Free Press: Issue 6, Edition 18 by FSJournalism

Free Press the

cover by Lane Weis and Caylee Irving

photo by Margaret Uhler

Reorienting Orientation LINK Crew should revise format

pg 8

On the Road to Encore

pg 19

Life After High School Seniors share plans for post-secondary pursuits pg 12

Issue 6

Edition 18 5 March 2015

Free Press page by Atticus vonHolten

5 March 2015

Table of Contents

Cutting (Brown)Back Governor introduces plan to cut school funding

12 10

Written by Kenneth Palmer

Reorienting Orientation LINK Crew should revise format Staff Editorial

12Feature Life After High School

Students talk about their plans for after high school Written by Elizabeth Patton, Sydney Gard and Kyra Haas

Pledging Players

Seniors commit to post-secondary schools, continue athletic careers Written by Maame Britwum

Mind Over Matter

Forming a Fellowship

Artists of the Month

Junior shares story of aneurysm, support Written by Maria Carrasco

Tolkien fans ďŹ nd niche within club Written by Catherine Prestoy

This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s featured Firebird art

Follow us @fsfreepress on Twitter or Free State H.S. Free Press on Facebook for current information about school happenings!

2014-2015

News Briefs

Free Press Staff Editors

Kyra Haas Ryan Liston Maria Carrasco Catherine Prestoy Darian Koenig Kristina Foster Kenneth Palmer Mary Brady Kaitlyn Foster

Designers Caylee Irving Sydney Vogelsang Lane Weis

Reporters Evan Frook Hala Hamid Trenna Soderling Libby Stanford Sydney Gard Kellie Stofac Darby Gilliland

Editor in Chief Online Editor in Chief Social Media Editor/ Print Managing Editor Online Managing Editor Design Editor Co-Design Editor Co-Copy Editor Photo Editor Business Editor

Drake Riner Addie Wendel Atticus vonHolten

Juliana Hill Maddie Birchfield Lauren Brittain Erin Friedrichsen Maame Britwum Jake Clark Elizabeth Patton

Photographers Sam Goodwin Margaret Uhler Gabrielle Wheeler

Jessica Merritt Klaire Sarver

5 March 2015

page by Atticus vonHolten

While the number of homicides in Lawrence has increased dramatically over the past couple years, Lawrence Police Department Sgt. Trent McKinley reassures these crimes are not random. “What we’re seeing in these is we’re seeing that these are individuals that have some sort of relationship to one another, and that they got into a situation again,” McKinley said. Photo by Mary Brady

City experiences increased homicide rate Written by Libby Stanford

ince July 2013, there have been 10 homicides in Lawrence. This is an uncharacteristically high amount of murders for the city, considering there are typically one or two homicides in a year. Isolating the cause of these crimes has been difficult for police. The crimes are not believed to be connected, so law enforcement is struggling to find a single method of prevention. “Some of these had to do with mental illness, some of them had to do with domestic violence, some of those had to do with drugs, some of those had to do with arguments,” Sgt. Trent McKinley said. “So there’s

really not a common denominator.” The police department has successfully solved each of these crimes, however. According to McKinley, closing these cases is the best way to combat them. “The best that we can do with each of those is to dedicate all of the resources we have to solving them, and that has been the case with all the homicides to date,” McKinley said. “We do not have any unsolved homicides at this time.” Sophomore Isabelle Krones can see how living in one of these areas can affect a person. “Individuals that do live where these things happen, it’s kind of

surprising to them because you never think that you’re going to be near where a homicide (happens), or you’d like to think that you’re in a safe neighborhood,” Krones said. However, McKinley asserted people living in the areas in which these crimes occurred should not expect a pattern of violence in their neighborhood. “What we don’t want people to think is that these types of crimes are random and you as an individual … could potentially be a victim of one of these types of crimes because that is not at all what we’re seeing,” McKinley said. photo by Sam Goodwin

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, Kan. 66049. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Free Press staff, the high school administraion or that of the USD 497 Board of Education.

Brownback’s order sparks discord, protest follows Written by Darby Gilliland

ophomore Eli Jost arrived at the state Capitol on Feb. 14 with one goal in mind: change. Standing among a crowd of determined citizens who shared his goal, he and others carry signs, chanted and waved flags all in the hope of showing the governor their frustration with his recent actions. On Feb. 10, Gov. Sam Brownback revoked an executive order that gave state employees protection from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and sexual identity. He replaced this with a new order that only protects state employees from discrimination regarding race, color, gender, religion, national origin, ancestry

and age. Some Kansans reacted strongly. “I can’t really believe that people elected this guy,” junior Nat Hoopes said. “He’s definitely not appreciating humanity or respecting other people’s values and lives.” Hundreds of people gathered outside the Capitol building in Topeka. Equipped with signs and colorful flags, people from all over Kansas and neighboring states came together to demand the right to protection for the LGBT community. “There was a really good vibe,” Jost said. “There wasn’t a lot of blaming or hatred going on.” Brownback has not released a

statement regarding the protest or further action that will be taken, but Jost continues to be optimistic about the situation. “I think it’s really important to go out and stand up for things that you believe in because if you don’t, nothing is ever going to happen,” Jost said. “The fact the people showed up (for the protest) does say something.” Hoopes is confident about the positive effects of the protest as well. “It made people who are being oppressed by this decision feel a little bit more comfortable and supported by the Kansas community,” Hoopes said.

News page by Drake Riner

5 March 2015

Cutting (Brown)Back Governor introduces plan to cut school funding Written by Kenneth Palmer

MoveOn Petition to “Recall Sam Brownback” with upwards of 30,000 signatures from all over the country, a New York Times article questioning the state’s financial plan and plenty of other national criticism have resulted from recently announced education budget cuts. Many Kansans are concerned with the reductions authorized by Gov. Sam Brownback on Feb. 5 for the current school year, but Principal Ed West is confident that the school and the district will weather this storm. It is the cuts to education that will take place next year that has him more concerned. “They are confident they can absorb that in other areas,” West said. “Potentially next year, though, you could be looking at anywhere from a $1.4 million cut or up, which is very significant.” West believes this year’s cuts will be no worse than past cuts in terms of their impact on students, and Superintendent Rick Doll corroborated West’s sentiments in his statement to district staff on Feb. 10. “This will be a challenging process, but let’s not overreact,” Doll said. “The district will get through this as it has before, and we will get through it in such a way that minimizes the impact to students and employees as best we can.” Though both West and Doll are confident the cuts will be manageable, Doll expressed concerns about the unique challenge of dealing with budget cuts mid-year, which reduces the amount of time the district has to

prepare and cushion the blow. “This means that Lawrence Public Schools will lose $600,000 from this year’s budget,” Doll said. “Making mid-year cuts is extremely difficult because our budget has already been established and contract and program costs are ongoing. It appears very likely that the governor’s cuts will not be restored, so we must identify midyear cuts, as we make plans to manage doing more with less next year. The only real question now is: how much less will we have to work with next year?” David Reber, Anatomy teacher and active Kansas National Education Association (KNEA) member, paints a less sunny picture. Reber believes that the cuts are part of a bigger plan to fundamentally change the school system in Kansas. “First, it is important to know that the budget ‘crisis’ was manufactured deliberately,” Reber said. Specifically, Reber points to the school finance formula, the legislation which allows money to flow from the government to the schools and which the state legislature wants to abandon. The governor has proposed using grant-based funding as an alternative, but Reber has speculation on that as well. “The way I see it, eliminating the finance formula and forcing 280 districts to compete for limited funds is a poorly-disguised way to give all districts less and to threaten [and] bully school districts into going along with this administration’s agenda,” Reber said. “Teach evolution? No

money for you. Teach sex? The list of potential suppressions [and] exhortations is endless.” He also believes the state could face a constitutional crisis with the elimination of the finance formula because Article 2, Section 24 of the Kansas Constitution requires that all funding must be authorized with specific legislation. “If at that point the court orders the legislature to fund schools as per Article 6, they would in effect be ordering them to violate Article 2,” Reber said. “The time it will take for such a mess to work its way through the court system will be more than enough time to starve public schools into failure and then use that failure to justify mass privatization. And that is what this is really all about.” While Reber and other critics decry the cuts as an actively malicious attempt to undermine education, Brownback maintains his goal is to support education in a manner that is more specific to the needs of Kansans. A statement from the governor’s website begins to explain his position: Every Kansas child should have access to a quality education that not only meets their individual needs but also embraces their specific talents and interests. The key to providing an education that is relevant to every child is collaboration, innovation, and local control. Local school board members, local administrators, local teachers, and local parents know what’s best for the children in their community. The governor claims more local funding and local control could be

