Budget
The
Lawrence High School
Est. 1893
Vandalism
challenges district to
unite
despite divisions
1901 Louisiana St., Lawrence, KS 66046
Volume 122, Issue 2, Oct. 15, 2014
2 News in Brief
In Brief National Merit Winners
Seven LHS seniors were recognized in the National Merit Scholar program for the exceptional PSAT scores they received last fall. In the 2015 program, seniors Kyle Berkley, Jacob DiVilbiss and Nina Friesen were recognized as Commended Students. They scored in the top 5 percent of the 1.5 million other juniors taking the 2013 PSAT. The commended students will be honored for their academic achievements, but they won’t continue in the 2015 scholarship competition. “I wasn’t surprised because I knew I wasn’t a semifinalist because Mr. [Jason] Litche told me I was probably going to get a commended,” Friesen said. “But it was really nice to get the little certificate.”
Seniors Joo Young Lee, Brian Chang, Mikhayla Sheeley and Emily Murphy made it to the semifinals. Finalists in the program receive scholarship money and will be announced in February. “The potential scholarship money will help me pay for my tuition,” Lee said. “Any help with finances for college is so valuable… This experience has taught me that hard work and dedication really do pay off.”
Royals go to playoffs
The Kansas City Royals played in the first playoff game since 1985 on Sept. 30. At that must-win game, the Royals and the Oakland Athletics were tied 5-5 in the 9th inning. In the 12th, Royals won by a run. The final score was 9-8.
“I was pretty surprised,” sophomore Cameron Stussie said. “My mom came in and woke me up. I thought it was a dream till I woke up the next morning and saw the actual box score.” Then, the Royals took on the Los Angeles Angels, and the Royals swept the series. They were off to a strong start in the American League Championship Series, winning their first two games against the Baltimore Orioles. “Their biggest strengths are pitching and their defense is amazing,” special education teacher Brandon Lytle said. “They’re also scrappy. It seems they are good at fighting back and overcoming odds. Every time I think they’re going to lose and every time I think the season is over, they somehow get a winning streak.” By Kate Rettig
Get a head start on college { Science/Health Agriscience Computer
Computer Science AP 21st Century Journalism Digital Media - Newspaper Digital Media - Yearbook Graphic Design I Graphic Design II Digital Design Photography I Web Page Design Computer Apps I Computer Apps II
Business
Marketing III/Marketing Management
Marketing III/Marketing Research
Marketing I and Marketing II Marketing I and Marketing II
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Topics in CAD I Introduction to CAD Concepts - AutoCAD Introduction to CAD Concepts - AutoCAD Interpreting Architectural Drawings Interpreting Architectural Drawings Interpreting Architectural Drawings Introduction to Drafting Engineering Orientation Interior Design I Topics in CAD II
{
{
Business Essentials Business Management Marketing I and Marketing II
Reporting for the Media Reporting for the Media Reporting for the Media Desktop Illustration I: Illustrator Desktop Publishing: InDesign Desktop Publishing: InDesign Desktop Manipulation I: Photoshop Intro to Web Pages: Dreamweaver AND Intermediate Web Pages: Dreamweaver PC Applications PC Applications
{
Engineering
Accounting I AND Accounting II
Programming Fundimentals AND
{
{
Cabinetry I AND Cabinetry II CAD/Drafting II CAD/Drafting III Civil Engineering Architecture I Architecture II Drafting (Architecture and Mechanical) Engineering Design Interiors Research and Design for Pre-Construction
Professions (students must take JCCC final exam) Concepts of Programming: Algorithms Using Java
{
{
Home Horticulture Intro to Healthcare Delivery Intro to Healthcare Delivery Intro to Healthcare Delivery Intro to Healthcare Delivery Medical Terminology for Healthcare
{
{
Introduction to Health Careers Pre Med I Pre Med II Health Care Internship Medical Terminology
Basic Automobile Operation and Maintenance Basic Automobile Operation and Maintenance Basic Automobile Operation and Maintenance Manufacturing Materials and Processes Introduction to Welding Introduction to Welding Workplace Skills
{
{
Auto II Auto III Automated Systems Welding I Welding II Intro to Industrial Technology
{
Automotive/Industry Auto I
College Course
{
High School Course
$
Small Business Accounting Intro to Business Principles of Business Management Marketing Retail Management Consumer Behavior Marketing Graphic by Dymtro Guzhva Retail Management
Thinking about going to Johnson County Community College? Students can begin banking college credits by taking the right classes in high school. The chart to the left shows which high school classes correspond with Johnson County Community College credits. Getting college credits in high school can help save you time and money.
Oct. 15, 2014 3
Mission statement The Budget is committed to providing the Lawrence High community with objective, inclusive news coverage that ensures relevance to its entire spectrum of 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 four weeks and distributed free of charge to students and faculty at Lawrence High School, 1901 Louisiana, Lawrence, Kan. 660462999. 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
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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. Editor-in-chief: Zia Kelly Webmaster: Jacob Parnell Online Co-Editor: Savannah McCollum and Cortlynn Stark Copy Editor: Kansas Gibler Photo Editor: Joseph Anderson Design & Layout Editor: Allie Fischer Graphics Editor: Joaquin Dorado Mariscal Sports Editor: Colton Lovelace Assistant Photo Editor: Blake Nelson
Ad Sales Representatives: Nicole Owens and Keeli Billings Journalism staff members: Brittany Archer, Cooper Avery, Emma Bentzinger, Hunter Boehle, Jensen Edwards, Cynthia Falley, Jacob Goodwin, Adam Graham, Dymtro Guzhva, Shawn Han, Brandon Hegeman, Madyson Locke, Lizzy McEntire, Jaycee Mountain, Riley Nelson, Ben Rajewski, Kate Rettig, Madeleine Stegman, Nicholas Steichen, Anna-Marie Turner, Julia Wilson, Margaret Wiseman, Isaiah Young, Ryan Yowell. Adviser Barbara Tholen Business manager Pat Treff On the cover: Cheering on the team, senior Langston Bush is a part of the student section during the Sept. 19 LHS-Free State rivalry football game. Photo by Joseph Anderson
Breaking News, Photos & More lhsbudget.com The Budget
4 News in Brief
Little Pompeii (minus volcano)
Latin and Art programs team up to adorn walls of class courtyard Kate Rettig The Latin class courtyard has all of the essentials of a traditional Roman courtyard: It has fountains, flowers, even a turtle. Soon there will be pieces of ancient Roman culture. New murals are going to be painted along the west wall of the courtyard off of Latin teacher Jason Lichte’s classroom. “We just really wanted to do something new for the courtyard and leave a positive mark on the school,” senior Latin club presi-
dent Kennedy Dold said. Dold, Art Club president senior Miranda Pratt, art teacher Wendy Vertacnik and Lichte met to discuss the mural. They agreed to replicate a mural of baby Hercules featured in the House of the Veitii, as well as an outdoor scene painted on the walls of the House of Lyvia, wife of Emperor Augustus. “The whole time we have been trying to recreate a Pompeian courtyard,” Lichte said. “Just like the people who lived in
Pompeii, we are using paint to decorate.” Lichte said that the Romans used these murals as somewhat of conversation-starters to entertain guests. “I think the Latin mural will look good and will bring together the courtyard,” Art Club member, sophomore Lilian Khan said. “It brightens it up and adds a whole new element.” Latin Club and Art Club students will collaborate on painting the mural.
