JagWire Newspaper: Volume 23, Issue 4

THE RISE AI OF

With AI here to stay, it is important to consider the effects of the increasingly popular technology

PAGE 4

A story of student resilience and the importance of district support

PAGE 6

Students discuss the appeal of collecting vinyl records

PAGE 14

The new location of the popular Fat Bee Boba Cafe and what it has to offer

Editor in Chief

Avery Gathright

Online Editors in Chief

Gabby Delpleash

Emma Clement

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Luci Guess

THE PROS & CONS OF AI

OpenAI software raise risks of cheating, but also brings potential of educational tools by

jagwire staff

Between the growing popularity of the ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion softwares, it’s no secret that AI has quickly become mainstream. AI is everywhere, especially the classroom where the prospect of having your homework done for you by AI seems almost too good to be true.

While AI’s results are not always perfect, their ideas, quickly generated by a predictive prompt-to-text algorithm, serve as a beneficial tool for brainstorming and research.

With every beneficial use of AI comes its antithesis. ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion’s ability to conjure up intellectual work in a fraction of the time it would take a human is a prospect that could entice even the most dedicated students to slack off. While tools for detecting AI generated pieces of text are emerging, the popular plagiarism detection software, Turnitin, won’t catch this kind of cheating. Thus, sending educators into a panic.

Some teachers have high hopes for tools such as GPTZero, a program built by a Princeton student that claims to be able to detect

AI-generated writing. But these tools aren’t reliably accurate, and it’s relatively easy to fool them by changing a few words, or using a different AI program to paraphrase certain passages.

tection software steers the learning course farther off track than if classrooms learned to adapt to working with AI

The barricade has fallen. Tools like ChatGPT aren’t going anywhere; they’re only going to improve. Barring some major regulatory intervention, this particular form of machine intelligence is now a fixture of our society which is, perhaps, the biggest reason not to eliminate AI from classrooms.

Even if it were technically possible to block ChatGPT, having teachers spend their nights and weekends keeping up with the latest AI de-

Because today’s students will graduate into a world full of generative AI programs, they’ll need to know their way around these tools — their strengths, weaknesses, hallmarks and blind spots — in order to work alongside them. For teachers, it’s important to instruct students on how they’ll need hands-on experience in order to understand specific types of AI work, what types of bias it contains and how it can be misused and weaponized. Sudden technological shifts are rarely easy, but establishing a fine line between what AI is meant for and how it can be abused sets students and teachers on the fast track to seeing AI as a help over a hindrance.

Establishing a fine line between what AI is meant for and how it can be abused sets students and teachers on the fast track to seeing AI as a help over a hindrance.

Jagwire Staff

“WHERE I AM NOW” NOW

by emma clement online editor in chief

by abby writer/photographerriggs

The district regularly helps students struggling with homelessness, poverty and other obstacles by providing resources. One of these students is senior Israel Caballero, who moved to Kansas from Mexico and lives on his own.

Caballero was born in Chicago, and is thus a citizen of the United States, but grew up in Mexico with his family. Leaving represented a world of new opportunities for him, as well as an escape from possible dangers.

“[I left because] I have this opportunity to come here in the legal way and to find these opportunities,” Caballero said. “I mean, Mexico is not bad, but it’s dangerous [and] we don’t have the same opportunities. Even if you have a college degree it’s hard to find a job and it doesn’t compare with America.”

Caballero currently lives in a two room apartment with a friend of his uncle, which is very different from the familial living aspects of Mexican culture.

THE

“Mexican culture is more like living with family,” Caballero said. “Think about your family [and] being close with them. So, I still have a good relationship with them, especially with my mom. It’s just you have a big family and you take care of them. I’m still thinking about them. I’m here because I have this idea to be like, this is my last name, but I take care of my last name of the legacy that I’m gonna make with [it].”

For Caballero, keeping himself motivated has helped him continue to be resilient. This, in turn, helps Caballero continue to reach his goals, like joining the Air Force after high school. Caballero describes the routine he follows to reach this goal.

“I wake up every morning and sometimes I workout in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon,” Caballero said. “[On silver days,] I have one class to study for the Air Force for the ASVAB, [the aptitude test for the military]. It’s a whole plan that I use. It’s just the same thing [I do] every week: keep studying, keep working out, keep working.”

