Students today often struggle to see the relevance of school as their interests evolve
PAGE 21
SPORTS: UNIFIED PE
nandez
Students
Celsius, Rockstar Energy and Alani
photo by doreen mahugu
Participating in the activity, senior Robin Bishop figures out a way to master bowling with the help of junior Ava Lucht in class, Wednesday, Nov. 13. photo by eva hernandez
Student musicians create music and explain their unique process that works for them. photo by mya franco
freshman CJ Olivas wrestling techniques, senior Laiyah Kirkpatrick shows where
hand, Tuesday Nov, 19. photo by eva hernandez
In 2023, 12 million students in the United States remained chronically absent—a number that is suspected to rise, according to the American Enterprise Institute.
Experts are finding that there is a sudden increase in frequent chronic absenteeism and general apathy towards school this year. Even students who are typically high achievers face this cycle of disengagement.
This pattern is not unique to Mill Valley. According to a study by Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation, “School engagement is down. The middle and high schoolers surveyed find school less interesting than they did just last year, and only about half believe they’re being challenged ‘in a good way.’
Now the leading question is: what is causing the overwhelming majority of students to feel disengaged in school?
Sometimes, students comparing themselves to others’ success may feel degrading. Some feel the disparity in always working harder to achieve the same as someone else. School should not feel like
SCIENCE
a competitive environment, it should feel like a place where stu- dents can show off their best skills and feel good about themselves.
To help combat this, students should remember not to focus on everyone else’s definition of success but instead focus on their own. Joining activities and taking classes that allow students to feel like they are showing off their best self at school, may let them to be the most successful in school.
There are situations outside of school that don’t allow for students to be as engaged in school. For example, students affected negatively by their home life may struggle to focus in school. Sometimes there are certain things at home that other students face that overwhelm the importance of school.
The most important thing to remember is to be kind to other students because it’s impossible to know what someone else is experiencing. This feeling of kindness can allow others to feel more comfortable at school.
On the other hand, being in- volved in school is not the same
PILING UP
MATH
School is leaving students overwhelmed and leading to chronic absenteeism
by jagwire staff
as being engaged in school. Many students throw themselves into many sports, clubs, and vigorous academics because they feel motivated—Often not because they are interested in that activity. They may do it for the feeling of accomplishment or to add more things to their resume. Which can be a good motivation. However, the issue occurs when students get too involved in school to the point of putting unnecessary stress on themselves. This prevents students from feeling engaged in school.
Overall, there are many stu- dents both involved and uninvolved in school who are facing disengagement. However, fostering a school culture that celebrates diverse forms of achievement, beyond just academic grades, could help students feel more valued and connected to their educational experience. Additionally, participating in passion-driven activities and spending time with others who make students feel welcome can allow students to feel more engaged in school. When students find their sense of belonging it will allow them to thrive in school.
FIGURING OUT
During seminar nearly every Thursday in October, students had the new opportunity to attend the Next Steps College and Career Fair to talk and learn from representatives from various career opportunities and colleges in the PAC.
The fair was open to sophomores, juniors and seniors. Schools and businesses that attended the fair included the US Army, the US Marines, the University of Oklahoma, Wichita State University, J.E. Dunn and many others.
According to counselor Patricia Chandler, the goal of the Next Steps Program is to give students a better chance to talk to representatives.
“The overall goal is to provide a meaningful time for students and reps to have a more meaningful conversation,” Chandler said. “Instead of students going up to get a free pencil or a sticker or something, actually hearing about what the opportunity is.”
In previous years, the school provided a similar opportunity for students to talk to representatives during lunch in the commons.
Next Steps is a program that aims to creates pathways for students questioning plans after high school
by ian chern online editor in chief
However, the short lunch periods were inefficient for students and the representatives.
“We didn’t feel like the lunchroom was very conducive because [the students] only have 20 minutes or so, and did not really have a chance to talk to the representatives,” Chandler said. “We just felt like they were just standing there, and we didn’t want them wasting their time.”
Senior Gillian Szymczak enjoyed this year’s fair more than the lunchroom because it provided more variety.
“I do enjoy this year’s Next Step way more than last year’s meetings with the college representatives during lunch,” Szymczak said. “Having it during seminar makes it fun to see multiple schools at once and be able to hang out with friends.”
Chandler believes that the advertisement of the fair was a reason why the Next Steps College and Career Fair was successful.
“I had very positive feedback, not only from the reps themselves, but also from the students that attended,” Chandler said. “I have
LOOK AHEAD
How Next Steps prepares students for their life after high school
Representatives no longer come in during lunch hour, allowing more time to speak with them in-depth.
Wider variety of colleges and military branches so students learn what other paths offer.
Having more representatives at one time allows students to compare choices.
not received any negatives at all, and I think it was helpful to advertise who was coming on which day, so then students could plan accordingly.”
Szymczak, who is on a pre-physical therapy path, used the fair as an opportunity to see which colleges had her career path.
“I spoke to the US Air Force representative and he talked about the other opportunities in the Air Force,” Szymczak said. “It helped me make decisions because I learned the location of the school and if they have pre-physical therapy. The only school I liked was KU because it is still close to home and also has pre-physical therapy.”
The school plans to continue with the Next Steps Program with four more fairs in February, before spring break. Chandler said freshmen would get the opportunity to attend these fairs.
“This semester, we didn’t know what to expect, so we started with juniors and seniors, and then the last two, we opened up to sophomores,” Chandler said. “Next semester, we’ll do freshmen through juniors for students to come down and visit if they would like.”
