Free Press | Issue 1 | Sept. 2023

Photo by Mallory Thompson

Ember Klein

Mallory Thompson SPORTS EDITOR

Nick Sprecker

Maile Hickman

REPORTERS

Emi Stone

Emma Wiley

Evie Chancy

Grant Lincoln

Phoebe Morris

Thomas Patton

13 - Boost in Teacher Pay

13 - Staff by the Numbers

15 - The Eras Tour

16 - Suicide Prevention Month

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Anders Benson

Chloe Cook

Eli Roust

Elinor Russo

Socials Mission Statement

Geneva Sabatini

Gregory Mayhew

Isabelle Pro

Keat Hockenbury

Rachel Bruffett

DESIGNERS

Geneva Sabatini

Katie Campbell

Lola Cloud

Mylie Brillhart

Luna Hu

92,000 STRONG

Story by Nick Sprecker

How a Nebraska Women’s Volleyball Game is Actively Changing Sports

A sea of red packed Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska on Wed, Aug. 30 to watch the #1 ranked Nebraska Women’s volleyball team take on The University of Nebraska Omaha. With five national championships and a nation leading 99 American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Americans to their name, the Cornhuskers swept Omaha in a stunning 3-0 win with 29 kills, seven aces and seven blocks.

Volleyball in Nebraska is similar to that of football in Texas or Florida. Nebraska’s volleyball culture boasts its impressive and elsewhere unprecedented fanbase. The faithful Husker haven’t failed to sell out a volleyball match since 2001 and have led the nation in home attendance since 2013.

But this game was different. Prior to the match, the record attendance at an NCAA volleyball event was back when Nebraska battled Wisconsin in Columbus, Ohio in 2021 with an attendance of 18,755. The Huskers didn’t just shatter that record; they nearly quintupled it. Memorial Stadium seated 92,003 people on Aug 30, also setting the new world record attendance for a women’s sporting event.

Women’s Soccer League was only in 2012, barely 11 years ago. The National Women’s Basketball League was founded in 1996, whereas their male counterparts began playing professionally in the National Basketball League in 1898, nearly 100 years prior. A generation full of parents, young adults, and even college students grew up without a bulk of professional women’s sports, or the media coverage and funding to go with it.

Although these things continue to be fought for, a new generation of young girls are able to feel a part of this movement; they can envision themselves inside of these athletes.

Change isn’t only being seen in the analytics department- the ardor of women’s sports is constantly escalating. Fans are beginning to grasp the intense level of competition in women’s sports, and it is shattering former stereotypes. In past generations, female athletes have been expected to approach their sport with a smile and good attitude, while male athletes are celebrated for their aggressive attitudes. Present day pied piper athletes such as Caitlyn Clark, Serena Williams, and a handful of American Women’s soccer players are flipping this narrative into normalcy.

Nebraska’s dance with Omaha was another step forward in normalizing the significance of these accomplishments. The benefits of large attendance, diehard fans and an enhancing atmosphere are all things that make sporting events special.

For any sport in the media driven world of today, coverage and broadcast have helped bolster the state of modern sports in a way that cannot be traced back longer than a decade. For the new and aspiring generation of female athletes across the world, this benefit is extremely important.

Even though we are a half century into the enactment of Title IX, the progression of women’s sports has been felt more recently than ever before. The creation of the National

Globally, around 1.5 billion people tuned into the 2023 Women’s World Cup, a 26% viewership increase from the previous world cup. FC Barcelona Femenì recently set an all time attendance record at a soccer match with an attendance of 91,648 in August of 2023.

The landscape of women’s sports is being felt everywhere, and the Nebraska Volleyball team have become another spectacle of the movement that is challenging the previous “limits” of what female athletes can do. They aren’t just hanging around; they are actively paving their way toward the upper echelon of sports and entertainment.

That record is more than just a number or a stat — that record encapsulates the emotion, atmosphere, and changing landscape of women’s collegiate and professional sports.

MACBOOKS OUT, IPADS IN

USD 497 overcomes shift in technology in transitional period after 2023 budget cut debates

Story by Stella Mosier

Starting off this school year has been majorly different for every high school student in the district. The transition between the iPads and MacBooks has shown significant differences in technology, which has sparked a lot of discussion about the impact on students and teachers.

