Issue 3 The Harbinger: 2020-21

the harbinger.

SHAWNEE MISSION EAST 7500 MISSION ROAD PRAIRIE VILL AGE, KS 66208 OCTOBER 26, 2020

THE LINE HAS BEEN CROSSED.

VOLUME LXIII ISSUE 3

JOHNSON COUNTY, KS

STATELINE RD.

PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KS

Mayor Eric Mikkelson founded the Prairie Village Diversity Task Force to improve diversity within the city by compiling a list of tasks for the City Council to enact.

LEAWOOD, KS

Shown is a map demonstrating the redlining set in Johnson County in the 1900s that racially divided the city. The areas shown were graded A through D, A being most desirable and D being least. People of color were only able to attain mortgages in low grade areas, while white families were given mortgages in higher graded areas. Although the racial restrictions became illegal in 1948, the effects of them are still apparent.

A main goal of the task force is to reverse the effects of the deeds and diversify Prairie Village.

A B C D

02 | INSIDE COVER

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

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STO R I E S WOMEN IN STEM

EMILY IN PARIS Scan to read Cesca Stamati’s review on the new Netflix show, “Emily in Paris”

Scan to read Caroline Gould’s opinion about women working in the STEM community

V I D E OS

GA L L E R I E S

KC BOBA TOUR Scan to view staffer Lawder DeSantis’s video, capturing a KC Boba Tour with staffers Sophie Henschel and Phoebe Hendon

CA RTO O N | n atal i e sc h o l z

cover design by catherine erickson

ROCK PAINTING Scan to view Sabrina Dean’s gallery of a few students painting rocks to be displayed at Brighton Gardens

PRINT EDITORS Catherine Erickson Rose Kanaley ONLINE EDITORS Riley Atkinson Lauren West ASST. PRINT EDITORS Celia Condon Annabelle Moore ASST. ONLINE EDITORS Sophie Henschel Campbell Wood HEAD COPY EDITORS Phoebe Hendon Allison Wilcox PHOTO EDITORS Sarah Golder Trevor Paulus Julia Percy ASST. PHOTO EDITORS Noelle Griffin Elise Madden Megan Stopperan MOBILE MEDIA PHOTO EDITOR Megan Biles VIDEO EDITOR Lawder DeSantis ASST. VIDEO EDITOR Sydney Williams VIDEO TRAINING EDITOR Roberto Galicia BROADCAST EDITORS Sam Freund ASST. BROADCAST EDITOR Brett Pendland Liv Olson Megan Stopperan PHOTO MENTORS Taylor Keal Megan Biles Annakate Dilks MJ Wolf STAFF WRITERS Catherine Erickson Rose Kanaley Lauren West Riley Atkinson Campbell Wood Celia Condon Sophie Henschel Annabelle Moore Allison Wilcox Lyda Cosgrove Caroline Wood Sydney Newton Ethan Enderle Lily Billingsley Kelly Murphy Elizabeth Mikkelson Tommy Paulus Sydney Decker Peyton Moore Lauren Dierks Grace Allen Kate Heitmann Cesca Stamati Winnie Wolf Madeline Funkey Grace Tucker Emma Brown Gibbs Morris

Ben Bradley Anna Mitchell Sophie Lindberg Nora Lynn Mia Vogel Caroline Gould COPY EDITORS Catherine Erickson Rose Kanaley Lauren West Riley Atkinson Phoebe Hendon Allison Wilcox Celia Condon Annabelle Moore Sophie Henschel Campbell Wood Sydney Newton Winnie Wolf Lily Billingsley Elizabeth Mikkelson Lyda Cosgrove Caroline Wood Kelly Murphy EDITORIAL BOARD Catherine Erickson Rose Kanaley Lauren West Riley Atkinson Phoebe Hendon Allison Wilcox Celia Condon Annabelle Moore Sophie Henschel Campbell Wood Sydney Newton Lily Billingsley SECTION EDITORS EDITORIAL PRINT Sydney Newton NEWS PRINT Lauren Dierks ONLINE Caroline Wood OPINION PRINT Elizabeth Mikkelson ONLINE Winnie Wolf FEATURE PRINT Grace Tucker ONLINE Lyda Cosgrove A&E PRINT Tommy Paulus ONLINE Kate Heitmann SPORTS PRINT Peyton Moore ONLINE Cesca Stamati PAGE DESIGNERS Catherine Erickson Rose Kanaley Riley Atkinson Sophie Henschel Celia Condon Allison Wilcox Annabelle Moore

Elizabeth Mikkelson Lily Billingsley Lauren Dierks Sydney Newton Winnie Wolf Kate Heitmann Grace Allen Grace Tucker Cesca Stamati Peyton Moore Madeline Funkey Anna Mitchell Sophie Lindberg Nora Lynn Caroline Gould ART EDITOR Celia Condon STAFF ARTISTS Natalie Scholz Sophie Henschel Mia Vogel Lauren Dierks Sophie Lindberg Maria Morrissey STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Emma Kate Squires Maggie Merckens Hadley Chapman Emily Pollock Maggie Klump Tristen Porter Rachel Bingham Molly Schumm Ella Hans Eva Berkley Macy Crosser Helen Rice Lily Mantel Sabrina Dean VIDEO STAFF Lawder DeSantis Sydney Williams Liv Olson Megan Stopperan Roberto Galicia Brett Pendland SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Annabelle Moore ASST. SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Sophie Henschel SOCIAL MEDIA STAFF Mia Vogel Sydney Decker Megan Biles Grace Tucker Julia Percy Celia Condon Lyda Cosgrove Kelly Murphy Grace Allen Anna Mitchell Liv Olson Paige Zadoo ADS MANAGER Caroline Wood CIRCULATION MANAGER Lyda Cosgrove SOCIAL CHAIRS Peyton Moore Tommy Paulus CONTEST COORDINATOR Celia Condon

design by sydney newton illustration by natalie scholz

Y

ou’re sitting in your English class while your teacher explains Chapter 3 of “The Glass Castle,” listing key points before posing an open discussion question to the class about welfare distribution. But before anyone can do so much as raise their hand, your teacher recites that same longstanding phrase — “Don’t get political.”

Many schools think the best way to address politics is to avoid discussion of it — but that logic doesn’t prepare students for the political climate as they grow older. Politics is one of our nation’s most heated topics, and students deserve to express their opinions in a non-judgemental environment where they can gain respect for other perspectives and make their opinion known without getting hate. Discouraging students from developing their opinions through classroom discussion only hurts them — and our country — in the long run because it doesn’t allow students to hear other points of view or participate in peaceful discussions.

SMSD’s policy states that teachers can’t merge their political beliefs with the things they teach, try to persuade students to believe a certain way or directly support one politician or party over the other within the classroom. The teacher wants to avoid creating arguments about criminal justice reform in the classroom that may lead to upset students, or straying away from the genetics lesson that they have planned as students debate an off topic (but likely important) issue.

Teachers may think that stopping political discussions is helping their students, that the way to avoid political discussion is to not even discuss it in the first place.

But encouraging political discussion in a classroom environment could lead to more respect towards other people’s opinions and a better understanding of opposing views. If students are able to have respectful debates in a classroom environment, it would help teach them that it’s okay to have different opinions on political parties, and it’s not something to end relationships or create fights over.

Talking about politics in a classroom creates standards of respect that would otherwise be learned in a public setting. If a student says something offensive or politically incorrect in a classroom, it’s a better learning environment to understand than a public setting in which more people may be offended and there won’t be someone to help them understand what they did wrong.

Sure, AP Government allows for discussions of the last presidential debate, but the class is only available for seniors to take. If freshmen are being impacted by political policies, they should be able to express their opinions, and hear what others have to say.

Politics amongst teens has become not only controversial, but divisional. Students’ Instagram stories making declarations like, “If you support Trump, don’t talk to me” and, “If you don’t agree with me, you can’t be my friend” create a sense of fear in students about expressing how they feel politically.

And this doesn’t gather any more support for either person’s views, it merely shuts out discussion and furthers the division between the two.

Classrooms are a good setting for teachers to bridge the gap between students with different views, where they are able to act as mediators. This gives students the opportunity to discuss peacefully, rather than yell at each other saying things like, “You’re wrong”

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020 and, “How can you vote for him!” in the hostile way that has become so common. We already give differing interpretations of passages involving pride and prejudice, causing the same heated discussion, so schools shouldn’t shy away from applying those analytical skills to politics and global issues.

With the upcoming election, these political and global issues should be talked about because they apply to students. Any senior in high school born before Nov. 3 is legally able to vote, and they should be educated about each candidate’s policies before entering the ballot stall. If properly utilized, classrooms can be a vital root of political exposure — hearing other students’ perspectives opens their eyes to more than just their parents’ ideas and what they learned from their Instagram feed that day.

According to Time Magazine, almost 80% of Americans live under a one-party roof. The country is more politically divided now than ever, making it more important that students learn how to calmly discuss their views, without being worried about what other people will say or think.

When most students talk about politics, they sound like a copy-and-paste version of a CNN blog or Fox podcast. When asked follow-up questions, many go silent — are they supposed to know the answer to a political question that their parents haven’t told them about?

With the lack of political education schools provide, many students take on the same beliefs as their parents. They haven’t done their own research and don’t know where to start because they’re discouraged to in school so they stick with what’s the easiest — following the same political morals that they’ve heard their whole life. Students need to fully understand both sides and form their own opinion, and it’s up to schools to encourage them to do so.

If teachers used even a bit of their class time to educate their students about policies such as the death penalty and immigration, and what it truly means to be “left” or “right,” students would be able to form opinions through a variety of sources — not just their family and go-to morning news channel.

Topics like gun control and abortion take research to understand, so it’s important for students to have the opportunity to research and discuss it in a neutral setting.

In a poll by Harvard University, 75% of young Americans feel the results of this year’s presidential election will make a large impact on their lives.

Bans on arbotion affect every woman, and changes to the education system affect students. So, schools should take more steps to educate them on each side and allow them to form opinions by asking political questions to encourage dialogue. Class discussions are supposed to equip students with the proper ways to build and share different ideas, so this should be applied to politics.

Some could argue that not all students need to be educated because they can’t vote. But even if they can’t vote, they still have a voice. High school students can volunteer as poll workers and speak out through social media. It’s important that they know what they are actually speaking out about, and this extra class time can allow them to be informed.

So the next time racial inequality comes up while discussing “To Kill a Mockingbird,” instead of immediately shutting down the discussion, teachers should foster a safe environment to educate students on the topic.

EDITORIAL | 03

DEMOCRATIC DISCUSSIONS

Schools shouldn’t discourage students from talking about politics and should instead educate them so they can discuss peacefully and form their own opinion

F O R : 1 2 AGA I N ST: 0 The members of the editorial board who agree with the viewpoint of the editorial are represented by, and those who disagree with the viewpoint are represented by against

E D I TO R I A L P O L I C Y 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 confirmed 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

04 | NEWS

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

design by lauren dierks photo by elise madden

NEWS

HIGHLIGHTS Catch up on school, local and national news

by ethan enderle

LOCAL

COVID-19 saliva testing coming to Kansas City

GOVERNOR MIKE PARSON of Missouri announced on Oct. 15 at the Truman Medical Center that Missouri will expand its testing capabilities.

This technology — developed by Washington State University in St. Louis — will increase Missouri’s daily tests from around 125,000 to 131,000. The nasal test result’s turnaround time ranges from under an hour to a couple days. The turnaround time for saliva tests will be around three hours.

This method of testing was approved by the FDA in August. According to recent data from the FDA, saliva testing seems to have the same level of accuracy as a nasal test.

Saliva tests also allow more safety for the person administering the test. Nasal tests can cause people to cough or sneeze, putting the administer at risk. With saliva tests, the patient can do the test themselves, while the person giving the test can stand back and give instructions.

Though the saliva tests are less invasive compared to the nasal tests, some people

N AT I O N A L

are more confident in the latter, including senior Ashley Osborn. Osborn received a COVID-19 test before a surgery and tested positive while showing no symptoms.

“Personally, since I do think that nasal testing is more accurate, I would get the nasal testing more often,” said Osborn Earlier last month in a town hall with the Shawnee Mission School District, Johnson County Health Director Sanmi Areola Ph.D. said the county has a plan to buy thousands of tests to be used exclusively in area schools.

Governor Parson said this is a crucial step for sending students back to school in Missouri.

“We’ll be providing tests; I think we’ll be in every school system in the next two weeks,” Parson said at a press conference.

“Every school system in the state of Missouri will be able to do tests internally.

The testing is critical.”

Saliva testing in the Kansas City area will be available in four to six weeks.

Johnson and Johnson haults COVID-19 vaccine study

JOHNSON AND JOHNSON’S 60,000-patient clinical trial for a COVID-19 vaccine has been put on pause after a participant in the trial contracted an “unexplained illness.”

“We must respect this participant’s privacy,” the company said in a statement.

“We’re also learning more about this participant’s illness, and it’s important to have all the facts before we share additional information.”

The company made it clear that illnesses, accidents and poor medical outcomes are all common in clinical trials. The company also made a point to distinguish between a study pause and a clinical hold, which is a regulatory action that can last much longer. Currently, the vaccine study is not

under a clinical hold.

Shortly after Johnson and Johnson announced they’ll be pausing their vaccine study, Eli Lilly — an American pharmaceutical company — paused their vaccine study on another product called ACTIV-3. This is the same compound that President Donald Trump received during his treatment for COVID-19.

Johnson and Johnson said it’s still unclear if the sick patient received a dose of the vaccine or a placebo.

The patient in Johnson and Johnson’s study was also the fourth participant in the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed program to move to phase three of the vaccine trials.

A B O V E | Junior Caitlin Harrington watches the ball after she swings on her third to last hole.

EAST

Girls golf team becomes state champions

THE GIRLS GOLF team has won the state championship for the second year in a row.

After winning regionals on Oct. 13, many members of the team were confident in their chances of repeating the previous year’s victory, including senior varsity golfer Hanna Robinett.

“I believe that we have one of the best teams in the state,” said Robinett. “This year we have really good team chemistry, so I am confident in us winning state this year.”

The state championship was held at Hesston Golf Course, KS on Oct. 19 and

20. East placed first with a score of 631 in the 6A competition — beating the second place team, Overland Park-Blue Valley West by 62 strokes.

At the state championship tournament, junior Tess Roman placed second overall, senior Hanna Robinett placed fourth overall, senior Hope Robinett placed fifth overall, senior Quincy Hepler placed 12th overall and Megan Stopperan placed 23rd overall.

