Liberty High School Newspaper May

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the Bell

Volume 88, Issue 10

Liberty High School

May 11, 2012

news

Select senior guys had the chance to strut their stuff in the annual male beauty pageant, Mr. Liberty.

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features

See what is up with the students who get the chance to venture to VoTech every day.

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sports

After losing the seniors of the ‘11 season, the Lady Jays soccer team is still standing strong.

22 sports: See how the baseball team is fairing with their journey back to State. see page 23

on the cover Senior Spencer Schwandt pitches his fast ball at a Jays home baseball game. The varsity team’s record is 18-2 and JV’s record is 6-4. After going to the State competition last year, the team fights to uphold these high standards. photo by Emily Houck Also featured on the cover (from top to bottom): photos by Nathan Hunt, Breann Koch, and Lucas Carrel.

The Bell Staff Editor In Chief Ashley McGee Managing /Opinion Editor Amanda Fisher Features/Design Editor Chris Mohr Sports Editor Mat George News Editor Nathan Hunt Copy Editor Haley Sheriff Ads Manager Shelby Curtis Online News Manager MacKenzie Sackett Twitter Convergence Cody Clawson Website Technical Support Cody Kesler Adviser Lori Oyler Reporters: Jacob Boese Ben DeHart Madison Denton

Michaela Lamb Molly Meeks Diana Timmermans Kayla Hammer

Photography Staff: Rachel Bower Lucas Carrel Emily Houck Breann Koch Samantha Novak

Clarissa Parker Lauren Pouliot Kelley Rowe Kyle Rutliff Mackenzie Spencer

oUR mISSION Our mission for the 2011-2012 school year is to bring together a variety of people and ideas to produce one collective body composed of articles, photographs and commercial messages. In this manner, we strive to provide a reliable, first-hand news sources that not only represents the Liberty High School community, but is created for them, by them, and about them. The Bell is a public forum for student expression.

cONTACT US 200 Blue Jay Drive Liberty, MO 64068 thebell@liberty.k12.mo.us (816) 736-5353

Senior Tristan Starner was surrounded by his fellow competitors and their escorts while he was “crowned” Mr. Liberty for the 2011-2012 school year. photo by Nathan Hunt

Mr. PaGent

by Madi Denton

LHS boys give it their all on stage to win the crown of Mr. Liberty.

Every year, people gather around their televisions to watch pretty girls show off their talents in front of the whole world to win a supreme title. The same thing occurs here at Liberty High School, but with guys.

Instead of being held in the high school, it was decided that it would be held at the Liberty Junior High. This provides more space and seating for the competitors and audience alike.

The Mr. Liberty competition is a long running tradition. With all the different events, it ranks “way better than Miss America”, sophomore Emily Moore said.

This year, the competition on April 25 consisted of, “a group dance, formal wear, an interview, talent, swimwear, and an eating contest,” StuCo Adviser Melanie Prince said.

“The guys definitely got creative in the events. You could tell they were having a good time,” Moore said, “They were relaxed and having fun, which made the whole thing more fun for the audience.”

Ryan Richardson and JaeJae Zimmerman sang and played the guitar, Ben DeHart danced, Joey Wheelhouse did a karate routine, Tristan Startner threw cards, and Colton Marnell played the piano.

The winner of the title, “Mr. Liberty”, was senior Tristan Starner. Austin Morales came in second, and

Ryan Richardson followed in third.

“The competition was enjoyable. I tried to have fun with it, and be myself. I think that worked for me, since being fake is never the thing to do,” senior Tristan Starner said.

Mr. Liberty is something that has been going on at the high school even before Prince started working here, and will be carried on into the future.

“The show has been in existence since I have worked here (five years),” Prince said. “I would assume it was a student project that became an annual event. I am sure we will keep the tradition running, but we may make some changes to the date of the show and the organization of the events. It falls during a hectic time of year for everyone,” This year, Mr. Liberty took place after the KLHS Telethon. That meant a lot of extra planning and work.

Regardless, the show was pulled off.

When asked about the other guys that competed against him, Starner only had one thing to say.

“You all looked really nice in your swim suits,” Starner said.

The year is coming to a close and the students of LHS are anxiously anticipating their summer vacation. But in order to have a fantastic summer, we need the sun! The Bell staff heard rumors that it is hiding in this issue of The Bell! The first person to find it without blinding their eyes and bring it back to the room 101 at the beginning of sixth hour will receive a prize courtesy of The Bell staff.

A FURRY SITUATION

by Michaela Lamb Biology II students get hands on experience working with mammal body systems.

Every year in Biology II, students are assigned a feral cat that they will be responsible for, nearly all of second semester for the purpose of dissection. These cats are, of course, already dead. Rest assured, however, that the animals were killed humanly and were unadoptable.

Students break up into lab groups soon after returning from Winter Break and stay in those groups throughout the semester while they work on their cat. The cats are used to learn bones, muscles and different systems in a mammalian body. Cats are used because they are relatively inexpensive, easy to get, and they model body systems similarly to a human.

“There isn’t another way to learn about the body and what goes on inside of it as well as with an actual dissection. Think about it like this, would you want your doctor to have actually seen the inside of an animal, or would you want them to have seen what it looks like on a computer?” biology teacher Rick Knowles said.

However, dissection is not for everyone. It is easy to get a little queasy when looking at an animal’s insides, or be overcome by the smell of the preservatives, which is why it is so important to eat a good breakfast and alert a teacher if you are feeling sick.

“I can see the benefit of dissecting, but it just wasn’t my favorite thing to do,” junior Merideth Graves said.

Students learn quickly to take good care of their cats and

how to properly handle potentially dangerous lab equipment, like scalpels.

“There’s a lot of technique involved with how you cut into the cat. You have to go slowly to make sure you aren’t cutting something else important, because then you won’t be able to see how everything functions together,” sophomore Caroline Abbot said.

All of this technique practice goes toward improving a student’s skill in a lab setting. For students who want to become doctors, or go into the medical field, the experience is invaluable.

“I want to be a doctor, so what we are learning right now is really relevant to me. Dissecting may not be my favorite thing to do, but I know that it’s going to make me a better doctor someday,” senior Victoria Higgs said.

If dissecting is not your thing, have no fear. Students do not have to take part in the dissection itself, only be responsible for knowing everything that they will be tested over.

