Free Press, Iss 2 Ed 17

HELLO We are

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the helper’s high: how volunteering can help you feel good

september 19, 2013 volume 2. edition 17.

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staff weighs in on NHS requirements

6-7

student volunteers make an impact in the community

free press staff:

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ACADEMICS september 19, 2013 page by jacob hood

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the perks of being certified

new cna certification option preps students for health careers

by ciara sayler and hannah moran

Two nights a week, senior Bret Watson gets out of school at 9:15 p.m. Watson, along with 14 other juniors and seniors, attends classes on Tuesday and Thursday nights in hopes of one day becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).

An integral part of today’s healthcare system, a CNA is responsible for taking vital signs, responding to patients in critical condition and bathing patients. A nationwide demand for CNAs allows them the flexibility to work in nursing homes, hospitals or rehabilitation centers.

Patrick Kelly, district director of career and technical education, contacted local junior colleges to see if they were interested in bringing CNA classes to the district.

When program sponsor Jane Rock heard of the possibly of a CNA class, she immediately emailed the parents of everyone who had completed Pre-Med I, II and a Health Career Internship.

Watson knew she was interested in a nursing career, so after a talk with her mother--a nurse at Lawrence Memorial Hospital--she decided to participate in the program.

“We decided that having this on a college application this early will hopefully give me a better chance at getting into nursing school,” she said.

Fourteen other students made the same decision as Watson, and after filling out the requisite information sheet, sat through the first four hour 15 minute long class on Sept. 3. Sponsored by Neosho County Community College, the program consists of mostly lecture interspersed with mini-lab simulations.

“Last week we were learning about being elderly,” Watson said. “So we put on gloves and fogged up goggles and [put] cotton in our ears to simulate the dull senses of someone who would be living in a long-term care facility.”

Beginning in October, the CNA trainees start clinical rotations at Pioneer Ridge Health Center. Every weekend, the trainees will each spend six hours making beds, giving baths and checking vital signs. Watson is excited to work with the elderly.

“I think they’re absolutely the cutest things in the world,” she said. “I really connect with them. Some people underestimate them, but I like hearing their stories.

They’re cool to hang out with.”

After attending lectures and performing clinicals for three months, the CNA trainees will complete an exit skills test to ensure they can perform all the necessary patient care tasks.

Then, they will board a bus to a testing center in Topeka where they will complete the state exam, which ultimately decides whether or not the students become certified.

Senior Joanna Lepley is already a CNA. She attended classes this summer through Washburn Institute of Technology. The classes, held two days a week for two hours each day, were hosted in Rock’s classroom.

“There were little problems getting here,” Lepley said, “you know, the door stayed locked sometimes. We would be waiting outside in the heat,...but that was ok.”

Lepley, along with other students from Lawrence High,

received her CNA certification on Aug. 9.

Watson and her classmates, the new cycle of CNA trainees, will soon catch up to Lepley, as they are scheduled to receive their certifications at the beginning of December.

The rewards for becoming a CNA can be numerous. “[After I get my CNA,] I can probably get a job at Brandon Woods or any of the other assisted living homes,” Watson said. “Those pay like $9-$10 an hour which is a lot better than what I’m making right now.”

Although the state of Kansas offers students the potential to get hired as a CNA, some employers see barriers.

“Some will say that 16-year-olds are too immature,” Rock said.

Watson’s participation in the program cost her parents about $342 out-of-pocket, according to Rock. However, if Watson is successful in obtaining her certification, the Lawrence School District will reimburse her family.

As far as life after high school goes, Watson plans to pursue her nursing career.

“I’m looking at KU and Arkansas [because] I want be a nurse anesthetist,” Watson said. “That’s the person who helps gives the medicine to the patients and knock them out.”

Although Lepley has slightly different plans from Watson, she also aspires to pursue nursing.

“I’m thinking about going to Johnson County to get my pre-requisites out of the way,” Lepley said. “Then I’m thinking about going to Washburn to get my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).”

Senior Bret Watson and her classmates take notes during a lecture at their Neosho County Community College night class. photo by: nick popiel

The textbook for the CNA program. The 15 CNA students enrolled in the district sponsored class with NCCC cover five to six chapters a week Juniors David Neff, Grayson Arachtingi and Sydney Dorrance study the composition of a human heart. photos by: nick popiel

hannah moran- editor in chief ryan liston- co-online editor in chief kyra haas- co-online editor in chief sarah whipple- design editor rosemary newsome- copy editor hannah reussner- copy editor sarah lieberman- copy editor maria carrasco- social media editor kristina foster- photo editor darian koenig- designer kaitlyn foster- designer cierra campbell- designer

rebecca moran- reporter morgan noll- reporter catherine prestoy-reporter sam goodwin- reporter hala hamid- reporter kenneth palmer- reporter ciara sayler- reporter gavin spence- reporter evan frook- reporter thomas riggs- photographer bridget brown- photographer nick popiel- photographer jacob hood- cartoonist

our mission:

The Free Press is an open forum that accepts letters to the editor and guest writings. They must include the writer’s name and telephone numbers. Articles may be edited due to space limitations, libel or inappropriate content. Letters may be submitted to Room 115 or sent in care of Free Press to Free State High School, 4700 Overland Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66049.

