Staley Talon, Volume 12, Issue 1, September 2019 by Staley News, Staley High School

Staley High School Kansas City, MO. Volume 12, Issue 1 September 2019

What keeps us up at night P. 08-09

The battle for class rank p. 04 on the road p. 06-07

New kids on the block p. 14-15

Issue 1 Volume 12 talon Table of contents

Inside 04

news

Sports

06-07

Sports

08-09

News

10 11

This Issue

Ap Classes considered more important by students After two-year break, athlete honored nationally Tennis team strengthens bonds while creating new traditions

Taking a deeper look into the sleeping habits of teens

Staff editorial

AP benefits not guaranteed opinion

brothers debate popular video games

12-13

lifestyles & Entertainment

14-15

Lifestyles & Entertainment

Popular food delivery apps tested Fresh faces join the flock Feature

SOn shares experience of life with two moms

Table of contents talon Volume 12 Issue 1

Talon Staff editors-in-chief Makenzie Hooton Hailey Milliken Copy editor Jack warner

Staff Autumn Adams Sara Almansouri Abbi Clifton isaBella Dorrington

Cassie Ford Jenny Le Hannah Moore Charlie Warner

Advisor Cherie Burgett

Letter from the editors Dear Readers, Welcome to the first issue of Talon in the 2019-2020 school year! For those who aren’t familiar with our publication, be prepared for seven issues full of hard work and dedication to reliable news. To those who have been with us for a while, I hope you enjoy this issue like the many others we’ve put out in the past. Even though we’re releasing this in September, our staff has been working since June to prepare another publication we can be proud of. On top of that, we pushed through the

challenges of having an almost entirely brand-new staff. With two new editors-in-chief Makenzie Hooton and myself, we’re determined to make this the best year yet for Talon. We’ve redesigned the magazine once again, and we hope you agree that these changes are for the better. In this issue, we highlight some relevant topics for students at the beginning of the year. We discuss the pressures of AP classes on page 4, and our centerfold focuses on teenagers’ bad sleeping habits on pages 8-9. You can also read about the experience of being a new kid at Staley on pages 14-15. The

Talon staff and I are so excited for you to read through this issue and hear what we have to say. Here’s to another newsworthy year! Sincerely,

Talon publishes seven issues during the school year. Talon will accept letters to the editor in CR202 or at cherie.burgett@nkcschools.org. Before the letter is published, we will need to verify the writer’s identity with a photo identification. Letters may not exceed a length of 350 words. We will not publish letters that are libelous, obscene or that may cause a veritable disruption of the education process at Staley High School. Letters must be signed. Anonymous letters will be discarded. Advertisers may contact the adviser at cherie.burgett@nkcschools.org, (816) 321-5330 or at 2800 NE Shoal Creek Parkway, Kansas City, MO, 64156-1313.

Opinions expressed in Talon do not express the staff’s endorsement of the products or services.

Talon is a member of NSPA, MIPA, MJEA and Quill and Scroll. Talon is affiliated with JEA and JEMKC.

On the cover Staley High School Kansas City, MO. Volume 12, Issue 1 September 2019

What keeps us up at night Pg. 10-11

As students adapt to the new school year, Talon decided to look into students’ sleeping habits for the first issue. Junior Sara Almansouri took the photo for the cover in order to depict how screens affect students’ sleep.

On the web StaleyNews.com

@staleynews The battle for class rank p. 06 on the road p. 08-09

New kids on the block p. 18-19

Staley News

Issue 1 Volume 12 talon News

The battle for class rank

AP CLASSES CONSIDERED MORE IMPORTANT BY STUDENTS

etween electives, AP classes, core classes and clubs, it can be difficult for students to know what to prioritize. Students who have certain interests and passions take electives like art, foods and woods. Students often take AP classes to get ahead and possibly graduate high school with some college credit. Now, some students are not taking electives in order to take AP classes, meaning classes that cater to students’ interests are being dropped so they could possibly get college credit and increase their GPA, leading to a higher class rank. “I think elective classes provide an opportunity for students to explore,” said assistant principal Kevin Kooi. “There’s a multitude of research out there that suggest kids that take an AP class in high school have a better shot of going to college and being successful because they’re being exposed to a rigorous type curriculum.” Both electives and AP classes can be essential to a student’s success. Kooi said it’s important for students to reach out to a variety of people and get some