Last year, a USD 497 school board meeting on Jan. 23, 2023 confirmed the switch from MacBooks, which high school students had previously been equipped with for the last 6 years, to iPads. Through the transition, it was estimated that approximately $1.3 million would be saved yearly. In the midst of numerous budget cuts, including the closures of Broken Arrow and Pinckney elementary schools, staffing reductions and increased class sizes, the transition to iPads offered an efficient way for the school district to save money.

While the transition may be a solution to the budget cuts, they have been less favored by students and teachers, who have voiced concerns primarily revolving around their functionality of the devices.

“The keyboard is really hard to type on, which makes writing papers very difficult. Sometimes it just freezes and doesn’t work very well,” senior Amy Lock said. “The iPads make it hard to get work done.”

Within the classroom setting, the general experience with iPads has been somewhat consistent; many students hold concerns about the way they impact their academic abilities.

“When students got their iPads, none of us knew which things integrated well on iPads and which things didn’t. That’s been a challenge,” Mackay said.

The district provided classes such as graphic design, video production and photography with in-class computer monitors. The district also offered students the option to receive styluses, which may be used to write notes or draw on the iPads.

In addition to the teachers, students involved in specific Career and Technical Education classes such as debate and journalism have been provided with MacBooks to be rented out for the duration of the semester. These activities are not possible without MacBooks because of specialized programs that are required in conjunction with the fact that these activities often require out-of-class work, which rules out the possibility of monitors.

“If we couldn’t use the laptops, then we wouldn’t be able to debate as efficiently as we have in the past,” junior debater Kiley Chartrand said. “We need to be able to keep our role in the debate community in Kansas.”

According to Chartrand, it has been good to have the ability to access the MacBooks overall, as it has solved the issue of iPads being incompatible with the programs necessary for debate.

Despite the challenges iPads may have posed so far, both students and teachers look towards adapting and overcoming their concerns as the year moves forward.

Students are not the only ones who are influenced by the transition; many teachers have had to adapt to the technological differences by altering their previous lesson plans according to English teacher Logan Mackay. The district has provided teachers with MacBooks, but Mackay claims it has been difficult regardless.

“My performance as a student has been negatively influenced because I can’t be as productive on the iPads as I could be on the MacBooks because of the keyboard,” sophomore Anton Funke said.

Drawing by Elinor Russo

FIRST AMENDMENT

Story by Allison Mayhew and Lilly Wall

Student journalists break down importance of free press rights after criticism on local paper, Lawrence Journal World

As student journalists, we strive to amplify voices and tell unbiased pivotal stories in our community. This mission, containing journalistic integrity, could be applied to any news publication across the globe. The key part to our mission?

The importance of spreading accurate, unbiased information to all.

However, this mission, which we as student journalists along with every other news source including the Lawrence Journal-World hope to follow, has been recently criticized for its current state of “journalist integrity.”

On Aug. 25, Douglas County Deputy District Attorney Joshua Seiden filed a Douglas County District court request for a public record (affidavit) to be sealed that contained information regarding the arrest of Tristen Hollins, who was arrested for stabbing a man in a homeless camp. Seiden listed four reasons for the affidavit to be sealed, consisting of the protection of Hollins’ safety and the State’s investigation process.

Leading up to the hard-hitting criticism of the Lawrence Journal-World, a disregard of free speech has dated back centuries, taking a toll on journalists throughout the country.

Near v. Minnesota in 1931. Tinker v. Des Moines in 1969. Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier in 1988. And the latest? The Marion County Raid on Aug. 11 in our very own state of Kansas.

The Marion County Police Department raided the Marion County Record’s office, as well as the home of the editor and publisher. Files, laptops, computers and servers were all seized under a search warrant for accused identity theft.

One day after the raid of her own home and beloved newspaper, publisher Joan Meyer passed away from cardiac arrest. Her son believes the stress of the raid led to her death.

“She was so distraught…She lived in that house for almost 70 years. It was her castle. It was her safe space,” Eric Meyer said in an interview with PBS.

This act was a clear transgression of the First Amendment: the freedom of speech and press. The federal privacy law, which in theory should protect all journalists from unethical acts like the Marion County raid, was severed on Aug 11.