The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Free Press staff, the high school administration, nor that of the USD 497 Board of Education.

cover by kristina and kaitlyn foster this issue is to glance over the students who devote their time to helping the community.

keeping it brief: the latest news in 500 words or fewer

three, two, one... action new theatre lawrence opens curtains

by morgan noll

On Overland Drive, students can fill their brains with knowledge, fill their stomachs with food and now, as of June 9, fill their craving to perform. Theatre Lawrence, previously called The Lawrence Community Theater, is one of the newest additions to the growing business and retail community across from the school.

Theatre Lawrence offers students a chance to participate in theater productions outside of Free State’s Blackbox Theater and Main Stage.

When compared to other theater programs, Theatre Lawrence is more closely related to major, “real world” theater productions, agree juniors Kayla Clark, Sam Hay and Isaac Leibold.

“I found that Theatre Lawrence is … a lot more professional than a lot of other places, but with that it’s also a lot harder to get into plays there,” Clark said.

The audition process at Theatre Lawrence is a series of nerve-wracking steps.

“Auditions are usually two nights,” Hay said. “Sometimes it’s only one... For musicals, you have to have a short bit of a song prepared, then you have a dance audition and then you have a reading audition... If you are called back,...you have to go another night and do more reading and more dancing and more singing.”

During auditions, Theatre Lawrence looks at a performer’s talent and ability rather than casting based on preconceptions.

“You can go into Theatre Lawrence for your first time and get a lead,” Clark said, “which isn’t something that happens in a lot of places, usually there’s like ‘oh I know this person very well, I feel like they’d be good for it’.”

After getting a part in the production, those involved put in about two months of rehearsals before the curtains are drawn. “[The program is run] pretty strictly actually...It’s a huge time commitment as well,” Leibold said.

The directors at Theatre Lawrence are dedicated to taking their jobs seriously and perfecting the productions. Theatre Lawrence is not a “daycare” program, where Hay said directors are no more than “babysitters.” Rather, some of Theatre Lawrence’s directors have had affiliations with Broadway, accounting for the passion with which they execute their duties.

Aside from putting together six to

eight shows per year, the theater offers youth and senior citizen programs. Kids in first through fifth grade can participate in a program called “School’s Out, Theatre’s In,” SOTI for short, where classes are offered to kids on days school isn’t in session.

Clark and Hay learned about SOTI when they volunteered to help with these classes in their free time.

“The kids’ program is really different from other programs, in the fact that it isn’t about the final production more than it’s like the process of getting there,” Clark said.

Another age-specific program is Vintage Players, which is offered for senior citizens.

Because the Theatre Lawrence program requires a high level of commitment, no room is left for those without a genuine desire to participate in theater.

0 to Sept. 2 s from To ose, run dated stage. o tl o o F s, up g, buildin dows and an duction w ro e p n g e in l in th tures w dule of upcom by: nick popie tion in a c u fe d w ro o e s n tp lete sch ce.com. photo The firs atre Lawrence p m o c ren Thre see a atrelaw Oct. 6. visit the

NEWS

september 19, 2013 page by kaitlyn foster

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4 honor society looking to induct new requirements EDITORIAL september ,19 2013

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page by cierra campbell

Staff supports more service, less slack

students wait to be inducted photo by: Catherine Norwood by the free press staff*

In May, about 84 seniors will walk across the stage with grey stoles swishing against their green silk gowns.

These stoles are awarded only to students who exhibit the requisite scholarship, service, leadership, character and citizenship that enable them to be members of National Honor Society.

For a group that is by definition both national and honorable, our chapter leaves some to be desired. To be inducted, one must have a 3.5 GPA, 15 hours of community service and meet the deadline for turning in the information form. To remain a member of NHS, one must complete four hours of out- of-school service plus four hours of in-school service each year. Last year, students only needed half of those hours.

At Olathe Northwest, students must have a 3.7 GPA and 15 hours of community service to be inducted. To stay a member, they must perform 40 hours of community service, 10 of which must be dedicated to in-schoolprojects.

At Shawnee Mission East, students must have a 3.5 non-weighted GPA and 25 hours of community service to be inducted. To stay a member, they must perform 25 hours of community service.

At the end of the 2012-2013 school year, many NHS members still had not fulfilled their in or out-of-school community service requirement, so instead of having their membership revoked, these students were allowed to bring in packages of diapers to receive a “community service waiver.”

The precedent that opportunities like this sets tarnishes the prestige of National Honor Society. Where is the honor in substituting service hours for a bag of diapers? If the intent was to help low income families, offering a free evening of babysitting would be more meaningful than just giving them something disposable.

Many of us are part of this group, but we’d like to keep the prestige. We want to be members of NHS and we want that membership to mean something. Stricter induction and renewal requirements should be implemented to challenge the members to be better citizens, which, after all, is the goal of the NHS.

Rebecca Murphy, AP Economics teacher and NHS sponsor at Shawnee Mission East High School, has selecting the right students down to a science. At the end of the school year, she looks to see which juniors have a 3.5 unweighted GPA. After the students have been character-checked by the administration, Murphy then sends the cleared students a letter over the summer and informs them of the service requirement.

