3

12 November 2015 Page by Adelaide Wendel

News

EXCESS BAGGAGE Increasingly heavy backpacks have negative spinal effects

Written by Trenna Soderling

P

assing period can easily turn into a fight to see who can sprint down the middle staircase and get to class on time. A common weapon of choice? Backpacks, stuffed with textbooks, binders, workbooks and spirals.

Today, heavy backpacks are common. Advanced classes come with large amounts of paperwork and textbooks.

“If I had to walk home, I wouldn’t be able to carry it all,” freshman Christian Uhrich said.

The National Center for Biotechnology conducted a study in 2010, finding the constant pressure of heavy backpacks many students face can compress their spinal cord and cause back pain.

“I feel like unnecessary weight on any part of your body that’s not meant to be there damages your muscles,” sophomore Brittany Swearingen said.

This October, a tech.Mic article reported carrying heavy backpacks can affect how tall students can be due to bones found in the lower spine being packed together.

Online textbooks are being offered for many students as an alternative to the bone-crushing weight.

Some have used this as a solution and do not face the weight of heavy backpacks all the time.

“Occasionally, I’ll have my laptop on me, so that makes the online textbook a lot more convenient,” sophomore John Milburn said.

Although online textbooks are available, some students do not have access to these books. Other students simply prefer paper textbooks better.

“My math class [has an online textbook], but it’s really hard to use,” Uhrich said. “It’s not in front of you, and it’s not always the same thing.”

Photo by Ali Dodd As students juggle seven or more classes, their backpacks overflow with papers, binders and textbooks.

People like Brittany Swearingen carry around many textbooks in order to avoid online resources. “I hate reading on screens,” she said. “It really frustrates me. I have to be able to touch what I’m reading.”

Swearingen agreed.

“My classes have them, but we don’t use them,” she said. “I definitely prefer the paper. Despite them being so heavy, I just can’t manage the online.”

Online textbooks may be a nuisance for some due to lack of computers or difficulties of reading on screens, but the benefits of leaving textbooks in lockers could outweigh the benefits.

The Mic. article reports temporary pain from backpacks can easily become chronic, even after just a year of carrying a heavy load.

However, other than using online textbooks when they are available, it seems there is little students can do.

In fact, students have carried heavy backpacks for so long, some are becoming immune.

“At times, it makes [my backpack] pretty heavy, but I get used to it,” Milburn said.

4 THE ART OF CURATING 12 November 2015 Page by Atticus vonHolten

News

Hang 12 garners $75,000 grant for high school art shows Written by Lauren Brittain

I

n a corner room of the sunlit and glassy Lawrence Arts Center, a group of teenagers is assembled around a long table among DSLR cameras and homemade sketchbooks. Munching on bagels from Einstein Bros, the students begin doing breathing exercises with an enthusiastic woman at the head of the table.

This is Hang 12. The Final Fridays art show created and curated by students from both Lawrence high schools showcases art on the last Friday of each month in a new location. It also has a loose theme or medium requirement. The group also worked to win a sizeable grant from State Farm.

“When we started it, it was mostly just that young artists weren’t getting as much exposure as they should; they weren’t taken as seriously,” Lawrence High School junior Emma Reynolds said. “We wanted to show Lawrence [that] high school artists are real artists and they’re not just making craft projects.”

When Reynolds emailed the Arts Center looking to further her community volunteering, she didn’t expect Neal Barber, director of youth education at the Arts Center, to propose creating an entire art show.

In describing Barber, Reynolds and another original member of the Hang 12 group, LHS junior Allie Fischer, had a lot to say.

Likening him to a dad from the ‘70s, the two agreed Barber’s clothes always match, he has an affinity for metaphors and he supports them completely.

“It was all his idea pretty much,” Reynolds said. “When I emailed him he was like, ‘Hey Emma, I wanna do this thing. Do you think we can pull it off?’ And I was like, ‘Hell yeah, we can pull it off.’”

Once Reynolds fleshed out the idea with Barber, she began involving people she knew would be interested in participating.

“Emma Reynolds actually approached me about it,” LHS senior Nia Rutledge said. “We weren’t even friends or anything, but she

knew I was really big in the art department, so she came up and asked me if I wanted to be a part of it.”

The original members of the group consisted of five LHS students, as well as Free State juniors Bailey Dixon and Henry Mackinnon. The group collaborated to write a grant from State Farm, had it checked over by the Arts Center’s grant writer and then started having shows.

“Everyone had kind of forgotten about it because we’d done, like, three shows now,” Reynolds said. “And then we got a text from Neal saying, ‘Hey we just got $75,000.’”

The money from the grant allows the artists to be paid for their work on the show, buy materials they may need and, of course, pay for the pizza at every meeting.

“It was really nice because we had actually written it and it was a personal achievement instead of an Arts Center achievement,” Reynolds said.

However, there is more to Hang 12 than pizza. The students are challenged with not only making the art for the prompt, but working together to curate pieces for a cohesive show and hang them the night before.

“It’s a lot harder to get high school students to actually make pieces for the shows … and then trying to curate out some of the pieces, that’s hard too,” Dixon said.

Reynolds described how the process of curating out pieces is difficult, as she knows most of the artists submitting work. Even though they do have to turn down pieces, Reynolds said this hasn’t deterred many from continuing to be involved.

“It’s not that their art isn’t good enough, it’s just that it doesn’t fit with the show,” Reynolds said. “At this point we’re really just looking for people who are dedicated to what they do and understand things like that happen.”

Photo by Morgan Edman On a rainy Friday night, junior Sam Spencer chooses to be in Henry’s on Eighth, supporting the Hang 12 show. She and other juniors were there to answer questions anyone had about their art or the organization. “It’s made up of a lot of my friends at LHS,” Spencer said, “The experience will really benefit me in the future, getting to work with such creative people.”

5

12 November 2015 Page by Atticus vonHolten

News

Continued from page 4 There was agreement among the group that procrastination is also an issue, but having a monthly deadline helps push them to at least turn something in.

“Even though I’ll do it literally the night before, having that deadline pushes me to actually make something because if I don’t make something then I feel like I’m letting everyone down,” Rutledge said.

The show receives mostly 2D pieces with one medium, such as paint or charcoal. One of the goals for Hang 12 is to incorporate more 3D pieces, which is the theme of their November show. In October they showed at Henry’s Coffee shop with a black and white requirement.

“Every show I keep saying, ‘Oh wow this show is like our best show that we’ve had,’ so every show we just keep getting better,” Rutledge said.