When Gov. Sam Brownback announced his plan to cut the state’s education budget, criticism arose from across the country. “The track record that they have had showed that the district weathered pretty good the last round of cuts,” Principal Ed West said. “To have an education system wholesale turned upside down, I don’t think that would happen.” Photos by Mary Brady

beneficial and relevant to the specific issues faced by Kansas schools. Regardless of the banter about government motives and predicted impacts, Mark Desetti, director of legislative and political advocacy at KNEA, concludes that major changes to the funding formula may not happen in the end because of infighting in the Republican party. “You’ll have extreme rightwing Republicans, like the Tea Party, and then on other end of the Republican scale you have traditional Republicans or moderates,” Desetti said. “These are the Republicans that are fiscally moderate, but they believe the government does good things and schools are important, more in the mold of a Dwight Eisenhower or a Nancy Kassebaum than a Sam Brownback.” If conflicts do present considerable obstacles to some of the more controversial aspects of the education changes, then these issues may be solved with less tumult than Reber predicts and with less of an overhaul than Brownback would like, and things would happen as they usually do in Kansas, very slowly.

Change for Consistency

News 5 March 2015

page by Drake Riner

Committee proposes new schedule Written by Lauren Brittain

n the first day of school next year, students may be informed there is a block schedule with late arrival every single week. Lips may begin to quirk into smiles—until teachers reveal the catch. With a schedule proposed by a inter-school committee, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, students would get out at 3:10 p.m., and only on Thursday would students get out at 2:30 p.m. The potential shift is positive, with more time spent in the classroom and an easier format as a whole for both students and teachers, according to sophomore Natalie Adams-Menendez. “I think students would very much appreciate it because it gives them a relief between Wednesdays and Thursdays to get a lot of homework done,” Adams-Menendez said. “It also gives them longer periods for testing, so you’re able to do more and be more comfortable with the time you’re given.” A series of surveys given by the administration at Free State in May 2013 highlighted the issues students, parents and faculty members had with the current schedule, prompting a change. “We … found out [from the surveys] the students would really like some more built-in study time, if possible; the teachers were hoping to somehow have a less hectic day, maybe have a second plan; and the parents, they wanted to have a consistent schedule every week,” said Ben Mellen, business teacher and scheduling committee member. “We were given the charge to come up with a consistent schedule to try to solve those issues.” Last year, Free State formed a committee of faculty volunteers to propose an alternative schedule,

but hit a snag when negotiating that schedule for both high schools. District administration and the Lawrence Education Association postponed a change until a committee of Free State AND Lawrence High faculty members could be consulted. According to Mellen, the two high schools have different needs. Lawrence High struggles with small classrooms, whereas Free State doesn’t have enough rooms. Many Free State teachers must switch classrooms during the day, making it hard to get anything done during their plan period since they are constantly moving. “We are trying to figure out a way to give both buildings some flexibility, let them do their own thing, let us do our own thing and still meet all these other requirements,” Mellen said. In addition to meeting the needs of both high schools the committee was asked to make sure any new schedule would also work for the College and Career Center (C3) opening in fall 2015. “One goal was to arrange the schedule so that students and staff could get to and from the college and career building, because that’s going to be a third campus now essentially,” said Sam Rabiola, English teacher and scheduling committee member. The C3 opening next year will give juniors and seniors the option to be bussed from their high school to the center for half the day. According to Mellen, it is not a question of if or when a new schedule will be implemented, but how. “I don’t think we have a choice,” Mellen said. “The board has basically said that all the schedules need to be consistent because of the new building and the bussing.” The schedule committee has

Proposed Schedule Late arrival

* every Wednesday +5 minutes

No late arrival

* Thursdays No early dismissal * on Thursdays

noon

Administrator Steve Heffernan listens to the discussion about the proposal for the new schedule along with other Free State and Lawrence High faculty. Originally just Free State faculty, the committee expanded to include Lawrence High and school board representatives. “This year, we were informed that there would be an option for district-wide committee and a lot of [Free State faculty] had already been through this, so we joined,” committee member Ben Mellen said. photo by Mary Brady

Mon./ Tues./ Fri.

Wednesday

Thursday

8:05a.m- 3:05p.m

8:05a.m- 2:30p.m

9:05a.m- 2:00p.m

8:05a.m- 3:10p.m

9:05a.m- 2:30p.m

8:05a.m- 3:10p.m

6 p.m 6 a.m

on Mon./Tues./Fri. 2015-2016

6 a.m

2014-2015

via Scheduling Committee

run into issues fulfilling all the different desires teachers, parents, students and the school district have. “It’s more ranking of what’s more important, what can we do,” Rabiola said. “Part of it, certainly, unfortunately, is what can we afford to do next year.” The schedule affects minutes in the day, and, therefore, the time teachers are being paid to be at school. Largely due to the money aspect of the schedule, it will have to be sent back to the district/ LEA negotiations team. Negotiations could go through the summer, and teachers, as well as students, may not know what the official schedule will look for a while. “We might recommend A, and it might come back looking like Q,” Rabiola said. The prospect of a new schedule has brought many responses, though many students are not opposed to the idea. “People have one of two responses, they focus on those elements that they like, or they focus on those elements they don’t like,” Rabiola said. “What our committee tries to do is look at the big picture. We get the two ends, and not much about the middle.” Junior Santiago Martinez focused on the plus side of having late arrival every week, which would allow him to drop by Starbucks for a Frappucino before school. For junior Mary Krieger, while the new schedule may be difficult at first, students will adjust. “At first I’d probably be like, ‘Oh this sucks,’ but I don’t think I would notice that much honestly, after it started,” Krieger said. “You’d just get used to it.”

noon 6 p.m

News page by Drake Riner

5 March 2015

The IT Crowd Students aid with school IT problems Written by Ryan Liston

Above: Typing away on keyboards in one of the school’s computer labs, seniors Zach Moore and Thomas Brooks work with the district’s IT department. “The most common project I get is having to replace keyboard keys, [and] it’s really annoying,” Moore said. Left: Taking the back cover off of a computer tower to get a better look, senior Thomas Brooks looks inside the machine to ﬁx any problems found. “Most often it is not an issue with computers; it’s an issue with connectivity,” Brooks said. photos by Sam Goodwin

nder the supervision of building technician Ismael Romero, seniors Zach Moore, Kerry Thomas and Tom Brooks work to figure out why a Macbook Air won’t turn on. The culprit: a disconnected power cord. Earlier this semester, these seniors volunteered to assist Romero with technical problems throughout the building, a job from which the district’s division of Educational Programs and Technology previously restricted students until assistant superintendent Jerri Kemble was tapped to head the division. “This was the first time Patrick [Kelly, director of career and technical education] and I had been approached with it, and we loved the idea,” Kemble said. “... It’s kind of like project-based learning. We’d like to provide more of those experiences for students, so that they have a real world experience. We feel like they put a lot into that, they’re interested

seeking answers that makes these things happen.” Since the program began recently, Romero still feels his presence is necessary while the in it and they learn a lot from it.” students work. Kelly suggested students help “[The students] don’t have an out with building-level IT problems employee badge, so after some time, after students expressed interest and I guess that the teachers will get members of the district collaborated to know them,” to create a Romero said. plan for the “When they walk in program. the classroom, they “There’s will know who they a lot of behind are and what they the scenes are doing, but right work that now I need to go has to go on with them.” to make sure Before the that everybody students could feels like we assist Romero, they can support went through an the students application process in a way that’s which included positive for -Assistant Superintendent participating in an them, so that Jerri Kemble interview, filling just takes out an application time,” Kelly and submitting a résumé. said. “So I don’t think it was any “It was kind of stressful—it was one person in particular, it just is like an actual interview,” Moore said. continually ... asking questions and

We’d like to “provide more of

those experiences for students, so that they have a real world experience.

