JagWire: Volume 18, Issue 4 by JagWire newspaper

JAGWIRE NEWSMAGAZINE

HOW DOES NOT GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP AFFECT YOU? FIND OUT ON PAGES 12-17

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL // VOL. 18 // ISSUE 4 // DEC. 14, 2017 // MVNEWS.ORG

CONTENTS

Design & Cover by Victoria Wright

Mill Valley High School

JagWire

NEWS

OPINIONS

A&E

04 accredidation process 06 Andyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Frozen Custard

18 staff editorial 19 opinions

28 hot drink reviews 30 Christmas trees

FEATURES

SPORTS

PHOTO ESSAY

08 password security 10 students in outside bands 12 sleep

23 Abigail Archibong 32 Starbucks 24 EKL dominance 26 youth wrestling

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Mill Valley High School

Design by Victoria Wright

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

appy holidays from your editors-in-chief. It’s the most wonderful time of the year and we’re here to bring you the content you’ve been waiting for. Though some may have been disappointed at the outcome of the sub-state football game, there is no denying that the Eastern Kansas League absolutely dominated both 5A and 6A football this year. This is why we decided to write a sports page comparing the EKL to other leagues around the area. Our special section this issue grapples with the idea of student sleep schedules and how they relate to overall health. Based on our survey, 23 percent of students are getting less than six hours of sleep a night. We really wanted to investigate and document how our peers feel about their sleep schedules, but with such a large idea, it’s difficult to focus and conceptualize into six pages. We then decided to divide the story into four sections: health, technology, sleep schedules and getting help. In health, we discuss how sleep (or a lack thereof) can affect schoolwork, mental health and other aspects

of your life. This ties into our staff editorial, which says that sleep is an important part of your overall health and it shouldn’t be ignored. Getting enough sleep is more influential than you think. As for us, we’ve been busy not only with newspaper work, but web as well. This week, we’ve been posting our special project by the name of “Shawnee: Keep It Local.” This special project is a collection of stories and photos about longstanding institutions of Shawnee such as Pegah’s and the KC Ice Center. These can be found on our website so we suggest checking them out. We hope your finals go well and wish you the best of luck. Enjoy your luxurious winter break and if all else fails, just roll with it.

Alison Booth

Alison Booth Nora Lucas Victoria Wright

MANAGING EDITOR Claire Boone

COPY EDITOR Anika Roy

DESIGN EDITOR Annie Myers

PHOTO EDITORS Hunter Ristau Marah Shulda

Nora Lucas

Victoria Wright

BUSINESS MANAGER Hunter Ristau

MILL VALLEY NEWS EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Jakob Twigg

Tricia Drumm Morgan Gurwell Ally Nguyen

FEATURES EDITOR

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

NEWS EDITOR

Annie Myers

A&E EDITOR Abby Layton

OPINIONS EDITOR Ally Nguyen

SPORTS EDITORS Katya Gillig Chris Sprenger

JAGWIRE OFFICE 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 the Sedalia Democrat.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS Kansas Scholastic Press Association National Scholastic Press Association Journalism Education Association The 2017 JagWire has been named a Pacemaker winner, its third consecutive honor. It was also inducted into the NSPA Hall of Fame and earned an All-Kansas rating from the KSPA. The 2017 Mill Valley News website was also named a two-time Pacemaker winner by the NSPA and recieved an All-Kansas rating.

SOCIAL MEDIA Twitter: @millvalleynews Facebook: Mill Valley News

CENSORSHIP POLICY

JAGWIRE 2017-18 staff EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

STAFF

Lexi Flipse

REPORTERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS James Ball Drake Brizendine Elizabeth Joseph Carter Lawson Jordan Robinson Michael Sandri Andrew Tow

Kansas Senate Bill 62 guarantees the same rights for student journalists as are guaranteed for professional journalists. These rights include, but are not limited to, all First Amendment rights, including the rights of freedom of speech and the press, insofar as published items may not contain libelous, slanderous or obscene statements, may not incite or promote illegal conduct and may not cause a substantial disruption to normal school activity.

EDITORIAL POLICY We value your opinions. If you wish to submit a column or a letter to the editor for the JagWire, you can 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, as well as 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.

NEWS

Design by Alison Booth

Mill Valley High School

JagWire

During the English Professional Learning Community meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 6, English teacher Anna Nelson examines and discusses with fellow English teachers the accreditation rubric for the district. // Victoria Wright

STRIVING FOR SUCCESS New accreditation process focuses on emotional, academic and post-graduate achievements

ELIZABETH JOSEPH

reporter/photographer jagwire.elizabethjoseph@gmail.com

ublic schools in Kansas are undergoing a new process for accreditation. A school’s accreditation status shows that the education a student receives is credible and helps determine the transfer of credits from high school to college. The U.S. Department of Education defines accreditation as the “recognition that an institution maintains standards requisite for graduates to gain admission to other reputable institutions of higher learning or to achieve credentials for professional practice.” The new standards for Kansas focus on academic and cognitive

preparation, technical and employability skills and civic engagement, which fall into the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) vision. Each school will determine its own method of assessing strengths and weaknesses of its institution, but must follow four rubrics which assess the relationships, academic rigor, relevance and the responsive culture of the school. Furthermore, each district must be accredited as a whole, as opposed to each building being assessed individually, like in the past. Receiving accreditation gives the school credibility and demonstrates that it meets standards for performance. Completion of the entire accreditation process is expected to take five years. The school has adopted a system

of four sub-squads that make up the KESA building leadership team. According to principal Tobie Waldeck, the squads include teachers, parents, school resource officers and school nurses, in order to provide “a cross-section of the whole building.” Each squad assesses the school according to the rubrics provided, and determines how the school performs. Through her work on the relationship squad, world languages teacher Jennie Dillon has assessed the interactions from students to teachers, educators to the district, the community and administrators, as well other relationships within the school according to the state rubrics. “As a teacher, I hope to make improvements schoolwide that I can also

JagWire

NEWS

Mill Valley High School

utilize in my classroom,” Dillon said. “With [the process] being much more broken down and specific, it really allows us to focus on one thing at a time so that we can put it back together and create a much stronger environment.” The rubrics, coupled with other research — such as the surveys administered to students during seminar — are the “needs assessment,” which shows the strengths and weaknesses of the school’s performance according to the four KESA areas. The data from the needs assessment is sent to the state and is used to determine whether or not the school is accredited. In addition to the squads is the Site Council, which provides advice and affirms the ideas decisions made by the KESA squads. The Site Council is composed of educators, community members and two students. As a part of the Site Council, senior Isaac Knapp hopes to see improvement in the relationships between students and teachers. “How the teachers communicate [assignments] to students — I want to be able to improve that,” Knapp said. “I think that teacher and student communication is huge for homework,

PARTS

tests [and] emotional development.” Similarly, Dillon hopes to see information about the school’s perfor-

“We want every kid to be able to reach his or her own potential.” PRINCIPAL TOBIE WALDECK

mance distributed more widely. “I look forward to being more informed about some of the things happening at a higher level,” Dillon said. “I always look forward to ... realizing areas where we’re weak, and being able to brainstorm and come up with ideas or actual strategies that will be helpful across the board and to all classrooms to create a much more positive environment.” Site Council member Gretchen Aerni, mom of junior Blake Aerni, was selected to participate due to her experience as a substitute teacher

