THE FINAL STRETCH
As the 2024 school year comes to a close, it is important to reflect on how far the senior class has come
The varying experiences seniors have had filling out this year’s FAFSA form
Mill Valley High School Volume 24, Issue 7 AG
T H E IRE NEWS
FEATURES FEATURES
superlatives
Bonds between certain students and teachers have grown in the past few years page 5 page 12 page 14
May
2024
Graduating class of 2024 votes on which
best fit their peers
Shawnee, Kansas
17,
May 17, 2024 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 4 8 @millvalleynews1 @MillValleyNews JagWire Office 5900 Monticello Road Shawnee, KS 66226 Phone: (913) 422-4351 Fax: (913) 422-4039 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. Censorship Policy PUBLICATION INFORMATION CONTENTS OPINION STAFF ED FEATURES LIST 6 FEATURES MAP
5 NEWS FINANCIAL AID 12 FEATURES SUPERLATIVES 16 OPINIONS SENIORS
Seniors on the JagWire nespaper staff stand together smiling. photo by avery clement
cover by jules shumaker
Editors in Chief
emma clement
editor in chief
jules shumaker
editor in chief
anna zwahlen
editor in chief
Online Editors in Chief
emma clement editor in chief
anna zwahlen
editor in chief
Photo Editor
luke wood photo editor
ian chern copy editor
Relay For Life raises $100,203 during their annual event Saturday, April 23 2022. photo by abby stieger
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
Professional Associations
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The JagWire earned a 2024 All-Kansas rating from KSPA and were 2023 NSPA Pacemaker finalists. It is also a member of the NSPA All-American Hall of Fame.
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.
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design by avery clement TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 JagWire
Copy Editor Staff 2023-24 STAFF
Read more on Mill Valley News 22
20
21
Holding up a picture, Mrs. Smith shows a picture of her 2013-2014 second grade class that are 2024 graduates Thursday, April 25. photo by eva hernandez
A&E MEMORIES 24 WE ARE MV TIMELINE
FEATURES TEACHER MEMORIES
FEATURES MENTORS
Much of high school has felt like running through each year at an all out sprint. Whether it be advanced classes, extracurriculars, sports, jobs or any of the other events that characterize the teenage experience, our class has raced to make up for a lost freshman year.
Unfortunately, the reality of sprinting through a long distance race is that running out of energy is inevitable. As we reach the finish line, we are running the final stretch with the weight of exhaustion and burnout.
As tired as we may be, the glimpse into the future of graduation provides that second wind seniors need to make it to the end. With all of the accomplishments the senior class takes with them, it will be no small feat to have crossed the finish line.
The senior class has accomplished many things from state titles to community service. The senior class is undeniably involved in our school and community, and that involvement
should continue wherever we may end up. However, as we transition into the real world, we’ll have to balance our accomplishments with our own well being.
Many seniors have sacrificed their well being for their accomplishments. Pulling all-nighters to study for a test and waking up ear- ly to finish an assignment became routine for many with every waking hour dedicated to something school related. That kind of schedule isn’t sustainable. We will need to find time to take care of not just our bodies, but also our mind. We need to do things outside of school or work.
When we leave high
TAKING A LEAP
Graduating seniors work to forge a new balance as they conclude their busy and tumultuous high school years by jagwire staff
school, we explore who we are as independent adults with friends, jobs and hobbies. Finding a balance between fulfilling involvement and taking time to figure out our own needs will be critical for making it through the next stages of our lives.
The way we’ve gone through high school won’t be sustainable once we leave. We’ll face all new challenges and many of them we’ll have to face on our own.
Luckily, our class isn’t a strang- er to life-changing events. We’ve gone through global disasters and faced the uncertainty of financial aid, not to mention the firsts of driving, relationships, failures and successes.
The COVID-19 pandemic launched our lives into chaos, and for many of us, the dust still has not settled. As we move into this next chapter of our lives, we should find a way to settle it. We’ll need to take a deep breath, steady our pace and move forward one step at a time.
May 17, 2024 STAFF EDITORIAL 4 design by olivia peters
FINANCIAL AID CRISIS
How this year’s Free Application for Federal Aid has prevented students from getting their college funds by evan writer/photographerleroy by ian chern copy editor
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is usually a relatively simple and easy part of the college application process. However, this year the application had students across the country waiting for their delayed financial aid letters. These issues have pushed back the college decision day which typically occurs on May 1.
The delays stem from problems with a new version of the FAFSA form which was released by the Department of Education last year. Although the new version was initially designed to make the process easier, many issues arose early on with the new versions.
More common problems with the forms include signatures disappearing, not being able to continue filling out the form, not being able to submit the form when finished and not allowing students from foreign countries to submit a mailing address from their home coun- tries. These issues caused students to not know when or if they
would receive the money they applied for.
Counselor Megan Mixon explained that of the numerous changes made to the form was the type of financial contributors that students could add to the form.
“In the past, [the FAFSA form] was all based on tax, but now we look at guardians,” Mixon said. “[In the old form], they’re based on the nuclear family with mom and dad. It wasn’t easy to do when parents are divorced so the [new] form was supposed to simplify that so you could put contributors, as opposed to [just] mom and dad.”
