February issue

About the Cover

COVER BY MADISON REMLEY

February is the month of Valentine’s day, a holiday dating back to the 14th century. Since then, this holiday has become a day where people celebrate love and friendship with eachother. People particiapte in this tradition by giving gifts, hosting parties and various other traditions. “I love doing different traditions around valentines day and celebrating with the people I love,” junior Gabriela Echeverria.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

This month, we’re celebrating all aspects surrounding the season of love. Sophomore STUCO member Thea Einerson heads the courtwarming dance themed “Be Mine” (pg. 18). This years courtwarming will be a bit different than previous years, with StuCo pushing a more formal dance this year. Students are choosing to celebrate Valentine’s Day a little different this year, by participating in galentine’s day (pg. 6).

Students all around the school are excited as the Chiefs made the Super Bowl, and fantasy football team players are already choosing their next year’s roosters to make the win (pg. 8). Juniors are having their own battle in AP government, with the election (pg. 7). Girl’s and Boy’s State applications are open, but there is a bias within scholarships (pg. 22).

Next, EDGE’s Exhibition Night will showcase their learning during first semester (pg. 10). EDGE’s upcoming project is based on the UN Sustainability Goal: Responsible Consumption and Production. With all classes in full swing, students are finally back into the routine of assignments and extracurriculars. Stress levels are higher calling winter break and an extensive amount of snow days (pg. 16).

Then, winter sports wrap up and senior Hunter Taylor talks us through the victories in varsity wrestling (pg. 20). The basketball team make history at the Bluejays vs. Eagles courtwarming game (see lhsnews.net).

Finally, junior Section Editor Jenna Shores shares her opinions on the controversy surrounding the Golden Globes and anti-feminist comments made by Jo Koy (pg. 22). Junior Managing Editor Victorya Wilkinson discusses the skincare epidemic among the younger generation (pg. 22).

The Bell Staff hopes everyone’s February is full of love and excitement, a great Valentines Day and Superbowl whichever way you choose to celebrate.

Lucy Boyle

Editor-In-Chief | Lucy Boyle

Managing Editor, Ads Manager, InDepth Editor, Copy Editor | Victorya Wilkinson

Online Manager, A&E Editor, Design Editor, Social Media | Jenna Shores

News & Sports Editor | Connor Rizek

Spotlight Editor | Brookelyn Jadwin

Opinion & Features Editor | Chloe Franklin

PhotoJ Managing Editor | Madison Remley Reporters

Brodie Jobe

Brodey Hutton

Addison Fung

Kora Smith

Avala Freire

JaiDynn Sargent

Katelyn Eriksen

Madeline Jones

Quinn Campbell

PhotoJays

River Cotton

Hannah Thompson

TABLE OF

06

Chance to Dance

Reported by Chloe Franklin

07 AP Class Democracy

Reported by Avala Friere

08 Super Bowl Saga

Reported by Quinn Campbell

10

The 17 Goals

Reported by Katelyn Ericksen

12 Is it Worth it?

Reported by Brookleyn Jadwin

CONTENTS

14 Pretty In Pink

Reported by Madeline Jones

16

Crushing the Pressure

Reported by JaiDynn Sargent

18 Sophomore Thea Einerson

Reported by Kora Smith

20 Senior Hunter Taylor

Reported by Addison Fung

22 Opinion Columns

Reported by Jenna Shores, Victorya Wilkinson, Lucy Boyle

Class Democracy

Charity events planned for kids in need

Designed by Connor Rizek

Photos by Jenna Shores

Reported by Avala Freire

Every year, Joseph Eikel and Ron Ludwig’s junior AP Government teachers engage in a whole class election. The election took place Jan 31, all hours of the school day.

The whole election process took around three weeks until a President was elected. The classes started this process by getting into small groups of three to four people. One student being the presidential candidate and the other students assisted in jobs such as campaigning and advertising.

“We wanted to make a video that people would want to watch and be interested in,” junior Charlotte Timba said.

The campaign process took about a week. Students were tasked in creating a mailers, banners and made a campaign video. All of the advertisements had to center around their candidate’s interests and values within politics. These banners were posted all around the school, with the purpose of displaying each

candidate and encouraging students to vote. Additionally, campaign videos were posted on YouTube to publicize the candidates.

“I watched Yuhoa’s one and it was super entertaining. It honestly made me want to vote for him,” Timba said.

Students got creative with their own campaigns, as some posted banners and videos on their own social media. Others got innovative with different types of campaign videos that sparked interest around the school.

The open primary took place on Jan 24 for all government students got to vote for the best-fitting candidate. The voting took place in room 906, where a ballot booth and poll workers

were there to mimic the actual voting process. After everyone had voted, teachers tallied votes and announced the candidate for each political party. The remaining candidates were Matthew Esser and Yuhoa Xiao.

“I think it would be really fun to win, however, it’s not the end of the world. I also just want my photo on the wall,” junior Matthew Esser said.