RELATIONSHIPS

OF THE

PROCESS The four sub-groups of the accreditation process and their components

-Staff -Students -Families -Community

RESPONSIVE CULTURE -Leadership -Early childhood -District climate -Nutrition & wellness

and parent in the district. Seeing the work that goes into getting the school accredited has been an enlightening experience, she said. “I feel like the schools are so good out here and it’s interesting to see the process because you take it for granted,” Gretchen said. “But you see the work and you see the meetings, so that’s interesting as a parent, to see what goes in.” Waldeck hopes the data collected by the KESA squads and the Site Council will help the school improve. “I’m anxious to see results [from] the needs assessment and to use that information,” Waldeck said. “Everybody in this building has had their hands on this. I want to see those results and use that information to do what’s best for our kids.” Ultimately, Waldeck’s goal is to see each student grow to their fullest. “We want every kid to be able to reach his or her own potential,” Waldeck said. “My potential may be different from yours, but we want every person to be able to reach that potential. We want to be able to send kids to college, to send kids to the workforce and to be prepared.”

RELEVANCE -Curriculum -Instruction -Student engagement -Technology

RIGOR -Career & technical education -Professional learning -Resources -Data

NEWS

Design by Nora Lucas

Photos by Jakob Twigg

Mill Valley High School

JagWire

LAYINGthe CONCRETE New Andy’s Frozen Custard location breaks ground

ALLY NGUYEN

Mill Valley News editor-in-chief/opinions editor The newest Andy’s Frozen Custard is located at Shawnee Mission Parkway and Goddard jagwire.allynguyen@gmail.com Street. Construction on the new Andy’s plans to finish by the end of the year. // Jakob Twigg

he sound of construction can be heard along Shawnee Mission Parkway as businesses decide to invest in a Shawnee development. On one corner, a Raising Cane’s rises to bring betterment to Shawnee. Another is Andy’s Frozen Custard, built over what was formerly Texas Tom’s, a frozen custard shop with a retro design, drive-thru and patio. While a date has yet to be released, the business plans to open by the end of the year. The company started in 1986 in Osage Beach, Missouri. Since then, 59 stores across 10 states have opened. Shawnee is the latest. According to Andy’s northern region marketing specialist Kylie Wright, Shawnee was an ideal location for the store because of its traffic. “Shawnee Mission Parkway is one of the busiest streets in the KC metro area and redevelopment continues to occur along that corridor,” Wright said via email. “We were excited to be a part of several new projects.” In addition, Andy’s founder Carol Kuntz believes part of the appeal to the community will be the store’s flexible hours and wide variety of options. Operating the road roller, a construction worker paves the asphalt on Friday, Dec. 1 in the Andy’s parking lot. The shop will have a drive-thru and outdoor seating. // Jakob Twigg

“Andy’s is a great place to spend time with friends and family,” Kuntz said via email. “We are open later on weekends and during the summer to accommodate our guests.” Sophomore Lanie Whitehill, a self-described Andy’s enthusiFacts about Andy’s, according to its website ast, believes Andy’s will bring a sense of community as she can share her favorite Years of ice cream place. business “I’m excited Andy’s is coming to Shawnee because it’s my favorite ice cream place,” Whitehill said. “We will Locations in benefit from Andy’s since it’s a another option.” Kansas City The feeling of appreciation is mutual for Kuntz as she appreciates the opportunity to open a location in Months of Shawnee. construction “We have always liked Shawnee because it is a great community,” Kuntz said. “We were very fortunate to find a location that allows us to bring Andy’s to this area.”

ADDING UPANDY’S

31 4 11

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Design by Hunter Ristau

ADS

MILL VALLEY

NEWS

FOR FURTHER COVERAGE: mvnews.org

FEATURES

Mill Valley High School

Design by Victoria Wright

SECURITYSECRETS

JagWire

Should I use the same password as always?

An evaluation of the safety of different types of passwords

Is my password safe?

TOP

most common passwords

If your password is on this list, change it

1 2 3 4 5

123456

123456789

qwerty

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR PASSWORD

make the password at least eight characters long

use a variety of characters - lower/uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols

use a password manager app such as the free app Keeper

keep apps and devices updated with the latest software

EXAMPLE PASSWORD

12345678

111111 Source: Keeper Security

DoGTh1$Js_cdbrwn features lower/ uppercase letters, numbers and symbols

don’t use common words, but make it something you’ll remember

password is 16 characters long

a phrase that is easy to remember, but not common “do good things, jags” -Chad Brown Source: Connect Safely

JagWire

FEATURES

Mill Valley High School How safe do you think your password is on a scale of one to 10?

1-4 5-7 8-10

PASSWORD PREFERENCE Students explain why they like certain types of passwords

FACIAL RECOGNITION

percent of students have a device with facial recognition

43% 48%

feature of the iPhone X

Do you use the same password for everything?

74% yes

FINGERPRINT

26% no

FACIAL RECOGNITION “It’s really quick to open your phone if it works, but if it doesn’t, it’s very annoying because it lags before you can put your password in.”

SENIOR WILL MUNSTERMAN

66%

74%

66% prefer using a fingerprint 34% prefer typing in password

26%

FINGERPRINT

NUMBER/LETTER

A B C

D E F

G H I

J K L

M N O

T UV

W XY Z

P Q R S

0 *Survey of 242 students

“[I like Touch ID] because my passwords are really long, and it’s really just easy to put your thumb on it and it kind of vibrates. It’s nice.”

SOPHOMORE ANNIE BOGART

percent of students have a number/letter password on their phone

percent of students have a number/letter password on their laptop

NUMBERS/LETTERS “It’s a lot easier to remember four numbers than it is to remember a full word or random numbers.”

SENIOR GRACIE ECKARDT

FEATURES

Mill Valley High School

Design by Anika Roy

JagWire

MUSICALMASTERS Band students participate in groups outside of school to develop as musicians

TRICIA DRUMM

Mill Valley News editor-in-chief jagwire.triciadrumm@gmail.com

ANNIE MYERS

design/features editor jagwire.anniemyers@gmail.com

While rehearsing on Monday, Dec. 4, sophomore Cael Duffin plays the drums with his class from School of Rock.// Jordan Robinson

hen sophomore Cael Duffin strikes his drumstick against the drumhead on Saturday, Dec. 2, everyone gazes his way. However, he’s not surrounded by his usual Blue 1 class, but rather his peers in his educational band in Overland Park. Other students who are in outside bands can relate to this as well, whether the bands were audition-based or not. Duffin has been playing the drums since he was 10 years old. On top of playing in percussion in Blue band, he’s also played the drum set in School of Rock, an educational program in Overland Park dedicated to teaching students about rock and roll music and giving lessons, for six years. Duffin first got interested in the drums through his family and was enthusiastic about its role in his life. “My mom kind of looked around because she knew I wanted to start

TALENTEDTEACHERS

BAND DIRECTOR DEB STEINER

“When I moved up to Kansas City ... I didn’t really have any place to play anymore, and so when the opening came available I was really excited.”

