Design by Allison Mayhew | Photo by ISabelle Pro
Pg. 4 -5 - The Places We Will Go
Pg. 6-7 - Newsworthy
Narrative
Pg. 8 - Media that Made the Year
Pg. 9 - Prom Court
Pg. 14 - Sincerely Seniors
Pg. 15 - Senior Superlatives
Pg. 16 - What Was Your Favorite High School
Memory?
sports
opinion
Pg. 12 - Pursuit of Prestige
Pg. 13 - Degree or Debt
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Allison Mayhew
REPORTERS
Olivia Nagel
Maura Langland
Stella Mosier
Thomas Patton
Elizabeth Hare
DESIGNERS
Hannah Stone
Luna Hu
Maile Hickman
Mylie Brillhart
Sarah Masterson
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Gregory Mayhew
Isabelle Prô
Rachel Bruffett
Class of 2024 FAREWELL FROM:
Ijoined journalism on a whim. When Allison asked if I wanted to join, I took my chance on the unknown, something new, and I went for it. With that single chance I took, I never thought I would truly find my passion.
Throughout high school, I tried effortlessly to find belonging and matter in my actions. Joining the journalism staff changed my life. I found belonging in the most unexpected place. I found the career I had searched so effortlessly for. I found love working on the newspaper that so many people tossed around, but all I saw was how much love and devotion it took to create a masterpiece. I found hope in knowing that this part of my life is over, but I will continue to learn and grow in every aspect of life.
I have enjoyed every moment of it, all the hard work, the friendships created and how much you can learn from your peers. I have the utmost respect for my staff, and I cannot wait to see what you create, even if it’s without me. I urge everyone to take the risk of the unknown, even if you are afraid because you never know how much it
02 The Free Press contents.
12 o4 1o
feature
10-11 Final Play
News Magazine Design Editor
Lawrence Free State High School
SARAH MASTERSON
‘24 NEWS EDITORS
Class of 2024
News Magazine Editor-in-Chief
ALLISON MAYHEW
Lawrence Free State High School
I’ve spent the last three years working on The Free Press while saying, “It doesn’t really matter because no one actually cares.” Despite this, I’ve spent countless hours neglecting my other responsibilities and putting my all into writing stories, creating designs, editing and sharing what I’ve learned. When making this final senior issue, I hoped to create something that our class would look at, or at least flip through during the graduation ceremony.
Some of the most rewarding parts of my time have been seeing my younger self in staff members. Watching them gradually get more comfortable with their work, share new ideas, learn new skills and even decide to further pursue journalism has felt so special to me.
I am so grateful for the program and everything we’ve accomplished. I couldn’t do it without a great group of students, who care about journalism just as much as I do. A special thank you to Lilly for being a great collaborator and co-editor-in-chief. I’m so proud of everything we’ve created this year. To the upcoming editors, I can’t wait to see what great work you guys
03 The Free Press Design by Sarah Masterson
18 19 The Free Press The Free Press Design by Sarah Masterson Rise of worker strikes draws attention to students working in unhealthy environments Junior Yusef Iskandrani balances fasting during Ramadan and soccer Worker strikes across the nation have begun to increase in the past few years. The resurgence of protests brings attention to hazardous jobs in the local area. More alarmingly, students working in dangerous atmospheres could potentially affect their overall wellbeing. Employed students are expected to spend seven hours a day in school and then go straight into four-hour shift. While feeling submerged under a pile of homework, sophomore Ellie Beightel works solo shifts in a daycare at a local all-female gym. The purpose is to provide childcare while mothers go next door to workout. Though Beightel enjoys this concept, she said she easily feels overwhelmed without partner. “Raising the pay would make it more worth it. But also telling the moms some of the things that are just hard to deal with. struggle with dealing with all the kids at once,” Beightel said. “Having partner would be easier because what’s mainly causing chaos is the ratio of While current working teens feel this way, there are full-time employees who are found working 40 hour week and still come home to an empty fridge. The current federal minimum wage is $7.25, meaning that an employee working eight hours day, five days week, would earn $15,080 per year. Based on a survey collected by The Hill, Kansans need to earn at least $47,379 to accommodate their everyday needs. Meaning that a notable percent of employees do not have enough money to afford basic amenities. Because of this, workers advocate for themselves by protesting across the nation. Those involved in work strikes climbed 141%, according to a 2023 report by Labor Action Tracker. Around 539,000 workers went on strike seeking to improve their work environment, which increased by 224,00 in just one year. If the nation is already seeing increased work strikes, what