JagWire Newspaper — Volume 16, Issue 1

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL | VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 1 | SEPT. 23, 2015

pg. 8-9

TABLE OF CONTENTS NEWS

3 4-5

ACT scores less paper use

FEATURES Profile: T-Ying Lin overcrowding

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6 8-9

OPINIONS 10 11

staff editorial opinion columns

SPORTS

12 13 14

overtime new turf EKL comparison

13

A&E Spotlight: Westport

PHOTO ESSAY

lunch staff

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Online: www.mvnews.org Twitter: @millvalleynews Facebook: Mill Valley News

Editors in Chief Tori Aerni Sarah Myers Karissa Schmidt Managing Editor Jillian Leiby Copy Editor Nick Booth Photo Editor Madison Ferguson News Editor Sam Lopez Features/A&E Editors Claire Biles Margaret Mellott

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Opinions Editor Adri Talavera Sports Editor Braden Shaw Staff Members Abigail Archibong Claire Boone Alison Booth Jason Chen Justin Curto Tricia Drumm Morgan Gurwell Nora Lucas Nick Precht Jena Smith Victoria Wright

table of contents

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STAFF INFORMATION

JAGWIRE OFFICE

CENSORSHIP POLICY

5900 Monticello Road Shawnee, KS 66226 Phone: (913) 422-4351 Email: jagwirenewspaper@gmail.com Adviser: Kathy Habiger JagWire, a monthly publication of Mill Valley High School, is printed by the Sedalia Democrat.

Kansas Senate Bill 62 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.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS Kansas Scholastic Press Association National Scholastic Press Association Journalism Education Association The 2015 JagWire was named a Pacemaker finalist

by NSPA, an All-American newspaper by NSPA and earned an All-Kansas rating from KSPA.

COVER DESIGN BY Tori Aerni, Sarah Myers & Karissa Schmidt

EDITORIAL POLICY If you wish to submit a column or a letter to the editor for the JagWire, you may email it to jagwirenewspaper@gmail.com. Anonymous content will not be accepted. Please understand that we have the right to edit all copy that runs in this publication.

mill valley high school

jagwire

ACTinG Students remain higher than average national, state and district ACT score he average ACT score for the school is the highest it’s been in seven years, surpassing district, state and national averages.

For the past school year the average was a 24.2, a 1.2 point increase from the 2007-08 school year’s average composite ACT. The school’s average ACT scores have been above district, national and state averages since at least the 2004-05 school year.

A statement from the district said this year’s average ACT scores show “the extent to which students are prepared for college and career readiness.” The school’s high scores aren’t a shock to assistant principal Leah Vomhof.

“Mill Valley’s always performed at a high level,” Vomhof said. “I continue to be proud of the work that our students and teachers are doing in the classroom.”

Counselor Trish Chandler said a rigorous curriculum can contribute to a higher ACT score.

“I think any time a student challenges themselves … the curriculum they’re following is going to prepare them [for the ACT],” Chandler said.

Junior Christian Rule, who plans to take the ACT either this year or next year, finds this to be true. “[The classes] seem to prepare us pretty well, especially since I’m in AP classes,” Rule said.

To specifically help students planning

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mill valley high school

by abigail archibong

business manager jagwire.abigailarchibong@gmail.com

on taking the ACT, the school offers ACT Test and College Preparation, a semester-long ACT preparatory class. Students spend a quarter with math teacher Kristen Chavez, who teaches the math and science sections of the ACT, and a quarter with social studies teacher Jeff Wieland, who teaches the English and reading sections.

“It’s definitely one of our popular classes,” Chandler said. “I think anytime that you are able to spend more time working on that material … students are going to have a better opportunity to do well.”

Weiland commends the school’s students for being able to increase the number of people taking the test while also increasing the score.

“The fact that we can increase the number of kids and still make the scores go up is pretty significant,” Wieland said.

Senior Karla Kim said the school performing higher than De Soto High School does not come as a surprise to her.

“Mill Valley always has high expectations when it comes to academic excellency compared to other schools,” Kim said.

Chandler said she thinks the school’s ACT scores can still increase, both in terms of composite score and subscores for each ACT section. “[I hope] that we continue with this trend of increasing not only the overall composite score, but all the individual subscores as well,” Chandler said.