lessons for a musical instrument, and I knew I wanted to do drums,” Duffin said. “She said to me, ‘Hey, [School of Rock is] giving out trial lessons. You just wanna check it out?’ and I was like, ‘Sure.’ … [I] did the trial lesson, and it was just amazing how cool it was and how it was connected within this inner circle that were my age or older who just wanted to have fun and play rock music as well.” Because of its nature and advanced material, sophomore Sam Greenup took the opportunity to play the trumpet in the John Philip Sousa JuniorHonor Band. According to the band’s website, it’s an audition-based band committed to providing student musicians the opportunity to not only perform in an honor band, but also give students a chance to work with other talented musicians from throughout the state. “[I liked] the experience [of] getting to play with people you don’t know,” Greenup said. “You get to be a part of a better band than you are with the school band.” As a part of the Kansas Bandmasters Association, freshman Jason Kingsbury plays trumpet in the Middle Level Honor Band. A benefit of be-

Band directors Deb Steiner and Elca Wagner discuss participation in Midwest Winds group

“I really like the camaraderie of it. I really like being able to play my instrument because it’s different teaching instruments versus playing an instrument.” ASSISTANT BAND DIRECTOR ELCA WAGNER

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DETAILS OF

DRUMMING Facts about sophomore Cael Duffin’s music life

Days a week spent at School of Rock

ing in an outside band, according to Kingsbury, is the opportunity to grow as a musician.

“I don’t think I could ever be as happy as when I’m up there on stage.” SOPHOMORE CAEL DUFFIN

“It’s … fun to meet other trumpet players from around the county and just kind of develop my musical talent because the music is a little bit harder than what you would normally find in school,” Kingsbury said. “I may meet someone that becomes a friend ... it’s a whole new experience.” According to Duffin, there’s an

1 Hour of practice at home each night

overlap in music in both bands. “There’s times we would do pep band music in drum line where I’ve played those songs with School of Rock,” Duffin said. “There’s kind of a lapse there with the translation of each, but it’s kind of weird being able to only play one drum in marching band and go immediately to four or five at a time in School of Rock and playing drums there.” The time commitment, however, is a large factor in every band. Duffin practices with School of Rock three days of the week and on his own for up to an hour a day. Since Greenup said he only had two chances to practice with the John Phillips band, he had “to practice a lot more outside of school.” “[In the Middle Level Honor Band] it’s very stressful because you get six different songs and you only have about a month to practice and get them all down” Kingsbury said. “It’s a very prestigious band.” However crunched for time the musi-

Years participating in School of Rock

cians may be, Kingsbury believes being in an outside band has a serious advantage when it comes to forming relationships. “You’re surrounded by people who care and who have a passion for the same instrument that you do,” Kingsbury said. “It’s kind of just something to talk about. It’s a conversation starter, and it feels better to be around people that have the same passion as you do.” Duffin’s involvement in School of Rock has left long-lasting effects on his life, giving him and other student musicians a place to channel their creative energy. “It’s probably one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life, which is short right now, but it’s going to be interesting in the long run,” Duffin said. “I don’t think I could ever be as happy as when I’m up there on stage with all of those people.” Before the school musical “42nd St.” on Saturday, Nov. 4, freshman Jason Kingsbury runs through his recently learned music for pit band on the trumpet. Kinglsey also plays trumpet in the Kansas Bandmasters Associaion Middle Level Honor Band. // Marah Shulda

FEATURES

Design by Alison Booth & Victoria Wright

Mill Valley High School

JagWire

STUDENTS VERSUS SLEEP:

JagWire

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A LOSING BATTLE ALISON BOOTH

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

ELIZABETH JOSEPH

reporter/photographer jagwire.elizabethjoseph@gmail.com

A lack of sleep and inconsistent sleep schedule is normalized within teens, but directly affects mental and physical health

s you get home from a sports game, you check the clock. It’s 10 p.m. and you have tons of homework due tomorrow that you haven’t completed. Even though you can feel yourself beginning to crash, you start working anyway, checking your phone along the way to catch up on today’s feed. Finally, you decide to go to sleep around 1 or 2 a.m., hoping to wake up again in a few hours to get back to work. While this situation may not be familiar to everyone, many students find themselves staying up late in attempts to balance homework, family

time and social life and end up sacrificing their sleep along the way. With the stress of trying to find this balance, the routine may be easy to fall into. In a survey of 274 students, 83 percent said they wish they got more sleep. This lack of sleep and prioritization of other activities over sleep has become normalized within our school. In fact, although students want sleep, 55 percent said they would prioritize homework over it. So, how does this lack of sleep actually impact your everyday life?

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

FEATURES

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Design by Alison Booth & Victoria Wright

HEALTH A

lack of sleep directly affects a student’s health on all levels: mentally, physically and socially. According to Excellhealth Sleep Center medical director Manzia Ehtesham, not getting eight to 10 hours of sleep is detrimental to the overall well-being of teens. “[Your] brain is unable to control proper hormone secretion and perform all its functions without sleep,” Ehtesham said via email. “It is difficult

JagWire

Sleep is crucial to overall mental, physical health of high schoolers

pressure goes down,” Thomas said. “All of those things are a good situation for you to be able to heal, for you to be able to move bad toxins out of muscles and for you to be able to reset your body.” In addition to physical rest, Thomas said that sleep also plays a role in mental health. “In terms of tissue repair, [sleep is] when you’re going to repair the greatest amount of wounds in day to day,”

Although junior Julie Brown gets an average of nine or more hours of sleep per night, her experience with not getting enough sleep is similar to Haase’s. “Besides just falling asleep in class in general, I can’t pay attention, I can’t take in information,” Brown said. “I’ll copy down what the instructor is saying so I can process it later instead of actually paying attention to it at that point. I just feel tired.” According to Ehtesham, a consis-

“IN ALMOST EVERY VENUE OF REPAIR, SLEEP IS IMPORTANT.” to focus, your reflexes are poor, your hunger increases, you’re less likely to handle stress well [and you] get cranky and angry easily.” In terms of human biology, sleep is also the time that the body takes to recover and heal from everyday actions. According to science teacher Eric Thomas, who teaches Human Anatomy, sleep is therefore the most critical component of staying healthy. “The biggest thing is the release of melatonin. Your heart rate slows, your breathing shallows, your blood

SCIENCE TEACHER ERIC THOMAS

Thomas said. “Neurologically speaking, that’s when your mind tends to go at rest. So in almost every venue of repair, sleep is important.” For senior Jessie Haase, who gets three to five hours of sleep per night on average, the physical impact of not getting enough sleep is noticeable. “It’s definitely taken a toll on my immune system; I get sick a lot easier, and I’m sick a lot because I don’t get enough sleep,” Haase said. “When it affects you mentally, it’s totally connected to your physical health.”

tent lack of sleep can also lead to longterm problems, including several chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, strokes, obesity and depression. Sleep, Thomas said, the is key to building a happy and healthy lifestyle. “You’re going to be able to do things when you feel better, and you’re going to feel better with a good night’s sleep,” Thomas said. “You’re going to be healthy, you’re going to be attentive. I think you’re going to have so much more joy.”

