The Budget
New leadership in the district
Dr. Swift begins year as interim superintendent in Lawrence Page 12-13
Summer marked by political shifts
Harris steps up as Democratic presidential nominee Page 14-15
Kamala
Lawrence High School Lawrence, KS
IN THIS ISSUE
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German program struggles under new virtual model
12
New interim superintendent steps up to the plate
22
The Budget
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USD 497 superintendent Lewis steps down
School board renews contract for Gaggle
Take a look at photos from the Lions Leap
Gaggle renewal keeps students
FIGHTING
BY ARABELLA GIPP EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Gaggle continues to monitor students in USD 497, following concerns raised last year by student journalists.
This summer Lawrence High School alumni continued the conversation about Gaggle, AI software that aims to prevent suicide and self harm, but that the students say violates student privacy and First Amendment rights.
Last school year, student journalists Natasha Torkzaban, Morgan Salisbury, Jack Tell and Maya Smith led the fight against Gaggle and intend to continue doing so even after graduating from Lawrence High.
“I plan to do as much speaking, emailing, or attending board meetings as I can to show that yes, we are still here and still want to fight,” Smith said. “We’ve made small steps moving forward, mostly legal stuff”
In July, USD 497 school board members voted 6-1 to renew Gaggle.
“I know we talk a lot about suicide prevention,” board member Bob Byers said during the meeting. “Gaggle’s function is also looking at the safety of our youth in our
school or in our community because they will catch action or could theoretically catch actions that they are planning outside of school.”
During this sumer, we have seen how much can change in a blink of an eye. As the world rebuilds around us, we look to the future with hope under new leadership. Illustration by Wren Jay
Despite concerns, district sticks with AI monitoring technology for school year
This was a step back for the student journalists, who were not pleased with the board’s decision. The district agreed to remove student journalists from the AI monitoring last year but the students hoped the district would go further.
“It made me really angry but also disappointed that there was not much thought put into it considering the meetings and advocacy that the four of us have done,” Smith said.
Torkzaban emphasized that this issue is
important on more than a district level.
“The protection of these students does not just end at the walls of USD 497,” Torkzaban said. “It’s an issue that is rising nationwide due to the expansion of AI and the brazen adoption of AI-powered ‘safety technologies.’ ”
Graphic by Ruby Hull
CHECK IT OUT
Senior Kaden Valbuena and Riley Howell teach freshmen how to behave in the student section during athletic events for Room 308.
Volleyball game hosts surprise
VISITOR
BY JULIET OUTKA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
It was the fifth set of the heated LHS v. Olathe Northwest varsity volleyball game.
During the final point of the match, more than tension was in the air. A resident bat of the Lawrence High gymnasium swooped down on the court, squeaking, startling players and spectators, and causing a 15-minute delay at the end of the game.
Freshman JV volleyball player Libby English was there to witness the many different reactions to the disruption.
“The players on the court were just confused and trying to get the game over with, but everybody in the student section just started throwing their shoes at it and ducking,” English said. “Me personally, I just sat down because I was not trying to get attacked by the bat.”
One spectator, junior Wyatt Hendricks, fearlessly held up a jacket to keep the bat contained in a corner.
“I was standing with a jacket there so he wouldn’t go back out. Luckily, there was only one point left in the game, but I was just making sure he didn’t come out,” Hendricks said.
Although it was unexpected, the LHS players had heard bats in the
gym before and managed to stay focused and pull out the win.
“All of us had heard about the bat before and kind of just kept warm,” said senior Aubrie Magnuson, who played during the game. “So once the bat went up in the corner we were just like, ‘Alright, let’s get this going’, because all of us just wanted to go home.”
The Olathe North West team was more affected by the small flying mammal.
“The other team was just amused by it, so I think during the last point they weren’t focused on their serve, so we won,” English said.
Overall, Magnuson believes the volleyball team’s secret weapon may be surprise bat attacks.
“We’ve had bats in the gym for ages,” Magnuson said. “Sometimes we just hear them squeaking around. . . that’s what home court advantage is for LHS — having bats on the court.”
On the offensive, security guard Daniel Boone Salazar tries to catch a loose bat at the Sept. 10 girls volleyball match. “We took like 10-15 minutes of trying to get the bat contained,” said senior Aubrie Magnuson who played in the match when the bat appeared. “Eventually it just went up above the stairs and was hanging out up there.” Photo by Lydia Folks
Bat makes surprise game-time appearance during volleyball match
Students say cuts to German program are DEVASTATING
German classes transition to primarily digital format after loss of in-person instruction
BY JULIET OUTKA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
This year, the language department faced more cuts, this time in the German program.
Stephen Arbeau, who taught German classes for a year and half, recently said goodbye to LHS students as he transitioned to a new teaching job in the Lee’s Summit district.
After the loss of previous German teacher Arne Scholz in 2022, the position was filled by a long-term substitute as the school struggled to find a qualified replacement due to complexities in the licensing process.
School administrators were informed last year that budget cuts in the district would lead to the loss of two to three teaching positions at LHS for the 20242025 school year. The original plan was not to fill the positions of resigning teachers in the ESOL, social studies and math departments, but officials pivoted to making cuts in language classes instead.
According to Carolyn McKenna, Spanish teacher and head of the language department at LHS, cutting German classes was unfortunate, but necessary.
“When given the choice between holding a German position to likely be filled by a long-term sub again, and preserving a position in a core subject area where class sizes are extremely large anyway, I think the choice seemed pretty clear,” McKenna said. “While Mr. Arbeau was a great teacher and his German numbers were growing, the enrollment numbers of LHS at large were ultimately the problem.”
Although German students lost their teacher, they did not fully lose their class.
Proctored by band teacher Mike Jones, German students this year now complete lessons digitally using an online program called Rosetta Stone. The transition to the new digital system has been rocky, leaving students such as senior Elijah Mann unable to use the program early on.
“For German IV we still don’t have the
complete program course lined out. It’s going to be a very self paced course. It’s obviously not nearly as good as having a real teacher, so I’m not looking forward to that,” Mann said.
Some students, such as junior Magdalene Ortiz were denied continuance of their German study.
“I really wanted to do German again although it was taken online, but when I went in to ask I was told I was not qualified to do it, which was very confusing because I had good grades,” Ortiz said.
Although Ortiz was not able to enroll in German class, she continues to learn outside of school but worries that the cost of many independent study courses will dissuade her peers to continue learning on their own time.
“It is a little bit upsetting for the amount of people who are wanting to learn languages. . . .there are so many different cultures and languages and so many people want to travel to other places,” Ortiz said. “So it is just upsetting that a lot of those people don’t have the money or time to take some of the independent courses, so being able to learn at school was very nice.”
German program and their teacher as well as other language classes in my eyes is just a lack of equity within the district and is something that the district is turning a blind eye to,” Mann said.
In 2019, Lawrence High offered Spanish, French, Chinese/Mandarin, Latin and German. Today, only French and Spanish are offered, as well as the limited German program.
“The fact that Free State gets to keep its German program and their teacher as well as other language classes in my eyes is just a LACK OF EQUITY within the district and is something that the district is turning a blind eye to.”
—Elijah Mann, senior
Senior Orion Hamlin, who has taken German since freshman year, believes that learning German online makes it harder to fully understand the language.
“I think it makes it tougher to understand some of the reasoning behind the concepts that we’re learning,” Hamlin said. “Just because you can’t really ask how this connects to other parts of a language. You just have to trust that what it’s telling you is right.”
Unlike LHS, Free State was not required to make teacher cuts last year and did not receive cuts to its German classes, which some students found unfair.
“The fact that Free State gets to keep its
McKenna and other language teachers were sad to see multiple language classes go in such quick succession.
“As language teachers, we are all very sad whenever our offerings get whittled down further,” McKenna said. “It is sad that we are able to only offer French and Spanish at this time. Plans for the German program beyond the fall semester have not been communicated to me. I cannot imagine that the program will be restored to the previous format without some significant changes in school funding.”
