Issue 2, The Budget, 2018-2019

THE BUDGET

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LEARN ABOUT WHAT’S ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT

04 STUDENTS LEAD EFFORT TO REGISTER VOTERS

06 DEBATE TOPIC IS IMMIGRATION

08 LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL LAWRENCE, KS VOLUME 126, ISSUE 2 OCT. 22, 2018

THE BUDGET News

IN THIS ISSUE !

THE BUDGET

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USD 497 enforces new safety drills page 10

Seniors for pro Fortnite team page 16

State provides free ACT page 12

Students mourn end of their favorite TV show page 18

Student displays hat collection around halls page 15

Gymnastics team has its best season yet page 20

LEARN ABOUT WHAT’S ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT

04 STUDENTS LEAD EFFORT TO REGISTER VOTERS

06 DEBATE TOPIC IS IMMIGRATION

08 LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL LAWRENCE, KS VOLUME 126, ISSUE 2 OCT. 22, 2018

LHSBUDGET.COM STORIES Photographer reflects on National Geographic trip to Africa LHS Students win Student Championship Award

FOLLOW US: @lhsbudget

YOUTUBE

STAFFER TRIES POM SQUAD

LOOP PEDAL WITH MARIAH BARNETT

ON THE COVER — As the midterms approach, students show voters why it is important to vote. Pictured by row are: (top row) Tobin Ishmael, Allie Grammer, Kurt Johnson, (second row) Zimmer Bellemere, Sarah Cory, Pierce Saturday, Anoosha Redd, (third row) Hailey Coon, Donavon Dillion, Marian Frick, Frances Williams, (fourth row) Mollie Coffee, Trevor Arellano, Katie Williams, (bottom row)Manu Redd, Inez Robinson and Aiden Zimney. PHOTOS BY EMILY KRUSE

STUDENTS TO DANCE IN HASKELL POWWOW

BY HAILEY ALT

STAFF WRITER

Each year there are at least 10 powwows locally, which allow for Lawrence High students to become involved.

Sophomore Amaya Harris has been dancing in powwows since she could walk.

“I started off dancing traditional, which is kind of just a graceful little walk, so that’s kind of where a lot of girls and women start off with,” Harris said. “And then I started dancing jingle, which is a little more advanced.”

Sophomore Jordanne Peaches used to dance in powwows similar to Harris. Now, Peaches sells fry bread with her family at local powwows.

“I used to dance in powwows,” Peaches said.

“It’s kind of a nice little activity to do in my free time,.”

Powwows and the different dances performed at them mean a lot within Native American

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OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY SAMI TURNER

culture.

“There are different types of dances with tribes that relate to them,” Peaches said. “Some of them have specific tribes that they connect to, and they have meanings behind them.”

These different dances also led to many misconceptions about what the purpose of a powwow really is.

“I wish people would know that when we go out on that arena we’re not just dancing to please them,” Harris said. “The outfits we wear and the beadwork we use, it’s not just something that we put on… We’re dancing for our ancestors and our elders.”

TO THE BEAT — Sophomore Amaya Harris dances in the Haskell Welcome Back Powwow on Feb. 3. Harris plans to dance at the school’s talent show.

PHOTO BY MCKENNA WHITE

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PLAYING WITH

HART

“STRICTLY OFF THE RECORD, VOLLEYBALL IS NOT A SPORT AND I HATE IT.”

—JOSH ‘COACH’ HART, CLUB VOLLEYBALL SPONSOR AND ENGLISH TEACHER

LHSBUDGET.COM

PEARLY WHITES

BY KEN BIGHAM

ROOM 125 PRODUCTIONS

“I really enjoy getting to see patients that normally wouldn’t be able to come into the clinic,” Owens said. “Us bringing the mobile clinic to school kind of eliminates that transportation issue of needing to be taken out of school.”

The program had not reached any Lawrence high schools until this year. It previously had made visits to elementary and middle schools, including Kennedy Elementary and Billy Mills Middle School.

Lawrence is not alone when it comes to having a school-based dental program. Wichita and Topeka also have dental programs that go through the schools, according to Hannah Sheridan-Duque, the office manager for Friendly Smiles Dental Clinic.

STAFF WRITER

In the nine years the schoolbased dental program has been around, the program had never come to Lawrence High School.

Until this month.

The program happens yearly and is free to all who participate.

“It’s really difficult for parents and kids to make it into their appointments,” said Dr. Mollie Day, director of the dental program.

“This is a way to overcome barriers to care.”

During the years that the program has been around, the responses from the patients, as well as parents, have been positive, according to both Day and Amber Owens, the hygienist for the program.

WINS 3RD PLACE

IN THE KANSAS TURNPIKE AUTHORITY ‘PUT THE BRAKES ON FATALITIES’ VIDEO CONTEST THE PLACING TEAM Nick Cabel Kindred Curry Alex Lane Tommy Marshall Xavier Watson

THE SAVE DATE 5 EVENTS YOU SHOULDN'T MISS 1 OCT. 25-27

‘ANIMAL FARM’ FALL PLAY 7:30 PM, AUDITORIUM

2 OCT. 26

VARSITY FOOTBALL REGIONALS LOCATION TBD

3 NOV. 3

4

REGULAR REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR DEC. 8 ACT TEST

NOV. 6

MIDTERM ELECTIONS VOTING HOURS 7 AM- 7 PM

5 NOV. 6

GALA CONCERT AUDITORIUM, 6:30 & 8 PM

OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY SAMI TURNER

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$5

Chicks Plate

Only valid at Lawrence Locations

EXPIRES NOV. 15, 2018

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OFFICE EQUIPMENT MFPs & Copiers Productions Printers www.udpcorp.com Wide Format Printers www.sumnerone.com Laser Printers Supplies

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WHAT YOU ARE

OTING FOR

An explanation of some down ballot government jobs

$ ATTORNEY GENERAL • State’s chief legal officer • Prosecutes violations of state law • Represents state in legal disputes • Issues legal advice to state agencies

STATE TREASURER • • • •

State’s head banker Manages investments Keeps track of budget Manages deficits

STATE BOARD DOUGLAS COUNTY OF EDUCATION COMMISSIONER • Ten elected members on the board, each representing an area of the state • Establishes statewide curriculum • Sets graduation requirements • Oversees state testing

• Three elected officials on the board • Enact and administer ordinances • Approve and oversee local budgets • Hire local employees

SECRETARY OF COMMISSIONER STATE OF INSURANCE • Chief elections officer • Administers elections and voter registration • Files finance reports from lobbyists

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PROPOSITION Asking approval of quartercent sales tax to fund mental health resources for the county. The tax would begin April 1.