HOW DO YOU STAY AWAKE? *Survey of 274 students

Percent of students use energy drinks to stay awake

14 Percent of students use soda to stay awake

25 Percent of students use coffee to stay awake

Percent of students use other methods to stay awake

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WHAT DO YOU USE?

88 Percent of students use a white noise machine while sleeping

he use of technology has often been linked to causing irregularities in sleeping patterns. According to the National Sleep Foundation, the blue light emitted by screens may suppress the release of melatonin, inhibiting sleep and causing you to stay up later than you normally would. Ehtesham agrees, noting that screens simulate daylight and “thus reduces sleep onset, so [using] electronics closer to bedtime disrupts sleep.” For sophomore Christina Talavera, using her phone right before going to sleep has become routine, even though she recognizes that it negatively affects her sleep schedule. “When I’m on my phone, I stay up longer than I should,” Talavera said. “It’s kind of embarrassing, but I honestly [spend] an hour to 30 minutes [on my phone] before bed. I plug my phone in right beside my bed and it’s really addicting just to grab it.” Similarly, junior Delaney Kemp experiences the desire to use her phone

Percent of students use their phone right before bed

*Survey of 274 students

“I PLUG MY PHONE IN RIGHT BESIDE MY BED AND IT’S REALLY ADDICTING JUST TO GRAB IT.”

even though she has decreased her screen time before bed. However, she has found ways to reduce this usage, such as using the “night mode” feature on her phone. “My night mode turns on at 8 p.m., because I know I go to bed early, and stays on until 8 a.m.,” Kemp said. “Even though there’s night mode, I’ll save my computer homework for the morning, so I’m not using a computer right before bed. And, I try and get my scrolling done before.” On the other hand, approved white noise machines or apps can be used to help one fall asleep better by emitting relaxing sleep sounds, and sometimes help to regularize sleep schedules. For example, sophomore Avery Liby uses the app Sleep Pillow in order to ease the process of falling asleep. “I just don’t like pure silence when I sleep; I find I sleep better when I have the app going and I have rain sounds going,” Liby said. “It tracks how long I sleep, so I set it on my nightstand and turn it off when I wake up. So, I find I can sleep longer when it’s on.”

SOPHOMORE CHRISTINA TALAVERA

TECHNOLOGY

Technology has differing effects on sleep patterns

FEATURES

Design by Alison Booth & Victoria Wright

Mill Valley High School

SLEEPSCHEDULES A

ccording to the National Sleep Foundation, eight to 10 hours of sleep is required for teenagers to maintain a healthy lifestyle. While this schedule may fluctuate, these hours are fairly standard. However, Ehtesham said most students don’t receive this much sleep. “On average, most high school students get six to seven hours [of sleep] in our experience as they are busy with homework, phones or TV, and don’t give enough importance to sleep,” Ehtesham said. Although many students think they can cope with sleep loss, Thomas said that all high schoolers need approximately the same amount of sleep. “People say ‘I’m a night owl’ but we’re mammals and we’re not nocturnal,” Thomas said. “Those hours between 10 [p.m.] and 6 [a.m.] are pretty much the standard.” However, some use alternative sleep schedules to help manage their time. Junior Noah Smith has adopted a schedule known as polyphasic sleepi n g ,o r “interval sleeping.” The sleep schedule includes

sleeping in segments instead of having one continuous period of sleep. If he “needs to do a lot of schoolwork,” for example, Smith will sleep for an hour, do homework for an hour and repeat the process. Although Smith admits he depends on interval sleeping during busier times, he warns students of its risks. “I’ve recommended it to some people and they’ve pulled it off,” Smith said. “[But] you’re not mentally stable if you continue for so long. You become delirious; I’ve gotten to the point where [I] hallucinate.” In contrast, Kemp chooses to sleep earlier in the evening and wake up early in the morning to complete her homework. Kemp gets eight to 10 hours of sleep a night, on average. “Usually I’ll wake up at 4:30 or 5 in the morning, or sometimes even 4 in the morning,” Kemp said. “My body’s in a regular rhythm now.” Sometimes, though, prioritizing requires sacrificing nonessential activities, as physics teacher Ryan Johnston realized after balancing college classes, teaching and caring for his infant. “Would you get up early to watch TV? No. That’d be dumb. You wouldn’t get up early to get on social media,” Johnston said. “If you wouldn’t get up early to do it, don’t stay up late to do it.”

JagWire

Patterns of sleep differ for students

Get 0-2 hours of sleep

Get 9+ hours of sleep

20% Get 3-5

hours of sleep

71%

Get 6-8 hours of sleep

“YOU BECOME DELIRIOUS; I’VE GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE [I] HALLUCINATE.” JUNIOR NOAH SMITH

Percent of students wish they got more sleep

45 55

Percent of students prioritize sleep Percent of students prioritize homework

*Survey of 274 students

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TIPS IF YOU’RE NOT SLEEPING Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Get up at the same time or close every day

Don’t go to bed unless you are sleepy

Source: Excellhealth Sleep Center medical director Manzia Ehtesham

If you don’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed and do some relaxing activity

Limit exposure to bright light in the evenings

GETTING HELP R

How to get help if you aren’t getting enough sleep

eceiving help from a doctor or visiting a sleep center if you’re not sleeping well is a solution to rebuilding your sleep schedule. A sleep center, according to Ehtesham, helps advise patients on healthy sleep habits, diagnose any sleep disorders and treat problems relating to sleep deprivation. In order to establish a healthier sleep schedule, Ehtesham recommends getting up and going to bed at nearly the same time daily, avoid-

lem, I can’t stress enough that you need to look into getting help,” Hasse said. For less extreme issues with sleep, Johnston recommends reevaluating daily responsibilities. “Step back [and] reassess” Johnston said. “OK, you’re in five AP classes. However, if you’re not getting enough sleep, it’s going to affect everything. You may have credentials, but was it

SLEEP BY THE AGES

HOURS

For one-twoyear-olds

HOURS

For three-fiveyear-olds

ing going to bed unless you are truly “sleepy” and staying away from large meals before bedtime. For Haase, who has struggled with self-diagnosed insomnia for her entire life, getting help from a doctor was essential to balancing her sleep schedule. Although melatonin supplements were ineffective for her, other prescription medications have helped. “If it’s becoming an actual prob-

there’s a lot of colors on your plate at meals — getting enough vitamins and the right kinds of foods — will actually supply energy better than drinking coffee in the morning,” Kemp said.

Source: National Sleep Foundation

HOURS

For six-13year-olds

worth it? Not in my opinion.” Brown also recommends altering your schedule to fit in sleep. “Give up a responsibility,” Brown said. “If you’re doing too many things and spreading yourself too wide, it’s going to take a toll on your body.” Furthermore, Kemp suggests making time to eat well, since nutrition will supplement a lack of sleep. “Drinking water and making sure

HOURS For 14-17year-olds

HOURS

For 18-25year-olds

Ultimately, Johnston stresses that sleep is a huge factor in overall well-being. “The thing you can do to most improve your quality of life is to get a good night of sleep,” Johnston said. “It affects the whole outlook of your day: it affects how you feel, how you interact with other people, how you come across, how you look, your health. It touches everything.”