Overall, Ortiz mainly missed the welcoming community that had been built in the German classroom.
“It was pretty devastating because we had built a community in that classroom,” Ortiz said. “Everybody was very comfortable, and it was a place to go if you needed somebody.”
Studying on his iPad, senior Orion Hamlin pushes through the difficulties of the complicated and changing Lawrence High German program. Hamlin and the other German IV students have undergone three different German teachers through the years and are now navigating online-only instruction. “What hasn’t changed honestly? At this point there is pretty much no assistance,” Hamlin said, noting his biggest obstacle is “finding motivation to do the stuff.” Photo by Ethan Hanratanagorn
GERMAN CLASSES
Other public high schools that have a German program
Reporting by Prairie Mulligan
School has a German program
School does not have a German program
over her work, freshman Layla Cummings works on a worksheet in new Amped on Algebra class at LHS, a new tactile innovative way at learning math. Teachers plan to use the curriculum to not only teach algebra, but take on the project of making T-shirts. “I’m looking forward to designing T-shirts and selling them and earning the money for them to be able to create more things,” Cummings said. “I think it’s going pretty good so far. I think it’s hard at first, but once you get the hang of it it’s pretty good.”
Hunched
Photo by Cadence Scholz
New math class helps students engage in ALGEBRA
Math and
CTE teachers
start new math class to help students apply skills
BY ASHLYN TELL LHSBUDGET.COM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Trying to teach a student to read a tape measure three years after their math curriculum taught fractions means taking a step back in time
Students have moved on from the basics. By their freshmen and sophomore years, their math classes build on even more complex equations, and the students keep up with an increasing amount of individual assignments and homework.
What is the problem with this systematic way of learning? In Mike Evans’ experience, it creates a disconnect between the classroom and the real world.
“There’s enough [people] to create lots of groups, and that means more communication,” Hout said.
“The entire program is based on collaboration and communication,” Harrell explained. She says it allows the students to learn and then teach each other.
“It’s what I’d call a discovery-based class, where you give them a little information and then you make their brains work,” she said.
A day of math alternates with a day of application within the CTE curriculum, taught by Evans.
“There’s enough people to create lots of groups, and that means MORE COMMUNICATION .”
—Juliana Hout, freshman
For the past five years, Evans has taught woodshop and construction at LHS. He’s learned how difficult it is for students to apply their learning in a math classroom to the projects in the woodshop.
He decided to change that.
“I was looking for a way to get my students to connect with the math,” he said. “Because I didn’t connect with the math when I was a kid either.”
That’s when Evans stumbled across the AMPED on Algebra program. AMPED stands for Algebra, Manufacturing Process, Entrepreneurship and Design. It’s a joint class, taught by both a CTE (Career and Technical Education) teacher and a math teacher.
“I didn’t even know it existed before he told us about it,” teacher Brittany Harrell said. Having taught Algebra 1 in a traditional setting, Harrell was selected to teach the math portion of AMPED.
“We’re still teaching the same standards that you would in a traditional Algebra 1 class,” she said. “But they learn it completely differently.”
The students are double enrolled in AMPED for their first and second hours, with a total of 48 students in one classroom, separated into groups of four.
“It’s huge but it’s great,” freshman Juliana Hout said. So far, she says, she’s loved the unique learning experience.
“All of the math we are doing boils down to being able to run a business,” Evans said.
That’s exactly what the students are going to do. In this case, the students will design, screen print, and sell T-shirts. This is the crucial application of math Evans was looking for.
“It makes sense when you add it to something,” he said. And he believes the communication aspect is just as important.
“It takes a lot of people to run a screen-printing business,” Evans said. “You have to be able to communicate with your fellow employees, in our case classmates, as well as others, because otherwise nothing gets done.”
In a class of 48 freshmen, class-wide collaboration and communication doesn’t come naturally.
“We’ve had to build a foundation of communicating first, and that has been the biggest challenge for kids who want to revert to their shell,” Evans said.
In order to adjust to this method, Harrell said time is key. The students are in AMPED for 106 minutes three times a week; their short periods are on both block days.
Initially intimidated by the long periods, she’s found them a blessing.
“It’s not just, ‘Here’s a lesson, do the problems.’ So much of our traditional class is structured that way, and it doesn’t give kids time to really think about it and collaborate and ask more questions,” Harrell
said.
By stepping outside the framework of a traditional class, students are able to see more clearly the connections between math and entrepreneurship.
“[We’re] running a business, so we want to make money,” Harrell said. “What does that look like in a math equation? Well they don’t know that yet, but it’s just slope intercept form.”
Harrell hopes to start selling T-shirts this fall. The money will go toward opening new doors for the program.
“We can use the money that they have made from their business to pour back into the program,” Harrell explained. If enough money has been made by the end of the year, she hopes the class will apply their learning to build skateboard ramps, a math-heavy operation, but one that costs money.
Anyone involved can see that these students are getting something special.
“It’s amazing,” Hout said. “It’s not just a boring old math class. I learn more with hands-on activities in groups, and that’s what this class is about.”
Both Harrell and Evans are crossing their fingers that next year, another joint CTE and math class will make its debut at LHS. Geometry and Construction is the continuation of the AMPED program, this time primarily serving sophomores.
“Both of them are amazing,” Evans said. “My plan next year is to have Geometry and Construction so [the AMPED students] can continue going.”
The hope is that both classes will eventually be widely available.
“If all kids could be a part of a program like that, it would just build a lot more understanding, and appreciation for the math that we are doing,” Harrell said. “Can you imagine if we could teach that to every kid?”
Leading the class, math teacher Brittany Harrell instructs the first and second hour AMPED on Algebra class with CTE teacher Mike Evans. The class launched for the first time this year. “I think that the kids get an experience of learning math in a nontraditional way,” Harrell said. “I teach that class a lot differently than I teach in this classroom.”Photo by Cadence Scholz
NEW TO AP CLASS
New teachers take on teaching AP classes
Reporting by Audrey Stock
"Prepping for AP Lit was a lot more intense than prepping for an on-level course...I felt more constrained to make sure my activities were strong and diverse enough to meet all of their standards."
—Carrington Porter, new to teaching AP Literature and Composition
“With AP classes there are specific directions from the College Board that controls the AP programs and administers the tests. It’s not just an advanced class — it’s AP®.”
—Christina Podany, new to teaching AP biology
“There are times that I feel like I didn’t get much of a summer break this year, as I spent many hours reviewing the curriculum of both of those classes. I worked out every single homework assignment and assessment as if I was a student taking the class, just so that I can start feeling confident with doing the material again...”
—David Rush, new to teaching AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC.
Hard at work, freshman Henry Bost completes work in the new Career & Life Planning class with teacher Erik Peltzman. “This class is teaching us about ways to prepare for college,” Bost said. “We go out and do volunteer work, then log it,” Bost said. “Our teacher says it will help us with college.”
Photo by Cadence Scholz
Waving their arms, teacher Barbara Tholen and senior Arabella Gipp lead Career & Life Planning class in singing “Sweet Caroline” so the freshmen would know the traditions before their first football game.
Photo
by
Bryndal Hoover
Helping freshmen start STRONG
Freshmen start LHS with new Career & Life Planning class, other increased requirements as they plan for graduation
BY ASHLYN TELL LHSBUDGET.COM, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The State of Kansas doesn’t want high school graduates playing video games in their parents’ basements two years after they graduate.
This, counselor Michele Frantz explained, is at the root of a new set of policies designed to set students up well for their post-grad endeavors and track their success. Frantz said the policies are designed to ensure that “we are not graduating students with no plan for the future.”
At the high school level, these policies have resulted in a variety of new requirements for the freshman class. Among others, they include a 0.5 communications credit, a 0.5 financial planning credit and a full-credit of STEM electives.
“It
posure to Lawrence High’s extracurriculars can help students get involved sooner rather than later.
“I think the earlier you get connected into something in high school, I think the less scary it is,” she said. “All of those classes are really pathways to having a group of people that you could connect with later in high school.”
Despite the successes in Tholen’s classroom, the course is still a work in progress.
