JagWire Newspaper: Volume 20, Issue 4

JAGWIRE MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL | VOL. 20 | ISSUE 4 | DEC. 17, 2019 | MVNEWS.ORG

HOW I SEE ME How body image impacts teenagers’ view of themsleves

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Table of Contents | Cover by Tatum Elliott

contents news

04 strength class

features

06 student models 08 working with parents 11 body image

opinions

15 staff editorial 16 opinions

sports

18 hockey

20 ethan kremer

a&e

21 hallmark movies 22 2010s lookback

photo essay

24 stem clubs

December 17, 2019

letter from the editors hey mill valley!

Welcome to the 4th issue of the JagWire! For this issue, we have decided to cover body image and the impacts it has on teenagers. There are many factors that affect one’s views on their body, so in this issue, we’ve delved deeper into how marketing and social media impacts people’s body image. Advertisements and social media create an idea of the “perfect image,” causing people to compare themselves with others.

Different students have decided to talk about their insecurities and experiences with maintaining a positive body image.

This issue is the last issue for this semester; four issues down and four more

to go! This semester has been a learning curve for the staff, and we are hoping to produce more insightful content next semester.

As always, we hope that you learn from this issue and that you look forward to the four remaining issues of the JagWire after the break. Happy holidays!

your editors,

staff 2019-2020 editors-in-chief

Hannah Chern

jagwire.hannahchern@gmail.com

Tatum Elliott

jagwire.tatumelliott@gmail.com

mill valley news editors-in-chief

reporters & photographers

Isabel Aerni

jagwire.isabelaerni@gmail.com

Aiden Burke

jagwire.aidenburke@gmail.com

Julia Fair

jagwire.juliafair@gmail.com

Anna Owsley

Claire Franke

Ben Wieland

Quinn Franken

jagwire.annaowsley@gmail.com jagwire.benwieland@gmail.com

photo editor Andrew Tow

jagwire.andrewtow@gmail.com

assistant editors Steven Curto

jagwire.stevencurto@gmail.com

Sophie Lecuru

jagwire.sophielecuru@gmail.com

Tanner Smith

jagwire.clairefranke@gmail.com jagwire.quinnfranken@gmail.com

Jordin Harris

jagwire.jordinharris@gmail.com

Anastasia O’Brien

jagwire.anastasiaobrien@gmail.com

Jordan Prestia

jagwire.jordanprestia@gmail.com

Hayden Resch

jagwire.haydenresch@gmail.com

Evan Sherman

jagwire.evansherman@gmail.com

Zach Shrader

jagwire.zachshrader@gmail.com

jagwire.tannersmith@gmail.com

@millvalleynews

find us at:

mvnews.org

@millvalleynews1 Mill Valley News

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 Valley Offset Printing, Inc.

JagWire

Content by Ben Wieland | Design by Hannah Chern |

News Brief

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HAVE YOU HEARD? A review of the significant news highlights and events to remember for this month

Myles Garrett Suspended After NFL Brawl Thursday, Nov. 14

Late in a game against the rival Steelers, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett ripped Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph’s helmet off and swung it at his head. Rudolph declined to press assault charges against Garrett, but the star defensive end was suspended indefinitely by the NFL. Rudolph was fined for the fight as well. photo source John Kuntz, cleveland.com

Kamala Harris Leaves Democratic Race Tuesday, Dec. 3

California senator Kamala Harris ended her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination amidst turmoil within her campaign. In an email to supporters, Harris indicated that she didn’t have enough money to finance her campaign. While she entered the race as a frontrunner, by the end of her campaign she had fallen out of favor with most Democratic voters. photo source Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times

Shooting at Pearl Harbor Base Kills Two Wednesday, Dec. 4

An active-duty sailor on the USS Columbia shot three civilian employees, killing two, then took his own life at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.

The two victims were civilian employees working on the base. The attack sent the military base into lockdown for almost two hours. The shooter’s motive is currently unknown and his weapon is unidentified. photo source KRT

professional associations

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

censorship policy

The Kansas Student Publications Act 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. This law also prevents censorship of any kind by the adviser, building or district administration.

UPCOMING MOVIES “The Rise of Skywalker” Friday, Dec. 20

In the 9th and final episode of the Skywalker saga, heroine Rey will square off with Kylo Ren.

“Cats”

Friday, Dec. 20

This CGI-heavy adaptation of a classic musical features Taylor Swift’s debut as a leading actress.

“1917”

Wednesday, Dec. 25

Sam Mendes’ critically praised World War I battle epic is edited to appear as one continuous shot.

editorial policy

We value your opinions. If you wish to submit a column or a letter to the editor to 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.

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News | Design by Anastasia O’Brien

December 17, 2019

With construction going on at the school, strength classes have to work out in the fieldhouse. This causes it to become very crowded and hot. | Julia Fair

STUNTING GROWTH

Strength class has been forced to be inside due to bad weather conditions AIDEN BURKE reporter/photographer

D

ue to increasingly frequent inclement weather patterns, Strength and Conditioning classes have been forced to stay indoors during class. Classes that would usually be spent in the fieldhouse lifting weights are now spent inside the school. When the weather doesn’t permit them to go outdoors, students in Strength and Conditioning classes are herded into the commons to have a study hall period. These days have become increasingly prevalent recently with a fluctuation in cold weather patterns.

The obstacle is new this year, with classes forced to use the fieldhouse as a temporary weight room during construction of the new gym and weight room. Strength and Conditioning teacher Joel Applebee emphasizes that while having to stay indoors now might be problematic, the end result of the construction will make the problems worthwhile.

