Why politics should matter to younger generations and student opinions on this year’s election TRUMP VS HARRIS
Teacher Brian Lloyd gives advice to a student in his advanced ceramics class on Thursday, Oct. 17. photo by hannah stephenson
Artist Laura Crehuet Berman displays a series of her art at the First Fridays event. The piece is part of her collection titled Earth Moves. photo by avery clement
Grabbing a tool from her lab partner, senior Elise Davis does an experiment in her biomedical innovations class. Wednesday, Oct 16. photo by eva hernandez
Teacher Ryan Johnston believes class helps students improve pretz
Editors in Chief
hailey perrin
editor in chief
avery clement
editor in chief
madelyn mulryan editor in chief
Online Editors in Chief
maddie martin
online editor in chief
ian chern
online editor in chief
evan leroy
online editor in chief
Copy Editor
maddie martin
online editor in chief
Staff
ryan bloomer writer/photographer
kennedy botkin writer/photographer
jake brown writer/photographer
natalia castillejos-ramírez writer/photographer
oliver feiring writer/photographer
mya franco writer/photographer
eva hernandez writer/photographer
doreen mahugu writer/photographer
quinlyn peters writer/photographer
saige pretz writer/photographer
gracyn schreiber writer/photographer
hannah stephensen writer/photographer
abby stidham-ebberts writer/photographer
photo by saige
Here signs found outside of the Johnson County Public Library where
voting is being held. photo by jake bown
Pickleball has
past couple of
creating a fun activity for families and friends. photo by hannah stephenson
With the presidential election coming up, a lot of confusion and misinformation can arise. It can be a lot at one once, and that can leave teenagers either not motivated to be concerned about political issues or believing everything they hear. However, students need to be involved in politics by staying informed and understanding the impact on the country.
Staying informed in local and national politics is important for a multitude of reasons. One being that the United States has such a large power and influence in the world, and Americans have the freedom to vote for leaders in a democracy. Not all countries share this luxury, so it is important for people of all ages to be involved and take advantage of this freedom.
While most high school-
ers are not old enough to vote, that doesn’t mean being involved in politics isn’t important. Being aware of who is running the country is important even for those who can’t vote because the politicians who are elected by the people make decisions on behalf of Americans. At the end of the day, these decisions made by politicians are shaping the future and the world.
Being informed of what is happening can help students form their own opinions and be ready to vote later. Voting is a way for people to voice their opinions on how their government will function and how it will impact their lives. Although it doesn’t seem like much, having an opinion on political issues can help shape and change these important decisions.
On the other hand, politics can be discouraging for teenagers. It may even seem more appealing to not be involved
in them instead of taking the time to educate yourself. The information can be overwhelming, and it may be hard for students to know where to start. The only way to combat this is by continuing to stay informed and understanding how big of an impact one vote can have on others, whether students can do so now or not. According to vwu.edu, many election ties were broken with just a small handful of votes.
Using websites like votesmart. org is a great way to get unbiased information about candidates in the race. Other ways to get information are looking at the politician’s websites, watching or reading unbiased news sources like ap.org, watching the political debates and overall just taking in information and interpreting it individually.
LOSING INTEREST
The importance of politics in the lives of students and how they can stay informed by jagwire staff
by ian chern online editor in chief by evan leroy online editor in chief
LOCKING UP AND LOCKING IN
Students and staff share their opinions on different phone policies
HANDBOOK POLICY
Schoolwide phone policy as stated in the handbook:
Students should not be on their phones during classroom hours unless aproved by a teacher
VIOLATIONS OF CELL PHONE POLICY
First Violation: The device (phone) will be returned after a 30 minute detention
Second Violation: Device will be returned to the student after a 45 minute detention
Additional Violations:Device will be confiscated, turned in to front office and dealt with by adminsitration
WHO SHOULD MAKE THE POLICY?
Survey of 123 Students
As soon as students walk in science teacher Ryan Johnston’s classroom, they are required to put their phones into the phone locker. Johnston is one of the many teachers across the school that have adopted this no phone policy in hopes of combating cell phone distractions in the learning environment.
This is not the first time that Johnston has used this no phone policy in his class. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he stopped enforcing the policy. However, he decided to read the policy after seeing all the issues that phones were causing.
“When COVID happened, I had half my class at home, half my class here. People wanted to stay in contact with their loved ones and I got away from the phone policy,” Johnston said. “But then when students were on lockdown, they got super addicted to their phones even more than they were and there were a lot of mental health issues. I saw it for a couple years and I thought that we can’t do this anymore. That’s why I decided to go back to the phone locker.”
There are some students who do not agree with a no phone policy. Freshman Ava Munsey believes phones should stay with students for communication purposes.
I believe personally that we should have our phones in our backpacks or with us at all times because certain things can happen where we always need our phones,” Munsey said. “If our parents text us, we need a way that we can communicate to them, and since we’re in high school, we should be able to have our phones since it’s our property.”
Spanish teacher Edith Paredes nearly added a phone caddy in her classroom be-
cause phones were hurting student engagement.
“I know for me and for the rest of the staff, it’s been really frustrating because we noticed a huge decline in engagement, learning and participation,” Paredes said. “Engagement kind of covers it all. Students are not participating, aren’t paying attention and aren’t learning.”
For Johnston, the phone locker has been a success. Since readopting it, Johnston has noticed a huge rise in participation and completion.