“We are trying to build this class as we are teaching it,” Tholen said. “I’ve taken a lot of creative liberties with expectations.”
kind of DEMYSTIFIES some of those things that we kind of think everybody understands when they come into high school.”
—Barbara
To help meet these requirements, Lawrence High School is offering a new course for freshmen called Career & Life Planning. The class is designed to help students successfully navigate their high school careers.
“It kind of demystifies some of those things that we think everybody understands when they come into high school,” teacher Barbara Tholen explained.
In her class, the students have been taught the fight song, the alma mater and football cheers. They’ve also covered more important topics, like how to access mental health resources, the office of student services, the food pantry, and how to log community service hours.
“We have so many great resources at our school, and we’re not always good about sharing them,” Tholen said.
The class has met with fall sports athletes, thespians, debate members and journalism students. Tholen believes ex-
Tholen, teacher
Frantz explained that the class’ goal is to help students curate their Individual Plans of Study, or IPS. This objective comes from the state, in order to ensure that students plan for what they want to pursue after high school.
“We want to know that students have a plan to do one of these things and that they will be able to support themselves and contribute to society in the future,” Frantz said.
Freshman Mila Morrison said she’s learned a lot already. “Being in Career and Life planning made me realize how important trying new things and getting involved is,” she said. ”Since then, I’ve run for Student Council and joined the golf team — something I knew absolutely nothing about, and I’m grateful for each of those experiences.”
Hyping up the freshmen, senior Bryndal Hoover teaches students how to do the roller coaster — a student section cheer at football games. “It’s always awkward not knowing where to go in the school — let alone at games — so we wanted to teach those chants to make sure everyone was comfortable,” Hoover said. Photo by Arabella Gipp
WHERE ARE THE BANS?
FLORIDA in May of 2023
INDIANA in July of 2024
LOUISIANA in August of 2024
NORTH CAROLINA has district level bans beginning in August of 2024
Teachers and parents push for
school
days to be PHONE FREE
Amid national push, local effort to separate students from phones at school gains traction
BY RHUBARB BRUBACHER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, LHSBUDGET.COM
More than 80 USD 497 teachers have signed a petition seeking a new districtwide cell phone policy.
Written in late May, the petition states that current district policy is “ineffective and nearly impossible to enforce” and proposes that student phones be stored in a designated area for the entirety of the school day.
Free State High School teacher David Reber was one of the district faculty members to advocate for this new policy over the summer. He referenced his experience at a phone-free concert as a practical example of how this policy could be enforced.
“In order to enter the venue, you had to put your phone in a container that was then locked by security staff. You kept your phone with you but could not access it. As you left, security staff unlocked the container,” Reber said. “Anything short of this will be woefully insufficient.”
Free State parent Justin Blumenstiel organized a parent petition that has gained more than 100 signatories to show support for the teachers’ proposal. He vocalized parent concerns about cell phone usage at an August school board meeting, centering the message on teenagers’ mental health with an informational handout.
Blumenstiel’s goal in rallying parent support is to alleviate tension between the district’s families and faculty.
“Parents are the ones whose children are in the schools, so I think we need to have a united front on these issues,” Blumenstiel said. “If there’s a general consensus amongst the teachers and the parents, I think then USD 497 will have to respond to that.”
Blumenstiel included various statistical analyses in his handout that connected the use of cellphones to a decline in teenagers’ mental health. He emphasized, however, that correlation does not equal causation,
and that cases of experimental intervention would provide the most valuable data.
Blumenstiel specifically cited a study by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, which concluded that female students from lower socio-economic backgrounds showed the greatest academic improvement as a result of a phone ban.
Blumenstiel explained that this, along with other potential benefits, could outweigh the inconvenience of communication loss.
“There’s that concern that people from disadvantaged backgrounds might have a more challenging way to coordinate and schedule things on a daily basis,” Blumenstiel said. “I think in the end, on balance, the impact will be greatest among students that are disadvantaged.”
expected to do that.”
Senior Adelle Spiess was one of few in her freshman class to not be in possession of her own cell phone. While acknowledging the communication hindrance both during the school day and in extracurricular activities, Spiess said she could see the argument for a phone-free day.
“In my experience, the harm done by cell phones disproportionately affects those STUDENTS WHO ARE ALREADY AT RISK for a variety of other reasons.”
—David Reber, teacher supporting a phone ban
In the classroom, Reber observed that unrestricted access to cell phones has been a major contributor to high levels of absenteeism and misconduct, especially among underprivileged students.
“In my experience, the harm done by cell phones disproportionately affects those students who are already at risk for a variety of other reasons,” Reber said. “Allowing students to have phones is therefore an issue of equity in access to educational opportunities.”
Aside from behavioral and academic performance, Blumenstiel and Reber agreed that a blanket phone policy would leave less room for disciplinary interaction between students and teachers. The district’s current policy allows for teacher discretion in terms of both classroom guidelines and confiscation, which Reber argued is an unfairly hefty responsibility.
“The district leaves teachers on the front line to deal with the problem,” Reber said. “It is incredibly demoralizing that my employer would put me in a position where I would be
“I can kind of detach myself from the last three years and say, ‘Well, OK, I was able to function without having a phone during the school day,’ ” Spiess said. “At the same time, I much prefer having a phone now.”
Given that Spiess was able to operate effectively throughout the school day without a phone, she said that it was probably developmentally appropriate. However, she did not have any substantial concerns about student cell phone use in general.
“Obviously every teacher’s policy is different, but I think the majority of the time, not being allowed to be on it during class periods is not a problem,” Spiess said. “Access during passing periods and lunch, I think, is a completely fair game.”
But for Reber and Blumenstiel, it’s not just about classroom engagement. Both attributed observed declines in social skills to an increase in cell phone use. Reber compared the development to “watching kids shoot heroin,” and expressed that the pressure on teachers to combat such an epidemic has contributed to the district’s lack of teacher retention in recent years.
“I hope the students don’t think that the olds are doing this to punish them,” Blumenstiel said. “I would remind the students… to think about how your use, an individual’s use, is being shaped by multi-billion dollar companies who have commodified attention in such a way that maybe they don’t always have the best interest of the user in mind.”
USD 497 begins the
SWIFT ERA
Interim superintendent steps in to lead district in a year of transition
BY ETHAN HANRATANAGORN REPORTER
Dr. Jeanice Kerr Swift clearly remembers the night the mother of a student stopped her to share the damage of a recent budget cut in the district Swift was leading.
Swift, who recently started as interim superintendent in USD 497, said the cut had seemed small in the larger scope of that school district, but rethought when the parent described the impact and asked her to consider the impact of cuts to those on the
ground level.
“I went back after that night and fixed that thing that she was telling me about, but I always remembered that from her,” Swift said.
Swift believes keeping the everyday experiences of students in mind is essential.
“I want to see that. I want to hear that,” she said. “I want to have that inform the decisions we make at the district. Because that’s how it should work.”
This may reflect the openness that teachers would like to see.
“So [knowing] why she makes decisions that she makes would be really cool,” said science teacher Clara Duncan, who is a building
rep for the Lawrence Education Association, the teacher’s union. “And I think something that we’ve seen from admin at the building level that’s been great… and I’d love to see that from district admin as well.”
Swift began leading USD 497 in September after former superintendent, Dr. Anthony Lewis, took a job as superintendent in Durham, NC.
Swift has had a wealth of experience serving students. She taught for 13 years, including as an English and Spanish teacher. Her career began in Texas and took her to Colorado Springs School District where she rose to the ranks of assistant superintendent.
PATH TO KANSAS
SUMMER PICK
Dr. Swift was named interim superintendent after Superintendent Dr. Anthony Lewis’s June resignation.
TOUGH END
Dismissed as superintendent in Ann Arbor Public Schools, months after celebrating 10 years in the district.
