JagWire Newspaper: Volume 19, Issue 7

JAGWIRE MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL VOL. 19 ISSUE SEVEN APRIL 18, 2019 MVNEWS.ORG

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FINDING THE BEST FIT FOR THE FUTURE pages 13-19 UND IDED EC

02 CONTENTS

March 21, 2019

Cover by Annie Myers

JagWire

table of contents

SPECIAL SECTION: QUESTIONS OF THE FUTURE pages 13-19

04 NEWS:

25 OPINIONS:

30 A&E:

1-to-1 Technology

Staff Editorial

Promposals

page 4

page 20

pages 28-29

After Prom

Opinions

What’s Happening Now

page 5

pages 21-23

pages 30-31

Catty Shack Changes page 6-7

FEATURES: Save the Bees

SPORTS: Olivia Augustine

A Look Back

page 25

page 32

pages 8-9

Choosing Sports

Relay for Life Fundraising

page 26-27

pages 10-11

PHOTO ESSAY:

JagWire

Design by Annie Myers

April 18, 2019

2018-19 staff

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hat’s up, Mill Valley? Welcome to issue seven of the JagWire. With the fourth annual Relay for Life in the middle of this production cycle and the three of us being on committee, time was of the essence this issue — but don’t worry friends, issue seven has arrived.

As seniors, the three of us are really looking forward to upcoming fun events: our journalism Anaheim trip, prom (still don’t have a date? Flip to page 28 for some promposal inspiration), After Prom, (which you can read all about on page five) and finally, graduation. This last event has been long-awaited, as we’ve been preparing for it for the duration of our entire secondary education experience, so we decided to take a quick poll of our younger staff members: what are you planning for the future?

Their wide-range of answers, as well as the following questions they had for us older staffers, was the inspiration for this issue’s special section:

STAFF

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PRINT EDITORS-IN-CHIEF the future. So, if you’re not sure how to choose your goals, how to achieve them, or arguably most importantly, how to pay for them, try flipping to page 13 for the answer. The three of us have said on multiple occasions that we wished we had known some of the information in this issue earlier, so we hope it helps you through your own process, or at the very least, gets the wheels turning for what your future may hold. Whatever happens, the future is bright for all jaguars.

Beyond the special section, we have a variety of topics for your enjoyment, from how to save the bees to a behindthe-scenes look into MVTV’s beloved What’s Happening Now segment, so give it a read — we hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it.

As the semester winds down, we sincerely hope you stick with us through our next (and final) letter from the editors. If you need us, we’ll be savoring every last moment of our time here.

Peace!

Annie Myers Ally Nguyen Anika Roy

ONLINE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Katya Gillig Elizabeth Joseph Marah Shulda

MANAGING EDITOR Hunter Ristau

PHOTO EDITOR Andrew Tow

BUSINESS MANAGER Hunter Ristau

NEWS EDITORS Hannah Chern Tatum Elliott

FEATURES EDITOR Sophie Lecuru

A&E EDITOR Steven Curto

OPINIONS EDITOR Ben Wieland

SPORTS EDITOR Jakob Twigg

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Hannah Chern

REPORTERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Sophia Armendariz Jonathan Atchley Sam Hanson Addie Kemp John Lehan Anna Owsley Tanner Smith

publication information on the web jagwire office

censorship policy

5900 Monticello Road Shawnee, KS 66226 Phone: (913) 422-4351 Fax: (913) 422-4039 Email: jagwirenewspaper@gmail.com Adviser: Kathy Habiger khabiger@usd232.org JagWire, a monthly publication of Mill Valley High School, is printed by Valley Offset Printing

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

professional associations Kansas Scholastic Press Association National Scholastic Press Association Journalism Education Association Journalism Educators of Metropolitan KC The 2018 JagWire earned an All-American rating from NSPA and an All-Kansas rating from KSPA. It is also a member of the NSPA All-American Hall of Fame.

visit mvnews.org for regular story postings:

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

@millvalleynews1 @millvalleynews Mill Valley News

04 NEWS

Design by Addie Kemp

April 18, 2019

ONE FOR ALL

During the upcoming school year, the district will begin the process of becoming a one-to-one with added technology by tanner smith reporter/photographer

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he Board of Education approved the acquisition of more computers on Monday, March 18, so that the district can become one-to-one with technology. After meeting with teachers and looking through survey data from 3,700 students, the district will purchase MacBook Airs for all students in grades three through 12.

While the change will not take place right away, the district is hoping to roll out the devices to students early next school year.

For freshman Taylor Doyle, who got to test all of the devices in her English class, the districts decision to choose MacBooks will be beneficial for the students.

“I think my entire English class can agree that we are fighting for the MacBooks,” Doyle said. “They weren’t hard to use at all and they really benefited our class.”

On the other hand, sophomore Zachary Botkin felt the district should have invested in PCs. “MacBooks are inefficient,” Botkin said. “They are more confusing to use, more expensive for less power and are overall not as good as a PC.” English teacher Ashley Agre is excited about how the devices will affect her class.

“I am excited as an English teacher to go one-to-one because writing essays in class, and being able to do some vocabulary games, research and things like that will be much more convenient because I don’t have to move the laptop carts,” Agre said. “I am anticipating next year [will be] an interesting year [trying to integrate] the technology but overall I think it will be a good thing.”

According to director of curriculum Joe Kelly, the devices will help to make the classroom more streamlined.

“There will be less time [spent] dealing with problems related to logging in because the device being implemented is being checked out to the individual student,” Kelly said. “When students need to use that technolo-

gy, all they have to do is take it out of their backpack and it just starts right up.”

Botkin feels the program, while well-intentioned, will be ineffective.

“I feel that although the district is trying to get in line with common standards in teaching, I believe that it will be implemented poorly into the curriculum as an afterthought as opposed as to a new way to teach,” Botkin said.

While Agre is excited about the program, she is worried about how to deal with technology problems.

“I am interested to see if a kid’s laptop breaks what do we do, if they don’t bring it to school what do we do,” Agre said. “[Next year] we will have to figure everything out.”

Although the devices are checked out to the students, Kelly wants students to remember they still have to be responsible.

“Something people should be aware of is that the devices, even though they are checked out to the student, still do belong to the district,” Kelly said. “We want students to feel like they can use the device and that they can store files on it but we also want them to be responsible and want them to know that we still are enforcing the same rules that we have in the handbook.”

JagWire

DEVICE DATA

An overview of the new technological changes

Macbook Air laptops will be given to students years 6-12 beginning 2019-2020 school year

Approximately $1.99 million will be spent to provide new technology for the district

Starting in the 2020-21 school year, classroom sets of iPads will be available in K-2 classes

During the one-to-one pilot testing, senior Nicole Wieschhaus tests out a MacBook Air by taking notes on the device. Next school year, every student will have the option to use this device . // Hunter Ristau

JagWire

April 18, 2019

Design by Katya Gillig

NEWS

05

REVAMPED

After Prom will feature many changes this year, including a different venue and an earlier end time by tanner smith reporter/photographer

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o keep up with students’ interests, this year’s After Prom will be held on Saturday, May 4 at Topgolf. In addition to changing the location, the event, which previously ended at 3 a.m., will start at 11:30 p.m. and go until 2 a.m. Tickets for After Prom will be available from Tuesday, April 16 through Friday, April 19 in the commons during lunch for $25.

Due to the lack of capacity, sales will be capped at 300 students.

For senior Mia Thomas, the district made the right choice picking Topgolf.

“I think people are going to like the venue more,” Thomas said. “It will be a very fun and different atmosphere.”

For After Prom organizer Tonya Burke, Topgolf was the best option for the students.

“Each year, we want to find the venue that will attract the most students to After Prom while still providing an economical ticket price to the students,” Burke said. [Topgolf was] able to provide us an unbelievable deal …

FAST FACTS

It was a no-brainer to make Topgolf the venue this year.”

Senior Ashlyn Windmiller, who went to after prom last year, thinks Topgolf will be an even bigger hit than previous After Proms.

“I think that this year’s after prom will be a bigger hit than the previous years,” Windmiller said. “The bowling alley was fun, because you had a lot of different activities but Topgolf gets us outside and more active.”

“[AFTER PROM] WILL BE A VERY FUN AND DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE.” senior mia thomas

Even if golf isn’t a student’s strong suit, Burke still feels like there is a lot for students to do.

“We have the first floor lounge … [where] you can play shuffleboard, pool or Foosball,” Burke said. Anoth-

er big tradition of After Prom is the raffle … at the very end of the night, our last prize drawings will be special larger value items, specifically things such as microwaves, dorm fridges and Keurigs.”

