The Harbinger Issue 13 2022-23

She’s gotta go...

You’re pretty good for a girl.

You’re

Female gamers play video games to build relationships and advance their skills and rank while also battling misogyny that causes them to conceal their gender or stop playing

GAME OVER.

CROSS - COUNTRY CONNECTION

See what’s happening at a different U.S. high school according to their newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief

STUYVESANT

HIGH SCHOOL

75% of students ride subway to school

NEW YORK CITY NEW YORK

What current event are students and staff talking about?

THERE IS AN increased trend of violence and homelessness in the subway with Mayor Eric Adams. There was a shooting two stops from where I get off for school a couple of months ago, so I Ubered home that day. Especially as a woman it can be scary. But it’s sparked discussion at school, and new clubs have been created to promote safe transit, like Transit Club and Red Cross Club.

SUBWAY SAFETY - MAYA

SCAN ME WEBSITE

Visit the website of Stuyvesant High School’s news publication, The Spectator

RIGHT According to a Spectator poll, over 70% of students ride the subway to school — including Nelson, who is worried about her safety on the subway. guest illustration by I ori mermelstein

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF OF THE SPECTATOR

smeharbinger.net

STORIES

MEDIA

Read reviews of Bloom Nutrition products and ice cube flavors viral on TikTok and more by visiting smeharbinger.net or scanning the QR code

political cartoon

PRINT EDITORS

Peyton Moore

Francesca Stamati

ONLINE EDITORS

Lyda Cosgrove

Kate Heitmann

ASST. PRINT EDITORS

Greyson Imm

Katie Murphy

ASST. ONLINE EDITORS

Aanya Bansal

Maggie Kissick

PHOTO EDITORS

Rachel Bingham

Hadley Chapman

Macy Crosser

ASST. PHOTO EDITORS

Liv Madden Riley Scott

smeharbinger SME Harbinger The Harbinger

HEAD COPY EDITORS

Caroline Gould

Caroline Wood

ASST. HEAD COPY EDITORS

Aanya Bansal

Greyson Imm DESIGN EDITORS

Nora Lynn

Anna Mitchell

ASST. DESIGN EDITOR

Bridget Connelly

VIDEO EDITORS

Abby Lee

David Allegri PODCAST EDITOR

Emma Krause

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITORS

Mia Vogel

Paige Zadoo

ASST. SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

Bridget Connelly

SECTION EDITORS

PRINT NEWS

Addie Moore

ONLINE NEWS

Hassan Sufi

ONLINE FEATURES

Ben Bradley

PRINT SPORTS

Ava Cooper

PRINT EDITORIAL

Sophie Lindberg

ONLINE OPINION

Larkin Brundige

PRINT A&E

Veronica Mangine

STAFF WRITERS

Isabel Baldassaro

Sophia Brockmeier

Larkin Brundige

SM East Harbinger

Maggie Condon

Mary Gagen

Avie Koeneman

Libby Marsh

Lily Simmons

Gracie Takacs

Connor Vogel

Lucy Wolf

Ada Lillie

Worthington

PAGE DESIGNERS

Afa Akwanka’a

Sofia Blades

Adya Burdick

Ava Cooper

Grace Demetriou

Elle Gedman

Veronica Mangine

Kai Mcphail

Lyla Weeks

STAFF ARTISTS

Sofia Blades

Caroline Daniels

Madi Maupin

PHOTO MENTORS

Riley Eck

Julia Fillmore

Claire Goettsch

Caroline Martucci

Emily Pollock

Mason Sajna

STAFF

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Paige Bean

Kate Beaulieu

Lydia Coe

Audrey Condon

Sabrina Dean

Ryan Dehan

Charlotte Emley

Julia Fillmore

Will Griffith

Kenna Harrington

Molly Miller

Clara Peters

Tristen Porter

Alex Sajna

Lili Vottero

MJ Wolf

Amelie Wong

Madi Maupin

VIDEO STAFF

Luke Beil

Calen Domingues

Ryder Hendon

EDITORIAL POLICY

The Harbinger is a student run publication. Published editorials express the views of the Harbinger staff. Signed columns published in the Harbinger express the writer’s personal opinion. The content and opinions of the Harbinger do not represent the student body, faculty, administration or Shawnee Mission School District. The Harbinger will not share any unpublished content, but quotes material may be confrmed with the sources. The Harbinger encourages letters to the editors, but reserves the right to reject them for reasons including but not limited to lack of space, multiple letters of the same topic and personal attacks contained in the letter. The Harbinger will not edit content thought letters may be edited for clarity, length or mechanics. Letters should be sent to room 413B or emailed to smeharbinger@gmail.com.

design by katie murphy cover design by anna mitchell

cartoon by caroline daniels

cover photo by macy crosser

SENIOR MAYA NELSON

SENIOR MOMOCA MAIRAJ

ON THE HOOK

FOR: 16 AGAINST: 0

SWIPE LEFT. SWIPE left. Wait... swipe right!

* YOU MATCHED WITH NOAH *

“Hi,

what’s up?”

Deep breaths, don’t be nervous. Five minutes pass. Why aren’t they responding? Ten more minutes pass. It’s probably because I’m ugly. They must’ve accidentally swiped right on me. Why do I even—

“Hey

ur cute, wanna meet up?”

This conversation, though seemingly innocent, can end very differently. They could end up like the 22% of dates arranged through a dating app that ended in sexual assault. Or the victims of sexual grooming when Tinder discovered more than 7% of their users were underage. Or the countless unreported cases of sexual assault as a result of dating apps. All starting with a simple right swipe.

Since their creation in the early 2010’s, apps originally intended for meeting romantic partners have been increasingly utilized by high schoolers for casual sex and hooking up. In an Instagram poll of East students who use dating apps, 42% said that their primary intention for using dating apps was hooking up or casual sex, as compared to the 32% who used it for emotional validation and 26% who used it for meeting romantic partners.

This rising culture of online dating and hookups among often underage high schoolers exploits the loneliness of alreadyvulnerable young people and traps them in cycles of low self-esteem and potential sexual violence.

This danger is close to home. 14% of East students in an Instagram poll of 145 said that they have used a dating app before. Nationally, 24% of teens who date — and 8% of all teens — reported dating or hooking up with someone they first met online, according to the Pew Research Center. And according to an article in the psychology journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, it’s only increased postpandemic.

Dating apps can be appealing — where else can you meet hundreds of people with the same favorite movies and interests as you, with your desired appearance, curated by algorithm to be your ideal partner? Despite the positives, dating apps remain a potent danger to teens. When large groups of vulnerable young people gather in one place online, they become easy targets for grooming and sexual violence.

Though most dating apps have 18+ age restrictions, they’re mainly only formalities to protect the app developers from legal trouble, and less for protecting users from danger. Many of the most-used apps — Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, Grindr and more — only require a user to enter their “birthday,” which doesn’t stop teenagers from lying while using these platforms.

Not all teens are affected equally either. Queer youth are more likely than their straight, cis peers to use dating apps because it expands the number of potential partners they could meet. A 2018 study of 219 U.S. 15-to-17-year-old teen boys who identified as gay, bisexual or questioning revealed that 70.3% used geosocial networking apps aimed at LGBTQ+ men. That’s young enough to be your sophomore classmates, potentially exposing them to unsafe situations with older, unknown men, both online and inperson.

It’s understandable that Tinder or Grindr is appealing to some when the gay dating pool at school is less than two or three. What’s less appealing, however, is the sexual assault and grooming that occurs on these apps. A Brigham Young University survey found that 14% of the 1,968 rapes committed by acquaintances occurred during an initial meetup arranged through a dating app — real-world consequences from online sites.

dangerous attention. Twice as many women than men on dating apps reported receiving unwanted explicit pictures or messages, according to a 2019 study by Statista.

Sexual assault is alarming enough on its own, but it often also creates a lasting cycle by diminishing the self esteem of young, vulnerable people. Just one instance of sexual assault has the potential to snowball: wanting to prove that you’re more than what happened to you by searching out more relationships, but continuing to get hurt.

And all of this is not to mention the lasting effects on future relationships. Dating online presents its own set of consequences to teens specifically, as this artificial connection during their formative years completely reshapes their view of love, connection and sex. When you learn relationship skills like communication and connection from your Tinder friendwith-benefits 10 years older than you, your sense of normalcy in romantic relationships becomes flawed before you get the chance to have a typical in-person relationship.

date rape

a term colloquially describing sexual assault by a person involved in a romantic relationship with the victim

Another group targeted is young women. Already the primary victims of sexual harassment and assault, online dating exacerbates the too-prevalent issues that they face like harassing comments, physical violence and date rape. That seemingly innocent “Hey” after you match on Tinder could lead to much more unwanted and

Teens on dating apps are inevitable — with rapid improvements in technology and social media, eliminating online dating altogether just isn’t realistic. If this is truly the future of dating, let’s build a supportive and safe future by informing dating app users about the dangers and empowering affected people to come forward when they witness or experience it.

The members of the editorial board who agree with the viewpoint of the editorial are represented by for, and those who disagree with the viewpoint are represented by against.

Online hookup culture is rising in popularity among high schoolers and exploits the vulnerability and loneliness of young people to trap them in cycles of seeking validation

stories by connor vogel

Water fountains around East rumored to have a “weird taste”

SHAWNEE MISSION DEPUTY

Superintendent Joe Gilhaus sent a district-wide message on March 2 about recent concerns after complaints about a “strange or odd” taste in the water.

This email explained that there should be no health concerns and the water was completely safe, according to WaterOne, Johnson County’s independent nonprofit public water utility.

This information came from WaterOne after the district made an inquiry into the cause of the change in the water. The change in taste was a result of the Corps of Engineers’ attempt to break up a 60-mile ice floe on the Missouri Rivers — one of WaterOne’s two main sources for water — that was blocking the natural water flow.

The floe was eventually broken up with a combination of engineers’ work and “unseasonably warm temperatures.”

DO

TAKING OUT TIKTOK

As the water made its way down the river, a temperature change caused by the warmer surface temperatures of the and cooler depth temperatures, caused by ice from the floe, stirring natural organic material into the drinking water in a “river turn.”

WaterOne’s Director of Customer Relations Mandy Cawby explains that this “river turn” is completely harmless to the health of students since the water is verified to be safe to drink.

“The organics that created the taste difference pose no impact to health,” Cawby said. “Variation in river water quality is an everyday reality of water treatment. Our daily goal at WaterOne is to counterbalance whatever taste and odor elements come in from the river water to not only purify the water for safety but also ensure it’s the same, consistent flavor going out to customers.”

*Instagram poll of 255 votes

THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS on the RideKC streetcar expansion was officially approved on March 2, and is expected to be finish by spring 2024.

The new rail line will connect the River Market to the Berkeley River Front. However, the project still faces issues due to lack of funding.

This planned extension is part of a proposed budget project that will cost $450-600 million to expand the streetcar lines through the metropolitan area along with 6 million dollars annually to operate, according to a report prepared for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority.

Now, the project will receive construction bids through their official websites with estimates from

different contractors to be used by the city council to hire a contractor.

Executive Director of the KC Streetcar Authority Tom Gerend believes the supplies will prove helpful to get the project up and running for summer construction.

“Delivery of our tram rail is the first physical sign of our plans to reconnect to our riverfront, and the early delivery will ensure our construction contractor can hit the ground running when they come on board later this summer,” Gerend said.