“The weather is just something that we’re going to have to deal with,” Applebee said. “It’s a minor problem with the end goal in mind. The idea of what our new facilities are going to be like after the construction is complete is what makes this struggle worth it.”

Applebee is confident that the weather issues should not be viewed as a deterrent to the direction of the course. As something that is uncontrollable, it shouldn’t hold any significance to the course and the focus should lie on the things in the class that can be regulated.

“We obviously don’t want to stay inside and our ability to go outside just depends on the weather, which is something that we can’t control,” Applebee said. “Since we can’t control it there is no reason to worry about it; we will just focus on taking advantage of the days that we can go outside.”

The criteria for what constitutes a day that they are allowed to go outside vary, but teachers do whatever they can to make sure students are able to

get the exercise they need to stay on track.

“It’s determined on a day-by-day basis based upon what the weather provides,” Applebee said. “We want to get out there as much as possible so we’re trying to do everything that we possibly can to stay on track.”

Applebee evidently isn’t particularly worried about how missed days will affect the general direction of the course or having to make up those missed days as the semester wraps up.

Similarly, students enrolled in Strength and Conditioning like sophomore Collin Rule enjoy the opportunity to have a study hall during classes that are missed without worrying about a loss of workdays.

“It’s nice because it gives us all time to work on homework or just relax and do other things,” Rule said.

According to Rule, the missed days have been too infrequent to have any significant impact on the direction of the class or students’ performances in the class.

News

JagWire

“I don’t think there have been any negative effects from us having to stay indoors in strength class,” Rule said.

“I don’t think it has really been a big enough deal or frequent enough to take any toll on our performance in the class.”

Rule feels certain that there are many students who would still want to be outside lifting weights, regardless of the weather, but that the class is divided between those students and those

“IT’S NICE BECAUSE IT GIVES US ALL TIME TO WORK ON HOMEWORK OR JUST RELAX AND DO OTHER THINGS”

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Looking at a laptop, senior Duncan Haines-Mills and sophomore Theodore Brown work | Julia Fair

sophmore collin rule

who would rather have a study hall.

“I’m sure there are some people who would rather be out there lifting weights and working out on the days that we have to stay inside,” Rule said.

“Nonetheless, a lot of us are perfectly fine staying indoors and getting a chance to work on other schoolwork.”

Bleak weather conditions preventing students in Strength and Conditioning from going outside might have marginally set them back in the schedule of the course, but students and teachers remain undeterred by the looming winter and optimistic about the future. During a study hall, junior Dalton Harvey works on homework while listening to music. | Julia Fair

THE SETBACK

Inconveniences the strength classes have faced due to construction

3 69

DAYS MISSED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER

40 70

STUDENTS CROWDED IN THE COMMONS

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Features | Design by Quinn Franken

December 17, 2019

THE MAKING OF A MODEL Modeling lets teens gain experience in a professional industry and explore modeling as a career option STEVEN CURTO assistant editor

A

Top During his photoshoot, freshman Carter Harvey poses for the Lee Jeans Fall Campaign. |Submitted by Carter Harvey Middle During his first major shoot, senior Tripp Starr was featured in a Payless advertisement.|Submitted by Tripp Starr Bottom Besides modeling, freshman Carter Harvey has done musicals, voice-overs, and commercials.|Submitted by Carter Harvey

fter performing in a show at the University of Kansas during his freshman year, senior Tripp Starr met his modeling agent. Exposure Inc. booking agent Terré Capers approached Starr after the show and told him that they had high hopes for his future career in the entertainment and modeling industry and wanted him to sign to the talent agency they worked for.

With Capers’ advice to sign to her agency, Starr went in for an interview with other employees of the agency.

Two days after his interview, they sent him information about doing a commercial.

“The process of getting an agent was surprisingly easy. All I did was go in for an interview and audition, and about two days later she already sent me information for a commercial, which I booked about a week later,” Starr said.

Starr and Capers have been working together for the past five years.

Over the years, Capers has booked him six modeling shoots as well as expanded his interest with acting by also booking him several acting gigs, which they typically schedule in the spring or summertime.

To start getting booked, Starr needed to take headshots. Headshots take roughly an hour to an hour and a half and can take four to seven days for the photographer to email the finished pictures. His first headshots were taken by an old piano and did not turn out very well. Despite the photos, Starr was still able to book gigs and after a while, he retook his pictures with another professional photographer.

“The first headshots I took were

dingy and by an old piano,” Starr said. “After all I still got booked for things so I received lots of mercy.

About a couple of months later I got new headshots taken by a more professional photographer and it made things a lot better.”

“I LIKE MODELING BECAUSE YOU CAN MAKE A NICE PAYCHECK FOR A SHORT AMOUNT OF WORK.” freshman carter harvey

Similar to Starr, freshman Carter Harvey also works for a talent agency, Talent Unlimited, and has done shoots in Kansas City since he tries to book shoots that are local.

“I got into modeling when my KC talent agent sent my picture in for the Lee jeans shoot,” Harvey said. “I have an agent here in KC that tries to get me to work locally, commercials, modeling, and acting.”

Harvey really enjoys modeling because it allows him to make a lucrative sum of money in a short period of time and has allowed him to meet new people from all over the country.

“I like modeling because you can

Features

JagWire

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As he stands on a replicated set of a shoot, senior Tripp Starr poses with his hands in his pockets and glances to his side Tuesday Dec. 3. | Jordin Harris

make a nice paycheck for a short amount of work,” Harvey said. “I also enjoy meeting different people, at my last modeling shoot I met people from New York and Los Angles.”