For Thomas, one of the reasons she decided to go to After Prom was because it was at Topgolf.

“I think it made me want to go more because it is a fun venue and it is closer to the convention center,” Thomas said.

While Burke feels that Topgolf was the best choice for After Prom, she still feels like it comes with its share of obstacles.

“The biggest obstacle is our cap on ticket sales,” Burke said. “[Topgolf] can only accommodate 300 students.”

At the end of the day, Burke is hoping that Topgolf will be a fun environment for students.

“We want this event to be catered to what students want in an After Prom party,” Burke said. “Our end goal is to make this event a memorable, community building experience for students to hang-out with their friends in a safe, substance free environment.”

Details about the After Prom being held at Topgolf on Saturday, May 4

2 25 11:30 300 p.m. is when the event will start

a.m. is when the event will end

Dollars to buy a ticket to After Prom

Students will be able to go to After Prom

After Prom this year will be held at Topgolf on Saturday, May 4. At Topgolf, people can play a golf game, scoring points by hitting microchipped golf balls at giant dartboard-like targets. This is the first year that After Prom will be held at Topgolf.// Illustration by Katya Gillig

06 NEWS

Design by Tatum Elliott

April 18, 2019

READY FOR

by sam hanson

by john lehan

reporter/photographer

reporter/photographer

JagWire

AN UPGRADE

The Catty Shack has implemented a new card reading system that’s boosted sales and efficiency

On Thursday, March 28, sophomore Kaylee Corbitt inserts her card into the new card reading system.

With the new register system, the Catty Shack accepts card paying methods. // Hannah Chern

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his year, the Catty Shack has implemented various changes to make purchasing items easier for customers as well as for school store workers.

The school store now accepts credit and debit cards using a new system called the “Square,” and the resulting profits have allowed the store to create more spirit wear and start an online delivery system.

Catty Shack founder Dianna Heffernon-Meyers said the acceptance of cards was a necessity in order to take

the business to the next level.

“We were kind of just running a glorified lemonade stand, that’s really what it was,” Heffernon-Meyers said. “When you only accept cash, it’s limiting because not very many people carry cash anymore, so we were flat-lined as far as our sales [go]. This has really done exactly what we had hoped it would do: it’s increased our revenue.”

The Square automates tasks that the cashiers had to previously do, and according to senior marketing stu-

dent Abby Layton, it makes life a lot easier for the cashiers.

“When you’re handed [a card, the Square] makes it a lot easier because you don’t have to calculate change anymore, it just tells you how much change to give,” Layton said. “It also keeps track of your sales automatically for you.”

The Square takes Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover, along with Google Pay. Although the Square is profitable, there are certain fees that come along with it, according to Heffernon-Meyers.

“For every [card payment], we pay [2.5%], of the payment total to the Square,” Heffernon-Meyers said. “So if you buy $10 [worth of items] and you [use your card], 2.5% of that $10 goes to the Square, and the rest goes to the Catty Shack.”

For Heffernon-Meyers, investing in the Square was a great business decision for the Catty Shack, despite questions about the cost. “[Getting the Square] has been worth it because of how much our revenue has increased [about] $100 per week … since we got the Square,” Heffernon-Meyers said. “We were afraid that our volume was too small to cover the fees, but it’s not. We weren’t exactly sure what to expect, … but the increased revenue has allowed us to have cooler things [such as] more spirit wear.”

EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY A closer look at the new card reading system, the Square, being used at the Catty Shack

Students can pay for Catty Shack products with new card scanner

Staff members can help payments go through smoothly with new monitor

JagWire

NEWS

April 18, 2019

600

500

400

300

The Catty Shack now has an online store, which people can access by going to the school website, scrolling down to “Popular Links” and clicking on the “MVHS Spirit Wear” tab.

The website offers two shipping options that students, parents and the community can take advantage of, according to Heffernon-Meyers.

“When you order online, you can have it shipped directly to your house, but you have to pay [a separate delivery fee] for that,” Heffernon-Meyers said. “Or you can have [items] sent here where you do not have to pay [a delivery fee], and then I get it to you.”

According to Heffernon-Meyers, the inspiration for the online store came from the Advanced Marketing class wanting a public place for people to buy Mill Valley gear.

“The Booster Club wanted an outlet for parents and community members to get generic Mill Valley spirit wear that doesn’t say ‘football’ or ‘baseball’,” Heffernon-Meyers said.

“The booster club gave us cash to get up and running … and then they have pushed out the website to all of the Booster Club members and all of the parents.”

How the Catty Shack’s profits have increased since implementing the new system 200

catty shack founder dianna heffernon-meyers

INCOME INCREASE 100

“WE WEREN’T EXACTLY SURE WHAT TO EXPECT, BUT THE INCREASED REVENUE HAS ALLOWED US TO HAVE COOLER THINGS.”

In order to bring new products to the Catty Shack, the Advanced Marketing class takes advantage of a local supplier that takes their ideas and turns them into reality.

“Our marketing department comes up with the ideas and then they work with Century Marketing, which is our supplier,” Heffernon-Meyers said.

“Century Marketing takes [our] ideas and brings them to life, and sends us [samples]. Then, we look at them and decide what we want. We order some to put in the store, then [Century Marketing] puts the items on our website.”

After the Advanced Marketing class implemented changes to the school store, they continue to examine the differences the new changes bring, and make further changed based on that analysis.

“We do look to analyze how the changes have affected our sales,” Wootton said. “We realized we were not getting any online orders, so we started marketing the website to parents and students via email and passing out flyers with the website address.”

Layton said the team is preparing for the end of the school year, and that the returning staff will work to continue and improve on this year’s successes.

“We’re getting ready to put on our big clearance sale that we do every year,” Layton said. “For next year I know that they’re going to be implementing the use of the Square a lot more and continuing the relationship with Century Marketing.”

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Beyond increased revenue, senior marketing student Dylan Wootton said the Square also manages inventory electronically and quickens sales.

“The Square has been a huge improvement to the school store,” Wootton said. “It has greatly increased the accuracy of our inventory sheets because it is electronic and the speed of our sales.”

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$169 $318 $131 $595 $375 $225 $413 WEEKS BEFORE SYSTEM CHANGE WEEKS AFTER SYSTEM CHANGE

Source: Catty Shack staff

After reading the automated change amount on the Sqaure, junior Kiley Philinger prepares change for a customer on Wednesday, April 3. // Hannah Chern

08 FEATURES

Design by Annie Myers

April 18, 2019

JagWire

SAVING THE BEES Bee decrease causes damaging effects, but small changes can help preserve the insect

by elizabeth joseph mill valley news editor-in-chief

by anna owsley reporter/photographer

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n your fourth grade field trip, you are strolling through the park when a fellow student shrieks. Immediately, everyone turns into statues as the sound of buzzing gets louder and louder. While not usually on our mind until they get too close, bees play an active role in the

world around us. From honey to the pollination of crops nationwide, these insects are a necessity to our luxuries and agriculture.

After taking a Beekeeping summer class at Johnson County Community College, junior Joan Downey renewed her passion for bees and believes they need to be protected. “[Bees are] pollinators not just of wild plants, but also play a huge role in crop pollination,” Downey said.

“If we didn’t have bees, we would not only lose a lot of biodiversity, we

would also lose a lot economically and with resources.”

Beekeeper Jeffrey Hoover identifies lack of caution on the part of homeowners and farmers as a significant danger to bees.

“The problem with pesticides is that if you are a homeowner and you have pesticides, you don’t have to follow the label,” Hoover said. “We need to be better stewards of watching the pesticides and genetically modified foods that are used to treat our [gardens and] crops.”

Dissolving wood bleach with a vaporizer forms oxalic acid, a relatively inexpensive chemical used to safely remove mites from a bee hive. // Jakob Twigg

A bee box lies on the ground as beekeeper Jeffery Hoover works with the rest of the hive. // Jakob Twigg

Beekeeper Jeffery Hoover reattaches the top feeder to the hive, which currently holds a 20-pound sugar cake. The bees will continue to feed from the sugar cake in addition to the local flora. //Jakob Twigg

JagWire

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April 18, 2019

VITAMIN BEE

Bee decline impacts everyday foods

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Source: University of Vermont

Some crops most dependent on pollinators have the strongest mismatch between demand for pollination and falling supply of wild bees, including:

PUMPKIN

WATERMELON

Years of beekeeping and running KC Raw Honey has led Hoover to educate himself on the role bees can play in the biosphere as a whole, in addition to being pollinators.