Aside from the pay, the artists benefit from the Hang 12 show in a multitude of ways. Vance, who has shown for three shows, joined the group officially during the October meetings. Vance conveyed the act of making the art is what helps him.

“Drawing kind of helps slow things down and helps you think about what’s going on,” Vance said. “It helps you kind of not be so focused on yourself, or it helps give you like an idea that everyone has their things going on.”

Dixon explained what she’s discovered from being a part of the main group that puts the shows together.

“There’s more to actually trying to get your art out there,” Dixon said. “It’s more of a process.”

As far as creating their own pieces, the original members of the Hang 12 group expressed how the leadership role has stretched them as artists. They take responsibility for developing the show.

“I feel like we take it more literally than, like, spiritually, because we know what the criteria needs to be in order for the show to be aesthetically good,” Fischer said.

The artists also have the opportunity to sell their pieces, though it is optional. Some, like Rutledge, choose not to sell due to their applications for college, but Fischer still stressed the importance of working hard for all the art you make, whether it’s for a sale or not.

“There’s the art you want to sell and make for others and then there’s the art you make for yourself that no one’s gonna see,” Fischer said. “You have to put your personal stuff into the art you’re making for others.”

Rutledge, who grew up in Tulsa, never experienced an art community before she came to Lawrence. She was shocked to find out Lawrence even had a place dedicated only to the arts.

“It’s really helped me in gathering a sense of unity and meeting people,” Rutledge said. “In Tulsa, I never knew people who liked art.”

The importance of self-expression and having an art community accessible to teenagers are reasons why Hang 12 exists, but the artists don’t want those values to leave when they do.

“I don’t want it to end with us,” Fischer said. “Right now it’s a lot of juniors and seniors, we have one sophomore, but I don’t want it to end when we go to college. I want it to be a thing that stays in Lawrence for a long time.”

Photo by Morgan Edman Hang 12 members junior Henry Mackinnon and junior Max Limesand enjoy having their art displayed at Henry’s on Eighth. Downtown businesses support Hang 12 members by displaying their art during Final Fridays.

6

12 November 2015 Page by Drake Riner

News

“BIG FISH” MAKES A SPLASH

Curtain opens on biennial musical November 19-21 Written by Sydney Gard and Maya Hodison

S

tressed actors already fill the auditorium when senior Nat For freshman Luke Jacobs, working backstage for the musical has Hoopes walks in. He has 16 measures of music and a two been his way of connecting with friends since sixth grade. minute monologue memorized and is ready to perform a “I have a lot of friends that work with me in tech and it’s just dance for the choreographer. Because he’s been in between 10 and something that I’ve always enjoyed doing,” Jacobs said.

20 plays, Hoopes isn’t used to being nervous for auditions. However, A feature specific to musicals is the pit orchestra. The orches“Big Fish,” which shows on November 19-21, is only Hoopes’ second tra features instruments ranging from a keyboard and drum set to musical. violins, French horns and flutes. Senior Jared Schoeneberg played “[A musical is] a lot more fabricated and you have to know where violin in the musical two years ago and also performs in orchestras in you’re going to be rather than a play, where you can kind of decide,” musicals held at various theatres around Lawrence.

Hoopes said. “From night-to-night it’s really tense, because the music Schoeneberg said the “Big Fish” music is catchy, yet difficult. never changes.”

“I think there’s a lot of challenging rhythm things, so I’m excited “Big Fish” is based on the novel by David Wallace and the movie for working on rhythms and syncopations,” he said. directed by Tim Burton. It features Edward Although musicals tend to take a lot more The audience will be able work and cost more to produce, drama director Bloom, played by Hoopes, and his son Will, to relate to the characters played by sophomore Eli Bork. Junior Morgan Nancee Beilgard loves what she does and says McReynolds plays Edward’s wife. those involved have a strong work ethic. a lot, and it has Sophomore Anna Bial will take the stage as “Most everyone has been wonderful,” Beila really good message.

Jenny Hill, Edward’s high school sweetheart. gard said. “They know we have a three strike - senior Nat Hoopes Unlike Hoopes, Bial has been in eight musicals. rule, and they don’t want to be cut.”

“I think musicals require a lot more energy in some ways, deEdward tells many tall tales and has a troubled relationship with pending on the shows,” Bial said. “It’s a lot more memorization and his son. He has stories about meeting a giant, a witch and a werewolf, dancing, so I think in some ways the ensemble has a lot more to do among other creatures. in a musical than in a regular play…it also just takes longer to put on “There’s definitely some funny parts, but it’s more of a drama,” a musical.”

Hoopes said.

Another difference for Hoopes between some plays and musicals Many involved are excited for “Big Fish.” Hoopes hopes the musiis the amount of props and technology needed. cal will leave a lasting impression with the audience.

“I think the tech stuff is going to be really cool because it’s a “The audience will be able to relate to the characters a lot, and it really tech-heavy show,” Hoopes said. “We’re going to have a really has a really good message,” Hoopes said. “I think it’ll impact people a elaborate set and cool special effects with shadows and stuff.” lot and I’m really looking forward to moving them.”

“

”

7

12 November 2015 Page by Drake Riner

News

Photo by Morgan Edman

Decorating his boat for the homecoming parade, sophomore Chris Pendry matches the theme for the musical “Big Fish.” Weeks of rehearsing and memorization of the songs and lines is what practices consisted of. “People should go to Big Fish because the show has…all the ranges of emotion,” Pendry said. After being a part of four Free State plays before this, Pendry is thrilled that he is now in his first school musical.

8

12 November 2015 Page by Sydni Beeley and Cooper Mumford

Sports

WORK HARD, PLAY HARD Study Dos “Manage your time well.”

-freshman Rowan Laufer “Take notes during class.”

-RL “For math, do practice problems.”

-RL “Stay organized and don’t procrastinate, get homework done soon so you don’t get [overwhelmed] with homework.”

-freshman Emma Yackley “Do a little before and after practice.”

-senior Cierra Campbell

Study Don’ts

“Don’t be a procrastinator.”

-CC “Don’t stay up too late for

studying, especially if a test is the next day because you’re not as focused on the next day.”

-RL “Don’t get too distracted with friends and electronics.”

-RL “Don’t think you can do it all in the morning. That never works.”

-EY “Don’t wait another day to finish your homework.”

-EY

Athletes balance practices, games, schoolwork

Written by Juna Murao and Trenna Soderling

F

reshman Emma Yackley has a full schedule of all advanced classes, including two math classes. Additionally, she’s a dedicated soccer player. In order to juggle school and sports, she often stays up late or scrambles to finish homework on the way to games.

“I have trouble staying awake,” Yackley said.