will the current student generation undergo when they enter the full-time workforce? Sophomore Meera Lala worked part time at local restaurant. After being put in harmful scenarios with other staff members, she felt the only way to maintain a healthy mindset was to quit. “[They] would get mad at me for doing my job. [They] didn’t like the way I did it, but they would get mad that I wasn’t doing enough. So it felt like nothing was good enough,” Lala said. “This is childish behavior and I’m not gonna stand for it. texted my bosses and was like ‘I’m done.’” According to an Instagram poll from @fsjournalism, 24% of employed students claim to work in an unhealthy environment. Many of these jobs held by students are in the service industry, childcare or low-paying positions. Increased attention to the conditions of workers in lower wage jobs, many of whom are students, reveals the stress is not “From customer’s view, they see as this girl is doing her job. She’s serving and she’s cleaning tables. But to my view, I was cleaning the tables. was on the phone or was trying to help this customer. It just got too stressful,” Lala said. Story by Phoebe Morris Story by Ember Klein STUDENTS TO STRIKERS As the sun sets on the night of March 10, junior Yusef Iskandrani and his family begin Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and the holy month of fasting. Throughout this month, Iskandrani and other Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. After the sun sets they will eat festive meal called an Iftar and spend time praying. Ramadan is one of the holiest months of the year in the Muslim faith. Along with fasting, there is focus on spiritual rejuvenation through special prayers and time spent reading the Quran. Quran was sent down from heaven. important focus for his family is spending time with each other during Ramadan. “[One of my favorite parts is] definitely family time, because you don’t really do much outside or physical activity. [Instead] you spend a lot of time with your family which gets you a lot closer with them,” Iskandrani said. While for some, the lack of energy from the little amount of food throughout the day may be tiring, Iskandrani said that it isn’t as bad as “It might seem bad for you mentally, but if you fix your mindset, then it’s actually lot better for you. It’s not as bad as you think it is,“ Iskandrani said. During this month, Iskandrani’s life doesn’t quit moving, especially in soccer. Although boy’s soccer is not played during the spring for the high school season, Iskandrani continues to play club soccer during the offseason to improve upon and keep up with his skills. “My practice starts at 7 p.m. and you’re supposed to eat at 7:30 p.m. So, would bring couple dates in Ziploc bag and drink lot of water,” Iskandrani said. “My coach is Muslim as well, so we break fast However, with little food throughout the day to keep him energized, Iskandrani finds his performance in practice and games suffering. “It definitely does affect my performance. My stamina goes down a lot. It brings my strength down a lot. My muscles are not really getting lot of nutrition,” Iskandrani said. To combat the lack of calories after the sun rises, Iskandrani takes some preventive measures to avoid any significant harmful effects during games. He says that waking up early, eating as much as possible and staying hydrated are all key parts to his continued success during Ramadan. “There’s lot of meanings to [Ramadan], but it’s good for just cleansing out your body from all the bad stuff that you eat throughout the year,” Iskandrani said. FUELED BY FAITH season while observing Ramadan. “The most challenging aspect of Ramadan is being really thirsty. cramp so much during the games because my muscles have no water or nutrition last me my whole game. It’s extremely challenging, but know god will help me 06 07 The Free Press The Free Press Design by Allison Mayhew National Rifle Association’s hidden spending prevents needed gun control legislation Opinion by Allison Mayhew When was in kindergarten, the horrific Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting took place in Newtown, Connecticut. In six months, plan on walking across the stage with my cap and gown, and receiving my diploma — moment that was stripped from those children with the pull of trigger. few weeks ago, I watched my cross-town school go into lockdown because of a potential threat in the building. While writing this editorial, was interrupted to practice an active shooter drill. In never-ending loop, our country still faces the unrelenting endangerment of gun violence. In the past 10 years, there have been over 4,283 mass shootings and 54 active shooter school shootings. Repeatedly, places designed for education and family fun are being massacred, overtaken by violence and death. Countless shootings in schools, shopping malls, bowling alleys and clubs — yet nothing happens, all in the name of so-called “constitutional freedom.” Gun-motivated traumatic events are often followed by many civilians protesting for the right to their lives. Meanwhile at the other end of the