Even if students are afraid of dissection, Biology II is still a great class to take and offers a chance for dual credit. Taking Bio II could be one of the best decisions that a Liberty High School student can make.

Students get to see an actual body system during the cat dissections.

Students had to together in teams to dissect the animals in Mrs. Knowles’ science class. photos by Rachel Bower

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News

Students give their farewells to some of their favorite teachers.

by Shelby Curtis and Haley Sheriff design by Madi Denton

So Long, Farewell The Bell

“She interacts with her students rather than just teach them. She tries to get to know everyone well and is an all around great person,” senior Abby Jarnowski said.

“I had her for A+ and she was such a sweetheart. She always told me how much she enjoyed having me around, and anytime anyone had a question she was happy to help them out,” senior Alexis Jackson said.

“He turned out to be a great teacher. He tries to make everything clear and makes us aware of current events, which is really cool,” junior Anthony Valles said.

Brad Oyler has been here 14 years and is currently a social studies teacher and coach. He is going to teach at Blue Springs South and be the head girls basketball coach. photo by MacKenzie

Rhonda Dempsey teaches English and yearbook. She has been here two years and is going to Abu Dabi to teach. photo by Kyle Rutliff

Nancy Armbruster is retiring and moving to New Mexico. She has been here for 6 years as one of our librarians. photo by Mackenzie Spencer

Alison Schultz has been here for 12 years and is the head librarian. She plans to take care of her mother, travel and substitute a little. photo by Mackenzie Spencer

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“She is always very friendly and does what she can to help you. She can find almost anything you need, senior Ian German said. news

“Mrs. Johnson makes everybody happy because she’s always nice and she does a lot of stuff around the school. She’s really involved with the assemblies and with all the advisory challenges.

She definitely brings a healthy competition to the school,” junior Spencer Nelson said.

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Kurt Gates is a social studies teacher that has been here 11 years. He is going to Liberty North to teach mainly American Government. photo by Shelby Curtis

Staci Johnson has been here for two years and is going to be a Spanish teacher. She teaches debate and competitive theater. photo by Mackenzie Spencer

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“He’s hilarious. I have a bunch of quotes written down that he’s said.

You learn a lot about government in his class,” junior Staci Gann said. news

Clay Pigeons Watch Out

by Diana Timmermans

Trapshooting Club takes aim at state and finishes strong.

The joint trapshooting team betweeen LHS and LNHS practices Wednesday nights all year long at Kansas City Trapshooters Association to prepare for the state competition at Linn Creek, Missouri. This year, the team went down to Linn Creek to shoot some clay pigeons and take some names.

“I love going to state. The bus ride down there is always fun, then after practice Friday, we go out to a movie, out to eat, and spend the night near the Lake of the Ozarks,” junior Ashley Van Black said.

The team came back with pretty good scores. Varsity team members include seniors Nate Carl, Ben DeHart and Danny Hansen; junior Phillip Ruark and sophomore Caleb Houck.

“Varsity got about a 90 percent average,” sophomore Caleb Houck said. The highest scorer was senior Nate Carl with a score of 96 out of 100.

Senior Nate Carl participated in state for Varsity. photo by Lucas Carrel

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“That isn’t my best score, I shot the weekend before state in a spring youth shoot, there I shot 97 out of 100 and won that shoot,” Carl said.

Every shooter shot four rounds of 25 pigeons totaling 100 pigeons at state.

Many trap shooters on the team are also involved with hunting, and some of them grew up with the sport.

“I thought it would interest me, I like to hunt and shoot. I started hunting when I was 11, I didn’t start trap until the second semester of my eight grade year,” said Carl.

Junior Ashley Van Black and her brother, sophomore Austin Van Black, work together to improve as trap shooters and grow as people. “We are really competitive with each other, but we are always super supporting. We try and help each other when we can,” said Van Black.

Senior Danny Hansen shot in state for varsity and shot 94 pigeons. photo by MacKenzie Sackett

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At state, the Trap Shooting Team shot 452 out of 500.

There are 25 shots in a round.

Junior Shona Choice took first place at state in the Girls division and shot 80 pigeons. photo by MacKenzie Sackett

Features

Vocation: an Inspiration

by Haley Sheriff

VoTech allows students to jumpstart their careers before they even graduate.

Liberty has plenty of co-curricular and extracurricular activities to break the monotony of its eight-hour days.

Sports, performances and publications are consistently advertised as outlets for students wanting to display their talents or to further prepare themselves for life after high school, but the one program whose sole purpose is to do just that hardly seems to get any recognition.

“VoTech is a half-day program dedicated to teaching juniors and seniors job skills in preparation to go straight into the work force, college, a two-year technical school or even a medical school; it’s a myth that most of our students do not attend some sort of higher education after the program,” counselor Brenda Wiederholt said. “Students involved in the program benefit from being surrounded by other students, or sometimes even adults, who are seriously interested in their field of work.”

With two locations at the Northland Career Center in Platte City and the Area Center in Excelsior Springs, VoTech offers a variety of career paths to choose from in its morning and afternoon sessions. With handson experience in fields like Crime Scene Investigation, Culinary Arts and Diesel Technology, the program gives students opportunities they could never receive in a regular high school setting.

“I am currently in the process of getting certified to be a nursing assistant in the Health Services program— it’s a great introduction for the medical field,” senior

Students train as firefighters in one of the several Vocational Technology classes offered through LHS. photo by Lauren Pouliot

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Jackie Lewis said. “We have to learn everything on our own that a registered nurse would have to know, like preventing and treating infections, memorizing diseases and caring for residents in assisted living.”

Besides training for work after graduation, VoTech also gives students the chance to volunteer or even obtain jobs relevant to their fields during the school year.

“The head chef of the Culinary Arts program keeps a list of employers looking for help in their businesses on the white board every day,” senior Hunter Ackerman said. “During March Madness, I volunteered to work at Pizza Bar in the Power & Light District, as it’s relatively close to where I live. After the basketball season was over, the owner offered me a permanent job, so now I work there making nine dollars an hour.”

In addition to learning job skills, students can also develop their leadership abilities within VoTech through competition in SkillsUSA, an organization that sponsors and encourages involvement in vocational education. Like any competition, students use their knowledge and talent of their field of work against students first in their own career center; if they succeed, they move on to the state competition and if they win there, they may participate in nationals.