Making money is a large aspect of modeling as Starr has been paid for each shoot he’s worked on which can range from profitable shoots such as a Frio Lay campaign he worked on as well as a less lucrative shoot he did for a photographers portfolio.

“The most lucrative shoot I’ve ever done would probably be Frito Lay, and the less lucrative would have to

be a shoot I did for a photographer’s portfolio,” Starr said. “The difference between the two would have that Frito Lay is more established than the photographer.”

Although these shoots can be a money-making venture, some take long amounts of time to complete, such as a campaign Starr did for Payless that lasted 12 hours.

“The longest shoot I’ve worked on would have to be the shoot I did for Payless. I was there from nine in the morning till nine at night,” Starr said.

“What made it long was that we had a

SHOOT SCHEDULE

personal session, group session, filmed for social media and filmed for a television commercial.”

Although Starr thoroughly enjoys modeling he does not want to pursue it as a career and thinks that large aspects of modeling such as satisfying the employer are very stressful.

“The most stressful part about modeling is pleasing the employer,” Starr said. “If you do a good job then the employer will not only boast about you but will continue to bring you back, but if you do a poor job then the worst could happen.”

Senior Tripp Starr gives his insight on the process of a professional photoshoot 100

BEFORE “A day before the shoot, a call time is sent out. In some cases a fitting is done with the model.”

DURING

“The day of the shoot, the model gets their hair and makeup done. During the shoot, everything is in the model’s hands.”

AFTER

100 00 1100 000 110 100 0 10

00 1100 1000 10 00 1100 110000

“Models can be paid on the spot or days after. The only thing left to do is wait for the finished product.”

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Features | Design by Anastasia O’Brien

December 17, 2019

FAMILY FAMILY TIES TIES

Freshman Ally Sul was added to the Hello Beautiful staff this year. Anh Sul, the owner of the salon, now balances being Sul’s mom and boss.| Julia Fair

By working with their parents, students are able to carry on their family’s business QUINN FRANKEN reporter/photographer

M

any teens get ordinary jobs working in retail or the food industry while they are in high school. One student who has a more unique work experience than others is freshman Ally Sul. Sul works at her mom’s salon, Hello Beautiful, as a receptionist and deals with making appointments as well as keeping the salon clean. Sul took the job with her mom because she wanted money and Blowing leaves, junior Vincent Garcia, on Friday Nov. 22 clears the area around him.

Leaf blowing is just one of the jobs Vincent and his father do.

They also shovel snow in the winter. | Julia Fair

Garcia’s Lawn and Landscaping has been in business for 30 years, junior Vincent Garcia started working with his dad three years ago.| Julia Fair

thought it would be easy to jump into.

“I wanted it so I could make my own money, but also so I could work for my mom and I wouldn’t have to work with like a stranger and have to get them on my good side and get on their good side,” Sul said.

Sul thinks one of the major benefits of working for her mom was how easy it was to attain the job.

“You see, that was what was fun about working with my mom. I didn’t have to do a full-on interview,” Sul said. “I asked her and she felt okay

with me doing it.”

Anh Nguyen, Ally’s mom, thinks that Ally is gaining valuable knowledge by working for her, and although they rarely work alongside each other, Nguyen is still teaching Sul things about the way to run a business.

“She’s making her own money and she is learning to be responsible,” Nguyen said. “She is learning to run a business. She’s learning the ins and outs of a business and understands what it’s like to work and to schedule yourself and to juggle those things.”

Features

JagWire

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Working with heavy machinery and equipment is something senior Cainen Hissong does daily while working alongside his father at his landscaping business, CH Lawn and Land Service. | Julia Fair After ripping out a shrub, senior Cainen Hissong throws the chain onto the machine. | Julia Fair

Nguyen realizes that she benefits from having Sul work for her and treats her like a normal employee.

“I feel much better when she is here because I know she’s taken care of it even better than I would have if I was here,” Nguyen said. “If she has any questions she asks me, and I have no problem addressing issues or concerns with her.”

Sul believes her work experience is different than other high schoolers because her mom understands her job and can relate to her.

“I think it’s easier for me to talk to my mom about stuff that happened at work because she’ll understand... and she’ll be able to understand the problem and fix it easily,” Sul said.

Senior Cainen Hissong works with his dad at CH Lawn and Land Service and believes the greatest thing he got from working with his dad is all that he has learned.

“We bonded and I learned so much. That’s why I can do the things I can today that a normal person would

“MY WORK EXPERIENCE IS DIFFERENT THAN MOST OTHER STUDENTS BECAUSE [MY DAD] WILL PUSH ME TO MY LIMITS.” junior vincent garcia

have no clue around... he’s taught me a lot. So it’s worth it,” Hissong said.

Hissong originally wanted to work with his dad because he wanted a job different than everyone else and one that would pay well.

“Freshman year before I started, I was a referee for soccer. I wanted to make more money, and I didn’t want to work at a restaurant like everyone else,” Hissong said. “I knew I had the potential to make more money.”

Hissong took over his father’s business in his sophomore year of high school and continues today to run it with the occasional help of his father. “[My dad] started it my freshman year, and then my brother owned it...

I took the reins and I owned it the rest of my high school career,” Hissong said.

Junior Vincent Garcia works alongside his dad at Garcia’s Lawn and Landscaping. Garcia said his work experience is different than other students because working closely with his dad allows him to grow as a person.