Shawnee Mission East’s NHS is filled with students who are looking to actually develop their leadership skills rather than just passively participate in required activities. If the students are unable to explain an instance in which they’d asserted leadership, they will not be inducted.

“I had [in my class] a kid who came from France,” Murphy said, “and it was obvious that she wasn’t getting it...another kid walked across the room and decided she was going to be her [the French student] English translator. And when she applied for NHS, I said, ‘put down ‘academic leader.’”

From the pool of NHS members, four co-presidents are chosen at Shawnee Mission East. Free State has a similar board of leaders who are trying to revamp the school’s chapter by not just settling for diapers this year.

“One of the main things is we want [is] more volunteer opportunities for people to do and take part in especially for the in-school [requirements],” said Maddie Woodard, current president of NHS. “ . . . We’re trying to reach other parts of the community . . . and trying to branch out a little bit more from the usual.”

Through more meetings and new community service tracking cards, Woodard and NHS sponsor Peggy Nelson plan on making volunteer opportunities more accessible for members so our chapter doesn’t have to resort to diapers again.

After all, shouldn’t students feel honored by the title of “National Honor Society Member” once they leave these halls?

We are advocating a change in mindset.

Once these stricter standards are implemented, members should embrace the increased community service requirements. In the end, serving others is the highest of all honors.

Q: why get so involved in volunteering?

OPINION september 19, 2013 page by kaitlyn foster

making a difference

5

reporter organizes auction for nonprofit

by logan brown

For as long as I can remember, I have dreamed of becoming a prosecutor. I watched documentaries and read non-fiction books, learning as much as possible about criminal law. To gain a more realistic perspective, I began volunteering at the local district attorney’s office in 2008.

By spending time in the D.A.’s office, I was able to garner many new experiences. I met and formed relationships with people from all walks of life, including victims who experienced horrific crimes.

I became involved with GaDuGi SafeCenter, the local center that provides services in the aftermath of sexual violence to victims and family members through working and trying to help the victims. As I began to volunteer at GaDuGi SafeCenter, I saw the huge impact the organization had on the community.

My first summer volunteering at GaDuGi, I met a young woman who had recently been the victim of a rape. I watched her struggle through what appeared to be the worst time of her life. She was in need of help. GaDuGi provided her counseling and access to many of the things she needed.

I was there the day she came into the center the first time, and after about a week, I had my first conversation with her. We began to speak regularly, and I witnessed first-hand how the services GaDugi provides made a difference in a person’s life.

A year after the attack, she came into the center excited about a new and prestigious job she had just obtained.

She is now thriving and is able to share her experiences to help other women. Being able to help and see a woman go from the worst time in her life to being a success is one of the best experiences I have had.

I have had my share of great birthday gifts and Christmas presents, and I have been fortunate to have success in sports and debate. However, none of those feelings come close to the feeling I get helping those less fortunate overcome adversity and accomplish something very important to them.

Ben Cohen, the co-founder of Ben and Jerry’s, once said, “As we help others, we cannot but help ourselves.”

Aiding others at the D.A.’s office and GaDuGi SafeCenter has caused me to grow as a person by becoming more empathetic towards others and giving me the ability to recognize when someone is struggling.

The most important lesson learned from volunteering is that I can make a difference in someone’s life. I have seen the difference a person can make for another; I have felt what it feels like to see someone go from despair to hope and success. Although it is difficult to describe this feeling, now that I have felt it, I know there is no substitute.

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FEATURES september 19, 2013 page by darian koenig

FEATURES

page by darian koenig

from puppy poop to placentas, student volunteers aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty

LMH volunteer senior Bryce Ridgway has logged four years of experience photo by: tom riggs

by kyra haas

Even though he’s volunteered at Lawrence Memorial Hospital (LMH) for four years, senior Bryce Ridgway still doesn’t enjoy transporting warm, bloody placentas from room to room.

“It’s in a container,” Ridgway said, “but it’s still warm and everything, so that’s kinda gross.”

Bryce Ridgway, his younger brother sophomore Caleb Ridgway and several other Free State students have the pleasure of carrying afterbirth and various other interesting substances around the hospital as part of their volunteer duties. “[We] escort people around, give them directions [and] move stuff around the hospital like labs, vials [and] hospital beds,” Bryce Ridgway said.

Junior Megan McReynolds, who has volunteered at LMH for two years, had a similar escorting job until the admissions desk needed additional support.

“If I’m doing the admissions,” McReynolds said, “I get the ‘exciting’

job of handing someone a slip of paper and greeting them, teaching them how to fill it out and then having them take a seat.”

While sometimes the task at hand is less exciting than alternative activities in which she could be participating, McReynolds finds that the fruits of her labor are worth it.

“When someone’s having a really bad day because they have to get tests done or something,” McReynolds said, “… just to see a smiling face that doesn’t treat them like ‘just a patient,’ … makes them really happy, so that’s my favorite part probably.”

Volunteers are also motivated by future opportunities volunteering provides.

“My mom said that if I got more volunteer hours in a hospital then I could probably get into a better college,” junior Lizzy Hadl said.

“So … it looks good on a resume.”

Regardless of their volunteering incentive, overall, most enjoy the experience.

“I like everything,” Caleb Ridgway said. “Meeting new people, talking to new people [and] helping the community.”