spectrum, special-interest group The National Rifle Association continues fighting tirelessly against any sort of gun control. Amidst an era of extreme division in our country, the NRA has effectively found cause to rally with gun extremists. To do so, they have politicized gun control by framing it as battle of freedoms that falls between party lines. However, there should be nothing political about simply stopping the mass murders of our communities — the country can largely agree on this. An astounding 83% of the American population believes that gun violence is moderately to very big problem, according With such a large U.S. population all agreeing on the same thing, it raises the question — “Why hasn’t there been change?” The lack of movement and policy can be attributed to the NRA’s big bucks and tampering with the law-making progress. By writing checks and hosting fancy dinner parties, democracy has been overrun by the influence of money in politics. The group has established so much power that was able to successfully inhibit Congress from passing any major gun reform for decades. Meanwhile, these shootings continue, as 21 victims tragically died just this past year in the Uvalde Elementary School shooting. Despite the NRA’s efforts, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was passed on June 25, 2022. The bill makes important strides, though there was no movement made to nationally require background checks, waiting periods or outlaw the weapons at the forefront of mass shootings. The bill was largely seen as a first step towards gun reform in America, though it is evidently not enough. As of Oct. 26, there were 421 mass shootings and 35,000 deaths from gun violence so far in 2023, according to ABC. In 2021, the NRA spent $4.2 million on lobbying the act of influencing Congress members. They focus on giving gifts and money to Congress members who refuse to compromise when it comes to even moderate gun safety measures that would save lives. For those who don’t comply, the NRA has the threat of funneling funds into opposing candidates’ campaigns. Thus, the candidate could either risk their reelection, or conform to the NRA and its agenda. Politics should be about compromise, meeting in the middle and representing the majority of Americans, not bowing down to the few gun extremists with money. The NRA reported $329 million in total revenue in 2020 alone; with this money and its affiliate “non-profits,” the group uses its extensive resources to influence politics in way even the government cannot. In 2010, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 in favor changing American democratic elections forever. Corporations and organizations can now spend unlimited amounts of money to influence elections. Tens of millions of dollars are being spent to dominate the political atmosphere of gun control, all behind closed doors. This is done by funneling money through the NRA’s affiliate non-profits; essentially a corrupt form of political money laundering. Unmonitored, presumably large amounts of money are being spent to uphold an unpopular political agenda. While the NRA preaches freedom, it is restricting the public from seeing its true effect on our elections. Its influence over the political sphere is an unbalance of power, killing thousands of AmeriAs citizens the most powerful tool we have is to vote for the change we want to see. By registering to vote, providing electoral funds to smaller donors and voting for enhanced disclosure laws when it comes to political campaigns, we can begin to put an end to the NRA’s heavy hold on the second amendment. BIPARTISAN SAFER COMMUNITIES ACT Works on red flag laws, mental health and violence prevention groups, enhances background checks for gun purchasers under 21 and prohibits domestic violence offenders from legally obtaining guns. CITIZENS UNITED V. FEC Supreme court case that allows corporations to donate unlimited amounts of money to elections through non profits. of the American population believes that gun violence is moderately to very big problem. (According to Pew Research) NRA members account for less than 1% of Americans. Design by Sarah Masterson Issue 2, page 6-7 Design by Sarah Masterson Issue 6, page 18-19 Design and story by Allison Mayhew Issue 3, page 6-7 Design and story by Allison Mayhew Issue 5, page 10-11 10 11 The Free Press The Free Press Design by Allison Mayhew (PEN)DEMIC Underage use of vapeable marijuana sparks conversation Story by Allison Mayhew With just the click of button and a few hits, weed pens can be used to get high at any time or place. Different from traditional forms of marijuana, they are portable, rechargeable and produce only muted smell. With the legality in neighboring states and loopholes regarding specific compounds, these devices have become widely accessible from a drive to Over a third of high schoolers report using marijuana in their lifetime according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Amidst these numbers, it is challenging to graduate high school without exposure to marijuana. School Resource Officer Kacey Wiltz said she works with small percentage