“Participation has skyrocketed,” Johnston said. “I have almost 100% completion on every single one of the assignments, whether it be general physics or AP Physics, which didn’t happen when phones were in the classroom.”
Junior Ian Weatherman feels that there are both positives and negatives to the way teach-
ers handle phones in the classroom.
“In some classes where the content is harder, it can be good to not distract the students who need to pay attention, but also letting students keep phones shows a sign of respect for the students,” Weatherman said.
Paredes ultimately did not enforce a phone caddy because she saw it to be more productive to treat students as adults.
“I think when I treat my kids as young adults, they kind of appreciate that. I do not want to have to confiscate your phones and make them put them in a caddy,” Paredes said. “I think they kind of appreciated that, and in return, they tried to follow my request to put your phone away. I cannot say that this is working 100% but it takes a while to get rid of a habit.”
AGAINST VS FOR PHONE POLICY
“I’m just going to have a heart to heart, talk with my students, and tell them about my frustration and my expectations.”
Spanish Teacher
Edith Paredes
PHONES ON HOLD
Students share their vote oppinions over the use of phone jails
Do you think phone holders in class are beneficial?
Do you feel like you are more productive in class when your phone is put away?
48%
“It’s (his phone policy) to ensure that people learn Physics, which is what we as a society have decided is appropriate for young
Physics Teacher Ryan Johnton
A CELEBRATION OF DEATH
How students celebrate the Day of the Dead in and out of the school
by eva hernandez writer/photographer
by natalia castillejos-ramírez writer/photographer
by mya franco writer/photographer
The Day of the Dead is a holiday to honor the deceased. Although that may sound sorrowful, the Day of the Dead is festive in many countries.
The holiday lasts three days, beginning the night of Oct. 31st and ending Nov. 2nd. However, families may have different days to celebrate.
Junior Nadia Kindt’s family often celebrates later than what is traditional.
“This year we are celebrating it on the second, but it’s sometime around Nov. 10 when we usually celebrate,” Kindt said.
Before the Day of the Dead, there is a lot of preparation for an ofrenda. An ofrenda is a table or altar made with photos and offerings to honor any loved ones lost.
Freshman Sadie Comelie’s family uses specific items to honor their family.
“My grandpa worked in construction, and he had this vest, so we put it up [on my family’s ofren-
PARTS OF AN OFRENDA
A calavera, or sugar skull, representing the end of life
A glass of water, for the spirits who get tired on their journey
A food offering for the spirits
A photo of whom the ofrenda is dedicated to
Cempasuchil, or Marigolds, help guide spirits back home
Flags blow in the wind as spirits pass through the area
Incense is used to purify the air and lead spirits to the ofrenda
An ofrenda set up in her house, sophomore Natalia Castillejos- Ramirez has pictures, fruits, flowers and decorations to honor her past family members. photo submitted by natalia castillejos-ramírez
da] every year,” Comelie said.
Junior Mariana Loya’s family also adds personal items to the ofrenda in memory.
“We find the pictures of our loved ones, and we put [them up as] an offering on the ofrenda,” Loya said. “We put their favorite drinks, sometimes I put a shot of tequila there from my grandpa, and we put their favorite foods and candy.”
There is more tradition surrounding the ofrenda than simply putting photos and offerings.
“We always go around and share a story about someone who we have on our ofrenda,” Kindt said. “Some of these people we’ve never met, and so we just retell stories that we’ve been told. My story is always that I look like my uncle.”
Some students at school celebrate the Day of the Dead in class
as well. Each student celebrates a little differently, Although traditionally people will spread marigold or cempazuchitl petals along the roads leading to houses to welcome the deceased family inside.
“My family in Mexico spreads petals around town,” Kindt said, “[They have the petals] leading to people’s homes, and then they all get together, in the town square, and they all dance and have one big ofrenda on the fountain. [in the town square]”
It is more uncommon for families to spread out the marigold or cempazuchitl petals along the roads in Shawnee however there are still many families who practice the tradition in their own way.
“We have the flowers. We put it outside our front door, so the honored can come in, welcoming the dead,” Loya said.
Junior Kayln Ortega’s family also differs from tradition when celebrating the Day of the Dead.
“I have family in Mexico,” Ortega said. “My grandparents cele-
brate [and] they go to the cemetery. We usually go to a parade in Kansas City, Missouri.”
The Dia de los Muertos Festival in Kansas City Missouri happens annually and it will take place on Nov. 3rd this year. Another parade is called Day of the Dead Dia de Muertos on Central Avenue and this parade also happens annually but falls on Nov. 2nd this year.
Aside from general celebration, there is also the topic of food which carries a lot of tradition.
“A lot of Mexican food and drinks, that the [deceased] people used to like to drink [are on the ofrenda],” Loya said. “We’ll make tamale, or we’ll just get the people who have passed favorite food, and just put it up on the ofrenda.”
Kindt’s family has a lot of similar traditions when it comes to preparing food for the celebrations.
“Cheese and pepper carnitas, corn, sugar and cinnamon, [tamales during our celebration]” Kindt said.
TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD
FÈT GEDE–HAITI PITRU
Fèt Gede is a Haitian Vodou festival honoring relatives who have passed with parades and festive parties. Fèt Gede typically takes place at a cemetary to visit the graves of loved ones. Fèt Gede takes place over November first and second.