Once the two candidates were chosen, the general election took place a week following the open primary on Jan 31. The vote was close, but Xiao won. The commencement took place on Jan 7, after school, to celebrate Xiao’s win. Watch both Esser and Xiao’s campaign video on youtube posted by Ron Ludwig.

On Jan 25, AP government classes started giving speeches to campaign for the title of AP Government President. To prepare for the project, students created speeches, campaign banners, campaign favors and mailers. “It was a great experience and it got our whole class into this election and got us invested in class. it was really fun,” junior Matthew Esser said.

Chance to Dance

TDesigned by Connor Rizek

Illustrated by Connor Rizek

Reported by Chloe Franklin STUCO s Valentine s themed dance will

be different from last year.

he Student Council (STUCO) has planned Courtwarming to take place on Thurs, Feb 15 in Cokely gym. Significant changes to the dance have been made to gain popularity from the student body.

A spirit week the week before Courtwarming will be celebrated Feb 12-16 so students should stay up to date @liberty.stuco on Instagram for even more information.

“We are trying to make it a bit more formal than in past years. The dress code is more semi formal,” senior in Practical Leadership Tilyn Hodgkin said “It’s not as formal as homecoming or prom, but it’s also not as casual as jeans.”

In the past years, Courtwarming has taken on a casual theme such as jeans and t-shirts, but they are striving to change that this year. The theme Be Mine Bluejay was picked in hopes to make it unique from previous years. The dance is also unique in that it is the first year the court won’t be announced at the game, the dance falls on a Thursday night, and will be more formal.

“The sophomore class was in charge of picking the theme, and they wanted to do something kind of like Valentine’s Day, since it does fall on the week of Valentines,” Practical Leadership teacher and STUCO Director Kara Geisert said.

The basketball team will play Park Hill South before the dance and the theme for that game will be Blue Out. There are significant changes taking place this year in regards to the court and will be a major adaptation from past years. Changes to the game will be that they are no longer announcing the King and Queen at the game and it will take place the same night as the dance on Thursday.

“This year we will be announcing the court at the dance itself and not at the game, so more people are in attendance,” Geisert said.

The court is seniors only and is picked by teacher nominations unlike Homecoming which is picked by the student body. The candidates are narrowed down to a final King and Queen which will then be announced at the

Courtwarming dance.

Tickets will be $10 and can be bought either at lunch or @lps53.org/lhs when they are released.

Super Bowl Saga

Super Bowl quickly approaches, two teams face off to take home the Lombardi trophy.

Designed by Connor Rizek

Photos by Madison Remley

Reported by Quinn Campbell

With the Super Bowl quickly approaching, playoff contenders have been determined. Fans around the country are hyped up to see this year’s game, set to be in Las Vegas Nevada, on Sun, Feb 11. Available to watch on CBS and paramount plus at 5:30pm. Thes annual tradition of coming together and watching football comes with parties, capitalizing ads and bets on who will take home the Lombardi trophy.

“As of late Buffalo Bills were one of the strongest teams in the league,” sophomore Josh Hunkins said. “Through the second half of the season they’ve been a great all around team.”

With 2,212 rushing yards in the 2023 regular season, the Bills were seventh in the league for rushing yards, with running back James Cook rushing for 1,122 total yards in the regular season. Some crucial offensive players rely on quarterback Josh Allen, who holds 4,306 total yards in the regular season, and Steffon Diggs who has 1,183 yards. Some defensive players like Terrel Bernard who had 143 tackles, and Rasul Douglas who picked up four interceptions through the regular season. The Bills also clinched the #2 seed in the AFC playoffs, making them a popular pick to go to the big

game, another top pick is the Detroit Lions.

“I got the Detroit Lions winning it all. They haven’t been to the Super Bowl in 30 plus years,” sophomore Charlie Herman said. “I think they have a drive like no other team and I think they want it more for the city than most of the other playoff teams.”

Coming off of five losing seasons in the last decade, the Lions have clinched the number three seed in the National Football Conference. The Lions were seventh in the league for receiving yards with 4,606 yards in 408 receptions in the regular season, along with leading the league in rushing touchdowns with 27. The Lion’s defense contained players like Alex Anzalone who had 129 tackles and three sacks in the regular season, and Kerby Joseph, who has a total of four interceptions this year. The Lion’s offense led by Jared Goff, had students like Charlie Herman and Drew Maan rooting for them in the NFC Championship, due to their balanced team.

“Personally, I have the Chiefs taking the Lombardi this year,” sophomore Drew Maan said. “They have a top three defense in the league this year.”

Chris Jones and George Karlaftis, two players on the defense who have a combined 21 sacks. LaJarius Sneed alone has 14 pass

deflections and two interceptions.

“You can’t ignore the offense either, Mahomes and Kelce are an unbeatable duo, and Rashee Rice and Isiah Pacheco have been putting up some great numbers,” Maan said.

Travis Kelce has seven touchdowns in the 2023 season

“It’s something that you can’t take for granted. It’s almost like he’s playing Madden, like he can read the coverage and stop in the windows and be open and be on the same page as me at all times,” Mahomes said in an ESPN article.