“The Environmental Protection Agency has thought that honeybees are a good way of measuring the toxins in the local areas because they can go out and gather pollen and bring it back to the hives,” Hoover said. “[The EPA] can evaluate how much toxin they bring back into the hive and use that to determine what the levels of

PEAR

Steps to take to help ensure the livelihood of bees Source: Heifer International

Allow dandelions and clover to grow in a part of your lawn Avoid the use of chemical sprays like pesticide and herbicide Buy fruits, vegetables and honey from local growers Plant herbs and flowers that attract bees and bloom at different times of the year

APPLE

PLUM

toxin are in the area.”

While Downey doesn’t keep bees, she does support them however she can.

“The easiest way is to start your own little backyard garden, or, if you have a garden, add plants that are bee-friendly,” Downey said. “I have a small bee garden in my backyard and we’re doing a station [at Girl Scout camp] that’s involved in both agriculture and hydroponics, and a large section of that is going to be about bees.”

Additionally, Downey believes that

HONEY, HONEY

examples: MINT & LAVENDER

PEACH

BLUEBERRY

supporting “local hive owners is a really good way to help out, because having hives doesn’t hurt bees, it actually helps bees.”

Downey firmly believes in the importance of being environmentally conscious, regardless of age.

“It’s important for young people to be interested in everything, because eventually it’s going to be our responsibility. To be honest, it kind of already is,” Downey said. “It’s our responsibility to take care of the world around us and make it a better place.”

DANGEROUS DROP Prevalence of bee decline

Source: University of Vermont

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% decline in wild bee abundance in the U.S. from 2008 to 2013

% of U.S. croplands depending on pollinators threatened by falling supply of wild bees

10 FEATURES

Design by Tatum Elliott & Sophie Lecuru

April 18, 2019

JagWire

FUNDING THE FIGHT Relay for Life of Jaguar Nation event exceeds goal, raising $112,336 for American Cancer Society

A LOOK INTO

$112,336

Breaking down the distribution of funds raised at Relay for Life

87% Donations prior to the event

12% Auctions and other fundraisers

At bank night on Wednesday, March 27, juniors Megan Proctor, Gabrielle Fitterer and freshman Damara Stevens count money turned in by team captains. // Jakob Twigg

by hannah chern news editor/social media editor

by steven curto a&e editor

1%

Business donations

Source: Amie Walter

A

t At the fourth annual Relay for Life event, over $112,000 was raised for pediatric cancer. Money raised from Relay benefits cancer research, patient services and lodging.

According to junior accounting committee leader Gabi Fitterer, due to its impact on the community, the committee decided to donate the money raised from relay to help pediatric cancer.

“As a school fundraiser we have multiple students in our school who either have cancer or have had cancer,” Fitterer said. “We thought pediatric cancer would be the perfect branch [of cancer] to raise money for because of how close our school itself is to that branch.”

Senior Community Development Manager Amie Walter manages Relay for Life events in the area. According to senior event chair Kate Backes, after each Relay is over, Walter is also responsible for handling the money raised.

“After we fundraise the money, our American Cancer Society staff member, Amie, takes the cash donations to the people in charge of finances at the American Cancer Society,” Backes said. “Ultimately, [the American Cancer Society] decides where the money will go.”

The money raised from each annual Relay for Life event doesn’t go directly back into the Kansas City metro area, but is collected for the American Cancer Society and distributed nationally, according to Walter. “[Money raised] doesn’t go from us to local families directly. It goes back up into a national pot that gets redistributed,” Walter said. “[When it comes to] patients, services and research funded here in the Kansas City metro area, we are not even reaching half of the money raised [from Relay] that’s reinvested in the Kansas City metro area through all of our fundraising activities.”

At the end of Bank Night, approximately $90,000 was raised, breaking this year’s goal of $80,000 before the actual event. Bank Night is a night where team leaders turn in all of the money each member of a team has raised. As people turn in the money, accounting committee members en-

JagWire

FEATURES

April 18, 2019

ter the money online and count the money.

According to senior Relay event chair Ciara Pemberton, in 2018, participants raised approximately $35,000 by the end of Bank Night. This year, Relay raised roughly $82,000 before Bank Night.

Junior accounting committee leader Gabi Fitterer believes the results from last year’s Relay helped the committee decide a new goal. “[In 2018], our goal was $75,000 and we ended up raising [around] $80,000. So this year, the $80,000 goal was a mark that we knew we could reach,” Fitterer said. “We also knew we could exceed [our goal] by a lot. We hit $80,000...at the beginning of [Relay] week...”

This year was freshman Camryn Beggs’ first time participating in Relay for Life. In 2017, she was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma. Having gone through cancer herself, Beggs believes fundraisers like Relay for Life have a positive impact.

“Seeing people participate in fundraiser gives people diagnosed with cancer hope and brings joy to them,” Beggs said. “I think cancer patients like to not only see people come and raise money for cancer but are also having fun while doing it.”

In order to stay the night at Relay, students used different tactics to raise their required money. Junior Rylee McElroy included a personal message of why she decided to relay to her Facebook friends.

“I ending up posting on Facebook and I sent out a message about my grandpa and how he had died from cancer, and how I’m involved in Relay

Q&A

for Life at my school,” McElroy said. “I put my link on there and a lot of people who knew my grandpa ended up donating to me.”

On the other hand, junior Avery Liby was motivated by the new V.I.P. option added to the event this year by the committee. “[I wanted] to be V.I.P. because they have a lounge area and it seemed really cool, and they give you snacks and stuff so you don’t have to spend as much money on it,” Liby said. “It was pretty much our whole team’s goal to be V.I.P.” This year, the committee incorporated many changes, to increase the amount raised, according to Pemberton.

“We added Bark for Life this year which brought in over $7,000 for us,” Pemberton said. “We just added that as a team to our event. Then [the Luminaria committee] insisted that every participant bought at least one [luminaria]. We had over 800 bags of luminaria this year compared to last year, there were definitely fewer.”

According to Pemberton, in addition to the new fundraising tactics added this year, there were mission committees sent out to inform elementary school students about Relay. “[The committee members] explained what Relay was and they gave these kids wristbands,” Pemberton said. “If the kids showed up with their wristband they could check in at the table and get a card with three free games.”

By improving this year’s Relay, Pemberton believes there was “no way we couldn’t have raised more money.”

Relay for Life of Jaguar Nation is the second largest high school Relay

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Sorting money, senior Kate Backes helps count the amount brought in from on-site fundraisers.

This year, Relay for Life of Jaguar Nation raised a total amount of $112,336.75. // Jakob Twigg

event in the Kansas City metro area, second to Blue Valley Youth’s relay.

“To put it into perspective, [Blue Valley] gets their five high schools to come together and raise around $150,000, while we broke $100,000,” Pemberton said. “I can only imagine what we could do if our district was big enough for us to do this times five.”

With cancer impacting herself and her friends, Beggs hopes that the proceeds from Relay will bring more advancements to cancer research.

“I hope that the money [we’ve raised] gets us closer to a cure because I’ve lost friends that I’ve met in the hospital from pediatric cancer,” Beggs said.

strategic director for regional Relay For Life Julie Gates on the American Cancer Society

JagWire: What is the American Cancer Society’s goal?

Julie Gates: The mission of the American Cancer Society is to save lives, celebrate lives and lead the fight for a world

without cancer.

JW: What services and resources does the American Cancer Society provide?

JG: The American Cancer Society is the largest, not for profit, funder of cancer research. We have invested more than $4.8 billion in research since 1946. In addition to research, we offer free rides to treatment and lodging as well as access to information through our 1.800 number and website.

JW: What do donations to the American Cancer Society go toward?

JG: Donations raised through Relay for Life and other events fund cancer research and services and information that we are able to provide to cancer survivors and their families.

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April 18, 2019

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April 18, 2019

Wisest post-graduation plans unique to the individual

Design by Annie Myers & Anika Roy

by hannah chern news editor/social media editor

FEATURES

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by elizabeth joseph

by ally nguyen

mill valley news editor-in-chief

editor-in-chief

one size does not fit all

14 FEATURES

Design by Annie Myers & Anika Roy

April 18, 2019

MAKING THE INITIAL DECISION When choosing your future path, consider your strengths

I

n elementary school, your teachers constantly drilled into you that they were preparing you for middle school. In middle school, they often repeated the mantra “this is how they do things in high school.” Now, in high school, you’re faced with preparation for post-graduation, and one thing is very clear: one size does not fit all.

Perhaps your friends are excited to meet new people at their out-of-state college, or you know someone contemplating trade school options. How do you choose which path to take to your future? Once you decide what you want to do, how do you get there?