PAKSHA–INDIA
Pitru Paksha is a sixteen-day period in the Hindu calander honoring deceased relatives through food offerings. One particular rite involves setting out a food offering. If the food is eaten by a crow, it is considered accepted.
GHOST FESTIVAL–CHINA SAMHAIN–IRELAND
The Ghost Festival is celebrated in China and some surrounding eastern Asian countries and celebrated by offering food, honoring ancestors, burning incense paper, and lantern lighting.
Samhain is a traditional Gaelic holiday marking the end of fall and the beginning of winter. Samhain is celebrated primarily in Ireland and Scotland and is celebrated with large bonfires, costumes and by honoring past relatives.
Oct. 30, 2024
ALL EARS
by ryan bloomer writer/photographer
Different types of headphones that students use throughout their day
FAVORITE HEADPHONE TYPES
Students share their opinions on headphones preferences
AIRPODS
“I prefer the functionality [of my headphones] because if I was spend-
86.6%
“I think that the minimalist look of [AirPod Maxes] makes them look better than other AirPods and I specifically like the shape they have on my ears.” -Junior Claire Cooper
of students say they prefer to use wireless headphones over wired vs.
“I prefer wired over wireless because I like how it looks and if someone is trying to speak with you can take them out and let them dangle compared to wireless you have to hold them to put them somewhere else.” -Senior Grayson
voted students favorite type of headphones at AIRPODS
“I like my headphones that go over the ear because earbuds never really worked for my ears. My ears are freakishly small and so earbuds never worked and they’re always uncomfortable. Also, if I want soundproofing, it’s a lot easier to do that when they’re over the ear.” -Junior Will Schieber
CREATIVE CROSSROADS
On the first Friday of every month, nearly every art gallery in the Crossroads district opens its doors. Food trucks, smaller art vendors, and performers with live music flood the streets welcoming anyone who enjoys art to come and look around.
Senior Cora Jones is the daughter of Debbie Barrett-Jones the gallery and shop manager at The Leedy-Voulkos Art Center. Jones works alongside her mother and the Leedy family to run the gallery and gift shop. She also enjoys all the recognition small artists receive by being a part of First Fridays.
“So many people come in, and so many people with small connections to others [visit the gallery], and all of a sudden we have probably over 100 people coming
Every first Friday of the month, people come together at the Crossroads District to share their love for art and food
by hailey perrin editor in chief
into the gallery seeing different art. And sometimes it’s not big artists, it’s little artists too,” Jones said.
In 1985 Jim Leedy, also known as the father of the Crossroads district, opened the first art gallery in the area off of Wyandotte Street, the original Leedy-Voulkos art gallery. Then shortly after moved down the street and opened The Leedy-Voulkos Art Center. At the time Union Station was closed and the crossroads district largely did not exist. Jim Leedy began encouraging his colleagues from The Kansas Art Institute to put in works of art and create their own galleries.
Stephanie Leedy, the daughter of Jim Leedy and the current owner and art director of The LeedyVoulkos Art Center has watched her father grow the area.
Slowly a community of artists formed and the Crossroads district
DRAWN TOGETHER
was created as it is today. Which then inspired the need for an event to bring the community together.
“[Jim Leedy] continued to encourage other artists to buy buildings down here and to put galleries in them, so that there was an art community and it’s evolved from there, and the galleries that were down here decided to all be open on the same night, which is how First Fridays evolved,” Leedy said. Jones also finds First Fridays to be a great opportunity for people to discover and appreciate local artists even if they are not a part of the galleries or vendors themselves.
“I think that people should go down First Fridays at least once in their life, see what it’s like. It’s a very cool experience. There are food trucks, little pop-up shops. Galleries are always super fun,” Jones said.
Read more at mvnews.org
Jackie Warren, an artist who uses one of the art studios in The LeedyVoulkos Art Center creates unique work with plexiglass which she displayed at the First Fridays event Friday, Oct. 4. photo by hailey perrin
Different artist showcase their artwork at First Fridays
Artist Debbie Barrett- Jones explains the process she goes through to make her woven art that is displayed at the First Fridays event Friday, Oct. 4. photo by avery clement
SPREADING
POSITIVITY
Whether you see him in the hallway, have his class, or just follow his Instagram account, ceramics teacher Bryan Lloyd has created a positive environment with his art.
Ceramics has always been a passion of Lloyd’s. He began teaching at a private studio, then moved his teaching to a small catholic school and then to Lawrence Free State High School for seven years. Lloyd then moved to teach at Mill Valley at the beginning of last school year.
The Ceramics Instagram began when Lloyd taught ceramics at Lawrence Free State and continued it when he moved to Mill Valley. Lloyd uses Instagram to share student’s work and let students know about upcoming events and days.
evan leroy online editor in chief
Ceramics teacher Bryan Lloyd uses Instagram to grow student interest by
“I use social media as a tool to show off the program and to highlight all of the good work that students are doing, and put it out there,” Lloyd said. “It’s very risky to put [artwork] out there because people might think your students aren’t doing good enough work. [It’s important to] show parents, the community and the kids that their artwork and what happens in this room, should be celebrated.”
Lloyd’s passion for making art and clay reflects in his students’ work and enjoyment in the class.
