The Harbinger Issue 3 2024-2025

Junior Brock Rider balances being a lineman with being a musician and uses the work ethic he’s learned through each skill to better himself

TREBLE FIELD TREBLE FIELD ON THE

SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

this issue in galleries

Galleries of recent events from this

HOMECOMING PEP ASSEMBLY

GALLERY BY:

francesca lorusso

amelie wong

caroline hoffman

JV FOOTBALL GAME HOMECOMING GAME

GALLERY BY:

paige bean simon shawver

katie cook

clara peters zach russell

tyler russell alex sajna

staf list

PRINT EDITORS

Avery Anderson

Addie Moore

ONLINE EDITORS

Larkin Brundige

Connor Vogel

ASST. PRINT EDITORS

Sophia Brockmeier

Libby Marsh

ASST. ONLINE EDITORS

Luciana Mendy

Lucy Stephens

HEAD COPY EDITOR

Ada Lillie Worthington

ASST. HEAD COPY EDITORS

Libby Marsh

Luciana Mendy

HEAD PHOTO EDITORS

Caroline Martucci

Molly Miller

Clara Peters

Amelie Wong

ASST. PHOTO EDITORS

Will Griffth

Paige Bean

PHOTO MENTORS

Addie Clark

Mason Sajna

Molly Scott

VIDEO EDITORS

Alex Sajna

Mason Sajna

ASST. VIDEO EDITOR

Preston Hooker

GALLERY BY:

ava towner simon shawver

SCAN ME GALLERY

DESIGN EDITOR

Kai McPhail

ASST. DESIGN EDITOR

Sydney Eck

DESIGN MENTORS

Clara Burdick

Zane Laing

PAGE DESIGNERS

Ben Bagby

Evelyn Bagley

Avni Bansal

Caroline Beal

Vanessa Blades

Ellen Bowser

Ella Hargens

Ashtyn Ingram

Miranda Liberda

Christopher Long

Francesca Lorusso

Addy Newman

Tillie Paisner

Ava Slocum

Lucy Swope

SECTION EDITORS

EDITORIAL

Julia Campbell

NEWS

Clara Burdick

OPINION

Mya Smith

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

Caroline Black

Katie Cook

Sylvie DeGalan

Emery Engle

Anastasia Flower

Evelyn Geheb

Vivien Glenski

Rubi Hakes

Caroline Hoffman

Francesca Lorusso

Lexi Madden

Tyler Russell

Zac Russell

Alex Sajna

Simon Shawver

Ava Towner

Annie Trenkle

Emma Weidman

MULTIMEDIA STAFF

Ben Bagby

Paige Bean

Mary Gagen

Alex Sajna

Emma Weidman

EQUIPMENT MANAGER

Mason Sajna

STAFF WRITERS

Avni Bansal

Caroline Beal

Vanessa Blades

Ellen Bowser

Reese Dunham

Mary Gagen

Preston Hooker

Christopher Long

Addy Newman

Grace Pei

Mya Smith

Carl Sutton

COPY EDITORS

Avery Anderson

Isabel Baldassaro

Sophia Brockmeier

Larkin Brundige

Addie Moore

Lucy Stephens

Emmerson Winfrey

Lucy Wolf

Connor Vogel

Michael Yi

ART EDITOR Kai McPhail

ASST.

STAFF

Evelyn

design by libby marsh cover design by avery anderson

political cartoon

art by avery foster

Julia

Miranda Liberda

Tillie Paisner

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITORS

Isabel Baldassaro

Lucy Stephens

ASST. SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

Sydney Eck

SOCIAL MEDIA STAFF

Paige Bean

Bella Broce

Clara Burdick

Ella Hargens

Ashtyn Ingram

Zane Laing

Luciana Mendy

Mya Smith

Connor Vogel

ADS MANAGER

Michael Yi

CIRCULATION

Sophia Brockmeier

Addie

editorial policy

The Harbinger is a student run publication. Published editorials express the views of the Harbinger staff. Signed columns published in the Harbinger express the writer’s personal opinion. The content and opinions of the Harbinger do not represent the student body, faculty, administration or Shawnee Mission School District. The Harbinger will not share any unpublished content, but quotes material may be confrmed with the sources. The Harbinger encourages letters to the editors, but reserves the right to reject them for reasons including but not limited to lack of space, multiple letters of the same topic and personal attacks contained in the letter. The Harbinger will not edit content though letters may be edited for clarity, length or mechanics. Letters should be sent to room 400 or emailed to smeharbinger@gmail.com.

cover photo by molly miller

by francesca lorusso

MISSOURI

MISSOURI RESIDENT AND

thirteen-year-old Jane Doe* is a rape victim. As she copes with the trauma of the horrid crime committed against her, she also learns that she’s carrying the child of her rapist and doesn’t have the option of abortion. That is unless, she seeks medical care from Planned Parenthood and travels to Kansas for an abortion.

But, because Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed a lawsuit against Planned Parenthood in February, she may no longer have access to that option.

This isn’t just a hypothetical situation. This is the reality for anyone seeking an abortion in Missouri.

Despite Missouri’s political views on abortion, the Planned Parenthood should still be allowed to inform minors that they can travel across the state line to get an abortion. Laws and funding need to be put towards protecting minors against rape and incest and preventing teen preganancy rather than attacking the organization that helps people in these situations.

Abortions are banned in Missouri under House Bill 126 with the exceptions to save the life of the pregnant person or prevent serious risks to physical health — that’s it. But they remain legal in Kansas for up to 20 weeks post-fertilization. In the past four years, there has been an uptick of people traveling

MISSOURI VS KANSAS ARENTHOOD

Planned Parenthood should be allowed to advise minors from Missouri that they can travel to Kansas to obtain an abortion

from Missouri to get abortions according to Planned Parenthood.

Bailey claims that Planned Parenthood has been illegally “trafficking” minors across the state line to get an abortion in Kansas with the use of fake doctors notes. Trafficking is the transportation of people with the aim of exploiting the person. His aim is to get a court order to prevent this problem — which has no real evidence — and ultimately eliminate Planned Parenthood in Missouri.

There is no evidence that Planned Parenthood has been exploiting patients, rather they provide minors with all options concerning their health care.

Not to mention, this entire lawsuit was based on false evidence from a historically unreliable source, Project Veritas, a farright activist group, according to AP news. The group released a video depicting Planned Parenthood talking to the uncle of a hypothetical thirteen-year-old patient about getting an abortion but not informing the parents. Project Veritas has admitted to releasing false information in the past and is known for their extremely edited videos. Bailey plans to take down a national organization off of false evidence and personal opinion alone.

Bailey claims this lawsuit is “the beginning of the end for Planned Parenthood in the State of Missouri,” but in reality, he’s blindly making accusations. This is a last ditch attempt to eliminate Planned Parenthood in Missouri after years of the state legislature trying and failing.

Also, abortions aren’t the only service the organization offers. They have treatment for STDs, birth control, pregnancy care and information on all topics concerning sexual health. In the 2023 annual report, Planned Parenthood served 2.05 million patients and over 410,000 pap tests and breast cancer exams. If the goal is to eliminate a source of health care for lower income families, job well done.

To end an organization and remove a healthcare source from an entire state based on false information is ridiculous. Missouri residents shouldn’t have to pay the price for the government’s personal views on abortions.

If Planned Parenthood were to be illegally transporting minors across state lines to get abortions, no physician in Kansas would perform the procedure without parental consent or a court order. And Planned Parenthood doesn’t even directly transport patients according to Planned Parenthood Great Plains CEO Emily Whales in an interview with the Associated Press — leaving Bailey’s claim filled with holes and desperation.

For Bailey to base an entire lawsuit and full fledged investigation based on a most likely fake video about a fake person shows just how desperate the Missouri government is to end planned parenthood.

And for what? The only reason for this lawsuit and previous legal actions is that Planned Parenthood provides abortions in other states where it is legal. These legal actions only aim to further Missori’s political stance on abortions, not protect young women.

In April, another attempt was made to take down Planned Parenthood when a bill was proposed to kick the organization off of Medicaid to defund them. On Aug. 26, Planned Parenthood filed legal challenges against this law.

If the state truly wanted to protect young females, the efforts and the money used to eliminate Planned Parenthood would be put into preventing cases of rape and incest and providing support to victims — the true issue here.

Of reported cases 21.4% of women reported attempted or completed rape in their lifetime according to World Population Review. If such a large percentage of the female population experiences a horrible crime that could lead to pregnancy, then why would Missouri want to defund the primary

KANSAS

organization that can help with pregnancy care?

While abortions aren’t legal in Missouri patients should at least have access to reasonably priced prenatal care available to them and should be apprized of all of their options concerning their health — including traveling to Kansas for an abortion.

If a woman wants to take her body across state line to receive the medical treatment that is best for her physically and mentally, that is her choice. Laws preventing Planned Parenthood from informing patients of these options are not only wrong but a violation of the First Amendment right to freedom of speech.

Protect victims of rape rather than restricting and defunding the organization that will provide them care. Rather than coming up with every possible lawsuit and proposed law to remove Planned Parenthood in Missouri, the Missouri government needs to focus on the problem at hand — young people being raped and impregnated.

stories by michael yi

Srenovation sensation college clinic

The Shawnee Mission College Clinic is on Oct. 9 at SM East

TUDENTS AND PARENTS will be able to speak face-to-face with representatives of over 70 colleges from Johns Hopkins to Purdue during the Shawnee Mission College Clinic on Oct. 9.

The representatives will be set up at tables in the main gym and presentations will be given in classrooms about scholarships and specific college programs.

Attendees will sign up for strivescan.com prior to the fair — a website that allows students to give their contact information to colleges for updates and newsletters. The

Tevent is free to attend, and will run from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

“I think everything looks the same, and very vanilla when you’re learning online [about colleges],” PTSA coordinator Stacey Grecian said. “But when you can actually go and have a conversation with a representative, you can feel their passion for their university.”

Grecian recommends that all juniors and seniors attend because students can learn detailed information about specific major programs, scholarships and college application tips in-person that they can’t online.

