April Issue

The

Liberty High School

Bell

April 7, 2017

Volume 93, Issue 7

Visit us at lhsnews.net

Congratulations District Champs!

The Boys’ Varsity Basketball team made it to the Elite Eight. In the District Championship game against Liberty North the Jays brought home the victory in a final score of 67-54 on March 11. Under the leadership of head coach Roger Stirtz, the Jays ended their season with a record of 20-9.

Junior Jalen Lewis takes the ball downcourt, running against Liberty North defense.

Photo by Mercedes Peck

Staff Editor-in-Chief --> Hannah Leonard Managing Editor --> Emily Johannes Copy/Opinion Editor --> Lacy Williams Spotlight Editor --> Katie Moon A&E Editor --> Annika Fuller News Editor --> Riley Kelley Features Editor --> Joey O’Kelly InDepth Editors --> Delaney Tarpley Paige Twenter Sports Editor --> Caleb Lautenschlager Ads Manager and Cartoonist --> Daryl Gichui Jabber Editor --> Teegan Saunders Online Manager --> Kamden Bernard Reporters --> Alex Rogers Madeline Hensley Jenna Spence Haley Stephenson Caroline Parry Daisy Smith Liz Gammon Zahra Khan Marcus Myvett

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Photographers --> Jenna Axsom Jack Barreca Grace Buehler Connor Callahan Morgan Clark Mara Fryer McKenna Hegger Kate Marshall Chrystian Noble Caitlyn Pearson Mercedes Peck Ashley Ritter Isabella Siefkas Adviser --> Lori Oyler

Mission Our mission for the 2016-2017 school year is to unite a diverse group of people and ideas to compose an informative and entertaining magazine using articles, photographs, and commercial messages. As journalists in training we endeavor to give the best representation of the community of Liberty High School. The Bell student newspaper is a public forum for student expression.

Contact Liberty High School Address --> 200 Blue Jay Drive Liberty, MO 64068 Phone --> (816)-736-2827 Email --> loyler@student.lps53.org Twitter --> @TheLHSBell The articles featured do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the entire Bell staff.

Please feel free to comment, compliment or criticize anything you see in this issue in a Letter to the Editor at lwil1524@student. lps53.org.

On the Cover: The drumline practices on the learning stairs on Tuesday, March 16 outside of the fieldhouse.

Photo by: Isabella Siefkas

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Table of

Contents

06 Awareness in Art

08 Off the Wall 09 Tree Huggers Photo by Grace Buehler

Photo by Grace Buehler

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Photo by Connor Callahan

10 The Beats of Liberty

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14 Grant Stubbs 15 Tiffanny Hynh 16 Briggs Hall 17 Savanna Lee 12 Game On

18 Scott Gillespie

13 AniMe, AniYou Photo by Grace Buehler

24 Columns 26 Staff Editorial

19 Charity Stephens 21 Off To Work They Go

28 Shakin’ Things Up 30 Style 32 Athletes of the Month

Photo by Caitlyn Pearson

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Photo by Haley Stephenson

34 Crazy (Fast) Legs 36 Let Your Flag Fly

Photo by Mercedes Peck

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Letter From the Editor The focus for our April issue was to acknowledge the uniqueness of students through the work they do and the care they have for the earth.

Along with balancing school and extra circulars, some students choose to be a part of the workforce in our community.

As we highlighted in the In-Depth story, some jobs are as unique as the students who perform them. The story provides a refreshing point of view from students that even before graduation, it is possible to work at something you love. The skills and experience they are gaining at a young age is only preparing them greater for a future full of opportunities to earn the job of their dreams.

Just as some students take pride in the work they do, a group of Blue Jays take great pride in nature and our environment.

From discussing as a staff how our school is and can continue to be eco-friendly, to Environmental Club educating members on a trip to the Omaha Zoo, there is always more we can do for the betterment of our planet. With Earth Day around the corner on April 22, we are reminded of the part we play in the condition of our planet and how we can improve it.

Under the circumstance that the two themes of this issue are brought together, the work that students do could provide the solutions to create a cleaner, healthier world. When that day comes, you can bet The Bell will be here to report it.

Sincerely,

Photo by Connor Callahan

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Awareness in Art

Diversity Council goes to The Nelson to help promote culture.

Story by Teegan Saunders and Joey O’Kelly

Diversity Council is a club at LHS that supports, acknowledges and celebrates diversity. The club works to acknowledge the qualities all students identify with and to make others realize that differences are to be celebrated and encouraged.

“Diversity Council’s goal is basically just to spread around the idea of accepting all diversity and that all people are unique in their own way,” junior Sina Selepeo said.

Creating a safe space for students to explore and learn about diversity in the world around them is a key goal for Diversity Council. The club makes sure that all members, whether they are new or old, can feel comfortable exploring different opinions, sexualities, backgrounds, cultures and genders.

All members are given the chance to speak and ask questions about the topics discussed within the club.

“The entire club is really cool because nobody judges you for having questions and wanting to learn more about diversity,” sophomore Lauren Tali said, “It’s also really nice to hear what other people think too.”

The club also holds several events to spread awareness of what is going on within the school or for that month. They plan celebrations for Black History Month,

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the Harlem Renaissance, Women’s History Month and several other events throughout the year.

“Last year around this time we did a festival at Liberty North and it was actually really fun,” Selepeo said, “Everybody came and we made food from different places in the world and danced and they had boards set up where you could learn about different backgrounds.

We also made a large banner to celebrate Black History Month.”

Tolerance and respect both play important roles in the club, as sometimes the topics discussed and taught are considered controversial. Making sure students recognize all ideas are to be heard with respect is a common theme in celebrating diversity.

“The thing about diversity is that I may never agree with the person beside me but I still respect their opinion and validate it,” freshman Natu Kahassai said. “These differing opinions and mindsets are some of what make each of us unique and different, so for us to come together and to share our views and be a little more understanding of each other, it’s a very unique experience.”

The student leaders of Diversity Council work closely to make sure people of all backgrounds feel welcomed in the club and in the school. The leadership in Diversity Council meets before their weekly meeting to discuss what to focus on during the meeting along with what is important and relevant in the world right now.

“I think one of the main purposes of Diversity Council is having a safe place to become comfortable and express your views or to have a safe space to be exposed to all of the elements of diversity,” club co-sponsor Brenda Wiederholt said, “When we have a new student come in and say they’re coming back or seeing how big our meetings are getting is wonderful. It’s great to see these upperclassmen come together and be leaders for a club that is really making a difference.”

Photos by Grace Buehler

Above: Diversity Council members sophomores Danny Johnston and Katie Morriss observe a painting resembling a sun. Below: Juniors Kayla Jones, Sophia Donnici, Sammy Campbell, and Sina Selepeo look at an African beaded sculpture symbolizing a king’s throne.

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Seeing the World

Diversity Council made a trip to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art on March 15. The trip included a tour about minimalism, free time at the museum and lunch at a classic Kansas City restaurant, Winstead’s.

“Mrs. Wiederholt and I wanted to take Diversity Council students on a cultural outing,” club co-sponsor Trilaina McCallum said. “We thought that the Nelson-Atkins Museum was a great opportunity to experience a variety of cultures through art in one place.”

Learning about other cultures is important to the members of Diversity Council.

“Art is something that anybody can know and share,” senior Brianna Miles said. “I think that’s something that all cultures share. Everybody has art, so it’s something that everybody can relate to.”

With this field trip, members can take newfound information and bring it back to school to help make a change at LHS. “It can help students of LHS because we will have more information to spread awareness throughout the school and to our fellow LHS students,” junior Kayla Jones said.

Sophomore Katie Morriss agrees.

“It can help deplete ignorance and open our eyes to other cultures and embrace them,” Morriss said.

The council hopes to experience something new with other art and cultures.

The hope is that this will hopefully transfer back to LHS with the newfound ideas that Diversity Council discovers while there.

“It can help deplete ignorance and open our eyes to other cultures and embrace them,” sophomore Katie Morriss said.