“I believe that my work experience is different than other students because he will push me to my limits,” Garcia said. “He will always motivate me to become a better worker and a better person.”

USEFUL TOOLS These are some of the vital tools that students need on a regular basis while working CH LAWN AND LAND SERVICE

GARCIA’S LAWN AND LANDSCAPING

HELLO BEAUTIFUL

“I use a tractor. The work is heavy, we need the machine power.”

“I use a weed wacker to make sure the finishing touches are perfect.”

“I use a broom a lot beacuse I

senior cainen hissong

junior vincent garcia

freshman ally sul

sweep up the hair.”

10 Ads | Design by Molly Smith

December 17, 2019

JagWire

Design by Tatum Elliott |

Features

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HOW I SEE ME

Many teenagers’ views of themselves are impacted by changing beauty standards on social media, in marketing and in their everyday life. | Andrew Tow

An in-depth look into how today’s teenagers are impacted by their body insecurities STEVEN CURTO assistant editor

Student encounters with body image

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ith constant pressure to look a certain way from advertisers perpetuating the myth of a “perfect body,” it is no wonder that many students have dealt with body image issues. In addition, the increasing importance of social media has led many students to feel they need to edit photos to obtain “perfection” online. Despite a society

TANNER SMITH assistant editor

of growing acceptance, It is still commonplace for someone to be mocked for their appearance. Unsurprisingly, this negative body image has led many students to deal with depression and anxiety.

For junior Addison McLaughlin, her negative body image has been something she has struggled with for a long time and started due to being teased about her weight.

“I’ve been struggling with my insecurities since I was probably 12,”

McLaughlin said. “Halfway through elementary school, I was bullied for weight, but until that point, I never really noticed there was anything different about me I didn’t know that being bigger was a bad thing.”

During a time of poor perception of her body image, McLaughlin felt depressed and had trouble eating.

“I have not always been the happiest person,” McLaughlin. “Around the time I started having insecurities I

CONTINUED ON PG 12

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Features | Design by Tatum Elliott

December 17, 2019

Writing positive affirmations on her mirror helps senior Meghan Sherman counter the negative thoughts she sometimes has about her body. | Andrew Tow

CONTINUED FROM PG 11 developed a little bit of an eating disorder, and … I was really anxious and depressed all the time and I was really irritable which is normal with an eadting disorder and my hair was starting to fall out.”

In addition to McLaughlin, junior Cali Rhodes’s negative body image causes her to struggle with depression and decreased her view of herself.

“I wasn’t happy with what I looked like. I wasn’t happy with things that was going on with my life and how my body looked impacted how I felt,” Rhodes said. “I can definitely say I was not happy with a lot of stuff throughout middle school … I couldn’t sit around my family sometimes because I … focus[ed] on this more than being with my family.”

Thanks to help from her close friends and family, McLaughlin was able to get through her struggle.

“My mom noticed because she also had struggled with it so she noticed the signs. My oldest sister Kaylee also noticed because she had dealt with it too.

But my dad and my other sister didn’t know and a lot of my friends didn’t

know,” McLaughlin said. “It was some of my guy friends that noticed more than anyone else. I’m still friends with most of them today because they helped me get through [it].”

While it may seem difficult, psy-

function and health, we won’t be so hard on small details of its aesthetic.”

According to Crandall, students can remember to appreciate who they are and their bodies rather than focus on looking perfect, which should help

“ANYONE IS CAPABLE OF LEARNING TO LOVE THEIR BODY. EACH PERSON’S JOURNEY TO THAT WILL LOOK SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.” psycology teacher kirsten crandall

chology teacher Kirsten Crandall feels that any student can learn to accept their body image.

“Anyone is capable of learning to love their body. Each person’s journey to that will look slightly different. It can help to take some time to consider what your body is doing for you at any given moment,” Crandall said. “The human body is doing amazing things at all times and if we can marvel at its

them feel more body positive. “‘It is important to remember we are all insecure about something in almost all areas of our lives! It is a part of being a self-aware human,” Crandall said. “The goal should not be to manage perfection but to appreciate who we are and what we have going for us, to make peace with our insecurities and offer ourselves the same grace we typically and more naturally extend to others.”

Features

JagWire

imperfect people

Students open up about one of their insecurities

picture perfect

Sophomore Libby Green shares how to get the perfect photo for social media

““The part of the body I struggled with is my weight.”

“One insecurity I have is not being healthy or fit enough.”

““I have large pecs ... which makes me really insecure.”

“[My one insecurity is] the abdomen area.”

Media and advertising’s impact on body image

these great things, and they make their life look like it’s fabulous, but when you peel away the layers, it doesn’t really look like that,” Heffernon-Meyers said. “If you were to run into them on the street that’s not really how they look and so I think people get this expectation of what normal supposedly should look like and it’s very distorted.”

Although Heffernon-Meyers acknowledges the negative effects that marketing has on teens, she feels it is getting better.

“I think that we are starting to see more and more companies that are capitalizing on more realistic [images],” Heffernon-Meyers said. “Companies are trying to capitalize on the other side of the coin now that … people have become a little bit more verbal about body image and how it’s negatively affecting teens.”

For McLaughlin, stores like Abercrombie and American Eagle are exclusionary to people who don’t have a perfect figure.

