The Budget Issue #2

Lawrence High School Established 1893 1901 Louisiana St. Lawrence, Kansas 66046 Volume 123, Issue 2 October 22, 2015

NEWS IN BRIEF

2 • OCT. 22, 2015

IN this issue:

Cover by Nia Rutledge and Cooper Avery

Cover Story

Students and faculty define their identities as USD 497 considers ways to make the district more inclusive. pages 5-9

Socktober donations..................... page 11 Eutin sweethearts.......................... page 12 Eutin student experience........... page 14 Homecoming winners................... page 16 Exchange students in tennis.... page 18 Football successes........................ page 20 Students curate art shows....... page 22 Students stage fall play.............. page 24 App is problematic......................... page 26 Trump lingers...Why?.................... page 27 Bisexuals need visibility.............. page 28 Letter from the editors................ page 30 Photo of the month........................ page 32

LHSBudget.com VIDEO Before performing at the Lied Center, Black Violin brought its act to LHS. See recaps of the LHS football win over Free State High School.

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Turtle talk

By Krista Hopkins and Kira Auchenbach Burrowed under the Latin courtyard garden beds are two unusual class pets.

Hannibal the ornate box turtle, named after the Carthaginian general, has lived in the courtyard for more than 12 years. A custodian donated the newest turtle to the Latin courtyard last summer.

“We have not yet named the second turtle, we’re having a naming contest,” Latin teacher Jason Lichte said.

Students from his Latin classes pitched names for their new addition. The top three names were creatively modified from those of heroes and emperors. The current choices are “Slow”dysseus, “Shell”igula and Markus”Slow”relius.

“Odysseus was one of the Greek heros of the Trojan War; it was his idea to build the Trojan Horse,” Lichte said. “Caligula was a Roman emperor, so we’d name him “Shell”igula. Markruslowrelius after one of the five good emperors. He was also a philosopher emperor, one of the last great stoic philosophers.”

Lichte plans to let the student body decide on the final name. The Latin Club will run a school-wide election to determine the new turtle’s name.

CRAWLING IN — Hannibal the ornate box turtle has a new friend this year. The Latin program got another box turtle and will be holding an election to name it. Photo by Krista Hopkins

THE BUDGET • PAGE DESIGN BY NIA RUTLEDGE

OCT. 22, 2015 • 3

Students face professional competition, win awards for Banned Books Week

Two art students win for their designs in contest

By Krista Hopkins and Kira Auchenbach Two students were recognized for their artistic interpretations of ban books in an annual competition run by the Lawrence Public Library.

Senior Alexandra Simmons won for her artwork for “Call of the Wild” by Jack London, and junior Aidan Rothrock won for his art for “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi.

When the school year began, LHS art students were given the opportunity to submit graphic designs for “Battle of the Banned Books.”

Out of the covers that won, the winners had their art made into a trading card.

Wendy Vertacnik’s advanced students had to research their banned book and create a new cover for their interpretation.

“I think it's a really great way for us to talk about design and illustration, as well as to become more familiar with books,” Vertacnik said.

Simmons chose “Call of the Wild,” about a dog joining a sled team.

“I wanted to emphasize the aggressiveness and the wildness, and I wanted it to be kind of dark and dramatic,” Simmons said.

The library handed out one trading cards for each day of Banned Books week — seven in all.

“It was really surprising because I hadn't exactly expected to win,” Rothrock said.

“I mean we'd done this in the

“The Call of the Wild” by Alexandra Simmons

“Persepolis” by Aidan Rothrock

past, and I had done this in an art class in the past, and it was just sort of a fun project.”

Vertacnik said she was excited her students had done so well in a competition that also included entries from

professionals.

“I”m really proud of my students,” she said.

Alumni make hall of honor

By Krista Hopkins and Kira Auchenbach On Oct. 4, three LHS graduates were recognized as hall of honor inductees. The ceremony was at Liberty Memorial Central Middle School.

Business litigation attorney Thomas Murray, World War II veteran Alan Clark Fisher and gynecologic oncology specialist Sharyn Lewin were all honored at

Sharyn Lewin

the ceremony.

Sharyn Lewin, president and executive director of The Lewin Fund to Fight Women’s Cancers, was honored in the ceremony.

“It was such a honor to be included in the hall of honor ceremony,” she said. “Many talented and prestigious graduates have been awarded, and I felt so fortunate to be among them.”

Alan Clark Fisher

Orchestra mattress sale

By Krista Hopkins and Kira Auchenbach It’s not every day LHS students dress up in mattresses costumes and wave signs on the sidewalks of Lawrence. But at the end of day, the orchestra program earned $12,100 for their trip to Chicago.

They held their sale on Sept. 26 in the cafeteria.

“We were trying to come up with a unique fundraiser that would raise a lot of money for kids who need extra help getting for the trip financially, as well as some scholarships for students,” said orchestra teacher Rachel Dirks.

Orchestra students were lined up on major streets and intersections, directing cars to the sale.

“We actually had a showroom in the cafeteria with mattresses set up like if you were going to a furniture store,” Dirks said. “It just happened to be in the cafeteria. And then the kids job at the day of the sale was to get out around town and just show people what was going on in our cafeteria and make sure to help people find their way to our cafeteria.”

Thomas Murray PAGE DESIGN BY NIA RUTLEDGE • LHSBUDGET.COM

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Promoting

Visibility

By Zia Kelly

A rainbow-clad White House and pride parades in major cities across the nation signaled a landmark win in the decades-long fight for Constitutional rights. The 5 to 4 Supreme Court decision announced on June 27 changed the way the American government treats the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community.

But for many, the fight isn’t over.

Continued on page 6 Challenges — Many transgender students find difficulty in navigating daily tasks because of marginalization. The district is working to adress their challenges by providing gender-neutral bathrooms. Photo illustration by Ian Jones

OCT. 22, 2015 • 5

6 • OCT. 22, 2015

Visiblity Continued from Page 5 Particularly for transgender people, who do not identify as their gender assigned at birth, navigating daily life can be a pain. From lack of options for bathrooms to mistreatment by their peers, transgender people are, in many ways, at a disadvantage.

The disparity, however, hasn’t gone unnoticed. With input from teachers across the district, the school board has recently made accommodating LGBT students — particularly transgender students — one of its goals this year.

“With the district recently getting on board with this, a lot of it is just educating and knowing what the needs are of the transgender students,” Gay-Straight Alliance co-sponsor Randall Frye said. “What we can do with what we have now and what we can work toward to become more equal and inclusive.”

To identify issues and brainstorm their solutions, a district work group has began meeting to consider the needs of all students.

At their first meeting on

the annex there are a lot of gender neutral bathrooms,” said senior Jai Strecker, who Sept. 8, they brainstormed is transgender. “It can be difa list of areas to focus on, ficult sometimes in the main including: building because there are only two for 1,000 kids.”

Bathrooms Locations of the bathFor students who are rooms are only disclosed to transgender or do not idenstudents who request access tify as their assigned gender, so they are not outed to the having to use a gender-specifpeople who see them enter. ic bathroom can make their Students who feel uncomforttime at school more difficult. able using the gender-specific To accommodate these stu- bathrooms can learn about dents, the district will look to the locations from the GSA establish gender-neutral bathsponsors. rooms in Although each school. this is done “I think it should be more open,” for the secuThis could be incorpoStrecker said. “I think they should rity of sturated into dents, some let more people know that we constructhink the have gender-neutral bathtion at the information elementary should be rooms.” ­—Jai Strecker, senior school level, made more as it was accessible. with con“I think struction at it should be Cordley. At the high schools, more open,” Strecker said. “I some action has already been think they should let more taken. people know that we have Two gender-neutral bathgender-neutral bathrooms.” rooms have been established Establishing more genin the LHS main building der-neutral bathrooms is a this year. step toward district goals, “I think they do a good although the work group also job with it, especially in identified locker rooms as a

possible issue for transgender students. The lack of private changing stations could hinder LGBT students from participating in physical education classes and sports, the work group said.

Sex Education Until last year, sex education provided in ninth grade health classes only covered heterosexual, cisgender topics.

However, since the district adopted a set of national standards, lessons are more comprehensive of different sexualities and gender identities.

The new standards established by the Future of Sex Education initiative gives specific definitions within the gender and sexuality spectrum, including for “biological sex” and “gender” as well as defining “heterosexual,” “homosexual” and “transgender.”