This state championship will be the eighth win in the history of the East girls golf team.

M A R K YO U R C A L E N DA R OCT. 26

FIRST DAY OF HYBRID LE ARNING

NOV. 5-7 SME THEATER FALL PL AY

OCT. 28

PTA ART REFLECTIONS DE ADLINE

NOV. 6

VARSITY BOYS SOCCER SEMI-FINALS

design by cesca stamati photos by annakate dilks

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

NEWS FEATURE | 05

by celia cond on

CELEBRATING AS

AFTER MONTHS OF maskwearing, virtual learning and social distancing, Halloween will look different this year. The thought of multiple hands in candy bowls, unwashed fingers ringing doorbells and tiny witches and zombies running around unmasked worries the East community. However, this didn’t stop moms, neighborhood leaders and East students from coming up with ways to give kids a COVID-friendly good time this Oct. 31 — whether that be in-person, or virtually.

A COMMUNITY

How nearby neighborhoods are continuing to celebrate Halloween during the pandemic

PACK OF PALS ZOOM

NEIGHBORHOOD STREET PARTY

CANDY BAG TABLES

PACK OF PALS, a SHARE program where volunteers get to hang out with fellow classmates with learning disabilities, will hold a virtual Halloween party over WebEx. According to Pack of Pals’ leader and senior Ava Peters, Halloween is a favorite time of year for many of the members and volunteers.

In past years, the group would meet up at someone’s house and trick-or-treat for cans instead of candy, to work as a can drive.

The loss of this time-honored tradition made it important to Peters to find something special for the group to do this year. With trick-or-treating for cans out of the picture, Peters and one of her fellow Pack of Pals leaders, senior Lauren West, wanted to do something virtually.

“I texted Lauren and said, ‘Maybe we could do a Webex Halloween event, costumes and all,’” Peters said.

West and Peters continued to elaborate the plan, deciding to ask the volunteers and participants to wear costumes.

They’re coming up with spooky Halloween and name games to play with everyone.

After the virtual SHARE Care Fair event, the girls had a list of volunteers who they contacted to see who would be open to join the fun during the afternoon on Oct. 31.

The girls hope that Pack of Pals events will grow over the year, but for now, they’re providing a lot of students with a Halloween celebration.

WITH THE UNSURENESS of what Halloween would look like this year looming over her, Briarwood mom Amy Hughes talked through some ideas with a few of her neighbors. They had the intention of finding a way to provide their kids, and the others on the street, with some Halloween fun, while still staying healthy and safe.

The neighborhood bunch had been together all summer — moms, dads and kids included — so they knew they’d feel comfortable spending the holiday within their confined group.

After getting approved by the city to block off the street, the moms took to text chains and living room gatherings to come up with a plan. Different from typical Halloween doorto-door tricking and treating, their street party will provide candy bags for the kids. There will be a table located at the end of one of the driveways, where they can collect their items.

“We know that the actual trick-or-treating is what they love, we just don’t want them going door-to-door,” Hughes said. “But we’re gonna put together some pretty kick-butt candy bags.”

The neighbors have also arranged for a food truck to be parked on the street, where American style food will be served. There will be a firepit, s’mores, a costume parade and spooky games for the kids. “We’re kind of just doing our own thing,” Hughes said.

“The kids will still get to dress up, obviously. We want to keep it private, but still do something fun for the kids.”

ONE OF THE MANY thrills of the Halloween tradition for kids is trying to get to as many houses and gather as much candy as possible before their parents need them home. And many parents wanted to keep that element — at least in some regard — this fall season.

Tom Hipp, a member of a local East neighborhood’s board, was contacted by one of the neighbors in early September.

A mom had come up with the idea to put tables at the end of each driveway, with individual candies spread out. The families of the neighborhood are being asked to sit six feet behind the tables with masks on, allowing them to still visit with trick-or-treaters and see all the costumes, while staying socially distant.

“That way, there’s not a bunch of hands going into a candy bowl, kids can go trick-or-treating, show off their costume and everyone can have fun,” Hipp said. “I thought that was a great idea.”

In response to the idea, more neighbors and families began to chime in on other protocols to include for the night.

“Another [neighbor] mentioned Children’s Mercy Hospital had put out some guidelines on how to trick-or-treat [with] COVID safely, so we incorporated that as well,” Hipp said.

“We made up a casual email to post to the neighborhood, outlining those guidelines.”

Some of those guidelines are keeping parties and candy outdoors, limiting the number of houses visited, wearing a face mask and avoiding trading candy with friends and neighbors.

KNOW THE RISK The CDC released helpful guidelines for low and moderate-risk activities this Halloween season

LOW-RISK ACTIVITIES

MODERATE-RISK ACTIVITIES Have a socially distanced costume contest

Have a virtual costume contest

Drive around to see Halloween decorations

An outdoor, scary movie night with friends

06 | NEWS

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

design by mia vogel photo by megan biles

VOLUNTEERING

WI TH T H E

V I RU S

Due to budget cuts and COVID-19 regulations, SHARE has come up with alternative funding and activities to continue the program

P R OJ E C T

OVERVIEW

a look into the SHARE projects and how they have been affected by COVID-19

RENOVATION SENSATION normal year: tours would be given of newly renovated houses covid-19 year: canceled

PROJECT POSH normal year: didn’t exist covid-19 year: collected donations of clothes to raise money for SHARE

BREAST CANCER FUNDRAISER normal year: bake sale at football game covid-19 year: fundraiser at Summer Salt Ice Cream Co.

FOOD DRIVE normal year: didn’t exist covid-19 year: collection drive in senior Ava Chinnock’s driveway

A B O V E | Senior SHARE Executive Libby Hise promotes Posh Project. photo by megan biles

E

by ben bradley

ast’s SHARE program was unable to hold Renovation Sensation, their largest fundraiser, due to COVID-19 regulations, forcing them to adapt to severe budget cuts and create new projects that will adhere to COVID-19 safety guidelines.

Every year, Renovation Sensation invited East community parents to pay a fee to take tours inside several recently renovated houses in the East area. Typically around $10,000 from the fundraiser goes into SHARE’s budget for the year. However, this year, with COVID-19 concerns, many East families are hesitant to invite a large group of people into their homes.

Usually after Renovation Sensation, the volunteer organization has around $13,000 to spend on supplies and projects throughout the year. However, this year, after losing the average $10,000 from Renovation Sensation, they only had $3,000 from other outside donations and left over savings from last year.

To make up for the budget cuts, SHARE executives launched Project Posh, a fundraiser where SHARE encouraged students to donate old clothes, shoes and accessories that execs can sell on Poshmark, an app where you can buy and sell used items at a reduced price.

From Oct. 12 - 14, SHARE representatives stood outside of the front office at East with a bin to collect donated apparel and accessories for their project.

“We got around four donations of really big bags of clothes from people throughout the couple of days that we stood outside,” senior and SHARE exec Libby Hise said. “But several people came to say that they were in the process of cleaning their closet and still want to donate.”

The donation bin is currently outside the front office, but will be moved inside the office during the year so students can donate old clothes at their convenience. The donations will still be sold on Poshmark throughout the year to collect funds for future projects.

Hise felt that Project Posh only got four donations because a lack of in-person advertising kept execs from getting the word out as widely as they could have. Usually when promoting a project, SHARE is able to post flyers throughout the school to spread the word, but with the absence of students at school, execs were limited to posting on social media.

“It’s really hard to plan projects this year when the liability of the school is involved, so we’re finding ways to advertise projects with no contact,” senior and SHARE exec Ellie Peters said.

With most projects canceled since no in-person volunteers are allowed, SHARE launched other new, COVID-friendly projects like Girl Love Mail, where students wrote letters to girls with cancer in the hospital.

“Because most of our projects this year have moved to not be face-to-face, we need things like gift bags, paper cards and decorating kits,” SHARE coordinator Sheryl Kaplan said. “It was not a fundraiser as much as it was a project thrown together to get cushion money.”

Another annual project, a bake sale where SHARE sells baked goods outside of a football game to raise money for breast cancer awareness, was also canceled. In its place, sophomores MJ Wolf and Sarah McConwell organized a fundraiser at Summer Salt, an ice cream shop in Corinth Square that opened during quarantine.

15% of the store’s profits from ice cream purchases on Oct. 13 were donated to breast cancer awareness and research. $1 raffle tickets were also sold outside the store, with the winner of the raffle receiving a $50 gift card to Summer Salt.

It went way better than we expected. We didn’t think anyone was going to show up, but we ended up raising $583, which was $300 more than our goal.

sarah mcconwell | sophomore Other replacement events have included a food drive for the Leawood Presbyterian Church food pantry, started by senior SHARE representatives Ava Chinnock and Morghan Golloher. With the pantry full of volunteers, students are asked to donate food to the drive, which goes directly to the pantry.

Students could drop off money and cans from Oct. 1016 in Chinnock’s driveway.

“The drive was very successful,” Golloher said. “There were definitely more parents coming to donate than there were actual students.”

The food drive raised around $200 in donations plus a total of 400 cans, according to Chinnock.

“I am extremely proud of the projects that have been able to find COVID-safe solutions and have been able to take place,” said Kaplan. “Like these girls have given 110%, they’ve been awesome.”

design by lily billingsley photo by sarah golder

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

NEWS | 07

I VOTED (EARLY) Early voter turnout is at an all time high in Johnson County and the United States

by rose kana l ey

T

he The voter turnout for early voting across the country and in Johnson County is the largest in history.

With nine polling locations in Johnson County, in-person early voting has been open to residents and will be open Oct. 26-30 from 10-7 p.m. and Oct. 31 from 9-3 p.m.

Senior Claire McPhail voted in-person at Johnson County Department of Motor Vehicles on Oct. 19, just two days after turning 18, to cast her vote. According to McPhail, she was one of the only young adults there and waited in line about 45 minutes before placing her ballot.

McPhail felt safe through her experience Covid-wise due to the safety measures in place such as required masks and stickers placed six feet apart on the floor leading up to the voting booth.

Voting for the first time, McPhail thought that voting early was a nice way to take the pressure out of it.

“I think just a lot of people want to be able to just lock in their vote and not have to worry about waiting for the stress on the actual election day,” McPhail said. “It’s just a lot nicer to get it over with, and maybe you can see early data about what’s going to happen in the election.”

According to the U.S. Elections Project, while early voting has always been an option, the pandemic brought more light to it because more people were inclined to vote by mail as a safety precaution. As of Oct. 20, 77,466 votes had already been cast in Kansas and 37,372,827 ballots nationwide — already over a quarter of the number of overall votes cast in the 2016 election. Another trend regarding Democrats versus Republicans who voted early found that 52.7% of national early ballots came from Democrats and 25.3% came from Republicans, with the rest coming from either third party or undefined voters.

In Kansas, 44.7% of early ballots were from Democrats and 42% from Republicans.

Orchestra teacher Adam Keda believes that this trend will continue after the pandemic since people are realizing the ease of voting early and by mail. Keda has been encouraging students to register to vote in past years and vote in this election.

“It’s a big historical election and I would love to see the [East] students who are able to be a part of that, and then in the future look back on it and be like, ‘Oh I voted in that election, it was a huge one,’ and to feel proud of that,” Keda said. “And then in turn encourage their kids and people in their families to go vote.”

Senior Ava Peters went with the mail-in option for her early voting ballot after turning 18 on Oct. 3.

“It just kind of opened my eyes, like, I’m an adult now,” Peters said. “And I was so excited to be doing it because it’s really important to me, especially this year to do something about the election, or just vote in the election and have a say in what’s going on with our country. And even though it was just filling out a bubble, it meant a lot to me, and I was so excited.”

When voting by mail, ballots can be returned by mail, or hand-delivered to the election office or by polling locations. The ballots must be postmarked by the election date and received by the third day after the election, or by election night if the ballot is hand-delivered.

While 70% of total votes cast so far have been made by adults over 50 according to NPR, East students are getting involved as well, and those who are eligible to vote are also making up this increased population of early voters.

According to a poll of 122 on Harbinger’s instagram, 70% of eligible voters said they were planning to vote, and 63% said they were planning to vote early.

Peters hopes her age group, along with all others, will take advantage of the various options for voting in this election and make sure to exercise their right. “[18-29 year-olds having the lowest voter turnout] is really surprising to me because I feel like you see young people who want to make a difference in the country the

SCAN ME | ONLINE View the 2020 election package at smeharbinger.net for more information about voting and the election

A sign directs voters at the Arts and Heritage Center polling location.

E A R LY V O T E S

The number of early voters in Kansas, according to the U.S. Elections Project

6 6 , 8 9 8 REPUBLICAN 7 1 , 3 8 5 D E M O C R AT 2 0 , 6 6 0 N O PA R T Y

* as of Oct.21

W H E R E TO VOT E Polling locations in Johnson County closest to East where you can vote early

JOHNSON COUNTY OFFICES 6000 LAMAR AVENUE

most,” Peters said. “I feel like it’s that age group that wants to change things, and how are you supposed to change things if you don’t go out and do something about it? I do think at least more in that age group will vote this year, because I feel like our age group is so passionate, and more so than other years about what’s going on in our government.”

With this path, many East students like Peters are hopeful that the trend will continue and voting turnouts will see record numbers of voters.

“I hope it’ll make the numbers of people who vote higher since the opportunity to vote is such a bigger timeframe with early voting,” Peters said. “It’s not like on Nov. 3, you can just forget one day and be like, ‘Oh well, it’s over,’ because there’s such a big timeframe to vote.”

ARTS AND HERITAGE CENTER 11327 W. 95TH STREET

OAK PARK SHOPPING MALL 11327 W. 95TH STREET

HILLTOP CONFERENCE CENTER 700 W. 143RD STREET

OKUN SPORTS COMPLEX 20200 JOHNSON DRIVE

08 | OPINION

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

OPINION

design by elizabeth mikkelson

P O P U L A R VOT E O U TCO M E S

HIGHLIGHTS

P O S S I B L E B I D E N V I C TO R Y M A P

A look into student opinions and the opinion section

THE END OF THE ELECTION IS THERE ANYTHING YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO ONCE THE ELECTION PROCESS IS OVER?