opinions when they’re making decisions about what classes they take. Sophomore Nikki Johnson is a student who focuses on class rank and takes AP classes. “I had to drop photography for AP Psych so I could get the GPA boost,” said Johnson. She said she wants to go to the Air Force Academy, and in order to be considered, a student has to be in the top 10% of his or her class. “They really push you mentally, and they challenge you,” said Johnson. Another student who focuses on AP classes is junior Mason Gates. Gates said he chose AP classes over electives he had wanted in order to improve his class rank. “In order to take my AP classes, I was forced to drop Leadership, Marketing Principles, which I really wanted to pursue DECA, but it’s kind of out the door now,” said Gates. “And Advanced Debate. And that’s just for this year. I’ve had multiple of these different droppings throughout the past few years.” On the other hand, there are students who chose to prioritize electives.

“It’s what I love to do, and I feel like it would make high school less stressful,” said senior Jason Musembi. Musembi said he has been satisfied with his choice of prioritizing choir and Medical Interventions over AP classes. He said it has not impacted his college searches in that his possible colleges have not been limited. Students are choosing AP classes to improve class rank, when different colleges look for things other than class rank. It is important to research possible college choices and find out what they look for in applicants. If it’s not class rank, students can work toward those requirements and still take skill-building electives. Kooi said different colleges care more about certain academic areas than others. “You shouldn’t simply take an AP to boost the class rank because there’s so many other factors involved,” said Kooi. He made it clear that it is important to know what certain colleges look for in a potential student. Written by Charlie Warner Photo By Cassie Ford

sports talon Volume 12 Issue 1

Back in business After two-year break, Athlete honored nationally

fter taking a two-year break from the sport, sophomore wrestler Jackson Murray came back but never thought he would be recognized nationally. Murray was named Adidas wrestler of the week Aug. 20. It all started when Murray’s dad and older brother encouraged him to start wrestling in third grade. Right away, he put time and effort into practicing. “I make sure I eat right, get good workouts in, good conditioning, and for matches, I focus on the match,” said Murray. After a few years of competing, Murray decided to quit in sixth grade. “I quit because I had really bad anxiety and back problems,” said Murray. With all the people watching him

compete, he began to feel anxious and stressed, he said. “There were always at least a thousand people in the gym,” said Murray. He had pulled a few muscles in his back when he was 9 years old, and later in a match, he hurt it again. Murray took time to recover by going to physical therapy and got away from crowds for a while. He said he still gets anxious but not as bad as it used to be. Two years after taking a break Murray was ready to come back. “I got my anxiety under control and got my back stronger. I felt like I needed it in my life and that it was the time to go back,” said Murray. “I love the sport; it is a big stress reliever for me.” Murray made it to youth state in eighth grade, became a varsity wrestler as a freshman and made it to state as a freshman. He said he enjoys being on the team, competing with his teammates and the adrenaline rush. “I love bonding with the team and all of us building a brotherhood and the way the teammates

and coaches push you to work harder nonstop,” said Murray. Murray wrestles on varsity and said he is planning on wrestling in college. He hopes to earn a state championship. “Jackson is a young wrestler who has recently just come back to the sport after taking a few years off and is doing a very good job of making up some of the ground that he lost while not being in the sport,” said wrestling coach Elisha Bears. One of his teammates saw that Murray had been named the Adidas wrestler of the week and told him. “I was shocked; I didn’t think it would happen,” said Murray. Every week, Adidas chooses a high-school wrestler who competed well. “I was really happy for him. You know, when you see a kid work hard and have success, as a coach that is something that you look forward to and hope for,” said Bears. Although Murray was appreciative of the award, he knows he still has to work hard. “Being back for only two years and getting that award, it was amazing but shows me I still need to continue to work hard,” said Murray. Written by isabella Dorrington photo by Charlie Warner Graphics by Jenny Le

HONORABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

-made Youth state as an 8th grader -made state as a freshman

-made varsity as a freshman

Issue 1 Volume 12 talon Sports

on the

road

Tennis team strengthens bonds while creating new traditions

he girls tennis team began their journey through Minnesota, Missouri and South Dakota, Aug. 29. This was the first road trip for the team. The five days were full of not just tennis, but team building as well. “It was a lot of fun for the girls to get that bonding experience,” said assistant coach Jacob Sullivan. Sullivan said the trip was helpful because it can be hard for tennis teams to bond due to it being a more individualized sport. The players had a cooking competition between their rooms using $30 and seeing who could make the best meal. Other bonding highlights included going to The Mall of America, mini-golf and singing. “Singing with Sullivan in the car was also a lot of fun because he was show choir whenever he was in high school,” said junior Kendall Sweeney. In addition to the high levels of bonding, the girls experienced a high

While competing in one of the games, senior Gabby Knox and junior Kendall Sweeney have a conversation with coach Daniel Berkland Aug. 30. The girls tennis team traveled more than 16 hours for the trip. “It was so much fun, and I really got to know the girls I had been playing with for three years that I hadn’t before,” said Sweeney. While taking a break during a tournament Sept. 2, sophomore Serena Dalton, junior Amber Granberg and senior Gabby Knox let loose between matches. They played in tournaments in South Dakota and Minnesota. “It was really awesome getting to be a part of the first group to ever go on a Staley Girls Tennis road trip,” said Dalton.

level of competition. While they were the team’s first matches of the year, some of the teams they played had

“

I just cannot wait for it to be a tradition and for other people to get to experience that kind of team closeness.

Junior Kendall Sweeney

already played four or five matches. The girls played the South Dakota State champions and other high qualifying teams. Sweeney said she appreciated playing more difficult competition because it was more challenging than playing locally.

“Some of the teams we played were tough, but I think despite that, we kept fighting and gained a lot of experience from playing those harder teams,” said senior Averi Clement. Besides the memories that were made, the trip also paved a way for the future of girls tennis trips. Sullivan said the trip will pose as motivation as only the top 12 girls get to go. “I just cannot wait for it to be a tradition and for other people to get to experience that kind of team closeness,” said Sweeney. Five days of playing and bonding not only brought the team closer and challenged them, but it helped set a precedent for the future teams and created a goal for the girls to work toward. Written by Jack Warner Photos By Kennedy Mcgrath

Sports talon Volume 12 Issue 1

In the middle of a match Aug. 30 senior Averi Clement and senior Audrey Allen share a quick chat. Both girls played multiple teams during the road trip and said it made them more prepared for home tournaments. “The trip was so much fun and a great way of starting the season and bringing together teammates,” said Clement.

Focused on the win, junior Kara Messner and sophomore Charlotte Schulte are in the middle of a match Aug. 30. Messner said it felt special to be included. ”It was just such a good experience,” said Messner. On the sidelines at their tennis tournament, junior Kara Messner and sophomore Charlotte Schulte sit and watch their teammates compete Aug. 30. This was their first time going on this trip, and it helped players with their skills. “I definitely improved as a player and am really excited for road trip next year,” said Schulte.

Issue 1 Volume 12 talon News

Taking a deeper look into the Sleeping habits of teens

utting sleep on the back burner until the early morning is an all too familiar scene for teenagers nowadays. Their sleep schedule is in competition with a variety of outside factors, whether it be an assignment due the next day or too many episodes of a TV show. Teens are visibly struggling to divide their time to maintain a healthy balance, and many of the consequences from this are being brought back into the school environment. “I started getting less sleep during the transition period between middle and high school,” said junior Katlyn Mullins. “The new stress that came with school, home, friendships and relationsips really messed with the time I was going to bed.” High school comes with numerous opportunities to take on responsibility that a lot of students haven’t experienced before. Alongside the hundreds of students enrolled in AP classes, many teens work a job and participate in extracurricular activities. Though being thoroughly involved is promoted at the school, it’s easy to get tangled up with the high expectations that come along with it. This type of situation is how sleep can start to be overlooked in the long term. “I think the demands on our students are even higher than they’ve ever been before,” said AP Psychology teacher Scott Anderson. “Especially here at Staley, we push advanced courses and other responsibilities onto kids like crazy. Our culture has created a lot of scenarios where kids won’t be getting enough sleep.” While daily obligations and assignments take a big toll on students’ sleeping habits, a lot of it can be self-inflicted as well. Many teenagers make the choice to spend their