The standards also addresses dating and sexual violence as well as bullying and its impacts on physical and emotional health.

“I think it would be incredibly helpful that the education they are receiving is inclusive of who they are,”

From the cover: Defining ourselves

“I’ve played with the idea of my sexuality for a while now, and I’ve just recently come to terms with what I am.”

“I am panromantic, “I knew since the asexual and gender beginning.” fluid. It’s hard to explain who I am to people who don’t understand. They can’t understand that it’s just...me.”

THE BUDGET • PAGE DESIGN BY NIA RUTLEDGE

“I am non-binary and pansexual, which is hard to deal with at school because there is this constant pressure to be cisgender and heterosexual.”

“It was about sixth grade, but I’ve always accepted who I am and embraced it.”

“I like the word queer because it’s an umbrella term. I don’t have to be any more specific than that.”

“We are all humans first. We have the same skeletons. Love others! Love yourself!

Love life! Be happy!”

“I am gay, and it was a little hard being OK with this because I faced bullying by my peers in school. But I eventually became OK with who I was.”

OCT. 22, 2015 • 7 Sanburn said.

As well as being a school board member, Sanburn is a nurse and teaches sex education to health classes. During the unit, she comes to LHS with nurse Cori Green and said students have generally been receptive to learning about topics beyond the conventional gender binaries.

“I think young people have grown up in a world that is a little less black and white when it comes to issues about gender and sexual orientation, so it’s less of a shock really that there are more categories and not everyone fits into a box,” she said.

Bullying Strecker said he feels safe at LHS, although some situations can be stressful.

“The only time I ever feel uncomfortable is if people don’t know I’m trans, and they are talking about trans issues and they are being close-minded and unsupportive,” he said. “I usually don’t want to start anything, and I just sit there. But it still doesn’t feel great.

In some communities, LGBT students can face severe discrimination and harassment. One-half to two-

thirds of LGBT-identifying students reported verbal abuse at school and half of those students reported physical harassment according to a 2013 survey conducted by Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.

Many transgender students, because of their fear of bullying, choose not to come out in high school.

“It’s absolutely horrifying [not being able to come out,” GSA president junior Tatyana Younger said. “Because so many kids in this school feel OK to be themselves and that’s amazing. And some of the best people I know can’t be themselves in this school because they fear what people might do to them or say to them.”

With this in mind, the district has specified LGBT issues in its official discrimination and harassment policies.

School districts are legally-obligated to have anti-discrimination policies, but LGBT students are often not identified as a protected group under them. USD 497, however, specifies sexual orientation and gender identity among protected groups that also include race, religion and age.

“I hate even using the term pansexual or bisexual. My sexuality is fluid and uncontainable. If I like someone, I like them. There’s no reason to look into it that deeply.”

“I use the words ‘lesbian,’ ‘gay’ and ‘queer’ interchangeably to describe myself. But ultimately, I’m a human who wants to live an authentic, happy, purposeful life.”

“I am a man who is gay, but I am just me, and it is my hope that society will view me according to that standard.”

“Being bisexual doesn’t define the way I am. I’m still a human being, I still have feelings. Being different than normativity isn’t going to change who I am.”

The facts on LGBT youth A national look at challenges faced by LGBT students

30% Of LGBT students said teachers were present when homophobic remarks were made

65%

of students

More than 8 out of 10 LGBT students have been verbally harassed in the past year

Heard homophobic slurs often or frequently

Of students skipped a day of school in the past month because of feeling unsafe

30%

62%

Nearly 5% of LGBT youth live in an unstable environment, including facing homelessness.

Of LGBT students who reported harrassment to school officials said nothing was done Source: 2013 National School Climate Survey

“Our board does a good job of setting that legal language for harassment that is not allowed,” Sanburn said.

Mental health High school can be a difficult time for many students in terms of mental health. But for students who recognize themselves on the LGBT spec-

“Technically I’m demisexual, which means I only experience sexual attraction after I build a strong bond with someone. But I’m still not sure about my identity, and I’m not in any rush to figure it out because dating is pretty gross.”

trum — particularly those who have faced discrimination or bullying — adolescence can be even harder to cope with.

A nationally representative study of adolescents in grades 7–12 conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that lesbian, gay and bisexual youth were Continued from Page 8

“I am gay. It’s hard “I am afraid of being being comfortable the black sheep of my with it because being family.” straight is apparently ‘the norm.’ ”

“I’m actually bisexual, which isn’t really a very visible orientation when it comes to LGBT politics. But we’re getting there.

Slowly.”

PAGE DESIGN BY NIA RUTLEDGE • LHSBUDGET.COM

8 • OCT. 22, 2015

may

march

October

SEPTEMBER

Awareness Days Visiblity Bisexual Awareness week: Sept. 20-26

LGBT History Month National Coming Out Day: Oct. 11 Asexual Awareness Week: Oct. 19-25 Intersex Awareness Day: Oct. 26 International Transgender Day of Visibility: March 31

Demisexual Awareness Day: May 4 Asexual Visibility Day: May 8 Pansexual & Panromantic Awareness Day: May 24

june

LGBT Pride Month

Continued from Page 7 more than twice as likely to have attempted suicide as their heterosexual peers.

It’s no surprise that these students often struggle to keep up academically. LGBT students are more likely to miss school than their peers, which can lead to lower GPAs and lower rates of post-secondary education according to the 2013 survey.

The district looks to address mental health largely through staff training and development.

Before school started, 30 USD 497 staff members attended a suicide prevention workshop.

Although diversity was highlighted, LGBT-specific training wasn’t addressed. The work group would like to change that.

The group suggested the district partner with Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center to train staff to better accommodate mental health issues common to LGBT teens.

Peer education and advocacy Along with implementing a more inclusive sex education curriculum, the district will encourage schools to better educate their student bodies on LGBT issues.

“Specifically at LHS there has been a lot of work by students to inform other students about the variety of gender expression

that exists and identity and sexual orientation,” Sanburn said. “I think it’s really great the level of engagement in your guys’ school community.”

The district will look to utilize the GSAs in each school to inform student bodies about LGBT issues with the intention it will create a more supportive peer environment.

When LHS started its GSA in 2004, it was the first district school to do so. Free State soon followed, and now each of the middle schools has one.

According to the 2013 National School Climate Survey, LGBT students who attend schools with GSAs are less likely to hear homophobic or transphobic slurs on a regular basis. When they do hear them, they are more likely to report bullying behavior, and they are less likely to feel unsafe at school overall.

“Its super exciting that they’re [the district is] making strides and making sure that everyone feels comfortable at their schools,” Younger said. “With all the GSAs at every middle school and both high schools, not only will students feel more accepted by their teachers but… their student bodies will also be more knowledgeable about their issues.”

The returning president has made a point of emphasizing

issues of people across the LGBT spectrum. The club will discuss a variety of topics over the course of the year, including transgender issues, which Younger said club members have expressed interest in learning about. “[We have] been focusing more on the B and T of LGBT, so bisexual and trans and the plus, so everyone else,” she said.

“Because a lot of the times GSAs meet, they talk a lot about the LG part, and I thought it would be cool to be more inclusive.”

As well as educating themselves about these issues, the GSA organizes outreach events such as Pride week to inform the student body.

“You can offend someone and not even realize you’re offending them,” Frye said. “The vocabulary is so new to a lot of people.”

During Pride week last year, club members went on the announcements to discuss different parts of the LGBT spectrum.

This year, Younger will look to expand these effort by recognizing additional days, weeks and months of awareness for different identities.

By informing the student body, the GSA hopes a greater understanding of LGBT issues will promote acceptance and proper treatment of their classmates.

“We’re really moving in a good direction,” Frye said.

LGBT Terms Gender identity — One’s psychological sense of gender, can be the same or different from ones genetic sex and how it is expressed

Sexual Orientation — Sexual identity in relation to the gender to which one is attracted, not always the same as romantic attraction

Cisgender — identify as the gender they were assigned at birth Transgender — the continuum of individuals whose gender identity does not correspond with their genetic sex Bigender — experience two gender identities, either at the same time or varying between the two Pangender — identify as all genders Agender — lack of gender identity Gender Fluid — gender identity which varies over time

Heterosexual — attraction to the opposite sex Homosexual — attraction to the same sex Bisexual — attraction to both men and women, not necessarily at the same time or to the same extent Pansexual — attraction to all genders Asexual — lack of sexual attraction, not the same as Aromantic Demisexual — attraction only to those who you share a deep bond with

Sources: itspronouncedmetrosexual.com, nonbinary.org, wearefamilycharleston.org

THE BUDGET • PAGE DESIGN BY NIA RUTLEDGE

Graphics by Claire Robinson

OCT. 22, 2015 • 9

Students initiate peer advocacy Gay-Straight Alliances at middle schools impact incoming students to LHS Zoie German-Martinez Middle school is the time that everyone cringes to think about.