“

“You just sit in there with a panel of adults you’ve never met before asking you different questions.” Moore provided examples of the panel’s questions. “‘Where do you see yourself in five years?’” Moore said. “‘What are you good at? What’s your favorite class in school?’ They asked, ‘If I told you the iPhone was the greatest phone, what would you tell me?’” Although Career Technical Education teacher Matt Gudenkauf is not directly involved with the group’s day-to-day activities, he recruited the students and developed a plan with Kemble, Kelly and other members of the district’s technology departments. Members considered switching Gudenkauf’s Media Technology class to an internship class, so the students could work with Romero during that hour. “I wanted to keep the class the way it is because what they get out of the class is invaluable, and it’s quite a bit different than what the internship is providing,” Gudenkauf said.

News 5 March 2015

page by Drake Riner

Above: Filling work orders and helping main technician Ismael Romero, senior Zach Moore assists the IT department. “I’m going into Computer Science; it’s going to be my major, and I just feel like all this hands on experience will help me out in the field and being able to work with computers,” Moore said. Left: Tom Brooks fills IT work orders. “The problem I have to fix most is computers not logging into the system,” Brooks said. “I have about five work orders to fill each week.” photos by Sam Goodwin

In the end, the class remained the same, and the students agreed to meet with Romero after school to complete their assigned tasks. While these students are allowed to assist with technological problems, they are not granted administrative rights on district computers. “There will be days when even though I have things to do, there won’t be things for them to do because it requires administrative rights and, not being formal employees, they cannot be given those rights,” Romero said. “It’s not that we don’t trust them, but there are protocols to follow. Now, if they come with me, then I can enter my credentials, and they can work on them, just for the sake of training.” Sensitive information becomes accessible with administrative rights, which is another reason students will not be given that level of permission. “There might be something that would have to do with grades or attendance or something,” Kemble said. “If someone was having a problem with that, we would have someone else in the department handle that, so that they can’t get into those things and look at that kind of information.” Those interviewed agree this program should prove beneficial in teaching the students skills that they

may require for their future careers. Kemble and Kelly hope that this will be one of many ways to integrate hands-on learning into the district. “We’d love to do things in business,” Kelly said. “We’d like to do things with our architecture program. Any of our programs, we’re looking for employers, and we’re looking for our teachers to be flexible in the way that they teach, so that students can have these types of opportunities.”

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lawrence, kansas/736 massachusetts st., 785-749-2377

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Staff Editorial page by Darian Koenig

5 March 2015 Freshman Jaelyn McKay smiles at her LINK Crew member while playing a game at a meeting. This year LINK Crew decided to extend their meetings from one at the beginning of ﬁrst semester to two monthly sessions. “I think it’s helpful to learn how [LINK Crew members] got through what I’m currently going through,” McKay said. Photo by Sam Goodwin

Juniors Laura Crabtree and Sidney Zavala demonstrate a game to a group of freshmen. “It dose not seem like [freshmen] appreciate LINK,” Crabtree said. “It does not seem like they are very involved.” Photo by Sam Goodwin

Reorienting Orientation

LINK Crew should revise format

Members of LINK stand with incoming freshmen during their orientation. In the past, this would be the only time freshmen would meet with LINK, but now the groups meet throughout the school year. The Free Press staff agrees this new format be adjusted so that LINK can focus on the freshmen that are not adapting to high school as quickly as their peers. Photo by Abby Ilardi

ditor’s note: a staff editorial is an article written on behalf of the majority opinion of the Free Press publication staff. It’s 10 a.m. on a Thursday, and three-quarters of the school is killing time on their phones, while the other quarter is pretending NOT to be killing time on their phones. Until this year, LINK Crew was a welcoming committee for incoming freshmen. LINK led the one half day of orientation and that was where their commitment ended. Now junior and senior LINK leaders meet monthly with their freshmen mentees to play team-building games during what would otherwise be late arrival time. This format should be revised with respect to the updated goals of LINK. The institution of LINK is beneficial, and the support and advice the LINK leaders deliver to the freshmen is useful. Students instructing students can be effective and achievable, but the current meeting setup misses its mark. While most of us are no longer freshmen, we remember our own LINK orientation day and the change from a single orientation-type meeting to recurring and required meetings was a step in the wrong direction. We see what LINK used to do, the half day of going over new information and rehearsing the trip from class-to-class, as essential to helping freshmen adapt to high school. The games to teach learning strategies and give advice, if once novel

during first semester, have become unnecessary by second semester. The idea of LINK providing more consistent contact for freshmen, especially those who are not adjusting to high school, is not flawed at a basic level. We realize the merits of LINK for these types of students. The problem, however, is that by second semester LINK should be focusing their attention on those who are still struggling. If LINK was to adopt some of the ideas and procedures Big Brothers Big Sisters uses, they may find more success. LINK, like BB/BS, could offer low-stress one-on-one support to teens that adults often can’t. Instead, LINK passes up fostering potentially personal connections in favor of generalized activities delivered to a disinterested audience. Additionally, second semester LINK needs to consider both their participants’ and nonparticipants’ time. During the mandatory meetings on Thursdays, all students miss their late arrival and must come to school. During the assembly time, they are left to their own devices, and the majority of students are required to remain in classrooms with no structured learning. As the LINK Crew plans their activities for next year, we hope the group finds ways to forge deeper connections, plan more practical activities and focus their efforts on those who need it most.

Song of the Streets

Editor recounts bittersweet acquaintance

Editorial 5 March 2015

page by Darian Koenig

Written by Kyra Haas

he young woman lays down a with her then, crying. She held one couple crumpled dollar bills of those signs: “Anything helps! God and two quarters for her Bless!” Her mild mental disability snow cone. It’s the first time she’s seemed fairly apparent. She said she actually paid for anything here. A had other kids, but they didn’t live smile crosses her face. “I get to see with her anymore. She didn’t say my kids, now,” she says. “They found why. out about me, and now I have a house At 14, I started my first summer and I get to see my kids.” I don’t running the ice stand in front of know who “they” are. Probably the the Antique Mall, right next to the Department of Children’s Services, tiny, decrepit carousel that seems to make more money than the stand but I don’t want to ask. itself, and maybe even the Antique If you spend enough time on the Mall. One afternoon I saw the young sidewalk along Massachusetts, you woman again, this time without become acquainted with a certain the child, holding a new sign with crowd—people selling nothing, yet the same slogan. She hung close to at times getting paid better than a questionable guy, both smoking if they were. I’ve sold shaved ice cigarettes. I was pretty sure he at “IceBreak Lawrence” for three was taking advantage of her, but I summers. It’s essentially a gussieddidn’t know if it was my place to do up lemonade stand with a faded anything or what I’d do if it was. rainbow umbrella and a couple At the end of the summer, I rickety kitchen stools. wheeled the stand inside, went off to There I hang out amid the high school and forgot about her and panhandlers, all eager for spare the baby and the lost children. change or a cigarette. Maybe my We reopened the following heart was too soft or maybe I just May. A bird had built a nest above wasn’t gutsy enough to ask them to the carousel, and I watched its eggs go away, but over the course of each into hungry babies. summer I spent I heard their hatch I remember counting stuck to my frozen lives and stories one fewer than usual post, I heard their and quietly mourning lives and stories and lived nature’s cruelty as I and lived alongside alongside them. poured sugary flavor onto them. shredded ice. I never learned the woman’s As I tossed used Styrofoam name, but her face remains clear in bowls into the nearby trash, I saw my memory. I was 12 when we first her again, sitting on the sidewalk, met, walking with my grandma down her back against the Antique Mall, Mass. The young woman had a baby

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the missing baby bird cupped in her hand. And there she remained day after day, her children replaced with a bird nobody cared if she had. She fed it Jimmy John’s bread crumbs and cuddled it close to her breast. By mid-June, however, it no longer needed her care, and perhaps in its wild bird way, it was coming to resent her affection and the bondage it required. I watched the bird learn to fly, its surrogate mother unwilling to let it go, trying to keep it close by waving the Jimmy John’s loaf and calling it back. And then one day, like her other children, the bird wasn’t there anymore. And every day hence, there followed a depressing succession of roly-polys, crickets and grasshoppers, each intended, I suspect, to make her feel less incredibly alone. I offered her water and lemonade from the ice stand. She took it, but we didn’t really talk. She stayed in her own world, and I stayed in mine, a couple of yards apart. I turned 16. The following summer, I didn’t see the young woman in May or June. New people took her spot against the wall—a guitarist who quit his job as a dishwasher. A veteran of some war. A balloon artist. And then, mid-July, she reappeared, wearing new clothes and a new attitude. She thanked me for sitting there, being with her back then, and she bought a cherry-

Photo By Lindsey Pratte

flavored snow cone and walked off. It was simple, but moving—knowing that I had been one of the few constants in her life over several years as I was growing up, and she was, perhaps, growing up, too. I felt sad, and, at the same time, happy, as I let her go. She didn’t need a snow cone shop girl or a bird for company anymore. From some unknown place, she’d found her own company, and with it, a sense of stability I couldn’t have given or really even imagined for her. I told myself I didn’t mind being left behind, and above the carousel, a bird added a twig to its new nest.