For senior Saad Fraitekh, his FAFSA form was not processed until mid-April. Fraitekh had submitted his form earlier in the year, but with all of the problems with the form it took him a long time to get“[Theprocessed.form] was not cooperat- ing when I filled it out,” Fraitekh said. “I had to wait three weeks just to even confirm that it got sent.”
T H I S Y E A R S F A F S A
Why the new FAFSA has been hard for students
1 2 3 4
Signatures removed from forms after returning to them
Parents unable to access the form
Dashboard not loading on Safari and Edge browsers
Users with no SSN who have ITIN must manually enter financialinformation
However, Fraitekh was able to work around his struggles by contacting the FAFSA support team.
“I just contacted FAFSA, and they just let me know that everything was alright,” Fraitekh said. “They said it was just the change in the system which was why everything was delayed.”
For senior Colson Knight, the issues were more user error than faults with the form. These issues he experienced along with the slow processing times have caused his form to still be unprocessed through decision day.
“I had to fill it out twice because I thought I submitted it before winter break,” Knight said. “But I got an email in March saying that I hadn’t submitted, so it was a big inconvenience.”
If issues occur when filling out the form, there are several resources to fix problems. Students can talk to their counselor in person or through email, the college’s financial aid department’s advice and the FAFSA website offers workarounds and support.
“My [FAFSA form] has been processing for [almost] three months. I had to redo the form after the new one came out.”
“[Filling out FAFSA] was confusing. There was a lot of tax forms you had to turn in, and I had to go back and fill those out.”
design by madelyn mulryan NEWS 5 JagWire
Senior Evan Mack Senior Jenna Tuttle
404
Source: Student Aid ‘
May 17, 2024 FEATURES 6
A look at the post-high school plans of the graduating class of 2024 AZ 1 CA 4 TX 1 UT 2 CO 2 KS 193 MO NE 2 OK 2 IA 2 MN 1 TOP THREE STATES OUTSIDE OF KANSAS 1. 2. 3. Missouri Arkansas California TOP THREE PLANS by madelyn writer/photographermulryan WA 1 ND 1 1. 2. 3. College/University Trade School Workforce
ON TO THE NEXT ADVENTURE
Three
Three
Three
design by jules shumaker FEATURES 7 JagWire GA 2 MO 21 IA 2 IL 4 KY 1 WV 1 PA 2 MA 2 RI 2 IN STATE vs. 193 Students will be attending in state 69 OUT OF STATE FARTHEST LOCATIONS Students will be attending schools out of state 1. 2. 3. Long Beach City College University of Southern California University of California San Diego AR 14 N S E W TOP THREE MAJORS 1. 2. 3. Business Psychology Education 1,620 miles TOP THREE OUT OF STATE SCHOOLS 1. 2. 3. University of Arkansas University of Missouri-Kansas City Northwest Missouri State University TOP THREE IN STATE SCHOOLS 1. 2. 3. Kansas State University of Kansas Johnson County Community College 1,619 miles 1,561 miles MI 1 64 students 58 students 41 students 4. University of Missouri 13 students
students
students
students
SPREADING OUR WINGS
The post-high school plans for each of the 2024 graduates
Source: Student information found through JagWire/counseling surveys
ARIZONA
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Preston Fischer
Finance
ARKANSAS
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
Molly Bilhimer
Human Resources Management
Ella Bowling Psychology
Aidan Edenfield
Biology
Reagan Enemark
Nursing
Hailee Ford
Nursing
McKinley Graves Vocal Performance
Kate Helm
Communication and Science Disorders
Audrey Holick
Global Studies
Stella Hoog
No Major Given
Olivia Kerstetter
Undecided
Olivia Maddox
Pre-Nursing
Blake Powers
Music Education
Halle Wampler
Biology
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK
Dillon Cooper Finance
CALIFORNIA
LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE
Anthony Chau Valdivia
Computer Programming
POINT LOMA NAZARENE
UNIVERSITY
Violet Hentges
Media Communication
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO
Sarah Anderson
Chemical Engineering
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Walt Midyett
Neuroscience
COLORADO
COLORADO STATE
UNIVERSITY
Anna Zwahlen
Chemical and Biological Engineering
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
ACADEMY
Robert Hickman Undecided
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO
Ethan Long Physics
GEORGIA
MOREHOUSE COLLEGE
Robert Hill
Business Administration/Finance
SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN
Jules Shumaker
Illustration
ILLINOIS
COLUMBIA COLLEGE
CHICAGO
Ella Doyle
Graphic Design
Nate Garner Film
DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
Riley Martin
Comedy Arts
LOYOLA UNIVERSITY
CHICAGO
Kaitlyn Burke
Exercise Science
IOWA
DRAKE UNIVERSITY
Ashley Makalous
Business Management and Entrepreneurship
