SCAN & VISIT
LHSNEWS.NET
The
Bell
NOVEMBER 21, 2014 Volume 91, Issue 3
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Table of
Contents
Non-Stop Adventure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .06-07 Students Today, Doctors Tomorrow.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .08 Theatre to the Next Level.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .09 Got Sruff?.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Hacked.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Passion Through CAPS.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Once Upon a Writer's Guild.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Family, Food and Football.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Singing Their Way to the Top.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Senior Savon Hayes.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Junior Sarah Ragan.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Sophomore Claire Davis.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Freshman Tucker Evans.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Teacher Astrid Ruiz.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Administration John Neldon.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Pumpkin Pickin' Fun.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22-23 Click the Dislike.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26-28 Opinion Section.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29-33 Speed, Strength and Victory.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 On Your Marks, Get Set, Go.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 AOM.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36-37 No Crying In Baseball.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38-39
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Photo by: Arley Emery Photo by: Morgan McNea
See Page 34 Photo by: Madi Hayter
See Page 09
See Page 11
Photo by: Adam Pouliot
SEE PAGE 06-07 See Pages 38-39
Photo Courtesy of: Addy Gray
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On the Cover: Seniors Jazmine Mosley and Cheyenne Jackson lead some of the Liberty Girl’s Rugby team out to practice. photo by: Arley Emrey
KC METRO ALL DISTRICT-BAND
Monday: Pajama Day
Congratulations to:
Tuesday: A Feast of Colors Day Seniors- Wear Orange (Pumpkin Pie) Juniors- Wear Yellow (Corn) Sophomores- Wear Red (Cranberries) Freshmen- Wear White (Mashed Potatoes) Wednesday-Sunday: Thanksgiving Break!!!
THANKSGIVING SPIRIT WEEK
Monday November 24-Sunday November 30
Staff
Adviser --> Lori Oyler Editors in chief --> Aly Copp & Zach Kilgas Opinion Editor --> Amanda Kovac A&E Editor --> Kennedy Allison Features Editor --> Tara Prindle News Editor --> Alex Wilson Sports Editor --> Jeffrey Walters Ads Manager --> Michael McHale Online Manager --> Erica Schmitz Reporters --> Sarah Hartley Katie Crouch Katie DeClue Teryn Deshler Sol Kim Teresa Parra Kasey Allshouse Brooklyn Balsdon Kati Benhardt Kamden Bernard Daryl Gichui Addy Gray Emily Johannes Jackson PeĂąa Hope Scobee Lacy Williams Annika Fuller Hannah Leonard Teegan Saunders Jenna Spence Hannah Berry
Meagan Gardner - 1st Chair Flute, Honorable Mention Band Eden Nguyen - 9th Chair Clarinet, Honorable Mention Band Jamie Sullivan - 6th Chair Trumpet, Honorable Mention Band Jackson Witt - 3rd Chair Horn, Honorable Mention Band Samuel Browning - 1st Chair Trombone, Honorable MentionBand Elizabeth Ruark - 4th Chair Bassoon, All District Band Travis Geier - 1st Chair Baritone Saxophone, All District Band Travis Geier - Alto Saxophone Alternate, All District Jazz Band Zachary Garland-Foster - 1st Tenor Saxophone, All District Jazz Band Ben Tervort - Bass, All District Jazz Band
Mission
Our mission for the 2014-2015 school year is to unite a diverse group of people and ideas to compose an informative and enter taining magazine using articles, photographs, and commercial messages. As journalists in training we endeavor to give the best representation of the community of Liberty High School. The Bell student newspaper is a public forum for student expression.
Contact
Address --> 200 Blue Jay Drive Liberty, MO Phone --> (816)-736-5353 Email --> loyler@liberty.k12.mo.us Twitter --> @TheLHSBell
Jabber
“If you would have told me at the start of the year we would lose in game 7 of the World Series I would’ve laughed. A season to remember”
“We still have the best looking team in the league if I do say so myself.” -@lindsgayzoz
“*puts Drake on repeat and lays in bed crying for the next 2 weeks*” -@platinumgg “Royals throwback photo with my Royals shirt on. 7th grade school photo before the Royals won it all in ‘85” -@Mathwizard15
“My mom doesn’t know who the Giants are but she knows who the Royals are so who’s the real winner here? -@ChickenTHINHder @TheSavinator711
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News 06
Nonstop Adventure Story and photos by: Addy Gray
Young Life took students on a trip with unknown destinations. Imagine getting on a bus with other teenagers from different high schools around the Liberty and Park Hill area, and having absolutely no idea where you are going. That is exactly what the Young Life students from LHS have done. “Last year they got to go to a Timber Wolves game, so that would be cool,” senior Savon Hayes said. “But I honestly have no idea where we will be going, they just tell us what to bring.” Nonstop is exactly what it sounds. There is absolutely no stopping on this trip, no hotel reservations, no breaks. The students involved go for around 36 hours of straight fun and very little sleeping. Out of all the events Young Life holds, Non-Stop is considered one of the top trips. “[Previous Nonstop trips] have been a
Young life traveled to the St. Louis City Museum.
blast, I think this is one of the more fun Young Life trips where students who get involved with this trip are more likely to get involved with our program here at Liberty,” Special Ed Teacher Michelle Jankovich said. “In previous years we have gone to Minneapolis where we went to a NBA basketball game, Mall of America, and the year before that we went to San Antonio, and actually had a Young Life club in the San Antonio Spurs stadium.” The 2014 trip started off at Epic Elementary on November 7th where the buses loaded up to make their first stop in Columbia, Missouri. The destination was The Crossing at around 2 AM to have the first club. “Club is like one big party with everybody who loves Jesus where you sing songs and
hear about the Bible, then you also get to watch funny skits the leaders put on,” sophomore Kelsey Hampton said. Following the Club meeting the Young life group headed towards St. Louis where most of the other stops occurred. “At around 5 A.M we went to Kokomo Joe’s which is a huge arcade with laser tag and go karts, then after that we went to the St. Louis City Museum where we got to climb through a bunch of obstacles and stuff,” sophomore Bennett Swope said. “Later we got to go on a tour of Busch Stadium, then we went to the Zoo and saw a bunch of cool animals. After that we went to a NHL Blue’s game which was really fun, and to finish it off we had another club meeting in Columbia at 1 AM Sunday morning followed by bowling.”
News 07 During Nonstop the students traveled on charter buses and stopped around every two hours or less. The bus was the only downtime the students got during the trip and they tried to make the most of the time to save up energy for the next event. “Everybody tried to sleep as much as they could when we were on the bus but it was hard,” junior Kelsi Garrett said. “People were sleeping on the floor and everyone was too excited to see where we would go next.” On these Young Life trips the students get to meet a ton of students from other schools and do activities out of their comfort zone.
“A high of the trip was just getting to experience this whole thing and meet new people, along with getting closer to the people I didn’t know as well before,” freshman Bailey Kenney said. “A low of the trip was probably the fact that we got barley any sleep the entire time.” Sleep or no, the Nonstop trip this year was a success. The Liberty Young Life leaders such as Kelsie Kleinmeyer, Aaron Kleinmeyer, and Michelle Jankovich out did themselves with putting on this chain of stops for the students. One common statement between the group was that Club was one of the best parts.
“For me, my favorite part is always club. It is just an opportunity for kids to be kids again, and kind of get out of their comfort zone,” Jankovich said. “They also get to hear the heart of our ministry and get a glimpse of who Jesus is and I think that is the most important part of what our trip is about”
Bottom Left: Young Life preparing to explore one of their destinations. Top Left: Members of Young Life play a teamwork driven game involving apples and strings. Top Right: A giant tunnel leading to one building to the next.
News 08
Students today, doctors tomorrow Story by Sol Kim Photos by Natalie Grusch
Medical Leaders of Tommorow plans an event for students entering the medical field.
LHS is paving a path for students interested in the medical field by providing a multitude of opportunities. Seniors Jane Awoh and Haley Hart started a club for students who want to pursue a career in medicine. “MLT stands for Medical Leaders of Tomorrow,” Hart said. “It’s a club for people who are interested in going into the medical field or just want to learn more about it. We are a new club this year and we have had somewhere between 50-75 students show up to the meetings. It’s really exciting to see how much interest there is.” MLT meets every other Thursday Liberty Hour A in Mr. Block’s room 510. Everyone is invited to join. Some of the plans for the year are having guest speakers, discussing new medical discoveries and giving members the opportunity to shadow at Liberty Hospital. “I was first inspired to start the club while I was looking through club pictures in the yearbook,” Awoh said. “I saw that our school had various clubs for encouraging careers such as FBLA, FCCLA, and FEA. Yet there was nothing for kids interested in medicine.” Hart and Awoh had the idea of starting
the club over the summer. “Jane and I went to the MU Mini Medical School during the summer,” Hart said. “A lot of the people we talked to had clubs for people interested in the medical field at their schools. It seemed like an awesome idea and we thought it’d be beneficial and fun to start a club like that for LHS!” PLTW Biomed teacher Tim Block is the adult sponsor for MLT. “MLT is just in its infancy. We have a lot of work to do as far as planning and organization goes. We have so many opportunities right here in our building with a tremendous science department we have here,” Block said. “There are also opportunities outside of that in the Northland Caps program and so on.” Aside from MLT, students also have the option to shadow at Liberty Hospital. “Students interested in shadowing can pick up a shadow form in the counseling department. Times to shadow are typically on non-school times,” College/Career Partnerships Director Colleen Jones said. “There are times coming up during the holidays that could be some good options.” Shadowing provides a great experience for students to get an idea of what a medical
career is like. “Liberty Hospital has been extremely helpful to partner with Liberty Public Schools Job Shadowing Program,” Jones said. “Liberty is one of the very few districts to have this as an option.” Some of the areas that are available to shadow are: orthopedics, ICU, nursing, cardiology, radiology, ER, pharmacy, physical therapy, sports medicine and much more. “The medical professionals are there to help you make this experience meaningful for you as you begin your career journey,” Jones said. “You many find this is exactly what you want to do or you may find that there are options you want to explore. Great time to shadow is now [while you’re in high school] before you make those big decisions.” Liberty Hospital also hosted a medical career night on November 13 p.m. where students had the opportunity to speak with medical professionals, take a tour of the hospital departments and hear from current medical students. “Don’t be discouraged by the many years of schooling needed to reach your goal,” Awoh said. “The end will justify the means.”
