LHS The Bell April 2020

the bell.

E R IAL

C E P S

April 2020 Volume 96, Issue 6

V O C RUS

I V A N R O

C : T R O P

E G ERA

Liberty High School lhsnews.net

contents.

Staff

Editor-in-Chief Sidney Lowry Mangaging Editor Zahra Khan Copy Editor & Opinion Editor Alyah Craig Copy, News & Co-Sports Editor Jennavieve Carmony Features Editor & Co-Sports Editor Emma Stauffer Indepth Editor Ashley Tindall Spotlight Editor Derek Katzer A&E Editor Regan Johnston Online Manager Liz Gammon Ads Manager Caroline Parry Reporters Ethan Atkins Sarah Blankenship Shane Bass Caty Franklin Rosie Frederick Jade Garbani

Jenna Henderson Lucas Kilgore Ari Revella Anthony Savastino Alexis Tindall

Photo Jay

Photo Jay Managing Editor Ashley Ritter Photo Editor Charlene Nguyen Online Manager Kaleigh McCarthy Camera Operator Mercedes Peck Camera Coordinator Emma McDonald Photographers Grace Bushroe Connor Callahan Alyssa Griffith Hattie Ludwig Hannah Mayfield

Pearl Pritchard Makenna Smock Kayley Twenter Kylee Williams

On the Cover Sophomore Talia Lambing and freshman Ali Shultz run down the soccer field during their practice for their preseason. Due to COVID-19, all spring sports have been shut down for the time being, but the Lady Jays varsity soccer team is optimistic for their future.

Photo by Charlene Nugyen

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Contact Us

Liberty High School 200 Blue Jay Drive Liberty, Mo 64068 Editor-in-Chief Sidney Lowry slow9330@lps53.org Adviser Lori Oyler (816) 736-2827 x 2827 lori.oyler@lps53.org

Correction

On page 8 of the February issue, the features story said “Regan Manis” and should be Reagan Manis. On page 18 Tim Anderson’s job description does not include NCAPS and career center. On page 25 of the Winter One Act it said “Elizabeth Lacapta” but should be “Elizabeth Lacapra.”

Questions, Comments or Concerns?

If you have questions, comments, concerns, or a topic that you would like The Bell to cover, write a Letter to the Editor.

Your letter must be a maximum of 250 words and your topic must be appropriate for our underage audience.

Writing a Letter to the Editor does not mean that it is guaranteed to be published.

Submit your letter to: Opinion Editor Alyah Craig acra5623@lps53.org or the Editor-in-Chief Sidney Lowry slow9330@lps53.org

contents.

Features 8

Rhythm and SOLE

by Emma Stauffer

9

Enjoy Every Moment

News

by Sarah Blankenship

10

A Fresh Start

by Regan Johnston

Photo by Hattie Ludwig

Opinion 13

Greeting Commitee Review

by Ari Revella

14

I’m a Quarantine Machine/ Sorry, I’m Booked

by Sidney Lowry & Zahra Khan

15

I Can’t Remember What I Forgot to Forget/Who Am I?

by Alyah Craig & Caroline Parry

Photo by Kylee Williams

Contents lhsnews.net

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contents.

REMINDER LHS will be closed until April 24, 2020 In Memory of Assistant Superintendent of Academic Services Beth Heide December 18, 1972 February 21, 2020

Keep up on our latest stories during this time at lhsnews.net

Letter from the Editor What a crazy month. We started in the beginning of March knowing it was going to be busy, but I don’t think any of us expected to not be in school to finish this month’s paper.

We knew we were going to have a break in the middle of our process because of spring break, but due to the coronavirus we now won’t be back to school until April 24.

LHS did Flexible Learning Days which were introduced in the middle of this school year, and reported in the January issue, during the two and half weeks that we were out of school.

During the days that we were doing online school, some students could have chosen to spend their time reading Gateway Nominee books, like The Hate U Give and Nyxia. Some students read those books before we left and reviewed them on pages 20 and 21.

Even though we won’t be in school for as long as expected, before LHS left for break there were new beginnings for many parts of the school.

Spring sports started up with tryouts and first practices of the season. Athletes like those featured on page 24 and 25 are going to have to cut part of their season short, but are making

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the most of the time they had before we left.

On top of the changes that were being made due to COVID-19, there were other changes made for the school regarding start time for the next school year. Now schools are not able to start more than 10 days before the first monday in September. Students and teachers go more in depth on the effects of this policy on pages 10 and 11.

Photo by Charlene Nguyen

With this year coming to an end, and rapidly changing as time passes, everyone at LHS is going to have to adapt to the changes being made for this year and years to come. And if you are bored at home looking for something to do, pick up The Bell and read!

20

Freshman Brooklyn Young

by Ashley Tindall

21

Sophomore Trevor White

Spotlight

by Lucas Kilgore

22

Junior Maya Gannoa

by Jade Garbani

23

Senior Elijah Cramer

by Rosie Fredrick

Photo by Alyssa Griffith

Sports

A&E 24

Hooked....On Books

by Caty Franklin

Photo by Makenna Smock

26

One Team, One Dream

by Anthony Savastino

Photo by Charlene Nguyen

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SPECIAL REPORT: CORNAVIRUS COVERAGE

Shock. Awe. Dismay. Fear? Excitement?!

OK, now what?

After reading superintendent Jeremy Tucker’s tweet that Liberty Public Schools is closed because of the Coronavirus pandemic until April 24, a lot of different reactions ran through students’ minds. Some are thriving with new freedom while others are under pressure to figure out how to make this new Flexible Learning experience work.

No matter how students are feeling during this transition, administrators and counselors have some advice to help.

The BlueJay Way Principal April Adams says it’s essential that students move in a positive direction to create a schedule that balances learning and personal health. To do that, Adams encourages students to begin by reaching out to those around them.

“Communication is key. Reach out early and often. Reach out to teachers, counselors, social workers and administrators,” Adams said.

“Relationships are priority number one. We want to make sure students are safe, healthy, connected, feel valued, feel heard and feel supported.”

While this change has left many students still in a state of surprise, teachers are making big adjustments too.

Photo by Emma McDonald

“Realistically, teachers had to shift over a month of learning online within 48 hours,” Adams said. “I think with this initial dive into online learning, our teachers have learned so much too. They are pretty awesome.”

Adams encourages students to keep working towards finding a work/life balance and

to let teachers and other supporters help them through this new experience by asking questions and talking with them.

“We still have a way to go, but if we can keep this positive trajectory, we are going to be in great shape,” Adams said.“We are Blue Jays and we are in it together!”

We’re Here for You

Counselors and social workers are available to help students all day, every day.

Students should reach out to their counselors or social workers through email. If you’ve forgotten your counselor’s or social worker’s name, check our list, below.

Counselors and social workers check email frequently with a goal of responding within 24 hours. Students can also call the Counseling Office at 816-736-7046 and leave a message.

The Counseling Department will send out weekly newsletters with updated resources and tips, according to counselor Brenda Wiederholt. She said mental health resources will continue to go out by email and Google Hangouts.

Due to the coronavirus, students are encouraged to stay in their homes and practice

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Photo by Emma McDonald

the bell April 2020

Special Report

social distancing. This may be more difficult and stressful for some than others, and Wiederholt understands.

“We encourage students to abide by the current requests for social distancing but we also realize that contact with our friends and extended family is a critical part of a healthy lifestyle,” she said.

HAND R TIZE SANI OF % 99.9 KILLS RMS GE

Ways to Cope at Home - Stay connected to positive friends through social media.

Create a daily fun check-in.

- Read a book or put together a puzzle.

Photo by Makenna Smock

- Exercise every day. Get out of the house and take a walk or run. Find an online fitness video. Even 10-15 minutes a day will help.

- Create a virtual study group with classmates.

- Send a card or letter through the mail to a friend or family member.

You will brighten their day.

- Reach out to your teachers if you are struggling with your homework. They want to help.

- Play a board game with your family.

- Reach out to your counselor or social worker if you are struggling and need help.

- Take short breaks throughout the day. Breaks help you stay focused and energized.

It’s Clear

Assistant principal Bridget Herrman encourages every student to do their best in all their classes during the month of April.

“Liberty High School’s Core Values are C.L.E.A.R,” Herrman said. “Community defines our culture, learning is our passion, empowerment inspires growth, accountability guides our actions and respectful relationships

form our foundation.”

For students, this takes on a practical new meaning in the online environment.