Planning for the future, seniors Bella Supica, Wyatt Wardle and Axel Brooks talk to the sponsor of Johnson County Community College the last day of next steps, Oct. 31. photo by eva hernandez
EXPANDING ENROLLMENT
This year, the school has the biggest freshman class on record of the school being open and the school has a total of 1,418 students with 55 additional students enrolled.
According to registrar Deana Thom, who registers new and existing students in the school, the increased building of town homes in the Shawnee area has contributed to the increasing student body.
“We are seeing a trend that we are enrolling more than withdrawing,” Thom said. “I see that trend because we now have town homes in our district.”
But Thom believes that the town homes themselves aren’t where the main contribution lies, rather it’s the effects the town homes have on the general population.
“Before [the town homes] it was single-family homes and a few duplexes. You [would] see if a family moved, then a family came in,” Thom said. “But we don’t see that anymore, because, with the town homes, there’s a little more fluctuation of people not leaving but coming in.”
This influx of students at school has led to departments becoming
crowded. According to Page Anderson, an English teacher, her class sizes have been increasing every year.
“My class sizes were 23, 24, 25 [students],” Anderson said. “Now most of my classes are 26, 27, 28 students. I had one class this year that had 29 students in it, which is a lot because I only have 28 desks.”
Additionally, the lack of transfers from Mill Valley to De Soto High School contributes to the influx of students. According to Thom, in the past there would be around 70 transfers from the incoming MVHS freshman class to DHS, so students could take spe- cific classes they wanted. Now that both schools have access to the CTEC building, there has been less of an urge to transfer schools.
“There’s just a few [career based class options] depending on what pathway you wanted to go into, but now that we have the CTEC building and the programs at CTEC, students don’t have to choose,” Thom said.
Anderson suggests that the English department gain at least one or two more teachers to compen- sate for the increase in the stu-
School has the largest enrollment since its opening
by mya franco writer/photographer
dent body and class sizes. She explained that this is needed because the grading of essays is now taking longer than ever.
“I have 110 juniors, so when they turn in an essay, what would normally take me two weeks to grade, it’s now taking me three weeks or more to grade, just because there’s so many,” Anderson said.
The student influx has not only affected administration and teachers but also the hallway traffic in the school. Senior Keisey Walker shares where she has seen hallway traffic happen.
“By the stairs coming out of B-hall people are always trying to get into B-hall and going up the [main] stairs, and it’s like traffic,” Walker said.
Different school year enrollments
Students fill the halls at the end of the school day on Friday November 15th. photo by jake brown
EXCHANGE EXPERIENCE
About two months ago, exchange students, sophomore Mencia Lorenzo Torres from Madrid, Spain and junior Emilia Rodriguez Kaempfe from Santiago, Chile, came to the U.S. Torres’s main motivation for coming to the U.S. was to develop better English skills.
“I feel like English will be important in the future, and I want to have a strong level of English,” Torres said “I thought being here for a year would be a great experience.”
Kaempfe hoped that being in the U.S. would expose her to different experiences.
“It’s an opportunity to grow and gain new experiences,” Kaempfe said. “You learn so much and get to see how others live. It’s about
Two exchange students in the U.S. share their experiences abroad
by natalia castillejos-ramírez writer/photographer
being independent and preparing for new experiences.”
Both students faced challenges when they arrived in the US. However, the people at school allowed for a more welcoming environment.
“People are nice here. I thought it would be harder to make friends, but everyone has been kind since day one” Torres said. “For example, on my first day, a girl in my seminar and Health class, Peyton, helped me figure out where to go and what to do with my paper. I’ve met a lot of people (students) who have helped me out.”
With limited time here as an exchange, both aim to make the best of their year by achieving things they can’t do in their home country. One of Torres’s goals of com-
FROM ABROAD
Information about where each exchange student is from in the world
ing to the U.S. was to experience an American teenage year; since then, she has done many things to help gain this experience.
“A month ago, I went to Nashville and bought cowboy boots. I’ve always wanted to get them because I’m in the United States,” Torres said. “I’ve also been to some football games, which I’ve seen in movies, so I was excited to experience it.”
Kaempfe strives to participate in classes she would never get to do in Chile, such as taking unique electives and participating in clubs.
“I don’t want to repeat the same routine I had back home; I want to embrace the different cultures and take every opportunity to grow,” Kaempfe said.
MENCIA LORENZO TORRES
EMILIA RODRIGUEZ KAEMPFE
photos by hannah stephensen
NEED FOR NEEDOH
NeeDoh is starting to take over as a recent trend and new fidget toy. Unlike fidget spinners and pop its, NeeDoh is a soft, block shaped fidget toy filled with a dough like material. Students are using NeeDoh’s to calm their minds in and outside of school.
Junior Tristyn Jones speaks about why she uses her NeeDoh, “I use my NeeDoh for fun,” Jones said. “I like to play with it in class because it’s something to relieve my stress with.”
Students are not the only ones using NeeDohs to help them. Science teacher Chad Brown also enjoys using it.
“I mostly just absent mindedly squeeze [my NeeDoh] while doing other tasks, but I have also used it for physics demonstrations related to static friction, projectile motion and other things,” Brown said. NeeDoh is advertised to help people with learning disabilities as well. It is advertised for people with ADD, ADHD, Anxiety and Autism.
When people with learning disabilities use things like NeeDoh, “They are provided with easy and accessible ways to self regulate and concentrate by providing visual, audible, or tactical input”, according to Brown Health.
