PAGE 14
A&E: NEW YORK
TIMES GAMES
PAGE 28
SPORTS: CHEER & DANCE NATIONALS
PAGE 30
FEATURE: CARTER KAIFES
FINDING ACCEPTANCE WITHIN
Social media, sports and peers lead many teens to body insecurity and low self esteem
THE JAGWIRE
Mill Valley High School
Shawnee, Kansas
Volume 25, Issue 4
Feb. 19 2025
Juniors Caterina Rivas and Nick Baird spend their late start together, getting coffee with their extra time. photo by oliver feiring
Bus driver Scott Schau stands by the bus where many students have made memories on in the past. Scott has been a favorite amongst students who rode his bus. photo by evan leroy
made
been a favorite amongst students
Girl Scouts helps to empower girls, help out in the community, and to gain experience and learn new skills. The girls use skills in life that they have learned from Girl Scouts. photo submitted by leslie goodin
Phone:
Bus driver Scott Schau stands by the bus where many students have
memories on in the past. Scott has
who rode his bus. photo by oliver feiring
Editors in Chief
hailey gussio
editor in chief
avery clement
editor in chief
madelyn mulryan editor in chief
Online Editors in Chief
maddie martin
online editor in chief
ian chern
online editor in chief
evan leroy
online editor in chief
Copy Editor
maddie martin
online editor in chief
Staff
ryan bloomer writer/photographer
kennedy botkin writer/photographer
jake brown writer/photographer
natalia castillejos-ramírez writer/photographer
oliver feiring writer/photographer
mya franco writer/photographer
eva hernandez writer/photographer
doreen mahugu writer/photographer
quinlyn peters writer/photographer
gracyn schreiber writer/photographer
hannah stephensen writer/photographer
abby stidham-ebberts writer/photographer
With nationals around the corner, the cheer and dance team practice the final touches on their routines to perfect them. photo by hannah stephensen
Page 22 answers
STAY NEUTRAL
Body image and self-esteem through the lens of body neutrality by jagwire staff
Whether scrolling on TikTok or swiping through Instagram stories, a person’s feed is likely to be filled with socalled realistic what I eat in day videos, how to get in shape fast videos, influencer testimonies of a new workout supplement and of course the newest calorie deficit or fasting diet.
With each new trend and viral product to buy, social media continues to become a platform where people’s bodies are constantly commented on and consumers are told that to fit beauty standards they must buy the newest product. A product that will make them skinnier or more muscular or give them perfect skin.
A study published by the American Psychological Institution highlighted how teens often struggle with body image issues and seeing constant images of people on social media only makes the issue worse.
While not all trends attempt to body shame or judge others, many do it implicitly without noticing the harms. Videos such as “what I eat in a day,” can lead people to compare their eating habits to those of their favorite influencers.
Advertising on social media platforms such as Instagram can also have a negative impact on
teens body image. Many companies choose to target younger audiences to buy their products, by having influencers market their products. Such as, ads promising a protein powder that will help get toned muscles or a vitamin that will help lose weight.
As social media continues to be a place where poor eating habits and unrealistic body standards are upheld, it is important for teenagers to limit their time on these platforms and understand the kind of content that is harmful to them.
People on social media are simply showing the best parts of their lives. What is healthy for one person may not be for another. A person’s diet and exercise should be based on their own personal lifestyle, not someone else’s.
Because of this it might be beneficial for teens to take a more neutral stance on their perceptions of their bodies. Everyone struggles with body image issues, especially teens. It is impossible for anyone to always feel confident in how their body looks; it is instead more productive to focus on what a person’s body does for them. A person’s body isn’t just about how it looks, it is also about how it operates.
It is important for teens to remember this. Taking care of their bodies means way more than losing weight or growing muscles, it’s about having a body that functions the way it’s supposed to, in order to sustain each person’s own lifestyle.
In the end it’s up to each person to remind themselves that people on social media are all the most edited, filtered, appealing and best versions of themselves and that what works for one person might not for everyone.
AUTO OVERFLOW
The school parking lots have become overcrowded as student’s are no long allowed to park in the front lot
For students and staff, the overcrowded school parking lot has made parking at school an issue, leading to tardiness and frustration.
According to school resource officer Darion Hillman, the overcrowded parking lot can be attributed to the construction containers used for ongoing site repairs.
“The first semester is always a little chaotic for all the new drivers, and this year we had to add in different construction crews on site that work on air conditioning and the North Field House, which also took up a majority of our parking,” Hillman said. “I’m hoping after all the snow melts, and we get the last container out of here, we’ll return back to normal operations.”
There have also been some rule changes that have caused students to struggle with parking. According to Hillman, these recent changes needed to be made.
“At one point, students were allowed to park in the front lot, but that changed in the last few months,” Hillman said. “That would change because the teachers were basically uncomfortable and they wanted a separate parkingArtlot.”teacher Josephine Ellis also remembers a time when the parking lot rules were different and explains what that difference was.
“It used to be that, all teachers, had to park in the front to make sure that there was enough room for the kids in the back,” Ellis said.
Last year, students were allowed to park in the front lot. However, this year, students have been told that they are now not allowed to park there and that the lot is exclusive to staff.
Senior Jackson Sprecker is one of many student drivers who previously parked in the front lot, and he believes that the front lot could help solve the issue if it was open to students again.
by ian chern online editor in chief
“I thought [not being allowed to park in the front lot] was stupid because they told us that we could use it [last year],” Sprecker said. “But even when all the students parked [the front lot] last year, there were still open spaces. Plus the teachers get to school before us and leave after us, so it’s not like it’s busy for the teachers. Even now, I see many open spots in [the front lot] where students could park.”
Junior Steven Butler also parked in the front parking lot last year and has issues with the rules restricting students from parking there this year.
“What I don’t like is that we can’t park in the staff parking lot but the staff can park in our parking lot,” Butler said.
Although some students think it is unfair that the front parking lot has become off-limits for them, Ellis thinks that it is completely fair.
PARKING DATA
The status of the parking lot and parking passes
by mya franco writer/photographer
There are 666 parking passes given out this year There are 680 parking spots total
“We don’t get a whole bunch of perks as teachers, so I don’t think giving us a parking lot is too much to ask,” Ellis said.
To help solve the issue, Hillman recommends that students arrive early to school in order to give themselves more time.
“If students just arrive 10 minutes early and give themselves enough time to walk, we’ll have like 40 parking spots in the Monticello Trails parking lot,” Hillman said. “They can just park down there and give themselves time to walk into school or park in overflow, which would be very helpful.”
Hillman regularly checks for parking passes, disciplining students who park illegally or without a parking pass.
“I try to go out daily or every other day just to get out and check and discipline those people who are not allowed to drive, like
Checking the cars, School Resource Officer Hillman does his checks around the school parking lot to make sure people are parking in the right places, Thursday, Jan 16. photo by eva hernandez
Source: Officer Darion Hillman
if there’s a freshman driving or sophomore who does not have a parking pass,” Hillman said.
Although the current situation in the parking lot cannot be helped, student frustration with the issue has been at an all-time high. Junior Ana Rios explains her frustrations with the overcrowded parking lot.
“There will be days where I’m going up and down the aisles for 20 minutes before just giving up and going into the teacher parking lot,” Rios said.
Butler shares this concern especially because he has to leave and come back.