“I can’t shop at Abercrombie or American Eagle or anything like that,” McLaughlin said. “They don’t have the sizes that’ll fit me [and]… the atmosphere there’s not very welcoming to people that are not a smaller size.”

freshman jordan serna

junior prathik gadiraju

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any of the insecurities and negative perceptions teenagers have about their body come from false media representation of how bodies should appear. This public deception makes individuals strive to obtain a perfect body and creates a negative depiction of how people’s bodies really look Business teacher Diana Heffernon-Myers stated that she thinks that the media creates a glorified perception of how individuals should appear; such as being pretty and stronger.

“There’s different types of marketing and the most popular type of marketing is appealing to your emotions,” Heffernon-Meyers said. “Anything that as Americans makes us bigger, better, faster, stronger, prettier, more popular.”

Heffernon-Meyers is convinced that marketing has a negative effect on teenagers, creating a false expectation that individuals in magazines and on television look perfect at all times and that everyone should look a certain way.

“When you look at any social media and you look and people post all

unedited

sophomore summer powell

senior srikar turaga

edited

step by step

1. take a lot of photos

2. choose the best one 3. crop the photo

4. darken or lighten 5. use a VSCO filter

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14 Features | Design by Tatum Elliott

December 17, 2019

widespread impact A student survey revealed how prevalent body image issues are in the school

have you ever had insecurities about your physical appearance? females yes 75% no

25%

males yes

Social media oftentimes creates an unreachable body image for the users of the sites. | Andrew Tow

24%

Social media’s effect on body image

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no 76% freshmen yes 35%

no 65%

sophomores yes 59%

no 41%

juniors yes 43%

no 57%

seniors yes 57%

no 43%

has social media negatively impacted your body image? females yes 52% no 48%

males yes

9%

no 91%

survey of 215 students

ith the increasing use of social media among teenagers, they feel frightened that their photos will be criticized and judged by their peers. This has led many teenagers to choose to not post due to the fear that they will be judged.

Senior Cael Duffin knows that people following him will judge anything that he posts.

“Between Snapchat and Instagram, … [you are] judged whether you like it or not,” Duffin said. “I think part of that is this criticism that people have for stuff that isn’t theirs. People worry about others more than they probably should.”

Due to this pressure to post the best versions of himself online, Duffin has not shared pictures he wanted to because of his acne.

“When I was a lot more stressed, my acne would pop out more, and so I wanted to post on social media, but I decided not to because I was afraid,” Duffin said. “That annoyed me because I wanted to put out a picture that people would be able to see forever, but felt I couldn’t.”

Psychology teacher Kirsten Crandall feels that for many, social media reinforces a negative body image.

“Societal norms in 2019 reinforce some misinformation in our perceptions of ourselves and others,” Cran-

dall said, “We are inundated with false projections of perfection. We see ‘perfect’ bodies getting to enjoy ‘perfect’ lives on social media. This exacerbates the cognitive distortions in the looking-glass self process. We fail to realize these images and scenarios are cultivated and are not standards to be compared against as we create our perception of ourselves.”

Social media has made McLaughlin feel like she needed to be needed to “fix” her body image.

“It has definitely been impacted by social media. On Instagram, everyone puts their best face forward, that’s all you see is like their happiness. You don’t see what’s going on behind,” McLaughlin said. “So you think ‘Oh, if I’m like, look like them, I’ll be happier. I’ll have more friends. I’ll get invited to the parties. I’ll be the cool girl.’ And that was largely right. That was largely impacted by social media.”

For Crandall, social media can be used as a force for good as long as students follow what makes them happy.

“If social media and the internet offer several dangers in our body image, it equally offers opportunity for healing and treatment,” Crandall said.

“Follow the accounts that make you feel good, unfollow the ones that don’t.

What you see and focus on feeds your brain and your thinking … so often we fail to realize the number of resources out there … people can and want to help.”

JagWire

Design by Tatum Elliott |

Opinions

staff editorial:

skewed standards Social media has a negative impact on teenage body image

AIDEN BURKE reporter/photographer

BEN WIELAND

mill valley news editor-in-chief

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t’s no coincidence that as social media grows exceedingly prevalent within society, teenagers’ body images continue to decline. Social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat are insidiously designed to constantly force teenagers to compare their bodies with one another.

This pressure is unnecessarily harmful to their already-fragile self-esteem.

While social media definitely isn’t the only negative influence on body image, teenagers looking to feel better about themselves should avoid it as much as possible.

Social media is a breeding ground for negative comparisons between users. Many apps are designed to intentionally create this competition — users on Instagram compete for likes

and followers, while users on Snapchat compete for a high Snapscore. While there have been minor steps taken by these companies to eliminate this aspect of their experience, such as Instagram’s test of removing likes and Snapchat’s shift away from its emphasis on Snapscore, these attempts are too little, too late.

These comparisons have an extremely negative effect on body image.

A survey of Australian college students revealed that the two groups the students compared themselves with most — their friend groups and celebrities — were also the two groups that had the most negative effects on body image.

Even just posting to social media has a negative impact on body image amongst those who consistently use the platforms. A study by York University researchers found that women see a decline in self-confidence and perceive themselves as uglier after posting a picture of themselves to social media, even if they’re allowed to edit the

photo before posting it.

However, there are a few ways that social media can have a positive influence on body image. According to University of Toronto research, looking at images of nature on social media has been proven to boost mood and self-confidence. Reading motivational quotes produces the same effect.

These benefits, though, are small and temporary.

There is only one way to permanently address the body image issues caused by social media, and that’s to stay away from apps like Snapchat and Instagram that have demonstrably negative effects on that image. York University professor Jennifer Mills argued that, in order to maximize body image, teenagers should “take a break and engage in other activities that have nothing to do with appearance and comparing yourself to other people.” Heeding that advice is the best thing any student can do if they want to feel better about themselves and their bodies.