The unrightful raid on Marion County headlined national news, leading to intense criticism of the Marion Police Department and a triumph for local journalists, primarily for the weekly newspaper published in Marion, Kansas.

Attacks like these on press protections are unprecedented and unsuspected from journalists working to share truth within their communities, and should be treated with great concern.

However, Judge Stacy Donovan ruled to not seal the affidavit as it is a public record and the media has a right to this information. According to the court document, the state had “unreasonably disparaging and inaccurate characterization of the Respondent.”

Journalists representing the Lawrence Journal-World, just like journalists throughout history, should continue to work against government censorship, fight public criticism and stand up for long-established First Amendment rights.

From wide-scale reaching all the way down to student journalists like us at Free State, we will progress through the simplicity of one thing — doing our job.

“While the Lawrence Journal-World may claim that it requests this information because it is in the public interest, the sad reality is that the Lawrence Journal-World is a fledgling publication devoid of journalist integrity and constantly on the prowl for potential clickbait,” Seiden wrote in a court document.

HOMECOMING

RECAP

Students show off their pink outfits on Wednesday. The theme for the day is a reference to the movie Mean Girls

Photos by

Seniors Emma Harrop and Hannah Hayes model in their pajamas on Monday, Sept. 18. Students had fun lounging in comfy clothes all day.

Taking inspiration from Regina George, students dress up in their pink clothes on Wednesday, Sept. 2o.

Sophomores Aubrey French and Tegans SharpHaggerty take part in PJ day on Monday. This is the start to a week of spirit days in celebration of Homecoming.

Phoebe Myers rocks her outfit

Thursday, ‘Gone Fishin’ Day.’ Students showed up to school in overalls, hats, vests, and some even had mini fishing rods.

Gretchen

Photo by Rachel Bruffett

Photo by Rachel Bruffett

Photo by Rachel Bruffett

Weinkauf and Shelby Roberts take part in ‘Gone Fishin’ Day.’

Photo by Gregory Mayhew

Senior Owen Thompson petition during lunch on Tuesday, Sept. 19. Thompson ended with 10 pull-ups. The champion of the day was Eoghan Greenwell with 28 pull-ups.

Jumping for the ball, sophomore Kennedy Flaschbarth attempts to catch a pass from her team’s quarterback on Wednesday.

Photo by Elinor Russo

Sophomore Addie Fulch runs away with the ball from her senior opponent during Powderpuff. The seniors won the game with a final score of 20-7.

Photo by Geneva Sabatini

RIGHT Sophomores Ella Roberts and Taylor Strucker pose after scoring a touchdown before realizing their runner had stepped out of bounds, revoking the points. Photo by Anders Benson BELOW The senior team poses with their cookie cake after winning Powderpuff football on Wednesday. Photo by Rachel Bruffett

Background Photo by Eli Roust

Freshmen Erin Atchison, Signa Hoke, and Mira Edie represent favorite teams by wearing their jerseys to school on Thursday. Photo by Gregory Mayhew

Senior

The Free Press

Students show their team pride on Thursday’s “Jersday.” Later that day, they took to the courts in a volleyball tournament. Photo by Rachel Bruffett

Design By Geneva Sabatini

During halftime of the Friday night football game, seniors Johnnie Williams and Hank Fuchs are crowned Homecoming kings, later winning their game against Shawnee Mission Northwest 41-

In line formation, sophomore Rory Scarlett and the rest of the marching band perform the national anthem before the football team takes the field.

The tennis team celebrates Homecoming on their float during the parade on Friday. For junior Juliana Wamelink, being able to be in the crowd felt reminiscent to when she was little. “It reminded me of when I was younger and would come to watch the parade,” Wamelink said. Photo by Eli Roust

With the offensive line protecting him, senior and quarterback Wesley Edison runs the football down the field. Free State beat Shawnee Mission Northwest 45-12. Photo

Sophomores

Senior Andre Davis celebrates with his team, The Ball Eagles, after winning the semi-final match in Voll-He-Ball. “My favorite part was almost winning the championship,” Davis said.

Photo by Rachel Bruffett

Dancing

The Candidates

Julia Velasco and Kyle Sikes dance to the music at Saturday’s Homecoming dance. The theme of the night was “Barbie” in honor of the new movie about the doll that came out over the summer.

