JagWire Newspaper: Volume 24, Issue 5

Tape in hand, junior Elaina Fagen works with a member of her team to build a grabber with a single pivot point for the competition ahead. Fagen and other members of the Society of Women Engineers traveled to the Bartle Hall Convention Center for the annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day Friday, Feb. 23. photo by olivia peters

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Email: jagwirenewspaper@gmail.com

Adviser: Kathy Habiger khabiger@usd232.org

JagWire, a monthly publication of Mill Valley High School, is printed by Valley Offset Printing

The Kansas Student Publications Act guarantees the same rights for student journalists as are guaranteed for professional journalists. These rights include, but are not limited to, all First Amendment rights, including the rights of freedom of speech and the press, insofar as published items may not contain libelous, slanderous or obscene statements, may not incite or promote illegal conduct and may not cause a substantial disruption to normal school activity. This law also prevents censorship of any kind by the adviser, building or district administration.

Sitting tall, freshman Graham Anderson plays the violin

Anderson has played violin since he was six years old and enjoys it for many reasons. “I think it’s really cool and it’s good for your brain,” Anderson said. “It’s a good learning opportunity.” photo by eva hernandez

cover design by jules shumaker

Holding out her favorite hair product, sophomore Winter DeHaven poses. DeHaven described her hairstyle as wavy hair with curtain bangs and a peekaboo pink section underneath. “I feel like everybody has a different hairstyle that just suits them,” DeHaven said. “I like my bangs because they frame my face. With the pink, I really love the color and I just thought it’d be fun to paint my hair and show it off.” photo by avery clement

18 A&E NATURE

20 A&E HAIR STYLES

22 SPORTS BOWLING

24 I AM MV ELLY VANRHEEN

Professional Associations

Kansas Scholastic Press Association

National Scholastic Press Association

Journalism Education Association

Journalism Educators of Metropolitan KC

The 2023 JagWire earned an All-Kansas rating from KSPA and were 2023 NSPA Pacemaker finalists. It is also a member of the NSPA All-American Hall of Fame.

2023-24 STAFF

Editors in Chief

emma clement editor in chief

jules shumaker editor in chief

anna zwahlen editor in chief

emma clement editor in chief

anna zwahlen editor in chief

luke wood photo editor

ian chern copy editor

As her ball careens towards the pins, senior Kiara Gonzalez watches a successful strike on Thursday, Feb. 15. The girls team placed first bowling a series of 1740 at the Park Lanes meet. Gonzalez enjoys bowling for the fun team bonding. “The team aspect [is my favorite part] because we just get to hang out together and just have fun,” Gonzalez said. photo by anna zwahlen

Online Editors in Chief Photo Editor Copy Editor Staff

elizabeth summa writer/photographer

hailey perrin writer/photographer

avery writer/photographerclement

barron fox writer/photographer

eva hernandez writer/photographer

evan leroy writer/photographer

maddie martin writer/photographer

madelyn writer/photographermulryan

olivia peters

writer/photographer

Editorial Policy

We value your opinions. If you wish to submit a column or a letter to the editor to the JagWire, you can do so by handing it in to a member of the staff or to the print journalism room (C101). Additionally, you may email any member of the staff with opinions, as well as tweet us at @millvalleynews. Anonymous content will not be accepted. Please understand that we have the right to edit all copy that runs in this publication.

quinlyn writer/photographerpeters

News is everywhere with social media posts seeming to dictate what the truth is. Many people know that not everything they see online is trustworthy, but it can be hard to know the truth when constantly being bombarded with information.

While the term ‘fake news’ has been popularized, some articles that have false information are hard to spot. It’s easy to see a post that has a video attached, or a paragraph explaining what happened, and assume you can trust it. As NBC reported, a considerable amount of fake news online is just rumors that accounts spread before double-checking if what they’re posting is real.

Even verified media posts can be opinions or editorials, rather than objective news. The line between fact and opinion can start to become blurred. While amounts of fake news can end up taking over our feed, if you know what you’re looking for, you can spot fake content.

Making sure that verified accounts are sources that could be used on an English essay, like New York Times or The Kansas City Star, is a good way of being positive that sources for news are accurate. If you don’t recognize the name of the page or if the page posts other inaccurate content,

that could be a good sign that the content is unreliable.

As with any form of news, it’s important to ensure that both sides of the story are equally represented by the source. Only seeing content from one political side prevents developing an informed opinion.Unfortunately, with the way that social media works, the algorithm will most likely produce opinions you already agree with. Making sure to have all of the information, and not just one view, will prevent succumbing to misinformation.

However, all platforms of social media are different. Some are strictly regulated while others are relaxed with the content on their site. Meta has promised that their apps like Instagram and Facebook are more regulated when it comes to misinformation, but that doesn’t mean users should blindly follow all posts on Meta platforms.

Other social media platforms, like TikTok, are barely regulat- ed, so the information should be taken with a grain of salt.

A CNN article, published last year, explained how 20% of information on TikTok is completely false, and that when you use TikTok’s search

engine, the first 20 videos are commonly false.

It’s important to stay informed, especially about relevant issues like wars or legislation which directly impact many lives. While finding the content about these issues on social media is possible, you don’t need to be focused on keeping up with every story, especially when a lot of news articles areThisnegative.doesn’t mean students should be paranoid about everything online. Oftentimes, doing a quick Google search is all that’s necessary to verify information before sharing it with others. Fact-checking can also be done by going to other sites and seeing if they’re reporting on the same story.

As long as you don’t blind- ly trust stories and double check news that could be fake, social media can be a great way to stay informed about what’s going on in our world.

by jagwire staff

LOOKING

PASSING

THE

by barron writer/photographerfox

by evan writer/photographerleroy

TORCH

Assistant principal Marilyn Chrisler to retire at end of school year and pass the torch to newly hired Dr. Heath Wilson

AN IMPACT IGNITING

Students reflect on positive experiences with Chrisler

JUNIOR PORTER WHITE

I think that she’s always [at school sports and activities] supporting, which was always nice to have somebody at every game supporting no matter what.”

SENIOR REAGAN ROBERTS

I just love how welcoming she is. She’s always smiling. She will talk to you. She knows people’s names and is always very involved in our community.”

SENIOR MOLLY BILHIMER

My favorite memory with Chrisler is always talking in her office whenever I was having a bad day or going through a lot. She is always someone who I enjoyed talking to and she was always there for me, even when I just wanted to rant.”