This art can bring out something in the students. It can bring out emotion and passion, and it can bring out a drive to help promote culture at LHS. “If you do not learn about and celebrate the difference of other cultures you may run the risk of being close minded, which can be dangerous in a society where we are all so unique,” McCallum said. “Our unique differences allow us to be better, stronger and more compassionate. Art has a way of getting one’s feelings, emotions and experiences out in a way that can touch another in a more personal way.

Art is powerful just as all of our varying cultures are powerful.”

Photos by Grace Buehler

Above: Junior Sammy Campbell sits and observes a few of the paintings at the Nelson. Below: (top to bottom) juniors Ayraka Bree Straws, Sammy Campbell, and Sina Selepeo pose on the steps outside of the museum.

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Off The Wall

LHS art students compete in the national Vans design competition.

Story by Alex Rogers

Two brothers named Paul and James Van Doren opened a shoe store under the name of The Van Doren Rubber Company in California in early 1966. As the company grew and evolved, the brothers shortened the name to...wait for it...Vans. Recently the business has created a competition to promote the arts. High schools across the nation can compete with design submissions and LHS is one of them.

There are 3,000 high schools divided into five regions. Missouri is in the same region as Florida and Louisiana with each additional region consisting of about 15 states.

There are four themes and four shoe types students can choose from to make a number of different design combinations.

The four themes include art, music, board sports and local flavor. The four shoes are Vans Authentic, Old Skool, Classic Slipon and Sk8-Hi, the popular Vans styles.

Junior Diana Tran and senior Madison Baker both chose local flavor.

“I chose local flavor because I thought it’d be cool to do something with Kansas City,” Tran said. “What I started my project with was a drawing of the skyline of Kansas City and then for the front part

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of the shoe I did the birdie or shuttlecocks at the Nelson. Then I made it a motif to be repeated all over the tip of the shoe.”

Baker has been designing icons of Kansas City all year for her AP Studio Art project, so it was fairly easy for her to transfer a few of the major ones onto her shoes for the local flavor category.

Senior Brianna Miles went a different route. She chose the art category because it seemed like the most welcoming of creativity for her.

“I chose Authentic and I did that because my design ended up being related to Vans,” Miles said. “It says ‘Vans’ on the design and it has when it originated, so it’s kind of the history of its shoe. Since that was the first shoe they made, it kind of made sense.”

There is also a custom culture category for technology and design. The winner of this category will be awarded $50,000 for their high school’s art department.

Vans shoes come in several colors, styles and patterns. They have everything from cheeseburger to 101 Dalmatians patterned shoes, but not any technology-themed ones.

“This is the custom culture part of the

Van’s contest,” art teacher Debra Martin said. “This is the shoe design contest where the winner earns $50,000 for their high school art program. It would be very cool to be able to buy something like the kind of monitors that the photography rooms have and/or some other innovative addition for the art program.”

After the sketches were completed, students transferred their design to a pair of shoes. Voting will narrow down to one design per region and from there regional winners will be voted on nationwide.

A final event will take place in June to determine the final winners of the national competition.

Martin and students alike are personal fans of Vans shoes and the company’s outreach efforts.

“It’s really cool that they’re trying to get people who actually wear them involved and everyone in general a chance to design,” Miles said. “It’s a lot of work, but a cool process. Vans are known for being out there. They’re not regular, plain shoes.”

Photos by Connor Callahan

Left: Board Sports category winner senior Shianne McLaughlin and Music category winner junior Mackenzee Butts. Right: Vans competition winner in the Art category Taylor Soehlig holds up her winning design submission.

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Tree Huggers

Environmental Club takes an Earth Day trip to the Omaha Zoo. Story by Riley Kelley

Photo by Connor Callahan

Environmental Club members pose for a group picture.

Environmental Club is going wild in Omaha this Earth Day. Earth Day supports environmental protection and raises awareness about caring for the world around us. This year, Earth Day falls on April 22. For Environmental Club, the group of nature-appreciating environmental activists, there is no better way to celebrate this day than taking a trip to the Omaha Zoo. On Earth Day, 24 club members will wake up early, board a bus and travel to Omaha to get a behind-the-scenes look at the zoo operations.

“We’ll be able to learn about animals first hand, something most people who come to the zoo never get to see,” senior and Environmental Club president Dana Bartch said.

This will include getting up close and personal with creatures that aren’t seen very often in the Midwest.

“We’re going to tour the inside of the Desert Dome behind the scenes,” junior Danielle Staples said. “We’ve been talking about a lot of different lizards and reptiles.”

Club members are looking forward to this reward for all of their hard work throughout the year on several projects that improve the environment of the

News April 7, 2017

community.

“We have gone down to the Martha Lafite Nature Sanctuary to do stream clean ups, cleaned debris out of our very own outdoor classroom and made seed bombs in our greenhouse that we can plant later in the spring,” Bartch said.

On top of these projects, members also devote their time to raising money for the trip. Every member of the club had to sell at least one box of chocolates, but they decided to set the bar higher.

“In February, we sold 1,872 Fowler’s Chocolate bars,” Bartch said. “Every single person did phenomenal.”

The club has provided ways for students to connect with friends who have similar environmental interests.

“I joined because a lot of my friends were joining and I think it’s really important to have a group that you fit in with,” senior Mallory Vickers said.

“I thought it was important to raise awareness about the environment and how to protect it.”

Members of the club are excited about the learning opportunities that come with a behind-the-scenes look at animal habitats and diverse conservation projects.

“I’m looking forward to just seeing all the animals and learning more about the

way they live,” Vickers said.

Although the Kansas City Zoo is closer, members of the club felt that the Omaha Zoo would provide a better learning experience.

“The Kansas City Zoo is not as established as the Omaha Zoo and most people have already been to the Kansas City Zoo,” Bartch said. “We wanted to provide an experience that some students have not had yet.”

For Staples, who works at the Kansas City Zoo, this also provides an opportunity to compare the two zoos and bring some inspiration home with her.

“I think I’m going to see similarities in how the animals are kept and what conservation projects they do there,” Staples said. “I’m excited to see how we can improve our zoo.”

While the learning experience is important to all members going on the trip, they’re also ready to celebrate their accomplishments.

“All of the Environmental Club members worked their hearts out to sell the Fowler’s Chocolates and they all deserve a trip,” Bartch said.

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The Beats of Liberty Drumline brings school spirit one performance at a time.

Story by Marcus Myvett Every school assembly, the LHS drumline performs for the Blue Jays, ensnaring students with their LED lights and amazing sound. The drumline was featured in almost every home football game during the season along with the marching band. They also have played at some of the basketball games. Students at LHS get excited whenever they see them.

Eddie Owen, the coach of the drumline and band teacher, is very happy with this year’s group and says he enjoys working with them to make them better at what they do.

“Our students are enthusiastic, hardworking and fun to be around,” Owen said. “They have really ‘upped their game’ by adding the LED lights these past two years. It has enhanced each performance and I think the crowd really loves it.”

The drumline usually practices most during the fall season, since football is going on at the same time. They usually practiced during Liberty Hour or before and after school out on the football field during the fall season and inside the gym during the winter.

Senior Morgan Charlson has been playing the drums since he was eight and joined the drumline as a freshman for his love of music.

“My dad bought me a drum set when I was about eight and I played that until freshman year,” Charlson said. “Then I discovered the snare drum and I’ve been playing that ever since.”

Charlson also said the drumline is like a family to him, with some of his best friends.

Most of the people on drumline have a reason they play drums, or someone who

encouraged them to learn. Junior Peyton Smith’s older brother was his influence.

“When he started falling in love with music and playing anything he could get his hands on, I decided to follow in his path and learn everything I could,” Smith said. “That lead me to playing drums.”

As one of the newest drumline members, freshman Justin Herman really enjoys playing not only during the fall season, but also during the winter season too. Herman actually didn’t start playing the bass drum during performances until last semester.