• Head of the Kansas Department of Insurance • Consumer protection advocate • Regulates insurance

IF YOU’RE 18, DON’T FORGET:

VOTE NOV. 6 POLLS ARE OPEN FROM 7AM-7PM

OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY SAMI TURNER

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PUSHING THE THE POLLS THE BUDGET News

Young Democrats hold voter registration drive

BY CONNOR SCHMAUS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

A

mongst the turmoil of modern politics, one club is empowering people to vote.

The last week before the registration deadline, Young Democrats club held a drive to sign up as many eligible students as possible.

The idea for the drive has been at the forefront of planning since the previous school year, but inexperience meant the drive was pushed to this year.

“It’s always been something we’ve wanted to do as a club,” senior and Young Democrats vice president Derek White said. “Even last year, we wanted to get it started, but we couldn’t really get it going because we didn’t know how to do anything.”

White and club president Sami Turner organized the event after learning more about running political events at the high school level during the summer. White believes this preparation led to greater success this year.

“Over the summer, Sami and I attended some meetings and stuff, and we learned how to start our own drives,” White said. “I think it’s going really well [because of this].”

Originally, a friendly competition between Lawrence High and Free State would have been an added incentive, but scheduling and member shortage changed the plan. Although this partially

changed the attitude going in, the drive had few obstacles. Young Democrats treasurer Trevor Arellano felt the event faced only general annoyances.

“Some people write silly things down, like they don’t really take it seriously,” said Arellano, a junior. “But that’s just high school.”

The drive has also reached other generations.

Club sponsor Jon Harrison believes in the optimism of his students, especially though what he observes in discussions about getting involved.

“I’m pretty hands-off but I do enjoy their discourse and admire them a lot,” Harrison said. “I have faith in [them] to make the world better, but [they] have to get out there and do it.”

Even with the legal restriction on age, Young Democrats Club is encouraging people to get involved by helping those who share passions make real change.

“Democracy is not a spectator sport,” White said. “If you don’t like the way the government [executive] or congress is dealing with certain issues that you’re passionate about I feel like it’s your civic duty to do something about it. You can still campaign, phone bank, try to get people to vote.”

STORY: Young people expected to turn out to vote in record numbers

WWW.LHSBUDGET.COM

MEET THE EXECUTIVE

Young Democrats Club executives share what they are looking forward to with the club

SAMI TURNER PRESIDENT “Getting more young people involved in politics, specifically in Kansas. I feel like there are not enough young voices in the Legislature”

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OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY SAMI TURNER

DEREK WHITE VICE PRESIDENT “Election campaigning for Young Dems.”

LH REPORTING BY KEN BIGHAM

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VOTING TIPS 17+

Can register to vote, but you can’t vote until you are 18.

OCT. 30

If you will not be able to make it to the polls, apply for an advance mail ballot by Oct. 30 at www.ksvotes.org.

LOCATION

Make sure you know your polling location before Nov. 6.

Find yours at www.myvoteinfo.voteks. org

SAMPLE BALLOT

Before the election, get familiar with what will be on the ballot. Google “Douglas County sample ballot.”

HS VOTES JAYLN BANKS SECRETARY “Taking leadership.”

TREVOR ARELLANO TREASURER “Phone banking, so we can get everyone out there to vote.”

SET A REMINDER

Set a reminder on your phone to vote on Tuesday, Nov 6. Polls will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

KATIE AHERN REPRESENTATIVE “I’m really excited about voter registration. It’s such an important thing, because if nobody votes, then nothing will happen.”

OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY SAMI TURNER

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THE BUDGET News

DEBATE GETS

PERSONAL Immigration debate topic holds personal connection for students who are the children of immigrants

BY MACY LANDES

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

T

hroughout the nation’s history of debate topics, none have hit as close to home for Lawrence High students as immigration has.

The year before selection, a committee of 50-60 people with debate knowledge meet in October to propose topics and narrow them down to a list of five, which are then voted on nationwide. After each state submits a vote, the final topic is announced the February before the school year for which the topic is applicable. LHS students have known immigration would be their topic since then, and began preparing to debate it after the national tournament concluded.

Debate coach Jeff Plinksy said this is the most engaged he’s seen his students in a while.

“It’s because kids live this topic, particularly here on the Lawrence squad,” he said. “Everybody on my squad knows somebody who either is an immigrant or whose parents are….Our students have much more buy-in.”

Senior Rachel Nikolov, whose

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parents immigrated to the United States from Bulgaria, is a student who buys in. She and her partner’s case involves issuing more student visas, and they have won all but one of the rounds they’ve competed in so far.

“When you’re passionate about it, I think it makes your work better,” she said. “Just the way you present everything is so much better when you believe in what you’re saying.”

Senior Vanya Racy has a good track record as well, despite his personal aversion to decreased restrictions on immigration.

“My view [that I take in debate tournaments] is that we should allow sanctuary cities to thrive because they actually benefit human rights and stop incoming civil war in this country,” he said. “I personally don’t believe in it, but it’s a very persuasive argument for a lot of judges.”

Racy’s mother emigrated from Ukraine.

“It makes me more open to ideas [but] when it comes down to it, I see things as an American, not as a Ukrainian,” he said.

Plinsky said the fact that

OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY ANNA PARNELL

students have differing opinions drives engagement and makes for meaningful discussion.

“Students are still trying to grapple with how immigration has played a role in this nation’s history versus what impact it might have today versus these very real human beings,” he said. “And it has caused a great number of conversations between people that thought they understood where they stood. As we dig into it a little deeper, the issue is not nearly as black and white as perhaps some of our political leaders would like to make it, and I think that’s true on both sides.”

Although students have allowed their backgrounds to inform their arguments, it’s always about advancing to the next round.

“I think it’s better to debate the facts,” Nikolov said.

ENJOYING THE WORK — Senior Vera Petrovic has fun while working hard at a debate work night on Oct. 3. Like many students in debate, Petrovic has a personal connection to the topic of immigration. Her parents are from Serbia. PHOTO BY MEGAN DRUMM

News THE BUDGET

QUICK TAKE Review the past five debate topics:

2018

Immigration

2017

Education

2016 China

2015

Surveillance

2014 Oceans

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THE BUDGET News

CROWDING INTO THE FOOTBALL STADIUM — The school runs the first crisis drill of the year on Sept. 14. “I think protecting us is necessary, but I think there should be different ways of making sure we are all safe,” sophomore Nick Cabral said of the drill. “Overall I felt it was too slow, and I didn’t feel that safe.”