“I’m in Teaching as a Career so
“I try to go out daily or every other day just to get out, check and discipline those people who are not allowed to drive”
Officer Darion Hillman
we have to leave and come back and the past three times we’ve had to circle the entire parking lot to find a spot,” Butler said. “And the last time, the only reason we found a spot was because some girl was leaving and we watched her walk to her car and get in her car, and then when she pulled out we took her spot.”
Another problem that has aris- en relating to the parking lot is the traffic coming from the school. Ellis raises the concern of traffic surrounding school hours getting worse and the lack of attention that it is getting.
“I feel like kids, can’t wait to get out of the parking lot, and there’s no rules, they’re not careful and it would be nice if there was a little bit of policing, especially at the beginning of the school and maybe at the end,” Ellis said. “But we were told we don’t have the resources for that.”
PARKING ACQUIRED
How students feel about parking passes and the different parking lots
Survey of 130 students
This year students aren’t allowed to park in the front lot, so most students have trouble finding a spot to park in the morning as the lot is packed on Thursday, Jan. 23. photo by eva hernandez
This year the school district decided to replace the old school vans with newer models. The district purchased four 2025 Ford Transit T350 models to help transport students.
Director of Safety and Transportation Rob Moser explains that it was time for the old vehicles to be replaced.
“There has always been a replacement plan for district vehicles,” Moser said. “Replacement of aging vehicles which require increased maintenance due to normal wear and tear not only reduces repair costs and helps project a more professional image, but also helps ensure we maintain a safe fleet for student and staff activity transportation.”
According to Moser, upgrading the vans was necessary to allow for more students to be transported per van.
“These four new vans accommodate the highest capacity allowed per state law, offering more capacity than some of our current district vehicles,” Moser said. “This allows teams to travel together, sometimes requiring only one vehicle rather than two, for their activity trips.”
However, the upgrades to the fleet weren’t cheap with high base prices and certain changes that were required to be made.
“The base price per van was $52,488,” Moser said. “We pay an additional $5,486 per van to convert them from 12-passenger vehicles to 10-passenger. This conversion is required per Kansas State Statute which sets 10 passengers as the highest capacity allowed for student transportation in district-owned vehicles.”
For senior Marissa Akehurst, riding in the vans is significantly better than riding on the bus to events.
“I feel like taking the vans is a lot nicer because it’s a lot quieter and you’re just all closer together,” Akehurst said. “You’re always talking a lot more on buses, people are usually on their phones, or they’re sleeping the whole time.”
Junior Olivia Nzioki feels the same way, seeing many benefits of being in the vans.
“I think it’s much more relaxing and it’s a lot cooler,” Nzioki said. “It’s a lot quieter [and] easier [to take the vans,] I feel like it’s less overstimulating and more of a smooth ride.”
ON A ROLL
A breakdown of the upgrades
A NEW SET
OF WHEELS
The school district has newly implemented a program called TORCH to recognize teachers. The district communications specialist, Casey Rooman Smith, shines a light on how the acronym TORCH came to be.
“When they were working on their strategic plan they came up with TORCH to help remember the different steps of the strategic plan,” Rooman Smith said. “I think that it will work with everything that our district wants to work on and what it represents for us. [A torch is] part of our logo, and he just loved it, and we’ve just ran with it.”
The way the district goes about this is very unique and shines light on how many dedicated teachers there are in the district. The award aims to celebrate teachers’, such as social studies teacher Carter Sebasto, efforts in the classroom.
“Dr. Holder, Dr. Gibson and a few other people from the administration came in and they read why I am receiving the award,” Sebasto said. “It included standards that I hold in the classroom, my dedication to the craft of teaching and the amount of work and time that I put into my job here.”
There is both a physical and
emotional factor to receiving the awards. Sebasto describes how he felt as he was presented with his award by the district.
“Teaching is a very demanding job, not only in terms of your time but your emotional battery,” Sebasto said. “You’ve got to be there
“You’ve got to be there emotionally for 40 kids a day, and so it felt rewarding to be able to have someone say they see [that effort].”
History teacher Carter Sebasto
emotionally for 40 kids a day, and so it felt rewarding to have someone say they see [that effort]. I felt a sense of relief and I felt a sense of gratitude for whoever nominated me and whoever would support my nomination and recognition.”
FACS teacher Lauren Stringer had a similar emotional reaction to winning her award.
“I was trying not to be emotional for my students,” Stringer said.
SHINE BRIGHT
The meaning behind the TORCH award to both the district and its recipients
eaching and Learning perations and Planning
ecruitment and Retention
urriculum and Results
ealthy and Thriving
CARTER SEBASTO
“I felt very honored and shocked when I had a bunch of people in my room giving me the award so it was nice. I felt a lot of gratitude towards everyone.”
As of now, the winning teachers who get presented with this award are given it in front of their students, but this is not how it always was. Previously, the awards were given in front of the school board exclusively, but Rooman Smith feels that presenting the award in front of the students is better.
“Don’t get me wrong, the old way was fine, but the new way has been so much more meaningful because their students are seeing them be recognized and that’s a special thing,” Rooman Smith said.
Overall, the TORCH awards celebrate teachers in the district for going the extra mile. Although the awards are an honor, according to Smith, there is no shortage of teachers who deserve this honor.
“It’s a way to recognize staff members in our buildings who are going above and beyond,” Rooman Smith said. “We recognize two different schools a month, and a lot of our principals have a hard time because we’re very fortunate as a district. We have a lot of great teachers.”
SENIOR BRYNN SHIDELER
“Ms. Stringer is one of the most amazing humans anyone will ever meet. She is so caring, so supportive and so helpful.”
FRESHMAN ARTHUR KAEMMER
“My favorite thing about his teaching is that he wants what’s best for us, and he asks us what we think is best for our learning.”
LIGHTS
by mya franco writer/photographer
Part of the new district strategic plan, the TORCH award honors two teachers’ efforts in and out of their classrooms
photos by jake brown and maddie martin
WEDNESDAY
by maddie martin online editor in chief
by ryan bloomer writer/photographer
Some students take advantage of late start to improve their day
Since the implementation of the 30 minute late start students have found different ways to spend their extra time in the mornings.
A lot of students enjoy going to coffee shops, one group of juniors go to a local coffee shop, Prayer Box, every Wednesday morning to catch up. Cat Rivas enjoys spending the extra time catching up with her friends.
“Instead of just driving to school, I go to a local coffee shop (Prayer Box) with some friends and talk before heading over,” Rivas said. “I start off the day with hanging out with my friends, so it’s a positive note before heading to school.”
LATE START LOOK BACK WAKE UP
GO TO THE COFFEE SHOP
On January 14th, Junior Caterina Rivas spends her late morning at Prayer Box, grabbing a latte with her friends.
and Joseph Bollella also go to a local coffee shop, Third Space Coffee, to grab breakfast and spend time together.
“Late start gives us extra time in the morning, because we’re still
Seniors Cadence Kerr
getting up at about the same time,” Kerr said. “We’ll be there for maybe 30 minutes, but it’s just an extra opportunity to fit in things that we wouldn’t be able to do otherwise.”
How the student body spends late start mornings sleep in on late start
90% find late start beneficial
25% spend late start like any other day
50%
60% of students arrive to school from 7:45-8:15 From survey of
students
photo by oliver feiring
While some students spend their mornings sleeping in or relaxing, sophomore Molly Gilmore prefers to spend her extra time getting ahead on her schoolwork.