Isaiah Pacheco has run 1,121 total yards this season with 245 carries averaging 4.8 yards per carry.

“I don’t like competing against Patrick Mahomes at all, But yes, he’s a great quarterback. It’s a no-brainer; he’s definitely a Hall of Famer,” Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson said in a postgame interview.

Patrick Mahomes has totalled 4,183 yards this season, with a 67.2 completion rate and 27 touchdowns. The Chiefs secured the number three seed in the AFC playoffs after a two game winning streak. A poll conducted by The Liberty Bell on Jan 18th showed 11 out of 30 students believed the Chiefs will win the Super Bowl.

“The 49ers are totally winning the Super Bowl,” sophomore Dawson Hoffman said. After a comeback in the championship against Detroit, the 49ers are headed to the super bowl to face off against the Chiefs.

The 49ers are currently the number one seed in the NFC playoffs.

The team has

two players who are MPV finalists, Christian McCaffrey and Brock Purdy. Even though the Chiefs have a solid defense, they will have to look out for running back Christian McCaffrey who has amassed 1,459 rushing yards with 5.9 yards per carry in the regular season. Brock Purdy totals 4,280 yards, with 31 touchdowns.

“The 49ers have a crazy defense too,” Hoffman said.

Cornerback Charvarius Ward has picked up five interceptions in the regular season, with one forced fumble. Patrick Mahomes will have to watch out for defensive end Nick Bosa totalled 10.5 sacks in the regular season, with two forced fumbles. With predictions made, the Super Bowl has NFL fans around the world riled up. The country’s most watched television broadcast, with 115 million viewers in 2023 according to CNN. It produced a revenue of 1.3 billion according to Cronkite News. More than 100 million viewers are predicted to tune in to this year’s Super Bowl, with the Kansas City chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. Illustrated

IS IT WORTH IT ?

?

A behind the scenes of student jobs.

Designed by Chloe Franklin

Photos by River Cotton

There’s debate on whether a job, as a student is really worth it. It can be stressful and sometimes be overwhelming. Although the money seem to be worth the stress, students continuously choose to work to earn some extra cash.

“It’s very, very stressful to both work and keep up with my school work. It’s essentially, wake up, go to school, go to work, go to sleep and then the cycle repeats again,” junior Saleen McGee said.

A big factor is the effect on one’s social life. Some may be too busy to go to school, then work and still have time to see their friends.

Reported by Brookelyn Jadwin

According to Pew Research Center, “The vast majority of teens (95%) spend time with their friends outside of school, in person, at least occasionally.”

Stress is a huge aspect that is present in most people’s lives, jobs can be a big contributing factor of that. They’re a huge responsibility and commitment.

“Working as a teen can have harmful effects on a student’s educational and social well-being, as well as on their health and safety. Students who spend more time working, have less time to focus on school, and often see a decline in their

grade point average as a result of their decreased engagement in the classroom,” freshman Katelyn Gendron said. Balancing work and school isn’t an easy task that just anyone can do. It takes effort and dedication to stay committed. Making sure that whoever is doing both doesn’t slip in their commitment to one, or even both.

“Having a job and school work is hard, but I manage. My car helps me balance both of them, since I’m able to be more independent whenever I leave either one,” sophomore Abigail Kelsey said.

“

“I wanted money to build up my savings and the responsibility of a job,” Kelsey said.

Jobs aren’t necessarily all bad. They can teach life skills and keep teens busy when they could be sitting at home or getting into trouble.

According to Evolve, “There are plenty of reasons why teens should work. Taking on a part-time job as a teenager builds independence and teaches responsibility. Some of the benefits of having a job as a teenager include helping teens avoid depression and teaching work ethic and valuable life skills. Working in high school helps teenagers get a head start by building a resume from an early age. A job can be an opportunity for unhappy teens to find a sense of belonging as part of a team.”

Working a job can be crucial to development as a young adult. It teaches teens how to recognize their strengths and weaknesses, as well as help them to better understand what places would be a good fit for them.

“I got my job because I wanted to build up my savings and learn the responsibility needed for a job,” junior Saleen McGee said.

Having a job can help teens better understand the value of money. According to Fox Business, “John Gallo of Gallo Consulting stresses that teens suddenly learn an item’s worth once they have to use their own

“It’s very, very stressful to both work and keep up with my school work,” Mcgee said.

“

money to pay for it.

‘If 20% of what you made in the summer goes into schooling, then the experience becomes that much more real to you’ll want to get your money’s worth,’

There are many pros, as well as cons, which come with having a job. If deciding to get a job, a teen should thoroughly consider both the good and bad aspects of having one.

According to BetterUp, the top five tips when looking for a job are:

1. Organize: Gather all your job-related information, from contacts to resumes to networking notes, in one place for easy access.

2. Self Care Matters: Don’t forget to take care of yourself during the job search. Take breaks, eat well, exercise, and make time for activities you enjoy.

