Issue 3, The Budget, 2018-2019

THE BUDGET

B

VAPING ON THE RISE

06 JUULS BY THE NUMBERS

08 MOTHERHOOD, JOY AND GRIEF

26

LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL

LAWRENCE, KS

VOLUME 126, ISSUE 3 NOV. 15, 2018

THE BUDGET News

!

B

THE BUDGET

IN THIS ISSUE Teachers reflect on pressures they faced in high school page 04

Teacher walks everywhere, year round page 16

Students vote in their first elections page 10

Volleyball team wins 6A state championship page 18

New Boys and Girls Club teen center opens page 14

All-star player takes court for final season page 20

LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL

LAWRENCE, KS

VOLUME 126, ISSUE 3 NOV. 15, 2018

VAPING ON THE RISE

06 JUULS BY THE NUMBERS

08 MOTHERHOOD, JOY AND GRIEF

LHSBUDGET.COM

26

YOUTUBE

STORIES Orchestra puts on Lawrence High ‘Oktoberfest’

HOMECOMING BLOOPERS AND OUTTAKES

LHS Hosts annual 24 Hour Film Festival

PRIDEFUL COFFEE

FOLLOW US: @lhsbudget

BY KEN BIGHAM

STAFF WRITER

Summer robotics camps can be difficult to manage, but a $2,750 grant recently received by the robotics team, STEAM Robotics, will make these camps easier to run.

The robotics team often receives grants, and this latest one will go toward the middle school robotics camps that take place during the summer, according to teacher Jeannie Merritt, who began working with the team last year.

These camps are hosted by the robotics team and are designed and run by the student members. Students entering sixth through eighth grades are invited.

“What we did is we made pie-bots, these little robots that we had the kids wire up,” junior Charlie Nigro said of the most recent summer camp. “They would program them and drive them around.”

Merritt said the most recent grant came from the Lawrence Schools Foun-

2

dation.

“We seek outside funding, so we get sponsorships from businesses, especially from national level or Kansas City areas,” Merritt said.

Alongside the grant, the team receives grants from other sponsors, which go toward the different departments that are part of the robotics team.

“Tech needs some new hard drives to speed up boot up process because right now it takes them a while,” said junior Connor Harmon, who’s been on the robotics team since his freshman year.

“Art and Design has costuming goals.

Engineering has quite a few projects that need to be funded.”

STEAMING AHEAD— During a robotics meeting on Oct. 18, sophomore Nicholas Dvorske works on a robot with a mentor. Both LHS and Free State students are part of the club, which meets at the College and Career Center. “My favorite part of the club is learning how to work with the robots and figuring out how different parts fit together,” Dvorkse said. PHOTO BY MEGAN DRUMM

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY SAMI TURNER

ON THE COVER — As Juuls become the nicotine product of choice for high school students, public health experts say they are increasingly concerned about the long-term implications of young people in the grasp of this product.

ILLUSTRATION BY MIKAYLA KAUFMAN

News THE BUDGET

SAM SETS

SAIL

“...ONCE YOU GET INTO A PROJECT, IT CAN BE A LOT MORE THAN YOU EXPECT.”

—SAM PHILLIPS, SENIOR ON BUILDING A BOAT IN HIS GARAGE

LHSBUDGET.COM

LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS

JOURNALISM AWARDS Members of the journalism staff were honored with the following awards at the high school journalism convention this month in Chicago.

Students can give back through working with these organizations

Pacemaker Finalist

LAWRENCE HUMANE SOCIETY You will be involved in all areas of the shelter and help to save and improve animals’ lives. To become a volunteer, visit the volunteer page of their website, lawrencehumane.org.

The Budget newspaper

2nd & 3rd place, Cartoon of the Year/Comic Strip Elijah Jackson, 2018 graduate

4th place, Design of the Year/Front Page Design Sami Turner & Anna Parnell

LAWRENCE PUBLIC LIBRARY

VolunTeens at the library shelve books and help with programs. Submit an application on the VolunTeen page of their website, lplks.org.

5th place, Story of the Year/Opinion Writing Jackson Hoy

Honorable Mention, Design of the Year/News Page Design

LAWRENCE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

For more information about volunteering at Lawrence Memorial Hospital contact Lauren Cobb at Lauren.Cobb@LMH.org or call (785) 505-3146.

Anna Parnell

Honorable Mention, Social Justice Reporting Macy Landes, Connor Schmaus, & Gary Schmidt

DOUGLAS COUNTY SENIOR CENTER You can deliver meals, manage data, work as a lunchtime receptionist or help with planning. To get involved, contact Jerry Guffey at (785) 727-7879 or jguffey@YourSRC.org.

LHSBUDGET.COM: MORE JOURNALISM HONORS & BLOG OF TRIP TO CHICAGO

SAVE THE DATE 5 EVENTS YOU SHOULDN'T MISS 1 2 3 4 5 NOV 19

PACK THE HOUSE 6 PM, MAIN GYM

NOV 21-23 FALL BREAK NO SCHOOL

DEC 5

WINTER PRELUDE CONCERT 7:30 PM, AUDITORIUM

DEC 11

ORCHESTRA CONCERT 7:30 PM, AUDITORIUM

DEC 15

BLOOD DRIVE WEST GYM

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY SAMI TURNER

3

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News

PAST PRESSURES

Teachers reflect on how they dealt with peer pressure in high school

JEFF PLINSKY

MELISSA JOHNSON

What did you feel pressured to do by peers during high school, if anything?

“Smoking and drinking were the two big ones. I imagine the girls probably felt a lot of pressure to have sex, too.“

What did you feel pressured to do by peers during high school, if anything?

“I was lucky and don’t remember feeling pressured back then. My friends and I were a movie-marathon-withpizza-and-cookies kind of crowd.“

Debate Coach Class of 1986

Why did you decide to do/not do these things, and how did it affect your life?

“Drinking wasn’t viewed as a big deal at the time. The drinking age had only recently changed to 21. Drinking wasn’t really a thing for me, but I did take up smoking my senior year as a way to stay awake working late night shifts. It created a fair amount of strife with my parents, and I did lose one friend who was really militantly anti-smoking.“ How did you deal with peer pressure in high school?

“I found some friends who didn’t mind if I was different from them, and never really worried about fitting in with the group. And when I stopped working long nights, I stopped smoking.“

English Teacher Class of 1999

How did not doing these things affect your life?

“Other than a brief period of feeling insecure over how ‘safe’ people considered me, there’s no downside.

I’ve always been very focused on my goals, and I didn’t let something damaging derail me. I once dated an alcoholic and addict, and instead of him being a bad influence on me, I was a good influence on him. Ultimately, I couldn’t save him. I ended up with [a partner] as driven and focused as I am.“ How has peer pressure changed since you were in high school?

“Well, I think everything’s more public now because of social media and having cameras on us at all times.

Mistakes teenagers make today could follow them around for the rest of their lives.“

JONATHAN HARRISON English Teacher Class of 1984

What did you feel pressured to do by peers during high school, if anything?