of students who have been caught with pens or vapes on school campus. She said that the peer pressure to perform to standards can change a student’s life. “It’s hard for some students who may succumb to According to anonymous students “Bill Christopher” and “Sally Williams,” using vapeable marijuana pens is common throughout the student body and the faint smell is even recognizable in the school bathrooms. For underage students, pens are easily obtainable from peers and many find known places in town where purchases can be completed. “There’s such a wide population of students at the school who do it,” Christopher said. “It’s really easy for someone just to ask their friend and get a pen.” Over the summer, Williams purchased their first pen and now relies on using it daily, blaming convenience as part of the reason for their dependency. They said heavy usage of the pen has caused effects like feeling fuzzy and forgetful. Despite feeling the negative effects, the student said culture controlled by weed would be hard to resist post-graduation in college, leaving them increased their exposure to party culture and drug usage at a young age. In contempt of the effects and regulations, they said using marijuana has alternately given them and their peers an outlet that isn’t as harmful as alcohol. “All my friends who do smoke have a way of doing it casually and constructively and use it as a nice outlet to have fun and relax a little bit,” Christopher said. “They use pens without being insanely destructive to themselves or anything like that.” For some students, dealing with the many stressors of school and outside life has led them to rely on the drug as coping mechanism. Even with the harmful longterm effects, Christopher and Williams both believe that the use of the drug is useful to cope with short-term stressors. “School is stressful and with the pen, you can just not be as stressed and it’s so convenient,” Williams said. “If I have a hard day, I’m excited to hit my pen.” However, according to Wiltz, students should be wary of the long-lasting effects that pens can have, not only on their physical health but also on their mental health. The use of marijuana has been linked to depression, social anxiety and suicidal thoughts, per the CDC. “Students say that the pen stops their mind from thinking about [stress]. However, there are legal ways to do that,” Wiltz said. Wiltz stresses the need for comprehensive approach when dealing with students who have been using marijuana, which includes education, counseling support and addressing the underlying issues that lead to drug use. “You can go buy drugs on that street. You can go buy drugs from your friends. It’s an easy outlet,” Wiltz said. “Other outlets might be a little bit harder, but they are safer, healthier and keep you learning and on track.” 27% of students have used a pen. (According to a poll on @fsjournalism on Instagram) KS illegal MO legal CO legal 21+ to legally purchase a pen (if identification requested.) THC Cartridge Contains concentrate of cannabinoids that causes the effects of being high. When attached to a battery, the substance vaporizes. $35 average purchase price for 3.5 gram pen. Battery Gives the energy to heat the THC concentrate, through the use of an atomizer. Consequences: 1. Experiencing depression and anxiety symptoms 2. Engaging in unhealthy behaviors like using tobacco, drugs and alcohol 3. Exhibiting antisocial behaviors like lying, theft, bullying or hitting 4. Having suicidal thoughts 06 07 The Fr Press The Free Press Design by Sarah Masterson DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH Symbolized by a purple ribbon, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month which brings attention to abusive relationships and victims. According to the Department of Justice, domestic violence is harmful behavior in relationship to maintain or gain power over the victim. It doesn’t look just one way: physical, sexual, emotional or psychological abuse by anyone is considered domestic violence. According to the CDC, about 27 million people report experiencing forms of relationship violence before they turn 18, making it likely that many students have been victims of domestic violence. Social worker Meg Lyles has been a part of the mental health team for a decade; over that time she has dealt with several domestic abuse cases. “It’s important because high schoolers are starting to be in relationships of their own for the first time,” Lyles said. “It’s really important to have an idea of what things they should look out for.” To educate students, the organization, Be More Like Claire, gave a talk on domestic violence to students during ECT. Be More Like Claire was founded by Shannon VanLandingham in honor of her daughter, Claire, who was murdered by her abusive ex-boyfriend. Be More like Claire’s mission is to teach what healthy looks like in the hopes of preventing violent relationships. “It all can be prevented,” VanLandingham said. “It’s dangerous when it’s a pattern and it is hurting someone.” From the outside, a relationship may seem obviously abusive, but to the person being