While the Riverfront extension has been fully approved, RideKC’s plans to expand the rail line all across the metropolitan area over the next three

TikTok might be banned in the United States due to Chinese involvement

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION officially demanded that Chinese company ByteDance sell their stake in the social media app TikTok on March 16.

If the company does not, a possible U.S. ban will follow, affecting over 100 million Americans on the app, according to BBC.

The demand comes days after the White House gave government agencies 30 days to remove TikTok from federal devices and systems, preventing the potential abuse of user data, according to CNN.

American officials have campaigned for years to have the app banned, including an attempt by former president Donald Trump in 2020 before the action was blocked by the Supreme Court.

Since then, the Committee on Foreign Investments, which oversees national

24 states

BANNED TIKTOK ON GOVERNMENT DEVICES*

*according to the New York Times

security risks, unanimously recommended ByteDance divest from TikTok.

On March 7, the Restrict Act was presented to the Senate. The act would allow the U.S. Commerce Department to declare foreign-linked companies as national security risks and allow President Biden the authority to ban the app nationwide.

Sophomore Jaxson Terros believes this may lead to public backlash from the app’s users if it is banned in the U.S.

“[TikTok] is something that is so important in pop culture that losing it would make a lot of people angry, including me,” Terros said. “But I understand that we should all be concerned about an invasion of privacy.”

7 countries HAVE IMPLEMENTED PARTIAL OR COMPLETE BANS ON TIKTOK*

India

BANNED THE APP IN MID-2020*

Construction to expand the RideKC streetcar started on March 2

years are awaiting the signoff from the Downtown Council of Kansas City.

The Council has not yet approved the final budget, citing that even with potential federal funding, they will have to find new funding to offset the deficit to fulfill the project according to RideKC.

Gerend still holds a positive outlook on the project’s future as they seek federal funding to support this city project.

“We think the federal government will look favorably on transit investments that can accomplish multiple goals at the same time, including environmental, community and transportation benefits,” Gerend said.

BELOW The streetcar stopped outside of Union Station. photo by I molly miller

REBUILDING

WESTWOOD

The City of Westwood voted on tearing down Westwood Elementary and the Westwood church, replacing them with a green space and business center

THE WESTWOOD CITY Council unanimously approved a plan on March 9 to revamp the former Westwood View Elementary building and Westwood Christian Church on Rainbow Blvd. into a green-space park and business buildings.

Karbank Real Estate — based in Mission Woods — presented the plan two years after city council and Westwood Mayor and East parent David Waters began considering the remodel.

“I think [having] a park can become a gathering place for our community,” Waters said. “It can be a place for generations of people to be able to come and all be together in the same greenspace.”

amenities.”

The city council chose Multistudio, a Kansas City-based architecture firm, after requesting proposals for the project from local firms. In an open house on November 5, 2022, the council presented various different layouts and plans for the park and business buildings to the Westwood residents in order to receive feedback. Westwood resident and freshman Jordan O’Brien thinks that the current plan will help local businesses if they choose to move into the area.

I THINK [HAVING]

Though the plan is halted until at least 2025 due to the former elementary school being occupied by a refurbishing Rushton Elementary School, real estate agent Steven Karbank states that 3.5 out of the elementary school’s 4.5acre property will be turned into a park and green-space. The park will be used to potentially host Oktoberfests and other family gathering events or become a Westwood Plaza, according to Waters.

Additionally, four multi-story buildings and an underground parking garage will replace the land where the Westwood Christian Church was located. While plans are not finalized, the city council has also expressed desires to potentially move Westwood City Hall into one of the new business buildings.

“The needs that [Westwood has] have a balanced revenue source between residential property taxes, sales taxes and other things,” Waters said. “Last fall as part of that [research] we did a city facilities study which identified some of the needs that our community has for our municipal buildings and

“I think that [this plan] could be good for the [selected] businesses because it’s in the center of Westwood and next to Westwood hills, so I think for those businesses, [it will] be a good thing,” O’Brien said.

The council’s approved funding agreement ensures that Karbank Real Estate will provide funding for the development of the buildings while city council will work on the park area, according to Karbank.

“We’re working on the design of the buildings, working on the layout of the site and we’re working on a contract with the city,” Karbank said. “We’re planning various kinds of testing of the site to determine what can be built and how it needs to be built.”

Although the construction of the site on Rainbow Blvd. hasn’t even started, O’Brien has already seen the impacts of a newly built Westwood View building in the community, and she only expects more residents to move into the area once construction starts.

“There’s a lot of kids and [Westwood residents are] saying that [Westwood is] expecting a lot more kids to be moving here because of the new school,” O’Brien said. “I think [the park and businesses] can only bring benefits.”

PLAN

THE General details about the space

MAYOR & EAST PARENT

a park in our community, it can be a place for generations of people to be able to come and all be together in the green space.

DAVID WATERS

design by bridget connelly photos courtesy of karbank real estate company

story by ada lillie worthington

ABOVE A rendering overhead look at the four buildings that are being built.

LEFT A rendering view from Rainbow Boulevard that showcase’s offices and galleries/retail spaces.

RIGHT A rendering view from the courtyard housed inside the buildings.

BELOW A rendering view from a potential idea of the park that could be subject to change.

THE UNITED STATES passed 100 mass shootings in 2023 on March 6 — a new record, surpassing the previous date by 13 days.

Last year, the U.S. hit 100 mass shootings on March 19. The number was reached in the last week of March in 2021, and it wasn’t hit until late May in 2018-2020, according to CNN. Reaching this milestone only 65 days in the year, the U.S. currently has more mass shootings than days in 2023.

mass shoot•ing

TOO MANY.

story by emmerson winfrey

The rise in mass shootings in the U.S. — which 100 in 2023 in record time — heightens fear and concern among students

Sophomore Mae Audus also feels the effects of this fear, constantly wondering if she’ll one day experience a mass shooting. Audus never worried about mass shootings until the recent rise and publicity of them.

“It’s just been brought more to my attention,” Audus said. “Previously, it wasn’t talked about as much and since it’s been more talked about it’s just led me to feel more on edge about it. I mean sometimes I’m like ‘Oh, what if it’s today when [a shooter is] at school or the mall.’”

on how to safely store guns and providing gunlocks to the community. The founder Judy Sherry attributes this rise of shootings to the increase in gun accessibility with guns being sold on the street or not stored properly in houses as well as more people resorting to guns to solve personal issues.

such as Ethan’s Law which would require gun owners to safely and securely store their firearms — even when unloaded.

“We are hoping and wishing that our legislators would pass legislation that would keep us safe, so that people like domestic abusers don’t have access to guns,” Sherry said.

She also believes people need to better ensure all guns are legally and safely owned by getting guns off the streets and making sure every gun is legally bought and licensed.

For sophomore Hartley Graham, this rise in mass shootings created new fear in her day-to-day life. Checking for exit signs, carefully eyeing people around her in public places, constantly turning her head to check her surroundings and avoiding large events are all “normal” precautions Graham now implements in her daily life.

“[The number of mass shootings] makes me nervous to go to things like concerts or even malls because you never know who will be there and when,” Graham said.

In 2016, there were a total of 383 mass shootings and in 2022 the U.S. reached 647 total mass shootings — an increase of 264 more mass shootings in six years — creating an average of 1.7 mass shootings per day, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

“We’re a very angry population right now,” Sherry said. “We talk about our country being polarized. People used to think that you could solve a problem with an argument or even a fist fight, but now, so many people carry guns with them. It’s how people solve problems. A drug deal goes wrong, and instead of punching somebody, you shoot them.”

As of March 22, the U.S. has had 118 shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive, equaling an average of 1.45 shootings a day.

Grandparents for Gun Safety, a local organization working with youths to help ensure guns are safely stored and used, by educating others

THE BULLET POINTS

Statistics and figures about gun violence in U.S. schools

a shooting in which at least four people are killed or injured, excluding the gunman, according to the Gun Violence Archive 549

Grandparents for Gun Safety is partnering with SHARE’s Freshman Connection to help package gun locks which will be distributed to local doctors offices. They will be meeting in the cafeteria during Seminar on Tuesday, March 28.

Sherry believes we need more legislation to help counteract this rise in shootings,

“Make sure that people who own a gun have every right to own a gun, make them have a permit, make them register their guns,” Sherry said. “Just whatever we do with cars, and do the same thing with firearms. You can’t drive a car without a license, why should you be able to own a gun without a license?”

THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS OF GUNFIRE IN U.S. SCHOOLS BETWEEN 2013 AND 2019, KILLING 129 AND WOUNDING 270

75%

*information from everytown.org

95% OF U.S. SCHOOLS IN 2015-2016 PRACTICED ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILLS , COMPARED TO ONLY 45% JUST 10 YEARS EARLIER OF YOUTH AGES 15 TO 21 CITE SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AS A PRIMARY SOURCE OF STRESS

design by kai mcphail photos by mj wolf

SPANISH

STYLE

story by avery anderson

The Spanish department has three teachers for all six levels, each with their own way to teach students the language

STYLE - SPECIFIC A

FT ER NOTING INCONSISTENCIES in teaching styles within the foreign language department, all language teachers are collaborating to create a more cohesive program by combining each of their individual styles and sharing their lesson plans.

Since classes like Spanish 3 and 4 are taught by different teachers, transitioning between teaching styles can be challenging for students, according to Ava Daniels*. Some teachers focus their lessons on text comprehension and grammar, while others prioritize speaking ability.

While different students might prefer one style of teaching over the other, a more cohesive program could allow students to experience the benefits of diverse teaching styles, according to Daniels.

Teachers Kristina Lind and Jeffrey Finnie both instruct upper-level Spanish classes. Though they cover the same material, their preferences in introducing the content differ.

“I, as a language teacher, am very nitpicky,” Lind said. “I’m very grammar heavy. In order to understand the language, you have to have the grammar to form it. On the flip side, I try to do more general things for the people who do not like the grammar stuff.”

While Lind tends to focus more on games,assignments and grammar to build a strong foundation, Finnie emphasizes real-world application by having students

A brief overview of each respective teacher and their teaching style

Señorita

they have to ensure everyone is at the same level.

Señor

LIND FINNIE

Uses games as a way to engage students, not just relying on classwork to teach them.

Señorita HALKSWORTH

Thinks using assignments and speaking are the best way to learn with a focus on pronunciation and grammar.

watch videos in Spanish and complete comprehension assignments, as well as instructing students in as well as mainly instructing in Spanish.

“I’m always thinking about how students can use the language and communicate with it outside of the classroom,” Finnie said. “We do school stuff, but I’m also thinking about them using it wherever they might be.”

Lind accredits their differences simply to their own language professors in college.

“Honestly, depending on what college you went to, you were taught a different way to teach,” Lind said. “Me, Senorita James and Madam Loosey have our masters from KU so we’re all pretty grammar-focused. Dr. Finnie has done some recent research where [in order] to acquire a language, you

Speaks to his students from day one, easing them into picking up on vocabulary and grammar.

just need to hear it a ton.”

Both of these teaching styles have proved to be effective for their students, according to the Spanish teachers, but they’re trying to incorporate aspects of each style into each other’s lessons by sharing assignments and asking each other’s opinions on new techniques. Right now, they’re in constant communication over text and Google Docs, sharing what they’re learning about the effects of different activities and methods, according to Finnie.