PHOTO BY MCKENNA WHITE

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OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY ANNA PARNELL

News THE BUDGET

CRISIS CONTROL Number of crisis drills raised to nine per year under new law

BY WILLIAM YANEK

ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

L

HS held its first of nine crisis drills last month.

This marked a significant change from years prior, when only one crisis drill was required per semester. In addition, there will be three tornado drills and four fire drills this year. The decision was handed down from the State Fire Marshal on July 13 in response to the passing of Senate Bill 109.

Crisis drills encompass a variety of situations, including but not limited to intruder response and lockdown drills.

“A lot of people are conflating evacuation drills with active shooter stuff, and obviously the active shooter stuff that happened last year is what led to a lot of these changes, but that’s not the only reason we do these things,” said Assistant Principal Mike Norris, who is in charge of implementing the drills. “There’s all sorts of reasons we might have to leave the building; three or four years ago we had a fire in the auto shop, and I had to evacuate everyone to the football stadium until we had it dealt with, so it could happen for other reasons.”

However, recent mass shootings have prompted nationwide concern over school safety and crisis preparedness.

“I think a lot of the change initially is a response to some of the increased concerns around some of the mass shootings that have occurred in schools nationwide,” Norris said. “I think a

lot of it was an initial response to that and the fact we need to practice more statewide.”

To prepare teachers for these changes, teachers were required to participate in ALICE training at the end of summer, which teaches proper civilian responses to active shooter situations. However, the drill on Sept.

14 was the first time teachers actually got to practice responding to an evacuation scenario.

“All of the teachers had to do ALICE training when we came back from summer, which trains what we need to do if we have emergencies, like specifically school shooters or things like that,” math teacher Matt Ellis said. “The lockdown stuff we haven’t actually practiced, like today [Sept. 14] for instance was the first time the teachers have run through an evacuation drill so it’s still a little fresh, but we’ll get it figured out.”

Even though actual crises will be spontaneous, teachers and students were given plenty of advanced warning.

“A week ahead of time, I sent out the specific information [to teachers],” Norris said. “I told them they could start telling students, and then I got on the announcements and gave a five minute warning, too. Since the crisis drills are so new to us and there may be a certain level of anxiety and trauma centered around it, because people have experienced violent things.”

The drill went well considering it was the first crisis drill of the year.

However there were a few points in need of improvement that Norris noticed.

“You had a lot of people who weren’t in there [the stadium] yet, when they got in the stadium there was direction going trying to keep the kids on that visitor side of the stadium, but evidently they ran out of room,” Norris said. “So just little things like that, trying to get people down there faster, the routes, everyone was trying to go through that south entrance but I could look out the door and see hardly anybody going through the north entrance.”

Junior Allie Grammer also saw problems with the drill on Sept. 14 and found issue with the concept of a crisis drill as a whole.

“It was kind of hectic, there was lots of kids not knowing what they were doing because some of the teachers weren’t there, some of them had subs so it was kind of hectic,” Grammer said. “I don’t think we ever know what’s going to happen especially with the school shooting drills. They could have people out there who know what our drills are, especially if they go to the school.”

Security guard Danny BooneSalazar was in charge of the second floor during the drill. While he foresees some potential issues, he is optimistic about the student response to the drills based on what he saw Sept. 14.

“Only the people that don’t want to participate [will cause issues]. there’s always one or two that just don’t think it’s necessary,” Boone-Salazar said. “But other than that I think everybody’s on board, everybody wants to be safe and learn what to do in a situation that hopefully never happens.”

QUICK TAKE 16 total emergency preparedness drills

9 crisis drills

4 fire drills

3 tornado drills

OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY ANNA PARNELL

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‘FREE’

THE BUDGET News

Kansas government to cover cost for juniors to take the ACT

BY HAILEY ALT

STAFF WRITER

F

ree stuff is the best kind of stuff.

Or at least it is to Trevor Arellano, a junior planning to take the free ACT exam in February 2019.

Juniors across the state of Kansas will be able to take the ACT college entrance exam free of charge thanks to a new law.

After encouragement from Kansas principals and superintendents, the Kansas Department of Education along with the Kansas Board of Regents, Gov. Jeff Coyler and legislators worked to get the law enacted.

“There was a study done in Michigan showing the benefits of providing universal ACT/SAT testing,” Denise Kahler, spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Education, said in an email. “Particularly that it removes a logistical barrier for low income students to be able to apply for/pursue

postsecondary education.”

Getting this postsecondary education is about to become very important.

A study done by the Georgetown Public Policy Institute reported that by 2020, 71 percent of Kansas jobs will require some level of postsecondary education. Yet, in Kansas, only 46 percent of high school graduates pursue and follow through with postsecondary education.

“Our goal is to make sure every student has what they need to qualify for jobs that provide livable wages,” Kahler said.

Along with the ACT test, students will also have the opportunity to take the ACT WorkKeys assessment. The WorkKeys test measures a student’s essential workplace skills and helps them to lay a pathway to the career right for them.

Both the ACT and ACT WorkKeys test will have half a school day dedicated to them on Feb. 20 and 21, respectively.

Students will be able to take one, both,

STAR STUDENTS

or neither of the tests on these days.

Senior Lex Moulton has decided to opt out of taking the exam.

“I’m not taking it anymore times because I’m about to start applying to college anyways,” Moulton said. “But I think it is helpful for people who are taking it a little bit last minute.”

That is the purpose of the ACT exam ­— to measure a student’s readiness for college — and offering this exam allows more students to make informed decisions about their futures.

“It gets more people involved with college prep tests and things,” Arellano said.

In 2017, 73 percent of graduates took the ACT. With a greater number of students taking the test, the state’s average composite score of 21.7, which is above the national average of 21.0, is likely to decline.

“But we shouldn’t be worried about what it will do to test scores,” Kahler said. “The focus needs to be on doing what is right for students.”

REPORTING BY ANAHITA HURT AND CONNOR SCHMAUS

National Merit Semifinalists describe how they felt to learn they were semifinalists

ZUZU MELCHOR, SENIOR “It was amazing to hear about semifinals.

It made me a little less stressed about college applications.”

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OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY ANNA PARNELL

LEX MOULTON, SENIOR “I was very relieved, since I knew how close I was to the cutoff last year.”

News THE BUDGET

GET MONEY FOR COLLEGE REPORTING BY FREEMAN SPRAY

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is available now for students making college plans for next year. By filling out the application early, students may be able to take advantage of additional sources of financial aid, but it’s important to start gathering the documents you need early. Find more information, including planning tips, at studentaid.ed.gov.