This year, seniors Aaron Stasiak and Mitch Kovac of the Heating, Air Conditioning and Ventilation field, along with junior Phillip Ruark of Electrical Trades, qualified to progress to the national competition.

Jamie Solis and John DeLaTorre work together with power tools in the Woodworking portion of VoTech. photo by Lauren Pouliot

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But SkillsUSA also offers competition through its own version of a student council. With seven positions to choose from—president, vice president, parliamentarian, historian, secretary, treasurer, and reporter—students may run for office leadership at the district, state and national level as well.

“This year, I was the district level secretary, but I’m campaigning to become president at the national level next year; there are over twenty of us waiting for seven offices,” junior Kayla Davis said. “We have to be interviewed and go through special training for our wanted positions, learning proper etiquette and our responsibilities and then we must create a powerpoint about ourselves and write eight different speeches, presenting a rough draft of our upcoming campaign.

It’s great to be involved in the state leadership conferences and being able to meet different kinds of people from all over the U.S. and its territories.”

With VoTech presenting students with a combination of the best of not only the work force but also with the academia of high school, it could not be a more highly acclaimed program.

“If you’re interested, do not hesitate to join—I thought I’d give Culinary Arts a shot because I liked food and I wanted to know more about it. Leaving this program, you are 98% guaranteed of having a job, as the entire thing is geared toward getting a job,” Ackerman said.

“It’s so much better than just sitting in class.”

Students learn about circut boards and electrical engineering with the engineering sector of VoTech. photo by Breann Koch

FEATURES

Graduation Information

by Michaela Lamb

Everything you need to know about graduation and the end of the school year.

Dates at a Glance...

May 18

BaccalaureatePleasant Valley Baptist Church

7:30 PM

May 20

CommencementIndependence Event Center

May 22

11:50 AM

Last Day of SchoolEarly Release

5:30 PM

2012 Commencement

Seating Opportunity

Attention seniors and parents/guardians of the Class of 2012, There is one exclusive balcony suite at Independence Event Center available for the May 20th, 2012 Graduation Ceremony. Tickets will be raffled off to families who are interested at $5.00 each. All proceeds will go to the Sophomore Trasistion Program next year and the Freshman Transition Program after the 20122013 school year.

The private baclcony seats 16 and has a kitchenette for refreshments.

If you are interested in this opportunity, tickets will be available through May 11th, 2012. The drawing for the suite will be held at the end of the school day on Friday, May 11th, live on KLHS, where the winning family will be announced.

If you win the raffle tickets we would request that the six tickets provided for the floor seating be returned to Jennifer Thompson in the front office for the other students who are requesting additional tickets.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Adams or Jennifer Thompson at 816.736.5340. **taken from the LHS website

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FEATURES

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DAYS

THATS...

237,600 MINUTES 12,256,000 SECONDS

SPOTLIGHT Brandon Chapman

by Ben DeHart

BC

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” Philippians 4:13. Brandon Chapman expressed his favorite bible verse as the story of his trip to Haiti concluded.

“I got to experience poverty and a totally opposite way of life than what we all know,” Chapman said.

Brandon Chapman moved and started high school in Liberty his freshman year, but Chapman refused to take on the “shy new-kid” persona. Chapman came onto the scene by becoming a starting linebacker on the South Valley Junior High football team. He then continued to play for the school on their basketball team.

Injuries has plagued Chapman it seems every year with a dislocated finger, broken wrist, and constant medical treatment. Chapman has given perseverance a new definition. Chapman also completes work in the classroom as well as on the field with a 4.0 GPA.

“I just love competing, I don’t know how else to put it,” Chapman said, “my favorite part of football was homecoming night, it was my only interception of the season and to top it all off I was crowned homecoming king.”

Wearing his religion on his sleeve, Brandon has no problem expressing his feelings of Christ, “Just knowing that He will be there through all the tough times in your life, no matter what you come across in life, He can help you.” Brandon remains one of the most genuine, kind, and humble people I’ve ever met, “Kindness and faith will get you further in life than any amount of money or false sense of belonging.

I have enjoyed my time in Liberty, and I will be attending college at the University of Arkansas. Thank you Liberty and God bless.”

Chapman devotes spare time to charity work as well as academics and sports. photo by Lucas Carrel

Jordan Tanner

by Chris Mohr

JT

“Student Council has been the most stressful yet rewarding and fun experience of my high school career,” senior Jordan Tanner said.

Since the beginning of the year, Tanner has been putting in countless hours into Student Council while maintaining a part time job and a leadership role on yearbook as the Student Life Editor.

“One of the most hectic events I put together was the Homecoming dance. I had to create the layout for the dance as well as making the decorations alongside helping out with other events,” Tanner said.

Tanner helped coordinate Spike it Up and the Mr. Liberty competition. Both events were fundraising events, which at the least raised 1,000 dollars each.

During the week of the events, Tanner ran back and forth between the StuCo adviser, Melanie Prince’s office, and the journalism lab, where she spent most of her time preparing for these events.

“The most stressful event I put on this year was Spike it Up. I had to get at least 24 juniors and 24 seniors

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to participate in the event and registered as well as get their money orders for their t-shirts. Getting 48 people registered was not an easy task,” Tanner said.

Although she put in a numerous amount of hours into StuCo, it is all very rewarding because it prepares her for the future that she desires.

“Jordan is a highly dedicated student. She not only coordinates all the events for StuCo, but she also held the job of Student Life Editor on the Yearbook staff,” Yearbook adviser Ms. Dempsey said. “She puts in countless hours and is always sure her work is topnotch. I don’t know what we would have done without Jordan this year.”

Tanner plans to attend the University of Tampa, majoring in sports management, and eventually, she hopes to run the events for a professional sports team, specifically the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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Tanner balances StuCo and Yearbook, amongst other activites, and still manages to look fabulous. photo by Photo Journalism

FEATURES

taking flight

Ashley McGee Editor in Chief Kansas City Art Institute

The wind blew wildly, whipping my hair back and forth across my face. The cold air stung at my nose and cheeks.

The seagulls flew in circles around us, surprised to see our ferryboat set sail and the stillness of the water disturbed.