Vomhof takes pride in the school’s stu-

PHOTO BY claire boone

by justin curto

mill valley news editor-in-chief jagwire.justincurto@gmail.com

ACT AVERAGE See how our ACT average compares to other districts

MILL VALLEY:

24.2 SHAWNEE MISSION: OLATHE: BLUE VALLEY:

23.8 24 25.4

dents and staff for this achievement.

“I was thrilled when Mr. Waldeck shared the news with us,” Vomhof said.

“We were all very excited, and we’re very proud of our students and staff.”

DESIGN BY TORI AERNI & NORA LUCAS

NEWS

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PAPER CUT by nick booth

copy editor jagwire.nickbooth@gmail.com

School attempts to use more technology to cut down on the use of paper aper is a consistent part of the daily lives of teachers and students, from homework to tests. However, several teachers have been trying to cut paper usage in the classroom by using more technology in order to save time, money and trees.

Communication arts teacher Michael Strack has begun to use more technology, and as a result, has saved a considerable amount of paper due to the integration of online resources along with lesson plans. “[My paper usage is] probably at least 50 percent less,” Strack said. “Previously, I would have [the students] respond either on their own paper or the sheet that I handed them, so one way or another we have reduced it significantly so far.”

Strack isn’t the only teacher cutting back; social studies teacher Jack Johnson has been using technology rather than paper, and agrees that most teachers should try to do the same.

“It saves copy time, and lesson planning is more efficient,” Johnson said. “It helps people embrace what’s going on [in the world]. Students are more engaged this way, and it’s about the students, not the teachers.”

Communication arts teacher Peter Shull prefers using paper copies in the classroom because he believes it enhances the learning process for students.

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news

DESIGN BY TORI AERNI & JENA SMITH

by nora lucas

reporter and photographer jagwire.noralucas@gmail.com

“I think that there’s a tactile connection in learning, especially in reading and writing, and I think that when students have the ability to write on something that they’re working with they can interact with it more fully,” Shull said. “ ... I think, as technology stands right now, it’s easier for students to work with a hard copy of a novel than it is an electronic copy.”

Sophomore Cody Robertson agrees that technology is not always the best option.

“It takes up a bit more space. It’s like another textbook you might have to carry around,” Robertson said. “You could have connection issues and not be able to access your assignments.

Charging is a big issue, because if everybody has [technology], there aren’t going to be many spaces to charge.”

Senior Lindsay Vanlerberg has adopted the habit of bringing her personal laptop as opposed to using the school technology in regards to the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy.

“It is easier to have [your computer] in front of you individually instead of having to look up at the board for everything,” Vanlerberg said. “If you have [your work] pulled up and you have a question about it, you can easily just switch over tabs and Google it, or pull up another resource on your laptop. I like that a lot.”

Although there are many benefits to technology’s replacement of paper, some teachers have realized there may be some drawbacks.

“I prefer computers, but when they

by victoria wright

reporter and photographer jagwire.victoriawright@gmail.com

break down, I need a Plan B, maybe even a Plan C. We can’t have 25 kids doing nothing,” math teacher Laurie Deuschle said. “We need better reliability, so there can be access all the time. There needs to be enough for everyone.”

Shull believes that although there are advantages to technology, paper is more useful in a school environment.

“I’ve worked in schools that had iPad initiatives, and the ability to distribute texts quickly electronically and the advantage of students not losing those things in backpacks or on the floors of their cars is pretty huge,” Shull said. “But I like the ability of students to write on handouts, and I value that more.”

For Strack, the new technology has not drastically affected his daily teaching routine. Students are still learning the same material, just in a new form.

“I don’t think [technology] has really changed much about how I teach,” Strack said. “It’s simply a new medium … [Students are] really just answering on some technology program as opposed to on paper or with their mouths.”

Johnson has experienced the change over time in the school’s use of technology, and concludes it will help students reach their full potential.