While both Lind and Finnie believe that their students are receiving the same basic material and knowledge, just in different ways, they’ll be verifying this information through a comprehension assignment this quarter. Every student will complete the same assignment no matter what teacher

“The Spanish reading [article] we found [is about] the NASSCO lines that the indigenous people built [and how] they think they might be like aliens,” Lind said. “We created a whole rubric that goes with it and because of the way that it’s set up and because of the rubric, the bigger point is, ‘Did you get it or not?’”

They plan to continue curating this assignment in Professional Learning Communities or PLC which is the time given to teachers during late start to discuss lessons with their colleagues. If students in different classes receive highly varied scores on this assignment, they’ll know there is a need for change and improvement in the lower scoring classes.

Lind and Finnie plan to keep their classes at their current difficulty level — even with any changes made to their instruction or lesson plans. They will continue evolving their teaching styles to improve the program and cater to multiple student learning styles.

Ultimately, Lind says that all students are currently receiving the same basic information, but there is always room for the department to learn from one another’s teaching styles.

RIGHT Señor Finnie reads through a presentation in front of his class.

TOP Señorita Lind reads a book to her Spanish class as students follow along. photo by I mj wolf

o p inion.

design by nora lynn

LET’S GET DEEP

Asking a student their stance on heated questions

IS AI-GENERATED ART STILL ART?

TARGET HIT AND RUN

cartoon by adya burdick

The perks of opting out of the senior assassins game

AS AN ANIMATOR , it’s hard to see AI being able to generate full animations in less than 30 minutes whereas it would take weeks and weeks for an actual animator. And I think part of what makes art art is the human aspect of the time that is put into it and the different faws and the intent.

THIS WEEK IN OPINION

Recent Instagram polls on this issue’s opinion stories

DO YOU THINK THAT SOCIETY PUTS TOO MUCH EMPHASIS ON BEING ACADEMICALLY SMART OVER OTHER TYPES OF INTELLIGENCE?

*Instagram poll of 212 votes

YES NO 15% 85%

DO YOU THINK IT’S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO CUSTOMIZE THEIR DAILY ROUTINE TO FIT THEM RATHER THAN FOLLOW ONE FOUND ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

*Instagram poll of 212 votes

YES NO 5% 95%

TAKE OUR POLLS

Follow the Harbinger on social media to participate in our polls

DO YOU THINK THAT THE SCHOOL DAY SHOULD BE EXTENDED? YES NO 94% 6%

*Instagram poll of 306 votes

@smeharbinger @smeharbinger

@smeharbie @smeharbie

JUNIOR

CIL HOCH

design by gracie takacs

photo by liv madden

art by alex sanja

NOT

NOT

IT’S ONE SIZE

FITS ALL

story by paige zadoo

4

:45 A.M. WAKE UP , journal, read.

Start an intense hour-long cardio workout by 6 a.m. Daintily eat meal-prepped oats and an artisan omelet before the sun rises and then head to an eight-hour school or work day. Finish a 64-ounce water bottle before school ends, just to go home for homework, laundry, crafting a handmade dinner and a 7-step skincare routine all before getting ready for bed.

As I intently watched my 10th “productive daily routine” TikTok of the day, I guiltily wondered “Why am I not doing this?” I thought I’d be more productive, feel less stressed and find more success if I followed one of those intricate, and unrealistic, routines.

On social media platforms, specifically TikTok, a rise of content is focused on these extreme daily routines to become the “it girl:” a girl who follows routines religiously and effortlessly. However, these routines are not one-size-fits-all, and a daily routine should be based on your needs, not the needs of this month’s most popular influencers.

Growing up with Type A tendencies, I absolutely thrive on routines. Completing

routine and habitual activities can reduce stress because it makes situations appear more controllable and predictable according to Piedmont Internal Medicine M.D. Indumathi Bendi. For me, routines mean stability and a sense of inner calmness.

But, my daily routine is for me and me only. It shouldn’t be based on what social media is telling you to do. My habits and goals are purely because they work for me in feeling productive and overall happy. However, with the rise of the “it girl” and documenting daily routines on social media, I’ve still found myself and others wondering if these habits are key to being productive. In an Instagram poll of 181 people, 57% said “influencers posting their daily routines on social media can create a pressure on viewers to copy/have that routine.”

On TikTok, the stereotypic “it girl” is often an influencer posting their daily lives, skincare routines, clothing purchases and even grocery runs and they just seem to have it all — effortlessly, of course. They pile their daily routines with tasks and habits one after the other making you feel lazy or believe that if you mimicked their routine, that effortless life could be yours.

But news flash, social media only

highlights what they want you to see.

Plus this flawless facade displayed on social media is most impressionable on naive, young minds who may not know what really works for them. Shocker.

While waking up at 4:45 a.m. to head to pilates class or to journal may work for some, others are still deep into their Stage 3 REM cycle — the stage you’re in your deepest sleep and struggle to wake easily. So when they attempt this extreme wake up, the rest of their day is filled with grogginess, agitation and basic exhaustion.

Hours of homework, working out and running errands before 9 a.m. on a weekend may work for these influencers. But, spending quality time with family during breakfast might be more worthwhile than that math assignment, doing 50 crunches and running errands at the crack of dawn on a Sunday.

Not to mention, there’s one huge commonality amongst these daily routine videos, they’re always positive. Not once have I seen a “stay in bed all day with me” video or “I was too tired to make my workout” vlog. Instead, I see non-realistic, overly positive routines practically mocking me for hitting my snooze button this

morning. Once again, routines that don’t fit for me.

Your ideal morning, daily or weekly routine should set these times up for you to be your most successful and happy self. These routines are not a hack or instant sign of triumph and being productive — they should serve you a genuine purpose.

Maybe it’s getting a quick workout or yoga session in before school or work that energizes you and allows you to put forth your best self for the work you may have to do that day. Maybe it’s sleeping in later to complete your tasks and habits later in the day so you wake up with more sleep and energy. Maybe spreading out your to-do list over the span of three days versus one morning can allow you to put your 100% into what you have to do.

Whatever it is, your habits and routines should be for you — not based on your favorite TikTok influencer’s “day in the life” routine. Copying someone else’s routine is not authentic, it will not create your healthy, productive and happy routine — you have to learn your habits and boundaries that satisfy your day.

Having an intense morning routine based off of influencer’s doesn’t benefit your health and your personal routine should be unique to you

DON’T CHANGE SCHOOL IT’S COOL

The number of school days per week shouldn’t change despite the current push for a shorter school week

story by david allegri

THE HARBINGER design by lily simmons

photo by lydia coe

WHAT’S YOUR

T Y P E?

Descriptions of each intelligence type based on Howard Gardner’s psychological theory

INCREDIBLE I N T E L L I G E N C E

story by avie koeneman

intra-personal

People often hyper-focus on one type of intelligence while overlooking others despite their unique strengths

AS SOON AS the clock hits 2:40 p.m, I spring up from my desk, rushing to get out of the school. I am exhausted from a day full of tests and assignments I get mediocre grades on.

I am exhausted after spending a day overworking myself just to get another low B on my geometry test over proofs.

I am exhausted from putting so much energy into trying to reach high expectations that I just can’t meet.

Society places too much worth on traditional academic intelligence instead of other forms of intelligence.

My whole life, I’ve dedicated myself to relying on academic validation to have top-notch self-esteem. I’ve spent so much time getting down on myself, studying past my limits a nd sitting with my eyes locked on the giant red B- at the top of

EACH BRAIN processes information differently. But most of society is stuck in the idea that you are only considered smart if you are successful with certain felds, like math and science.

there are ways to be “smart” other than in traditional academics. Though I’ve always understood what she meant, I didn’t start to truly understand it until recently when I came across a study about intelligence by Howard Gardner. His theory is that there are nine different types of intelligence and ways that each human processes data. These types of intelligence include Naturalistic, Musical, Logical–mathematical, Existential, Interpersonal, Linguistic, Bodily–kinesthetic, Intra–personal and Spatial.

Each type is different, yet all are proof of intellect in human brains.

The more I researched, the more I finally understood the true meaning behind it. Each brain processes information differently. But most of society is stuck in the idea that you are only considered smart

including me. Throughout elementary school I would lie about my standardized math test scores thinking that people would call me dumb if they saw my real scores.

The idea that you have to be intelligent in that specific way to be considered a smart person leaves others feeling like their talents don’t matter and aren’t as impressive as getting amazing test scores and being good with numbers and data.

nine in • tell • i • gence types

a theory developed by psychology researcher Howard Garner that includes nine types of intelligence describing the different ways each human brain processes data

Some of the smartest people I know are not “book smart.” I know people who can analyze a person’s facial expressions, body language and true personality in a minute. They can read a room before anyone speaks, but not all of them can master a complicated math equation — and this makes them less smart than the rest of

Influencer Emma Chamberlain has taught me so much about social dynamics and conflict handling with her podcast — she’s smart in a way that is more about people than numbers.

sequencing, logic and order-oriented ability to reason and envision dimension

Listening to her speak about deep topics such as behavior, ignorance and temptation is educational to me, even if they’re not in school curriculum.

Some people have a unique outlook on life, nature and art. They see things differently than everyone else and are superior in certain topics — even if they aren’t the best standardized test-takers.

There is so much to learn about real world things that have nothing to do with critical academic-related knowledge. Society needs to be open to people with all types of intelligence.

design by greyson imm

photo by alex sajna

TUNING IN

RIGHT Sheets decides to start taking lessons after being self taught for the majority of his musical career. “I got to a point where I felt like I could further my career more if I started taking lessons. It’s definitely helped over the month that I’ve started taking them and it’s pushed me a little bit farther,” said Sheets.

photo by I riley eck

TOP RIGHT Sheets uses a computer system as his amplifier which gives him access to a variety of 50 different preset amps, all of which give the guitar a unique sound. “I want to get as good as I can, kind of just keep it as a hobby, but maybe at some point, join a cover band with some friends. That sounds pretty fun,” said Sheets.

RIGHT Sheets plays his favorite song he has learned, “Me and Your Mama” by Childish Gambino.

photo

by

I riley eck

BOTTOM RIGHT

As he plays snippets of his favorite songs on his electric guitar Sheets says, “I realized I had a bunch of guitars in my basement that weren’t getting played by anybody in my family so I thought it was a hobby that I could pick up. I just want to have fun with it. That’s my main goal.”

photo by I riley eck

photo by I riley eck

Scan here to purchase photos from this event

design by hadley chapman

photo by ryan dehan

Senior Ike Sheets has spent the last six months learning

guitar in hopes to play as a lifetime hobby and possibly participate in a cover band in the future

SCAN ME PHOTO

LOOKING FOR AN EXCELLENT SUMMER JOB WITH GREAT PAY, BEAUTIFUL VIEWS, AND EVEN BETTER CO-WORKERS? INDIAN HILLS COUNTRY CLUB IS HIRING FOR PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME SEASONAL STAFF THIS SUMMER.

POSITIONS INCLUDE:

feature.

JAZZING UP JAVA

The student-run coffee shop Columbia Brew allows seniors and staff create their own drinks

THIS WEEK IN PHOTOS

A look at what’s happening inside the halls of East

“THE SANDSTORM”

SENIORS

lemonade

mango syrup

“THE LUC”

SENIOR

LUC PRENDIVILLE

lemonade

sprite

blue raspberry syrup

SCAN ME MENU

A description of the Columbia Brew’s spring menu

ONE LAST TRIP

Seniors share why they traveled with a large or small friend group for their last spring break

GRACE HASTERT

6 SENIORS

CATE HOLZBEIERLEIN

80 SENIORS

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

I’M GLAD THAT I didn’t go on the big trip because we got to choose what we wanted to do, and I loved being with my friends and having fun.