nights on a device or a new episode, rather than sleeping a few extra hours. Anderson said students tend to view late nights as extra free time for them. After a busy day, it can be easy to fall into the habit of using nighttime for entertainment, instead of rest. “I for sure think I can improve the time I’m going to sleep. I should probably get off my phone earlier in the night and use that time to relax so I can sleep better, which is definitely not what I’m doing now,” said sophomore Mia Alvarez.

“

The new stress that came with school, home, friendships and relationships really messed with the time I was going to bed.

Junior Katlyn Mullins

Craig Meyer, owner of Advanced Medical Resources and president of the PM Sleep Lab in Kansas City, Missouri, explained the toll electronic devices can have on a teenager’s sleep. “We get tired at night because when the sun goes down and the vitamin D goes away, our body starts producing melatonin to make us tired. If you’re using an electronic device, whether that’s a laptop, tablet, cell phone, computer or television, they all emit blue light. Blue light replicates the wavelengths of the sun, and therefore inhibits your body from its natural production of melatonin,” said Meyer.

Meyer also said teenagers have high levels of caffeine consumption during a regular school day. He said that caffeine isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the time of day that students drink it can certainly turn it into one. If you drink coffee or an energy drink in the afternoon, it can linger in your system until it’s time to go to bed. With so many obstacles interfering with a good night’s sleep, teens can start seeing the consequences quickly. A study at Brown University discovered that lack of sleep among young adults can put them into a “perpetual cloud or haze” during the day. This haze has been shown to affect mood, regulation of actions and ability to get along with others. “You’re able to see the effects of not enough sleep in the classroom definitely. It decreases our ability to pay attention and concentrate during school. When that stuff decreases, our academic performance tends to as well,” said Anderson. When sleep habits are changed for the better, the outcomes have been overall positive for academics and daily life alike. “We’ve seen athletes increase their athletic performance up to 10 percent just from adding an hour to an hour and a half to their sleep every night. On top of that, students who sleep before an exam tend to get better scores than those who stay up all night cramming,” said Meyer. Teenagers face a lot of challenges when it comes to their sleep, but bad habits can be changed now to create a healthier environment for the future. Written by Hailey Milliken photos by Sara almansouri graphics by Makenzie Hooton

News talon Volume 12 Issue 1

The statistics on sleep

76.7% of students feel

like they do not get enough sleep

46.1% of students said

Homework was the main thing that keeps them awake

47% of students said they

only get 5-6 hours of sleep each night Survey of 232 students

Issue 1 Volume 12 talon Staff Editorial

EDItorial: Is AP worth it?

Advanced placement benefits not guaranteed

he push for students to take AP classes has been a prominent force in schools for years. These classes are rigorous, stressful and sometimes a risk. The high level of learning and possible high level of distinction also comes with some drawbacks. The uncertainty about AP classes should make us question the worth of taking AP classes. AP classes offer challenging coursework and the opportunity to get a college course out of the way. Also, it has been said that AP courses can create a more common curriculum thus leveling the playing field for urban or rural schools. However, some AP courses are taught better in some schools than others. This is because the College Board only approves the curriculum and test, not the teacher. Levels of experience can vary between AP teachers. According to a study done by Stanford University, taking AP classes does not

have much effect on time to degree. This means that AP credits in high school won’t speed up the process to when they get their degree, because students rarely earn enough credit to skip full semesters or years. Also, some students still repeat the class in college. Students can use the College Board website to see what schools accept which credits. A majority of state schools are required by state law to accept all AP credits with the score of a 3 or higher, but Missouri does not require this, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. It is difficult to definitively say whether taking AP classes makes students more successful in college. This is because it is hard to determine if students who took AP classes in high school do well in college because of the AP class or just because they are a hardworking student who will do well regardless.