Taking a Gap Year

Pros, cons of waiting to start higher education Written by Maddie Birchfield

s my senior year comes to a close, the idea of leaving Lawrence to start out on my own becomes more and more daunting. A new experience at a new school in a new town all seems very…new. For some, moving on from high school directly to college is not the most appealing scenario. They want to go out and experience the world while in the “prime of their lives,” but travel and exploration requires something not everyone has: money. If I had the funds to go backpacking across Europe for a semester or two, I would, but for myself, and many other seniors, that dream will have to wait. Either lack of funds or pressure from parents to

start school right away can be factors family or an attempt to move up the social ladder. in continuing straight to college. College is a very expensive I’m not saying everyone has to go to college, but for those who necessity, and for the students who have to support themselves, working want to now, taking a year off might before starting ... it consists of change your mind, and the decision that change might their university career is the only social experiences result in could be one you regret. option. and growing As the The college opportunities ... paychecks start experience is one bigger to flow in, those graduated students than the high level of learning, it might see the new funds as enough consists of social experiences and growing opportunities that stretch us to support their current lifestyle, and push us to find our true selves. diminishing their want for higher education. This can result in issues I think it is important for later on in life because without everyone to get the experience of college a college degree, the jobs one separating from their family and going out on their own, and if you can find nowadays are not always take a gap year you might get a taste well-paying enough to provide for a

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of that, but the social aspects will be harder to obtain. There is the possibility that you will continue to only surround yourself with people you’ve known all your life, not allowing yourself to branch out and meet new people. I know that if I was given the freedom to travel the world I might not want to go back to the academic sphere, but if the school was to set me up with a program and give me the funds, that might change my mind. Depending on where you go, schools are starting to set up opportunities for gap year service work. If this is the path for you, by all means take it. We need a little more help in the world.

Sports page by Kristina Foster

5 March 2015

Pledging Players

Seniors commit to post-secondary schools, continue athletic careers

Seniors Carson Bowen, Scott Frantz and Michael Georgie sign to play football at their college of choice. Bowen, Frantz and Georgie all played for Free State’s football team. “The positive is that we are able to recognize the accomplishments of our student-athletes and celebrate their continued participation at the college level,” athletic director Mike Hill said. Photo Courtesy of Andrew Baker

Written by Maame Britwum

world, which is San Francisco—it’s the place I love hen senior Scott Frantz signed his letter most and where I’ve always wanted to live,” Clark of intent to play football at Kansas State said. University, emotions were running high. When choosing a college, Clark wanted Frantz thanked everyone who helped him along in to focus chiefly on academics and athletics his athletic journey. “[Signing] was a really secondarily. However, the amazing feeling,” Frantz said. Academy of Art’s athletic success “It was nice to know after such a in its division won her over. “I wanted to go somewhere long recruiting process that it’s that was going to be somewhat finally officially over.” low pressure,” Clark said. “But Frantz started playing [Acadamy of Art was] the DII football in fifth grade because his friends did, but over time [Pacific West] Division and the he found a talent in his hobby, DII Champions last year, and I prompting a multitude of liked that.” Clark has narrowed her Division I schools, including the senior Scott Frantz University of Kansas and the field of study to two majors and plans on studying either Writing for Film or University of Minnesota, to send him offers to play Multimedia Communication. for their teams. Frantz’s college choice came down to which “I don’t have to take regular general team he fit into best: KSU. education classes; I just go straight into my major and what I’m going to study,” Clark said. “I’m Many senior student athletes are signing really looking forward to learning … at the best letters of intent as they prepare to transition from level you can about what you love most.” high school to collegiate athletics. For varsity cross-country runner senior Cole As senior Kiara Clark, who signed to run for Academy of Art University in San Francisco, Stallard, who is running at Baker University in physically prepares for her final track season, she the fall, recruitment came as an unexpected but also prepares for collegiate life far from home. welcome surprise. “[Academy of Art] is in my favorite city in the “I was never the fastest so I didn’t really

It was nice to “know after such

a long recruiting process that it’s ﬁnally ofﬁcially over.

“

intend on ever running in college, but a coach came and talked to me, and after I investigated the opportunity, it kind of opened that door,” Stallard said. Stallard plans on going into medicine and is excited for the opportunities that Baker has to offer. “There are a lot of research opportunities at Baker, and I’m excited for that,” Stallard said. Unlike most students her age, when the school day ends, instead of going home or to work, senior Natalie Rainbolt begins the 65 mile drive to Kearney, Mo. to Fuzion gym for her gymnastics practice. Rainbolt knew she wanted to compete at a higher level, and now her years of hard work are finally paying off. In the fall, she signed to compete for Utah State University’s gymnastics team on a full ride athletic scholarship. “[I’ve done gymnastics] since I was one-anda-half,” Rainbolt said. “All the schools that I was recruited by were DI. I had that goal from when I was probably in like sixth grade.” Like Rainbolt, senior soccer player Hannah Reussner, who will be playing soccer at Central College in Pella, Iowa, knew she wanted to continue her sport in college. It was a matter of finding the right school to accommodate her academic and athletic needs.

Sports 5 March 2015

page by Kristina Foster

Pledging Players... continued from page 10 “I knew I wanted to play soccer in college because I wasn’t ready to quit,” Reussner said. “But I also wanted to make sure that academics was as important as soccer, so I chose a [Division III] school.” For some athletes, injuries can interrupt a sport’s season and an athlete’s morale, but Reussner’s injury shaped her post-college plans. “My overall goal is to become an orthopedic surgeon,” Reussner said. “That is actually related to soccer because I’ve had so many injuries because of soccer. It just gave me a passion to work with other athletes.” At Utah State, Rainbolt plans on studying Exercise Science or Business and has no plans of continuing gymnastics after college.

“A lot of people become coaches and stuff, but I’m not really interested in that,” Rainbolt said. Frantz plans to go into Criminology or Special Education if his dream of becoming a professional football player isn’t reached. “That’s obviously my dream to play at the next level, you know professionals, but I know that the chance of that is pretty slim,” Frantz said. Regardless of whether they continue their sport after college, these student athletes appreciate being able to play post-high school while pursuing a college degree. “I’m just so excited to be able to do both,” Stallard said.

Apply to join our staff by

March 27 online at... http://goo.gl/F7M9WK

Breakdown of College Athletics 390,000

A female athlete that participates in Division I athletics receives an average scholarship of

Over student athletes participate in Division I and II athletics

$14,660

A male athlete that participates in Division I athletics receives an average scholarship of

$13,821

Between Division I and II,

A female athlete that participates in Division II athletics receives an average scholarship of

2.5 billion

over dollars were awarded to student athletes

$6,599

A male athlete that participates in Division II athletics receives an average scholarship of

18% of college

$5,362

costs are met by athletic scholarships

There are over

7 million high school athletes

But only enough college roster spots for

information courtesy of scholarshipstats.com and ncsasports.org

of them

Free State

Journalism Supporters Q: What is a Free State Journalism Supporter?