The courtyard has been an ongoing project. Each year, improvements have been added to the courtyard as Lichte has students make contributions to the space. Whether it’s cleaning the fountains or donating objects, he wants to make sure the courtyard is looking its best. “The courtyard has been a growing project for nearly a decade,” Dold said. “A new mural seemed like the next logical thing to add.”
Snow days plan different this year Kansas Gibler The school district issued its 2014-2015 calendar without any inclement weather days. Construction to update elementary schools like New York and Cordley required a longer summer for work to be completed. As a result, inclement weather days for the school year were eliminated to shorten the school year. Typically, the district calendar committee builds one inclement weather day into the yearly schedule. When one day is built in, the state will forgive districts if there is an additional snow day taken. Additionally, every semester has 12 block weeks built in. Last year, the district took four inclement weather days when it had only built one day in. This resulted in block weeks switching to full schedule weeks, and each day was lengthened for about a month.
If it snows (a lot)... Here is what will happen each day school is canceled Day 1 -- Attend school on Friday, March 13 Day 2 -- Unblock the next two weeks Day 3 -- Extend the school day by 15 minutes for five weeks Day 4 -- Unblock two additional weeks for a total of four unblocked weeks
Day 5 -- Add a day for seniors (Friday, May 15) and 9th-11th (Friday, May 22) Day 6 -- Add a day for seniors (Monday, May 18) and 9th-11th (Monday, May 26)
Graphic by Dymtro Guzhva
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Oct. 15, 2014 5
Vandalism prompts talks of
Courageous Conversations Overnight vandalism goes too far and sparks conversations about race, class
By Ben Rajewski The day after the N-word was sprayed on the football field with shaving cream, superintendent Rick Doll stood midfield and declared that issues of race must be addressed in USD 497 classrooms. The tool he cited for doing so were Courageous Conversations. Yet, many students remain unaware of the program and teachers give the training mixed reviews as it slowly rolls out to the district. Courageous Conversations is a program run by the Pacific Education Group that attempts to combat racial injustice in educational systems. It is designed to take on issues such as the vandalism that occurred on the Lawrence High football field last month. “I see this as an opportunity to continue to educate our students and our school community and to take deliberate actions to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” Doll said in his speech. In an interview, Doll explained how troubled he was with both the racist remarks as well as “some
classist remarks implying ‘we’re better because we’re richer’ elitism.” Messages also referred to LHS students as “poor” and cited an old, lower graduation statistic. “My vow was not to sweep that under the rug,” Doll said. “Our goal is that teachers can use the protocol and the conditions to have conversations with our students. The only way that we can stop it is we have kids pointing out to other kids that it’s not appropriate. We need to have the space for kids to have these conversations and use it as a learning experience.” The Courageous Conversation program operates across the nation, as well as in USD 497. Courageous Conversations are designed to talk about issues such as graduation rate and suspension disparities. Talking about the issues brings attention to the fact that disparities exist. In principle, addressing the problem brings the district one step closer to solving it. The program has been in the district for the past five or six years. In that time span, more than 250
teachers, administrators and other faculty have been taught how to explore their own views on race. In addition, some have gone through the next phase of training to learn how to lead discussions. During the next two to three years, nearly all the teachers in the district are to have gone through the training. In addition, two district employees will be trained to teach the program. The ultimate goal is to get teachers to feel comfortable and know how to have conversations with students about relevant and serious issues regarding anything from race to gender identity. But when the field was vandalized with a racial slur, many wondered if the PEG program was worth the time and money. At Lawrence High School, no formal messages went out to students during the school day. The first time it was publicly discussed was during the football game. Free State handled the situation a little differently. The incident was acknowledged in an announcement
A single can of shaving cream left behind in the football stadium marks the tool used by vandals before the LHS v. FSHS football game. Photo by Ben Rajewski by the principal at the end of the school day. Hundreds of students attended an assembly the next week to discuss the vandalism. The first formal opportunity to discuss the vandalism for LHS students came last Tuesday when the Can We Talk programs at both schools collaborated to hold a forum at the public library. Doll said school administrators had leeway on how to respond. “It took us a little while at the district level to figure out what we were going to do, but that does not necessarily have an effect at the school level,” Doll said. “When that happens, you need to go directly to the equity team and the administration and say, ‘We need some information.’ ” Continued on page 6
The Budget
6 News Continued from page 5 Not even LHS faculty were formally addressed about the vandalism until a full week after the incident. Woodshop teacher Jay Hundley said that he does not recall receiving an email or any sort of official word about the vandalism. “There wasn’t much of an effort to let us as a staff know...what the facts were,” he said.