“While these things were around, I never felt pressured to do any of them.“ Why did you decide to do/not do these things?

“My parents gave me a lot of space because they trusted me not to do these things. Preserving the freedom to leave the house at any time night or day and drive around in the country listening to ‘Replacements’ cassettes was far more important to me than any of the other ‘temptations.’ “

MARIAH BARNETT Orchestra Director Class of 2007

What did you feel pressured to do by peers during high school, if anything?

“Drinking and partying were pressures I faced in high school during my junior and senior years.“ Why did you decide to do/not do these things?

“I did decide to drink because my best friend would. I really liked hanging out with him. That’s what he did, so I did it as well.“

Do you wish you had been able to stand up to peer pressure better than you did?

How did you deal with peer pressure in “I really was pretty responsible as high school? a teenager. I never broke more than “I went to the basement and put one law at a time. I drank underage, on headphones and listened to but you didn’t see me driving around ‘Buzzcocks’/’Undertones’/’Ramones,’ or out in public. I was at a friend’s etc. records.” house, my parents knew where I was, and I was careful to make sure that I didn’t lose control of the situation.

How has peer pressure changed since I know of a few situations where I you were in high school?

“I can’t tell. I don’t know what my students had misjudged the amount I drank, and I didn’t like the way it made me do in their private time, and I don’t want feel. I don’t hold a lot of regret about to know. I don’t harbor any illusions that my past, but I know I learned some they are angelic.“ important lessons the wrong way.”

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY ANNA PARNELL

5

THE BUDGET News

GROWING UP IN SMOKE Juul epidemic hits Lawrence High student body

BY SOPHIA KAUFMAN

STAFF WRITER

W

ith the breakout of Juul use among teens, information is now being provided on the topic in health classes.

Juuls have only been around for three years, but vapes have been around for a decade. Research on the effects of the devices remains limited, and there are also limited regulations on what can be contained in these electronic nicotine delivery systems.

Recently, a speaker form the Kansas Department of Health and Environment talked to the freshman health classes about Juuls and their contents.

“One thing to remember is that this stuff isn’t regulated by the FDA,” Youth Prevention Program Manager at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Jordan Roberts said. “People can put whatever they want in these products, technically. More often than not, there will always be propylene, glycerin and nicotine. There are products that claim that they don’t have nicotine in them, but there are so many instances where they have taken the e-juice and tested it, and it still had nicotine in it.”

Other ingredients that have been found in these devices are heavy metals

6

such as nickel, tin, lead and benzoic acid, which can be found in bug spray.

There are more than 15,000 vape flavors available for Juuls. Flavors like cool cucumber, creme brulee, cool mint and fruit medley are just a few of them.

“Something really interesting about the flavors they’re using is they’re using flavoring that have been approved for human ingestion; they have not been approved for human inhalation,” Roberts said. “Your gut and your lungs are two very different things, and your gut can take a lot more than your lungs can.

Your lungs are very delicate. A lot of these flavors are not approved for human inhalation, let alone all the other things that are bad. The flavorings are even harmful to your body.”

Health teacher Donald Durkin believes having access to this information is vital to being able to make totally healthy and informative decisions.

“I think whenever you have information, you can make a choice one way or another, whether you are talking about vaping or drinking or whatever,” Durkin said. “If you have the right information, at least you can make a good decision for yourself.

Many adults are still unaware of the impact of Juuling, apart from general discussions about other harmful substances.

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY SAMI TURNER

“We do discuss drugs and alcohol in our class,” health teacher Adam Green said. “We bring in a guest speaker and that is how we are delivering that content. I have come across it here at school, and I think it’s more of an issue than adults in our building are wanting to admit.”

With the recent declaration from the FDA calling it an “epidemic,” efforts by the federal government to educate youth have come in the form of “The Real Cost” campaign.

“I think it’s a new thing and maybe kids don’t have enough information and understanding about vaping; I know I don’t,” Durkin said. “There’s a lot of information that is fairly new, and we don’t have good information about it yet, and we need to get as much as we can so kids can make good decisions about doing it.”

STACKED UP — Juuls have popped up throughout the LHS student body. The trendy e-cigarette uses nicotine salts and comes in a variety of flavors targeted towards teens. The FDA is calling the use of Juuls among teens an epidemic.

PHOTO BY EMILY KRUSE

News THE BUDGET

VERSUS

The Douglas County Commission raised the age of tobacco use from 18 to 21 in the county’s unincoporated areas. Students weigh in on whether they are for or against the change.

“I think it should because, like I see kids my age and younger than me too that I see chewing tobacco and just other tobacco products.

And my dad actually, he chews like all the time, and I can just see his teeth and just the way his body performs, and it’s not healthy for you.”

—Garrett Romero, senior

“I think it should be raised to 21, because I feel like a 21-year-old is more responsible, and it’s also the age you can drink. If that’s not something that they want to give high schoolers or really young adults the power to use it, then why wouldn’t they do tobacco, which is very addicting.”

—Kelly Daniels, senior

“I don’t think it’s going to stop anything. They’re doing it because they think that it’s going to stop kids underage from getting ahold of stuff.

But, they are just going to find a 21-year-old instead of an 18-year-old. There’s no new information out, so if it wasn’t an issue before why is it an issue now?”

—Ione Garrison, junior

“No, because...if you are saying someone can vote at the age of 18 and are responsible for making decisions about our country, then they should certainly be able to make decisions about their body and what they choose to do to themselves.”

—Keaton Hoy, Junior

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY SAMI TURNER

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THE BUDGET News

REPORTING AND GRAPHICS BY SAMI TURNER SOURCES: SURVEY OF 176 LHS STUDENTS STUDENT INTERVIEWS CDC WALL STREET JOURNAL THE NEW YORK TIMES

BY THE NUMBERS WHY JUUL?

Anonymous students share why they use a JUUL

STUDENTS WORRIED ABOUT HEALTH RISKS

“IT’S A RELAXATION THING FOR ME BECAUSE I GET STRESSED SUPER EASILY.” “IT’S A RELEASE. IT’S A BREAK. THE SENSATION OF HAVING SOMETHING TO BLOW OUT IS THE KICK, NOT SO MUCH THE NICOTINE, BECAUSE THE MORE YOU JUUL THE LESS OF A NICOTINE BUZZ YOU GET.” “I HONESTLY DON’T KNOW. WHY NOT?” “IT’S FUN. I DO IT MORE JUST TO DO IT. I’M NOT ADDICTED OR ANYTHING SO I’M CHILLIN.’ ” “SOMEONE GAVE ME A JUUL OUT OF NOWHERE SO I TOOK IT... I JUST KIND OF HAVE IT.”