“I can’t really focus [in class] that well especially when they play videos, and they play videos a lot.”

Practicing 17 hours a week, senior Cierra Campbell has had to find ways to balance homework and swimming.

“Sometimes I don’t get enough sleep, but homework comes first, so if [I] have to take a practice off just so [I] can catch up, it’s okay,” she said.

Freshman Rowan Laufer agrees.

“It wears down on you,” he said.

Through the years, junior Emily Venters has found school responsibilities can pile up quickly.

“It’s really hard because I get a lot of homework in certain weeks [and] there’s a bunch of tests,” Venters said. “Then I don’t have much time because of sports.”

Despite the difficulties, Campbell has found a way to balance everything throughout the years.

“I’m really good at time management, so I honestly don’t have that much homework ever,” Campbell said.

Laufer has found other ways to assist his homework struggles.

“I talk to my teachers a lot,” Laufer said.

“I still need to have a good education while I continue my sports career.”

Although players may have to stay up late or cram homework in during different parts of the day, Campbell believes it provides a nice break from school. “[Sports] definitely get you out of your head for a little bit,” she said. “If you just sit at home doing homework for five hours, you want to die.

I definitely think it’s a good idea to better yourself and do something that’s helping you and your body. Mentally, it’s really good for me.”

Starting in fall 2016, Campbell will continue her swimming career at Indiana State University. Although she anticipates a large workload, she feels she’ll be able to find a balance between swim practice and the increased studying college will need.

“It’s something I’ve always done so I don’t think it’ll be that big of a deal,” Campbell said.

Venters plans to continue track and cross country after high school. In order to maintain both school and running, she anticipates she’ll have to make sacrifices.

“I probably won’t be partying or joining a sorority,” Venters said.

As well as helping getting into college, Venters believes participation in sports offers other rewards.

“It brings you closer to a bunch of people really quickly and that’s where you meet a lot of your friends,” Venters said. “It’s a really good way to get involved.”

9

12 November 2015 Page by Sydni Beeley and Cooper Mumford

Sports

Photo by Ali Dodd

At the pool, senior Cierra Campbell focuses on finishing her daily school work. Last season, Campbell’s relay team set a state record and she has committed to swim at Indiana State University.

“Swimming has always been a part of my life, so I’m just used to having homework on top of practice.” Campbell said.

10

12 November 2015 Page by Sophia Bone

Editorial

Staffers Discuss Their Skyward Habits TO SKYWARD . . .

Written by Elizabeth Patton

I

’m not a fan of stereotypes, but I am the definition of one. I’m the first born and female. I’m as Type A as you can get and extremely competitive. Grades have been a focal point of my high school career, so naturally, Skyward is one of my most used apps.

When I came to Free State, I was introduced to Skyward in app form. I no longer had to find a computer or a Wi-Fi source to check my grades. I could do it sitting in class, from my handy-dandy iPhone 4s. It was a glorious day for my anxiety-ridden, grade checking 14-year-old self. Four years later, the Skyward app is still on my homescreen, nestled between Messages and Safari.

Grades play such a heavy role in my future academic endeavors, so why wouldn’t I spend my monthly data plan checking them? It’s a tool meant to connect parents and students to life within our school. Being able to see exactly what you’re good or bad at gives you the insight to change or maintain study habits for greater future success. Plus, I always know when to keep my mom away from Skyward after a subpar test grade has been entered.

Just like learning trumps grades, awareness also trumps ignorance. There is no reason not to use the resources at your fingertips to stay current with grades and assignments. Whether you like it or not, your high school career dictates your future and using the resources provided to you is a part of the process.

As the school year progresses students become more aware of their grades. For some students, checking Skyward on the app or on a computer becomes an addiction.

Photo by Anna-Maya Hachmeister

11

12 November 2015 Page by Sophia Bone

Editorial

. . . OR NOT TO SKYWARD I

can’t remember the last time I checked Skyward without a teacher telling my class to check our test grades. I’ve never felt that figurative bead of sweat falling down my forehead as I typed in my password.

I don’t check Skyward often because it’s stress inducing. Checking my Skyward app every minute to see if the test scores have been posted does not seem healthy to me. I would rather wait until I get my test in class so I can see exactly what I’ve done wrong and why I deserve that grade.

Checking Skyward can also contribute to procrastination and not doing your best work. I have heard people say, “I have 98% in

Written by Darby Gilliland

the class, so why would I do that assignment?” Skyward is there so we can know how we are doing in a class, not how little work we can do. It allows people to put off their studies by distracting themselves with the latest update on their GPA instead of studying.

Lastly, most of the students who are checking Skyward non-stop are dealing with the pressure of getting good grades to get into a good college and get a good job. If you are caught up in trying to get that perfect 4.0, it can defeat the purpose of school: learning.

I completely understand why people check Skyward so much. It is easily accessible and can be helpful in times of academic distress, but in my opinion, it’s a huge distraction.

1POLISHING 2 UP ON READING 12 November 2015 Page by Drake Riner

Editorial

Editors in chief discuss weird interests

T

S

ruthfully, I’m a bit of a nerd. I may not watch Star Trek or be a math genius, but I am an extreme introvert who would prefer to stay at home on Friday nights.

Even when I do cast off the comfort of my home for the real world, you’ll rarely find me without a book handy. In public, I’m usually hiding behind two-inch stacks of paper in both hands with a concentrated look on my face. This deters most attempts at awkward conversations.

Unfortunately, some people don’t understand that holding a book directly in front of me is not, in fact, an invitation to ask what I’m reading. Just because I’m sitting next to you on a plane or waiting in a line behind you does not mean that I wanted to make small talk. And if you were really curious about what I was reading, you could probably look at the cover of the novel I was trying to use as my shield.

Throughout the years, people have sent me links to articles about how books can increase empathy, reduce stress, improve memory and provide numerous other benefits. So why has reading become a “guilty pleasure,” an almost taboo habit?

I’m fully aware that many of my peers have cast books off as a thing of the past. I know professing my love for them makes people feel sorry for me. I can’t begin to count how many times people have told me books are lame, slow-paced or just plain boring. But somehow, I’ve never been able to be bored by the endless fictional worlds so readily available at my fingertips.

Luckily, most of my friends are willing to rave about books with me for hours on end, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have people there who will support me when I have to go through the excruciating process of deciding which book to remove from my shelf to make room for the new ones.