HE SHARE FUNDRAISER

and homes tour

Renovation Sensation was hosted all day on Sept. 19, raising over $60,000 in ticket sales, sponsorships and sold candles as over 600 people visited and toured four unique estates. Pickwick and Co. provided special-edition Renovation Sensation candles, which were

After attending the College Clinic last year, Senior Carter Smith learned about two of his most-desired college paths — honors business programs at University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Creighton. According to Smith, attending the clinic gives students the ability to make a personal connection with potential colleges.

“[The College Clinic] puts college into more of a realistic point-ofview,” Smith said. “It’s very helpful to see what colleges are there, and how you can actually connect with them to get started with applying. You have to start thinking about college eventually.”

The SHARE fundraiser Renovation Sensation raised over $60,000 on Sept. 19

sold for $25 at a shared profit with SHARE. During the actual event, three volunteers at each of the four houses were stationed in different rooms to discuss the different architecture, renovations and styles of the homes on display.

“We [tried] to have volunteers in each room that could talk about what’s been renovated and what the different paint colors are,” Renovation Sensation Chair Betsy Ballard said. “When people came through, if they liked a certain style or certain wallpaper, they could take that information and go do it in their house.”

multicultural student union

HE MULTICULTURAL STUDENT Union

kicked off its second year with three districtcoordinated diversity, social justice and leadership conferences in September, as the new student leadership team plans to expand the union through sub-unions such as Asian Student Union, Black Student Union and Latinos of Tomorrow.

The heightened activity of the MCSU comes at the same time as the renewal of the Belonging section of

The event is the primary fundraiser for the SHARE program, funding various volunteer project expenses such as Senior Service Day shirts, Care for Chemo packages and Pack of Pals event reimbursements. The proceeds also go towards sustaining the positions of SHARE directors.

“It covers the salaries of our two [coordinators], Cheryl Kaplan and Erin Billingsley,” SHARE Exec Esperanza Lemon said. “Without them, we’d basically be lost without the heart and soul of the program.”

The Multicultural Student Union aims to expand and develop this year

the district strategic plan — which allocates district jobs and resources to “strengthen belonging support groups for marginalized or underrepresented groups of staff and students.”

“[There are] so many events this year,” MCSU sponsor Samantha Feinberg said. “As I told the students, it’s a very ambitious calendar.”

New MCSU co-presidents sophomore Jamie Wilborn and senior Kevin Gomez Rodriguez want to see the program develop the individual ASU, BSU, JSU and Latinos of Tomorrow sub-unions. They also want to grow the union’s presence as a whole, with more

Giving the Lancer community a voice

Q: Would you be interested in going to the College Clinic?

A: No, because I’m not really interested in going to college.

Q: What do you want to do following high school?

A: I want to go to trade school to learn [how to] weld.

Q: What colleges would you hope to talk to?

A: Definitely, all the big in-state schools like KU and some colleges in Colorado.

Q: What would you like to talk to these colleges about?

A: What they have to offer and what their classes are like.

content on social media, in the halls or during assemblies.

“A big part of what we’re trying to do is put out a lot of information about our culture so people can see and get interested in the things we’re doing,” Gomez said.

According to MCSU member Braxton Jeffery, one of the main goals this year for the union is to increase coverage of cultural diversity events.

“I definitely noticed that a lot of people really want to see a difference in how we handle diversity events like Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month, and stuff like that,” Jeffery said.

Q: Have you started thinking about college plans yet?

A: I’m not really sure, I’m kind of debating on going to KU or trade school.

Q: What do you want to study if you were to go to college.

A: I’m kind of interested in being a director.

Q: What would be something you would talk to counselors about?

A: Definitely exploring sports or what they do at the school.

Q: Are you more interested in in-state or out of state schools?

A: I don’t care, whatever has good scholarships probably.

photos by lexi madden

RENTCANCELLED

The Prairie Village City Council has agreed upon a ban on short-term rental houses with a time frame yet to be announced

THE PRAIRIE VILLAGE

The Prairie Village City Council decided in a meeting on Sept. 16 to begin drafting the paperwork for a ban on short-term rentals under 30 days with a to-be-determined implementation date.

“You can’t just drop a ban out of the sky,” Graves said. “You usually have to give people some time to wind down, maybe that’s 90 days and maybe that’s six months. I don’t want this weird uncertainty, where it’s just everybody’s rental licenses expire at various points in the year. I think it should just be that on this date we’re not doing [short-term rentals] anymore, just so everyone has clarity.”

While the goal is ultimately to satisfy residents living near the short-term rentals, hosts are worried they may experience a loss of profit.

The ban would make the minimum available booking time 30 days.

“The reason why we have we capped it at 30 days is because a lot of people rent month to month here, and if you

I WAS REALLY little but I remember seeing beer cans all over the street when I woke up in the morning.

BURT SHEETS

SOPHOMORE

go too far with the number of days, you actually knock out people who have been living here long term anyway,” Councilman Ian Graves said.

With the growing popularity of short-term rentals nationwide, Airbnbs and Vrbos have been popping up across the city. The City of Prairie Village

estimated that 30 short-term rentals can be found in Prairie Village. This has caused a storm of complaints from Prairie Village residents.

Native residents identified shortterm rentals in a 2023 poll and filed dozens of noise complaints, as the short-term rentals are frequently used for parties. At the meeting on Sept. 16, Prairie Village resident Karen Gibbons described “very real concerns with noise,

short-term ren tals

A property that is rented out for a period of less than 30 days

trash, (and) strangers coming and going every week.”

Sophomore Burt Sheets has lived next door to what his neighborhood calls “the rental house” since he was a baby.

“I was really little but I remember seeing beer cans all over the street when I woke up in the morning,” Sheets said. “It got noisy late at night. My street had a bunch of little kids on it and the families had to go and file noise complaints all the time.”

Short-term rentals also negatively affect infrastructure such as the Police Department. When police officers are called to residential locations due to noise complaints — which has been happening more often with the rise of short-term rentals — they’re taken away from more pressing issues such as theft or property damage.

“I believe that a lot of the calls are going to come Friday, Saturday nights when there are strained resources on the police department already,” O’Toole said.

“[Hypothetically] I don’t want two of our officers responding to Homestead Drive to stop a bachelor party because there’s

too much else happening in the city at that time.”

While short-term rentals are negatively affecting people and Prairie Village infrastructure, the ban will also negatively affect the hosts.

Senior Evan Platz’s mom owns two Airbnbs in Prairie Village and as a result, has been following updates on the ban closely. Platz explained that since the average time a guest booked at one of her properties was three weeks, a booking of less than the 30 day minimum, the ban made it pointless to acquire more rental properties in Prairie Village.

“A lot of the time it’s someone coming for a funeral or a reunion, and they make a trip it and they visit Kansas City, so then they extend their stay for longer,” Platz said.

City officials have informed landlords to begin winding down their short-term rentals, as there is no timeline according to the Prairie Village City Council.

According to Airbnb.com, hosts can cancel reservations when a “major disruptive event” occurs. A shortterm rental ban is included under the examples of a a major disruptive event.

Councilman Terry O’Toole said that he could only think of cons for short-term rentals.

“I use [short-term rentals] when my family goes other places, and we’re not horrible but I don’t want a family next to us at midnight playing Pictionary,” O’Toole said. “It’s just too loud.”

TOP What the front yard of a short-term rental house may look like following the party and mess of the previous guests

PROBLEM CITY

Complaints people are having with sharing the street with AirBnBs

neighbors

design by clara burdick

photo by zac russell

story by christopher long

story by ada lillie worthington

THE YOUTH AND Government

Club plans to visit senior seminar classes on Oct. 3 to give a presentation on voter registration as well as local and national election candidates.

issues for years.

“If I were 18, I’d be out, and I’d be trying to vote,” Clifford said. “But that’s also why we’ll have one senior in each [presentation] group, to balance [the ages] out a little bit.”

The YAG Club, formed to promote political awareness and participation throughout the student body, has done these presentations in the past. But this year, they’re focusing their information on the presidential election, according to club president and junior Eliza King.

“I think especially in Kansas, it might feel like there’s not much of an impact,” King said. “But we really want to spread that message that your vote does matter.”

Going from class to class, the executive board members will split into small groups with the junior and senior YAG class representatives to deliver the four-tofive-minute presentation.

Along with information about the presidential and local city elections, the speakers will cover a step-by-step process of how to register to vote and the qualifications needed.

“Getting in the habit of voting, even in the smaller elections and the primaries and things leading up to a presidential election, are just really important,” club secretary and junior Adeline Clifford said. “The earlier you can get involved, the larger [the] civic impact you can make.”

Though the YAG Club executive board consists entirely of sophomore-andjunior-aged students who can’t vote in the upcoming elections, King and the other leaders say they have credibility with the seniors because they’ve worked on election

Getting involved in politics doesn’t just start when you turn 18, as shown by the ages of the executive board. To get underclassmen involved, the club is planning several volunteer possibilities, such as students 16 and older helping with voting polls.

Although underclassmen and upperclassmen students alike may yawn at the mention of the word “politics,” the executive board is working to make the slides engaging through color, pictures, QR codes and other multimedia design choices, according to Clifford.

To further encourage and reward students for engaging in the information, the board is planning an event where students can earn prizes or possibly extra credit from history teachers by showing club leaders proof of voter registration.

Junior representative Ishaan Home thinks these slides and other ideas will stimulate healthy conversations inside and outside school from a light hallway topic to the dinner table. Working as a Teen Council Liaison on the Legacy of Greenery Committee and participating in political

EVERY YOUTH COUNTS

To encourage voter participation for students, the Youth and Government Club is going around to senior seminars to show a presentation about voter registration

canvassing, Home has experience working closely with local government officials and expressing his political beliefs.

“I think [the presentations] are a great idea because we get to introduce people to this world that’s often thought of as like, you shouldn’t talk about it in school,” Home said. “We can introduce the issues they’re campaigning on, and we can encourage students to get hype on their own, get involved and learn about what they’re voting for.”

Whether the seniors receiving the election presentation will be able to vote on Nov. 5 or not, the YAG Club hopes the presentation will excite and

inform students on the importance of using their political voice.