It [feels like] it kind of divides everyone in half, and once it’s all over I hope that everybody can just go back to stop talking about politics so much and bring everyone back together instead of being divided.

mason craven | sophomore

P O S S I B L E T R U M P V I C TO R Y M A P 76%

I feel like during the election process times it’s hard to kind of talk about it to other people because you don’t know where they stand... I [also] feel like during this time it’s kind of taboo to say one thing or another.

avery guck | sophomore

S T U D E N T V S . N AT I O N A L P O L L I N G SHOULD SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES ALLOW POLITICAL ADS ON THEIR PLATFORMS? NO YES

50%

50%

*courtesy of 270 to Win

OPINION TWEETS

54% 46%

W H AT W E F O U N D I S T H AT M OST A M E R I C A N S - U P WA R D O F 80 P E RC E N T TO 8 5 P E RC E N T - F O L LOW P O L I T I C S C A S UA L LY O R N OT AT A L L . I T I S T H E PA RT I SA N S W H O D E F I N E W H AT I T M EA N S TO E N GAG E I N P O L I T I C S N E W YO R K T I M E S O P I N I O N | 1 0/ 2 0/ 2 0

EAST

NATIONAL

*courtesy of @smeharbinger instagram poll

*courtesy of Pew Research Center

C AT C H U P O N T H I S W E E K S O N L I N E O P I N I O N S SCAN ME | STORY Scan here to read Sophie Lindberg’s online opinion on the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict and on why international news is important to be aware of

SCAN ME | STORY Scan here to read Sam Freund’s online opion on the impact that athletes have on the voting process in America

“ I A M M OST WO R R I E D A B O U T A R AC E T H AT I S TO O C LOS E TO C A L L - E S P EC I A L LY I N STAT E S ST R U G G L I N G TO C O U N T A TO R R E N T O F M A I L - I N BA L LOTS , ” W R I T E S @ R I C K H A S E N C N N O P I N I O N | 1 0/ 1 9 / 2 0

TA K E O U R P O L LS @smeharbinger

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THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

design by sophie henschel

I F YO U C A N VOT E , As the 2020 presidential election approaches, two guest writers share their opinions on the importance of voting

F

OPINION | 09

VOTE. J

by nick hof f man | senior

by henr y decoursey | se ni o r

or a second, forget where you are right now and imagine yourself in Afghanistan, where the Taliban threatens to murder every woman who tries to vote or run for office. Or Russia, where your vote doesn’t even matter because the results of your election are controlled by your president. You aren’t there, though, you’re here in America, sitting in a classroom at East or maybe in your bedroom at home. You’re told to vote, that it’s a privilege, but do you really understand the magnitude of your ability to vote?

We’ve grown up in a society that flaunts our personal liberties like we are entitled to, but the truth is we aren’t guaranteed anything in this world.

Women have only been able to vote for the past 100 years, and it wasn’t until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that all people, regardless of skin color, were given the ability to vote. We are lucky enough to live in a country that allows us to choose who we want to represent us, and if you realize the privilege associated with this, there shouldn’t be a question of “if” you are going to vote this year. You shouldn’t have to be “convinced” to vote by an article in your

school paper. Don’t vote because you are told to, vote because you are lucky to be able to. You don’t have to fight and die for your right to vote because you had that right handed to you just by being a citizen. So just vote. Make your friends

Whether you vote early, by mail, or in person, you are exercising your civic duty to better your country and have a say in local, state and federal laws that affect your daily life, freedoms and the wellbeing of every American citizen. vote, make your parents vote— educate these people when they say they don’t think voting is important. Whether you vote early, by mail, or in person, you are exercising your civic duty to better your country and have a say in local, state and federal laws that affect your daily life, freedoms and the wellbeing of every American citizen.

anuary 20th, 2021 will mark the day former Vice President Joe Biden or President Donald Trump will be sworn into office to serve as president for the next four years. It will also mark the 60th anniversary of one of the most famous inaugural addresses ever.

On Jan. 20, 1961, President Kennedy said the now infamous words: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” This was a direct call on every American to engage in some way to ensure the public good and American success. It was a challenge for every American to give back to their country.

For some, this means serving in the military, as a police officer, or a firefighter.

For others this means working in local government, or holding a political office.

But for the vast majority of Americans, voting is their primary contribution to our democracy.

Voting is one of the fundamental and most important civic responsibilities we have. It is the foundation of democracy and equality. It is our patriotic duty. No country can claim greatness or equality for its citizens, unless all have the right, and the means, to participate in the democratic process.

Most importantly, voting allows the

American People to hold the government accountable for its actions.

The government’s extent of power is dependent only on what the voters are willing to tolerate. If we don’t like the direction our country is going, we have the ability to make a change. That is precisely what happened in 2016. People were fed up with the D.C. establishment and went to an outsider. We will soon find out if the electorate wants to put an establishment figure back in the White House.

For the vast majority of Americans, voting is their primary contribution to our democracy When voting this year, remember that every vote counts, even though it may not seem like it in a country with 250 million eligible voters. In 2016, less than 4 votes per precinct decided which way the state of Michigan voted in the presidential race.

Also remember that we elect politicians to serve us and our community. Be careful voting for someone that advocates more power for themself. They are our representatives, not our leaders.

DAT E S TO R EM E M BE R : OCT

27

ABSENTEE BALLOT REQUEST DE ADLINE

SCAN ME | VIDEO NOV

2

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LO CA L VOT I N G LO CAT I O NS:

1:

2020Fit - 3710 W 73rd Ter. Prairie Village, KS 66208

2:

Colonial Church in Prairie Village 7039 Mission Rd. Prairie Village, KS 66208

3: 4:

Southminster Presbyterian Church - 6306 Roe Ave. Prairie Village, KS 66208 Trinity Lutheran Church - 5601 W 62nd St. Mission, KS 66202

4

NOV

3

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NOV

3

E L ECTI O N DAY

Scan here to view staffer Sydney Williams’s “Youth Voters: you can create change”

CE L E B R I T Y S U P PO RT: 3 2

D O YO U K N OW W H E R E YO U R P O L L I N G P L AC E I S ? H OW A B O U T YO U R A B S E N T E E

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SCAN ME | WEBSITE Scan here to go to myvoteinfo. voteks.org to find more polling locations near you

B A L L OT D RO P - O F F L O C AT I O N ? P L E A S E # M A K E A P L A N TO VOT E S O YO U ’ R E R E A DY TO G O W H E N T H E Y P O L L S O P E N I N YO U R S TAT E !

C H R IS E VA NS | 1 0 / 1 7 / 2 0 “ D O N ’ T A B A N D O N T H E B A L L OT B OX ” - P R E S I D E N T B A R AC K O B A M A L I Z A KOS H Y | 7 / 3 0 / 2 0 M A K E YO U R VO I C E H E A R D I N T H E 2 0 2 0 E L E C T I O N . V I S I T W H E N W E A L LVOT E .

O R G TO M A K E YO U R P L A N TO VOT E . A N D WAT C H W H O S E VOT E S C O U N T S , EXPLAINED ON @NETFLIX S E L E N A G O M E Z | 0 9 / 24 / 2 0

10 | OPINION

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

design by caroline gould

Social media is a valuable platform for teenagers sharing information about politics and social movements

O

by catherine erickson n June 2, I didn’t see any of the summer Instagram posts that typically occupy my feed — lake selfies or a snapshot of someone’s morning brunch. Instead, plain black squares captioned #BlackoutTuesday flooded my feed.

Instagram users across the world posted the symbolic square to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, hoping the social media silence would force people to reflect on the history of racial oppression in the U.S. Ever since “Blackout Tuesday,” reposts of informative Instagram infographics and screens of text expanding on personal experiences and opinions on politics and social movements have become commonplace during my hourly social media scrolls. This activism on social media has expanded beyond just slapping together an Instagram story — it’s led to teenagers being more involved in the climate of our country.

Posts about presidential election issues that divide the candidates such as immigration, police reform and healthcare are constantly on my timeline. Raising awareness about women’s rights, sexual assault, climate change, LGBTQ+ rights and international unrest are all prevalent issues now frequently discussed on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.

According to a report by Common Sense Media, nearly 62% of teenagers spend more than

four hours a day on screen media. In addition, 60% of teens are inattentive to daily news, according to a report by the Harvard Kennedy School.

Because of this combination of high activity on social media and low awareness of the news, posts about political and social topics help expose users to these issues.

For me, and many of my friends, posts are shared with the intention of educating our peers and keeping friends safe — encouraging youth to vote and sharing coronavirus case stats.

Some believe the use of social media to raise awareness on these issues is excessive and takes over their timeline. But even if users are unable to view all of the information and statistics offered by the posts, it still starts a conversation, as people are constantly confronted with it.

Over the past four months, I engaged in more political conversations with my friends and peers than I had over all 17 years of my life.

Although that can partially be attributed to our country’s growing division, both politically and socially, it’s also because I am more exposed to these issues due to the activity on social media.

Not only do colorful infographics and exclamatory tweets expose teenagers to social and political issues, they also often offer informational resources beyond a 240-word limit. Many posts covering the Black Lives

ONLINE ACTIVISM Instagram users around the world posted a black square with the hashtag “#blackouttuesday” to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement Tweets flooded Twitter with users showing their support of the Black Lives Matter movement and their experiences at their local protests

TikTok users expressed their opinions on the app by creating videos and politcally motivated accounts

Matter movement link petitions to sign and organizations to donate to, allowing users to help beyond just reading the facts on the screen. To emphasize the importance of voting, Instagram added a feature to redirect people to a website for voter registration directly from the app.

I have discovered many resources that I interact with regularly through my friends’ social media posts. Listening to “The Daily” — a 30-minute podcast produced by The New York Times that tackles one prominent news topic every weekday — has become part of my morning routine.

I’ll admit, my weekly screen time reports

SCAN ME | PODCAST Scan here to listen to “The Daily” — a podcast by The New York Times

are embarrassingly high. But seeing my friends promote their own political opinions and social issues they deem important has made me more inclined to educate myself. Social media has exposed me to political opinions from both sides of the aisle, inspiring me to do personal research to form my own opinions on these issues.

HAS SOCIAL MEDIA IMPACTED YOUR POLITICAL VIEWS?

It’s common for me to come across Snapchat stories captioned, “If you bring politics to social media, I’m blocking you” or “Politics don’t belong on social media.”

Whether these people were taught to not discuss controversial topics publicly or don’t believe it affects them, they need to move on and educate themselves. Without exposure to these posts, some likely would have ignored or never heard of pertinent issues like the supreme court nomination and protests in Nigeria that dominate today’s airwaves.

I understand that the politically-immersed world combined with the social media oversaturation can be exhausting. But the issues being discussed are the issues that will shape our lives both now and as we grow older. Trying to escape and dodge information regarding groups that face daily oppression and a presidential election that will change the course of the next four years is woefully ignorant.

Social media is no longer a sheltered bubble to share the best-edited selfie or to-die-for lunch spread, so stop discouraging people from using their personal accounts to highlight their opinions. Bringing these heavy — and controversial — topics to social media allows people to put good use to their platforms and fosters a generation interested in politics and social change.

THE STATS INSTAGRAM POSTS UNDER #BLACKOUTTUESDAY

*Instagram poll of 262 votes

51% YES 49% NO

DO YOU THINK POLITICS SHOULD BE DISCUSSED ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

21.9

MILLION

INSTAGRAM POSTS UNDER #BLACKLIVESMATTER

*Instagram poll of 271 votes

65% YES 35% NO

25.4

MILLION

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

design by lauren west

OPINION | 11

by nora l ynn

W

hile tapping through East students’ Snapchat stories, one after another features a Change.org petition calling for “less homework from our teachers.”

Using petitions to get involved in the community and to make a change is an excellent way for students to voice their opinions. But excessively sharing a petition to attain fewer school assignments suggests this is the most important and relevant issue at hand in our community. And furthermore, these trivial sign-up links distract from more urgent issues and petitions that need to be seen.

2020 has had such astronomical ups and downs that there’s bound to be something that you’re passionate about or find meaningful –– pick something that creates more social change to spend your time on. Online school is understandably stressful and the combined work from seven classes can build up, but a petition calling for a school workload decrease isn’t likely to influence teacher opinions.

If you’re personally concerned about your grades, a more productive way to address an overgrown workload could be to talk to your individual teachers or counselor to find a solution.

Petitions don’t make any change unless they’re noticed by authority figures and decision-makers. A perfect example being the petition to have the school day after Halloween canceled that circulates through schools annually, which, every year, fails to result in any action from our district either because they didn’t see it or they’ve already decided they disagree.

Signing and sharing these irrelevant petitions isn’t exactly harmful –– if you really believe they’ll make a difference, no one is stopping you. But there are numerous movements and social issues that are still being fought for that aren’t getting the support they need from people

Signing and sharing these irrelevant petitions isn’t exactly harmful — if you really believe they’ll make a difference, no one is stopping you.

nora lynn | sophomore signing and sharing because we’re focused on the wrong issues and petitions.

If a petition to renew the Netflix Original “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” has over 200,000 signatures, why does a petition calling for the White House to declare a climate change emergency have under 70,000? We need to start concentrating on the problems that will make real differences.

According to Temple University professor Jason Del Gandio in a New York Times article, while petitions do little to directly solve an issue, they do raise public awareness.

That being said, it would be much more substantial to share petitions about issues that are meaningful to our society

INEFFECTIVE PETITIONS

SIGN THE SMART ONES and stimulate change among the members of our community like social justice and environmental activism –– which I find much more beneficial than repeated attempts to persuade SMSD’s school board to give us a day off when there’s a centimeter of snow outside.

“On the Change.org platform, you are deciding what issues are most important and how to shape a world where we can all survive and thrive,” Change.org representative Molly Dorozenski said in a Change.org email. “More than anything, we value putting that power in the hands of our communities.”

But in truth, whether it’s a call to decrease homework quantities or decrease net fuel emissions, creating and signing petitions is only part of the process to make a change. If you’re really passionate about an issue, create a petition to raise awareness about the matter and get supporters, but then take some concrete action. Organize a protest, contact decision makers like board members or Congressmen and actively make the change you want to see.

So much of our time is spent complaining about things we find unfair, like Spotify being blocked or not getting the day off after the Super Bowl. If you have an issue with something in your community and you don’t see a difference, get up and make the difference.

We have so many role models to follow and to inspire us –– like Greta Thunburg, an environmental activist, and

EFFECTIVE PETITIONS

CANCEL SCHOOL AFTER HALLOWEEN

MAKE JUNETEENTH A NATIONAL HOLIDAY

LESS HOMEWORK

BAN TARGET PLASTIC BAGS

Staffer urges students to find and share petitions that matter as a way to get involved in the community

Malala Yousafzai, who fights for girls’ educational rights –– who take on worldwide issues and make substantial differences.