Left: Abbey Overton listening and taking notes during a club meeting. Right: Senior Haley Hart (Left) and Senior Jane Awoh(Right) communicating with other club members.
Theatre to the next level
News 09
Story by Katie DeClue Photo by Madi Hayter
Competitive theatre pushes the theatrical limits of students. A typical Friday night for many LHS students would be working, doing homework, or hanging out with friends –not going to a speech and debate tournament and competing. Even though not many students participate in Speech or Competitive Theatre, there are quite a few students who do. Competitive Theatre is the speech side of the Liberty Speech and Debate program. Whereas students in a Theatre class would practice performing a chosen monologue or script for an audience, Competitive Theatre gives students the freedom to choose their own cutting of a piece of literature from a book or a play for a variety of events and take it to tournaments at other schools and compete. “Competitive Theatre is a full year class strictly devoted to preparing performance pieces for Speech and Debate competitions,” Competitive Theatre teacher and Forensics coach, Michael Turpin said. “Students are required to attend two tournaments per semester totaling four for the year, students can attend many more than four, but that is the basic requirement to pass the class.” “I do storytelling, HI, Duo,
and I think I’m going to cut a DI,” freshman Emily Goodwin said. Students enjoy having the opportunity to act and compete while showcasing their own talents as well. “Probably learning that I was allowed to sing in the first part because I’m doing The Nightmare Before Christmas [for my piece] so I get to sing “The Halloween Song,” it’s really fun,” sophomore Cameron Prater said. Students take their pieces to schools in the North Kansas City and Kansas City area and compete against other teams from different schools for a chance at being first at the tournament. “Tournaments are usually very long, they happen on Fridays and Saturdays typically,” Turpin said. “They will start roughly on Friday at 3:30 [p.m.] and conclude anywhere from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. in the evenings, and then on Saturday it’s usually an 8:00 [a.m.] start time and the awards ceremony and [the] tournament usually will conclude around 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. on the Saturday evening.” Along with tournaments at other schools, students can also qualify to go to MSHAA
Districts and the State or to NFL (National Forensics League) Districts, and then Nationals. “Ok so I got 4th at NFL Districts, I broke to top like 32 I broke to Quarterfinals at Nationals in Storytelling,” senior Josie Emery said. “Well, last weekend that was Parkhill I got Fifth in Prose, Blue Springs South I got First in Prose, Fort Osage I got Third in Prose and Fourth in DI.” Competitive Theatre is a fun activity and not only gives students the chance to win, but it also teaches team building and helps students work with each other. “[I like] The teamwork, the team building, and just the team overall becoming one as a team and conquering,” junior Josh Munden said. Students involved with Competitive Theatre enjoy what they do because they form friendships and get to do what they love. “I’ve always done Theatre for my entire life and it’s just a way to like connect with people that have similarities just like I do and it’s just really fun, it’s a fun thing to do, to be a part of,” Goodwin said.
Junior Shelby Werner goes over lines for upcoming theatre events.
Students participate in a variety of different events in Competitive Theatre. These events include: •Humorous Interpretation, most often referred to as HI, which is a humorous memorized piece usually about 10 minutes long and has one person usually playing many different characters •Storytelling •Duo which is a dramatic or humorous memorized piece that’s usually 10 minutes long and has two partners acting out different characters but the partners cannot look at or touch each other •Prose •Poetry •Original Oratory •Dramatic Interpretation often called DI, which is a dramatic memorized piece, which is about 10 minutes long and has one person acting out one or more characters •Radio Speaking •Duet •Improv Duet Acting
News 10
Got Scruff?
Story by Jackson Peña Photos by T.J. Stansbury
No Shave November is an event that has a lot of meaning behind it. Its that time of year again: November. Guys and girls put down their razors for no shave November. Although no shave November is a well-known and popular event, most people may not realize that the event is to help bring awareness for cancer. “It’s not really for anything. I did it last year with my dad and you just don’t shave for all of November.” senior Coleman Howard said. “I don’t think it’s bringing much awareness because I didn’t even know what it was for,” Math teacher Matthew Kiser says. Though many guys don’t shave during November, they don’t really know it’s to help raise awareness “I honestly don’t think [No Shave November is bringing awareness] because no one really knows what it is. I didn’t even know it was to raise awareness for cancer,” freshman Jack Snyder agrees.
Most guys use No Shave November as their excuse to not shave for a whole month, but when they do know what it’s really for, they decide to dedicate their beard to someone whose life was affected by cancer. “My aunt Chris just passed away about two or three months ago, I’ll do it in her honor,” junior Jake Freeman said. Four out of the four male students that were interviewed agreed that keeping a beard all month can be a hassle. “It makes me mad when I’m eating ice cream sometimes,” junior Jake Guenther said. “As far as being annoying, it does bother me a little bit, but I like it enough to keep it.” According to Cancer.org, the estimated total of people who had cancer on January 1, 2014 in the United States was more than 14,483,830 people. The main threat for
Tag @TheLHSBell with a picture of your facial hair. The best picture will recieve a prize! #LETITGROW
men is prostate cancer and 43% of males were said to have survived this on the first of January. For women, the main cancer is breast cancer. A slightly lower number of women survived breast cancer by that day, with a number of 41%. There are lots of ways students try to raise awareness for cancer, No Shave November is one event that doesn’t get the full meaning across, but so many guys get involved. The more the true meaning spreads, the quicker cancer stops. No-shave.org is the official no shave November website and is helping spread the true meaning of what no shave November is all about. If you are interested in helping put a stop to cancer, use the hashtag #LETITGROW to spread the word.
News 11
Hacked
Story by Emily Johannes Photos by Morgan McNea
Liberty students have two nights to experience technology first hand. Students in the district use technology to further interests and possible careers. For the second year in a row, LPS is promoting technology through two different events; HackEd, hosted at LHS and Tech Night, hosted at LNHS. Both of these events involve technology, but in different ways. They were both started by the Technology for Tomorrow club (T4T), which was formed last year with the goal of introducing more students to computer sciences classes. “[HackEd] is a 24 hour coding event in which groups form, take an idea on how to solve a problem and design a solution with code involved,” club sponsor Angela Klein said. “They don’t complete [the coding], it’s all about the idea and presenting the idea.” Students involved with T4T feel that HackEd is important in helping students get involved in computer science classes and technology at the high school. “It’s a great opportunity that gets you engaged with technology, especially if
you’re into coding or design practices,” senior Tyler Tetens said. “You also get mentorship that will help you further those two [skills].” HackEd took place November 15 and 16 at LHS. “The Tech Night is a two hour event at LNHS,” senior Nathan Mills said. “The purpose is to teach the students about technology that they have the capability of being able to use. We’ll have a couple main speakers that will talk for a little while and then some individual sessions to go to and learn from.” Tech Night will have a variety of speakers to educate students and get them excited about technology. “This year we’re having one of the executives from Sprint who’s going to talk about the technology used at Sporting KC,” Klein said. “Then we have a young lady coming to talk about what opportunities there are for girls in technology.” The Tech Night took place November 6 at
LNHS. Students and faculty alike see these events as having a lasting impact, possibly even for years to come. “I think it’s important for students to be able to see what opportunities are in the technology field,” Mills said. “We have several companies in the KC area and in the country who can’t hire enough talent,” Klein said. “And so we are not producing enough people who know how to create solutions with technology and computers. So they have to get other people outside of our country to do the work because we don’t have enough talent here in the US to cover the need. So we’re just trying to encourage people to code and that it’s not that hard. The hard part is understanding what you need to code.”
Senior Josh Hawthorn learns about Google Glass at the Tech Night.
Features 12
Passion Through CAPS Story by Sarah Hartley Photos by Maddie Wurtz
Students get a taste of the work force through the Northland CAPS program. Students interested in getting a head start on their careers have many opportunities here in the school district. One available opportunity is the Northland CAPS program, a classroom-oriented internship where “students are immersed in professional environments engaging in curriculum developed by industry professionals and program instructors ensuring that what is taught in the classroom is relevant to the workforce,” according to the website. The CAPS program became available to LHS and LNHS in recent years as a way to expose students to the real world. There are different areas in the program that students choose from, such as Healthcare, Information Technology, Global Business, and Transportation Logistics/Drone Technology. “I might want to do [Tech Solutions] in college, but I’m now leaning more towards the engineering aspect,” senior Tyler Tetens said. “Tech Solutions definitely gives me an insight into the business world. I want to bridge the gap between robots and humans so working with the web really helps with that.” For the first semester of CAPS, students work on projects under the guidance of a mentor in a classroom setting. The projects are used to educate students in their field of study, as well as encourage students to learn to collaborate with each other. Each project also addresses an issue pertinent to the field and is for the benefit of a real world company. “Our team is joining with Liberty Hospital
and the engineering students to create a simulation lab for medicine. Kind of like Monster’s Inc.” senior Isabelle Matthys said. Some students have even been given money to fund their projects. “I am on the Mozilla Congestive Heart Failing project,” senior Jane Awoh said. “A few of us have come together to try to reduce the readmission rates of CHF patients to the hospital. We received a $15,000 grant to design an app for these patients to use to work on getting a healthier lifestyle and to prevent them from going back to the hospitals. We go to the Sprint Accelerator every Wednesday to work on it.” Once first semester ends, the program shifts from projects and learning to applying knowledge towards an internship for the second semester. Each student picks a company they would like to work with for the duration of second semester, and is then put on a team with professionals where they navigate the workforce. “You get experience with real-world clients that might use a product you make,” Tetens said. “It gives you a sense of accomplishment and the good feeling that what you created is being used in the world. You’re not getting a grade on a paper; it is more meaningful.” Two things that especially appeal to students about the program is the business world aspect along with learning how to be independent. Students are responsible for their own transportation and must dress professionally as they go to real business
Seniors Claire Briscoe, Justice Birdsong and Avery Boll practice their nursing skills on each other.
every day. For example, healthcare students, go to Liberty Hospital. Tech Solutions students go to Cerner in downtown Kansas City. “I live ten minutes away from the hospital,” Awoh said. “We have to drive downtown every Wednesday. We do carpool but I wish a bus could transport us. I guess it’s part of being independent, which is what CAPS strives for. To teach us how to grow and be independent.” The CAPS program can be taken in the morning or in the afternoon for Liberty juniors and seniors. Those interested in applying for next year’s CAPS program are encouraged to talk to their counselor. No experience is required to apply, as the goal of the program is to educate within a comfortable setting. “[The application process] was super easy,” Matthys said. “You had to meet the basic requirements, such as appropriate GPA and graduation readiness. There was a small application with an essay about why you want to join. A month later I got a call from the coordinator and I was in.” Stress is not a concern for CAPS students, as they are given ample time during the day to finish projects and there is rarely ever outside work. “I encourage everyone to highly consider CAPS if you are really passionate about what you want to do,” Awoh said. “If you are hungry and willing, if you believe you’re an independent person or if you would like to grow more, you should join CAPS.”