“I didn’t start liking percussion in band,” Herman said. “I started out on a full set in fifth grade, and I really liked it because my drum instructor started me out on one drum and it made me want to go to a high school setting, which lead me to want to join the drumline.”

Photos by Grace Buehler and Isabella Siefkas

Top left: Sophomore Reggie Parks smiles and plays the bass drum. Bottom: Sophomore Jacob Fullinwider plays the snare drum in drumline.

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Photos by Grace Buehler and Isabella Siefkas

Top: Drumline practices on the learning stairs. Middle left: senior Austin Stark plays the full drum kit. Middle right: junior Katy Wheelhouse promotes school spirit in the drumline. Bottom left: Freshman Chris Rizzo supports drumline on the bass drum. Bottom right: Fullinwider and junior Peyton Smith get into the beat.

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Game On

Nintendo Club provides the chance to be a part of a gaming community.

Story by Caleb Lautenschlager

Doesn’t everyone love Mario? If so LHS’s newest Nintendo Club is the place to go. The club is an opportunity to tap into the local Nintendo community while playing and discussing the newest games and consoles.

Nintendo club was started by senior Halla Badaiwi just a few months ago.

“It was just an idea me and my friends came up with. We really didn’t think it would happen but we figured it all out and ended up making it happen,” Badaiwi said.

“We just wanted a time where we could hang out and play games together.”

The meetings have a very laid back and relaxed atmosphere as students gather to have fun and talk about their similar interests while playing games in the front of the classroom.

“A lot of times they organize a party day at least once a month and people will bring in food and drinks,” sponsor Ryan Brewer said. “We’ll also hook up a Nintendo console to the projector and they take turns playing games like Super Smash Brothers or Mario Kart.”

Se

If a student is interested in Nintendo Club and loves to play video games but can’t make meetings during Liberty Hour there’s still a chance to get in on the fun.

Along with meeting every week, the club holds a school-wide tournament after school.

“We have done one other competition and that was a blast,” junior Austin Hays said. “It was a Super Smash Bros tournament. If you don’t know what that

game is, it’s kinda like Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter. We had a super fun time and at the end of the two day tournament, a prize was given to the winner.”

Along with holding tournaments, the club is also hoping to raise money to bring a new installment to the club.

“We also had a fundraiser where we’re trying to get enough money to buy the new Nintendo Switch so we can all play that,” sophomore Lauren Bahr said.

Along with new additions possibly coming to the club, it also serves as a great place to wind down and relax. Nintendo Club welcomes everyone. It’s a great to go to relieve stress with others who are interested in the same things. They meet every Tuesday during Liberty Hour in room 204.

“Nintendo Club just has a wonderful, delightful and friendly atmosphere that is accepting of everyone,” Hayes said. “Most of the kids here in Nintendo club share many of the same views on the games that I do and it’s fun to converse with others about something you love.”

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Photos by Chrystian Noble

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Above: Junior Kasey Ewers is a gamer. Below: Sophomore Alec Powell plays a game in room 204.

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AniMe, AniYou Step into the beautiful world of anime.

Story by Kamden Bernard Anime is a Japanese style of film and television with commonly known shows like Dragon Ball Z and Naruto Shippuden.

It’s also a welcoming club at LHS that takes time at the end of the school day to watch and talk about animes they enjoy.

“Anime club is essentially a place where people who love anime can go and watch new and old anime shows,” senior Chris Young said.

The club is a way of introducing anime to a group of people who enjoy the television genre as a whole. The club takes a new approach to watching anime.

Instead of watching the same shows each week, they watch a new anime every week. The club takes on open approach to watching the genre.

“I would probably say the club is open because you can go there and ask someone easily if they’ve seen one and you can talk to them openly about it and your views even if you oppose it,” freshman Jennifer Tran said.

Members of the club say they joined because they thought it was a way to experience anime with other people who

enjoy the club.

“What drew me to the club is I was already watching anime and most times, what happens in amines is you want to talk to someone else to see what they think about it. In animes there’s different theories to what happened,” Tran said.

Every March there is an convention in Missouri, Naka-Kon, for people to come

together and share their love for anime.

“Naka-Kon is an anime convention where people can dress up like their favorite character and buy their favorite merch. There’s contest for cosplays,” freshman Kaylyn Gregory said.

The group members all agree that the club is very open and interesting to anyone. It’s for people who just want to hang out and watch something they enjoy.

“Sometimes depending on what anime we watch because we are more talkative and there’s a lot of giggling and some animes are just weird,” Gregory said.

The fans of the club each have their own anime they enjoy.

“My favorite anime would by far have to be Dragonball Z/Super,” Young said.

The shows differ in many ways.

“At the moment, I would have to say Kiss Him Not Me A manga show,” Gregory said.

The club meets after school every Friday until 4 p.m. and in Jorgensen’s room 202. The message was the same through everyone.

“Those who like anime can come, it’s open to anyone,” Tran said.

Photos by Crystian Noble

Top: Senior Chris Young uses a sword in his costume. Lower left: Sophomore Katt Braughton cosplays. Lower right: Junior Jordan Gipson poses with a character at Naka-Kon

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What are you involved in?

“I am involved in basketball and tennis. It’s a fun way to spend my time playing sports I love and spending time with my friends.

Sports have had a great impact on my life when it comes to staying in shape and learning life lessons. Hopefully, it will help me while working to get a scholarship.”

Who do you look up to?

“I look up to my parents because they have been a role model to me all throughout my life when I play sports and when I’m trying to be a good person. I learned a lot from my dad about the game and learned a lot of valuable lessons about life as well.”

What is your life motto?

“Philippians 4:13, ‘I can do all this through him who gives me strength.’ It just gives me courage because I know that I can do anything with God on my side and just knowing that he’s on my side means a lot to me.”

Pam Koch’s thoughts...

“Grant is a great student. He cares about learning and doing his best in the classroom. He enjoys working with others in lab and discussion groups. He also has enlightening questions about our topics.”

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Freshman Grant Stubbs Interview by Daisy Smith

Photo by Grace Buehler

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What clubs are you in?

“I am currently involved in Student Council, Key Club and Book Club. My favorite part about StuCo is working on events like Homecoming, Courtwarming and Prom. The reason I wanted to be in StuCo is because when I did it in 8th grade I ended up really liking it so I wanted to continue it for all of my High School years.”

Why do you volunteer?

“I volunteer with Highway Clean up and participate in Key Club’s projects like Brunch with Santa, where you pass out food and play games with little kids or packing food for the Academy students in Snack Pack. I am passionate about being involved in volunteering so I can help people out.”

Who is your favorite superhero?

“I really like Captain American because he helps people and does the right thing which is what a superhero is supposed to do. If I had a super power, it would be the ability to fly because I really like to travel. I want to be able to go anywhere for free. Just be able to get up and whoosh there.”

Eniola Ajayi’s thoughts...

“Tiffany is a beautiful young lady inside and out. I admire her drive to excel in all that she does. She has a way of encouraging others to be their best self.

One thing I love most about her is that she always has a smile for everyone.”

Sophomore

Tiffanny Huynh Interview by Madeline Hensley

Spotlight April 7, 2017

Photo by McKenna Hegger

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Why do you play tennis?

“I’ve only been playing tennis for a year, but it’s been around my family for a long time. I just really love playing tennis because once I start playing it’s like I’m in my own little zone. I can think about what I want and I don’t have to worry about what other people are doing. It’s all me in that moment.”

Why do you go all out on spirit days?

“I love standing out. People don’t usually like attention, but I love it. Some days I have extra time, so I’ll gladly spend my time on getting dressed up or making something to wear. High school only lasts four years, so it’s important to show that pride for your school for those four years.”

What are your goals?

“I want to go to med school. I want to be an orthopedic surgeon, so I think I want to go to Kansas University because they have a really good medical program and they would be the best fit for me. I don’t really get grossed out about surgeries, so I realized that I’m willing to do this and willing to put in the time and effort for this.”