“There’s Internet now. We also have school Wi-Fi, so students don’t have to use their data,” Johnson said. “[Technology] helps with efficiency and embracing the twenty-first century.”

mill valley high school

jagwire

ABOVE: In communication arts teacher Mike Strack’s classroom on Thursday, Sept. 3, senior Lily Sawyer uses her phone to get on Blackboard. After reading a story, she used the discussion board feature to answer a writing prompt. Photo

by Morgan Gurwell RIGHT: Teachers aides seniors Helina Mekonnen and Sarah Amos resolve a copying issue on Wed, Sept. 9. Photo by Claire Boone

Duolingo teachers assign quizzes and vocab practice

Kahoot! interactive and competitive learning games

Quizlet teachers create flash cards and practice tests

Twitter used to tweet out assignments and due dates

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mill valley high school

techNOLOGY

Teachers use certain apps to enhance their teaching

PAPEr

teacher tech Pages printed throughout all six copy machines in the building over the past five years:

10,838,520 Estimated cost spent on recent district technology update including new laptops:

$1,757,799 Source: District Board Notes

NEWS

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people pieces: Senior T-YING LIN A series on our students and what makes them unique

living between languages Senior T-Ying Lin takes on the responsibility of speaking English on behalf of her parents

by jason chen

n the kitchen with her parents by her side, senior T-Ying Lin sits, listening to the hold music that’s been playing through her phone for the last 30 minutes. In front of her, insurance cards, bills and records lay sprawled across the table. When the hold music stops and the representative from her family’s insurance company asks for her name, she doesn’t answer with hers, but rather that of her father.

As one of the only members in her family to speak fluent English, responsibilities like making appointments and dealing with insurance fall to Lin. For her, this means posing as her parents when handling official matters over the phone. “[The first time] it was a bit nerve-wracking because I really don’t like speaking with relatively official individuals,” Lin said. “Responsibility wise, it’s a lot to take. I have to be sure to ask everything my parents want me to, and if I don’t, usually my parents take over then. [If I have to ask questions,] it raises suspicion.”

Her parents, who immigrated to America from Taiwan in the ‘90s, predominantly

speak Mandarin, along with a bit of Taiwanese. When Lin was born a few years later in the U.S., her parents taught her English before Mandarin using language tapes and children’s TV shows and enrolled her in a year of English as a second language classes.

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FEATURE

reporter and illustrator jagwire.jasonchen@gmail.com

by sarah myers

editor-in-chief jagwire.sarahmyers@gmail.com

“There’s an increase in open-mindedness [with speaking] two languages.”

You’ve got words to SENIOR T-YING LIN “The dual languages are a lot of fun,” Lin said. “I do enjoy having a bit of my parents’ culture with me.”

With these differing cultures, however, Lin does note the disconnect she some-

DESIGN BY CLAIRE BILES & TRICIA DRUMM

PHOTO Illustration by Claire Biles

times sees at home between Taiwanese and American values. In America, Lin said there is a “much bigger push for independence,” whereas in Taiwan, supporting elders is more greatly valued.

“There’s definitely a culture clash between my parents and I and what we’ve learned within America,” Lin said. “When you’re fully immersed in either culture — like when I’m in Taiwan and when I’m at school — there’s two very different sides to how I act and what’s expected of me.”

Living in a culturally diverse family, Lin sees communication in a different light from those who only speak one language and recognizes the difficulties her parents have with the difference in tradition and language barrier.

“It’s already hard enough having to communicate in a singular language, let alone having to jump between the two because you can’t find the right words,” Lin said. “There’s an increase in open-mindedness [with speaking] two languages. You’ve got words to explain things that you don’t have in other languages.”

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RELIVE HOMECOMING WEEk Coverage of spirit days, parade, pep rally, pep assembly, Football game, coronation and dance www.mvnews.org/category/special-COVERAGE/ jagwire

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DESIGN BY ADRI TALAVERA

ADS

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“ ith the constant influx of students coming into the school each year, students and staff are beginning to feel like they have less space. While much of the focus has been on crowding in the parking lot, students and staff can see this crowding other places inside the school. Despite admin-

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istrative efforts, there’s o that can be done to ease cr out spending a lot of mon effort.

When the school was 2000, according to directo trative services and commu Alvie Cater, the district did its population to exceed 1,0 Instead, the plan was for Mi second in a series of small h Although the school has pacity of 1,500, Cater said t be optimal.