Photo by Rachel Bruffett

Rowan Banker

Abby Chappell

Keat Hockenbury

Levi Bates

Natalie Riley

Ryan Whittlesey

Spencer Landis

Steven Duan

Grace Gabriel

Hank Fuchs

Connor Brown

Johnnie Williams

Elsa Carillo

Lola Cloud

Shelby Roberts

Kate Carson

Photo by Lady Ortega-Perez

Photo by Mallory Thompson

Seniors Hank Fuchs and Johnnie Williams are crowned Homecoming kings during halftime. Photos by Lady Ortega-Perez

by Mallory Thompson

to the music, senior Teagan Roberts and her friends have a blast at the Homecoming dance. “My favorite thing was dancing in the circle with my closest friends and singing as loud as we could,” Roberts said.

Photo by Rachel Bruffett

The Beastie Boys are the champions of Vollhe-ball on Thursday. They swept their opponents off their feet, winning 2 out of 3 sets of the championship game. Photo by Rachel Bruffett

Keat Hockenbury laughs after stealing senior Natalie Riley’s seat in a game of musical chairs during the Homecoming Assembly on Thursday, Sept. 21.

Photo by Chloe Cook

I NEED MY COFFEE RIGHT MEOW!

Story By Evie Chancy

Lawrence’s first cat cafe, Espurresso, opened this summer on July 29

Lawrence’s first cat cafe, Espurresso, has gotten 27 cats adopted from the Humane Society since its openingsevenweeksagoonJuly29.

Business partners Mary Costello and Brittanie Sinisgalli have been preparing to open a cat cafe for many years. Originally Espurresso was a project called “Kitten Academy,” advertising foster kittens for adoption in local downtown businesses.

Costello and Sinisgalli work closely with the Humane Society to select cat’s most in need of the extra exposure and attention of the cafe. Espurresso is a registered shelter where anyone can adopt the three to five cats they hold at a time.

cafe, the “Purrlor” where guests can make reservations to spend time with the cats, and the cafe where all are welcome to sit in and watch the cats.

“We just want everyone who comes in to leave in a good mood, you know and feel like this is a good happy spot,” Costello said.

Costello stated that it was important for people to come for Espurresso’s drinks and service just as much for their cats. Every morning Sinisgalli makes their baked goods fresh and they carry a special drinks menu submitted from their donors. According to Costello their most popular drinks being “Cup O’ Dave” and “The Gorgeous Hen.”

“They had a lot of different options and stuff that I wouldn’t really normally see at a cafe,” junior Ava Falleaf said. ”They had these cute little treats that weren’t too basic.”

Espurresso was not only built with people in mind but also the cats. The cats are allowed at least 14 hours of free time a day and all visitors have to agree to a list of rules before entering the “Purrlor.” The space was built to give all the cats a comfortable amount of space, with high platforms, enrichment toys and private spaces.

When co-owners were planning their cafe, Costello and Sinisgalli set out to create a cozy and clean vibe. Espurresso’s building is separated into two areas of the

“They care about the cats a lot and it’s very noticeable. You get to learn a lot about each one, and it’s just like a very immersive experience,” Falleaf said.

“I volunteer at the Humane Society and I just think it’s really cool that they have increased their cat adoption so much via this, you know, it helps a lot more animals,” junior Gillian Sellet said.

A curious cat fixes its gaze directly into the camera while resting on a soft, whitefurred blanket inside the ‘Purrlor’ at Espurresso. To obtain access to the ‘Purrlor,’ you pay $10 for a 30-minute session and $15 for an hour. Up to two children ages 17 and under can enter when accompanied by an adult. Photo by Lady Ortega-Perez

Espurreso Cat Cafe is located on Mass Street and is open Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Photo by Lady Ortega-Perez

A cat rests on a green cushion as Free Press Editor in Chief Lilly Wall strokes its back. Photo by Lady Ortega-Perez

Aries: With the sun in Libra until the 23rd, it provides balance to recover from the hectic start of school. There is strong creative energy for you this month. Along with creative energy, this month is filled with romance for you. There is flirty energy but don’t resist making your feelings known.

Cancer: Get out of your shell this month. Communication is in your favor this month, so use this as an opportunity to make new friends.