Puberty, weird urges, discomfort — it’s all there.

The worst drama is about who likes who and which couple just broke up. Girls and boys write each other love notes, but sometimes girls write girls love notes.

For some, those three years are spent questioning their identities and who they are. But there’s no outlet to discuss the fact that you like guys instead of girls, or don’t feel like male or female. But that’s all changing.

As of this year, all four middle schools in the Lawrence school district have a Gay-Straight Alliance club.

Some of the students who started those middle school clubs are now at Lawrence High School.

Among then, freshman Jack Foster, the founder of the GSA at Central Middle School, said he felt like there needed to be more representation and education on LGBT topics.

“We would just teach people about LGBT issues and what it meant to be LGBT and how to be an ally,” he said.

Foster said the club was popular among students.

“Pretty much anyone who knew about it was supportive,” Foster said.

On the other hand, Addie Thornsbury came up against some opposition when bringing up LGBT issues at Southwest Middle School. Along with a friend, Thornsbury planned to mention LGBT victims in an anti-bullying presentation but their teacher refused.

Thornsbury said the district needs to be more aware of its LGBT+ students.

“Well, I know that with gender-specific restrooms, I guess that’s something a lot of kids who are trans have problems with,” Thornsbury said.

“I guess we need to be more accepting of that. There’s a lot of slurs being thrown around.

Especially in the hallways.”

Yet the GSA doesn’t only benefit students and give them an accepting environment, said Holden Kraus, a math teacher at West Middle School who agreed to sponsor the school’s GSA club after a group of students asked him.

“I took the group proposal to our principal and discussed the need for a group and my qualifications to support this group of students,” he said.

“Knowing that we might face some opposition from outside the school, I knew we needed to have the support of our amazing principal and that he needed to be in the loop so he could field any phone calls without being blindsided.”

Kraus proceeded to explain that along with his students, he has been impacted by the GSA club in a positive way.

“The club benefits me in many ways,” he said. “It provides a feeling of happiness every week as I look around the room at the different interactions and compare them to when I was an eighth grader. It also provides me with topics that I can use to educate the rest of our staff so that they can provide a more inclusive and accepting learning environment for all

Pioneers ­— Freshmen Jack Foster and Addie Thornsbury started Gay-Straight Alliance clubs at Central and Southwest. This year for the first time, all district middle schools have GSA groups. Photo

by Cooper Avery students who pass through West and, maybe, even a little bit of education for me.”

While the teachers are affected in a positive way, the students are front and center in the influence of the GSA. “So many times, middle school and high school students feel they don’t belong and that they are different from everyone else on some basic level,” Kraus explained.

“And GSAs like ours provide a safe space for the students at West to be themselves without any fear of judgment or malice. For some of them, that may be the only time in their entire week that they can feel that kind of support and community.”

PAGE DESIGN BY NIA RUTLEDGE • LHSBUDGET.COM

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OCT. 22, 2015 • 11

Stepping up for a cause Students lend a helping foot to Lawrence families

By Veda Cobb During the month of October, donation boxes line the hallways, waiting for socks to warm the feet of Ballard Center patrons.

Socktober is a movement initiated by SoulPancake — a nonprofit organization started by actor Rainn Wilson — that kicked off at LHS the first of the month with collection boxes placed in classrooms.

The LHS chapter of the National Honor Society, sponsored by English teachers Shannon Draper and Michael Carriger, is championing the project to collect socks and diapers for the Ballard Community Center and Penn House throughout the month of October.

“I started looking for projects that I thought would be community-minded and would also benefit young people,” Draper said. “I first

Photo by Ian Jones

heard about [Socktober] on Kid President’s Twitter account…I looked into seeing what it entailed, and it seemed like a really good fit for what we wanted to do.”

NHS’s goal is to gather 1,000 pairs of socks in children’s sizes 1-6 and all adult sizes as well as 300 packs of diapers by the end of the month.

Draper and members of NHS planned the drive. They started off their Sept. 28 meeting by delegating tasks and establishing goals.

“We have about 1,600 students and 200 faculty and staff here at [LHS],” Draper said.“I started thinking, if we really put our minds to it, that’s maybe one sock for every person to get us to the goal. It just seemed like it was doable.”

While 300 packs of diapers may not seem significant compared to the requested pairs of socks, it would be more than enough to make a difference in what families would be able to receive from the Ballard Center and Penn House.

“For a lot of the families that are living at or below the poverty line in Lawrence, [diapers] are an expense that’s really hard to keep up with,” Draper said. “I thought it would be so nice if we could say we’ve given almost a year’s worth supply to Ballard and Penn House so that every week, at least one family could come in and get something if they needed to. There would always be something there.”

NHS members have shown positive attitudes about the drive and said that the goal seems attainable.

“I think that when students are involved and invested and see it tangibly affects people in their own community and their own school, that can be rest before success,” said NHS President Stefan Petrovic. “I think it’s a good enough cause. Obviously there’s people who are busy and there’s different things they need to do, but I hope that somebody could take the time out of their day and think about someone else.”

Donations will be taken to the Ballard Center at 708

Elm St. and Penn House at 1035 Pennsylvania St. at the end of October. More than 8,000 people in Douglas County benefit from the Ballard Center yearly, whether it be for early education, food or clothing.

Ballard Community Services provides necessities to low-income Lawrence citizens.

It focuses on affordable early education at a high standard and basic living assistance to families and individuals of low income.

Penn House, one of the other Ballard Community Services facilities, provides food and clothing, assistance with rent and utilities, and training for individuals who are unemployed but looking to find work.

“I think the great thing about [Socktober] is that with the Ballard Center, a lot of kids that we’re going to be affecting right now are going to be coming to [LHS] in future years,” NHS secretary Emily Alt said. “I think those kids are going to care about that a lot… and they’re going to get involved.”

PAGE DESIGN BY VEdA Cobb• LHSBUDGET.COM

FEATURES

12 • OCT. 22, 2015

A loving

exchange

By Amanda Coatney Traveling abroad can be life-changing, and no one knows that better than Arne and Kelly Scholz.

German teacher Arne Scholz moved to Lawrence from his home in Eutin, Germany after meeting his wife Kelly Scholz, the chair of the Sister City Advisory Board, on his exchange trip to the U.S. in 2013.

“After this experience I can say with certainty that a student exchange has the potential to change your life,” Kelly Scholz said.

Arne Scholz was an English teacher at Johann-Heinrich-Voss-Gymnasium, his school in Germany, when the head of the exchange program in Eutin stepped down. He took the position and went on his first exchange trip to Lawrence in September and October of 2013.

“I actually didn’t want to be the successor,” he said. “Then my principal, in a friendly way, kind of prodded me to.”

Despite his reluctance he said his trip went remarkably well. Not only did he and his students have “a whale of a time” but he also made a lifelong connection.

Arne and Kelly first met at a pizza party held at the Train Depot in north Lawrence meant for welcoming the German exchange students.

“I met, I don’t know, a dozen people that night,” Arne Scholz said. “All for the first time, I’d never been here before, and she was the last one.”

After they first met they continued

Wedding day ­— Kelly and Arne Scholz were wed in Kauai, Hawaii, at a dreamy beach wedding. Photo courtesy of Arne Scholz.

THE BUDGET • PAGE DESIGN BY NIA RUTLEDGE

OCT. 22, 2015 • 13

Sister-cities project links couple from across the Atlantic to see each other at sister city events like football tailgates, visits to Kansas City and boat rides on Clinton Lake.

“We all got together, and I could just tell on the boat ride that they were just like, you know, makin’ eyes at one another,” former German teacher and exchange program chaperone Natalie Wolfe said.

Their relationship blossomed from there. They started meeting outside of exchange events on the trip, and after the trip ended, making long distance visits.

“After he returned to Germany with his students, we Skyped every day without fail in between our in-person visits,” Kelly Scholz said.