Because of the lack of information, many teachers felt unprepared to discuss the topic in their classrooms. “If I had known there was more to it than what we already believed, then yeah, that may have possibly made me want to address it with my students,” Hundley said. Doll said schools could discuss the issue and would be required to form some response. In many cases,
Comparing demographics
he said it’s natural that people would struggle to discuss equity issues. “Courageous Conversation work is about protocol, how people engage in conversations about race, gender identity issues, or poverty issues,” Doll said. “Generally those are really sensitive topics. It’s really hard for people to talk about race.” Hundley said that the Courageous Conversations program
provides a foundation for teachers to begin those discussions, even if each faculty member isn’t entirely through the training. “You’re not going to make presenters out of all of us,” Hundley said. “We aren’t always going to say the exact right thing when we talk to students, we’re human. We all have our different baggage and our different experiences coming into this. It just gives you a frame
Graphic by Dymtro Guzhva
The following graphic compares the demographics between Lawrence High and Free State High Schools Racial Demographics
Percentages
Percentages
90
Lawrence High & Free State Free and Reduced Lunch Qualifiers Free and Reduced Lunch Comparison
Lawrence High & Free State Demographics Comparison
80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 2009 FSHS LHS
2010 African American African American
2011 White White
2012 Hispanic Other Hispanic Other
2013
45
40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 2014
2013
2012 LHS
Source: Kansas Department of Education
What we say and what we believe it means
2011
2010
2009
FS
Graphic by Anna-Marie Turner
Last week, 210 students were surveyed about the words and comments they hear that can marginalize or put down others based on race, religion, sex, sexual identify or economic status. Percentages are based on the total number of students who took the survey. Not every student responded to every question so some categories don’t add up to 100 percent.
Questions of race How often do you hear racial slurs or derogatory comments directed at African Americans?
How often do you hear the “N” word used in school (outside of academic literature) or at school activities?
If you hear the “N” word once a month or more, how is the term used?*
27%
56%
40% 23%
14% *Percentages are based on the total number of students who took the survey. Not every student responded to every question so some categories don’t add up to 100 percent. In other cases, the numbers don’t add up to 100 percent because they were rounded.
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22%
9%
How often do you hear racial slurs or deragatory comments towards Asians?*
27%
15%
15%
1%
13% 23%
How often do you hear racial slurs or deragatory comments toward white people?*
27% 43%
60% How often do you hear racial slurs directed at Hispanic/Latino people while in school or at school related activities?
If you hear racial slurs directed at Hispanic/Latino people once a month or more, how are the terms used?*
21%
11%
24%
11%
10%
38%
16% 3%
44%
45%
work of how you should approach it.” Although most students didn’t see Courageous Conversations play out in school, Doll said the program is having an impact. He said gains can be seen in improved graduation rates although a persistent gap remains. Like in much of the nation, he said students of color tend to get suspended more often, although he said the district has made significant gains and has policies that support improvement in that area. This year alone, $85,000 will be spent on training for Courageous Conversations. Some question if it is worth the cost. Doll acknowledges a lot of work remains. “As long as we can see differences in graduation rates, as long as we can predict those rates based on the color of a child’s skin or their socioeconomic status or gender identity, our work is not done,” Doll said. Equity teams have also been implemented to look at race issues in schools. Both high schools, all
The Key
Daily
middle schools and some elementary schools have equity teams. The team at Lawrence High is composed of teachers and staff members from each department. “The role of the equity team is to help staff have uncomfortable conversations about equity and the fact that there is an education gap between students of color and white students and to try to address ways to teach all of our students effectively,” social worker Lyneisha Thomas said. Assistant principal Mike Norris said the school would be looking to the equity team program as they moved forward. “I don’t know what the easy answer to this is,” Norris said in the days after a second act of vandalism -- that time to a school bus. “It makes you wonder if it’s just a couple of kids being dumb or if it is a schematic of something bigger. Something that our community needs to deal with. I don’t know which it is. One of things we are doing is trying to figure that out.” For now, the Courageous Conversations program has received
At least once a week
At least once a month
Rarely/ Never
How often do students hear slurs or deragatory slurs directed toward these religous or non-religious groups while in school or at school activities?
18%
Christians*
10%
Questions of disabilities How often do you hear “retarded” to describe a person or thing in school or at school activities?
18% 10% 6%
6%
Oct. 15, 2014 7
Responses to Vandalism
“I think it’s dumb and childish, and I thought we lived in a different society, but I guess not.” —Grace Barr, senior
“I felt mortified.” —Tae Shorter, senior
Jokingly/ Offensively Both as a term of endearment
Questions of religion
Muslims*
mixed reviews from teachers. “Courageous Conversations is working, although we have a lot of work to do,” social studies teacher Valerie Schrag said. “There is always work to do when it is called Courageous Conversations. It’s a long process and a hard process.” Unfortunately, Hundley noted that the training sometimes has the effect of offending people. “You can shut some people off who can be a positive help later on,” he said. The responsibility for the conversations doesn’t have to fall solely on the shoulders of teachers. “Anybody can take the initiative to start the conversation, that’s the power of these discussions” Schrag said. “It doesn’t have to come from one person or one perspective.” The point, Doll said, is to keep talking. “When this incident happened a couple weeks ago, we knew from day one we were going to talk about it,” Doll said. “We didn’t quite know what we were going to do about it, but we knew it needed to be talked about.”
44%
65%
65%
24%
“I think that when they say it [the N word] with an ‘a’ at the end, they claim it’s different compared to when it has ‘er’ at the end, but it has the same meaning.” —Lexi Mason, junior
12% 18%
Jewish people*
Atheists
20% 9% 7% 65%
85%
If you hear “retarded” once a month or more, how is the term used?
9% 3% 3%
42% 39%
7%
“I think they took it too far by putting the racial slur, but overall I understand it was a joke, so I don’t take it to heart as other people do.” —Bronxton McGee, junior
Graphics continued on page 8
The Budget
8 News
What we say and what we believe it means (continued) The Key *Percentages are based on the total number of students who took the survey. Not every student responded to every question so some categories don’t add up to 100 percent. In other cases, the numbers don’t add up to 100 percent because they were rounded.
Questions of gender and sexuality How often do you hear the “C” word for females in school or at school activities?*
17%
28%
If you hear the “C” word once a month or more, how is the term used?*
32%
12% 41%
How often do you hear the “B” word for females in school or at school activities?
Have you been called this? Have you personally been called a racial slur while at school or a school related activity?
54% 14%
46%
68% 4%
5%
21%
13%
Has your race or religion been the target of disparaging remarks in school or at school activities?*
20%
30%
22% 41% How often do you hear the “F” word for LGBTQ (lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender-queer) community members used in school or at school activities?*
21% 19%
8%
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Only if both people are in that group
Questions of socioeconomic status?