Fidget toys have always been a confusing sub inside of
NeeDohs are an effective way for many students to increase focus at school
by jake brown writer/photographer
schools. Some teachers believe that they are too distracting, while others think that fidget toys are beneficial to the student body.
Science teacher Chad Brown doesn’t see any issue with his students using fidget toys.
“I have no problems with fidget toys, as long as people are responsible with them,” Brown said.
Not only are fidget toys beneficial, “I can see the possible benefits as a stress toy or even as a way of dealing with sensory issues,” said Brown.
If it’s a fidget spinner, stress ball, fidget cube or NeeDoh, people believe that they can be fun to play with and beneficial to their mental health.
Tristyn Jones emphasized that as long as they don’t distract people they can be helpful for students.
“From my personal experience, I think they are beneficial and fun. I’ve never been distracted because of my NeeDoh, but it could be distracting if people are sharing it with other classmates,” Jones said.
Not only is NeeDoh beneficial to the student body, but it is beneficial to all ages, young and old. Tristyn Jones said, “I think fidget toys have their pros and cons because some students benefit from the stimulation, while others might get dis tracted.”
FAN FAV
FIDGETS
Other fidgets are also used by students during the school day
POP IT
5% of students interviewed use a pop it
NEEDOH
83% of students interviewed use a needoh
FIDGET SPINNER
6% of students interviewed use a fidget spinner
FIDGET RING
4% of students interviewed use a fidget ring
STRESS BALL
3% of students interviewed use a stress ball
RISING TALENT
by ryan bloomer writer/photographer by madelyn mulryan editor in chief
Student musicians share their experience, inspiration and passion for music
To some students, music is the foundation of their lives.
Being able to record and produce their own music is what inspires them.
Senior Kai McGarry, who has recently come out with an album on Spotify, explains his relationship with music.
“I’ve always just had a natural love of music, it’s just everything to me,” McGarry said. “I’m dedicated. On a weekend, I wake up
at 8am to record. That’s all I do. Everything in my life revolves around music.”
Junior Max Fierro, who sings and plays guitar, gets his motivation to play music from something else.
“My whole family is really into music, and I’m around it all the time, so that’s what inspired me [to start making music],” Fierro said.
Junior Lukas Isenberg, who
SIENNA SUDERMAN
produces beats, gives insight on how long it could take to become good at creating beats.
“Those first few months of learning it, I was on [the site I use to create beats] for six hours a day just trying my best to make beats sound right,” Isenberg said. “Now I could probably make a good beat in an hour. It used to take me eight hours to make a super good one.”
McGarry’s process of practicing instruments takes a similar amount
@sienna.sudds on TikTok
Suderman has been playing for 11 years and her favorite song to play is “Experience” by Ludovico Einaudi.
“Ever since I could talk. I started playing piano when I was probably 4 or 5, and I’ve always loved to sing. I started playing the guitar when I was 12,” Suderman said.
of effort before he’s ready to come out with a song.
“You have to practice so much that you don’t want to do it anymore,” McGarry said. “Even when you don’t want to [practice] you have to motivate yourself to do it, that is the only way it’s going to work out. I mean I practice for like six hours a day probably. I go home and record until like 9 or 10 pm. That’s all I do.”
Junior Sienna Suderman, who plays many instruments along with singing, explains how it feels when her songs are finished.
Fierro has been playing guitar for five years but has been taking it more seriously in the past two years. His favorite song to play is “Never Going Back Again” by Fleetwood Mac.
“There’s no reason to not make music. If you like making music and you like playing your instrument, there’s no reason not to [start making music].” Fierro said.
@max_fargo on TikTok
MAX FIERRO
“It’s just fun to see everything get put together and listen to it at the end,” Suderman said. “It’s satisfying to see it all come together.” But there’s more that interests students than just playing instruments or singing. Isenberg explains one perk of being a producer.
“Being able to have something that other people want but they can’t have [is cool],” Isenberg said. “I can just gatekeep [the songs] and think to myself, ‘Nobody else has this song except for me.’”
All of these musicians draw inspiration from many different sources, for some it could be bands
KAI MCGARRY
McGarry has been playing the drums his whole life but started playing piano, bass, guitar, and singing at 12. He plays and performs his original music but also loves playing jazz.
“I’ve always just had a natural love of music, it’s just everything to me, I’m dedicated. On a weekend, I wake up at like 8am to record. That’s all I do. Everything in my life revolves around music,” McGarry said.
they really enjoy or their specific genre. According to Isenberg, his greatest source of inspiration is his favorite music genre: opium rap.
“The style of music that I produce is kind of blowing up right now,” Isenberg said. “That whole subgenre of rap is going pretty viral.”
Isenberg details the effort that is needed to create beats.
“You have to be willing to put in the time for [making music],” Isenberg said. “There’s a lot of time that goes into producing.”
Freshman Audrey Handlin prefers Crumble Cookies
Favorite Cookie: Cake Batter Blondie
“I like [Cake Batter Blondie] because it’s sweet, but then it’s not just chocolate. It’s a different type of sweet.”
Jagwire reporters review popular orders from Crumbl Cookies
The school’s favorite cookie orders
Milk
The Chocolate Chip cookie at Crumbl is a nostalgic flavor. This cookie was the best out of all the cookies with its melty chocolate chips and its soft, chewy cookie base. This large cookie has balanced flavors, it’s not too sweet and has the perfect amount of chocolate chips for its size.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
The Pink Sugar cookie is Crumbl’s most iconic flavor and also a fan favorite. However the cookie’s taste was disappointing in comparison to its appearance. The frosting was too sweet and the sugar cookie base was also slightly greasy and not as soft as Crumbl’s other cookie bases.