That put her in close proximity to Columbine High School when 12 students and one teacher were killed in 1999. Even closer to the present, while leading Ann Arbor Public Schools, Swift was just an hour away from Oxford High School when four students were killed in 2021. She reflected on these experiences with visible emotion while speaking about student safety in the wake of the Sept. 4 shootings at Apalachee High School in Georgia in which four students were killed.
“This is supposed to be a time of hope and possibility,” she said. “You have your first home game tonight. How exciting. And yet our existence is marred by these events. And so at every level of our system local all the way to the White House we must make this a priority. And we can fix it.”
In Michigan, she worked with students to advocate for schools being given the ability to restrict open carrying on school grounds — moved to action after the relative of a student openly carried a gun in the front row of a school concert.
“It disturbed our students and disturbed our families, greatly disturbed me,” she said. “And it was from that event that we ended up eventually three years later changing the law. And those students who were at that choir concert performing were with me on the day at the [Michigan] Supreme Court when we won. So it wasn’t me. It was their voice that made that happen.”
One challenge Swift is sure to face is fiscal matters. USD 497 has been dealing with a budget shortfall, which led to closing schools and cutting staff in recent years. Swift, who has experience dealing with funding issues, notes the challenges of underfunding, declining enrollment, the need to better pay district staff and greater student needs.
“You all know better than most of us that student needs are as high as they’ve ever been,” she said. “We understand now the importance of addressing mental health concerns, social emotional, physical health.”
Swift believes that these financial concerns are not the fault of any one person — calling them the impact of a “perfect storm.”
“I’m proud of the district and the com-
Explore some of the milestones of Dr. Jeanice Kerr Swift’s career
CELEBRATED
Named Michigan Superintendent of the Year by the Michigan Association of School Administrators.
COLORADO YEARS
In Colorado Springs School District 11, Swift served as assistant superintendent, executive director, principal, assistant principal, resource coach, and a secondary English and Spanish teacher for 13 years.
munity for taking some steps that were very hard,” she said. “But they put us where we are financially in a better place. And now it’ll be on me this year working with you all and working with the community to sort out how do we make it stronger.”
A persistent struggle with public school budgeting is proper compensation for staff and administrators. Swift was hired on a 10-month contract, earning $194,482 in her first year. The rate of pay for a 12-month contract would be $235,000 — or about $5,000 a year more than the last contract with Lewis. She said she understands concerns about administrative pay.
“We want to make sure every staff member is served well and compensated appropriately…to keep an eye on not only the size of contracts for administrators but the number and just making sure that we’re in good balance,” Swift said.”
STARTING OUT
Swift taught 10 years in Texas. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington, her master’s at the University of Colorado, and a doctorate at the University of Denver.
we are always learning from the situation we’re in,” Swift said. “We’re always reflecting on how we did and what could be done better.”
Swift knows that some of the issues she faces are at the district office as the district has lost several top administrators. Jeff Plinsky, an English teacher who’s a building representative for the Lawrence Education Association, said it will be essential to fill roles with high-quality candidates, but worries about the temporary nature of her job.
LEARN MORE
Watch the Room 308 coverage of our interview
Swift brings to the district a mix of success and struggle. While working for Ann Arbor’s schools she was named Michigan Superintendent of the Year for 2018, among other awards. She celebrated 10 years in Ann Arbor before her contract was terminated prematurely by the district’s board of trustees in 2023.
In 2021, Swift faced blowback when a school bus aide assaulted a child with special needs and the school took weeks to act, according to a federal lawsuit filed by the mother. The district took five weeks after the initial report to move forward with any investigation according to The Ann Arbor Observer. Two years later, that issue was raised when the district’s board of trustees ousted Swift on a 4-3 vote. But The Ann Arbor Observer painted the firing as a complex issue with multiple factors, including political shifts and questions about how the district dealt with the pandemic. Her dismissal drew concerns from former trustees and union officials.
Swift acknowledges what happened with her last district, but wishes to move forward.
“I think whether there’s backlash or not,
“Doing something for a year and then changing direction creates a metaphorical whiplash that’s hard to overcome,” he said. “And so, I’d like to see the interim focused on making sure that positions are filled, making sure that the district is running smoothly. So whatever direction our eventual superintendent takes, it’s from a solid base.”
Swift has begun an engagement tour to better understand the needs and priorities of the community.
“I’m looking forward to writing that in the December/January timeframe to really publish a report that’s populated by thousands of voices in our community,” she said. “So I really feel like my role is to gather that information, to share it back with the community. And then to have that information form and inform the next steps in the district.”
USD 497 will be launching a superintendent search this fall. As for Swift’s future, she said she’s focused on this year.
“I really plan to do the very best job that we can during 24-25, and then we’ll see how that goes,” she said. “And I’m not avoiding your question. It’s just this is really the one thing right now: 24-25.”
Smiling, Dr. Jeanice Kerr Swift conducts an interview with The Budget about her plans for the future of the district. She described her interest in the community. “I could tell right away that Lawrence staff and parents and families and community place [value] on a quality education,” Swift said. Photo by Arabella Gipp
New presidential candidate Kamala Harris STEPS UP
In history-making summer, Harris replaces Biden for Democrats on the November ballot
BY MIMI ROSADO SCHMITT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, LHSBUDGET.COM
This summer, Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden shocked the nation.
On July 21, the current president announced his departure from the 2024 election.
“While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden said.
The last time America saw a presidential candidate drop out was 56 years ago.
“The only example that I could come up with is Linden Johnson in 1968, but that was the end of March of 1968,” U.S. History teacher Valerie Schrag said. “This was mid-July, with basically 100 days to go. In that
DURING THE SUMMER
way, it’s completely unprecedented for this to happen.”
Throughout his campaign, Biden faced loads of criticism. Many voters were concerned the was too old, and some even speculated he was showing early signs of dementia. After debating Trump, he was losing the support of many in the Democratic Party.
The Biden administration has notably been a supporter of Israel, which has been condemned by many young Democratic voters for its actions in Gaza. This lack of enthusiasm from voters became a significant motivator as to why Biden chose to drop out.
“I’ve noticed that people have been straying away from politics because they don’t feel like their candidates represent them,” Young Democrats Club co-president Sylvia Oparaji said.
“I’ve
noticed that people have been STRAYING AWAY FROM POLITICS because they don’t feel like their candidates represent them.”
The same day of his announcement, Biden publicly endorsed Harris. Immediately, she began her campaign. The campaign centered itself around pop culture, women’s rights, embracing diversity and appealing to the middle class.
“She [Harris] is going to bring in a lot more people and engage with the youth a little bit more. A wider variety of people is a benefit to the Democratic Party,” Oparaji said.
—Sylvia Oparaji, senior
When Biden and Harris won in 2020, Harris broke history as the first woman to be vice president, and she hoped to become the first woman and person of South Asian descent to become president.
“Even though we had a Black president, that intersectionality between a woman and
, former
President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt as well as what is assumed to be a second attempt in September. This was the first assassination attempt on a president in more than 40 years. Here’s a look at other times this has happened in history.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN assassinated by John Wilkes Booth.
JAMES A. GARFIELD assassinated by Charles J. Guiteau.
IVOTED
being Black is very inspiring,” Oparaji said. Voters showed more enthusiasm toward Harris than Biden.
At the Democratic National Convention, many top Democrats endorsed Harris. Notable speakers, like Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Joe Biden, Tim Walz, and even members of the Central Park Five all showed their support and commitment to the Harris campaign.
& Tim Walz
On Aug. 22, the final night of the Democratic National Convention, Harris formally accepted the nomination with the crowd roaring.
“On behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth,” Harris said. “I accept your nomination to be President of the United States of America.”
Supporters hoped that Harris stepping up
would change the course of history, raising hopes that in 2025, the United States would have its first female president.
“I firmly believe that representation matters for everyone,” Schrag said before the election. “When you see somebody else doing a job, you think ‘I can do that, too,’ because what you see, you can believe.”
A Brief History of Presidential Assassination Attempts
1901 1912 1963 1981 2024
WILLIAM MCKINLEY assassinated by Leon Czolgisz.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT(out of office) shot by John Schrank
JOHN F. KENNEDY assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald
RONALD REAGAN shot by John Hinckley Jr.