Even with a consistent routine, life is not easy for Caballero. He works 40 hour weeks at Amazon in addition to being a student to support himself, pay rent and put food on the table.

“I mean, you go home and you are expecting to eat right because your mom makes it,” Caballero said. “I go home after being at school, after being at work, and I still have to go home and I still have to make my own food and it’s hard.”

With the help of district programs, like Free and Reduced Lunch and getting books and school fees waived, Caballero has been able to make ends meet. But these are not the only resources that can help students who are struggling economically.

According to assistant superintendent Alvie Cater, 14.2% of the district’s students are considered economically disadvantaged. The district is, in many ways, limited

No matter how difficult the obstacles may be, with determination, anything is possible

Senior Israel Caballero has been at Mill Valley for two years. “Everybody’s quiet, but also respectful. Some people say that they don’t like Mill Valley, but I feel like everybody respects each other and they respect their opinions of others as well,” Caballero said.

Photo by Maddy Welch

in what they can do to help these students.

“We do have families who are struggling financially so some of those families because of the amount of income they have each year, they do qualify for free and reduced meals,” Cater said. “[Otherwise], as a public school district, there really is just not a lot we can do to help families that are struggling financially other than through free and reduced benefits.”

Luckily, according to Cater, the district has a lot of connections with people and organizations who are willing to help support those in need.

“We’ve had other families

anonymously provide donations or support to help other kids and other families,” Cater said. “I know that our staff has done the same thing where they give out their personal resources to help. Our school social workers and our school counselors do an excellent job once they become aware of a student’s needs. Some of the schools have a needs closet and those have personal hygiene items, some gently used clothing, and also some ready-to-eat type meals. We have also partnered with other agencies in the county for students who qualify and so it’s just really trying to connect families to those other resources.”

One of these county agencies is United Community Services. Kristy Baughman, who works with UCS as the Director of Education and Planning, explains how organizations like UCS can be a resource for working towards a solution.

“I think that we’re a good resource, one, for data,” Baughman said. “We have a lot of information that we collect on a regular basis, especially relating to poverty. Another place [we can help] is really resources and networking. We work with so many partners around the county.

Resources like these are critical,

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

especially with rising poverty rates in Johnson County. According to a UCS newsletter citing the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the poverty rate for young adults has rose from 9.4% to 14.4% between 2019 and 2021. This age range includes 18-24 year olds, and is the group that Caballero falls under.

Though Caballero has faced many struggles, having access to resources offered by the district has helped him to lead the life he wants to live.

“I have this idea of comparison: what I was and where I am now,” Caballero said. “Either way you go you have to do things for yourself. But here it’s more like you have the support of actually the government or the students and the school, which is like a natural help.”

Surrounding resources that are actively assisting those in need in different ways.

MCKINNEY-VENTO FOOD PANTRIES

Provides rights and services to youth experiencing homelessness or another loss of living situation

The act includes services such as; hygiene items, enrollment advocacy and other academic assistance, medical vouchers, etc.

A distribution center where people can receive food. Supplied with food from a food bank, pantries feed hundreds of people per week.

A couple wide-spread food pantries include; Harvesters and Seton Center

FREE LUNCHES LOCAL CHURCHES

Local churches provides hot meals, safe housing, clean facilities, and services to the Kansas City homeless population.

Shelter KC, a Kansas City Rescue Mission is operating daily to assist those who are in need whenever and however possible.

Free or reduced-price school lunches ensures that students have nutrition they need throughout the day to learn.

Sources: Kansas City Public Schools, FoodPantires.org, Shelter KC

Caballero grinding down a piece of metal at the Cedar Trails Exploration Center where he takes coding and welding, Monday, Jan. 30. Photo By: Maddy Welch Photo by Maddy Welch

[In Mexico] we don’t have the same opportunities. Even if you have a college degree it’s hard to find a job and it doesn’t compare with America.

Senior Israel Caballero

FOR THE

RECORD

Vinyl records are becoming more popular for everyday use rather than being an accesory

by leah writer/photographerdresvyannikov by baylen monson assistant editor

Making a comeback from the past, vinyl records have come into full swing popularity with teens and young adults- many who are influenced into listening because of modern and contemporary artists.