YOU QUALIFY FOR THE FAFSA IF...

YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE YOUR...

You are a US citizen or eligible noncitizen (such as a refugee).

FAFSA ID (apply at studentaid. ed.gov)

You have a valid Social Security number.

Parent/guardian FAFSA ID

You can show a financial need (for most aid programs).

You are enrolled in or accepted to enroll in an eligible degree or certificate program.

You maintain satisfactory academic progress in your college or career school.

You don’t owe money on federal student loans.

Your and your parents’ Social Security numbers Your driver’s license (if you have one) Recent tax records for you and your parents Records of untaxed income and records of assets Potential colleges list

READ MORE ABOUT THE SEMIFINALISTS

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EMILY GUO, SENIOR “I was pretty happy, especially since so many semifinalists become finalists.”

AIDAN PIERCE, SENIOR “It didn’t seem like something ridiculous exciting, but I was still glad.”

OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY ANNA PARNELL

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Features

UNDER THE HATS Student parades mountain of hats around the halls

BY EMILY GORDON-ROSS

STAFF WRITER

L

ast year, when the long-standing no hat rule was removed by administrators, one student decided to take full advantage of the new opportunity.

“I didn’t hear about [the rule change], I just started seeing people wearing hats, and I thought hats were OK,” junior Charlie Nigro said. “Then I just went above and beyond.”

Nigro decided to create a tower of hats that would slowly grow throughout the school year.

He currently has 16 hats in his creation, and getting them all to stay in place is more than a little difficult. “[Keeping them in place takes] a little bit of magic, some balancing, and three hours of practice,” Nigro said. “I spent three hours trying to fit this top hat on.”

His goal is to add a new hat every week until the end of school. Most of the hats are whatever Nigro finds around his house.

“Whenever I find hats, I stick them on,” Nigro said. “I’ve got a fez in this somewhere, like Doctor Who. The Viking hat I got from shotgun shootings, the squid hat I got from Worlds of Fun. The rest of them I just kind of found.”

Junior Joseph Braun was one of the first supporters of Nigro’s display, even adding three of his own hats to his tower.

“Well, I’ve always been a support to whatever random stuff Charlie wants to do,” Braun said.

“When I saw an opportunity to aid in his endeavors, I took the full chance.”

Surprisingly, the majority of teachers seem to be enjoying the display. Taylor Jones, Nigro’s English teacher, has frequently referenced the hats in various vocabulary quizzes.

“I’ve had one sub that’s told me to take them off but other than that...they don’t really care as long as they’re not too big of a distraction.”

Nigro said.

Mariah Barnett, the new orchestra director, said she loves seeing the new additions to the hat stack, and she admires how careful Nigro is to keep it from becoming a distraction.

“I always enjoy seeing his new additions to the tower of hats...” Barnett said. “There was also a time in class where Mr. Clark borrowed one of his straw hats. Mr. Clark happened to be wearing jeans and a plaid shirt that day. It was a perfect addition to his ensemble and the entire class was in fits of giggles.”

With the surprising support for his hats, and now with his goal of adding a new hat every week, Nigro has no plans to stop.

“I just like wearing hats,” Nigro said. “I like being myself. I don’t really care what other people think, so if they don’t like my hats, screw them.

I like my hats.”

STACK ‘EM UP — Junior Charlie Nigro shows off his many hats. Nigro chooses his hats daily based on his mood and level of neck pain. “I just woke up one day and decided I wanted to wear hats,” Nigro said.

“Sometimes I’ll see people pull out their phones and take pictures of me while I’m walking behind them in the hallways.”

PHOTO BY ERIN DOYLE

OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN ALEX LANE

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THE BUDGET Features

CLEANING UP

HORRORS Custodial workers share their most terrifying experiences from working at LHS REPORTING BY SYMON KNOX

SKYLER ASHER “It’s a tie between a poop smiley face on the wall in the bathroom and a used tampon stuck to the side of the toilet.”

ACE GROTTO “One time I went into the boys locker room...and there was an avocado smashed up against the wall. I’m pretty sure it is still there because it requires a lot more scrubbing than any of us have time for right now.”

DEAN ALT “When students clog the toilets on purpose. I have been here for 14 years, and nothing beats that.”

REGGIE HEYLIGER

RYAN DAVIS

“One time I was plunging a toilet and all of the sudden it flushed, and feces and toilet paper sprayed all over me, and got on my face.”

“People smash their lunch in the waste bins in the girls locker room stalls, they will put all kinds of food in there, and it’s awful to get out.”

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OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY ANNA PARNELL

Features THE BUDGET

FORTNITE FANATICS Seniors form pro Fortnite team called ‘Epic Gamers United (EGU)’

BY COOPER WRIGHT

STAFF WRITER

P

rofessional Fortnite has taken off at LHS as seniors Nathan Stoddard and Andrew Severn have formed their own pro team.

Fortnite has grown rapidly in popularity since December of 2017.

This has resulted in drawing a wide spectrum of players from casual gamers to competitive professionals.

These pros join teams to compete in tournaments and other competitions, often for money.

“EGU is the name of our pro team, and we came up with it because we’re epic, gamers and united, which makes up EGU,” Stoddard said.

Pros often practice with each other in games called scrims, which is short for scrimmages.

In these games, there are usually anywhere from 10-40 pros that queue up at the same time to compete against each other while the rest of the lobby is made up of normal players.

“The best we’ve done in a scrim was on the first game of the night one night where we dropped 15 kills in a scrim and won it, and at the end we each had 10

health,” Stoddard said.

While Stoddard and Severn may not be as well known in the pro community, they have run into several famous players in scrims.

“On the first day we played scrims we ran into FaZe Cloak, and I killed a Cloud 9 player, which is a pro team,” Severn said.

Severn and Stoddard have continued to improve in the pro circuit, and have succeeded in several events. They are currently ranked the No. 1 duo team in Kansas, according to Fortnite tracker rankings.

“We’ve recently started playing scrims, we’re moving up in leagues, and we have a couple wins and a second place on league night, which is pretty big, and we’ve also been doing wagers, which is where you wager money on kills or placement, and we’re undefeated in that,” Severn said.

EGU was formed because Severn and Stoddard wanted to showcase their gaming talents, and casual gaming wasn’t enough for them.

“It’s more fun of an environment when you’re playing against opponents of the same caliber and level and not players that are garbage and do not know how to play the game,” Stoddard said.