“I love being in the art room, and I hope I help students love being in the art room too. So I can’t hide my passion. My passion is clay and working with people,” Lloyd said.
For Lloyd, making people hap-
SHAPING THE CLUB
Junior Nick Baird helps start up the Ceramics Club
“I joined ceramics this year, and when I got to know the classroom, the teacher and the students, I found that I really like the environment and the organization of it.“
“I think that ceramics can appeal to anyone and everyone, because it’s literally just playing with clay.“
“We’re going to teach people how to use the wheels and make [their own] little clay guys. It can also be a place to hang out for anyone who is interested in trying out ceramics.“
py is easy and a way to make a bad day better.
“I’m excited about coming to work every day, and I love working with clay,” Lloyd said. “I try to fist-bump kids in the hallway and try to make people feel good about coming to school, which sometimes can feel like a hard place to be, or where you feel like you’re alone. But I try to meet people where they’re at.”
For senior Madelyn Shimmel, Lloyd’s positivity helps her succeed in class. She also thinks Lloyd is great at enforcing the deadlines of his class in a fun way.
“He’s really bubbly and is a really fun teacher because he’s not insanely strict, but also stern,” Shimmel said. “He wants you to get the work done, he wants you to have fun, he wants you to try new and difficult things and he wants you to mess up and fail and learn from it and do it again.”
Senior Max Henson has also felt a positive impact from Lloyd.
“I would say it’s just really fun. I love Lloyd as a person, he’s just really sweet. Anytime you ask for help, he’ll help you. He’ll always be there to help,” Henson said.
Lloyd wants his students to be committed to the class so that in the future they can teach others the skills he taught them.
“What I want for the program is to have students that are really technically proficient,” Lloyd said. “When students want to put in the hours and they want to come in during seminar and students want to grow their skills, then you have a program with a lot of students with great skills to build. What happens then is other students see experienced students work, and they get inspired by it. Having some students that take the class
multiple times and can inspire others to really stretch their skills is what I see for the Ceramics Department.”
For Shimmel, the way Lloyd teaches makes the ceramics room a good environment.
“I had a different teacher for ceramics one, we were not allowed to touch the wheels, we didn’t throw at all,” Shimmel said. “Lloyd seems to let the younger kids throw on the wheel and get more comfortable with it. Going into advanced ceramics with Lloyd I felt really out of place because I had never thrown on a wheel or done some of the stuff that he was expecting us to be able to do, but he was really good about guiding you
“I use social media as a tool to show off the program and to highlight all of the good work that students are doing, and put it out there.”
Ceramics teacher Bryan Lloyd
into it. I think that the reason he’s so popular with the students is because he’s like a friend.”
Looking ahead to ceramics’ future. Currently, a ceramics club is being up for consideration for the school board to approve. Lloyd would use this as a place to improve student’s skills and help them build stronger bonds.
“Having a ceramics club was something that students asked me about almost from day one,” Lloyd said. “Having it be something that builds involvement in the program is really what I would like to have. [A group] students that find joy in working with clay and find a place where they can be themselves and celebrate being themselves.”
WORKS THAT WORK
Lloyd describes ceramic pieces he keeps across his classroom
LLOYD
“I really like electronic music and techno. [The cup is] based on a meme that says “No way, only techno” because the person in the meme only wants to listen to techno music and not anything else.“
“The teapot is based on a Japanese style tea pot where the handle is on the side and you rotate your wrist to pour the tea out of the spout.”
STUDENT
“This one has two separate containers, and they included things from the ocean, [like] starfish, shells and seaweed that are carved and added onto the surface.”
photos by hannah stephensen
CAST
NEW
LIGHT ON COMEDY
by maddie martin online editor in chief
Digital mediums have formed and waved in a brand new era of free and accessible comedy
With the rise of social media, comedy has moved in a more technological direction. More comedians are moving to podcasts as opposed to live shows. This new version of comedy makes comedy more enjoyable for everyone.
I have never been a fan of stand up comedy, “Saturday Night Live” skits never made me laugh and the idea of watching someone tell scripted jokes makes me cringe. However, ever since I saw a video of popular comedian Theo Von pop up on my TikTok I have been drawn to the kind of comedy you can see online as opposed to on stage.
The best thing about this new era of comedy is its ability to adapt and change. A comedian doesn’t have to be put into a box of exactly what they are, take Theo Von as an example. Von started doing stand up and eventually ventured into podcasting. In his career Von hasn’t just been a comedian he’s had the ability to be a comedian,
podcaster and de facto social media influencer.
Another prime example is Shane Gillis, who has become popular in the last few years mostly because of his social media presence. Gillis
“Podcast comedy has undeniably taken over the landscape of comedy and changed it completely for the better.”
JagWire reporter Maddie Martin
has built up a very specific online personality that appeals well to a generation of young people who spend hours on social media. In the past you had two options, go see a live show or wait
until the comedy special came out. However with the rise of comedy podcasts, comedy has not only become more accessible but also better. Not every so called “comedic” podcast is hilarious at all but the sheer amount of podcasts and options there are is what makes the podcast format so appealing. Anyone is bound to find something or someone they find funny.
While it is undeniable that stand up comedy does have a certain live feel and the audience interaction is something that can’t be replicated in a podcast setting, podcasts are still able to bring different features to the table. Some ways podcasters involve their audiences is by bringing guests on the show, having fans calling in or recording live shows that feature audience interaction.