According to the New York Times, vinyl record sales have grown steadily in past years, however, it wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic that sales increased rapidly.

Seniors

Anthony Molinaro, Alec Forristal

and Adam Budimlija have been friends for longer than they have shared their passion for music. It wasn’t until a year or two ago that Budimlija decided to hop onto the vinyl bandwagon, and Forristal and Molinaro eventually decided to follow along.

All three friends have cultivated impressive collections. Molinaro has the largest at roughly 70 records, while Budimlija and Forristal have collections

that sit around 40 to 50 records. Each expressed his interest in collecting vinyls for more aesthetic purposes. Popular artists have begun to appeal more to their fans by offering unique vinyl album editions, expanding their ways of marketing. A Billboard report mentioned that Taylor Swift’s “Midnights”, the top selling album of 2022, was available in four vinyl long-play editions which had different covers and different colored vinyls.

This artist appeal is another aspect that motivated these friends to start collecting records.

“[Vinyls are becoming popular] because of certain artists and people that are pressing vinyls more,” Budimlija said. “I thought that it would be cool to have a more physical version [of music].”

Despite the aesthetics, the boys were mainly influenced by each other to start collecting records. Members of Molinaro and Forristal’s families were also an integral part of sparking this hobby.

“My parents had a bunch of records from Olivia Newton John,” Molinaro said. “Then, I went out and bought my own.”

After he and his brother got a record player, Forristal’s passion for his music collection grew.

“My brother and I both had four to five [records] before we actually got a record player,” Forristal said, “We kind of have to get more now that we have them.”

In the same report, Billboard revealed that nearly half of all record sales came from independent

Students

Senior Adam Budimlija likes the vinyl, MF Doom, Senior Anthony Molinaro, like the vinyl, Can’t Buy A Thrill by Steely Dan, and Alec Forristal likes the vinyl, Angel Youth, by Vanshire

stores at 48%. These independent record stores are where Molinaro, Forristal and Budimlija choose to spend their money, namely stores in downtown Kansas City.

The trio’s most frequented stores include Mills Record Company, Josey Records and The Vinyl Underground at 7th Heaven. At the stores, they browse through various genres of music, including indie, rap, rock, metal and hip hop.

Forristal explained that besides record stores, vinyls can be found in other places such as Barnes and Noble or online sites.

“If it’s [a record] that you can still

whether it is new or used and which album it is.

For Budimlija in particular, getting a job made it much easier to continue this hobby.

“I didn’t have a job when I first started collecting, so it was really small. Then once I got a job I started wasting my money on it,” Budmilija said.

As their collections grew, the trio’s friendship strengthened. They may have different tastes in music and differing reasons for deciding to collect vinyls, but their similarities have connected them nonetheless.

“We all just listen to whatever, but we will get into similar things,” Forristal explained. “Adam likes more [modern rap music] and Anthony is more into metal than Adam and I are.”

Even though each has their own individual music tastes, some artists have made their way into multiple of the friends’ collections.

“We [all three] have similar artists we enjoy,” Budimlija said. “Anthony has a couple Mac Miller records and we both have Metallica records.”

While the songs themselves stay the same, the way the music is composed and played with a record player differs from online forms of music, such as Spotify.

get and they don’t sell anymore, you can get them on Amazon or wherever they are available,” Forristal said. “There’s also a site called Discogs, it’s like eBay but for records.”

According to the friends, one record typically costs anywhere from $20 to $50. The price can depend on where you purchase the record,

PLAY IT BACK

The physical record offers better sound quality and authenticity, according to Molinaro.

“I think people just enjoy listening to the actual [more physical version] of music, and getting the posters that come with vinyls,” Molinaro said. “It is more like an experience to have, and get lost in the music, instead of just listening [regularly].”

Survey responses of how vinyls have been increasing for everyday use

Do

Mills Record Company is located at 4045 Broadway Blvd in Kansas City, Missouri. They sell records, books, and other merchandise Photo by Maggie Wieland

Mills Record Company is located at 4045 Broadway Blvd in Kansas City, Missouri. They sell records, books, and other merchandise Photo by Maggie Wieland

you own a record player? Have you noticed an increase in popularity for vinyls?

