Issue 3, The Budget, 2023-24 by LHS Budget

The Budget

Blueprint for college credits

Students gather college credits through high school classes Page 8-9

Prepping for careers

Career-focused classes help students earn job certifications Page 14-15

Gaming the future Enough reading. Play our college planning board game Page 16-17 Lawrence High School Lawrence, KS Volume 131 Issue 3 December 2023

The Budget Briefs

IN THIS ISSUE

Open borders law will Affirmative action allow for easier student decision proves transfers controversial

Students take steps toward ACT prep

The Budget

Ongoing trauma will have lasting impact

WE’VE GOT MORE ONLINE FOLLOW @lhsbudget

Blueprint for college credits

Students gather college credits through high school classes Page 8-9

Prepping for careers

Career-focused classes help students earn job certifications Page 14-15

@lhs.budget

Gaming the future

Gaggle software combs through student data to address mental health crisis

Lockdown response improved by new communications tools

New confession accounts create platform for anonymous bullying

Enough reading. Play our college planning board game Page 16-17 Lawrence High School Lawrence, KS Volume 131 Issue 3 December 2023

Looking forward to the next step, students have lots of options to consider after high school, from college to careers. Some find high school is the right place to get a head start. Graphic by Lily Norton

School celebrates National Merit

SCHOLARS

School’s two semifinalists recognized in prestigious program BY AVA LEE REPORTER

eniors Marcus Souders and Owen Ackley achieved academic excellence when taking the PSAT this year as they won the title of semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship program. Both students encouraged healthy competition with each other, resulting in high test scores on the PSAT. Senior Kaelyn McClorey also was recognized as a Commended Student. “It was pretty special,” McClorey said. “It made me proud of my work and what I did.” Souders and Ackley took studying seriously. “Reading was definitely the hardest part,” Souders said. “I got a [prep] book, which definitely helped me learn the process of each question.” Noticing the patterns and the way questions are phrased helped. “They can be long tests,” Souders said. “I think learning the system with the SAT, [and]

2 DECEMBER 2023

the College Board trying to trick you.” Gifted coordinator Emily Beecham explained that tests like the PSAT are not necessarily based on how much you study but one’s ability to process information in the way a standardized test is looking for. “You have to be in the top 1 percent of students who take the PSAT their junior year. And that’s a really hard thing to do,” Beecham said. “I don’t necessarily think it’s just from studying though. Kids we have at LHS might have studied, [but] also the classes that they take leading up to their junior year of high school.” Aside from studying for the test using Khan Academy and similar resources, Ackley also made sure to prepare himself mentally the night before taking the test. “Get good sleep the night before,” he said. “I try to stay off my phone before I go to the test because I feel like that messes with me.” The PSAT can present students with an opportunity to acquire scholarships for higher education. “I would just encourage people that take this stuff seriously,” Ackley said. “Even if you

don’t get these awards, you can still learn a lot just by preparing.” Standing in the gym, seniors Owen Ackley and Marcus Souders receive recognition for becoming National Merit Scholarship semifinalists in front of the first pep assembly in years. Although it was hard work, Souders said it was worth it to show the student body what it is possible with diligence. “It was nice to be recognized after the hard work and other students seeing what we’d done,” Souders said. “It was nice that we could show them that even though it seems difficult and like a high bar it can be done.” Photo by Ellie Goans-Heinz

The Budget Briefs

CHESTY —ON THE— SHELF

Chesty is roaming the halls, and it’s your job to figure out where he’s placed! Follow the journey on Instagram, @lhsbudget.

Students save lives,

GIVE BLOOD Pre-med students host fall community blood drive, helping to national shortfall BY ASHLYN TELL REPORTER

hen junior Richard Liljestrom came to donate blood at LHS’s fall blood drive, the staff was pumped. Liljestrom had above-average hemoglobin levels, which measure blood iron content. Iron is essential for creating new red blood cells after donating. “They were like, ‘Yes, we need your blood, go!’ ” Liljestrom said. His hemoglobin levels weren’t the only thing celebrated, either. “I happen to be blessed with the blood type O-positive,” he said. “Which is much needed because it’s the universal donor.” He’s right. Just this year, the American Red Cross declared a national blood shortage. Donors of all blood types are needed across America. In response to this crisis, the LHS medical interventions class partnered with the Community Blood Bank of Kansas City to organize the biannual blood drive. This year however, the doors were opened to the community. “We wanted to open it up so we could get more people, and we’ve seen blood shortages over the last several years,” said Anitha Subramanian, organizer and teacher of the medical interventions class. She said every day, the area hospitals need a combined 600 units of blood.

“There are times when they don’t have enough blood for one day’s work,” Subramanian said. Blood is essential to save lives. It is estimated that every two seconds, a person in the U.S needs blood donated. It is used in treatment for surgeries, cancer, chronic illnesses and victims of traumatic injury. Critically, there is no substitute. “There has not yet been a successful alternative to actual blood,” Subramanian said. “Every single pint donated helps three people in our community live.” Junior Bebel Piepergerdes volunteered at

the drive. She acknowledges the simplicity of donating. “It only takes an hour at most, and you’re saving so many lives by spending an hour of your time donating blood,” Piepergerdes said. Full of pride, junior Lucy Devers generously donates to help her community. During the Nov. 7 Blood Drive, Devers expressed that donating was something she didn’t take lightly. “The experience giving blood was really good and since my blood type is O negative, I feel a sort of responsibility to give when I can,” Devers said. Photo by Eliza Nauhman

DECEMBER 2023 3

The Budget News

Walking through Disney, the marching band celebrates its season and hard work preparing to perform at Disney World in Orlando, Fla. Band members practiced their show all season and began fundraising efforts last year. Photo courtesy of Ben Willems Pushing through bad weather, juniors Naomi Sui Pang and Morgan Moeckly walk through the Magic Kingdom during a rainstorm to take advantage of the shorter lines. Students had a great deal of freedom with where they could go on the trip. “They did bed checks at 11 p.m. but other than that it was pretty free, like we got to go to all the parks with our friends, so that was fun,” Sui Pang said. Photo courtesy of Ben Willems

4 DECEMBER 2023

The Budget News

Marching to

DISNEY

Marching band travels to Disney World for performances, fun BY AVERY SLOYER REPORTER

into the trip because of the location and popularity of the park. “It’s kind of weird because there’s probably going to be more people,” Rayome said. “There’s or the first time since 2018, the LHS so much more people, and we’re just like some Marching Band traveled to Disney World random Kansan band.” in Orlando, Florida, to parade on Main Despite the pressure, band teacher Mike Jones Street in the Magic Kingdom. helped get the band excited for the trip. Before the The trip took lots of preparation, including an trip, Jones explained the route and the different audition and many hours of practice. Senior Miri parks that the students could attend. Pickman worked hard to perfect her performance. “You can just tell he’s really excited about it,” “We spent a lot of time marching around the Wells said. “[He’s] excited for us to be able track and working on our fundamentals to “The band to go.” better prepare us for a longer parade than as a whole Having the opportunity to go to Disney usual,” Pickman said. with friends was a magical experience for The band, including junior Taryn Wells, is a VERY the band. In groups, they spent time on learned a new song, Ozzy Osbourne’s “CraTALENTED rides, ate different foods and met classic zy Train.” group.” characters. Wells and her group planned “We marched three-quarters of a mile, —Miri out what rides they wanted to do ahead of and we’re playing fight song, and then the Pickman, time. drumline cadence, and then Crazy Train,” senior “It was so much fun to be with friends Wells said. “And then just repeating that because we got to do just whatever we over and over again.” wanted there,” Wells said. “So that freedom was According to junior Connor Rayome, in addireally nice, we had the same ideas so everything tion to practicing every day, another way the band just went perfectly.” prepared was by marching in reverse. As Pickman remembers her time in band, “Typically when we go around the track we she is glad she can share this memory of her last go counterclockwise and so since Disney, the marching performance with her friends. path is not straight, we go and have our turns be “I’ve had a lot of fun marching over the years clockwise,” Rayome said. “So we have to practice and at Disney this year,” Pickman said. “It’s defifor that to stay in line.” nitely one of my favorite parts of the year when we Before leaving, everyone looked forward to difget to march at the football games, but being able ferent aspects of the trip. Wells looked forward to to march at Disney was a very fun and unbelievbeing with her friends, but Rayome had a different able experience.” approach. “Trying the foods at Disney is one of my major motivators,” Rayome said. “I want to eat around Welcoming the team, junior Molly Kelly performs the world at Epcot.” the fight song in front of fans at the Oct. 6 football The band had to work together to make sure game. Kelly took her marching skills to Disney they were ready to show off their skills in Florida. on the school band trip. “There were a lot of very “The band as a whole is a very talented group,” specific rules we had to follow that we had to adapt Pickman said. “We all work hard to play our parts our performance to,” Kelly said. “It was a really cool well and succeed together as a group.” performance in front of many people.” Photo by Maison Flory Some members of the band felt pressure going