OPINIONS

Design by Ally Nguyen

Mill Valley High School

JagWire

STAFF EDITORIAL

SLEEP IS A VITAL PART OF HEALTH

When considering your physical and mental health, don’t skip over sleep as it is an essential part

s your eyes droop and you drink your fourth cup of coffee, desperately trying to stay awake studying so you can get an A on your final, you probably aren’t thinking about the ramifications of these actions. But, you should. Sleep is vital not only for just your physical or just your mental health, but your overall health. We all know that sleep is important, but to what extent? According the the division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, a consistent lack of sleep is associated with longterm health consequences such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, which can lead to a shortened life expectancy. On a less extreme scale, a lack of sleep can affect judgment, mood, ability to learn and retain information and may increase the risk of serious accidents and injury. It’s not that students think sleep isn’t a necessity; in fact, 71 percent of the 273 students surveyed get the recommended six to eight hours of sleep each night. It’s just that sleep is often overlooked in the multitude of factors contributing to our health. As we’ve grown, the Health classes we’ve taken have had to cover a wide-variety of topics and the importance of sleep may get lost between bigger topics in the curriculum. Instead of relying on school to teach us about our own health, we should take the time to research and learn that let-

JAGWIRE STAFF VOTE

AGREE

DISAGREE

ting our body rest is just as important as all of the other aspects. It’s understandable why the other 29 percent of students don’t get enough sleep each night— it’s hard to prioritize sleep when there are so many other factors to consider. This could be due to the pressures of academics, sports and activities that can lead students to give up rest in exchange for perceived success. Americans often idealize the “work hard and earn what you want” mentality and as a result, a lack of sleep is romanticized and normalized. This is showcased with 56 percent of students saying they prioritize homework over sleep. Instead of placing so much pressure on ourselves to perform, we should realize that sleep is an important part of performance. As part of this realization we should be making an effort to actively and

consistently reach eight hours of sleep each night. Small things like time management to reduce procrastination or not using our phones one hour before bed can improve the quality of our rest. In addition, we can remember that it’s OK to say no to yet another extracurricular or to the prospect of taking another time-consuming AP class. Prioritizing your sleep, and your health, will benefit you over any and all academic or social aspects. Despite all of the health consequences, in terms of tests and finals it comes down to sleep always being the better option. Take a piece of Physics teacher Ryan Johnston’s advice: “If you wouldn’t get up early to do it, don’t stay up late to do it.” As you’re studying for finals and the clock strikes 11, put the stuff away and just go to sleep. We understand you have a lot to do, but it will end up better if you do.

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Mill Valley High School

Photo Illustration & design by Victoria Wright

OPINIONS

DON’T WORRY; B HAPPY Getting a B is beneficial for growth as an individual and student the happier they can be and the more they can grow as a person. After failing, a person is able to challenge himself without fear of the outcome.

VICTORIA WRIGHT

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

rom the very beginning of our education, we are taught to value our grades. Parents and teachers encourage us to get straight As and maintain a perfect GPA. Going into sophomore year, I had never received less than an A and I felt that it was necessary to continue that way. As sophomore year progressed, I knew I was going to end Pre-calculus with a B no matter how hard I tried. At the time, I thought getting a B was awful, but soon after, I realized that getting that B was the best thing that has ever happened to me. On our grading scale, you receive a B if you’ve earned anywhere from 79.55 percent to 89.54 percent in the class. Clearly, these percentages aren’t failing grades because getting a B is not necessarily failing. It is failing to be perfect, though, which is sometimes a good thing. No one is perfect and the sooner someone learns that,

No one is perfect and the sooner someone learns that, the happier they can be. One B is nowhere near the end of the world and it doesn’t limit your opportunities. Some of the wealthiest people in the U.S. didn’t even finish schooling. Of those on the Forbes 400 list, members without a college degree have a 6.6 percent higher net worth than those who do have a college degree. Heck, the richest person in the U.S., Bill Gates, didn’t even graduate from college. I’m not saying you should drop out, but you don’t have to be perfect to be successful. Education is important, but what is more important is valuing the knowledge you gain rather than the grades you earn. When colleges are going

“The world doesn’t end, it doesn’t make a big difference. What it does is it frees you up to challenge yourself because you’re not afraid of making a mistake. It makes you enjoy learning more than you otherwise would.”

SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER JEFF WIELAND

“I see these students worry more about their percentage in the class than be proud of the effort they are putting in. They value the performance more than they value their own character.” SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER CHRIS DUNBACK

through applications, grades aren’t all they consider. According to its website, Harvard, in all its prestige, focuses on growth and potential, interests and activities, personal character and how one can contribute to the Harvard community when considering an applicant. Similarly, in 15 years, employers won’t be asking what your GPA or class rank in high school was; they’ll be asking what skills you have and how you can help them. If we only learn or memorize for tests, rather than value knowledge, we don’t continue to build on the life skills we need. If you have to get that A, then by all means get it. But, make sure that A is for yourself, not your parents, teachers or future employers. Live your life how you want, but don’t forget that your grades don’t define you. Getting a B, C, D or even an F can be the most liberating feeling because you no longer feel the need to strive for perfection. You’re free to try harder classes without the fear of failing, or put more effort into a certain class. Failure is not a bad thing; it’s actually what helps us grow.

OPINIONS

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Mill Valley High School

JagWire

P.E. MAKE-UPS CAUSE STUDENTS EXCESSIVE STRESS With core classes to balance, P.E. make-ups are not a priority

LEXI FLIPSE

social media editor jagwire.lexiflipse@gmail.com

eturning to school after being gone for several days can be pretty stressful. You may have multiple tests and quizzes to make up, not to mention homework from nearly every class from every day that you missed. All of this combined can make missing school miserable for even the most organized and responsible students. Add in a P.E. class to make up — or two, if you’re like me — and your short sickness, vacation or family emergency can result in insurmountable stress and, ultimately, a

deep sense of regret. Recently, my family took a trip to California to visit some of my family and tour my dream school, Pepperdine University. Upon my return, I wasn’t surprised to see low grades in many of my classes, especially in Team Sports and Lifetime Sports, as I had received Fs for the several class periods that I missed. I was surprised, however, to find that my college visit would not excuse me from making up those several days of gym classes that I had missed. Normally I wouldn’t bother doing make-ups, but my grade in Lifetime Sports had dropped to a C, and for a P.E. class, that wasn’t going to fly with me. So, I bit the bullet and went to my first P.E. make-up session of my high school career, and even though I would consider myself to be in pretty good shape, it was a lot more work and a lot harder than I had expected. Rather than simply having to make up the two days worth of the speed

walking unit that I had missed, I had to complete a workout that would put some aspects of soccer coach Arlan Vomhof’s famous “Fitness Fridays” to shame. I understand that in some gym classes, that level of intensity and rigor could be present. However, this cannot be said about the classes that I missed, and I strongly believe that some major reform is needed where P.E. make-ups are concerned. While I realize that in the grand scheme of things, doing two or three make-ups wouldn’t kill you and is inarguably beneficial. However, I think that there are definitely more important things to be done with a student’s time after coming back to school, especially from a sickness or family emergency. Students need, and frankly deserve, more time to relax, recover and get caught up in core classes — and the added pressure of completing a make up in time does not fit into that necessity.