“At the beginning of this learning journey, curiosity and advocacy are the attributes needed most as we navigate new routines and expectations,” Herrman said. “I think empathy and leadership will be needed during the

middle portion when we need to maintain and keep steady. Resilience will be required as we encounter obstacles, barriers and setbacks.

Resilience is what keeps us going when situations may feel dire. That’s when others may need our support and encouragement.”

How to Write an Email

As Adams said, one part of student success is to be in communication with teachers. Here’s the best way to communicate by email, according to assistant principal Sara Wickham.

1. Start with a greeting and address your teacher by name 2. When writing the first line of your message, you should describe the main reason you are sending it 3. The next few lines should be used for asking for resources like Khan Academy to help you learn from home 4. Next, ask your teacher if email is the best way to communicate.

Some teachers prefer other ways than email to communicate with their students.

5. Finally end with thanking them for their time Special Report lhsnews.net

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features.

Rhythm

and SOLE

Junior Sawiet Craig, sophomore Myka Jones, junior Paige Hodges and senior Victoria Southall rehearse a dance routine during a meeting of SOLE Crew Step team, a new dance group at LHS. “We have never had a step team at Liberty, and I think it gives [the school] more diversity,” Jones said.

Photo by Grace Bushroe

SOLE Crew Step team is a unique new addition to LHS. Reported and designed by Emma Stauffer

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight,” SOLE Crew Step team chants in unison. The members of SOLE Crew move as one as they rehearse the dance routine they have been working on. Members laugh as they engage in an assortment of kicks, turns and complex movements. Their smiles grow wider as they progress through the routine, and they applaud as members experiment with possible moves to add to the dance.

This is just another meeting of SOLE Crew Step team, a new dance group at LHS. They dabble in a variety of dance, including step, hip hop and stroll.

Though practices have had to discontinue due to Covid-19, SOLE Crew is still going to pick up meetings at the beginning of next year.

“We are pretty disappointed that we are unable to meet and practice. However, we completely understand the need to be safe,” c0-sponsor Trilaina McCallum said.

“We really just wanted to bring a new element to Liberty High School, so we started the team to see where it would go and what things we could do with it,” co-

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Features

student leader of SOLE Crew senior Victoria Southall said.

LHS has never seen a group quite like this, which is part of why members believe it to be so unique.

“I think it’s so special because it’s different,” Southall said. “We haven’t really seen something like this done. We get to show a different side of ourselves to Liberty High School, something different.”

Sophomore Myka Jones has a similar perspective on the matter.

“We have never had a step team at Liberty, and I think it gives [the school] more diversity,” Jones said. “It’s important because Sapphires is such an elite group, and cheerleading is elite, so if you are not in one of those teams you still have a place to go if you are really into dancing and choreographing.”

During their weekly meetings, the crew choreographs and practices their dance routines. Jones recalls a moment when the routine wasn’t quite matching with the music, but the group problem-solved.

“We tried to add some music and the music wasn’t lining up great,” Jones said. “Instead

of just giving up we were like ‘OK, what can we do? We could speed it up, we could slow down this part,’ I liked that.”

McCallum enjoys seeing how the members of the group work together, and the progress they make at each practice.

“I enjoy being able to witness the creativity and collaboration between all the members and the light in someone’s eyes when they get a particularly challenging piece of movement,” McCallum said.

The club hopes to expand and gain more members. Southall would like to see the group performing at assemblies.

“We want to do a little three-minute performance just for everybody to see what we have been working on and what we have been doing,” Southall said.

Members urge students to give the team a try. Junior Saweit Craig has a message for anyone considering joining the group.

“SOLE crew is a group for anybody,” Craig said. “We all come together and make up step routines and we just have fun. It is a group to be yourself and have fun. Try something new, you might like it.”

features.

Enjoying Every

Moment

Senior Elisabetta Ripa is a foreign exchange student from Rimini, Italy. Ripa has noticed many differences between Italy and the United States, and has enjoyed living the life of an American teenager for a year.

Photo by Alyssa Griffith

Senior Elisabetta Ripa describes what it’s like to be a foreign exchange student from Italy.

Reported by Sarah Blankenship

Design by Emma Stauffer

Being under the huge stadium lights and yelling and cheering for the football team with her new friends in the student section made senior foreign exchange student Elisabetta Ripa feel like she’s truly living the life of an American teenager, but unfortunately due to COVID-19 those dreams were cut short.

“A lot of exchange students are getting sent back to their home countries. My agency gave us the choice to stay or go back, but it’s hard since the flight is full of risks and I could get the virus,” Ripa said.

Ripa will be heading back to Italy soon, but during her time at LHS it was nothing short of life changing. Her favorite part of school was Friday night lights.

“We don’t have football in Italy, we have soccer,” Ripa said. “I felt like I experienced the life of an American high schooler.

Even though I didn’t understand what was happening. I was enjoying every moment because everything was new.”

Living the life of an Italian teenager was always an adventure, but Ripa was ready for a new one. She wanted to become a foreign exchange student.

Ripa filled out an application and wrote a letter to her future host family. Soon after, they picked her and they kept in touch for a few months.

“I feel like it’s the movies,” Ripa said. “It’s different for you guys because you have lived here your whole life, but for me it was like the

movies. Everything is so big and it makes me feel so small.”

Little did Ripa know that her movie would be taking place in Liberty, Missouri. Ripa enjoys going to LHS, but it’s a lot different from school in Italy.

“We only go to school from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.”

Ripa said. “We will be with the same class of students for our five years of high school.

Teachers change classes and not the students so you stay in that one room the whole day.You also aren’t allowed to choose your classes.”

Senior Audrey McBride was one of the first people Ripa met, and from that moment they became best friends.

“I met her during the senior class picture because they lined us up by height and she ended up standing by me,” McBride said.

“From there, we really hit it off and realized we had a lot in common.”

McBride isn’t the only person that likes having Ripa at LHS. Her teacher Matt Kiser thinks she’s a great student.

“Elisabetta has been a terrific student in my College Algebra class,” Kiser said. “Coming from Italy, she has really great math skills and has been a great asset to the class.”

Ripa is involved in Diversity Council and Biology club, was the manager of the wrestling team last season, and is doing track and field.

Ripa also saw the opportunity to take classes

she’s not able to back home in Italy.

“I love my sculpture class because I enjoy art and I can’t take it at home,” Ripa said. “I also like my psychology class even though I already studied it back in Italy. I like it because my teacher teaches it in a different way so I can see a different side of psychology.”

America has left Ripa with many amazing memories, but she definitely feels homesick.

“I really miss my family and my friends,” Ripa said. “I also miss being independent. When I’m in Italy I can go wherever whenever. I have to have a ride to go places here, but at home I can walk or ride my bicycle.”

Ripa has a message for anyone who has helped her in her journey to enjoy every moment here in the United States.

“I want to thank everyone I have met so far.

The smallest things they have done for me has made my exchange year great,” Ripa said.

“It felt like a whole other world when I got here, and it ended up being just like the movies.”

Sadly, Ripa’s movie took an unexpected turn because of the coronavirus.

“My agency gave me the choice to stay or go back home, but it’s hard since the flight is full of risks and I could get the virus,” Ripa said.

“Luckily my family is OK, but it’s hard seeing that my country needs help to get better. I really hope the best for everyone.”

Features lhsnews.net

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news.

A Fresh

Start

Junior Ariana Moran and sophomore Mack DelPorto study in the LMC. Moran is in favor of HB161, while DelPorto has no opinion.

Photo by Kayley Twenter

State legislature pushes back the start time for Missouri schools.

Reported by Regan Johnston

Design by Jennavieve Carmony

Missouri public schools can no longer choose when their school year starts. A new bill passed in Missouri by Gov. Mike Parsons now insures that schools can’t start their year until the first day of school is within ten days of the first Monday in September. LHS will start the 2020-2021 school year on Aug. 25 and end on May 28, almost a full week later than usual.

Why it’s Happening

Popular tourism areas in Missouri, such as Branson, Lake of the Ozarks, Osage Beach and Table Rock Lake felt their summer to cater to tourists was getting cut off as soon as the students’ summer break was over, causing them to lose money. Because of this, they petitioned the Missouri legislature to start school at a later date to get a longer tourism season.

“By pushing that date later and not starting school as early, the idea is that young people who have part time jobs can continue to support all of those tourism industries during the summer,” Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Tucker said. “At the same time, because families will have more time, they might decide to go to the lake for a little bit longer, go to Branson for a little bit longer, the State Fair and those kinds of things. They help increase tourism dollars.”

