AUGUST 2022 VOLUME 99 | NO. 1 Cover by Kaiya Lynch
A Lynch
Opinion & Features Editor | Jenna Shores Spotlight Editor & Photo Jay Equipment Manager | Victorya Wilkinson
Editor in Chief, Copy & Design Editor | Kaiya Lynch Managing, A&E & Online Editor | Lucy Boyle News & Sports Editor | Brodey Hutton Indepth Editor | Hadley Cotton Reporters Brodie Jobe Photo Jay Richard Burns HaleyLizzyDillardGarr
This school year marks the first “normal” one for high school students as all mandates have been removed, but teens are still recovering from the pandemic and other changes (pg 14). With this in mind, to quote Eleanor Roosevelt, “you must do the things you think you cannot do.”
CORRECTION: In the May 2022 issue, alum Kymon Warman’s opinion column was printed in place of alum Caty Franklin’s. In alum Amanda Seggerman’s spotlight article, her last name was left out and alum Caden Conrick’s name was mispelled in his feature article. THE BELL 20222
| AUGUST
LETTER THE EDITOR
fter spending the summer break alternating between vacations and work, August has officially returned with the regular rotation of school days. The Class of 2026 is now on campus but are not the only new editions. With the opening of the TikTok-viral Crumbl Cookies (pg 12) and school-wide lunch changes (pg 5), students can expect an exceptional 2022-2023 schoolLHS’year.hidden gem, sophomore Rhys Blatt, talks about his YouTube channel, graphic design and Photoshop in this month’s spotlight (pg 8). Key Club is completely restructured for the first time in 20 years as DMS social studies teacher and sponsor Erin Garvey retires (pg 6). National Spanish Honor Society sponsor and Spanish teacher Astrid Ruiz discusses the future of the club after becoming its new advisor.
STAFF Kaiya
FROM
TABLE OF CONTENTS NEWS 05 FEATURES 06 SPOTLIGHT 08 A&E 10 COSTLY CHANGES THE LUNCHROOMGOVERNMENTFEDERALDISBANDSFUNDINGFORSCHOOLMEALS,CAUSINGCHANGESANDPROBLEMSFORSTUDENTSANDSTAFF BY HADLEY COTTON UNLOCKING NEW DOORS KEY CLUB WELCOMES A NEW SPONSOR AS THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGINS. BY VICTORYA WILKINSON SOPHOMORE RHYS BLATT HOW A STUDENT USES CONTENT CREATION TO EXPLORE HIS PASSION FOR TRICKSHOTS BY BRODEY HUTTON CRUMBL CRAZE HOW HAS AFFECTEDCRUMBLNEWLY-OPENEDTHECOOKIESSTUDENTS? BY JENNA SHORES OPINION OPINION14COLUMNSBYKAIYALYNCH,LUCYBOYLE,CATYFRANKLIN&STAFF 3THE BELL | LHSNEWS.NET SPORTS 13 FRESH FACES ON THE FIELD BY BRODIE JOBE THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS RECRUIT MULTIPLE NEW PLAYERS IN ORDER TO RECONSTRUCT THEIR TEAM Photo by Haley Dillard
4 THE BELL | AUGUST 2022 GAMES
“I definitely think that we will have students who are unable to eat during lunch,” School Social Worker Cathy Mendez said. “But my hope is that that they will still be eating at home. Because there are still a lot of food banks in the community that can help families so that people don’t go without food. If families need help finding those food banks, that’s one of the things that counselors and social workers can do” Before COVID-19 administration had reports about teens stealing food from the cafeteria to sedate their hunger. They also had problems with immense debt among the“Westudents.haven’t had to deal with students stealing food,” Principal Dr. April Adams said. “A lot of times still students will steal food because they’re hungry and so that barrier was takenDuringdown.”the2021-2022 school year, students were able to eat free lunches and breakfasts without worrying about cost. The prices for the 2022-2023 school year will be set and announced after the June board meeting for the LPS 53 school district. Dr. Adams worries this mandate will affect the school.