Podcast comedy has undeniably taken over the landscape of comedy and changed it completely for the better. Comedy lovers now have the ability to follow their favorite comedians’ social media pages, podcasts and live shows.
STANDING
UP FOR
COMEDY
by
madelyn mulryan
editor in chief
Stand up comedy has charm and personality to it that will and has held up to the test of time
With the rise of social media and podcasts, comedy has only gotten less funny. And with Netflix giving out stand-up specials to anyone who asks, the comedy scene has had its downfall.
Growing up my family was bonded through sitcoms and comedy shows. We spent Sunday watching the previous “Saturday Night Live.” On the weekday evenings, my family sat down and watched comedians like Dave Chappelle and “Key and Peele”.
Recently, the new wave of social media has disrupted the way comedy used to be. In the past, when watching sketches or stand-up, the audience can’t immediately input their opinion on what is or isn’t funny. With TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, the comments can be flooded with what’s offensive and what’s not funny to watch, which can influence your opinion.
The rise of podcasts has also completely changed the comedy scene, not in a good way. While
some podcasters can crack a couple jokes, most of podcasting now is just a couple people having a scripted conversation.
The most infamous podcasts known for their only content being conversations are “The Basement
“Recently, the new wave of social media has disrupted the way comedy used to be.”
JagWire reporter Madelyn Mulryan
Yard,” “The Good Guys” and the “You Should Know” podcast. If you listen to these back-to-back it’s just the same conversations over and over.
The worst thing about this new era of comedy is the fact that skits,
using outside actors and sets, aren’t as common. The funniest, most memorable comedians came from sketches and faces, being able to see particularly what they look like.
Rolling Stones describes Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Robin Williams and Jerry Seinfield as the top 20 stand-up comedians, and they are all memorable. The fact that these comedians are still referenced in current TV shows and movies shows how their comedy has left an impact.
Sketch comedy still exists but is not on the same level as it used to be. For example, 21st century “Saturday Night Live” is all emotionless jokes with little punchlines. Even though certain podcasters can be funny, it’s no doubt that those who go against the norm, talking about random topics, are funnier than most. Similarly, taking stand-up to social media can censor the funnier comedy, leaving lukewarm jokes. Overall, comedians just aren’t as funny as they used to be a couple decades ago.
With the presidential election occurring this year, it’s one of the most important ways adults in our country can be involved with our government. But this seems obvious to the adults in our country, as Pew Research Center (PRC) states that over two-thirds of the adults registered to vote filled out their ballots in the last election.
Without an obvious way for those under 18 to make their voice heard by voting, it makes sense that teenagers wouldn’t feel the need to stay informed on government policies. But according to Young Citizens, there’s a direct correlation between minors who care about politics and those who are more likely to vote in the future.
If you watch TV, or have social media, you might be seeing constant advertisements telling you to register to vote, emphasizing the importance. This can make it seem like caring about politics is only valuable if you can fill out a ballot.
Voting is not the only way to stay involved with politics, and especially not the only way to support your beliefs.
Many teenagers choose to protesting or post and repost politi-
cal views on social media to make sure their voices are heard, even before they can vote.
Posting online is an easier and more popular way of sharing beliefs, and Pew Research Center states that 57% of the country believes it’s a good thing for our democracy.
UP TO DATE
Staying up to date with political news has shown to be difficult for a majority of the youth. According to a survey by Tufts University, only 40% of youth say that they feel well-qualified to participate in politics.
Although being politically up to date is a struggle for many, having a basic understanding of how the government works can be difficult as well. In a survey by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, young adults, regardless of education level, lack basic civic and political knowledge, answering an average of only 1.6 questions correctly out of four standard civics questions.
Social studies teacher Tina Keith believes having an understanding of how the government works and being politically knowledgeable helps students become better citizens in the community.
“I think all students should un-
derstand how our political system works, and we, in this district, start teaching students about civics and being active participants and good citizens from the freshman level and probably before at the middle school as well,” Keith said. “But especially senior year, we’re try- ing to prepare them to be active citizens within the community, not just the country, but locally as well. So I think it’s just really important that they’re educated and that they learn to do their own research and make their own conclusions and decisions.”
Being politically aware allows students to formulate their own opinions, according to social stud- ies teacher Jeff Strickland.
“[Students should be up to date]
“ I think it is important for young people to vote, but I think more importantly, it’s important for people to be educated voters. ”
Social Studies Teacher Tina Keith
so people do not take advantage of them in high school, and so they have a knowledge base for when they’re able to eventually vote,” Strickland said.
Additionally, Keith wants her students to be educated voters and use research to back up their opinions instead of just their emotions.
“I think it is important for young people to vote, but I think more importantly, it’s important for people to be educated voters. Young people tend to be pretty passionate about things, and
Election signs found lined up outside near the Johnson County Public Library. photo by jake brown How
sometimes the passion can outweigh the research,” Keith said. “I think that my job as an educator is to make sure to teach kids how to look things up and the importance of needing to look those things up.”Freshman Asher Clement agrees, believing that being up to date with political news helps people make better decisions.
“It is pretty important because you need to know what to pull in the world so you know why and what changes you make to counteract bad things or to help the good things that are going on,” Clement said. “It’s important to understand what is going on.”