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Reactions

Most Missouri school districts are firmly against this bill, according to Tucker.

“We pushed back quite a bit when the bill was being brought forward last year by providing testimony, following our legislators and working with lobbyists,” Tucker said. “My guess is we will keep doing that for a year and then I would guess someone will likely bring an opposing bill forward to push that power back to the school district.”

Out of 104 LHS students polled, 65 said they preferred starting later. Junior Ariana Moran plans to take full advantage of the extra time.

“I don’t mind it at all,” Moran said. “I think summer can go by way too fast, especially for high school kids. I think having more time to work is good because I have two jobs. On top of that, school is very hard. So I think it would make everyone’s life a lot easier.”

Twenty students who responded to the poll didn’t like this new policy, saying that if they had the choice, they would rather start school earlier.

“I find it to be annoying because I like to leave earlier in the year,” junior Tyson Jones said. “I go to China every year for summer and it will hinder me when I leave.”

Missouri school administrators believe this

bill hinders their ability to make scheduling decisions that would be most beneficial for their community.

“The decision has been taken out of our control,” Tucker said. “We value local decision making rather than state encroachment. We don’t necessarily understand why tourism is driving the school district start date, so we don’t agree with their decision.”

Impact

Despite this push back in the school year dates, LHS’s administration does not plan to make drastic changes to the 2020-2021 school year schedule. According to Tucker, no breaks have been shortened for the next calendar year.

One of the conflicts this policy has created for Liberty’s administration is how they are going to handle the imbalance of the two semesters.

“The big difference we struggled with and had a conversation in our district about was that the first semester is shorter than the second semester by about 10 days,” Tucker said. “So hypothetically, if you have a Personal Finance class first semester, you have to cram it in a little bit more compared to those kids who have it second semester that have a little more time.”

staff ed.

Are students aware of policies being passed in Missouri?

Reported by Jennavieve Carmony and Sidney Lowry Governor Mike Parsons has signed a bill, HB161, which changes when Missouri schools can begin their school year. The 2020-2021 school year can now begin no earlier than two full weeks prior to the first Monday in September. This means Missouri schools will now begin classes no earlier than Aug. 24, 2020.

This is a big change to the calendar and many students aren’t aware of it. Some of The Bell staff members believe this is because bills and laws can be difficult for students to interpret.

Classes like AP United States Government and Politics help students be better involved in politics and the news, but even so, classes like these usually follow national news more closely than statewide politics.

A prime example is the new information on COVID-19. Students are getting a lot of national information about this pandemic, but some of them didn’t even know there was going to be a quarantine until it happened.

Though some students were still in the dark on what is happening around them, information on the local action being taken is much more easily accessible than local policies that are being passed.

Design by Alyah Craig

When it comes to events happening in the community that are simultaneously happening nationally, it seems that the state and media are much better at getting out information to people who desperately need it.

When local news doesn’t have anything to do with national news, The Bell staff has noticed information is much harder to find.

Staff Vote

Yes: 1 No: 19 lllPolicies, such as the one that will alter the start date of the school year, directly affect students, yet many still don’t know about the changes. Many adults in the building said they were not aware of the policy until it had already

been passed in the state legislature, and only then did they begin informing their students of it.

Again, the direct contrast of this policy is the action the state government is taking to combat against the spread of COVID-19. The rules the state is passing for the Coronavirus is only a short term solution, but because it is only going to affect people for a short amount of time, it is much easier to find information on.

Though this is much bigger than a state-wide problem, students are finding this information a lot easier than they would a policy that is going to affect them for multiple years.

It is the responsibility of Missouri legislature to communicate with citizens about statewide legislature being passed and not only national news. There needs to be an effort to modernize how this information is relayed to citizens, either through a website, connections with news outlets or online ad campaigns.

Whether or not students are currently aware of policies in Missouri, with the help of parents, teachers and education from legislature, students have many opportunities to learn about local politics which will affect them and their classmates in the future.

Photo by Kayley Twenter

Opinion lhsnews.net

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ATTENTION ALL SENIORS Due to complications because of the Coronavirus, every senior will be able to have a free senior ad.

Every ad can have a personalized message and one photo.

Have parents check their emails and fill out the google form by APRIL 16, 2020

Check out our website

Lhsnews.net for more stories and photos

Issues will become exclusively online until everyone is allowed to come back to school.

Newsbrief Reported by Liz Gammon

Countless cartons of juice and bags of unopened food purchased by students now have a second chance to fulfill their destiny thanks to the new Grab & Go system at Share Tables in the cafeteria. What would’ve just been thrown out after lunch, from chips, to oranges, to milk, will now be offered to students for free.

Grab & Go tables will be available after lunch too.

Nutrition Services has implemented the new program for faculty and students to drop off the food they don’t want at tables in the cafeteria.

Then, other students can take anything they want from the tables for free. The program’s goal is to reduce waste and hunger.

Share Table foods will include cheese sticks, yogurt, applesauce, cereal, breakfast items, apple slices, carrot packs, raisins, craisins, uncrustables, bananas, oranges, milk and juice.

Cold storage will be provided.

Caution! Be aware of allergic reactions.

Food on the Share Tables may be exposed to or include allergens. This includes milk, eggs, shellfish, fish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts and soybeans.

12 the bell

April 2020

Contents

Photo by Connor Callahan

MORE, SOME KIND OF LOVE, BIRTHDAY SONG, DON’T GO, GOLD STAR, 17

Score 18 ct. 26, 20 O d e s a le Re tes , 40 minu 12 tracks

The Greeting Committee

This Is It Review by Ari Revella Design by Alyah Craig The Greeting Committee isn’t like any other indie rock band out there. Molding together psychedelic, indie and alternative rock, they have successfully created one of the most unique and interesting sounds, with catchy, sing-along choruses, amazing production and emotional ups and downs expressed in the lyrics. They have become memorable for those who tuned in.

The band originates from Kansas City.

Freshman Olivia Cordero is happy to have such a unique band in our own backyard. “They

turned from a small garage band into the band they are today. When they perform live, they have more passion and energy than any other band I’ve seen,” Cordero said.

The album kicks off with “Is This It?” It has a catchy horn riff that sticks around throughout the entire song, with frontwoman Addie Sartino taking listeners through a flow of events and emotions in the lyrics. “Pull It Together” brings in a hip-swinging piano/ guitar riff, hand claps and one of Sartino’s most energetic performances on the entire album. I love the energy the band brings into this song, especially with the faint yet present drums and the distorted bass groove on the bridge.

“More” is my favorite track on the album. The bittersweet lyrics, the pure emotion shown by the performance from Sartino and the cries for love in the lyrics, trying to prove herself in a relationship. The band explodes on the chorus, with the slowest yet heart-tugging performance ever. I love the feelings they share on this song, it does hit me really close to home.

“Run For Your Money” is one of the more upbeat tracks here, with the drum rim hits and the guitar licks that adds a lot of character to

10/10 the song. It’s one of my favorites here purely because of the fun and careless energy. “Gold Star” has one of the best vocal performances from Sartino off of the entire album. This track also shows a lot of personal feelings from the band, with Sartino talking about how she feels like she will never be enough, but her dad tells her to be a gold star. It’s a very sweet and inspirational tune.

“Odds Of Forever” incorporates a string section into the chorus, blending in with the soft guitar and distinct vocal performance. “I’ll wait up on you // What’s there left to do?” is one of the most relatable lines on this entire album.

“Birthday Song” is the acoustic ballad of the album. I love the reverbed vocals from Sartino and the light piano playing in the background that joins after the first chorus, and then the string quartet after the second chorus. It’s a beautiful moment. And lastly, the closer, “Don’t Go,” is an indie rock anthem for the ages, with its confident vocals, guitar and bass melting into each other. It feels like the band made their chemistry shine on this song, and it works in their favor.

Opinion lhsnews.net

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opinion.

I’m a Quarantine Machine Honestly, I thought this was going to be harder

When I heard that school was going to close because of the Coronavirus, I was sitting in a hot tub in the Smoky Mountains in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. What better place to get bad news?

Over the next few days, I finished my spring break trip, which thankfully was in a cabin in the mountains with little contact with people other than my family, but when I came home the reality of the next few weeks set in.

I am an insanely social person, so not being able to see all of my friends and having to spend over A MONTH with my sister was going to be the hardest thing I have had to do in my life.