Features 13
Once Upon A Writer's Guild Story by Hannah Leonard Photos by Aubrey Lytch
Creative writing club helps students put imaginative ideas to paper. Writing in high school is inevitable. From outlines to essays and everything in between. With so many academic based writing assignments one may not have time to be creative in their independent writing. If this is the case then Creative Writing Club can help. Once a week on Thursdays during Liberty Hour A, creative writing teacher Charles Zavos leads the club which has been a breath of fresh air for creative writers tired of following standard essay topics. The club is welcoming to all students and is always looking for new members. “Students can join anytime. They just have to be willing to write and have a desire to write,” Zavos said. Some may wonder what exactly to expect from joining the club. “New members of the club could expect to find resources to bounce their ideas off of,” senior Ben Basney said. “Maybe talk to people about how they should write. After we finish writing the November writing this month we will probably present people with writing prompts for practicing writing.” The club is currently working on an assignment for November, which is called the National Novel Writing month. The assignment is given from the website nanowrimo.org and members can write for the competition during club meetings or on their own time. The latest time to enter a novel is November 30. “This website has a competition that no
one wins so its not really a competition, but the idea is to write a 50,000 word novel between November 1 and November 30 to challenge young writers to get finished work out there,” Basney said, “You can get various things if you finish. I believe you get two copies of your book for free and you get an electronic publication of it so that is what we are doing right now to help people get their ideas out there.” Aside from novel writing, the club has a wide span of what they write about. “There are a lot of kids in the club who like to write science fiction, fantasy type pieces. I have a couple strict poets in the club,” Zavos said. “There are also a few folks that are solely working on trying to create a publishable short story. So it varies and it always varies from year to year. It was a risk of something to step away from what a person would normally do and thats what creativity is in my view. Is to take a risk and try something that might blow up in your face and it might not. You don’t know until you try it.” The risk of writing something for others to read may seem scary but being a part of a group could help one be more confident in their work. For the lone writer out there that may feel stuck in a rut of writers block, they may find the club inspiring and feel more a part of a group to fuel their writing. “I learned that there are a lot of people that like writing. I figured I was just one of a few people, but there are about a dozen people that are really serious about
writing,” junior Tommy Roseman said. Writing is a special reflection to the imaginations of creative writers and the genres they use to make their stories come to life. “I like that you can do anything and there are no limits except for your imagination.” Roseman said. “I usually write really dark or humourous [stories].” Though preferred genres may or may not vary from each writer. “I’ve started tons of stories about all kinds of stuff.” freshmen Andee Hall said.“I like writing fantasy a lot. Mostly alternate universe.” Perhaps the greatest thing about the club is you don’t have to pursue a writing profession for it to help you in a future career. “I have had students that have been in here that said ‘I want to be a writer’,” Zavos said. “I have had some folks in here that are very math and science oriented and will probably go off and do something with technology. Good writers are needed in any field. In the arts you need to be able to write well, in science, even mathematicians need to be able to write well. Hopefully this gives people the opportunity to find their voice. That is kind of key I think to high school in general is that students need to find their voice and how to articulate that voice to other people. This club is a small step towards that.”
Creative writing club meet during Liberty Hour to collaborate on stories.
Features 14
Family, Food and Football Story by Jenna Spence
Students at LHS share their Thanksgiving traditions. Food, Family and football. It is the beginning of the holiday season and no better way to celebrate than with these three things. A lot of students celebrate Thanksgiving this traditional way. “The house is really crowded on Thanksgiving. [There are] 20 people all crowded into this country house,” junior Tommy Roseman said. “If you go into the kitchen, it’s a chaotic mess. You shouldn’t go into the kitchen. There are so many people trying to cook. It’s usually the Aunts and the Grandmas doing the cooking.” Some families come from all over the country to get together on this special holiday. “My whole family is there,” senior Ashlyn Herrington said. “They come in from Chicago, and other places.” Some students go to other parts of the country to celebrate with their family. “I usually go down to Florida to my step grandparents’ house,” sophomore Andrue Johnson said. “My whole family will meet in the pool and the ocean to swim.”
Almost all of the families celebrate Thanksgiving with a lot of food. “My grandma makes chicken and noodles, and it’s really good.” Roseman said. “Mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole are my favorite things to eat,” Herrington said. “My grandma always makes this strawberry Jell-O and marshmallow dish, and it’s amazing.” “I don’t really like Thanksgiving food. A few years ago, I made my wife buy pizza for me on Thanksgiving,” math teacher David McDorman said. “I don’t like turkey, or any traditional food. I know, it’s weird.” Football is also a very American Thanksgiving tradition that a lot of families celebrate. “[On a scale of one to ten of how crazy we are about the football game,] I’d say our family is about a six,” Herrington said. “My family is more of a baseball family.” “We are a ten,” McDorman said. “Growing up, we would always play football in the yard. We would carry over the football game on TV into a competition outside.
LHS students were asked how they celebrate Thanksgiving.
We usually just want to watch the football game, but we don’t really care [who wins] because it’s usually Dallas and Green Bay.” Families usually try to spend a lot of time together by playing games with each other. “We usually play board and family games like Trivial Pursuit,” McDorman said. “We watch home videos, and we’ll play phase ten. That’s a blast. Pretty much everyone does it,” Herrington said. Some families do traditions that aren’t very traditional. “We do a weird water ballet [in the pool,]” Johnson said. “We have boys against girls. They get a song that they want to do, and they do choreography of their own water ballet. It takes about an hour for each team. We get into the pool, turn on the stereo, crank up a song, and we dance in the water.” “Usually, I’ll try to out-eat my grandpa,” Roseman said. “My grandpa will say how he is going to eat as much as I can. He will not stop eating. He’s relentless. No, [I don’t think I’ll beat my grandpa this year]. I think he’s been practicing.”
Going out of town 44 students 24%
Staying at home and not doing much of anything 14 students 8%
Hosting Thanksgiving dinner at my house 59 students 32%
Going to a family member’s house in town 68 students 37% *185 students polled
Singing Their Way to the Top
Features 15
Story by Lacy Williams Photos by Danni Hammontree
A change has been made, and there are now two Chamber Choirs Starting the year off on a high note, Blue Jay Chamber Choir is the newest addition to the vocal music program. “[Blue Jay Chamber is] an intermediate auditioned group for any students, grades nine through 12, who are currently in the vocal music program,” choir director Phillip Holthus said. LHS Chamber Choir is different from Blue Jay Chamber. “Liberty Chamber Choir is a select group and have already made it into our Concert Choir,” choir director Rika Heruth said. Concert Choir is the top audition choir that students can make it into. Both Chamber choirs are extra curricular choirs that meet outside of school on Monday nights for two hours. Blue Jay Chamber has all four grades participating in it. “It gives you a diverse opportunity both vocally and socially,” sophomore Alana Pendergraft said. There are only junior and seniors in LHS Chamber. For both chamber choirs the audition is just as it would be for the MCDA AllDistricts. The audition process includes a solo and sight-reading. There is always a diverse response to the difficulty level of the audition. Sight-reading is a common difficulty for many of the vocal music students, but the ones in the chamber choirs are very advanced. “It was very difficult,” junior Roman Accardi said. “In fact I only got four out of ten points on the sight-reading.” On
the opposite side of the spectrum, senior Camille Meeks said, “Personally it wasn’t that difficult.” These chamber choirs are an opportunity for students to grow musically and meet people who share the same passion of music. “I like being in extra curricular choirs because they’re fun and you make a lot of friendships in them,” senior Joel Currence said. There is a more musical aspect to it as well. “We’re not just learning technique,” Best said. “We’re learning how to express a song.” The music is different from what the students sing in choir. “I look for something that challenges the musicians and fits the voices. I like to make sure it’s diverse genres from classical to multiple cultural to pop. We try to branch out a little bit. We also do vocal jazz,” Heruth said. Some of the students enjoy the different types of music. “I think the music is better when there’s more people and more voice ranges,” sophomore Trevor Harr said. For those who are not in Concert Choir, they are not used to all six parts. “I feel like it’s powerful and emotional in a large chamber choir than [in] a choir with all men’s voices,” freshman Hollis Hagenbuch said. There are many differences in Chamber than in regular choir. “[Chamber is] way more difficult. He
[Holthus] expects more since we are an honor choir and had auditioned for it,” freshman Emily Goodwin said. Each chamber choir is a smaller and closer than regular choir classes. “[It] is a closer knit group of the highest level singers the school can offer,” Pitts said. The goal for all vocal music students wanting to be in the top choir is to make it into LHS Chamber choir. “My goal is to be in Concert Choir and Chamber Choir,” Hagenbuch said. In order to reach these goals students continue to work on sight-reading and solos to become the best of the best. The directors have common goals for the students. “[My goal is] that they would be able to enjoy singing for all of their lives and be able to be a part of a choir even if they don’t major in vocal music,” Heruth said. “I hope that students learn that music is more than black notes on a page but that true music is an aesthetic experience that is shared between the composer, the musicians, and the audience,” Holthus said. Each student has a different reason for singing. “I started singing because my sister was in choir and I’ve always loved singing,” Meeks said. “Choir gives me a chance to develop better technique and sing more classical repertoire instead of singing pop music.” “Singing is something that I love to do. It’s something that helps brighten my day,” Pendergraft said.