DONALD TRUMP(out of office) shot by Thomas Matthew Crooks
Graphic by Ruby Hull
Students take part in hospital INTERNSHIPS
LHS seniors participate in summer internship program at Lawrence Memorial Hospital
BY RUBY FLANNER WRITER & REPORTER
This summer, a few talented and passionate LHS students were chosen to participate in an internship at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, where they immersed themselves in the medical world and were introduced to new opportunities and perspectives.
The 24-hour-per-week program paid the interns to explore career opportunities through field trips, projects, shadowing and even viewing surgeries in real time. Many LHS students were encouraged by Anitha Subramanian, Lawrence High’s pre-med
teacher, to apply for the internship. After submitting a lengthy application, including everything from basic questions to short essays, students awaited a possible interview.
“You want to try to convey why this is interesting to you and why it’s something that you really want to be a part of,” said senior Jack Bosh, who participated in the internship over the summer.
Interns began to work eight-hour shifts three times a week. However, these shifts differed greatly from an average internship.
“We had a lot of public speaking sessions and a lot of enrichment sessions in general,” senior Sylvia Oparaji said. “We were learning about different things related to healthcare; we learned about inequity and more social
issues. We went on a lot of field trips to help connect healthcare to those social issues.”
Interns were surrounded by talented doctors, administrators and more. Each intern was assigned a fellow intern partner and two mentors.
“We had one who was more on the administrative side and one who was more on the clinical side,” Oparaji said. “They helped us a lot and talked with us and gave us a lot of advice, whether it was life advice or career-focused advice.”
Interns had an opportunity to conduct real research they were interested in through their capstone project.
“We would research a topic that was related to what we were doing in the hospital,”
Bosh said. “It was a topic that was personal to us, something that meant a lot to us.”
Interns were able to gather valuable research about a topic that interested them, while also receiving help from mentors. At the end of the program, they presented all of their information to their peers and mentors. Bosh, for example, covered the negative effects of radiology on the workforce.
“It’s a big problem in radiology that isn’t talked about very much,” Bosh said. “There’s a very high percentage of radiologists that suffer from these injuries because of their line of work, and that was something that I wanted to get addressed.”
For some, the connections and knowledge they gained paved the way to a career at LMH. Senior Juan Casimiro plans to get his license, work at LMH, and eventually become a traveling nurse.
“Once I have my license, I have a job ready for me. I’m planning to work as a CNA minimum for three years while also attending nursing school,” Casimiro said. “Then get another five to six years under my belt to fully gain experience and then transfer into a traveling nurse.”
their eyes to a community that spans much farther than doctors and nurses.
“When you think about the hospital, you always think about the clinicians, the doctors, the surgeons, techs, etc,” Oparaji said. “You don’t really think about those who aren’t necessarily involved with the actual science aspect of it, but those who are more administrative, and I thought that was really eye-opening.”
Another way the interns’ perspectives were altered was through sitting in on meetings. Being able to experience decision-making and addressing issues in real time showed the interns how a professional medical environment operates.
“You really get to understand more of the works and THE PASSIONS OF THE DOCTORS, technicians, staff, everybody
at LMH”
—Jack Bosh, senior
The internship also provided valuable insights through hands-on initiatives that the interns wouldn’t get in daily life or from research. Oparaji, who went into the internship interested in being a surgeon, had a different view going out. After seeing several surgeries, she came to a realization.
“[Surgeons] kind of come in, they perform the surgery, and then they leave, which I feel like is not really my style,” Oparaji said. “I’m the kind of person who likes to talk with people and build connections and a community.”
Interns particularly enjoyed meeting Erica Hill, LMH’s equity, inclusion and diversity director. She was the president of the school board from 2019 to 2022 and served as vice president in 2023. Hill interviewed the interns and was involved in the summer internship. After seeing how involved Hill was, Oparaji expressed interest in a community-centered career like Hill’s.
“I realize now I don’t have to only go into the science part of it, because what I’m passionate about is connecting with people,” Oparaji said. “So whether that’s working as an actual doctor, having a more administrative position, or like what Erica does with her health equity work.”
The internship altered the interns’ views of the medical world as a whole, opening
“Something I’ve seen being in the hospital is that they receive a lot of backlash for the decisions they make,” Bosh said. “But looking at a lot of the executive meetings that we’ve been a part of, everybody in those positions really do consider all of the issues that are occurring in the hospital. They really do try to consider what is the best course of action.”
The former interns strongly encourage anyone interested to apply.
“There were so many different kinds of people there,” Oparaji said. “You don’t have to be a certain way, they pick all kinds of people. Really, be true to yourself and what you’re passionate about.”
Overall, the one-of-a-kind internship required a lot of attention and effort, but participants agreed that the outcome was worth it.
“You want to really immerse yourself in it, really take pride in it, and have fun learning everything that comes with it,” Bosh said. “That’s not only going to make things easier and much more enjoyable for you but also going to provide a better learning experience.”
Suited up for science, seniors Sylvia Oparaji, Jack Bosh and Juan Casimiro, who participated in the Lawrence Memorial Hospital summer internship, pose with beakers. The internship immersed the students in the world of medicine, introducing them to a variety of possible careers in the medical field. Oparaji enjoyed the practical learning opportunists the most. “It certainly helped me get my foot in the door,” Oparaji said. “I feel like that kind of shows you the inner workings of the hospital and what it takes to actually run, and I feel like that has definitely helped broaden my perspective with what I want to do.” Photo by Cadence Scholz
Lions go on summer trip to
JAPAN
Reporting by Alexa Clark
About the trip
“It was very fun, and we had a lot of people so we got our own bus which was pretty nice cause we didn’t have to be with other people and we had a really good tour guide. It was really cool to see that stuff because it was really different.”
—Cami Nauholz, sophomore
Favorite sight
“My favorite thing was Mount Fuji, which is a volcano that’s going to erupt in like 100 years, which is super cool because we had a perfect view, and it was just beautiful.”
—Jane Platt, sophomore
Favorite spot
“The city of Kamakura because it was right on the beach and all of it was like seashell stores and an entire shop that was like cats as well as the ice cream. There was ice cream everywhere.”
—Gigi Izquierdo Hodges, senior
INNOVATIVE FUNDRAISING
The Sunrise Project gets creative in raising money for its work in the community
Reporting by Aaminah Ahmed
TATTOO FUNDRAISER
The Sunrise Project partnered up with the Standard Electric Tattooing this year with a Get Inked for Sunrise Project promotion.
ANNUAL PIE AUCTION
The Sunrise Projects hosts a pie auction each fall in which people donate pies for the event.
SUNRISE CAFE
Free community cafe every Sunday is an event with food and drinks. Donations are always welcome but never required.
Sunrise Project looks for a new place TO CALL H ME
Local non-profit organization faces move out of headquarters of seven years
BY ZANA KENNEDY NEWSPAPER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Agreenhouse. A kitchen. A family
Over the past 10 years, the Sunrise Project has wrapped this all into one at 1501 Leonard Avenue — but the nonprofit won’t be able to call this location home much longer.
In late August, Sunrise Project announced on social media that due to a change in property ownership, the organization is in the process of finding a new location.
“We made that announcement to the community because we want to be transparent,” co-founder Melissa Freiburger said. “We want the community to know what we’re going through.”
The Sunrise Project was founded in 2015 by Freiburger and Emily Hampton with the mission of connecting the community through accessible and sustainability sourced food while providing volunteer opportunities to high schoolers and the general community.
“Two things they’re both passionate about [is] cooking and gardening,” junior Goldy Stephens and daughter of Freiburger said. “Everyone loves food, everyone has to have food, everyone has to eat.”
Freiburger rents the property housing multiple tenets from its primary owners Dave and Susan Milstein. But after Dave’s death in 2020, it has been harder for Susan to maintain the space alone.
“It just feels like it’s the right time for her to let the property go and move on,” Freiburger said. “She’s looking for a buyer, which means we probably won’t be able to stay here.”