“This site was ne to accommodate a of 1,300,” Cate can put 1, in here ide

With a constantly increasing student population, students and staff begin noticing the effects of an overcrowded school

by nick booth

copy editor jagwire.nickbooth@gmail.com

by justin curto

mill valley news editor-in-chief jagwire.justincurto@gmail.com

by jillian leiby

managing editor jagwire.jillianleiby@gmail.com

Mill Valley students who have transferred to De Soto High School since 2013

by sarah myers

editor-in-chief jagwire.sarahmyers@gmail.com

232 2000-2001 enrollment

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FEATURE

DESIGN BY SARAH MYERS PHOTOS BY madison ferguson & karissa schmidt

76 146 teachers on staff

staff members

534 mill valley high school

designed to accommodate a high school of 1,300.

1,500 students in here, but it’s not ideal

“

-director of administrative services and community relations alvie cater IN THE HALLS For sophomore Greta Gustafson, crowding at the school is most visible in the halls, which makes it difficult to maneuver around other students.

“Most apparent would probably be ... hallways. A lot of people, it’s hard to get around,” Gustafson said. “It’s just really crowded in the hallway when you’re trying to get by.”

Junior Charlotte Muttai notices this increase in students as well, especially in the main hallway.

“Going from class to class, if you even try going [through] the main hallway, you can’t,” Muttai said. “You have to go around and it’s really, really annoying.”

IN THE lunchroom Long lines and little seating plague lunch, according to Muttai.

“The lunch lines are extremely [long],” Muttai said. “The first few days, you had to reserve your spot if you wanted to sit down at lunch, unless you wanted to go sit with the teachers.”

The increase in students does not go unnoticed by kitchen manager Jeannie Gile, who has worked at the school since it

opened. According to Gile, an increase in food is the only real change this year.

“We have to make more [food] … [but] we have the same amount of employees that [have] the same amount of hours; we just have to go faster,” Gile said. “[It’s] a little more stressful but … we get through the day. We’ve never been late serving the kids. We just have to move a little faster, talk a little less.”

IN THE classroom Math teacher Kristen Chavez’s average class this year has 28 students, and her number of AP Statistics classes has doubled. Now, she is concerned about her students learning what they need to in classes where there are simply too many of them.

“It’s hard when there’s only one of me and that many who need to ask a question,” Chavez said. “I don’t feel like I always get to answer all the questions that all my kiddos need because there’s just not enough time.”

Due to a shortage of AP Statistics textbooks early this year, senior Noah Callahan has had to study and complete assignments without a book. He had yet to receive his textbook at the time of writing.

“I have to learn stuff more on my own,” Callahan said. “Since there’s more students, there’s going to be more questions and so there’s just some stuff I’m going to have to go out and solve by myself without the teacher’s help.”

With textbooks, Chavez is also adjusting how she plans classes in or-

der to accommodate the increase in students.

“I’m definitely more conscious of the time it’s going to take to do something and ... ways I can cut that down at times,” Chavez said. “I’m worried that I’m going to have to [cut] some things just because it’s going to take too much time — time that I can’t make up somewhere else.”

solutions When it comes to solutions, Cater sees students voluntarily transferring to De Soto High School may be the best solution. In the three years of open enrollment at DHS, over 230 students within Mill Valley boundaries have opted to attend school at DHS. “I think that’s worked well so far,” Cater said. “To me, the answer to the enrollment pressure at Mill Valley is to get students to voluntarily transfer to De Soto High School, and I think we can accomplish that.”

Crowding becomes a problem whenever a school district’s size increases.

However, he said the district should be able to move past crowding as an issue.

“Anytime a school district has gone through the growth that we’ve experienced, there are going to be challenges,” Cater said.

“With this particular issue, I really think it’s an issue we can overcome.”

hing some numbers

t the school’s capacity and recent transfer numbers

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1,500

capacity

current enrollment

FEATURE

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The JagWire staff gives its opinion on topics covered in this issue

NEw Format, NEw GOals Redesigning the format of the paper brings new opportunities for improved design and content

efore completing its first issue, the JagWire staff had already had to adjust to changes and overcome challenges that come with completely reformatting a newspaper. As you may have noticed, we’ve made a few improvements to the JagWire, the biggest being that we’ve replaced our squarish page size you’ve seen for the past several years with a 7 inch by 9 1/2 inch format. We also have color on every page and are planning to reach 32 pages eventually — eight more than we’ve had in the past.