Overall Rating: 1/5
The Peanut Butter cookie from Crumbl had a very appealing presentation but lacked its peanut butter flavor. The chocolate dollop of frosting presented on the cookie overpowered the peanut butter flavor and only tasted like the sweet chocolate frosting on top, giving this cookie a low overall rating.
Overall Rating: 2/5
Cheesecake cookie was a specialty flavor for the week, but Crumbl often has cookies with cream cheese frosting. This cookie felt more put together than the other ones. The combination of the graham cracker and the cold cream cheese frosting paired well together.
Overall Rating: 3/5
Crumbl:
Chocolate Chip
Crumbl: The Original Pink Sugar Crumbl: Peanut Butter Blossom
photos by abby stidham-ebberts
COOKIES
and Twisted Sugar to decide which is better by maddie
COOKIES FLAVORS
excluding all with less than 5 votes
martin
online editor in chief
by eva hernandez writer/photographer
Favorite Cookie:
Peanut Butter Nutella
Sophomore Claire Bohon prefers Twisted Sugar “I prefer [Twisted Sugar] because it’s not as dense and
Twisted Sugar: Chocolate Chip
This classic Chocolate Chip flavor at Twisted Sugar had a standard taste for chocolate chip cookies but was presented with an odd shape. The texture of the base was a bit different from the others, with a softer, unbaked texture and less chocolate chips compared to its competitor.
Overall Rating: 3/5
Twisted Sugar: Sprinkles Sugar
This cookie had a similar struggle to Crumbl’s, the frosting was a little too sweet and the cookie base felt greasy. However this cookie was better balanced. It was sweet but wasn’t overpowering. The ratio of cookie to frosting made it enjoyable to eat, the sprinkles also added a nice touch to the cookie.
Twisted Sugar: Peanut Butter
Overall Rating: 2/5
Compared to Crumbl’s Peanut Butter cookie, Twisted sugar had a perfectly balanced peanut butter flavor. This is the best cookie we tasted from Twisted Sugar. Though this cookie is not as large as Crumbl, it still had a soft, chewy base and a balanced flavor which resulted in a higher overall rating.
Overall Rating: 4/5
Twisted Sugar: Twisted Sugar
The Twisted Sugar cookie is the store’s iconic flavor. It’s a sugar cookie with coconut icing and a lime garnish. The lime garnish added to the aesthetic of the cookie, but we were unsure if it was supposed to go with the cookie. The cookie base was a little bland, but the coconut frosting added to the overall flavor.
Overall Rating: 2.5/5
TWISTED SUGAR
11.5/20 COOKIES
AROUND THE WORLD
Astudy conducted in 2024 by the Walton Family Foundation aimed to understand why students’ interest levels have gone down recently. The study surveyed 4,147 young adults ages 12 to 27, focusing mainly on high school students.
The study observed many different important factors in students’ interest in school, including after high school plans. The study found that those who plan on college might feel more motivated or interested in school. Of the students surveyed, who don’t plan on college, 52% say they have learned something interesting in school compared to 65% of students who plan on college.
Another important factor the study observed is teachers making school interesting. About 60% of students said that teachers were the reason they were interested in a topic in school. As well, 73% of students said that their favorite teachers cared about them as peo-
ple.
The JagWire surveyed students at the school to observe if students’ at the school showed similar trends. Of the 139 students surveyed 45% said that their college plans are what motivate them as well another 36% of students said disinterest in certain subjects impacts their feelings about school.
At the school both teachers and students alike have observed similar factors impacting interest: post high school plans, the schools support in post high school plans and the impact teachers can have on students’ interest.
WHERE TO NEXT?
One of the most important factors the study discussed was how students’ future plans may impact their interest in the classes they take.
Many students don’t see the importance of their classes, especially those students who don’t plan on going to college.
Junior Addison Chapman doesn’t plan on going to college,
instead possibly going to cosmetology school after high school. Chapman sometimes struggles to see the importance of her schoolwork.
“I mean there’s a lot of stuff that probably I won’t ever need to use,” Chapman said. “I can guarantee you I won’t need to use a lot of the stuff I’ve learned in math, but stuff in art or my graphic design classes I’m taking, I can see myself using that [in the future].”
Similarly, principal Dr. Gail Holder understands how students may not see the relevance of their classes based on their future plans.
“There are so many occupations that require perhaps only a high school diploma or a certification or students are choosing to go into fields that do not require a four year degree, such as going straight into the workforce, going into the military, going to going straight into a trade, to be an apprentice in some way,” Holder said. “And so the relevance of sitting through an English class is not as important.”
Many students are motivated by their future plans but others might feel like they won’t need to try in
WHY BOTHER?
Apathy in students has grown throughout the years due to a large number of factors such as future plans, course work and the school environment
Junior Owen Brookshire sits on his phone, distracted from schoolwork. Brookshire thinks his grades are good enough to get into college already so he doesn’t need to try. photo by evan leroy
by avery clement editor in chief by maddie martin online editor in chief
high school to succeed afterward. Many colleges in recent years have changed their application process-
“I‘ve grown more uninterested in school just because the requirements to get into college are just so easy that there is no real point in trying that hard”
Junior Owen Brookishire
es to be test optional. State schools such as The University of Kansas accept those with a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher. For some students these lesser requirements don’t motivate them to try harder in their classes.