HOROSCOPES

By Ember Klein

To start the month, on Oct. 10 Pluto moves out of retrograde. Moodiness and inconsistency will be on the way out for you. On Oct. 14, there is a new moon in Libra. This provides a perfect opportunity to start new projects and relationships. To wrap up the month, there is a full moon in Taurus. The fruits of your labor will be recognized and self care will be important on this day.

Taurus: While we are in Libra season, Taurus is filled with Venusian energy. Look forward to making new friendships this month. Mercury in Libra will help with communication and you will be very charismatic this month.

Leo: October is a great month for love and relationships for Leos. Follow your intuition and feelings to make great friendships and maybe even romance this month.

Gemini: Focus on patience and planning this month. Being clear with your priorities will help you set your goals this month. This month will bring a surge of creativity, so use that to help achieve your goals and plans you have had for a long time.

Virgo: This month, focus on yourself. Learn about self-care and what is important to you. Go outside and connect with nature to help ground yourself. October is a great month to work on yourself and mend any tears in your friendships.

Libra: With Mercury’s influence in your home sign, let your artistic and creative side out this month. This month is great for thinking about what is important to you and what you need to focus on.

Sagittarius: This month is a great time to redecorate and change up your wardrobe. Get into the fall spirit with autumnal outfits and decor. This month is very grounding for you. Find what keeps you balanced and stick with it.

Aquarius: This month has a very serious tone for Aquarius. To be too harsh on yourself and remember to not be cold and shut people out. October is a great month to get out of toxic mental cycles and practice self-care.

Scorpio:

October is an amazing month for friendships for Scorpios. Communication and empathy are strong for Scorpios this month. Calm and welcoming energy greets you this month.

Capricorn:

October provides a great opportunity to go out into nature. Take walks and take advantage of the early fall weather. Reflect on the last few months and your relationships.

Pisces: Don’t take on too much this month. Don’t rush yourself and let yourself breathe every now and then. With Mars energy counteracting the flow of Pisces, focus on the goals that are most important to you. Don’t let yourself get sidetracked with too much work.

Quaterback Wesley Edison breaks school record for yards in early season

Story by Lilly Wall

WESLEY EDISON BREAKS SCHOOL RECORD

In the season opener against Olathe West, senior quarterback Wesley Edison made big strides, kicking off the season leading his team to a 47-29 win against the Owls.

The senior, who is making his second season appearance as starting quarterback, was recognized for breaking school records for passing yards in a game and combined yards in a game.

Edison finished with 367 yards passing (4 TD) and 171 rushing (2 TD) in the 47-29 win over Olathe West in week one.

For Edison, this accomplishment is a matter of proving his ability to not only himself, but others as well.

Additionally, after the impressive season opener, the athlete was recognized as Children’s Mercy Metro Area High School Male of the week. Continuing further into the season, Edison has one big goal ahead of him: to win the KC Metro Heisman award.

The award recognizes accomplished, community-minded athletes who exemplify exceptional ability on and off the field.

University of Kansas football stadium set to undergo renovations after the 2023 season

Story by Grant Lincoln

THE TRUTH BEHIND THE BOOTH

After the 2023 football season, the University of Kansas [KU] will be breaking ground on David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium and is scheduled to finish before the 2025 season.

The project is said to cost ball park 300 million dollars. But to junior Landon Leipold, son of KU football’s head coach, the stadium means more than just spending money.

“[There will be] more seats, more fans, louder stadium, so that atmosphere will change a little bit,” junior lifelong KU superfan Parker Simon said.

The stadium is being renovated in hopes it can live up to the expectations of fans and athletes alike. The renovation is going to bring the fans closer to the field and raise the stands by four feet enhancing their line of sight for a better game experience. As well as a much larger video board.

KU football went 6-7 last year in the 2022 season and made it to their first bowl game since 2009. This came as a surprise following a rough history of KU football, but many are optimistic of the future due to their success from last season.

“We aren’t just a basketball school anymore,” senior Nolan Craig said. ”You can see we’re becoming more of a football school too.”

Not only will the stadium renovation enhance performance on the field through early updates in the locker room and weight room, but will also solidify the change in atmosphere that many are already starting to notice.

Many fans are sitting on the edge of their seats, not only in anticipation of the season, but also the new stadium.

“Knowing people are there to support you, it’s something that makes you want to go a little bit harder every time,” Leipold.