I’m not saying you have to start a whole movement in your community, but we can actively create change if we start with spreading the word by sharing the most consequential petitions.

There are plenty of petitions on Change.org that I think should be seen more by our community than petty objections about homework that don’t have any significant value. It’s been seven months since Breonna Tayor was murdered, and I didn’t come across the petition calling for the arrest of her killers until it was emailed to me by Change.org just weeks ago. Or petitions like Justice for Ryan Stokes, which is fighting for the Kansas City police officer who shot Stokes to be fired after he was granted immunity in February this year.

This is the type of student awareness and participation we should see in the East community, not just those complaining about minor inconveniences in our lives.

Post about more important issues on your Instagram stories, like delaying Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s replacement or getting more funding for childhood cancer research. And, if there isn’t a petition for the cause you want to support, make one. The petitions we share the most are the issues our communities are most alerted to –– awareness is the first step towards change.

H O W TO S TA R T A P E T I T I O N 1. Go to Change.Org 2. Select a topic that your petition falls in 3. Write your petition title and target market 4. Explain the problem you want to solve 5. Add any photos and videos 6. Post

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THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

design by grace tucker

FEATURE

HIGHLIGHTS

STUDENT LIFE

A look at what students from East have been up to recently

FEATURES | 13

COSTUME I N S P I R AT I O N Lancers show off their Halloween costume from this year or previous years to give other students some inspiration

Sophomore Georgia McKee dressed up as a prisoner last year. She purchased the elements for the costume from Amazon and says it is comfortable, easy to put together, and makes for a great Instagram picture.

PRISONER Last year, sophomore Charlotte Emley did a group costume with her friends as a space cowgirl.

She says she loved the outfit because it wasn’t too expensive and she got some cute photos.

The pants were reflective, which she bought off of Amazon.

S PAC E COWG I R L

F A R A B O V E Junior Karly Christian reacts to the referee’s call that invalidates her recreational soccer team’s goal. photo by taylor keal A B O V E Sophomore Tristian Porter practices throwing her pom in the air before a performance. photo by macy crosser

A B O V E Sophomore Mallory Keal works on her CAT homework during seminar in her basement. photo by taylor keal

F E AT U R E D V I D E O S SCAN ME | DAY IN THE LIFE OF REMOTE TE ACHING East teachers vlogged their daily routines during online school to give insight as to what it’s like teaching virtually. by sydney williams

Junior Emma Lee and her friends decided to wear animal onesies for their costume of the year. Lee says she likes the costume because it is comfortable.

Onesies of a variety of different animals can be purchased from Target.

ZOO ANIMALS *photos courtesy of georgia mckee, charlotte emley and emma lee

SCAN ME | KC BOBA TOUR Senior Pheobe Hendon and Sophie Henschel visit and rate different boba places around Kansas City. by lawder desantis

14 | FEATURES

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

TRICK

design by sydney newton photos by megan biles

OR GET

SICK Haunted house regulations impacted students’ yearly visits

have

E

by allison wi l cox

xpecting to follow her yearly tradition of spending a breezy October night downtown at The Beast and The Edge of Hell, junior Emily Moseley brainstormed for the best way to persuade her parents to let her attend. But she knew it was a long shot since they would be concerned about exposure to COVID-19.

While most haunted houses in the KC area decided to remain closed this Halloween due to COVID-19, The Beast and The Edge of Hell chose to accommodate coronavirus safety regulations and open their doors. The two houses didn’t delay their openings and welcomed guests starting Sept. 18 — just in time to prepare for the Halloween season.

While some hunted house regulars, such as sophomore Elise Welch, were excited to still be able to experience the haunt, others, like Moseley, had parents who were worried about safety.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, haunted houses that have decided to open have enacted new regulations for employees and customers alike. All employees have a mask incorporated into their costume and all guests are required to keep a mask on at all times. Other changes include only being open on Friday and Saturday nights, smaller capacity and social distancing while standing in line.

The Head of The Beast and The Edge of Hell Media Relations Stacey McBride released a statement noting other changes, including temperature checks being required upon entry and the addition of hand sanitizer stations. McBride has been informed that the guests have been following the guidelines and everyone seems to be following the mask requirement.

Welch, a yearly visitor who has already visited both haunted houses this season, wasn’t concerned about safety because she stayed in the same group she came with, versus being mixed in with strangers like years past.

“It was really good,” Welch said. “I’ve been before and nothing had really changed except, obviously, you had to wear a mask.”

Welch heard from someone in line that the workers weren’t allowed to touch guests this year. Although, in her experience, the characters still were very close and touched her and others in her group. Since they only grabbed her ankles, Welch was not bothered by their actions.

Prior to going, Welch said her parents were hesitant to let her go and were worried about possible exposure from the large numbers of people, which varies depending on the number of groups each night. “[My parents] were obviously worried about it, but as long as we’re wearing masks and staying somewhat far apart they were fine,” Welch said.

While Welch was fortunate to experience the houses, not all students have been able to attend this year that normally would in years past.

Moseley wanted to go, although her mom didn’t think it was the best idea because of how crowded they typically are.

While she still wishes she could go, Moseley understands the reasoning behind avoiding haunted houses this year.

“I would still be interested [in going],” Moseley said. “But my mom, based off of Corona and safety concerns, said better wait until next year.”

HAUNTED HOUSE RULES The regulations of The Beast and The Edge of Hell

1 3

do not enter if you are sick

must wear mask for entry

2 4

social distancing outside

THE RUN-DOWN A summary of the main haunted houses in KC

TH E E DGE OF H E LL Multi-story building located in Downtown Kansas City where visitors go through the “depths of hell”

temperature has to be under 98.6

TH E BE AST

Four floor haunted house filled with monsters located Downtown that ends with jumping out of the building

design by rose kanaley photos courtesy of pennypressblog.com

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

BLOGGING T IN

e l y st

F E AT U RED SECTI ONS What to look for in each of the blog’s sections on their website

OUTF ITS check out t h e i r l a test b l o g ove r fa l l fashi o n fe a t u res m i n i d resses a n d m ax i dresses

L IFESTYL E check out a n n a b e l l e’s l a test m ov i e pi c ks fe a t u res t h e i r fa vo r i te e m my ’s w i nne rs

TRAVEL check out e l l i e’s l a test t ra ve l b l o g fe a t u res h e r t r i p to ca p ri , i ta l y

FEATURES | 15

Sisters’ passion for writing and designing led to their creation of the “Penny Press Blog”

by grace allen

hrough the preteen years of East alumni Ellie and Annabelle Cook’s lives, following blogs and YouTube channels was a staple. After spending countless hours obsessing over the perfectly put together outfits and seamless design spreads, they began to grow the dream of starting a blog of their own.

With years of journalism experience in high school for both of the sisters, this blog sprung into an outlet for their creativity. It’s also kept their bond close as they’re separated at different colleges.

Ellie and Annabelle’s dream came to life when they began brainstorming what they would post on their very own blog. The only thing standing in their way was creating a name. After filling pages of the Notes app with ideas, they finally landed on the perfect name — The Penny Press Blog.

“It’s an ode to our journalistic background because penny presses, back in the 1800s, were cute tabloid newspapers they sold in the U.S.,” Annabelle said. “It’s also because our dog’s name is Penny and we always liked the ring of it.”

The girls have both looked up to their mom’s sense of style and artistic side since they were little, setting the foundation for their style now.

“We get a lot of inspiration from our mom because she is obsessed also with all things visual just like us... the blog is definitely inspired by our family members since our whole family loves storytelling and visuals,” Annabelle said.

The blog consists of three categories — lifestyle, outfits and travel — and they all focus on the sisters’ unique style.

“We like the inspiration that comes from traveling in our style because a post that we do for Branson versus when I’m abroad in Berlin, the outfits are going to be very different,” Ellie said.

Ellie and Annabelle are constantly applying the skills learned in East’s journalism program, where they were both online editors for the Harbinger, to The Penny Press Blog.

Currently, Ellie is a senior at Elon University in North Carolina and is majoring in strategic communications.

When she first got on campus she started getting involved

in the newspaper and other clubs that she could use her journalism skills for.

The sisters began posting when Ellie was starting college and Annabelle was a junior in high school. Even though they’re miles apart, the distance didn’t stop them from bringing the blog to life — if anything, it made for stronger content because of the variation.

Each post is a collaborative effort — one sister writes while the other takes pictures or designs the post and they switch off.

They have a pretty flexible schedule for posting and don’t make themselves post on a consistent basis. They both agreed that it is a fun thing that they post on when

Our motivation to do it comes in waves.

Sometimes a few months will go by and we don’t do anything but then there will be times where we are pumping out content every week.

annabelle cook | alumni they have extra time to work on it and have something new that has inspired them.

“Our motivation to do it comes in waves. Sometimes a few months will go by and we don’t do anything but then there will be times where we are pumping out content every week,” Annabelle said.

They get past the distance constantly chatting about things they get inspired by seeing on social media.

Whether it’s a cute story or fun color scheme, both of them have constantly have their eyes out for things to tell each other about.

Both Ellie and Annabelle’s love for fashion and design drives them to stay inspired with the blog. It also ensures that they stay in close touch, even if it’s from a distance. In the future, they both have hope they’ll still be working on The Penny Press Blog, whether it’s a fulltime gig or just a side-hobby on top of whatever job their passions take them to.

16/17 | NEWS

THE TASKS AT HAND

The short and long term goals the task force hopes to accomplish

SHORT TERM

LO N G TERM

Scan to watch the previous Diversity Task Force meetings held over Zoom.

P L A N C U LT U R A L E V E N TS

D E C R I M I N A L I Z E M A R I J UA N A

D I ST R I B U T E I N F O R M AT I O N A L PA M P H L E TS

A M E N D R AC I A L D E E D R E ST R I CT I O NS

R E C O G N I Z E D I V E R S E R E L I G I O U S H O L I DAYS

O F F E R M O R E A F F O R DA B L E H O U S I N G

T I M E TO

A Diversity Task Force was formed to compile tasks that combat racism and improve diversity, equity and inclusion in Prairie Village

CHANGE

T

SCAN ME | MEETING

by kate h e it ma n n

he Prairie Village Diversity Task Force was formed in August by Mayor Eric Mikkelson to meet and compile a list of prioritized tasks in the coming months to combat racism and improve diversity, equity and inclusion in the city.

The diversity task force does not have the power to make decisions for the city, but it can compile a list of tasks for the City Council to vote on. Currently they’ve held two virtual meetings to discuss racial equity and housing discrimination. By the end of the third meeting, the task force will have compiled a list of actions for the City Council to vote on. Some ideas that have been proposed by the task force include distributing pamphlets on what Black Lives Matter means in Prairie Village, planning cultural festivities and art installations, decriminalizing marijuana and amending discriminatory house covenants, which restricted Black people and people of color from purchasing land in Prairie Village.

Some projects such as informational pamphlets and cultural events are more shortterm, while many of the task force’s plans will take several years to start to see effects, such as how to keep Prairie Village homes affordable and accessible for a variety of income levels and backgrounds.

“To a certain extent in life, we all kind

of have blinders on about experiences,” Mikkelson said. “And so you really need to take the time to listen to seek out opinions and viewpoints of people who are very different than you if you want to understand their problems and help them with them. And that makes us all stronger, as a city. That’s why we’re doing it.”

Members of the task force include City Council members, Prairie Village residents, diversity training experts and a police department representative, Major Bryon Roberson. Mikkelson selected these members through recommendations by the community and City Hall, but also welcomed residents who requested to join after hearing of its formation. However, Mikkelson had to turn down some of the requests because he did not want the task force to become too large.

Within the next month, Mikkelson plans to add a member to the task force from the Teen City Council, the program Prairie Village offers for high school students to get involved in local government.

Over the last two virtual meetings, held on Sept. 22 and Oct. 20, the council brainstormed ideas on how to make people of color feel more welcome in Prairie Village and how to increase the city’s diversity. At the first meeting, Kathryn Evans, a United Community Services of Johnson County representative, gave a presentation about racial equity in

Johnson County. At the second meeting, council member Igna Selders presented on ways to remove the racist housing covenants.

Although we have people of color here in Prairie Village, [deed restrictions are] still on the record, and so that could take effect any day.

And we[, people of color,] could all be told to leave the city... So for me that’s kind of uncomfortable. Kind of unsettling to know that it’s still there, and that [the city] could get another mayor, and it could change.

trudy williams | task force member “I think the task force will try to prioritize what I’ll call quick win[s], or lower hanging fruit, things that can be solved easily, i.e. the recognition of diverse religious holidays,” Prairie Village resident and task force member Todd Harris said. “But I think that if [we] really want to have an impact, we need to tackle some of the bigger issues, i.e. affordable housing.”

Harris also believes the task force needs

to address the implicit bias people of color in Prairie Village face — especially regarding the police.

According to the Prairie Village Police Department, 17.79% of traffic stops in Prairie Village involve Black people, while Black people only make up for 5% of the Prairie Village population. According to Roberson, at the last meeting, this disparity also could be impacted by heavily trafficked roads such as Mission Road and 75th St where many drivers are not from Prairie Village. The task force discussed the percentage of traffic stops that involved Black people and the disparity of marijuana charges between white and Black people in Prairie Village.

“Black or brown people who are in this area, or travel through, potentially face more scrutiny [from the police],” Harris said. “So I think that there needs to be additional training, which I know the police chief and I have talked about.”

Prairie Village is estimated to be 95% white — one of the lasting effects of redlining and deed restrictions in Kansas City placed

by J.C. Nichols in the early 1900s, according to Mikkelson. Deed restrictions are clauses added to property deeds that put limitations on the property. In this case, it restricts the race of the inhabitants.

“Although we have people of color here in Prairie Village, [deed restrictions are] still on the record, and so that could take effect any day,” East parent and task force member Trudy Williams said. “And we[, people of color,] could all be told to leave the city…So for me that’s kind of uncomfortable. Kind of unsettling knowing that it’s still there, and that [the city] could get another mayor, and it could change.”

Though the racial deed restrictions became

design by rose kanaley

ST HE FIR E FT H T O NG RCE ETI ME SK FO ELD TA S H WA

.

T P SE 2 2

THE AVERAGE COST OF LIVING IN PRAIRIE VILL AGE IS

10.7 %

HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE

*information courtesy of Eric Mikkelson and the Prairie Village Police Department

illegal in 1948, they were never removed from the deeds. Despite no longer being enforced, deed restrictions are still in the fine print of many Prairie Village home associations to this day.