“I think we have a very a politically aware school in the first place, but there’s always more opportunities to learn, to grow,” King said. “And I think that it’s really important to have a club that kind of pushes for that. Not in a way it’s arguing for one voice or another, but instead, the idea that every voice can be heard.”

POLLING NUMBERS

Youth voting statistics, according to Pew Research Center

23% of national youth voted in the 2022 election

57% of national youth are extremely likely to vote in the upcoming presidential election

YAG CLASS REPRESENTATIVES

SENIORS: Evie Ordonez

Macy Garwood

Hartley Graham

JUNIORS: Ishaan Home

Claire Polanco

Brynn

Bettenhausen

SOPHOMORES:

Henry Byrd

Ben Lewis Mira McInnes

photos by vivien glenski

design by caroline beal

ABOVE Youth and Government President junior Eliza King and secretary junior Adeline Clifford.

bansal

BIRD FLU TAKES FLIGHT

In light of the recent avian influenza A case in Missouri, research continues to answer questions about the outbreak of bird flu

THE

15TH CASE of avian

influenza A H5N1 — commonly known as bird flu — was reported in Missouri on Aug. 22, sparking concern among health officials in the area. The patient received antiviral treatments and was discharged from the hospital, with no clear link to an infected animal yet, according to the Missouri Department of Health.

Bird flu can be spread from animals to humans through coming into contact with infected animals’ bodily fluids when touching your eyes, nose and mouth or breathing it in through dust particles.

In the past year, 15 people tested positive for H5N1 in the U.S. and nearly 5,000 have been monitored after being exposed to infected animals.

While fearmongering over recent outbreaks isn’t necessary, staying upto-date and well-informed about recent viruses is very helpful, according to school nurse Stephanie Ptacek.

“Its important for people to pay attention to emerging diseases and get their information from reputable sources,” Ptacek said. “It’s not unusual for teenagers to have worries about their health that aren’t actual concerns.”

Currently, over 100 million poultry have been infected with a recent strain of bird flu and over 10,000 wild birds and 213 cows herds have also been

Line diagram of how bird flu spreads to humans story by ellen bowser

impacted. While the virus runs rampant among cattle and poultry, it’s now occasionally transmitting from the animals to humans due to a mutation making the virus more susceptible to humans.

“This particular strain of bird flu, H5N1, has been known to infect humans as far back as 1997,” University of Kansas infectious disease doctor, Dana Hawkinson said.

The current outbreak of bird flu is being monitored closely by health officials to ensure that the virus won’t become more susceptible to humans. Right now, it’s relatively difficult for the virus to infect humans but a large mutation could change everything, as influenza viruses are known for their ability to mutate, according to Hawkinson.

Another concern is whether or not the virus will adapt to increase human-tohuman transmission. For instance, the recent bird flu case in Missouri raises some eyebrows, as the infected person wasn’t a livestock worker and isn’t known to have come directly into contact with an infected animal.

“Likely they have come in contact with the disease and just don’t remember,” said University of Kansas infectious disease doctor, Jessica Newman.

In the Missouri case, a household contact of the patient reportedly had similar symptoms, but wasn’t tested before recovery, according to Missouri officials.

SYMPTOMS

The simultaneous symptoms do not necessary mean human-tohuman transmission occurred, it could just mean that the

source has not yet been traced, according to both Hawkinson and Newman.

However, if the outbreak continues to worsen, there is a national stockpile of H5N1 vaccines that were created in 2007. Hawkinson noted that tests are going on to see if they’ll still protect from the current strain of H5N1, and other trials are being carried out to produce a more current vaccine.

After the recent COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare systems throughout the country saw weaknesses in their programs — but they also saw things that worked. Hawkinson believes this might leave the country betterequipped to handle new outbreaks.

For the moment, those who aren’t directly working with or caring for poultry or cattle shouldn’t be too concerned about coming into contact with the virus, and those that do can use various preventative measures — staying away from infected animal, using hand hygiene and wearing protective equipment — to avoid being infected with bird flu.

Half of reported bird flu cases in humans result in death. While this is technically true, this accounts all tested bird flu cases since

the very first one in 1997. Many different strains have been involved in this number, and often the milder cases go unnoticed, so their number doesn’t add to this statistic, according to Hawkinon.

“There is probably a higher risk of severe or poor outcomes with infection of avian influenza viruses,” Hawkinson said. “But our current antivirals do still have activity so we are able to treat patients.”

For now, Hawkinson believes there’s a low risk of the bird flu outbreak getting out of hand.

“There is always a low level concern that there may be a mutation in the virus that allows it to more readily infect humans, however we need to be vigilant and continue to monitor it,” Hawkinson said.

Newman adds that we also don’t have enough data to fully understand the current strain of H5N1 and the scope of this outbreak, but more data will be available after the winter flu season.

Ptacek recommends using reputable sources such as the CDC, the Johnson County Health Department or a health professional for any other concerns regarding bird flu.

HOW IT S P R E ADS

SHINING

A breakdown of darkroom photography, one of the most unique classes offered at East

LIGHT DarkRoom DISSECTING

“ TAYLOR MCCARTHY SENIOR

[THE CLASS] WAS really fun. I think I learned a lot of things that I’ve never heard of. I got to learn how to develop pictures and use chemicals. We had a lot of freedom to do kind of our own things with projects.

ALYSSA PEREZ

SENIOR

“

IT SURPRISED ME with all of the work that goes into creating a photograph, like making sure the camera and the lighting is all right. Not to mention all the work that also goes into actually printing the picture.

THE ENLARGER

Used to project the negative onto photographic paper.

FILM TRAYS

Used to soak photographs in both a chemical mixture and water.

THE DARKROOM

Room used to optimize development of photos by having a steady soft light and temperature.

SAFELIGHT

Converts a dark space into the interesting red-lit room, protecting and processing sensitive photos.

PRINT TONGS

Used to transport photo and flm in between water and developer, resulting in the fnal photograph.

HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN DARKROOM PHOTOGRAPHY?

*Instagram poll of 128 votes

design by kai mcphail photos by caroline hoffman

BOTTOM Photo of trees at the skate park. The patterns form a geometric design on the paper.

LEFT Photo deeming the name “The Frankenstein” by teacher Adam Finkleston because of its troubling visuals.

http://swopeguitars.com/index.html

opinion

72% of e-readers use Kindle to read

hot take

Even though autocorrect is meant be a helpful tool, it often does more harm than good story by christopher long AUTOCORRECT IS SUPPOSED

to be a fantastical, magical innovation that can miraculously correct the mistakes your clumsy fingers make while typing away on your phone. But in reality, it acts like a technological gremlin that twists your words in the worst possible way — making you seem unprofessional to your employers, mean to your family members and worst of all, awkward to your friends.

While some mistakes like changing “tray” to “yay” only hinder communication slightly, others like telling your mom to “have a gray day”

comic strip

art by avery foster

times since Sept. 2023

pet peeve is people not saying “thank you”

instead of a “great day” can throw off the course of your conversation. And when it comes to the niche titles of locations and events or complicated ethnic last names, it can be a faux pas that’s hard to recover from.

And while I know my lazy, 21stcentury self could just read through my texts before pressing send to eliminate spelling errors, that defeats the purpose of autocorrect entirely. It’s supposed to make our lives easier, not grammatically incorrect.

Ironically, it never seems to be able to correct your actual mistakes. More

often than not, I find myself using the voice-to-text feature to spell a word that, according to autocorrect, doesn’t even exist.

Rather than the catastrophic autocorrect system, suggestions should pop up on apparent misspelled words. If you actually made a mistake, you can revise it by clicking the suggestion, instead of the wrecking ball installed on our phones today.

But until Apple releases that lifechanging update, my autocorrect will remain toggled off on my phone — and my messages embarrassment-free.

3 staf ranking

Dark Room Photography is my favorite fne arts class that I’ve taken at East. The projects were always creative, and I learned how to use a flm camera, which I never thought I would do.

1 Harbinger staffer Mya Smith ranks fine arts classes at East

Creative Writing is my second favorite fne arts class I’ve taken at East. It pushed me outside of my box, and it was fun to write things for school that weren’t essays.

2

Intro to Studio Art is the last on my list. You use a bunch of different mediums for your art, and the projects we got to do were always fun, but I’m not good at drawing, so it takes last place.

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*Instagram poll of 249 votes DO YOU PREFER PHYSICAL BOOKS OR KINDLE?

*Instagram poll of 239 votes DO YOU TAKE A FINE ARTS CLASS AT EAST?

*Instagram poll of 201 votes

art by preston hooker

The NFL has posted Taylor Swift

The Kindle makes reading much easier and more portable with adjustable settings

DIGITAL DOMINANCE

AS AN AVID reader and someone who has read 50 books so far this year, I have my reading sessions down — a soft blanket, an iced latte and most importantly a Kindle.

I bought a Kindle at the beginning of the summer and with all of its bigger text size, higher brightness and subscription options that are inexpensive compared to paperbacks.

I can confidently say that it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made in my reading life. My Kindle has been the only way I’ve read since because it makes reading so much easier for people who have specific ways they like to read.

I purchased the 10th generation Kindle in 2023, which was around $135, but depending on which type it can range anywhere from $100-200. It comes with detailed customization options from text size to brightness level, making it adjustable to different readers’ preferences.

Annotation options like highlighting and notes are incredibly useful to be able to go back and look at important parts of a book. I like to keep my physical books looking as new as possible for the aesthetics of it, so not having to write and highlight on my books is ideal.

My favorite feature about the Kindle is that it can link to a Goodreads account. Goodreads is an app also run by Amazon where readers can track what books they’ve read and write reviews. Since both are made and run by Amazon you’re able to see all of the annotations and progress that was made on the Kindle from a person’s phone, which I love.

Whereas with paperback books, the progress on a book has to be entered manually which takes a lot of time in order to see it on the Goodreads app, and aren’t able to digitize highlights made when reading.

With any type of Kindle that’s purchased the option to subscribe to Kindle Unlimited is included, which allows the reader to get any books in the selection for free rather than buying them. Kindle Unlimited costs $11.99 per month and users are able to download as many as 10 books at a time — which is a steal and very convenient compared to the average $15-20 per paperback.