“[Doing homework in the morning] makes it so that I won’t have as much on my schedule, then I can focus on putting in the best effort that I can on other pieces of work that I may get later on in the day,” Gilmore said.
Gilmore uses her late start days to work on school, but she sees the value in utilizing the time to do other things that people might not have time for otherwise.
“I feel like late starts are just really good because in general,”
COME TO SCHOOL EARLY HEADING
Gilmore said. “People can use them in different ways. I personally use them for my own studying purposes, but a lot of people will take that time to sometimes relax or talk to friends.”
Instead of using late mornings to sleep in, senior Max Bolan wakes up early to workout before school. Bolan explains how he manages this with his busy schedule.
TO THE GYM
“I’m getting up earlier instead of sleeping in and I’m going to bed earlier,” Bolan said.
While many students use their mornings to spend time with friends and grab breakfast, Bolan uses it to better himself through the gym.
Wednesday, January 15th,
be
While Bolans senior short schedule doesn’t require him to be at school until 12PM he sees it important to make use of the time he has to workout before going to school by finding a way to improve his health.
“I saw the opportunity that I have, since I don’t have class till 12. So I just knew that I had time on those days, so I figured I’d get it done early by myself instead of having to wait till after school,” Bolan said.
On
freshman MJ Barton works on his school assignments in the commons before school starts.
photo by natalia castillejos-ramírez
Captions should
a half pica below the photo. o. photo by hailey gussio
GAME ON
The New York Times has found a way to make educational games fun for millions of users. With eight billion games played in 2023, the company has found large success in its games. Naturally, some of those plays come from students and staff looking for fun games to play throughout the day.
Senior Audri Brizendine plays the New York Times games before school to get her ready for the day.
“I think it’s a good way to start my day. And it warms up my brain for school,” Brizendine said.
Junior Hayden Horn agrees that it’s a good way to start the day and wake himself up.
“It’s just enough of a challenge because usually I do them in the morning and it’s a nice way to wake up.” Horn said
For AV Broadcast teacher Laurie Folsom, playing the New York Times games has become part of her daily routine.
“If I’m winding down at the end of the day, I hop on there and make sure that I’ve done the ones that I like,” Folsom said. “It’s a nice way of relaxing after a long day.”
Senior Madi Lehr has also found playing the New York Times games has become part of her routine, playing it every morning.
“[I play] during class a lot of the time when we have free time, or I get there early and we’re just doing nothing, I play during the seminar,” Lehr said. “Sometimes I play in the car, just whenever I have free time.”
Lehr often competes against other people in the New York Times games, adding a new way to enjoy them.
“Especially in the summer, my mom would always do the New York Times games at the same time as me, and we would have to get everything done before the day was over.” Lehr said.
Brizendine got started playing the New York Times games by playing The Mini, a smaller ver-
Students play the games provided by the NYT website for fun and to wake their brains by evan leroy
sion of the regular crossword, and then moved on to the other games.
“I’ve always been into cross- words so I started just doing The Mini and I used to have a TikTok that I would post my crosswords on and then it got viral,” Brizendine said. “I deleted it so people wouldn’t find it.”
Folsom started playing the games by watching so many of her students play during her class.
“Madi Lehr was playing it, and so I started playing,” Folsom said. “She was playing Wordle, and then I had some kids in AV Fundamentals who were playing it too. Once I understood the concept, it was fun.”
Like Folsom and many oth- ers, Horn hears about the New York Times games through word of mouth.
“My grandma told me about Wordle, and so I started playing it with her, and then I realized it wasn’t blocked on the computer,” Horn said. “So I [decided] I’d play it [in school].”
For Lehr, like many students, the enjoyment of the New York Times games comes from the fact that they aren’t blocked on students’ computers. Blocking games has led students to search for ways to play games that aren’t
online editor in chief
blocked on students’ computers.
“Things on our computers are blocked, so I play the New York Times games because they blocked Solitaire which was my favorite.” Lehr said.
Folsom finds that how easy the games are to understand and play makes them so enjoyable.
“I am horrible at first-person shooter games and driving games, and [The New York Times games] are ones I’m good at,” Folsom said. “Like most people, I enjoy things I’m good at.”
Strands theme is Journalism
SLEEPING SOUNDLY
The reality of student sleep habits and how they can be changed to improve
by mya franco writer/photographer
The bright light exposure from sleeping next to your phone delays circadian rhythm and increases night alertness.
46% Of students sleep with their phone on a bedside table.
Create a comfortable sleep environment. For example, make sure your bedroom is dark and quiet
42% Of students listen to nothing while they go to sleep
31%
Of students get six hours of sleep on school nights
Teens (age 13 to 17 years) need to sleep between 8 and 10 hours each night. If you’re sleep deficient, you may have trouble making decisions, solving problems, controlling your emotions and behavior, and coping with change.
Source: Healthy Living,
49%
Of students get nine hours or more of sleep on weekends
Every day of sleep deprivation compounds interest on a loan, meaning the effects of poor sleep build up
HEALTHY HABITS
How to keep your sleep cycle consistent
Expose yourself to light during the day
Have caffeine at strategic times (ideally before 2 or 3 pm)
Get exercise
Practice yoga or mindfulness
Getting in sync with your body’s natural sleepwake cycle, or circadian rhythm, is one of the most important strategies for sleeping better
From three-foot-long Saturn rockets to sets with thousands of pieces, building Lego sets has become a popular pastime for manyFreshmanstudents.Jack Tracy has been building Lego sets since he was two years old, initially using them as a way to relieve stress when he was in the hospital.
“I got into Lego when I was younger, around the age of two, because Lego was a way for me to relieve my stress when I was in the hospital when I got diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia which is a very rare cancer that is usually found in adults and not found in kids,” Tracy said.
Tracy loves Lego sets because they are a fun way to foster architectural skills.
“I believe that [Lego sets are] gaining popularity because they’re very fun,” Tracy said. “Second, it’s very architectural, and so if people want to get into architecture or some sort of building [activity], they can learn by building with Lego and learn how to put things together to balance and stabilize everything.”
Even for students who do not regularly collect or build Lego sets, they can still be a great option as an easy but special gift. For ex- ample, senior Eric Penner gave his mom a Lego flower that he built as a gift.
“Lego sets are a really easy gift that can be a gift for anybody,” Penner said. “I got my mom one of the flower Lego sets for Christmas, and it was easy to assemble
and affordable so she loved it. The car-branded Lego sets can make good gifts for guys. Lego sets are probably one of my go-to gifts.”
Similarly, junior Hayden Kelo was first introduced to Lego after they were given to him as a birthday“Igift. just got one as a birthday gift, and so I’ve started building [Lego sets] since then,” Kelo said. “I like the Architect Series of all the little
“[Building Lego] is a really good pastime, plus, it helps you learn how to put things together so it’s good problem-solving.”
Senior Michael Handlin
buildings and all the cities they do. They do actual cities like San Francisco or Chicago, and they’ll do skylines of those you can build.”
With so many distractions on social media or games on phones, senior Michael Handlin has found building Lego to be a great way to limit screen time while also sharpening his problem-solving skills.