IT WAS REALLY fun to see everyone. You kind of got to talk to everybody while you’re there. And I saw people that maybe I don’t have like classes with right now, but I got to hang out with them.

THOMAS GOGEL & ALEX CARRENO

design by bridget connelly

BELOW Freshmen Lucy Brooks and Evelyn Holmes sketch ideas for an assignment on creating an animal to adapt to an environment in the Evolution Unit of Stephanie Valencia’s Honors Biology 1. photo by I caroline martucci

LEFT Senior Morgan Turpin discuss senior assassins with her classmates during lunch. photo by I lydia coe

ABOVE Freshman Maebel Hoover lifts the lid to check her group’s vegetables while making stir fry in Focus on Foods as part of a unit practicing different cooking methods. photo by I amelie wong

photos by will griffith

story by lyda cosgrove

THAT AND ALL

HENRY DELIA senior bass

JAZZ JAZZ

NASH freshman piano

8years

12 years

FRESHMAN NASH OHLUND was confused as an email with the subject line: “Combo?” flashed up on his screen. Three upperclassmen whose names he recognized from the upper jazz band had a proposal: they needed Nash to play a few songs for their up-andcoming independent jazz group.

Assuming the invitation was for a class-assigned grade, he agreed. Little did he know, seniors Henry Revare and Delia Cashman and junior Ruby Wagner had been planning to recruit him for weeks since first hearing him play piano in the lower jazz band. He had talent they’d never seen from a freshman.

“He’s probably the best piano player in this school,” Henry said.

The three upperclassmen had already been playing together after connecting through the East band and a UMKC summer band camp in 2022. With Henry on trumpet, Delia on standing bass and Ruby on drums, they were missing a key component, one more instrument to tie it all together.

“The bass is walking, then someone is soloing, so we needed someone to do the chords behind the beat,” Delia said.

Though intimidated at first, Nash connected with the three not just as bandmates, but as friends. Delia never recalls the group being awkward, even at the beginning — their dynamic was almost an immediate fit.

Six-hour-long practices are broken up

Students form a jazz quartet, building a friendship around their passion for music

RUBY

with Mario Kart breaks and a slew of inside jokes, like the mention of a “condensed sugar candy collection” that sends them all into laughter. On weekends, they’ve gone out to see local jazz performances, taken a jazz masterclass together and grabbed tacos for dinner.

Then they just needed an official name. They tossed around names that didn’t feel quite right until they landed on Whitney Payne Quartet: “Whitney” from their matching Pink Whitney beanies they found while thrift shopping — another one of the group’s favorite activities — and “Payne” after Henry’s middle name.

With about two months of practice under their belt, the quartet debuted at the East winter band concert, performing fan favorite “Hey Ya!” by Outkast and “Black Orpheus,” a jazz standard by Luiz Bonfá. A few weeks after, they landed their first gig at Rock Creek Brewery for two hours of Christmas classics. The gig was a success — one audience member even called for “one more, one more” after every song, according to Nash.

Three months later, they’ve compiled a setlist of nearly 30 songs, filmed a promotional video and launched an Instagram account @whitney_payne_ quartet to reach a wider audience. Their main goal for the immediate future is to book as many gigs as they can. Though the pay is a plus, it’s gaining more performance experience outside of school and sharing their music together that they value most.

The band has found encouragement and

6years

support from school band members who hang around after school to listen to them play. Band director Alex Toepfer is always around to offer advice on their pieces and make room in band concerts to showcase the “strong group,” Toepfer says.

The group attributes their successful dynamic to their natural ability to communicate and relax while performing. In jazz, Delia says, it’s vital that the musicians listen to each other and communicate non-verbally — a skill not every musician has. While Henry spins off into a blaring trumpet solo, eyes closed and foot tapping, Ruby keeps the beat on track while making eye contact with Delia, nodding on beat. From his corner on piano, Nash scans his bandmates for any impromptu changes.

“We’re good enough to play with each other and interact with each other, which is on another level from a lot of the musicians in this school,” Ruby said. “It’s difficult to be able to interact while playing music with people who are struggling to play their instrument. Here, we don’t have to worry about that.”

Practices vary, but their dedication doesn’t. Whether it’s during seminar in the band room or on weekends in one of their basements, hour-long tune-ups or half-day jazz sessions unite them as often as they can in their busy weeks.

Though they’ve mastered a setlist of covers, they’ve begun writing some originals — a process Henry describes as “messing around.” It’s different every time. Sometimes Henry comes with a piece he

7 years

mixed on LogicPro for the group to arrange into a jazz song, like he did for their original “Lucid Dreaming.” Other times they just play until something fits, a method used for “Whitney’s Pain.” Their recent piece, “Thank You for the Mercury,” came from an accidental tune Nash played that morphed into three hours of a “hot mess.”

“Henry masterminds it,” Delia said. “The first thing we come up with is chords, so it’s all just [Henry] and Nash figuring it out. Then we just kind of add our own parts to it.”

With its collaborative music style, jazz allows each member to showcase their own musical talents, while still combining to make one collective song. The quartet doesn’t necessarily begin their rehearsals with a plan, they just play and see what happens.

“We don’t get very far because we do a lot of trial and error to see what sounds good,” Henry said. “But we make something in the end that I think sounds fun. We have to stop ourselves and move on so we can actually get through the music.”

Though Delia and Henry graduate in May, Nash hopes he and Ruby can continue Whitney Payne Quartet. Still, Nash doubts he’ll find another two people that fit the dynamic as perfectly.

“I think it’s gonna be difficult because we don’t know who to replace unless there’s some genius freshmen coming in,” Nash said. “We’ve formed a great friendship and I feel like we play together better because I’m more relaxed with them.”

design by anna mitchell photos by paige bean

MOST OF SENIOR Anne Brown’s* girl classmates go home after school to binge TikTok or Netflix shows. Anne’s midday sanctuary? Flying sniper bullets, raging warzones and the threat of annihilation.

At least, it used to be. She’d queue “Call of Duty” or “League of Legends” matches after restaurant shifts, curling over her desktop and a grilled chicken salad. Sometimes Anne played with online friends — people she trusted to watch her flank and warn her about enemies. Sometimes she played with strangers.

That was until “Get off the game bitch” and “Quit whore” boomed louder in her headset than rapid gunfire and chopping helicopter blades. Sometimes the strangers — often men in their 20s and 30s — got too comfortable insulting her behind screens.

Back when she played mostly first-person shooter games, Anne battled those taunts at least once a day. Switching to offline games changed that. Offline games mean no more voice chat, and no more voice chat means no more male teammates intentionally losing matches or shooting her character to sabotage the team.

“A lot of these people are grown adults throwing little fits over having a girl in a game,” Anne said. “And half the time, you’re queued with them because you’re on par in skill, so it’s like, ‘What is the issue here?’”

Even if it’s just a 12-year-old boy screaming “There’s a girl in the party?” or “Send her back to the kitchen,” the words have discouraged girls from playing, so much so that Anne rarely hears another girl’s voice in online games.

But gaming isn’t that male-dominated. Despite females being 48% of video gamers in the country, according to Statista, many live in fear that the other 52% will hear their voice. Online, they hide their gender. In real life, they don’t mention the hobby that keeps them up at night.

If a girl does reveal herself? Backhanded compliments and sexual remarks are practically inevitable, Anne said. Comments that sophomore Avery Foster is also used to hearing by now.

Disbelief is a typical first reaction to Avery turning on her mic — her teammates aren’t used to playing with girls. Players sometimes ask “Are you a girl or a little kid?” at the sound of her high-pitched voice. Next, they might beg for her Snapchat or Instagram even when Avery says she’s just there to play — unless they’re the type to groan about how they’ll probably lose since

she’s on the team.

One time, a boy invited multiple friends to the party to laugh with him after finding out he was playing with a girl . His buddies couldn’t believe it.

“If the guys are like, ‘Oh my God, there’s a girl on my team,’ it’s really demeaning,” Avery said. “I’ll mute them. I’ll turn on music because I just don’t wanna listen.”

Those reactions are why Avery rarely enables her voice chat. Watching TikToks of female livestreamers, she scrolls through comments sexualizing the gamer’s body or accusing her of lacking skill.

Avery used to dream of playing professional esports — always wanting to be like her dad, a gaming fanatic since his first Atari — but girl players aren’t respected the same as guys, she said.

Avery knows she shouldn’t care. When she’s swapping the headset with her dad — who introduced her to the game “Apex Legends” — he tells her to speak up. Be mean back, that’s what he says. He raised her with a “girls can do anything” mindset, signing her up for a real baseball league, never softball, growing up.

So Avery overcomes it the best she can. Mutes the insults. Plays harder. With the misogyny comes the pressure to represent all female players, she said.

“If I’m not doing good, it’s like I’m failing women,” Avery said. “It’s a drastic thing to say, but I don’t want this guy to go into another game with a woman and be like, ‘My previous experiences say that all women are bad at video games.’”

Freshman Nia Zugelder prefers to avoid that pressure and risk of mockery. Last time she played “Overwatch 2,” she muted her mic, even after eliminating more players than anyone else on her team and advancing the payload significantly — the end goal of the battle game. Her teammates called out “ He’s carrying us!” She let them.

It’s better that way, she said. If Nia misses a shot or gets killed, she’s scared other players will discover her gender and target her because of it. But if she aims too well, they may scream that the game is rigged or that she shouldn’t be playing.

In both her and senior Lillie Dirks’ experience, people can forget their morals in multiplayer games. It’s why Dirks prefers single-player games — automated characters are less likely to verbally berate her.

“There’s a sort of mask effect where, being anonymous online, people are willing to say and do things that they normally wouldn’t,” Lillie said.

Female gamers are singled-out off the screen too. Girl players who livestream video games are seen as “eye candy” or labeled “attention-seekers” gaming for male validation, Anne said. It shapes the way all girl gamers are viewed.

In school, Lillie tends to not mention her gaming habits so she can dodge the stereotypes. But during one get-to-know-you project in business class, she paired up to present with a partner, sharing her hobbies — reading, cross-stitching, writing… and gaming.

“It was like an angel had descended,” she said. “He got up in front of the class and said, ‘This is Lillie. She plays Valorant.’ The other guys in the class, their faces, it was like when a cat smells the treat. Like, ‘We’re paying attention now.’”

Lillie wishes girls were embraced rather than fetishized or shunned as players — after all, games are meant to be enjoyed by all genders. But she feels powerless against the comments.

But what can she do to stop virtual bullies? Boys should just act more appropriately online, she said. Some male players, like senior Roberto Galicia — who has gamed with both Lillie and Anne — may stand up for the girls. Even if it doesn’t really help.

Galicia has heard sexist slurs tossed around by teammates simply because a player has a feminine username like “Sparkle” or “Starlight.” But retaliation often just causes the bully to leave the game or aggravates them further, he said.

“Even if I try to argue with them, they’re just way too stubborn to even see the other side if you’re telling a guy to chill out,” Galicia said. “Guys like that don’t like to be commanded.”