A central part of the Sunrise Project is the layout of its headquarters.
“People love the synergy,” Freiburger said. “We have our on-site garden, we have the pantry, we have the com-
munity space inside, and it all just kind of ties together.”
The location of the building has also been valuable for its success.
“They’re in such a great central location for a lot of families to walk there or to take a bus there,” science teacher and volunteer Lisa Ball said. “I could imagine if they have to move to the edge of town, it could be harder to access for people who actually need their services or for volunteers who want to get out there.”
The organization provides a wide range of volunteer opportunities for the community through food production, including gardening, cooking and delivering meals.
“I started out in the garden and I really enjoyed that,” senior volunteer Molly Kelly said. “I wanted to keep volunteering there, but I didn’t have enough time to do the garden every week, so I learned about the free meals, the delivery stuff, and that’s something easy I can do.”
community aspect of their work.
“I really love the people,” Stephens said. “We go out and have dinner together and we have volunteer meals and we all have our each other’s numbers and we just really like each other.”
The Sunrise Project has also focused on concentrating its efforts on Lawrence specifically.
“They’re really local,” Kelly said. “They’re very personalized to Lawrence. It’s an organization here by people who live here and who have an understanding of the community.”
“We made that announcement to the community because WE WANT TO be transparent”
—Melissa Freiburger, co-founder
Ball introduced the organization to the AP Environmental Science class to encourage student engagement at the local level.
“We helped them with some big garden projects that they couldn’t get around to,” Ball said. “I wanted to make sure [students] know about this resource in our community.”
The organization has become a welcoming space for everyone involved.
“The heart of our mission is that social connection piece,” Freiburger said. “The most important thing is that we’re there together, we’re learning from each other and we’re connecting. Getting food on the table at a meal is definitely a priority, but it’s not going to fall secondary to making sure every person that walks in that door feels welcome.”
Many of the volunteers at the Sunrise Project have leaned into the
Although it might be difficult, the impending move might be a good thing.
“We’ve outgrown our space,” Stephens said. “Our parking lot is filled, there’s no seats left in the building. I think that’s the biggest thing … we’re really big and our space is not.”
Although the move is a big change, Freiburger is ready to lead the project forward.
“It’s kind of nerve-wracking, but I ultimately fall back on having faith in our community to come together,” Freiburger said. “We will do things as a community, and it may look different, and that’s fine, but not everyone likes change. I want to lead with some optimism and also that attitude of acceptance.”
Surrounded by sunflowers, a sign sits designating the Sunrise Project’s community garden. However, the nonprofit is unsure what volunteering in that space will look like in the near future. “We don’t know if we’re going to have a garden space for a while, so we don’t know if we’re going to have garden nights with all our garden volunteers,” junior Goldy Stephens said. “So just like volunteering wise… we’re just going to have to see what happens really to know what we need help with.”
Photo by Cadence Scholz
What Lawrence summer event ARE YOU?
Answer each question and track how many responses you get for each letter A-D
BY ARABELLA GIPP LHS BUDGET CO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Question 1 — Where would you rather take a vacation?
A- New York City
B- Chicago
C- Washington, D.C.
D- Las Vegas
Question 2 — What is your favorite season?
A- Fall
B- Summer
C- Spring
D- Winter
Question 3 — What is your favorite sweet treat?
Question 4 — What summer drink is your favorite?
B- Lemonade
D- Blue Raspberry Icy
Question 5 — What is your favorite school subject?
A- Music
B- Science
C- History
D- Art
Question 6 — What is your favorite accessory?
A- Rings
B- Sunglasses
C- Necklace
D- Purse
A- Cake
B- Snow Cone
C- Cookie
D- Kettle Corn
A- Shirley Temple
C- Hibiscus Iced Tea
Question 7 — What is your favorite Lawrence Restaurant?
A- Ramen Bowls
B- Burger Stand
C- Papa Keno’s
D- Lady Bird Diner
Question 8 — What is your favorite scent?
A- Strawberry
B- Coconut
C- Vanilla
D- Sandalwood
Question 9 — What is your favorite shoe brand?
A- Adidas
B- New Balance
C- Nike
D- Vans
Question 10 — What is your favorite Lawrence coffee shop?
A- Java Break
B- Espurresso Cat Cafe
C- Cellar Door
D- The Roost
RESULTS
Mostly A’s
You are the Lawrence Pride celebration! You bring together people of all backgrounds and are a safe place for many. You light up each room you enter with your positive energy. You enjoy hanging out with friends and listening to music.
Mostly C’s
You are the Lawrence Juneteenth celebration! You are someone who values rich culture and family. You love all kinds of music and dancing with loved ones. You create a safe place for everyone, and encourages others to be truly themselves.
Mostly B’s
You are the Douglas County Fair carnival! You enjoy hanging out with a big group of people. You most likely have many accent lights in your room and love candles. You are the life of the party and encourage everyone to be social.
Mostly D’s
You are the Lawrence Busker Festival! You enjoy a night out on the town to get ice cream. You like to see the trees light up during the winter and warm drinks. You love a road trip or long car rides with friends. You secretly believe in magic.
Wrestling coach enters a new world of ATHLETICS
take it to a different level of competition, and they excel.”
new but familiar face was seen on the tennis courts this fall, as boys’ wrestling coach Patrick Naughton stepped up as assistant coach for the girls tennis team alongside
Senior Aaliysah Lanning, a third-year player, noted the significant shifts in their routines.
“This year he’s making it a big goal to go to state,” Lanning said. “He’s trying to see where people fit in the most.”
Lanning also appreciated Naughton’s positive attitude and insight into the team.
“There’s NOT A PRIZE. You have to be consistent, you have to practice with intent.”
—Patrick Naughton
shall collaborated on new strategies, rotating athletes from varsity and junior varsity.
“When I was a freshman, I was way behind everybody else,” Naughton said.
“When there’s a huge gap your first year, it can be
He hoped to foster a welcoming environment that is fun and less intimidating,
“My first goal is to have fun while doing it because it can be frustrating, just like with wrestling, especially when you’re starting out,” Naughton said. Naughton hoped to foster this environment by communicating healthy
“Also making sure that they know, everything you’re doing is paying off,” Naughton said. “So then you
“He’s trying to see where people fit in the most,” Lanning said. “I think it definitely gives a lot of people a shot, and it gives a little bit more hope.”
Naughton has an extensive history as a coach of multiple sports.
“In my 29 years in the district I’ve coached almost every sport you can think of,” Naughton said. “I started at South Junior High, as a wrestling coach. I’ve also coached track, football, cheerleading and even girls’ tennis for a year.”
Drawing from his experience, Naughton applied lessons he has picked up from other coaches and sports, modifying these strategies to fit his new role.
“The best thing you can get is stealing ideas from everybody else,” Naughton said. “The main thing is taking what works for somebody, and molding it to work within your group.”
Building on this mindset, Naughton also emphasized the importance of pushing through challenges.
“It’s all the same thing, you put in all the work and techniques,” Naughton said. “You’re going to have your pitfalls, you’re going to have your good days, you’re going to have your bad days.”
Junior Hailey Bills appreciated the positive uplifting spirit, recognizing Naughton’s impact on the team.
“He uses strategies from his other sports, like wrestling,” Bills said. “He doesn’t have a lot of knowledge in tennis, but he finds his ways to still improve us,” Bills said.
Naughton recalls his early coaching days with Marshall, during which they adapted to the hardships of limited space for junior high wrestling.
“We had 60 kids wrestling at one time. The thing is about half the size of a tennis court,”
Spotlight on new
From the mat to the court, boys’ wrestling coach Patrick Naughton steps into role as assistant girls’ tennis coach
Naughton said. “Half the team ran for an hour while the other wrestled. Then they flip-flopped.”
From these experiences, Naughton plans to leave one important lesson behind.
“There’s not a prize, you have to be consistent, you have to practice with intent,” Naughton said. “Things will pay off in the end.”