Every fall, the counselors have one-on-one meetings with the senior class as well as send out newsletters to them and their parents in order to answer these questions.

Counselor and AP coordinator Erin Hayes believes that the large number of students each counselor is responsible for can be an obstacle, but all students can get the resources they need.

“There are definitely students who come in and talk because they don’t know what they want to do, and that’s not a quick conversation, but we tell them what classes they could be taking here to see if that’s something they’d be interested later because we

have a lot of offerings,” Hayes said. “I help answer questions, find contact information and get you in touch with the experts. Sometimes, it’s things I don’t know, but it’s always something we’re willing to help find out.”

According to Hayes, for students attending college after high school, there are many factors to consider like cost, college experience, majors offered, job opportunities and instate versus out-of-state.

Senior Liz Fraka began touring colleges as early as September of sophomore year in order to begin working toward her long-term goal early. For Fraka, cost, familiarity and opportunities for her intended major, Architecture, sparked an interest in studying at the University of Kansas.

“I can’t decide between math and science versus creativity stuff. Architecture is an interdisciplinary degree, so I can do both. It was the way to pick without having to pick,” Fraka said.

“You could go to an out-of-state school and pay way more, or you could stay in-state and not have to pay for travel. I grew up with KU, I’ve always liked KU and I have friends at KU.” Conversely, senior Seth Hobson will be attending college out-of-state in order to study computer science; he is currently deciding between the University of Chicago, Northwestern University or Swarthmore College.

“I wanted to go somewhere outof-state because I wanted to go out

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and experience something different,” Hobson said. “Also, I was trying to get the best education in the areas I wanted to go into.”

According to David Gonzalez-Dysinger, a CollegePoint coach who provides college advising to students across the country, a student’s intended major is as important to the college experience as location.

“Don’t focus too much on how practical a major is or how much money you think you can earn with it,” Gon-

While college searching, junior Rylee Fouts and Jacob Doyle attend junior day at Kansas State University on Monday, Dec. 7th, 2018 to learn more about the programs that are offered. // Photo submitted by Rylee Fouts

ANY WAY YOU WANT IT

Students choose to pursue a wide variety of post-graduation plans

?

77 8 6 5 3 1 FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITY

1

COMMUNITY COLLEGE

HOW TO CHOOSE

UNDECIDED

MILITARY

WORKPLACE

GAP YEAR

Survey of 222 students

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FEATURES

April 18, 2019

zalez-Dysinger said via email. “Focus on what you are interested in and would be happy studying in depth for several years.”

College may not be the only viable option for students though. According to Degree Query, 30% of students only attend a four-year college because they believe it’s the natural progression after high school, and 23% go because it’s expected of them. Additionally, data from Burning Glass Technologies states 43% of college graduates are underemployed, meaning they are in jobs that don’t require a degree.

For financial as well as personal reasons, senior Ben Coulson will be attending trade school.

“While everyone else still has three more years left of school and will be coming out with student loans and debt, I’ll already have been working for two-to-three more years,” Coulson said. “You miss out on going to a university with your friends, but it’s worth it because I’m starting my life

faster and this is always what I’ve wanted to do.”

Similarly, junior Cahill Eckhardt plans to work in the trade field as a construction worker or plumber.

“I just kind of always knew I worked better with my hands than using fancy math and stuff. Plus, I don’t want to have a desk job,” Eckhardt said. “It’s just better for me that way.”

However, Eckhardt recommends enlisting in the military as an option if you are unsure of what path to take after graduation.

“I would say if [you] don’t know what you want to do after school, not even including trade school, to join the military because they’ll give you a job with what you’re good at, even if you don’t think you’re good at it,” Eckhardt said. “You’ll have a career in the military if you choose to, or after four years, you can get out and start your own business or join a company because military personnel who have training normally get hired faster than those who weren’t in the mili-

“FOCUS ON WHAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN AND WOULD BE HAPPY STUDYING IN DEPTH FOR SEVERAL YEARS” COLLEGEPOINT COACH DAVID GONZALEZ-DYSINGER

EDUCATION DESTINATIONS The location decisions for those planning to attend a university Survey of 214 students

57

Percent of students plan to go to college in-state

15

tary at all.”

Enlisting is senior Kaleb Shukeat’s plan, post-graduation. Shukeat plans to join the Marine Reserve and then attend the University of Kansas as a political science major on the law pathway.

“I got some inspiration from both my father and my own personal interests. My father was in the marines and my grandfather was also in the navy, so it’s kind of in the family. Also, growing up, I always wanted to serve our country,” Shukeat said. “I’ve also noticed that from a young age I was really good at arguing and debate. I’ve been a part of policy debate here at Mill Valley for four years. I also went to boys state last year as a junior and I was able to be a judge there and an attorney there and it really helped push me toward what I wanted to do in law.”

Despite his clear plans for life after graduation, Shukeat faced indecision during his underclassman years.

“Coming into high school I had this huge ideology that I was going to be going to West Point, I was going to be this huge great sensation of the world.

Reality hit me pretty fast,” Shukeat said. “While it’d be awesome to have gotten into West Point and have succeeded that far in my life in being the best new thing, you have to be realistic sometimes and I realized that was way past what I was capable of.”

Hayes believes more students should consider other options, besides attending a college or university, post-graduation.

“We’re trying to be helpful to everyone. There are so many other things people can do besides go to a fouryear university,” Hayes said. “I think something that should be a goal for our department is to find more information for students who are looking at a trade school or the military; we try to get them the resources they need.”

43

Percent of students plan to go to college out-of-state

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Design by Annie Myers & Anika Roy

April 18, 2019

STARTING TO FORGE A PATH Preparation and actively working toward goals is vital

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ow that you know what path you want to take after graduation, how do you fulfill your goals? According to Hayes, the first step is talking to your counselor.

“I hope that a student knows that they can come down and see their counselor if they are stressing about anything at any time,” Hayes said. “It’s hard for us to know who to reach out to when we don’t get the opportunity to see you guys every day. We rely a lot on you guys coming to us.”

While more colleges are moving toward being test-optional, meaning they don’t require a test scores for admissions, data from College Transitions suggests they have become more important in recent years; 82% of colleges still state that test scores are important in their admissions decisions and 55% classify them as “very important.”

Gonzalez-Dysinger believes it’s important to utilize test scores in order to select a range of schools, and then research them.

“Check what the average standardized test scores and GPA are at the colleges you are interested in.

Then, pick some schools where you

are slightly below average … some schools where you are slightly above average, and focus your list primarily on schools where you fall within the average,” Gonzalez-Dysinger said via email. “Make sure that every school on your list, even the safeties, is somewhere you would enjoy attending for four years.”

Classes like Career and Life Planning and ACT preparatory can help students prepare for college appli-

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cation requirements. According to ACT preparatory teacher Peter Shull, while he teaches students how to utilize their knowledge, the results are ultimately up to them.

“I think that the class has a good shot of helping students improve by two to four points realistically,” Shull said. “I think a lot of it has to do with student motivation and how hard students are willing to work.”

Taking a wide-range of classes can help students become a well-rounded applicant. Though White plans to pursue engineering, the diversity of classes at the school have helped him as a scholar.

“It has nothing to do with engineering, but [AP European History] has been really helpful,” White said.

“Not only because of [social studies

During the offered ACT prep course taught by math teacher Alex Houlton on Monday, April 8, junior Taegan Evans practices questions from the math portion. // Hunter Ristau

THE LINE OF ATTACK

The Scholarship System’s recommended high school timeline for best college prep

SOPHOMORE YEAR

FRESHMAN YEAR Fall

Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall

Winter

Spring

Summer

Meet your guidance counselor

Start off on the right foot with your grades

Start getting involved

Create your resume

Take a practice PSAT/ ACT

Work toward leadership positions in activities

Start your college/ career search

Volunteer

2

HOW TO GET THERE

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April 18, 2019

teacher Chris] McAfee, but because of all of the discussions we get to have and being able to socialize, learn to adapt good study habits and manage a harder workload.”

Though Hobson agrees taking a variety of classes is beneficial, he cautions against only taking classes for a better transcript.

“I feel like class schedules should differ by person. Don’t overdo it on classes you feel like you don’t really need but you feel like you need for colleges or something,” Hobson said.

“Do what you really want to do and what you think will help you moving forward.”

While Landon Butler, a 2018 graduate who has given multiple presentations about college to the voyagers, considered himself sufficiently prepared for the rigor of college, he found the application process the most stressful aspect of his high school career.