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Fueling the Fire Friends

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Feature

page by Lane Weis, Caylee Irving and Kristina Foster

5 March 2015

Life After High School

“I always feel like I could be doing more, which is a good problem to have, but also maybe a bad thing,” Lieberman said. “Like, I don’t like turning down opportunities, and I like to take on as much as I possibly can.” Lieberman’s hard work didn’t go unnoticed in the gifted program, where she spends an hour each day. Janice Fullerton, gifted resource curriculum teacher always believed Lieberman would get into the school of her dreams. “She’s very driven and knew what she was looking for,” Fullerton said. “There wasn’t any doubt in my mind an Ivy League school would take her.”

Community College

debate the same way he approached high school debate, he may have some bumps at first, but he will eventually be successful at that level.” Frederick noted students gravitate toward community college not only because of the smaller class sizes, but also because of the lower cost. “Community college is about a third as much [money] as the state schools, so like a three-hour class at Johnson County Community College is about $300, while it’s over $900 at KU, so that’s a huge draw,” Frederick said. While Hopkins plans to go to college to pursue his passion, others look for alternative options to follow their dreams.

“ I kind of just

To qualify for the Marine Corps, you must be able to Since joining do more than 44 crunches the debate squad his in two minutes. Senior Jake freshman year, senior DeLaTorre can do 107. You have Parker Hopkins’ yearto run a mile-and-a-half in 13 round dedication to the ½ minutes. DeLaTorre covers activity, from summer that distance in 9 minutes 38 debate camps to work seconds. You have to do two nights after school, pull-ups. He can do 13. senior Jake DeLaTorre captured Johnson County “My grandfather was Community College’s a Marine, so I was always attention. fascinated by his stories growing up,” DeLaTorre said. Dan Scout, assistant debate coach at JCCC, “I kind of just wanted to live those stories myself.” served as Hopkins’ dorm supervisor at the Jayhawk With his grandfather’s anecdotes and his Debate Camp this summer and approached him about father’s encouragement, DeLaTorre was about 12 joining the college’s squad. “He talked to me, had me fill out the recruitment when he decided he wanted to go into the military. At first, he considered the Coast Guard, but decided the form and I contacted them later, around October,” Marines would be a better fit. Hopkins said. “If I was going to join any military branch, I After touring the campus, Hopkins received an offer from JCCC of $1,500 to bring his debate skills to wanted it to be the most awesome military branch there is, and I thought the Marine Corps would the college. provide that, so I chose the Marine Corps,” DeLaTorre “I didn’t say yes immediately, but I already assumed I was going to go, then they raised the offer,” said. DeLaTorre ships out to bootcamp in San Hopkins said. Diego on June 22, and he won’t have a break until JCCC contacted Hopkins again and upped their September, when he has a 10-day vacation before offer to $2,000, covering full tuition and books. returning to camp for School of Infantry training. “That pays for everything, so there’s no reason With the next chapter of his life beginning to not to go at that point,” Hopkins said. Hopkins knew his goal was to debate in college, take shape, DeLaTorre has days where he’s more than ready to graduate. However,while preparing for the and he kept his options in-state, with applications to Marines, which he describes as 90 percent mental KU and JCCC. and 10 percent physical, DeLaTorre believes he can “I’m going to school to debate, that’s the complete high school successfully. reason,” Hopkins said. “I wanted to keep doing what “There are times when I don’t want to do my I like. But I will go on to KU after JCCC, since an homework, but … in order to go to the Marine Corps, Education major is four years.” you have to have a high school diploma, so I can’t give Hopkins, who has posted a 59 percent debate up now,” he said. round win average (94-66) in his four years at Free While this sentiment may be typical for students State, anticipates active participation on the JCCC not immediately college bound, counselor Ken Hile, squad, which usually has between 10-15 active a veteran, found his four years in the Air Force a members. catalyst for his future success in college. “At JCCC, they will fly me around the country “When I finished my four years in the military, I to debate, unlike at KU,” Hopkins said. “At Johnson was ready to go to college, and I was a serious student County, I become a top team person.” Debate coach Jason Moore anticipates the same. then because I knew what I wanted,” Hile said. DeLaTorre’s road may be less traveled, but he “There is a correlation between how often he is is not the only student choosing to bypass college to here helping and working on debate and how well he has done,” Moore said. “If Parker approaches college follow their passion instead.

wanted to live those stories myself. -

“

Seniors share plans for post-secondary pursuits Written by Kyra Haas, Elizabeth Patton and Sydney Gard

ith two tanks of fish, a crested gecko and a baby ball python to care for, senior Michael Quackenbush appreciates not only Kansas University’s top-ranked engineering program, but also its close proximity. “I’m close to my family and I have a lot of pets, and KU won’t let me take my large amount of animals into the dorms, so I can still go back and visit and take care of them,” Quackenbush said. “Also, in-state tuition is pretty awesome.” As seniors begin charting the future’s uncertain waters, they base their post-graduation plans on a wide range of criteria—from pets and finances to legacy and responsibility. According to school counselor Joel Frederick, about 80 percent of Free State graduates continue to college after high school, with 65 percent headed to four-year and 15 percent to two-year. If college isn’t in the plans, Frederick and the other counselors encourage students to pursue specific training for a career. “Sometimes students go to get trained in something specific, like maybe they go to cosmetology school or learn to become a nurse’s aide or something,” Frederick said. “We encourage students to do something specific rather than just start looking for a job. But there are a few people who decide to do that, too.” For Quackenbush, the decision wasn’t difficult.

While he looked at other schools with Architectural Engineering majors, KU’s in-state tuition, coupled with its location, won him over. Others decide their post-high school plans based on a variety of other factors that range from the campus to the Greek life to the scholarships offered.

similar to me and it had everything I was looking for in a school,” Lieberman said. Since Lieberman is still contemplating future career options, she appreciates Cornell’s broad liberal arts education as a chance to explore several areas of study before narrowing her focus. Her current interest is government related, so the school’s opportunity for those pursuing government majors to spend their junior year interning in Washington, D.C., while still taking Cornell courses, If senior Sarah Lieberman hadn’t received an Early Decision acceptance letter from Cornell appeals to her as well. University in mid-December, she would have applied “When I heard about that (D.C.) program, to 17 other schools, most it seemed like a very practical choice, but also applications for which were due something I would love,” Jan. 1. “It’s really good that I got Lieberman said. Both Lieberman’s in when I did because I was putting off applying to all my father and grandfather went to Harvard and other schools...,” Lieberman her mother attended said. “So if I hadn’t gotten in, I would’ve been in huge trouble.” Yale, but Lieberman did not rely on her Ivy Lieberman started her League background. She college list during her freshman senior Michael Quackenbush spent countless hours year, and even after numerous preparing for the SAT, college visits, her search simply got broader, her list longer. studying for AP exams and working on her college essays, as well as throwing herself into academic That is, until she visited Cornell. and community-oriented extracurriculars. “When I went to Cornell, it felt like a place I could live, the people I talked to seemed kind of

Ivy Leaguer

KU won’t let “me... take my large

amount of animals into the dorms...

“

Marine Corps

page by Lane Weis, Caylee Irving and Kristina Foster

Poll results from 86 of 334 seniors 12% No

88% Yes

Have you chosen to attend a post-secondary institution?

34% Private

Is your post-secondary institution public or private? 66% Public

5% A trade school 9% A junior college

23% A college

Your post-secondary institution is...?

63% A university

Feature

page by Lane Weis, Caylee Irving and Kristina Foster

5 March 2015

Life After High School

Community College

“ I kind of just

wanted to live those stories myself. -

“

Seniors share plans for post-secondary pursuits Written by Kyra Haas, Elizabeth Patton and Sydney Gard

Ivy Leaguer

KU won’t let “me... take my large

amount of animals into the dorms...

“

Marine Corps

page by Lane Weis, Caylee Irving and Kristina Foster

Poll results from 86 of 334 seniors 12% No

88% Yes

Have you chosen to attend a post-secondary institution?

34% Private

Is your post-secondary institution public or private? 66% Public

5% A trade school 9% A junior college

23% A college

Your post-secondary institution is...?