3. Stay Motivated: Keep your energy up by doing something you love and stay motivated throughout the journey.

4. Stay Organized: Stay on top of tasks and progress, prioritize organization.

5. Set Realistic Goals: Aim to apply to three to five jobs per week and connect with people daily. When looking for a job, teens should consider what kind of job would be best suited for them, as there’s multiple opportunities for teens anywhere.

““Working as a teen can be harmful to a student’s educational and social well-being,” Gendron said.

A majority of students have worked a job. Whether it’s babysitting or working in retail, students maintained a level of responsibility and time management. “It is stressful to have a job and school work but it is manageable,” Abigail Kelsey said.

THE SEVENTEEN GOALS

Students push to improve sustainable consumption.

Designed by Chloe Franklin

Photos by Hannah Thompson

Reported by Katie Erickeson

Entering the View, students chat about new ideas with the thought of improving lives around the globe. Sophomore Olivia Messina works to create a project slide-show for her current project, showing it to her peers.

EDGE students worked, since last semester, to complete 17 goals called The Sustainable Development Goals. They recognize ending poverty and building economic growth. They

also address a range of social needs while tackling climate change and environmental protection. EDGE students also started Goal 14: conserving the oceans, sea and marine resources.

For their current project, students explored the United Nation’s Sustainability Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. This goal aimed to uphold sustainable consumer and producer practices. This goal will strengthen efforts to reduce harmful environmental impacts from unsustainable practices. EDGE students have a great amount of freedom with this project, and have been encouraged to use their

research to develop products to take action on the goal.

“Several of our students are working on projects that, if implemented, could impact Liberty High School/Liberty Public Schools by making some practices more sustainable,” said EDGE ELA Teacher Serena Comegys.

Students are building individual project timelines to guide their work process and annotated bibliography to showcase their analysis of the research sources they plan to use. These steps will help students develop their project ideas and think critically about the impact they can make with the topic they choose.

“The direction of my project is in my

hands. I can make it go somewhere if I want to, but that is an optional step. In my case, I can just share the information I’ve learned with others and they can choose to do what they please with that knowledge,” said sophomore Olivia Messina.

EDGE has a great amount of free time when it comes to projects, and students have direction they can take within the class. Students can decide if they want to push out their ideas and topics to Liberty High School, to help benefit it in later years.

“We transfer the skills we learn in different classes and apply them to our projects. Schedules are also different because EDGE students make their schedule at the beginning of every week during the fourth hour.” said freshman Jakob Eriksen.

Most of the projects

EDGE completes are major problems which aren’t only happening in Liberty, Missouri. These goals consist of possible solutions for global issues, like saving engry in cities, global waste efforts, etc. Whenever starting a new goal, the structure remains the same as a normal classroom project. All EDGE teachers followed this format: Identify a Problem, conduct research, develop a solution, construct and test, gather feedback, evaluate and revise and present Findings. Students take the work deadlines given by the teachers to set and build individualized timelines based on what they need to achieve.

“The hardest step of the project for me is always selecting my topic, after that, it’s a pretty clear path, I do lots of research and through that, I can narrow my topic if needed,” said Messina.

Everyone’s progress is different, and it changes the longer the group works on the goal. When starting a new project, students will research a topic which falls under the umbrella of the goal they are working on at the time those ideas relating to goal 12.

“My project focuses on industrial wastewater. I picked this topic because it was something I didn’t know a lot about, and I was curious about how the waste that the industry extrudes affects the environment and health,” said freshman Jakob Eriksen.

Ericksen has researched industrial wastewater, and formed a rough draft of his final project. After about two months of these phases, EDGE students will create their final project.

“My project is about fast fashion, but more on the environment and manufacturing side. I chose this topic because I’ve always wanted to learn more about the environmental effects of fast fashion since I know that it directly impacts me, as a consumer,” sophomore Olivia Messina said..

Students in EDGE have unique pathways they take within their project, but overall they all have the same endpoint. One of the largest items which separates EDGE from normal classes is the environment, and students have a tremendous amount of free time. Students gain many extra skills from EDGE and they can use these skills once they graduate.

“In addition to timemanagement and projectplanning skills, students are also working on these

Each semester, EDGE students start a new project on one of the 17 UN sustainable goals. They have been working on this project since the start of second semester and have been preparing to showcase their learning on Feb 6 at Exhibition Night. “I decided to join EDGE because I wanted to learn things within the real world that would be relevant when I became an adult,” sopho-

ELA & Social Science skills (competencies) through their current project. On top of these skills, students are also developing empathy, analyzing consumer habits - including their own, and learning about how choices made by individuals, corporations, governments, etc. have an impact on theworld,” said Comegys.

EDGE Students

wrapped up both goals, and students showed their progress and their learning with those who were interested at their Exhibition Night on Feb. 6. For more information on their next Exhibition Night, where they will present their next goal; number two: Zero Hunger, and student spotlight, visit EDGE’s website within the LHS homepage.

people spending on valentines day?

Candy: 57%

Greeting cards: 40%

Flowers: 37%

An evening out: 32%

Jewelry: 21%

Gift cards: 20%

PRETTY IN PINK

‘

How Galentine s Day expands female empowerment.