SENIOR GEORGIA HANSEN

When I was first setting up Ultimate Frisbee club, she was super helpful. She called me out of class on the only easy class that I had that day. We worked on the club constitution and filled out the application forms and she allowed me to have a lot of agency over what I was doing.“

After 13 years at Mill Valley, assistant principal and activities director Marilyn Chrisler, is retiring at the end of the year. She will leave behind a legacy that has positively impact- ed thousands of students and staff members.

Chrisler’s journey to becoming assistant principal was a long one. She started her college career at Johnson County Community College, primarily to play basketball. Then she got her undergraduate degree at Ft. Hays State University in education and her master’s degree in admin at Baker University. She began her teaching career in Great Bend, Kansas and after five years she moved on to Fort Osage High School for one year and, eventually, moved to Olathe South for six years.

“A career in tech position became open in the De Soto district at the district office and I took that,” Chrisler said. “I wanted to be in a building with kids, so as Mill Valley was continuing to grow, I was afforded the opportunity to be an assistant principal here.”

Chrisler said she will miss many things when she leaves, but there is one thing she will miss more than the rest.

“I will miss [working with the kids] the most,” Chrisler said. “When you have kids that are involved in sports and activities, those are the kids that are motivated and want to be successful. [They] are just nice people to be around.”

Chrisler’s massive involvement in school life and activities has impacted many students positively, including senior Georgia Hansen.

“I’m sad to see her go,” Hansen said. “She was a wonderful activities [director]. I know she’s had a really big impact on the school and for me, she’s been a lot of help for setting up the Ultimate Frisbee Club. I think she would have been really helpful to the next year’s students, but I understand that she has other things to move on to.”

Senior Molly Bilhimer has also seen how Chrisler has impacted the student body and how she persists in helping students and being involved.

“One thing that I have always liked about Chrisler is how open

photos by elizabeth summa and luke wood

BLAZING

THE TRAIL

Chrisler’s accomplishments during her time at the school

Supported teachers, staff and coaches

Built relationships and culture

Worked on bond project committee

Created a space where students feel safe

and reliable she is for all students,” Bilhimer said. “She is extremely involved and has always been genuinely interested in what is going on in students’ lives. She truly cares about the well-being of students and pushes [them] to be the best versions of themselves.

We have amazing teachers, amazing staff and, most importantly, we have amazing kids. From the bottom of my heart, I will truly miss you.

Assistant Principal Marilyn Chrisler

Not only is she a person that is available to talk to, she goes a step further and always tries to check in on students no matter the situation.”

Chrisler will be replaced by Dr. Heath Wilson. New assistant principal Heath Wilson shares his goals that he has for the school,

students and staff.

“She’s a phenomenal profes- sional,” Wilson said. “I’ve heard nothing but great things and I hope to continue doing the things that she does really well. I want to be able to fulfill [the school’s] needs and meet all of those expectations to serve the people to the best of my ability.”

Senior Regan Roberts is hopeful Dr. Wilson will approach this new position with students as the priority, like what Chrisler accomplished.

“I would love to see someone who has the same characteristics as Chrisler, and someone who’s always looking out for the best in- terests of their students,” Roberts said.

With the conclusion of her career approaching, Chrisler is extremely grateful for all who are involved with the school.

“I feel very blessed to have been part of this community for so long,” Chrisler said. “This school has afforded me many more good days than bad. There have been many good things. We have amaz- ing teachers, amazing staff and, most importantly, we have amazing kids. From the bottom of my heart, I will truly miss you. Thank you, I will always be MV proud.”

ALL FIRED UP

The things that Wilson hopes to do at the school next year

Carry out duties in a way that brings value to the students

Help staff become the best professionals they can be

Help

students find their purpose and make a difference in their future fields

Take the necessary time to make connections

Be visible photo submitted by Wilson

During third lunch, assistant principal Marilyn Chrisler jokes with sophomore Cannon Fields Wednesday, Feb. 28. Chrisler enjoys socializing with the students and spending her afternoons in the lunchroom. photo by elizabeth summa

by hailey writer/photographerperrin

by madelyn writer/photographermulryan

WOMEN IN STEM

by ian chern copy editor

THE FIRST OF MANY

Society of Women Engineers helps educate girls about careers in STEM

Source: Library of Congress

Women who helped pave the way for the future of girls in engineering

1878-1968

Lise Meitner

First woman to work in atomic engineering and discovered Uranium Fission which led to the creation of the atomic bomb

1906-1992

Grace Hopper

Helped to create the first commercial electronic computer and created programming languages for the U.S. Navy

1918-2020

Katherine Johnson

Calculated and analyzed the flight paths for Apollo 11 and worked with astronauts to send them to the moon

In the past, there were plans to create a club for the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) here at the school, but they were interrupted due to COVID. However, the club recently finished those plans and was able to start SWE.

The Society of Women Engineers is a worldwide organization founded in 1950 to advocate for women in the engineering field. At the high school level, SWE meets after school on every other Wednesday. There, the members build and model different design challenges and learn about engineering fields, according to engineering teacher and club sponsor Brian Hagstrom.

“Right now [SWE] has been exploring more design challenges,” Hagstrom said. “So playing with some of the materials we have, building and modeling and looking at what are the different structures and what different engineering fields we have. We are continuing to go more on the design challenges to hopefully do the outreach side of things.”

Hagstrom explained that the SWE can be role models to these young girls who may be interested in engineering.

“We are looking at creating a design challenge that we can bring to the middle school and elementary schools to promote engineering there and then having that female presence presenting it then those at the lower level can see, ‘Hey, she looks like me,’” Hagstrom said.

With this plan underway, other members are ready to help the club grow. Freshman Molly Hillner is excited to bring younger girls into engineering.

“[Reaching out] to women who like [STEM] helps them get more comfortable in the field of engineering and know that they’re not alone,” Hillner said. “It brings more

women into engineering overall.”

Recently, the SWE traveled to the annual Introduce a Women to Engineering Day at the Kansas City Convention Center. There, they were able to participate in engineering fair activities and get direct advice from women engineers. For junior Davin Bickerstaff, the event was able to help her build her network.

“Many industry representatives will reach out to you and try to make a connection for possible internships,” Bickerstaff said. “By getting some business cards and giving out my info, like text and email, my STEM opportunities

[Reaching out] to women who like [STEM] helps them get more comfortable in the field of engineering and know that they’re not alone

Freshman Molly Hillner

have grown significantly. It was nice to network a bit.”