Leaving the harbor, I couldn’t see our destination. It is kind of like my destination after graduation. Graduation is just a beginning for my departure.

By now, most of us have decided our first leg of our course - what college, trade school, branch of the military, etc. we’ll be joining. But it will not be until May 20, the senior class of 2012 will actually leave port. There are those who sit back through these final weeks, believing their journey is over and there’s nothing more to see. There are those who take shelter from the cold air, believing the destination is more important than the journey to get there. And there are those like me, who stand up, look over the edge and take flight with the seagulls.

There are so many people who will help me fly.

We were there for a National Journalism Convention and my newspaper adviser, Lori Oyler, was standing alongside me on the ferry that day, just like she has been for the last two years. She put her trust in me as Editorin-Chief to make sure the newspaper we published each month met the highest standards. She never lost faith in me, even when I lost faith in myself.

My College Composition teacher, Mrs. Vicki Jones, also kept pushing me to improve. She worked with me individually on a number of occasions. Her class was and still is - not easy for me. I have spent more nights than I like to admit up until the wee hours of the morning, working on a paper due the next day. I have been ready to pull my hair out, break down crying and all together just give up. But it wouldn’t be without these moments that I learned time management, the value of hard work and the benefit of taking responsibility for my own success.

Finally, there are all the people at Hillcrest Thrift Store who helped me learn me just as much in the 10 months I volunteered there as I did in all my four years of high school. I fell in love with the cause and to this day, I’m proud to be a part of helping homeless families in the Clay County.

As I prepare to leave high school now, I think of these moments and smile. After graduation, I may not be a physical part of Liberty High School any more, but I’ll always have a part of Liberty High School with me in the lessons I’ve learned, the fond memories I share with my classmates and the teachers who have helped me take flight to Seattle and beyond. ** also published in the Liberty Tribune on May 17, 2012

SENIOR SENDOFFS “I close my eyes, woke up and i saw my Dreams” Think back to elementary school, sitting at your desk, dreaming of what you wanted to be when you grew up.

You wanted to be an actor, a teacher, a doctor or a police officer. You changed your mind so many times and you wished you could just be everything at least once.

Then you got to high school and came face to face with the decision that you never wanted to make. You realized that you could not be everything you ever wanted to be.

So you took what you were good at and thought that that determined what you were going to do after you graduated college. No. Forget what your teachers told you. Forget what your counselors told you. There is no one here to tell you what you can or cannot do with your life. The sky is the limit and it is all on you to reach. It. So I leave you with the words of Machine Gun Kelly.

Yeah, and they told me/All the glitters ain’t gold/But I really wanna shine right now/And they told me the sky’s the limit/So I wonder if I can fly right now/Yeah, so I

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spread my wings/Jumped up and lived my dreams/I used to always say that I’d be fly/Now I got my head high/In the sky where the airplanes be/And now I’m reachin up for the stars Almost there/Told me I was dreamin too big/I almost care/Till I hopped in my spaceship And left the matrix/Through a place where there’s no more air/And now I go to sleep/Wherever they wanna be/Openin my eyes seein what they wanna see/And I never aged one year/Still a grown a** kid/You could never tell me what I’m gonna be/Cause I might wake up/And wanna be king/And see the president/And wanna be the same thing/Or maybe be a pilot/And find my own island/ With a million dollars that I earned last spring.

Now all you have to do is close your eyes, wake up and see your dreams.

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Chris Mohr Features/Design Editor Missouri State University OPINioN

SPOTLIGHT Mack Yi

Yi challenges himself academically with an all dualcredit, AP and honors course load his senior year. photo by Photo Journalism

It’s one thing to make good grades. It is a completely different thing to make good grades with a schedule full of all dual-credit, AP, advanced and honors coursework while balancing multiple clubs and activities after school. It may seem like an almost impossible feat, but Mack Yi has been doing just that during his three years at the high school.

Among these clubs are debate, Model UN, Scholar Bowl and a variety of science competitions, such as Chemathon and Chemistry Olympiad. Yet, he balances all these and his challenging coursework with ease.

“When it’s close to tournament time, I’m doing debate,” Yi said. “It’s not that much work and it’s not too bad. With debate work, you’re working together, so you can divide the work. If one person is really busy one week, another can cover for them. Some weeks are just bad. When you have a debate tournament and a bunch of tests, it gets pretty hectic, but you only have a few of those a year.”

While Yi may seem to shrug off his successes, his teachers do not. They have taken notice of his intelligence and his ability to see connections between a variety of different topics.

“He would always raise interesting questions that showed he was thinking beyond what we were learning in the classroom,” science teacher Lario Yerino said.

by Haley Sheriff

Not only is Jones able to do whatever she wants, but is able to do whatever she wants well, especially when it comes to performing in dance.

“She is very dedicated [to dance] and every year she steps it up and takes on more responsibility. Seeing her perform her solo as a senior allowed us to see a different side of her—to see how she has evolved through dance and as a person,” Wyatt said. “She evolved into more of a woman, of an adult. It was a serious side you hardly see in her bubbliness—it was seeing her from the inside out, something that’s never often seen.”

With plans to go to Maple Woods through A+ and to later transfer to the University of Central Missouri where she will major in broadcasting and minor in photography, there is no doubt that she will go far in her endeavors.

However, Jones wishes to leave a personal legacy upon the school that gave her so many opportunities and close friends.

“I hope to have taught people to be their own person and to avoid being someone you’re not—I know it’s cliché, but people do try and change themselves during high school and nothing ends up working out for them,” Jones said. “But most of all, I want to be remembered as the happy, laughing, loud nice person that always brought smiles and made other people’s days better even when I myself wasn’t having the best day.”

MJ

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“He wanted to know more.”

Yi follows a simple formula that he says has brought him much of his success.

“A lot of the time, success is just taking that little step beyond what everyone else does. I give my all to everything I do,” Yi said.

Yi is not all brains and no heart, however. It is this balance of kindness and intellect that has really made those around him take notice.

“I know him personally from the after school competitions and I’d say we have an extremely personal relationship. I respect him not just for his intelligence, but for the way he deals with adults and other students,” science teacher Ken Kramme said.

As Yi ventures to Duke next year, his teachers look brightly towards a future of great success.

“I think it will be fun to see where Mack’s future take him. He will be very successful in whatever field he does go into,” Yerino said.