While it is important to keep an opinion it is equally important to keep an open mind going into any“Ielection. do it because they can, you know, help fortify your opinions and may change your mind about stuff you want to see.” Strickland said.
It might also be very difficult for some students to speak out on their views because it might go against that of their families or friends.
There needs to be a better way of directing the attention of students to politics and why it’s important for them to be informed. But also give them a good reason to care.
VARYING VIEWPOINTS
What makes up the politics of students
The election is a very important political event but is most of the time overlooked by most high- chool students. This could be for multiple reasons in students such as lack of knowledge and not seeing any results from people in office.
There are many reasons why teens should follow the election and its candidates. The bills and laws that are passed are the future of the country and to not vote for the people passing these bills could lead to future problems for ourStudentscountry. are hesitant to trust politicians and what they have to say and that can be a really good thing to be aware that not everything a candidate says is true. Strickland urges his students to not always believe eveyrthing they hear.
“Politicians lie, [so] fact check while you’re watching those debates,” Strickland said.
While this can be true there are some candidates that are for our country and our voices. Students often have lots of different influences when it comes to how they develop their thoughts and beliefs.
This would allow for students to be more engaged and want to learn more about politics. And how they could get more involved.
It’s important for students to follow closely. Understanding and grasping what is happening in our country is still increbily important.
Stiudents must be able to form thier own opinions and beliefs about politics. If students don’t do thier own research it allows for politicians to provide false information without being held accountable.
With students not being interested in the presidential election it’s harder to get attention on local elections and get them to vote. With lower amount of press coverage and also lower funds. It can be difficult to build a platform with younger people.
The presidential election doesn’t have as big an effect on day to day life as local elections do. The senators being elect- ed have much more control on what goes on in your town and the cities around you.
It is very important to listen to these candidates and their policies as it determines the future of Kansas.
TO CARE?
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Womens Rights Gun Control Immigration
FRESHMAN ASHER CLEMENT
JUNIOR EMMA BROOKS
Donald Trump Kamala Harris
“I’ve seen what happens when [both candidates] are in positions of power. One of them, in my opinion, didn’t get too much done. I felt like all that [Kamala Harris] did was good. A lot of things [Harris did] could definitely help the country, or at least not push it back like what happened when Trump was in charge.”
BEING AWARE
One of the reasons students might not seem to stay updated on politics is the lack of conversation about it at school. Senior Raina Frantz details her reasoning for not starting these political conversations.
“I didn’t know much of why I believed what I believed [before I researched why], and I didn’t feel like I could defend myself, so I was
Source: 270towin.com national poll average
definitely scared to say my views on some topics.” Frantz said.
A common way to understand these beliefs is by watching national news channels such as Fox or CNN. Strickland emphasizes the importance of these news outlets, but how to use them as a resource.
“If you’re going to use mainstream news agencies don’t look at just one side,” Strickland said. “If you first look at Fox News, then look at CNN [to cross examine].”
Additionally, using the internet
“[I would vote for Trump] because I know more about him, and I know what he’s done in the past, more than I do about Kamala. He’s been president before and I’ve agreed with the things he’s done and I liked what he did. For Kamala, I don’t really know what she’s done.”
and Googling policies or specific politicians can be a way of using your resources to stay updated. Frantz details how she uses this strategy to her advantage.
“I stay updated through news articles and web pages,” Frantz said. “Then I look up the information on Google and make sure it’s accurate. I don’t just trust [the articles] right off the bat.”
A more popular way of staying informed could be watching social media, such as TikTok or Insta-
POLITICAN PERSPECTIVES
Student opinions of the presidental candidates and current politics
gram, and taking the information from there. The problem with this is that it could lead to misinformation, since anyone could post any- thing. Clement details how he uses TikTok to stay informed while also making sure he’s getting accurate information.
“I get most of my information [on politics] from TikTok,” Clement said. “Then I’ll Google [the video] and make sure it’s reliable. I don’t just trust everything I see online”
Students who aren’t able to vote might not realize the position they’re in. According to the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office, only 59% of adults in Kansas voted in the last election. Not only that, but an estimated 300,000 adults in Kansas weren’t even registered to vote.
Even though the media might seem to constantly be discussing the presidential election, the fact is most students, and even a handful of the country doesn’t feel like their opinion would matter even if they’re able to vote.
Pew Research Center shows that one in
10 adults don’t feel like their vote counts, and so they don’t bother to vote. The largest age group to not even learn about the election or the
“If you’re going to use mainstream news agencies don’t look at just one side. Look
at Fox News,
and then look
at CNN.”
Social Studies
Teacher
Jeff Strickland
GETTING REGISTERED
Step by step instructions for how to register to vote in upcoming elections
candidates was 18-29 years old.
This means that this election, and the next one, could be crucial for upcoming graduates to make their voices heard. If the largest group of people who aren’t in- formed about the election all casted a vote, the thousands of voices could possibly sway electoral votes.
The privilege of getting to voice your opinion is important because not everyone is able to express their views. Countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh don’t even give their citizens the ability to vote.
Not only do a large majority of countries not have the ability to vote, but the United States didn’t allow every adult to vote until 1971, when the voting age was lowered from 21 to just 18. Those who don’t vote when they’re able to don’t have a say in our government’s policies. Take advantage of the privilege not many citizens aren’t able to have, vote.