“[Building Lego] is a really
building with Legos has recently become a popular hobby
by evan leroy
Collecting and
online editor in chief by ian chern online editor in chief
good pastime, plus, it helps you learn how to put things together so it’s good problem-solving,” Handlin said. “If you can’t read the instructions, you can problem solve. I also think it’s just a fun pastime because it’s something that you can do to get off your phone while also having fun.”
For Junior Ellyot Edwards collecting Lego sets is a fun way to ex- press himself and because of how many Lego sets exist, it fills a void that many other hobbies don’t.
“I’ve never been big on puzzles or anything like that, so I think it’s cool that I have something that’s colorful and small and is in with my niches,” Edwards said.
According to Kelo, Lego sets vary in size and price. The biggest set Kelo has built was a three-footlong Saturn rocket.
“Some are a bit more expensive because they have just smaller, more precise pieces, but some of the bigger sets can be 30 bucks and I’ve seen some of them go up to like 200 though, it just depends on how big the set is and how complicat- ed it is,” Kelo said. “I have built a Saturn rocket that was about three feet long on its side, and that was the biggest one I have ever done. I
had to build that one in parts.”
Part of the appeal of Lego sets for Edwards is the versatility of the sets.
“The three-in-one sets where you can rebuild them I like,” Edwards said. “I get bored really easily, and I love decorating my
room. And I like that things are ever-changing. So I like the ones you can build in multiple different ways.”
For Tracy, building Lego sets is something he sees himself continuing to do in the future.
“I actually want to work for Lego in the future,” Tracy said. “I want to work as a Lego engineer, where I create sets for other people
For many students, Lego sets were a popular hobby or toy during their childhoods. Edwards believes Lego has gained popularity among teenagers because they want to reconnect with their child-
“I think regression really comes with processing as you’re getting older,” Edwards said. “I think you kind of go back to things that you used to love, to see why you used like them, to kind get in touch with someone that you used to be and I think that’s beautiful.”
KEEPING THE STRE K
The rise of Duolingo has been fast and has become a habit for students to play every day. Most students use the app for fun or class, but freshman Caleb Swanson has a different reason.
“I’m living with a foreign exchange student right now, so being able to talk to him in his language. He knows English but it’s fun,” Swanson said.
Most students use the app for practical reasons, like junior Griffin Judd.
“Since I’m in Spanish class, I think that learning [the] language helps me [in class],” Judd said.
Although Duolingo has gotten more and more popular over the years, some students like Junior Rachel Joseph has had the app for a while.
“Around sixth grade during the pandemic I downloaded Duolingo so I’d have something to do because I thought it’d be interesting to learn a new language,” Joseph said.
Similar to Joseph, Junior Kylie Stegner has had the app for a while
by mya franco writer/photographer by ryan bloomer writer/photographer
Duolingo is on the rise, providing students with an easy way to improve language skills
and uses it for in-class practice and outside of class learning.
“I started in about seventh grade with my middle school Spanish teacher. It was half Spanish, half French, and she wanted us to do some Duolingo for an assignment,” Stegner said.
The app has many uses that can benefit the user, not only in everyday life, but in class like Stegner.
“[It’s helpful because] I can use some of the words that I learned from Duolingo and apply them to class and some of my knowledge from class and apply to Duolingo,” Stegner said.
There have always been apps like Duolingo, but none of them have been as popular. Other apps are not as user friendly and have gotten push back from it’s users, such as Stegner.
“I tried the Babble one because I heard a lot of stuff on it, like [on the] radio, but I couldn’t figure it out,” Stegner said.“You had to pay for everything, and it started at a higher level so it was weird.”
On the other hand, Duolingo
GRIFFIN JUDD
240 DAYS
SPANISH
doesn’t know all about every language. There is a big difference between languages they know well and the ones they don’t according to Joesph.
“The languages they don’t have a lot of information on, they’re structured very differently, mainly Hindi, when you started it, they would have you trace a letter,” Joseph said “Languages where it’s
“Since I’m in Spanish class, I think that learning [the] language helps me [with class].”
Junior Griffin Judd
not using the English alphabet are very different. It has you, learning letters first, like the sounds and vowels, and they’ll have, not a lot of options for you to do [lessons] on certain ones.”
Starting a new hobby can be hard, whether it’s because of how long it takes or because of lack of work ethic. Another reason why people love to keep their streaks up is to complete friend challenges and goals. But for some, it is also a competition, like Stegner.
“There’s this thing on there where your friends have streaks too, and so you want to keep up,” Stegner said. “Also, it’s nice to have that reminder of the language every day, because I’m really into French, so I like to be able to learn new words or just remember [words] that I forgot.”
For other students, it’s all about the learning aspect. Joseph, who has the longest streak, enjoys how much she learns from the app, and how she can see herself growing.
“I’ve been doing it every day and I’ve seen how much I’ve grown and learned with each language,” Joseph said “So that gives me a sense of accomplishment, and I like seeing my progress in the different languages I learned, and it’s helped me learn them.”
Although learning is the main purpose and aspect of the app, there is a strong drive to simply do one lesson a day to keep up a streak, like Stegner.
“There are some days where I’ll spend 30 minutes on it, and there are some days where I’ll spend five minutes because I need to get the streak,” Stegner said.
Many people learn in different ways which is why so many people love Duolingo. There is a wide variety of different types of lessons accessible per lesson, and Swanson is one of the players who enjoy the lessons.
“It’s more enjoyable [and] also the fact that I like the lessons,” Swanson said.
Another way that Duolingo has become so loved is how the languages mesh into each other. Even though the app doesn’t know everything, it finds ways to bring languages together. According to Joesph, the app does just that for her.
“I started Portuguese after I learned Spanish, and I already knew a lot of the words and all the grammar because they’re similar,” Joseph said. “So it’s nice to just pick up languages easier once you already know one.”
POPULAR LANGUAGES
RACHEL JOSEPH 900 SPANISH
DAYS
LEADING THE WAY
Senior Sophie Hsu one of two Kansas students selected for the United States Youth Senate Program in March by
From being the president of the National Art Honors Society to a perfect score at state band, and excelling in debate and forensics, it’s no wonder senior Sophie Hsu is going to the United States Youth Senate Program.
This program began in 1962 during John F. Kennedy’s presidency. Two students from each state receive a $10,000 scholarship and a week-long trip to Washington.
According to the Youth Senate, during this week, student delegates will attend policy speeches by senators, cabinet members, and officials from the Departments of State and Defense. They will also have the opportunity to participate in meetings with the president and a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
The application process is vigorous. One requirement is leadership roles and participation in activities focusing on making a difference.
Two crucial roles that strengthened Hsu’s application was her position as president of NAHS and her public speaking in debate and forensics.
$10,000
Each of the 104 winners receive a scholarship and are encouraged to continue in government or history
natalia castillejos-ramírez writer/photographer
Joining NAHS sparked her passion for making a difference. A life-changing moment for Hsu was her sculpture, “Flight of Florence.”
“I drafted the sculpture and presented it to the city of Shawnee and about 75 other spectators,” Hsu said. “That was when I realized that our actions in the government can truly make a difference.”
“That was when I realized that our actions in the government can truly make a difference.”
Senior Sophie Hsu
Her experience in debate also deepened her interest in the government.