Reporting other players for harassment is a direct solution he’s found. Still, many online games he’s played ban gamers for only a couple of days for offensive behavior. It’s not enough, he said, but girls should play with mics anyway. Maybe then, they could fight two enemies at once.

For now, Lillie urges gamers to welcome players of all genders and experience levels. Make gaming more enjoyable for everyone. If that means getting beaten by a girl, so be it.

“Gender doesn’t matter when it comes to interests and skills,” Lillie said. “If you’re playing online and someone in your party or in the call is a female, just move on. Don’t make a big deal out of it, don’t start degrading her, don’t even praise her. If somebody’s interested in something, then they’re allowed to experience it.”

CYBER STIGMA

While female gamers face misogyny during multiplayer video games, them to hide their gender or avoid games altogether, many still game to connect with others and improve their real-life skills

*name changed to protect identity

WHY GIRLS STILL PLAY

BEHIND THE CONTROLLER, they don’t feel like victims. They’re in control — for the most part. Even though the gaming world is undeniably uncomfortable at times, they say that girls interested in gaming should try it.

Past the negativity are worthwhile perks — take it from seniors Anne Brown* and Lillie Dirks, sophomore Avery Foster and freshman Nia Zugelder. They’re some of the only female gamers at East.

Girls can be hesitant or embarrassed to download a simulation app or buy a console, Lillie said, afraid of being labeled as lazy or weird for the hobby. But she knows that there’s more to gaming than hunching over for hours and tapping computer keys in the dark.

Why does Lillie game? To transcend reality.

“I certainly cannot fight God with the power of Satan in real life, but I can do that in ‘Persona 5,’” she said.

For Lillie, games are a creative outlet to explore alternate realities and limitless storylines. In “Persona 5,” she can enter “mind palaces,” acquiring special powers by fighting people’s inner demons, eventually creating a “persona” — a physical embodiment of her

STIGMA

“It does get a little cheesy from time to time, but your connections with other people and how you view reality can change what your truth is in the game.”

For Anne, it’s strategizing plays and raising her rank that keeps her gaming. Nia loves connecting with other gamers equally eager to boost their dexterity and reflexes. Avery says playing improves her emotional perseverance, staying calm when she gets frustrated.

Gaming goes beyond entertainment. Playing video games — including violent shooter games — can enhance children’s learning, health and social skills, according to the American Psychological Association. Still, only 42% of students consider playing video games a productive use of time, according to an Instagram poll of 207.

social media apps that consume the screen time of many other teenage girls’ phones.

“I’m arguably being more productive because I’m doing something,” Lillie said. “I’m raising my level or I’m getting more money or I’m decorating my house or I’m getting a promotion in ‘The Sims 4.’ What have you gained from scrolling through social media or TikTok or even just watching YouTube?”

Gaming can also build relationships, the girls say. While gender differences can ostracize female players, a father or brother introduced all four girls to video games, creating a pastime with family and friends.

In elementary school, Anne started watching her brothers play “Call of Duty,” cheering them on and eventually picking up the controller herself. Nia’s older brother pointed to the trigger button and let her test

video games. When she was a little girl, he’d sometimes hand her the headset and controllers to play with his buddies.

Now when she plays with her dad, they push each other to improve. If he asks “Why are you aiming downside?” then she’ll remind him to “Pick up that loot!” Some fathers and daughters play puzzles or grab lunch together. Avery and her dad blast down enemies.

Her dad has taught her virtually-learned skills that are applicable to real life. While playing “Apex Legends,” he tells her to visualize a mental map of their opponents and battle grounds. Learning to drive was no different. “Think of it as a video game,” he said, training her to map out the pedestrians and surrounding cars.

Besides making driving more fun for

prefer life simulation and farming games to wind-down instead of getting ramped up by warfare. From high-speed racing to solitaire, there are over 5 million games that exist today, according to National Today.

Compared to the magnitude of options and benefits, enduring ignorant remarks and online idiocy is an obstacle worth overcoming for Lillie and the other gamers.

“It’s absolutely mind-boggling how vast the [video game] world is,” Lillie said. “There’s something for everybody. There’s games where you get to be active, there’s games where you get to really think, games where you have to stay on your toes because you’re in this world of crazy demons. There’s so, so, so many different games out there.”

misogyny leading certain game

stories by francesca stamati

LANCER LADIES

LEADERSHIP

Three East staff members are starting their own chapter of Women in Leadership, a club inspiring confidence in young women and helping them prepare for their futures.

SOPHOMORE JORDAN FULLER sees herself studying shipwrecks in a scuba suit to support her family surrounded by only guys. She wants to be a marine archaeologist, a primarily male-dominated profession and knows that she will be one of, if not the only, female in her workplace. Even some of the most obscure fields are male-dominated, with 50% of women in the workforce feeling undervalued, according to HR Dive.

This is why Shawnee Mission West’s Associate Principal Kelley Capper pitched the idea of a club dedicated to growing the confidence of young women to push past societal pressures four years ago, and the Women in Leadership club will officially be offered at East next school year.

The club aims to empower young women through conferences, book studies, mentorships and speakers. This year Associate Principals Susan Leonard and Emily Demo and Instructional Coach Kelsi Horner are expanding the club to East.

“What we see on TV and in magazines and in society, the societal expectations of young women, ‘Oh to be quiet,’ ‘sit nicely,’ ‘sit like a lady,’ shouldn’t be the norm, but only we can change it,” Capper said. “We have to retake over the narrative, and that’s what this program does.”

Staff members were given an opportunity to expand the program to East when Capper invited them to a Women in Leadership conference on Feb. 16.

East teachers nominated students in their classes they thought would be best suited for the program. These students then filled out a Google Form, and 10 were selected to attend the conference based on their responses. A panel of female leaders — from a hairdresser who owns a trucking company to a civil engineer — came to speak to the group of girls about their careers, obstacles they faced and how to pass them.

Junior Eve Benditt was one of the students that attended the conference.

“A lot of them talked about how they got into [the field that] they got into and how you don’t necessarily have to commit to what you’re majoring in college,” Benditt said. “They talked about how to talk to a boss about a difference in pay between male coworkers and just a lot about their life stories.”

After getting a glimpse of what the program is like, Benditt is looking forward to assisting with the program next year. She wants to help females at East learn how to take leadership roles both inside and outside of school.

Fuller is also looking forward to helping

the program grow. As a confident person herself, she believes it will help young women with confidence to go into whatever profession they choose. She also wants to learn how to work in a male-dominated field.

“Learning how to navigate [working in a male-dominated environment is] really important,” Fuller said. “That really hit home, don’t let the men tell you what you should be.”

The program won’t host meetings for the rest of the year because it’s still in the planning stages. Leonard intends to use the fourth quarter to communicate to students the new opportunity. Next school year, they will start meeting monthly to plan the structure of the program.

“We’re trying to move slow enough to do it right, so our goal in the fourth quarter would just be to publicize that this is gonna be an opportunity,” Leonard said.

West or it might look different, but I want it to be ours,” Leonard said.

Aside from attending conferences to discuss being a female in the professional world, West’s program also pairs members with mentors — professional women working in the job field that matches the member’s interest.

WHAT WE SEE

on TV and in magazines and in society, the societal expectations of young women, ‘Oh to be quiet’, ‘Sit nicely’, Sit like a lady,’ shouldn’t be the norm, but only we can change it.”

KELLY CAPPER

SMW ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL

The growth of the program is slow because Leonard hopes to get input from both Capper and club members about what the program should look like.

“It might look just like Shawnee Mission

“I meet with every student to discuss what career field they want their mentor to be in or what they hope to learn from it,” Capper said. “Then they get set up with their mentor. They have online communication or in-person meetings and job shadows.”

Leonard hopes the program will also include book studies, coffee and breakfast meetings and community service. Leonard expects the group to attend some district-wide meetings each year, but otherwise most events will be held within East.

“Women supporting women, women promoting each other but also being encouraged to be leaders in our school or community in the world,” Leonard said.

MEET THE Short descriptions of three of the 10 members nominated by faculty

design by kate heitmann photos by madi maupin

story by libby marsh

JUNIOR

ABOVE Juniors Ella Howard, Marin McElhinney and other club members meet to discuss how positive leadership has impacted them.

JUNIOR

• Varsity Lancer Dancer captain, SHARE Chair

• Varsity swim captain

• Organized blood drive, leads SMSD HOSA chapter

MARIN MCELHINNEY

ELLA HOWARD MIA STAMOS

MEMBERS:

PASSING

story by sophie lindberg

RE MARKS

THEN-SIXTH-GRADER Reagan

Solenberger was rehearsing one of the then-popular Fortnite dances. But by the time she stopped dancing, a few boys from her class were already laughing over the slo-mo video they took of her.

They laughed at how her thighs jiggled. So Reagan stopped wearing leggings. They highlighted her thighs too much. She became hyper-aware of how her legs moved when she walked, and still looks down at her legs anxiously whenever she sits down, hoping no one thinks to themselves, “that girl has big thighs.”

It’s a kind of story that’s told while crylaughing — even she admits it’s a little funny that her insecurity rose from a Fortnite dance.

Even though it’s five years later, nowsophomore Reagan still is on her path to accepting her body but with over 66% of students saying they have witnessed or experienced fatphobia at East according to an Instagram poll of 173 students, the issue certainly hasn’t gone away with time, Reagan said.

stereotypes can exist for big people — that they’re unhygienic, lazy, unathletic and, most impactful for Maren, lonely. Skinny girls get boyfriends. Bigger girls don’t. Any negative trait is only amplified by their weight.

“When I’m talking to someone and they don’t like me, it’s always about weight first,” Maren said.

Senior Delia Cashman notices that what is often overlooked in these stereotypes, and bullying in general, is that many people don’t see the potentially permanent cause of a person’s figure. For Delia, this is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or PCOS — a condition in which hormone imbalances impact hair growth, fertility, acne and weight. According to Harvard Health Publishing, genetics could account for up to 80% of obesity causes.

“When doctors see, ‘oh, there’s actually a reason you’re bigger, not just that you’re lazy or you don’t exercise,’” Delia said. “And I think a lot of the time people overlook that some people are just built bigger. Everyone’s built different.”

since elementary and middle school herself, she’s seen others suffer in silence.

In Reagan’s health class freshman year, she vividly remembers her teacher going over the BMI unit. When discussing how to calculate it and what the categories mean, all eyes turned to the fat girl in the class when they got to the last category — very obese.

“I knew that she knew that everyone was looking at her,” Reagan said. “And I know what it’s like to feel the silent eyes.”

Reagan, being a competitive swimmer, finds that lots of her insecurities come from

HAVE YOU EVER WITNESSED OR EXPERIENCED FATPHOBIA AT EAST?

*Instagram poll of 318 votes

YES NO 34% 66%

Delia partially attributes judgment to the very nature of East’s student body. With a well-known reputation of being mostly white and upper-middle class, many students grew up in an environment in which they could afford healthier — and more expensive — food, playing sports and doctor’s visits. In a study conducted by Ogden and others finished in 2015, conclusions found that family income is related to childhood obesity.

“I’ve heard some of my friends’ parents or my own [parents] just laugh at a big person when they’re running and actively trying to better themselves toward their appearance when they wouldn’t ever do that with someone that was skinnier,” Delia said. “Whether they were skinny and fit or just skinny.”

fat•pho•bi•a

For her and some of her peers, she faces and witnesses fatphobia on a regular basis, often starting with comments made in elementary and middle school that affect students beyond poor body image.