20%
21%
15% 41% Do you feel that LHS is insulted on the basis of the socio-economic class of students?*
61%
45%
38%
50%
Is it ever OK to jokingly call someone the “N” word?*
77% 13%
How often do you hear other insults based on sexual orientation in school or at school activities?*
28%
Is it ever OK to jokingly call someone “retarded”?*
78%
20%
Is is ever OK to jokingly call someone the “F” word for homosexuals?*
19% 63%
17%
25%
16%
No
Is is ever OK to do this? 42%
7% 23%
Yes
Have you been called a sexist slur in school or at school activities?*
If you hear the “F” word once a month or more, how is the term used?*
32%
53%
23%
21%
27%
How often do you hear “That’s Gay” in school or at school activities?*
31%
How often do you hear sexist jokes directed at women?*
23%
Jokingly/ Offensively Both as a term of endearment
How often do you hear degrading remarks made about socio-economic class in school or at school activities?*
68%
23%
17%
At least At least Rarely/ once a once a Never week month
12%
If you hear the “B” word once a month or more, how is the term used?*
59%
How often do you hear sexist jokes directed at men?
Daily
26%
5% 14%
10% 10%
Is it ever OK to jokingly call someone the “B” or “C” word?*
61%
14% 21%
Oct. 15, 2014 9
Going green causes headaches for schools Students lose educational opportunity as Lawrence pursues recycling initiative By Kansas Gibler
Graphic by Joaquin Dorado-Mariscal
Recycling do’s and dont’s Going green can get confusing, here are some examples of things that should and shouldn’t be recycled Graphic by Shawn Han
Recycling is piling up in classrooms and leaving students without educational opportunities after recycling bins were removed from campus. Deffenbaugh Industries had been collecting school recycling for several years before last month when it pulled its services from Lawrence schools. The change came in anticipation of the city taking over all residential curbside recycling. “Deffenbaugh got upset that they no longer had the residential areas and basically they picked up their toys and went home,” assistant principal Mike Norris said. The solution for the lack of recycling is currently up in the air, but Norris is working on getting some sort of program back in place. “Last time we talked, [the city was] trying to work on a plan to do at least school recycling if not corporate recycling, but that
City-wide residential recycling is here
Starting this month, the city of Lawrence is handling recycling similarly to a regular trash pickup route. Fees for the service are included in residential utilities whether or not the household is using the amenity. The new system makes the chore more manageable, as all recyclable goods can be put in the blue bins each home is provided and will be sorted at the city facility.
hasn’t happened yet,” he said. City communications manager Megan Gilliland confirmed plans are still being worked out. She said the city wants to address the needs of each school. “We’re committed to providing recycling at the schools, so we’re working with the school district to make sure that that’s available,” Gilliland said. Without the services that Deffenbaugh provided, most students with
Do’s
Corrugated cardboard, chipboard, plain paper and junk mail, glass, aluminum cans, No. 1 and 2 plastic bottles
special needs are no longer able to make their rounds to collect recycling. “We have special education programs where that was a part of their work experience, so they haven’t been able to do these jobs that they had, which has impacted the way we were teaching them certain skills,” Norris said. Autism specialist Brandon Lytle has had to find other tasks for his students. “We’ve been throwing some of the recycling in the trash because some of our students still need to do that as part of their daily schedule, but for some students we’ve just had to cut it out of our schedule,” Lytle said. Because the recycling program was put on hold, SPED students no longer have the planned opportunity to visit students throughout the school. “We’ve lost a pretty big program for our school and for our class specifically,” Lytle said.
Dont’s
Food scraps, electronics, bottle caps, plastic bags, pizza and juice boxes, Styrofoam
The Budget
10 News
Schools unite to discuss hard topics LHS and FSHS ‘Can We Talk’ groups spur discussion at Oct. 7 meeting
Top: Engaging in discussion, senior Breanna Bell is a Can We Talk memer who spoke at the joint-held meeting hosted at the Lawrence Public Library. Photo by Blake Nelson Above: Brainstorming a list, junior David Balmilero collaberates with a Free State student with the purpose of promoting equality between the schools. Photo by Blake Nelson
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By Riley Nelson The Lawrence High vs. Free State rivalry is one with rich tradition. This years pranks are some which the community will never forget. The profanity on the football field contained racial slurs and the so-called “poor” demographic status of Lawrence High. A few days later, both schools were targeted by graffiti spraypainted on a bus. These pranks struck a chord with students in both of the schools. Parents, teachers and other members of the community were shocked by the racial vandalism. Can We Talk from Lawrence High teamed up with the Can we Talk from Free State on Oct. 7 at the Lawrence Public Library to discuss the issue. There, they talked about what happened, why it happened and how both schools and the community could help to move forward. “Our superintendent, board members and members of our community are brave soldiers who are willing to have this con-
versation about race,” said Keith Jones, an assistant principal and Can We Talk adviser from Free State. “Our leadership believes that equity is a big part of our work here in the Lawrence Public School District.” The meeting brought high hopes to those who attended: Hope that no prank would go as far as it went this year, as well as hope to educate those who did not understand the severity of what was put on the football field. “I hope that it opens up awareness to our community,” said school counselor and Can We Talk adviser Lynisha Thomas. “I want people to know that it’s not a conversation about who’s racist and who’s not. It’s an educational conversation about how we can prevent things like this from happening.” Students and teachers from both schools shared a mutual hope of bettering the community. “After the meeting, everyone’s spirits were raised in a way,” said Thomas. “Great things will come out of this.”