“After I gave the speech to the city of Shawnee I joined speech and debate the following year, and I never looked back,” Hsu said. “Since then, I’ve only become more interested in researching the government and looking at how
things work.”
Together these experiences created a foundation for leadership.
Additionally, students take a lengthy test with questions dating back to the founders’ era to apply.
Although the test was arduous, Hsu was grateful to have English teacher Peter Shull help her with the essays, and history teacher Jeff Strickland help her study for the exam.
Strickland was crucial in helping Hsu prepare for the tests due to his experience. In 2017, he assisted Jack Campbell in winning the same scholarship.
Support from teachers was crucial, but her family also motivated her. Her aunt, who works for the federal government, inspired her to make an impact and her dad’s work ethic inspired her to work hard in everything she does.
“If you think I’m crazy with all the assign ments that I do, my dad does twice as much for his work, but that inspired me to go forward,” Hsu said.
THE WHERE AND WHY
What the Youth Senate program and its application requirements
Must be a junior or senior
Must be a permanent resident or citizen of the US
Have a leadership position in StuCo, a National Honor Society or student representative in a state-approved civic activity
Source: Unites States Youth Senate program
Applicants must take a multiple choice and short answer exam
Write a personal statement essay
During the week student delegates attend briefs and meetings with government officials and meet the president and supreme court justices
photo by maddie martin
BUS RIDE BONDS
BUS RIDE BONDS
Long-time bus driver Scott Schau creates lasting connections with his riders
Nine years ago Scott Schau retired from his work as police officer and began driving buses for the school district. Since then Schau has been making students’ days, putting a smile on peoples’ faces, giving heartfelt advice and candy, all while creating memories every day as he drives each of his students to and from school.
Schau drives Bus 25, which takes Horizon Elementary, Monticello Trails and Mill Valley students to and from school. Schau took the job after working as a police officer for 17 years.
Being a bus driver can be hard work at times. Drivers have to leave their homes at about 6 a.m. every morning.
However, being a bus driver there is still plenty of room to have fun and make the ride more enjoyable. Junior Bianca Pepe appreciates how Schau makes bus rides more enjoyable.
“He’d decorate it for holidays and sometimes hand out candy,” Pepe said. “It made the bus feel
more comfortable. It wasn’t just an awkward ride—it felt welcoming.” Although driving a bus is usually positive. Occasionally it can be bittersweet for Schau especially as students start getting their licenses.
“I understand it’s a rite of pas-
“A good driver, like Scott, can totally change your day. It makes the ride home something to look forward to.”
Junior Bianca Pepe
sage,” Schau said. “Sophomore, or junior year, [students] get the joy of having a parking permit, then the parking pass, and [they’re] out here. I did the same thing when I turned 16, I couldn’t wait to drive myself to school. That’s part of it.”
RIDERS’ APPRECIATION
by natalia castillejos-ramírez writer/photographer
The reason it is a bit sad for Schau is that he watches many of his students grow up throughout the years. Every year they just mean more to him.
“All my students are important because my number one purpose in life on a bus is to keep them safe, Schau said. “I just want to see them succeed.”
Despite no longer riding the bus Schau has still had a hearting impact on Pepe.
“A good driver, like Scott, can totally change your day. It makes the ride home something to look forward to.” Pepe said.
“Sometimes when I drive to school, I see him, and I’ll wave,” Pepe said. “Even though I’m not on the bus anymore, he’ll always be my bus driver.”
For Scott, this is one of his biggest aspirations because he wants his kids to always remember him, always love him, and think fondly of their time riding the bus.
“I don’t remember that old guy’s name, but he was nice to me,” Schau said.
LILLY GIBSON BIANCA PEPE
“[Scott] makes riding the bus a great way to get ready for school. And it’s a great start to my day.“
LAUREN FENNEMORE
“[Scott’s] supportive to me and my sisters and he looks out for us. He always puts me in a good mood. “
“[Scott’s] positive attitude made things feel less stressful, which helped me enjoy the day more.“
Bus driver Scott Schau welcomes students onto his bus every morning.
photo by evan leroy
Three students share what they love about bus driver Scott Schau
by maddie martin
online editor in chief
by kennedy botkin writer/photographer
GParticipation in girl and boy scouts throughout the school
irl Scouts has garnered over 10 million members in 146 different countries since being founded nearly 100 years ago.
The Girl Scouts website states the goal of Girl Scouts is to empower girls, provide for the community and “grow courageous and strong through a wide variety of enriching experiences,” such as field trips, skill-building sports clinics, community service projects, cultural exchanges, and environmental stewardships.
Girl Scout meetings are dedicated to either obtaining badges, community service or learning new skills. Senior Elly Hayes and sophomore Al-
SCOUT-
lyse Fulps are in the same troop, and they go on a trip once a year. They do different fundraisers throughout the year to be able to afford the trip.
“This year we’re going to New York right after school ends, and I’m really excited for it,” Hayes said. “We learn about Girl Scout related stuff there. Like, when we go to New York we’re going to the Girl Scout headquarters. [We also learn] about other communities.”
Girl Scouts also provides a day camp, Camp Tongawood, that their members can go to. The older teens get together in groups to make a station that the younger troops can go to. The stations can be anything from a STEM activity to a craft. Camp Tongawood is Fulps’s favorite part about Girl Scouts.
“My favorite part [about camp] is listening to all the kid’s names because they get to create their own camp name, and some of them are really funny,” Fulps said. “I [also] wanted to continue counseling at a
Tongawood day camp because I always wanted to do that as a kid.
Girl Scouts also benefits the girls within it, not just the community they are helping. Hayes has met many other people through her troop and their service.
“I think it’s made me a better socializer. I’m better at talking and meeting new people,” Hayes said. “I’m not as scared to do that anymore. Also trying new things, because I’ve done a lot of things through Girl Scouts I would have never done.”
Fulps has also seen positive effects on her personality and mindset.
“[It’s made me more] giving and caring for others, and being open-minded because you see the other things that people don’t see,” Fulps said. “I feel like it makes you more open-minded to what other people are going through. I think it makes you realize these people don’t have this.”
DIFFERING
Writing messages in Valentines Day cards, junior Eden Christian creates Valentines as a form of community service for Girl Scouts, Monday, Jan. 27 photo submitted by leslie goodin
ACROSS AMERICA
Many students are involved with Boy Scouts of America. Through Boy Scouts students are able to explore the outdoors, meet new people and be involved in their communities.
According to the Scouting America website the main goal of Boy Scouts is to empower young people to become “trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.”
The organization focuses on achieving this goal through outdoor activities and community service which allow people to achieve merit badges. There are over 100 badges that can be earned doing various activities but many focus on outdoor activities such as inventing, fire safety and backpacking.
Sophomore Turner Bruce enjoys working on earning his badges by doing activity around the community.
“[Scouts has] allowed me to
be more involved because I have been working around [Shawnee],” Turner said. “We pick up trash after some of the home football games and we’ve picked up trash around Monticello Trails.”
Along with the many community service projects, Boy Scouts participates in outdoor activities. Junior Nate Petrowskey enjoyed getting to work at Camp Naish over the summer.
“[My favorite experience was] working at Camp Naish because of the experiences that I give the kids who go there,” Petrowsky said. “I feel like it’s a very positive thing for both for me and for them, because it keeps people from sitting inside on their phones all the time.”