“It is more like an experience to have, and get lost in the music, instead of just listening [regularly].”

Senior Anthony Molinaro

by avery gathright editor in chief

by anna writer/photographerzwahlen

by lucienna writer/photographerguess

believes that students can utilize AI, in specific instances, on their school work. His vision is utilizing AI as a tool which can help explain specific problems or concepts they are having trouble with.

, short for Artificial Intelligence, seems to have taken the educational world by surprise lately. One program that has gained traction in the past few months is ChatGPT, a chatbot program developed by non-profit research organization OpenAI. It is designed so users can interact conversationally with the bot and ask it questions. However, it has also been used by some students to write papers and complete other classwork. Technology meant to mimic human intelligence can be a daunting thought. With some more understanding, however, it can be less scary. While AI certainly can be used for academic fraud, it can also be used to benefit users and help them learn new concepts. Various students and staff help debrief AI and how it may affect education going forward.

In education, artificial intelligence has the ability to open closed doors for students and create a more equitable experience, as it can be used to explain concepts or gain inspiration.

Physics teacher Ryan Johnston

“I’m sure like any extremely powerful tool, we could use it positively,” Johnston said. “I mean, if you’re genuinely stuck and you’ve thought about the problem for a long time … it can help you over the edge.”

The increase of widespread internet access allows students to take advantage of more information through YouTube and similar platforms to explain various content. AI is able to serve the same purpose, but in a way that targets potential weak points within its users’ content understanding, according to Johnston. He sees this concept being used is for programming classes.

“If you have a programming problem, you can pick, copy and paste your code there and it will tell you, how you know where the error is, how to solve it, why it’s an error in the first place.” Johnston said. “That’s extremely useful, especially if you’re a beginner programmer, and you’re still trying to learn the ropes.”

The benefits of AI are not exclusive to education or students’ pursuits within STEM. It can also be used as a starting point for more creative tasks. Graphic design teacher Travis Kohler explains how AI art generators, like DALL-E or Midjourney, can be used to give artists a head start of inspiration on the

ARTIFIC

EDUCATION

Teachers and students evaluate the in the classroom setting and how it should

GET TO KNOW THE TERMS GET TO KNOW THE TERMS

Terms and vocabulary to get familiar with as AI becomes a more common topic

AIAI

IAWHAT IS AI? THE PROS OF AI Open

A computer system that is able to perform tasks in a way that imitates human intelligence. These tasks can include decision-making, communication and visual perception

Open AI

AI

A non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the use of AI and its development for the benefit of mankind

ChatGPT ChatGPT

An AI chatbot system that OpenAI released. It allows users to ask questions and submit prompts to the AI for written responses

Dall-E Dall-E

An AI system developed by OpenAI that builds realistic digital images based off of prompts fed to the system made by the user

Source: Telus International, Fronty, Business Insider, CMS Wire

RTIFICIAL

EDUCATION

benefits and drawbacks that AI has should be dealt with going forward

way to creating their own, unique works.

“[AI is] a tool to be used to help create images that should help you make other stuff,” Kohler said. “... It’s the same as if I go to Google and I’m like, ‘How do I draw a dog?’ I need to go look at images of dogs, right?’ I can use that as inspiration but I’m not copying that image for my final product.”

While AI programs can be used similarly to Google in order to gain inspiration for artwork, the ability to put in specific prompts can help speed up the process. To Kohler, this can make AI-generated art simultaneously more impressive and daunting.

“It’s pretty impressive, the fact that you can put in a prompt [into an AI generator] and it comes out with this artwork,” Kohler said. “Obviously, some of the prompts become better than others and work better depending on how specific you are typing that stuff in. It’s pretty impressive and it’s kind of scary at times.”

With AI like ChatGPT being able to write entire essays at rapid speeds, the English department has especially been affected by this technology now available to the student population. Despite this, English teacher Madeline Byrd thinks that AI could be beneficial to educators if they look at the big picture first.

“I think it could have some great educational purposes.” Byrd said. “It’s so new though, right now we have to take a step back and look at in what ways is this going to benefit us and what ways can we use this?”