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16 Opinions | Design by Tatum Elliott

December 17, 2019

CONSPIRACY TANNER SMITH assistant editor

A

lmost everyone has that one conspiracy theory, that before doing any research, seems to make a lot of sense. Sadly, as fun as many conspiracy theories seem, with a quick Google search they can be pretty easily disproven. While conspiracy theories may seem all in good fun, believing in them can be very dangerous.

Although it may seem that conspiracy theories are not a wide reaching phenomenon, according to the University of Chicago, about half of Americans believe in at least one conspiracy theory, with as many as 19% of Americans believing that 9/11 was an inside job. That number means that if you look to your left and to your right, chances are one of them believes in a conspiracy theory. These may seem like isolated incidents but the wide reaching effects is at least partially due to the rise of social media. While conspiracy theories have existed for hundreds of years, the ease of sharing them has continued to increase with places like 4Chan and Infowars springing up as a place to spread all of these seemingly insane theories.

Now you may be thinking, who cares? Why does it matter if they believe that the moon didn’t landing happened or that 9/11 was an inside job?

It matters because many conspiracy theories are much more dangerous. A perfect example of this is the growing anti-vax movement. Although there is no scientific evidence to back up the fear of vaccines, anti-vaxers have continually used a mix of social media and fake science to back their position. While it may not seem like a big deal, according to the Big Issue, this misinformation has caused many to forgo vaccinations and has allowed for a resurgence of Measles. This misin-

CONFLICT

While many conspiracy theories seem harmless, without a dose of reality they can become harmful formation has allowed Measles cases to increase by 50% worldwide and triple in Europe according to the World Health Organization.

The anti-vax movements show a common theme of conspiracy theories; disregarding scientific fact and

“CONSPIRACY THEORIES ... OPEN PANDORA’S BOX TO OURIGHT DENIAL OF FACT.”

PECULIAR PROPOSITIONS Some of the most popular conspiracy theories

AREA 51

junior tanner smith

relying on sudo-scientific offshots. Another great example is climate change, while 97% of scientists agree that climate change is caused by people and needs serious action, many have turned to sources like Infowars and Breitbart to confirm their beliefs instead of listening to scientific fact. This creates a dangerous president that desensitizes people to what is true. Once people start questioning one aspect of scientific fact, it destroys their trust in the system and make them question everything, leading more and more conspiracy theories to seem correct.

While many conspiracy theories seem fun and harmless they open Pandora’s box to the outright denial of fact and promote ideas that lead many to die from preventable diseases or from lack of care for scientific fact.

FLAT EARTH

ILLUMINATI

Opinions

JagWire

ANNA OWSLEY

mill valley news editor-in-chief

The holiday season should not be limited to a month

W

ithout fail, the scrooges of society attempt to suppress Christmas spirit each year, circulating the horrifying misconception that Christmas festivities shouldn’t begin until mid-December. A greater falsity could not exist.

The day following Halloween always kicks off the holiday season, lasting through the 12th day of Christmas, Jan. 5. What sets Christmas apart from other holidays, earning it this extended celebratory period, is that it’s

more than just a day to commemorate an important event, idea or person; it’s a way of life that’s centered around all things joyful and wholesome that can only be experienced during the holidays.

Halloween marks the moment when planners can begin their perfect-gift hunt for each of their friends and family members. Christmas music, a genre completely silenced outside the holiday season, is made all the more heartwarming when we can finally listen to it without being totally ridiculed upon entering November.

When the chilly weather brings us indoors, we can nostalgically enjoy our favorite classic Christmas films in preparation for the holidays.

These activities lead us to Thanks-

giving; after taking time to appreciate our blessings, it’s to finally embrace the holiday spirit. When the days start getting longer, Christmas lights are put up to brighten both our streets and moods. Christmas sweaters, trees and decorations become constant reminders that we have something to look forward to other than our dreaded finals.

Many individuals advocate for limitations on this period – the only time we get to participate in these traditions – but this is not fair. If someone lacks nostalgia for festivities or simply doesn’t wish to partake, that’s okay.

But Christmas creates innumerable instances of pure joy that make it an intricate season to be savored and appreciated, so we shouldn’t be forced to silence it.

COUNTDOWN TO THE HOLIDAYS

When should people begin to celebrate the holiday season?

SOPHIE LECURU

assistant editor

People shouldn’t express holiday spirit until Thanksgiving

A

s the sun rises on Nov. 1, Halloween is immediately forgotten and Christmas consumes everything from radio stations to the holiday deals in most retail stores.

Houses are illuminated with Christmas lights, an abundance of gifts are wrapped, and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” is blasted on repeat; spreading Christmas cheer is not a bad thing, however, this takes away from other holidays like Thanksgiving and ruins the novelty of Christmas.

The reason for celebrating Christmas should be in order to appreciate giving to others. Christmas only occurs on Dec. 25 each year, which is one of the many reasons it’s so special.

Observing Christmas too long, and hyping it up with the decorations, mu-

sic and food makes the entire holiday less unique and can even cause people to lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas: giving to others.

Retail stores worsen the effects of celebrating Christmas too long through the holiday ads used to promote their store. These ads showcase deals that provoke Christmas cheer earlier than necessary. Stores start selling Christmas-themed goods as early as September, which is way too early.

Store’s tactics of creating good holiday deals and selling Christmas-themed items pressure people into recognizing the holiday much too early.