abused, the warning signs can be easy to miss. An anonymous student recalls the manipulation their abuser used whenever toxic behaviors “You feel like you deserve it,” they said. “Then when you talk to them about it, they spin it on you and make it seem like you’re the bad person.” This type of manipulation leads to many victims accepting the abuse instead of reporting it, even when it is reported there is little done about emotional abuse alone. Because of this, under 24% of domestic abuse is reported to the police according to the National Center for Domestic Abuse, and abusers often get away with it until it’s too late, like it was “I know that he was using all kinds of abuse against her,” VanLandingham said. “None of it was physical, but the non physical kinds of abuse are just as lethal and dangerous.” October brings education and awareness for domestic violence Story by Maria Mosconi DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WARNING SIGNS 1 in 3 women 1 in 4 men 48% experience severe physical violence from partner experience severe physical violence from a partner 48% people have experienced psychological abuse Stats collected by Maria Mosconi from the CDC and National Violence Hotline “ “ Social Worker Meg Lyles Students see withdrawal, depression, isolation from peers and when it is a student who’s coping with those kinds of struggles at home, it can be really hard to manage because it’s chaotic and unpredictable. -Telling you that you never do anything right. -Showing extreme jealousy of your friends or time spent away from them. -Preventing or discouraging you from spending time with others, particularly friends, family members or peers. -Insulting, demeaning or shaming you, especially in front of other people. -Preventing you from making your own decisions, including about working or attending school. -Controlling finances in the household without discussion, such as taking your money or refusing to provide money for necessary expenses. -Pressuring you to have sex or perform sexual acts you’re not comfortable with. -Pressuring you to use drugs or alcohol. -Intimidating you through threatening looks or actions. -Insulting your parenting or threatening to harm or take away your children or pets. -Intimidating you with weapons like guns, knives, bats, or mace. -Destroying your belongings or your home. We Made It!
THE PLACES WE
University of Washington
University of Southern California
University of California, Irvine University of California, Santa Cruz
University of Arizona
Loominglarge, theWaitChapel stands behind the dorms at Wake ForestUniversity. Thestudentsenjoytheoutdoorspacesaroundthese buildings.PhotobyIsabellePrô
South Dakota State University
University of Nebraska
University of Nebraska
Colorado State University
04 The Free Press
Jojo Warrior
Leonard Bass
Elliot Storm Braden Byrne
Jack Randall
Ava Gray
Becca Craft
Jake Hedges
Chloe MureLimburg
Standing proud, Big Jay waits for a football game to begin. Photo by Chloe Cook
The Free Press Design by Sarah Masterson
WILL GO...
Maya Lee
The class of 2024 graduation map
Collected by Allison Mayhew and Sarah Masterson
Hannah Stone
Columbia University
Maile Hickman
Elizabeth Hare
University of Minnesota, Duluth
Molly Nuckolls
Macalester College
Gracie Rothwell
Iowa Western Community College
Sophie Racy
University of Michigan Kalamazoo College
Flora Smith
Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
Brandon Sikes
Washington University in St. Louis
Aly Richardson
Colby Community College
Lawson Garcia
Oklahoma University
New York University
Gracie Coleman
Northeastern University
Yejun Yun
Yale University
Drew Rosenthal
Case Western Reserve University
Hank Fuchs
Indiana State
Jameson Carter
Purdue University
Lola Martin
University of Arkansas
Regan Knapp
Ole Miss
Nomso Enyinnaya
Southern University at New Orleans
Steven Duan
Duke University
Isabelle Prô
Wake Forest University
Lina Matthews
Backpacking in South America
Lila Bhattarai
University of Otago, New Zealand
05
Collected
by
Allison Mayhew, Maura Langland and Stella Mosier
NEWSWORTHY NARRATIVE
A quick recap of events that shaped class of 2024’s high school narrative
September, 2020:
The spread of COVID-19 led to online learning for the class of 2024’s freshman year.
“Without students, schools are very lonely places,” retired teacher Laura Woolfolk said.
October, 2020:
A mask mandate was placed, requiring students to wear masks in school until March 7, 2022.
“Wearing masks impacted students’ ability to connect with their peers and I am happy that we all got through that period of time,” senior Lily Bruffett said.
Oct. 19, 2020:
Some students opted to begin in-person school in small groups by last names. Hybrid learning, split between online and in-person, took place for the rest of the year.
“The most important benefit will be more from the social-emotional standpoint,” retired Principal Myron Graber said.
06 The Free Press
May 21, 2024:
The class of 2024 seniors graduate on May 21, 2024.
June 2022:
Myron Graber, principal of nine years, retires after 47 years of working in public education. Amy McAnarney takes over role as principal.