Honestly, the first week of online school, things weren’t going too great for me. I had no routine, was staying up late, waking up after noon, messing with my sister, binge watching Parks and Rec on Netflix while eating Cheetos and just overall, I had no idea what to do with the time I had on my hands.

Now as week two has come and gone, I am relieved o say I am lowkey killing this whole quarantine thing. I am not going to sit here and act like I didn’t dye my hair out of stress and boredom, (um, silver) no one is perfect, but I have recently been doing much better with

Column by Sidney Lowry Design by Alyah Craig

Photo courtesy of Sidney Lowry

what I choose to spend my time doing.

I started waking up at 8:30 every morning, making myself breakfast, and by 9 a.m. I was working on my online classes. At around 1 p.m. I make lunch and play volleyball with my sister to pass the time. Then after that it is homework for the rest of the night and then I go to bed.

I always thought I wasn’t a person who would enjoy having the same routine every day, but

during this chaotic time of change I think this is exactly what I needed to restore the structure I had at school.

Though this is only week two of quarantine, and I wouldn’t call myself an expert, I have found there are a ton of ways to keep occupied and productive.

Tip #1: Do Online Classes Outside. Working outside helps me stay focused and enjoy the spring weather we have recently been seeing.

Tip #2: Get Active. I’ve been playing volleyball with my sister and walking my dogs every single day. Last Wednesday I went on five walks. You might call it excessive, but I call it staying busy.

Finally, Tip #3: Find a new hobby. I am someone who isn’t artistically gifted in any sense of the word, so I am using this time during quarantine to start painting. My first painting might have been terrible, but I have four more weeks (minimum) to improve.

Overall, I think finding a schedule as well as finding new things to do is keeping me sane during this quarantine. We have to go through this social distancing no matter how I act toward it, so I decided to take initiative and improve my life.

Sorry, I’m Booked

Finding community in a vast world of social media.

Picking up a book and settling into a comfy chair, I prepare myself to launch into a vast world filled with magic, adventures, mystery and love. Reading opens you up to the world without having to travel. It has allowed me to understand life outside my own and put myself in different experiences.

Finding a community with people who have the same interests was new to me whenever I first joined social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram in middle school, it was so overwhelming. There were communities of people who loved to garden, travel and talk about the latest fashion trends, but what caught my eye was the book community of Instagram.

I was intrigued by beautifully set up books next to some cozy candles, the book covers glinting in the morning light streaming into the photo. I loved the idea of having a big library of books and placing them on gorgeous backgrounds. But I was just an outsider looking in, reading about what everyone was reading, taking mental notes on what to read next. It wasn’t until my sophomore year I decided to join in.

My first post was one about “The Hate U

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Opinion

Column by Zahra Khan

Photo by Ashley Ritter

Give” by Angie Thomas, it was simple and plain. It was nowhere near perfect to the other

dazzling photos I saw with books, but I didn’t mind. I wanted to share the love and magic of that book with others and I did.

When I started to get notifications of likes and comments I was floored. How did my photo get so much attention? After getting more likes and interactions I posted more. That summer I continued on and on. This little idea started to take flight.

I was able to find people who loved and disliked the same books as me. There were people who shared their photos of the books they loved and I supported them back. I would spend hours scrolling, liking and chatting with people on Instagram about books. As my flow of posts slowed over time, I still turned back and continued to engage with the community.

Literature has a way of bringing people together from different places and introduces new stories and aspects of life. The love for it is strong and in a setting where most people around me don’t read, it is comforting to know that I can share the excitement of magic, mystery and adventure with someone online.

Communities are important, no matter how big or small.

I Can’t Remember What I Forgot to Forget

opinion.

I seriously can’t remember anything.

When I was younger, I was able to actively memorize the songs from my favorite movies, a few of the Seasame Street members and even the basic commercial jingles that plagued their way through my TV screen.

Yet, when asked to remember all the contents of the periodic table or the names of historical figures, I freeze.

As a junior, I never recognized my lack of memory for anything other than my need to pay more attention in class or to surroundings in general. But, as my senior year continues to trudge on, I’m realizing my affinity to forget is now a honed skill I use on a daily basis.

So, when blasting the fastest of lyrics in Fergie’s Fergalicious in my car speakers with three other passengers, I tend to impress with my apparent rapping skills, but these are only things I remember. Songs tend to find a home in my brain and refuse to leave, even when evicted due to annoyance like the infamous Gummy Bear song that rose to popularity in fifth grade.

While that still vividly resides in my mind and takes up some of my memory capacity, other things, like events, live in there as well, no matter how embarrassing: The moment I ran

Column by Alyah Craig

Photo courtesy of Alyah Craig

my car into a curb, almost got pummeled by a football trying to take pictures of the game, came off as a complete idiot to my crush in chemistry (on multiple occasions) and even accidentally blasting music in a quiet classroom when I mistakenly thought my headphones were connected.

Yes, sometimes these memories do make their unwanted appearance, but for the most part, my brain is filled with ones of happiness like being in the midst of a crowd at a concert, traveling to the peaceful beaches of the coasts and the crazy situations my friends and I seem to get ourselves into.

These memories, while important, have absolutely no value throughout everyday life.

Somebody can tell their name and within five seconds it has escaped my mind. One of my teachers could continuously remind the class of upcoming work and I would still forget by the time I’m making my way to the next hour. I even remind myself to do things, and then I don’t remember them.

Memory can be a tricky thing, so don’t forget to remember all that you can.

Who Am I? Exploring what personality websites share about me.

Column by Caroline Parry

Lately, all I’ve been hearing about is people from the AP Psychology class taking personality tests and visiting all the different websites that show the kind of person you are. These test typically scare me. How can a quiz determine the personality style you are out of 16? How can a quiz suggests is best for you in your life?

I have taken a few personality quizzes through what Google recommends and the majority of the time I get the same answer but some skew away from the Individual Difference Research Labs quiz I took first.

According to the IDR Labs website, they have a test that is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator which classified me as Extraversion, Intuition, Feeling, Judgment (ENFJ) person. This revealed I am empathic, encouraging, inspiring, supportive and assertive. Another test I took showed that I was an Extraversion, Intuition, Feeling, Perception (ENFP) person.

The website 16 Personalities shows I am someone who makes decisions based on my feelings. Each of the quizzes show that I am extroverted, supportive and feeling but in a

Photo by Ashley Ritter

different way that makes up that personality.

This is the part that confuses me and makes me torn about which personality I am

suited with best and whether it is correct.

I have taken this kind of test three or four times throughout my senior year. Each time the results always change and my choices to my answers change constantly. These type of quizzes can’t define me while my mind is changing all the time.

Certain kind of quizzes that I take can also determine the kind of person like disorders that I may have or stress levels. I have taken other quizzes like the Pooh Test, which showed I was the character Tigger. In the Winnie the Pooh books, he was known to symbolize ADHD. I also took a stress test, which revealed I was slightly stressed, most likely due to my senior year soon coming to an end.

Sometimes I take quizzes for fun, to pass time or simply to free myself from boredom Seeing the answers scares me at times, but I realize I should not let a website that doesn’t know me personally determine my personality. I am the one making the decisions and I can change my life at any moment.

Opinion lhsnews.net

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special report.

Late Nights and Even Later Wake Up Reported by Jade Garbani Design by Zahra Khan

When I heard about COVID-19 spreading, I didn’t really think that I would be affected by it. Now, after being out of school for almost three weeks, it really has been affecting me negatively.

I’m someone who has to have the same routine. If on my way to school I ride the bus instead of the car my whole day would be all over the place. Little things like that confuse me, so imagine how not going to school at all has been.

COVID-19 has me in a whole new routine and I have no clue how to adjust to it. I’ve been going to bed at 4 a.m. and waking up at noon. I’m now getting my homework done super late in the day and that’s been bugging me. My usual schedule was completely demolished and for the beginning of this pandemic, I didn’t know

how to handle myself.

Lately, I’ve been writing out a daily schedule that has a list of things I need to get done at a certain time. I’m hoping that it will get me and my sleep schedule on track.

One change I am thankful for is the online learning setting. I work better when I am alone and don’t have any distractions. Also, when I am at home working I am able to make sure there is no time being wasted and all of my work is continuous.

Though this change has had more cons than pros for me, I am hopeful that I will adjust to this and that everything will get back to normal soon.