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Abby Sommerfeld
Graphic Design
KANSAS
AVILA UNIVERSITY
Kiara Gonzalez Undecided
BAKER UNIVERSITY
Tristan Baker
Exercise Science
Ethan Diehl
Mass Media
Julian Meneses
No Major Given
Jaden Scobee
No Major Given
Evan Seifert
No Major Given
Peyton Zenger
Biochemistry
COFFEYVILLE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE
Davion Harris
Criminal Justice
EMPORIA STATE
UNIVERSITY
Aaron Gallimore
Health and Human Performance
Megan Kephart
No Major Given
Allison Mulder
Communications
Sarah Reynolds
Elementary Education
FORT HAYS STATE
UNIVERSITY
Jenna Graber
Nursing
Kaylen Hyde
Elementary Education
HUTCHINSON
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Reid Livingston
No Major Given
Adam Seymour
Construction Management
JOHNSON COUNTY
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Kaitlyn Andrews
No Response
Xavier Anson
Nursing
Nikhil Arora
Criminal Justice
Ashlyn Bellmyer
Culinary Arts
May 17, 2024 FEATURES 8
Micah Boatwright
Education
Harley Quinn Boehm
Automation Engineering Technology
Ethan Brownfield
Liberal Arts
Gabriel Budimlija
Sales
Jasmine Cruz-Ramirez
No Major Given
Mya Diacono
No Major Given
Leah Dresvyannikov
Undecided
Kael Drummond
No Major Given
Corbin Garnand
Undecided
Benjamin Gomez
Accounting
Emerson Esser
Sociology/Domestic Abuse & Family
Violence
Axel Flores Cadena
No Major Given
Sireen Fraitekh
Pre Pharmacy and Illustration
Mia Hernandez
Literature Arts
Jenna Kingsbury
No Major Given
Livianna Kirkpatrick
Psychology
Charles Kistler-Uhde
Welding
Hannah Lovell
Dental Hygiene
Julian Maddox
Undecided
Michelle Marney
Music Education
Adam McClendon
Culinary
Kevin McIntire
No Response
Josh Onkoba
Information Technology
Nikki Owens
Undecided
Chase Parker
Animation
Cannon Rhodes No Response
Trent Richardson
Computer Science
Andrew Runyon No Response
Jack Schaffer
Food and Beverage Management
Brayden Skeels
No Major Given
Emma Stanton
General Sciences
Jules Tracy
Undecided
Lydia Watson
Psychology
SIGNINGS
Symbol key for those that signed to do their sport/activity in
Logan White
No Major Given
Luke Wilson
No Major Given
KANSAS CITY KANSAS
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Mia Hernandez
No Major Given
Caden Slaven
No Major Given
Lucian Zaragoza
Automotive Technology
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Madison Angell
Business
Haden Applebee
Undecided
Dawson Berg
Mechanical Engineering
Macy Bidnick
Marketing/Sales
Daniel Blaine
Construction Management
Gracie Bowline
Nursing
Joshua Breninger
Marketing
Noah Brueggemann
Business
Maci Burger
Business Marketing
Colton Clark
Civil Engineering
Conner Clifton
Pre-med
Valeria Cruz-Gonzalez
Biological Systems of Engineering
Bella Dumler
Marketing
Madeline Epperson
Fashion Studies
Jake Fischer
No Major Given
Katie Fredericks
Chemical Engineering
Alli Gervais
Human Integrated Sciences on a Pre-Nursing Track
Lincoln Gray
Undecided
Reid Grier
Marketing
Truman Griffith
Finance
Anna Guest
Biology
Avery Gullach-Ruiz
Aviation
Nathalie Gutierrez
Biology
Banner Hall
Psychology
Gus Hawkins
Civil Engineering
Ava Jones
No Major Given
Cade Jonscher
No Major Given
Dylan Judd No Response
Kendall Lien
Psychology and Political Science
Evan Mack
Mechanical Engineering
Kate Marten
Human Development and Family Science
Sydney McGlasson
Criminology
Augusta Miller
Music Education
Claire Moberly
Elementary Education
Olivia Moore
Accounting
Natalie Moreland
No Major Given
Marc Muntzek
Marketing
Blake Neis
No Major Given
Keira Patty
Fisheries, Wildlife, Conservation and Environmental Biology
Kambry Rader
Architectural Design
Broden Resch
No Major Given
Mia Reese
No Major Given
Reagan Roberts
Kinesiology
Anna Roche
Elementary Education
Lucy Roy
Elementary Education
Sebastian Smith No Major Given
Owen Smouse
Engineering
Evangelina Snyder
No Major Given
Renée Steinle
Kinesiology
Sophia Steinmetz
Accounting
Brett Stockwell
Computer Science
Emily Stove
Architecture
Aiden Stroebel
Business
Sully Suderman
Mechanical Engineering
Elly VanRheen
Microbiology
Kynley Verdict
Sales and Marketing
Ellie Walker
Business Finance
Abigail Warren
Criminology
design by emma clement FEATURES 9 JagWire
Baseball Basketball Bowling Dance Football Golf Powerlifting Rowing Soccer Softball Swim Track & Field/Cross Country Volleyball Wrestling Music/ Theater
college
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Liam Watson
Veterinarian Medicine
Brooklyn Welton
No Major Given
Bryant Wiltse
Accounting
Abby Wolff
Marketing
Kathryn Yockey
Biology
Noah Zade
Mechanical Engineering
MCPHERSON COLLEGE
Luke Wood
Automotive Restoration
Technology
PITTSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY
Christy Atkinson
Accounting
Taylor Hey
Psychology
Jamie Lutz
No Major Given
Emma Rathbun
Elementary Education
Maggie Reigle
Criminology
Elizabeth Summa
Criminal Justice and Criminology
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Meron Abebe