August 2023:
Following a series of budget cuts in 2023, the school district made the transition from providing MacBooks for students to iPads in an effort to save approximately $1.3 million.
“Sometimes it just freezes and doesn’t work very well,” senior Amy Lock said. “The iPads make it hard to get work done, which makes it hard to do work.”
2021-2022:
Experimenting with a new schedules, adminstrators left one class period as a study hall (ILT). They aimed to have independent learning time for students. However, it wasn’t as effective as planned and was swapped for the Rolling 7 schedule the following year.
07 The Free Press Design by Mylie Brillhart
Design
by Allison Mayhew
Media that made the year
Collected by Elizabeth Hare
Liked by @waynethedog and others
freddy.beers.fs “FreddyBeers,” students take on popular college Instagram accounts like Friday Beers, Barstool and Redcup, is a somewhat controversial piece of media from this school year. The account was passed down from the previous graduating class and is “unaffiliated” with the school. Content posted has had mixed reviews among students.
“It’s kind of obvious who runs it, it’s just not that funny,” senior Fiona VanDyke said.
“It normalizes drinking and driving and it is ridiculous,” an anonymous senior said.
Liked by @fsjournalism and 24 others
lilnolmuzic Senior Nolan Craig has created a name for himself this year with the music he produces. Craig’s music, largely in the rap/ hip-hop genre, has been well received by students and community members. He currently has 25 monthly listeners on Spotify.
“Well, I just go to the studio and you know, create beats and then what I do is just record my voice and then post them everywhere...,” Craig said. “I really appreciate every fan that I get.”
Check out Lil Nol’s music on your preferred streaming platform.
08 The Free Press
@barbiemovie @grimaceshake @tayvis
@tiktokrizzparty @ogfortnite
freddy.beers.fs
lilnolmuzic
PROM COURT ’24
Seniors Tehya Jacobs and Nolan Craig were elected prom court royalty out of 14 candidates
IDs by Maile Hickman
09 The Free Press Design by Luna Hu
Ryan Whittelsey Liza Engelbrecht
Four-year Varsity Runner. 4th place at Cross Country Regionals.
Three-year Varsity Player. School Record: Longest punt return (99yds)
Four-year Varsity Swimmer. Three-year Varsity Golf player
Boys Cross Country League Championship: 3rd place overall. 1st at Regional
Drew Rosenthal Fiona VanDyke
First-year Varsity
First-year Varsity soccer player. All-State Soccer: Midfield Honorable Mention
Four-year Volleyball player All Sunflower Selection: 2nd Team
Dash
Varsity
All-State Honors for singles and doubles. 5th place state finish. 28-8 senior record.
Senior Athletes commit to playing at the collegiate level
10
Johnnie Williams Blake Wohler Molly Nuckolls
Hannah Hayes Elsa Carrillo Maya Lee
Four-year Varsity Swimmer. 5th place in 500 yd Free, 6th place in 200 yd Free at 2023 6A State
Four-year
Softball Player
FINAL
Softball Player
Design by Hannah Stone
The Free Press
All-Sunflower Three-year Varsity Football Player. All State Selection:
Four-year Varsity Golfer. Boy’s Basketball manager who amassed 803,000 views on TikTok for 3-pointer
PLAY
Four-year Varsity Baseball Player.
Single-game all-purpose yards record (538). Most passing yards in a game (367). All-State Running Back Honorable Mention.
Three-year Varsity
Wesley Edison
Justin Lutz
Kyle
Bailey
Hank Fuchs Jack Randall
Graves
Smith
Megan Kohl
Dash Johnston
Softball Player * Limited information on Spring Sport Athletes at time of publication. Information collected by Grant Lincoln and Thomas Patton. Photos collected by Mallory Thompson. Other sports commits at time of publication include Max Childers (Neosho County)
Aly Richardson
Josiah Moss
Gracie Rothwell
Three-year Varsity Football Player
Four-year Varsity Softball Player
Four-year Varsity Softball Player
Three-year Varsity Track and Field member
Three-Year Varsity Softball Player
Story by Allison Mayhew
PURSUIT OF PRESTIGE
Seniors college application process clouded by college rankings
For many high school seniors, college applications become a relentless pursuit of prestige. Ivy League dreams and top-ranked universities dominate conversations, overshadowing the true purpose of higher education: gaining the skills needed for future success.