DO NOT TAKE AP CLASSES ONLY FOR THE WEIGHT Taking AP classes should add to your education, not your GPA should be to further your education, not to receive a weighted grade. The goal of taking these classes should be to challenge yourself and enhance your high school curriculum, not to spread yourself thin. Take the AP classes that you enjoy or would help you with your major.

KATYA GILLIG

sports editor jagwire.katyagillig@gmail.com

hen choosing classes for the year to come, many students feel the need to overload their schedule with Advanced Placement courses. Many chose to enroll in an AP class because it will either challenge them or create a more stimulating environment. However, other people take it simply because of the label: AP. With AP comes a weighted grade, or a numerical advantage for grades. Choosing to take an AP class

Spreading yourself thin just to take AP classes is not worth it.

In my case, enrolling in an AP social studies class that I don’t enjoy just for the weighted grade will not help me in my later career in engineering. In the last decade, the number of

people enrolled in an AP class has nearly doubled, according to the College Board. In 2014, nearly 4 million AP exams were taken. However, only 56 percent of these students passed their exam. The average score in 2014 was a 2.89, which is not good enough to get college credit in most schools. Although these are hard exams, most teachers will prepare you to succeed in them. Not succeeding usually means you were not prepared. Getting a lower grade in an AP class versus a better grade in a regular class is not worth it. In this case it is better to get an A in the regular version of the class, than to get a C or D in an AP class, even though it is a weighted grade. Taking an AP class to get the weighted grade is not the best option, take the ones that will pertain to your future or ones you enjoy. Spreading yourself thin just to take AP classes is not worth it. Take an AP class for you, not for your GPA.

JagWire

OPINIONS

Mill Valley High School

SHAWNEE SHOULD INVEST IN DINING DEVELOPMENT I am sick of eating at the same restaurants for 10 straight years

NORA LUCAS

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

estern Shawnee, I love you, but you have to cool it with the auto centers. Every time I drive through our area, there’s AutoZone, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Weaver’s and many, many more. This is all well and good; I suppose it is convenient to have an auto parts store on every block. The problem is that while we’re erecting a new location for tires every year or so, there is rarely a new place to eat. According to Google Maps, nine auto centers and nine sit-down restaurants reside within a two-mile radius from the school. For our purposes, I defined a sit-down restaurant as a local business that has a dining area. Some of these in our area include Sombrero’s, Twisted, Pizza West, etc. Jokingly, I knew there were a lot of auto centers, but I was completely surprised to find how few restaurants we really have. There is no reason we should have an auto center for every restaurant, unless you enjoy drinking oil. And while it may seem as though there are more than enough dining options, just think about what kind of food they serve. It’s all either Mexican, Chinese, pizza or bar food.

None of these restaurants cater to any crowd that expects more from their meal than a styrofoam cup and great prices. I’m not knocking down the places we do have; trust me, I’ve eaten nearly every breakfast option on the Pegah’s menu. They’re great places to eat, but the same scenery can get old, especially if you’ve lived in this area for most of your life. The food may be delicious, but it’s comfortable and the menus don’t change. Even places that have great potential are exhausting after eating there for 10 years. It’s unclear who to blame, though. It’s not the city’s fault and maybe businesses just aren’t interested in the clientele here. Still, I’d like to think there is a faction of people in this area who wou l d

support upscale restaurants. The best thing we can do for our community is to vote with your dollar. Eat at local, sit-down restaurants and create an environment attractive to developers who may be interested in our area. I know I sound like a snob, but it shouldn’t be too much to ask to have nice, local restaurants in our neck of the woods. I don’t enjoy driving 20 minutes down to Leawood and having to spend my money there instead of my own neighborhood. Shawnee is my hometown and I value the close-knit relationships our current business owners have with the community. We already have great people; let’s get some great food. It would make me so happy if our neighborhood could blossom into the place I know it could be.

DINING

DILEMMA Within two miles of the school, there are nine auto centers and nine restaurants

KEY:

restaurants

auto centers

ADS

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Mill Valley High School

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SPORTS

AN EARLY GRAD

Beginning second semester, senior Abigail Archibong will start schooling at K-State

ABBY LAYTON

A&E editor jagwire.abbylayton@gmail.com

After the first semester, senior Abigail Archibong will graduate high school and begin her first semester at K-State, continuing her academic and volleyball career. // Carter Lawson

hile most seniors view their last semester in high school as one to be remembered, senior Abigail Archibong will remember her last days in high school very differently due to the fact that she is now the first student to qualify for early graduation. This qualification comes because of a parent’s job change and a scholarship to play volleyball at Kansas State University. Archibong began considering early graduation when her dad, Godfrey Archibong, moved to Arizona this past summer due his new job as a pharmacist. He wanted her to move to Arizona her second semester of the current school year so she could be with her family before going to college. “I didn’t know what to do because I didn’t want to uproot high schools and go somewhere else, so I brought up the idea of graduating a semester early,” Archibong said. According to counselor Trish Chandler, in order to meet district graduation requirements and NCAA scholarship requirements, Archibong’s

schedule had to be changed. “My role is to make her schedule work so she’s still meeting graduation requirements, but also in her case they have to look at NCAA requirements so that way she is still eligible for her scholarship,” Chandler said. “We had to look at her english and her math requirements so that we [would] have the four years [required]. In terms of advantages, Archibong is receiving many more then other freshmen will receive, both with her education and her volleyball career at Kansas State University. “I will be getting the training and help I need to advance [in volleyball],” Archibong said. “Then getting that full semester ahead of the people in my class, honestly I could end up going into next fall as a sophomore.” However, in graduating early, Archibong believes she is giving up key experiences in her senior year. “I don’t get to end my senior year with my friends,” Archibong said. “I can’t participate in activities second semester, so I can’t go to prom, I can’t

THEPATH

Archibongs early graduation process

participate in senior prank, and I don’t get to fully enjoy my senior year.” Sophomore Faith Archibong, Abigail’s younger sister, believes that graduating a semester early will ultimately benefit Abigail, but will be sad to see her sister go. “I’m happy for her because she gets to go to college earlier, but I feel like she’s going to have some trouble just jumping into college next semester since she’s not taking [this] semester to get settled and everything,” Faith said. “Lately I’ve been telling myself that it’s probably going to be good to see her go just because we fight sometimes, but I’m going to miss her a lot.” As the semester comes to a close, Archibong leaves a parting message for the teachers who helped support her through this process and her entire high school career. “Thank you for all your support, thank you for your encouragement, and thank you for staying those late hours,” Archibong said. “Thank you for motivating me to be the best person I could be.”

The decission for Archibong to graduate early was finalized in April

KSU practice will begin Tuesday, Jan. 16

Her father, Godfrey Archibong, emailed the board Asked the counselors in March 2017 about early graduation

Signed Thursday, Nov. 9 to play volleyball

SPORTS

Mill Valley High School

Design by Claire Boone

IN THE PAST

KATYA GILLIG

sports editor jagwire.katyagillig@gmail.com

ABBY LAYTON

A&E editor jagwire.abbylayton@gmail.com

YEARS...