Volunteering changes students’ attitudes and outlooks, enabling them to view their personal challenges in a more realistic way.

“I think it just kind of puts into perspective how fortunate I am,” McReynolds said. “... I think I take for granted my busy schedule, and I complain about it a lot, but then you realize that there are people who have it much worse than you do… [Volunteering] taught me to be more grateful for what I have, I think.”

by hala hamid

Take the “What Kind of Volunteer Are You?” Quiz quiz by: http://volunteer.truist.com/uwkc/volunteerquiz

1. In a working situation, which would you most likely do? a. Work outdoors or with animals b. Teach and mentor others c. Work as a team, or collaborate with others d. Work by yourself with numbers and data 2. Which word best describes you? a. Active b. Enthusiastic c. Creative d. Organized 3. If you could meet one of these people who would it be? a. Marshawn Lynch b. Nelson Mandela c. Lady Gaga d. Bill Gates

4. If you had a million dollars to give to charity, which of these local organizations would you donate to? a. Outdoors for All – outdoor recre ation for children and adults with disabilities b. YouthCare – services for homeless youth c. Seattle Art Museum – promoting arts and culture d. United Way of Douglas County – providing funding to local non profits 5. What is your favorite class of the day? a. P.E. b. Contemporary World Problems/ Social Studies c. Ceramics d. Math 6. When faced with a problem, what is the first thing you usually do? a. Come up with a strategy to solve the problem b. Gather information to try and find out what caused the problem c. Visualize the problem, and how you may be able to solve it d. Figure out the details of the problem

If you answered... Your volunteer style is...

7. How do you like to spend your summer vacation? a. Camping b. Spending time with friends and relatives c. Taking and editing photos d. Working at a summer job 8. During Spring Break, would you rather a. Take a trip to Costa Rica b. Volunteer to build homes with Habitat for Humanity c. Go to the library, or go see a play d. Do your homework 9. Which item would you rather receive as a gift for your birthday? a. Sports equipment b. Donations to your favorite char ity, made in your name c. Music and movies d. Video Games 10. What is your favorite type of store to kill time in? a. REI or Big 5 b. Barnes and Noble c. Arts and Crafts stores d. Electronics store, like Best Buy

You might enjoy...

Mostly A’s

Active/Hands-on

Mostly B’s

Social Helper

tutoring, childcare, assisting seniors or helping at a food bank

Mostly C’s

Artistic/Creative

arts & crafts, painting, web design, event photography or story telling

Mostly D’s

Technical/ Administrative

computers & IT, data entry, editing or office work

coaching, enviromental restoration, community gardening or building/construction

7

september 19, 2013

On a sweltering summer day, senior Bri Collicott found herself in the middle of a veterinary operating room, listening to music and holding a stray dog down long enough for the doctor to give it an anesthetic shot. Accustomed to gardening and planting trees for the United Way’s Summer of Service program, Collicott traded in her dirt covered garden tools for sterile surgical instruments this year when she decided to volunteer at the Lawrence Humane Society.

Collicot’s days started by getting dressed in appropriate attire. Then, she would begin her duties as a surgical intern, which included preparing surgical instruments and animals, cleaning dog kennels and keeping the clinic sterile. She also administered anesthetics to the animals.

Freshman Hayden Ponzer also joined Collicot in volunteering at the Humane Society.

“I got my dog there, and I wanted to learn how it worked there and what they did behind the scenes,” Ponzer said.

The Humane Society gives volunteers a chance to help prepare animals for surgery, monitor animals as they recover, watch surgeries and clean kennels.

Ponzer’s bi-weekly duties as an Animal Care Associate included working with the cats and performing tasks such as cleaning cages, filling food and water bowls, and giving the cats any needed medication.

“It wasn’t just playing with animals,” Ponzer said. “I learned that [volunteering there] isn’t all just fun and games; it’s work.”

Volunteering provided Ponzer and Collicot with learning experiences, such as how things run at the Humane Society. It also exposed them to many different situations, such as handling and treating the animals.

“I really [liked] interacting with the animals,” Ponzer said. “I also did enjoy the staff. They were very opening and welcoming for help.”

The Humane Society taught Collicot a lot about the benefits volunteering can provide for individuals and

also the company or business.

“It was a really cool job and I learned a lot about medical practice which was very helpful,” Collicot said.

“I learned a lot about keeping things sterile, [the] professionalism of getting things done and I also learned how the Humane Society works overall.”

Even though there were some surgeries in which Collicot and her coworkers felt sick, helping the animals to recovery and better health after surgeries was still a huge reward.

“There were animals that had all sorts of different issues so it was very cool to see how they got better after we helped them,” Collicot said. “I really enjoyed...getting to experience the whole ...growth and progression of healing.”

Ponzer helped perform much of the grunt work necessary to heal the animals.

“I didn’t enjoy having to vaccinate the cats because they don’t like that,” Ponzer said. “They bite at you and claw.”

Collicot’s involvement at the Humane Society was an opportunity that expanded her scientific knowledge with activities such as diagnosing animals.

“I would sum [my experience] up as an awesome opportunity to learn more about health care and veterinary practice,” Collicot said. “It was a great opportunity because I was considering becoming something like a veterinarian or a doctor so I thought getting some experience hands-on with that type of job would be a good [way] to learn more about it.”