Naughton believes tennis can profoundly impact the lives of athletes, providing them with skills and a sense of belonging, extending far beyond the local courts.
“[Athletes] should have a sport where they feel they belong to, have camaraderie with, and have some fun with. Tennis is something they can take with them for the rest of their lives,” Naughton said.
From the wrestling mat to the tennis court, Coach Patrick Naughton took on a new role this fall. The long-time wrestling coach is known for his passion at wrestling meets like the one he’s pictured at to the left in January. But as the new tennis assistant tennis coach he found himself in a new role (pictured right). The job had Naughton coaching next to head coach Chris Marshall. “Coach Marshall and I actually coached together back when I was a middle school wrestling coach,” Naughton said. Photos by Lydia Folks and Selah Wolfe.
Freshman Olivia Smutniak embraces first season as member of JV tennis team
Reporting by Juliet Outka
SEASON GOALS
“Get better, win and have better scores in matches while I recover from my hip injury I had in April.”
STARTING THE SPORT
“I think it was a summer camp when I was 5 maybe, so I’ve been doing it for about seven years. I’ve always tried to do tennis when I could. The school I used to go to didn’t have tennis, so I played club tennis.”
BEST PART OF TEAM
“Probably just playing together and talking together in warm ups.”
RECOVERING
“It’s pretty good. I’m hopeful it’s almost healed because I went to physical therapy.”
IDEAL TENNIS OUTFIT
“Shorts and a razor-back tank top.”
Volleyball team welcomes new COACH
Long-time Coach Newkirk begins first season leading Lions
BY AVERY SLOYER
RED & BLACK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The volleyball team welcomed new leadership as Deborah Newkirk stepped up as the varsity volleyball coach this fall.
Just out of college, Newkirk was immediately pushed into the world of coaching. She started her career as a basketball coach, and it wasn’t until she got hired and shook the administrator’s hand that she learned that she would coach volleyball, too.
“It just launched me from a very young woman who kind of got thrown into volleyball to being extremely passionate and dedicated to my field coaching many years later,” Newkirk said.
After previously living in Texas, Newkirk decided she wanted to be in a place that she loved but was also close to her family. Ending up in Lawrence with this new position was not something she planned.
ball from a new perspective and training with Newkirk, the team was still bonding.
“She doesn’t really know us well enough yet because it’s her first year, she’s still figuring out everyone’s weaknesses and strengths,” Crawford said. “I think once she figures that out, it’ll be fine. But for right now, it’s just tough trying to figure out where everyone’s at right now.”
The players were committed to working as a team, Newkirk said.
“Everyone’s pushing their chips forward and we are working hard,” she said. “We are engaged. We are listening. We are high fiving. I’m so proud of the leadership and the expectations and holding each other to a standard.”
“I love her ENERGY, and I think that she’s very involved with us.
—Jessica Sayler, senior
“The position kind of found me I think,” Newkirk said. “I fell in love immediately with the traditions of Lawrence High School. Mr. [Mike] Gillman shared so many beautiful things about the school.”
The team noticed a difference in her coaching compared to previous coaches.
Senior Maddy Crawford said Newkirk’s time in Texas plays a role in this.
“People do different things everywhere, but in Texas, they do a lot of different plays apparently and she’s trying to bring some of that here,” Crawford said. “I think that’s really cool and fun.”
Senior Harper Dye thought this brought new challenges to the team.
“Coming from Texas just with them doing different things, it is challenging because there is a little bit of a barrier,” Dye said. “I don’t know. We kind of do volleyball a little bit different.”
While Crawford enjoyed learning volley-
The transition was a good opportunity for players to try new drills and techniques at practice.
“We’re doing a lot more weightlifting, especially over the summer and we’re going to lift more in season,” Dye said. “We’re lifting once a week, just a workout in the weight room, which is different. We’ve never done that in the past.”
Off the court, Newkirk teaches a Career & Life Planning class for freshmen. Additionally, Newkirk has written books about youth volleyball curriculum and runs her own company allowing her to work as a summer camp director. She created her company as an entrepreneurial move and she believes many other coaches have similar projects.
“It’s just that we’re passionate about what we do, that we like to stretch out, rub elbows with other coaches, and learn from the best,” Newkirk said.
Making it to state was a goal for Dye but her main priority was having fun for her senior year. Newkirk had the same goal as her athlete.
“My number one goal is that our senior class, this class of 2025 has an extraordinary experience,” Newkirk said. “We want to build culture, positive and uplifting life lessons,
and a highly competitive nature.”
Through it all, Newkirk remained humble and ready to focus on her athletes and their successes.
“I don’t know that I’m a standout coach, but I know that I’m waking up thinking about it, and I go to sleep thinking about it, and I might even wake up in the middle of the night thinking about it,” Newkirk said. “I’m passionate about what I do, and it’s just my wiring. It’s just how I’m built.”
Discussing, new head volleyball coach Deborah Newkirk talks with players at home game on Sept. 10. The Lions defeated Shawnee Mission South 1-0. “Our biggest goal is to be competitive, and every team that we see across the net, we’re giving them a hard time,” Newkirk said. Photo by Lydia Folks
MEET THE STARTERS
Volleyball starters share their thoughts about their goals, leadership and more
Reporting by Eileen Zhao
Position: Middle Goal: “My goal is just to play hard and do the best I can.”
—Jessica Sayler, senior
Position: Outside
Senior leadership: “I need to lead everybody...and leaving the program better than how I found it.”
—Harper Dye, senior
Position: Setter Season progress: “It’s going good. Our team is really close so it’s really fun.”
—Olivia Monroe, senior
Position: Libero Goals: “Go to state... and bonding with all our upperclass.”
—Kennedy Glassglow, junior
OPINION
Olympics dominated by WOMEN
Women on Team USA inspire young female athletes everywhere
BY BRYNDAL HOOVER THE BUDGET EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
As the Summer Olympics wrapped up in Paris, something stood out. The American women overran their male peers, winning 26 gold medals compared to the men’s 17.
This historic achievement goes beyond numbers, it shows the impact women’s sports has on the global stage.
Yet the conversation about these achievements in women’s sports often lacks the enthusiasm seen for male-dominated sports. Throughout history, media coverage of women has been pushed to the sidelines, making it hard to gain the respect and recognition the athletes deserve.
However, the 2024 Summer Olympics marked a turning point for women’s athletics. Media coverage of women’s sports went through the roof, leading to in-depth features and real-time updates. This sudden shift in focus has set a new bar for how women’s athletics should be covered and led to a deeper appreciation for women’s contributions to sports.
The dominance of female athletes was clear throughout the games.
Sarah Hildebrandt showcased her wrestling skills, while Katie Ledecky
COUNTING THEIR WINS
broke records in the pool, solidifying her status as one the most decorated female athletes of all time. The women’s teams also excelled, notably the Rugby Sevens, who won bronze, marking the US team’s first Olympic medal since its return in 2016. Their powerful leadership and bold personalities, especially from Ilona Maher, helped them gain a massive following on social media. It proved that women can be celebrated in all sports, marking a significant cultural shift.
Witnessing these events was an emotional roller coaster. I’ll never forget the excitement of the Women’s Rugby Sevens taking their bronze medal, or the adrenaline rush of Lee Kiefer winning gold in fencing.
When I look at images from many of the women’s victories, I almost feel as if I understand what they’re going through. The athletes’ happiness exposed the childhood dreams of young ladies who had long awaited these moments. With an increasing demand for their stories, these athletes are inspiring a new generation and transforming the future of women’s sports.
In a world where sports often reflect societal values, the achievements of women in Paris signal a growing acknowledgment of their importance in athletics.
The American women’s achievements at the 2024 Olympics represent more than just a statistic. Sports are often defined strictly through numbers, which has historically undermined womens success in sports, from professional athletes to high school C-teams.
The US Olympic team dominated at the Summer Games with 126 medals — more than half coming from women
This year’s Olympics has become a turning point in history, as a real sense of inclusion slowly arises.
The narrative is changing. As we move forward, let’s ensure that this change is celebrated and sustained. The remarkable achievements of these women are not just milestones: They are a call to action for all of us to support and uplift women in sports.