DECEMBER 2023 5

The Budget News

New opportunities open with new rules on

TRANSFERS

USD 497 district extends transfer policy in response to new ‘open borders’ state law

BY MAYA SMITH EDITOR IN CHIEF, RED AND BLACK

magine a school district you could easily transfer to no matter where you live in the state of Kansas. Now imagine you’re an athlete, who doesn’t feel supported by their current coach or wants to be a part of a stronger program. With the new open enrollment policy, this will soon be a reality for student athletes and students wanting to join the USD 497 district. The new policy opens up USD 497’s borders to many more students, helping to create more fluidity of boundaries as well as more diversity within the district. The change is in response to a law approved in 2022 but that goes into effect next school year. The change has implications for athletics as well as diversity and equity. “I think it’s a great place to be. I think it’s a place that people should want to be. But at the same time, when you think about it statewide, it can really hurt a lot of smaller schools,” football coach Jon Ely said. “Not just with athletics and people leaving, but people going onto bigger opportunities.” Although transferring for athletics has become a trend across the state, athletic director Mike Gillman said there are no exceptions to KSHSAA regulations on transfers with the new policy. “The rumors that go around that kids

6 DECEMBER 2023

can come in and immediately go to a dif“Because there’s only so many open seats. ferent place to win a state championship We can deny those requests, or we can are incorrect,” Gillman said. “Policy that approve them. But on the denying side, says non-residential students will still folwe could decide based on state legislalow the Kansas State High School Activity ture, suspensions, behavior, attendance. Association transfer policy. So no matter We can deny it on those grounds. We what, if they come in from a district and cannot deny it based on their athletic they come in here, they would still abilities.” have to sit out an entire year of Ely predicts that the schools “When you varsity competition and can only with better programs will see think about play sub-varsity.” those groups slowly migrate to it STATE On the non-athletic side, stuthose schools. WIDE, it can dents may still transfer in if they “With us being only two really hurt a schools in the district, I honestly can afford transportation costs to lot of smaller don’t anticipate our total enrolland from a district further away. schools.” USD 497 is not the first district ment changing,” Ely said. “But the —John Ely, to implement a policy in response school in the state with the better football coach football program, players will to the new law. Board president Kelly Jones said that although it is eventually go there. The extranew, there isn’t much understanding yet curriculars I think are more important to of how many students will transfer to USD people who will start to swing one way or 497 with the policy change. the other.” “It’s hard to predict. I’ve read nine out Although the policy is foreign to many of 10 KS districts already report accepting families in the district, Jones wants to nonresidential students in their schools,” reiterate that the policy is an opportunity Jones said. “So, practically speaking, it for more students and families to benefit may have only a minor impact on overall from what USD 497 has to offer. out-of-district transfer numbers.” “For the majority of families, it’s an The rule says that USD 497 will take illusion of more parental control, and students based on the number of open that irritates me,” Jones said. “I imagine seats available, making enrollment still many parents and guardians will come up somewhat limited and not just free-reign. frustrated. Others who can wrangle the Both the superintendent and the school logistical caregiving and join an excellent board are parts of the process in acceptdistrict like USD 497, they may feel like ing these students. they won a prize. If I lived outside of LPS “We would only accept them if we boundaries and got a pass in, I’d be over have the room available,” Gillman said. the moon.”

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DECEMBER 2023 7

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Working hard, senior Logan Sack, earns college credit in his KU Biology 100 Blueprint class. The Blueprint program will save him time and money once he gets to college. “I took this class to get a college credit,” Sack said. Photo by Maya Smith Writing, senior Destiny Savannah engages in Blueprint classes to better her academic future. During her English 101 class, Savannah expressed the eagerness and priority these classes have over her regular classes. “The classes are helpful because they show me what it’s like in college courses and also just how to be more strict with myself,” Savannah said. Photo by Maya Smith

8 DECEMBER 2023

The Budget News

Creating a Blueprint for the

FUTURE

KU Blueprint classes add a new way to get college credit BY MIMI ROSADO-SCHMITT REPORTER

Most of the time however, students take their first AP class their junior year. As for Blueprint classes, they are only offered for juniors and seniors. ayhawk Blueprint classes are a Students are offered a much wider relatively new addition to the curvariety of classes to choose from when riculum for juniors and seniors they become upperclassmen. Junior Olat LHS. ivia Monroe feels like she made the right But the classes are proving popular as choice by taking a Blueprint class rather enrollment has skyrocketed in the past than an AP. few years. “I feel like I’m learning a lot, but it’s These classes are similar to Advanced not too much work,” Monroe said. Placement classes also offered at LHS. LHS continues to offer students more Both AP and Blueprint classes give high opportunities, especially to prepare school students opportunities to learn students for college. Blueprint classes, AP college material and earn college credit. classes and classes through the “They’re essentially the same “You’re College and Career Center are course,” AP US History and Bluesome of many ways that students print History 128 and 129 teacher getting the can cater their schedules to beneValerie Schrag said. “The only credit and fit their interests after high school. difference is how you get your curriculum “I chose to take the KU credit.” AT THE Blueprint class because I think Although they are similar, the SAME TIME.” it’s beneficial going into college,” main difference is that with AP —Shea Rowley, senior Shea Rowley said. “You’re classes, students need to score at senior getting the credit and curriculum least a three during a end-of-theat the same time.” year exam to receive college credWith the differences in mind, it is hard it. This college credit is accepted by most to say which one is better. Both classes universities around the country. On the add a .5 to a student’s weighted GPA. other hand, Blueprint classes only give If you’re thinking of taking either a JayKU credit, which students can transfer to hawk Blueprint class or an AP class, the other universities that accept KU credits. most important thing is that you’re willing Another difference between the two to put in the work. Both require a lot more is the cost. Blueprint classes are more exattention than an on-level course in the pensive to enroll in than AP exams. Either same subject. way, both are drastically cheaper than “There is rarely a night with no hometaking the same class in college. work,” Schrag said. “But at the same time, Although it’s the main component my students have repeatedly said that it of the class, the exam is optional. Some is one of the most rewarding experiences students take AP classes just for the adthey’ve had. Because with hard work vanced material and GPA benefits. comes great success and great underFor students who are looking for standing.” college credit without the effort of an AP class, Blueprint classes have similar material, and there’s no single credit-dePencil in hand, junior Geneva Izquierdo termining exam. Hodges takes notes in Biology 101 on Nov. “If it’s a test anxiety thing, maybe 128 13. Bio 101 is a biology class offered to LHS or 129 is better,” Schrag said. “Not bestudents through KU. “I decided to take the cause there aren’t tests, but because there class because it offers college credit,” Izquiisn’t that big national exam.” erdo Hodges said. “I also wanted to learn You can take your first AP class as more science because I missed out on it during the pandemic.” Photo by Maya Smith. a freshman in AP Human Geography.