THE CONS OF AI

As AI opens a door to a world of new possibilities, it also opens a world of risks. The speed at which AI technology can complete assignments that may otherwise take hours of original thought can be tempting. However, relying on technology to complete school work can negate the long-term benefits of a high school education.

Advancement is considered a good thing in almost any context, but from the perspective of a physics teacher, Johnston warns that without regulations, advancement in AI could cause unforeseen issues.

“Are there positive uses for AI? Of course, but AI run amok is a serious concern that probably isn’t taken seriously enough,” Johnston said.

Within the educational sphere, AI usage can result in plagiarism and other forms of academic fraud. While some AI generated texts may not be direct plagiarism, in its exact definition, is adamant that passing AI writing as your own is academic fraud.

“... if it’s not written by you, you are not the author, and you are saying those words are your own. That would be considered academic plagiarism,”Byrd said. “ You know, as long as it’s your words, it’s yours. If it’s not your words, it’s not and I think it can be as simple as that.”

Some students, like junior Olivia Peters, agree with Byrd’s sentiment, and are opposed to using AI complete assignments.

“I think [AI] is harmful to stu-

DreamUp

DreamUp

An AI art generator that creates art based on prompts, with roots in Stable Diffusion

Feeding Feeding

Inputting information into an AI program to help give a user certain reults.

Midjourney

Midjourney A reasearch lab that is working to explore new mediums of thought. The program creates images based off of prompts

An AI program designed to communicate with humans based off of prompts

Turing Test Turing Test

Named after Alan Turing, the Turing Test determines if a machine’s intelligence could be indistinguishable from a humans

The process an AI takes to extract, analyze, and discover new patterns in large data

dents,” Peters said. “It also throws off the way that people are able to complete academic work and I think it makes it a little unfair. I get there’s benefits to it and leveling a learning environment could be good, but mostly, it feels like cheating.”

With the technology being easily accessible, students might ask themselves: what could be so bad about using AI if they don’t get caught? An anonymous sophomore boy who used ChatGPT to complete a writing assignment explains how he utilized the program without anyone noticing.

“It was a short essay, only a few paragraphs,” the sophomore said. “I took the prompt from Canvas and tailored it a little bit so it made a little more sense to the AI. I put it in, then I went back through and read the provided sources and I put some quotes [into the AI]. I didn’t get caught I got an A on the assignment.”

According to teachers and students alike, there are long term, personal effects of using AI programs to complete work.

According to Byrd, when instructors assign work for a class, the goal of creating that assignment is improvement in a specific area, regardless of whether or not students may view it as busywork.

“The goal of school is that you are taking away something that you

can use later,” Byrd said. “If you’re having something do your work for you, you’re not actively learning.”

Students with lots of homework and busy schedules may be tempted to turn to AI to complete simpler assignments. When an assignment is low-impact and doesn’t require much thought, the anonymous soph-

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

With AI technology constantly improving, the opportunities and the obstacles it creates multiply in number for students and educators alike.

The possibilities of AI as a tool are numerous as its applicability to all fields of work expands with its development. Johnston highlights the benefits these expansions could have as a pathway to higher technological developments beyond the scope of human capabilities.

“Some problems … you’ll only be able to solve with AI,” Johnston said. “So having AI sort these things out will keep technology evolving - will keep the science evolving.”

According to Johnston, these technological advances hold a promising future for education that includes possibilities unthought of by even the most tech savvy individuals.

omore believes it can be easy to justify using AI.

“On [the assignment I used AI for], I was able to rationalize it very easily,” the sophomore said. “I would feel bad about doing it in a honors or AP class, or anything where I feel like it would actually be like, ‘Oh, I can learn from this.’ In that class, I was able to easily rationalize to myself, ‘Oh, it’s just this assignment,

“In education, we’ve only just begun to tap into what this is,” Johnston said. “We’re just at the beginning of the AI revolution, really. I mean, ChatGPT is a new level of what we’re able to do.”

Byrd offers an alternative point of view, encouraging students to avoid using ChatGPT for schoolwork. Instead, she asserts that students should utilize other resources, such as teachers themselves, in order to develop answers individually.