I
Starting as of the 2022-2023 school year breakfast and lunch meals are back to full cost. “Last school year I really enjoyed being able to eat lunch without having to worry if I had enough money,” sophomore Maddie Jungel said. This change will affect many students drastically but students who qualify for reduced cost meals will have to fill out a meal form located on the LHS website.
n Mar. 2022, Missouri’s federal government announced an end to the free lunch relief packet after the 2021-2022 school year, which came as the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the program ended, the Federal Government and the U.S. Department of Agriculture placed waivers for schools to provide meals to the student population for a total of two years during the pandemic. Summer school lunch prices have risen in both the high school and middle school, they are now costing $2.85 while breakfast isFrom$1.65.going from a free lunch to paying, families’ budgets and livelihoods will be affected, as there will be a loss of $400. There will be students will go without food for hours due to this change. Student response, to the end of the program, shows the impacts.
“I would say the lunch costs should happen gradually over time,” junior Jordan Huynh said.“ I would make snacks and stuff more expensive, instead of directly cutting into all the food.”
There has been an increased worry about underprivileged students’ dedication to school if they are hungry. According to the school social worker, with limited access to a vital substance, many people will feel sluggish, moody and unable to pay attention to the material.
The federal government disbands funding for school meals, causing lunchroom changes and problems for students and staff.
|
I’m in a problem-solving process right now to figure out solutions so that I can continue to take care of kids.” To help aid students who are not able to afford school lunches, the school has set up a free and reduced lunch program. This program continues free lunch and breakfast for the students who apply and qualify. Along with free or discounted food, students will also receive a free or discounted rate for laptop insurance and ACTStudentscosts.must meet a certain household income and resident criteria from the past three months. They can fill the form out during registration or go to the counseling office. “I think it will impact access,” Dr. Adams said. “That is why I’m encouraging everyone, regardless of their family income, to fill out the free and reduced lunch form.”
Reported by Hadley Cotton
Photos by Haley Dillard
COSTLY CHANGES
|
LHSNEWS.NET NEWS5
Designed by Brodey Hutton
“I loved the fact our students were able to access food when they needed it, as much as they wanted,” Dr. Adams said. “They weren’t hungry.
THE BELL 2022 here are so many clubs and one of the more popular ones is Key Club. Students give back to the community, and after 20 years of sponsorship, Discovery Middle School social studies teacher Erin Garvey has decided it is time to hand off her role to someone new. “I am not going to be teaching full-time next year. I want to make sure that Key Club gets the attention it deserves as a premier club.
FEATURES6
Reported by Victorya Wilkinson | Designed by Jenna Shores | Photos by Richard Burns T
| AUGUST
Erin Garvey has decided to hand her position as Key Club sponsor to Astrid Ruiz this year after 20 years of being their sponsor. “I want to make sure that Key Club gets the attention it deserves as a premier club. We have over 150 members and several juniors that will help guide the new sponsor in her first year.”
Key Club welcomes a new sponsor as the school year begins.
Sophomore Kaylen King has been a part of Key Club for one year and
UNLOCKING NEW DOORS
We have over 150 members, and I have several juniors that will help guide the new sponsor in her first year,” Garvey said. Astrid Ruiz will take over the role of sponsor and continue to do the same for the Spanish Honors Society. When she heard that the role needed to be filled she decided to take up the opportunity.“BeforeIdecided to take over the role, I started looking at what the students were able to do. They were always giving back without asking any questions and that is something that I knew I wanted to do,” Ruiz said. “It is a very overwhelming and humbling feeling because they do a lot for the community, and I don’t think everyone understands how much, so when I took the role I was able to learn more about it.”
Throughout her time as club sponsor, Garvey wasable to be a part of many projects
“She is a wonderful person. I have no doubt she will be a good leader,” King said. “She may need help with it being her first year to get on her feet, but I have 100% confidence in her that she will lead amazingly.”