Having people to share your interests is amazing, but it can be difficult when you’re scared of being labeled a weirdo. At times, people are ashamed to open up about what they’re interested in because they’re scared of being judged. However, if we can learn anything from how dorky I am, it should be to embrace your guilty pleasure with open arms.

ince I can remember, I’ve always considered myself to be a pretty boring person. I can’t juggle or sing or do any other cool things, I’m terrible at anything involving athleticism and I have no outstanding physical features. I’m pretty forgettable.

In middle school, I decided to become memorable. I tried “unique” necklaces, hideous rings and even worse giant belts.

It was an extremely dark time.

Then, I saw an online tutorial for a striped nail design and decided to give it a try. That Photo by Ali Dodd was the beginning of my guilty pleasure: nail art.

Since then, I’ve accumulated over 100 nail polishes (mostly as gifts or on clearance—I promise I spend way more money on food), perfectly organized by color on my wall. If I have time, I paint my nails once or twice a week, usually while watching something on Netflix.

I’ve done everything from the classic glitter gradient and polka dots to intricate geometric designs and reindeer for Christmas. I have a digital album dedicated to nails I’ve done and another filled with ones I want to do in the future. Painting my nails puts me in a zen-like state. It is one of the easiest ways for me to relax and is something I genuinely look forward to and enjoy.

I am fully aware of how stupid this is. I spend hours putting nasty chemicals on my nails and receive a few compliments for it. However, that’s precisely why it’s called a “guilty pleasure.”

Some guilty pleasures are called that because they aren’t accepted by everyone or don’t seem cool to someone’s peers. Others are guilty because they are just plain stupid. I believe mine falls into the latter category, but I also believe it doesn’t matter.

Guilty pleasures are great because we love them despite their label. We do our weird hobbies even though people think they’re weird and watch our horribly rated shows. If we adore something enough to keep doing or watching or reading it, it shouldn’t matter what everyone else thinks.

So keep listening to your secret Taylor Swift collection and watching Pokemon every weekend. Meanwhile, I’ll probably still be painting something ridiculous on my nails.

TRENNA SODERLING

SYDNEY GARD

Co-Editor in Chief

Co-Editor in Chief

12 November 2015 Page by Drake Riner

Editorial

13

WHICH BOX DO I CHECK? Advocates push for change to 2020 census to include Arab-American option Written by Hala Hamid

A

s I sat at my computer, filling out college applications, I scanned the race categories and hesitated. Black? No. White? No. Asian? Pacific Islander? American Indian? No, no and no. White is the closest option, but that’s not quite accurate.

Arab-Americans have technically been included under the white category for decades. However, that might change when the next official census is distributed in 2020.

After a push from advocate groups, the Census Bureau will be testing out a new Middle Eastern or North African (MENA) option. Not only is the number of Arab-Americans in the U.S growing every day, the population is becoming more multicultural and multiethnic, and not everyone fits neatly into the traditional government classifications anymore.

While Arab-Americans are not officially recognized as a minority, we are often treated as such. I have seen firsthand how so many Arabs and Muslims are subjected to racial profiling, viewed as potential terrorists or treated differently simply because of what they wear.

Often times, in American society, Arab-Americans are looked down upon compared to their other Caucasian counterparts. A good first step to equalize this treatment is to recognize them as a group of their own.

Besides the differences in treatment, there is also a vast undercount of the true number of Arab-Americans in America. Based on ancestry data, the Census Bureau estimated 1.9 million Arab-Americans in America in 2014. However, that number is based on a separate question about ancestry on the American Community Survey, a much smaller survey. The Arab American Institute, an advocacy group in Dearborn, Michigan, estimated the true number is 3.6 million as of 2014-almost double that of the government.

According to Census.gov, data is used for “eco-

Photo by Ali Dodd nomic development, business decisions and strategic planning.” Without a true population number, political decisions can be skewed and Arab-Americans won’t have as much say or impact on various issues such as how state and federal funding are distributed or the enforcement of equal employment opportunities, to name a few.

The practice of including Arab-Americans under the white classification dates back to the early 20th century. However, it’s time for that to change. If the push for a MENA category to be included on the census is approved, there will be no more guessing and searching for a category to fit into. The large and quickly growing Arab-American population deserves its own category and to be recognized as a group of its own.

Hala Hamid is a reporter and copy editor for The Free Press and has been on staff for three years. While she was born in the U.S., her parents immigrated from Iraq 24 years ago.

14

12 November 2015 Page by Caroline Kelton and Lane Weis

Feature

“I” IS FOR INTERESTS

Twenty-six Firebirds share unique hobbies and passions from A-Z Interviewed by Jackson Barton, Evan Frook and Hala Hamid A school of 1600 strong, Free State is sure to harbor at least an alphabet of quirkiness.

Twenty-six students and staff have shared their fascinations, from Legos to running barefoot. The interviewees told what they were interested in and why, and explained what keeps them engaged.

rowd Surfing nime

senior Asher Supernaw

“Japan since World War II is a lot like American culture, it’s just more extreme, like they have the strict business stuff, so they’re really serious during their workdays, but their media is really bizarre, and I find that interesting…

I prefer the low key [content,] not incredibly violent or any of that, just the bizarre and the stuff that makes you think… I guess [you don’t see that in American TV]. Not in the same way.”

roncos senior Garrett Hodge “As long as I could understand football, pretty much, I’ve always rooted for the Denver Broncos..They’re going to win the Super Bowl this year. I know.

Peyton Manning: he’s getting old, he’s ready to retire and he’s going to go out on a Super Bowl win. I’m calling it right now.”

freshman Robbie Matthews

“Basically just, there isn’t really any other feeling, other than [crowd surfing] that’s greater to me. When you’re watching the show and feel the energy, just you want to get up there. It’s hard to explain, but when you’re there, you feel it, especially when you’re in to the music… Once you dive off a stage, into a whole sea of people, carrying you around… there isn’t any other feeling like it.”

yebrows isney sophomore Taylor Thomas “I grew up watching Disney, because I was an only child for like three years, so I kind of got to do whatever I wanted, and I really liked Disney, so we’d get all the Disney movies. Disney movies are just very childish. When I feel too old or I’m stressed out with school, I’ll just be like ‘Disney’ and I’ll listen to [it,] like when I’m doing homework and stuff.