And so, as Yi graduates and heads towards future achievements, he leaves the school with a bit of helpful advice, giving the underclassmen just a glimpse of his inner wisdom.

“If you want to do something, you have to go out, take initiative and do it. You can’t expect good things to happen without working for them,” Yi said.

MY

Moriah Jones As a member of concert orchestra, girls’ rugby team, Breakfast Club, broadcasting’s Blue Jay Magazine, the African American Association, A+ Tutoring, the Lady Jays Dance Team and People in Motion, the real question is what does senior Moriah Jones not do? And having been nominated to the Top 10 queen candidates for both Homecoming and Courtwarming, who does not like her?

“She is a positive, happy, energetic and influential student who takes on so many different things [other] than just school,” business teacher Sara Wyatt said. “Her success comes from her competence and hard work; she understands that you get only as much as you put in.”

Looking back upon her high school career, Jones does not see herself as the same girl from sophomore year and credits her various involvements for shaping her into the person she has become today.

“After being involved in all of these clubs and seeing how people aren’t all the same but are always different than how they first seem, I knew I truly became more of an open person,” Jones said. “Through Breakfast Club, I have been able to see many diverse things that happen in schools and have really had my eyes opened to issues like bullying. Rugby has helped me to toughen up, to take pain and stand up for myself and to be able to tell people that I really can do anything that I want.”

by Ashley McGee

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Jones’ positive attitude and full schedule make her shine amongst her peers. photo by Sammi Novak

FEATURES

SPOTLIGHT Seth Witzki

SPOTLIGHT Tristan Starner

by Cody Clawson

by Amanda Fisher

SW TS SS MB As sad as this is to say, a lot of people don’t take the time to talk to guys like Seth. People don’t take time out of their lives to leave their friend circles to talk to great guys.

Throughout Seth’s high school career he has completed the A plus program and been a member of the swim team all four years. Swimming is something Seth takes very passionately.

“The swim team was definitely the high light of my high school career,” Witzki said. “This was my last year of swimming so I went all out. I had a great season actually. I made my season the best it could be.”

Seth has definitely left his mark on the swim team.

“Seth is one of those guys where you can’t be in a bad mood around. He just brought everyone’s spirits up,” swim coach Chris Murphy said. “He is also a great teammate. He always worries about other guys times just as much as his.”

Seth is one of those guys who just wants to be involved in everything and be friends with everyone.

If you have time and he is with you he is going to try and start up a conversation with you.

“If I could have re lived high school I would have joined the track team. It may have helped me be a little more social and just mentally grow,” Witzki said.

Seth is not going to let that get him down though. He plans to attend Maple Woods for two years and then transfer to a four-year university. He eventually wants to work for a software company and help do make things like Google Maps.

Seth is a very intelligent man. He is also very wise with his words. To all underclassmen Seth leaves this advice, “Live your life to the fullest. High school is only four years so don’t waste it away. It’s just like a VHS tape. Once it ends you can never re-live it. You have to enjoy your life.”

Simone Stewart

The Bell

“I was pleasantly surprised. I did not expect to win, to be honest. When I heard, I was all smiles.” Starner said.

As for his future plans after high school, Tristan plans on going to The University of Missouri.

“I’m going to college! I’m going to Mizzou! I’m going there to study film studies.” Starmer said.

As for his ultimate dreams or goals, he not only plans on graudating from Mizzou, he plans on winning an Oscar with his favorite movie star. “[In 10 years] I see myself winning an Oscar with Johnny Depp. We’re going to make a movie about criminal mind-sets. I’m going to be with Johnny Depp.” Starner said.

Starner entertains classmates with crazy antics, including a very believable Scottish accent. photo by Mackenzie Spencer

Witzki advises students to make the most of their high school careers and enjoy their time here. photo by Sammi Novak

Not only is Simone Stewart president of African American Association, she’s also involved in National Honors Society, Spanish National Honor Society, the Environmental Club, GSA and Model UN just to name a few. For Stewart, being involved in these organizations, has given her a sense of accomplishment.

“The biggest accomplishment that we had this year with AAA was sending underclassmen on the historical black colleges and universities tour,” senior Simone Stewart said. “I actually didn’t get to go but I was active in planning it and getting it organized and basically we took mostly sophomores and some juniors and a couple of seniors on a charter bus and drove all around the south visiting these colleges. I think that its so great because as a person who had to decide on colleges, I understand how vital it is to visit places.”

Even though Stewart did not go on the college trip, that did not stop her from being excited and happy for the other students who went on the trip.

“I think for a lot of the kids that some of them may not have had the opportunity in the future to go and visit colleges. Not only did they get to visit colleges, they also went to a lot of tourist places and learned a lot about the history of those places like Atlanta and New Orleans, so I was really excited that they got to do something like

Tristan James Robinson Starner was born on February 3, 1994 to Kelly Starner and Nancy Robinson in Arlington, Virginia. When Tristan was at the tender age of 1, he and his parents moved to Liberty, Missouri.

Once Tristan came to high school, he dabbled in many activities and clubs. “[I’m involved in] Orchestra and Exit 1-6. Chris Fuston is a friend of mine, and he was in it, and he told me I should audition for it and that I would be good at improvising and I was like, ‘Okay! I’ll do it!’ and then I made it. There were times when it was stressful, but then we got through it. We went to Chicago, I only went twice, but we go to watch improv shows and went to a workshop with an improviser,” Starner said.

One of his most treasured memories was the Mr. Liberty contest held on April 25 where he won the crown.

Morgan Braden

by MacKenzie Sackett

that,” Stewart said.

Aside from being involved in an extensive amount of extra curricular activities, Stewart has learned a lot from just being a student at LHS. “I think probably I’ve enjoyed most kind of finding out who I am,” Stewart said. “I know that sounds really corny and cliché but I think back to my junior high days and I think, oh I would never repeat that because I was devilling with fashion and how I wanted to look and I cut my hair off. I think being surrounded by the teachers that I have that are really awesome and meeting my friends and becoming closer to them, I think I’ve learned a lot about myself being at the high school.”

As excited, as she is to leave high school and move on with her life, there are things she will miss about LHS. “I’m usually not a very sentimental person but I think I’ll probably miss the teachers the most because I have developed a good relationship with a lot of the teachers at this high school and there’s a lot of them that I know I can depend on and go to for anything, I know they’ll help me and they keep me grounded.”