“My favorite part is interacting with my students at the service projects. We have a blast. and I feel like we laugh the entire time. My favorite project was our Snack Pack project. It was the idea of a past member and we have been growing it ever since. Currently, we give 17 bags of food per week to food-insecure students at the Liberty Academy. We fundraise, donate and pack all the food ourselves, we even have our own food pantry at LHS,” Garvey said. These moments and memories have the opportunity to create bonds that can last a lifetime. While in middle school, King was a part of Builders Club which Garvey also sponsored. This club was similar to Key Club, but for students who weren’t in high school. She was part of this club for three years and built a connection with Garvey.
Key Club is not newly founded. In fact, the club was internationally founded in 1925 and was brought to the school in 1993.
“It’s really sad to see her go. I had her as my social studies teacher in eighth grade. She is an amazing teacher and leader, so I’m sad that she is leaving,” King said. Garvey has impacted many people during her years of teaching and sponsoring Key Club.
“I wanted to be a part of the club because I was a leader in my high school’s Key Club and knew a lot about it. I also value community service and want to pass that on to future generations,” Garvey said.
“SHE IS AN AMAZING TEACHER AND LEADER, SO I’M SAD TO SEE HER GO,” KING SAID. life to this club. She has touched so many hearts and lives and led by example, which is something I hope I can also do,” Ruiz said. Farewell messages for Garvey have already been thought of as King finds a way to put into words what she would like her to know.
7LHSNEWS.NET FEATURES met Ruiz through a project she did in EDGE.
“Ms. Garvey has been one of the most influential people, during my middle school experience. She is such an amazing person and leader. I wish her luck in whatever she does,” King said. For more information on Key Club and what they do, visit: k12.mo.us/lhskeyclub/homesites.google.com/student.liberty.
“We appreciate her 20 years of serving this club, with her dedicating almost half of her
“If it includes more than one character, I’ll film each character’s lines in a row, since I’m the only person on set. I’ll sometimes add shots where 2 characters are in the same frame, requiring me to put myself in the video at the same time twice. After filming, I will edit all of the clips up, which will take about an hour, and finish a simple thumbnail which would usually take about 30 minutes,” Blatt said. “I would say the hardest part is actually designing and making the intro because it’s the first part of the video that the viewer sees and you want them to stay after the intro. Sometimes I’ll take a day or more just making the intro.” Making YouTube content is not the only passion of Blatt’s. He is also proficient in Photoshop and graphic design which can sometimes find its way into his videos
ilence--the only noise in the area as he prepares for the shot. His goal is to hear the satisfying plonk of the ball when it reaches its destination. This is something sophomore Rhys Blatt knows well. Beneath his quiet, but well-spoken exterior, Blatt runs his own YouTube channel and Instagram dedicated to trick shots.
How a student uses content creation to explore his passion for trick shots.
Reported by Brodey Hutton
“It gives me a little bit more to do every day because once I finish my homework, I don’t really do anything else,” Blatt said. “I think doing trick shots just gives me something to do until the end of the day.” Blatt uploaded his first video three years ago in June of 2019, where he flipped bottles in increasingly hard situations. Since then, Blatt has 1,180 subscribers and around 60,000 views. Blatt has even achieved an unofficial world record for the longest ping pong shot ever. “It was technically a world record, and it took over five days to complete,” Blatt said of his 40 foot ping pong shot. “Usually, I have minor problems like losing a piece of a tripod or camera that I need but whenever I film something outside, wind can really interfere with trying to hit a shot.” Blatt’s content doesn’t only do trick shots. He has made multiple skits on his channel revolving around common stereotypes in categories like school, quarantine and holidays like Thanksgiving.
SOPHOMORERHYSBLATT
|
Photos by Lizzy Garr
|
Designed by Victorya Wilkinson
With 1,170 subscribers, 50,000 views and an average of 300 likes per video sophomore Rhys Blatt is a YouTube star. He even broke an unofficial world record for the longest ping pong shot. “I make YouTube content like trick shots and things like that,” Blatt said.
THE BELL | AUGUST 20228
S SPOTLIGHT
“I FEEL LIKE RHYS IS A GOOD FRIEND BY THE WAY HE MAKES PEOPLE OWN UP TO THEIR MISTAKES, AS WELL AS BEING THERE FOR THEM AND GIVING ADVICE.”