The obsession with prestige can be damaging, leading to unnecessary stress and disappointment. There is no denying the allure of prestigious universities; the promise of a renowned faculty, impressive alumni networks and recognition can be intoxicating for students.
Prestige is measured on an imaginary scale and will not provide students with any shortcuts when it comes to making a career or name for themselves. Still, the need to impress peers and parents with big names stems deep in students, clouding the decision process.
The chase of a top-ranked school is a never-ending race for four years that misleads students to believe that their application is a reflection of themselves.
Furthermore, college acceptance letters are wrongly perceived as an a life-or-death decision.
Students eying their acceptance letters spend four years tirelessly building a college application. From overloading with useless activities, to drowning in AP classes, to ACT prep, students barely have time to think about what the right choice is for them.
However, the “name brand” focus ignores the specific needs and academic strengths of each student.
A school with a cutthroat environment or a program that costs your life savings more likely than not is not the correct choice.
When considering schools, students opt not to consider less obvious factors student-life and sporting value, instead eyeing only the endless lists of rankings.
Regardless of top-level rankings, our state schools provide Kansans with a unique opportunity: getting a great education experience, without a flashing price tag.
Despite this, many students overlook the very universities in our backyard due to the fear of being close to home. Instead opting for schools that offer the same academics for more than four times the price.
Ultimately, when comparing colleges, there’s one crucial factor people often neglect: what students make of their four-year degree.
Every school is loaded with endless opportunities: internships, programs, extracurriculars and professor connections. By taking the fullest advantage of the opportunities in front of you, driven students can create a path to success anywhere.
The process of creating a perfect college application that personifies four years of school is daunting, and sometimes only leads to disappointment.
Throughout this, students should not lose sight of the most valuable deciding factor: what is the best fit for them?
$1,00,000,00
12 The Free Press
Cost of colleges is increasingly determining if students can attend Story by Olivia Nagel
“Have you started thinking about college?”
DEGREE OR DEBT?
My middle school self wrote in a letter to my nowfuture self in high school. Then, I considered aiming big, towards schools with single-digit acceptance rates. I was enthralled with the idea of the country’s top universities, so I took all advanced classes and pursued extracurricular activities so that all my hard work would “mean something.”
However, as the acceptances rolled in and my hopes rose, my dream was deterred by the impossible price tag that comes with prestigious institutions. Thus, I believe that students should not feel pressured to go into massive debt to attend a top university and should look to the opportunities presented at local or in-state universities.
According to College Board data, the average 2021–2022 annual tuition for public, four-year colleges was $10,740 for in-state residents and $27,560 for out-ofstate residents. At almost triple the price, out-of-state tuition is becoming farther out of reach for students looking to attend them. Unlike private universities, financial aid opportunities for nonresidents are few, making debt inevitable.
The average annual tuition for an in-state Kansas public university is $12,589, a heavily discounted price compared to its out-of-state counterparts, according to the College Board. However, since Kansas does not have a top 20 school with a low acceptance rate, students are bound to look for schools with these six-figure tuition prices.
Though there are numerous ways to save money through scholarships and government financial aid, that only goes so far, especially for many middle-class students.
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Even with the FAFSA, the simplifications that went on last
fall have cut the amount of aid middle-class students get by thousands by removing the sibling discount and small businesses and farms.
The loss of the sibling discount means financial aid opportunities are even more scarce because a family’s Expected Families Contribution (EFC) will not be split between siblings enrolled in college. Thus, middle-class families are receiving less and less aid, making sticker prices, or the amount a student who receives no financial aid will pay to attend, farther and farther out of reach.
Now, many students are left to fulfill their dreams through the hope of competitive merit scholarships and the small pool of local scholarships to subsidize their dream school’s tuition.
Due to the competitiveness of scholarships and the lack of financial aid, more and more students are considering attending an in-state university or going into massive debt.
Now, the question I plan to write to my senior college self is: “Was it worth it to give up your dreams?” I predict the answer will be yes.
Even though I was devastated to withdraw my admissions from so many great schools, I felt that the debt I was bound to receive from these schools would not set me up for success, and this is the case for many high-achieving students.
The hard work that so many students feel is diminished when choosing a local college is rewarded through hefty merit scholarships that subsidize much or all of the tuition and are a gateway to opportunities.