“The process of filling out and submitting applications was probably the most stressful period of my life thus far,” Butler said. “I struggled with trying to translate my personality and accomplishments into a couple pages of paper.”

Hobson recommends starting the admissions process far in advance; for him, the extra time allowed for studying for the SAT subject tests and applying for scholarships.

“My advice for underclassmen is starting the application essays earlier than you think you need to,” Hobson said. “For me, it was a huge benefit when a few of my classmates were writing their essays around the time they were due and I had started that

process halfway through junior year.

By that time, everything was settled and it wasn’t stressful getting everything in on time.”

Additionally, according to Gonzalez-Dysinger, “what you do outside of the classroom is just as important for your future career as what you major in.” Junior Cainen Hissong will be working for the general manager at a Dodge dealership this upcoming summer.

“I’m going to work at a Dodge dealership as well as going to Johnson County Community College to get my prerequisites [done], and then I’m thinking about going to [the University of Kansas] to get a marketing degree,” Hissong said. “I want to do marketing because I’ll be selling cars, and hopefully becoming a [general manager] of the dealership one day, so it goes hand-in-hand.”

For students not attending college, hands-on opportunities are equally as important. Coulson will gain work experience this summer in preparation for trade school in the Fall.

“Post-graduation, I’m doing a welding internship over the summer,” Coulson said. “I’m doing this as opposed to going to college because the demand for trades is going way up.”

Eckhardt will be gaining experience this summer to see if he enjoys the path he will be going down.

“This summer, I’m interning with [Crosby Plumbing], so that’s going to help me work out if that’s what I want to do or not,” Eckhardt said. “[My advice is to] look into internships and apprenticeships because you’re getting paid to learn and you’ll be making money right out the gate.”

17

“I FEEL LIKE CLASS SCHEDULES SHOULD DIFFER BY PERSON. DON’T OVERDO IT ON CLASSES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DON’T REALLY NEED.” SENIOR SETH HOBSON

SENIOR YEAR

JUNIOR YEAR Fall

Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall

Winter

Spring

Summer

Begin planning campus visits

Shadow career fields

Apply for a summer internship or job

Organize financial aid

Finalize your college list

Work hard on your scholarship search

Choose your school

Work and save money for college expenses

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Design by Annie Myers & Anika Roy

April 18, 2019

LOOKING DOWN TO THE DOLLAR Finances are an important factor in planning for the future

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inally, you’ve picked what you want to do and you’ve made a plan for how to get there, but another vital part of planning is the cost.

Trade schools are often cheaper than an education at a university, which is makes that career path appealing to Coulson.

“Tuition is only $17,000 for nine months, so it’s an affordable option,” Coulson said. “I think there are just as many scholarships for trade school [as there is for college], and there are a ton of grants you can apply for from the government because there’s a huge push for the trade school route.”

For that reason, Hayes has seen an increase in the number of students entering college as opposed to a trade school or the military.

“I’ve definitely seen a trend of students over the years being a lot more conscious of the cost and the debt they’re going to have to take,” Hayes said. “A lot more students are talking about doing a trade and getting involved with the military.”

For students planning to attend college, however, the cost is exponentially higher and often have longterm effects. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, for

the 2015-16 academic year, the average cost of public institutions was $16,757, the cost at private nonprofit institutions was $43,065 and the price of private for-profit institutions was $23,776; these averages are expected to continue rising.

Due to the cost differences, Hayes recommends considering cost as the number one factor when determining what schools to apply to.

“Ask yourself ‘what experience am I going to gain?’ Is it really going to matter paying more for the same degree, and to some people it does, but for others it’s not worth it,” Hayes said. “Different schools are known for different programs and some are more elite than other.”

While loans can be an effective investment in education and the future, they should be used sparingly.

According to Degree Query, the share of students leaving school with more than $50,000 of federal student debt has grown by 8.5 times since 1992.

Science teacher Chad Brown, who has paid off all loans excluding one active from the University of Missouri Kansas City, stresses the importance of paying as early and efficiently as possible.

“If I were to give advice, I would say, don’t take out extra money just to spend, take out what you need

PAYING THE PRICE

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“IF YOU’RE TRYING TO SAVE MONEY, THE BEST SCHOLARSHIP

IS TO JUST GET IN AND OUT [OF A UNIVERSITY] AS FAST AS POSSIBBLE.” SENIOR LIZ FRAKA

Percentages of students who intend to use different payment methods for their future plans

SCHOLARSHIPS FAMILY FUNDS PERSONAL FUNDS

LOANS

Survey of 222 students

3

HOW TO PAY FOR IT

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April 18, 2019

To gain more college credit while in high school, seniors Ashlyn Horton and Allie Sagi attend a JCCC public speaking course held at De Soto High School on Thursday, April 4th. // Ally Nguyen

and start paying as soon as possible,” Brown said. “There is a certain amount of time where you can pay without any interest and you should take advantage of that. You’ll end up getting out of debt faster.”

The school offers 19 AP or dual credit courses. According to Hayes, the average three-credit cost is $900.

At Johnson County Community College, the average three-credit cost is approximately $279. Finally, AP exams cost $94, but students must score high enough to receive credits.

Hayes believes that the most helpful aspect from AP and dual enrollment classes are the reduced-price credit hours.

“It is cost savings — getting out of the way some of those entry level classes and not having to sit through

them as a college freshman,” Hayes said. “[Get] those basics out of the way, so you can you jump right into things that you are interested in.”

Fraka utilized these courses as well as online courses to minimize her college expenses. She will be entering her freshman year of college with 41 credit hours.

“A lot of colleges, speaking from my experiences as a KU student, have a sample degree pathway, so you can look at those [general education requirements] and knock out those specifically,” Fraka said. “If you’re trying to save money, the best scholarship is to just get in and out as fast as possible. So, if you can knock your fouryear degree down to three, you’re really saving yourself a lot of cash.”

Additionally, Fraka believes stu-

TAKE IT TO THE BANK

19

dents can decrease living costs.

“I am going to live in a scholarship hall at KU, which means you’re paying a lower rate because you’re willing to do chores around the house,” Fraka said. “That is saving me quite a bit of money instead of living in a regular residence hall.”

Butler also stresses the cost of applying itself, regardless of whether or not you attend, as that can limit your options too. Because of his own experiences with the financial toll of college, Butler wants to “make [students] aware of the immense financial liability college is, and wanted to prepare them to make an informed decision about how to find out-of-state schools that are financially feasible.”

“I was unprepared for the cost associated with each college application, including the fees for sending all the various standardized tests, the CSS Profile and the applications themselves,” Butler said. “The high cost forced me to decide between bearing the cost in favor of applying to more schools or saving my money and just applying to the schools I was without a doubt interested in.”

Hobson has also utilized AP courses, but places a heavy emphasis on strategically applying for scholarships.

“Apply for a lot of scholarships, because it’ll go a long way. There are some really great books, like Anthony O’Neal has a great book on avoiding debt,” Hobson said. “Apply for different scholarships all the time and it’s not the huge thousands-of-dollars scholarships that are gonna pay for it, but the little ones you can get easily.

They go really far.”

The differences between student loan types, according to Federal Student Aid

Interest Rates:

Subsidies:

Credit Check:

Forgiveness:

FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS

Fixed rates, often lower than private loans

Financial need may be qualification

Do not require a credit check to qualify

Eligibibility potential to have some portion forgiven

PRIVATE STUDENT LOANS

Fixed or variable, depending on circumstances

Often not subsidized

Often require an established credit record or a cosigner

Many private lenders do not offer loan forgiveness

20 OPINIONS

Design by Ben Wieland

Illustration by Tatum Elliott

April 18, 2019

JagWire

STAFF EDITORIAL:

CONSIDER EVERY OPTION AFTER YOU GRADUATE Don't forget to look at every option, college or otherwise, and decide what is best for you

STAFF VOTE 21 AGREE 0 DISAGREE

M

ost students have realized by now that the mantra “you can be whatever you want when you grow up” is a bit misleading. However, sometimes cynical high schoolers skew too far in the other direction; we pigeonhole ourselves into a certain college, a certain trade or a certain career before we’ve fully thought through what our life after graduation will look like. It’s important to broaden our horizons every once in a while and consider the pros and cons of every possible option for our future.

Perhaps the single most important factor to think about when considering your future is money. Generally, pursuing higher education at more selective colleges is pricier than going somewhere closer to home. Even college may not offer you the most value: attending trade school allows you to

potentially jump into a high-paying field, and the military offers up to $50,000 in scholarship grants for enlistees. Think about two things financially when choosing your next step: what you can afford now, and how much you want to make in the future.