GOING PRO — Seniors Nathan Stoddard and Andrew Severn have begun a professional Fortnite team. Here, their images are mixed with some of their favorite characters.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY KRUSE

OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY ANNA PARNELL

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THE BUDGET Features

QUICK TAKE Number of seasons of Adventure time

10

ADVENTURE ARTIST Student artist inspired by TV show ‘Adventure Time’

BY MACY LANDES

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Number of Primetime Emmys

8

Total number of characters

929

Nonfictional languages spoken: Korean and English

2

Though most current LHS students didn’t grow up watching Saturday morning cartoons, Adventure Time’s Finn and Jake offered them a glimpse of what devotion to an animated series is like.

The show, which aired 10 seasons from 20102018, is particularly nostalgic for senior Haedyn Bell.

How long have you been watching Adventure Time?

“I have been watching Adventure Time since it first aired in 2010. When it was new, me and my sister would watch all the new episodes together and get all excited about the new characters and gags and weird stories.”

What’s your favorite part of the show? How has it influenced your life?

“My favorite part of the show was the characters no doubt, they were all so different and lovable and relatable. They had flaws and quirks, and I felt like I got to grow up with Finn and go on his adventures, too. I also really loved the humor, like it was really clever at times but also goofy and

just fun. Adventure Time was part of the reason I started getting into art and illustration.

“It’s really lame, but I would draw my own Adventure Time characters and try to fit them into the stories of the show, which in retrospect is kind of weird, but it was a really cool creative outlet for me.”

What makes it unique?

“I think Adventure Time was unique because it touched on topics such as grief and empathy and establishing healthy relationships, and those topics are so important for kids to learn about really.”

What did you think of the finale?

“I think the finale was great. It really rewarded viewers for sticking along for the ride and paying attention to all the little stories and all the different characters. It was really beautiful, and it had me in my feelings for sure. I cried like three different times. It also provided plot points and stuff.”

What message does the show send to kids?

“I think Adventure Time totally sends a positive message to kids. It sends the message that you should just live your life and find joy in helping others and building friendships and being yourself.”

31 NIGHTS OF

HALLOWEEN Students share their favorite movies from Freeform’s ‘31 Nights of Halloween’ REPORTING BY MACY LANDES PHOTOS BY ERIN DOYLE

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ANDREW ELY FRESHMAN

“‘Nightmare Before Christmas.’

It’s the only one on here that I like that’s actually a Halloween movie.”

OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY SAMI TURNER

JOJO BLACKWOOD JUNIOR

“‘Spooky Buddies.’ I just really like cute dogs.”

Features THE BUDGET

LAZLO MARDIS JUNIOR

“‘The Addams Family.’ I think it fits the kind of spooky vibe well, and it also has some really funny stuff in it.

I just think it was a good movie.”

JORDANNE PEACHES SOPHOMORE

“‘Monsters University.’ Monster’s going to school, that’s pretty cool.”

MARY ESTHER SENIOR

“‘Halloweentown’ or ‘Twitches.’

I mean [‘Twitches’] is about witches, and who doesn’t like that.”

OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN SAMI TURNER

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THE BUDGET Sports

Sports

RUNNING A NEW RACE

Transferring to LHS for junior year, runner finds new success after time in Baldwin

BY AMELIA VASQUEZ

STAFF WRITER

C

ompetitive cross country races have existed for nearly 200 years, originating in England schools. Today, half a million American students participate in this sport annually.

Running on the cross country team, junior Maiki Martinez began this school year at LHS, a school with nearly four times as many classmates as at her previous 4A school, Baldwin High School.

According to Kansas State High School Activities Association classification and enrollment figures, there are, collectively, around 43,000 students in 6A schools, while 4A schools have less than 15,000 students. These figures don’t take into account senior enrollment.

“Running in 6A has more competitors, which helps push me,” Martinez said.

Despite common belief, smaller schools’ teams don’t perform worse than those of larger schools.

Baldwin High School’s 4A cross country team excel — winning 10 state titles since 2002 and bringing home 19 top three trophies since 1997. Last year, their girls team won the state championship.

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Comparatively, LHS brought only one female competitor to the state championship last year.

“Over the past seven or so years, the competitiveness across all classes [1A-6A] has risen to about the same level due to the fact that everyone begins training early,” assistant coach Kyle Morgison said.

“Overall, this season is shaping up to be a great one. We, the coaches, have grown a lot over the past few years and are continually learning and adapting to the new flock of kiddos gracing our presence.

Don’t tell anyone, but we have been keeping our eyes on a few eighth-graders this year that just may turn heads as freshman and be wonderful additions to a stellar returning cast in 2019.”

After three years in the Baldwin school district, Martinez is happy with her return to USD 497.

“Everywhere you go, I feel like cross country is a big family, but LHS has definitely helped welcome me more,” Martinez said. “I feel at home.”

NEW START — At Jamboree in August, junior Maiki Martinez runs around the track with other members of the cross country team, which she joined after transferring from Baldwin High School.

PHOTO BY MCKENNA WHITE

OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY GARY SCHMIDT

Sports THE BUDGET

MEET THE

SUPER FANS

Reporting by Meriel Salisbury Photos by Addison Thornsbury and McKenna White

SENIOR BAYLEE UNRUH has been supporting athletics at Lawrence High since attending her first game as a middle schooler. Since then, Unruh has become a leader in the student section and guesses that she has been to 200 games.

“I try to go to as many athletic events as I can to like, show everyone that their activity is important, because it is.”

The first LHS game that SENIOR BRETT CHAPPLE attended was the first football game of the year in his freshman year.

Four years later, Chapple is doing exactly what he admired so much as a freshman.

He and other students decide on student section themes for the football games in a group chat.

“I remember seeing all the seniors like get everyone hype, and I just wanted to be like that,” Chapple said.

JUNIOR RYAN LAUTS has gone to all of the football games except for one this year. One of his favorite parts of being in the student section is doing the chants with the cheerleaders and with the crowd.

“The student section is part of the game,” Lauts said. “If we’re hype, they’re hype; they’re hype, we’re hype. It’s kind of a family relation here.”

OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN GARY SCHMIDT

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THE BUDGET Sports

GOT GRAVITY? THEY DON’T

A strong start to the girl’s gymnastics season comes off the momentum of previous year’s success

BY DANIEL DAVIDSON

SPORTS EDITOR

F

rom the moment senior Josie Hickerson discovered the girls gymnastics team broke a collective score of 100 in the season opener, she had high hopes for the Lions.

The team was able to break during this season’s first meet a score that last year took up until league to reach. Additionally, the Lions were able to snag the top three all-around individual places. The success continued as the team managed to score second place at the Sunflower League competition and secure the top spot in state ranking.