Left: (right to left) senior Hans Heruth, junior Roman Accardi and senior Savon Hayes singing in Liberty Chamber Choir . Right: Blue Jay Chamber choir rehearses.
Features 16
What are you involved in? “I play football, and that’s important to me because I’ve been playing my whole life. [In first grade] my mom signed me up for pop warner and I’ve been playing for the Blue Jays ever since. I sing in the choir, my whole family is musical. With music, my mom is definitely my inspiration. She’s always been really awesome and I strive to be like her. So that and football are basically my whole life.”
What do you plan to do in the future? “I already got accepted into Mizzou, but I want to major in vocal performance and hopefully be a professional singer when I grow up.”
Do you have any embarrassing moments? “One time my little brother who is really smart and I were with a group of people and I punched him in the back and he said, “Ouch, my scapula!” And I said, “You idiot, that’s on your head!” And he said, “No, you idiot, that’s on your back!” An eleven year old was smarter than me.”
Melissa Jones' thoughts on Savon: “Savon is always entertaining. He’s very positive. I had him as a sophomore in Comm. Arts and last year in American Lit. He has a lot of good excuses for being tardy. He’s just a really positive upbeat kind of kid and I know he’s a very talented kid. He shared some of his videos with us in class once.”
Senior
Savon Hayes Story by Katie Crouch Photo by Danni Hammontree
Features 17
What is it like having your mom work at the school? “At first when I found out she got the job I was really mad because I thought she would be invading in my life, but she basically never leaves her room, so it’s great because I can store my swim bag and art projects in her room.”
What extracurricular activities do you participate in? “I started swimming on the summer team in sixth grade, but I joined a year long team back in April. [I like] seeing my times get better and hanging out with my teammates and connecting with my coaches. My favorite strokes are freestyle and breaststroke. [I also do art and] I had some of my artwork up at a winery, my art teacher took some of our projects up there.”
How would your life be portrayed on television? “[If I was on a reality television show it would not be] any of the modeling things because I’m not the modeling type. Project Runway because I actually find fashion interesting, like designing clothes, [but] I can’t sew or anything. [If I was in a movie it would be a] romantic comedy. I’d be the one to fall in love.”
Debra Martin's thoughts on Sarah: “Sarah is a great student, athlete and just all around a great person. As a student, she makes the most of the information she is given, and takes it further than expected. I believe he curiosity and her enthusiasm are a part of her success as a student.”
Junior
Sarah Ragan Story by Annika Fuller Photo by Chris Marnell
Features 18
What are you involved in? “I’m in Shrek, the Musical, Exit 1-6 and Ukulele Club. I’ve always loved music a lot and it’s a great place to relax and do things that I enjoy. [I’m also in All District Choir and] out of all the people that auditioned there were very few sophomores, so I was feeling a lot of pressure doing the sight-reading, but I’m really glad that I made it.”
Do you have a musical inspiration? Ella Fitzgerald, a jazz singer from the 1930’s. She has a really beautiful, rich voice and she was a great female role model back then and I really aspire to be someone like her in my future.”
What do you want to do for a career? “Although it’s risky I’m hoping to pursue a career in performing arts. If not, I would like to do something in the sorts of psychology or psychiatry, I really like helping people and helping them with their problems.”
Michael Turpin's thoughts on Claire: “Claire is a very motivated student. Her passion is obviously in performing arts and she can do whatever she sets her mind to. She’s an absolute pleasure to have in class. She always comes in very energetic and very happy, you can really tell she enjoys her life. I look forward to the great things Claire is going to do with her high school career. She is in Shrek the musical and I know she has been working very hard on that.”
Sophomore
Claire Davis Story by Katie Crouch Photo by Maddie Wurtz
Features 19
What do you most enjoy about computers? “[I started having an interest in computers] just this year because my brother is really into computer architect. I decided to take a web design class this year. I never really realized I would like it this much until this year. We are working on an error page, so like whenever you try to type in something and it’s not found, it says “Error 404 Page Not Found” and I’m also making one for the Kansas City Royals.
Do you want to go into tech when you graduate? “Yes, my uncle, he is an accountant for the Air Force. He works in the Pentagon and then my other uncle he’s an architect; he builds churches. He actually built Pleasant Valley Baptist Church. My mom is an accountant for Hallmark and my brother is trying to go to MIT this year. When I got into web design I just thought it was an extra credit class that I might need for technology credit in college. Once I got into that I found I was really good at it and it was really easy. At my little table, we were the only freshman in class and we were the first ones finishing our projects in the class. We were all like hey this is fun and we’re good at it so this might be something we want to do.”
What are some of your favorite things? “Cinnamon rolls by a long shot. My grandpa used to make cinnamon rolls, and they were by far the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had. I play football, baseball, basketball and I run track. I was going to play football, but got injured halfway though summer workouts and I couldn’t play football. I am trying out for basketball.”
Angie Klein's thoughts on Tucker Evans:
Freshman
“He’s energetic and very superstitious about the Royals. He made us always play a song called “The Walker” every class until the end of the World Series. He is a lot of fun.”
Tucker Evans Story by Teegan Saunders Photo by Hailey Smith
Features 20
What made you want to become a teacher? “My teacher asked me what I was going to be when I grew up and I said engineering and technology and she [said], ‘no you have to be a teacher because you have the heart for that,’ so I followed her lead. When I was maybe 15 years old, I had a social project and I went to teach underprivileged students in poor areas and I was touched by how much they appreciated the fact that I was teaching them something.”
What made you want to teach Spanish? “I was actually teaching English in my country, so when I came here I decided I was going to teach Spanish. I loved being a teacher and I discovered that many students don’t like the language because it’s boring, but I tried to teach them everything behind the language, the culture, the music, the people, so they will understand everything about it. I try to make the class fun.”
What was it like growing up in Guatemala? “I have happy memories because my family is there. A different country, I learned everything in Spanish, but I was learning English as well. In the morning I had Spanish classes and in the afternoon I had my English classes, all subjects. I miss my family too. I try to go to Guatemala once a year. The only thing I have in the United States is my cousin and he is a pilot for the Air Force, that’s all the family that I have.”
Sydney McBee's thoughts on Astrid Ruiz: “She talks to us [in Spanish] and we get to talk back, it’s not necessarily that we stay quiet the entire class period and we get to actually speak in Spanish instead of writing it down. I thought she was really interesting because she was from a different country because I’ve never had a teacher from a different area rather than just here.”
Teacher
Astrid Ruiz Story by Annika Fuller Photo by Natalie Grusch
Features 21
How long have you been at LHS? “I think this is my fourth year working here and the thing I love most about the school is getting to interact with kids and build relationships with kids. Since I coach eighth grade basketball and football, I know a lot of these kids from eighth grade all the way until they graduate. I build pretty good bonds with most of the kids. Tons of kids go off to college and we still keep in touch. We keep an eye on all our athletes, so it’s always good when you find out how someone is doing in school. It’s cool to see you touched someone’s heart.”
What do you do in the school? “I work here in the attendance office, but I do a lot of security stuff, cameras and monitor who’s in and out the building. Every now and then I’m getting disruptive kids out of class.”
What is your most prominent memory at lhs? “It was actually pretty recent, Elias, who is in the 100’s had a huge surgery and he invited me to a party back there, which they do quite a bit. It’s usually just a couple staff members and what not, but I went back there in the classroom and saw hundreds of kids had showed up for Elias, and they all brought him gifts and I just thought it was really special and pretty awesome.”
Hannah Odom's thoughts on John Neldon: “I really like Coach Neldon. He’s really nice and always supports the kids and I just think that he’s a great member of the LHS team. He is a great coach, really good with kids. He is all and all a great guy. I look up to him personally as a role model. I want to be like him.”
Administrator
John Neldon Story by Teegan Saunders Photo by Chris Marnell
A&E 22
Pumpkin Pickin ' Fun! Story by Kasey Allshouse Photos by Kennedy Allison and Kasey Allshouse
A Bell Reporter travels to three local pumpkin patches to get an inside scoop.
DAY ONE
Fun Farm The Fun Farm is located in Kearney, MO. What instantly caught my eye was the amount of unique pumpkins available. A worker at the patch told me they had a great crop this year with still more pumpkins in the field. The amount of pumpkins available to buy was remarkable: Classic orange, white, yellow, gray, bumpy smooth, big, small, tall, and even short. The worker also told me that the gorgeous unique crop was a result of cross-pollination from
the bees out in the field. Picking up each pumpkin, I evaluated them, narrowing down my options for my final purchase. It was so hard to choose, you would think you had the perfect one and then look down at your feet to see another one just as good if not better. This farm offers a petting zoo set up with fall food, and a corn maze. The younger children were also offered a train/hayride and a bouncy tarp. Available to the customers was a shop with more
pumpkins and squashes, fall décor, and old-fashioned candies. With the fall colors all jumbled together in fun shapes, sizes, and colors it was too hard to leave without grabbing a souvenir to take home. I decided to bring two characterized pumpkins home to join my collection. After day one my pumpkin total is seven. Which is only the beginning of many more!