Although I pride myself on my colorcoordinated bookshelf in my room, it’s less practical to lug paperbacks around with me. Risking getting a book wet at the pool or getting it beaten up in my backpack isn’t worth it.

But, with Kindle being portable and electronic, it has more protection from damage. There are also so many Kindle cases available to personalize it. I’ve seen a trend of people buying clear Kindle cases and then putting some of their favorite stickers inside, which I think is unique because they are able to switch out the stickers when desired.

While the Kindle has many positive features, there are some downsides to buying one as well. The biggest cons to me are the Kindle’s battery life and dependency on an internet connection. Even though the Kindle’s battery does last a few days, if I am reading nonstop and the charge is draining, I’ve noticed that it tends to glitch.

A concern that many Kindle readers have is the increased exposure to blue light, but in 2015 Amazon added a blue light filter to lower particular light spectrums leading to negative health effects. They also included more settings where readers are able to adjust the color tones coming from the device.

Even though some concerns are valid, Amazon has created many new and improved versions of the Kindle since the one I purchased that came out in 2019. The

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CLAIREROSEN SOPHOMORE I PREFER KINDLES because it stores all my books in one place and it’s easytokeepmyspot.

MIAMOSHER SOPHOMORE I PREFER PAPERBACK books because you can annotate the book with a highlighter, and I canturnthepageandholditmyself.

Kindle still has numerous advantages over paperbacks that make it much simpler to use. It’s also a blessing for people who are night readers like me and don’t want to have to turn off their bedroom light when they’ve finished reading.

Paperbacks are outdated and aren’t able to adjust to the reader. The Kindle is an efficient and more customizable way to read, leading to a better reading experience. I’ll be leaning towards the Kindle for years to come when I want a portable book that has lots of adaptable settings and is less at risk of damage.

KINDLE bookavg.$100-$340 onkindle: $3-$4 avg.$10-$25 PAPERBACKOR KINDLEBOOKS? BOOKSPAPERBACK

“

design by addy newman photos by ava towner

story by reese dunham

design by kai mcphail & zane laing

BALANCED

story by sophia brockmeier

TWORKLOAD

photos by annie trenkle

Taking fine arts classes relieves stress and provides creative opportunities for students to find community

HE BELL SIGNALS the end of my third-hour AP United States History class. I’m hauling my seemingly 20-pound backpack — stuffed with the dense homework from my six honors classes — up the main staircase to fourth-hour AP Calculus BC.

My brain, already exhausted from learning about the American Revolution and Henry Bacon’s rebellion, is too worn out to grapple with limits and derivatives for the first five minutes, let alone an hour and a half — and it’s not even noon.

I’m already thinking about the flood of packets and reading assignments from my packed AP and IB course load.

If only I had enrolled an arts class like Introduction to Studio Art to relieve my stress and give me a break from my rigorous academic schedule.

Taking creative classes, such as art, music or theater, gives high school students a break during the school day, a creative outlet and a community.

For many students, taking a fine arts class would support their learning in academic classes as well as mental health. According to the Princeton Review, an education in art helps students reduce stress and anxiety by giving them a place to use creativity.

Relaxing through art classes can be anything from making a clay pot

EASY

A’S

Contrasting the benefits of fine arts courses through East students

or intricate sculpture to darkroom photography print. This vital selfexpression and de-stressing cannot be achieved while memorizing the preterite conjugation of “ser” in Spanish class or filling out a chart for AP European History.

Although a class such as ceramics is challenging and requires hard work, it doesn’t demand hours of studying outside the classroom. Not everyone can be the next Van Gogh, but that doesn’t mean art classes should be discounted.

There are many art classes at East, including photography, jewelry and woodshop, making it easy for students to find their niche in a certain class.

Not only do fine arts classes calm academic pressures — they allow students to express themselves artistically.

The music department, including classes such as Marching Band, Symphonic Orchestra and Jazz Band, gifts students with creativity. Learning music reinforces language skills, improves reading ability and builds memory and attention, according to NFHS.org. Instrumental ensemble even allows students to try the music department without previously knowing how to play an instrument.

Learning to play an instrument isn’t a “throw away” skill as constant,

precise usage of hands can carry over to drawing in an architecture degree and practicing medicine.

By engaging in a music class, students can carry the musical lessons of teamwork and memorization to their group science projects or French presentations.

A general requirement class, such as history, doesn’t build the same community that an elective, such as theater can. Working together during and after school for plays, musicals and revues, theater students get to know each other in a more personal way than simply sitting next to each other in class.

Fine arts classes can foster a sense of community through the students who are dedicated to participating in them.

One way to solve this issue is for East to enforce that high school students take a fine arts credit every year instead of simply a single credit requirement. Let’s relieve academic stress and cultivate creativity and community through taking fine arts classes.

So this January when I fill out my schedule request form I’ll think about how I feel sitting down in my math class, overwhelmed with homework, and make the decision to take fine arts classes.

“ HATTIE BROOKS SENIOR

I AM PRETTY stress-free because the work I do in my fve art courses can only be worked on at school, so I generally do not have homework during the week.

SOPHIE LEONARD SENIOR

“

WHILE IB DIPLOMA has taught me to become a more well-rounded student, I would say that I spend one or two hours per night on homework. I do not have a huge passion for art, so I have never wanted to take an art course to decrease my workload.

OPINION

design by evelyn bagley

PREVENTION VS.

PROJECTION

When spreading awareness about suicide prevention, it’s important to be mindful about how your message may be received by others

story by mary gagen

THE MOMENT SEPT. 1 hits and I opened my phone, I was bombarded with post after post about Suicide Prevention Month. As I tapped through various Instagram stories filled with affirmations, my smile grew.

Seeing the positive awareness posts made from @suicideprevention.official reminded me how grateful I am to be growing up in a time where mental health is a prominent topic that healthcare providers and school systems are now prioritizing.

However, as the week progressed the posts on my feed shifted from supportive messages to graphic written accounts of suicide attempts. Instead of feeling the same warmth of community from earlier in the week, I was alarmed.

This year, social media posts supposedly “spreading awareness” have become increasingly graphic, causing more harm than help for those struggling or who have struggled with suicidal ideation. Spreading awareness should be based on positivity and recovery, and can be very helpful when done well.

Unfortunately, as mental health awareness has become more common, so has traumadumping — the in-detail sharing of negative personal experiences with an expectation of receiving comfort without asking if the other person is able to be receptive. Undoubtedly, there is a time and place for sharing in-depth difficult stories, but the internet under the guise of suicide awarness isn’t the place for it.

According to child psychologist Dr. Sally Pollock, accounts of self-harm and attempts or threats on someone’s own life are particularly triggering for individuals who have experienced or are working to cope with suicidal ideation. Graphic content is triggering and provides ideas for those planning to harm themselves. Even though these posts often do encourage getting help, they get their message across through discussing content that is extremely distressing.

These accounts are upsetting, even for those who haven’t struggled with mental health. They ultimately contradict the

underlying goal of Suicide Prevention Month — to spread awareness and prevent what seems to be an exponential increase of deaths by suicide — a 37% increase from 2000-18. These posts overshadow posts that are actually helpful by drawing attention away.

When inflammatory content spreads based on post interaction — positive or negative — it gets pushed to more viewers, which can mean younger and more sensitive viewers who wouldn’t typically see these posts based on their algorithm. This only perpetuates the harmfulness of the alreadytriggering topic.

It should be noted that for those who don’t have the resources to meet with a professional, the Internet can be a fantastic tool filled with online sites, such as eTherapyPro, where individuals struggling with suicidal ideation or depressive symptoms can get help for significantly lowered prices.

According to Pollock, it’s when people are using Instagram, Reddit or Snapchat to share graphic stories that sharing becomes harmful. When stories are being shared, without the individual actually seeking help, there’s minimal benefit for the creator but ample detriment to those receiving

the information — it’s straight-up unhealthy.

Suicide Prevention Month is meant to be a time for individuals to come together and form a community through selfimprovement and mutual support. Helpful posts can include positive reminders or contain details for getting help. When people reference suicide with the intention of increased

is real-life or if the person simply craves attention. In our society and as empathetic human beings, it’s a reflex to believe the victim, or in this case the person struggling.

While venting and sharing experiences is a form of recovery, it should be done in a way that doesn’t harm others.

NUMBERS 37% seriouslyconsidered 3.8millionmadeasuicideplan 10th o v e r 3 000 attempts daily more than leading cause of death Alarming suicide stats according to nihm.gov homicides 1.6 MILLION attempted of suicides globally occur in low and middle income countries males

988 PREVENTION HOTLINE asmany2x suicidesthan 13.2million rates increasedbetween 2000-2018 4x aslikelyin 73% have committed suicide since 2000 800k

viewership, it reduces the attention given to real-life situations.

Like “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” when people share stories for views, it desensitizes people for when there’s a sincere risk of suicide. Suicide shouldn’t be used as a “hook” or for click bait.

That being said, it can be difficult to know when someone’s story

To minimize that struggle, it’s more important for people to be aware of where they can receive help rather than leave their deepest secrets to the comments of strangers. By seeking professional help or utilizing resources available free-of-cost, posting graphic content on social media is needless.

Let’s be aware of our impact and allow Suicide Prevention Month to remain a time of grieving those lost to suicide, supporting those who are struggling and celebrating those who coped through suicidal ideation to recovery.

National institution of Mental Health’s website for suicide prevention

9 days

until the Shawnee Mission college clinic

who’s who in the world language department

Meet some of the people who work in the world language department

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KRISTINA CALVANO SPANISH

LAURA BUCKMAN SPANISH

ABRA HOUSE SPANISH

deca recap

Juniors competed in their first DECA competition on Sept. 17

5th place

ELLIE MOILANEN hospitality team

GINA BAKER FRENCH

23 days until the next DECA competition at JCCC

WHEN I WAS in college, I lived in Costa Rica for a summer, and I traveled to Mexico before and I’ve traveled to Spain a couple of times. It’s been really helpful to know the language and be the one that can ask for directions.