Designed by Jenna Shores

Illusrated by Madison Remley and Jenna Shores

Reported by Madeline Jones

There’s a teapot sitting in the middle of the table; surrounded by women laughing and smiling. The fresh smell of sugar cookies surrounds the room which is engrossed in pink and white wallpaper. A sense of empowerment fills the air as the steam from the cinnamon tea coats the atmosphere.

According to the Urban Dictionary, Galentine’s Day is celebrated on Feb 13, the day before Valentine’s. Galentine’s Day was created by the character Leslie Knope from the Sitcom Parks and Rec.

In this episode she explains, “Every February 13, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home and we just come

and kick it, breakfast style,” she continues by saying “Ladies celebrating ladies.” After this, Galentine’s Day was established as an unofficial holiday celebrated by 31% of women over the age of 18.

“While Valentine’s Day is fun, Galentine’s Day is so much fun because it is about celebrating the important women in your life,” junior Bella Dunvient said.

Galentine’s Day has grown in popularity over the past few years because this day recognizes the meaningful relationships within a group of friends. According to Socolo Ltd, the rise of Galentine celebrations can contribute to the increasing emphasis on female empowerment and different female friendships.

“I’ve never participated in Galentine’s Day, but it sounds very interesting and I think it might be fun to get together with other friends who don’t have significant others,” junior Aisha Diallo said.

A standard Galentine’s Day party could consist of food and

According

decorations such as balloons, lights and banners. There are several places near Kansas City where women are able to get together to celebrate. In Smithville, Missouri there’s a small place called Galentine’s Day Sip and Shop which offers vendors such as Chance Rebellion Boutique, Simple Soul Creations and Pure Romance by Nicollette.

“Many of the people with or without boyfriends celebrate Galentine’s Day with their friends and other women in their life. It’s a fun way to get together with your friends and

have fun while celebrating and supporting each other,” Dunivent said.

Within Kansas City there are a multitude of events related to celebrating Galentines/female empowerment, such as Girlfriends Night Out at The Mill Room in Blue Springs or The Prospect KC AntiValentines Day Brunch located in Kansas City.

According to Cosmopolitan, “If you want to extend the festivities, you could host a slumber party complete with blanket forts,

PJs and prank calls (maybe not the last one, actually?), or have a virtual Galentine’s Day party and get everyone together on Zoom to celebrate from your homes.”

“I think Galentine’s Day is related to women’s empowerment because it tells women you don’t need partners to celebrate holidays,” Diallo said.

Although many women believe they need a partner to be happy, Psychology Today states “Lifelong happiness – a sense of wellbeing and fulfillment – is more rooted in your overall life, not just whether you’re in a relationship or not.”

Surrounding yourself with friends on a holiday, such as Valentine’s Day, is a great way to expand female empowerment. Galentine’s Day represents the overwhelming need for females to support each other.

CRUSHING THE PRESSURE

Understanding the journey of academic stress on teens.

Designed and Illustrated by Victorya Wilkinson

Photo by Hannah Thomas

Reported by JaiDynn Sargent

According to Cross River Therapy, in 2023, “75% of high school students reported being stressed about academics on a daily basis. The US is ranked as the number one country with the most stressed students.”

Stress in teens, resulting from academics, continues to be a growing problem as numbers increase due to added expectations students feel they can’t meet. Liberty High School students are required to have 25.5 credits to graduate with 1 MVA and are strongly encouraged to take AP classes. All of this leads to students’ overworking themselves, leading to higher stress levels.

Overdoing homework and assignments

According to Pew Research Center, “academic pressure, college preparation and social expectations are some of the top stressors for high school students.”

Most classes have daily homework and assignments like notes, at LHS, students have seven classes and a flex hour to work on those assignments however, many times it takes more than just flex to finish homework resulting in taking time away

from sleep and extracurriculars such as sports and clubs.

“There are so many assignments, especially in Biology, I feel that I get behind before I can even catch up. Getting behind on assignments is kind of rough,” freshman Lillia Kropp said.

A poll sent out on Jan. 17, found students identify homework and assignments as the number one stressor, and what’s even more troubling is only 20% of students surveyed said they found the homework useful or worthwhile. Students did however find that the more time they study in class with the assigned teacher the better they did on the final assessment.

According to the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), “research fails to show any benefit to piling it on beyond an hour in middle school or

with different teachers and each assigns their own homework which can take up to two hours. To avoid student overload, some schools have tried making a shared calendar for teachers with all homework and tests for a class having a specific day like math work on Tuesdays, english on Monday. Schools are also including classes like AVID to teach organization

skills like time management and taking notes. Not enough sleep

“Nearly all (96 percent) public schools reported providing mental health services for their students during the 2021-22 school year,”

to later start times to help teens get more sleep. In 2022 California implemented a policy requiring all middle and high schools to not start any earlier than 8:00 am. This would allow for a student to go to bed at 9:00pm and wake up at 6:00am while still getting 9 hours of sleep.