Carolyn's Pumpkin Patch
Carolyn`s Pumpkin Patch is located in Liberty and the first thing I noticed was not only the kind service but also the smell of something yummy. After looking around for a while I came across a big red barn with two of my favorite words on it, “food” and “open.” Finding the source of the smell was easy, pumpkin donuts. Of course I had no choice but to give in and buy some, and let me tell you it was worth it. After my taste buds had been satisfied I continued to take look at their pumpkins. Carolyn`s Pumpkin Patch wasn’t much of
a patch. They had some orange pumpkins put out back of their general store. Yes, they did offer some cool funky pumpkins but they didn’t come in the same amount, sizes, and colors as Fun Farm. The lack of variety and amount of pumpkins might have been due the lateness of the season. Although Fun Farm offered more pumpkins, Carolyn`s offered better service in my opinion. Carolyn`s staff was extremely friendly and made you feel like you were in a small hometown. The friendly atmosphere made it almost impossible to be
anything but happy. This pumpkin patch also offers a corn maze, tricycle riding for younger kids, a petting zoo, food stands, and a good family friendly experience. Even though there wasn’t much of a variety it’s a better experience than your normal grocery store pumpkin shopping. I couldn’t resist buying two pumpkins to add to my collection. Now after day two my pumpkin total is nine and I still have day three ahead of me.
DAY TWO
DAY THREE
A&E 23
Red Barn Farm The second after I stepped out of the car, I was in love. The cozy, homey, and quite frankly adorable appearance of this place drew me in. I couldn’t help but love this place even though it was so late in the season. It was the day after Halloween and although the pumpkins weren’t “oh so amazing!” no one could resist loving the plawce. I approached their store, opening the door to be greeted by an old fashion general store set up. After a quick peek around the shop I could smell all the soaps and candles, eyeing the candy and old fashion décor. I bought a ticket for the hayride as well as some apple cider that was definitely from heaven. Plopping down on the stacks of hay off for our mini adventure to the pumpkin
patch. Hopping off the trailer I was surprised by the size of the pumpkin patch it was huge. I didn’t see a lot of unique pumpkins, but I still saw multiple great ones. It was a classic pumpkin patch and I think that was one reason why it stood out so much. You are able to walk through the vines and along the dirt paths and get your own hands dirty. The crisp fall breeze and occasional sips of my apple cider, which warmed me to the bone. I walked back to the trailer satisfied with my time spent at the pumpkin patch. While sitting one my same haystack I stumbled into a conversation with the owner of Red Barn Farm. He told me all about the farm and how it was an actual running farm. This farm grows pumpkins, apples, peaches,
and other crops. He told me how he was proud that this farm was an actual farm and how it wasn’t just pumpkins thrown on a lot. It’s a farm with homegrown everything. The animals on the farm, the pumpkins, and the people there all made it a worth my time. This place does it all petting zoo, apple fest, and weddings. If you are looking for a genuine good time with an actual farm experience and some homegrown hospitality you can`t go wrong with a visit to this place. After day three my pumpkin total is still nine. No particular one jumped out at me, but I definitely plan to go back next year if not sooner.
One of the many varieties of pumpkins at the Fun Farm in Kearney, MO
Above: The owner of Red Barn farm stands in front of the store. Below: A scarecrow overlooks the tall grass maze at Red Barn Farm.
A goat at Carolyn’s Pumpkin Patch sticks its head out of the fence to check out its visitors.
Sports schedule November 11th-December 19th, 2014 Sport Mens’ BasketMens’ Basketball Womens’ Basketball Mens’ Basketball Mens’ Basketball Womens Basketball Mens’ Basketball
Event
Level
Location
Rayotwn Jamboree Arkansas Classic
Varsity
Raytown
12:30pm
Varsity
Fayettefille
8:00pm
Blue Springs South Arkansas Classic
JV/Varstiy Varsity
Blue Springs south
5:30pm
TBA
TBA 12/5
Arkansas Classic
Varsity
TBA
Liberty North Tournament Varsity
Womens Basketball
Fort Osage Lee Sumit
Mens’ Basketball
Blue Springs South
Varsity JV/Varsity
Womens Basketball
Varstiy Hy-Vee Shootout vs Bishop Varsity JV/Varsity Lee’s Summit
Womens Basketball
Lee’s Summit West
Mens’ Basketball
JV/Varsity
Time & Date
Liberty North
TBA TBA 12/8-12/12
Liberty
7:00pm
Liberty Liberty
5:30pm
TBA Lee’s Summit
4:00pm
Liberty
7:00pm 5:30pm 5:30pm
Indepth 26
Click The Dislike Story by Hannah Berry and Brooklyn Balsdon
Photo by Molly Filger
Cyber bullying is becoming an increasing problem. Stand Up And Fight? Would you stick up for them against a cyber bully even if that meant you may get bullied too? Would you take that risk to help out a friend? Cyber bullying is the use of technology to bully or harm another individual, usually by sending insulting, intimidating or threatening messages and images. In fact, one fourth of teenagers in 2014 in the United States admit to being a cyber bully victim.
Is Technology A Fuel?
Technology advances every single day even though people may not realize it. Social media is becoming more important to some people than true friends are. Cyber bullying is something only newer generations are dealing with. Yes, anybody can be cyber bullied, but it isn’t something that people grew up dealing with 15 years ago. According to counselor Greg Casel it makes disciplining and parenting more difficult, causing cyber bullying to be even more common. “Sometimes social media is blamed for cyber bullying and other negative uses. However, technology itself is neither good nor bad. How human beings choose to use it dictates whether it is a positive or negative in our lives,” Casel said. Technology is unsupervised so it is impossible to know what is happening on websites. “I used to have people message me on Facebook and text me crude comments making fun of me and threatening me,” senior Sydney McCubbin said. “I use to be afraid to look at my texts in fear that it was another person telling me to go kill myself. It really does affect people mentally, and it isn’t something that is worth a laugh. Cyber bullying needs to stop.” LHS provides every student with laptops, giving them access to technology and
social media 24/7. But, most students have the same access on their phones. “The more access teenagers have to a wide variety of social media tools gives them all the more opportunity to misuse the technology,” Casel said. The social slandering can be detrimental to the victims; students can develop a lack of self-confidence and self-worth. “It makes you feel like you have lost a sense of privacy,” senior Anna Davis said. “The problem doesn’t stop when you are alone because we live in a world that technology keeps us constantly connected.”
Cyber Bullying at LHS
Cyber bullying is a problem in many high schools across the nation. There is a varying opinion among the students at LHS whether or not cyber bullying is an issue. A recent online poll was taken discover students’ opinions. According to the poll of 200 LHS students, 44% of students had been cyber bullied. “I don’t think cyber bullying is good,” senior Tim Gibson said. “I think its something that has become more prevalent, because people can be more anonymous online and don’t have to worry about getting in trouble. I don’t really hear about it a lot at LHS, I think we have a pretty safe environment.” “Cyber bullying affects people in many different ways,” sophomore Samantha Kottman said. “It is either very harmful, or whoever is being bullied will just shrug it off. Either way, I think cyber bullying is a big problem because of the advancement of technology.”
Are You A Bully?
44% of the 200 students polled said that they had experience cyberbullying at one point or another.
The real reason is unknown. Some students think that the bully wants attention. Others feel that it is because they are angry at the victim or themselves. “I think that people who cyber bully are just trying to cover up their own problems by making the other people feel worse or they just sincerely don’t like them,” freshman Cierra Goe said. “Either way, it doesn’t make it right.”
Indepth 27 How Do I Prevent It? There are ways students can prevent cyber bullying from occurring. One way students prevent being cyber bullied is by not having social media accounts. One of the largest social media sites where it is easy to be bullied is Twitter. “I think [cyber bullying] it’s a terrible thing that needs to stop,” junior Veronica Howland said. “It happens on Twitter everyday and when you try to defend and stop it, it only leads to more bullying and drama.” Many students at LHS who don’t have a Twitter don’t come across the issue. “If you are different in any sort of way from what society considers ‘normal’ then you are likely to be made fun of or bullied,” junior Liam Floyd said. “But, if you are being bullied online you have the luxury of the ability to block. Most websites and apps that allow communication also have a block feature. You just have to ignore the online jerks.”
How Do I Take Action?
or if it is school related, a counselor or administrator.” When someone is being bullied, get trustful adults to help him or her. If the bullying continues to occur, law enforcement can get involved. “I’ve never experienced cyber bullying, but I know it’s a pretty big issue,” senior Hannah Wessell said. “I think if someone is being cyber bullied they need to tell an adult figure and get it figured out. It’s not a laughing matter.” Although 95% of witnesses ignore the problem, there are some students who stand up for the victim. “I was called names and they spammed my account with rude comments, and it hurt for a little bit,” freshman Michella Anaya said. “But, I had other friends who stood up for me and did nothing but build me up. So as long as you know your worth, no one else gets to tell you how awesome you are!”
When students see cyber bullying, it can be difficult to decide how to act. Students may think, “Do I stand up for them?” or “Eh, this is interesting.” Students may not want to get involved because they don’t want to become a victim themselves or maybe the bully is one of their friends. In fact 95% of people who observe cyber bullying are uncomfortable with the situation and feel that it is wrong, but ignore the situation and let it continue. When students witness cyber bullying they should take action, in a sensitive and responsible way. “The first thing they should do is not worsen the issue by retweeting or forwarding the message; don’t become a part of the problem or contribute to the problem,” Casel said. “A second thing they might consider is to individually approach the cyber bully (not through social media) and let them know that their message is not appreciated. The third thing is to offer emotional support to the victim, and maybe let an adult know of the problem. This should be a parent,
See student poll comments on the next page.
Have you ever been cyberbullied? Yes. It bothered me for a while. 2%
20% Yes. It scarred me for life. 23%
No. It’s not an issue.
Yes. It wasn’t a big deal.
35% 20%
No, I’ve been lucky so far.
*200 students LHS surveyed
Indepth 28
Click The Dislike Students weigh in with their thoughts on cyberbullying.
“I think teenagers don’t understand how sensitive some people are, or what they’ve been through. Bullying is not ok even if you are just joking. I was bullied for something that still bothers me today, and it sucks. The only thing you can do is just push on, and move forward.” -Junior Annabelle Anderson
“It's hard to deal with cyber bullying because they are not saying it to your face and sometimes you don't know who they are.” - Freshman Alexander MacDonald
“I think it is completely wrong. There is no reason anyone should be bullied offline or online. People should really think about what they are doing before they do it and how it will affect others.” - Junior Liz Lovesee
“It felt worse than someone saying it to my face. Usually people's true feelings about you come out online. Just to think that's what they really thought of me when they were smiling in my face is just so hurtful.” -Freshman Joanie Bell
“I think it’s wrong and needs to be stopped. It’s easier for people to get bullied over the phone or computer and it makes it harder for parents to catch.” -Freshman Aleeya Owen
“I believe it is a cowardly way of showing control. I personally have not had any issues with it, but I acknowledge that is happens and is a horrible thing to be a part of.”