“

I ENJOY TEACHING kids about the world cultures and seeing when they can actually succeed, [and] what their experience is. Even when I take kids to Europe what their experience is.

this week in photos

BELOW For a Biology lab invesigating hydrogen bonds, freshman Miles Broce measures the amount of

3rd place

PORTER HOWARD & CADE WILDMAN travel and tourism team decision making

4th place decision making

HOLZBEIERLEIN

buying and merchandising team decision making

BELOW Senior and Pep Executive Porter Stein opens a donut box for senior Cooper Brende on his walk into school on the morning of Lancer Day.

photo by katie cook

design by reese dunham

LOUISA

LEFT Senior Ella Henley takes a break from her drawing project in art class.

photo by zac russell

design by bella broce

photos by evelyn geheb

TAKEOVERPICKLEBALL

Sophomores Tommy Trucksess, Fritz Kostner and Cooper Miller took over the pickleball club and are already making plans for this year story by avery anderson

I’D LOVE TO take over the club next year.”

“When you graduate, I can help keep it going.”

“Keep me in mind when you give the club to new presidents.”

Then-freshman Tommy Trucksess took every opportunity he could to mention his passion for pickleball to former Pickleball Club President Autumn Sun and former-club-member and brother, Drew Trucksess. Tommy

JOIN the CLUB

Scan these QR codes to join their Instagram and

fantasized about the idea of one day running the pickleball club when the former presidents graduated.

The seniors finally handed Tommy the title of club president along with their Instagram log-in and a “good luck” at the end of last school year.

Unable to run the club by himself, however, now-sophomore Tommy recruited two of his closest friends, sophomores Fritz Kostner and Cooper Miller, to manage the group alongside him. The trio has been playing pickleball together for the past three years at each other’s houses with portable nets or at various country clubs — giving them a base to run the club.

“The points [when the three of us play] are all competitive,” Trucksess said. “If the ball is somewhere far, you’re not going to leave it, you’re going to run after it. ”

But the club has given them more to think about than besides getting in fights over whether balls were in the line — sometimes lasting longer than their games. They now focus on planning matches open to anyone who wants to

of 25 players mostly consisting of their friends, according to Trucksess. At the meeting, the group split themselves into groups of two and played matches against each other. But according to Trucksess, getting the group’s attention and preforming tasks like forming teams can often be tricky, due to the distractible nature of club members, but he has fun doing it anyway.

“We did [an introduction] to the club,” Miller said. “It was overall a good time. Everyone was in a good mood, having fun playing pickleball.”

However, their plans for the club don’t just stop at these meetings. The group is constantly meeting up and texting about scheduling tournaments around holidays and East events such as the Sweetheart dance and rivalry games that will feature themes and buy-ins. This way, players would have to pay a set amount of money to play, in order to fund a prize for the winners like a gift card — to incentivise more people to come to their events.

They’re currently taking inspiration from the previous presidents’ Rockhurst tournament, where club members were able to play against the Rockhurst pickleball club in anticipation of the annual Rockhurst basketball game.

“We’re planning on trying to get as many people and as many meetings as possible,” Trucksess said.

Alongside tournaments, the group is planning on reviving the club merchandise from previous years and offering new sweatshirts for anyone interested in representing the club around school.

activity. But his hope is that through announcing future meeting dates and tournament plans via Instagram, they’ll be able to reach a diverse group.

“It’s just fun to get outside,” Kostner said. “Pickleball is fun because you don’t really know everybody there and it’s a good way to just get to know people.”

Tommy believes that pickleball is a sport you can play your whole life, from childhood to retirement, and is an important way to form connections with your community. Being active is just an added bonus.

For now, the three presidents are in a trial-and-error stage where they’re figuring out what methods of running a club work for them and what they want to change going forward.

While the club is fun, its tough the three boys about the challenges of leadership. When their friends don’t listen to them or use their GroupMe for unrelated messages, the boys have to channel their inner-club-president and bring the group back to pickleball. Despite this, they still work to better the club and create a welcoming activity for everyone.

But with three years left in their high school career, the boys have plenty of time to perfect their craft and put their own spin on the club. All three plan to see the club out through their senior year and ultimately, will pass it on to freshmen looking to keep this East tradition alive.

“I just like seeing everybody having fun with something that I care about,” Trucksess said. “I want other people to care about [this] too.”

design by sophia brockmeier

THE

story by isabel baldassaro

AT AGE 11, freshman Luke Roberts picked up a skateboard. At age 12, he joined the local skater group — Lemon Head.

His friends, Academy Lafayette student and junior Julian Hellour and Lincoln High School student and junior Crispin Williams started the group. Together, they collaborate

The Johnson County-wide skater group has taken over the East freshmen class with their merch and popular social media content

eye-catching clothing — so much so that he wears the merch almost every day.

“I bought [a lot] of shirts because the material is really nice and comfortable,” Skye said. “[I’ve also] got a couple nice hoodies and a beanie.”

But it’s not just him who rocks the group’s clothing line. Skye says his parents and friends also wear the merch frequently. Skye’s friend, sophomore Sheehan Hensley,

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where they share videos and pictures of them skating. They get frequent views from students around East, especially freshmen, which inspires them to film as much as they can.

“The videos that we make take a while to post,” Luke said. “The last video we posted pretty recently took a year and a couple months to finish.”

According to Luke, Hellour films and edits their videos on his vx2100 camera using a fisheye lens, and following the skaters as they go off of different obstacles.

ALL MY FRIENDS

and I, we’re really close. It’s a really good community and it’s a lot of fun to go out and skate with them all the time.

LUKE

ROBERTS FRESHMAN

just bought a shirt last month with their iconic Lemon Heads logo on it — a man with a lemon as his face with one big eye.

“I like the designs but also it’s one of my friends brothers and he’s a cool fella,” Hensley said. “I hangout with him and buy

Hensley says he first heard about the group through Skye’s shamelessly endless

Outside of their website, the group has a prominent social media presence. They have accounts on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube

They skate all over throughout the week but pick certain destinations specifically for when they film their videos. They prefer to film on streets, so places such as downtown, West Bottoms and Midtown are some of their favorite locations.

“We’re pretty well known in KC,” Luke said. “And there’s also really good skaters in KC so when we see Shaun Mckay [who’s] a really good skateboarder in KC, he’s checked us out so when we see that it’s really cool.”

Often skating from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., Luke says they spend their weekends around KC. Their most common activity is filming tricks off sidewalks and railings together. When they’re not skating, they enjoy hanging out together when they want breaks to drink water, talk, hang out, or even review footage.

“All my friends [and I], we’re really close,” Luke said. “It’s a really good community and it’s a lot of fun to go out and skate with them all the time.

ROLLIN’ AROUND

about The Lemonheads’s skater YouTube channel

photos by paige bean & katie cook

drizzy_clips

Senior Tyler Strongman pursues his passion of sports video editing though his social media

WHEN DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN VIDEO EDITING?

“

I’VE ALWAYS LOVED sports, and then two years ago I started seeing [sports edits] on TikTok and wanted to try it. Then, I started to do it a lot and really liked it. I started by teaching myself, then I took video [production] which helped me improve more.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT CREATING EDITS?

“

I LOVE DOING it because I like the idea of getting views on videos. Then I like being able to edit my favorite teams, the Royals, Kansas Jayhawks and the Chiefs.

HOW DID YOU START CREATING COMMITMENT POSTS?

I STARTED CREATING commitment posts for a bunch of my buddies and I did that for a while. Then I started reaching out to people on Twitter who recently committed. “ 53.1K 6,433 81 451

WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS FOR MAKING A VIDEO EDIT?

I’LL FIRST SEE a play on TV, then I go fnd the player and patch different clips together of them from YouTube or Instagram. I start building it on either CapCut on my phone or Premiere Pro on my computer, and I fnd a song that I like to put behind it. It usually takes me on average an hour to make a video.

Statistics from Strongman’s most popular TikTok

design by sydney eck

photo by francesca lorusso

SCAN ME TIKTOK

ENGINEERING

Senior Jack Zickefoose interns at engineering firm Burns & McDonnell and hopes to go into an engineering field in college and beyond

story by carl sutton

WHILE MOST EAST

students walk the crowded hallways to their 5th or 6th hour class, senior Jack Zickefoose walks out into the East parking lot, gets in his car and drives 10 minutes south to his internship at engineering firm Burns & McDonnell.

Zickefoose has been working as an intern at Burns & McDonnell since June, handling smaller assignments given to him by managers and other engineers. A typical day can include anything from working with coding softwares to managing fiber optic cables, which are used for long-distance networking between the KC branch of Burns & McDonnell and their Denver branch.

“Basically, I just sort of manage some of the easier jobs in ‘The Lab’ that don’t [require] a degree,” Zickefoose said.

The Lab is a room where engineers at Burns & McDonnell use various ethernet machines and software, most of which are donated to test new technology that engineers are working on.

Zickefoose’s internship at Burns & McDonnell is incredibly exclusive — only him and one other Shawnee Mission student were accepted. Students must go through interviews with Burns & McDonnell in order to even be considered for the internship, according to East engineering teacher Vincent Miller.

“Burns & McDonnell opens up their internships to the Shawnee Mission School District,” Miller said. “So they all have to interview for it, and [Jack] was lucky enough to get in.”

Since Zickefoose plans to go into engineering after college, getting the

internship massively boosts his chances.

Before he got the internship, Zickefoose was one of roughly 75 students who took Aerospace Engineering at the Center for Academic Achievement.

“Jack is very quiet in the classroom,” Aerospace Engineering instructor Jessica Tickle said. “But he’s really good at taking in information and then applying it to what he’s working on.”

One of the things that students build in Aerospace Engineering is a functioning rocket.

According to Zickefoose, the process started with the students designing the software for the rockets before printing out blueprints, assembling the necessary materials and then putting them all together to make it fly. This project pushed him to pursue engineering beyond regular classes.

“Jack’s really curious,” Cusimano said. “He’s always trying to figure out more about what he’s working on whether that’s what he’s working on in The Lab.”

Before he was in Aerospace Engineering, Zickefoose took the engineering classes at East, which cover a far broader and more basic range of engineering fields, as compared to CAA classes which focus on one specific thing like biotechnology or animation.