Senior Bri Collicott shows her excitement for volunteering. photo by: United Way of Douglas County

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6

FEATURES september 19, 2013 page by darian koenig

FEATURES

page by darian koenig

from puppy poop to placentas, student volunteers aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty

LMH volunteer senior Bryce Ridgway has logged four years of experience photo by: tom riggs

by kyra haas

Even though he’s volunteered at Lawrence Memorial Hospital (LMH) for four years, senior Bryce Ridgway still doesn’t enjoy transporting warm, bloody placentas from room to room.

“It’s in a container,” Ridgway said, “but it’s still warm and everything, so that’s kinda gross.”

Bryce Ridgway, his younger brother sophomore Caleb Ridgway and several other Free State students have the pleasure of carrying afterbirth and various other interesting substances around the hospital as part of their volunteer duties. “[We] escort people around, give them directions [and] move stuff around the hospital like labs, vials [and] hospital beds,” Bryce Ridgway said.

Junior Megan McReynolds, who has volunteered at LMH for two years, had a similar escorting job until the admissions desk needed additional support.

“If I’m doing the admissions,” McReynolds said, “I get the ‘exciting’

job of handing someone a slip of paper and greeting them, teaching them how to fill it out and then having them take a seat.”

While sometimes the task at hand is less exciting than alternative activities in which she could be participating, McReynolds finds that the fruits of her labor are worth it.

“When someone’s having a really bad day because they have to get tests done or something,” McReynolds said, “… just to see a smiling face that doesn’t treat them like ‘just a patient,’ … makes them really happy, so that’s my favorite part probably.”

Volunteers are also motivated by future opportunities volunteering provides.

“My mom said that if I got more volunteer hours in a hospital then I could probably get into a better college,” junior Lizzy Hadl said.

“So … it looks good on a resume.”

Regardless of their volunteering incentive, overall, most enjoy the experience.

“I like everything,” Caleb Ridgway said. “Meeting new people, talking to new people [and] helping the community.”

Volunteering changes students’ attitudes and outlooks, enabling them to view their personal challenges in a more realistic way.

“I think it just kind of puts into perspective how fortunate I am,” McReynolds said. “... I think I take for granted my busy schedule, and I complain about it a lot, but then you realize that there are people who have it much worse than you do… [Volunteering] taught me to be more grateful for what I have, I think.”

by hala hamid

Take the “What Kind of Volunteer Are You?” Quiz quiz by: http://volunteer.truist.com/uwkc/volunteerquiz

1. In a working situation, which would you most likely do? a. Work outdoors or with animals b. Teach and mentor others c. Work as a team, or collaborate with others d. Work by yourself with numbers and data 2. Which word best describes you? a. Active b. Enthusiastic c. Creative d. Organized 3. If you could meet one of these people who would it be? a. Marshawn Lynch b. Nelson Mandela c. Lady Gaga d. Bill Gates

4. If you had a million dollars to give to charity, which of these local organizations would you donate to? a. Outdoors for All – outdoor recre ation for children and adults with disabilities b. YouthCare – services for homeless youth c. Seattle Art Museum – promoting arts and culture d. United Way of Douglas County – providing funding to local non profits 5. What is your favorite class of the day? a. P.E. b. Contemporary World Problems/ Social Studies c. Ceramics d. Math 6. When faced with a problem, what is the first thing you usually do? a. Come up with a strategy to solve the problem b. Gather information to try and find out what caused the problem c. Visualize the problem, and how you may be able to solve it d. Figure out the details of the problem

If you answered... Your volunteer style is...

7. How do you like to spend your summer vacation? a. Camping b. Spending time with friends and relatives c. Taking and editing photos d. Working at a summer job 8. During Spring Break, would you rather a. Take a trip to Costa Rica b. Volunteer to build homes with Habitat for Humanity c. Go to the library, or go see a play d. Do your homework 9. Which item would you rather receive as a gift for your birthday? a. Sports equipment b. Donations to your favorite char ity, made in your name c. Music and movies d. Video Games 10. What is your favorite type of store to kill time in? a. REI or Big 5 b. Barnes and Noble c. Arts and Crafts stores d. Electronics store, like Best Buy

You might enjoy...

Mostly A’s

Active/Hands-on

Mostly B’s

Social Helper

tutoring, childcare, assisting seniors or helping at a food bank

Mostly C’s

Artistic/Creative

arts & crafts, painting, web design, event photography or story telling

Mostly D’s

Technical/ Administrative

computers & IT, data entry, editing or office work

coaching, enviromental restoration, community gardening or building/construction

7

september 19, 2013

On a sweltering summer day, senior Bri Collicott found herself in the middle of a veterinary operating room, listening to music and holding a stray dog down long enough for the doctor to give it an anesthetic shot. Accustomed to gardening and planting trees for the United Way’s Summer of Service program, Collicott traded in her dirt covered garden tools for sterile surgical instruments this year when she decided to volunteer at the Lawrence Humane Society.

Collicot’s days started by getting dressed in appropriate attire. Then, she would begin her duties as a surgical intern, which included preparing surgical instruments and animals, cleaning dog kennels and keeping the clinic sterile. She also administered anesthetics to the animals.