Photo by Ashley Ritter

Livin’ the Quarantine Dream Reported by Regan Johnston

One thing to know about me is that I love people.. I love being around other people a lot, and if it weren’t for my severe anxiety and the fact that I am the human embodiment of awkwardness, I would probably be around people a lot more.

Unfortunately though, I do have the tendency to set myself up for failure when it comes to interacting with others and because of too many painfully awkward experiences where I have tried to incorporate myself into different social activities and failed. I mostly just keep to myself and appreciate the small number of people I do have in my life.

The bright side of being just a little too awkward is it makes me fiercely independent. Don’t get me wrong, I still can’t cook and have yet to gain the privilege of using the washing machine at my mom’s house (I swear I didn’t break it, that was my grandma), but I’m never lonely and when I am alone, and I know how to keep myself entertained.

That’s why I was mildly surprised when

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Photo by Ashley Ritter

I saw so many people on social media posting about how lonely and bored they were when the quarantine started. I could understand how people could be lonely if it weren’t 2020 and there weren’t limitless ways of contacting other people, but we have the privilege of being able to talk to

Special Report

anyone at any time just by tapping a few buttons. The same goes for boredom. With all the video games, puzzles, books, TV and countless other activities, how could anyone possibly be bored?

When I asked that question I realized that my perspective might be a little biased because my lifestyle barely changed when the quarantine started. Don’t leave the house? Easy. Stay six feet away from everyone? You got it. Nobody even bothered to tell this stuff to me, I had to learn it from Instagram. I didn’t even know we were supposed to be quarantined until two days after it started.

Just because I am good at this quarantine, mainly because nothing much has changed, doesn’t mean I think it is easy for everyone.

I know some people are struggling with boredom and loneliness out there. My advice during this time is that you should try and get to know yourself and become more independent. You might thank yourself.

special report.

Hope from Smiles Reported by Derek Katzer

When our school’s technology director’s created our flexible learning program, I’m sure they didn’t expect it to be used to this extent. And when we were wanting a nice, long break, I’m sure no one had this in mind.

The recent coronavirus outbreak has thrown everything in disarray, including our faith in humanity: Hoarders, grocery stores with empty shelves, the rise in ecofascism, the pejorative phrase “boomer remover,” the lack of ventilators and masks in hospitals.

But, even with all the bad things happening, we are still trying to smile.

Taking a drive down a street reveals the surface of these smiles: a mom and three children taking a stroll, an elderly couple walking and holding hands, a man running, or a family play-fighting with pool noodles in their backyard.

In fact, I’ve seen more families taking

affected most by the coronavirus. People are busy using whatever material they have to sew masks, aprons and other items needed by hospitals and nursing homes.

Schumacher Elementary teachers and staff rode around in their vehicles, waving to Schumacher students and their families.

Posters and chalk wrote loving messages to the teachers. Some neighborhoods are putting out loving messages like “BE HAPPY”, “LOVE U”, “SMILE” to show their support.

This virus has brought a sense of community with everyone helping each other, and when the quarantine is over I think we will never take the simple things for granted. Coffee with friends, Friday Photo by Ashley Ritter night football games, time spent with walks or walking their dog around the grandparents, playing your sport, and just neighborhood during this quarantine than life itself.

I’ve seen my entire life.

During this weird adventure we are all During this trying time, people are doing experiencing, maybe we can find some whatever they can to help out those treasure along the way.

Wake Up Call Reported by Anthony Savastino

When I take a chance to stop and think about what’s happening in the world today it’s crazy. A virus has spread across the world and it’s affecting everything.

At first, I was like many other people that were blind to the fact that this was a problem. The Coronavirus was coming to the U.S. whether I thought it would or not.

I started to realize this downhill slope on the weekend of March 14. I was going into spring break thinking that I would be able to hang out with friends, train for track and enjoy my break. This assumption quickly came to a halt when LHS cancelled school until April 24 and the community started practicing social distancing.

The whole social distancing was really easy in the beginning, but now that two weeks have gone by of me being stuck inside of my house, it has gotten more difficult.

My biggest priority is creating a routine.

Photo by Ashley Ritter

Every single school day I had a routine, so I created it while I had to stay at home.

I do my basic morning routine starting at 8:30 a.m. every day and then I sit down in the study of my house and I would commit to working on my school work.

This is the hardest thing for me. Not having a set time for school and not having someone watching over my shoulder, but still setting a time and getting it done so I could enjoy the rest of the day.

After that, I finish my homework and rush out the door for my daily run. I use this time to refocus my thoughts off of school and on to just enjoying being outside and out of the house.

After that everything is like it used to be before it changed. Playing video games, watching Netflix and having dinner, then off to bed.

Though I have a routine and it’s working doesn’t mean I want to have to do this forever. To all those people that don’t want to stay inside and social distance, JUST DO IT. Do it for your loved ones, the people that are high risk and do it for the world to get back to normal

Special Report lhsnews.net

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opinion.

Two Weeks x Eight Years Column by Jennavieve Carmony

Dec. 19, 2011, was one of the weirdest days of my life. I was sick with the flu and I had laid down for an afternoon nap, and when I woke up late that afternoon, my dad informed me that my older sister had gone into labor and that my niece had been born.

I was determined to meet the baby that day, so we loaded up in my dad’s car and made our way to the hospital. Before meeting the baby, I put on gloves and a medical mask. Finally, I could meet her, Elise. She was perfect.

Flash forward eight years, and I have two nieces with a third on the way. Elise, Fiona, and soon to be baby Ella. I realized recently how much I missed them. I’m lucky that my nieces live so close by, just one street up from me.

Since the start of the COVID-19

Design by Sidney Lowry

Photo by Ashley Ritter

pandemic, I’ve seen my younger niece, Fiona, only once for a few hours. I haven’t seen Elise in almost two weeks.

I’m all about flattening the curve and disease prevention, both are very important to me. At the same time, it’s been really difficult to go without seeing my baby lovebugs for so long. I haven’t gone two weeks without seeing Elise since she was born. I miss that kiddo a ton.

I’ll be headed off to college in just a few months, so this is serving as my practice run for when I won’t see my nieces all the time. I’m going to visit them often, of course. I’ll be sure to Facetime them as often as possible, but I do find leaving them to be bittersweet. Even so, I hope I get to see my nieces soon. I love them more than anything in the world.

New Changes and New Pets Column by Caty Franklin

I’m a social person. I love being around people. Interacting with my friends every day is the best part of being at school by far. But since school’s been cancelled, and we won’t be going back any time soon, I’ve been forced to find other sources of joy in my day to day life.

So what did my family do? We adopted a puppy.

This might seem crazy and impulsive, but we have so much time to take care of and play with her it just made sense. We’ve been wanting another dog for a while now, and this, surprisingly, was the perfect time for it.

She’s a six-week-old Australian Shepherd and Labrador mix named Bella. It’s been a really great way to distract from some of the crazy things going on in the world right now. She loves to play, eat and sleep.

She’s been the perfect dog for Virtual Learning. She hates being out of my arms, so she just sleeps in my lap and is perfectly happy to just sit there while I’m working on classwork.

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She is officially the third pet in our household. We have a black Lab named Luna, and a cat named Mary. They already get along with Bella so well. Mary loves to play with her, and they wrestle almost any chance they get.

I’m so grateful for something to keep me busy. Schoolwork has been taking up most of my days, but there’s a solid block of time that I have absolutely nothing to do. I try to occupy my days completely because I’m not very good at being bored. I love playing with and spending time with Bella.

Though this transition is really rough, I am glad that I have something to take care of and spend my days. She’s the sweetest puppy ever and I can’t wait to spend even more time with her in the coming weeks.

Photo by Ashley Ritter

opinion.

Uniting From a Distance Column by Paige Hodges

It’s no secret that this country’s political and social climate is both historically and currently divisive. Since the Coronavirus outbreak and changes that have occurred so far, I’ve seen a drastic change in the tone of what American’s express.

Almost every person and their momma’s momma is voicing their opinion on COVID-19. Although each opinion or coping mechanism is slightly different, there are a few topics that are proving to be universal.

If you look on social media you’ll immediately see that the majority understands that everyone is supposed to be quarantined and following all guidelines for the ‘Stay At Home’ order (whether everyone is actually doing so is unconfirmed). Most of all, they realize that everyone is a part of making history and unfortunately more people are becoming victims to that Coronavirus everyday.