Besides those significant differences, we’ve also made small ones ­­— we changed our fonts, added a few standing pages here and there (see our new table of contents and staff listing on page 2 and “Overtime” on page 12) and worked on a general redesign.

The differences you’ll see in the JagWire this year, however, will come as a result of changes in how we work behind the scenes.

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STAFF VOTE 10 OPINION

DESIGN BY ADRI TALAVERA

To make the JagWire more informative and contemporary, we’ve come up with some goals for the year.

One of our biggest goals is to use the new size and format to our advantage, making the paper reader friendly and modernized.

A convenience of having a format that resembles a magazine is that we’re able to present more in-depth coverage. With a smaller page, we are able to have longer issues — that means dedicating multiple pages to several stories throughout the issue. Instead of putting everything on one page, we have space to be more creative with our designs. Some pages will even be solely dedicated to introducing a special section, with a title and picture or graphic.

In addition to focusing on in-depth coverage, we also want to broaden our knowledge on programs that create graphics and computer artwork so we can cover topics in different mediums. With this knowledge, we

can make pages that tell stories through infographics in order to report in a visually-appealing, easy-to-read way.

While most of our planned improvements pertain to changes the JagWire staff will make behind the scenes, we also want the student body to assist us in making the JagWire even better. Our opinions pages in the past have been composed of a staff editorial (such as this) and opinion pieces written by staff members. This year, we encourage you to utilize the paper as a forum in which you can share your opinions with your peers.

By promoting letters to the editor, we hope to provide more reader participation and interaction.

Even though we’re changing the overall look of the JagWire, we want to continue using our voice as power for change. You can expect the JagWire staff to provide you with accurate, objective and credible information.

Agree

Disagree

Absent

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Today’s society is becoming more infantile as it demands total fairness and equality

by sam lopez

news editor jagwire.samlopez@gmail.com

o there’s this thing we have called political correctness. You have to make sure you don’t offend or trigger anyone. You’re not obese, you just have a genetic condition or you’re a healthy fat. (I’m talking about people who claim

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Trump’s opposition must take his campaign more seriously if it doesn’t want him in charge

by nick booth

copy editor jagwire.nickbooth@gmail.com

hen I first saw Donald Trump’s announcement of his candidacy for president, I thought I was watching a skit on “Saturday Night Live.” From his strange entrance on an escalator to the Neil Young music he

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to have a genetic condition when in reality they’re obese due to lifestyle choices). That person isn’t black, he or she is African-American. We’re so obsessed with political correctness that we still believe African-American is the proper term for someone who is just American.

Even talking about rape has become such a taboo subject because it could be a “trigger” for others. This mindset has spread to pretty much any controversial topic that may be brought up in the real world, and being so safe isn’t exactly a step forward.

With this new age of caution, there’s an expectation that we have to appease every single person we meet because you might offend someone. To be frank, people are so concerned with being fair that they’ve become too sensitive which in turn creates an unprepared society.

A really good example of this is the use of safe spaces. A New York Times article highlights the use of safe spaces for college students at Brown University during a debate about campus sexual

assault. These safe spaces were created so if anyone became uncomfortable during the debate they could return to a place where they feel, obviously, safe.

One student even says, “I was feeling bombarded by a lot of viewpoints that really go against my dearly and closely held beliefs.” On one hand, why would you go to a place that makes you uncomfortable? In the other, isn’t pushing your boundaries and putting yourself in uncomfortable situations what makes you grow as a person?

These safe spaces perfectly encompass this idea that we have to be careful around every single person we meet no matter what the topic is and it’s baffling to me. We are no longer allowed to carry on mature, adult conversations with each other in fear that we will be labeled misogynistic, racist or anti-gay.

I simply refuse to support a society that is becoming so obsessed with the idea of equality and being cautious that it’s causing our generation to act like an infant in the face of adversity.

played in the background, the entire thing seemed like it belonged on a spoof.

Trump’s buffoonish antics have been the subject of public outrage ever since then: he’s advocated for a “Great Wall” between Mexico and America, attacked John McCain’s bravery in the Vietnam War and claimed that Megyn Kelly was unfair to him in a debate because she had “blood coming out of her wherever.”