Senior Maren Hunn* finds that common

Before her diagnosis, Delia often experienced doctors putting off larger problems to address her weight. Only when her diagnosis came through did she stop having doctors breathing down her neck about ways to “fix” her weight.

Most of the discrimination is subtle and indirect, but there’s always times that it’s blatant. For Delia, it was when she finally decided to wear a crop top to school and got called “piggy” by some boys walking down the hall. Though Reagan hasn’t experienced much blatant body shaming

and are amplified by her sport. In 2017, when she first joined the City of Mission Swim Club, she saw no one else with a similar body type. Before swimming, she had even gone far enough to join sports like soccer purely to lose weight, a decision she made for herself at only eight years old.

Even now, as early as last week, Reagan finds it hard to put on her swimsuit and look in the mirror. Like how Maren can’t say out loud what size she needs for her uniforms in soccer, she has to whisper it once her teammates have left. When she changes her shirt after a game, she can feel her teammates’ eyes on her.

Associate Principal Susan Leonard has also noticed the discrimination against bigger students. She recognizes that she can’t place herself in the shoes of students but is aware of the concerns some students have — it’s impossible to know everything that happens within East’s walls — and hopes that with future efforts, administration can represent all perspectives of the student body and create a greater positive environment for students that feel judged or bullied.

“Over and over again, we’re putting in our mind that if you’re overweight, you’re lazy. And that’s not the case at all. We’re putting those associations together,” Leonard said. “We can’t control everything that’s coming in [to our heads] now. But we can control the way that [it’s] interpreted.”

Students who have experienced fatphobia share their stories and hopes for change

the irrational fear of being fat or hostility and disdain towards being around fat people

*name changed to protect identity

that one kid said he could see my blubber in this one

she said this looked lumpy last year

THAT group of kids laughed when I walked by in this

PAINT THE HALLS

PEELING BACK

THE LAYERS

ON HER FIRST day of winter break, senior Evyn Roberts sat on her couch, sketching and painting little yellow stars for her International Baccalaureate Creativity Activity and Service project with the movie House of Gucci echoing in the background. This everyday winter break routine was just the start of a multi-month project — creating literature-related murals for 10 different English classrooms.

GLASS CASTLE

sketching and doodling little people and patterns as well.

When English teacher Kristin Anderson voiced that she desperately wanted something instead of the dusty file boxes filling the English hallway’s windows above the lockers, Evyn had just the idea to fix the situation: murals.

they would want represented in their classroom’s mural as the books taught in each class are different depending on grade and level. Since first starting the murals during Thanksgiving break, Evyn has been spending time sketching and painting the boards with her acrylic paint alongside the help of some of her IB classmates.

JANE EYRE

Evyn has been fascinated with art her whole life. Growing up in an artistic family, she has been influenced creatively by her grandma. Whether that meant them using leaves or flowers from nature to turn into art pieces or her grandma sharing her next innovative project idea to entertain her. When Evyn was younger, she’d go to her grandma’s house and practice art for days on end.

“My grandma was the type of person who just had art scattered all over her walls and throughout her house,” Evyn said. “So my love for art definitely started with her as well as being creativity inclined all throughout my life, always thinking and creating in an artistic way.”

It wasn’t until high school that Evyn found her own art style and the proper outlet for her art to be recognized. When Evyn isn’t painting murals for her CAS project, she’s cutting out magazines and collecting stickers for her collage business where she makes and sells phone cases and prints. The rest of her free time is filled with

“I was sitting back at my desk, listening and I said to the class, ‘Or someone could make something to cover up the [cluttered mess],’” Anderson said while pointing to the windows. “And Evyn immediately called dibs and I thought, ‘Yes, that would be glorious.’”

At first Evyn wasn’t sure about her plan of action for her artwork in the English hallways. Painting was the art form Evyn does the least due to the large amount of time that goes into it for her to enjoy the final product. She juggled with the idea of painting the windows directly but found it would be inconvenient as she could only work on the 32-inch tall by 19-feet wide windows while at school. Considering the project would be such a big undertaking, finding a way to do the project at home seemed like the most logical and best idea, according to Evyn.

MY GRANDMA was the type of person who just had art scattered all over her walls and throughout her house. So my love for art defnitely started with her as well as being creativity inclined all throughout my life, always thinking and creating in an artistic way.

EVYN ROBERTS

SENIOR

“I’ve known Evyn for all four years of high school, but we didn’t really talk until junior year when we joined IB and naturally became close,” Senior Caroline Gorman said. “She is a very creative person and when I heard her CAS project idea I thought it was brilliant and I knew I wanted to be her second-in-command painter.”

This time-consuming process has been easier for Evyn with the help and support of her peers. She’s relieved that she can use art as a positive outlet on the daily, now making the English hallways brighter and more colorful all because of the passion she picked up as a little girl.

THE GREAT GATSBY

Evyn decided to create insertable poster board murals for the windows. Evyn asked each teacher what book

EVYN’S NUMBERS

10 MURALS TOTAL

“I think everyone’s CAS projects are super interesting, getting to see what everyones passionate about,” Gorman said. “The murals ended up just perfectly aligning with Evyn and her creative personality.”

The large ammount of products Evyn is using to complete her murals

50

BUCKETS OF PAINT 110 POSTER BOARDS

Senior Evyn Roberts is painting murals for the English hallway windows for her International Baccalaureate Creativity Activity and Service project

story by lucy wolf

Three of Evyn’s rough drafts for her murals

ABOVE Finished posters were stacked on the table near the paint as Roberts and her friend continued to work on spelling out book titles related to the English class. “I think I bought at least 100 dollars worth of poster board just for this,” Roberts said.

TOP LEFT With posters laid out across the kitchen table, Roberts paints a poster board which will be a part of the final mural for her International Baccalaureate Creativity, Activity and Service project. “IB forces you to think outside the box all the time so it’s very heavy on your brain,” Roberts said. “For me art is kind of like an outlet. It’s the exact opposite of what I do all day in school.”

SCAN ME PHOTO

Use this QR code to purchase photos from this event on Harbie

Roberts mixes yellows and reds to create an orange color that will be a part of the rainbow in the mural. “[Sketching the poster board out] would take me 20-30 minutes because I had to lay the posterboard out super long and it’s hard to see the whole thing all at once,” Roberts said. photo

TOP RIGHT Senior Natalie Anderson squirts yellow paint to darken an A she had painted. For the last few months, Roberts has invited other IB students to her house to help paint the murals.

LEFT Senior Marin Bryant laughs with Roberts as they talk about assassins. “When I had everybody over to paint, they were all getting kind of tired of the painting because it’s very repetitive but they all have been super nice about it and very supportive.”

photo by I tristen porter

ABOVE

by I charlotte emley

photo by I charlotte emley

photo by I sabrina dean

Photo

photo by I charlotte emley

THE HARBINGER design by sophia brockmeier photostory by rachel bingham

JORDAN BLACK the yo-yo gUY

Junior Jordan Black has a passion for yo-yoing and practices his tricks in the halls and the cafeteria during school

top tricks

THE TRENDY TRICK: HIS FAVORITE:

DNA BARREL ROLL

the yo-yo spins on one finger while the string swirls above it, creating the look of a doublehelix

HIS NEWEST TRICK:

INVERTED GT

by twisting the string, the yo-yo bounces against the top string when tossed to make an inverted triangle

Q&A

HOW DID YOU GET INTO YO-YOING?

I THOUGHT IT’D be just a really fun thing to do around middle school. I remember having this automatic yo-yo toy when I was a kid... and I really liked using that thing.

WHAT ABOUT YO-YOING DO YOU LIKE SO MUCH?

THE CONCEPT IS very simple, but it’s the fact that the people who play yo-yo, they’ll take this concept and they’ll play their own style to it, so it’s like an art medium.

HOW DO YOU LEARN YOUR TRICKS?

the yo-yo flips in a loop along the string as it is held with both index fingers

I ENDED UP learning slowly through YouTube different tricks I could do... and I transitioned from using the plastic yo-yo to an unresponsive one... Since then, I’ve been using an unresponsive yo-yo and have been trying to add to my repertoire of tricks.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT PERFORMING TRICKS FOR STUDENTS?

IT TICKLES MY inner showman. I get to show something that I’m passionate about and I’m interested in, and people will just eat that up and I love that constant positive feedback loop.

HARBINGER design & copy by caroline wood

photo by clara peters

a&e.

RECENT RELEASES

Movie: John Wick: Chapter 4

Genre: Action Rated: R

Release Date: March 24

Movie: Air

Genre: Drama Rated: R

Release Date: March 31

TERRIBLE TAN

The dangers of reading while tanning during spring break

WHAT TO WATCH

WHAT MOVIE IS BETTER THAN THE BOOK?

Endless Summer Vacation by Miley Cyrus

13 Tracks Pop So Much (for) Stardust by Fall Out Boy

13 Tracks Rock

‘THE SUMMER I TURNED Pretty’ TV series is better than the books. The music adds to the story. I like the soundtrack a lot, which you don’t get in the book.

‘WHERE THE CRAWDADS Sing’ movie was better than the book. It followed the book very closely and I think that the character casting was accurate. They were spot on.

WHAT SEQUEL IS BETTER THAN THE FIRST MOVIE?

Red Moon in Venus by Kali Uchis

15 Tracks R&B/Soul

‘BLADE RUNNER 2029’ is better than the frst ‘Blade Runner.’ You can see what they are going for, but besides the ‘tears in the rain’ speech, it just wasn’t there for me. But the second one is just perfect.

‘TOP GUN: MAVERICK’ was better than the frst one because the plot wasn’t too much of a copy and was pretty good. The cinematography was well done. I liked the action scenes better in the sequel.

cartoon by caroline daniels

JUNIOR

CLAIRE SCHUDY

JUNIOR

ALEX TIEDT JUNIOR

CHRIS MINTO

SOPHOMORE

NATALIE CARRENO

photos by spotify, IMDb & claire goettsch

design by veronica mangine

THIS MONTH, I’VE spent $52 on chicken tenders and fries alone. But it’s not my fault — I blame Chick-fil-A and Raising Canes conveniently being five minutes from my house.

While I don’t regret funding my addiction, my taste buds hardly salivate anymore when I’m biting the same old waffle fries or Texas toast from these chains. I need a change. Mother Clucker, a new Nashville-born chicken restaurant located on 5930 Nieman Rd., offers a twist from the classic chains.

If you’re bored of the everyday fast-food restaurants, thankfully Mother Clucker doesn’t sell just a traditional battered and crusted chicken tender. They offer Nashville hot chicken — fried chicken dunked in seasoned hot oil and dusted with their signature spice blends.

While the side dishes at Mother Clucker don’t match those of Chick-fil-A or Raising Canes, it’s spicy tenders are worth the drive

was packed with hungry customers. Thankfully, I snagged one of the last tables. I ordered a two-count chicken tender with mild spice, along with a vanilla milkshake, an Oreo milkshake and a side of fries. Keep in mind, I can’t stomach one Taki without downing a glass of milk, so just reading the spice options on the menu labeled “CLUCK YEAH” and “WHAT THE CLUCK?!” made my palms sweat. Still, I yearned for the Nashville hot chicken experience, so I settled for the “WEAK STUFF,” the second lowest spice level on the menu.