Everyone always wants to have their childhood back, so I just like Disney movies.”

senior Devin Kirby “I feel like eyebrows need to be on fleek. By on fleek [I mean] at least even and probably full. When you fill in your eyebrows, you kind of fill in all of the eyebrow, so it makes it look fuller, so it makes it look hairier, I guess. But it’s not really hair, it’s color… I realize when I don’t fill in my eyebrows, my face looks a little dull I guess. It looks plain. It brightens up the face and makes your eyes pop and other features pop.”

our Square senior Mary Krieger “I’m the co-president of Four Square Club, I find it very exhilarating. The swiftness of hitting the ball, and it works your legs really well, like I have to squat a lot, and I just enjoy the friendships and the interactions I’ve made from it, also. I love the energy that it brings me… It brings really good vibes and good energy. I can’t even think of a word to describe it.”

ranola Bars junior Gretchen Boxberger “During the summer I’d eat like five a day, they’re just a really good snack and they fill you up. It doesn’t matter if you’re on the go, or sometimes I eat them for breakfast… It gets to the point. Eating a granola bar just fills you up right there.”

ula Dance

senior Dalma Olvera

“I do hula dance, it’s a different style, it’s really fun and different.

I haven’t danced in a few years, but I used to dance for my school, my mom used to be the teacher, so we had a class after school for like an hour and a half… I stopped a few years ago, like sophomore year. I got busy, my mom got busy and not everyone hula dances here.”

dina Menzel

senior Josh Eisenhauer

“[Idina Menzel] is amazing, and she’s one of the reasons I’m so into theater and broadway and all that… She’s also been in a movie, that’s Frozen, she’s well known for that, she’s Elsa and sang Let it Go… I saw her in concert and she’s the sassiest person that you’ll ever meet. These two people showed up late to the concert and she called them out, just kept roasting them for like five minutes.”

azz sophomore Anton Barybin “I started playing the saxophone in the seventh grade. I took a liking to jazz because it was a genre that had a rich history.

There were a lot of great players that I admired and… things I could admire, things I could improve or things I could listen to and try to emulate… I play in Free State’s big band, and I also take private lessons… I just try to focus on my sound and not sounding like someone else, but expressing me through my instrument.”

orean Dramas

egos

senior Angela Gao freshman Oliver Pepin “A lot of them take the situations that are either amusing or you don’t find in regular American dramas. Most dramas are singular seasons and they pack a lot into each series and they tend to have a wider range of topics. They give you an insight into a tiny bit of what Korean culture is like. I think it has to do with taking people out of their own realities into this new world.”

“You can really do anything with Legos, it just depends on what Legos you have. I had a giant crate, with the most random Legos that didn’t match. So I’d have to find new crazy things to build… My brother had Legos… He kinda introduced them to me and I was like ‘Woah! These are fun!’”

agic: The Gathering freshman Myles Palmer “[At] a Boy’s Scout camp… We went to a place called Laconium which has a population of about 20, and in one of their convenience store’s they had Magic: The Gathering… We played like the entire camp out… And so ever since then, every time I go to the camp-it’s like my fourth or fifth year now-I’ll bring all my decks, and buy more decks … It’s fun to play, and there’s a ton of cards in it, and it’s a bit more complicated than say Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh.”

ational Parks senior Nick Popiel “I enjoy that they are wild places which are restricted to how much people can access them. Sort of like untainted, very free and wild. I like that. I appreciate that people actually go to [the parks] and that other people realize the importance of visiting these natural places. I think that the parks system does a really good job of maintaining them… and then keeping them open for people.”

photos courtesy of Nick Popiel

boe junior Natalie Meyers

“I really like band, and the Oboe is just a really interesting instrument. It’s kinda hard, but you get connected to it because it’s so difficult. You practice all the time.”

ickles sophomore Maddy Johnson

“It definitely stems from the fact that I don’t understand it… So there’s a lot of ideas in quantum physics that are extremely hard to grasp. It’s just these really, really, big ideas.

So it’s fun to try to wrap your head around [them] … A couple of my good friends definitely feel the same way… We had a group chat awhile back…

We would just talk about these crazy physics ideas senior Christopher Toalson that we couldn’t really understand.”

uantum Physics

“They’re just really good... My neighbors when I was young loved pickles too, so we made a “pickle club” when we were like seven and we just ate pickles pretty much. They always brought them over and they gave us pickle ornaments and now they hang on our [Christmas tree] every year.”

unnning Barefoot junior Josh Waisner

chool Spirit sophomore Cameron Hodge “I like to support all my classmates and go to all the games and it’s really fun to cheer on all your teammates. I want to be like a mentor to the younger kids so they think ‘that’s cool to go and support the team and we should all go do that’ … we can make [any sport] fun and go out and do a bunch of chants and get excited.”

elevision Binge-Watching teacher Marsha Poholsky

“I can tell my body placement much better without shoes. I think the foot evolved to be the way it was with evolution without shoes therefore running barefoot is the way to run. … I’m trying to build up to run exclusively barefoot but right now I’m at 4 miles a week.”

“Netflix has changed the way I watch television, it really has. It’s made the network shows annoying, because you have to wait a week in between, and they are just not as compelling… They can get away with so much more on Netflix; just make it so much more intense… If you just watch an episode a week, you have time to forget, but if you binge watch you can just see it all right there. It’s addictive.”

ltimate Frisbee

“I started playing sophomore year because my teacher asked me to come out for it and it was a lot of fun and then he told me to join the summer league as well… I like the fact that there’s no refs…. the point of the game is to play fair.”

junior Garth Andreas

orld Geography sophomore Emma Stramberg

eganism

senior Samantha Farb

“I found geography really fascinating whether it was just studying the different flags of the world or different geographical features… I really like examining the different cultures and comparing them to each other.”

“I care a lot about the environment and animals, and so the reason I am vegan is because I feel like I have a duty to be kind and help the environment… Everybody loves their cats and dogs, and I just can’t imagine eating my cat or dog, so when I see chickens or pigs, I see them the same as cats or dogs.”

Feature photos by Rose Arachtingi, Christina Craig and Ali Dodd

-Men teacher Jason Springer “What appealed to me about the X-Men is, here you have a group of young people trying to adjust to the world around them and having to deal with things they can’t control… But they always finds a way to persevere and survive in a world where they feel misunderstood. They never give up on hope.”

-Scores teacher Laura O’Neil

“I’m interested in yodeling because when I’m sad, it makes me happy because it’s just so silly. It started out as a joke, but then I started to get into it because I wanted to explore different aspects of my voice.”

odeling

senior Lexie Freeman

“Z-scores are standardized scores. They tell you how many standard deviations a value is, and in what direction, from the mean… They allow us to compare values from different normally distributed populations. For example, I can compare my score on the ACT (which I took 20+ years ago) to your score of the ACT from last weekend even though the test questions were not the same. We can do this because everyone’s scores are standardized.”

19

12 November 2015 Page by Cooper Mumford

Profiles

BIRD’S WORD

What do you think of Free State’s school spirit?