In March 2013, when Kelly went to Germany to visit Arne Scholz’s friends and family, he surprised her by proposing.

“He had arranged a strandkorb, a Baltic beach chair, complete with red carpet, flowers, chocolates and champagne, to be waiting for us upon arrival at a beach resort in Travemunde,” Kelly Scholz said. “Jet lagged and exhausted from the journey, it took me a few minutes to figure out what was going on, but once I caught on, I happily said ‘Yes!’” They then decided that Arne Scholz would move to the U.S. permanently. Kelly, with two young daughters, was incapable of relocating.

“You cannot take, at that time, a 13- and 15-year-old and just transfer them to a different country and throw them in,” he said.

Arne Scholz, after studying at Penn State University and having visited the States multiple times, was not opposed to the solution.

“I knew the states, I’d actually wanted to go to and live in the states,” he said. “Twenty years ago I applied for a green card and never

got one so it worked out.” think I want to just yet.”

The couple, having only 90 days The differences between his home to get married because of his fiancé and Lawrence took some getting green card, a visa provided to couples used to. with proof of upcoming marriage, “Sometimes I miss the sea,” Arne had a destination wedding in Kauai, Scholz said. “I lived 200 yards from Hawaii. A week after the Baltic Sea so when I returning from the got up in the morning wedding they had a I would see the ocean... reception with friends and that’s a little differ•Eutin and Lawrence have an and family at the Train ent.” exchange where they send high Depot where they first However, as well as school students to each other for teaching German, Arne met.

“We were married at is the coordinator for 4-6 weeks each year in the fall sunset, on the beach on the Eutin exchange trip and summer. the island of Kauai, surand accompanies student •Eutin is a small city near the rounded by our family.” groups to Eutin. northern coast of Germany and Kelly said. “And it was “Because Mr. Scholz the Baltic Sea. every bit a dream as it is teaching German now •Eutin is home to the Eutin sounds.” in America, he can take Castle, originally built in the Arne moved to LawAmerican students to his rence for good on Aug. home country and back 13th century. Though the 8, 2014. original structure is gone, a later to the school where he “Having [Arne] taught,” Kelly said. “He construction can be seen.

Scholz in Lawrence now can stay connected with •The city is known as the City means I laugh a lot his colleagues, students, more,” Kelly said. “He is of Roses for its rose cultivation family and friends. This and gardens. super funny. I’m pretty important to me because sure I’ll never tire listenI acknowledge everything ing to his accent. And, he sacrificed and left I’ve noticed I watch more soccer behind to move to Lawrence.” and drink more beer now that I am For this reason and because of married to a German, if I’m allowed the hospitality of the midwest, he to say that.” said he’s rarely homesick..

After waiting a year to be eligible “We’re not as open and welto work he began substitute teachcoming and ‘Hey, how are you’ [in ing in the district. Soon after, he Germany],” Arne Scholz said. “I love found his job at LHS, where he sees the friendliness and the openness familiar faces from his exchange trip here. I’ve been to the east coast and every day. the west coast but the people in the Arne Scholz is currently living in midwest are the friendliest bunch of the U.S. on a green card and will be people I’ve ever met.” eligible to apply for citizenship in Despite minor cultural differencfour years. es, Wolfe said those sorts of divides “I might or I might not apply can be easily overlooked. for the citizenship, [it] depends,” he “There are a lot of small differsaid. “Right now I wouldn’t. I’m Ger- ences,” she said. “I think at the core man, I have my German passport... of it we’re all just people. People are I’d have to give it back and I don’t people.”

City of Roses

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14 • OCT. 22, 2015

From Germany to Lawrence Sister City exchange student compares American high school to life in Germany

Working in the Newsroom — Exchange student Jana Scherbarth works on her letter, featured on this page. Photo by Ian Jones

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By Jana Scherbarth The United States — A country, which is so different from Germany. On Sept. 29, 2015, I began a journey into new culture.

After two exhausting flights, we were welcomed by our host families at the Kansas City Airport. We already knew our exchange partners from their stay in Eutin last June.

On the car ride to Lawrence I noticed the first big difference: the speed limit on the highway. In Germany we do not have a real speed limit on our highways, we normally just have a recommended speed limit, which is 130 km/h or 81 mph. So we went slower than usual.

After my first night, which was hectic, my exchange partner, [junior] Vanessa Hernandez, and I went to school in her car. It is a weird experience for me because in Germany we are not allowed to drive cars when we are 16 years old. We can get our license at 17, but we are not allowed to drive alone until we turn 18.

The first things I noticed about LHS were the many huge sport fields, which we do not have in Germany. We also have school teams in disciplines like soccer, swimming or gymnastics but there are not as many athletes in them as are here, and they do not compete with other school teams for a whole season.

Instead of football and baseball, we have handball.

They only have one little tournament once a year, and the other students do not support them as they do here. Sports in America’s high schools have a specific spirit I have never experienced in Germany before.

The schools in America also have a pretty different way of teaching and learning. The teacher often talks a lot more and in a different way than in Germany.

Teachers here put a lot more emotion in their voices than the teachers at home.

In Germany, high school works differently altogether. After students complete the fourth grade, they are sorted into one of three secondary tracks by their test scores and teacher recommendations.

Each level of high school differs in curriculum difficulty. I am in the Gymnasium, the upper-level track.

It is new for me to use my cellphone or other electronic devices and to go to the bathroom without asking during the classes.

The tests here often consist of multiple choice and short questions and the students often just have to repeat the stuff from the classes. In Germany, the tests aren’t that easy.

At my high school in Germany we learned things American schools are teaching now several years ago.

The classes I take there are harder. Our school has a higher standard than American high schools.

American cities have more standardized infrastruc-

OCT. 22, 2015 • 15

Eutin, Germany Sister City of Lawrence, 1898

POPULATION: 17,298 AREA: 41.4 sq/km PLACES TO VISIT: Eutin Castle, St. Michaelis Church

Eutin students reflect on differences

“It uses a different system to teach. It follows less strictly how the students behave in class, pretty much the biggest difference.”

—Alex Schmidt “One difference is that we can use our cell phones in the school here in America, and we’re not allowed to use them in Germany.”

—Jana Scherbarth

Graphic by Briauna Huffman

ture than Germany’s. So it is still confusing to me to find my way around the city because almost every crossroad looks the same for me.

We have a lot more bends and a lot more street signs about directions.

I really like Lawrence, especially Massachusetts Street with all the cute little stores. Those stores could never exist in Germany. When you go in a store in the U.S., you are greeted immediately and get into little conversations with the employees. In Germany, an assistant would only say “hello” at best.

We are not unfriendly people, this is just our German understanding of friendliness.

We might seem a little bit cold-hearted at first, but I promise we are very kind people when you get to know us better. We don’t do so much small-talk like the American people. It is still unusual for me that everyone I meet asks “How are you doing?”

In my time here I have come to understand the feeling of liberty many people are talk about when

WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND?

they talk about the U.S. Even if I feel a bit unsafe because of the guns here.

Everyone can own a gun in the U. S., and in Germany they are almost completely prohibited for privately-owned guns. You will only be allowed to own one, if you have a firearms license. Normally you only will get one of these if you are a rifleman, hunter or a policeman. Beside them, gun owners are required to lock them away in a safe. You are not allowed to take them with you except you are a policeman at your work.

Because of that I have an unpleasant feeling about the rampage in Roseburg, Oregon, a few days ago. The feeling hasn’t really gone away.

Nevertheless, I have had one of the best times in my life in the U. S. I’ve had unbelievable new experiences that I will never forget. I have gotten insight into a very different way of living, although my visit has also made me see the similarities between Lawrence and Eutin.

“The biggest difference is that you can choose so many classes and that the whole sport thing is involved in school and not like a class after school.”

—Katharina Becker “My first impression is that it’s — compared to Germany — it’s very relaxed. School in Germany is also fun but it’s definitely more relaxed and easy-going in America.”

—Philip Kardell “The biggest difference is that you have your own class in Germany. The teachers come to your class, and you’re always with the same people around you.”

—Johann König

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16 • OCT. 22, 2015

Homecoming royalty overcome losses

Winners connect with family, friends through recent homecoming experience, crownings

By Kate Rettig Senior Kennedi WrightConklin stood on the football field with a gleaming smile, her dress sparkling under the stadium lights.