The food took 25 minutes, a whopping 20 minutes longer than my average Chick-Fil-A order — even during a rush.

But holy cluck, this chicken was worth the wait. My tenders, fries and two milkshakes cost $28.68 — even if I didn’t order an extra shake, it still would’ve cost $15 more than tenders, fries and a shake at Chick-fil-A. But it was worth the extra cash considering the size of these tenders.

Packed with savory and tangy flavors, the mild spice was just enough to get my eyes watering without forcing me to regret my meal choice. And Mother Clucker’s unique sweet and citrusy Cluck sauce was a refreshing change from Chick-fil-A sauce, pairing well with the tenders.

the bread at all and set it aside immediately.

Then I tried the $3 crinkle-cut fries. I expected these thick fries to also pack a spicy punch, but I’m sorry to say they’re exceptionally bland. Dipping the fries in the Cluck sauce helped, since there wasn’t even salt and pepper on the fries, but I wish the fries weren’t so boring on their own.

nash • ville chick • en traditional fried chicken dunked in seasoned hot oil and dusted with signature spice blends

I thought the side dishes couldn’t get worse after that, but my $7 vanilla milkshake was even more of a letdown. Taking my first sip, I gagged when this so-called vanilla shake tasted like lukewarm water. I couldn’t look at the drink after that — if only it had as much flavor as their chicken.

Thankfully, Mother Clucker redeemed themselves with the Oreo shake — even though that’s hard to mess up. The chocolate and vanilla flavors paired well with the Oreo chunks mixed in the shake. I don’t usually like chocolate, but the chocolate ice cream wasn’t too rich so I could still enjoy the cookies and cream.

NON -CHICKEN

When I entered the restaurant, I wasn’t initially impressed. The quaint interior was crammed with around 15 tables — a small amount of seating space considering it

The tenders also came with a piece of toasted and buttered bread. While I appreciated the initial crispiness, it was practically drenched in olive oil and butter that overpowered the toast. I couldn’t taste

While the side dishes were subpar, if you’re looking for chicken from somewhere other than Chick-Fil-A or Raising Cane’s, Mother Clucker is certainly worth the title of Nashville hot chicken heaven. Just stick to the tenders if you plan on dining here.

CHICKEN

Other menu items besides tenders and wings CRAZY SHAKES CAMPFIRE S’MORES OREO OVERLOAD CAP’N CRUNCH MADNESS

story by maggie kissick

THE

design by peyton moore photos by claire goettsch

DaisyJones Flix

ONE OF LIFE’S eternal lessons that I still struggle to accept: the book is always better than the movie.

THE THE & &

story by mia vogel

The same goes for “Daisy Jones and The Six” — a mini series adaptation of author Taylor Jenkins Reid’s popular novel, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video on March 3 with new episodes dropping every week. The story follows an up-and-coming rock band in the 1970s.

I needed to read the book before watching the show, and it’s no exaggeration to say that I binged this book. I devoured it. I inhaled it. This wasn’t a surprise though since the same can be said for earlier this year when I read Reid’s renowned bestseller “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.” This woman’s ability to construct a narrative and the complexity of her characters is simply unmatched.

However, try as it may, the show doesn’t fully reflect the layered beauty of the novel.

Right off the bat there were the obvious inconsistencies such as how the band formed, Daisy’s young life and — most frustrating of all — the show didn’t include the character Pete, who was the sixth member of The Six, but they still called the band The Six. Mathematically, are you joking!?

Then there were the more covert changes, primarily the relationships and personalities of the main characters.

The show dramatized events like Camilla’s reaction to her husband and lead singer Billy’s behavior on tour and needlessly added interband affairs. While this flashy retelling of the story no doubt made for entertaining television, it distracted from the realism of the subtly brutal events from the book. These events were so outrageous that they overshadowed the emotional effects on the characters.

The characters just aren’t as deep or complicated as they are in the book. Novel Billy is depicted as an impeccable frontman who glows on stage but in the show I only saw him as one of the band, not a standout by any means. Similarly, Daisy is written as an ethereal, dazzling being but in the show she was almost too normal. And Camilla, who’s supposed to be the serene rock of the group becomes a jealous and passive character.

All that to say, the cast was impeccable. Aside from how certain aspects of their characters were written, almost everyone looks just how I pictured them while reading the book. Riley Keough as Daisy and Sam Claflin as Billy stole the show with their surprisingly spectacular voices and undeniable on-stage chemistry. And Suki Waterhouse as Karen, the keyboardist, added a level of superstardom to the show as she’s a real life musician.

What I most appreciate about the series is its authenticity. The actors are really singing and playing their instruments on stage — even

recording a studio album as the fictional band that’s available on Spotify. They also recorded at The Record Plant, the same studio Fleetwood Mac recorded their infamous album “Rumors,” which the story is undeniably based on.

And of course the fabulous costumes which, according to Variety, included an abundance of vintage and reclaimed pieces, encapsulating the wardrobe of a true ’70s hippie. It’s these seemingly small details that really bring the show to life.

Regardless of my rage at the inconsistencies between the book and show, the aesthetic was accurate and impeccable from the minute I hit play on the first episode.

The wardrobe is truly what had me binging the series. It’s exactly how I picture the Flower-Power era, with VW vans, round sunglasses, suede fur coats paired, bell sleeves and high waisted everything — seriously, it’s no surprise that brands such as Free People and Amazon are curating “Daisy Jones and The Six” inspired collections.

The sets were the perfect blend of earthy and modern and the soundtrack was unsurpassed — they’d span the decade, cutting from Violet Hall to Queen without skipping a beat.

Overall, while there were some holes in the plotline, “Daisy Jones and The Six” is worth a watch as the few aspects not to love are those only obvious if you’ve read the book.

Shop Amazon’s curated selection inspired by the show’s characters

Review of new Amazon Prime show “Daisy Jones and the Six” — an adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s popular book

I NEEDED TO read the book before watching the show, and it’s no exaggeration to say that I binged this book. I devoured it. I inhaled it.

Images courtesy of IMDb and Amazon

design by caroline gould photo by riley scott

EXTREME KINDNESS

story by katie murphy

I RESERVE ALL my good deeds for National Say Something Nice Day, Good Samaritan Day and Kindness Week.

OK fine, that’s not completely true. But the principle of designating specific days to be more kind than other days is silly. Shouldn’t we be practicing kindness no matter the day?

In protest, I decided to ramp up my altruism on a holiday-less week of March — choosing

Performing over-the-top acts of kindness on a random week of March to practice altruism and inspire others

DOOR HOLDER

HOLDING THE MAIN door to the school with a “Good Morning!” poster at 7:20 a.m. on a Monday isn’t something that I normally do. But I welcomed at least 200 students over a span of 15 minutes on March 6.

I timidly told the first lucky person who I held the door for that I hoped they were having a good morning. But as a constant stream of

students walked in, my embarrassment faded, and I settled into rapid-fire greeting mode, exclaiming “Enjoy your first hour!” and “It’s a great day to be a Lancer!”

It was amusing to make my friends laugh in shock, while also getting strangers to crack a smile. Plus I only received one sassy eye roll in my 15 minutes of greeting — not too bad.

TEACHING IS A thankless job most days, so imagine the surprise on my teachers faces when I gave them flowers and a “Thank You” note on a random Monday.

One said the gift “made his day” and another carried the flowers in the halls because she

LUNCH ON ME

I THOUGHT I couldn’t be more embarrassed after my first three extravagant acts. Until I was ordering food in the cafeteria and asked to pay for the person behind me, and the lunch lady stared at me dumbfounded.

Thankfully, she understood that I was “paying it forward” for the stranger behind me

WRAP-UP

SURE, IT WAS entertaining to plot elaborate, good-samaritan, homemadeposter-involving schemes for the week — but it’s unsustainable. I can’t buy everyone lunch every day. But I can listen to others and check in on my friends. Please’s, thank you’s and smiles to friends and strangers matter — whether or not it’s a scheduled day for kindness.

four over-the-top acts of kindness to determine how much embarrassment I can endure in the name of good on an ordinary day.

Maybe my excessive do-gooding will remind others to be selfless on more than just National Random Acts of Kindness Day, even if it’s less extreme than holding the door open for 15 minutes.

TEACHER GIFTS

liked them so much, making this my favorite act of kindness. I’d definitely recommend showing gratitude to a teacher, even if it’s just a free handwritten message.

The sad part is that one asked me if it was Kindness Week — we really should be extending kind acts beyond holidays.

after my second explanation.

Though the free-lunch beneficiary was grateful, this act of kindness was overall too painfully awkward to repeat. I’d recommend buying a friend lunch outside of school instead of perplexing the already-overwhelmed cafeteria staff.

VIP PARKING

PART OF ALMOST every East student’s morning is the high-stakes hunt for a parking spot.

To ensure that at least a few students would secure those coveted front row spots and relieve some stress from their morning, I reserved spots for them — standing in parking spaces with a sign saying, “Reserved For You.”

This was undoubtedly awkward to

execute, as I spent minutes waving the sign and getting passed or ignored by drivers. But ultimately, I helped direct four lucky students between the lines while complimenting their maneuvering skills. Then I gave them a smiley face sticker for their excellent parking jobs — because why not?

Their genuine chuckles and smiles — despite confusion — were worth my momentary cringe.

SCAN ME VIDEO

See the extreme acts of kindness on film in their awkward and altruistic glory

design by katie murphy photos by amelie wong

ALL LAX NO BREAKS

GAMES ON MARCH 22, 23, 25, 27

Parents and coaches are concerned that the team is more prone to injuries and could be overworked from such a packed schedule, but the team feels confdent.

Boys lacrosse has four games in six days

JACK KESSLER

JUNIOR

I THINK OUR TEAM IS READY... this will be a great test for our team, and I’m excited to see how we handle the challenge.

COLE JACKSON

SENIOR

I AM EXCITED TO PUT OUR endurance to the test and show the league what Lancer Lacrosse is about.

photos by rachel bingham, caroline martucci & sabrina dean

THE

design by ava cooper

NEW KIDS ON THE

11 years kcsa 5 years indian hills cc 10 years kcsa 2 months milburn cc 8 years kcsa 9 years

ARE YOU READY to drown this morning?”

That’s the start of freshmen Clara Breneman and Lila Kimmel’s conversation before each Kansas City Swim Academy practice. Since joining the club in January, they’ve continued to almost drown three times a week with one main goal: make varsity at East.

With mediocre skills — slow turns, lagging behind because they’re tired, bad technique — they often found themselves falling behind their peers. After two months of persevering and barely making intervals, Breneman and Kimmel along with five other freshmen, fastened their goggles and hopped into lane three of the Wiley Wright Pool for the first day of varsity swim tryouts.

blazers 2 years pv pool 1 year

Although it wasn’t as intimidating as their first KSPA practice, varsity was comfortable for the incomers due to coach Chris Copeland’s style — heavily focusing on pace work and technique with an emphasis on rest time — easier than the grueling club practices, according to freshman Sloan Meyer.

“It’s not super competitive to the point where you’re like ‘holy crap I can’t do this,’” Hunter said. “It’s more like a fun [type of] serious where we all want to do really well.”

Their competitiveness has only brought them closer together. The teasing, splashing and messing with each other helps them bond during the substantial six-days a week practice schedule. According to Kimmel, the dynamic is very supporting and helpful to one another.