It’s these realizations that seem to be bringing everyone closer together. The past few weeks I’ve seen so many positive posts, which is the exact opposite of what I normally see on my timeline. I’ve seen

Photo by Ashley Ritter

amazing stories about health officials’ daily acts of love, people using dance to spread positivity, or humor to keep everyone laughing, and people donating to keep hope alive.

These kinds of social media posts are what I love to see highlighted and I don’t want to go away. Regardless of what you

identify with (race, political party, etc.) , one thing is true, we all need to be able to lean on our neighbors.

We all need each other to endure what else COVID-19 will bring. I want people to use this time to practice empathy, selflessness, and service. Not only for now when it’s easier to see the negative effect of a virus that is plaguing everyone, but also when it’s harder to detect help needed outside of your home.

Practice for months down the road when problems are more isolated and targeted towards specific groups. Exercising the skills that come with empathy, selflessness, and service will open your eyes and heart in unimaginable ways.

Maybe this way America won’t need tragedy to evoke unification, or need a pandemic to bring attention to the importance of many things that should be common practice. Let’s all keep growing closer together and eliminate the divide, but not the divide between you and outside because everyone should only be leaving to get essential items.

Behind the Register Column by Ari Revella

As someone who works for a grocery store, my coronavirus quarantine experience is a bit different than others. lllThe weeks leading up to the official stayat-home order on March 24 were hectic.

Out of all of the jobs I have worked, this easily takes the cake for the hardest I’ve worked in a long time. A lot of people were panic buying, and we soon ran out of a lot of food items, like bread and some canned goods, along with the most obvious one being toilet paper. We had a lot of double cart orders, even a few triple cart orders. But the first day of the order, it slowed down immensely, which I’m grateful for.

Even during the times when people were extremely worried about the situation

Photo Coutesy of Ari Revella

at hand, this brought out the best in a lot of us. Being behind the register and being able to walk around the store to assist others, I’ve seen acts of kindness throughout my shifts. People helping seniors find items, even giving some of the groceries they had that needed them.

People paying for others’ orders, and so on.

I’m blessed to have moved to this town, knowing that there is a strong sense of community and spirit. I’ve been doing my part when I’m not working to stay at home and self-quarantine with my mom, who is working from home, but when I’m working, I’m finally starting to feel like this job has a lot more to it then just scanning items at a register.

Opinion lhsnews.net

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spotlights.

Freshman

Brooklyn Young

Young expresses her dedication and love for volleyball.

Reported by Ashley Tindall Photo by Alyssa Griffith Design by Derek Katzer

This year, at the Colorado Crossroads volleyball National Qualifier, freshman Brooklyn Young and her club volleyball team, Dynasty 15-black, went head-to-head against one of the former winners, Aspire. They had lost the first set, and by the third set, they were down. Young, who was becoming nervous for

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Spotlight

her team, kept her hope that they could pull through and win. They were predicted to win, but were facing the real chance that they could lose. Young’s teammate got a huge block that helped the team pick up the game and they won.

“It was a pretty great feeling when we won,”

Young said. “It was my first time winning Crossroads. We almost did last year, but this year we did and it was really cool.”

Coronavirus is throwing off some people schedules and Young is not an excpetion.

“The shutdown has had a huge impact because it keeps me from being able to be on the court, our practices were canceled until May 1,” Young said.

While Young is trying to figure out life without volleyball, she had to change her schedule.

“My schedule has changed quite a bit because there is really nothing to do so I’ve been sleeping till noon every day and then doing my school work and just trying to get outside as much as I can,” Young said.

Young plays both club volleyball and for the school, but no matter who she is playing for, it’s the sport and the support from her teammates that keep her going back for more.

“It is just so fun because when you are hitting you just get to let your anger out on the ball,” Young said. “Then after every point we cheer, which helps you stay happy the whole game.

And the people, depending on what team you are on, are amazing.”

On and off the court, Young cares for those around her. She tries to keep everyone else up, while also keeping herself up.

“She treats other people how she would want to be treated,” freshman Sutton Richardson said. “If she notices something, she’s going to tell you and be honest about it. She is someone you can go to if you need help.”

Young loves to help people and animals, a job that she plans to pursue in her life.

“I just love every animal,” Young said. “People think that rats are gross, but I think that rats are cute. I’ve always kind of wanted to be a veterinarian, but I used to switch between that and a police officer, because that is what my dad is. Now I’ve gotten more into the idea of being a veterinarian.”

Young’s drive is admired by those around her. Her go-getter attitude, determination to be the best she can and her success in never letting even her bad days get the best of her has been noticed by math teacher Tara Grosdidier.

“Brooklyn is extremely motivated,” Grosdidier said. “Even on her rough days, Brooklyn can just come out of it, as soon as I start teaching. It is like it didn’t matter if she had a rough day at volleyball the week before, you would not see it in class two minutes after class starts. She just changes her attitude.

She enjoys being in class. She loves learning, though she may not say that or she may not know that. She definitely has a positive attitude when it gets going. We learn a lot of new things in Algebra I, and there is nothing I feel that I have given her this year that she has not caught onto.”

spotlights.

Sophomore

Trevor White

White lives through his passion of soccer, tennis and choir.

Reported by Lucas Kilgore

Photo by Hannah Mayfield

On the court sweating to on the stage singing, practice makes progress. Sophomore Trevor White has explored this and learned it throughout his time through high school so far.

Though White loves being on stage and playing tennis and soccer, those activities have been cut short. Due to recent events and the spreading of Covid-19, tennis is not in session because of school being cancelled.

“My life is just more confined than usual,” White said. I can’t really get out much to play sports. School isn’t much different, there is just less communication between students and teachers.”

Even though White can’t participate in these activities the rest of this year, he found himself in these areas of the school by trying hand into many different aspects of social life.

“I force myself to do things,” White said. “It depends what it is but a lot of times to get myself into a routine I have to force myself in the beginning and then it builds off of that.”

Being self-motivated is not always enough for someone like White so he looks to inspiration.

“My brother gets me involved in a lot of stuff and helps me out a lot of times,” White said.

Design by Derek Katzer

“My parents talk to me and help me get involved.”

He makes sure to keep his game up to his best standards.

“In tennis, you usually want to try different spins. You always want to try different serves because you can lose your serve really fast if you don’t practice it,” White said. “In soccer, you have to run a lot of drills. It’s more endurance than anything. It’s a lot of running. You can’t just floor the ball and run for it, you have to take soft hits to pass it to your other foot or to somebody else. The biggest thing is endurance.

If you don’t then you won’t be able to play for very long. It helps you be able to play for an entire half.”

White tries to be the best person he can be every day.

“He’s a really kind person,” sophomore Theophilus Bonney-Kwofie said. “He shows interest in people’s lives and helps when he can. He will ask questions about how you are, what’s going on and how your day went.”

White makes sure he can learn and grow no matter what he is doing or involved in.

“Trevor came into choir last year and he

had not really done a ton of the technical stuff that we were doing and he picked it up really quick,” choir teacher Danaya Roller said. “He’s in concert choir this year, which is a huge step for him, which really shows his work ethic. He came in not knowing is much or is prepared and worked hard to make that top group.”

Work ethic is very important to him. He strides to be great at whatever he does.

“Trevor is one of those kids where he’s going to work until he gets it right,” Roller said. “It might require him to spend a little more time outside of choir if he doesn’t get it the first time.

He’s not going to ever be OK with just being baseline or status quo. I think we see that in choir and him playing sports like tennis. He just wants to do well.”

White tries to make everyday the best one by being as happy as he can be every day.

“I can’t think of one person that doesn’t love Trevor as a person because he is just so kind to everybody and he goes out of his way to make sure everyone is comfortable and happy,” Roller said. “His smile could easily light up a room.”

Spotlight lhsnews.net

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spotlights.

Junior

Maya Gaona

Gaona shares her passion and commitment to soccer.

Reported by Jade Garbani

Photo by Alyssa Griffith

“I was standing on the field crying like a baby,” junior Maya Gaona said. “It was a really happy moment, we worked so hard that whole year. It was a great moment for the team.”

Gaona and the lady jays varsity girls soccer team won State in 2019, Gaona’s biggest accomplishments and one of her biggest goals.

Covid-19 has thrown a wrench into her junior year, Goana has found ways to work around it. “something about soccer” Goana said. “I am still able to do many of the things I love to do, just in a different way.”

Gaona plans on doing soccer in the future.