Senior varsity cornerback Ivan Hollins’ team was up 28-0 at halftime. He was in the locker room when the announcement was made.

“I was really surprised,” said Wright-Conklin. “All of this I wasn’t really expecting so I was really excited. [It’s] cool that a lot of people voted for me to win homecoming queen, so that was nice to know. But I was really surprised. I was not expecting it at all.”

Both candidates were excited for the win, which was especially comforting after experiencing severe losses.

Wright-Conklin’s brother, Reece Wright-Conklin, died in a motorcycle accident last month. Many of her family and friends came to the game to support her.

“It’s another positive thing in my life because it [the loss] was really hard,” she said. “Of course I had the thought of, ‘I wish my brother had been there’ because that would be a positive thing that my whole family experienced with me.”

From dress shopping to spending time with fellow candidates, Wright-Conklin was able to connect with her friends and family through her homecoming experience.

“My mom and sister have been there for me, and it was

a nice bonding experience,” Wright Conklin said. “That was really fun. Now that I’ve won, my friends call me queen and they all bow down to me. It’s really annoying, but they think it’s funny.

They’ve been supportive.”

Wright-Conklin’s friends have provided her with a support system to help her through the loss of her brother, she said.

“When it first happened, we just wanted to be there for her and try to keep her mind off of it and pretty much do anything she needed us to do to help her,” senior Lauren Schulteis, Wright-Conklin’s friend, said.

Hollins also faced loss this year. In April, his mother, Schnette Hollins died of liver cancer. Being a homecoming candidate provided Hollins some relief from the stress of the loss.

“I’d say it felt good,” Hollins said. “It took me a while until it hit me...at the dance and I’d say it was a good stress reliever.”

Hollins also established strong relationships with other candidates on court.

“I’ll always remember that [homecoming] because you got to get close to all of the kids and know them better,” he said. “It was a really cool experience, like going out to lunch and hanging out. Like I said, you just get really close to them and know them a lot better.”

Friends of the candidates were happy to see Hollins

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and Wright-Conklin honored as king and queen.

“It was really good to see both, two of my best friends in the school, get the recognition they deserve,” senior Anthony Harvey said. “They’re both good kids and...you know even through tragedy, they smile. They’re strong people. They’re probably the two of the strongest people I know...and I’m proud of them.”

The King ­— Senior Ivan Hollins stands at the homecoming assembly before the video debuted.

Hollins was not able to participate in the crowning ceremony because he was in the football game. Photo

by Cooper Avery The queen — Senior Kennedi Wright-Conklin accepts her crown during halftime. Photo by Ian Jones

OCT. 22, 2015 • 17

PAGE DESIGN BY Zia Kelly and Kansas Gibler • LHSBUDGET.COM

SPORTS

18 • OCT. 22, 2015

Sofia Rommel, Sweden

Natalia Leyba-Gamboa, Venezuela

Tennis nets new members Exchange students from all over the globe swing rackets on the LHS tennis team

By Kira Auchenbach Four exchange students got into the swing of things with help from their teammates and coaches.

The girls’ tennis team gained four new players, all of different cultural backgrounds and experience levels.

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“It’s been fun,” coach Chris Marshall said. “It’s always neat to see someone with a different culture and how they see things differently and as far as sports go, it’s a little bit different.”

Some of the girls joined the team to continue their tennis careers after playing at home.

“I really like tennis, and I just wanted to keep playing it,” senior Natalia Leyba-Gamboa, an exchange student from Venezuela, said.

Sophomore Sasha Koroleva also played at home. She played for three years in Russia.

The other two girls stepped onto the court for the first time this year.

“I always wanted to play tennis, and I had the opportunity here, so I did,” sophomore German exchange student Viktoria Wenzel said.

In many countries, such as Sweden, athletic teams are not associated with schools. Swedish junior Sofia Rommel researched

her options for what she could do at LHS. “I looked up what sports I could play, and tennis seemed fun,” she said.

In other countries, sports are integrated into the school day.

“Back at my home it’s more like a class, you’re in a line and the teacher tells you what to do,” Leyba-Gamboa said. “We don’t play that much against each other. Here it’s just like constant training, and that’s the difference.”

OCT. 22, 2015 • 19

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Sasha Koroleva, Russia Viktoria Wenzel, Germany

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One thing that remains the same for tennis everywhere is teamwork.

“I think they’ve bonded pretty well,” Marshall said.

“I think they all have made friends, and I think it’s probably helped them ... in the school setting and... they have other people that they have something in common with. I think it’s a good thing.”

One challenge that faced the exchange students was getting to know their team.

Over time they began to bond and mingle with their tennis teammates.

“They’re nice [and] they’re pretty fun,” Leyba-Gamboa said. “I really like playing with them.”

Along with challenges they faced, tennis also brought some benefits, including opening their social lives to new people. “[Tennis] made [school] more fun and social,” Rommel said. “[I get] to meet, get to know a lot of people,” Rommel said. “I get to meet a lot of people and exercise, do something fun.”

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20 • OCT. 22, 2015

Rushing toward a state title ‘Supersenior’ class tackles Sunflower League with superstar offensive lineup, keeps undefeated record for the team

By Colton Lovelace Two years ago, 11 sophomores began their first seasons on varsity. A majority of them lettered, but struggled with a 3-6 record.

Two years later, those struggles have finally proven worthwhile as they are now veteran seniors leading the team to a perfect 7-0 record to start the year ­— and to the No. 1 ranking for the first time since 2004.

One of those players is senior free safety Coulter Strauss, who said that the experience has been huge this year. Being the leaders of the team is a different feeling, and those 11 have embraced this and are taking the team to new heights.

“There’s nothing different with the team this year from the last couple years. We’ve had the same people out there for a few years now,” Strauss said. “We’re the seniors and the leaders now, and getting help from good underclassmen has really helped us out a lot.”

A surprising part of the undefeated start is how the offense has fired on all cylinders, excelling in both the passing game and running game.

The running game, led by returning Sunflower League MVP senior JD Woods and a senior-led line, was expected to be great again. It has been that and even more. Through the first seven games, Woods ran for 1,291 yards and 25 touchdowns on 138 carries, putting him on pace to run away with the MVP once again.

“He’s been a big help for the offense and a really great back,” senior

Running in ­— Senior JD Woods runs the ball at the Jamboree. Woods recently broke the school record for career rushing yards in a game at Olathe Northwest. Photo by Cooper Avery

THE BUDGET • PAGE DESIGN BY NIA RUTLEDGE

cornerback Ivan Hollins said. “He’s put up a ton of points for us.”

The unexpected part of the offense has been how consistent the passing game has been. Through seven games, senior Alan Clothier has thrown 494 yards and five touchdowns and zero interceptions. The last few years, teams have put eight or nine defenders in the box to defend the run, and with a consistent passing game, the play action is there for the taken and has been executed perfectly to start the year.

“Our pass game has improved a lot this year, so being able to run and throw has been really important, since we know we can run the ball really well,” Strauss said.

Another mainstay through the season has been the excellent defensive play through the front seven. Led by Division I prospects Amani Bledsoe and Trey Georgie, they’ve combined to allow barely any rushing yards, forcing opposing teams to go to the passing game where the team also excels in rushing the passer.

“Our lineman and linebackers do a really great job of stopping the run, but they’ve really done good with the pass rush,” Strauss said. “A result of this is the secondary has been tested a lot, and they’ve also done a really good job of stepping up and getting the job done.”

Defensive coordinator Adam Green also said the front seven have been key up to this point.

“Anyone that knows football, knows the game is won and lost up front,” Green said. “We are very fortunate to have a quality front seven. We are always striving to become more physical and nasty up front. Our guys in those positions have done a great job of playing aggressive and setting a tone for our football team.”

The defense is putting up record-breaking numbers and continues

OCT. 22, 2015 •21 big time when we’ve needed them.” to lock up offenses game after game, but The team’s mentality all year long it’s still early to call it the best in school has been ‘Next man up,’ which has been history. proven with Gee being thrust into the “There is no doubt this is a very good spotlight of the secondary. defense,” Green said. “As far as the best “Losing Coulter hurt our team from that we have ever coached, I will answer a leadership perspective, but we talk all that question again at the end of the the time about a next man season. We still have a lot to up mentality,” Green said. prove.”