Despite all of this, Trump is still leading the Republican primaries with 29 percent of the vote, leading the second place candidate, Ben Carson, by 14 points, according to a poll by Public Policy Polling released on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

Yet many seem to be content with just making fun of Trump instead of actually taking him seriously as a candidate.

In August, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called Trump’s campaign “entertainment” after his comments about Kelly.

It’s this kind of dismissive attitude toward Trump that will inevitably be a problem for both Democrats and oth-

er Republicans. As much as I hate his guts, Trump needs to be recognized by the opposition as legitimate if it has any hope of winning against him. If they don’t actually address the things Trump says and does, he will go unchallenged.

It’s this lack of a real challenge to his ideas that helps propel Trump to further and further success — and with that success comes his awful policy ideas, which include sending ground troops to fight the Islamic State group and completely repealing the Affordable Care Act. This, combined with the opposition’s dismissiveness toward Trump as a candidate, is what worries me most going into 2016.

Trump’s momentum isn’t slowing down, and ignoring it won’t help anything. While Democrats are busy laughing at him, Trump is gaining massive political support for ideas and policies that would be an unequivocal disaster for the country if they were implemented in the real world.

OPINION

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Additional coverage on this season’s sports

extra

Q&a with

points JagWire finds out littleknown facts about fall sports

CROSS COUNTRY Girls will run a 5K race instead of a 4K race after a decision by the Kansas State High School Activities Association

FRESHMAN JAKE ASHFORD Ashford plays varsity soccer and kicks for junior varsity football

FOOTBALL Mill Creek Middle School science teacher Nick Pierce now announces home games, in place of former communication arts teacher Justin Bogart

GIRLS TENNIS Head coach Abby Teetsel is new to the position this season.

“My goal is that everyone gets better, has fun and wins some matches,” Teetsel said

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sports

ABOVE: Wearing his football jersey, freshman Jake Ashford kicks a soccer ball on Monday, Sept. 14. Photo by Jena Smith

DESIGN BY justin curto & BRADEN SHAW

illustrations BY jason chen

by claire boone

reporter and photographer jagwire.claireboone@gmail.com

JagWire: What experience do you have with soccer and football?

JAKE Ashford: I’ve been playing soccer since I was four, and I played on [recreational] teams until I was seven. Then I went to KC Fusion, and then Blue Valley for the last four years, and now I’m back at KC Fusion. Football I just played for middle school in 7th and 8th grade.

Jw: What position do you play in soccer?

JA: This year, so far I’ve played right back, which is defense.

Jw: Do you kick or punt for football?

Ja: I will probably do both.

Jw: How do you manage your time since you are playing two fall sports?

JA: I just go to practice when it is most important to be there. If I have a game, the day before I will attend the [sport’s] practice.

Jw: What do your coaches think about you playing two fall sports?

Ja: My coaches, first of all, have been really good about it ... I think they like it. The soccer coach is happy, and the football coaches are happy because they now have a kicker.

Jw: Which sport do you prefer?

Ja: Soccer. I’ve been playing it longer.

JW: How do your teammates react to you playing both soccer and football?

Ja: They are all glad that I can do both sports. [The] football team is happy because they have a kicker, and soccer just treats me like any other freshman. mill valley high school

jagwire

this is our

turf by tori aerni

editor-in-chief jagwire.toriaerni@gmail.com

New turf football fields placed at both district high schools rass stains and standing puddles of mud are a problem of the past for the football team, as the natural grass field was replaced with a turf field over the summer.

Around eight months ago, a committee of parents, administrators and taxpayers came together to research the pros and cons of replacing Mill Valley’s natural grass field with a turf field.

After presenting their case, the Board of Education made the final decision to put in the turf field, costing the district $1.2 million, with a completion date of Wednesday, Aug. 26. De Soto High School was included in this process receiving a turf field as well.

The new turf has come with various benefits according to athletic director Jerald VanRheen, not only to the football team, but also activities and classes such as P.E. “I’ve noticed [the P.E. classes] going out every morning. It doesn’t matter if it rained the night before, they have a place they can go,” VanRheen said.

“They can play, they can run, and whatever they want to do and it’s not going to turn into a muddy situation.”

Another way the turf has been utilized is by the marching band led by director Deb Steiner. On the previous nat-

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by morgan gurwell

reporter and photographer jagwire.morgangurwell@gmail.com

ural grass field, the band had to march around mud and uneven surfaces, which have now been remedied by the addition of the turf and help to better prepare for competitions.