Go to the Kansas Online Voter Registration website at https://www.kdor.ks.gov/apps/voterreg/
Verify your voting eligibility with yes or no questions
Are you a citizen of The United States? Will you be 18 before election day? Online Registration
Verify your ID
Enter your personal information
Review and submit Paper Registration
Source: Kansas Online Voter Registration
Download and print the form on the voting registration website Fill out the form
Locate Johnson County on the address list and mail your registration to Johnson County
BEYOND THE VOTE
The presidential election is one of the most important and talked about events that occurs every four years. The politicization of personalities is becoming more common every election. Many voters and political enthusiasts have started to lose who they are and who they vote for. Eventually, the line will blur so far that they’ll forget who they were before election season and be consumed by the event.
People go from simply wearing hats or putting up flags in
“Remember that you are more than your vote... Ultimately, you have a life outside the voting polls”
support of their chosen candidate to introducing themselves with their candidate’s name attached to their introduction. Supporting a candidate and spreading their message is one thing but basing personalities off of a political candidate is another. Voting is not bad nor is supporting a certain party toxic because that’s what drives our democracy. However, having an unhealthy political and personal interest balance can be damaging.
The idea of dividing the political ideologies and personalities can be compared to the phrase “separate the art from the artist.” However, it would be altered a little for one simple meaning:
People should not lose themselves to their political viewpoints
divide political choices from personal characteristics.
This issue can apply to students and non-voters as well. Those who are young or do not vote can still consume themselves in the media surrounding their party and forget what life was like before election season.
PBS News discussed how U.S. politics became so intertwined with personal identity. They attributed this issue to the divide between parties and the anger for those with different political views. Individuals in different parties are angry at each other and think of each other as threats. The PBS News discussion also mentions people’s loyalty to our country’s leaders. I will admit that politicizing personalities can be far past loyalty, it’s dependence and fusing our minds with a single subject. Many voters support their favorite political official with whatever decisions they make, even if it causes damage to the country.
Personal characteristics are how someone is distinguished in a crowd. If a stranger asks someone else about interests and their only response is a political official, self-reflection might be in order.
There are only two solutions to this issue: self-recognition or an intervention. Mentioning a political figure in every conversation or not knowing what to do outside of political discussions about a single politician is a sign that an intervention is needed. People who cannot think of adjectives such as kind, quirky, boring, or funny to describe themselves and can only think of words such as Liberal, Conservative, Democrat, and
by doreen mahugu writer/photographer
Republican, might have to think about who they are.
Remember that everyone is more than their political views. People might be in school, have a job, or like to draw or play sports. Ultimately, they have a life outside the voting polls. Make sure in this election to see others for who they are rath- er than who they vote for.
Jagwire reporter Doreen Mahugu
MEDIA MANAGERS
Sports social media managers speak on how they run their accounts by kennedy botkin writer/photographer
Because of how popular social media is with teenagers, it’s a no-brainer that the school’s sports teams are making Instagram or X accounts to promote their sport. Whether that be through game day posts or team pictures, posting on social media can be a good way to inform students and gather more publicity for games. Because anyone can post anything, the possibilities for social media are endless.
The girls wrestling team’s Instagram is run by the coaches Aaron Kennedy and paraeducator Nicole Keating. They use the account to inform their followers of upcoming wrestling events and bring more awareness to girls wrestling.
“It helps by getting [the sport] in front of people that were not aware of it,” Kennedy wrote via text. “It is important to grow wom-
SYDNEY NASH
Helps post for soccer managers account @mvhs_soccer_managers
en’s wrestling because it hasn’t been sanctioned very long. If you look at football, that has been around over a hundred years, and has been institutionalized,”
Although most of the school’s sports accounts are run by teachers or coaches, student managers also play a big part in running the account. Take junior Prachi Kalirai, who designs the game day posts for the boys and girls soccer team Instagram and X account.
“I take time on [the posts],” Kalirai said. “I don’t just throw something together all sloppy. I make sure it looks nice and everything, hopefully, is typed right.”
Using Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and experience in her graphic design class, Kalirai spends time making posts informing followers of game days and other extra information for soccer games like themes.
PRACHI KALIRAI
Helps design for soccer account @mvjagsoccer
Managers can use social media to make informative posts. However, running a sport’s social media account doesn’t have to be fully serious or informative. In fact, more fun posts can be more entertaining to look at and make students want to come back to the account to see more.
Junior Sydney Nash makes posts for the MVHS Soccer Managers’ Instagram. Different from usual accounts, the soccer manager’s account crowns a ‘Manager Man of the Match’ with a crown and cape the soccer managers spend time decorating. Doing more fun posts on a sports account can raise team spirit and memorialize accomplishments.
“It’s really fun,” Nash said. “It’s something that the boys can look back on and [use to] reflect on their season of how they did. It brings them joy about the season.”
TOP PICKS
Students top three picks for their favorite sport social media
From tennis courts being converted to pickleball courts to places specifically made for playing pickleball, and pickleball supplies being readily available at every sporting goods store, pickleball has become the newest popular sport for people of all ages.
While about 50% of players are 55 years old or older there is still a large number of younger players about 31% between the ages of 6-34 years old, according to a report from The Sports and Fitness Industry Association. These numbers are growing too, in 2021 around 5 million people played pickleball, that number grew to 8.5 million in 2023.