This is true for junior Owen Brookishire who plans to go to college but doesn’t feel motivated by the requirements to get in.
“I’ve grown more uninterested in school just because the requirements to get into college are just so easy that there is no real point in trying that hard,” Brookshire said.
According to math teacher Kevin Mosher, students also struggle to figure out what they want to do after high school, which impacts how motivated they are to do school work.
“I think part of it is that students are less decided upon what they want to do outside of high school, so it’s taken them longer to get to the path that they want to get on and jump onto,” Mosher said. “[I also] think all the ways
to make money, non traditionally, have really ramped up to where people see that, and they don’t think that you need education.”
While some students feel like what they learn in their high school classes does not apply to their future plans, others are less motivated by the structure of high school classes. Some students feel that school doesn’t challenge or interest them.
Junior Stella Beins, who plans to go to cosmetology school after high school, doesn’t enjoy when assignments don’t have any meaning.
“Making [assignments] have a clear purpose [helps],” Beins said. “I don’t like to get busy work that does not matter.”
However, Mosher sees that sometimes it is needed for students to just do the work even if they aren’t necessarily passionate about it.
“High School is a necessary evil,” Mosher said. “You have to do the work, you have to get a certain level of grades to go to the certain level of college you want to go to so you get the job that you want, if that’s your path.”
24% said they agree by mya franco writer/photographer
STUDENT MOTIVATIONS
THE SCHOOL NATIONAL
How prepared do you feel for your future plans?
40% said somewhat prepared
22% said not prepared
My school work challenges me in a good way
46% said they agree
30% said they feel neutral
My teachers make me feel interested in my schoolwork
50% said they feel neutral
Survey of 139 students
Source: Gallup, Walton Family Foundation
How prepared do you feel for college?
38% said somewhat prepared 26% said very prepared
Do you feel like your classwork challenges you?
Less than half of Gen Z in middle and high school
In the last seven days I have learned something interesting at school
42% said they agree 17% said they strongly agree
How students at the school compare to a national survey of Generation Z students
Another important factor that impacts student interest is student comfort level at school. This can come both from their feelings of belonging, and having their teachers’ support.
In the JagWire survey 58% of students reported that their teachers make them feel like they belong at school. As well 56% of students said all of their teachers make them feel comfortable.
Staff and students alike agree that making sure students are comfortable in their environment is vital to making sure students have a successful high school experience. Counselor Megan Mixon has also seen how students’ lack of motivation can come from all different things going on in their lives.
“I think when there’s a lot of things going on, some students will burn out and just shut down, and then it feels overwhelming to get back into what you’re doing,” Mixon said. “If you’ve shut down for a certain amount of time and not been engaged, it’s hard to re-engage. Helping students to kind of find that bridge between
we had this, this blip, but how do we get over it.”
Similarly, junior Ally Coats agrees that oftentimes the things students have going on outside of school have a great impact on attitudes about school.
“For a lot of people, it’s either stuff going on at home or drama at school that makes people not want to come,” Coats said. “I strongly believe that it has nothing to do with the work or like the teachers, it’s the environment of teenage kids.”
However, teachers understanding students’ struggles can also help. Chapman appreciates when teachers understand that students sometimes need a break.
“[I like] when [teachers] give us certain breaks, just to give our minds a break, or time to catch up on stuff, or just reaching out to see if we need help with anything,” Chapman said.
Knowing teachers care about their students makes the environment of the school, especially when they are passionate about their job. Coats shares that having a passionate teacher is a real game changer for her.
“Teachers help a lot,” Coats
said. “If you have a really good teacher, really passionate teachers who want to teach, and aren’t just there to teach and get a paycheck. They’re there because they love children.”
Teachers all have different ways of building relationships with students and trying to get them motivated. English teacher Peter Shull tries to get to know them and help them be their best selves.
“I, as a teacher, motivate students by trying to convince them that I’m on their side, and I want them to figure out how to live the best life they can live, and I want to help them do that,” Shull said.
Although teachers play a huge role in student motivation in school, another deciding factor is how students motivate themselves.
Chapman explains how a student’s group of friends could negatively influence them or even demotivate them.
“With some people, if their friend group’s not a great influence, then their grades will fall. They’ll be going and doing things they’re not supposed to, or they’re just not doing any of their assignments because they’d rath-
WHAT AFFECTS STUDENT MOTIVATION?
er do something else with [their friends],” Chapman said.
While students’ feelings are an important factor, there is also the question of students being well rounded. Shull explains how the world is no longer looking for a cookie cutter person.
“Students should aspire to be well rounded with the understanding that they should excel in their niche or their niche is because the world isn’t actually looking for well rounded students anymore,” Shull said. “The world is a world of specialists, and students need to find the area that they will specialize in.”
GETTING MOTIVATED
Finding a balance and focusing on what one truly enjoys can be key to staying motivated in school.
Mixon highlights the importance of this balance and determining a threshold for schoolwork.
“Some students can tend to get involved with everything,” Mixon said. “Then [students] can get burned out, finding a balance between, what things really brings you joy [and] what things are you
doing that are helping you.”
Holder also believes finding a balance is crucial but highlights the fact that this balance is unique depending on the learning style and type of student an individual is.
“We also know, conversely, that there are a lot of students [at school], that comfort is not part of what makes them tick,” Holder said. “They want to constantly be challenged, pushed or otherwise. It’s striking a healthy balance.”