Behavioral Neuroscience
Caroline Alley
Vocal Performance
Nathan Anderson
Linguistics
Peyton Aucoin
Atmospheric Science
Wylie Barnes
Business
Allister Calkins
No Major Given
Aileen Chen
Human Biology
Austin Cline
No Major Given
Sarah Coleman
Music Education
Lanie DeWitte
Biology/Pre-Dental
Bridgit Duffin
Chemical Engineering
Ella Edwards
Psychology
Grant Feuerborn
No Major Given
Keira Franken
Health Science
Jack Fulcher
Computer Science
Isaac Funes
Mechanical Engineering
Kenzie Gorr
Business Administration
Gage Graham
Kinesiology
Kate Haney
Business Administration
Georgia Hansen
Chemical
Kai Hayes
Engineering
Ecology, Evolution and Organismal
Biology
Gwen Heideman
Psychology
Aleena Ismail
No Major Given
Gavin Johnson
Business
Leah Johnson
Computer Science
Jack Kellogg
Chemical Engineering
Brittany Knickerbocker
Social Work
Colson Knight
No Major Given
Andrew Kouris
Finance
Camryn Kunik
No Major Given
Ben Lamothe
Business Management
AJ Lauer
Mechanical Engineering
Jackson Lawler
Business
Emma Lehn
No Major Given
Austin Leiker
Mechanical Engineering
Cooper Line
Pre-Pharmacy
Ian Marr
Undecided
Brady Mason
Pre-Med
Ryleigh McCall
Marketing
Alexavier Middleton
No Major Given
Molly Morgan
Nursing
Aidan Morton
Business Management
Jacob Morton
No Major Given
Maddy Olivier
Biochemistry on Pre-Med track
Kate Pfiester
Business
Luke Pittenger
Business
Samuel Pittenger
No Response
Rachel Reynolds
Elementary Education
Kaelyn Russell
No Major Given
Paige Schooley
No Major Given
Lucas Serrano
No Major Given
Mackenzie Simpson
Marketing
Isabella Skramstad
Psychology
Drew Snyder
No
Major Given
Chaley Spauding
No Major Given
Annaliese Strack
Business
Arpit Toor
No Major Given
Aubrey Wescott
Marketing
UNIVERSITY OF SAINT MARY
Brooklyn LaFon
Biomedical Sciences
Jenna Tuttle
Criminal Psychology
WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY
Addison Bailey
Business Administration
Carys Kristensen
No Major Given
Xaviana Reece
Graphic Design
KENTUCKY
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
Bryn Simpson
Psychology and Pre-Med MASSACHUSETTS
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Emma Clement
Education and Human Development
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
Sophia Estes
Journalism and English
MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Brandon Munson
No Major Given
WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY
Logan Holdren
Conservation Biology
MINNESOTA
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
Trinity Baker Kinesiology
MISSOURI
DRURY UNIVERSITY
Porter Slattery
No Major Given MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY
Makai Nzioki
No Major Given
MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY
Athena Solomon
Theatre
MISSOURI WESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY
Cooper Schreiber
No Major Given
NORTHWEST MISSOURI
STATE UNIVERSITY
Brooke Bellehumeur
Psychology
May 17, 2024 FEATURES 10
Keira Bret
No Major Given
Julia Coacher
Undecided
PARK UNIVERSITY
AJ Vega
Business Management
SOUTHWEST BAPTIST
UNIVERSITY
Sam Mullen
Sports Psychology
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL
MISSOURI
Makenna Payne
Exercise Science/Kinesiology
Kate Ricker
No Major Given
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI KANSAS CITY
Chloe Clayton Dentistry
Chetanjit Parmar
No Major Given
Ellee Wheelock
Early Childhood Education
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
Danika Dulitz
Pre Nursing
Ella Hansen
Media Studies
Kally Silvey
Nursing
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS
Saad Fraitekh
Biochemical Engineering for Pre-Dental
WILLIAM JEWELL COLLEGE
Waylon Schenk
Biochemistry on Pre-Med track
Aubri Swanson
Nursing
WILLIAM WOODS
UNIVERSITY
Jacob Evans
Business
NEBRASKA
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
Colin McAlister
No Major Given
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
LINCOLN
Will Lehan
Software Engineering
NORTH DAKOTA
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH
DAKOTA
Kenten Laughman
No Major Given
OKLAHOMA
OKLAHOMA STATE
UNIVERSITY
Madelyn Warmke No Major Given
ORAL ROBERTS
UNIVERSITY
Sophia Franco Psychology
UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
Kyla Newton Accounting
PENNSYLVANIA
GANNON UNIVERSITY
Mason Kemp
Business Administration
TEMPLE UNIVERSITY
Grace Cormany
Neuroscience and Vocal Performance
TEXAS
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS
Olivia Peters Psychology
UTAH
BRIGHAM YOUNG
UNIVERSITY
Tenley Moss
Bio-Engineering
UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY
Dallin Wallace Undecided
WASHINGTON
GONZAGA UNIVERSITY
Lucas Longhofer
Pre-dental
WORKFORCE
Hayden Albertson
Oregon Tradesmen Hockey
Caden Allen
HVAC
Nicholas Billinger
Filmmaking
Greyson Bruce
Auto
Nathaniel Carter
Marketing
Denver Coulter
Family and Consumer Services
Nicholas Harris