“I’m really excited to “Santino [Gee] has stepped During the second game see where we stand at in and done a great job. We of the year at Leavenworth, the end of the season. constantly are trying to find the secondary took a hit when it lost Strauss for the Hopefully we’re holding players, because unfortunately injuries happen in season with a torn shoulder our game.” labrum. Juniors James Reed- up the state trophy off After the team’s sixth er and Santino Gee have the field.” filled his vacancy, solidifying ­—Ivan Hollins, senior win, blowing out Olathe the position once again and South 63-7 behind Woods’ six touchdowns, they showing just how deep the learned they had clinched at team is this year. least a share of the League “I was pretty disappointtitle, one of the earliest ed knowing I don’t get to play for the rest of the season, but my times in school history to get to this shoulder has hurt for a while now, and mark, but to this team, it’s just another I think that’s helped me to get through feat along the way to the main goal.

“We actually didn’t have too much it knowing it’ll be better,” Strauss said. emotion,” Hollins said. “We have to stay “James [Reeder] and Santino [Gee] refocused on the next game and not get placed me, and they’ve both stepped up

This season’s playmakers

our heads wrapped around the media.”

In the fourth quarter of the team’s seventh win at Olathe Northwest, senior back JD Woods burst for another touchdown early in the fourth quarterback to give him 25 on the year. During that run, he broke the school’s career rushing record set by Michael Cosey’s 3,281 yards.

With that run, it put Woods’ career total to 3,289, putting him firmly in first in school history.

“Me and the team are really proud of him for breaking the record,” Hollins said. “It’s a really big accomplishment and hopefully he uses it as motivation going forward.”

The team is shutting out opponents, averaging over 38 points a game, and breaking school records left and right, but there is one notable omission the team wants to cap off this historic season: a state title.

“I’m really excited to see where we stand at the end of the season,” Hollins said. “Hopefully we’re holding up the state trophy off the field. We’ve put in so much work over the off-season, and now it’s time for it all to pay off.”

Graphic by Aidan Rothrock

Highlights are through the first seven games, including the 35-7 win over Olathe Northwest on Oct. 15

ALAN CLOTHIER

5 25 32 11

Quarterback Touchdowns

JD WOODS

Halfback Touchdowns

TREY MOORE

Halfback Carries

DANTE’ JACKSON

Running back/Receiver Receptions

PRICE MORGAN

52 11 6 1

Tight End/ Line Backer Tackles

Amani Bledsoe

Defensive End Tackles for loss

Trey Georgie

Defensive End Sacks

Ivan Hollins

Cornerback Interception

PAGE DESIGN BY NIA RUTLEDGE • LHSBUDGET.COM

ARTS

22 • OCT. 22, 2015

HANG12 program allows high school artists to show work, get experience

By Zia Kelly The professional art scene is notoriously difficult to break into.

From finding galleries to show work at to building a following of buyers, young artists often have a hard time learning the ropes of the business.

However, armed with a newly-awarded $75,000 grant, a small group of high school artists looks to change that.

HANG12, a board of high school students who put together Final Friday art shows, has drawn LHS

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students to learn about the multi-faceted curatorial process by throwing them into the deadline-oriented gallery business.

The program was started by artist and Lawrence Arts Center instructor Neal Barbour with a handful of students who put on small events, but over the summer, the board grew to include 14 members who now have the resources to do much more.

After writing the grant themselves, HANG12 received $74,670 from the State Farm Youth Advisory Board, which gives the students more power to create professional-looking shows.

“It’s [the grant] affected everything that we do,” junior HANG12 member Emma Reynolds said. “We can make our shows look a lot nicer now because

we have money for good frames. Also, it definitely changes how people feel about the group, because now we can pay the members.”

The group functions much like a professional board might, handling everything from finding venues to taking art submissions to installing and marketing the show.

“It’s really ‘choose your own adventure,’” Barbour said. “You can choose to be the graphic designer and get that sort of experience or if you were into marketing, you could get into that realm of marketing and PR work... It really tailors them to what areas they want to go into, but then also the bleed-over into work with different people in different roles.”

When he came to Lawrence four years ago,

Reviewers — Members of HANG12, like Rochelly Elias and Evondi Weston, review art to choose pieces for their shows.

Photo by Cooper Avery

Barbour saw a need for youth exhibitions.

“I noticed that there weren’t any emerging artists really being shown [at Final Fridays],” Barbour said. “It was people who were established or people from KU...but no younger artists. So I thought it would be great to kind of tap into that, because I know that people are making art in high school and outside of high school and I just wanted to get those people out and showing.”

The program kicked off in June with an original board of eight students.

Their first show was at the annual Art Tougeau parade, and the students have exhibited at other venues

OCT. 22, 2015 •23

Curators — Junior Margaret Lockwood meets with Hang12 advisor Neal Barbour and other members of the student art group on Oct. 13 at the Lawrence Arts Center to work on their upcoming showing. Photo by Cooper Avery

like the Cider Gallery and the Lawrence Public Library, where their current show is hanging.

“It sounded like a good way to get my artwork out there as well as help other people do that,” senior HANG12 member Asha Reeder said. “Because I know it’s an issue to establish yourself in high school as an artist.”

Barbour started the program through the Lawrence Arts Center. He describes it as “part curation and part creation.”

The group starts each month by selecting a theme for the show. They choose

the theme based on their venue and audience. For their upcoming show at Henry’s Coffeehouse, they are curating a black and white show.

After choosing their theme, the group takes submissions for pieces, sometimes commissioning pieces specifically for the show or creating them themselves.

Although the group is used to creating art, HANG12 is their first experience with curation. Instead of drawing or painting, the members take submissions from other high school artists and decide what fits with their theme.

For many of the HANG12 members, choosing pieces to include, and to not include, is the most difficult part of the gallery process.

“It definitely tests what you feel like your aesthetics are,” Reeder said. “Like if you look at something you can’t

just look at something and think ‘oh, this looks good in this context,’ you have to think about what it would look like in a group context rather than just individually.”

After choosing artwork, group members choose roles, like submissions coordinator, treasurer and marketing manager, to get the show ready for the Final Friday exhibition.

“I think my favorite part is when we finally get to see everything together because that is when you can see a show forming,” Reynolds said. “Because over the weeks leading up to show we just get to see individual pieces so once we see them together it makes it all real.”

Although the group was formed on the basis of being student-driven, it has had some difficulties working with high schoolers. “[The hardest part is] definitely just finding the dedication and the time like with students because they’re always busy,” Reynolds said.

With the label “student,” Reynolds said the group has also battled a difficult stigma of being unprofessional.

“Some people... hear [about] a high school art show and they’re like, ‘Oh, it’s the district show at the Arts Center,’ but it’s really different,” she said. “It’s getting the difference of what we do across to people that is really hard.”

To combat misconceptions, the group brainstorms marketing techniques to present their shows as more mature.

Many members of HANG12 look to pursue art professionally and they meet with field professionals who serve as mentors.

Local artist and Percolator gallery board member Zia Maude serves as one of the artist-mentors for the program. She meets with the group at the beginning of meetings to discuss issues

they may run into while curating shows as well as issues they may encounter in the professional art world.

“Our challenge as artists is quite different, because we are trying to fit our creative minds into a world that is quite different,” Maude said.

“We have to learn how to show up for it.”

Aside from the hands-on experience, the education students get in the program is one they wouldn’t get in a traditional art school, Maude said. They learn not just about creating good art but functioning as creative members of society and the opportunities and difficulties it comes with.

“When I went to arts school — and I went to one of the top design schools in the world in Helsinki, Finland — I came out of there not knowing how I needed to show up as an artist,” Maude said.

“The minute I had difficulties or challenges I was stumped.

I didn’t have the tools. And part of the work I want to do with coaching young people... is to help people of this age before they even hit art school.”

Maude also said that HANG12 is a good opportunity for resume-building because it gives high school artists a place to exhibit their work. She said that small opportunities for exhibition are important for artists looking to break into the business.

As the program grows they will be splitting into two separate groups and functioning on two-month cycles, giving the students an extra month to create their shows.

“It’s awesome,” Reeder said. “Being able to walk downtown and see everyone else’s art and aspire to do something like that and then see that your artwork is on the walls and that you put that up. It’s nice to know that you’re contributing to the art scene.”