Freshman Hayden Ponzer also joined Collicot in volunteering at the Humane Society.

“I got my dog there, and I wanted to learn how it worked there and what they did behind the scenes,” Ponzer said.

The Humane Society gives volunteers a chance to help prepare animals for surgery, monitor animals as they recover, watch surgeries and clean kennels.

Ponzer’s bi-weekly duties as an Animal Care Associate included working with the cats and performing tasks such as cleaning cages, filling food and water bowls, and giving the cats any needed medication.

“It wasn’t just playing with animals,” Ponzer said. “I learned that [volunteering there] isn’t all just fun and games; it’s work.”

Volunteering provided Ponzer and Collicot with learning experiences, such as how things run at the Humane Society. It also exposed them to many different situations, such as handling and treating the animals.

“I really [liked] interacting with the animals,” Ponzer said. “I also did enjoy the staff. They were very opening and welcoming for help.”

The Humane Society taught Collicot a lot about the benefits volunteering can provide for individuals and

also the company or business.

“It was a really cool job and I learned a lot about medical practice which was very helpful,” Collicot said.

“I learned a lot about keeping things sterile, [the] professionalism of getting things done and I also learned how the Humane Society works overall.”

Even though there were some surgeries in which Collicot and her coworkers felt sick, helping the animals to recovery and better health after surgeries was still a huge reward.

“There were animals that had all sorts of different issues so it was very cool to see how they got better after we helped them,” Collicot said. “I really enjoyed...getting to experience the whole ...growth and progression of healing.”

Ponzer helped perform much of the grunt work necessary to heal the animals.

“I didn’t enjoy having to vaccinate the cats because they don’t like that,” Ponzer said. “They bite at you and claw.”

Collicot’s involvement at the Humane Society was an opportunity that expanded her scientific knowledge with activities such as diagnosing animals.

“I would sum [my experience] up as an awesome opportunity to learn more about health care and veterinary practice,” Collicot said. “It was a great opportunity because I was considering becoming something like a veterinarian or a doctor so I thought getting some experience hands-on with that type of job would be a good [way] to learn more about it.”

Senior Bri Collicott shows her excitement for volunteering. photo by: United Way of Douglas County

8

PROFILE

september 19, 2013

page by jacob hood

*

on a mission

sophomore jared schoeneberg shares a passion for helping others through god

by ryan liston

Traveling the Midwest each year, sophomore Jared Schoeneberg performs God’s work via mission trips.

“Basically we go around communities ... and we do service projects,” Schoeneberg said, “We share the Gospel, tell people about Jesus. We just help out people in need, and we do lots of food serving.”

Since the end of sixth grade, Schoeneberg has gone on two mission trips every year: one in the summer and one in the spring. He usually journeys to Ohio, Colorado, Indiana, Joplin, Mo. or Kansas City.

Spending time serving has also taken him down a path to deeper spirituality.

“It’s really fun to help serve,” Schoeneberg said, “Spiritually I’ve gotten closer to God, and I’ve built a relationship with Him that I probably couldn’t have without serving.”

Schoeneberg’s mission work typically combines teaching the Bible with manual labor.

“[During] my very first mission trip [in Indianapolis], we had to fix this person’s ... basement,” Schoeneberg said, “...there was a leak, so all of their stuff was soaking wet and dirty, and we had to clean it all off.”

During his trip to Ohio, Schoeneberg helped clean a local church and do yard work. During a recent trip to Colorado, his church group spruced up an entire private school.

In Joplin, Schoeneberg helped clear the wreckage from the recent tornado.

“First of all, it was raining the whole entire time,” Schoeneberg said, “And we were all wet. We had to clean up debris ... like trees and parts of houses. That took up almost the whole time because there was just so much work to do there.”

Along with helping struggling communities, Schoeneberg also teaches kids about the Gospel.

“A lot of them don’t come from very good home lives,” he said, “so they don’t have parents who love them or any family that loves them. Just being able to tell

them that somebody does love them, it’s really hard for them to believe.

When they finally do it’s eye-opening.”

Not all people agree with what Schoeneberg is doing, however.

“There’s always the occasion where somebody thinks that you’re doing the wrong thing,” Schoeneberg said.

Once, while his group was passing out flyers, someone reported the group to the police. “Someone thought we were trying to convert them to Christianity,” he said. “That was an interesting experience.”

Schoeneberg’s goal on these mission trips isn’t solely to be a good person. He firmly believes that by serving on mission trips, he is following God’s will.

“God calls us to serve and to go out and share his word,” Schoeneberg said, “so that’s why I go and help out. It’s just showing that I am who God wants me to be at the time.”

fun facts about jared’s trips: favorite mission trip:

“Probably the one that I went to Ohio because I got to work in the kitchen, and we had to serve a ton of people. It just showed how much need was in the community and made me want to work harder to feed everybody.”

best friend on the trip:

“Maria Carrasco because we worked in the kitchen together. We both made all the food and we served it. I also got to know her better because she is my friend, but I just got to know her relationship with Christ.”

favorite meal:

“Well, I was introduced to spaghetti and cottage cheese.”

favorite activity:

“Getting to know the kids in the community. They all lived in small apartments with either one parent or no parents. Very few of them had two parents, and we just made an impact on them.”