Interviewed by Allie Knapp Photos by Anna-Maya Hachmeister

“For certain sports it is stronger, especially football.

Overall it’s solid, but it could be better.”

- junior Cooper Moreano

“It could be better, I think, if everyone participated in spirit week. A lot of people encourage each other and I think it creates a bond with the students.

Being a freshman, the vibes are good and I feel really welcomed.”

- freshman Haley Rasmussen

“I think we have really good school spirit, especially on Fridays you see the majority of students and teachers wearing green. I [have seen] a lot more kids at football games than years in the past. You see school spirit in the halls and… people are normally pretty pumped about being here.”

- sophomore Ruby Morris

“It lacks at times for sure. The underclassmen are not the best at expressing themselves.

At a couple of the football games the seniors had to get on their tails about it. So it’s up and down. Not great, but not horrible.”

- senior Trevor Munsch

20

12 November 2015 Page by Tori Karlin

Profiles

Photo by Nicola Santangelo

ZOE SEVERSON

SCHOOL THERAPY DOG PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS Written by Sydney Gard

Z

oe Severson is just like the average staff member. She comes to school every day, is featured on the staff page of the yearbook and supports students. However, there is one big difference between Zoe and her coworkers: she is a dog.

Zoe’s owner Will Severson has been a special education teacher for almost 30 years and has owned several labrador retrievers. He and his wife decided they didn’t want their next dog to sit at home while they both spent all day working, Severson asked administration if he could bring Zoe to school. When they said yes, he got her certified as a therapy dog, and she started to work.

“Her main function is just to be that soothing place to go,” Severson said. “Kids go sit next to her and pet her. I’ve had kids with emotional issues who will come up and spend time with her. Like all pets, you can talk to her and she is just there for you.”

Zoe is eight years old and is in her eighth year of working at the school. Severson has many stories of Zoe helping people over the years, including soothing students and their parents.

“One of the students was terrified of dogs and he would always come in and say, ‘Mr. Severson! Put Zoe on her leash!’” Severson said. “I would do it and Zoe would stay behind the desk on her leash.

Slowly but surely, he would go over and sit on the floor and pet her from afar, then get closer and closer and closer.”

Though Zoe is older and slower than she used to be, Severson

said she is still a great helper in the classroom.

“Even now, if someone’s crying or someone’s really upset she tends to go there and know that,” he said. “I’ve had meetings where parents will cry and the next thing you know, the mom’s arm is [petting Zoe] because Zoe came over and sat there.”

In addition to being helpful to students in special education classes, Zoe provides support to all students. Even those outside the classes are allowed and encouraged to pet Zoe when they see her, as she needs lots of attention.

“She’s not a working dog,” Severson said. “The [dogs] they don’t want you touching are usually the ones that are assigned to one single person.”

The duo arrives to school each morning in a motorcycle, with Zoe riding in the sidecar.

Severson knows Zoe has ensured the well-being and happiness of many people throughout her years of working and hopes she will continue to do so in the future.

“She’s kind of a safe place,” Severson said. “Any place with a dog is a good place.”

Special education teacher Will Severson walks Zoe the service dog up to school. He brings his dog to school every day. “Kids relate to dogs. She draws them in, especially for kids that need someone not to judge them, she’s a stress reliever,” Severson said.

12 November 2015 Page by Tori Karlin

Profiles

21

Photo by Tierney Thompson

HYPE CLUB

CLUB AIMS TO INCREASE SCHOOL SPIRIT Written by Reagan Sullivan

E

xcited students fill the stands, ready to watch a football game. Junior Kahler Wiebe looks around for other Hype Club students so they can start a cheer and create a good atmosphere in the student section.

Hype Club was originally created several years ago to spread student spirit throughout the school. Recently, Wiebe’s efforts have strengthened the club.

“I just wanted to bring more spirit to Free State and I wanted to have a bunch of fun and do cool things with cool people,” Wiebe said.

The club includes students from all grades who hope to make school spirit stronger. Students have many different reasons for joining.

“It seemed like a fun way to get more involved with the school,” sophomore Caroline Kirk said.

Freshman Seth Williams noticed the lack of school spirit compared to other schools. Williams hopes Hype Club will change that.

“I think [more school spirit] would definitely not hurt,” Williams said. “I think Hype Club plans to raise the level of school spirit and make Free State better.”

Wiebe hopes Hype Club will not only increase support of popular activities, but bring interest to the lesser known groups as well.

“Our goal is to try to have crazy things going on,” Wiebe said. ”We also want to go to multiple different sporting events and even non-sporting events, like maybe debate, but try to go to the groups that don’t get recognized as much and just have fun.”

Sponsor Scott Smith remembers the history of this club and hopes it can continue for longer.

“Hype Club was started and put together by a bunch of guys about five or six years ago who were really crazy and really fun,” Smith said. “Why not do the [same thing with these students?]”

Wiebe hopes the club will encourage students to be engaged at school events.

“Hopefully, with Hype Club, we will have a bunch of people who aren’t scared to go out of the boundaries to be yelling at games going insane,” Wiebe said.

As junior Kahler Wiebe leads the the crowd in “the roller coaster,” she gets them hyped up during the Homecoming game. Earlier this year, Wiebe created Hype Club to get more students involved in school spirit. “It’s still starting out but with the help of Hype Club it will help build up the school spirit more,” Wiebe said.

22

12 November 2015 Page by Atticus vonHolten

Reviews

WEEKENDS ARE FOR WAFFLES Written by Allie Knapp

Reporter visits remodeled breakfast spot

W

affle Iron has officially opened back up after its recent remodel. My family and I decided to take a trip downtown to try it out. Prior to this adventure, the idea I had of the restaurant was based off the beautiful pictures of the waffles I had seen online.

Even though I used GPS on my phone, their signage left a lot to be desired. If I wasn’t directly next to the sign, the restaurant would have been difficult to see from the street. Once we had spotted it, we walked up a few stairs above ground level to enter.

The line inside moved relatively quickly. The menu consisted of about 10 different types of waffles. Some were creatively named like the “Hank Benedict” and others were named more simply. Based off the name you were able to tell what the idea of the waffle was, but it would have been helpful to see exactly what ingredients were in each.

The line behind me was long, so I felt rushed to keep the line moving and went with the huevos rancheros waffle. Everyone in my family ordered something different so we could share and see which we liked best. They also had their “one-of-a-kind” gourmet coffees and lattes, but I stuck with water.