“This was the first year that I could actually write our drill to encompass more of the field,” Steiner said.

Principal Tobie Waldeck sees the turf as “providing our community [teams] a place to practice.” While there have been observable benefits of having turf, senior defensive back Joe Wilson has experienced minor drawbacks.

“The only drawbacks ... are turf burns,” Wilson said. “It’s a bruise and it’s bloody from the turf. The turf pellets get stuck in your leg.”

VanRheen has noticed the effect of the new turf in regards to the conditions of the field and its ease of maintenance.

“Sometimes on a grass field it’s hard for maintenance crews to keep up with the striping,” VanRheen said. “Now there’s lines on the field everyday ... they’re never going away.”

Waldeck agrees. “[Turf] improves game conditions for soccer and football,” Waldeck said.

“It reduces maintenance and we don’t [need] people out there cutting, weeding, seeding, fertilizing, painting stripes, so it helps with that.”

With newfound reliability in the

by braden shaw

sports editor jagwire.bradenshaw@gmail.com

field conditions, Silver Stars Dance Team co-captain senior Sarah Amos is excited that rain will no longer be a problem for the team’s performances.

“A lot of times last year it was raining at games, so the field was really muddy and it was really hard to dance on.

The turf will make it a lot easier when it rains,” Amos said.

As well as improving the facility for students, the new turf field will save the district money in the long run.

“Even though it looks like it’s a luxury, in the long run ... it can save money,” VanRheen said.

The Jaguars will be joining the EKL for the 2016-17 school year, and all of the EKL football teams compete on turf fields weekly. According to Wilson, having a turf field for one year prior will benefit the team.

“We will definitely be able to be compared to [EKL] schools with our facilities ... [the turf is] really nice looking and the facilities look better,” Wilson said.

On the other hand, VanRheen doesn’t see the turf as having an impact on competing in the EKL. “We want to compete with [the EKL] on the field, not necessarily what our field is,” VanRheen said. “Everybody in the EKL has really nice facilities and [turf is] adding to our facilities. Hopefully we can continue to improve it so that people like to come to games here.”

ABOVE LEFT: The Silver Stars perform for the first time on the turf on Friday, Sept. 11. ABOVE MIDDLE: Rehearsing on the new turf, the band takes direction from senior Lindsay Hamner on Friday, Sept. 11. ABOVE RIGHT: Senior Lucas Krull runs for a touchdown at the first game on the new turf against Blue Valley Northwest on Friday, Sept. 11. Photos by Karissa Schmidt

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mill valley high school

DESIGN BY Karissa Schmidt

SPORTS

13

In Another

leaguE

Athletic facilities of EKL schools and Mill Valley differ greatly, according to athletes and coaches

by nick booth

copy editor jagwire.nickbooth@gmail.com

by jason chen

reporter and illustrator jagwire.jasonchen@gmail.com

s teams prepare to enter the Eastern Kansas League next fall, athletes are previewing what competition will look like in the EKL. When looking at how Mill Valley’s facilities compare to those of EKL schools, however, there are many places where the school falls short.

For the swim team, challenges lie in not having a pool to practice and compete in on campus, unlike Blue Valley schools. For junior swimmer Garrison Fangman, traveling between school and the pool they practice at can be difficult.

According to Fangman, taking the bus to the pool takes 30 minutes and getting home takes up to an hour, as the bus stops at De Soto High School.

“With an [aquatic] facility, our travel time could be used for changing and just getting in the pool for swimming, starting a lot soon-

A

by sarah myers

editor-in-chief jagwire.sarahmyers@gmail.com

er,” Fangman said.

This year, cross country began taking ice baths to aid leg recovery after long runs.

Despite the team having to take these by the dumpsters, Coacher is glad to have the opportunity.

“I think it’s good that we have the opportunity to take ice baths,” Coacher said. “ ... this is the first year we’ve really gotten to do that.”

According to senior wrestler Seth Burnett, the wrestling room is also limited in space.

“Our wrestling room is one and a half mats and there are some [schools] that have two full mats, and that makes a huge difference in practice,” Burnett said.

“I’ve been into other rooms, like St. James, and

I’ve been to [St. Thomas Aquinas] and their weight room is way bigger than ours.”