Yes,

55.8% 26% 9.6% 8.7%

We’re just at the beginning of the AI revolution, really. I mean, ChatGPT is a new level of what we’re able to do.

Ryan Johnston

AI PARAGRAPH

AI PARAGRAPH

We fed ChatGPT the following prompt: “Write an AP news style article about yourself.” This is what it came up with.

ChatGPT, the cutting-edge language model developed by OpenAI, has been making waves in the tech industry for its ability to generate human-like text.

The model, which was trained on a massive dataset of internet text, can complete a wide range of language tasks, from answering questions to writing articles and even poetry.

One of the key features of ChatGPT is its ability to continue a given text, based on the context of the previous sentences, this ability is called “contextualization”. This allows the model to generate highly coherent and fluent text, making it a valuable tool for businesses and organizations in need of automated content generation.

In addition to its commercial applications, ChatGPT has also been used in a variety of creative projects, such as writing fiction and poetry, and even creating music.

Despite its impressive capabilities, it’s important to note that ChatGPT is a machine and its output may not always be accurate or appropriate. OpenAI continues to work on improving the model and making it more widely accessible to the public.

Overall, ChatGPT represents a significant step forward in the field of natural language processing and has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with technology.

“The goal is to ask questions. It’s for your own benefit,” Byrd said. “So ask questions. There are many other resources online where you can look up definitions to words. It’s just [about] not taking the easy way out.”

While the “easy way out” may be tempting for some students, the lessons taught in high school extend beyond just memorization, writing or math. The original thinking, reasoning and deduction skills associated with the ability to write and memorize are what’s at stake, according to Byrd.

“If people are only using it to cheat on papers, we’re probably going to see a lot of deficits in writing and being able to think critically and

come up with reasons for [their] opinions,” Byrd said.

Similarly, Peters observes that using AI technology, especially for developing skills like writing, could cause a decrease in thinking and creative skills in her peers.

“If you’re writing for a class, generally the point of writing is to … use that skill because writing is used in almost every field you go into,” Peters said. “[Using AI] causes people to not gain those skills and not practice them, which I think is harmful for the student.”

Additionally, Peters argues that while there can be benefits to using AI, there is also a very real risk of its misuse as a shortcut for students, rather than as an inspirational start-

ing point.

“I heard a lot…that people are trying to lean into these kinds of new technological developments as a form of growth,” Peters said. “I’m concerned that as AI develops and depending on how people use it, that’ll make it less used as a starting point and more used as an endpoint for people.”

Ultimately, Johnston explains that using AI to complete homework assignments could prevent students from learning the necessary life skills that normally come with graduating from high school.

“If you turn in every paper using AI…what do you really have when you graduate?” Johnston said. “You’ve got a piece of paper.”

ARTIFICIAL ART

AI art generators are robbing the future of creativity and art

by emma clement online editor in chief

Almost everyone has been called a copycat before. It’s within human nature to feel inspired by someone’s work and want to accomplish that same greatness.

But we’ve also all been on the other side of this and felt the annoyance that comes with someone calling your work their own. This annoyance is what many artists are feeling about recent gains in the popularity of AI art generators.

Stable Diffusion, the AI art generator that serves as the basis for many of the programs commonly used online, is an open-source image-spawning program. This program allows users to type out descriptions of an image and the AI will generate that image.

But what many users of these generators don’t understand is that they take aspects of already existing art from databases, often without the knowledge of the artists that created the pieces the AI is learning from.

This is the case of Kelly McKernan, Karla Ortiz and Sarah Ander-

son, the three artists behind a recent lawsuit against AI art generators. For McKernan, finding out that her art was an inspiration was initially exciting. But she soon realized that the generator allowed anyone to type in her name and create an original piece of art in her style, with no credit to her whatsoever. This realization made McKernan angry on behalf of all artists. Ortiz and An-

fusion create art in specific artists’ styles in an instant with no credit to them, even though it may have taken the artists hours to create the original piece.

Art generators are not only unfair to current artists, they are also discouraging to potential future artists.

As a person who has considered a career in art, knowing that my work could be used in this way makes me wary of pursuing this route. This thought is not uncommon which should be incredibly worrying.