The SWE club is hoping to create an environment that supports women who are interested in all types of STEM, according to junior Lexus Pennel.

“We have [people that are] artists and architecture focused,” Pennel said. “There’s a couple of us who take computer integrated manufacturing and engineering. We come from all corners of engineering.”

Since the club has ambitious goals, some members have assumed leadership roles. Hagstrom depicts the club as very student-driven.

WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE

TECHNOLOGY

Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

How many women are employed in STEM jobs compared to men

27% women employed in technology careers compared to 73% men

“Most of what I want to do is hands off,” Hagstrom said. “I’m seeing the group develop, and we’re having a couple people show a leadership side of things. I just really want the students to create their own club and have me be their resource.”

Due to the lack of women in STEM fields, it can make it difficult for women of different ages and experiences to collaborate. According to junior Elise Davis, this makes SWE an important addition.

“The club is really important because in a lot of the engineering classes there are only one or two girls,” Davis said. “Split between the grade levels, all of the women in engineering are separated. SWE gives us the opportunity to meet each other and ask questions, [along with] relating to certain topics.”

Beyond just being the minority in the STEM careers, women often struggle with earning respect and simply finding opportunities to grow their education and experience. Junior Cadence Kerr finds SWE to be a supportive environment to work through that struggle.

“I think [SWE] is needed because there are a lot more guys in [engineering] than girls,” Kerr said. “It’s harder for women to get job opportunities or be more respected in that field, so [SWE] brings us together.”

Davis said she hopes that the SWE will become a supportive space for women to learn and prepare for a future career in engineering.

“Our goals are to reach out to as many women in STEM as possible and help answer questions and create a community for us to be together and also share certain resources, mentors and connections to companies for the future,” Davis said.

SCIENCE

17% women employed in science careers compared to 83% men ENGINEERING

41% women employed in engineering careers compared to 59% men

MATH

32% women employed in math careers compared to 68% men

Juniors Cora Jones and Elaina Fagen participate in a meet and greet with the many women attending this year’s Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (IGED). photo by olivia peters

Freshman Alexa Lamoureux uses spoons, popsicle sticks and a straw to build a contraption that will pick up different objects for points. photo by olivia peters

SCALING UP

Senior Sarah Anderson and freshman Graham Anderson hope district scales up to add an orchestra in future years

by maddie writer/photographermartin by madelyn writer/photographermulryan

For some students, school is the limit of their opportunities for activities, but for senior Sarah Anderson and freshman Graham Anderson, exploring their interests does not stop at the end of the school day. Even though our school doesn’t have an orchestra, Sarah continues developing her musical talents through playing the violin outside of school.

Sarah started playing violin in kindergarten. She has used playing the instrument as a learning opportunity and stated it helps her push her limits when she learns new songs.

“It’s really fun [and] it’s really hard,” Sarah said. “It gives me something to challenge myself, and I really like playing in orchestras and the community around stringed instruments.”

Sarah spends her hours after school practicing violin independently for the orchestra she’s a part of. Sarah believes that playing

in an orchestra and working with others is fulfilling and a valuable experience for those involved.

“Everyone will work on it on their own, so when you come together, it’s just a bunch of people who have all worked really hard on one thing,” Sarah said. “Then you all put it together and are able to perform it.”

Graham agreed, saying that getting to meet other high-level musicians is one of the best parts of being in an orchestra.

“I really liked meeting other talented musicians in the area and being able to come together just for a day and be able to accom- plish something,” Graham said.

This year, Sarah made the AllState String Orchestra. This feat is particularly impressive consid- ering she made the orchestra on her own and not through a school orchestra like many other students across the state. Sarah spearheaded a presentation to the district Board of Education in July 2022.

INSTRUMENTAL CONTRAST

of reasons.

“Before adding a program of this size and scope, several factors must be taken into consideration, such as staffing, instrument storage, and available spaces,” Schwanz said. “We are also considering the costs of ramping up a new program, ongoing expenses, and potential student participation rates.”

Two models show the contrast in instruments and placements in an orchestra and concert band Source: Britannica Kids

On Dec. 5th, 2022, the school board met to debate the implementation of an orchestra, but it wasn’t approved after they considered the cost burden, which would be around $325,000. However, almost 50% of parents voted on a survey sent out in March of 2023 that it would be beneficial for the district to have an orchestra.

Sarah is not the first to have expressed inter- est in a school

Utilizing his musical intelligence, freshman Graham Anderson glides the bow Friday, March 1. Photo by Eva Hernandez

Executive Director of Secondary Education Brian Schwanz stated via email that the school does not have an orchestra for a multitude

Conductor Cello s & Doubl e Basse s Violas

1st Violins Bassoons Flutes Horns

2nd Violins Oboes Trumpets Tubas

Clarinets Percussion Harp & Piano

Conductor Flutes

Horns

Trombones

Trumpets Saxaphone Tubas

Euphonium

Oboe

Clarinets Percussion

orchestra. Band director Debra Steiner said that there has been interest in having an orchestra for many years now.

“Sarah Anderson did a nice job of proposing it and getting it to- gether,” Steiner said. “When I first started here, I had about four or five kids that would come in after school and we would just play through some stuff, so there’s been some interest all along.”

Even with clear interest, a lack of resources and facilities play into the factors preventing the district from adding an orchestra.

“I think our biggest hurdle right now is facilities, and not necessarily the high school level, but at the middle school too,” Steiner said. “There’s just no room. We can share classrooms, but it’s the storage and the schedule for them because those teachers only teach in that room.”

The school board has considered adding an orchestra for some time now nothing has come of it. Sarah expressed that not having an orchestra at the school has been hard not being able to build up a community. Even though Sarah is graduating, Graham said he would join a school orchestra if one were added at some point in the future.

“I think it would be pretty nice [to have an orchestra],” Graham said. “It would be a good opportunity and it would help bring [more] music to the school.”

STRINGED VARIATION

VIOLIN & VIOLA

The viola has 5 strings: C, G, D, A and E while the violin only has four as it does not have a C string

Because of its smaller size the violin produces a lighter sound than the viola While the violin is played in the treble clef, the viola uses the alto clef; the viola is the only instrument to use this clef

CELLO & DOUBLE BASS

The two instruments vary in range.