Selders researched and presented ways to remove the deed restrictions at the last meeting. One solution to removing the deed restrictions involved dissolving the home associations in which these deed restrictions are present, such as the Prairie Village Homes Association, and forming new ones.

Another solution involved having the city require home associations to remove all deed restrictions within 30 days. Some task force members would rather dissolve the home associations entirely and leave that chapter of Prairie Village history in the past. Others would rather take the route that they feel would be the easiest — removing the deed restrictions from the home associations.

Prairie Village resident and freshman Sahela Taylor believes the idea of the task force is a good start, especially in a predominantly white community like Prairie Village.

“I just don’t want them to give up because it’s a really cool thing that’s developing and, of course, they’re gonna get hate from a ton of kids,” Taylor said. “I just don’t want them to give up [and] let themselves fade away, because it’s good that now someone out there has my back.”

In June, Williams, alongside other community members and East students, organized a silent march in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Protestors marched down Mission Road before gathering to listen to several speakers at the Prairie Village Shopping Center.

“For us, we didn’t know how many people would show up,” Williams said. “We were

95%

OF P R A IR IE V IL L A G E R E S ID E N T S A R E W H IT E

AR O UN D

DISCR I H O U S M I N ATO R Y ING B ILLEG ECAME AL IN

1 94 8

BUT IS ST I L L I N TO HOUS WRITTEN ING D E E DS

1 ,5 0 0

8 5%

PE O PL E OF AT TE ND ED TH E E A SI LE NT M AR CH S T U S T D ARE ENTS IN PR AI RI E W HIT VI LL AG E IN E JU NE

PRAIRIE VILL AGE: THE NUMBERS thinking maybe 50 or 60 people would show up; now we hear 1,500-2,000 [people came] — people started pouring into the grounds of the police station. It really helped us feel that people were interested in learning more or wanting to be supportive.”

Mikkelson saw kids drawing on sidewalks

17.79% OF TRAFFIC STOPS IN PRAIRIE VILL AGE INVOLVE BL ACK PEOPLE, WHILE BLACK PEOPLE ONLY MAKE UP FOR 5% OF THE PRAIRIE VILL AGE POPULATION. with Black Lives Matter slogans and senior residents coming out of their houses in walkers to show support for the protesters.

The Prairie Village Police Department helped clear the area of traffic and provided supplies.

“I think that rally and protest, [the] Stand Up for Black Lives one in June, permanently and positively changed Prairie Village for the better,” Mikkelson said. “I really do…it was a wonderful event, a transformative event for the city, in my opinion. The speeches at the rally in Macy’s were some tough speeches.

But they kept it peaceful. The message was

peaceful. And it went off very, very smoothly.”

Though Mikkelson has received large amounts of positive feedback for the task force from the community, he has also received responses from residents asking to allow for more discussions and chances for people to share stories during their meetings. According to Mikkelson, others have criticized the task force for talking too much or have complained about the existence of the task force itself.

“There is racism in America,” Mikkelson said. “And there is still racism in Prairie Village. We have seen it and we have heard it, and we have gotten emails that embody it. Now, I have evidence to believe that it is just a very small minority of people in Prairie Village who have those types of views…but they can be vocal. When you’re [an] elected official, you hear those. And that’s okay.

That’s my job, is to hear those and listen to those, and then make up my mind about what the right thing to do for Prairie Village is.”

Regardless, Mikkelson is proud of the changes the task force is working towards and is looking forward to the transition from planning to taking action.

“There’s no ensuring [change],” Mikkelson said. “All we can do is increase the chances of it happening, and that’s what the task force does. The mere existence of it does that. The conversations we’re having do that. The policy that the council ultimately enacts based on task force recommendations will increase the chances of positive change in Prairie Village.”

So far, two meetings have been held virtually. A third meeting has not been scheduled yet, but will most likely take place in a few weeks. Although the task force initially intended on only holding three meetings before passing their prioritized list of actions to the City Council, task force members have

since shown interest in continuing to meet.

Currently, they have not decided if and for how long they will continue to meet.

All of the task force’s meetings are available for the public to view through Zoom or recordings on Prairie Village’s website. The public can join the Zoom meetings and use the chat function to message a task force member questions or comments. Public participation is encouraged, and those interested in making suggestions for the group can email City Council members or task force members.

I think the task force will try to prioritize what I’ll call quick win[s], or lower hanging fruit, things that can be solved easily, i.e. the recognition of diverse religious holidays. But I think that if [we] really want to have an impact, we need to tackle some of the bigger issues, i.e. affordable housing.

todd harris | task force member

“I am convinced more every day, based on what I’m hearing and seeing from many, many people, most people, that [the task force] has been a good thing for us to do,” Mikkleson said. “It’s going to be very interesting to see where this leads. And I’m excited about it. I think we’re going to — I think we’ve already improved Prairie Village. And I think we will continue to do that.”

18 | FEATURES

THE HARBINGER | OCOTBER 26, 2020

design by anna mitchell photos by lily mantel

CYBER STUDENT STORE Due to virtual school, the Student Store can’t physically encourage students to buy all their goods, so they took it online

by lily b i l l i ngsl ey

S

enior Brooke Blair stood over her mini portable heat press, peeling the vinyl off of all seven layers of the student store’s new Chiefs-themed shirt. Instead of producing hundreds of “Cougar Hunt” shirts in room 500A with the rest of the Student Store staff for the upcoming Shawnee Mission Northwest game, Blair was in her living room alone, spending 10 minutes to produce a single shirt.

Blair’s method is one of the ways student store has adapted to produce and market their products in a year where students don’t have the chance to walk by the in-person store.

I will say that my students this year are working harder than any other group has. They have come up with the most amazing designs and promotional ideas.

mercedes rasmussen | teacher Blair, like several others, applied to student store as a junior after noticing the store’s friendly and lighthearted social atmosphere. Seeing the store packed with students when shirts for the upcoming Rockhurst game were on sale and the white board in the Marketing room full of ideas for the store’s latest product are part of what made the idea of working in the store appealing to Blair. No longer able to make announcements at lunch or work in the slightly-claustrophobic Marketing room, the store has had to find new ways to reach East students.

The lack of football games for students to attend has caused a struggle with the store’s design aspect, according to Blair.

The beginning of the year normally consists of student store design members creating T-shirts for the theme of the next football game, so this year the store has had to find new ideas.

“This year we’ve had to just be really creative,” Blair said.

“We’ve come up with ideas that don’t necessarily relate to football games and are just trying to get those products out there to East students.”

The store has seven teams — managers, design and production, finance and inventory control, outside sales and delivery, promotion and website. Each team has adjusted to

the circumstances, whether that be allowing customers to pay online via the store’s website or taking advantage of social media to promote new products.

According to senior Hanna Robinett, one of the store’s managers, the design team has been looking at what colleges and sororities are doing for design inspiration, including the ever-popular tie dye trend. They’ve also integrated Kansas City sports teams, such as the Chiefs, into their clothing.

The store is holding Instagram giveaways and making TikToks to promote their products that would usually be sold during lunch periods. They also have a newly designed website where anyone — not just East students — can purchase their products.

Using skills from her Digital Design class, senior Libby Hise designed the new website, where customers can now buy anything from the store online — something that the store has never been able to do before.

“I was trying to just be confident in myself,” Hise said.

“When I logged onto the website, I kind of learned how to use it myself. I taught myself completely how to make the buttons and different pages on the site.”

Hise, along with the other students on the website team, adds pictures of every new product to the site and updates the inventory status regularly. The website team also communicates with the delivery crew to organize product deliveries.

Although student store looks very different this year, the new additions that students have made are making up for it, according to Marketing teacher Mercedes Rasmussen.

“I will say that my students this year are working harder than any other group has,” Rasmussen said. “They have come up with the most amazing designs and promotional ideas.”

Robinett feels that while her experience this year is different than what she anticipated, she’s learning to prepare for the unexpected when it comes to marketing.

“I think during this time it’s shown us a lot about how to be a well-functioning business,” Robinett said. “Especially this year it’s been much more challenging than the past years that have had it. It’s shown us that it’s important in any job, but especially in marketing, to work well with people and make sure that you’re putting in the extra effort to make things go smoothly.”

T H E RO L E S A few of the faces and position behind the student store T E ACH E R O F ST U D E N T STO R E Teaches Marketing 1 and 2, as well as Student Store. Also creates and organizes teams for her classes.

MERCED ES R ASMU ESSEN HEAD OF THE W E BS I T E Designed the website and is responsible for adding products to the page, as well as the delivery process.

LIBBY HISE HEAD OF P RO D U CT I O N

B ROOK E BLAIR

Makes designs on a heat-press at home and collaborates with the Student Store team for designing ideas.

SCAN ME | WEBSITE Scan here to visit the Student Store website

DARK BLUE TIE DY E SWE ATSHI RT | $ 4 0

CH I E FS SWE ATSH IRT | $ 30

L A N CE R F L AG T-SH I RT | $1 0

L I G H T B LU E T I E DY E SWE ATSH I RT | $4 0

design by julia percy

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

PHOTOSTORY | 19

RIGHT | Senior Megan Biles films a TikTok of seniors Rich Wiggins, Ryan Staher and Sullivan Goettsch dancing while Biles circles around them. Goettsch says, “Since everything seems to be so sad and depressing, we are trying to take advantage of a fun class to have fun ourselves and hopefully spread humor and happiness.” photo by julia percy

TOP | Seniors Ashton Emely and Katheryn Nachtigal read the instructions and try to figure out how the vinyl machine works, so they can print on the face masks they are making for the Student Store. Student Store members have been working remotely in small groups during their 5th hours to create new products. Emely says, “it’s been harder to find time [for student store] around other activities but it’s not too bad.” photo by annakate dilks A B O V E | Senior Megan Biles lip syncs to “Potential Breakup Song” for a TikTok. Biles says, “We knew that a ton of kids at East have TikTok, so we thought making one would be a good idea to get our products out there... we try to find popular trends that we find funny and go with the clothes we’re promoting.” photo by trevor paulus

A B O V E | Emely explains the process: “We make the designs for our clothes and then put it into the cricut app so we can print it out and separate it. You have to print each individual layer once at a time. Then we use a heat press iron to press the design onto our products.” photo by annakate dilks LEFT | Senior Katheryn Nachitgal picks off the vinyl that the cricut machine cut out using the special cricut tool. In order to press the right design onto the product you have to rip off the excess vinyl. From start to finish, making one product can take about 30 minutes. photo by annakate dilks

20 | FEATURES

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

design by tommy paulus

COVID AEROBICS Water aerobics teacher sees spike in business due to COVID-19

SCHEDULE

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

6:00 AM

ME TIME!

PRIVATE PT (OUTDOOR)

ME TIME!

PRIVATE PT (OUTDOOR)

7: 1 5 A M

PRIVATE PT (OUTDOOR)

FB LIVE (FLEXIBILITY)

PRIVATE PT (OUTDOOR)

FB LIVE (FLEXIBILITY)

8:30 AM

CARDIO SCULPT

CARDIO SCULPT (FB LIVE)

CARDIO SCULPT (FB LIVE)

CARDIO SCULP (FB LIVE)

1 0 : 0 0A M

POOL CLASS

PRIVATE PT (POOL)

POOL CLASS

PRIVATE PT (POOL)

11:15 AM

PRIVATE PT (OUTDOOR)

PRIVATE PT (OUTDOOR)

PRIVATE PT (OUTDOOR)

PRIVATE PT (OUTDOOR)

GET YOUR GROOVE ON

Some of the songs Amy Fisch uses in her water aerobics classes

G et U p

The Boatlift Pitbull

T

Delirious

L o n g C o o l Wo m a n

The Time

L ove S et M e F re e

Life I’ve Led The Hollies

1999 Prince

The Beginning Black Eyes Peas

Alive Benjamin Bidlack

by emma brown

he Black Eyed Peas blares in the background as local fitness trainer Amy Fisch guides her water aerobics class in strength training. Clients jump up and down in the pool doing arm and core strengthening exercises led by Fisch in order to stay active throughout the week. Fisch starts off her class with a warmup, leading into a cardio strength training exercise, and ends with a muscle relaxing stretch.

Fitness is a huge priority in Fisch’s life — she teaches high intensity interval training classes (HIIT), Dance Jam classes and personal one-on-one training sessions, while also doing workouts of her own every day. Once the coronavirus hit and gyms were closed, Fisch decided to bring her workouts straight to her clients.

Since May, Fisch has been running classes in clients’ private pools to get them outdoors, active and in a positive motivated mood. The clients will hire her to teach a group of people that the owner has typically put together. The demographic and size of the class determines the workouts and their intensity — anything to get her clients moving.

“I did have to get creative though with the quarantine,” Fisch said. “I couldn’t train indoors or everything was locked up, so that

made me get creative very quick and it was very successful, positive and very fun.”

After friends began to recommend Fisch’s business, her schedule filled to 12 aquatic classes a week Fisch was surprised by the amount of work that kept her busy for the entirety of the summer and beginning of fall.

“I have always taught one or two classes for different gyms,” Fisch said. “Then I found out how many people have backyard pools, which is basically like having the best piece of exercise equipment ever.”

With a wide variety of demographics and potential injuries, she provides levels to her workouts. Fisch works with all sorts of clients, but starts her new clients at a simple baseline level that the average healthy person can accomplish — such as treading water for a few minutes.

“If the baseline is a little too much for you and you want to make it a little less intense, I just sit there and feed modifications through the whole thing, so that people can pick whatever’s going to work for them,” Fisch said.

Fisch’s workout routines were derived from a combination of her HIIT classes and workouts she discovered online via Instagram.

According to sophomore Georgie Wetzel, a

client of Fisch’s, the water aerobics workouts involve resistance and quick movements that get the heart rate up, then each class finishes with a stretch.

“My favorite part of the class is the cooldown [stretches],” Wetzel said. “You feel good after you are working really hard and you get just a nice calm break at the end to relax your muscles.”

Thankful for Fisch’s classes, Wetzel says

You feel good after you are working really hard and you get just a nice calm break at the end to relax your muscles.

amy fisch | instructor the aquatic training classes brought her family and friends together and made them feel healthy and active for at least one hour every other day during the week.

“My parents got her number from a friend and we called her [and] she started teaching her classes at our house,” Wetzel said. “Our family would come together and spend time with each other during quarantine... which

was something I really enjoyed.”

Client and East parent Dean Theide hired Fisch for two to three times a week for her aquatic classes in his backyard pool.