Similarly, Beins feels finding balance as well as understanding the value in all of one’s classes is crucial in understanding the effects of what one learns on their future. Beins plans on going to cosmetology school but still finds value in her core classes.
“You need to be well rounded to do anything,” Beins said. “I think because no matter what you’re doing, you’re gonna need to have
people skills and academic skills.”
Additionally, junior Cameron Plaud describes a trend he has noticed with students who may not be as involved in extracurriculars.
“I think [extracurriculars] are one of the biggest motivators,” Plaud said. “[Students] who have something to work for that makes them [motivated]. Once you have something to lose, that’s whenever you want to actually work.”
Overall, Holder highlights the ways in which she motivates students and reminds them of the significant impact the completion of high school will have on their future.
“It’s really hard, but I’m going to continue to fight the good fight,” Holder said. “I’m going to continue to show up every day and do what I can to make this a place where people want to come and learn. [It’s important that we make clear that] ‘Hey we’re going to get through this, and we’re going to get through it together, and you’re going to be able to walk away with a high school diploma,’ [because] it will change the trajectory of your life if you don’t have one.”
JACK OF ALL TRADES
JagWire reporter Hannah Stephensen find that having many hobbies is beneficial
by hannah stephensen writer/photographer
While mastering one thing works for some, exploring different activities is also beneficial.
I was homeschooled until fifth grade. My mom was my teacher, and homeschooling taught me to appreciate learning and trying new things. This led to my love of pursuing different activities. When I was eight, I joined my town’s local summer swim team, which sparked my love for swimming. I also joined Girl Scouts in fifth grade.
When I first began attending public school in sixth grade, I wanted to join the band. My mom is very musically gifted. So, naturally, I wanted to learn how to play music. I also started taking piano lessons that year.
Then, in high school, I continued pursuing my love of new things. I auditioned for the fall musical and ended up loving theater. I joined the jazz band in my sophomore year even though I had never played jazz.
Finally, as a junior, I joined the school newspaper. I left my Girl Scout troop in the eighth grade because I moved here to Shawnee and started to have too many activities. Other than that, I still cherish all these interests to this day.
There is a term for a person like this. A Polymath, or Polymanthan, is a Greek term. A polymath is a person who, according
to Merriam-Webster, is a “person of encyclopedic learning.” Some well-known polymaths include Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, and Isaac Newton. Leonardo da Vinci was mostly known for painting the infamous “Mona Lisa.” However, according
“ Students should allow themselves the freedom to wonder about the world and its endless possibilities“
JagWire reporter Hannah Stephensen
to Leonardo Da Vinci Inventions, he created blueprints of machines such as the helicopter, scuba gear and many more.
I am not disregarding specialists. I look up to them, I wish I could be like them. However, I am not. Specializing in one thing sounds unheard of to me. I enjoy trying new things because it is exhilarating to learn something new. I think it is important for students to expand their horizons and find out what they love to do and what they find interesting. Students should allow themselves the freedom to wonder about the world
and its endless possibilities instead of being restrained to specializing in one field of practice. However, there are some downsides to having multiple interests. One can get very busy, very quickly. This can lead to burnout, anxiety, and stress. If someone isn’t careful with time management, they can fall behind in their classes. If a student does a sport or after school activity, that will impact their time with their family or friends. Personally, I sometimes even have to put time aside specifically just to watch a movie with my mom because I’m so busy. My weekends can become busy with rehearsals, swim meets, and band competitions. Having multiple activities requires patience, self-discipline, and time management skills.
These activities have helped me step out of my comfort zone and try new things. I have created many friendships from all of these extracurriculars and have met so many amazing people. I have learned how to manage my time and use a planner as well. My activities usually are spread throughout the year, but a few can overlap at times. This is a great motivator to keep up grades as well. Clubs and extracurriculars look great on college applications as well. Therefore, having multiple interests and activities isn’t bad, but rather useful. There are many benefits that come with expanding interests.
AT WHAT COST
People should be more understanding to those who need fast fashion
Iwork as a hostess once or twice a week. With my paycheck, I have to budget my money between gas and clothes, so I have to be careful with how I spend my paycheck.
Fast fashion is cheap clothing rapidly produced in direct response to new trends. It is extremely affordable to buy, easily accessible to the public and available in many different styles. All of these factors contribute to why I buy from fast fashion. Because of these inconveniences, people should not be judged for choosing fast fashion as an alternative to name brand clothing.
According to Note in the Pocket, 2 out of 5 children in America experienced clothing insecurity in 2023. Buying from fast fashion allows families with lower incomes to purchase new clothes.
A graphic shirt from Shein can cost as low as $3, whereas one
by kennedy botkin writer/photographer
from Target could be $14. Because people pay less, that means its workers get paid less, and they use less money for materials. The drop in quality is a sacrifice, but for everyday wear, the clothes can still last awhile.
The convenience of buying from fast-fashion websites makes it easy to keep buying. Instead of having to go out to stores and try clothes on, buyers can stay in the comfort of their own homes and have the items delivered straight to their houses. This ability takes the burden of having to find a way to make it to stores and allow more people to buy them.
The different styles and types of clothes vary extremely. Many styles that can be found on Shein look like popular clothing brands without the large price
tag. These websites are constantly updated with new items, so it’s easy to find things that suit different styles or aesthetics.
However, there are some downsides of fast fashion. These include child labor, unfair working conditions, environmental issues, and social issues.