BY THE NUMBERS Blueprint classes through KU take a bigger role in school

USD 497 STUDENTS IN KU BLUEPRINT CLASSES 2021-22 — 355 2022-23 — 352 Fall 2023 — 418

NUMBER OF CREDITS EARNED BY USD 497 STUDENTS 2021-22 — 1,828 2022-23 — 1,866 Fall 2023 — 1,895

LHS STUDENTS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN KU BLUEPRINT CLASSES Fall 2023 English 101: 78 Communications 130: 26 History 128: 47 *Biology 101: 59 *Math 101: 104

*year-long classes

DECEMBER 2023 9

The Budget News

Court decision impacts factors that control

ADMISSION

Students question the Supreme Court decision to overturn Affirmative Action BY ZANA KENNEDY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

temic racism,” Oparaji said. “Getting rid of it under the guise of equal opportunity and things like that is not really true because all races don’t tudents applying to elite start on the same level, so it really is colleges this year are doing important to have that kind of thing so with new rules to play just to raise every person up to the by. same level.” This summer, the Supreme Court This ruling has the potential on a 6-3 vote overturned a policy to change the makeup of colleges that had been in place for decades across the nation, but its effects will known as affirmative action. be most visible in prestigious or Ivy Affirmative action policies had League institutions. Senior Brenworked to provide more equitable dan Symons says this is opportunities for undersomething colleges need represented people in the “I think people to consider. higher education system are going to be “I think that private in order to establish AFRAID to put institutions should have a more balanced and their race on the ability to build their diverse community. However, the Supreme Court’s the application, own class,” Symons said. ruling in cases against and I think that “And sure, in a perfect Harvard University and people are going world, we wouldn’t need affirmative action, but the University of North to be less than we don’t live in a perfect Carolina has undone HONEST on their world.” this action. The court applications.” Along with the other stated that colleges can challenges presented by no longer take race into —Amy Brown, the repeal of affirmative account when considering counselor action in college admisadmission. sions, counselor Amy While Affirmative Brown said this ruling will make it Action has been challenged before, harder to be honest on applications. many people, including junior Sylvia “I think people are going to Oparaji feel the reason for the decibe afraid to put their race on the sion is due to recent political shifts application, and I think that people toward a more conservative court. are going to be less than honest on “The political climate in this their applications,” Brown said. “I country recently has become really think that puts a hindrance in place hostile,” Oparaji said. “I think probwhere it maybe shouldn’t have been lems that have been fixed in the past to begin with, but it is going to create are just becoming undone because people who cheat and lie and create political parties are changing.” backdoor ways to get to where they One of the court’s arguments want to go.” against affirmative action was that Not only could this affect what it perpetuates racial bias, but Oparji students put on their applications, believes thinks that these accommobut it could shift what colleges will dations are necessary to combat the look for while choosing applicants, racism that still exists in society. and Oparaji anticipates this could “The reason why it was passed shift focus from personal experience in the first place was because of sys-

10 DECEMBER 2023

to standardized testing. “There’s more disadvantages for those who can’t afford for example, ACT prep, or test prep in general or college application fees,” Oparaji said. “I am not a master test taker and getting a tutor for that is really expensive.” There are still many unanswered questions about how these changes will impact students, and Brown is worried that this could take away opportunities from students of color. “I’ve had many students ask me what to do or talk to me directly about it,” Brown said. “There has been discussions about are they going to be able to get in and is this going to be an impediment that wouldn’t have existed a year ago? How do we help students deal with that?” While many people fear the outcome of the end of affirmative action, senior Marcus Souders is optimistic about other resources colleges can provide for minorities. “I question how much racial statistics are going to change,” Souders said. “The Supreme Court kind of left it open-ended saying that colleges can ask for underrepresented minorities to talk about their experiences, which is going to, I think, bypass the ruling.” It is impossible to know how largely this is going to affect the nation’s college admissions. Symons says this is an example of how important it is for young adults to actively participate in the voting process. “We only have 20% percent of young people who are actually going out to vote,” Symons said. “But then when there’s decisions like this that are actively impacting young people, those numbers should be much higher.”

The Budget News

QUICK STATS Race often affects opinions about affirmative action. This study from June shows how the public felt about higher education institutions taking race and ethnicity into account when admitting students. Approve Disapprove Unsure

Graphic by Lily Norton

Black

29% Approve, 47% Disapprove, 24% Unsure

Hispanic

39% Approve, 39% Disapprove, 20% Unsure

Asian

52% Approve, 37% Disapprove, 10% Unsure

White

33% Approve, 50% Disapprove, 16% Unsure

Overall

57% Approve, 29% Disapprove, 14% Unsure

Source: Americans and affirmative action: How the public sees the consideration of race in college admissions, hiring/Pew Research Center

DECEMBER 2023 11

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Preparing for the

FUTURE

With a lot potentially riding on the ACT, students have ways to get ready BY AVERY SLOYER REPORTER

“I wish that we talked about it in school more,” Maximov said. “Like for kids that don’t have super-involved parents.” he ACT is a big part of Senior Fatimah Ahmed had the many students’ high advantage of access to advice and maschool experience. terials from her older siblings to help While not every student prepare for the ACT, but even then it takes this college entrance exam, it can was a difficult task be challenging to prepare for. And a “My experience taking the ACT lot can be riding on it. Although some was grueling. I took it like three times. schools no longer require scores from It took a lot of effort,” Ahmed said. the ACT or the similar SAT, some col“Because you had to study for it. I think leges look closely at the scores and offer in the end, putting in that effort was admission and scholarships based on worth it.” how students perform. The timing of the test was The ACT is made up of “Don’t one thing Ahmed worked four sections, consisting of PROCRASTINATE toward and struggled with English, math, reading and studying, because perfecting. science. Most students take “I wish I knew how quickit really does help,” the ACT during their junior ly some of the sections go —Fatimah Ahmed, and senior years. Senior by,” Ahmed said. “I was told, senior Annika Maximov has taken it but I don’t think I processed two times, starting her junior it until I took my first one.” year. Junior Sylvia London, has not taken “I didn’t know what to prepare the ACT but has been preparing. One of ahead,” Maximov said. “So I kind of just her main goals is to keep herself calm. winged it, at least the first time to see “I know test-wise, I don’t do as well what I got.” when I’m stressed,” London said. “EsAfter her first time taking the ACT, pecially on a big test like this.” she used her score to know how to Due to the importance and repuprepare going forward. tation of the test, standardized testing “I did the online exam stuff and causes stress for many students. then got one of the packets and prac“It kind of is implied that this test ticed that,” Maximov said. “And then, can determine your future,” London when I took it the second time over the said. “And that is a big burden to put on summer, my scores did improve.” a high school student.” Many students haven’t taken a large Ahmed along with other students test of this caliber and struggle to study sees flaws in the ACT. She believes that for it.