63% A university

Feature

page by Lane Weis, Caylee Irving and Darian Koenig

Photo by Abby Ilardi

5 March 2015

Dance

In mid-December, senior Erin Fisher walked into the administration office and received her diploma. There was no speech or cap and gown. While working full-time at the Big Biscuit and dancing at the Lawrence Ballet Theatre four hours a night, six nights a week, Fisher sidestepped a graduation ceremony to focus a bigger event: moving to New York to pursue her love of dance and theater. “I’m definitely taking an unconventional path, which I think is okay,” Fisher said. “I think I would be really unhappy if I didn’t decide to right away go for the more unconventional thing.” With family on the East Coast, Fisher plans to spend a year working and auditioning for dancing and performance jobs in New York. If she finds success, she’ll continue working professionally. Photo by Abby Ilardi

“After my year is up, we’ll see where I’m at, and if I’m doing really well, I’ll keep working professionally, and if not, I’ll work towards a college degree,” Fisher said. Fisher has only been an active dancer for six years, although she’s participated in musical theater since she was six. In the ballet world, to be at a professional level with only six years of experience is uncommon. “That’s something I’m really proud of,” Fisher said. Having the support of her family keeps Fisher grounded. “My mom totally supports me following my dreams, but this is such a tough industry—it’s so competitive and so up in the air,” Fisher said. While exercising caution and preparing for the worst, Fisher encourages younger students to look beyond college when making posthigh school plans. “If you don’t know what you want to do, don’t feel like you have to go to college right away because college is something that will always be there,” Fisher said. “Go for whatever would make you happy, and don’t worry about what people have to say about, ‘You need to go to college.’” While Fisher looks toward dancing professionally, other seniors plan to pursue their passions within collegiate teams and programs.

College Athletics

Just because she leaves high school for college does not mean that senior Alison Prather will give up her Photo by Andrew Chavez

Photo by Andrew Chavez

Above Top: Senior Alison Prather leads the Free State Pom Squad at Raise the Roof. Prather participated in the Pom Squad for most of her high school career. Above Middle: Senior Alison Prather performs during halftime at a home basketball game. Above Bottom: Graduate Erin Fisher performs during Encore 2014. Having danced for six years, Fisher plans to pursue her performing dreams in New York later this year. Right: Smiling during the closing song, graduate Erin Fisher strikes a pose during Encore 2014. Fisher dances six days a week for four hours at a time at Lawrence Ballet Theatre.

passion: dance. “I’ve been dancing for 16 years, so I can’t really stop,” Prather said. Prather will attend Baker University in Baldwin this fall, where she hopes to join the dance team, enter a sorority and study Biology. Her participation in the dance program will enable her to be involved while cheering for football and basketball and competing with the team. “[Baker’s] dance team is pretty much what it is here at Free State,” Prather said. The dance program at Baker is not the only reason Prather plans on attending. She would receive a $2,000 dance scholarship, but because her mother works at the college, Prather can go for free. “I actually was going to go to K-State for the longest time to do preMed and then Veterinary Medicine because that’s what I thought I wanted to be—and I still might want to be that—but I’m not sure,” Prather said. Free tuition permits her to change her major with fewer complications. Whatever she decides to do, Prather believes dance will continue to affect her after college, as it has through her entire life. She has one piece of advice for underclassmen considering college. “Just because you’ve thought about one thing since you were a freshman, you’re gonna feel totally different about it as a senior, so don’t be afraid to change your mind,” Prather said.

Feature 5 March 2015

Moving Away

For senior Savannah Reeb, the University of Mississippi’s Division I sports, active Greek life and a small town environment were key factors in her college decision. With out-of-state tuition being considerably higher than in-state, scholarships and aid are often essential for students considering moving away from Kansas. Frederick strongly encourages filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to help colleges decide how much financial assistance they’ll provide. “Eighty-five to 90 percent of scholarships that are given out come right through the colleges and colleges like to have that FAFSA for that,” Frederick said. Hoping to pursue International

Relations, Reeb noted Mississippi’s financial aid also played a role in her decision. “For an out-of-state college, it’s pretty cheap,” Reeb said. “And academically, it’s not your Harvard or your Stanford, so I can get a lot of academic scholarships and actually have gotten some already.” Having sent in her application for the business school, Reeb won’t find out about her acceptance until mid-April. Only about 60 incoming students are accepted to study International Relations each year. If she doesn’t make the cut this year, she still plans to attend as an undeclared business major, then reapply for her sophomore year. Reeb’s official visit to the school impacted her view of the university and the way it treats its students.

Top 3 Prospective Majors from Free State based on survey of 86 of 334 seniors

#1 Business

Medicine

#2 Liberal Arts & Sciences Languages, History, Math, etc.

#3 Music PRE SS

Journalism & Mass Comm.

Health Professions Audiology, Nutrition, etc.

“It seemed like they really cared about their students and their education, so after that there weren’t really any other options,” Reeb said. “I knew this would be the place for me.”

Undecided

Many students in the Class of 2015 have prepared their college plans and are now focused on spring break and senior pranks. Some, however, like senior Tim Schoeneberg, still need to decide what to do after graduation. “Well, I’m not sure what I’m going to be doing,” Schoeneberg said. “I know I’m going to go into music.” For most of his high school years, Schoeneberg wanted to take a gap year before enrolling in college. “I don’t have a job and taking a year off would give me more time to work and earn more pay,” Schoeneberg said. Taking a gap year is a less traditional approach for recent graduates. Frederick used to be opposed to the idea but has recently changed his mind and believes it may be a good option for some students. “Sometimes, if you take a year out, you can come back with a new sense of anticipation and wonder

page by Lane Weis, Caylee Irving and Darian Koenig

and enthusiasm about education,” Frederick said. Schoeneberg has to decide between taking a gap year and going to college. His top schools, Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo. and Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan., have both already accepted him. With the May 1 decision deadline quickly approaching, Schoeneberg has little time to make one of the biggest decisions of his life. “Tabor has got a great choir program, but SBU is closer to family,” Schoeneberg said.

Conclusion

While many graduates will find themselves at a four-year college next fall, Frederick anticipates a shift toward community college, as Kansas continues to cut funding to higher education. “It’s unique, each person finds their own path,” Frederick said. “I would have to say that as expensive as college is getting, you’ll continue getting growth at the JuCos (junior colleges) because they’re so much more affordable. As the state continues to cut off money to support higher education, it’s going to get harder and harder for people to pay for college, sadly.”

Poll Results from 86 of 334 seniors

51% In-State

49% Out-of-State

In-State or Out-of-State?

Proﬁles page by Addie Wendel

5 March 2015

Mind over Matter Junior shares story of aneurysm, support Written by Maria Carrasco

Revealing the scar left from the surgery to repair his aneurysm, junior Thor Lyche anticipates needing yearly brain scans for the rest of his life. “I still can’t work out, but I’m getting off medication so I can focus on school,” Lyche said. Photos by Mary Brady

t began with light headaches that became so and I can swim again in four weeks, but the swim severe junior Thor Lyche found it difficult to season ends by then, so I won’t be able to go back walk or stand. It finally became intolerable to swimming this year,” Thor said. on Dec. 21, and Thor’s mother took him to get Besides swimming, Thor was an active a CAT scan at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. He basketball player from his childhood until October was immediately transferred to the University of of last year when he got double knee surgery. He Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City where dochas also run track since eighth grade. tors found an aneurysm on Dec. 26 behind a blood While Thor’s aneurysm has taken a toll on his life, he remains optimistic about his recovery. He vessel in his brain. credits part of his success to his An aneurysm is a bloodfriends and family. filled sac that can grow on any “My brother and parents blood vessel, most commonly [have been supportive], like they in the brain. When the sac came up every single day, and my ruptures, it causes bleeding and brother came up [to the hospital] hypovolemic shock. and brought people,” Thor said. “Forty percent of people - junior Thor Lyche Thor’s good friend, junior who get aneurysms die, so Andrew Ferguson, visited him it’s nice to be part of the 60 every week while he was in the hospital. percent,” Thor said. “I’m just there for him,” Ferguson said. Surviving his aneurysm is only the first part Thor’s triplets, juniors Liv and Christian of his recovery. Thor will need yearly brain scans Lyche, helped with Thor’s recovery. for the rest of his life. “I’ve just been patient with him and helped “At first it was really hard; I was on a lot him out, like help out where I can,” Christian said. of medication for pain,” Thor said. “I couldn’t “He can’t really do stuff, but ... I just make sure he concentrate in school, but not anymore. I still can’t doesn’t do stuff he’s not supposed to do.” work out, but I’m getting off medication so I can Christian also holds hope for Thor’s recovery focus on school.” and is by his side for each therapy session. Having swum competitively since elementary, “He recovered a lot,” Christian said. “I Thor was unable to participate in this year’s school wouldn’t say quickly, but compared to what season. happened to him, the recovery was pretty quick.” “I had to quit because of [my aneurysm],