SPOTLIGHT
“I FEEL LIKE RHYS IS A GOOD FRIEND BY THE WAY HE MAKES PEOPLE OWN UP TO THEIR MISTAKES, AS WELL AS BEING THERE FOR THEM AND GIVING ADVICE.”
Gamer, Photoshop master and YouTuber sophomore Rhys Blatt edits his own videos. Ever since being inspired from other YouTubers such as Dude Perfect, Blatt started making his own videos. “I enjoy making creative videos because I’ve seen some other YouTubers make content like that and I thought it looked fun to do.”
9 when he needs graphics or text.
Blatt uploads a new video every three weeks. To watch Blatt’s content, his YouTube channel can be found at Plenty of Trick Shots, his TikTok is plenty of trick shots, and Instagram can be found at P.O.T.S.100.
LHSNEWS.NET
Aside from posting on YouTube, Blatt also posts other trick shot content on TikTok. He has an Instagram account with 259 followers where he promotes his channel and posts some of his Photoshop work.
“I think his improvement in Graphic Design is mostly due to his interest in art and his hard work,” Graphic Design I and II teacher Andi Morris said. “I hope my class has been a building block for him, as it has given him opportunities to learn new ideas related to design and to refine his skills as a designer, to practice with various projects as well as submit some work to actual clients. It’s been exciting to see his work develop, so I’m very hopeful he continues pursuing his art and design interests.”
“Rhys is always on his grind towards being a full-time YouTuber and with the steps and connections he has, I have no doubt he’ll pass that 2k sub goal or maybe even more,” close friend, sophomore Reivas Bob said. “It’s shocking to me he’s only in 9th grade because his edits are very smooth, especially at his age.”
Reported by Jenna Shores by Lucy
Boyle |
From balling the cookies to dressing them in the toppings and flavors all customers love and have shown through the tremendous lines, a lot goes down in the newly opened crumble cookie kitchen.
Photos by Haley Dillard & Jenna Shores
A&E THE BELL | AUGUST 202210
| Designed
According to the University of Washington, “some studies have found that part-time jobs improve students grades and responsible behaviors, give students an edge in the workforce and make them less likely to drop out of school.”
How has the newly-opened Crumbl Cookies affected students?
According to hbr.org, “a happy and caring culture at work not only improves employee well-being and productivity but also improved client health outcomes and satisfaction. A positive workplace is more successful over time because “Sometimes its really stressful when we run out of cookies, but we just stock them back up.” sophomore Bryn Tobin said.
SUGAR HIGH
eeling the sticky dough in your hands, the smell of cookies baking wafting through the air hearing the anxious and hungry customers next. Feeling their eyes as cookies are being prepared. This is all part of working at the Crumbl Cookies.
People just want Brynsophomorecookies,”theirsaidTobin
F“
“We make, ball, frost, dress and serve cookies. Basically all of it,” freshman and Crumbl employee Bryn Tobin said. “Sometimes its really stressful when we run out of cookies, but we just stock them back up. People just want their cookies!”
“We use an app so you can put in your hours and your availability so it hasn’t really affected my schooling that much because I sign up for what’s convenient for me,” junior Makena Milham said. “I was scheduled to work during school the other day and I had to drop it obviously because I can’t go in during school but that’s about it.”
According to indeed.com, “
The franchise Crumbl Cookies was founded in 2017. The newly-opened Liberty, Missouri store opened May 2022 and is one of 326 locations. This storefront allows for part or full-time jobs with benefits.
“We make cookies so I’d say it’s a lot more fun than most jobs,” M. Tobin said. “There’s not too much contact with the customers unless you are told specifically to do that.” Find the weekly Crumbl menu at crumblcookies.com and visit them at 8418 N Church Rd, Kansas City, MO 64157.
it increases positive emotions and well-being.” “It’s a good job,” senior Madi Tobin said. “Everyone there’s really sweet and nice, and the managers are really amazing too.”
“Everyone there’s really sweet and nice, and Maditoo,”reallymanagerstheareamazingsaidseniorTobin.