If you decide college is for you, don’t place weight solely on college rankings or prestige; focus on choosing the best college for you. Getting into the best university or the best field isn’t as important as it may seem; in his book David and Goliath, sociologist Malcolm Gladwell found that students at the most selective universities are typically less happy than their less-competitive counterparts.

Don’t stress too much over being rejected or waitlisted; make the most of whichever university you end up attending.

Less conventional routes like trade

school, joining the military or immediately entering the workforce are also viable options. Make sure you have a plan for whatever you pursue. If considering trade school, start looking into jobs in your trade; if joining the military, decide if you want to stay in the armed forces for life or if you want to use the military as a springboard for your later life; if entering the workforce, figure out where your employer will treat you well and where you can move up the company ranks.

The end of high school is a stressful time for everybody. Instead of worrying about boosting your test scores another point or cramming in more extracurriculars for your résumé, take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Make sure you think about every option before deciding what your next step in life will be.

JagWire

April 18, 2019

Illustration by Sophia Armendariz

Design by Ben Wieland

OPINIONS

21

TAKE STEPS TO AVOID

A BURNOUT

Productivity should not determine someone’s worth by elizabeth joseph mill valley news editor-in-chief

T

here’s an older meme that most every internet user under the age of 17 have seen. It’s a triangle, with friends, sleep and good grades each in a different corner, and in the center, it says “choose two.” When I was an eighth grader, I thought the graphic was exaggerated, and I vowed to myself that I would maintain a balance of all three. Now, one month from graduating, I’m forced to admit that trying to achieve it all is impossible.

I will confess that I often find a lot of value in hard work. I usually feel best about myself when I am productive, whether that be finishing my homework assignments or crafting birthday presents for friends. However, senioritis has hit hard and seeing the impact a workaholic lifestyle has on my friends has made me reconsider, especially with sleep and overall health. While ambition and hard work are great motivators and should be prioritized, productivity should not be so glamorized as to be considered the end-all-be-all of one’s value.

Of course, maximizing your time and scheduling things efficiently are great skills that benefit everyone. At the same time, it’s problematic for kids our age to feel like time is wasted if it doesn’t go towards education or work experience. It’s not okay when tasks needed to function on the most basic level, such as eating properly or

getting enough sleep, are sacrificed in favor for other things, to the point where downtime just becomes offthe-clock labor.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, only 15% of students get eight and a half hours of sleep each night. I, along with nearly everyone I know, am one of those in the 85%.

While I have definitely given up sleep to binge-watch shows or scroll social media, my lack of sleep originally stemmed from my workload. And while I have friends who somehow get a perfect balance of work-time and a full night’s sleep, the price is time with friends or time to unwind.

At this point in my high school career, I’ve taken a step towards embracing sleep and emotional health over my grades. While I am much happier and healthier than years past, I am one of the few people I know who is largely blasé about them. I still deeply love and prioritize learning, I’ve just learned to care less about the letters that may come with it. Separating achievement from genuine learning has made school more enjoyable.

I do believe that having a schedule stuffed with activities and difficult classes has made me a better person.

Beyond just study skills, AP credit or time management, I’ve deeply engaged with my teachers and strengthened my critical thinking. However, the problem with a workaholic culture is that it’s all too easy for someone’s self worth to come from the grades they get, the hours they work or the extracurriculars they’re involved in, when in reality, people are much more than any of those things.

According to journalist Tony Schwartz, Americans “perform best and are most productive when they alternate between periods of intense focus and intermittent renewal.” It’s worth taking a moment to slow down and rest, or to spend time with friends and take a breather. Yes, being on the grind, maintaining great grades and being involved is super admirable, but you are more important than the things you do.

300 Billions of dollars lost to lack of productivity per year worldwide, per the WHO

72

Percent of students who feel pressure to quit extracurriculars and focus on academics, per a New York professor

49

Percent of students who report feeling “extreme stress,” according to reporting by The Atlantic

22 OPINIONS

Design by Ben Wieland

by anna owsley reporter/photographer

R

aging LA forest fires. Deadly Midwestern floods. Withering Honduran droughts. These current stories of suffering around the world are caused by climate change, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. We should be responding to these stories with lifestyle changes and technology because we finally have the knowledge to do so.

The Institute of Physics concluded that 97.1% of scientific literature agrees that through industrialization we have caused climate change.

Believers in climate change now outnumber climate change deniers by at

Degrees the global temperature has increased since 1880, per NASA.

least 5 to 1, according to Yale University. However, this is not enough. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts that climate conditions will grow continuously worse unless further action is taken.

Climate change cannot be fixed instantly, but the IPCC has given us an attainable goal to limit the amount of climate-induced suffering. Instead of putting the problem aside for future generations, the IPCC has found that limiting the temperatures to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures would minimize short and long term damage. This depends on reducing carbon emissions.

There are many things we can do to minimize our carbon footprint, like driving eco-friendly vehicles and

by sam hanson reporter/photographer

W

henever I click on the homepages of national news sources such as MSNBC, CNN or Fox, I always think I clicked on the “Politics” tab when I get flooded with stories either about President Trump or the 2020 democratic candidates. Sure, politics is very popular with people and is an unceasing source of drama and newsworthy attention. But when I look at the news, I do not care that a congressman’s lawyer got arrested, I prefer to hear the “breaking overnight” local news, not a two week old political story.

recycling, but change must be implemented on a broader scale to meet the 1.5 degree goal. Energy Innovation has revealed a practical strategy to achieve this goal. Not only can an entire 74% of the U.S. coal fleet be replaced by alternative wind and solar energy, but this change would also result in instant savings to customers. By 2025, this statistic will grow to 86%. Understanding that we have access to this technology is not enough, we should make this transition immediately.

Our ancestors had the excuse of ignorance when they deteriorated our environment. Today, we now need to use our knowledge and technology to reverse this damage.

69

MEDIA MUST REPORT MORE NEWS World current events should be given more coverage by media

JagWire

1.9

CLIMATE CHANGE MUST STOP Not acting to stop climate change could be disastrous

April 18, 2019

Percent of Presidential news coverage that’s about his character, according to Gallup.

According to a Pew Research study, 69% of political news coverage about President Trump was based on his character and leadership in 2017, and not his agenda or ideology. When I consider that some of those stories are most times created under baseless claims and contain no facts whatsoever, I realize just how many other current events and local news stories could be covered that more directly affect me and my peers.

According to a Marketing Charts study, 67% of teenagers prefer to get their news from either television, social media or via website sources, which are all places that local and national news companies use to advertise and publish their works. With

teenagers mainly relying on these sources to get reliable news, they are missing out on other local non-political issues that should be commonplace, and may directly impact their lives.

Some examples of local news stories that should be covered more include: the multiple teenagers that have been murdered recently in Olathe, Lawrence and KCK, to Kansas City having a good chance to have one of the most dangerous severe storm seasons in history.

Even though local news does cover significantly less political stories than national news does, they still cover more than they should, and I believe that leaves everyone, especially my peers and I, critically uninformed.

JagWire

April 18, 2019

Illustrations by Sophia Armendariz

OPINIONS

23

Concealed carry allows for a worst case scenario contingency plan. Without concealed carry, we are at the mercy of criminals, left hoping the police can save us. Removing concealed carry makes obtaining guns harder for criminals, but completely paralyzes the rest of the population.

Evidence concealed carry increases crime often fails to account for many variables. Evidence on criminals being concealed carry holders wrongfully assumes removing concealed carry prevents criminals from

obtaining guns. With such loose evidence, stripping away concealed carry lacks sufficient justification.

Even if concealed carry does increase crime overall, each individual should retain the right to respectfully carry a gun. Removing concealed carry presumes everyone is guilty for a fews’ mistakes. Despite guns’ potential danger, governments restricting rights is a very slippery slope.

This is precisely why smoking isn’t illegal. According to the Center for Disease Control, secondhand smoke exposure kills 41,000 Americans annually, compared to 38,658 firearm deaths in 2018. Others smoking is more likely to kill you than concealed carry, and unlike guns, lacks benefits.

Smoking isn’t illegal because freedom is invaluable, and concealed carry isn’t illegal because not only does it protect freedom, it also enables citizens to play a part in their self-protection. Despite the risk, shaky data cannot justify stripping perfectly innocent citizens of their rights.