36.3%

NOT SURE

21.7%

NO

42%

8 out of 10

Youth who use e-cigarettes use flavored e-cigarettes

38.4%

STUDENTS FAVORITE POD FLAVOR 22.2% 19.2%

7.7%

FRUIT 8

YES

12.5%

OTHER

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY SAMI TURNER

CUCUMBER

MINT

MANGO

News THE BUDGET

JUUL

ANATOMY

STUDENTS WHO HAVE USED A JUUL IN SCHOOL HAVE NOT

55.9%

HAVE

CHIMNEY

44.1%

E-JUICE POD

BELIEVE THEY ARE ADDICTED

BATTERY HIGH

79.7%

STUDENTS JUUL FREQUENCY NO LONGER JUULS

29

%

.5%

MORE THAN ONCE PER MONTH AT LEAST ONCE PER WEEK

14

EVERYDAY

24 .

BOTH

24.

6%

LESS THAN ONCE PER MONTH

17.4%

YES

7.2%

82.6%

POSSIBLY

STUDENTS POD USAGE

66.7%

%

PACK TO PO D

% 12.

21.2 1

NICOTINE RATIO

1:1

Anonymous students share why they don’t use a JUUL “MY DAD WAS ADDICTED TO NICOTINE AND I DON’T WANT TO FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS ” “WHAT’S THE POINT? I HAVE BETTER THINGS I COULD BE DOING WITH MY TIME AND SPENDING MONEY ON.” “IT’S AGAINST MY RELIGIOUS VIEWS.”

STUDENTS WHO USE JUUL AND CIGARETTES JUST JUUL

NO

6%

LOW

% 8.7% 11.6

POWER INDICATOR

MEDIUM

NO THANKS

“THEY’RE BETTER AS A DUMB MEME THAN AN UNHEALTHY HABIT.” “I DON’T WANT TO BE FACED WITH LONG-TERM HEALTH EFFECTS FOR DOING SOMETHING DUMB LIKE THIS IN HIGH SCHOOL.” “I’M TOO CUUL TO JUUL.”

AT LEAST ONE A DAY AT LEAST ONE PER WEEK LESS THAN ONE PER WEEK

“BECAUSE I HAVE A SPORT I’M REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT, AND I’D RATHER NOT GET KICKED OFF THE TEAM JUST TO GET ‘BUZZED.’ ”

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY SAMI TURNER

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THE BUDGET News

WHY DID YOU VOTE?

“I voted because I know my vote matters, and I want people who will make a positive change in office representing me.”

— Sanders Barbee, senior

10

“For the future of America! I think it’s important to exercise your civic duty.”

— Matthew Ellis, math teacher

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY ANNA PARNELL

INTERVIEWS BY AIDIN MANNING

“I voted because I want to have a voice and be a part of change. Trust the process.”

— Noah Ginsberg, senior

News THE BUDGET

POWERING TO THE

POLLS LHS students get fired up about midterm elections

BY ZORA LOTTON-BARKER, CONNOR SCHMAUS & MACY LANDES STAFF WRITER & EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

J FOLLOW @LHSBUDGET ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE REASON WHY STUDENTS AND STAFF VOTED

ack Hood, a longtime social studies teacher at Lawrence High, said he saw more enthusiasm for voting from his students than in past years.

“When we registered to vote this year with seniors, my three senior classes were so fired up to go register,” Hood said. “And I think that is a direct result of politics and their interest in politics, and I think it increased their wanting to at least get registered.”

By 2008, 47 percent of America’s youth voted, and in the 2008 presidential election, the number of youth voters tripled or quadrupled, depending on state, according to the National Civic Review.

Senior Derek White voted in the midterm elections, and said it’s important for young voters to be involved in politics.

“I became very, very, very, upset with some policies that had been made, especially around the end of Obama’s administration,” he said.

“I am very much invested in Native American affairs, and stuff like that, so when Standing Rock happened, I was very much present...I thought that the only reason that policies like that would stop was for me to get involved in politics.”

White is one of many new voters who have become politically active in recent years due to America’s growing political divide. According to CIRCLE (The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement), 31 percent of the country’s 18-29 year-olds voted, the largest percentage of youth voting since 1976, the first year in which 18 year olds

were able to vote. This is a 10 percent increase from 2014, the last midterm election year.

Additionally, 67 percent of this demographic voted Democrat, an increase of 14 percent compared to 2014. Kansas youth helped to elect new Democrats, including gubernatorial candidate Laura Kelly and U.S. House member Sharice Davids.

Students have also become more politically active in the wake of school shootings, including the murders last year of 17 students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

“Since Parkland and with the activism of the surviving students, we have seen an uptick in registration of those who are 17,” League of Women Voters treasurer Melissa Wick said.

Hood said that when Bernie Sanders campaigned in 2016, he saw the largest spike in political interest from his students in years.

“We saw more political action out of kids during the Democratic Primary with Bernie Sanders and that phase than I had probably seen in the last 15 or 16 years at Lawrence High,” he said. “Kids were fired up to participate, to help, to go poll, to do all sorts of stuff to help Bernie Sanders.”

The midterms serve as proof that mobilizing any demographic of voters can lead to significant change.

“If you really want to see change you have to be that change, and democracy is not a spectator sport,” White said. “You can’t just sit around and hope for things to change. You have to be that change. You have to act on that. I think it’s very important the youth get involved.”

REGISTER — LHS Students register to vote with the League of Women Voters on Sept. 21.

PHOTO BY ERIN DOYLE

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY ANNA PARNELL

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News THE BUDGET

EARTH

UN report warns of impending climate damage

BY CONNOR SCHMAUS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

W

ith the release of a report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change (IPCC), which describes irreversible damage to the planet by 2050, students and staff are advocating for a stronger stance on environmental practices.

The report focuses on the effects of carbon emissions on the rise of global temperatures. Initially, the creation of the Paris accord in 2015 was meant to limit global rise to 1.5-2 degrees Celsius.

Even with doubts from the scientific community three years ago, this report maintains that the world “would require a 40-50 percent reduction in emissions by 2030” to prevent serious, damaging shifts in the climate by 2050.

To some, this report does not come as a surprise. Science teacher Zachary Casey worked as a geologist in environmental fields before teaching at Lawrence High. From experience, his outlook on the effects of human activity remains grim, taking into account statistical and anecdotal evidence.

“I absolutely think this is going to happen,” Casey said. “We’re already seeing some of those effects, and one of the things I used to do was do wastewater treatment for an engineering firm.

One of the things that we saw was we got more intense rainfall, but way less frequently, which we’ve also seen more recently.”

Casey said the only logical step is a unification through political and economic interests, specifically making problem areas more well-known.

“The biggest thing is how we receive our energy and that’s something we don’t really have a hold of,” Casey said. “We have to go at legislators to change that and we have to set that fire to actually get them to change that.”

Senior Jillian Wilson, co-president of Environmental Club, also sees the implications of these findings. She equates them to a trend of inaction

set by previous generations.

“A lot of people try to push it back and say ‘oh the next generation will worry about that, I’m just gonna live my life now,’ ” Wilson said. “It’s happening now, and people need to be more conscious about it, whether they are an environmentalist or not.”