When going to Crumble Cookies, first walk up to the iPad ordering station and select a cookies, and pay. Then wait in the waiting area next to their pink wall with their logo until the cookies come out. A worker will ask if everything looks alright, and then and enjoy the cookie.
fun workplaces often create happier, more engaged employees. Employees who are more engaged at work often feel a stronger connection to their work, increasing their productivity. This level of engagement may also help employees cope with difficult events from their personal lives while at work, preventing a loss of motivation or becoming withdrawn.”
“It’s very technology-driven, I know that,” Milham said. “We use iPads for everything. We do all of our scheduling online too.”
11LHSNEWS.NET A&E
Aside from being a cookie, Snickerdoodle is also the flavor of one of Crumbl’s popular icecreams which was added in 2022. Crumbl has created many lemon-themed cookies, including Lemon Meringue.
Chocolate Chip is the only cookie Crumbl consistently keeps on their weekly menu. Crumbl Cookies has over 200 flavors and counting with a new round starring every week. As of July 2022, milk chocolate chip is their most popular flavor with selling over 7,000 cookies
THE BELL | AUGUST 2022GAMES12
“I feel losing Melvin Ingram hurt us a little, but we added Karlaftis and McDuffie who will be very good rookies and will play really well for us,” senior KLHS sports reporter Charlie MarshallBreakingsaid.down the 2021 season ending in a 27-23 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, aside from turnovers, defense was some thing they struggled with toward the end of the season. With the new picks, the KLHS sports team hopes to see a bit of an improvement with the defensive side of the ball.
“In Smith-Schuster’s short 2021 season ending in a shoulder injury, he recorded 15 catches for 129 yards and no touch downs,” According to ESPN.
|
As Smith-Schuster drifted into free agency it left the thought of who his new team and quarterback would be.
|
the free agency, the Chiefs acquired some consid erably good players, in exchange for letting some go. One of the biggest acquisitions, according to the Chiefs, has been picking up Juju Smith-Schuster, a former Pittsburgh Steeler.
“Skyy is very versatile and can make good plays out of the slot. He is a great over the top guy like Hill was,” Babcock said. “I can’t wait to see him play this upcoming season.”
The defensive side of the ball needed spots filled too. Defense was something the Chiefs planned to improve. They managed to draft what they felt met their defensive needs taking a corner Trent McDuffie in round one at 21st overall. McDuffie allowed zero touchdowns in his college career. George Karlaftis, a de fensive end, was also drafted by the Chiefs in round one at 30th overall. Karlaftis recorded around 60 tackles and 36 assisted tackles too.
13LHSNEWS.NET SPORTS
“I think it frees up money a lot more so we can get more role players. Players that are good and can make good plays, but not as expensive as these high superstar talents,” junior Vincent MoneyConcludingsaid.
The Kansas City Chiefs and their new picks this year are springing up discussions amongst critics and fans alike.
W
The Kansas City Chiefs recruit multiple new players in order to reconstruct their team . ith 775 free agents and 262 draft slots in the 2022 NFL offseason, teams have a lot of opportunity to fix holes in their roster. This was something the Chiefs looked to capitalize on, especially considering they had 11 draft picks.
“I would like to see our defensive rookies fill their roles this season,” Babcock said. “I feel if they do that it will be a good season for us and we will be able to compete for the AFC West and the title.”
Fan and sophomore Vincent Money said, “I think it frees up money a lot more so we can get more role players, players that are good and can make good plays. Players that can still contribute that aren’t as expensive as these high superstar talents.“
Reported by Brodie Jobe Designed by Brodey Hutton Photos by Haley DIllard
“It was a big part of the process,” Smith-Schuster said. “You go into free agency, and you find out who’s going to be throwing you the ball next year. It came down to Pat (Mahomes) and I’m excited. I’m happy with my decision,” according to ChiefsWire.
With many unexpected turnouts in the Chiefs offseason, fans may want to keep an open mind with the new team. Preseason games start Aug. 13 and the official season starts Sept. 11 facing off against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Chiefs also drafted Skyy Moore in round two at 54th overall. Moore was a receiver from Western Michigan. In his last college season he had 95 receptions for 1,292 yards as well as earning 10 touchdowns according to college reference.