Statistics show concealed carry only leads to injuries and deaths While some gun advocates will argue that concealed carry helps to stop by tanner smith crime, the overwhelming data sugreporter/photographer gests that putting guns in more situations actually leads to more shoothat do a bar, a college cam- ings. pus and a state park have in According to a study by the Nacommon? They’re all plac- tional Bureau of Economic Research, es where you can bring your gun be- concealed carry has increased crime cause of Kansas’ laws on concealed by 15% in states that allow it. carry. This means that just about ev- If you put guns in more situations, erywhere you go, people can carry a more people get shot by those guns. gun. This should not be allowed. Con- According to a study by Giffords Law cealed carry should not be legal.

Center, at least 32 mass shootings and

1,289 killings have been a direct result of concealed carry laws.

Another huge problem is that the laws surrounding concealed carry are ineffective at best. For starters, you need no permit for concealed carry in Kansas, meaning that if you purchased your gun by legal means you can take it pretty much anywhere.

While laws should be able to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, through processes like buying guns at a gun show people can legally get guns without ever having training or a background check. The final issue with concealed carry is that in places like college campuses, bars and even just walking down the street, places where you should be safe, there can be guns all around you.

This needs to change. We cannot let people walk around with a firearm without proper vetting pretty much anywhere they want. It is vital that we stop concealed carry because it does much more harm than good.

YES: CARRY SHOULD BE PERMITTED Concealed carry is vital to protecting personal freedoms by john lehan reporter/photographer

I

magine leaving your life’s largest decision up to someone else, even if they are more experienced, and will arrive at the best decision. Even though making the decision personally may not result in the ideal solution, many would prefer something so important be handled personally.

Concealed carry lets you personally protect you and loved ones’ lives.

NO: CARRY SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED

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24 ADS

Design by Hunter Ristau

April 18, 2019

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April 18, 2019

Design by Sophie Lecuru

SPORTS

25

DANCING into the UDA Senior Olivia Augustine was accepted into UDA where she will continue dancing as camp counselor

by sophia armendariz reporter/photographer

A

group of dancers’ movement flows in a practice room, steps skilled, but the routine unfamiliar. It would be easy to fall into the trap of doubt, but before slipping in, they have teachers and coaches to guide them. Senior Olivia Augustine, once a student, is taking on this guiding role at many summer camps.

The Universal Dance Association, or UDA, is a company focused holding camps and competitions for middle school to college aged dancers. Being hired by UDA to help teach during the summer, Augustine will be managing more than one camp, and be visiting places all over the country.

“I’m not necessarily participating in one specific camp, but a program for dancers.” Augustine said. “It’s just multiple camps throughout the summer, and I travel to each one that I’m assigned to and help teach it.”

UDA’s camp focuses on teaching dancers new skills and techniques to use during competition season. The average day at one of the camps is packed with activity, according to Augustine.

“I’ll probably need to get there a little earlier in the morning to get things set up. We’ll break into our dances and take a lunch, and then there’s a two hour break,” Augustine said. “[The campers] go back and learn some more, and by nine you’re off for the night.”

Excited, Augustine still has some worries about leading the UDA camps.

“Since I haven’t taught that big of a group of people that I don’t know before, I’m a little nervous, but I think

Midair in a tilt jump, senior Olivia Augustine performs at the In10sity Dance Competition on Saturday Feb. 9 at the KCI Expo Center. // Photo submitted by Olivia Augustine

it’ll be okay because you have a long time to teach them, and it’ll be fine because they know they have to listen to me,” Augustine said.

After getting to know her through coaching the Silver Stars, head coach Katie Jackson has the utmost confidence in Olivia’s teaching abilities.

“Olivia’s super personable. She’s someone that people will enjoy talking to and look up to, so I can see [students] really enjoying Olivia because she is so fun and bubbly. She’s also a great technician so, people enjoy watching her dance.” Jackson said.

Mill Valley graduate Emmy Bidnick, who was on UDA staff the summer of 2018, learned a lot from her time at the camp, and would encourage others to do the same. “[The camp] taught me how to

MAPPING her MOVEMENT A map showing the destinations of the UDA for the upcoming year

85 possible destinations: 58 universities 22 resorts 5 Great Wolf Lodge’s

work in a team environment, how to plan properly, and how to make hard situations still fun for everyone,” Bidnick said, “I use all of those skills constantly. That experience definitely helped me succeed this year.”

Having participated in a UDA camp as a student in the past, Augustine has an informed and hopeful outlook for what she will get out of the experience.

“I’m looking forward to meeting new people and getting to keep dance in my life even after graduation, but I’m really just excited to make an impact in other young dancers lives,” Augustine said. “I just think it’s going to be interesting. Everyone has their favorite UDA staffer every year, and it’ll be fun to see how I can connect with other students.”

26 SPORTS

Design by Marah Shulda

THECONFLICT The conflicting state competition dates is the main reason why most girls are unable to be varsity level in both sports

May 24-25 Girls Soccer: Wichita South High School Track and Field: Wichita State University

Due to the overlap of track and soccer season, many girls are forced to choose one by jakob twigg

April 18, 2019

SPORT

sports editor

A

JagWire

s the spring sports season begins, some varsity girls cross country runners are faced with the choice of running track or playing soccer. For those who have found success in both sports, this choice will define their athletic career for years to come.

For some freshmen, such as Quincy Hubert, the choice is too difficult to make in their first year of high school.

Hubert is currently a varsity hurdler and a junior varsity soccer player “Honestly I couldn’t really choose, I really like to both run track and play soccer, and it was really hard to choose, so I just did both,” Hubert said.

A dual sport athlete can bring con-

flict in their competition schedule, however, head coach Arlan Vomhof says he has worked with athletes to mitigate any conflicts that may occur.

“We try to work with the track coaches, to where [the player will] have to decide what is their number one (sport),” Vomhof said. “[If there is a conflict, they have to decide as a player whether they are going to go to that track meet or play in the soccer game. This is pre-established.”

For other athletes, time management and injury from the stress of two sports plays a large role in their decision in the spring. It was injury, which caused junior Annie Hoog to commit to year-round soccer.

“I would go from cross country practice to soccer practice every day. I would run five miles for cross country practice, and then I would go to soccer

During the 800 meter dash on Friday, April 5, senior Delaney Kemp competes with her teammate junior Molly Haymaker. Kemp, like other girls varsity athletes at Mill Valley, was forced to choose between soccer and running during her freshman year.// Hunter Ristau

JagWire

SPORTS

April 18, 2019

SELECTIONS practice,” Hoog said. “I overworked my hips and muscles, [to the point where] I ended up not being to run at the state cross country meet [freshman year], and I had to do physical therapy for two months.”

“WHATEVER CHOICE THEY MAKE WILL BE A GOOD ONE.” head track coach chris mcafee

Freshman Katie Schwartzkopf made a similar choice last fall, after much success in cross country and in club soccer.

“At the end of the cross country season, when I was crazy busy with running and soccer, I knew I was going to probably have to make the decision, Schwartzkopf said. “Something about running and just the atmosphere of cross country, I just love

the girls, and I know playing soccer I probably won’t have as much success in that as I would with track.”

Head cross country and track coach Chris McAfee thinks that the choice to run track or play soccer for the school should be the athletes own choice.

“I try to stay out of [their decision] as best as I can and I just remind them that whatever choice they make will be a good one,” McAfee said. “The soccer team is good; they have great coaches and great people on the team, and I think that the track team has good people on it and great coaches and great culture too. Whatever decision they make is going to be the best decision for them.”

Hoog thinks the decision to play soccer was the right choice for her, as she is currently committed to play at Benedictine College in Atchison, KS. “It’s a really good choice for me, and I have really excelled with it,” Hoog said. “I feel like I wouldn’t have gone anywhere with cross country or

27

track, I would just do it as a school thing, but with soccer I could go and play it collegiately and keep going on my path.”

According to Vomhof, the final decision should be up to the athlete’s, and not a coach.

“For me as a coach, if [an athlete’s] love is to go run track, then that’s fine.

If [their] heart isn’t in 100% soccer then that’s fine,” Vomhof said. “We’ve had some [players] in the past decide that soccer is their sport and they just don’t do track anymore. I [want] what’s best for the athlete, and I am going to coach whoever I have.”

Likewise, McAfee believes coaches shouldn’t stress students to commit to one sport over another.

“I feel very passionate about not putting pressure on kids to choose one sport over the other. It is not my life, it is theirs and it is their choice to make,” McAfee “I think whatever choice they make is a good one, [and] I understand that whatever choice they make is stressful.”