Cellos have a low C string, which is a minor sixth higher than the low E string of a bass

The key differences between the main stringed instruments

Standard Violin

While the cello is tuned in fifths (C-G-D-A), basses are tuned in fourths (E-A-D-G)

Playing positions also differ as cellists usually sit in chairs while bassists often must stand or sit on a higher chair

BOW

All bows are usually made with horse hair and coated in rosin to facilitate friction and create the best sound possible when playing

The length of bow increases as the size of instrument decreases. This is because it is important to be able to apply more pressure when playing larger instruments and that is easier with a shorter, thicker bow

Sources: Benning Violins and Gear4music

Expressing her love for music, senior Sarah Anderson plays a song that she has memorized Friday, March 1. Photo by Eva Hernandez

23”

Standard Viola 26”

Standard Cello 48”

Standard Double Bass 72”

Double Bass Bow 27”

Cello Bow 28”

Viola/Cello Bow 29”

KNOW YOUR NEWS

Highly accesible does not mean high quality; how students can check sources

@millvalleynews1

Check if the source is verified or well accredited

BREAKING NEWS!

Read past the headline! Many news sources will utilize click bait titles to catch your attention

See if the page sites its sources, and verify them by using sites such as Factcheck.org and Poltifact

In a 2023 study, 86% of adults in the United States reported finding their news from a phone, computer or tablet

Source: Pew Research Center

FILTER ON

Navigating news on social media apps

by ian chern copy editor by emma clement editor in chief by maddie writer/photographermartin

by evan writer/photographerleroy

NEWS NUANCE

WYou can find more statistics at and information at www.pewresearch.org and at www.statista.com

Check if the page includes links to outside sources and if they are biased

IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

Check if the page is sponsored, this may indicate bias and misinformation

Source: Kansas State University

hen major events like the shooting at the Chief’s victory celebration or developments in the war in Gaza happen, it is natural to want to get all the information when it happens. However, from 1605 to 1940, a person would have had to wait for tomorrow’s newspaper to learn about what was happening. Then in 1940, the first television news station was created making these updates available nightly on NBC. Now, however, the information that people so desperately seek is available right in front of them, plastered all over social media pages from national news sources to influencers to everyday people. The key difference is that, unlike the news updates that older generations had to wait for, this social media news is not necessarily reliable or true. Even though many students know this, they still use apps like Instagram and TikTok as news sources because they are so easily accessible. With algorithms that push the content the user likes and sharing functions to quickly communicate opinions, social media allows users to see exactly the content, including news content, that they want to see when they want to see it. This highly accessible yet potentially unreliable information can be both wonderful and dangerous in a world where people want to get news updates faster than ever.

CONVENIENT CONTENT

Because students become accustomed to getting information fast via social media, most teens don’t wait to watch the nightly news from an established source to learn about current events.

In fact, according to a JagWire survey, 89% of students said they found social media news to be reliable enough. This reflects a national trend, reported by the Pew Research Center, which said that adults between the ages of 18 and 30 only trust social media news content 6% less than news received via national news organizations. Junior Matt Tieman believes this is because the sources they follow are viewed as trustworthy.

“I tend to believe what I see just because I don’t really follow untrustworthy sources,” Tieman said. “Whether it’s on the left or right side, that doesn’t really impact me. I just like to know what’s going on and I feel like I can trust the sources that I have.”

Sophomore Tanav Sood explained that having quick access to trusted sources through social media gives students an easy way to stay up to date on global events.

“It gives them an awareness of what’s going on in the world,” Sood said. “Teenagers are on their phones a lot and there’s a lot of negatives associated with social media, but there’s also positives like staying up to date on news.”

Much of what makes news

SENIOR

MERON ABEBE

photos by luke wood

design by jules shumaker SPECIAL SECTION

on social media so appealing to young people is that they already spend time there, making it convenient and easy to access, according to the Pew Research Center. Senior Jules Tracy believes this is a large part of what makes social media a useful source of news.

“It helps people learn their news in a way that they actually want to and have the desire to, on a platform they already enjoy,” Tracy said.

Kansas Student Press Association executive director and KU School of Journalism lecturer Eric Thomas agreed with Tracy, saying that students get news from social media because of its addictive nature.

“[Social media is] literally designed to be addictive and effective in building habits for us,” Thomas said. “The fact that students are spending time on that medium means that that’s the way that they’re most often going to get their news.”

This is not inherently a bad thing, though. Senior Meron Abebe explains how social media can be a great starting point for learning about news that students might have never otherwise seen.

“There are also a lot of people who consume their news information from these social media apps,” Abebe said. “If someone isn’t aware of Israel and Palestine and they [see] someone reposting that, they probably are going to look more into it.”

Favorite

Favorite

Favorite

LIVE NEWS

What social media outlets students are the most likely to find news on

66% OF STUDENTS THEIR NEWS FROM INSTAGRAM

11% OF STUDENTS THEIR NEWS FROM SNAPCHAT

57% OF STUDENTS THEIR NEWS FROM TIKTOK

8% OF STUDENTS THEIR NEWS FROM A DIFFERENT APP

Source: Survey of 117 students

MIXED MESSAGES

Getting an introduction to a major news event on social media is certainly one positive of using them as a news source, but as Abebe said, the next step should be to look further into what is actually going on. This is a crucial step that many teens are missing due to their trust in social media sources and the apps’ addictive natures.

Tieman explained that though social media has great potential for spreading news content, news accounts on social media still have their drawbacks.

“I think, on social media, you really don’t get the entire story,” Tieman said. “I would like to go more in depth of what’s going on and I feel like you don’t really get the whole picture [on social media.]”

Furthermore, not all of the news found on social media is accurate. Whether it be biased wording, exclusion of details, or flat-out misrepresentation of the truth, social media can be a minefield for fake news. The Pew Research Center reported that four-in-ten Americans say inaccuracy is the thing they dislike most about getting news from social media. Tracy explained how simply seeing misrepresented news can affect students’ opinions.

“If you see it from one site in particular, and they’re reporting on one side, I feel like it’s easier to be swayed into the direction that they’re biased,” Tracy said.

This swaying effect is in part a result of the algorithms present on many social media platforms. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences, said in a

The news used to hit your front porch and you picked it up and you felt like ‘Well, I pay money to subscribe to this newspaper, so everything in here I’m going to trust,’ but when you open up an Instagram app, you don’t know who created the message that’s in front of you even when you think you do.

KSPA Executive Director Eric Thomas

research article that algorithms “limit our selection process by suggesting contents similar to the ones we are usually exposed to.” As a result, users may develop a one-sided perspective, according to Abebe.