ACT PREP

Check out these resources and websites to help you prepare for the ACT 12 DECEMBER 2023

standardized testing is not a good measurement of a student’s intelligence. “I think it’s dumb to just put a bunch of kids in a room and assume that the smartest ones are going to get the highest scores when there are so many other things that go into taking the ACT,” Ahmed said. London believes that the cost of the ACT is a problem many students and families face although the state pays for all juniors to take the test one time. “Kids that don’t have that same financial support from their parents aren’t given the same opportunities and don’t have the chance to register for these types of things,” London said. “It’s not even an option because their family can’t devote that money there, and that’s not fair. There are some aid programs in place but not enough.” Ahmed said students shouldn’t get discouraged if they don’t do as well as hoped. After taking the test she brings advice for people who haven’t taken it.

“Don’t procrastinate studying, because it really does help,” Ahmed said. “And taking practice tests does help, not only with content but also with the timing.” As London prepares for the ACT she sticks to this advice that helps ease her mind. “It can be important, but if you aren’t happy with your score, then there are other options,” London said. “There’s another way to figure it out.”

The Lawrence Public Library offers multiple ACT Prep books you can check out.

ACT.org offers a free ACT prep guide you can download.

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Varsitytutors.com has Free ACT Questions of the Day you can access through the web or the app.

Powerprepinc.com can connect you to an ACT tutor nearby at a reduced cost.

Reach out to your counselors for additional information.

DECEMBER 2023 13

The Budget News

Special classes help students

FIND JOBS

Trade school helps students get well-paying jobs right out of high school BY AALIYSAH LANNING AND ZANA KENNEDY REPORTER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

“W

hat are you planning to do for college?” is the ominous question every teenager has been asked at least once during high school. Most believe that college is their best chance at achieving their dream job or financial stability, but those at Peaslee Tech would disagree. Peaslee Tech is a trade school that helps students find work right out of high school. It offers an intro to training that is required for multiple jobs including construction, automotive and welding, and high school students can take advantage of many of those classes are part of their school day. The College and Career Center, located next door is another avenue for students seeing carer training. Senior Jameyson Wilcoxson is a welding student at Peaslee Tech. Starting at Peaslee in his sophomore year, he entered Intro into Automotive class. Although he stuck with the course, he has started to branch out more into the work field. “I’m currently working three jobs,” Wilcoxson said. “My main job, I’m working as a mechanic, and then I do just some freelance work, doing construction, fixing things. Just random tidbits here and there.” Growing up in a college town adds an extra layer of pressure to go on to higher education, and Peaslee Tech’s enrollment services coordinator Charlie Lauts said this makes it even more important to get the word out about these programs.

14 DECEMBER 2023

“I just think that when you coxson said. “At least for the final grow up in Lawrence, Kansas, your of the welding class, there’s somewhole life you’ve heard, ‘When thing called a bend test, which is do you go to KU?’ Or ‘What are where you butt two pieces of metal you going to study when you go to up to each other.” KU?’ or ‘What are you going to do The community at Peaslee in college?’ ” Lauts said. “That’s continuously strives to mirror a what you hear from [the time you real-life work environment, and are] a small child, is ‘College, colSales appreciates this relationship lege, college.’ Seventy-five percent with her teachers. of careers do not require “[They were] almost a four-year degree.” kind of like a cowork“Most of the Peaslee is not only er almost,” Sales said. people that useful for people wanting “It wasn’t like, ‘I’m a are enrolled in teacher, you’re a student.’ an alternative to college, these classes however. Some students It was like, ‘I’m your are WORKING coworker, and I’m just like senior Kiana Sales, who was enrolled in a training you to go and do WITH THEIR Peaslee course the previwhat you need to do to HANDS. ous year, just wanted to have this job.’ ” They’re not all gain a solid foundation While college will still just sitting and be a common path, Lauts for life skills necessary for listening.” adulthood. notes that Peaslee is a fi—Charlie Lauts, “I wanted to learn how nancially-friendly option Peaslee Tech to change a tire,” Sales that gives young people enrollment said. “I just felt like that’s the flexibility to figure out coordinator something I need to know what they want to do for because in fact, I’m movthe rest of their lives. ing away for college. It just helped “I had a girl about a month ago with real-life things that you may with a civil engineering degree have to deal with.” who has never been an engineer, The layout for this program nor does she intend to,” Lauts is not like a standard education said. “She came here to inquire curriculum. Most of the work is about our electrician’s class. She targeted toward tactile learners, has $80,000 in college debt for a Lauts said. degree she never ever plans to “A lot of it is hands-on for us,” use when our electrician program she said. “I would say with even costs $2,500. So it’s like, why does the high school-level classes, she have all this debt for somethere is some lecture, of course, thing she doesn’t even want to but most of the people that are endo?” rolled in these classes are working with their hands. They’re not all Repairing, senior Colin Sandefur just sitting and listening.” checks the joint for exhaust leaks One of the major struggles for during the Auto/Welding for the Novstudents in college are the tests ice course at Peaslee Tech. “At Peaslee and exams, which can make up I learn real world skills can translate significant amounts of your grade. directly to a job out of high school,” Peaslee has an alternative method Sandefur said. “Even if I decided not when it comes to testing. to use them in a career path, they are “There aren’t really tests still useful skills to know how to do.” Photo by Maison Flory besides turning in our welds,” Wil-

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Mixing, senior Karmen Michel-Cox makes cake batter with her teacher at the College and Career Center. Michel-Cox enjoys the different environment of the school. “The atmosphere is very calm, and I love my teacher to death, and I like to cook and bake,” Michel-Cox said. Photo by Maison Flory Training, senior Jacklyn Markway practices transferring a mannequin during a Certified Nurse Aide course at the College and Career Center. Markway’s CNA course taught her essential skills for her future. “It’s a huge stepping stone for nursing and a huge advantage when applying to nursing school,” Markway said. Photo by Maison Flory

DECEMBER 2023 15

The Budget News

Chesty’s college

Reporting by Anne Woolverton Game design by Brandon Parnell

Play our game and tour the country for college visits

You stop at Baker University and run into Gwen Bannwarth on one of her many college tours. She takes you to the dining hall to discuss scholarships with an administrator. Move forward two spaces.

HOME!

You and Bea Johnson get a tour around UMKC from LHS alumna Katie Hurd during Fall Break. Move forward 4 spaces.

You stop in at JCCC and interrupt a Zoom call with Angela Braden taking online classes from Peru. She tells you all about her volunteer work with children, animals and construction. Move three spaces forward.

You stop at KSU with Ruby Hoffer and get stuck on an obscure and long campus tour. The tour guide gives you Call Hall coupons. Skip a turn to eat your ice cream.

You stop at Colorado State University where you run into Alexa Nalhouz and her cousin. She takes you to his track meet and you run the mile with them. Dash ahead 3 spaces.

16 DECEMBER 2023

While driving through the New Mexico desert, you get lost looking for Walter White. Stay on this space until you roll a 6 on your turn.

You stop at the University of New Mexico with Seenane Brewer to visit the campus volleyball facilities. Bump three spaces ahead.

The Budget News You visit the KCAI admission fair with Oliver Elwell and the vice president of enrollment gives you a frog sticker (an ongoing motif within Oliver’s work). Move forward four spaces.

You stop at The University of Chicago with Luke Velte and a few UC students tell you, “This is where fun goes to die.” Skip a turn to contemplate your choices.

You and Maeslyn Hamlin stop in Chicago to visit Northwestern University, but get back on the road quickly to go visit Emory University. Take a shortcut to Atlanta, Georgia.

You tour Harvard with the LHS journalism staff coming home from a successful convention in Boston. Fly with the staff back home to Lawrence. Spend a night with Annika Maximov at her relative’s house in New York while applying to musical theater schools and working to pay your tuition. Move 1 space forward.

You take a tour of New England colleges with Avery Sloyer. At the University of Massachusetts, you realize every college you’ve visited so far has had a Squirrel Watching Club. Escape New England by trading pieces with the player to your right.