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14 News
Students get involved in democracy
During the summer, students support candidates in upcoming campaigns By Jaycie Mountain By Jaycee Mountain Months — or even years — before becoming eligible to vote, some students have already experienced the democratic process. During the summer, senior Sadie Keller and junior Kaitlyn Preut helped Democrat Paul Davis’ campaign for governor. Davis is running against Gov. Sam Brownback, a Republican, in the November general election. “So basically what they do is they call a bunch of people and ask: ‘Are you supporting him?’ and ‘Would you want to volunteer?’ ‘Are you going to any of his events?’ ” Preut said. “I put that all onto a computer so they could then be able to figure out who they shouldn’t ever contact again cause they don’t support him, and they would just be wasting their time on who they should contact again.” Keller had a similar task. “My parents and I just regularly like helped and made calls and stuff at his call center in Lawrence,” Keller said. “We just called people and asked them to donate or to help volunteer.” Some years, students help run a mock election for students and children not old enough to vote. Social Studies teacher Matt Herbert has helped with Kids Voting in the past and offered other ways for students to get involved. “There are all sorts of organizations in town, depending on which political affiliation you belong to,” Herbert said. “There are the Douglas County Democrats, Douglas County Republicans, and
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they are always looking for volunteers for stuff as simple as handing out yard signs to taking phone calls. That’s a real easy way to get involved with it and just simply voting like being involved through that process.” Social Studies teacher Fran Bartlett is helping with Kid’s Voting this year. “Students can get involved by talking to their social studies teachers and asking if they are offering extra credit to participate in the Kid’s Voting.” Bartlett said. “Students will be organized into committees. They will tabulate the ballots for each of the individual races that are on the adult ballot. It’s kind of a fun process. We have TV’s with the election results on them, so the students can watch the results come in while they tabulate the ballots.” While Herbert and other government teachers focus on teaching the political process, many students aren’t up-to-date on current issues and politics. “I think they should [talk about elections in the classroom],” Preut said. “I’m only 16, so by the time of the election I won’t be old enough to actually vote in this election. but just generally being informed now will help you be informed later on in life.” Keller said students need to take on the responsibility of learning more about politics. “I think that young people in general really need to be involved in political campaigns whatever side it is,” Keller said. “It also teaches you a lot about the process and how important voting is.”
Among the races Election Day is Nov. 4, and Kansas is getting national attention for several races where incumbent Republicans are locked in tight re-election battles, including in the race for governor and U.S. Senate. Here’s a look at some of the races. Graphic by Anna-Marie Turner
Oct. 15, 2014 15
From Germany to Kansas Three German exchange students discuss time in sister city, compare time at LHS to their home school By Clara Milech, Konstantin Path and Jessica Winkler
The trip began with the long flight across the Atlantic Ocean. We took on the 20 hour journey to get an impression of how Americans live and to learn something about the difference between America and Germany. The big cars and the huge buildings were very impressive. The bigger dimension of everything especially the high school caught our eyes at first. The high school was a big topic for us because of the different school system. We were very surprised that the students at LHS are able to choose between so many classes, including so much creative work. We thought it was too bad that we could only choose seven classes. There were so many classes that we would have tried. In class, teaching is different than in Germany. In Germany the class has one room and the teachers have to
his favorite walk to the team. right class, Besides so that the our school students experience don’t have we were to change very glad their rooms. Eutin, to see the The Germany lifestyles of football and our host soccer games families. were a big They experience accommobecause dated us we don’t friendly have school and poevents like litely. that in Germany. The big Three weeks at LHS is marching band and the not a long time but long cheerleaders were something we only knew from enough to get an insight movies. into American life. Sports are a high priorThank you for our ity at school and most of happy time in Lawrence, the students are in clubs. Kan. We think that’s very cool because that’s the reason During a their few weeks in Kansas, Clara Milech, Konstanwhy the team spirit in the tin Path and Jessica Winkler whole school and in the noticed several differences from city of Lawrence is much their home in Lawrence’s sister bigger than it is in Gercity of Eutin, Germany. Photo by many. Everyone wears KU Jake Goodwin T-shirts or other clothes of
The Budget
16 Features
Getting back on her feet By Kate Rettig
After being hit by a car, student rehabilitates with support of family, friends Senior Mersadie “Sadie” Walker and her mother were driving along East 1900 Road on June 19 when they pulled over for two box turtles making their way across the street. Having a love for animals, they stopped to help the turtles across the road. In the process of picking up the second turtle, Walker was struck by a 2014 Chevy Cruze. The turtle flew out of her hands, and she was immediately rushed to the emergency room. “I remember everything up to the moment of getting hit,” Walker said. “I don’t remember seeing a car. I don’t even remember the feeling of getting hit. I just remember my mom screaming when that car was coming.” In Overland Park Regional Hospital, doctors quickly found that she had broken her pelvis in two places. They also discovered her torn aorta, the main artery in the human body that distributes oxygenated blood. Emergency surgery was called
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upon to correct “It was a her torn aorta. shock at first,” According to junior Catherin MedicineNet. Manry said. “I com, the moralwas really sad. ity rate during I couldn’t go this procedure is see her because 80 percent. I didn’t know “We didn’t —Sadie Walker, senior where she was. know if she was It was scary going to make though.” it through that surgery,” her sister The accident hasn’t stop Megan Walker said. “She was in Walker from loving animals. She surgery for six hours. They actusaid that at least one turtle made it ally lost her on the table for 30 across the road safely. minutes. It was very scary. We obWalker has had a deep love viously didn’t know about it when for animals for as long as she can the surgeon told us they lost her. remember. She volunteered for It was a heart-dropping moment. three years at the local Humane We were imagining what life was Society, helping with walking and like without her. Then they told us grooming the animals. Walker has she survived the accident. We were plans to return to volunteering overjoyed with that, and then we this spring. had to think how we were going to “I was kind of shocked but help her recover with that.” then again, I could believe it The first days out of surgery because she’s saving a turtle,” were rough for the family. Calls junior Philip Dodson, friend of went out extended family and Sadie Walker, said. “She’s really friends to inform them of the sweet, and she cares for everyone accident. she knows.”
“I just remember my mom screaming when that car was coming.”