Sara Havermann’s thoughts...

“Briggs is a leader and he is someone that I can rely on to get things done in class. We have a very project-based class in Sports Marketing, so it requires a lot of selfinitiative. Briggs is someone that I know when he starts something, he will finish it, so I don’t have to get on him in class.”

16 Spotlight April 7, 2017

Junior Briggs Hall Interview by Delaney Tarpley

Photo by Mercedes Peck

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What is your food truck?

“The name of my truck is Savanna Jane Lemonade. I started out when I was about 12 years old with a little lemonade stand made out of PVC pipes. My dad told me I needed to start making money so I could grow and be my own person. I sell homemade fresh-squeezed lemonade, handscooped ice cream and novelties.”

What are your goals?

“I plan to attend Paul Mitchell Esthetician School to get my license for skincare. I plan to grow my makeup line and company, travel worldwide and start a mobile makeup studio. What I want to do is drive to parties to make it easier for the client and give them the experience of a lifetime.”

Who do you look up to?

“I look up to my parents. They have taught me so, so, so much about business and life in general. Not only that, but they have helped so much in growing my businesses.

I can go to them for anything and I am thankful to have such supportive parents.”

Roger Stirtz’s thoughts...

“Savanna is a wonderful young lady. She is extremely talented in many regards.

Savanna’s work ethic, intelligence and respectfulness has vaulted her to the top of her classes. I’m positive that success will continue to follow her.”

Senior

Savanna Lee Interview by Madeline Hensley

Spotlight April 7, 2017

Photo by Hannah Leonard

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What were your past jobs?

“I did a program called Teach for America.

I committed to teaching for two years in inner-city St.Louis, a very low income, impoverished community. Then while I went back to school to get my degree in counseling, I worked in community mental health with people with severe mental illness and helped them try to live independently.”

What are your hobbies?

“I love to run. It’s a huge stress reliever for me. I love music, I love to go and experience it and to check out live music. I love exploring Kansas City and the different things that it has to offer. It’s a really cool place and so I like to get out and just explore.”

What is your life motto?

“It’s ‘a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.’ I think life can get overwhelming at times and it seems like everything is piling up. Sometimes you feel like freezing. But, sometimes all it takes to do great things is just to take that first step. I try to remind myself of that every day and it keeps me motivated.”

Jessica Mashino’s thoughts...

“Mr. G is such a fun person and he’s so understanding. He really is the type of person who goes out of his way to make sure everyone’s doing okay. He’s great at what he does and you can truly tell that he loves his job. He’s so funny and he can make a joke about anything.”

18 Spotlight April 7, 2017

Counselor Scott Gillespie Interview by Daisy Smith

Photo by Morgan Clark

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Why do you teach?

“I did not actually like Spanish in high school. When I went to college though, I was still forced to take a foreign language so I stuck with Spanish. After taking several Spanish courses at the college level I thought I could do a better job than my high school Spanish teachers did, so I decided to go into teaching.”

What is your passion?

“My passion is teaching. Around my seventh year I questioned if I was in the right place. I revisited why I became a teacher and realized that I was exactly where I was meant to be. Right now, I am working on my third year of getting my Doctorate and a degree in Curriculum and Instruction. I hope to teach people how to be teachers at the University level someday.”

How have you grown?

“In my seventh year of teaching, I had a very high fail rate. I didn’t have enough tools in my toolbox to know how to reach everybody and that was very frustrating for me. I started researching on my own and decided to switch from doing a ‘one size fits all’ lesson plan to meeting students at their level of readiness and helping them grow from there.”

Lauren Tali’s thoughts...

“Mrs. Stephens is the best teacher I know at this school. I’ve learned so much from her including some life lessons. She makes things easier in Spanish, so if a concept is really hard she really knows how to break it down so that everyone understands it.”

Teacher

Charity Stephens Interview by Delaney Tarpley

Spotlight April 7, 2017

Photo by Mara Fryer

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FIND THE END OF THE FLOWER PATCH

20 Games April, 7 2017

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OFF TO WORK THEY GO LHS Students Describe Their UNIQUE Jobs STORY BY: KATIE MOON AND HALEY STEPHENSON Hi Ho, Hi Ho! It’s off to work for these LHS students. While these students are able to balance schoolwork, social lives and outside activities, having a job can make ordinary life more stressful and difficult. At LHS, 77% of students who answered The Bell poll have a

job, most of which are food service/ retail. However, some students have made it their mission to go above and beyond the call of the average worker. They enjoy their unique jobs and say the positives and negatives balance out.

21 InDepth April 7, 2017

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Story continued from page 21 Marcus Tresenriter

Currently working in the KC Food Truck Mafia and volunteering for Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, junior Marcus Tresenriter appreciates the experience he gains from his hours of work. At Pleasant

Tresenriter said. “When those skills come together we can accomplish some pretty awesome things. In the food trucks, you are a part of a tiny team that can do big things, so you are important.”

Danielle Staples

Junior Danielle Staples has taken her love of animals to explore a unique job field that many students don’t know is available to them.

“I work at the zoo and at Worlds of Fun,” Staples said. “At the zoo, I volunteer to present bio facts which is skulls and pelts to the guests. During the summer I work with the Zookeepers to take care of the animals.”

Staples, like many other students, uses the opportunities

Photo by Hannah Leonard

Erica Schmitz

Senior Erica Schmitz never meant to start a small business, especially not one that would have LHS demanding her attention. However, Schmitz’s passion for what she does truly motivates her to further and better her work in multimedia design.

“I do pretty much anything people need me to do,” Schmitz said. “I’ve reformatted power points, I freelance video edits, do portrait sessions, manage websites and social media managements.

Anything that someone needs me to do.”

Schmitz has one thing in common with other students who have extraordinary jobs and that’s the amount of experience that she’s getting while still completing her high school education.

“I think that it’s giving me experience that many people don’t have and that will set me apart from other job candidates,” Schmitz said. “So, if I ever want to go into a traditional work force, I will have this experience and I will be able to bring that with me. Right now I’m looking to expand my random jobs to a business and make it full time.”

Being self employed lets Schmitz enjoy the advantages that come with it and doesn’t leave her with a job she dreads.

“I like being able to interact with people and pick my own hours,” Schmitz said.

“If I want to hangout with friends I can choose to work at a different time of day.

That can range from super early in the morning, or really late at night. I can be flexible and actually do the activities that I love to do.

There’s really nothing that I dislike about it.”

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InDepth April 7, 2017

Photo by Morgan Clark

Valley he runs the tech and has begun to get involved with bigger projects. He also works in numerous food trucks preparing food, cooking and performing other tasks often seen in restaurants.

“Working with Pleasant Valley is a whole new kind of future preparation,” Tresenriter said. “I have done so many things that some employers couldn’t even fathom doing, whereas others see them as small in comparison. I feel like everything I do now is experience. It’s a second ‘hands on’ school in a way. Food service can get you a job just about anywhere. A lot of the job market is food service and with the experience I gain from the trucks, I may be able to go bigger someday.”

When working alongside other people, teamwork becomes one of the most important techniques to getting things done for Tresenriter.

“Everyone has their own skill sets,”

Photo by Ashley Ritter

given to her by her parents.

“My dad works at the zoo, so I applied there and I got in,” Staples said. “I actually want to go into zookeeping so this job will be a good experience. I actually got to pet a rhino and help train the lions. Most of the time I’m just cleaning though.”

Although Staples gets to spend her days with many exotic animals, her volunteering does not come without drawbacks.

“My favorite thing about my job is that I get a lot of experience and I get to meet a lot of people from the Kansas City area that I wouldn’t have met otherwise,” Staples said. “My least favorite thing would probably be having to walk around the zoo all day smelling like a barn.”

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Mitchell Neth

For sophomore Mitchell Neth, IT work is second nature. According to Neth, combining school, the place where he spends seven hours a day and his skills in technology made sense.