The fact that anyone can play is something that appeals to lots of players. Spanish teacher Jennie Dillion started playing pickleball a few years ago after her neighborhood built courts. Dillion often sees people of all ages playing and likes to see others enjoying the sport.
“I’ll see families, or younger kids, or I’ll see an older couple, or
I’ll see some teens,” Dillion said. “I feel like it kind of brings everybody together.”
One of the best things about the sport is that players of all levels can have fun playing. Places like Chicken and Pickle or Serv allow people to play casually but
“I feel like [pickleball] kind of brings everybody together.”
Spanish teacher Jennie Dillon
there are also leagues for players to compete against others. Dillion appreciates how the sport can allow anyone to play any way they want.
“I like that you can be as competitive as you want,” Dillion said. “You can run really fast, be really competitive, slam it down or you
can play with someone that’s never played, and they don’t necessarily have to run all over the court, but yet they’re still enjoying it.”
While pickleball can be played for fun it can also be very competitive and can come with many challenges. Senior Aiden Lehr discusses what he goes through when playing and how he gets past it.
“The most challenging part of pickleball is when you lose a lot,” Lehr said.“There’s gonna be a lot of sports when you lose and you have to focus on not losing that next game and just [doing what] football says every single game: make that next one better than the one before.”
Pickleball can be played individually 1v1 or in doubles 2v2. This allows players to get close with other people who also play. Senior Joel Hayes, who has played pickleball for eight years, has seen how his relationships have grown through playing.
“I feel like I’ve gotten closer to my friends [by] playing pickleball with them every month,” Hayes
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said. “Then with my family, it definitely helps my relationships with them.”
On the other hand, Dillion prefers to play individually because it can be a struggle to work as a team.
“The most challenging thing is playing with another partner on the court with me,” Dillion said. “I’m always trying to rush in and get all of [the balls], and so then we
end up not communicating.”
Like all sports and activities, pickleball can affect anyone physically or emotionally. Hayes shares how he has been affected by playing.
“Emotionally, it’s helping me be happier,” Hayes said. “It’s something to do when life’s stressful; [I can] go play pickleball, and have fun.”
Dillion echoed Hayes’ state-
THE BASICS
ment saying that pickleball could help anyone decompress.
“Everybody tends to have stress in their lives in one way or another, Dillion said. “And we tend to have to look at screens a lot. If we just force ourselves to get outside, and you’re actively holding the pickleball paddle, you can’t necessarily be looking at your phone or computer.”
The need to know aspects for getting started with playing pickleball
Faults
Serving
Must serve underhand
Must keep both feet behind base line
Must be made diagonally
Must bounce
Double Bounce
The ball must bounce once on the serve and once on the return
After these two bounces the ball can be volleyed or played off the shot Ball goes outside court boundaries Ball does not clear net Ball volleyed before second bounce after serve Ball touches any part of non volley zone Ball volleyed from kitchen before one bounce
Teacher Jennifer Dillon prepares to serve the ball across the court on Monday, Oct. 14. photo by hannah stephenson
Senior Aiden Lehr gets ready to hit the ball back to his opponent on Monday, Oct. 21. photo by hannah stephenson
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by eva hernandez writer/photographer
Senior Elise Davis was selected as one of two students in the state of Kansas to attend the National Youth Science Camp this past summer. Davis’s accomplishment was recognized at the first assembly of the year.
To be accepted into the camp Davis had to go through an intensive application process.
“I had to submit my grades and transcripts and then I also had to have a letter of recommendation from one of my teachers.” Davis said. “I chose the director of the CTEC CAPS program, [Tim] Mispagel.”
Tim Mispagel is a teacher at the Cedar Trails Exploration Center (CTEC). When asked about why he would write a letter of recommendation for Elise, Mispagel said, “I was very open to doing it, I knew that she was a high achieving student, and was really trying
EXPLORINGSTEM
MV I AM
to put it out there and take some chances.”
Along with the other application requirements Davis also had to send a letter to the Governor of Kansas, Laura Kelly.
“Governor Kelly looked through everybody’s transcripts and their letters and made a decision based off of that,” Davis said.
Once she was accepted, Davis started out to West Virginia for a whole month. During this time, Davis participated in many activities including backpacking
Experimenting in her biomedical innovations class, senior Elise Davis inserts DNA combined with jellyfish proteins into an agarose gel. Oct. 16. photo by eva hernandez
and outdoor activities, all while learning more and more about the world of STEM.
“[I am mostly] all over, [but] the type of STEM that I focus on is engineering in particular.” Davis said.
Mispagel and the National Youth Science Camp are giving Davis opportunities for careers and college.
Using this opportunity, Davis is able to have an advantage when applying for jobs and positions that would benefit her throughout her career in STEM.
“The National Youth Science Camp is run by the National Youth Science Academy, which is an internationally recognized pro- gram,” Davis said.“If I put that on my resume, it shows employers that know about it that it’s something that’s really hard to get into, that’s more well known.”
STEM is a huge passion for Davis and she hopes to see more women in STEM which is one of the main reasons she decided to start the Society of Women Engi- neers club at the school.
ELISE DAVIS
“For a long time, women weren’t really allowed in the field,” Davis said. “I started the Society of Women Engineers club at Mill Valley, because a lot of women don’t have role models to look up to that are in engineering, and so it’s important to [concentrate on] all of the engineering opportunities that I can gain.”