Zickefoose’s work doesn’t stop when he gets home either. He spends his free time tinkering with anything from Xbox controllers to an old iPad, mostly by meticulously picking them apart and then creating new things from them.

“I’d say it’s actually more taking stuff apart than building stuff,” Zickefoose said. “Sometimes I’ll fashion

ENGINEERING INTERNSHIPS

AROUND KC

Student IT Intern

Software Engineer Intern

HIS FUTURE

something random into something to mess around with, like that’s how I made a laser pointer out of Xbox controller parts once.”

But Zickefoose doesn’t just work on only physical things, he learned how to code over the summer as it was required for the internship. Now, he can use and understand the various ethernet machines in The Lab.

He learned how to use programs like ChatGPT and PuTTY to understand the code behind the machines.

“I had to learn how to use the code in the machines and then convert into other format,” Zickefoose said. “Basically just to show what that machine does.”

After high school he plans to major in engineering at the University of Kansas where he will focus on mechanical engineering.

“I’m not just following other people’s

footsteps.” Zickefoose said.“I get to go out and do my own stuff and put my own footprint on the Earth.”

photos by alex sanja

design by clara peters

UP TO BUILDING

LANCER DAY

Groups of students gathered on Thursday, Sept. 12 to build and decorate floats to match this year’s Lancer Day theme: “Lancers on the Job”

BELOW Juniors Georgia Boyd and Grant Kimmel paint a blue “E”

ABOVE Seniors Josh Woofter, Georgia Wikoff, Mae Bledsoe and Gus Huntley prepare decorations for their farmerthemed float. “I liked decorating for the farmer theme because we were able to be pretty creative,” Woofter said. “We had hay bales and other stuff that made the float an original idea.”

Scan here to view and purchase photos from this

on the side of the swim and dive float.

BELOW Junior Georgia Boyd cuts out a dalmatian dog head to decorate the firefighter-themed swim and dive float.

BOTTOM MIDDLE Senior Mae Bledsoe holds the garland of balloons before hanging it on the float’s backdrop.

photo by addie clark

photo by amelie wong

photo by addie clark

photo by amelie wong

SCAN ME PHOTO

photostory

& e picture perfect

Perfect spot for a photo shoot between flights at the MCI Airport

spotlight in the sky

The rerelease of Tim Burton’s “Batman” exposes younger audiences to an older iteration of the caped crusader, making for a more enjoyable theater experience

BILLIE

Eilish will perform at the T-Mobile Center on Nov. 16, 2024

story by preston hooker

TIM BURTON’S 1989 “Batman” was rereleased in theaters on Sept. 20, exposing an older version of Batman and Gotham to a younger audience.

I found it quite special that the first three people to enter the small theater were all senior-citizens — and the next was a small child of no more than five, wearing a bright yellow Batman shirt.

The kid sat right behind me, and getting to hear his reactions from his first-ever viewing of the movie was priceless. The seniors sat in front of me, and I found myself suspended in this strange visual representation of time and growth all coming together for one thing — Batman.

incredible soundtrack never fails to give me chills, and Tim Burton’s stylistic sets of Gotham City always sticks in my mind.

The dark and moody atmosphere brought to life with neon signs and an eerie sound design of a bustling city that never sleeps curates a feeling of characterization for the setting itself. I felt like I was in Gotham, differing from every other superhero films out at the time of its original release.

dark streets, a take that isn’t too far off from Burton’s Batman, though was created 33 years after.

The difference is that Burton’s Batman was advertised as a family movie, while The Penguin was very clearly intended for adult audiences.

SEASON 3 of “Heartstopper” premieres Oct. 3, 2024 SEASON

The movie holds up incredibly well, with Jack Nicholson and Michael Keaton’s performances still being far above adequate even to todays’ standards. Danny Elfman’s

The atmosphere of the setting influenced the atmosphere of the theater, the moments with the most drama and suspense captivating everyone into silence during wideshots of the city skyline.

Just a day before “Batman”’s rerelease on the silver-screen, a spinoff show — “The Penguin” — of Matt Reeves’s “The Batman” (2022) aired on MAX, taking a gruesome R-rated mafia esc take on Gotham’s

ARE YOU GOING TO SEE THE NEW JOKER MOVIE?

*Instagram poll of 207 votes

28% 72%

ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEW LEON BRIDGES ALBUM?

*Instagram poll of 160 votes

Look

Yet it’s the same character, the same universe and those same adults can enjoy both aspects of them with their own kids or parents who could’ve all grown up loving that same Gotham City.

All of this was rushing through my mind while sitting in a nice and cool theater, remembering how liberating it can be to go to the movies, as I listened to a five-yearold excitedly ask: “Is that Batman?” every five minutes.

Gaga, Joaquin Phoenix Release Date: Oct. 4, 2024

design by bella broce

Artist: Leon

Bridges

photos by evelyn geheb

Holy Brunch is a fun, unique “spin on traditional” brunch resturant, but should only be visited occasionally because of its over-sweet and sugary dishes

story by addie moore

THE PERFECT BELGIAN

waffle is light and airy with butter and maple syrup on it — that’s it.

The former local food truck Holy Brunch opened a permanent restaurant at 204 Westport Road in Kansas City, Missouri in August — encapsulating all of my seven yearold sugar-addict

Holy Brunch announced they were opening a “VIP” seating section in the space next door via Instagram, details coming soon.

WRITER RANKING

Addie’s rankings on some of the most

The only sort of decoration in the restaurant is a hot pink accent wall with a Louis Vuitton pattern painted in black throughout. I’m not sure if it’s because they just opened, but I expected more, especially because of their vibrant logo and visually appealing and unique dishes.

was your choice of a bagel, croissant or glazed donut with scrambled eggs, cheese and your choice of meat with options like bacon, sausage, fried chicken and Philly cheesesteak — I went with the croissant and sausage patty.

The sandwich was mid — that’s the only word to describe it. The egg was slippery, the sausage was a little chewy and it all fell apart when I picked it up.

Previously a deli, the interior is small with a three-person table and a hightop table for seating options. There was also a table off to the side to order and a short empty buffet table towards the back. And just last week

Five minutes after ordering my food came out and shockingly enough, the presentation of the items didn’t reflect the quick turnaround time. You’d expect dishes that come out that fast to look sloppy and thrown together, but that wasn’t the case. Each plate, although packed in styrofoam boxes, is presented exactly how it looked on the menu.

First, the Cinnamon Toast Crunch waffle was a unique twist on the classic Belgian waffle. It had four squares of a Belgian waffle topped with Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, white chocolate syrup and powdered sugar. The overflow of the sugary ingredients was good for the first few bites, but an entire fluffy and bready waffle along with the excessive sugar made my stomach queasy.

The overwhelming amount of sugar piled onto one waffle would have had my third-grade-self squealing — but my now seventeen year-old self cringes at the sweetness of every bite. I can’t tell if it’s a musteat or a must-avoid.

The waffle is a good item to share among two or three people, but if someone downs the whole thing by themselves without bouncing off the walls, I’d be the first to raise an eyebrow.

Next, I tried their best seller, the breakfast sandwich. The sandwich

The only good part about the sandwich were the hashbrowns on the side. While I only took about three bites of the sandwich, the thin, crispy hashbrown was devoured within seconds of opening the box. If I ever find myself starving in Westport again, I would just order a pile of the hashbrowns and skip the breakfast sandwich altogether.

What redeemed the restaurant entirely was the Strawberry Shortcake Donut. Forget about strawberries dipped in chocolate, strawberries dipped in whipped cream are the way to go. When I saw the restaurant would fulfill my obsession with strawberries and whipped cream, I knew this was the winner.

Rightfully labeled as a dessert on the menu, the dish had a glazed donut topped with whipped cream, strawberries and chocolate syrup.

The strawberries and whipped cream were gone before I even touched the donut, this is by far the best dish I tried. The donut wasn’t too bready, and there were just enough strawberries to satisfy my obsession.

While I would go to Holy Brunch again — even if it’s just for the Strawberry Shortcake Donut — I suggest waiting a couple of months for your blood sugar to return to normal before coming back.

photos by caroline hoffman

Scan for Holy Brunch menu and website

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Waffles

Strawberry Short Cake Donut

Breakfast Sandwich

popular foods at Holy Brunch

30, 2024 design by ben bagby art by avery foster

The Not-So

SECRET LIVES OF MORMON WIVES

“The Secret Lives of Morman Wives” is a predictable, unclear show that leaves viewers with questions

SEX SCANDALS, TEEN

pregnancy and toxic friend groups.

“The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” has all the classic cliches that make up most reality TV shows — but all mixed together, they made me excited for the eight-hour binge fest.

Taking place in a Mormon community, the show focuses on the group of women behind #MomTok — a TikTok influencer

you start thinking this dramatic, life-altering event is the main focus of the show, it’s not.

Unfortunately, the members of #MomTok — Taylor, Demi Engemann, Jennifer Affleck, Jessi Ngatikaura, Layla Wessel, Mikayla Mathews, Mayci Neeley and Whitney Leavitt — focus more on parties and baby showers than the impact the scandal had on these women’s lives, especially with the potential comments they received online and the reaction of the church.

What makes this show different isn’t the lack of screaming fights or sharing their problems in a talking head.

It’s the honesty about their relationships. The group was brought together for business — they make their living sharing a screen together, whether on TikTok or “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” While I’m not usually a fan of reality TV, the show’s approach

These aren’t the Kardashians. They’re passiveaggressive, gossiping and backstabbing each other just to protect their image

or get extra screen time.

OK, maybe they are a little bit like the Kardashians.

Though I enjoy the occasional popcorn entertainment in other genres, the odd choice to give the show an episodic format leaves me wanting more content than the quickly resolved conflicts each week, much like an episode of “The Real Housewives.”

I’M NOT GOING to pretend this is some in-depth documentary, but I did expect them to maintain the message these women are trying to send.

The moms in question explain their decision to continue making content in order to help them exercise their individuality outside of their religion and family.

But this can be undercut at times since they all look like they were copy and pasted from a plastic surgeon’s waiting room.