Together, we can create a future where their talents are recognized and celebrated on equal footing. Because, at the end of the day, they are competing in a sport they enjoy and are giving no less than men.
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wins
wins Silver wins
Designed by Harper Jay
Graphic by Harper Jay
Kahancerts come to KANSAS
Folk pop star Noah Kahan provides an experience deeper than music
BY CHANNING MORSE CO-ONLINE EDITOR AND CHIEF
Noah Kahan took his “We’ll All Be Here Forever” world tour to Bonner Springs’ Azura Amphitheater on June 5. Finding an artist that is easy to connect to can be difficult, but Noah Kahan writes about real experiences in his life, making his music incredibly comforting to his listeners. Kahan’s music is best described as alternative/ folk. He writes about everything from divorced parents and his hometown to love connections and friendships. There is something everyone can relate or connect to in Kahan’s discovery.
Kahan started the concert with his viral song “Dial Drunk” to get the entire venue hyped up and ready to sing. He went on to play a couple of songs from his most recent album “Stick Season” as well as an unreleased song.
About halfway through the show, Kahan tricked the audience into thinking his set was done, only to come out onto a little stage in the crowd of the arena. He played a couple of older songs including, “Maine” from his 2020 ep Cape Elizabeth.
After Kahan went back on the main stage for the second half of his set, he dived into his more emotional songs.
“You’re Gonna Go Far,” a song about leaving your hometown and loved ones to better yourself and grow, hit close to home as a high school senior getting ready for college.
In “Call Your Mom,” a song about struggling with mental health, he describes watching someone you love get swallowed by thoughts of
suicide and self harm. This illustrates the experience of loving someone so much that you would call their parents to stop them from harming themselves. The song is a message to all those currently struggling or who have struggled with their mental health that they are not alone.
During the show, Kahan attempted to make connections with his fans, making jokes and being himself on stage. He also read some of the signs fans in the pit had made, adding an extra level of personal connection and interaction.
Kahan ended his concert with the song that blew him up, “Stick Season,” saying one final goodbye to his fans.
I became a Noah Kahan fan almost a year ago to the day of getting tickets for his show, making it incredibly special and sentimental. His music is so impactful for everyone but especially a younger audience because he writes with raw emotions.
Along with the more mellow vibes, a contrast to most popular upbeat songs today, it’s like Kahan is able to put your feelings into words without even meeting you.
When I listen to his music I feel like I’m understood within his lyrics and knowing that someone else — someone who I don’t know — has felt the same way I have or had similar thoughts to me is comforting. It solidifies the idea that you truly never are alone.
Although he grew up on the East Coast and tends to write about his life there, his lyrics are so universal that I can compare them to my life growing up in Kansas, and compare so much to what I’m experiencing, even though we are two different people living two different lives.
Designed by Ronan Kemme
If we applied the logic about a possible new cellphone policy to every problem
By Arabella Gipp
DRIVING TO SCHOOL!
HALLWAYS FOR PASSING PERIODS
*parks outside of lines*
*runs in hallway*
Talking at school
Pencils and Pens
Letter from the
EDITORS
Unprecedented changes precede start of school year
BY ZANA KENNEDY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
This school year has truly led to a season of change.
As we continue to grow into young adults, the world is evolving with us — on a district, state and national level. It is our responsibility to be aware of this growth because these changes directly impact us.
From our new interim superintendent to political shifts, we have seen that the
foundation is constantly shifting under our feet.
What happens next is in new hands. While most of us aren’t adults yet, we still have a role to play. So what can we do?
Stay informed. It is our mission as the editors of The Budget to keep our student body informed with relevant quality content to give everyone equal footing for making educated decisions. The news affects us all — it’s up to us what we do about it.
The editors in chief of The Budget for the 2025 school year are Bryndal Hoover, Zana Kennedy, Juliet Outka and Arabella Gipp.
SONG OF THE MONTH
‘Die with a Smile’ by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
Check out our September 2024 playlist! Listen to what we listen to as a staff by scanning below on Spotify
“This song is hypnotic, I would follow that duo to the end of the world.”
— Rhubarb Brubacher, lhsbudget.com co-editorin-chief
“Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga sing well together, and the chorus is pretty catchy, so it’s definitely not the worst thing I’ve ever heard. When it’s on the radio, I probably won’t change the station to find another song.”
—Delaney Haase Red & Black co editor-in-chief
“I hadn’t listened to it until I was told to for this but wow. I might go back to my Bruno Mars phase over this. I never left my Lady Gaga phase. Absolutely sick over this duo.”
—Beatrix Johnson, social media co-editor-in-chief
“The song is so good it makes me nauseous in the best way.”
—Channing Morse, lhsbudget.com co-editorin-chief
“As I sing it , I am going across a bridge, staring at the stars sparkling on the water at 11 p.m. I sing every word with intention and bliss! That’s how it makes me feel.”
—Bryndal Hoover,
The Budget co-editor-inchief
“Bruno Mars is iconic and Lady Gaga is iconic, so I feel the song was destined to be amazing.”
—Avery Sloyer, Red & Black co-editor-in-chief
JOURNALISM STAFF MEMBERS
MISSION STATEMENT
The Budget is committed to providing the Lawrence High community with objective, inclusive news that ensures relevance to its readers. The staff devotes itself to the exercise of First Amendment rights and upholding the highest of journalistic standards. While the paper is a tool to publish student voices, it works to help students grow as journalists and help readers access information.
ABOUT US
The Budget is distributed free of charge to students and faculty at Lawrence High School, 1901 Louisiana, Lawrence, Kan.
The Budget is produced by students in the Digital Journalism and Digital Design and Production courses with occasional contributions from 21st Century Journalism and guest columnists. The newspaper’s goals are to inform, entertain, and present a forum of expression for students, faculty, administrators and community members. The newspaper is financed through advertising and fundraising.
The editorial staff is solely responsible for the content of this newspaper, and views expressed in The Budget do not necessarily reflect those of the administration of Lawrence High School or USD 497.
STAFF
Aaminah Ahmed, Heidi Anderson, Clark Barber, Alexis Clark, Karen Cruz Santos, Leila Elkhamri, Ruby Flanner, Elise George, Kennedy Glasgow, Ethan Hanratanagorn, Ida Harrington, Ruby Hull, Harper Jay, Wren Jay, Piper Journey, Ronan Kemme, Carter Kingery, Claire Lindemyer, Sophia McLaughlin, Prairie Mulligan, Alexa Nauholz, Eliza Naumann, Jordan Nguyen, Zoe Peterson, Eliza Pultz-Earle, Oliver Reynolds, Grace Sanders, Cadence Scholz, Josie Segraves, Audrey Stock, Finian Tholen, Miles Wade, Selah Wolfe, Anne Woolverton, Eileen Zhao.
THE BUDGET EDITORS
Arabella Gipp Co Editor-in-Chief
Bryndal Hoover............................................ Co Editor-in-Chief
Zana Kennedy Co Editor-in-Chief
Juliet Outka Co Editor-in-Chief
LHSBUDGET.COM EDITORS
Rhubarb Brubacher Co-Editor-in-Chief
Channing Morse Co-Editor-in-Chief
Ashlyn Tell ....................................................Co-Editor-in-Chief
Naomi Sui Pang 308 Connection Manager
RED & BLACK EDITORS
Lydia Folks Co Editor-in-Chief
Delaney Haase Co-Editor-in-Chief
Avery Sloyer Co-Editor-in-Chief
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITORS
Beatrix Johnson Co Editor-in-Chief
Mimi Rosado Schmitt .................................. Co Editor-in-Chief
Barbara Tholen Adviser
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
Leaning back, junior Armando RomeroPerez brings life to the Lions Leap dance on Aug. 31, not only with his moves but with his limbo skills. “I loved limbo because it felt very inclusive,” RomeroPerez said. “Seeing everyone really enjoy the dance and the games was really exciting.”
Photo by Lydia Folks