However, some badges and experiences are reserved for a specific kind of scout, Eagle Scouts. There are many requirements to become an Eagle Scout, including completing a project that benefits a group in their community.
Senior Hank Danielson achieved his Eagle Scout rank this fall and was able to complete it thanks to the collaboration from other scouts in his troop.
“People would take leadership positions in the troop to help us get what we did to get done,” Danielson said. “The community that helped was just that group of guys that were all together and we all helped push each other and worked towards [getting our Eagle Scout].”
Besides the outdoor and service opportunities Boy Scouts also teaches important life lessons.
“There’s a thing called the Scout Oath, and it’s basically a set of rules to live by,” Danielson said. “If you do that and try and live by what those rules say, then you’re going to be living as a better person.”
Participating in a community event for boy scouts, junior Nate Petrowsky in troop 351 conducts a booth of arts and crafts to get kids interested in scouting photo submitted by nate petrowsky
TRAPPED IN PERCE E PTION
SILENT STRUGGLES
For students coming into school daily, navigating body image issues, or worrying about flaws in one’s appearance can be a challenge. For junior Kait Hood, feeling insecure has been an issue for a long time.
“Everyone is insecure about something, even if they’re not open about it,” Hood said. “I’ve always had my issues. I mean, one will get better and another shows up, or they all just come at once. So it is constantly changing.”
According to Everyday Health, 73% of teen girls are self conscious, and 69% of teen boys are self conscious. Michigan Health specifies that this insecurity mostly manifests due to skin and weight problems.
Similarly, what students wear can be affected by their body image. For junior Gabe Sommerfeld, he alters what he wears out because of how he feels about his body.
“I feel like I’m a lot more concerned with what I wear,” Sommerfeld said. “I feel like I want to wear something that’s not gonna show off a lot because I don’t really like what’s underneath.”
Stem4, a teen mental health center, states that nearly 50% of young people (ages 12-21) feel that if they don’t improve their body, people will dislike them. Sommerfield explains how some students might
try to improve their bodies in an unhealthy way.
“I feel like everybody now just tries to go to the gym and work out a bunch and then do a bunch of cardio,” Sommerfield said. “Some of them overdo it and then they end up failing, going back, and just eating a bunch of junk food and doing that again.”
Senior Moon Coulter explains how they used to deal with their insecurities in an unhealthy way.
“I pretty much wouldn’t ever eat,” Coulter said. “If I was forced to, I would eat pretty much as little as I possibly could. I would just say that I got full, because I didn’t eat much at the time anyway, and so during school I would just skip lunch entirely.”
Fifty one percent of Americans view a stigma around topics like body image, according to Meridan. Freshman Gwen Ansell explains why she thinks her peers might not discuss body image.
“People don’t like to talk about [their body image,] so they’ll think, ‘I’m not going to talk about it, because that puts me out of the norm,’” Ansell said. “Even though it’s more likely that [body image] is a bigger issue with the people in our school.”
Stacy Miller, school psychologist, explains what she hopes for students’ body image.
Many teens today often feel trapped in distorted beauty ideals by hailey perrin editor in chief by madelyn mulryan editor in chief by oliver feiring writer/photographer
“We all look different,” Miller said. “We’re all different body types, so I hope that as society we’re increasingly becoming more accepting of different body types.”
SHAPING THE IMAGE
Social media being popular among teenagers has brought about another place for teenagers to find ways to compare their lives and their bodies. According to the Mental Health Foundation, 40% of young people said that social
Senior Moon Coulter often feels self conscious about their chest, hands, jawline and hips. photo illustration by hannah stephensen and avery clement
FILTERED REALITIES
Students vote on differing factors that most affect how they view their bodies
media has caused them to worry about their own body image.
Trends such as ‘what I eat in a day’ and ‘model workouts’ are on the rise and being seen by millions of teens every day. Hood has noticed that lifestyle influencers posting these often give viewers negative feelings about their own lives.
“[Influencers] set such unrealistic expectations, and you feel like you constantly have to try to measure up to that, and when you don’t, it leaves you feeling almost crippled,” Hood said.
The Mental Health Foundation also found following social media and influencers caused negative body image issues that in turn affected eating habits. Senior Joah Clark has seen eating habits become a result of social media.
“I feel like, especially eating dis- orders and this perfect lifestyle is so glamorized on social media,” Clark said. “It’s like, this is what I ate in a day, [and then it’s] just two strawberries. [It’s] like, that’s not true, you definitely pounded back a gallon of Nutella also.”
Social media sites such as TikTok and Instagram often show influencers promoting unrealistic lifestyles. Along with those videos many influencers post products they claim to help with some various insecurity. Ansel has found that influencers use social media
to talk about seemingly random insecurities so that people buy a certain product.
“I think [body image issues are] really common, especially with the rise of social media. A lot of people will make up insecurities to sell their stuff,” Ansel said. “I saw one recently that [said], ‘Oh, you have peach fuzz, you need to buy the shaving from us so you can look more feminine.’ It’s largely for
“ Everyone is insecure about something, even if they’re not open about it.”
Junior Kait Hood
marketing.”
While social media often has negative effects, especially young people still struggling with body image, it is not all negative. Ansel has seen a lot of positivity as well.
“I see a lot of videos of alternative people who [say things like], ‘you don’t always have to look like everyone else.’’ Sometimes you don’t have to look exactly like ev-
eryone else,” Ansel said.
ESTEEM EFFECTS
Having issues with self esteem can create a real impact on one’s everyday life and health. In a study led by the University of Delhi, it was found that there is a sig- nificantly strong relationship between one’s general self esteem or self worth and how they feel about their body. Sommerfeld explains how his body image affected his daily life.
“I just kind of felt down all the time,” Sommerfeld said. “I felt like I didn’t want to go out unless I was wearing really baggy clothing because I didn’t want to show off anything.”
Similarly, many students can feel their personality and temperament change as they struggle with their self image. For freshman Jacob Lowry, his experience with body image issues affected his demeanor.
“I don’t think I knew exactly how I wanted to look, and that made me less confident… I was definitely a much more reclusive person, a lot more restrained then,” Lowry said. .”
Additionally, a study led by Government Medical College has found that there is a concerning
Survey of 130 students
rise in body dysmorphia among adolescents. According to the DSM-5, Body dysmorphia is described as expressing a fixation with one’s real or perceived physical flaws.
Although many teenagers are not formally diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder, many experience body dysmorphia
MAPPING IT
OUT
Areas of the body that students feel most insecure about
among other issues with self esteem. Coulter describes their experience with body dysmorphia.
“I would look at people that were unhealthily skinny and think, ‘I wish I was this, God I wish I was skin and bones’ for some reason,” Coulter said.
Along with negative self esteem, body image issues can cause debilitating physical effects. Body dysmorphia is closely related to depression and eating disorders like Anorexia or Bulimia, conditions that have harsh effects on the body. Coulter describes their physical condition caused by their disorder.
“I couldn’t do the same things that I could before. I couldn’t get out of bed without feeling like I was gonna faint. I couldn’t carry a 20 pound box, I couldn’t do normal everyday life things anymore. That’s when I realized something wasn’t right,” Coulter said. Conversely, it is important to consider how these issues can affect young men differently than women. A study published by Journal of Youth and Adolescence found in 2002 that the self esteem of young men typically increased steadily un- til age 14, when it suddenly dropped off at 16 years old. acknowledgesSommerfeld his experience with self image compared to his female peers.