Out of 177 possible 4A, 5A and 6A state titles

THE LEAGUE HAS WON

54 THE

STATE TITLES

LEAGUE HAS WON

STATE TITLES

THE

LEAGUE HAS WON

22 Source: KSHSA

STATE TITLES

he Eastern Kansas League, consisting of 10 schools, has been largely successful in recent years. Of the 177 possible athletic state titles in the last three years in class 4A through 6A, the EKL has won 54 state championships. The next closest league is the Sunflower League, with 27 state championships. In addition to success with championships, the EKL has also had teams place in the top four 153 times in the last three years. The league was founded in 1938, initially named the Eastern Central League, and changed its name in 1939 to the Eastern Kansas League. Mill Valley joined at the start of the 2016-

JagWire

2017 school year. Mill Valley has won one state title since joining the EKL and three total state titles in the last three years. This school year, the EKL has won 10 state championships in fall sports. Head football coach Joel Applebee attributes this success to the way each school has made each other elevate their play. “Each school really does a good job in pushing each other to be the best they can possibly be because they know that once you’re in this league that you better be at a top notch level,” Applebee said. Although senior athlete Bella Hadden was daunted going into the league, in golf, it was not as challenging as she expected. “I thought it was going to be this huge powerhouse that was extremely difficult,” Hadden said. “We actually got into it and it’s that way for track and other sports, but in golf it’s not that competitive. It’s a lot of the teams that we see at state and a few of the

EAST KANSAS Eastern Kansas League experiences success after placing at and

EASTERN KANSAS Percent of state titles each EKL school has won in past three years

AQUINAS 26% BVSOUTHWEST 9% ST. JAMES 9% MILL VALLEY 2% Source: KSHSA

MIEGE 28% BVNORTHWEST 9% BVWEST 9% BVNORTH 7%

*Blue Valley does not hold any sport state titles within the past three years

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Mill Valley High School

smaller 6A schools so it wasn’t bad.” Senior athlete Brody Flaming believes that the league has changed the way that the teams play. “It elevated our teams quite a bit,” Flaming said. “We all might not have the best regular season … [but] it’s just something that you go in every week and you think that you’re playing someone better and so in your mind you have a better outlook on the game coming in. So personally, I think I looked at everything as more of a challenge.” Hadden agrees, adding that head golf coach Chris Wallace stressed the significance of tournaments against EKL teams. “He put an emphasis on all of the EKL tournaments,” Hadden said. “We knew which tournaments mattered … we went in with the goal of placing as high as we could in that tournament and it was more important to us than any of the other ones.” Applebee believes the change in leagues has been beneficial to many

aspects of the school, not just sports. “I think it’s only been a good thing for our school … not only athletically but academically,” Applebee said. “It’s been a very, very positive thing for our school.” Hadden believes that league championships mean more to the teams in the EKL. “There’s higher expectations for sure,” Hadden said. “When we switched over we were like ‘oh my gosh it’s going to be so hard’ … [when you win a championship] you feel better about it.” Flaming was excited when the school joined the league, as he believes that it betters the teams within it. “I was so happy that we joined the EKL,” Flaming said. “We would roll through teams in our regular season and all of the sports would do really bad in the postseason, so I really agree with our decision to go to the EKL. It makes us better in the postseason; it makes us look better all around.”

SPORTS

Photos by Drake Brizendine

THIS ALONE...

State titles that were claimed in 2017 fall sports season

THE LEAGUE HAS WON

STATE TITLES

TWENTY-FIVE TEAMS IN THE TOP

PLACED IN THE TOP FOUR

OUT OF

TIMES

winning many state championships within the past three years

CONFERENCE

Members of Kansas sports share their opinions on the EKL

“The EKL is a very competitive league each year in all sports and activities.”

“People view the EKL as a powerhouse and that’s really cool to be a part of that.”

KVL BONNER SPRINGS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR DOUGLAS HITCHCOCK

SENIOR ATHLETE BELLA HADDEN

Source: KSHSA

SPORTS

Design by Anika Roy

At the quad hosted by Monticello Trails Middle School on Wednesday, Nov. 28, a member of the eighth grade MTMS wrestling team attempts to defeat his opponent. // Andrew Tow

KATYA GILLIG

sports editor jagwire.katyagillig@gmail.com

LEXI FLIPSE

social media editor jagwire.lexiflipse@gmail.com

fter the lights go off in the halls of Mill Valley, the wrestling room remains lit, with several different levels of the Mill Valley Wrestling Club practicing throughout the evening. Club president Jeff Mason explained that the club is divided into two levels: navy and silver. The navy is the more advanced level, with silver being more for beginners. The club meets in the wrestling room twice a week for practice, and once competition season starts in December, can go to meets almost every weekend. According to Monticello Trails head wrestling coach Cory Wurtz, the different levels of the program, including the middle school team and the club, allow the wrestlers to extend their season. Middle schoolers who do

both middle school wrestling and the club can start to wrestle from October until March. The club has seen rapid growth in recent years, according to the club head coach Clint McAlister. Last year the club had 80 members, and this year they have 60 members with many more joining after the middle school season is done. To Mill Valley wrestling head coach Travis Keal, being able to make a connection with the athletes toward the beginning of their wrestling careers can make an impact on his connection with them as high school wrestlers later on. “Coaching is about building a relationship with your athlete,” Keal said. “The sooner I can get in there and build a relationship and care about them, that helps later when you get into high school and have to be a little harder on them.” Having experienced Keal’s coaching in middle school, senior Hayden Keopke says it better prepared him for high school. “Having [Keal] as a coach at such a

Mill Valley High School

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young age helped a lot,” Keopke said. “He showed me a lot of techniques that I wouldn’t have learned from another coach and it bettered me for my high school wrestling career.” McAllister also teaches his youth wrestlers techniques that they will be able to use throughout the different stages of their wrestling career. “My philosophy in the youth wrestling program is I teach everything that works at all three levels: youth, high school and then college,” McAlister said. “I don’t teach fancy stuff that works for kids that won’t work in high school … I don’t do a lot of fancy stuff. We just drill fundamentals over and over until they get good at those things.” Wurtz believes that working with Keal has provided many opportunities for the kids.

“In wrestling, the earlier you start out the better.” HEAD WRESTLING COACH TRAVIS KEAL

“Keal has a vast knowledge of wrestling and travels the country yearly. He provides all sorts of things for these kids,” Wurtz said. “If they want to go on a weekend to Oklahoma State with him to train with the Oklahoma State wrestlers, they can do that just as much as a high school kid can do, so it’s very beneficial.” Keopke agrees with Wurtz, saying that the opportunities presented for kids, as well as the coaching staff, greatly benefit the local youth wres-

THE YOUNG & THE WRESTLERS Young students join programs to prepare for wrestling at the high school level

JagWire

SPORTS

Mill Valley High School

tling community. “[The] youth programs definitely have an advantage … because at a young age they are getting a feel of what it’s going to be like when they get into the higher level programs,” Keopke said. “They have some of the best coaches around that can teach them the best moves to help them win.” However, the club has experienced some troubles with limited access to resources, such as time and space to conduct practices. “A big difference is the time and space. We practice twice a week [and] the silver group gets about an hour and the navy group gets about an hour and fifteen minutes,” McAlister said. “I mean that’s a total of two to three hours a week. We need more time with them. We need more reps.” Keal believes that being able to coach future high school athletes early on helps establish the key principles that are being taught at the high school program level. “In wrestling, the earlier you start out the better,” Keal said. “When you get a kid in seventh or eighth grade, that can speed up their progress in high school. To get in there and teach them the right way and our system of how we wrestle [has] paid off for us over the years.”