Similar to Casey, Wilson said the brunt of these implications fall on everyone but sees a solution in small, daily activities. Many of these are promoted through the teachings of the club.

“We try to spread the word of what you can do for the Earth,” Wilson said. “Eating less meat, recycling, using less plastic, reusing things, glass containers, basically not having things go through shipment and manufacturing is the big thing.”

To most, activism and education proves to be the best way to fight against this change. Wilson applies this proactive belief to the teachings of the Environmental Club.

“If they want to live on an Earth that’s still producing, they have to help now,” Wilson said. “They can’t just ignore it.”

GRAPHIC BY EMILY KRUSE NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY ANNA PARNELL

13

THE BUDGET News

Features

GRAND

OPENING New Boys & Girls Club teen center offers safe after-school environment for middle and high schoolers

BY ZORA LOTTONBARKER

STAFF WRITER

T

he recently renovated teen center has new features for middle and high school members of the Boys and Girls Club.

After breaking ground in August, the unveiling of the Center for Great Futures at the beginning of the school year was a huge win for Boys and Girls Club teen, who now have the space they need.

The older center was unable to house the amount of adolescents who needed somewhere to go after school.

“The current Teen Center, located at 1520 Haskell Avenue, has the capacity to serve only 70 of the school district’s 2,300 sixth- to eighth-graders (that’s just 3 percent of them, as compared with our ability to serve 63 percent of K-fifth graders),” according to a brochure produced by BGC before construction.

“It is simply too small and outdated to provide the same level of quality, interest-based educational programs for students past fifth grade.”

Since opening, the new establishment is able to accommodate twice as many

14

participants.

“For the teen center, we have 275 teens enrolled, and on average, we have around 120 to 130 kids who come every day,” director of teen services for Boys and Girls Club Amy Hill said.

The new center has several new programs and features that the older center did not.

“Here at the Teen Center we have a brand new gym that is indoors, and at our last place, we had an outdoor court, and that’s all that they had,” Hill said. “We have an indoor gym. We have a performing arts studio. In our performing arts studio we have a recording studio, a control room and a video recording area as well as a 90-inch TV, and a brand new gaming system. We have a culinary kitchen, and we have a chef that prepares dinner every day.”

The center also plans to partner with the College and Career Center in the future.

“The campus also houses the Lawrence Public School’s College and Career Center, where the school will be looking to partner with local businesses

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY ANNA PARNELL

going forward to provide additional workforce readiness opportunities for teens,” according to www.bgca.org.

Sophomore Jazmine Dillon said that the teen center offers a lot of different activities, but her favorite part about the new center is the dinner.

“I love hanging out with my friends, doing the activities that they have, they’re really fun...We do lots of crafts and team building activities that I like,” Dillon said.

The center not only has fun activities, but offers plenty of academic support as well.

“The center provides an opportunity to continue to increase the academic support and mentorship for our

News THE BUDGET

QUICK TAKE

Money raised for the project

$5 million

Date of grand opening

Aug. 17

Number of BGC sites in Lawrence, including teen center

15

middle and high school students,” deputy superintendent Anna Stubblefield said. “It is a positive and safe place for students to go after school and during the summer.”

The Lawrence School District has had a long standing relationship with Boys and Girls Club.

“The Lawrence Public Schools and Boys & Girls Club have been partnering for almost 30 years,” Stubblefield said.

“In 1999, the first Boys & Girls Club site in a USD 497 elementary school opened at Cordley. Today we have a site in every elementary school.”

The center has also made a large impact on the Lawrence community.

Boys and Girls club’s mission is “to enable all young people, especially those

who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens,” Stubblefield said. “By partnering with the school district, I believe the impact on the Lawrence Community is developing citizens with character who will continue to make a community a great place to live.”

Dillon has been a member of the Boys and Girls Club since fifth grade.

“It’s taught me how to be more of a leader than a follower and to make more out of myself that I usually would,” Dillon said.

SMILING — LHS students pose by the BGC logo in the new Center for Great Futures, which opened Aug. 17. PHOTO BY NOLA LEVINGS

Number of students currently enrolled at the teen center

275

Address of the Center of Great Futures

2910 Haskell Avenue Source: Amy Hill

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY ANNA PARNELL

15

THE BUDGET Features

QUICK TAKE

Discover teacher Jack Hood’s favorite places to walk to or around:

KU Campus

Old West Lawrence

(just west of Massachusetts Street)

Spencer Art Museum & Watkins History Museum

Burroughs Creek Walking Trail

To Lawrence High School

16

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY ANNA PARNELL

Features THE BUDGET

NO CAR? NO PROBLEM. Teacher Jack Hood walks everywhere simply because he hates driving

BY EMILY GORDON-ROSS

STAFF WRITER

F

or many, getting a driver’s license is an important rite of passage to adulthood and a necessity for getting around town.

For economics and government teacher Jack Hood, driving has never been an essential.

Hood walks everywhere he needs to go — work, the grocery store, home — and he hasn’t driven a car for more than 25 years.

“I’m going to say 1992 [was the last time I drove a car],” Hood said. “I had to drop my college roommate off at graduation up the hill, him and his family.”

In this day and age, not driving is an anomaly. For Hood, it was an easy decision to swear off cars and not just because he is a selfproclaimed “terrible driver.”

“I hate driving, and I love walking,” Hood said. “Everyone assumes there’s some big reason why I walk, but there isn’t.”

Being able to drive gives many people, specifically teenagers, a sense of freedom and the ability to go anywhere, whenever they want. Hood said he never felt that sense when learning to drive originally, and it was never a factor when he decided to not own a car.

“A lot of people talk about it as if it’s this sense of freedom, and I just plan ahead,” Hood said. “You know, if I forgot to get garlic, I do without garlic in a recipe. You learn to plan ahead really quickly. ‘OK, this is what I’m going to have. This is what I’m going to need.’ Then you just get what you need.”

One essential way Hood plans ahead is by paying attention to the weather. Colder weather is complicated, but Hood has some advice for how to survive cold or rainy days.

“Dress appropriately,” Hood said. “I never get cold. I wear layers. We had those rainy

days...there’s a lot of puddles. Lawrence doesn’t drain right. I had to wear flip flops over [to the school] so I didn’t ruin my slacks and shoes.”

It takes a lot to stop Hood from walking.

Unless he needs to go to Kansas City, a history department movie night or a track meet, he does walk everywhere. He lives only five minutes away from the school, depending on traffic. The grocery store is right down the road, and Netflix is only a click away.

However, in 2015, Hood was unable to walk due do a condition known as gout.

Gout is a form of arthritis that causes severe pain and inflammation in the joints. Hood’s condition got so severe that his typical five minute walk home became more difficult.

“I had to get rides everyday,” Hood said. “It was horrible. It was stupid. I refused to go to the doctor until it was horrible. I couldn’t walk right for nine months. Mr. [John] Moos had to bring me to school every day cause it’d take me 20-25 minutes to walk home. That’s when Mr. Moos became my Uber driver though, at least that’s what I call him.”