“I feel like women are more concerned with just being thinner but I feel like men are more concerned with being muscular and thinner,” Sommerfeld said.
A study by Journal of Health Psychology found that 80% of men are dissatisfied with their body, either with muscles, height, weight or other attributes. Additionally, fac- tors like height and weight contributed to men’s over-
all mental health and self image. Lowry comments on the different expectations between men and women.
“I think there are differences [between men and women.] There’s different societal pressures, on either youth… I do think that my male peers in particular, have pressure to be a lot more physically fit or [muscularly] defined,” Lowry said.
FINDING ACCEPTANCE
Trying to reach a certain physique without ensuring proper rest or food intake can lead to long lasting health problems. Miller explains how some students might improperly diet.
“[It’s easy to] form unhealthy habits as a teen,” Miller said. “If you’re not getting the right nutrients then you can’t have enough energy to feel good or concen- trate. I think, in general, restricting [food] is one unhealthy way that a lot of people diet. Choosing, ‘I’m gonna cut out all carbs.’ Even though carbs aren’t bad for you. Your body actually does need
Junior Gabe Sommerfeld feels most insecure about his arms and stomach. photo illustration by hannah stephensen and avery clement
some carbs in order to function. It’s just finding that right balance of food that you need to be a healthy and functioning human.”
According to the University of Michigan Health, two thirds of parents notice that their child is self conscious about their body. It is crucial to talk to someone you care about that you notice has issues with their self esteem. Coulter explains how having a support system while having body dysmorphia is important.
“There’s people here for you,” Coulter said. “If you have family, you can go to them, if you have friends, go to them, anybody that you can reliably talk to. It doesn’t have to be somebody [at school]. It doesn’t have to be your parents. It needs just to be somebody, because even if you talk to one person, they might be able to go get you help, even if you might not want it at the time.”
NIH also discusses how to notice these problems, with intense exercise, fasting, eating until uncomfortably full often and dieting frequently being common symptoms. It’s still possible to have these tendencies even while not losing weight, as Coulter ex-
Junior Kait Hood feels most self conscious about her hips, eyes, mouth and chest. photo illustration by hannah stephensen and avery clement
BODY BELIEFS
plains.
“I didn’t lose a lot of weight, but even when the numbers [on the scale] dropped, I physically didn’t look much different,” Coulter said. “I was really lightheaded and nauseous almost all the time though.”
Hood’s self esteem has caused her to adjust her schedule to fit more time to get ready.
“Some days it gets to the point where I spend over an hour every single morning doing my makeup because I’m insecure,” Hood said. “I have to wake up at 5:15 every single morning just to do [my makeup,] So my sleep schedule gets affected. There are some days when it’s so bad that I won’t even leave the house.”
Miller states how showing support and taking a notice in change in behavior could help out a friend going through body image issues.
“Just saying ‘Hey, I care about you. I’ve noticed X, Y, Z, I’ve noticed that you’ve lost some weight, I normally see you eat at school and I’m worried about you. Is there any- thing I can do to support you?’ and encourage them to use the resources we have here and talk to a trusted adult, whether that be a teacher or your counselor or a social worker. I think just being a
great friend is a way to help [your peers].”Recent trends have suggested the idea for body neutrality, which Cleveland Clinic explains is “prioritizing the body’s function and what it can do rather than its appearance.” Body neutrality is about feeling content with one’s body and recognizing that genetics play the biggest role in size and shape, something that can’t change by diet or working out.
Lowry explains why this view could help young people to be kinder to themselves.
“I think identifying if you have certain insecurities or a negative perception of yourself, even if you want to fix or change them, sometimes you have to become comfortable with things that you can’t change, and I think that is pretty important,” Lowry said.
Throughout all of many body image trends that are constantly changing, Miller provides advice on what students should be focusing on to stay confident.
“I think what is so hard to do as a teenager is being confident in who you are,” Miller said. “I think finding your strengths and feeling good about them and embracing them is how you should live. It’s so hard as a teenager to feel that way because you’re still figuring out who you are and what you like. There’s all these different pressures as a teenager. but ultimately feeling confident about what you love about yourself and embracing them can make a positive difference [in your life].”
Survey of 130 students
ISNEY’S DECLINE
Disney has stopped making unique movies and has settled with remaking animated movies in live action
Disney has always been classic family movie company, making movies like “Toy Story” and “Beauty and the Beast.” The brand definitely has rewatchable films, with IMDb stating that “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and “The Lion King” are in the top 20 most-watched movies of all time. However, recently Disney has been coming out with less and less quality content along with remaking the same movies over and over or adding sequels.
The Rolling Stone’s top three highest-rated Disney movies are “Bambi,” “Pinocchio” and the original “The Lit- tle Mermaid.” The top ten movies in this list all came out be- fore 2012, making it no
by madelyn mulryan editor in chief
surprise that Disney has been trying to recreate their older movies or create spin-offs. But sequels are never as good as the original movie, and spin-offs are almost always bad.
The reason for this is that it’s always noticeable when the sequel or spin-off is just created as a cash grab and most of the time they are. “Lightyear,” the “Toy Story” spinoff, is one of the lowest-grossing
“I’ll be at home sticking to rewatching those old Disney films that will always be ideal for a movie night.”
Jagwire reporter Madelyn Mulryan
Disney movies of all time, and ScreenCrush estimates that the movie cost Disney around $100 million. The movie shows a lack effort put into it, and so does a new sequel, “Moana 2,” with basically recreated the first movie.
In total, Disney has remade 12 movies, with nine more remakes expected in the next couple of years. The remakes expected, such as “Bambi (Live Action),” “Lilo and Stitch (Live Action)” and “Tinker Bell (Live Action),” you can already tell will just be moneymakers.
Similarly, most of the newer Disney movies that aren’t sequels or spin-offs, as of the last five to
ten years, have been terrible. Disney fans requested a hand-drawn classic-style movie, and so Disney created the movie that certified their downfall: “Wish.” This movie so clearly shows a lack of effort, with the lyrics to the songs making no sense, and the fact that instead of actual hand-drawn animation, they used computer animation that tried and failed to copy the style.
With computer animation already being used in all Disney movies, and the rise of artificial intelligence it’s hard to imagine Disney will be able to come back from their downfall. So when Disney comes out with their remake of “Snow White,” I’ll be at home sticking to rewatching those old Disney films that will always be ideal for a movie night.
Growing up, I loved to watch vloggers. I loved being able to immerse myself in the lives of online influencers, to be a part of their day to day activities and hear their innermost thoughts. As much as I loved consuming this content, I dreamed of being the one to create it.
When I was younger, I tried it, filming my mundane daily activities and doing my best to piece together the footage on iMovie. Of course I never shared this. The vlogs were just for me – a means of motivation and appreciation for the little things in life.
As I got older, these mini vlogs stopped, and I resumed my role as a content consumer. I always told my family and friends that someday I would vlog again for real, just not now. I had to graduate first and go to college, where I would have more time, freedom and less judgement from others. So I put this interest aside.
That was until one weekend when I was discussing vlogging with my older sister. She asked what was holding me back and I replied with the same reasons as always. She suggested that over winter break I should try it anyway. I would have the time and freedom, and it didn’t have to be serious, I could just show them to family and friends, which solved the judgement issue.