Committing and playing soccer in college was her biggest goal yet and she had finally made it. lll“I chose to commit to University of Missouri-Kansas City,” Gaona said. “The coaching staff was really amazing there and it was somewhere I was comfortable going to. I knew the coaches. I really enjoyed going around the campus. It was really nice. And they had a lot of opportunities for me education wise. It was a great option for me.”

Even though Gaona already committed to college, she is still getting involved at LHS. “Currently I am involved in National Honor Society, I thought it would be good for me to

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Spotlight

Design by Derek Katzer

do to get involved in my community and also reaping the benefits, such as helping get further scholarships for college,” Gaona said.

Benefits and involvement is a big plus for Goana, but there is more to the clubs she loves.

“My favorite thing is there’s a lot of diverse people in NHS,” Gaona said. “Although me and people in NHS are diverse, everyone wants to help out the community in any way that they can.”

Not only is Gaona involved in NHS to help her out with college, but the Early College Program as well.

“It’s a really easy way to get college credit easily and for free through high school,” Gaona said. This is a helpful way to help her throughout college and get some credit early.

Not only is it hard now to adapt to the changes due to Covid-19, Goana found some struggles throughout the beginning of the year.

“It’s always hard to prioritize soccer and school because they’re both so important to me,” Gaona said. “I think it’s just about finding a rhythm. Sometimes it’s hard. That’s always been a challenge for me but I figure out how to get it done. I’m not sure how. It’s tough but I make it work.”

Since soccer and school take up most of her time, Gaona doesn’t have a lot of free time.

Luckily, Gaona and junior Amy Ngo get to see each other throughout the school day.

“We have three classes at LHS and then have classes at Maple Woods,” Nog said. “Some days it can be a drag going to the same classes every day, but then her being there brightens up your day and makes someone laugh. She can act funny and wild to make you think today isn’t going to be so bad.”

AVID teacher Mrs. Knowles is now teaching her for the second year this year.

“I find her willing to help out a lot,” Knowles said. “Last year she stepped out to help with this brand new program because it was our first year of the Advanced Via Individual Determination program. She always comes to my classes friendly and ready to start her day.”

Gaona gave some advice to help students.

“Without working hard you’re not gonna get anything done,” she said. “You might get lucky sometimes but if you don’t work hard and try to make something of your talent then it’s not going to work out. In general, always make school a priority even if you don’t enjoy it.”

spotlights.

Senior

Elijah Cramer Cramer shares his passions for the fine arts and plans for the future. Reported by Rosie Frederick Photo by Alyssa Griffith Design by Derek Katzer lllIt’s likely you’ve seen senior Elijah Cramer dressed up in a tux and singing with the choir, but there is a lot more between the black and white than meets the eye.

Even though the Coronavirus has cut some of these activities short, he still is doing what he loves while in quarantine. Cramer has always loved to sing and appreciates the training he’s

had from his past and present teachers. lll“I feel with the training I’ve received from amazing high school teachers, I have developed and learned more as the years have passed by,” Cramer said.

He is currently in Concert Choir, Chamber Choir and Jazz Choir. According to choir teacher Rika Heruth, he brings good measure

to the groups.

“Elijah is an extremely talented singer,” Heruth said. “He is very professional and models a strong work ethic for his peers. He has a positive attitude and always approaches challenging situations with integrity.”

However, he doesn’t just sing in a choir. He also has a passion for playing the piano and expressing himself by writing music.

“I have a good recording setup in my room and through that I have the ability to edit and mix with software on my computer,” Cramer said. “This is probably what I would always choose to do in my free time.”

Alongside choir, theater has also played a big role in Cramer’s life. His mother used to be involved in musicals, so he decided to follow in her footsteps.

“I remembered my aunts being in Into the Woods, and figured this was my last opportunity to try acting again,” Cramer said.

“I decided to challenge myself and audition for the role of Jack. I was truly shocked when I got the part. Never before had I ever gotten a lead role, but it was one of the best experiences of my life and I will never forget it.”

He plans to be a computer programmer and has already started preparing himself for his future through his work on the LHS website.

“I loved working on the LHS website because it involved my passion for computers and graphic design,” Cramer said. “It was a great internship for my future career.”

When Cramer was still playing soccer, he met one of his best friends junior Ty Ritchie, and has known him for eight years.

“I don’t think you could find his personality in anyone else,” Ritchie said. “He’s nice to everyone no matter how bad they are. He is very sincere, he’s always loving and puts forth all of his effort. If something gets in the way he doesn’t let that stop him.”

Church is also an important part of Cramer’s life, and he attends many meetings to prepare himself for a mission trip.

The mission trip has now become optional for people to take because of Covid-19.

“I work a lot to save money for college and I’m also involved in my Church,” Cramer said.

“I will serve a proselytizing mission to Santa Rosa, California after I graduate from high school and before I attend college at Brigham Young University.”

Cramer’s parents are his biggest cheerleaders and support him in everything he does. They push him to be successful and happy.

“They have always pushed me to do difficult things and gave me the confidence to follow through,” Cramer said. “They have loved and supported me throughout my life and I wouldn’t be where I am today without them pushing me to be outside of my comfort zone.”

Spotlight lhsnews.net

23

A&E

The Gateway Award recognizes the top books that appeal to high school students in Missouri. Award recipients are chosen from 15 books that have been written in the past year.

The LMC librarians send out emails with the books and information about the award and prominently display the books in the library to encourage students to read them. From there, students spend the year reading the books. In the spring, any person who has read three or more of the books plays a role in deciding what book will receive the Gateway Award.

LHS librarians Chris Anderson and Lori Reidel emphasized how good the Gateway nominees truly are.

“After they’ve gone through the whole process of being nominated and everything and the reader selectors, it’s guaranteed to be 15 fantastic books,” Anderson said. “Plus I think it’s nice, because they end up coming from a range of different genres, there’s something there for everyone.”

The first most popular book among 42% of LHS students was The Hate U Give. and the second was Nyxia, with nearly 16% of students preferring it, according to a poll sent out by The Bell.

Photo by Makenna Smock

Hooked . . .

Students’ Opinions on Gateway Nominee Books.

The Hate U Give

24

Photo by Kaleigh McCarthy

the bell April 2020

A&E

The Hate U Give is a powerful realistic fiction story about the effect of police violence on one girl, Star’s, life. The story begins with her best friend being shot by the police, and then begins exploring the ways Star tries to find justice for her friend. This message is especially meaningful to the black community, a group of people affected by the issue of police violence in real life.

“It raises a conversation about why police violence is wrong and it gets you to feel for the characters that are going through it,” senior Isabelle Bates said. “Some people might say that it’s not a big deal, but this book shows that it really is and that they can connect to the people that are being harmed by it.”

The political message was a critical element of the book, and was especially meaningful to people affected by the issue in real life.

“It’s a modern thing that’s happening in our world, especially for the black community,” freshman Jaliyah Conway said. “It was something to relate to.”

Another element of the book students enjoyed was the writing style and the emotion it invoked.

“I enjoyed the book because it was a very fast paced book. You didn’t want to put it down because it left you at cliffhangers and it had a ton of emotion,” freshman Abby Steelman said.

“One of the best things about the book is the way the characters are described through the main character’s mind. It’s so intense that you feel for the characters.”

A combination of the meaningful message and the writing style make The Hate U Give the favorite Gateway among students.

Photo by Makenna Smock

A&E Nyxia

Nyxia was a popular choice among students due to how dynamic and action packed it was.

It is a science fiction novel, a very different genre and writing style than The Hate U Give.

It was still one of the student favorites from the nominee list, showing that there truly is a nominee for everyone.

The plot of the book focused on a substance called Nyxia, and followed a group of teenagers selected to train and compete for a spot to work and mine the substance on another planet.

Along the way, there are many twists and turns that added to how dynamic and interesting the book is.

“I think the best thing about the book is seeing how the characters grow and develop throughout the story,” freshman Kennedy Dressaeler said. “I really enjoyed the action and the details that were used in the book.”

The details were a large part of why students enjoyed the book so much, and allowed them to truly relate to and experience the book in a whole new way.

Freshman Liberty Dilbeck enjoyed seeing the characters grow and the plot thicken as the book continued.

“They were trying to learn how to use Nyxia,

which is the substance in the book. Babel, the lead company, kept tricking the kids and making them do more than they needed to,” Dilbeck said.

Photo by Makenna Smock

On Books Reported by Caty Franklin

Design by Regan Johnston

Honorable Mentions Goodbye Days

Goodbye Days falls in more of the emotional, realistic fiction side of the nominee list. It begins with three of the main character’s best friends getting in a car crash and passing away while coming to pick him up, and walks alongside the main character in his journey to say goodbye and have ‘goodbye days’ for all of his friends.