“It’s a nice diversion when you are in the house 24/7 from COVID,’’ Theide said. “To be outside and get exercise and sunshine.

[The workouts] are better than you think they would be, with underwater weights.”

Theide claims the workouts helped him with flexibility and core strengthening for his golf game he played every week. Over time, he slowly saw changes in his game swing — believed to be from aquatic training.

In his aquatic training, Fisch had Theide use underwater weights — foam weights that would be held under water for resistance training.

Bringing everyone together in a coronavirus-safe environment, Fisch’s work emphasized success — as having a can-do attitude that she always loves, she feels she is making the most of quarantine and helping others out as well. Fisch feels she has become successful at thinking out of the box in a variety of at-home workouts — specifically aquatic training.

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22 | A&E

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

design by tommy paulus

A&E

HIGHLIGHTS: Prepare for the Halloween season with what’s trending in the arts and entertainment world

SPOOKY TUNES *Images and information courtesy of Spotify

PL AYLISTS

M U S T- W AT C H E S *Images courtesy of IMDb

TRUE CRIME PODCASTS

MOVIES MOVIE: P O D C A ST | PA P E R G H OST S

N A M E | I N ST R U M E N TA L H A L LOW E E N

ANTIBIRTH

GENRE: RUN TIME | 40 MINS

M A K E R | E m m e l i n e Wi n te r

This podcasts chronicals the disappearance of four little girls in the mid-70s.

The podcast dives deep into trying to uncover the mystery behind it.

R U N T I M E | 7 H 39 M I N

R E C O M M E N DAT I O N : T h i s p l a y l i st s u m s u p t h e s p o o ky a m b i a n c e H a l l owe e n h a s to of fe r.

HORROR/GORE

RUN TIME: 1 HR 34 MIN

RECOMMENDATION: This movie is not for the faint of heart. If you want to be freaked all the way out give this a watch. Be prepared for gruesome gore and provocative scenes.

MOVIE:

N A M E | H A L LOW E E N V I B E S

P O D C A ST | T H E M U R D E R S AT W H I T E H O U S E FA R M

THE SHINING

RUN TIME | 43 MINS

HORROR

M A K E R | c h r i sj b 8 8 8 RUN TIME | 16H 34MIN

A deep lore story about the murder of a 1985 family living on a farm-house in Iowa. The podcast goes into deep detail so grab your popcorn!

R E C O M M E N DAT I O N : T h i s p l a y l i st h a s a l l of t h e H a l l owe e n c l a ss i c s a l l w ra p p e d u p i n o n e.

GENRE: RUN TIME: 2 HR 26 MIN

RECOMMENDATION: A classic horror movie based off the Stephen King novel of the same name. This is a go-to when in need of a good psychological horror.

D. I .Y. C O S T U M E S MOVIE:

*Images courtesy of Shein and Amazon

W E D N E S D AY A D D A M S F R O M : “ T H E A D DA MS FA M I LY ” P R I C E : $$$$$

THE WITCHES

COLLARED TEE: $6

GENRE:

BL ACK TOP: $9

FANTASY/HORROR/COMEDY

TIGHTS: $5

1 HR 32 MIN

BLACK SHOES: ANY

RUN TIME: RECOMMENDATION: A short but effective scary movie that will bring chills to horror fans of all ages.

S PAC E S H I P C R E W M AT E F R O M : “A M O N G U S” F R O M : “A M O N G U S” P R I C E R A N G E : $$$$$ P R I C E : $$$$$

FACE SHEILD: $8 RED HOODIE: $15 R E D PA N T S : $ 1 5

design by celia condon

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

A&E | 23

A ME RICA N MURDER: T H E F A M I LY N E X T D O O R A review of Netflix’s new documentary, ‘American Murder: The Family Next Door’ based on true events by elizabeth mi kkel so n

I

f you keep up with crime and mystery in today’s society, I’m sure you’ve heard the name Christopher Watts, aka the ultimate family annihilator. The latest addition to Netflix’s original documentaries, An American Murder: The Family Next Door, is about the details of Watts’ jaw-dropping saga and was released on Sept. 30.

While some people would rather watch a humorous rom-com or witty comedy on their Sunday night in, I was beyond excited to curl up on my couch and get sucked into all that was this harrowing tragedy — and it did not disappoint. My eyes were glued to the T V for the entire hour-anda-half-long ordeal of this chilling documentary.

To encapsulate the events that unfolded in this case — circa 2018 — Chris and Shanann Watts lived a normal, quaint life in the Colorado suburbs with their two young daughters, Bella and Cici. They truly were the epitome of a typical “family next door” — or so everyone thought.

I can easily get sucked into a hole of information when it comes to true crime, but this documentary had me hooked from the moment the police were stationed to the eerily quiet house of the Watts family.

The film starts by leading up to the last night Shanann Watts was seen alive. That next morning, both her and her daughters were missing from their home in Frederick, Colorado.

That same morning, viewers are given a glimpse of Chris Watts in a state of distress over his missing family members — questioning friends and police as to why they would ever feel the need to leave or whether they had been taken somewhere by force — although Watts’ act didn’t have me fooled one bit.

In an interview with a news reporter shortly after their disappearance, Watts continually repeats with a blank stare and emotionless body language that he “just wants them back.”

At this time, Chris Watts was seen as a desperate

AMERICAN MURDER | NETFLIX | 5 STARS husband missing his family members and pleading to the public for information on their disappearance — which was all the more disturbing and eerie once the truth about him comes to fruition.

We then see camera footage of Chris Watts getting questioned by the police about his family’s convoluted disappearance. Whenever he was questioned, Watts had one and only one intention

when he was asked if he knew anything about their mysterious disappearance — deny, deny, deny.

Major spoiler alert: it wasn’t until he took an official lie detector test — and miserably failed — that the police knew they had their killer sitting right in front of them. Chris eventually confessed to both the murder of his wife, Shanann Watts, and his two young daughters.

It wasn’t only the thought of Chris Watts killing

I can easily get sucked into a hole of information when it comes to true crime, but this documentary had me hooked from the moment the police were stationed to the eerily quiet house of the Watts family. his family that was frightening, but also the manner in which he disposed of their bodies. He buried his wife in a deserted location, while his method of killing his daughters was even more brutal and unimaginable. He strangled them before hauling their bodies into an oil tank — I know, dark.

After learning about his ruthless, cold-blooded feats, it’s almost impossible to watch back the tapes of him acting clueless about their disappearance.

What sets this watching experience apart from most documentaries is that a majority of the clips in the film are provided from either police body camera footage, the family’s social media posts or Watts’ live confession footage — leaving the audience with a creepy feeling as the events unfolded. This unique aspect gives the documentary a more personal and in-depth viewpoint on the story.

Shanann’s array of Facebook posts and videos that were spotlighted in the documentary displayed emotional family moments Chris and their daughters shared. All the while we see her husband forming a relationship with a mistress — the true motive for his family’s murder.

It’s rightful to say that I was entranced by all of the details that this film provided. There was just the right amount of showcasing Chris’s monstrous tendencies leading up to the murders, while still providing the personal insight into their family dynamic through different lenses.

While it’s hard to wrap your head around why anybody would do this to another human, let alone his own family, this is a must watch for any crime junkies like myself who are looking for the perfect documentary that’s sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.

TH E TI ME L I NE A complete timeline of Christopher Watt’s life in the years leading up to his last trial

‘10

EARLY 2010 WATTS SENDS SHAN’ANN A FRIEND REQUEST ON FRIEND GROUP AND THE TWO MEET

JULY 2018

WATTS BEGINS HAVING A PHYSICAL RELATIONSHIP WITH NICHOL KESSINGER

13

AUGUST 13, 2018

CHRIS KILLS SHAN’ANN AND THEIR THREE DAUGHTERS

AUGUST 15, 2018

CHRIS FAILS A POLYGRAPH TEST AND ADMITS TO KILLING HIS WIFE

19

‘18 15

NOVEMBER 19, 2018 WATTS IS SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON

NOVEMBER 18, 2019

CHRIS IS ORDERED TO PAY SHAN’ANN’S PARENTS $6 MILLION

01

18

si lk A STEEL 24 | A&E

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

by campbell wood

AND

The World War I Museum’s newest exhibit showcases the role of women’s fashion throughout history

WOMEN’S FASHION PRE/POSTWAR 1914 FASHION (PRE WORLD WAR 1) The prewar silhouette was high-waisted, columnar and narrow at the hemline. Fashion was luxurious, refined and romantic.

1919 FASHION (POST WORLD WAR 1) Postwar couture was not as it had been in 1914: dresses were shorter, wider at the hem and less restricting. *courtesy of the Silk and Steel Exbibit

feature d

womenswear

Pictured below are four of the featured articles of clothing at the exhibit

s America recently celebrated the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment, giving women the right to vote, it’s the perfect time to appreciate how the women’s suffrage movement began — and the renowned World War I Museum has delivered with their latest exhibit, ‘Silk and Steel: French Fashion, Women and WWI.’ The exhibition features French fashion during WWI and how it has developed into the more casual styles we see today. Even if you’re like me, and aren’t a “Devil Wears Prada” fanatic, this exhibit is still runway-worthy in fashion’s role in igniting the women’s suffrage movement.

The exhibit takes visitors through the span of WWI, as well as pre- and postwar mindsets, explaining how women’s societal roles evolved and how that change stemmed from fashion. While the timeline is thorough in detailing major events in this era of women’s suffrage, such as the first large female-led strike, their use of clothing provides a visual sense of how silk-satin and tulle-filled evening gowns evolved to shorter, beadedchiffon dresses over the course of the war.

The dresses displayed demonstrate how women’s attire transitioned to simpler, sustainable designs due to a lack of material from war efforts — the most popular of which was the barrel dress.

These shorter, less-restricting and widerat-the-hem dresses paved a way towards women’s clothing being more than just the emphasis on the feminie figure.

The French perspective shown throughout the exhibit signifies how

crucial the fashion industry was during WWI, as one-third of the country’s employed population was in the fashion and textile industry. In the exhibit, you learn how household names like Jeanne Lanvin and Gabrielle Chanel introduced simpler designs and brought “leisurewear” fabrics into everyday style.

Stylistic fashion aside, the true evolution of clothing stemmed from women stepping up in societal roles to fill in for the men at war. While some of those places were fashion houses, hence how Chanel and Lanvin got started, others were far from nice working environments.

Men ridiculed women for wearing “masculine” clothing like overalls in fear that they would forget their role in society — a housewife.

Women also had to fill in for the more get-your-hands-dirty jobs, such as factory workers and mechanics. Believe it or not, factories aren’t where you want to parade around in your multi-layered, highwaisted dress — this the French women agreed with.

Before the war, women would never be caught working “unladylike” jobs like these, so there weren’t female work clothes available, forcing women to acclimate to the clothes that men would wear.

For me, the most baffling part of the exhibit was how women were viewed after the war. Men ridiculed women

design by elizabeth mikkelson photos by maggie merckens

for wearing “masculine” clothing like overalls in fear that they would forget their role in society — a housewife. I’ve heard it before, but no matter how often I’m told of the societal gap between men and women, it still comes as a shock for me.

To be honest, I was expecting more of a historical arc in the post-war remarks in terms of women being seen as more than homemakers, but no. The posters that initially encouraged women to represent their country and contribute to the war efforts were now commanding women to have children to make up for the men they’d lost.

I think the phrase that summed up the exhibit best was, “The war clearly offered no clean break with tradition but should be seen as a period of transition, a shift that presaged revolutions that would take place in the second half of the 20th century.”

From 1914 to 1918, little change occurred in terms of the advancement of French women’s status in society. While U.S. women were granted the right to vote after the war, French women wouldn’t receive this privilege until 1945. However, after the war, more of an emphasis was put on beauty and independence through fashion — the idea that women could do the same as men — opening a gateway to the women’s suffrage movement.

More than anything, the exhibit reminded me to be grateful for being at the other end of the 100-year timeline — that I could wear jeans and sneakers into a museum and no one would deem me unladylike. And if you want to experience it for yourself, it will remain open until April 11 — I would highly recommend.

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

design by riley atkinson photos by tristen porter

SH ARK TAN K SELECTIONS Staffer reviews beauty products featured on “Shark Tank”

SIMPLE SUGAR MOISTURIZER

MELISSA BUTLER WAS upset with the excessive amount of chemicals and lack of diversity in make-up products on the market, so she took to her kitchen to create her own cosmetic company called The Lip Bar. While Butler was rejected on Shark Tank, she continued to build her business, which now has its own storefront and is available in Target stores across the nation.

The company’s goals are to make cosmetics that are easy to use, vegan and cruelty-free while maintaining an inclusive ideology. The media defines

ONE OF THE common struggles among teenagers is taking care of their skin. In 2005, teenager Lani Lazarri dealt with sensitive skin and eczema. After many failed attempts to clear her skin, she finally decided to make her own concoction — and it worked — so she turned it into a business that she calls Simple Sugars.

Lazarri pitched her product on Shark Tank in 2012 and took an offer from Mark Cuban of $100,000 for 33% stake in her company. Simple Sugars exploded once the episode aired, and has now made more than $10 million in sales.

Simple Sugars makes body, facial and foot scrubs, and has even developed a men’s line called “Smooth for Men.” All of the products are handmade with all-

beauty standards for society, and Butler strives to change that because she believes everyone determines what beauty means to them.

Although the Sharks didn’t jump at this opportunity, Butler’s product and message were still very appealing to me.

They have four types of lip cosmetics — lipstick, lip gloss, liquid matte and lip liner — along with a wide variety of colors that have fun, unique names based on personality types like “City Girl,” “Bawse Lady” and “Night Owl.” I was immediately drawn to the liquid

SLEEP STYLER

by caroline wood

WHEN I’M BORED of Netflix originals and turn to cable channels in search of entertainment, I often wind up on ABC’s “Shark Tank” to see a few entrepreneurs either snag an investment deal or get ripped apart by the iconic “Sharks.” While watching hours of product pitches, I start to wonder how many of these investments were actually successful. In a world with a competitive beauty market, I figured I should take it upon myself to try some of the most successful beauty products that have gone through the Sharks.

natural ingredients and can be used daily.

The scrubs exfoliate and moisturize the skin without the need for lotion — they call this going “No-Lo.” According to their website, Simple Sugars has also helped people with specific skin issues such as eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, acne, severely dry skin and skin problems from chemotherapy.