PAGE DESIGN BY NIA RUTLEDGE • LHSBUDGET.COM

24• OCT. 22, 2015

Strike a pose-- Junior Crosby Dold plays Essie Carmichael, an aspiring ballerina who is tragically, rhythmically challenged Photo by Ian Jones stage chemistry — Sophomore Mia Romano plays Mr. De Pinna in the theater department’s production of “You Can’t Take it With You.” “I always love doing plays here because Ms. [Jamie] Johnson’s really awesome,” Romano said. “It was just a quirky, fun play to do.” The play ran on Oct. 8 and 10. Photo by Ian Jones

THE BUDGET • PAGE DESIGN BY NIA RUTLEDGE

OCT. 22, 2015 • 25

Students take on classic play

Theater department produces ‘You Can’t Take It With You’ with unusual time constraints

By Luna Stephens The cast of “You Can’t Take It With You” faced the normal challenges of putting on a play but with a shortened production schedule.

With one week less than normal to produce the 1930s play, the cast came together for four performances Oct. 8-10.

“It was hectic because it always is,” director Jamie Johnson said. “People are busy and everyone has their own schedule so trying to juggle schedules is kind of hard, and there’s always the pressure of getting everything done because you have people coming. You have the night set, everyone’s going to be there, so you just you got to work right up to the wire.”

The play had a shorter timeline than usual be-

cause the production date had to be moved up, but the cast worked hard to make up for it.

“There’s been tough parts here and there,” said Tehreem Chaudhry, who played Mrs. Kirby.

“But we’ve really made it through.”

The play is well-known and older — first performed on Broadway in 1936 — which Johnson said is different from anything the program had done in her two years as director.

“It was different than anything that we did last year,” Johnson said. “First off, just that it was very old and had a lot of lines… and the set was different too because we built a full box set for a house.”

The play featured two very different families, the Sycamores and the Kirbys.

While the Sycamores were

undoubtedly crazy and unexpected, the Kirbys were much more put together.

Both families collided when Alice Sycamore and Tony Kirby fell in love.

“Essentially it’s about romance and fireworks,“ said Jesse Belt, who played Tony Kirby. “The Sycamores, they’re kind of a crazy family but they’re down to earth, and she falls in love with Tony, who is the son of a rich family who’s really stuck up.”

The unexpected love forces the two families to find a way to get along, and the Kirbys grow to learn from the Sycamores’ happiness.

“Each person in the [Sycamore] family kind of has a weird personality,” said Nicole Berkley, who played Alice Sycamore.

“Then there’s Alice who is the normal one and she’s

getting married and her fiance’s family is so much different from hers, and she doesn’t think it’s going to work.”

In the end, everything came together, Johnson said.

“I was so proud of the cast,” she said. “We had kind of a short timeline because we had to move the date of the production, so they worked really hard and my feeling by the end of it was just that I was incredibly proud of how hard they all worked.”

Johnson has already started work on planning the next play, “Godspell,” a musical that will feature a small cast. Auditions will begin soon.

“We just kind of go from one to the next,” she said.

PAGE DESIGN BY NIA RUTLEDGE • LHSBUDGET.COM

OPINION

26 • OCT. 22, 2015

Anonymous app enables harassment ‘After School’ app allows for explicit comments about students Staff editorial This month, students found another reason to keep their eyes off of their textbooks and glued to their iPhones.

If Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram were not drawing high school drama far enough away from school grounds, After School has gladly filled the void. Now, not only do students get to talk about each other ever-so-passively on social media, they can do it anonymously.

Graphic by Ella Denson-Redding

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The app allows for anonymity with emojis as stand-ins for crude language, anything from faces to produce items that represent body parts, and optional gifs to accompany comments.

Launched in late 2014, the app was temporarily taken off of the App Store from January to April due to numerous complaints from schools where it was used as a cyber bullying aid. Citations of bullying ranged from targeting individuals with insults to gun threats.

After School was put back on the tech market when it was updated with improved comment reporting, content filters, and name and profile photo options to “better express your personality in the app.”

Although the concept seems like the perfect recipe for a cyber-bullying outbreak, most comments seem to be expressions of admiration.

But even though the shade has been kept to a minimum, the student body has

conducted itself in a far from saint-like manner.

Blatantly sexual comments drown out friendly remarks, making the app an enabler for sexual harassment.

Having the option to attach your name to your disparaging comments and being given choices of profile pictures that include an ostrich wearing a fedora and a fox in a tuxedo have not changed the app’s nature and intention.

Students, after being verified as a part of the LHS student body via Facebook, can leave comments about their peers without their names being attached to it, making the action seem to be without consequence.

This has promoted students to post unfiltered comments about their peers on social media. Users often disregard tact and make inappropriate — and frankly gross— comments about their classmates.

Scrolling through the app, most comments are aimed to compliment someone. Although we’re glad that it isn’t being used to put other students down (for the most part), the things being said

can get out of hand and enter the realm of sexual harassment.

Some comments on the app are genuinely nice.

There’s the occasional “so-and-so is really funny” or “I want to be friends with...” which is fine.

Strange, as these statements seem to be greater suited to be said in person, but fine.

But it all goes downhill once you get that peach emoji involved.

Making sexual comments about people is degrading, and even if they’re meant as compliments they’re most likely not met with the intended flattery but rather, the comment probably makes the recipient really uncomfortable.

And although there aren’t a lot of put-down comments — at least not as many as we would have expected — even one negative comment is too many. And there has definitely been more than one.

Ideally, it would be best if people stopped using the app altogether. But until the next big trend comes along we won’t expect our plea to convince people to log off.

Students should, if they choose to use the app at all, be considerate of what they post. Even if the consequences aren’t immediate for the commenter, they are for the people they are about. Regardless of intent, posts on After School could get out of hand quickly.

Please don’t let them.

OCT. 22, 2015 • 27

Hey, Trump: You’re Fired!

If no one’s going to fight Donald Trump, I will Zoie German-Martinez This election’s GOP candidates are as ignorant as ever about immigration and no one serves as a greater example than Donald Trump.

He clearly laid out his platform in his June 16 campaign launch speech while talking about Mexican immigrants.

“They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us,” he said.

“They’re bringing drugs.

They’re bringing crime.

They’re rapists.”

The fact that Trump even had the nerve to say that revs my engine. As someone whose family has a strong Mexican heritage, it’s offensive and hurtful. I’m proud of where I come from, and the fact that Trump is so dismissive with these generalizations is disgusting.

It’s hard to understand why we’re even giving Trump the time of day, as well. He’s only entertainment for the public and gives the media something to pay attention to. Trump takes the attention away from important topics and presidential candidates who actually have potential (like Bernie Sanders).

Trump’s rhetoric isn’t highlighting the important parts of the discussion, only polluting it with racist assumptions and ridiculous solutions.

Because of this, it has been overlooked that ever since Mexican immigration began

to boom in the 1950s, that Americans have been negative toward that population of people with claims of Mexicans “stealing our jobs” and “being a bunch of gangsters.” We’re only seen as dirty, lowlifes who probably live in Texas.

Or that this intolerance led many, including my great-grandmother, to force their children to speak English and act as “normal” as possible.

It also leaves them left wondering what their heritage truly is — and not just sombreros as Halloween costumes.

Not many people even know that the word “greaser” — used to describe 50s boys in leather jackets and slicked hair — was originally used in the late 19th century as a derogatory term to describe Mexicans after the Greaser Act in California.

Thanks to Trump, it only gets worse.

At September’s GOP debate he added that immigration laws will be strictly enforced and that “any immigration plan must improve wages, jobs and security for all Americans.”

But wasn’t America founded on immigration? Didn’t we come from Europe and

steal land from Native Americans? Didn’t we persecute the people who had been living here before us, just because they were different from us?

We stole everything they’d ever known and radically changed it to fit our “perfect” ideals.

While our ancestors came here for exploration, Latinos have immigrated here because Mexico just isn’t safe.

In the past year there have been several riots and protests, including the 43 missing students and the escape of a drug cartel leader. Speaking of cartels and gangs, more than 100,000 people have been killed because of gang-related violence just during this year.

Mexico isn’t a stable place to live and in order to be safe, people are coming up to America. Yet we’re kicking them out because they’re coming here illegally since our citizenship policies are overly-picky and take years to get processed.

But no one understands that because we’re wrapped up in this idea that America is perfect and deserves all the attention. American news has disregarded the rest of the world and leaves everyone in a Western-centric mindset.