“...it’s nice to be

Junior Thor Lyche began experiencing headaches so severe he had to be taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital, where doctors discovered an aneurysm in his brain. “I started getting really bad headaches and they wouldn’t go away and I couldn’t, like, stand up or walk around because my head hurt so much,” Lyche said. Photos by Mary Brady

“

part of the 60 percent,

Proﬁles 5 March 2015

page by Addie Wendel

Students in Tolkien Club consider the group as a way to express their interests in J.R.R. Tolkien’s works while also forming friendships with other members. “We learn how to read, write and speak Elvish,” club sponsor Michael Colvin said. “We have a scroll for graduating seniors, they learn how to write their name in Elvish.”

another Thursday ends, Tolkien Club members excitedly make their way to sponsor Michael Colvin’s room. Picking up yard sticks and cardboard shields, the members engage in pretend battle, one jumping up on a chair and uttering the famous line, “You shall not pass!” Meeting every other Thursday, Tolkien Club dedicates itself to exploring the expansive world author J. R. R. Tolkien created. Tolkien Club members spend their time learning the lore surrounding “Lord of the Rings” as well as communicating through Elvish. “Before he even wrote ‘The Hobbit’ or ‘The Lord of the Rings,’ he spent most of his life making up all the languages in the world and some epic poems long before the actual events of the books had even been conceived of,” sophomore Ben Gotto said. “It’s really fascinating to read all the back material.” Passionate Tolkien fans have found their niche within the club, developing friendships over their shared interests of the books. “It’s benefitted me in making new

friends and being more social around people—I’m not the most social person there is,” senior Alex Doktor said. “It’s a friendly environment; everyone there is always kind, cheerful.” Members critically analyze Tolkien’s works while familiarizing themselves with the more confusing parts of Tolkien’s massive world. “The thing about Tolkien is that the way he writes he captures every detail, but at the same time he leaves so much space that you can see the world as well,” Doktor said. “When he describes a plain, he doesn’t say the plain has tall grass. You imagine a plain, and that’s how you see it as the characters are walking through it.” Club members believe Tolkien’s work has withstood the test of time not only because of the imaginative world he created, but also how people have contributed to Tolkien’s world over the years. “The movies force you to see Peter Jackson’s version,” Colvin said. “When you read literature, you get to create your own version. What you bring into it makes Tolkien richer. Tolkien created a world that he hoped

Forming a Fellowship Tolkien fans ﬁnd niche within club written by Catherine Prestoy

someday in the future people would add to. What we bring to it, to the literary writings of Tolkien, allow for much more than a movie.” The club provides a meeting place for all Tolkien fans to gather, and Colvin believes the diverse environment challenges the stereotype of a Tolkien enthusiast. “I think people have this feeling that you have to be a certain kind of person to be a part of Tolkien Club, you have to read the books or be a nerd or a geek,” Colvin said. “It’s not just about Tolkien, but Tolkien gives us a nice nucleus around which to form our fellowship.” Sophomore Victoria Miller reads J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Silmarillion” in Tolkien Club. Miller and other members meet in sponsor Michael Colvin’s room on Thursdays. “We watch movies, talk about Tolkien’s books and do more renaissance-related things,” Miller said. Photos by Jessica Merritt

Proﬁles page by Addie Wendel

5 March 2015

? d r o W hose

Bird’s Word

Do freshmen like LINK? “I like having them, especially [since] the seniors and juniors we have for LINK leaders are pretty fun, too.” - freshman Darik Dudley “They’re pretty lame because the activities we have to do are not fun. They’re childish.” - freshman Ariel Wyatt

“Having LINK meetings throughout the year was a good idea at first, but because of lack of interest, freshmen don’t want to do it.” - junior LINK Leader Christina Craig

“I don’t think the freshmen like it now, but it [the meetings] will benefit them in the long run.” - junior LINK leader Kirsten Baska

“It’s beneficial to freshmen because they can ask questions to LINK leaders and get the ins and outs of high school.” - sophomore Sayuz Thapa

“I don’t actually know any freshmen in it, but [the new LINK Crew schedule] sounds like a good idea because I wish they’d done that when I was a freshman. When I was a freshman, they just did it the first day and that was it.” - sophomore Lila Alvarado “It’s really helpful for [freshmen] because they get to know the school the first few days and get advice from students who have been through it before.” - senior LINK leader Eliza Anderson

“Yes, I do believe [freshmen] like LINK. At first, LINK is a great program to get all the freshmen started. As we continue to have a meeting every Thursday, the majority of the freshman are getting kind of irritated.” - senior LINK leader Colton Stallard

“I

like it, it’s kind of unnecessary. It would be more beneficial to have it once a year to get the students more acclimated to the school, but continuing it through the year doesn’t really add to the kids at all.” - freshman Hirsch Guha

On the Road

to Encore

For two months, 175 of Free State’s best performers spend day and night preparing for Encore, the school’s annual music variety show. Singers

2 4

Graphics 6 February 2015

Written by Libby Stanford Photos by Sam Goodwin

form groups as early as winter break, polishing their act in hopes of making the lineup.

Pick a Song

Students choose songs that they would like to see in the show. These are often popular, fun songs most of the student body enjoys. “The first level is figuring out what songs you really like and what songs you could see in Encore,” junior Sadie Barbee said. “They have to be upbeat and entertaining.”

Put Together a Group

While choosing groups, students focus on choosing the people they think best represent the song, often pulling together a certain number of girls or boys. “...Usually about right during winter break people start putting together groups, (and) there’s an Encore Facebook page that everyone posts ideas on,” Zicker said. “...Everyone talks to each other and you try to join groups that you want to be in.”

Auditions

After preparing their groups for weeks, the students audition in front of a panel of judges. They find out the results a couple of days later. This year 88 songs auditioned, and the judges selected 30 songs for the show. “The students prepare their auditions and audition in front of Encore’s three directors and three random judges who choose the show,” choir director Hilary Morton said.

Rehearsals

Students rehearse until Encore, both on their own and with directors. This year, along with Morton, the show’s directors are Melia Stockham and Lakin Griffin. Both are experienced in the performance world. “... Every weekend until Encore starts, which is the week after spring break, we have rehearsals with the directors,” Zicker said. “Each week in addition to that we have a rehearsal on our own with our group.”

The Show

“I think it’s going to be pretty awesome,” Barbee said. “I’m excited because the seniors this year are awesome, and I feel like our class is really musical as well. I think it’s going to be an awesome collaboration.” Encore will be showing from March 26-28, with all shows at 7:30 p.m. It is best to get tickets

Tech Week

The cast runs through the entire show with outfits and lights. This is the first chance for the performers to rehearse. “And then tech week we have our first tech rehearsal, and everybody’s there, and that’s when everybody in the choir department who’s in Encore gets to first see the other songs,” Zicker said.

early, as they often sell out. “There are some funny songs, there are some old songs, there are some new songs, there are some a cappella songs,” Zicker said. “It’s a really great variety this year. It’s a show that, if you go to see it, then you’ll get to see a huge variety of musical types, musical eras. I think it will be really good this year. It will be really fun.”

page by Sydney Vogelsang

What does the Firebird say? AJ Zarnowiec

“...For my solo, I just have to get that down, and then we put it with the band and just make sure the parts are matching up together. For the small ensemble I am playing in, they just give me the part and then we rehearse it [the] few times we go over stuff for the show.”

“Encore is a student-motivated variety show. The kids choose their songs, choose members of their groups, organize rehearsals, choreograph, harmonize and run their own rehearsals prior to auditions. 88 songs auditioned this year for Encore, and we chose 30. The students prepare their auditions, and audition in front of Encore’s three directors, and three random judges who choose the show.” choir director

Hilary Morton

Allie Knapp

“I think (having dancers in Encore) is cool because the dancers kind of get to show off their talent. I used to dance and I haven’t danced for three years. I just kind of tried out for fun, and I love getting back into it; it’s fun to remember all the things I used to do.”