ADOLESCENTATHLETES Mill ValleyJaguar Football & Cheer Association also allows young students to continue to develop in the Mill Valley system

MVJFCA Directors: Nic Garcia Treasurer: Jeff Broadbent Asst. Director: Justin Zambo Secretary: Darin Darr Grade Representatives: Matt Heller, Mike Jay, Dean Zaldivar

JUNIOR JAGUAR CHEERLEADERS

JUNIOR JAGUAR FOOTBALL PLAYERS

Director: Paula Broadbent

Head Coach: Joel Applebee

Number of Partcipants: 98

Number of Partcipants: 235

Practice Frequency: Weekly

Practice Frequency: Twice a week

Grades of Participants:

Kindergarten-Sixth

During practice for the Mill Valley Wrestling Club on Monday, Nov. 27, head coach Clint McAlister prepares the group to work. // Andrew Tow

A&E

Mill Valley High School

Design by Morgan Gurwell

WARMING up WINTER the

JagWire

TRICIA DRUMM

Mill Valley News editor-in-chief jagwire.triciadrumm@gmail.com

ALLY NGUYEN

Mill Valley News editor-in-chief/ opinions editor jagwire.allynguyen@gmail.com

As the cold winter months approach, students and staff enjoy different types of hot beverages

What is your favorite hot drink?

12% tea

*Survey of 278 students

56% hot chocolate

26% coffee

6% cider

HOT CHOCOLATE Survey determines whether milk or water is the best base when making homemade hot chocolate

68%

milk-based “[Milk-based] tastes more like home. My mom would always make homemade hot chocolate with good milk.”

CHOIR TEACHER STEPHANIE MOONEYHAN

*Survey of 255 students

20% no preference 12% water-based

“The water-based [is easier to prepare] because you just pour hot water into a cup.”

SENIOR SAMANTHA MILLS

JagWire

Photos by Carter Lawson

Mill Valley High School

A&E

TEA 0

Preferences of what flavor additives to put in tea varies among students sugar

lemon other

15%

honey

13%

artificial sweetner ginger

21%

*Survey of 284 students, with 39% saying they don’t drink tea

COFFEE

“Generally [I don’t add anything] because I like how it’s zero calories, but it also gives you [a] wwboost and calms you. But if I were to put something in it, it would probably just be a hint of honey.”

SENIOR OZAN KING

Students test different flavors of coffee creamer that are specially featured during the holidays

FROSTED SUGAR COOKIE

PEPPERMINT MOCHA

PUMPKIN SPICE

“I liked the sugar cookie creamer the best because it was definitely the sweetest of the three, but it didn’t overpower the coffee.”

“I liked the peppermint because it’s refreshing and has a different taste than most coffee. It’s sweet but also minty at the same time.”

“I liked the pumpkin spice because it had the least intense flavor, but it still tasted good.”

SOPHOMORE KARA POJE

JUNIOR LINDSEY EDWARDS

SENIOR PARKER JOHNSON

APPLE CIDER In addition to name-brand cider, there are multiple local apple orchards that sell freshly made cider

CIDER HILL FAMILY ORCHARD

LOUISBURG CIDER MILL

LOCATION: 3341 N 139th St, Kansas City

LOCATION: 14730 KS-68, Louisburg

PRICE: $9.25 for one gallon

PRICE: $7.95 for a halfgallon Source:w Louisburg Cider Mill

A&E

Mill Valley High School

Design by Annie Myers

N O S I T I TREE TRAD Contrasting components of the real and artificial Christmas tree

LIFETIPS

MICHAEL SANDRI

reporter/photographer jagwire.michaelsandri@gmail.com

How to extend lifespan of real Christmas trees

Hours within cut that tree needs to be placed in water

REAL TREES

PRODUCTION:

6-8

Grown on tree farms

AVERAGE PRICE:

Base of tree should always be submerged in water

Mid-size tree costs around $100

AVERAGE LIFESPAN:

Keep tree away from major heat sources, including lights

Several weeks

Source: National Christmas Tree Association

POPULARITY: 20 percent of Americans use real trees 35 percent of students use real trees Source: Diffen & American Christmas Tree Association

SPIRITSELECTION

Students explain their Christmas tree preference

“Having a fake tree is the same as having a fake Christmas. You have to have a real tree.”

“Christmas trees that emanate from the soil bring an authenticity to the jolly spirit.”

SENIOR MICHAELA PRECHT

FRESHMAN LINDEN HERMAN

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A&E

Photos by Morgan Gurwell

Mill Valley High School

ARTIFICIAL TREES

EXTRAADDITIONS

Common decorations put on Christmas trees

PRODUCTION: Made of petroleum-based, non-biodegradable plastic Cranberries and popcorn

AVERAGE PRICE: Mid-size tree costs around $45

Ornament Star

AVERAGE LIFESPAN:

Candy cane

10 years

POPULARITY: 80 percent of Americans use artificial trees 65 percent of students use artificial *Survey of 237 students

“Fake trees are easier to put up and take down. They are also the more affordable option.”

“I prefer fake Christmas trees because they are easier to uphold and more fun to decorate.”

SENIOR RYAN BALLARD

JUNIOR MARGAUX PORTER

32 PHOTO ESSAY

Design by Hunter Ristau and Marah Shulda

COFFEE ADDICTS Students and teachers enjoy the benefits of having a Starbucks near by

Mill Valley High School

JagWire

While working on Saturday Nov. 18, senior Whitney Burke puts a sandwich in the oven. “The one thing that can make the job really stressful is just how busy that place is 24/7,” Burke said. // Carter Lawson.

While studying for a math test, freshman Lily Fleetwood enjoys a Starbucks iced frappuccino. // Carter Lawson

After taking a customer’s order, senior Kiley Beran holds out the cup and writes his name on it on Wednesday, Nov. 22. “I really enjoy the overall atmosphere of [Starbucks],” Beran said. “I love the people I work with a lot.” //Jordan Robinson

While picking up her coffee on Tuesday, Dec. 5, Family and Consumer Science teacher Emily Schmidt puts a stir stick in her cup. “The mobile order is wonderful because as I’m about to walk out my door I can hit order and it’s ready for me,” Schmidt said.// Marah Shulda

Sitting down together, juniors Madison Reishus and Meredith Angelotti drink coffee and talk after school on Friday, Nov. 17. “It’s a cool place to go get coffee and hangout,” Angelotti said. // Jordan Robinson