Stewart will be attending William Jewel this fall, where she will study Environmental Engineering through their 3-2 program.

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Stewart is involved in an extensive amount of student organizations and holds leadership positions in several of them. photo by Breann Koch

FEATURES

She’s blonde, she’s cute, she’s a cheerleader, and she’s happy go lucky. Sounds like a typical high school girl, right? Morgan Braden is far from the norm.

Senior Morgan will be attending Northwest Missouri State University in the fall of 2012, where she will major in education. She is very excited about her future and can’t wait to further her education.

“I had a great high school experience, with some of the typical cliques thrown in there as well, so I hope when I go to college to get away from those,” Morgan said.

“I’m ready to surround myself with new people and get away from drama,” she said.

Braden was part of the Varsity cheer squad for two years since her junior year. She journeyed to nationals with her team this year and placed 17th in the nation.

“I love my team and have awesome friends because of it,” she said.

This ambitious cheerleader also has a deeper side though.

The Bell

by Kayla Hammer

“My family life is kind of a little different than most,” Morgan said.

Her values are very family oriented. Morgan’s mother had her before she entered college. With no father her mother was left struggling but made it through college raising Morgan, and earning her masters degree. She also married Jeff Braden who teaches at Liberty North.

“They’re very happy as if they’re still in that honeymoon stage,” Morgan said.

Mr. Braden ended up adopting Morgan as his own and they continued to grow their family grow.

“I love them more than anything,” Morgan said. “On Sunday when I am in college we are Skyping each other for Sunday dinner and in a way we will pretend we are all together,” she said.

Even though it will be hard to leave, the rest of her life to begin with aspirations of travel and higher education.

“I just can’t wait for the rest of my life to begin,” she said.

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Braden aspires to travel the world during and after college. photo by Lauren Pouliot

FEATURES

NEVER HAVE I EVER

Amanda Fisher Managing/Opinion Editor University of Missouri

For the past two years and 20 Bell issues, I’ve written 20 columns. Twenty! Every month I’ve given those who actually read our paper my stupid opinion or ramblings on how I feel, what I’m doing or what Mean Girls quotes I think are best. For once in my overly verbal life, I have not much to say about leaving high school.

High School is the time where you spend the last four years of your K-12 education. Where you grow and, sometimes, mature, into an adult, make long-lasting friendships, or enemies, and along the way, learn a few things. However, there are many opportunities that arise throughout the years. For me, there are only a select few that I’ve actually accomplished.

-Never been to Sadie’s or Courtwarming -Never been to prom with someone who goes to LHS -Never been to an Exit 1-6 show -Never had a detention, Saturday School or ISS. -Never taken an art class -Never failed a class -Never been caught texting in class

-Never went to any sporting event -Never been to any club or activity -Never eaten the pizza here -Never had SSR -Never gone a full day without going to the j-lab -Never been to a musical -Never been in an advanced or AP class -Never had a parking ticket -Never worn heels to school -Never tripped or fell, causing me to, in a cliché, drop my books -Never ran for StuCo or “Queens” -Never played a sport -Never gone to school without saying a profanity -Never been able to send a text message on the right side of the j-lab This all being said, I’m not sad in the least bit about leaving high school or doing things that not a lot of other people did. Through it all, I still had fun. I definitely had my downfalls, probably more than good times, I still made it my own and made so many unforgettable memories.

SENIOR SENDOFFS KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON Over the past nine months, I have probably written over a hundred different versions of what I wanted my sendoff to say. It is crazy to think that it is finally May. As my senior friends from last year told me, senior year really has gone by so fast. But I am not going to lie; this year has been probably the hardest year of my life.

Trying to decide where to go to college next year, having to make life changing decisions that dictate your future, all while having a job and trying to keep up in school is extremely stressful.

I have had so many regrets throughout my senior year that have almost driven me to insanity. I regretted not giving high school my all, not getting very good grades, not going to school events such as assemblies and games, not joining clubs and being more involved. But those are all things that I cannot go back and change now. All I can do is move forward.

As this year is coming to an end, everything seems to be falling into place. I have been accepted to my dream college in Chicago where I will be studying Fashion Marketing which is something that I never thought I could actually do. I am starting to let go of my mistakes and the things I have and haven’t done in high school.

I am actually extremely proud of myself. I have been

The Bell

through so much (that is an understatement) these past three years. I have had to overcome so many things but somehow I managed to hang in there.

I am starting to finally appreciate some of the good things about high school. I have met some truly amazing people at LHS and even some outside of LHS. These people have changed my life, helped me through so much and kept a smile on my face when all I wanted to do was give up.

Being involved with newspaper has also given me a focus and a drive. Every time I walk into the J-Lab, I feel a sense of relief. This place has been my second home.

I have had some of the best times of my life during the two years that I have been on staff. I have made some life long friends and it’s going to be so hard to say goodbye, especially to Nathan Hunt, who I’ll miss so very much.

The biggest piece of advice that I could give to the students here is that high school does not last forever. In just a blink of an eye, it’s over. Work your hardest, focus on what is best for you and your grades and make the years that you are here count. Yes, life gets tough, but the main thing I have learned is to just stay strong and if you do that, everything ends up working out in the end.

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MacKenzie Sackett Online News Manager The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago OPINioN

Mackenzie Spencer Photographer Missouri State University

SENIOR SENDOFFS THE BELL SUPERLATIVES MOST LIKELY... to have her own reality show: MacKenzie Sackett

to crash their car: Kayla Hammer

to be a model: Shelby Curtis

to keep a secret: Molly Meeks

to write a book: Haley Sheriff

to move to a different country: Jake Boese

Diana Timmermans

the worst case of senioritis: Amanda Fisher

to be the next Bill Gates:

the hardest worker: Nathan Hunt

Chris Mohr

THE ONE WHO IS/HAS... the best dressed: Michaela Lamb

to always have good hair:

the best smile:

Ben DeHart

Cody Clawson

The Bell

the best laugh:

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everybody’s friend: Madi Denton

the most dependable: Ashley McGee

the life of the party: Mat George OPINioN

Emily Houck Photographer William Jewel College

SENIOR SENDOFFS

Kyle Rutliff Photographer Missouri State University The Bell

15

OPINioN

SENIOR SENDOFFS HIGH SCHOOL, BYE SCHOOL

Kayla Hammer Reporter Northwest Missouri State I know you all probably expect me talk about how my senior year was fantastic. Everyone love everyone, right? Sorry to disappoint, but that is not the case for this hopeful reporter.