“I absolutely love the new draft picks. It is a different set up for the team, but I feel it will transition well,” junior KLHS sports reporter Brooks Babcock said. This is definitely a new set up for the team. The Chiefs had a very successful draft as stated by many of their fans and spec tators around the NFL. This was needed to make up for the 11 players who left the 2021 team. According to the Arrowhead Report, “Following the 2022 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs have been widely applauded for their draft haul, largely considered one of the best classes in theAlthoughleague.”nobody likes to see their favorite player leave their favorite team, fans have to look at the bright side.
FRESH FACES ON THE FIELD
Students who relied on their school lives for peer interaction were found to have poorer mental health during the pandemic than those who didn’t. With access to health care becoming increasingly difficult during this time as well, mental welfare continued to dwindle and caused a need for the way we learn, teach and work to beAlthoughrearranged.the majority of students returned in-person for the 2020-2021 year, I was one of the few who remained virtual, completing the majority of my classes over Zoom. I often found myself with fear-of-missing-out during this time as friends talked about exciting classes and extracurriculars they had joined. Virtual classes only offered so much social interaction, which made me feel trapped in a box and isolated. According to Ariana Hoet, PHD, teens “worried about physical health and financial instability due to the effects of COVID-19.”
ike many students, I stay up late each night to do homework and wake up early to get to school on time. Getting enough sleep is crucial, and with school started at 8:10, teens physical, mental and emotional well-being are a risk. Teens ages 14-17 need anywhere from 8-10 hours of sleep each night. With school work, sports and other activities, nearly 70% of high school students don’t get enough sleep. According to better health, teens get about six hours of sleep, which is below the recommended time. According to The Sleep Foundation, “This has severe consequences for health and well-being, because disrupted circadian rhythms can adversely affect digestion, heart rate, body temperature, immune system function, attention span and mental health.” Contradictory to this, there are also many benefits to early start times. Early start times work significantly better with many people’s schedules. These times give space for parents’ work schedules so that they can either take their kids from school or be there in the mornings. Starting earlier also makes it easier for extracurricular activities like clubs and sports to happen after school, and gives them more time after school. Although moving school times to later, there are some things that people can do to get more sleep. Sleep habits such as limiting caffeine, screens and dimming the lights before bed will help to improve sleep for teens and students.
With the mask mandate being lifted in Mar. 14 students welcome their first “regular” school year.
Changing Times
How school start times negatively affects teens’ sleep and overall health photo by Kaiya by Jenna
While some may argue the pandemic didn’t have a large impact on student’s mental and physical health, per the CDC, more than a third of high school students reported in 2021that their mental health suffered during the pandemic, with 44% feeling sad or hopeless. American culture has adopted the “get over it” mentality that continues to make those struggling have a guilt-complex. As COVID-19 continues to gradually turn into an endemic–that is, a baseline level infection– the amount of teens grappling with mental health is expected to go down. People returning to an environment they’re used to has been proven to cause a lesser strain on mental health, especially when they haven’t adapted to the unknown, according to BioScience. Regardless of the statistics, however, there will always be struggles with mental health. Teens needing immediate resources can contact Access Crisis Intervention by calling 888-279-8188 or visit the Counseling tab on the LHS website.
L M Reported and
Lynch | Designed
Reported by Lucy Boyle | Photo by Victorya Wilkinson
Shores
The question that lurks is: “how will this affect students?”
Returning to “Normal”
According to the CDC, “Adolescents become sleepy later at night and need to sleep later in the morning as a result in shifts in biological rhythms. These biological changes are often combined with poor sleep habits.” Sleep has an extreme effect on development and growth, especially of teens. The circadian cycle in adolescents affects what time the body gets tired and wakes up. These changes cause teens to fall asleep later each night and wake up earlier each morning due to school times. Sleep is crucial to students in many aspects, and early start times are taking that away. Giving students more time to sleep, will benefit students in ways mentally and physically. Sleep is crucial to students in many aspects, and early start times are taking valuable time away.