Repeatedly, the women declare their commitment to the church and all its rules — many of which I was unfamiliar with — including no tattoos, alcohol or caffeine.

The difference in commitment to these rules creates two factions within #MomTok with some fundamental differences in the rules they choose to follow. Dubbed by producers as the Sinners and the Saints, these two groups slowly start to separate throughout the course of the show.

But when the camera crew catches everyone breaking the rules at least once, I can’t help but laugh at the irony of these women who claim to be faithful to the church.

Whether going to the soda-making shop Swig — a very popular establishment in the Mormon community — or having a girls’ weekend upstate, these obviously rehearsed events are perfect for a 45-minute show. But the commitment to avoid cliffhangers ends up glossing over major plot points like an arrest for domestic abuse that gets maybe 10 minutes of screen time and a teenage pregnancy that’s mentioned once throughout the entire eight-episode run.

I’m not going to pretend this is some indepth documentary, but I did expect them to maintain the message these women are trying to send.

The whole point of the show was supposed to be them reconnecting after one (and then several more) scandals. Unfortunately, by the finale, these women are either fed up with each other or so angry they implode in front of their friends and family.

Going into “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” I was hoping to learn more about what I’d seen on social media, but this show just becomes another dreadfully predictable reality cash-grab that leaves viewers with more questions than answers about these women.

CONNOR’S FAVORITES

story by connor vogel

TOP Whitney Leavitt — one of the cast members in “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” TV show.

design by libby marsh photos by tyler russell

Tto for

story by luciana mendy

HE COSTAL OASIS

of Nantucket, Massachusetts is a charming island full of cobblestone streets, quaint lighthouses, and classic shingle-style homes. Oh, and murder.

The Netflix series “The Perfect Couple” is a gripping blend of romance, mystery and suspense. Based on Elin Hilderbrand’s bestselling novel, it revolves around an upcoming high-society wedding in Nantucket that takes a deadly turn when the maid of honor, Marrit Monaco, played by Meghann Fahy, is murdered.

The beginning was quite boring with the bride, Amelia Sacks, played by Eve Hewson, her groom, Benji Winbury, played by Billy Howle and his extremely wealthy family, being painted as the typical loving family, just absolutely rolling in cash.

The beginning was quite boring with the bride, Amelia Sacks, her groom, Benji Winbury, and his extremely wealthy family, painted as being just a loving family who are rolling in cash.

THE PLOT ALSO differs from the immediate reveal of possible suspects found in most murder mysteries. Instead of narrowing down suspects, new suspects emerge in each episode — all of whom have motives to kill.

But I was hooked by the end of the first episode when Monaco is discovered dead on the beach. Soon, the investigation progresses and the flawless characters are peeled away. Raw traits of motive, jealousy, addiction, infidelity and greed are revealed, forcing me to stay up an extra hour to watch the next episode.

The series does share similarities with the typical murder mystery plot like a murder in an isolated town, with two detectives solving the case and a bloody knife found at the scene, but its flashbacks, pacing and humor set it apart.

The new Netflix murder mystery series, “The Perfect Couple”, is a suspenseful, yet comedic must-watch

One of which is the unique transitions in the show from before the murder to after the body was discovered. It allows you to follow along with detectives Dan Carter and Nikki Henry as they try to solve the case, while also flashing back to the events that led up to the murder.

The plot also differs from the immediate reveal of possible suspects found in most murder mysteries. Instead of narrowing down suspects, new suspects emerge in each episode — all of whom have motives to kill.

Another one of the show’s standout aspects is how skillfully it balances suspense with comedy. The tension built around the murder investigation could easily lend itself to sheer darkness; however, it cleverly injects humor into the dialogue, with satirical comments about the ultrawealthy executed with impeccable comedic timing. The blend of

humor and drama strikes a balance, ensuring that while the stakes are high, there are still moments that allow audiences to breathe. It’s hard to keep a straight face with detective Henry’s dramatic side-eyes, Tag Winbury’s blunt, no-filter comments and the gossiping maid, Gosia, constantly spilling the tea during the investigation.

You would think the investigation of a murder strung out for six 50-minute episodes would be a bore, but the pacing of the series is excellent.

The writers did a great job of laying

achieve these additional motives and secret reveals a lot of more in-depth explanations and follow-ups on the characters’ secrets were sacrificed. Once it was shown that the secret didn’t lead a character to cause the murder, it was never really touched on again. It left me with a lot of questions that were never answered.

AFTER BINGING THE

six episodes in one sitting, I didn’t even know who the murderer was until the last 21 minutes of the show, when it was fnally revealed.

Despite the occasional lack of explanation, the writers created an incredibly intricate plot. In typical murder mysteries there’s always one detail mentioned in the beginning that ends up solving the mystery at the end, however, looking back now, “The Perfect Couple” had multiple. The writers included hidden gems within the first two episodes that were monumental by the end.

The acting was certainly nothing Oscarworthy, but it got the job done. The cast was able to authentically represent tension between family dynamics and personal ambitions, while also always creating the underlying feeling of uneasiness for the

There were, however, a few standout performances from Nicole Kidman, embodying the icy perfectionist that Greer Winbury is, and Hewson portraying Sacks’ grief for her best friend that were executed in a way that got me personally invested.

So for those who love a good whodunit, make sure to set aside a good six hours for this show because you won’t be able to stop watching the twists and turns of love, betrayal and jaw-dropping surprises that come with “The Perfect Couple.”

sports

WHICH FOOTBALL GAME WAS MORE FUN?

boom or bust?

Recent trades students have made in their fantasy football leagues

CChris rushed for 78 yards and two touchdowns in the SM South game

OMING OFF AN 0-3 loss against Mill Valley, Varsity Volleyball won 3-1 against the Lawrence Lions in a Sunflower League Dual on Sept. 24 to put the record at 5-9.

“[The game] was a great confidence booster to bounce back and get a win under our belts for the girls,” head coach Jordyn Johnson said.

After winning the first set and losing the second, the Lancers were able to win the last two sets to cinch the game. According to Johnson, the win can be attributed to the strength

Varsity volleyball won 3-1 against Lawrence on Sept. 24

of the middle back of the team, juniors Molly McDonald and Macy Sims.

“We had a few good long runs, with the server serving for a decent amount of points, and I think that really helped us,” Sims said.

As the team looks to consolidate momentum, Johnson wants to focus on speeding up the offense and working on the team’s serve receives.

“I think what sets good teams and great teams apart is their serve receive,” Johnson said. “That’s a really important thing we have to have, and we focus on it quite a bit in practice.”

frst place for JV girls golf at Painted Hills with a round of 72

“ EMMETT

FREEMAN

SOPHOMORE

I’M DISAPPOINTED that made the trade because I thought it was going to be a good trade since Pacheco is really good, but he got hurt. I didn’t think he was going to get injured.

JJ PABEN SENIOR

“

I WAS ABLE to give up a good receiver for a pretty good running back, and that has helped me out because Kyren Williams is doing really well right now, even though Justin Jefferson is obviously the best receiver in the league.

*athlete images courtesy of nf.com

SCAN ME PHOTO

Scan here for more photos like these from our online photo galleries

RIGHT Junior Jack Reeves is pushed out of bounds by a Topeka Seaman defender after a gain of five yards.

photo by katie cook

MIDDLE Senior Cooper Brende watches the ball as a Rockhurst player covers him.

photo by amelie wong

LEFT Senior Pierson Hardy congratulates senior Nate Phillips after scoring the first touchdown of the game.

photo by paige bean

design by michael yi

Gave Lions RB David Montgomery

Received Chiefs RB Isaiah Pacheco

Gave Vikings WR Justin Jefferson

Received Rams RB Kyren Williams

WASHING IT

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F RWARD

The SME cheer team held a car wash in the parking lot to raise money for the program

CENTER Juniors

Mirabelle Heinen and Isabella Penke rinse and scrub a customers car at the beginning of the wash lineup.

BOTTOM RIGHT

Senior Annabelle Covell jumps on the hood of her friends car to dry the front windshield with a squeegee.

BOTTOM Cars lineup in the roundabout while cheerleaders guide customers through the stations of the car wash.

design by molly miller

RIGHT Junior Claire Polanco holds up a promo poster on the side of Mission Road to bring customers into the parking lot.

photo by molly miller

photo by molly miller

photo by molly miller

photo by molly miller

PURCHASING A HARBINGER AD

WHAT?

High quality, full color advertisements are available for purchase in the Shawnee Mission East newspaper, The Harbinger. Print and online advertisements are all offered in a variety of sizes and designs, each uniquely tailored to your individual business needs.

WHY?

HOW?

Advertising with us is super easy! All you need to do to request an ad is fll out the advertising contract and let us know whether you will be providing an ad or needing us to design one.

Looking to boost your business growth? Our print publication, which garners approximately 2,000 readers per issue, is distributed around Shawnee Mission East High School to students and faculty and surrounding establishments such as The Shops of Prairie Village, Corinth Square, Starbucks and more. Prefer an online advertisement? Our online publication receives over 1,000 daily views.

Questions?

Please contact Ads Manager Michael Yi at 913.276.8080 or 3097199@smsd.org.

design by julia campbell photos by simon shawver

BEHIND THE MASK

Freshmen Alex Hastings and Dryhten Scrogum got into fencing as a sport for different reasons but both now practice fencing regularly

stories by grace pei

ALEX

DRYHTEN HASTINGS SCROGUM

INDIGO MONTOYA CLASHES

swords with Westley as they battle on a cliff, deflecting each others’ blades. He front flips over Westley and lands to face him, sword outstretched.

Freshman Alex Hastings duels his own opponent at Heartland Fencing Academy, surrounded by the Ivy League pennant flags and USA Olympics banner. Bouncing back and forth on his heels, like Montoya, he lunges forward with his foil to score a point — minus the front flip.

a seven time national champion of Bulgaria and a national coach in Bulgaria before she was invited to coach in the US.

PAWN TO E4. Freshman Dryhten Scrogum’s opponent raises his saber. Scrogum moves his pawn to d5, baiting his opponent. The opponent takes a lunge with his saber. Scrogum’s queen moves up, counter attacking and using his blade to score a point in his fencing match. Checkmate.