The space was pleasant and roomy with a lot of natural, happy light. We chose a table next to the window and got to enjoy a dance class going on across the street. Staff members came around to ask us questions about how we heard about the business, and it was clear how eager they were to make people feel welcome. The environment and mood was fantastic and all I needed was my waffle to satisfy my growling stomach.

About 20 minutes later, my food was still not in front of me. Although hungry, I was perfectly content with my family and good tunes surrounding me. Slowly but surely, food was being passed out to the customers that were in front of me in line.

Finally, after 33 minutes of patiently waiting, our waffles arrived. They were beautifully made and each plate had a cool design made of the sauce specific to each waffle.

Once we took our first bites, it was quiet at the

Photo by Margaret Uhler Pumpkin filling, cinnamon whipped cream, caramel, toasted marshmallow and roasted herbs are just a few ingredients in the pumpkin pie waffles at the Waffle Iron. Owner Sam Donnell says they only use local ingredients in their waffles. For Donnell, it is all about getting a perfect combination of flavors for that delicious taste.

table, besides the sound of our eating utensils hitting our plates. My huevos rancheros waffle was made with beans, salsa, spices and a perfectly cooked over easy egg dropped on top. Hot sauce was spread delightfully around the edges of my plate. Each bite had something different, which I enjoyed. Tasting around the table, I was not even the slightest bit disappointed in any waffle.

Because it is a relatively new business, there are some things they can improve on to be even more successful. I noticed the plates they were presented on were super chilly, which had an effect on the waffle. After a few minutes of eating, the waffles were a little cold.

It should also be noted it took a good half hour to receive my waffles. Some of the people around me were ready to leave because they were not pleased with the wait. Moving forward, I think they should invest in getting more waffle irons, because they currently have three, which may explain why getting the waffles out to customers is a longer process.

Of course it is called the Waffle Iron, so the public should assume they only serve waffles. They do serve a basic buttermilk waffle, which is convenient for picky eaters like my sister. That is the only waffle that is served with maple syrup. When my mom asked for syrup they charged 2 dollars. The chefs said the maple syrup is extremely expensive, which is understandable, but they should put that on a sign.

Once the head chef Sam Donnell and his employees work out a few small kinks, I’m sure this unique waffle joint will be a big hit.

12 November 2015 Page by Sophia Bone

Reviews

DisAPPointment

23

After School app gives platform to bullies Written by Mariah Houston

A

pps that allow students to gossip anonymously create an easy and stress-free way for people to say how they feel.

These apps are unfortunately gaining in popularity.

After School is an app connecting students within a high school in a giant chat room. People post anonymous thoughts, comment on posts and send anonymous compliments. By encouraging students to interact with and compliment others, After School may have good intentions. Unfortunately, good intentions are not always good enough to prevent cyberbullying.

Due to advances in social media and technology, cyberbullying has become a problem for students. The ability to post anonymously can encourage cyberbullying and allow people to send rude comments they normally would not say without anonymity.

While exploring After School, there was compliment after compliment. While some students, including myself, may never experience cyberbullying directly, it can negatively affect teen self-esteem.

Although some are apathetic towards bullying through the After School app, some outraged teenagers took action against the hateful content they witnessed. In January of 2015, a senior from Michigan started a petition to remove the app from the Apple

Store. The petition successfully reached 100,000 signatures, and the app was no longer available for download.

After seeing an outcry from students, the After School app retooled and relaunched with new safety features. Now, each post is reviewed by a member of the After School Staff before release, ensuring it is appropriate. Additionally, if a post is about self harm, the app immediately asks the user if they would like to chat with someone, providing instant help to possibly unstable or suicidal users.

I appreciate that After School is trying to prevent being used for cyberbullying, but the concept of a gossip app is still not the most progressive idea.

There is an appeal in the After School app. Although we try not to care about gossip, sometimes we still question what our peers think of us, and it is difficult to ignore an app that might hold all the answers.

Ultimately, however, what truly makes us truly happy can never be found in an app. Having supportive friends, trying our best to achieve our academic goals and doing what we love will always be more consequential than tuning into gossip among our classmates.

Photo by Alexis Luinstra After School is a free app that can be downloaded on iOS or Android. Much like Yik Yak but for high school, After School creates a place to post feelings, comment on and like other posts anonymously.

24

12 November 2015 Page by Adelaide Wendel

Graphics

IN THE MOOD FOR FOOD Students’ favorite Thanksgiving dishes Mashed Potatoes & Gravy

26.8%

Pie

11.1%

Ham

5.6% Jello Salad

2.5%

Stuffing

12.6%

Green Beans

3.5%

Bread

6.6%

Sweet Potatoes

8.1%

Cranberries

4%

Corn

3%

Other

6.1%

Turkey

10.1% Graphic by Adelaide Wendel

199 students surveyed

Photos courtesy of (clockwise from top) NIH Public Domain, Daniel Catt, Maggie Hoffman, Flickr user 46137, tuchodi, Quinn Dombrowski, Darwin Bell, John Cummings, Alice Henneman, Hhmb, Bangin, Crux.

25

12 November 2015 Page by Sydney Vogelsang

Ads

FREE Small Drink HEALTHY SMOOTHIES & UNIQUE SNACKS Behind Peoples Bank Two other Lawrence Locations & Crown Center in KCMO

with $2 purchase.

Limit one per customer per visit.

Not valid with any other discounts or offers.

Valid only at Lawrence Taco John’s.

Free & Awesome

STUDENT CHECKING

A checking account designed for you: ▸ Free Online & Mobile Banking ▸ Free Mobile Check Deposit ▸ Free Apple Pay™ Integration ▸ Free Firebird Debit Card that raises money for your school ▸ No Minimum Balance TruityCU.org/StudentChecking

3400 W 6th St | 785.749.2224 1300 W 23rd St | 800.897.6991 2221 W 31st St | TruityCU.org Some restrictions apply.

This season, fall for comfy sweaters, fuzzy boots, warm layers, and HUGE savings. At Platoʼs Closet, you can find your favorite styles AND make some extra cash on your gently used clothing, shoes and accessories! PLUS, with the holidays right around the corner, you can get gift cards for all of your friends! Fall in love with Platoʼs Closet this season.

Plato's Closet Lawrence 3514 Clinton Parkway Lawrence, KS 66047 PlatosClosetlawrence.com

26

12 November 2015 Page by Sydni Beeley

Style

MODEL STUDENTS Interviewed by Allie Knapp

sophomore CARLY OLIVER Q: Where do you normally shop?

“Thrift stores because they normally sell things that are one of a kind .”

Q: Do you have any style icons?

“Taylor Swift.”

Q: How would you describe your style?

“Urban.”

Q: What is your favorite clothing item?