Whether it be graffiti to support a movement or a fine art piece about injustice, art is a vehicle for social change. Furthermore, art is entertainment; animated movies could not exist without digital artists. Finally, art contains great cultural and historical relevance. There is a reason many history classes include art in their curriculums.

derson shared similar feelings. A world in which anyone can generate art in an instant creates a lessened need for independent artists like McKernan. It’s also harmful because generators like Stable Dif-

The fact that art is essential means that it needs to be protected. Unregulated AI art generators, like Stable Diffusion, are threatening artists’ rights worldwide, thus government regulation and clarified protection of artists’ rights to their work is key to navigating this new world of AI generated art.

AI art generators are not only unfair to current artists, they are also discouraging to future artists.

Emma Clement

The loud thump of basketballs dribbling against the gym floor. Players in eccentric uniforms bolting across the court. And a few students watching from the sidelines. Playing school sports is a common piece of many student’s high school experience. Just two miles away at Okun Fieldhouse, there is another group of students playing basketball simply for fun.

Every December, students get together to play basketball. Games are kept brief; the clock runs for both 20-minute game halves which are separated by a two-minute halftime.

The league, which brackets teams by grade level, makes for matchups where students play against teams of the opposite gender. For sophomore Brynn McGillicuddy, a member of the only girls team in the league, the Pink Pumas, this is not a problem.

“A bunch of the guys in my grade play rec basketball, so we decided we were going to do it too,” McGillicuddy said. “We don’t take it very seriously, but it feels like we have more fun than some of the other teams do because we don’t take it super seriously. For us, we’re the only girls team so it’s more just playing to have a good time instead of trying to

For junior Conner Clifton, the opportunity to play sports for fun with friends and avoid injury convinced him to join his 10-person rec team, the Shawnee Milkmen.

“My friend [junior] Jacob Morton

asked me if I wanted to play with his team,” Clifton said. “I had no other way to compete through the winter since I’m not doing winter sports so I was open to the idea.”

Senior Zack Kellogg, who used to play school basketball, switched to playing rec ball with friends he has known since middle school. The transition allowed Kellogg to make memories that he believesw he wouln’t have made had he continued to play school ball.

“School basketball is a big commitment. Rec basketball isn’t really a commitment at all,” Kellogg said. “It’s a lot less commitment and a lot more fun too.”

Clifton encourages students to try rec basketball, but not necessarily for the athletic aspects.

“Playing rec basketball keeps you physically active, which is good, but it also enhances friendships,” Clifton said. “I’ve just built stronger friendships through it, spending more time with my friends has made us closer. I got at least a little bit better at basketball, but for me, it’s mostly about the friendships.”

GETTING THEIR GAME ON

Students form recreational basketball teams with their friends to compete against each other in an organized setting

by gabby delpleash online editor in chief

After being fouled, junior Preston Fischer shoots his first free throw during his rec basketball game against Pre-K Academy, Tuesday, Jan. 24. Photo by Luke Wood

Shooting a corner three, junior Lucas Longhofer leads his team to victory against the Shaw Town Dons, Tuesday, Jan. 24. Photo by Luke Wood

“I got at least a little bit better at basketball, but for me, it’s mostly about the friendships.”

Junior Connor Clifton

IT’S BOBA TIME

A new cafe serving specialty boba drinks introduced a new location

by madelyn writer/photographerwelch

With its homey and earthy aesthetic, it’s no wonder students choose Fat Bee Boba as a place to do homework and hang out with friends. Fat Bee Cafe opened a new location off of Shawnee Mission Parkway this year and with the rising popularity of boba tea, students are excited about the closer location.

The cafe has many aesthetic and muted decorations to make the store aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The store is decorated with wood paneling with lots of plants. Many students have already been to the new location, and junior Augusta Miller appreciates the atmosphere in the cafe.

“It’s an aesthetic place. It’s really calm,” Miller said. “It’s like a place where you would go and study with your friends like read a book, do homework and stuff like that.

Junior Ella Doyle describes that the neutral tones of the decor make her feel comfortable and calm there.

“I think the new store is very minimalistic but still super warm and homey,” Doyle said.