Although I don’t have any severe skin conditions, my skin does get really dry, especially come wintertime. I ordered the eucalyptus body scrub, which comes in a wide variety of scents — pumpkin, green apple, lavender and many more. My scrub came in a cute brown box with a pink ribbon tied around it.

To use the scrub, I first had to stir

matte titled “As If” due to my love for the classic 1995 rom-com “Clueless.” But The Lip Bar isn’t just limited to lip cosmetics, as they also have products for the eyes, brows and skin.

Although I was worried the product would bother me, it was very comfortable and left me forgetting I even had it on.

Some of the colors are very vibrant, but not wanting to make such a statement, I leaned more towards the more natural, simpler shade of pink. Overall, I think it’s good to have the option for a fun pop of color to brighten your day.

I’VE ALWAYS DREAMT of having gorgeous bouncy curls in my hair — but alas, my hair is as straight as a pencil and as thin as a spider’s web. After trying everything from curling irons to sponge rollers with zero results, I was sure my hair would be stickstraight for the rest of my life. But when I saw the Sleep Styler product on Shark Tank, my hopes were revived.

Ophthalmologist Tara Brown is the founder of the product Sleep Styler — heatfree memory foam rollers that curl your hair when you’re asleep so you don’t have to spend time styling it in the morning.

Shark Lori Greiner invested in Brown’s product, giving her $75,000 for 25% stake.

The awe-factor of the curlers were that they’re simple to use and comfortable enough that you can easily sleep in them and wake up to perfectly-styled curls — a

A&E | 25

far cry from my experience.

Getting the curlers into my hair was an excruciatingly frustrating process — there were conflicting instructions on how to put them in, the velcro stuck to my hair and the second I pulled my hands away after attaching the strap, my hair came toppling out. When I was finally able to secure all of the product’s blue tubes to my head, my arms were numb from holding them up for so long.

As I got into bed looking like an oldtime granny, I gently placed my head onto the pillow in fear of knocking out the strenuously placed curlers. Although I was able to eventually fall asleep with the memory foam curlers that “ensures a comfortable night’s sleep,” the only position where the foam tubes didn’t press into my skull was lying flat on my back

together the oils and sugars in the jar with a little spoon that came in the package.

It may sound like a bit of a hassle to do every time, but the process actually made me feel like an amateur skincare scientist.

After showering, I put the product on my wet skin and scrubbed it in until the sugar melted, then rinsed off and towel dried.

As soon as the sugar started to dissolve, my skin instantly maintained that desirable silky-to-the-touch feeling. Most of the time, companies tend to exaggerate the effects of their products, but the Simple Sugars scrub accomplished exactly what it claimed to — my skin felt soft and smooth. It’s perfect for teenagers looking for a simple way to get clear, nourished skin.

LIP BAR

like a corpse.

Come morning, I was hopeful that all of these irritations would be worthwhile when I had my perfect curls. But after unstrapping the tubes and pulling my hair off the roller, my hair didn’t have the beach waves I was hoping for — more of a still lake. It also had a strange crease near the top of my head, making it look like I slept in a baseball cap.

I tried the Sleep Styler again several times using more of the rollers, positioning them in different ways and applying styling products, but every morning I still had awkwardly straight-ish hair.

If your hair is anything like mine — straight and thin — the odds aren’t in your favor. In the end, the Sleep Styler got added to my long list of failed hair curling attempts.

26 | A&E

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

V E N D O R SWITH FENDERS

Staffer reviews three vendor trucks at the “Fall Chick Event” fall festival

the hungry hatch

ANY TIME I can throw the word “healthy” into my

TAST E R AT I N G

5/5

COV I D SA F E T Y

5/5

R I G H T | “The Classic” salad bowl from The Hungry Hatch food truck.

love letters boutique

ST Y L E R AT I N G

4/5

COV I D SA F E T Y

5/5

R I G H T | The “Love Letters” neon sign inside the Love Letters Truck

The fork sank into the pie as I grabbed my bite and the peach flavoring in the middle met the flaky crust. Appearance? Amazing. But taste?

Not my favorite. The crust tasted way too flour-filled for my liking, and it coated the roof of my mouth with a lingering flour-y aftertaste. The peach filling was sweet, but the texture was almost as gooey as honey, which definitely threw me off.

Next time I’d opt for the cinnamon roll.

As far as safety precautions, this spot was the safest. The window was almost completely shut, and I talked through the screen to the employee in a mask and gloves.

TO

SWITCH IT up from my food truck experimentation, Love Letters Boutique had a setup that I hadn’t ever seen before. Partially in a truck and partially outside, they offered a large variety of boutique clothing that was perfect for fall.

In front of the multi-colored, heartprinted truck were several racks of sweaters, so if you’re looking to prep for the cooler weather, this is definitely your spot. Since there weren’t many left, I’d say the crowd favorites were the white sweater with colored pom poms and the “Touchdown Kansas City” sweatshirt — both priced around $50.

by r iley a t k in son N OW THAT GROUP brunches at First Watch and trips to the mall pose a risk to our health, I’m flooded with the desire to escape my staple quarantine sweatpants and sibling-ridden house.

Food trucks and mobile boutiques make outdoor versions of the “norm” possible — so here’s my review of three popular vendors in KC from my visit to the “Fall Chick Event.”

seasoned chicken, bacon, tomato, spring mix and cheese, which is practically my usual chicken salad bowl from Chipotle. However, unlike Chipotle, this lunch spot packed their bowls with fresh lettuce and tomatoes, adding a refreshing feel and healthy crunch to the meal. Plus, the grilled chicken pieces were consistent in their texture and size — no weirdly-shaped, stringy pieces like Chipotle sometimes includes.

COVID-wise, all customers have to use their finger to sign the iPad, so it’s not completely touch-free. But the employees wore masks and I felt perfectly safe standing outside of the food truck with my mask on.

Although they don’t have any upcoming events mapped out, they update their website often to allow customers to find the truck. They also recently opened a storefront in Parlor KC if you just can’t wait for their next event.

TAST E R AT I N G

3/5

COV I D SA F E T Y

5/5

L E F T | The peach mini pie from the Stillwell Bakery Truck.

the stillwell bakery and cafe

THE COMFORT I felt during my stop at the Stillwell Bakery and Cafe truck was rooted in both the baby blue decor and the handwritten chalkboard menu, on which everything could easily classify as comfort food.

They had items like a chicken salad on a croissant and nachos for lunch options, but the stars were their cinnamon rolls, turnovers and mini pies for dessert.

Although I wish I had room to try out the whole menu, my stomach begged me to order the peach pie.

The crispy brownish-orange crust matched the colorful fall trees around the trucks and the little sprinkle of sugar on top added to the mouth-watering appearance.

With a price point of $4, the personal size is perfect for anyone who doesn’t want to indulge in a whole Tippin’s pie at Hen House.

food descriptions, I’m in. It’s not a bad idea after the ungodly amount of chocolate chip cookies I’ve been stress-eating during my virtual physics class. So under those terms, The Hungry Hatch is my new favorite. This lunch spot aims “to be the food truck of happiness for those aspiring to live a healthy lifestyle,” according to their website.

They have 10 dishes on their menu ranging from “The Asian,” an Asian inspired chicken dish, to “The Atlantic,” which has tuna, a spring mix and various veggies. My favorite part of this truck is that you can choose what style you want for your meal, whether that be a bowl, a wrap or a salad.

And each meal comes to a total around $12.

My order, “The Classic” salad bowl, contained

design by catherine erickson photos by trevor paulus

You can walk inside the truck, where there was a variety of pieces other than clothes, including gold “Kansas City” jewelry and coffee tumblers closer to $20. There were also KC sweatshirts towards the front, illuminated by the LED “Love Letters” sign hanging above them.

The tight space inside the truck worried me COVIDwise at first, but the whole back was open and aired out, and there was only one other person inside (with their mask on, of course).

Their mobile boutique isn’t currently scheduled for any fairs, however if you’re dying to snag one of their items, their website provides an easier way to order — but you’ll miss out on the experience of shopping in a truck.

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

design by peyton moore

SPORTS

HIGHLIGHTS Updates, schedules and quotes about the fall sports season

COMING UP THIS WEEK

M A R K YO U R C A L E N DA R Important sporting events in the future OCT.

29

VARSITY SOCCER R EGION ALS GAME AT SMSC

OCT. 27

NOV.

07

OCT. 29

VA RSIT Y GY MNAST ICS STATE M EET AT NHS

OCT. 31

VARSITY BOYS SOCCER LOCATION: SMSC TIME: 6 P.M.

VARSITY GYMNASTICS MEET LOCATION: ICTC TIME: 5 P.M.

VARSITY CROSS COUNTRY LOCATION: ANDOVER TIME: 9 A .M.

SPORTS | 27

COACHES TOP PI CKS A B R I E F D E S C R I P T I O N O F S TA N D O U T AT H L E T E S G I V E N B Y C O A C H E S

VO L L E Y B A L L

CO U RT E N AY T E T R I CK She is the co-captain of the JV team where she leads by example. She plays hard in every opportunity she gets and supports her teammates through her natural positivity and excitement.

COACH: ANTHONY WINKELMANN POSITION: RIGHTSIDE HITTER T E A M : J U N I O R VA R S I T Y

SOCCER PA R K E R WA R U CH He’s worked hard all year and it paid off for him. He had a hat trick against Blue Valley Northwest, and has been a prime example of a teammate at practice.

COACH: ADAM CUMLEY P O S I T I O N : F O R WA R D T E A M : C -T E A M

GY M N A ST I C S

AV E RY W I L S O N She is a senior that has come to the gym and worked unbelievibly hard each and every day. She shows up on time and gives it her all... She has the best work ethic any coach could ask for.

A B O V E | Senior Sam Fountain jumps up for a header after senior Drew Parisi throws in the ball at the game last Thursday where East beat Lawrence Free State 2-1. photo by julia percy T O P R I G H T | The younger cheerleaders cheer on the seniors during cheer senior night during halftime of the varsity soccer game. photo by julia percy

C O A C H : J E S S M C M U R R AY A B O V E | Juniors Aina Lewis and Maddi Vanasselt block the outside hitter from the Shawnee Mission Northwest JV team. The match resulted in a loss after reaching the third set. photo by rachel bingham

E V E N TS : F LO O R , B A R , B E A M , VAU LT

T E A M : VA R S I T Y

28 | SPORTS

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

design by sophie lindberg photos courtesy of justin keller

OKL AHOMA ENERGY Senior Justin Keller balances online learning at East and attending Oklahoma Energy FC in Oklahoma City

S

by mad eline funkey

enior Justin Keller was taking three breaths to calm his game day jitters while preparing for his first game with the new Oklahoma Energy Soccer Club as the new kid on the team. Dribbling the ball with the goal in sight, Keller unexpectedly got decked by a defender two times his size. With no foul called, he brushed it off and made sure it didn’t distract him from the rest of the game.

“Right then and there I knew I had to immediately adjust and be more aggressive when I played from then on,” Keller said.

Since August, Keller has been staying in a hotel with one of his parents every Saturday through Tuesday in Oklahoma City to play on a team for the Oklahoma Energy Soccer Club.

Keller made the decision to leave the East varsity soccer team his senior year after a hip injury forced him to watch from the stands rather than playing with his teammates all of junior year.

You have to treat every game like it’s your last and play your hardest, [while being aggressive], at every game.

justin keller | senior Keller underwent two different hip surgeries as a junior in an attempt to fix a CAM impingement and labral tear in his right and left hip — restricting him from playing. And because colleges start recruiting high school athletes during their junior year, Keller knew he needed to find a team that would get him more exposure in hopes of being recruited.

Healed from his injury, he was on the lookout for competitive leagues with more exposure that were within close range of Kansas. With the help of a former coach, Keller contacted the director of the Oklahoma Energy Soccer Club. He said he would be interested in having him join, but needed to see him play first. After playing in two trial games with the team he was offered a spot.

Keller went into his first week as a new member of the team hesitant about what was to come. It took some time to adjust to the new setting and more challenging playing style,

but after a couple games and practices with the team, he was confident with his decision.

“Moving down here really helped me realize it’s not all about playing the sport, it’s more of a passion,” Keller said.

“You have to treat every game like it’s your last and play your hardest, [while being aggressive], at every game.”

Keller and his teammates have been able to bond through playing video games and visiting the local Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the NFL. He’s learned more from his team than just how to score a digital goal in FIFA. They remind him to stay calm when under pressure, not to over-dribble the ball and to work the ball around the opposing team.

After three and a half hours of practice on Tuesday, Keller drives back to Kansas City and gets home by 1 a.m.

— waking up six hours later for online school at East. Ever since sophomore year he’s had a reduced schedule of only five hours of school — allowing him to work with his trainer for the last two hours.

On the days he is back in Kansas City, Keller makes sure to keep in contact with all his friends. He’s still in the East soccer group chat and frequently asks them how they’re doing.

“When I’m in Kansas I still try to hang out with the guys,” Keller said. “We go to a field and shoot a couple and hangout for an hour or two.”

Keller and his girlfriend senior Alexis Nyhus have also learned to make the miles between them work out for the best. They FaceTime every night and make sure to spend time with each other on the days Keller is in town. “[Our relationship has] definitely gotten stronger because of him being gone all the time,” Nyhus said. “We’ve learned to manage our time while he’s [in Kansas City].”

Being a part of the Oklahoma team will give Keller the opportunity to reach his goals of playing professionally on the Ajax Amsterdam team after college.

Keller’s old Head Varsity Soccer Coach Jamie Kelly applauds him for making the mature decision to step away from the high school team to help him with his college career. Coach Kelly was sad to see such a great player leave his team, but knows he will be successful with the work ethic he has.

“You drive by the field and see him working to get better,” Kelly said. “He has his goals he tries to accomplish and is trying to do it for as long as he can, [which] takes a great work ethic to be able to do that.”

ABOVE | Playing against Celtic FC at Oklahoma Energy Training, Keller goes after the soccer ball with fury.

WHAT IS OKL AHOMA ENERGY KC? A C O M P E T I T I V E YO U T H S O C C E R C LU B B AS E D I N OKLAHOMA CITY O R I G I N AT E D I N 2017 W H E N O F C PA RT N E R E D W I T H T H E U N I T E D S O C C E R L E AG U E TO C R E AT E A STAT E W I D E PROGRAM T H E C LU B T R A I NS A B O U T 7,500 E N R O L L E D AT H L E T E S

design by allison wilcox

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

SPORTS IN REVIEW A recap of a few fall sports coming to a close

T H E R E S U LT S

Updates on the fall sports not covered in the stories

GIRLS GOLF

7- 0 RECORD | STAT E C H A M P I O NS

GYMNASTICS

1ST, 2ND & 3RD @ MEETS | STATE: NOV. 7

VOLLEYBALL

1 2 - 1 0 RECORD | SUB-STAT: OCT. 24

CROSS COUNTRY

by peyton moore AS THE UV increased during the eight mile Monday run at cross country practice, the heat became unbearable. As they rounded the corner towards sophomore Luc Prendiville’s house, the temptation of his pool was too good to pass up. The team hopped the fence and dipped their heads in the pool, shaking it out before continuing on their route.