So I did it. I began to vlog parts of my winter break. I started with only the activities that I felt were interesting, but as the days went on I began to include the less shiny aspects of my life too. I documented moments spending time with family, a car ride with friends
and even crocheting in bed. This helped me realize how lucky I was to have the chance to do even these things that seemed mundane. But I didn’t just use vlogging as a way of documenting activities. I also used it as a video journal. I would talk through my feelings or my opinions on new movies. At the end, I would reflect on my day, mentioning what moments I enjoyed most. It was not unlike journaling, or even meditating.
One of the hardest parts of
“When it was just me talking to the camera, I felt I was able to capture a version of myself that was most true to me.”
JagWire reporter Avery Clement
vlogging for me was watching the videos back. I think most people would relate to feeling uncomfortable when seeing themselves interacting in videos. I often felt this awkwardness when I was not the one behind the camera. As I vlogged more though, I began to feel more comfortable seeing my own mannerisms and being more au
thentically me. There was no point of vlogging if I was showing an ingenuine version of myself.
Becoming more authentic in my vlogs felt really freeing and allowed me to further understand who I was as a person. One’s personality and mannerisms are merely a product of anyone they have ever been close to. Recognizing this fact, I felt that I often lost sight of my real personality as I tried to mold the way I acted to be liked by others. When I vlogged, specifically moments when it was just me talking to the camera, I felt I was able to capture a version of myself that was most true to me. Ultimately, vlogging was not only a way for me to share my life with those closest to me but also a tool for self reflection and personal growth. Through documenting my life, I gained a deeper appreciation for the little things and developed a more authentic understanding of myself. Vlogging helped me to find joy in both the ordinary and extraordinary aspects of my life.
A NEW ANGLE
by avery clement editor in chief
Vlogging helped JagWire reporter Avery Clement find space for self reflection and emotional growth
ENDING AN ERA
by jake brown writer/photographer
Senior Carter Kaifes marks the end of the Kaifes Family legacy on Mill Valley Basketball
If you’re a fan of Mill Valley basketball over the past few years, you’ve probably heard the last name Kaifes. Not only have you heard the name, but you know that they are phenomenal athletes and people, on and off the court. The last Kaifes family member to come through Mill Valley is Carter Kaifes.
Carter wants to leave a positive impact behind when he graduates, wanting to finally complete the legacy of his family.
“I wish to leave behind the legacy of being known as a good person and a good teammate,” Kaifes said.
Carter wants to leave a good legacy behind at Mill Valley. But, his mom Melynda Kaifes said via email that she feels as though it’s not so much a legacy as it is just one family enjoying their time together.
“In 2025, we’re ending our time at Mill Valley with all of the kids coming together to support Carter at his games,” Kaifes said. “Seeing that full circle moment, watching how the whole family rallies around him—it’s a feeling I can’t
CLAIRE KAIFES
even put into words. As a mom, it fills my heart in a way that’s hard to describe.”
Carter isn’t the only one who is leaving a legacy behind at Mill Valley under the last name Kaifes. His siblings, Claire, Cooper, Catie and Conner also made their mark on the school as all four of Carter’s siblings went on to play college sports.
Being the last of the Kaifes family to come through Mill Valley, Carter feels the pressure to succeed.
“I do feel a little bit of pressure playing up to [my siblings] standards, but I think that the pressure is good,” Kaifes said.
People give credit to his hard work ethic, while he gives some of the credit to being able to watch and compete with his older siblings while growing up.
“I think I did compete better because my older siblings showed me what it takes to be a good player,” Kaifes said.
Carter truly loves the game of basketball and growing up with older siblings who played only gave him lots of important insight to the game.
“The thing I’ve enjoyed most is being able to watch all of my siblings play and be able to ask them questions to help me learn more,” Kaifes said.
Growing up Carter and his siblings were introduced to sports early by their parents. Melynda recalls all the days in their childhood that were filled with sports.
“Their dad had a ball in their hands from the time they were babies, and workouts and time on the field or in the gym were priorities every day,” Kaifes said. “It’s been an incredible experience to see them represent Mill Valley, and I couldn’t be prouder of their achievements and the people they’ve become.”
photos by ryan bloomer
VICTORY OR VOODOO?
by kennedy botkin writer/photographer
Athletes and their various pre-game superstitions
SOPHOMORE JOSH GARCIA JUNIOR
“Every time before a football game, I go to Goodcents and order the same sandwich,” Garcia said. “I do not believe it affects my performance, but I believe it affects how I feel during the game.”
Survey of 116 students
“For cheer, I have to eat a pixy stick before we go on and I put a ladybug sticker in my shoe.”
- Junior Callaway Clifton
“Writing mind over matter on my wrist.”
- Senior Caroline Hooper
“The order I put my sock and my cleats on.”
- Junior Landon Vincent
“I always have to eat goldfish at a dance [competition] before I go on, nothing else.”
- Junior Izzy Simms
“For baseball, I will go to QuickTrip and get candy and some sort of energy drink. I also like to put on eye black before each game,” Jay said. “It
“We listen to our Spotify playlist before meets for cross country,” Randall said.
“It’s a specific playlist that we made [together].”
“It calms our nerves and feels like good luck.” Riley said.
Freshman Delaney Konen started ice skating five and a half years ago. She now competes in freestyle and synchronized skating competitions, sometimes performing during halftime of hockey games.
Freestyle ice skating focuses on performing skills like footwork, jumps and spins in front of judges. The routine is set to music and the ice skaters are judged on their presentation, choreography, difficulty level and execution. Synchronized skating is set up the same way, however, it is performed with a group of skaters and focuses more heavily on footwork.
A big part of Konen’s success in her skating came from her coaches’ support. However, her first coach’s approach to teaching
MV I AM
caused more harm than good.
“I used to have a coach that would only focus on what I wasn’t doing correctly, and that [made] my mental health take a bit of a fall,” Konen said. ”[At the time] I was recovering from a sprained ankle, but she made me skate and do my entire program on it. In the middle of the program, my ankle gave out. She [ended up] getting mad at me because I was in pain and started crying. [After her], I had no dedication at that time to [keep] skating, so I took several months off.”
After months off, Konen decided to take a synchronized skating class with her friends. She liked it so much that she hired a new coach, her current coach, to help her pass the test to get on a synchronized skating team. She end-
DELANEY KONEN
by kennedy botkin writer/photographer
ed up passing the test with the help of her new coach.
“[Because of passing the test], me and my current coach bond- ed. Now I’ve been skating with her and she’s really supportive,” Konen said. “She gives criticism in a good way, not just saying ‘You can’t do that, you suck at that.’ She says what I did well and what I need to fix.”
Konen’s current coach, Cassie Ford, strives to support her players and help each member of the team succeed.
“I talk with each individual skater and see what they want to achieve and we set goals to work towards,” Ford writes. “I support each skater in those goals and cheer them on as well as teach them the needed skills to achieve those goals.”
Wednesday Morning (1.5 hours)
Thursday Afternoon (1.5 hours)
Saturday Morning (1.5 hours)
Skate guards KCIC public sessions when possible photo by
Delaney balances several ice skating practices across her week
Freshman Delaney Konen’s journey to ice skating success
maddie martin