No Field Given
Alannah Hart
No Field Given
Joseph Hoelting
Landscaping/Construction
Jaxson Horn
Welding
Shai Kalthoff
Graphic Design
Sam Oldham
Self Employment/ Entrepreneurship
Jackson Rose
No Field Given
TRADE SCHOOL/ CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
Hayden Baird
HVAC
Ava Bilyeu
Entourage Institute of Beauty and Cosmetics
Carley Broyles
Cosmetology
Samuel Colletti
Welding
Emma Hicks
Cosmetology
Maddie Hopkins
Court Reporting
Olivia Huston
Cosmetology
Lily Jensen
Culinary
Haley Johnson
Missouri Institute of Taxidermy
Braedan McCaslin
Missouri Welding Institute
Faith Parker
Cosmetology
Maxim Roh
Welding/Automotive
Emily Summa
Paul Mitchell Esthetics
Addisyn White
The Skn Academy
MILITARY
Maddox Casella
Air Force
Brodie Connor Army
Kyan Carroll
No Branch Given
Ebrima Sabally
Marine Corps
THE BRIDGE
Gus Gosch
UNDECIDED/ GAP YEAR
Milo Allen
Ayed Abuhamda
Andre Arnold
Quentin Enslinger
Aiden Ferguson
Ava Fleetwood
Logan Mothersbaugh
Gabriella Nielsen
Alex Skeels
Josiah Walmsley
design by emma clement FEATURES 11 JagWire
SENIOR SUPERLATIVES
MOST LIKELY TO BE PRESIDENT
MERON ABEBE
“I’m happy that my fellow peers voted for me, I did the math and I would actually be running for presidency in 2044 so I really can count on my fellow students’ votes. Vote for
WALT MIDYETT
“It’s definitely an honor. I appreciate the respect I got for my senior class and maybe one day I will be president. I hope you guys vote for me.”
MOST LIKELY TO BE A PRO ATHLETE
Exploring past high school superlatives of staff members
TRUMAN GRIFFITH
“I feel very honored, it’s a pretty good feeling. If there’s any award I was going to win, I feel like it’d be this one. I appreciate everyone who voted for me.”
GUS HAWKINS
“I thought it was pretty cool to get voted. I think it’s because I’m going to go play D1 football. I had a pretty good senior season and I’m excited to see where I stack up with the other guys [on the team].”
May 17, 2024
BACK IN OUR DAY
GAIL HOLDER BEST ATHLETE PRINCIPAL ANGIE DALBELLO BEST SMILE HISTORY TEACHER
FEATURES 12
SUPERLATIVES
The senior class voted to on which student best aligned with each superlative
MOST LIKELY TO BE ON SNL
by madelyn writer/photographermulryan
by anna zwahlen editor in chief
by ian chern copy editor
RILEY MARTIN
“It’s very validating to win because [comedy] is the career path I want to go into so to know that people thought that of me is cool. People probably voted for me because I’ve talked about wanting to go into comedy, and I also hope I’m funny.”
NATE GARNER
“I’m glad people think I’m funny. Sometimes I’m worried that people think that I’m stupid actually, but it’s cool to know that people think I’m funny. I’m probably not the funniest, but I’m the loudest. When people think of goofy goobers, they think of me.”
MOST LIKELY TO BE AN INFLUENCER
EMILY SUMMA
“I think I got most likely to be influencer because of my TikToks. I love posting my school outfits.”
VIOLET HENTGES
“Being voted for this makes me feel like I need to be an influencer now. I vlog my entire life on my private story and the entire school is on it, so it makes sense that this is what I’d be voted for.”
design by avery clement FEATURES 13 JagWire
KURTIS BANGLE MOST COOL UNDER PRESSURE BUSINESS TEACHER CORY SEARS MOST DRAMATIC CARPENTRY TEACHER HAHA photos by eva hernandez and elizabeth summa
MOST LIKELY TO MAKE SOMEONE’S DAY
MOST LIKELY TO DRESS THE BEST BRIDGIT DUFFIN
“It feels great to win. It feels like such a compliment. I try to walk around the halls with a smile on my face, so I hope that had something to do with [why I won].”
ETHAN BROWNFIELD
“Feels great to win, it’s awesome that most people think that [I make people’s day] and I’m very grateful to have this award. Maybe they voted for me [because they] think I’m nice, I’m happy they voted for me.”
KEIRA PATTY
“It’s exciting to see that other people appreciate my outfits, it was really cool to win [best dressed]. I think my style is unique, so it stands out when you walk down the hall and see it.”
SARAH COLEMAN
“I definitely have a pretty unique sense of fashion this year. I haven’t dressed as consistently as I used to, but when I do wear outfits that I actually put effort into I feel like they’re pretty different and people probably remember that.”
JOEY LAZOR
MATH TEACHER MOST ATHLETIC
JESSIE REIMER
CHOIR TEACHER BEST SINGER
May 17, 2024 FEATURES 14
MOST LIKELY TO END UP ON BROADWAY
“I was surprised since I really only started participating heavily in theater during my junior year, but I felt very honored. I’ve been the lead in a lot of shows recently, so people have seen me on stage a lot.”
CAROLINE ALLEY GRACE CORMANY
“I was really surprised at first but really excited to have that recognition. Being on stage and performing has always been my passion and having people perceive that is very nice. I’m very thankful to all my classmates.”