You and Addi Hoss stop at the University of Arkansas. Your tour guide is a sorority girl and teaches you the “woo pig” chant. Stay in Arkansas until your next turn and practice your projection.

HOW TO PLAY Cut out board pieces and die (inserted in newspaper) and secure them with tape. Start pieces at home and roll the die to determine how many spaces you move forward. Wherever you land, read and perform the action on the space. Whoever returns home first wins!

While traveling, you find out that you and Natasha Torkzaban have both been given full ride scholarships to Northwestern University — your dream school! You instantly win the game!

Extra game pieces at this link!

You stop at the Wake Forest souvenir shop with Jonah Lyles and get up-charged for a hoodie by a designer neither of you have heard of. Move back three spaces for the lost money.

DECEMBER 2023 17

The Budget Features

Jamming on an axe, senior Ruby Hoffer plays air guitar as her character Helen in the school production of “Night of the Living Dead.” “She wasn’t a character I was very confident in starting out, but that just made building her up so much more fun,” Hoffer said. “Plus she had a lot of comedic moments and got to scream a lot, which is always enjoyable.”Photo by Sama Abughalia Fighting off the undead, senior January Jackson performs with junior Magnus Pollington in horror-comedy “Night of the Living Dead.” Jackson especially enjoyed interacting with the dynamic set pieces during their performance. “It was fun just because there was a lot of moving parts in the set,” Jackson said. “There was a lot of different props that had different uses.” Photo by Sama Abughalia

18 DECEMBER 2023

The Budget Features

FEATURES Theater department gets

ZOMBIFIED

Thespians take on gory but hilarious rendition of a classic horror film BY RHUBARB BRUBACHER REPORTER

pening the weekend before Halloween, the theater department put a spooky, satirical spin on George Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead.” Taking on a comedic adaptation of this classic zombie film meant a full embrace of its trademark silver-screen gore, with props ranging from limbs to rib cages. “It’s actually really neat, the screaming and the different effects — they use to be gory,” sophomore Madeline Williams said. “I like it, that element you don’t have a lot where it’s creepy and trying to scare you.” Despite its scary themes, cast members and crew say the audience was still able to get a good laugh out of the show. “It’s really funny, and it’s a really amazing take on the original movie,”

junior Harry Reed said. ”We just add so lot of tiny different little variations for much more to it, and it’s really cool.” each of the different lines inside each of Williams and Reed played those different little acts,” Pollthe roles of a news anchor ington said. “That, alongside “It’s and the protagonist’s brother memorizing everything else, is something Johnny, respectively. A zombie a big challenge.” CREEPY. It’s ensemble, however, made up These unusual challenges not like any a bulk of the cast, encouraging only pushed the cast to work many actors to experiment normal play harder at bringing this story to with developing a character life and showing the audience that you’ve completely void of dialogue. something new. seen.” “There’s not really a lot of “It’s really something —Magnus depth to going ‘Ughh,’ ” junior different,” Williams said. “It’s Pollington, Magnus Pollington said. “You something creepy, it’s not like junior really have to be able to show any normal play that you’ve character and zombie-ness in seen.” your physical aspect.” Perhaps the most unconventional Screaming, senior Gabriel Spray peraspect of the show, however, was the forms in the play “Night of The Living plot structure. Taking a Clue-esque Dead” on Oct. 25. Spray portrayed the turn in the second act, the ending went character of Barbara in this horror-comspiraling in alternate directions. For acedy. “It was really energizing to finally tors, this meant memorizing a different be able to perform it in front of people,” set of dialogue for each ending. Gabriel said. “It was a really special play.” “It’s kind of complicated, there’s a Photo by Sama Abughalia

BECOMING ZOMBIES

Students offer a peak behind the scenes of the process of transforming into zombies Reporting by Kellar Musser

Acting it out

"All the muscles in my body are all really lose and move like my feet are really heavy. I’m acting as a dead person who’s not supposed to be alive." —Naomi Klopfenstein, freshman

Down & dirty

Turning into a zombie

"We were all in the black box and there was a lot of white face paint that everyone was applying. It was a lot of helping each other. It got really messy." —Madeline Williams, sophomore

"Bruises everywhere. I had a bloody nose. I put blood all over my mouth and had it dripping down my neck." —Trait Vincent, sophomore

Zombie mindset

"When I went to zombie school, they wanted to put you in the mood of this zombie was someone who was alive. They had a personality. What are they like now?" —Ezequiel Arteaga-Harris, sophomore

DECEMBER 2023 19

The Budget Features

Band director’s artistic achievement

AWARDED

Band teacher Mike Jones wins Lawrence Phoenix Award

combine Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Orchestra for a concert in May,” Barnett said. “My students love anytime they get to work with him and the feeling is mutual on my end he Phoenix Award, which celas well.” ebrates artistic achievement in Jones not only has an impact on his fellow Lawrence, was awarded to band teachers but on his students as well. Junior teacher Mike Jones this year. drum major Morgan Moeckly is one of many Jones, who was nominated in the Musical students who have been influenced by him. Educator category, was chosen by community “He’s helped me bounce back from band members. during COVID,” Moeckly said. “Online band “I was surprised,” Jones said. was miserable and felt pointless. I almost After taking a break during the pandemic, dreaded playing in high school because of it. the awards were held for the first time since Mr. Jones changed my mind. His charismatic 2019. The Phoenix Award were separated into personality every single day and 10 categories, the winners of these “His charismatic passion for music makes everything categories received sun artwork as a so enjoyable.” physical award created by Toni Brou, personality Moeckly believes he gives every which has sentimental meaning every single a sense of belonging. She student behind it. day and feels that his enthusiasm and dedica“She lost a couple of family PASSION FOR tion are just one part of what makes members really close together in MUSIC makes him a great teacher. 2000,” Jones said. “And she began everything so “He loves what he does and creating the suns as therapy for enjoyable — wants his students to love it, too,” herself.” Morgan Moeckly, Moeckly said. “A teacher who is as Receiving this award was meanjunior drum major passionate as he is makes it hard not ingful to Jones and he appreciates to love what they teach. He encourgetting recognized for his dedication ages everyone and helps them become the to the Lawrence community. best musician they can be.” “I was very humbled to get this from the By leading the band, sponsoring student community,” Jones said. “I had nice moments council and being a stand-out colleague and reflecting on all the students I have taught and teacher, Jones has worked hard to earn this all of the wonderful colleagues I have had over prestigious award. the years.” “I think Lawrence values the arts, and it’s One of his colleagues, orchestra teacher very nice to live in a community that gives recMariah Barnett is appreciative of his leaderognition to artists and educators of the arts,” ship at LHS. Jones said. “If every community would do “His kindness as a person, his dedicathis, the world would be a different place.” tion as an educator, and his talent as both educator and musician are what make him incredible,” Barnett said. “He brings wisdom and calmness to every day.” Looking out at the football field, band director Jones is not only a good teacher but a Mike Jones watches the game in anticipation helpful friend as well, by helping Barnett on Oct. 6. Jones enjoys guiding his students in cover classes, giving professional advice and the right musical direction. “The students I get advocating for the fine arts in school, Barnett to work with everyday is by far the best part of is happy that the orchestra and band get to the job,” Jones said. “Working on making great unite. music and putting on a great show with them is “Every spring we work together to extremely rewarding.” Photo by Maya Smith

BY AVERY SLOYER REPORTER

20 DECEMBER 2023

AWARD WINNERS This year, the Cultural Arts Commission recognized the following six awardees

The Budget Features

CIDER GALLERY Awarded for Creative Spaces in the Arts Nominated by Tiffany Hall, Lawrence Chamber of Commerce

INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY CENTER Awarded for Creative Spaces in the Arts Nominated by Felice Lavergne for Lawrence Transit

HEIDI GLUCK Awarded for Musical Arts Nominated by Brad Allen

MIKE JONES, Awarded for Musical Arts Educator Nominated by Tim Metz

REGANA “RITA” RIALS,

RICHARD RENNER,

Awarded for Social Justice in the Art Nominated by Derek Kwan

Awarded for Performing Arts Nominated by Larry Carter

DECEMBER 2023 21

The Budget Sports

Putting in the work, sophomore Ellorie Severin pushes her limits at Ubuntu. Severin enjoys working out with her peers and pushing herself in sessions. “Everyone is just really nice, which makes it a great community, and I always feel better after I go,” Severin said. Photo by Sama Abughalia On her day off, junior Reese Dannevik takes time to connect with her coach outside of her workout time. As a part of the Ubuntu family, Dannevik enjoys working out with her coach, Kelly Barah. “My trainer Barah has affected my training greatly because he’s always supportive and helps everyone work through everything,” Dannevik said. Photo by Sama Abughalia

22 DECEMBER 2023

The Budget Sports

SPORTS It’s not all about

MUSCLE

Student athletes train their bodies as well as their minds in Ubuntu gym BY CALEB CARVER REPORTER

just sits on his phone. He’s somegetting everything right. Whatever one who pays attention and stays sport you play, he’s going to make focused with the group and makes sure you’re doing your workouts for sure everything works,” Jones said. that.” ith many athletes Barah further explains his disThis increased amount of attenat LHS excelling tinctive approach toward coaching. tion on specifics can lead to better in different sports, “Our key philosophy is all about feedback for student athletes. the coaches aren’t ‘ubuntu,’ the idea that I can only be “He doesn’t just say that you’re always able to give players the the best I can be if we are all getting doing something wrong, he actually personal attention they need to better,” Barah said. explains why, and why he’s having improve their abilities. Students who work with you do these things in that way,” While both school gyms “He’s a COACH Barah receive more attenWayenberg said. “It’s awesome to and practices can build FOR ALL, and tion and improve more have that personal connection and teamwork and certain he cares about compared to other athletes, what comes from it.” skills, they can lack spebut have also reaped the Overall, Barah is more than hapcialized attention as well everyone rewards of rapid improvepy to help student athletes improve as not give some students improving.” ments compared to other their skills. the room to excel in their —Gunnar athletes. “The ability to harness whatever specific sport. For these Wayenberg, “I feel a lot stronger, my emotions one might have at the students looking to reach senior form has gotten better, I’m beginning of a session together with their limits, many have hitting the golf ball farther, everyone’s support and channel looked outside of school to and I’m overall just feeling healthithose towards a set goal for the day find a solution. er,” Wayenberg said. helps everyone contexFor many of those student-athSenior Brecken Ostronic tualize the session for letes, coach Kelly Barah of Ubuntu spoke about the effects Barthemself,” Barah said. Performance Training is that soluah has had on the mental “The ability to do so helps tion. With the undivided attention aspect of sports, rather than many set so many more of Barah, students can truly tap into Coach Kelly the physical. records during a given their potential. Barah showcases “The most important session or at the very least Senior Gunnar Wayenberg noted his athletes lesson he taught me had helps others maintain the differences he sees in Barah and work through nothing to do with sports. what they have been able his more individualistic style. homemade videos to do during previous Barah teaches hard work, “He’s more down to a personal at his gym. he teaches dedication, and sessions, so there isn’t this level and he’s not just like some he teaches you how to be yo-yoing effect in anyone’s coaches who are more worried the best version of yourself,” progress.” about their sport,” Wayenberg said. Ostronic said. “He’s a coach for all and he cares In addition to student about everyone improving. It’s not Curling, senior Brooks athletes seeing differences about your weight or how much you Jones works out at Ubuntu between coaches, many do, he’s really just there to make sure gym, coached by Kelly Barhave noted the contrast in that you as a person are getting betah. Brooks joined the gym the attention they have received ter and more athletic, and he really in March 2020. “Barah has helped a lot when it comes to the coaching. cares that you’re doing it right.” through my high school career,” Jones “You can do your own stuff, Senior Brooks Jones also said. “His goal is to make everyone really,” Jones said. “With a team discussed Barah’s commitment in better and stronger when they walk you’re doing things all together, but contrast with the coaches of teams. out of the gym every single day.” Photo with Barah he’s making sure you’re “He’s not one of the coaches who by Sama Abughalia

BEHIND THE CAMERA

DECEMBER 2023 23

The Budget Sports

Focused on the new

SEASON

Winter season springs into action with high hopes BY DANNY PHALEN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, LHSBUDGET.COM

UNIFIED SPORTS

GIRLS BASKETBALL

THE UNIFIED SPORTS TEAM concluded its basketball and bowling seasons with strong showings in their final competitions. The bowling team won its regional and then topped it off with placing fourth at state. “It was an experience to go out there and try to win state and go have fun,” sophomore Tate Belveal said. The unified basketball teams finished their end-of-season tournament with two golds and a bronze medal finish. Next up for unified is the bocce ball season this winter The bocce ball season entails one competition day and an endof-season tournament. Practices will start after winter break in January.

THE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL TEAM aims to return to state after last year’s stellar season. Junior Brynnae Johnson returns to lead the Lions this year along with many returners from last year’s state run. Johnson was the team’s leading scorer last season. Seniors Destiny Savannah, Miri Pickman, and others will also return to take on larger roles this season. Although several key starters from last year’s run have graduated, seniors plan to step up. “We plan on pushing ourselves and working hard to fill in the roles from last year,” Pickman said. The team was ranked as ninth in the 6A KCBA preseason rankings. At center court, senior Emma Roman Nose happily scrimmages against her teammates on Dec. 7 during Pack the House. Roman Nose expressed her enthusiasm for the event. “I was kind of nervous to be playing, but I ended up having a super fun time competing against my friends,” Roman Nose said. Photo by Maison Flory. Photo by Maison Flory

BOYS’ SWIM & DIVE BOYS’ SWIM AND DIVE TEAM features new coaches this year but also an abundance of veteran leadership. Team captains Jack Tell, Luke Velte, and Alex Gordon-Ross plan to value and prioritize growing and having fun as a team. The team consists of 14 swimmers as they dive right into the season. The team has consistently sent swimmers to state for years now and plans to continue that trend. “It’s not going to be pretty, but we’re going to make it to state,” Tell said.

24 DECEMBER 2023

Popping up for air, senior Jack Tell swims the 200 individual medley in the first meet of the season at Free State High School. “It’s a hard race, but once it’s over the meet always starts feels fun again,” Tell said. Photo by Bryndal Hoover

The Budget Sports

BOYS’ BASKETBALL Discussing game plan, senior Gordon Fineday Jr. talks to new head coach, Nick Wood, on the bench after coming off the court during the first game of the season. “Most of the guys going into the game including myself, have not played in that type of environment and not been used to it, but now that we know what it’s like to be under those lights,” Fineday said. Photo by Maison Flory

THE BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM heads into the season following the departure of Coach Mike Lewis at the end of last season. New head coach Nick Wood fields a talented squad centered around senior Zaxton King. The team ranks seventh in the 6A KCBA basketball preseason rankings, and King was the team leader in points per game last season. Seniors Gordon Fineday, Kem Allen

and Sean Wondrack along with junior Banks Bowen all look to take on extended roles in the varsity rotation. The team has high hopes to push through last year’s postseason struggles with the help of Wood, a former LHS athletic director, coach and teacher. “We feel confident in our coach’s ability to make us better throughout the year to reach our peak in March,” Fineday said.