From crazy sock day to countless chalk drawing contests, the cross country team has bonded as a team, but also found success through this season by crushing their workouts and working on developing a better mental game. Workouts included interval training to help build stamina and teach the runners about the importance of consistency, running hills to understand the strategy of a course with obstacles and team workouts that forced them to run as a team, pushing each other to their limits.

The girls team has exceeded the team’s pre-season expectations, placing in the top third of participants of the competition each week.

“The girls have proven every single race that they are consistent, hungry, eager and just excited about their successes,” Head Coach Tricia Beaham said. “I believe these girls will be on the podium [at state this weekend] and hopefully reach the top three.”

To reach this success, the top four girls with the shortest 5k

SPORTS | 29

times — seniors Kate Kowalik and Grace Strongman, junior Grace Meyer and sophomore Scarlett Pearlman — continued their workouts even when they didn’t know if they had a season, running on their own time every day.

“Us four still trained all summer until school started,” Meyer said. “We met everyday and ran together because even if we didn’t have a season we were still planning on running together and being together. Depending on the day we would run anywhere from three to nine miles.”

These extra workouts lead Meyer, along with three seniors on the varsity teams, to break East records at the meet on Oct. 17.

Their names and record times will be engraved on the leaderboard that is presented in the trophy case and holds East’s top runners and records dating back to 2001.

Without much football action, the Friday night lights have morphed into cross country’s carbo load feast and ultimate frisbee playground for the boys. After losing multiple strong seniors last year, the boys have chosen to rebuild and incorporate new members through intense ultimate frisbee pickup games.

“These kids are very zoned in on the fact that it is a privilege to have a race each Saturday.” Beaham stated. “I think they are that much more healthier and think harder about choices that may compromise their immune systems.”

A B O V E | Sophomore Rowan Divadeenam runs around a corner during the girls varsity cross country Sunflower League meet. photo by megan biles

TENNIS

THE GIRLS TENNIS team came in first overall

A B O V E | Preparing for her first state tournament appearance, freshman Abigail Long hits a volley. photo by annakate dilks

at State on Oct. 17.

The state team consisted of senior Allison Wilcox, junior Bridget Epstein, sophomores Greta Stechschulte and Bryson Langford and freshmen Abigail Long and Katie Schmidt.

The final round of the doubles tournament was an all East championship — Stechschulte and Langford vs. Long and Schmidt. Winning the match 6-0, Stechschulte and Langford took home first place for the second year in a row.

“It was really good for our team that we had both our doubles teams in the final because it helped us break away from Blue Valley North, our biggest rival, quite a bit,” Stechschulte said. “As for playing our teammates, it wasn’t the first time and won’t be the last.”

In addition to the doubles teams’ success, senior Allison Wilcox and junior Bridget Epstein took home third and seventh place at the state singles tournament, leading the team to take home first overall — something they were hungry for after tying with Blue Valley North at state last year.

“They had a fantastic season,” Head Coach Andy Gibbs said. “To go from a tie for the state championship last year, to knowing at that point that we had clinched the state championship even before the final rounds

were played. It was one of those moments that for them they could see the payoff of their improvement.”

The girls trained at Overland Park Racket Club to prepare for the upcoming season.

Including the state champions, the program had almost half as many girls tryout this year compared to last year due to COVID-19.

Halfway through tryout week, their goal of securing the state title was almost taken away when the district made the decision to postpone sports. Once the team was allowed to continue their season, time was of the essence as three weeks of the already shortened season had been stripped because of COVID-19.

As tennis fell in the low risk category, not many changes were made to their usual season. Small adjustments, like practice size, were made to help keep it safe for all players, but no major accommodations were forced.

“In the past a designated varsity and junior varsity group practiced every day together and other players apart of the blue and white team would come in for an hour playing matches against one another,” Gibbs explained. “Rather than having a set group of 32, we organized girls into smaller groups which we nicknamed ‘cohorts’. We were encouraged by the board to keep kids in smaller groups for contact tracing purposes.”

30 | SPORTS

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

design by lauren dierks art by celia condon

SEASON

SUMMED UP

The freshman football team has had their season cut short due to complications involving COVID-19

by gibbs mor r is

F

riday night football games no longer come with bleachers thundering with immense school spirit and the pregame huddles come with COVID-19 precautions.

While the sophomore, junior and senior athletes alike are putting their utmost efforts into the sport, the freshman team has recently been sidelined from participating for the rest of the season.

The fun of the sport and feel of belonging to a team has been ripped away from freshman players, due to the spread of COVID amongst the team. One member of the team tested positive for the virus between Oct. 10 and Oct. 11, while several players had family members testing positive.

Although with contact tracing, it was concluded that the player didn’t contract the virus from football, the case warranted cancellation of their season until further notice.

Before this occurred, the football team as a whole had already struggled with COVID-related issues, with various

Going into it, we all thought we were probably going to win every game. We played god.

porter konold | freshman other confirmed cases across all age groups and teams. None of those cases had ever warranted the cancellation of any specific team’s season, however, they are all still prepared for the worst. According to the freshmen, they haven’t been given a specific answer why their season was cancelled as opposed to the others.

Freshman football player Joey Hoffman was well aware of the possible negative outcome of their season after his coach, Sean Hair, addressed the possibility. He wanted to ensure that the team understood what conditions they were working under.

“He would always just say we never know when our last practice is going to be,” Hoffman said. “So, we had to know that could happen.”

Once one of Hoffman’s teammates contracted COVID-19, there were no new conditions put in place for the other teams to further prevent any future cases from occurring

other than having the freshman season being canceled. As of now, the teams with a remaining season are required to wear a mask under their helmets for a majority of the football game. Students participating in practices are encouraged to practice social distancing when possible, and generally stay conscientious outside of practices.

Despite the team knowing the risk of their season potentially being canceled from the start, they had high hopes for what could have been a very successful year for freshman football. Freshman football player Teddy Courville claims the coach and team worked as hard as possible until they were forced to stop.

“Coach said that we are gonna fight our way through the season,” Courville said. “And we aren’t going to stop until we are forced to.”

Numerous players on the team seem to agree about the team’s prospects — if they were to have had a full football season. Freshman football player Porter Konold spoke on how the team imagined the season could look.

“Going into it, we all thought we were probably going to win every game,” Konald said. “We played good.”

The excitement of a successful year was quickly taken away once the season’s plug was pulled, leaving many members of the team frustrated for their loss of playing time. Many of the players were more upset about the way the situation was handled and don’t agree with the verdict of complete cancellation. Courville suggested that games and practices could have just been postponed.

“I understand why they did it, but I just don’t agree with it,” said Courville. “I feel like we could just postpone the game coming up or postpone a week of practice.”

While the season itself has come to an abrupt end leaving many players unhappy, there is still hope for some kind of football experience to become available for freshman players. The players were informed of a scrimmage happening between the freshman and sophomore players on Oct. 29. This also includes a possible practice session starting Oct. 23.

The freshmen hope this will provide a second chance to get back out on the field to have some fun in the place of what would have been their football season.

OUTREAK BREAKDOWN

A timeline of the events leading up to the season cancellation

OCT.

F I R S T P L AY E R CONTRACTS COVID-19

10

OCT.

11

OCT.

11

OCT.

12

!

II

THE TEAM IS NOTIFIED OF THE POSITIVE TEST PRACTICE SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

SEASON O F F I C I A L LY CANCELLED

design by sarah golder illustration by sophie henschel

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

PHOTOSTORY | 31

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS Gabriela Castaneda’s annual traditions for celebrating Day of the Dead provides a creative outlet and helps foster a connection to Hispanic culture for her niece, sophomore Sabrina Dean

R I G H T | Castaneda grew up celebrating and making ofrendas for the holiday. She hand made them on her own for 10 years. For this year ’s ofrenda she “handpainted and some are made of felt, cardboard and cardstock.” She also “made the flowers out of tissue paper, and the garland out of flowers.” The animals represent “spirit guides who guard and protect you in the afterlife.”

The cheetah and serpent represented in this altar are from Aztec culture where Castaneda’s family is from. photo by sarah golder

A B O V E | Pointing to a photo of one of her ancestors, Castaneda explains, “I don’t know how old the photo is, but the oldest relative was born in the mid 1800s, so she was my great grandmother.” photo by sarah golder L E F T | As customar y on ofrendas or altars, Castaneda labeled each photo with her relatives’ names.

Her altar is also decorated with papel picado, tissue paper banners with cut out designs of skeleton figures. As well as sugar skulls which represent a depar ted sou l . photo by sarah golder

A B O V E | When Ca sta n e d a we n t to Ja l i sco, G u a d a l aj a ra fo r h e r quinceañera sh e b ro u g h t b a c k t h i s sc u l pt u re. “ I d i d n’ t wa n t a par t y, I wanted to g o to M ex i co so I we n t fo r t h re e m o n t h s a n d brought stuf f b a c k l i ke t h i s. I t ’s k i n d of m o r b i d b u t I re a l l y l i ke d t he design of th e sc u lptu re” sh e sa ys. photo by sabrina dean RIGHT | Among h e r ot h e r a n cesto rs’ p h otos, t h ese a re so m e of Castaneda’s o l d est p h otos g i ve n to h e r by h e r a u n t o r m ot h e r f rom M exico. photo by sarah golder

32 | ALT-COPY

THE HARBINGER | OCTOBER 26, 2020

FALL FASHION

design and outfits by annabelle moore photos courtesy of revolve

SCAN ME | REVOLVE by annabelle m oore IT’S OFFICIALLY TIME to tuck away your jean shorts and flip

flops and to unpack the sweaters (and stylish masks)? As we return back to school, there’s no better time to stock up on fresh fall fits and masks to go along with them, all in one place.

Scan here to visit Revolve’s website where all of these outfits and accessories can be found

T HE O NE WHERE T HEY WE A R MASKS

T HE DAY F I T:

T H E L A Z Y FI T:

T H E NIGH T FIT:

OUTFIT TWO

OUTF IT THREE

FOR EVERY OUTFIT must come with that perfect pair of hoops, and here they are, the Small Ravelo Hoops — a hint of gold in the trending style of chunky hoops — the perfect accessory to dress any outfit up or down.

On the right is the Ballet Racerback Bodysuit priced at $78. This classy, black bodysuit is perfect for a fall outing: whether it be warm weather like fall in Kansas tends to be, or more frigid temperatures, throw a jean jacket on and you’ll feel comfortable and stylish. On the left is the Lauren Bodysuit, priced at $98. This slinky-material auburn bodysuit is a more expensive, yet unique alternative to the basic black one.

For either bodysuit, pair with these Pinch Waist light washed jeans currently on the market for $178. Although on the pricier side, these trending light-washed jeans will not let you down. Whether you choose to wear them with this black bodysuit, or even a white or black tee-shirt, they match most everything and are one of the biggest trends this fall.

To finish off your first day of school fit, make sure you add a comfy pair of stylish sneakers to your cart, the Esplar Veja Sneaker for $120. These old-school white and taupe Vejas will complete this, or really any, fall look you’re going for this school year.

Last, but definitely not least, a protective face mask to go with your in-person school outfit. This “fitted triple layer (non-medical) face mask” has adjustable straps and comes in two different colors depending on your style: black and nude or ivory and nude. Nothing better than a cute mask to top off an in-style fit these days, right?

ROLLING OUT OF bed at 7:38 a.m. on Friday mornings and crawling over to your desk may be some people’s ideal of a perfect school day, but for others like myself, getting up and having a set routine helps me focus and feel put-together for the school day via my window seat. These snake print biker shorts are the perfect lazy day pair of shorts. Whether you wear them to your workout class before first hour, or just to feel like you did something else other than lie in bed all day, these shorts are in-style and comfy for online school days.

Paired perfectly with the sporty biker-shorts, this “Double Take Pullover” is simple yet comfy, and for a semi-reasonable price. It’s features include a “french terry fabric” and can be worn with merely anything.

Potentially my number one go-to shoes in my wardrobe, these “Oh Yeah Slides” are perfect for keeping your feet warm and protected during online school, whether you decide to go on a coffee run in between classes or to grab lunch with friends. You can wear these classy slippers anywhere, really.

Sick of blue surgical masks? Try this 30 pack of white, “waterresistant outer layer, a melt blown center, and a water absorbent inner layer,” masks for your everyday public outings. These also come in black and sage green.

CURRENTLY ON SALE for $59, this Kerri Knit beige, or “camel” colored top speaks to the fall loving fashionista in me. With tortoise shell buttons and a small scallop pattern on the bottom, throw this top on with a pair of black jeans (or the skirt it’s made a set with) and you’re set for a fall evening.

Okay wow, my eyes can hardly stare at these “Criss cross straight” black jeans before adding them to my cart or wish list. Despite their absurd price of $218 , these jeans could get a lot of use and have a unique, stepping-out-of-yourcomfort-zone feel to them, IMO. Speaking of price, another plus side of shopping at Revolve is they offer an alternative way to pay for your items, Afterpay. With Afterpay, you are charged x number of installments or payments, instead of paying for the item all at once. Definitely helpful for those of you rounding up your monthly nanny or barista checks.

Stars are still in style, and even more-so now in face masks. This gold star printed face mask with adjustable straps can be worn just anywhere. And to top this perfect night-out outfit off, a pair of classic black booties, the Steve Madden Howler Boots.

L AU RE N BODYSUI T | $98

BIKER SHORT | $6 8

KERRI KNIT TOP | $59

E SP L A R V EJA SN E A K E R | $ 1 20

O H Y E AH SL I DES | $ 10 0

STA R M ASK | $1 8

SM A L L RAV E L LO H O O PS | $ 50

DOUB LE TAKE P ULLOVER | $ 88

HOW L E R BOOT | $ 1 00

P ROVO CAT E U R FACE M ASK | $ 4 5

30 DAY PACK FACE MASKS | $36

CR ISS CROSS J E A NS | $ 21 8

OU T F I T O NE