According to baseball coach Jeff Strickland, the team has been raising money in order to make the on-campus field playable for games, as the team currently plays games on a field at the 3&2 Baseball Club. This involves the addition of a press box, dugouts, bullpens and resurfacing the field.

Strickland believes that although the spaces need improving, they don’t define the entire athletics department.

“At the end of the day, facilities are a big part of an athletics program, but it’s not the end-all,” Strickland said. “It’s just a part of it.”

LEFT: After practice, junior Adam Gillette takes an ice bath with his teammates on Tuesday, Sept.

1. “The football players use [the fieldhouse], so we can only use that during track,” Gillette said. “If we could move it to the grass, that way we could change out the water more often, that would be a better place.”

Photo by Madison Ferguson

14

SPORTS

DESIGN BY Nora lucas & Braden Shaw

PHOTOS BY victoria wright

mill valley high school

jagwire

A snapshot OF

WESTPORT

by adri talavera

opinions editor/business manager jagwire.adritalavera@gmail.com

JagWire reviews shopping districts throughout Kansas City, including three shops in Westport

SHOP: JEWELED GYPSY @JeweledGypsy

For those feeling stuck in the suburbs, Westport is a great escape, full of exciting local shops and eateries completely unique to Kansas City. There are a range of restaurants which cater to a variety of occasions — from casual lunch dates to high-end prom dinners.

RESTAURANT: WHICH WICH 554 Westport Road No. 100, Kansas City, Missouri

W

hich Wich is a sandwich shop with a unique twist on a common routine — instead of standing over a counter pointing to what they want, customers choose their meat and grab the corresponding bag. Then, they choose their veggies, cheeses and condiments and bring it to the register to pay. Although the value isn’t the best — $8 for just a small sandwich and medium drink — the atmosphere, friendly staff and good food make up for it.

a

nomadic, KC-based mobile jewelry store, The Jeweled Gypsy, is also known as a ‘fashion truck.’ Their beautiful, eclectic products line the walls of their cramped quarters — everything from necklaces to rings and earrings — while the friendly staff chats with prospective customers. The prices are a kind of high for those on a budget but the beauty and quality of their pieces are unquestionable.

SHOP: clothz minded 4115 Pennsylvania Ave., Kansas City, Missouri

C

lothz Minded is a consignment shop fragrant with perfume and filled with trendy clothes. Although lacking in any real organization system, putting forth a little extra effort could definitely result in some stylish, cheap finds. The pricing is reasonable and shoppers can even bring in their own clothes to resell for money. Overall, the store is best suited for open minded shoppers on a budget willing to look a little harder for what they want.

more snapshots

by jason chen

reporter and illustrator jagwire.jasonchen@gmail.com

by tricia drumm

reporter jagwire.triciadrumm@gmail.com

Check out reviews of these additional shopping centers on Mill Valley News at mvnews.org

Prairiefire jagwire

mill valley high school

town center/hawthorne plaza PHOTOS BY victoria wright DESIGN BY justin curto & margaret mellott

A&E

15

LUNCHBunch

Lunch staffers run the kitchen before, during and after lunch every day in order to successfully feed students and staff RIGHT: Working the register, lunch staff member Julie Rugenstein checks out a student’s meal on Tuesday, Sept. 8. “I still want to feel like a stay-at-home mom,” Rugenstein said. “This job makes it so I can.” Photo by Claire Biles

ABOVE: Lunch staff member Peggy Minter smiles while bagging cookies on Thursday, Sept. 3. Photo

by Margaret Mellott LEFT: In the kitchen, lunch staff member Roger Verrill puts away extra food after lunch on Thursday, Sept. 3. Photo

by Morgan Gurwell

ABOVE: After students eat, lunch staff member Melanie Hannah washes the trays on Friday, Sept. 4. “My favorite part of [the] job is just interacting with the kids,” Hannah said. Photo by Abigail Archibong

16

photo essay

DESIGN BY madison ferguson

ABOVE: On Tuesday, Sept.

8, lunch staff member Reece Wiebe serves pizza to a student. Photo by Claire Biles LEFT: The lunch staff members eat lunch together on Thursday, Sept. 3. Photo

by Margaret Mellott

mill valley high school

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