Moos has been Hood’s coworker for 15 years, and is often the one called when Hood is in need of a ride, and not just to school.

“Usually for Chipotle fundraisers,” Moos said. “Other times when we go see superhero movies.”

Despite various inconveniences, the support Hood has received has allowed him to remain firm in his war against driving.

“I love to walk, and I hate to drive,” Hood said. “The world is a safer place with me not driving a car.”

WALKING — In all weather, economics and government teacher Jack Hood said he enjoys walking to school every day. Hood doesn’t own a car and gets around on foot.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY KRUSE

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN ANNA PARNELL

17

THE BUDGET Sports

Sports

STATE CHAM

Volleyball wins 6A state title led by seniors

BY DANIEL DAVIDSON

SPORTS EDITOR

S

ALINA --- The Lions stormed the court and collapsed in a dogpile as soon as senior Michaela Cordova’s attack launched the ball off an opposing player to give them the state title.

Lawrence faced off against Blue Valley in finals on the second day of the 6A State Championship at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina. The Lions ended a dominant season by winning the third set in the match (25-14) to give the team its first state title in 16 years.

18

Coming in the first day of the tournament, the Lions were ranked as the first seed with an impressive 31-2 record.

After going up against Blue Valley West, Gardner-Edgerton and Blue Valley, the Lions finished Friday night undefeated.

“I knew we were going to come out and do well, and we knew that the other teams were going to do well, too,” senior Cortney Hanna said. “The competitive level was exactly what we expected.”

Going into finals on the second day, senior Laura Willoughby said team members felt like they already had the state title locked down.

“When we beat Washburn in the first set of semifinals, we all knew,” Willoughby said. “Washburn was, to us, more of the championship game… they’re honestly the most intimidating team we played, so once we had that first set we knew we had them down, and when we won that game we all sort of just knew we were

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY GARY SCHMIDT

going to win [state].”

But to win that coveted state title, the Lions would have to beat a tough Blue Valley team a second time.

In their first game against Blue Valley on Friday, the Lions narrowly won in the second set. Going into the championship game rematch, the team stressed the importance of staying level-headed.

“Our whole thing the entire year was having little games to five, winning those games by five just helped us get through the whole thing,” Willoughby said.

“Little steps to get there helps us a lot because little victories ultimately to get 25 just slows the game down and keeps us focused.”

In the championship match, when the Lions dropped the first set to Blue Valley (19-25), this sort of mindset became crucial to the team. The Lions had only lost nine of 90 total sets the entire season, and this game would mark only

Sports THE BUDGET

SILVER STARS

MPIONS

the fifth time this year Lawrence needed a third set to win a game.

The Lions started to dig in and were able to keep the lead the majority of the second and third sets, which Willoughby attributes to the team’s strong defense, especially from senior Lauren Maceli.

“Lauren is just so amazing, she doesn’t let anything drop, and she passes balls that you wouldn’t think are even possible,” Willoughby said.

“We go after everything and never let a ball drop without throwing our bodies at it, and that’s something we have that a lot of teams didn’t.”

This relentless defense by the Lions also allowed the team to dominate the court offensively and keep racking up points. Senior Abby Monroe finished with 12 kills, Bailey Unruh with seven, and Sammy Williams with four.

Gymnastics take second at state after close finish

BY DANIEL DAVIDSON

SPORTS EDITOR

M

STORM THE COURT— The volleyball team celebrates in a dogpile after winning the final point of its match to be named 6A state champions during the state tournament in Salina. PHOTO BY ALEX LANE

With last season being the first since 2009 that the team reached state, the Lions came in motivated to go even further. After dominating the first few games of the season, Coach Stephanie Scarbrough and team members were determined to make it all the way at state.

“All year has been very business like,” Scarbrough said on the first day of the tournament. “This what we’ve been looking forward to all year, and it’s time to earn it.”

Willoughby looks forward to raising another state banner in the gym.

“I feel just amazing,” she said.

“On top of the world this week.”

ounting the beam, senior Eden Kingery was already confident she would land the routine.

Once she did, her teammates and coaches celebrated that fourth-place winning routine by running toward her in support.

The Lions came home from the state championship with a close second place finish and several individual medals.

After a fifth-place finish last year, the team approached this season with eyes set on success.

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

Freshman Paris Spotted Tail was one of these newcomers who brought the team together. Being involved in gymnastics since she was 4 after following in her sister’s footsteps, Spotted Tail was unsure about the team when she first joined.

“I thought it would be a lot different than club, and that I wouldn’t like it,” Spotted Tail said. “But it was actually really fun, and I loved the team chemistry.”

Despite only being a freshman, Spotted Tail proved how essential her talent was to the team with an impressive overall place of seventh at state, alongside two second-place medals in floor and vault.

With seniors Josie Hickerson and Kingery similarly placing fifth and sixth overall in the competition, and Hickerson ranking first in vault, the Lions were able to snag second place, falling just short of the Olathe East champions.

“We have been working really hard all season, so that is what got us up to second,” Kingery said. “We didn’t place lower than second as a team all year. I feel like we all are pretty happy with second. That is the highest that we have placed at state since I have been on the team, so that was exciting.”

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN GARY SCHMIDT

19

THE BUDGET Sports

SNEAK PEAK BOYS BASKETBALL •Made it to state quarterfinals last year.

•Team to feature more experienced players this year.

GIRLS BASKETBALL •New strong lineup of starters.

• Lost in sub-state championship game last year.

WRESTLING

•Two wrestlers

made it to state semifinals last year after sending four to state.

•Influx of new wrestlers expected.

BOYS SWIMMING

•Several juniors

made an appearance at state last year.

GIRLS AND BOYS BOWLING •New assistant coach Gary Graves offers unique perspective.

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TIS THE SEASON FOR WINNING As winter sports seasons begin, seniors step into leadership roles, eye runs at state tournaments

BY DANIEL DAVIDSON

SPORTS EDITOR

A

s the Lions look back on last seasons’ successes and failures, a new wave of seniors are ready to take the leadership reins and guide their teams to victory.

For senior Francois Jones’ last year of wrestling, his main concern is remaining fearless.

“Not caring who’s standing across from you… something I didn’t really do last year,” Jones said.

“I wrestled more timid, but this year I want to leave it all out there.”

After a small team turnout last season, which left the wrestlers unable to fill all weight classes, Jones expects a lot more of both underclassmen and upperclassmen to come out this year.

Jones said that although the team brought two Lions to state semifinals, last year lacked unity between wrestlers of all skill levels. Jones plans on changing that.

“Wrestling is about will,” Jones said. “When you have a strong team leadership it really helps that part of it. I see myself as definitely filling that position. Because there’s only two coaches, there has to be those people showing specifics to underclassmen.”