“My junior year, a lot of people doubted me and my ability… breaking that record, both of them, it felt really cool,” Edison said.

On the East side of the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium a draft for the new football stadium is showing. Photo by Gregory Mayhew.

Senior Wesley Edison runs from opposing team, Olathe West, on Aug. 31. Photo by Lady Ortega-Perez.

UNIFIED SPORTS

IPS Unified Sports program begins at Free State, creating opportunities for all

Story by Thomas Patton

IPS launches the Unified Sports program;. Unified Sports is a program created by Special Olympics, which creates opportunities for kids with intellectual disabilities to participate in sports. IPS advisor Elaine Hendrickson speaks on Free State’s desire to be involved in this program.

“We have a solid group of kids and advisors,” Hendrickson said. “We have a foundation and we feel ready to bring it to our school.”

Unified Sports pushes the agenda of inclusion into Free State. Not only does it provide involvement in sports for kids with disabilities, it also creates meaningful relationships. Teams are mixed with student volunteers and IPS students, allowing those students to make friendships with new faces. Senior Keegan Vail discusses his interest in volunteering for Unified Sports.

The Our school implements this program to be eligible for an outstanding honor: being recognized as a Special Olympics Unified Champion School. Implementing Unified Sports and increasing engagement between IPS and theour school qualifies Free State for this status. Hendrickson explains how massive of an achievement this can be for Free State and IPS.

Unified Sports provides a fun and inclusive environment, while alsoadditionally creating competition and attainable goals. Like our high school sports, these athletes will have the opportunity to compete for state championships and can letter in their sport. They will have the opportunity to be presented to the student body during assemblies with the other athletes, making theour school more inclusive as a whole. Junior Legacy Sheldon is excited about her chance to compete.

“My team is the best because we work together as a team,” Sheldon said. “I play because it is an opportunity for me and it is fun.”

Free State will be awarded a Special Olympics Unified Champion School banner by Special Olympics, nationally recognizing our school for our promotion of inclusivity. The banner would hang in the gym, informing spectators that Free State is a school that promotes inclusion and equal opportunity for all.

“We just wanted to get involved and make a difference in our school,” Vail said. “We want to be inclusive. Just seeing how happy it makes them, I gain lots of positivity and joy from working with them.”

IPS students [left to right] junior Maverick Iron Whiteman, senior Lia Wilson, sophomore Ian Florence and senior Ryan Morgan announce IPS’s Unified Sports program at the Homecoming assembly on Sept. 21. Photo by Chloe Cook

“Inclusivity is a win for everybody,” Hendrickson said.“ It’s a stamp that our school makes sure everyone has opportunities to have friends, do sports, and be a part of their community. It would absolutely be a big win.”

CLASS SIZES ARE ON THE RISE

Budget cuts and increased enrollment are pushing classes to their limits

After the first few weeks back, staff is left to frantically figure out how to handle the increase in classroom sizes. The Board of Education’s budget cuts decreased teachers’ positions, creating a domino effect on student and teacher interactions. Added with increased enrollment, this year’s classroom sizes are left bigger than ever.

With the administration’s rush to organize schedules, teachers and students must adapt to new class environments. This could mean anything from teachers rearranging desks to completely changing their teaching techniques. English teacher Kylee Johnston feels that increasing classroom sizes greatly impacts students’ emotional connection with their teachers.

“Class size affects students’ and teachers’ ability to connect, which we know is one of the vital factors for helping a student succeed in class, but now it’s much harder to do that,” Johnston said.

Not only are teachers modifying their syllabus to fit a bigger classroom, but they are now also found putting in more time outside of school to grade. Johnston notices that more work gives her less personal time to enjoy with her family.

Story by Phoebe Morris

Class sizes can affect the way that students learn. Sophomore Harper York says that the lack of space and close proximities can change the class dynamic which makes work much more difficult. “If we have to get up and move around the room, there’s no space,” York said. Photo by Eli Roust

After many teachers have expressed their workload struggles, the administration is working on ensuring the wellbeing of their teachers and students. The admin team puts on monthly staff lunch-ins or team building activities to reinforce connections.

“One thing that we really tried to do as an admin team is try to communicate as much as possible to teachers,” Principal Amy McAnarney said. “We can’t lower their class sizes, but there’s a lot of little things we can do to try to decrease their stress.”