Scrogum describes the Scandinavian defense, a move in chess that helped him develop a mindset for counterattacks in fencing.

“There’s hundreds of millions of moves that you can make [in chess and fencing] for strategic purposes,” Scrogum said. “Oftentimes you will accidentally make moves that are good, and oftentimes you’ll make moves that are pretty bad. But every single move you make [in both chess and fencing] has an equal and opposite reaction.”

classes at least once a week for around two hours.

Scrogum’s dad did foil fencing, while Scrogum chose to do saber fencing, which is considered as one of the harder types of fencing to learn.

Watching the Princess Bride for the first time when he was 10, Hastings was fascinated by the complex sword fighting moves. After becoming more experienced in fencing, he realized how unrealistic the sword fighting in movies was, despite how fun they were to watch. However, Hastings and his friends still like to mimic movie characters dueling.

“Sometimes me and my friends pretend to swing our [foils] like lightsabers or swords,” Hastings said.

Hastings started fencing after doing a Johnson County Parks and Recreation introductory fencing camp during the summer he went into 6th grade.

“So I was looking for things to do in the summer and my mom showed me this camp and I wanted to do it,” Hastings said. “I really liked it, so then I started doing classes that month, and it was great.”

As a beginner, he started attending practices once a week. In three years he moved up to where he is now, competing at tournaments and attending practices three times a week

According to Ivaova, Hastings has improved quickly in a short amount of time.

“[Hastings] is relatively new in the sport of fencing,” Ivaova said.

“He managed to go to the national championship this year, which is a big thing.”

This year, Alex placed 200th in his division at nationals. Next year, Alex hopes to place in the top 100 at nationals which will help him get a scholarship to college where he hopes to pursue fencing.

Being on the East C black soccer team, so Hastings’ soccer practices often conflict with fencing. For the last month, Hastings was unable to attend his fencing practices during the week due to soccer.

“I’m sure he’s a good soccer player, but very soon [he] needs to make a decision,” Ivaova said. “If [he] wants to excel [and be a] national medallist, we have the opportunity here. We have the club, we have the coaches, we have the program. If he likes it, [he] can be very good.”

Freshman Dryhten Scrogum started fencing three years ago because his dad — a fencer in college — had encouraged him to do fencing for a long time. Around the same time, Scrogum quit gymnastics because he had to choose between doing it competitively or quitting.

After living in isolation due to COVID, Scrogum decided to try fencing for the first time.

“I was very energetic, so I didn’t really have an outlet for spending a lot of that energy,” Scrogum said.

After about a month, Scrogum switched clubs to Five Rings Fencing where his coach has been fencing for 70 years. He attends intermediate

FIND YOUR

HEARTLAND FENCING ACADEMY

Classes open to all ages and skill levels

Trained coaches with olympic experience and championships

“If I’m being honest, I just thought the sword looked cooler,” Scrogum said.

Scrogum’s most memorable bout had been with his instructor who beat him to five points, but not without a fight.

“I remember him telling me that I did really well and that he had to pull out very archaic methods in order to defeat [me],” Scrogum said.

Dressed with his stacked four black and brown hats and tan vest over a red button up shirt, Scrogum describes his style of clothing as contemporary Renaissance.

“It’s kind of medieval,” Scrogum said. “I like medieval things so I do fencing.”

BLADE

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KANSAS CITY FENCING CENTER

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B UND

FOR

greatness

Junior Paige Stanfield committed to play Division 1 softball at the University of Alabama only seven days after NCAA D1 coaches could start talking to her

story by lucy stephens

JUNIOR PAIGE STANFIELD

brushed brushed back the sides of her brown hair in front of her mirror, twisting a rubber band around it to form a tight ponytail. Meticulously, she wound elastics along the length of her ponytail, “bubbling’ the sections as they were tied off. To finish off her lucky softball hairstyle she added a crimson bow.

The bow was more than Stanfield’s “lucky color” or the only ribbon she could find at Target. It represents her lifelong dream of committing to a Division 1 school.

“It’s kind of weird, but I always do bubbles in my hair and then I put a ribbon in my hair,” Stanfield said. “It was always a white ribbon, but now it’s going to be a crimson ribbon for Alabama.”

Stanfield committed to play softball at the University of Alabama on Sept. 8 — just eight days after NCAA Division 1 schools were allowed to start talking to her. Throughout her 12-yearlong softball career, her desire to play Division 1 has never wavered.

The morning of Sept. 1, her inboxes were

her at [Alabama],” Stanfield’s mother Christy Rose said. “That’s when they invited her for the official visit.”

Two days later, Stanfield and Rose were on a plane to Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The campus was familiar to them, as Rose’s grandparents attended the university. But seeing the school as a potential student-athlete was a whole different ballgame for Stanfield.

“It was amazing, obviously, just picturing yourself being in the buildings where they said, ‘Oh, this is where your classes would be,’” Stanfield said. “When you finally commit you’re like, ‘Holy cow’ I’m actually gonna be there.”

Stanfield admired the “SEC vibe” of the school through the repetitive masonry and southern atmosphere of the campus. She has always wanted to return to the South after living in Tennessee for 14 years.

I FEEL LIKE some of the pressure is taken off me, but then again, I feel like more pressure is added on. I just feel like I have to perform so much better now.

PAIGE STANFIELD JUNIOR

“Softball is really big in the south, in the area that we moved from it’s a known thing,” Rose said. “It’s kind of like how soccer here is really big.”

Her life in Tennessee was filled with stolen

A HOME RUN

bases and strikeouts since she started playing softball at four years old. In 10 years, she went from her hometown little league to playing third bases in national tournaments on a traveling team.

The softball showcases she has been playing at for nearly five years got the attention of Alabama’s head softball coach, Patrick Murphy.

“We had seen him at the games and he talked to [Stanfield’s] coaches, but you know, they’re not allowed to tell us anything until Sept. 1,” Rose said.

Paige received her official verbal offer from Murphy on Sept. 7 while on her campus visit. While she can finally cross being committed to a D1 school off her lifelong bucket list, she still needs to remain in top shape.

“I feel like some of the pressure is taken off of me, but then again, I feel like more pressure is added on,” Stanfield said. “I just feel like I have to perform so much better now.”

HAIRSTYLE

Stanfield’s “lucky hairstyle” is a bubble braid tied with a ribbon — she wears this hairstyle for all of her games

photos by caroline black & addie clark art by avery foster

SCORING

GOALS

Junior Natalie Scobie struggles to balance school and have a social life because of her intense soccer travel schedule

story by mya smith

MONDAYS: LIGHT

practice for an hour and a half. Tuesdays: Drills for an hour and a half. Wednesdays and Thursdays: Scrimmage for an hour and a half. Fridays: Travel days or off days. Saturday and Sunday: One or two games.

This busy, jam-packed schedule has been junior Natalie Scobie’s routine for the past seven years on her club team, Sporting Blue Valley Elite Clubs National League 2008.

Natalie has always dreamed of soccer being her professional career, professional career, now that she’s able to travel to places like Florida and Chicago with her team, she’s gotten to experience aspects of her dream.

Her most recent trip was this summer when she was picked out of 100 players around the globe to travel to Spain with KC Current and the rest of the girls picked from ECNL teams to compete with other Midwest teams. In Madrid and Barcelona, Spain, Scobie played numerous games against Midwest and 18+ Spanish teams including the Real Madrid Femenino 2nd team and FC Barcelona Women’s 2nd team.

Taking a trip to Spain with her

team helped Natalie get a feel of what playing soccer professionally would be like.

“It was a good opportunity because I really got to showcase myself and my talents in front of the professional level,” Natalie said, “I think that’s a really good learning opportunity as a player and as a person. I matured more because it was more of a serious environment. I think that it showed me what it takes to be a professional player”

Throughout the numerous team trips, Natalie cherishes the friendships she’s made the most from her soccer team.

“The people make soccer,” Natalie said. “All the friends and everything that I’ve met through soccer are like a big family to me and at the end of the day I feel like I can talk to them about anything and that’s a big part of it.”

Natalie’s love for soccer started 11 years ago when her parents put her on a Brookside recreational team at five years old. But it wasn’t until she was nine years old when she joined the Sporting Blue Valley club team, that her passion for soccer started to bloom and she dreamed of playing soccer professionally.

“At the age of maybe 12 or 13 you

could tell she was a little bit different,” Natalie’s dad, Evan Scobie said. “At a very young age she would practice on her own and dribble on her own. So I think that’s a big part of it. At the end of the day you have to be born with some of it to be really good, you know and you’ve got to love it, and you have to live it at times, which she’s done.”

When Natalie isn’t working on her AP homework on Honors Algebra II, she’s is most likely at soccer practice, or traveling around the states for soccer. Her first full week of school since school started was last week — in late September — due to traveling to Spain and Michigan for soccer.

“Soccer has basically become my whole personality,” Natalie said. “It’s not because I like it, it’s just forced. We have so much that I don’t have time to go hang out with my friends, I don’t have time to go to functions or anything.”

Although soccer makes managing her school work so difficult, her love for the sport is far from gone.

“In the end, soccer is what fulfills me,” Natalie said. “It gives me happiness, and

INTERNATIONAL BREAK

Places Scobie has traveled to for soccer

PHOENIX, AZ

CHICAGO, IL

DALLAS, TX

MADRID, SPAIN

every time I play I seek for that joy, I really value that and it’s why I keep going every day.”

design by lucy stephens

photos courtesy of natalie scobie

Some of the prizes people win through getting points

Pep Club introduced the SuperFan app in order to increase student involvement at events

WAYS TO GET POINTS FAN POLLS CHECK-INS BONUS POINTS

There are multiple different ways to get points on the SuperFan app

answer a fan poll on the app for fve extra points

the most common way to receive points is by going to an event and checking in on the app

come to the game early to get a code from the pep execs for additional points

Students can post photos at events through the fan cam feature

RIGHT Seniors Lucy Wolf and Grace Demetriou pose to endorse Corinth Buddies at the SHARE Care Fair.

courtesy of porter stein