Freshman Chloe Morgan enjoyed how, despite being sad, the book allowed her to develop alongside the characters.

“Even though it was a really sad story, it had such a good message with it,” Morgan said. “You start in the beginning at the main character’s lowest point in life, and you see him grow throughout the story and slowly recover.

It has a really positive message.”

Eliza and Her Monsters

Another favorite book among students is Eliza and Her Monsters, a realistic fiction book about a girl, Eliza, who creates an anonymous webcomic. The story follows her struggle with remaining anonymous even when becoming close to one new student, Wallace.

Sophomore Elle Evans enjoyed the book because of many different things, one of those being the actual design of the book itself.

“One of my favorite things about it is how there are text pictures and you can see text messages and pictures of the forum she runs for the comic,” Evans said. “Also the drawings she has.”

As far as the story goes, Evans noticed the emphasis placed on both the main character’s real world and her virtual world.

Invictus

Invictus, a science fiction novel focusing primarily on time travel, appealed to students with its futuristic themes and constant plot twists. The main character, Far, takes a job as a part of a time travelling crew to recover valuable artifacts. On one such heist, the crew discovers that history might not be as stable as they thought.

Freshman Liberty Dilbeck especially enjoyed the balance the author created by mixing serious elements with lighter ones.

“Invictus was good because there were heavier parts of the book but they still kept it pretty funny,” Dilbeck said. “The worst thing about Invictus is that it didn’t end in the way you expect.”

A&E lhsnews.net

25

sports.

One Team,

One Dream

Senior Kat Torrence hits the soccer ball with her head during a Lady Jay’s soccer team practice as her teammates surround her.

Photo by Grace Bushroe

The Lady Jays Soccer Team shares how they prepare for whatever the season brings their way.

Reported by Anthony Savastino Design by Ashley Tindall

One team formed last year to take a shot at the State title. One team faced and overcame many challenges along the way. One team came out on top: the Lady Jays soccer team.

Today, this same team faces a new opponent: COVID-19. They were looknig to be even better this year and planned to go for a second State win in a row, but the virus has spread across the world in a short amount of time.

“At this moment, we are at a standstill.

MSHSAA has not canceled the season entirely yet, but the earliest we could start would be after the 24th of April,” Nash said.

For the seniors, this pandemic could be the end of their senior season, but they are staying positive and doing what they can during the tough times.

“Due to the Coronavirus, we are unable to practice with our coaches and attend any games, so it is up to us to stay dedicated and practice”, senior Madilyn Hamline said. “As long as we are doing something and staying determined that is all that matters and all we can do. I’m just hoping and praying I get to play my senior year with my teammates.”

With the new rule out that everyone needs to be social distancing, the girl’s soccer team is still doing their best to train and be ready for a season if there is one.

26

the bell April 2020

Sports

Senior Kat Torrence kicks the ball as juniors Annabeth Henson and Ellie Rogers follow behind her down the field.

Photo by Charlene Nguyen

“Some of the girls and I have continued to run practice as normal as possible,” senior Abby Watts said. “We don’t know what the future will look like for our season but we are crossing our fingers and hoping for the best. If we are lucky we will still have a season, a very short one, but still a season.”

If the soccer team can return to the field to play their season they know that there will be a lot of stress and pressure to carry on the same energy from last season.

“One thing that makes me a little nervous is the target that we will have on our backs,” Hamline said. “Everyone will be out to beat us and tear us down, but I know we have the talent and mentality to overcome it.”

Not only is there stress for the Jays, but there are a lot of changes in the way the team looks this year.

“I think a major way that this team will be different is because they have the taste of winning,” head girls soccer coach Tyler Nash said. “They will need to ignore what we did last year and focus on this year if they want to reach their true potential.”

To reach the team’s full potential, the seniors are stepping up this year to lead and help the newest players of the team.

“Our most important thing is to keep the

sports.

freshmen motivated and feel at home,” senior Allie Taylor said. “We don’t want them to quit after one year, we want them to know how fun it is to be a part of this team.”

The team this year has many strong qualities that they are bringing into the season.

“Some of the strongest qualities on our team this year is again our chemistry which is really good to naturally have and having the same goal in mind, going back and winning state,” Watts said. “Having the same goal is really helpful going into the season, because we all know our roles and what we can do to successfully impact the team.”

The Lady Jays have some big aspects that set them apart from their opponents.

“Our team gets along so well, we are always laughing and making jokes,” Taylor said.

“These girls are my family. If you see us dancing before the game starts then you know we are about to play our hearts out for each other.”

In the end, the girl’s soccer team is being hopeful and doing what they can for a season that has been put on hold due to COVID-19.

“This team is really close and has an extremely strong bond,” Nash said. “We have been meeting on Zoom and discussing a book we have been reading and several different challenges we have been focusing on. Overall, it’s been hard but we have been keeping faith that we will be able to play.”

Athlete Madilyn Hamline

Senior Kat Torrence kicks the ball away from junior Ellie Rogers during a scrimage as other Lady Jays surround the two.

Photo by Grace Bushroe

Senior Madilyn Hamline Reported by Derek Katzer

“I will still be playing soccer at the University of Missouri [and because of coronavirus] I will be preparing differently now. Not being able to play with my teammates is what makes me the saddest. Especially in my senior year, not being able to do that makes me realize how much I am going to miss playing for this program. I am going to miss my team and the coaches. I am going to miss playing with them and making so many fun memories. We all wanted to accomplish winning State again and have another year together.”

Coach Tyler Nash

“She is one of the best players I have ever coached but brings far more to the team than just her ability to score goals. Her attitude and desire to bring out the best in each and every one of her teammates is what really separates her from the rest of the pack. Compile that with her sense of humor and you have an amazing, young lady that will truly make the world a better place. She also is an unbelievable leader. I believe this year we will see her at her best, which is kind of scary since she already is so good.”

Teammate Senior Allie Taylor “She is one of the fastest people I know. With that speed, she has a lot of skill. I know she can get around anyone on the defense. She’s worked very hard to get where she is. That’s why she will be playing D1 soccer and why she is so good at what she does.”

Photo by Charlene Ngyuen

Sports lhsnews.net

27

Escape the Rain

28

the bell April 2020

Games

last but not least.

English Teacher

Brian Gehrlein Reported by Derek Katzer

Photo by Emma McDonald

Design by Derek Katzer

Sophomore Peyton Redman

“He’s very outgoing. He’s a teacher, but he’s also writing books at the same time. I think that it is very cool that he is able to do both. He pushed me everyday to become a better writer and to improve. I look forward to his class every day. He made me realize what I wanted to be a journalist or a writer in the future. I’ll always remember in that class I realized what I wanted to do in the future.”

Freshman Wyatt Lux

“Before this year, I’ve never really liked ELA. It’s been mostly boring and repetitive and the same thing. But this year, the way he acts and teaches makes it a lot of fun and I like to go to ELA now. He teaches the same topic multiple times a day but in different ways. He’ll teach you by telling it, then have you teach yourself or people around you and he’ll do inclusive work where everyone is included.

Sometimes, he’ll make a small joke and make the class funny and enjoyable to learn.”

Freshman Kendin Bittiker

“The first day we came into class he was very happy and bubbly. You could tell he loved his job. Teachers who love their jobs make students love doing their work so much more. Every single day I walk into class, he always asks how my day is. He makes my day a lot better. I admire how much he can relate with us. Whenever we have a problem, he’ll always talk to us and make us feel better. If one of his students didn’t have lunch and he had lunch, he would be the type of teacher to give them his lunch. He puts us ahead of him. He makes sure we have a good time before he does. He’ll do anything for us to have a good time.

Freshman AnnaMarie Milano

“I’ve always loved English and he makes it interesting.

I am not one who is fond of poetry, but he made it a fun unit for me. The first time we re-enacted something from Romeo and Juliet, we had to do this weird fencing thing.

He showed us how to do it and we fenced with each other for five minutes. It’s not an ordinary class. He interacts with you and makes it a better day when you talk to him. I got really lucky with the teachers I have this year, but he seems to put extra effort to ask how we are doing everyday. When we walk through the door, his first question is ‘Hi, good morning, how is your day?’ He’s a really great teacher and I hope he starts teaching some upper level English classes so I can have him again as a teacher.”

last but not least. lhsnews.net

29

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