“I work for the Liberty Public School district as a student IT person,” Neth said. “Basically after school everyday I go and work at numerous buildings around the districts and do small stuff.

I fix chromebooks, I make sure that the projectors in every classroom are clean and I do general mass tasks.”

Working for a school district, particularly one as fast paced as LPS, has its challenges.

“My least favorite part of my job is that it is kind of the smaller and grimier tasks,” Neth said. “I get the ones that the higher paid people don’t want to do and some tasks may take you a day and some may take you three weeks.”

Despite the difficulties the faculty faces, the advantages outweigh the obstacles of working with schools and keeping them in the best condition.

“My favorite part is my hours,” Neth

upgrades coming our way.”

As a member of the working class, Neth possesses a plethora of advice for those new to the workforce.

“I was really blessed with the job opportunity that I was given and my best piece of advice is that no matter what field of work you’re placed in, work your hardest at it,” Neth said. “The respect that you build with others is really valuable.

Whether it be food service or retail, I think it’s very important to adapt to the environment that you’re in.”

venture or with family and friends.”

As he continues to spend long nights improving his business, Davisson finds time between the accounting, marketing and labor to give back to the community that made his business possible.

“I plan on doing some volunteer work later this year,” Davisson said. “However, I do donate money to charity. This year I will be donating $500 to charity to give back to a community that has given so much to me.”

Gary Davisson

Counselor Greg Casel, the person behind the LHS job fair, has a lot of advice for students new to the workforce, or those who are unsure of where to start.

“I think the best jobs for highschool students are ones that fit their interests and their skills,” Casel said. “There is usually some self-assessment that needs to occur, such as determining if you are friendly and comfortable with people. Many students like this choose to be a server at a restaurant or some other customer-related field. If someone isn’t as comfortable with that yet, something like working in a warehouse or stocking shelves may limit the interaction with people.”

Some young students hoping to work may feel as though they don’t have as much to contribute as those with more experience, however Casel refutes that common ideology.

“Becoming the best possible employee starts with really understanding what their boss or employer expects from them and then fulfilling those expectations,” Casel said. “Employees are hired because they have specific needs, so if you fulfill them then you are a positive for that organization.”

A consistent trend often seen in high school students is the lack of time.

Students endure seven hours of school and then many go off to extracurricular activities. For junior Gary Davisson, he spends his time running and operating his business, Gary’s Lawn Services LLC. “My job consumes most of my life,” Davisson said. “I usually will stay up to 1 a.m. working on the business and figuring out how to grow it even more.”

Between school and work, students are faced with the challenge of balancing in their social life. Whether they enjoy staying in to play video games or going out with their friends, there is often a lack of opportunity to do so.

Photo by Ashley Ritter

said. “I get to pick what hours I work and there’s no work on weekends because it is a school district. It’s also only after school and it pays pretty well so I really enjoy it.

It’s a really good resume builder, being able to say that I worked for a school district. It shows that you’re really able to manage an environment like ours.”

Neth also works firsthand with the new advancements consistently being sent LHS’ way and is able to get the inside scoop as to what’s to come.

“Things work really fast in our district and most students don’t see that,” Neth said. “This summer there’s a lot of new

InDepth April 7, 2017

Photo by Haley Stephenson

“Balancing school and social life is tough,” Davisson said. “I am usually so busy during the week, I don’t hang out with friends too much, if at all. I am trying to grow the business to where I have people doing the work for me and I am just the one that manages it all, so I can spend more time on my next business

Greg Casel

MR. CASEL’S JOB ATTAINING TIPS: 1. Dress appropriately 2. Be friendly 3. Be helpful 4. Develop necessary skills

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My Flock Editorial by Editor in Chief Hannah Leonard

What a crazy senior year it’s been. The advanced classes, having a job and late night piles of homework can be more than exhausting and at times have me itching to walk across the graduation stage sooner rather than later. However, there is one

Photo by Lacy Williams

aspect of high school that I will never forget. It’s what has made school bearable and even enjoyable: my friends. Without my newspaper family and lunch table possie, the past four years would have felt more like eight.

First I have the shy girl who I’ve known since I was six and grew up with. Then there is the silly blonde I had every class with for the second half of the day freshman year. Last year came my boss who may be younger than me (and I’m 18) who I also call “buddy.” This year I was introduced to the techie guy who can fix anything from a faulty light, to a bad day.

My Blue Jay squad never lets me forget that we are in this together and can always make me laugh when I need it the most.

Sophomore year changed my high school career for the better. I took the best class that to me, LHS has to offer,

and met some of my best friends as well as my mentor. Newspaper class never feels like school; it feels like a break from school where my friends and I put together a newspaper for fun. There are definitely stressors that come with every publication, but even the worst class period of newspaper beats the best class throughout the rest of the day. I have the staff and Oyler to thank for that. We make up our own ways to cope with the neverending workload from issue to issue and I can never thank them enough for being my support system through it all.

It’s hard to think that there is only a month left of seeing these incredible people every day but I am confident my friendships with them will last beyond that. So here is my thank you to my Blue Jay flock, the people who made high school an experience of a lifetime.

Joke’s On You Editorial by Managing Editor Emily Johannes

Everyone loves a good joke, right? Wrong.

I’ve never understood why April Fool’s Day is such a great day. Kids in elementary school would take it as a chance to be mean and make

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Opinion April 7, 2017

Photo by Lacy Williams

fun of people or make others look stupid.

That’s probably the reason I’m not a big fan of it today.

My family doesn’t really prank each other, so we have always avoided the “holiday” at home so feelings don’t get hurt and to make sure it doesn’t get taken too far. With two younger siblings, that’s a near impossibility, but it’s worked thus far. I can think of a few times where they tried to prank me once or twice, mostly involving the element of surprise to make me say stupid things, like the always classic “updog” joke or jumping out at me from inside my closet. However, to be fair, I probably started that one.

I’m a fairly oblivious person, so jokes often go right over my head. If anyone remembers the “icup” joke from first grade, they were probably a real fun 7-year-old. Unfortunately for me, I fell

for that joke more than once. It’s really embarrassing to be standing in line, getting hit with that joke, responding without thinking and having at least four people laugh uproariously at your stupidity.

For that reason, jokes and pranks have never really been my thing, simply because I would always feel the pain of those jokes. The worst part was when I would try and turn the jokes used on me on other people. It would never go well, as my execution of those jokes was sloppy and rushed. In addition to being oblivious, I am also the least subtle person I’ve ever met. Both of these things combined signaled bad news for me. Now at least I can say the obliviousness has somewhat faded, but the dislike of jokes has remained.

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Hello, It’s Me

Editorial by Copy/Opinion Editor Lacy Williams

I’m a vintage hobo. Definition: I’m a person who has many friends in multiple friend groups with a personal style ranging from the 1920s to 2017. I’m not just a strange duck, but I do have my quirks.

Photo by Chrystian Noble

Through my entire life, I have never had a set group of friends. I have always just enjoyed being friends with a variety of people. That in itself opened a lot of doors for me. My freshman year I was on the high school volleyball team. Sophomore year I was a Duloc Dancer in Shrek.

Junior year I was the vice president of German club. This year I’m a main editor for the newspaper as well as a section leader in choir. These opportunities and diverse activities have shaped me to have an open mindedness towards ideas and people, as well as having a full awareness of the importance of high school.

I have a vintage style partly because I know it’s not like anyone else’s. Everyone is special, right? Well, I just happens to be from the 50s. That specific style allows me to be me. For example, my prom dress

this year is from the 1920s and screams my name all over. I LOVE IT. Who else is going to have a dress like that? Ummm no one, (I win).

Another strange quirk I have is my infamous quote book. I randomly write down things my friends say. Most of the time they’re taken completely out of context and make no sense, but I think that’s why it’s special. I’m able to look back at it and remember those great moments. I’m glad that’s something I can take with me for the rest of my life.

My point in all this is it’s okay to love who you are because that’s who you are.

Try new things. Enjoy different people.