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FSHS newspaper 2014-9, 2” X 2”

page by Kaitlyn Foster

5 March 2015

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Reviews 5 March 2015

page by Sydney Vogelsang

Written by Lauren Brittain

eyonce’s remixed “Crazy in Love” plays in the background of the “50 Shades of Grey” trailer, infused with the same tension as a rubber band. I wish the actual “50 Shades of Grey” movie had snapped me in the same way the soundtrack had, but the flaws in the novel gave way to muted, awkward emotion on the big screen. “50 Shades of Grey” was adapted to film from E.L. James’s Twilight fanfiction-turned original novel. Selling 100 million copies in 52 languages, James created an unprecedented stir with her erotic, BDSM-lite novel. Women saw an opportunity to explore an alternate sexual experience within the story of Anastasia Steele, a mousy, recent college-grad sent to interview 27-year-old billionaire, Christian Grey. After an encounter of lust at first sight, Anastasia is then introduced to the lifestyle of Mr. Grey. They fly helicopters on a whim, he gives her brand-new cars and they engage in unconventional sexual activity. Jamie Dornan makes a valiant effort to play

Christian, but falls short due to an intensely lacking script. Dakota Johnson brings unexpected fullness to the flat character of Ana, but nothing can help this movie; it’s doomed before it even began. The film puts the fundamental flaws of the novel under fluorescent lights. Still, director Sam Taylor-Johnson (“Nowhere Boy”) and director of photography Seamus McGarvey (“Atonement”) worked with what they could. The bottom line is nobody can develop a cinematic masterpiece when weighed with the limitations of shoddy prose and superficial themes presented by the novel. I’m not here to attack the talent of the director, cinematographer or main actors. I’m here to tell you why “50 Shades” failed. I appreciate “50 Shades of Grey” opened the door to erotica for many. Sex taboos have no place in 2015. However, E.L. James’s implied motifs are enough to make me gag. Watching the sex scenes of the film had me squinting my eyes, trying to find the passion. The movie is seen as abusive because neither of the main characters is written well enough

to tell “I’myouhere why “50

“

Shades” failed.

to be believable in their quest for dominance or submissiveness. What’s more, Anastasia lives for the moments when Christian envelops her in romance. She giggles with him, he takes her on a surprise helicopter ride, which he pilots himself, but he does so on the terms that she will submit her will to him. Ana is always asking for more from Christian, and so am I. She doesn’t understand why his romance comes with handcuffs. What kind of message does it send to young girls that women should live for the rare moments of beauty in a relationship and suffer through everything else? Regardless of the paper-thin prose, I naively hoped the movie would still leave me lusting. I’ve witnessed hotter sex scenes in six-second vines of Dylan O’Brien. Will I invest 16 more dollars into the franchise when movies two and three are released? No, but I’ll rent them from Redbox with a laugh and a grain of salt. “Twilight” got better with age, and I imagine “Dirty Twilight” will as well.

Library in the Palm of Your Hand Five e-readers available for check out Written by Maame Britwum

hen sophomore William Lenz checked out a Kindle from the school library, he was able to use it with ease. “It’s really simple, really easy to use,” Lenz said. “It makes reading easier.” Lenz has been reading Ally Condie’s “Matched” trilogy and in addition to enjoying the novels, he appreciates the straightforwardness of the Kindle. “The books—they’re already on the Kindle so you get to pick the book that you want to read,” Lenz said. Last semester, the library began offering e-readers and e-books for checkout as a pilot program for the district. Although the e-readers are ready for checkout, some students still don’t know they are available or how to check one out. The school has five Kindle Paperwhites ready for check out

and a Kindle Fire that is currently unavailable. The process to obtain an e-reader for two weeks at a time is simple. Each student wishing to checkout a Kindle Paperwhite and their parents have to sign a form that outlines the policies that come with having a school-issued Kindle prior to checkout. The library has divided books onto five Kindles: Mystery/Suspense/ Horror, Young Adult, Romance, Sci-Fi and Classics/Historical Fiction/ Biography. Library assistant Chris Everett feels e-readers have some advantages over traditional books. “It’s pretty lightweight: fits in your backpack, fits in your purse; it’s very portable,” Everett said. “With the Kindle paperwhites, you can hold it with one hand and use your finger to turn the pages, so it’s really easy and user friendly.”

Currently there are no penalties in place for holding an e-reader past its due date or damaging it, but by next school year that could change. Because the Kindles are under warranty, Amazon will replace any that are damaged until the warranty expires at the end of the summer. Everett does not know what will become of damaged Kindles after that time. If all of the Kindles are checked out, there is another option: e-books. Any student with a smartphone or tablet can access the district e-book library. “[With an app] called Overdrive … you can go to the school district library website where you can download e-books that the library has purchased to read on your device,” Everett said.

A&E page by Sydney Vogelsang

5 March 2015

March/April concert schedule Written by Catherine Prestoy

Mar. 29 Liberty Hall Lawrence, Kan. 7:30 p.m. $13 per ticket, All ages

Andrew Jackson Jihad The folk-punk band Andrew Jackson Jihad will be playing at Liberty Hall March 29th. Their sound is almost like they shoved the main singer of Blink 182 into a song with the band Bright Eyes. Their punk influence is prevalent through the singing while

29 photo by Erin Dage

the folk influence is heard through the guitar riffs. They’re most known for their songs, “People II: The Reckoning,” “Darling, I Love You” and “Brave As a Noun.”

Apr. 7 8 p.m. The Granada Lawrence, Kan. $20 per ticket

Father John Misty

photo by Julio Enriquez

The psychedelic/indie/rock band of Montreal will be making their way to the Granada April 1. Their trippy sound combined with their catchy lyrics make for a result that is just beautiful nonsense (opinion?). Their next album, “Aureate Gloom,” will be released on March 3. The name stems from a failed relationship between the band’s frontman, Kevin Barnes and a woman “of Montreal.” Of Montreal’s sound is constantly

Apr. 1 The Granada Lawrence, Kan. 9 p.m. $16 per ticket

The folk singer-songwriter Father John Misty will play at the Granada on April 7. Father John Misty’s most recent album “I Love You, Honeybear”, is something of a cynical and honest take on his life. The haunting and echoing vocals combined with satirical lyrics add a dark vibe prevalent

throughout the album. Faithful folk fans should listen to Father John Misty’s inventive take on the genre. He steps over the bounds of the classic folk sound while still making it accessible for newer audiences.

of Montreal photo by Jason Persse

in an experimental state. No two albums share a distinct pattern between them, rather of Montreal remains an ever dynamic group. Since their most popular album, “Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?” released in 2007, the band’s experimental nature is combined with the formula that initiated the album’s popularity. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t but, their sound is absolutely worth a listen.

Don’t see your favorites? Tweet us @fsfreepress to let us know about your upcoming concert.

Venturing from Philadelphia, the folk-rock group Dr. Dog will play at Liberty Hall April 8. Unlike the dynamically changing of Montreal, Dr. Dog maintains a distinct and recognizable sound that is prevalent through each of their albums. With their heavy percussion beats and

Apr. 8 Liberty Hall Lawrence, Kan. $25 per ticket 8 p.m.

Dr. Dog

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

simple guitar riffs, Dr. Dog’s sound provides a laid-back feel. Their best known for their songs, “Lonesome,” “How Long Must I Wait” and “Shadow People.” The band just released their first live album, “Live at a Flamingo Hotel,” showcasing their live playing abilities.

Artists of the Month

A&E 5 March 2015

Oozing Yourself

junior Genevieve Prescher

Junior Genevieve Prescher created her piece by outlining with pen and then painting with watercolor. Inspired by modern artist Agnes Cecile, she explored a more abstract form than Cecile, and Prescher has since returned to more classic graphite portraiture. “The piece that I did was a close-up of a person’s face, … but I tried to stay away from replicating [Cecile],” Presher said.

senior Erin Meyers

Living the Nightmare in a Dream senior Tye Carter

junior Raegan Koenig

page by Darian Koenig