MOST LIKELY TO WIN A NOBEL PRIZE
”It feels good to win, I think I complained a lot about some of my harder classes, so then people think that I’m in hard classes and want me to win.”
SARAH ANDERSON GEORGIA HANSEN
“I think I won because I’m in a lot of STEM classes. And in those classes, I’m known for helping out my peers whenever they struggle, and I think the assumption is that I never struggle. But even if that’s not the case, I think that people believe that I’m smart and that I’m driven and that I’m hopefully going to make a difference one day.”
BUSINESS TEACHER MOST LIKELY TO NEVER LEAVE JOHNSON COUNTY
FEATURES 15 JagWire
SARAH SIDES MATH TEACHER MOST OPTIMISTIC BRIAN KIRKPATRICK
design by avery clement photos by eva hernandez and elizabeth summa
LASTING MEMORIES
JagWire seniors reflect on their high school experience and give advice for future students
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LEAVE YOUR COMFORT ZONE
by luke wood photo editor
The stereotypical “High School Musical” social classes are an outdated system that needlessly divides students. In my time at Mill Valley, I have had the opportunity to mingle with people of all backgrounds and interests. These experiences range from things like taking welding classes at CTEC, being on the sidelines with the football team every Friday and reaching out of my comfort zone to try things like enrolling in Drama or taking on a leadership position in the JagWire. Through these experiences, I have learned that most Mill Valley students are surprisingly similar. I
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have made connections with people in all of the classes I’ve been in and realized that most students could easily be friends without the restraints of old-fashioned social constructs.
Students need to realize that while high school is an important time to learn about who you are and who you do and do not work well with, it’s not the time to shut out those who don’t appear to be like you. While it seems farfetched, connections made in high school could last a lifetime, all you have to do is reach out and engage with the people around you. Ultimately, we are all teenagers learn- ing how to live life together.
REACH OUT, GET INVOLVED
by elizabeth summa writer/photographer
When you start high school you consistently hear “high School goes by fast, take it in.” You never think it goes by fast until you have one month left. My advice to underclassmen would be to take every moment in. Go to sports events, get involved in school activities and join clubs. I wish I got involved in more activities at the school. Getting involved in the newspaper was incredibly beneficial. For me, it helped me get out of my comfort zone. When I joined my sophomore year, I did not want to reach out to anyone in person, I barely talked to anyone and I had no confidence in my work. Three
years later, I can comfortably say I can now talk to people without needing someone with me, I can talk to anyone in class without being scared and I can say that I have a lot of pride and confidence in my pictures.Another piece of advice I would give to underclassmen would be stop caring what other people think of you. I can assure you the majority of the people here do not care what you do. Go out, have fun with your friends and don’t worry about people’s opinions. Do what makes you happy, not what other people want you to do. At the end of the day, it’s your life and you deserve to be happy.
May 17, 2024 OPINIONS 16
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There is a delicate balance between challenging yourself and overworking yourself, and it’s not always easy to spot the difference until too late. In my freshman and sophomore years, I joined debate deliberately in order to challenge myself. I knew it would be hard and it was, but I grew a lot as a speaker, a researcher, and a friend. Still, debate is an incredibly intensive activity, and I found it taking over almost all my free time. My life was out of balance.
I quit debate going into my junior year, and I’ve been working to find a healthy balance since. Making time for activities, homework, work, friends, and sleep can feel like juggling a million things
FIND BALANCE
by olivia writer/photographerpeters
if you don’t have a solid plan. Intentionally prioritizing my to-dos, setting firm boundaries with myself and others, and saying no to things I don’t have time for made it possible. I still work to challenge myself, but I understand the difference between challenge and overwork. I’ve also allowed myself to let go of things that don’t serve me any more. It can be stressful to drop something you’ve already poured time into, but it is such a relief to stop wasting your energy on something you don’t like. If I could give any advice to my younger self, it would be to give myself more grace as I was figuring my balance out. It’s not shame- ful to be overwhelmed, but it is a sign to reflect. Finding balance is a process. Be kind to yourself.
LET YOURSELF LIVE
by emma clement editor in chief
Beginning early on in my childhood, I had a plan for my life. At first it was to become an astronaut, then to attend an Ivy League college, then run for president; the list went on and on. My ambition motivated me through my pre-teen years and even when my specific plans fell away, I continued through high school with the same vigor. However, now that I’m approaching graduation I’ve come to the realization that I never really took the time to experience high school. Throughout middle and high school, I threw myself into clubs and activities; so much so that I had very little time to just relax. I don’t regret getting involved in extracurriculars: I have enjoyed every single thing I’ve been involved
in, but it was too much.
Having time to spend with friends and family, read a book or just exist were rare occurrences for me in high school. I was happy with the things I did fill my time with, but I can’t lie, it was exhausting at times.
If I had one recommendation for incoming freshmen, it would still be to get involved, but with caution. Joining everything can be incredibly fulfilling, but it often leads to more stress than it’s worth.
Getting involved in the activities that are truly an interest is so worth it, but so is having the time to take a breath and relax. If I could go back and do it all again, I would tell myself to save time to just live life.
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design by hailey perrin OPINIONS JagWire
IT’S OKAY TO LEARN
by jules shumaker editor in chief
There was a time between freshman and sophomore year when I stopped filling up my sketchbooks. I could not stand to fill it with things that were not high quality or a finished product. Failure seemed inevitable, so I thought, “why not cut it off at the source?”