“People need to only say things to others online that they would say in person.” - Freshman Emily McCoy
“Cyber bullying needs to end. There are so many suicides that have happened over the years, just over someone saying something mean to or about another person. Cyber bullying needs to stop.”
-Freshman Derek Rhea
Think before you
-Sophomore Alyssa Hamline
SEND
Is Cyber Bullying a Problem at LHS? At one point in a student’s life they are going to experience bullying, whether it be physical or verbal. It might happen directly to you or a friend. It might happen at school or home. With the rise of technology, bullying is evolving alongside it, now many cases of bullying are cyber bullying. The staff defined cyber bullying as intentionally trying to hurt someone or make them feel bad using technology. Anyone can be a victim, ranging from athletes to artists. It takes place on many different platforms like a text message, a tweet, or even a hurtful photo. Many staff members from various groups in the school have been cyber bullied. The Bell discussed the causes of cyber bullying, it could be to sabotage a person, to get more followers on social media, or to satisfy their peers. There are mild cases
and severe cases with variety of victims and bullies. The Bell agreed this happens at LHS on a regular basis. Unfortunately cyber bullying can be hard to detect, depending on the damage. An insult to a student could be seen as a harmless joke by teachers, parents, or fellow students. It is important for a student to speak up about this issue if it hurts them. One member of the Bell Staff brought up the effect of bullying. Students cope with issues differently than others. Some students could ignore it or be affected by the bully for a very long time. The Bell Staff also brought up there are various causes of cyber bullying, maybe the football team lost and that one specific player is blamed, maybe someone had a bad hair day, and maybe someone fell down the stairs. You may not think it is a problem
Opinion Opinion 29 27 until it happens to you, anyone is vulnerable. The recent addition of student laptops was also discussed. The staff couldn’t put the blame on laptops alone because many students already have access to social media through smart phones and computer access at home. But just having technology doesn’t mean bullying will happen, it’s the user who determines whether technology is used for good or evil. A near 100% of the Bell Staff agree cyber bullying is a problem at LHS. One staff member even smartly said, “Even if it happens to only one person one time, it’s a problem.” With bullying, anyone at anytime can be a victim. If you have been cyber bullied don’t be afraid to speak up.
The articles on these pages do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the entire Bell staff. Please feel free to comment in a letter to the editor.
Editorial Cartoon
Staff Topic Vote Yes - 28 No - 2
Illustrated by freshman Hannah Berry
Opinion 30
Stop, Drop, and Shop
Opinion by Teresa Parra
Photo by Amanda Kovac
It’s that time of year again! Racing and rushing and sales, Oh My!
Not to say this in the most cliché way possible, but I’m a 17-year-old girl and I love to shop. It brings a certain joy and accomplishment after finding something you really like. It gets even better when you find something you love on sale. The best sales of the year can be found on
Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, where stores open at midnight. This eventful day of the year can be for all sorts of shoppers. If you are looking for anything from a new game station to a new TV, or even for new pair of shoes, this day could be the perfect day for you. Personally I use this day to shop for Christmas gifts. A month before Christmas is the perfect time to get all the shopping done. Another great way to look at Black Friday is as an outing. You and your family can have a nice Thanksgiving dinner then gear up for a full night of shopping. You could even grab a group of friends and shop all night. Black Friday is another monumental day in the holiday season-the event right after Thanksgiving that leads you into getting ready for Christmas. Whether you’re a shopaholic or someone who’s just looking for a deal. You’ll find this day to be rewarding and enjoyable. I have every year I’ve gone. The experience of going Black Friday shopping makes for great stories and a gift you can have for a lifetime. A couple years back my mom and I waited in line all night for a Wii. It was my brothers Christmas present that year. We were able to be fifth in line at Target getting there at 11 o’clock. This was when some stores didn’t open until six in the morning. We brought chairs and blankets and camped out until the store opened. We luckily ended up getting a Wii before they ran out. Another year, we were at Best Buy getting games, movies and a TV. The line was wrapped around the whole store
and kept going down into the parking lot. That’s something to keep in mind when you’re thinking about when to head out to start waiting in line. Dealing with crowds is one thing but dealing with sales people is another. Every time I’ve been I have always gotten nice and helpful sales people or employees. It’s like stores bring out the best of their best workers to work on Black Friday. Black Friday is known for having crazy crowds. I would have to agree that sometimes the crowds get to be a lot. But nothing you can’t handle. Have a destination in mind and ideas for things you want to buy before you go out to shop. This way you are not stuck in the middle of crowds trying to decide where to go. Black Friday shopping can go smoothly if you have an idea in mind. If the crowds aren’t for you there’s other options. There are online deals as well. Some stores even open Thursday night. If you want to beat the crowd or not deal with the crowd you can always go Thursday night or later in the day Friday. I highly suggest if you’ve never been Black Friday shopping that you go this year. Don’t miss out on another year you could be saving money on gifts or clothes or other possessions. Get to the store or the mall and shop away. Black Friday only comes once a year so take advantage of it! I’ll see you there.
Opinion 31
I'd Rather Be Eating When shopaholics cross the line.
weren’t lucky enough to get the day off and are missing out on those yummy yams that their family’s are enjoying at home. As a person with a father who works in a retail store, there is always that fear hanging over my family’s head that my father won’t be home for Thanksgiving, or worse, if he does have to work, then there is always a risk of him getting harmed by a crazy shopper who just had to get that X-Box before another guy did. Let’s be honest, the only thing you save on during Black Friday sales are electronics. Don’t be that person who gets caught on camera, fighting over a five dollar toaster. It’s not worth trampling someone to death over that brand new flat screen TV no matter what the price. I beg you people, please don’t be a zombie shopper. I promise those deals will be back later if you are patient. As a high school student, I’m not the biggest fan of going out and wrestling with crowds anyway, let alone angry mobs. So, I enjoy the practice of online shopping because who has the time to stress about Black Friday, your gas money isn’t worth it, your time is worth more and not to mention you can go online shopping in your pajamas and still get great deals. So instead of going out on Black Friday and becoming an adrenaline high, frantic, zombie-like shopper who has no regard for human life, stay home and eat dinner with your family while your dad and uncles scream at the TV during the Cowboys game and your mom and aunts gossip over a good cup of coffee. It’s just more memorable that way.
Photo by Amanda Kovac
You’ve all seen it before. They always pop up on your TV or Twitter feed when Halloween is over: those annoying Black Friday commercials. Black Friday isn’t a national holiday, but some frantic pre-Christmas shoppers make it seem like one. Black Friday should not be a frantic eat-or-be-eaten day where there is imminent danger of being trampled to death. Seven people have died from Black Friday shopping and 90 people have been injured from it. Does that not tell some retail stores that some changes should be made to this day? They will end up with people dead or injured in their stores with a prized iPad in between the two of them clutched in their cold, lifeless hands. What exactly does saving a few dollars on Christmas items really cost? It’s just one more thing that your family member will not use or will donate to GoodWill within the same year. On the news, you see angry shoppers fighting to be in the front of the line during an all-nighter in Walmart’s parking lot when they should be at home, enjoying grandma’s sweet potatoes. Then inside that same Walmart, we have the employees who
Opinion by Tara Prindle
Opinion 32
A Little Spice
This column is intended to spice up your “things I’m grateful for” list this Thanksgiving. In my household--in between my mashed potato and deviled egg inhaling—everyone goes around the table and says what they are thankful for. Every year my answer is pretty much the same. “I am grateful for my family, friends and life.” While all of that is true, there are many more random things in this beautiful world that I am also thankful for that never seem to get any spotlight. The first random things I am thankful for are toothpaste and deodorant. Think about it. Close your eyes and imagine a world where no one wears deodorant or brushes their teeth. If that were the case, the toxic smells of the human race would have probably
caused the ozone layer to disintegrate and we would no longer be here. We pretty much owe deodorant and toothpaste our lives. The second random thing I am thankful for are dollar menus. The mutual love of food is something that has bonded many a person over time. For us broke high school students, dollar menus are a gift sent from the angels above. I don’t know about you, but I think the fact that we can get a ton of tacos from Taco Bell without breaking the bank, is something to be thankful about. The third random thing I am thankful for is Google. I honestly don’t know how our parents and teachers survived their childhood and schooling without it. Whenever I have a question; I Google it. Whenever I need a source for a paper; I Google it. Whenever I need to know how to stop hiccupping; I Google it. When I need to know how to take care of a beta fish that I bought on a whim because I was bored; I Google it. Google is a lifeline that I am tethered to. It is something we use everyday, and don’t even think twice about. The fourth random thing I am thankful for is Netflix. Netflix is the portal that opened my eyes to American Horror Story, House of Cards and Orange is the New Black. After a
Slow Down the Spin
Recently, I experienced my world coming to a halt and it’s a terrifying event. It is to my most solemn belief that life is weird, fantastical, random and beautiful. However, our world is spinning around us and there are times in this spin that the randomness of life can also be cruel. As we go about our daily lives our stories intertwine, overlap and collide. Our daily routines bring us into contact with hundreds of people every single day, and we often forget how much impact we have on each
other. I find this completely and utterly outrageous. I’ve observed (in my limited time in the crazy galactic swirl that is life) that we are a generation of people who do not like to slow down whether it be to drive 5 mph slower to go the speed limit or even when it comes to sending texts. So on the occasions that we do slow down or worse stop our busy lives that it’s often (and only) because a crisis has emerged. For me, the atomic bomb into my life was my father’s emergency visit to the hospital with extremely high blood pressure. My fast-paced busy life stopped instantly. This by all definitions was a family crisis. I was in shock, I was entirely unsure of what to do; nobody prepares themselves for situations like this. Luckily for me, my family responded quickly and the top priority quickly became each other. We all backed one another. My sister made sure everybody had eaten. My brother took off work to be by my dad’s bedside and I made sure he and my mom had
Editor in Chief
Editorial by Aly Copp long day of school and work, there is noting better than curling up on the couch and turning on the TV show of the month. The fifth random thing that I’m thankful for is the opportunity to live in Kansas City. Granted it’s no LA or New York, but it is still deserving of some appreciation. Not only does Kansas City have sports teams worth watching, it also has cool events like art fairs, First Fridays, the West Bottom’s haunted houses and the list goes on. Kansas City is also filled with some of my favorite things like little coffee shops and bookstores. If this city is still not an interesting enough place for you, then you can just be grateful that you don’t live in the middle of Montana. The final thing I am thankful for is Thanksgiving. I am thankful that those Pilgrims and Native Americans sat down and ate together at the 1621 harvest meal. If that wouldn’t have happened, I would not be writing this column and more importantly, there would not be a holiday specifically for feasting, family and thankfulness. I hope this column helps you come up with more things to be thankful for than the traditional sayings. Although they can sometimes be random, everyone has things they should be thankful for.