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Our rental prices are lower and our location is more convenient than our competitors Junior Annie Hoog throws the ball back in bounds at the girls soccer game on Thursday, April 4. “I chose soccer because I knew I could have a future with college soccer,” Hoog said. // Annie Myers

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28 A&E

Design by Katya Gillig & Marah Shulda

A GUIDE TO by steven curto a&e editor

April 18, 2019

JagWire

As prom approaches, students get creative with ways of finding a date

PROMPOSALS

MR. MILL VALLEY Seniors Steven Colling and Lydia McDaneld

DANCE DIGITS Statistics on couples and how they prepared to prom-pose

2 0 4 10

Hours spent preparing for the promposal

Dollars spent on the promposal

While reciting his poem, senior Steven Colling asks Lydia McDaneld to go to prom with him at the annual Mr. Mill Valley event held on Wednesday, March 20. // Anika Roy

JagWire: Why did you choose

to ask Lydia to prom at Mr. Mill Valley?

Steven Colling: I chose to ask her at Mr. Mill Valley because I wanted the last promposal to be a special one. I didn’t want to just make a poster.

JW: Why did you decide to go for the poem rather than ask her in the common way of using a poster?

SC: I wanted to do something other than a poster to ask her just because it was the last prom.

JW: What was the thought pro-

cess/planning process that went into you asking Lydia to prom at Mr. Mill Valley?

SC: When I was told that we had to read a poem for Mr Mill Valley I instantly thought about the promposal so I started trying to think of some things to write and ... I wanted to do something special.

JW: What made you say yes to Steven?

Lydia McDaneld: I had to say yes in front of all of those people, but I wouldn’t want to go to prom with anyone else.

School dances attended together

Months dating

JagWire

A&E

April 18, 2019

INSIDE JOKES INVOLVEMENT

Junior Abby Lee and sophomore Michael Brown

After accepting junior Abby Lee’s promposal, sophomore Michael Brown poses for a photo. // Submitted by Abby Lee

JagWire: Why did you ask

your date to prom in the manner you did?

Abby Lee: The joke on the poster is an inside joke between us, and I brought him spaghetti because the joke has to do with the Flying Spaghetti Monster. I used a poster because it was easy and not super elaborate.

JW: How much time did you spend on making the poster or coming up with another idea for asking your date to prom?

AL: The idea for the poster took me a little bit longer than the rest of the preparation because I wanted to make sure the joke made sense.

Junior Bri Laluk and sophomore Jackson Penny

29

FAVORITES

Juniors Nathan Greenfield and Anna Ricker

Holding a sign with his prom date junior Bri Laluk, sophomore Jackson Penny poses for a photo. // Submitted by Bri Laluk

After prom-posing to junior Anna Ricker, junior Nathan Greenfield holds flowers and a handmade sign. // Jonathan Atchley

JagWire: What was the

JagWire: Why did you ask

process of asking your date to prom?

Bri Laluk: I had to come up with an idea that had to do with something we both enjoy so I chose a bowling theme.

JW: Did your date know beforehand that you were asking him to prom?

BL: Yes, Jackson and I had been talking about prom for a while.

JW: Why did you ask your date to prom in the manner you did?

BL: We both are on the bowling team and we bonded over bowling when we first met.

your date to prom in the manner you did?

Nathan Greenfield: I asked in the way I did because I wanted to do something not too over the top, but I also wanted to make it fun and sweet.

JW: Did your date know beforehand that you were asking her to prom?

NG: My date did know beforehand. We had discussed on multiple occasions our prom plans.

JW: How long did it take you to choose who you wanted to ask to prom?

NG: It took no time at all.

1 10 3.5 15 3 15

Hour spent preparing for the promposal

Dollars spent on the promposal

Hours spent preparing for the promposal

Dollars spent on the promposal

Hours spent preparing for the promposal

Dollars spent on the promposal

30 A&E

Design by Anika Roy

Q&A

senior Jack Mahoney

April 18, 2019

BREAKING NEWS the way we get

JagWire: What was the

inspiration for What’s Happening Now? Jack Mahoney: I stole what 60 minutes does and compressed it down instead into 60 seconds.

Bennett was my little last year, so as his mentor we had to do our first project together.

JW: What’s your favorite part about working with Bennett?

JM: It’s unique in that we’re able to put so much of our personality in it, Bennett and I have very big personalities.

JW: What’s the funniest idea you guys have come up with?

JM: The recurring joke where I’m dead and then I was brought back to life for the Halloween episode this year after I was struck by lightning.

JW: What has the reaction been from students?

JM: The reaction has been more positive than I’ve ever expected. Not to be braggadocious, but people sometimes say to me that it’s their favorite part of MVTV and they’re excited to see it.

by ally nguyen editor-in-chief

by ben wieland opinions editor

Phase One:

Phase Two:

Planning

Filming

In the planning stage, Mahoney and Doyle look for top news stories and ones that students might have not heard. // Marah Shulda

JagWire

While filming, Mahoney and Doyle record a funny intro and record unique ways to present an interesting news story. // Marah Shulda

“We look up some current events that happened from the past two weeks or so, and make a script. Then, we pick a day to meet up that we can both go to and film.”

“We finally start filming and it’s a fun time with lots of laughs and jokes.

Neither of us are very good at saying full sentences, we have to redo lines a lot because we memorize them all.”

JUNIOR BENNETT DOYLE

JUNIOR BENNETT DOYLE

“The planning period usually happens the Monday before we film, but we plan jokes that we can use throughout the week.

Then we’ll write summaries of the news stories and fuse them”

“The hardest part of doing What’s Happening Now is keeping it timely ... In order to do that, we have to film it as late as possible to make sure we get all the good news stories”

SENIOR JACK MAHONEY

SENIOR JACK MAHONEY

JagWire

A&E

April 18, 2019

Q&A

What’s Happening Now: A popular biweekly MVTV segment created by senior Jack Mahoney and junior Bennett Doyle that brings light and attention to international current events. The pair chooses stories students may not have heard without watching the news or reading online. According to Mahoney and Doyle, it “fuses entertainment with pressing news.”

Phase Three:

Phase Four:

Editing

Approving

During the editing stage, the pair sorts through their different shots and organizes them in Adobe Premier. // Marah Shulda

“[Editing] is pretty time-consuming, I would say more than most other MVTV packages because it’s a lot more editing to make the jokes rather than just adding music.”

At the end of the process, the duo must get their package approved by advisor Dorothy Swafford. // Marah Shulda

“The editing process is hectic because we’re supposed to have it done the next day. It’s a lot of rushing, but we plan it well enough that we can just drag the clips in ... so it’s not that bad”

“I look for quality, composition like the angles and styles of the shots, how well they tell the story, how well the footage supports the story visually and if the total package is just pleasing to the student’s eyes. I want it to be something they can identify with; some things may not be identifiable in my world, but [students] seem to really like, so I can appreciate that.

The story needs to be good and travel well visually.”

SENIOR JACK MAHONEY

ADVISOR DOROTHY SWAFFORD

JUNIOR BENNETT DOYLE

31

junior Bennett Doyle

JagWire: What was the

inspiration for What’s Happening Now? Bennett Doyle: Jack Mahoney came up with the idea and he brought me in to help make it and mentor me.

JW: What’s your favorite part about working with Jack?

BD: Jack’s really funny and I feel like we have a good bond where we mesh well together. We’re not exact opposites or exactly alike, so bonding is easy.

JW: What’s the funniest idea you guys have come up with?

BD: Our Halloween episode was the best episode. It’s my favorite one that we’ve made because it’s really funny. The intro is so dumb, but it’s really good.

JW: What has the reaction been from students?

BD: I’ve heard people scream when it comes on. From what I’ve heard, most people like it. If they didn’t like it, they probably wouldn’t tell me to my face, but I think most people like it.

32 PHOTO ESSAY

Design by Andrew Tow

April 18, 2019

a look back A photographic representation of the past month’s happenings

JagWire

LEFT: After sprinting down the runway, freshman Adrian Dimond lands in the sand in the triple jump event on Thursday, March 21 at the Oalthe District Activity Center. // Hunter Ristau BELOW: During the final dress rehearsal for "The Boyfriend", senior Lindsey Edwards acts out a scene on Sunday, April 7. // Andrew Tow

Continuing their “hypothetical journey,” in which students read through scenarios refugees may face, juniors Kaytlin Willis, Jenna Walker, Abigail Miller and Rylee McElroy read the North American exhibit at the Youth for Refugees simulation on Wednesday, March 27. // Sam Hanson

While performing her solo routine, freshman Anna Brazil holds her hand over her heart during the Silver Stars spring show on Saturday, March 30. // Addie Kemp

During a match against Kansas City Christian school, junior Ben Stove gets ready to return the ball across the court on Thursday, April 4. The boys tennis team won the dual against Kansas City Cristain School. // Hunter Ristau