It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I soon found myself falling behind in my artistic skills, missing the quick messy doodles, the fun of trusting the process and getting an original product. Watching YouTube videos of sketchbook tours made me jealous, but I realized the only thing holding me back from creating the same thing was my fear of messing up. I wanted to be better at art, and the only way to do that was to continue
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by anna zwahlen editor in chief
When you’re in high school, it feels like every decision could be the most important one of your life. Who your friends are, what classes you take and what colleges you get into seem to be make or break decisions. One wrong choice could ruin your life for the foreseeable future. But if I’ve learned anything this year, it’s that most of the decisions you make in high school aren’t that serious. It often seems like we need to have every step of our lives planned out from the time we walk through the front doors of the school to when we stand on that stage to receive our diplomas, but that simply isn’t the case. For most of high school, we don’t even know who we are, much less who we want to be for the next sixty years.
failing; which now I understand is just as natural a part of the process as art itself.
It will be rough at the beginning, but you’ll learn to love seeing yourself progress and enjoy the journey in bad art. This year I am in AP Art, and even though the main hope for the end of the class is 10 finished, perfect pieces, I have learned through trial and error that this is not attainable, but that is okay. For the first time in my life, I have completed my very own sketchbook, mistakes and all. It took a while but it paid off. Although I am focused on speaking about art, this mentality should apply to all areas of life. Practice really does make perfect, or at least, better work, and failure should not be the end.
EXPLORE IN HIGH SCHOOL
As we leave high school, we start to figure out who we are. That means exploring new places and interests. With that exploration, what we want to do with our life is going to change drastically. I’ve gone from wanting to study culture, to linguistics, to engineering in just three years. If sophomore me had it her way, I would’ve left everything I know behind to study a niche that pays poorly. She had no idea how complicated life would get. She stubbornly refused to believe that her interests might change in a few years. I wouldn’t trust that sixteen year old to plan out my entire life, so why was she expected to? There’s a lot that’s going to change in the next five years, so expecting yourself to calculate every single decision is just setting yourself up for failure. design by hailey
May 17, 2024 OPINIONS 18
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design by jules shumaker ADS 19 cityofshawnee.org/jobs • 913.742.6410 We are hiring NOW for the 2024 summer aquatic season! The Shawnee Parks and Recreation Department is looking for individuals ages 14 and older to join our team. The City of Shawnee is an Equal Opportunity Employer. $200 referral bonus for each employee recruited and retained through the season! Make a SPLASH at the City of Shawnee! Lifeguards (reimbursement for certification) Swim Instructors Front Desk Concession JagWire
UNFORGETTABLE MEMORIES
by evan writer/photographerleroy
Local elementary teachers and the class of 2024 reminisce on their past memories together
JENNIFER DONOVAN & SULLY SUDERMAN
CLEAR CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Senior Sully Suderman at- tended elementary school at Clear Creek Elementary and has very fond memories of his music teacher Jennifer Donovan.
“She was always really nice. [Her class] was always a lot of fun,” Suderman said. “One of my biggest memories [from Clear Creek] is the [music] programs that you do each year as a class. Those were my favorite, I really liked doing them.”
Donovan recalls what casting Suderman in the programs was like and how attentive he was in class.
“Their fourth-grade musical
CRISTI SMITH & KENZIE GORR
PRAIRIE RIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Senior Mackenzie Gorr attended Prairie Ridge Elementary School and had a positive experience going there. One of the teachers she has good memories with is 2nd grade teacher Cristi Smith.
“She definitely had a positive impact on me”, Gorr said. “I think elementary school is such an important learning period and you learn who you are as a student. It was nice to have all their support throughout the early years because it definitely helped me be confident in my academics now.”
“The Gorrs are both two of my favorites [students] of all time. I had both of them and it’s good to see them and visit [with them] I think they have really fond memo- ries of me as well,” Smith said.
Smith has enjoyed watching Gorr grow up throughout the years and loves to see her students grow and evolve.
“McKenzie Gorr is one student I have a lot of fond memories of and I’ve kept up with her family because it’s nice to see them grow and change. she’s still just the lovely little girl she was and she want- ed to be a teacher,” Smith said.
was the Wright Brothers musical and Walt Midyett and Sully Sud- erman were the Wright brothers in the musical,” Donovan said. “I pulled Walt and Sully aside and said, ‘Would you be willing to be the Wright brothers?’ And they of course obliged me because they’re great kids.”
Donovan hopes students have great memories of her class.
“[Students] need to learn music. We have content and we have standards,” Donovan said. “But what I want kids to remember is the feeling they got from my classroom, a safe place and a place that’s for everybody.”
May 17, 2024 FEATURES 20 design by hailey perrin
photos by luke wood
GETTING CLASSY
Exploring bonds forged between seniors and their teachers throughout their classes by maddie writer/photographermartin
ABBY SOMMERFELD
“I was never a fan of the science part of [his Physics class], but the way he taught it and the way he allowed you a lot of freedom with projects was what I really liked about it. As a teacher, he is so chill about everything. We were supposed to make posters of Galileo, but the poster I made of Galileo was so ridiculous that he let me make it and put it up on his wall.”
CHAD BROWN
“I think the main thing [I do is] provide a safe space for her, encourage the abilities she has and not discourage her because science is not her thing. I wanted to encourage her to be involved and she ended up joining the Science Olympiad team.”