OPINION14 THE BELL | AUGUST 2022 ar. 12, 2020 the LPS 53 school district announced classes and extracurriculars would be forced to meet virtually until Apr. 5 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Less than one month later, this hold was extended until the 2020-2021 school year with protective mask mandates limiting the amount of people we were exposed to. Now, fewer than three years later, the district has lifted all mandates, welcoming students to their first year of normalcy
Viewing the Depp and Heard case, Heard originally shared how Depp was an abuser in their relationship. As their trial went on, accu sations against Heard for domestic abuse appeared. Heard reported that Depp was an alcoholic and druggie that became violent under the influence. Heard claimed that Depp’s assaults caused bruises, which she would have to cover up with makeup.
Without my time in Newspaper, I don’t think I would be the kind of leader I am today. I wouldn’t understand the time, people skills and knowledge that goes into leading a group of people. Many people don’t think that leadership is important, or think that today’s generation more than ever is “lazy”, or don’t care about becoming a leader or developing their leadership skills. But I’ve seen so many people around me become leaders throughout their time in high school, just like myself. I don’t intend to go into journalism, but I know in any of my future opportuni ties I can take these leadership skills with me. I intend on majoring in Biochemistry at Creighton University and then pursu ing a Master’s degree in pharmaceuticals after my undergraduate studies. I’m going to miss all of the people I’ve met in high school, but I’m also so excited to graduate and get to pursue a career that I’m passionate about. I know that being a leader will be important in my time in college and in my future career, and I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had in high school to develop this.
STAFF OPINION F
Reported by Caty Franklin |
The Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard trial has proven Depp as a victim of media claims and physical abuse.
Actor, producer and musician, most commonly known for his por trayals of Willy Wonka and Jack Sparrow, Depp was one of the many male victims of domestic abuse which have become villainized and misrepresented by the media.
The verdict of the Depp V. Heard ended on May 27, with both being liable of defamation, Heard publicly defamed Depp a total of three times while Depp once. Heard won $2 million for compensation, while Depp $15 million.
The Bell
O n April 11, the internet was shocked by the Johnny Depp V. Amber Heard trial. TikTok was the main contributor for the widespread viewing of the case. Creators shared their opinions as the court proceeded, most notably commenting on both party’s legal teams.Heard made a public statement on Twitter describing herself as a sur vivor of domestic abuse, which was one year after the couple’s divorce.
Society has made it near impossible for male victims to speak up about and be believed in an assault case. From a young age, men are told to toughen up. They are told to repress their feelings, at risk of appearing girly and weak. Fathers criticize for displaying emotions.
OPINION
Photo by Richard Burns
Creighton University I’ve learned a lot during my four years of high school, and I’m looking forward to taking these lessons to college. Heard Through the Grapevine
Depp sued Heard for defamation, while also saying she was the abuser in their 14-year relationship. How can the male survivors of abuse find clarity and justice when the world seems to turn their back? How can individuals point the blame to men just because of their appearance or background? And how do these stereotypes affect future male generations?
According to Mission Harbor Behavioral Health, men often repress tears and emotions at the threat of appearing less masculine.
LHSNEWS.NET
15 our years. 48 months. 1,440 days. 34,560 hours. 2,073,600 seconds. That’s the amount of time I’ve spent as a high school student. Walking through the doors of LHS, on my first day as a freshman, I thought the time stretching in front of me was endless and was going to last forever. But leaving now, I’ve realized how quickly those hours and minutes pass and how quickly my future is approaching. The numerous lessons I’ve learned in high school are going to be helpful for me in college, but the biggest thing I’m taking out of my newspaper class is my leadership skills. That freshman wouldn’t have considered herself a leader, but now I feel like I’ve grown so much in being able to communicate with and leadAccordingothers. to Indeed.com, “Leadership is a vital management function that helps to direct an organization’s resources for improved efficiency and the achievement of goals. Effective leaders provide clarity of purpose, motivate and guide the organization to realize its mission.”
According to the National Library of Medicine, for every three domestic abuse cases, two are female and one male. 81% of the female victims reported the abuse, compared to the 51% of men. These staggering numbers are on par with the lack of support males have in regard to support from society.