JULES TRACY SENIOR

“If you’re constantly consum- ing heavily, like left-wing content, that’s what your For You page is going to be,” Abebe said. “It’s going to be heavily that one-sided view and you’re not going to un- derstand the other side or what other people might be thinking and then it leads to just a one-sided view on an issue.”

Social studies teacher Jason Pendleton said that while there are plenty of different sources on social media, they aren’t always reliable and trusting the first thing you see isn’t the right way to go about consuming news.

“Unfortunately, trusting Steve from Indiana with your news may not be the best option you want to choose,” Pendleton said. “You want to go to journalists who have to follow high standards to report on things as opposed to somebody hearing a rumor and passing it on.”

Passing on content is common on social media through functions like reposting or tagging a friend in the comment section. This can present another issue with social media in that users are likely going to see content their friends agree with, and never take the time to form their own opinion.

“If you have a lot of friends that are heavily left wing or right wing, you’re probably going to see that your friend liked this or your friend reposted it, [then when you] check out the video, you’re probably going to have more views on that [side],” Abebe said.

One way to avoid this is going straight to the source to get the most reliable content, but this can be difficult to do on social media. Thomas explained that social media causes uncertainty about where information is coming from, making it hard to determine whether or not that information is trustworthy.

Instagram

Favorite news source:

Favorite app for news: Impact

“It’s a lot more complicated than it used to be,” Thomas said. “The news used to hit your front porch and you picked it up and you felt like ‘Well, I pay money to subscribe to this newspaper, so everything in here I’m going to trust,’ but when you open up an Instagram app, you don’t know who created the message that’s in front of you even when you think you do.”

photos by luke wood

FILTERING THE FAKE TANAV SOOD SOPHOMORE

Because of this confusion with regards to where information comes from and whether or not it is trustworthy, students should be vary of the news they receive on social media apps.

Many social media apps have programs that are designed to combat the spreading of misinformation. For example, according to Instagram’s policy, they “use both technology and feedback from [the] community to identify posts and accounts that may contain false information.” However, much of the false information still falls through these programs. In Tracy’s opinion, social media apps need to be able to prevent misinformation before it reaches any people.

“I know Instagram does a fake news [feature] where you can get it reported, but I feel like they need to be filtering more of those to make sure that things aren’t in- accurate when it’s first posted,” Tracy said.

According to a study done by Ohio State University, one of the reasons determining the authen- ticity of news is difficult is that many social media sites present content in the same way, no mat- ter the source. Because of this, it is also more important than ever for students to put in the time to factcheck content that they see. It is social media users’ own responsibility to be able to assess the information and then react accordingly, Pendleton said.

Favorite news sources: ESPN, CNN, Google home page

“It’s just more of a responsi bility for us, as human beings, to evaluate the quality of what we’re seeing, is it real or is it not,” Pendleton said. “It’s become even more difficult to figure out if stories that we’re being exposed to are real or not, and I think as humans, that’s our responsibility to not react immediately to information but to take a deep breath. Try to get as much information as we can from it, and then use that information to move forward.”

Even when taking as much information as possible from a source doesn’t yield the knowledge students want, it is important to prioritize quality information over any information, according to Thomas.

“[After the shooting at the Chiefs celebration,] I was constantly rechecking the feeds of trusted news sources and when I couldn’t get answers, I was frus-

trated,” Thomas said. “But I think the thing that made me feel a little bit better is that I didn’t try to go to garbage sources to find the answers to that.”

Ultimately, though they can be harder to spot on social media, biased and inaccurate sources can be found anywhere. For Abebe, checking the facts of the story and being open to opinions from both sides gives the best possible understanding.

“I think no matter what [sources you use] it’s vital that you look at both sides, even if you think one argument is stupid,” Abebe said. “At the end of the day, you need to be open minded and aware that other people are always going to have different opinions and you need to be ready to understand how to take those in.”

KEEPING UP WITH THE HEADLINES

Updates about world events and how often students share social media content about them

As of March 7, President Joe Biden is leading the primary elections with 1,542 delegates, and Donald Trump is leading with 1,031 delegates

As of March 7, there have been 30,717 Palestinians killed and 72,156 wounded from Israeli attacks

As of March 7, there have been an estimated 30,500 civilian casulaties in Ukraine since Russia invaded in 2022

Source: Survey of 117 students, Al Jazeera, Google, Statista

THE AMOUNTS OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE POSTED OR REPOSTED ABOUT...

17% ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR

2024 ELECTIONS

27% RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

17%

design by quinlyn peters

The horrors that are occurring in Gaza in the recent Israel-Hamas war are not something that we are powerless to stop. Understanding the conflict and what we can do about it are critical as more and more lives are lost. Knowing how we can help will also make it possible for us to take action when other crises happen in the future.

The first step is knowing what is going on in Gaza. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 30,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 70,000 have been wounded since the war began in October. The United Nations (U.N.) states that a quarter of the 2.3 million Palestinians living in Gaza face starvation and around 80% have fled their homes.

Conflict between Israel and Palestine is long and bloody. Israel proclaimed statehood in 1948. Since the Six-Day War of 1967, the majority of Palestinians have been under Israeli occupation or control. In 2007, when Hamas came to power, Israel imposed a partial blockade on Gaza, controlling food, water and fuel to Gaza. This has caused significant damage to quality of life in the area. Since then, Israel has also launched five military assaults on Gaza.

In the months since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has killed 30,000 Palestinians in retaliation, the majority of which have been women and children. Many of the attacks have focused on targeting hospitals, neighborhoods, and places civilians were

told to seek refuge, such as Rafah, which was considered the last safe zone in Gaza and was bombed during the Super Bowl.

Several nations and experts across the globe have called the attacks on Gaza a genocide. In January, South Africa made a case to the U.N. accusing Israel of genocide. I’m inclined to agree.

The attack by Hamas on Octo- ber 7th was horrendous, and was appropriately condemned by the international community when it

When we see something terrible, like the crisis in Gaza, we need to step in and make a change.

Reporter Olivia Peters

occurred. Israel’s response, however, has been both disproportionate and devastating. Despite continuous loss of human life throughout the past few months, there has been no ceasefire.

When a conflict like this comes up, many of us feel powerless. We feel as though nothing we do can make a difference, and we might even start to feel apathetic over such destruction. But we can’t ignore it. Instead, we need to take action.

We can call our representatives.

As citizens, we can make our voices heard to the people who represent us in Congress. If enough people call and demand change, then our representatives have to listen. Find who your representatives are, find their phone numbers and call. Simply say your name, address and tell them that you are calling to support an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and Palestine. Apps like 5 Calls will walk you through it and find your representatives’ numbers for you.