Due to her broken pelvis Walker couldn’t handle more than 30 pounds of pressure on her feet. “My recovery involved a lot of physical therapy,” Walker said. “I was in a wheelchair for awhile at the very beginning in school. I’ve in a walker at home and crutches at school. Now I’m kind of walking.” During physical therapy, Walker had to relearn how to walk. She sometimes has moments when she wants to give up but said she hates using a walker. “I’ve always told her she can’t give up,” Megan Walker said. “A part of recovery is thinking that you can’t do it. But I’ve just kept telling her she can do it and never trying to let her have the easy way.” After starting the school year in a wheelchair, senior Sadie Walker is walking on her own. She suffered life-threatening injuries when she was struck by a car this summer. Photo illustration by Joseph Anderson
Oct. 15, 2014 17
Back in the saddle
Animal Science class rides horses each year to get experience before unit about horses
Reporting by Kate Rettig and Nicole Owens Teens use marijuana dailyMark before age 17 are 63% less likely to Students inwho Animal Science with get their high science school diploma than those who’ve never used pot, Rickabaugh’s animal class rode horses according to researchers in Australia and New Zealand. The study, on school grounds on Oct. 7 funded by the Australian government, was published in The Lancet “It was fun,” sophomore Katelyn Goodlett Psychiatry in September 2014, and followed 3,700 individuals until said. “Wethe just to ride them for a couple agegot of 30. minutes, and they didn’t run with us. They held them, and thetohorses walked we clear and consistent associaAccording the report, “wewhile recorded tions between the frequency of adolescent cannibus use and all rode them.” adverse youngyears, adult outcomes. ” has For the past seven Rickabaugh had his students ride horses before the class a large in New Zealand showed that people begins a And horse unit.long-term Students study rode an Arabian who began smoking marijuana heavily in theirRight: teensMounting lost an average the horse, sophhorse provided by junior Elise Ruhlman. of 8 points in IQ between age 13 and age 38. omore Katelyn Goodlett takes a ride “I think it’s a fun experience that brings a during Animal Science class. Photo by real life situation to the classroom,” RickaJoseph Anderson baugh said. “You can teach about horses, you Left: At a slow trot, sophomore Chriscan show videos, but until they are actually tina Wilks directs her horse through the riding a horse and having the horse nuzzle on field. Photo by Adam Graham them...it brings a lot more interest whenever we start the unit after having that first-hand experience.”
What happens when
teens use marijuana? Teens who use marijuana daily before age 17 are 63%
less likely to get their high school diplomas than
those who’ve never used pot. According to the report, “we recorded clear and consistent associations between the frequency of adolescent cannibus use and all adverse
young adult outcomes.” —source: Study published in The Lancet Psychiatry in September 2014
www.drawthelinelawrence.com
Yearbooks Order in the school finance office or at www.yearbookordercenter.com
The Budget
18 Sports
The ‘Moose’ is loose By Colton Lovelace
Junior being recruited by top Division I football programs across college football Every high school football player’s dream is to get the chance to play Division I football at the highest level program possible, and for junior defensive end Amani Bledsoe, it looks like he is going to get that chance and more. Before the year started, he had offers from Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and North Carolina State. Highly-regarded programs Notre Dame and Florida State have also expressed interest in him. Going into last year, Bledsoe was not a household name on the varsity football team, but after a few very good outings, he quickly made his name across the Sunflower League. This year, he is one of the starting defensive ends and will battle for the sacks lead in the Sunflower League for the next two seasons. “Personally I want to be the best at my position in the [Sunflower] League,” Bledsoe said. “For the team this year, the goal is to obviously make it to state.” Right now he is considered by every recruiting website out there
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to be the top junior prospect in the state of Kansas and currently sits as the 11th best defensive end in the country by Scout.com and 13th best by Rivals.com. Those rankings should only go up after these next two years. “It really is a privilege to be getting all of this attention this early,” he said. “It feels great. It’s amazing to be ranked like this already.” Being a top football prospect comes with a lot of media attention and pressure, but for Bledsoe, it isn’t too bothersome. Earlier this year he participated in his first radio interview with Arkansas 99.5 Hog Sports and has conducted many interviews with different teams recruiting websites. “I was pretty nervous since it was my first-ever radio interview, but I feel like I did OK on it,” Bledsoe said. The recruitment process is always an exciting time for athletes looking at their college options. For Bledsoe, it’s going to be a
hectic next couple of years as teams, coaches and fans anticipate his big decision. Right now, there is one specific team he is waiting for to show interest in the big lineman. “Since I was really little I have always dreamed of going to Oregon to play football for them,” Bledsoe said. “Of course it helps they are always good and definitely have the best uniforms in the nation, but at the end of the day my decision will be based on more than just fancy uniforms. I’m looking for a program that fits me, and I’m not looking for a program that’s just local, I’m keeping all of my options open.” Getting the opportunity to coach a player with Bledsoe’s caliber does not come around often, but when it does, it’s a special privilege. “Amani is a special young man because he has great ability, but he has an even greater work ethic. He excels both on the field and in the classroom,” football coach Dirk Wedd said. “You add all of that up
and you have a young man that will be very successful in life.” Bledsoe is currently the sacks leader in the Sunflower League with nine sacks and has 30plus tackles, which is a lot for a pass-rushing defensive end. These stats put him on pace for record numbers this season in just his junior year. On Oct. 7 he received an offer from Big XII school Texas Tech. The next day, powerhouse Division I programs Oklahoma and Ohio State made offers, and on Oct. 9, Nebraska gave him another offer, putting his total to eight in just the past few months. “I’ve been at it since kindergarten, so it’s always kept me busy,” Bledsoe said. “All the training and school workouts have definitely paid off, but I’m not done yet.” As part of a group effort, junior Amani Bledsoe (No. 72) helps make a tackle during the 21-14 win over Leavenworth on Sept. 12 at home. Photo by Blake Nelson
Oct. 15, 2014 19
Team Updates Find more fall sports updates at lhsbudget.com
Golf
Bonnie Reinsch “I did better this year than last year. We didn’t have a great turnout this year, but the girls who did go out improved a lot.”
The flexible life
Tennis Kelli Sturm
“Every one of those girls represents the best of Lawrence High School and we had a great season.”
By Cortlynn Stark
Veteran gymnast scores high in competition Volleyball Nicolasa Kenney “We’re starting to work more as a team and progress through the season.”
Soccer Jeremiah Barbe “Varsity squad is stacked This year”
Graphics by Hunter Boehle
Back-handsprings. Cartwheels. Layouts. Round offs. The list goes on and on. There are hundreds of different moves between the three areas that Lawrence High gymnasts compete in: bars, beams and floor. With so many different skills to master, it takes a great deal of work and time to be a gymnast. That is something junior Ashley Ammann, who placed 17th at state as sophomore last year, has put forth. “She works really hard,” gymnastics coach Brooke Kissinger said. “She wants to do well.” “Well” is a bit of understatement considering Ammann’s success. Although she placed at state last year, she strives to do better this season. At the LHS quad, Ammann placed sixth on vault and fifth on bars. Ammann acknowledges the impact of Kissinger — Coach K — on her success. “Coach K has been a good influence on me,” Ammann said. “She pushes me and never gives up.” But Kissinger is not the only one with a positive influence on the gymnastics squad.