Editor in Chief
Editorial by Zach Kilgas overnight bags. We also had people slow down their lives to care for us. It was then I realized how important we are to each other. We act as lifelines for those around us and many times we don’t even know it. It was the concerned phone calls, texts and people that took time out of their day to check up on me that helped me get through what had happened and get back into my daily routine. These small acts of kindness got my family through our crisis. These people may not even be aware of how much their kindness meant. Life swirls around us everyday, that’s a fact. Day in and day out we encounter hundreds of people. If we all could consciously remember to slow down our spin we could make our school a better place. When you slow down and take time to care for others it becomes apparent how intertwined we actually are. It’s at that point that you can’t help but to care.
Got Gratitude?
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Opinion Opinion 33 27
Editorial by Michael McHale
Once again, November has snuck up on us and will be gone before we even realize it. But, I think we all know that means Thanksgiving will be here before we know it too, which is not such a bad thing. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always enjoyed Thanksgiving. In my family it always serves as a big kickoff to the holiday season. Looking back on my childhood, one of the things I love about the holiday itself is how much its meaning has changed for me.
I remember when I was younger, it would typically be a day spent at my Grandma Starlette’s house surrounded by friends and family. I will admit, back then I was more focused on the food than I was on Thanksgiving’s purpose. Now that I’m older I can finally see Thanksgiving’s purpose and meaning. I know the obvious purpose is to be thankful, but I’m not just talking about on the fourth Thursday in November every year. I’ve realized how important it is to ALWAYS be thankful. Not just for what you have, but basically everything else. I personally, am thankful for every single person I’ve met in my 17 years. Granted some people I’ve only met once, some are no longer with us and some have even drifted out of my life. I am thankful for them all, because our paths were meant to cross for some reason. I say the same goes for experiences. I’m thankful for everything I’ve been lucky enough to experience because everything
I Dig It
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; I love my family. They’ve taught me so many things already and continue to do so more and more each day. This fall we took a Sunday off from going to my grandparent’s farmhouse in Holt, and instead went to Richmond, where we have about 80 acres. By the way of tradition in my family, at least part of the day was spent hunting
really does happen for a reason, whether you believe it or not. I would never have gotten this far if it weren’t for everything I’ve already done. I had to get here somehow, right? Aside from this, I’ll also say that I’m thankful for all the chances that I’ve been given. I can say that I haven’t taken all of these chances, but I’m beyond grateful for the ones that I have. I guess what I’m trying to say is that we all have a lot to be thankful for. I realize it may not seem true sometimes, but we do. After all is said and done, I hope that you have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. It doesn’t have to be profound or elaborate, it just has to mean something to you - that is why you’re thankful for it, right? With that being said, I hope everyone has a great, joy-filled Thanksgiving. You could even spread the word: gratitude is in this season. Also, could you pass the stuffing?
Opinion Editor
Editorial by Amanda Kovac for arrowheads and other old Indian artifacts in the creek. Being the designated disappointment to the family, I have yet to find an arrowhead, or even a sliver of one. This particular Sunday, when I reached the entrance to the middle creek, camera in hand and boots on feet, I found that the others were well into their search for lost treasures. One of my aunts had hung back to search for smooth rocks to add to her garden and I kept pace with her, alternately snapping pictures and searching for cool rocks for her, hoping to stumble onto an arrowhead, just like I do every trip, for as long as my attention span allows. When my patience with rocks wore thin, I sped up and joined the others in my family on their hike through the creek, searching attentively for arrowheads. I continued to snap pictures, instead of crouching and searching. If it weren’t for my little cousin Ivan’s shouts of glee, I probably would have missed all the excitement. Ivan had found the third arrowhead of the day. Not only had
he found the third of the day but it was also the second arrowhead of the day that had been found in perfect condition. As a nine-year-old, finding a perfect arrowhead is a rare and impressive thing. There was a lot of congratulating him on the find afterwards and many questions as to how a nine year old had found a perfect specimen. My cousin surprised us all when his answer was simply, “I dug for it.” Digging was something that none of us had thought to try. With a little extra effort, some faith and maybe a little luck, my little cousin found what I have looked 18 years for, in half that time. I still haven’t found an arrowhead but next time I know that if I work a little harder and have a little more faith, I can find one. As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, I just want to thank all of my relatives and let them know that I appreciate them for all the knowledge that they’ve shared with me over the years and for all the ways they’ve helped me to be a better person.
Editorial Photos by and courtesy of Amanda Kovac and Aly Copp
Sports 34
Speed, Stregth, Victory
Story by Kamden Bernard Photos by Adam Pouliot and Arley Emery
Girls Rugby wins state for the third year in a row. At LHS, The girls rugby team went to state and won 15-0. Rugby is a sport that combines speed and strategy to move a ball into an opponent’s territory. Rugby is a full-contact sport yet players wear littleor no protective gear. Girl’s Rugby’s journey to state has been helped by the things the girls do at practice. “We practice our strategy, what we’re going to do and how we’re going to get across the field and how we’re going to make that try,” junior Alexis Kaminski said. “We do that for most of the practice then for about 10 or 15 minutes we do workouts to where we can build up our endurance so we have the capability to run almost the whole field. That’s mainly what it is then afterwards we have scrimmage against each other to put in play what we are going to do.” The games are very short but require a lot of energy. The games are about 14 minutes. “People think rugby is a vicious or violent sport but it’s really not if you play it right,” senior Madi Ewing said. “I mean you can get hurt but you just have to know how to play it right.” Before each game all the girls connect with each other. “It’s really fun before the games everybody’s talking to each other then it’s all serious when we get around our best friends,” senior Imari Brooks said. “The girls at the games are making their own memories,” sophomore Jaylen Holloway said. “My favorite memory
is when I got scouted for Lindenwood College.” Other girls’ memories can be a lot different. “My favorite memory from a game would be break-ways, it’s where you get the ball and there’s a big gap and you sprint, ”senior Jazmine Mosley said. The experience of being undefeated can be different based on whether you’re a freshman or a senior. “Good. I’ve never done it before so I guess it feels good to be on a team that’s undefeated,” freshman Daniel Staples said. Ewing, a senior, had a different view on being undefeated. “I mean it feels great because in my first couple of years weren’t doing as well as we could have been and we weren’t where we wanted to be,” Ewing said. “It’s just exciting because there’s actually more than two teams so being undefeated is more significant than it used to be.” All of the girls gave great advice to the people would like to play Rugby next year. “It’s all about teamwork there’s not I in team. You have to rely on your teammates to help,” Mosely said. “Don’t be scared to tackle somebody because you may hurt them but you know it wasn’t potential,” Brooks said. “I would say just don’t be afraid people come into rugby scared that they’re going to get hurt in the tackles and they’re scared something horrible is going to happen just because the way people make rugby look,”
Ewing said. “I would just tell someone all you can really do is just have fun and not be afraid to hit basically and not be afraid to tackle.” “Do it. It is so fun and it’s amazing to see how crazy these girls coming together can be. It’s great. You should really do it because it’s different. It’s women doing different things and basically showing we have more to offer than just what we look like,” Kaminski said. “Definitely play,” Holloway said “You might be scared at first but give it a try actually try at first before giving up.” “Pay attention and workout outside of practice,” Staples said. ”Watch rugby games to understand it better and always ask questions.” Each player works hard to keep the team together and anyone can play the sport. There is no experience needed to play Girl’s Rugby. It’s a club. Anyone can join.
Above: senior Imari Collins at rugby practice. Below: Girl’s Rugby practices on the LHS football field.