“I always thought about [swim] like an individual sport,” Breneman said. “[East swim] is more of a team aspect.”

dry•land

Dryland is the time during practice when swimmers train outside the pool. Typically, this workout is done in the weight room or around the pool deck.

3 years kcsa 2 months

blazers

hallbrook 6 years blazers 1 year

KCSA 9 years

Their first activity with the team on the Friday of tryout week, included new members being surprised by upperclassmen waking them up and taken to room 315 for donuts with the whole team. Later that day, instead of practicing like normal, the team participated in a game of sharks and minnows and cannonball contests.

According to freshman Izzy Hunter, the upperclassmen have welcomed the freshmen with open arms. Whether it’s leading workouts or encouraging her Hunter is very appreciative of their awareness of how scary it can be joining a team with mostly upperclassmen.

Since the practices are relatively easier than club, the girls are able to joke around with each other by cracking inside jokes in the fitness room, sharing the latest gossip during the social kick at the end of practice and competing against one another during particular sets.

Varsity captain and senior Piper Benjamin tries to include freshmen by organizing team bonding events like breakfasts, games and gift giving among swim buddies. While the freshmen are new, Benjamin says that their work ethic and attitude have pushed them to improve quickly. One of her goals for the year is to make sure the freshmen feel comfortable with the rest of the team.

“I think a lot of them are still in the nuances of varsity sports,” Benjamin said. “They’re a little bit afraid to come out of their shell unlike me and [the other upperclassmen].”

Benjamin, along with Copeland, have recognized promise in not only the freshmen’s swimming skills, but in leadership as well.

“These freshmen will become seniors at some point,” Copeland said. “I want them to start watching the older kids and maturing and beginning not only to manage themselves, but become leaders.”

Seven freshman place onto the Girls Varsity Swim team after the spring sports tryouts

*Clara Brenneman not included in group picture

Seven freshman place onto the Girls Varsity Swim team after the spring sports tryouts

story by addie moore

design by lyla weeks photos by julia fillmore & riley scott

SOFTBALL SWITCHING UP

LAST SPRING, BUSINESS teacher and former pole vault coach Mallory Dittemore watched her athletes fly 10 feet in the air relying solely on a thin pole to land them on the mat — something that she felt unqualified for.

Meanwhile, former athletic director Debbie Katzfey knew this coaching position wasn’t the right fit for Dittemore. When Katzfey asked Dittemore if she’d want to take over as the new softball coach after the old coach was fired, Dittemore promptly said yes.

Trading in poles for bats, Dittemore entered the season ready to improve the team’s 1-13 record. But her main focus was on building a program with accountability and consistency, something not present in past seasons.

[as] we were one win away from a state championship.”

After learning that the previous coach wouldn’t plan practice in advance from physical education and assistant coach Maggie Archer, Dittemore has put together a structured practice schedule. Along with an organized routine, Dittemore has placed a focus on mechanics, especially the fundamentals of hitting and baserunning.

SOME GIRLS thought practice was optional [last year] and they [only] showed up when they wanted to. This year, she puts more pressure on us — you have to talk to [the] coach [if you miss practices].

Dittemore played competitive softball from the beginning of middle school through her senior year, stopping in college to run track at Rockhurst University. She has taken a lot of inspiration from her high school coach on how she wants to run her team — with passion and stability.

SOPHOMORE

“[Practice used to] always be a curveball at them everyday and [they] would show up everyday and do whatever,” Dittemore said. “The girls [now] know the set routine of what we are going to do [for two hours].”

Dittemore acknowledges that the team lacked accountability in previous years and hopes to change this. There weren’t punishments for missing practice, being late to practice, not working hard and being bad teammates.

team meetings, dinners and brunches, fundraising and media day along with social events with just the coaches.

“We [take] pictures and even though I don’t know where they go, [media day helps us bond]” senior Paige Keedy said. “We connect with the coaches by laughing while doing something [I’ve never done before].”

And her methods are working — players are already beginning to buy into the program. Although the season is just starting, the morale is much better with players focusing on practice instead of “lollygagging”, according to Keedy. With stronger emphasis on the little things such as soft toss and machine hitting, there has already been improvement.

“[Last year], it was very slow watching the improvement, but this year it’s speeding up,” Boileau said. “Last year we never had a good practice, but this year it’s getting us excited to see what we can do in a game.”

THE PLAYERS

Athletes at East who have been part of one of Dittemore’s teams

“We had a great coach that [knew] the game, but he was really good at building a rapport with us and cultivating a positive team atmosphere,” Dittemore said. “He definitely knows his stuff

“Some girls thought practice was optional [last year] and they [only] showed up when they wanted to,” varsity sophomore Brianna Boileau said. “This year, she puts more pressure on us — you have to talk to [the] coach [if you miss practices].”

Besides accountability and stability, Dittemore hopes to improve team and coach chemistry. She organizes

SHE MAKES IT a precedent for everyone to be included and for everyone to give their all no matter what you’re doing or who you are.

Throughout this season and next, Dittemore hopes to build East softball into more of a “brand.” She hopes to use a strong social media presence through her account, @coach-ditty to get the word out about game times as well as organizing camps for younger kids over the summer.

“We aren’t a big softball school and where I come from softball was a pretty big deal,” Dittemore said. “Consistency is key. We will start with this group and get word out about teen summer camps and we can build our program from there.”

SHE PUSHES YOU with her words, she knows what you’re capable of and pushes you to the best you can be.

SHE HAS A really positive energy and it makes us more of a team. You can talk to her about anything She makes you want to work harder.

FRESHMAN GIRLS BASKETBALL

SLOAN MEYER

JUNIOR VARSITY CROSS COUNTRY

RYLEE ROTHROCK

BRIANNA BOILEAU

VARSITY SOFTBALL

ANNA HOLLAND

Coach Mallory Dittemore takes over as the new head softball coach and hopes to promote stability and accountability story by hassan sufi

design by larkin brundige

photo by sabrina dean

design by elle gedman photos by ryan dehan & will griffith

TO THE METHOD MADNESS

March

madness brackets

come in many shapes and forms - some do it for fun, and some base statistics

WHILE OTHER STUDENTS

and staff spend their spring breaks basking in the sun on the beach or skiing mountaintops, math teacher Christopher Burrows and his family have a different idea for break. For 37 years in a row, he’s stayed home over break with the same plan — crafting a March Madness bracket with his family. His son, Jackson Burrows says it’s the perfect opportunity for family time.

“Both of my parents are teachers,” Burrows said. “We can all be home for the first two rounds, so that’s the best.”

make their brackets, tracking who’s the most accurate throughout the tournament. Kopp’s family competes for a pot. On his own, he bets from $5 to $10 depending on how confident he is in a game. On the contrary, Weaver’s family competes for bragging rights — which is considered high stakes, especially in their competitive family.

BOTH OF MY parents are teachers. We can all be home for the frst two rounds, so that’s the best.

JACKSON BURROWS

But Burrows isn’t the only March Madness superfan in the East area — freshmen Vince Kopp and Hudson Weaver spend all 31 days of March glued to their TV.

SOPHOMORE

Each year, the Kopp and Weaver families

VINCE’S

the classic tortilla chips, guacamole and various sodas.

However, not all families get as invested as the Kopps or Weavers in the competition.

While Weaver doesn’t bet, he tries to create the most accurate bracket.

“I usually make a bracket with two groups — family and friends,” Weaver says. “I like to watch all of the games with my friends at a friend’s house.”

March Madness consists of intense competition — both on the court and the couch. Game days with the Kopp and Weaver families consist of connecting through their common interest while they cheer for their chosen teams with snacks and drinks galore — typically

PICKS

Sophomore Elizabeth Starr completes a bracket with her family, but doesn’t put much thought into the results. Family time is what she values most about making the brackets — being the eldest of three means she only has so long with her siblings, and she wants to enjoy every last minute of it.

“My little brother gets very excited about the brackets every year,” Starr said. “I enjoy trying to compete with him.”

Even more laid back is sophomore Jordan Fuller, who entirely wings her bracket by choosing her winners based on her favorite team logos.

“I hate yellow and green, so teams with those colors usually lose earlier on,” Fuller said.

Despite her controversial selection process, Fuller predicted the two losses that shocked many fans — two of the #1 seeds

March madness brackets come in many shapes and forms

getting out in the second round: Purdue and KU. Despite her seemingly careless approach, she’s currently winning in her bracket. Fuller says her dad was frustrated with her naive success, saying he gave her a “very hard stare.”

While many people have different methods to their Madness, March Madness is something enjoyable for everyone.

HUDSON WEAVER

FRESHMAN

MY BIGGEST SUCCESSES WERE I was in the top 98% of brackets after the round of 64 because I only missed 5 games. Also I have Texas winning the whole thing and they are still in it.

THE WINNER’S RANKS

Comparing past winners to their ranks in this year’s bracket 2022 KANSAS Lost to Arkansas in the second round

Lost to Creighton in the second round

Lost to Furman in the first round

story by mary gagen

DON’T BE

A reminder to keep your eyes closed and your friends closer this April Fools’ Day

FRIENDS FOE

design & copy by peyton moore photos by riley eck

IT’S TOO

Easy pranks that could be coming your way April 1 — unless you do them first

EASY OR

Watch your back — during April Fools’, friends may become foes

DON’T GO

HOME

Senior Griffin King’s prank on senior Eero Alber last April Fools’ Day

“SO EERO ALBER is a big ‘Home Alone’ guy. It’s his favorite movie. The night before April Fools’ Day, he was out spending the night somewhere else, and I went into his house and set up various traps from the movie. There was an electric heater on the front door, nails on the ground and the

A

FAMILY

AFFAIR

Senior Libby McShane and freshman Emily McShane started a family prank war

“SO MY SISTER and I took all of the underwear out of my dad’s underwear drawer and taped it up to the ceiling of his and my mom’s walk-in closet. We taped one pair to the door handle so when he walked in, he just laughed. We barely eat that day because now

WRAPPED UP

Before April 1, it’s best to hide all saran wrap. It can be used to conceal a door, a window and even a toilet. Unless you have a limitless bladder, it’s not worth the embarrassment — or mess.

bowling

like the physic experiment where it swings but doesn’t hit the person. It was set up to be a joke, but it turned on somehow, and so he opened the front door and gets seconddegree burns on his hands... So I am terrified to see what he pulls this year.”

SUD-LESS?

Why isn’t your archaic bar of soap sudding up in the shower? The answer is clear nail polish, the killer of suds. Either grab a new bar or join the new generation of liquid body wash like the rest of us— bars are gross anyway.

“PURPLE” SHAMPOO

If you wake up on April 2 with streaks of purple in your bed head, know we warned you. Before using any hair product, check its color — it’s surpisingly easy to slip some dye in a opaque bottle...

TOOTHPASTE & OREOS

[April Fools’] is a pretty big deal for him and he puts hotsauce on almost everything. He always does the toothpaste oreo trick or hot sauce. At lunch that day, we have to be really careful to not eat our hot-sauce sandwich or minty oreos.”

Don’t let your pesky siblings get the satisfaction of watching you bite into this minty mess. No matter how bad your breath is, no one deserves a mouthful of toothpaste.

SALT FOR SUGAR

This mix-up might be an honest mistake — but when your cupcakes taste like a mouthful of salt water on April 1, know that it probably wasn’t just due to your own forgetfulness.

ball tied to a string