“She’s a positive influence on the team,” Kissinger said. “Girls watch her practice and realize that maybe they should be doing the same thing, and it makes my job easier because they have such a good role model to look up to during practice.” In the gym, the girls work on an assortment of skills, ranging from a front flyaway to a back tuck. They showcase these skills during meets, placing third overall at the most recent home meet, which was also senior night. “We’ve been steadily progressing,” senior gymnast Heather Wisbey said. “Our team scores have constantly been getting better and better, and we’ve been working on new upper level skills that are going to help us propel forward and help us make the top eight, so we can go to state.” State will be take place Oct. 25 at Newton High School. Flying through the air, senior Ashley Ammann competes in the vault at a meet hosted at LHS on Sept. 11. Photo by Joseph Anderson
The Budget
20 Entertainment
Entertainment
Top scary movies to watch this Halloween Selections made by Kansas Gibler
Teacher’s Playlist Titled: This one goes to 11
Yes, teachers are human beings. They grocery shop, binge Netflix series and listen to music. This issue, German teacher Natalie
Aaron compiled a few of her favorites into a playlist. Pink lines represent Aaron’s reasoning for each particular selection.
SONG ARTIST ALBUM Use Me Bill Withers Still Bill *Always start with something funky and attention-grabbing. Can’t sit still when you hear this one. Gravity Rides Everything Modest Mouse The Moon & Antarctica *This is about finding comfort in the constants of life. Hoist That Rag Tom Waits Real Gone *I was abroad for a year during Bush’s presidency and this song influenced my political views. Trouble Will Find Me Don’t Swallow the Cap The National *I love their driving drums and clever lyrics that make me feel things. Calling Cards Neko Case The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight *Meaning: when you have lived in lots of different places, you are always leaving people behind, old loves, old friends... beautiful nostalgic song. Pusin’ Against A Stone Valerie June Pushin’ Against A Stone *I saw her at Liberty Hall. I love the style and her unique voice. Burning Down the House Talking Heads Burning Down the House *Classic. Hyperballad Björk Post *An odd love song. Meaning: love takes work! Monkey Gone to Heaven Pixies *Meaning: the effect of humans on the environment.
Doolittle
She Moves On Paul Simon The Rhythm of the Saints *Subtle descriptions about being under someone’s spell mixed with “world music”. K Jana Hunter Blank Unstaring Heirs of Doom *This song feels like a laid back weekend.
Graphic and story by Kansas Gibler
What genres do students listen to when doing homework?
Graphic by Hunter Boehle
Pop Rap Other Rock None Country Classical Dubstep Swing/soul Blues Graphic by Shawn Han
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20.5% 17.1% 14.5% 12.8% 11.1% 8.5% 7.7% 5.1% 1.7% 0.9% 117 students were surveyed
Oct. 15, 2014 21
Opinion
The Bill of Rights of a Courageous Conversation Classrooms shall make a legitimate effort at having courageous conversations
The mention of courageous conversations should not end with Superintendent Rick Dole’s speech before the rivalry game. Students and teachers need to take the initiative to have class conversations about things like race, gender and class.
Whole-hearted sincerity is necessary for the effectiveness of conversation
It’s not hard for students to get alienated when speaking about serious topics, but that is not an excuse to joke about the topic. Making jokes about the topic can offend your classmates, and they won’t always speak up when they’re offended.
Conversations shall, in the context of a classroom, be from current events
The vandalism is only one example. There are plenty of current events that can be tied in with prevalent, controversial issues, and having discussions within the context of the real world can give students an opportunity to voice their opinions while also getting a better understanding of the world around them.
It is the right of the students to be allotted with the proper amount of time for discussion
Courageous conversations can’t be held in five minutes. If everyone is participating and elaborating on their opinions and ideas, the conversation should take a considerable amount of time. That time needs to be allowed for an effective discussion to take place.
No person shall be held to answer for the masses
It needs to be widely acknowledged that the one girl in the discussion can’t give you the opinion of the entire female population, and the one black student cannot give you the opinion of the entire black population. Assuming that someone can be representative of the entire
demographic that they are in will put that person in an uncomfortable place. Belonging to a group does not ultimately determine a person’s opinion about something.
In courageous conversations participants should be supplied with historical context
Using historical events as examples gives students the opportunity to make connections between the ideas introduced and events they’ve studied in class.
All persons shall be held to keeping themselves informed
Cell phones and computers make it incredibly easy to keep up with the times. News sources are at almost everyone’s fingertips, so make use of them and know what is going on around you. It makes discussions a lot more meaningful
Excessive suspension of lesson plans shall not be required; fit discussions to topics of study
Especially in social studies classes, there are plenty of places in the regular curriculum where conversations can arise. Plan for discussions to take place. Maybe students will stay more involved if they can state their input for once.
Conversations shall not be limited to a narrow set of topics
While the official Courageous Conversations program focuses on racial disparities, our focus must be broader. Discrimination based on gender identity, gender, socio-economic status and religion remain significant issues in our society and demand examination. We can only address these disparities if we allow ourselves to discuss them.