Even with this support, teachers are continuing to look for ways to engage their students. For example, Arne Scholtz ends his day teaching 36 students AP European History, and he does not have the time to hear from each student in a 55 minute class. Colleagues in similar positions find this to be exhausting knowing that their wages are disproportionate to larger class sizes.

“Education is the future of our society, and we’re standing back saying ‘we don’t have money for that’,” Scholtz said. [The Kansas Board of Education] needs to figure out how to get more money to pay teachers, because I don’t know where the next generation of teachers will come from.”

At the end of the day, students, teachers and staff feel more challenges arise as classroom sizes increase. After the past difficult years, teachers feel this is the wrong answer to advancing education.

“It’s not sustainable to be in this situation, so I hold out hope that in a couple of years we’ll be able to hire more teachers, and we’ll keep focusing on retaining our highly qualified teachers,” Johnston said.

“I signed up to be an English teacher, and I knew it would involve some extra time outside of work, but this is more than I’ve ever had,” Johnston said.

BOOST IN STAFF BY

TEACHER PAY

increase in salary for certified staff

THE NUMBERS

new faculty members this year

8 left for other districts

increase in salary for classified staff*

2 left for other schools in the district

9 other 90 stayed

4 retired

staffyear...last

1 a recent graduate

The System: Explained

Before this summer, staff stopped recieving raises after 13 years of service in the district. Now, raises are being granted for up to 25 years on staff.

We have districts around us that pay more for the same years of service and same education. [They] simply pay higher wages, and so we’re desperately trying to catch up to them.

WHY?

School district administration finally raised the salaries of staff over the summer. They did this to recruit more highly qualified staff and to compete with the pay of surrounding districts.

staff this year is...

6 from other districts

13 other

90 returning

teachers retired last year

Laura Woolfolk

Rita Phillippi Rhonda Malcolm

Randy Fillmore

Collected by Jayne Landers

Collected by Ember Klein

*classified staff is staff that is not required to have certification for their jobs (Paraeducators, secretaries, custodians, food service workers, etc.)

Collected from an interview of GD Gordon Ross of the school board

The

STUDENTS CAN’T GET Kenough OF BARBIE

Story by Evie Chancy

Highly-anticipated movie “Barbie,” written and directed by Greta Gerwig, came out July 21

This summer, the world famous doll, Barbie, made her debut on the big screen in her very own movie. The “Barbie” movie, written and directed by Greta Gerwig, dominated summer trends and reached box office highs since its release on July 21.

Since the movie’s announcement in July 2019, it’s estimated that the Barbie movie’s team spent over 150 million dollars on marketing. Some of the money spent was on collaborations with business, some even found in Lawrence such as Cold Stone Creamery and Burger King.

According to English teacher Sophia Coen, the movie’s large advertising budget was to make going to the Barbie movie an experience for people. It became a trend to dress up in pink clothing to attend the movie. Interactive displays were set up in theaters across the U.S. to engage attendees of all ages.

After dressing up and preparing for the movie with friends, sophomore Gabe Bennett went to the Barbie premiere in Burbank California, where he described the first 10 minutes of Barbie being the most fun he’s ever had at the movies.

“We went in with this whole big crowd like we went to this theater and it was packed. Literally every seat was filled and there was an energy in the theater and everyone was laughing like, towards the end, people were crying and it was very electric,” Bennett said.

After Barbie’s release, it elicited a lot of discussion, especially about the movie’s themes of feminism and womanhood. Senior Sophie Racy, felt as though ideas like this do not typically get to be explored in mainstream releases and was touched by the movie’s message.

The conversation around Barbie only brought more attention to the movie. Junior Kaitlynn Sedich stated the reason she went to see the movie is because of the initial reactions to Barbie. The movie reached enough popularity to make $1.3 billion, making Greta Gerwig the first female director to have a film make over a billion dollars.

“Everybody should watch [Barbie] so that they can understand from the perspective of a woman, with the amazing turnout that the movie produced and it being directed by a woman about women for predominantly women. That’s a phenomenal thing in and of itself,” Sedich said.

“The idea that it’s something that you want to get a group of people together to go to dress up and take pictures and make it a whole thing,” Coen said.

“It’s such a fun, kind of rare thing.”