In Donald Trump’s eyes, the perfect solution to illegal

immigration is to build a wall between Mexico and the U.S. This plan has been in development for a while, but Trump is the first one to seriously consider it. In a part of his 1,900 word policy paper, he explained that Mexico would be the one to pay for it, which is completely ridiculous and makes me wonder if Trump thinks what he’s saying is correct.

He probably does because he hasn’t really backed down from his opinions. (I don’t want to even call them opinions because they’re just wrong.) Honestly, his ideas are so obscene that they can’t even be legitimate thoughts.

Trump doesn’t acknowledge the fact that we’re hardly treating Mexicans as people, just a problem that needs to be solved. It’s as if we’re an infestation.

He’s only running for president because he wants attention and to make the media go berserk; he’s just a party trick who credits himself as being the catalyst for the national discussion about immigration.

Trump is an embarrassment to everyone and continues to show that politics is just a media circus. It’s not about caring for a nation, it’s about if you get attention.

That’s not what politics or government were meant to be about. Yet we’ve ended up here.

I don’t know what would have caused that, but one thing is for sure: Donald Trump is using the media to express his racist and stereotypical assumptions rather than to bring any change to the United States.

Graphic by Joaquin Dorado-Mariscal

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OPINION

28 • OCT. 22, 2015

What’s the ‘B’ stand for?

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Though LGBT suggests a place for bisexual voices, bisexual students rarely find their voice

By Kansas Gibler It’s hard being bisexual in high school.

But I mean, how would I know? Those who know me, even vaguely, know that I’ve had several relationships exclusively with males.

Which leads into the first problem, lack of numbers.

Being a bit gay is difficult when you’re surrounded by people who’ve known you since before you’ve had any sort of concept of your own sexuality. On top of this, even if I were to seek out a girl to date, “plenty of fish in the sea” with guys turns into “like five or six in a lake” with girls.

That’s not to say that I date guys because I can’t find any girls to date, it’s just that even if I tried, it would be difficult to find someone female and also not straight that I really connected with, considering how few girls come out this early.

As far as my personal experience goes, it’s more common for guys to come out in high school, so there’s a larger subgroup for gay males. This is positive for them because then it’s more accepted, and they have more

possible partners. But I am not saying that being anything other than straight and cisgender is easy, especially for teens.

But the stigma of bisexuality is a sexualized one. Bisexual girls/ women are often seen as dirty and extremely willing to do anything with anyone.

If people don’t sexualize bisexuality, they dehumanize or “don’t believe in” it, which doesn’t really make sense.

There are countless videos online of gay and straight people talking about bisexual people, as if it’s something to be reacted to or that they should have a say in. They accuse bisexuals of being cheaters, promiscuous and confused.

Due to this, I’ve felt this inability to openly identify myself this way. But then again, no one has asked.

Even with groups like GSA (the Gay-Straight Alliance), I haven’t felt like I would fit in. Surrounded by underclassmen and peers who have known me for years, I would likely be assumed to be a straight ally.

Growing acceptance of homosexuality is making society more accepting of gay couples but only gay couples. For example, if two men who are married are both bisexual, it’s not really a gay marriage. It’s a same-sex marriage.

Calling it a gay marriage pulls representation away from bisexual people — representation that’s already scarce.

While there are plenty of out bisexual celebrities and public figures, it’s not fully addressed. It’s surely not shown in books, movies and TV. Typically, shows and movies

OCT. 22, 2015 • 29

define their characters as gay, lesbian or they’re just assumed to be straight.

This is a borrowed example, but for the many who’ve watched the Netflix show “Orange is the New Black,” you’ll get it.

For those who haven’t, the basic plot is that a woman, Piper Chapman, gets thrown into jail because her ex-girlfriend, Alex, ratted her out.

This is problematic for Piper because it happens in the midst of preparing for her wedding to her male fiancé, Larry. Throughout the show, Piper is referred to as bisexual twice, but constantly has Larry calling her “a lesbian,” while Alex’s woes consist of lines like, “This is what I get for falling in love with a straight girl.”

Beyond “Orange is the New Black,” many writers refuse to call their characters with bisexual tendencies bisexual. They stick with the easier straight-gay binary, if they go with anything other than the social default of straight.

Along with all of this, people concerned with social justice often push their own ideas onto bisexual people.

Some try to correct bisexual people.

“Don’t you mean you’re pansexual? That’s more accepting of all genders.”

Well, the thing about that is, if I were pansexual, then I’d say it. I think many bisexual people already understand this and yet I often see people prying at others and correcting their self-identification.

This blocks out bisexuality as a concept. To be misidentified as either straight or gay is damaging.

But still, I don’t make a big point of it. In an effort to remain low-key and to avoid being overtly sexualized, like many girls my age already are, I just keep my mouth shut. It seems that a lot of times there’s no room for the bi voice. It’s not a perspective anyone’s asking for.

Yet without identifying this way on a very public scale, it feels like every time I talk about LGBT issues I’m dismissed by fellow queer

people in the room because I’m just not gay enough.

With the growing acceptance and movement away from the sexual binary of gay and straight, myself and others can start having our voices heard.

Graphics By Ella Denson-Redding

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OPINION

30 • OCT. 22, 2015

A LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

By Kansas Gibler and Zia Kelly High school is a place where it can be hard to find your place, but the environment at our school has niches for countless interests and identities.

Whether it be a sports team, a club or a newsroom.

The student body at Lawrence High is diverse. Diverse in races, genders, religions and orientations.

Doing this issue has allowed

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us and our staff to research LGBT issues and speak with the LGBT community within LHS. It provoked ethical discussions and educated our staff, and we’re grateful that we’ve had the opportunity to attempt something that we hope is influential.

We decided to focus the bulk of the issue on LGBT issues, such as trans and bi visibility and GSAs at the middle schools, because we see them as critical, relevant aspects of the high

school environment.

For the cover we had students and teachers from the LGBT community come in anonymously and have their photos taken.

We decided this way we could keep their identies secure but also show an underrepresented sect of our student body.

We hope that the stories, editorials and information in this issue can provoke greater discussions of acceptance.

OCT. 22, 2015 • 31

JOURNALISM

LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL

MISSION STATEMENT The Budget is committed to providing the Lawrence High School community with objective, inclusive news coverage 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 vessel to publish student voice, it conjointly acts as an educational entity holding the intent of bettering student journalistic ability and reader’s access to information.

ABOUT US The Budget is published every for weeks and distributed free of charge to students and faculty at Lawrence High School, 1901

Louisiana, Lawrence, Kan. 66046-2999.

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 staff 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.

STAFF Editors-in-chief: Zia Kelly & Kansas Gibler Design & Layout Editor: Nia Rutledge Graphics Editor: Joaquin Dorado Mariscal Photo Editor: Cooper Avery

Captions Editor: Hannah Gaines Zenfolio Editor: Ian Jones Webmaster: Jacob Parnell Video Editor: Griffin Nelson Social Media Editor: Meredith Chapple Sports Editor: Colton Lovelace Ad Sales Representative: Nicole Owens Journalism staff members: Kira Auchenbach, Mary Carr, Amanda Coatney, Veda Cobb, Abigail Damron, Ella Denson-Redding, Abby English, Allie Fischer, Zoie German- Martinez, Krista Hopkins, Briauna Huffman, Lourdes KalushaAguirre, Ahnya Lewis, Kenneth McLaughlin, Jaycee Mountain, Abigal Percich, Mason Phelps, Kaitlyn Preut, Kate Rettig, Claire Robinson, Susan Rockhold, Aidan Rothrock, Clara Severn, Monica Steffes, Madeleine Stegman, Carli Stellwagon, Luna Stephens, Anna-Marie Turner, Eric Wheatman and Julia Wilson.

Adviser: Barbara Tholen

Cartoon

“For Pete’s sake — it’s 2015.

Where are our real hoverboards?”

By Joaquin Dorado-Mariscal

2015 in the world of Back to the Future 3 2015 in the real word PAGE DESIGN BY NIA RUTLEDGE • LHSBUDGET.COM

Photo of the month — Senior varsity football players Bryson Cummins, Amani Bledsoe and Trey Georgie ride on a firetruck down Mass Street during the homecoming parade. “I liked being on the truck and the experience with all the senior guys,” Georgie said. “It’s a tradition at the school, and it’s always a good time.” Photo by Cooper Avery