Participants shall enter conversations openly
Listening to others’ ideas can give you a better perspective of what they believe. If you don’t agree, there is an opportunity to speak up and explain why you disagree and ask questions. Going into a discussion with a strong opinion could close you off to other viewpoints. Graphic by Allie Fischer
The Budget
22 Opinion
Opinion
An open letter to Lawrence Vandalism raises questions financial disparities between two high schools
Kennedy Dold, senior Guest editorial This is no longer a rivalry. The first shots have been fired and the powder keg stuffed in 1997 with the opening of Free State High School has officially been lit. Lawrence, Kan., is in the midst of a civil war. Lawrence High School and Lawrence Free State High School have participated in hate crimes and vandalism disguised as pranks. The first occurred the evening of Sept. 17 at Lawrence High when five Free State students sprayed a phallic symbol, “School of [N-words],” “You’re Poor!” and “82% Graduation” in the center of the football field. The vandalism was discovered Thursday morning. Nothing was officially said to LHS students until Friday evening at the Free State vs. LHS football game. This lack of communication created false stories, causing confusion, frustration and even anger. The second act of vandalism occurred Sept. 21, when someone (culprits still yet to be made public) vandalized a First Student bus with “F*** Free State” and “School of Crackers.” Even “F*** LHS” was reported to be on the bus, sparking really interesting debates about the mindset of the culprits. Both schools erupted over social media with
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blame and insults being thrown by both sides. Factions have developed, and students from both schools are being called racists, elitists, etc. These events are rooted in racism that has been allowed to permeate our society. There is no excuse for the use of the N-word on the field. As much as some might argue otherwise, the word “cracker” is not comparable. The fact we are able to say “cracker” but choose to censor “the N-word” proves that point. However, I am not here today to talk to you about racism. I am here to talk to you about the root of the rivalry problem: the use of socio-economic class status as a means of ridicule, mockery and a source of these so-called pranks. As of 2012, 23 percent of Lawrence residents lived below the poverty line, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The 15th Street dividing line that separates the two schools has a larger number of disadvantaged families living on the LHS side. New city housing developments in Lawrence show that larger houses bringing richer families with larger incomes and are being built in neighborhoods on the Free State side of the line. As of 2014, 40 percent of Lawrence High students participated in the free- or reduced-price lunch program. Only 29 percent of Free State students took part. Up front, there appears to be a huge gap between the schools that fuels the outlook of “rich vs. poor.” However, in the free lunch program alone, the numbers are much closer with 30.86 percent at LHS and 23.45 percent at Free State. So what do we have? First and foremost, there is a disparity, even if a close one. There also is the perception of a disparity that to both student bodies is having a negative effect on their pride in their schools and their pride of themselves. Looking past the numbers, we can see the disparities between the two schools by looking at their facilities. One school has outdoor locker rooms, fully-insulated outdoor bathrooms with electric dryers, and a fully-functioning film room at their new football facility. The other school had to fight hard to even get a second bathroom at their football field. The cause of this disparity? One could argue that
one school had more donations for these facilities, they have better PTO committees, more backers, etc. But, where do donations come from? They come from families, alumni and sponsors with more income who can afford to give money away. This is our problem. We have huge monetary divisions between two schools no more than 10 minutes apart — maybe 20 with road construction. We have two student bodies with one viewed as the “haves” and the other as the “haves-not.” This is not something that started with the “You’re Poor!” vandalism. Mockery of socio-economic class between the two schools has been a problem for years. Last year, many Free State students bought an unsanctioned T-shirt that read, “LHS: where the peasants go.” These T-shirts, along with peasant costumes were worn to the 2013 LHS vs. Free State football game. It might be added that the T-shirt is still frequently worn around Lawrence with most of the wearers still viewing it as a joke and not a form of discrimination. Let me get this straight: Those shirts were a form of mockery solely based on how much money someone makes. USD 497 says it does not tolerate bullying. The United States Government has federal laws prohibiting hate crimes and discrimination. Moreover, we as citizens have a moral obligation to not discriminate against socio-economic status. Lawrence was a city founded by people fighting for human rights. The actions taken over the last month have not only shamed ourselves and our schools, but our history and tradition.
Want to be featured in our next issue? Write an editorial expressing your opinion about school-related issues, and bring it to Barbra Tholen in Room 139 or send it to lhsbudget@gmail.com. Other contact information available at lhsbudget.com.
Oct. 15, 2014 23
Opinion
Graphic by Joaquin Dorado Mariscal
Racial slurs poison the hallways, society
Vandalism bring to light an ugly reality present in student vernacular By Isaiah Young It’s in music. It’s in movies and shows. It’s allowed to enter our ears, to pollute our minds and to desensitize us to violence against marginalized people. And most recently, this act of hate was burned into the history our football field. I don’t know if it’s more sad that many people, myself included, weren’t surprised by the use of N-word, or that so many were. As if that word didn’t glide through our halls as acceptable vernacular daily. Luckily enough , most people are aware that the N-word is a slur, but many groups of marginalized peoples targeted by other slurs aren’t as lucky. In many cases, the people who use slurs and aren’t even aware that the words they are using are slurs, either because the words were acceptable previously or because they were never exposed to real life.
Slurs are not the same as swear words. Slurs are used to humiliate and dehumanize the people they’re being used against. This creates the perfect climate for violence to fester, making that environment unsafe for marginalized people. As a trans and queer identified person of color in high school, it’s clear to me that some people don’t care about how unsafe their language makes an environment. What many people do not realize is that slurs are among the few words capable of grouping a bunch of people together and declaring them lesser. They dehumanize that group of people and ultimately justify their continued oppression. But what about when marginalized people reclaim a slur for self-empowerment, like when black rappers use the N-word? Assuming these rappers are even moderately educated on the
history of slurs — specifically the N-word — there’s no way that they’re actually using them for empowerment. The N-word is derived from the word negro, which is an adapted version of the Spanish négro, meaning black, according to the Online Etymology Dictionary. From its earliest use in the 1700s to the Civil Rights movement and even to this day, it has been hurled with contempt. Its intent was to slight and devalue black lives. Also, to consider the N-word a slur from the mouth of anyone who isn’t black makes it impossible to be empowered by it. A word that empowers a group of people is a word that brings a group of marginalized people together and says their lives are just as important as anyone else’s. No slur can be redefined to do that. No slur ever will. And until our society realizes
this, slurs will be in our music, our television and movies, in our homes and saddest of all, in Lawrence High. Slurs poison and permeate our halls, creating an unsafe learning environment for students. The first thing promised to us, even before an education, is a safe place to learn. Because no higher learning can occur without safety. LHS teachers and administrators typically do a good job of monitoring the language in the classroom and halls, but the responsibility to make school a safe place is not entirely theirs. As students of LHS and members of modern society, it’s our job to tell people when their actions are oppressive, because there won’t always be teachers to keep us safe. Someday we’re going to have to acknowledge that our silence doesn’t combat oppression.
The Budget
24 Advertising
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