We can support humanitarian organizations. I have donat- ed to Doctors Without Borders and helped fundraise for Heart to Heart International, but there are many organizations who are working to address the crisis in Gaza. Even a simple, one-time donation can make a difference.

We can stay updated. The crisis in Gaza is unique because not only is it being reported on by traditional news sites, but people in Gaza can reach us via social media too. What is happening in Gaza is happening to real people, real children. If we look away, we allow what’s happening to go unchecked. Instead, post about it on your story, talk about it to your friends and family, keep an eye on what’s happening and don’t look away just because it does not directly affect you.

Average Americans have more power than we think we do. Students have more power than we think we do. When we see something terrible, like the crisis in Gaza, we need to step in and make a change.

FOR THEIR FUTURE

by olivia writer/photographerpeters

Knowledge and advocacy give students the power to make change in the Israel-Hamas war

One of my favorite things is when my parents pull out the box of photo albums. I love learning the stories attached to photos of my mom as a child with a relative I never got to meet. Even the more recent photos my parents took on an old digital camera had this same effect. They would show me photos of my older brothers on vacation or visiting our grandparents.

All these photos are worn, the pen written date on the back is smudged. The thing about it is that there are not many photos of myself. The ones there stopped once I reached around six years old.

This always made me sad because everything went digital when I was fairly young. People stopped getting photos printed, instead leaving them to sit in an album on their phone or a flash drive lost years prior.

To a point it’s understandable, as a blog from Elite Images said, “digital images can also be taken with you wherever you go.” Of course, digital photos can’t get water damage or suffer from faded colors but they are less personal. The physical aspect of printed photos is also something that I think should be appreciated more.

Elite Images also said, “although our lives are becoming more and more online, we still exist in a tangible world and most of our important and immediate experiences happen in physical space. This gives printed photographs a more “real” nature,” which perfectly encapsulates how I feel about physical photos.

Having a physical memento that brings back memories is so

Physical photographs made on film have longer lasting memories attached than digital images

A THOUSAND

by hailey writer/photographerperrin

WORDS

much more valuable than anything digital. There’s this feeling that comes from holding a physical memory in your hand, a sense of heartwarming nostalgia. Even when the memories attached to a physical object are painful, a part of me knows that one day I may want to remember again so instead of deleting every text and photo out of a fit of rage or sadness I put photos and other items into a box.

Library of Congress blog author Bill LeFurgy had a similar idea, saying that it’s easy to forget digital mementos.

Something so simple as holding a photo I had been waiting to see makes me see the beauty in the world.

Reporter Hailey Perrin

“My digital mementos, how- ever, are hidden on machines and media,” LeFurgy said in the blog. “I have a vague sense of what’s there, and I have organized my files somewhat. But I’m hazy about the individual items, both because I only view them occasionally and because there are so many of them.”

However it is not easy to keep physical photos when we live in a more digital world then ever. As far as photos go, one way I have started using is using a small printer. These gained popularity

a year ago but have since largely faded out. Despite their fading, I believe they are genuinely a good idea, as one can even buy picture frames or photo albums.

Another way, although more expensive, is trying out film photography. I took up film photography around a year ago after using digital cameras my whole life and have never gone back. I found my camera for $40 at a random camera shop and was lucky enough to already have a lens that fit. Every photo I take with my camera feels more personal because every frame is forever. It cannot be deleted or altered. I don’t even know what it looks like until upwards of a week later. I take more time and care into taking pictures on film.

To get the photos from the film to my hand can be a bit of a pro- cess. First I have to buy film which can be found at Walmart or most photography stores. Then after the film is full I take it to a small shop where they develop the film in about a week. After I get it I’m able to flip through them all and find my favorites. With the physical copies I will then put them into a photo album or a picture frame. Some I even plan on reprinting to a larger format. I also get digital copies of all my pictures which I then post on Instagram to show myWhenwork. I’m holding a physical photo, I know that every frame has a unique story and every scratch in the print has a personality and is beautiful. Something so simple as holding a photo I had been waiting to see makes me see the beauty in the world that just can’t be found on a phone.

A LITTLE BIRDIE TOLD ME

by anna zwahlen editor in chief

The whys and hows of identifying local birds and plants

AVIANS WITH AKEHURST

How do you go about like figuring out how to identify a bird?

“[Bird identification] is a lot of knowing what region they’re from, because if you have an app and you don’t have the region selected for your specific region then it’ll show you a random bird.“

Why did you start learning bird identification?

“I took zoology last year. It was just really fun. Birds was my favorite unit. Now I can just look out the window and see what birds are at the bird feeder.”

PLANTING SEEDS

ECHINACEA

ABOUT ECHINACEA

PLANTS WITH PRESTON

What is the benefit of having native plants in your yard?

“[Planting native species] is going to attract native organisms and really harbor that wildlife that we come to treasure. We really need to have a healthy ecosystem around us. You want to continue that [ecosystem] and make sure that you don’t have this fragmentation of habitats from your yard.”

How do you encourage native plant growth?

“If you go to any local plant store, they’ll give you great advice in terms of what types of plants would be great for your specific yard.”

A deep dive into local native plants, which are more cost effective, better for native species, and less labor intensive

Important source of nectar for birds, butterflies and more

Anti-inflammatory, treats colds, menstrual pain relief. Good in teas and as supplements

Anchors soil, prevents erosion and grows well in rocky, poor soil (perfect for Kansas yards!)