On Your Marks, Get Set, Go
Sports 35
Cross Country aims for competitive excellence at state. Story by Daryl Gichui Photo by Aubrey Lytch
For many people, running is a form of punishment forced by the dreaded school PE teacher. However, to this year’s Liberty Cross Country Varsity squad and alternates, it’s much more than that. As of November 8, the Jays Cross Country boys and girls both qualified as state teams at Jefferson City. The boys finished in ninth place overall while the girls finished in tenth. In addition runners Brandon Colner and Madison Nasteff both qualified for all-state competition. “I’ve never been to state with a team before, I’ve only gone individually, so it would be incredible to have the team go, especially my senior year,” senior Madison Nasteff said. The Cross Country team is very excited for what is to come, but their success so far did not come easily. Cross Country has a huge reputation for qualifying at state. On the contrary, 2012’s fall season of Cross Country had an unfortunate outcome, because Jays did not qualify. Since last year, the team has been putting in a lot of hard work. “Preparation started after we came back from state last year, we trained all Winter, I showed up to morning runs and also evening runs in the winter. I did track in the spring and summer. I showed up morning and also evenings and got in thousands of miles,” senior Lucas Peterson said. Running year round is only part of preparation for the season. Each runner must also improve cooperation as a team. “If one person doesn’t have a good race, or something goes wrong, we’ve done pretty well at stepping up and filling the role that somebody else vacated. We’ve
had a bunch of guys step up and score for us this year,” senior Matt Alvey said. The Cross Country team has really been working hard in competition, but preparation is only part of making it to state. One thing that the team cannot fully prepare for is the performance of other teams during the season. Last year the Jays cross country team had three girls and four boys graduate as varsity runners. “This year some of those [other] teams, lost maybe one or even no people in their top varsity,” Peterson said. “West Plains is just a powerhouse, they have so much talent.” Many of these other teams have runners who have already been to state competition. “You can’t control what other teams are going to do when you get down there. As coaching staff and as a team, we just run our best race that day, and we want individuals to perform well,” Coach Tim Fritson said. Preparation, Practice and performance are all important parts of cross country, but of course you cannot forget the fun aspects of this sport. The road to state is tedious and difficult, but it also brings forth a lot of bonding and great times for the team. “State is always just a blast. I think the best part is on our way home from state we always go to Shakespeare Pizza, and the big thing is it’s the first time that all of us have soda since the season started and so we celebrate the end of our season,” Nasteff said. “Last year we got fourth and when you place in the top four, you get to go up
to the podium and get a trophy,” Fritson said. “That’s the first time I’ve ever gotten to do that as a coach so I don’t think I’ll ever forget when we walked up those stairs and they announced Liberty High School, and they handed us that trophy. [It was] one of the highlights of my coaching and career up to this point [because we got to see] all that hard work pay off. It was awesome,” Fritson said.
Boys:
State Times:
Brandon Colner Matt Alvey Damon Southall Alex Wilburn Anthony Butler Max Martin Luis Ochoa
15:49.66 16:34.23 16:38.92 16:52.42 16:53.85 16:59.46 17:24.52
Girls: Madison Nasteff Payton Adams Jordan Cowger Hailey Stigger Jenna Edens Claire Reedy Rhi James
18:35.35 19:27.73 19:48.13 20:08.49 20:23.51 20:31.75 20:32.73
Cross Country team poses for a team picture.
Sports 36
Nathan Wilkerson Story by Teryn Deshler Photo by Desiree Johnson
“The team atmosphere is great; whenever we breakdown, we breakdown as a family. It really is just an extended version of your family, you can go to the guys for anything and they’ll help you out. We all come together as a team to be the best we can.”
-Senior Nate Wilkerson said.
“Nathan is a really good football player. He always works hard to do his job on and off the field. He’s a very big team player. Playing Offensive Line, his job is to protect the quarterback and running back and that’s all he cares about, making sure neither of those players gets hurt.”
-Senior Phil Schnitz said.
Senior Football Position: Left tackle Height: 6'4" Favorite Food: Steak
“Nathan’s always been a big guy, and he’s worked hard to make himself a good athlete. He’s started every game this year.”
- Head Football Coach Chad Frigon said.
Kaitlyn Baker Story by Kati Benhardt Photo by Arley Emery
“I play outside hitter or where ever on the court they decide to put me, because I can play anything so it kind of just depends. I want to grow as a player. I just want to keep getting better and pushing for my goals, so I can be the best I can be.”
-Junior Kaitlyn Baker said.
“I’ve known her for two years, She’s super nice and dependable. I’d describe her as ‘wow’ because it’s a word she says often and that’s usually my reaction to things she says.”
-Junior Favour Oribhabor said.
“I’m just happy she chose to play volleyball, there’s a lot of sports out there that she could have chosen. I am very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to get to know such a great kid. She’s a super hard worker, one of those kids that give it their best, 110% all the time.”
-Varsity Volleyball Coach April Fleming said.
Junior Volleyball Position: Outside Height: 5'8" Favorite Food: Italian
Sports 37
Byron Arnold
Story by Kati Benhardt Photo by Madi Hayter “I think I have played soccer since the third grade, I like the thrill of making a good save and playing with my teammates. I enjoy just playing for the fun of it all and me getting the chance to be like the professionals and being that good. My favorite overall memory from school soccer would probably be the Park Hill South games because their announcer always says Byron Arnold to the rescue!”
-Sophomore Byron Arnold said.
“[I’ve known him] since about the first grade. He’s a great friend, he is always willing to help me out when I need it. He encourages you a lot; he’s not going be screaming stuff at you that’s not going to help you out.”
-Sophomore Brendan Tournoy said. “Byron is just a great kid. He’s somebody I don’t have to worry about in the classroom. He is just an all around good kid that would do anything for his teammates. I have definitely seen some improvement out of him. He is somebody you’ll know in the next couple years. Hopefully he will be a big goal keeper for us on the Varsity squad.”
Sophomore Soccer Position: Goalie Height: 5'8" Favorite Food: Spaghetti
-Varsity Soccer Coach Tom Rottjakob said.
Jenna Rombalski Story by Teryn Deshler Photo by Bri Goszewski
“My favorite thing about volleyball is probably winning. I love how one thing can change the whole game. The team atmosphere is really positive, but intense at the same time. My teammates really pump me up.”
- freshman Jenna Rombalski said.
Freshman Volleyball Position: Outside Height: 5'8" Favorite Food: Chocolate
“Jenna is someone anybody can count on. She comes in as a freshman with determination and intense effort, which is not easy. She always encourages others and is happy to play everyday at practice. She brings the heat on the court, but is a sweetheart off. Jenna is just one of those people that can walk into any situation and make the best of it, while making everyone laugh the whole time.”
-Junior Kaitlyn Baker said. “Jenna is a hard worker, and she puts in the time before and after practice.”
-JV Volleyball Coach Katie Goulding said.
Sports 38
No Crying In Baseball Story by Jeffrey Walters Photos by Adam Pouliot
The Bell reviews the Royals’ run to the World Series.
It’s fair to say not a lot of Royals fans thought the boys in blue would pull off such a great season. Even though the Royals didn’t bring the win back to Kansas City, there are still plenty of fans that are really proud of the team for getting so close to having to the Commissioner’s Trophy as their own. “I thought the Royals would compete for the playoffs, I thought they’d compete for a wildcard,” Social Studies teacher Zach Werner said. “I thought Detroit would win the AL central and I thought the Royals would compete for a wildcard and have a chance at the play-offs, but I would have never dreamed of making the run to the World Series.” Many students had the same reactions about the Royals amazing season. “I wasn’t sure about the World Series. I knew we were going to have a good season,” junior Bailey Batcheller said. “[I thought the Royals would] probably come close or maybe get into the playoffs, but didn’t think we’d make it all the way like we did.” There were other Royals fans that had almost no hope of such a season. “I didn’t think they’d make it to the playoffs because they haven’t been in 29 years,” sophomore Spencer Hollowell said. “I knew they were a decent team this year and were doing a lot better but I didn’t
think they’d make it this far.” More than one fan thought this too. “Absolutely not, I mean all of those years we had 100 season loses, I thought it was just going to be another one of those years,” freshman Ben Buchinger said. Buchinger also got the opportunity of a lifetime. He was able to attend every home playoff game and every World Series game. “It was pretty fun and a different experience; the playoffs were really exciting, I’m so glad I got to go,” Buchinger said. While the Royals were competing for the playoffs they were seen as underdogs. Even when they made it into the playoffs they were only a wildcard team, but the boys in blue didn’t let that affect them. They swept both the Angels and the Orioles in the playoffs, two great MLB teams being shut out by the Kansas City Royals. The fans at this point could not believe that the Royals were pulling it off. “I literally could not believe what I was watching, it was like it was a dream,” Werner said. “I was pinching myself to see if it was true, I literally could not believe what I was seeing.” Everyone had different views on the Royals performance. “I was shocked. I thought it’d be more of a battle to get to the World Series and not so easy for us,” senior Cody Feller said. The fact the Royals were doing so good made some people go crazy.
Sophomore Tyler Beeks and Freshman Bradyn Cowger eat lunch while supporting the Kansas City Royals.
“I was so hyper and excited I couldn’t believe that it actually happened,” Batcheller said. “It was just crazy. My mind was just going 90 to nothing.” Going into game seven all the Royals fans were feeling pretty good about their team after the 0-10 shutout the Royals had in game six. “I thought, holy crap, there is a game seven at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City for the World Series and it was the most unbelievable feeling,” Werner said. Going into game seven it was do or die for the Royals, and in the end the Royals fell just short of the win with the final score being 3-2 Giants. Even though it wasn’t the outcome everyone wanted, people still found positive things in the Royals ending such a nerve-racking season. With all the ups and downs that happened, the fans are still standing by supporting their boys in blue. “I was sad and depressed that they lost but just thankful for what a great season it was, glad that I got to experience it and I hope they’ve laid a foundation where they’re going to be a competitor and have a chance to make the playoffs every year,” Werner said. “Will we every see a run like this again, I don’t know but I think they have a shot to be a constituent contender over the next several years.”
STUDENTS PREDICTED ROYALS GAME 7 VICTORY. Sports 38 438- Royals will take the crown
YAY “It was the best thing to happen to this city since ‘85!” --aslo6541
46- Royals will shut out the Giants 35- I do not care 20- Giants will beat the Royals 5- Giants will shut out the Royals
“I'm traditionally a hardcore soccer fan, but the Royals' run was exciting enough to catch my attention! Congrats to them.” --ikno7580
NAY
“Most fun October of my life --mflem6610
“Yay but boo.” --Gdre7096
“It was so awesome knowing that our team was going during my lifetime!!!! I just hope it happens again.” --kpet2236
“I’ve never been a big fan, but I enjoyed the fact that it brought the city together in support of them.” --ejoh7336
“I was so happy. They worked hard all season and the work had finally paid off.” --clop7783
Who is your favorite Royals player? 61 said Eric Hosmer 32 said Alex Gordon
“While they had the fan support and their new lineup looked good on paper, they fell just short of their goal and should definitely use this as a lesson and analyze where they messed up.” --jsal7890
“I moved to Kansas City from the St. Louis area in Decem31 said Lorenzo Cain ber, so I’m a Cardinals fan. I was excited for the Royals, but 16 said Billy Butler I wanted to see an I-70 series.” 23 said Mike Moustakas --blou4963 32 said Other