My senior year has literally been the essence of me messing up more than anyone. I’ve failed many times with my family, my teachers, and most importantly

myself. My life is by no means, as dark or depressing as a lot of students’, but I cannot shake off that feeling of a letdown. Yet, there is a huge silver lining in my experience, I may have gotten off track, but on the way, I found myself.

I feel like society as a whole can do a lot of harm to the human psyche and high school is no exception.

Yet, this school is filled with opportunities no other school has. It is filled with talented people who make us shine. Twice in a row we have had a Doodle4Google finalist, our dance team has won state for the third time, cheerleaders are a national ranking team, we have national bound forensicators and debaters, our scholar bowl wins plenty of awards, and our average ACT score is a 22.6. This mouth full is just the tip of the iceberg for what our school offers. Beyond that we have clubs and extracurriculars that few other schools have.

Regardless of this fact, I cannot wait to leave here and I am sure a lot of you feel the same. I wish to get away from this routine and start fresh.

But before I do, I want to end all the possible resentment of those around me. I only have a few days left with these people and by treating everyone fairly I feel like I am accomplishing just that. Hopefully, this makes up for my failings and I can redeem myself.

So long senior class! I wish you all the best of luck and that you get a second chance at an awesome experience.

STAFF LIST 2012-2013 EDITOR IN CHIEF: Nathan Hunt FEATURES EDITOR: Michaela Lamb SPORTS EDITOR: Mat George BUSNIESS MANAGER: Shelby Curtis ONLINE MANAGER: Jake Boese OPINION EDITOR: Diana Timmermans NEWS EDITOR: Madi Denton MANAGING EDITOR: Molly Meeks

THAT’S WHAT I SAID Four little words, four little measly words, four words that I will never forget. Who would have known that four words could ignite an issue that will never be forgotten, I never thought it could be so big, “That’s what she said.”

These words started my high school career, and they have followed me throughout it.

As I moved to the high school, I knew that some things would have to change, my hair being the first. Short on the sides and longer on the top meant faux-hawk central. The second change comes with a confession; I will admit that I wore whitey-tighties all the way until my sophomore year in high school. Boxers would soon take over as the second major change.

The third change was one that I could not explain at the time but I have no problem telling you about right now.

Life changes in these halls, friends start to ignore you, and teachers do not care much for excuses anymore.

Socializing becomes more important than completing schoolwork.

More importantly than life changing in these walls, people seem to change more than anything. A person putting on a daily façade seems to be an acceptable thing to do, I have gotten away with it for the past three

The Bell

years and now it’s time for me to give you the real Ben. My name is Benjamin Damon DeHart; I have been your class president for the past four years whether you knew it or not. Some people may consider me to be the typical “tool” in the high school cliques, but that could not be any farther from the truth. I have branched out into just about every social aspect one could think of.

That being said, I am terrified of not being accepted, which is why I have managed to avoid the conversation circles in passing periods for three years. I cannot handle the thought of other students being scrutinized because of their social or economical status. In conclusion, do not waste your time in high school trying to fit in. I don’t want to be cliché, but “be you” is the best advice I can give you all.

I’ll leave you with my favorite bible verse, it comes from Psalm 23:4, it reads “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” He is always there for you, no matter how beat up you are, God will always prevail. Thank you Liberty Public Schools for the best 13 years of my life, so far. I will never forget. Peace and blessings to you and yours.

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Ben DeHart Reporter Lindenwood University OPINioN

Clarissa Parker Photographer Texas Christian University

SENIOR SENDOFFS

Rachel Bower Photographer Missouri State University The Bell

16

OPINioN

“we’re all in this together”

Cody Clawson Twitter Convergence University of Missouri- Columbia

Leaving high school is something every senior looks forward to. Whether you are a sophomore or a senior, you just want to leave. I am one of those kids who is absolutely ready to just get out and move on to college!

But I am not one of those kids who absolutely dreads high school. As a matter of fact, I loved high school.

I hear from numerous adults that we just need to enjoy high school because it is the easiest time of our lives. As much as I want to refute that, I have it so easy. I have no living expenses, I receive a free education and I am now able to enter a division one college because of it all.

I am starting to understand what they are saying. To be completely honest, college scares the living junk out of me. I have never been forced to do everything on my own. I don’t want to say someone has been holding my hand throughout my life, but someone has been pretty darn close to it. I don’t even know how to do my own laundry. So leaving home to go learn how to be an adult, quite frankly, is a little scary. I am 100% ready for it, but that doesn’t mean I am not nervous.

But back to high school, it really is awesome. For all of you who wake up and immediately tweet “I hate school,” “I don’t understand the point of school. I don’t want to go,” make the best of it! I have been able to make high school the time of my life and something I actually enjoy. I love FCA, STUCO, Yearbook, Newspaper, Golf and every other extra curricular activity I do. As cliché as this is, get involved in something. Or multiple things.

Also, get out of your comfort zone. Who cares what people think about you. One of my best high school memories is getting on a stage in a dress and singing high school musical as loud as I could. If I cared what people thought, there’s all sorts of fun things I would have missed.

As much as you may “hate school,” make the best of it and don’t wish it away! It will fly by regardless, so enjoy it while you can.

P.S. Nike is better than Adidas.

SENIOR SENDOFFS it’s about loss, not gain I have written many stories during my three years on staff—adventures of renegade pineapples, ghosts and a basement creeper, to name a few—but ever since the end of sophomore year, this specific column has been the article I’ve looked forward to writing the most. It’s not because I want to write about myself—after writing about everyone else for so long, this actually feels strange—but because of the finality in this piece being the last I will ever publish in The Bell. Yet now that I have it in front of me, I am at loss for words, except for two: THANK. GOD. This is not to say that high school was awful, but it certainly was not and hopefully will never be the greatest years of my life. That would be a sad existence to look forward to.