74%

of students could accurately identify this plant

YARROW

ABOUT YARROW

Spread out roots prevent erosion

Stimulates the growth of new tissue to help seal wounds, and anti-inflammatory (substitute for chamomile)

Can survive any kind of weather

Important for butterflies

17%

of students could accurately identify this plant

Plants and the Environment teacher Sam Preston explains the perks of native plants

Junior Marissa Akehurst describes her journey with birding

photo by anna zwahlen photo by elizabeth summa

Information from JagWire survey of 117 students

BROAD WINGED HAWK

Colors: Black, Brown, Gray, Red, White, Yellow Size: 13-15” on average

Habitat: Woods, groves

Bird Call: Thin, whistled cry

42%

design

Source: National Audobon Society

CHICAKDEE

Colors: Black, Gray, Tan, White

77% of students could accurately identify this bird

Size: 4 3/4”-5 3/4” on average

Habitat: Mixed and deciduous woods, shade trees, suburbs Bird Call: Buzzy “chick-a-deedee-dee” or whistled “fee-bee”

TAKING FLIGHT

of students could accurately identify this bird

Tips and tricks for identifying a few common Kansas birds

65%

of students could accurately identify this bird

ROBIN

Colors: Black, Brown, Orange, Red, Yellow Size: 10” on average

Habitat: Cities, towns, lawns, farmland, forests

Bird Call: Rising and falling notes: “cheer-up, cheerily, cheer-up, cheerily”

HOUSE SPARROW

27%

of students could accurately identify this bird

Colors: Black, Brown, Gray, Tan, White Size: 5-6 1/2”on average

Habitat: Cities, suburbs, farms

Bird Call: Shrill, monotonous, noisy chirping

APPLYING IT

Apps to help identify birds and plants in the area

BLACK-EYED SUSAN MERLIN BIRD ID

ABOUT BLACK-EYED SUSAN

Used to treat ear infections and colds. Tinctures were used by Native Americans of the Great Plains for medicinal purposes

Excellent pollinators

Self-spreading and hardy; easy to care for

39%

of students could accurately identify this plant

Created by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Merlin Bird ID is an app with the power to identify birds by recording bird calls and analyzing images. It also creates a life list of birds you’ve found, like Pokémon!

PLANTSNAP

Take a photo of the plant you want to identify and assess the results that the app gives you. Make sure your region is accurate! Learn more about how to grow a plant with products and care tips.

CUTTING

Hair is an expressive outlet students can use to showcase their personality

SENIOR

MADDOX CASSELLA

WHAT MADDOX DOES

“My sister graduated college two years ago for cosmetology. She gave me the idea of doing a design, so I started doing designs on my bleached buzz. I did jaguar print, then flames, at one point I had red hair and I’ve had zebra print.”

“[Dyeing my hair] made me not really care about things people worry about. I opened up my mind, who cares what people think? Just do your own thing.”

“I use a purple shampoo. It was a big one from Walmart. Then on occasion, my sister and I do hair treatments just to make sure that dead hair doesn’t stand out.”

photo submitted by cassella

SOPHOMORE

LILA COBB

WHAT LILA DOES

“I have long hair and dye it blonde every eight weeks. I like to wear it straight, but it’s not naturally straight. Naturally, I’m not as blonde and I think that I express myself by dyeing it and depending on [my hairstyle], it shows my mood.”

“I wash it every other day and I put hair oil in there. I take hair supplements to make my hair grow faster. I get it trimmed regularly. I try to not be stressed because stress can make you lose your hair.”

HAIR TRENDS

“I think people pick their hairstyle based on how it makes their face look. A lot of people don’t like to slick back their hair because they don’t like the shape of their face [when they do that].”

by barron writer/photographerfox

EDGE

DO OR DYE

A look at how often students have bleached and/or dyed their hair

Have you dyed your hair?

50%

17% 28%

A natural color (back to your own) An unnatural color

Source: survey of 117 students

WINTER DEHAVEN

WHAT WINTER DOES

“The first time I dyed my hair was when I was in kindergarten, I had a pink strip of my hair. Throughout middle school I dyed my hair pink, purple, red and blue. Only the pretty fun colors.”

“People watch influencers and usually influencers show them cute hairstyles. So, they [think] Oh, that looks good. I want to try that.”

SOPHOMORE

CUTTING EDGE

HAIR

TYPES

Hair types 1A through 4C and what they mean, plus haircare tips and tricks for students’ needs

3

1 SUBCATAGORIES

The three hair subcategories are Wide (A), Medium (B) and Small or Compact (C). These relate to the shape of the hair pattern and are paired with the main hair types for a more specific definition

Sources: Salon Meraki, Healthline

JUNIOR

2

4 STRAIGHT WAVY COILY

This strand is 1A

TIPS FOR TYPE

1 HAIR: Don’t overwash your hair, use texture sprays and dry shampoos, avoid heavy serums

KYRA NELSON

WHAT DOREEN DOES

This strand is 2B

TIPS FOR TYPE

2 HAIR: Avoid oil-based and cream products, use a diffuser to increase waves, use saltspray

3 CURLY

This strand is 3C

TIPS FOR TYPE

3 HAIR: Avoid over-brushing, try other styles instead of a ponytail, use leavein conditioner

This strand is 4B

TIPS FOR TYPE

4 HAIR: Use hair masques, butters, and creams, make sure to keep hair mosturized consistently

WHAT KYRA DOES

“Most people [at school] have straight hair, but I don’t and mine’s curly.”

“Usually I sleep with my hair down and then wake up and take a shower in the morning so I can put all the product in it with the shower, and then wear a bonnet to keep it healthy and keeps the split ends from being there.”

HER HAIR CARE

“Sometimes if you don’t put product in one part of your hair, it’ll be really frizzy compared to the others and then you can’t sleep on it, [but if you do] then [when you] wake up it’ll be crazy in the morning.”

SOPHOMORE

DOREEN MAHUGU

“I usually pick a color based on what’s happening. Like, if it’s summer, [I’ll] maybe choose a brighter color, or [if it’s] winter [I’ll choose a] darker color. [It] depends on what’s going on or if I have a certain com petition and I want to do really nice hair, because I know I’m gonna be taking photos often. I’ll try to do different styles according to what’s happening in my life.”

HER HAIR CARE

“For my natural hair, I would just wash it. Sometimes I do hair masks, shampoo twice, conditioner and all that stuff. I like to use oils and lotions, making sure I do those things if I’m blow drying and stuff. For my braids, I [use] just natural hair oils and spray to keep my braids all shiny and nice.”

The school has been successful in a number of sports, but the bowling team has risen to the spotlight in the last two years. After many successful competitions throughout the season, the boys team took home first at regionals and sixth at state while the girls team placed third at regionals and a history best: fifth at state.

While the team was successful in years prior, senior Ethan Diehl, who placed 13th at state, believes that their current success is due to growth and change in the group.

“The team did well for what we had last year,” Diehl said. “We lost a couple seniors that were very influential and I think we recovered pretty well and this year was even better. We’ve all practiced a lot, we’ve all grown as people, we know each other better and we weren’t that connected last year.”

Self-improvement is especially important in bowling since teams cannot affect what opposing teams

McClure said. “There’s no defense so the team is very encouraging of each other.”

Similarly, Diehl believes one of the primary factors of their improvement is how the team has grown together.