Another issue which affects students is not getting enough sleep. With homework and extracurriculars, getting the recommended amount of sleep sounds like a dream but sleep is a fundamental requirement to learning.

Getting enough sleep can be the difference between passing and failing a test or putting your best work into an assignment.

“I have a lot of work during the day and not all teachers realize that you can’t use your flex time for only their class, if you have other classes. I end up going to bed late and waking up early, which messes up my sleep schedule and makes me moody and super tired the next day. Then, I don’t perform as well,” Kropp said.

Some schools have gone

Too Many Classes

Liberty High School requires at least 25.5 credits and one MVA to graduate while recommending 28 credits and two MVA’s for aspiring college students. The stress the American school system puts on college is overbearing for many students even though they find college important.

“I think college is important but sometimes it’s really overwhelming because there’s a lot of pressure” freshman Zoe

With the second semester beginning, students’ stress levels are growing with assignment pile ups and extracurricular responsibilities. Most stried to change their habits compared to last semester. “I think getting behind on assignments when you’re trying your hardest, is rough,” freshman Lillia Kropp said.

Moore said.

Effects of Stress in School

Stress can have multiple effects on the body and mind including insomnia, anxiety, depression, stress also physical effects of stress like heart disease, high blood pressure, and body aches that limit students productivity and success.

With assignments piling up, students’ mental health is being affected. Anxiety and depression are the most common effects of these high stress levels.

According to the American Psychological Association, “30% of American teenagers reported feeling sad or depressed because they felt overwhelmed by their homework and extracurricular activities.”

SENIOR HUNTER TAYLOR

Ambitious student has outstanding athletic accomplishments

Designed by Brookelyn Jadwin

Photos by River Cotton and Brookelyn Jadwin

Reported by Addison Fung

The sound of cheering from the fans after two points are given for a takedown. The feeling of victory after a second State Championship win. The smell of sweat after a hard fought match against a tough opponent in the matches against Millard South .

Senior Hunter Taylor is a top wrestling returner, back again this year to attempt his third State winning run. As his graduation is this year, Taylor is signed to Oregon State University to pursue his dream of wrestling as a division 1 athlete.

“He continues to be like a second coach or mentor, especially for a lot of the

younger kids that are coming into the program, that are freshman and sophomores,” Wrestling coach Kellen Laws said.

Coaches and teammates agree Taylor brings a special energy to the team and influences the underclassmen to reach for their goals.

“My favorite part about being on a team with Hunter is how he is fun to be around and makes the room a better place to be. He always has a very positive attitude,” sophomore Sandy Breeden said.

According to NCSA, “One percent of high

school wrestlers will go on to compete at the Division 1 level. These student-athletes aren’t just the best at their school; they are the top high school wrestlers in the country and oftentimes rank in the top 100 nationally.”

Taylor’s D1 status sets him apart from other current athletes. He has been wrestling for fifteen years started when he was 3 years old. The inspiration to start came from his Dad and Grandfather.

“My grandpa was a coach. He encouraged

me to do it and my dad wrestled in high school,” Taylor said.

Hunter will go on to compete for his third State Title. 1-2 sentences of STATS.

“I think his work ethic sets him apart but also whenever you have somebody that is trying to win their third State title, and fourth state medal it is not about him. He still wants to see some of those younger guys and he is willing to help them attain their goals that he wanted as a freshman or sophomore,” Laws said.

“My favorite part about the sport is

going to state and the team aspect of all of us wrestling together. Also winning with the team every year,” Taylor said.

From the years of 2020-2023, Taylor had fifteen wins, and just three losses.

“He keeps the team hyped and makes sure we are all doing what we are supposed to,” sophomore teammate Donovan Hodges said.

Coach Laws recognizes that at the beginning of Hunter’s high school wrestling career, he struggled with perfecting his diet and cutting his weight properly, but has since improved and passed his techniques and tips down to the underclassmen as they continue to develop.

According to Fitness Quest, “Wrestling encourages a healthy mindset and teaches athletes the value of sportsmanship. The

importance of wrestling’s supporting environment encourages respect for fellow athletes. Even after an unsuccessful match, wrestlers stay humble, confident and dedicated to self-improvement.”

Taylor gets most of his motivation from his parents, who he says sacrificed a lot for him at a young age.

According to MPSSAA, “A proper diet will help wrestlers lose fat weight without sacrificing muscle tissue or becoming dehydrated. Dehydration is a major cause of losses in strength and endurance.”

Working out is crucial for all athletes, which is something that Hunter had to learn over time. State this year will be held at Mizzou on Feb 23 and 24. For more information on LHS wrestling team, @LHSBlueJays, @LHSSportsMktg,

Senior Hunter Taylor has been working towards his goal of competing in the sport of wrestling at a D1 college level. Hunter has been a member of the team for his whole high school career and has worked his way up to the senior position he holds. “What makes him special is he is a 2x national champ, but besides that he’s just a good person in general and he is always willing to work harder each day,” sophmore Sandy Breeden said.