The most difficult part about high school was—and currently is—writing about it. What more is there to say about high school that hasn’t already been said? It’s the epitome of cliché and even stating it as a cliché is a moist kiss of death (as coined by the notorious Vicki Jones). I’ve pondered many ways to approach this topic—but all have been in vain.

The Bell

To not thank every teacher I’ve ever had would be rude, especially when considering their efforts to expand my knowledge (though chemistry never stood a chance). I am in debt to my social studies teachers, as humorous as they are, for being a wellspring of story ideas this past year and to mes chéres madames, for teaching me one of the most beautiful languages that DOES NOT sound like gargling marbles. To save the best for last, my numerous English teachers, who have pushed me to write more and to write better and have convinced me of what I will pursue in the future.

To not mention the impact my friends have had on the person I am today would forgo the very purpose of a senior sendoff. Though I am not leaving with all of the friends I entered high school with, I am walking out with those who matter—and one of you I’ve gotten to keep since kindergarten. To those I’ve lost along the way, I too give you credit for showing me what it means to be a friend and despite our turnout, I neither regret our friendship, nor our departure. If there’s one thing I’ve come to live by, it is that loss is what ultimately chisels out our true character.

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Haley Sheriff Copy Editor William Jewell College OPINioN

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Cleaning the Slate

by Mat George

The Lady Jays soccer team has to make many changes after losing eight seniors and many key players.

After winning two back-to-back state championships, the girls soccer team was ranked top 10 in the nation. After eight of the players last year graduated, it was questionable if the girls would be able to live up to their previous seasons. This season, they have proven they can.

At first, there was a bit of a struggle to find out what positions were going to make them the most successful.

“We’re just trying to find the best chemistry and what’s going to help us beat our opponents,” Coach Thomas Rottjakob said.

As a result, the team has had to adjust to all of the changes.

“We have literally had six different starting lineups so we’ve had to adapt to the new setting,” junior Haley Baldridge said.

When last year’s seniors left, sophomore Kaitlyn Clark lost the opportunity to play high school soccer with her sister.

“The thing I miss the most about last year is that I got to play with my sister. She was a really big motivation for me. It’s just fun in general to be able to play with your siblings,” Clark said.

Although the girls have been doing fine this season, for last year’s varsity players, the way that the game is played is a lot different.

“This has been a tough year for some because they’re used to playing with the talented girls from last year,” Rottjakob said.

At the beginning of the season, many players set personal goals for themselves. These goals were to help better themselves throughout the season.

“My personal goal was to have fun and make lifelong friends while also playing with heart,” junior Ashley Sharp said, “I also want to help contribute to games to make us go back to state.”

Other players try to motivate each other because they know that teamwork is the key to success.

“I try to stay positive and motivate and push

all the other players to do their best because we lost so much of last year’s talent,” senior Marriah Schweitzer said, “We needed a lot of girls to step it up, and I was trying to push them.”

Above: junior Regan Lawler takes a goal kick for the Jays. Right: junior Alexa Wright kicks the ball down the field to her teammates. “Playing with this years team is different because we don’t have as much natural talent as we used to have and so we have to really work harder and work together for success,” senior Marriah Schweitzer said. photos by Mackenzie Spencer

THE BELL

22

sports

Sophomore pitcher Ross Juliana delivers the pitch to senior catcher Todd Hinkley. photo by Emily Houck

Stealing state

by Jake Boese

The baseball team faces many difficulties while trying to return to state.

Last year’s baseball team had a very successful season, but suffered at the hands of a very good Francis Howell team in the state championship. This year, they are trying to get back to last seasons success and hopefully even improve.

“We want to win districts, go back to state, and we want to continue on what we did last year,” sophomore Brady Newland said.

With many returning players from last year, the veterans know how to keep the younger players on track.

“The experienced guys help the younger kids and express to them that they need to work hard every day,” junior Nathan Winfrey said.

The returning players can see what this team is lacking and know what they need to work on to return to state.

“We all know what it’s going to take and where we’re at right now so we know what we need to improve to get back there [state],” senior Taylor Harmon said.

Along with returning players, the coaches can

THE BELL

compare last year’s team to this year’s to see what they need to return state.

“We need consistent hitting, consistent pitching, focus, and a little bit of luck,” assistant coach Vince Armilio said.

With the team falling just short last year, the seniors on the team have even more motivation than that of most players.

“Our seniors are great, they won’t let us fall and they want it as bad as anybody,” Newland said.

Being a team who made it all the way to the championship presents difficulties for the team.

“We are the number one seed [in the state] and we want to keep that. Every team we play is really talented and they all want to knock us off,” Newland said.

It is a different experience being the team that went to state last year as opposed to most seasons.

“It’s very difficult; so many things have to go your way. Every team in the district is going to give it their premium. It’s more difficult to back to state than to go a first time,” Armilio said.

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The team also faces problems that most teams will face from year to year.

“Right now we have to be able to get the big hit,” Newland said.

“We have to play all seven innings; we need to play all the way through the game,” Winfrey said.

The new bat requirements in the state have also affected the team.

“The new bats have affected us, along with injuries, and staying sharp because we haven’t had a lot of practice time,” Armilio said.

Returning to state is going to be difficult for the team, but the players are hopeful that they can do it.

“It’s going to be hard but we can battle through it and the injuries to win all of our games,” Winfrey said.

Even with all the barriers the team has to overcome they seem to be getting better at the right time.

“Everything is coming together, at first it was slow but now that we have played more we know what we can do,” Harmon said.

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Students give their farewells to some of their favorite teachers.

Jennifer Holferty-Gravina will be retiring after 35 years of service to the guidance department and over 20 years as the head Stuco adviser. She is now looking for her next career and considering going back to college. photo by Ben Dehart

She was the first staff member I remember meeting at LHS... [and] she’s one of the sweetest people I ever could have met. She’s always giving to StuCo because she was a part of it for so long.

She’s extremely generous and she’s extremely helpful.

- senior Ben DeHart

“

by Shelby Curtis and Molly Meeks design by Madi Denton

“

“

SO LONG, FAREWELL

“

[I’m going to miss] her infinite wisdom and everyday presence as my listening ear. Things won’t be the same. She’s my buddy, my neighbor, my go-to person. She is above and beyond in everything she does, she’s just inspiring.

- StuCo adviser Melanie Prince