The social pressure involved in AP courses is often a stressful aspect of students’ lives. Students may feel like they have to take AP classes to fit in or be seen as smart. High achieving students who may not do well on the AP Exam will exert extreme effort, and it is not guaranteed to be beneficial. Also, not all colleges accept the same course credits. This is why college-level courses should also be considered as well as AP classes. This way, if you pay for the class and get at least a C, you get the credit. Because multiple AP tests, though none of them are over $100, can add up quickly. Students should not risk their success in other classes because of one class. Simply put, if a student feels they will do well on the AP test, it is worth the risk. But if a student is a poor test-taker or knows they won’t do well, the risk is not worth it. Cartoon by Jenny Le

Stressed out over AP Classes

The

warner

Opinion talon Volume 12 Issue 1

Bros

Brothers debate popular video games

Minecraft is loved and held close to the hearts of many who play it, and it has experienced a resurgence in popularity. Its popularity is booming due to the recent Minecraftbased memes and the game’s 10-year anniversary on May 17. Also, internet creators like Ph1LzA, CallMeCarson and PewDiePie have brought new entertaining twists to the game. Like playing in hardcore modes where you can’t respawn, with a group of friends who all stream the game and role play in the game. One of the only other games to have this level of popularity is Fortnite. Minecraft beats Fortnite every time because it can be simple, or it can be complex and entertaining, while Fortnite is the same thing every round, again and again. Even when Fortnite releases a new game mode, it only sticks around for a month or so. In Minecraft, there are endless possibilities and a multitude of game modes, mod packs, created by players themselves. Anyone can get a basic understanding of Minecraft’s controls fairly quickly. The most experienced Fortnite players have been playing since the game’s release in July 2017, and it’s a struggle to catch up to their levels. In addition to that, Minecraft has a wholesome community where individuals

can express themselves and have fun. In Fortnite, it can be difficult to have a positive experience when the main objective is to kill everyone else in the game. And the only way players can express themselves is through skins that cost actual money. Minecraft has free customizable skins, and players can build and create whatever they want. Overall, Minecraft is a better game because the approach can be tailored to the player with endless possibilities. With the limitless customization and the wholesome community, Minecraft is a lot more than a game. It’s a place where individuals can express who they are, have fun with

friends, and escape from the real world. If you’re looking for a game to play where you can do whatever you want, play with friends, and have a great time, try Minecraft. Written by Charlie Warner

In the gaming world, not much beats putting together a squad of friends and beating roughly 96 other people to get a Victory Royale. This feeling cannot be mimicked in other games, especially not Minecraft. Although Minecraft was one of the first games to introduce battle royale gameplay through mods, it is now outdated and not as convenient for gamers. Since its rise in popularity the last two years, Fortnite has been loved and played across the world by people within a wide range of ages. It is not uncommon to see young kids randomly do Fortnite dances. It is also not uncommon to see grown adults streaming

their gameplay and making money off of it. But this is not what makes Fortnite better than Minecraft because these are traits shared by many videogames. What makes Fortnite better than Minecraft is its convenience, simplicity and how it remains relative to its customers. Fortnite is free to download on all platforms besides mobile, while Minecraft players have to pay for an account PC or the disc on console. This is often a forgivable factor for gamers, if the game is worth it. Fortnite has controls that are easy to understand and pick up on quickly. Also, the premise of the game is easy to grasp -- eliminate players to win. Minecraft can be hard to understand without experience. It takes players longer to understand how to do something in Minecraft than in Fortnite. Lastly, Fortnite remains at the top because of its constant free updates that adapt to pop culture with new relatable themes. The stock Minecraft does not have this feature, and Minecraft mods are not as easy to download Fortnite updates. Fans of the game understand that all of these factors make it better than Minecraft. It is easy to understand, easy to obtain, easy to play and always changing. Written by Jack warner Photos by Charlie Warner and Makenzie Hooton Graphics by Jenny le

Issue 1 Volume 12 talon Lifestyles & Entertainment

Written by Hailey Milliken Graphics by Autumn Adams Photos by hannah Moore

Signed, Sealed and Delivered popular food delivery apps tested

The times of pizza or Chinese delivery being the only options for a lazy night at home are far behind us. Whether it be sushi, ice cream or burgers, couch potatoes can get practically anything delivered to their door. Not only that, but there are several apps that offer the same convenience to their customers. With so many options, how does one choose which one to use? We decided to have three services delivered to the school to truly determine the best food delivery app.