GIRLS’ WRESTLING

BOYS’ WRESTLING

THE GIRLS WRESTLING TEAM follows up its first season fielding a full team with growing expectations. Last season, the team consisted of eight wrestlers and has now grown up to 30 participants this year. Team members plan to work hard while supporting each other. “Just having fun communicating and cheering on the team,” senior Cyrenity Hardy said. Team captains sophomore Goldy Stephens and junior Reann Rodriguez lead the team this season.

THE BOYS WRESTLING TEAM consists of 34 athletes this year and is ready for the season. Sophomore Lou Elsten and senior Andrew Honas both return after placing fourth at state last season. They are looking forward to another state run as the team prepares for the season ahead. “It’s my last year at LHS, so I am just really trying to have fun and be there for the team,” Honas said.

BOWLING THE BOYS AND GIRLS BOWLING TEAMS are set to kick off the season with their first competitions after winter break. Seniors Mateo Morris-Ramirez and Logan Daniels look to help lead the teams this season by

mentoring their teammates. “I have been giving the underclassmen rides to the bowling alley, and I try to give them some helpful tips and tricks on how it works and how to get better,” Daniels said.

DECEMBER 2023 25

The Budget Opinion

OPINION

This must

STOP The violence against Palestinians needs to come to an end BY SAMA ABUGHALIA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

othing will take away the memory of the bombs going off. My mom sent us to the hallway and told us to recite Quran verses to calm and protect us. I was 8, holding my younger cousins as the house shook from the blasts. Being born and raised in Libya, I’ve lived through a revolution and civil war. My family protected me from the reality of the world we were in. My mother would download episodes of Austin and Ally to play on repeat, attempting to block out the sounds of blasts. When I was sick, my parents woke me up at 5 a.m. to go to the clinic for cortisone shots so we could beat the shootings that would arise later throughout the day. No child should have to live through that. No parents should have to tend to the well-being of their children around warfare and violence. I struggle to describe this as trauma. I wasn’t hurt, physically. I never had to wrap up my limbs in gauze or uncover my dead

26 DECEMBER 2023

siblings from rubble, but I do understand the feeling of fear one has when they’re unsure of tomorrow. Many Middle Eastern and Northern African families have similar stories of terror and suffering caused by an oppressive power overtaking their countries. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict is yet another instance where we see people attempt to justify the deaths and injuries of innocent people in the name of anti-terrorism. I resonate with the pain of the Palestinian children whose worlds have been shattered. Dead bodies on the ground, mothers and fathers pleading with God to save their families. I see myself in the children’s faces. I see my country’s scars of destruction in the piles of rubble. I see my faith being the last thread of hope that these victims hold onto. I hear my native language in their hopeless cries. Fathers should not have to carry their children’s limbs in plastic bags because that’s all they have left of them. Mothers should not have to write their kids names on their arms

and legs in order to identify them in case they get bombed. Children should not have to go through makeshift amputations without anesthesia. Human beings should not have their only safe haven, granted to them by international law, destroyed. This conflict may just look like a piece of history, but it will permanently affect these children for the rest of their lives — physically and psychologically. They have no way to tell their stories, but I do. I feel their pain because my country still carries the burden of its conflicts. As I drive through the neighborhoods, unable to count all the bullet holes in houses, I remember the time I had to leave my family behind during uncertainty and danger. Many children continue to suffer from the aftermath of these attacks. Not only are they homeless, many of these children have now been orphaned and irreparably injured. This is not a political problem. It’s a humanitarian one. By calling the conflict between the country of Israel and the largely unrecognized land of Palestine “complicated,” people lose sight of a simple truth: Innocent people are

The Budget Opinion

LIVE

dying by the thousands. The need to protect months is not necessary to end the existence their lives shouldn’t be complicated. In fact, of Hamas, the group whose Oct. 7 attack it’s the simplest part of the on Israel killed 1,200 and entire catastrophe. provoked the ongoing Israeli The deaths of the deattack. The actions of a few fenseless should not be up does not warrant the punishfor debate. By dismissing the ment of the many. grief of Palestine because This is not a war on terrorSince the start of violence in of the existence of Hamas, ism. It’s genocide. Gaza, at least too many attempt to relieve Genocide isn’t a word I themselves from the guilt use lightly, especially when of the brutality that people pertaining to a situation people have been killed there face. You do not have so connected to the Jewish to be Palestinian to acknowlcommunity. The world’s edge their struggles. You just understanding of it is deeply of the dead are children have to be human. rooted in the Holocaust and How is shooting at chilthe pain of those atrocities dren on the street “eradirightfully makes people cating terrorism?” How is hesitant to carelessly use that of the dead are women carpet bombing unprotected term. Yet I struggle to believe refugee camps part of efforts I’m not allowed to accurately to take down Hamas? How is describe what I see. When I have been injured forbidding the basic human check the news, I weep at the According to Alijazeera.com necessity of water anything images of children who look less than oppression? like me dying. Children who A death toll of at least 18,200 in Palestine face death only because they are Palestinian — 7,700 of them children — in the past two in Gaza. Calling it anything but genocide is a

TRAGIC FIGURES

18,205 7,729 5,153

49,645

disservice to those who are being killed at a rate that’s almost impossible to comprehend. The world needs to recognize the injustice and hypocrisy of it. The United States should stand firm in the fight for basic rights of Palestinians. It needs to take accountability for its actions and realize that children are dying because of its weapons and silence. Nations have a responsibility to protect human lives and not wield the playbook of terrorism carelessly. Peace is possible. A ceasefire is the only option. Give these children back their peaceful nights where they can see the stars in the sky instead of the rockets flying by. Free Palestine.

More than a story, many area Muslim residents have deep connections to the conflict unfolding in Gaza. Lawrence residents marched through downtown along Massachusetts Street on Oct. 21 in protest (seen in illustration) and regularly grapple with the violent images shared over social media. Photo by Sama Abughalia and Graphic by Arabella Gipp

DECEMBER 2023 27

The Budget Opinion

OPINION When it comes to character lessons, it’s time for a

CLEAN SLATE New CharacterStrong lessons aren’t proving effective at addressing character development BY FINN LOTTON-BARKER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, SOCIAL MEDIA

he implementation of CharacterStrong highlights a major issue with our district: We have such a problem with behavior that we have turned to highly ineffective supplementary content to try to fight this issue. In reality, they’ve resolved to waste precious time, attention and resources, for a program that only diminishes student interest in participation to build character. According to their website, “CharacterStrong provides research-based Pre-K through 12th grade social & emotional learning curricula and professional learn-

28 DECEMBER 2023

ing services that positively impact lives.” While I would agree that it strives to do all of these things, the actual results, in my experience, are quite different. The basic premise of CharacterStrong is centered around a number of materials including watching short student panels that were usually conducted on virtual calls, videos conducted by speakers or other people or going through a series of “character building activities” to bolster student emotional intelligence. This happens every Tuesday, during the 30-minute period that has been allotted for Xello and Character Strong. These lessons vary in length, purpose and direction but are all unified in quality. That is to say, the quality of all of them

is very low. The greatest example of this horrendous quality was made extremely evident to me recently in a lesson. On Halloween, I witnessed a truly horrifying session, more so than any other. For more than five minutes, we watched a video of a man brag about how he met Jerry West in an elevator and how he was nice to him. A significant part of the 30-minute lesson time watching, discussing and pondering a video of a Lakers fan talking about riding an elevator with an 85-year-old retired basketball player and how he was nicer than he thought he would be. Following that lesson we listened to Hope, a millennial singer-songwriter with aggressive vocal fry sing a fake-in-