It is easy for students to feel that their hard work does not matter because of the college they are attending. However, hard work will translate to whatever institution you plan to attend, and the opportunities you take will be up to you, not the university.
13 The Free Press Design by Allison Mayhew
Sincerely, seniors
We asked seniors to thank one teacher... here is what they said
Mr. Haas, for always giving 100% in all of his classes.
Ms. Hendrickson, [she] helped make me who I am today.
I would thank Ms. McDonald for believing that I could manage calculus and always being willing to help me out and for being so funny.
Shelby Miller, because why not?
Barah, he puts up with my shenanigans.
Mrs. Stebbins, she was an amazing teacher and was always their if I needed to talk to someone and who would always take time out of her to help if needed.
Joshua East because he’s goated
Shayne Henry cause he’s the Bomb.com (he’s super cool)
Coach Heffernan—He has been a terrific coach and a great influence in my life. He has pushed me to be the best version of myself both as an athlete and as a person.
Ms. Cummings, she’s so sweet to all her students and she radiates joy and good energy.
Ms. Johnston! Pushes her students and is an icon. I think she’s the best teacher in the world.
Ms. Abeita, she re-inspired my passion for science, making me believe I could succeed in science.
Mr. Mackey, he is one teacher who understood me when no one else did and he was always there to show his support and love for his students.
Mrs. Haas for being a standout teacher who truly cares about her students and helps them succeed
Shelby Miller & Ms. Salmans for helping me love graphic design more. Ms. Stebbins for being my school mom. Adam Smith for helping me like writing.
Alyssa Barratt, she’s the first teacher who ever helped me understand and kind of enjoy math.
I would thank Mrs. Hegeman because she has helped me throughout my high school career.
Ms. Craig for being a great example that there is still good in the world.
Too many to name. I am beyond thankful for all the teachers who have helped me along the way.
14 The Free Press
‘24 FREE STATE 2024
Design by Allison Mayhew
Senior Superlatives:
WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO...
Start a Fam Vlog Channel Walk on New York Fashion Week Become President Win The Hunger Games
Ava Gray
Allison Mayhew
Thomas Patton
Brandon Sikes
Lily Bruffett
15 The Free Press
Jake Hedges
Design by Luna Hu
Be a Millionaire Become an in fluencer l
Photos by Rachel Bruffett
What’s your favorite highschool memory?
Design
by
Allison Mayhew
Football games. - Signing into class online in the cafeteria, and then a sub told me I had to go to class and I ran to the bathroom. Then the SRO came in concerned for my mental health and I started crying, then the counselors came in and did the same thing, and then I went to the incense room to calm down. - My favorite high school moment was going to Disney World for the imagination campus class with my Student Council group. It was so special we all got so close and had so much fun. - My advanced graphic design class, every day in that class was filled with fun, positivity and a passion for graphic design. - Playing high school softball. I got to meet new people that I now can’t imagine living life without. - My favorite moment of high school was sweeping LHS in girls tennis 18-0 during our sophomore year. - Football games. - Going on Long Runs with my cross country teammate, so many fun stories and experiences there. - Jumping in the pool after winning HS Swim and Dive state sophomore and junior year! - Cheering on our football team when we won against LHS last year. - Watching Young Sheldon and eating pie in my calculus class. - Going to sport events with my friends and hanging out.Beginning of the school year FNL and play rehearsals. - Football games. - Participating in Homecoming events with my friends. - Winning Regionals Cross Country my sophomore year. - Playing high school soccer with my best friends! - When we beat LHS in football my junior year! - Falling down in front of the student section. - The fight that happened during the learning stairs. - Winning regionals junior year for softball. - When Mrs. E brought in her puppy, Tater. - Relaxing in the library with friends. - Beating LHS soccer in double overtime. - Winning regionals in Garden City. - The freshman dance my senior year. - Beating LHS in football last year. - Performing at the Kaufman Center. - Being a part of journalism staff! - Being a part of the tennis team. - Meeting and making new friends. - Skateboarding in the halls. - The day of senior sunrise. - Getting onto the roof. - Performing at Encore. - When we had laptops.Football game days. - Homecoming week. - Encore. - Being a part of journalism staff. - Being in Encore.
Photos by Rachel Bruffett, Isabelle Prô & Anders Benson