“I know that it was very inspiring for a lot of women, to kind of watch and follow along with Barbie, and her story and how she learned, what it’s like in the real world and how that affects women,” Racy said.

Two major film gurus, junior Sean Ruddy and his sister, Free State alum Julia Ruddy, attend the “Barbie” movie that aired over this past summer. In September, it was announced as the biggest female solo directed film, and the highest-grossing movie of the year, demonstrating the monumental impact that this film had on the world. Collected from Sean Ruddy

THE ERAS TOUR

(Kansas City’s Version)

Collected by Evie Chancy

Taylor Swift made her appearance in Kansas City on July 7, for her 39th show of the American leg of The Eras Tour.

Surprise songs: Night 1

Never Grow Up When Emma Falls in Love Night 2 Last Kiss Dorothea

110,000

Tickets for both Kansas City shows were sold.

FALL FASHION FORECASTING

As fall approaches, it’s time to set down that summer breezy clothing and switch to those warm and cozy looks. From trends down the runway during New York Fashion Week, to TikTok trends with viral clothes, these are the most predicted fashion trends.

Uggs are a timeless piece established in 1978 to put together a fall outfit. This year, Ugg Tasmans have rocked the TikTok world and are sold out in at most three weeks after every restock. Colors “chestnut” and “sand” are currently the most favored.

Something to pair Ugg Tasmans with are wide light wash jeans. There is no one brand that sells these, but I recommend Pacsun, Zara and AmericanEagle. Typically the jeans aren’t ripped or skin tight, which makes the pants look put together and classy.

Another trend that could be paired with those two items are off the shoulder sweaters and shirts. This trend has been very slow rising, but has become very popular. Part of the reason for their popularity is because it is DIY. People take regular shirts and cut off the neckline of the shirt to make it wide enough to show their shoulders. These shirts are very easy to style and look effortless, but put together.

My final item is not necessarily clothing, but a color. This color is cherry red, a light sultry crimson that can be styled with harsh colors and muted tones in the clothes. Cherry red is predicted to hit big by one of the best sources there is, which is New York Fashion Week. There isn’t a particular way it is supposed to be styled, which is part of what makes it an exciting fall trend.

These fall pieces are the perfect aesthetic for the season of browning leaves and pumpkins. So pull out those long pants and long sleeves, and have a fun, cozy and stylish, fall.

Viewing Taylor Swift’s appearance at Arrowhead Stadium, Free State alum Evan White was living her childhood dream. Collected from Evan White

Senior Isabelle Prô, a Taylor Swift fan, encapsulates the essence of this incredible night held at Arrowhead Stadium. Collected by Isabelle Prô

All the fall pieces coming into style this season

Story by Emi Stone

SUICIDE PREVENTION

MONTH

MENTAL HEALTH HOTLINES:

SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE: 988

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Hotline: 1-800-487-4889

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

The Trevor project: Text START to 678-678 or call 1-866-4887386

Suicide Prevention Lifeline: call 800-273-8255

La Red Nacional de Prevención del Suicdio: Call 1-888-6289454

24/7 Headquarters Counseling Center: Call 785-841-2345

National Domestic Violence Hotline: Call 1-800-787-3224

Steve Fund for Young People of Color: Text STEVE for 741741

National Domestic Violence Hotline: Call 1-800-787-3224

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Hotline: 1-800-487-4889

5000 2nd 1 in 3 19.3%

young people between the ages of 15-24 die each year from suicide in the US, according to the Suicide and Crisis Center. leading cause of death in the US for 15-24 year olds, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Mental Health Resources and Hotlines

WARNING SIGNS:

Sleeping a lot more/a lot less than usual

Withdrawing from people or social activities

Stop taking care of their personal hygiene

Increased use of alcohol/ drugs

Teen girls have considered attempting suicide, which is has gone up 60% in the past year, according to the CDC and Prevention.

per 100,000 adolescents have died by suicide, according to America’s Health Rankings.

Expressing

Great

Being

Saying goodbye to friends and family

Mentioning people in their life would be better off without them

CONCERNED FOR A LOVED ONE?

If you feel comfortable enough, directly ask them if they plan on killing themself.

Reach out and tell someone, even if it means putting the friendship on the line to save their life.

Design by Luna Hu, information collected by Phoebe Morris