The Budget Opinion

Graphic by Morgan Salisbury die song, half of which was just five minutes about a senior citizen The out-ofher singing “heys” and “oh’s” and and a random woman sing a fulltouch tone, playing two chords on a guitar. length song with a barely applicathematic This video was eight minutes long. ble connection to the lesson. Then finally we watched a This highlights the main inconsistency video of a high school senior, who problem with CharacterStrong: It and general discussed the story of his school completely destroys any interest corny experiencing a shooting. He talked students would have in building nature make character. The out-of-touch tone, about the value of kindness, and students how experiencing trauma in his thematic inconsistency and gencommunity made him realize the eral corny nature make students VIEW IT AS importance of respect, a genuinely view it as a weekly joke that is A WEEKLY heartfelt and important message endured, not an activity to be JOKE THAT that students should hear. This participated in. Teachers are just IS ENDURED. as disinterested, too. portion of the lesson was honestly very moving, the only problem By most accounts, the majority with this, is that due to the lesson plan, of teachers muddle through Characterwe had to sit through a man fanboying for Strong with an annoyed attitude. I can’t

blame them. How much class time gets taken by activities that no one in the room is going to participate in? The importance of Character Strong’s goal is not lost on me, but the actual implementation of their content is abysmal. I can’t envision how the lessons are meant to instill the message shown at the end of the slideshows. The connection to character building is feeble at its best. There isn’t an immediately obvious solution to our behavior problems, that much is true, and the idea of using supplemental content, while inherently concerning, may in fact be necessary. However, the current state of CharacterStrong is appalling, and the content decreases participation and wastes everyone’s time.

DECEMBER 2023 29

The Budget Opinion

WEIGHING IN:

“Take classes with teachers who care about teaching students. Take classes like graphic design or video production. These are marketable, advanced skills that will take you places. You will be able to create compelling and visually-appealing material that colleges and employers want to see. ” —Jack Tell, lhsbudget.com editorin-chief

“Knowing where you’re going to college and what you’re majoring in isn’t as big of a deal as it’s made out to be. It’s impossible to figure out your entire life at once, so prioritize making the most of high school first, and everything else will come with time.” —Brandon Parnell, The Budget design editor

Editors offer advice for students planning for the future

“Take advantage of the CTE classes available to you and take the college Blueprint classes if you can. If I hadn’t have taken a few career-based classes in my earlier years, I would not feel nearly as prepared as I do now.” —Maya Smith, Red and Black coeditor-in-chief

“Try to strike a balance between legitimate passions and something that can bring in an actual living. If you’re making good money but your job makes you dead inside, is it really worth it? And if you’re doing something you love but you end up starving do to it, is that really worth it?” —Declan Patrick, social media coeditor-in-chief

Letter from the

EDITORS

Take steps now to get ready for the future you want BY NATASHA TORKZABAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

reparing to take the next step is a daunting task. Whether that step takes you to college, trade school, the military or straight into the workforce, navigating your future can be stressful. As high school students, we resonate with the late nights, last-minute deadlines, scholarship stress and overall pressure of growing up. That’s why, as editors-in-chief of The

Budget, we wanted to provide you with different resources and information that can assist you in taking the next steps. We hope you will find them helpful and take advantage of the resources around you, but please do not forget to take care of yourself and take a break sometimes. No matter what your next steps are, The Budget hopes the best for you! As winter break hits consider using some of that time to take some positive steps forward. The local scholarship opportunities are a great first step in preparing for college.

LEARN MORE

Lion’s Roar video offers scholarship application tips

30 DECEMBER 2023

Find the application link for local scholarships, due Feb. 13

Natasha Torkzaban, Zana Kennedy and Sama Abughalia, editors-in-chief of The Budget

The Budget Opinion

“Take everything one step at a time. College and career exploration is a lot less daunting if it’s divided into one- or two-hour chunks.” —Jonas Lord, The Budget managing editor

“Branch out as much as you can while still not overwhelming yourself. Trying a little bit of everything helped me narrow down what I wanted to do greatly. Follow what you enjoy doing, not what others say you should.” —Kellar Musser, lhsbudget.com managing editor

“Follow the Money!!!!!” “Never think something is far or too difficult to achieve and always —Koen Myers, Red and Black senior keep an open mind to all careers at ads editor first. You can always narrow them down at the end. As well as take advantage of the KU Blueprint classes your junior and senior year.” —Maison Flory, Red and Black photo editor

THE JOURNALISM STAFF MISSION STATEMENT

The Budget is committed to providing the Lawrence High community with objective, inclusive news that ensures relevance to its readers. The staff devotes itself to the exercise of First Amendment rights and upholding the highest of journalistic standards. While the paper is a tool to publish student voices, it works to help students grow as journalists and help readers access information.

ABOUT US

The Budget is published every six weeks and distributed free of charge to students and faculty at Lawrence High School, 1901 Louisiana, Lawrence, Kan. The Budget is produced by students in the Digital Journalism and Digital Design and Production courses with occasional contributions from 21st Century Journalism and guest columnists. The newspaper’s goals are to inform, entertain, and present a forum of expression for students, faculty, administrators and community members. The newspaper is financed through advertising and fundraising. The editorial staff is solely responsible for

the content of this newspaper, and views expressed in The Budget do not necessarily reflect those of the administration of Lawrence High School or USD 497.

Natasha Torkzaban.................. Co Editor-in-Chief Jonas Lord................................... Managing Editor Brandon Parnell............................... Design Editor

STAFF

Danny Phalen......................... Co-Editor-in-Chief Jack Tell................................... Co-Editor-in-Chief Lydia Folks......................................... Photo Editor Kellar Musser.............................. Managing Editor Jean-Luc Esperance ��308 Connection Manager

Alaa Abourkis, Aaminah Ahmed, Ridley Beard, Jada Big Eagle, Sara Bointy, Rhubarb Brubacher, Silas Brush, Caleb Carver, Alexis Clark, Ruby Flanner, Andie Garrett, Elise George, Arabella Gipp, Kennedy Glasgow, Ellie Goans-Heinz, Delaney Haase, Ethan Hanratanagorn, Presley Hoesch, Emily Hurd, Piper Journey, Aminah Kaeser-Wadud, Aaliysah Lanning, Jack LaRue, Ava Lee, Andrei Lefort, Neva Livingston, Sparrow Mock, Channing Morse, Eliza Naumann, Lylah North, Lily Norton, Emily O’Hare, Juliet Outka, Malcolm Paul, Nyasia Ramos, Oliver Reynolds, Mimi Rosado-Schmitt, Morgan Salisbury, Avery Sloyer, Audrey Stock, Ashlyn Tell, Fin Tholen, Dylan Wheatman, Cymone White, Selah Wolfe, Anne Woolverton

THE BUDGET EDITORS

Sama Abughalia....................... Co Editor-in-Chief Zana Kennedy.......................... Co Editor-in-Chief

LHSBUDGET.COM EDITORS

RED & BLACK EDITORS

Maeslyn Hamlin...................... Co Editor-in-Chief Maya Smith............................. Co-Editor-in-Chief Maison Flory...................................... Photo Editor Bea Johnson................................ Managing Editor Koen Myers................................Senior Ads Editor Owen Ackley.................................Captions Editor

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITORS

Declan Patrick.......................... Co Editor-in-Chief Finn Lotton-Barker.................. Co Editor-in-Chief Bryndal Hoover...................... Video/Photo Editor Barbara Tholen ��Adviser

DECEMBER 2023 31

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Wrapping up the night, math teacher Brittany Harrell takes part in the faculty dance during Pack the House on Nov. 28 in the gym. Students, staff and community members gathered for the annual kick-off to the winter sports season. The night was filled with dances, scrimmages and prizes. Photo by Dylan Wheatman