“He has been a leader inside and out of the room, for the most part probably since he was a sophomore or junior. He continues to be like a second coach or mentor, especially for a lot of the younger kids that are coming into the program, that are freshman and sophomores. Showing them what it takes to one, be a high level wrestler, on a high level team.” coach Laws said.

SOPHOMORE THEA EINERSON

High-achieving student leads as sophomore Class President.

Designed by Brookelyn Jadwin

Photos courtesy of Thea Einerson

Reported by Kora Smith

The pressure is on for sophomore Thea Einerson leading the STUCO meetings. During these meetings, she speaks with confidence and control. Containing feelings of enjoyment, she works with great sponsors and cabinet members on their next major project - Courtwarming.

Einerson has already taken charge of planning big events like Safe Halloween and the hygiene drive.

“I balance my other activities and being

class president mainly by using my time wisely and having support from the people around me,” Einerson said.

She meets with STUCO almost every single Wednesday at 7:15. She also will take extra time outside school to decorate or prepare for certain events. The Sophomore class is responsible for different events including the Sophomore Commitment to Excellence Ceremony, which is in place for the ring ceremony and has the purpose of “tying” Sophomores to LHS for the next 3 years. Sophomores also plan hygiene drives and courtwarming.

“I decided to run for student council because I love being involved in the community and have had good experiences with student council in the past,” Einerson said.

Einerson was a cabinet member in STUCO her freshman year as well. This helped her process of becoming sophomore class president which starts with running for class cabinet in April. Once Thea was voted into the cabinet, the sponsors had a conversation about who would be the best leader, and then she was elected president. The process of getting involved next year should be similar for Einerson, and so will her responsibilities like being able to represent her class and work with a team.

“She’s organized, she’s approachable, she has a willingness to listen but then also act,” Stuco sponsor Jessica King said, “She doesn’t just say, she puts things in motion.”

These traits of Thea’s came from her family. Her dad takes charge by coaching high school soccer. “I am also the oldest of four kids so I have always been the leader of the kids in my family,” Einerson said. This makes her a fantastic leader for the sophomore class. She takes initiative and brings new and interesting ideas to the table.

“She’s very responsible and is super kind to everyone, she’s always willing to help the group and take on tasks other people wouldn’t normally do.” Sophomore student

Sophomore Thea

Einerson is the class of 2026

StuCo president, and is a part of the soccer team. Einerson participates in a variety of community events so far in high school, hoping to get early life skills. “I decided to run for student council because I love being involved in the community and had good experiences with student council in the past,” sophomore Thea Einerson said.

every day. However, outside school hours are also required. She spends fifteen to thirty minutes practicing daily, about three hours a week.

The Courtwarming dance is the homecoming of basketball season, so StuCo puts it at the top of its priority list. Thea benefits from leading this advocacy. Taking charge of Courtwarming gives Einerson experience that will help her in leading bigger projects in the future. “Courtwarming is kind of like an

council vice president Abbigail Mota said.

Einerson is also dedicated to club soccer with practices four times a week and playing in two games a weekend, totaling about six hours of soccer each week. Her club is KC Fusion Pre-Academy 07, but she also participates in school soccer in the fall. As class president, organization and time management are essential. Einerson must prepare to help guide her team to help lead the school. “I also admire how scheduled and organized she is when it comes to dates and event planning, even at meetings she always writes everything down and has a calendar for all of it which really helps and is part of why she also has a good work ethic,” Mota said, “I couldn’t ask for a better president to have,”

Einerson enjoys getting involved in different groups to connect to our school like orchestra. also taken part in orchestra since fifth grade. She plays the violin during school

Check out Thea Einerson on Instagram and Twitter

Instagram- liberty.stuco

Twiiter- @LibertyStuCo

Thea’s Twitter - @theaeinerson

opportunity to grow their leadership skills to prepare them for their junior year which they will plan prom and then their senior year in which they kind of oversee homecoming,” King said.

Courtwarming is February 15th from 8-10 pm. You can buy tickets before school and at lunch during Courtwarming, which is from February 12th to the 15th. You can also buy tickets at the door of the dance. “Having to plan and organize events like dances and community events are good life skills that I will be able to use in the future,” Einerson said.

Einerson looks to her future in STUCO. She plans on running for class cabinet in the spring because of her love for activities in the council. She also admires the sponsors and other students who are participating in StuCo. Students can get involved by running for their class cabinet in the spring as well.

THE JOKE S WERENT FUNNY

Golden Globes announcer makes sexist jokes towards successful women.

Designed by Chloe Franklin

Photo by Hannah Thompson

Reported by Jenna Shores

On Jan. 7 2024, the 81st annual Golden Globes took place in Beverly Hills, California, awarding excellence in film and television. The host for this year was comedian and actor Jo Koy. During the ceremony, when Koy gave his monologue, he said that Oppenheimer is based on a 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project, but then he made a derogatory comment about Barbie and her body, and the audience barely laughed.

I believe this to be disgusting. A host of an awards show should make funny jokes and not diminish women with a comment about her body and not her accomplishments.