CHLOE CLAYTON
“In my Advanced Ceramics class junior year, it was [Matyak] and five other seniors. It was just the best class, where she would talk to you and tell stories. I think that entire time I was just invested in her.”
ERICA MATYAK
“My favorite memory is the collective memory of the banter that we’ve had because she’s a student that I can say anything to and she’s not going to be offended, and we can tease each other and joke around.”
CHOIR
BLAKE POWERS
“She’s taught me how to prioritize my time and [how] to figure out what I should be focusing on most.”
JESSIE REIMER
“Once he finally joined choir, his junior year, he’s been super active. He has the type of personality that is very outgoing, so it’s really easy to get to know him. [Because of this he] immediately became a leader in chorale last year.”
design by quin peters FEATURES 21 JagWire
PHYSICS CERAMICS
THINGS WORTH CELEBRATING
Shining
a
spotlight on the
accomplishments
and careers of the senior class
“Photo Imaging with B Lloyd, he showed me how to use a camera and was overall a very fun class, and now it is going to be my main motivation for my major in college”
“Being a chair for Relay for Life because I was able to be a part of an event that makes an impact on people who are fighting for their life”
“Senior Sunrise”
“It’s okay if you don’t make a team or get cut, don’t let it ruin your high school experience, there are other opportunities”
“My calculus 1 class junior year. The class was not fun but Mr. Rodkey made it fun everyday”
“Having a bunch of snow days”
“Completing a CDA, which is pretty much an associates degree”
“Senior prom with my best friends”
“Don’t go through highschool alone. It’s so much better once you find your people” information gathered by maddie martin
“Don’t take classes just because your friends are in them, take classes you think you will be interested in, and once you are in those classes determine if you enjoy the content and find what you really love doing” “Be kind to people, you don’t know how far kindness can go”
“Earning the silver seal of biliteracy for Spanish because I had to work very hard to get the score I needed”
“Sophomore year video productions. I had a great teacher and for the first time in my life I felt like I was truly meant to do something”
“Going to state for choir because I had always doubted my singing but after going twice back to back I felt like my singing might actually be good”
TRENT RICHARDSON
“It was the second open mic night, and when I got done playing my song, the owner came up to me, and said, “Hey, you sound really cool.” They ended up inviting me to come back and play for them. It was my first real gig, the start of my music [and] being paid for music.”
COOPER LINE
“I forgot to put [my tennis shoes] back in my bag when we headed out and so when I went out there, I had no shoes, so I had to play an entire JV tournament in a pair of HeyDudes and I somehow won it all. It was just surreal. It honestly felt awesome in the moment.”
Favorite Memories (specific seniors)
Favorite Memories From Senior Year Advice for incoming freshmen
Favorite Class Proudest Accomplishment
May 17, 2024 A&E 22
SCHOOLYARD STATS
60% qualified for state for a sport/ activity
The statistics behind the senior class from a survey of 121 people WHAT WAS
pick beefy nachos as their favorite school lunch
53% averaged 5-6 hours of sleep 79% dated during highschool
MACKENZIE SIMPSON
“I would say [blue bomb] was my favorite because all of my friends gathered there and it was like a last hurrah of high school. It was nice to see everyone having a good time and messing around with whatever they could find.”
IT’S ALL ADDING UP FAVORITE
attended a Homecoming dance
94% attended a prom dance
44% extroverted
56% introverted
JULIA COACHER
“[Winning State Soccer] is my favorite memory because it was something our team had worked so hard for. The year before that we got second place, so it was a comeback season for us. It was so memorable and such an amazing experience.”
design by quin peters A&E 23 JagWire
12% Freshman 4% Sophomore Junior 25% Senior 57% 90%
YOUR...? FAVORITE YEAR
HALL
A-Hall B-Hall C-Hall 45% 45% 10% 43%
photos by eva hernandez
2021 2022 2023 2024
An excavator sits parked in front of the new softball press box and
was
to remove dirt in order to level the field so the future
be
down December
Holding their trophy overhead, the boys soccer team celebrates winning the state championship title Saturday, Nov. 5 2023 against Olathe West’s. photo by
PATH TO THE END
Key events that define the class of 2024’s experience throughout high school
Sitting on the MTMS gym floor, groups of students wait for updates from the school about the fire alarms March 7 2024. photo by emma clement
design by hailey perrin, photos gathered by elizabeth summa I AM MV 24 JagWire
Students walk through the halls wearing COVID-19 masks Oct. 18, 2021. photo by evan sherman
bleachers. The excavator
used
turf can
laid
2021. photo by luke wood
Juniors Ellie Walker, Maddie Angell, Kaitlyn Burke and Abby Wolff huddled around junior Lucy Roy to take a picture at Pink Out night Friday, Sept. 30 2022. Keria Patty photo by keira patty
Down on one knee, Mr. Bingley, played by junior Blake Powers, proposes to Jane Bennett played by senior Grace Cormany during the Pride and Prejudice play April 2023 photo by ally sul
lauren aycock
Graduation!
The football team celebrates their state win while head coach Joel Applebee holds up the 5A championship trophy. The team beat Kapaun 62-37 to win their fifth consecutive state title Saturday, Nov. 25 2023. photo by luke wood