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HOMETOWN HUB september 19, 2013

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hometown hub by fiona mcallister

Making a difference, learning new skills and finding a passion are all perks of volunteering in the community. Becoming a volunteer offers personal and academic benefits. Students who volunteer often have better self esteem than those who don’t, mainly because these students feel accomplished after helping others.

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325 Maine St, Lawrence, Kan.

Any student interested in pursuing a career in the medical field should look into volunteering at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. This allows for many opportunities to meet patients and acquire new skills. A minimum of three hours per week for three months is required. Positions include: food & nutrition volunteer ambassadors, wayfinders, escorts, desk attendants and gift shop workers.

How to volunteer: Log on to lmh.org - or contact Lauren Cobb, student coordinator (785) 505-3146 for more info

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celebrating lawrence’s best since 1854

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page by sarah whipple

KVC behavioral health systems 1202 E 23rd St #C, Lawrence, Kan.

KVC Behavioral Health Systems offers students exposure to working in social welfare. KVC is a non-profit that works with families and children, providing foster care, adoption services, family preservation, behavioral healthcare for struggling families and setting children up for success. Although only volunteers 18 and over can work with children and families, KVC has many volunteer opportunities for students 15 and over.

Volunteer tasks include organizing and stocking the clothing closet, helping prepare materials for foster parent classes, passing out information about foster care in the community, stuffing backpacks for school and more.

Starting now is the perfect way to build important connections with the organization for future volunteer opportunities.

How to volunteer: Visit www.kvc.org/volunteer

Having some sort of volunteering experience is vital for college-bound students. Not only does it help students gain admission to college, but volunteering also teaches the importance of hard work and provides students with perspective. Get started now with these top volunteering opportunities in the Lawrence area.

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glow run 5k

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lawrence humane society

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october 12, downtown Lawrence, Kan.

This opportunity is perfect for students looking to log a single 1805 E 19th St, day’s worth of volunteers hours, midnight farms Lawrence, Kan. but anyone can volunteer in this 2084-B N. 600 Road, fun race.

Calling all animal lovers, the Baldwin City, Kan. On Oct. 12 at 8 p.m., runners Lawrence Humane Society is lookwill light up downtown with their Midnight Farms staff is looking for volunteers to fill in as Cat glowing apparel. Race proceeds ing for young adults interested Companions to socialize with cats, will benefit the United Mitochonin making a difference in the life adoption event helpers to prepare of a child or an adult with special drial Disease Foundation. UMDF and handle animals at events and supports research and education needs. Opportunities include dog walkers to take out and play for mitochondrial disorders and becoming a side walker in the with the dogs. therapeutic horse riding programs offers services to those affected.

How to volunteer: Volunteers will hand out race after undergoing special training, Visit http://lawrencehumane. or volunteering as a gardens and packets, direct and cheer on parorg/. ticipants on the course, give out greenhouse assistant. Gardens - or water, assist at the first aid station and greenhouse assistants will Contact Katy Hollingsworth, and help runners at the finish line. help individuals with special director of operations, How to volunteer: needs learn about growing their khollingsworth@lawrencehuVisit www.glowrun5k.com/ku own food and taking care of their mane.org to apply. garden.

How to volunteer: Contact Brett Bauer brettbauer@clokan.org - or 785-979-1889

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HEALTH september 19, 2013 page by jacob hood

the helper’s high

surprising side-effects to ‘helping out’

by becca moran

Volunteering and drugs can be similar, at least according to multiple studies conducted around the world.

Volunteering can lead to a rush of euphoria and the release of endorphins--the body’s natural painkillers-which are comparable to morphine. This effect is coined a “helper’s high.” What’s more, people can experience a less intense version of this feeling when they recall the altruistic experience.

Brain scans support the idea of this “helper’s high.”

A study at the National Institutes of Health showed that when people thought about giving money to a charity, the same pleasure areas that lit up on brain scans when they thought about food and sex, were illuminated. A similar study at Emory University showed that helping others lit up the pleasure and reward part of one’s brain.

A 1999 study published in the Journal of Health Psychology found that elderly people who volunteer for two or more organizations had a 44 percent reduction in premature death. This suggests volunteer work can be as beneficial to longevity for some as going eating well or exercising is to others. Volunteering is proven to reduce stress and increase feelings of self-worth.

Countless studies have shown that people who volunteer tend to live longer, happier and healthier lives.

A study in 1990 had a group of nuns write personal essays. The ones who expressed a positive outlook on altruism lived an average of 10 years longer.

Another study showed a 44 percent decrease in ear-

ly death for volunteers, as opposed to non-volunteers.

“Studies of telomeres--the end-caps of our genes-show that long-term stress can shorten those end-caps, and shortened end-caps are linked with early death,” said Steven G. Post, PhD and head of the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love and WebMD contributor.

“These studies indicate that we’re dealing with something that’s extremely powerful. Ultimately, the process of cultivating a positive emotional state through prosocial behaviors--being generous--may lengthen your life.”

However, one doesn’t have to understand the science behind the brain’s chemical processes to know volunteering makes one feel better.

“From a health standpoint, volunteering just makes you feel good because you’re helping someone,” veteran volunteer Shelly Hornbaker said. “You also... make new friends and build self-confidence.”