Coming off of the momentum of a successful previous season and fifth place state finish, the Lions have hopes to go even “OUR further. Hickerson, who helped lead the team in getting fifth at state last COACHES year, believes this year’s team has the WANT US TO potential to go beyond last’s.

“The last couple years we’ve had WIN.” good people,” Hickerson said. “But we —KAILA BRADFIELD, haven’t had enough to get good team JUNIOR scores. This is the first year we’ve truly had a good squad throughout.”

Despite Hickerson being out of competition temporarily due to an Achilles injury, she has already managed to come home with several medals from the first two meets. Many others have found similar success.

This is the second year with Michelle Seidner as head coach, but after the great season Seidner led the team to last year, the Lions are starting to realize more of their own effort is needed.

“Our coaches want us to win,” junior Kaila Bradfield said. “But I think it’s more of a goal within ourselves to do the best. Last year we didn’t put in as much effort, and it showed, so this season we’re going to be working hard.

We’re more focused, more dedicated to the sport, and I think just a lot more motivated to win.”

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OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY NOAH GINSBERG

STARTING OUT — Gymnasts Eden Kingery, Paris Spotted-Tail, Beth Brant, Kaila Bradfield, Ilaria Michelatti, Caroline Dunlap and Klara Hinson wave to the crowd during the Free State Invitational on Sept. 23. The team placed second. “My favorite thing about gymnastics at LHS is being a part of a really great team that’s super welcoming and friendly,” freshman Beth Bradt said.

PHOTO BY EMILY KRUSE BALANCING ACT — Junior Abby Afful smiles while doing a routine on the balance beam. The Lions gymnastics team placed first at the Lawrence High invitational on Sept. 27. “The most challenging part of gymnastics is trying to get new skills on bars.”

Afful said. “It’s scary jumping from bar to bar and having to think about how if I have a little bit of bad technique, I could fall and break a bone.”

PHOTO BY LESLIE OSTRONIC With such early successes and strong motivation, senior Eden Kingery sees the Lions bringing home a trophy from state as a real possibility, as long as team members continue to push themselves.

“I’m very excited for the rest of the season,” Kingery said. “We have a lot of new skills we’re still working on, and we’ll be able to score much higher when we perfect them.”

Sports THE BUDGET

MEET THE GYMNASTS NAME

FAVORITE EVENT

FAVORITE PART ABOUT THE TEAM

FAVORITE HOBBY OUTSIDE OF GYMNASTICS

Kaila Bradfield

Floor

“The friendships that I make and creating strong friendships in and out of the gym.”

Baking pumpkin muffins

Llaria Nichelatti

Vault

“My teammates because we bond well together and support each other.”

Hanging out with friends and watching movies

Reece Wohlford

Balance Beam

“Everybody is really supported, and we cheer each other on.”

Writers’ club and violin

Paris Spotted Tail

Floor

“Meeting new people and bonding together.”

Hanging out with friends, watching movies and swimming

OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY NOAH GINSBERG

23

THE BUDGET Sports

WESTWARD EXPANSION Postseason play to be affected by athletics reclassifications

BY COOPER WRIGHT

STAFF WRITER

F

or decades, Lawrence High has competed in the east region for regionals and playoffs in athletics.

This will likely be coming to an end for most sports this year as LHS is moving into the western side of postseason “WE play. This is HAVE THE due to new POSSIBILITY 6A schools east of LawOF rence High TRAVELING and other UP TO SIX schools that HOURS have moved into 6A. TO PLAY, “The WHICH change won’t CAN BE A really affect GOOD OR us until playBAD THING offs, but then DEPENDING we have the possibility of HOW YOU traveling up LOOK AT IT.” to six hours —Garrett Hart, to play, which can senior be a good or bad thing depending how you look at it,” senior basketball and soccer player Garrett Hart said.

Liberal is about the furthest place any sports team could go as it is around 13 hours round trip. When traveling to a place as far away as Liberal, teams

24

would have to stay overnight.

“We’ll be playing teams that we don’t normally see in the regular season, but we’ll have to drive much farther away to play playoff games,” Hart said.

Generally, in most sports, the eastern side of Kansas is more difficult when it comes to postseason play, so the move to the West could ultimately be beneficial for playoff success.

However, the West has historically been stronger than the East in wrestling, so the movement for wrestlers may not ultimately be beneficial.

“If the regionals are easier, you’ll qualify more kids (for state), which is good, but you may not have as much success,” track coach Jack Hood said.

There are two theories for the impact the move will have on LHS athletics. One is that some sports may qualify more people for state but may not be ready for state due to weaker competition in the regionals.

The other is that the East was better because it took only the best athletes to state and prepared them better for success at state.

While there is a trade off in that sense, Hart thinks that the move will ultimately be a good thing for Lawrence High athletics “Being in the West is a blessing in all honesty,” Hart said. “For the majority, with the exception of football, teams in the West are traditionally weaker due to weird conferences.”

OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY GARY SCHMIDT

Sports THE BUDGET

SWINGING FOR STATE Golf team sends three to state tournament

BY GARY SCHMIDT

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

G

olf is a sport usually reserved for days with favorable conditions: warm weather, bright sun and maybe a gentle breeze.

On Oct. 8, the girls golf team faced anything but that for their Class 6A Regional tournament at Tex Consolver Golf Course in Wichita.

In conditions closer to a hurricane than a fair day for golf, the Lions battled the rough conditions and qualified three individuals for the state tournament. Freshman Rylie Hayden and junior Josie Abernathy qualified for their first trips to state, while senior Beatrice Lopez did for her third.

Despite the fact that she was facing possibly the last tournament of her career, Lopez said she remained calm, and even used the nervous energy to help her succeed.

“I was pretty nervous, yet calm when I actually had to play,” Lopez said. “I was really happy to play golf even though it was raining and rough conditions. I knew that I had to make the most of it because it could be my last tournament.”

Lopez making it to state was more of a foregone conclusion, however, for Abernathy, qualifying came as a surprise.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” Abernathy said. “My parents were behind me and told me congratulations, and I didn’t

know what to do.”

Whether their reactions came as an expectation or as a surprise, according to Lopez, qualifying three girls for state is a huge testament for the growing program.

When Lopez joined as a freshman, she was one of two golfers in the program. This season, the team boasted 14 girls.

“The program has grown so much over the years,” Lopez said. “My freshman year we had two golfers. Now, we have 14. I am grateful that more girls are trying out and trying new sports. I think our coaches like Coach Schmitt and Coach Moos have really pushed people and advertised and talked about the golf team to get more people to come out each year.”