“We’ve been successful because we look out for each other,” Diehl said. “We’ve given each other tips and I give them tips. When I do, they follow it, they perform, they do good and we’re just better than last year.” For McClure, the extra work and practice that the team has put in has been a key to their success.

“These teams in particular, are successful because they bowl in leagues outside of school,” McClure said. “They spend count-

less hours in the summer bowling and in the offseason. Most of them have a private coach, they take lessons, they do a lot of work in the offseason in order to become better bowlers. They spent a lot of hours at the bowling alley.”

Growing as a team takes work, but the bowling team has an advantage in that many siblings are on the team together. Senior Kiara Gonzalez, who placed 11th at state this year, has two sisters on the team. Kiara explains how she and her sisters sophomore Layla Gonzalez and freshman Bella Gonzalez have grown closer during this season.

“I feel like I’m definitely a lot closer with Bella,” Kiara said. “Me and Layla have always been [close], so [our relationship] is the same but Bella and I have definitely gotten closer.”

Layla has seen benefits to having her older sister on the team, especially since they’ve bowled

by anna zwahlen editor in chief by ian chern copy editor

Celebrating a good outcome, senior Kiara Gonzalez and sophomore Abby Haney fist bump in excitement. The team bowled a series of 2327, earning them first place overall at the meet Thursday, Feb. 15. photo by eva hernandez

Senior Kiara Gonzalez bowled a series of 588 earning her fourth place at the meet at Park Lanes Tuesday, Feb. 13. photo by eva hernandez

together for so long.

“Our parents had bowled, so they introduced us to it,” Layla said. “[Being on the team] is not very different because I’ve always bowled with [Kiara], but I’m glad she’s on the team because I always have someone I can go talk to if I needLaylahelp.”has improved her bowling skills and advanced to the level of Kiara. However, having such a successful sister on the team has created unique struggles.

“Layla and I have been very head to head this season because she’s had a really good season,” Kiara said. “It’s just very tough to be on the same team because everyone talks about that.”

Layla has taken notice of the talk surrounding their competition as well.

“I’m always compared to [Kiara],” Layla said. “Anytime I’m asked about how I bowled [I’m] immediately asked how she’s

bowling.”

Despite the comparisons, Kiara is confident that her younger sisters will be just as successful as she has been in her bowling career once she moves on.

“I definitely feel like Leila can definitely step up very easily and take my role as the head person on the team,” Kiara said. “I feel like Bella can also be as good as Layla and get out there on the lane.”

Throughout their season, not only have the Diehls and Gonzalezes grown closer as siblings, but the team has developed a close relationship, leading to their rise in success.

“A never-give-up mindset is what I’ve developed over the past four years [in bowling],” Ethan said. “You’ll make friends, that’s what my sister has done and I’ve seen her grow a lot. It’s tough to explain, but there’s a feeling that you’re on a team and people care for you.”

Bowling team members enjoy being on the team with their siblings

THE GONZALEZ SISTERS

Sophomore

“[Having sisters on the team] is definitely really fun, just because it can be light hearted and also [good] to just talk through things.”

- Senior Kiara Gonzalez

THE DIEHL SIBLINGS

“[Having a sibling on the team] is fun, because I get to tell her what to do and what not to do. It’s also fun because I get to see myself as a freshman in her. “

- Senior Ethan Diehl

D WN THE LANE

Hoping for a strike, senior Ethan Diehl throws his bowling ball down the alley. Diehl bowled a series of 680 which earned him second place individually at the meet Thursday, Feb.15. photo by anna zwahlen

Siblings on the bowling team find that their relationships have grown through the sport

Layla Freshman Bella Senior Kiara

Senior Freshman Ethan Ella

Apply to go to EDTEC

Get first aid and CPR certification

1 2 3 4 5 6

Get clinical dates in longterm care

ELLY’S PATH

At 2 p.m. after a day of school, senior Elly VanRheen punches in for work at Hillside Village Assisted Living in De Soto where she works as a Certified Nurses Aide (CNA) multiple days a week. She helps seniors perform daily tasks such as showering, going to the bathroom and getting dressed.

VanRheen got her CNA certification through Eudora High School’s EDTEC program by taking the CNA class. Once she got her certification, she went through clinicals where students shadow CNAs and work with patients.

Much of what students learn in a CNA course is about general hygiene, infection control and emergency response. VanRheen felt what she learned was important for keeping patients safe.

During her Health Careers class at EDTEC, senior Elly Vanrheen lifts senior Jenna Graber from a patient care bed to practice moving patients Wednesday, April 5, 2023. This class was one of the first steps in VanRheen’s journey to becoming a CNA. photo by sydney mcglasson

Score above a 70% on state exam

Attend first semester in CNA class

Get a job doing clinical work

“It is [very] detail oriented,” VanRheen said. “Small things that maybe you don’t think about when you’re taking care of yourself, but that you have to pay attention to when you’re taking care of other people.”

VanRheen shares her story with continuing to work at Hillside Village.

“I actually started working [at Hillside Village] because that’s where we did our clinicals, so I had already kind of gotten to know some of the residents,” VanRheen said.

One of the biggest obstacles for VanRheen was overcoming some discomfort over certain tasks but she has learned about being professional through the process.

“You have to take people to the bathroom or change their briefs,” VanRheen said. “[Some] people

are really grossed out, but you can’t change someone and act like you’re grossed out. You have to be able to talk with them, make them feel comfortable and not make it an embarrassing thing.”

While the job comes with its challenges, VanRheen loves what she does.

“Even if I’m really tired at school or I’m in a bad mood, I can do a total 180 once I get to work and just be able to put on a smile and make people’s day,” VanRheen said.

VanRheen plans on becoming a physician’s assistant and is currently enrolled in Certified Medical Aide (CMA) classes through Eudora. A CMA is similar to a CNA except that they administer medication to VanRheen’spatients. teacher at Eudora, Danielle Young, said in an email that CNA courses are extremely helpful for someone wanting to go into the medical field.

“It shows the programs students are applying to, that they have taken steps to get experience, and that they are serious about healthcare,” Young said. “I really encourage any student who wants to become a nurse or physician to take the course.”

VanRheen echoed Young’s statement saying it is an amazing experience and more students should enroll.

“Take advantage of what the school has to offer,” VanRheen said. “The CNA program is not utilized as much as it should be and it’s a really good experience.”

ELLY VANRHEEN

Senior works in a nursing home as a CNA to prepare for future career

The six steps VanRheen took to become a CNA at Hillside Village

Source: Elly VanRheen