Grubhub

really had no prior knowledge about GrubHub going into this, but it was easily one of my worst experiences in food service to date. For this delivery, I decided to order IHOP which is a 15-minute drive from the school. I chose a kid’s pancake meal with apple juice because when you’re a teenager working a minimum wage job, you keep it cheap. Before any of the fees, the meal would’ve been $6.78 in person. GrubHub did not go easy on me with the fees though. The delivery fee was $8, plus another “small order delivery fee” that cost $2. If that’s not enough, make sure to add the $1.79 in miscellaneous fees and sales tax. With all of this extra cash they asked me to give up, they would at least provide a fast delivery, right? Wrong. I ordered from GrubHub at 5:35 p.m. and received it at about 6:50 p.m., with no explanation about the delay. Put all of this together and add a rude delivery guy, and it was more disappointing than one could imagine.

Lifestyles & Entertainment talon Volume 12 Issue 1

Postmates

was initially very excited to try Postmates. I had only heard good things about it, and it was definitely the app I heard of most frequently. I ordered a six-inch spicy Italian sandwich from Subway for $4.99. This particular Subway was an eight-minute drive away from the high school. With the short drive, the delivery fee was still $6, more expensive than the sandwich itself. On top of that hefty delivery fee, there was something called a “small cart fee” of $2, which applies to orders that don’t have a lot of items. Add some sales tax on top, and you get a six-inch spicy Italian that costs $14.45. The cherry on top is that I ordered the sandwich at about 5:30 p.m. and received it around 6:20 p.m. So in the end, I waited 50 minutes for food that would’ve been an eight-minute drive and paid a rough $9 in fees when I could’ve just paid $5. Safe to say that I’ll be making the drive in the future.

Doordash

his app was a light in all the poor experiences I had with food delivery services. I ordered a Blizzard from Dairy Queen to test if the ice cream would melt before it got to me, but the distance was a 10-minute drive. The blizzard normally costs $3.49 if I were to buy it in person, but of course there were some significant fees to add on top. The delivery cost was $4 for the 10-minute drive, while Postmates charged $6 for an eight-minute drive. There was also $2.75 of additional tax and fees to factor in, but there was no “small order fee” like the other services, despite just ordering one Blizzard. My total ended up being $10.23 for the ice cream, still pricey, but on the low end for these services. This app not only had the cheapest fees, but it also had the fastest delivery. I ordered from DoorDash at about 6:20 p.m. and received it at 6:50 p.m., leaving me waiting for only half an hour. The best part? The blizzard was still frozen.

Issue 1 Volume 12 talon Feature

Thai Nguyen Freshman

Where did you move from? “I always lived here; I just went to a private school.” Why did you move here? “My parents just decided.” Does Staley meet your expectations? “I heard it was good, and I like it here.” What’s it like to be a new kid at Staley? “It was regular, I felt like, because I knew people from football camp from this summer.” What do you like about Staley? “The people in it, they’re nice and caring.” What activities are you involved in at Staley? Football

Malea Noble

Sophomore

Where did you move from? “Smithville.” Why did you move here? “I moved in with my mom. So I moved in with her, and that was in this district.” Does Staley meet your expectations? “It does, actually I like it a lot better than I did Smithville.” What’s it like to be a new kid at Staley “At first it was really scary because there’s so many people; it’s a lot bigger than Smithville was. But everyone’s been pretty nice.” What do you like about Staley? “I like that there’s more kids. There’s more stuff to do; there’s more opportunities. ”What activities are you involved in at Staley? Hopes to do cheerleading

Feature talon Volume 12 Issue 1

New Kids on the Block Fresh faces join the flock Written by Charlie Warner Photos by Abigail Clifton

The majority of students here have attended school together since kindergarten because of the school’s clean feeder pattern. This means that all the neighboring elementary schools feed into the same high school. Students who went to Bell Prairie, Fox Hill, Nashua, Northview or Rising Hill ended up here and have essentially grown up together. Being a new kid and starting at a different school could be intimidating or scary. Some new students shared their thoughts about starting at a new high school where some of the students have grown up together.