“Skirts”

Q: How does your personality incorporate your style?

“I’m a really happy person, so I try to bring bright colors into my style to bring out my personality.”

Q: How did you find your style?

“Probably through social media and seeing other people’s styles.”

Q: What is your favorite color to wear?

“Blue.”

Q: What is your spirit animal?

“Giraffees, they are very unique.”

Q: What type of music do you listen to?

“Pretty eclectic music, like alternative rock or jazz.”

Q: What fashions trends do you love?

“Anything that involves denim.”

Q: What fashion trends do you hate?

“Ugg boots and leggings.”

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?

“Environmental scientist.”

Q: Tell us a secret: “I sneak into the teachers lounge to put my lunch in their refrigerator.”

Photo by Kylie Hawkins

12 November 2015 Page by Sydni Beeley

Style

senior BAILEY PFANNENSTIEL

Students show off their personal styles

Photo by Rose Arachtingi

Q: Where do you shop?

“I shop at Banana Republic and J.Crew.”

Q: Any style icons?

“Scott Disick.”

Q: How would you describe your style?

“Preppy, I guess.”

Q: What is your favorite clothing item?

“Oh gosh, sweaters for sure.”

Q: How does your personality describe your style?

“I like to show off a sophisticated look, so I dress classier.”

Q: How did you find your style?

“Pop culture has for sure influenced what I like to wear.”

Q: What is your favorite color to wear?

“Blue.”

Q: Spirit animal?

“Ligers.”

Q: Favorite type of music?

“Anything really, but I listen to alternative mostly.”

Q: Is there a fashion trend you like?

“I like winter fashion and clothing best, anything with lots of layers.”

Q: What is a trend you hate?

“Cargo shorts.”

Q: What do you want to do when you grow up?

“Financial analyst.”

Q: Tell us a secret: “I have the biggest man crush on G-Eazy.”

27

28

12 November 2015 Page by Sydni Beeley

Artists of the Month

FEATURED ARTIST junior Bailey Dixon

Artist’s Statement: “For as long as I can remember, creating art has been one of my favorite activities.

In more recent times, I’ve become more serious about my practice. I create art as a release of my emotions and thoughts, and any day I go without creating is a wasted day. I use art as a tool to give others a look into my personal life in a way that I could not successfully

convey without visuals. Many of the pieces I make are self portraits, because through drawing myself I am able to show how I see myself. While I don’t have plans of becoming a professional artist in the future, I intend on continuing to make art as it is a hugely important form of communication for me. By creating art, I am continuing to grow and learn about myself and my surroundings.”

12 November 2015 Page by Sydni Beeley

29

Artists of the Month

Top left: sophomore Goldie Schmiedeler Left: junior Claire Yackley Top right: senior Sarah Elsinghorst Above: senior Natalie Rios

FUNDING PROBLEMS IMPAIR TEAM STEAM’S ABILITY TO COMPETE Photo essay by Rose Arachtingi

F

ree State Robotics team 5119, dubbed “Team Steam,” has had a tough run in their short time as a club. Due to a lack of funding, the team must face the reality they may not be able to compete this year.

The cost of building a robot and registering to compete is at least $5,000 and raising funds for a team that has not been active for more than five years is a demanding task to complete.

“I always hope for the best but prepare for the worst,” CEO and junior Kalena Nichol said.

In addition to funds being low, the team has been supervised by four different teacher sponsors since it was created in October of 2013, with Johnny Paradise as the current sponsor. The Robotics team has found it difficult to find teachers willing to sponsor a team that works 20 hours each week.

“It’s a little bit scary, as a team we really need stability,” Nichol said.

Although their chances of competing look slim, the club has still been able to reward its members in more ways than one. Robotics has helped several students find their love for engineering, business, leadership, computer science and other STEM focuses.

Hoping to gain more members, the club was opened to all schools in the USD497 district, and has gained several new members from Bishop Seabury, LHS and Lawrence Virtual School. The team hopes to continue to fundraise and improve the skills of new members, preparing for prosperous future seasons.

“As a freshman I knew absolutely nothing, and then I was one of the lead mechanics last year and now I’m the CEO…,” Nichol said.

“How far you get depends on how hard you work.”

Opposite page: Welding mentor and development engineer Michael Puckett creates a piece to add to the robot.

Taking apart an old robot, new members of the team work carefully together to keep all of the pieces in tact.

After creating a vinyl on the College And Career Center’s new laser machine, mentor and teacher Joe Bower sticks it onto the team’s tool box.

Speaking to new members of the team, junior and CEO Kalena Nichol gives instructions on how to remove pieces of the robot carefully.

Carefully unscrewing small pieces, junior and CEO Kalena Nichol is assisted by other members and mentors of the team as they take apart one of their old robots.

Testing out a new design, junior and CEO Kalena Nichol supervises as team members prototype the structure of a robot.

At a late night meeting, sponsor Johnny Paradise and mentors Brian and Teresa Faust spend time at the College And Career Center.

The Faust’s daughter, Anna, began the team with her friend Wynn Feddema in October of 2013.

The Faust’s have decided to continue to mentor the team even though their daughter graduated in May of 2015.

While taking apart one of their old robots, mentor and teacher Joe Bower speaks about future plans with one of the team’s sophomore members, Emaad Gerami.

12 November 2015 Page by Sydney Vogelsang

Ads

32

Dates To Remember

FREE PRESS

the

Look for the Free Press on these dates:

Iss #4 ����������������� Th, Dec 10 Iss #5 ������������������Th, Jan 28 Iss #6 ����������������� Th, Feb 25 Iss #7 ����������������� Th, Mar 31 Iss #8 ������������������ Th, May 5

•

•

•

•

•

November 19 Senior Ad Design Night November 19, 20, 21 The musical, “Big Fish,” opens November 25 Fall Recess starts November 29 Fall Recess ends December 3 Group Photo Day

Check out more stories at www.fsfreepressonline.com

Central Student Checking...

Open an Account Today!

Student Checking A starter checking account for ages 12-17.

Great for learning about finance and practicing the management of financials! $30 Minimum to Open • No Minimum Balance Requirement Free Online Banking • Free E-Statements Plus, Mobile Banking Free iPhone & Android Apps!

Plus, Mobile Deposit from Your Smart Phone*!

Four Convenient Locations 711 Wakarusa Dr. 603 W. 9th St. 3140 Nieder Rd. 3300 Iowa St. (Inside Walmart)

www.centralnational.com Member FDIC *You must be enrolled in online/mobile banking AND using our Android or iOS App to use this service. Deposit limits and fees may apply.