Some students just started going to Fat Bee Boba when they added a new location, but there are others who have been fans for a while now. Junior Riley Martin says she goes a lot more now.

“I went to the other one before this one, but I only went once since it was so far away,” Riley said. “Now, I’m at the new location at least once per week if not twice.”

There are a wide variety of teas on the menu including milk and fruit tea but that’s not all that’s offered to order. Fat Bee also offers boba espressos, lattes and slushes. There are also “croffles” on the menu which is a cross between a croissant and a waffle. Many toppings are also offered to add like cookies, fruit, and more.

Miller’s order has changed over time and has actually gotten more

FIVE STAR RATING

Rating:

fine-tuned to her specific taste.

“When I first went, I got the regular milk tea. It was good. It wasn’t great,” Miller said. “Now I get the strawberry matcha that is so good.”

Doyle started going when her mom said she wanted to try it. Doyle said how she loves going and how convenient the new location is.

“I think the new store is so cute and I love having a location close to us, “ Doyle said.

The new Fat Bee Boba is located at 13223 Shawnee Mission Parkway and the cafe opens daily at 11 a.m and closes at 9 p.m.

STAFF MEMBERS RATE TWO DIFFERENT DRINKS SOLD AT FAT BEE CAFE

PEACH TEA MANIA HAWAIIAN SUNSET WITH MANGO WITH RAINBOW JELLY AND MANGO POPPING BOBA

POPPING BOBA

Description: “This drink was very aesthetic. It was a peach tea base and came with lemon and orange slice. The drink was on the sweet side but overall a very good drink.”

Rating:

Description: “This drink was very pretty, there was a pink to orange gradient. It was a hibisus tea on the top that faded into a pineapple tea. The drink was not very sweet.”

Design by Grace Brookshire

Fat Bee Cafe is located at 13223 Shawnee Mission Parkway and they celebrated their grand opening on Dec. 20, 2022. They provide numerous seating areas to enjoy your drink.

Photo by Sydney McGlassen

SPILL THE TEA

From health benefits to being a recent trend, tea has made a notable impact over the past few years

TEA BENEFITS

Drinking different types of tea brews can have a positive, lasting impact on your health Source: Everyday Health and Penn Medicine

GREEN TEA contains a high amount of flavonoids which lowers bad cholesterol and reduces blood clotting, lowers blood pressure, may help the development of type 2 diabetes, and is anti-inflammatory

BLACK TEA is caffeinated, contains flavonoids that help with inflammation, can reduce pain and swelling when pressed on minor cuts and scrapes, and can soothe inflammation caused by poison ivy

OOLONG TEA contain l-theanine, an amino acid known to reduce anxiety and increase alertness, and is high in polyphenols that can lower inflammation and decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes

THOUGHTS ON TEA

WHITE TEA has a high fluoride content that can help strengthen teeth and has high levels of antioxidants

CHAMOMILE TEA can reduce stress, improve sleep, and can ease menstrual pain

STUDENTS’ GO-TO BOBA ORDER

Students share their favorite boba orders *Survey

MILK TEA with tapioca pearls

PEACH TEA with popping strawberry pearls

HIBISCUS TEA can lower blood pressure and fat levels and can improve liver health

Students share their differing opinions on a variety of tea related questions *Survey of 104

TARO TEA with tapioca pearls

MANGO TEA with popping mango pearls

DOWN TOBUSINESS

Students gain business skills through the school store, The Catty Shack, and their time spent in DECA

After asking a student what

want to purchase,

Friday,

Design by Hailey Perrin and Julia Shumaker

Looking over the counter, senior Libby Strathman beams at the first student-customers in line at the Catty Shack Tuesday, Jan. 24. Photo by Gabby Delpleash

they

senior Diego Martin, vice president of marketing, reaches for a Celsius energy drink

Jan. 20. Photo by Baylen Monson Leading a classroom discussion about mindset in daily life, business teacher Dianna Heffernon-Meyers discusses quotes over failure in everyday situations Monday, Jan. 23.

Photo by Luke

To celebrate the Catty Shack’s first day open after winter break, JJ the Jaguar poses for a picture Friday Jan. 20.

Photo by Baylen Monson