Earth.Org states that fast fashion productions emit 10% of total carbon emissions. The dyes and micro plastics in the fabric like polyester cause a large amount of ocean pollution, and the clothes can end up in landfills.
Because of these negative effects, people should only purchase fast fashion if that’s what they can afford. Judging people for only being able to afford fast fashion is ignoring the root of the prob- lem, which is why people have to turn to buying fast fashion over better quality clothes.
ENERGY HABITS
by kennedy botkin writer/photographer
CELSIUS
“[Celsius] makes me feel so much more energized, but I can tell that when I don’t have it I have some withdrawal [symptoms]. I get so out of it and droopy and
-Senior Lorgan Koester
How students use energy drinks and the popular brands
“I feel more energized in the morning [when I drink Monster] but I wouldn’t say they have any other effects. I get shaky, but I don’t crash.”
-Sophomore Andrew Estes
“[I drink Rockstar] mainly because there’s a decent amount of caffeine, and it gets me going in the morn ing.”
-Freshman Waylon Binkley
THINK DRINKS
How often students have their favorite energy drinks and how they use them
“I like the [Alani] flavor, but I try not to drink too much because it can have some really, really bad heart effects. I feel like I get a little shaky sometimes when I drink them, but [other than that] I don’t notice that much of a difference.”
-Sophomore Amanda Makalous
UNIFIED THROUGH SPORTS
by evan leroy online editor in chief
Physical Education that is adapted to be easier and more inclusive for people.
In a traditional Physical Education class, there is a lot going on: dodgeballs flying, people yelling and loud noises. For some students with special needs, this can be overwhelming and stressful, which is why Unified PE was created to be a more welcoming environment for those students.
Unified PE pairs students with special needs with peers. Who play modified games that are safe for students with all abilities, this allows students with special needs to get active in a PE class that is modified for their needs. Unified PE teacher Amy McClure has help in the classroom from multiple paraprofessionals.
McClure helped create the class so students with special needs have the opportunity to feel more safe in a physical environment.
“You’re still throwing and catching, but it’s creating a safe space,”
McClure said. “I had to change or create activities for these students that are more safe and within their skill set, or within their level of doing a skill that other kids of their age can do in a way that’s safe for them.”
District Adaptive PE teacher Kathy Mayer helps make PE classes more accessible and found that making these spaces for students with all needs can be simple.
“I just want all the kids to be able to enjoy recreation and have a chance to have a good time. Sometimes, it’s the equipment that needs to be adapted so that they can play with their friends,” Mayer said.
McClure sees the class as a way for students to build bonds with others and meet new people.
“I love seeing the connection that the students make with their peers and their partner,” McClure
ADJUSTING ACTIVITIES
Ways that the Unified PE class is modified to be more inclusive
-Create a safe and welcoming environment
-Adapt the equipment so they can play with their friends
-Make smaller areas to play in
-Include everyone
Source: PE teacher Amy McClure and district adaptive PE teacher Kathy Mayer
said. “I also love the interaction of the students from the connections classroom, they don’t necessarily spend a lot of time outside of that classroom, but in unified PE, it’s like they’re in school with everyone, and it’s so fun to watch them interact with students that they may have not met the entire four years that they were here.”
Junior Ava Lucht works as a peer in the class and finds joy in working with the students in the classroom. She also enjoys seeing the students she’s built bonds with.
“I work with a student named Robin, and she’s such a joy to work with. She always puts a smile on my face, and I look forward to working with her every single day in that class,” Lucht said. “It’s a friendship you can’t find anywhere else, I’d say the connection that I have with Robin is something that I’ve never had.”
Helping his peer, junior Max Bolan helps out with the bowling unit in unified PE, Wednesday Nov. 13. photo by eva hernandez
HITTING
THE MATS
WRESTLING
WITH IT
How the girls wrestling team has developed since its creation
T2020
KSHAA adds girls wrestling as a sport statewide
Girls wresting has first winter season with girls on the team
2024 13 team last season
by hailey gussio editor in chief
by maddie martin online editor in chief
As the sport becomes more popular the girls wrestling team increases its efforts
he girls wrestling season started on Monday, Nov. 18, but for junior Finley Rose her wrestling season started after state last year. Rose has been working during the offseason to get stronger for her junior season.
“Wrestling is mainly a mental thing, and when you do it over the summer without taking that break during the winter, you’re kind of always in that mindset,” Rose said. “So I’ve just been ready for this season since I started summer wrestling.”
Similarly, senior and co-captain Raina Frantz spent her summer working on her wrestling moves and staying in shape for the upcoming season.
“I just tried to put myself in a bunch of different wrestling rooms and do as much off season work as I could, and do a lot of open mat time and on mat time so that I could get more experience,” Frantz said.
Attending camps and tourna- ments over the summer, as well as working out consistently, can serve as a useful tool for wrestlers to keep up with their skills during the off season. The team hosted a camp for wrestlers over the summer which was a new opportunity for more girls to improve their skills before the season started.
This is only the fourth year that the school has had a girls wrestling team and each year the team has grown both in size and ability. Sophomore Chris Hale expressed that the team is focusing on getting more confident and expanding on previous successes.
“We want to work more on our vision as a team together,” Hale said. “We want to be more confident as a team. We want to work together more, just kind of do what we did last year, but better.”
During the season the team practices every single day and
plans to attend 13 tournaments. This rigorous schedule can be grueling, but Frantz believes that the toughness of the sport actually appeals to girls.