Do things that make you happy, even if it’s something people might raise an eyebrow at. It’s okay to stand out, it makes life all the more worth it.

The Earth is Dropping Hints

Editorial by Ads Manager Daryl Gichui

I’m pretty fond of the outdoors, even though most of the time I spend in it is while I’m running, sweating and gasping for air. I love flower gardens, pretty parks and any nature documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman. However, you probably know that lately the environment has been a little moody.

Opinion April 7, 2017

Photo by Lacy Williams

Hurricanes, earthquakes, heatwaves and blizzards are happening more often worldwide. Even here it wasn’t too uncommon for us to miss days or weeks of school because of a foot of snowfall, but nowadays the closest thing we can get to school being canceled is “Icemaggedon.”

On top of that, the weekly weather is more unpredictable. One day it’s 70 degrees and sunny and by the end of the week it’s 20 degrees and there’s an inch of snow on the ground.

Lately, the planet has been dropping plenty of hints that it’s not in a good mood. It’s scary thinking about what Earth will be like 20, 30 or 40 years from now. Will national parks and landscapes be a thing of the past? Will cute sneezing pandas and cute sneezing panda videos go extinct? Will the cocoa shortage put all the chocolate companies out of business for good and ruin Halloween forever?

I don’t have the answers to all these questions, but what I do know is that I can

try to do small things here and there to help give back to the earth, like recycling or taking shorter showers. Most of the time though, I feel like what I do is not enough to cause any real change since trash I picked up today will probably be replaced by more trash tomorrow.

What stinks, besides all the overfilled landfills, of course, is that most of these environmental issues don’t have simple fixes. My expectation is that the world doesn’t wait for a huge natural disaster to happen before doing anything to fix this big blue planet that we’ve been hitching a ride on for the past 200,000 years.

I’ll definitely keep doing my part by recycling, carpooling or using those cool looking eco-friendly lightbulbs, and I hope others like me don’t feel like their efforts have no affect on the grand scheme of things.

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Does LHS Do Enough to be Eco-Friendly?

Editoral by Riley Kelley Earth Day is coming up faster than you can say “recycling.” April is an opportune time for reflection on the current state of the environment, especially in places with high levels of energy and paper consumption, such as high schools. The Bell staff took time to reflect on what LHS does to be eco-friendly and questioned whether or not we should be doing more.

Staff members discussed the many different tactics that LHS uses to be more eco-friendly. Many agreed that during their time in the Liberty Public School District, they have never been in a classroom without a recycling bin.

At LHS, our special education students come around the school to empty these bins on a daily basis. There are recycling bins present in every classroom, in the hallways, under the printers in the LMC and a large one for community use outside of the building. What many students may not realize, as pointed out by one teacher, is that the school district installed ecofriendly lightbulbs in every classroom to save energy. Staff members pointed

out that many teachers are conscious of energy consumption, keeping one set of lights off during class and only leaving the projectors on when it is necessary.

In addition, flex spaces were built with whiteboards on the walls to save scratch paper.

However, many teachers noticed that although there are many opportunities to be eco-friendly at LHS, there are a lot of students who simply do not take advantage of them. Although the recycling bins are useful, there is a large population of students who have not been educated on what kind of materials can be recycled.

When unrecyclable materials are placed in the recycling bin, it damages the effectiveness of the recyclable material.

Another staff member pointed out that the district cancels out some efforts to be eco-friendly by serving lunches on styrofoam trays, only to be thrown away by thousands of students every week and then sent to landfills. Also, staff members noted that many classes print hundreds of copies of assignments to complete and

throw away once it has been graded. The new printer kiosk system in the library, although somewhat inconvenient, saves students from the mistake of accidentally printing too many copies of one paper.

The Bell staff unanimously decided that LHS does not do enough to be ecofriendly. Providing opportunities to be eco-friendly to students without providing education on how to take advantage of these opportunities is ineffective.

Staff members also recognized it is a characteristic of teenagers to detach themselves from issues they feel do not pertain directly to them. It was agreed that part of this awareness needs to be educating students on how they are affected by environmental harm and how they could directly benefit from ecofriendly efforts. One staff member pointed out that high school sets up habits for the rest of our lives and it’s important to teach eco-friendly habits to high schoolers so they continue to help the environment going forward.

Staff Vote: Yes: 0 No: 22 Illustration by Daryl Gichui

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The articles in this section do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the entire Bell staff. Please feel free to comment, compliment or criticize anything you see in this section in a Letter to the Editor at lwil1524@student.lps53.org

Opinion April 7, 2017

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Jabber Photos by Jack Barreca, McKenna Hegger and Isabella Siefkas

After a long day I like to wrap myself in a blanket and shout compliments at my dog -@johnaaaayyyy

You can’t spell La La Land wothout 3 L’s #Oscars -@TheOfficialAmos

Hi my name is Connor and I have an unhealthy obsession with Mod Pizza@ConnorWilcox

My teacher just started dancing to a remix version of Kahoot music. How’s your Friday going?

-@Kelseykmpkmp

The baristas at Starbucks know me by name & asked how the show was last weekend. Is that a sign I’m in here too much?

-@mollyraeanne

Love starting the day with @DannyDeVitoMom and @emmaabigail13 showing everyone the video of when they made me cry on my birthday -@addison_henson

27 Jabber April 7, 2017

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Shakin’ Things Up The review of four local places to get milkshakes.

Story by Zahra Kahn and Annika Fuller

Photos by Zahra Khan

My first stop was Freddy’s, which was pretty empty for a Thursday night. I was excited to try their shakes since I usually get their ice cream. The place was really clean. When I walked to the counter to order the woman working there kindly greeted me. I ordered the chocolate shake, regular, with a burger and some fries. The

price was very reasonable for its size, $2.20. One thing that disappointed me was that Freddy’s didn’t have many options for shakes, they only had vanilla and chocolate. On the other hand, the custard shake was very creamy and delicious.

Another thing that disappointed me was the shake was really thick. Overall the

shake was really creamy and smooth and tasted great with a burger and some fries.

The service was great and my shake came out pretty fast. It was a good amount for the size I got. I will definitely go back to Freddy’s. I rate this shake three and a half, out of five, cherries.

I had really high hopes for Sheridan’s since I have been there so many times.

When I walked there it was quite empty on that Thursday night. The cashier waited patiently for me as I decided what shake I wanted to order. Sheridan’s had several options for shakes such as mint, espresso, chocolate,

vanilla, Oreo and any other type of shake you can think of. I ordered a regular Oreo shake which was 16 oz. It was a good amount for me. The shake came out just a bit slower than I expected and was a little more expensive at $4.20, but the wait was worth it. The outside environment wasn’t the best since Sheridan’s faces the road,

it’s always busy and loud. But other than that, the shake was creamy, sweet and the tiny chunks of Oreo made it even better.

I will most definitely go back and get this shake again. Overall the service was great and the shake was amazing. I rate this shake four cherries.

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Above: Freddy’s is located at 9800 NE Barry Road in Kansas City. Below: Sheridans is located at 602 South State Route 291 in Liberty.

A&E April 7, 2017

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Photos by Annika Fuller

Sonic was at its height when servers rolled out to deliver food on rollerblades, but now with the servers simply walking, I’ve put more pressure on the taste of their food. On a Friday night I parked my car in one of the stalls to revel in the beautiful side view of O’Reilly Auto Parts. Their menu options are wide and exciting with your classic Oreo choices, or a shake that is supposed to taste like lavender. I ordered a small strawberry cheesecake

milkshake for around $3.00. The only issue I found with ordering at Sonic was parking your car at the perfect distance from the red button you have to push to order. If you park too close then you run the risk of hitting your side mirror, but too far and you’re going to have to stick half your body out of your window in hopes no one from school is watching.

The shake took around 10 minutes, which was enough time for me to build it up in

my mind. In the first sip I was surprised by how strong the cheesecake taste was, but then relieved that I could find some taste of strawberry. After drinking all of it, my jaw and tongue were sore because of how much effort it took to get the shake through the straw. Nevertheless, the chunks of strawberries and graham cracker crumbs made up for the face workout and made me wish for summer nights. I rate this shake three, out of five, cherries.