Refining fundamental moves and technique practice led by coach Pat Naughton helped the team develop more well-rounded wrestlers and prepare for this year.

Jones believes that strong leadership, coupled with a new wave of participants, gives boys wrestling a good shot at going far this season.

“Wrestling overall is such a great sport and I wish it was more popular,” Jones said. “When people come out to competitions, the support always helps.”

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY NOAH GINSBERG

BOWLING

Both boys and girls bowling are ready for another shot at bringing the team to state this year.

After the Lions sent senior boys Javier Lemmons and Ethan Huslig to state individually, the two came back with 25th and 70th place finishes respectively.

For the girls, senior Holly Evans made her third appearance and medal at the state tournament, coming in eighth place.

An influx of new inexperienced players gives senior Ashley Dykes hope that the new assistant coach Gary Graves can set them in the right direction.

“I think he can really bring new “WE GOTTA perspective,” Dykes FOCUS ON DOING said.

After a strong WHATEVER WE HAVE season left the boys TO MAKE THE TEAM swim team with several individual WIN.” state medals, senior Brayden Augustine —TREY QUARTLEBAUM, BOYS is ready to step up BASKETBALL and fill the gaps left by leaving senior talent.

“The seniors definitely know that it’s now our turn to step up… we can’t just be carried by those really good seniors from last year anymore,” Augustine said. “I’m in the role of leadership now and I have to set a good example for the team and try to help the younger athletes.”

SWIM & DIVE

Stephen Johnson, a team leader who brought two state titles home and set more than one

Sports THE BUDGET

school record, graduated last year. Despite facing the loss of Johnson and such a strong senior class, Augustine feels ready to prove the team has still got it.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Boys basketball players are also confident in a stronger season this year as the team brings back experienced talent. Senior Trey Quartlebaum recognizes what he and the team will have to improve on from last year’s state elimination in the first round.

“Individually, we’ve got lots of good players,” Quartlebaum said. “But coming together as a team for that one goal we share, that’s what gets us the state championship.”

Quartlebaum says the team has already started talking about how to be better on and off the court to solidify team chemistry before the season starts. Quartlebaum committed to St. Francis College last year and said he wants to approach the season with the mindset of finishing strong.

“We gotta focus on doing whatever we have to to make the team win,” Quartlebaum said. “If not make the shot, maybe make the rebound. Every

TOUGH — Several athletes are staring down the competition as they get ready for their respective winter sports. Pictures from left to right are Hannah Stewart, Fransior Jones, Trey Quartlebaum, Brayden Augustine, Lorenzo Dan and Ashley Dykes. PHOTO BY EMILY KRUSE

MEET THE ATHLETES

(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT)

HANNAH STEWART GIRS BASKETBALL game can’t be our best, but we’ll do what we need to to win.”

GIRLS BASKETBALL

On the girls side of the court, senior Hannah Stewart stresses the importance of refining their skills.

“We have the potential to be a very fast team,” Stewart said. “That’s always been a particular skill we excelled at, outrunning teams and tiring them out, but I think this season they can really help.”

After an emotional loss in the sub-state championship, Stewart says the team also realizes the importance of discipline moving forward.

“We can definitely be that winning state team,” Stewart said. “If dedicated, we can set the foundation for success coming into the season.”

FRANSIOR JONES WRESTLING TREY QUARTLEBAUM BOYS BASKETBALL BRAYDEN AUGUSTINE BOYS SWIMMING LORENZO DAN BOYS BOWLING

ASHLEY DYKES GIRLS BOWLING

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN NOAH GINSBERG

21

THE BUDGET Sports

QUICK TAKE Number of years named first Team AllArea

3

Rebound average per game during freshman season

9.6

Number of blocked shots during sophomore season.

67

Points averaged per game during junior year

11.9

Rebounds per game during junior year

10.3

22

NOV. 15, 2018

Sports THE BUDGET

POSTED FOR

SUCCESS Star senior center, KU commit, prepares for greater impact in final season

BY GARY SCHMIDT

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

B

efore she had ever set foot in Lawrence High, Chisom Ajekwu was already being pursued by multiple colleges.

It’s hard to believe that a sport she admittedly hated at first is now the one propelling her into a planned college career at the University of Kansas.

“At first I hated it a lot,” Ajekwu said.

“I remember the first practice, all the girls were better than me. I remember feeling very self conscious. I was obviously taller than everyone. It felt really weird to me, but my parents keep pushing me to do it, and eventually I started to like it.”

Standing at 6 foot, 3 inches, Ajekwu has been an intimidating presence since she first picked up a basketball. However, it wasn’t until recently that Ajekwu truly learned how to use her frame to her advantage.

“I have [learned ] a lot [from] role models like Elena Delle Donne,” Ajekwu said. “I just use my body and positioning to my advantage.”

A key component in her development has been the relationship she has forged with head coach Jeff Dickson. According the Ajekwu, her close bond with him has helped her mature as both a basketball player and a human.

“Coach Dickson is kind of like a second dad to me,” Ajekwu said. “ImmediLAY UP— Senior Chisom Ajekwu goes up for a strong lay in against Free State at the City Showdown last year. The Lady Lions won the game, hosted at Allen Fieldhouse on Dec. 15.

PHOTO BY ADDISON THORNSBURRY

ately when I got into high school we had a really tight bond. He’s the kind of coach you would tell anything to. If I need anything, I go to him. He’s an amazing coach in so many ways.”

Being so close with Dickson has provided Ajekwu with a support system under which she has grown, but more importantly has taught her how to take things more seriously.

“As a freshman I didn’t take being a basketball player seriously,” Ajekwu said.

“Being in this program at LHS forced me to evolve as a player, made me mature more, understand my responsibilities better, and become “BEING IN THIS a better PROGRAM HAS teammate and person FORCED ME TO in general.”

EVOLVE AS A Ajekwu has been a PLAYER.” starter since —CHISOM AJEKWU, SENIOR her freshman year, but this year, she is prepared to carry a new load for the team. After the graduation of All-State guard E’Lease Stafford, Ajekwu is prepared to be the new go-to scorer of the team.

“Having E’Lease there was a shoulder to lean on. I always came right behind her on that,” Ajekwu said. “Having her to help was nice, but now I am a senior. I took notes the past three years and now I just have to do me.”

With a team filled with returning talent, Ajekwu is confident about the steps they can take toward a state title. “[Our goal is] to attend state,” Ajekwu said. “We can win state, one step at a time.

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN GARY SCHMIDT

23

THE BUDGET Sports

QUICK TAKE Increased pom squad size

8

Number of dancers added after October tryout

2

Number of tryout days

1

Number of dances those trying out had to learn

2

Number of dances they’ll learn during the year.

10

STRETCHING — Senior Zuzu Melchor prepares for practice on Nov. 8 after joining the team following October tryouts. While this is Melchor’s first year on the pom team, she has several previous years of dance experience. “It’s super fun being on the team, not only because of the dancing, but also the people,” Melchor said.