Barbie is a joyous celebration of what it means to be a human and understand our emotions, and more specifically what it means to be a woman in a patriarchy-led society, represented through Barbie and her journey through the real world. It is a way to reconnect to our inner child displayed in the most accessible way for the world to see. Reducing a brilliant movie which encaptures the struggles of being a woman in the 21st century to a derogatory comment, shows why Barbie was made in the first place. Barbie went on to win the award for cinematic and box office achievement later in the night.

After the backlash of the comments surfaced on social media, Koy went to defend himself during an interview with GMA3 saying his writers wrote most of it, not him.

Koy has been a stand-up comedian since 1994 and it baffles me that he’s been making comedy for that long and didn’t think to recognize these jokes as offensive. If you are talking to a whole crowd of celebrities, and are on national television, you should look over what you’re going to say. Especially when their are girls and boys of all ages watching from home.

Comedy should navigate taboo subjects and invite the audience to see the tension which exists around it. Derogatory Barbie jokes aren’t funny, they just reduce women to objects and/or the men around them. The reason why women don’t laugh at them isn’t because we can’t take a joke, it’s because it’s not a funny joke.

LET S FACE IT

Intense skincare is not for children.

Designed by Chloe Franklin

Photos by Hannah Thompson

Reported by Victorya Wilkinson

Skincare routines used universally among people whose skin is dry, oily, acne-filled and suddenly, it is being used by those with perfectly clear skin. Kids, around the age of 10, are creating their own routines using products aimed to help reverse skin damage they have not experienced yet causing more harm than good. Strong products, such as Drunk Elehant and serums containing retinol, are not for children.

According to USA Today, “Dermatologist Dr. Brooke Jeffy recalls one patient, around age 11, who developed a severe rash around her eyes from retinol, an ingredient known for anti-aging, which she says the child insisted on using. ‘It’s probably going to take at least a month, if not more, to totally resolve, Jeffy says.’”

This new trend is affecting more than just the children using it. Stores such as Sephora are seeing a large influx of young customers with ABC News reporting a 19% increase in skincare sales in 2023, with this number expected to rise this year.

“Stores are selling out things I need for my skin to kids who have no need for the products. It makes it harder for those of us who actually need to use the products to fix our skin,” junior Hazel Denison said.

Though this latest trend of routine may be damaging, the children are not entirely at fault. These products are being marketed to them by companies without proper information in order to make a larger profit.

According to HelpLama, “The global beauty industry revenue is expected to top $716 billion by 2025.”

Though this latest trend of routine may be damaging, this doesn’t mean skincare has to be out of the question completely.

According to wtopnews, “If you instill good skincare habits in your children from a young age, they’re more likely to continue those habits throughout their lives. This can help prevent skin problems like acne, premature aging, and skin cancer down the line.”

If children insist on having a skincare routine they can use products such as a gentle cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen to help build a routine of healthy habits for them to use in the future.

MAN IN THE ARENA

The Hidden bias of excluding women from scholarships.

Designed by Chloe Franklin

Photo by River Cotton

Reported by Lucy Boyle

Missouri Girls and Boys State is an annual 8-day youth program for students interested in politics. This program is among the most prestigious of programs, with 960 young men and 740 young women attending, from all around the country. Following this program, about 50 scholarships are given to both women and men who have shown their hard work and dedication in politics.

One scholarship, in particular, outshines all the others. The Man in the Arena scholarship, gifted by Leo and Lisa Vogel in 1982, is a $100,000 scholarship given to one Missouri Boys State citizen each year. This scholarship only applies to men, making it extremely biased, and goes against everything Boys and Girls State was built upon.

This scholarship was named in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt’s speech, “Citizen in a Republic.” This speech was 59 minutes of sexism, referencing a man’s need to bring honor to America and a women’s role to be in the home.

“The homely virtues of the household, the ordinary workaday virtues which make the woman a good housewife and housemother, which make the man a hard worker, a good husband and father, a good soldier at need, stand at the bottom of character,” Roosevelt said.

The Boys and Girls State mission statement says its purpose is to “draws together the best and brightest high school juniors to help lead them down the path of individual success and leadership.” This success cannot be done if equity is not given for both men and women.

“We are inspired by their generosity and we’re excited to see their gift make a real difference in the lives of our student leaders,” Missouri Boys State Trust Chairman Rusty Jones said.

Our society needs both men and women student leaders, but women are not able to show their full potential without having equal access and opportunity as to men. Why shouldn’t we put the same time, money and effect toward women too? A scholarship like this is of great worth and honor, and we need to find ways to do the same for women too. Creating a similar and equal scholarship to this one will ensure women with the same opportunities as men.

If Boy and Girls State truly does want to create a future generation of innovative and impactful leaders, women need to be included in this discussion. No change can be made for the future until these playing fields are leveled.

CROSSWORD February

Across

2. The holiday refrenced on page 14-15.

4. The sport the senior spotlight plays.

5. You can buy courtwarming tickets during ___. 6. What the sports story is about.

Down

1.The program that is referenced on page 10-11.

3. The football player that is seen in the graphic on page 8-9.