If Steak ‘n Shake isn’t the epitome of America I don’t know what is. The booths may be a little sticky, but the atmosphere screams to any customer to come on in and eat as much as you can fit in your stomach and save in your ball cap for later. Their menu has everything from fruit milkshakes to fudge brownie. I arrived in the afternoon on a Wednesday, was seated

quickly and was waited on patiently. I chose the peanut butter chocolate shake and waited only a couple of minutes before the one-size ice cream delight of my dreams came to the table. While it looked delicious, it didn’t have the chocolate sauce on the whipped cream as it did in the picture. Nevertheless, it was at the perfect consistency to easily glide

through the straw with every so often giving me a slightly frozen ice cream surprise. It tasted strongly of peanut butter with hints of chocolate. Overall, delicious and only $3.69. The word shake is in their name for a reason. I rate this four, out of five cherries.

Above: Sonic is located at 615 S State Route 291 in Liberty. Below: Steak ‘n Shake is located at 9500 NE Barry Road in Kansas City.

A&E April 7, 2017

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Spring Style

What are YOU wearing?

Names Clockwise: Anthony Christofano, Claire Davis, Lilly Holt, Grace Buehler, Malia Kaaiakamanu, Dashiza Jordan, and Jake Kane.

Photos By Teegan Saunders Jenna Axsom Kate Marshall

30 Style April, 7 2017

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$12 HAIRCUTS EVERY TUESDAY

$3.00 OFF Lunch

With Purchase of 2 Luncehs Lunches & 2 Drinks

NOT VALID WITH OTHER OFFERS. EXPIRES 4/30/17

$4.00 OFF Dinner

With Purchase of 2 Dinners & 2 Drinks NOT VALID WITH OTHER OFFERS. EXPIRES 4/30/17

290 S. 291 Hwy. Liberty, MO 816-792-2737

CALL AHEAD FOR CARRY OUT

HaNg Loose, Eat LoNGBoards!

1173 West Kansas Street, Liberty, MO 64068

(816) 407-9528

Athletes of

Kyle Rogers Interview by Jenna Spence

“I started doing pole vault January of my freshman year, so I have been doing it for a little over three years. I was a gymnast for ten years before that, but I had an injury that ended my career. My work ethic is that I am very self motivated; I do what I have to do to be my best. My career so far has been a success.”

-Kyle Rogers

Photo by Ashley Ritter

Grade: Senior Height: 5’11” Event: Pole Vault Favorite Food: Lasagna

“He is always trying to pick people up and make them push the hardest that they can.

If you are unable to do something, he is always there to help you. Outside of practice, he is still in the gym working out and getting better. The thing that I admire the most about him is his work ethic. He is going to do really well this season.”

-Junior Bryce Weber “Over the past four years of our experiences together, Kyle has proven to be an outstanding athlete, an excellent teammate with his peers, and an excellent student as well.

He is our current school record holder, two time Missouri All State Pole Vaulter finishing second place his sophomore and junior years and recipient of All American Honors, likewise. Both Kyle and myself are rather excited for his last season.”

-Coach Wayne Washburn

Kaitlyn Lewis Interview by Caroline Parry

“I used to race my neighbor when I was little. He was already on a track team, but when I raced him I would always beat him. I just started to get into track and it’s a lot of fun.

I definitely like the competition, I’m a very competitive person. The girls are funny and they make the workouts enjoyable. Freshman and sophomore year at state were good memories. ” -Kaitlyn Lewis “I really enjoy running with her. We went to state together and we had a great time.

Kaitlyn is definitely a leader and she is always positive. She brings great skill, knowledge and leadership. She always finds a way to make practice fun. She influences me to always work hard and that it’s going to be okay after a hard workout.”

-Junior Precious Black “Kaitlyn is one of the best athletes I have ever coached and she is extremely talented. She has a strong work ethic and listens to instructions. From freshman year and sophomore year she has gotten better times and improved on her events. She is fun to watch and she always does her best. She expects a lot from her teammates, but is not harsh and critical to her teammates. She is just a great leader.”

-Coach Pamela Koch

32 Sports April 7th, 2017

Photo by Caitlyn Pearson

Grade: Junior Height: 5’6” Best Event: 400 Favorite Food: Lobster Macaroni and Cheese lhsnews.net

the Month

Braxton Bragg Interview by Jenna Spence

“I have been playing baseball for about 10 years now. Before high school, it was more learning, while high school is more about winning. I haven’t had much of a varsity career yet, but hopefully the future is bright for me. This upcoming season I can see myself hitting and pitching varsity, which is probably my favorite experience so far. I would like to play college baseball.”

-Braxton Bragg “Outside of baseball, Braxton is a funny, outgoing guy; he is really fun to hang out with. He works really hard on his game. He is one of those guys who is always there for you, he always puts the team first and he is a really hard worker at what he does. He is a great pitcher. He can always make practice really fun. The fact that he is so goofy and so funny makes everyone else around him chill out.”

-Sophomore Nathan Gray “Braxton has tremendous focus and competitiveness on the baseball field which contributes to his success. Braxton’s competitive drive rubs off on his teammates which makes practice very competitive and fun to be a part of. We expect him to be a part of the winning tradition we have in the baseball program.”

-Coach Vince Armilio

Photo by Mara Fryer

Grade: Sophomore Height: 6’1” Position: First Base & Pitcher Favorite Food: Steak

Caroline Crawford Interview by Caroline Parry

“We had early morning and preseason workouts. I’m excited for the meets and trying to qualify for state. I ran track last year. My dad ran it in college and he gets me stronger. I’m going to try to make the 4 x 400, high jump, long jump and I might run the 200 meter. I like competing because I’m a very competitive person. My favorite memory from track is setting the school record in high jump last year.”

-Caroline Crawford “She has a great personality and she is always positive. She has done really well this season too. Caroline brings a lot of characteristic such as, jumping, sprinting and she’s a good runner. I like her personality; it motivates me to become better.”

-Sophomore Thale Yderstad Photo by Ashley Ritter

Grade: Freshman Height: 6’3” Best Event: High Jump Favorite Food: Pasta Sports April 7th 2017

“She really wants to do well. She is wanting feedback from the coach and wanting to make sure she is doing everything right. She is wanting to learn and be competitive.

It’s always nice to have a freshman come in who is always competitive. She has a good work ethic and it rubs off on everyone else too. She was interested in jumping and we don’t have a lot of jumpers, so having a freshman come in wanting to jump is exciting.”

-Coach Pamela Koch

33 lhsnews.net

Crazy (Fast) Legs The track team gets ready to kick off a new season Story by Paige Twenter Students joke about running away from their responsibilities and for some at LHS, they actually get to. For the Track & Field team, their legs are crazy fast and their heads and hopes are held high.

In 2016, the Track & Field team ran past the finish line and won districts, conference and finished ninth at State. Not only did Varsity do well but both JV and the freshman team also accomplished wins at conference.

“Last year’s season was a lot of fun and we really performed well as an entire team with sprints, mid, distance, jumps, javelin and throws,” senior Claire Reedy said. “As a whole I hope that our team can recreate last year’s drive and ambition to reach even higher goals.”

Currently the Track & Field coaches are organizing and reconstructing their teams, since some State runners from last year graduated. It takes a couple of weeks to arrange 75-odd runners into eight subgroups, mostly relying on time trials.

“It seems like it’s hard in the beginning because there are so many girls and usually a lot of new people and they’re new to the sport,” coach Pam Koch said.

“There’s a lot of organization from all of our parts in trying to figure out what is the best fit for everyone and then you kind of move forward.”

Track & Field is like a 100-piece puzzle, there are many different subgroups and coaches and puzzle pieces all involved in

Photo by Mercedes Peck

the sport. At the end of the day the entire team comes together and their individual contributions all fit and create the whole picture. To achieve that, the coaches and runners have similar overall plans for the season.