“I mostly do contemporary dance, so pom is very different than what I’m used to, but that’s what’s so fun about it.”

PHOTO BY EMILY KRUSE PREPARED — Members of the pom team squat to being their routine during the fall assembly on Aug. 30. Junior Emi Neilson looks to her left before beginning. Although being a small team, the pom dancers are nationally renowned. “I am super excited about the new people on the team because the more people you have on a team, the more interesting the moves look,” Neilson said. “I also love having new friends.” PHOTO BY ADDISON THORNSBURY

STAFFER TRIES POM SQUAD! Number of hours they practice in one week.

WWW.LHSBUGET.COM

up to 10

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NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY EMILY KRUSE

Sports THE BUDGET

SPIRITED GROWTH

Pom squad adds new members

BY ZORA LOTTON-BARKER

STAFF WRITER

N

ew pom members must have a lot of qualities in order to mesh well with their teammates.

The pom team held tryouts on Oct. 18 in order to fill two spots on the team. Tryouts are usually held in March, and the team can have anywhere from six to 10 members.

Captain Alyssa Waller said there are a lot of things one can do in order to be prepared for auditions, but technique is the hardest thing to learn.

“The hardest thing to learn is technique, because all that you can do to improve is practice and you’re not going to get it in a week, you’re not going to get it in a few weeks. It takes years of practice to have a solid foundation,” she said. “People who come and try out for pom… they can be really good at dancing, but if they don’t have that solid technique, it’s really hard to improve on that in a short amount of time.”

The pom team does lots of different styles of dance that a new recruit would need to be proficient in.

“We do different styles, I would say we do about four styles of dance...If you only had experience in one style, I think it would be really hard to adjust,” Waller said.

For a new pom members to fit in, according to junior Emi Neilson, they need to have a good personality. “ I think they would need a happy personality because a lot of times for pom we have to be smiling and looking pleasant because we are performing, and if it doesn’t come naturally to you it would be hard to be happy

and peppy all the time,” Neilson said.

Jordan Contreras’s favorite part of taking on new team members is getting to know them.

“I love getting to make new friends and getting to show them new steps and routines,” Contreras said.

Neilson said the best part of having a larger team is it means cooler stunts and visuals.

“With more people on the team you can do cooler visuals,” Neilson said. “I also think that it’s more fun with more people on the spirit squad because it’s really like a family just because we spend so much time together.”

During pom tryouts, the potential new recruits had to learn several different types of dance, as well as one or two of the sideline chants that the cheer and pom squad preform at the game. Luckily for them, the team members were there to help them learn steps and routines.

“So, they come in, they stretch, they learn the new routines that had pom, jazz and hip hop sections in them, and then they had to learn the sidelines that we do at games,” Contreras explained. “They also had to do a technique section, but all they had to do was go across the floor and did turns and leaps and stuff… Normally we don’t help out, but this time we just helped them out during the audition. We learned the dance with them and helped to coach them if they needed it.

Alyssa Waller agrees, and says making new friendships is the best thing about pom.

“Getting to become friends with the new people, getting close with them and spending time with them is honestly the best part of pom,” Waller said. “...it’s those friendships that you remember.”

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN EMILY KRUSE

25

THE BUDGET Opinion

Opinion

For KAIDEN Student shares her motherhood experience

BY ANNA DEWITT

GUEST WRITER

Y

es, it’s me. The former athletic directors daughter who got pregnant at 16, but you can call me Anna.

Along with being the child of your former athletic director, I was the freshman on the 4x8 team that placed eighth at state. And the sophomore who qualified as an individual for state cross country meet with a time of 20:13, not to mention my career on the Lady Lions basketball team.

Despite all of these athletic accomplishments that set me apart as a student athlete, my greatest accomplishment was having my son, Kaiden.

However, this accomplishment didn’t come with ease. I was 16 and pregnant attending Lawrence High School, and the whole school seemed to feel comfortable enough to talk about me, but never enough to say “hi.”

I am sure people wonder how I could have had a baby in a world where birth control is so accessible, but you guessed it right. I had unprotected sex. I chose to go through with the pregnancy. I chose to take on this responsibility.

Teen pregnancy sucks. On top the obvious gossip I had to endure from my

peers, I also had to take a break from sports, tell my family and coaches I was pregnant, and prepare myself to juggle motherhood with being a student.

Labor is all that is it is cracked up to be. I’m sure most of you reading haven’t had the misfortune of having a placenta abruption, emergency c-section, uterus infection, urinary tract infection and bilateral kidney infection all at once. So I won’t get into it. That would be a waste of space.

In the end, the nine months of discomfort and constantly having to pee was worth it. On July 31, 2017, I gave birth to my son, Kaiden Reece DeWitt.

Kaiden Reece DeWitt is a momma’s boy. Kaiden is a light that has a way of making everyone fall in love with him.

All bias aside, I must say, Kaiden is kind of perfect. Everyone who met him was submerged in the joy he brought onto them.

If you have gotten this far, you probably already know that Kaiden passed away on Nov. 8, 2017, shortly after turning 3 months old, due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). But that doesn’t mean my pregnancy is any less valid or that Kaiden’s life is any less important or that he doesn’t continue to change my life every single day.

Dealing with Kaidens loss makes my

horrific pregnancy and labor seem like a walk in the park. I would go through that 100 times if it meant I could see Kaiden again, or hear him squeak, or watch the way he makes people’s faces light up when they meet him.

The truth is, I am not a traditional teenager anymore, and I probably haven’t been for a long time. I have gone through pregnancy, motherhood and then I lost all of it. That is hard for me, as a mother, to grasp. I can’t understand why my son is not coming back to me or why God allowed this happen. I put him to sleep and never got to see him wake up again. If you see me in the halls looking sad, it’s probably because I am sad. A part of me left when Kaiden did.

This sucks.

If you are wondering how I am doing, you could probably reference the last paragraph. But I know I still have a lot to do here. I can’t just give up. I need to make Kaiden proud. Because of Kaiden, I discovered my passion to become a special education teacher.

At some point I know I will see Kaiden again, but for now, I have to live for him and keep my son alive. Kaiden Reece DeWitt taught me at an admittedly young age what love is, and for that, I am eternally grateful and proud to be his mother.

MYTH VS FACT MYTH

Babies can “catch” SIDS.

FACT

SIDS is not caused by an infection, therefore it cannot be caught.

MYTH

SIDS can be prevented.

Source: US Department of Health and Human Services www.safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov

26

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY SAMI TURNER

FACT

There is no known way to prevent SIDS, but there are effective ways to reduce the risk of SIDS.

MYTH

By sleeping in the same bed as their baby, parents can prevent SIDS.

FACT

SIDS occurs with no warning or symptoms.

It is highly unlikely that any adult would hear problems. Sleeping with a baby increases the risk of suffocation.