Now, with one final tournament left in her career, Lopez planned on enjoying the experience. “[Qualifying for state] feels good,” Lopez said. “I am proud of myself for doing it, pushing through and trying out for a new sport and having the courage to try golf my freshman year.

It has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

At state on Oct. 16, Lopez led the Lions by finishing 18th.

TEE OFF — Junior Josie Abernathy hits a shot out of the rough during the Sept. 26 golf tournament at Eagle Bend. Abernathy was one of three Lions to qualify for the state tournament.

PHOTO BY ADDIE THORNSBURY

OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN GARY SCHMIDT

25

THE BUDGET Opinion

Opinion

FAILNITE Popular game lacks true value, longevity

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OCT. 22, 2018

le

S

ince the beginning of its explosive popularity in January, the multiplayer game Fortnite spread through a diverse set of demographics, the likes of which has never been seen by a video game. Since then, one idea has eluded me: the reason for its popularity.

The game has so little content.

In an era of games with production values that rival that of a blockbuster movie, why does a game with one mode and unappealing visuals have such an impact on the younger population?

As an example, Monster Hunter World is the most popular game sold this year, selling more than 10 million copies and taking in more than $800 million in revenue for the company as a whole. Comparatively, Fortnite holds 125 million active players, with a total of $165 million in revenue — for a free game, according to IGN. com and Capcom.com.

I can understand that aspect. Fortnite is the most accessible multiplayer game with no price tag other than that of the console you play with. The complete cross-platform allows added flexibility in playing with friends, but that is also the game’s biggest flaw, as the free-to-play nature means major upgrades are nearly impossible.

Fortnite has limited potential, with no changes and improvements to the game save the occasional seasonal event that brings a slight twist

or an irrelevant cosmetic update.

These purchasable cosmetic changes seem to be the driving point of the game’s continued hype.

That’s the other thing. During the past few years, games have shifted to a marketing strategy of promoting these purchasable cosmetics, or changes to the player’s in-game appearance. The only revenue is from advertisements and from this in-game economy.

The issue is that the game won’t stay that way for long. Eventually, Epic Games is going to realize the financial potential and begin to charge an arbitrary price to continue playing, and people will still play it. That will eventually take away from games that charge an up-front price for more diverse and in-depth content.

People need to realize the difference between this and a more cinematic game. Fortnite lacks so much of what many modern games have that it can’t live up to the same praise as its more intensive counterparts. Appreciate the thousands of hours people put in to create these games that are equivalent to an interactive movie.

Don’t just delegate the highest praise to a work like Fortnite. Know not to compare apples to oranges.

y o R

Ba tt

BY CONNOR SCHMAUS

CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

e l a

GRAPHIC BY ALEX LANE

Opinion THE BUDGET

GRAPHIC BY ARIANNA MYERS-ARENTH

DRAINING THE BANK Costs become an unnecessary deterrent to sports, parent supporters

BY GARY SCHMIDT

CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

W

e live in a society obsessed with sports. We live, breathe and die by the whims of simple, human games. And I believe this is an entirely warranted, understandable notion.

The natural parity of sports is attractive, conducive even. On the sport field, all outside factors of the world are thrown out, and we are left with a battle of will; not who has more provided to them, not who is gifted the most, but who wants it the most.

I view this as a wholesome, natural reaction. It provides broader America with a break from reality, an escape to their own idealistic world.

This trend is no different for high school students. Athletics provide a safe haven for all students. Regardless of how their school day went, or what they will go back home to after practice, for two hours a day, they have a simple escape.

I believe Lawrence High does a fantastic job making sports accessible to individuals of all incomes. Aside from a minimal fees associated with each respective sport, which in some circumstances can even be worked around,

students are given the opportunity to do activities that outside of school could cost hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars.

However, this offer of an equitable experience is not granted to all parties involved. Gate prices prove to consistently to be a limiting factor for the families of athletes. At $7 apiece, a family of four could be looking at a $28 charge to simply see a child play the sport they love. Add in grandparents, friends or extended family, and this cost can appear monstrous.

Lawrence High is very progressive in its offering of family or season-long packages. Despite all their work to make things more and more equal, I believe some families still remained disenfranchised by the costs associated with sports.

First, away games are not covered by the Lawrence High pass. So, any event not held at Lawrence High instantly requires the family to front the cost of watching their child play. For sports with minimal amounts of competition, this may not appear to be much, but for many sports, they operate off a 16-plus game schedule, not even beginning to factor in playoffs.

On a similar note, even home playoff games are not covered by the season passes. As the team progresses further

and further into the postseason, this cost can stack like a whole extra half of the season’s worth of cost.

I believe other schools around the state should follow in the steps of Lawrence High and work to make attending sports an opportunity that all families can afford. It is feasible that the Sunflower League could create a season pass for all its member schools, adjusting the price to incentivize its purchase, that would make attendance more affordable for all parties.

If this were instituted, it would allow for students traveling to away games to make their out of town trips more cost efficient and would make supporting their own school more affordable. It would allow parents to see their children compete at a manageable cost.

As for postseason events, I believe KSHSAA could prioritize its fans that ultimately pay their wages and take steps toward making events more affordable for all.

Ultimately, what makes sports special is the sense of community they bring. When parents are cheering on their children and students are cheering on their peers, the event is better for all parties involved. Money should never be a question in this world, and taking steps toward making sports more affordable would allow for that.

OCT. 22, 2018

27

THE BUDGET Opinion

SUPREME COURT Due process, presumption of innocence under assault in hearings

BY WILLIAM YANEK

ONLINE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

J

udge Brett Kavanaugh was sworn in as the next Supreme Court Justice to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on Oct. 6.

The ceremony marked the end of a bitter fight that included allegations of sexual assault dating to

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Kavanaugh’s time in high school.

The bedrock of our American legal system is built on a few core tenets, including due process and the presumption of innocence. Due process is based on the idea that to convict someone of a crime, procedures must be followed that are lawful and fair to both the accuser and the accused. Presumption of innocence in the United States is equivalent to the legal axiom that a person is “innocent until proven guilty” when accused of a crime. In other words, an accused person must be given a fair hearing and the evidence presented must have sufficient corroboration for a pronouncement of guilt.

Supreme Court nominations are not criminal trials. Claims do not need to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt to have weight.

OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY ALEX LANE

However, as Sen. Susan Collins said in her floor speech supporting Kavanaugh’s confirmation, claims should at least meet the threshold of “more likely than not” to sink a nomination.

The allegations against Kavanaugh don’t even come close. In all three cases, not a single person could back up the claims of the accusers.