“My coaching style stays the same,” Koch said. “For varsity girls, it’s pushing them, tweaking the fine parts of it, setting goals, and still enjoying the sport. For JV and freshmen, it’s more about learning the fundamentals and to continue improving.

Change is based on the group and what they need which can change from week to week.”

Mid-Distance coach Aresa Grace has both a team-style of coaching and an individual-style.

“My coaching style is a team motivational approach,” Grace said.

“We will work hard on the track and off.

Each member of the Mid-Distance team has an accountability partner to help keep one another motivated, on task and positive. Each individual athlete has their own unique motivators, with that said; individual needs are addressed which at times takes a softer approach to coaching or more firm approach.”

Practices fluctuate between each subgroup and what each runner needs.

They all meet as an entire group once a week but are for the most part with their own sections. They practice everyday after school and as the season progresses, morning runs are added into the schedule.

Those are mainly the only continuities and consistencies, with everything else played by ear and different every day.

After placing everyone, the coaches also discuss with their distinctive subgroup about individual goals and team goals to set a clear direction and plan for the season.

These high energy and flexible practices are all to prepare for the major meets/ events of the season, which include KU Relays, conference, districts, sectionals and state.

Photo by Chrystian Noble

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Above: sophomore Kate Schmidt practices high jump. Below: senior Derek Johnson stretches before practice.

Sports April 7, 2017

lhsnews.net

Photo by Mercedes Peck

For each runner or field-player, there are many reasons for enjoying the sport.

“For long jump and triple jump my favorite part is to improve on just the little stuff that I can do better as far as technique goes,” senior Kaiden Hulett said. “My favorite part about long jump is being able to fly through the air. I like being counted on by my team and I like counting on my team for the relays.”

For sophomore and former State runner Maddie Hill, running has been an aspect of her life since fourth grade.

“I love the fact that you can keep on pushing yourself and getting better,” Hill said. “It’s kind of one of those sports that challenges you mentally and you have to push yourself and even when it gets hard you have to really tell yourself that you can do it. I just fell in love with running and the success that I could have with it.”

Some similarities between Track & Field and other sports at LHS are teamwork, trust and talent. On the other hand, Track & Field is actually quite different than a typical team sport because there are no breaks or timeouts, once the gun fires runners have only one chance.

“The event is a lot shorter than other sports games, but the meet is a lot longer,” Reedy said. “There are individual events, but track is still a team sport because you have relays and your teammates are truly your family. Everyone is there for each other and really tries to cheer each other on, especially events that aren’t so easily seen.”

Everyone has a get-away hobby, whether that be reading, gardening, or even sleeping. For runners at LHS, their getaway is the feeling of their feet pounding on the track and their heart beating in their chests.

“Track affects my life in a good way, once you fall in love with something and you can’t wait to do it, it’s like your getaway hobby,” Hulett said.

Photo by Mercedes Peck

“If you’re having problems at home, if you’re stressed at school, you look forward to going to track.”

For others, it’s simply the lessons and practices implemented on the field that affect them in their everyday lives.

“Track helps me to value life more,” Reedy said. “It shows you how to push through pain and exceed your limitations.” .

Photo by Mercedes Peck

Top left: freshman Michael Book and junior Ale Diaz race during practice. Top right: Senior Sarah Parrott, junior Brianna Goszewski and Tasia Saxton run sprints during practice. Bottom: freshman Caroline Crawford practices high jump.

Sports April 7, 2017

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Let Your Flag Fly

Color Guard team brings home some hardware at world competition.

Story by Elizabeth Gammon

The Color Guard team takes turns tossing sabers, flags, and rifles to create an very unique aesthetic. Color Guard is a sport that is definitely different in its own ways.

Practices are usually Tuesdays and Thursdays 5:30 to 8:30 at Lillian Schumacher. The team is coached by Lauren Walls and Emily Simpson. Practice makes perfect but cleaning up routines can get tedious.

“Sometimes practices are very stressful,” freshman Kelly Bui said. “But there are other times where we have lots of fun and get a lot of work done.”

Practices can be tough but are necessary.

Some members of Color Guard favor the practices.

“My favorite part of guard is probably the practices,” junior Meghan Kuhl said.

“I like when we get to clean the new work that we get and just have fun with it.”

The end product is very important to the entirety of Color Guard. Different people start out with different strengths and the

Photo by Mercedes Peck

use of the varied props can aid the person in becoming more well rounded.

“We constantly switch between the props for the entire team,” Bui said. “People do all three, some people only do flag and

rifle, some people only do flag and saber and some people only do flag, like me.”

Color Guard has a very strong team that many have considered a second family.

Their skill carries on into competitions and performances in general.

“Right now it’s Winter Guard season and so far we have won first place for our first three competitions,” sophomore Maddie Boram said.

“Recently we went to WGI which is a big world competition where a lot of different guards come. We got fifth out of eight, which is pretty good because we got bumped up to a higher region so it was a little harder competition. During color guard season we won second and I think we won trophy for that.”

The team values respect and being accepting toward one another.

“I think a very important part of color guard is working as a team,” junior Logan Marley said. “Doing everything together makes it a really good show.”

Photo by Mercedes Peck

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Above: junior Jamie Hughes stands guard during a rehearsal of a competition routine. Below: The Winter Guard team prepares their routine before heading off to a competition.

Sports April 7, 2017

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Sports Calendar Baseball

Track

Men’s Golf

April 7 - Varsity @ Raytown

April 3 - Women @ Lee’s Summit North

April 8 - Varsity @ Liberty Hills

April 8 - Varsity @ Lee’s Summit April 10 - Varsity Truman April 15 - Varsity Oak Park

April 3 - Men Liberty High School April 7 - Men/Women @ Staley

April 10 - Men @ Lee’s Summit April 18-22 - Varsity tournament vs North Oak Park April 10 - Women @ Lee’s Summit April 24 - Varsity St. Joseph Central April 13 - Men/Women April 26 - Varsity @ Liberty North @ Lee’s Summit North April 28 - Varsity Park Hill South April 29 - Varsity @ Blue Springs

Men’s Tennis April 11 - vs Liberty North

April 10 - Varsity @ Lakewood April 14 - Varsity @ Shoal Creek April 19 - Varsity @ SJCC April 21 - Varsity @ Shirkey April 24 - Varsity/JV @ Paradise Point

April 17 - Women Liberty High School April 18 - Men @ Rockhurst

Women’s Soccer

April 18 - Women @ St.Teresa’s Academy

April 3 - Varisty/ JV Liberty North

April 21-22 - Men/Women @ University of Kansas April 28 - Men/Women @ Blue Springs

April 4 - Varsity/ JV @ Park Hill South Apil 11 - Varsity/ JV @ Raytown April 13 - Varsity/ JV @ Truman

April 13 - vs Lee’s Summit West

April 17 - Varsity/ JV Park Hill

April 18 - @ Park Hill South

April 20 - Varsity/ JV St. Joeseph Central

April 19 - @ Lee’s Summit North April 25 - vs Rockhurst April 27 - vs Lee’s Summit Sports April 7, 2017

April 25 - Varsity/ JV @ Liberty North April 26 - Varsity/ JV Staley

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Which banner is YOUR favorite?

Cary Morris’ Graphic Design I classes are competing to design The Bell’s new banner for our Website at lhsnews.net. Here are the top 10 finalists.

Let us know which one you think we should use for the 2017-2018 school year.

VOTE today in our Google poll in your student email!

Design by Drake Persinger

Design by Madison Kudrna

Design by Jenna Spence

Design by Lane McBroom

Design by Kinsley Manns

38 April 7, 2017

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Design by Tyler Miller

Design by Maxwell Minette

Design by Jeremy Crooks

Design by Dylan Love

Design by Caleb Ahart

Vote today for your favorite new LHSNews.net banner. Find the poll in your email today!

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