KAIDEN — Kaiden Reece DeWitt (pictured at left) at one month. Below are some of the pictures his mom, senior Anna DeWitt took during his short life before his passing from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANNA DEWITT

NOV. 15, 2018 PAGE DESIGN BY SAMI TURNER

27

THE BUDGET Opinion

Opinion

Current dividing line no longer addresses equity disparities in USD 497 MACY LANDES

EDITOR IN CHIEF

E

ntering middle school, everyone knew that Southwest and West were the “rich” schools.

Billy Mills (formerly South) and Liberty Memorial Central weren’t.

West is Free State’s feeder school, and Billy Mills is Lawrence High’s feeder school while the other two are split and sent to both. By the transitive property, Free State is the “rich” high school and Lawrence High isn’t.

This sentiment isn’t just a friendly rivalry among middle schools gone sour. There’s data to back up the claim, and a fix to the socioeconomic disparity between the high schools could be to change the 15th Street boundary.

When Free State opened, more of its students (20 percent) were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch than LHS students (18.3 percent). In contrast, last school year, the percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch at Lawrence High

28

NOV. 15, 2018

was significantly higher than that of Free State’s 25 percent at about 43 percent.

The percent of the student population eligible for free or reduced-price lunch is significant because it is a direct indicator of parent income. The district website states that those eligible are “students from families whose income is below designated levels and foster children.” This data suggests that, although the dividing line was an appropriate boundary for dividing the student population 20 years ago, it is becoming increasingly problematic.

The underlying issue here is not the boundary itself, but the concentration of new residential developments on the west side of town. This is evident not only in Free State’s student count, which tops Lawrence High’s by nearly 200 students, but in the demographics of surrounding elementary schools.

Langston Hughes, the westernmost elementary school in Lawrence, has seen a rapid increase in students since its opening in 2000, jumping from 178 students to more than 500 in fewer than 20 years. In contrast, the

easternmost elementary school, Prairie Park, has seen a fairly steady decrease in numbers since 2000, losing about 75 students.

The developing neighborhoods around Langston Hughes are relatively affluent, while Prairie Park’s neighborhoods represent the lower-middle and working classes. Because of this, it can easily be assumed that Free State has more resources, something I can confirm from being in extracurriculars that require me to collaborate with Free State frequently. I don’t blame any one person at Free State for the inequality. I blame those who won’t admit it’s time for change.

Hopefully, the bond construction will fix a few of the problems mentioned, but more has to be done to diversify Free State’s student population and to equalize the economic disparities between the two high schools. The first step is to rethink who attends what school in the first place. Get rid of the 15th Street boundary and replace it with a less linear guideline for assigning students to schools.

IN OUR

Opinion THE BUDGET

HANDS

Stakes too high for inaction on climate change

BY CONNOR SCHMAUS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

A

few weeks ago, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (the IPCC) released a report outlining the climatic future of our planet if current industrial and developmental practices are continued.

By 2050, the Earth will have suffered damage beyond conceivable repair unless changes are quickly made. Weather like we’ve seen in Harvey and Florence, drastic temperature fluctuations and the displacement of millions will only worsen.

I shouldn’t have to stress how vital this information is. At no other point in history has the planet been at the mercy of a single, albeit dominant, species.

More recently reported by the World Wildlife Fund, more than 60 percent of the world’s wildlife has been eradicated by the actions of humanity since 1970.

This isn’t some crazy environmentalist pitch to completely overthrow our current lifestyles. It’s a plea for unity. I couldn’t care less about your political or religious views on the role of the environment. The fact remains that we rely on it for basic survival.

That being said, there are some who, even now, try to hide the conditions of the planet to preserve some sort of personal wealth. The Trump administration will continue to espouse some nonsensical excuse for the condition of our planet (such as poor management of forested areas in the case of California’s “Camp Fire”). No matter how much faith you put in a businessman talking of science, he’s wrong.

Eventually, the capitalist conglomerate which breathes life into national and

global food production will be toppled by the lack of biodiversity and an absence of empathy for living things. When that happens, we will only have a barren landscape to turn to.

The population of the world is growing at an unprecedented rate.

Development and deforestation is necessary to pass on even a semblance of our current lifestyles to new generations.

I implore every single person to make a change in their life.

Even if you don’t cut red meat from your diet, eat less. Don’t just carpool to work or school, walk there instead. I promise you’ll have the time. The best thing we can do is make small steps toward a drastically different way of living, as I know it’s impossible to change the public’s mind overnight. This is the only hope we have.

Yet another world-ending issue falls upon the generations labeled lazy and tech-addicted. Regardless of all that, I believe in a better future.

Be wary of those who would see us fail in favor of a cushioned life, and remember what’s at stake. The Earth is truly in our hands.

GRAPHIC BY ARIANNA MYERSARENTH NOV. 15, 2018

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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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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: WHAT ARE YOU ADDICTED TO?

“Chipotle. I need it all of the time and never get tired of it. More.”

—Nikki Aqui, managing editor

“Kettle corn. It’s just the right amount of sweet; the best place to get it is at the fair, but the kind from the store is good too as long as it’s not stale. “ —Emily Kruse, photo editor

“Biscuits and gravy.

I didn’t want to try it until very recently (just didn’t like the concept I guess?) and now I can’t stop eating it. Every time I go out to breakfast I get it. I’ve tried a lot of the biscuits and gravy recipes from restaurants around Lawrence, and Wheatfields has my favorite.”

—Macy Landes, editor-in-chief

“Pizza. I think I could eat it every day and not get sick of it. My favorite pizza place is Godfather’s Pizza, but their Lawrence location closed a long time ago.”

—Anna Parnell, design editor

“Trading card games.

I use to play them competitively in tournaments, so it’s a huge nostalgia point for me. The collection and competition involved in something so strategically challenging is just so enticing to me. The first thing I do when I get home is play, and I can get wrapped up for hours.”

—Connor Schmaus, editor-in-chief

“I’m addicted to Taco Bell. I literally have to go there like once a week, or I get cravings. So, once I got those cravings, I satiate them with the $5 Cravings Box, a fantastic value. Who doesn’t love cheap, delicious food?”

—Gary Schmidt, editor-in-chief

“Trashy reality TV, particularly the Bachelor franchise and Jersey Shore.

They’re so out there that they always crack me up. The shows are also a great way to turn off your brain for a second and feel better about yourself.”

—Sami Turner, design editor

NOV. 15, 2018

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THE BUDGET PHOTO OF THE MONTH

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

WINNERS ­— Seniors Michaela Cordova, Hannah Stewart, Sammy Williams and Laura Willoughby erupt with excitement after advancing to the final day of the state volleyball tournament on Oct. 26 in Salina. The Lions went on to beat Washburn Rural, 2-0, and then Blue Valley, 2-1, to claim the state title.

“We were definitely super excited, but we knew that our job was definitely not done yet because we still had to win that first game on Saturday to advance to the championships,” Stewart said. “It was just kind of more of a motivation we’re on to the next day type of excitement, not really necessarily nerves.”

PHOTO BY EMILY KRUSE

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