Hornbaker works with a group of other volunteers making quilts for the pediatric ward at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. They make enough quilts to allow every child admitted overnight to go home with one.

“Every once in awhile, we’ll get a photo or a thankyou note from a parent or child, and it is quite a rush when you get that because you don’t expect it,” Hornbaker said of her own experiences with a “helper’s high.”

Senior Allix Ice volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Every week she goes to Deerfield after school to hang out with her “little sister.” Although she has never experienced said “high” from volunteering, she agrees that volunteering has positively impacted her health and outlook.

“It just feels good to know that you’re wanted and being helpful,” Ice said.

Help yourself by helping others and volunteer.

to see the full infographic go to: fsfreepressonline.com

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$

8.99

Visit any of our Lawrence locations: 6th and Maine, 23rd and Ousdahl, & 23rd and Haskell

GRAPHICS september 19, 2013

change your life. change your world.

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page by sarah whipple

by kenneth palmer

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change your attitude

Broaden your perspective. Look at something that you resent and find a positive aspect that it might possess. Nothing is entirely bad; even the superfluous tackles and plays presented at a football game come packaged with the opportunity to bond and make friends over food and drink.

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make buttons of yourself Not for a sport or organization, just to remind the people around you that you intend to change the world.

make your own holiday and encourage others to celebrate

Attempt to understand a point of view that conflicts with your own.

Whether the discrepancy lies in the realm of politics, religion or any other area of discussion, mutual ground can be a valuable asset on your journey to change to world.

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donate unnecessary clothes to Goodwill

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buy fair-trade products

purchase a cat

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spread kindness Smile at your peers.

There is no reason to avoid this simple gesture of friendliness, and it can create a genuine feeling of warmth between you and those around you.

Give something that you love to someone who could really use it. It is always easy to share superficial things, but to forfeit a treasure can be an agonizing, but beneficial, feat of altruism.

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Connect with industrious people. Do not hesitate to attend a friend’s event. After witnessing their contribution, you will be better equipped to make a mark for yourself. Ask about the logistics so that you can be successful without as much struggle.

give out BandAids to anyone who looks like they’re in pain

contribute your knowledge to wikipedia

write your will and give anonymous people your stuff

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SPORTS september 19, 2013

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page by sarah whipple

soccer vs. SMW 4:00 p.m.

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football vs.

SMW 7:00 p.m.

gymnastics @ FS 11:00 a.m.

leading the pack

october

september

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freshman volleyball @ FS 5:00 p.m.

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XC @ Newton 10:00 a.m.

sport captains share the limelight...and success of the season

by rosemary newsome

As senior Grace Cairns prepares for a high school football game, she concerns herself not with what she looks like, but if her teammates’ outfits correspond and hairstyles match.

Heeding these minute details, that fellow participants and spectators might not realize are vital to a good performance, is only part of a team captain’s duties.

“I have to pick out what we’re going to wear and at games where we dance, Cairns said, “I kind of pick out what we’re going to do then. Most sports don’t have to coordinate what they’re going to wear as much as we do, and that’s a pretty big responsibility.”

As the only senior on the pom squad, Cairns says she was automatically chosen for the leadership position, and the team voted on the second junior captain.

However, in other sports, captains may be determined by coaches or other factors.

“I’ve been playing on the team since my sophomore year,” said Alexis Czapinski, senior tennis captain, “and I’ve gone to state all the years I’ve been playing, and . . . I had shown love for the sport and love for the team.”

Often captains are selected because of their time dedicated to the improvement of the team.

Senior soccer captain Chris Allen has logged his fair share of time in a firebird soccer jersey. Possessing strong leadership qualities both on and off the soccer field, Allen was prepared to become captain. “...so it was almost like my time to finally be that leader,” Allen said.

“I put in the work and I put in the time so I got what I deserved.”

While experience and leadership skills are necessities for all team captains, their responsibilities vary from sport to sport. With different facilities and atmospheres, obligations are indi-

However, being a team captain is a vidualized for each sport. meaningful role no matter which sport, and “They [captains] lead stretches,” said its responsibilities follow the individuals on Blake Winslow, senior football leader. and off the field. Breaking the stereotype “We’re responsible for keeping the locker of a cruel senior-male-captain, Allen realroom clean, making sure the field gets izes the importance of being a good role picked up, housekeeping stuff like that. model.

And we’re in charge of making sure the “I just try to do the little things right,” younger guys know what to run and know he said. “Always be nice in the halls, good the plays.” on the field, talking to them in the way Winslow explains that football seniors that they can get better and help the team rotate between captainship for each preand not just yelling at them.” game coin toss.

With a pom team comprised of mostly As the girls’ tennis captain, Czapinski hosted the first team dinner in addition to underclassmen, Cairns also values her ability to shape an incoming generation of her other unique responsibilities. student dancers.

“A lot of it [responsibilities] is just motivating the team,” Czapinski said. “ . . .

I know it’s not as big of a deal as am he te e some other sports.” ares t th

“I lead by example,” Cairns said. “If they see that I’m doing right, they’ll kind of follow my footsteps especially because we have six freshmen.”

While talent and hardwork are found in all grades, perhaps the quality of leadership from the senior captains in the secret to the Firebird sports’ success.

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