Although I do appreciate Christmas, I think it’s ridiculous to celebrate the holiday for an entire two months, as most people have gotten into the habit of doing. What ever happened

to Thanksgiving? It’s overlooked by the preparations for Christmas, that’s exacerbated by Black Friday or Cyber Monday shopping. It’s shallow for society to be so engrossed in their purchases for them to overlook a holiday focused on appreciating family.

Instead of dedicating an entire two months to honoring Christmas, celebrate it for what it is: an opportunity to give and receive. Christmas should excite you, but in order to preserve its joy, don’t glorify it. Enjoy the holiday on its given day, and make that day as special as you can.

17

18 Sports | Design by Isabel Aerni & Jordan Prestia

December 17, 2019

STICKING TO IT Students have gotten involved in hockey by playing for the Kansas City Jets ZACH SHRADER reporter/photographer

H

ockey has been an under-the-radar sport in Johnson County for years.

However, a local club hockey team, the Kansas City Jets, has recently been getting more fans appear at their games.

According to sophomore John Teska, students from Mill Valley have begun to attend their games more frequently. “[There are] around 10 people in the stands from Mill Valley.

The season just started, so I’m hoping that more people end up going to the games,” Teska said.

Sophomore Caleb Schmitz, who began playing for the team in 2018, feels that the Kansas City Jets are almost like a school team.

“It feels like a school team a little bit. I think we have the most people from a single school,” Schmitz said.

Teska said that it makes playing more fun and increases how hard players work when people are there to watch.

“Playing is more enjoyable when you have an audience there to support you.

And it boosts

Practicing for the game that weekend, Caleb Schmitz dribbles the puck down the rink. | Hayden Resch

Sports

JagWire

19

team timeline Looking back at the history of the Kansas City Jets

2007

kansas city jets form as a team To prepare for the next game, Mason Johnston shoots the puck at the wall. | Hayden Resch

your competitiveness,” Teska said.

However, sophomore Sal Vita was a little nervous to have people watch his games at first.

“It’s kind of nerve wracking be-

“PLAYING IS MORE ENJOYABLE WHEN YOU HAVE AN AUDIENCE...

IT BOOSTS YOUR COMPETITIVENESS.” sophomore john teska

cause you want to play good for your friends. But after a while, it’s not bad.

It’s cool to see them at games,” Vita said.

Not only is there a large group of students in the stands, there are also multiple players from Mill Valley on the team. Schmitz has formed tremendous chemistry with those players.

“A lot of us have just been playing forever. I’ve known them my whole life so we have had that chemistry forever,” Schmitz said.

Teska, who is somewhat new to the team, found hockey to be a good way to connect with people from his school after moving to Shawnee from Wisconsin, where hockey is extremely popular.

“When I first moved here, hockey was an easy way to make friends.

When I was playing hockey I knew all those kids from school and I connected with them really well.” Teska said.

One way the team works on their chemistry together is by traveling to other states within the Midwest for their games.

“We travel as far as Iowa. [We go to] Omaha, Nebraska and Des Moines. Usually, we take a team bus.

No parents come along. We stay in hotels, which is really fun. It’s just a blast,” Teska said.

Despite their great chemistry, the team has struggled with an influx of injuries and playing without adequate rest.

“A lot of our teammates have had concussions recently. A lot of us have had to play more and [deal with] fatigue,” Vita said.

Despite injuries, the junior varsity team is undefeated and according to Vita, the varsity team is playing well as a team. The team also has a positive outlook on the future of hockey in Kansas City.

“There are a lot more players coming from out of state. There are also a lot more fans,” Vita said.

Having fans at the games is very meaningful for players like Teska, who believe that people should go to games and cheer the team on to show their support.

“It’s really nice to see fans and friends in the stands. You should feel welcome to come to our games and support us,” Teska said.

2012-2013 2014-2015 2015-2016

league champions

2014-2015 2015-2016 2017-2018 2019-2020 win I-29 cup

2018

caleb schmitz, nik petterson, salv vita and john teska begin playing for the jets

2019

mason johnston and colton readman begin playing for the jets

20 Sports | Design by Tatum Elliott

Photos Submitted by Ethan Kremer and Marah Shulda | December 17, 2019

DUAL THREAT Junior Ethan Kremer tackles back-to-back football and wrestling seasons

ZACH SHRADER reporter/photographer

J

unior Ethan Kremer is the definition of a winner. He is a state champion in football and wrestling. He has been an All-EKL team member on both sides of the ball. He was an All-State team honorable mention last year. He is also the top wrestler in his weight class in the state of Kansas according to the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association.

Despite the numerous awards he has earned, Kremer is focused on giving his all to whatever team he is on.

“The wrestling team has started practice, but I’m joining them after football is done. Once I’m in one season, I’m focused on that sport,” Kremer said.

Head wrestling coach Travis Keal has no problem with Kremer being a two-sport athlete. He believes that Kremer easily goes from one sport to the other.

“Ethan brings his best no matter what he does,” Keal said. “When his football season is over, he will come to the wrestling room and continue to

work hard. The transition is easy for him.”

Kremer agrees that the transition from football to wrestling is smooth; in fact, he thinks that participating in wrestling has made him a better football player.

“WHEN HIS FOOTBALL SEASON IS OVER, HE WILL COME TO THE WRESTLING ROOM AND CONTINUE TO WORK HARD. head wrestling coach travis keal

“There’s a lot of carryover from one sport to the other. Wrestling helps with football. Control, leverage and

CHASING GREATNESS

6A

220-POUND WEIGHT CLASS WRESTLING STATE CHAMPION

2018

flexibility make things easier,” Kremer said.