Paige Mousseau

Junior

Where did you move from? “South Carolina.” Why did you move here? “I’m a military kid, so I move every two years.” Does Staley meet your expectations? “It exceeds expectations. It’s a lot nicer than my old school.” What’s it like to be a new kid at Staley? “It’s kind of intimidating because it’s such a big school.” What do you like about Staley? “Advisory; we did not have that at my old school.” What activities are you involved in at Staley? Theater

Caleb Taylor

Senior

Where did you move from? “I came from St. Louis.” Why did you move here? “My dad actually got a job out here.” Does Staley meet your expectations? “It exceeded them; it’s more than I expected.” What’s it like to be a new kid at Staley? “Just like being a new kid anywhere, it’s a little bit of an adjustment. My teammates and the staff have made the transition a lot easier.” What do you like about Staley? “I like everything. It’s a good school academically, and the football program is top notch. I have no complaints about Staley.” What activities are you involved in at Staley? Football

Issue 1 Volume 12 talon feature

The Same Love

Son shares experience of life with two moms

During the summer, Drew Jones, along with his brother Ryan Jones and his moms Kim Jones and Dixie Ousley are on a family vacation to Hawaii where his moms got married July 26, 2014. Drew spends a lot of time with family and loves the vacations they go on. “We’ve been to Mexico, Jamaica, Hawaii, Alaska, the Bahamas, Greece and Rome,” said Jones. Photo courtesy of the Jones family

riginally born in Guatemala, junior Drew Jones was adopted as an infant by his moms Kim Jones and Dixie Ousley. His older brother 2019 alumni Ryan Jones was adopted as an infant two years before him. “It was scary going out of the country. What was hard for me was not having any control. It was all out of our hands,” said Kim Jones. “But it was that first moment we held them we knew. I couldn’t love them any different. I can’t see how. We don’t love differently.” Jones said he is very close with his family, and he spends most of his time with them. “It’s been awesome growing up with my family. I don’t really have favorite memories because most of them have been pretty great,” said Drew Jones. Something they celebrate is their “Gotcha Day.” “It is our way of celebrating the anniversary of our adoption that my brother and I have. To my parents, it’s more important than our birthdays,” said Drew Jones. It has become more common to see same-sex couples and their

children together in public, but it wasn’t always this way. LGBTQ couples and families have faced discrimination for years. “We approached it as, ‘This is who we are.’ The people who know us are accepting, but we’re just people, right? It’s hard not to say normal, because we aren’t any different,” said Kim Jones. “I think it’s much better than it was, and it’s important for society to be more open to things. Discrimination will never end because, unfortunately, some people will never change their minds.” Kim and Dixie said they want the best for their sons. “Adopting Drew and Ryan made me nervous for them about being bullied and teased for having two moms,” said Dixie Ousley. Jones said he was never seriously bullied about having two moms, but he has come across some remarks about the topic. “Some people would say some ignorant and somewhat offensive things but nothing too serious,” said Drew Jones. Jones said his family likes to spend as much time as they can with each other. They get through things

together as a family. “One of the things we did that helped was that we didn’t hide. We said, ‘This is us,’” said Kim Jones. Their neighbors are an older couple who didn’t really believe in same-sex marriage, but they love the Jones family, said Kim Jones. “She’s an older lady in her 70s, and she said to me, ‘You changed us.’ And they didn’t hate or discriminate, they just didn’t understand because things were different back in their day growing up,” said Kim Jones. Kim and Dixie have gotten some positive feedback from others about what great parents they are, but they know parenting is not an easy thing to do. “Parenting is hard, the hardest job in the world. Same-sex parents, heterosexual parents it doesn’t matter because it’s all the same,” said Kim Jones. “When they were little, we would always say we were the luckiest four people because we found each other.” written by cassie ford Graphic by hailey milliken