This nomination process was always about more than the allegations. In the summer of 2018, before any nominee was chosen, leading Democrats Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. Richard Blumenthal announced their unequivocal opposition to the Trump nominee, with Blumenthal swearing the Democrats would use “every tool available” to stop the person chosen.

During Senate hearings, Senators Cory Booker and Kamala Harris tried

Opinion THE BUDGET

STANDOFF to pigeonhole Kavanaugh as a radical conservative, with little success.

But, all along the Democrats had a secret weapon in Christine Blasey Ford’s allegations. Since July 30, Sen. Dianne Feinstein sat on these allegations per Ford’s request until they were leaked days before the vote. It is possible Feinstein was not the one who leaked the allegations, but someone with a partisan agenda most certainly did.

By the time of Kavanaugh’s testimony on Sept. 27, irreparable damage had already been done to his reputation.

At this point it didn’t matter, as Sen. Booker put it, whether Kavanaugh was “innocent or guilty.”

Kavanaugh’s nomination process was a dangerous perversion of what the American justice system is supposed to be. The accused ought to be given

adequate time to respond to allegations. Instead the confirmation process was nearly over when the accusations surfaced.

Cases ought to be judged based on facts and corroborating evidence.

Instead Kavanaugh was judged based on comments in a high school yearbook and assumptions about his background.

The accused ought to be presumed innocent until evidence suggests otherwise. Instead Kavanaugh’s reputation was obliterated in the public square.

Potential victims of trauma ought to have their requests for anonymity respected. Instead Ford was thrust into the spotlight and used as a political pawn.

Protecting due process and the presumption of innocence isn’t some distant issue that doesn’t affect everyday

Graphic by Jaylynn Hicks

Americans. Warping these fundamental legal principles will have an impact on every level of American society.

In the dystopian world we are creating, if someone held a grudge against you in high school, all they would have to do to exact the ultimate revenge is accuse you of something horrendous years later. In this world, politics will become an endless cycle of character assassination in a ruthless quest for power. In this world, truth will no longer matter.

I believe Christine Blasey Ford. I believe something traumatic happened to her.

However, we need more than pure belief to ruin someone’s life and reputation. Thank God our legal system requires as much.

OCT. 22, 2018 PAGE DESIGN ALEX LANE

29

THE BUDGET Opinion

By Jaylynn Hicks

THE JOURNALISM STAFF MISSION STATEMENT The Budget newspaper is committed to providing the Lawrence High community with objective, inclusive news coverage that ensures relevance to its 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 tool to publish student voices, it also works to help students grow as journalists and help readers access 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. 66046-2999.

The Budget is produced by students in the Digital Journalism and Digital Design and Production courses with occasional contributions from 21st Century

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OCT. 22, 2018

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.

Keirian Tillman, Amelia Vasquez, Andrew Williams, Elyzebeth Workman, Cooper Wright.

STAFF Hailey Alt, Kennedy “Ken” Bigham, Erin Doyle, Megan Drumm, Noah Ginsberg, Emily Gordon-Ross, Jaylynn Hicks, Sophia Kaufman, Cora Kelsey, Symon Knox, Alex Lane, Nola Levings, Zora LottonBarker, Arianna Myers-Arenth, Leslie Ostronic, Meriel Salisbury, Nolan Smith, Adelai Spears, Alex Stark, Fynn Stovall,

LHSBUDGET.COM EDITORS William Yanek.............................Editor-in-Chief Anahita Hurt.................................Editor-in-Chief Aidin Manning ����������������� Social Media Editor Nadia Sanburn ������������������������������������Assistant Online Editor Freeman Spray................... Webmaster/Copy Editor David Obadare ������������������������������ Video Editor

THE BUDGET NEWSPAPER EDITORS Macy Landes...............................Editor-in-Chief Connor Schmaus ����������������������Editor-in-Chief Gary Schmidt...............................Editor-in-Chief Emily Kruse.....................................Photo Editor Sami Turner...................................Design Editor Anna Parnell.................................Design Editor Nikki Aqui................................ Managing Editor

Mia Robinson................................. Video Editor RED & BLACK YEARBOOK EDITORS Emma Howard............................Editor-in-Chief Skylar Steichen...........................Editor-in-Chief Maya Weslander �����������������������Editor-in-Chief Addie Thornsbury �������������������������Photo Editor McKenna White ����������������������������Photo Editor Izzy Hedges..................................... Copy Editor Pam Vue................................ Senior Ads Editor JOURNALISM EDITORS Shayla Brillhart.........................Captions Editor Daniel Davidson ��������������������������Sports Editor Allison Ramaley ������������������������ Head of Sales Gage Miller.......................Ad Design Manager Sophia Rogers..................sales development manager Barbara Tholen �������������������������������������� Adviser

Opinion THE BUDGET

By Maya Weslander

EDITORS WEIGH IN: WHY SHOULD PEOPLE VOTE?

“Voting is a big responsibility that allows the people to have input in how they want the government to be run. It puts power in the hands of the people instead of just the elites. I will vote because I believe in that our country can be changed for the better. “ —Emily Kruse, photo editor

“People should vote because it is our right and responsibility. By voting, we exercise our right to have a say in how our country is governed. Over America’s history so many people fought to gain voting rights, and I think we often take that power for granted.”

—Anna Parnell, design editor

“There is no reason not to vote. Not voting is equivalent to being complacent with the status quo and willingly not exercising your rights. Be a part of the change you want to see. Don’t be complacent.”

—Sami Turner, design editor

“No matter your political alignment, voting is important because too many people don’t. Not voting causes imbalanced representation in every level of our already flawed government. We need our politicians to represent every single person they claim to.”

—Macy Landes, editor in chief

“People should vote because it is the best way of allowing their voice to be heard.

Without voting, you are effectively silencing yourself.

However, with voting, you are actively shaping the world around you and making the changes you wish to see.”

—Gary Schmidt, editor-in-chief

“People should vote because it’s the most effective way to bring about change for the better. It’s really easy for power to go to the heads of politicians and this is the most effective way to keep them in check.”

—Connor Schmaus, editor-in-chief

“I think voting is the most important way to ensure that the power is within the people. Fight the man.”

—Nikki Aqui, managing editor

OCT. 22, 2018

31

THE BUDGET Opinion

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

CELEBRATING ­— Senior Tiffani Smith hugs her mom after hearing she was Homecoming royalty. Smith was crowned as royalty along with fellow senior, Nolan Smith on Sept. 28 during the football game against Shawnee Mission Northwest. “I was very surprised,”Smith said. ”It took me a moment to realize what had happened. I was very excited.”

PHOTO BY ADDIE THORNSBURY

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SEPT. 20, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY ANNA PARNELL