“Wrestling is really, really hard, so the fact that [girls] can prove themselves and do the sport is empowering,” Frantz said.
Rose echoed Frantz’s sentiment, saying that proving others wrong plays a huge role in promoting the
“I
think a lot of girls do it to prove to boys that girls can do a tough sport that most men can’t even do.”
Junior Finley Rose
sport.
“I think that there’s been a large increase in women who wrestle in high school because it’s kind of a switch on gender roles. And I’ve been told multiple times I don’t think girls should wrestle, [or they] think it’s disgusting,” Rose said. “I think a lot of girls do it to prove to boys that girls can do a tough sport that most men can’t even do.”
Girls wrestling is the fastest growing high school sport right now, so it’s no surprise the school’s program has seen a huge increase in participation. This being Rose’s third year on the team, she has seen major changes in the program.“Watching the program grow,
there’s definitely a lot more competitions and meets we can go to now,” Rose said. “You get to meet a lot of new people doing wrestling, because you’re all in the same boat of doing a new sport. I think just seeing the program grow by having new coaches and the boys team helping us a little bit, it’s been really good for our program.”
One thing that invites lots of students to join is the friendships that wrestling helps facilitate. Hale believes that the team’s close bond is one thing that appeals to girls wanting to join.
“The most appealing part of wrestling is the team atmosphere,” Hale said. “Wrestling itself is really fun, but having those teammates that are also your best friends is probably one of the best parts of it.”
While opportunities for female wrestlers have grown, the team is still relatively new. Head coach Aaron Kennedy emphasized, over email, that keeping up with wrestling skills is crucial for the school’s girls wrestling team.
“Many of our girl wrestlers didn’t start wrestling until high school,” Kennedy said. “The good thing about that is that they don’t have bad habits to break, but they do need to work harder at learning techniques and improving their strength to compete with their more experienced opponents.”
To work on their skills, the team does team conditioning on Tuesdays and open mat on Thursdays. During open mat wrestlers have the opportunity to get help with specific skills. Opportunities during the preseason are great for wrestlers who want to improve before the season officially starts.
Rose has seen her hard work during the preseason and offseason pay off each year as she continues to get better, especially during the state tournament.
“I’m really looking forward to state this season, because I feel like each year I improve at state and what I do with state,” Rose said. “This year, I’m really focusing towards how I perform at state, and not all the other meets.”
PRACTICE PARTNERS
Seeing and practicing with a middle school girls wrestlers gives senior Laiyah Kirkpatrick hope for the future
“The Monticello Trails wrestling team only has one girl wrestling this season, Bailey, she’s in eighth grade. I’m her practice partner because she doesn’t have one, [since] there are no other girls and the guys don’t like to wrestle with a girl.”
“I’m looking forward to getting to know the new girl wrestlers and having that team chemistry in the wrestling room and during tournaments.”
“It’s a good skill to have for self-defense, making lifelong friendships and having discipline, [both] mentally and physically.”
Watching the middle schoolers wrestling moves, senior Laiyah Kirkpatrick helps the ref know when the match times up, Thursday Nov. 7. photo by eva hernandez
From doing 24-hour challenges to selling his own merch, freshman Noah Lauer has amassed almost 3,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel “Golden X.” On this channel, he largely posts sports content.
Along with “Golden X,” Lauer also has another channel, “Gx”, with almost 2,000 subscribers, and a TikTok and Instagram. Combined on his platforms, he posts about three to four times every week.
About two years ago, he was inspired to become a content creator by YouTube stars.
“When I was a kid, I watched a lot of YouTube like Ryan Trahan and Mr. Beast, and I liked them a lot,” Lauer said. “From there, I went into and created my own channel.”
NOAH
LAUER
MV I AM
However, Lauer does not run his channel completely alone. His childhood friend, freshman Nati Vega, helps him make and edit videos while also helping him create the merch. Vega enjoys helping Lauer with his channel because he sees him as a brother.
“He’s funny, and his family really loves me,” Vega said. “I’ve known him for so long, and we are basically brothers at this point.”
While Lauer enjoys the process of creating his videos, he also enjoys spending time with his friends when he creates his videos.
“I enjoy just creating it, editing it, hanging out with my friends, doing the video and having fun,” Lauer said. “We usually have a couple of people, and it usually takes a bunch of takes for us to actually get the right video.”
Along with creating videos, Lauer also sells his own merchandise which includes t-shirts and sweatshirts. Lauer was inspired to begin selling merch by a basketball content creator.
“Jesser is a basketball creator, and he has a brand called Bucket Squad,” Lauer said. “I got inspired from him to make my own merch and stuff.”
Lauer and Vega create the merch nearly entirely by themselves, including designing and heat pressing. They sell shirts for $13 and sweatshirts for $30.
Freshman posts content under channel “GoldenX”
“I go on this website then I give them my designs,” Vega said. “I make my designs on Canva and then put them on a big poster. They send it to me, I cut out the design and then we just heat press it on shirts and sweaters.”
Ultimately, Vega believes Lauer’s personality and hard work helped him achieve his success.
“Honestly, I just think people think Noah is a funny dude,” Vega said. “It’s usually just natural videos and stuff like that, but Noah does a lot of research, so I think he deserves it.”
MERCH MAKING
Lauer and Vega design his merch through Canva, and apply using heat transfer paper
He sells shirts for $13 and hoodies for $30
How Lauer makes his merch $30
by ian chern online editor in chief
Freshman Noah Lauer films himself in the main gym on November 21st photo by jake brown