Another thing that helps Kremer stay in shape in the offseason is club wrestling, which is in the summer. Like wrestling with the school, Kremer said that it helps him on the football field, just in a different way. “[In the summer] there is more upper body which translates really well to football because that’s what you’re doing, especially on the offensive and defensive line,” Kremer said.

Despite being heavily involved with two sports, Kremer manages to make it to most practices.

“I lift with the football players in the morning, and I have wrestling practice after school,” Kremer said.

“It can be a lot but I don’t have to miss [practices].”

All of Kremer’s hard work has paid off; he’s a two time state champion and will either play football or wrestle in college. According to Keal, Kremer’s success comes from his work ethic. “[Ethan’s success has come] from many years of challenging himself in all that he does in the classroom, football field, weight room and wrestling room,” Keal said.

Kremer’s most notable achievements

5A

1st

2019

2019

SPORTS IN KANSAS DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

ALL-EKL TEAM D-LINE

Design by Sophie Lecuru |

JagWire

Hallmark Channel movies provoke conflicting opinions from students at the school ANNA OWSLEY

mill valley news editor-in-chief

HOLIDAYS: hate

love

Aidan Taylor: The reason that I like Hallmark movies is because they’re just so good. They’re easy. They’re wholesome, and they are corny. They are a getaway for my mom and I to spend time together.

Being predictable isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Audrey Hereth: I like Hallmark movies because as much as they’re unrealistic, they’re fun to watch and they have happy endings. You never have to worry about the ending.

You know that something good is going to happen at the end and you can just enjoy it. They’re wholesome, they make me smile, and they bring me joy.

senior aidan taylor

junior audrey hereth

Kali Rank: I don’t like Hallmark movies because they’re all very predictable.

They’re all just the same thing, the same storyline over and over again. It’s repetitive. I’m a really character-heavy person, so if the same actor is reused in the same kind of movie, I’ll get the characters confused.

freshman kali rank

Carson Howe: I don’t like them because they all have the same plot, and they’re all kind of about the same thing. [Hallmark using the same actresses] makes them not seem different because they all have the same storyline and when they have the same people, it seems like the same movie. sophomore carson howe

top five most popular Hallmark holiday movies:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

A&E

figures of the films Survey showcases student opinions on Hallmark movies

“Christmas Under Wraps” 40

“My Christmas Love”

35 30 25

“Journey Back to Christmas”

20 15 10

“A Royal Christmas” “The Christmas Card”

5 0

source: Southern Living

36% 24% 40% like

dislike neutral

survey of 212 students

21

22

A&E | Design by Isabel Aerni

December 17, 2019

memorable moments

E D CA

DE

Best memories of the decade

*survey of 166 students

IN

36

W E I V E R

A look into the top memorable moments of the past 10 years

votes for “Gangnam Style”

31 votes for “Baby”

28 votes for ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

timeline of the 10s

One of the most memorable moments of each year

2010

2012

2014

One Direction forms as a band

“Gangnam Style” by Psy was published on Youtube

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Rebecca Black releases “Friday”

The Harlem Shake becomes a trend

Total solar eclipse

2013

2015

2011

snapchat

flappy bird

2012

2013

freshman lucas robins

senior michael crocker

apps of the

decade

The most memorable apps from the 2010’s

“Flappy Bird taught people “I use snapchat because I can communicate with my friends.” how to control their emotions.”

Photos by Jordin Harris

JagWire

BEN WIELAND

| A&E

CLAIRE FRANKE

mill valley news editor-in-chief

23

reporter/photographer

incredibles 2

moana

despicable me

favorited films Students voted on the top three movies from the past decade

survey of 575 votes

95

votes for Incredibles 2 source disney pixar

2016

“Baby” by Justin Bieber hits 10 billion views

101

votes for Moana

source disney pixar

90

votes for Despicable Me source universal pictures

2018

Fake missile warning in Hawaii

TUNES OF THE 10s TiK ToK Ke$ha

Black and blue dress debate

Lil Nas X releases “Old Town Road”

2017

2019

vine

pokémon go

Rolling in the Deep Adele

Somebody That I Used to Know Gotye ft. Kimbra

Thrift Shop

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz

Happy

Pharrell Williams

Uptown Funk

Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars

Love Yourself Justin Bieber

Shape of You Ed Sheeran

God’s Plan Drake

2013

“I liked how the videos were really funny and so short.” sophomore caelia hissong

2016

“It brought people from all around the world together.” junior leif campbell

Bad Guy Billie Eilish

24

Photo Essay | Design by Andrew Tow

stem studs

Students particpate in a variety of STEM based activities that the school offers

December 17, 2019 To determine the ratios between three unknown masses, junior Alex Whipple and senior Srikar Turaga adjust their device for the Science Olympiad build event “Machines” at the O-Town Throwdown tournament Saturday, Nov. 16. The pair placed seventh out of 25 teams. | Hannah Chern

With her crane nearing its breaking point, freshman Sydney Downey pours sand into the bucket suspended by the crane that she and her Science Olympiad partner built.| Hannah Chern While the new Robotics members watch, junior Emily Hertel teaches the electrical team how to solder wire.| Evan Sherman As the Robotics team works on a T-shirt cannon, seniors Brett Bellmyer and Jacob Howe prepare the robot to be used at the Maverick’s hockey game.| Evan Sherman During a Society of Women Engineers meeting, juniors Audrey Hereth and Taylor Moss put together a marble track.| Jordan Prestia